In the afternoon of New Year's Eve, the servants of Duke Yi's Mansion were already busy.
New peaches replace old talismans.
The door is also affixed with the two statues of Qin Shubao and Yu Chigong newly painted by Wu Huaiyu. The lifelike two door gods are painted on peach wood boards.
The maids also hung up red lanterns and colorful silks in each courtyard.
forecourt.
There are many large boxes in the hall, filled with boxes of copper coins.
Wu Huaiyu and Fan Xuanfu sat at the top, the concubines sat on both sides, and there were a number of stewards in the hall.
Chen Runniang, the little housekeeper, took the roster and called out names.
The servants in charge of the mansion were lining up to come in one by one.
Wu Huaiyu personally gave them new year's money. The Wu family is now prosperous and is naturally more generous to their servants.
However, servants and servants are also divided into three, six or nine grades, just like in the Wu family's outside business, they are divided into junior apprentices, senior apprentices, junior clerks, senior clerks, senior clerks, semi-colonial third shopkeepers, second shopkeepers, senior shopkeepers, and the general manager.
The third shopkeeper, the second shopkeeper, the chief shopkeeper, the family steward, the deacon, the general manager, etc.
The lowest-ranking servants in the family were each rewarded with one hundred coins, and a hundred pieces of Kaiyuan Tongbao were strung on a rope. They were all newly minted good money.
The price of food in Chang'an increased a few years ago, but one hundred yuan can buy three buckets of rice. For an ordinary boy, this is not a bad new year's money. After all, this is not ordinary monthly money, but only New Year's money.
"Thank you, Mr. Xian."
The little Turkic slave who fed the horse knelt down to receive the copper coins and thanked him loudly in Tang dialect that still had the Turkic accent outside the Great Wall.
When Huaiyu heard him say thank you to the Prime Minister, he smiled and patted him twice on the shoulder, "Don't call him carelessly, the Prime Minister cannot be called carelessly. Only prime ministers who have entered the political hall can call him the Prime Minister. Remember to correct it, and you will not do it again in the future."
Yelling."
The Turkic slave quickly apologized. He never had a chance to see Wu Huaiyu, and when he came to receive the reward, the hunchback Wu Cheng, the front porter and steward, taught him to call him this way, and he didn't understand.
The butler said on the side, "Why don't you thank me again quickly?"
The young Turkic slave knelt there and was stunned for a while before saying, "Thank you, Duke Yi, for the reward."
"At home, just call me Erlang."
Huaiyu saw that this boy was upholding his duty, so he rewarded him with ten more coins. The boy quickly thanked Erlang and left.
Those who have worked as slaves in the Wu family for more than one year will receive two hundred coins as a new year's gift.
And for those with ministry, add one hundred more.
The personal servants around Wu Huaiyu and his concubines, who are also equivalent to the stewards in each room, are worth five hundred coins.
Copper coins were taken out of the box one after another, making a jingling sound. Every slave who got the reward was very happy.
Accountants, cashiers, internal and external stewards and other important responsibilities also received a thousand yuan, a full amount, weighing six kilograms and four taels.
There were many people in the courtyard, and everyone was called by name, given money, and thanked everyone.
Huaiyu personally distributed the rewards, and also took this opportunity to get to know more and more people in the family, and even occasionally asked them a few words.
In fact, during the Lunar New Year, the Wu family had already distributed the monthly payment of the twelfth lunar month, and also distributed year-end benefits, including clothes, hats, shoes, socks, food, cloth, and copper coins. Although most of the items used in the Wu family courtyard were personal belongings attached to the Wu family.
Although some of the slaves had to be released once, they were still slaves belonging to the Wu family.
But Wu Huaiyu has always insisted that even if he is a slave in the family, in addition to food, food and accommodation, he still needs to be given some monthly money, and there will even be a reward. The monthly payment is fixed and the amount is not large, but the reward is flexible.
, it depends on performance, such as attendance, whether you are diligent, whether you are doing your duty, etc. There are points, plus points and deductions. Points will also be deducted for things like not following hygiene or rules.
If they work hard, they can get first-level rewards, plus monthly money, and they can also save some personal property in a month. This money belongs to them.
Whether they usually go to the kitchen to spend money to start a small stove, or buy themselves some clothes, shoes, etc., is their own business.
Or they can save enough money to buy themselves freedom, or marry themselves a wife.
This can stimulate the enthusiasm of slaves, and even reduce the resistance of these people, or prevent them from escaping. Some families use stricter means of high-pressure management, but it is also easy to get into trouble, either escaping or stealing, etc., which often happens, and even slaves
Killing one's master, or even committing adultery.
The purpose of celebrating the New Year is to be happy, and all the servants are grateful after receiving the reward.
In addition to slaves, subordinates, servants, guards, stewards, and craftsmen hired by the Wu family, they can also receive rewards today. Although they are not from the Wu family, the rewards are still quite large.
In addition, Wu Huaiyu's government officials, officials and other secret friends and guests were treated even better.
When Wu Huaiyu gave them lucky money, he had to stand up and put the prepared gifts on the tray with both hands to give them to them.
