Su Xiaoguang clasped his hands behind his back and shook his head.
He looked at Su Xiaomang and asked, "Do you know how favorably the Song Dynasty treated businessmen?"
"Brother Ziyao, please give me some advice." Su Xiaomang should be a businessman now. Of course he wants to know this and bows his hand.
Su Xiaoguang nodded and said slowly.
First, the literati focused on businessmen. Fan Wenzhenggong said in his "Poetry of the Four Folks": "What sin do I have to do as a businessman? A gentleman is ashamed to be a neighbor!"
Secondly, officials also pay attention to businessmen. In the first year of Emperor Yingzong's rule (1064), he once issued an edict: "In the field of industry and commerce, those who have extraordinary talents and different practices will also be listened to."
Official edicts opened the door for businessmen to enter official careers.
Third, businessmen can donate money to confer officials. In the third year of Zhe Zong's Yuanfu reign, official positions were clearly marked with price tags of 6,000 guan for entrustment (real duty), 4,500 guan for borrowing (virtual position), and 3,200 guan for Zhailang (no rank).
After speaking, Su Xiaoguang looked at Su Xiaomang with bright eyes.
This is really a difficult situation, and there is no way out. I didn't expect that there will be another village with hidden flowers and bright flowers.
He thought he had no chance of an official career, but he didn't expect that Su Xiaoguang gave him a way out.
Although this way out is difficult and requires a huge amount of donations, the road is not blocked after all.
"Thank you, Brother Ziyao, for telling me." Su Xiaomang bowed deeply to Su Xiaoguang.
Su Xiaoguang waved his hand gently and said calmly: "We are all members of our own family, why should we be so polite."
After speaking, he glanced at Su Xiaodong and Su Xiaoneng without leaving any trace.
The two of them couldn't help but lower their heads, especially Su Xiaodong who was extremely ashamed.
Although Su Xiaodong and Su Xiaomang are biological brothers, they have the same father and different mothers.
He always relied on his status as a legitimate son to pass the imperial exams, and he deeply looked down on Su Xiaomang, who was a legitimate son.
Unexpectedly, although Su Xiaomang failed to pass the examination, he became the shopkeeper.
Su Xiaoneng and Su Xiaodong looked at each other with some uneasiness in their eyes.
Su Xiaoneng heard this and dismissed it: "What's so great? This donation has a lot of officials. An ungraded Zhailang will cost more than 3,000 guan of copper coins, not to mention 6,000 guan of copper coins for actual duties."
"If you don't have thousands of copper coins, there is no way to donate to get a real official position." Su Xiaodong answered without hesitation.
Even if someone works hard for a lifetime, he may not be able to produce so much wealth.
The two sang together and laughed after finishing their words.
Indeed, this requirement is too high, and it is not something ordinary people can achieve.
Su Xiaomang couldn't help pinching his sleeves, feeling a little frustrated.
How much money he has now is only ten copper coins, which is far from this goal.
Su Xiaoguang has been observing, not knowing what the two people are thinking.
He also laughed loudly, looked at the two of them and asked, "Do you know how many people are in this Jianfang?"
"There should be only a few people, or a dozen people." Su Xiaoneng felt that it had been exaggerated, because many workshops only had so many people.
Su Xiaodong thought for a while and heard that this project was very big, so he felt that there should be more people: "There should be a lot of people building this workshop, maybe a hundred people."
"You two guessed wrong. It's not a dozen or a hundred, but a thousand. You know, the Su family has twenty miles of road. This is not a dirt road." Su Xiaoguang thought to himself that the two of them really had no vision. This project is probably too small.
The two of them looked pale. They never expected that this project would be so big.
Thousands, you know, the entire Su family is only over a thousand.
It's hard to imagine how big this building is.
"Although there are many people, it's just an ordinary road, so there's nothing special about it." Su Xiaoneng was still stubborn.
When Su Xiaoguang saw the two of them, his tone was plain but rich in content: "Two of you, this is not an ordinary road, but a road to accumulate good deeds."
"Why is it called accumulating good deeds?" Su Xiaoneng didn't understand, or pretended not to understand.
Su Xiaoguang was very patient and still explained: "This road was donated by the people of Lingquan County. Of course it is a road to accumulate good deeds, and it can also be called the Road of the People."
