In Zhang Mansion, Chang'an, Zhang Shangyuan hurried to his father's study, bowed and said: "See you, father!"
Zhang Li nodded, "Are you all ready?"
"Everything is ready, my child will set off early tomorrow morning!"
Zhang Shangyuan is Zhang Li's eldest son. He has not joined the officialdom. He sent people to Chang'an to set up an outpost, bought a house, and established a trading firm. Everything is ready, and he is finally going to set off.
It was of course Zhang Li's decision to let his son Zhang Shangyuan go to Chang'an. Since Li Ye was also trying to win over him, he had to be sensible and burn incense in both temples to leave a way out for his family.
Zhang Li pondered for a moment and said: "The Meihua Guards are keeping a close eye on us. If you go to Chang'an, they will definitely know about it, so you have to go separate ways. Your entourage will take the Shaanzhou Road. I will send a few warriors to escort you to Nanyang. You will go into business."
The state road goes to Chang'an, do you understand?"
Zhang Shangyuan was stunned, "Father, is it necessary to do this?"
Zhang Li snorted coldly, "What time is it now? The emperor is in a coma most of the day, relying on medicine to hang on, and the eunuchs don't even leave the palace. Everyone is at war with each other. Do you still think it's a peaceful time?
I'm afraid that if you get halfway there, you will be killed and there will be no room for you to reason."
"My child knows his fault!"
"Forget it, you are not in the court and don't understand the situation in the court. It is normal."
Zhang Shangyuan asked cautiously: "Recently, there are rumors in the market that something big is going to happen in the imperial court. It is said that the eunuchs are going to attack high-ranking officials in the imperial court."
"Nonsense!"
Zhang Li said dissatisfied: "This kind of gossip in the market will do nothing. They will only spread some absurd words."
"But the recent situation is really weird!"
"Weird shit!"
Zhang Li interrupted his son rudely, "Some people are afraid that the world will not be in chaos. They make up alarmist things all day long. When nothing happens, they say it's weird. Think about it with your own head. Don't follow what others say all day long."
Zhang Shangyuan did not dare to say anything. Zhang Li also realized that his words were a bit harsh, so he softened his tone and said: "You remember, as long as Li Dai is sitting in the political hall, no one dares to attack senior officials of the imperial court, otherwise it will be Zhu
Tao’s fate.”
"Kids remember!"
"Go and rest early! We will leave early tomorrow morning."
Zhang Shangyuan bowed and left.
Zhang Li was pacing back and forth in the study room with his hands behind his hands. Zhang Li was born in Luoyang and was a low-level official. He was very sophisticated in people's ways. He was not like a high-ranking official with a professional background who had to care about face and feathers. He was not. He would do anything to achieve his goals.
In order to prevent the emperor from doubting his ambition, he did not hesitate to destroy his reputation and establish himself as a miser. He transported the remaining wine dregs from Guanglu Temple's brewing to his home one by one, and continued to press wine at home to make money.
The house was so smoky that every person passing by his house would smell the smell of lees, which became a joke in Luoyang. However, it was this image of a stingy man that successfully dispelled Emperor Li Heng's suspicion of him and allowed him to hand over power with confidence.
Empress Zhang also decreed that Zhang should be promoted to Prime Minister.
Of course Zhang Li has his own ambitions. He really wants to be prime minister for twenty years like Li Linfu, but he also knows that in order to maintain his position, he must have capital in hand. His capital is his daughter, Queen Zhang, and only his daughter has the greatest power.
By doing so, his capital will be stronger and he will have the confidence to negotiate with Li Ye.
Letting the eldest son go to Chang'an this time was the beginning of establishing a tacit understanding between him and Li Ye.
Luoyang Tongtuofang and Yujifang are the gathering places of Luoyang's craftsmen and the concentration of Luoyang's handicraft industry. The two workshops are full of all kinds of tinkling sounds and noises. The craftsmen are giving
While working for the court, he also took on some private work to support his family.
It was just getting dark when a man in his thirties hurriedly walked into Tongtuofang.
This man is of medium build and has a gentle temperament, completely different from the rugged craftsmen. He is wearing a ninth-grade official uniform and a gauze hat, and his forehead is covered with sweat. He has no money to take a bullock cart and walks back.
The man's name is Wang Zhan, a native of Jiangdu. He is a director of the Du Shui Supervisory Boat Office and is responsible for ship design. He is only a ninth-grade official with a low salary and it is difficult to support his family. After following the imperial court from Chang'an to Luoyang,
He could only rent a small courtyard with half a plot of land and two mud houses in Tongtuofang, and the monthly rent was the same.
He often encountered salary arrears from the court, so he could only borrow money from everywhere, and his life was very embarrassing and difficult.
When I walked to the entrance of the alley, I heard a young child's voice shouting, "Sugar porridge! Sugar porridge! Six cents a bowl, the cheapest price."
Wang Zhan suddenly felt sad. It was the voice of his seven-year-old son. When he approached the alley, he saw his wife greeting two porridge customers under the dim light. The son was shouting hard, and there was a rickety old man squatting next to him.
Washing dishes on the floor was his old mother.
He could only earn a penny from selling one bowl, and he could only sell twenty bowls a day at most. His wife had to do laundry at night, so he could only earn one or two bucks a month. When he couldn't pay his salary, the family could barely make ends meet.
"Daddy!"
His son Wang Kunlun suddenly saw his father and rushed over happily and threw himself into his father's arms.
Wang Zhan touched his son's head, his nose was sour, "Go home! Daddy is here to help."
"Dad, sit down quickly!"
The son pulled his father to sit down, and a person next to him laughed and said: "Master Wang, your son is so sensible!"
Wang Zhan's face sank. This man was his neighbor Liu Hong. He was a scoundrel. He had harassed his wife several times. Wang Zhan found some shipbuilders and beat him up. He had been honest for a while. Why did he come here again tonight?
?
"What are you doing here?" Wang Zhan glared at him.
"I'm eating porridge here!"
The man took out a few coins and put them on the table, and said with a sarcastic face: "Your wife is waiting for me!"
Blood immediately rushed to Wang Zhan's forehead. The shame and humiliation made him clenched his fists to punch that ugly face so hard that he was about to explode.
At this time, a bowl of sugar porridge was gently placed in front of Wang Zhan, and a soft voice said: "Kunlun'er, get a spoon for father!"
His wife's soft voice reminded Wang Zhan that his son was still in his arms and he could not fight with scoundrels in front of his son.
He suppressed his anger and said coldly: "It seems that someone deserves a beating again!"
Liu Hong was even more proud, "Haha! Boss Hu and the others have gone to Jiangxia. You go to Jiangxia and call them back. Go!"
It turns out that several of the shipwrights left, no wonder this scoundrel started to become arrogant again.
In a fight, the skinny Wang Zhan would definitely not be able to defeat this scoundrel who was a head taller than him, so his wife asked him to hold back. She was afraid that her husband would be insulted by this scoundrel.
At this moment, several people walked up the road. The leader was a middle-aged man in Tsing Yi, about fifty years old, followed by several followers. They walked towards the stall.
Wang Zhan's son's eyes lit up and he hurriedly came to greet him, "Uncle, come and eat some sweet porridge!"
"Haha! Thank you, I would like to ask, is there a person named Wang Zhan here?"