Minister

113【Seven years of Jiankang】

The next day, Jin Yiwei's secret report entered the capital, and Chen Xing breathed a sigh of relief after reading it.

Xiang Fang was also relieved: "The south side also came to make a statement, and the case has probably been solved, and it can be calculated as two million taels of silver. The barbarian king kept his promise and let the crops in the north be planted on the ground in a hurry. inside."

Chen Hao was in a good mood: "I thought that half of the two million would go into the deficit in the north, but I didn't expect it to be so much more. The money at the gates of Fengyi is not so tight anymore, so we can follow the previous plan. Huang's map should be trimmed. Can the investigation of the case in the south yield 500 million taels?"

Xiang Fang nodded.

"Okay!" Chen Yan slapped his palm fiercely.

"Your servant and Chen Zuo," Xiang Fang knelt down, "...this is a secret letter from the Salt Bureau sent by Xu Wei."

After reading it, Chen Xing smiled and said, "This man...just thinks well, and he just creates some problems for me! Is there such a good person out there? He's up to date and not greedy, so he wants to die?"

Xiang Fang smiled without saying a word.

Chen Po thought for a moment: "Is there anyone who really didn't take a penny?"

"Maybe Master Yu Mianyu."

"Except for him?"

Huang Gui answered from the side: "I'm afraid Mr. Wei Chi doesn't have one, does he?"

Wei Chi was editing, and later he went to Beyond the Great Wall, so he might not have time to be greedy.

Chen Xing took a sip of tea: "Can he still be greedy?"

"The servant made a slip of the tongue," Huang Gui quickly knelt on the ground, "The emperor treats him so well, he really doesn't have to be greedy."

"That is to say... who the hell doesn't treat him so well... he still wants to be greedy?"

"Slave made a slip of the tongue, slave is guilty!"

"Stop kowtowing!" Chen Xing put down his teacup, "Since you mentioned him, then take someone to check to see if he is greedy or not!"

Huang Guicheng retreated in fear.

"Do you think I can find out?" Chen Yan smiled.

Xiang Fang whispered: "Master Wei is a watertight person. In the past, his calligraphy and paintings could sell some money, but these secret proceeds cannot be handled. Later, he was determined not to accept Wang Yunyi's black money. Now, he has entered At the time of the Imperial College, the recruiter’s time had already passed, so even if he wanted to reap the benefits, he couldn’t reap the benefits. Judging from the fact that he bought the house, he should still be innocent.” Xiang Fang thought for a while: “The emperor wants to ?”

"Yan Wang gave Huang Gui money, and seduced Shen Yang... How could I not return the gift? Since Huang Gui likes to hook up so much, why not ask him to check Wei Chi and Yan Yan?" Wang, lest he forget his roots in collecting money! Jiangnan, Xu Wei will come back by himself when he is done. Don’t meddle in the affairs of the weaving bureau. Let Li Qian and Jin Yiwei do those things! Pass the decree now Give it to Huang Gui, let him start investigating Wei Chi immediately." Chen Xing stood up: "Don't forget to keep an eye on it, don't really hurt your temper."

"It can't hurt the peace," Xiang Fang said with a smile: "Apart from the royal children, currently only Mr. Wei is the candidate for the son-in-law. Huang Gui still knows the importance, the emperor doesn't have to worry about it."

Chen Yan was taken aback: "You said?"

Xiang Fang lowered his head.

Chen Jin laughed: "This Wei Chi is amazing. King Yan can enjoy it there, the Ministry of War can eat it well, and even you can eat it here... It's a pity that such a good thing really doesn't have his turn!" That quick-tempered Huang Gui will be able to reply in about three days, right?"

"That's not true," Xiang Fang calculated, "Master Wei will be on vacation. Including what he owed last year, it may take five days. The reply may be at the end of the month."

"...He's leaving Beijing?"

"Returning to the master, if Mr. Wei hadn't handed over the form of leaving the capital, how would the slaves know that he has taken the leave?"

"...Okay, you go down." Chen Yan smiled secretly - there are other people coming up, Mr. Wei, you are so lively.

What Wei Chi was thinking about was King Yan's affairs. This man can't enter the palace for a while, but the emperor will calm down one day, and when he asks for something, he will definitely take back his will.But... what does the phrase "fly away" mean?What did Mr. Dai say again?Wei Chi was very angry.

"master……"

Wei Chi was grinding his teeth by himself when a weak voice suddenly sounded outside the room.

