Liu Yu gave Zhang Zhou a "gift" again.

This time, it was not in the name of an individual, and it was not Zhang Zhou who bribed alone, but directly sent Zhang Zhou a joint gift list.

The local gentry of Yongping Mansion fully realized that Zhang Zhou's strong dragon was too difficult to deal with, and many people in order to protect their family property and avoid being given a pot by Jinyi Wei, the local gentry unanimously decided to send Zhang Zhou 300,000 taels of silver under the initiation of Liu Yu.

Such a large sum of money is not paid in one lump sum, but over two years.

And there is a prerequisite, that is, Zhang Zhou wants to ensure that the interests of the local gentry of Yongping Mansion can be preserved, and at the same time, this silver is also an "investment", just like Zhang Zhou and Tang Yin attracted investment when Ying Tianfu built the Jiangnan shipyard, they were all in the form of "shares", in exchange for some income from overseas from building ships, and there were dividends.

The first payment of 300,000 taels will be given to 200,000 taels, and the remaining 100,000 taels will be paid monthly in the subsequent construction of the shipyard.

Although 300,000 taels is not enough to build a shipyard along the coast of Yongping Mansion, with this silver, it can save a lot of expenses for the imperial court and Zhang Zhou, and the shipyard will be twice the result with half the effort.

"Cai Guogong, if you accept the money from those people, it is better for you to take it directly from their purses, and if you do this, you are afraid that the Jinyi guards below will be emotional."

On the shore of the Bohai Sea, Zhang Zhou was still inspecting the site selection of the shipyard, and behind him it was Li Zhang, who had just replaced Li Rong as the eunuch of the East Factory.

Li Zhang is much younger than Li Rong, but he is only in his forties, Zhang Zhou is not clear about the inside of the palace, and he does not know what the relationship between Li Zhang and Li Rong is defined as "from the same family".

Zhang Zhoudao: "I didn't say that I wanted to agree with Governor Liu's opinion."

Li Zhang said respectfully: "You are thoughtful, and it is not easy for others to give advice, but it is indeed not easy to make the government and the opposition unable to find fault with this matter, and at the same time balance the emotions of the people who do things below. If we can share it for you, just ask."

In Li Zhang's meaning, if you don't want to be a bad guy, then I'll be a bad guy.

I'll do some dirty work, don't be embarrassed, because Your Majesty sent me to clean up the aftermath for you.

Zhang Zhou said with a smile: "Gonggong Li's kindness, I understand it in my heart, others have attacked me a lot, and I know that there are many people who have committed crimes in the government and the opposition, how to say it, that is, relying on His Majesty's trust in me, if this is changed to another time, I may not have what will happen." But I must not go against my heart and be good to others."

That is, knowing that there are tigers in the mountains, do you have to be evil to others?

Li Zhang listened to the drum in his heart.

He was thinking.

finally knew why this Cai Guogong offended so many people, it was not an easy way to work with him, and finally knew how Li Rong was tossed to death.

It's the spirit of hitting the south wall and not looking back...... It's like a fledgling stunned young man.

This is Your Majesty's belief in you, if you change any dynasty, the spittle of the literati will not drown you, and the three of you will sooner or later make the king change his attitude towards you, and even worse, once the son of heaven and a courtier, even if you die, the emperor can pick up your grave and crush your bones to ashes.

"300,000 taels, a little less." Zhang Zhou looked at Liu Yu's letter again, and said with a little regret, "If it's 500,000 taels, then there is basically no problem."

Li Zhang said: "Even if the local gentry of Yongping Mansion have a big business, I am afraid that they will not be able to come up with so much silver."

Zhang Zhou smiled: "I just need so much silver in the early stage, do you think the silver invested in must be a loss? It's not for nothing, but let them put the money to me first, and sooner or later I'll return it with interest."

Li Zhang was speechless when he heard this.

Return it.

You are blackmailing at all, do you really think that the local gentry are willing to invest your silver?

They are just scared by the Jinyiwei, there are many families that have been raided, and even the 300,000 taels you have to knock out of the hands of the Jinyiwei, not from the pockets of this group of officials, and even if you don't help them settle the Jinyiwei, these people will not give you silver.

It's all conditional.

"Think again." Zhang Zhou took the letter into his arms and said lazily, "I've been busy lately, and I may have to return to Beijing in a few days, so let's relax first." This place has a good shipyard, and in the future, the Ming fleet can set sail from here."

That night, Li Zhang met Mu Bin, the commander of Jinyiwei.

