Chapter 674: Micro-movement (Part 2)
If we were to say who has been in closest contact with Xu Lingxiao in recent days, it would be Prince Yong.
Now that the big thing has been decided, he should be quite touched!
Shiyi Niang helped Xu Lingyi change his clothes and sat down to continue making a bellyband for Jiange'er.
Soon, Jian Ge'er ran over: "Mother, mother, Prince Yong is here!" "How did you know?" Shiyi Niang smiled and put down her needlework, "Prince Yong has something to say to your father, don't disturb him." Prince Yong came more often, and he inevitably met several cousins. Xu Sizhen was gentle and polite, Xu Sizhen was shy and quiet, only Jian Ge'er, the youngest, was not afraid, and was very outgoing. After a few visits, Prince Yong liked Jian Ge'er more and more, and often brought some interesting small items to reward him.
Jian'er nodded and lay on Shiyi Niang's lap talking to his mother. "I went to my father's study to practice calligraphy, and I saw Prince Yong's guards, so I came over.
"Mother, why did Prince Yong suddenly come to visit us?" "Why do you say that?" Eleventh Lady touched her son's silky black hair.
"We all live in Yanjing. He used to come here once a year, but you see, he comes every now and then in the past two months." His little face was calm and incompatible with his age. "What do you think happened?" Usually I always thought he was young and had a strong temper, but I didn't expect that he didn't have such a delicate side. If it was something else, Shiyi Niang would naturally tell him, but this matter was better to tell him.
"If you hadn't told me, I wouldn't have noticed it." Eleventh Lady smiled, "I don't know. But he is a prince, he is used to it, maybe it was just a whim."
"If it was a whim, why did he do it again and again?" He disagreed with Shiyi Niang's point of view. "When the two of them met, they just talked in the study..." He looked distressed. "It didn't seem like they had a lot to say. They often stopped in the middle of a sentence, remained silent for a long time, and then said something I didn't understand."
Shiyi Niang smiled and stroked his smooth hair, saying, "Let's ignore them." She changed the subject, "By the way, you didn't finish telling me about your trip to Xuantong last time! What happened to the old man selling firewood?"
Jian Ge'er was refreshed and put the matter behind him for the time being: "...The young man helped him up, and seeing that he had scratches and injuries on his face, he rewarded him with five taels of silver. As a result, the old man saw it and immediately knelt down in front of the young man, begging the young man to buy his firewood. The young man rewarded him with another tael of silver and did not want the firewood. The old man thanked him profusely, and the young man left with a sense of pride. I also think that the young man is generous and upright. Unexpectedly, when we were having dinner at another place the next day, we met the old man selling firewood again. He was also hit by a black lacquered flat-roofed carriage that looked simple and unpretentious, but this time the man only compensated him for some medicine. He did not buy his firewood..."
Eleventh Lady looked at her son with a smile and listened quietly to his stories of the journey, feeling deeply moved.
No wonder people say that reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles.
Jian'er went out with Xu Lingyi twice and met many con men and swindlers. He gained a lot of knowledge.
Over there, Xu Lingyi sent Prince Yong away, thought for a moment, and called Xu Sizhen over.
"How much money can the family use?"
After the Chinese New Year, Xu Lingyi handed over the Xu family affairs to Xu Sizhen. After returning, he was busy with the affairs of the Qu family and did not ask about the family affairs.
Xu Sizhen was slightly stunned.
Why did my father suddenly ask this?
Is he short of money? But he doesn't need to use the money in the office!
My father should still have some savings.
But "not necessarily."
He looked at the government accounts for the past few years and found that the income had doubled every year. In the past, the annual income was no more than a few tens of thousands of taels of silver.
He suddenly thought of Prince Yong who visited him frequently.
I heard that Prince Yong built a very beautiful courtyard some time ago and spent more than 800,000 taels of silver.
Is it to repay the debt to King Yong?
Thinking of this," he immediately said, "We can mobilize 300,000 taels of silver."
Xu Lingyi was a little surprised: "How can so much silver be mobilized? The income of the mansion is no more than 600,000 taels a year. It's only the end of August. The first half of the year is the time to spend money..." Xu Sizhe hurriedly said: "There are 200,000 taels in the family account, and I can still withdraw 100,000 taels." This number is more normal.
"How much silver do you have?" Xu Lingyi nodded slightly. "Don't mix your own silver with the money in the mansion. The small managers in the office never carry a single copper on them when they are on duty, because they are afraid that their own money will be mixed with the public money, which will make it unclear when they do the accounting."
Xu Sizhen replied "yes" with a slightly embarrassed look, and said, "There are two hundred and six thousand four hundred and forty-five silver coins in the account."
"On the books?" Xu Lingyi's expression stiffened slightly.
Xu Sizhen looked at it and started to panic: "I checked the account carefully, and there is no mistake."
My son is going to be a father soon, so he should be treated with some respect. Otherwise, how can he have the dignity of a father in front of his grandson?
Thinking of this, Xu Lingyi's tone slowed down again: "I'm asking you, how much money is left in the warehouse?"
