Qiao Dalang pointed out each item one by one and explained it to him. With just a glance, he could tell without hesitation how much of each kind of food was consumed, whether it was cheaper or more expensive than yesterday, and whether the purchasers had cheated anyone.
Guan Guanze listened, and his first reaction was that Qiao Dalang would not take the imperial examination in the future, and would take over the household of the Qiao family? Otherwise, why would he pay attention to these trivial matters in the Qiao family's kitchen now?
Aren't there special managers for all these things, who will report to the head of the household after calculating everything? Why does a grown man need to ask about it, and still haggle over every penny!
Thinking about it again, this is impossible, Qiao Dalang's grades are among the top three in Class A. But what is the purpose of the Qiao family doing this?
At first glance it seemed that Qiao Erlang and Qiao Sanlang were also looking at the account book, but one was talking to Qiao Silang and the other was talking to Qiao Wulang.
Isn’t the future head of the Qiao family crazy?
"It's just a few taels of silver, why do you have to haggle over it so much?"
"Yes, just a few ounces of silver. Even with just these few ounces of silver, we may not be able to make enough money!"
The next day, Guan Jianze changed into ordinary clothes, concealed his identity as the eldest son of the Guan family, and worked hard with several classmates from the Qiao family to do odd jobs for half a day and a whole day, but only earned five copper coins. He could no longer talk about a few taels of silver.
How many copper coins are there in this tael of silver? It seems to be one thousand coins. He only earns five copper coins a day. How many days will it take him to earn one tael of silver?
He counted on his fingers for a long time but still couldn't figure it out. He handed it over in disbelief, "It will take two hundred days, nearly three and a half months?"
Qiao Erlang couldn't bear to see her being so stupid, so he kindly told her, "This is based on the premise that you can have food and shelter. If you become an apprentice, not only will you not get paid, but you will also have to pay money to the master. It will take you ten or eight years to become a master, and you won't get a penny in your pocket."
Guan Jianze looked at the five or six blisters on his hands, and the pain in his waist and back reminded him all the time how much he had paid today for these five copper coins.
Who on earth told him that taking a few taels of silver was just a small amount of money? How much wealth could the few taels of silver that he often gave to his servants be?
After listening to the housekeeper's report, Qiao Xin did not stop anything. She just asked Zhang Hu to send a few more people to protect the children's safety. As for how they earned pocket money, she should not interfere too much.
On the contrary, Zhang was a little worried. After all, that was the treasure of the eldest wife of the Guan family. If the old general really knew that his precious child was suffering, she would not be able to do it without complaints if she put herself in his shoes.
"Mother, should we tell the old general that this child is not our own?"
"No need. Do you think the boy next to that child is just a decoration? The second brother will just mention it to Lord Pei tomorrow. We didn't sign that agreement for nothing."
Emperor Wu was reading the agreement that Qiao Xin had mentioned in the side hall. The King of Qi and the Right Prime Minister were also left to work overtime. Qiao Xin had made comprehensive preparations, not only outlining the scale that Qingyang Academy would achieve in the future, but also the funds and personnel that would be invested in the early stages.
How many sessions will it be divided into, how many people can be enrolled, the ratio of students from ordinary people to those from wealthy families, how the tuition fees will be determined, and how subsidies will be provided to students with special talents and poor students.
The school rules and regulations of Qingyang Academy, the code of conduct for teachers and students, the educational goals and teaching contents, the educational purpose, etc. were all displayed in detail in written form in front of Emperor Wu.
In fact, Qiao Xin had prepared all these things when she was planning to set up the Qiao Family Private School. Now she is just taking them out and modifying them and using them again in the Qingyang Academy.
Qiao Xin even wrote a letter to His Majesty at the end, in which he said in a heavy tone: "Children are the future of a country. A strong youth means a strong country, and a smart youth means a smart country. In the end, all countries compete with each other for talent... But when wars broke out, the Chinese people crossed the river to the south and took away a large number of books and talents. Instead of begging them to come back and help Dajing, it would be better for Your Majesty to cultivate talents loyal to Dajing step by step..."
Emperor Wu handed the letter to the King of Qi and the Right Prime Minister: "What do you think?"
The right prime minister's words were not pleasant to hear, but they were true. "Your Majesty, since you don't want the court to pay, why don't we try to run a school in your name? It will be beneficial to the court, and even if it fails, the Qiao family will handle it."
"How was the conversation between the King of Qi and those people from Nanliang?"
"Their appetite is too big. They want to arrange for their family members to serve as officials in the court, but also want to retain their troops! They want Your Majesty to restore the system of three dukes and nine ministers."
Emperor Wu threw the memorial in his hand away and said, "Humph, these old guys are still dreaming!"
He wants both, and he still thinks he is the coward of the last emperor? How can a king of a country let others step on his head and shit on him? He keeps his private army and controls the government. Will he be replaced as the emperor next?
"No need to waste any more time. I want to see if the Qiao family will really give me another surprise! Tell Qiao Xin the news about Bachelor Rui and Bachelor Ai Shiba. It's up to her whether she can get it or not.
Give the Ministry of Industry a heads-up and send a few people to Qingyang Academy to provide guidance."
"What about the source of this life?"
Emperor Wu replied without even looking up, "Hasn't the Guan family already set an example? If the child of that court official really goes there, what's the harm in signing this agreement?"
The King of Qi recalled the report from his servants today and couldn't help laughing: "I heard that the boy from the Guan family was taken by the boys from the Qiao family to do hard labor for a whole day and only got five copper coins. After returning in the afternoon, he no longer dared to complain. The effect was immediate. It's still right what Madam Qiao said, 'It's better to teach someone a thousand times than to teach him once.'"
The King of Qi said with some emotion, "There is Xu Can in front and the Guan family in the back. These troublemakers have become as obedient as quails when they come to the Qiao family. If the emperor did have half-grown children, he would really like to send one over to discipline them."
Emperor Wu was stunned when he heard this. Thinking of the Seventh Prince who lost his mother a few days ago, he suddenly thought: "Let's send the Seventh Prince over there!"
The Right Prime Minister was the first to stand up and object, "Your Majesty, this is absolutely not possible. I hope you will think twice!"
Sending the prince to a civilian academy is almost like exile. Emperor Wu will be criticized to death by the court officials, and the Qiao family will be pushed to the forefront.
Moreover, the Seventh Prince had just lost his mother, and if he left the palace at this time, wouldn't His Majesty be known as mean and ungrateful? Besides, the Qiao family is currently a staunch royalist, and it is clear that they are working for His Majesty. Once this happens, won't it push them to other forces?
Emperor Wu had only a brief thought in his mind, and he regretted it as soon as he spoke it. After being persuaded by the King of Qi and the Right Prime Minister Dede, he gave up the idea.
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