Xu Zhiqiong became a marquis and received five thousand taels of silver per year.
When Xu Zhiqiong thinks of these five thousand taels, he can't help but laugh.
Five thousand taels of silver a year, I can't spend it all no matter what. From now on, I, Xu Zhiqiong, will never be associated with the word poverty.
The income from the food estate is paid out every year. This year's income has not been paid out yet. It doesn't matter. It will come naturally after autumn.
But there is a problem that needs to be solved right now.
At noon, Liang Yuyao invited Xu Zhiqiong to Nei Shiling's mansion for a drink and asked: "How is the preparation of the Marquis Mansion?"
Xu Zhiqiong drank a glass of wine and said, "If you don't tell me, I have forgotten. I will go to the Ministry of Civil Affairs to ask for a house tomorrow."
"What are you looking for from the officials?"
"Aren't officials' official residences allocated by the Ministry of Personnel?" At that time, Wu Xu's palace was allocated by the Ministry of Personnel.
"What are you thinking about!" Liang Yuyao glared at Xu Zhiqiong, "If you become a third-rank official, you may be able to have an official residence, but it is not yours yet. After you leave office, you will move out immediately. You will be in charge of the yamen for thousands of years." Household, where did this official residence come from?"
Yes, after working as a Qianhu for such a long time, no one has ever mentioned the official residence to him.
But that's not the point.
"I'm already a Marquis, and I'm bigger than a first-class man. Don't you have a mansion for me to live in?"
Liang Yuyao sneered: "Guanjue, Guanjue, don't confuse official and jue. An official is an official. When he was an official, his residence was the official residence. When the official position is gone, the official residence will be taken back. A jue is a jue, not an official. There is no official residence. , even if you become a Duke, you still have to buy your own mansion."
This is the official system of Daxuan.
"That's all," Xu Zhiqiong waved his hand, "I don't have the money to buy a mansion, I'll just live in the Yamen."
"Are you kidding? The majestic Marquis doesn't even have a mansion. He lives in the Deng Deng Yamen. If a guest comes, how will you entertain him? In your Ming Deng Xuan?"
"We are a real person, I asked him to go check the bar!"
"Bah! Your face!" Liang Yuyao took a sip of wine, "I have been asking for you in the past two days to find a suitable mansion, just because I am afraid that you will dislike it."
"What's so objectionable about the mansion? Is the place bad?"
"Okay, the prosperous place in the south of the city."
"Bad workmanship?"
"The craftsmanship of that mansion cannot be overemphasized. It is just that it has been neglected and looks a little shabby."
"The layout is not good?"
"There's nothing to fault about the layout. To be honest, I'm attracted to that mansion. If you don't want it, I'll buy it myself."
"As long as the price is right, I'm willing to buy it. What do you think of three hundred taels?"
Liang Yuyao choked on her wine: "That's all, just pretend I didn't say anything about this."
Xu Zhiqiong asked in surprise: "Did I say too much or too little?"
Liang Yuyao sneered and said, "What do you think? With three hundred taels of silver, you can buy a house in the south of the city. There are two small courtyards, one in front and one in the back. Do you think it is suitable for the dignified marquis to live here? Go and ask your yamen. Qing Deng Lang, their yards are bigger than this!"
Xu Zhiqiong's heart tightened. This figure may not be acceptable to him: "Your Highness, don't be too pretentious. Please tell me how much money it is."
Liang Yuyao stretched out two fingers.
Xu Zhiqiong's eyebrows were raised: "Is it possible that you want two thousand taels?"
Liang Yuyao shook her head and sighed: "Twenty thousand taels."
"Twenty thousand taels!" Xu Zhiqiong jumped up on the spot, "Are you killing someone? What kind of house is it? Is it made of gold bricks and jade tiles?"
"The former Protector of the Country, Ren Songde, you should know this person, right?"
Xu Zhiqiong pursed his lips and said, "I have a little impression of this person."
"This scum was originally convicted, his title was reduced, and all his property was confiscated, including his mansion.
His mansion was not worth a hundred thousand taels. Two days ago, Yuyang issued an edict to sell off all the properties that should be sold to fill the national treasury. The mansion was priced at 20,000 taels, and I was attracted by it. If you want it, I can bring the house deed and land deed tomorrow; if you don’t want it, I will take it myself."
Xu Zhiqiong shook his head and said, "Your Highness, please accept it yourself."
Liang Yuyao hooked Xu Zhiqiong's chin: "Pi, why are you afraid that I will lie to you?"
Xu Zhiqiong shook his head and said, "How could you lie to me?"
"Are you worried that Ren Songde's bad reputation will harm you and ruin your reputation?"
Xu Zhiqiong still shook his head: "Ren Songde's bad reputation has something to do with the mansion?"
"Then what are you worried about?"
Xu Zhiqiong raised his head, puffed out his chest and said, "Do you think I have twenty thousand taels?"
