Ming Dynasty: My Father Zhang Juzheng

Chapter 117: Funds must flow before there will be loopholes
After Zheng Xier became pregnant, Zhang Yunxiu did not dare to be careless and specially found two experienced midwives to serve her personally.

At the same time, for five or six days in a row, Zhang Yunxiu stayed by Zheng Xier's side, making her feel annoyed to the point of being unable to bear it.

In the living room of the bedroom, Zheng Xier leaned on the cushion, looking at the anxious Zhang Yunxiu, her mouth pursed, and she couldn't help but said angrily: "You'd better go out and walk around. With your way of taking care of me, I haven't even given birth yet, but you've already confused me."

"You really don't need me to accompany you?" Zhang Yunxiu asked.

"No, I'm not that valuable. Just go and take care of your own business." Zheng Xier smiled and urged, "I'm still a little uncomfortable with you staying by my side all the time."

"Okay, are you starting to get annoyed with me now?" Zhang Yunxiu pretended to be angry, but he was actually happy in his heart.

He knew that Zheng Xier didn't want to drag him down.

The two of them had been close for a long time, and since Zheng Xier was pregnant, she became bolder: "I just dislike you. Go out and do your work. When you are done and Xier has given birth, you can do whatever you want."

Zhang Yunxiu smiled and nodded, stood up and kissed Zheng Xier on the forehead, then left the living room without looking back.

Zheng Xier smiled foolishly, and a unique blush appeared on her pretty face.

After leaving Zheng Xier's bedroom, Zhang Yunxiu looked up at the clear sky and felt a lot more relaxed.

To be honest, when he saw Zheng Xier, he wished she would give birth to the baby immediately.

Those days of waiting were long and torturous.

Now, Zheng Xier took the initiative to ask him to go out to do some work. He just took a walk outside and the child was born.

Thinking of this, Zhang Yunxiu's mouth curled up, and he was extremely happy in his heart.

Walking out of the courtyard quickly, Zhang Yunxiu went straight to the Jinyiwei Beizhenfu Division. As soon as he entered the official hall, Han San heard the noise and smiled and welcomed Zhang Yunxiu into his office to sit down.

Running around, serving tea and water.

Zhang Yunxiu signaled him to stop working and asked him to sit in front of him. He then asked, "Han San, how many monks are willing to join our fleet now?"

"There are not many people, only about fifty." Han San answered respectfully.

"What about the rest of the people? Do they think the money is not enough?" Zhang Yunxiu couldn't help but ask with a suspicious look on his face.

"No, it's mainly because I'm afraid of having a bad reputation." Han San smiled awkwardly, and then said, "These monks used to be monks, but now they've suddenly become thugs for the caravan. It's a bit uncomfortable psychologically."

You can’t even get enough to eat, and you still care about your face?

Zhang Yunxiu curled his lips. It was hard to reason with these bald donkeys.

You look down on me, and I look down on you too.

Feeling sullen in his heart, Zhang Yunxiu instructed Han San: "In that case, we should find a way to recruit some young and strong men from the people. Remember, we are not an army, we are a chamber of commerce, a chamber of commerce."

"I understand." Han San nodded and smiled.

"By the way, it is said that Zhao Yuanda opened a shop in Beijing and his business is booming?" Zhang Yunxiu lowered his head and pondered for a moment. As if he thought of something, he couldn't help asking Han Sandao.

"That's right. Many men in Beijing go to his place." Han San grinned.

"You went too?" Zhang Yunxiu asked, leaning sideways.

Han San's face flushed, and his expression became extremely unnatural. His eyes wandered, and he turned his gaze elsewhere, and replied in a low voice: "I don't need it. I take care of my health every day."

Just be tough.

Zhang Yunxiu smiled, but didn't expose her. Then he stood up and walked out of the hut: "Come on, accompany me to visit the capital."

"As ordered."

The two of them walked one in front and one behind, and did not ride in a carriage, but walked around the capital city. Finally, in the evening of that day, they arrived at Chongwenmen.

At this time, the sky had not yet completely darkened. The blood-red sunset was casting its afterglow, and the white roofs reflected each other, stirring up a different kind of color.

