Ma Shi never expected to hear such ridiculous statements from her eldest sister Zhou Ma.
The old man from the third house of the Zhou family subsidized the border army and spent all his family property? Except for his wife, Mrs. Ma, no one else in the world knew about this. It was not until recent years that his eldest son Zhou Shigong learned the truth from his stepmother?
You can't make up a lie so outrageous, right? !
When Hai Xiya first arrived in Chang'an, he could only serve as a small warehouse ambassador. Later, he gradually showed his talents in accounting and management, and was promoted. Although he held a low official position in Chang'an, he was often seconded to the capital and various guards to do accounting, and he also worked hard to finance the border army's financial deficit.
His management ability left a deep impression on the senior generals of the Northwest Frontier Army. Many people still remember him more than ten years later, not to mention that after the resumption of Suzhou, he added a wine workshop and a glass workshop. The achievements and profits of the latter were so huge that everyone in Chang'an City saw it.
This time he was transferred back to Chang'an. He only had a name in Shaanxi Dusi and went to plant new grains for Tao Shilang of the Ministry of Household Affairs in the capital. How many people were saddened after hearing the news!
After Hai Xiya returned to Chang'an, he came home late almost every day for ten days, not all because of busy work. Many times, it was old acquaintances from the past who would invite him to have a glass of wine and help him come up with ideas to see if they could add a few more ways to make money for each hospital. Even if there was no glass workshop, other workshops would do.
Hai Xiya has never concealed these things from his wife, and Ma is very clear about her husband's past experiences and connections.
When the old man from the third room of the Zhou family was in charge of the logistics work of the border army in Dusi, Shaanxi Province, Hai Xiya worked under him for six years. Then he was promoted and went elsewhere. He was replaced by Cai Ping, Hai Xiya's apprentice at the time, who also worked for six years. Year. When Hai Xiya was later transferred to Ganzhou, Cai Ping was also promoted. The person who succeeded him was transferred from Chang'an Zhongwei. It was said that he was not as capable as their master and apprentice. His family even heard complaints from people in Ganzhou.
There was a total of twelve years before and after. The person in charge of the accounts under the third old master was either Haixi Ya or Haixi Ya’s disciple Cai Ping. Although the latter had been transferred to Yan’an Guard, he was too far away and had not interacted with him for many years. The teacher corresponded with each other, but when they were both in Chang'an, the relationship between the two families was very close. It is impossible for Cai Ping to hide any secrets from his master. It can be seen from this that during these twelve years, there is absolutely no theory that the three old masters used their wealth to support the border troops.
Twelve years later, the third old man has almost retired from the army and is recuperating at home. In a few years, he will die. During this period of time, it is even less possible for his old man to subsidize the border troops.
Before Hai Changan arrived in Chang'an, Ma did not know whether the three old masters had ever done this. But if he had emptied his family fortune a long time ago, how could the third room of the Zhou family have been so wealthy and luxurious more than ten years ago? She still remembers how she was shocked by the wealth of the Zhou family when she returned to Chang'an after her marriage and went to her eldest sister's home for the New Year banquet for the first time during the Chinese New Year.
How could the Zhou family's third family, who had emptied their wealth, have the money to put on such a show? !
Ma explained these things in detail to Zhou Ma: "Sister, you should know it yourself, right? You have been a wife in the third room of the Zhou family for decades. Even if you don't care about the house, does it matter whether the family is rich or poor? You can’t see it at all?!”
Zhou Ma's expression became more and more serious the more he listened, but when he heard his sister's words, tears fell again: "Yumei! Why don't you think about it?! When the old woman said this to her, she also You don’t believe it! But the master has repeatedly said that this is true, so you can’t believe it... In these years, I have never felt that my family is short of money. That woman is stingy to her, but she is very generous to other people in the family. She herself is even more generous! She makes several new clothes every season, and wears new jewelry to match the clothes. Of all the young and old widows of the Zhou family in the front and back streets, there is no one who loves beauty more than she does! She also always sends things to the capital, and many of them are valuable items. Who would believe that she has no money in her hands!"
She always thought that her step-mother-in-law liked to dig out money and good things from her, just to embarrass her step-daughter-in-law. The third family member of the Zhou family has always lived a wealthy life, and it has not changed since the old man passed away. How could she have thought that this family was already poor? !
Now after listening to her sister's words, her face became even more ugly: "Yumei, what you said is true, right? My brother-in-law is really sure that our old man did not subsidize the border army? Maybe he did, but he kept it secret from those around him. Where are the people?"
Ma said: "Your old master is a great general who dominates the battlefield. Being upright and honest is more important than doing logistics. He can't settle accounts. If he doesn't have a good hand in accounting, he may not even have many sets of armor in the treasurer of the capital. I can count them all. When Mr. Ermen first came to work under him, he had already made a joke. It’s just that Mr. Ermen was a kind man and never told anyone about it except to mention it to him at home. No one helped you, old man. Even if we put money into the border army’s account, we still can’t settle it!”
What's more, when the northwest frontier army's food, grass and military supplies were withheld by the imperial court, and the Zhou family was worried about the army's use from top to bottom, Haixi Ya worked hard to find ways to make money for the frontier army. He put in so much effort and made great contributions to raising food and fodder for the border army. Why now, Mrs. Ma and Zhou Shigong are talking about it, and they attribute the credit for solving the financial difficulties of the border army to the old man of Sanfang, saying It seems as if the frontier army relied on the money from the third room to get through the difficulties. Where does this put the credit for Haixi Cliff? Was her husband's more than ten years of hard work just wiped away? !
When Ma thought of this, he became very angry: "If your old man really had the ability to hide it from everyone, send money to the border army treasury, settle the account, and not let the people around him find any clues, he would still What's the use of our master? He doesn't have to stay in Chang'an to do any logistics. Why not go to the capital to become the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs? He can also use his own money to support the army for the imperial court!"
Zhou Ma wanted to cover her sister's mouth: "Don't talk nonsense! This is too taboo. Don't hurt my eldest sister!"
"It's not the one who wants to harm eldest sister." Ma snorted coldly, "Who made up such a lie, saying that the border army has been supported by the money of a third house all these years? That is the person who really wants to kill your whole family! Sister If you hear anyone say that in the future, just slap the loudmouth in the face! She wants to kill your children and grandchildren, why are you still being polite to her?!"
Zhou Ma pursed his lips and said with some sadness: "Why have you ever believed such a lie? It's just that the master...he also said the same..."
"What does my brother-in-law know about general affairs?" Ma disagreed. "He is a scholar. He has never managed accounts since he was a child, and he doesn't know how money is managed in the army. Naturally, he will believe what others say. But he believes it. If you are the wrong person, eldest sister should let him know the truth, otherwise he will be confused, deceived by others, and treat him as his own mother!"
As she spoke, she approached Zhou Ma again and lowered her voice: "When your sister-in-law got married, she brought so much dowry. Everyone in the capital knew that she had money. Didn't there still be people gossiping that your family must have been greedy for military expenses? Are you so rich that you can marry your daughter? What would they think if people in the capital knew that the Zhou family's third wife was not only rich enough to give their daughter a red dress, but also to support the frontier army? I'm afraid that the imperial court would increasingly deduct military expenditures in the northwest!
"At that time, not to mention the entire Zhou family, even the entire Northwest Frontier Army will be dragged into the water! Others will still question whether your old man was really incorruptible when he was in charge of the army's logistics? If he wasn't greedy at all, how could he have done it? So much money? The property of the three families is already calculated. If the accounts don’t match up and your old man dies, won’t your family have a hard time defending it?!”
Zhou Ma's face turned pale.
(End of chapter)
