As the chief officer of the First Division, it is relatively easy for Mr. Shen to skip work because no one in the Martial Arts Division can control him. weight
His superiors were Cai Yong, the left minister of the Ministry of War, and Jiang Jian, the minister of the Ministry of War.
These two Shangguan would probably not come to the Martial Arts Department if they had nothing to do.
Even if he comes, it doesn't matter. After all, Mr. Shen often runs to the palace. Everyone in the Ministry of War knows that he is the emperor, so naturally they won't have too much control over him.
Mr. Shen left his office and went to the office of the Martial Arts Department. He found Zheng Ling, one of the two directors of the Martial Arts Department, and called Zheng Ling outside to talk.
"Mr. Zheng, I have something to do and I need to go home first."
Mr. Shen said lazily: "Si Li, please help me keep an eye on it. If anything happens, send someone to my house to let me know."
Zheng Ling was in his early thirties this year and could be considered an official of the Young Master Sect. Hearing this, he carefully turned around and glanced at Wu Ping, a member of the Wu Xuan Department who was also in the public room. He quickly understood and said to Master Shen. : "Yes, I will obey your orders."
After a pause, he lowered his head and asked, "I wonder if there is anything I can do to help you with your family affairs. If there is anything I can do, I will try my best to share your worries."
This is the tacit understanding in official circles.
Master Shen just gave a little hint, and the head of the Ministry of War almost completely understood Shen Yi's thoughts, and followed Shen Yi's words and took the initiative to follow him.
Climbing to the top of Master Shen is obviously very attractive for a director of the Military Selection Department, because Master Shen, who is less than twenty-two years old, has become the fourth in command of the Ministry of War and the four division officers of the Ministry of War. Among them, the one with the greatest power.
More importantly, Shen Yi has investigated the background of Director Zheng.
Well...he doesn't have much of a background.
In other words, the background behind him is no longer enough to support him to continue climbing up. weight
Mr. Shen smiled faintly and said, "It's just some private matters at home. I don't need Mr. Zheng's help."
Mr. Shen paused and said with a smile, "Maybe something will trouble Mr. Zheng in the future."
Zheng Ling bowed his hands respectfully and said, "When the time comes, my lord, I will just tell my subordinates."
"Um."
Shen Yi waved his hand and said calmly: "Okay, Chief Zheng will go down and do some errands."
Zheng Ling bowed his hands respectfully.
"I obey my orders."
After saying that, he went back to the public room.
Master Shen silently glanced at Zheng Ling's back, smiled, and turned to leave.
This Zheng Ling will be his future spokesperson in the Martial Arts Department...or in the Ministry of War.
In other words, the tentative spokesperson.
Of course, we are still in the initial stage of contact. The specific nature of Zheng Ling's character is too much to be used, and we still need to get in touch slowly.
After saying hello to Zheng Ling, Master Shen skipped work and went home.
The Ministry of War is located in the Imperial City. Fortunately, Mr. Shen's residence is also in the North City, which is not too far from the Imperial City. It didn't take long for him to return home. weight
After arriving home, he sat down to rest for a while, and then asked, "Is Xu Fu here?"
He was asking the maid Qing'er. Qing'er was pouring tea for Shen Yi. Hearing this, she quickly said, "Brother Xu came here in the morning. After knowing that the young master went to the Ministry of War, he went back first and said he would come to see the young master in the evening."
She smiled at Shen Yi and said, "Brother Xu has a very good relationship with his younger brothers and sisters. I guess he went to meet them."
Mr. Shen nodded, and after thinking for a while, he said, "Go and tell Jiang Sheng and let him go and tell Xu Fu not to come to my place for a while. I will go to Cuiyun Tower to find him. "
Qing'er said "Huh" and hurriedly went to find Jiang Sheng.
After resting at home for a while and hugging the child, Shen Yi changed out of his official uniform into a thin spring coat and walked out of the Shen family's house in the spring sunshine.
However, he still rides in a carriage when he goes out. weight
Because riding a carriage is safe.
He has not forgotten that the Cleaning Department in the north is still staring at him. If he walks on the street, he might be stabbed by a stranger.
Even if Master Shen can't be killed, he will still suffer a serious crime.
Cuiyun Tower, because of the solid ingredients used, the chef's cooking skills, and the supporting snacks such as chuanchuanxiang, pancakes, etc., has now become one of the more well-known restaurants in Jiankang City, although it is not far away from Guiyun Tower. This level of top-notch restaurants is still a little lower, but it can already be regarded as sub-top.
From this restaurant alone, Xu Liuniang can make a lot of money in a year, and she can be considered a wealthy woman from Jiankang.
