Volume 4: Gathering of Sages Chapter 532: Humble and Open-minded, Seeking Advice
He happened to find a loophole in Hong Shanchang's words and hit him back in public, which was also a response to the four words of "smooth talk and flattery" last time. Zhang Shou didn't take it seriously, but after returning home in the evening, he was questioned by Wu, who later learned about this from others. He was not sure whether to laugh or cry, so he patiently explained it. Seeing that Wu was still worried, he took out his trump card.
"Mom, don't worry. Since Hong Shanzhang is such a stubborn old man, and he can criticize me for my flattery in front of the emperor, why can't I say that he is old and foolish? As for those officials from Yuzhang Academy who are resentful and looking for trouble with me, you don't have to worry about them. At least for a while, based on their backgrounds, looking for trouble with me will become a personal vendetta."
"If you have some spare time, why not help Zhang Chen think about it? He still has a lot of colored cotton left. Can you come up with a gimmick and make something interesting? The fire burned him to a crisp, and I want to help him."
When Wu heard that Hong Shanchang had actually scolded Zhang Shou for his sweet talk, her worry immediately turned into anger. In addition, Zhang Shou's coaxing and deception soon led her astray, and she really thought about how to help Zhang Chen do something with the remaining colored cotton.
Finally, they had put aside the verbal battle with Hong Shanchang. Before Zhang Shou and Wu had even started their dinner, they heard that the second son Zhu was coming to visit. After the initial surprise, Zhang Shou could not help laughing.
"Could it be that the Duke Zhao's mansion has dinner earlier than ours, so he chose this time to come after he finished eating? Or is he just coming here on purpose to eat for free?"
So, Zhu Er came in with a big smile on his face. Before he could tell Zhang Shou the big news he was planning to share with him, Zhang Shou just pouted at him and said, "If you haven't eaten yet, sit down and eat with me. It just so happens that you haven't even started eating yet. After you've eaten, sit aside and wait for me to finish eating before we talk. Of all things, eating is the most important thing. I'm tired of being blocked from talking while eating."
Zhu Er's shamelessness was no less than Lu Sanlang's. He immediately laughed and said, "Brother-in-law, you are indeed like master, like servant. If you were to be disturbed when Sixth Brother was having a meal, he would glare at you, or even beat you up. But I came here at this time to eat for free. The food in your house is delicious because you have a picky cook like you!"
The future second brother-in-law who once came to cause trouble has now become a guy who is well versed in flattery. Zhang Shou is of course happy to see such a change. He smiled and looked at Wu.
Although Wu was not familiar with Zhu Er, he was Zhu Ying's second brother, and he was polite and courteous to her, so she naturally signaled the maid to put chairs and add bowls and chopsticks. Before she could figure out how to ask Zhu Er about his purpose, the second master Zhu, who had just sat down, couldn't wait to speak.
"Brother-in-law, do you know that my eldest brother is getting married, and he has robbed you and Yingying of your good day?"
What and what is this all about?
Wu was genuinely surprised at once. When she heard Zhang Shou explain to her that he had planned to choose another good day because the ancestral temple had not been completed, but he had only mentioned it briefly to the Zhu family, she suddenly realized what was going on.
This was what Zhang Shou had told her before. She originally thought that the Zhu family might not agree. Now she learned from Zhu Er that the Zhu family actually planned to postpone the wedding date . Although she couldn't help feeling a little regretful that good things came to pass, after all, Zhu Ying was actually Widow Zhang's daughter-in-law, not hers, so she just sighed inwardly.
At this moment, she was more curious about something else: "So, the eldest son is getting married in November. I wonder which family the bride is from?"
When Wu asked this, Zhu Er immediately grinned. Not to mention Wu, even Zhang Shou, after listening to Zhu Er's retelling of the future Zhu family's eldest young lady, couldn't help but look up at the sky outside, wondering if the moon would not come out at this time, and the sun would still shine in the sky as usual.
But he thought again, Zhu Tingfang's character, which would make him a domineering president in the future, should not be matched with a delicate little white flower? However, it is not accurate to say a delicate little white flower. According to Zhu Er's retelling of Zhu Tingfang, it is probably a pseudo-white flower that looks delicate... Well, it seems to be more suitable for a domineering president.
