"After Boss Shi drank this wine, I saved my face and dared to speak." Jiang Tiansheng smiled and said, "I remember that our boss Shi is also a Confucian businessman and a man who has read books. How can I be so loud? Are you noisy?"
"This, this, this seems to be the dialogue between Mencius and Song Goujian in the chapter of dedication, right? I remember Mencius said, 'Virtue and justice can be arrogant. The poverty of the homeland does not lose righteousness, the attainment does not deviate from the Tao, the poverty does not lose righteousness, so When a scholar achieves his ambition, he will not deviate from the Tao, so that the people will not be disappointed. If a person achieves his ambition, it will bring benefits to the people; if he fails to achieve his ambition, he will cultivate his character and be seen in the world'? "
Shi Mingtao didn't have much fame, but he had attended a private school since he was a child. He was familiar with the basic words of the Four Books and Five Classics, but he just didn't know what Jiang Tiansheng meant when he suddenly asked him.
"Oh, you're right, you're right, you're wonderful, you're awesome!" Jiang Tiansheng clapped his hands and laughed, "But why didn't Mr. Shi say these two sentences at the same time? 'If you are poor, you can be alone, and if you are rich, you can be both. Help the world!'"
"It's actually remarkable that Boss Shi can survive on his own even though he is not poor." Liu Wenzheng said with a smile, "But since you are now so prosperous, you should also help the world."
"The world is too big, and I'm afraid Boss Shi can't help him. I think it's better to help the poor scholars in our city first." Li Hong said with a smile.
"You three adults, you are really good at talking in circles!" Shi Mingtao said with a bitter smile, "Don't you just want me to provide money to support those candidates who come to Beijing to take the exam? Why do you dare to disrespect me by directly saying that you have to do it? Is it because of the great principles of Master Meng?"
"So I often say that among the rich people in Fengyang City, only Boss Shi is a benevolent and righteous person! Not only benevolent and righteous, but also sensible, not only sensible, but also kind-hearted!" Jiang Tiansheng sighed in admiration.
"Ming Tao, it's not that the three adults are trying to bully you with words. In fact, it was my idea. I want you to rush to make a set of examination clothes for each of the candidates for the imperial examination in the name of Taihexiang. Let's get back to Jiang. Your Excellency, you will report to the Emperor. This is your filial piety towards the Emperor, and it is also the Emperor's reward for our students." Xiao Chen said.
"That's right..." Shi Mingtao squinted his eyes in thought.
"If Boss Shi is really in trouble, I can also find a way to raise some money. We can do this together," Jiang Tiansheng said.
"Master Jiang, that's not what you said." Shi Mingtao suddenly stood up and bowed to Jiang Tiansheng and the other three people with a solemn expression, "How much money does it cost to have thousands of sets of clothes? I, Old Shi, paid for them all by myself. I have to thank the three adults for their help!"
yeah? Jiang Tiansheng and the three of them looked at each other, and they were all completely surprised.
"Boss Shi, are you saying something sarcastic?" Li Hong said.
"Or do you blame the three of us for being abrupt?" Jiang Tiansheng asked.
"Speaking from the bottom of my heart!" Shi Mingtao said, "I always want to show some filial piety to our emperor and help the court in a small way, but someone who has been in prison, how can he be qualified? Today It was the three adults who gave me a great opportunity, and Ming Tao is extremely grateful. If he is offended, how can I start talking about it!"
"Not to mention the clothes for the examination, even the clothes for the examination in the future, and the court clothes for meeting the emperor, I, Lao Shi, have all made them by myself! I just need Mr. Jiang to give me a look, and then measure the students' As for your figure, let’s work on it quickly, and everything must be done before the test!”
"Even the students' food, blankets, heaters, etc. can also be taken care of... As a merchant, I naturally dare not take on these errands randomly. It would be best if I can reward them in the name of the Ministry of Rites. I will only pay money. It’s not easy to discuss how much or how little in front of Mr. Jiang. Clothes don’t count, so I’m going to bother you with two hundred thousand taels.”
"Oh, Boss Shi is such a cheerful person!" Jiang Tiansheng was overjoyed, "I will toast you three glasses of wine today no matter what!"
"But I don't dare to do this anymore." Shi Mingtao said hurriedly, "Master Jiang has to go to the Yamen in the afternoon. It would be bad if he has wine. If the three adults are willing to reward me, I will borrow the treasure of Mr. Xiao tonight." Let’s put a table of wine at home to express our gratitude!”
"Ming Tao invites you, how dare you not come?" Li Hong also changed his name to Shi Mingtao, "I can't control them two, I have to come!"
Jiang Tiansheng and Liu Wenzheng naturally agreed happily, saying that Shi Mingtao looked rough and arrogant, but in fact he was careful and knew that it was not easy to invite the big guys to his home for dinner, so they took advantage of their good relationship with Xiao Chen to show off here. Drinking and treating guests, all kinds of things are considered in terms of face...
The three of them talked for a while, drank two cups of tea, agreed to meet here in the evening, and then left.
"Boss, I want to thank you again this time." Shi Mingtao and Xiao Chen were already very familiar with each other, and they changed their names unknowingly.
And now that his family has moved to Changshan, it would be appropriate to call him Boss Xiao Chen.
"We are all our own people, don't talk about strangers. We were chatting casually just now, and that's all we said in a hurry... I only found out you were here after hearing what the fat man said. Your whole family is in Changshan, and what I saw is... It's the New Year, why are you coming to Fengyang?" Xiao Chen said.
"I've been very busy, so I just took time out. Isn't this the New Year's Day? Why do I have to come to Fengyang City to do some things, and take a look at you, boss." Shi Mingtao said, "I've never been in Fengyang. Where did that Prince Xuanping come from?"
"You Ming Tao are talking nonsense again. Prince Xuanping is the emperor's son. Why did he come out of nowhere? You still think he is a mushroom." Xiao Chen said with a smile.
"Aren't you talking to your boss, so what's the taboo?" Shi Mingtao said, "I've also prepared a gift for him here, but I don't know if I should give it to him?"
"Give it away, why don't you give it away?" Xiao Chen said, "Not only must it be given away, but it must also be thicker."
"Then you have to use the banner of your boss, otherwise I'm afraid you won't even be able to get in." Shi Mingtao said.
"What's the point of using my banner as a non-official and non-civilian? How can my banner be as loud as that of the Queen Mother? When you went there, it was written on the post that you were the nephew of the Queen Mother. Can King Xuanping not see you?" Xiao Chen said.
"Boss, are you kidding me?" Shi Mingtao's eyes widened. "The Queen Mother is already dead. Besides, I was jointly convicted and imprisoned because I was a relative. If your boss hadn't saved me, I would have been exiled to the southern and western regions. If you go, where will you be today? Do you still dare to take this identity? "
"When the Queen Mother was alive and your relatives were powerful, you had to keep your tail between your legs. Now that the Queen Mother is dead and the relatives are gone, even if you use the name of the Queen Mother to show off for a little while, no one will do anything to you. , and whenever I mention the Queen Mother, I have to give you some face." Xiao Chen said with a smile.
"This, this, this...what does this mean?" Shi Mingtao scratched his head after hearing this.
"The emperor has cleaned up the influence of his foreign relatives, and has almost cleaned up all the relatives of the Queen Mother. There are not many left now. The only ones I know are Lin Handong and you, Shi Mingtao. The emperor is cleaning up the foreign relatives for the sake of state affairs. Pardon I only married you two because of family ties, haha, you can’t live without one of the Queen Mother’s relatives, right?”
