Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 209 Naturally made
Zhang Yanling built ten more telescopes, but in the end he did not touch Zhang Heling's one and just sent them to Qin Ji's house.

Qin Ji opened the brocade box and saw the telescope inside. He then opened the wooden box next to it and looked at the soaps stacked up inside. His hands were shaking.

"Eunuch Qin, I have brought the things. Please present them to the prince." Zhang Yanling said.

Qin Ji swallowed hard, his eyes burning as he asked, "These things must have cost a lot, right?"

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "It's not bad. The expenditure is still within the range that the Zhang family can afford."

Qin Ji said: "As far as I know, this colored glass is a rare thing, not to mention that it is such a clear and transparent colored glass. I am afraid that even a small piece of it is hard to find on the market... I am sorry to have troubled you for the prince's matter."

Zhang Yanling thought to himself, just treat this as a good thing, don't think you can get it easily.

"For the prince, everything is worth it."

Zhang Yanling expressed his determination, "I just hope to help my brother-in-law and sister, nothing else matters!"

"Yes, young sir, it's getting late. I want to deliver the things to the palace before dark, so I won't keep you here any longer." Qin Ji stood up after saying this.

Zhang Yanling stood up and warned, "Eunuch, please be careful... Don't let anyone stop you for questioning when you enter the palace. It would be bad if something goes wrong."

Qin Ji smiled and comforted: "No, tell them it's for the prince, who dares to ask? Besides, this thing will eventually be presented to His Majesty, no one dares to risk the world's disapproval and intercept the tribute, just rest assured. Oh, by the way, here is... a letter from the prince to the princess..."

Zhang Yanling took the letter with a smile and said, "Now that Eunuch Tan is delivering the letter, it is much more convenient."

Qin Ji sighed, "The Crown Prince is about to get married, and there will be fewer and fewer opportunities for me to use Qin in the future. Sigh... In addition, the Crown Prince is very concerned about the Crown Princess and talks about her all the time. Uh... I spoke out of turn... As if I didn't say anything..."

Tan Ji accidentally revealed Zhu Youtang's secret.

Zhang Yanling thought to himself, you don't need to tell me, from the strong emotions revealed between the lines in their correspondence, I know that my future brother-in-law is a romantic man.

Who has let history prove this?

……

……

On that day, Qin Ji rushed to the palace at night.

There were still some troubles when entering the palace, but Qin Ji was an old man in the palace after all, and the things he carried did not look lethal, so the Jinwu Guards on duty finally let him pass.

When Qin Ji arrived at Duanjing Palace, he quickly dismissed the people serving the prince.

"My dear, you are going back home, aren't you?"

Zhu Youtang looked towards Tan Ji.

Qin Ji quickly put down the two boxes, opened the lids, and waved, "Prince, come and see what this is..."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Youtang stood up from his desk, walked over to take a look, and couldn't move his eyes away. He asked with surprise on his face, "So soon?"

Qin Ji was also sincerely happy and said with a smile: "How dare we delay for the sake of the prince's affairs? Speaking of which, the prince really needs to repay those who helped us in the future."

"Uh-huh."

Zhu Youtang nodded and said, "My dear, you must tell me who is the person who secretly helped me... Otherwise, after I present these things to my father, will you tell me?"

Qin Ji shook his head: "No, it is not convenient to tell you for the time being, or we have to wait until the matter is completely settled."

"Ah? Submitting these things won't calm the situation down?"

Zhu Youtang asked with a suspicious look on his face.

Qin Ji shook his head helplessly: "Your Highness submitted these things, at most to prove to His Majesty that you did not steal anyone's credit, and your filial piety is pure and without any selfish thoughts. But for Liang Fang and others, they will definitely find the person who helped you behind the scenes and use all means to deal with him."

Zhu Youtang said angrily: "They are just eunuchs in the palace and servants of the royal family. Why are they so stubborn?"

Qin Ji smiled bitterly and said, "Your Highness, eunuchs have been causing chaos in the country since ancient times. Not to mention others, in this dynasty, there was the disaster of Wang Zhen, which led to the Tumu Fort Incident and almost overthrew the Ming Dynasty.

"For a long time, relying on the favor of Your Majesty and Lady Wan, Liang Fang and others have committed evil and brought disaster to the people. The extent of their harm is beyond belief. Only when the Crown Prince ascends the throne in the future can their mistakes be corrected. There is no other way. The Crown Prince must not act on his impulse and put himself in danger, which will cause endless harm."

Zhu Youtang nodded: "I understand... I don't have the ability to compete with them now. In most things, my father only trusts them and not me. What can I do?"

Tan Ji nodded and said, "The prince has a plan in mind, he will be able to endure and wait for the accumulation of strength to make a breakthrough. I believe the prince will definitely change all this darkness."

