Little husband's market life

Chapter 59

The couple are trapped in the warm daily life of raising children. Because Xiao Tangbao can't run or jump, and doesn't like to cry all day long, the home is safe and peaceful.

In terms of business, Shengjia Qiao Tea has set new standards in quality and packaging, so sales in the north are strong. This reputation boosted his worth, and there was really no big tea merchant in Jiangnan who could compete with Sheng Yao.For example, Hong Tianshun Tea now not only relies on his horse team going north, but also maintains a win-win relationship with his fleet going south.

The Hong Tianshun Tea House is definitely not short of money for shipbuilding, but he does not have the right to sell tea to Java.

At this time, there are only three major tea merchants in the south of the Yangtze River, Sheng Jiaqiao, Hong Tianshun, and Jiangnan Cuijia Tea. The former two are still friendly and cooperative. Little Tea, there is no comparison with Sheng Jiaqiao.

At the end of the year, when Sheng Yao finished his accounts, news came from the north that he was going to war with the Huns...

Xiao Tangbao has been seven months old, and he has already started to recognize people. After the news spread in the south of the Yangtze River, his father Sheng Yao had some solemn worries on his brows, and he was often away from home during the day. When I was awake for several days, I couldn't see my father.

Today, Qiao Zhishu and Sheng Ying were in the Nuan Pavilion.

In a warm room, little Tang Bao doesn’t need to be wrapped in a thick quilt. The little guy is lying on daddy’s lap, with his little fleshy claws holding his daddy’s finger, being played with by his daddy. Tang Bao giggled happily.

Sheng Ying was embroidering a hat for Xiao Tangbao, and she stopped her needle to look at Xiao Tangbao's pretty face, "It's a good thing that the business in the south has opened up, alas, how long will it take to fight in the north?"

"Since the war has already begun, we can only hope to win, and hope that we will not cause major losses to us." Qiao Zhishu stopped, and the little Tangbao on his leg was not happy anymore. The little guy kicked his legs hard, and the chubby The feet were wrapped into balls layer by layer, and they were soft and cute when they stepped on Qiao Zhishu's stomach.

"Well, if it wasn't for Yao'er going out every day to inquire about the news in the north, I, like the rest of Jiangzhou, wouldn't feel the influence at all..."

Indeed, the war is far away in northern Xinjiang, and it is difficult for the Jiangnan area to get news and be affected by it, so the people of Jiangzhou are still immersed in the joy of the upcoming Chinese New Year.

Qiao Zhishu nodded, "If you want not to be affected, there are many ways to move the center of gravity to the south. However, Hejin's ambition cannot be satisfied by a northern border. He has been probing for more than ten years, and His Majesty is not feeling well this winter. , It’s only been seven days, and finally he has waited for the opportunity to go to war.”

Qiao Zhishu's analysis made Sheng Ying correct her expression, "Then what is Yaoer thinking? Or is it that the caravan's center of gravity is shifting south..."

"If the trend of the ending has to move south, then move south, but now, the ending can still be changed, so brother must take action." Qiao Zhishu replied lightly, he knew that there are already many people who have traveled thousands of miles to the tea ceremony He was about to give up on Northern Xinjiang, but Sheng Yao had no intention of giving up.

That's why a husband and wife are connected. That night, when Sheng Yao came back, he discussed the donation with Qiao Zhishu.

Little Tangbao had already curled up on the bed and fell asleep, with his little nose sticking out, his little mouth pouting, and he was sleeping sweetly on his back.

After entering the room, Sheng Yao stood in front of the bed and looked at his son. His shadow completely covered his son's small body, and after looking at him for a long time, he said, "I've gained a lot of weight these days."

"I wear a lot of clothes in winter, and if he gets fatter, you will be the one to hug him in the future." Qiao Zhishu sat by the bed, felt the temperature of his son's palm with his hand, and he was relieved that it was warm.

An incense burner was placed in the middle of the room. Sheng Yao went to dispel the cold air from his body, and the moisture from the melting snow falling on his clothes was also dried.He took two steps and hugged Qiao Zhishu, and asked, "Then what should my husband do?"

Qiao Zhishu glanced at him, "You came back so early today, but do you have any good news?"

When it comes to business, the tenderness in Sheng Yao's eyes has not faded, and the smile on the corner of his mouth is slightly put away, "General Weiyuan has already set off with the army, and the crown prince has also accompanied the army."

