My Brother-in-law is the Prince

  Chapter 376 Thorough investigation to the end

  Zhu Di seemed to hear the implication immediately.

  He stared at Liu Guandao: "You mean, Yang Pu was a hindrance?"

   "Exactly." Liu Guan said calmly and calmly, "Now there are rumors that Jiangxi's railway cannot be repaired."

   "Your Majesty, the railway in Jiangxi is in full swing. Why is everyone saying this now? How can a few meddlesome people cause such a commotion?"

  Zhu Di paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, his head slightly lowered, as if he was thinking about something.

  Liu Guan continued to speak: "It can be seen that the identity of the person spreading these rumors is not simple. Yang Pu is in charge of the railway department..."

   Zhu Di interrupted him at this moment: "Yang Pu is in charge of the Railway Department, and he dares to say such a thing just because he hates the construction of the Jiangxi Railway? In my opinion, I'm afraid that Yang Pu's mind may not be so narrow-minded."

   "Your Majesty." Liu Guan bowed down and said, "There are some things that I dare not say, but today when your Majesty asked, I dare not bully you, so I had to... boldly speak out."

  Zhu Di felt more and more strange, he stared at Liu Guan, and now he only pursed his lips, without saying a word.

  Liu Guandao: "I heard that Yang Pu originally planned to build the world's railways, and many merchants are also sharpening their knives."

  Zhu Di raised his eyebrows: "Why?"

Liu Guan immediately said: "There are a lot of merchants in Taiping Prefecture. When the Taiping Prefecture Railway was built, most of the orders were placed in various workshops and commercial banks in Taiping Prefecture. Many merchants made a lot of money through this. A Taiping Mansion, think about it, if the whole world builds railways, the profits will be huge! I dare say that the profits made by this merchant will be ten times or a hundred times more than before. Such huge profits have long been coveted. And Let Xueshi Yang come to build, Xueshi Yang has cooperated with them for a long time, and they are familiar with each other, so many orders can be placed on these merchants."

"But your majesty, how can you let Yang Xueshi arbitrarily decide on the railway? Therefore, the railway errand fell on the minister. The minister and Jiangxi Governor Xu Qi also discussed it, thinking that it is better to let the merchants of Taiping Mansion provide steel. And sleepers, it’s better for Jiujiang Mansion and Nanchang Mansion to supervise the construction by themselves, firstly, they can use local materials, and secondly, it also prevents these merchants from making huge profits and saves some money for His Majesty.”

"But it is precisely because of this that those merchants left with hatred. Your Majesty... merchants dare to take risks for profit. Now that the minister and Mr. Xu have cut off their interests, how can they not hold grudges? Therefore, among the market, everyone They were talking about the inevitable accidents on the Jiangxi railway, and some people secretly made trouble in Jiangxi, because the Jiangxi railway could not be repaired. At that time, Xueshi Yang would go out to turn the tide, and those merchants would follow Xueshi Yang to take the opportunity to make a fortune. "

"It's so easy to build a mere railway. What I worry about is the people's hearts. Mr. Xu is planning the railway in Jiangxi, and he is devoting himself to it. It's really not easy. But some people are waiting for the opportunity to make a big impact, and they are obstructing everywhere, and even... they are still in Jiangxi. I dare to ask, what are they going to do? Jiangxi's railway is a matter of concern to the world. If Jiangxi's railway can be built, all provinces in the world will build it themselves. , Your Majesty...is this a blessing for the country?"

Liu Guan said, weeping, and then kowtowed: "Now your Majesty is punishing Xu Gong for these gossips, and even punishing the ministers. It is not a pity that the ministers and Xu Gong are dead, but once the long-term plan of railway construction is broken. , making this railway arbitrarily controlled by a group of merchants headed by Yang Pu... It is an unforgivable crime for me to be smashed to pieces."

   Immediately afterwards, he kowtowed again and again.

   Zhu Di looked at Liu Guan with strange eyes.

  Speaking of which, no one likes Liu Guan.

   But Liu Guan's words sounded quite reasonable.

  The most important thing is that Zhu Di does not care whether this person's words are true or not, but at least Zhu Di believes in this person and has not formed a party for personal gain.

   Because Zhu Di knew about Liu Guan, no one wanted to form a party with him.

  Zhu Di pondered and said: "I will order the factory guard to continue to verify this matter."

