old grace

Xie Qinghe got up in a daze, and hurried to see Moon Palace.

As soon as he walked to the gate of the palace, he saw many maidservants and servants carrying pots, pans and pans of various colors, walking out in groups, and when they saw Xie Qinghe, they all bowed their knees and saluted.Mrs. Chang followed not too far away, and came over to explain: "Madam wants to give out porridge and rice in the city."

This is to explain to Xie Qinghe why Mrs. Jiang wants to buy grain in the city.

——It’s not for hoarding, it’s because of benevolence, and it’s intended to give food to the people who are short of food.

——Whether sooner or later, after Fu Chuan investigated the reason for the lack of food in Qingzhou and ran back to Ziyang Palace to complain to Xie Qinghe, the servants of Wangyue Palace came out in mighty force, ready to "give out porridge" meal".Also Mrs. Chang personally followed, and happened to bump into Xie Qinghe in front of the door to explain by the way.

Xie Qinghe smiled slightly and said, "Mrs. Hardworking. I'm going to visit my mother and have a meal."

Mrs. Chang happily bid farewell to him, and left with her maids and children in a mighty way.

Xie Qinghe didn't bring Fu Chuan with him on this trip, because he was worried that Mrs. Jiang really had some bad intentions, and it would be difficult to talk when they met.After bidding farewell to Mrs. Chang, he went to the main hall of Wangyue Palace alone, where Mrs. Jiang lived.

The maid warmly and politely invited him to go straight in. There was still a bit of chaos in the hall, and there was a maid holding bamboo slips to settle accounts.

Mrs. Jiang seemed to have combed her hair just now. The bun was neat and fragrant, and there was not a single strand of broken hair hanging down.She is a woman who loves pearls very much. She wears golden hairpins and pearl flowers on her temples, and a string of pearls around her neck, which is radiant and dazzling.

"Why are you here at this time?" Mrs. Jiang greeted Xie Qinghe to take a seat, "Sit here, and I'm counting money strings inside, fuming you."

Xie Qinghe's eyes were sharp, and he caught a glimpse of a trace of wetness remaining in the corner of the table.

The carpet in the house had been replaced, and this wisp of wet stains was stuck in the shadows, and the maid didn't notice it in a hurry.

There were water marks on the ground, and Mrs. Jiang redressed her makeup. All signs indicated that there had been a physical conflict in the hall not long ago.In the whole Qingzhou, of course no one dared to pull Mrs. Jiang, so is Mrs. Jiang pulling someone else? ——Who is pulling?

Xie Qinghe followed Mrs. Jiang and sat down in the rest hall, and said with a smile: "I haven't come to see my mother for a long time, and I suddenly missed it, so my son came here."

The maid came to deliver water, Mrs. Jiang lifted the lid of the pure white porcelain cup and took a look. After confirming that it was tea, she handed it to Xie Qinghe: "You are busy with things ahead, and you miss grandma. Come here anytime." Then she said to Xie Qinghe Leisurely, "This is a white porcelain cup sent by Jun'er. It burns really beautifully, and it's no worse than white jade."

Xie Qinghe chatted with her about porcelain for a while, and soon the maid came to set the meal, and the mother and son ate in the rest hall.

Mrs. Jiang has always refused to mention the matter of buying grain, so Xie Qinghe didn't ask.

After dinner, the mother and son sat together again and chatted about the recent climate in Qingzhou. Mrs. Jiang was concerned about Xie Qinghe's daily diet. I got up and said goodbye.

Mrs. Jiang put the newly cut cloak on him, and asked the maid to hold the cloak for Fu Chuan and give it as a gift: "A Chang said that Jun'er likes bird patterns. Let him have a look at the bird pattern, do you like it?"

It's not birds that my junior brother likes.Xie Qinghe said: "He must like it."

The maid held a lamp and illuminated the front, and sent Xie Qinghe back to Ziyang Palace.

Fu Chuan was waiting in front of the door, and when he heard the sound, Xie Qinghe showed him the cloak in the maid's hand: "Madam Chang gave it to you."

"How should I say it?" Fu Chuan didn't care to look at the cloak, all he could think about was the little purse that was about to go bankrupt, "What is she doing with so much food?"

