Chapter 221 Imperial Fragrance
Yuwen Tai's family was still busy preparing for the girl's marriage, so they didn't invite Li Tai to dinner.
After Li Tai finished his story, he said goodbye and left the Taifu. Seeing that it was getting dark, he had to go to Yu Jin's house tomorrow to discuss the date for the wedding, so he didn't leave the city and return to Shangyuan, but went straight to his house in the city.
When he arrived outside his house, Li Tai saw a lot of people gathered here, and he was a little curious. Last year, Gao Zhongmi moved to the countryside after being dismissed. Even though he was reappointed as Si Tu, he didn't move back. Why are there so many people lingering in front of the door?
He was also on high alert and did not enter the house immediately. He first asked his attendants to drive away those suspicious people from the door, then rode his horse straight into the house and asked the doorman, "Where are these people from? Why are they peeping outside the door?"
The doorman was also confused and shook his head and said, "I haven't seen them before. They gradually gathered in the afternoon. Some of them knocked on the door to ask if the master and the young master were at home, but they didn't have name cards. We didn't dare to reveal the whereabouts of the master, so we didn't leave..."
When Li Tai heard this, his brows frowned slightly, and he felt that it was a bit strange. If they really came to visit with good intentions, they would not hide their heads and show their tails like this.
However, he had not been in Huazhou for more than half a year, and he had no chance to offend anyone. Could it be that there was some old grudge?
"If there are more people who come to peeping and still refuse to explain their intentions, just drive them away!"
Since he couldn't figure it out, Li Tai didn't think about it anymore and simply gave an order. Thinking that he would have to stay in Huazhou for many days, he sent someone to the village to inform Gao Zhongmi and others, and to recruit a hundred or so soldiers to the city.
After telling them all, he simply ate the hastily prepared dinner in the kitchen, then undressed and went to sleep on the bed.
The next morning, Li Tai was still practicing his horse spear in the backyard. Gao Zhongmi, who looked more graceful and wealthy than last year, hurried in with some anxiety and worry on his face: "A Pan, did you cause any personnel disputes outside?"
Li Tai was also surprised when he heard this. He stood still, put away his horse spear, frowned and asked: "Why do you ask this, uncle? I have been in Beizhou for several months. After entering the country yesterday, I went to pay homage to the Grand Secretariat with the general, and I have no time to talk to people. Is there any harassment in the village?"
"It's not harassment, but from yesterday afternoon to evening, there were many strangers walking outside the village on the plateau. Many of them visited the villagers, most of which were related to your family's situation. I heard the villagers come to tell me at night, This morning I told the farmhands to keep an eye on those strangers, and I came to tell you to be careful. "
Gao Zhongmi also said with a suspicious look on his face: "You are different now. You are more involved in human affairs, and your actions affect people's hearts. You may not offend others unintentionally, but you can't avoid evil feelings and jealousy. You must be careful when you are at home. "
After hearing this, Li Tai nodded: "It is easy to dodge an open spear, but it is difficult to guard against a hidden arrow. Don't worry, uncle. My family is not the kind that can be touched lightly now. It is inevitable that people will be peeped at, but if anyone intends to harm us, once discovered, we will never forgive them easily!"
Gao Zhongmi was worried about Li Tai, so he entered the city as soon as the city gate opened. He didn't even have time to eat breakfast. After Li Tai finished his morning exercise, the two went back to their room to eat breakfast together and exchanged family affairs.
Gao Zhongmi was not idle in the village. Following the family budget plan made by Li Tai, he had been taking care of all kinds of family affairs. When talking about the current family affairs, he couldn't help but sigh: "I came here in a hurry and lost all hope. I thought that we uncle and nephew would depend on each other and spend the rest of our lives in misery. I really didn't expect that in just a short time, you, A Pan, would build up such a huge wealth in this village! Although the old households in Dongzhou are also called wealthy villages, they are the result of the hard work of several generations of ancestors, far less than your wisdom of starting a family from scratch! Everything I have seen since I came to the village has opened my eyes and inspired me deeply. Although I can't compare with your amazing talent, I can still keep this wealth for you..." Speaking of recent family affairs, Gao Zhongmi did not just sigh in vain, but also briefly told Li Tai about his recent business operations. For example, through the relationship with the former chief historian Nianxian, some manor products and rare goods were sold to the powerful families in Chang'an City. Li Tai had originally had such an idea, but he was too busy with work to take care of it. Gao Zhongmi took the initiative to manage this matter, which saved him from distraction.
Gao Zhongmi may not have the courage and ability to start from scratch, but he is still good at building relationships based on the existing personnel. The reason why he was forced to go to the west, in addition to the superficial erotic and obscene things, was that Gao Cheng couldn't stand his ostentatiousness and forming cliques for personal gain.
After he suffered a drastic change in middle age, some of Gao Zhongmi's rebellious and negative aspects of his character were greatly restrained. He was deprived of power and then transferred to another position, which made people realize that the Grand Secretariat did not completely abandon him, and his position was more stable.
In addition, because of Li Tai, the new noble of the hegemony, Gao Zhongmi now has a lot of momentum in the court and the opposition, and some things that Li Tai didn't expect were actually done by him.
