Empress Dowager Xiao was still angry, so naturally she would not have a good face when she saw Gu Jiu.
"Granddaughter-in-law pays respects to the emperor's grandmother."
"Where are you going? You ran away without saying hello, who did you learn the rules from?"
Empress Dowager Xiao asked critically.
Gu Jiu pursed her lips, and said solemnly: "Don't dare to lie to the imperial grandmother, the granddaughter-in-law's rules are learned from the predecessor Weiyang Gongmao."
Everyone was stunned for a moment before realizing the meaning of Gu Jiu's words.
The first Weiyang Palace is Ruizhen Empress Cui.
Thinking back, before Empress Ruizhen Cui passed away, Gu Jiu lived in the palace for a period of time, learning the rules from her mother every day.
It's not wrong for her to say that.
"Ah!" Princess Huyang yelled out first, "I remembered, the eldest nephew and daughter-in-law hadn't married Liu Zhao at that time, right?"
Gu Jiu nodded slightly, "Auntie is right."
Princess Huyang laughed, "Speaking of which, you also learned your rules from the palace, which is not bad."
"What's good?" Empress Dowager Xiao's face was as gloomy as water.
Weiyang Palace is a thorn in Empress Dowager Xiao's heart.
During the time of the first emperor, she was not eligible to live in Weiyang Palace.
Her son became the emperor, but she was still not eligible to live in Weiyang Palace.
Although the Compassionate Ning Palace is very good, as a woman in the harem, it would be a lifetime of regret if she never lived in the Weiyang Palace for a day.
Not living in Weiyang Palace means that she was always a concubine when the first emperor was alive. Even if the status is noble, it can't hide the fact that the concubine's room.
Princess Huyang held Empress Dowager Xiao's arm, "Mother, let's celebrate the New Year today, be happy."
Empress Dowager Xiao sneered, "What's there to be happy about in Ai's family. The first nuns in Weiyang Palace, Ai's family just looked at it like that. All kinds of messy things didn't all start in Weiyang Palace. It was chaotic from the root. Now, how do you learn the rules?"
Gu Jiu really wanted to hate Empress Dowager Xiao: Weiyang Palace rules the harem, Weiyang Palace is in chaos, how can Changchun Palace be better? The Weiyang Palace is a mess, and the Changchun Palace will inevitably harbor filth.
When the words came to his lips, Gu Jiu swallowed them again.
It's cool to hate Queen Mother Xiao, but the consequences are serious. She can't bring trouble to Liu Zhao.
So she whispered: "The nuns are very strict. Maybe the granddaughter-in-law is dull and has not grasped the essence of the rules in the palace."
Empress Dowager Xiao's complexion brightened a little, "Knowing that I'm stupid, I can still be saved. A few women specially selected by the Ai family for Liu Zhao have served in the palace for at least five years. They all have strict rules and rules. You If you are virtuous, you should take the initiative to take people back. Instead of letting the men worry about it."
Gu Jiu hurriedly said: "The emperor's grandmother is right. The granddaughter-in-law doesn't want His Highness to worry about it, but His Highness is poor and short-sighted, and every month, he sends people to his granddaughter-in-law's house to play the autumn wind and use money to support the people below.
The grandson's daughter-in-law relied on the dowry for her livelihood, worked hard all these years, and finally earned some money. She wanted to save some property for Brother Yu, but she asked His Royal Highness to hug her.
The emperor's grandmother felt sorry for His Royal Highness, and arranged for a few caring people to serve him, and the granddaughter-in-law was very grateful. It's just that the granddaughter-in-law is a little worried. It's easy to take him back. It's just that who should bear the money for raising people, who should the granddaughter-in-law turn to for the money to support her, and asked the emperor's grandmother to give a reminder.
His Highness can't even support himself, so there must be no hope for him. The dowry of grandson's daughter-in-law must be left to Brother Yu. And there is no reason to ask the main wife to pay for the man to raise a concubine. "
Empress Dowager Xiao looked annoyed, "The majestic royal family, can you lose the money to raise women?"
Gu Jiu looked relieved, "I wonder how many women the emperor's grandmother has prepared for His Highness?"
"Four." Empress Dowager Xiao snorted, "The Ai family loves him, so they specially prepared four women for him, all of whom are easy to bear. After two years, they will have children, and they will have to call you mother."
"My grandson's daughter-in-law can't afford to be the mother of so many children. My grandson's daughter-in-law is poor."
As soon as this was said, some people couldn't help laughing.
Gu Jiu continued: "Four women, the annual expenses are at least 12,300 taels. If they have children in two years, they will be counted as one for each of them. Then four plus four, the annual expenses will be at least 30,000 taels. , less than 50,000.
Taking an intermediate value, raising these people requires 40,000 taels of silver a year. After all, he is a member of the royal family, even if he is a concubine or a concubine, he has to be rich and noble. I don't know if the 40,000 taels was paid by the Shaofu or the Ministry of Households? If the imperial grandmother is willing to subsidize, the granddaughter-in-law will be grateful. "
Everyone was holding back their laughter.
Compared to Liu Zhao's straight-forward approach, Gu Jiu's method is more devious and subtle.
It makes people feel very uncomfortable, and it is not easy to attack.
Empress Dowager Xiao took a deep breath, "Can the Shaofu lose your 40,000 taels? Presumptuous!"
Gu Jiu blinked, "Is the Shaofu so generous now? Your Highnesses are blessed. If you take in a few more concubines, you can get more money from the Shaofu. If you are a little harsher, at least half of the money will be left. This Good deal."
Pooh!
Xiao Qin'er covered her lips and snickered, and muttered: "Sister-in-law is really dare to say it. But do you really need so much money to raise a few concubines? It's too expensive."
