Damn it, I'm in the garbage book I wrote

Chapter 390: Lao Zeng’s Thoughts

As a newcomer, being able to get the support of a prime minister is actually equivalent to making this relationship public without any demonstration.

Xia Lin certainly understood that Lao Zeng was not after money or lust, and was a bit old-fashioned. He just wanted fame. He was a minister who was willing to die for his advice.

To say he is good, he is just average. Being too rigid and inflexible is not a good thing. The reason why he admires Xia Lin is that although Xia Lin's approach to many things is different from his, this guy's style of not being greedy for personal gain and not being distracted is somewhat similar to that of Zeng Ming.

In addition, Gao Shilian already had a successor like Ma Zhou, but Lao Zeng still has no successor. Moreover, he told people everywhere that Xia Lin was his useless disciple. The meaning of his words could not be more obvious.

Although this kind of thing is somewhat shameless, in fact, it is just an entity transformed from the old man's obsession.

With Lao Zeng's strong support, this matter naturally had a very good result. After all, it was not worth it to offend the prime minister of a country for a few supervisors who neglected their duties. The people in the Ministry of Works suffered this loss and went back to the meeting to scold their subordinates.

At 10:00 pm, Xia Lin came to the office of the Secretariat with some pastries and food. Zeng Ming was squinting his eyes and struggling to read a book. When he heard that Xia Lin was coming, he smiled and called him in.

"If you are coming to thank me for what happened today, there is no need. It is just my duty as a subject."

Xia Lin could be arrogant with other people, but he had to be respectful to Lao Zeng. Firstly, he was the prime minister. Secondly, his reputation among the people was much better than Gao Shilian. Although he was slightly at a disadvantage in the confrontation with Gao Shilian in the court, he was still able to check and balance Gao for thirty or forty years, so he was not a fool.

"Mr. Zeng, you too, have not understood me after all these years. Am I the kind of person who flatters others?" Xia Lin came over and put the cakes on the table. "I have been secretly handling the monks' affairs for a few days. I have not visited anyone in the capital. Now that I have some free time, I came to visit you. Besides, I have many things I don't understand that I would like to consult you."

Lao Zeng didn't care about anything else. When he heard that Xia Lin wanted to learn something, he immediately became excited. After all, if he really wanted to learn something, he would have a legitimate reason to tell others that Xia Lin was his good-for-nothing disciple.

But he was an elder and a prime minister after all, so he couldn't just come forward like a licking dog. Instead, he put down the document in his hand and stroked his beard: "Tell me what you have to say."

Sometimes it is not a bad thing for people to be not so smart, even if they are just pretending to be not so smart.

There are some things to pay attention to when asking questions. First, they cannot be too difficult. Questions that are too difficult can easily make people think that you are looking for trouble. If you ask Lao Zeng, "How should the boundaries of the ruling class's power be defined?", it would be considered as deliberately making things difficult for anyone. The relationship between monarchs, ministers, and fathers has been going on for thousands of years, and yet there are still boundaries. What they want is complete control.

But if the question is too simple, the person being asked will either doubt his or her own intelligence or be certain that the person asking the question is not asking sincerely but is trying to get close to him or her.

In short, this kind of thing should be viewed with discretion. It should make the other party feel a sense of accomplishment and make him feel that he is very awesome and very useful to you, but you should also be careful not to go beyond the scope, otherwise it will backfire.

This question-and-answer session lasted for an entire afternoon. Lao Zeng even turned down several requests for a face-to-face meeting. He answered questions very seriously and carefully, and one could even say that he was pinching Xia Lin's neck, prying open his mouth and pouring questions into him. He not only explained but also wanted him to know the reasons behind what he said.

For example, when it comes to the status of merchants, Lao Zeng talked about the story of Tian Chen usurping Qi and the three families dividing Jin, to the story of buying a fox to conquer Dai and buying a deer to control Chu, and then he went on to talk in detail about the control and utilization of merchants.

In fact, it is obvious that a scholar who can become a prime minister cannot be a fool. The trick used by Xia Lin is not new, but it is more practical at the moment, so Lao Zeng still carefully analyzed the pros and cons.

In this process, Xia Lin really learned a lot, and his extended questions often made Lao Zeng slam his head on the table and say that the question was good, and then he would further analyze and explain.

"I am so lucky to have you share my wisdom with me today. I am truly blessed."

After answering all the questions for today, Xia Lin bowed respectfully to Mr. Zeng and said, "If I still have questions in the future, may I bother Mr. Zeng with his wisdom?"

When Lao Zeng heard his words, he was overjoyed. After teaching for the whole afternoon today, he really understood how good a student Xia Lin was. While others could draw inferences about other cases by analogy, he could draw inferences about ten other cases by analogy. He could even extend many things that even Zeng Ming could only vaguely imagine.

There is no teacher in the world who doesn't like such students, so Lao Zeng is naturally willing to do so, but he is too proud to show too much joy on his face: "Of course, it is the responsibility of the predecessors to guide the younger generation."

After he finished speaking, Xia Lin suddenly cried out, "I was so immersed in Mr. Zeng's thoughts for the whole afternoon that I actually forgot something."