Wei Chi coughed—this is Zhu'er, the little maid assigned by King Yan.I stay in the Guozijian every day, and the affairs of the mansion are the worry of King Yan.After tidying up the house and filling in the furniture, the King of Yan insisted on being a good man to the end, and assigned all the servants and errands.This little girl was only 15 years old, she was thin and frail, she was quiet and gentle, she could be regarded as Wei Chi's 'personal' maid.

"Come in!"

Zhu'er hurried in: "Master, Mr. Lin is here to visit, and he has already arrived in the front hall."

Wei Chi didn't like the title Master very much: "Yes, I see."

After Zhu'er finished speaking, she quickly backed out.

Chen Hu is the bodyguard, and Yiqing is the secretary, but they are not actually serving people.In the past, it was easy to get it, but now if such a big house is also made to be small, wouldn't it be exhausting for both of them to death?Therefore, King Yan felt that it was still necessary to assign Wei Chi a real servant as usual.This Zhu'er is the daughter of King Yan's family. She has been careful and prudent since she was a child. She served in the front hall before, so King Yan chose her for Wei Chi.Wei Chi didn't want it at first, but he couldn't ask her to wash clothes and do needlework, right?Wei Chi was afraid that the girl was careful and found some clues, so he asked Chen Hu to take her with her for a month to learn his own rules.So she never dared to enter the back room without Wei Chi's orders, and she didn't dare to stay after she finished speaking, so she hurried out.

But Wei Chi stopped her this time: "Come out with me."

When we arrived at the front hall, we saw Lin Mao drinking tea there. Unexpectedly, Geng Yunmei also came, and what was even more unexpected was that Lin Yuzan was also there.

"Meet the teacher!" Lin Mao saluted Wei Chi hypocritically.

Wei Chi said viciously, "Have you done all the questions for the spring exam?"

"Huh..." Lin Mao laughed and said, "Student, this is a newlywed, how can you mention this?"

Geng Yunmei blushed: "You really have no rules. Xiao Wei... Master Wei, ignore him! This is Miss Lin," Yunmei took Lin Yuzan's hand: "It's my cousin."

Lin Mao stood up: "Actually, my father asked the students to visit the teacher. These are housewarming gifts. The teacher should also show the students around the new house. It would be bad if the students couldn't answer my father's questions. "

There was no hostess in the house to entertain the two female guests, Wei Chi had no choice but to order Zhu'er to wait on them, and he and Lin Mao walked in front to lead the way.

"Tsk!" Lin Hao pointed behind him: "That maid of yours can't even say a word."

Wei Chi looked back, and sure enough, Zhu'er was leading the way honestly, while Lin Yuzan and Geng Yunmei were talking in a low voice.

"...It can be seen that Mr. Lin really has good fortune," Wei Chi said with a smile: "Knowing that my maid is not good at words, I deliberately asked Miss Lin to accompany your wife."

Lin Mao snorted angrily: "Where did we call her here? Someone else wanted to follow her."

"Ok?"

"Didn't someone as smart as the teacher feel that?"

"You only know how to think wildly!" Wei Chi inadvertently blushed: "She used to be a beautiful woman, but now she is a female official, how could she have anything to do with me? You are treating the heart of a gentleman with the heart of a villain."

"Gentleman? This woman is very scheming! Yunmei is just stupid, but the teacher is also stupid."

Wei Chi naturally knew that Lin Yuzan was not stupid, or that he was a smart person, but he didn't think that being smart had anything to do with scheming.

"...Teacher, just wait and see if you don't believe me!"

After all, the front yard was regulated, and even though King Yan had a thousand thoughts, he had nowhere to display it. Everyone hurriedly passed by, and once they passed the Yongmen Gate, they suddenly realized that there were a few towering fir trees scattered along the road, because they were tall and straight. A small place suddenly appeared deep.

"I heard that a lot of courtyard walls were demolished because of this tree." Wei Chi said helplessly.

"..." Lin Hao, who lived in a family since he was a child, was also shocked: "These trees... no wonder the teacher's house shocked the whole capital a while ago. Are these brought from the mountains?"

"How can it be?" Wei Chi whispered, "It was dug from King Yan's yard."

"Among the royal relatives and relatives in the city, the most admired by the students is Prince Yan. No one can match his extravagance." Lin Mao marveled.

"Why don't you learn something good?" Wei Chi expressed disdain.

"Teacher's words are wrong!" Lin Mao said seriously: "Luxury is not something that people who have money can do if they are willing to spend money. How many nouveau riche are there in the whole country? Who can spend a lot of money on what should be spent like the prince? A place where people are amazed and willing, and at the same time amazed and worth it?"