"Prince Guangling asked for an introduction from the Chief Clerk Nian, hoping that my family could make a batch of jade soap and perfume for the imperial palace. The price was not low, but I still took the initiative to lower the price, only asking that the items be listed as the materials given to the imperial officials. As expected, after the mid-year celebration, the items became popular throughout the city, and visitors came in an endless stream. When Prince Guangling came again to urge for purchases, the price was no longer the same..." Gao Zhongmi was quite pleased when he talked about his marketing methods. Rare goods should be sold to the rich. Once the high-end market in the capital was opened, the momentum would be similar to robbing money, and the profit would far exceed the sales in the countryside. Li Tai was also happy after hearing this. Although the court in Chang'an lacked real power, it did not mean poverty.
In the old year, Xiaowu moved westward. In order to repay and appease the Yuan and Wei clans and Luoyang dignitaries who took the initiative to send him legal documents, Yuwentai gave them a large amount of human and land assets.
Take the current Western Wei royal family as an example. Almost half of Yongzhou's money, grain and taxes are provided for use, not counting the private donations from other states and counties to the powerful Fang Bo of the Yuan and Wei Dynasties.
Although he is becoming more and more a puppet, he is definitely not poor. No matter what Yu Wentai does behind the scenes, he must respect him on the surface and not take the initiative to take advantage of the emperor's private treasury even if the government's finances are in dire straits.
Gao Zhongmi was able to turn his family's property into an imperial merchant level so quickly, which shows that his relationship building skills are indeed quite good. Although the Yuan and Wei clans enjoyed great prosperity, they did not dare to recruit troops blatantly. They had a large amount of assets that could not be spent, so Li Tai did not mind spending it for them.
Li Tai was still discussing with Gao Zhongmi how to expand the royal private treasury, when two young men, Shuofeng and Li Ya, dressed in gorgeous clothes, came with their heads high. There is also a deerskin sleeve hanging on Li Ya's waist, which contains his ruler, so that the owner of the village can hammer and hone his piece of gold and iron at any time.
"Last night, we said that we would go together with Situ Gong. When I got up this morning, Situ Gong had already left. Fortunately, I haven't left the house yet!"
Several little Feng complained, and came closer to grab the steamed balls and stuffed them into their mouths. Li Ya did not dare to be so casual in front of Li Tai. Seeing Li Tai nodding, she sat down and grabbed the food. He said it with his mouth and said with a grin: "Master, I have learned the "Emergency Chapter"!"
Hearing this boy show off that he was finally blind, Li Tai also smiled happily and told him to study "The Analects of Confucius" next, and after he completed the study, he would give him his unique skills to challenge thousands of armies.
"What are you two planning to do with your coquettish outfits?"
Looking at these two boys, dressed in red and green, with youthful expressions on their faces, Li Tai couldn't help but wonder.
"Brother, you don't know? That's right, you just came back, so you definitely don't know. There is going to be a happy event in the city, and I am going to the general's house to be the best man. Do you know what the best man is? It is to select the handsome and handsome people in the city. The young man who helped him perform the ceremony paraded in colorful clothes and sang songs to welcome the bride."
When some of the Feng Ping Lao Wan soup spilled on his clothes, he actually raised his orchid fingers and sighed with self-pity: "I don't live in the city very often, and I don't know where they are boringly talking about how good I look, so this is He was chosen by General Yu, who is good at discerning people. I am not friendly with his son-in-law, so I might hurt my feelings by rejecting him."
Li Tai looked at his ostentatious and disgusting face, and suddenly felt that being the best man for the Yu family was quite embarrassing.
Next to her, Li Ya laughed and said: "I have no relatives in the Yu family, but I want to go with my cousin. I have made an appointment with Brother Bodhidharma to let him pass by me and share the gifts he asked for between the two of us!" "
Yu Wentai has now married three daughters, namely the crown prince of the Emperor Yuan Bao Ju's family, Li Yuan's son Li Ji, and Li Bi's son Li Hui. This time, Yu Yi, the second eldest son of the Yu family, is already the fourth.
The crown prince of the Yuan family was the first to get married due to political reasons. Li Yuan can be regarded as Yu Wentai's number one confidant, who dares to draw a knife to kill Dugu Xin, so their children have been married since they were young. Li Bi returned home this year and became in-laws with Daxingtai shortly after the New Year.
Thinking of this, Li Tai felt a little relieved. Even Shuofeng, a butterfly, had to queue behind him, not to mention that he was no longer a veteran cadre of Beizhen.
However, when he heard that these two boys had made an agreement to make a fortune while the wedding was held, Li Tai's face suddenly sank and he frowned and said, "Is this what Xuese teaches you? The master appreciates it, so he invites you." If you participate in the ceremony and preside over it, whoever dares to show his disgrace during the ceremony will be punished upon his return!"
Seeing Li Tai's serious expression, the two of them hurriedly nodded in agreement. Shuifeng also whispered: "Brother, don't be upset. We are just joking in private. How can we really be greedy for gifts?" It brings disgrace to the master..."
"I will also act as the best man in the family, and I will be in charge of all the money for the wedding. You and the other boys will come to me to withdraw money. Don't overpay!"
After hearing this, Li Tai calmed down a little. He first gave Shuofeng a lesson, and then said seriously to Li Ya: "The relatives of the girl's family blocked the road with their car, which means that the love is deep and difficult to let go, and it is not to make the wanton young man greedy for money." Make things difficult! When the time comes, just express your intention, and don’t forcefully block it when it’s time to let go!”
"I understand, the owner of the village is the most thoughtful in doing things! Brother and I will obey the owner of the village. When we come back, the three of us..."
Li Ya smacked her lips for a moment, and suddenly she beamed. Before she finished speaking, she saw Li Tai raising an eyebrow and glaring at her, so she consciously took off the deerskin sheath and took out the ruler and handed it over.