Ming Dynasty: My Father Zhang Juzheng

Chapter 91 The Last Dish
The moonlight penetrates the darkness, casting a bright and clear light.

When Zhang Yunxiu returned to his private residence, it was already dark. After a quick wash to remove the dust from his body, Zhang Yunxiu was led to his bedroom by Zhang Fu with a smile.

Pushing the door open, the house was filled with fragrance and flickering candlelight.

On the mahogany eight-immortal table in the middle, all kinds of delicacies were laid out, making people's appetites whet. Zhang Yunxiu sat down and was about to pick up his chopsticks when Zhang Fu stopped him and said, "Sir, don't be in a hurry. There is still one last dish to be served."

"What are you waiting for? Bring it up!" Zhang Yunxiu frowned and urged, "Can't you see that I've been hungry for a long time and I'm almost starving?"

"Hey." Zhang Fu smiled and walked away happily.

After a while, there was a slight sound of footsteps outside the door. Zhang Yunxiu looked up and saw Zheng Xier standing at the door shyly.

She was wearing a six-pleated skirt made of western cloth, which was as thin as a cicada's gauze and whiter than snow. The pleats on her waist were of different colors, like small flowers, spreading along her delicate waist.

She has bright eyes, white teeth and a sophisticated temperament, just like a lotus just emerging from the water.

"Where are the dishes?" Zhang Yunxiu swallowed hard.

Zheng Xier raised her eyebrows, burst into laughter, and said softly, "Xier is the last dish."

As she spoke, she knelt down and bowed, then walked lightly to Zhang Yunxiu's side and sat down.

The two looked at each other, and Zheng Xier's almond-shaped eyes were filled with fiery passion.

"Huh." After taking two deep breaths of hot air, Zhang Yunxiu smiled at Zheng Xier, pointed at the dishes on the table and said, "Eat first, or the food will get cold. If you have anything to say, wait until after dinner."

"Yeah." Zheng Xier responded softly.

After eating heartily, Zhang Yunxiu looked at the affectionate and charming Zheng Xier, and his lower abdomen suddenly felt hot.

Zheng Xier smiled sensibly, stood up, and pulled Zhang Yunxiu to sit on the mandarin duck embroidered bed.

"Sir, it's getting late. Let Xier take care of you and let you rest." Zheng Xier snorted and uttered seductive words.

Zhang Yunxiu smiled and threw himself over.

After a round of sex, Zhang Yunxiu clasped his hands behind his head and stared at the ceiling of the bed.

Zheng Xier's cheeks were flushed, she was sweating, and her black hair fell like a waterfall, staining her white neck and back.

Glancing at Zhang Yunxiu, she leaned towards her lover's arms, her delicate hands circling around his chest.

"Son."

"What's wrong?" Zhang Yunxiu asked with his head down.

"Nothing. It's just that Xier feels that it's a blessing for her to meet you." Zheng Xier blushed and murmured.

Zhang Yunxiu didn't know how to answer, so he just hooked his hand around her wet shoulders and said, "I heard from Zhang Fu that you have been managing these shops quite well these days. Tell me, what reward do you want?"

"Xier doesn't want a reward." Zheng Xier shook her head.

"I have to say one."

Zhang Yunxiu shouted with a stern face, and Zheng Xier was frightened. She tilted her head and thought for a moment before saying, "If you really want to reward Xier, please send someone to bring Xier's father and brother to Beijing."

"That's it?"

"Ah."

"Okay, I agree. It's just a matter of adding two more mouths to feed. I still have this money." Zhang Yunxiu nodded, closed his eyes slightly, and pretended to fall asleep.

Zheng Xier cursed inwardly, "idiot", pouted her lips and snorted, "Master, it's still early, you finally came back, let Xier serve you again."

Again?

Zhang Yunxiu was surprised.

If it were in the past he would naturally not be afraid, but with the recent travel fatigue, he really felt a little overwhelmed.

"Some other day. Some other day. I have to report to the Emperor tomorrow. If I delay His Majesty's business, I will be punished."

Zheng Xier's voice choked up when she heard that. She stared at Zhang Yunxiu with red eyes and said, "Sir, is Xier really ugly?"

"No." Zhang Yunxiu shook his head.

"Then you despise Xier's lowly status?"

"how you said that?"

Zheng Xier wiped her tears and then explained:

"A 'woman' is a 'slave', a 'lowly woman' is a 'maid', and a 'servant' is a 'concubine'. Tell me, what good status can we women have?"

Zhang Yunxiu burst out laughing. She could tell that this woman was asking for a status from her in various ways.

After thinking for a while, Zhang Yunxiu looked down at Zheng Xier and explained with a smile: "The Queen Mother is also a woman. When the Emperor sees her, doesn't he have to greet her and show respect?"

"That's also because a mother is honored by her son." Zheng Xier immediately retorted.

Seeing Zheng Xier's delicate face filled with an expression of unwillingness to admit defeat, Zhang Yunxiu's heart softened and he said, "Wait a few days. I will take you home to meet my father and then officially take you into my room."

"Thank you, sir." Zheng Xier raised her eyebrows and her hands began to move restlessly. Zhang Yunxiu hurriedly stopped her and said, "Stop, I'm really tired today. Let's talk about it in a few days."

