Chapter 993 Drawings
Zhou Shuren arrived at the palace. After a while, the emperor was still distracted. He hadn't seen the emperor for some time. The emperor had lost a lot of weight, and he didn't dare to look at the direction of his hair.
Zhou Shuren didn't dare to disturb the emperor's distraction, so he could only find ways to entertain himself. Then he discovered that there were scriptures on the kang table in front of the emperor, and several scriptures were written on it. He was surprised, as it was the first time he saw the emperor write this.
The main hall was very quiet, and suddenly the emperor spoke, "My birthday is coming soon."
Zhou Shuren had been paying attention to the emperor and quickly replied, "Yes, Your Majesty, you said it's not a big deal."
"Well, I want to have a meal with my family, but it seems difficult to achieve. In fact, I don't like birthdays every year."
The emperor paused. Although Zhou Shuren had changed his mindset about watching the show, he still cared about what the emperor said.
The emperor was silent. Ever since his mother passed away, he hated his birthday. He was not the child he expected to be born. These days, he often dreamed about his childhood and about people he had already forgotten. No, it should not be said that he had forgotten, but he did not want to recall the person who was deeply buried in his heart.
He began to miss his mother whose face had become blurred, and his uncles who disliked him but still protected him even though they were angry with him.
Zhou Shuren didn't understand what the emperor wanted him to do today. He was actually quite busy. "Your Majesty?"
The emperor came back to his senses, "I heard that you generously gave Li Zhao a rare copy? Or was it a genuine copy? You have copied several fake copies on your own bookshelf, you are really generous."
Zhou Shuren was shocked. "I didn't do it willingly. Lord Li insisted. I don't know how I gave Lord Li the wrong impression that I liked him. I feel bitter. I cut off my own flesh and gave him a gift, but Lord Li still bullied me."
The emperor smiled. The ones who really bullied Zhou Shuren were his sons. His sons were very arrogant. After enduring the old fox for so long, the third and fourth sons finally gave up. "I don't hold big celebrations every year, and I don't accept gifts from ministers."
Zhou Shuren said nothing. According to his understanding of the emperor, the emperor's words were definitely not that simple. "So, I am satisfied with your birthday gift. Your third son will leave the capital early. Next year, the Maritime Affairs Headquarters will be set up in the capital, and Pinggang will be a branch office. Next year, I plan to build a port, and Xuzhou will also set up one. Do you think your son should go to the Maritime Affairs Headquarters as a sixth-rank official, or a sixth-rank provincial governor in a scattered state?"
Zhou Shuren looked up at the emperor who had his eyes closed. He tried to guess what the emperor was thinking, and the emperor saw through him. He had indeed thought about it, but he was always hesitant. "Is it just Chang Lian?"
"No, the Imperial Academy will have two more."
In the past few years, some people have been purged, and more people are implicated. If you pull one thread, a whole bunch of people will be involved. Some of the officials who were originally responsible for recording and preparing are gone, and some vacancies have appeared.
The maritime industry developed rapidly and one peaceful port was not enough, so a new location was selected and people were needed at this time.
Zhou Shuren no longer felt any pain at this time. From being a sixth-rank provincial governor to being a sixth-rank official, each had its own advantages. One had more power, and the other was more challenging. The emperor said he wanted a gift, but in fact he was jealous that he accepted Rongchuan's gift. As for Changlian, the emperor had already told him how to arrange it, and now he had the chance to choose. "I think the official in charge of the Maritime Affairs Department is more challenging."
The emperor was not surprised by Zhou Shuren's choice. The former was a slow and steady one, as long as Zhou Shuren was safe in the capital. No one dared to mess with Zhou Changlian in the local area, but there was less training. The Maritime Commander must be a new department for competition, a good place to train people, with Zhou Shuren as his father to give advice behind the scenes. Zhou Changlian, thinking of this, the emperor glanced at Zhou Shuren. This man had something up his sleeve, but he was too naive. Even if he wanted to poach Zhou Shuren, he would pretend to be stupid.
The prince came in at this time, "Father, the drawings of the Ministry of Works are complete."
The emperor sat up and reached out to take the drawing. Zhou Shuren hurriedly greeted the prince, but this time he didn't dare to sit down and stood obediently.
The drawing was opened, and the emperor motioned Zhou Shuren to hold a corner. Zhou Shuren looked at it generously. Is this a drawing of a garden? The rockery and the inner lake are quite large.
Zhou Shuren was terrified. The area scared him. Was he going to build a garden? There were already several gold-eating beasts waiting to be fed every day, and they wanted to add another one?
The prince accidentally saw Zhou Shuren's trembling lips, "Master Zhou? What's wrong with you?"
Zhou Shuren saw that both the crown prince and the emperor were looking at him. He was so heartbroken that he couldn't breathe. "Your Majesty, I am guilty."
The emperor didn't understand, "Hmm?"
Zhou Shuren hardened his heart and said, "The Ministry of Revenue has no money."
The prince and the emperor were stunned, then the emperor laughed and the prince couldn't help laughing. When Zhou Shuren heard it, he knew he was wrong.
The emperor laughed for a while and said, "I will pay for this money myself."
Zhou Shuren smiled dryly, "Your Majesty, I don't work for the Ministry of Revenue, I never think about money, but now every time I see the silver in the national treasury decreasing, my heart aches, especially painful."
The emperor was in a good mood. Zhou Shuren's folded paper showed how much pain he was feeling. When he was forced into a corner, he said that technology also had different levels of importance. Spending so much money would not produce much effect and it had to be targeted.
The emperor rolled up the blueprint and handed it to the prince, "I am tired, you can go back too."
Zhou Shuren withdrew, and the Crown Prince also came out. Zhou Shuren asked, "Your Highness, are you leaving the palace?"
The prince nodded, "Well, I want to go and see the address of the garden. If Lord Zhou is not busy, can you accompany me to see it?"
Zhou Shuren wanted to say, "I'm very busy," but the prince didn't give him a chance to speak and had already left. He told himself in his heart that he had to endure it, because even though the person in front of him is younger than you, he will be your next boss, and the boss who controls your life and property.
The prince did not want to communicate much with Zhou Shuren in the palace. After leaving the palace and getting on the carriage, the prince asked, "The fourth son of Mr. Zhou's family will take part in the provincial examination next year?"
"yes."
The prince added, "There is also your Excellency's son-in-law."
Zhou Shuren thought to himself, you really know a lot, "My son-in-law is a man without great ambitions."
The prince smiled and said, "You are very good at educating children. The children you teach are all good. I am also a father, and I pay close attention to my children's studies. This is what all parents hope for their children."
Zhou Shuren blinked his eyes, "Your Highness is right."
The prince asked again, "Master Zhou only accepted one disciple?"
"Yes, I only have one apprentice, who will also take part in the provincial examination next year."
The prince continued, "It is better to be cautious when accepting this disciple."
Zhou Shuren realized that the prince was not just chatting with him, he really did not want to continue collecting. "I think so too, and I can't even teach my own children. I have the will but not the ability."
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was silent. Indeed, Zhou Shuren had quite a few children.
The carriage moved slowly and soon stopped. Zhou Shuren was stunned. This place was not far from the imperial palace. "Is this the end?"