Datang: Empress mother-in-law sent Li Er to test me

On the surface of the stele, the names of the seven patriarchs with five surnames and seven Wangs are written.

Cui Zhao of Boling, Cui Gong of Qinghe, Lu Min of Fanyang, Zheng Da of Xingyang, Wang Kuo of Taiyuan, Li Zun of Longxi, and Li Yu of Zhaojun.

After the name, there are several big characters of "Sharing worries for the king, eliminating the country's dangers", and the amount of money.

The reason why I brought hundreds of ox carts with me when I went out of the palace this time is because it is difficult to bring back 70 guan with manpower alone.

70 is not a small amount!

That's [-] million Wen, even if it is divided into silk, gold, etc., it will have to be pulled several times by relying on these ox carts.

Arriving at Chongrenfang, when Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui approached Boling Cui's mansion, they saw seven old men standing at the door with crutches waiting.

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui stepped a little faster, and greeted them with smiles on their faces, "Patriarch Cui, Patriarch Lu, Patriarch Zheng, Patriarch Wang, Patriarch Li, have you prepared for what you said yesterday?"

Cui Zhao laughed and said, "It's ready."

"That's really great." Fang Xuanling smiled, turned sideways and spread his palms to point to the stone tablet on the first bullock cart, and said, "The merit tablet prepared by His Majesty for you is also ready."

"On the monument of merit and virtue, there are the distinguished families and names of the patriarchs, as well as the amount of money, and there are also eight big characters written by His Majesty himself, 'Share the king's worries and eliminate the country's dangers'."

"Your Majesty's grace, I'm waiting in great fear." Cui Zhao and the others hurriedly bowed to the end in the direction of the monument of merit.

When they straightened up, Du Ru said with a dark smile: "Patriarchs, where is the money you prepared? We can also take it back and report to His Majesty."

"The money is all here."

Cui Zhao raised his old palm and waved it.

Standing behind the seven people were the officials of their respective mansions, each holding a brocade box in their hands, strode forward, and presented it respectfully to Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui.

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui's eyes were fixed, and they stared straight at the brocade box held by the seven old housekeepers.

After a long time, Fang Xuanling raised his head, pointed to one of the brocade boxes and asked, "Patriarch Cui, what is the meaning of this?"

"The money that our five surnames Qiwang want to donate to the imperial court is all in it."

Cui Zhao took a few steps forward leaning on his crutches, and personally opened the brocade box held in the hands of his old housekeeper.

A stack of papers lying in a brocade box caught everyone's eyes.

Cui Zhao took out the paper from the brocade box and said, "Here are the house deeds, land deeds, and land deeds of our five surnames Qiwang, as well as some written evidence of antique calligraphy and paintings."

"The prices of houses in Chang'an City are not generally high. The closer you are to Pingkangfang, the higher the price."

Cui Zhao pointed to the mansion behind him, and said with a smile: "Take the old man's mansion as an example, it can be sold for two thousand coins. Inside, there are antique calligraphy and paintings, as well as the four treasures of the study, and furniture. Sell ​​it for [-] sticks."

"The other thing is the land deed. The land deed also includes [-] shops in the East Market and West Market, worth [-] guan."

"There is also the old man's land deed in it, and the old man has a thousand hectares of fertile land!"

Cui Zhao cupped his hands in the direction of Taiji Palace, and said righteously: "This time, for the sake of the court and the emperor, I am willing to donate [-] hectares of land to the court!"

"One hectare is one hundred mu, and twenty hectares is two thousand mu of fertile land. At the current price of land in Tang Dynasty, one mu can be sold for ten guan, and twenty hectares can be sold for [-] guan."

"Including the [-] guan of the house deed, antique calligraphy and painting, and the [-] shops in the East Market and West Market included in the land deed, it is exactly [-] guan!"

After Cui Zhao finished speaking, leaning on a cane with his left hand, he put a stack of house deeds, land deeds and field deeds into the brocade box with his right hand, and then said, "Fang Gong, Du Gong, do you want to check to see if what the old man said is true?"

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui's expressions were extremely ugly, their palms were clenched into fists, and their chests rose and fell.

The anger in their hearts was about to burst out from their eyes.