Further back is a large garden, a small garden, and a large and small courtyard built by the former owner.King Yan came to "clean up" the house, not to rebuild the house, so he had to try his best to keep the original structure.However, considering that Wei Chi did not have "three wives and four concubines", King Yan directly converted the side room of the main house into a study, and opened up all the square walls of the large garden and small courtyard, completely re-planning according to the garden model.

The corridor made of cedar trees is not long, and after turning an oblique turn, we arrive at the gate of the inner courtyard. The gate is very ordinary, made of logs, with a copper frame, not like the gates of officials in the capital, but rather It is the residence of the hermits in the mountains.

Once you enter the gate, you will go directly to the main house. The red bricks in the past have all been replaced with green bricks, and the tiles have also been replaced with those in the south of the Yangtze River. Compared with the tall trees in the corridor, there are almost no trees here.

Wei Chi led everyone into the room: "Have you ever been in Nuanyuan?"

Geng Yun smiled and said: "That's the prince's yard, how did we get in? Brother Xiao Wei is making fun of us?"

"How dare you?" Wei Chi greeted Zhu'er to serve tea for everyone: "I just said that this house is not very unusual, Lord Yan built it according to Nuanyuan."

Geng Yun pouted her lips: "This is not unusual, but how strange is it, hum!"

"If Yunmei is unusual, just come here often, I'm afraid Teacher Wei won't entertain you." Lin Mao laughed.

"How dare I not accept it?"

Geng Yunmei heard that Lin Mao was turning sour again, so she ignored him, but said to Wei Chi, "It's not because I'm afraid that Master Wei won't entertain you, but I'm afraid that Master Wei will always come back without marrying a sister-in-law, and you won't be able to entertain him even if you want to!"

"You're nagging like your brother."

Geng Yun smiled and said to Lin Yuzan: "He is just like you, he is not in a hurry!"

Lin Yuzan blushed in embarrassment.

Wei Chi hurriedly said, "Then let's look elsewhere."

The exterior of the bedroom has been modified very uniquely, with a flower door imitating Jiangnan, which can not only allow people to look at the scenery outside, but also keep the people inside quiet.

"It's so interesting!" Geng Yunmei clapped her hands: "I haven't seen anyone's house repaired like this!"

"What do you know?" Lin Mao pointed to the huge flower gate: "It will be good to watch, he won't freeze to death in winter!"

Lin Yuzan sneered and laughed: "Brother is wrong, Mr. Wei's house was built in the style of the ancient Jiangnan. Hollow, connected to the kang, when winter comes, take out the packed ones, hang them, and burn coals, it will not be cold at all. And the outer room and the inner room are so wide apart, and the inner room is warm It’s even less cold when the walls are separated.”

"Miss Lin is very knowledgeable, that's the reason. I heard that the girl is from Jiangnan, how could she know this?" Wei Chi was a little surprised.

"My father was doing business in the south of the Yangtze River, and then gradually went north, and the business reached Lin'an. At that time, I was already eleven or twelve years old, and my father liked to take me on trips. Lin'an had many old courtyards from the Southern Dynasty. I couldn’t bear the coldness of Lin’an, and liked the houses in the south of the Yangtze River, so I made a change. Most of these houses are built near the water and on the hills, warm in winter and cool in summer. It’s just that they fell down one after another, and no one can afford to repair them. The house. When I went to Lin'an, I only saw a few places in the old house of the Fan family... I don't want to, but there are also here, my lord."

In fact, Wei Chi didn't know this either: "Miss Lin is very knowledgeable."

"Hmph! Lost?" Geng Yun smiled and said, "My cousin, I have even been to Master Wei's hometown!"

"Don't dare to compare, dare not compare." Wei Chi was really curious: "Has the girl's family's business also reached the middle of Sichuan?"

"To make silk and satin, raw silk is needed, and mulberry is also produced in Sichuan."

"Shuzhong itself produces silk, and there is still raw silk to be sold to Jiangsu and Zhejiang?"

"Central Sichuan is rich. Although there is a lot of raw silk, households weave it and use very little. Raising mulberry and weaving silk naturally makes more money than farming, but weaving households in Central Sichuan are unwilling to pass on their skills to outsiders. So many people can only watch. The major households in Jiangsu and Zhejiang have their own weaving workshops, and they can weave as many finished products as they can harvest raw silk. In the middle of Sichuan, it’s just the opposite, where grain is grown in the fields, and the backyard of each household is a mountainous land, where they can’t grow grain, but they can grow mulberry, and households that can’t weave silk can also raise silkworms, so there is a lot of raw silk, which happens to be sold to Jiangsu and Zhejiang.”

