Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 609 Accept it gladly
The meeting ended.

Zhu Youtang did not call Zhang Luan over to tell him anything, as if he wanted to deliberately keep a distance from him.

Zhang Luan himself was also a little confused.

Instead of going home first, he went to his son's workshop in the city that he used as a laboratory and found his son doing experiments there.

"You can't make it in the workshop outside the city, so you come here to trade these bottles and jars?" Zhang Luan laughed, "So, you have a good attitude, but I can't."

Zhang Yanling put down the glass bottle in his hand and asked, "Dad, are you saying something nice or something bad?"

"do not know."

Zhang Luan sat down on the rattan chair at the door, with a broken jar in mind, "I was determined to have a good talk with that group of people, but the emperor didn't give me the chance. He even assigned me a task to raise money and food. I have to get 200,000 dan of food in a short period of time, and it's the first batch. Where can I get it?"

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "Doesn't this reflect your importance to the court? Didn't those censors impeach you?"

Zhang Luan shook his head and said, "Today is really a mess... I have been waiting for a long time, but no one has come out to impeach. Instead, His Majesty mentioned that he would investigate the crimes of scholars in the capital who made irresponsible comments on state affairs, and asked Tan Ji and Ma Wensheng to lead the investigation.

"Oh, by the way, the court wants to send someone to the northwest front to deliver military uniforms, and I recommended Li Zisheng. I didn't discuss this with him in advance, so I don't know what his attitude is, and I'm worried..."

"This is a great arrangement. What is there to worry about?"

Zhang Yanling disagreed and said, "The biggest problem Li Zisheng is facing now is not the high or low position of his official position, but the loss of the emperor's trust. If he can get the status of an imperial envoy and do a very important job for the court, doesn't it mean that the emperor still takes him seriously?"

Zhang Luan frowned and asked, "The mission in the northwest is so hard, can he endure it with his body? I'm really worried that he might die."

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "Compared to his inner depression, the bitter cold in the northwest is nothing. Your Majesty only sent Li Zisheng alone? Didn't he send any eunuchs to cooperate with him?"

"What do you mean?"

Zhang Luan was surprised and said, "Only Li Zisheng was nominated at the court meeting, and I was the one who proposed it. What? Can't one person go? Do we need to send someone to supervise?"

Zhang Yanling smiled and shook his head without saying anything.

"master……"

Chang Shun's voice came from outside.

"Where's the soul?"

Zhang Luan shouted impatiently.

Chang Shun said, "There's an eunuch named Xiao outside the door, who said he must see you. Would you like to come out and see him?"

Zhang Luan was a little confused. This time he stopped shouting and looked at Zhang Yanling and asked, "Do you know which eunuch Xiao it is?"

"Maybe... Xiao Jing from the Imperial Household Department?"

Zhang Yanling replied uncertainly.

"Damn, is your mouth really blessed?"

Zhang Luan was surprised and said, "You said that a eunuch would follow Li Zisheng to the northwest. Someone really came to visit...? Could it be this Xiao Jing?"

Zhang Yanling picked up the bottle again, shook the liquid inside, and observed it carefully while saying, "Dad, why are you speculating so much? If you just ask, won't you know everything?"

"Gone, gone."

Zhang Luan waved his hands and said, "At worst, I won't be an official anymore... I've been upset about being an official lately, and I've been targeted for no reason.

"I never argue with anyone, but they think I'm a hidden danger, a nuisance, and must be eliminated as soon as possible... Tsk! It's like who wants to be an official!"

"Dad has a much better mentality than me."

Zhang Yanling praised him and continued, "If I were in the court, and someone attacked me like this, no matter who they were, I would definitely bite back... Unlike my father, I would not be willing to give up power and choose to retire at the height of my career."

Zhang Luan looked at him with disdain, saying, "That's because your father is not capable enough, and he doesn't have such a big head, so he can only act with fear and trepidation. But you are different... I have seen that you will definitely make them drink a pot one by one in the future. Anyway, I can't do it, so it's right to retreat when you know it's difficult."

……

……

Zhang Luan went out and saw Xiao Jing who was waiting at the door of the workshop.

"Eunuch Xiao? It's you!"

