For the past two days, Zhao Yao has been struggling with one thing: whether to get the wind powered waterwheel out and give it to the emperor as a birthday gift. However, if we build a windmill now, it will be too late to give it to the emperor. After all, there are only a few days left before the Longevity Festival.
He later thought about it and realized that the season for planting and irrigating rice had passed, and the wind-powered waterwheel would not be useful for the time being, so he decided to forget it.
Besides, it was too late to get other things out. After struggling for a while, he decided to carve a little figure for the emperor.
Zhao Yao had never carved before, but Zhao Yao in the dream knew how to carve. Zhao Yao tried it and found that he could do it too.
For the past two days, Zhao Yao has been carving the emperor's figurine, and the carving is pretty good.
"Yao Yao, is it really okay for you to give the emperor such a little person?" Liang Run felt that Zhao Yao's birthday gift to the emperor was a bit light. "Would you like to buy something for the emperor, or choose something valuable as a gift from the things you brought back from the Western Regions?"
"Second uncle, I'm just a six-year-old child. It's too weird to give gifts that are too expensive." Zhao Yao said to Liang Run while carving the little man, "Smelly father also said that the things I gave were not good enough." Okay, he will be angry. Then I can only make something myself and give it to my stinking father."
"Then you make something good."
"Second uncle, what good things can I, a six-year-old child, make?" Zhao Yao said, raising the little man he had just carved in his hand, "I, a child, can carve a little man , it’s already pretty good.”
Liang Run laughed and said, "That's right." He always forgets that in the eyes of others, Yaoyao is just an ordinary six-year-old child.
"In order to carve the little man, my fingers suffered a lot of injuries." Several of Zhao Yao's fingers were injured and are still bandaged. "If your stinking father doesn't like it, I'll bite him to death."
Liang Run was amused by Zhao Yao's last words: "Yao Yao, do you have the guts to bite the emperor?"
"Yes, my stinky father made me angry. I will really bite him." It's not like Zhao Yao has never bitten the emperor.
Liang Run took out a brocade box from his arms and handed it to Zhao Yao.
Zhao Yao looked at the brocade box handed over by Liang Run with doubtful eyes, "Second uncle, what is this?" After saying that, he reached out to take the brocade box, opened it and found a red jade pendant inside.
"This is blood jade. I found it among the things I brought back from the Western Regions today. Wearing it can warm the body." Liang Run introduced, "I heard it has the effect of warming and nourishing the body. You can take it to the emperor. "
"The effect of warming and nourishing the body?" Zhao Yao took out the blood jade and looked at it. It was the same size as the jade plaque his father gave him before. The entire body was dark red, as if it were dyed with blood. In the middle of the blood jade, there are several blood threads. At first glance, they thought they were cracks in the blood jade.
Zhao Yao lowered his head and smelled the blood jade in his hand. Instead of smelling blood, he smelled a faint fragrance. The scent is a bit like medicinal scent.
"I heard from people in Wusun that this piece of blood jade comes from the Dawan royal family." Liang Run spent a lot of money to buy it. "I heard that people who are in poor health or have injuries on their bodies need to carry it with them for a long time." It, it not only warms and nourishes the body, but also relieves the pain on the body.”
"Really?" Zhao Yao didn't believe it, "Can it really relieve the pain on the body?"
"That's what the guy who sold it to me said."
"Second uncle, you won't be deceived, right?"
"I asked someone to look at it. This is indeed a fine jade." Liang Run said, "You can take it and give it to the emperor."
"How can I explain to my stinking father that I have such a good blood jade?"
"Just say I gave it to you." Liang Run said amusedly, "Yao Yao, you don't think the emperor doesn't know I'm in the capital, do you?"
Zhao Yao was silent for a moment, and then said: "Father knows that you are in the capital, second uncle." The villa in Dahua Village was built by people sent by the stinking father.
