Emperor Kangxi sent me to marry

Chapter 261 Choice
"It's still comfortable at home!"

Duobu was finally able to wake up in his own bed, and he didn't have to go to the south study room to stay awake until almost noon before he even wanted to get up to eat.

Because today is the day when Ruixiangfang will deliver the income of the first three months, Haifeng went out early in the morning and watched his subordinates do their accounts. When he came back and heard Duobu say this, he couldn't laugh or cry.

"I don't believe it. Going out with Khan Amma can be more tiring than fighting? Why do you never complain about the hard work in the military camp, but when you go to Wutai Mountain, you are so tired that you don't like to move."

Duobu chose the best angle to see his wife, fixed the pillow, and leaned on it to talk to Haifeng.

"That's different. Usually when fighting, you're just physically tired. Just take a nap and you'll be fine. If you use your brain too much, it may not be useful. I'm so tired when I go out with Khan Ama."

He tapped his temple lightly with his index finger.

"After listening to the compliments these days, I feel like I haven't learned how to speak Chinese. Why are they so good at repeating the same words over and over again without saying them the same way? If it weren't for Seventh Brother, I wouldn't understand at all. Those officials, What are you praising Khan Amma?"

"How did seventh brother explain it to you?"

"He said, just remember, these people are just saying that Khan Amma is kind, sage, and more powerful than the emperors before and after him, put together."

Haifeng thought about it carefully, and he was really inseparable.

"They wrote stereotypes, and that's all they said. Don't you want to get up?"

"Ok!"

"Then don't get up. Ah Xiang, go get your master some food with less soup and water from the kitchen, and bring a tray over."

Dobu got permission to eat in bed, and happily lay down again.

"This man, no matter how lucky he is, is not as good as marrying the right wife. Feng'er, it would be even better if you could come over and lie with me for a while."

"Stop touching your nose and face."

The kitchen made a mutton braised noodles based on the husband's favorite taste, and served the soup and noodles separately.Four more exquisite side dishes were prepared and delivered in huanghuali wood boxes.Duobu sat up after smelling the smell. Just after taking a few bites, Shutai suddenly came in to report.

"Master, the old lady from Zhangjiakou and her grandson Celeng met at Zhuangzi yesterday. They discussed the idea of ​​staying in the capital permanently. Celeng sent a letter saying that he would like to come over tomorrow to thank him. The fourth princess.”

Shutai wanted to give the name card to Haifeng, but Duobu asked him to leave.

"Bring it to me and see. What's written?"

Haifeng didn't pay attention and waved his hand to Shutai to take the invitation card.

"I don't see you paying attention to these things usually."

"Of course I don't care about your dealings with those Manchu and Han officials; this Celeng is also from the Tuxietu Khan tribe after all. When did Mongolians need to pay homage to relatives?"

Duobu opened the post and took a look. It was neatly written on it, with Celeng's name and the official position of 'Third Class Ada Hafan' written in Manchu. There were many more. He was tired of the compliments he heard these days. , there is no Mongolian character, I feel very unhappy.

"I work in the inner court, but I don't even remember the Mongolian language. Shutai went to tell the outside world. If he wants to come, he will come today. I will entertain him. If he can't come, don't come."

Shutai quickly checked Haifeng's attitude with his eyes. Seeing that she had no objection, he went out to make arrangements.

Duobu finished the noodles very happily, drank a bowl of delicious noodle soup in one gulp, and then became full of energy.

"I'm going to the study for a while."

Haifeng smiled and nodded in agreement, and continued to look at her account books.

Axiang opened the door curtain for Duobu and sent him out. When he came back to serve Haifeng's pen and ink, he couldn't help but say:
"Master, don't ask me, what do you want to say to Ce Leng?"

"Don't ask, I know. Tell it to the kitchen. If Celeng comes over today and I ask you to prepare a banquet, roast a lamb and open a new jar of lamb wine. Don't use the leftovers from yesterday."

"Hey, I see."

By the afternoon, Princess Kejing's mansion did not receive the expected guests, but received an uninvited guest.

Tong Guowei weighed it again and again, and finally decided to come and have a face-to-face encounter with the fourth princess.

His eldest son, Sun Shun Anyan, wanted Princess Shang and could not bypass the Queen Mother.

Although the emperor can make the final decision on the choice of his consort, the word "filial piety" is of paramount importance, and the fifth princess has been raised by the queen mother since she was a child. If the queen mother insists on disagreeing, it will be difficult for the emperor to stick to his own opinion.

And with the fourth princess' ability in the harem, it would be easy for her to want the Queen Mother to designate someone else as her consort.

Haifeng remembered the phoenix-wearing peony dress that she didn't wear yesterday, and asked Axiang to prepare it for her.