A wisp of smoke floated in the air, and the smell of fireworks followed the cold wind and penetrated into Zhang Yunxiu's nostrils.

Zhang Yunxiu stood on the top of the city wall, looking at Beijing, and everything in front of him seemed to become insignificant.

"Beijing is so big." Zhang Yunxiu held onto the damp and cold city wall and couldn't help but sigh.

"Yes, it is such a city. Every order he issues can change the situation in the world." Han San followed forward and echoed with a smile.

"Hahaha, you are just a small commander, and now you are concerned about the situation in the world?"

Zhang Yunxiu grinned and tilted his head to tease Han San. Han San was not annoyed, but took the opportunity to flatter Zhang Yunxiu: "I have been with you for a long time, so I naturally understand some things."

"You, your lips are as sweet as honey. I can't argue with you."

"It's all because of the good training you gave me."

Zhang Yunxiu looked at Han San who was bending down humbly, smiled, and did not reply.

The two of them stood on the top of Chongwenmen City, quietly admiring the scenery.

Not until the Golden Crow was shrouded in darkness and the moonlight climbed up the city wall did the two of them leave the city gate and walk on the deserted streets.

After walking along the street for a while, Zhang Yunxiu suddenly thought of something and couldn't help asking, "By the way, didn't we ask the emperor for permission to have the Arms Bureau allocate 300 muskets and 20 cannons to the fleet? How is the quality of those muskets and cannons? Have you inspected them?"

"It's very bad. Many of them are old antiques, and some are older than us." Han Sanyi frowned and said in a low voice.

Zhang Yunxiu stopped with a gloomy face.

Han San braked suddenly, and the two looked at each other. Han San took the lead in explaining, "In fact, it's not the people in the Military Equipment Bureau who are to blame. This fucking Military Equipment Bureau was originally under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Industry. During the reign of Emperor Chengzu, the Shenjiying was very famous, so it was natural for the emperor to have such a sharp weapon in his hands."

"So, the Military Equipment Bureau came under the joint jurisdiction of the Ministry of Industry and the Imperial Household."

"This money leaves the Ministry of Revenue, where there are ministers, assistant ministers, and doctors in charge. Then there are the ministers, assistant ministers, and doctors in charge of the Ministry of Works. The eunuchs also have to get involved."

"Originally, the bird gun cost fifteen taels each, but if the craftsman still has five taels of silver left, that's good enough."

hiss.
The more money changed hands, the more people wanted to get their hands on it. Zhang Yunxiu remembered a wise saying from an old accountant in later generations: "There will be loopholes only when funds flow. The longer the flow line, the more room there is for manipulation."

If things are allowed to develop in this way, the Armament Bureau will sooner or later be destroyed in the hands of this group of people.

After figuring this out, Zhang Yunxiu asked Han San with his eyes squinting: "Who is in charge of supervising the Military Equipment Bureau?"

"Liu Gui, the director of the Ministry of Works, and Sun Yuan, the ambassador of the Military Equipment Bureau." Han San thought for a moment and answered respectfully.

"Do you know where Sun Yuan's family is?"

"Yes, it's just two alleys to the left of Chongwenmen."

"Let's go to his house and take a look."

Zhang Yunxiu was anxious and urged Han San to lead the way. The two of them headed straight for Sun Yuan's home in the dark.

After turning two dark streets, Han San and Zhang Yunxiu arrived at a small courtyard with a faint light.

The courtyard was very shabby, with potholes all over the seven-foot square door panel, giving it a sense of desolation at first glance.

Without waiting for Zhang Yunxiu to speak, Han San took a few steps forward, stretched out his fist, and gently knocked on the door.

"I'm coming."

Soon, there was a burst of hurried footsteps from inside, "Be gentle, be gentle, don't you see what time it is now? If you break our door, will you compensate me?"

"Branch."

A harsh voice sounded, and a middle-aged woman poked half of her head out of the door. She turned her yellow eyes to glance at the two of them and asked, "Who are you looking for?"

"Is this Sun Yuan's house?" Zhang Yunxiu asked.

