On the second watch day, at Jiming Temple in Jinling, a night traveler told the sister-in-law who was keeping watch: "The time has come."
A few days later, King Wu's beloved concubine Mei Ji went to Jiming Temple to offer incense. The next day, she cried like pear blossoms with rain and begged King Wu not to build Wu Palace. King Wu asked why. It turned out that Mei Ji had a nightmare last night and was so frightened.
She dreamed that the city of Jinling was destroyed, enemy soldiers invaded, the prince died in battle, and she hung herself from a beam. After her death, a general from the enemy country said that it was because the enchantress Mei Shi had bewitched the king of Wu to build a large-scale construction project, which wasted people and money, and that led to Wu's death.
The country's military equipment was weak, and it was easy for them to win. Out of anger for the people, they threw her body out of the palace gate. Mei Ji was cut into pieces by the people of Wu with their bare hands, which was extremely miserable.
What she said was true, and King Wu couldn't help but be frightened. Ever since Mei Ji mentioned that she wanted to build the Wu Palace, Wu's civil and military officials had mostly warned her. King Wu knew that those who warned were loyal and good, but he himself really wanted to build a new palace.
Stay here. So he hesitated. Mei Ji said with tears: "Didn't he say that he would go to the southern country in the next two years? Didn't he say that there is a lot of gold in the southern country? Could it be that they didn't find it?"
Wu Wang said: "South America is rich in gold, and detailed research has been done to prove it."
Mei Ji said: "In that case, how about letting them go quickly? We will transport the gold back next month!"
King Wu smiled and said: "It's far away. It won't be shipped back next month. It's really hard to find Jincheng. South America is such a big place."
Mei Ji thought for a while: "Then...otherwise...just wait and don't build Wu Palace now. When they bring the Golden City back, it won't be a waste of money and people, and it won't take up the money for armaments."
When King Wu thought about it, if Mei Ji's dream was a warning from heaven, could it be that before the gold from Wei Ruoheng was shipped, he had used up all the money he had? It would be true if he started to build the Wu Palace right now.
The money to buy firearms has to be spent. It is better to wait a few years later, wait for Wei Ruoheng to find Jincheng, and use the money brought back from there to build the Wu Palace... Just as the beloved concubine said, it will not occupy the money for military equipment. She nodded.
: "What my beloved concubine said makes sense. But in this case, Master Wu Gong will be five or six years late in saying it."
Mei Ji hurriedly said: "What is five or six years? I will be with the prince forever!" King Wu couldn't help but put his arms around her when he saw her cuteness. The two of them didn't care about anyone around them, and they stayed together for a long time.
Two days later, Uncle Bao left a message to Zhen Zangzhu, inviting him to have a drink. Zhen Zangzhu went to the appointment on time. Uncle Bao had a private house by Mochou Lake, where he kept several singers. Zhen Zangzhu went to the table as soon as he sat down
Surrounded by beauties, Zhen Zangzhu frowned slightly and said to Uncle Bao, "I don't like such women very much. Please ask Uncle Bao to let them sit down and behave properly."
Uncle Bao asked with a smile: "Oh? If you don't like this, what does Master Zhen like?"
Zhen Zangzhu thought for a while: "It's not noisy."
Uncle Bao laughed loudly and clapped his hands. The singers bowed and left, and two shy and delicate ones came in. Zhen Zangzhu still ignored them. Uncle Bao said: "These two Master Zhen also
Don’t you look down on it?”
Zhen Zangzhu said: "These two are excellent."
Uncle Bao ordered them to pour wine for Master Zhen. Zhen Zangzhu said: "No, I usually pour the wine myself. They just sit quietly and don't disturb me."
Uncle Bao said: "Master Zhen, do you think they are an eyesore? I will order them to go down."
Zhen Zangzhu said, "It's okay, just treat them like flowerpots." Uncle Bao laughed and ordered them to sit still. Zhen Zangzhu said, "If that's the case, let them go down."
"What's going on?"
"They were sitting well, but Uncle Bao ordered them not to move, so they became tense. Even if they didn't move, it would still disturb people's mood." Uncle Bao laughed again and ordered the two singers to get down.
After the two of them had two glasses of wine, Uncle Bao said, "Not long after Master Zhen and my third brother got to know each other, I ordered people in the capital to check your origins."
Zhen Zangzhu raised his eyes slightly and said, "How can you not look down on Brother Bao Xian to this point?"
Uncle Bao snorted: "Can you blame us? How has he ever been reliable?"
Zhen Zangzhu said: "I don't see how he is unreliable."
Uncle Bao said: "Is it reliable to say that you can take care of someone just by recognizing them?"
Zhen Zangzhu tilted her head slightly: "Uncle Bao, are you talking about me?"
Uncle Bao took a sip of wine and picked up a piece of duck and put it in his mouth to chew. Zhen Zangzhu also picked up a chopstick of eggplant and ate it. After Uncle Bao finished eating the duck in his mouth, he said: "Master Zhen has a house in the Red Sandalwood Castle in the suburbs of Beijing.
