Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 714 Serious illness

Inside the Duanjing Hall.

Zhang Yu was sitting on one side, with two fragrant teacups on a small table beside him, and on the other side sat Jin, who was extremely cautious.

Jin came to the palace to visit her daughter and happened to meet her daughter who was going to Danjing Hall to check on the weaving workshop, so they came together.

At this moment, the rumbling sound of machines in the factory could be clearly heard. The mother and daughter were sitting there separated by a coffee table, looking a little strange.

Every sentence needs a reason, otherwise you can only sit there quietly.

Zhang Yu took the initiative to guide the conversation: "Is father's illness getting better?"

"do not know."

Jin seemed somewhat dissatisfied and frowned, saying, "I haven't seen him for a long time."

Zhang Yu asked in surprise: "Father didn't stay at home when he was sick? Where did he go? Could it be..."

Jin complained: "Not only is your father not at home, your brother is also not at home..."

"Humph!"

Zhang Yu said angrily, "Just say that Yanling has bad intentions. I will teach him a lesson later."

"It's not your second brother, it's He Ling."

Jin immediately corrected her.

"..."

Zhang Yu suddenly felt that his brain was not enough.

Shouldn't the mother complain that her second brother has led their old father astray?

Why does it sound like he is more dissatisfied with his eldest son?

Zhang Yu asked, "So... my second brother is usually at home?"

Jin said, "He is basically not at home during the day, but he always comes back at night. He brings a lot of good things to the family every month, such as kelp, dried fish, dried bamboo shoots, dried mushrooms, seasonal fruits such as apples, pears, peaches, watermelons, and various tofu products, etc., plus the one hundred taels of silver he gives to me every month. Now the situation at home is much better than before... You don't have to worry too much."

Zhang Yu became even angrier after hearing this.

It turned out that the second brother used the method of "winning people's hearts" to make his mother lose her temper with him.

Money is indeed the most useful thing in the world. Even the always picky old mother spoke to her youngest son wholeheartedly.

"Then... what does He Ling usually do? Is he so absent from home?"

Zhang Yu asked with a frown.

"Who knows what he did outside..."

Jin said angrily, "He obviously doesn't have much ability, but he has to run away. I heard that he spends his days drinking and partying. He has started to learn his father's bad habits before he was even that old. Maybe he already has a woman outside. Sigh..."

Zhang Yu should have been as angry as his mother, but when he heard this, he grinned for some reason.

The older brother is really capable. He has learned to be afraid of picking up women?
It's better to hang out outside than to be a blockhead who never thinks of anything and just stays at home and waits to die, right?

Oops wait.

Isn't it just living a life of idleness where you eat and wait for death?
It seems that my mentality is wrong!

"Don't be angry, mother."

Zhang Yu picked up the tea bowl, took a sip of tea, and then asked, "Second brother will definitely teach him well."

"That also requires Heling to be willing to learn... Do you think he will learn?"

After Jin finished speaking angrily, she remembered the difference in status between herself and her daughter and dared not complain anymore.

Then the mother and daughter fell into a strange silence again.

Zhang Yu asked, "Then... where is father now? What is his condition like? Didn't you ask Yanling?"

Jin said, "I don't know what to say... Yanling always likes to fool people."

"What!?"

Zhang Yu asked in surprise, "Mother also thinks he likes to fool people? Then you are not angry with him?"

"He said that his father died because he was spying on the secrets of heaven, and that he had to go outside to find a place with abundant spiritual energy to rest and not be disturbed by worldly affairs. He also said that his father was now bedridden due to illness, but after he rescued him, his life was no longer in danger."

Jin casually told her son's nonsense and said with a bitter face, "Yanling also said that he would try his best to keep an eye on his father and prevent him from messing around outside."

Zhang Yu shook his head and said, "It doesn't seem to be a big deal. It's human nature..."

Jin asked, "Empress, what you mean by human nature, is it... that it is human nature to fool a mother like me?"

Zhang Yu said unhappily, "Mother, please don't misunderstand. I think Yanling just doesn't want you to worry too much. He will definitely take good care of father...Okay, let's not talk about them. Take some of the things here back later if you like them. I have a lot of good things here, many of which are tributes and are not often seen outside. Besides, His Majesty has been wanting to reward our family with land, you see..."

