Fu Shanhe

Chapter 113 Return to Beijing to report on work
With the Xiaocangshan Copper Mine as a foundation, Li Mu’s revenue expectations for another copper mine were also greatly reduced.

It’s normal to think about it. For the country gentry who privately mine, besides profit, the most important thing is safety.

A tall tree attracts the wind, and this is true everywhere.

If he does not have thousands of troops, he can only develop on a small scale.

Earning a few hundred taels of silver every month is just right. It won’t be too conspicuous, but can also accumulate wealth slowly.

If we develop it on a large scale without considering the consequences, the monthly income will increase from a few hundred taels to several thousand taels, or even tens of thousands of taels.

This is no longer a family business, but a catastrophic disaster.

Just because the gentry could not carry out large-scale mining does not mean that he could not expand the scale of mining either.

Anyway, the scale is here, and no matter how much mining is expanded with current technology, the production capacity will not be much higher.

As long as the money can be converted into military strength in time, there will be no risk.

Time passed day by day, and it was the end of the year in a blink of an eye.

A lot of things happened in the seventh year of Tianyuan, and for Li Mu, it was a year full of turning points.

Before going to Beijing, he only thought about successfully inheriting the hereditary official position and returning to Hanzhong to be a happy parasite.

He never expected that he would first join the Five Cities Army and then take part in the war to quell the rebellion.

He was promoted to the position of Lieutenant General at an almost legendary speed.

Although it is still an agent at present, this word "agent" will be removed soon.

Looking back, it seems like a dream.

Compared with his successful career, the birth of Yangzhou Camp is even more significant.

A general with soldiers and a general without soldiers are two completely different concepts.

Dayu has been passed down for more than two hundred years, and a lot of internal conflicts have accumulated.

"Tianyuan Restoration" was just a beautiful fantasy of the loyal ministers of Dayu.

The sudden explosion shattered the dream of empire's revival.

The reforms initiated by the court were more like a movement to save the nation from extinction launched by knowledgeable people who were unwilling to see the empire fall.

As long as Emperor Tianyuan is alive, the reform can continue.

Once the emperor dies, no one knows where the empire will go.

Comparing the Dayu Dynasty with the Ming Dynasty in his memory, they are too similar.

It's just that Emperor Tianyuan's political skills are more tough and he can force all parties to do their work.

Unfortunately, God was not on Dayu's side and the emperor had health problems.

If a new emperor came to power, Li Mu didn't know who among the royal family could take on this important task.

I don't expect my political skills to be on par with those of Emperor Tianyuan, but as long as I can reach half of his level and don't mess around in the court, there is hope that the Tianyuan Restoration will continue.

If he can think of these problems, others can naturally think of them as well.

Unfortunately, he is caught in the tide of the times, and all he can do is accumulate strength in order to have the ability to protect himself in the changing situation.

In this era of backward medical conditions, winter is undoubtedly the most difficult time for patients.

Since the beginning of winter, Li Mu was nervous every time he opened a letter from home, fearing that he would receive bad news.

Opening the letter again, Li Mu was at a loss whether to laugh or cry.

It hasn't been long since we got engaged, and we're already being urged to get married.

After a brief moment of distraction, Li Mu quickly realized that something was wrong.

Normally, there are many rituals involved in marriages between large families.

According to the normal pace, he should go back and complete the engagement procedures first, and inform the relatives and friends of both families.

The wedding should be held at least three months later.

After all, transportation is a major problem these days, and without prior notice, relatives and friends from other places simply won't be able to make it here.

But judging from his uncle's intention, it was obvious that he wanted him to hold the wedding while he was in Beijing reporting on his work.

The wedding was held in a hurry, either because the two families were in urgent need of this marriage, or because the health of the person in the palace had deteriorated.

According to the rules of Dayu, nobles had to mourn for 27 months after the emperor's death.

During this period, all marriages and banquets are prohibited.

In Li Mu's opinion, it's okay to postpone the wedding date, but the woman will definitely not agree.

She eventually became an old maid in this era, which was a very embarrassing thing for the Duke's Mansion.

Rubbing his forehead, Li Mu wrote a reply.

This kind of thing definitely could not be refused, and the Duke's Mansion had made great efforts in getting him the position of acting lieutenant general.

It is equivalent to accepting half of the dowry in advance, and now you are being taken advantage of.

"Mr. Lan, please buy some special products in Yangzhou as soon as possible, and the specifications should be as high as possible.