Mu Bin came over and went to see Zhang Zhou, but he didn't get any new instructions, and this time Mu Bin also came to visit the factory of Xindong Factory.

"Although our family was appointed by His Majesty to supervise Dongchang, I don't understand many things, and I still need more guidance from Governor Mudu." Li Zhang looked very low-key, also because he knew that he was a small person in the palace system, and suddenly climbed to such a high position, don't look at it now, he is nominally one level older than Mu Bin, but if Mu Bin deliberately targets and gets closer to Xiao Jing and others, then he Li Zhang will not be able to do anything.

And the key to Li Zhang's ability to stay in this position today is to do things for Zhang Zhou.

If the people below make trouble, he can't do anything, and his position will be lost.

So he couldn't come up to make a stumbling block for Mu Bin, and even spoke for Jinyiwei before, and fought for Jinyiwei's interests from Zhang Zhouna.

Mu Bin looked very anxious and said, "I just heard from some sources that the local gentry of Yongping Mansion gave gifts to Liu Zhongcheng in Jizhen and asked him to pass them on to Cai Guogong in exchange for the reconciliation between Cai Guogong and the local gentry."

Li Zhang said, "So what's going on? When you were doing things, Cai Guogong didn't say anything to you?"

According to Li Zhang's meaning, as long as you listened to Zhang Zhou when you were embarrassed by the local gentry of Yongping Mansion and questioned about the crime, you don't have to be nervous now, after all, it was Zhang Zhou who instructed you to do it, and you can advance and retreat in a measured manner.

Mu Bin looked very annoyed and said, "Before, Your Majesty asked me to wait to come to do something, and the previous instructions of Li Rong and Father-in-law Li can be cut first and then played, and Your Majesty's side will definitely support it." But I didn't expect ......."

Li Zhang was a little angry and said, "I didn't expect that the local people used to have a lot of trouble with Cai Guogong because of the mining incident, and now they are in trouble, but they still want to get support from Cai Guogong, but instead roast your brocade guards on the fire, is that what you mean?"

Mu Bin didn't want to admit it, but he still nodded helplessly.

Li Zhang was confident.

Originally, it was difficult for a newcomer, a eunuch who had never had experience in dealing with Jinyiwei, to come up and lead the East Factory and let Jinyiwei hold him up.

But now that Jinyiwei is in trouble, the situation is very favorable to him, it depends on whether Zhang Zhou really needs him, or whether Zhang Zhou gives him face.

Li Zhang said, "Now are you trying to blame the deceased for the matter?"

"That's not what I mean." Mu Bin hurriedly explained.

He was also angry, why did he listen to Li Rong in the first place?

As long as Li Rong is still in charge of the East Factory, Li Rong will always be in charge...... It's weird, Li Rong is actually dead...... The situation is delicate.

went to blackmail and exploit the local officials and gentry of Yongping Mansion, and it became something that he Mu Bin took the lead to do, saying that this was instructed by Li Rong, isn't this dead without proof?

"And how much benefit have you gained in this matter?" Li Zhang asked.

Even Li Zhang was very curious, how much did Jinyiwei gain in this matter, so that they did not hesitate to offend the local gentry, after all, Yongping Mansion is also the land of Gyeonggi, and it is easy for Jinyiwei to not be able to get off the stage if this kind of place is not good.

The rabbit still doesn't eat the grass by the nest, and now the brocade guard is knocking on the edge of the nest and gnawing the grass clean.

Mu Bin said: "It's hard to say the specifics, but let's say less about thirty or forty thousand taels."

Li Zhang squinted his eyes and said, "It seems that Mu Dudu still doesn't trust our family enough."

"I don't dare." Mu Bin said, "The specific number is not clear, and the humble position can only be roughly estimated.

"Huh. Commander Mu, do you know the local big households, looking for Governor Liu, and saying how much silver they want to give Cai Guogong? That's 300,000 taels! I'm afraid that the amount of silver they moved on the joints beside them was more than thirty or forty thousand taels, right?"

Li Zhang's is to give both grace and power.

I can help you operate, but you also have to give the truth, don't bite your head and want to hide it from me and treat me as a fool?

When Mu Bin heard this, he became nervous, and immediately knelt down on one knee and hugged his fists and said: "Father-in-law Mingjian, or the people below are full of private pockets, and they are concealing it, and they are lowly and let people investigate it carefully!"

"No need."

Li Zhang said, "If they really reported it like this, it would be better. Didn't they quote thirty or forty thousand taels? Then give them these thirty or forty thousand taels! Add a little more, 50,000 taels! He should be regarded as a brother who guards the brocade clothes."

