Minister

147 [Jiankang Nine Years]

Wei Chi's unintentional complaint and joke caused Mei Yue a lot of trouble.It took the little girl a lot of thought to go around and tell Qi Yuan this weird idea.

"Why does Mr. Wei want to learn account books? He doesn't care about accounting when he is an official."

Mei Yue scratched her head: "Master Wei talked a lot about cloth, silk, silk, Jiangnan, weaving bureaus, etc. I... I don't really understand it."

Weaving Bureau?

The Weaving Bureau is considered one of the most financially powerful departments in the whole country. Today's weaving—Xu Wei no longer remembers Qi Rong, the former servant of the Ministry of Industry, but Xiang Fang, the eunuch in charge of the Ministry of Rites and Seals, must still remember this old friend.When Xiang Fang was weaving in the south of the Yangtze River, Lord Qi was still in good health. If this adult could take good care of himself, those big families in the south of the Yangtze River would not be so arrogant now.

After Li Pan came to power, the big silk households who had been restricted by the bank accounts in various places recovered one after another.More and more silk is sold to the barbarians every year, but even this cannot keep up with the needs of merchant ships.There are often overseas merchants who live in Jiangsu and Zhejiang for half a year, just to wait for the workshop to weave enough goods for a ship.In addition, the recovery of the big silk households is the steady stream of loans from the National Bank. What makes them happy is that with Li Pan's new policy, loans today rely on credit, not mortgages, and the ample funds quickly expand the scale of operations.In the farmlands of Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, there were hardly any young people working. Both men and women, those under 51 gathered in the towns and devoted themselves to silkworm-raising and silk-weaving workshops.

The new year is a bountiful year for the empire, and the tax revenue generated by Jiangnan is more than three times that of last year.

When Xiang Fang welcomed Xu Wei back to Beijing, his face was full of unstoppable joy.

Here the empire was pushed forward by an invisible hand, and the Weaving Bureau stood at the forefront of the team with high morale.If Mr. Qi is still alive, maybe he can see his rare smile?

Wei Chi doesn't understand these things very well, she feels that the core of this country is getting farther and farther away from her.A day ago, the maid next door to her mentioned Lin Yuzan to her, reminding her of the question she had asked Miss Lin for advice. At that time, she just wanted to learn how to read accounts so that she could show off to Lord Yan.But now, looking back at his own leisure, Wei Chi imagined that Lu Shengduo must be very tired, he doesn't understand business, and can't help with the affairs of Deyizhuang... It's not really to make trouble, but if he really understands, maybe be better...

Wei Chi was leisurely in the yard, thinking of Qi Yuan's black eyes again, as if he was watching him calmly under the eaves or in the firewood house in the snow-capped mountains.

The sky is really warm... Wei Chi yawned, put down his book, and closed his eyes.

"Master! Master!"

Before Wei Chi fell asleep, he felt Zhu'er calling him.

"This is what Mei Yue brought over just now."

"Huh?" Wei Chi took the letter from Zhu'er and opened the letter paper. There were no words in it, but a lantern was drawn casually.

"Master?" Zhu'er secretly smiled when she saw Wei Chi covering the letter paper.

"Go and rest, oh! Give me the jade pendant on my blue robe."

The vegetation in the Wei family's courtyard is very interesting. Against the courtyard wall is a row of beautiful vines, which bloom light yellow flowers in spring, and the petals fall with the wind. They are unknown but elegant.

Wei Chi sent Zhu'er away, pushed open the door of the side yard, sat on the threshold and waited stupidly.

The prince who waited foolishly was in a terrible mood, and his only favorite Master Wei hadn't come to class for a long time.Later, the Taifu personally came to supervise him, but the Prince was still unhappy, and finally couldn't hold it back anymore, and secretly asked him about the whereabouts of the emperor's aunt, Master Wei.