"I heard in the past that it is the uncle who owes money, and the creditor has to beg them to pay back the money. I have been making loan sharks for more than ten years, and I have never had a loan come out empty. Now, uncle Guo is my patron. Let's see Look, he dares not to pay back the money he owes."

Last year in Changchun Garden, the Dongzhu hair and face left by the Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, which had amazed the five princesses, were solemnly decorated on Haifeng's bun one by one.

Coupled with the embroidery of phoenix and peony, it makes her jeweled and elegant.

"How come this situation today is so similar to the way I talked to my uncle when I came back from the Qingcheng Palace?"

In the flower hall of the Princess Mansion, which is usually used for receiving guests, Haifeng asked people to rearrange the tables and chairs, trying to recreate the scene of the negotiation between her and Tong Guowei.

Tong Guowei noticed this as soon as he walked in.

Putting down the fragrant Tieguanyin tea, the first thing he said was to apologize to the fourth princess on behalf of his son Longkodo.

"Your Highness wants to be the princess of the country. I heard vaguely that the prince seems to have this intention. It can be seen that Quanzi is stupid and ignorant and does not know that the princess is clever. The princess of the country is still wronged. Please look at how old he was at that time. It’s not big, but I still have an old face, so please bear with me.”

"Oh, I don't dare to take it seriously. The uncle is Khan Amma's uncle and the uncle of our brothers and sisters. How dare we refuse to comply with the intercession of our elders? In fact, Longkoduo said some sarcastic words, but I didn't take it to heart. He mocked again , can it be said worse than Suo'etu?"

Tong Guowei thought that the difficulty was over and calmed down his anger. He was about to mention the fifth princess, but was interrupted again.

"Since my uncle is an elder, please be kind to me and clear Shandong's accounts. Ruixiangfang has a small profit margin and has no choice but to do some usury business to subsidize the expenses of the princess's mansion. They Most of them are women, and they can't get through the door of my uncle's house. They are so frightened that they report to me and ask how to clear the account."

"Fourth Princess, I can give you the money. But how much can we give, can we discuss it later?"

Tong Guowei gritted his teeth and muttered some unpleasant words in his heart.

Ruixiangfang repays its capital with a small profit?

Who are you fooling?

Her embroidery was sold to Guangdong and went to sea on ships to earn money from foreigners.The most wealthy member of the clan is crying for poverty here.

It's like it's true.

"The minister's family has never been very wealthy. It sounds like the shochu workshop in Shandong has made a lot of money. It's true that Ding Kemao's land accounting did not make much. This time there was a flood, except for the money that His Highness helped to finance the repairs. Building dams on rivers, spending money like running water. The eldest brother just wants the emperor to be happy and refuses to use the department's silver, and he himself is unwilling to pay."

"Why would uncle Guo be willing to follow such a heartless person?"

Tong Guowei heard that the fourth princess had an overtone, and unconsciously lowered his voice.

"Your Highness is aware that Concubine Tong is barren. Seeing that there are many beauties this year, beauties are emerging one after another. Especially the Guarjia clan, a relative of the Crown Princess, has long been determined to enter the palace. I heard that she is beautiful, lively, and proficient in poetry. Wen. How could I not have made plans for the Tong family?"

"I see that the Tong family has a good relationship with the fourth elder brother. Among the elder brothers, the prince's brother is also close to the fourth elder brother. The Tong family does not suffer in any way."

"It's just helpless. The princess can only laugh when she sees it."

"Look at Uncle Guo, after running around these days, everyone has become a little haggard, which makes people feel uncomfortable. Let me give you an idea. Brother Bet, there are more than ten, I can't tell. No matter who ascends the throne, I will never fall. How about the Tong family following me? "

Tong Guowei originally thought that the four princesses were just trying to make excuses for the prince, asking him to stab his eldest brother in the back and reveal the whereabouts of Shaanxi's grain in front of the emperor.

Unexpectedly, she was actually recruiting troops for herself.

"Your Highness the Princess's kind words, I am naturally grateful. But..."

"But how can the fourth princess be so sure that she will not fall? You want to say this, don't you? It's very simple. In my hands, we now have Mongolia, Shanxi and Shengjing; this seed planting case has shaken up and down Shaanxi The officials have been cleaned up and replaced with my people. Also counting Qinghai and Tibet, uncle Guo has calculated, is it enough?"

"Qinghai and Tibet?"

"Yes. Dibasang Gyatso once sent his lama to chant sutras and pray for the Junggar army before the battle of Ulanbutong. I know through my prince-in-law that Khan Amma is determined to punish him for this serious crime of treason. It's just a delay of a few years due to the delicate situation on the border. As the assistant governor of the vassal council, my uncle won't think that I don't have this ability, right?"

