The people of the Imperial Pond have already put in various spices, and some liquor and fruits are placed in trays and put in the water. After Xiang Hongxuan and Zhou Xun changed their clothes, they stepped into the pool. Xiang Hongxuan waved his hand, and the palace people who served around him all retreated.

"Yan'en, do you think Lao Jiu will be so honest and clean alone? If he really cleaned the stables alone, how long did he have to clean them? Xiang Hongxuan picked up a glass of wine from the tray and asked a little playfully.

"Your Majesty, if King Duan works harder, he can almost finish sweeping in the evening, but if King Duan sleeps halfway, it will be difficult to say, maybe Your Majesty will have to leave King Duan in the stable for the night."

Xiang Hongxuan thought about it, this is not good, although the stable of the arrow pavilion is in the previous dynasty, but when the time comes, the palace gate of the outer imperial city will be locked, and Xiang Hongxi will not be able to get out of the palace.

"Someone." Xiang Hongxuan shouted, and Xiao Dezi outside the soup pool hurriedly came to Xiang Hongxuan.

"You go to the stable and keep an eye on King Duan, and in the evening, whether King Duan has finished cleaning or not, let him out of the palace."

After Xiao Dezi got his life, he quickly withdrew from the soup pool. Xiang Hongxuan lay on his back on the edge of the soup pool, and he drank another glass of water and wine.

"Yan'en, do you remember? The three of us used to like to spend an afternoon in this hot pool, and at that time I also said that if we have children in the future, we should also let them come to this hot pool for a good bath after horse racing. Xiang Hongxuan took the wine glass in his hand and became a little melancholy.

"Your Majesty, don't be too sad, the little prince doesn't want to see you like this."

Xiang Hongxuan raised one arm, and with his other hand picked up the wine jug in the tray and poured a glass of wine for Zhou Xun, who immediately took the wine glass with both hands.

"Yan'en, your daughter-in-law didn't give you a son and a half daughter, and I didn't keep the prince, we are all poor men."

Saying that, Xiang Hongxuan raised his head and put down a glass of water and wine, looking at the posture, Xiang Hongxuan probably had plans to get drunk and lie in the soup pool. Zhou Xun didn't have the slightest reaction on his face, but his heart was full of mixed feelings. But soon he said with a hippie smile: "Your Majesty, you have three thousand beauties in your harem, I'm afraid that there will be many princes in the future to give you a headache." Besides, now that the world is undecided, it is the time for Your Majesty to realize your great cause, Your Majesty, you are too busy, how can you still be busy giving birth to a prince in the harem. ”

As soon as he heard this, the corners of Xiang Hongxuan's mouth rose slightly, and he picked up a piece of soup pool water and patted it lightly on his body.

"Those who know me will also be gracious."

Zhou Xun also picked up the wine jug and poured two glasses of water and wine, and respectfully served one of them to Xiang Hongxuan's eyes.

"Your Majesty, I heard that Nanxi Kingdom was frightened by Dongyu's army, and wanted to stop the war and send rare birds and beasts and beautiful Nan Ji, which shows Your Majesty's prestige, and you are not far from leaving a name in history."

"It's a pity that this battle can't be fought, otherwise if Nanxi is destroyed by Dongyu, why should Dongyu be afraid of Beirong in the future, even if Beirong and Xihua unite, Dongyu will dare to fight two."

Xiang Hongxuan took the water and wine from Zhou Xun's hand with a slight loss, although his words were a little regretful

intentions, but Zhou Xun's words made him unconsciously reveal joy.

"Your Majesty, Dongyu's weapons can only rely on a few large iron mines in the country, if you build weapons on a large scale, it will inevitably allow spies from various countries to obtain information, and the cost is not low, the officials in charge of several iron mines before are also involved in corruption, those mines are chaotic, and now it is very difficult to build a large number of weapons."

"I heard Yang Shangshu say it before, and at that time I thought that Yang Shangshu was shirking, but now it seems that it is quite difficult for the military department to build weapons?" Xiang Hongxuan said casually. But Zhou Xun knew that Xiang Hongxuan was still angry.

