After a long conversation with Zhu Yuan, Zhu Yuanzhang's knot in his heart was untied and his condition returned to its previous state.

This morning he gave instructions on matters related to Zhu Yuan, and he also dealt with some of the recent accumulation of matters neatly, such as the construction of a nationwide post station system.

Zhu Yuanzhang also thought about it.

Just because a postman rebelled a few hundred years later, we can't stop eating because of choking and abandon the current good measures. Just like Zhang Shicheng and Fang Guozhen were both salt traders, he can't abolish the salt policy because of this, right?

There is one thing, however, which is related to the Northern Expedition to transport grain, so it has been put aside for the time being.

I originally planned to order General Tang He, who was conquering the south, to go to Mingzhou to take charge of shipping matters in the near future. Remembering that Zhu Yuan mentioned in Xu Da's handwriting about the control of Huang, Lao Zhu felt that he might have a better way.

Can it be transported by river, or can it be transported by river.

Lao Zhu has also learned in these days that sea transportation is too dangerous. Chen Youding, who was loyal to the Yuan Dynasty, insisted on transporting grain from Fujian to Dadu in the past few years. The sea distance alone was said to be 13,000 miles, and along the way

Up to 60% to 70% of people can float submerged, and only 30% to 40% can reach Dadu.

Even if he starts from Jiangsu and Zhejiang, according to the inquiries he made to Fang Guozhen's old department, the journey will be shortened by half, but it is often a fluke to reach 70%.

Moreover, this shipping also relies heavily on wind direction.

It happens to be winter with the most northerly winds, so traveling against the wind is even more difficult.

If Zhu Yuan had a better way, he would not take risks.

In the East Pavilion on the left side of Fengtian Gate.

Near noon, Zhu Yuanzhang was discussing with Cui Liang, the Minister of Rites, about the establishment of Shanshiyuan and Xuanjiaoyuan to manage Buddhism and Taoism, when he saw Queen Ma Shi walking in, followed by two maids carrying food boxes.

Only then did I realize it was lunch time.

After sending Cui Liang away, the couple went to a small dining hall nearby and set up the meal. As soon as they let the two palace maids leave, Ma took out a pen studded with fine gems from his sleeve and threw it on the table, saying solemnly:

"Your Majesty has always advocated frugality, so why did you give me such a gorgeous thing?"

Only when Lao Zhu sat down and saw the pen did he realize that his wife, after delivering food, was still here to ask questions.

Even the title has been changed.

Smiling and gesturing for Mr. Ma to sit down together, Lao Zhu said: "This is nothing else. It is used for writing. It is also a filial piety for future generations. It has nothing to do with those ingenious and useless things."

Although Mr. Ma sat down, he did not move his bowl or chopsticks, and accurately grasped one of the key words: "Junior... Your Majesty, is that Zhu Yuan?"

If you ask for a crime, you'll be asked for a crime, and you won't even be served rice.

Then I’ll do it myself!

After digging out a bowl of rice and serving another bowl to Ma, Lao Zhu placed the rice bowl in front of his wife with a smile and said with great interest: "It's Zhu Yuan, madam, I went to Houhu again yesterday.

After a long conversation, I gained more insights. What are you doing... taking chopsticks and eating?"

Ma still didn't move her chopsticks, stared at Lao Zhu and said: "I heard that your Majesty has promoted Zhu Yuan to an official position today. He is a third-grade Hanlin bachelor and has an explanation. Your Majesty, I want to know why the deputy envoy of Tai Hospital is

?”

Lao Zhu and his wife looked at each other for a moment, then finally came to their senses and said with a smile: "You've got something wrong again, haven't you?"

Ma shook his head: "I don't realize that I am thinking wrong. Life and death are determined by fate. If Your Majesty asks for longevity... how is this different from Emperor Qin's request for longevity?"

Seeing his wife pressing closer and closer, Lao Zhu felt a little aggrieved.

Am I asking for this for myself?

It’s not all for you and Biao’er!

So he put down his chopsticks and put away his expression. The couple stared at each other for a moment. Lao Zhu wanted to explain, but found that he didn't know how to explain!

How to say?

Is it possible to take out the "Book of Heaven"?

There was a brief stalemate. No one could share a big secret in his heart recently. Lao Zhu was also a little bit depressed. After thinking about it for a while, he finally said: "Madam, I have something to tell you. This... you should not reveal it to Biao'er and the others for a while. "

Ma didn't know what kind of turning point this was, so she just nodded slightly.

Lao Zhu hesitated briefly again, and then said: "The Zhu Yuan... is actually our own family," and then emphasized: "The family surnamed 'Zhu'."

As expected, Ma's thoughts were changed, and he looked surprised: "My family?"

Lao Zhu nodded: "As for the "Book of Heaven", Madam is curious about the content. In fact, it is all about his life experience. I have repeatedly confirmed it these days, and it should be correct."

