After Zhu Houzhao was taught by his younger brother, he basically stayed with Queen Zhang and the little girl during this time, serving carefully, being on call, and basically robbing the palace maid and eunuch of the job.

Three days later, Empress Zhang spoke, "The only one who can enter the palace is not a woman who is knowledgeable, fair-skinned, beautiful, talented and beautiful." This white jade lotus."

Under Zhu Houzhao's nervous gaze, he continued, "Except for the fact that the skin is a little dark, there is nothing wrong with the rest. Zhu Houzhao's hanging heart returned to its original place.

Zhu Houzhao has been coaxing the women at home for the past 3 days, and most of the things have been handed over to Zhu Houwei, so Zhu Houwei has been very busy in the past 3 days.

First of all, the weather is already very cold, there is nothing left to grow in the field, and there are fewer and fewer varieties of fruits and vegetables in the market. It's time for canned fruit to shine.

The various industries in Zhufu basically maintain good operation, and the main income is still the crystal Zhai in the capital. Relying on primary agriculture is like recovering the cost, and it really takes a long time.

Although the soil on the ground has not yet been completely frozen, it has caused a lot of trouble to the road construction team, and the speed of the project has also slowed down. There is no work in the fields, and many long-term workers are paid vacations, which is not a good thing for Zhu Houwei, so he is trying his best to find something for them to do.

The construction of the land and water battalions cannot be stopped, and this time it is planned to expand the army next year. However, the baggage battalion and the reconnaissance battalion have already been recruited and trained. Military doctors have also been transferred from hospitals in the capital to conduct marching training with the land and water battalions.

After discussing with Bai Xiaode, who came back from the water and land camp, it was decided to let all the spare manpower in Zhuangzi go to build roads and reservoirs, and the weather was getting colder and colder, and how much could be done.

The quilt factory also began to produce a large number of cotton clothes and "down jackets" invented by Zhu Houwei to prevent the people on Zhuangzi from being frostbitten or even freezing to death.

Canned fruit will also be available in 5 days' time. As for the selling price, Zhu Houwei was very "kind" and set the price of 30 taels a can. In winter, you can still eat delicious fruits, which is no longer just a pleasure, but also a status symbol, as the right of elites. Presumably, these dignitaries and nobles will not mind spending 30 taels to buy canned fruit weighing almost 1 catty.

Things were all arranged, and Baek Hyo-deok also returned to the camp to supervise the construction of the new department. After all, for the two brothers, so far, the water and land camp is the top priority, and with Bai Xiaode there, the two brothers can rest assured. As for Bai Yulian's unhappiness, Zhu Houwei didn't care about it, anyway, it was mainly Zhu Houzhao who faced it.

A few days later, Queen Zhang came to say that tomorrow her uncle would have a treat and go to his house for dinner, and let the three brothers and sisters prepare.

Empress Zhang is the eldest in the family, and there are two younger brothers, that is, the uncles of the three brothers and sisters. The eldest uncle's name is Zhang Heling, and the younger brother's name is Zhang Yanling.

Zhang Heling inherited his father's Shou Ningbo in the 5th year of Hongzhi (1492), and Zhang Yanling was named Jianchangbo in the 6th year of Hongzhi (1493).

After the Ming Dynasty, few people can be marquis, the change of civil engineering, the power of the nobles has been greatly weakened, not to mention the marquis in the future, there are very few people who have the face of the marquis.

Everyone has shortcomings, and Empress Zhang is no exception, that is, she is too indulgent to her family. Not long after entering the Hongzhi Dynasty, Empress Zhang asked Hongzhi for her father for a Shou Ningbo, but her father left within a few years of becoming Shou Ningbo, so it fell on the head of her eldest son Zhang Heling. The younger brother Zhang Yanling couldn't sit still, so he begged Queen Zhang, saying, "The eldest brother is already Shou Ningbo, I still don't have a title, sister, you have loved the two of us since you were a child, you can't favor one over the other." Empress Zhang had no choice but to ask Hongzhi for a Jianchang uncle for her younger brother. If there is no merit, the civil officials will not be happy. But Hongzhi only has one woman, the queen, so no matter how the civil officials advise, he still rewarded Zhang Yanling.