"It is said that it is going to open a warehouse to release grain. Mrs. Chang has already taken the sisters from Wangyue Palace to build a shed to cook bean porridge." Xie Qinghe said.

"Spend money to buy expensive food, and then turn it over to build a shed to give away porridge and rice?" Fu Chuan felt that this operation was a bit unreasonable.

The maid came to wash her hands, Xie Qinghe bent over to wash her face with water, took the towel from Fuchuan and wiped her hands and face dry, and said: "No matter what you want to do beforehand, now you want to set up a shed to store food. She buys food and calls nine Yang went to settle the accounts, and later sent a message to Jiuyang, asking him to come forward to negotiate with the grain merchants in Qingzhou, and negotiate a unified and suitable purchase price——Qingzhou is not allowed to raise prices on the ground.”

Fu Chuan was a little hesitant: "It's a market rule to ask the price all over the sky and pay back the money when you land. If uncle is allowed to negotiate the price, I'm afraid it will be discussed and competed with the people, and it will damage the reputation of the elder brother if it is spread."

Seeing that Xie Qinghe didn't speak, Fu Chuan said again: "This year, the food harvest in various places is low, and the people are suffering from being unable to eat. Madam opened a warehouse to help, and it is also a kindness on behalf of my father. Why don't you let the Qingzhou government come forward to take care of this matter?" The first is to stabilize the price of grain, and the second is to purchase it in a unified manner, and the grain merchants in the city are not allowed to hoard and sell it privately."

He leaned closer and lay on Xie Qinghe's shoulder, and said in a low voice, "I'm not stingy, I can pay this money on behalf of the Qingzhou government."

Xie Qinghe was amused by him, and said: "Naturally you are not stingy, but Qingzhou Mansion is not rich, and our small coffers are also working hard. The money will come from Father's private treasury, I will write a letter to Father later Report this matter, you go and inform Chen Xu, and ask the Qingzhou government to take charge of the matter."

Since Shen Yu served as Minister of Agriculture and went to Xiangzhou to manage agriculture, Chen Xu served as the chief historian of Qingzhou Prefecture, responsible for daily civil affairs.

Chen Xu, Chen Cong, and Chen Jun were cousins ​​in the next room. They were older and could read and write.Xie Qinghe sent Tian Wen to Chen Xu's side as a young historian, and used Chen Xu as Tian Wen's vest, which worked well.

"Father, don't be in a hurry, brother wash your mouth and brush your teeth and go to bed early." Fu said.

"A matter of two lines of writing." Xie Qinghe went to the study to write a letter.

Shangguan Shiyi is not in Qingzhou now, Xie Qinghe can decide everything in the family, if he wants to open Chen Qi's private warehouse to buy grain, Shangguan Shiyi will never have any objection.However, the relationship is close and intimate, after all, it is Chen Qi's private treasury, and it is better to inform him than pick the lock in private.

Fu Chuan went to change his clothes, came back and received Xie Qinghe's letter, and asked: "Is there really no need to check what's going on?"

Xie Qinghe shook his head: "In the end, it's not Grandmother, but the people around Grandmother. This matter was suppressed before it even started. You and I know it well. There is no need to ask someone to investigate again—to avoid anxiety in Wangyue Palace."

Fu Chuan no longer insisted, and replied obediently: "Oh."

"She is not a money-loving and greedy character."

Xie Qinghe still remembers that when he was young, Mrs. Jiang gave him a box of pearls and told him to please Bai Zhifeng. Chen Qi's concubines wanted jewelry and silk, and Mrs. Jiang rewarded him from her private treasury: "I am here today. Seeing her, the beads on her neck are also old, not as bright as before."

The Chen family became more and more powerful, but Mrs. Jiang's life became more and more difficult.

At the beginning, all the companions and family members brought by Madam Jiang from her natal family died in Xiangzhou, and she was placed under house arrest.No one took care of Mrs. Jiang's dowry property, and Mrs. Jiang had nothing to love, so the couples were all sold at a low price.

At that time, Xie Qinghe went to Shuzhou to look for Chen Qi to intercede for Mrs. Jiang, but he was not at home.

