The sunshine in early summer is bright but not very dazzling.
Zhang Yingxue returned to the Zhang family with her maid.
As soon as she arrived at the door of the house, the concierge swung his legs to announce that the eldest lady was back.
After Zhang Guangdao got the news, even though he was old, he came out in a hurry. He looked at Zhang Yingxue who was coming back and saw that Zhang Yingxue was wearing very ordinary clothes and no one was following him. He asked anxiously: "Yingxue, is there something wrong?"
Then it was sent to the emperor.
This is back.
If something goes wrong, the family will lose face.
The Zhang family is also a big family in Yangzhou, but it is actually much weaker. If it continues to decline, it will not be able to hold on.
Zhang Yingxue smiled sweetly and said: "Grandpa, Your Majesty allowed my granddaughter to come back, not to be sent back. My granddaughter is now His Majesty's."
"call!"
Zhang Guangdao breathed a long sigh of relief, his old face was full of smiles, and he praised: "Okay, okay, my dear grandson, come back home quickly."
When Zhang Yingxue returned to his house, Zhang Guangdao exchanged simple greetings and asked, "Yingxue, your Majesty asked you to come back. What's the matter?"
Zhang Yingxue looked around.
Zhang Guangdao suddenly understood and waved his hand to ask the people around him to step back.
Only the grandfather and grandson were left in the hall.
Zhang Guangdao's expression became serious and he asked again: "Does your Majesty have anything important to explain?"
Zhang Yingxue stopped hiding anything and followed Zhao Shan's words without missing a word. After explaining the details, Zhang Yingxue said: "Grandpa, your Majesty's words have some profound meaning, but I don't quite understand them. You are experienced and must be able to understand clearly. What does your Majesty mean?"
Zhang Guangdao stroked his beard and thought carefully.
After a long time, Zhang Guangdao couldn't help but sigh.
Zhang Yingxue was even more puzzled and asked: "Grandpa, why do you sigh?"
Zhang Guangdao frowned deeply and said in a deep voice: "Girl Yingxue, the emperor's words are to ask the Zhang family to stand in line and express their position, and to force the Zhang family to separate from the Yangzhou family."
"First, the emperor believes that the Yangzhou clan will not submit to this payment of money, land and population, and will definitely hide it."
"That's indeed the case."
"After Gu Xianxiong convened the major families for discussion, he has already developed a response strategy to reduce the losses of each family as much as possible."
"Secondly, the emperor only mentioned the affairs of the Zhang family, and also said that the Zhang family did not need to get involved or interfere with the affairs of the big family. It is a lie and irony to say that it is difficult to persuade the people to hang themselves with good words."
"The emperor's real intention is to hope that the Zhang family will stand up and stop this matter, or that they want to take a stand on the emperor's side, break away from the big family, and not coax the emperor with the big family."
"The problem is that once you stand up, the Zhang family will be cut off from other families, and conflicts will arise."
Zhang Guangdao said: "The emperor is worthy of being an emperor, his methods are ruthless."
ah! !
Zhang Yingxue exclaimed.
She swallowed her saliva and said, "According to my grandfather's wishes, no matter what we do, the Zhang family will be targeted by various families? Can't our Zhang family just focus on ourselves and ignore others?"
At this point, Zhang Yingxue's eyes flashed with a stern look, and she said: "We don't care about other families and do our own thing well. We are not afraid of any families coming to accuse us."
"No, you are wrong!"
Zhang Guangdao shook his head again and said: "Your Majesty said that we don't need to take care of the affairs of each family, which is not a lie. We can take care of it, so there is no problem."
Zhang Yingxue scratched her head and said: "Grandpa, I am confused and I don't understand what you said. You said that His Majesty's words were irony, but you also said that His Majesty's words were not irony and lies."
Zhang Guangdao explained carefully: "According to His Majesty's superficial intention, if the Zhang family doesn't care about other families and just does its own thing, there will be no benefits."
"The Zhang family stepped forward to share the emperor's worries. Can the emperor lose his reward?"
