New Year's Eve, New Year's Eve.
Uncle Si Nan also welcomed the excitement that he had not seen for a long time.
Shen Qingyun, Shen Xiong and his son, and the pregnant Song Ying gathered together.
"Come, eat food..."
Song Ying stood up and gave Shen Qingyun a piece.
Shen Qingyun nodded slightly, "Thank you, auntie."
Shen Xiong saw this in his eyes and chuckled: "We are all a family, why are you so polite?"
Shen Qingyun smiled and said: "We are a family now, but not long ago, who among us could have imagined that we would be as harmonious as we are now?"
Song Ying's face changed slightly when she heard this, "You..."
Shen Qingyun raised his hand and interrupted Song Ying's hesitation, "Auntie, don't worry too much, I don't have any other intentions. It's just that our family has just been harmonious. It's probably not easy to be close. It's just human nature. You're polite. It’s better than hypocrisy, what do you say, dad?”
Shen Xiong nodded and said, "Not bad."
Song Ying bit her lip and said softly: "The situation is changing, but I have targeted you before. As my aunt, I should be sorry for you. If you can ignore the past grudges, that's your magnanimity, aunt." I need to apologize to you."
Saying that, Song Ying raised her glass and stood up. Seeing this, Shen Qingyun also stood up quickly and said with a wry smile: "My father is still here, I don't dare to drink this glass of wine."
In front of this old man, Shen Xiong, Shen Qingyun really had to treat Song Ying as an elder. He did not dare to accept this glass of apology.
When Song Ying heard this, she couldn't help but look at Shen Xiong. Shen Xiong smiled and said, "This is his filial piety. It's good if you have this intention."
"yes."
Song Ying sat down again, and Shen Qingyun also breathed a sigh of relief and said: "It's better to speak clearly than to bury it in your heart and become a grudge. I just hope that our family will be peaceful in the future and there will be no more suspicion."
"It's natural." Shen Xiong hummed, but the two of them looked at Song Ying at the same time.
Song Ying's face changed slightly, and she immediately said: "I am married to the Shen family, and I have the blood of the Shen family. Naturally, I will put the Shen family first and plan everything for the Shen family."
Both of them nodded with satisfaction after hearing this. Shen Xiong laughed loudly and raised his glass: "That's very good. Come, drink with me and celebrate the New Year together."
The three of them clinked glasses, naturally enjoying themselves.
Song Ying felt unwell and went to rest after the New Year's Eve dinner, leaving only Shen Qingyun and his son to watch the New Year together.
"It's Chinese New Year, why don't you prepare some New Year's money for me, dad?"
Chen Xiong was stunned when he heard this, "You are already past your prime, how can you still act like a child?"
Shen Qingyun sighed softly: "Dad, you don't know, I am poor."
"It's ridiculous. Although the Shen family has fallen, but with your father here and three hundred households under his command, even if you are not favored by the princess, it will be enough to make you rich for a lifetime."
Shen Xiong shook his head and said, "You are not a very extravagant person, how can your money not be enough?"
Shen Qingyun spread his hands and said, "It's really not enough."
"Your aunt is in charge of the financial power in the house. If you are short of money, just ask her to get it. Can she still refuse to give it to you?"
Shen Qingyun shook his head, "Of course it's given, it's only a hundred or ten thousand taels, I'm afraid it's not enough."
"How much do you want?"
Shen Qingyun counted on his fingers and hesitated: "Otherwise, three to five to seventy thousand should be enough."
"Three to five to seventy thousand... copper coins?"
Shen Xiong is somewhat humorous.
"Dad, please stop making trouble."
Shen Xiong's face changed slightly, "You traitor, what do you need so much money for?"
The Shen family is not poor, but it would be too strenuous to spend tens of thousands of taels in one go.
Putting aside Shen Qingyun's expenses, the entire Sinan uncle's residence only spent two to three hundred taels of silver per month without the holidays, which was not much for an Earl's residence.
Now Shen Qingyun asked for 30,000 to 50,000 to 70,000 yuan. Shen Xiong only scolded him as a treasonous son. He was very restrained for the sake of his own son.
"What else can we do? Take it to the imperial capital." Shen Qingyun spread his hands, "Everyone has a dowry when they get married, just like the aunt. The heavier the dowry, the more confident the girl will be. Since I want to marry into the British government, naturally It’s time to prepare the next one, Dad, you can’t just let me ‘marry’ you empty-handed, right?”
"Uh..." Shen Xiong was stunned for a moment, and after thinking about it, it really made sense.
"That's right. Although I absolutely believe that the princess and the father-in-law will not treat you poorly, but having more money with you will always reduce the contempt of others...Tomorrow, tomorrow I will ask your aunt to get it for you. "
"Um."
Shen Qingyun wants to open a restaurant and gambling shop, but the money he has on hand is not enough.
Moreover, winemaking also requires grain. Although the Shen family owns land and produces grain, Shen Qingyun does not want the uncle's house to be directly involved for the time being, so it is necessary to purchase grain from outside.
With the money given by Shen Xiong as start-up capital, Shen Qingyun can easily make the transition. As long as the business is started, it will be too late for Shen Xiong to object.
Lao Zhangtou said hello to Zhong Qi and Shen Qingyun said that he would keep it a secret for the time being. Shen Xiong would not stay in Liangzhou for a long time. When Shen Xiong left after the New Year, Shen Qingyun could start the business of opening a business.
On one side, Shen Qingyun and Shen Xiong stayed up late, while on the other side, Su Chengwang became company with Xiang Ling.
"I didn't expect that Your Highness would be asked to accompany an old man like me to celebrate the New Year this year. Your Highness is really wronged."
