In the main hall, there were only two masters and servants left, one sitting and the other kneeling.
"Wang Zhen, let me ask you again, how much money did you charge Wang Ji?" Zhu Qizhen said.
"Go back to the emperor, my slave..." Wang Zhen felt uneasy, and finally gritted his teeth and said it, "My slave has accepted Wang Ji's hundred taels of gold and one thousand taels of silver."
"What a big deal!" Zhu Qizhen sighed: "The minister's annual salary is converted into silver, which is only more than a hundred taels. He only spends so much at this time. I'm afraid he may not be able to earn it back even if he dies."
Wang Zhen said hurriedly: "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I will hand over the gold and silver to the national treasury and go now."
"etc."
Wang Zhengang paused when he was about to stand up, and kowtowed quickly, "Your Majesty, I don't dare to do this anymore. Please spare me this time."
"Okay, okay, no need to act, I won't punish you severely this time." Zhu Qizhen said, "If you can take the initiative to admit it, there is still medicine to save."
"Yes, thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness, thank you, Your Majesty..."
"Okay!" Zhu Qizhen said impatiently.
Wang Zhen shivered and stopped talking.
Zhu Qizhen said calmly: "Wang Zhen, please remember, not hiding anything is the greatest loyalty. I will not pursue the past matters. From now on..."
"Not anymore." Wang Zhen said hurriedly.
"Well." Zhu Qizhen waved his sleeves, "You can step back now. The money doesn't have to be turned over to the state. Ming Dynasty is not that poor yet."
"Your Majesty, it is as if God has given you a favor, and this slave and servant... bowed to the ground." Wang Zhen gave a big salute and exited the hall.
Zhu Qizhen narrowed his eyes slightly, "This Wang Ji is quite interesting. He actually hooked up with the eunuch. It seems that the integrity of the literati he heard about is nothing more than this."
~
"I'll leave my donkey to you." Li Qing handed the reins to Yu Qian's hand, "If you get sick and lose weight, I want you to look good."
"..." Yu Qian suppressed a smile, "It can eat whatever I eat, right?"
"That's not necessary. Just feed it high-quality fodder." Li Qing took out a gold ingot and said, "Take this."
"Sir, you are out of sight now." Yu Qian declined.
Li Qing stuffed it into his hand, "Just take it if I ask you to. I'm not short of money. Let's go!"
"Wait a minute." Yu Qian asked, "How do you get to Jiaozhi, sir?"
"Go to Guangxi first, then transfer to Jiaozhi." Li Qing said with a smile, "I calculated that if we travel day and night, changing horses without rest, we can arrive in about one and a half months."
"Can you bear it?" Yu Qian frowned, "You can't stop eating and sleeping, right?"
"It doesn't matter, I won't starve to death if I don't eat." Li Qing smiled, "You can rest soon. Okay, I'm going to buy a horse."
"Ride me." Yu Qian said.
"No need." Li Qing smiled and waved his hand, "As time goes by, feelings will develop. If I ride away, I won't be able to ride back."
After a pause, he said, "By the way, you have to watch out. You must never let the emperor lead the expedition in person. No matter what happens, remember this!"
Li Qing said seriously: "With the current situation, it is very likely that his personal expedition will be arranged."
"Don't worry, sir, I know the pros and cons." Yu Qian nodded solemnly.
Li Qing felt relieved and patted the donkey's head, "Brother Donkey, I'm leaving."
"Hmm~ah~"
…
Li Qing brought enough transportation and changed horses all the way, and arrived at Jiaozhi in only forty days.
But he encountered a very difficult problem, the language barrier.
He can speak a few words of Mongolian, but he can't speak or understand a word of Jiaozhi's language.
After wandering around for several days, making gestures, and spending money, I finally found a tour guide who spoke Chinese.
It took another five days to find the Jiaozhi Xuanwei Department.
After Zhu Gaoxu came to Jiaozhi, he gradually took over it. After the last Jiaozhi Xuanwei Secretary left office, Zhu Zhanji did not send anyone back, so the real owner of Jiaozhi became Zhu Gaoxu.
After Zhu Qizhen ascended the throne, the officials intended to make Jiaozhi independent in order to prevent him from going to the West. This also made Zhu Gaoxu successful.
Li Qing did not see Zhu Gaoxu, but only his son Zhu Zhanyuan.
After a few simple greetings, Li Qing got straight to the point:
"I have something important to see the former King of Han."
"Former King of Han?" Zhu Zhanyuan looked complicated when he heard this title, "Just tell me if you have anything to do. My father doesn't like to meet Ming officials."
Li Qing had no choice but to ask: "Have you received the letter from the Emperor?"
"received."
"Then what are your plans?"
Zhu Zhanyuan shook his head and said, "We have nothing to do with Ming Dynasty anymore."
