Value peace

Chapter 41

Gu Xiyan nodded weakly.

Duanniang helped Gu Xiyan to bed with a flustered face, and then put a big pillow behind her. Mo Ju was also called in by Duanniang's voice, and stood nervously at the head of the bed to look around.

Gu Xiyan leaned on the pillow, smiled reluctantly at Mo Ju, and told her: "Just go out and pour me a cup of hot tea!"

Mo Ju looked at the tea set on the round table in the center of the room.There is hot tea in there.But seeing Gu Xiyan's pale face, she still decided to obey Gu Xiyan's order, not only to go out and pour a cup of hot tea, but also to stay in the kitchen for a while.

Gu Xiyan stared at Yugou with the hanging curtain in a daze.

Could it be that I was too sensitive and made a mistake!

How should Gu Chaorong explain Gu Panxi's protection?How should I explain my kindness to myself?Also, when he proposed not to enter the palace, Gu Chaorong still said teasing words and jokes without any trace of blame or displeasure. How can this be explained?
"Girl, girl," Duanniang's voice interrupted her train of thought, "What happened, I shouldn't say anything to you!"

Only then did Gu Xiyan come back to her senses, she smiled apologetically, and without explaining the reason for her daze, she asked calmly, "I didn't understand what you asked me just now?"

Duanniang hesitated for a moment, and said: "I want to go out to find Jin Xin in the next few days. She was also a girl who served by Madam's side, and she was a child brought by Madam from Lian's family as a dowry. The master married her Mrs. Jiang was appointed as the twelve concubines in the Marquis of Weiyuan. Although she has no heirs, she is honest and respectful, and has a soft temper. She has a good relationship with the Jiang family. The Jiang family was originally a hero who fought with Emperor Taizong. A family with a century-old foundation, many children, and people with a little bit of family background are related to his family, I will ask her to let her take care of you and find a good family."

Gu Xiyan is still hesitating.

What if it was really a mistake?
"Girl!" Anxiety flashed in Duanniang's eyes, "You will be 14 in autumn, this matter cannot be delayed!"

Gu Xiyan looked at Duanniang's anxious face, and suddenly smiled.

Yes, what's the rush.It's like Duanniang and that Tuoniang who she has never met, if they want to swallow the property left by Mrs. Lian to Gu Xiyan, they don't have to take it out.

The same goes for Gu Chaorong, what she thinks, only time will tell.

She was relieved, and her mood gradually calmed down, and she said: "Mother Duan, there is no need to rush this matter, and it's not like buying vegetables, just put them there and wait for them to be picked. Besides, I just got into trouble again, and my father hasn't done anything yet." Calm down, if any more rumors reach father's ears, there will be troubles at home again... I think we should resume the interrupted studies first, and we have to talk to Madam Zhao about the matter of asking Madam Zhao to teach needlework It's good to mention..."

When Gu Xiyan and Duanniang were talking about their future plans, Mrs. Gu was also talking about her future plans with her seventh cousin Liu Zuocheng: "Seventh brother, I want to go back to Jiangnan to visit my father, can you help arrange it."

Liu Zuocheng was stunned, and asked cautiously: "But brother-in-law, what is there to worry about? You just tell me, everything is up to me!"

Mrs. Gu forced a smile and said: "It's nothing, but I haven't seen my father for several years, and I miss him very much. And when I went to the palace to meet the imperial concubine, she also asked me to send Panxi to Songhe Academy in the south of the Yangtze River Studying, Seventh Brother, just help me arrange it."

Liu Zuocheng said: "You are gone, who will manage the affairs of this mansion?"

Mrs. Gu said: "I don't feel well in autumn, and I basically leave the family affairs to the second girl. She is not young anymore, and I am thinking that I will have to worry about finding my in-law's house in the spring of tomorrow. I want to take advantage of her return. At home, go back to Jiangnan."

Liu Zuocheng was thinking.

