The Dharma Sea of ​​the Green Snake

Chapter 380 Don't Climb to a Rich Family

Zou Qiwu is a big traveling merchant who roams the territory of the Tang Dynasty all the year round. It is said that he has even been to the Loulan Kingdom in the Western Regions.

Therefore, in the eyes of his peers, Zou Qiwu is not only a shrewd businessman, but also a courageous man.

Although these two contradictory labels appear on one person at the same time, it seems very inconsistent.

But this is indeed the impression that most people have of Zou Qiwu, and it is also the greatest portrayal of his character.

Zou Qiwu was extravagant and bold, and even had an extremely close personal relationship with the princes and nobles in Chang'an, and was responsible for providing all kinds of rare treasures for their banquets.

But few people know that this kind of Zou Qiwu and Pei Xiu, who was demoted to Tanzhou, are friends who have forgotten their age.

Pei Xiu, courtesy name Gongmei, was born in Jiyuan, Hanoi. He is famous for his formal and vigorous "regular script".

But compared to Pei Xiu's fame in the art circle, what is more legendary is his life experience.

Although Pei Xiu was born in a prominent family, his family was poor since he was a child. He barely made a comeback until he passed the imperial examination. Since then, he has become a wealthy family with no worries about food and clothing.

However, this alone does not highlight Pei Xiu's legend, and his first half of his life can only be regarded as a not-so-great "poor boy's counterattack" template at best.

Pei Xiu really shined after Wenzong ascended the throne, and he won his trust. He successively served as the supervisory censor, the minister of the Ministry of war, and even the Jiedu envoy of the power party, laying a solid foundation for Wenzong to quell the civil strife.

However, in the later period of Wenzong, Pei Xiu was rejected by Wenzong because of the "auspicious incident".

After Wu Zong succeeded to the throne, he directly refrigerated it, which can be called the best example of "one emperor and one courtier".

Until not long ago, Pei Xiu, who had been mediating for a long time in Chang'an, finally got out of the cage and was voluntarily relegated to Tanzhou to serve as the observation envoy of Tanzhou.

This position sounds good, but in fact it is a false one.

Not to mention power, his annual salary is enough to support his family.

Thanks to the fact that Pei Xiu's old Ministry in the middle of the court was quite powerful, he arranged for his eldest son, Pei Hong, to serve as the governor of Ningxiang County, which saved his family from starving to death in the dangerous place in southern Hunan.

Even so, every time Zou Qiwu passed by Tanzhou, he would help Pei Xiu's family.

After a long time, the two who were just ordinary friends became good friends who forgot their years. Every time they met, they either talked about scriptures, Taoism or Buddhism, or drank freely until the next day.

......................................................................................................

"Daddy, I must tell mother that you drank too much again when I go back."

Helping Zou Qiwu, who was still hungover, into the carriage, a little girl who looked no more than fourteen or five years old frowned and muttered in a low voice with disgust.

This is Zou Qiwu's favorite jewel, and it is also his child born to a foreign woman.

In fact, this can be seen from the clothes worn by the little girl.

Not to mention the obvious exotic clothes, just wearing all kinds of gold-plated and silver-plated jewelry on the wrists and necks, you can see Zou Qiwu's doting on his daughter.

When the little girl ran up inadvertently, she could even hear the crisp and loud clashing sound of gold ornaments.

"You girl, you don't even know how to feel sorry for your father!"

Sitting on the edge of the carriage and retching a few times, Zou Qiwu, who only felt uncomfortable all over, muttered helplessly.

"You deserve it, who made you drink like this every day!"

Straight into the carriage, the little girl turned her head and made a face at Zou Qiwu.

"Every time you come here, you either give them money or drink with them. You clearly promised me and my mother that you would quit drinking."

In the face of the little girl's complaints, Zou Qiwu, who managed to calm down a little, talked to the other party in a bad mood and went crazy.

"Hmph, your father and I call it fishing for big fish with a long line."

The tone eased a little, Zou Qiwu inadvertently looked back at the direction of Pei's house again, and then continued.

"Remember that sentence your father once told you?"

"If you don't climb the rich family, you don't think of the poor."

“A gift in a timely manner is always more impressive than an icing on the cake.”

"Especially for a family like the Pei family..."

"Even if their backs have been broken by the first few emperors at the beginning of the country, the family's savings cannot be underestimated in a short period of time."

She nodded half understanding. Although the little girl didn't understand her father's words, she knew that the other party was teaching her how to behave.

In this day and age, girls aged fifteen or sixteen have actually reached the age where they can marry and even become parents.

The little girl didn't marry so early because of Zou Qiwu's pampering, but what she should know and understand, she already understood it clearly.

"Father, are you saying that they still have the possibility of making a comeback?"

Although this sounds unbelievable, the little girl firmly believes in her father's judgment.

"Oh, maybe? That's inevitable."

The voice paused again, and a mockery flashed across Zou Qiwu's face.

"Others may not know the reason for the decline of the Pei family, but your father and I personally experienced the 'disaster' 20 years ago."

"Besides, taking a step back, even if the Pei family never has the possibility of rising again, what impact will it have on businessmen like you and me?"

"If you can exchange a little money for a valuable friendship, or some kind of stability in the future, in my opinion, it's worth it."

After accumulating money to Zou Qiwu's level, what he considered was no longer wealth appreciation.

Compared with the increase in those accounts, Zou Qiwu now pays more attention to the safety of his family and life, and to prepare for some unexpected disasters that may occur in the future.

After all, from ancient times to the present, how many merchants on the wealthy side can end well?
"Then dad, did you come to Tanzhou this time just to see this family?"

The little girl is just a little innocent, but pure is not stupid.

In previous years, my father would only come to drink and chat with the old man of this family when he passed through Tanzhou occasionally.

However, this time was different. My father clearly gave up on a big deal that was about to be negotiated, and came to Tanzhou, a remote place in the countryside.

The little girl felt that with her father's personality, there must be secrets hidden in it that she didn't know.

"Of course not, do you think your father is so free?"

Stretching out his hand to rub the little girl's head, Zou Qiwu, who had finally fully recovered from the hangover, laughed.

"Father brought you to Tanzhou this time to take you to meet his benefactor."

"He had disappeared for nearly 20 years, but he didn't expect to live in seclusion in this ghostly place of Tanzhou."

"It's not easy to get news from him this time, just in time for him to help you take a look at your face, to see if you can find a suitable husband in the future."

—Recommendation ticket—/—Monthly ticket—

(End of this chapter)