After everyone finished eating together, Xu Zheng's father, Master Xu, took his private savings and went to find the three sisters in the red-light district.
An elderly woman with gray hair sat next to Long'er, while Huo Xiaolong and her two friends were sitting on the ground, catching their breath. Long'er had collected a lot of money from these older sisters and aunts today, and now she was figuring out how to spend it.
The little girl and Da Ni'er had over twenty tip bills, and they were grinning from ear to ear.
"How should we spend this money?" the little girl asked, looking rather clueless.
“I’ll open a branch, three branches,” Dani’er replied.
"You can't even afford to hire a waiter, yet you're opening a branch?" Hou Xiangxiang looked at her friend with disdain.
"So what? I'm the King of the Grasslands. I can just transfer a few people from the grasslands. My own mother, if I don't let her leave, will my stepfather have to come?"
"Then I'll bring over a few more kids from the Hadie family. I won't have to pay them wages; I'll just provide them with food and lodging."
Da Ni'er had figured things out perfectly, and the two sisters next to her didn't want to listen anymore.
How successful will he be?
A grassland king,
So stingy.
Why aren't they paying the workers?
“It’s alright, it’s just wages, Grandpa will pay for it,” said Master Xu.
"Hello, Grandpa," the little girl said sweetly first.
Long'er then added:
"Greetings, Grandpa Xu."
"Grandpa, you are my own grandpa. From now on, I will be even more filial to you than your son." Da Ni'er was overjoyed to hear that someone was paying her wages.
"Long'er, how are you going to spend the money your aunt gave you today?"
Huo Xiaolong looked at Master Xu with a puzzled expression. How should he spend the money?
Why not just store it in the national treasury and use it for the Great Yan?
Isn't this how everyone spends their money?
The old man seemed to see through Long'er's thoughts and directly asked:
"Are you planning to put that money into the national treasury?"
The girl nodded, then said:
"Yeah, otherwise I'd have nowhere to spend all that money."
Mr. Xu shook his head.
"Tsk, this won't do. Long'er, don't blame your grandfather for being nosy. I'm old and I like to nag."
Xu Zheng's biological father was afraid that the girl who was about to ascend the throne would be angry, so he brought it up in advance.
The girl waved her hand and said:
"It's alright, sir, go ahead and say it."
In their past lives, these elderly people would have been the kind of elders who were particularly knowledgeable and experienced in economics. Being able to receive their guidance would broaden one's knowledge in this area.
"Grandpa is telling you, all the money you collect today should be kept in your own private stash."
"Look, this money is from your elders, it's your confidence. It's not that this money can't be used for the Great Yan, you can use it, but it has to be taken from your private treasury. Do you understand what Grandpa means?"
Huo Xiaolong understood this, because ordinary people generally knew when the emperor took money from his private treasury; this was a way to win over the hearts of the people.
The girl nodded and said:
"I understand! But Grandpa, the national treasury is empty, there's only 500,000 taels left."
"I know, Grandpa is bringing money to my dear grandson."
Master Xu placed his secret stash of money in front of Long'er, and the girl, still puzzled, asked:
"Sir, this is for me too, how come it's going into the national treasury?"
"Ha ha ha ha."
The old man stroked his beard and then said:
"This isn't a freebie."
“I’m giving this money on behalf of the Xu family of Jiangnan, so you have to give Grandpa some benefits.”
"What are the benefits?"
Long'er wasn't shy at all. That's how it is. Who would be happy to give you money when they have nothing better to do?
Even though Yuwen Xuanhong has been emperor for so long, she has never seen Xu Zheng give him any money, not even much for currying favor. This old man's generosity is definitely no less than that of Aunt He.
"Write a plaque for Grandpa, something grand, with just four characters: 'Great Yan Good Merchant'!"
"Just these four words?" Hou Xiangxiang asked, her eyes wide with disbelief.
Four words for this much money?
This business deal...
That's just too much.
"Just these four words."
"Why, Grandpa?" Long'er asked, not understanding.
“There are many wealthy families in Jiangnan, as you know, Long’er. These families haven’t produced any scholars in a long time. What do the imperial plaques bestowed by the Emperor mean to them?”
"It is glory, it is bringing honor to one's ancestors, it is being able to swagger with one's ancestors even after death."
"A little money for the glory of the clan is a good deal in their eyes."
"Grandpa set an example for them. As long as the plaque and I returned to the Xu family, they would come and pay the taxes themselves."
Huo Xiaolong understood most of it, but he pointed out the most important point.
"Sir, you're amazing! But... my handwriting is terrible."
"Shabby?" Master Xu didn't quite understand.
"Sir, her handwriting is ugly."
"Can it be seen?" Master Xu was also a little dazed. The dog-scratching handwriting wouldn't do. No one would believe it if it was written by the emperor.
"Yes, it's possible! But it won't look as nice."
"That's fine then. The important thing is your jade seal."
“No problem, sir, but isn’t this a bit mean?” Huo Xiaolong asked, rubbing his nose.
Master Xu shook his head and replied:
"What's wrong with that? Most of them are family businesses. Can't the family just take a smaller share and change the signboard?"
Huo Xiaolong was a little conflicted; she was afraid that once the money from the plaque was gone, she would have no backup plan.
"What do we do next, sir? This trick won't work when we run out of money."
"Silly grandson, I've been in Jiangnan for so many years, I know them too well. After the plaques are used up, there's the abacus. After the abacus is used up, there's the naming right. Let them pay for the dam themselves, and they can name the dam. Don't worry. If all else fails, just bestow a few official titles in name only."
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