Chen Yuxiang secretly tugged at his sleeve, telling him not to say anything, and only after the master left and everyone else retreated did he tell him: Master Wei is just sick, and he will come when he recovers.

"Then why didn't you ask the Taifu just now? The Taifu must know better."

"Master Wei is not only the prince's master, but also a minister in the court. It's not good to ask the grand master rashly like this. From now on, don't tell those slaves which master you like. Doesn't saying you like this mean that you don't like that? Going out is unpleasant and boring. If you really like Master Wei, you should study hard when he is in class, that's all."

Chen Entropy had no choice but to nod: "Aunt Huang, if Master Wei is coming, please tell Entropy first, and Entropy will read the book carefully... It would be great if the Taifu could go and see Master Wei on our behalf."

Taifu?Maybe for Chen Entropy, apart from Wei Chi, the Tai Tuo is the one who loves him the most?Chen Yuxiang couldn't help sighing, thinking about the current situation in Jiangnan, Li Pan, and Concubine Hu Gui, couldn't help but worry about the situation of the Grand Tutor.Although I, as a woman, don't understand the affairs of the court, but last year Mr. Zhou Ge betrayed the Grand Tutor in front of so many people, no matter how stupid I am, I can understand it.Now the South has raised the tax burden, General Wang has resigned, and the North has been handed over to the Hu family, who is connected with Concubine Hu Gui and Li Pan... The cabinet can't control the south, so it makes some articles on the mutual market. Now the cabinet members are all Zhou Wenyuan. Man, what can the Taifu say?What's more, in the past few major events, it was the Taifu who contradicted her imperial brother... What does the emperor think now, I still can't figure it out?Mr. Wei... Mr. Wei has been resting for such a long time, and the emperor is also following the temperament of the Ministry of Rites to handle things... What does it mean?

"Aunt Huang, let's sneak out of the palace to see Master Wei. What if he is really very ill?" Chen Entropy was really worried about Wei Chi, but he also felt that his idea was absurd: "Why don't we send someone there?" Bring some medicine?"

Chen Yuxiang helped him straighten his collar: "I'm afraid it's a heart disease... Entropy'er can't be impatient. Many important things require a single word. You have to trust Master Wei."

Chen Entropy understood the words and nodded.

The children of common people are still acting like a baby at the knees of their parents right now?Seeing Chen Entropy's sensible look, Yuxiang felt sad for a while, and began to complain about Wei Chi in his heartache—didn't he say that he would take the prince to the Ministry of War to ride a horse in the future?Now you can't even bear a little bit of leisure from the Ministry of Rituals, and you still need a child to worry about you, it's hateful!

At this moment, Wei Chi really deserves the words of Princess Chen. She can only wait for the cold eyes of the waiter in the Ministry of Rites, but fortunately, there are other things to wait for.

When the sun was slightly westward, the side door of the yard next door finally opened. Wei Chi quickly jumped up from the threshold of his house, patted his clothes, "I..."

Qi Yuan closed the door: "Why do you and I have to be so polite? Stop saluting. Yesterday Mei Yue told me that I thought you were just joking. How can scholars expect to learn to read books? What are you thinking?"

Wei Chi scratched his head shyly: "I often have strange thoughts...but...you are a lady, how can you be better than Mr. Accountant?"

Qi Yuan smiled: "Don't give me a random name! Mei Yueke told me that you are a stingy rich man, and even the accountant has saved money, so you are trying to figure out the family by yourself! Are you unable to settle your own account? "

"That's really not the case." Wei Chi paused: "...I don't know if it's okay to say it. I did the calculations. It's just a small account, but I found that your calculations are much more complicated. There are pawnshops, There are also shops, and there are so many people and other wages and expenses, and the loss of items. Let alone forget it, I can’t understand it, and I have learned it by myself, but it doesn’t work. Do you have someone to teach you?”

Qi Yuan thought for a while: "According to what you say, I can be regarded as self-taught. Have you heard of my father?"

