Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 712 Be Prepared
When Shen Lu arrived at Zhang's house, he did not see a bustling scene. Just when he was hesitating whether to go forward and knock on the door, another carriage stopped at the door, and then he saw Zhang Yanling getting out of the carriage.

"My uncle is here? Why don't you come in and sit down?"

Zhang Yanling walked over and bowed to greet him.

Shen Lu used to treat Zhang Yanling as an elder, but after understanding the internal operating rules of the Zhang family, he now basically treats his nephew as an equal.

After the two sides exchanged greetings, Shen Lu asked with concern, "I wonder what's wrong with your father..."

Zhang Yanling's face became solemn, and he whispered, "He's still recovering. He was in a very dangerous condition before, and conventional medicines didn't work on him. Fortunately, I tried a new diagnosis and treatment method, and finally saved him from the brink of death. He's fine now, and he'll be basically cured after resting for a while."

"Is it that serious..."

Shen Lu was shocked at first, then he sighed, "Your father should really cultivate his character and stay away from alcohol and sex. Also, it's better not to pry into or leak the secrets of heaven at will.

"To put himself in danger in order to predict the secrets of the heavens, Lai Zhan is really... My dear nephew, do you know what happened in the northwest? Has your father learned about it?"

Zhang Yanling smiled and nodded: "These are the words that Eunuch Tan Ji Tan came to the mansion personally to pass on... I just went to see my father and told him everything.

"Oh, by the way, uncle, His Majesty has arranged for me to welcome the Tatar envoys with Eunuch Tan, you see..."

"Really? Is this true?"

Shen Lu's eyes widened. "Your Majesty wants you to be responsible? Then... then..."

Shen Lu was so excited that he didn't know what to say.

The emperor thought that his nephew was very capable and should find an opportunity to stand out and gradually build up his prestige in the court, so he gave Zhang Yanling the opportunity to step to the front.

Zhang Yanling said, "I would like to ask my uncle for a favor. After all, my uncle has a wide network of contacts. Also... I am not very familiar with the people in the court. I have basically never been to any government office. I don't know who to turn to when something happens."

Shen Lu smiled and said, "The problem is that I am also busy with court affairs, so I may not be able to do what you want, but if there is anything I can do to help, please feel free to ask."

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "I have already told Eunuch Tan that I need help here... so I directly recommended you, uncle, to Eunuch Tan... Please forgive me for not discussing this matter with you in advance..."

"What? You recommended me?"

Shen Lu was very surprised and for a moment he didn't know whether to be happy or sad.

Although it seemed like a great opportunity to stand out, Shen Lu was only a juren and had no experience in welcoming foreign envoys. Moreover, his job at the Tongzhengshisi had no direct connection with this matter. He had to go to the Ministry of Rites and the Honglu Temple for help, especially as it involved the Huitongguan. It would not be easy for him to get through the connections even if he wanted to.

Zhang Yanling said: "If you feel it is inconvenient, just pretend that I didn't say anything."

"No...I'm not being evasive."

Shen Lu quickly explained, "If you really need help, I can definitely help you, but... I need to think about how I can help you.

"Oh, by the way, I wonder what your father thinks about this matter? For example, how should we regulate the reception of the little Tatar prince? I think your father has his own unique way of dealing with occasions."

Zhang Yanling shook his head: "No, no, no, my father said that he is not good at this and let me figure it out on my own."

"Come and see him... He really trusts you!"

After hearing this, Shen Lu felt that his brother-in-law was very unreliable.

You trust your son's abilities, but you also have to consider whether your son can be recognized by others.

You yourself are not valued by the civil officials in the court, and now your son has to do a job that requires him to interact with many people and need their assistance.

How can you get your job done without others’ genuine support?
Zhang Yanling said, "So I have to ask my uncle for more help. But there is also Eunuch Tan in the court to mediate, so I think it shouldn't be too difficult, right?"

"It's not difficult, it's just some simple welcoming and communication matters."

Shen Lu said, "The key is to see what His Majesty wants, whether he needs to see the envoys, what the regulations on tribute and rewards are, and who to send to escort them on the way back... As for the reception, there is no need to worry about it. Just arrange for them to stay in the post station, and there will be someone in charge."

Zhang Yanling asked, "Then... do you know anyone with some foreign affairs experience who can provide assistance?"

Shen Lu said helplessly: "Speaking of which, the Tatars haven't paid tribute for many years, and the reception was previously handled by people from the Ministry of Rites... Mr. Xu might be able to help, but such a big thing..."