"There were rogues and bandits on the commercial road in the north who took advantage of the chaos to loot rich merchants and big households. The rich merchants in Beiqing County disappeared overnight, and the officials fled and the people scattered. Now the whole county is empty. The fear is not foreign wars, but internal strife." Speaking of what I just learned today The news, Sheng Yao looked solemn, very worried about the caravan brothers who were still on their way home.

He sent someone to go into battle in light clothes, pretending to be a ranger in the rivers and lakes to deliver the letter. In case of encountering a bandit, he would just give his belongings to save his life.

Qiao Zhishu also became worried, "Then in the past few years, isn't it impossible to go north?"

"Hmm~" Xiao Tangbao, who was sleeping soundly, kicked his feet suddenly, and let out a tender dream.

Qiao Zhishu hurriedly hugged him in his arms, and let his little hands grasp her collarbone. Little Tangbao squirmed a few times, and continued to sleep without opening her eyelids.

Sheng Yao looked at the two babies, big and small, and made up his mind, "Thieves come out in troubled times. These people take advantage of the chaos to become bandits, and Jiangnan Yinye has to go through the North Road. Since something will happen sooner or later, it should be resolved as soon as possible. Zhishu, I plan to Donate to the court."

Now all the heavy troops have been transferred to fight the Xiongnu. The local government in the north is unable to suppress the bandits.

"I never doubt all your long-term concerns. There is a country to have a family. I agree to donate." Qiao Zhishu patted Xiao Tangbao's buttocks through a thick padded jacket, not knowing that those newborn babies in Beiqing County, What kind of life are you living now?

Left and right silver can't play its role if it is not spent there. Everything in the south is fine, and the teahouse is open as usual. Wang Su's spring tea is sold to neighboring countries. Sheng Qiao's family has never been short of silver taels.

Now that the two have the ability to keep the people out of danger, they inevitably want to take action. Only by keeping the internal chaos and fighting against foreign enemies together can they have a stable court as their backing.

Sheng Yao: "Hong Tianshun had a tradition of donating silver to the imperial court in his ancestors. At that time, when a war broke out in the Northwest, Lord Hai sent troops to the west. Hong Tianshun donated 100 million taels of silver to help Lord Hai win a big victory. After the war, Master Hai personally wrote A pair of couplets, at that time Emperor Qingguang named Hong Tianshun tea as an imperial merchant, during the past 60 years, Hong Tianshun monopolized the imperial family tea, and he has earned a million one million."

Qiao Zhishu could tell that Sheng Yao wanted to comfort himself, that he could make money again after the money was gone.

"One million taels of silver, if you donate it, donate it. After all, it is spent on meaningful things. As long as the teahouse is there and the South China Sea is accessible, we can always earn it back. Have you thought about how to donate it?" Qiao Zhishu Some are worried, "Excessive taxation and miscellaneous taxes have always existed. Even if the prefect of Jiangzhou has a good relationship with us, and through the hands of corrupt officials layer by layer, no amount of donations will be enough."

If you go further up and encounter some officials ordered by the imperial court to conceal and not report, and fill their own pockets with huge donations, it will really be chaos amidst chaos.First there are foreign enemies, second there are bandits, and third there are corrupt officials. The chaos becomes one pot of porridge, and donations turn into chaos for the court, which will be troublesome.

Sheng Yao felt that what Fu Lang said made sense, "Tomorrow, hurry up and send a letter to the Minister of the Household Department. If you want to donate, you can directly send it to the Household Department."

There have been two major cases in the south of the Yangtze River in the past few years, and Sheng Yao has established friendly relations with the Ministry of Household Affairs and the Ministry of Criminal Justice. Besides, it is a good thing to donate money to raise troops to fight bandits. Rich businessmen contribute funds, and the government takes political achievements. There is nothing that the Ministry does not pay attention to.

The two had discussions and reached a consensus.The advantage of growing up together is probably that the people next to the pillow have absolute understanding and support for each other.

Sheng Yao sent the letter to the household department in Shengjing the next day, and received a reply more than a month later. The household department will send troops to the south of the Yangtze River to collect and transport the silver in person.

At this time, Xiao Tangbao was already eight months old. He didn't like to move when he was in his father's womb, and he didn't like to move when he was born. Now he has the restriction of heavy winter clothes, and he is lying down every day "ahhh" Call, just wait for daddy to hug him.