Ma's eyes widened slightly, remembering the pale little face that she had secretly looked at before, and suddenly thought: "Could it be...my husband-in-law's child who lives abroad?"

Ma was from a good background and had read books, so he naturally came into contact with some similar legendary novels.

When Lao Zhu heard this, he grinned and said with a smile: "It takes so many generations to do something like this."

Ma thought so too.

Zhu Yuan came from Shandong, and his husband had never been to Shandong.

After keenly catching a certain word in Lao Zhu's words, Ma once again put away his expression and probed: "Ms. sir, could it be that we are the ancestors of the Zhu family who have lived for hundreds of years?"

After contacting her husband and praying for longevity, Ma thought about some legends she had heard before, and realized that she had gone wrong again.

Lao Zhu was also led astray. After thinking about it for a while, he finally understood it. He waved his hands and said: "What kind of ancestors are there? We are..." He almost said, "We are his ancestors", but stopped in time and just said : "Madam, Yuan'er is a close relative of our Zhu family. The matter is roughly correct, but the specifics of which branch and family he belongs to, in the future... I will tell you when the time is right."

However, Ma asked: "Since we are members of the clan, why don't you recognize me, or... he is still young, why don't you take him to the palace?"

Despite being distracted by her husband, Ma did not forget her purpose today.

No matter who Zhu Yuan is, if she wants to disturb Feng Yu and try to lead her husband astray, she will not let him go. Since her husband is said to be a relative, it is better to bring him with her so that she can keep an eye on him.

When necessary...it's also convenient.

Lao Zhu shook his head again and said, "I'm afraid this is inappropriate."

He looks like a little kid on the outside but has a thirty-six-year-old soul inside. How can he be brought to the palace?

As he spoke, Lao Zhu revealed some of his inner thoughts: "And this matter is of great importance, I... I want to see it again, and see it again."

After saying this, Lao Zhu picked up the bowl and chopsticks again and said with a smile: "I have told you all these secrets, let's eat."

Ma still didn't move the bowl or chopsticks, and turned her head slightly to avoid looking at Lao Zhu, making a sad gesture.

Lao Zhu had no choice but to think about it and said, "I have to go to Houhu later and ask him something. Let's eat. After dinner, how about you go over with me and see for yourself what kind of person he is?"

Ma thought for a while, finally nodded, and silently picked up the bowls and chopsticks.

Houhu.

After talking all morning, we invited everyone to have lunch, and then discussed the garden construction with Shan Anren.

Shan Anren was also a long-time follower of Zhu Yuanzhang, and was a fellow villager of Zhu Yuanzhang in Haozhou. He studied in his early years, and during the troubled times, he gathered volunteers to protect his hometown, and later defected to Zhu Yuanzhang, and became a third-rank general today. Si Qing.

At present, the six departments are not complete, and the title of Secretary General is actually equivalent to the Minister of the Ministry of Industry.

After the morning court, Shan Anren was sent by Zhu Yuanzhang to discuss the construction of a mansion with a certain "foreign master" who had been making a lot of noise recently. Shan Anren was a little uncomfortable at first, but after listening all morning, he had to be impressed by this young man's knowledge.

After lunch, after careful discussion and planning, Shan Anren happily accepted a pen from Zhu Yuan as a thank you gift and left satisfied.

After being searched by Lao Zhu yesterday, Zhu Yuan took out the used pen in his study room as a gift this time. Fortunately, he had only used it for a short time and it was still brand new.

After sending Shan Anren away, he finally calmed down.

Zhu Yuan returned to the inner house and was about to take a good nap. He did not intend to get up until dark. However, not long after he lay down, Xi Yi came in a hurry and said that His Majesty the Emperor had arrived and brought the Queen with him.

Zhu Yuan: "..."

Why does the donkey bray?!

Thinking in his heart, Zhu Yuan got dressed neatly and returned to the living room again.

When they entered the door, they saw Mr. and Mrs. Zhu standing in front of the desk by the window of the West House Tea Room, looking through the notes and drawings left during the morning's discussion with everyone, including the trivial regulations for organizing the medical school, the refraction diagram of concave and convex lenses, or Zhu

A random drawing of a cell structure diagram, etc.

After the three-year contract, there was no such thing as the butterfly effect, and Zhu Yuan didn't mind being seen. After the couple turned around together, he took a few steps forward and said goodbye.

He also quietly looked at Ma.

The empress who had visited him before when he was in Prince Wu's Mansion had an ordinary appearance, with a round face, medium height, and her hairpin and hairdress were as simple as recorded in history. However, compared to Lao Zhu's kindness, Zhu Yuan found that Ma's view

His eyes seemed evil, with scrutiny and caution.

What's the situation?

