half life slave

Chapter 74 Sweeping Out

Unsurprisingly, Shen Hui sent back the notebook, approved the content and the request, and said: "What the factory officials said is urgent to save famines and prevent disasters, so follow them." Many doubts from other people were blocked.

The next thing went much more smoothly. Rong Yu ordered Lin Sheng to list the official positions donated and the required expenses one by one, and make an announcement.

In fact, all the official titles he proposed are false titles, and some of them are just seals, that is, granting the honor of the ancestors of the donors, and not giving them any real official titles.

However, even so, it still caused an uproar in the ruling and opposition parties.During the Mid-Autumn Festival of this year, he received 10 taels of silver bills sent by Yan Ji, the envoy of Yan Ji, who transferred salt from the capital of Huaihe River and Huaihe River. Huaiyan introduced taxes, and asked the person who gave the bank note to relay his words to be patient and listened—since there is no shortage of money, please ask the factory owner to sell a few less officials.

Zan ignored his sarcasm, but Rong Yu couldn't take this hot money.The Lianghuai salt tax has always been the same as the grain, and it must not be tampered with easily.

I just don't know why Shen Hui agreed with Yan Ji to do this, maybe it was because he couldn't resist his persistent temperament, maybe it was to give himself a chance to visit him, and explain his thoughts clearly face to face.

So this time Yan Ji did not refuse to see him.Rong Yu waited in the flower hall, looked at the simple furnishings in the hall, without a single plaything, it seems that Yan Ji, as rumored, does not like foreign objects and does not adorn luxury.

When they met, he also omitted those polite greetings, and asked straightforwardly, "Dare to ask the factory owner, why do you want to see me? Could it be that the salt tax given a few days ago is not enough for the factory owner to meet his urgent needs? "

Rong Yu presented the bank note to him, and said sincerely, "Lord Yan misunderstood, Lin is here to repay the salt tax. Lianghuai salt has always been the top priority of national taxation, and it can't be used for other purposes easily. Lin has raised enough money. Amount of relief money, I will explain the situation here to the emperor, please also hand over the money to the household department."

Yan Ji looked at the banknote in his hand with a serious expression on his face, "The financing mentioned by the factory owner, in addition to selling the income from the hereditary salt merchants, is it only selling officials? In my lifetime, I can witness with my own eyes that Yan is really lucky."

Rong Heping shook his head, "A matter of expediency. Your lord should be clear about the situation of the household department. If this flood is not enough to give out relief money and food, what about the future? Lin doesn't dare to sell his official position, all he donates is money." They are vain, and these wealthy businessmen have contributed to the disaster relief of the imperial court, so they should have been given some rewards. Lord Yan sits in the two Huaihe Rivers, so he can't just focus on the rich and prosperous Yangzhou, but also think more about Liaodong and Northwest, governing the Huaihe River and the Yellow River Wait until the court needs money."

"The factory owner is really a good hand to make money for the court." Yan Ji pulled the corner of his mouth, but there was no smile in his eyes, "Then I would like to ask, the two capitals have always claimed that there are [-] eunuchs, so huge There are many people, but most of them are overstaffed, wasting financial and material resources, why not reduce them? In this way, a lot of money can be saved every year."

These words hit the point, but it's a pity that this long-standing problem was left over from ancient times, and it can't be solved overnight. Rong Yu said frankly, "The number of eunuchs in the country was determined when the country was founded, and it has always been determined by the emperor. Decide it personally. Lin doesn't dare to speak rashly about it."

"Why is the factory master being modest again?" Yan Ji smiled, "Is there anything in the court today that you dare not discuss? The Tian family does not pretend to be frugal, and uses the power of the whole country to raise so many slaves, shouldn't it be said? Exhortation?"

Rong and nodded slightly, still sincerely said, "Your Excellency, you want the emperor to be frugal from himself. Of course it is true, but it is just to save money. The court still needs to find a way to increase revenue. Lin is definitely not saying that Donating is a good way, after all, it is only a temporary measure. As for how to make the treasury rich and the people rich, it still depends on Lord Yan to make more suggestions for the court."