Fu Chuan always remembered the old story of Mrs. Jiang beating Chang Chao. He didn't say hatred to Mrs. Jiang, but he didn't care that much anyway.Fu Chuan was startled when the news of Mrs. Jiang's cheap sale came out, and hurriedly took Chang Chao to buy all of Mrs. Jiang's farm and workshops.

However, it is easy to buy it back, but it is not easy to return it.How could Mrs. Jiang take advantage of the children?Insist on refusing to accept.

In recent years, Fu Chuan has often given dividends to Mrs. Jiang.However, Xie Qinghe had an idea for a while, he just sat at home and said wow, Fu Chuan had to pay for the plan and ask Chang Chao to realize it. Although the profit is large, the investment is also a lot, Mrs. Jiang must not be as good at spending money. It used to be so rich.

Xie Qinghe reminded: "When she started the workshop earlier, she also paid for the shares. In a few days, you will take stock of the books, except for the necessary expenses for the next step. If you have spare time, let Jiuyang give her some 'bonuses' go."

Without waiting for Fu Chuan to speak, Xie Qinghe stretched out his hand and scratched his head: "I think it's because I usually spend too much, so it's hard for you."

Fu Chuan was afraid that the elder brother would blame him for neglecting Mrs. Jiang, so he let go of his heart and said: "There is nothing in this place, and everything has to be done from the beginning. The initial cost is a bit expensive. Fortunately, there is a building on the other side of the hall." Team, from now on, ask the imperial court to return me the capital with interest——I will ask my uncle to send money to my wife tomorrow."

"Are you just holding grudges like that?" Xie Qinghe couldn't help laughing, "Good junior brother, just let her go."

Today Mrs. Jiang is suspected of hoarding, and tomorrow Fu Chuan will send her money. This is a blatant beating and humiliation.

In the past, Mrs. Jiang arbitrarily snatched her nephew, and forced Chang Chao to kneel down, causing life and death to damage Chang Chao's face—even though Xie Qinghe had used ointment to remove the scars on Chang Chao's face, Chang Chao himself didn't think that the past How much hatred and humiliation is the matter, but witnessing everything Fu Chuan is always brooding in his heart and cannot be forgotten.

Xie Qinghe personally interceded, and Fu Chuan was unwilling to disobey the elder brother, so he readily agreed: "Okay, I will send it in a few days."

Fu Chuan put on a new cloak and lit a lantern: "I'm going to find my cousin. Brother, go to bed early, don't wait for me."

Xie Qinghe sent him to the front of the hall, said hard, and watched him go away.

It was the slaves of Wangyue Palace who purchased food in Qingzhou, and they were also under the banner of Mrs. Jiang. After all, Fu Chuan's small treasury was required to pay the bills. How could ordinary people owe such a large amount of money on credit?

However, based on the details that Xie Qinghe noticed in Wangyue Palace, he thinks that it is probably not Mrs. Jiang who is hoarding food.

—— Before he went to Wangyue Palace, Mrs. Jiang found out about this, which made Mrs. Jiang very angry. After a violent conflict with others, she took emergency measures and asked Mrs. Chang to immediately take the servants and family servants of Wangyue Palace. The servant went out of the palace to build a shed to store food.

All of Mrs. Jiang's confidantes and maidservants died in Xiangzhou, and Chen Qi's concubines were all dismissed early.

Who else is that person who hoards food in the name of Mrs. Jiang, and is still protected by Mrs. Jiang?

The answer is about to come out.

Mrs. Chang.

Only Mrs. Chang can use Mrs. Jiang's name to arbitrarily use the small treasury belonging to Fu Chuan managed by Chang Chao, and only Mrs. Chang can make Chang Chao shut up about this and Mrs. Jiang can forcibly protect her.

Xie Qinghe didn't want to expose the matter either.

"Uncle Li." Xie Qinghe called Chen Li and told him, "Let Chang Chao come back tomorrow afternoon."

Chen Li didn't ask the reason, and directly accepted the order: "Yes."

■

Fu Chuan didn't come back until midnight, originally wanted to rest outside, but Xie Qinghe asked inside, "Are you back?"

He kicked on the wooden clogs that had been taken off outside, and entered the house with a candlestick in his hand.Xie Qinghe lifted a corner of the thin quilt, Fu Chuan quickly blew on the lamp, got into the quilt skillfully, leaned into Xie Qinghe's arms, adjusted his position and put his arms on it.

