Brother Zhu Youxiao

"300 million taels?"

"It's 300 million taels..."

In the Mentougou field on the second day of September, when Zhu Youjian, who personally operated the tractor, learned that his wedding was scheduled for late October, he was not too surprised.

It's just that he frowned slightly when he heard the content of his 300 million taels wedding.

Dressed in coarse linen and with simple hair, he walked to Wang Chengen who came to report on horseback, and took the wedding memorial in his hand.

"Concubine Yuan Xipin, imperial concubine... Concubine Ping..."

Zhu Youjian glanced at the ten lines, and although he knew the general idea in his heart, when he saw Yuan Xipin becoming the main concubine, he still felt a little regretful in his heart.

When he saw that Zhou Sujie and Tian Xiuying were concubines, he couldn't help but sigh...

He didn't think too much about Tian Xiuying, but he felt a little guilty about Zhou Sujie.

I don't know if it's Chongzhen's memory at work, or his admiration for Zhou Sujie in history. Generally speaking, he feels a little guilty.

It's just that the current arrangements are good. Tian Xiuying and Zhou Sujie have become concubines, and their fathers will not be as rampant as in history.

As for Yuan Xipin, in history, she was ordered to hang herself first, but she survived the hanging, and was slashed by Chongzhen again, but she survived.

In Zhu Youjian's opinion, although it is not as good as Zhou Sujie's, it is not bad.

In history, she used to mediate the conflict between Zhou Sujie and Tian Xiuying. Now as the concubine, she might mediate better.

As for her father, Yuan You, he hadn't done anything in history, so it might be very difficult now.

If he did something illegal, Zhu Youjian would not feel guilty when dealing with it.

On the contrary, Zhou Sujie and Tian Xiuying's fathers, since they are Concubines Ping, generally don't get any official positions, unless Zhu Youjian deliberately arranges them.

Concubine Ping's status is not as good as that of Concubine Gui and Concubine Zheng, and it is impossible for the two of them to use this status to bluff and deceive.

But just in case, Zhu Youjian is still going to send these two people far away.

Originally, he was still thinking that if Zhou and Tian became concubines, then he would have to let Lu Jianxing set up some traps to exile Zhou Kui and Tian Hongyu.

Now it's enough to avoid this. It's enough to give them two idle official positions and send them far away.

Thinking of this, Dongshan Mansion (Papua New Guinea), the poorest of the six old mansions, appeared in Zhu Youjian's mind.

"Are the parents of these six people still alive?"

Zhu Youjian closed the wedding memorial and sat on the stool next to him.

"They are all here. According to the rules, thousands of gold and silver, and hundreds of pearls and gems must be given to the concubine's family."

"The other five concubines only need to send a thousand taels of gold."

Wang Chengen said the rules while answering, and Zhu Youjian nodded slightly, then shook the gift list on his hand:

"Three million taels of silver is too much. You go back and tell your brother that the people of the country are suffering. If my brother intends to accumulate blessings for me, then divide the money into ten years and invest it in Huimin Pharmacy in batches."

"As for the big wedding, there is still money in Prince Qi's mansion, we can pay it ourselves."

"This..." Wang Chengen couldn't bear to be hit, so he could only tactfully say:

"Your Highness, the treasury in the mansion is only 32 taels..."

"Then just pay 30 taels!" Zhu Youjian didn't care about his big wedding. To put it bluntly, many men don't care about their big wedding.

What's more, 30 taels of silver is not cheap anymore.

If this silver is exchanged for gold, it will be worth hundreds of millions in future generations.

Spending hundreds of millions on a wedding is extravagant enough.

"I'm afraid Long Live will be unhappy." Wang Chengen had a toothache.

"I'll go to appease you in a few days." Zhu Youjian smiled, and then asked Wang Chengen:
"What is Hua Chun doing these days?"

"I'm counting the oil factories in the northern Zhili military camp." Wang Chengen replied without thinking.

"How much is this year's production?" Zhu Youjian is very concerned about this, because after there is more oil and water, the staple food that the people eat will be much less.

"Peanuts have been popularized for four years, and the planting area now has more than 560 million mu, and 6000 million catties of oil have been produced."

Wang Chengen answered first, and then said:

"Huachun asked your servant to ask His Highness, the Huangdian has nearly [-] million catties of oil this year, so does the oil price need to be lowered? Is the expansion of the peanut field suspended?"

"Let's go down, but continue!" Zhu Youjian shook his head:

"The price of oil in various places has dropped by 20%. Don't stop the expansion of oil factories and fields, and wait for the annual output to reach [-] billion catties before stopping."

