dressed as a scholar

Qiao Hezhi lay on the soft couch and flipped through the script for a while, but didn't have much time to read it: "Si Yu, is the medicine ready? If it's not finished, I'm going to sleep first."

"The medicine was just taken to the small kitchen to simmer, and it will take some time, so let's sleep later."

Hearing the unfamiliar voice, Qiao Hezhi subconsciously turned his head to look at the door. Seeing that it was Fang Yu who came, he couldn't help being stunned. After a while, he realized that he hurriedly put down the book in his hand and sat up properly. Turning around: "You...how did the lord come here?"

Fang Yu stepped into the room, glanced at the opera on the couch: "Reading?"

Qiao Hezhi quickly closed the pages of the book, and hid the play text behind him: "It's just some low-level little books, just to pass the time. When will the master come back?"

"I heard from Si Yu that your knees are hurting, and yesterday's medicine is still useless. I'll come over and have a look."

"I, I'm not in great pain either, I'm much better after taking the medicine yesterday."

Fang Yu laughed: "The doctor's medicine really has miraculous effects. I always keep some at home, and I can use it if there is a bruise in the future."

Qiao Hezhi rubbed his fingers a little awkwardly. He was disappointed that no one was there when delivering the food. Now that he finally came to see him, he didn't know what to say. Maybe he never thought that he would come. Dimensions messed up.

Fang Yu saw that he looked like he was being checked by the teacher for his homework. In view of the awkward relationship between the two of them, he said, "Did I come here to disturb you?"

"No, nothing is a problem." Qiao Hezhi said hastily: "I just heard that the master went out to meet poetry friends, and I thought that the one who came back might be later."

"It's very boring. I won't go out if the two scholars from Yangliang invite them out for a drink in the future."

Fang Yu sat down at the table, Qiao Hezhi quickly got up and picked up the teacup to pour tea.

He was very surprised that Fang Yu would talk to him about this, and asked, "What's the matter? I remember that the Lord and the two scholars were classmates, and they often held poetry meetings together."

"You can't be close friends. If you meet him when you go out in the future, don't talk too much with him." Fang Yu looked at Qiao Hezhi and said, "Don't talk about them. If you talk too much, you will be angry. Sit down and I will apply the ointment to you." gone."

Qiao Hezhi pursed his lips, folded himself in front of the cabinet to get the ointment, sat down obediently on the soft bed and rolled up his trousers, he watched Fang Yu pour the medicine and rub it in the palm of his hand, and then gently rub it on his knee, doctor The effect of the medicine is really good, I only took it once yesterday, and it only took a day, the redness and swelling on the knees have disappeared, and it will be fine within three to five days.

You should be happy when you get better soon, but it's not a bad thing to get better later.

"I heard that you only drank some porridge at noon, is it because you are sick and have no appetite?"

Qiao Hezhi's eyes moved, as if his temper had been caught, and he explained: "No, the doctor said that spicy and greasy food is not suitable for sick people, so I only ate some porridge and rice."

"Listen to the doctor so much? I can bear to not use it even if I cook it myself."

"How do you know I made food"

"I'm a glutton. When I came back, I heard from Xuezhu that you made roasted mutton. Today's winter solstice eats mutton, so I let Siyu go to heat it up."

There was a flash of light in Qiao Hezhi's eyes, and then he thought that he had already given it to Siyu, and was about to speak, when Siyu and Xuezhu came into the yard with the food.

A plate of roasted mutton, two vegetables and a soup, Siyu also warmed a jug of wine, although not as good as the big table in Qionghua Building, but a pot of wine and a stack of fragrant mutton in such a warm room are enough Works up an appetite.

Qiao Hezhi breathed a sigh of relief, and the words on his lips became: "If the Lord likes it, just taste it, I don't know if it suits your taste."