"Your Majesty said that the Zhang family should be left alone, and he also mentioned hidden worries. Why bother?"
"Your Majesty wants the Zhang family to separate itself from other major families. The purpose is to make the Zhang family stand out, betray the Yangzhou family, and become a big family serving the emperor."
"If the Zhang family does this well, it will help you in the palace and will be good for the future of the Zhang family."
"Otherwise, the emperor will not mention these things to you. The emperor is wise, powerful, talented, and thoughtful. He is not a sentimental person, nor is he easily emotional. A creature like the emperor only cares about political interests."
Zhang Guangdao said: "Girl Yingxue, don't you think that the emperor fell in love with you at first sight and thought about you and the Zhang family in everything?"
Zhang Yingxue suddenly said: "My grandfather's words awakened my granddaughter, I understand."
Zhang Guangdao said: "Just understand."
Zhang Yingxue asked: "Grandpa, how should we respond? Do the Zhang family really want to stand up? Doing so will inevitably cause conflicts."
Zhang Guangdao said: "I personally went to Prince Wu's Mansion to meet with His Majesty, explain the Zhang family's attitude and position, and also express his position to complete the emperor's arrangements. Before, Gu Xianxiong contacted the emperor unilaterally, but now with your excuse, we can contact him .”
Zhang Yingxue said no more after hearing this.
After lunch, Zhang Guangdao personally sent Zhang Yingxue to Prince Wu's Mansion.
Zhang Guangdao entered the palace and saw Zhao Shanhou and said: "Zhang Guangdao, a common man, pays homage to your majesty."
Zhao Shandao: "Mr. Zhang taught a good granddaughter."
Zhang Guangdao was happy in his heart and said humbly: "Your Majesty, thank you very much. This girl Yingxue is impatient. I am afraid that Yingxue will disturb your Majesty."
Zhao Shan said lightly: "Yingxue is very good, but you are too harsh."
Zhang Guangdao exchanged simple greetings, did not dare to talk in circles, and said straight to the point: "I came to see Your Majesty today because I have a big matter to report."
Zhao Shan smiled and said, "What's the matter?"
Zhang Guangdao replied: "Reporting to Your Majesty, the Yangzhou clan has complied with the previous agreement and handed over the land according to the upper limit of two thousand acres of land per family, as well as the hidden population, as well as paying money and food."
Zhao Shan said in a deep voice: "Gu Xianxiong said that this matter is being arranged. Did something go wrong?"
Zhang Guangdao said quickly: "I dare not hide it from Your Majesty. In order to break through the limit of two thousand acres of land, each family has come up with strategies to deal with it."
Zhao Shan asked: "What strategy?"
Zhang Guangdao explained: "For example, if my Zhang family divides the houses of the Zhang family and turns one family into five, the remaining land will change from 2,000 acres to 10,000 acres."
"This is the land strategy, to get more land by dividing the family."
"In terms of population, each family follows the agreement to release the hidden people and let out the people who rely on leasing the land of the big family. Because each family leaves more land, it also retains more people."
"In short, the tenants have not surrendered all."
"There are also certain problems with the grain submitted to the court. The first is that it is the worst old grain, which is at least four years old, and a lot of the grain is eaten by insects. The second is that it is mixed with a lot of gravel, which is inferior grain."
Zhang Guangdao said: "This is basically the arrangement."
Zhao Shan had a smile on his face.
Look, this is the big family in Yangzhou.
You have made arrangements, and there are countless ways to deal with it. In short, you have a good plan and I have a wall ladder.
Without using Zhang Yingxue to make a fuss or win over people, would Gu Xianxiong tell this information?
As the person who contacted Zhao Shan, Gu Xianxiong was also from a wealthy family in Yangzhou. Gu Xianxiong did not inform Zhao Shan about what had been agreed upon now. He obviously had other thoughts and always put the interests of his family before the interests of the court.
It is impossible to be obedient without being severely beaten.
Zhao Shan took a deep breath and said slowly: "If Mr. Zhang tells these things, aren't you afraid of being targeted by various families?"
