Zhang Zhou didn't stay in the Wenhua Palace for long. When he explained the strategy to Zhu Houzhao and left the palace, he happened to run into the two Zhang brothers who had entered the palace to make trouble for Queen Zhang.
This matter was mentioned by Xiao Jing when Zhang Zhou entered the palace, otherwise Zhang Zhou would not have given Zhu Houzhao the previous "after-school homework".
"snort!"
The second son of the Zhang family saw Zhang Zhou from a distance and snorted.
Probably because they felt that Zhang Zhou also cheated them in the bidding matter.
Zhang Zhou didn't go up to say hello to them, he just looked back.
Still laughing in my heart.
Seeing that your brothers are in trouble now, when you enter the palace later and meet the second ancestor of the Demon King, it will be enough for you to drink.
"Mr. Zhang, please don't leave yet. My second son has given orders and asked you to come over."
Zhang Zhou saw Zhu Feng's carriage again, and also saw Zhu Feng's subordinate, the guy named Zhu Daqi.
Because this person had an arrogant attitude when they first met him, which made Zhang Zhou hold a grudge. Zhang Zhou was the best at holding grudges, and he had already nicknamed this person "Pig Intestine" in his heart.
You boy.
Sooner or later, you will have to change your name!
"Is something wrong?" Zhang Zhou looked indifferent.
Zhu Feng used to like to look for him when nothing happened, but this time it was even worse. She didn't even come herself, so she sent someone to come?
Do you know that you, Zhu Zhijie, are very rude?
Zhu Daqi did not dare to look down on Zhang Zhou now, because he knew that even if Cheng Guogong himself stood in front of Zhang Zhou, he would have to salute politely. Now Zhang Zhou is a person that the royal family relies on.
"My young master said that he has something to discuss with you about dividing accounts, and he also said that he would like to introduce someone to you." Zhu Daqi said politely.
Zhang Zhou then nodded and said in a very unkind tone: "We should have discussed the matter of dividing the accounts a long time ago. As for meeting anyone, we don't have to. I don't like socializing the most."
"Yes, please get in the carriage and tell my second young master when you get there."
Zhu Daqi quickly called to the coachman and drove the carriage over.
…
…
In the Qianqing Palace.
Zhu Youtang is reviewing the memorial, and at the same time, he is also preparing to have someone draft an order for Jianchang Bo Zhang Yanling to go to Xingji County to build the Changguogong Temple.
But at this moment, Xiao Jing hurriedly came in from outside and said respectfully: "Your Majesty, the Queen, please come over."
"Isn't the Queen meeting her two younger brothers? Why did you ask me to go there?"
Zhu Youtang was very troubled.
Even after everything was settled, his wife was still pressing him, which made him very devoid of manly dignity.
Wouldn't she make me promise to take back that batch of junk materials in front of her two younger brothers?
Threatening in public... wouldn't it embarrass me?
Doesn’t the Queen care about my face?
Xiao Jing said: "The person who sent the message said that Shouning Hou and Jianchang Bo are doing something important. They want to ask for your Majesty's instructions. Your Majesty must go there."
"Um."
Although Zhu Youtang was reluctant to go to Kunning Palace, he still decided to buy the ingredients, and he could do it in front of the Zhang brothers.
Anyway, keep the secret well and don't look back and let the Queen know that he is the initiator...
When he was about to arrive at Kunning Palace with Xiao Jing, he suddenly remembered something and asked, "Has Bingkuan entered the palace?"
"Come in, just leave. Entering the palace with the two uncles is a matter of front and back. By the way, Your Majesty, on the way to the palace, the two uncles were... called over by the prince!"
"Prince?"
Zhu Youtang frowned.
What is your son going to sing? Why would he go to his two uncles if he was asked to keep it a secret? Is this also what Zhang Zhou taught?
…
…
In the main hall of Kunning Palace.