Zhang Shou complained in his heart while listening to Zhu Er's words. He swept the food on the table like a dragonfly skimming the water. Although his movements were elegant, he did not eat less food. After Zhu Er said "enough", he realized that Zhang Shou had almost finished eating. There was not much left on the table. So he didn't dare to waste his breath and hurriedly swept the rest into his mouth.
Fortunately, Mrs. Wu put down her chopsticks early to let him eat because he was a guest. Zhu Er finally filled his stomach. Then he put down his chopsticks and laughed dryly, "Brother-in-law, you are really something. Aren't you and Sixth Brother like brothers? Why didn't he come to the table when we were having dinner?"
Zhang Shou gave Zhu Er a meaningful look and said, "If he comes, you won't even be able to drink a mouthful of soup. He's a big eater, so he'll eat as much as he wants if he runs to the kitchen to clean up the mess."
Zhu Er was speechless for a moment, and then he laughed dryly twice. He had come here to seek advice, but he felt a little embarrassed in front of Wu. Now that he had eaten and drunk his fill and wiped his mouth clean, he naturally and attentively asked Zhang Shou to go back to the study to talk. As soon as he left, he couldn't wait to bring out the difficult problem he was facing.
After listening to Zhu Er's complaint, Zhang Shou was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. But after a brief thought, he came up with a plan in his mind, and said to his future second brother-in-law with a half-smile: "If you want to quickly establish your career and marry the daughter of the Wang family, you can now tell the emperor that you are willing to serve Xuan Da, and then go and get on good terms with Governor Wang, who is not your future father-in-law, but is better than your future father-in-law."
"If you think that haste makes waste, then go back to Cangzhou and work slowly. As long as you can have a fertile cotton field, then your image as Zhu Gong who loves farming will be established. You may not have a prominent reputation at this time, but you will be able to take steady steps."
Although Zhu Er was moved by Zhang Shou's first suggestion, he did not think that serving Xuan Da was a good idea at all after thinking about the Wang Datou he knew and his own pitiful ability. If he was not careful, being scolded by Wang Datou would be the least of his worries. If he made a mistake and made a fool of himself, that would be the most worrying thing!
Therefore, after thinking it over for a while, he finally whispered: "I should...I should go back to Cangzhou. But it's still too early for cotton planting. We have to wait until February or March next year at least!"
"It's still early for planting, but is your cooperative with Zhang Chen limited to cotton? There are many things that can be produced and sold in one go." Although Zhang Shou now knew that his plan was actually a monopoly, in today's era when the lower classes lack a voice, if there are strong enough people willing to give relative fairness and build a framework, there is actually great potential.
In later generations, the commune contract responsibility system was abolished, and then it was transformed into land transfer. Large cooperatives concentrated land on farmers' equity and then re-employed them for large-scale planting. In fact, it only took a few decades.
Zhang Shou casually popularized some examples of cooperatives to Zhu Er, and then instilled some crooked ideas in him, including that he had built a bamboo house in the bamboo forest, and planned to rely on Zhu Ying to attract literati and poets to gather there... He told Zhu Er all the details - in the past, such things needed to be kept secret, but now that his character has been thoroughly established, no one would say he is greedy for money.
Others will only say, after all, Dr. Zhang is a pro-agriculture person and he always cares about his fellow villagers!
He thought about it and suddenly stopped, patted Zhu Er on the shoulder, and said with a smile: "Also, you can go to Zhaoming Academy to ask for advice. He is an expert in agricultural science and may be able to help you."
"You came to him to ask for advice. There is no way he would cheat you, the second son of the Duke of Zhao. He must come up with a good idea for you, so as to show off his ability. Isn't it a good deal to take his idea and strengthen yourself?"
Is it still possible? Zhu Er felt that a new world had opened up before his eyes. He was actually a smart man, but he had been hit hard over the past year. Zhang Shou's reminder immediately activated his mind, and he had a lot of ideas at once, all of which were tricky ideas.
After this thought, Zhu Er suddenly woke up from his dream, and then he was about to bow to Zhang Shou to express his gratitude, but Zhang Shou helped him up. So he could only smile unnaturally and said, "Brother-in-law, you are really strong, unlike me who has been training with Ah Liu for so long but has not made much progress... If I go to ask that Yue for advice..."
He hesitated for a moment, but finally decided to make it clear: "Many people know that I was bewitched and confused in the past, and planned to match Yingying and Lu Sanpang. Seeing me go to see Yue Shanzhang, will you think that you and I are not on good terms, and that your close relationship with me now is just an act? If that gets out, it will be no good for you, me, and the Zhu family!"
