After the small wooden box was opened, two gemstone bracelets, one gold and one silver, set off by blue velvet, were displayed in front of everyone.

Cao Huachun and Wang Chengen, who had already seen it once, were still sighing, and couldn't hide the amazement and envy in their eyes.

Emperor Chongzhen saw such a delicate gemstone bracelet for the first time, and was immediately deeply attracted, he took out the gold bracelet inlaid with twelve square rubies and dozens of round emeralds to admire it carefully, and said, "It is much more beautiful than the silver game", and took out the silver bracelet inlaid with twelve round sapphires and fine rhinestones to look at it repeatedly, and finally asked with satisfaction: "Wu Jingxian, where did such a valuable treasure come from?" ”

Wu Jingxian replied truthfully: "It is Zhu Daolin, a young Taoist priest from the Ziyang Temple under the Shogunate Mountain in the northern suburbs of Jinling, who asked the servants to present the holy ones on his behalf, and all the copper materials of the Jinling Copper Yuan Bureau in the past six months, including the 168,000 catties of copper sent back this time, were also bought back from overseas by this person." ”

Emperor Chongzhen sat down slowly, put down the silver bracelet in his hand, and stared into Wu Jingxian's eyes for a long time.

Cao Huachun on the side immediately became nervous, he accepted the 100,000 taels of silver tickets given by Wu Jingxian, a large mirror with polished flowers, a set of never-before-seen precious porcelain and a pocket watch that he couldn't put down, and also accepted the same generous gift for his apprentice Wang Chengen, but he was very worried that Wu Jingxian was too direct at the moment, if he didn't deal with it well and aroused the emperor's suspicion, the things that followed would be difficult to handle.

Wu Jingxian didn't seem to have any concerns, and bowed his head and whispered: "Last year's Xia Yuan Festival, the slave heard that the Ziyang Temple under the shogunate mountain was being rebuilt was very lively, so he went to take a look, but he didn't expect that the abbot of the Ziyang Temple was actually the Xuanqing Taoist who treated the slave five years ago. ”

"At the luncheon of Ziyang Temple, the slave met his apprentice Zhu Daolin for the first time through the introduction of Daoist Xuanqing. At that time, Zhu Daolin had just returned from a trip overseas, and he seemed to be surprised by the identity of the slave, and after drinking a few glasses of wine, he asked the slave if he had ever seen the saint? Isn't the saint the same as the portrait of Cheng Zu, with a long beard that looks quite majestic and solemn? ”

Cao Huachun and Wang Chengen couldn't help but laugh, and Emperor Chongzhen couldn't help but laugh. Subconsciously touched his smooth and thin chin.

Wu Jingxian continued to report respectfully: "Although the slave is an old man from the Xinwang Mansion, he doesn't know how to answer his inquiry, and after thinking for a long time, he can only tell him: The saint is three years younger than you, but he has already taken on the heavy responsibility of governing the Ming Dynasty, and he only sleeps for two or three hours a day, and the rest of the time is working for state affairs and worrying about the people of the world. Due to the continuous natural disasters for several years, and the war between Liaodong and Xuanda that lasted for more than ten years exhausted the national strength, the saint used every tael of silver on the blade. Not only have the personnel and expenses in the palace been reduced again and again, but also every meal is a few dishes and a bowl of clear soup, and no new clothes have been purchased for three consecutive years, and the middle clothes and ** on the body are all old clothes that have been worn for many years and patched......"

Speaking of this, Wu Jingxian's tears burst out of his eyes.

Wang Chengen and Cao Huachun on the side have already burst into tears, they are the same as Wu Jingxian, they are the old men of the Xinwangfu before Chongzhen became the emperor, and they have the most sincere feelings for Emperor Chongzhen. Their tears at the moment were not artificial, they were completely caused by the sadness in their hearts.

Chongzhen was very moved in his heart. He has been emperor for more than four years.

In the past four years or so, he has tasted all the ups and downs, and none of the ministers who he originally had high hopes for can share the heavy responsibilities for him, but are keen to form gangs and factions, and the infighting continues. disappointed him again and again in governing the country and resisting foreign humiliation, but it was the eunuchs around him who were strictly supervised and suppressed by the Manchu courtiers who were the ones who were truly loyal to him, relieved of his worries, and cried for him.

Under Cao Huachun's whispered comfort, Wu Jingxian wiped away his tears and continued: "Then Zhu Daolin looked at the slave in disbelief after listening to the minion's words. His master, Xuanqing Daoist, couldn't help but sigh frequently on the side, and told him that all this was true, Zhang Tianshi of the Zhengyi Sect and the deacon of Maoshan Zuting had been serving the royal family in the capital for many years, and they knew very well the simple life of the saints and the ladies in the palace. ”

"The Shangqing faction of Maoshan and the Zhengyi faction of Longhu Mountain come from the same source, and they have close contacts, so they naturally know the things in the palace, so in the past few years, the Shangqing faction and the Zhengyi faction will automatically pray for the blessing of the saint every time there is a large-scale ritual, praying that the heavens and the gods will bless the Ming and protect the saint."

Zhu Daolin listened to his master's words, sat there in a daze, didn't say a word for a long time, and the slave felt that it was no longer interesting to stay, so he said goodbye and left, and the Xuanqing Daoist sent the slave outside the mountain gate.

"Just when the slave was about to get into the carriage, Zhu Daolin came, he respectfully bowed to the slave, and then said to the slave: Father-in-law, the 110,000 catties of refined copper you owe me have been written off, and within three months, I will find a way to get back a batch of copper, and ask my father-in-law to give it to the saint to make a cannon on my behalf!"

"Zhu Daolin left after speaking, after the Spring Festival, he really fulfilled his promise, and the 168,000 catties of copper that the slave sent back this time was Zhu Daolin's dedication to the saint."

Cao Huachun and Wang Chengen were shocked after hearing this.

The 168,000 catties of pure copper, plus the 110,000 catties of golden brass plates that were transported back to the palace a year ago, are worth no less than 50,000 taels of gold!

Emperor Chongzhen was very moved, and once again picked up the ruby gold bracelet on the table and played with it carefully.

Wu Jingxian and Cao Huachun quietly glanced at each other, and the two knelt down again and kowtowed to thank them, and quietly exited the imperial study under Wang Chengen's farewell, not daring to disturb the young emperor who was in deep thought after being excited.

Cao Huachun accompanied Wu Jingxian out of Xihua Gate, pulled Wu Jingxian into the carriage and walked together: "You didn't make it clear in the few letters you came last time, what is the ability of this Zhu Daolin who you want me to recommend?" ”

Wu Jingxian said with a smile: "He has no literary talent, but he writes well, and he has never led a soldier, but he can easily defeat me, not to mention in terms of calculation, I have never seen a second person in my life who can create a net worth of one million from scratch before the age of twenty-five." ”

"Don't hide it from my eldest brother, he already recognizes me as his uncle."

Cao Huachun's eyes widened: "Tsk! When you were demoted to Nanjing, Father-in-law Wei once said that it was not necessarily a bad thing, maybe it would be a blessing in disguise. ”

"If I also have such a nephew who is worth millions and has a lofty vision, I am also willing to be demoted to Nanjing."

"Oh, don't talk about these useless things, let's talk about what we should do next, I've been away from Banzai Ye for too long, and I'm not familiar with many things, it's all up to you and Chengen!"

Wu Jingxian and the scheming senior brother Cao Huachun were both apprentices brought out by Wang An, the chief eunuch of the ceremonial supervisor of the year, and finally entered the Xinwang Mansion together to serve Zhu Youzhen, who had not yet become the emperor. (To be continued......)