Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 230 Who dug the pit?

Forbidden City.

The inner hall of the Palace of Heavenly Purity.

Zhu Jianshen was lying on his back on a soft pillow. He had just taken the medicine presented by the Imperial Hospital. Then Qin Chang went over and took the medicine bowl and put it aside, then waved to Li Zisheng to come forward.

"Li Qing, what did you bring?"

Zhu Jianshen asked.

Li Zisheng quickly said, "What I presented is a telescope."

"what?"

Zhu Jianshen frowned when he heard that and waved his hand, "Are you sure it's a telescope? Bring it over and have a look!"

Originally, nothing could arouse the emperor's interest, but when Zhu Jianshen heard that it was a telescope, he instantly became excited and asked Qin Chang to hand him the brocade box containing the gift.

The box had been replaced, making it look more upscale, but the telescope inside was made of rough material and was very different in appearance from the ones previously presented by the prince.

If those are obviously high-quality products at first glance, then the one in front of you can be considered a street stall product at best.

But when Zhu Jianshen put it in front of him and looked at it in the distance, he immediately stopped treating it as an inferior product. After all, the effects were almost exactly the same.

"Where did you get it?"

Zhu Jianshen was full of doubts and asked, turning his head.

Li Zisheng gave the reason he had prepared long ago: "Your Majesty, this item was given by someone else... I didn't recognize it when I first saw it, but after using it, I found that it was very similar to the telescope Your Majesty showed me that day. I dare not keep it alone. After all, this item is related to the stability of the border and the survival of the Ming Dynasty..."

"Okay, okay."

Zhu Jianshen himself was not good at speaking and did not like listening to others talking at length, so he interrupted Li Zisheng directly.

Qin Chang smiled and said, "Master Li, just tell me who gave you this thing."

Li Zisheng said respectfully, "It was donated by Huizhou. I heard it was made of leftover Huangshan mica. Its function is roughly the same as the one donated by the prince before, but it is slightly lacking in vision and clarity."

This telescope has a smaller lens and the light transmittance of the glass is slightly lower, so the viewing distance is closer and there is a certain difference in clarity.

This is also the main reason why Zhang Yanling threw him to his cheap elder brother as a plaything.

The problem now is that Zhang Heling is in contact with more and more people outside. If he carries this thing with him when he goes in and out, it will inevitably be spread by others, which will attract Liang Fang's attention. So he might as well use this thing to play a political conspiracy.

Li Zisheng has already joined the game, but he himself has not realized it yet.

Zhu Jianshen took it in his hand again, looked at it carefully, nodded and said: "Indeed, it is somewhat different from what the prince presented before in all aspects."

Qin Chang whispered, "So, what the prince said is true. The Huangshan mica used to make the telescope should have been consumed. So, Eunuch Liang..."

When Li Zisheng heard this, he thought, Qin Chang, you are clearly slandering Liang Fang in secret.

Are you trying to play dirty?
Zhu Jianshen glanced at Tan Chang, then looked at Li Zisheng, frowned and said, "Li Qing, I know that you have a close relationship with Liang Fang. It was he who recommended you to me... You know the origin and function of this item, and you also know that I gave Liang Fang a deadline to build a telescope. Why don't you give it to him?"

Soul torture!

You, Li Zisheng, are also interesting. Liang Fang has done you a favor. After you got the telescope, you didn't think of giving it to your benefactor, but presented it directly to me in your personal name. Aren't you deliberately trying to make fun of Liang Fang?
Li Zisheng hurriedly defended himself, "After I got this item, I didn't dare to have any improper thoughts. If it was mine, no matter how precious it was, I would give it to Eunuch Liang without hesitation. But this is something that Your Majesty cares about, how dare I distribute it privately? Even if Eunuch Liang has done me a favor, I can't do that!
"In my heart, there is only Your Majesty and the Ming Dynasty. Everything else comes second! Therefore, as soon as I got this item, I immediately went to the palace to present it to Your Majesty. Only when Your Majesty handles it personally can I be considered to have fulfilled my duty as a minister. Every word I say is true, and my loyalty is evident to all the world. Please understand, Your Majesty!"

Tan Chang smiled and nodded.

It seems to be saying, Li Zisheng, you gave a very neat and clear answer.

If you say that you have thought about giving it to Liang Fang, it would be like telling the emperor that you have thought about deceiving him.