Empress Zhang is sitting on her phoenix seat, with Zhang Heling and Zhang Yanling sitting on the guest seats below. At this time, the Zhang brothers' faces are very dark and complicated. They are depressed about stepping on dog poop on the road, but also have a little expectation. …
Happy, lonely, and aggrieved.
Zhu Youtang frowned secretly just by looking at the two brothers' reactions.
Sure enough, there is no formal person, no matter how he behaves, he is so weird and unusual.
"Your Majesty, are you here? I would like to send you my regards."
When Queen Zhang saw Zhu Youtang, she changed from her previous indifferent attitude and took the initiative to show her goodwill.
When saluting Zhu Youtang, he was not at all perfunctory.
This scene also stunned Zhu Youtang.
What's wrong with my wife? The last time we met, it seemed that you didn't have this attitude. Are you trying to pretend that we are deeply in love as a couple in front of your two brothers?
Zhu Youtang sat down and saw that the Zhang brothers just remembered to salute him, so he raised his hand to stop him: "We are all one family, sit down and talk!"
Zhu Youtang was also thinking about what to say.
But I heard Queen Zhang say: "Your Majesty, I have something to ask your Majesty."
Zhu Youtang said: "Or for the wood and stones they have to build the palace?"
"Yes, and no." Empress Zhang gave Zhu Youtang an ambiguous opening, and said with a sincere face, "My concubine's two younger brothers came to ask for your Majesty's instructions. They said that the Zhang family's temple in Xingji County was dilapidated, and they wanted to ask for help." Your Majesty has sent people to repair it. Now is the winter leisure time. If we finish the work, we won't worry about it being destroyed by heavy rains next year."
"Um?"
Zhu Youtang frowned.
I haven't mentioned it yet, but the Zhang brothers actually came to propose building the Zhang family temple. Could it be that the Zhang brothers, like Zhang Bingkuan, want to fool the deceased ghosts of the Zhang family?
Zhang Bingkuan is here to share my worries and solve my problems. What is the mentality of you two brothers?
Zhu Youtang said: "You are so good, why do you want to build a family temple?"
Originally, he was planning to raise this matter.
Things are different now.
But since it was the Zhang brothers who proposed it, the statement is different.
Zhu Youtang suddenly found that his waist had straightened up.
If I had brought it up, and the queen found out that the materials were rotten wood, rotten bricks and rotten stones, she would have said that I cheated your Zhang family and stuffed bad things into your Zhang family's temple...
But now it is your two younger brothers who have proposed it. At that time, Queen, not only can you not blame me, I can also turn around and angrily accuse your two younger brothers of shoddy goods, deceive the superiors and deceive the inferiors, and deceive the imperial court to arrange the projects!
The turnaround in this matter often comes so suddenly.
The Zhang brothers looked embarrassed, as if they had something to hide, but it was Queen Zhang who acted like a little woman and said with a bit of coquettishness in her tone: "Your Majesty, just treat it as if it is for your concubine, can't you?"
"Ahem! This matter... I have to think about it."
Zhu Youtang was already very excited at this time, but he still had to pretend to be very cautious, "At this time, we need to mobilize manpower, and we also need wood and stone. Where can we get it from? He Ling, Yan Ling, what do you think? of?"
The two Zhang brothers were shouted at by the emperor and looked like a doormat.
He was probably still thinking about the threat he had received from his eldest nephew.
That scene...
Not to mention how exciting it is.
Zhang Heling said: "Your Majesty, it's like this. The two brothers happen to have a batch of materials... It just so happens that the family temple is in ruins, so I came here to ask for your Majesty's instructions."
Empress Zhang smiled and said: "Your Majesty, do you think this is good? You don't have to go to the Empress Dowager to plead for mercy. You can still use these wood and stone materials. The Zhang family's temple has also been built, which can make all the ancestors of the Zhang family peaceful. I never thought that He Ling and Yan Ling could be so considerate of the court's difficulties."
