This year's summer grain harvest in Songjiang Prefecture was hampered by floods, so the shipment to Huai'an was delayed.
The trip didn't take place until autumn.
The prefect of Songjiang stood at the dock, watching the shipment of silver grain. He turned around and smiled and said to Shen Xuan, "This shipment was so timely, thanks to the help of Mr. Shen Ge and Brother Zongqi."
Shen Xuan didn't say anything. He turned to his steward with the account book in hand and said, "How much will the inner government have this year?"
The steward quickly stepped forward to look at the account book and said: "The internal transport warehouse has 85,494 taels of gold and silver; the supply warehouse has 27,067 stones of white grain, 19,776 taels of silver, 755 taels of natural wax tea, and 774 taels of unblocked silver!"
"Jia Ding font library, true color 33035 taels!"
"Wine and vinegar noodle game 2507 taels!"
"The feudal lord Lumi 2269 taels!"
The more the housekeeper spoke, the redder the face of Magistrate Songjiang became.
But the butler still didn't finish speaking, and continued: "In addition, the Taicang, Jingtongcang, and Fubu Yamen rice discounts in the Ministry of Revenue total about 94,604 taels!"
"The total amount of Guanglu Temple white grain and its losses, as well as asparagus grains and silver is 40,604 taels!"
"Ministry of Industry 29,560 taels!"
"The Ministry of Rites 1551 Liang!"
…
The steward finally finished reading, and the magistrate breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile: "This time, my dear brother Zongqi helped me to tell the difference in front of the elder. I will make up the rest and unluck it first. Brother, I am grateful in my heart. Don't worry, I will wait for the autumn grain." I'll be here soon, and I will make up for all the confiscated parts."
Shen Xuan then turned to the magistrate with a smile and said, "Prefect Fang, it's like this every year, and my Shen family can't bear it. If it's still like this next year, then I won't be able to help you!"
The prefect Fang apologized with an embarrassed smile and said: "Who doesn't know that the old house of Songjiang Shenge has a kind heart and attaches great importance to the friendship with the local people. Next year, next year I will definitely urge the people to hand over the summer grain as soon as possible, and the Shen family will have to pay for it in advance!"
Shen Xuan smiled slightly and said: "Prefect Fang, about the eighty-two hectares of silt fields by the river..."
The prefect Fang was slightly startled, and cursed in his mind that the Shen family had bought almost all the good land in Songjiang, so why did they now focus on the silt fields along the river that were flooded with seawater?
But when he thought of the news in the newspaper a few days ago, it was said that the Xu family in Hailing County, Yangzhou Prefecture, had transformed more than 3,000 acres of beach farmland by using cofferdams to wash the fields, and he suddenly understood.
The Shen family also wants to imitate...
But the eighty-two hectares of silt fields were prepared by the imperial court for Jinshawei. Now they are only in the name of Songjiang Mansion, and he has no right to deal with them.
Thinking of this, he said to Shen Xuan in embarrassment: "Brother Zongqi, the eighty-two hectares of land you mentioned are..."
Before Shen Xuan could finish speaking, the expression on his face turned cold: "Prefect Fang, today is my father's birthday party, so I won't be with you for a long time!"
After saying that, he left the dock with Ma Ju and a group of stewards.
The prefect was dumbfounded. He quickly looked at the grain and grass being shipped at the dock, and he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that no one was blocking the shipment.
But when he thought about the birthday banquet in the evening, he suddenly felt a thorn in his back.
Songjiang Tongzhi next to him whispered: "Master Fang, look at this situation, if we don't give this field to the Shen family, it will be difficult for us to go to celebrate the birthday tonight!"
Magistrate Fang waved his hand irritably and said, "Go back to the Yamen first."
…
Here Shen Xuan is sitting on the carriage, and Ma Juren next to him said: "Sir, don't worry, the prefect knows how to advance and retreat. The silt field by the river tonight belongs to our Shen family!"
Shen Xuan sneered and said: "The one named Fang can keep the black gauze hat. It was given to him by our Shen family. If he dares to blow up, I can take it back at any time."