"Oh, Brother Zhu, you have thought it through very carefully now."
Zhang Shou called Zhu Er brother in a teasing manner. Seeing Zhu Er's immediate delight, he smiled and said, "That's easy. When you come to visit, just tell him that it was because I strongly recommended that Yue Shanzhang is an expert in farmland irrigation and Zhaoming Academy is full of talented people, so you went to ask him for advice?"
"Then after he gives you some advice, you can do this..." Zhang Shou paused and tapped Zhu Er with his finger, "Just say, I heard that there are many students in Zhaoming Academy who are proficient in farmland irrigation. Can you recommend a few to you? You are willing to give them the opportunity to do their best. If they are excellent, you can recommend them to the emperor."
"Aha!" Zhu Er clapped his hands in surprise and joy, and shouted with great joy, "It can be like this!"
Living a life of mediocrity and not striving for progress may have been Zhu Er's biggest flaw in the past, but acting as soon as he thought of something and being resolute and swift were also Zhu Er's greatest strengths in the past - although this strength can also be interpreted as being rash and impetuous. But in short, Zhu Er was very capable of taking action.
After asking Zhang Shou for advice, he went directly to the elegant residence next morning, which was renovated last year and used to host four presidents this year, next to the Imperial College. He specifically asked to see President Yue of Zhaoming Academy.
Even though others were puzzled as to why a well-known dandy in the capital, the second son of the Duke of Zhao's mansion, who had only recently begun to behave a little more seriously, came to consult with Yue Shanzhang , no one dared to stop Zhu Er rashly, and naturally they hurried inside to report.
As a result, Director Yue also felt a bit troubled by this inexplicable person seeking to see him.
However, even though he had a little verbal dispute with Zhang Shou yesterday, it was much better than arguing with Hong Shanchang face to face, at least it was not a falling out. And even if Zhu Er had a bad reputation in the capital, he should not come to provoke a fight. So, he finally agreed to meet the guest.
However, even though he had guessed the purpose of Mr. Zhu's visit, when Zhu Erzhen smiled and asked for advice on agricultural science, how to grow high-quality overseas cotton in Cangzhou, how to purify varieties, and brought up a series of professional terms he had never heard of, such as rejuvenation, Shanzhang Yue's initial decent but slightly perfunctory smile finally froze.
Zhu Er was also cunning. Although Zhang Shou had instructed him to consult with Yue Shanzhang, he started off by showing off his power and using a bunch of terms he had heard from Zhang Shou to scare people. Seeing Yue Shanzhang's frozen expression, he was naturally very proud.
But he realized in a moment that he was too happy too early. Yue Shanzhang's expression soon relaxed, and he asked back with a smile: "Setting up a special plot of land in Cangzhou to try to grow foreign cotton varieties, isn't this the good policy promoted by Dr. Zhang in Cangzhou? Mr. Zhu asked the wrong person, right? You should ask Dr. Zhang, since he strongly advocates this, he should know more than an outsider like me."
Zhu Er realized that he had just been too clever, and immediately said inwardly, "Master Yue, you are right. My future brother-in-law certainly gave me some advice on how to plant this, but I heard that Zhaoming Academy is well versed in agricultural science, and has a lot of experience in selecting, cultivating, and improving good varieties, so I came here specially."
"If I was not clear in my words just now and offended you, please forgive me!"
To be fair, Shanzhang Yue hoped that his slightly cold attitude would piss off Zhu Er, a young man from a noble family. However, he did not expect that not only did he fail to achieve his goal, but the other party instead gave him a reputation of being able to correct his mistakes, being humble and sincere.
Faced with such a Zhu Er Gongzi who changed his expression faster than turning the pages of a book, and put away all his arrogance in an instant, revealing his well-educated side, he could only try his best to force out a smile and said: "Mr. Zhu Er Gongzi, you are too kind. I don't mean to blame you. It's just that everyone has their own expertise..."
"Everyone knows that Zhaoming Academy is the best in agricultural science. Don't be so modest, Mr. Yue! You know, being too modest is just pride!" Since Zhu Er was willing to put aside his shamelessness and pretend to be studious, he would definitely put on a good show. At this moment, he simply bowed deeply and said, "The farmers in Cangzhou have been abused because of the previous Magistrate Xu. Do you have the heart to let the hardworking farmers continue to suffer?"