Before Shen Yi's carriage arrived at the downstairs of Cuiyun Tower, Xu Fu took Xu Liuniang and his two brothers from Jiankang to meet him downstairs. After seeing Shen Yi get off the carriage, everyone was about to step forward to salute. , Master Shen waved his hand from a distance, indicating that they should go back first.
Xu Fu also understood that this would have a bad impact, so he said to Xu Liu Niang: "Little sister, you take the young master upstairs, I will wait in the private room on the third floor."
Xu Liuniang took a deep look at Xu Fu, lowered her head and said, "Yes."
After saying this, Xu Fu and others went upstairs, while Xu Liuniang, the proprietress, greeted him with a smile on her face, saluted Shen Yi, "Sir."
Master Shen looked her over, then said with a smile: "I haven't seen you for a while, and my little sister has grown a lot taller, um..."
"My face has also grown."
Xu Liu Niang lowered her head in embarrassment.
"What did the young master say..."
As she led Shen Yi upstairs, she said, "Sir, the matter between me and my eldest brother..."
Shen Yi said helplessly: "I mentioned it to him."
"It still depends on what he thinks. I can't force him."
"ah?"
Xu Liuniang's face suddenly turned red and she whispered: "Master, have you... told your eldest brother?"
"I told you when we were in the south."
Shen Yi teased: "How about I mention it again later?"
The little rich woman from Jiankang waved her hands repeatedly, her face flushed with embarrassment. weight
"I was talking to my elder brother just now, and he pretended that nothing was wrong..."
"ah…"
The more she thought about it, the more she blushed, and whispered: "Sir, I will lead you up."
Shen Yi smiled and nodded, followed the little rich woman all the way up to the third floor of Cuiyun Building, and entered the innermost private room on the third floor of Cuiyun Building.
This private room is not open to the public on weekdays. Only Shen Yi, perhaps when he returns, will enter this private room.
Mr. Shen walked in with his hands behind his back. Xu Fu and others bowed and saluted, "I've met the young master."
"No need to be formal, sit down and talk."
Shen Yi took the seat first, then glanced at Xu Fu who had just sat down, and asked: "When I was in Fuzhou, I told you to go back to Jiankang during the Chinese New Year. Later, you said that something happened in Lin'an Mansion and it would take some time. Why have you delayed returning to Jiankang until March or April?"
[In view of the general environment,
"I originally came back around the Chinese New Year."
Xu Fu lowered his head slightly and said, "But in February, the merchant ship we sent to the West last year came back, and I took a look at the port it entered from the Wenzhou Shipping Department."
Having said this, he looked up at Shen Yi and took a deep breath: "Sir, we sent out two ships last year and made a lot of money..."
Shen Yi put down the tea cup in his hand and asked with a smile: "How much did you earn?"
"Our silk, porcelain, and tea are all in short supply in the West, and the price can be up to ten times, or even dozens of times, for takeout, excluding the expenses and losses along the way..."
"In one trip, the net profit can be three to four times or even more."
He whispered: "And this trip is mainly because the route is unfamiliar and I have to share it with those Francois. This year I plan to run this merchant ship myself and hire some Westerners, so that I can earn more. "
Shen Yi thought for a while and asked, "Have you found the gunsmiths they were asked to find, as well as some masters who studied the firing of pure colored glaze?"
"The master of the gun has not been found..."
Xu Fu paused and continued: "Most of them don't pay much attention to their work, so in the second half of this year, I plan to go to the sea personally to find the talents that the master needs."
"However, the young master is looking for people who can burn glass, and this time those Francois brought back two of them."
Hearing this, Shen Yi became interested, looked at Xu Fu, and asked, "Where is he?"
"Still in Lin'an Mansion."
"Ask them to send me to Jiankang, um... then send them directly to my home."
"As for you going to the West in person..."
Shen Yi glanced thoughtfully outside the private room and said with a smile, "Let's talk about it in the second half of the year."
Xu Fu nodded silently and did not answer.
Master Shen looked at Xu Fu and asked, "When you come back, have you gone to see Eunuch Gao?"
Xu Fu shook his head: "I just came back in the morning and didn't have time to see Eunuch Gao, but I have already tried to find a way to deliver a letter to the palace. I'll see if I can ask Eunuch Gao to come out and see me tomorrow."
Xu Fu was able to make a living in Jiankang and obtain the status of imperial merchant, largely because everyone in Jiankang knew that he was the nephew of Eunuch Gao. weight
Now that I'm back, I should naturally meet him.
"Um…"
"It's time to see him."
"Ask him what he wants. If he wants money, give it to him. If he wants you to help take care of his family, you can help take care of him, but..."
Mr. Shen touched his chin and said with a smile: "But there is no need to compromise too much. Just communicate how you want."
"Now, you're not the only one leaning on him."
Master Shen took a sip of tea and looked at Xu Fu blankly. weight
"He also has a place where he relies on you."
