Tianliangyuan

Chapter 382 Good stuff

Xu Zhaozhao really didn't expect that her casual remark would provoke Xie Zheng.

"You really want a child that badly?"

Xie Zheng hesitated for a moment, but decided to tell the truth.

"Actually, I don't particularly want children. It's fine as it is now. I'm busy, and you're even busier than me. If we really had a child, I'm afraid all your attention would be on the child, and you wouldn't have time to take care of me."

This is the truth.

Xie Zheng finally realized how good it was to have a wife. He thought that once they had children, his wife would definitely not think about him all the time anymore, and he felt that he had made a mistake by marrying her.

It has to be said, this person's mind is indeed extraordinary.

After the two spent some time cuddling, Peony had to come over to report that Xu Chuan had arrived, this time with several boxes of cash, indicating that he had just closed some big deal.

"What's this?" Xu Zhaozhao was somewhat surprised to see so much cash.

"Oh, I took these out of the treasury specifically. These are for paying the monthly wages to Baiguoyuan. I took them according to the total amount on the books."

Xu Zhaozhao then realized that it was time to receive her monthly allowance.

Xu Degui came over to explain: "It was supposed to be issued two days later, but since you're here, why don't we just issue it today? What do you think, Master?"

Xu Degui handled this matter brilliantly.

Xu Degui, who used to be somewhat dull, has now come to understand the ways of the world.

Xu Zhaozhao watched as Xu Chuan taught his two young nephews how to do accounting and how to keep accounts. He also instructed them to make sure that the two nephews came in person to sign or put their fingerprints on the books. All the procedures were handled very meticulously.

not bad.

However, Xu Zhaozhao remembered the tool she had previously ordered to be made.

Just then, Xu Junfeng arrived with Zheng Tuo, seemingly wanting to discuss something with Xie Zheng. Xu Zhaozhao immediately released them.

"Peony, go ask me if the things I asked for earlier have been prepared."

"Yes, master."

Xu Zhaozhao ordered everyone to retreat outside. The doors and windows of the waterside pavilion were all open, but only she and Xu Chuan were inside.

"Zhaozhao, what is this?"

In his haste, Xu Chuan disregarded everything else and called out the name directly.

"This thing is called an abacus. How does it compare to the counting rods you used before, brother?"

Xu Zhaozhao had already demonstrated it several times, and then quickly performed several additions and subtractions, which made Xu Chuan fall in love with this wonderful thing instantly.

"Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!"

Xu Zhaozhao had a new abacus made.

A set of beads arranged in a rectangular wooden frame is called a "row". A horizontal beam divides the beads into two parts: each bead in the upper part represents five, and each bead in the lower part represents one.

Each string of beads represents the decimal place value of ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, and ten thousands from right to left.

It would be best to add a set of arithmetic rules for manipulating beads by its owner, which would solve various complex calculations, and even extract multiple roots.

Of course, Xu Zhaozhao doesn't know how to prescribe formulas; she can only do simple addition and subtraction.

Xu Zhaozhao had to put in a lot of effort to remember the formula she had seen online before, so she practiced adding and subtracting it a few times before calling Xu Chuan over.

"Its shape is rectangular, with a wooden frame around it and a straight column running through it, and it is called a 'dang'."

Generally, there are nine to fifteen columns, with a horizontal beam in each column. Two beads are above the beam, each representing a number five, and five beads are below the beam, each representing a number one. To perform calculations, the beads are moved after positioning them, allowing for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. What I just recited is the addition mnemonic.

Xu Chuan's eyes burned with passion, but he finally managed to calm down, straighten his clothes, and then bow deeply to Xu Zhaozhao.

"I humbly request your guidance, Your Highness!"

Xu Zhaozhao chuckled. She made this item for people to use.

Moreover, Xu Chuan isn't a particularly dazzling person. Once this thing is made, it should be handed over to him to work on slowly. Ideally, he should be able to develop a few more usable functions; that would be truly good.

Having accomplished the abacus calculation, Xu Zhaozhao had no intention of giving away the credit.

Compared to those achievements in both civil and military affairs, this is just a small abacus, not worth mentioning.

Therefore, she could have easily taken the credit herself, and with this item available, it would have been a perfect opportunity for His Majesty to openly and legitimately reward her. Why not?

His Majesty is probably racking his brains right now to think of ways to reward her.

After all, the imperial court has already issued an edict that jade and jewelry appraisal has been officially included in the laws of Daxing. Moreover, in addition to Lantian County, there are currently three other places in Daxing that have been approved to establish appraisal offices, but the appraisal office in Lantian County is the main office.

Xu Zhaozhao understood that His Majesty saw even greater benefits in this.

Xu Zhaozhao openly placed two people into the appraisal office in Lantian County, but secretly placed six or seven more.

Of course, she secretly planted servants and guards among them; what she was eyeing was not just the superficial benefits.

As for the two people who were ostensibly placed in the company, one was surnamed Xie and the other was surnamed Xu.

Xu Zhaozhao's arrangements were aboveboard, which actually made Emperor Yong'an even more satisfied with her.

Xu Zhaozhao's actions were a way of telling His Majesty that if she wanted benefits, she would ask for them openly and honestly, and would never resort to underhanded tactics.

Once Emperor Yong'an was satisfied, he naturally wanted to reward the person.

But how should we reward them?

Xu Zhaozhao is already a county princess of the second rank, so she cannot be promoted any higher, at least not now.

Therefore, Emperor Yong'an was considering whether to increase her fief.

After receiving the relevant documents from Lantian County, Gu Dongyang came to report back to His Majesty.

“The Princess of Anle County now enjoys a fief of a thousand households. Currently, in addition to the land you granted her, she has also privately purchased a large area of ​​wasteland. Apart from these places where houses and estates have been built, the land remains largely unused.”

Emperor Yong'an nodded: "It won't be empty for too long. I've heard that many merchants are already heading to Yunqi Town in Lantian County. The Princess of Anle County has donated a mansion she built to the court as a public residence. In addition, the taxes from a long pavilion that can accommodate thirty households have also been handed over to the local market government."

This Xu Zhaozhao is a sensible girl. Everyone thinks she only loves money, but in my opinion, she doesn't love money at all. Money means nothing to her. She only cares about enjoying herself, and she's willing to spend any amount of money to make herself comfortable.

Gu Dongyang smiled, feeling a certain amount of admiration for this Princess Anle.

One million strings of cash, and they lend it out just like that!

Although it was meant to set an example for the merchants and residents of Daxing, one million strings of cash was still an incredibly extravagant sum.

"She's a good child, and I can't mistreat her! Minister Gu, what do you think I should do to reward her?"

Although Gu Dongyang didn't know that the idea of ​​jade appraisal came from Xu Zhaozhao, he knew that Xu Zhaozhao understood the Emperor's intention in bestowing the fiefdom of Lantian County upon her, and now that she was investing money and manpower, it was clearly to please the Emperor.

"This, Your Majesty, is foolish and truly does not know."