Zhang Luan's expression did not improve. He frowned and asked sternly, as if deliberately showing his displeasure to Xiao Jing, "How did you know about this place? What are you doing here?"

Xiao Jing quickly explained: "I went to your house but couldn't find anyone, so I went to ask Eunuch Tan Ji and Tan, and just found this place... Your Majesty ordered me to come see you..."

Zhang Luan said, "Let's not talk about anything else for now. Eunuch Xiao, let me ask you a question. Are you accompanying Minister Li on this trip to the northwest?"

"what!?"

Xiao Jing asked curiously, "Is this... true?"

Zhang Luan was secretly delighted, muttering, "It turns out that not everything can be predicted... Hehe, my son is not a god."

Thinking of this, he felt a little lost again.

Is there ever a time when my youngest son fails to keep his word?
If this is used to help me in the future...

It's easy to get into big trouble!

Xiao Jing became even more confused and asked, "Minister Zhang, I wonder what you are talking about?"

"What errand did His Majesty give you?"

Zhang Luan did not answer but asked instead, and then continued, "Eunuch Xiao, let me be frank, you know that I am very busy now raising money and food for the nine borders.

"That's right... I didn't want to get too close to Li Zisheng, but he's about to leave for the northwest to raise money and food, and I plan to ask him for help, so I have to take advantage of today's free time to go see him."

Xiao Jing said with emotion: "You are really a busy man."

"Just busying around."

Zhang Luan waved his hand, then remembered something and asked, "You haven't told me what you are going to do here..."

Xiao Jing said: "I am here to help you raise money and food according to your majesty's order... I will accompany you to see whoever you want to see."

Zhang Luan asked curiously: "Just... because of this?"

Xiao Jing seemed confused and asked, "Isn't this the most important issue right now? Your Majesty is concerned about this, and the attention of the court is also focused on this. Minister Zhang, this matter cannot be delayed."

"Cough cough."

Zhang Luan coughed twice and said, "Well, well, let's go see Minister Li now... I don't know how to face him... I took the initiative to ask for him to go to the northwest, I don't know if he hates me..."

"Definitely not!"

Xiao Jing comforted him, "Minister Li is dedicated to the court and wants to serve His Majesty. I think he will be very pleased to know that he has been assigned this task?" "Hmm!?"

Zhang Luan couldn't help but frown after hearing this.

I was thinking, why do your words sound so similar to what my son said?

Good job, Xiao Jing!
I’ve never seen how capable you are before, or maybe it’s because I didn’t have much contact with you before and I don’t understand your personality and abilities, but why do I feel like you are so much like my son?

Could it be that he was hiding his strength under a bushel before?

The two walked towards the carriage together, and Zhang Luan asked, "Eunuch Xiao, the eunuch who accompanied His Majesty to the Fengtian Palace today... was it you?"

"You mean...Eunuch Li Rong?"

Xiao Jing thought for a long time. As for those who could accompany the emperor to court, the top three officials of the Imperial Household Department were all very familiar with Zhang Luan, so Zhang Luan would definitely not ask like this.

If there was anyone among the eunuchs who often accompanied the emperor during court meetings that Zhang Luan was not familiar with, it would probably be Li Rong.

Zhang Luan said: "Eh? Isn't it you? Oh, maybe I was standing too far away and didn't see clearly. Sorry..."

"..."

Xiao Jing was speechless for a moment.

Are you hitting me in the face?
Are you saying that I am not qualified enough to handle big things with you?
If it were an ordinary person, he would definitely feel uncomfortable.

But Xiao Jing seemed very carefree and said with a smile: "It will be good to have more contact with you in the future... Speaking of which, Minister Zhang, you have such a straightforward character, which is indeed rare among court officials."

Zhang Luan said self-deprecatingly, "It's rare, isn't it? Well, it's mainly because I've never had any experience as an official before. I'm a wild man, and I'm used to doing things recklessly."

Xiao Jing smiled again: "You and Minister Li have similar personalities."

"Li Zi Province?"

Zhang Luan asked curiously, "What was he like in the past?"

Xiao Jing said: "In the past, I was a lowly person with little influence, and I didn't have much contact with Minister Li, but he often made strange remarks in front of the late emperor, which were not in accordance with common sense, but often achieved miraculous results in his work, and was praised by the late emperor."

