Because Su Qiuya mentioned divorce, Aunt Qing suddenly became much quieter.
"Forget it. I won't say any more about you two young people." Aunt Qing patted herself and said, "I'm just old and my legs aren't as good as they used to be. I just want someone to massage my legs."
Concubine Qing stopped talking about maids and servants. After saying this, she turned and walked away. Concubine Qing was slightly bent over, which made her back look particularly lonely.
Seeing this, Liu Yanbo looked at Su Qiuya and said, "Don't overthink it. I'm not thinking of taking a concubine."
"Yes, you don't think about it now." Su Qiuya said.
"I told you before, you married me when I was in trouble and did so much for our family. I can't abandon you and marry someone else," Liu Yanbo explained. "I can't just take a concubine."
"I said this because I remember what you said," Su Qiuya said, "A thirteen or fourteen-year-old maid has come to our house. What do you think this maid can do? She's young and pretty. Are you going to let her stand by and watch me knead dough?"
Su Qiuya said this deliberately. If she didn't lose her temper, these people would think she had no temper. She didn't want to be led by these people at all, and it was impossible for her to always consider them.
She is a human being, not a toy that they can bully.
It was impossible for Su Qiuya to be Concubine Qing's servant, nor was it possible for her to always listen to Concubine Qing.
"Just buy a maid." Liu Yanbo said quickly, "I'm not at home most of the time, so I have to rely on you to do these things. It would be good to buy a maid. You won't have to work so hard, and neither will mother."
"It's good that you understand. It's just that mother..." Su Qiuya said, "It's not that I don't allow you to take a concubine. This is the current situation at home. Do you have the nerve to ask me to make money to support a concubine for you? You eat my food, and your concubine also eats my food?"
“…” Liu Yanbo was silent.
"Do you want people outside to laugh at you?" Su Qiuya said, "They say you're so fickle even though you're supported by your wife? It's not that I'm so cruel, but our family has so little money. You usually have to stay up late with your classmates outside, and this costs money. We have to return to Beijing by the end of this year at the earliest, or next year at the latest."
"Yes." Liu Yanbo didn't want to stay in the northwest forever, he wanted to return to Beijing.
"We'll need money on the way back to Beijing. When we get back, we'll have to make some arrangements." Su Qiuya said, "I put away all the things Grandpa sent me just to save money for our return. After we get back, we can't live under someone else's roof. We still need our own house. You should know the housing prices in Beijing."
Su Qiuya felt more and more aggrieved as she spoke, her eyes reddened. "It's true that I'm in charge of this household, and it's true that the money is in my hands, but I really don't have that much money."
"Don't cry." Liu Yanbo panicked.
"Sometimes I really want to quit and let you open the shop for a few days. You can buy the goods and sell the food yourself to see how much money you can make." Su Qiuya said, "But then I think about what if the food you make is not delicious enough and the customers don't come?"
Liu Yanbo hugged Su Qiuya and comforted her, "I understand, I understand everything."
Liu Yanbo couldn't say anything bad about Su Qiuya. Su Qiuya had really given too much for this family, and they really shouldn't think too much about Su Qiuya's faults.
In town, Aunt Chai looked at the few people in the shop and felt that the business was not that good. Even if the shop was making money, Aunt Chai was dissatisfied with the slow pace of the third wife's income.
"Mom." Liu Fang came.
Liu Fang and Zhen Wen Ze hadn't argued much recently. The Liu family's eldest branch had returned to the capital, but Zhen Wen Ze hadn't gone there. Zhen Wen Ze didn't go directly to the capital, but had to stay in the northwest. He knew his status, and if he went to the capital, he wouldn't necessarily be able to enter the Jingning Marquisate.
They had never entered the main house when they were in the northwest, and it was even more impossible for them to enter when they arrived in the capital.
Zhen Wenze was no fool. If he continued to stay in the northwest, even if the Jingning Marquisate could not help him much, he was still the son-in-law of the Jingning Marquisate, so he was still a little useful, which was better than nothing.
"Come, have a bowl of noodles." Aunt Chai specially asked her daughter-in-law to boil a bowl of noodles for Liu Fang.