Xiang Ling raised his glass with a smile and said, "Old Prime Minister is joking. When Old Prime Minister was still in court, you and I were never absent from the New Year banquet. It's just that it's less lively this year, but without the entertainment and rules, I feel a lot more comfortable."
"Haha..." Su Chengwang also raised his glass, and they drank together.
"This wine tastes like sweet rain and is soft in the mouth. It is a good wine. It is just that it is newly brewed in the cellar and lacks some weight. It is just a good wine."
"I bought this wine in the city before I came here. Old Xiangguo is a good drinker, which makes you laugh."
Su Chengwang smiled and said: "Many people in Chu are addicted to alcohol. I have always loved wine as much as my life. But as I get older, I can only turn to wine tasting."
"I don't know which wine is the best among the old prime minister's tastes?"
"If it was a month ago, Yan Jiu Zuixian Brewing would have been the best."
"Zui Xian Liquor is indeed suitable for the heroic spirit of Chu people." Xiang Ling raised his eyebrows slightly, "Old Xiangguo was talking about a month ago. Is there any strong liquor that can be compared to Zuixian Liquor?"
"Of course." Su Chengwang licked his lips, as if he was still thinking about it.
"What kind of wine is it?" Xiang Ling was also a little curious and surprised when he heard this.
"The name of the wine is not known yet, but I drank only half a cup and fell asleep drunk for half a day. The taste is as strong as a sword. No man who is not a hot-blooded man should drink it."
"Who made this wine?"
"Not far away, it's the work of Shen Qingyun of Xiayang Village." Su Chengwang sighed softly: "Unfortunately, I asked this boy for this wine, but he refused to give it to me."
With Su Chengwang's look, Shen Qingyun really didn't dare to give him the wine because he was really afraid of getting into trouble.
"Shen Qingyun?" Xiang Ling was even more surprised, "He is a young man from an aristocratic family, but he can also make wine?"
There are many people who drink, and there are also many people who are good at wine and are addicted to wine. But when it comes to making wine, as far as Xiang Ling knows, there should be no children from aristocratic families who have this skill.
Even if you are personally interested, your family will not agree.
"Not only does he have great attainments in winemaking, but also in chess, mechanics, and even mathematics. His son is young and doesn't know where he learned this skill. He even has a good cooking skills, which is different from that of the royal chef in the palace. The flavor is indeed incredible." Su Chengwang shook his head.
Not to mention chess skills and mechanics, although Shen Qingyun's mathematical ability was not very intuitively displayed to Su Chengwang, the kind of person Su Chengwang was and his meticulous observation, Shen Qingyun's usual inadvertent revelations were enough to surprise Su Chengwang.
Although it was just some simple mathematical calculations, Shen Qingyun's unthinking behavior convinced Su Chengwang that Shen Qingyun also had a certain level of research in this area.
"These... although these are some methods that are difficult to reach the level of elegance, but Shen Qingyun can master several sects, it is not easy."
Very cool, but these things don't seem to be of much use.
Xiang Ling was a little unimpressed.
Su Cheng saw Xiang Ling's expression, but shook his head and said: "Your Highness, please don't underestimate these abilities. He can prove all kinds of methods and draw parallels. Shen Qingyun can do many things, which shows that he is smart. In addition, Shen Qingyun is not what he used to be." His identity, it would be best if His Highness takes him seriously."
"Old Xiangguo is right." Xiang Ling nodded and looked like he was being taught.
It's not that Xiang Ling looks down on Shen Qingyun, it's just that he simply doesn't look down on Shen Qingyun's abilities.
For people like them, there are only two types of useful people.
One is a brave man who possesses the skill of slaying dragons and is worthy of all men. He can be used by wealthy people in the world, and warriors on the battlefield are even rarer.
The other type is a wise man who strategizes and maneuvers, who can be a think tank or a confidant.
Apart from being wise and brave, other abilities are not that important to them.
Of course, even if Shen Qingyun doesn't know anything and is really stupid and mediocre, Xiang Ling will not underestimate Shen Qingyun.
After all, standing behind Shen Qingyun now is the entire British government.
After Su Chengwang warned him, he didn't care how much Xiang Ling heard, but he still said: "Today is New Year's Eve, Xiayang Village must be very lively at the moment, everyone may be drinking wine, and Shen Qingyun is not here. If His Highness is willing, Why don't you go to Xiayang Village with me?"
Xiang Ling felt a little funny when he saw Su Chengwang was in high spirits.
"The strong liquor that the old prime minister is addicted to is really curious. Since the old prime minister is interested, I will accompany you, Feng Lin."
"Here." A young voice came from outside the door, and Xiang Ling's personal guard pushed the door open and entered.
"Prepare the car."
"yes."
Although it was pitch dark, Su Chengwang's yard was not far from Xiayang Village, and Feng Lin was there to guide the way, so there was no need to worry about safety.
The carriage turned a corner and was greeted by a joyful atmosphere.
Hundreds of people in Xiayang Village held a long banquet, and today everyone was willing to do so. Every household lit candles, and the bonfire was very lively. Under the bright lights, everyone laughed heartily.
"Is this... old man?"
Zhang Nan saw a carriage approaching slowly from a distance, and hurried to meet it with a wine bottle in hand. When he saw the old servant driving the horse alongside Feng Lin, he knew that it was Su Chengwang who was coming.
"Old man, why are you here?"
Su Chengwang was helped out of the car, "I'm here, it's very deserted. I came to your place to ask for a drink. Why, aren't you welcome?"
Zhang Nan touched his head and said with a smile: "You are always joking, please come inside and I will invite the Fourth Lady over."
Besides the joy in Xiayang Village, Sheng Lingyun was also hiding in the dark, ready to go.
