Chapter 891

As soon as Fang Xuanling heard Zhang Juzheng asking about Old Li, he knew he had agreed.

His spirits were immediately lifted.

"Old Li is fine; it's just an old ailment recurring, and he'll be fine after resting for a few days. You and I won't talk about official business today; let's just drink and listen to music.

Let's leave the troublesome matters for later."

Fang Xuanling had achieved his goal and didn't say anything more.

He planned to stabilize their relationship first.

After the wine was finished, the two didn't talk about official business again.

It wasn't until Zhang Juzheng brought the pair of twins back to his mansion that he suddenly realized.

He had accepted Fang Xuanling's generous gift, which was probably somewhat inappropriate.

Fang Xuanling sent the two girls to seek benefits for Great Tang.

These benefits could only be given if the Emperor nodded.

Then this gift naturally could only be accepted by the Emperor!

Zhang Juzheng gave a start, and the alcohol immediately wore off by more than half.

Upon returning, he immediately arranged an independent small courtyard for the two girls to live in separately.

The next day, he sent these two girls into the palace.

Thus, the scene from earlier occurred.

Zhang Juzheng presented both girls to the Emperor. Seeing the Emperor didn't get angry, he finally set his mind at ease.

He immediately sent the newly drafted imperial decree to Zheng Chenggong.

If it weren't for Fang Xuanling's request to buy Siamese prisoners of war from Great Qin, perhaps Great Qin wouldn't have sent troops for a while.

If Great Tang had taken the first step and defeated the Kingdom of Siam, why would they need to buy prisoners of war from Great Qin?

Fang Xuanling was being too clever for his own good!

Zhang Juzheng found it somewhat funny.

If Fang Xuanling knew that Great Qin had decided to send troops on the spur of the moment only after he sent those two beauties, he wondered what he would think?

Would he be so angry he'd slap himself?

Courtesy demands reciprocity!

Zhang Juzheng felt he should also send something to Fang Xuanling to help Great Qin gain some benefits.

The Emperor was too lazy to think about such things, but as Prime Minister, he should do it for the Emperor.

Carrying a set of Ru porcelain tea sets, Zhang Juzheng went to the relay station.

"Prime Minister Fang, Old Li, I have already petitioned the Emperor about Great Tang's request to buy prisoners of war. The Emperor has issued an imperial decree, arranging for Zheng Chenggong to go and capture them immediately.

Very soon, a large batch of prisoners of war will be delivered."

Fang Xuanling and Old Li heard this and felt something was not quite right?

But they couldn't figure it out for a moment.

They could only express their thanks.

"Thank you for the Great Qin Emperor's consideration! Thank you, Prime Zhang Xiang, for your help!"

Zhang Juzheng waved his hand, indicating he dared not claim the credit.

But he was already laughing in his heart.

"By the way, Li Ke seemed to have mentioned to you before that Great Qin could set up porcelain kilns in Changnan Town to fire exquisite porcelain." Looking at the Ru porcelain tea set Zhang Juzheng brought, Li Er understood. Zhang Juzheng came today to discuss this cooperation. This was an opportunity for Great Tang.

Li Er asked.

"I don't know, Prime Zhang Xiang, how do you want to cooperate?"

Zhang Juzheng stroked his beard and said leisurely.

"Great Qin holds the core technology for firing porcelain; although we are cooperating, the technology cannot be leaked.

So the method of cooperation is for Great Tang to provide the land and the labor to dig the clay. Great Qin is only responsible for the firing.

Of the finished products, Great Tang will keep ten percent."

Hearing this method of cooperation, Li Er wanted to get angry again.

This was bullying people too much!

Treating Great Tang completely as manual labor, and only leaving them ten percent when finished. Ninety percent of the good porcelain would be taken away by Great Qin.

"Isn't ten percent too little for Great Tang? If my Great Tang blocks the porcelain clay, Great Qin won't get anything either!"

"Since the two families need each other and are cooperating, we should split the profits fifty-fifty!"

Zhang Juzheng had long expected them to say this and had already prepared his rhetoric.

"Without Great Qin's technology, Great Tang's porcelain clay is ultimately just mud; what value does it have?

You can only keep ten percent; don't talk about anything more!"

The negotiations reached a stalemate.

Fang Xuanling pulled Old Li aside and whispered.

"Old Li, we didn't intend to make money from our cooperation with Great Qin anyway.

Moreover, by observing from the sidelines, we can learn the technology sooner or later!"

Li Er let out a long sigh.

What kind of business was this?

Was Great Tang now only able to follow behind Great Qin and be a helper?