   "Your Majesty." Liu Guandao: "I think that there is no need for factory guards, and I can go in person."

  Zhu Di frowned and looked at him, puzzled: "You?"

  Liu Guanban straightened his waist, and said righteously: "The minister is ordered to supervise the railway matters. Jiangxi is the first railway outside Beijing. The relationship is very important. How dare I stand idly by?"

  Zhu Di walked back and forth for a few more steps before saying, "Also."

  So Liu Guandao: "I will do it tomorrow, Your Majesty...Please Your Majesty... No matter what gossip you hear, there must be no doubts, this Jiangxi Railway... will surely succeed..."

  Zhu Di resented in his heart, for being his mother, I have poured in two million taels of silver, all of which I saved up one by two, one by two, and now... it seems that I can only believe it tentatively.

   Liu Guan said again: "As for Bachelor Yang...how will His Majesty deal with it?"

  Zhu Di looked sideways, and his eyes swept across Liu Guan's body like sharp knives.

   Liu Guan was startled, bowed down and kowtowed: "Your minister, if you talk too much, you will be punished with death."

  Zhu Di waved his hand: "I only want the railway to be built, and I don't care about other things."

"yes."

  Liu Guan came out of the hall, wiped the cold sweat off his head coldly, and couldn't help cursing in his heart: "It's so good, how could there be thieves?"

  Though he thought so, Liu Guan still looked like a big lala, as if he didn't care.

  He is a natural optimist, there is no hurdle in the world that he can't overcome, I, Liu, can be rich all my life lying down.

  Going to Jiangxi now...just to relax.

  It's a pity that the boy Yang Pu was not defeated.

  He felt a little regretful.

  If anyone else tried to punish Yang Pu, he would have to weigh his own weight.

  But Liu Guan is different. Liu Guan belongs to the kind of person who I dare to touch no matter who you are.

  Anyway, if you offend anyone, you can be promoted.

  Based on years of experience, the more people he offends, the more hopeful he will be.

   Not many days later, Liu Guan happily arrived in Nanchang Mansion.

   Here, Xu Qi heard that he dared to delay there, and hurriedly led the upper and lower officials to greet him.

Liu Guan happily held Xu Qi's wrist and said, "You don't need to be too polite, you don't need to be too polite... Your Majesty ordered me to supervise the railway, how is it, what's the matter, I heard that the station has been completed... why don't you take me to see it? "

  Xu Qi's face was blue and black, and he hesitated.

  Based on Liu Guan's years of experience in deceiving his superiors and his subordinates and being greedy for ink, he immediately noticed something was wrong.

  So he pulled his face down, and said immediately: "What's wrong?"

  Xu Qi said hesitantly: "Mr. Liu...the station has been repaired."

   "Why don't you go see it after it's fixed?"

   "It's just that the tracks aren't laid."

   "Where are the rails?"

   "The iron has not yet been refined."

   "Then hurry up and build a workshop."

   "The workshop has not been repaired."

   "Since it has not been repaired, you can buy some steel from outside for emergency. Your Majesty is urging it urgently, so don't neglect it."

   "How to buy without money?"

  The smile on Liu Guan's face disappeared.

  He paused, looked at Xu Qi calmly and said: "What about the silver? Your Majesty allocated two million taels, and you issued public bonds, didn't you also raise three million taels of silver?"

  Xu Qi raised his head and looked at Liu Guan with a strange look: "It's gone, it's gone."

  Liu Guan felt his heart beating suddenly, and he almost passed out. He was shocked and said: "I haven't embezzled a penny, why is this money gone?"

  As soon as this remark came out, I felt a slip of the tongue.

   Immediately he said angrily: "Why is this?"

  Xu Qidao: "The lower officials have prepared some thin wine, and please invite Liu Gong to enter the house for a detailed discussion."

  Liu Guan was trembling with anger: "You have hurt me, I was your guarantee a few days ago, if it doesn't work, I will return to Beijing immediately to return to my life."

  Xu Qi pulled Liu Guan back in a panic and said, "If Mr. Liu returns to his command like this, something terrible will happen."

  Xu Qi's eyes are very strange.

   Liu Guan seemed to understand something at once, he suddenly thought of something, and said: "Go inside and talk."

   As he spoke, he turned around and had a secret conversation with Xu Qi.

  Liu Guan was heartbroken, the matter was obviously beyond his expectation, and most importantly, he hadn't had time to take advantage of it yet!

