Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 148: Show off (asking for monthly ticket)

Zhang Mansion.

Zhang Luan was personally seen off by Shen Lu and took a car home.

Originally, Zhang Luan invited Shen Lu to come into his house and have a drink together, even as a way to celebrate in advance, but Shen Lu declined with a smile.

At this time, Shen Lu also became sensible.

Things haven't been finalized yet. As a court official, I should avoid getting too close to a suspected upstart like Zhang Luan to avoid any complications. It won't be too late to continue interacting with him after the imperial edict is issued in two days.

When Zhang Luan returned home, he looked arrogant and proud. Without saying a word, he immediately called his wife and two sons to the main hall.

"Now you know? Our daughter has done well and even got chosen as the most difficult Crown Princess. I asked Minister Li, and he said that the emperor will issue an edict in the next two days, and he will give me the position of Minister of the Honglu Temple or Minister of the Taichang Temple. When I go out in the future, I will also be a royal relative!"

Zhang Luan can finally show off in front of his family.

Jin asked curiously, "So is our daughter's matter settled now? Are there any variables?"

Zhang Luan rolled his eyes at his wife and said, "You are ignorant. Now that it has been decided, what else can change? Oh, by the way, where is our girl? I also want to ask her about the details of the selection of concubines in the palace. What is the prince's attitude towards her?"

"After the child came back, he went into the room and kept the door closed and didn't come out."

Jin frowned, "It's really worrying. I asked Yanling to go in and bring her some tea. Yanling said she was fine and just wanted to be quiet."

"Really? Haha, Yanling, you are such a good child... Our family can't do without you..." Zhang Luan then turned his attention to his precious son.

Of course, the two sons were treated completely differently.

Zhang Yanling was laughing foolishly, looking like a child who was being praised by his parents.

Zhang Luan said seriously, "On my way back, his uncle told me that another uncle...that is, Xu Xueshi who works in Nanjing Hanlin Academy, will be transferred back to the capital by Li Shilang recently. He may be promoted to the right vice minister of the Ministry of Rites, or even the right vice minister of the Ministry of Personnel. This is all for my sake."

"what!?"

Jin looked incredulous: "That Lord Xu has such a high position and has been an official for so many years. He has countless old friends in the court. How can he rely on our family for his promotion? That's impossible!"

"What kind of person do you think Minister Li is? The appointments and dismissals of officials in the court are basically all decided by him. Whoever he says can be promoted will be promoted. Besides, our girl has become the Crown Princess now, and it's not certain who will curry favor with whom in the future." Zhang Luan was so arrogant that his toes were almost raised to the sky.

Jin looked overjoyed and smiled, "That's great! People used to look down on me, but in the future, when we have a chance to interact with each other, they will look up to me... I am really proud of myself!"

Zhang Luan snorted, "He will definitely be out of his league! But his uncle is a good man, and he graduated from the Imperial Academy. We will need him in the future, so there's no need to make enemies."

Jin said, "Yes, yes, everything will be done according to what the master says."

She used to be a shrew who complained about her husband, but now she has become an obedient woman who does whatever her husband says.

Zhang Luan said happily, "Yanling, good boy, you didn't have too much trouble on the way to pick up your sister today? Is everything going smoothly?"

"fine."

Zhang Yanling smiled and replied, "The Imperial Guards sent Captain Qin to escort us along the way. He should still be in front of our house... Didn't you see him when father came back?"

"I saw him, and he even said hello to me... He said that he would send a few people to follow me when I go out in the future. Tsk tsk, that's what it means to be respectable... Those Huizhou merchants are rich, right? But do they go out as grandly as I do?"

Zhang Luan was so happy at this time that he was dizzy with joy. After a few words, he started to brag.

Zhang Yanling was still chiming in: "Hey, who are they? How can they compare to you, father?"

Jin was a little worried: "That can't be said. We have the power now, but where is the money? When it comes to wealth, the Huizhou merchants are still the richest..."

Zhang Luan looked disdainful: "Women's opinions, powerful and influential people are still afraid of not having money? When I become an official..."

"Dad, your position as the Minister of the Ministry of Rites is not a real job, it is just a temporary position... Mom is right, it is really hard to make money without real power." Zhang Yanling said. Zhang Luan smiled and said, "It doesn't matter, as long as you can be an official, people will come to pay tribute to you."

……

……

After bragging, Zhang Luan left Zhang Yanling alone and then opened the two scrolls he brought from Li Zisheng.

"Help me."

Zhang Luan smiled and said, "Let me show you something good to help you improve your vision."

Zhang Yanling held the scroll aside and slowly unfolded the painting.

Seeing that they were two landscape paintings, Zhang Luan said proudly, "How are they? Not bad, right? They are all good things I got back from Lizi Province. These two paintings should be worth a lot of money. As long as we sell them, our life will be much better."

Zhang Yanling, however, poured cold water on the idea: "These are paintings by Xie Jin and Shen Zhou. They are not very old, especially since Shen Zhou was still alive. They are good enough to be worth a few hundred taels of silver."

"What? How do you know everything?"

Zhang Luan asked curiously.

Zhang Yanling pointed at the signature on the painting and said, "Dad, I can read. Didn't you open it and take a look before you brought it back? You don't even know whose painting it is, do you?"

Zhang Luan was embarrassed and said, "Master Li gave us something, how could I open it and check it on the spot? Didn't I ask you to help me take a look after I came back? Don't tell me you even know how to paint."

Zhang Yanling shook his head honestly: "You never taught me, so I have no way to learn, how can I understand?"

This Zhang Yanling did not lie.

Regarding the history of the Ming Dynasty, especially the history of the development and changes of traditional Chinese medicine, since he himself came from a family of traditional Chinese medicine, he had been exposed to a lot of it since childhood, and he had also made a thorough study of ancient Chinese literature. He had no problem reading the running script of this era, and he thought he would not be inferior to others in calligraphy.

But asking him to study ancient paintings is far beyond the scope of the curriculum.

If he were asked to pick up a pen to paint an oil painting or do a simple sketch, he would have some skills, but at best he was at the level of an apprentice and could not even reach the level of a professional.

Zhang Luan asked, "You said the paintings of these two people are not worth much?"

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "Dad, I'm not trying to discourage you. If it was really a rare painting, do you think Li Zisheng would give it to you so easily? Even if my sister is going to marry into the Eastern Palace soon, or even if you become the father-in-law of the emperor in the future, do you think your status will be higher than Li Zisheng's?"

Although Zhang Yanling did not know much about painting, he knew roughly about Xie Jin and Shen Zhou, one from the early Ming Dynasty and the other from the mid-Ming Dynasty, both of whom were famous artists of the Wumen School of Painting.

In terms of historical fame, Shen Zhou is of course more famous.

But when it comes to paintings, only those made by dead people become valuable. Shen Zhou is still alive and well, so no matter how great his paintings are, their value is relatively limited.

"Ugh!"

Zhang Luan sat down and sighed, "I was so happy for nothing. I thought I could at least buy a few houses in the capital, or exchange them for a few thousand or even tens of thousands of taels of silver."

Zhang Yanling smiled and joked: "If it is really as valuable as you said, it must be a painting from the previous dynasty, at least the works of Huang Gongwang and Zhao Mengfu, right? Dad, our family is not short of money now, do you want to make money so much? Can we live a long life?"

Zhang Yanling was very afraid that his old father was too greedy for money. He clearly had a good hand and all he had to do was wait for his sister to become the queen in the future.

As a result, he was in a hurry to make money, and in the end he definitely ended up in a bad situation.

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(End of this chapter)