Liang Yuyao smiled and said, "How much do you have? If it's not enough, I'll help you add more."
Xu Zhiqiong counted on his fingers: "If I count everything I have now, I'll borrow a little more. I can raise two to three hundred taels..."
Liang Yuyao's little mouth slowly opened wide: "You have been in charge of yamen for thousands of households, and you don't even have two or three hundred taels of savings?"
Xu Zhiqiong smiled bitterly and said: "The salary of a thousand households is only a few, how many days have I been a thousand households?"
Liang Yuyao sneered: "You think I don't know? Zhangdeng Yamen is not an ordinary place. Anyone who does business at night must pay filial piety to you. Is it possible that you really live on that salary?"
Xu Zhiqiong laughed and said: "Your Highness, you are looking down on me. Let your envoy in red check it out. Have I, Mr. Xu, ever received such ill-gotten wealth?"
Subjectively, Xu Zhiqiong does want to be an honest official.
Objectively speaking, after he became a thousand households, he either went out to fight, or fought with Emperor Zhaoxing, or went out to kill people, or was hunted down. Most of the time he was away from the Yamen, and he had no time to collect ill-gotten gains.
Liang Yuyao stared at Xu Zhiqiong for a long time, her eyes full of admiration: "It would be great if all officials in Daxuan were like you.
To be honest, I have my heart to give this house to you. If I were just Princess Yuyao, I would really give this house to you. But now the situation is different. The emperor insisted on letting me be some kind of internal secretary and become an official. I have too many worries. If I give you such a big gift, it would be difficult to explain it in front of the officials."
Yes, if Liang Yuyao really gave Xu Zhiqiong a mansion, the memorial to impeach Liang Yuyao and Xu Zhiqiong tomorrow would be higher than Baihu Mountain.
Liang Yuyao thought for a while and said: "How about this, do you have any valuable belongings, cultural calligraphy and paintings, etc., just give me a price and I will buy them."
Xu Zhiqiong thought for a moment, except for the spring paintings that Li Shabai gave him, how could he have any decent calligraphy and painting.
Spring paintings cannot be sold. Those paintings bear witness to the great friendship between him and Wu Qianhu. Where there are no hooks, they are the spiritual food for Xu Zhiqiong to purify his soul.
"Xu's sleeves are cool, and if you think of anything valuable, this is the body," Xu Zhiqiong wiped his tears and said, "If the princess doesn't dislike it, I will sell my body to you. I only hope that the princess will cherish me." "
Xu Zhiqiong wanted to tell a joke.
Liang Yuyao did not laugh.
She stared at Xu Zhiqiong for a while and asked, "Pi, are you serious about this?"
"It's not serious, it's just a joke." Xu Zhiqiong hurriedly lowered his head to eat the food.
"If you say you don't take it seriously, then you don't take it seriously?"
Xu Zhiqiong picked up the wine glass, took a sip, and found that the glass was empty: "Then, what, Your Highness, aren't we used to laughing and making trouble?"
Liang Yuyao kept staring at Xu Zhiqiong: "What if I don't want to laugh with you today?"
After speaking, Liang Yuyao waved her hand and ordered the maid to close the door.
Xu Zhiqiong stood up quickly and said: "Your Highness, it's late, I have resigned from my humble position. Your Highness, listen to me, this kind of thing is not a joke. These clothes are newly bought, you can't tear them..."
At nightfall, Xu Zhiqiong returned to Zhonglang Courtyard and saw Xia Hu picking up oranges again. There were several sacks beside him. Xu Zhiqiong checked the sacks specially. How do you use your good ingredients?"
Xu Zhiqiong said: "Didn't I ask my boss to make some good clothes for you using Baihua brocade? Why don't you wear them?"
Xia Hu lowered his head and said, "Those clothes are beautiful, but they are inconvenient to wear. They are so slippery that they can't even carry a sack on their backs."
"Why do you always carry a sack?" Xu Zhiqiong squatted down to help Xia Hu pick up the oranges, "I have made so much money for you, why do you have to do this small business?"
Xia Hu snorted: "What's wrong with my business? You go to see Princess Yuyao for a drink. You must be a consort, but you don't like me, the orange seller."
"Nonsense!" Xu Zhiqiong waved his hand and said, "She came to me to discuss buying a mansion."
Xia Hu put down the orange, thought for a moment and said, "That's right. It's time for you to buy a mansion. You are already a marquis. Did she help you choose a mansion?"
"She has chosen," Xu Zhiqiong said, "She has chosen the Duke Ren Songde Palace."
Xia Hu's eyes lit up and he said: "That's a good house, a really good house! I'm afraid it's a bit expensive, that house costs at least one hundred thousand taels."
Xia Hu also said the same. It seems that the mansion is really good.
Xu Zhiqiong said: "Liang Yuyao has connections and can buy it for twenty thousand taels."
