The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 267
Even Zhu Youtang didn't expect that the matter of promoting mining and mining tax in the court would be so smooth.

It turns out that this group of ministers didn't just confront me whenever they felt unsatisfactory?

How did they know that the mining tax was exchanged for salary notes for them this time, and everyone seemed to be wilting?Come out to oppose it!I am still waiting to discuss with you how to benefit the country and the people.

After the court meeting ended.

After Zhu Youtang returned to Qianqing Palace, his expression was full of emotion: "I thought that there would be many people in the court who would oppose it. Who would have thought that they would all agree with my order for Bingkuan to open the mine. Now the difficulty lies in Bingkuan himself. I hope he can find out where the mine veins are through the Feng Shui he has learned."

Dai Yi said with a smile: "Mr. Zhang knows astronomy from the top and Fengshui from the bottom, how could he not find out?"

"Okay, I'm going out to watch a play. What kind of show is it today?" Zhu Youtang asked.

This time Xiao Jing reminded: "It's The West Chamber."

"Oh, I once read the playbook of The West Chamber, but said it was all about folk men and women, and it didn't have any feelings for family and country. The martial arts scripts written by Bingkuan before should also be compiled into plays. I want to be on the stage. see it."

Zhu Youtang doesn't like folk operas that are romantic and romantic.

With his identity and status, he prefers to watch "exciting" ones. Even if there is no blood and blood flying on the stage, at least he can feel the virtual magnificence.

Xiao Jing said: "The servant will tell Mr. Zhang."

"En." After Zhu Youtang nodded, he ordered to make arrangements for leaving the palace. He had to leave the palace before noon. According to the plan, he would not return to the palace gate until sunset.

……

……

Zhang Zhou didn't need to accompany Shengjia that day.

It was not his idea that the emperor went to the palace to watch a play, but it was ordered by the Empress Dowager Zhou. Zhu Youtang did this more out of "filial piety". As for what play to watch... Zhang Zhou can plan it.

But whether the person whom the Empress Dowager Zhou likes has a chance to get close to Zhu Youtang depends on Zhu Youtang's own taste.

Zhang Zhou received an imperial edict that day, allowing him to mine.

Moreover, the rules of mining have explained that there are folks who can discover coal mines, iron ores, and saltpeter mines, and those who want to be loyal and dedicate the mines to the imperial court can also pass Zhang Zhou's hands.

For private merchants, it is tantamount to a blockbuster.

Especially those merchants who have a need for mining. Some of them actually discovered ore veins, and some of them have been questioned by the court for their private mining. Now the court has given them a chance to change from "illegal" to "legal". Zhou contacted and invested in the mine, and there is an argument for how much of each company's profits will be divided in the future.

Zhang Zhou went to see Jiang Dezhong.

"My son-in-law, you don't know. As soon as the news came out today, there was an endless stream of people visiting me. They all knew that I was opening a mine for you. Otherwise, you can set a price, how much money you will charge for a given mine! As an old man, the big mine costs 3000 taels, and the small mines range from 500 taels to 1000 taels, what do you think?"

Jiang Dezhong is a businessman.

When he knew that Zhang Zhou had the power to certify illegal mines as legitimate mines, he wanted to realize Zhang Zhou's power.

Zhang Zhou said: "Father-in-law, what you mean is that you intend to make money."

Jiang Dezhong was surprised and said: "If you have money but don't make money, how is he?"

Zhang Zhou said with a smile: "But the problem is, those mines I helped him register with the government. How much will he give me when he produces ore? The court asked me to use the ore veins to smelt steel, cast cannons, and make gunpowder. These mines will help me complete the project." These?"

"This……"

Jiang Dezhong only thought about making money, serving the court, that seemed out of his scope of thinking.

It's all about making money.

Zhang Zhoudao: "Let's put it this way, I want to open mines by myself. I want to look around to see if there are suitable mines and veins. I must not compete with the people for profit. Save yourself, the sky won't drop gold to them, and it won't drop to me either."

Jiang Dezhong was puzzled and said, "You don't want a ready-made mine, but you want to open it yourself? When will this open?"

"According to my father-in-law, it seems that I don't quite believe in my ability." Zhang Zhou laughed.

"Well..." Jiang Dezhong really didn't believe it, "My son-in-law, people say that you can pinch and count, and you can even understand ghosts and gods. Will it be... down to that point?"

