Today's Lan Yu is completely different from what he was back then. He has been depressed and frustrated over the years, his energy is gone, and he is getting older.
I am fifty-seven years old and am about to enter my sixtieth year.
"You are such a busy person today, why do you think of me here?" Lan Yu asked with a smile, picking up the teapot and adding a cup of tea to him.
Li Qing gently held the tea cup and said with a smile: "Isn't this a break in the busy schedule?"
Looking at Lan Yu, who was already showing his age, Li Qing sighed inwardly and joked: "You won't drink anymore?"
"No." Lan Yu shook her head and sighed, "I can't bear to accept my old age. My bones are getting worse day by day. Alas... I really want to go to Mobei to fight again."
Li Qing was silent, Zhu Yunwen didn't use sapphire, and Zhu Di didn't know how to use sapphire.
Both of them did not want Lan Yu to lead the troops, firstly to weaken his influence, and secondly because of Zhu Yunxi.
Zhu Yunxi's status was too special, or in other words, too noble. Even Zhu Di was wary of him.
Li Qing couldn't say anything about this kind of thing, and even if he did, Zhu Di might not agree.
Lan Yu took a sip of tea and asked: "How is the situation outside the customs?"
"On the surface, it seems to be stable." Li Qing frowned, "However, the details still need to be verified. When the Jin Yiwei becomes stronger, I will prepare to report to the emperor and let the Jin Yiwei go inquire about the situation."
"Yeah." Lan Yu nodded and said no more.
The two sat in silence for a long time, losing the warmth they had before, but still treating each other as friends in their hearts. However, due to the turmoil of the situation, it was difficult to return to the past.
Finally, Li Qing took Lan Yu's pulse, prescribed Zhang Danfang, and asked him to take good care of his body.
Lan Yu accepted his kindness and got up to see him out.
After leaving Liang Guogong's Mansion, Li Qing looked up at the sky and was stunned for a long time. Then he turned around and went to Cao Guogong's Mansion.
Li Jinglong also looked depressed and unhappy without him. Zhu Di accepted his affection but did not use him.
He was once an emperor and a minister. Although Li Jinglong helped Zhu Di a lot, he was still an old minister of Jianwen. Zhu Di was relieved not to have a team from Prince Yan's palace.
Not only Li Jinglong, but also Changxing Marquis Geng Bingwen and Wuding Marquis Guo Ying.
Zhu Di gave them a lot of rewards, but did not delegate any power to them, and even weakened them by secretly poking at them.
Zhu Di even wanted to seduce them, but Li Qing and Dao Yan worked together to dissuade them.
The emperor is ruthless, nothing more than that.
The reason why Li Qing is still reused is because his contribution is great enough, but more importantly, he is neither civilized nor military and has no influence in the army.
The two exchanged a few words and then came to the living room and sat down.
Li Jinglong smiled and said, "Brother Li finally came here, and we brothers must have a good drink today."
"Then it's better to be respectful than to obey." Li Qing smiled and nodded.
After the food and wine were served, the two of them drank one cup at a time, chatting about the mountains and reminiscing about the past...
The dandy boy who used to sneak into brothels with a gold-painted fan is now a mature and restrained middle-aged man.
Li Jing didn't have much talent for breast augmentation, but he wasn't a fool either. The two of them kept chatting until the evening, when Li Qing got up and left.
"Brother Li."
"Huh?" Li Qingdu was out of the door. When he heard Li Jinglong calling him, he turned around and said with a smile, "What's wrong?"
Li Jinglong stepped forward slowly and said softly: "He is exactly the same as Taizu, he is a true emperor, but because of this, you should... Forget it, I can't persuade you;
However, brother, I don’t want anything to happen to you, so in the future you should keep a low profile. Being an emperor and a courtier, like you and me, is the most embarrassing thing."
Patting Li Qing's shoulder, Li Jinglong said seriously, "Think about yourself in everything."
"Yes, I wrote it down for my brother."
…
Seven days later, the Weaving Bureau officially started work.
Textile workers reported on time, and Li Qing divided these people into classes according to the processes they were good at, and then followed up step by step.
Silkworms, looms, and dyes were all ready-made goods purchased from Fu Shen, which saved a lot of effort. The weaving bureau skipped the tedious process and started directly from boiling cocoons and drawing silk.
During this period, Li Qing'e gained a lot of knowledge about silk weaving. Although he couldn't weave, he understood it very well.
During the trial production stage, only experienced workers are allowed to do the work, while they themselves find faults, make suggestions, and explain precautions to workers who are not familiar with the work.
After working hard for more than half a month, when Li Qing looked at the silkworm cocoons turning into exquisite silk step by step, he felt a deep sense of satisfaction and pride.
So far, only China and the Ming Dynasty can weave such gorgeous things.
This pattern, this color, this feel... Li Qing stroked it gently and couldn't help but sigh: "This is luxury, real luxury."