So as soon as Qiao Zhishu held his son in his arms, he would turn him over and teach him to crawl, all for the purpose of getting his son to move.

In the Warm Pavilion, Qiao Zhishu sat on the edge of Luohan's bed, patted the mattress, "Tang Bao, come here."

Little Tangbao sat with his buttocks up. At eight months, he was already able to sit very stably, but the clothes were so thick that his two little hands couldn't reach his waist, so he could only hang on his side. Raising his eyebrows, he roared ferociously: "Ah!"

If the little guy could talk, he would have commanded, 'Come here and hug me!Smelly Daddy. '

"Come here, Daddy will feed you something delicious." Qiao Zhishu brought a bowl of goat's milk soup, and tapped the rim of the bowl with a spoon.

As soon as Xiao Tangbao saw the food, his little eyes sparkled, he threw himself on the bed humming, and then wriggled to his father's knee with difficulty, his little claws pawed at his father's knee, and said "hmmmmmmmmm" Hum hum.

Qiao Zhishu put down the bowl, picked up his son and put him on his lap, "Why do I like your humming so much? Would you hum again?"

Xiao Tangbao smacked his mouth up and down, making a 'baba' sound.

Qiao Zhishu held his son's white and chubby cheeks and kissed him several times before starting to feed him goat milk soup.While feeding, I looked down at little Tang Bao's cute eating appearance. The light from the window hit Tang Bao's face. On the stretched legs, the warm and light as nothing touch is heart-warming.

In the courtyard, Sheng Yao came back from the outside, still wearing a black fur cloak, with stern eyes, he became more mature after becoming a father, and his aura spread out, which was very shocking.It happened that the eldest sister was dressed in a cloak and was about to go out, so she greeted her and asked where she was going, that is, in front of relatives, he could be a little tender.

Sheng Ying replied: "A year ago, I bought more than ten acres of paddy fields and gave them to the tenants. I will go and have a look."

Sheng Yao looked at the maidservants and attendants behind the elder sister, feeling uneasy, and ordered his servants, "Go and call Wang Su."

When Sheng Ying heard this, her steps stopped.Wang Su went to sea in the second half of last year, and it was already Chinese New Year when he came back. Sheng Yao was very grateful for his smooth return, and kept someone in the tea house for the New Year. I have nothing to do, so I naturally follow to protect my daughter...

In the house, little Tang Bao, who was sitting in his father's arms and eating goat milk soup, heard his father's voice, stared around with big eyes, and asked him to push away the spoon that was brought to his mouth, "Huh?"

Qiao Zhishu looked interesting, so he didn't feed him any more, and wanted to see if his son could find his brother's direction.

After a while, Wang Su came over, still steaming.

"My boss is looking for me?"

Sheng Yao: "Elder Sister is going to see the paddy fields. I remember that you are familiar with the village. Don't worry if you follow me."

"Okay." Wang Su was very diligent. He came back from sailing for half a year. The Sheng family treated him well, rewarded him generously, and treated him well.What's more, Sheng Ying was the one he was protecting, and he didn't want this woman to suffer even a little bit of grievance without his boss's orders...

Sheng Ying waved her hands again and again, "I took the man, and I came back after looking around, no need to work, Brother Wang."

Wang Su: "I'll go and have a look. I was born in that village. I was busy during Chinese New Year, so I didn't go back to have a look... let's go."

Sheng Ying had no choice but to stop refusing, and said to her younger brother: "That's fine. Huan Sheng followed Gang'er to the teahouse again. You send someone to pick her up in the afternoon. She is nine years old and she has changed to become a female celebrity."

In the south of the Yangtze River, all the daughters of rich families will start to learn female celebrities at the age of nine. They must strictly restrain themselves with "virtuous words and workmanship", and workers are female celebrities.

"Yeah." Sheng Yao agreed, but actually he didn't intend to force his little niece to be a girl.

Only then did Sheng Ying feel relieved to follow Wang Su, and she could still hear Wang Su asking with concern when she was far away: "What happened to the paddy field?"

……

Sheng Yao glanced at the backs of the two of them, and nodded lightly. When he entered the room, Xiao Tangbao was already too excited.

