Adhere to the gentleman's principles

In the Prince Pingliang's mansion, "Master, your father is in good health now and will return to court soon. My power as regent will be taken back. Master, do you still have the mood to play chess?"

Xiao Zhengchu's tone was a little impatient. Qin Zhuoyuan held the chess piece between his fingertips and said, "Your Highness is anxious? You know whether His Majesty is in poor health. I know His Majesty also knows. Have you ever thought about why His Majesty let Your Highness supervise the country for the past six months?"

Xiao Zhengchu thought for a moment and said, "Father doesn't trust me. I've worked so hard for so many years, but he still doesn't trust me."

Qin Zhuoyuan poured a cup of tea and said, "Your Highness, don't be angry. You are the crown prince. Do you know where your power should be used?" Xiao Zhengchu said, "Advise and support talents."

Qin Zhuoyuan said, "The provincial examination will be held in five months. By then, talented people who have passed the examination will come to Pingliang from various prefectures and cities. There will also be people from Yangzhou. There are many talented people in Yangzhou. Young Marquis Li Ziyan, Song Ciqiu and Lin Muchen will also participate this year."

When Xiao Zhengchu heard Li Ziyan's name, he was filled with resentment and said, "Li Ziyan? He is a well-known playboy in Pingliang, Yangzhou and Bianjing. He must have a rich family and the power of a marquis to be able to participate in the provincial examination."

Qin Zhuoyuan shook his head and said, "He has money and power. This is the Marquis of Guangping. Your Highness has met this young Marquis Li when he was a child. He has also been in school with me. He is very smart. He ranked first in the college exam. Although he may not be the first in the exam this time with Lin Muchen and Song Ciqiu, he has a good memory. Although his talent may be a little weak, if he enters the officialdom, the military generals will make the six armies obey him, and the civil officials will also be a big threat to Your Highness. Moreover, becoming an official does not only depend on the fame obtained in the exam."

Xiao Zhengchu looked at Qin Zhuoyuan and said, "Master, do you admire this Li Ziyan? He is smart, but in my opinion, his cleverness is not good enough for the public. He wants to be an official, but I don't agree with him."

Qin Zhuoyuan chuckled, "Your Highness has always been impulsive. He has to take this position, but whether he can survive in the officialdom depends on Your Highness. You are the prince and you need to put the people's hearts first. Your Highness likes Zhao Junning because she is the daughter of General Zhao. It is well known that General Zhao loves his sons and daughters. Your Highness wants to get Zhao Junning because General Zhao is a master in military tactics. General Zhao and the other three generals are the defenders of Wei. General Zhao's three brothers and sister are also geniuses in military tactics. Your Highness and I have said all these. Your Highness is also very smart, but Your Highness is a step late, but Your Highness can make up for it."

Xiao Zhengchu frowned, "I can't understand what Master said any more."

Qin Zhuoyuan said: "Your Highness, you can advise His Majesty to appoint Li Ziyan to be the county magistrate of Lucheng, Liangzhou."

Xiao Zhengchu said angrily, "Master, are you crazy? If he had made a contribution in defending Lu City, he would have come directly to Pingliang to serve in the Six Ministries or the Censorate as an official of the seventh rank or above."

Qin Zhuoyuan said slowly, "Don't worry, Your Highness. Lucheng is located on the border, where it is bitterly cold and harassed by bandits all year round. It is not certain whether he can survive if he goes there. Those bandits are more terrible and brutal than the Yihan people of Handan, Chi, and Beimeng. Even the governor Yang Chuanli was defeated several times. If it weren't for General Yuan, Liangzhou would have been the territory of bandits long ago. But how many times do you think General Yuan can save him? By then, the woman will be yours, and the army will be yours too."

After hearing this, Xiao Zhengchu laughed and said, "Master, you are a good strategist. I am overthinking. Then let him guard Lucheng... But what if he survives by chance?"

Qin Zhuoyuan said meaningfully: "If he survived, it means he is really capable. After all, he is the nephew of the Minister of Personnel and the grandson of the Marquis of Zhendong in Qingzhou. If he survived, then this opponent would be more interesting. If he died easily, it would be meaningless, right?"

Xiao Zhengchu then asked, "What about Zhao Junning?"

Qin Zhuoyuan's expression was serious: "Your Highness, it's not worth it for a woman. It doesn't matter if you lose the Zhao family army. You still have the Hehu Camp and the ministers in the court who support your Highness. Chess is played step by step, and the road is also walked step by step.

