It's hard for my elder sister. I rely on the mountains to farm and pay off my debts.

A classmate beside him nudged him with his arm and asked, "Which courtesan is talking about this?"

Qian Zixu opened the folding fan in his hand and said in a self-conscious manner, "Go away, what nonsense are you talking about!"

"Let's go to Qingfeng Tower and listen to some music. I heard there's a new courtesan here. Let's go and see what's going on."

Several people here were pushing and shoving each other and were about to walk out of the academy.

Suddenly, a servant rushed in front of them and stopped Qian Zixu, "Second Young Master, the eldest young master needs you to go back."

Qian Zixu quickly closed his folding fan and bowed to his friends: "Everyone has something to do at home, I'll leave first."

After saying this, without waiting for everyone's reaction, he led his servants and rushed home.

On the way back, Qian Zixu couldn't help but ask, "Brother asked me to go back, but what's the matter?"

The servant shook his head, "The eldest master just read a letter and then told me to come and find you."

Qian Zixu was completely confused and had no idea what his elder brother was up to, but he still quickened his pace on the way back.

"Brother, are you looking for me?" Qian Zixu strode into his elder brother's study and asked first.

Qian Ziwen didn't say anything directly, but handed him a cup of tea and said, "How about trying this tea first?"

Qian Zixu took the teacup handed to him by his elder brother in confusion, thinking in his heart that his elder brother might have seen that he was too idle recently, so he was using courtesy first and then force, and was going to deal with him later?

Adhering to the principle of 'If the enemy doesn't move, I won't move!', he took a sip of the tea, which was refreshing and had a sweet aftertaste.

He nodded subconsciously, "This tea is good. Did my uncle and his men bring it from the south?"

If you ask him about his knowledge, he might hesitate for a long time, but when it comes to eating and drinking, he is an expert in everything.

Seeing that he approved of the tea, Qian Ziwen handed him the letter on the desk and said, "Take a look. I just received it today."

Qian Zixu read the letter quickly and said in amazement, "I never thought such high-quality tea could be produced in the north!"

"Brother, do you mean to accept Zhou Yu's invitation and purchase some of this tea?"

"That's right. Not only that, I also want you to go to the north. Now that my uncle has taken over the Jiangnan industry first, it's difficult for us to compete with him. We can only find another way to go to the north!"

Qian Zixu was a little reluctant, "Brother, the north is so barren, and there are barbarians attacking the city from time to time. If we develop industries in the north now, will we even lose our shop in the end?"

Qian Ziwen looked at his brother with a look of disappointment and knocked him hard on the head:

"You little brat, how come you haven't made any progress at all! Did you just turn a deaf ear to everything I told you before?"

Qian Zixu covered the place where he was hit and muttered aggrievedly: "How could I..."

Qian Ziwen glared at him and continued, "Your Majesty has been accumulating strength for the past two years in order to wipe out the Northern Rong in one fell swoop."

"Why else do you think one of the Zhou family members, who are deeply trusted by His Majesty, would be stationed in Yuncheng while the other would be serving as a county magistrate in Xia County?"

Seeing that his brother was still confused, Qian Ziwen continued to explain, "Yuncheng is the vital route to the Northern Rong. Defending Yuncheng will prevent the Northern Rong from taking advantage of the chaos and moving south."

"And sending Lord Zhou to Xia County is to have him develop the local economy and livelihood. This way, he can support the battle in the rear and provide material support."

"Just wait and see. If Zhou Yu can write to me to promote the tea, he's sure his superiors will believe it too. Who knows, maybe in a few days this tea will appear in the houses of various princes and nobles."

"Why don't we take advantage of this opportunity and make some money?"

The Qian family did not have much political capital, but the old man of the Qian family had a unique vision and made the right choice at the critical moment.

He stood on the side of the current emperor, who had not yet reached the top, and provided him with a lot of financial support.

Now their Qian family is the emperor's cash cow. They not only have to make money for His Majesty, but also share His Majesty's worries.

Your Majesty needs the people in the north to live a stable life. If the Qian family wants to develop in the long run, they must continue to share Your Majesty's worries. Only by being needed can they go longer!

Qian Ziwen, who possessed a keen political sense, spoke again, "So, this trip north is not only to open up trade routes, but also to respond to His Majesty's current needs."

"We are now His Majesty's moneybags. We must not only manage our own business well, but also align with His Majesty's plans."

"Although the North is dangerous, it is also full of opportunities. If we can successfully gain a foothold there, it will not only consolidate the Qian family's position, but also help His Majesty solve problems and win more trust and support."

Qian Zixu was awakened by his elder brother's words, and his eyes sparkled as he asked, "So it's a good thing that we were a step behind uncle and failed to occupy Jiangnan?"

Qian Ziwen corrected him with a stern face, "Our family is here to help His Majesty, so stop talking nonsense."

Qian Zixu covered his mouth with his folding fan and chuckled foolishly, "Big brother taught me a lesson. I won't dare to say nonsense again next time!"

Seeing him like this, Qian Ziwen couldn't help but shook his head.

This little brother of his is neither good at literature nor martial arts, and he spends all day hanging out with his classmates.

Fortunately, the man was smart, so Qian Ziwen sent him to the north to give him some experience.

He frowned and continued, "We can start with the tea trade this time, leveraging Zhou Yu's connections to expand the market. At the same time, we can also explore other resources in the north, such as minerals and medicinal herbs."

Qian Zixu stood aside and listened obediently to his elder brother's instructions.

At the end, seeing his brother finished speaking, he couldn't help but say, "Brother, actually, I think you are the most suitable person to go for this matter!"

Seeing his brother rolling up his sleeves, Qian Zixu stepped back repeatedly and changed the subject, "Well, big brother, I'll go back and pack my bags and try to leave as soon as possible!"

After saying this, he jumped away without waiting for his elder brother to reply.