Yan Ji looked at him expressionlessly, and laughed for a long time, "Ji can't do anything. The factory owner has a good way of collecting money, so it's a pity not to work in the household department. You keep saying that the household department has no money, and you are worried about the country." He looks like a commoner, but he has no intention of being frugal at all. My lord, you have come all the way from Beijing to provide disaster relief. It’s not a small show, and I heard that you even brought the Jianzhou dragon troupe enshrined by the inner court?" He suddenly raised his voice, It's like questioning.

Rong Yu was stunned, so he had to answer him truthfully, "Yes, but Lin didn't intend to be extravagant, it really happened..."

Without finishing the sentence, Yan Ji interrupted with a wave of his hand, with a stern voice, "I'm afraid the factory's reasons are all for the court, for the emperor, right? Then there's no need for Yan to know! I don't have good tea or water here to entertain you. That's it, please."

Rong Yu stood up in embarrassment because of the decisiveness of his order to chase away guests, feeling that his face was red and white.In desperation, he had no choice but to bid farewell to him.

Until Rong Yu left, Yan Ji still sat in the same place without moving, neither seeing him off, but even putting on an attitude of not looking sideways.

"Your Excellency is being scolded again?" Lin Sheng was waiting outside, and when he saw him come out, he couldn't help sighing mockingly, "I knew it would happen, even I could guess it! Why did you insist on bumping into him yourself?" scold?"

Feeling resentful, he couldn't help resenting him even more, "There are so many old and cunning salt merchants who are all too easy to get in front of you. It's too cheap for him to fall into the hands of such a rotten scholar."

Recalling the conversation just now, Rong Yu was not unhappy at all, and only explained to Lin Sheng, "He gave me the silver taels for disaster relief. Out of politeness, I always pay him a visit and thank him personally. As for what he said, I will listen to you." That's it."

Lin Sheng was dissatisfied with this answer, gave him a disapproving look, and then pouted secretly.

Rong Yu saw it, smiled and said to him, "Anyway, you will be scolded when you go back to Beijing. Why don't you get used to it first, and listen to how they scold me, and I will also think about my refutation in advance."

It sounded like he was having fun in bitterness, Lin Shengfu told him again.Rong Yu then sighed with a smile, "Ah Sheng, I think I am getting old. After all these years, my skin is thicker than before."

Lin Sheng finally let out a snort and burst out laughing. After laughing for a while, he calmed down and said, "Do you think that Yan Ji knows that you recommended him for his official position?"

Rong Yu thought for a while, "I should know."

"Then he still treats you like this?" Lin Sheng was furious, "Can't you repay your kindness?"

Rong Yu shook his head with a smile, "If you know it, you know it, but it may not be something to be happy about for him. He has no solid foundation, and he got a job that everyone admires as soon as he entered the official career. How many people are jealous, he can't help but arrange him behind his back." He is in the same party as me, and he may even say that he once curry favor with me. Therefore, he wants to be honest with me, as far as possible. I know his difficulties, so if there is a chance, I will fulfill him, so that Others saw that he was not polite to me, but it was more helpful for him to leave a good reputation in the hearts of the world."

Lin Sheng fell silent after hearing this, and sighed softly for a while, "It turns out that my lord is so clear in his heart, alas..."

While speaking, the two of them had already arrived at Hongqiao.Yangzhou City, from Shangfang Temple to Changchun Bridge is the Caohe River, from Bianyimen to Tianning Temple is the north of the city, from Guazhou to Gudu Bridge is the south of the city, and from Xiaodongmen to Dongshuiguan is called the Little Qinhuai River, and the center is all connected. in Hongqiao.

The so-called Yangzhou is good, the first is Hongqiao-the willows are green and the rain is three feet, and the cherry is red with a flute.Although it is late autumn at this time, the weather is fine and not very cold.People from the city come to visit the lake in twos and threes.There are many painted boats in the lake, and even the names are quite beautiful. Some are called Liuxia and Minghe;

I saw a group of people gathered on the shore ahead, blocking most of the way forward. Someone pointed to a small boat called a smoke boat on the lake, "Here it is, Kuangsheng's boat is coming, let's see what he is doing today." What kind of tricks are you going to play?"

Lin Sheng saw that there was a lot of excitement, and immediately threw the idea just now to the Java Kingdom, and followed the crowd to rush forward.Rong Yu also looked into the lake, and saw an old man with long beard sitting alone on the small boat, holding a hookah.Judging by his demeanor and appearance, there doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary.

