Chapter 1159: Madam, you are a role model for women in the world
Su Changan didn't know whether it was Xun Kuang who spread such rumors as his wife said.
However, when Zhang Gu and Tian Gui came today, they each had a memorial in their hands, and Tian Gui was even holding a list of accounts. When they saw Su Changan, they were both stunned and lowered their heads.
I really lost weight!
When they lowered their heads, they looked at each other.
Not only food boxes came from the Duke of Qi's Mansion, but the old lady of the Duke of Qi's Mansion also came.
This old lady from a prominent family did not follow Zhang Gu and Tian Gui to Lingqi Pavilion, but was temporarily placed by Feng Chun in a small courtyard not far from Lingqi Pavilion to wait.
It is a newly opened courtyard specifically for people to pay homage to the Queen.
Sometimes there were many people paying a visit and different matters came up. Su Changan thought that he couldn't just let them wait outside, so he had someone build a courtyard like this. There were many empty courtyards in the palace anyway.
Let’s not talk about Zhanggu for now.
Tian Gui used to be a doctor in the Ministry of Revenue.
When Li Nishang was dealt with on the Double Ninth Festival, Yang Guofu was also hit as well. At that time, Tian Gui, who was a doctor in the Ministry of Works, contributed to it, and he was also secretly cultivated by Xia Fengxiang. Now that the position of the Minister of Works is vacant, Tian Gui has become a vice minister, overseeing all the affairs of the Ministry of Works. At the age of forty, he has reached the fourth rank and is like a new noble in the court.
Su Changan looked at the two of them and smiled, then lowered his head and continued to compare the colors of the silk thread in his hand.
His eyes were lowered, rippling with watery light, and silk threads were reflected in his eyes like flowing stars. There were dimples at the corners of his lips, and the golden sunlight fell on him through the bamboo curtain, so tender.
Su Changan and Xia Fengxiang each had their own division of labor. When officials came to pay homage, they generally would not interrupt unless the matter was related to them.
Tian Gui and Zhang Gu looked at the Queen again.
Tian Gui bowed to the emperor again and said, "Your Majesty, today I and the officials of the Ministry of Works have calculated the accounts of the Ministry of Works and some projects that will be started in recent years. Some of them are used for expenses in the imperial city. Because the emperor and the queen have no plans to build other palaces or repair Yongshou, Hua'e and other places in recent years, a lot of savings have been made. Here are the accounts, please review them, Your Majesty."
Tian Gui presented it with both hands.
Aunt Sun stepped forward and brought it to Xia Fengxiang.
Xia Fengxiang looked at Tian Gui in confusion, then took the memorial and the account book, and said as he looked at it, "I remember talking to you about this before. Since these expenses in the palace are not needed, they will not be included here. The savings can be used to repair various places in the capital, or to help some people repair their houses in Wannian County and other places before winter comes."
Tian Gui bowed again and said, "Your Majesty, I and the officials of the Ministry of Works have already allocated the money. It will be kept for use in the palace, but you and your majesty only live in this Lingqi Pavilion. The other palaces only need to be maintained on weekdays, and there is no plan to build other palaces. It doesn't cost much money. The remaining money is clearly written in the account. In addition to a part of it being kept, a considerable part can be used for your majesty and your majesty's daily expenses."
Xia Fengxiang was stunned.
Su Changan also looked up at Tian Gui.
The palace has a special budget for repairing palaces, and Su Changan also has a sum of money, but there is nothing to build, and Su Changan has also visited other palaces, and they are all in good condition, except that Su Changan found that the bathing place for the palace people was not very good after a stroll. He took some money to help expand it, and spent some money on the renovation, and there was still a lot left.
So Su Changan meant that the money should be used where it could be put to good use.
But at that time, Tian Gui and Li Jiulang both objected, saying that it was only necessary for emergencies. After all, no one could predict when an accidental discharge would occur.
Moreover, what Lord Tian emphasized at the time was that the money should be used for its intended purpose. The money was to be used for the palaces and houses in the palace and should not be used indiscriminately.
Su Changan had no choice but to give up.
But Tian Gui, who firmly opposed the money being used elsewhere that day, took the initiative today to say that the money was to be used for expenses for himself and his wife?