Tong Guowei quickly calculated these places in his mind.

After repeated confirmations, he was convinced that there was a certain chance of winning.

"If we include Shandong and Zhili, it would be safer. At the moment, the eldest brother doesn't want these two places. Because private brewing was a waste of food, the emperor ordered the governor of Zhili to strictly investigate and ban private wine shops; Shandong also There was a flood, and the governor, Li Wei, concealed the famine and refused to report it, so he was dismissed from his post and investigated."

"Crisis is also an opportunity. It should always be peaceful and smooth. They are staying well with the eldest brother. How can they lean on me, a princess? It depends on the ability of the uncle. The same thing, don't play tricks. Mind your heart. Give me the food that you moved out and put it back into the original warehouse. Not a pound less."

I can't tell you all these details for as long as I want.

After discussing the most important points clearly, Tong Guowei and the Fourth Princess finalized that they would still use the old method of contacting each other through Wufanglou in the future.

"If this matter goes well, can Her Majesty the Princess help me to say a few kind words to my eldest grandson Shun in front of the Queen Mother?"

"Uncle Guo, please don't rush into talking about your children's marriage. I personally asked for the account, and I have to give you an accurate answer today, including principal and interest, 51 taels."

"interest?"

"How new. People all over the capital are asking who makes usury money without interest. If there is no interest, is it still called usury?"

"Is it possible that Zhili and Shandong are not worth 50 taels of silver?"

"Is the marriage of the dignified Tianjia Princess not worth 50 taels of silver?"

Tong Guowei and the fourth princess were in a stalemate, but in the end Tong Guowei reluctantly relented.

"Not that much, I can make up about 20 taels. Let's talk about the rest slowly."

Haifeng asked Shutai to come in with the four treasures of the study, and Tong Guowei wrote an IOU of 30 taels.

After patiently drying the ink on the paper, Haifeng prepared to see off the guests.

"Uncle Guo understands: A gentleman loves money and gets it wisely. I have money, but it comes from the right place. For example, I will not sell my fifth sister just for this piece of paper. Her marriage, Don't talk about me, Khan Amadu may not be able to violate the Queen Mother's wishes. Whoever she likes, as long as the status is not too far apart, the Queen Mother will make the decision for her. If Shun Anyan wants to be the prince-in-law, she should think more about it. How to please the fifth sister so that you can succeed immediately. Also."

Shutai immediately held a roster, stood in front of Tong Guowei, and flipped through the pages for him to read.

"I'm not blackmailing you. The account was just cleared this morning. To cover the traveling expenses of the victims in Shandong and Shaanxi, the construction of new houses in Guihua City, farm tools, rations, and so on, I paid 12 in advance. There is more than two taels. In this book, there are 300 victims who were forced to flee their homes due to the joint efforts of you and the eldest brother. 920 taels, even if you even settle the account and compensate them, it is not enough."

"Her Royal Highness the Princess said."

"I am saying that next time you dare to make dirty money, think about how these 6000 people will deal with the Tong family after they have nothing. Don't tell me how your eldest son got to the capital and went home by himself. Just ask.”

After Tong Guowei left with a complicated expression, Axiang came in and served Haifeng back to his room.

"Celeng is here. We have been sitting in the hall with our master for a long time. Now we are eating. I arranged it according to the master's idea."

"Okay, got it."

"Master, since uncle Tong Guo has written the documents, why don't you hand over the roster and account books to the emperor and ask him to convict you? Master also promised to protect the Tong family to our side. I don't understand, this is really cheap. Him."

"Oh, it's not that easy. The Tong family is Khan Amma's uncle's family. Tong Guogang sacrificed his life for the country on the battlefield and preserved the prosperity and wealth of the Tong family for three generations. Unless he rebels, Khan Amma can always find an excuse to excuse the Tong family. of."

There are priorities.

In times of famine, food is more important than silver.

Haifeng has helped Tuxie Tuhan's tribe to raise supplies and survive natural disasters many times in his previous life, so he has rich experience.

In fact, she is not very interested in the officialdom of Shaanxi, or even Shandong and Zhili.

The king regards the people as his heaven, and the people regard food as their heaven.

What she wants to see most right now is the granary restored to its original state.

Even if it is watered with Tong Guowei's blood, the wheat seedlings will not ear and mature overnight.

Then she had to bring Tong Guowei over.

Only he knew where the food was hidden, and he could persuade the rest of his comrades to cooperate obediently.

"Go to the palace and pass the sign. I want to enter the palace to visit the fifth princess and the queen mother."

　A sentence about the king, from Ban Gu's "Han Shu" of the Eastern Han Dynasty

　　
　
(End of this chapter)