"It doesn't matter?" Li Qing snorted, "Don't forget, what's your last name?"
"My surname is Zhu, but so what?" Zhu Zhanyuan was a little excited, "Our Han king lineage has been wiped out from the genealogy by them. The Ming Dynasty doesn't recognize us, so why should we help the Ming Dynasty?"
Li Qing breathed a sigh of relief and said: "I don't want to be angry with you, I want to see your father."
"You can meet me if you want?" Zhu Zhanyuan said disdainfully, "Looking at your official uniform, you are just a seventh-grade civil servant. Why are you so big-faced?"
Li Qing laughed angrily, "I still have such a big face. If it weren't for me, you Hanwang lineage would have gone underground to meet Taizu and Taizong. Don't talk about you. Even if your father comes, you have to show courtesy to me. ,hurry up."
"You are an official of the Ming Dynasty. I am giving face to the Ming Dynasty. If not, I would have killed you long ago." Zhu Zhanyuan stood up angrily, "Get out of here before I get angry."
"Arrogant!" Li Qing was furious, "While I am calling you "I" in front of you and I am all-powerful, your father is still sucking your milk."
"Fuck your mother." Zhu Zhanyan shouted: "Come here!"
'Cengcengceng...' More than a dozen men rushed in, "Sir."
"Get him." Zhu Zhanyuan said.
The leader was embarrassed, "Sir, the boss said that you can't embarrass Ming Dynasty. This..."
"Stop talking nonsense and take him." Zhu Zhanyuan said with a solemn face, "I will take care of him if anything happens."
Li Qing sighed. He didn't want to be violent, but the situation was urgent and he didn't have time to do ink here.
He pinched Zhu Zhanyan and said coldly: "Take me to see your boss, or strangle him to death."
"You... cough." Zhu Zhanyuan was speechless and his face turned red and gradually purple.
This frightened the guards, and they quickly said, "You have something to say."
"Take me to see Zhu Gaoxu." Li Qing said with a cold tone, "I don't have that much patience, hurry up."
"My dear official, please calm down." The leader said, "If things get too big, it won't be good for anyone. Let's do this. I'll send someone to inform my boss, and we'll just wait here."
Li Qing knew that he was trying to protect Zhu Zhanyuan's face and said with a smile: "It seems that Zhu Gaoxu wants you to take his place."
"You... dare to call out... ahem..." Zhu Zhanyuan was furious.
Li Qing smiled and said: "When he comes, I dare to call him by his name."
Then, he looked at the guards and said calmly: "I don't want to hurt him, but you'd better be calm. After all, you only have one life."
"Don't worry, Ming Guan, we won't act rashly."
"Exit first." Li Qing waved his hand.
The guards looked at each other and finally left the room helplessly.
When Li Qing saw the person leaving, he also let go.
Zhu Zhanyan took a deep breath, then suddenly stepped forward, "Ahem..."
"Are you convinced?"
"...let go."
Li Qing increased his strength, and Zhu Zhanyuan blinked repeatedly.
"This is the last time. If you continue to make trouble without reason, you will not be so lucky." Li Qing let go of him.
Zhu Zhanyan gasped and said in a hateful voice: "How dare you!?"
"There's nothing you dare to do. You either stay here or I strangle you to death. Which one do you choose?"
Zhu Zhanyuan: "..."
What can he do when he encounters such a desperate person? gòйЪ.ōΓg
A few hundred yuan a month, what are you trying to do with your life?
Zhu Zhanyuan was angry, but he didn't dare to be presumptuous anymore. He was the successor appointed by his father and had a bright future, but he didn't want to die like this.
"How many cents a month does it cost to be in the seventh rank?" Zhu Zhanyuan loosened his collar and said, "I see that you are brave and resourceful, and you are a man. If you don't follow me, I will make ten times as much money as the Ming Dynasty."
"You're also allowed to paint cakes for me?" Li Qing laughed angrily, "Okay, I'm here to talk to your father about something. If you cooperate, I won't embarrass you."
Zhu Zhanyuan said bitterly: "Don't you think the Ming Emperor is too shameless?"
"As you say, Taizong is also the Ming Emperor, and that's your grandfather." Li Qing teased, "If your father hears this, let's see if he beats you up."
"I'm talking about Zhu Zhanji, Zhu Qizhen and his son." Zhu Zhanyuan said, "The father has cut off the Hanwang line, and the son wants my Hanwang lineage to serve him. How can such a good thing happen? Son?"
"Your father is in need."
"Your uncle...!" Zhu Zhanyuan was furious, but as soon as he met Li Qing's cold gaze, he calmed down instantly.
He hummed: "My father is not a gentle man, so you just wait for bad luck."
Li Qing smiled and nodded: "Yes, I'll wait."
