As for why Shen Yi, as a civil servant, had to build warships along the coast, Shen Yi and Zhao Changping maintained a tacit understanding.
This is the tacit understanding.
Zhao Changping didn't ask, and Shen Yi didn't say much.
This is a dialogue between smart people. Two people will tell each other the truth when it is time to tell the truth, but no one will mention some issues that may be sensitive and would bring embarrassment to the relationship between the two parties.
After chatting with Zhao Changping for half an hour at Zhao's house, Shen Yi was about to stand up and say goodbye.
Zhao Shangshu frowned and said, "Why is it that Ziheng doesn't even want to have a meal at home now?"
"I don't want to."
Shen Yi shook his head slightly and said, "It's just that my uncle once expressed his position in front of His Majesty. Now that the matter of building warships along the coast has been settled, if I stay at my uncle's house for a long time and His Majesty finds out, he might..."
Shen Yi paused, organized his vocabulary, and then continued: "It may make His Majesty have a bad impression of Master..."
"suspicious."
Zhao Changping smiled and said: "At that time, I was against the Di Bao Department's involvement in firearms. To this day, I still oppose the Di Bao Department's involvement in firearms. But you, Shen Ziheng, are no longer in the Di Bao Department and have become the head of the Ministry of War."
"The Arsenal Department of the Ministry of War supervises the manufacture of firearms. It is reasonable and reasonable. What reason do I have to object?"
These words can be said to be simple and easy to understand, but Shen Yi himself was in it and did not jump out of his identity as Sizheng for a while. Hearing this, he was slightly stunned, and then said with a smile: "Master, what you said is true. Literally, in this case, my nephew will have the audacity to rub against my uncle again."
Zhao Changping chuckled and led Shen Yi into the dining room with his hands behind his back. I don't know what day it was. Not only the two sons and daughters-in-law of the Zhao family were present, but the eldest daughter of the Zhao family and son-in-law Song Ying were also present.
This son-in-law of the Zhao family is now a fifth-grade member. I don’t know if he has been mentioned before. During this meal, Song Ying was sitting next to Shen Yi. Did he chat with Shen Yi for a few words, which seemed a little bit awkward? Deliberately.
Even Zhao Changping frowned slightly when he saw this deliberateness, but he just glanced at his wife and didn't say anything else.
After finishing the meal, Shen Yi went to Zhao Shangshu's study to sit for a while. Before leaving, Shen Yi said to the Minister of Revenue: "Master is busy with things. After I went back today, I didn't call you. My nephew I won’t bother you until I leave Beijing.”
Having said this, Shen Yi paused and continued: "But my nephew has one more thing to entrust to my uncle."
Zhao Changping was writing a letter at the moment. When he heard this, he put down his writing brush and said with a smile: "If you have anything to do, just say it."
Shen Yi took a deep breath and said: "My nephew will leave Jiankang in a few days. After I leave, there will be no one in the family who can take charge. My wife is still pregnant and is expected to give birth by the end of the year. My nephew If something happens to my family during these few months away from Jiankang..."
He bowed his head to Zhao Changping and said in a sincere tone: "Uncle, I beg you to take care of me."
In this era of civil servants, the power of a Minister of the Ministry of Revenue is undoubtedly very huge. As long as Zhao Changping nods, then on the premise that the Shen family has not violated the national law, unless the emperor goes crazy and wants to attack the Shen family, even if If the prime minister wants to disturb the Shen family, Zhao Changping can handle it.
Seeing Shen Yi's appearance, Zhao Changping sighed, stood up and walked to Shen Yi, stretched out his hand to help him up, and said, "Zi Heng is so outspoken."
He patted Shen Yi on the shoulder and said with a smile: "You are not in Jiankang. Taking care of your family is my responsibility as an elder. However, I am in charge of the household department now and my official duties are a bit heavy..."
He looked at Shen Yi and chuckled: "Since Qingque is due to give birth in a few months, Ziheng might as well write a letter to Jiangdu and invite your father-in-law to Jiankang, so that he can also do his best, and by the way Let’s play chess with my uncle.”
Shen Yi blinked, then smiled and said: "Then my nephew will go back and discuss with Qingque to see if she is willing to write this letter."