There is a shop that sells oilcloths, umbrellas and bamboo hats. Although the shop is not small, the goods are not valuable and the business is mediocre. Mr. Zhen actually hired a shopkeeper to look after the shop, and he only sends a servant to check once every six months. "Zhen Zang.
Zhu was speechless. Uncle Bao took another sip of wine and said, "I heard from your shopkeeper's wife that she saw your wife once when she was still here. She was wearing clothes that looked like those of a government official's wife. Your son beat me
My son got sick and wasted a lot of money. The doctors said he would not live until he was four years old, but your son actually lived to be ten years old."
Zhen Zangzhu put down the wine glass in her hand with a clang: "What does Uncle Bao mean by this?"
Uncle Bao said with a smile: "I just don't understand how Master Zhen's worthless little shop can afford to raise a son who wastes money and a daughter-in-law who dresses like an official wife. I heard that Master Zhen is very skilled in martial arts, could it be..." He
He lowered his voice and said, "What other business has Master Zhen done without capital?"
Zhen Zangzhu's expression remained calm: "What kind of business without capital?"
Uncle Bao laughed even more: "Business without capital, that is, you can get the goods without paying any capital. If you sell it to some antique shop or jewelry shop at a price slightly lower than the market price, Baba can make a lot of money.
There is less money."
Zhen Zangzhu squinted her eyes: "This is a good deal."
"It's a good one." Uncle Bao said, "Master Zhen is doing it for the sake of the children. It's understandable. After your son left, didn't Master Zhen wash his hands in the golden basin?" He raised the cup and said, "Master Zhen, you are a man. I
Respect Bao."
Zhen Zangzhu smiled slightly, picked up the cup in front of her and drank it all in one gulp. "Uncle Bao must have something to say today, so why don't you say it bluntly."
Uncle Bao said, "I heard that Zhen Yingjia took his son to Master Zhen's house a few days ago." He stretched out three fingers and said, "Three times. How is this person?"
Zhen Zangzhu chuckled and said, "He is arrogant at first but respectful at the end. He is just a villain."
"According to Master Zhen's distaste for noisy nature, you can allow them to disturb you again and again, and really give them face."
Zhen Zangzhu sighed softly: "My father is always buried with the help of his family."
Uncle Bao suddenly realized: "...That's right. Master Zhen is a person who values affection and righteousness." He paused and said, "Although Zhen Yingjia is a villain, she is not incompetent. She once gave our second son a big one."
set."
Zhen Zangzhu was shocked: "Second Master Bao? That one has human sperm. I'm afraid my uncle doesn't have that ability."
Uncle Bao smiled bitterly and said, "I don't know how much Zhen Yingjia told you. Anyway, your niece was sent in by our family." Zhen Zangzhu frowned, obviously knowing who "that niece" was.
Uncle Bao raised the corners of his mouth slightly and said, "Your niece suddenly had a nightmare two days ago, but what was Master Zhen's idea?"
Zhen Zangzhu was stunned: "What nightmare?"
Uncle Bao thought for a moment and said softly: "Wu Gong."
Zhen Zangzhu said: "I advised my uncle not to instigate the prince to build Wu Palace."
"Why?"
Zhen Zangzhu poured himself a cup and drank it, and said: "None of the kings in the world have ever heard of building a palace, and they all live in the palace. King Yan guards the capital, and would rather let a little emperor guard the Forbidden City than live in it. If King Wu built a palace
, King Yan might have taken advantage of the situation and moved in. How can the palace compare with the Forbidden City? Maybe the prince would be angry and blame the person who came up with the idea for this matter."
Uncle Bao nodded: "Anyway, if I were Zhen Yingjia, I wouldn't give up just because of such a trivial matter."
Zhen Zangzhu said: "My uncle knows best that the emperor's favor and disgrace are all due to temporary happiness and anger. Uncle Bao can't empathize with him. Anyway, it is most convenient to scare him with the prince's thoughts."
Uncle Bao couldn't help but look at him carefully for a long time: "Is Master Zhen really a thief?"
Zhen Zangzhu chuckled: "I don't count the thieves, I count the bandit leaders. I have been with the Prince of Beijing for more than twenty years. Although I don't know much about the affairs of the court, I am somewhat influenced by it."
Uncle Bao was shocked. After a long while, he pawed and said, "That's it!" Yin asked, "If that's the case, why didn't Mr. Zhen follow him to Dacheng?"
Zhen Zangzhu said lazily: "I went and came back." Without waiting for Uncle Bao to ask, she chuckled and said, "His dragon robe must have been bought in the Kingdom of Wu. The King of Wu was also generous, so he sold it to him like that.
Already?"
Uncle Bao chuckled: "The prince doesn't know about that at all. I sold it to him."
Zhen Zangzhu was startled: "What did I say...there are also canopies?" Uncle Bao nodded with a smile. Zhen Zangzhu sighed and shook his head and said, "Once the emperor is extravagant, no matter how much money he has in the treasury, it will not last for a few years. Bao
The uncle must also be looking forward to the prince building the Wu Palace. Anyway, if the meat is in the pot, everyone will have soup to drink." Nai said sincerely, "This is to fish in dry swamps and hunt in burning forests. The great success is a lesson to others. Uncle Bao, there is no skin left.