The production of peanut oil is a surprise. After all, the production of peanut oil last year was less than half of this year.

Now it seems that the total output of peanut oil has more than doubled, and the common people can eat cheaper oil.

Although it is only a [-]% price reduction, this achievement is worth two or three pennies.

The saved gas money can buy an extra catty of rice, which is one of the few profit concessions made by the court this year.

If more miscellaneous items are reduced next year, the people will be able to endure it for a year.

As long as he endures next year, the situation in Daming will be much clearer, and the burden on Zhu Youjian's shoulders will be much lighter.

In the future, as long as we fight steadily and practice our internal skills hard, it is only a matter of time before Da Ming becomes the everlasting sun.

After the severe drought, Zhu Youjian can leave Daming with peace of mind and go to Qi.

Thinking of this, Zhu Youjian glanced at the steam tractor placed by the road not far away.

"Although it is heavy and crude, if the imperial court can distribute two or three sets to each village, then the common people will not be so tired."

"What Your Highness said is very true..." Wang Chengen expressed his agreement with sincerity, while Zhu Youjian turned to Wang Chengen and asked:

"How is Yang Wenyue's development in Yingzhou? Why haven't you seen him perform recently?"

Zhu Youjian is very concerned about the situation in Yingzhou. After all, whether he can join the northern part of America depends on whether Yang Wenyue's supply station can be properly arranged.

If his supply station can be properly arranged, then according to the current speed of the fourth version of the steam engine ship, Daming can send thousands of people from South Zhili to the west coast of North America in at most 30 days.

For a month, even if it transports grain from Daming, it will not be troublesome. The only troublesome things are fresh water and coal.

So the so-called recharge points are places where coal and fresh water are stored.

If Yang Wenyue can get this matter done within five years, then Zhu Youjian only needs to use a hundred steam engine merchant ships of [-] materials to transport nearly a million people to the west coast within a year.

Of course, if they want to maintain their survival, one-third of the cargo ships must be used to transport food.

Therefore, this number may drop to more than [-] people per year,
But even so, Zhu Youjian still has eight years to prepare for Qi and transport the population.

When the 23rd year of Apocalypse arrives and the severe drought subsides completely, Qi will have a population of nearly 500 million, and the local area will also form its own independent economic circle.

At that time, Zhu Youjian will enjoy a blessing if he goes to Qi again.

Apocalypse 23 years sounds like a long time, but it is only 13 years away from now.

Thirteen years later, Zhu Youjian was only 13 years old, and he was in his prime.

"It's not bad to start retirement at the age of 33..."

The wind blew through Mentougou, it was cool and cool, and there was a rare smile on the corner of Zhu Youjian's mouth.

Wang Chengen wondered why his highness laughed so happily after hearing about the peanut oil production, but anyway, his highness was happy, so he followed suit.

"Okay, you go, I'll try this tractor again."

Zhu Youjian got up and gave the order to drive away the guests with a smile, Wang Chengen also responded, and then rode away with the horse guards.

On the contrary, Zhu Youjian, holding the iron plow in the field, was very happy...

"Brother don't want it?"

In just one day, Wang Chengen brought Zhu Youjian's words before Zhu Youxiao was about to enter Fangshan County.

Faced with Zhu Youjian's rejection, Zhu Youxiao's first reaction was naturally to be angry, but the grievance was greater than the anger.

As Zhu Youjian grew up, Zhu Youxiao always felt that his younger brother became an older brother, and his older brother became a younger brother.

He used to be able to use the carpentry work in his hands to make Zhu Youjian worship him, but now he can't do it in all aspects.

Compared with state affairs, Zhu Youjian sees far and clearly,

Comparing current affairs, Zhu Youjian analyzed the interests and avoided the less important.

Compared with government affairs, he handled memorials more than twice as fast as Zhu Youxiao.

Zhu Youxiao is only 26 years old, and sometimes he still wants to find a trace of his elder brother's dignity in his younger brother.

This time he threw 300 million taels, originally to show a bit of his majesty as an elder brother, but the big wedding had already come to an end before the purchases even started.

Zhu Youxiao was a little bit unhappy, which couldn't be more conspicuous to Wei Zhongxian, who was used to watching his words and demeanor in the palace.

"Long live, His Highness is probably also worried about you, for your blog name."

"Worried about me? Bo Ming?" Zhu Youxiao looked sideways at Wei Zhongxian, and he continued:

"His Royal Highness may mean to let Long live share this joy with the people in a way of adding joy."

