After eating a meal of fresh and sweet Yangchun noodles, Jiang Nan burped lightly. Zhang Ximeng couldn't help laughing and said: "You are so unladylike!"
Jiang Nan smiled and said: "It is not a good thing to take advantage of your boss. In a humble position, you can only show your shame to the Prime Minister."
Zhang Ximeng was stunned, shook his head and said: "You have sharp teeth and a sharp mouth, which is very bad!"
Jiang Nan was not afraid of him, but said: "Xiang Zhang, I am humble enough to ask you, how much money do you have? If you don't mean anything else, are you really short of money?"
"Lack of money?"
Zhang Ximeng thought about it seriously, shook his head and said: "I don't know either." Zhang Ximeng was helpless and laughed at himself: "Do you think I'm lying?"
"How could it be!" Jiang Nan said with a smile: "With the status of Prime Minister Zhang, who has to be busy with so many things every day, it is strange that he can calculate how much money he has! But I think Prime Minister Zhang should be much richer than he looks.
.”
Zhang Ximeng raised his brows and pondered for a moment. He really hadn't calculated how much his family fortune was... and he didn't know if there would be a joke about "Zhang Ximeng doesn't know his income" in the future.
"The mansion I live in now is free of charge. The coachman, groom, cook, guard, and housekeeper all receive royal salary, which has nothing to do with me. Then there is some lumi, clothing materials, and some annual allowances every year, plus
A salary of several hundred guan... By the way, I am still the Duke of Qi now, and my income has increased a lot. It should be one or two thousand guan every year."
When Zhang Ximeng said this, he also paused. Not only was he not without money, he was also quite rich!
A family of five, relying on farming, can only harvest about a hundred thousand grains, of which tax must be paid and reserved for food rations, so the actual amount of money they can allocate is pitiful.
Zhang Ximeng has no worries about food and clothing, and basically spends his salary as he pleases. If this is not rich, what is?
Is it really necessary for a chicken to eat only one tongue, for a fish to eat only a few fish tentacles, or to feed medicinal herbs to pigs, and then kill them with wooden sticks to get only one tenderloin?
This is not enjoying delicious food, this is acting like a monster!
Not only is Zhang Ximeng too lazy to do it, but he will also despise anyone who does it.
So Zhang Ximeng is really not short of money.
"Jiang Tiju, actually I have a very terrible hobby... I like buying books. You have to know that rare ancient books are very expensive!"
When it came to buying books, Jiang Nan gave Zhang Ximeng a blank look, "Mr. Zhang, what's wrong with you, other than this? Don't you know that for one of your articles, the paper in Luoyang is expensive, so the money is still short?"
Zhang Ximeng was shocked... the royalties!
A word that made him feel a little sad. In his previous life, he also wrote about "The End", but it was a pity that the writing was poor, the plot was all over the place, and he didn't earn anything.
Can you earn royalties in this life?
Well, not bad, it’s worth celebrating.
Then Zhang Ximeng hesitated again.
"Jiang Tiju, what I'm writing now is for the purpose of teaching and educating people. I want money... but I can't open my mouth! No one from the Ministry of Etiquette will do this for me.
ah!"
Jiang Nan smiled, "Maybe they think that Zhang Xiang doesn't like the fireworks of the world!"
"Ball!" Zhang Ximeng was anxious, "Do you think I love to eat Yangchun noodles every day? I also want to make some dishes! Besides, that's all for other things. I need to buy books now, buy a lot of books, and the cost is huge
It’s very big. And if they don’t give me the publication fee, they can also deduct other people’s money. The people in the Ministry of Rites have ulterior motives and must be severely punished to set an example!”
Jiang Nan couldn't help laughing again. As an ordinary person, Mr. Zhang was quite interesting.
"I think your prime minister's stomach is strong enough, so don't cause trouble to others. In the name of the Du branch, I will liquidate the expenses related to the teaching materials of the Ministry of Etiquette, send them an official document, and ask them to pay attention to it. I think the money will be sent to them soon."
Go. It's better for Mr. Zhang to open an account by himself, so that it's clear at a glance. No one can take care of buying books in the future. Also, I read that there are articles about Mr. Zhang in the newspaper. This is easier to handle. They sell
Although newspapers are very cheap, every writer has an income, which is enough for Prime Minister Zhang to use as pocket money if he is willing."
"good!"
Zhang Ximeng's eyes lit up and he was very happy. His eyes changed when he looked at Jiang Nan. This subordinate is smart, capable, and a good prospect!
"When I receive the royalties, I will fulfill my promise and find a chef from Yangzhou to make a meal of puffer fish."
Jiang Nan smiled and nodded, "I've remembered it!"
"Well! Don't worry, I won't break my promise on such a small matter." Zhang Ximeng was in a good mood, and he also figured out that there was a clean person in front of him, which made Zhang Ximeng helpless.
From time to time, I always think about what an upright official would do... Hai Rui can shock the whole city by buying two kilograms of meat for my mother's birthday.
It is not that clean and honest, but it cannot be wasted wantonly.
Moreover, Zhang Ximeng did not plan his life carefully. He had no idea about his income and expenses... After chatting with Jiang Nan, Zhang Ximeng had a clear idea.
Of course he is not poor, not even in terms of salary alone.