When Zhu Yuan got up, Lao Zhu took his wife to the round table next to him and sat down. He was not in a hurry to ask what he had just read, but said loudly with a wink: "Yuan'er, I have already told my wife that you are our family member."

It's a matter of relatives, she came to see you."

Zhu Yuan accurately caught Lao Zhu's hint.

I talked a little bit, but I definitely didn’t reveal anything about the Book of Heaven.

Turning to Mrs. Ma again, Zhu Yuan bowed again meticulously, formally paying homage to her in another capacity: "Yuan'er has met the empress."

Ma looked at the young man kneeling on the ground, paused, and said softly: "Get up."

Zhu Yuan stood up and saw the emperor and empress sitting side by side like two statues of gods at the round table, waiting to speak. For such a short moment, before Lao Zhu could speak, he could only take the initiative to find a topic again: "Ancestor, Yuan'er has something to report.

.”

Lao Zhu actually had a lot to say, but his wife, sitting next to him, was worried that he might accidentally spill the beans, so he hesitated briefly.

Seeing that Zhu Yuan spoke first, he followed suit: "What's the matter?"

Zhu Yuan walked to the desk by the window, found the reward list from the morning, bowed and handed it to Lao Zhu: "Ancestor, Yuan'er, please take back the farmland and servants you gave me."

Lao Zhu: “…”

Ma: "..."

The people below always only ask for rewards, and I haven't seen many return them.

Unprepared, Lao Zhu reacted quickly and turned to look at his wife pointedly, with a smile on his face, as if to say: I didn't arrange this in advance!

Turning to Zhu Yuan again, Lao Zhu said: "What do you think?"

Zhu Yuan said: "My ancestors gave me money and silk, as well as helping me build a mansion. These are for daily use, and Yuan'er boldly accepted them. But the matter of fertile land... Ancestor, I presented the 'Economic Science', among which 'distribution'

At the same time, we must mention the suppression of land annexation. If I myself have thousands of acres of fertile land and cannot lead by example, how can I restrain others in the future? As for the servants, I am only one person, and I don’t need so many people to serve me."

Lao Zhu brought his wife here originally to show how good Zhu Yuan was. However, his previous thoughts were focused on Zhu Yuan's knowledge.

At the moment...

His precious twenty-third generation grandson took the initiative to give him a much better 'favour' than he expected. He was so knowledgeable about current affairs and general knowledge, and it also made him lose face to his wife without knowing it. How could he not be happy?

, almost bursting into tears.

Reluctantly keeping his expression down, Lao Zhu said: "Take it all, it won't be less than your few acres of land. There are also servants and maids. They think I don't know. Not to mention that in Jinling City, even those wealthy gentry and wealthy households in the south of the Yangtze River have their own families."

There are often hundreds or even thousands of servants and maids, how many do you have?"

Zhu Yuan heard what Lao Zhu said, but he persisted. He simply knelt down and said, "Please, my ancestors, grant me permission."

Regarding this matter, it was not Zhu Yuan’s whim.

When he was still recovering from illness, Zhu Yuan had considered returning the 1,000 acres of land.

After all, based on the annual rent of 1 stone per mu and calculating the current grain price, it is equivalent to an income of 1,000 copper coins per year, which is not as much as what Lao Zhu gave in one go.

Zhu Yuan really doesn't like him.

Moreover, in addition to what he just said about leading by example is true, Zhu Yuan also wanted to exchange it and take the opportunity to do something else.

As for the deepest considerations, Zhu Yuan certainly knew that doing this would definitely make his image in Lao Zhu's mind better. However, this was not just for fame and reputation. He really meant it. Chinese farmers have been exploited for thousands of years.

, they should also be relieved of their burdens, which is a good thing for everyone in this country.

Now is just a small, insignificant step.

Unexpectedly, before I could say anything, Lao Zhu suddenly awarded another 12,000 acres today.

Then it's even more necessary to return it.

In this era, as long as it is related to land, there are many things, and Zhu Yuan does not want to worry about all kinds of rights and wrongs just for that little rent.

Seeing Zhu Yuan kneeling down without any pretense of politeness, Lao Zhu thought for a while and finally said: "Get up, I promise you."

Only then did Zhu Yuan get up.

Lao Zhu followed up and said: "I have taken back the fields, and I will keep those servants for you. You are not allowed to refuse. I have seen your yard deserted several times. You should increase your popularity and stop making people laugh."

Zhu Yuan thought about it and agreed.

When Ma heard this, he finally spoke, looking for a key point and asked: "How can you live without the land?"

When his wife said this, Lao Zhu also reacted. Just as he was about to help, Zhu Yuan had already said: "Empress, these rewards from our ancestors are enough to support Yuan'er for several years. In addition..." As he said this, he walked to the side to pick up the bookcase.

He came over with a pen and presented it to him: "...I want to open a stationery store that specializes in this type of pen."

