"Are you threatening me?"
Zhao Lin looked at Zhang Yongzhen indifferently.
Zhang Yongzhen smiled and said, "It's not a threat. I'm just analyzing things with Lord Zhao. But Lord Zhao is so smart, I guess I don't need to analyze things."
Zhao Lin tapped the tabletop lightly with his index finger and said, "The Crown Prince's life is not easy, is it?"
Zhang Yongzhen laughed and said, "Why do you say that, Lord Zhao? Your Highness is the crown prince, second only to the emperor and above everyone else. How can you not have an easy life?"
Zhao Lin scoffed, "Since you're here to win me over, stop spouting nonsense. Let me ask you, who's stronger, you Prince's Party or the Prince Yu's Party?"
Zhang Yongzhen said proudly: "Of course it's us."
"Not necessarily?"
Zhao Lin glanced at Zhang Yongzhen and asked, "Zhao Jingzhou, can you beat him?"
Zhang Yongzhen's face froze. "Although Zhao Jingzhou commands an army of 200,000, he can't possibly bring them back. That would be a serious crime of treason, and Your Majesty will not tolerate it even if he favors him."
Zhao Lin smiled and said, "Master Zhang, please go back."
Zhang Yongzhen was stunned: "What do you mean?"
"Boring." Zhao Lin yawned and said, "It's a waste of time to talk to you."
Zhang Yongzhen was silent for a moment, then said, "I apologize for your rudeness. Your Highness has already come up with a plan. Zhao Jingzhou is nothing to worry about."
Zhao Lin shook his head and said, "I don't think so. Just tell me, if Zhao Jingzhou leads his troops, how will the Crown Prince deal with it? What will he do?"
Zhang Yongzhen said, "Zhao Jingzhou can't possibly bring a large army. That would be tantamount to rebellion. He can only bring a few thousand or even a few hundred people. With just a few thousand people, the city has plenty of ways to deal with it."
Zhao Lin nodded: "You also have your own army."
Zhang Yongzhen said proudly, "Of course."
Zhao Lin smiled and said, "I'm very curious. I'm just a teenager, with a bit of luck at best, and no foundation. Why do you keep trying to win me over?"
Zhang Yongzhen was silent for a moment, then said, "Although you have no basis for anything, Li Xingye values you, His Majesty likes you, and even the powerful eunuch Zhu Zhongyan was bewitched by you. More importantly, you have the ability."
Zhang Yongzhen sighed, "We originally thought you would accomplish nothing in Qingzhou, but after hearing Li Xingye and Fu Chengwang's praises, we realized how amazing you are. Compared to you, all the high-ranking officials in the court would be ashamed to death."
Zhao Lin said: "That's a good compliment, keep going."
Zhang Yongzhen: “…”
Zhao Lin asked, "Doesn't the Crown Prince have any military advisors or counselors around him? Why did they only send you, the Minister of Justice?"
Zhang Yongzhen was confused and said, "Because I have met Lord Zhao before, we are considered acquaintances."
Zhao Lin sighed, "Let me teach you a lesson. When negotiating business with others, you should first state the benefits. That way, they will be willing to continue the conversation."
Zhang Yongzhen suddenly understood and said, "His Highness said that as long as you are willing to serve him, you will definitely benefit from it after he ascends the throne."
Zhao Lin shook his head and said, "I won't eat that empty promise."
Although it was the first time Zhang Yongzhen heard the term "painting a pie in the sky," he understood its meaning and said, "This is not empty talk. Of course, it is empty talk that Your Highness will fail to ascend the throne, but there is no doubt that Your Highness will not fail."
Zhao Lin raised a finger and said, "It's easy for me to help him. One condition."
Zhang Yongzhen thought it was finally time to negotiate terms and said, "Speak!"
Zhao Lin said: "I want money, and I want it now."
"money?"
Zhang Yongzhen was stunned.
If Zhao Lin wanted something else, such as a promotion or to help him deal with Zhao Chenhan, Zhang Yongzhen could understand.
