The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 88
In front of Desheng Gate in the north of the city, Zhang Zhou spent two fortifications and ran to two places before he saw Zhu Feng standing at the gate of the city.

"Brother Zhang."

The smile on Zhu Feng's face was still so kind.

Zhang Zhou went from the east to the north of the city, and the bumpy road made him a little unbearable.

So Zhang Zhou's complexion was not so good. He said coldly, "Why did you meet at the gate of the city? Do you want to meet someone?"

Zhu Feng said: "That's it. I just received the news that my wife's boat arrived at Xiya today."

Xiya, later known as Jishuitan, is just outside Deshengmen, and it is also the terminal point of the transportation between the canal and the capital. If you come by boat from Tongzhou direction, you will disembark at the ferry here.

Zhang Zhou frowned: "You took me all the way here just to meet your wife? Will her coming help you and my errands in Beijing?"

Zhang Zhou almost wanted to say that Ni Zhufeng was fine, right?
"No, Brother Zhang misunderstood. In fact, the one I really want to introduce you to is the second son of the Imperial College Jijiu Lin Shilang's family. Didn't he meet that day when he was competing in poetry? He asked someone to contact me and said he would like to introduce you." I will meet you, and I agree... Hey."

From Zhu Feng's smile, Zhang Zhou felt a kind of "bad intentions".

Thinking that Zhu Feng was willing to meet Lin Ting, it was probably because Lin Ting would introduce that white-faced scholar to him, otherwise Zhang Zhou would never have thought of meeting Lin Ting, why did Zhu Feng show such an ambiguous and wretched smile.

"Aren't you here to share the bill?"

Zhang Zhouxin said, do you really think I am easy every day?

I, Mr. Zhang, are very busy every day. Just being summoned temporarily to enter and leave the palace gate is unbearable. I almost forget that I am a candidate who came to the capital to take the general examination, and my other students are different.

"My wife will be there right away. I said earlier that I have disembarked. Why haven't you come yet? Wait a little longer."

"Can't you wait for her at the ferry?"

"No, I'm seasick and I don't know how to swim. I fell into the water when I was a child, so I'm most afraid of seeing water in my life!"

There are many problems.

……

……

It was most boring for Zhang Zhou to accompany others to wait for his wife. After waiting for a while, he finally got the carriage of Ning Tong and his party.

Ning Tong got off the carriage, probably due to the bumpy journey, and looked very haggard, but after seeing Zhang Zhou and Zhu Feng together, her eyes widened instantly.

"Tong'er, you're here, let's see who I brought you? Brother Zhang, you've seen my wife before."

When Zhu Feng introduced her, his tone of voice was a little different.

Seeing Ning Tong's alert look, Zhang Zhou was speechless.

You Zhu Ershao don't think that others don't know about your liking, do you?Who was with you that you thought would be an honor to be someone else?

"Mrs. Zhu."

Zhang Zhou saluted very politely.

Ning Tong just bowed slightly and did not even say hello to Zhang Zhou.

However, Zhu Feng didn't seem to notice the strangeness of his wife at all, and still enthusiastically introduced: "...Recently, thanks to brother Zhang's care, I have been doing well in the capital. Tong'er, your journey has been smooth, right?"

Ning Tong said: "Xianggong is currently working in Jinyiwei, and you still need someone else to take care of you?"

really……

Ambiguity.

"Uh." Zhang Zhou wanted to explain quickly, "It's just that we take care of each other when doing business or doing things."

"That's right, that's right. I usually discuss matters with Brother Zhang, and sometimes I go to the palace with him. By the way, Tong'er, I thought that my entry into Beijing was just to be a commander of the Jinyiwei who sent me a fortune. My real job is Jinyiwei Qianhu, and I have to enter the palace to accompany the prince about ten days a month..."

Zhu Feng started rambling.

Typical chatterbox.

Zhang Zhou was impatient, thinking that if the two of you want to say goodbye, you can't wait until you get home?