If it was really given, it would be a serious crime of deceiving the emperor!
Zhu Jianshen was also very satisfied with Li Zisheng's answer. He casually put the telescope back into the brocade box made of rosewood and said, "Then on my behalf, you can temporarily give this item to Liang Fang."

"what?"

Li Zisheng was stunned when he heard this.

What's happening here?
I gave you something as a gift, hoping to take credit for it in front of you, but you actually asked me to give it to Liang Fang?

What will Liang Fang do after getting it?
Isn't it sent to you again?

After all, Qin Chang had been in the palace for many years and seemed to understand the connection immediately. He bowed and asked, "Then your majesty, should we ask Master Li to tell Eunuch Liang that this is a gift from your majesty?"

"What did you say?"

Zhu Jianshen frowned, then glared fiercely at the talkative Tan Chang.

Qin Chang was slightly startled, and quickly said: "Of course not."

"Ah."

Zhu Jianshen nodded and said, "Isn't Liang Fang looking for Huangshan mica and artificial colored glaze as a substitute to fool me?
"There's not even a template, how can we make it? I'm helping him out, and we'll see how he does it next... I'm really looking forward to it!"

After saying that, he actually laughed.

Qin Chang laughed along, then winked at Li Zisheng meaningfully.

Li Zisheng understood everything at this time.

The Emperor Chenghua in front of him wanted to test Liang Fang to see how he would react.

You, Li Zisheng, did not deceive the emperor, but it depends on whether Liang Fang did.

If Liang Fang really cannot make the telescope in the end and can only bring this telescope to the palace to claim credit, then wouldn't she have fallen into the trap carefully designed by His Majesty?
and many more……

Who set this trap?

emperor?

Or is it Zhang Luan?
Li Zisheng couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.

Zhu Jianshen raised his hand and said, "The deadline is almost here. It's time to send someone to urge Liang Fang and tell him that I am getting impatient and hope he can move faster and not let me down."

After saying that, Zhu Jianshen turned around and seemed to be taking a nap.

Tan Chang said respectfully: "Your Majesty, please rest first."

"I will also take my leave."

Li Zisheng said hurriedly.

"Ah."

Zhu Jianshen didn't even turn his head, but just made a soft sound in his throat.

Then Li Zisheng and Qin Changcai walked out of the hall with their bodies hunched.

……

……

"Eunuch Qin, it seems that His Majesty knows everything. He has a keen eye." Li Zisheng walked out of the palace, stood up straight, and whispered to Qin Chang.

Qin Chang smiled and waved his hand, meaning that it would be better if we didn't have any communication about this matter.

As long as you know it, that's all.

Then Qin Chang bowed and went to the duty room of the Imperial Household Department with his entourage.

Li Zisheng wiped the sweat from his forehead and hurried out of the palace.

When they got home, Li Zisheng hurriedly called Pang Qing over. He saw that Pang Qing's head and face were also covered with water droplets as big as beans, and his whole body exuded a sweaty odor. He frowned immediately and asked, "Look at you, your whole body is almost soaked... It's only February, did you go swimming in the moat?"

Pang Qing seemed quite speechless, and quickly said, "What time is it? Taoist, you still want to tease me? Have you forgotten that it was you who asked me to find out about the situation of the Huizhou merchants, and I have been busy since the beginning of the day."

"Oh."

Li Zisheng nodded in relief, then took out the brocade box and put it on the table, "Send it to Liang Fang's house and say it was sent by me."

"Ah? This..."

Pang Qing couldn't help but look confused, as if asking, didn't you send it to the palace?

What's wrong?

Changed your mind at the last minute and didn’t send it out?
Li Zisheng said thoughtfully, "On the way back, I kept thinking, Zhang Laizhan gave me such a precious telescope out of nowhere, and said it was made from leftover Huangshan mica... What do you think his intention was?"

Pang Qing asked in surprise: "You only started thinking about it when you came back?"

The implication is that you should think when you shouldn’t accept a gift?
Or maybe you should think carefully before entering the palace?
"Snapped!"

Li Zisheng slammed the table and shouted, "Why are you talking nonsense? I'm asking you a question! Just tell the truth."

Pang Qing looked around, leaned close to Li Zisheng's ear and whispered, "Haven't we already said what needs to be analyzed? If this thing is given to Liang Fang, it would be tantamount to deceiving the emperor."

