In Liu Jin's mansion in the capital, in Liu Jin's study.
The cold wind was howling outside, the snow was flying, it was the twelfth lunar month of winter, the weather was freezing, and it was night again, so pitch black that I couldn't see my fingers.
The room was as warm as spring and as bright as day. Several crystal chandeliers illuminated the scene in the room. Liu Jin was discussing something with his son.
"Father, I don't understand why I am asked to go to the South African colony. There is nothing good there. It is a wild land at the end of the world."
When Liu Jin's second son Liu Da learned that he was going to South Africa, he felt very strong resistance and was very reluctant to go.
The eldest son Liu Xin on the side also said in confusion: "Yes, father, isn't it good here in the capital?"
"Why do you have to send your second brother to South Africa?"
Liu Jin looked at his eldest son Liu Xin, and then at his second son Liu Da. They were both born in the 13th year of Hongzhi. Liu Xin was born to Xu Waner, so he is the real eldest son, while Liu Da was born to Li Zhen.
They were both born in the same year, so they are not much different, just a few months apart.
According to the rules of the Ming Dynasty, the two of them have grown up and can even marry wives and take concubines.
The British Duke Zhang Lun had already urged Liu Jin to let Liu Xin marry her daughter, but Liu Jin did not plan to let them get married too early. He would not arrange a marriage for them until they were at least eighteen years old.
things.
Of course, except for the eldest son Liu Xin, all the other children were not destined to be married. Liu Jin had seven sons and four daughters. Countless people wanted to marry Liu Jin.
But Liu Jin only agreed to the British prince. This was when the old British prince Zhang Mao was still alive. Zhang Mao personally took care of this matter with Liu Jin. Naturally, Liu Jin couldn't make Zhang Mao look bad, so he agreed to Zhang Lun's daughter.
He and Liu Xin agreed to have a baby kiss.
Liu Jin, who came from a later generation, still hopes that his children can pursue their own love and fall in love freely, rather than having their parents' orders or matchmakers' words to determine their life-long events since childhood.
Both Liu Xin and Liu Da have reached the time to start a family and start a business, and they have grown up.
Because the Xinxue Middle School founded by Liu Jin only lasted three years and there was no high school for later generations, both Liu Xin and Liu Da had already graduated from university, and both were top students who graduated from the Ming Dynasty Imperial College.
After graduation, it is natural to plan your future path.
Liu Jin is not an ordinary civil servant, he is the head of the civil servants. At the same time, he has obtained the iron hat of the Duke of Liao by virtue of his military exploits. Therefore, the path arrangement of this son is also different from that of ordinary civil servants.
If you are an ordinary civil servant, you can also arrange for your children to read the Four Books and Five Classics, and then take the imperial examination to become an official. For example, Wang Shouren's father Wang Hua himself was the number one scholar, and his son was the third flower. Both father and son were outstanding.
But the Liu Jin family is now considered the representative of the Xungui Group, and these descendants will become the Xungui Group in the future, which means that they can no longer follow the civil service route.
Therefore, in terms of arrangements for his eldest son Liu Xin, Liu Jin arranged for him to enter the Ming Royal Military Academy to join the army. After graduating from the Ming Royal Military Academy, he basically worked in the Ming army.
When Liu Jin dies, he can inherit Liu Jin's title as Duke of Liao, and at the same time he can have a certain influence and status in the army. In the future, he may be able to join the Fifth Army, similar to Zhang Mao and Zhu Fu.
He worked in the Dudu Mansion and assisted Emperor Zuo in taking charge of the Ming army.
Regarding the arrangements for Liu Da, the second oldest brother, Liu Jin planned to let him go to the South African colony after the Chinese New Year. He would first work as a clerk in the colonial governor's mansion. After working there for a few years and accumulating some experience, he would then arrange to go to the colony.
It started at the grassroots level, and in the future it was also in colonial South Africa.
In the future, he will inherit everything Liu Jin has in the South African colony, including his shares, voice, etc. Liu Jin is the major shareholder of the South African colony and has the greatest say. He has always controlled everything in the South African colony.
The South African colony was an escape route arranged by Liu Jin for his family, so he had to have his own children in it, so that he could better control the South African colony and preserve his family's interests and status in the South African colony.
This arrangement obviously surprised both Liu Xin and Liu Da. In their opinion, after graduating, they would probably continue to study in the capital, study, etc., or take the imperial examination, enter the military academy, or train in the army.
, development or something.
