"Lord Qi, there are angels coming to the capital!"
After hearing the report from his servant, Zhao Junchen nodded, but he didn't look too surprised.
Angels are the envoys of the emperor.
Now Zhao Junchen has been away from Beijing for nearly two months, far exceeding expectations. Although in order to stabilize the holy family, Zhao Junchen would send Emperor Deqing a greeting note and report on the current situation every few days during these days. However, as the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, Zhao Junchen was also in charge of the internal transportation treasury and had many affairs in the court. They couldn't do without him. With Emperor Deqing's temperament, it was time to send someone to urge him to return to the capital.
Guessing the purpose of the emperor's envoy, Zhao Junchen turned to Guo Linxiang and said: "Boss Guo, can you move to the side hall to wait? After I receive the angel, I will discuss it with Boss Guo in detail. If there is any neglect, please forgive me." Don’t blame Boss Guo.”
Guo Linxiang nodded and said with a smile: "You're welcome, sir. When the angel comes, I must have something important to discuss with you. It's right to go to the side hall and take a temporary shelter. How dare I blame you?"
While speaking, Guo Linxiang did not delay. After saluting Zhao Junchen, he was led by his servants to wait in the side hall.
"Qingyan, follow me to meet the angel."
After Guo Linxiang left, Zhao Junchen also stood up and said to Xu Qingyan beside him.
…
When Zhao Junchen brought Xu Qingyan to the gate of the palace, he saw the angel waiting outside the palace with a group of followers - he was an old eunuch in his fifties. Seeing his service, he thought he would come to the palace. His status is not low, but although this eunuch has a smile on his face, he always gives Zhao Junchen a feeling of being smiling but not smiling, and the city is deep, which makes Zhao Junchen instinctively wary.
"Qingyan, do you know this eunuch?"
After seeing the eunuch from a distance, Zhao Junchen asked Xu Qingyan.
Seeing that Zhao Junchen didn't know the identity of the visitor, Xu Qingyan couldn't help but be surprised, but he still replied softly: "Master, how could you forget him? This eunuch is Zhang De, your majesty's close eunuch, who is following your majesty. It’s been over ten years.”
Zhao Junchen nodded and did not explain. He just walked quickly to Zhang De, cupped his hands and said: "The angel has arrived, but I was not able to welcome him from far away. Please forgive me."
Zhang De also smiled and replied: "Mr. Zhao, you are too polite. Our family has a low status. It is flattering to our family that Mr. Zhao can come to greet us in person."
Zhang De's voice was sharp. Although it was not a drake-like voice, it was not pleasant either. There was also a strange and sinister tone in his tone, which seemed to have some kind of hostility towards Zhao Junchen, which made Zhao Junchen secretly frown.
"Eunuch Zhang, you're welcome. Let's go into the house and talk."
Sensing Zhang De's hostility that he didn't seem to want to hide, although Zhao Junchen was a little confused, he was no longer polite and just led Zhang De towards the house.
Although Zhang De is an angel, Zhao Junchen is also an imperial envoy, so when the two parties meet, they don't need too much etiquette.
After leading Zhang De to the hall, the two parties took their seats respectively. Zhao Junchen asked: "I wonder if your Majesty has sent Eunuch Zhang to look for me, but what orders do you have?"
After Zhang De coughed, he replied slowly: "Well, there is no intention. It's just that your Majesty hasn't seen you for such a long time. He was a little worried, so he sent our family to Lu'an Mansion to ask you when you can come back." Beijing. Mr. Zhao, we are not talking about you. You are not only the minister of the household department, but also in charge of the internal transport warehouse. If the household department is separated from you, there will still be ministers and other ministers who can take care of things. But if the internal transport warehouse is gone, you will be in charge. , without the person in charge, wouldn’t it become a mess? Our family knows that you have important things to do in Lu’an Mansion, but you can’t leave for two months? To serve His Majesty, we always have to Let’s prioritize things, right?”
Zhang De spoke very slowly and verbosely. Zhao Junchen finally listened patiently. Just as he was about to say something, he heard Zhang De cough again and continued: "It's up to us to tell you. My lord, you have managed the inner treasury in an orderly manner since you took charge of the inner treasury. However, as a high official of the imperial court, you have heavy affairs and a promising future. You will only become busier and busier in the future. The matter of the inner treasury is , Your Excellency is shouldering the responsibility, I'm afraid there will always be omissions, just like this time, Your Excellency, you have just been away for only two months, and everything is in chaos at the inner transportation warehouse. Let me tell you, what if If someone can help you, Master Zhao, the burden on your shoulders will always be lighter, Master Zhao, do you think this is true?"
If Zhang De's words had any meaning, Zhao Junchen would not have heard it. However, he did not answer the question and just said lightly: "What Eunuch Zhang said is absolutely true. I have been taught a lesson. Please go back and report to Your Majesty, Eunuch Zhang." , just say that I will definitely return within three days."
After a pause, Zhao Junchen asked: "However, I think about it. If there was just some chaos in the inner treasury, Your Majesty would not be so eager to send his father-in-law to urge me to return to the capital. I don't know what happened in the court recently. What else happened?"