Mu Bin was a little stunned, raised his head and looked at Li Zhang, and said, "Father-in-law, what do you mean......

Li Zhang's face was a little more resolute, and when he stood up in front of Mu Bin, he said coldly: "Let's just say this, what you have done looks beautiful, but you put Cai Guogong in an unkind and unjust position, and others will think that Cai Guogong doesn't even care about the big right and wrong for that little profit."

"It's a dereliction of duty." Mu Bin said, "Let the people below do anything wrong!"

Li Zhang said, "But the brothers also want to do things, and it is understandable that they do bad things with good intentions."

"Father-in-law......

Mu Bin was pulled back and forth by Li Zhang, feeling that his heart was also up and down, a bit of a big ups and downs.

He wanted to ask, but his father-in-law quickly explained his meaning, I can't stand such a scare.

Li Zhang's tone became soothed and said: "Cai Guogong needs to be able to come down, and His Majesty also needs to save face, the government and the opposition have criticized this matter too much, but if the local gentry takes the initiative to give Cai Guogong the silver to build a ship, so reconciled, it will be the best."

"Yes, the lowly will go and command." Mu Bin understood.

This still has to sacrifice the interests of Jinyiwei to fulfill Zhang Zhou's reputation and the reputation of Emperor Mingjun.

When you are an emperor, you can't be considered a faint king, after all, using imperial power to encroach on the property of the gentry will cause a very bad reputation.

Li Zhang shook his head and said, "Forgot what our family said earlier? The people under him also have to get something in return for what they do. But if they want to occupy hundreds of thousands of taels at a time, they dare to stretch out their hands, and they also have to think about whether they want to eat and hug their mother-in-law's hand! Fifty thousand taels of silver, no more."

By this time, Mu Bin had thoroughly understood.

Mu Bin said, "That means that everything except 50,000 taels will be returned?"

"Hmm." Li Zhang nodded, "Remember, it's only 50,000 taels, and you are the only one who asks!" How do you distribute the 50,000 taels, our family doesn't care, but as long as it doesn't exceed this number, no matter how big the matter is, our family can also hold it for you! It's a big deal, let's use this head to pocket! But if you disobey the yin, don't say it...... We didn't have a good word to warn us beforehand."

Mu Bin immediately gained confidence and said, "I understand my humble position."

Li Zhang waved his hand and said, "You shouldn't stay here, go back to your Yongping Mansion, remember that the news must not be leaked." Cai Guogong wants face, and His Majesty also needs this face...... Whether you can get things done or not is up to you."

"Yes." Mu Bin has a kind of joy to see the moon when he clears the clouds.

Hurriedly got up and went to run errands.

"Father-in-law, do you really give them 50,000 taels?" After Mu Bin left, a teenage eunuch came out of Li Zhang's tent, looking very clever.

Apparently he had been listening all along.

When Li Zhang saw this little eunuch, his eyes softened a lot, and he beckoned the little eunuch to come over and bring his jade Ruyi.

"This is a reward from His Majesty, our family will always take it with us, and if you look at it regularly, you will remember that you can't live up to the emperor's grace." Li Zhang said.

The little eunuch smiled and said, "My father-in-law will soar into the sky if he has the heart of His Majesty."

"It's not a big hit, it's an accumulation of ordinary times, and this errand is not something that everyone can do right now, and if you can't make trouble, you can't even keep the food on your neck." Li Zhang seemed to have seen through the situation.

The reason why the emperor didn't let others do this errand and let him Li Zhang come was to know that the interests of him Li Zhang and Li Rong were common in many cases.

I can put it on my back

After the relationship gives a good balance.

And Xiao Jing and the others will definitely not be like him, thinking about calming things down.

"It's only 50,000 taels, our family can afford this responsibility, if we really use these 50,000 taels to settle things, and there are no opinions from top to bottom, then what our family does will be meaningful." Li Zhang finally had a smile on his face, but it seemed that he had never shown this kind of face to outsiders. Look at the book

Li Zhang went to visit Zhang Zhou that night.

Although he made a decision in private, he still had to ask Zhang Zhou's consent on some major matters, although he himself felt that doing so was a bit of a prelude, but this was also the demeanor that an envoy of the emperor should have.

I said that I would do something for you Zhang Zhou, but I was sent by the emperor, and I don't have to listen to you for everything.

It's not that it won't give you face.