Xie Qinghe also put his hands on him, neither of them said a word, they closed their eyes and fell asleep peacefully.

The next day.

Fu Chuan said that he was going to watch over the grain purchase negotiations, and hurried out after breakfast.

Xie Qinghe went to the hall, chatted with Zhan Xuanji for a few words, looked at the civil affairs disposal plans of various places compiled by the center, and approved the wholesale.Near noon, Chen Li came to report that Yan Hong asked to see him.

"He?" Xie Qinghe was surprised, said goodbye to Zhan Xuanji, and walked out, "What's the matter with him?"

Chen Li shook his head: "Yan Fengshou never told me, so I don't know."

As the center of halls and halls, idlers are not allowed to approach.Yan Hong was waiting at the nearby Zhaixing Building.

Xie Qinghe saw that he wanted to salute from a distance, and raised his hand to signal his refusal.Yan Hong considered himself a slave of Chen Qi's house, performed family rituals, kowtowed and knelt down frequently, Xie Qinghe believed that he was not very close to him, and did not like to accept his kneeling.

"Did Yan Fengshou come to see me? Didn't he meet younger brother Jun?" Xie Qinghe asked.

Yan Hong bowed and lowered his head, and said, "My servant is here today to pay homage to Mr. Xiao Lang, and I have something to report."

Xie Qinghe nodded to Chen Li, and Chen Li stopped on the spot, watching Xie Qinghe lead Yan Hong to the interior of the Zhaixing Tower.

The first floor of Zhaixing Building is a viewing platform, and in front of it is an excavated pond, with a large viewing rail.Xie Qinghe stood still in front of the railing, didn't intend to sit down and talk in detail, and asked, "What's the matter?"

Yan Hong was silent for a moment before he said softly and clearly: "The spies from the royal capital have come to report that there is a side concubine of the Hua family in Prince Li's mansion."

He actually only said half a sentence.

Xie Qinghe already understood what he meant.Yan Hong placed a spy in the capital and discovered the whereabouts of Chen Congsheng's mother Hua Zheyun.

When Xie Qinghe first came to this world, he immediately faced the fate of his biological mother, Mrs. Hua, being strangled.At that time, he was young and weak, and more importantly, he didn't have any time to work, so he could only send Huashi out of Chen's house in a hurry, and let her fend for herself.

The historical Huashi has been dead for many years, Xie Qinghe didn't know where Huashi was, and didn't think about going to look for her.

No one expected that Huashi would reappear in this way.

"Why is she in Prince Li's mansion? Is she doing well? Does Prince Li dote on her?" Xie Qinghe asked without hesitation.

This year does not discriminate against remarried women. The Hua family used to be the wife of Su Jin, the prefect of Donghu Lake, who was taken as a concubine by Chen Qi. Now she wanders out and becomes the concubine of King Li.Yan Hong's strict tone was mainly because the Hua family was still in the capital, and if the news leaked out, they might become hostages in the capital to threaten the Chen family.

"It is said that she is a concubine hired by King Li with a lot of money. King Li loves her very much. Concubine Li is sick all the year round, and the concubine will preside over the marriage and raise the children." At this point, Yan Hong glanced at Xie Qinghe's expression calmly. , "There is only one daughter under Li Wang's knee, and it is the concubine's daughter."

Xie Qinghe's feeling is very strange, the Hua family actually gave birth to a girl for him?

"How old are you?" Xie Qinghe asked.

"It's five years old." Yan Hong felt that Xiao Langjun's reaction was a bit miraculous, that he cared about the remnants of the concubine's family?

"Five years old should be sensible." Xie Qinghe pondered for a moment, and ordered, "I will discuss the result with Brother Jun today, and you will come to take orders tomorrow. Before that, I will issue an order first. My mother and sister must take good care of me and try my best to protect Li. Wang—I can’t let my mother lose her husband and my sister lose her father.”

This order made Yan Hong all over his head, love his biological mother, and love his sister who is a half-brother, which is justified.Is it too lenient to protect the step-husband of the biological mother and the father of the half-sister?

However, Xie Qinghe's attitude was definitely calm and confident, so Yan Hong wondered if he was too small-minded?