"Patriarch Cui!" Fang Xuanling raised his voice a little, and shouted: "The one hundred thousand guan that you said yesterday to be donated to the imperial court, are you talking about this thing?"

"Exactly." Cui Zhao smiled, facing Fang Xuanling's yelling, without any embarrassment, and said in an old voice unhurriedly: "These seven brocade boxes, the things in each brocade box, They are all worth 70 guan, adding up to a total of [-] guan.”

"The old man also said just now, if Fang Gong and Du Gong don't believe it, you can check it yourself to see if what the old man said is true."

A look of surprise appeared on Cui Zhao's face. Looking at Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui, who had become short of breath, he said in surprise, "Oh, it's all my fault. I didn't make it clear to Fang Gong and Du Gong yesterday."

"Fang Gong and Du Gong must have misunderstood it, thinking that our five surnames and seven Wangs donated real money to the imperial court!"

"Actually, what our seven families want to donate is something worth [-] guan! Please don't blame Mr. Fang and Mr. Du."

After finishing speaking, Cui Zhao cupped his hands at Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui with an apologetic face.

Chapter 45 Li Er's anger was tricked by seven old guys

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui's faces were ashen, and there was only one thought in their minds.

been played!

They, as well as Li Er, were all played by these seven old guys!

What the seven patriarchs said yesterday made them think that they were going to donate 70 guan of real money to the imperial court!

But now when they ask them for money, what they give is not real money, but a house deed, land deed, land deed and antique calligraphy and painting bills worth 70 guan!

Can these things solve the problem of the emptiness of the imperial treasury?

Totally impossible!

The six old men standing behind Cui Zhao, leaning on crutches in their hands, looked at Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui calmly. Although the banter in their eyes was well concealed, they were caught by them.

"Okay, very good." Fang Xuanling said coldly: "Fang Mo admires the methods of the masters!"

Cui Zhao smiled calmly, "Fang Gong, Du Gong, we have already given the 70 guan that we promised to donate to the court, so we will not bother you two, and you two havetened to return to your orders. Presumably, His Majesty the Emperor is also waiting in the palace." Your news."

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui looked at each other, then silently took the brocade box from the hands of the seven old butlers, and put it on the carriage.

Li Junxian gritted his teeth, suppressed his anger, looked at the things on the bullock cart, and felt ready to draw his sword.

His Majesty sent someone to rush to make merit monuments for these seven old guys overnight, but they got seven brocade boxes in exchange.

How can I explain to His Majesty when I go back?

Li Junxian looked at Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui, they also looked at him and shook their heads at him.

Fang Xuanling looked up at the stele on the bullock cart, and suddenly felt a little ridiculous.

Is such a good thing worthy of five surnames and seven hopes?

They don't deserve it!

"Go back!" Fang Xuanling said through gritted teeth, and walked quickly towards the palace with Du Ruhui.

Taiji Palace, Ganlu Palace.

"Xuanling and Keming, why haven't you come back yet!"

In the courtyard outside Ganlu Hall, Li Er was pacing back and forth in front of the stone table with his hands behind his back, and said anxiously.

Empress Changsun was wearing a phoenix robe, sitting on a stone bench, looked at Li Er dumbfounded, and said crisply: "Second Brother, Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui have only been out for less than half an hour."

"They are going to bring back 70 guan, not [-] guan. How can it be so fast?"

"With so much money, even if it is pulled by a bullock cart, it will have to go back and forth several times."

Li Er paused and sighed: "I don't know, but I'm anxious. Just now after Xuanling and Keming left, Sun Fujia, the servant of the household department, came to cry and complained that the treasury was out of money. No matter how many times I have heard him cry, he is not annoying, but I am annoyed by his crying!"

"As long as Xuanling and Keming bring back the 70 yuan, I will hand over the money to him!"

"If the household department gets the money, it won't bother me, and I don't have to worry about it anymore!"

After speaking, Li Er glanced at Empress Changsun, and said in a deep voice: "Guanyin maidservant, my Tang Dynasty is not just a problem of empty treasury, there are several more thorny problems."

"The problem of the emptiness of the national treasury is solved, and I can also spare my hand to solve other thorny problems."

