It's not a big deal for my brother-in-law to come over and ask for a painting. According to common sense, just agree to him.
But I had already promised Mr. Yu before that I couldn't start painting during the New Year. In other words, the painting could only wait until after the New Year.
"Brother-in-law, what kind of painting do you want?" Qi Yu asked first.
"Oh, there seems to be a picture called "Three Friends of Suihan". It sounds more elegant, so I'll choose this one."
The Three Friends of Winter: Pine, Bamboo, and Plum.
This is not a painting.
The brother-in-law is a hawker who owns a dry goods store, so he actually knows about Suihan's three friends, which really makes Qi Yu feel impressed.
However, his arty style gives people the feeling of Zhang Fei's embroidery, which doesn't quite match.
Forget it, it's not a big deal, just promise him, it's just a matter of writing.
"There is no problem with this matter, but we have to wait until after the new year." Qi Yu nodded.
"After the New Year? So long?" Sun Dacai's smile froze and turned back to the cloudy sky just now. However, he adjusted his mood and said again: "Brother-in-law, can't you do it today? I’m still thinking about hanging it up during the Chinese New Year!”
Qi Yu explained: "Brother-in-law, don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to embarrass you, but I promised Lord Yu before that I couldn't write before the New Year, so I can only postpone it until after the New Year."
"Master Magistrate?... His orders must be obeyed, so let's change it to later in the year."
"Brother-in-law is really a transparent person."
Sun Dacai didn't eat either and left in a hurry with regrets.
As soon as the brother-in-law left, Liu Quan said: "There must be something fishy about this matter. With the little ink of the brother-in-law, I guess he doesn't even know what the three friends of Suihan are, and he still hangs it at home? In my opinion, he If it wasn’t for sale, it was someone else’s entrustment to ask for it.”
This makes sense. My brother-in-law is a money worshipper. It would be reasonable if he asked for a painting of a God of Wealth. Well, the Three Friends of Suihan...
Mrs. Zhou sighed: "Forget it, since he asked for it, give it to him. This will also show that your sister has face with her parents' family."
Qi Yu responded and said with a smile: "It's not a big deal to ask for a painting. Why doesn't sister just come forward? That would be more respectable!"
One thing he didn't say was that Qi Lan was visiting her parents' house when she came here, and she would never be scolded for not bringing a gift.
Although this was a small thing, it was still spread.
People who had the same idea as Sun Dacai all gave up the idea of painting after learning about this incident. Even his own brother-in-law couldn't do it, let alone others?
Qi Yu also became famous because of this, giving people the impression of a young genius. It seems that the crazy poor scholar from before has been forgotten and never mentioned again.
Regarding the changes in the Qi Yu family, the people of the Qi family have also noticed.
On this day, the old patriarch Qi Zhuchang came over.
In my impression, he was an old man who didn't come to visit unless there was any important matter. Qi Yu frowned since his dry cough sounded in the yard.
Accompanying him were his uncles from the side branch, Qi Qiuchuan and his second uncle Qi.
Qi Zhuchang is the highest-ranking person in the family, and all major issues in the family need to be discussed with him before final decisions can be made.
Qi Qiuchuan's reputation is not very good. To put it simply, he is a person who likes to take advantage of others. He relies on having many sons under his knees and often does things to bully others. Even if my farmland was sold to him, it was still at a 'favor price'.
Qi Yu was busy giving up his seat, Liu Quan was busy serving tea, and Zhou was sitting at the bottom of the table as a token companion.
The daughter-in-law quietly told Mr. Zhou to listen more and speak less, and it was best not to speak.
The old lady thought for a while and nodded suddenly.
"Two elders came here today, what's the matter?" Qi Yu asked.
Qi Zhuchang did not answer directly, but looked at the newly built roof and said with a smile: "I heard that the old house was renovated, so I came over to take a look. Tell me, why don't you ask someone from the clan for help with a job like this? Woolen cloth?"
Looking for clan members? ...is it a disservice?
Qi Yu didn't say anything, but in his heart he still complained about such an afterthought gesture.
Zhou said cautiously: "It's not busy now, and it's easier to hire people, so we don't bother the clan members. This house is old, and if we don't repair it, I'm afraid it won't be able to withstand the wind and snow."
"Well, let's not talk about it. This house is really well built, and the courtyard is paved with bluestones. I guess it doesn't cost five taels of silver, right?" Qi Zhuchang said with a smile.
"That's about right. Counting the money for wine and meat, we spent almost six taels of silver." Mrs. Zhou said with a pained look on her face.
Sixty taels of silver?
Qi Yu really made money!
Qi Zhuchang and Qi Qiuchuan looked at each other, then each had his own thoughts.
Liu Quan added some tea and took the opportunity to ask: "The two elders came here today, shouldn't they just come to see the house?"
The question was very direct, Qi Yu smiled and glanced at his wife.
The old patriarch was startled at first, then coughed dryly and said: "That's right, a few days ago, the old Chen family rebuilt their ancestral temple, and all the pillars, doors and windows in the ancestral hall were painted with vermilion paint. Our Qi family is considered a wealthy family in our village, so... You can’t be compared to the Chen family, right?”
"So?" Liu Quan said smoothly.
"So I thought that our Qi family's ancestral temple should also be repaired."
Is this comparison?
Qi Yu scratched his head.
Immediately afterwards, Qi Qiuchuan said: "We came here just to say hello. Building the ancestral hall is a major event in the family. According to the rules, every household must share the money."
The discussion was skipped and I came to say hello directly instead.
When it came to money, Liu Quan asked directly: "How much will it cost?"
