The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 86 Great Dutiful Son

Zhang Zhou didn't stay in the Wenhua Palace for a long time. When he explained his strategy to Zhu Houzhao and left the palace, he happened to run into the Zhang family brothers who entered the palace to find Queen Zhang to sell miserably.

Xiao Jing mentioned this matter when Zhang Zhou entered the palace, otherwise Zhang Zhou would not have given Zhu Houzhao the previous "homework".

"Humph!"

The second son of the Zhang family saw Zhang Zhou from afar and snorted softly.

He probably felt that Zhang Zhou had tricked them in the matter of bidding.

Zhang Zhou didn't go up to greet them, but just looked back.

Still laughing in my heart.

Seeing how your brothers are feeling now, when you enter the palace and meet the second generation ancestor of the incarnate demon king, it will be enough for you to drink a pot.

"Master Zhang, please don't go, my second son has ordered you to come over."

Zhang Zhou saw Zhu Feng's carriage again, and also saw Zhu Feng's subordinate, that guy named Zhu Daqi.

Because this person was very arrogant when he met him for the first time, which made Zhang Zhou hold grudges. Zhang Zhou is the one who holds grudges the most, and he has long nicknamed this person "Pig Dachang" in his heart.

You kid.

Sooner or later, I will let you change your name!

"Is there something wrong?" Zhang Zhou said indifferently.

Zhu Feng used to like to look for him when he had nothing to do, but this time it was even worse, he didn't come by himself, so send someone?

You, Zhu Zhijie, are very rude, do you know that?

Zhu Daqi didn't dare to underestimate Zhang Zhou now, because he knew that even Duke Cheng himself would salute politely in front of Zhang Zhou, and now Zhang Zhou was someone the royal family relied heavily on.

"My son said that he wanted to talk to you about the division of accounts, and he also said that he would introduce someone to you." Zhu Daqi said politely.

Only then did Zhang Zhou nod, and his tone was still very unfriendly: "It's time to talk about the splitting of accounts. As for meeting anyone, I don't like to socialize."

"Yes, please get in the carriage and tell my second son when you get there."

Zhu Daqi quickly greeted the coachman and drove the carriage over.

……

……

Inside the Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Youtang was reviewing the memorials, and at the same time, he was preparing to have someone draft an edict ordering Jianchang Bo Zhang Yanling to go to Xingji County to repair the Chang Guogong Family Temple.

But at this time, Xiao Jing hurriedly came in from the outside, and said respectfully: "Your Majesty, Empress, please go over."

"Isn't the queen seeing her two younger brothers? What are you going to do with me?"

Zhu Youtang was very troubled.

Things are settled, but his wife is still urging him, which makes him very undignified as a man.

Wouldn't it be that in front of her two younger brothers, I promised to take back that batch of rotten stuff?
Threatening in public...wouldn't it embarrass me?

Doesn't the queen worry about my face?
Xiao Jingdao: "The person who sent the message said that Marquis Shouning and Uncle Jianchang have an important matter, and they want to ask His Majesty for instructions, so His Majesty must go."

"Ah."

Although Zhu Youtang was reluctant to go to Kunning Palace, the matter of buying materials was settled, and it was okay to say it in front of the Zhang family brothers.

Anyway, keep it a secret, don't turn around and let the queen know that he is the one who started it...

When he was about to arrive at Kunning Palace with Xiao Jing, he suddenly remembered something and asked, "Did Bing Kuan enter the palace?"

"Entered, just left. 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 by the prince..."

"Prince?"

Zhu Youtang frowned.

Where is the son going to sing?If he was asked to keep it a secret, why did he go to find his two uncles?Is this also taught by Zhang Zhou?

……

……

Inside the main hall of Kunning Palace.

Empress Zhang was sitting on her phoenix seat, and Zhang Heling and Zhang Yanling were sitting on the guest seats below. At this time, the faces of the Zhang family brothers were very gloomy and complicated, both depressed from stepping on shit on the road, and faintly looking forward to it ...

Happy, lonely, and aggrieved.

Just seeing the reaction of the two brothers, Zhu Youtang secretly frowned.

Sure enough, people who have no shape are so weird and different no matter what they do or do.

"Your Majesty, are you here? My concubine greets you."

When Empress Zhang saw Zhu Youtang, she changed her indifferent attitude before and took the initiative to show her kindness.

When saluting Zhu Youtang, he was not perfunctory at all.

This scene also made Zhu Youtang stunned.

What's wrong with my wife?When we met last time, it seemed that you didn't have this attitude. This is to pretend that we are husband and wife in front of your two younger brothers?
Zhu Youtang sat down, seeing the brothers of the Zhang family remembered to salute him, and raised his hand to stop him: "We are all a family, sit down and talk!"

Zhu Youtang was also thinking about what to say.

But Queen Zhang said: "Your Majesty, my concubine has something to do, and I want to beg 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 sentence, and said earnestly, "The two younger brothers of my concubine came to ask His Majesty for instructions. They said that the Zhang family's family temple in Xingji County was ruined. His Majesty sent someone to repair it, and now is the time for winter slack, if you finish the work, you won't be afraid that it will be washed away by the rain in the coming year."

"Ok?"

Zhu Youtang frowned.

I haven't mentioned this yet, but the Zhang family brothers actually proposed to build the Zhang family temple on their own initiative. Could it be that the Zhang family brothers, like Zhang Bingkuan, want to fool your deceased Zhang family's ghost?
Zhang Bingkuan is sharing my worries and solving problems, what is the mentality of you two brothers?
Zhu Youtang said: "It's so good, why do you want to build a family temple?"

