After the feast, Xu Ling invited everyone to the study, Xu Lan was about to leave, Shen Zetang thought about it, and said gently to him: "You are now serving in the Governor's Mansion of the Five Armies, and if you have something to ask you, just come with you." ”

Xu Lan replied respectfully, no more.

Out of the flower hall, walk slowly along the front porch, pass the moon cave door, and enter the garden, but see the trees are green and green cages, the chrysanthemums are withered, the autumn wind moves, and the crab yellow petals are sprinkled on the ground.

Li Guangqi raised his head and looked at the persimmon tree, and said, "Your persimmon is denser than that of Shen Erfu, but it is much smaller. ”

"Where is small, your eyes are not good." Xu Ling hummed unconvinced.

Gundam Beard commented: "Your persimmon is the size of a fist, and the one on Shen Er's Mansion is just like a lantern." ”

"Lantern?!" Xu Ling sneered: "If you dare to eat like a lantern?" Don't be afraid of hitting the persimmon essence, beware of eating you, and then eat your lady and concubine one by one. ”

"Old Puff!" Gundam glared angrily, and rolled his sleeves and arms as if he was about to fight.

Shen Zetang put his hands behind his back and smiled silently.

Chen Yan couldn't stand it, so he said loudly: "It doesn't matter if the persimmon is big or small, it tastes sweet." Today is the day when Mrs. Shen returns to the door, don't look at the monk's face to see the Buddha's face, just stop a little. ”

Xu Lan followed behind, taking in all the strange phenomena, and he secretly thought that if his father, an important minister of the imperial court, went to the sparse table to advise the emperor, he pointed out the country, made generous statements, and acted uprightly, clear and arrogant, so that people could only watch from a distance and did not dare to get close.

But at this time, when you look at them again, they are laughing and scolding and beating for trivial things, but they are just ordinary people who are full of fireworks, just like Shen Zetang, who also looks like a spectator.

His awe faded suddenly.

I don't know that the image has fallen off the altar of the people, walk dozens of steps along the bluestone road, pass the wisteria trellis, see a family temple in the distance, the Zhu door is closed, separated by the powder wall, there is a faint sound of Sanskrit music.

Li Guangqi seemed to think of something, and looked at Shen Zetang: "I still remember that there is a Mengqing Daoist aunt in Ciyun Nunnery in your house, is it okay now?" My wife always misses her and loves to hear her preach. “

This Taoist aunt once went to his house and recited the Vajra ceremony to the queen house, so she naturally knew something special about her.

Shen Zetang was very calm: "She practiced in the ancestral hall of Haowang's mansion, and she didn't get the news until I returned to Beijing after patrolling the two rivers, and she died of a serious illness." ”

Li Guangqi was a little surprised: "Mengqing Daogu is in her prime, and she eats vegetarian food all the year round and calms her mind and scriptures, what kind of serious illness will she get?" ”

"There are unforeseen circumstances in the sky, people have good and bad luck, and birth, old age, sickness and death are not up to people. What's so strange about Master Li? Shen Zetang's tone was even more indifferent.

Li Guangqi stopped asking, and he didn't know why he couldn't ask, so he only hid a trace of doubt in his heart and didn't mention it anymore.

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

Everyone entered the study and sat down, and the little maid poured the boiling tea and retreated.

"Yesterday, when the Chang Dynasty was in the court, those self-made weapons displayed by Qin Shilang of the Ministry of Works, who had the first permission?" Shen Zetang took a sip of tea and asked.

Li Guangqi swept around and waved his hand hurriedly: "What do you think I do?" Although Qin Yanzhao is my son-in-law, now that I am in charge, how can I get into his eyes, I love to ignore it all day long, and I have a close relationship with Xu Bingyong, and the fight is hot, in my opinion, this move must be given to Xu Bingyong's instructions. ”

Shen Zetang sighed slightly: "The manufacture of weapons is under the responsibility of the six departments, and it should be under the control of the Ministry of War, how can it be involved with the Ministry of Industry?" “