Qi Zhuchang said: "The Qi family has three branches, each paying five taels of silver."
Of the three major branches, Qi Yu's family is the eldest, but it's just a single descendant with few people. While the other two accounts have many accounts, this kind of investment is paid according to payment but not account, which is obviously a loss.
Let’s talk about the accounts, one is five taels, and three is fifteen taels. Can you use so much money?
This is not as simple as comparison.
Thinking of this, Liu Quan hurriedly blinked at her husband.
Qi Yu nodded knowingly and became thoughtful.
"What kind of practice does the patriarch plan to do?"
"Just like the Chen family, paint and make some repairs."
As far as Liu Quan knew, the Chen family spent less than four taels of silver to repair the ancestral hall. How come the Qi family spent fifteen taels of silver?
Not to mention three, the money from my family is enough.
Wouldn’t that extra money fall into the hands of those who worry about it?
Qi Yu also realized this problem. The two elders were not worried about their ancestors. They were clearly coveting their own money.
The ancients said that a common man is not guilty, but he is guilty of having a jade. He didn't expect that he would be remembered for making a little money.
Liu Quan smiled and said: "Either this, I will be responsible for building the ancestral temple. How much money will be spent will be recorded in an account and shared by each branch. I estimate that at most, every It won’t exceed two taels of silver.”
Qi Qiuchuan was unhappy when he heard this: "This is not possible! Although your family has a long branch, there are no men from the older generation. How can such a big thing as building an ancestral temple be done by your descendants?"
Qi Zhuchang also said: "It's really inappropriate. This kind of thing must be taken care of by the elders. You young people don't have enough experience."
Liu Quan smiled and said: "That's fine, I'll let you elders do it. I only have one request, which is to supervise the purchase."
The lady is asking for the right to supervise.
Qi Yu didn't interrupt, obviously indicating his acquiescence.
Qi Qiuchuan flatly refused: "How can the younger generation supervise the elders' purchases? If this were to spread, wouldn't it be laughed at?"
This makes it impossible to reach an agreement...
Qi Yu said seriously: "I think there is no need for us to compare with the Chen family. If we really want to build an ancestral temple, we might as well turn over the roof and do something practical."
"Xiuwa noodles?" Qi Qiuchuan was stunned.
Qi Yu nodded: "Yes, I saw it when I passed by a few days ago. All the thatch on the roof of the ancestral hall has rotted away. It doesn't look like it can last long."
The ancestral temple is very large, and it would be a big project to turn over the tiles, and it would be difficult to do it without more than a dozen taels of silver.
Mainly, that kind of work is not only laborious and laborious, but also requires no oil and water. How can it be as simple as painting?
"You're wrong! I've also seen it. The tiles in the ancestral temple are still in good condition. There is really no need to repair them." Qi Qiuchuan said.
"Haha, I'm definitely not being alarmist. If it really gets caught in a snowy day, it might collapse." Qi Yu advised again.
"What? Do you still doubt me, my second uncle? Let me tell you, I have eaten more salt than the rice you have ever seen. If I say it won't collapse, it will never collapse." Qi Qiuchuan snorted.
Liu Quan interjected: "What if it collapses?"
"In all my life, I have never seen anything wrong. If it really collapses, I will hit the south wall to death. I'll reply this time."
Qi Yu said: "I believe it..."
Qi Zhuchang knocked on the table and said, "Don't go too far, let's get down to business. Ah Hao, do you want to pay for this money or not?"
"I didn't say I wouldn't pay. As long as my wife supervises the purchase, I will pay whatever it takes." Qi Yu said with a smile.
These words are already very explicit, but the last sentence is not clear.
"snort!"
…
In the end, Qi Yu did not compromise, and the two elders of the Qi family left in anger.
Qi Qiuchuan thought to himself: Qi Aman has indeed changed and is no longer as easy to fool as before.
Qi Yu looked at their leaving figures and thought to himself: Madam is right, good people are bullied by others, and good horses are ridden by others. In the past, they swallowed up the fields because of their cowardice, how can they repeat the same mistake now?
Be more careful with those who have tricked you, and be grateful to those who have helped you.
The success of the reward was, to a certain extent, thanks to the recommendation of Shopkeeper You. For a righteous man like him, etiquette must not be lost.
So early the next morning, Qi Yu bought some gifts to thank You Xiang, the shopkeeper of Luming Bookstore.
"My nephew is here. Please sit inside."
The title changed again.
First he was a husband, then he was a son, and now he is a nephew, step by step.
However, this also shows that the relationship between the two is getting closer.
"Uncle You, please go first!" Qi Yu smiled and handed over the Longjing tea in his hand.
The word "Uncle You" made Shopkeeper You sigh in his heart: He is such an upright young man, no wonder the county magistrate would take a high look at him.
The tea was not very good, but Qi Yu felt grateful. This was what made Shopkeeper You really happy.
Qi Yu chuckled: "If it weren't for Uncle You's help, my nephew would have no chance of winning the silver reward."
"Good nephew, you don't have to be humble. Opportunity is one aspect, but the key depends on whether you have the ability. When it comes to luck, it's just a sarcastic comment from some jealous people." You Xiang said with a smile.
Qi Yu nodded, indicating that he would be taught.
Shopkeeper You added: "Painting is not my main business. My nephew has to focus mainly on the scientific examination. A certain background is the right path."
"To be honest with Uncle You, I have already started preparing for the county examination after the new year."
"now it's right!"
After chatting for a while, Qi Yu was about to leave, but was stunned when he glanced at him.
