"Greetings, Internal Minister!"
Tong Guan was a eunuch, although he did not have the power of the Ming Dynasty East Chamber.
However, the title of internal minister could be said to have power in the government and the people. He and Cai Jing were the two major ministers of the Song Dynasty, and their status was far above that of the factory.
However, with the East Chamber's dominance and power, Tong Guan could only play with his power.
The An family's platform was Cai Jing, so the Zhang family's platform was Tong Guan.
However, Cai Jing and the An family were in cahoots, while the Zhang family and Tong Guan were purely backers.
After all, tens of thousands of gold taels were not given for nothing every year.
Soap, glass, wine…The supply and demand of the Zhang family for Tong Guan was no lower than the level of tributes.
As a result, the Zhang family was not as infamous as the An family.
Tong Guan wasn't the only noble that the Zhang Clan supported. Cai Jing and the other nobles of the imperial court were all the Zhang Clan's backers, but they were only related by distance.
However, Tong Guan's arrival had given the Zhang Clan a huge surprise.
If he didn't handle it well, the Zhang family would become the next An family.
When Zhuge Zhengwo saw Tong Guan, who was 'friendly and affable' from the fourth floor, he would have thrown the Zhang family into the abyss if he didn't know the background of the Zhang family.
"Haha, there's no need to be so restrained.
I came here to congratulate Young Master Zhang on his 18th birthday!”
Tong Guan's words had given the Zhang Clan a great deal of face. Even the crowd could not help but look at the Zhang Clan enviously.
As for the crown and hair?
Reaching the age of 20 was just a rough way of saying it. It was not impossible to reach the age of 20 in advance.
"Thank you, Prime Minister. Shan 'er, come and thank Prime Minister!”
"Greetings, Internal Minister!"
Zhang Xiaoshan had no choice but to step forward and bow respectfully.
Tong Guan had already noticed Zhang Xiaoshan. He saw the elegant young man striding forward. Not only was he handsome, but he was also nine feet tall. He stood out from the crowd. It was difficult not to notice him.
For a moment, a smile flashed across her originally white face.
"What a tall and handsome young man. I wonder if Young Master Zhang is married?”
"Not yet!"
Hearing Zhang Yuan's reply, Tong Guan could not help but nod his head and said with a smile,
"Minister Zhang is so lucky. I wonder which noble daughter will benefit from Young Master Zhang in the future!”
~~~！
Zhang Xiaoshan's mouth twitched. He did not understand the heart of a eunuch.
But these words sounded as if he was getting married, especially when Tong Guan had overestimated him.
Although Zhang Xiaoshan did not like the daughters of the nobility, they did not like him either. This was the solidifying of the feudal class.
"Zhang father and son receive the decree!"
"Long live our emperor!"
It was said that the father and son of the Zhang family had received the edict, but the people who were originally watching the show all kneeled down.
"His Majesty has spoken: The Zhang family father and son have Bodhi in their hearts. On the 18th birthday of Zhang Gongzi, he was given the word Ziyu to show his kindness.”
"Long live Your Majesty, the emperor's grace is vast!"
Zhang Yuan trembled with excitement. Even the surrounding people were shocked beyond words.
Although the emperor's bestowment of the title was not unique, it represented a different meaning. It could be said that it was the bestowment of the title of 'unparalleled scholar of the country'.
Zi Yu had a noble character like jade.
Gold-lettered signboard, iron certificate!
Not only was Zhang Yuan excited, but even Zhuge Zhengwo was also amazed.
Zhang Xiaoshan also smiled slightly. This was the benefit of connecting with the higher-ups. If it wasn't for the generous gift that Zhang Xiaoshan had prepared in advance, how would the Emperor know who the father and son of the Zhang family were?
At most, they would remember that he was a 'servant' who gave them tributes.
Compared to the previous investment, this golden signboard directly raised him from the merchant class.
Even those great scholars did not dare to put on airs in front of him.
No wonder Tong Guan was so shrewd and far-sighted, but he disregarded the situation and said what he said just now. A person like Zi Yu, a daughter of a noble family, might not be worthy of him.
