Chapter 145 Someone's Thoughts Are Clearly Revealed
Mrs. Qiao said to the people in the hall, "Except for the old lady's Shou'an Hall, all purchases in the mansion will be reduced by 20%. You should control the accounts in your hands. If you have any problems, please consult with housekeeper Liu first. If the housekeeper can't solve it, you can come to me. You can all go down."
The maids all nodded their heads and then left the house in an orderly manner.
Ji Qingwu walked to the opposite side of the kang table and sat down, looking at a pile of account books on the small table.
She was surprised and asked, "Mom, why did you dig out all the account books from previous years for no reason?"
Mrs. Qiao waved her hand and Chunhua went to guard the door.
Ji Qingwu looked at his mother and instantly caught the deep worry in her eyes.
Qiao sighed and said, "Your father sent a letter saying that Xi Jin has been provoking us repeatedly and there have been constant disturbances on the border recently. Your father has dealings with merchants who specialize in traveling to the north. They recently heard that General Wei has been seriously injured and the emperor has sent General Yuchi to the border to support the battle. There's no telling when the battle will start."
Concubine Wei said the same thing after she broke into the Handan Pavilion. But Emperor Wu Su said that Wei Ting was fine, and she believed him that Wei Ting would be fine.
However, she had no idea whether or when the war would be fought.
Qiao continued, "We in the Ji family should make plans early."
At this time, the account books need to be sorted out, the property needs to be liquidated, and money needs to be saved in the mansion.
Ji Qingwu understood the deep meaning. She held her chin with both hands and said, "Mom, don't worry. I'm a good runner. If war breaks out and Lin'an City is unsafe, I will take you and Jiujiu to find a safe place to live."
She thought to herself that if the crisis really came, she would have to go into the palace and steal Yuan Heng out, and the whole family would have to escape together.
Mrs. Qiao was amused by her words and asked happily, "Xiaowu, do you have any tricks for escaping? Teach me."
Ji Qingwu patted her chest and said: "Of course it's with my intelligence and talent, and I also know the art of disguise, I..." Having said this, she felt like she was about to reveal the truth, so she stopped suddenly.
When Qiao heard her words, there was no surprise on her face.
He looked at her face with warm eyes and said, "My dear Xiaowu, you are so amazing. It's great."
She repeated these familiar words to Yuan Henggang in the palace.
Ji Qingwu felt hot in his heart.
Qiao took out the things that were under the box and said to her, "These shops are not the property of the Ji family. They are mother's dowry. They are for you."
Ji Qingwu wanted to refuse, but his eyes were glued to the stack of papers.
She wanted it, but was too embarrassed to take it.
Mrs. Qiao directly stuffed the shop contract into her hands and said, "When your elder sister got married, mother also gave it to her. This one is for you. Originally, mother was planning to give it to you as a dowry when you got married."
But her daughter's marriage still needs to be considered in the long run. She said with emotion: "Now it seems that there is no need to wait until that time. Life is for yourself. It would be better if you take over earlier."
Mrs. Qiao said earnestly, "My dear, you can do whatever you want when you are with your mother. You don't have to restrict yourself."
Seeing Ji Qingwu's red eyes, Mrs. Qiao smiled and said, "You are already a mother, and you cry all the time. If the servants see you, they will laugh at you."
Seeing the smile lines at the corners of Qiao's eyes, Ji Qingwu rushed over and hugged her waist.
She said coquettishly: "I don't care, you are my mother, I am so moved that I cry, others will not laugh at me, they will only envy me for my good fortune."
The little daughter who had been lost since childhood was so easily satisfied, and he hugged her affectionately, just like how she had stuck to him when she was a child.
Mrs. Qiao felt both sad and sweet in her heart. She touched her head and said, "Xiaowu is so lucky. I will enjoy happiness in the future."
Ji Qingwu was no longer polite. He put away the shop sign and sat up straight.
Thinking of what Qiao had just said, she said confidently, "Mom, don't worry about the money. I will find a way to make these shops more profitable. Even if we are not in Lin'an in the future, we can still control these shops remotely."
However, Qiao asked in confusion: "Xiaowu, what are you talking about? Why did we leave Lin'an?"
Ji Qingwu looked at the thick account book in front of him and asked in confusion: "Mom, aren't you planning how the Ji family will escape and survive during the war?"
Mrs. Qiao shook her head: "If the attack really reaches the capital, the eggs will be destroyed. The Ji family is the empress dowager's mother's family, and there is no way to escape."
Ji Qingwu was really confused and asked, "Then why did Dad ask Mom to sort out the account books to see how much extra money we had, and why did he ask the whole family to be frugal? What was he going to do with the saved money?"
Qiao put the account book into a wooden box beside her and locked it.
He looked at her and said, "What your father meant is that the war on the front line requires money. Although the treasury has a surplus, it is a new dynasty after all, and the foundation is not large enough. The Ji family must set an example early."
Ji Qingwu understood.
Her father, Ji Bolian, wanted to take out all the remaining money in the family and donate it to the Northern Army on the front line.
This thought really made Ji Qingwu speechless.
She had lived here for such a long time and found that the Ji family was not extravagant, as could be seen from the old lady's Shou'an Hall. Although they were the most important ministers who assisted the new emperor in ascending the throne, all the rules in the mansion were within the rules and some could even be considered simple.
Compared with many extravagant families in Lin'an, the Ji family can be described as "poor".
But other people take care of themselves when they are poor, while her father helps the world when he is poor.
Ji Bolian was an upright official. Most of the money of the first branch of the Ji family came from shops on the open road, while the second branch only spent money and never earned anything.
The huge expenses of the war were not enough to cover the savings of tens of thousands of Ji families.
Mrs. Qiao continued, "Your father is the most loyal and patriotic person. If the emperor says that the front line is short of men and needs to recruit soldiers, and we don't have any suitable sons in our family, and your eldest brother is on a diplomatic mission in Southern Chu, do you believe that he would still be willing to go to the battlefield and kill the enemy at his age?"
Qiao's words were not exaggerated. Ji Qingwu's brows drooped when he heard it.
Putting aside his age, her father is a civil official who can't lift anything with his hands or carry anything with his shoulders... He's not even as capable as her. He has a passion for serving the country but nothing in return.
Ji Qingwu said helplessly: "If that day really comes, my daughter will have no choice but to follow the example of Mulan in ancient times and join the army in her father's place."
Mrs. Qiao patted her head and said, "Child, it will never be your turn to go to the battlefield."
Ji Qingwu thought about it and felt that it was hard to say for sure.
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Wutong Garden.
As soon as Jiujiu got home from school, he rushed into the yard like a firecracker.
Ji Qingwu was sitting under the window, thinking about the purpose of those shops. If there was to be a war, what kind of business would be more suitable?
"Mother!" the little girl's voice was loud and clear.
Jiujiu walked in with a big smile on her face, the pink and blue purse on her back was bulging with money.
She took out everything inside as if she were presenting treasures, and covered the small square table with the same fruit juice candies that Ji Qingwu had tasted last time.
The "candy tycoon" said generously, "Mother, have some candy!"
Ji Qingwu knew at a glance where all the candies with the imperial kitchen's seal came from.
Someone really took a two-pronged approach and today specially ordered someone to lead her to Yuan Heng Palace.
He was not idle either.
This person's thoughts are simply obvious.
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