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 some fun on his own. He then discovered that there were scriptures on the kang table in front of the emperor, and several scriptures had been 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 you don't want to do it."
"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 mind 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 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. Even though his uncles were angry at him, they still protected 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 a genuine copy? There are several fake copies on your own bookshelf. You are really generous."
Zhou Shuren's heart skipped a beat. "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 felt bitter. I cut off my own flesh and gave him gifts, 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 couldn't stand it anymore. "I don't hold big celebrations every year, and I don't accept gifts from ministers."
Zhou Shuren didn't say anything. According to his understanding of the emperor, the emperor's words were definitely not that simple. "Well, I am satisfied with your birthday gift. Your third son will leave the capital early. Next year, the General Office of Maritime Affairs 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 Office as a sixth-rank official, or a sixth-rank provincial governor in Sanzhou?"
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 did think about it, but he was hesitant. "Is Chang Lian the only one?"
"No, there will be two more from the Hanlin Academy."
In the past few years, some people have been purged, and more people have been implicated. If one thread is pulled, a whole chain of people will be implicated. Some officials who were originally in record preparation are gone, and some vacancies have appeared.
Maritime affairs developed rapidly and one flat 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 head 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 choice. As long as Zhou Shuren was safe in the capital, no one would dare to mess with Zhou Changlian in the local area, but he would lack training. The Maritime Affairs Bureau was bound to be a new place to be fought for, and it was a good place to train people. With Zhou Shuren as a father to support him behind the scenes, Zhou Changlian... Thinking of this, the emperor glanced at Zhou Shuren. This man had something in his mind, but he was too clear-headed. 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 blueprint. Zhou Shuren hurriedly saluted the prince, but this time he didn't dare to sit down and just stood obediently.
The blueprint was opened, and the emperor motioned Zhou Shuren to hold a corner. Zhou Shuren looked at it generously. Is this a blueprint of a garden? The rockery and the inner lake are not small.
Zhou Shuren's heart trembled. This area scared him. Are they going to build a garden? There are already several money-eating beasts waiting to be fed every day, and they want to add another one
The prince accidentally saw Zhou Shuren's trembling lips, "Master Zhou? What's wrong with you?"
Zhou Shuren saw that the 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 too. 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 laughed dryly, "Your Majesty, I have never worked in the Ministry of Revenue, and I have never thought about money. Now, every time I see the silver in the national treasury decreasing day by day, my heart aches, especially painful."
The emperor was in a good mood. Zhou Shuren's memorial showed how much pain he was feeling. When he was forced into a corner, he said that technology also had its priorities. Spending so much money would not be very effective and it needed to be targeted.
The emperor rolled up the blueprint and handed it to the prince, "I am tired, my dear, please go back."
Zhou Shuren withdrew, and the Crown Prince came out with him. 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, please accompany me to see it?"
Zhou Shuren wanted to say that he was busy, but the prince did not give him the chance to speak and had already left. He told himself to endure it, because even though the person in front of him is younger than you, he is your next boss and the boss who holds your life and property in his hands.
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 Lord Zhou's family is going to 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 teaching children. The children you teach are all good. I am also a father, and I pay close attention to my children's knowledge. All parents want their children to be good."
Zhou Shuren blinked his eyes and said, "Your Highness is right."
The prince asked again: "Master Zhou only accepted one disciple?"
"Yes, I only have one disciple, 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, and he really did not want to continue accepting him. "I think so too, and I can't even teach my own children. I am powerless."
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was silent. Indeed, Zhou Shuren had quite a few children.
The carriage drove slowly and soon stopped. Zhou Shuren was stunned. This place was not far from the palace. "Are we here already?"