All are inferior except for those who are good at reading, agriculture, industry, and commerce, and engineering ranks third. You told me that you want to do some research to make money? Do you still want me to agree?
Tang Yin made a serious face: "Zhu Hao, given your age and your intelligence, you should put study first and take the imperial examination as the right path."
It sounds serious, but this is Tang Yin's sincere advice.
Zhu Hao smiled and waved his hand: "Mr. Lu is serious, I didn't say I won't study, I just want to do some side work besides studying... To survive in this world, you can't just rely on studying. Mr. Lu himself is not versatile.
?By the way, speaking of reading, I have a few booklets in my carry-on luggage, all written by me. Mr. Lu can read them when he has time."
Tang Yin straightened his back and finally thought of letting me tutor you in your studies?
Children can be taught!
But I heard Zhu Hao add: "Those are narrative scripts and plays I wrote in my spare time. I told outsiders, including people from Prince Xing's Mansion, that Mr. Lu told me what he had nothing to do, and I just recorded it.
It would be boring if later Mr. Lu had the opportunity to meet people in Prince Xing's palace and was asked about it but knew nothing about it."
Tang Yin: "I..."
"By the way, Mr. Lu, I have prepared pens, inks, paper and inkstones for you. If you have time, you can make a few more paintings. There is someone who appreciates your paintings very much. You may want to sell them to him... Don't worry, I am definitely not a middleman.
To earn the difference, if you have a chance to meet him... maybe today, you can just sell it to him yourself... Living in seclusion in the countryside, it is very important to have money around you." Zhu Hao reminded.
Tang Yin felt very unhappy after hearing Zhu Hao say that he would sell his paintings.
Does this guy have any plans?
Even if you don't resell my paintings, if you introduce people, you will get a lot of benefits in the process. You are very smart in your calculations!
Tang Yin asked: "Who are you going to meet today?"
Zhu Hao said mysteriously: "Mr. Lu will know who he is when he sees him."
…
…
Zhu Hao then took Tang Yin to see his residence, which was also a thatched house prepared in advance.
It looks much better than the place where Zhu Hao lives. The room is fully furnished, and even the bed is a large bed made of nanmu. But compared with the carefully built "laboratory", it is not even a bit inferior.
Zhu Hao said: "This house was built years ago. It was originally intended for my mother and aunt to live in. The doors and windows are all brand new, and the roof is also equipped with glazed tiles, which fully ensures the indoor light. Unfortunately, it is still a thatched house... Mr. Lu is giving in here.
In a few days, I think we won’t stay too long. When we return to Changshou County, even if we can’t live in the high-walled courtyard of Prince Xing’s Mansion, we will be guaranteed a high bed and soft pillows.”
Tang Yin didn't pay much attention and waved his hand: "Actually, it's pretty good."
What more could a down-and-out scholar on the run ask for?
Tang Yin was about to clean up the bed, but Zhu Hao called him to the yard. Soon a village woman came to help clean up. Uncle Gen followed him into the yard and announced: "My little boss, there are several carriages coming from the entrance of the village. The guests in the car said
I’m looking for you.”
Tang Yin said: "Do you need me to avoid it?"
"No, since he came to see me, he also came to see Mr. Lu." Zhu Hao said.
Tang Yin immediately thought that the person who came was probably the "profiteer" who came to buy paintings that Zhu Hao had introduced to him. With his aloofness and pride, he obviously didn't want to do anything for money. He originally wanted to stay in the courtyard.
But thinking that he had just arrived and wanted to see what Zhu Hao was up to, he followed him out the door.
…
…
Arrive at the entrance of the village.
Tang Yin was dumbfounded when he saw the visitor.
Su Xigui?!
Why did he come in person?
Su Xigui came up with a smile on his face, cupped his hands and said: "Zhu Xiaoguan... Oh, Mr. Tang? Long time no see, long time no see!"
Tang Yin was betrayed in one sentence.
Tang Yin couldn't help but take a look at Zhu Hao, but saw the little guy looking at him with a smile.
