Prodigal Son of the Ming Dynasty

  Chapter 856 Heaven-defying talent

  Manpower has obviously become the top priority of Zhu Houzhao and Fang Jifan. They found that people seem to be needed everywhere.

  Every time they toss, they need countless people, but the demand for manpower is becoming more and more unsatisfactory.

  Fang Jifan seemed very helpless.

  Zhu Houzhao even wished he could go to the countryside and tied people up one by one.

  If he didn't think the kidnapping was too inefficient, he would really be able to do such things.

   In early summer, the whole new city becomes even busier.

Hundreds of thousands of people, either in workshops, or building houses and paving roads, and then His Majesty the Emperor drove to the Forbidden City for a tour. Countless imperial guards were mighty, accompanied by officials and officials, and made a round trip. Orders have been coming in a steady stream.

  For Fang Jifan, the comfort of this carriage is actually far inferior to that of a car, but in everything, I am afraid of comparison.

  In comparison, all the current means of transportation have become insignificant.

  According to Fang Jifan's plan, the bank launched the car loan business.

  Ten taels of silver down payment, monthly payment, economical, only need to repay seven or eight taels of silver in one month, even ordinary wealthy households can afford it.

  Although many people have opinions on Fang Jifan, but...

  Under the trend of quality of life, many people are still flocking to it.

  Fang Jifan ordered people to put up a large billboard on the road in Xincheng, with a lifelike carriage on it, extremely domineering.

  If it wasn't for the fear of being caught and beheaded, Fang Jifan even wanted to draw a bust of Emperor Hongzhi on it, with a thumbs up in front of the carriage.

  It is said that for the sake of profit and expansion, capital can ignore any laws in the world, but Fang Jifan disagrees with this, obviously he is very law-abiding.

  Fang Jifan never dared to paint the portrait of His Majesty the Emperor. This involved Fang Jifan's deep respect for Emperor Hongzhi, and at the same time... he was afraid of death.

  Fang Jifan had someone paint a portrait of the British Duke Zhang Mao.

The painting was done by Franji, who used the method of perspective and composition, and also painted it with oil paint. The Zhang Shibo in the painting is very kind, but lifelike. He shouted at the corner of his mouth, stood in front of the car, raised his thumb, and had a sense of joy on his face. .

  Franji's paintings did not receive much recognition in Daming.

  The ancients paid more attention to the charm than to the techniques of landscapes and figures.

  This painting looks so similar... It's not advanced at first glance.

   But since it's an advertisement, Fang Jifan doesn't care about other people's feelings, as long as you recognize it.

  Every official who comes to Xincheng will inevitably stop here. They know each other, but who is the person in the painting? They are very familiar. After careful consideration, oh, it is...

  Zhang Mao stood under the huge advertisement with his hands behind his back. He was silent for a long time.

  It's quite similar, no, it's too similar! Even the nose hairs are clearly visible.

  Zhang Mao's face was cloudy and uncertain. For a long time, he only sighed silently, and then obviously pretended not to see, and left quietly.

  Perhaps from the time when he rolled up his sleeves to beat up Fang Jifan, all of this is doomed today.

  ...

   Champa.

  The sky is blue and cloudless. In this hot summer, many people just wear bamboo hats and short shirts.

  Wang Shouren did not go to lecture today, but was recruited by Fang Jinglong to the government office in Champa.

  Fang Jinglong inspected Jiaozhi and arrived in Champa, but now, facing his son's protégé, Fang Jinglong's eyes sparkled, and he couldn't help saying: "You cultivated all these lands?"

   "Yes." Wang Shouren paused, and then said again: "A total of 100,000 hectares have been reclaimed, and hundreds of thousands of dans of grain have been harvested."

  Fang Jinglong's eyes suddenly brightened a little, and he stared and said: "In addition to other grain fields, it is enough for the army, but you have worked hard."

  Wang Shouren saluted Fang Jinglong as a disciple, and said humbly: "This is what students should do."

Fang Jinglong glanced at Wang Shouren appreciatively, with a gratifying smile on his lips, he said: "It seems that if there is a bumper harvest this year, the old man can rest easy. Not only is it enough to supply the shortage in the army, but there is also so much surplus food. Credit for you."

  Wang Shouren's face didn't change much, and he looked very stable.

  Even if he was praised, he didn't show his face.

   This even gave Fang Jinglong a little illusion.

  This kid is obviously just his own grandson, but there is nothing in his words and deeds that I can underestimate.

  Jifan's disciples are really freaks one after another.

   After a moment of silence, Wang Shouren glanced at Fang Jinglong and said, "I don't know... Master, did you get a letter from your mentor?"

   "Yes." Fang Jinglong nodded, and then said, "Why?"

Wang Shouren sighed, and finally showed a bit of gloom, and said: "The students sent letters every month, but there is no news so far. I'm afraid that something happened to the teacher, but this Jiaozhi is thousands of miles away from the capital, and the news is blocked... "

  Fang Jinglong smiled wryly and said: "Your mentor, he may be busy, you don't have to worry about him, he is fine now."

  Wang Shouren heaved a sigh of relief: "The teacher's temperament has always been like this. The students are used to it. When he is in the mood, he can write three or four letters to the students. If he is not in the mood, he may not have a letter for half a year."

