Chapter 1435
But this kind of energy is really something for Old 5.
Chapter 1435 But this fifth brother is really something.
(P.S.: Thank you so much to the two great guys, Little Tiger of the Demon Realm and God of Death Li Meng, for your daily donations over the past few months. I'm almost embarrassed!)
Last month, Huangliang Youmeng directly supported us with 38 monthly tickets. This month, several familiar faces, such as Xingyao Yaoyang and Kanshu Bukan Shu, have supported us with five, six, seven, or eight monthly tickets each. There are others, but I won't list them all. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to them all!
I also want to thank the other readers who voted and those who are still following and supporting me. I'm adding an extra chapter today as a token of my gratitude. (No new chapters will be posted tomorrow.)
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"Their situation is indeed different from what you think!" Lin Hao said meaningfully.
However, Li Wei did not understand the hidden meaning in Lin Hao's words, and only thought that Lin Hao also pitied the concubines of the Third Young Master.
Lin Hao knew that Li Wei didn't understand, but he didn't explain further. They hadn't known each other well enough yet, and there would be plenty of opportunities for her to understand later.
As he spoke, Lin Hao looked at Li Wei and teased her with a smile, "By the way, I wonder if you've thought of any way to stop me from consummating our marriage today?"
"Huh? This, this, that~!" Upon hearing this, Li Wei's eyes darted around, and she stammered, unsure of what to do.
Then, as if remembering something, she took out a small notebook from her pocket and flipped through it, then excitedly exclaimed, "I'm pregnant!"
"Oh? You've had it. How many months?" Lin Hao deliberately misinterpreted the situation.
"No, I'm not pregnant, I'm~!" Li Wei quickly explained, then looked at Lin Hao pitifully and said:
"Sunflower water!"
"is it?"
"Really, really, I'm not lying to you!"
"It's up to you! Since you don't want to, I won't force you. But I'm going to establish my own residence and enter the court. From now on, you'd better behave well in the inner palace, understand?"
"I understand. Don't worry, as long as we don't consummate the marriage, I'll do my best!"
"Sigh! You little girl, are you so afraid that I'll consummate our marriage?" Lin Hao sighed, as if Li Wei had missed out on a good man.
"However, let me tell you, I'm not going to let you go!" With that, Lin Hao got up and left.
"Hmph~!" Upon hearing this, Li Wei hummed in disappointment for a long time before finally letting out a helpless sigh.
The reason Li Wei was conflicted was that, as she spent more time with Lin Hao, she had fallen in love with him.
If Lin Hao had taken the initiative, she would have given in, but Lin Hao seemed to respect her too much, which made her more conflicted. She couldn't very well let him take the initiative.
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The following day, Li Wei continued to learn etiquette and manners with the newly arrived lady.
Today, the governess, upon seeing the somewhat dazed Seventh Madam Ruan Sisi, immediately used her as an example to establish rules.
Shangguan Jing, who had long disliked Ruan Sisi, showed no respect for the old woman and directly stood up for her. Li Wei also spoke on her behalf, and the relationship between the group grew closer.
During the meal that day, Liu Baoquan brought over a plate of fried tofu.
"Young Master, I am guilty, please punish me." Lin Hao was about to pick up his chopsticks when he suddenly knelt down to beg for forgiveness.
"What's wrong?" Lin Hao asked curiously.
"This tofu!" Liu Baoquan quickly explained:
"I intended to use salt to preserve this tofu for a longer period of time, but I never expected it to still spoil and grow mold!"
"I thought it was too late to go to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to get it. I heard that this hairy tofu can be made into hairy tofu in the countryside!"
Before he could finish speaking, Su Shen roared, "Liu Baoquan, are you out of your mind? How can you give the young master this moldy tofu?"
Song Wu chimed in, "Yeah, this moldy tofu is fine for Li Wei, but what if it makes me and Brother Zheng sick?"
"Right? Brother Zheng!" Song Wu said, looking at Lin Hao with a face full of praise.
Lin Hao chuckled at the sight, and was about to speak when Li Wei walked in and said:
"Fermented tofu is indeed edible. It's been muggy lately, and the young master has had a poor appetite. Fermented tofu can help stimulate his appetite!"
"I tasted it right after Chef Liu made it, and it's fine!"
Lin Hao wasn't the original owner of this body, and he had long wanted to change his diet, so he picked up his chopsticks and prepared to eat.
Song Wu looked at the hairy tofu with disgust, but seeing that Lin Hao was really about to eat it, she tugged at Lin Hao's sleeve and said, "Brother Zheng~!"
"Hiss~!" Lin Hao almost shivered when he heard that coquettish voice, and goosebumps almost broke out all over his body.
This innocent-looking Song Wu hasn't even reached marriageable age yet, so she definitely shouldn't be thinking too much. But it must be quite uncomfortable for her to keep calling me that.
So Lin Hao looked at Song Wu and said, "Song Wu, you should still call me elder brother!"