"Queen, that's what I said, but don't you need to spend money? The expense is so huge, I'm afraid the ministers in the court will not agree, so I can only mobilize money from the internal treasury, which is very stressful."
"His Majesty……"
Queen Zhang doesn't care about that much.
Asking the two younger brothers to provide materials for the reconstruction of Qingning Palace can at most make some money, but if they build a family temple for the Zhang family, this will not only solve the younger brother's problem, but also make her look good. She will also see her old mother, Mrs. Jin, in the future. Being able to brag about it can better reflect the daughter's contribution to the family.
There is a big difference in the meaning to her between building the Qingning Palace and building the Zhangjia Temple.
"So Heling, how much money do you brothers want?"
Of course Zhu Youtang couldn't agree directly.
I can only put on a reluctant attitude and have a long-term discussion with the Zhang brothers.
Zhang Heling looked at his younger brother and asked, "Your Majesty, do you think the price is sixty-five thousand taels?"
Queen Zhang was unhappy when she heard this and said, "Didn't you bid one hundred and three thousand taels before? Why do you want sixty-five thousand taels now?"
Zhang Heling was shocked and said: "Your Majesty, you don't know something. In fact, when I purchased this batch of materials, the market price was still low and I didn't spend so much money. However, later it was rumored that the palace was going to be built, and the prices of wood and stone materials had increased. I It was only during the bidding process that I proposed one hundred and three thousand taels."
"That sixty-five thousand taels is not a loss for you, right?" Queen Zhang frowned.
She was embarrassed to say that you didn't even spend 65,000 taels on purchasing, yet you dared to ask the court for 103,000 taels. No wonder you were not chosen to supply the goods.
"It's not a loss, it's not a loss!" Zhang Heling said quickly.
"Sixty-five thousand taels..."
Zhu Youtang thought for a while and realized that this was the same purchase price proposed by Zhang Zhou.
No profit or loss is in line with his wishes.
"He Ling, when you two purchased, the price didn't reach 65,000 taels, and the Zhou family's probably didn't arrive either. But later on, the price of materials increased, so you asked for more... In fact, it's not that the Zhou family is shoddy, Is that what you mean?”
"Uh... yes." Zhang Heling didn't want to admit it, so he had no choice but to admit it.
Zhu Youtang said: "Queen, you see, someone has wronged the Zhou family, and they are also sharing the worries of the court. The Xiu Qingning Palace is supplied at a lower price than the market price, which also reflects their filial piety to the imperial grandmother."
"His Majesty……"
Empress Zhang is too lazy to pay attention to the Zhou family and Qingning Palace now.
If her two brothers hadn't been there, she would have been annoyed again.
My concubine now wants to build a family temple. Your Majesty, just tell me whether you agree or not!
Seeing that his brother couldn't explain clearly, Zhang Yanling hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, my two brothers have agreed that since we are building a family temple in Jifu, except for the 65,000 taels of wood and stone, the rest of the materials and manpower do not need to be provided by the court. Allocated! It’s all paid by...the minister."
"What?"
Zhu Youtang became confused.
Are these still the two brothers-in-law that I know?
You two have really grown up. Not only have you learned to share my worries, but you have also learned to add drama to yourselves, right?
Wouldn't this save at least ten thousand taels of silver?
Empress Zhang looked at her younger brother with admiration, then looked at Zhu Youtang with an affectionate smile and said: "Your Majesty, look, how much do they think about you, my two younger brothers? They are actually filial sons and grandsons. As my concubine, please agree to this!"
When Zhu Youtang heard this, he wished he could agree immediately.
Because he was also afraid that the two "big filial sons" of the Zhang family would regret it.
Zhu Youtang smiled and said: "How could I not be considerate of you, Queen? Just don't dwell on the past, I am willing to pay the sixty-five thousand taels of silver!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Empress Zhang was overjoyed, and the grudges she had with her husband were naturally wiped out.
(End of chapter)