Li Zisheng nodded, with a rare look of fear on his face: "So, Zhang Laizhan should have expected this a long time ago, thinking that I would definitely give it to His Majesty, and His Majesty would definitely let me give it to Liang Fang to test Liang Fang...

"So, in fact, this pit was dug by Zhang Laizhan specifically for Liang Fang, but he just used my help and took advantage of..."

He did not say clearly who he used, but it was obvious that the target was the emperor.

Pang Qing asked, "You mean to say that His Majesty asked you to give it to Eunuch Liang?"

"What else? Do you think I would deceive you?"

Li Zisheng looked unhappy.

Pang Qing nodded and said, "You wouldn't. But to say that it was the work of Zhang Banxian seems a bit far-fetched... As the saying goes, the will of heaven is unpredictable. Who knows what your majesty is thinking? Your majesty's move, I'm afraid even you didn't think of it beforehand, right?"

"Right."

After hearing this, Li Zisheng finally felt a little better.

It turns out that the person who understands the emperor best is me, not Zhang Laizhan.

But then he frowned and asked, "Is it really impossible for Zhang Laizhan to figure it out?"

"The human heart is hard to predict."

Pang Qing was still speaking for Zhang Luan at this time.

It's not that he wants to help Zhang Luan, but the great immortal Li in front of him has already begun to suspect Zhang Banxian because of this trivial matter, which is not conducive to internal unity.

"Besides."

Pang Qing said, "Whether he detected it or not, Lord Zhang has no intention of harming you. In front of His Majesty, aren't you still a loyal minister, and a loyal minister who can do things?"

Li Zisheng was instantly filled with pride and said with a smile, "Bingkun, you are still good at talking. Liang Fang tried so hard to get this good thing, but it appeared in my hands. What do you call this? This is called good relationships, having many supporters, and understanding your majesty's difficulties."

Pang Qing thought, stop bragging here.

Don't you think that you can accomplish something that others can't do, which just shows that you are extremely powerful? Will the emperor be suspicious of you because of this?

But seeing that you are in high spirits, I won't say this. At least you have curried favor with the emperor and made meritorious contributions and still got away with it. This is real.

Li Zisheng said: "Send the things to Liang Fang. Liang Fang will definitely remember my kindness now."

"I'm afraid to look back..."

Pang Qing reminded.

"Let's talk about it later. Even if he knows about it later, can he blame His Majesty if I say that it was His Majesty who asked me to do it? Besides, the current incident clearly shows that His Majesty no longer trusts him, otherwise he wouldn't have asked me to test him... Why should I be afraid of someone who has lost His Majesty's trust?"

When Li Zisheng said this, there was still a hint of pride on his face.

Pang Qing smiled and said, "Since Lady Wan left, the situation in the court has indeed changed greatly. You, the Taoist, are now more comfortable in your own way."

"Ah."

Li Zisheng still looked smug.

It seemed as if it was really as Pang Qing said, that he was the master of this court.

……

……

At the end of a street in the north of the city is a small courtyard house rented by Zhang Yanling not far from his home. This place is used exclusively as his chemical laboratory and for storing special materials.

When Zhang Yanling brought Chai Meng over, they happened to see Zhang Heling lecturing a group of people. There were more than twenty people in front of Zhang Heling, all of them were sloppy, but they had a kind of fierceness in them, and looked like a group of thieves.

"Brother, let's go. Something's happened."

Zhang Yanling greeted.

"Okay. Wait a minute, I'll tell them."

Zhang Heling was in high spirits.

"Who?"

Zhang Yanling glanced at the group of people not far away.

Zhang Heling straightened his back and said, "We made a name for ourselves when we beat the guy named Peng. Many people in and outside the capital have heard about my heroic deeds, so they all came to join us, right?"

Zhang Yanling smiled and joked: "Okay, big brother, are you going to be a gang leader?"

"What big boss? It's just a small fight! Hey, you are really capable, my second brother. If it weren't for you, the living Zhuge Liang, giving advice, I wouldn't be able to stand out."

Zhang Heling really thought of himself as a big shot. He spoke with a powerful tone and the demeanor of a superior. Zhang Yanling couldn't help laughing and shook his head repeatedly.

(End of this chapter)