"Then...my dear, when should I deliver these things? Tomorrow?" Zhu Youtang asked.

"It's better to do it now."

Qin Ji suggested, "Take me and Jiang Cong with you, and inform the Imperial Household Department first, and cover it up so that the people in the Imperial Horse Administration will not know about it.

"The power of the Imperial Stables in the palace is too great. If they find out, it may bring endless troubles. It is better to get rid of it as soon as possible."

"Then... I'll leave everything to you, my dear... But do I have to go with you? Sometimes... I don't want to face my father."

When Zhu Youtang said this, he couldn't help but lower his head in shame.

Although he wanted his father's love very much, his father was high above him and untouchable in his mind. Every time they got along with him, his father behaved very fiercely and never looked at him well.

So he would rather avoid his old father and reduce the chances of facing him directly.

Qin Ji advised: "The more severe your majesty is, the more the prince should face it bravely. On the one hand, it can temper his character, and on the other hand, it can be used as an opportunity to mend the relationship between father and son and break the villain's plan to sow discord. If the prince becomes increasingly alienated from your majesty out of fear, it may just fulfill the villain's intention and will not benefit the overall situation.

"In addition, only if the prince goes with us can we avoid being blocked by the people of the Imperial Stables and avoid any setbacks. If it were just Jiang Cong and I, even if we were robbed by them halfway, there would be nothing we could do."

"Been taught a lesson!"

Zhu Youtang nodded heavily, his eyes firm: "No matter how arrogant Liang Fang is, he would not dare to attack me in the palace. No matter what, I am the crown prince. And only if I go there can I directly present it to my father. If you send it there, it will most likely be deposited first, and it will be stolen by others if you are not careful."

Tan Ji looked relieved and said, "It's good that the prince can understand. I am very happy."

"My dear, you have taught me a lot of life lessons. I would never have thought of these things before."

Zhu Youtang still looked a little shy when he said this. "And then there was her...she gave me a lot of advice in her letters. I was deeply inspired and felt that I had grown a lot!"

……

……

The sleeping hall of the Palace of Heavenly Purity.

Zhu Jianshen was having dinner with Concubine Shao and Zhu Youlang and his mother.

Concubine Shao, who was born in Changhua, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, personally made special Jiangnan pastries that day and sent them to Zhu Jianshen to commemorate Concubine Wan.

Zhu Jianshen thought of the close relationship between Concubine Shao and Concubine Wan, and his heart softened. He agreed to let Concubine Shao and her son stay for dinner, and also prepared to let Concubine Shao stay overnight in the Qianqing Palace.

But at this moment, Qin Chang hurried in and interrupted the reunion of Zhu Jianshen's family of three.

"Why can't we wait until the meal is over?"

Zhu Jianshen frowned and looked at Tan Chang who was kneeling on the ground.

What I mean is, you've been in the imperial court for so many years, and you don't even have this much insight?

After Qin Chang finished his ceremony, he stood up under the emperor's gaze. Without any hesitation, he leaned forward and whispered in Zhu Jianshen's ear, "The crown prince has brought the tribute and is waiting outside."

"Prince?"

Zhu Jianshen frowned. This was a result he had never expected.

Tan Chang said: "The prince brought a telescope and soap, and everything has been checked and confirmed to be correct."

Zhu Jianshen asked, "Where is Liang Fang? Didn't she come with you?"

Tan Chang was stunned.

Then he understood what the emperor meant.

Zhu Jianshen still looked down on the prince.

Even when the prince came in person to present tribute, the emperor insisted that Liang Fang intentionally gave the credit to the prince, instead of giving priority to the prince's own collection of tribute.

“I haven’t seen him yet.”

Tan Chang answered respectfully.

This made Zhu Jianshen feel very embarrassed.

On one side was his beloved concubine and his son whom he was ready to replace as crown prince at any time; on the other side was his son who was not favored but was already the crown prince.

Although the palms and backs of the hands are made of flesh, people's hearts are still divided.

"Servant Shao, please take the child back first." Zhu Jianshen ordered.

Concubine Shao was quite surprised. She looked at her husband with innocent eyes and said sadly, "I have not yet offered sacrifices to my sister..."

"Next time."

Zhu Jianshen waved his hand and said, "Today is not a special day... Come, send them back, and take the jade ruyi on my table and let them take it with them."

Although the emperor seemed to be unsympathetic to Concubine Shao, he still loved her very much in his heart.

When seeing someone off, people don't forget to give them something to take with them, to show their closeness.

……

……

Concubine Shao and her son entered through the side door connecting to Jiaotai Hall on the north side of the Qianqing Palace, instead of the main entrance.

Zhu Jianshen, with some anticipation, walked quickly towards the main hall of the Qianqing Palace.

When he came to the imperial desk in the main hall and sat down, he raised his chin slightly and ordered, "Go, summon the prince in."

