Summary of the previous chapter: After leaving the Zhang family, Ma Xiaoquan did not go back directly to the Ma family. Instead, he went to the palace to greet Emperor Zhu Youxiao of Tianqi...
"Haha... Emperor brother, Ma Aiqing, don't be polite. Come, eat together, eat together." Zhu Youxiao gave in with a smile, and motioned to Zhu Youjian and Ma Xiaoquan to use chopsticks to pick up the food.
Zhu Youjian picked up the chopsticks naturally, said respectfully "Thank you, brother emperor", and then started to eat gracefully. Ma Xiaoquan, on the other hand, looked at Zhu Youjian awkwardly and did not dare to move his chopsticks.
"Huh? What's the matter, Ma Aiqing, isn't my food delicious?"
Ma Xiaoquan quickly shook his head and waved his hands, stood up and said respectfully: "No, no, no, Your Majesty, it is delicious, very delicious, but I feel that I am so honored that my hands are shaking so much that I can't hold the chopsticks."
Zhu Youxiao laughed and said: "It doesn't matter, just go ahead and eat. There are a lot of meals prepared today, and I can't finish them all by myself. Well, my dear brother, you're welcome, go ahead and eat!"
Zhu Youjian nodded and hummed softly.
During the meal, Zhu Youxiao put down his chopsticks and asked Ma Xiaoquan: "Ma Aiqing, I heard from the emperor's brother that there is a family in Beijing that is not doing well recently. Is that so?"
Ma Xiaoquan was stunned for a moment, looked at Zhu Youjian, and saw Zhu Youjian nodded lightly. Ma Xiaoquan put down his chopsticks and said respectfully: "I would like to inform the emperor, this matter... I don't dare to say anything."
....."
"Huh?" Zhu Youxiao's face darkened and he said unhappily, "Is there anything you can't say in front of me? How did you become the deacon of the Imperial Guard?"
Ma Xiaoquan pretended to be frightened and knelt down in front of Zhu Youxiao, complaining: "Your Majesty, it's not that I don't want to tell you. There are too many stories in this. I am afraid to tell you. Your Majesty, are you angry?"
"Humph, since you know, tell me. If you don't tell me, I will be even more angry!"
Ma Xiaoquan raised his head and looked at Zhu Youjian who was next to Zhu Youxiao. When he saw the other person nodded slightly at him, Ma Xiaoquan said: "Your Majesty, what the prince said is indeed what happened. It is because of this matter that Weichen specially sent someone to detail it.
After some investigation, Your Majesty, in fact, this matter is simple to say. It is that in our Sijiu City, someone is amassing money wantonly under your banner. Oh, this is not over yet. After making money, they still don’t give the money away.
Turn it over to the treasury.”
"What?" Zhu Youxiao was furious. Although he had always been addicted to carpentry, he knew many things well. In his opinion, as long as it didn't hurt his muscles and bones, and it wasn't a matter of fighting, he wouldn't do it.
So he cares too much, but... secretly amassing money in his own name, and then not paying a penny after making money? Is this a royal law? Does he take the entire emperor seriously?
"Ma Xiaoquan, tell me, which family is this? Damn it."
Ma Xiaoquan said solemnly: "Your Majesty, it is... a family named Zhang..."
"The family named Zhang?" Zhu Youxiao narrowed his eyes.
Zhu Youjian raised his hands and said respectfully: "Brother Emperor, the family member surnamed Zhang has also heard about it. By the way, their family has recently been selling a kind of water called Wild Mountain Water, which tastes good."
"Wild landscape? What is that?"
Zhu Youjian said: "It's just the water we drink, but it tastes much better than the water we drink."
"Oh? Okay, I want to taste it now. What kind of water is it?"
Zhu Youjian nodded and said with a smile: "My brother has already prepared it for the emperor."
"Well, then bring it up and I'll drink it."
...
"Wild Landscape" was presented, Zhu Youjian poured a cup for Zhu Youxiao and respectfully presented it in front of his brother.
Zhu Youjian picked up the water glass, first put it in front of his nose and smelled it, then looked at the color of the water, then slowly put the water glass to his mouth and took a small sip.
"Brother Emperor, how does it taste?" Zhu Youjian asked.
"Well, this water tastes very soft." Zhu Youxiao nodded and drank all the water in the cup.
Zhu Youjian smiled and said: "Yes, I didn't believe that this water could taste so good at first. After drinking it, I fell in love with this water... However, the price of this water
But it’s not cheap.”
"Huh? How much can I sell this water for? One jar is worth a lot of money, right?"
Zhu Youjian shook his head and stretched out two fingers: "Two taels of silver and one jar."
"What, two taels of silver and a jar?"
"Yes, brother Huang, this Ma Xiaoquan can testify."
Ma Xiaoquan said respectfully: "Your Majesty, this water is delicious. It is indeed only two taels of silver per jar, but the quantity of this jar is pretty good."
"Well, it tastes good. Two taels of silver for a bottle is a bit too exaggerated. Is this water made by the Zhang family?"
"Yes, in fact, the price of this water could have been reduced to 1 yuan, but the Zhang family controlled my water source in Beijing, so..."
"What? Beijing City is a water source? It is actually controlled by the Zhang family? How brave are they?" Zhu Youxiao said angrily.
"Your Majesty, please appease your anger. Your Majesty, please appease your anger." Ma Xiaoquan said respectfully, "We have also done an investigation. We originally wanted to go deeper, but we encountered resistance... Your Majesty and the Imperial Guards have all encountered resistance. This matter needs to be dealt with personally by Your Majesty."
It’s time to ride out.”
How could Zhu Youxiao withstand the joint deception of Ma Xiaoquan and Zhu Youjian? He nodded and said: "Okay, then I will take action."
"Brother Emperor," Zhu Youjian said, "Brother Emperor, I'm afraid your intervention will cause troubles from some ministers in the court. Why don't you grant authority to me, and I will help you share the burden, and it will be solved by then."
, I will report the situation to the emperor as soon as possible."
Zhu Youxiao thought for a moment and said: "Well, if I come forward in this matter, those old guys will indeed be the culprits. Brother Chen, I'll give you a hard time, uh, I'll lend you Ma Xiaoquan of Jinyiwei."
"
Zhu Youjian was overjoyed when he heard this, but he pretended to be very serious on his face: "Thank you very much, brother. I will definitely live up to the order of the emperor and investigate this matter thoroughly!"
Zhu Youxiao waved his hand: "Okay, you two can go home safely. I want to do carpentry work."
Ma Xiaoquan and Zhu Youjian looked at each other, and they said in unison: "Wei Chen, my brother, please retire."
...
After leaving the Yangxin Hall, Zhu Youjian patted Ma Xiaoquan on the shoulder and praised: "Ma Xiaoquan, you performed very well."
Ma Xiaoquan bowed his body and whispered: "This is also the cultivation of the prince."
"Well, okay, go check it out about the wild mountains and rivers, and I'll do you a favor."
Ma Xiaoquan shook his head and corrected: "Your Majesty, actually Weichen is doing you a favor. Think about it, as long as we find a way to seize all the Zhang family's business, when the prince succeeds one day...
...Then the treasury will be filled with a lot of money..."