Can you settle my account for me first, and I will rush to the next one.

Listening to your boy's words, it's getting darker and darker. There was nothing at all, but when your wife heard it, she might think it was something dirty.

"Sir, the concubine is going back to the mansion first, can I send someone to accompany me?"

Even Ning Tong was too lazy to listen to Zhu Feng's nonsense.

Zhu Feng didn't feel embarrassed at all, and said with a smile: "What's the hurry, I arranged a table at the nearby restaurant, let's go together."

"No, I'm a little tired."

Zhang Zhou also saw that everyone has their own ambitions, and Ning Tong married into Cheng Guogong's mansion just to become a young mistress. The reason why once entering the Hou family is as deep as the sea probably does not exist in Ning Tong.

But she didn't volunteer to come out to accompany her husband in public.

Zhu Feng put a hot face on his cold ass, and said with a smile: "Then find someone to take you back first, and we will talk about it later, I have something to do with Brother Zhang."

Zhang Zhou said with a smile: "Yes, brother and sister, I do have something to do with Zhijie. It's about business. I don't have any personal matters to discuss. Don't worry!"

When Ning Tong heard Zhang Zhou calling herself "brother and sister", she couldn't help frowning.

But when he heard what Zhang Zhou said later, he couldn't help but ask mockingly, "What are you worrying about?"

Zhang Zhou smiled.

Madam, you understand in your heart, why I told you, everyone should know it well.

"I mean, don't worry, madam, give him to me. After we finish talking, let him go back to accompany you. I still have a wife and children at home waiting for me to go back. There are too many things recently, and I have to enter the palace if I have nothing to do. It's too cumbersome." I don’t even bother to prepare for the exam, I don’t mind taking the trouble.”

Zhang Zhou's words sounded like he was bragging.

Even Ning Tong didn't understand.

As a Juren, even if you once helped the emperor with a prescription for treating acne and plague, you wouldn't go to the court often, would you?
But there was some meaning, she still understood.

Zhang Zhou was also telling her that he had no interest in her husband at all, and that Zhang Zhou was only cooperating with Zhu Feng on business matters.

……

……

Ning Tong's entry to Beijing was just a small episode of Zhang Zhoulai's settlement with Zhu Feng.

When they arrived at the nearby restaurant, Zhu Feng handed over the account book to Zhang Zhou.

"Chang Ningbo is in charge of the Zhou family's purchase of wood and stone materials. The wood is mainly supplied by me, and the cost is 2 taels. They also need to earn a little. The total exchange rate is 4000 taels, all of which are flat-colored silver. Brother, you know, it’s all settled in silver, so there is no copper money to pass.”

"Here is 6000 taels for your account, 4000 taels are what you deserve, and there are 2000 taels, which I gave as a gift."

Zhu Feng pointed to a line on the account book.

Zhang Zhou frowned and said, "You keep the account when you go out without incident? Who else has seen this account book?"

It was originally a matter of earning kickbacks, but Zhang Zhouxin said that you have no brains, and you still write down the accounts?
"No one has read it. This is my personal record." Zhu Feng said.

Zhang Zhoudao: "It's ruined! You should know what the result of Li Guang's bookkeeping is for a ready-made case, right?"

"I didn't write it down... All right, I'll tear it up when I turn around, but I sometimes forget things. A good account is worse than a bad pen. If I don't write it down, I'm afraid I won't be able to remember it later..."

Zhu Feng looked aggrieved.

Zhang Zhou didn't bother to comment on this kind of coercion.

"Take the 2000 taels back, and do whatever you want. The 2 taels is your capital, and you don't need to pay for it to satisfy me."

There are no bank notes these days, so there will be no delivery of money on the spot.

The banknotes of the Ming Dynasty were worthless for a long time. By the time of Hongzhi, there were no more precious banknotes in circulation in the market. They were all cash and copper coins. However, silver was used for court purchases and tax calculations, and bulk commodities were also due to silver. Convenience, and become the main currency in circulation.