Feng Guanjing didn't want to make noodles for Liu Fang at all, but that was Aunt Chai's idea. Feng Guanjing couldn't object too much to her mother-in-law, nor did she want to argue with her mother-in-law, so she just made a bowl of noodles.
"Why is it so salty?" Liu Fang took a bite and spat it out. "Doesn't salt at home cost money?"
Aunt Chai turned around and looked at Feng Guanjing, "What's wrong with you?"
"I didn't put a lot of salt in it. Everyone has different tastes." Feng Guanjing was unhappy. If she wanted to make trouble, she would not make noodles for Liu Fang. Why, she gave Liu Fang a bowl of noodles, but Liu Fang still complained that the noodles were not tasty, "If you don't eat it, I will eat it."
Feng Guanjing sometimes envied Su Qiuya, who was more able to hold her head high at home, unlike her, who did not have the same high status as Su Qiuya at home. Feng Guanjing walked over, picked up the chopsticks directly, and ate the noodles in big mouthfuls.
The noodles are a little cooler, so they are not that hot.
Feng Guanjing ate the bowl of noodles in one gulp. "If you want to eat, just make it yourself."
Feng Guanjing didn't want to bother with these two people any more. She still had to open the store to do business, so she turned around and left.
"Mom, look at her." Liu Fang was dissatisfied.
"She..." Aunt Chai didn't expect Feng Guanjing to do that.
Feng Guanjing felt quite wronged. To prevent Liu Fang from getting burned, she had to wait for the noodles to cool down a bit before serving them to her. She did everything so well, yet Liu Fang was so demanding.
"Mom, you're her mother-in-law, so you should take care of her," Liu Fang said. "Don't let her bully you."
When Liu Fang was at her husband's house, she didn't care what her mother-in-law said. If her mother-in-law dared to say anything about her, she would say something about her mother-in-law. Liu Fang thought that she was the daughter of a marquis and that those people should serve her.
In the capital, at the Duke Cheng's Mansion, Liu's mother brought Liu Yulian over. The two families were engaged after all, and the old lady of the Duke Cheng's Mansion was still there, so Liu's mother brought her daughter over for a walk, which was also a way to express the family's respect for the old lady.
Liu's mother knew how snobbish the old lady of the Chengguo Mansion was. After the Liu family was confiscated, the old lady didn't want He Xiyuan and Liu Yulian to be together. Otherwise, He Xiyuan wouldn't have to go to the northwest.
Fortunately, my daughter is not marrying Old Madam He, nor is she living with Old Madam He.
It was not until Mrs. Liu sat in front of Old Madam He that she realized how good at talking Old Madam He was.
"Rong Ning is capable. I've always felt she couldn't be any worse," Old Madam He said. "If I thought she was worse, I must be completely out of my mind."
"This..." Mother Liu really didn't expect Madam He to say that.
"Rongning should be busy. If he has something important to do, he doesn't need to come here so often." Madam He said, "Those banquets outside aren't the most important things. The important thing is for Rongning to rest more. Rongning must be very tired from all the things he has to deal with."
"Not bad." Liu Yulian replied. She was not particularly tired, nor did she go to the research institute every day.
Liu Yulian didn't spend every day researching when she was in the northwest. She knew when to rest and would let others do the research. Research is never a one-person job, but a multi-person job, a team effort.
"Young people get tired too," said Madam He. "Don't worry about others thinking you're young. You're full of energy. If you feel tired, just rest more."
"Okay." Liu Yulian responded, "Of course. If I'm tired and my brain doesn't listen to me, then I won't be able to accomplish so many things."
"That's right." Madam He said with a smile, "You are a good girl."
When Liu's mother heard Old Madam Liu's praise for Liu Yulian, she really didn't know what to say. Old Madam He was really talkative, active, and talkative. Liu's mother almost suspected that her daughter had drugged Old Madam He.
"If those people claim to be Yuan'er's cousins and ask you to do something, don't agree," said Old Madam He. "For a young woman to become a princess and hold an official position is already extremely difficult. If they want to work less hard for a few years, let them find a way on their own."
