Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 798 Operations
Pang Qing was puzzled, but he still sat down across the table and ate vegetarian food with Li Zisheng.

After they finished eating, a man who looked like a servant stood at the door and respectfully asked, "Minister Li, did you find the vegetarian dishes to your liking?"

"very good!"

Li Zisheng nodded approvingly: "It's even better than the chefs at Deyuelou in the capital. If you're doing hard labor on this riverbank and never get to eat meat, you won't have the strength."

"what……"

The servant was taken aback for a moment, then quickly apologized: "It was my oversight. I thought that since you, Minister, are devoted to cultivating the Tao, you do not need meat. When I send you food tomorrow, I will change the dishes."

"No need for such trouble, just eat whatever you need. Wasting food is shameful."

After saying that, Li Zisheng walked out of the thatched hut with a leisurely air, patting the hem of his clothes as if to show off the mud scattered on his body.

Outside, there was a group of people, including the head servant and a group of government officials.

These officials all rolled up their sleeves and trousers, holding shovels, hoes, spades, and other tools, seemingly ready for a big fight.

Pang Qing's doubts deepened, but he simply followed behind Li Zisheng, looking left and right, wanting to know what his master was up to.

Li Zisheng asked, "You've come to work on the riverbank with your yamen runners?"

"Yes."

The servant said respectfully, "My master learned that you, Minister, have been on the river embankment for many days and wanted to finish your work as soon as possible... So, everyone in the yamen who could catch their breath came, including you, your brother, and several sons, and they have been on the embankment for two days now."

"Huh? They arrived two days ago? Why haven't we seen them?"

Li Zisheng looked anxious, glancing around, "Since you're already here, why don't you come over and say hello?"

The servant said respectfully, "You are a distinguished person. It would be very impolite of us to come and bother you without doing anything... My master said that we must do three days' worth of work before we can come to see you."

Li Zisheng shook his head and sighed: "Your master is very dedicated... He comes to the river embankment and immediately gets down to work, wholeheartedly for the Ming Dynasty and the people along the river. Such a magistrate is rare."

Upon hearing this, Pang Qing couldn't help but gasp in astonishment.

So when I said you were just putting on an act, you really were!
It was put on display for the common people, for the emperor and important figures in the capital, and of course, most importantly for the local officials!
But then again...

The guy who brought you such exquisite vegetarian dishes doesn't seem like an honest and upright official. He's probably just like you, a hypocrite... In my opinion, he's on the same path as you.

If that's the case, then what's the point of you pretending?

Li Zisheng said, "Please lead the way. I'd better go see your master and discuss the river management experience with him. The credit for this river management shouldn't all go to me alone. It's the result of His Majesty and Grand Secretary Zhang's strategic planning, the concerted efforts of many court officials, and the strong support of local officials and the people. Everyone, from top to bottom, deserves credit! I will definitely recommend your master to the court so that His Majesty and Grand Secretary Zhang can give him special attention and promotion!"

"Oh, this is wonderful, wonderful indeed! Minister Li, it is truly a great honor to have you come to see my master. I am overjoyed."

The servant was very pleased.

Previously, his master was too embarrassed to come and pay his respects, but now that Li Zisheng has taken the initiative to visit him, it seems that he, as a servant, has exceeded his expectations.

Could it be that such effects could be achieved simply by eating a box of vegetarian food?
Can't figure it out, really can't figure it out!
……

……

"Master Daoist, what's going on here?"

After meeting the local officials, Pang Qing strolled along the riverbank with Li Zisheng, gazing at the surging Yellow River as he asked questions with curiosity.

Li Zisheng waved his hand impatiently, then grinned, "It's so uncomfortable not having anything to pick your teeth... This vegetarian food is a real problem if it's not cooked well, the bits of food always seem to get stuck between my teeth! Did you bring any toothpicks?"

"..."

Pang Qing was speechless.

Are you kidding me?
You want me to find you a toothpick now? Why don't you just grab a twig and pry it open? Or you can just break it with your fingers, it'll be the same.
I know you care about your reputation, so just bear with it!
"Bingkun, what were you trying to ask just now?"

Li Zisheng asked again.

"Nothing."

