Ming Dynasty: My Father Zhang Juzheng

Chapter 148 No money!

In March, the sun is high in the sky, and the warm sunlight shines down from the dome and onto the glazed tiles of the residence of Grand Secretary Zhang.

It reflects on the flower beds on the side, making the delicate and juicy flowers look charming.

White clouds are floating and the breeze is gentle.

The fragrance of flowers wafts through the spring breeze, sweeping into every corner of the courtyard.

In the small pavilion next to the flower garden, Zhang Yunxiu and Zhang Juzheng sat opposite each other.

"Go ahead." Zhang Juzheng ordered with a stern face.

"Beat him!" Zhang Yunxiu glanced at his old father and squeezed out a word from between his teeth.

Zhang Juzheng slammed the table, puffed his beard and glared, "Fight? Do you know how much it would cost just to recruit civilians, ships, and mobilize the army? Do you really think the court's money came from the wind?"

"Isn't it?" Zhang Yunxiu asked without thinking.

"Rebellious son, what nonsense are you talking about?!"

Zhang Juzheng's face darkened and he glared at his son.

Zhang Yunxiu didn't look at him, staring at his father and said loudly: "Father, after we have this silver dollar, money will come like the wind from now on."

"Think about it, when the French and the Nanyang people trade with our Ming Dynasty, the silver in their hands is in taels. They have to change it into silver dollars before they can trade with us."

"As time went by, their silver flowed into the Ming Dynasty like watermelons."

"That's not how you want to use it." Zhang Juzheng replied, biting his cheek.

"This money is only money if it is spent. If it is not spent, it is just a lump of silver. Besides, war is not about burning money, but making money, a huge money-making business!" Zhang Yunxiu took the opportunity to walk up to his father, bowed, and spoke out his thoughts.

"After winning, you gain much more than you lose."

"What if you lose the fight?"

"If you lose, keep fighting until you win!"

"It's easy for you to say that. After the defeat, the Tatars in the north will become restless again."

Zhang Juzheng shook his head, obviously not daring to attack rashly. Zhang Yunxiu stamped his feet and patted his chest to guarantee: "We won't lose. We will find a way to advance the military expenses first, and the Ministry of Revenue will settle it for us later."

The Ming Dynasty is such a big country that the Japanese pirates would not be able to turn the tables even if they lost five or six times, let alone one or two times.

Besides, the battle hasn't even started yet, so how can we think about losing?

Now the Japanese island is still a loose sand. All he needs to do is to use one faction to fight against another and stir up conflicts between them. Wouldn't that be easy for him to control?

"Put it there first?" Zhang Juzheng murmured, his brows furrowed into a big pimple.

He had heard that his son had made some money in business, but he didn't expect that he would be so arrogant as to advance military expenses.

That's not just tens of thousands of taels, but hundreds of thousands or even millions of taels.

"Tell me the truth, how much money do you have?" After a moment of shock, Zhang Juzheng stared into his son's eyes and asked.

Zhang Yunxiu blinked and grinned, "No money."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Juzheng's face darkened instantly. He slammed the stone table heavily, pointed at Zhang Yunxiu and shouted: "Then you are teasing me here?! Well, it seems that the lesson last time was not light, and you don't remember it!"

"My son has no money, but there are plenty of rich people in Ming Dynasty."

"What do you mean?"

"Borrow money from someone." Zhang Yunxiu curled his lips, signaling his old father to be patient, and then moved the stool towards him, "I plan to raise some military funds from the people, and promise them that after the mission is accomplished, their money will be returned in full, and we will give them 10% of the spoils."

Zhang Juzheng thought it was a brilliant plan, but it turned out to be a plan to extort money from the people. He was immediately furious and pointed at his son and asked, "You little boy, do you know that if you fail, these people will be ruined and their families will be destroyed?"

"They are ordinary people. Besides, the Ministry of Revenue has a guarantee for them."

"After all the twists and turns, you still want the court to pay for this." Zhang Juzheng came to his senses, stood up, stared at his son and said word by word, "The silver reserves in Taicang are insufficient, but there is not so much silver for these soldiers to squander."

"Father."

"You go down."

"Ugh."

Zhang Yunxiu let out a long sigh and walked away from the pavilion.

That evening, Zhang Yunxiu came to visit Li Youzi, intending to extort money from the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.

Unexpectedly, before he even entered, the guard at the door told him directly: "Our master has gone out to inspect the customs, so please go back."