Song Wu tugged at Lin Hao's sleeve and continued to whine in a coquettish tone, "Brother, don't you like me calling you that?"
"If you don't like it, be normal!" Lin Hao patted the little girl's head.
Then, smiling, he said to everyone, "Alright, it's nothing. Fermented tofu is indeed edible, there's no need to make a fuss!"
“But you probably don’t know how to make this dish, so this must be the concubine’s idea!” After saying that, Lin Hao looked at the head chef Liu Baoquan.
Liu Baoquan nodded, glanced at Li Wei, and said somewhat embarrassedly:
"It was the concubine's idea. She said this was edible, and she even tasted it herself after it was made. Seeing that the concubine was alright, I served the dish. Please forgive me, young master."
"Since that's the case, I forgive you. Get up!" Lin Hao said.
"Thank you, young master!" Liu Baoquan stood up to express his gratitude.
Lin Hao took a bite and felt it wasn't as delicious as the modern version. He thought it was because it used less oil and didn't have enough spices, so it tasted just average.
However, Lin Hao thought of another way to do it, so he said to Liu Baoquan, "Actually, there is another way to make this hairy tofu!"
"Oh, what's the method?" Before Liu Baoquan could speak, Li Wei immediately became interested. She hadn't expected that the Sixth Young Master was also a foodie.
"This method is called fermented tofu!" Lin Hao then invited Song Wu to try some, saying:
"Put the moldy tofu in a winnowing basket and leave it in the sun to dry for a few days!"
"Then wrap it with chili powder and spices, place it in a ceramic jar, pour a layer of oil on top, seal it, and place it in a cool place. It will be ready to use in seven to fifteen days in summer and two to three months in winter."
"Huh~!" Li Wei exclaimed with great interest, "Isn't this how we make it back home? But in Jichuan, we call it mud tofu!"
When Lin Hao talked about how to cook the food from his hometown, Li Wei became interested and, for some reason, felt a little moved.
She had actually considered this method, but the process seemed a bit like a culinary disaster to others, so she opted for the more palatable pan-frying method.
After taking only two bites, Lin Hao seemed to remember something and said to Liu Baoquan:
"From now on, you should cook according to the concubine's recipes. She's a foodie, and I trust her taste!"
"Yes, young master!" Liu Baoquan replied with a smile.
The next morning, Lin Hao ate a different kind of noodle dish than usual: preserved egg, spinach, and shredded chicken noodles.
I must say, the taste is indeed quite good.
After the meal, Lin Hao had no choice but to go to the Young Master's Academy to continue his studies. It was quite interesting to think that even though he was married, he still needed to go to the Young Master's Academy to study.
After class, Lin Hao sat down with Junior Tutor Dai Di again and discussed national policies.
While pouring tea for Lin Hao, Dai Di said, "Young Master's proposal to change the tax collection method from per capita to per unit of land and assets is truly a good idea!"
Lin Hao smiled. This policy was proposed during the reign of Emperor Yongzheng, and it can be said that this national policy extended the life of the Qing Dynasty by 50 years.
Its biggest advantage is that it significantly increases fiscal revenue by increasing the tax burden, with those owning more land paying more taxes. It slightly loosens the burden on ordinary people with less land. Although there are always various problems in its implementation, the general direction of the policy is to benefit ordinary people.
This was accompanied by a surge in population, a boom in industry and commerce, and an increase in commercial taxes.
Similar to the current situation in Xinchuan, as the country becomes more peaceful, the conflict between people and land begins to increase, and the merging of poll tax and land tax can greatly reduce the conflict.
“I heard that Danchuan was hit by floods. If they could also implement this policy, it would alleviate the suffering of the Danchuan refugees!”
At this point, Lin Hao handed the memorial proposing the integration of land tax and poll tax to Mr. Dai, then bowed and said:
"As you know, sir, the Chief Minister of Sichuan never reads my articles. I will have to trouble you with this matter!"
"Now that I have chosen the young master, I will naturally do my best to help him ascend to a high position. I will personally present the article to the master for his review!"
"Thank you, sir!" Lin Hao, one of Mr. Dai's subordinates, wrote the memorial, and then brought up another matter.
"By the way, the Ministry of Rites informed me that the conduct of all the ladies will be reviewed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the reputation of the concubines is rather poor, so the young master should pay close attention!"
"Don't worry, it's nothing, just a minor incident!" Lin Hao said nonchalantly.
Just as they were saying everything was fine, Li Wei and her friends started arguing with the headmistress again over a meal issue.
Li Wei argued for a few words, but then Granny Yan picked up a board and was about to hit Li Wei. In the end, Hao Jia protected her and took the blow for her.
Shangguan Jing, who had a fiery temper, had long been disgusted by the old woman's ugly face. Upon seeing this, she immediately flew into a rage and punched the old woman.
However, although Shangguan Jing had a great time after the round, she and Li Wei had to get up and leave together, and then they started rubbing their feet.
