Chapter 65: Let’s Change Places
Gu Yan stood at the entrance of the tea house, looking at Li Xiaonan, who was holding a hand warmer.
The last time he saw her, she was still wearing a jacket. This time, it was only November, so why was she already wearing such thick cotton-padded clothes?
These cotton-padded clothes were clumsy and ugly!
Li Xiaonan entered the tea house, met Gu Yan’s look of disdain, handed the hand warmer to Wan Jing, and patted her cotton-padded jacket, “Let’s start class.”
“Let’s change the location for class today?” Gu Yan extended his folding fan to block Li Xiaonan.
“Where to?” Li Xiaonan stopped.
“Sit down and talk.” Gu Yan turned his folding fan and pointed to a table in the middle of the main hall.
Li Xiaonan sat down and looked at Gu Yan.
“From the moment you entered, it counts as class.” Gu Yan pointed his folding fan at the entrance of the tea house, emphasizing the words “from the moment you entered.”
Li Xiaonan didn’t speak, shifted back, and sat comfortably against the chair back, still looking at Gu Yan.
“Why aren’t you holding it?” Gu Yan pointed at the hand warmer Wan Jing was holding.
“I’m not cold.”
“Indeed, it’s only November, and with these thick cotton-padded clothes, you shouldn’t be cold.”
Gu Yan leaned forward and peered at Li Xiaonan’s home-woven cotton-padded jacket, twirling his folding fan a few times, wanting to reach out and pat it, but not daring to.
This little girl is sharp-tongued, ignorant, and fearless. Forget it, I won’t provoke her.
“These are thin cotton-padded clothes. My third sister is making me thick cotton-padded clothes. The cotton-padded trousers are so thick they can stand on their own,” Li Xiaonan said with a smile, looking at Gu Yan.
Gu Yan’s eyebrows rose high. After a moment, he leaned forward and asked with a serious expression, “Then how would you walk wearing the thick cotton-padded clothes your third sister made? Would you hop? Your arms wouldn’t bend, so how would you eat?”
“Where are we going to have class?” Li Xiaonan did not answer Gu Yan’s teasing.
Gu Yan waved his folding fan at Shi Gun. Shi Gun quickly signaled everyone, and they retreated to various corners and outside the front and back doors.
“I am the Heir of the Prince of Rui.”
Gu Yan paused, thinking about how to explain it so that this smart but ignorant little girl would understand. Li Xiaonan pouted, “I already knew that, you’re very noble!”
“Of course, I’m noble! With high position and great power comes great responsibility. The rise and fall of the world, the suffering of the people, all require concern and responsibility,” Gu Yan lowered his voice, his expression solemn.
Li Xiaonan rested her arms on the table, propped her chin, and looked at Gu Yan.
With such a far-fetched opening, where did he want her to teach?
“Since the founding of the nation, for nearly a hundred years, the empire has been prosperous everywhere. However, the sea tax and grain transport tax revenue has been declining year after year for the past twenty years. I am going to Jiangnan to inspect the Maritime Tax Bureau and the grain transport and tax bureaus along the rivers.”
Li Xiaonan listened halfway, then stopped propping her chin. After Gu Yan finished speaking, Li Xiaonan also lowered her arms, sat up straight, and subconsciously looked left and right.
Gu Yan smiled at her.
This little girl has so many little thoughts.
“To investigate taxes, one must look at numbers. I found someone who is excellent at accounting and very good at interpreting numbers, also a Xiucai scholar. But his talent is innate. Can you teach him? The tuition fee is separate,” Gu Yan stared intently at Li Xiaonan.
“Where is the class?” Li Xiaonan asked.
Gu Yan chuckled.
Alas, this little girl’s little thoughts!
“The matter I need to investigate involves vast wealth. Investigating it all the way will ruin many people’s sources of income. Ruining someone’s source of income is like killing their father, so I must be extremely cautious. It’s definitely not possible here.”
