"Is this what he told you?" Li Qiao was almost unbelievable.

  Mr. Qin nodded, "This old man's mood... is unspeakable, this is the blessing of the Cao family, the Li family. Such a young child can be so understanding of human nature, with sharp eyesight, not blinded by external appearances. To say something that won't make Cao angry, at his age, he probably didn't have this level of calmness and clarity."

  "Sir, you're joking! When I was his age, I was still muddled. Heaven help us! Going against the norm is ominous. That Zhong Shi, my views are the same as Shan Ge's... Since Wutong is Zhong Shi's confidant... what do you plan to do, sir?"

  "I'm not too worried about the Wutong affair, someone like Shang Ge can't be schemed against. Who's to say who will outsmart whom? This time I've come to discuss two major matters with the Fu Si: one is the people Shang Ge needs now and in the future, and the other is silver."

  Li Chuo nodded continuously, "Silver is a small matter, madam has two or three shops in Hangzhou, all of which are excellent businesses. Tomorrow morning I will send someone to inform them, how much silver you need, just send someone to find the shopkeeper to withdraw it, if there's not enough in the shop, I'll transfer more silver over, this is a small matter. What... does Mr. mean?"

  "This person is still worth considering. I think that once the Wutong case is settled, the Zhong family will also be finished. The boat officer can carefully choose some people..." Mr. Qin paused for a moment.

  Li Chuo immediately replied: "I understand, this is a person from Shan Ge's side. Don't worry, Mr., the children of the Li family in this generation... alas, they are all good kids, but unfortunately, their talent is mediocre."

  In ten years, this family will have to rely on Shan Ge. If I had a wish, it would be for Shan Ge to hold fewer grudges against the Li family and more affection."

  "Dong Weng can rest assured, Shan Ge'er is so reasonable, Dong Weng and the Li family treated him well, how could he not know?"

  Besides, one tree does not make a forest. For at least the next ten years, Shan Ge will have to rely on Dong Gong and the Li family. With this ten-year foundation, what's there to be estranged about?" Mr. Qin said with a smile.

  Li Chuo nodded repeatedly, "I think so too. By the way, what about Senator Shanshan?"

  "Xiao Si can rest assured, the departure is not far away." Mr. Qin thought of the two masters, his eyelids were too lazy to blink, just a couple of stinky bugs.

  Seeing off Mr. Qin, Li Cuishi returned to the upper house and couldn't sleep.

  Mrs. Yan had already prepared some soup and was waiting for him to return, "Nothing's wrong, is it?"

  "A few small things, all good news, don't worry. Shan Ge is going to start school at Wan Song Academy tomorrow, it was the king himself who personally went to Hengshan County to deliver this message. The master has come over to discuss with me the matter of hiring people for Shan Ge's future use."

  Li He's face was flushed with joy as he savored the soup.

  Mrs. Yan clasped her hands together, "Amitabha, this is settled then, everyone agrees?"

  "I'll personally take care of it, you don't need to worry. There are two things that I need to discuss with you. Firstly, Mountain Brother will likely use a lot of silver in the future, so I was thinking of asking Mr. Qin to temporarily provide some silver from those few shops in Hangzhou, and later..."

  "What's yours is mine? It all belongs to our family, and Master should arrange it as he sees fit." Madam Yan interrupted Li Shuo's words with a scolding tone.

  Since coming to Jiangning, more and more sweet intentions have seeped into the intimacy between husband and wife.

  "I know Madam is virtuous and wise, a rarity in the world. But that also depends on what Madam says." Li Cao made a slight bow with his hands clasped together, making a small joke.

  "Secondly, Shang Ge and his sister, Li Dong, are not young anymore. This marriage thing, the lady should take care of it. Especially for Shang Ge, this daughter-in-law must be chosen carefully. The third son's family is afraid that they don't even know one or two decent families, can't rely on them."

  "Don't worry, old master. It's just the same, I need to see Dong Jie'er when I'm free, and get a sense of her temperament and personality, so that we can take care of her like our own daughter, think of everything... with Old Three's character..."

  Mrs. Yan and her husband were more united than ever before.

  "Don't worry, after a while, we can come and go as we please." Li Chuo stroked his beard, with a hint of a smile in his words.

  ………………

  The next morning, Mr. Qin set off early for Hangzhou with a letter from Magistrate Li.

  Arrived in Hangzhou, first went to Wansong Academy to visit Gu Shan Chang, handed over the letter from Li County Magistrate and conveyed the regards of Li Cao Si.

  He added another generous gift sent by Li He, the county magistrate, to the original gift and expressed his respects to all the teachers. Then he went to check on Li Wenshan's residence, everything was in order. Mr. Qin came out and went straight to visit his old friend, Shan Canyi.

  Shan heard that Mr. Qin had arrived, and hastily dismissed the people who were seeing him off, taking three steps as two to welcome him out. "I heard yesterday that Wu Lang was going to Wansong Academy tomorrow, I calculated that you would come over today. Come on, go and report to Zhu and Yao, Old Qin has arrived."

  Shan participated in the meeting while talking to Mr. Qin and gave an order at the same time.

  "At noon I'll be the host, let's have a good gathering and chat. To think of it, we haven't discussed academic matters together for many years."

  "I've long since abandoned this pursuit, but I don't dare show off in front of Shansheng." Mr. Qin smiled and politely gestured for them to enter the living room after a brief exchange of humble refusals.

  Xiao Shuai poured tea, and Shan Canyi retreated the crowd with a wave of his hand. He slightly bowed his head and smiled: "I heard that yesterday was the king himself who delivered the message to Hengshan County?"

  Mr. Qin smiled and nodded.

  "It's said that Gu Shanlang returned to Shangli Town especially because of Wu Lang's affair." Zhen Canyi lowered his voice, and Qin Mr. listened intently, this was all important news.

  "Yesterday, Guan's deputy went to see Yao and told him that Wu Lang was a simple and honest man with limited vision. He asked Yao to take care of him when he had the chance, so as not to let outsiders disturb him."

  Shan Zixiao said as much about the second matter, Qin Shu was solemn, "Guo Fu's treatment of Wu Lang... this is indeed..."

  "It's not that our own sons and nephews are any better." Zhen Canyi sighed, just as he was about to continue, the sound of footsteps and a messenger's voice came from outside, announcing the arrival of Yao and Zhu, the two other councilors.

  Mr. Qin and Senator Shǎn hastily stood up to see them off, the four of them exchanged a few pleasantries, then humbly invited each other back into the living room to take their seats again.

  After chatting for a while, Zhu Canyi asked, "Shan brother, have you told Qin about the Changping Warehouse matter?"

  "Almost forgot this important matter." Chancellor Shi patted his forehead a few times, "The new grain is about to arrive, and in the next few days, we will start checking the granaries of each county to replace the old with the new."

  It stands to reason that the granary is a matter of money and grain, and it shouldn't be under the jurisdiction of the commander's office. However, the situation in Zhejiang province is not ordinary these days, and all matters related to military supplies are naturally under the control of the commander's office. The commander's office now holds the highest power in both Zhejiang provinces.

  "This matter of the granary," said Zhu Canyi, taking over the conversation in a slow and measured tone, "has always been nominal rather than actual. In the various prefectures and counties, there may be one hundred million dan on the books, but in reality, even the best of them might have only sixty or seventy million dan in storage. However, the situation is different with the two Zhejiang circuits. Before the Empress Dowager arrived at the two Zhejiang circuits, the Ministry of Revenue had already begun secretly transferring grain and money to the two Zhejiang circuits for military use."

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