Pang Qing wore a wry smile, not wanting to pay any attention to the master who had just moved him so deeply.

Li Zisheng said, "You want to ask me why I did this, right? Sigh, if I don't set an example, do you think these local officials will give me face?"

“Even though I personally promoted these officials, and I should be grateful to them for their support, if I don’t show a pragmatic attitude, I’m afraid no one will take me seriously.”

“You weren’t like this before I left,” Pang Qing said, frowning.

Li Zisheng said irritably, "Isn't this also a process of exploration? Actually, I'm just putting some pressure on them! I, the chief river official sent by the imperial court, am personally involved in everything. If local officials don't keep up with my pace, do they expect to have a smooth career in the future?"

Pang Qing said sincerely, "You've really worked hard."

I thought to myself, you must have worked very hard to act, but it takes skill to act so convincingly!

Li Zisheng sighed, "Lai Zhan is my strong support... Every time news of his promotion comes, it's like a hammer, pounding the local officials to pieces and urging them to follow in my footsteps. What is my little bit of hardship compared to that?"

……

……

The capital city, the residence of the Marquis of Shouning.

Zhang Luan held Li Zisheng's letter in his hand, looking very happy. He showed it to his son: "Yanling, you have done a great job this time... The batch of money and grain you transferred has been delivered to Xuzhou. Li Zisheng expressed his gratitude to me in his letter. He also said that the Yellow River flood peak has passed recently, and there have been no problems in various places. He can finally put all his attention into repairing the new river channel."

Zhang Yanling said with dissatisfaction, "Is this why you called me back?"

"hey-hey."

Zhang Luan was a little embarrassed and said with a forced smile, "What I really wanted to do was to try to get him to pay more... The money and grain you transferred might not be enough. Although Li Zisheng didn't urge us in his letter, I know he must have wanted me to tell you this."

Zhang Yanling asked curiously, "Father, how did you know what he was thinking?"

Zhang Luan said with emotion, "You have no idea how many benefits he has given me, and all of them were selfless... I really feel guilty! But even if I wanted to help him, I am no longer in the Ministry of Revenue, so I am powerless to do so... I can only rely on you!"

"What benefits did he give you, Father?"

Zhang Yanling squinted and looked over.

The meaning is obvious.

Li Zisheng himself is desperately short of money, what benefits could he possibly offer you?
Even if Li Zisheng still wants to send you women, what connections does he have now to get them for you? How did he manage to treat you so well that you're willing to do anything for him?

Zhang Luan said matter-of-factly, "Li Zisheng's kindness to our Zhang family has been accumulated over time... Many of our family's houses were given to us by Li Zisheng, weren't they? He even helped your sister in her bid for the Crown Princess. As a father, I am a man of great loyalty and righteousness, and I would never betray someone after using them."

Zhang Yanling shrugged and said, "Look at what you're saying, Father. Do you think your son is a heartless and ungrateful person? Haven't I helped you enough? If it weren't for me, Li Zisheng might be dead by now, or at least he probably wouldn't have escaped being imprisoned after His Majesty ascended the throne! Some things... sigh! I can't explain them to you clearly."

In dealing with the issue of Li Zi Province, Zhang Yanling believed he had done everything he could to be benevolent and righteous.

Helping Li Zisheng find a way to survive, and even helping him establish military merits in the Northwest, were all the result of his careful planning.

Now even civil officials are embarrassed to request the execution of treacherous officials, and instead send Li Zisheng to manage the Yellow River to build up his reputation.

But the problem is...

Historically, Li Zisheng was not a good person at all!

How many families have been ruined and destroyed because of him?

Helping someone like that... Zhang Yanling also has to bear a huge psychological burden.

"Yanling, tell your father, how much money and grain can you raise in a short period of time? Didn't we say we wanted him to do everything in his power to get the Yellow River channel repaired as soon as possible? Can we put this matter first?"

Zhang Luan asked enthusiastically.

Zhang Yanling nodded: "I can help him, but I can't guarantee a timeframe. Dad, you have to understand, I have many projects that require money and supplies right now, and my cash flow is extremely tight. In fact, I've done everything I can to transfer everything I can to him."

"How much can that increase?"