The New Year's money given to these curtain friends is mainly based on their grades. For example, Chang Shi and Sima both regard the fifth grade. Huaiyu also gave them a lot of money. One hundred pure gold coins, one qian each, total.
Twelve.
There are also four treasures of the study, spices, sugar, green salt, soap and many other things.
As the level goes down, things also decrease.
The lowest coupon for the Chinese New Year is only one New Year's gift, but it can also amount to ten thousand yuan, which really shows the generosity of Duke Yi. Fortunately, there are only a few dozen people in the two sets of government officials.
The New Year's money that Wu Huaiyu gave to his family was a batch of gold and silver coins specially minted by the Qian Supervisor Shuofang. The pure gold coins weighed one coin, and the gilded ones were heavier, but they were only gilded on the surface.
A layer of gold.
Silver coins are available in pure silver and silver and copper.
The new year's money that Huaiyu gave to his wife Xuan Fu were pure gold coins and gilt coins. A golden box was worth sixty-six taels of gold.
This batch of specially ordered gold coins gave Fan Xuanfu an unexpected surprise. She was not short of money, but these large golden boxes were really pleasing to the eye.
To several concubines, the three sisters of the Fan family, Duan Wan and Qiu Derou, each of the five concubines received gold coins worth sixteen taels of gold.
The eight concubines Chen Runniang, Gao Hui'an, Gao Yanzhi, Irina, Cao Shisanniang, Qiu Sansanniang, Tang Liuniang, and Pei Yunu received gold coins worth six taels of gold.
As for Pei Xingnu and the sword girls, they are maids and have a higher status than ordinary maids. Each of them is given twenty gold Kaiyuan, which is worth two taels of gold.
Wu Huaiyu gave sixty-six pure gold Kaiyuan coins to his children, hoping that they would go well and gold would be sixty-six.
The younger brothers and sisters, no matter how big or small, each have sixty-six pure gold Kaiyuan Tongbao coins.
The same goes for nieces and nephews.
This new year's money was given to my entire family, including my parents, wives, concubines, brothers, sisters, children, nieces, nephews, nieces, etc., and I gave away hundreds of taels of gold, which is definitely a big deal.
One tael of gold can be exchanged for eight thousand copper coins, which is enough for a family of several people to live for a year.
Fortunately, although the Wu family is now a new rich with little background in the past, Wu Huaiyu is not an ordinary new rich. Not to mention the constant rewards, the Wu family has many profitable industries. Qianjintang has opened more than 30 branches.
All over the country and beyond.
In addition, the Wu family’s shochu, the Wu family’s tea, and now the Wu family’s white sugar are all very profitable. Although the shochu and the Wu family’s new tea leaves are not yet able to occupy a place in the highest-end market, they have also become mid-range.
It is on the upper side of the market and has even grabbed a lot of share.
There are also Wu family soaps and perfumes, which are also very profitable industries.
Other pawn shops and farms are also very profitable industries.
The Wu family's industry is expanding rapidly, and everything is supported by Wu Huaiyu's current status. The Wu family also chooses to give appropriate profits, cooperate with other powerful people, and advance all the way. The larger the scale, the more profits will naturally be made.
Last year, he and his sister-in-law bought Liaoman prisoner-of-war slaves from Cheng Yaojin. Wu Huaiyu sold more than a thousand households of barbarian slaves and made a huge profit. Later, he went to Shuofang and got many slaves, including salt and horses.
Land, mines, money, etc., I also made a lot of money.
When you have enough status, you will find that money is easy to make in this world. There is money to pick up everywhere, and even money will rush towards you desperately and slap you hard in the face.
Those powerful people don't need any technology or decision-making at all to make money. The characteristics of their money-making are actually comprador and monopoly. Sometimes they like some profitable industry and send someone over to say hello, and those who understand will naturally obey.
Buy shares, or even invest directly in a disciple. You get the big head and he gets the small head.
The Wu family's properties are relatively normal, but they have also done a lot of such things. For example, the Wu family acquired land, Huaiyu acquired tens of thousands of acres of land in Lingwu, and Shuofang acquired tens of thousands of acres of land. They all took advantage of his status and position there.
Convenience, poor information, etc., it’s almost like picking it up for free.
Another example is the barbarian slave obtained by Cheng Yaojin. Although this thing was bought from the Tang Dynasty government through formal channels, it is so profitable that not everyone has the opportunity to buy it. If you buy so much, you can buy it.
The price is so cheap, that's what matters.
To put it bluntly, it is a note from Cheng Yaojin, the governor of Luzhou, and his approval. Everything seems to be formal, but there are many things inside.
It is the same in any era, and the essence will not change.
Wu Huaiyu didn't dare to get sugar in the past because he didn't have enough status. If he did it, someone would come over to eat the big fish and eat the small fish. Maybe the food looked better, and they would ask us to work together, pay you some money, and reserve a share for you.
If you look ugly, I will directly rob you or even kill you.