"Oh..." Wei Chi thought for a while, "Then why can't there be some workshops in Sichuan?"

"The households in Sichuan that can weave silk are far apart, and the silk in Sichuan has to be transported abroad, which takes a lot of time to travel. Zhejiang has canals, sea transportation, and several big banks... and weaving bureaus. Well. Business is earning layer by layer. Jiangsu and Zhejiang cannot earn the raw silk money that Sichuan needs to earn, and Sichuan cannot earn the silk money that Jiangsu and Zhejiang need to earn. If the rules are broken, there will be trouble, and no one can start over. Make it to the end."

"It's reasonable!" Wei Chi couldn't help laughing: "It's the rule, Miss Lin is really reasonable! I'm happy to submit."

"I didn't expect Mrs. Wei to know some business!" Geng Yun covered her mouth and smiled, "But the outside room is a place to drink tea and read books, why do you agree to the servant girl at night?"

Zhu'er replied from the side: "If you go back to Madam, all the slaves live outside the courtyard."

Lin Yuzan was a little surprised, but judging from this Zhu'er, she was a pretty beauty in terms of looks and stature, and judging by her clothes and behavior, she should be Wei Chi's personal servant girl.Most of these girls have the title of half master.I thought she had already lived with Wei Chi, that's why I didn't set up a single bed outside, but I didn't expect Geng Yunmei to find out after asking, that this girl was only for calling.

"How can I be so elegant? I used to be used to it by myself. There is nothing important at night. Everyone needs to sleep well, even the servants." Wei Chi thought for a while, then turned around and said respectfully. Lin Yuzan said: "When the girl is free some other day... I wonder if I can teach you how to read the account book?"

"Huh?" Lin Yuzan didn't understand for a moment.

"I'm from an academy, I want to learn, I made the girl laugh..."

"My lord's praise, my lord doesn't dislike it, it's my honor, I can't talk about disturbing, but my lord remembers to bring one or two paintings... That's it."

"Will you have to wait that long?" Geng Yunmei spread out the pen and ink on the table on her own initiative.

"How can I draw in such a hurry?"

"Painting is done impromptu, how long do you have to wait?"

Wei Chi was helpless: "...this...is still a little cinnabar red, so I'll draw some pomegranate flowers for you."

Lin Mao didn't expect his wife to treat this vicious teacher so well, so he was happy to watch the jokes from the sidelines.In such a rush of time, Wei Chi could only draw a few freehand brushstrokes, and laid the branch of pomegranate outside the window obliquely on the paper.Wei Chi took a closer look at the drawing: "I didn't draw as well as I did the day before yesterday...the cinnabar is not enough, it's a bit dark."

Geng Yunmei picked up a small script on the table:

Coral dyes the foot of Nanshan Mountain, and the red silk fills the jade pipa.

Sending the spring spirit into the king's book, the red rain is hard to reach under the autumn frost.

Fearing that it will be too late for spring to leave, I make pomegranate flowers with cinnabar.

I also sighed that the cinnabar was not coincidental, and it buried the red yarn of Fang Yi.

Wei Chi couldn't help laughing after reading it: "You call it a fake, I was obviously forced by you, why did you write it as hurtful?"

Geng Yunmei put down her pen: "Master Wei's mind... is thicker than wood, and when you get thinner one day, it will naturally hurt your spring."

"Don't be rude!" Lin Hao pointed to Wei Chi: "This is a matter for the teacher's next life, so don't talk about it in this life!"

Wei Chi tidied up the painting: "It's really a husband and wife! Come on, this painting and this poem will be given away to you." Then he turned to Lin Yuzan who was laughing and said: "This is nonsense, don't count, I will draw it later Here you go."

"No, no, no... this is what I want," Lin Yuzan took the drawing from Geng Yunmei's hand: "Your Excellency is thinking about looking at the account book, and your heart will soon become thinner, and you don't have to wait until the next life."

"Hmm! Cousin is right. I should include the account book to suit the occasion." Geng Yunmei clapped her hands.

Now even Zhu'er couldn't help laughing.