Zhang Luan said with a sullen face, "I've already shamelessly asked you, so why don't you add a little more?"

"Goods worth a total of 300,000 taels of silver."

Zhang Yanling said, "Of that, around 100,000 taels will be raised by Huizhou merchants in the local area... The rest of the manpower and material resources will depend on Li Zi Province's influence in the local area. If we can mobilize the enthusiasm of the local government and raise enough laborers, necessary food and river management materials, we can probably save 500,000 taels of silver."

"so much?"

Zhang Luan frowned and said, "Aren't your expectations for Li Zisheng too high?"

Zhang Yanling said, "Father, you must understand that the biggest cost of repairing the river is the labor cost, right? Earth and stone have to be collected and transported locally. In fact, what's sent over there is mostly silver, mainly to pay for this part of the expenses. And after a major river repair project, some deficits always need to be transferred to the local area so that they can slowly fill the hole."

Zhang Luan asked in confusion, "Is it that complicated?"

Zhang Yanling sighed, "For any major project, the imperial court rarely allocates sufficient funds; borrowing money is commonplace. The key is whether we can secure the full support of the local government. However, I've heard that Minister Li is very diligent in his work in Xuzhou, personally handling everything and leaving the local officials completely bewildered..."

"Fooling me? My son, I don't quite understand what you're saying."

Zhang Luan was completely bewildered.

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "Father, you still say you have a good relationship with Li Zisheng? You underestimate this man. He has many tricks up his sleeve... He naturally understands that it's unrealistic for him to raise more than a million taels of silver on your behalf. What we need to do is lay a foundation for him. The rest is up to him."

Zhang Luan's eyes widened as he asked, "Can Li Zisheng really think that way? He's entirely dependent on me."

"Father, if he didn't have the ability, why did we insist on recommending him to manage the river? It's because he has methods that others don't, a lot of connections, and even a wealthy family background, isn't it?"

Zhang Yanling said, "It would be unrealistic for any minister to be able to change the course of the Yellow River without the court allocating a single coin."

Zhang Luan nodded in relief and said, "According to what you've said, your current 300,000 taels, plus the funds allocated before, Li Zisheng's reserves, and the 500,000 taels he saved from the local areas... are not far from the 2 million taels mark. But my son, the last leg of a journey is the hardest. Ensuring that the later stages of the project receive the funds on time is the most crucial thing. We cannot be careless!"

Zhang Yanling said, "Don't worry, Father, there will be a large amount of money and grain to be transferred there before the end of the year... If Li Zisheng can really complete the Yellow River diversion before the spring flood season next year, as the letter says, he will not only be able to return in glory, but His Majesty will also entrust him with important responsibilities!"

Zhang Luan said, "Can't we do it earlier? Why do we have to wait until the end of the year?"

"The problem is that I need money for many things right now."

Zhang Yanling patiently explained, "This is a test of Li Zi Province's resilience... If he is unable to hold on until the end of the year, or if there are major changes in the project that lead to a break in the funding chain, then he can only blame himself for being incompetent."

"you……"

Zhang Luan was very surprised.

Why is my son so heartless?
They won't help Li Zisheng... and they won't even let me plead for him?
Zhang Yanling laughed and said, "Father, you have to have the mindset of someone in a position of power... You are not helping Li Zisheng now, but considering the future of the Ming Dynasty... You owe no one anything!"

"Besides, Li Zisheng doesn't need anyone's help. He's capable enough to solve all sorts of unexpected troubles, and his potential is much deeper than you think!"
"You must remember, you are serving the court and being loyal to His Majesty, nothing more!"

"Uh?"

Zhang Luan was a little confused and asked, "Are you explaining something esoteric to your father?"

Zhang Yanling said, "This project was originally scheduled to be completed within three years, so even if the new Yellow River channel isn't finished by the end of next year, so what? When I have more money in the future, won't I transfer funds and supplies to Li Zi Province? He's being delusional, wanting to finish it two years ahead of schedule. Doesn't he have to pay some price?"

Zhang Luan blinked, puzzled, and said, "Your father... is a little out of his mind... My son, could you put it more simply and directly?"