"Long live, think about it. The Huimin Pharmacy Bureau is originally Huimin's yamen. When people go to see a doctor, they generally pay some money for the medicine, and neither the consultation fee nor the medicine fee is paid."

"My servant has read the memorials of the Huimin Pharmaceutical Bureau last year, and the annual expenditure on medicinal materials is only 19 taels of silver."

"If Wansui you allocate 30 taels to Huimin Pharmacy from internal funds every year, I am afraid that Huimin Pharmacy can better treat people's diseases."

"The common people get medical treatment for free. After learning about your kind deeds, they will naturally be grateful for your kindness."

"As for worrying..." Wei Zhongxian thought for a while, and at the same time overestimated, he forced an explanation complacently:
"It's difficult for the treasury to take 300 million taels at once, and His Highness doesn't know the situation of the internal funds, so he is naturally worried about the cost of the inner court after the 300 million taels are taken out of the internal funds."

"Huh?" Zhu Youxiao touched the beard on his upper lip, as if he felt that Wei Zhongxian's words were far-fetched.

"Does Your Highness mean that..."

Wang Chengen next to him couldn't help but think wildly in his heart, but no matter what he thought, he couldn't think of the expression on his highness's expression when he said this, which could match the meaning of Wei Zhongxian's words.

"Chengen, is that what you mean by brother?" Zhu Youxiao turned around and asked Wang Chengen.

"Uh... this... His Highness's mind is hard to guess, but the arrangements are made for a reason, and I think there is a reason for the arrangement this time..."

Reaching out and not slapping people with smiling faces, Wang Chengen is not the kind of person who loves to compete for favor, and he doesn't like to slap others in the face, so he can only vaguely cover up this topic.

"Ah..." Seeing Wang Chengen's vague words, Zhu Youxiao sighed, which made Wei Zhongxian's heart thump.

It's a pity that in the next second, Zhu Youxiao smiled and shook his head with a touch of emotion:

"My brother loves me..."

"..." Wang Chengen fell silent. He can now be sure that His Royal Highness definitely didn't mean that.

Perhaps, His Royal Highness just doesn't like such extravagance and waste.

"Cheng En, when you went, what was your brother doing?"

When Zhu Youxiao thought that his younger brother was always thinking of himself, he was moved, and he couldn't help but care about him.

"His Royal Highness is plowing the fields with a tractor..."

Wang Chengen replied truthfully, because he remembered clearly that his highness said that unless he confessed, there is no need to hide other things from the emperor.

"Is it fun?" Zhu Youxiao became interested.

"This..." Wang Chengen was taken aback for a moment, and then described various matters of the tractor in detail.

"That's not fun. I guess it's because my brother and I have different interests."

After listening to Wang Chengen's talk about the tractor, Zhu Youxiao lost interest. Instead, he walked back to his seat and sat down, saying to Wang Chengen:

"You have seen all six women, right? Who do you think is the most suitable for my brother?"

Zhu Youxiao wanted to hear about the character and affairs of the six concubines of King Qi. Although among the six concubines, only the main concubine could enter the palace, he still wanted to know the six concubines in advance.

After all, if he went to the Qi Palace in the future, he might meet his younger siblings and his five favorite concubines.

"Well...it should be suitable."

Zhu Youxiao's question stumped Wang Chengen, so he could only answer vaguely.

"Suitable is suitable, how can you have what you should?" Zhu Youxiao frowned, obviously dissatisfied with Wang Chengen's answer, and even his tone couldn't help but be a bit serious.

"This..." Wang Chengen showed embarrassment:

"This servant really can't imagine what His Highness looks like when he is with these six girls."

"What's unexpected about the love between men and women?" Zhu Youxiao wanted Wang Chengen to give an answer, but Wang Chengen said:

"Your Highness loves women but is not greedy for sex. Although the slaves have been with His Highness for ten years, except for the two in the mansion, I have never seen His Highness chatting and laughing with other women."

"That's true..." Zhu Youxiao agreed with Wang Chengen's words when he got the answer.

My younger brother was busy with state affairs, so he neglected the love between men and women. In addition, many courtiers in the early years were waiting for his wedding, and wanted to use etiquette and righteousness to force him to become a vassal after his marriage, so this matter has been delayed.

Thinking about it this way, Zhu Youxiao felt even more guilty.

As for the rest of the people in the car, they were even less surprised.

If Zhu Youjian hadn't taken Yang Yuanai and Yang Rushi's aunts and nephews into custody, Beijing would have started to spread that Zhu Youjian was better than Longyang.

