Chapter 68
The nights at the end of April were already a little hot and humid. Xie Yunchu's child was almost six months old, and his belly was round. Every night the child moved around, and Xie Yunchu couldn't sleep well.
She unconsciously hummed a lullaby, trying to coax the baby in her belly to sleep. At this moment, a hand suddenly reached out from behind and covered her lower abdomen, and the baby in her belly suddenly stopped moving.
Xie Yunchu woke up slightly and turned around.
Into his dark sight.
"Is the child bothering you?" Wang Shuhuai could hear that Xie Yunchu was humming a lullaby.
"The Second Master is back?" She looked very surprised.
"Yes." He didn't say why he came back. He was not used to expressing his feelings directly.
Xie Yunchu was about to stand up as he spoke.
"Just lie down." Wang Shuhuai held her and didn't want to let go.
Xie Yunchu pushed his arm away and sat up.
Wang Shuhuai had no choice but to let go of her hand and sit down with her on his knees.
He looked at Xie Yunchu. Although his wife was pregnant, her back was still graceful and slender, and her face had not changed at all, and was very tender and radiant.
"Are you like this on a daily basis?" Wang Shuhuai asked worriedly.
Xie Yunchu laughed and said, "The child moved a lot at night and woke me up."
Wang Shuhuai glanced at his obviously enlarged belly, his face gloomy.
Xie Yunchu said, "I received the letter from the Second Master. Has the matter of the silk shop been settled so quickly?"
Wang Shuhuai nodded, "Yes, I also sent people to check out the farm given by the Princess. It covers an area of 400 acres and has more than ten tenant households. They not only produce mulberry trees but also weave brocade. I sent the surplus manpower here to the silk and satin farm, and purchased a batch of looms. I also hired some long-term workers to work in the silk and satin farm and paid them monthly wages, so they don't have to go back to farming."
Xie Yunchu was surprised. "So, you specially hired a group of people to be weavers?"
"That's right. Every year when the farming season comes, the tenant farmers have to go back to their hometowns, and the silk shop can't keep up with the brocade production. I thought that if I hired some people to be weavers, I could ensure the production of brocade, and I could also take care of my family with the money."
Xie Yunchu also perked up after listening to this. "Aren't there still taxes and labor taxes? If these people don't return to their hometowns to serve, can the court just ignore it?"
Wang Shuhuai smiled, "Didn't I start a land survey in Jiangnan last year? Now the population and land have been surveyed one after another, and the list will be returned to the court. This is only the first step I have to take. The second step is to implement the new tax law. In the past, there were more than a dozen types of taxes in the court. Now, except for the head tax, all other taxes are incorporated into the silver collected from the land..."
Wang Shuhuai patiently told Xie Yunchu about his new tax reform.
Wang Shuhuai never told her these things before, but Xie Yunchu listened attentively.
"Second Master, why don't you just include the poll tax in the land tax?"
Wang Shuhuai laughed slightly. He had this idea when he was thinking about tax law reform, but abolishing the head tax was not that simple. Since he had already proposed to merge various levies and taxes into the land tax, if he abolished the head tax again, he would surely be impeached by a large number of people. You can't eat a big fat man in one bite.
However, he was really surprised that his wife had such insight.
"The rulers of all dynasties have wanted to control the population tax. If it is included in the land tax, it means abolishing the population tax, which is quite difficult."
Xie Yunchu smiled and said, "But have you ever thought about it? There are still many farmers who don't have land. How do you expect them to pay the population tax?"
"Re-measure the land and population so that those who have households can have land."
Xie Yunchu didn't really understand the politics of the court. "I was just thinking, if we don't have to pay the poll tax, will the farmers be free? If my silk shop is short of workers, I can hire people at any time. Second Master, the orders in my shop are all scheduled for next year, but the supply of silk is insufficient. We are also helpless without rice."
Wang Shuhuai suddenly remembered something. "There are shops selling various kinds of crafts in Panyu and Quanzhou. The workers there are all fugitives. If a population census is conducted, these people will have to be re-registered and taxed again. In this way, the shops will definitely be affected. In serious cases, they may have to close down. This will also affect trade and trade abroad..."
"Your idea is good, but it will make you an enemy of the powerful and wealthy families," Wang Shuhuai said with a wry smile, "Once I submit my memorial to the cabinet, it will definitely lead to impeachment by all officials. After all, this is a great offense against the world."
"However, Yun Chu, I didn't expect you to have so many wonderful ideas."
His wife was smarter and more perceptive than he thought.
Xie Yunchu said, "If this can be accomplished, the people can work freely, merchants will be more bold in hiring people, hundreds of shops will flourish, Dajin's commerce will only prosper, and the national treasury will be more full. What is this called? This is called giving up small details for the sake of big profits."
Wang Shuhuai looked at his wife with excited eyes. For the first time, he saw a different look in her. Something in his heart seemed to break through the ground. "You are right."