Chen Yan frowned and said: "The manufacture of weapons was originally under the control of the Ministry of War, and the Ministry of War has jurisdiction over the Ordnance Bureau, the War Bureau and the Gunpowder Bureau, and the Ordnance Bureau has set up a Weapons Craftsman Lifting Division, which has more than 1,000 military craftsmen. “

"Four months ago, Xia Wanchun, the secretary of the military department, made a surprise and sent the anti-sea generals to the merchant Tianyu fleet, and transported firearms and weapons from Franco-Rang (Portugal), Goryeo and Korea to the territory of our dynasty, and he also escaped under strict defense. As we all know, the weapons made in the Three Kingdoms are ferocious, and now a large number of weapons are pouring in, and it is suspected that King Hao purchased them for his own use in the rebellion. “

Shen Zetang's expression froze: "Since this is the case, it is just right to send troops to recruit according to the crime of rebellion, how could the emperor easily miss the opportunity?" ”

Chen Yan continued: "The strange thing is that after this batch of weapons entered the country, the emperor sent Wu Biao, the general of Fuyuan, to lead his troops to guard the border of Yunnan. Everything is ready, only this shareholder is owed. “

"How could I wait for a few days and nights, but I didn't wait for these weapons, and I didn't know where they were going, they disappeared so bizarrely, the emperor didn't dare to risk the world's disapproval to kill the emperor's uncle, so he had to withdraw his troops and return in vain."

Shen Zetang bowed his head: "In this way, Qin Shilang made his own weapons, and he was willing to do it with the permission of the emperor and Xu Bingyong." “

"How so?" Gundam's mind was filled with doubts.

Shen Zetang explained: "The emperor is afraid of this batch of lost weapons, and he must create a more energetic response, Qin Shilang must have recommended himself by Mao Sui, and then recommended by Xu Bingyong, and the emperor acquiesced, so that the Ministry of Industry was able to participate in the joint creation of weapons by the Ministry of War." “

He paused: "I was worried that the Ministry of Industry would be under the control of Xu Bingyong, but I did everything possible to obstruct Qin Shilang's promotion to Shangshu, but I never thought that he would go another way, and the Ministry of Industry would be in decline. Throughout the court, the three departments of work, household, and punishment have all been controlled by Xu Bingyong. ”

Everyone's expressions were solemn, and their hearts were heavy.

Xu Bingyong has been an official for several years, gloomy and alert, good at old scheming, if he is loyal to the state affairs and monopolizes power, the process of King Hao becoming emperor will be much more difficult.

Shen Zetang smiled backwards: "Don't despair, Xu Bing's move is also a double-edged sword, the power he holds is the imperial power of the Son of Heaven, the emperor is sensitive and suspicious, how can he be willing to lose the imperial power, and now it is just a temporary alliance to 'cut the domain'." “

Chen Yan agreed: "What Shen Er said is reasonable, there is no doubt that Xia Shangshu of the Ministry of War is loyal to the emperor, whether it is to manufacture weapons or to be led by the Ministry of War, and the Ministry of Industry is promoted in a coordinated manner. blame the incompetent people of the military department, and let Qin Shilang take the lead. “

"Qin Shilang has the upper hand?" Shen Zetang pursed the corners of his lips, his expression was unpredictable, so he took out a roll of silk paper from his sleeve cage, spread it on the table, and said slowly: "Come and see." “

"What is this?" Xu Ling and the others stood up and gathered around, and Xu Lan also approached and stretched out his neck to take a closer look.

On the silk paper, artillery, firearms, rockets, large and small iron cannons, and even chariots are densely described with ink pens, all of which are marked with names.

Everyone's expressions suddenly changed drastically, and it was difficult to hide the shock, and Gundam couldn't help but ask: "How can the design of Qin Shilang's weapon be in your hands Shen Er?" “

Xu Ling glared at him: "What nonsense, I can't even distinguish Shen Er's ink, it's obvious that this is a pattern drawn by his own hands." “

Li Guangqi's mind was confused: "The design pattern of the weapon...... Could it be..... Shen Er was you for Qin Yanzhao? Why is that? “

Shen Zetang was silent and said: "When I was patrolling Liangjiang, I met Tian Yu by chance, and he gave me a booklet with the style of firearms made by the Buddha Lang Machine. ”