But he only wanted money, which puzzled Zhang Yongzhen.
Zhao Lin doesn't seem like a greedy person.
It can be seen from the fact that he is so good to the soldiers, even providing them with enough food and sufficient wages, that Zhao Lin is not a stingy person.
Why only money?
"Yes, money. Ten million taels of silver, or one million taels of silver." Zhao Lin said.
Zhang Yongzhen shook his head repeatedly: "Lord Zhao, you're joking. Not to mention His Royal Highness, even the national treasury can't afford so much money."
Zhao Lin said, "I don't care. I only want this much. I can pay in installments. If you pay even a penny less, you will regret coming to see me today."
Zhang Yongzhen frowned deeply.
He just felt that Zhao Lin was indeed capable and would definitely be a capable official in the future, so he suggested that Li Jingxian recruit Zhao Lin.
But isn’t Zhao Lin too arrogant?
Zhang Yongzhen said in a deep voice: "Why is Lord Zhao worth this much money?"
Zhao Lin smiled slightly and said, "Just rely on the 30,000 soldiers under my command."
Zhang Yongzhen pondered for a moment and said, "They are all new recruits, not up to the task of fighting. They are no match for Zhao Jingzhou's elite troops who have fought for many years. Moreover, if the situation really comes to that, we will naturally have troops to help us. We won't need your troops who are over a thousand miles away."
Zhao Lin said, "Then there's nothing to discuss."
Zhang Yongzhen frowned and said, "Why is Lord Zhao so stubborn? As the saying goes, a wise bird chooses a tree to roost in. Is there a better choice than His Royal Highness the Crown Prince? Are you going to put aside your past grudges with Zhao Chenhan and choose Prince Yu?"
"Of course not."
Zhao Lin said, "To be honest, I'm not interested in high positions and generous salaries in the future. I only like cash. As long as you can give me enough money, I will do things for you. It's that simple."
Zhang Yongzhen was silent for a moment, then said, "The money is easy to talk about, but you have to show your qualifications that are worth that much money."
Zhao Lin smiled slightly and said, "How about I help you stop Zhao Jingzhou?"
Zhang Yongzhen was shocked, but remained calm on the surface. He said, "Lord Zhao has had such a smooth journey that he forgot that he is Zhao Jingzhou, the most powerful general in our dynasty."
Zhao Lin said calmly, "I'm sure I can prevent him from appearing in the capital that night."
Zhang Yongzhen thought quickly in his mind, but said, "Master Zhao must provide some proof."
"No."
Zhao Lin spread his hands and said, "Anyway, as long as I join you, if you win, I will be unlucky if I don't do anything, and if you lose, I will be unlucky too, so I won't joke with my life, right?"
Zhang Yongzhen nodded slightly.
Zhao Lin is so rational and doesn't seem like an arrogant person.
Zhang Yongzhen said, "I can promise you some silver on behalf of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, but it's too much. I can only give you half, five million silver."
Zhang Yongzhen stretched out his right hand and spread out his five fingers.
Zhao Lin grabbed Zhang Yongzhen's hand and said, "Deal."
Zhao Lin smiled broadly and said, "I thought you'd bet on one or two million, but you actually gave me five. How generous! His Royal Highness is so lucky to have you."
Zhang Yongzhen was at a loss whether to laugh or cry.
If I had known this, I would have raised the bet to one million taels.
Zhang Yongzhen took a deep breath and said, "Don't worry, it will take ten years."
Zhao Lin scoffed, "Can the Crown Prince wait ten years? I'm afraid he can't even wait three years."
Zhang Yongzhen was shocked.
The prince really couldn't wait any longer.
Not only does he want to be emperor, but he is also under pressure from Prince Yu.
But how did Zhao Lin know?
Zhao Lin said leisurely, "Five years, one million taels of silver per year, I'll give it to you now. When the silver arrives, I'll tell you a valuable secret that will make you feel that this money is worth spending in vain."
Zhang Yongzhen immediately said, "Why don't you tell me now so I can ask His Royal Highness for money?"
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