After leaving the main house, there is a garden. Only one of the two other courtyards was left, and the other was converted into a large garden.Wei Chi explained: "My family is small, so it's useless to keep so many houses. The prince said that since this is the case, let's tear it down and make a vegetable garden." The pond separates the courtyard from the garden.A small pavilion was built in the small bridge on the pond, and a group of people went to the corridor and sat in the pavilion.

"This pond is running water, which is very rare, so it is kept, but I don't know what to plant."

Lin Mao looked around. The main house and other courtyards are connected by flower corridors and stepping steps. The plants and trees in the main garden are well arranged. Just plant some lotus flowers."

"Don't! Avoid this vulgarity! Plant some water chestnuts."

Lin Yuzan laughed and said, "Master Wei is just joking. There are bridges and pavilions on top of this garden, and the surrounding vegetation is also very lush. If you bring some water chestnuts, you will soon lose the pond. Since your lord is tired of lotus, How about planting some peach lotus, the flowers are very short, the flowers and leaves are small, and the growth is sparse...but..."

"But what?" Geng Yunmei was curious.

"However, it can produce very large lotus roots. Adults can't eat water chestnuts. It's good to have some lotus roots."

"Okay, just for the sake of getting some food, I'll be vulgar again!"

There are no flowers in the pond, so the koi are particularly eye-catching. These fish are also carefully selected by King Yan, and they are all extraordinary.Lin Mao liked it very much, so he poured the rice wine in his hand into the pond, and the koi came up to eat one after another.Geng Yunmei looked at it, and couldn't help but become more poetic, so she grabbed Lin Mao and exchanged sentences with her.Seeing the two of them quarreling on the pavilion fence, Wei Chi suddenly thought of Princess Qinghe's worried little face, wondering if she would be happy to see such a scene...

"Master Wei..."

"Oh!" Wei Chi turned around quickly.

"There is no bamboo in the adults' yard." Lin Yuzan asked curiously: "It is said that I would rather eat without meat than live without bamboo. Did the adults forget? Or did the prince forget?"

"This... I don't really like bamboo very much... In fact, the four gentlemen don't like bamboo very much."

Lin Yuzan laughed.

"What is Miss Lin laughing at?"

"Sir, please tell the truth."

"Does Miss Lin like the Four Gentlemen?"

"I like it... But, if you don't clean up the bamboo, it's easy to damage the fence. Three of the four seasons of the plum blossom are meaningless. The orchids are stingy and have to be moved every morning and evening. The chrysanthemums like long insects... and the fragrance is not good. People like them because they like integrity. , It’s good to draw the integrity on paper and write it in a book, what do you think?”

"Why is Miss Lin laughing at me? Isn't Miss Lin also a person who likes to tell the truth?"

"The clean is clear, the straight is straight, the wise knows himself, why laugh at Fengchenhua?"

Wei Chi thought for a moment: "The one who is alone does not change, the one who is good does not distinguish, and the one who follows does not perish, all because of the rules."

"Master Wei is indeed an interesting person. This yard does not shy away from commonplaces in flowers and plants, so there is a method."

"It's rare for someone to appreciate the wind and dust in my courtyard. There is no couplet for this pavilion, so why not put these two sentences on it." Wei Chi greeted Geng Yunmei with a smile: "Great Poet Geng, quickly give us a banner."

Geng Yunmei left Lin Mao behind: "You two are interesting. Since we are talking about such a vulgar topic, we might as well call it—'The Wind and Rain Stop'."

It was originally a wind and rain pavilion, but when people come, the wind and rain will stop... What can I do if I am arrogant?If you don't attack Qing, you will break yourself.

"I can't get in!" Lin Mao said helplessly, "I can't compare to you guys. I'd better be a coolie. Tomorrow I will engrave a couplet and send it to you. It can be regarded as a housewarming gift from the students to the teacher."

"Thank you very much! However, I won't be in Beijing for three days until tomorrow. Students, don't be in a hurry. Find someone to engrave and send it over slowly. Don't disappoint your wife's kind words."

"Where are you going, sir?" Geng Yunmei thought it was business.

"Not far away, I have an appointment with an old friend, and I want to accompany her to Mount Zhulian outside Beijing."

"who's that?"

"It's the foreign princess who came here earlier."

Exotic princess?Lin Mao thought that Wei, who was provoking the King of Yan and building such a luxurious house, was provoking that princess at the same time... He dared to get close to a person that others couldn't hide from... What a shame. Man of rules.

Lin Yuzan felt cold in her heart, but after thinking about it, she felt that it was okay...

It's just a cinnabar pomegranate flower...

The author has something to say: the state is very bad... I