spoiled brat

Chapter 23 22. Spring Harmony (2)

In this world, some people crave fame, while others crave profit. Lord Huang values ​​his reputation, yet he cannot bear to part with gold and silver.

Standing beneath the soft shadows of the trees, bathed in the golden light of the setting sun, Zhao Zhao smiled confidently:
"Xiao Duo, we're going to get rich!"

She pushed open the lattice door and went inside.

study.

Although County Magistrate Huang was originally a military officer, he had no choice but to learn calligraphy in order to deal with his superior, who had a penchant for literature.

For the first three years, he studied Yan Zhenqing's calligraphy style and finally managed to capture some of its essence. However, his superior suddenly changed his allegiance and became fond of Wen Zhengming.

Yan Zhenqing's calligraphy is bold and unrestrained, and even County Magistrate Huang could learn a fraction of it.

However, Wen Zhengming's small regular script was too delicate and exquisite, and County Magistrate Huang felt that writing characters was like embroidery, and he could not grasp the essence of it no matter what.

He heard footsteps and knew Zhaozhao had arrived. Without looking up, he gave the order:

"Come and help me grind the ink."

First-class brothels would teach girls to read and write, but Zhao Zhao came from a second-rate brothel and barely knew any characters. She had never even touched a writing brush, ink, paper, or inkstone.

She softly replied "yes," carefully picked up the ink stick, and slowly ground it in the inkstone.

County Magistrate Huang's handwriting was ugly, and Zhao Zhao lowered her eyes, not daring to look at it.

I glanced at it by chance and saw that the delicate pen looked out of place in County Magistrate Huang's rough hands. The characters he wrote were unbearable to look at, and the whole page was a mess of black blobs.

"Child," County Magistrate Huang suddenly spoke, his voice muffled and deep, "what do you think of my handwriting?"

Zhao Zhao thought to herself that this question was truly unanswerable, so she could only pretend to be clueless and looked at County Magistrate Huang, saying:

"Lord Huang, I don't understand Southwestern Mandarin."

She has delicate features, and when she pretends to be silly, no one can find fault with her. Her cat-like eyes are bright and lively, and no one can bear to think badly of her when she looks at them.

Unfortunately, County Magistrate Huang was a shrewd man, and he could tell at a glance what kind of person Zhao Zhao was.

He had engaged in a lot of deception in officialdom, and he was most reluctant to do these underhanded things in private.

He snorted and waved his hand dismissively: "Get away from here."

Zhao Zhao immediately knelt down, bowed her head respectfully, and said:

"Sir, your handwriting is not good."

People who are used to being hypocritical have a problem: they hate hypocrisy but can't stand the truth.

County Magistrate Huang, unable to tolerate frankness, was about to send the man away when he heard Zhaozhao say:
"Your brushstrokes are vigorous and powerful, with bold and expansive strokes. You are definitely a master of Yan Zhenqing and Liu Gongquan's styles. Writing such delicate characters is really a waste of your talent."

I learned this saying from Yao Niang.

Yao Niang admires talented writers, but when casting a wide net, she inevitably catches some who aren't quite as talented. Through discussions about literature and art with them, Yao Niang has learned a valuable lesson—

Those with hasty handwriting are said to have the style of Huaisu; those with rough handwriting are said to have the strength of Yan Zhenqing and Liu Gongquan; those with weak handwriting are said to have the spirit of Wei Zhuang… each has its own interpretation.

County Magistrate Huang lifted Zhaozhao's chin with his rough hands, looked at her for a moment, and said disdainfully:
"Your kid hasn't even grown his first hair yet, and you already want to learn how to do lending."

He put down his pen, walked to the tea table, poured himself a cup of tea, and gulped it down.

When I put down the cup, Zhao Zhao was already holding the teapot, waiting to serve me.

She does have good judgment.

“My lord,” Zhao Zhao said respectfully, “I heard that you were only fourteen years old when you went to the battlefield to fight the enemy, and in just two years you were promoted to the ninth-rank captain based on your military merits, earning wealth and honor from the mountains of corpses and seas of blood.”