  But he still has to bear such a big relationship with Xu Qi.

   One night passed, and the next day, the horse went straight to the capital.

  Zhang Anshi has a lot of leisure these days.

  Now the Dudu Mansion is also considered to be full of talents. Of course, if these talents are placed outside Zhili, they may not be regarded as talents, but these people he has cultivated by himself are now handy in their own positions.

  Although they are not Jinshi, they are not Juren, but most of them can easily deal with emergencies within their duties after tempering.

  Zhang Anshi didn't like to seize power, so after seeing this, he naturally handed over the matter to the people in the Dudu Mansion, and he was happy to be at leisure.

  As for the railway, there is also the implementation of the New Deal.

  Although these are important, what does it have to do with Zhang Anshi? A group of people who profit from the New Deal have been cultivated, and people will naturally defend their own vested interests. Even if these people are still weak, Zhang Anshi does not intend to treat them as unweaned children and worry about them day and night.

   Might as well be more comfortable fooling around with a few brothers.

   It's just that Yang Pu came to the door.

   "Dudu Zhang." Yang Pu saluted Zhang Anshi first.

   However, he frowned slightly, looking worried.

  Zhang Anshi said: "What's the matter, you look sad."

  Yang Pu sighed.

  Zhang Anshi sat down, smiled slightly and said: "I heard that you are being criticized in the court, and many people say that you are colluding with merchants?"

  Yang Pudao: "A little gossip is nothing, it's just... what the lower officials worry about is that because of the lower officials, it will implicate His Highness the Crown Prince and Dudu Zhang."

  Zhang Anshi smiled indifferently and said, "Let's be burdened. Anyway, I don't have to worry about debts. As for my brother-in-law... being said to be in collusion with merchants is not a bad thing."

  Yang Pu: "..."

  Zhang Anshi continued with a smile: "Actually, you don't have to frown, the boat will be straight when it reaches the bridge. If you are not confident in your own affairs, how can you help your brother-in-law in the future?"

  The so-called bystanders are clear, Yang Pu listened, but felt a little more at ease, so he said: "The governor also thinks that Jiangxi's railway can't be built?"

  Zhang Anshi said firmly: "It is absolutely impossible to repair."

  Yang Pu said: "Since the governor is so sure, then he should..."

Zhang Anshi said calmly: "I'm sure, but I can't shout all over the world. Otherwise, people who don't know will think that Zhang Anshi is colluding with merchants and trying to make huge profits. But... since the prediction will not happen, this should be done Prepare, but still have to do it. Don't worry, I have made the layout, and when the time comes... just wait and see the excitement."

  After hearing this, Yang Pu sighed in his heart, but then heaved a long sigh.

  Zhang Anshi said: "Scholar Yang is still worried about his fate?"

  Yang Pu shook his head, and quietly said: "The person who is worried about the lower officials is not himself, but..."

  He looked indescribable, his eyes were slightly red.

For a moment, some tears came down: "The lower official is also a scholar. He studied hard in a poor window. The lower official was born in a farming family. He read the books of sages and sages, and set up the ambition to help the common people and the community. But now the real officialdom is ups and downs, but what I see It's the original teacher, the same year, and the classmates. Although they all set the ambition to help the world, they are all conservative now and don't know how to adapt. How can they be half divided into the common people? The lower officials are thinking, is it because everyone reads crookedly? It’s still after entering the court, and the interests are in the heart.”

  Zhang Anshi couldn't understand his feelings, because he only read the Spring and Autumn Period in the Four Books and Five Classics.

The reason why I read the Spring and Autumn Annals is because in the Four Books and Five Classics, the Spring and Autumn Annals is composed of many small stories, which are not as jerky or full of preaching as the "Analects", "The Book of Songs", "Shangshu", and "Book of Rites". .

  Zhang Anshi even suspected that the second brother Guan read the Spring and Autumn Period every day instead of "Book of Rites" and "Shangshu", probably because of the same reason as him.

Zhang Anshi looked at Yang Pu's grief, put away his thoughts, and persuaded: "Okay, you don't have to be sad, everyone has their own choice, just like me, obviously I have a lifetime of wealth, and I can live comfortably all my life." , But do I lose my ambition? What I think about is the common people, so it can be seen that the quality of a person does not depend on whether he reads or not, or what kind of book he reads."