Su Changan glanced at the account list that Xia Fengxiang placed on the table, and saw the amount that could be taken. Wow, it was enough to spend.
Zhang Gu also bowed at this time and said, "Your Majesty, although Daxia has been at war in many places on the border this year and has spent a lot of money, Lord Zhang and Lord Yan conducted a strict investigation into the case of accepting bribes in the capital two days ago and found that many sons of officials took advantage of their fathers' power to accept bribes from many merchants, so they confiscated a lot of property. After discussing with the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Works, the Imperial Household Department, and the Imperial Household Department, we transferred funds to various places that were in urgent need of money and found that there was still money left. This money can be transferred to the palace treasury for your Majesty and your majesty's expenses."
As he spoke, he also picked up the memorial in his hand.
Aunt Sun still took the memorial and sent it to Xia Fengxiang.
Su Changan also went to take a look. The amount was smaller than Tian Gui's, but only slightly smaller.
Is this enough? So much!
This will allow myself and my wife to live an overly luxurious life.
Xia Fengxiang glanced at Su Changan.
Su Changan understood.
You have the final say on what your wife thinks, and this matter is your responsibility.
This really falls under Su Changan's jurisdiction, after all, it concerns the palace.
Su Changan looked at the two of them and said with a smile: "Your Majesty and I don't need so much money. Since it's all our surplus money, we might as well put it into the national treasury for emergency use. Besides, there are still many places in Daxia that need money."
Zhang Gu and Tian Gui obviously knew that Su Changan would say this.
Zhang Gu immediately spoke up: "Your Majesty, the national treasury is the national treasury, and the palace expenses are the palace expenses. Your Majesty and His Majesty used private money to reward the three armies. Now, when rewarding the ladies and the families of the meritorious officials on the frontier, Your Majesty will still use private money. The two saints are the two saints of the people of the world, not the two saints of one person. Similarly, the world belongs to everyone in the world, how can the two saints shoulder it alone?
"Your Majesty wears no more than seven sets of clothes for the four seasons, and Your Majesty does not have any gold, silver, or jade with her all the time. The six departments in the palace keep records, and they are clear accounts. I heard that Your Majesty cares about the people's hardship, so she ordered that lychees should not be paid as tribute this year. When the season comes, you can buy them with merchants in Beijing. The tribute silk and cloth from other places are kept in the palace and are often used by Your Majesty for rewards. Other expensive items that are far away should not be paid as tribute."
"Your Majesty is virtuous and kind, caring for the people and the officials of the prefectures, and living frugally. This is a great blessing for the world. However, if the word frugality reduces the expenses of Your Majesty and Your Majesty to the point that Your Majesty is worried about money, this is the fault of our ministers, so please take back the Phoenix Edict."
Tian Gui bowed and said, "I second the motion."
Su Changan and Xia Fengxiang looked at each other when they heard this.
Xia Fengxiang's expression remained unchanged.
Su Changan looked at Zhang Gu and Tian Gui with a strange expression and asked directly: "You two, just tell me, did you hear what Xun Kuang said?"
Zhang Gu and Tian Gui were stunned.
Zhang Gu said, "Xun Siye came to discuss this matter with us, but it was also us who confirmed it after investigation. Your Majesty spent 90% of this month's expenses on the banquet for the ladies of the royal family and the sending of rice dumplings to the people on the Dragon Boat Festival, leaving only 10% for you and Your Majesty. In addition, you ordered that the new robes that should have been made for you and Your Majesty before the Dragon Boat Festival should not be made. As your subjects, how can we sit back and watch?"
Su Changan said, "You misunderstood. Even if there is only 10% left, it is enough for the two of us to spend. Moreover, I am considering reducing the expenses of my majesty and I, and using the money to improve the treatment of the palace servants. After all, we usually don't leave the palace. Even if I sneak out to play, I use Ruyu's money, not my own. As for the clothes, your majesty can't wear them because I don't want women and those clothes anymore. Besides, the old ones are all good and comfortable to wear. Why do you need new clothes?"
In fact, as for Xia Fengxiang's clothes, Su Changan meant to ask someone from the Clothing Bureau to come and measure Xia Fengxiang's size. After all, his belly was slightly bulging, and although it was not obvious, he could still wear his old clothes, but he still had to be careful.