Lin Hao was also invited over, and when he entered the inner courtyard, he saw Li Wei being slapped on the foot.
"Beat him! Give him a good beating!" Granny Yan roared.
"Stop!" Lin Hao shouted, and the executioners, knowing it was the Sixth Young Master, immediately stopped.
"Sixth Young Master, you must discipline your concubine properly. Where does her behavior disregard palace rules?" Granny Yan said angrily, glaring at Li Wei.
Upon hearing this, Lin Hao coldly looked at Granny Yan and said:
"From now on, Li Wei, you only have the right to teach, not the right to punish. I hope you remember that!"
"Regardless of whether she herself is at fault or not, without the permission of the Lady of the River Lord, even if she is wrong, it is not your place to lecture her!"
"A master is a master, and a slave is a slave. You must know your place. If you dare to act recklessly again, you'll lose your head!"
After speaking, Lin Hao revealed a murderous aura and headed straight for Granny Yan and the guards.
To be honest, Lin Hao didn't like this Granny Yan or Granny Liu. It wasn't that he was wrong to lecture these ladies and concubines.
Instead of giving them face, they took advantage of it, demanding bribes, deceiving their superiors, and even daring to hit the young mistress without asking for permission.
Good heavens, anyone who didn't know better would think this was the Jia family from Dream of the Red Chamber, a bunch of servants rebelling against the heavens, daring to bully their master.
"Your subordinate knows his mistake and begs for punishment, young master!"
"Your subordinate knows he was wrong."
"Young Master, please forgive your subordinates this time!" The men knelt down one after another.
Lin Hao has experienced so many worlds and killed so many people that he can't even count them all. He usually keeps his murderous aura hidden, but once he releases it, how could these few people withstand it?
As a result, the several nannies and guards were so frightened that they collapsed to the ground, begging for mercy and confessing their crimes.
"Get up! Step back." Lin Hao's murderous aura vanished.
"Yes, I'll take my leave."
"Subordinates retire."
The group ran out shakily, fearing that Lin Hao would kill them at any moment.
After Granny Yan and the others left, Lin Hao looked at Li Wei and asked, "Are you alright?"
"It's nothing, my foot just hurts a little!" Li Wei's eyes reddened and she almost cried.
"Alright, it's nothing serious. Next time something happens, just send someone to let me know. Don't try to be a hero!" Lin Hao comforted the little girl by rubbing her head.
"Oh"
Seeing that Li Wei was in a better mood, Lin Hao looked at the other women, bowed, and said:
"Thank you all for taking care of Li Wei all this time. This is just a small gift, nothing more."
As Lin Hao spoke, many small bottles appeared in his hand; these were his specially made healing medicines, one bottle for each person.
"Thank you, Sixth Young Master!"
The girls expressed their gratitude. While the others were fine, Shangguan Jing was quite curious about Lin Hao!
She kept scrutinizing Lin Hao, unable to understand where the Sixth Young Master, with his small frame, got such a strong killing intent.
Shangguan Jing had served in the military, so she could better understand how terrifying Lin Hao was.
But as far as she knew, Lin Hao had always been frail and sickly, so where did he get his martial prowess and murderous aura?
"Hey, hey, what happened here? Didn't Granny Yan say she wanted to call me over?"
"What exactly happened? Where is everyone?" Fifth Young Master Yin Qi arrived late.
"Fifth Brother!" Lin Hao said loudly.
"Nothing serious happened, just a minor issue. There was a slight argument, and a few people were kicked a few times. It's all resolved now. You can take Princess Shangguan back!"
"As for the other ladies, they may return on their own!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Hao picked Li Wei up in a princess carry and walked towards the door.
The other wives and concubines looked on with envy at Lin Hao, who was carrying Li Wei away.
After the two left, Yin Qi first inquired about Princess Shangguan, and then about Hao Jia.
Seeing this, Shangguan Jing gave Yin Qi a disdainful look, then turned and left.
She remembered that Yin Qi had proposed to the other person, not her.
The two of them seem to have gotten together solely for the purpose of a marriage alliance.
Yin Qi chased after Shangguan Jing to the palace gate and quickly stopped her, saying:
"Shangguan, you were hit and you're walking so fast? Wait for me, listen to me, I'll carry you on my back. A good man would never let a weak woman walk alone."
Yin Qi thought that Shangguan Jing was angry because she saw Lin Hao carrying Li Wei away while she herself was not carrying her, which was why she ignored her and left directly.
But Yin Qi knew his own situation well; he couldn't lift her up, so he had to carry her on his back.
Unfortunately, he overestimated his abilities. He stood in front of Shangguan Jing, stretched his arms behind him, supported her legs, and tried to carry her on his back.
But after several attempts, Shangguan Jing remained motionless, which was quite embarrassing for him, but he didn't seem to care.
Shangguan Jing slapped him away impatiently, and Yin Qi quickly explained, "It's not that you're too heavy, it's that the gun is too heavy!"