Although civil servants are not scary, their mouths and pens can cause headaches for many talented people.

In fact, there have long been rumors that Zhu Youjian is good at Longyang, and it is prevalent in the south of the Yangtze River.

If Zhang Yan and others hadn't heard about this rumor, they wouldn't have chosen the fifth and sixth concubines for Zhu Youjian in one go.

Civil officials can't create other rumors about Zhu Youjian, so they can only fabricate this kind of rumor.

Not only Jiangnan, but also Yunnan, Taining, Nanzhou, Jiugang, Jiaozhi...

In short, there are all kinds of rumors about Zhu Youjian in places full of civil servants in exile.

Jin Yiwei also told Zhu Youjian about these rumors, but he often asked people to collect them, and he laughed them off after reading them.

Civil officials often slander and spread rumors about those they can't deal with, and those who can deal with them and can fool them are praised as sages and benevolent kings.

Zhu Youjian had already prepared in his heart, anyway, he didn't care about false fame, so let those losers do whatever they like.

"When will my brother go to Fangshan?"

Zhu Youxiao quickly came out of guilt and even asked Wang Chengen.

"His Highness said it for a few days, but did not say the specific time. It should be that His Highness himself is not sure."

Wang Chengen recalled it for a while, and then reported back, and Zhu Youxiao nodded slightly when he heard the words.

"I'll remember my brother's words. You can ask someone to tell my brother that the internal funds will transfer 30 taels to Huimin Pharmacy every year, so that my brother doesn't have to worry."

"As for this year, let's add some more from the internal funds to round up the big wedding, 50 taels."

After all, Zhu Youxiao then added: "This matter cannot be discussed."

"The maidservant leads the decree..." Wang Chengen breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that the matter was finally finalized.

After agreeing, he waited for a few seconds until he was sure that the emperor had no new instructions before he bowed and turned around to get off the carriage.

He led the people of the Imperial Horse Supervisor towards the return journey towards the capital, and the majestic emperor continued to drive towards Fangshan...

One brother and one younger brother, each busy with their own affairs, but the constant news from the capital made all parties cheer up.

"Jinglue, if His Highness uses troops to the north, what shall we do?"

In mid-September, when the news from the north reached Yunnan, in Yongchang's temporary management mansion, the old god Hong Chengchou was there, but Mu Yi was a little worried.

In this season, Yunnan is still sunny and sunny, and the climate is like spring, but Mu Yi's heart is turbulent.

Seeing that the government road is about to be repaired to the southwest border, the Ping-Burmese war is about to break out, and the achievements are about to be obtained...

As a result, at this juncture, the King of Qi wanted to conquer Jianlu himself and launch the third Northern Expedition in the reign of Tianqi.

Mu Yi was not worried about money and food. What he was worried about was that the Ping-Burmese War looked bleak in front of the third Northern Expedition, making their achievements inconspicuous.

This is not his personal unfounded worry, but the result of Zhu Youjian's many personal expeditions.

The first Northern Expedition and the second Northern Expedition launched by Zhu Youjian overwhelmed the two major battles of Ping Nanyang and Ping Jiaozhi respectively.

At present, the Ping-Burmese War and the third Northern Expedition may collide, so they will most likely become the background board.

Mu Yi's worry was written on his face, Hong Chengchou glanced at it, and said as if holding a Diaoyutai:
"If you use troops, you use them, if you overwhelm them, you overwhelm them..."

"No matter how you cover it, your merits are still written in the credit book, and the conferring of uncles and titles is all on His Highness's vermilion pen."

Hong Chengchou didn't make it too clear. To put it bluntly, he would rather his every big battle was overshadowed by Zhu Youjian's personal conquest.

It should be known that it is not easy to be a bird in the early stage. The bird in the early stage will be beaten, and the person in the early stage will be killed.

Zhu Youjian himself has made great achievements, and he doesn't want others to do the same.

This is not his selfishness, but his way to protect his subordinates.

He was confident that the emperor would not suspect him, but Hong Chengchou did not.

Zhu Youjian's personal conquest, based on the time, should be to overshadow Huanglong's achievements, so as to make the court and central ministers turn their attention from Huanglong to himself.

Qi Yuanfu's reminder to Huang Long was already very solid. Huang Long has made great achievements at the moment, and the court ministers and the emperor are already dissatisfied with him.

However, Huang Long didn't take it seriously, he just felt that he was not for them, but for King Qi.