   "Haha..." Fang Jinglong could only hide his embarrassment with a big laugh: "Jifan..."

   Forget it, there seems to be nothing to explain, does he not know what kind of temperament his mentor is? Fang Jifan is such a person, what else can he say?

Fang Jinglong then changed the subject, stroked his beard and said, "Let's go, go and see the land you led people to reclaim... Reclaiming and planting food is a first effort. It's really strange, the army also reclaimed, why didn't it achieve such results? ?”

  Wang Shouren just nodded, but didn't say much. He is a person who doesn't like to boast about his achievements.

  …

   On this day, Emperor Hongzhi called Fang Jifan into the palace.

  Fang Jifan entered Fengtian Hall, just in time to see Emperor Hongzhi leaning over his desk, holding a memorial in his hand, frowning silently.

  Fang Jifan stepped forward and saluted: "Your Majesty..."

  Emperor Hongzhi said: "I heard that the portrait of the British Duke Zhang Mao was actually hung on the entrance of Xincheng."

"Yes." Fang Jifan felt a little guilty, and quickly said: "My son and Zhang Shibo, named uncles and nephews, are actually father and son. My son is thinking, he won't be offended. If His Majesty doesn't like it, my son will withdraw now." .”

  Fang Jifan thought in his heart, if the British Duke is removed, then he will have to go to my own father.

  Emperor Hongzhi was noncommittal, but said: "It is said that many people have already ordered the carriage."

"Yes." Fang Jifan said: "There have been more than a thousand orders, and the craftsmen are training. Now the production is not enough, and it can't be delivered in less than a month. However, this carriage is still being ordered, my son. That's what bothers me."

  Emperor Hongzhi felt relieved after hearing this, but in a blink of an eye he forgot that the British Duke Zhang Mao was still hanging at the entrance of the new city.

  He smiled and said: "In Siam, something happened, and it was sent this morning."

  He tapped on the copybook.

   "When did Siam have new disciples?"

   "What?" Fang Jifan was a little confused.

Emperor Hongzhi put his hand on the imperial case and said: "There are new students in Siam, who are preaching new learning everywhere, but the envoys of the Siamese country came to sue, saying that these disciples made a lot of trouble, and even fought with many monks. conflict."

  Fang Jifan couldn't help but smiled wryly and said: "I don't know anything about this."

   "These people are all disciples of Wang Qing's family, right?" Emperor Hongzhi said.

  Fang Jifan was also speechless.

  Wang Shouren was in Champa, and it is said that he had 3,000 disciples. God knows how many disciples he recruited for these 3,000 disciples.

  For this eccentric student, Fang Jifan...has complicated feelings.

   It's Ouyang Zhi's peace of mind!

  Fang Jifan said: "I don't know much about learning, but I think that this is a matter of Siam, and it is my duty to promote the holy learning and educate the Quartet."

  Emperor Hongzhi nodded and said: "Yes, but in the past, there was no effect at all. Now that the effect is so great, I am a little worried. This Wang Shouren is indeed a talent. He is very suitable for teaching and educating people."

  Fang Jifan thought in his heart that Wang Shouren was not only good at teaching and educating people, but because he had too many students, he was more outstanding in education, covering up all other talents.

  Fang Jifan said with a sneer: "Wang Boan, although... he is not eye-catching among the disciples of the ministers, and his temperament is not very good, but... Your Majesty, the ministers think..."

  He wanted to say something nice for Wang Shouren.

  Wang Shouren in history is indeed too upright, but in fact he did not do well. Even if he has the talent against the sky, it is not an exaggeration to say that he is depressed and unsuccessful.

   After all, everyone doesn't like his temper.

   As a mentor, Fang Jifan felt obliged to brag about him and make his image better.

  But just as the words were about to come out, Xiao Jing came outside: "Your Majesty, the cabinet ministers... have arrived."

  Emperor Hongzhi glanced at Fang Jifan: "Jifan, sit aside, come, give Fang Qing a seat."

  The **** took Jindun, and Fang Jifan sat down.

  The three of Liu Jian entered the hall, appearing to be in a hurry. The three bowed down and said, "I have seen Your Majesty."

  Emperor Hongzhi said with a gentle smile, "The three gentlemen, you are here early today."

  Liu Jian frowned and said: "Yunnan sent an urgent report... saying that there is a locust plague in Yunnan."

  Locust plague...

  The smile on Emperor Hongzhi's lips disappeared immediately, and the center of his brows furrowed.

  He stared at Liu Jian, and said seriously: "How is the disaster now?"

   "We are trying our best to provide disaster relief." Liu Jian smiled wryly: "The officials and others are also planning to mobilize food for emergency needs. This Yunnan is a mixed population of Han and local people. Once there is a shortage of food...the consequences will be unimaginable."

  Emperor Hongzhi nodded his head and said solemnly: "Yes, there is no shortage of food in Yunnan. In recent years, Yunnan, Guangxi, Guizhou and other places... Speaking of it... I am indeed a little worried."

  Emperor Hongzhi’s concern was that there was not enough food for the generals stationed in the southwest area. In order to solve the food problem, the imperial court had to spend a lot of energy recruiting people to deliver food.

  (end of this chapter)