After Yan Hong took the order to leave, Xie Qinghe stood alone in the Star Picking Tower for a while.

Now that there is a master sitting in the town, it is definitely no problem to accept his biological mother and younger sister. Shangguan Shiyi will not inherit the hatred of the three generations of Chen Qi, Chen Fu, and Chen Pidao against the Yu family, and insists on driving out the blood of the Yu family.

What's more troublesome is that Mrs. Jiang may not be very happy when Mrs. Hua returns at this juncture.

——So, it is very important for Hua to have a living husband and a family that is completely independent from the Chen family.

A little girl who is only five years old.

Xie Qinghe couldn't help smiling when he thought of the little junior sisters in Miao Miao Shanju.The little girl is so cute.

until noon.

Xie Qinghe ate a bowl of tea and rice casually, and the maid came to report that Chang Chao had arrived.

"Please come in." Xie Qinghe finished the last two mouthfuls of food and wiped his mouth.

Chang Chao knew that Fu Chuan was not in Ziyang Palace, and probably knew why Xie Qinghe met Fu Chuan behind his back. When he entered the door, his expression was calm and serious. He didn't step up on the mat like he used to. He stood at the same place and bowed to salute: " Greetings to Mr. Xiaolang."

"You are an elder." Xie Qinghe said.

Chang Chao buried his head two points lower, and his breathing was a little short.

"Jun'er trusts you, and I also rely on you. Now my uncle takes care of all the external affairs between Jun'er and me. What my uncle says, outsiders will take it as what I said. Talk about looking for wealthy grain merchants in Qingzhou to 'buy grain on credit' , the world is so big, except for the king’s capital over there, it’s not easy to find someone to ‘buy grain’ in a word? Today’s ‘buying grain’, tomorrow’s ‘borrowing soldiers’, what will you do in the future?” Xie Qinghe asked .

These words are very serious, Chang Chao knelt down, bowed his head and said: "Chao dare not. Xiaolang Junrong."

"Say."

With Xie Qinghe's permission, Chang Chao opened his mouth, but couldn't speak.

Xie Qinghe sneered and said: "You want to say that this matter has nothing to do with you, but this matter was done by your sister, so it's hard for you to speak out, is it?"

Chang Chao was embarrassed and bowed his head in silence.

"Do you know why Gu Su didn't serve at Ziyang Palace, but went to Mrs. Wangyue Palace?" Xie Qinghe asked.

It has been two years since Su Gu left Ziyang Palace, and she left quietly. Neither Xie Qinghe nor Fu Chuan publicly mentioned the reason.I often asked Chen Li in private, but Chen Li just shook his head.He asked Fu Chuan again, and Fu Chuan revealed the reason: he couldn't tell who was the master.

Xie Qinghe and Fu Chuan had just brought the zan to the side hall, Sugu went to Madam Jiang to complain, and Madam Jiang went to Shangguan Shiyi to discuss the matter the next day, and the zan was packed and sent to the main hall the next day.

At that time, Xie Qinghe kept silent and did not do anything, and sent Sugu to Wangyue Palace every two months.

He didn't reprimand Su Gu, nor did he think about punishing Su Gu, but he didn't think Su Gu was suitable to continue serving by his side.Even if it is as close as a mother and child, there are differences of closeness. Su Gu served in Ziyang Palace, but she did not treat Wangyue Palace as an outsider at all.

Chang Chao's breathing was slightly heavy, and he dared not answer.

"Brother Juan is inconvenient to walk in the palace, and he has to rely on you to travel around for everything. He knows that Mrs. Jiang is out buying grain. Didn't you 'verify' and hand this news to him? You tell him that Mrs. Jiang is buying grain. At that time, you didn't know who was actually buying the grain?" Xie Qinghe asked.

Based on the facts afterwards, Xie Qinghe believes that what Chang Chao told Fu Chuan probably got the acquiescence of Mrs. Jiang.

Mrs. Jiang was willing to take the blame for Mrs. Chang, and immediately arranged for Mrs. Chang to set up a hut to donate porridge and rice, and donate all the food that was originally used to hoard strange things. She would rather let the two sons join forces to thoroughly investigate the matter.Chang Chao can't be regarded as planting Mrs. Jiang for his sister.

