Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 754 There are other plans
Li Zisheng smiled subtly and nodded, saying, "Lai Zhan, we have a fairly deep friendship, so I'm afraid I have to tell you some of the real stuff."

"please say."

Zhang Luan waved his hand and said.

"There's no need to be so polite; it sounds too formal."

Li Zisheng said, "It will take me at least three years to complete the Yellow River diversion project. After that, I plan to live in seclusion in the mountains and forests, becoming a hermit and no longer concerned with worldly affairs."

"what?"

Zhang Luan was stunned, clearly not expecting such a move.

I thought to myself, what will I do if you leave?
I still need your political experience to safeguard my career.

Are you just going to leave me to face all the storms alone?
Li Zisheng sighed, "Having served in the court for many years, and even once standing at the pinnacle of power, looking down upon all living beings, I have no regrets in this life. Once the river management is finished, our fate will be over."

"..."

Zhang Luan felt awkward listening to this.

Are you trying to break off our friendship?
Li Zisheng continued, "After many years of hard work, I have accumulated a fortune that is roughly worth around 500,000 taels of silver."

Zhang Luan asked, "Minister Li, are you worried that this river project will bankrupt you? There's no need to worry! My son Yanling is absolutely a master at business. This time, His Majesty has decided to manage the Yellow River, mainly to fulfill the late Emperor's last wish. The court will certainly not stand idly by. In fact, you can say that this river management project will not require you to spend any money."

"You didn't understand what I meant."

Li Zisheng said, “Changing the course of the Yellow River involves enormous matters. If it succeeds, it will be a great achievement for the country and will be remembered in history. I am grateful that such a good thing has fallen into my lap. Even if it means losing everything or sacrificing my life, I will have no complaints.”

Zhang Luan felt somewhat guilty and said, "Please don't say that. Actually, I'm the one who dragged you into this. It's mainly because those civil officials wanted to prevent me from taking the throne, but they couldn't find a point to attack, so they vented all their emotions on you..."

Li Zisheng smiled and said, "To have one true friend in life is enough. Lai Zhan, I will be setting off for the south early tomorrow morning. It will be many years before I see you again, but I don't know when."

Zhang Luan thought to himself, "You're here again?"

You've only had a few drinks, and you're already drunk?
Why do you have to repeat the same thing to me over and over again?
Zhang Luan said, "Then I wish you a safe journey. How about this, you pour me a glass of wine, and I'll drink one as a farewell gift?"

"Please don't do that."

Li Zisheng stopped him, saying, "If your condition suddenly worsens, how can I explain it to my nephew Yanling? It would jeopardize the future of the entire nation."

Zhang Luan said irritably, "Are you trying to provoke me?"

Li Zisheng smiled and said, "Recovering from your illness is the most important thing... Seeing your current condition, you really aren't doing well. How about this, you can stay here with me tonight, and you can leave whenever you want tomorrow. I'll need you to take care of my family."

"You...you want me to take care of your family?"

Zhang Luan was a little puzzled and shook his head, saying, "Your family is so big and powerful, I don't have the ability to take care of you."

Li Zisheng said, "My family will be leaving with me to go south tomorrow. What's the point of keeping this house? Someone has to take care of them, right?"

Zhang Luan suddenly realized: "Oh, so that's what it means."

"Otherwise, what do you think it means?"

Li Zisheng rolled his eyes at Zhang Luan.

Zhang Luan nodded and said, "Of course. In fact, you can have Pang Bingkun stay and let him take care of everything for you."

Li Zisheng said, "I still need him to handle things here. He has to come with me to the south to help me plan things out, but he will still occasionally return to the capital... Bingkun has his own residence, so why should I entrust my family business to an advisor?"

Zhang Luan thought to himself, "Judging from what you're saying, it seems you don't really trust Pang Bingkun."
Zhang Luan asked, "After you go south, where will you stay? Will the people following you be... tired and weary from all the traveling?"

"Lai Zhan, although we are very close friends, there is one thing that we are completely different about each other..."

Lizi Provincial Highway.

Zhang Luan thought to himself, "How are you unlike me?"
Oh dear, there are so many things about us that we don't look alike!
Seriously, do we really have to be so similar?

Li Zisheng smiled as he poured tea for Zhang Luan, then explained, “After suddenly becoming rich and powerful, you can no longer bear a life of hardship and would rather be a wealthy and idle person. I am different from you. I am someone who can’t sit still most of the time. I am always thinking about how to make a name for myself and I am very hardworking.”