Your Highness, from today on, you have to learn from the King of Qin and even surpass him. Your Highness also knows that the King of Qin loves the people and has been praised by the people for ten years, but you have not. In the hearts of the people, the King of Qin is gentle, kind and considerate. The King of Yue and the King of Qi are the second son of the queen, who is irritable and arrogant, and the second son of the imperial concubine, who is kind-hearted. The King of Yan is disabled and weak, but only you are a blank sheet of paper in the hearts of the people, without slander or praise. From today on, Your Highness, think carefully about how to draw on this piece of paper."

Xiao Zhengchu smiled and said, "Young Master is indeed Young Master. I understand."

Qin Zhuoyuan smiled and nodded, thinking: Now among the princes, only the crown prince is willing to listen to me wholeheartedly. He is indeed smart, but it is not enough.

"This accounting is so difficult. Why is it so easy for Zhao Junning to calculate? Let's calculate again...why hasn't Uncle Chen come yet?" Li Ziyan was fiddling with the abacus with a bitter expression, flipping through the account books and calculating. Xu Wenhe and Shen Congwen were scratching their heads and helping Li Ziyan to calculate the accounts.

Shen Congwen said in distress: "Li Ziyan, when will your Zhao Junning come back? This is too difficult to settle."

Li Ziyan sighed and said, "It's almost time. It's just a matter of settling accounts. Why can't you settle accounts?"

Shen Congwen said angrily, "No, I thought you asked us to come here for some fun, just to settle accounts? Li Ziyan, you have never touched an account book or an abacus in your family's business, and we are not trying to embarrass you."

Xu Wenhe nodded and said, "Yes, when will aunt and your wife come back? If they don't come back, I can't figure it out even if I'm blind."

"You have so many stores. How does your wife manage to keep them so organized? I admire you so much. We can't do that." Shen Congwen said, resting his chin on his hand.

Li Ziyan held his chin with one hand and sighed, "I want to know too. This girl is amazing. I heard from my mother that she only helped my mother-in-law calculate a few times at home, but she can calculate so many stores and restaurants in our family without any mistakes. Now that you say this, I miss my wife more and more."

Shen Congwen snorted and laughed, "Ever since you told us that you liked Zhao Junning, you've been saying that you missed your wife every day, but it doesn't seem like your wife has come back. It's been a long time since you sent this letter, but you haven't seen your wife reply. Could it be that she doesn't like you?"

Li Ziyan threw the folding fan at Shen Congwen: "Shut up and settle your account."

"Young Master, there is a letter." The messenger sent by Li Ziyan shouted, and Li Ziyan was delighted after hearing it.

He walked quickly to the door, and the messenger handed him the letter. Li Ziyan took the letter and said, "Okay, okay, you should go back to the mansion soon."

Then I walked to the cashier's desk and opened the envelope. Inside it was written: Langjun is thinking, Jun Ning is thinking too. I heard from my mother-in-law that Langjun has been helping with the accounting and managing the store recently, so I gave Langjun some help. The accounting is very simple. For cloth, the price of each cloth is different. Langjun only needs to ask Uncle Chen about the price of each batch of goods, and it will be easy to calculate. Of course, I know that Langjun has asked but still can't figure it out. My account book is marked. Langjun will understand it after reading it more. Langjun is smart and can understand it at once. And I saw the love gift that Langjun sent. Jun Ning knows, but don't slack off in studying.

Li Ziyan was very happy after reading it. Shen Congwen and Xu Wenhe said: "Look how happy he is." Li Ziyan carefully folded the letter and put it away and said: "I will definitely complete the instructions of my wife."

Soon, Li Ziyan sorted out the accounts one by one with Zhao Junning's reminder. Shen Congwen and Xu Wenhe gave a thumbs up and said, "Li Ziyan, you are amazing. You finished it so quickly."

Li Ziyan said somewhat boastfully: "No, no, no, it's not me who is great, it's my Jun Ning who is great, she told me all this."

Shen Congwen asked curiously: "She told you? She didn't come back."

Li Ziyan said proudly: "In the letter, my wife really knows me too well. Even though she is not by my side, she knows the most difficult thing for me to deal with right now."

Shen Congwen quickly continued, "That's right. Look at you. Apart from a little kung fu and drinking, you have no other skills. You are not like your wife who is good at accounting and studying."

Li Ziyan looked at Shen Congwen and nodded with a silly smile: "That's right, my Jun Ning knows everything and is good at everything."

Xu Wenhe smiled and said, "Looking at your expression when you read the letter just now, did your wife say anything sweet?"

Li Ziyan thought for a moment and sighed, "No sweet words, no honeyed words, just telling me how to sort out the account books quickly and let me study hard."

After hearing this, Shen Congwen laughed and said, "Li Ziyan, you can't do it. It seems that you are not very important in your sister-in-law's heart." Li Ziyan said, "Yes, I don't know when this girl will come back."

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