"Yes."

Qin Chang knows how to read people's expressions.

When the emperor knew that the prince came to present a telescope and soap, he even put aside the matter of sharing family time, which shows that in the emperor's mind, tribute was more important.

After he personally went out to call in Zhu Youtang and his servant, Tan Chang hurriedly reported, "Your Majesty, the crown prince is here."

"My son, I would like to send my regards to my father."

Zhu Youtang knelt down and kowtowed.

Zhu Jianshen raised his hand and said, "Please stand up and talk."

Zhu Youtang then stood up.

"I heard that you came to present something to me. What's going on?"

Zhu Jianshen couldn't help but ask.

To the emperor, this matter was also very strange and he was puzzled. Zhu Youtang said, "I heard my father mention the wonderful use of telescopes on the battlefield that day, which might help our Ming army defeat the enemy and gain prestige abroad. I have been concerned about this matter and wanted to help my father. After returning, I asked my husband Tan to find a way to collect this item. His efforts paid off and he finally found it. Today, my husband brought the item to the East Palace, and I can't wait to present it to my father."

"Bring it here."

Zhu Jianshen waved his hand.

Tan Chang went over and took the things from Tan Ji's hand, and then Jiang Cong took the wooden box containing the soap, and the two of them carefully placed the things in front of Zhu Jianshen.

Qin Chang opened the box and took out the things inside one by one.

“It really is…”

Zhu Jianshen was not someone who could be easily fooled, so he personally picked up the telescope and verified them one by one.

After he checked five or six items in a row, he stopped verifying further.

Zhu Jianshen looked up at his son and Tan Ji, who were bending down and waiting quietly, and asked, "Where did the things come from? Tan Ji, the prince said that you found them... You must answer truthfully."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Tan Ji said respectfully, "I got this from a merchant in Huizhou."

"Oh?"

Zhu Jianshen frowned.

Tan Ji poured out the explanation that he had discussed with Zhang Yanling long ago: "The colored glass used in this telescope is made of Huangshan mica. It is natural, crystal clear, and a rare treasure in the world. Only by using it to make a telescope can we see distant views... Maybe this rare object was obtained under the guidance of an immortal."

Zhu Jianshen picked one up, looked at it carefully, and nodded, saying, "It's no exaggeration to say that this is a work of genius. Could it really be a rare treasure from the gods?"

Qin Chang hurriedly complimented: "Your Majesty, this is a good omen! Since even the immortals are helping our Ming Dynasty, the Northwest soldiers will be even more powerful with this magical object, and will be invincible on the battlefield. It is really a cause for celebration."

Zhu Jianshen could not help but ask: "Do you still have this thing?"

Qin Ji said: "Your Majesty, this thing is made of Huangshan mica, which is extremely difficult to mine. Previously, only a piece of strange stone was found, and then it was polished into such a rare treasure. In addition to the batch that has been made, there is only one left outside that is not of very good quality... If we force it together, maybe we can make a few more..."

Zhu Jianshen frowned, obviously not satisfied with the answer.

Qin Chang said quickly: "Your Majesty, these immortal treasures bestowed by heaven will never be available again after this batch is made. Others cannot imitate them... In this way, the bandits will never be able to learn."

"Oh?"

Zhu Jianshen understood something from Qin Chang's suggestion.

This is a reminder that Liang Fang was just bragging before, saying that he got this thing, but in fact, the finished products that can be made from this thing are basically in front of us.

Tan Chang continued, "Then... Your Majesty, when will these things be delivered to the Northwest Army?"

"Don't be busy yet."

Zhu Jianshen's expression turned stern, and he shouted, "Go, call Liang Fang to me."

"His Majesty……"

Qin Chang looked embarrassed.

In fact, he was just pretending to be righteous, as if to say to the emperor, Your Majesty, how can you be so disrespectful to others? We just know that Liang Fang is just bragging, so let's just forgive him for now.

Zhu Jianshen was sullen and said, "I don't want to be kept in the dark... Is there anyone who wants to make a fool of me? This is outrageous! Go and call someone!"

Seeing this, Qin Chang probably knew that his conspiracy had succeeded.

Aren’t you, Liang Fang, arrogant?

This time I'll give you a taste of color.

……

……

As soon as Tan Chang walked out of the palace, he waved his hand and called Dai Yi, a eunuch from the study of the Imperial Household Department who happened to be delivering a memorial, to come over.

Dai Yi is of the same age as Qin Chang, and both are senior officials in the palace. However, Dai Yi was not successful in the study room, and has not been promoted to a writing eunuch until now. However, he is proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting, and is considered a representative of multi-talents in the Imperial Household Department.

"Go, summon Liang Fang to the palace. His Majesty wants to see him."

Tan Chang said to Dai Yidao.