Zhang Yanling sighed, “Next year, the Yellow River may suffer a major flood… Originally, Li Zisheng completed the river repair in three years, and everyone would praise him as a great minister of the ages. If he could have completed the river repair two years earlier and before the flood came… he would definitely be remembered in history, and the blessings he would receive would last for generations.”

"Given this premise, if he still only wants to proceed with the river repair step by step, or rely entirely on you and me... then what's the point of having him?"

"Oh, I think I understand now."

Zhang Luan nodded and said, "You have to give something to gain something, am I right? If Li Zisheng wants to gain a greater reputation, he has to put in more effort than others, instead of focusing on asking you for money when you're spending so much right now... Because with money, anyone can complete the task, and Li Zisheng won't be as valuable..."

“Yes,” Zhang Yanling said, “and if he can complete the river fortifications next year, perhaps the Northwest military affairs will still need him! It would be a perfect fit!”

"Cough cough!"

Zhang Luan coughed violently, "You...you won't let your father go to the Northwest with him, will you..."

Zhang Yanling smiled and shook his head, saying, "Father, you don't have the ability, and your health isn't good either, so let's forget about it. No one asked you to lead troops. The rumors circulating outside are just to make the whole thing more mysterious and reduce people's gossip about me and Wang Weining!"

"You child, are you using your father as a pawn again?" Zhang Luan gritted his teeth and said, "I'm just trying to stay home and have some peace and quiet, and people are pushing me around and using me as a cover?"

Zhang Yanling said, "Father, isn't this the mission you've always shouldered? We agreed that you would hold the fort in front, and I would do my best to support you from behind."

Zhang Luan said, "Alright, just remember to send 300,000 taels of silver worth of goods to Li Zi Province... I'll reply to him like this then! Is that alright?"

"can."

Zhang Yanling said, "However, we have to explain to him that this is all we have for now. Before autumn, he will have to raise all the funds himself! The next batch will probably have to wait until after the autumn harvest. By then, my firearms manufacturing will be on track, and there will be fewer places to spend money, so we can allocate more silver to him. This is also for the sake of the people's livelihood along the Yellow River."

Zhang Luan sighed, "There are so many people in the court, why does it feel like we have to put in so much effort for everything? What are they doing all day? Could it be... that they accuse me of being lazy and irresponsible, but they're actually better at getting things done than I am?"

Zhang Yanling laughed and said, "Father, you think you're doing the court a favor by helping Li Zi Province get some money and grain? Wake up! After a few days of peace and quiet, once you're feeling better, hurry back to court! There are still many thorny issues waiting for you to handle!"

"I promise, once I recover..."

Zhang Luan gave a perfunctory reply.

……

……

Zhang Luan didn't stay at home for long. As soon as his son left, he hurried to find Qi Niang and tell her the news.

"Go find Minister Li's men and take my letter with you. Let him know that I've taken care of things here." Zhang Luan handed the letter to Qi Niang.

Qi Niang took it and asked, "Has the master already raised the money and provisions?"

"Yes, it's worth a full 300,000 taels of silver."

Zhang Luan took a sip of tea and said smugly.

Qi Niang was utterly shocked: "Allocated by the imperial court?"

Zhang Luan said, "If it were really allocated by the imperial court, I wouldn't have gone to so much trouble. It was all raised by my Zhang family for Li Zisheng... We used all our connections to save this money. It was practically saved from the tiniest of our teeth."

Qi Niang thought to herself, "You Zhang family really have a big gap between your teeth. You can squeeze out 300,000 taels of silver in one go."

No wonder you usually seem so unassuming, yet Li Zisheng, a man of such great ability, speaks so highly of you and fawns over you so much. It's all because... your sudden burst of energy is truly unexpected, and even makes people think you are really scary.

Zhang Luan glanced at Qi Niang and said, "I know, I don't seem like the kind of person who likes to work hard, but I have a good son who can think of everything for me... With him around, I don't have to worry about many things at all."

Qi Niang quickly said, "Master, you are too modest. The Second Young Master was cultivated by you. You and your son are both pillars of the Ming Dynasty... If Minister Li knew about this, he would probably be so happy that he wouldn't be able to sleep for days and nights!"

(End of this chapter)