"Let's just write."
Zhao Shangshu pointed at the gray hair on his temples and sighed: "Your father-in-law and I don't know how many times we can get together again in this life. The older I get, the more nostalgic I become."
"If it weren't for the fact that there are a lot of people in Jiankang who are counting on me, sometimes I even want to quit this job and go back to Jiangdu to teach with your father-in-law."
Although the nominal head of Ganquan Academy is Lu Anshi, the actual head is none other than Duke Chang Ping, who is in charge of the household department in the imperial court.
In his current position, he represents the interests of Ganquan Academy, the interests of Mrs. Zhao's natal family, and the interests of her son-in-law Song Ying.
Therefore, he cannot resign easily.
Unless one day, his son-in-law Song Ying can take charge of his own role in the court, and the young students of Ganquan Academy have gradually climbed to high places, only then will Zhao Changping be able to resign.
But now that he is saying this, part of it may come from his heart, but it has a somewhat mundane flavor in it.
Shen Yi smiled and nodded: "Then I will write to my mentor when I get back. If he can come, I will definitely let him come."
"He is just such a precious girl. He has been brought up since he was a child."
Zhao Shangshu put his palms on his hands and said with a smile: "Qingque is giving birth, so he has to come."
…………
The next day, Shen Yi reported to the Ministry of War.
As Zhao Changping said, because he was an official appointed by the imperial government, his fellow officers in the Ministry of War were quite polite to Shen Yi, calling him "brother" and not embarrassing him too much.
Even the Minister of the Ministry of War and the Minister of the Ministry of War who he went to visit didn't make any bad faces towards him, and even smiled and dealt with Shen Yi.
However, the Ministry of War does not have a place for him to work for the time being. Several junior officers in the Ministry of War who lost their promotion opportunities because of Shen Yi's "airborne landing" looked at Shen Yi a little bit wrong, so Shen Yi only stayed in the Ministry of War for less than an hour. Then he ran away and went home.
After returning home, Mr. Shen was as before. In addition to planting flowers and plants with his wife at home, he also went to Liquan Building to browse and borrow books.
However, now that Mr. Shen has money, he will also add some books to Liquan Tower. Generally speaking, the books he adds must be more than the books he borrows.
After four or five days passed like this, two guests finally arrived at Shen Yi's door.
To be precise, two eunuchs.
These two eunuchs were both wearing blue robes. They seemed to be middle-level eunuchs in the palace. They were both young, in their twenties.
After seeing Shen Yi, the two eunuchs bowed to each other one after another, one at a time, Master Shen.
Shen Yi also smiled and returned the courtesy, and asked: "My two father-in-laws, what do you want from Shen?"
Among the two eunuchs, the one standing on the left is tall and thin, with some black ash still vaguely visible in the nails of his fingers. He bowed to Shen Yi and said: "Master Shen, this slave is one of the eunuchs in charge of the Gunpowder Department of the War Bureau. 1. On the order of Eunuch Gao, we have ordered a hundred gunpowder craftsmen from the Gunpowder Department. They are now ready. We only need to wait for the order from Chief Shen before we can set off."
The other eunuch was relatively stronger, and with a smile on his face, he said: "Master Shen, I am also from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. On the order of Eunuch Gao, I am responsible for managing the carpenters of the shipbuilding department of the Ministry of Works. A few days ago, I I went to the Ministry of Industry, and the Ministry of Industry only allocated more than 80 shipbuilding craftsmen. Now they are ready. I can only say a word to you, Master Shen, and we can set off."
Master Shen looked at the two eunuchs and sighed silently in his heart.
Because the Gunpowder Department of the Military War Bureau was originally under the supervision of the eunuch, it was not surprising to send a eunuch to follow. It was considered reasonable and reasonable.
But the craftsmen of the Ministry of War should not be too supervising.
But the Ministry of Internal Affairs still sent eunuchs.
this means…
Although the emperor was very relieved about Shen Yi, he was not completely relieved.
Thinking of this, Shen Yi looked at the two eunuchs with a smile on his face: "Please tell me, sir, that we will meet at the gate of Jiankangnan the day after tomorrow."