Zhang De curled his lips and said at the same slow pace: "Our family is working in the inner palace. How can our family know what happened in the past? Master Zhao, you are asking the wrong person."
While speaking, Zhang De stood up, cupped his hands towards Zhao Junchen, and said: "Sir Zhao, we have informed you of your Majesty's intention. Your Majesty still needs our services, and we dare not delay. I’ll just say goodbye and see you in the capital.”
With that said, Zhang De turned around and left without waiting for Zhao Junchen to persuade him to stay, which was quite a bit like "there is no conspiracy between people in different ways".
"Eunuch Zhang is leaving now? It's getting late, why don't you rest here in Lu'an Mansion for the night?"
While speaking, Zhao Junchen winked at Xu Qingyan. After seeing Xu Qingyan's reluctant expression, Zhao Junchen glared at Xu Qingyan again.
Seeing Zhao Junchen's expression, Xu Qingyan had no choice but to walk to Zhang De, hold Zhang De's hand, and persuade Zhao Junchen to stay: "Yes, Eunuch Zhang, it's so late, let's rest here in Lu'an Mansion. Just one night."
Between the pulls, a banknote worth five thousand taels was thrust into Zhang De's hand.
After Zhang De took a peek at the denomination of the bank note in his hand, the smile returned to his face. He turned to Zhao Junchen and said, "Oh, it's not that our family doesn't want to rest, it's just that the Holy Emperor cannot do without our service." , these years of delivering edicts to the saint, our family has always come and gone at night, traveling day and night, and we cannot delay a cup of tea, please forgive me, Mr. Zhao."
Zhao Junchen nodded with admiration on his face and said, "I admire Eunuch Zhang's loyalty to the emperor. No wonder your majesty has asked your father-in-law to serve you all these years."
After Zhang De nodded, he seemed to remember something. He patted his forehead exaggeratedly and said, "Oh, look at our family's memory. You asked me just now about what happened in the past, but our family has forgotten it. These days ago Something did happen in the DPRK. Not long ago, His Majesty planned to tour the South, but the Ministry of Revenue did not have money. The senior officials from the previous DPRK worked together to dissuade His Majesty. They also said that Your Majesty's tour to the South would definitely waste people and money. They dismissed Your Majesty. His Majesty is unhappy about this matter these days."
Having said this, Zhang De glanced at Zhao Junchen and said with a smile: "However, Mr. Zhao, you have always been in line with His Majesty's wishes in doing things, and your financial management skills are the best in the world. Our family is looking for it. Your Majesty urges you to return to Beijing at this time. I guess I'm still thinking about the southern tour, and I want you to go back and give me some advice."
Zhao Junchen nodded and said with a smile: "Please give me more advice from father-in-law."
………
After politely sending Zhang De away, returning to the hall, and sending a servant to invite Guo Linxiang, Zhao Junchen said to Xu Qingyan next to him: "This Eunuch Zhang speaks in a shady and weird way, and it sounds really awkward."
Xu Qingyan, however, looked disdainful and said: "Hmph, since His Majesty handed over the inner treasury to the young master to manage it years ago, these eunuchs have behaved like this almost every time they meet the young master. Why do you have to be polite to them, young master. "
As he spoke, a look of pain flashed across Xu Qingyan's face, and he muttered softly: "Five thousand taels, why don't I carry a smaller denomination of banknotes with me? Five thousand taels, I'm really cheap on Zhang De..."
Hearing this, Zhao Junchen couldn't help laughing and scolded: "You are really a miser."
Although he had a smile on his face, Zhao Junchen's eyes flashed with contemplation.
He now understands why Zhang De is hostile to him. The reason is that Zhao Junchen is also in charge of the internal transportation warehouse.
The inner treasury, also known as the inner treasury, was the private treasury of successive emperors of the Ming Dynasty. It had always been managed by close eunuchs, but a few months ago, or because he saw Zhao Junchen's superb financial management skills, Emperor Deqing The power of managing the internal treasury was transferred to Zhao Junchen. As a result, those eunuchs lost an important source of power and financial resources, and naturally they would not like to see Zhao Junchen.
After Zhao Junchen traveled through time, he summarized three major crises for himself. One was that there were too many political enemies in the court, the other was that the reputation between the court and the public was too bad, and the third was the hostility towards him by the current prince Zhu Heyu.
But at that time, due to the incomplete memory of inheritance, Zhao Junchen temporarily forgot the origin of the inner transport warehouse. Now that he thinks about it, he has missed one thing - that is, the eunuchs were dissatisfied with him!
The eunuchs of the Ming Dynasty cannot be easily offended, not only because most of them are close confidants of the emperor and have a great influence on the emperor's thoughts and decisions, but also because they themselves have impressive power, such as Dong The secret service agencies such as Changxi Chang were in the hands of eunuchs.
However, Zhao Junchen also had his own solution to the eunuch's dissatisfaction.