Dai Yi hurriedly asked: "Is there anything urgent?"

Qin Chang sneered and said, "Go if I tell you to. This is His Majesty's order. Do you have any objections?"

Obviously, at this time, Qin Chang would not go in person to convey the order.

When he meets Liang Fang, he will definitely be asked all kinds of questions, and he will have to tell that guy exactly what happened. Once Liang Fang is mentally prepared, he will be able to deal with the emperor's questioning more calmly.

He didn't want to give Liang Fang this opportunity.

He wanted to use reasonable means to make Liang Fang hastily face the emperor's wrath, thus exposing his true colors, and preferably lose the emperor's favor.

……

……

Dai Yi hurried to inform Liang Fang.

But a powerful eunuch like Liang Fang was not in the palace at all at this time, but lived in a private residence outside the palace.

When Liang Fang learned that the emperor suddenly wanted to summon her, she was unable to react for a moment and quickly invited Dai Yi to come over.

"Your Majesty, why did you suddenly summon me?"

Liang Fang's face was grim.

"I don't know!"

Dai Yi shook his head and said, "It was Eunuch Tan Chang who asked me to come and deliver the message, but he didn't explain it clearly."

Liang Fang frowned and continued to ask, "Why didn't he come in person? Why did he only let you come?"

"This……"

Dai Yi was unable to answer and could only mumble.

He had no idea what had happened in the Qianqing Palace and could only face Liang Fang in silence.

Seeing that he didn't know anything, Liang Fang felt helpless. After a while, a light bulb suddenly flashed in his mind, and he hurriedly asked, "What's going on with His Majesty? Do you know?"

Dai Yi knew about this and replied, "The Crown Prince brought his attendant to the Palace of Heavenly Purity to pay homage to Your Majesty and seemed to have presented something to him."

"what?"

Liang Fang's expression changed immediately. "What did you present?"

"I don't know."

Dai Yi shook his head again.

Liang Fang stopped dressing and said with a dark face, "It's definitely not that simple. Someone, go and call Wei Xing to the palace gate. We must see him when we enter the palace."

"Yes."

There was a response from outside.

……

……

Liang Fang's carriage stopped in front of Donghua Gate.

At this time, Wei Xing's carriage had just entered Dong'an Gate and was galloping all the way to Donghua Gate.

"Eunuch Liang, what's the big deal?"

Wei Xing jumped off the carriage, sweating profusely and breathing heavily, which showed how hurried he was.

Liang Fang asked, "Have you found any solution for purchasing the telescope and soap?"

"Nothing... is there anything wrong?"

Wei Xing was a little confused.

It was you, Liang Fang, who said that it would take time for the news to reach Nanjing or Guangzhou Maritime Customs. We need to give our subordinates sufficient time to collect and organize the information. The round trip would take at least half a month.

Why are you more anxious than me now?

Liang Fang said with a gloomy face: "The prince went to the Qianqing Palace earlier and presented some items to Your Majesty. I am afraid it may be related to this matter."

"impossible?"

Wei Xing said in astonishment, "In the past few days, we have specially sent people to the capital to ask some experts and even many old masters who have been engaged in craftsmanship for generations. When we talked to them about the structure of that thing, they had never even heard of it. How could the prince get it..."

"Ugh!"

Liang Fang shook her head and sighed, saying helplessly: "We also think it is unlikely, but we are also uneasy, as if a disaster is about to happen. Go check Jiang Cong and see who he has been in contact with recently... Go now."

"Now?"

Wei Xing was dumbfounded.

Liang Fang, are you too sensitive?
Isn’t it just being summoned by the emperor?
Isn’t it just that the prince presented something to the emperor again?

Why do you think it has something to do with telescopes and soap?
Dai Yi mentioned it unintentionally, "What if it's true?"

Liang Fang and Wei Xing both stared at Dai Yi with fierce eyes.

Dai Yi quickly lowered his head and closed his mouth tightly, as if he had never spoken before.

Wei Xing said, "Eunuch Liang, if the telescope and soap were really donated by the prince, I think these things are very easy to get. As long as we send people to investigate everywhere, we will definitely find something around the capital. You can just say that the prince got the upper hand..."

Liang Fang said angrily: "If I really say that, and I can't find it later, wouldn't that be a crime of deceiving the emperor?"

"If it really can't be found...the prince can't find it either. Eunuch Liang, don't you agree?" Wei Xing was quite confident.

Liang Fang nodded when she heard this, and generally agreed with Wei Xing's statement.

Dai Yi, who was standing by, was stunned and thought, how much do you two look down on the prince?

Why can’t the prince get what you can’t get?

The crown prince is also a king. No matter how powerful you are, you have to bow down in front of him. Who gave you the courage to think you have the ability to fight with the crown prince?

Don't want to die?
(End of this chapter)