Zhang Yunxiu was stunned for a moment in the carriage, then gritted his teeth and ordered, "Go to the small house."

Once they entered the backyard, Zheng Xier and her men came over with a smile. Zhang Yunxiu was upset, so he waved his hand to let the servants go down, and picked up Zheng Xier by the waist and went to the inner room.

After a period of indulgence, Zhang Yunxiu lay on the bed with his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling.

Zheng Xier's face flushed, sweat dripped, and her eyes were seductive. She exhaled orchid fragrance and leaned her head towards Zhang Yunxiu's chest.

"My husband, are you worried about something?" After a few seconds of silence, Zheng Xier raised her eyelids and glanced at Zhang Yunxiu, and said softly, "If my husband has any worries, just tell Xier."

"How much money is left in our account?" Zhang Yunxiu glanced down at his wife and asked directly.

Pursing her lips and thinking for a moment, Zheng Xier said softly: "If you don't buy any more goods, you still have 70,000 taels of silver."

"So many?" Zhang Yunxiu was surprised.

"After we get the goods, there won't be much left." Zheng Xier smiled and shook her head, then said, "My husband, are you in urgent need of money? If so, Xier can buy less goods."

"Then how much money will be left after maintaining the normal operation of the shop?"

"Fifty thousand, maybe."

"Give me all this silver."

"Okay, Xier will go and give the silver to my husband tomorrow."

Zheng Xier smiled and nodded in agreement. Zhang Yunxiu grabbed her neck and said jokingly, "You agreed so readily without asking me what I'm going to do with the money?"

"No need to ask. If my husband is willing to tell, he will definitely tell Xier. If my husband is unwilling to tell, then if Xier asks, it will make it difficult for my husband." Zheng Xier pouted and said reasonably.

"So good." Hearing the voice, Zhang Yunxiu aimed at Zheng Xier's pretty face and gave her a big kiss.

He found that he was becoming more and more dependent on this woman.

She is considerate and obedient. Talking to her can relieve his fatigue and troubles, and making love with her can make him feel relaxed and happy.

After a moment of feeling, Zhang Yunxiu looked at Zheng Xier's twinkling almond eyes, put his mouth close to her earlobe, exhaled hot air and said, "Actually, it doesn't hurt to tell you what this money is used for."

"After all, this is also related to you."

"Is it related to me?" Zheng Xier became interested and stared at Zhang Yunxiu, urging him to continue.

Zhang Yunxiu grinned and said in a deliberately controlled tone, "I plan to use this money to support a concubine. Do you think it has anything to do with you?"

"Oh."

Zheng Xier's eyes dimmed instantly. She said "Oh" perfunctorily and buried her head in the quilt.

"Why don't you ask who it is?"

"Xi'er shouldn't have asked! Whoever the young master likes is fine. Xi'er is just a concubine, how can she have the right to comment on this or that?"

Hearing Zheng Xier's sour words, Zhang Yunxiu laughed out loud.

At this time, Zheng Xier also reacted, and poked her head out from the quilt, and snorted with tears in her eyes: "You, you bad guy, I trust you so much, and you still say these nonsense to scare me."

"Don't cry!"

"Xier didn't cry. Xier's eyes were just blown by the wind."

Seeing the fragile side of this woman, Zhang Yunxiu's face was full of heartache.

He stretched out his hand and gently pulled Zheng Xier into his arms, saying softly, "Xier, don't worry, I will definitely use this 50,000 taels of silver for the right purpose, and I will return it to you double when the time comes."

"This is all my husband's own money, what else is my husband going to pay back?"

"It's different. This money is earned by you bit by bit through hard work. If I take it like this, how can you make money for me?"

When Zheng Xier heard this, she felt as if she had eaten honey in her heart, but she said arrogantly: "So... So, my husband just treats Xier as a tool to make money."

"You are still my wife, Xuan'er's mother." Zhang Yunxiu said affectionately.

"Oh, no!" Zheng Xier slapped her forehead, struggled to get up, and quickly put on her clothes.

"What's wrong?" Zhang Yunxiu asked her, confused.

"You're bothering me as soon as you get back. Xuan'er hasn't been fed yet, and she's probably in a mess by now. I have to go over and take a look."

"We found a wet nurse for her, how could she not have milk?"

"The midwife said it's different. You still have to feed your own child yourself."

As Zheng Xier spoke, she put on her clothes and walked out of the bedroom.

Zhang Yunxiu also struggled to get up, wearing only a single piece of clothing, and followed closely behind Zheng Xier.

(End of this chapter)