Zhang Luan felt a little embarrassed and said, "Is this the difference you're talking about? No, actually I can endure a lot of hardship too, you don't understand me."

"We're such good friends, why are you still putting on an act in front of me?" Li Zisheng laughed. "How can someone like you endure hardship? Speaking of which, you've been recuperating lately, and you seem to be having a lot of complaints about coming to Zhanzhan, haven't you?"

"Cough cough!"

Zhang Luan thought to himself, "Are you a roundworm?"

Do you know all the little thoughts I'm harboring?

My son has become so annoyed by my complaints that he hates me whenever he sees me.

Li Zisheng said, "My biggest regret is that the people around me are not people I met when I was humble, which means that they can share wealth and honor with me, but not necessarily hardship."

"Um!?"

Zhang Luan looked on with curiosity.

Li Zisheng sighed, "So I have to take them all with me on this trip, so they can experience more things... My child isn't as old as yours, he's still a young boy. Speaking of which, I envy you, having such a good son."

Zhang Luan said, "You've been keeping the child hidden for too long... From now on, you can have him stay with me, and I'll help you teach him, how about that?"

"really?"

Li Zisheng's eyes lit up.

Zhang Luan asked curiously, "Why not? Even if there are things I can't teach, Yanling can teach them, right? Don't look down on me. Yanling is much better than me in terms of insight and vision for the future."

"To tell you the truth, back when my family was in Xingji, it was Yanling who strongly advocated for his sister to come to the capital to be nominated as the Crown Princess, which is why the Zhang family is so prosperous and wealthy today."

Li Zisheng laughed and said, "I couldn't be happier."

Zhang Luan felt a little awkward.

I thought to myself, "So you also think I'm not suitable to be your son's teacher, or that my younger son is more reliable? In that case, my younger son is your peer, and I'm actually a generation above you for no reason."

Li Zisheng said, "On such a fine day, we should have a good drink."

Zhang Luan's heart sank upon hearing this.

He had only been joking about wanting to have a drink with Li Zisheng, but now that Li Zisheng was actually going to pour him a drink, he was starting to worry.

If I drink it, how am I going to explain it to my son when I get home?
But the words have already been spoken, so if I don't drink it... wouldn't that be letting Li Zisheng down?

"Here I have a pot of wine."

Li Zisheng said, "This is a fine wine that is over a hundred years old. Since I entered officialdom, it has been the best wine I have ever had, and I have always been reluctant to drink it. But now that I am saying goodbye to you, I have no choice but to bring it out."

Zhang Luan swallowed hard upon hearing this.

For an old wine lover like him, how could he not be tempted by a fine wine that even Li Zi Province praised?

Zhang Luan said, "But I... can't drink too much."

"There wasn't much to begin with."

Li Zisheng said, "Speaking of which, there is only half a pot of wine left... I drank the rest with the late emperor, and the wonderful taste still lingers in my memory."

"What?"

Zhang Luan wondered, why is there only half a pot of wine?
Li Zisheng said, "You drink with me, one cup for you, three cups for me, and the rest can be given to Bingkun. Or you can take it home tomorrow."

"no need."

Zhang Luan thought to himself, "I did say I couldn't drink, but you only gave me one glass of wine. Who do you think you are?"

Wait, should I drink it or not?

This whole situation left Zhang Luan feeling quite frustrated.

I felt a surge of resentment. What had I done to offend the heavens? Why did they have to give me this disease? Does this mean I can't even touch a drop of alcohol anymore?

Then Li Zisheng took out a wine pot from a dark sandalwood box on the table next to him, and then placed a wine cup in front of Zhang Luan and began to pour wine.

The clear wine foam splashed, and the aroma of the wine was irresistible. Zhang Luan's eyes were filled with greed, as if he was afraid that Li Zisheng would not pour him enough.

Li Zisheng said, "It's agreed, there's only one cup, consider it your farewell gift to me."

"can."

Zhang Luan nodded.

Li Zisheng added, "This liquor is very strong; you need to eat something first to calm your nerves."

"You can eat it later."

As Zhang Luan spoke, he reached out to take the wine glass.

"No."

Li Zisheng stopped him, saying, "Let's get this straight, eat first. Lai Zhan, that's one of your bad habits. Your son said you can't drink alcohol, but it's all for your own good."