County Magistrate Huang sat down, gesturing for Zhao Zhao to refill his tea and water, and said casually:

“I’m a boy, you’re a girl, so ultimately we’re different.” Zhao Zhao poured the tea and presented it to him with both hands.
"Each has its strengths. Women are more meticulous and more careful than men in their actions."

County Magistrate Huang pointed to the chair next to him, indicating that Zhao Zhao should sit down and speak.

He lifted the lid of the teacup, took a sip of tea, and looked up to see Zhaozhao still standing upright. He smiled and said:
Who is your mother?

Zhao Zhao paused for a moment, then replied, "My surname is Yu."

County Lieutenant Huang pondered for a while. As the county lieutenant, he was in charge of all defenses in the county, and he had to pay money to the county officials, both openly and secretly, for brothels, theaters, and other such disreputable businesses.

Although he didn't receive the money directly, his subordinates would bring him a booklet when they presented the silver, which listed who had contributed how much to what business.

I do remember a madam surnamed Yu.

“Your mother is a sensible woman,” County Commandant Huang said. “Does she know what you’re thinking?”

Seeing that there was a chance, Zhao Zhao quickly said, "I know, I know, Aunt Yu really wants to help you."

County Magistrate Huang nodded: "Alright, tell me again about your heart that's been hurting the cat."

To hit a cat with a heart?
Zhao Zhao chuckled. County Magistrate Huang had misunderstood her, thinking she was up to some kind of shady loan shark scheme.

She paused for a moment before speaking, "Sir, you have always had a good reputation in the county. Everyone knows that you are upright and incorruptible, and that you love the people like your own children..."

County Magistrate Huang waved his hand: "Stop talking nonsense and get down to business."

Since that's the case, Zhao Zhao got straight to the point: "My lord, I can make you both money and fame."

"How do we do it?" County Lieutenant Huang asked, intrigued.

“In the past, Zhao Si only lent money to the janitors who had taken over the latrines, exploiting them to the point of exhaustion. This was a short-sighted approach.”

Zhao Zhao said, "So what we need to do is a steady and ethical business. We can lower the interest rate and lend money to more poor households who are having financial difficulties. In this way, with more customers, the final profit will not be small."

County Magistrate Huang retorted, "Then why don't they go to the pawnshop to borrow money, but instead come to you?"

“Because our interest rates are lower than those of pawnshops,” Zhao Zhao replied. “Similarly, we also need something to pledge.”

County Magistrate Huang then asked, "If someone doesn't pay back the money, and you go to collect the debt using unseemly methods, wouldn't that tarnish my reputation?"

Zhao Zhao shook her head: "We are responsible for our own profits and losses. If we lose money, we will accept it and will never use excessive means to get it back."

County Magistrate Huang asked in confusion, "Then why have you come to me?"

Zhao Zhao smiled and said, "We need your reputation to support us... otherwise, who would lend money to a group of prostitutes at exorbitant interest rates, and who would pay it back?"

County Magistrate Huang sized up Zhao Zhao, remaining silent. Zhao Zhao, being sensible, quickly pointed out the advantages:

“We will give you 20% of the interest every month as a token of our respect. In addition, this will help you gain more popular support.”

"Oh?"

"The interest rates on our loans are low, giving those poor families some breathing room. It's a good business that benefits the people," Zhao Zhao said. "Although lending money isn't exactly honorable, if you don't get involved, local thugs and bullies will interfere, causing harm to the village and leading to many injustices and misfortunes..."

County Magistrate Huang tapped the table with his hand, which was adorned with a jade thumb ring, signaling Zhaozhao that she didn't need to continue.

He dipped his finger in water and wrote the character "Chen" on the table:
"Go find Supervisor Chen. When you're working outside, never mention my name."

The deal is done.

Zhao Zhao knelt down and kowtowed several times, thanking them with a smile.

Her future is bright.

(End of this chapter)