The Xu family's money was not kept there after it was stored in the warehouse. Instead, part of it was circulated to creditworthy silver shops, earning some interest; part of it was kept in the warehouse for emergency use.
Xu Sizhen hurriedly said, "One hundred and seventy-six thousand nine hundred and thirty-two taels."
That's a relatively clear statement.
Xu Lingyi nodded with satisfaction: "I want to take some money from you, how much do you think you can take away?"
Xu Sizhen thought for a moment and said, "If you need silver, you can take it away. My food, clothing, and daily necessities are all in the mansion, and the 100,000 taels of silver will just sit there..."
Xu Lingyi laughed when he heard this: "How much can you give me without using your own money?"
Xu Sizhen thought for a long time and said hesitantly, "One hundred... forty thousand taels, right?"
The only important festivals in half a year are the Longevity Festival and the Spring Festival. Keep 20,000 taels of silver for the Longevity Festival and the rest for daily expenses. As for the Spring Festival, the silver should be deposited at the end of the year, and it will be more than enough.
Xu Lingyi nodded.
Pretty much what he thought.
He felt much more relieved and his thoughts turned to Prince Yong.
Borrowing 500,000 taels of silver... is not a big problem... but if he took out all the silver in one go, the Xu family would probably be in the spotlight again... the best way is to borrow some... and everyone will know that he borrowed money...
The thought flashed through his mind. He asked Xu Sizhen: "When did you pay back the money to Dafeng Bank?"
Oh no!
Xu Sizhen was a little confused for a moment.
In February, the imperial court wanted to transport military pay to Fujian and Zhejiang. The condition was that the transporting house had to first pay a deposit of three million taels of silver. This deposit was already three quarters of the entire military pay. What if the imperial court did not acknowledge it? While several silver houses in Yanjing were hesitating, Dafeng, which had opened a branch in Yanjing from Anhui, quietly took over the deal, and then privately borrowed silver from several powerful families in Yanjing at a monthly interest rate of 20%. Chief Steward Bai borrowed two hundred thousand taels and agreed to pay it back in mid-March. At that time, his father had instructed him to keep a close eye on the matter. If Dafeng had not paid back the silver by mid-May, he should hurry to find Prince Shun. At that time, he was busy looking for a shop to make lanterns. When he checked the accounts in mid-May, he had paid back the principal and interest. He didn't take it to heart.
I heard that Dafeng Bank was short of silver, so I borrowed a total of one million taels.
Xu Sizhen thought about it.
It definitely wasn’t paid back in March.
If Dafenghao has a way, it will happily offer such a high profit.
But, was it paid back in April or May?
He really has no impression!
But his father looked at him with sharp eyes, and he began to panic: "It was paid back in May..." His voice could not hide the uncertainty.
Xu Lingyi frowned slightly and called Manager Bai in: "When did you pay back the money to Dafeng Bank?" Manager Bai was surprised and said respectfully: "The principal and interest were all paid back at the end of March."
Xu Lingyi glanced at Xu Sizhen.
Xu Sizhen's forehead was covered with sweat.
"It seems that the Dafeng is going to make a move in Yanjing by taking advantage of the business of transporting military pay?" Xu Lingyi's expression remained calm as he discussed the matter with Chief Steward Bai.
"Yes!" Manager Bai laughed, "They took on the task of transporting military pay as soon as they arrived. They must have someone in the temple. They borrowed a million taels in one go, and they all went to families like us." They paid back the principal and interest in one month. I heard that when the money was paid back, many families said that if Dafenghao wanted to borrow money again, they would just ask. To be honest, the shopkeeper of Dafenghao is really smart."
"Then go to Dafeng and help me borrow two hundred thousand taels of silver!" Xu Lingyi ordered, "Try to negotiate a lower interest rate with them, as low as possible." Although Manager Bai was surprised, he believed in Xu Lingyi's ability more, and replied respectfully, "Yes..." and quickly walked out of the study.
Xu Lingyi then turned around and looked at Xu Sizhen coldly: "I don't want to lose your face. I won't ask Chief Bai. Tell me yourself, "What have you been doing these days?"
"I, I..." Xu Sizhen's face turned pale as paper.
"Have you gone to make a lantern?" Xu Lingyi looked at him coldly.
He heard it as soon as he came back.
It's just a matter of three or four thousand taels of silver.
He took Jiange'er to Datong, and Shiyi Niang must have felt empty. After Xu Sizhen made such a fuss, both the Madam and Shiyi Niang must feel better.
What's more, Xu Sizhen has loved making lanterns since he was a child, so he must be very happy to have such an opportunity.
He didn't ask.
But now it seems that he thought too simply.
In order to make lanterns, Xu Sizhen was able to forget his words. It is hard to say whether it was for the purpose of making everyone happy during the Dragon Boat Festival or to satisfy his hobby of making lanterns.
"Okay, okay, okay." Xu Lingyi laughed angrily, "I didn't know there was a master lantern maker in our family. He would do anything to make lanterns."
Xu Sizhen was frozen in the gang.
He had nothing to say.
Xu Lingyi looked at the wooden face and was speechless.
He walked away in anger.