That night, Ye Guixue stayed in Shen's Mansion for dinner before leaving Shen's Mansion and returned to Chengguo Duke's Mansion.
After Ye Guixue left, Shen Xian commented on Su Rong, "Young Master Ye, his appearance and appearance are just like the rumors. He is a rare person. I have to say that the king of Nan Chu has chosen you. Husband, you really put your heart and soul into it.”
Su Rong nodded, "After all, he is my biological father."
Shen Xian was amused by his words.
Mrs. Shen also agreed very much, "Guixue is a very good kid. When you go to Nanchu, having him and Ye Xiangfu support you will make us feel at ease."
Su Rong nodded again.
Su Xingze did not comment on Ye Guixue in front of Shen Xian and Mrs. Shen. It was on the way back to his residence with Su Rong that Su Xingze said, "Ye Guixue is indeed good."
Su Rong looked at him in surprise. She thought he told Ye Guixue so many bastard things about her since she was a child, just to persuade Ye Guixue to quit. She didn't expect that it was rare to hear comments about a person from his mouth. good. Zhou Gu counts as one, and Ye Guixue counts as one.
"What kind of look are you looking at?" Su Xingze said helplessly, "As your brother, I am naturally worried about you going to Nanchu alone. Considering your temperament and your bastard temper after spending so much time with others, You can’t hide it, and by then it will be too late to scare people away.”
Su Rong Dale said, "Brother, you worry too much, Ye Guixue won't."
She even led people to gather mushrooms and roast pheasants. If he disliked her, he should have disliked her long ago.
Although he grew up in a Ye Guixue family with strict rules, he was very tolerant of her and didn't care that she went out of her way in many things. She was not like a lady, but she had a vague feeling that Ye Guixue seemed to like her casualness. His temperament was probably not her imagination.
Su Xingze glanced at her with disgust, "It's a good thing that you have such confidence."
Su Rong: "..."
Isn't this my brother who said such things? If he had crawled out of the same mother's belly as him, he probably wouldn't have heard this.
After Ye Guixue returned to Chengguo Duke's Mansion, the warmth on her face had not dissipated. Ye Qiuying raised her little face and asked him, "Little uncle, you stayed in Shen Mansion until so late and didn't come back. It's Shen Mansion." Do all the people like you?"
Ye Guixue smiled, "Yes."
Ye Qiuying was very happy, "Uncle, you are the best. No one dislikes you."
Ye Guixue smiled and touched her head, asking her how she went to the Princess Mansion today. Ye Qiuying happily said that Princess Duanhua was very good at playing and played many fun games with her. Qingping The princess also liked her very much and originally wanted to keep her living in the princess mansion, but she thought that her uncle would return to Nanchu soon. After he left, she didn't know how long it would take to see him, so she didn't agree. I'm back with my little uncle.
After hearing this, Ye Guixue nodded and said to her warmly: "Your sister Su Qi said that after she and I leave the capital and return to Nanchu, she wants to arrange for you to live in the East Palace and let His Highness the Crown Prince take care of you. Are you willing? ?」
Ye Qiuying opened her eyes wide, "Why do you let His Highness the Crown Prince take care of me?"
Although she was young, she still knew that Prince Yan Huiwei was the crown prince of a country.
"I'm not worried about putting you in Duke Cheng's mansion. But I'm even more afraid that I won't be able to take care of you when I take you back." Ye Guixue analyzed the pros and cons with her. Although she was only a four-year-old child, she was very smart. And because I had no mother since I was a child, I was forced to be sensible at a young age.
Ye Qiuying nodded and asked in a low voice: "Uncle, I am really a trouble. Will this trouble His Highness the Crown Prince?"
Ye Guixue patted her head and scolded her gently, "Don't talk about yourself like that. You are not a trouble. You are the treasure of our Ye family. Grandfather, grandmother, your father and I all hope that you will be well and not harmed." , we made the decision to send you to Daliang. After all, Southern Chu will be very chaotic for a long time in the future, and swords will hurt people. We don’t want to lose you. But Cheng Guo Gongfu can’t let me rest assured, so your sister Su Qi said , place you in the East Palace, and His Highness the Crown Prince will be able to protect you. Although it is very troublesome to His Highness, it is not a trouble for you per se, but because of the situation. I will also give His Highness the Crown Prince a corresponding reward. As long as His Highness the Crown Prince agrees. , you just need to stay in the East Palace with peace of mind."
