Chapter 101 Donkey down the slope

Qin Mubai and others strolled around the new home and were very satisfied. This is a typical courtyard in Chang'an. The entrance is a green garden, and the cloister is facing the back garden and the horse court. The main house is a tile house with two floors of bucket arches and eaves. On the first floor is the living room, dining room and study, and on the second floor is the master bedroom and the chess cabinet piano room. The backyard is the house where the servants live, and there is a popular horse court. Because Qin Mubai is a military family, the people of the household also specially added the Buwu Pavilion, which is specially used for weapons, armor and other things. There are also stacking targets for archery practice on the edge of the court near the wall.

The yard is not big or small, and the house is also very decent. At first glance, it is neither luxurious nor shabby. As soon as the style of simplicity prevailed, the whole house was moderate. It can be seen that the people in the household department are arranging the style of Qin Mubai's family according to the pattern of Qin Shubao's house. It's just that Qin Mubai's family is obviously one size smaller, slightly lower. These officials all have a strong claim in their hearts. Although Qin Mubai is now in the limelight as a celebrity around the emperor, Qin Shubao is the founding father and Qin Mubai's father after all. He can't make Qin Mubai's family more elegant than his father's family.

"That's good. It suits me very well. Thank you very much, Su Langzhong. Qin Mubai was grateful to Su Yuandao.

Su Yuan smiled and arched his hand: "How can I thank you for the matter of humble position? As long as the general likes it, the humble function will go back to the order.

"Wait!" Unexpectedly, Qin Shuanger suddenly opened her mouth to speak. She first smiled apologetically at Su Yuan, then pulled Qin Mubai aside and whispered, "Brother, are you going to leave those four maids?"

"What's the matter?" Qin Mubai didn't turn around for a moment.

"Ouch! ...This is not good!" Qin Shuanger blushed and stamped her feet and whispered.

Qin Mubai blinked his eyes a few times and came to his senses.

The ten men and women in the house are all servants and maidservants given by the emperor. They all have deeds of sale, and they all fall into the hands of Qin Mubai. To put it bluntly, these people will be Qin Mubai's private wealth in the future. You don't have to pay for it. Just support people. If you are in a good mood, it is a gift to reward them with a few money. It can be sold like goods, livestock and slaves. Especially for those maidservants, as long as Qin Mubai is willing, they are the tools for venting their desires, and they don't need to give any name. If they are kind, they can be accepted as concubines at any time to make their lives a little more comfortable.

It seems that Qin Shuanger is not very happy with her brother, and there are these women around her.

"Brother, you haven't officially married yet. How can you... get a concubine?" Shuang'er blushed and said, "This is insulting. My father must not be happy. Moreover, if Wu Mei Niang knows, she will definitely be angry with you.

Qin Mubai is thinking, isn't I going to find an excuse to enter the palace to meet the emperor? Just right.

"Who said I was going to take a concubine?" Qin Mubai smiled and said, "But you have a point. What makes my father angry is not good after all. Well, Su Langzhong, I want these six male servants. You take the maid back. I'm not married yet, and I don't need a maidservant to serve my wife for the time being.

"This... The household department acted according to the order and has spent money to buy all these maids. Real gold and silver money, white paper and black words, two wishful things. Su Yuan said with some embarrassment, "If the general wants to return the four maidservant, it will be a little difficult to do. The emperor asked why he only gave the six servants and maidservants to General Qin, and it was difficult to reply!"

"Then tell the emperor the truth! Just say that my brother is not married and doesn't want a maid." Qin Shuang'er said first.

"Don't bother Su Lang to win." Qin Mubai smiled and said, "Your Majesty, I'm about to enter the palace to thank you. When I see your majesty, I will explain it to him. Presumably, Your Majesty will not blame Lang Zhong.

"It's so good. Thank you, General Qin, for your humble position." Su Yuan said with a happy smile.

It was late that day, and Qin Mubai planned to enter the palace the next day. That night, he did not immediately live in his new home, but returned to Qin's house with his mother and sister. Qin Shubao had a new family with Qin Mubai, and his reaction was very insipid. He just said, "When you get married, you will really start your own business. You don't object to living there as a father every day, but I hope you can still treat this as your home in the future, just like before.

"Father, mother and sister are all here, and this place will always be the child's home." Qin Mubai naturally agreed.

Qin Shuang'er broke Qin Shubao's mind. She said that her father didn't want you to go home often! In fact, he is also quite pitiful. Although he is accompanied by us, he often feels lonely and lonely. Because he can't rush to war now, his old friends used to go their separate ways, and usually no one can accompany him to practice martial arts, play chess and drink.

Why doesn't Qin Mubai know his father's mood and intention? Both brothers have already started a family and have a career, and they rarely come back. I am the only son who stays with him, and naturally I hope to be closer. Since ancient times, in the big family of the Chinese nation, the "child" is often the most loved by parents, which is the truth.

The next day, when it was almost noon, Qin Mubai went into the palace. First, I went to Wude Hall to see him. When I heard that the emperor had gone to the Penglai Hall of the harem, he went there.