In Shen Lu's opinion, Xu Qiong is a man who does important things. Would he help a young boy like you to welcome foreign envoys?
No matter how good the reception is, it won't bring any credit.

But if something goes wrong, everyone in the court will say that you, Xu Qiong, are ignorant of your own limitations. You can't put the blame on a child for anything that damages the reputation of the Ming Dynasty, right?

Zhang Yanling said: "My idea is to let the little Tatar prince and his men watch our military exercises, so that they can know that our Ming army is strong. It would be best if His Majesty would also attend."

"what?"

Shen Lu was stunned for a moment.

Boy, you never stop until you say something shocking!

It's already difficult enough to handle basic reception matters, and you're actually trying to do something fancy?
Shen Lu calmed down and said, "Yanling, I know you are young and have some unique ideas, but welcoming foreign envoys is very particular... No mistakes are a merit, that's roughly it."

Zhang Yanling asked: "Then how can we demonstrate the power of the Ming Dynasty?"

"..."

Shen Lu suddenly realized that it was a big mistake for him to come to Zhang's house today.

"Uncle, I think that although the Tatars were defeated this time, they will definitely not accept it. Their tribute to the capital is fake, and their real purpose is to gain the benefits of opening up the border. They also want to test our strength. If we can't give them a warning, they may betray us soon after they return and send troops to harass our border. After all, no matter how good the trade is, it is not as convenient and quick as robbery.

"By then... all the efforts made by father and Minister Li will be in vain, and may even be used as evidence to attack them," said Zhang Yanling.

Shen Lu thought about it, and even though he felt it was ridiculous, he had to nod.

Zhang Luan and Li Zisheng’s actions had been criticized before.

This time, the civil servants were not so confident that the impeachment would be successful, so they could only swallow their anger for the time being.

But once the little Tatar prince returns and leads his troops to invade the Ming border again, Zhang Laizhan and Li Zisheng will immediately become the laughing stock in the eyes of others.

How to make the Tatars behave themselves for a while after they return is a very important issue.

Shen Lu pondered for a moment and said, "In fact, opening a border market and doing a good job of reception should be able to prevent the Tatars from changing sides."

The implication was that as long as the court gave sufficient rewards and allowed the Tatars to feel the benefits of opening border markets, they would not rush to invade after returning... After all, if they invaded, the border markets would be cut off, and the Tatars would be the ones who would suffer.

Zhang Yanling sighed: "We can't help but see some people secretly tripping us up... For example, they clearly agreed to open border markets, but they just talked big but didn't deliver, or they imposed heavy taxes to prevent the circulation of certain goods, and deliberately exploited the Hu merchants, which led to a rapid deterioration in relations between the two sides and provoked disputes.

"I'm doing this to be prepared for any eventuality."

……

……

After hearing what his nephew said, Shen Lu felt so upset that he was distracted all the way home.

After returning home, before he even entered the gate, a servant came to report that his younger brother Shen Chun had brought his old friend Cao Shun from Tongzhou to see him, and they had been waiting in the main hall for a long time.

Shen Chun is Shen Lu's younger brother. He was also raised by his eldest brother Shen Ju, but he is not very old. He is nearly twenty years younger than Shen Lu and is only in his early twenties.

Later, in the 15th year of the Jiajing reign, he was appointed to an official position in the imperial court as a juren, and rose through the ranks to become the head of the Ministry of Justice. At that time, Zhang Yanling was convicted and suffered, but Shen Chun protected him and was investigated by order of Emperor Jiajing.

Under the leadership of Shen Lu, the Shen family relied entirely on the Zhang family. It was also because of this that with the fall of the Zhang family, the Shen family also fell apart.

"You learn."

Cao Shun was very happy to see Shen Lu.

After all, the last time we met, we were in Tongzhou, and the Zhang family had not yet arrived in Beijing.

At that time, Shen Lu mentioned in front of him a series of unconventional actions of his brother-in-law Zhang Luan, and felt a lot of emotion... Who would have thought that it is just as Zhang Luan had imagined at the beginning, and now he has become famous in the court.

This time Cao Shun came to Beijing, seemingly to visit Shen Lu, but in fact he wanted to build some connections and see if it could bring him some tangible benefits.

They knew each other from humble beginnings, which was considered a deep friendship in that era. Even if they had only met once, at least Cao Shun's family background allowed him to receive Zhang Luan, a new student in Beijing, which was considered respectful. He inadvertently became an angel investor.

Shen Lu sent his brother away and asked him to wait in the guest room.

He received Cao Shun alone.

Cao Shun asked with a smile: "I heard that you, Ruxue, have been appointed as the Right Councillor of the Yintaisi? This is a very fast progress among officials who were born as Juren."

