Chapter 1995: Reunion
Everyone rushed downstairs. Zhao Liulang asked his attendants to settle the bill, then winked at Bai Shan and said, "Remember our agreement. Be ready tomorrow at 9:00 PM. I'll pick up your eldest cousin before noon. By the way, do you want to come with us?"
Bai Shan refused, "We are going to Huguo Temple to play tomorrow, you can just take my cousin with you."
Zhao Liulang said it was no problem. The scholars who were trying their best to attend the princess's banquet were trying to become famous so that the examiners would have points in their impression during the imperial examination.
But Bai Shan was already famous throughout Beijing, even throughout the world, so there was no need for that.
He called everyone away and ran away. Bai Dalang stood by the gate of Zhuangyuan Building, watching them and asking, "Where should I go tomorrow?"
Bai Shan smiled and said, "I was just about to tell my eldest cousin that Princess Xiangyang is holding a flower viewing party tomorrow. Zhao Liulang can take you for a walk. I'm sure they'll be writing poems about chrysanthemums. Why don't you go back tonight and think of two for tomorrow?"
Bai Dalang asked, "What is your agreement?"
He is not a naive person. From what Zhao Liulang said, he knew that he was cooperating with Bai Shan and others.
Bai Shan said, "Let's lend him one thousand taels of silver."
He paused and said, "Brother, do you think we should let my uncle pay for this, or should we pay it and you pay the interest?"
Bai Dalang: "...He's the son of a powerful noble, and he has to borrow money from you? Won't his family give it to him?"
Bai Shan said, "My eldest cousin, there are six brothers in his family, not counting his sisters. There are also a lot of nephews and nieces behind him. The money he withdraws from the account office every month is fixed. His father occasionally gives him some subsidies, but it is impossible for it to be as much as one thousand taels."
Bai Erlang added, "Don't think he can save money. He's the one who borrows the most money from me in Chongwenguan. He borrows some money after the middle of every month, and then pays it back after receiving the money at the beginning of the month."
Bai Dalang: ...That sounds so miserable, even more miserable than him, the eldest son of a landlord.
He said, "Okay, I understand. I'll pay for the thousand taels, but will he pay it back?"
Bai Shan said, "Pay it back within two years, no interest."
Bai Dalang was completely relieved. It was okay to return it. Otherwise, he would still be very heartbroken to spend one thousand taels to buy a chance to become famous.
Although some scholars who came to Beijing spent thousands or even tens of thousands of taels to become famous, Bai Dalang felt that that person must not be him because he was too wasteful.
Bai Erlang said, "Don't worry, big brother. Although he is a little poor, he is still very trustworthy. Besides, his wife's dowry is large, so he will definitely be able to pay it back within two years."
Bai Shan and Man Bao: ...
Manbao said: "Bai Er, my father said that it is not good to put money aside." You even set your eyes on someone else's wife's dowry.
Bai Erlang glanced at her and said, "Am I lending money? The interest I collect now is not enough to buy you two meals of sesame cakes in a month."
Moreover, he only lends money to people he knows, and the interest he charges is getting lower and lower. He no longer considers the borrower's ability to repay. He might as well just quit.
Who knew that Bai Dalang also said to him, "You have more money in your money box than I do. You used to be very generous, why are you so obsessed with money now? In the future, if someone wants to borrow money, just lend it if you have it, and don't lend it if you don't. Why charge interest?"
Bai Erlang said, "What if they don't pay me back? I won't lend them money if I don't charge interest and have no guarantee of getting it back."
Manbao and Baishan, who had been objecting to the previous statement, nodded at the same time, saying in deep agreement, "That's right. When borrowing money, you must consider the ability to repay. If you can't get the money back, is it still called borrowing? That's called giving!"
Bai Dalang: "...Speaking of which, you've had a farm since you were little, and you've always had more money than me, never lacking anything. Why do you...love money so much?"
Bai Shanyi said righteously, "Brother, we are not interested in money. We cherish the friendship between us. It is so hurtful to involve friends in unclear financial relationships. Even brothers have to settle accounts clearly. Friends who are not even blood relatives must settle accounts even more clearly."
Manbao and Bai Erlang nodded vigorously. The three of them had been close since childhood and had even slept in the same bed. However, when they went out to buy delicious food, they would buy it together after pooling their money. Of the remaining money, three cents would be given back to each of them, and two cents would be saved for next time.
If they are like this, why should Zhao Liulang and the others get any advantage?
Bai Dalang couldn't convince them, and was about to drag them to find Daji and the others to leave when he heard a surprised voice from behind, "Manbao!"
He then turned around and saw the prince and two princesses standing behind him.
Bai Dalang was startled and was just thinking about whether to perform a formal ceremony when Manbao called out in surprise, "Mingda, Changyu——"
Then he ran up and hugged the two princesses.
Bai Dalang gave up the idea of performing a grand ceremony, and stood aside with Bai Shan and Bai Erlang, watching. After the three little girls hugged each other and laughed, he stepped forward, bowed, and performed the salute.
The prince nodded slightly with a serious face, then looked at Mingda and Changyu, "You can only play for one hour, and you must go home after one hour."
He didn't want to send them here personally, so he just left it to the guards. Zhuangyuan Building was in the inner city, not in the outer city.
As a result, as soon as they left the imperial city and reached the main street, they were dazzled by the crowded crowds and the shining colorful lights everywhere. Seeing so many people on the street, the prince was worried and could only follow them for a while and brought them here.
Unfortunately, the main street was no longer passable for cars. They had walked part of the way here, and now he had to walk back...
The prince felt that he could not drink more than a few sips of wine tonight, and said to Zhou Man in a not very good mood: "Keep an eye on them, don't let them run to dangerous places."
Manbao assured him, "We will just walk along the main street of the inner city and avoid any dangerous places. My Lord...don't worry."
The prince then nodded to Bai Shan, left the guards and servants to Mingda and Changyu, and turned and left with his own guards and Eunuch Wu.
After watching the prince disappear into the crowd, Manbao took their hands and asked excitedly, "How did you get out of the palace?"
"Big brother brought us out," Mingda turned around and took the lantern from the palace maid's hand, saying happily, "Look, this is what we guessed on the way. Do you think it looks good?"
"nice!"
Chang Yu said excitedly, "Let's go. I saw a lot of delicious food when I was walking here just now. Unfortunately, Big Brother looked sour and didn't allow us to eat outside food, so we didn't dare to buy anything."
Manbao thought for a moment and said, "An hour is a limited time. Let's not go back. Let's go to the inner city gate. There are fire phoenixes and lamp holders there. There are many lamp stands there. They are very beautiful."
Bai Shan added: "My family also set up a lantern shed there. We can rest in the shed when we get tired."
Bai Dalang breathed a sigh of relief. This was the reason.
Mingda and Changyu had no objection, so the group turned around and continued walking forward, stopping to look at any beautiful lanterns they saw along the way.
See you tomorrow
(End of this chapter)
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