Xu Da, the first hero in the founding of the Ming Dynasty, was also the most generous in the Ming Dynasty. Two dukes came out of this family. The founding emperor Zhu Yuanzhang gave a duke of Wei, and the founder of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Di, gave a duke of Ding.
No matter from any aspect, the Xuda family is the family that has enjoyed the greatest favor from the Ming Dynasty emperor. Such a family should definitely be the family that should work hard for the country when the country is surviving.
By the end of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Chongzhen was also very kind to this family. As a result, in the original history, when Duke Ding of the capital surrendered to Li Zicheng and Duke Wei of Nanjing surrendered to the Jianqi, none of them died in battle.
This generation of Wei Guogong, if in the original history, Xu Hongji had already died of illness, but due to the influence of Liu Weichao's butterfly effect, although he was indeed seriously ill, he was dying and not yet dead, but he was almost there.
Therefore, Xu Wenjue, the eldest son of Wei Guogong, is actually almost equal to Wei Guogong. No one in Nanjing dares to deny him face.
On this day, he suddenly heard a servant coming to report that a large number of people from the East and West factories had surrounded the Linhuai Marquis Mansion. This shocked him. He didn't know what was going on, so he hurried over to check.
Unexpectedly, the gatekeeper Fanzi did not give him any face and blocked him directly at the door.
Generally speaking, others may be afraid of factory guards, but Wei Guogong, who is the head of the noble family, is not very afraid of factory guards. Therefore, a commotion started at the door.
In the end, just as Xu Wenjue expected, someone came out to check the movement and then hurried in again. He knew that this was the person who was going to report the person in charge inside. I believe that after a while, for the Linhuai Marquis Mansion,
Everything will be explained no matter what.
What he didn't expect was that after waiting and waiting, there was no response. It wasn't until he became impatient that a stall from the West Factory came out.
Seeing the stall owner of Xichang walking towards him, Xu Wenjue knew that he would finally have to give an explanation!
Think about it, after all, I am the eldest son of the Duke of Wei, and will soon be the Duke of Wei. No matter how arrogant the factory guard is, he still needs to give him some face, right?
However, what surprised him was that when the stall owner of the West Factory approached him, he pointed at him and shouted in a cold voice: "The West Factory is handling the case. Anyone who makes noise and causes trouble again will be arrested as part of the same party."
Got it!"
Xu Wenjue has indeed seen arrogant people in his life, but he has never seen such arrogant people who dared to point at his nose and speak.
However, when he saw the expression on the West Factory stall owner's face, he didn't mean to intimidate him at all. It seemed that if he really continued to cause trouble, they might really arrest him!
Seeing this posture, Xu Wenjue was frightened on the spot.
However, there were so many onlookers, and if he just walked back in despair without saying a word, he would be a little embarrassed.
At this time, the steward in front of his horse came forward with a smile and said that such a big thing happened nearby. Wei Guogong was also very concerned about it and just wanted to come over to see what was going on. He did not make any noise or trouble.
Perhaps for the sake of his smiling face, or because the title of Wei Guogong played a role, he told the steward of Wei Guogong's palace: "The Marquis of Linhuai secretly sold the steam engine blueprints to Xiyi."
It's a serious crime. No matter who you are, if you want to get involved in this matter, our West Factory will catch you first and then punish you. We will never be lenient!"
Xu Wenjue heard this immediately and couldn't help but feel relieved. It turned out that the Marquis of Linhuai secretly sold the steam engine blueprints, so this matter was his own doing and no one else could be implicated.
With this thought in mind, he didn't dare to cause trouble, so he went back.
After arriving at Duke Wei's house, Xu Wenjue quickly went to Xu Hongji's hospital bed to report the matter, and then said: "Dad, the leader of Xichang is arresting the Marquis of Linhuai. Isn't it said that Duke Xichang is the most trusted by the current emperor? Otherwise,
Let’s not get involved in this matter!”
Although Xu Hongji was dying of illness and had ignored most things, after hearing the news, he still shook his head and said: "No, you can't ignore the affairs of Linhuai Marquis. You should contact other companies first and inquire.
Let’s see if we can fish him out. Secretly selling the steam engine blueprints to Xi Yi is something big or small, and we may or may not be able to fish him out!”
After Xu Wenjue heard this, he had no choice but to listen to his father. After all, as long as his father did not die, he would still be Wei Guogong.
In the evening, when he returned home and went to Xu Hongji's hospital bed, he looked a little angry and said to his father: "Dad, do you know how much that steam engine blueprint is worth?"
"How much is it?" Xu Hongji was a little surprised when he saw his son acting like this. He knew his son well, and immediately asked, "Is it possible that it is one hundred thousand?"
He had been ill for several years and had been lying in his own house. He had never seen the extraordinary applications of steam engines with his own eyes. He had only heard about them, so he gave a quotation that he thought was a lot.