"Oh." Zheng Xier stuck out her tongue, made a face at Zhang Yunxiu, then curled up in his arms and fell asleep.

The next day, the two of them got up early, washed up together, and went to the dining hall to have breakfast together. Because the emperor's summons had not arrived, after breakfast, Zhang Yunxiu sat in the dining hall and asked about the performance of the shop.

Zheng Xier ordered someone to bring the account book, pointed at it and introduced it one by one: "Our family has acquired more than 20 shops before, including three cloth shops, two silver shops, one pawn shop, one rouge shop, and one rice shop."

"The most profitable of these is the cloth shop. Xier, after comparing the past three months, the three cloth shops should make more than one thousand taels of profit each month."

"Are the goods in our cloth shop complete?" Zhang Yunxiu asked, leaning sideways.

"All." Zheng Xier nodded and continued, "This is all because of Shopkeeper Hao from Qicaixia. He sent someone to transfer some of the in-demand fabrics from his shop to ours. As a result, our business has skyrocketed immediately."

Is it him again?
A fat man with a tycoon-like air emerged in Zhang Yunxiu's mind. With such continuous help, Zhang Yunxiu didn't know how to respond.

Zheng Xier smiled and said, "Sir, if you are worried about owing someone a favor, Xier will order someone to return the "Seven-Colored Clouds" cloth."

"Xier grew up in Suzhou, the cloth there is enough for our family to make money."

"Return? What are you going to return?" Zhang Yunxiu smiled and waved his hands, his face stern, and he acted like a rogue, "I didn't ask him to give it to me, he insisted on giving it to me, I have a clear conscience, so I'll just accept it."

"As ordered."

"By the way, I think the managers down there are still using them smoothly."

Zhang Yunxiu leaned back and asked casually.

Zheng Xier knew that Zhang Fu would definitely tell Zhang Yunxiu, so she did not hide it and said truthfully: "Xier is a woman after all, it is normal for these grown men to look down on Xier, but Xier is not afraid of them."

"You mean, with my support, you're not afraid of anyone?" Zhang Yunxiu laughed and asked.

"Yes." Zheng Xier bowed and replied generously, "Xier knows that everything Xier has is given by the young master. As long as she stays with the young master, these people will not dare to do anything to Xier."

"Okay." Zhang Yunxiu clapped his hands, gave her an approving look, and said solemnly: "From now on, for any business expenditure below 200 taels, you don't need to report it to me, you can do it alone."

"If you encounter an emergency, you can also go to my fourth brother."

"Thank you for your trust, sir."

Zheng Xier's knees softened and she knelt down. Zhang Yunxiu stood up and supported her, saying, "Sometimes a woman's fate can be in her own hands. It depends on whether you are willing to do so."

"Xi'er understands."

Zheng Xier knew that "a woman who uses her beauty to entertain people will lose favor as her beauty fades". The man in front of her said that he was giving her power, but it was more like a test.

Test whether she can handle greater challenges.

The two talked for half an hour, and the sun rose higher.

At this time, Zhang Fu walked in from outside with a smile. Zhang Yunxiu greeted him and asked, "Did the emperor send an order?"

"No." Zhang Fu shook his head and said with a smile, "Boss Hao from Qicaixia is here, and he brought a lot of gifts. He said he wanted to thank you, young master, and wanted to make friends with you."

Thank us for nothing, he must have something to ask of us.

Zhang Yunxiu glared at Zhang Fu without answering.

Zhang Fu was unsure and stood there in a daze, not knowing whether to move forward or backward.

However, after Zhang Yunxiu returned from Korea, he rested in Tianjin for a long time and returned the money and goods obtained from the salt permits to the Lianghuai Salt Transport Commissioner.

Hao Ren was different. As soon as he arrived in Tianjin, he went straight to the capital.

The first thing he did was to find Zhang Yunxiu's butler Zhang Fu. Hao Ren was very generous and took Xu Jue and You Qi with him, and the four of them had fun in the capital.

How could Zhang Fu, a man from the country, have ever seen the prosperity of the capital?
In just half a month, Zhang Fu fell in love with him and he and Hao Ren became good brothers wearing crotchless pants.

He has received a favor from his brother today. If he doesn't get the job done, where will he put his face?

After thinking this through, Zhang Fu glanced at his master's face and said through gritted teeth, "Sir, in my opinion, it would be better for you to meet him. After all, he has put so much effort into our family. If he doesn't get any benefit, it will be laughed at if it gets out."

"Did you take money from him too?" Zhang Yunxiu asked.

"Ah?! No." Zhang Fu was shocked and spoke incoherently.

"Is it there or not?"

"Have."

"How much?" Zhang Yunxiu asked.

"One thousand taels"

Zhang Fu answered timidly, then lowered his head and dared not answer again.

"One thousand taels, that's quite generous." Zhang Yunxiu suddenly smiled, then turned his head to look at Zheng Xier and asked, "Did you get any benefit from Hao Ren?"

"I got a pair of jade earrings." Zheng Xier blushed and pointed at the carp earrings on her earlobes.

Ugh.

Zhang Yunxiu sighed helplessly, then asked Zhang Fu: "Tell me, what does this guy want?"

"Two barges transporting autumn grain." Zhang Fu answered bravely.

"We promised, tell him it won't happen again."

(End of this chapter)