Su Xiaoneng and Su Xiaodong glanced at each other and were immediately shaken.
"This is the first road for thousands of people in the Song Dynasty. I heard it will be recorded in history." Su Xiaoguang was afraid that the two of them would not understand, so he continued to explain.
Su Xiaoneng and Su Xiaodong could no longer hold on at this time, and they were about to fall.
This blow was too big. Just now, he looked down on Su Xiaomang as a bastard and mocked him as a businessman.
Unexpectedly, Su Xiaomang not only had a huge project involving thousands of people, but it would also go down in history as a road for thousands of people.
Originally, Su Xiaomang was a businessman as the shopkeeper, so he naturally had the smell of copper.
But with this reputation of accumulating good deeds, Su Xiaomang was able to wash away the stench of money that literati looked down upon.
No wonder, Su Xiaoguang, a third-term academician, also wanted to be a chief registrar.
Not only is it affordable, but it also has the reputation of accumulating good deeds.
What is fame and fortune? This is fame and fortune.
The two of them were still condescending just now, looking down on Su Xiaomang, a bastard.
Unexpectedly, in the blink of an eye, Su Xiaomang, a bastard, would be out of reach of the two of them.
Both of them were filled with regret at this moment, feeling that their hearts were suddenly hit by an unprecedented blow.
The two of them managed to cheer up and supported each other before slowly returning to the house.
Su Xiaoguang looked at the backs of the two of them and couldn't help but shake his head: "I had known this before, why did I do it in the first place." In fact, he still had one sentence he didn't say. He was not only on the road of accumulating good deeds, but also wanted to get to know the people of Zhaojiazhuang through Su Xiaoguang.
Zhaojiazhuang is now full of talents. If you are not particularly good, you will not be able to get into Zhao Ping's eyes.
Su Xiaoguang plans to finally get to know the little saint, strive to obtain the status of a fellow Jinshi, and get an official position.
In the past, he had been studying the books of sages and had never thought of this.
Now that there are still people from the Su family working in Zhaojiazhuang, how can they let go of this extremely rare opportunity.
"Brother Ziyao, are you serious? I don't believe it at all." You know, he used to be a small foreman with only a dozen people.
Now that he was suddenly managing so many people, and Wan Minlu had accumulated good deeds, he suddenly felt a lot of pressure.
Su Xiaoguang saw Su Xiaomang's anxious look and knew how he felt.
Su Xiaoguang nodded extremely solemnly: "Of course this is true, otherwise why would the patriarch want the wise brother to come back."
"I'm afraid my foolish brother has failed the patriarch's high expectations. He is young and has no qualifications." Su Xiaomang hurriedly bowed to Su Xiaoguang and expressed his true thoughts.
Su Xiaoguang took a deep look at Su Xiaomang and said with a smile: "Qualifications, your qualifications and abilities are the best in Zhaojiazhuang. Are you working in Zhaojiazhuang Jianfang?"
After speaking, he stared at Su Xiaomang.
He was a little worried. Although Su Xiaomang was working in Zhaojiazhuang, if he didn't build a house, wouldn't the Su family be in vain?
"Jianfang, of course, is there, but not many people are willing to do it. It's dirty and tiring." Su Xiaomang stretched out his black and thick hands and laughed at himself, "Brother Ziyao's hands are the hands of a scholar. , These hands of foolish brother are the hands of a pariah."
Su Xiaoguang couldn't help but put his eyes on Su Xiaomang's hand and looked at it carefully.
Su Xiaomang's hands turned out to be similar to his own, white and soft.
The hands now look like those of a farmer. Not only are they dark and rough, but there are also many cracks on them, which is obviously the result of long-term manual operation.
"Brother Xian is humble, your hands are like Lu Ban's hands, which makes Brother Yu admire you." Su Xiaoguang agreed and asked casually: "It seems that these hands of brother have dealt with immortal concrete and immortal cement. "
If Su Xiaomang had never worked in immortal concrete and immortal cement, then it would be better not to build a workshop in Zhaojiazhuang.
Su Xiaomang did not doubt that he was there. He looked at his hands and smiled bitterly: "I deal with those every day, and my hands become so vulgar."