"It's not a good idea to just give a carved little figure. You'd better give this piece of blood jade to the emperor." Liang Run said in a serious tone, "The emperor often fought in wars when he was young, and he must have suffered a lot of injuries. Although these injuries are all good , but it must have left some pain. On cloudy and rainy days, you will definitely feel pain. This piece of blood jade can relieve the pain on your body, so it is just right to give it to the emperor."
Liang Run didn't say anything, but Zhao Yao couldn't think of this, because the emperor's body looked very healthy and didn't seem to be in pain.
"I listen to my second uncle. I will give it to my father when the time comes, but I can't give it in public, I can only give it in private." Giving such a fine blood jade to my father in public would arouse other people's suspicion, so I just gave it to my father in public. Can be sent secretly.
"Then you give it privately." Liang Run added, "By the way, this piece of blood jade was once soaked in Dawan's famous medicinal materials, so it can relieve pain."
"No wonder it has a medicinal smell."
"Unfortunately, I only bought one piece." Liang Run said with regret.
"Second uncle, it's great that you can buy such a good blood jade."
"I have already told Lao Qi and the others that if you see blood jade, you must buy it no matter how much you spend." Liang Run said, "Women are best suited to wear blood jade."
"That's true." Zhao Yao's blood jade thanked Liang Run, "Second uncle, thank you."
"Why are you being polite to me?" After Liang Run said this, his face turned serious for a moment, "Yao Yao, I heard something today."
"What happened?" Zhao Yao felt a little scared when he saw Liang Run's expression was a little solemn, and his face became serious, "What happened?"
"The Wang family has opened several pawn shops in the capital, do you know that?"
"Is there anything wrong with the pawnshop opened by the Wang family?" Zhao Yao said, "Every family in the capital has opened a pawnshop or bank."
"It's nothing if it's just an ordinary pawn shop. I heard that the Wang family uses pawn shops to buy and sell officials."
"What, buying an official and selling an official?" Zhao Yao's brows instantly wrinkled, looking a little ugly, "What's going on?"
"I heard that if someone wants to ask for something from the Wang family, or wants to get an official position, they don't go directly to the Wang family to give gifts, but instead take the things to the Wang family's pawn shop, and then only receive a penny." Liang Run continued, " Then, they took a lot of money to redeem the items."
"Really?" Zhao Yao asked.
"Really, the Wang family not only opened such pawn shops in the capital, but also opened such pawn shops in other places." Liang Run said, "It seems that there are also such pawn shops in Yangzhou."
Zhao Yao frowned and said with a cold face: "I didn't expect the Wang family to be so bold."
"I guess it's not just the Wang family that does this, but other aristocratic families do this too." Liang Run said with a cold face, "I also heard that they make a lot of money every year from pawnshops."
"I didn't expect that the noble family would be so rampant."
"The Wang family sells official positions from other places, and they are not very big officials, such as county captains and county magistrates." Liang Run continued, "Slightly bigger officials are working as doctors or county magistrates..."
Zhao Yao said with a cold face: "The aristocratic family controls the officialdom. No wonder Grandpa Huang and his father want to disturb the aristocratic family."
"These aristocratic families are really too arrogant, and the children of these aristocratic families are all over the world." Liang Run said, sighing softly, "It is really difficult to completely eradicate these big families."
Zhao Yao frowned and said nothing.
"These aristocratic families control the officialdom in other places and use Emperor Shan Gao to seek their own interests without caring about the lives of ordinary people. This is really abominable."
Zhao Yao sighed with a heavy tone: "The imperial power will not go to the countryside."
"Yes, the imperial power does not go to the countryside, but if aristocratic families are allowed to control the officialdom in other places, then capable students from poor families will not be able to get ahead." Liang Run's expression was very serious, "Those who spend money People who buy official positions will not benefit the people after they become officials, but will only exploit them, so that the local people will not have a good life."
"Yes, if the aristocratic family is allowed to be like this, the people's life will not be easy." It seems that the imperial examination cannot wait until he goes to Lingnan to start it. "Second uncle, take me to my second uncle's place. I'll see him if I have anything to do."
