My eunuch godfather

Chapter 4 The Gift

"This can't be done."

After listening to Zhang Kun's report, Zhang Ye shook his head, put down his teacup, and said:

"The imperial court has been spending more than it earns for years, and the national treasury is empty. This matter will cost at least three or four hundred thousand taels of silver!"

"With so much silver, the street-side houses definitely can't afford it. Which can he possibly get—the Ministry of Revenue's Taicang silver or the Ministry of Works' frugality silver?"

"...Sir, I have some knowledge of water conservancy matters."

Zhang Kun, who had studied civil engineering and worked as a civil engineer for a few months before transmigrating, pondered for a moment and then respectfully said to Zhang Ye:

"Dredging waterways often involves building dams in sections. Dredging the moat at the nine gates of the city can also be done by dividing the work into sections."

With separate tasks, only 30,000 to 40,000 taels are needed to start work in one of the areas and get things done!

Tens of thousands of novices are no match for a few thousand skilled workers. By dividing the work into different areas and training skilled workers, it saves both time and money in the end.

Even if the imperial court lacks the funds, completing just a few gates would still be a great achievement...

There is a lack of professional engineering teams in the world today.

When the imperial court undertakes engineering projects, it often adds extra laborers and conscripts soldiers and civilians.

In order not to delay the farming season, they often deploy a large-scale operation, using sheer numbers to buy time.

"...The sludge that was cleared out is all top-quality fertilizer!"

After explaining the phased approach to the project, Zhang Kun advised his eunuch godfather from a revenue-generating perspective:

"By dividing the work into different sections, we can prevent the removal of too much sludge at once, which would lower the selling price."

After dredging, the surrounding land will definitely increase in price, and buying it in advance will be very profitable!

besides......"

After listening to Zhang Kun's advice, Zhang Ye remained silent for a long time before speaking:

"You want to take this job and start outside Xuanwu Gate in Xuanbei Ward?"

"Sir, you are wise!"

Zhang Ye tapped his fingers on the table a few times, and said to Zhang Kun in a noncommittal manner:

"It's getting late, let's head back to the south city first, and discuss this matter later."

After Zhang Kun left, Zhang Ye looked at the beautiful woman in a fur robe who had emerged from behind the screen and asked:

"Madam, what do you think of Sixty-Six's idea?"

"The storyteller once said that during years of famine, the emperors of the Song Dynasty would raise banners to recruit soldiers."

The woman in the fur robe agreed with Zhang Kun's idea and helped persuade Zhang Ye:

"Recruiting disaster victims into the army and sending them to do work is a good way to provide relief."

I have heard that the disaster in Shandong to the south is so severe that people are resorting to cannibalism!

The waterways in Zhangjiawan haven't been cleaned for years. Asking the merchants and boatmen to contribute money would be enough to support several thousand laborers.

Zhang Ye was also somewhat tempted and nodded, saying:

"Let's discuss it with the fourth brother and the others on the birthday!"

......

When Zhang Kun returned to Liuxiang'er's courtyard, he found a sedan chair parked outside the hanging flower gate, but no sedan chair bearers were to be seen.

The attendant assigned to him by the Zhang family, named Xu Xin, quickly came forward and explained:

"Sixty-sixth Master, Lord Chen Jizong has sent over a woman of mixed ethnicities..."

After hearing Xu Xin's explanation, Zhang Kun was dumbfounded:

That night at Jinchun Courtyard, he only glanced at that "little Jennifer" a few more times.

Chen Jizong actually spent six hundred taels to buy it and send it over!

Six hundred taels!

As a low-ranking officer, Zhang Kun's salary was only two shi of rice per month.

One shi (石) was actually issued, which weighed 150 jin (斤). The other shi was converted into paper money with the same value as beans.

In a normal year, after the autumn harvest in the capital, a shi (a unit of dry measure) of rice would cost no more than five qian (a unit of weight) of silver, or 0.5 liang (a unit of weight).

600 taels of silver is Zhang Kun's salary for a hundred years without eating or drinking!

Of course, Zhang Kun's actual income is far more than that:

The eunuch godfather's salary is five taels of silver per month, while the profit share for the fat man in Xuanbei Ward is around fifteen taels per month.

The tribute from the 45 shops in Xuanbei Ward on the Jinyiwei Street, plus the night market business, amounted to about ten taels per month.

In total, it amounts to about 30 taels per month.

Even so, six hundred taels is still too much!

One tael of silver can buy two shi of rice, which is the monthly food ration for six people with heavy physical labor or ten people with light physical labor.

The two courtyard houses that Chen Jizong had previously gifted cost less than fifty taels of silver.