"I'm always overwhelmed by this matter, I can hardly breathe!"

Empress Changsun looked helpless, but no matter how anxious she was, Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui couldn't fly back with their wings.

Suddenly, a burst of footsteps suddenly sounded.

Under the watchful eyes of Li Er and Empress Changsun, Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui strode over with their heads down, bowed to Li Er and said:

"Chenfang Xuanling, minister Du Ruhui, pay homage to Your Majesty!"

Li Er looked happy, went up to help them up, and said: "There is no need to be formal in front of me, how is the matter going?"

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui raised their heads and opened their mouths, but they didn't know what to say.

"Talk, where's the money?" Li Er frowned, looking at Li Junxian who was following behind them.

"Your Majesty, everything is here." Li Junxian gritted his teeth, turned around and waved his hands back.

Six palace guards came in, driving the ox cart with the stele on it.

Next to the stele, there are seven brocade boxes.

Li Junxian and the six palace guards held the brocade box in their hands, walked up to Li Er, knelt down on one knee facing him, and held the brocade box high in their hands.

"Your Majesty, that's it!"

Li Er stared straight at the seven brocade boxes, raised his palm, opened the brocade box Li Junxian was holding, took out a stack of papers inside, and looked at it.

"Are these house deeds, land deeds, land deeds, and receipts for antique calligraphy and paintings?"

After Li Er finished reading the words on the paper, he shook his palm and held a stack of paper tightly in his hand.

Li Er slowly closed his eyes, but his chest was heaving and unsteady. It was obvious that his inner emotions were far less calm than on the surface.

"Xuanling, Keming, call me back."

Li Er burst out word by word from his mouth: "What's going on?"

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui bowed to the end, and said in shame: "I will die."

"I don't want you to die!" Li Er opened his eyes and looked back at the two, his voice raised a bit: "I want you to answer, what is going on!"

"Second brother, calm down, don't get angry." Empress Changsun hurried over to support Li Er's arm, her palm lightly ran along his back, while staring at Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui, said anxiously: "Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, His Majesty wants you to answer, what are you waiting for!"

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui raised their heads at the same time, Fang Xuanling said dejectedly: "Your Majesty, we were tricked by those seven old fellows!"

"Yesterday, the seven patriarchs agreed to donate 70 guan to the imperial court in front of the officials and Du Caigong."

"But today when I and Du Caigong went to ask for money, they gave me seven brocade boxes."

Li Er gritted his teeth and said, "What do they mean, the items in the brocade box are worth 70 guan?"

"Yes." Fang Xuanling nodded.

Li Er glanced back at the brocade box in the hands of Li Junxian and the six palace guards, suddenly raised his palm, and slammed the brocade box out of Li Junxian's hand.

"It's just asshole!"

Li Er said angrily: "What's worth 70 guan, do they think I'm a fool?"

"That's their mansion, their shop, and even more their fertile land!"

"Who are they? Five surnames and seven Wangs! These things are sold out, who dares to buy them?"

"No one dares to buy, these things are worthless!"

"Okay, that's great!" Li Erya gritted, "Who do they think I am, and let them play around?"

"Li Junxian!"

Hearing Li Er's shout, Li Junxian stood up suddenly, clasped his fists and said solemnly: "The minister is here!"

"Go! Take someone with you!" Li Er pointed in the direction outside the palace and shouted angrily, "I copied the homes of those seven old fellows!"

"Then, arrest their whole family and send them to prison!"

"No!" Li Junxian said in a deep voice, and ran towards the outside of the palace with six palace guards.

"Give me a stop!"

At this moment, Queen Changsun's scolding voice suddenly sounded.

Chapter 46 Find Zhang Dun!he must have a way

Li Junxian and the six palace guards paused and looked back at Empress Changsun.

Empress Changsun looked at Li Er with a solemn expression and said, "Second brother, we can't arrest them now!"

"Once you catch them, what will you make the other wealthy families in Chang'an City think?"

"Second Brother, if you ask them to donate money, if they don't donate, Second Brother will arrest their whole family and put them in prison. What kind of criticism will it cause?"

"If you do this, Zhang Dun's plan to record merits with stones must not continue!"

"The problem of empty treasury cannot be solved!"