"No."

Jin said, "In fact, we don't need anything at home. Your father and Yanling said that we can take other things, but it's best not to touch the land and houses. We don't need that little land. If we take it, people in the court will report it to me and tell me that a gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall."

……

……

Turn your head off.

Li Zisheng finally received the latest order to be transferred to Juyongguan, the governor of the three passes during his tenure, just twenty days after he received the commission as the governor of Shanxi.

At this time, Batu Mongke and his party had already set out for the capital. Li Zisheng did not follow, and Zhu Yong's troops did not receive any orders to escort them along the way. Instead, elite troops were dispatched from Datong and other places to "protect" this group of people on their way to the capital. This was also to prevent the Tatars from looting in the Ming Dynasty along the way.

"Congratulations, Minister Li."

After Qin Chang learned the news, he went to congratulate Li Zisheng immediately.

At this time, Li Zisheng was already packing his bags, but he showed no expression of joy or sadness.

Li Zisheng stopped what he was doing and asked calmly, "I wonder what you are so happy about?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Chang guessed what Li Zisheng was thinking and asked, "Could it be that Minister Li wants to be promoted to the position of governor of the Xuanda local army? The current deployment does not meet your wishes?"

"Eunuch Tan, you must not say that... As a subject, how can you have such unreasonable thoughts?"

Li Zisheng said with great fear and trepidation.

Qin Chang smiled and said, "We are just talking privately. There is no one around, so it's okay to say something personal. I don't mean to test or mock you, but even I feel that the transfer from the post of Shanxi Governor to the inner court is really... a move by the court with a deeper meaning. I just don't know who came up with this idea?"

Li Zisheng asked: "Eunuch Qin, you might as well just say that my power has been stripped. Do you want to say that this is a barrier set by Zhang Guozhang behind my back? Or do you want me to think that someone is deliberately slandering me in front of His Majesty, such as...Eunuch Huai En?"

Qin Chang was slightly startled and asked, "Master Li, how can you think so?"

"Let me put it this way. My purpose of coming to the Northwest to deliver military supplies is not to be a governor. I have no right to inquire about the military and political affairs of the Northwest."

Li Zisheng explained seriously, "I came out of the capital on business this time. To some extent, it was to get away from the criticism of the ministers, to have some free time, and to take it as a rare experience before the official start of the river management business.

"Unfortunately, on my way to the west, I encountered war and had no choice but to solve the court's problems. God blessed my Ming Dynasty and gave me an opportunity to help the court solve its problems... Unfortunately, I was not able to do it perfectly."

Tan Chang smiled and said, "Minister Li is really open-minded."

Li Zisheng said: "It's not that I'm open-minded, but I've long since let go of that high-handed mentality. I told Eunuch Tan early in the morning that my next hope is to make achievements in the Yellow River engineering and contribute to future generations.

"So earlier, when I asked Eunuch Tan why he was happy, it was not out of resentment in my heart, but because for someone like me who is not tolerated by the secular world, doing things is the same everywhere, so if I have no joy, I have no resentment, that's all."

"It really is……"

When Qin Chang heard this, he couldn't help but wonder: Are you, Li Zisheng, really open-minded, or are you just pretending to be nice in front of me?

The Governor of Shanxi is at least a permanent position, while the so-called Governors of Dao Ma, Zijing and Juyongnei Sanguan are only temporary positions. You may be transferred back to Beijing to do a sinecure after only a few days in office.

How can you face it so calmly?

If you had no military merit before, you might be able to accept being sent as a governor calmly.

But now you are a popular military commander, and you just happened to have made military achievements in fighting against foreign enemies. Are you really willing to be shelved like this?
Li Zisheng said: "Eunuch Tan, after I leave, the military affairs of Shanxi, especially Piantouguan, will be entrusted to you. But I believe that the Minister Zhai will rush here in a few days to contact you..."

"Uh... Really? Maybe..."

Qin Chang suddenly felt that he had come at the wrong time. Li Zisheng had the final say from the beginning to the end.

Li Zisheng asked with a smile: "Eunuch Tan, do you know why His Majesty transferred me to Juyongguan to serve?"

"intention!?"

