Liu Mingzhi looked at his elder brother staring at him curiously, raised his hand and rubbed his forehead and laughed twice.
"I didn't do much. I just followed Uncle Cheng, Uncle Zhao and the others around the caravan to deliver goods. It's been exposed to the wind and sun. It may look a lot rougher than before."
Liu Mingzhi looked at Liu Mingzhi's somewhat honest reaction, with satisfaction in his eyes. He smiled and nodded: "Okay! It's better than sitting around at home doing nothing. Brother, after I set up my own business, I will take over the old man's family business." You inherited it without a chance, Xuan'er will always leave the cabinet, and Mingjie is still young, so the important responsibility of the Liu family will be placed on your shoulders.
But when the girl Xuan'er goes out in the future, you, the second brother who has inherited the old man's millions of wealth, must not be stingy. You must prepare a generous dowry.
Now follow Uncle Zhao, Uncle Cheng and other old brothers who worked with the old man to learn more, so that they can become qualified heirs in the future.
Yes, I have grown up. "
Liu Mingli laughed in agreement and hurriedly moved away: "Brother, stop standing. Let's sit down and talk. I've asked my servants to inform the old man. I think he and my mother will be here in a while."
"You're right. It's not a problem to stand all the time. Sit down and talk."
Liu Mingzhi walked towards the chair under the first chair and sat down casually.
Liu Mingli picked up the teapot with a wink and began to pour tea for his eldest brother. His humble and courteous appearance was quite the demeanor of a young man from a wealthy family.
"Brother, have a cup of tea and warm yourself up."
Liu Mingzhi picked up the tea cup with a smile and nodded: "No need to be polite to brother, you can sit down too."
"OK!"
Liu Mingzhi picked up the tea and was about to take a few sips to moisten his throat. From the corner of his eye, he saw Liu Xuan still standing at the hall door with no intention of coming in.
"Xuan'er, if you haven't come in and sit down, why are you standing at the door? I don't know how to say hello to your second brother."
Liu Xuan rolled her eyes at Young Master Liu and snorted. She crossed her hands on her chest and slowly walked into the main hall. She stopped in front of Liu Mingli and smiled sweetly: "Second brother, Xuan'er will pour you some tea."
"No, no, little sister, please sit down first, brother can do it by himself."
Liu Xuan was not polite to her second brother. She put down the teapot and sat aside. She raised her eyes and glared at Mr. Liu who was drinking tea.
The meaning expressed in the beautiful eyes is self-evident.
You see, this is a good brother, unlike some unscrupulous big brother who gets nervous here and there as soon as he comes back.
Liu Mingzhi pretended not to notice the younger sister's gaze, put down his tea cup and looked at Liu Mingli with a chuckle: "How is it? How is the business this year?"
"Oh, it's not that good. After tasting the sweetness brought by the mutual market, the current business is really not that good. It is not too bad compared to before the mutual market was established, but the profit is not as good as with gold after all. Businessmen from the two countries made more money by trading large quantities of goods.
However, I am afraid of comparison. Compared with the profits made during the heyday of the mutual market, it can only be said to pale in comparison.
In the north, the ones who have the hardest time are the businessmen.
Both the supply of goods and the supply of customers were lost in large numbers in the blink of an eye. "
Liu Mingzhi listened to Liu Mingli's somewhat deep voice and sighed with a lonely expression.
"There is no way around it. Whether or not to fight a national war is not something I, a minister, can decide.
Even though I can stabilize the situation above the Dalong Court, I can't control the affairs of the Jin Kingdom and the Turks.
It’s impossible without a fight.
Behind Shanhaiguan are our millions of northern Xinjiang people. As the eldest brother, I have no way out.
Sigh...don't be too discouraged. It will only last a year and a half at most. In the future, the opportunities for merchants will only become wider and wider, I promise you. "
Liu Mingli nodded silently: "I understand, in your position and in your political affairs, I can understand your difficulties, brother.
The position you are in means that you have no way out.
