Chapter 355: Ningguo Mansion

Qin Chi is now in the Dali Temple.

The work has nothing to do with food, fodder, and military pay.

Qin Chi hesitated for a moment and said, "Minister Xia should be someone who is easy to talk to."

"The Ministry of Revenue is not owned by the Xia family." Ling Dinghou suddenly said this, and then thought for a moment and said, "Xia Wei is just an old fox. Where did Qi An hear that he is a good person to talk to?"

"I worked in the Ministry of Industry earlier and was responsible for rushing to make a batch of cotton clothes. The money was approved by Minister Xia."

As soon as Qin Chi finished speaking, Ling Dinghou looked at him with strange eyes.

Then, Ling Dinghou put a big hand on Qin Chi's shoulder and said, "Qian, would you like to help Uncle Ling and urge those civil officials to prepare the military supplies as soon as possible? The northwest is waiting for these things to save lives."

"You're being serious. Don't scare Qin."

Duke Ningguo picked up the tea, took a sip, and said with a smile.

Qin Chi hasn't spoken yet.

Ling Dinghou immediately retorted: "We are about to go to war with the Tatars. Without sufficient food and weapons, it will cost lives. Your Excellency is enjoying a good life in the capital, and has forgotten how hard it is for our brothers guarding the border."

"I haven't forgotten, I haven't forgotten!"

Duke Ningguo said that he did not mean that. "Wars have always cost money. If the treasury does not have money, it is useless to ask for it."

Ling Dinghou didn't believe it.

Duke Ning looked around, then approached Marquis Lingding and whispered, "Your Majesty has squandered most of the national treasury over the years, and the remaining funds can barely support the normal operation of the court. But this time the military funds can be raised. A large sum of money was seized from the family property not long ago. Hurry up and urge them to pay. I heard that Your Majesty wants to build a Taoist temple and a royal villa again."

Ling Dinghou's eyes widened when he heard this.

Qin Chi also heard it with his sharp ears, but lowered his head and pretended not to hear it.

Compared to Ling Dinghou who was in the northwest, Qin Chi knew more, but who dared to say anything wrong about Emperor Cheng? Those who dared to say so were dismissed or had their graves overgrown with grass.

Duke Ningguo's words were a reminder to Marquis Lingding, asking him to urge the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue to secure the military funds as soon as possible. If they delayed any further, the money would be misappropriated again, and even if they killed those civil servants, nothing would be squeezed out.

Ling Dinghou shifted his gaze towards Qin Chi.

As if seeking confirmation from Qin Chi.

Qin Chi nodded slightly, indicating that it was true.

Ling Dinghou could not sit still. "I have something to do, so I'll leave first. Although the annual leave is not over yet, the military situation on the border is urgent, so I still need to go to the palace to discuss it with His Majesty."

"Let's go, let's go. Qin and I need to have a couple more drinks." Duke Ningguo waved his hand to signal Marquis Lingding that he could leave.

Marquis Lingding stood up and bowed to Duke Ningguo.

Qin Chi also stood up and bowed to Ling Dinghou, then watched Ling Dinghou hurried out of the courtyard.

Duke Ningguo said with a smile, "What are you looking at? Come on, sit down quickly."

Then he called the servants to take away the tea and replaced it with a pot of wine and some side dishes.

"The banquet won't start so early, let's have a drink first to warm ourselves up." Duke Ningguo picked up the wine pot and was about to pour wine for Qin Chi.

Qin Chi stood up and stretched out his hand to block it, "You are too polite, Duke. It is my turn to pour you some wine."

"Treat this place as your own home and be less polite. I'll be happier." A young man is getting married in the Duke's Mansion today, so there is no need for Duke Ningguo to come out to entertain the guests.

I drank a few cups with Duke Ningguo.

Most of the time, Qin Chi just touched his lips with the wine, so after Duke Ningguo drank most of the pot, most of the wine was still in Qin Chi's glass.

Duke Ning had heard that he was not in good health, so he did not force him to drink. "Qin boy, I have several beautiful granddaughters at home. Do you want to pick one?"

"The Duke is drunk, and the boy has already married." Qin Chi declined.

Duke Ningguo waved his hand, "I didn't ask you to marry a wife, you can just take her home as a concubine. Wouldn't it be great to have a beautiful wife and concubine?"

"That would be too unfair to your lady. I feel guilty about it, so let it go."

Even if someone dared to give it to him, Qin Chi would not dare to accept it.

He didn't have much contact with Duke Ningguo, except for a few times when he investigated a case, and Duke Ningguo helped him. Besides, Marquis Lingding worked under his grandfather, and judging from his visit to the Duke's Mansion, Duke Ningguo should be one of his own. But it was unclear how much Duke Ningguo knew about his affairs.

But Qin Chi refused to have a concubine.

Duke Ningguo did not force it when he saw this.

After the banquet was set up, Qin Chi followed the servants out and took his seat. His colleagues were on both sides.

During the banquet, cups of wine were exchanged.

Qin Chi handled this with ease.

There is no wrong version in the 1619 book forum!

Here, men and women are seated separately, which reduces some troubles. However, people often come to chat with him and say they want to send him women, which makes him feel annoyed. However, these things are very common in other people's minds. Some people even can't understand why Qin Chi refuses.

One of my colleagues came over with a glass of wine.

Qin Chi looked up and saw that it was Ke Bingzhi from the Hanlin Academy.

When something happened to the Yang family, this person was not implicated.

Ke Bingzhi looked a little drunk. He put his arm around Qin Chi's shoulder and said, "Master Qin, it's normal for a man to have three wives and four concubines. Everyone wants to marry you out of good intentions, but you rejected them all as soon as you came. Do you look down on us?"

"That's right, do you look down on us?"

"Isn't Lord Qin henpecked?"

"I heard that Lord Qin's wife is very ordinary in appearance. Lord Qin still lives with her alone, which is really suspicious."

Qin Chi was almost described as an outlier.

Everyone started teasing Qin Chi.

Qin Chi stood still, waiting for everyone to finish speaking before he said slowly, "You may not know that I have been in poor health since I was a child, with many illnesses. The doctor said that if I want to live longer, I must cultivate my body and mind. I don't need to tell you how I would choose between my life and a woman."

As soon as these words came out.

Everyone else was embarrassed.

Ke Bingzhi said dryly, "Is there such a thing? It turns out that Lord Qin is weak and frail. I misunderstood."

Qin Chi was not angry when people said he was delicate and weak. He still smiled gently. He raised his glass and said, "What's the big deal? I envy you, Lord Ke. You have many beautiful wives and concubines at home. I often hear that you trade them with others."

"Haha, that's not true. It's just a misunderstanding."

Ke Bingzhi wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

How can this matter of changing concubines be brought to the surface and discussed?

After Qin Chi's words, no one mentioned sending a woman. Even the idea of ​​someone who wanted to borrow the help of a nobleman in the palace to send a woman to Qin Chi's backyard as a spy had to be abandoned.

Someone on the side gave Qin Chi a thumbs up.

After this incident, anyone who wants to send a woman to the Qin family will have to think twice. Otherwise, if they insist on sending a woman to the Qin family, they are trying to kill him. This is not to make friends, but to make enemies.