"It's already night. Do you really want to go there now? Will it disturb your second uncle too much?"
"Second uncle won't mind."
"Then will you come back tonight?"
"I'm afraid I won't be able to come back." There is a curfew at night, and people will not be able to walk on the streets until Haishi.
"Okay, I'll send you there now."
He Lianfang didn't expect that Zhao Yao would look for him at night, because Zhao Yao was with him during the day.
"Did something happen if you came to me so late?" He Lianfang asked.
"Second uncle, I won't go back tonight. I will stay with you." Zhao Yao grinned at He Lianfang and said, "I can help you warm your bed."
Hearing this, He Lianfang had a helpless and conniving smile on her lips: "If you want to stay, just stay."
Zhao Yao said with a smile: "I knew you wouldn't drive me away, second uncle."
The butler appeared silently, brought Zhao Yao a cup of tea and a plate of snacks, and then left silently.
"Tell me, what's the reason for coming to me so late?" Although He Lianfang didn't spend a lot of time with Zhao Yao, she had already figured out Zhao Yao's temperament.
Zhao Yao pursed his lips slightly and said, "Second uncle, what you said makes me feel like I don't go to the Three Treasures Palace for anything."
He Lianfang stared at Zhao Yao without saying anything, and raised her brows slightly.
Zhao Yao put away his playful smile and became very serious: "Second uncle, I want to tell my father about the imperial examination."
When He Lianfang heard this, he picked up the tea cup for a moment. Then he put down the tea cup and asked in shock: "What happened?"
"Second uncle, do you know that the Wang family has opened pawn shops in the capital and other places?" Zhao Yao said, "Do you know that they use pawn shops to buy and sell officials?"
Zhao Yao told He Lianfang what he had just heard from Liang Run.
After hearing this, He Lianfang did not show any surprise on her face.
"What are you surprised about?"
Seeing He Lianfang's calm expression, Zhao Yao asked with some surprise: "Second uncle, have you known this for a long time?"
"This is not a strange thing." He Lianfang said calmly, "Why else would your grandpa and father want to eradicate the family?"
"Second uncle, do you mean that the emperor and father know about this kind of thing?"
"This is nothing new. What are you making such a fuss about?" He Lianfang was a little surprised that Zhao Yao was so surprised.
Zhao Yao, who was disliked, said: "..." I'm so sorry, he is so ignorant.
"This has been the case since ancient times. Otherwise, how would you think the aristocratic family survives today?" He Lianfang's tone was a little indifferent, "No matter which dynasty we are in, the aristocratic family controls the court and officialdom." The iron-clad aristocratic family and the flowing emperor are no joke of. A family can survive for hundreds of years, but a dynasty cannot survive for hundreds of years.
Zhao Yao gave He Lianfang a small roll of his eyes and said angrily: "Sorry, it was me who made the fuss."
"You want to tell your father about the imperial examination because of this?"
"Well, I'm thinking that if I wait until I go to Lingnan to take the imperial examination, it will have to wait at least ten years. In these ten years, aristocratic families will do many such things. I don't want to see this." Although he He has no interest or ability to be an emperor, but that doesn't mean he doesn't care about the lives of his people. Now there is a way to weaken the aristocratic family's control over the officialdom and allow ordinary and capable people to serve as officials. It is not good for him to hide it.
"Now that the imperial examinations are being held, we can't shake the family immediately." Zhao Yao continued, "It will take at least ten years to truly weaken the power of the family. In this way, when I go to Lingnan, the family will no longer be able to do what it used to be. Control officialdom remotely."
He Lianfang was surprised that Zhao Yao cared about the people, but he didn't show it.
"You yourself said before that once you tell your father about the imperial examination, you will be in danger. Are you sure you want to tell your father about this now?"