It's about your reputation, and it's up to us to take care of what happens in this way...... Isn't this the basis for Li Rong to tell Mu Bin to do things before? Even Li Rong knows that he takes the initiative to take responsibility, and I, Li Zhang, can too.

"Gonggong Li, you said that you would give Jinyiwei 50,000 taels of silver in exchange for them withdrawing from the territory of Yongping Mansion?" Zhang Zhou said with a smile.

"That's what it means, and it's not." Li Zhang said, "Your mining will definitely not affect this, and Jinyiwei will still cooperate with you, but no longer embarrass those local gentry and big families, so that they can live peacefully."

Zhang Zhou said: "But if that's the case, aren't you afraid that the local gentry will regret it afterwards and think that the money spent is not worth it?"

Li Zhang showed a ruthless side and said, "If anyone is not convinced afterwards, they should be let know the consequences."

"Hmm." Zhang Zhou nodded and said, "Fifty thousand taels, plus three hundred thousand taels, that will also make the local gentry vomit blood, but this does not allow them to exchange other benefits other than investing in shipyards, within a year or two, it is easy to make them resentful."

Li Zhang said, "It's all for Your Majesty."

"Okay."

Zhang Zhou smiled.

This Li Zhang doesn't look smiling, and Zhang Zhou suddenly feels that this person seems to be more characteristic than Li Rong in doing things.

It's not the kind of person who blindly pursues the reputation of a good old man, and it's a bit daring, but because I've just met, it's hard to make a conclusion.

After all, Li Zhang's reputation in history is not obvious, and Li Zhang, who Zhang Zhou knows, only appears a few times in "The Record of Filial Piety", and always goes to do some hard errands, and the person who writes the history book will not highlight the deeds of a eunuch, which will make Zhang Zhou not know enough about this person.

"Those 50,000 taels are a bit insufficient." Zhang Zhoudao.

Li Zhang asked, "Cai Guogong, you mean, you have to add some more?"

Zhang Zhou shook his head with a smile and said, "There is only so much silver, but in matters such as mining and shipbuilding, they should also share some benefits. They all serve the Son of Heaven, and this money is not from me, but from their hard work...... Looking at a mine or something, just getting a little allowance, it's still a little less, especially with so many brothers in Jinyiwei."

Li Zhang also deeply realized at this time that Zhang Zhou was not stunned.

Obviously, he has already given Jinyiwei 50,000 taels of silver, and Zhang Zhou is willing to find some to make up for it from other places and give it to Jinyiwei as a gift, which knows how to buy people's hearts.

In this way, it is equivalent to giving Jin Yiwei a bunch of sweet dates to eat first, and then beating them back with a stick, and after the sweet dates are recovered, they will be returned one by one......

Jin Yiwei felt this kind of grace, and he would be dead set on Zhang Zhou.

In addition to Zhang Zhou gradually getting to know Li Zhang, Li Zhang is also gradually getting to know Zhang Zhou, and the two can be regarded as a process of understanding each other and deepening their impressions.

"I just don't know what those people in the court who participated in my impeachment think of this matter." Zhang Zhou said with a smile.

Li Zhang said: "Cai Guogong has not come forward from beginning to end, you really don't have to worry, the people below will settle the matter."

Zhang Zhou smiled: "Then I will thank Gonggong Li first. We will have a good time working together in the future."

Li Zhang's recital, together with a large number of impeachment of Jinyiwei in the DPRK and China, was delivered to Zhu Youji's hands almost at the same time.

The ministers of the DPRK and China now also know that they can't just target Zhang Zhou, so they will cut off Zhang from the beginning

Zhou's wings, pulling out Zhou's front teeth began.

Some people are targeting the military generals around Zhang Zhou, and some are starting directly from Jinyiwei...... Let Jinyiwei be honest, then Zhang Zhou will be constrained in everything he does, and Zhang Zhou will not be able to make waves.

"They're really out of their minds."

Zhu Youzhu was a little angry when he saw those impeachments, but after seeing Li Zhang's secret performance, he was in a good mood.

Xiao Jing asked, "Your Majesty, what does this mean?"

Zhu Youzhu said: "Even the group of people who were targeted in Yongping Mansion knew that they wanted to use Bingkuan's power and were willing to give Bingkuan a ship of silver, but the people in the court thought that Bingkuan had offended everyone in the world, and they also used the sharp weapon Jinyi Wei around me to cut it. They don't know what I'm doing! The decree was sent to Bingkuan to return to Beijing immediately, saying that he was coming back to confront the ministers of the DPRK and China...... When we meet, we'll see how they justify themselves."