During these days, Lao Zhu gradually came back to his senses about some things.
Lao Zhu's face darkened and he said angrily: "Although Han Du is a businessman, when it comes to greed for money, he is no weaker than those corrupt officials."
"Why did my father say this?" Zhu Biao felt nervous when his father classified Han Du as a corrupt official. He knew how much his father hated corrupt officials, and he had seen with his own eyes how his father punished those corrupt officials.
If Han Du fell to that end, Zhu Biaocai would really be unable to bear it.
Besides, in Zhu Biao's eyes, Han Du is still a very good person. For example, the memorials he wrote are good. They think about things that ordinary people don't think about, think about things that ordinary people don't think about, and have tricky angles, but they seem to contain a brilliant path.
A glimmer of light appeared in Lao Zhu's eyes, and he said in a deep voice: "Last time, that kid kept selling the knife to the Ministry of Industry at the market price, and also said that he didn't make much money."
Zhu Biao was eager for success and wanted to excuse Han Du, and quickly interjected: "The waist knife that time was also seen by Erchen and inspected by the Ministry of Industry. The knife is good, not like the previous one." The steel waist knives that Han Du provided are indeed consistent with what he said, they are all pure steel waist knives. There should be nothing wrong with this, right?"
"Is there anything wrong?" Lao Zhu glanced at Zhu Biao and sneered at the same time. "I didn't think there was anything wrong before, but later I found out that I had been fooled by that kid. Han Du must have made a lot of money from those waist knives, otherwise he wouldn't have offered such a high price to buy cotton. It just happened. Nearly two thousand taels of silver were spent, so rich. If he hadn't made money in the waist knife, would he have the money to buy cotton at such a high price? How much money did he have in Baoqiantiji? When Han Du took over, The Baochao Lisi Department only has a few hundred taels of silver on its books. Even if you include the thousand guan that I gave him later, even if all the people in the Baochao Lisi Department did not eat or drink, they would not be able to collect enough 2,000 taels of silver. Come out. Do you dare to say that he is not on the knife and making a lot of money?"
Zhu Biao was dumbfounded and suddenly became speechless. I thought in my heart that my father was worthy of being my father. No one could hide this unique thinking from my father.
If Han Du heard what Lao Zhu said, he would definitely have something in his mind that he didn't know whether to say or not. How can there be such a person? Where can I calculate how much money I make through my own expenses?
Lao Zhu does not talk about martial ethics.
It's a pity that Lao Zhu is sitting on the dragon throne, looking down on the world, but he doesn't have to talk about it.
Just when Zhu Biao was speechless and didn't know how to answer, a melodious voice like an orchid in an empty valley came from outside.
"I've been listening outside for a while. I've been listening back and forth. Your Majesty, why are you still angry with a minister?"
Queen Ma said as she walked in from outside.
"My son, I pay my respects to my mother." Zhu Biao stood up and saluted immediately.
Queen Ma waved her hand, indicating that Zhu Biao was exempted.
She went straight to Lao Zhu and sat down. Seeing that Lao Zhu looked unhappy, Empress Ma said, "Why, Your Majesty, do you really want to be like a minister?"
Lao Zhu said nothing.
Seeing this, Queen Ma continued: "Although I have never seen this Han Du, from what the emperor said, I also know that he is a capable official."
"Why do you say that, sister?" Lao Zhu glanced at Queen Ma in surprise. Although Zhu Yuanzhang was the emperor, he knew how arrogant his queen was. Even Zhu Biao, who had always won his heart, rarely heard complimentary words from Queen Ma.
Zhu Biao was also very surprised. He lowered his head and raised his ears, ready to hear why his mother praised Han Du so much.
Queen Ma rolled her eyes at the two of them, and immediately understood what they were thinking, and said with a smile: "As the saying goes: It is difficult for a clever woman to make a meal without rice. In fact, this truth applies to ordinary farmers, a yamen, or a country. it's the same."
"Your Majesty, you also said that when Han Du first took over the treasure banknote lifting department, he only had a few hundred taels of silver, but now he can easily spend 2,000 taels of silver to buy cotton. What does this mean? What does this mean? The office of civil servants is no longer what it used to be."
"The money he paid for the imperial examination was not earned from me." After hearing this, Lao Zhu was immediately dissatisfied. Although Han Du was in a transaction with the Ministry of Industry, Lao Zhu saw that the world belongs to me, and the money from the Ministry of Industry also belongs to me.
Empress Ma burst out laughing. After laughing enough, she slowly said, "That's because Your Majesty only allows him to be the home of Baochao Tusi. Naturally, he only considers Baochao Tusi."
Seeing this, Zhu Biao also smiled and interjected: "What the Queen Mother said makes sense. What's even more rare is that he can sell higher-quality waist knives at market prices. If you think about it differently, Father, what kind of waist knives do you think of him? If it were put on the market, would it be worth the price?"
Lao Zhu was silent for a moment.
It’s worth it! Definitely.