At this time, the silver from South America had not yet flowed into Daming, and the price of silver was still relatively strong. The imperial court’s tax revenue related to silver was less than 300 million taels a year.

Zhu Feng said: "You helped me so much, I gave you 2000 taels, it's a little kindness, I made a lot of money from selling grain before."

Zhang Zhou shook his head: "One size counts for one size. I don't like to take advantage of my business partners."

"Oh."

Zhu Feng's admiration for Zhang Zhou deepened.

Zhang Zhou actually wanted to say, I don’t care about taking advantage of you. Should I take advantage of others? Is it a long-term business with you, and what’s the benefit of taking advantage of you?
It's better to settle accounts than everything else.

Otherwise, the 2000 taels will be considered a bribe!
"Then turn around and send the money to your house." Zhu Feng said.

Zhang Zhou Zhou waved his hand and said: "No need, my house is not a warehouse, so much money is easy to be missed by thieves, so I will store it in your hands first."

"Ah? You don't want it for now?"

"Yes, there is no place to spend."

Of course, Zhang Zhou couldn't accept it right away. First, the purchase of wood and stone materials is not over yet. What if the court comes back to settle accounts after autumn?He still doesn't want to have any direct connection with this matter.

Secondly, and more importantly...

He can't spend so much money now.

Now he has quite a lot of property in his hands. Excluding the real estate part, he will give it to the emperor, Lao Jiang, Ying Tianfu to buy medicinal materials, Cheng Guogong's mansion and Zhu Feng in batches... After discounting, the value is More than 1000 taels.

All the businesses he planned belonged to the habitual way of traveling through small businesses and large businesses, relying on epoch-making products to make money.

"Then I'll go first!"

Once the accounts are settled, Zhang Zhou is about to leave.

"Don't, brother Zhang, do some face to that Second Young Master Lin. I have already informed him. He is probably on his way. After all, he is the son of Lin Shilang. He does not look at the monk's face but at the Buddha's face. Yong is not far away."

……

……

Zhang Zhou didn't intend to stay.

Lin Han seems to be his immediate superior, but the problem is that Zhang Zhou has no plans to go to the Imperial College for a "squad", so he doesn't need to look at anyone's face.

But before he went downstairs, he was notified that Lin Ting had brought a person downstairs.

"Come up, please."

Zhu Feng breathed a sigh of relief.

Probably because he promised others and didn't want to break his promise.

When he saw Lin Ting, and then saw the little boy behind Lin Ting, after Zhu Feng went to say hello, he couldn't take his eyes off the boy's face.

That infatuated look... Zhang Zhou instantly thought of Duan Yu's deep love for "Miss Wang".

Just kind of weird.

"Brother Zhang, it's been a long time. In the competition outside Beiyong a few days ago, after you left, there were some people who were present there, but it was a pity that both articles and poems were recognized as inferior, so you won that competition. "

Lin Ting seemed to have some disagreements with Zhang Zhou, but he seemed to be very principled.

Zhang Zhoudao: "Your Excellency is here to inform me of this? Is there such a big difference between who loses and who wins?"

Lin Ting didn't expect Zhang Zhou to be so "open-minded", and he didn't know how to take over.

Zhang Zhou just wanted to chat to death so that he could leave.

But the little boy on the side couldn't help retorting: "If you don't win, what are you comparing yourself to?"

This opening, from what Zhu Feng heard, was no different.

But for Zhang Zhou, it was a little revealing.

Although the voice was deliberately lowered, it was intentionally thick.

Zhang Zhou thought to himself, I am also a "master" who has experienced thousands of episodes of TV dramas where women disguise themselves as men. No matter how well you make up, can't you tell that you are a woman?

Of course, there is another explanation - you are a eunuch who has purified himself since childhood.

This female classmate, you are very bad!

(End of this chapter)