Wei Chi shook his head embarrassedly.

"My father used to supervise the Jiangnan Weaving Bureau, and he has held that position for more than [-] years. Although my sister and I hired a master to teach poetry and prose on weekdays, my father cared for us very much and answered every question. I am that It's been a bit of a time, and it will gradually get better. I can teach you, but you have to tell me the truth..." Qi Yuan looked at Wei Chi with some worry: "You..."

Wei Chi thought for a while: "It's not a good thing for me to join in the fun. When I joined the Ministry of War, I went to learn military art, and I thought I learned it smoothly. Now that Li Pan's new policy is making a lot of noise, I just don't understand it. The problem of joining in the fun came up again, and I couldn't help but wanted to learn again."

Qi Yuan shook her head: "If it's just to join in the fun, it's fine. Jiangnan's officialdom involves too much. If you want to learn, you will go to the muddy water. Just call me sister, and I dare not teach you."

"Weaving Bureau?"

"Yes, the Weaving Bureau," Qi Yuan paused, "Actually, how many people in this imperial court have learned it without a teacher? How many people in the south of the Yangtze River have learned it without a teacher many times? They are all good luck. It's easy to know the tricks, but if you want to pass them all, it's more than great wisdom. Let's talk about Li Pan. Although he looks young, his strategies are all ruthless and accurate. If you learn for him, I advise you You don't want to learn."

Wei Chi couldn't say that he came here to study for such a reason, so he nodded vaguely.

"My father has been in the officialdom in the south of the Yangtze River for 20 years. He has seen many things. The weaving bureau has involved the palace. Let alone whether the official is an eunuch or a Jinshi, it is not easy to secure this position. You have such a stubborn personality. , I don’t want to waste my energy and hurt you again.”

"How can I be as ambitious as you think?" Wei Chi laughed at Qi Yuan's worry: "Two years ago, people praised me for being an official at my age, but it has never happened before. I am so happy that I can't find the north. Now I Life is not bad, how could you mess with that thing? You can rest assured, good sister, if I want to be as diligent as you think, it will not be the turn of the Geng family to be the champion. Tell me quickly How do you teach me? Don't be a fool!"

Qi Yuan just took out a few books: "This is an account book that was not used in the early years. I will teach you with this. Master Wei taught the prince, so don't dislike my poor teaching."

The alley between the two courtyards is very narrow, and the spring sun is very warm. The big banyan tree of the Feng family covers a lot of shade, but sitting on the threshold of the Wei family, the sun just happens to shine. The vines with swaying yellow flowers covered the shadows of the two of them. If they weren't leaning against the door panel behind them, it would be as comfortable as sitting in a garden.

Qi Yuan straightened her sleeves, opened the account book and explained one by one, Wei Chi could not help but desert while listening.When it came to the tenth page, Qi Yuan sent a question, and Wei Chi could only scratch his head stupidly.

Qi Yuan couldn't help but sighed again: "Look, you really aren't made to learn this."

Wei Chi stuck out his tongue guiltily: "Master Qi, you should be patient in teaching..."

"Okay!" Qi Yuan had no choice but to agree: "I will only teach you for half an hour today, and there is nothing I can do if I don't understand."

"Is uncle very powerful?" Wei Chiyou thought of the father she was talking about from Qi Yuan.

"It's so powerful that I don't dare to take it seriously, but it can be regarded as easy to handle in Jiangnan. At that time, it was actually more chaotic than now. The first emperor focused on stabilizing the north, and the south was managed by a group of eunuchs. Half of his mind was on dealing with wealthy businessmen, and the other half was on dealing with eunuchs. In fact, since I was a child, I had very few opportunities to see my father, and I often remember him coughing and going to support the situation...It hurts a lot."

