Cheng Guogongfu.
On this day, Zhu Feng was called to the inner hall by Mrs. Cheng Guotai, his grandmother Hu, for a lecture.
"...It's outrageous! The son of a dignified prince, even if you can't inherit the title in the future, you will be given glory and glory. Why do you want to disgrace yourself? If you are involved in the censor's remarks and say that my prince's government is competing for the interests of the people, your father Even if I am far away in the capital, I will still take the blame for you! When will you become a master?"
Mrs. Hu was the daughter of Hu Hu, an important official in the early Ming Dynasty and the Minister of Rites. She came from a scholarly family and had extraordinary knowledge. She was not as arrogant and domineering as ordinary old ladies. She wanted her grandson to restrain himself and restore etiquette.
How could Zhu Feng listen to the old lady's advice when she was in her prime?
He showed his eloquence and said: "Grandma, you have misunderstood your grandson. The rice that your grandson bought this time is not just in your hands. You don't know that since the Jianghuai floods, the price of rice in the city has increased by one day." It has risen, but the grain my grandson purchased was all before the flood. If you invest a tael of silver, you can get back 2 taels or more."
Hu frowned when he heard this.
The grandson didn't seem to understand what she was saying.
Is the issue we are discussing with you now about whether to make money or not? Could it be that Duke Cheng’s government now lacks that little money to live on? Besides, if you make money, will you allocate a penny to your family?
What I'm talking about now is that you did something extraordinary and messed up the rules of the Duke's Mansion.
"Okay! Stop talking!" The old lady stretched out her hand to interrupt her grandson, "Your father wrote a letter a few days ago. He helped you travel around the capital and got a job for you. It's okay for you to be so idle all the time. No, Nanjing Jinyiwei commanded the officials and asked you to go to the capital to receive an errand. You are not allowed to mess around after you go to the capital. You must obey your father and brother in everything!"
"ah?"
When Zhu Feng heard this, he was immediately unhappy.
Even if he is given a job as a Nanjing Jinyiwei to command the affairs, he knows that this is just a false position, and he will not be given what he really needs. How can he get a little salary and live a better life than doing business now?
The most important thing is, if his hands and feet are tied, how can he play happily with his friends in the future?
"Grandma, can I wait until after the new year? The batch of rice grains in my grandson's hands have not been sold yet. If the price of grain drops, my grandson will not be in Yingtian Mansion and will not have time to deal with it..."
"Nonsense! This is an order from the imperial court. Do you think I came to you today to discuss with you? Set off immediately. No boats or carriages are allowed along the way. All must be on horseback. I, the Duke of Chengguo, are the ones who win titles from bows and horses. My family My children and grandchildren should all be brave and good at fighting, how can they be as weak and inexperienced as you? I will send another twenty people to go with you and go and deal with it immediately!"
…
…
Zhu Feng came out of the inner courtyard with an aggrieved look on his face.
"I originally made money and wanted to show off in front of my grandma, but my grandma didn't listen to me at all and asked me to go to the capital? Who did I offend?"
A man who looked like a steward came over. He was also Zhu Feng's most capable general, equivalent to the butler-level figure beside him. His name was Zhu Daqi. He said respectfully: "Second Young Master, the Madam has ordered you to come tomorrow." We will set off in two days. The horses are already being prepared at the stables and the manpower has been mobilized. We are just waiting to set off with you."
"Leaving today tomorrow? Can't be delayed for two more days? Are you trying to catch a duck?"
"...Second Young Master, I know that you still have business on hand, why don't you leave it to the knowledgeable people around you to take care of it first? Go to the capital. If everything goes well, maybe you can come back before the year."
These words seemed to remind Zhu Feng.
Zhu Feng said: "What do you expect from these people in the Duke's Mansion? Who knows how to do business? It's the charming Mr. Zhang who is a good hand in business. Come on, call Mr. Zhang Zhou! I'm going to hand over the business to him first." he."
Zhu Daqi shook his head helplessly and said: "Second Young Master, I'm afraid this matter can't be done. The news I just learned is that Zhang Zhou and Zhang Bingkuan won the first place in this ranking. I'm afraid he will never get involved in business again in the future. matter."
"What?"
Zhu Feng's jaw almost dropped when he heard this, "You mean, Mr. Zhang, who I was joking with and talking about business with a few days ago, passed the exam and passed the Jie Yuan exam?"
"Exactly."