Qin Chang asked without hesitation, "Isn't it a transition to be transferred back to the capital? I wonder if there is a vacant position of assistant minister in the court that you can take over at any time? Maybe you can't wait long in Juyongguan..."

"hehe."

Li Zisheng waved his hand.

At this time, the tea was finally brought up by Li Zisheng's personal soldiers. The two of them each held up their teacups. Li Zisheng seemed to be deliberately keeping them in suspense, and smiled without saying a word.

Qin Chang bowed and asked, "Minister Li, you are an expert, and your ability to guess the emperor's will is rare in the world. I still don't quite understand whether this arrangement is the result of Zhang Guozhang's planning and arrangement behind the scenes, or is it the result of the civil officials putting pressure on Your Majesty? Can you explain this to me?"

Li Zisheng asked with a smile: "Eunuch Tan, do you think His Majesty wants us to maintain a strong enterprising spirit in the northwest, be ready to lead troops out of the border at any time, deal with the Tatars, and even fight them many times?"

What I mean is, do you think the emperor wants us to fight?

Qin Chang shook his head decisively: "Probably... I don't want to!"

"This is it."

Li Zisheng said firmly, "Whether it is because your majesty does not want to do so, or because your majesty is hindered by the opposition of the ministers in the court, the current court only wants to quickly stabilize the situation in the northwest.

"A small victory is enough to deter the villains and boost the morale of our border troops. If we continue to fight, those civil officials will think it is a waste of money and manpower, and it will be easy for the Tatars to take advantage of us."

Tan Chang asked hesitantly, "Minister Li, do you mean that this is why Your Majesty is more interested in peace talks and agrees to let the Tatars pay tribute? Or even open border markets to seek long-term peace?"

"That should be the case!"

Li Zisheng said mysteriously, "Because His Majesty still needs to wait..."

"Wait? Wait for what?"

Tan Chang asked directly.

"Wait... hehe..."

Li Zisheng smiled mysteriously and said, "Of course, we will wait for a favorable opportunity... wait until a certain period of time in the future, when the Ming Dynasty is prosperous and even has a strong army and horses, and then we can sweep the grassland in one fell swoop and establish an unprecedented achievement."

"what?"

Qin Chang was shocked when he heard this.

It seems to be saying, are you kidding me?

Why don't you fight now that you win? Why wait until the future?

Strong army and powerful horses?

The country is prosperous?

Who can't speak plain words without any purpose?
Are you the only one who knows how to brag?
Li Zisheng saw Tan Chang's face full of doubt, but he didn't take it as an offense and asked, "Eunuch Tan, do you think this day is too far away?"

"No... I have no such intention. The Ming Dynasty will surely prosper. Under your Majesty's wise leadership, the soldiers in the northwest will work together to pacify the grassland."

Tan Chang said quickly.

Li Zisheng said: "To be honest, the key to this matter actually lies in the Zhang family."

"Ok?"

Qin Chang continued to be confused.

Li Zisheng stood up, walked to the table, tidied up a few books on the table, and stuffed them directly into his bag. He didn't seem to care much about it.

Li Zisheng then continued, "Your Majesty has only been on the throne for half a year, and you see that the palace can produce so much cloth, which can not only meet the needs of tens of thousands of people in the palace, but also be transported to the northwest. Do you think that if we give it another three to five years, the military strength of the Ming Dynasty will not improve?"

"This……"

Qin Chang looked extremely embarrassed.

It seems like he is questioning, even if the Zhang family can help the imperial palace with spinning and weaving, can weaving alone... improve the military strength of the Ming Dynasty?

What nonsense are you talking about razing the grassland?
It’s a bit of an exaggeration to say that the two are completely unrelated, but if you insist that there is a strong connection between them... isn’t that too far-fetched?

Li Zisheng reminded him, "The Zhang family is not only good at weaving. Eunuch Tan, don't forget the telescope, the salt tax and the salt administration. Don't forget that the Zhang family has been able to provide a large amount of wealth to support the court, and even the father-in-law Zhang can raise money and food from the people... This is not something that ordinary people can do."

Qin Chang asked: "What exactly do you want to say?"

Li Zisheng turned around and said with a smile: "Eunuch Tan, I will reveal a secret to you, you must not tell anyone else. It is because I trust you, Eunuch Tan..."

"Ahem, please speak, please speak. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone else."