The emperor just had lunch with Li Zhi and Li Mingda. Hearing that Qin Mubai begged for a meeting, he immediately announced his advice. When the two little guys heard that Qin Mubai was coming, they cheered and went out to greet each other.

Seeing the gift, Li Shimin said with a smile, "Mu Bai, didn't I give you a ten-day holiday? Why did you come back on the fourth day?"

"Weichen specially came into the palace to thank him." Qin Mubai arched his hand and replied with a smile, "The house rewarded by Your Majesty is very good, and Weichen likes it very much."

"Haha, that's good! Su Yuan has always been doing a good job. Li Shimin laughed.

"However, Weichen has a ruthless invitation."

"Tell me."

Qin Mubai said about the return of the four maidservant. Li Shimin nodded and said, "I'm sure about this. It's rare for you to be so self-reliable and thrifty, which is worthy of praise. When you have a wife and concubine, I will give you a maidservant to serve the daughter.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Qin Mubai smiled relaxedly, "In fact, Weichen still misses the two little highnesses a little, so he deliberately went to the palace to have a look."

"Village head, we miss you too! The village head won't leave today, okay? Teach us how to play the pipa in the afternoon!" Li Zhi and Li Mingda shouted together.

Qin Mubai smiled, and it was neither easy to agree nor refuse. Li Shimin nodded with great respect and said with a smile, "Childish slave, you can't always pester your village head. He still has many other serious things to do! But you can be together this afternoon."

"Oh! That's great!" Li Zhi and Li Mingda cheered together.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Qin Mubai thanked him. I thought, just in time, I had a chance to meet Pang Fei. Maybe I'm going to leave Chang'an for a while. Princess Gaoyang's affairs have to be arranged in advance. When I left, Gaoyang Gong in Chang'an really succeeded in "cleaning up" the house. I happen to have alibi. It's not bad.

Li Shimin asked the wet nurse and others to take the two little guys away to take a nap first, called Qin Mubai to sit down, and said like a chat, "Mubai, you have been riding for so long, and you have been doing a good job. I am very satisfied and appreciate it. In just over half a year, it is not easy for you to polish this army so well. Now Baiqi has almost become a symbol of me and the royal family, which is of great significance. At present, I have a difficult problem that I want to hand over to you.

Qin Mubai's heart was calm: As expected, the emperor mentioned this!

"Your Majesty, please do whatever you want. Weichen and Baiqi generals will go through fire and water again. Qin Mubai held his fist and said with a straight face.

"You don't have to go through fire and water." Li Shimin said relaxedly with a smile, "Yesterday, the court received an emergency report from Jiangzhou, saying that there was a sudden outbreak of floods, the disaster situation in the damaged prefectures and counties was serious, and the resettlement of the victims and hungry people had also become a big problem. The state government and county government did not have enough manpower, so they rushed to the court. Therefore, I issued an order to dispatch Jiangzhou Military Government and 5,000 soldiers nearby to rescue the people. Moreover, I sent Li Ke, the king of Wu, to represent me to be in charge. However, although Li Ke is a prince, he does not have high prestige in front of local officials and military generals. What I mean is to send you to lead a hundred riders to assist Li Ke in the affairs of Jiangzhou.

"Weichen takes the order!" Without saying a word, Qin Mubai answered categorically.

"Ha ha, with you, I can rest assured." Li Shimin said, "I originally planned to go there in person, but the government and military affairs were so busy that I really couldn't get away. Now I have sent my own guard to lead the troops. Those state officials and military generals should understand what I mean. In fact, I have another intention to send you there. I hope you can do another thing secretly.

"Your Majesty, please make it clear." Qin Mubai asked doubtfully.

Li Shimin frowned and said, "Actually, as early as last year, the Imperial Household Department and the Ministry of Industry received a discount from Jiangzhou Prefecture, asking for instructions to allocate manpower, money and grain, and build the Jiangzhou lake embankment. At that time, I personally approved this matter, and the Ministry of Household allocated 50 million yuan to build the river embankment. A small lake embankment, so much money should be enough. However, there are still floods in the early autumn after summer this year, so I suspect that there is something wrong with this.

"Your Majesty suspects that someone has embezzled this money, which led to the unfavorable construction of the river embankment?" Qin Mubai followed Li Shimin's words and asked.

"Not bad." Li Shimin said, "But if I now send the imperial secretary and the secretary of Dali Temple to investigate and ask the guilty, there will be a sound of danger, affecting the state and county officials there to make full disaster relief. Therefore, I will secretly order you to investigate this matter in the process of disaster relief and the people. If you have a result, don't openly announce it or scare the snake. Let me know first.

"Weichen takes the order." Qin Mubai bowed his hand to the promise.

"Regarding the investigation of the river embankment, Li Ke was also under my secret order. Only the two of you are allowed to know about this matter for the time being, and you don't need to inform the third person. You two must work together and do it properly. Li Shimin said, "If there is anything indecisive, please report it to me at any time."