And you said you don’t know Su Xigui?
What do you have to say now?
Tang Yin patiently raised his hands and said, "Dongzhu Su, are you okay?"
Su Xigui said with a smile: "Traveling around the world, exchanging what we need, in exchange for food, you have to hold the rice bowl in your hands securely whether you are in trouble or not... Mr. Zhu Xiaoguan, shall we go inside to talk?"
Zhu Hao said: "Please!"
Tang Yin felt sad for no reason, and suddenly he understood why Zhu Hao would go to great lengths to help him escape from the tiger's mouth, and even "tricked" him into coming to Anlu. His feelings were based on his "economic value".
Tang Yin had many paintings before, but only a handful of them were really willing to pay high prices for them.
Of course, calligraphy and painting are more valuable when famous people are dead. It is easy to be famous all over the world, but it is not practical to exchange calligraphy and painting into money.
Tang Yin asked with a straight face: "Why is Dongzhu Su here?"
Su Xigui said with a smile: "I am doing some small business in Anlu. Didn't I hear that Zhu Xiaoguan came back from Nanchang and came to have a look... I brought some small gifts by the way... It must be very hard for Mr. Tang to come all the way from Jiangxi, right?"
Prince Ning's wild ambitions have caused a smoky atmosphere in the place. Recently, my business has been deliberately avoiding Jiangxi. Except for Jiujiang and Nanchang, all other state capitals in Jiangxi and Jiangxi have no peace..."
Gu E
Su Xigui's words reminded Tang Yin in disguise that I had no intention of betraying you, so you don't need to worry about it.
Tang Yin was so depressed that he really regarded my calligraphy and painting as a business.
Just when Tang Yin felt that he was being targeted, Su Xigui said again for no reason: "How lucky is Mr. Tang to be able to be with Zhu Xiaoguan? I really envy Su..."
"Um!?"
Tang Yin felt awkward after hearing this.
Are you telling the opposite of what you said?
This boy is lucky to be with me, but why does it become my honor in your words? Don’t you, Su Xigui, want to buy my paintings?
Tongue is bald?
Don’t you even understand the basics of human nature?
…
…
The group of people arrived at the small courtyard where Zhu Hao stayed.
Zhu Hao arrived at the table and asked Su Xigui to sit down, but there was no tea to serve him. Zhu Hao was a little embarrassed: "Dr. Su, we have just arrived. We didn't have time to clean up, so we can't entertain you properly."
Su Xigui looked indifferent: "It doesn't matter, just sit down and talk and get things done. That's it. I sent someone to Qinzhou Prefecture in Guangdong to copy the salt-making process based on the salt-drying method that Zhu Xiaoguan gave me before.
After confirming that it was correct, it was reported to the imperial court. His Majesty's Majesty issued an edict and the Ministry of Internal Affairs supervised it. Two batches of salt were dried before and after the salt fields along the coast of Fuzhou Prefecture, Fujian Province, and the results were remarkable..."
Tang Yin was thinking about why he refused to paint for Su Xigui, but when he heard this, he was completely confused.
what are you guys saying?
Sun salt?
Some kind of code word?
Zhu Hao secretly marveled at Su Xigui's work efficiency, thinking that money can really make things work. It involved a large amount of money income, and even the Ming Dynasty, which had extremely low administrative efficiency, was running at high speed, and everything was done in two or three months.
, immediately smiled and said: "As long as it proves that the method is feasible."
Su Xigui had a look of disbelief on his face: "Of course it is possible. From the beginning, I have never doubted it... His Majesty personally issued a decree to commend it."
Zhu Hao smiled.
He knew very well that although the current emperor was said to be a coward, it was only because of his playfulness and mischief. It did not mean that Zhu Houzhao was a coward. On the contrary, in many things, Zhu Houzhao was full of adventurous and practical spirit, and his integrity was on Zhu Houzhao's side. He was scolded as a coward, but at the same time he was in charge of all the affairs of the court, and even the memorials and reviews were never neglected.