"This... this is really strange, but it makes sense. After just talking to him for a few words, you can feel that he is talented and broad. Since such a person is successful in business, he will not be any worse in other things! Now! He won Xie Yuan, and I want to find him even more, so I have to congratulate him no matter what."
"The rice and grain business..."
Zhu Feng had a smile on his face: "The business is still given to him. In fact, I just asked him to give advice and identify the high point of the price of rice and sell it at any time. Do you really want him to manage the business of the Duke's Mansion?" At that time, as long as he says the price is right and asks you to sell it, you just sell it."
"Isn't this okay?"
Zhu Daqi thought to himself, if even the decision-making power of the sale was given to outsiders, wouldn't that be called handing over the business?
Zhu Feng couldn't help but think of what the old lady had said before, and said in the old lady's tone: "Who do you think is in charge at home? I'm looking for you to discuss with you? Forget it, I'll go there in person, just to see where it is. If such a treasured land of Feng Shui can produce such a talented person, as well as the ingenious Celestial Master beside him, I would like to pay him a visit if I find the opportunity."
…
…
Outside Zhang Zhou's small courtyard, the flowing water banquet was still being held in the afternoon, and it was very lively.
At the octagonal table in the courtyard, only Zhang Zhou and Jiang Dezhong, father and son, were left. This time they were not here for a drinking contest. Perhaps Jiang Pingyu was afraid of getting into trouble by drinking, so she didn't even prepare ordinary water and wine.
"Wonderful son-in-law, when you become successful in the future, don't forget about my father-in-law. My father-in-law didn't mean to harm you before. I wonder if anyone would lend a hand to you when you were in trouble? That's an encouragement to you!"
Jiang Dezhong said beautiful words.
Jiang Shanquan on the side disagreed, frowning, and almost scolded his father for his insincere words.
Can you be any more fake? Do you think Bingkuan is a fool? Can't you see that you just wanted to add insult to injury?
Zhang Zhou smiled and said, "I will never forget the advice my father-in-law gave my son-in-law."
"Ha ha."
Jiang Dezhong smiled and said, "Speaking of which, the price of rice and grain has risen so crazy recently. You said yesterday that the price of grain will rise again, right?"
"Probably."
Zhang Zhou's words are also ambiguous now.
After passing the exam, business cannot stop. After all, he has no grudge against Yinzi, but if he wants to leak more business information, it may be counterproductive. Many times, it is necessary to go against the tide. If everyone If you follow his wave, he will become a wave, so how can you go against it?
I dared to say before that it was because he didn't even have a social status and no one would accept him.
But now when Yuan is understood, social credibility is gained, and if he talks too much, more people will naturally follow suit.
Jiang Dezhong was still smiling from ear to ear and said happily: "My father-in-law won't compete with you for business. It's not easy to get a large amount of rice in the city now. I saw the opportunity. After the flood in the north, the epidemic is prevalent." , even the city of Yangzhou on the other side has recently begun to have an epidemic, and I think it will soon spread to the city of Nanjing. I want to buy some medicinal materials, and take the opportunity to sell them, what do you think? "
Zhang Zhou wanted to say that they were all merchants and profiteers who were struggling to make money for the country.
I have no ability to change anything, I just take advantage of the situation to make a small fuss and drink soup, but those big businessmen who are really speculative really don't care about the life and death of the people. They raise the price of medicinal materials. How can ordinary people still afford medical treatment if they are infected by the epidemic?
"Fine."
Zhang Zhou couldn't comment.
A question suddenly occurred to him, and he couldn't help but look at the northern sky, and even stood up.
Jiang Dezhong also followed Zhang Zhou's gaze and asked in confusion: "What's the matter?"
Zhang Zhou smiled and said, "It's okay."
Then he sat down again.
What he was thinking of was that the little princess Zhu Xiurong, the only daughter of Emperor Hongzhi of the Ming Dynasty, would die of the epidemic acne, also known as smallpox, in more than twenty days according to historical development.
"...In the year of Wuwu, Yuxiu Pavilion was built on Longevity Mountain. After it was completed, a little princess suffered from acne, but all the doctors couldn't help. She drank Fu Shui and died."
It seems impossible to change this now.
Zhang Zhou thought to himself: "Unless someone can go directly to Heaven to listen and pass on my strategy in time, and it must be convincing enough that even the emperor has to abandon everything to adopt it, then there is a chance of survival. But how is this possible? Who can? Do you believe me, a little person? After all, I am just a Jie Yuan from the Jiangnan Provincial Examination."