But Xia Fengxiang said that they would do it this way for now and talk about it later, so Su Changan had to give up.
But just in case, Su Changan still asked Su Liu for help and asked her to get two sets and send them to the palace.
After all, the daughter-in-law still needs to wear new clothes.
And he himself
He had no pursuit for these things. The few sets of clothes in the closet were enough for him to wear, and most importantly, there were enough women's clothes!
However, Zhang Gu and Tian Gui avoided the main point when they heard Su Changan's words. After looking at each other, Tian Gui said to Su Changan, "Your Majesty, you have looked thinner these days."
Hearing this, Xia Fengxiang took the letter and covered his face unconsciously, but in fact he couldn't help it.
But when the letter was taken down, his expression returned to normal.
Every day I walk around digging with a shovel in the middle of the night, and every day I worry about where I buried the eighteen ounces. How could I not lose weight?
Su Changan curled his lips: "I eat quite a lot, it's a physical problem."
However, seeing that Zhang Gu was about to speak, Su Changan said, "I've seen your accounts. This money is all taken out by pinching and digging a little here and there. It's not enough. Your Majesty and I appreciate the kindness of the two adults and other adults, but we don't need so much money. Instead of keeping it, it's better to use it where it should be used. Don't listen to Xun Kuang's nonsense, and don't listen to what outsiders say. Besides, in the past few days, my third uncle Su Zifeng and my younger brother Su Liheng have sent money to Your Majesty and me."
Zhang Gu said, "I heard from Li Heng that you used that money to buy glutinous rice and red dates."
Su Changan smiled. Besides Xun Kuang, the fat boy Li Heng was also talking nonsense outside, right?
Xia Fengxiang said, "Where the money comes from, it goes back to where it came from. The excess goes into the national treasury. This is settled. The Queen and I know what you are thinking, but you don't need to worry about this."
Xia Fengxiang took the memorial and the account and handed them to Aunt Sun.
Aunt Sun took it and walked up to Zhang Gu and Tian Gui.
The two men frowned and wanted to say something, but when they looked at the emperor and then at the empress's smile, they glanced at each other and sighed in their hearts.
Now that the emperor has said this, there is no room for negotiation.
After all, it was the emperor's custom to keep memorials that were negotiable. If they were sent back directly, even without an approval stamp, it meant that such memorials would not be sent to him in the future.
Xia Fengxiang continued: "If there is nothing else, you two dear ministers can go back first."
Zhang Gu frowned and wanted to say something, but was stopped by Tian Gui.
Then, Tian Gui bowed and said, "We two ministers will take our leave."
Zhang Gu was stunned for a moment, but also bowed.
After watching the two leave, Xia Fengxiang looked at Su Changan and said, "I'll let you walk around with a shovel every day!"
Su Changan raised his eyebrows: "What does it have to do with me strolling around with a shovel?"
Xia Fengxiang immediately said, "How can you lose weight if you don't use a shovel to dig holes everywhere? If you don't lose weight, will they think anything? And it just so happens that you have to use your expenses to do those things."
Su Changan was about to speak, but when the words came to his lips, he looked at Xia Fengxiang and found his logic so rigorous that he could not refute it!
Xia Fengxiang held his head high, with a look of "Say it again!"
Su Changan changed his words: "What is the old lady from Duke Qi's Mansion doing here? Don't tell me to eat more."
Xia Fengxiang glanced at the food box over there and said, "It must be."
After that, he added: "This old lady is my mother's teacher in the palace. She is very strict. She used to be the clothing director of the clothing bureau, but later resigned. Don't say anything weird. Moreover, after my mother passed away, she has been chanting Buddhist scriptures at home and has not left the house until now. She is chanting sutras for my mother."
As he said this, he looked at Aunt Sun.
Aunt Sun nodded immediately, turned around and left the yard to call the old lady.
Su Changan watched Xia Fengxiang change his sitting position, helped him to adjust, and brought a cushion over. Then he asked, "What are people saying about us outside? What did Xun Kuang and Su Liheng say to the outside world? They were all fooled."
