Gu Xingzhi had just entered the courtyard when he heard that Gu Yaoniang had returned from the Ministry of Revenue that day, so he hurriedly went to look for him and went straight to the study. But he found that Gu Yaoniang was not waiting for him in the study.
They called someone to inquire and learned that Yao Niang had gone to the kitchen.
He sighed and shook his head with a wry smile. This child! Letting her manage Jin Yulou seems to have made her even more attached to the kitchen.
After thinking for a moment, he turned and went into the side room, intending to change out of his outer robe and then go find Gu Yaoniang.
Gu Yaoniang rushed over, her steps hurried, her embroidered shoes treading softly on the stone steps, which Gu Xingzhi heard.
He still held the newly acquired jade fan in his hand, and shuffled his feet as he peered towards the door.
Seeing that Gu Yaoniang was in a hurry, he walked a few steps to the study door, closed his folding fan, and pointed at her from afar with the fan: "What's the rush in your own home?"
Gu Yaoniang chuckled. Actually, she didn't know why, but after hearing the news that her second uncle had returned to the manor, she rushed over.
Actually, there's nothing important to it.
Today, I was pressured by a group of old men at the Ministry of Revenue, which made me feel frustrated and uncomfortable. But seeing Gu Xingzhi now is like a fledgling bird returning to its nest, giving me a pillar of support again.
She lunged at Gu Xingzhi, her clothes rippling in the breeze. Gu Xingzhi was somewhat surprised by her appearance, but he smiled and waited for her to reach him.
Gu Yaoniang stopped in front of Gu Xingzhi, standing two or three steps away from him, arms crossed, feigning displeasure: "Second Uncle, why didn't you reach out and catch me?"
Gu Xingzhi was too lazy to talk to her, he just glared at her and said, "How old are you?"
Gu Yaoniang pouted, seemingly displeased. Gu Xingzhi ignored her and walked into the study without turning his head, saying, "When I came back today, I went to Jinyu Tower. Second Madam Yu happened to have made some honey-fried cherries..."
Before he could finish speaking, Gu Yaoniang was already close to him. He turned to look at Gu Yaoniang, who smiled at him with a rather fawning expression.
Gu Xingzhi shook his head, walked to the table and sat down, pointing with his fan at the oil paper package on the table.
Without needing to say more, Gu Yaoniang knew that the oil paper package must contain the honey-fried cherries that Gu Xingzhi had brought back.
She sat down below Gu Xing, happily took the oil paper package, and opened it.
Cherry season lasts less than a month, and we can only enjoy them a few times each spring. Although we can fry them until they're drier and add more honey to make candied fruit, which can keep them for longer, they still don't taste as good as candied cherries made fresh from the tree.
Since the cherry season started this year, Gu Yaoniang has been quite busy. She frequently travels between the government office and the Gu family mansion, and she rarely goes to Jinyulou, let alone sit there every day to manage affairs as she used to.
I haven't had a chance to taste this year's cherries yet.
Unwrapping the oil paper revealed bright red, glistening candied cherries inside. Also wrapped inside were several other pastries, including Gu Yaoniang's favorites like large naan cakes and pine nut five-spice rolls.
Gu Yaoniang's eyes curved into crescents, and she reached out with her right hand to grab it, but it was knocked away by a hand that suddenly appeared from the side.
Have you washed your hands?
Gu Xingzhi glared at her.
Gu Yaoniang's fair hand flipped and turned, returning to the side of the oil paper package. She eagerly grabbed a candied cherry and stuffed it into her mouth, mumbling with dissatisfaction, "I washed it! I just came from the kitchen, how could I not wash my hands?"
Whether it was sourness or genuine pleasure, her features scrunched up, her smiling face became wrinkled, but the corners of her mouth were still sharply upturned.
Gu Xingzhi still complained verbally, but his eyes were full of affection.
Seeing Gu Yaoniang pop three or four candied cherries into her mouth and then pick up a piece of pink peach blossom pastry, Gu Xingzhi slowly asked, "What brings you here today?"
When it came to serious matters, Gu Yaoniang quickly straightened her expression. She was still holding the peach blossom pastry in her hands, but she placed the oil paper package on the table and gathered the oil paper with one hand, as if afraid that it would fall to the ground or be dropped into something else.
"Second Uncle, the imperial court wants the method for making pearl paper."
When Gu Xingzhi heard this, he showed no surprise whatsoever, as if he had expected it all along.
"You already knew?"
Gu Yaoniang couldn't help but ask.
Gu Xingzhi shook his head: "I'm not a god. I just guessed it."
Pearl paper is undamaged by water, does not decay over time, and burns more slowly than other types of paper when exposed to fire.
If the imperial court intends to reform commercial notes and have them officially manufactured, wouldn't the characteristics of pearl notes make them the perfect choice for commercial notes?
As far as he knew, there was no other paper that could compare to the Gu family's Pearl Xuan paper.
"Tell me in detail what the officials said at the yamen today."
-
The Ministry of Revenue was in charge of the finances of the Dacheng Dynasty, and it was divided into the Ministry of Expenditure, the Ministry of Gold, and the Ministry of Granaries.
The Ministry of Revenue was in charge of the national budget, ensuring that expenditures were based on revenue; the Ministry of Finance was in charge of the national monetary revenue and expenditure, which was stored in the treasury; and the Ministry of Granaries was in charge of warehouse storage and revenue and expenditure.
The matter of commercial bills was mainly discussed and decided upon by officials from the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Finance.
When Prince Qing took power, he ordered him to devise strategies. Officials from the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Finance chimed in with their opinions, making the Ministry of Revenue unusually lively.
As the only two commoners, Gu Yaoniang and Lu Zhaoan were caught in a dilemma: they couldn't ignore it, but listening was even more inappropriate.
The person in charge of finance said, "Mining is indeed lagging behind the pace of commercial development, and the amount of official silver still circulating in the market is indeed insufficient."
The official from the Ministry of Finance chimed in, "Yes, that's right. Although the amount of tax silver collected from the treasury is not much different from before, and has even increased slightly, the equivalent of rice is only seven or eight tenths of what it used to be. The national treasury is indeed short of money!"
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