But no matter what, she would not disobey Yunxi's instructions, and hurriedly sent someone to ask Xue Xiyang to enter the palace. Zhengxiyang came to the palace in the late afternoon, and Yunxi and Xiyao met him together to ask about the friend named Xiao.
Xiyang immediately felt strange when he heard Yunxi's words. There were strict rules for the queen's male relatives to enter the palace. Their whole family thought that something big had happened and were on tenterhooks. But when they arrived at the palace, they learned that this was what happened.
But no matter how strange he was, the question still had to be answered. He explained in detail what he knew about his friend named Xiao: "His name is Xiao Tong, and he is indeed from a business family in Haiyan County, Zhejiang Province that is now somewhat famous in the capital.
." After saying this, he raised his head and glanced at Yunxi: The Xiao family was able to gain a foothold in the capital because he granted the franchise rights.
"Their family is relatively wealthy, but the head of the family still wants someone to serve as an official, whether it is a civil official or a military general. Xiao Tong was selected to serve as an official. But although he was very smart and had a photographic memory, he preferred to practice martial arts and became a master of martial arts.
He has good martial arts skills; compared to the Four Books and Five Classics, he prefers all kinds of miscellaneous books. He has read many miscellaneous books at home and abroad. Even if his family found out, he would beat him up and burn all the miscellaneous books. "
"But even though he was messing around with studying, he actually got the first place among the scholars in Haiyan County. Although he failed in the last provincial examination, it was because he used an allusion from the Japanese "The Tale of Genji". The marking officer had not read "The Tale of Genji".
"The Tale of Genji", thinking that he made up the allusion that made him fail. Otherwise, he should have won the exam last time." Xi Yang said in a complicated tone. People are more annoying than others. Xi Yang was originally a young talent, but compared with Xiao
The unity ratio is much worse.
"Huh?" Yunxi's expression was very warm at first, but the more he listened to Xiyang's words, the more serious he became. After he finished speaking, he asked a few more questions and told him to talk to Xiyi. Xiyang did not ask any questions and bowed and left.
.
"Husband, why did you summon Xi Yang today?" Xiyao finally couldn't help it anymore and asked.
"It's for Yun Yun's marriage."
"For Yun Yun's marriage?" Xiyao immediately reacted: "Husband, do you want to choose this man named Xiao Tong as your consort?"
"That's what I mean." Yunxi said: "My husband wanted to promote a merchant, but he couldn't directly assign Yun Yun to an ordinary merchant, so he learned about Xiao Tong. His identity is very suitable, and his personality is also suitable.
Yun Yun’s conditions make him a suitable candidate.”
"But after listening to Xi Yang's words just now, I was afraid that he was too smart. A man who is too smart is not suitable as a husband, so I was a little hesitant."
"How do you plan to arrange it?" After hearing Yunxi's words, Xiyao felt that he was a suitable candidate, but after hearing his last words, she asked.
"Let's take a look first and then talk about it. My husband will ask Jin Yiwei to investigate him again. And this matter is not urgent. His status as a scholar is still low now. At least he has to wait until he wins the imperial examination before he can be granted marriage. There is still time.
." Yunxi unconsciously drew circles on the table with his hands and said.
"But even if we wait until he wins the election and get married, we still have to wait until next year to get married. The third sister is already eighteen years old this year and will be nineteen next year. Another year?"
"Nineteen, let's be nineteen. Although it is much older than a commoner's home, it is not too big. Yunzhi will only be seventeen next year and eighteen the year after that. There is no rush." Yunxi said.
…
…
"Ah!" Xiao Tong suddenly sneezed.
"Who is talking about me?" he said to himself.
"Xiao Tong, what are you talking about!" the person sitting on the main seat said sternly.
When Xiao Tong heard this, he quickly sat upright and listened carefully to the words of the person sitting on the throne.
This is the residence of the Xiao family in the capital, and it is also one of the Xiao family's business bases in the capital. This morning, many shopkeepers came to pay New Year greetings. Everyone gathered together to talk and naturally talked about the business after the new year. Slowly, even here,
Xiao Zhuo, who was in charge, had forgotten that everyone was here to pay New Year's greetings today and started giving orders for business after the New Year.
"...According to the previous agreement, a ship transporting slaves will arrive in the capital in early February. There will be about three to four hundred slaves. There will be no typhoons on the sea in winter, so it should be able to arrive in the capital on time."
"But these slaves have to be released in batches. We can't let the guests know that we have so many slaves. If they know, they will definitely lower the price, and then we won't be able to make a lot of money." Xiao Zhuo one by one.
commanded.
After he finished his instructions, a shopkeeper said: "Master Zhuo Liu, I have two slaves in my hands. They are handsome and can speak Chinese. They are not young and are very valuable. But none of my subordinates are in the capital.
It's hard to estimate the price of someone who has sold something like this before. Mr. Liu, could you please send an experienced person over to have a look and estimate the price?"
"Okay, I will take people to your shop in a while to see how much these two slaves are worth." Xiao Zhuo said without refusing.
