Chapter 459: Being a Parent
Before Gu Erzhu came back, he had thought that his old son and his wife might be in the county today, but there were too many people and goods accompanying them, so he had to go home first.
After all, the days have been calculated and the weather is getting cold again. The couple has mixed their sweetness with oil. It is understandable that Sanya is reluctant to let Liulang run back and forth in the morning and evening.
However, even if he knew in advance that the young couple would be in the city these days, he would not stay in the city for one night before coming back, without disturbing the children to rest.
That child Sanya is different from other children. How can he still sit still after seeing him come back from a long trip? No matter how many servants there are, it would be strange if they are not busy in and out.
What's more, after being away from home for several months, I longed to go home first. Of course, it was hard to express these thoughts to his son Erlang, but it depends on the weather.
"Rokuro should know that dad is back by now. Dad just deliberately didn't send anyone to the house to report the news. The escort agency will also send someone to report it."
Gu Erlang nodded to show his understanding, "So you came back with the escort agency? Didn't anything happen to the escort you took out along the way?"
Gu Erzhu smiled meaningfully at his eldest son, "I want to ask you how smooth my journey has been. Just say no. It's very good. Dali is a capable person.
With him leading the team, there was no need to go with the escort agency when they came back. It's you, Uncle Yun, who has changed a lot of good things this time. It's not good to wait for him to come back together.
On this trip, you, Uncle Yun, your Uncle Zhao, and Yuan Cao all made a lot of money. Originally, they wanted to take a boat directly to Jiangnan, but you, Uncle Yun, and I pushed back.
Your uncle Yun is thinking about the escort agency, and your father is planning to go out for some time. After all, we are different from Uncle Zhao. He is a serious businessman, and we are not.
So of the goods that each of us still had on hand halfway along the way, you, Uncle Yun, took back most of them, and my father gave almost all of them to you, Uncle Zhao and Yuanwai.
The profit is not as good as yours, Uncle Yun. Fortunately, Sanya gave me a lot of capital. If we add up the money, we can probably make a profit of three to four thousand taels..."
Brothers, let's settle the score clearly. No matter how good the two sons are now, Mrs. Liu still strongly agrees with Gu Erzhu's straightforward statement at this time.
Before Gu Erzhu finished speaking, she quickly picked up the cloth shoes that Gu Erzhu had changed into and took them apart with scissors.
Without waiting for Gu Erlang to stop him, he quickly found the banknotes wrapped in oil paper that Gu Erzhu reminded him before and put them all on the Kang table.
The banknotes are the universal banknote number in Daliang. They are produced under the supervision of the Ministry of Household Affairs. The complicated patterns and seals are difficult to copy with today's technology.
But it also has a fatal flaw: it is not waterproof. Once it encounters force majeure, it will be worse than waste paper, and the exchange fee is not low.
No, Mrs. Liu picked up Gu Erzhu's cotton-padded jacket that he had changed into after taking a bath and had not had time to wash it, and he also used scissors to cut open the corners.
First, he took out one, two, three, four...six gold leaves, then unfolded a fur cloak with both hands and shook it. This time he took out more gold leaves.
"... Sanya, don't run away in a hurry. While you have some free time, you have to help dad settle some accounts." Gu Erzhu quickly grabbed his eldest son with quick eyes and hands.
Gu Erlang didn't know whether to laugh or cry, "You and my mother can just take it easy on your own. You are afraid that I will worry about your partiality. I am just a younger brother——"
"I know, I know, dad knows you are a good boy. Don't interrupt me, what I just said, yes, before going out, Sanya gave dad a stack of banknotes.
Baoya knows everything about this, but your mother and I didn't mention it to you at that time, but the approximate amount of silver in total, including you. I didn’t mean to hide it from you and your sister. At that time, your mother-in-law often brought her daughter-in-law to our house to take care of Huniu during her confinement. There was no benefit in keeping quiet.
Besides, Dad thought about it and told you that if you don’t tell Huniu, it will be another thing if Huniu finds out that you hid it from her. It’s better not to say anything at first.
Sanya gave me a total of eleven thousand taels of silver in banknotes and ten gold leaves. Your mother sewed the gold leaves into dad's underwear and winter clothes.
One of the five thousand taels of silver notes was sewn into the pair of cloth shoes. As for these two items, Sanya told Dad not to touch them unless absolutely necessary.
All that was left was to say clearly that these five thousand taels of silver notes and ten gold leaves were for life-saving purposes, and the remaining six thousand taels were left in plain sight in various denominations.
In addition to the gold and silver, she also asked your brother to write a letter to your Uncle Zhao, asking the escort to go to Zhoujiacun and hand it over to Dali, who would then pass it on to your Uncle Zhao.
The letter mentioned that my father doesn't have much money. If there is need, please ask Uncle Zhao to advance as much as possible so that he and his wife will not forget their love for each other.
If you, Uncle Zhao, hadn't asked dad how much money he needed to buy the goods in Liaodong, he wouldn't have known that your younger brother and his wife had written him a letter in private.
He also repeatedly mentioned that money is a trivial matter, and ten thousand taels of silver is nothing. The young couple just want their father and friends to go out for a walk, eat, drink and have fun——"
Gu Erlang laughed, "It's what Liulang can say. Now he doesn't have any money earned by his younger siblings. He is now the master of the family because he was spoiled by his younger siblings."
Suddenly interrupted by his eldest son, Gu Erzhu paused and shook his head with a smile, "Dad, I know it's hard for you to trust someone, Sanya, you can trust me.
It's not that she is willing to spend money on me and your mother, it's that she sincerely believes that we are a family, Liu Lang respects you, and she also regards you as her big brother.
Besides, Sanya is now pregnant with your brother's child. Erlang, you don't have to worry about her hurting your brother any more. You can let down your guard.
After all, Dad has met a lot of people and won't fool you. Besides, your brother is not as honest as you think. You have never seen him fooling people in the workshop.
Ahem, I'm going too far. Dad first said that I will make a profit this time. Putting aside the ginseng antler I brought back, dad, this is how he sold and exchanged goods for restocking along the way.
On the way there, I went to Zhending Mansion to sell the furs. I made about five hundred taels of silver, not counting expenses..."
Mr. Liu, who was listening quietly, knew something was wrong when he heard this. If he continued to pay the bill like this, they would not even think about having dinner before talking, but they would not stop it.
The three of them have a common bad habit that makes them stick together. When they sit down to talk about business, they will never give up until they finish talking.
In desperation, Mrs. Liu could only place the cakes and snacks on the Kang, and also helped the two fathers prepare the paper, ink, pen, inkstone and abacus that the eldest son would use.
After exiting the inner room and going out to the upper room, she learned that the "noodles" and side dishes had been prepared in the kitchen, and she had not let the maid and mother-in-law bring them into the inner room.
First, he gave instructions not to delay Ma Shan and Gu Baoya's dinner, and then personally brought two bowls of "car noodles" and side dishes and returned them to the inner room.
While Gu Erzhu and Gu Erlang were still reporting accounts and asking questions before they had time to pick up the pen, Mrs. Liu quickly asked them to finish their meal before settling the accounts.