"My dear brother, you have worked hard." Su Xiaoguang looked at him and bowed his hands and said, "If my dear brother doesn't dislike it, Brother Yu is willing to be the master of building the workshop and help my dear brother to complete this good deed."
Since Su Xiaomang had built a workshop in Zhaojiazhuang, and with the proof from this hand, it was obvious that the biggest problem in building a workshop for the Su family had been solved.
Su Xiaomang still wanted to refuse, but at this time Su Buqi, Su Buqing and other clan leaders had already come out of the meeting hall.
They didn't come forward at first, just because they wanted Su Xiaoguang to inquire about Su Xiaomang's specific situation.
Upon hearing this, Su Xiaomang did not live up to their expectations, so they came out one after another.
Su Bude gave his grandson a kind look and said, "Mang'er, in terms of qualifications and abilities, there is no one else in the Su family working in Zhaojiazhuang Jianfang. Don't refuse to be the shopkeeper. The clan leader has agreed to let you be the shopkeeper of Jianfang."
Su Bude actually didn't pay much attention to Su Xiaomang before. He was neither a judge nor a legitimate son, and he almost regarded him as nothing.
What he originally valued was his eldest grandson Su Xiaodong.
Su Xiaodong is not only the eldest grandson, but also the official, representing the future of their family.
But he never expected that it would be his grandson, whom he had never paid attention to, who would save the Su family at the critical moment.
The Su family has been around for hundreds of years, and almost every house has a lot of candidates.
Although there are many people in the Su family, he is the only one who has formed an indissoluble bond with Zhaojiazhuang Jianfang.
Now to build this Chidao, only Zhaojiazhuang has unique skills.
Thinking of this, he felt that God took too good care of the Su family, and even the third bedroom.
Seeing the third room proudly announcing his grandson as the shopkeeper, the other rooms looked jealous.
Not to be outdone, the clan leader also made subtle remarks while announcing the choice of shopkeeper.
"Mang'er will be the shopkeeper, and Guang'er will be the bookkeeper. Guang'er will assist Mang'er in running the Su family's building. Let the world see that the Su family can build Chidao upright." Su Buqi also looked at himself kindly. A glance at his direct grandson Su Xiaoguang.
He is the patriarch of the clan, and his eldest grandson is a three-time elected official, which should have been his pride.
But he couldn't be proud at this time, and he didn't expect that he would become a subordinate of a concubine who had no reputation as a civil servant.
This was actually a very shameful thing, but not only could he not refuse, but he strongly recommended his eldest grandson to be this bastard's subordinate.
Originally, there was no main bookkeeper in Jianfang, only the shopkeeper and accounting foreman, which was full of the smell of businessmen and low-income people.
Naturally, after Zhaojiazhuang introduced master bookkeepers to other industries, the image of these lowly industries in the past immediately became higher.
After all, the title of chief register is an official title, and its role is to assist the chief official.
Now, arranging a master register in Jianfang can not only avoid the smell of copper, but also look taller.
The Su family comes from a family of farming and reading. This arrangement is not only full of scholarly atmosphere, but also has great real power, so that the patriarch does not completely lose face.
Seeing that the patriarch had come forward, Su Xiaomang could not refuse and had to agree.
But the building was too big, and the project was too big, too big to look like him.
He used to mainly repair and build houses, and of course he also dealt with cement floors.
But these are all small projects, and they pale into insignificance compared with the projects on Twenty Mile Road.
What's more, this is the road for all people to accumulate good deeds, and there can be no mistakes.
Thinking of this, his heart became heavy and his face became a little confused.
Fortunately, the clan leader's eldest grandson is also the chief registrar in building this workshop, which can alleviate some of the pressure.
When he returned to his house, his biological mother Su Lin saw him like this.
Haodan stepped forward to hug him and suddenly cried loudly: "Son, what's wrong with you? You've become black and thin?"
"Mother, this is your son." Before he could finish his words, the maid suddenly came in to report.
The maid's voice was very anxious, "Jiu Lang, the official asked you to come to his study."
Su Xiaomang ranks nineteenth among the entire Su family, so he is also called the Nineteenth Man.
Su Xiaomang couldn't help but be stunned. His father was looking for him now and he was so anxious. Could it be that there was something important?