As a result, Xu Wenjue said to him angrily: "No, it's one million, one million taels of silver. It's just a blueprint. What can be done with just a few dollars is actually sold to him."
One million taels of silver!"
One million taels of silver, based on the purchasing power in the last years of Wanli, is probably equivalent to 500 million in later generations. For comparison, most of the treasury revenue during the Chongzhen period was only more than two million taels, which is as much as half a year of the huge empire.
The treasury received revenue.
When Xu Hongji heard this, he almost couldn't hold his breath. After finally regaining control of his anger, he began to scold Li Zushu for daring to embezzle such a large sum of money. Well, he deserves it for not keeping things secret!
Xu Wenjue was also heartbroken after hearing this, and he scolded Li Zushu for his black heart along with his father. It was almost a business without capital, and he could get so much money at once! If he only collected rent, he didn't know how many years it would take him to earn this money!
However, by the next day, Xu Hongji calmed down and called Xu Wenjue and said: "I didn't expect the steam engine blueprint to be worth so much. It will be a bit troublesome to fish out Li Zushu. Take a look first, can you
It cannot be saved. If it cannot be saved, before he is taken to the capital..."
At this point, although he stopped talking, his eyes already told his son what to do.
Xu Wenjue was a little surprised when he saw it, so he asked his father, "Are you worried that he will talk nonsense?"
The nobles and nobles of Nanjing colluded together. Although they had more people and more strength, naturally they knew each other's illegal and taboo things. For example, if they had done several major things in the past few years, if others knew about it, they would be in trouble.
It’s a very big thing!
After hearing this, Xu Hongji calmly shook his head and said: "This is not serious. If he dares to tell it, for him, it will be a serious crime against the Nine Clan. He does not dare. But, just in case, he will still die.
Be safe."
Having said this, he stared into Xu Wenjue's eyes and told him: "You have to remember that everyone is useful. If they are useless, it means they are really useless!"
Although it is a bit difficult for outsiders to understand this statement, Xu Wenjue, as his own son and the eldest son of Wei Guogong, understands what his father means.
His father was teaching him how to be a good Duke of Wei, and there was no need to be kind to those who were of no use value.
After hearing this, Xu Wenjue immediately nodded and accepted the instruction. As long as his father is not dead, he is just the heir apparent. No matter what his father says, he will listen.
The father and son were plotting when suddenly, they heard noises coming from outside.
The Duke of Wei's Mansion, as a Duke's Mansion that has been passed down for hundreds of years, has nothing to say about the discipline of its slaves. The slaves of the Duke of Wei's Mansion even walk lightly and fall silently, not to mention that they are still Dukes of Wei.
When you are seriously ill, you need to pay more attention to quietness.
At this time, a noise came to Xu Hongji's room, which made both father and son very unhappy.
Xu Hongji could no longer speak loudly, so Xu Wenjue turned around and shouted loudly: "Go and see what's going on and break their legs!"
After hearing this, the servant outside quickly agreed and went out quietly.
However, the noise outside did not stop at all, and the movement seemed to be getting closer and closer to the inner courtyard.
At this time, Xu Wenjue became very angry. Even if something big happened, he had to be well-educated!
Naturally, he had not thought that what happened at the Linhuai Marquis' Mansion yesterday was happening in the Duke of Wei's Mansion.
Even when Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty conquered Nanjing City, no one harassed the Duke of Wei. Not to mention, hundreds of years later, who dares to come to the Duke of Wei to cause trouble!
So, Xu Wenjue said to Xu Hongji, who was lying on the hospital bed with the same angry look on his face: "Dad, come as soon as you go. Don't let those bitches know how powerful they are. They have forgotten the rules of the Duke of Wei!"
Of course, Xu Hongji had no objection to this. He closed his eyes and rested, so that he would not worry about such trivial matters.
So, Xu Wenjue walked outside, and several maids waiting here immediately went inside to serve Xu Hongji.
At this time, the noise outside could be heard more clearly.
There were panicked exclamations, sharp curses, chaotic footsteps, and even the sound of hitting something. In short, it seemed a bit chaotic.
It felt to Xu Wenjue as if there was a thief in the legendary home, or in other words, a robber?
Impossible, this is absolutely impossible!
Nowadays, apart from the fact that Liaodong has not yet been recovered, the world is already at peace. How could such an arrogant thief dare to cause trouble in the Duke of Wei's mansion?
When he thought of this, Xu Wenjue immediately felt that something was wrong. If they were ordinary thieves, the servants raised in Duke Wei's mansion were not vegetarians.
But it’s so noisy and chaotic outside, so what’s going on?
With this thought in mind, he hurriedly walked toward the door. When the maid at the door opened the door, he saw the scene outside at a glance. Just then, the chaotic footsteps had already rushed into the yard in front of him.