After all, most of the noble children in the capital are like this, such as the children of Ding Guogong, Cheng Guogong, Ying Guogong, Ao Guogong and other families.
Who knew that Liu Jin would actually send Liu Da to South Africa.
What kind of place is South Africa? It is Africa thousands of miles away. In everyone's impression, Africa has always been a wild land, very backward, far from being compared with the capital of the Ming Dynasty.
Liu Da, who was used to living in the capital, did not want to leave his parents and the familiar capital to go to South Africa.
"Your father and I were born in a poor family. At first, we only had a few acres of thin farmland. It was your grandmother who endured hardships and hardships to support me in my studies. That's why I gradually gained everything I have now."
"You have grown up, and it's time for you to know some of our family's wealth."
Liu Jin looked at his son, thought for a while and said.
Liu Jin has always been extremely strict with his children and has not said much to them about his identity or how much money he has in his family.
The main reason is to prevent them from becoming playboys, so even when it comes to pocket money, they are very stingy with them. They usually have very little pocket money, and only have a little more pocket money during the Chinese New Year.
In addition, Liu Jin has always disliked gold, silver, jade, jewelry and other things, so the most common things he can see at home are various books.
This also makes them not know that their family is actually the richest in Ming Dynasty, and they think that their family is a relatively ordinary family. After all, their classmates have more pocket money than themselves, and those classmates are basically from ordinary families.
In addition, my cousins are very rich, like Xu Waner, brother Li Zhen, and the children of my younger brother's family, all of them usually have a lot of pocket money, and they always carry hundreds of dollars with them.
The owner of the two bank notes, every time we go out to play together, they pay for the treat.
"Our family is actually the largest shareholder of the South African colony, and the South African colony is one of our family's most important assets."
"At the same time, the South African colony is very special. At the beginning, I and some military nobles such as the British Duke Zhang Mao, the Chengguo Duke Zhu Fu, the Dingguo Duke Xu Yongning, the Australian Duke Yang Yun, and the Taiping Marquis Du Mingen paid for it.
He contributed his efforts to establish it.”
"The original purpose of establishing this South African colony was to leave a way out for us noble families, so that if something happens in the future, we can go to the South African colony so that we don't have no way out."
"There have always been no members of our family here in the South African colony. Although our family is the major shareholder of the South African colony and has a great say, it is impossible to live without our own people."
"So I hope you can develop in the South African colony and inherit this family business, leaving a way out for our Liu family."
Liu Jin told some things about the South African colony in detail.
"ah?"
"Our family is the majority shareholder in the South African colony?"
When the two brothers heard this, they were a little surprised.
They have also heard a lot of rumors about the South African colony. The South African colony is the largest overseas colony now. It has a large population, strong economic strength, many industries, a large territory, and rich resources.
Such a colony is absolutely priceless and cannot be bought with money.
Unexpectedly, my family was the largest shareholder in the South African colony.
"Hmm~"
"You should also know what this means. This is an extremely important family business, and it is also an industry that our family must attach great importance to."
"This is why I want you to go to South Africa. The responsibility and burden you have to shoulder is very heavy."
Liu Jin looked at Liu Da. To be honest, he was a little reluctant to let go, but he still had to let go. When his children grow up, they cannot always stay by his side. They should also grow up and become independent on their own.
"But, but~"
After listening to this, Liu Da still didn't want to go. South Africa was really too far away from Ming Dynasty, and he had to leave his parents again. He was very reluctant and reluctant to leave.
"It's not that much, but you have grown up. You will start a family and start a business in two years. You are now a man, and you will naturally have to shoulder responsibilities and burdens."
"Our family is not an ordinary family. Many things require long-term consideration and planning. You cannot be like ordinary children."
Liu Jin said sternly.
You have to go even if you don’t want to. To be honest, the South African colony is an industry that countless people can’t even get if they want it. You have it as soon as you are born, and this has surpassed countless people.
Compared with ordinary people, Liu Jin's children are already very happy and lucky. They have not had good food and clothing since they were young, but they are also carefree. Liu Jin has made good arrangements for reading, studying, etc.
Appropriate.
Enjoying such benefits, you will naturally have to assume corresponding responsibilities and obligations. The prosperity and continuation of the family is the most important thing.
"Yes, father!"
Liu Da saw that things could not be changed, so he could only bow his head and agree.
But when he thought that after the New Year, he would go to such a distant place in the South African colony, and he still didn't know when he would be able to come back, he felt extremely lost and sad.
To be honest, he would rather be an ordinary person here in Beijing than go to South Africa.