"Yes..." Liu Yulian didn't expect Madam He to say that.
"She really doesn't care about these things." Mother Liu didn't think about whether the Chengguo Mansion needed Liu Yulian's help, but when she heard Madam He say these words, she was still shocked.
Old Madam He had no other thoughts. She just felt that since Princess Rongning was so good at researching things, she should be allowed to focus on research instead of helping those hopeless people.
Who doesn't have some relatives who don't have much ability? Old Madam He doesn't think that Princess Rongning has to help them. Old Madam He thinks that Princess Rongning should study more, which is good for Princess Rongning and her future children.
Old Madam He was mainly concerned about her great-grandchildren. Those relatives, well, didn't have such a deep relationship with her.
"Just don't worry about it," said Madam He. "Every family has a few relatives. If you help one and not the other, they'll definitely criticize you. If they criticize you, will you help them or not? It's better not to help them in the first place. Don't you have to take the entrance exam to get into the research institute? Then let them take the exam."
Madam He really didn't think those relatives could get into the academy. People in the academy were all very good in some way. It was no easier than taking the imperial examination, and getting a job at the academy wasn't an easy task either.
Lady Chengguo listened to what Madam He said with a smile on her face. Yes, this was the old lady's attitude.
But Mrs. Mo was still a little shocked. The old lady's attitude towards Princess Rongning was really unexpected.
"When you have children, don't restrict them. Let them learn whatever they like." Madam He looked at Madam Mo and said, "Don't underestimate some miscellaneous books. There are top scholars in every field."
Liu Yulian was a little embarrassed. Madam He had never praised her so much before. Even though Madam He had written letters to the Northwest and sent things to the Northwest, Liu Yulian had never felt Madam He's enthusiasm directly.
When Liu Yulian and He Xiyuan were walking in the yard together, Liu Yulian was still a little dazed.
"Grandmother likes you very much." He Xiyuan said with a smile, "You are the benefactor of our Chengguo Mansion, so she will hold you in high esteem."
"If you hold it too high, it will hurt if it falls." Liu Yulian said softly.
"Don't worry, she will treat you well throughout her life." He Xiyuan thought for a while, "You have made such great contributions, and you are also a female official of the county lord. You are much more capable than me. In the past, she doted on me. Now, she only cares about your goodness and is afraid that you will leave me."
"Oh?" Liu Yulian raised her eyebrows.
"She wanted you and I to break off our engagement before, but now she's afraid you'd be unhappy," He Xiyuan said. "She's afraid you'd be dissatisfied, so she wants to pamper you even more."
He Xiyuan thought this was a good idea, as it would make it less likely that Liu Yulian would suffer in the Chengguo Mansion. Even though Liu Yulian couldn't stay in the backyard forever, He Xiyuan thought it would be better to let the old lady like Liu Yulian more.
"No way." Liu Yulian had never thought about canceling the engagement. He Xiyuan had run to the northwest for her and even gave up literature to pursue military career. How could she give up He Xiyuan just like that?
The feelings of youth are the purest, and besides, the relationship between the two of them is not bad.
"You are the person she cares about most now." He Xiyuan joked.
"That shouldn't be the case, right?" Liu Yulian didn't quite believe it.
"That was the case when you were my fiancée," He Xiyuan said. "When you didn't bring any harm to the Duke Cheng's Mansion, there's no doubt that Grandmother was like this."
"Who told you that?" Liu Yulian opened her mouth, she really didn't know what to say. Mrs. He was He Xiyuan's grandmother, and He Xiyuan actually said such a thing.
"Just listen." He Xiyuan didn't think there was anything wrong with what he said. He just wanted Liu Yulian to understand what kind of person Old Madam He was. "Don't be scared in the future. She will say this again outside and in front of other people."
He Xiyuan thought that his grandmother had always been such a snobbish person, and their grandmother was also very good at bowing her head.
“…” Liu Yulian blinked.
"Aren't there a lot of people outside saying that we have a good relationship? That's what my grandmother always says." He Xiyuan coughed lightly. He thought his grandmother did a great job.
