The three cabinet ministers would not give the emperor good advice.
Being an official requires "stability" when doing things.
In their way of thinking.
If the Zhang brothers' junk material is given away on the street for free, no one will necessarily want it. It doesn't matter where it is repaired in the end, as long as it doesn't fall on the yamen.
Xiao Jing reluctantly left the cabinet room and took a carriage straight to Zhang Zhou's house.
When Zhang Zhou learned of Xiao Jing's visit, it had only been more than an hour since the fight between Zhu Houzhao and Zhang Jun.
"Eunuch Xiao, what are you..."
What Zhang Zhou means is that you are not here to settle accounts on behalf of the emperor's queen, are you?
As soon as Xiao Jing entered the courtyard, his eyes fell on the courtyard that Zhang Zhou was building. There was a little hope in his eyes. It would be great if the wood and stone materials from the Zhang family were used to build Zhang Zhou's house.
Zhang Zhou instantly felt like he was being watched.
"Eunuch Xiao, if you have something serious to do, you might as well come in and let's talk in detail," Zhang Zhou said.
Xiao Jing said: "No need, Mr. Zhang, we are just here to seek advice from you on behalf of Your Majesty. Just say whatever you think of."
Zhang Zhou sighed: "If it's about astrology and divination, I don't understand it. If it's about refining elixirs, I'm a layman. If it's about important matters in the court, I'm not an official. It's a bit difficult for me."
Xiao Jing was embarrassed.
From what you say, do you know nothing?
You don't know how to do anything but you still make the court agitated. Now the emperor regards you as a semi-immortal with great supernatural powers.
Xiao Jing sighed: "After your Majesty returned to the palace, due to some reasons, he decided to buy the wood and stone materials from Shouning Hou and Jianchang Bo with the money allocated by the inner government. Your Majesty would like to check it out in detail to see if it is necessary. Repair the house... put it to use."
"hehe."
Zhang Zhou smiled and said, "Eunuch Xiao, are you following me Yanxiao? How can I use such good materials as Shouning Marquis and Jianchang Bo? Why should I use them to check the details?"
"This... Mr. Zhang, where did you know it was good material?"
Xiao Jing almost told Zhang Zhou.
That crappy material really can't be used anywhere.
Zhang Zhou analyzed it carefully: "The purchase price of that batch of wood and stone must be very high, otherwise I wouldn't have offered such a high price. No matter how bad it is, it's still better than what Marquis Qingyun and Uncle Chang Ning offered, right?"
"oops."
Xiao Jing really couldn't speak directly, so he could only say in a roundabout way, "Mr. Zhang, you are a person with magical powers. You should be able to calculate everything, so don't talk in circles. What do you think is the appropriate use? Your Majesty doesn't mind paying for it." , I just bought it and don’t know how to use it.”
Zhang Zhou said: "Where did it come from? Where should I send it back?"
"Ah?" Xiao Jing said in shock, "Mr. Zhang doesn't mean to use it to build Shouning Hou's Mansion and Changbo Mansion, right?"
Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "It's such a good material. I'm afraid they won't be willing to use it when they build their own house, right?"
"..."
Xiao Jing was speechless.
To be honest, it's quite confusing...
His Majesty wants them to use it, but the Zhang brothers are probably not stupid themselves. Using such shabby materials to replace a house originally built with good materials, do they want to repair their neat and good house into a dilapidated house?
Is there any reason why the brick and stone houses were demolished and built into adobe and thatched houses?
Doesn’t that mean the more repairs you make, the more broken it becomes?
"It's a pity to use this good material for living people." Zhang Zhou said.
Xiao Jing quickly dissuaded Zhang Zhou from his unrealistic idea: "You can't use it even if you're dead. You need to be more careful when building imperial tombs or something like that."
Zhang Zhou said: "Then it can be used to repair the Zhang family's temple, right? I heard that the queen has always thought that the Zhang family's temple in Xingji County is in disrepair and wants your Majesty to repair it more. Isn't it a bit extravagant to use this batch of good materials?"
Xiao Jing looked at Zhang Zhou with wide eyes.
The muscles on his face twitched a few times, and his expression was mixed with a look of fear and avoidance, "You dare to think about it, but you will be ruthless."