However, it was official business for Fu Chuan to ask Chang Chao to investigate the soaring food prices.Chang Chao chose to cover up because of selfishness.

It is human nature to love one's sister, and Xie Qinghe can fully understand it.But the embankment of the Qianli River collapsed in an ant's nest. Today's incident was suppressed as early as possible. Who can tell what will happen next time?People who usually look good-looking, may have convulsions at any time.

Seeing that Chang Chao was kneeling on the ground speechless, Xie Qinghe beat him routinely: "If you want to be Mrs. Chang's good younger brother, just go to Wangyue Palace to be an servant. In the future, you will have to walk in Ziyang Palace, and distinguish between inside and outside as soon as possible. Okay, I Just a reminder, go ahead."

Feeling ashamed, Chang Chao silently kowtowed and got up to leave.

"Wait a minute." Xie Qinghe called him, "Brother Jun doesn't know about this yet."

Chang Chao's bristling hairs fell down one after another, feeling powerless and surprised, he taught me justly, why don't you coax Jun'er?Said dryly: "I will also keep my mouth shut."

Xie Qinghe nodded: "Go. I will meet him later."

Do I have to go quietly?Chang Chao reluctantly resigned.

Chen Li arranged it very carefully, and Fu Chuan didn't come back until Chang Chao left for an hour.

He took off his clothes one by one when he entered the door, jumped into the bathtub prepared by the maid, and couldn't help shouting: "Pour water."

Xie Qinghe saw the maid carrying water into the door, got up to take the tray, and brought it in for him personally.Fu Chuan was taking a bath, when he heard footsteps, he turned his head, lay on the edge of the tub and opened his mouth, Xie Qinghe fed him a drink, he licked his lips, Xie Qinghe gave him another drink.

"Is there no water outside?" Xie Qinghe felt distressed.

"Following my cousin to various houses, they were full of sweet honey water. I wondered, don't rich households in Qingzhou aristocratic families drink boiled water? It's either well water or mountain spring water, and I don't even bother to burn it." Fu Chuan Curling his lips, he was deeply puzzled by the ancients who drank unboiled water.

Xie Qinghe never exposed him, back then when Fu Chuan was drinking spring water on the cold mountain, he did not know how much insect excrement and foot scraps he drank.

"It's all settled." Fu Chuan let himself float in the bathtub, and sighed comfortably.

Xie Qinghe put down the cup, picked up the loofah pulp, and rubbed Fu Chuan's back: "Brother Jun, I have something to discuss with you."

"Huh? What's the matter?" Fu Chuan immediately turned around, expressing his concentration.

Xie Qinghe told about Mrs. Hua's birth to a daughter in Princess Li, and before he could speak, Fu Chuan understood: "Brother, do you want me to go to the capital to bring Mrs. Hua and her daughter back? I will handle it tomorrow." Please explain the matter here, and we will leave in two days.”

Xie Qinghe was very worry-free, and lowered his head to kiss Fu Chuan's face: "Thank you for your hard work. I can't leave in Qingzhou, and I can't rest assured that other people will deal with this matter. After you go, ask Aunt Hua , if she has feelings for King Li, she can bring King Li along with her."

On the issue of how to deal with King Li, no one except Fu Chuan could understand Xie Qinghe's intentions and grasp the degree of it.

Fu Chuan asked: "Madam Ruohua won't come back?"

Xie Qinghe thought for a while, and said: "Everyone has his own ambitions. If she is willing to come back, Qingzhou can spend the rest of her life. If she doesn't want to come back, don't force it."

"I know. I will try my best to bring them back." Fu Chuan promised.

Xie Qinghe looked at the immature Fu Chuan and slowly bathed him.Two years have passed, and the junior brother is still wearing the skin of a teenager.

Xie Qinghe felt a little apologetic for being sent around at such a "young age" and dealing with his private affairs.Even if Fu Chuan didn't see anything outside, he wouldn't feel that working for him was hard work, Xie Qinghe still couldn't help but feel tenderness.

"I only have a stinky younger brother." Fu Chuan suddenly sighed, "The elder brother has a fragrant younger sister."

Xie Qinghe: "..."

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