"Your Majesty, in fact, it is not difficult to say, there are two main problems, one is the cost, and the other is iron ore. If the household can allocate enough silver taels, and the iron ore can be sent far and continuously to Yicheng, these will not be a problem. ”

Xiang Hongxuan pursed his lips and smiled, he picked up the wine glass and played with it in his hand.

"Is there anything Yan En can do?"

"It's very simple, exchange Nanxi's beauties and rare birds for silver and iron ore."

Xiang Hongxuan was stunned, he straightened up from the water, and slowly put down the wine glass in his hand.

"Let's listen carefully."

"Your Majesty, the rare birds and beasts of Nanxi can be sent to Xihua Kingdom, Emperor Kangqing has only lost the battle, and there will be generous gifts that will not be thin, Xihua is rich in iron and jade, no matter what Emperor Kangqing sends, it will be useful to Dongyu Kingdom. As for the thousand Nanxi, His Majesty selected a hundred people to give to Beirong, and Beirong will definitely give back some of their horses, Your Majesty has seen the power of Beirong's horses today. ”

Xiang Hongxuan suddenly came to his senses, and he remembered that the black horse that Zhou Xun rode during the afternoon horse race seemed to be the horse offered by Beirong.

"The horses in Beirong are all short, it's okay to race a horse, and nothing else is useful." Xiang Hongxuan asked suspiciously.

"Your Majesty, don't you know, the horses that Beirong dedicated to Dongyu are all ornamental horses, and Beirong's war horses are first-class and first-class horses, even so, you have seen it today, and it can also be comparable to Dongyu's war horses, if Beirong's war horses arrive in Dongyu, Dongyu's iron horses can be invincible."

Xiang Hongxuan remembered that Zhou Xun's dark horse crossed the finish line at the same time as his white horse in the afternoon, which shows the speed of the Beirong horse. But it is not easy to exchange war horses from Beirong.

"Yan En, you're right, but Beirong is not a fool, how could they send war horses to Dongyu and Xihua, even if I buy iron ore with Emperor Kangqing with real money, he won't sell it to me, not to mention these flashy rare birds and beasts." Xiang Hongxuan was lost again, Zhou Xun's words were indeed very attractive, but there was no possibility of realization.

"Your Majesty, even if Emperor Kangqing sends beautiful jade, it is just as useful, Nanxi Kingdom is very obsessed with Xihua jade, with Emperor Kangqing's batch of exquisite jade, get Nanxi Kingdom, that is the silver of white flowers. And Beirong's side, where have they seen Nanji, how can these hundred Nanji be enough for their nobles to enjoy, since the Beirong nobles want more Nanji, then they naturally have to rely on high prices to buy from Dongyu, and when the time comes, these Nanji will be handed over to Dongyu ordinary merchants for sale, Beirong is the most valuable

is their war horse, if it is clear that they can only exchange it for war horses, naturally someone will secretly exchange it. On the Xihua side, a mutual market has been opened, and His Majesty can use the indemnity of Nanxi Kingdom to entrust the merchants on the border to purchase iron ore in batches, so that he can get all the things he wants without realizing it. ”

"Okay, Yan'en, I really didn't mistake you, you are a master of making money, it's a pity, you wasted your talent in the Ministry of Industry, you will go to the Ministry of Household to be a waiter tomorrow, these things, the Ministry of Household Affairs is more appropriate," Xiang Hongxuan said to Zhou Xun meaningfully.

"Your Majesty, if these things are done, it is estimated that it will take a long time, otherwise it will cause the vigilance of Xihua and Beirong." Zhou Xun said cautiously, he knew that Xiang Hongxuan would not be willing to wait too long, but there was really no way, his plan was good, but if he wanted to be silent, he could only come through trade little by little in the years.

"How long will that take?" Xiang Hongxuan asked impatiently.

"Two or three years soon."

Xiang Hongxuan thought about it for a while, in order to destroy Nanxi, he did not hesitate to fight with Xihua first, he can't wait to start a war with Nanxi now, two or three years is too long, but he wants to fight with Nanxi without worries, he can wait for two or three years.