"Is it possible to build the Zhang family temple?" Xiao Jing asked.
Zhang Zhou said: "Xingji County is located in Hejian Prefecture, close to Shuntian Prefecture, and can be transported down the canal in a few days. The materials and manpower... By the way, Eunuch Xiao, how much money is your Majesty prepared to spend on this matter? "
"Well……"
Xiao Jing couldn't answer.
He could not answer for the emperor what he had not said.
Zhang Zhou said: "I think it's only sixty-five thousand taels of silver, and they are treated equally. Will Shouning Hou and Jianchang Bo feel disadvantaged?"
Xiao Jingxin said, if the Zhou family's wood and stone are worth sixty-five thousand taels, the Zhang brothers' batch may not even be worth thirty thousand taels. How can they still lose money by giving them 65,000 taels? They can be so beautiful!
"Rough calculation... it should be about the same." Xiao Jing said ambiguously.
Zhang Zhou nodded and calculated seriously: "If we add labor and other factors, it is estimated that it will cost 70,000 to 80,000 taels of silver to repair the Zhang family temple. Use good materials to build the Zhang family temple in a grand manner, so that everyone will know about the Zhang family." There are capable people from generation to generation."
Xiao Jingxin said, are you sure the queen doesn't want to kill you after she finds out?
But thinking about it again, the queen is probably going to kill her two younger brothers, right?
so……
In terms of ruthlessness, you are ruthless!
"Mr. Zhang, let's go."
Xiao Jing turned around and left.
Zhang Zhou asked curiously: "Eunuch Xiao, why don't you come in and sit down? Seeing that these people you brought are all members of the factory guard, I plan to host a banquet here."
Zhang Zhou also deliberately said loudly to let the craftsmen around him know that this house was not to be trifled with, and even the factory guards had to be polite when entering. It was not about provoking officials, but that officials could not afford to offend them.
Xiao Jing said: "No, no, we have to go back to report, don't bother me, you are busy! Hiss..."
Finally, he couldn't help but take a breath through his teeth.
When I went out, I was still chanting: "He is cruel!"
…
…
Qianqing Palace.
Xiao Jing reported the cabinet and Zhang Zhou's suggestions to Zhu Youtang.
"What? Bingkuan asked me to use this batch of materials to build Chang Guogong's family temple? He... doesn't he know what the materials are?"
When Zhu Youtang first heard this suggestion, he naturally felt that Zhang Zhou was fooling ghosts and gods.
But think about it, it’s not easy to fool people with that piece of shit, but if you fool a ghost...even if the ghost is dissatisfied, he probably can’t express it, right?
At this time, Xiao Jing could only pretend to be confused and speak for Zhang Zhou: "Your Majesty, Mr. Zhang has never been to the Zhang family's store. Naturally, he doesn't know what the condition of that batch of wood and stone is. From a common sense point of view, , Shouning Hou and Jianchang Bo bid higher, which will make people think they are good materials."
"Good food, really..."
Zhu Youtang didn't even bother to criticize.
Dai Yi next to him said tentatively: "Your Majesty, maybe Mr. Zhang's proposal is feasible."
"Is it feasible? Dai Yi, do you know what kind of family temple the queen wants to build? If that material is used, the queen will not know it..." Zhu Youtang didn't finish his words, but his anger was palpable.
You guys want to pour some tung oil on the Queen's anger, right?
Dai Yi quickly said: "But Your Majesty, who will tell the Queen?"
Zhu Youtang was really speechless when he was asked.
It’s right when you think about it.
As long as these few people in front of him don't say anything, and Zhang Zhou doesn't say anything... Zhang Zhou may not know yet, but will the Zhang brothers be so stupid as to go and say it on their own?
The two Zhang brothers had a bunch of junk materials that they couldn't sell, so they begged their sister to ask the court to buy them. In the end, they built a family temple. It was just like the steward of the store said. Who could tell if it was painted?
Anyway, it’s all gold and jade that is ruined on the outside. How can the Zhang brothers expose their own scandals to their sister?