Zhang Luan thought to himself, why are you comparing me with Li Zisheng again?
Xiao Jing suddenly sighed again and shook his head, saying, "There are fewer and fewer capable people in the court nowadays!"

"Ok?"

This made Zhang Luan quite puzzled.

Zhang Luan was thinking, from what you said, it seems that you admire Li Zisheng quite a bit?

You actually think Li Zisheng is a capable person?

Then, for you, comparing me with Li Zisheng, isn't that a compliment?

Rather than derogatory?
Then I feel a little better.

……

……

Zhang Luan took Xiao Jing to see Li Zisheng.

At this time, Li Zisheng was busy in the mansion. After Zhang Luan and Xiao Jing followed Pang Qing into the house, they saw someone packing large and small bags of things.

"Bingkun, are you guys going to...move?"

Zhang Luan asked curiously.

Pang Qing was a little surprised and asked, "Mr. Zhang, wasn't it you who recommended my Taoist master to go to the northwest? When my Taoist master heard about this, he immediately started packing his things for the long journey... Don't be fooled by the chaos, in fact, it is all my Taoist master's careful preparations. He has great expectations for this trip."

Zhang Luan said angrily: "The Northwest is not like the capital. It's too cold there. We need to prepare more."

"hehe."

Pang Qing smiled in response and led the two of them into the main hall.

Li Zisheng, who had arrived earlier, quickly stood up to greet him.

"Laizhan, you're here so soon? Isn't this Eunuch Xiao Jing? I'm so sorry."

Li Zisheng hurried forward and saluted.

After the two sides exchanged greetings, Zhang Luan said with an apologetic look, "Minister Li, I was so rude... I didn't even discuss it with you before, and I just recommended you to His Majesty... Alas! If you don't want to go, I can go to the palace right away and tell His Majesty to send someone else."

"do not."

Li Zisheng smiled and tried to stop him. "The imperial edict has already been issued. How can it be taken back? Besides, transporting cloth to the northwest for your majesty is related to the winter clothing and bedding for the northwest soldiers, and it is also related to the stability of the Ming border. I am so happy that such an important mission can fall on me."

As he spoke, Li Zisheng's face was full of bright smiles, as if he really had no complaints at all.

Xiao Jing smiled and glanced at Zhang Luan.

It seems to be saying, see, I was right, wasn’t I?
When Li Zisheng knew about this, he must have gone there happily, because this was a rare opportunity for him.

Zhang Luan said: "I'm glad you don't blame me... You are so cunning that you thought I asked His Majesty to exile you."

"Look what you said."

Li Zisheng rolled his eyes at Zhang Luan and said, "If I'm not familiar with your personality, I'll definitely think you're here to cause trouble. Eunuch Xiao, don't mind. Although Zhang Guozhang and I haven't known each other for long, we understand each other very well. We always joke with each other like this... Please take a seat."

"Need not."

Xiao Jing waved his hand and said, "I am following the emperor's order to help Zhang Guozhang raise money and food. He said he must come and ask for help before you leave."

Li Zisheng shook his head: "I can't help with this matter, or rather, I am not qualified to help. Our Zhang Guozhang is very capable in doing things. I have been concentrating on learning from him before."

Zhang Luan pursed his lips and said, "Minister Li, Eunuch Xiao is not an outsider, you don't have to be modest in front of him... You make it sound like I'm the one helping you, but in fact you've helped me a lot, just like the last time we raised money for the late emperor's mausoleum, you contributed the most."

Li Zisheng rolled his eyes at him, as if to say, I'm helping you create a glorious image in front of others.

Is this how you sabotage things?
Is it satisfying to dismantle your own stage?

"Not like before."

Li Zisheng said, "I can't help you this time. But before I leave, I can introduce you to a few people and let them help you. Zhang Guozhang, what do you think?"

"If you ask for help, it's you who's doing it, and the result is the same."

Zhang Luan sat there as if he was at home. "Where's the tea? I'm thirsty! Hurry up and serve some fragrant tea. If you leave in a few days, I won't have the chance to drink the delicious tea in your house."

(End of this chapter)