At this moment, Xie Yunchu suddenly cried out "ouch" as she was kicked hard by the child. Wang Shuhuai also clearly noticed that her bulging belly was moving, and his face was full of disbelief.
"Does it hurt?" Wang Shuhuai looked worried, "Does your child usually kick you like this?"
Xie Yunchu covered his lower abdomen and shook his head, "No, maybe I just heard your voice and felt unfamiliar, so I kicked you harder."
Wang Shuhuai asked again, "When did the child start to move?"
"From the fourth month of pregnancy until the birth, it takes several months to move."
Wang Shuhuai felt an indescribable sense of guilt when he heard this. He had never known how hard it was to raise a child.
"I'm sorry, Yunchu..."
The harmonious atmosphere just now suddenly became cold for unknown reasons.
Xie Yunchu was not moved at all by his apology, and only ordered him, "Second Master, help me get a glass of water."
After Wang Shuhuai served her some water, she lay down and fell asleep.
The next morning, Wang Shuhuai entered the palace as usual.
He came back early in the evening and even brought her a bag of snacks. Perhaps he didn't know what she liked to eat, so he bought a variety of things.
Xie Yunchu glanced at Wang Shuhuai calmly. Wang Shuhuai picked up his daughter who rushed towards him without looking at her.
Because Wang Shuhuai returned home, Jiang sent a message asking him to stay for dinner.
The couple walked towards Ninghe Hall holding their child.
As summer came, Ninghe Hall was decorated with a new look. All the original curtains were removed and replaced with new soft smoke screens, making it very cool. The maids placed several pots of mosquito-repellent herbs under the corridor, and the courtyard was filled with the sound of cicadas.
Wang Shuhuai held his daughter in his arms, and Nanny Lin supported Xie Yunchu as they entered the hall one after another.
When Jiang saw her son, her eyes became impatient.
The others all stood up and saluted.
Wang Shuhuai and his wife also bowed to Jiang and the second master.
A long table was placed in front of each couple. The wet nurse took the child aside to feed him, and the maids served the dishes one after another.
Jiang asked Wang Shuhuai with red eyes, "Huai'er, how many days will you stay this time?"
Wang Shuhuai said, "Only two or three days."
Jiang became anxious when she heard this. "Your birthday is in early May. Why don't you celebrate it before you leave?"
Wang Shuhuai glanced at Xie Yunchu beside him. His wife was busy talking to Ke Jie'er beside her, so he didn't know if she heard what he said.
"I came back temporarily, so I can't stay too long."
Jiang showed disappointment, "Twelve is the day when your sister proposes..."
Jiang was about to say something, but the second master beside her pulled her back, "Alright, alright, Shu Huai has responsibilities on his shoulders. He can't just stay if he wants to or leave if he wants to. Let's eat."
After dinner, Wang Shuhuai was called to the study by the second master. When he came back, he saw Xie Yunchu and Ke Jie'er writing. Ke Jie'er liked the wolf hair brush given to her by the eldest princess very much. Every day she would dip it in ink and scribble on rice paper. Xie Yunchu let her do as she pleased.
As soon as Wang Shuhuai came in, he took over Xie Yunchu's work. Xie Yunchu felt heavy in his abdomen, so he went into the inner room and lay down.
If Xie Yunchu didn't urge Wang Shuhuai, Wang Shuhuai would not plan to leave. Xie Yunchu was not soft-hearted. Wang Shuhuai had never thought about women in his previous life, so now he had to have her?
Wang Shuhuai coaxed the child to sleep and went into the inner room. Xie Yunchu was leaning on the pillow knitting. She could see what he was thinking.
"Second Master, I am getting heavier now. I can't sleep well with you here."
Wang Shuhuai really couldn't bear to stay, so he went out. He didn't leave either, but stood under the corridor of the gatehouse.
There has been an unusually high amount of rain this year.
The raindrops poured into the corners of his eyes. He didn't know how long he stood there. Suddenly, he heard a vomiting sound coming from inside. He rushed in without saying a word, and saw Nanny Lin and others lying beside the bed. Someone was holding a spittoon for her, someone was washing her back, and someone was rushing to call a doctor.
Xie Yunchu's fair little face turned red from spitting, and his throat was churning with tears, looking very uncomfortable.
Wang Shuhuai's eyelashes trembled slightly, and he asked Nanny Lin,
"Does she do this often?"
Nanny Lin replied, "Not really. It happens a few times a month. That's what pregnancy is like for women. From conception to birth, there's always a day of anxiety. This is still good. When you're about to give birth, you're really going through the gates of hell."
The rain was getting heavier, and it seemed as if an impenetrable curtain of water had formed between the sky and the earth.
Xie Yunchu gradually calmed down, and finally lay on the soft pillow with his eyes closed to rest.
Wang Shuhuai waved his hand, signaling the servants to leave, and stepped forward to gently embrace his wife in his arms. His hoarse voice mixed with the rumbling of thunder vaguely reached her ears.
