Hundreds of households in Liaodong, covering the light with one hand

Chapter 196 My Junior Brother Li Yangshan

"When the Jurchens are at war, is this the opportunity I've been waiting for?" Zhu Youxiao clicked his tongue for a while before continuing.

While Zhu Youxiao and Wang Qi were discussing the matter, the queen had already ordered the imperial kitchen to serve fruits, pastries, and cornmeal porridge for the monarch and his ministers. The porridge was filled with hand-polished gold particles, each of which was ground to the same size. , use 20-year-old pine as firewood, simmer over slow fire for two hours, sprinkle with a little sugar, and it will be the most moist and sweet.

The monarch and his minister each held a bowl of New Year's corn porridge, sitting across from each other and puffing away.

Wang Qi finished the porridge in two mouthfuls, put the silver bowl aside, took the brocade handkerchief handed by the palace maid and wiped his hands before saying: "Your Majesty, in fact, in my opinion, no matter how the Jurchens change internally, as long as we do a good job My own job is to wipe out the Jurchens in three months and wipe out decades of troubles in Liaodong with just one move!"

Wang Qi's words, pushed forward a year, would be a mad attack on anyone at any time.

But now, facing the Ming Emperor, Zhu Youxiao felt that this was correct.

"Then wait a little longer," Zhu Youxiao nodded: "By the way, how is Xu Aiqing's salary collection in Shanxi and Shaanxi going? I looked at Xu Aiqing's brochure and said that almost the amount has been raised. Merchants from all over Shanshan and Shaanxi, There are also officials and gentry who are very interested in buying and selling land in Liaodong and opening commercial houses and guild halls. In less than a month, they took out more than 2.3 million taels of silver."

"In response to Your Majesty, before Mr. Xu returns to Beijing, it is final that three million taels of silver will be used as payment for the Liao Dynasty." Wang Qi felt that it was necessary to take this opportunity to emphasize to the emperor the need to borrow money after pacifying Liaodong. Repayment method.

"As for how to repay the more than three million taels of silver in the later period, Your Majesty, when the time comes, we will use Liaodong Shengju to make money for Horqin, Korea, Japan, Shandong and other places, so that the officials, gentry and the common people can see actual benefits. This is a long-term plan." Wang Qi had already explained this matter to Zhu Youxiao when he borrowed people's money to raise wages, and now it is necessary to mention it again.

It is necessary to let Zhu Youxiao have a clear and accurate understanding of the "national debt" in his mind. It cannot be interpreted simply by taking it from the people and using it for me, otherwise it will be difficult to carry out subsequent work.

"You can do this yourself. I can leave full power to you." Zhu Youxiao waved his hand after hearing this: "When Liaodong is over, I can let go of the government. There is a cabinet outside and a military department inside. I will bow down to you." As for the rule of the world, isn't this the prosperous situation that civil servants think about day and night?" Zhu Youxiao laughed, as if mocking himself, but also seemed to be serious: "I would happily be a carpenter."

Listening to Zhu Youxiao's words, Wang Qi just smiled and did not reply.

As if he also knew that Wang Qi was inconvenient to speak, Zhu Youxiao shrugged, a little helpless.

Not long after, the monarch and his ministers chatted for a long time, and Wang Qi also stood up to leave.

After leaving the palace gate, Wang Qi breathed a sigh of relief: Today's matter is over.

By the time we returned to the mansion, it was already dark.

Hai Lanzhu had been waiting in the hall early, waiting for Wang Qi to come back from the palace.

"The servants have tried to persuade me, but my wife has to wait for you to come back before eating." Since Qingluo entered the palace, she immediately changed her identity from Hai Lanzhu's maid to the steward of Wang Qi's backyard, and entered the backyard. , even Wang Shouxin would be ordered around by him.

"Well, I'll go over and take a look," Wang Qi handed back the hand towel, turned and walked towards the hall.

He naturally knew Qingluo's little thoughts, but when Hai Lanzhu came out, he needed a maid like Qingluo to help him establish the prestige in the backyard.

With such a strong little maid, no one would underestimate Hai Lanzhu.

But Wang Qi had forgotten that with Hai Lanzhu's character, who would dare to look down upon him? Although she is pregnant now and her temper has been restrained, no one can control the ferocious aura of the prairie woman.

"Sir," Hai Lanzhu was sitting alone behind the table. When he heard the voice, he immediately stood up and went to the door to welcome Wang Qi back: "You are back."

"Why don't you sleep a little longer?" Wang Qi reached out naturally and braided Hai Lanzhu's somewhat scattered hair behind her ears. "Nunu couldn't sleep when he heard that you had entered the palace." Hailanzhu shook his head, with a blush on his face: "The palace didn't make things difficult for you, right?"

"Who will embarrass me?" Wang Qi smiled: "Let's go eat."

"What about Princess Ningde?" Hailanzhu pulled Wang Qi, her mouth bulged, and then rolled her eyes: "Are you angry?"

"I didn't see her," Wang Qi stretched out his hand and gently scratched Hai Lanzhu's nose: "Why do you have to think about so many things? I will take care of the rest. You just need to take good care of yourself. When the time comes, Just give me a big fat boy."

"I know." Hai Lanzhu smiled upon hearing this, and for a moment she was extremely beautiful.

After finishing the meal with Hai Lanzhu and chatting for a while, the girl who had not had a good rest along the way was probably very tired after all, and fell asleep again after a while.

With Qingluo taking care of Hai Lanzhu, Wang Qi returned to the side courtyard alone. He still had many official matters to deal with.

"Sir, the old Mr. Go is still in the front yard," Wang Shouxin reported to Wang Qi.

At noon, before Wang Qi entered the palace, he played chess with the old master. When he was about to die, he got the order to enter the palace, so he disrupted the chessboard and left. Now when he came out of the palace, he didn't expect that the old gentleman was still there. .

This Go master was also recommended to Wang Qi by Xu Guangqi when he left Beijing more than half a month ago.

There was no other way. Wang Qi's chess skills were so poor that Xu Guangqi, a well-educated scholar, couldn't stand it, so he recommended the old man to help him recuperate.

This study lasted half a month.

He is not good at chess, but his cheating methods have increased by a few percent.

"Let's go and take a look," Wang Qi just happened to digest it after dinner and won two games on the chessboard!
  Although his chess skills are not good, Wang Qi is very willing to compete with the masters.

"The old gentleman is still waiting for me?" As soon as he entered the side room of the front hall, Wang Qi saw the old gentleman, still playing chess alone.

"The Duke is back?" The old man with a gray beard looked up and quickly gathered the chess pieces on the chessboard: "How about another game?"

"Please," Wang Qi sat down opposite the old man and said calmly, "Mr., have you been waiting for me?"

"The food in the Duke's house is good, I want to have another bowl before leaving," the old gentleman chuckled.

Wang Qi did not start placing the chess pieces, but looked at the old gentleman with a smile: "If the old gentleman has anything to say, just say it."

Want money? Or do you want an official?
  Wang Qi had some concerns in his heart.

"My junior brother Li Yangshan, I wonder if the Duke remembers it?" The white-bearded old man's eyes were like stars, reflecting Wang Qi's slightly surprised expression.

(End of this chapter)