After the two parties sat down, Zhang Heling took out a folded book and placed it in front of Zhang Zhou and Zhu Feng. Zhang Zhou just glanced at it and saw that it was a transcript of the budget plan given to Xiao Jing.
They only met the emperor in the morning, and in the afternoon the Zhang family brothers were able to get the detailed budget draft for the palace construction. This person's strength... is really not something that can be built on.
Zhang Heling glanced at the two of them with a proud and arrogant look, and said in a tone like an order: "I won't bore you with it. We have calculated the cost of repairing Qingning Palace and the surrounding small palaces. We only mentioned stone and wood, and the cost is ten." Standard procurement of ten thousand liang..."
Zhu Feng asked: "Isn't the budget 80,000 taels? Why is it the standard of 100,000 taels?"
Zhang Heling made a disdainful voice and said: "Have you ever built a palace without overspending? The palace has been forced to build a palace. Don't the prices of wood and stone not increase? Don't worry, I will let them go up even if they don't."
"but……"
Zhu Feng was still too sincere and was about to protest again, but was pulled back by Zhang Zhou.
What Zhang Zhou means is that you continue to listen to his nonsense. You are just a supplier. Why are you so excited?
I haven't spoken yet.
Zhang Heling said: "Don't say that I won't give you a chance. For these 100,000 taels of wood and stone, I will give you, Mr. Zhu, a quota of 10,000 taels. If you have any profit, you can share it yourself."
"I……"
Zhu Fenggang wanted to say that the cost of the wood I purchased was 20,000 taels, so why don't you give me a quota of 10,000 taels?
So what do I do with the rest of my wood?
This time it was Zhang Zhou who spoke: "The suggestion from Shouning Marquis is very good, but why do you want to tell it to us?"
"Why are you pretending to be confused?" Zhang Yanling curled his lips, "We all know that His Majesty asked you, Taoist Zhang, to be responsible for repairing the palace. If he didn't talk to you, who would he talk to?"
Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "Since I know that I am the one, I should also know that His Majesty has made it clear that the method used to purchase wood, stone and other materials this time is to bid. This means that as long as each company is willing to ship, large quantity, good quality, The unit price is low and anyone can purchase it.”
Zhang Heling said coldly: "You won't cooperate?"
Zhang Zhou shrugged, as if it had nothing to do with him: "That's wrong, I'm cooperating. I don't have any materials. Even if we join forces with Mr. Zhu Er, what can he do with the little wood he has? I'm just cooperating with you. I What’s the benefit here?”
"I'm giving you face..."
Zhang Yanling almost wanted to roll up her sleeves and hit someone.
Zhang Heling next to him was calm: "It's done, no matter how much brother Zhu gives you, I will give you another five hundred taels, and you will never suffer a loss."
Ninety thousand taels and I won’t lose 500 taels?
I am stingy, are you two stingy, or do you think my worth is only worth five hundred taels?
"Very good." Zhang Zhou nodded in approval.
Even Zhang Heling didn't expect Zhang Zhou to agree so readily and asked, "You agreed?"
Zhang Zhou said: "Why don't you agree? Not only can I successfully purchase the materials, but I can also earn five hundred taels. I get it for free. But you two should pay attention and hope that no other company will come out to compete. I don't think I should do this." Come forward?"
"Of course, in the whole capital, who dares to come forward to oppose us?" Zhang Yanling looked proud.
"That's fine. The two uncles have nothing else to do, so why don't you just take your leave?"
Zhang Zhou got up and was about to leave.
Zhang Yanling commented with a proud look on his face: "You can teach me, as long as you can handle this matter well, I will benefit you in the future! You are much more knowledgeable than Li Guang!"
Zhang Heling glared at his younger brother: "Why are you talking about this? As long as we have agreed, go on your own, and don't do any tricks when you look back!"
…
…
Zhu Feng was pulled downstairs by Zhang Zhou in a stunned state.
We rode the carriage back together again.
On the carriage, the more Zhu Feng thought about it, the more unwilling she became. When she saw Zhang Zhou leaning on the soft pillow and humming a ditty and enjoying himself, he couldn't help but asked with an annoyed look on his face: "Brother Zhang, are we really... giving them the purchasing business?"
Zhang Zhou glared at Zhu Feng with one eye narrowed: "You are heartless? Why should you share the benefits with others?"
"and you……"
Zhu Feng was confused now. He suddenly thought of something and said hurriedly, "Then you shouldn't agree. You can't do it back. It's hard to explain."
Zhang Zhou said: "Who said I have to answer to them? The palace purchases wood and stone and bids in a fair and equitable way. Their brothers bully the market. What are they most afraid of? Isn't it fairness and justice? In normal competition, they have even the slightest chance. The odds of winning?"
"But, Brother Zhang also reminded them to hold down their opponents!?"
"They are thinking, do you think it's possible? Go back to Marquis Qingyun and Uncle Chang Ning, discuss cooperation with them, and complete this transaction together."
"Ah? Looking for the Zhou family?"
When Zhu Feng heard this, he was dumbfounded again.
Zhang Zhou sighed, as if educating a young and ignorant brother, and said with sincerity: "Zhijie, you are a son of an aristocratic family. You should be very aware of the disputes between various families in the capital. You should also know that in the first year, Ningbo and Shou were the elders. The two families of Ninghou were fighting, and the whole court was in an uproar, and the relationship was at an all-time high."
"Besides, anyone can be fooled by the construction of Qingning Palace, except the Zhou family. Will they cheat their old lady with a shoddy one?"
