amaotonovel Chapter 188 Prime Minister’s Mansion
Chapter 188 Prime Minister’s Mansion
"I plan to buy a house in the capital. Do you want to live with your brothers or build a separate mansion?"
Zhao Yuanzhen wanted to ask for his opinion.
"If my brother and sister-in-law agree, I want to live with them."
Zhang Xinshu still wants his family to be together and be happy.
"Okay, your brother and sister-in-law said the same thing, so let's all live together. I'll buy a bigger courtyard and design some small yards inside."
"Okay, just listen to mother."
"Well, do you have any good choices for a location?"
After all, he has been an official in the court for some time, so he should understand.
"Mom, I don't have any good recommendations. All good houses are occupied."
Especially those houses near the imperial palace, they are all inhabited.
"Today, I went to see Butler Xiao. He said that His Majesty had confiscated the property of several officials, including the Prime Minister's mansion. What do you think of that house?"
Zhang Xinshu recalled that the prime minister's house he had seen before was large and imposing, and close to the imperial palace.
"Mom, that house is of course great, but I don't know if it's too much."
It's not a good idea for him, an editor in the Hanlin Academy, to live in the house of a former prime minister.
"Nothing is out of line. As long as we can buy it, we can live there."
Feudal etiquette is based on the emperor's grace and favor. Even if the reward given by Your Majesty is unreasonable, no one will say anything.
Besides, Zhang Xinshu is only 14 and has a long future ahead of him. Who knows if he will be appointed as prime minister?
"Okay, then I'll listen to mother in everything."
If mom says it’s okay, then it’s okay.
In the afternoon, Zhang Xinshu accompanied Zhao Yuanzhen to see the house. They just walked around outside and found that it was sealed off and they couldn't get in.
Zhao Yuanzhen scanned the house and found that there were many bad karmas, but the feng shui of the yard was pretty good.
The entire house covers an area of more than 90 acres, which is larger than the general's mansion bestowed by His Majesty on Zhao Yuanlan. The location of this house is also excellent, worthy of being the prime minister's residence.
After looking around, Zhao Yuanzhen and his friend went back.
She wants to see the wheat yield.
Zhang Xinshu returned to the shop, and Zhao Yuanzhen went directly to the farm.
"Ask someone to pick out the wheat from five mu of land and thresh it separately. I want to see the yield per mu."
"Yes, ma'am."
The farmer carried the crops that had been harvested and dried, selected about 5 acres, and then began to thresh them.
The ears of wheat not only have many grains, but also each grain is full, which looks like a good harvest.
Zhao Yuanzhen waited at the farm for them to finish weighing.
She chose high-yield ones, basically around 1200 kilograms.
Although her fields were not fertilized, the capital city is located in the Central Plains and has a good climate, so the yield actually reached more than 800 kilograms.
The wheat we planted before only produced a maximum of 300 kilograms.
That’s more than double the amount, almost three times the amount.
Zhao Yuanzhen asked someone to grind the harvested wheat grains into a small bag of flour. The flour was white and fine, much better than that sold in the grain store.
She packed another bag of wheat grains and planned to enter the palace tomorrow.
Zhao Yuanzhen went to the capital early, changed into the attire of a third-rank lady, and went to the palace gate to submit a letter requesting an audience with the emperor.
About 40 minutes later, news came that His Majesty agreed to let her enter the palace to meet him.
Zhao Yuanzhen followed the eunuch who came to deliver the message, entered the palace, and went to the study after many twists and turns.
"Your Majesty, long live the emperor. Long live the emperor."
Kneel down, kowtow, and salute, all in one go.
"Get up."
His Majesty sat behind the desk and looked up at her. He wondered what this woman was here for this time. Every time she came, there was an unexpected surprise.
"Your Majesty, I came here today mainly to bring you something."
Zhao Yuanzhen handed the wheat and flour in her hand to her father-in-law next to her.
The eunuch took it and checked it carefully again. After making sure it was fine, he handed it back to His Majesty.
"Flour? Wheat?"
Your Majesty looked at the two of them, not knowing what she was up to.
"Your Majesty, yes, this is the new wheat from my farm. I have calculated that the yield per mu is more than 830 kilograms."
Zhao Yuanzhen said lightly.
More than 830 kilograms, that’s almost three times as much as other wheat varieties!
"Is this true?"
Your Majesty is a little excited. The food problem has always been a concern for the court. The people’s hunger is the biggest problem for the country.
If this is true, and it is widely promoted, the national output will increase by at least three times. In this way, not only will the people be able to eat enough, but the army will also have more food and fodder.
"Your Majesty, please rest assured that I have weighed it many times and it is basically the same amount."
"Okay, okay, Zhen Shu is really amazing! How many of these seeds do you have?"
"Your Majesty, this wheat has another advantage, which is that it can be used as seeds. I have 1000 mu of wheat in my farm, about 83 kilograms, which can all be used as seeds. I am willing to donate all of this 83 kilograms of wheat to the court."
"Zhen Shuren is truly concerned about the country and the people, and is helping me solve my problems!"
"It is my honor to be able to do my bit for Your Majesty."