Even if the Zhang family was a merchant, how could ordinary women be a good match for a Wushuang Kingdom Scholar?
An Shigeng was also envious.
Who would have thought that a disaster would help the Zhang family.
After all, the An family had also invested tens of thousands of dans of grain, but the emperor did not take them seriously at all.
"If Internal Minister is not in a hurry, please let me have a chat with you. Today, Shan 'er made some special toys.”
"Is that so? Then I'll have to take a look."
Tong Guan walked into the Red Mansion. The moment he entered, he was immediately lit up by the resplendent gold inside.
As the Internal Minister, Tong Guan had seen the world. It could be said that he had seen 99% of the world's rare treasures.
However, he was still shocked by the extravagance of the Red Mansion. He did not expect the Zhang family to invest so much into a restaurant.
Clearly, what the Zhang Clan had given them was just a drop in the ocean.
"Lord Zhuge!"
"Lord Tong!"
They met on the fourth floor and exchanged pleasantries. Tong Guan basically ignored Zhuge Zhengwo.
Different paths meant different plans!
Cai Jing and Tong Guan were in cahoots with each other, and Zhuge Zhengwo was undoubtedly one of them.
Following Tong Guan's arrival and the Emperor's bestowal of the title, the dignitaries who were originally acting big shot also rushed over, not daring to be the slightest bit negligent.
Many of them even proposed marriage on the spot.
With Zhang Xiaoshan's peerless demeanor, no one wanted to miss out on this rich husband.
Zhang Xiaoshan almost exploded on the spot.
He didn't want to marry a noble lady who he didn't know at all and might even be ugly!
But in the end, they were all beaten back by the cunning Zhang Yuan on the spot, preventing Zhang Xiaoshan from falling into the abyss.
······
"Lord Tong, this is the birthday cake of the Western Hu nobles. The first cut should be made by the noble!”
Zhang Yuan handed a three-foot-long bread knife to Tong Guan with a flattering expression.
Tong Guan was also a Xiantian expert. He held his knife and smiled as he looked at the birthday cake decorated with Fei Tianwu. There was no more surprise than this today.
That day, he had asked the Zhang family to make a nine-dragon cake for the emperor's birthday. He knew that the emperor would definitely like it.
Now, Tong Guan wanted to see how the cake tasted.
There was no hesitation in the slash, and the blade did not even have a bit of cream on it.
The saber was a famous Thousand Refined Fire Saber, and the person who used it was also a Xiantian expert.
After dividing the cake, everyone looked at the cake and silver fork in their hands. With a bite, they immediately felt the sweetness and fragrance of the cream melt in their mouths. This was a texture and taste that they had never experienced before.
At least, the novelty of their first meal was definitely better than all kinds of flavors.
Even though Tong Guan had eaten all the delicacies in the world, he couldn't help but feel pleasantly surprised. As expected, this exquisite and peerless appearance didn't disappoint.
"Minister Zhang, this cake of yours is a little different from the cake that was offered as tribute from the Western Regions. It tastes better. I wonder if it can be introduced into the palace?”
"This…"
Zhang Yuan looked at Zhang Xiaoshan. The latter smiled indifferently and said,
"It is my honor to have Lord Internal Minister share the Emperor's burden.
However, the cake was too sweet and greasy, so it should not be eaten often. If the Internal Minister trusted the Zhang family, the Red Mansion could offer a batch of desserts every three days. Furthermore, the Red Mansion sold desserts at any time. If any noble needed them, they could come to the Red Mansion at any time!”
"I naturally trust the Zhang family. These years, the Zhang family has worked hard for the palace, and the emperor has seen it.
Then, in three days, I will come to collect the first batch of tributes?”
"The Zhang family will definitely not disappoint you!”
Tong Guan smiled and nodded. He was still at ease about the safety of the Zhang Clan's tribute.
And the money for the palace treasury to buy desserts naturally fell into his hands again. This was a considerable amount of income.
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。