Not long after Jin Runzhi left, the Spring Festival quickly approached.
Despite the turmoil in the political situation, people still celebrate the New Year. Shops begin to decorate with lights and the atmosphere becomes much more cheerful.
As the Spring Festival approached, when Xiang Nan was worried about what reason he should give to the Leng family to send a batch of new year's goods without being rejected by Leng Qingqiu, he instead received the new year's goods from Song Runqing first.
"Yan Xi, my uncle asked me to give this to you." Leng Qingqiu took out two packages of gifts and saw one package of ice slices and one package of deer antlers.
"Why are you so polite, uncle?" Xiang Nan smiled upon seeing this, "Actually, it's my turn to give him a gift."
Unlike Jin Yanxi who pursued Leng Qingqiu so hard, she frequently interacted with the Jin family and even moved in next door to them.
Xiang Nan didn't have much contact with the Jin family. In the beginning, he invited them to the theater and had a simple meal at their house to build closer ties.
On the one hand, people's hearts are greedy, and if they have too many contacts, they will easily have thoughts that they shouldn't have. For example, Song Runqing, it was not enough to work in a diplomatic agency, she actually wanted to ask Jin Yanxi to introduce him to Jin Quan;
On the one hand, if you often walk by the river, your shoes will never get wet. If you interact too closely, you will inevitably be seen. Once spread, it will inevitably cause disputes. He didn't want to offend Bai Xiuzhu yet, so he tried to keep the matter a secret.
"Don't you know what he is like? He just wants to get promoted and get rich." Leng Qingqiu curled her lips and said, feeling quite dissatisfied with her uncle.
"It's not a bad thing to want to get promoted and make a fortune. A young man can't be without money for a day, and a man can't be without power for a day. No matter how noble he is, he still needs to eat." Xiang Nan said with a smile, "My uncle also had to live a poor life for five pecks of rice. Bending your back. If I were reincarnated as well as I was, this wouldn't be the case."
Leng Qingqiu nodded after hearing this.
…
Xiang Nan then reciprocated the favor and ordered Jinrong to send a batch of new year's goods to the Leng family.
Six pieces of silk and satin, six jars of fine wine, six bags of southern goods, a honey pot, and a bag of wild ginseng cost a total of three to four hundred yuan.
"Master Jin is generous in his dealings. My pack of ice slices and my pack of deer antlers cost only fifty yuan. You said they were too expensive as gifts at the time. I then said that you were a petty person and that you couldn't let go of your children to trap the wolf.
How about now, looking at the table full of gifts, they have been doubled four or five times and there is still enough. "Song Runqing said proudly to Mrs. Leng.
"It's generous, but it's too precious." Mrs. Leng looked at the gifts on the table, but she felt a little undeserved.
The so-called courtesy to others must require something. Xiang Nan has sent so many gifts. How big are they asking for? Can the Leng family afford them?
"Hey, you don't understand this. A wealthy family like the Jin family doesn't care about these things when dealing with people. People only care about their feelings. The so-called money is like dung, but friendship is worth a thousand gold. Do you still care about ordinary people?
Have you forgotten that in "A Dream of Red Mansions", Grandma Liu entered the Rongguo Mansion for the second time, but she only gave her some wild vegetables and fruits, but look at how much the Jia Mansion gave her in return, even a thousand taels of silver could not stop her. "Song Runqing curled her lips and said.
When Mrs. Leng heard this, she felt it made sense.
Their family didn't have anything, and they didn't care about her family. There was really no need for her to worry.
…
The Chinese New Year is naturally very lively for the Jin family.
Worshiping ancestors, receiving guests, visiting relatives and friends...it's hard to relax for several days in a row.
On the third day of the Lunar New Year, Xiang Nan and Bai Xiong stood across from each other and drank together.
"Yan Xi, according to the teacher's wishes, I have the idea of retreating." Bai Xiongqi said to Xiang Nan.
Years ago, Jin Quan gathered a group of their students together and expressed his intention to quit. Bai Xiongqi has always been ambitious, but sensitive and suspicious.
He was worried that Jin Quan was not really going to retreat, but wanted to see who was disobedient, so he deliberately went to inquire about Xiang Nan.
"I have this idea." Xiang Nan nodded and said, "After all, my father is old and has low energy. He always hurts here and there. Even if he wants to serve the country, there is really nothing he can do. Besides, the sixth sister's matter has also been left to him. It was a big blow, so my father did have the idea of retiring."
"So that's really the case." After hearing this, Bai Xiong's eyes lit up, but then he sighed, "Hey, I originally wanted to follow the teacher and contribute more to the country, but I didn't expect..."
Seeing his behavior, Xiang Nan rolled his eyes inwardly. He had known for a long time that Bai Xiongqi had ambitions to rise to the top, but he still pretended to be Jin Quan's student, which was really hypocritical.
But to be honest, the more such a person is, the more likely he is to climb to a high position. Because it is clearly stated in "Yes, Minister" that Zheng Zhi has nothing to do with morality.
"After all, my father is old and can no longer be the leader. But my eldest brother is young and powerful, has been in politics for many years, has rich experience, and has high prestige at home and abroad, so he should take on more responsibilities." Xiang Nan said with a smile.
"Where." Bai Xiongqi heard what he said. Although he was happy, he still waved his hands and smiled, "Actually, you should inherit the mantle of teacher. Yanxi, you are younger than me, more talented than me, and more famous. There is no shortage. You should join politics and take over the position of teacher."
"Brother, I talk a lot but don't do things well, so asking me to be the prime minister would be the most ridiculous thing in the world." Xiang Nan said with a smile, "I am still the eldest brother. In terms of qualifications, status, and ability, I am the one who should take on this important task."
In fact, it is appropriate for Bai Xiong to take over as prime minister.
On the one hand, Jin Quan is indeed old. Now that he retires, he can still live in an apartment and enjoy happiness for more than ten years. If you don't go there, you may lose the chance to enjoy happiness.
On the one hand, Xiang Nan and Bai Xiuzhu are deeply in love, but Bai Xiongqi has no offspring, she is the only sister. Therefore, in order to take care of his sister, even if he becomes prime minister, he will have to take more care of the Jin family. Instead of killing them all like in the play.
Besides, passing and taking are different. Passing is active, seizing is passive.
When the prime minister's position was passed to Bai Xiongqi, Jin Quan would naturally lay down a back-up force to control Bai Xiongqi, and he would do so much more calmly. But if Bai Xiongqi took away the prime minister's position, he would be uprooted and even What little power was left was gone.
Of course, Beiyang Zhengfu could not survive for a few years, and Bai Xiongqi could not be prime minister for a few years. Xiang Nan only asked him to be a transitional person to prevent Jin Quan from being directly affected.
In the play, he died because he could not bear the blow of losing his position as prime minister.
"Haha, what the hell." Bai Xiong said with a smile. Although he denied it repeatedly, the joy in the corners of his eyes and brows completely exposed his heart.
…
"Yanxi, brother, I just came home after a long time. Please stop talking about these officialdom things all the time. It makes your head hurt." Bai Xiuzhu curled her lips and said.
During the past few days of the Chinese New Year, the Jin family had many visitors, and most of the conversations were about official matters. I didn't expect that these things would still happen when I got home. It was really annoying.
"Okay, let's not talk about that. Then let's talk about you and Yan Xi. When are you going to have children?" Bai Xiongqi laughed and asked immediately.
Bai Xiuzhu suddenly stopped talking.
(End of chapter)