Mrs. Gu sighed: "Although I am confused, I am not stupid. I can't afford to offend any of the masters of the Gu family. Why don't you take this opportunity to go back to the south of the Yangtze River with Panxi, just to avoid it."

Liu Zuocheng looked at Mrs. Gu in surprise after hearing this, and really wanted to say: You are the serious master of this family, and they should be hiding from you, why are you hiding from them.But when he thought of his younger sister's temperament, he swallowed the words again.

He pondered for a long time, and finally said helplessly: "In that case, let's go back to Jiangnan together when my affairs in Shengjing are almost done!"

When Liu Zuocheng had almost reconciled the accounts of several shops in Shengjing, the timing had already entered the middle of May, and there had been no movement in Gu's house. He thought that he would be able to leave for Jiangnan in a few days, so he planned to go to Gu's house. A trip to the mansion, and finally confirm whether Liu Caixia really wants to go back to the south of the Yangtze River with her is a temporary sigh of emotion.

As soon as he walked out of the second door with his servant Liu San, there was an eager shout from behind: "Qiye, Qiye, stop quickly!"

Liu Zuocheng turned his head and saw a tall, fair and fat man running towards him with sweat on his head.

This fat man is called Wang Shun, who is the manager of the Liu family's business in Shengjing. When he was a teenager, he followed Liu Sanduo, the current patriarch of the Liu family, all over the world, and won Liu Sanduo's trust. The shopkeeper has always been known for his prudence.

When Liu Zuocheng saw Wang Shun's appearance, he knew something serious had happened.

He quickly stepped forward to meet Wang Shun, and asked in a low voice, "Boss, what happened?"

Wang Shun looked around.

Liu Zuocheng understood, and told Liu San: "I will talk with the shopkeeper in the study, and you will watch outside the door, and no one is allowed to enter."

A group of people entered the study, Liu San withdrew after serving tea and guarded the door, Wang Shun seemed to think that the study was not quiet enough, pulled Liu Zuocheng to a corner of the study, and whispered: "It's a bad thing, we The shipment in Gaochang was confiscated by Yan Jun."

Liu Zuocheng's heart froze when he heard it, but he said in a calm voice: "Don't worry, boss, speak slowly."

Wang Shun took out a handkerchief from his sleeve and wiped his sweat, and after being calm, he told Liu Zuocheng the matter in detail.

It turned out that since the Wu family in Huzhou became a supplier of Jiangnan weaving on the line of the Empress Dowager Fang's family more than [-] years ago, the Liu family's weaving business has been declining year by year. Adhering to the principle that the people do not fight with the officials, he successively worked in the silver building business, grain and rice business, and wine business. Although he didn't think he got much money, he also kept the expenses of those years.Nine years ago, Liu Sanduo lived in Shengjing for Liu Caixia's marriage, and met a Gaochang man named Yao by chance. This man said that he was the largest medicine merchant in Gaochang, specializing in ginseng fruits.

Ginseng fruit, also known as "Resurrection Grass" in the Xia Kingdom, refers to this vermilion fruit that is only as big as a thumb and has the effect of "reviving the dead". It is one of the most valuable medicinal materials in the world.Because it grows in the extremely cold northern region, there is only a small amount of ginseng fruit near the Yinghe River in Yandi in Xia State, but Gaochang State, which is close to Yandi, is rich in ginseng fruit.From Gaochangguo to Xizhao, you have to go through Yandi and Jindi, and both Yandi and Jindi belong to their own jurisdictions. It is difficult to see the shadow of ginseng fruit in the market in Xizhao. It can be said that the price is comparable to gold. , has always been a tribute to pilgrims in Yan and Jin.