Fang Yu was not too polite, and sat down at the table and picked up the chopsticks. It's not Xuezhu's bragging, the mutton is grilled well, wrapped in spices, even if the food box is separated, it's hard to appreciate the fragrance.He couldn't wait to take a sip, and his appetite suddenly whetted. He praised Qiao Hezhi: "The skin is crispy, tender and juicy. You don't feel the mutton, but the meat is fragrant. This mutton is well cooked."

There are far less spices in this era than in modern times, but it is a surprise to be able to make this kind of roast lamb.

Qiao Hezhi pursed his lips, unable to hide the smile in his eyes.

"The mutton has been cooked for a long time, and it is more crispy when it comes out of the pan." He added a glass of wine to Fang Yu: "If the lord likes to eat mutton, I can make some other dishes tomorrow, which are popular in restaurants. I can do one or two of the well-received "pit sheep" category."

Fang Yu was surprised that he was already good at roasting mutton on the table. Although he was very interested in the "cheat sheep" in Qiao Hezhi's mouth, he still joked rationally: "Although I also want to taste the taste of this cheat mutton." , but eating mutton every day may cause me to get angry, and the price of mutton is also high today, so the family's expenses will not be small."

"It was my negligence. If your lord has any dishes you want to eat, you can tell me. I will have some fashionable and homely dishes in the city."

"You know how to cook so many dishes?" Fang Yu said with a smile, "Those who don't know may think that Qiao's family is in the restaurant business."

"I used to learn a thing or two when I was at home when I had nothing to do." Qiao Hezhi raised his eyes and looked at Fang Yu: "I will cook some fashionable dishes in the city for lunch tomorrow, and the lord will come over to try it, or let Siyu send it to Mu Cang Xiao Xie is fine too."

Fang Yu wanted to agree immediately, but he thought that he still had something to do tomorrow, so he said regretfully, "The academy is closed. I have to go to the academy tomorrow. I'm afraid I won't be able to go home for dinner at noon."

"Then... I, I will send the food to the academy at noon tomorrow? The servants on the left and right always have to deliver the food."

Fang Yu is the most delicious food, so I can't refuse to hear this: "It's so good, but you are still sick, so don't do too much to get tired."

Qiao Hezhi concealed the joy in his heart, and nodded slightly.

"Come on, you can also eat some food, and drink medicine later."

The two ate some dishes together, and Fang Yu's stomach was filled after eating three pieces of mutton chops. Seeing Xuezhu and Siyu serving at the side, he remembered the errand that he had confessed today.

"Can you buy the winter clothes for the servants at home?"

"The young one went to the Tianyuan tailor shop at the west entrance of the city to look at the cloth, and negotiated the price with the shopkeeper. Because we didn't negotiate in advance, we had to increase the price if we wanted to rush to make it. But the price is too high. I'm afraid the old lady is not good at it. Explain, so it has not been decided yet."

Fang Yu frowned: "So when can I put on winter clothes?"

Qiao Hezhi glanced at Fang Yu when he heard the words: "Are you going to make winter clothes for the servants?"

"Well, it's cold now, if the servants can't eat enough and wear warm clothes, they can't do their work with all their heart."

Qiao Hezhi thought for a while, and then said: "But isn't the mother-in-law taking care of these things? The lord is too tired to study and manage the inner house."

Fang Yu sighed: "My mother and I came from rural farmers. We used to live in poverty. Although life has improved now, she still retains the rural way. She lacks methods and methods to manage a house. The boss is too harsh. If I don't make the decision, if things go on like this, the servants will inevitably feel resentful."

Qiao Hezhi glanced at Fang Yu, but he didn't expect him to be very sensible. Even so, he also said: "These things are simple and simple, and tedious and cumbersome. Xuezhu has never done it before, so I will do it in a short time." It's also raw, so don't blame him, my lord."

Xue Zhu glanced at Qiao Hezhi gratefully.

"Although there are not many servants in our family, the odds and ends add up to fifteen or sixteen. To buy so many sets of clothes with the same regulations at one time, and they are winter clothes, we must go to the tailor at least one month in advance. First, you choose the cloth, report the size, pay a deposit, and then the tailor shop will start to do it, and when the day comes, you will deliver the casual clothes to your door.”