"That's right, there are a lot of tidal flats in Songjiang, and most of them are unusable silt fields. If it weren't for our Shen family, how could he have gotten top marks every year in his exams? Now that his three-year term is about to expire, he won't have trouble with us at this juncture. of!"
Shen Xuan nodded, closed his eyes to rest and stopped talking.
The carriage passed through the Bachelor's Square and stopped in front of a mansion surrounded by flowers.
As soon as the doorman saw the coachman's greeting, he immediately trotted to lead the carriage to open the side door and let the carriage drive directly into the mansion.
Along the way, the carriage passed through pavilions and pavilions, and stopped at the gate of the backyard of the deep house.
Ma Juren got out of the car, carefully supported Shen Xuan and said, "Sir, please slow down!"
Shen Xuan smiled and said: "Mr. Ma, I want you to help maintain the banquet for my father's birthday tonight! You go to the front to rest first!"
Ma Juren accompanied him with a smile and said, "That's natural. Don't worry, sir. I will leave the guests at Juren's tables tonight!"
Shen Xuan nodded and walked towards the backyard.
"Yu..." The driver turned the horse's head and drove the carriage out of the inner courtyard under the watch of the gate.
After Shen Xuan got out of the car and just walked into the Aquarius Gate in the inner courtyard, a maid came up to say hello: "Second Young Master, Madam is waiting for you in the hall!"
Shen Xuan immediately smiled and said: "I've been waiting outside to support you. I've kept my mother waiting for a long time. I'll be there right now!"
After saying that, he took out a small silver barley from his arms and handed it to the maid.
The maid took the silver, looked around, and then whispered: "The third young master is here too!"
Shen Xuan frowned, then nodded with a smile, and then walked towards the inner courtyard.
In the backyard, several large trees hugging each other rise to the sky, and the surroundings are lush and lush.
Although it is not as small and exquisite as Jiangnan gardens, it has the majestic atmosphere of a wealthy family.
Shen Xuan entered the house and smelled a strange fragrance as soon as she entered the door. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be the smell of gold-priced ambergris accompanied by dried lychees pickled in rice wine.
This scent is mixed with fruity aroma, refreshing and charming.
At this moment, a lady in her fifties was sitting on a chair in the hall talking to a young man next to her.
Just listen to the young man saying: "Mother, I ordered someone to order a fox fur coat for you in Shanxi. I heard that they are all red, and I will send it to you in a while!!"
The woman nodded her son's head with a smile and said, "You are used to spending money. What gifts have you prepared for your father? Tell your mother!"
At this moment, both of them noticed Shen Xuan's arrival, and the scene where they had just shown a loving mother and filial piety immediately turned cold. The smile on the woman's face disappeared, replaced by a layer of frost.
"Shen Xuan has met my mother and my third brother!" Shen Xuan stepped forward and bowed to the woman.
The woman snorted coldly and said: "You still know how to come back?? Your father's birthday party is so busy, and you run out to hide at this time?"
Shen Xuan quickly explained that she went to the dock on the order of her father.
After the woman heard about it, she said, "Your wife is sick for three days and one day for two days. She always avoids me. Can you tell me which daughter-in-law doesn't come to my mother-in-law's house to behave herself? It's your family. My daughter-in-law always has health problems. If she continues to do this, I think you should divorce her and marry her again!"
Shen Xuan's face turned livid when he heard this, and the arrogance on the dock just now was gone.
My mother has been fond of her younger brother since she was a child and dislikes him as her second son. Now her daughter-in-law is just being implicated. Most of her mother's comments are directed at Sang and Huai.
Thinking of this, Shen Xuan felt aggrieved.
But at this moment, Mrs. Shen said again: "I asked you to come here this time for two things."
Shen Xuan endured the displeasure in her heart and bowed: "Mother, please speak!"
Mrs. Shen looked at her youngest son, then smiled and said, "I heard that among the guests today is a young man from the Xu family in Hailing?"
