Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 556: All Need Fame (asking for monthly ticket)
When Zhang Luan saw his son, it was already light time. Zhang Yanling was meeting with a group of craftsmen to assemble and debug the spinning machines and looms.

Upon learning that Zhang Luan was coming, Zhang Yanling was very puzzled.

After all, as far as he knew, his old father had been quite "busy" at night recently. He either went to see Li Zisheng or went to the other courtyard to have fun.

It seems that for Zhang Luan, who has suddenly become rich, nightlife is everything to him.

Seeing Zhang Luan coming at this time, Zhang Yanling speculated that perhaps his stepfather had a reason to come and see him, or maybe something big happened at home.

After they met and sat down, Zhang Luan's words immediately made Zhang Yanling feel what was out of tune.

"My son, I am just unwilling to accept this. You said that I have done so many things for the Ming Dynasty. Even if I have no merits, I have worked hard. But I have been scolded all the time, and the scolding is very ugly. How can I not feel aggrieved? Your uncle pointed out a clear way for me. If I take on the task of editing the book, won't I be remembered in history?"

Zhang Luan looked forward to it happily.

Zhang Yanling didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and asked, "But... Dad, for something like compiling the Emperor's Records, you won't be the chief editor, right?"

"Hey, why do you look down on me, your father? I am the president of the Hanlin Academy. In name, I am the head of the Hanlin Academy now..."

Zhang Luan looked at his son with a dark face and refuted him loudly.

Zhang Yanling was somewhat helpless and shook his head, saying, "Dad, don't be so anxious to glare at me. Let me ask you, apart from Uncle Shen, has anyone else talked to you about this matter? Just tell me if there is..."

"This... is not true."

Zhang Luan thought about it and replied.

"Isn't this enough?"

Zhang Yanling shrugged and said, "Even if it's your majesty, he wouldn't take the initiative to invite you to revise the book... Because everyone knows that you are only a student of the Imperial Academy, and your talent is limited to that of a scholar. You are good at coming up with strange plans and ruining other people's work, not revising books."

"Then... the late emperor and Your Majesty knew that my ability was limited, so why did they let me become the president of the Hanlin Academy?"

Zhang Luan felt a little unhappy.

I have the final say in the Hanlin Academy, so why can't I have the final say in editing books?
Just because I come from a humble background, others think that I will never be able to write a qualified history book?

Zhang Yanling said again: "Father, do you think it is possible... You can edit the book yourself and present it to His Majesty, so that His Majesty will be very satisfied at first sight. After reading it through, you can compare it with the one compiled by the people in the Hanlin Academy. If you find that their book is slower than yours and not as detailed as yours, then you can..."

"..."

Zhang Luan couldn't hold back when he heard this. He said with a dark face, "You kid, are you really trying to make fun of your father? If you don't want to help, then just stand by and do nothing. Why are you making sarcastic remarks?"
"Father never said that I should work alone! That is not to study, but to write the "Veritable Records". The emperor's daily life and other things are recorded in advance. Decades of complicated content must be sorted out and screened... I don't even know what the previous emperor did specifically. How can I work alone behind closed doors?"

Zhang Yanling smiled and asked, "So, Dad, you don't have confidence?"

Zhang Luan suddenly realized that he was here to ask his son for help. Frowning and glaring would only have the opposite effect, so he immediately changed his tone to a friendly one:

"I am not very confident, but isn't this your strength? Alas! Actually, I have also realized that I cannot see the daily records and cannot bring them from the palace for you to review, so it is not realistic to let you complete them.

"Fortunately, the key point of this matter is that as a leader, I only need to coordinate and I don't need to personally participate in the revision of the book. One person can't complete such a heavy task. You just need to point out the direction from time to time... If this doesn't work, it seems that your father is overthinking..."

Zhang Yanling immediately said, "Dad, if you really want to revise the Records, I can help you. It's actually not a difficult task."

"Isn't that inappropriate?"

Now it was Zhang Luan's turn to deny himself, "I was not thoughtful enough before. After I got the information from your uncle from the Shen family, I wanted to tell you everything and let you complete my task.

"Now that I think about it, I was too hasty... Editing a book is so complicated, and how much information needs to be collected? Without profound knowledge, it is impossible to summarize it... Therefore, Your Majesty is unlikely to give me such a task that requires a long time to bury myself in a pile of old papers. Why should I step forward? I might as well think about how to make a name for myself by repairing the river..."

Zhang Yanling said unhappily, "Dad, stop complaining about yourself. I'm talking to you about something serious."

"Seriously?"

Zhang Luan asked in surprise, "Do you really want to repair the book by yourself?"

"Ah."

Zhang Yanling nodded and said, "I was quite busy some time ago and probably didn't have time to help you repair the book, but these few days... I will be free soon. All that's left is to go to the palace to debug the machines and invest in setting up a weaving factory."

"Isn't this enough to keep you busy?"

Zhang Luan became more and more surprised.

"Dad, the difficulty lies in the early preparations. Once it is opened, with the help of people in the palace, I will gradually have some free time." Zhang Yanling said with a smile, "This way, I can help you revise your books and help you fulfill your wish of becoming famous for your scholarship. I think this is also good."

After talking to his son, Zhang Luan was in a good mood and praised him with a smile: "If you were not my son, then you could really be called my Zifang."

"Dad, I'm helping you to help the Zhang family, and also to help my two brothers." Zhang Yanling explained his motivation for doing these things, "I'm not just helping you, you don't have to be too grateful."