Shen Lu cupped his hands and said, "I am not talented. I just became the Left Councillor."

"What!?"

Cao Shun was shocked when he heard this.

It hasn't been long since he was promoted, how come he got promoted again?
Shen Lu said: "Alas, Shen is usually busy with official duties and has no time to socialize..."

Cao Shun heard this and wondered if you were trying to expel him. But he could only sigh shamelessly, "Life is full of opportunities! How could I have expected that your school would be so successful today? Speaking of which, you have already advanced several levels in a short period of time. I wonder if you received any extra help during this process?"

"Are you talking about my uncle?"

Shen Lu sighed, "You are the only one who can say this. Others are too embarrassed to tell me. But everyone knows that if I hadn't had Lai Zhan backing me up, how could I have been qualified to attend court and participate in government affairs as a juren, and still have the possibility of further promotion?"

"Haha." Cao Shun seemed very embarrassed.

Sure enough, after he got promoted, he is no longer the same as before.

Logically speaking, Shen Lu's promotion was not very high. He was promoted from an officer in the Ministry of Public Security to a councilor, but it seemed that he was still destined to be an errand boy.

But who can blame Shen Lu for having Zhang Luan as his backer?

The aura of those with a background and those without a background is completely different.

Shen Lu asked: "Are you here to do some business, or..."

“That’s actually the case.”

Cao Shun patiently explained, "Ever since Zhang Guozhang's reputation in the court has grown, the capital area, whether it is Shuntian Prefecture or Hejian Prefecture, feels that it is rare for a high-ranking official from our local area to appear in the court, and hopes to smooth the relationship through some channels."

Shen Lu asked in surprise: "Did they find you through connections?"

Cao Shun seemed a little embarrassed and said, "Perhaps someone has heard of our friendship, or someone knows that Zhang Guozhang visited my house on his way to Beijing, and it was you who introduced him to me..."

Shen Lu wanted to ask, you were drunk and bragging outside, and people heard it and took it seriously, which highlighted your status?

Bragging is not advisable!
Considering your relationship with Zhang Laizhan, it is at most a casual acquaintance. What qualifications do you have to come to me and speak on behalf of the officials of Tongzhou, or even to seek favors from Zhang Laizhan?

Cao Shun said with a frown, "Ruxue, you and I are both from Shuntian Prefecture, and we both have achievements, so we naturally know the atmosphere in the officialdom. Didn't the officials start to get nervous when the examinations came at the beginning of the year? Especially when I heard that you have a brother-in-law who is a minister in the Ministry of Personnel?"

"You mean Xu Gong?"

Shen Lu asked.

"Yes, yes, it's Xu Gong. How is your relationship with him? Ruxue, I'm shamelessly coming to see you. I hope you can help smooth things over. Even if it's just a little convenience, I can report to him when I go back."

Cao Shun pleaded with his eyes wide open.

You always need to fulfill the boasts you made in front of others.

If he came to the capital and failed to accomplish anything, and finally returned empty-handed, how would Cao Shun have the face to stay in Tongzhou in the future?
Shen Lu nodded and said, "Tell me all your requests. I will help you as much as I can. But..."

Cao Shun thought Shen Lu wanted to ask for a bribe, so he quickly said, "Of course you will get the benefit..."

Shen Lu frowned after hearing this: "Do you have to be so blunt? With our friendship, if it's just something I can do, I won't ask for anything in return. And as for my uncle... Oh! It's hard to put it into words."

"What's up with him?"

Cao Shun was surprised.

If you help me with something, I will give you a gift...

This is both reasonable and what I want.

In this world, we are not afraid of giving too many gifts, but we are afraid of wanting to give gifts but having no way to do so.

You are willing to help, I am willing to give, we each get what we need.

If you don't accept it, how can I have the nerve to come to you in the future? How can I maintain this relationship channel? How can I brag in the future?
Shen Lu said, "After you arrived in the capital, didn't you hear that Lai Zhan was ill recently and avoided seeing guests?"

"This... Zhang Guozhang's condition is not too serious, right?"

Cao Shun was a little nervous.

My old friend has finally established some very strong connections and has an extremely powerful background. If this backer dies, won't everything go back to square one?
Shen Lu said helplessly: "Speaking of which, I can't say for sure what his condition is. But right now, there is something going on. It would be best if we could find some local people to discuss it."

"What do you mean?"

Cao Shun was quite puzzled.

Shen Lu said: "My uncle is ill and has not been involved in court affairs for a long time, but he has a son named Yanling, who has the demeanor of his father at a young age. He is deeply trusted by His Majesty and has been entrusted with important tasks many times."