"Buy it! How long will you wait if you don't buy it?" When it was time to spend money, Xia Hu really didn't feel bad, "What am I saying? You can't spend this money carelessly. I don't have the previous twenty thousand taels of silver." It has been moved, but it will be spent on the edge of the knife."
"This money is yours, how could I be willing to spend it!"
"What's yours and mine was originally earned by you!" Xia Hu turned around and was about to move the money.
"Come back!" Xu Zhiqiong shouted, "Why are you so stupid? Where did these two thousand taels of silver come from? Can I explain clearly?"
Xia Hu pouted and said, "Don't you earn it seriously?"
"I defrauded Liu Jiangpuna from Huazhou," Xu Zhiqiong said with a long sigh. "Just spend the money slowly. If you take it all out at once, you will be in big trouble."
Xia Hu thought for a while and said: "How about this? I pretend to be a wealthy businessman and pay for this house. If you can trust me, then put it in my name first."
"I have said it many times, that money is yours."
"Then there's no need to discuss it, I'll go move the money right away!"
Xu Zhiqiong pulled Xia Hu and said: "Silly lady, if you take action, will it still be at this price? Liang Yuyao must not ask you for one hundred thousand taels?"
Xia Hu bit her lip and sat down on the ground. Orange didn't have the intention to clean up: "It's such a good business, why can't it be done?"
Xu Zhiqiong pinched Xia Hu's cheek and said, "The Evil Punishment Department has your Zhonglang Pavilion, and I also have a Zhonglang Courtyard here. Two houses are not enough for you to live in?"
"This house is not ours! How can I sell it?"
Xu Zhiqiong held his forehead and said, "Why are you so excited when we talk about business?"
On the candlestick in the main courtyard, a twin candle suddenly lit up.
This was because Liang Yuyang came to him for something.
Xu Zhiqiong comforted Xia Hu with a few words, left Zhonglang Courtyard, entered the palace, and led directly into the Secret Pavilion under the guidance of Lu Yunxi.
When he met the former prince, Xu Zhiqiong did not act impudently. He bowed politely and called out: "Your Majesty!"
Liang Yuyang ordered the people on his left and right to go out first, stared at Xu Zhiqiong for a long time, and asked: "Zhiqiong, there is something, you have to tell me the truth."
Xu Zhiqiong's heart trembled.
Does he know about my Taoism?
Can you tell him?
He is the emperor now, and the path of judge is an evil path in the eyes of the royal family after all.
Xu Zhiqiong said slowly: "I wonder what your Majesty said?"
Liang Yuyang had a gloomy expression and said in a low voice:
"I heard that you slept with my sixth sister, but did you see that red?"
Xu Zhiqiong's face turned pale: "Who started this rumor? There is no such thing!"
Liang Yuyang said with a ferocious smile: "She's not red, right? I know she's not red!"
"It's not that I'm not red, it's that I'm not sleeping. Your Majesty, this matter is not a joke!"
Liang Yuyang pouted: "But how many times have I told you that we still call each other brothers in private? I heard from the sixth sister that she has chosen Ren Songde's house for you, and you don't have the money to buy it. I am willing to give the house to you."
You feel it’s inappropriate again.”
Xu Zhiqiong raised his head and said righteously: "Your Majesty, what's wrong with doing things that are fair and aboveboard?"
Liang Yuyang shook his head and said: "The things given by the royal family are not mine after all. I can be the emperor for ten years. When these ten years pass, the next emperor will take back the house with an edict. Who will you complain to?
That is indeed a good house, just buy it, I will lend you 20,000 taels, and you will pay back 2,000 taels every year. After ten years, it is time for me to abdicate, and you can just pay back the money."
Xu Zhiqiong thought about it and realized that this was a good idea.
Liang Yuyang drafted the edict in his own hand and will send it to the cabinet tomorrow.
But if the emperor lends money to his ministers, does he also need to prepare an imperial edict?
He did this on purpose.
Xu Zhiqiong's purchase of such a large mansion would definitely attract criticism from the officials. The emperor openly issued an edict saying that I lent him money to buy it. This can be easily explained.
After drafting the edict, Liang Yuyang said softly: "It's better not to make this matter public."
Xu Zhiqiong nodded and said: "I live in that house carefully and don't make it public."
"That's not what I'm talking about. I loaned you money to buy the house. Why shouldn't you make it public? What I'm talking about is that Sixth Sister is not popular. Don't make it public."
Xu Zhiqiong jumped up and said: "Who said it's not popular?"
"Then there is red!"
"No! How would I know if I didn't sleep?"
"You don't admit it, right? Twenty thousand taels of silver, you have to pay back twenty thousand taels!"
"You've become an emperor and you still care so much?"
"What's wrong with the emperor? If he abdicates the throne in the future, he won't have any money to support himself in old age?"