"Second uncle, do you think I should say it?" Zhao Yao came to He Lianfang. He was hesitant and didn't know whether he should say it, so he came to He Lianfang to make up his mind.
He Lianfang naturally wanted Zhao Yao to say it, but he also knew in his heart that doing so would bring danger to Zhao Yao.
"You are still young, and if you suddenly propose such a good and unprecedented imperial examination, the ministers and the world will be shocked by your resourcefulness. In front of the world, you are no longer the innocent tenth prince, but have extraordinary wisdom. Prince, is this what you want to see?"
After Zhao Yao heard this, his heart thumped, and he quickly shook his head and said, "This is not what I want to see."
"Then don't say anything." He Lianfang said in a serious tone, "Now is not the time."
"Actually, I know in my heart that now is not the time, but after hearing what my second uncle said about the Wang family, I felt angry and wanted to give the family some color." He didn't want to see the family controlling the lives and deaths of the people.
"Your father is not a fool. He has long known what the Wang family has done."
Zhao Yao asked in astonishment: "Why didn't your father punish the Wang family?"
"Your father is sinister and despicable. He will not touch the family easily. Instead, he will secretly lay a dragnet and annihilate the Wang family in one fell swoop." He Lianfang's eyes were full of sarcasm, and her tone was full of sarcasm, "That's how the family in Yangzhou was treated by your father. Annihilated.”
"Second uncle, what is your relationship with my father?" Zhao Yao felt that his second uncle seemed to hate his father, but when he talked about his father, he seemed to appreciate his father a little.
He Lianfang's face suddenly turned very cold, "It doesn't matter."
The second uncle seemed to hate his father very much.
The second uncle's eyes just now seemed to hate his father very much.
It seems that the relationship between the second uncle and the father is very complicated. Or maybe the second uncle has something to say to his father.
"Don't worry about the Wang family opening a pawn shop and buying and selling officials." He Lianfang said, "This is not something that a six-year-old child like you should worry about." He Lianfang deliberately used the words "six-year-old child" The bite was particularly harsh, "Since you are pretending to be innocent on the outside, then pretend it till the end and don't do anything too outrageous."
Zhao Yao nodded obediently: "I understand." After saying that, he reached out and scratched his head, "I'm just a little angry."
"There's nothing wrong with you being angry." He Lianfang stopped talking about this matter and changed the topic to the art of war.
Zhao Yao's attention was successfully diverted and he listened carefully to He Lianfang's talk about the art of war.
At this time, Zheng Xilin, who was far away in a mountain village in Pengcheng County, looked at the letter written to him by the emperor and sighed worriedly.
"The Emperor actually asked me to be His Royal Highness's husband. It's really... embarrassing for me."
The emperor originally wrote a letter asking his former husband, Mr. Tang, to teach Zhao Yao, but Mr. Tang was old and in poor health, and was unable to travel long distances to the capital to be Zhao Yao's teacher. Furthermore, his old man's mind has become confused, and he often forgets who he is, and is no longer able to teach others.
So, the emperor took his idea to Zheng Xilin. He told Zheng Xilin in the letter that he did not need to go to the capital in person to be Zhao Yao's teacher, he could just write letters to teach Zhao Yao.
Zheng Xilin was shocked by the emperor's proposal. He didn't expect to do this.
"I have resigned and returned to my hometown for many years, but the emperor still doesn't want to let me go. It's really... so difficult to deal with."
Zheng Xilin had no choice but to agree to this proposal, otherwise with the emperor's temper...
Just write a letter, it is better than being arrested and sent to the capital to become a gentleman.
Thank you fellow veterans for your monthly votes, and I would like to express my gratitude to them all.
Zheng Xilin: I’ve retired and returned home for many years, why can’t you let me go?
Emperor: Stop thinking!
Zheng Xilin: Your Majesty, I really just want to be a farmer.
Emperor: I still want to be a farmer, can I do it?
Zheng Xilin: Your Majesty, you must be jealous that I can be a farmer!
(End of chapter)