As he spoke, he took out a wooden box from his purse. When he opened it, there was a pair of reading glasses inside. The outside was made of tortoise shell. It was exquisite and low-key but full of calmness. It looked quite nice.

"This is?"

"I heard that Mr. Zeng had a vision impairment, so I asked someone to make a pair of glasses for him, hoping that he would not give up."

"Glasses?"

Zeng Ming opened his glasses case, took out his reading glasses and put them on his ears. At that moment, his body straightened up.

His eye disease had become increasingly obvious since he turned fifty, and it had become even more severe with his age. He was even exhausted from using his eyes every day, and had sought out many good doctors but to no avail. However, after putting on these so-called "glasses", he was able to regain his vision immediately, which made Zeng Ming ecstatic.

"This must be very valuable. No, no, absolutely no, you cannot accept it."

Zeng Ming took off his glasses. Although he was reluctant to part with them, he knew that this was a treasure and must be very expensive. If he accepted it, wouldn't it ruin his reputation?
"Mr. Zeng, you worry too much. This item was originally made to honor my father and uncle. Although it is not available on the market, it is just a few pieces of glass. It is not valuable. At most, it is a bit ingenious. My father and uncle are getting older, and their eyesight is inevitably declining. Having this can make people feel more relaxed."

These words were said very beautifully, and they made Lao Zeng feel warm inside. He then accepted the glasses reluctantly.

After Xia Lin left, he looked here and there with his glasses on, and felt as if he had returned to 20 or 30 years ago. He no longer had to frown or squint when reading, which made him feel extremely comfortable.

After that, he would wear the glasses and walk around the center before get off work. Some of his old friends would ask, "Hey, Mr. Zeng, what are these? They look funny when you put them on." "Funny?"

Zeng Ming pulled him over and put the glasses on his nose: "Take a look."

"Wow! So clear! Where did you buy this treasure? Get me one. Is it expensive? How much silver is it?"

"I don't know. It was given by a useless disciple. I told him not to give gifts, but he always does. It's really annoying."

After saying that, he left, and his old friend was teasing him behind his back, imitating his arrogant expression, but Lao Zeng didn't notice it.

Not only did he show off in front of his colleagues, he also showed off in front of his old lady at home, as if he was afraid that others didn't know that he had a treasure. In the end, he even showed off in front of Emperor Hongbao.

Emperor Hongbao laughed and took out one as well: "I have one too."

"It seems that it is only between Your Majesty and me."

"Isn't it because of you that I'm blind?"

Lao Zeng was silent for a while: "Yes and no, there are more blind people than just you and me!"

After saying this, he hurriedly took his leave, but Emperor Hongbao, knowing the old fellow's character, burst into laughter, which added some amusement to his sick and disabled body.

Although they were king and his subject, they had been together for most of their lives and after leaving the court they were more like old friends than king and his subject. Lao Zeng was the kind-hearted old man with a twisted, old-fashioned and stubborn temper, while Gao Shilian was the kind of old man who loved to take advantage of others and was a bit sarcastic.

After a lifetime of right and wrong, grudges and grievances, now that I have retired from court robes and are interacting with friends, I can finally feel what it used to feel like.

"This old guy." Gao Shilian looked at Lao Zeng's departing back and said, "He's showing off."

"Why? You didn't?"

Gao Shilian shook his head and smiled at Emperor Hongbao's words: "How could I have that? This old guy is just mocking me on purpose."

"Hahahaha, you two might as well just have a fight."

At this moment, Xia Lin was at the dock of Qinhuai River. A large number of cargo ships came in. These were goods shipped from Fuliang. Things needed for the construction of the new city and some other goods were all shipped here.

However, what Xia Lin did not expect was that there was a little "brother" on the boat. When the short-statured Dugu Han got off the boat, Xia Lin was surprised.

"Why are you here?"

"Of course I will come." Dugu Han glanced at him and said, "You are using my name to take bribes in my Dugu family. If I don't come again, you will swindle my ancestral home."

"How can our relationship be considered as one of extortion?" Xia Lin put his arm on Dugu Han's shoulder. "You still don't have a place to sleep? It just so happens that you can sleep on the same bed with me tonight. No one will say anything if we squeeze in together as brothers."

Dugu Han pulled his thieving hands off: "I, Dugu Han, am from the capital."

"Are you here to buy a piece of royal land?"

"What? You want to snatch it from me?"

"I'm not competing with you, but there are many people who want to compete with you."

Dugu Han sneered and turned to get on the carriage: "Let the horses come over... Hey! What are you doing here... Get off, you dirty thing! Don't get close to me!"

"Let's go to the construction site in the old city." Xia Lin just lifted the curtain and said to the driver, then closed the curtain again.

"Stay away from me!" Dugu Han's face was full of anger: "I don't like to be touched by others. You are too close."

"Yeah? Your hands are so small." Xia Lin grabbed Dugu Han's wrist: "Come, let's compare."

"You are sick!" Dugu Han tried to shrink himself into the corner of the carriage: "If you come over again, I will stab you with a knife."

"By the way, how's your novel going? Show it to me when you're done."

"No." Dugu Han turned his face away: "Don't even think about it."

(End of this chapter)