It is also fortunate that Zhu Youjian often does not need his subordinates to think of ways to know how to advance and retreat, but takes the initiative to think of ways for his subordinates.

Don't say anything else, just talk about Qin and Qi.

Keep Liaodong, destroy the prisons, and manage the southwest and southern coasts.

Isn't the emperor afraid of this credit and power?

But before Qi Jin and Qin Bangping retreated, Zhu Youjian supported Hong Chengchou to have sex.

After the success of Pingjiaozhi, the Qin and Qi families became less conspicuous. Because Hong Chengchou could suppress them, the court was relieved.

When Huanglong destroyed more than a dozen countries in Jiugang, he had already made great achievements, but Zhu Youjian protected him again with the second battle of the first Northern Expedition.

If Hong Chengchou thought correctly, then this time Zhu Youjian personally went to the Northern Expedition, in addition to really wanting to destroy Jianlu, he also had the idea of ​​​​protecting their southwestern generals and navy generals.

"After this battle is over, I should be able to ascend the pavilion. As for Huanglong, there will be a place to go..."

Hong Chengchou sighed in his heart, after all, there are too few superiors like Zhu Youjian who are willing to take responsibility.

Perhaps this is his charm, he will protect everyone who is attached to him and contributes to the court.

Even a self-interested person like Hong Chengchou couldn't help but have the idea of ​​supporting Zhu Youjian as emperor after thinking everything through.

Although he knew that if Zhu Youjian wanted to do it, he could easily take that position without his own support, but he still thought about it.

Zhu Youjian considered almost all aspects, and even used Qi and Jin's official memorials to make Zhu Youxiao and the courtiers aware of the importance of veterans.

Next, even if Hong Chengchou was transferred away, the imperial court would no longer fear the Qin and Qi families, because apart from these two families, everyone else was from the Qi Palace.

With the situation of King Qi's mansion so powerful, it is what they have to do to support the elders and maintain a balance in the future.

"Jinglue, do you think His Highness will revive Sun Chuanting to participate in the Northern Expedition?"

Mu Yi couldn't see Zhu Youjian's operation clearly, and was a little worried that Sun Chuanting would rise again and compete with Hong Chengchou for the cabinet position.

"Won't……"

When Hong Chengchou heard Sun Chuanting's name, he immediately responded decisively:

"The situation is complicated at the moment, and it is not a good thing to achieve merit."

"Sun Chuanting's previous affairs in Sichuan have not completely subsided, His Highness will not allow him to appear in front of courtiers again in such a short period of time."

Hong Chengchou was not worried about Sun Chuanting competing with him for the position.

Unless King Qi wanted to kill Sun Chuanting, he would not choose this battle to bring Sun Chuanting back.

Sun Chuanting's battlefield is in Mobei, in Uzang, in the Western Regions, not in the Northeast.

Hong Chengchou could see it clearly, and he knew in his heart that as long as he finished fighting Burma and managed the local area well, he would ascend to the pavilion within a short time.

But in order to shorten this time, he had to prepare another thing.

"Has the roadbed for the railway started?"

Hong Chengchou spoke surprisingly, looked sideways at Mu Yi, and Mu Yi bowed and said:

"The construction has already begun. According to the standard of continuing to widen the government road by four feet, the construction will start at 200 million yuan. It will go from Kunming to Yangon Port in Myanmar. It is estimated to be [-] miles, and the construction period is estimated to take five years."

Speaking of this, Mu Yi was puzzled and said:

"Absolutely, I'm sorry for being humble and stupid, even if only the roadbed is built, the road will cost 180 million taels of silver."

"The imperial court didn't make a decree, why did we build this road?"

"You don't have to worry about this matter, just supervise the construction."

Mu Yi didn't understand, and it can even be said that many people in Jinglue Mansion didn't understand, but Hong Chengchou insisted on building it.

The reason for this is also what he can see from the nine railways of the Ministry of Industry.

Not surprisingly, Hong Chengchou estimated that he would need to govern Burma for three years and relocate a million people before the local government could obey Ming Dynasty.

From the perspective of the map, Yangon will be the bridgehead for Ming Dynasty to fight against India in the future.

Therefore, although Hong Chengchou didn't know what the railway was, he knew that after Myanmar was recovered, King Qi would definitely order the construction of this road.

If he started the construction ahead of time and repaired even one-third of the distance before the end of Ping Burma, King Qi would be very satisfied.

As long as King Qi is satisfied, the matter of his ascension to the pavilion may be greatly advanced.

Thinking of the scene when he ascended the pavilion, Hong Chengchou felt a little smug and very comfortable...