Dai Yi continued: "At that time, the queen was satisfied, and the materials of Shouning Hou and Jianchang Bo were also sold, but His Majesty spent money..."
"It's okay, you still have to spend the money, otherwise it will still cost money to build the Changguogong Temple."
Zhu Youtang was reasonable.
Now his wife suspects that he stole hundreds of thousands of taels of property from Li Guang and did not distribute it to the Zhang family.
If Zhu Youtang had followed Zhang Zhou's suggestion, not only would they have separated, but they would also have solved the backlog of wood and stone materials that the Zhang brothers had on hand. The Qingning Palace would have been repaired well, and the Empress Dowager Zhou would have been able to communicate better. Zhu Youtang and his wife They are in harmony again, and even Empress Zhang will be grateful for her kindness...
Zhu Youtang thought for a while and said with emotion: "Bingkuan is really resourceful. He came up with a clever plan for me to satisfy everyone."
Several eunuchs on the side were ashamed.
Yes, the living are satisfied, but the dead are not. If the ancestors of the Zhang family knew that the descendants of the Zhang family had fooled them in this way, they would probably not let the Zhang family brothers go, right?
"Then who should I leave the matter of repairing Chang Guogong's temple to?"
Zhu Youtang looked around the scene.
Everyone quickly looked away...
No one is willing to do this kind of fooling around. If the Queen and Madam Jin of Changguo find out about it, they will think that someone is lining their own pockets and stealing the Zhang brothers' good stuff.
Chen Kuan said: "Your Majesty, do you want Mr. Zhang to go?"
Zhu Youtang glared at Chen Kuan and said, "Do you want Bingkuan to get a bad name?"
Chen Kuan quickly lowered his head and admitted his mistake.
He said in his heart, Your Majesty, you are lucky to know that this matter is detrimental to your morality and will not let Zhang Bingkuan, whom you have appointed, do it.
"Whoever caused the trouble will clean up the mess himself!"
Zhu Youtang said coldly, "Recently, I have also discovered that He Ling and Yan Ling have become more and more outrageous. They entered the palace to bully the maids, beat and scolded the palace officials at will, and now they actually want to contract the work of repairing the palace with shoddy goods!? Let Yan Ling Go away!"
The eunuchs were all beating in their hearts when they heard this.
Xiao Jingdao stepped forward and asked for instructions: "Then, Your Majesty, will you ask your servant to inform Uncle Jianchang?"
Zhu Youtang said: "Don't worry, this matter needs further consideration. How much money should be allocated?"
Xiao Jing said: "Mr. Zhang also said that if the Zhou family gives 65,000 taels, the Zhang family should treat everyone equally."
"Well." Zhu Youtang said with a knowing smile, "Bingkuan still understands me, and also understands the thoughts of the Empress Dowager and the Empress, so we should treat each other equally and not be partial. It seems that if I have anything to do in the future, I still need to ask more questions. ask him."
Xiao Jing thought to himself, Your Majesty, compared to Zhang Bingkuan's ruthlessness, you are no less generous than Zhang Bingkuan. If you want to be as damaging as Zhang Bingkuan in everything, the court will be in chaos.
If this guy becomes an official in the future, he will probably not be a good person.
"By the way, there is one more thing, but it's not appropriate for you to talk about this matter, and it's not appropriate for me to do it either!"
Several eunuchs could not understand the emperor's thoughts.
Zhu Youtang said: "I have to go by Bingkuan! I want the prince to understand the whole story and know what to say and what not to say! This is also to teach him to be worldly. Do you understand?"
Xiao Jing and others are not fools.
After thinking about it for a moment, my mind became clear.
Now the insiders will not leak it to the Queen and Mrs. Jin, but they are afraid that the big talk of Zhu Houzhao, who is also an insider, will be leaked.
If a eunuch is sent to inform her, it would be strange if Zhu Houzhao listens... But if Zhu Youtang goes there in person, it may work, but if the queen finds out that her husband is collaborating with his son to hide it from her, she may cry and make trouble next time. Three methods.
As for this matter, the "initiator" Zhang Zhou had to do it himself.
If something goes wrong like this, Zhu Youtang can stay out of it and won't be blamed by his wife.
(End of chapter)