"You scholars, you actually regard reading the Four Books and Five Classics as a sign of a person's high moral character. In fact, reading and reading your brains is broken! If it weren't for the fact that there are so few people in the world who can read, people in the world can only be deceived by you scholars. Who are you?" The **** do you care about your nonsense?"

   After Zhang Anshi said this, it was obvious that his taste had changed a bit. Yang Pu didn't get comforted, but was scolded by Zhang Anshi with him in a strange way.

  So he seemed even more depressed. Normally, he was a calm and calm person with a firm mind, but perhaps because he was secretly criticized, he was psychologically fragile at this time, and he had mixed feelings at the moment, and his heart was greatly touched.

  At the moment, he smiled bitterly and said: "Hey... the good thing is reading, and the bad is reading..."

   After finishing speaking, he shook his head and stopped talking.

  At the end of the month, Zhang Anshi was ordered to enter the palace to have an audience.

  It is early summer at this time.

  At this time, the weather was already hot. Zhang Anshi designed a short-sleeved sweater for himself, which was quite cool, but unfortunately he couldn't wear it when he entered the palace. After he was fully dressed, he felt extremely hot.

  By the time he walked from the palace gate to Wenlou, he was already covered in sweat.

  But as soon as he walked in, he saw Zhu Di's face was quite displeased.

   I saw a lot of ministers came, and everyone was too angry to show it.

  Zhang Anshi saluted and said: "I have seen Your Majesty."

Zhu Di looked straight at Zhang Anshi and said, "Over there in Jiangxi, the railway is progressing at a rapid pace. The stations have been built everywhere, and the roadbed is almost laid. If they want money, they can open their mouths, the railway from Jiujiang to Nanchangfu is only a few hundred miles away, how much money has it spent now?"

Zhang Anshi was shocked when he heard this, and immediately said: "Your Majesty, I have an offer in my heart, and it is reasonable to complete the project with three to four million taels of silver, but they have paid so much silver in debt. Enough is enough, His Majesty's internal funds have allocated another two million taels of silver, the funds are already sufficient, why do you need more silver?"

   "That's why I asked you to ask." Zhu Di said with a distressed face: "Why is this railway so expensive?"

   "This..." Zhang Anshi felt that this question was really difficult for him, so he smiled wryly, "How do you understand?"

  Zhu Di looked at Xia Yuanji: "Xia Qing, you are the Secretary of the Household Department, can you tell me?"

  Xia Yuanji is also at a loss at this time, he is just the Minister of the Household Department, he doesn't care about this.

  But when His Majesty asked, he couldn’t say nothing, so he thought about it for a while and said, “Could it be because the construction deadline is over…”

   "It's not like this if the construction deadline is over." Zhu Di was obviously dissatisfied with this answer, so his eyes fell on another person, and said, "Wu Qing's family, you can tell."

This was named, and it was Wu Zhong, Shangshu of the Ministry of Industry who stood up. After all, Wu Zhong was in charge of repairing palaces and imperial tombs, and had experience in engineering, but at this time, he was a little confused: "Your Majesty, the minister is only from the Ministry of Industry." Shangshu..."

  Zhu Di suddenly became angry, and said angrily: "Is there no one here to share my worries?"

  Zhang Anshi said: "Your Majesty, don't be in a hurry, I think...it's better...to appoint an imperial envoy, so that you can ask questions."

  Zhu Di frowned and said: "Who should be appointed? I have already sent the Minister of Rites, who else will be useful?"

  Zhang Anshi thought for a while, then said: "Cheng Guogong Zhu Neng, maybe it can."

  After Zhu Di heard it, he became a little interested.

   This guy is perfect!

  Zhu Neng is a military official, and has nothing to do with the court or the place.

  The most important thing is that this old man is very good at calculating. Don't look careless on the surface, he is actually very shrewd. He is very clear about calculating accounts.

So Zhu Di's face softened a little, and he said: "Allow another five hundred thousand taels of silver, there will be no more, no matter what, we can't delay the construction period, Cheng Guogong Zhu Neng... Tomorrow, he will draw up an order and let him go there as soon as possible." Nanchang Mansion..."

   After Zhu Di got angry, he gradually calmed down. He guessed many possibilities.

   But thinking about it carefully, although there may be some accidents that the emperor values ​​so much, there shouldn't be any major mistakes.

  The reason why he was furious, after all, was because the cost was really huge, and it was his own money.

  (end of this chapter)