"It's true, I'm an official, and I often have to deal with the wine bureau, which is really annoying." Wei Chi thought of Feng Shixun and Shi Xiaoxiao, and became angry: "But there are also people who like it. Back then, Mr. Feng and Shi Xiaoxiao After you got married, didn’t your family go to ask? Then the father is also a great official, maybe the governor of Jiangnan should give some face? I don’t know how dare that person?”

"There is no male in our family. When my father fell in love with Feng Shixun, he also appreciated him. I am afraid he also valued this appreciation. When my father died from overwork, I hadn't passed the family. Later, the governor presided over the wedding. Feng Shixun Although there is still a tinge of fear at the moment, the Governor will not know that in detail after all. Feng Shixun is the first in one fell swoop, no one will doubt him, and his family is also on him, so he is unscrupulous."

"It's just that he misjudged you, he thought you cared about him! Hmph!" Wei Chi was indignant.

"Look at you!" Qi Yuan couldn't help laughing: "What kind of air are you throwing up after being so far away?"

At this moment, Wei Chi's mind was full of searching for good men of the right age she knew, and finally gave up: "If you go back ten years, I really have a hundred lovers to tell you!"

Before Wei Chi could finish speaking, the spine of the book hit his head.

"Nonsense!" Qi Yuan knocked three times in a row: "Thinking nonsense! You are worried about yourself, are you still waiting for someone to recruit you?"

Wei Chi blushed a little from this joke: "... Madam Qi, you should teach me how to read the accounts..."

Since Wei Chi was serious, the later teaching went much smoother, but Wei Chi really found that he didn't like this job...

"I have to go back, and I will teach you when I have time." Qi Yuan closed the account book: "You take these back first, and read them according to the method I said, and ask me if you don't understand."

Wei Chi yawned heavily and took the account book.

"Hey, I want to learn but I'm so lazy, I don't know how I got caught!"

"Didn't you just hit it?" Wei Chilai couldn't get up on the threshold.

"The teacher you talked about doesn't care about you?" Qi Yuan secretly laughed at him.

"Him? Take care of himself first! If he wants to come to Beijing to visit me in the future, you must also hide. You'd better hide with all the girls and daughters-in-law in the city, or..."

"You're talking nonsense."

Wei Chi closed his eyes and muttered: "That's a fat old man who is not reassuring. I've been with him for more than ten years, and I'm so annoying."

"Get up quickly!"

Wei Chi, who was a little sleepy, felt someone holding his hand and was startled.But those hands naturally clenched themselves openly: "How can there be an adult sleeping at your door?"

Qi Yuan pulled out Wei Chi's big radish according to the gesture of pulling out a radish.

"Your hands are too cold, have you never seen a doctor?" Qi Yuan looked at Wei Chi with concern.

"what?"

"I have a prescription. Although it is a folk prescription, I will write it to you tomorrow. It is still so cold in spring, be careful because of cold and cold syndrome. I heard that you usually drink a lot of wine during social gatherings. Don't have a bad stomach. .”

Wei Chi thought that it wasn't cold and cold, and Saul Hahan was a famous doctor. She looked at it carefully, but in fact, people are different, and this is not a disease... The fat old man treated himself as cold and cold for many years , taking medicine and taking a bath, tossing too much.That's great, this sister has accepted the fat old man's trick...

Don't!

The words came to his lips, but he swallowed them back.

"Oh...then I'll try..."

After Wei Chi finished speaking, he wished he could slap his lips, but he regretted that it was over.

"Then you wait tomorrow. I'll ask Mei Yue to bring it to you. Some medicines you can't buy well, I'll ask her to bring them for you. You can't be lazy with this prescription. You have to eat it well."

"..." Wei Chi watched Qi Yuan turn around and enter the door anxiously, heartbroken.

Is it possible... oops... It's the so-called folk prescription written by the teacher that needs to be eaten and washed, which is extremely complicated... Sister Qi, that prescription is actually... under my bed...

The spring sun was shining brightly, Wei Chi's heart was icy cold, he stood for a while, then slowly turned his head, wiping old tears on the door panel...