These two people have aroused the disgust of the civil officials, not only did they not relent, but instead turned into Bengali, instructing them to take over the plundering caravans, and forcibly rob the people's land and even women. The civil officials of the Ming Dynasty and the people of the capital hated the two very much. It's a pity that due to Queen Zhang's doting, the two did not get the punishment they deserved, and they are still living a villain life of bullying men and women.

The three brothers and sisters have heard of their uncle's "heroic deeds", and they don't want to see the two, so they rarely meet for a year. This time I suddenly invited a treat, and I was afraid that I understood what years I had begged Queen Zhang here.

No matter what the conduct of the two is, but after all, it is the uncle, and since he is invited, he can't go away. So on this day, it snowed for the first time this year in the capital, and the three brothers and sisters accompanied Empress Zhang to drive to Shouningbo Mansion in a carriage.

When I arrived at the gate of Shouningbo's Mansion, I saw that the two families were already waiting there. Jianchangbo's Mansion was just opposite Shouningbo's Mansion, so both uncles were waiting in front of the gate at the same time.

As soon as the carriage stopped, everyone stepped forward to salute. Zhang Heling, Zhang Songling led the team to kneel down and shouted, "See the queen, the crown prince, the second prince, and Her Royal Highness the princess." Empress Zhang hadn't seen her two younger brothers for a long time, so she hurriedly said, "Hurry up, it's all your own family, don't need so many courtesies, get up quickly." ”

The three brothers and sisters were expressionless, just calmly watching everyone and greeting. Zhang Heling and Zhang Yanling are both in their early 30s, not much different in age from Queen Zhang, born to the same father and mother. Both of them wore brand-new court robes that symbolized the status of the earl, and their faces were seven similar. He has good genes, good looks, and a neat, flowing long beard on his chin. It's a pity that the eyes are too lively, and they often turn around, ruining the layout of the whole face, and it looks a little treacherous.

After being ushered in to the main hall, there were already two round tables there, and the one closest to the north was for the two counts and the lady of the main room, and the family of Empress Zhang. There is a round table in the south, where the children of the two uncles are seated, as for the concubine, they can't sit at the table, and even if the concubine can be seated, even if there are two more round tables in the main hall, they can't sit down.

Uncle Zhang Heling has 2 sons and 3 daughters, the oldest is 17 years old, the youngest is 6 years old, and the other children under the age of 6 are not in the lobby. The brother-in-law has fewer children, only one son and one daughter, the son is 13 years old, and the daughter is 10 years old.

After sitting down and greeting for a while, Zhang Heling clapped his hands and immediately began to serve the food. Although it is winter, many ingredients are gone. But when Brother Zhu Houzhao saw many dishes that were not available in the market, he couldn't help but feel, "Uncle is quite powerful." Zhu Houwei said with a smile: "Look at the pavilions and pavilions in the house, the eaves and paintings, which ones are not built by skilled craftsmen." This set of yards is not a low price, and the construction alone costs at least 100,000 taels. ”

The eldest uncle and brother-in-law kept picking up vegetables for Queen Zhang, persuading them to cook, and kept talking to please her. The three brothers and sisters all looked unhappy, even if they were sisters and brothers, this was too flattering. Zhu Houwei looked at the table next to him and found that several older cousins and cousins were all bowing their heads and silent, only a few were relatively small, not very sensible, and they were eating very happily.