Xia Fengxiang shook his head: "For example, I lived frugally with you, and then I lost weight. That's good. At least no one said you were dead. They said you were dead so many times."
Su Changan rubbed his brows with his hand, which was inexplicable, but he signaled Xia and others to put the chairs in the yard.
When the old lady from the Duke of Qi's Mansion came, she was dressed in formal attire, the attire of a third-rank county lady. When Su Changan saw that she was so old and wearing such a crown on her head, he quickly asked her to sit down.
The old lady's surname was Zhang. She came from a prominent family. Her father had served as a minister, so it was not an exaggeration to say that she was the descendant of a prime minister.
After Mrs. Zhang bowed to the two of them, she looked at Su Chang'an's simple and elegant dress, and saw that there were no luxurious items in the Lingqi Pavilion, and frowned slightly.
It was not her first time to enter the palace, but it was her first time to enter the palace and visit Su Changan in Lingqi Pavilion.
Looking at the table again, you can see the Dragon Boat Festival purse embroidery patterns, silk threads and purses.
She had heard that among the gifts given to ladies of honor on the Dragon Boat Festival, the only items that existed were made by the Empress herself in order to celebrate the many important events of the past two years. Also, the Empress herself did not want to give the gift so casually and coldly.
This reminded Mrs. Zhang of the late Queen.
But the late Queen Mother did not say anything about this matter. She made herself so thin and was even so frugal that she went to the palace to cultivate land.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty." Madam Zhang bowed and took the food box: "These are the food that I made myself. They are not worthy of being served in a formal hall. Please don't dislike them, Your Majesty and Your Majesty."
Maomao stepped forward quickly.
Su Changan smiled and said, "How could I dislike it? I can't even express my gratitude enough. I wonder why Madam came to see His Majesty and me."
Madam Zhang shook her head: "I am here to pay my respects to your Majesty and you, and to express my gratitude."
Su Changan smiled and said, "Next time you come to talk to me, you don't have to dress up like this, just wear normal clothes. But who is Dawn you're talking about?"
Su Changan stood up and walked out of the hall.
Su Changan was thin to begin with, and the baggy clothes he wore made him look even thinner.
And when he walked to Madam Zhang's side, Su Changan looked at the crown. It seemed so heavy. How tiring it must be at such an old age.
But he thought about picking them, but it was not easy to do it, so he just sat aside and watched Mrs. Zhang.
Madam Zhang was a little apprehensive that the Queen was sitting next to her.
But Su Changan helped Mrs. Zhang sit down again.
Mrs. Zhang looked at Su Changan with some surprise, and thought of the late queen again.
Looking at Su Changan, Madam Zhang said, "My young daughter was in the army before. She wrote back saying that if it weren't for you, he would have been killed by the Mobei Zhijie in the battle of Yandi. Although the Duke thanked you, I have always been grateful in my heart and have always wanted to thank you in person."
The son of the Duke of Qi joined the Shen Ce Army.
When Su Changan was fighting with Yue Liduo before, the Shen Ce Army came to support. In the chaos of the army, many soldiers attacked the Shen Ce Army, and Su Changan tried to stop them.
Among the Shen Ce troops rushing in the front was the daughter of the Duke of Qi.
He only found out about this when the Duke of Qi came to the palace to pay him a visit after he returned to Beijing.
Su Changan smiled and said, "There's no need to thank them for this. They saved me, so it's only natural for me to save them. I've made it clear to Duke Qi."
Mrs. Zhang shook her head: "It's different, it's different."
But at this point, Madam Zhang looked at Su Changan, looked at the beautiful face in front of her, and looked at this woman who was obviously one of the two most noble people in the world, and said: "Your Majesty, I have something to say. If my words offend you, please forgive me."
As she spoke, Madam Zhang stood up.
Without waiting for Su Changan to support him.
Madam Zhang bowed to Su Changan and said, "Your Majesty, you are the most noble woman in the world, and a role model for all women in the world. All women in the world are proud of you, the Queen."
Su Changan looked at Old Madam Zhang and said nothing else.
Just these two sentences
Give him a headache!
I'm a man!
…
PS: I slept late, so the update is late. I will have a meal and then update the second time.
(End of this chapter)
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