Zhang Zhou thought to himself, you old man Jiang really knows how to torture the soul.

If I hadn't been so downcast, with the dung horn hanging around my neck in the Gongyuan, I wouldn't have anything to do with it now.

"Do you know what it means to turn things against each other? Do you know what it means to bring the dead back to life? If you don't put them to death, how can you survive?" Zhang Zhou said, "In short, you don't need to worry about mining. Take a good look at the coal mines in Xishan. I will check it out soon. , open a few more mines, don’t think about enriching your own pockets.”

"My son-in-law, you open the mine, of course the old man has to help..."

"no need!"

Jiang Dezhong was in a hurry.

He thought that Zhang Zhou was here to give him business and money, but it turned out that Zhang Zhou was here to settle accounts with him.

Zhang Zhou seems to have no intention of cooperating with him when he opened the iron mine this time.

……

……

Hanlin Academy.

Zhang Zhou came to check the proofreading of "Da Ming Hui Dian" together. By the way, he met Cheng Minzheng and Lin Han who were working hard here. They were Zhang Zhou's helpers, and they were even more ruthless.

After all, Lin Han is going to be Zhang Zhou's father-in-law soon.

Weng and his son-in-law went to the library where the classics were stored.

"Why don't you see you often recently? Are you busy with court affairs?" Lin Han asked.

Zhang Zhou said with a smile: "I'm quite busy, so I'm going to start mining again today."

Lin Han nodded.

This time, Lin Han got a lot of money from the redemption of the salary. Although Lin Han is usually arrogant, he is under a lot of pressure to support his family. He can see that his children and family members only live in the dormitory of the Imperial College after they arrive in Beijing. How much pressure... and because he still has a wife and concubine to support him.

Lin Han's favorite thing to do in his later years was not to revise books, but actually...to have children.

Now it seems that Lin Han is old and frail, but Zhang Zhou knows what it means to be old and strong when he thinks that this old guy only gave birth to his last son, Lin Tingji, in Zhengde six years ago.

I marry your concubine's daughter as a concubine, so don't look down on me, who is more noble than whom?
Scholars, don't you just talk about sex and wealth?
"What's the situation in the northwest?" Lin Han actually asked Zhang Zhou seriously about the situation in the northwest.

Zhang Zhou smiled.

In the past, Lin Han was the right servant of the Ministry of Rites of the academic school, and he had been doing the job of teaching and educating people, but now Lin Han seems to realize that after the "Da Ming Hui Dian" is written, his official position will be further promoted. It is very likely that he will have the opportunity to stand alone in the court.

There is a meaning of "be a happy person from tomorrow, feed horses, chop firewood, travel around the world, and care about food and vegetables from tomorrow".

In the past, Lin Han was a little bit deaf to what was going on outside the window, but now he finally started to care about the court situation.

"The situation in the northwest is not bad. It is imperative to suppress the trap, but the court's focus is on the side pass. Before Wang Dehua and Zhu Zhijie went to the side pass, His Majesty ordered to change their offensive and defensive thinking. After getting a firm foothold, immediately send troops to surprise the Tatar camp and drive the Tatars out of the surrounding area, and there may be battle reports in the next two days..."

Zhang Zhou told Lin Han about the situation in the Northwest.

Lin Han said: "Send troops rashly, aren't you afraid of losing your halberd?"

Regarding the matter of marching, Lin Han did not show a superior attitude when he asked questions. Perhaps he also knew that no matter how famous he was in the academic world, he was a novice layman when it came to using soldiers and other matters.

Zhang Zhou shook his head: "For Your Majesty, national prestige is more important than other things now. The border officials will be able to understand this level of thinking. Even if the troops are not sent smoothly, they will not be held accountable too much. Instead, those who are timid and talk about taking defense as offense , will be replaced in the end.”

"Oh."

Lin Han nodded in agreement.

From Zhang Zhou's words, he understood that the emperor's intention now was to send troops and no longer hide in defense.

This kind of thing needs to be explained to him by others... there is no door.

This is why he likes to talk about court affairs with his son-in-law recently.

No way, who made Zhang Zhou the one who could best grasp the emperor's mind?
And he, Lin Han, did not take the traditional path of civil servants. If he wanted to be promoted to the six ministers of the capital or a real-time servant, he had to understand the emperor's mind, because from the perspective of him, it was the emperor and Zhang Zhou who promoted him. Yes, if he doesn't know how to stand in line, he will be like Cheng Minzheng, and a big scapegoat will fall from the sky at some point.