He ordered a few more things, but there was nothing more to say, so he asked everyone to disperse.
When he said this, someone suddenly realized that today they were here to pay New Year greetings, not to talk about business, and said it with a smile. Everyone also laughed dumbly.
Everyone laughed for a while and dispersed. Xiao Zhuo sent them to the door and watched them leave the mansion. He turned to Xiao Tong and said, "You were distracted at that time because you thought that today is the first day of the first lunar month, right? Why didn't you say anything at that time?
remind me?"
"Uncle Six, at that time my nephew saw that you were giving instructions on important matters, and he saw that the shopkeepers were listening carefully and did not say anything to disturb you." Xiao Tong didn't actually remember that today was the first day of the first lunar month, but he immediately heard Xiao Zhuo's words.
Said smoothly.
"Hey, we are busy all year round. We should let everyone rest during the New Year. Since it has passed, I won't say much, but later on, remember that we are celebrating the New Year now, so don't talk about business matters." He not only said to
Xiao Tong said, and also said to the servants beside him: "You remember to remind me that before the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, unless the matter is very urgent and a decision must be made immediately, do not talk about business matters and let the shopkeeper and the clerks have a good time."
Have a good year.”
"But Shopkeeper Liu has agreed to the matter just now, so it's better not to go; and there may be someone who wants to buy those two slaves in the next few days, so we'd better estimate the price." Xiao Zhuo ordered his servants to prepare their horses, then turned to Xiao Tong and said
: "You also come with me."
"Uncle Six, my nephew doesn't understand business matters. Why should I ask my nephew to go with me?" Xiao Tong asked. He liked to go shopping, but he hated buying and selling people and was unwilling to go to his own shop, so he wanted to refuse.
.
"I'm not taking you out with me to ask you to appraise those two slaves." Xiao Zhuo said: "The New Year gifts for the officials have been sent, but in a few days it will be the Lantern Festival, so I have to give them to them too.
Order something. It doesn’t have to be too valuable. If it’s too valuable, they won’t dare to accept it now, but you can’t help but give it as a gift.”
"You are a scholar, and you have contacts with some officials and scribes. You help your uncle choose things to send to them." Xiao Zhuo said.
"Uncle Liu, aren't you also a scholar? My nephew remembers that you got your reputation as a scholar by yourself, not from your activities as a magistrate."
"How many years has it been since my uncle has interacted with officials and scribes? He no longer regards himself as a scholar. How do you know what the current officials like? It would be convenient if he could give something particularly valuable, but now the Ming Dynasty
Although corruption has become less severe than during the Hongwu years, corrupt people are still being identified, and they do not dare to accept particularly valuable things."
Xiao Zhuo said in a stern tone again: "Why are you so pushy about what Uncle Six asked you to do? Now it's the Chinese New Year and your family doesn't force you to study, so go out with your uncle!"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Tong knew that he could not shirk, so he could only agree and follow him out of the house.
Not long after, their uncle and nephew came to a place selling books and the Four Treasures of the Study. Xiao Tong picked a few fine wolf brushes, two inkstones, a lot of rice paper, and a few books, and asked Xiao Zhuo
Said: "Sixth Uncle, these things are enough for seven officials. Among them, this Langhao pen is given to Liu Langzhong of the Ministry of Revenue, that one is given to Chang Zhizhong of Yingtian Mansion, and that one is given to..."
Xiao Zhuo wrote them down one by one, put them in different bags, and stuck a small note on the mouth of the bag to remind which official it was a gift to.
After everything was ready, Xiao Tong was about to pick up a book and read it when Xiao Zhuo suddenly said to him: "Choose another gift that will be better than what these people are offering now."
"Which high-ranking official has our family hooked up with?" Xiao Tong asked in surprise. As a direct descendant of the Xiao family, although he was forced to study and take the imperial examination, he would definitely know if his family hooked up with a certain senior official.
But this time he heard nothing about it.
"This gift is for Xue Xiyang." Xiao Zhuo whispered: "Didn't you get to know the queen's natal brother recently? This is a big tree, and it needs to be maintained. It's just that you haven't known him for a long time.
My uncle guesses that the relationship is not close enough, so he asked you to pick a few things from here to give to him. When you get to know him well in the future, my uncle will pick a few treasures from the family for you to give to him."
"Sixth Uncle, my nephew and Xue Xiyang are friends between gentlemen, so I don't want to give these things as gifts." Xiao Tong said unhappily. It was a surprise that he became friends with Xue Xiyang. He and Xue Xiyang hit it off immediately and cherished their relationship with him.
Friendship, I don’t want to mix too many things into it.
Seeing what Xiao Zhuo was about to say, he hurriedly spoke before he spoke: "Besides, the Xue family is not a nouveau riche that just got up in the past few days. Their family has been in today's status since the marriage of the current emperor and the empress. I want to
There are countless people who have given gifts to their family. I have not known Xue Xiyang for a long time. Giving too grand a gift will make the Xue family suspicious. It is better to give a small gift."
"You are right. In this case, you can buy a gift after you go back, and uncle will not care about it."