"Yan'en, you can do this well for me, and if it is done, I will not treat you badly."

Zhou Xun hurriedly thanked him for receiving the order, he smiled slightly, and the afternoon horse race finally got what he wanted.

.....................................................................................................................

Ling looked out the window, the sky was flushed, the sun was setting, and the sky was about to darken.

"Aunt Yan, I haven't seen Your Majesty since lunch, where has Your Majesty gone?"

"Queen Mother, I heard that Your Majesty is riding a horse and shooting arrows in the Arrow Pavilion with King Duan and Zhou Xun, the waiter of the Ministry of Works, in the afternoon today."

"Zhou Xun?" Ling Xi muttered in his mouth.

Being able to ride a horse and shoot arrows with the emperor and the prince must not be simple, but among the royal clansmen, Ling Xi doesn't remember that there is such a person?

It happened that Aunt An also entered the house with tea, she was a little surprised when she heard the name in Ling Xi's mouth, she put down the tea tray in her hand and stood next to Ling Xi.

"Queen Mother, are you asking Lord Zhou Xun, the waiter of the Ministry of Works?" Aunt An asked cautiously.

"Looks like you all know him, huh?"

Aunt An didn't know anything, Aunt Yan looked at Aunt An and didn't reply, she whispered: "I don't know much, I only know that this Lord Zhou is the younger brother of Queen Zhou of Nanchang Kingdom, and he has been a nobleman of Nanchang for generations

Summoned Lord Zhou, Lord Zhou can be regarded as accompanying His Majesty to grow up. ”

"Southerners? Zhou Xun is after the death of the country, how can he be an official of the previous dynasty? Ling Xi asked puzzled.

"After attending the palace banquet of the former emperor, the prince and his wife both died violently in less than three months. There is no royal family in Nanchang anymore, and Lord Zhou will not be counted after the death of the country. Besides, Lord Zhou and His Majesty have a friendship that grew up together, and it can't be regarded as after the death of the country. Aunt Yan continued to whisper.

Ling Xi understood, the captivity of the Duke and his wife both died violently, and the descendants of Nanchang had no thoughts, and the southerners had no hope of recovering the country, so Zhou Xun's danger was greatly reduced, and he still had this preference for Xiang Hongxuan, so it was not surprising that he could be a waiter in the Ministry of Works.

"The slave maid heard that Lord Zhou is the son-in-law of Zuo Xiang, and Lord Zhou is already Dongyu's son-in-law, so he is not a southerner." Aunt An didn't seem to be quite satisfied with Aunt Yan's explanation, and she added.

Left phase Yuzi period? Ling Xi knew this person, he had heard Ling Xiao and Jiang Zhennan talk about him before, saying that he was a veteran of the Three Dynasties, and he had countless protégés in his life, and don't look at his high position, but he only has one wife, and he does not take concubines, and he will be with his wife for a lifetime. Yu Zi period of this high style and outstanding discipline, he also became the leader of the Eastern Yu scholars, sitting in the previous dynasty for decades.

But when it comes to this Yuzi period, it is also very interesting. It is said that Yu Zi was the champion and the first, but the background was slightly cold, the teacher before he became famous, the daughter was promised to him, Yu Zi was grateful for the teacher's support and care, and after marriage, he loved his wife in every way, and their husband and wife loved each other, and became a good story in Yicheng that year.

It's a pity that his wife didn't give birth to a son for a long time, which became a regret for Yu Zi's life. said that Yu Zi is a lifelong love of one person, but in order to give birth to a son, this old man did not hesitate to let his old wife give birth to a little daughter at the age of 50, in order to ask for a son, he gave birth to nine daughters, which made people laugh for many years, obviously wanting his son to die, but he was unwilling to take a concubine. He is obsessed with obsession, and he is really infatuated.

Ling Xi thought that Zhou Xun could be a son-in-law by Yu Zi, and Zhou Xun should be a talent. For Xiang Hongxuan, such a foundationless southerner is exactly what he needs, which is probably the reason why Xiang Hongxuan really attaches importance to Zhou Xun.

(End of chapter)