He is absolutely confident that once such a luxury product is sold overseas, it will definitely drive those foreigners crazy.
Overseas countries simply cannot make such a thing. The price is determined by Ming Dynasty.
In addition, there are porcelain, tea, spices... Thinking of these, Li Qing's heart is full of flowers, and she has a lot of money!
A month later, the Weaving Bureau was back on track, but Li Qing was still very busy, busy following up on the progress, checking the quality, and... taking care of the eunuchs.
There was no other way. The fourth child was worried about the civil servants and asked the eunuch to supervise the weaving bureau. He could only lead a group of incompetent people all day long and teach them step by step.
Fortunately, although these people have little knowledge, they are all smart, and Li Qing doesn't have to work hard to teach them.
The three girls stayed with him and moved into the Weaving Bureau, where they helped during the day and at night.
Sometimes in the wing room, sometimes in the office room. Generally speaking, the life is very nourishing, busy and leisurely.
After following for more than two months, it was midsummer and when he saw that everything was on track, Li Qing put aside his picks and went back to enjoy life.
In June, Jinling is unbearably hot and dry, but fortunately there are ice cubes, so it’s not too hot.
…
Li Qing half-reclined on the recliner, propped up a fishing rod, and had ice-cold watermelon and sour plum soup on the small table. He took a sip of thirsty water and felt refreshed and comfortable.
"Sir, the fish has bitten the hook." Wan Ling reminded in a low voice.
Li Qing woke up from his nap. With a flick of his wrist, a plump fish was lifted up.
After taking off the fish and putting them in the bamboo basket, Li Qing stood up and said with a smile, "There are three in total, one is steamed, one is braised, and the remaining one is stewed in fish soup. We have lunch."
Wan Ling smiled, "Just eat fish?"
"Girl, what do you want to eat?" Li Qing asked with a smile.
"Hmm..." Wan Ling thought for a while, "Do you still have those preserved eggs that Mr. made last time?"
"Yes!" Li Qing held the bamboo basket in one hand and led her back with the other, "You said you lost your appetite just looking at it."
"Oh, it doesn't look good, but it tastes delicious." Wan Ling said with a smile.
Li Qing laughed dumbly, "If you want to eat, give me a bite, sir."
"There's someone here."
"Then do you want to eat?"
"Mu~"
A gust of wind blows her green silk hair and gently lifts her emerald pleated skirt. The beauty is no longer youthful, but she is still charming.
Lunch was a pleasant one, eating and chatting. Li Qing talked more, even a little bit nagging, and shouted one girl at a time, which made the three girls happy.
Playing the piano and chess, the harsh sun gradually subsided, Li Qing took them out for a shopping trip, buying some clothes, jewelry, rouge and gouache;
The three women were shopping in a clothing store to choose clothes for their husbands, which was warm and relaxing.
But there are always some people who he can't stand Li Qing's enjoyment of, such as: Zhu Laosi.
When Zhu Di saw Li Qing eating, drinking and having fun all day long, he became very angry. The salary from the court was being distributed continuously, so how could he not work?
So, find him a job.
——Compile a book!
In the imperial study room, after listening to the tasks assigned by Zhu Di, Li Qing shook his head decisively: "Your Majesty, I have no education!"
"Fart, you are just lazy." Zhu Di refused to believe it.
"Your Majesty, you know that I have no fame." Li Qing said helplessly, "Xie Jin, Huang Huai, Jin Youzi... which one of them is not better than me?"
He is really not lazy, he is really not good at literary talent, and as for what he learned in later generations... he has forgotten it a long time ago.
Even if I still remember some theories, it is difficult to put them to use in this era with no foundation.
"Your Majesty, it's okay for me to do things, but it's really difficult for me to write a book..."
Writing a book was too painful, and he really didn’t want to write it!
Seeing that he was really resisting, Zhu Di did not force anyone to do anything. He said angrily: "Okay, but you can't be idle all the time. The salary I will give you is at the same level as the Duke of the country. If you don't work all day, your conscience will not hurt."
?
Are you worthy of your salary?"
Barabara...
Li Qing was so annoyed by his quarrel that he arranged a job for him in turn: "Your Majesty, the situation outside the customs requires more attention. Now that the Jin Yiwei has grown stronger, you might as well send the Jin Yiwei to Mobei to inquire about the military situation and prepare for the future Northern Expedition."
"Well, that makes sense." Zhu Di nodded, "How about you go?"
"Inappropriate, this is inappropriate..." Li Qing waved his hands repeatedly and had no choice but to take the job, "I would like to visit the Longjiang Shipyard. The emperor wants to achieve great achievements, and he can't do it without money, don't you think?"
"Yeah, that's fine." Zhu Di nodded, "As long as you don't sit around at home all day long, how can you be idle at your age?"
"..." Li Qing said helplessly, "Your Majesty, you know that I am no younger than you."
Zhu Di glanced sideways at him, "But I see you... you are in good health, no less than a young man of 18, and you look alive."