This time Xu Fu brought a lot of good news to Shen Yi.
The smooth flow of Western trade routes is just one piece of news.
The more important good news is that although the Western caravan did not bring Western gunsmiths this time, it did bring glass craftsmen to Shen Yi.
Glass...especially completely transparent glass.
This is very important stuff.
If the merchants brought back by the Western caravans can really make transparent glass this time, it will bring huge help to the entire Eastern civilization!
Because glass can not only make mirrors, but also telescopes, even astronomical mirrors, and more importantly, it can make "test tubes"!
In fact, a large part of the germination of modern science was caused by glass.
Even leaving aside these long-term uses, for now, as long as there is transparent glass of the appropriate size, Shen Yi can easily build a batch of military telescopes.
The usefulness of this thing on the battlefield is very great.
Of course, the two Western craftsmen are still in Lin'an Mansion, and Mr. Shen still doesn't know whether they can make pure transparent glass.
But it doesn't matter even if you can't make transparent glass.
As long as they can make glass, Shen Yi will arrange for dozens of apprentices to follow them and learn all their skills. At that time, Mr. Shen will set up a glass workshop to provide some ideas and let them slowly study transparent glass. Just come out.
After withdrawing his thoughts from the two Western craftsmen, Shen Yi lowered his head and took a sip of tea, looked at the little guys around Xu Fu, and said with a smile: "You guys go out first, I will say a few words to Brother Xu."
Xu Fu turned around and glanced at everyone. Everyone, including Xu Liuniang, carefully exited the elegant room.
After they left, Shen Yi thought for a while and then said: "After you meet Eunuch Gao, His Majesty may take time to meet you."
"When the time comes, he will ask you about your business outside in the past few years."
Xu Fu lowered his head slightly and said, "Don't worry, sir, I understand. I will say whatever you ask me to say."
"Nonsense."
Mr. Shen frowned and said, "Just say whatever I ask you to say. Just say whatever happens to you. You must seek truth from facts."
"This time, it is very important for you."
Shen Yi whispered: "Your Majesty is very short of money right now." Zhe
"As long as you answer well, you can continue to maintain your status as an imperial merchant and even get some more resources."
At the beginning, the emperor gave Xu Fu the property that Li Mu had confiscated from his house to manage. In the past few years, although Xu Fu did not have any exaggerated "performance", his assets had also expanded a lot, and in the previous two years, Here, Xu Fu was almost always supplying blood to the anti-Japanese army.
This is already very good.
Mr. Shen continued: "The better you do as an imperial merchant, the more stable Eunuch Gao's position will be in the palace. The more stable Eunuch Gao's position will be, the better you will become as an imperial merchant."
This is what Shen Yi just said.
Now Xu Fu no longer relies solely on Gao Ming.
Because of the appearance of the eunuch Sun Jin, Gao Ming's position in the inner court has been threatened and even feels shaky. However, if Xu Fu can handle errands outside well, then Eunuch Gao can also rely on him in the palace. If the emperor says to kick him away, he will be kicked away.
Xu Fu bowed his head respectfully and said, "Thank you, Master, for your teaching. I understand."
Mr. Shen took another sip of tea, looked at Xu Fu, and said calmly: "Also, I told you last time that I wanted you to get married and have children as soon as possible. Have you thought about it?"
"How is it, little sister?"
Xu Fu lowered his head and was silent for a long time.
After a while, he looked up at Shen Yi and said, "Sir, the third and fifth sons..."
"They all seem to be in love with my little sister..."
When Xu Liuniang was begging with Xu Fu in Jiangdu a few years ago, she was a dry little girl. She looked fragile and naturally not very attractive. However, as she entered puberty in recent years, various nutrients have followed, no matter Both his appearance and figure have undergone earth-shaking changes.
Now, this little rich woman from Jiankang cannot be said to be a stunning beauty, but she can still be said to be a beautiful little beauty.
Childhood sweethearts, the little boys who grew up with her, naturally some people will be attracted to them.
Shen Yi frowned, glared at Xu Fu angrily, and said in a deep voice: "This is a matter between you and my little sister. What do you say to others?"
"Now, little sister, she is in love with you. As long as you nod, I will help you two make the decision on this matter. If others are unhappy, just let them come to me."
