Ministry of Works.
Jia Jun, the Minister of Works, returned to the duty room in a refreshed manner.
Logically speaking, the Crown Prince's 'mud' was really a timely rain for the Ministry of Works.
After returning to the Ministry of Works, Minister Jia immediately went to look for Assistant Minister Liu Zhang.
"Greetings, Minister."
As the second-in-command of the Ministry of Works, Liu Zhang had always been conscientious and conscientious in his official career. However, he also had a fatal flaw. He had the common problem of civil officials. He was very proud and arrogant.
He even dared to scold the Crown Prince, so there was nothing he didn't dare to do.
"Assistant Minister Liu, don't be so polite."
"Today, this official is looking for you because something interesting happened in the Imperial Court.”
Liu Zhang did not go to court today. He went to inspect the construction progress of the Imperial Ancestral Temple in the morning, so he knew nothing about what happened in the court today.
"What interesting matter, my lord?" he asked curiously.”
"Isn't it because of the Crown Prince?" Jia Jun chuckled. He was impeached by Yuan Ting for playing with mud at the Golden Water Bridge.”
Liu Zhang couldn't help but taunt,""Milord, it's not that I want to criticize the Crown Prince, but two days ago, he asked the Eastern Palace eunuch to come to the Eastern Palace to offer some cement.”
"He said that cement walls, bricks, and roads were all very useful, and he even said that they were as firm as a rock. In the end, he asked me for a thousand silver and said that he would sell the secret recipe to the Ministry of Works. Don't you think the crown prince is being too ridiculous?”
Jia Jun was stunned for a moment. Suddenly, he had an ominous feeling in his heart. He asked Liu Zhang in a trembling voice,"Assistant Minister Liu…you, how did you reply to the Crown Prince?”
He knew Liu Zhang's temperament.
It might…be bad.
As expected, Liu Zhang snorted." I naturally refused righteously. I severely criticized the Crown Prince for his nonsense and scolded the Eastern Palace eunuch."”
"As an official of the Ministry of Works, I can't help a tiger, and I can't lead the Crown Prince's moral character to be ruined.”
"The dignified crown prince actually dares to fool the Ministry of Works for money. Does he think we are fools? We have money, but money is spent on steel blades. We can't just take whatever we want!”
Jia Jun was speechless.
"I have something to say.”
"Today at the Golden Water Bridge, we saw the mud that the Crown Prince made…Oh, the cement you mentioned.”
" To be honest, we've never seen anything like that. It's hard, easy to make, and made of solid materials..."
With every sentence Jia Jun said, Liu Zhang's expression froze for a moment. At the end, Liu Zhang slowly held the teacup and actually shook it a little.
Jia Jun glanced at Liu Zhang and said," Assistant Minister Liu, the Emperor and the cabinet elders all praise this artifact as a divine artifact. I have also guaranteed in front of the Emperor that this year, dams such as Xin 'an River and Taihu Lake will use cement.”
"Hmm, since you have already communicated with the Crown Prince, then…you can ask the Crown Prince for the raw material formula for this cement.”
"Ah, this…"
Liu Zhang's expression was a little ugly. He opened his mouth slightly, but saw that Minister Jia had already slipped away.
Minister Jia's meaning was very obvious. You dug a hole yourself, so you should clean it up yourself. Anyway, he wouldn't clean up this mess.
If the Crown Prince doesn't give the formula to the Ministry of Works, the Cabinet and the Emperor will blame him. Then don't blame me for selling you out.
Liu Zhang felt like dying. With a vexed expression, he muttered,""How could this be? How could this be?”
He sat in the Ministry of Works 'sentry hut for a while, then gritted his teeth and lifted his robe. He stood up and said,""Prepare a thousand taels of silver for me, quick!”
"Yes, sir!"
After a while, Liu Zhang carried a box of silver and walked straight to the Eastern Palace.
Zhu Houzhao was sitting on the armchair with his legs crossed. He said to Liu Jin,""Go and inform the Embroidered Uniform Guards. In a while, BenGong will go to the Embroidered Uniform Guards to select people.”
"Yes."
Liu Jin quickly walked out and returned not long after. He smiled and said,"Master, Mou Bin has spoken. Also, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Works requests an audience.”
Zhu Houzhao chuckled.
Brother Ce is really amazing. Today, he casually told me the story of He Shibi, so I can learn and use it.
Suddenly, Zhu Houzhao snorted and said,""Let that dog in!"
"Here!"
Soon.
Liu Zhang walked over with the box and said to Zhu Houzhao with a smile,""This subject greets Your Highness."
"Oh, assistant minister of the Ministry of Works, bengong has heard of you. Is there anything you need from bengong?”
Liu Zhang hurriedly said," Your Highness, it's like this. My Ministry of Works intends to ask Your Highness for the formula for 'cement'. It's said that this item is a divine artifact and may be of great use to several major projects in the country. Your Highness, please be generous and give it to me."”
"You're stingy," Zhu Houzhao said indifferently.
"Ah?"
Zhu Houzhao stood up." I said that I'm stingy. I won't give it to you. What's wrong?"”
Liu Zhang was speechless.
"No, Your Highness. This is not something this lowly official wants, but for the country.”
"Then let Father ask for it, I'll give it to him." Zhu Houzhao said.”
How would I dare!
"Your Highness, this is the 1000 taels of silver you wanted. Hehe, please be magnanimous, Your Highness."”
Zhu Houzhao: " I can't lift it. BenGong's hand was broken by what you said earlier, so I can't lift it."”
Liu Zhang was speechless.
"This cement formula is so expensive. You want to pay for it? No way!"
"I have to pay more!"
The corners of Liu Zhang's mouth twitched, but no one could help him now. If he didn't get this 'cement' formula back today, he didn't know what the minister would do to him.
He hurriedly smiled and said," Alright, alright. I'll pay more. How much do you want, Your Highness?"”
"Ten thousand taels!"
" What?!"
Liu Zhang turned pale with fright. This 1,000 taels of silver was the maximum amount of funds he could apply for as the assistant minister of the Ministry of Works. 10,000 taels of silver, even if he killed him, it was impossible to apply for it from the Ministry of Works!
"What's wrong?" Zhu Houzhao said.
Liu Zhang gritted his teeth. It was as if his heart had been stabbed by a sharp awl. He gritted his teeth so hard that they shattered.
I'll pay for it myself!
"Good!" Liu Zhang said," I'll send someone to get it immediately. Please wait a moment, Your Highness."”
When the ten thousand taels were delivered to Zhu Houzhao, Liu Zhang's heart was bleeding!
Nine thousand taels of silver was his own money! The money that he had painstakingly saved for most of his life!
This old man is also cheap! He could have just bought it for a thousand taels of silver. Anyway, he wasn't spending his own money at that time. Why did he have to pretend to be cool and criticize the crown prince for not doing his job properly…
Why bother!
He could not blame anyone else for this. He could only blame himself for pretending to be pretentious and being cheap!
Zhu Houzhao handed the cement formula to Liu Zhang with a smile on his face. He waved his hand and said,""Alright, we're even. You can go back.”
"I will take my leave." Liu Zhang looked pained.
Zhu Houzhao smiled as he looked at the box of silver. He waved his hand and said to Liu Jin,""Pick out five thousand taels first and put them there. After you go to the Embroidered Uniform Guards, carry them to BenGong's place.”
"Alright." Liu Jin.
...........
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