The top-quality Western horse that Zhang Kun's eunuch godfather bestowed upon him was considered a supercar in those days, and cost less than sixty taels of silver.

Human life is worthless in this world.

In poor areas, a maidservant costs less than an ounce, while in years of famine, she only needs a few bushels of grain.

Even in wealthy areas, it would only amount to three to five taels, and a kitchen maid who could cook would receive at most ten taels.

A skilled maidservant could be paid twenty or thirty taels of silver, while a talented maidservant could be paid a maximum of one hundred taels. Above that, there were courtesans and slender maidservants from Huaiyang.

Besides the six hundred taels of silver for the male servant, Chen Jizong also hired a full-time kitchen maid and two pretty but rough maids.

Dude, you're really going all out with this gift...

Zhang Kun was having a headache. With his current income, supporting so many people who didn't do any productive work was a huge burden.

Unfortunately, curfew was fast approaching, and there was no way to back out now, as the sedan chair bearers from the brothel had already left.

If you leave it overnight and then return it, without doing anything, the price will still be reduced from 600 taels to 300 taels. Does that count as accepting a gift?

"This servant greets Your Majesty."

Passing through the hanging flower gate, Ning Xuan'er and her maids quickly came forward and knelt down to kowtow to Zhang Kun.

Her figure was graceful, her embroidered clothes were exquisite, but her eyes were filled with fear and confusion.

Yesterday, Ning Xuan'er was still living a carefree life under the protection of her cousin, with no worries about food and clothing and playing the zither.

From this day forward, her life, death, fortune, and misfortune will all be in the hands of this stranger before her.

"Get up, just call me Master."

Zhang Kun waved his hand, signaling them to stand up, and asked Ning Xuan'er, "Can you read? How many characters do you know?"

"I have a basic understanding of writing and have helped the ladies in the brothel write letters home."

Ning Xuan'er curtsied to Zhang Kun and answered respectfully.

She was very tall, about seven feet tall, a little over 1.7 meters, while Zhang Kun was only seven and a half feet tall.

"Alright, you take care of the three of them and they'll stay in the west wing."

Zhang Kun nodded to Ning Xuan'er and pointed to the maids, instructing them:

"If you need anything, write down a list for me, and I'll have Xu Xin find a peddler to pick it out."

After instructing Ning Xuan'er, Zhang Kun gestured for Xu Xin to follow him into the main room.

In the main room, Zhang Kun walked straight to the head seat and sat down, looking at Xu Xin.

Xu Xin immediately understood and knelt on one knee, saying, "Master Kun."

"Starting this month, I will be in charge of your monthly allowance, which will increase from one tael to two taels."

Zhang Kun needs to build his team, and Xu Xin has worked very diligently during his time with him, so he's worth recruiting.

"Thank you very much, Master Kun. I am willing to serve you faithfully!"

Xu Xin immediately knelt down on both knees and kowtowed to Zhang Kun.

"Come with me to the South City Military Command tomorrow, and I'll give you an extra allowance for your guard duties."

Zhang Kun continued to Xu Xin, "If you fancy any of those three girls, I'll arrange a marriage for you with them."

Fanzi were servants of the Five City Garrison, frequently summoned by the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot, and were often confused with the term.

......

Since recovering from his illness, Xu Bengao has been actively working to push forward the project to expedite the establishment of the Daju Jiumen City Moat.

If this matter is accomplished, Xu Bengao can most likely shed the title of "acting" and become a true governor-general.

Xu Bengao's efforts to make money were not going smoothly, as all the government departments said they had no money.

"Xu Qianshu, it's already April. Let's clear the ditches as usual!"

Luo Sigong, the acting commander of the Eastern Division and head of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, solemnly advised Xu Bengao against it.

As mentioned before, the street-level government would clean up the Beijing irrigation canals every February.

It requires little labor and time, and only twenty to thirty thousand taels of silver, hence the name Xiao Jun.

The reason Xu Bengao delayed the process was that he had used up more than 30,000 taels of silver from the street office's accounts, making it even more difficult to initiate the Dajun project.

"Your Excellency, since the tenth year of the Wanli reign, the moat around the nine gates of the city has not been dredged for thirty-four years..."

"Xu Qianshu, if you don't clean the ditches, diseases will spread when the summer heat comes. Can you bear the responsibility?!"

Luo Sigong directly interrupted Xu Bengao's persuasion and rebuked him:

"If you don't clear the ditch by the end of the month, I will definitely go to His Majesty and impeach you for dereliction of duty!"

This sudden blow left Xu Bengao utterly despondent.