After being divorced, my identity as a poet was exposed

Linshui City.

Zou Fu.

It was already late at night when Zou Huanzhang returned to his house.

He got off the carriage, said goodbye to the driver, and stood in front of the gate of Zou Mansion.

Once upon a time, this door was painted with vermilion paint and was bright and beautiful.

The word "Zoufu" on the lintel of this door was written by Emperor Jinghua himself!
What a scene the Zou Mansion was at that time!
But now...

The vermilion door has long been mottled.

There is only the word "Zou Mansion" on the lintel. Although the gold paint has peeled off a lot, it still has some light under the sunlight, as if it is telling the people of Linshui City about the glory of the past.

But under the illumination of this big red lantern, it is neither conspicuous nor bright.

In fact, when the neighbors in Linshui City pass by this place, they no longer turn their heads to take another look.

Now that the regent came to Linshui City and had two glasses of wine with the regent, after listening to his words, Zou Huanzhang's heart, which had been silent for a long time, seemed to be surging again.

He stroked his long beard, looked at the lintel and the mottled door, thinking that if the regent's words came true, the Zou Mansion would probably regain its former glory.

He walked up to the door, reached out and held the door knocker, and knocked hard several times.

After a moment, the door creaked open.

An old servant stuck his head out to take a look, quickly opened the door and bowed, "Master, you are finally back!"

"what happened?"

"The eldest young master and the others are very worried... In addition, Mr. Xie Tongju and an old man are also waiting for your return at the house."

"Master, is everything okay?"

Zou Huanzhang smiled slightly, "Lao Yang, good thing!"

Butler Yang was immediately overjoyed. He was invited to the Admiral's Mansion by the Regent!
The master came back safely, saying it was a good thing...

Obviously the regent has met with the master, and it must be about rebuilding the Guangling Navy at Linshui Port!

Zou Huanzhang stepped up and walked into the door. Butler Yang quickly closed the door and followed Zou Huanzhang with a lamp in his hand.

After walking through two courtyards and crossing three moon gates, Zou Huanzhang came to the study in the back garden.

He stopped and thought for a moment:

"Go and prepare a table of food and wine, and ask Jiahui and the others to come to my study..."

"By the way, why did Master Xie come here?"

Butler Yang bowed and replied:
"It was originally a good thing... The old man brought by the Xie family leader is Mr. Chen Dingmao, the head of the Chen family in Yingzhou!"

"The old slave heard that Mr. Chen wanted to recruit a group of craftsmen...especially blacksmiths who know how to smelt and smelt. Carpenters also need some."

"The eldest young master and the others are drinking tea with the Xie family and the Chen family... The eldest master is very concerned about this. After all, the Chen family in Yingzhou usually has a lot of work, and they don't have to build some fishing boats like now. "

When Zou Huanzhang heard this, he immediately became happy.

"Since we are guests, we invite them both here and bring the painting screen spring that I have treasured!"

"Old slave obey!"

Butler Yang turned around and left. Zou Huanzhang walked into the study, sat at the tea table and brewed a pot of tea.

Before the water was boiled, his eldest son, Zou Jiahui, brought six people to the study.

Zou Huanzhang stood up, cupped his hands towards Xie Tongju and Chen Dingmao, and said happily:

"I would like to thank you and Mr. Chen for coming to my humble residence. I came back because of the invitation of the Prince Regent. I have treated these two distinguished guests so unkindly. Please forgive me!"

"Please sit, please sit!"

Xie Tongju also cupped his hands and said with a smile: "Brother Zou, one look at your face, I must be doing something great!"

Chen Dingmao also cupped his hands with a smile on his face: "Brother Zou, you're welcome!"

"Ding Maoyuan has heard of the old man's name even in Yingzhou!"

"The Linshui Zou family is a shipbuilding family bestowed by the royal family!"

"Ding Mao came to visit rashly. Brother Zou didn't blame me for being abrupt! It's a good thing!"

Zou Huanzhang stretched out his hand and said: "Master Chen's personal visit will make my humble house shine. It's too late for me to rejoice, so why should I say anything rude?"

"Both of you, please sit down!"

Xie Tongju and Chen Dingmao took their seats.

Zou Huanzhang's three sons and one grandson were waiting aside politely.

Only then did Xie Tongju lean over and ask in a low voice: "Brother Zou, looking at your expression, does the Regent intend to repair the warships of the Guangling Navy?" "Hehe..."

Zou Huanzhang stroked his long beard and said, "This is not a secret, and there is no need to hide it from you two."

"The regent invited the old man at the same table to drink a bottle of wine!"

"Let me tell you, our regent is very young, very elegant, very knowledgeable, and very... friendly!"

It is certainly a very honorable thing to be invited by the regent to drink at the same table.

Zou Huanzhang naturally boasted about Li Chenan so much that everyone here was stunned.

They could not imagine that such a high-ranking young man could be so casual and without any pretensions.

"I am just a small citizen. Don't say that you should kneel down when you see the regent. Even when you see the admiral, you should kneel down."

"But the regent stopped the old man from kneeling down and even invited him to sit on the throne!"

"Hey……"

Zou Huanzhang sighed, but it was not regret, but admiration:

"The regent is so broad-minded that I am impressed!"

"If he becomes the emperor... he must be the greatest emperor ever seen!"

As soon as Zou Huanzhang said this, Zhou Tongju and Chen Dingmao looked at each other and felt that Zou Huanzhang's words were a bit loud.

Zou Huanzhang didn't take it seriously.

He took a pinch of tea and put it into the teapot, and then said:

"Do you think the regent just wants to repair the warships of Guangling Navy?"

"You are wrong!"

"I never expected this when I left!"

Zhou Jiahui, who was standing aside, suddenly lit up when he heard this, "Dad, does the regent still want to build a new warship?"

"It's not just about building new warships!"

"The Zou family will be very busy next time."

"Jiahui,"

"The child is here!"

"Tomorrow, no, you can write a letter and issue a family summons later!"

"Order all the disciples of the Zou clan to return to Linshui City as quickly as possible... and also invite all the craftsmen who followed our Zou clan in the past to return to Linshui City!"

This battle...

Xie Tongju's eyes widened: "Brother Zou, can you tell me what big job the regent is going to do?"

"Hehe, next, we need to rebuild the Linshui Port dock, and build new docks in Linfengdu and Huaishan County!"

"The regent needs to build fifty brand-new warships in Linshui City and Linfengdu. Do you think this is a big job or not?"

Zhou Tongju and Chen Dingmao were stunned.

The four of them, Zou Jiahui, are no exception!
Zou Jiahui made a rough estimate, swallowed, and whispered:
"Dad, if this is the case, at least... 4000 million taels of silver will be needed!"

"Where did we, Ning Guo, get so much money?"

Everyone looked at Zou Huanzhang.

Zou Huanzhang put out the fire and poured three cups of tea, "I don't know, but since the regent said it so seriously, he has a way to deal with the money."

The study suddenly became silent.

No one knows how the regent managed to generate 4000 million taels of silver in a short period of time.

After a while, Chen Dingmao asked:
"Since Linshui City and Linfengdu are used to build warships, what is the dock in Huaishan County used for?"

"By the way, I was just going to tell you about this."

"The regent wants to build merchant ships at the Huaishan County dock... but it is not under the Water Transport Department of the Ministry of Household Affairs."

Chen Dingmao was stunned: "Which yamen does that belong to?"

"Shipping no longer belongs to any yamen!"

"The regent means that all merchants can have their own fleet."

Chen Dingmao was immediately shocked. His eyes widened. After a moment, he cautiously said two words:

"Seriously?" (End of Chapter)