She looked at Liu Yi, but Liu Yi didn't look at her, but stared at Gu Jiu.
Xiao Qin'er snorted, and secretly pulled Liu Yi's sleeve.
Liu Yi came back to his senses and looked at her with a frown.
"What are you looking at?" Xiao Qin'er asked in a low voice.
Liu Yi shook his head, "Nothing."
"Hmph! How clear is the account of the sister-in-law? It's really not worthwhile to raise a few women and spend so much money a year."
"You don't say a few words, and you don't look at the occasion."
Xiao Qin'er just shut up.
Ouyang Fu is very good at settling accounts.
Gu Jiu's words almost touched her heart.
No one here knows better than her how much the concubines and concubines spend.
The eldest son of the concubine of the second house was born, and the money was spent like running water.
It's just raising a child, but there are so many places to spend money, it's like a bottomless pit.
Four concubines and four concubine children, according to the royal family's standards, 40,000 taels of silver a year is a low match.
If you are a little richer, 40,000 taels can't stand the expense. The end of the year is definitely a deficit.
Why!
If the men had the brains of a sister-in-law and could calculate the cost of raising a man and a child, how many things would be saved in the mansion.
"Absurd! It's about the heirs, but you are arguing about money with the Ai family. It's just nonsense."
Empress Dowager Xiao scolded Gu Jiu sharply.
Gu Jiu looked aggrieved, "But people live in this world, how can they not spend money. Does the emperor's grandmother reward His Highness a woman with a special way to maintain her health, so she doesn't need to eat or wear clothes? If that is the case, from His Highness Digging some money out of my salary, I can barely afford it."
"Ha ha… "
This time even Princess Huyang laughed out loud.
She found that Gu Jiu was really cute when he was pretending to be stupid.
"why are you laughing?"
Empress Dowager Xiao's eyes were not kind, and if there was a big disagreement, she wanted to clean up her own daughter.
Princess Huyang's laughter stopped abruptly as if someone had strangled her neck.
She waved her hand and coughed softly, "No, it's nothing. But the eldest nephew and daughter-in-law are right, it costs money to support people. Does the emperor have money? He won't even give him a title. How can he pay for it?" Money to raise women for several nephews."
"you shut up."
Empress Dowager Xiao really didn't expect that her own daughter would tear things down again and again.
Empress Dowager Xiao was so angry that she couldn't choose what to say, "Gu Jiu, the capital said that you made a lot of money from building houses. Since you are so rich, it doesn't matter if you take some of it to raise a few women for Liu Zhao. To be a woman, you have to Virtuous. You are truly virtuous if you are willing to raise the backyard for Liu Zhao."
Gu Jiu frowned slightly, and said softly: "There used to be a Mrs. Luo in the Hou's Mansion. She said that her granddaughter-in-law had a bright head and was extremely intelligent. When she was learning the rules in the palace, the mothers in the palace also said that her granddaughter-in-law was quite smart. The imperial grandmother , I'm not stupid, I'm really smart, the master and the mother are right.
I spend money to raise women and bastards for His Highness. Then those women's wings hardened, which made me unhappy. When the concubine grows up, he will start competing with my son for the family property and the favor of His Highness.
By spending this money, besides gaining a virtuous reputation, I found myself a bunch of unhappiness and raised a bunch of worry-free brothers for my son. I wronged myself and helped others.
Grandmother, tell your granddaughter-in-law, what am I going to do with this money! Just trying to be virtuous? Virtuous people can't eat or drink, and they can't be turned into money, and they won't let concubines and concubines be grateful and don't fight or grab.
Grandmother, I am not stupid. I took the dowry as my basis and worked hard to earn money. I really didn't want to raise a few more worry-free brothers for my own son, let alone to wrong myself.
If you do me a favor, please forgive my grandson-in-law. It's not easy for grandson's daughter-in-law to save some money, so it's all left for Brother Yu. His father couldn't afford to support him, and my mother had to support him. Grandmother, please let your grandson-in-law save some property for Brother Yu. It's really not easy to live as a royal son. "
One sentence is not easy, and I don't know how many people's hearts have been touched.
Everyone in the hall was as quiet as a chicken, waiting for Queen Mother Xiao's reaction.
Empress Dowager Xiao pointed at Gu Jiu, she was too angry to speak.
Huyang Princess hurriedly appeased, "Mother, calm down, please calm down. The eldest nephew and daughter-in-law have indeed made money over the years, but they have also spent a lot of money. I guess she can't afford to raise a woman for Liu Zhao to raise a concubine. It's better to wait for the future household Let the Ministry be more generous, and we will talk about this matter after the emperor bestows titles on their brothers."
"Are you deliberately wanting to piss Aijia to death?"
Empress Dowager Xiao finally made a sound.
Gu Jiu was aggrieved and kept silent.
"What's wrong with my mother? Whoever offends my mother, tell me, I will vent my anger on my mother's behalf."
Emperor Wen De brought his harem women to the Palace of Compassion and Ning to greet Empress Dowager Xiao.
Empress Dowager Xiao pointed at Gu Jiu, "Who else can there be? This one, and the one kneeling outside. Ai's family kindly rewarded Liu Zhao with a few women, but that kid messed around with Ai's family, saying that he had no money to support women, For a while, he said that the concubine and the concubine were different, and looked down on the concubine.
Your Majesty, you are also a concubine. Liu Zhao said that he looked down on the concubine, so he is not filial. I want to punish him, do you have an opinion? "
Emperor Wende laughed, "Punish it, whatever it takes, I have no objection. What's the matter with the eldest daughter-in-law?"
Emperor Wende's eyes fell on Gu Jiu, a little puzzled.