"Hmm!" Xiao Tangbao tugged at his father's skirt and wanted to stand up, making a piggy humming sound anxiously.

"Hiss? Brat, you're pulling my hair!" Qiao Zhishu patted Xiao Tangbao's butt lightly, through the thick jacket, it didn't hurt to hit the child, but the child didn't know how to let go.

Sheng Yao hastily threw his cloak outside and walked around the screen, "Let me see."

As soon as Xiao Tangbao saw his father who was thinking about him, he grinned, "Hehe..."

The little face was warm and flushed in the greenhouse, and when he smiled, two small white spots that just came out on the gums, the little guy was so cute.

After Sheng Yao took his son away, Qiao Zhishu rubbed his scalp, raised his hand and squeezed Tang Bao's little butt, "As soon as you entered the yard to talk to elder sister, his little ears stood up, and his eyes filled the room. I'm looking for you."

As Qiao Zhishu spoke, he opened his eyes wide and pouted his mouth slightly. His handsome face was cute and charming.

Sheng Yao held his son with one hand, looked down at Fu Lang imitating his son's wide-eyed and turned his head to look at people, so fascinated, he pinched Qiao Zhishu's chin and bowed his head to kiss him enough.

Little Tangbao was sitting in his father's arms, kicking his feet happily, "Yeah!"

Qiao Zhishu's eyes widened, and after her husband's tongue had come in, he quickly pushed him away, "In front of Tang Bao! You are shameless, I want it."

Sheng Yao smiled softly, "He doesn't understand."

Xiao Tangbao stared innocently at his father with a pair of big black and white eyes, and flapped his wings like a duckling with his two small hands hanging by his side.

Qiao Zhishu wiped his mouth, and said in a cool voice, "Then what do you think? After the year is over, he's learning from others very quickly."

"Really?" Sheng Yao heard that sitting beside Fu Lang, facing his precious son, he picked Xiao Tang Bao's paw with one finger, teasing the baby.

Little Tangbao blinked his big eyes and suddenly a hungry wolf pounced on his father, biting his father's lower lip...

"Hahaha..." Qiao Zhishu gloated and smiled.

Sheng Yao held his son's small body, and held the little Tangbao far away, frowned and scowled, with a look of disgust, "I kiss my husband, what do you not like?"

"Wow!" Xiao Tangbao raised his eyebrows like a newborn tiger cub, and pouted after shouting, as if he was quite angry at his father's disgusting attitude.

"Hahaha..." Qiao Zhishu was about to cry from laughter.

"Another fierce one?"

"Ah wow!"

... Sheng Yao had a 'quarrel' with his son, and finally when Xiao Tangbao was about to cry, he gave his son back to Fu Lang, and ended the 'quarrel' by admitting defeat first.

Xiao Tangbao was happy when she retracted into her father's arms, and climbed up and down, touching her father's chin up and down with her warm little paws, for fear that her father would 'bully' her father again!

Qiao Zhishu had had enough of laughing, and lay on his back on the Arhat bed, with Xiao Tangbao drooling on his chest.

"During the first month, a thin layer of ice formed on the surface of the moat. Huansheng and Gang'er went to play in the snow outside the city, and Wang Su always followed behind to protect them. The elder sister came back and said that Wang Su was a very reliable man."

Sheng Yao sat cross-legged drinking hot tea, and looked relaxed in front of her husband, "Let them go, as long as elder sister asks, I will agree."

"Does it have to be married?" Qiao Zhishu asked curiously.

"In the past few years, the eldest sister has also been in charge of her own business. She bought land instead of running a cloth business. It's not that she is incompetent. It's that she doesn't want to leave home. If Wang Su can make her feel reliable, it's okay to marry him."

It's true, not only themselves have grown up in the past few years, but the elder sister has also grown up, and she will never be bullied by men again.If Wang Su could untie Sheng Ying's knot and give Sheng Ying enough sense of security, Sheng Yao and Qiao Zhishu would also feel at ease.

"Then let them grind it out slowly." Qiao Zhishu said.

The relationship between Wang Su and Sheng Ying is still going on. Wang Su was employed by the Sheng family's Qiao Tea, and continued to develop. It has the momentum of an upstart in the sea, so after the New Year, there are really people in Fucheng rushing to give Wang Su Su said dear, Wang Su didn't know if he wanted to test Sheng Ying or something, he didn't refuse, but he was very picky.But Sheng Ying is a woman who has divorced, this stimulation made her seem to shrink back even more...