“The fact that I brought this wine to you is disrespectful, but you must know that I have no intention of harming you.” “I understand, I understand. I drank it voluntarily, just one cup, and I won’t tell anyone else when I get back.” Zhang Luan made himself seem very righteous.

Li Zisheng said, "Then let's eat some vegetables first to fill our stomachs, and then we can drink. When I get to the South, I'll be waiting for your good news. Please don't leave everything to me alone."

Zhang Luan patted his chest and said, "Leave it to me. If my son doesn't work hard, I will urge him on. A large amount of money and grain will definitely be transferred south soon."

"it is good."

Seeing that Zhang Luan had eaten a few bites of food, Li Zisheng calculated that it was about time and nodded, saying, "Let's drink."

Zhang Luan tilted his head back and drank almost the entire glass of wine in one gulp. He felt instantly refreshed and lightheaded afterward.

"Having not touched a drop of alcohol for months, this sip is simply divine."

Zhang Luan sincerely praised it.

"Have some more vegetables."

Li Zisheng said, "Press down the wine."

"can."

Zhang Luan went to pick up more food.

The two ate and talked, and soon the topic of Li Zisheng entrusting his son to him came up.

Before they could exchange more than a few words, Zhang Luan's face turned bright red, and he shook his head, still somewhat curious: "This wine, how come... it's so strong?"

"Lai Zhan, this is where I have to say. When you go out drinking, shouldn't you be more careful?"

Li Zisheng said with a smile.

"what for?"

Zhang Luan strained to open his eyes wide, and said aggrievedly, "You didn't tell me this liquor was so strong."

Li Zisheng rolled his eyes at him and watched helplessly as Zhang Luan lay slumped on the table, refusing to get up.

Li Zisheng sighed helplessly, stood up, and waved to the distance. Two maids then came over.

"Help the person into the guest room."

Li Zisheng instructed, "Remember to use the best hangover tea and serve them well."

"Yes, sir."

The maidservant replied respectfully.

Li Zisheng added, "Tell the people in the inner courtyard not to rush to pack up tonight. It's not too late to pack up tomorrow morning. As long as we can get out of the city before dark... I won't go with them. Also, let the young master stay in the capital. Tomorrow evening, have someone take him to the Zhang residence."

"Yes."

Although the maid did not understand what her master meant, she still tried her best to write it down.

Li Zisheng glanced at Zhang Luan again and sighed, "It's only because I won't harm you... You're about to join the cabinet, yet you still have no sense of self-preservation and are completely unaware of the dangers of this world."

The maid was now at a loss for words.

Li Zisheng then waved his hand, and two maids practically carried Zhang Luan to the guest room next door.

The two women were strong and healthy, and very powerful, but even so, it was not easy for them to bring Zhang Luan into the room.

Li Zisheng ate a few more bites of food with his chopsticks before slowly getting up.

At this moment, another maid came over, but this maid was much thinner, with a slender waist and a typical oval face. She looked like a delicate beauty like Lin Daiyu, not someone who would do heavy work.

Li Zisheng whispered a few words to her and waved her to go to the inner courtyard.

Only then did he set off and leave.

Before even reaching the entrance, they saw Pang Qing sitting there, chatting with his subordinates who were surrounding him.

Li Zisheng called out, "Let's go!"

Pang Qing was momentarily stunned. He glanced back, as if asking, "Why did you come out? Didn't Zhang Laizhan come with you?"

Li Zisheng stepped forward and instructed, "Bingkun, set off with me tomorrow morning. Don't go back tonight."

Pang Qing asked, "Didn't you already give these instructions? Where is that Zhang Guozhang?"

Li Zisheng sighed, "He drank an extra cup and got completely drunk, so let him go and rest. He can leave the mansion on his own tomorrow."

"What?"

Pang Qing was greatly surprised.

Since the host is not home, why is Zhang Laizhan staying in your house?

what are you thinking?

Li Zisheng seemed completely unconcerned and continued, "Did everything that was sent out in advance go smoothly? If even this small amount of wealth can't be delivered smoothly, I'd better just kill myself halfway there to avoid making a fool of myself."

"No, not really."

Pang Qing shook his head and said, "However, Daoist, the main expenses we've incurred along the way are money and provisions. If we were to convert your wealth into money and provisions, it would probably have to be discounted by 20% or 30% based on current value."