Could it be that the legitimate son complained in front of his father? Thinking of this, Su Xiaomang felt a little uneasy.
He was uneasy, and his biological mother was even more uneasy.
"Son, don't make your father angry. No matter what, you are also his biological son." Su Lin wiped her tears and carefully persuaded Su Xiaomang.
In this big aristocratic family, Su Lin is not qualified to be Su Xiaomang's mother.
He has only one real mother, Su Gushi, the wife of his father Su Hannian.
Mrs. Su Gu is the only mistress of this family and the mother of all Su Hannian's children.
The concubine generally cannot call Su Lin his mother, but usually calls her sister. At most, he can only call her mother secretly.
Because the concubine's status in the family was extremely low, some sons even looked down on their biological mothers and only recognized their aunts.
Just imagine, when a biological son does not recognize himself, it is such a huge blow to a mother. It can be said that life is worse than death.
Su Lin is lucky, her son has always recognized her.
Because her son wanted to recognize her, he did not hesitate to have conflicts with his biological brother Su Xiaodong.
Su Lin comforted her but felt heartache at the same time.
No matter what their relationship is, they are still biological brothers after all.
She hoped that Su Xiaodong should take care of this brother when he saw that the two were biological brothers.
Although she thought so, Su Xiaodong didn't think so at all.
Not only did he look down on his brother Su Xiaomang, he also looked down on the Su Lin family at all.
Su Xiaodong never looked at her, and never greeted her, as if she didn't exist.
Su Lin knew this, but she had no choice. Who said she was a concubine?
Su Xiaomang followed the maid and came to her father's study uneasily.
Sure enough, Su Hannian, who was about forty, was drinking tea in the study, with Su Xiaodong sitting next to him.
Su Hannian asked Su Xiaodong to sit down, with a smile on his face and motioned to the maid.
The maid nodded, then took out the tea cup and made Su Xiaomang a cup of drunken spring breeze.
Su Xiaomang did not expect that he would enjoy tea for the first time.
You know, when he used to drink tea, he could only drink tea in his own room, and he could only drink group tea.
As for Zui Chunfeng, he had no such idea at all.
Seeing Su Xiaomang being flattered and drunk with spring breeze tea, Su Hannian nodded with satisfaction.
He coughed, looked at Su Xiaodong, and then asked: "Xiao Mang, I heard that you are the shopkeeper in Jianfang?"
"Tell father, the patriarch arranged it. The child wants to refuse, but can't." Su Xiaomang put down the tea cup and answered respectfully.
Su Hannian and Su Xiaodong couldn't help but change their expressions when they heard about the rejection.
After hearing that the refusal was not successful, the faces of the father and son softened.
Su Hannian looked him over, breathed a sigh of relief, and shook his head: "Xiao Mang, the patriarch is interested in you, and it was our ancestor who fought for it. It's hard to get your position as shopkeeper. This is the pride of the third house. You must not refuse it."
"My child obeys my orders." Hearing his father say this, he could only nod in agreement.
Su Hannian's face was full of smile. He looked at his two sons and smiled: "Xiao Mang, your workshop has thousands of craftsmen. It's not enough to just have a shopkeeper. It's not easy to manage. You need a deputy shopkeeper to be you." Take action."
"Tell father, the patriarch has already taken charge of a bookkeeper. It is Brother Yao, the patriarch's eldest grandson. He can assist the child." Su Xiaomang didn't know what his father meant, so he hurriedly told the patriarch's arrangement.
Su Hannian shook his head, drank tea, analyzed, and patiently persuaded: "Xiao Mang, think about it, in a building with thousands of people, how can you two manage so many people well? This is On the road of accumulating good deeds and benefiting all people, there must be no mistakes."
"Father is right. It's just that the clan leader didn't make arrangements. Where did the deputy shopkeeper come from?" Su Xiaomang thought that his father was right, but he felt uneasy when he thought that the clan leader had no arrangements.
Su Hannian looked at Su Xiaomang and saw that he agreed with her, and the smile on his face became thicker and thicker.
He gave his two sons a kind look and finally said his purpose: "Xiao Mang, look, your brother is your deputy shopkeeper. How about this?"
"What, my brother is the deputy shopkeeper for my brother?" Su Xiaomang never expected that his father called him here for this purpose.