On the contrary, it was Zhu Houcong who Zhu Hao was determined to assist. During the second half of his reign as emperor, he simply ignored worldly affairs and cultivated a powerful minister like Yan Song who could dominate the world with one hand.
"But..."
Su Xigui then added, "There are no changes in official positions for the time being, because salt was dried in a small area before. However, His Majesty has decreed that salt flats will be built in various salt fields in southern Zhili this year for pilot projects. If everything goes well, Xia Salt will There is a large batch obtained from sun-salted salt, and the amount will be increased in the coming year."
Zhu Hao laughed and said nothing.
Tang Yin couldn't help it anymore and asked: "Dr. Su, are you talking about...sun salt? Is it possible that the imperial court intends to change boiled salt to sun salt? As I know, sun-dried salt has a lot of impurities, and I'm afraid it is not suitable for large-scale promotion. Bar?"
Su Xigui then remembered that there was Tang Yin sitting next to him, and he had actually snubbed this world-famous talent. He apologized: "Mr. Tang, you see that I was so careless that I forgot to tell you that the salt-drying method was actually practiced by Zhu Xiaoguan. Provided to Huangfantai, Huangfantai reported to the court after careful inspection...
"Now His Majesty has issued a commendation. Although Huang Fantai's official position has not been changed, there have been frequent letters from the DPRK and China recently. In particular, several bachelors in the cabinet and three ministers of the Ministry of Revenue have praised Huang Fantai..."
Only when Tang Yin came here did he really understand.
No wonder when Su Xigui arrived, he talked about how honored I was to follow Zhu Hao and how envious he was. He also left me aside in the cold. The purpose of his visit was not to ask for paintings at all, but to thank Zhu Hao for giving Huang Zan. What sun salt method is provided.
Although Su Xigui said that Huang Zan had no hope of promotion for the time being, the powerful people in the court often wrote letters of praise. This was not obvious. As long as the salt-drying method Huang Zan provided to the court this year was effective, Huang Zan would enter the central government, at least as a minister? From now on? Is it possible even to be a minister?
"I have come here this time to bring a small gift to Mr. Zhu Xiaoguan...and Mr. Tang. I hope you will accept it." As Su Xigui extended his hand to say hello, the entourage standing at the door immediately brought a few boxes in with his men. .
On one side, there are two boxes, one large and one small, stacked together, and on the other side, there is only one small box.
It is obvious that the large and small boxes are for Zhu Hao, and the other small box is for Tang Yin.
Su Xigui then asked people to open the large and small boxes, and Tang Yin almost jumped up from his seat... The bottom of the big box was cloth, silk and other items, and the top was snowflake silver, stacked one on top of another, there were at least five hundred taels. And the small box is full of gold...
"Six hundred taels of silver, eighty taels of red gold, and some silk fabrics, let Zhu Xiaoguan keep them with you as pocket money." Su Xigui said with a smile.
Tang Yin took a look at Zhu Hao. He knew very well how smart Su Xigui was. He actually offered such a generous reward, which showed that Zhu Hao had really helped Huang Zan a lot. Maybe he would ask for something from Zhu Hao in the future, so he would not hesitate to give generous gifts. .
Of course Zhu Hao has a good background. How could Su Xigui and Huang Zan not see that drying salt is not something that can be done simply by building a few salt ponds. There are too many ways to increase quality and production. Without Zhu Hao's continuous "after-sales service" , I’m afraid it’s difficult to achieve the best results.
You must know that the salt-drying method provided by Zhu Hao was not unavailable in the Ming Dynasty, but the technology was extremely backward. His technology was actually the crystallization of the wisdom of salt-drying workers in the Ming and Qing dynasties and even in modern times in the centuries to come.
"Why are you so polite, Mr. Su? I'm embarrassed." Zhu Hao looked embarrassed, "Didn't you pay for the buyout before?"
Tang Yin was worried for Zhu Hao.
If others give it to you, just keep it!
Why are you acting so pretentious here? It's like you think that if you take money and don't do things for others, they will let you go... If you don't take the money, you won't get it for free.