After three rounds of wine and five flavors of food, Zhang Heling turned his head and said, "Sister, it has been more than ten years since I have been doing this Shou Ningbo, and now I want to move up again, otherwise I will always be looked down upon by those nobles when I go out, and I will lose my sister's face." My sister spoils the harem alone and serves the saint, but her brother is just a little earl, doesn't it make people laugh? Zhang Yanling also immediately said to the side, "Yes, sister, last time I went to Qifeng Tower with Xu Guogong's sister-in-law, ah, it was Zhuangyuan Building to drink, and I looked down on my two brothers in and out of words." My brother is staying at home now, and I'm really ashamed to see people. ”

Empress Zhang listened to them blow and sing like this, Xiumei wrinkled slightly, and hesitated a little. Suddenly, he found that his eldest son was looking at his two uncles, his eyes were full of anger, and his younger son was staring at him, shaking his head slightly. Empress Zhang's heart was confused, so she had to say, "Let's not talk about these things first, now it's not a simple matter for me to be a marquis, you two wait for me to sum it up, and eat first." ”

The uncle seemed to have something to say, but Zhu Houwei raised his voice slightly and said, "At this time, why are there cucumbers, crisp and delicious, very fresh, I don't know how to preserve them?" The table looked at Zhu Houwei, and the uncle said casually, "I don't know how to save this, there are naturally people in the house to get along, but it costs a lot, and there are not many fresh vegetables in my house." ”

The topic was diverted by Zhu Houwei, and when the two uncles wanted to mention this topic again in the future, Queen Zhang just didn't answer. In the end, the younger brother still has no son.

After the meal, Empress Zhang, her two uncles and aunt were talking in the lobby, and the three brothers and sisters ran under the porch to enjoy the goose feathers and snow. By this time, a thin layer of snow had accumulated on the ground, and the roof was slowly covered with pure white.

The three siblings each took a deep breath, and the cool air lifted people's spirits. The three brothers and sisters were surrounded by several older cousins, and the younger ones had been taken back to the backyard.

In Zhu Houzhao's generation, Zhang Heling's eldest son is 17 years old, one year older than Zhu Houzhao, named Zhang Liyuan, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, a straight nose and thin lips, fair complexion, and very handsome. The younger ones don't talk about it, and they can't see their character, but the three brothers and sisters have a good image of this big cousin. Because this cousin is an upright person and belongs to a true gentleman, although he sometimes feels a little pedantic, but his conduct is not to be said. It's a pity that he is a concubine, and because his personality is very different from his uncle, his uncle also dislikes this eldest son very much.

At this time, Zhang Liyuan was standing next to the three brothers and sisters, and Zhu Houzhao asked with a smile, "Cousin, what have you been busy with lately?" Although Zhang Liyuan didn't know why the three brothers and sisters looked down on him, a concubine who was hated by his father, they got along for a long time and slowly got used to it. At this time, he calmly replied, "My father is going to let me enter business, and I have been learning business recently." ”

Zhu Houwei asked with some pity, "Cousin, do you like business?" Can the merchant's bargaining, buying low and selling high can be coped? Zhang Liyuan smiled bitterly, "It's okay, it's okay, it's okay, it's just like this." The three brothers and sisters obviously saw the gloom in his eyes, and couldn't help but feel a little sad.

Zhu Houwei said at this time, "Have you ever thought about doing something else, doing something you like?" Zhang Liyuan replied, "I thought about it, but unfortunately as the earl's concubine, I can't participate in the imperial examination." So what else can I do? And I'm about to be 18, so I can't even have a livelihood. ”

Zhu Houzhao said mysteriously at this time, "If you really want to do something by yourself and not be constrained, then come to Li Town, north of the city, to find our two brothers." ”

Zhang Liyuan suddenly perked up, but he was immediately deflated, "Father doesn't allow it, alas." ”

Zhu Houzhao and the three of them all knew that he was filial piety, and once Zhang Heling disagreed, he would only give up. Zhu Houwei had no choice but to say, "Then think about it, if you change your mind, come to us, this is your life, your choice." ”

Zhang Liyuan was a little stunned when he heard this. The three brothers and sisters didn't speak, quietly watching the slowly falling snow, and the others looked at the three brothers and sisters and didn't speak, so they didn't speak. The porch was silent.

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