"Does it need to be folded this much?"

Li Zisheng was somewhat dissatisfied with this.

Pang Qing sighed, “The earth and stone used in the river works have to be transported from the prefectures along the way. In fact, all the local governments have made preparations for river management. The most important thing in dredging the river and building the river embankment is manpower. We have to ensure that they have enough to eat and drink on the construction site. The rest depends on the transportation of money and grain. Right now, the spring flood season is coming soon. The river can't be used for navigation, so we have to rely on carts and horses to transport the water, which is very costly.”

Li Zisheng nodded slightly: "It's alright, with Lai Zhan here, what do I have to worry about?"

"You... really intend to rely entirely on the Zhang family?"

Pang Qing had some doubts about this. "To be honest, you might have been fooled when you went to see that second young master in Xishan... Repairing a river once would cost several million taels of silver. The imperial court wouldn't provide it, and neither could you or the Zhang family. Even if it were the most profitable business, how much do you think the Zhang family would earn in a year if they could completely solve the problem of the suspended rivers in the Central Plains within three years?"

Li Zisheng said irritably, "If I don't trust the Zhang family, who else can I trust? Do you expect me to go out and bring back silver to repair the river? Lai Zhan said that he plans to use the influence of Huizhou merchants to open money shops and banks all over the Ming Dynasty. To me, it sounds like a pawnshop or money exchange. You deposit silver here and exchange it elsewhere. You collect depositors' silver to make loans... This is a very profitable business."

"Loan sharking?"

Pang Qing was surprised to hear this. "Is the Zhang family really planning to go into this line of work? Aren't they afraid of being criticized by the world?"

Li Zisheng said, "I think the Lai Zhan father and son are very pragmatic. How can anyone make money from money lose money? As long as they are willing to swallow their pride, this deal will definitely be made."

"Speaking of which, who would dare to default on payments to the imperial family and relatives? If those merchants dared to default, wouldn't they be tired of living?"

"You are really..."

Pang Qing was almost speechless.

Li Zisheng turned his head, glared at him, and demanded, "What, did you steal your loan business in the capital?"

"Heaven and earth bear witness, none of our people have ever engaged in this kind of business."

Pang Qing frowned and said, "Master Dao, could you have misheard? Is the Zhang family really going to get into lending? These days, no one who lends money has a good reputation."

"Besides, it's common knowledge that it's difficult to borrow money from the families of royalty and nobility. Why would anyone want to borrow money that they're destined to lose if they can't repay it?"

Li Zisheng said, "I don't care where the money comes from if I'm short of cash. If you push me too far, I'll borrow it too."

Pang Qing said helplessly, "You can't, because you don't have much left to pawn... After you leave, there won't be much left."

"Alright, let's talk about it when we get there."

Li Zisheng rolled his eyes at Pang Qing, then pulled him to the door, where a carriage was already parked. Li Zisheng seemed unwilling to have the driver follow, and stepped forward to take the whip.

Pang Qing asked in surprise, "Master Dao, are you driving the carriage yourself?"

"Take it."

Li Zisheng shoved the riding whip into Pang Qing's hand. "Since it's just the two of us traveling, you should drive. Oh, by the way, where's the carriage that came with Lai Zhan? Why haven't I seen it?"

"gone back."

Pang Qing asked, "Why do you ask this?"

Li Zisheng muttered, "Lai Zhan is quite prescient, knowing that coming here means he doesn't have to go back... Oh wait, Lai Zhan is so good at divination, he must have calculated everything before coming. Tsk tsk."

Pang Qing said helplessly, "Master Dao, don't overestimate that Zhang Guozhang... Actually, the carriage was parked at the gate for more than half an hour. The driver asked the gatekeeper before driving away... Could it be that they're waiting to pick us up after the banquet? By the way, why are we worrying about this? Are we leaving or not?"

"Walk."

Li Zisheng glanced back at his family home, his eyes filled with reluctance. "I don't know how long it will be since we parted... Alas, perhaps the capital will be forever out of my reach, and I will never be able to return."

Pang Qing pouted and said, "We'll be back. Even if we're framed and imprisoned, we'll still come back, won't we?"

Li Zisheng said irritably, "You can't expect anything good to come out of a dog's mouth. If that day ever comes, I'd rather die on the road than suffer that humiliation."

(End of this chapter)