After dinner, Zhang Yanling drank tea and read in the study. Naturally, he couldn't read many books. The main thing was to be alone for a while and think about things.
During dinner, Axiu mentioned the money in the account again. The renter of Baodi Manor collected four thousand shi of grain the day before yesterday and transported it back to the capital. Because the money at home has been very high recently, so after arriving in Beijing, he sent 4,000 shi of grain to the capital.
The official warehouse was sold. At this time of the autumn harvest season, the price of food was at its lowest, but we could only sell it for silver. The total price was only more than three thousand taels of silver. As soon as the silver arrived in the account, Ma Quan took it all away when he came back this morning.
Because there is a large amount of wood, stone and charcoal that needs to be purchased, and the wages for August have to be paid.
The nest of more than three thousand taels of silver was all gone before it was even warm.
Now there is less than two thousand taels of silver left in the account. Even if rents are collected one after another and some income is made, there is still no way to fill the bottomless pit like this.
Zhang Yanling knew that Axiu usually would not tell her these things so directly, unless she felt it was necessary, she would talk to her about these things. Before she spent a lot of money, Axiu said something unnecessary.
She didn't say anything because she knew that Zhang Yanling must have a reason for doing this.
But the current situation has indeed affected the daily life of the entire Houye Mansion. As the person in charge of everything in the family, Axiu had to talk to Zhang Yanling about these things.
Zhang Yanling had no other choice for a while, so he came to the study to think about it. He didn't want to stop. Because he finally gathered such a group of people and worked enthusiastically and made rapid progress. Once the work stopped, things would not be good.
It’s done. Should we send everyone away? Turn around and have to start all over again? That’s impossible.
After much deliberation, I can only lick my face and find someone to borrow money. There is definitely nothing I can squeeze out from my brother, and I'm afraid there is no extra savings from Queen Zhang. The only ones who can borrow money are Xu Yande, Zhang Lun, and Zhu Lin.
The young master is there. If he opens his mouth, he should be able to borrow some. Although he will lose face once he opens his mouth. But under the current situation, it seems that this is the only way. Is it possible to really borrow money from usury?
?
But it was indeed a bit difficult to open the door to the young princes. Originally, nobles valued interests very much, and financial transactions also had an adverse impact on the good relationships established between them. Especially with Xu Yande.
, because of the rumored loan sharking incident, my image has been greatly damaged by the Xu family. If I open my mouth to borrow money again, I don’t know how they will view it.
Zhang Yanling thought about it carefully and felt that if she used Yunnan Baiyao as an introduction and raised a large sum of money from several of them as a partnership to run the pharmacy as the cost of running the pharmacy, it might be a decent and sure-to-succeed method.
However, I feel a little unwilling to share Yunnan Baiyao, a business that is sure to make money, with them for nothing. Even if I want to further build a good relationship, win over them, and let them participate in this matter, I should do it myself.
After the pharmacy business became prosperous and profitable, they took the initiative to request that they be allowed to participate in shares and share dividends in a gracious way.
Taking the initiative to win over their shares and allowing them to participate in the company in the future are two different things. In the future, there will be a big difference in the distribution of interests and the right to speak.
Zhang Yanling was thinking a lot about this matter and her mind was noisy, so she walked out of the study and walked in the yard to calm down her mind.
In the evening of late autumn, the weather was already very cold. Zhang Yanling felt the chill even in her slightly thick autumn robe.
The night wind blew, and the leaves on the big trees in the yard fell, spinning in the dark and falling to the ground. Zhang Yanling felt that the autumn wind and autumn leaves were sad. Zhang Yanling didn't like this feeling. .
A red lantern swayed at the door of the small courtyard of the study. Someone came to the door with a lantern and stopped. Then the door was pushed open, the lantern did not come in, and a petite figure slowly walked in under the light and shadow of the lantern. , walking towards the corridor.
Zhang Yanling turned around to look, and Xu Wanyi's tall and slender figure slowly emerged under the dim light of the corridor.
Zhang Yanling was a little surprised. What was Xu Wanyi doing here so late at night?
Xu Wanyi was wearing a long skirt and a plain shawl, with a dignified and beautiful face. She stepped forward with a smile and saluted: "I met the Marquis in the evening. The Marquis is polite."
Zhang Yanling hurriedly raised her hands and said: "The princess is polite. Why are you here? Is something wrong?"
Xu Wanyi walked slowly to the corridor and said with a smile: "Can't you come here if you have nothing to do? This is the Marquis's study, I know it. But I have been here more than once or twice. I just wander around the house when I have nothing to do. .If the Marquis feels that I am disturbing you, just take your leave in the evening."
Zhang Yanling hurriedly waved her hands and said with a smile: "That's not what I meant. Of course you can come."
Xu Wanyi smiled sweetly and said: "That's pretty much it. Why don't you invite me to sit in the study?"
Zhang Yanling said hurriedly: "Princess Princess, please come in."
Xu Wanyi nodded and walked into the study. Zhang Yanling followed him in, took another candlestick and lit it. After lighting the two candlesticks, the study suddenly became bright.
Xu Wanyi stood by the desk, stretched out her long fingers to flip through a half-open book on the table and said with a smile: "Master Hou is reading? Oh? This is "Mengxi Bi Tan" by Shen Kuo of the Song Dynasty? It turns out that Master Hou likes to read This kind of book."
Zhang Yanling said with a smile: "I just read it when I have nothing to do. There is no purpose. It's just that this book is very comprehensive and useful to read, so I just read it when I have nothing to do."
Xu Wanyi smiled and said: "Indeed. Mengxi Bi Tan is a strange book. What a coincidence. When I saw Bai Yan yesterday, I remembered the words in Meng Xi Bi Tan. There is a saying in Meng Xi Bi Tan: North There are white geese, which are as small as wild geese and white in color. Autumn is deep. When white geese arrive, frost will fall. People in Hebei call it 'Frost Letter'."
Zhang Yanling said in shock: "Have you read this book? Can you still remember the content?"
Xu Wanyi smiled slightly, put down the book and said: "What's surprising about this? Wanyi is not talented, but he has read a few books and remembers some contents. Mengxi Bi Tan still said a lot of truths in this book. For example, 'Using Utensils' 'It is said in one chapter: The ingenuity of ancient objects is due to the purity of the people. The people are polite and the workmanship is meticulous. Although the customs of later generations are extravagant, the workmanship is not as good as that of the ancients, and the ancient objects are many and not refined. I think this makes sense. People nowadays, let alone making utensils, also lack the ancient style in their behavior. But I feel very sorry for it."
Zhang Yanling was stunned and speechless. This princess had really read a lot of books, and not just reading, but Bo Wenqiang had read them in. Zhang Yanling had also read the "Mengxi Bi Tan" for many days, although It was just for fun, but to be honest, I didn't pay much attention to it. I just read it as a reference book. But Xu Wanyi was able to remember the content and think about the words in the book. He was much more attentive than reading it by himself.