Gu Yan paused and looked at Li Xiaonan, who was glancing at him sideways.
“You’ve thought of it, haven’t you? The Prince’s Estate villa occupies a vast area, and there is a courtyard specifically used for examining and verifying these figures. It’s there.”
“It means going to your place, I said…”
“The price is negotiable, just name it,” Gu Yan interrupted Li Xiaonan.
Li Xiaonan looked at Gu Yan, silent.
“Wan Jing will pick you up and drop you off. At the villa, Wan Jing will also accompany you, never leaving your side. How about it?” Gu Yan continued.
“Oh~” Li Xiaonan drew out the sound, “You’ve had this planned for a long time. So, all that talk about fate and destiny was just you making it up? You just want me to teach your people numerology?”
“We really are fated. Alright, alright, just think of it as you teaching. You’re benefiting,” Gu Yan said halfway, then seeing Li Xiaonan’s mouth turn downwards, he immediately backed down.
“Then you had A Wu and Yu Ting manage the Beixing Wharf, was that also for your important matters?” Li Xiaonan asked casually.
“A Wu came to find you?” Gu Yan asked, understanding.
“How did you know A Wu came to find me?” Li Xiaonan was a bit agitated.
“That couple kept running to the villa. If I didn’t see them, they went to find Wan Jing, and Wan Jing directed them to you?” Gu Yan twirled his folding fan, looking as if nothing could escape his notice.
“How did you know they went to find Wan Jing?” Li Xiaonan’s eyes widened.
“Wan Jing is someone close to me. If I didn’t even know that A Wu had approached her, would you think I’m an idiot?” Gu Yan extended his arm towards Li Xiaonan, his fingers tapping incessantly on the table.
Li Xiaonan leaned her back tightly against the chair.
“Then why did you use A Wu and then not use him? If you don’t want to use him, you should explain it clearly. You’re very noble and unwilling to see A Wu, so you should send someone to explain, right? Also, you let them manage the wharf and then turned around and stopped them. How are they supposed to work at the wharf? Aren’t you ruining their rice bowls!”
Gu Yan placed both hands on the edge of the table, leaning forward to look at Li Xiaonan. After a moment, he raised his hand and slammed the table.
“You’re the first person to dare to accuse this Young Lord like this! You’re capable, you have guts! Amazing!”
Li Xiaonan pursed her lips tightly and glanced sideways at Gu Yan.
She always felt he was more like a swindler than a royal heir.
“I’ll have someone inform Yao Wu and arrange another path for them, alright? You tell me, how much?” Gu Yan unfolded his folding fan, waved it a couple of times, and then snapped it shut.
“The villa is outside the city, very far. A round trip will take…”
“With a carriage and horses, half an hour is enough, total!” Gu Yan interrupted Li Xiaonan, speaking impatiently.
“Even if it’s half an hour, half an hour is not short. If it’s like now, one trip takes half an hour, that’s too wasteful. If one trip takes two hours, plus the travel time, that’s two and a half hours.”
Li Xiaonan paused, stared intently at Gu Yan, hesitated for a moment, and tentatively asked, “Five taels per trip…”
“Deal!”
“I haven’t finished yet. Five taels paid upfront for each trip, and another five taels recorded, and when it adds up to fifty taels, give me a silver note,” Li Xiaonan continued.
Gu Yan slowly said, “The five taels paid upfront, is that to be given to your Eldest Sister? The five taels recorded, are you saving private money? Are you already saving for your dowry?”
“Deal or no deal?” Li Xiaonan ignored Gu Yan’s sarcastic teasing.
“Deal!” Gu Yan readily agreed.
“Your family is really rich,” Li Xiaonan exclaimed.
“Tomorrow, at the end of Chen hour and beginning of Si hour, I’ll have Wan Jing come pick you up,” Gu Yan tapped his folding fan in front of Li Xiaonan, “Including lunch, you’re getting a good deal.”