The reason why there were no truly influential giants in ancient times is because there was no such environment. All businessmen, no matter how good they were on the surface, were just pigs raised by the powerful, or their white gloves.
It doesn't matter whether you are Shen Wansan or Hu Xueyan.
A wealthy family does not live on dew, nor can it be high and mighty just by reciting poems, musings, and reading scriptures. Every noble family, even the local powerful, needs to occupy a lot of resources. It cannot be maintained without enough resources, so they want to
Methods include annexing land, controlling industry and commerce, and extending usury.
"Alang, a messenger came from the palace to reward you."
Wu Huaiyu went to greet him, and Li Shimin was also handing out New Year's benefits. The officials in the capital all received annual rewards, and the emperor's closest officials, not to mention the court elders, also received a special reward.
Wu Huaiyu's New Year reward included a pair of gold urns, a pair of silver vases, and four copper basins, as well as mink fur, ginseng, silk brocade, and spices such as pepper and cinnamon.
There is even a Diao Chan San Liang Jin Xian crown, and a new Jin De crown.
Thank you for your kindness.
During the Chinese New Year, not only the noble officials are busy giving rewards to their families and servants, but the emperor is also busy, and even the court has been busy with this during this time.
Wu Huaiyu, the imperial finance minister who was also the minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, often lost his hair because of this. He not only had to reward hundreds of officials and subordinates, but also had to give a reward to the elderly, orphans, widows and disabled people in the capital.
The biggest reward is actually the Nanya troops stationed in Beijing, as well as the imperial guards stationed at the north gate.
Taken together, there are a few hundred thousand soldiers and horses.
It's the New Year, so their rewards must be there, and they can't be too thin. They have to get new winter clothes, new shoes, new hats, and even wine, meat, and money.
We also need to distribute some food, meat and vegetables to the Kanto refugees in Gyeonggi Province so that everyone can enjoy the two days of the New Year. We can’t go hungry on New Year’s Eve and the first day of the Lunar New Year, right?
If it weren't for Wu Huaiyu's suggestion to issue bonds this year and successfully borrow a lot of money, Li Shimin would definitely have had a headache this year.
Although I have to pay back the money I borrowed, at least I can get through this new year first.
You have to tighten your belt and live a hard life for two or three years, but things will eventually get better.
Comparing the empty treasury, Wu Huaiyu thought of the Wu family's current family fortune from the accounting summary a year ago. The country was very poor, but Wu Huaiyu was very rich.
Last year during the Chinese New Year, Wu Huaiyu owed a lot of money, but this year he has achieved financial freedom.
There are thousands of hectares of land, thousands of slaves, groups of wives and concubines, and piles of children.
During the Chinese New Year, gold coins are given directly as lucky money, which is a bit too flamboyant.
Should we give the emperor a big red envelope to comfort him?
Otherwise, let’s take the lead and buy more Ministry of Civil Affairs bonds.
After seeing off the angel, Huaiyu immediately made arrangements.
I subscribed for an additional 1,000 guan of Ministry of Civil Affairs bonds in my own name, and then each subscribed for 500 guan in the name of my father and mother. The five younger brothers and sisters, no matter how big or small, each subscribed for 200 guan in their names.
Fan Xuanfu subscribed in name for 500 guan, five concubines, 200 guan each, and eight concubines, 100 guan each.
That adds up to 4,800 guan.
Huaiyu directly stated this in his thank you note to the emperor.
Subscribing separately is not unnecessary, but to avoid being too ostentatious. I took the lead in subscribing before, and now if I jump out and subscribe for nearly 5,000 yuan more, it will inevitably make it difficult for other dignitaries.
Because even though everyone has money, they all have their own channels to lend money. Even if there is interest from subscribing to the bonds, you will still lose money.
Of course, Wu Huaiyu reported to the emperor that he still hoped to allow secret subscription and not make it public directly. Anyway, he would send the money to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and then the money would go into the national treasury. He would just hold the bonds and redeem them when they mature.
For the Chinese New Year, I would like to comfort the emperor. Being an emperor is not easy.
During this Chinese New Year, money was needed everywhere, and another 4,800 guan was lent to the court.
The thank you letter was sent to the palace, and at dusk, Li Shimin sent someone to collect the money, and by the way, he also gave a treasure belt of ten thousand nails and two jars of royal wine.
This Ten Thousand Nails Treasure Belt is not simple. It is no worse than the Seven Treasures Belt that Changsun Wuji had stolen before. During the Northern Zhou Dynasty and Sui Dynasty, the emperor liked to reward ministers who had made great achievements with the Ten Thousand Nails Treasure Belt.
When Yehu Khan, the leader of the Western Turks, asked for marriage, he sent Li Shimin a golden belt with ten thousand nails and five thousand horses.
"Your Majesty said that there will be a palace banquet tonight on New Year's Eve, and he will give Duke Yi this gold belt with ten thousand nails, and he will gather around him for the palace banquet later." The eunuch also specifically told Huaiyu that this belt with ten thousand nails was actually the gold belt.
The one that Tong Yehu Khan previously paid tribute to the emperor.