……

……

At the gate of Zhang Mansion.

Zhang Ye, Zhang Ping and his son had been running since noon to say they wanted to visit, but no one allowed them in, not even near the gate.

In the end, the two of them could only squat in the corner, each holding a stack of "gifts" in his hand, and they just waited until sunset when they finally saw Zhang Zhou's carriage stop.

"Second brother..."

Zhang Ye rushed forward brazenly, but was stopped by Jin Yiwei, two people came from behind and grabbed their collars, almost pushed them to the ground to teach them a lesson.

Fortunately, these two guys have nothing to show their faces recently. Everyone around Zhang Zhou knows them, so they don't have the nerve to do anything.

The toad jumps on the instep, and does not bite people who are disgusting.

Zhang Zhou smiled and said, "Brother, nephew, you two haven't returned to Nanjing yet? Is there still a way for you to survive in the capital?"

Zhang Ye said with a mournful face: "It's not that your sister-in-law heard that you are now in the sky, so someone brought a little money, let us stay here for a few more months, and see if we can maintain the brotherhood."

"Hey brother, don't blame the brothers for talking about you. You are a big man who is away from home for a long time, and the money at home is still managed by a woman. Don't you worry? If you go back, the sister-in-law will kick you out..."

"Bah! Hey...Second brother, you reminded me well, why don't you let the elder brother go back to Nanjing earlier for business?"

Zhang Ye wanted to get close to Zhang Zhou, but he could only be blocked by people three feet away, to discuss with Zhang Zhou the bad things in his family.

"The visitors are guests, let them in."

This time Zhang's father and son brought gifts, but Zhang Zhou didn't stop them and let them enter the yard.

The father and son of the Zhang family finally had the opportunity to set foot in the Zhang family's yard in this life, and they were invited in. Not to mention how excited Zhang Ye was, he probably felt a feeling of "the second brother finally forgave me, and I will be a new man in the future".

"sit down."

Zhang Zhou didn't intend to let Zhang Ye and his son enter the hall, but just greeted them in front of the stone bench in the yard.

But Zhang Ye didn't care anymore, he swaggered over and sat down.

"Second brother, you are really prosperous. Such a big yard is close to the gate of the palace. At least it costs a few thousand taels of silver, right? The encouragement you gave you at the beginning has really blossomed and borne fruit! Think about it, when you were down and out, when you Brother, can you see death without saving? At the beginning, I worked hard to help you get back to the right place, and when you couldn't eat, didn't you give you two hundred Wen back..."

Even Zhang Ping next to him frowned when he heard this kind of nonsense.

Dad, can you be more fake?

Second uncle is not a fool, people will listen to your nonsense?

Zhang Zhou said with a smile: "Brother, let's talk straight. What's the matter, are you seeking fame or profit this time? Don't you want to inherit my house?"

"No, no, no..." Zhang Ye hurriedly said, "Second brother, you are now a high-ranking member of the court. I heard that you are all first-rank officials?"

"No, it's just a false job. I'm just an Imperial servant." Zhang Zhou laughed.

"That's amazing. Our family's ancestral tomb is emitting green smoke. Why don't we help our brothers repair our ancestral tomb when we go back to our hometown? The ancestral hall at home should also be repaired...Dad and mother left at the beginning Morning, it's all about shit and pee for my brother..."

"Wait a minute, brother, it's been a few years since my parents passed away, right? Are you bullying my brain?"

"Uh...but my brother didn't treat you badly, did I?"

Zhang Ye found that this younger brother didn't seem to be fooled as easily as before.

This younger brother would listen to whatever I said before, and the younger brother at that time was very pedantic.

Why are you so monkey-like now?
"Oh, big brother, let's not mention the old things, right? It hurts brother's feelings. If you have something to say, you should just say it, and get out as soon as you finish, maybe before I die of old age, I will remember you a little bit when I think of you as a big brother."

Zhang Ye blinked.

"What do you say...Second brother, it's like this. I heard that you have an errand in Jinyiwei and an official position. I heard today that you are going to open a mine? You give me a little favor, don't ask for anything else, let my brother After you go back, it’s fine if you can do business with your sister-in-law.”