As long as you are open and honest, you can spend whatever you want, and you don’t have to worry too much. As for squandering and tossing around desperately, Zhang Ximeng can’t do it!
"Jiang Tiju, help me pick out some sets of furniture later!" Zhang Ximeng said: "It doesn't need to be too expensive. The key is to be elegant and simple, and of course not too shabby. A big bed, living room tables and chairs, and desks and paintings
Just make a set of cases and it will be fine.”
Jiang Nan smiled and nodded. After all, Zhang Ximeng still felt a little worried about money. This Xianggong Zhang may know how much a stone of grain is and how much a pound of iron is, but it is difficult for him to tell how much a good set of furniture costs.
Already.
But Jiang Nan knew Zhang Ximeng's hobbies very well... Zhang Ximeng valued the material itself more than the complicated craftsmanship.
It doesn’t need to be too complicated, just be simple and detailed. Gu Cui
To some extent, Zhang Ximeng is a bit opposed to the spirit of craftsmanship.
Isn’t the essence of many craftsmanships just a life-threatening involution?
A bed for sleeping requires a thousand labors!
A carpenter needs to work for three years to make it.
Inside and outside, up and down, various patterns are carved, and everything is said and done carefully...but if you think about it carefully, is it necessary?
Wouldn't it be good for a carpenter to spend three years making dozens, hundreds, or even more beds? Shouldn't it be used by more people?
You have to stick to craftsmanship... A thousand-work bed may be several times more comfortable than an ordinary bed, but it sacrifices dozens or hundreds of times of efficiency. Is it really necessary?
Just like those sushi gods and rice gods... they only do one thing in their life, which sounds amazing, but can the same rice taste like lobster and abalone?
Your rice may taste better than ordinary rice. If it costs the same as ordinary rice, you will undoubtedly make a profit.
But the question is how many times you sell it, more than ten times the price, isn’t this just leeks!
Consumption concepts, aesthetics, industrial and commercial development plans, craft skills, and the ideas of craftsmen... we need to make production accessible to the public so that ordinary people can enjoy it.
Zhang Ximeng roughly estimated that these are several articles. If you take the time to write them and publish them, the royalties will come!
These days are becoming more and more promising.
Zhang Ximeng felt that he had opened the door to a new world, and instantly he had a goal to strive for in life.
But before Zhang Ximeng could wave his pen, Lao Zhu's decree arrived. The emperor wanted to lead the expedition in person, and Zhang Xianggong accompanied the army.
I had no choice but to pack my bags immediately and leave Beijing with Lao Zhu.
This is not the first time that monarchs and ministers have united the army together. Compared with the past, Lao Zhu is more confident and calm now. And Zhang Ximeng has become much more pure after some struggles.
No one is born great, but through continuous practice and understanding of one's mind and nature, one can get closer and closer to the saints.
From a certain perspective, Zhang Ximeng also quite agrees with Zhu Xi's "preserve the principles of nature and destroy human desires."
Again, as an existence that transcends dynasties, Confucianism naturally has merits, including Neo-Confucianism, and not everything is wrong.
Regardless of the deviation in the original parameters, the more correct the method, the more outrageous the conclusion drawn.
Not long after he and Lao Zhu left Beijing, Chang Yuchun received good news that the army had conquered Xingguo Road!
"good!"
Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but admire, "Chang Yuchun is indeed a fierce general. It is appropriate for him to be the vanguard!"
Zhang Ximeng naturally did not doubt Chang Yuchun's fighting ability. However, there were a few words in Chang Yuchun's victory report that caught Zhang Ximeng's attention.
"Chang Yuchun has captured a group of miners and wants to ask the Lord whether he wants to be taken into a prisoner of war camp or released on the spot?" Zhang Ximeng frowned. Are there any other major mines on Xingguo Road?
After pondering for a while, Zhang Ximeng immediately grabbed the map and looked at it carefully, and a place name suddenly appeared in front of him.
"It's Daye! Daye Iron Mine!"
Lao Zhu frowned slightly, "Mr. Zhang, is this place very important?"
What else can Zhang Ximeng say? Daye Iron Mine is not only important, it is simply a cornucopia!
"My lord, if I remember correctly, there has been mining here since the Three Kingdoms period!"
"What? This, this is more than a thousand years old!" Lao Zhu was shocked.
Zhang Ximeng sighed: "Not only has it been mined for more than a thousand years, but it is also an open-pit mine, and mining is very convenient... and there is also gold, silver, and copper in it. This is a golden land for hundreds of miles, a treasure trove in the south of the Yangtze River!"
"ah!"
Zhu Yuanzhang was also dumbfounded, "Is this so powerful?"
Zhang Ximeng nodded, "As long as we get the Daye Iron Mine in our hands, we will be even more powerful!"
Lao Zhu waved his fist fiercely and said, "Okay! Great! Chang Yuchun won't be able to escape with this first attack."
Zhang Ximeng said hurriedly: "Lord, these miners cannot be let go casually. They must stay. They are treasures!"
This is said by Zhang Ximeng!
Lao Zhu immediately called his men and quickly gave Chang Yuchun an order to take good care of these miners. They were not allowed to die or run away, and they were not allowed to bully or scold them.
In a word, when the ancestors are offering sacrifices, they must not be neglected.