He was going to bring this up too.

Things are different now.

But since the brothers of the Zhang family brought it up on their own initiative, the statement is different.

Zhu Youtang suddenly realized that his back was straightened up.

If I brought it up, and the queen later finds out that the materials are rotten wood, bricks and stones, she will say that I cheated your Zhang family and stuffed bad things into your Zhang family temple...

But now your two younger brothers proposed it. At that time, Queen, not only can you not blame me, but I can also turn your head and scold your two younger brothers for pretending to be good, to deceive the top and the bottom, and to fool the project arranged by the court!

The turning point of this matter often comes so suddenly.

The Zhang family brothers looked embarrassed, as if there was something unspeakable, but it was Empress Zhang who put on the posture of a little woman, and said with a bit of coquettish tone: "Your Majesty, just treat it as a concubine, can't you?"

"Ahem! This matter...let me think about it."

At this time, Zhu Youtang's heart was already full of enthusiasm, but he still pretended to be very cautious, "At this time, we need to mobilize manpower, and also use wood and stone materials. Where can we adjust it? He Ling, Yan Ling, what do you think?" of?"

The Zhang family brothers were questioned by the emperor, looking like doormats.

Probably still recalling being threatened by the elder nephew earlier.

That scene...

Not to mention how exciting it is.

Zhang Heling said: "Your Majesty, it's like this. The two brothers and sisters happened to have a batch of materials... It just so happened that the family temple was ruined, so I came here to ask Your Majesty for instructions."

Empress Zhang smiled and said: "Your Majesty, how good is this? You don't need to go to the Empress Dowager to intercede, and you can use this batch of wood and stone materials. The Zhang family's family temple has also been repaired, so that the Zhang family's ancestors can be peaceful. The concubine did not expect that He Ling and Yan Ling would be so sympathetic to the court's difficulties."

"Empress, that's what you said, but don't you need to spend money? I'm afraid that the ministers in the court will not agree to such a large expense. I can only mobilize money from the internal treasury, which is very stressful."

"His Majesty……"

Empress Zhang doesn't care about that much.

Asking the two younger brothers to provide materials for the reconstruction of the Qingning Palace is at most earning some money, but if it is for the Zhang family to build a family temple, it will not only solve the younger brother's problem, but also make her look good. Being able to brag about it can better reflect the contribution a daughter has made to the family.

There is still a big difference in meaning to her between building the Qingning Palace and building the Zhang Family Temple.

"Then He Ling, how much silver do you brothers want?"

Of course Zhu Youtang couldn't directly agree.

I can only put on a gesture of reluctance, and have a long-term plan with the Zhang family brothers.

Zhang Heling looked at his younger brother and wondered: "Your Majesty, can you see the price of 5000 taels?"

Empress Zhang was unhappy when she heard it, and said, "Didn't you bid 3000 taels before? Why are you asking for 5000 taels now?"

Zhang Heling was shocked and said: "Your Majesty, you don't know. In fact, when I purchased this batch of materials, the market price was still low, and I didn't spend so much money. It's just that later it was rumored that the palace was going to be repaired, and the prices of wood and stone materials increased. I only proposed 3000 taels during the bidding."

"Then 5000 taels, you are not losing money, right?" Queen Zhang frowned.

She didn't even have the nerve to say, you didn't even spend 5000 taels when you purchased it, but you dared to ask the imperial court for 3000 taels, no wonder you were not selected to supply.

"No loss, no loss!" Zhang Heling said quickly.

"Sixty-five thousand taels..."

Zhu Youtang thought for a while, and this was the same as the purchase price proposed by Zhang Zhou.

No profit, no loss, in line with his wishes.

"Heling, when you both purchased, the price didn't reach 5000 taels, so the Zhou's probably didn't arrive either. It's just that the price of materials rose later, so you asked for more... Actually, it wasn't that the Zhou family was shoddy, it was Does that mean?"

"Uh... yes." Zhang Heling didn't want to admit it, so he could only.

Zhu Youtang said: "Look, empress, someone has wronged the Zhou family, and they are also sharing the worries of the court. Repairing Qingning Palace and supplying goods at a lower than market price also reflects their filial piety to the emperor's grandmother."

"His Majesty……"

Empress Zhang just doesn't bother to pay attention to the Zhou family and Qingning Palace now.

If it weren't for the presence of her two younger brothers, she must have been annoyed again.

The concubine wants to build a family temple now, Your Majesty, just say yes or no!
Seeing that his elder brother couldn't explain clearly, Zhang Yanling hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, my two brothers have agreed that since it is the family temple of the Xiubi Mansion, except for the 5000 taels of wood and stone materials, the rest of the materials and manpower will not need to be allocated by the court." It's up! It's all up to... the minister."

"what?"

Zhu Youtang was confused.

Are these the two brother-in-laws 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 yourself, right?
Doesn't this save at least 1 taels of silver?

Empress Zhang looked at her younger brother with admiration, and then looked at Zhu Youtang with an affectionate smile and said: "Your Majesty, look, the two younger brothers of my concubine, they are more concerned about you? They are actually filial sons and grandsons, you As a concubine, please agree to this matter!"

When Zhu Youtang heard this, he wished he could agree immediately.

Because he was also afraid that the two "big dutiful sons" of the Zhang family would repent.

Zhu Youtang laughed and said, "How can I not understand you, Queen? It's just that you don't want to worry about the past, I'm willing to pay the 5000 taels of silver!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Queen Zhang was overjoyed, and the grievances with her husband were naturally written off.

(End of this chapter)