Zhang Ye was about to kneel down to Zhang Zhou, "Why don't you see, the brother and sister-in-law didn't give you anything before, but your eldest nephew never offended you. He always remembers you as the second uncle in his heart. You keep him In the capital, give him an errand. Think of it as a chance for Zhang's parents and grandchildren to make a difference, what do you think?"

Zhangye's words were full of affection.

Zhang Ping next to him was very moved.

When the son is pulling his father's clothes, it probably means, father, let's not beg this second uncle, we can't afford to lose that man, let's leave early.

This scene made Zhang Zhou think of that kid Zhang Jun.

The two cousins ​​are in the same line of temperament, they both understand "filial piety and etiquette" so well, and they are the "filial sons and grandsons" of the Zhang family.

"Brother, I only let you in for the sake of my nephew. Otherwise, why do you think I'm talking to you? Find someone to blow you out of the capital, and if you come again, I will beat you out. Do you think Is there still a chance to gain a foothold in the capital?" Zhang Zhou smiled.

"Okay, okay. Zhang Ping, do you hear me? I will hang out with your second uncle in the future." Zhang Ye said to his son earnestly.

"En." Zhang Ping didn't mention how excited he was.

My father sacrificed his ego, didn't want to lose face and always lived against the wall, and finally pushed your son to the brink of glory, and he himself had to go back and continue to suffer from his old mother.

Such a spirit of sacrifice is really touching.

Zhang Zhoudao: "My shop is short of an apprentice buddy, with a monthly salary of two qian, and board and lodging on his own. Do you think my eldest nephew can bear this hardship?"

"what?"

Zhang Ye and his son looked at Zhang Zhou together.

What about insulting?

Two dollars a month?Take care of your own food and lodging?Still apprentice buddy?

"Oh, brother, you need to broaden your horizons. I am working for His Majesty. The things that come out of my hands, such as mighty sky gunpowder, Shenwei far gun, etc., are all the weapons of the Northwest Army. If you can learn from me for two years, you can get a part-time job in the Ministry of Industry in the future."

Zhang Zhou was painting cakes for the Zhang family and his son again.

When Zhang Ye heard this, he looked back at Zhang Ping and said, "Son, did you hear what your second uncle said? Follow your second uncle and work hard. As a father, I will go back to your mother first."

"Father, take your son back with you."

Zhang Ping originally thought that he would be able to make a fortune, even if the second uncle didn't give him the position of a hundred households in Jinyiwei, it wouldn't be too much to give him a general banner, a small banner, etc.?

As a result, give it to an apprentice buddy?
Or gunpowder?

I'm afraid I don't know how to die later, and whether there is a whole body after death is another matter.

"Brother, it seems that you father and son did not discuss well, why don't you father and son go back and discuss for two days?" Zhang Zhou said with a smile.

Zhang Ye was not polite, stood up and said sharply: "Zhang Ping, now that you have grown up, you should be responsible! It is rare that your second uncle admires you and wants to keep you by his side to cultivate, not to mention being an apprentice, even if it is letting you move It is also a kind of kindness to start with the hard work of lifting! In the future, if your father is not by your side, your second uncle will be your father! You must honor him well!"

Zhang Ping: "..."

Now the son understands that his father intends to throw him away, so that he can go back and find his mother-in-law on business.

This is being treated as a burden by the father.

Zhang Ye said to Zhang Zhou excitedly: "Second brother, my son who does not live up to expectations, I will rely on you from now on."

"No problem." Zhang Zhou smiled.

Zhang Ye sighed, turned around and left: "Son, follow your second uncle well, and come back to pick you up as your father."

"Father……"

……

……

After Zhangye left, he packed his things and prepared to return to Nanjing.

Zhang Zhou arranged the nephew in the workshop and gave him two taels of silver on the same day.

"Zhang Ping, your father and mother are confused, and I don't think you should be confused." Zhang Zhou said, "Although they are both nephews of the Zhang family, you should know what material you are. Stay and work hard, or go back and continue to be a Your young master, you can choose by yourself, if you are still there when I come back tomorrow, it means that you have made a good choice. From now on, work hard with me!"

Zhang Ping remained calm.

When Zhang Zhou came back the next day, Zhang Ping's bedroll was long gone.

His father discussed with his second uncle to sell him, but he himself would not betray himself. He still wanted to go back to find his old mother, to be the grandson of Zhang's parents, to continue to live a life of no worries about food and clothing, and to inherit it in the future. What about the family business?

(End of this chapter)