Ye Qiuying nodded and pulled Ye Guixue's sleeve, "Uncle, Sister Su Qi is so kind. She even thought of my arrangements for you. She is also very good to you."
Ye Guixue laughed and lightly tapped her forehead, "You are a little kid but a big kid."
In the palace, Feng Changchou, the Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, his hair and beard were all white, and his face was wrinkled like a bitter gourd, "Your Majesty, Old Protector, the treasury is empty."
The old Protector was angry and said, "Feng Chang, although the national treasury is not rich, it is not empty as you said. Otherwise, your position as Minister of the Ministry of Revenue would have been lost long ago. Stop talking empty words, in front of His Majesty. , to be honest, do you really want His Majesty to visit your household department to check how much money is in the treasury?"
Feng Chang, the Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, immediately knelt on the ground and said, "Your Majesty, Lord Protector, the treasury is really empty. I dare not say what is needed. This year, only General Pingxi's Mansion in northern Hebei has asked for military pay three times. Your Majesty, you have allowed me to allocate funds to the old minister. The total adds up to eight million taels of silver. This does not include the money that the imperial court allocates to General Pingxi's Mansion for normal military pay. In addition, in recent years, natural and man-made disasters have continued in various places. The heavy rain in the south the year before last year, When the dykes were washed away, the state treasury spent a large amount of two million taels for disaster relief. Last year, hailstorms and strong winds passed through the north, and trees fell and houses collapsed. Another million taels were spent on disaster relief. Although there was no big movement this year, military pay in various places was also a large expenditure. Ah. There is really nothing left in the national treasury. When the funds were allocated to General Pingxi’s Mansion for the third time, I told you, Your Majesty.”
The old protector almost cried when he saw the true feelings expressed by the Minister of the Ministry of Finance. He turned to look at the emperor.
The emperor's face was also very ugly, and he seemed not to have expected that the treasury was in such a situation. What else to fight?
The old Protector was unhappy and asked the emperor with a sullen face: "Your Majesty, General Pingxi's Mansion spends an additional eight million military pay a year? You have reported it accurately every time. How many troops and horses does General Pingxi's Mansion need?" Raise? Eat so much in one year? The veteran’s three grandsons are in the army, and the Duke Protector’s Mansion is in charge of half of the troops in Daliang. It is not like General Pingxi’s Mansion, which only needs so many in one year.”
The emperor was speechless. It was indeed approved by him. As for the reason, he naturally wanted to support General Pingxi's Mansion. When General Pingxi's Mansion was established, he would no longer be afraid of the Protector's Mansion. How did you think of going to war with Wei at that time?
The old protector saw that the emperor didn't answer, how could he still not understand? Pingxi General's Mansion is the in-law of the second prince Yan Lin. He can suppress the prince and strengthen his waist so that he will no longer be threatened by the Protector's Mansion. Pingxi General Zhang Ping is also a man who can flatter the emperor and show his loyalty to the emperor at all times. The military salary can be Isn’t that a good idea?
Compared with the Pingxi General's Mansion, where the army has been extremely wealthy in recent years, the troops under the Protector's Mansion have been tightening their belts. Even the small number of soldiers and horses managed by the eldest prince's in-law, the Nanping Marquis Mansion, are also well paid.
The old Protector's face turned blue with anger. He stood up and said angrily, regardless of how ugly the emperor's face was: "Your Majesty really thinks that without the Protector's Mansion, this beam will be stable. Your ass Can the dragon chair underneath be made reliably? Since General Pingxi’s Mansion has received so much military pay, let General Pingxi’s Mansion take the lead in this battle!”
After he finished speaking, regardless of the emperor's expression or thoughts, he angrily walked away.
The emperor's face became even more ugly, but he knew that he was in the wrong. Even if the old Lord Protector said such rude words, he could not express his emperor's anger at this moment.
Sweat fell from Feng Chang's forehead, and his back was instantly soaked. He thought that only the old Protector would dare to talk to His Majesty like this.