Bring plenty of supplies and don't worry about the money.

This time when I return to Beijing to report on my duties, I want to hold a grand wedding."

Li Mu gave the order immediately.

He didn't need to worry about the various procedures and betrothal gifts for the wedding, as the elders would take care of them. As the person involved, he only had to pay the money.

Of course, this money may not actually be paid out.

It represents a marriage between two major families. Even if he wants to do it himself, the elders in the family will not be at ease.

For the sake of the family's reputation, the clan will definitely arrange someone to take charge of the wedding, and the expenses will be paid in advance from the public account.

Given the influence of the Jing and Li families in the court, it is inevitable that the gifts received on the wedding day will cover all expenses. It is just a matter of how much money is earned.

If you want to make money, then be thick-skinned and invite more guests.

If I could humble myself enough to send invitations to wealthy businessmen, they would not dare to come without a gift worth tens of thousands of taels of silver.

Of course, if he really did that, he would probably be beaten and have his bones broken by the elders of the clan.

Political marriages between dukes and marquises require a certain level of status, and maybe the emperor would even send someone to participate.

Not to mention the second-rate merchants, even some lower-ranking officials couldn't get in without some connections.

“Congratulations, sir!
I was wondering why the magpies have been chirping so much recently. It turns out that my parents’ wedding is approaching.

I wonder which family this daughter is from?"

Lan Linjie said with surprise.

In the officialdom, being single is also a disadvantage.

They are usually considered immature, and the court will deliberately push them down when promoting people.

Although Li Mu broke the convention, as a legal advisor, he still hoped that his master would get married as soon as possible.

"The second young lady of the Duke Cheng's Mansion."

Hearing this answer, Lan Linjie's head was buzzing.

Although he knew that Li Mu's marriage partner would be a wealthy and powerful family, he also didn't expect the family status to be so high.

After a brief moment of unconsciousness, he suddenly understood why his master could climb so fast.

With the support of the two wealthy families in Dayu, it would be a problem if his career development was not smooth.

Before, he thought that many of Li Mu’s actions were a bit out of line, but now he thinks that his master is still too conservative.

With such a strong background, temporarily borrowing some land and minerals from the government is nothing.

It can be considered as a moral principle if you don't put it directly under your own name.

"Don't announce it to the public for now. After the wedding is over, I will host a private banquet for all my colleagues."

Li Mu opened his mouth to remind.

Some things lose their meaning if they are exposed in advance.

Now he is only the prospective son-in-law of the Duke's Mansion, and he is still a step behind the real son-in-law.

The news got out and people sent the gifts in advance, so how could he have the nerve to treat them later?

It would be better to wait until after the wedding, and then, according to custom, privately entertain colleagues who were unable to attend the wedding.

After the news spread, even if the gentry and merchants nearby did not come in person, they would still send gifts.

Compared with those officials who take concubines, hold birthday banquets, and solicit bribes, this one is definitely a man of integrity.

It’s not that he is an angry young man, but mainly because he has participated in no less than ten concubine-taking banquets since he entered the officialdom.

Banquets of this scale are mainly attended by businessmen and local gentry.

Li Mu participated only due to social etiquette, and the gifts he gave out were not many, but they were still disgusting.

"Don't worry, sir. I will never leak a single word to anyone!"

Lan Linjie immediately assured.

It is also a good thing for him that the host he follows has a strong background.

Even if you cannot get into high-end social circles, being able to become familiar with people will be of great help in your future.

It is possible that the examiners of the next imperial examination had sat and eaten together.

With a little help from others, maybe you can go from being a failure to being a "Sun Shan".

……

Three days later, Li Mu boarded the ship again.

Compared to coming with nothing, when we left, the dock was filled with boxes, big and small.

Because he had so many things to bring, he chartered two boats to return to Beijing.

Just looking at the posture, you can tell that this is a typical corrupt official.

If we don't make money, the salary from the court alone may not be enough to charter a boat.

Li Mu simply ignored the strange looks from the outside world.

The generals who returned from the Lianghuai region all used large and small ships to transport things to the capital.

In addition to giving gifts, taking some local specialties from the Jiangnan region and reselling them in the capital can also bring in a considerable income.

When the pirates and thieves along the way saw the boats of court officials, they would stay away from them.

The soldiers of the Grain Transport Office would not collect taxes from the officials who reported on their work. This was an unspoken understanding among everyone.

(End of this chapter)