"Yes, what's wrong?" the middle-aged woman replied.

"Oh, that's right." Zhang Yunxiu smiled, "We are officials from the Ministry of Industry. We have some matters to discuss with Sun Yuan. Since the matter is urgent, we can only come to bother you, my sister-in-law."

"Ah! It's the boss of the Ministry of Works." The middle-aged woman's attitude suddenly became much better. She opened the wooden door and called Zhang Yunxiu and the other man to come in. At the same time, she shouted at the top of her voice, "Boss, come out quickly. The boss of the Ministry of Works wants to see you."

"I'm coming."

A thin middle-aged man, wearing only a single garment, ran out quickly.

It was Sun Yuan, the ambassador of the Military Equipment Bureau.

An official of the ninth rank.

Seeing Zhang Yunxiu and Han San, Sun Yuan turned his eyes and looked at them. He felt that they looked unfamiliar, so he couldn't help asking, "Why are you two here?"

"It's about the bird gun." Zhang Yunxiu said, and walked straight into the main hall of the Sun family.

really.

Sun Yuanyi was in pain and followed the two of them closely.

The group sat in the main room. Sun Yuan's wife lit a charcoal fire to keep them warm, and then left.

Zhang Yunxiu turned his eyes and scanned Sun Yuan's main room. Seeing that it was cold and damp, and there were a lot of miscellaneous items piled up in the corner, he asked, "Mr. Sun, you are also an official of high rank in the court. Why do you still have such a hard life?"

"That's nothing. I got some extra salary this year. Otherwise, we wouldn't even be able to repair the roof." Sun Yuan laughed at himself.

The salary of a ninth-rank official was five stone and five dou of rice per month, which was much better than that of the common people.

It's just that everything in the capital is expensive, and as a minor official he has little to gain from his job, so he can only make ends meet on his salary.

"Ambassador Sun, let me just ask you one question: do you want to live in a big house?" Zhang Yunxiu tempted.

"Who doesn't want to?" Sun Yuan asked with his eyes squinting.

"That's good to think about. Then tell me, how much silver does the Military Equipment Bureau need to make a qualified bird gun?" Zhang Yunxiu took the opportunity to ask.

Seeing that the two men were very impressive and asked about such confidential matters right away, Sun Yuan could not help but become alert. "I don't know much about this either. Only the craftsmen know. I am just an outsider after all."

At this time, Han San, who had been silent all along, frowned and suddenly interrupted in a harsh voice: "Sun Yuan, stop playing dumb with me. The fact that we can find you means that we know everything about you."

"Tell the truth."

As he said this, he slammed the Jinyiwei's gold medal on the table.

When Sun Yuan saw this, he was so frightened that his legs trembled, and he kept begging for mercy, "Shangguan, spare me, Shangguan, spare me, I shouldn't have stolen the iron from the Armory Bureau to sell, I shouldn't have stolen the iron from the Armory Bureau to sell."

"What a mess! I'm asking you, how much silver does it cost to make a qualified bird gun?" Zhang Yunxiu was too lazy to talk about these dirty things and just continued with the previous question.

Sun Yuan secretly cursed himself for being too talkative and hated himself for speaking too quickly.

He tilted his head to think for a moment, then said timidly, "At least seven or eight taels of silver."

"Then why don't you offer fifteen taels of silver?" Han San cursed from the side.

"It's not me who decides how much silver this bird gun costs. It's the big men in the inner palace and the Ministry of Works who decide it. I'm just responsible for the execution. Besides, the silver I have is only 7 or 8 taels."

"Alright, alright, we are not here to call for punishment." Zhang Yunxiu knew that the water was deep and he did not want to get stuck in it, so he just ordered, "We will give you enough iron now, you make 300 qualified bird guns for us."

"I won't play tricks with you. I'll make you a bird gun. Once it passes the inspection, I'll give you one tael of silver."

If we record the items directly, the efficiency should be much higher than eating from a big pot.

"One tael of silver?" Sun Yuan's eyes widened.

"You think it's too much? Then five cents."

"Not too much, not too little, just enough."

(End of this chapter)