"Yun Chu, if I had been a good husband in the beginning, you wouldn't have to suffer so much."
Xie Yunchu looked at the dark night and his eyes suddenly felt sore.
Because of this sentence, Wang Shuhuai was never able to enter Chunjingtang again.
The next afternoon, Wang Shuhuai set off for Jiangnan.
Xie Yunchu became busy next. The summer news came suddenly. It had rained continuously for a month in the entire capital city, and the water transport was blocked. Official ships could still enter the capital from the North Gate Water Gate, but private cargo ships were all stuck in the river from Tongzhou to the capital, and many goods could not be supplied in time.
Xie Yunchu's grain and oil shop made preparations in advance. When other businesses began to raise prices, she still sold at the original price, which earned her a good reputation. The grain and oil shop became famous.
In the blink of an eye, it was already June, and there was still no news about the diversion of the canal transport route. Xie Yunchu was getting restless. She had invested so much, and everything was ready except for the east wind. The court must not change its mind.
Wang Shuhuai returned to Beijing at this opportunity. On this day, the court held a meeting, and the officials of various ministries had different opinions on the issue of river repair. The Ministry of Works proposed a method that the Ministry of Revenue could not approve.
"I have read the memorial from Minister Cao and sent people to the site to check. The riverbed in that area is very shallow and the soil is loose. Once there is a heavy rain, it will be blocked sooner or later. The Ministry of Works needs to come up with a permanent solution, otherwise the money invested will be wasted."
The two ministers were arguing fiercely in the court.
Wang Shuhuai took officials from the Ministry of Works to survey the water systems in various parts of the capital, and finally made the decision to change the route of the canal. Later, he somehow remembered that Xie Yunchu had bought land in Guangqumen, so he came back and asked her,
"Why did you think of buying a farm there?" He was personally in charge of the canal transport diversion, and Xie Yunchu did not give him any advice like she did in the past. How could she have bought it so luckily, and how could she be sure that it would succeed.
Xie Yunchu was worried that Wang Shuhuai might overthink it, so he replied casually,
"I sold the ghost ball and got 1,500 taels of silver. I asked Uncle Lin to use the money to buy a shop, but the money was not enough. I happened to meet a merchant who was selling this farm. The price was right, so I decided to buy it."
"It has been under renovation for some time. We plan to turn it into a manor and hire some good chefs to cook delicacies from all over the world," Xie Yunchu told him perfunctorily.
Wang Shuhuai thought of the ghost ball and felt sad for a moment.
"Then I want to congratulate you. The canal transportation will be rerouted soon, and the location is exactly at Guangqumen."
Xie Yunchu felt relieved and pretended to be happy. She then asked Wang Shuhuai how the national policy was decided. Wang Shuhuai told her what happened. Xie Yunchu then realized that it was Wang Shuhuai who made the decision. Could it be that he was the one who gave the strategy in his previous life?
"So the Second Master was thinking that I would buy a farm there, so he used his power for personal gain and diverted the canal transport to Guangqumen?"
Wang Shuhuai was outmaneuvered by her and was speechless. He just made the most correct choice.
The document was officially issued in late June. As soon as the news came out, it caused a sensation in the capital. Those who had received the news early immediately went to buy land near Guangqumen in order to gain an advantage. However, when they asked, they found out that the large piece of land at the Guangqumen water gate had already had an owner. Someone asked the brokerage firm if it could be sold at a high price, but Xie Yunchu naturally refused.
Along the mouth of Caohe River all the way to Neicheng River, the prices of shops in this area have risen sharply.
Xie Yunchu converted the so-called manor into a commercial warehouse, providing shops to merchants for sale or rent. She also planned to build rows of shops on the rest of the land. The cost was huge, so what should she do? She spread the news first to attract merchants to buy. In this way, she could collect all the money and make a fortune.
This time, both husband and wife were very busy and had few opportunities to meet.
A riot broke out in a county in the south of the Yangtze River, and Wang Shuhuai and Jiang Cheng rushed to Nanjing.
This was a riot started by hundreds of farmhands and refugees hiding in the mountains. No one was willing to go back to farm, nor did they want to perform corvee labor. With the secret instigation of some powerful families, the riot of a thousand people quickly grew into a riot of tens of thousands of people.
It took Wang Shuhuai and Jiang Cheng more than a month to suppress the riot. However, at this time, Wang Shuhuai once again thought of the proposal to abolish the head tax and planned to go back and put the matter on the agenda.
The thunderstorm continued to rumble.
When Xie Yunchu was using the toilet, hem of his clothes was suddenly stained with blood, and he immediately called Nanny Lin. Everyone knew that Xie Yunchu was about to go into labor, and they hurriedly helped him to the delivery room.
The room was in a hustle and bustle as they called for a doctor and a midwife. Soon all the ladies in the mansion gathered in Chunjing Hall, looking forward to Xie Yunchu's second child.
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