As soon as Ma raised his hand to take the pen, Lao Zhu objected: "Nonsense. Yuan'er, with your status, how can you do such a thing as a merchant!"

In this era, the emphasis on agriculture and suppression of business had become deeply ingrained.

Even though Zhu Yuanzhang had a lot of cooperation with businessmen in the process of conquering the world in history, there were many discriminatory laws against businessmen that should have been promulgated.

Zhu Yuan quickly turned to Lao Zhu, who was blowing his beard: "Ancestor, I will not come forward personally, and the people below will take care of it. Furthermore, it is just writing supplies, not other business. This is something related to culture, even if it comes out

, it will only be an elegant and interesting conversation."

Lao Zhu's expression softened slightly, but he still said: "Even if I agree, how much can this pen be sold for? Listen to me and don't do it. I will set a high salary for you later, which is enough for your daily needs.

.”

Zhu Yuan did not give up and pointed to the pen in Ma's hand: "My ancestors, I have given away a lot of pens recently, and my ancestors have used them personally. I think this reputation has already been established. In my opinion, this pen should be priced at a consistent minimum and high

I want to launch

Some of the most exquisite styles, just like the ones my ancestors saw yesterday... were inlaid with gems, priced at one thousand taels of silver, and were limited to ten pieces each year. I roughly calculated that the profit was just for these ten limited edition styles.

It is close to the output of those fertile fields that our ancestors rewarded."

After Zhu Yuan finished speaking, the couple sitting side by side were a little stunned.

this……

Can business still do this?

Ma even thought of the pen he had left in the East Pavilion and never picked up again... He couldn't figure it out no matter how hard he thought about it, how could it be worth a thousand taels of silver?

After a while, Lao Zhu finally said calmly: "This is a good piece of stationery. You are selling it at a high price... Does anyone buy it?"

Zhu Yuan said: "My ancestors, Yuan'er knows what you are thinking. Now that the pen has been leaked out, there will be people imitating it, and I can't stop it. What I have to do is to sell a brand name. My ancestor also said just now that the wealthy gentry and wealthy households in the south of the Yangtze River are easy to imitate.

There are hundreds of thousands of domestic servants, which shows that there is no shortage of rich people in the world. What I want to earn is the money of these rich people, and I will not pay for it.

Digging into the pockets of the poor. As for those who have no money, Lord, even if I lower the price of the pen to a hundred cents, they still can't afford it. The charcoal pen I presented before is a cheap pen that can be popularized by all readers. If it can be widely used

In the future, one penny may be enough to buy a few. Speaking of which, I still have some ideas about this, and I will submit them to my ancestors in writing when I have time."

Lao Zhu felt that he had gained more knowledge and looked at his wife. Ma also looked thoughtful.

Nodding slightly, Lao Zhu thought for a moment and said: "You made this pen, how can you let people copy it randomly? If this happens in the future, just tell me and I will stand up for you."

Ma: "..."

Mr. Xianggong is reserved and reserved. We are not in Chuzhou now!

Zhu Yuan suppressed his laughter and cupped his hands and said: "Ancestor, it doesn't have to be like this. If this pen is spread, it will be a good thing for scholars after all. But our ancestor's idea is actually a good one, and Yuan'er will also have something to say about it in the future. At the moment, if

The ancestors showed mercy and gave it to Yuan'er

Let's write a calligraphy painting as a plaque. I have already thought of the name of this shop, 'Zhi Yong Zhai', which means 'to apply what I have learned and to unite knowledge and action'. If the ancestor agrees, I will also engrave the name of the shop on this pen.

Calligraphy, no one dares to imitate it."

Lao Zhu was even more happy when he heard Zhu Yuan say that he didn’t mind the pen coming out, etc. The pattern. Hearing those eight words again, for a super pragmatist, they were just right. He immediately agreed and asked: "

Where does this horoscope of 'learning to apply, knowledge and action' come from?"

Zhu Yuan was stunned for a moment.

like……

The unity of knowledge and action is Wang Yangming's theory of applying what you learn... I don't know.

I could only shake my head: "I forgot where I read it. I thought it was very good, so I remembered it."

Seeing that Lao Zhu didn't ask, he thought about where Zhu Yuan was from and stopped pursuing it. He turned to his wife, explaining and boasting: "Listen, this kid studies a lot."

Ma: "..."

Zhu Yuan: "..."

Ancestor, please be more reserved and don’t misunderstand me!

Think about it, praising another child who is not clear to him in front of his own child's mother... Zhu Yuan didn't know what happened in the palace before. After thinking about it, he felt that he seemed to understand Ma's previous caution.

I really want to explain it to Ma.

Ancestor, it’s not what you think, it’s so many generations different!

Eh...

This time I thought about Jia Mu and it was right.


Chapter completed!