Shen Yi groaned: "A real man, how can I be a mother-in-law like you? You think about this and that all day long. When have you ever thought about yourself?"
"If your two brothers fall out with you because of this matter."
Mr. Shen said in a dull voice: "That's not a good thing either."
Xu Fu stood up silently, bowed deeply to Shen Yi and said, "Young master taught me a lesson."
"Master, please allow me to think about it for two days..."
"I said you were worried, but you still didn't take it seriously."
Mr. Shen stood up, sighed silently, patted Xu Fu on the shoulder, and said: "This is your personal matter, I will not interfere, but if you don't agree, you must explain it clearly to Liu Niang. "
"If you guys are successful, just tell your two brothers in private."
"The most important thing is..."
Mr. Shen said slowly: "Don't have the stupid idea of giving up my little sister to your two brothers. If you don't marry my little sister, she will probably not like anyone else." Zhe
Xu Fu lowered his head slightly and said, "Yes, I have written it down."
After saying this, he took out a golden lock from his arms, placed it in front of Shen Yi, and said: "Sir, this is the longevity lock made from a golden Buddha that has been enshrined for many years at Kaiyuan Temple in Fuzhou Prefecture. I spent a lot of effort to get it. If the young master doesn’t dislike it, I can take it back and give it to the young master.”
Shen Yi glanced at the golden lock and was a little curious: "Why did the enshrined golden Buddha melt?"
"The incense in Kaiyuan Temple is flourishing, and a larger golden Buddha has been cast."
Xu Fu answered honestly: "After the old golden Buddha was melted, ten longevity locks were cast and given to pilgrims in Fuzhou Prefecture as Buddhist gifts. They were then snapped up by the Fuzhou gentry. This longevity lock was also paid for by my trustee. It took a lot of thought to get it done.”
Mr. Shen touched his chin, then smiled hoarsely: "Since you are going to give such an expensive gift, you can come to deliver it to that boy yourself one day, and let him remember you as Uncle Xu."
As a materialist warrior, although Mr. Shen does not believe in these gods and Buddhas, he also knows that this thing should be very valuable according to the values of this era.
After all, as a parent, you always want your children to be happy and healthy.
Therefore, he did not refuse this longevity lock.
However, the favor should be given to Xu Fu.
Xu Fu lowered his head slightly and said, "Yes, after I finish what I am doing these days, I will come to visit the old man, his wife and the young master."
Shen Yi nodded, stretched and said, "Okay, that's all for today. You two have reunited after a long separation. I think you have a lot to say, so I won't bother you here."
Xu Fu asked Shen Yi to stay for dinner, but Mr. Shen shook his head and refused and went home.
As soon as Shen Yi arrived at the door of his house after getting on the carriage, he saw a man in his early thirties dressed in shorts standing at the door of his house, talking to the concierge at home. Zhe
This man was holding a box in his hand, and it looked like he was going to the Shen family to give a gift.
However, since Shen Yi took office as the doctor of the martial arts department, countless generals have come to the Shen family to give gifts, so the Shen family's concierge did not let this person in.
Holding a wooden box in his hand, this man stood stubbornly at the door of Shen's house, refusing to leave.
When Shen Yi got off the carriage, the concierge immediately came up to him, saluted Shen Yi and called him Young Master.
Shen Yi glanced at the man and asked, "Who is this?"
The concierge was a man in his thirties. He lowered his head and replied: "Sir, this man claims to be Qianhu from the Mingzhou Guard. He insists on seeing you..."
Mr. Shen was stunned for a moment, and then he remembered something. He stepped forward and looked the man up and down, and asked, "What's your name?"
The man looked Shen Yi up and down and refused to answer. He just said dryly: "I am Mingzhou Wei Qianhu, and I want to see Mr. Shen Yi."
Obviously, he had no way of believing that the young man in front of him was Doctor Shen of the Ministry of War.
Mr. Shen smiled dumbly.
"I am Shen Yi."
Looking at the man's wide eyes, Master Shen looked calm.
"If I remember correctly, you came to my house years ago."
He looked at the man and asked, "What do you want from me?"
The man was stunned for a moment, then he knelt on the ground with a plop and kowtowed to Shen Yi.
"Su Ding, a humble official, pays homage to Mr. Shen!"