Chapter 579: Working Hard

Editor: Atlas Studios

After rolling up two account books, Qi Haoran ran home. He picked up his son, who was leaning against Mu Yangling’s chest, and said unhappily, “He’s already one year old. Why is he still drinking milk? It’s time he weans off.”

Mu Yangling hurriedly snatched the child over and patted his back comfortingly. Glaring at Qi Haoran, she said, “What nonsense are you spouting? Even Little Treasure is still drinking milk.”

Qi Haoran smacked his lips. “Don’t tell me you’re planning to breastfeed him until he’s two years old too?”

“We’ll have to wait until he’s one year old before letting him wean off.” Mu Yangling took a small toy for Little Bear to play with and asked, “Why are you back?”

Qi Haoran showed her the account book. “Find me an accountant and ask him to teach me how to read the account book. Also, go to the storeroom and see if there are any good medicinal herbs. I’ll send some to Zijin later.”

Qi Haoran said sadly, “It’s only been a short while since we last met, but he’s become so skinny.”

“He’s just been working too hard recently. Don’t worry, he’ll be fine after resting for a while. Now, we can hire any imperial physician we want. In fact, there’s one staying in the Fan residence now.”

Only then did Qi Haoran feel a little better. However, he also wanted to learn how to read the account book as soon as possible so that he could share the burden with his big brother and Zijin.

However, he had clearly overestimated himself. In three days, Qi Haoran had changed three accounting teachers. It was not that Qi Haoran had a bad temper and forced them to leave, but that the three accountants felt that they could not teach Qi Haoran and took the initiative to resign.

Qi Haoran was the sort of person who was determined to work hard once he made up his mind to master something. Hence, even if he could not understand something, he would consult the teacher with a good attitude. However, even after the teachers taught him a few times, Qi Haoran still wouldn’t know how to apply a concept if it so much as appeared in a slightly different form.

It didn’t take long for them to give up. They didn’t dare to fool him, so they could only give up on this opportunity.

At first, Mu Yangling suspected that the accountants weren’t teaching him using the right method, so she personally taught him. Half a day later, Mu Yangling looked speechlessly at Qi Haoran, who was holding the pen with a troubled expression. After a long silence, she said, “Haoran, you’re not suited for accounting. People are good at different fields. You might as well find a few accountants to help you in that aspect. You can just be in charge of delegating the work.”

“But that way, it’ll be easy for others to fool me.”

“Who would dare to fool you about military and political matters? If there’s really no other way, we can set up a supervisory body. Surely they can’t all gang up to fool you and you alone? As long as the system is perfect, the risk can be minimized. It’s better than you struggling to read the account books.” Struggling and yet failing, to make things worse.

Mu Yangling swallowed her last sentence.

Qi Haoran lowered his head and fell into deep thought.

At night, Qi Xiuyuan and Fan Zijin came back together for dinner. Seeing that Qi Haoran was already full of energy and playing with the two children, he asked Li Jinghua curiously, “This kid has always been one-track-minded. Who persuaded him?”

Qi Xiuyuan never ever thought that his brother could learn how to read a set of accounts.

Upon hearing this, Li Jinghua said with a smile, “Ah Ling went to persuade him. It took her a long time.”

Qi Xiuyuan heaved a sigh of relief. “That’s good. I’ll bring him to the palace tomorrow. Even if he can’t read the accounts, I’m sure there are other things he can master. Coincidentally, magistrates from all over the country are coming to report to the capital. He can take the chance to learn from them.”

Qi Haoran turned his head and said to Fan Zijin, “You’ll go too. When the time comes, I’ll send you elsewhere to accumulate more experience.”

Fan Zijin pursed his lips in disdain. “Eldest Cousin, do I still need to build up more experience? Considering those local government affairs give me a headache, I prefer to earn money to fill the national treasury. Now that the dynasty is newly established, there’s really no need to follow the old system when it comes to appointing people. You can just use people who are talented.” Qi Xiuyuan said with a smile, “Don’t tell me you want to be the prime minister right away?”