Zhao Yuanzhen: Don’t just thank me, give me the reward soon.
"I will definitely reward you well. Is there anything you want?"
"It is my duty to contribute a little to the country. I shouldn't ask for any reward. But my youngest son Zhang Xinshu is an official in the court. I want to buy a house so that he can serve the court better. The houses available on the market are too far away. I want a house closer to the Hanlin Academy."
As long as it’s the prime minister’s house, I’m not picky.
His Majesty listened to her request and found it simple. There were still several houses that had been confiscated by the court. He was thinking about which one would be best. After much thought, the one that was closer seemed to be the one in the Prime Minister's Mansion.
According to etiquette, the Zhang family was far from being able to take the official position of that house.
But on the one hand, Zhang Xinshu is young, and his conversation and knowledge are extraordinary. If the Taifu had not said that he was too young to hold an important position and needed to be tempered, he would definitely have given him a better position. But with his current talent and knowledge, as long as he does not go astray, he will definitely not be a mediocre person in the future.
Secondly, Zhao Yuanlan had written before that the great victory at the border was mainly due to the enemy camp discovered by Zhao Yuanzhen, which caught the enemy off guard and decided the outcome of the battle.
Originally, he was planning to reward them after they returned to the court.
Thirdly, these wheat seeds are truly life-saving seeds that benefit the country and the people. With so many rewards, if he could exchange them for a house, he would still make a huge profit.
Fourthly, she is helping to build the border county town, which is also a good deed.
Therefore, this house is given.
"I have previously confiscated the Prime Minister's mansion. I wonder if Zhen Shuren is satisfied with this mansion?"
"Satisfied, satisfied!"
Zhao Yuanzhen said with bright eyes, she was very satisfied.
His Majesty looked at her shining eyes, and he knew that Zhen Shu loved money so much that she had already thought of getting that house.
"According to etiquette, you are not allowed to live in that house, but firstly, you presented the seeds, which is a great merit, and secondly, you played an indispensable role in the great victory at the border, defeating the Jin people in one battle, so I will give you that house as a reward."
Zhao Yuanzhen curled her lips in her heart and said, I just asked you for a house, but you took the credit for two of my things before giving me a house. What a loss.
But you still have to accept it happily.
"Thank you, Lord. Long live the emperor. Long live the emperor. Long live the emperor."
"Okay, here's the imperial decree for you."
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I will take my leave now."
"Well, let's go down."
There is no right to buy or sell official residences near the imperial palace, only the right to use. As long as the Zhang family does not commit any crime, their property is confiscated and they are not exiled, they can live here forever. After all, it is under the feet of the emperor.
If they don't want to live there anymore, they will submit a memorial to Your Majesty, asking You to take it back.
Zhao Yuanzhen just walked out of the imperial study with the imperial edict in her hand, and saw Xiyun waving at her.
"What's wrong, Miss Xiyun?"
Zhao Yuanzhen walked over and asked.
"Mrs. Zhen Shu, the Queen invites you to come."
The Queen Mother heard that she had submitted a visiting card and came to the palace, so she asked Xiyun to wait here and meet her.
"Okay, Miss Xiyun, please lead the way."
"Jin Shuren, this way please."
After many twists and turns, we arrived at the Queen's bedroom.
"Greetings to the Queen, may the Queen live a thousand years, a thousand years, a thousand thousand years."
"Get up. I haven't seen you for a long time. Today I heard that you had received the invitation, so I asked Xiyun to call you over."
"Thank you, Queen, for your concern."
"I heard from His Majesty that you went to Yanshan Prefecture?"
"Yes, Madam, I went back there with my eldest brother a few years ago, and I am now doing construction work there."
"Well, hard work."
The Queen Mother chatted with her for more than an hour before letting her go.
When he left, he asked her to bring in some new notebooks.
Zhao Yuanzhen said it would be delivered in the afternoon.
It is already past ten in the morning and Zhao Yuanzhen is going to close the shop.
He brought a few servants with him, fearing that if they really wanted to smash the shop there would be no one around and he would have to do it himself.
When Zhao Yuanzhen went over, she found that the shop was indeed not tidied up at all. It was a shop selling calligraphy and paintings.
This kind of shop needs a strong economic foundation to support it, otherwise it cannot be opened. It seems that the owner is indeed a powerful person.
"I told you before that I would give you two days to move out, but it seems like you didn't take it to heart."
"My boss has taken a fancy to this shop. If you know what's good for you, sell it to us right away. Otherwise, I will make you pay for it."
Originally, according to their employer's financial resources, they didn't need to rent a shop to open a store, but the location of this shop was really good and the owner of the shop was unwilling to sell it, so they had no choice but to rent it.
I had never met the owner of the business before, it was all handled by the broker.
It was not until Zhao Yuanzhen came to collect the rent that he discovered that it was a woman. He suddenly had evil thoughts and wanted to buy the shop by force.
The shopkeeper wanted to scare Zhao Yuanzhen first and then buy the shop at a low price.
Besides, with the strength of their boss, dealing with a little woman is as easy as crushing an ant. Maybe they don’t have to pay the last penny and the shop will be theirs.