Although the inner treasury is a major source of power and financial resources in the hands of eunuchs, this power and financial resources have always been only in the hands of a few eunuchs, and the vast majority of eunuchs only receive a small share every year. As long as the interests of those eunuchs are taken care of and they do not feel any loss, then most eunuchs will not only not be hostile to Zhao Junchen, but will also regard Zhao Junchen as one of their own.
And those eunuchs who were still dissatisfied with Zhao Junchen because they lost the right to manage the inner treasury would not be able to threaten Zhao Junchen by that time.
The world is bustling with people coming and going. Conflicts arising from interests are often the best ones to resolve for Zhao Junchen.
Just like Zhang De, who was originally hostile to Zhao Junchen because of the internal treasury matter, but as soon as the five thousand taels of silver notes were stuffed into his hands, he immediately changed his attitude and greeted Zhao Junchen with a smile.
………
"However, it was still an oversight after all. After returning to Beijing, this matter must be resolved first."
While making plans in his mind, Zhao Junchen subconsciously murmured to himself.
Xu Qingyan, who was standing next to him, was curious and asked: "Master, what did you neglect?"
Zhao Junchen explained: "Since I was hit on the head with a stone, although my consciousness has not been damaged, my memory of many unimportant things has been blurred."
With that said, after making up for the loophole of asking Xu Qingyan about Zhang De's origin, Zhao Junchen continued: "The reason why I say I was negligent is because these days, I have actually ignored the affairs of the inner treasury, those eunuchs. I have forgotten their hostility towards me. If I had thought of it earlier, I would never have stayed in Lu'an Mansion for such a long time."
Xu Qingyan asked in confusion: "Master, why do you say that?"
Zhao Junchen sighed and explained: "Although I say that the Holy Family is beautiful now, the Holy Family needs to stay with His Majesty for a long time and be strengthened, otherwise it will slowly fade away. And I am here in Lu'an Mansion. Just two months is nothing at first, but if those eunuchs are sowing discord in front of Your Majesty all day long, I can't explain it to Your Majesty in time. As the saying goes, the ant nest collapses over time, and no matter how graceful the Holy Family is, they can't withstand this. consumption. Therefore, if I had thought of the hostility of those eunuchs towards me, I would never have left the capital for two months rashly. But now it seems that His Majesty's love for me has not declined. I am afraid that this is because Your Majesty's love for me is too strong, and those eunuchs cannot shake it in a short time. Secondly, it is also because the eunuchs themselves did not expect that I would be gone for such a long time, and they have not had time to make arrangements."
After a pause, Zhao Junchen continued: "However, I have said before that from now on, we must make more friends and less enemies. These eunuchs are with His Majesty every day, and they must not be offended. After returning to Beijing, , we also need to make good friends with them. If we can form allies with these eunuchs, there will be many places where they will be useful in the future."
At this point, Zhao Junchen warned Xu Qingyan: "And you, don't call each other a castrate in the future. If word spreads and they find out, those eunuchs are very vengeful, and it will be difficult for us to be of the same mind again in the future." ”
Xu Qingyan looked unwilling, but still said: "I understand, Master."
………
While the master and servant were talking, Guo Linxiang was led back to the main hall by his servants. After sitting down, he asked Zhao Junchen: "My lord, are you ready to return to Beijing?"
Zhao Junchen was stunned for a moment and then asked: "How did Boss Guo know?"
Guo Linxiang smiled and said: "Your Majesty's love for you is well known to the world. Everyone knows that your majesty not only favors you, but also can't live without you. So as soon as this angel came, I wondered if your majesty wanted to I urge you to return to Beijing."
Zhao Junchen laughed and said, "Boss Guo is a smart man."
After some polite greetings, Guo Linxiang picked up the "Record of Locust Extermination in Lu'an Prefecture" and asked Zhao Junchen: "Sir, what do you think about the publication of this book?"
Zhao Junchen hesitated and said: "It would be good if this book could be published all over the world, but the meaning of speaking for me is too obvious, and it will easily arouse people's opinions. Why don't you find a reputable person before publishing it? The leader of the literary world wrote a preface for this book, stating clearly that this book was to tell the world the truth about how three people can become a tiger and follow what others say, and also to clear the name of all Ming officials who were harmed by rumors in the world, so that it could be published later. There will be no problem.”
"My lord is wise,"
After deciding on the publication of "Records of Locust Extermination in Lu'an Prefecture", the two talked for a while. Guo Linxiang saw that it was getting late and it was not easy to disturb Zhao Junchen anymore, so he said goodbye to Zhao Junchen knowingly.
Before Guo Linxiang left, Zhao Junchen invited with a smile: "I plan to leave Beijing the day after tomorrow. Tomorrow I will host a banquet for local officials and senior businessmen in Lu'an Prefecture. Boss Guo must come then."
Guo Linxiang nodded and said: "Of course, it's my honor."
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ps: I saw that some readers voted for the update, I will try my best to be satisfied. There will be more updates tomorrow, but I can’t guarantee whether it can meet the requirements. I am quite busy at work during this period, so forgive me.