"Don't be afraid!"
Zhang Guangdao answered without hesitation.
He was old but had ideas, and said loudly: "Although I, Zhang Guangdao, have a humble position and am an ordinary person, I know that only a country has a family. Only when the court is good can the people be good."
"The Zhang family supports His Majesty unconditionally and will do whatever he wants."
"After I return, I will inform each family that I, the Zhang family, will do my part and encourage each family to fulfill the agreement in accordance with the agreement and pay the real amount of grain, land and hidden household registration."
Zhang Guangdao further said: "Your Majesty, I would like to ask your Majesty to clearly understand the heart of this old man."
Zhao Shan thought about it and decided to use Zhang Guangdao to muddy the waters. If the families are willing to work with Zhang Guangdao and behave in a well-behaved manner, Zhao Shan will naturally have no objection. If the various families and Zhang Guangdao want to draw a clear line, Zhao Shan will take advantage of the situation to further clean up.
Everything falls into place.
There was a look of approval in Zhao Shan's eyes, and he promised: "If Mr. Zhang can handle this matter smoothly, I will not hesitate to reward you. Wujun is short of eunuchs. I think you, Zhang Guangdao, are old and experienced, so you can give it a try."
call! !
Zhang Guangdao's breathing suddenly became rapid.
There was a fiery light shining in his eyes.
The major families in Yangzhou, such as the Gu family, the Bai family, and the Yu family, are all stronger than the Zhang family. Only with his support can the Zhang family maintain its current stability.
There are also some young people in the family, but they are not capable enough to support the family's future.
There are officials in the family, a few are county magistrates, and some are assistant officials in the county governor's office, but there is no county governor, let alone someone at the state governor's level or serving as an assistant in the state governor's office.
If he serves as the governor of Wu County, the family will be able to move up a level.
Zhang Guangdao knelt on the ground with a plop and said loudly: "Please rest assured, Your Majesty, I will complete the task."
Zhao Shan said: "Go."
Zhang Guangdao bowed respectfully to Zhao Shan, turned around and left Prince Wu's Mansion. He stood outside the palace, breathing the fresh air, feeling that the sky was so blue and everything was getting better.
Zhang Guangdao never thought that the Zhang family, which he had been supporting so hard, would have a second spring.
Zhang Guangdao took a carriage home and thought carefully before arranging for someone to call Gu Xianxiong.
Gu Xianxiong is the nominal head of the big family and is responsible for contacting all big families.
When Gu Xianxiong saw Zhang Guangdao, he said with a smile: "Duke Zhang invited me here, what's the matter? I heard that Yingxue has become your majesty's woman, and our Yangzhou family will have to rely on Duke Zhang."
Zhang Guangdao said humbly: "Nephew Gu Xian, you're being polite. Our families are connected and should support each other. Today Yingxue came back and said that she is His Majesty's woman and has been accepted by His Majesty."
Gu Xianxiong said: "This is a good thing."
Zhang Guangdao took advantage of the situation and said: "Yingxue's first step will be of certain benefit to the Zhang family. In order not to drag down Yingxue or cause trouble to Yingxue, the Zhang family plans to devote the land, population, food and money to the imperial court. If you do it, you won’t be shortchanged, and you won’t deceive Your Majesty.”
brush!
Gu Xianxiong's expression changed drastically.
Zhang Guangdao's withdrawal meant that Zhang Guangdao was on the side of the emperor and no longer a member of the same camp among the major families. It is further inferred that Zhang Guangdao may have gone to inform the police.
This is a consequence that the wealthy people in Yangzhou cannot afford.
Gu Xianxiong has been responsible for contacting Zhao Shan. Zhao Shan gave him a chance, but he chose to deceive Zhao Shan.
After being exposed, does he still have a chance?
Gu Xianxiong also thought that Zhang Guangdao did not dare to leak the news for the time being. He did not doubt Zhang Guangdao, but said without any doubt: "Mr. Zhang, all the families in Yangzhou have always been in the same spirit, advancing and retreating together. The Zhang family cannot withdraw."