"I don't know." Liu Yulian shook her head. She really didn't pay attention to what those people outside said about her and He Xiyuan.
"You'll hear it sooner or later." He Xiyuan said.
At the Xue Bo Mansion, Miss Xue San learned that the Xue Er family had gone to the Jingning Marquis Mansion, and wondered if the Xue Er family would ask Princess Rongning to help them. However, her parents would not go to the Jingning Marquis Mansion, and Miss Xue San knew that her father did not have a good relationship with the Jingning Marquis' wife.
"Mother." Miss Xue San still wanted to go to the research institute to do something. She didn't want to wait like this to get married.
"Don't even think about it," Madam Xue said. "You can't go to the Marquis of Jingning's mansion to find them. If you want to go, you can take the exam properly and get in."
"Father...he doesn't seem to like me reading those books very much." Miss Xue San pursed her lips. She bought some miscellaneous books two days ago. When her father saw them, he said: Read less useless books.
Miss Xue San knew that Princess Rongning often read miscellaneous books. Princess Rongning had researched so many things, so why couldn't she learn from her?
Since she couldn't ask Princess Rongning to take her with her, couldn't she take the initiative to study?
Miss Xue San felt aggrieved. She just wanted to learn more and hoped that one day she could be as successful as Princess Rongning.
"If he doesn't like you to watch it, will you not watch it?" asked Mrs. Xue.
"Impossible." Miss Xue San shook her head. "How could I not see it, Mother? I really don't want my life to be like this. Before, I didn't know that a woman could hold such a high position and be so valued by the Emperor. But now that I know, I want to try my best."
Miss Xue San knew she might never become a researcher, but what if she could become something else? One shouldn't limit oneself; one still needs to learn more.
"Okay, then you should try your best," Madam Xue said. "You don't need to talk too much about Princess Rongning in front of your father. Your father is just like that. He didn't help the Marquis of Jingning's Mansion, so he wouldn't take advantage of her either."
Madam Xue was helpless against her husband. She knew that the reason these people were in such a mess was because of her husband's deceased grandmother and the deceased old Master Xue. Those people had oppressed the wife of Marquis Jingning and Master Xue's mother to death. In order to avoid trouble for Master Xue, they directly sent Madam Xue to follow Master Xue.
Madam Xue thought that if someone treated her like this, she would definitely not be happy.
"Yes." Miss Xue San understood that her mother had said it many times, that is, they could not run to Princess Rongning.
Officials from the Ministry of Revenue worked out the institute's reward system, and the Ministry of Personnel also refined the institute's flexible work system. It's impossible for everyone in the institute to just go home and claim they're doing research. That would depend on what they're researching and what they're producing.
Those officials weren't envious of the academy's reward system. The maximum one-time individual reward was only one hundred taels of silver. Those who came two or three times a year would only receive two or three hundred taels of silver. Even if some officials' salaries were not high, their families had other livelihoods, and their annual income was more than two or three hundred taels of silver.
The so-called technology transfer is unlikely to be a huge sum of money at once, perhaps just a few hundred taels, or even a thousand. Even if the technology transfer fee is very high, the Ministry of Revenue has set a fixed limit on the amount of money an individual can receive at one time.
For example, if a team of seventeen people were given one hundred taels per person, the total for the entire team would be one thousand seven hundred taels. Don't underestimate one hundred taels; the total for the entire team is a lot, and the Ministry of Revenue certainly couldn't allow those teams to take so much silver at once.
As long as those teams develop other things, they can continue to share the profits. When they don't share the profits, they still receive regular salaries, and they don't have to pay for their experiments themselves.
In this way, other officials no longer think that those researchers can make a lot of money, and they will not attack the researchers.
When the researchers at the institute learned about this, they were also very satisfied. They had never dared to think that they would have a chance to share the money before, but Princess Rongning fought for them, and the emperor actually issued an edict to establish such a system. Of course, the researchers were very happy.
The emperor had other ideas for the palace. He felt he had to meet these researchers. "Let them all come to the palace once every two weeks."
When those scholars passed the imperial examinations and there were banquets such as the Qionglin Banquet, the emperor thought he had to summon those researchers as well.
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