The court is watching your every move, and the people are watching your every word and deed. The title of "King of Side by Side" may seem like a high and powerful position, but it is also a position that is on thin ice. If you are not careful, your family... your family will be destroyed! "
Liu Mingzhi raised his eyebrows and raised his hand to pat Liu Mingli's shoulder: "Good boy, you have finally grown up and know how to consider others. Good brother, thank you for understanding my brother's difficulties."
"What's the point? If you don't do it for yourself, heaven and earth will kill you, but you can't live for yourself. In this case, what's the meaning of life? Isn't it too lonely? Come on, I will toast to my elder brother with tea instead of wine. Later Let’s have another nice drink.”
"Okay, let's have tea instead of wine, let's do it!"
"cheers!"
Under Liu Xuan's unhappy eyes, the brother raised his teacup and drank a cup of wine in a decent manner, as if the cup contained not just brewed tea, but a treasured old wine.
"Brother, I'll give you another cup of tea."
"No, just let me do it by myself. We brothers don't speak the same language, so there's no need to be so polite."
"It's okay, it's just a cup of tea. I can just pour it for you."
"Okay, okay, pour it, pour it, if you continue to be polite..."
Young Master Liu, who was being pushed by Liu Mingli, was startled, and his eyes subconsciously looked at the palm of his hand that was holding Liu Mingli.
Liu Mingzhi slowly loosened his fingers and sat down. He glanced at the second brother's index finger holding the teapot and the thick callus on the thumb joint. Liu Mingzhi looked at his second brother's left hand.
Looking at the thick calluses on Liu Mingli's palms, Liu Mingzhi's eyes became thoughtful.
"Brother, drink tea!"
Liu Mingzhi took the tea cup, glanced at Liu Mingzhi's hands again, glanced at his second brother's resolute cheeks and the faint glint in his eyes from the corner of his eye, and slowly handed the tea cup to his lips.
When the edge of the tea cup almost touched the corner of his mouth, Liu Mingzhi's mediocre aura suddenly became fierce.
"Liu Mingli obeys the order!"
"Last general Liu Ming...Ming...Ming...Big brother...Big brother I...I... "
Liu Mingzhi slowly put down the tea cup in his hand, stood up and straightened his body for a moment, then immediately bent his knees and prepared to clasp his fists.
But his movements were stiff and motionless, looking at his second brother Liu Mingli who also looked a little worried.
"Brother...I...I..."
Liu Xuan on the side saw the sudden change of the two brothers, her peach blossom eyes flashed with panic, she hurriedly picked up the teacup on the side and started drinking slowly with her head down.
Liu Mingzhi put his hands behind his back and walked slowly around Liu Mingli.
Squinting eyes were like a sharp blade, quietly examining Liu Mingli's body. Seeing Liu Mingli's standard salute posture, his eyes became deeper and deeper.
Although Liu Mingli's etiquette was not completed, Liu Mingzhi still recognized the general who held his position in the army at a glance.
After leading the army for several years, Liu Mingzhi still has this vision.
Liu Mingzhi stopped and stood in front of Liu Mingli, looking down at his second brother Liu Mingli indifferently.
"General Liu Mingli, which guard? Which battalion? Which flag? Or which mansion? Which prison gate? Which yamen?"
"Brother, I...I..."
"Say it! If you dare to say something wrong, my brother will carry out the family law on my father's behalf."
Liu Mingli looked at his elder brother's majestic eyes, and continued the complete set of etiquette, kneeling on one knee with his hands clasped in fists.
"General Gan Lianghou of the Xiaoguo Guard of the left army is under the command of Dongfang Ming. The vanguard of the left army is under the command of Dongfang Ming. General Ning Yuan, the general of the same battalion, Liu Mingli, is in the vanguard of the left army. See the general of the army in the middle."
"When did you join the army?"
"The second year of Tai'an."
"In two years, he was promoted from a soldier to a fifth-rank general, Ningyuan. He was held the post of general of the Royal Guards at court. This is a feat that can only be obtained by beheading sixty enemy soldiers. This is also a case of narrow escape from death in the vanguard camp."
"Liu Mingli, my eldest brother is blind. It can be said that he has a blind eye but cannot see gold and jade. I really don't know that a child who could only cry and cry was still a great tiger general!"
"Brother, I...I..."
"Get up, sit down and talk!"
"Okay...okay!"