The weight in his arms hadn't moved for a long time, Qiao Zhishu looked up and could only see the top of his son Mao Zhuzhua's head, and asked softly, "Brother, is Tang Bao asleep?"

Sheng Yao looked at Xiao Tangbao who was eating his hands with big round eyes, shook his head, and stretched out his hand to take his son away.

Qiao Zhishu got up and took a sip of tea, looked at the corners of Sheng Yao's mouth, recalled his expression when he entered the room, and asked, "You are in a good mood today, you must have received some good letters!"

"It still has to be my husband." Sheng Yao felt even happier, "Shang Shu of Hubu said that he has already set off. I count the days, and I should arrive in Jiangzhou at the beginning of next month."

Qiao Zhishu was surprised at first, and then nodded, "The war in the north is just when there is a shortage of silver. One million taels of silver is indeed worth escorting in person. However, such a big battle must have alarmed the Holy Majesty, right?"

Sheng Yao hugged Xiao Tangbao tightly with one hand, and took the letter from his arms with the other hand and handed it to Fu Lang.

Qiao Zhi stretched out the letter paper, read it carefully, and exclaimed: "The Holy Majesty knows this, and he is so happy that most of his illness has recovered?"

Sheng Yao teased his son and asked Qiao Zhishu to discover the surprise by himself.

"The sage praised Shengqiao as a righteous businessman, and he will deport the Xiongnu as a reward..."

Counting it, this was the second time to show his face in front of Emperor Qinglong, and he was praised every time. Qiao Zhishu excitedly went up to suck Sheng Yao.

Puppy Zai Zai Tangbao yelled 'Wow' again in anger.

In the end, he was carried by the two fathers out of the yard for a walk, and when he came back, he smashed his chubby face on his father's shoulder, and fell asleep pouting...

At the beginning of March, the Minister of the Household Department entered the city in a low-key manner, temporarily settled in the government office, and visited the Sheng family's Qiao Teahouse in person that night.

Mao Jian rushed to pass the message, "Master Biao, the magistrate is here."

"Prefect?" Sheng Yao guessed that the Minister of the Household Department had arrived in Jiangzhou, and asked again, "Is he alone?"

"There are two others, I haven't seen them before, but judging from the attitude of the magistrate, they should be distinguished."

Sheng Yao and Qiao Zhishu immediately made up their minds, "Prepare tea."

As soon as the couple went to the reception room, they saw familiar faces. They were really the Minister of the Household Department and the Minister of the Household Department.

Hubu Shangshu Wang Yi saw that Sheng Yao and his wife wanted to salute, so he hurriedly stepped forward to stop him, "No way, the two masters are righteous merchants praised by the Holy Spirit, so there is no need to be more polite."

Helping the two of them up, he himself praised: "Sheng Dong's family transported Jiangnan silver leaves to the north, and went out to the South China Sea with the Jiangnan Herald in hand, donating millions of silver, but living in this teahouse, with righteousness in his heart, is really admirable." !"

Qiao Zhishu quickly explained, "The house where we live started to be built two years ago, but it hasn't been finished yet."

"That is enough to prove that the two masters are not people who are greedy for extravagance and pleasure. If not, you can buy any yard with a million taels of silver, let alone a temporary residence."

"My lord's praise, I really dare not take it." The couple could only accept it humbly.

"I'm here, and by the way, I would like to congratulate the two masters. The two donated for the country, and the holy dragon's heart is very happy. It's just that the war has not subsided, and it is not easy to do rewards. I have wronged the two. When the general returns in triumph, we will be together again." Receive an award."

Hubu Shangshu personally visited Sheng Yao's home this time, and when he returned, he reported the situation of the two volunteer merchants to Emperor Qinglong truthfully.One is that the house is simple, without decorations, and the other is that the previous smuggling cases and official money cases were paid by others.

With every word of praise, coupled with the 100 million taels of silver that had just entered the treasury, Emperor Qinglong finally smiled.

"Under my rule, there are such righteous merchants among the people. I am very pleased. With these two people, why would the Xiongnu invade my land?"

The author has something to say: I'm sorry, babies, I had a fever two days ago, my throat was coughed and swollen, and my mind was not clear, so it was off for two days.