Qiao Hezhi said: "I have done these things at home before, and I have a tailor shop I know well in the city. Based on my friendship in the past, maybe I can rush to make it without increasing the price. If the lord trusts me, why don't you leave this matter to me?" I'll do it."

Fang Yu saw that Qiao Hezhi was young and in poor health, but he spoke clearly and well, and he was very proficient in these things. He saw that he had learned a lot at home before.

He thought that the reason why Qiao Hezhi was so soft-spoken in Fang's family was because he had just married, and after all, there was still no housekeeper, so the servants would naturally not be afraid of him. It can be straighter, so that no one can manipulate it at will, and it can also reduce some of Chen's power.

If Mrs. Chen can manage the family in an orderly manner, he won't be bothered about these things. It is really Mrs. Chen who manages the family too badly. If he wants to live in harmony and peace, he should clean up the Fang family. .

"Look, I forgot that your family is a businessman, and you must be able to manage these things with ease. If I knew it, I wouldn't let Xue Zhu, a fool, go for nothing." Fang Yu said: "Then you will have to worry about this matter. At that time, you will also send Xuezhu, so don't tire yourself out."

Qiao Hezhi was happy in his heart, but he didn't forget that there was another problem: "That mother-in-law..."

"You just let go and do it, and I will talk to my mother."

Qiao Hezhi nodded, and put a chopstick of vegetables into Fang Yu's bowl: "My lord, eat some more."

After eating, the two of them were busy at both ends, and Fang Yu went straight to the warehouse at home.

The warehouse of the Fang family is not big, there is an old man who can count as the steward, while looking at the warehouse, he remembers all the expenses of the family.

Seeing that Fang Yu came to enter the storeroom, he had to go to Chen's to get the key first, so Fang Yu had to wait first, and he didn't idle down while waiting, and started to look through the account books at home for a while.

The house has only been lived in for more than two months, and there are two or three books of accounts. Fang Yu hastily looked through it, and one or two of the bad debts in the family can be seen.

"Xuezhu, take the ledger to the study later, I'll take a closer look."

"Yes."

The accountant took the key and opened the door, and Fang Yu had to enter the warehouse.

In fact, there are not many things in the storeroom. The total value of silver bills is less than 500 taels, and there are some porcelain and jewelry worth more than [-] taels in total. In addition, there are the deeds of this house and four shops, which respectively operate lanterns. Candles, tea leaves, teahouses, groceries... In addition to this, there is the identity of the servants.

Qiao Hezhi brought these property over except for some of the servants' deeds. Originally, Qiao's father gave 600 taels of cash to Chen's hands when they got married, but the cash has been taken by Fang's mother and son in the past few months. Hohoh the expenses are almost clean.

The Qiao family is just a little brother. In fact, the dowry prepared is much more than that. The real estate shop in the hands of the Fang family has a total of 3000 taels of gold and silver. Qiao Hezhi also has private money, and he holds more than half of the dowry. He didn't hand it over, and the Fang family didn't know exactly whether it was gold and silver or the deed, but there was no shortage of money to use, otherwise Yuan would not have gone to his house to beg for money to go out to eat and drink.

Thanks to the fact that the young master of the Qiao family still has some thoughts of his own, otherwise the other party's family would be almost useless, and life might be even more difficult. , then the Qiao family will not be married to the Fang family. Although the scholars, farmers, businessmen, and businessmen have many problems, at least they have enough food and clothing, which is much better than those who have neither money nor status.

"Take all these account books away, and the key to the warehouse is also on my side."

Fang Yu was determined to take care of the family's accounts, otherwise, according to Chen's ignorant expenses, some of the family would be wiped out sooner or later. If the family ran out of money, he would have no shame in asking Qiao Hezhi to subsidize the family with his dowry, after all The Fang family had already given enough in the dowry before.