How can General Mao be attached? This country of Wu will not belong to your nephew in the future? What good will it do to your nephew if you empty the treasury?"
Uncle Bao thought for a moment and asked, "Now is Dacheng?"
Zhen Zangzhu shook his head: "I don't know. Don't think that just building a Wu Palace is enough. With a Wu Palace, there must be a hunting ground; with a palace, the hunting ground must also add furniture, antique calligraphy and paintings, and rare birds. No amount of money is enough."
No matter how rich the country of Wu is, it can't fill the bottomless pit..." He sighed, shook his head tiredly, shook his head three or five times, and then started to be stunned. I don't know how long he was stunned, but Uncle Bao called him three or four times before he heard it.
Uncle Bao personally filled a glass of wine for him and said, "Brother Zhen, don't worry. The world is so big, why worry about not having a clear master?"
Zhen Zangzhu smiled bitterly: "Thank you, Uncle Bao." She raised it and drank it all in one gulp. She let out another long sigh.
The two of them drank seven or eight glasses of wine, and Uncle Bao sighed: "It's just that our family has prepared a lot of stone and wood."
Zhen Zangzhu was speechless: "You are too impatient!"
Uncle Bao smiled bitterly and said: "Who knew that the Zhen family still has a number one relative like you!"
Zhen Zangzhu thought for a while and said: "Even if you want to hoard precious wood and stone materials, you can't stock up much. My niece has not been in the palace for a long time. There is no problem in keeping it and selling it slowly. Most of the wood and stone materials you have prepared are ordinary wood and stone materials."
"Uncle Bao nodded. Zhen Zangzhu looked at him and smiled, with words written in her eyes: I know you are ready to pass off the inferior ones. Uncle Bao also laughed and drank a glass of wine. Zhen Zangzhu thought for a while,
"Is there any need for major construction elsewhere?"
Uncle Bao shook his head: "Wudi originally had a complete foundation."
Zhen Zangzhu asked: "I heard that General Wei Ruoheng went to Taiwan. I don't know when he will come back?"
Uncle Bao was stunned: "Counting the days, we will be back soon. Does Mr. Zhen recognize him?"
"I don't know." Zhen Zangzhu said, "But Dacheng Kingdom has a lot of contacts with Taiwan. I heard from people who often go there that Taiwan is full of new houses on the street, parks, squares, museums, concert halls, big...
The theaters and even the schools are all very well built. Why don't we wait for General Wei to come back and ask him to pick two of the things Nezha from Taiwan has come up with and build two in Wu, just to use up the stones that the Bao family has hoarded?
Timber. As long as it is not built for the prince's enjoyment, it will be built as soon as it is completed to avoid endless troubles. It is really not suitable. It is also a good thing to renovate the school to earn a reputation for the prince."
Uncle Bao's eyes lit up: "This is a good idea." He thought about it for a while, looked at him with a smile and said, "Master Zhen, you are indeed a great talent as the third child said!"
Zhen Zangzhu said with a smile: "Since our Zhen family has tricked your Bao family, we have to find a way to help you, right?"
Uncle Bao laughed: "Master Zhen, I advise you to have less contact with that family. Those are white-eyed wolves."
Zhen Zangzhu smiled and said: "Don't worry, Uncle Bao, I have beaten a wolf before."
Uncle Bao laughed again and ordered the singer to pour wine. The singer filled two glasses for the two of them. Uncle Bao raised the glasses and said, "In this case, Master Zhen can rest assured that your niece will be safe and favored in the palace."
Zhen Zangzhu took a breath, but did not pick up the wine glass: "Uncle Bao, that family and the lower official are just from the same clan. The lower official has no time to care about their family's business. I have blocked this disaster for them, but I am just thanking me for that.
My uncle just helped me bury my whole family." Then he waved his hand and said, "I don't want such a disgusting relative."
Uncle Bao put down his cup and said: "Master Zhen, as the saying goes, if you break the bones and connect the tendons, you all have the same ancestor. Although Zhen Yingjia is not a good person, he has no ability anyway, and the trouble he can cause for Master Zhen is limited. Besides,
Isn't there still Brother Yu?" Zhen Zangzhu frowned. Uncle Bao put on a look of pity again, "My niece is also pitifully tight. She is only fifteen years old, but Zhen Yingjia can hold it in her hands like dough.
Sir, if that child is still here, he would be almost old."
Zhen Zangzhu said: "Eighteen." Her eyes gradually softened.
Uncle Bao advised: "Master Zhen, just take pity on the girl who has no father."
Zhen Zangzhu glanced at him: "Since my uncle has no ability anymore, why does Uncle Bao want to get the lower official to get together with him? Anyway, he is not too much, but he is not too little."
Uncle Bao smiled and said, "Didn't you tell me? My niece is pitiful. She is only fifteen years old, and she is the most favored now. Let's see how many years she can be favored."
Zhen Zangzhu nodded slowly: "I understand, I understand." She sighed softly and raised her wine glass.
Uncle Bao was overjoyed. The two of them clinked their glasses and drank the wine in their glasses. The Bao and Zhen families were considered an alliance.