"Don't think of us as competitors of the Zhang family or the Zhou family. It's not that we don't deserve it, it's that we don't need it. We just need to act like brokers. When the Zhang family brothers find out that they have been cheated, their anger should not be focused on us. Instead, we should target the Zhou family, because it was the Zhou family that robbed their business."
"You didn't participate in the competition, it's just that the Zhou family bought the goods you had on hand!"
"ah?"
Zhu Feng felt that his outlook on life was about to be subverted.
Zhang Zhou said: "Don't presuppose any fixed position when doing things. On the matter of building Qingning Palace, we can benefit the Zhou family and make a fortune with them. When the next thing happens, we can go back and help the Zhang family. We will take the position and let the Zhou family suffer... Only in this way can we make a fortune while sitting on the mountain and watching the tigers fight. Do you want to come out and be cannon fodder? "
Zhu Feng opened his mouth and said, "Brother Zhang, after listening to what you said, I feel that my life in the past ten years has been in vain."
"Stop talking nonsense, I have an errand here tomorrow. I will go to the British government for a consultation. I will give you the prescription. I will see how you act on the spot!"
"Brother Zhang, didn't you agree to find the Zhou family?"
"Then are you going?"
"Go, go, can't you do it if I go? From now on, for this kind of errand work, just give the order."
When Zhu Feng said this, his face blossomed with joy.
Working with Zhang Zhou, he could not only gain fame and profit, but also learn various ways of dealing with others. Zhu Feng felt that he had found a treasure.
I am also glad in my heart. Fortunately, I discovered this treasure house early. If someone else takes the lead and Brother Zhang becomes my opponent, then I will be unlucky.
…
…
Zhang Zhou went back to continue tinkering with his cross-generation "products".
The next morning, when Xiao Jing arrived at the agreed place at the agreed time, when Xiao Jing saw a series of porcelain jars placed in the yard, he circled around twice without shifting his gaze for a moment.
"Eunuch Xiao, don't be ridiculous, I am refining medicine for Wang Zhongcheng."
Zhang Zhou greeted him with a smile, his eyes still bloodshot.
Xiao Jing exclaimed: "This is alchemy, right? Our family has seen many types of alchemy furnaces, but your kind... is the only one I have seen in my life."
Zhang Zhou laughed dumbly and said: "Wrong, this is not an alchemy furnace, it is for refining medicine, and I don't know how to make pills."
"ah?"
Xiao Jing was stunned. Zhang Zhou was about to be praised to the heavens by the emperor, but he actually said that he couldn't make elixirs? Is that so true?
Even if you say you know how to practice, or even find someone to practice like Li Guang, others will not expose you.
Why are you so honest?
"Such a good thing...isn't it alchemy?" Xiao Jing wanted Zhang Zhou to think about it again, reminding Zhang Zhou that you can easily block the way to make a fortune in the future, so why don't you stop thinking about it?
Zhang Zhou said: "I never cover up what I have to say. I am really refining medicine. This is a local method of making nitric acid. Haha, it is a kind of phosphorus water."
"what is that?"
Xiao Jing still didn't understand.
Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "Let's not go into details, Eunuch Xiao, the medicine here is almost ready, but the method of delivering the medicine needs to be explained in detail. It is different from ordinary medicine."
What Zhang Zhou wanted to make was nitroglycerin. This thing was invented in history. It was either used as a thermal weapon or used to lower blood pressure and treat heart diseases such as angina. However, it was later discovered that high-concentration nitroglycerin exploded. The power was equivalent to ten times the equivalent of black powder, and then it was out of control...
The process for manufacturing nitroglycerin is not complicated.
The capital is also a good place. As long as you need the materials, you can buy them in most pharmacies and grocery stores.
It’s just that it’s not easy to purify it these days.
Even so, just transporting a few pills will still cause certain hidden dangers, so Zhang Zhou needs to make some reminders on the delivery method to prevent the medicine from disappearing halfway before it is delivered to the northwest.
…
…
Prepare the medicine and give it to Xiao Jing.
Xiao Jing held it carefully in his hand. In his eyes, it seemed to be no different from an elixir. If Zhang Zhou hadn't told him that it was useless for ordinary people to eat, he might have wanted to go home and try it himself.
Just as he was about to leave, a carriage stopped at the door.
Zhu Feng appeared in front of the two of them with a disgraced face.
"Young Master, what are you..." Xiao Jing looked over and found that Zhu Feng was dirty and covered in dust, and there was a very clear shoe print on his butt.
Judging from the size of the shoe print, it's quite big.
Zhu Feng looked at Zhang Zhou and Xiao Jing with a look of grievance and said, "Brother Zhang, Eunuch Xiao, I...I went to the British Duke's mansion and was beaten."
"Why?"
Xiao Jing looked confused. Isn't this person going to deliver medicine?
Zhang Mao begged the emperor for nothing, but ended up treating the "miraculous doctor" who came to his door like this? Instead of looking at the monk’s face, you should also look at the emperor’s Buddha face, right?
Zhang Zhou said: "You came to your door with good intentions, but they still beat you?"
"Who says it's not the case? I showed them the prescription you wrote and told them that they don't need to take medicine. They just need to follow the things listed above and eat on time every day. At first, they looked pretty good, but then... Mr. Zhang He came out in a rage, saying that I had been led astray by the magicians. I made a few excuses... and then he found someone to drive me out. Mr. Zhang also said that he would teach me a lesson for my father, so he kicked me personally. …”