“There are too many miscellaneous matters that the Prime Minister has to manage. I’m not capable of that. Eldest Cousin, you’d better let me manage the Ministry of Revenue. I promise that in less than ten years, the treasury will be filled with coins and the granary will be full.”

“Even if I exempt the citizens from paying taxes for three years and lower taxes after that?”

Fan Zijin choked. After a while, he said, “Actually, businessmen are the richest.”

“But if the taxes are too heavy, businessmen might not want to go into business anymore. Besides, how many people in this world are in business?”

There might not even be one person in a hundred who entered the business world. If they placed the bulk of the tax burden on that one person, it would definitely be another level of unfairness.

Moreover, should the business tax be too heavy, it would result in more cases of tax evasion and more businessmen would choose to go into other fields instead. Although Qi Xiuyuan looked down on businessmen, he would not underestimate their value.

Wasn’t the Qi family’s army able to survive largelybecauseof FanZijin’s businesses?

Seeing that Fan Zijin was scratching his head and still wanted to think of something, Qi Xiuyuan pressed his hand down and said, “Zijin, when I ascend the throne, follow Haoran to the front line. Hand over the businesses in your hands to the stewards and seriously carve out a career with Haoran.”

Fan Zijin was stunned. “Eldest Cousin, I still have to accumulate merits? You can just confer me an official position in the Ministry of Revenue…”

Qi Xiuyuan said seriously, “Do you only want to be the head of the Ministry of Revenue? With your current mentality, I won’t be at ease handing the position of Minister of Revenue to you in another 20 years.” Seeing the unconvinced look on Fan Zijin’s face, he sighed and said, “I don’t doubt that you’re talented, but what I want you to learn is mentality and morals. Zijin, you can only take on as many responsibilities as the size of your heart could contain. Haoran is benevolent, but his talent is only in fighting wars. He won’t be able to learn anything else even if you force him with a knife. I’m but one person, and Little Treasure is still young. I need some help…”

Although Qi Xiuyuan did not finish his sentence, his meaning was obvious. He wanted Fan Zijin to assist him. With Qi Xiuyuan placing such high hopes on him, it was only a matter of time before Fan Zijin enjoyed a meteoric rise in his career.

Fan Zijin fell silent. It was impossible not to be tempted, but he wanted the freedom to do the things that he enjoyed, such as doing business.

Initially, he had gone into business to get some pocket money for him and Qi Haoran and some rations for the 5th Division. Later on, he did it to pay for military equipment for the entire West Camp. Now, he was doing it to support the Qi family’s army. However, he had long fallen in love with this line of work. He felt that politics was not as exciting and attractive as the business world.

However, he also knew that only good officials and famous generals had ever been able to make history. No businessman had ever left their mark in history. Fan Zijin was a businessman, but he was also a scholar. No scholar could resist the temptation of leaving his name in history.

He knew that the reason why Qi Xiuyuan was unwilling to promote him to a high position was because of his bottom line.

Other than a limited number of people, there were very few things that he cared about. For the sake of profit, he could do anything. However, if he were to become an official or prime minister, this would obviously not do. While he had ruthless methods, he did not have the benevolence of an official.

Without a benevolent and tolerant heart, wouldn’t he be another Minister Qin?

Fan Zijin pondered the matter for a few days. Qi Haoran asked in confusion, “You can devise strategies in the business world, but you can also find that feeling in the bureaucracy. Why are you so stubborn about it?”

Fan Zijin glanced at him and said, “How is this the same? I can come up with conspiracies in the business world since there’s no one suppressing me from above. There are very few businesses that I fail to succeed in. However, it’s different in the bureaucracy. If I frame a loyal and kind person to achieve my goal, not to mention Eldest Cousin, you’ll be the first to fall out with me.”

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