"what?"

Cao Shun was a little slow to react.

Are you kidding me?
Shen Lu continued, "My nephew has now been commissioned by the Emperor to receive the Tatar envoys on behalf of the court. He can be said to be deeply trusted by His Majesty."

Cao Shun said: "That's really strange. Your Majesty would actually entrust such an important task to this little uncle of the emperor? Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Can't help."

Shen Lu said as a matter of course, "Speaking of which, my nephew Yanling is still helping His Majesty in weaving cloth in Beijing, but he lacks raw materials. Spring is coming soon, and I have been thinking of finding people to grow cotton around the capital. This can not only help the court, but also bring practical benefits to the wealthy families with farmland around it."

"This……"

Cao Shun was a little confused when he heard this.

I asked you for help and said I would give you a bribe, but you told me this?

I can't understand anything I hear!

If I didn't know that you, Shen Lu, are not a person who talks nonsense, I would have thought you were talking nonsense to me.

Shen Lu said, "Well, my family's fields outside the city will be planted with cotton in the spring. My nephew Yanling wants to find more people to farm, so that we can solve the problem of raw material supply locally. Can you contact the big family with fields in Tongzhou to help with the operation?"

Cao Shun asked: "In the past, every family would grow some cotton for their family members to spin and weave. I wonder how much cotton Your Majesty needs? It's impossible..."

Shen Lu said, "It's best to plant all of it. If you're worried, my nephew said he would provide some convenience and even sign a supply and marketing contract. In other words, the palace will definitely buy the cotton grown at the market price to ensure that each family can make a profit without loss."

"is it?"

Cao Shun seemed unconvinced and shook his head, "I'm not trying to shirk my responsibility, it's just..."

Shen Lu said seriously, "Let's put it this way. You help me and I help you. As long as it's related to the Tongzhou local examination, I can help you speak to Mr. Xu."

"what?"

Cao Shun never expected that Shen Lu would take on so much responsibility.

Originally, I wanted to give you a gift in exchange for some of your support. I don't ask for your full support, but just a symbolic help to save my face.

But from what you said, it seems that you have a lot of power.

Shen Lu said: "It's all about personal relationships. If I don't help you, I have to help others. Now Lai Zhan intends to let his son enter the court to take on some important tasks. If I don't help him, I'm afraid it would be...unacceptable."

Cao Shun said: "But..."

"It's just that we want you to grow cotton instead. We're not asking you to leave your land empty."

Shen Lu said, "I'm sure you've heard that the palace has been spinning and weaving since last winter. Now the price of cloth around the capital has dropped rapidly. This year the palace will further increase the scale of textile production. Now even the crops in the imperial farm have been changed. Are you still worried about problems on your side?"

Cao Shun nodded and said, "Since you said so, I will definitely try my best to help you. But Ruxue, I don't understand why you make such a request? Logically speaking, you shouldn't ask about such matters..."

Shen Lu said: "There are some things that I can't explain to you. It depends on whether you have appeal in Tongzhou. I will leave this matter to you, and you can also rest assured to leave it to me. You can go back to Tongzhou and wait for my good news."

"In this case……"

When Cao Shun heard this, he no longer felt tired. He stood up and said, "Then I will rush back to Tongzhou early tomorrow morning? But... I don't know how to implement it in detail..."

Shen Lu seemed to have thought of something and said, "How about this, before I leave, I'll go ask my nephew Yanling for a detailed list, and you can take it back, so that you can explain it to the people around you."

"That's okay then."

Cao Shun stood up and said, "I will go back to my residence first and wait for your good news."

……

……

Send Cao Shun away.

Shen Lu went to the guest room to see Shen Chun.

Shen Chun was also surprised when he heard what his brother asked Cao Shun to do. He asked, "Second brother, why do you want to get involved in this matter? It's risky for our family to grow crops on our own, but after all, we no longer rely on the output of the fields. But if you let others get involved, you won't be able to take responsibility if something goes wrong. Many people will come to our house to cause trouble."

Shen Lu said: "I didn't want to help wholeheartedly before, but today when I saw Yanling and heard what he said, I suddenly felt that if I don't join the game now, I might not even have a chance to stand out in the future."

"how to say?"

Shen Chun asked.

“To accomplish great things, one must have courage.”

Shen Lu said, "Yanling is a man who can accomplish great things. Since he is determined to do something like weaving, he must have his reasons. If I don't help him with all my strength, Lai Zhan will have a weak body. Once he passes away, who will I turn to?"

(End of this chapter)