After Wuya's maid left, Madam Liu was subjected to such flattery. Fortunately, Madam Liu was a sensible person and knew that what they said was not to be taken seriously.
Madam Zheng was quite embarrassed. She knew what she had just said. It was true that she was not thinking clearly, but she was not completely without intelligence. She knew that she had offended people thoroughly.
She valued family background the most. Her husband was a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations. He was a classmate of Master Liu. The two had a good relationship when they were studying and passed the examinations in the same year. Later, they went to the capital together to take the imperial examinations, but then they both failed the examinations one after another.
The two were in similar circumstances. After failing the exam, the Zheng family returned to their hometown and also took up teaching jobs, while the Liu family stayed in the capital because they had some relatives there by marriage.
Although they had not seen each other for many years, the Zheng family patriarch and the Liu family patriarch had maintained correspondence.
Now that the eldest son of the Zheng family has passed the imperial examination, the patriarch of the Zheng family moved the whole family to the capital so that his son could have a better learning environment.
Madam Zheng felt that Wu Yiming, a woman, was engaging in such a money-grubbing business, and she looked down on Wu Yiming from the bottom of her heart.
Secondly, she has a daughter who has reached marriageable age. Originally, the Zheng family patriarch intended to establish a marriage alliance with the Liu family, but before he could even make the proposal, Wu Yiming intercepted the marriage.
Although Madam Zheng might not necessarily think highly of Liu Jiangqing, she was quite displeased that the Liu family had married a merchant's daughter, feeling that they might be looking down on the Zheng family.
At the same time, he also felt that the Liu family's family style was improper, allowing even a merchant's daughter to enter the house, which was really detrimental to the noble character of scholars.
Madam Zheng was not stupid, and she did not say it in front of Wu Yiming. After Wu Yiming left, she said some ambiguous things. Who knew that Madam Liu would protect her daughter-in-law so much.
Even in ordinary families, there are bound to be some unpleasant things between a mother-in-law and her daughter-in-law, especially for a mother-in-law who only has one son.
Madam Zheng is foolish and vicious herself, and she thinks everyone else is just as foolish and vicious, so she can't blame others for looking down on her.
Wu Yiming spoke with Wuya Shi for a while, then quietly told her that the Emperor and Empress had also come. Upon hearing this, Wuya Shi looked somewhat surprised.
She hadn't expected that her daughter and the emperor would leave the palace. Although she wanted to see her daughter, the people sitting in this private room were not people she could easily dismiss. Since she had invited them, she had to keep them company; otherwise, it would be a breach of etiquette for the Fucha family.
After exchanging a few words with Wu Yiming, Wuya said, "It's opening day, so you go ahead and get busy. Your mother will go to your husband's house to talk to you later."
Wu Yiming apologized to everyone in the room and then left.
After coming out, we went to private room number one.
Yinzhen and Yunrong were looking at a catalog. Yunrong had seen it in modern times, but she still found it quite rare. She didn't intend to buy it, though. Wu Yiming used people from the Imperial Household Department, and the best-made batch had already entered the palace.
Yunrong came out today partly to check out this department store, and partly to get some fresh air. She felt quite bored staying in the palace every day.
"Your Majesty, Your Highness, Princess Wu requests an audience."
Regardless of Wu Yiming's past status, she is now the Empress's adopted sister. The Empress is the Emperor's most favored woman and his only woman, so Wu Yiming's status among those serving by Yinzhen's side is also significant.
Yinzhen and Yunrong were not surprised; since they had entered the private room, they could not hide it from Wu Yiming.
"Let her in!"
Wu Yiming entered and said, "This servant greets Your Majesty and Your Majesty the Empress."
Yinzhen: "Get up, sit down and let's talk!"
Wu Yiming did indeed contribute a considerable amount to his private treasury, and Yinzhen was quite tolerant of such a person.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress."
Yinzhen said, "I and the Empress have seen this shop, and you have done a good job."
"It is my duty as a servant."
Yinzhen asked a few more questions, then said, "Don't forget to have someone keep the accounts in order. I want to know the source of the money that goes into your shop."
Wu Yiming was immediately startled and said, "This servant understands."
After Wu Yiming left, Yunrong said, "You seem to have frightened her."
Yinzhen shook his head: "It's not that bad. If she were so easily frightened, she probably wouldn't be able to run a shop like this. It's probably just an accident."
"You want to reform the bureaucracy?"
Yinzhen: "It should have been rectified long ago. The reason it wasn't rectified in earlier years was because we still had enough money. In addition, one thing after another happened at that time. If we had rectified it then, it would have been detrimental to development and would have easily caused trouble. Things have finally gotten better in recent years. The governance of officials really can't be delayed any longer, otherwise they will become too powerful and subsequent reforms will inevitably be hindered."
Wu Yiming's shop is a rare place to spend money in the capital. The items inside are novel and the workmanship is exquisite. Families with money will definitely come here often.
Yinzhen instructed Wu Yiming to record the families with large sums of money involved, which would also give him a general understanding of the situation in each household.
Water that is too clear has no fish, but if it's really too extravagant, then it means there's greed involved.
Of course, in order for the shop to continue operating, Yinzhen would not use this bill as evidence, but he could use it as a list for investigation.
At least let him know who he should be investigating.
Yunrong, having been influenced by Yinzhen, had also learned some things. Since Yinzhen wanted to reform the bureaucracy, there would inevitably be vacancies. So Yinzhen's idea was: "I'm afraid that even if the imperial examination is held once every three years, the number of people recruited will not be enough. What do you plan to do? It's impractical to hold the special imperial examination every year."
Yinzhen had a plan in mind: "I will first train a group of people to fill the vacancies left by the reform of the bureaucracy. Although I plan to reform the bureaucracy, I know that this matter cannot be rushed and must be done slowly. When the time comes, I will reform the imperial examination system, and then there will be no shortage of people."
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