The waist knives forged by Baogang cost three guan each, while the waist knives of Handu pure steel quality only cost two guan. If it were put on the market, it would be worth thousands of dollars.
At this time, Empress Ma also smiled and continued: "Your Majesty, if all the ministers in your court are like Han Du, and can manage the affairs of the Yamen in a prosperous manner without you allocating a penny, then that would be It's a blessing for the court. In that case, Your Majesty, you wouldn't have had to worry so much about preparing military supplies some time ago."
Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but smile when he thought of the scene mentioned by Empress Ma, but he quickly calmed down, shook his head and sighed: "How is this possible?"
He waved his hand and stopped the conversation.
Empress Ma also knew that her idea was impossible, and she only wanted him to see the difference in Han Du when she told Lao Zhu.
Turning the impossible into possible, this is Han Du's ability that is stronger than others.
Since Han Du has such a personality and is working for the court, the emperor naturally has no reason to blame him. In this way, Queen Ma's purpose of helping Han Du was achieved to everyone's satisfaction.
Zhu Biao breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his father's anger towards Han Du dissipated. Changing the topic to the beginning again, "I would like to inform my father, please let me decide on the pricing of coal."
Queen Ma didn't react at all, as if she hadn't heard Zhu Biao's words. She is an extremely smart woman and naturally knows when enough is enough. She had already persuaded the emperor once today, and she could not get involved in the second matter unless absolutely necessary, lest the emperor misunderstand that she was nosy. Therefore, even if she wanted to express her thoughts again, she would not do so under such circumstances. She would only quietly be a loyal listener on the sidelines.
Lao Zhu stroked his beard, thought for a while and said: "One hundred and twenty cents is a bit high. My coal is used to benefit the people, not to make Han Du rich, so I will pay him 20 cents per hundred catties." Sell it."
Zhu Yuanzhang is worthy of being an emperor who came from a commoner background. Whenever there is a place that can benefit the people, he will not hesitate to leave no one behind. Of course, because he does not understand economic reasons, he often does bad things with good intentions, but it cannot be denied in any case that Zhu Yuanzhang has good intentions for the people.
Zhu Biao was very surprised when he heard this, but he did not dare to go against his father's will, so he quickly replied: "Yes. I will notify Han Du immediately and sell it at 20 cents per hundred catties."
Queen Ma stood aside, looking at the emperor with a smile on her face, and thought to herself: Your Majesty, you have benefited the people, but have you never thought of benefiting the palace? My concubine has not made new clothes in three years.
Seeing that the emperor didn't even see her eyes, Queen Ma got a little angry and turned around to give Zhu Biao a hard look.
Zhu Biao was so frightened that he shrank his neck and secretly showed a corner of his whitened robe to his mother. It means that you are also poor, but you must not make any mistakes.
Queen Ma glared at Zhu Biao angrily, and Zhu Biao quickly lowered his head and pretended not to notice.
Empress Ma looked away angrily, turned to Lao Zhu and said with a smile: "You must be tired after talking for so long. Let's have dinner."
After Zhu Biao finished his meal with his father, the emperor and his mother, he stood up and left.
When Queen Ma saw Zhu Biao coming out of the palace, she quickly shouted: "Your Majesty, please slow down, the dew is heavy in the night, please wear more robes." After saying this, she stood up, picked up a robe, and chased Zhu Biao out. .
Lao Zhu continued to sit and eat without paying attention to the mother and son.
When Zhu Biao saw his mother coming out with a robe, he quickly took it and said with emotion: "My son, thank you for your love and care."
Empress Ma smiled slightly and said, "Let's not thank you too much. I would like to ask you, did Han Du give you 40% of the limestone ore?"
Zhu Biao nodded, not understanding why his mother asked this.
Queen Ma was extremely satisfied after hearing this, but a sad look suddenly appeared on her face, "It's difficult for a mother to be a queen. She said that she was the queen and was in charge of the harem. She kept her promise. In fact, this palace has long become a Empty shelves, not to mention the concubines, even the expenses of this palace have been reduced again and again. Your father has pulled out the flowers and trees in the imperial garden and used them to grow vegetables."
Zhu Biao also came to his senses at this time and said loudly: "My father's diligence and frugality make me ashamed, so I decided to go back to the East Palace to reduce some expenses." After saying that, Zhu Biao turned around and wanted to leave.
However, since someone has put so much effort into laying the groundwork, how can he be allowed to get away easily?
Sure enough, Queen Ma had quick eyesight and quick hands, and grabbed Zhu Biao's arm. Staring at him with burning eyes: "The queen hasn't finished speaking yet. Where do you want to go?"
Seeing that his intention to run away was discovered by his mother, Zhu Biao said with a straight face: "My queen, please give me your instructions. I am all ears."
Queen Ma's eyes moved, and she gave Zhu Biao a hard look, "Your father gave you so much property in the East Palace, more than in the Imperial Palace. You can give me 40% of the shares of the charcoal mine."