"Yes, yes, yes. If I accomplish something great for you, I will naturally protect you. The prosperity of our Zhang family is just around the corner!" Zhang Luan said smugly. Zhang Yanling teased, "Hey, Dad, what you mean is... I still have to rely on your protection?"

Zhang Luan said as a matter of course: "My father has successfully entered the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty, but you haven't yet joined the team, right?

"Are you sure that your future accomplishments will be higher than your father's? Your father was promoted to such a high position by chance thanks to the talents of Li Zisheng, the late emperor and the current emperor!
"Son, being an official is like this sometimes. Just because you are capable doesn't mean you will be respected. It has been a common occurrence since ancient times that talented people are not appreciated."

Zhang Yanling smiled and asked, "Even my great uncle can be so talented that he is not appreciated?"

"It is precisely because you are a relative by marriage that it is easier for you to feel that your talent is not appreciated!"

Zhang Luan said solemnly, "Don't take being an official too lightly."

"I didn't say I wanted to be an official. Dad, do you think what I'm doing now has anything to do with being an official?" Zhang Yanling asked with a smile.

Zhang Luan was stunned.

Then he thought that his son had been busy with business recently, making a lot of money for the family, and it seemed that he had never thought about becoming an official. Instead, he frequently gave him advice on how to become an official in the court. It cannot be said that his position was getting higher and higher, but at least it was becoming more and more important. He was already an indispensable figure in the Ming Dynasty.

"Son, what are you busy with? I just saw you hanging out with those street thugs, almost arm in arm with them!"

Zhang Luan frowned and said, "Father doesn't look down on those who do the actual work, but you have a status and position, and you are a superior, so you have to consider the overall appearance... It won't sound good if you say it out loud!"

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "Dad, look at what you are talking about... They are all the craftsmen I carefully trained. They have been helping me since the beginning of firing colored glaze. I have taught them a lot of chemistry and physics knowledge. They are like half of my apprentices... Once a teacher, always a father. If I don't treat them well, who will I treat well? In the future, they will have to work hard for me to make money!"

Zhang Luan said: "These people in the market place value their own interests the most. I don't think they will always follow you... They must have some kind of connection with the Huizhou merchants. If they offer a higher price to recruit them, they will definitely run to your rivals... What will you do then?"

"Is it possible?" Zhang Yanling asked with a smile, "Dad, do you think the money I gave you was too little, or do you think the Hui merchants don't know the rules? Isn't it clear who is the boss between our family and the Hui merchants? I really can't think of any reason why the Hui merchants would betray our family!"

"Well, I can't argue with you... How is your progress with the weaving in the palace?" Zhang Luan asked, "From what you just said, you will be free soon? Or is this thing going to fail nine out of ten times?"

"No, it's almost done. I have to go to the palace tomorrow to see my sister." Zhang Yanling said.

Zhang Luan curled his lips and said, "Why do you want to see the Queen? Don't go and bother your sister for no reason."

"That won't work."

Zhang Yanling said, "My sister is the one who actually runs the weaving workshop this time. She will be in charge of the entire project, and I will just act as a consultant."

"consultant?"

Zhang Luan was greatly surprised.

Zhang Yanling said, "Of course, if my sister encounters any trouble, I will help solve it... Dad, you need a good reputation, but doesn't my sister need one? In fact, sometimes I feel that you and your daughter are very similar. Recently, Dad, have you not talked to your sister more since you entered the palace?"

Zhang Luan said with a dark face: "No, no! The last time I saw him, she gave me a good scolding, which made me feel very embarrassed, so I haven't been there recently."

Zhang Yanling laughed and said, "Dad, you are quite vindictive... Don't forget who brought glory to our family. You are a minister, how can you glare at the Queen of the Ming Dynasty and lose your head?"

"Humph, even if she is the queen, I am still her father!"

Zhang Luan had a ferocious look on his face. "This is the law and the moral code. It can never be changed. Without me, there will be no her! What's wrong with her becoming the queen? Even if she becomes the queen mother..."

"Dad, be careful with your words, be careful with your words!"

Zhang Yanling hurriedly reminded.

"Yes, that's what I meant. Don't think that she is so successful that she doesn't respect me as an elder. After all, just don't cause any trouble when it comes to weaving. I have complete confidence in you, but as for her..."

"What's wrong, Dad? Are you still worried about your sister?"

Zhang Yanling asked.

Zhang Luan sighed, "Her state of mind is very different now... She used to be able to do things with a normal mind, but now I think she is too arrogant, she almost thinks of herself as the Queen Mother!
"Your Majesty has always been frugal, but she always wants to steal things from our house. Do you think our family needs what she has? Her mentality is particularly bad. She doesn't want to listen to my advice, so you should persuade her..."

"Actually, there's nothing wrong with my sister's behavior!"

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "The gift she gave was for mother and aunt, not for you, father. As long as you give back to the palace and let the palace get more benefits, no one will mention this matter, and they may even praise our family."

Zhang Luan asked, "So, in the end, you also helped her bring things home? For your mother and your aunt?"

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "Should we prepare some for the concubine outside as well?"

"roll!"

Zhang Luan suddenly felt ashamed and started to curse, "You little bastard, you are so blind. You are talking nonsense! Your father has seen through you. You, the little bad guy, do not bring luck and benefits to the Zhang family, but bring disaster! Humph, the Zhang family will be ruined by you sooner or later!"

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(End of this chapter)