Tan Chang said with hope on his face.

"Led by your majesty, the Zhang family has been secretly researching new firearms. Once new firearms are available, the military strength of the Ming Dynasty will surely be further improved, and it will be more handy to use foreign troops."

Li Zisheng said in a mysterious tone.

Qin Chang couldn't help but sit in his chair in embarrassment.

That frozen expression seemed to be saying, Li Zisheng, are you fucking sick?

Li Zisheng asked dissatisfiedly: "Could it be that Eunuch Tan doesn't believe it?"

"hehe."

Qin Chang had a helpless smile on his face, and asked, "With new firearms, it will naturally...greatly improve our Ming army, but...what does this have to do with you, Minister Li, recalling the governor of the three inner passes? Are you going to go back and be responsible for this matter? Or...that's all, Minister Li, please give me some advice!"

Li Zisheng smiled and said, "I, Li, am a destabilizing factor in the northwest. Both the civil officials in the court and the soldiers in the northwest think that I, Li, will do whatever it takes to gain military merit and seize power. I will take the initiative to provoke a war against the Tatars and make the northwest never peaceful."

"Ah? This... this... shouldn't be the case?" Although he said this, Qin Chang actually agreed with this statement in his heart.

You, Li Zisheng, are indeed an unstable element.

If you were an orthodox civil official, you wouldn't have been criticized so much.

But... who made you a Taoist priest?
Moreover, during the Chenghua period, the things you did were so vile. Which minister in the court didn't guard against you?
You were a recognized traitor during the Chenghua reign. No one would think that you suddenly became a capable minister during the Hongzhi reign, right?

Li Zisheng said: "If I stay at the border, I will only create pressure for the army, including the Tatars, and I will have to endure endless criticism from the court officials, which will give Your Majesty a headache. Instead, it would be better to transfer me back to the inner three passes... I will not leave the military system, and I don’t have to go back to the capital. More importantly... With me on the second line, the Tatars will always have to be careful about whether the court will turn against them, and they will do things more cautiously. In this way, won’t the situation reach a relative balance?"

"Hiss, you can even think of this? Minister Li is indeed a capable minister in governing the country. No wonder everyone from the late emperor to the current emperor trusts you so much."

Qin Chang praised him endlessly.

But I was thinking in my heart.

You are clearly over-interpreting this!

Aren't you saying this deliberately just because you've been stripped of your power and transferred to an unnecessary job, to make yourself appear important?
I believe you, you big-headed ghost!
Li Zisheng twisted his beard, looking very proud: "After I go to Juyongguan, I will definitely rectify the military affairs, try not to disappoint your majesty, and live up to the trust that Zhang Guozhang has placed in me."

"Don't say that."

Qin Chang reminded him, "You only need to be responsible to His Majesty. As for Zhang Guozhang... at most he helped you win a battle, you can't let him be implicated in everything..."

Li Zisheng laughed loudly: "In this kind of situation, why should we be so clear about the differences? Is there anyone who thinks that Zhang Guozhang has some conspiracy? We are devoted to the court, why do you and I care about so many rumors?"

Qin Chang said helplessly: "Then...if you reach the inner three passes and are transferred...back to the capital, or to be in charge of river works, I wonder if you..."

This question is very pointed.

You are making some speculations here and feel that you are very important to the emperor. But what if you arrive at Juyongguan and are immediately slapped in the face? The court transfers you back to Beijing to continue to be in charge of Shanglinyuan, Qintianjian and other government offices, and makes you a sinecure? Wouldn't you be disappointed to death?
Li Zisheng smiled and said, "I actually hope to go back sooner. Who wouldn't enjoy some free time? It is my great honor to receive your Majesty's teachings and advice from Zhang Guozhang up close."

"..."

Qin Chang thought to himself, you are really sick.

And it’s a serious illness!

Li Zisheng then looked at Qin Chang with a meaningful look and said, "When you are an official, don't you just follow orders? You have to do whatever you are told. If you can make achievements, you will not give up even if you are wronged for a while. But if you don't make achievements... Haha, even if you are trusted, it is likely to be short-lived.

"I can't help but think of that eunuch Huai. How do you think his abilities compare to those during the Chenghua period? In the past year, how has his situation changed?"

(End of this chapter)