Liu Sanduo is a very successful businessman, and immediately sensed the business opportunities here.After the two families of Gu and Liu got married, Liu Sanduo opened up the passing joint in Jin through one of Gu Baozhang's same year, that is, Wang Zheng, the prime minister of the Duke of Jin's mansion, and through one of the old master Gu who was a recorder in the Duke of Yan's mansion. The disciple made friends with the Left Cavalry Army of the Northwest Camp in Yandi and joined the army.In the past five or six years, Liu and Yao have been cooperating happily, and the business is done according to the wind and water, and they have made a lot of money.Liu Sanduo is not only satisfied with running the ginseng fruit business, but also cooperates with the Yao family to run the fur and pearl business, and the funds exchanged every year are one million taels of gold.

Liu Zuocheng felt as if his neck was strangled by something, he unbuttoned a button, and asked: "How much money?"

Wang Shun pointed out two fingers tremblingly: "Two, two million taels of gold!"

Liu Zuocheng's heart skipped a beat, and he lost his voice: "Why are there so many this time?"

Wang Shundao: "The Ministry of Internal Affairs ordered 10 taels of gold for ginseng fruit alone."

Liu Zuocheng's face darkened: "Which joint is wrong?"

Sweat broke out on Wang Shun's face again: "In July last year, Yandi's Northwest Camp suddenly sent troops to Gaochang State, and occupied Gaochang in December. The relationship between the Yao family is all over. We've got it all together... We just got the news here, and there seems to be no movement from the court. However, I know that it's just these two days..."

His younger brother Liu Youcheng has always been in charge of the business with Gao Changguo, and he doesn't know the details.The Liu family is not some He Xini family. Someone needs to be responsible for such a big incident. Maybe the position of the head of the family, Liu Sanduo, will be in danger.Sweat also broke out on his forehead, and he asked repeatedly: "Is Youcheng still in Gaochang? Why didn't you stop the transaction immediately? Who is talking back and forth? Where is he?"

Wang Shun smiled wryly: "It's Liu Wen who is next to Master Twelfth, and I placed him in the Orchid Court."

Liu Zuocheng lifted the corner of his robe and left the study, and ran towards Lan Yuan.

The Orchid Courtyard is a typical courtyard house. There are several orchids painted on the wall facing it, so it is called the Orchid Courtyard. It is the courtyard where some low-ranking members of the Liu family live in Beijing. The layout is very simple, and the corners of the courtyard are still crawling. A loofah shed has a bit of an idyllic atmosphere.

Liu Wen was a tall young man in his early twenties, with a sallow complexion, chapped corners of his mouth, and his whole body was so thin that only a handful of bones remained.Seeing Liu Zuocheng, such a big man threw himself at Liu Zuocheng's feet and cried like a child: "Seventh Lord, please save Twelfth Lord, he is still locked in the Yanzhou Prison. His legs are broken and his body is also broken." If it's too late, the twelfth master will have no choice but to die... Seventh master, I kowtow to you..." As he spoke, he was about to kowtow to Liu Zuocheng.

Wang Shun pulled Liu Wen up: "What nonsense are you talking about? What is the relationship between the Seventh Master and the Twelfth Master? I want you to gossip here."

Liu Wen just stood there wiping away tears.

Liu Youcheng is also a talent. He is bold, careful and forthright. Liu Zuocheng is in charge of the weaving business of the Liu family in Jiangnan, while Liu Youcheng is in charge of the shady "smuggling" business of the Liu family. Liu Zuocheng has always felt that this is too risky, and he once persuaded his younger brother , but Liu Youcheng said: "My brother will participate in the selection of the head of the family in a few years. The better I do, the more confident I will be to speak. I remember my mother's words before she died: brothers in battle..."

Liu Zuocheng only felt a sharp pain in the corner of his heart.Holding back his tears, he asked, "Why didn't you suspend the transaction at that time?"

Liu Wen sobbed and said: "I have already paid a deposit of 50 taels of gold, and the Yao family has also handed in all the goods. That damn army soldier patted his chest and said that there must be no problem, and the twelfth master also said, 'Fortune is in danger'... ..."

(End of this chapter)