After a long time, the old man lit up a cigarette, took a puff first and didn't spit it out, took another puff and still didn't spit it out, he smoked a dozen puffs in a row, but there was no trace of smoke coming out, everyone applauded when they saw this.The noise of the drums has not subsided yet, but a puff of white smoke is slowly coming out of the old man's mouth. The smoke seems to be there, and gradually, it forms a straight line and floats up into the air, hovering in the air for a while, and suddenly turns into a ball, white The fog condenses together like a bun on a woman's head.

Everyone watched and sighed, and just as they were pointing, the smoke slowly turned from white to light blue, and the bun also changed its shape, as if the distant mountains were covered with green, endless.

At this time, a gust of wind blew past, and the green hill suddenly changed into the appearance of a bearded immortal, whose shape was very clear, even the folds of the immortal's sleeves fluttering with the wind were clearly visible.Some of the onlookers clapped their hands and applauded, while others were stunned by this miraculous skill.

Everyone was still intoxicated watching the fairy, and the smoke slowly changed color again, getting darker and darker until it became a mass of jet black, rising little by little in the sky and turning into a black cloud again, as if a mountain rain was about to come.

The onlookers applauded so loudly that they were all waiting for what the smoke would do next. The old man blew a breath into the air. Suddenly, the wind blew up the smoke and the black cloud disappeared without a trace. The wisps of smoke are ethereal and invisible, and it is hard to find any traces.

The onlookers on the shore were all overwhelmed by the old man's smoke blowing skills, and some people started to ask the old man in the lake the price of his hookah.This room is still bustling, only to hear another neighing sound of horses coming from the front, amidst the billowing smoke and dust, hundreds of horses are seen stepping on the smoke, galloping and roaring, the momentum is overwhelming.When I took a closer look, I found that there were all kinds of famous horses, such as Leishou Liangma, Dawan Liangju, Wusun Tianma, and the sweat and blood of the Western Regions.What's even more strange is that there are various flowers hanging on the horse's neck. When it gallops forward, it seems that the flowers are dazzling and dazzling, which makes people dazzled for a while.

Lin Sheng's face was full of excitement, and he couldn't help giving a good compliment, but he didn't forget to grab the locals beside him and ask why he was running horses at this moment.The man smiled and told him that this was a daily job for the Wang family, a salt merchant in Yangzhou, because the Wang family kept hundreds of expensive horses, and walking horses in the city has become a sight in the streets and alleys. , the common people talk about it, but they want to see if there are different new horses joining them every day.

"My lord, I saw it just now. All of those horses are famous breeds. Each one would cost dozens of gold to raise properly. There are hundreds of them..." Lin Sheng stuck out his tongue and made a grimace. , "These salt merchants are really rich."

As soon as he finished speaking, another group of people chased the water of the lake to stir up a commotion, because suddenly large flowers of gold leaf floated on the surface of the lake, and plain paper was pasted on the gold leaf, with some names written on it, only one person shouted loudly, "This time, Master Pan's family won the lottery again."

Rong Yu couldn't help laughing, Lin Sheng hurriedly asked him what loose gold was.

"I also heard it earlier that Yangzhou salt merchants like to play a game, so that people under the door bought gold foil to paste their names on, and sprinkled it on the Jinshan Tower in Zhenjiang. The gold foil followed the river to Yangzhou, and they bet on who If the gold leaf from my family arrives in Yangzhou City first, it will be a great fortune."

Lin Sheng was speechless and didn't say a word for a long time.Seeing that he was dumbfounded, Rong Yu pulled him to a place with few people beside him, and then walked forward slowly.

"My lord, you should ask these salt merchants for more money, and then beat them harder." Lin Sheng suddenly regained his composure, and said with vigor, "I thought you asked for a lot, but who knew they would be scattered like this?" Money is better than wealth, so you shouldn’t be merciful! What has happened, Shi Chong and Wang Kai?”

His righteous indignation was quite funny, Rong Yu smiled secretly for a while, and patiently explained with a slightly stern tone, "Since they want to occupy the status of salt merchants for a long time, they should pay some money, but that's all. No matter what they earn How much, the money is his own, as for how to spend it, no one else has the right to ask. If it is not the court that needs money, I really think it is a good way to hide wealth from the people. In an era of peace and happiness, people's livelihood should be prosperous and business Prosperous."

Lin Sheng frowned, still unwilling, "Then these people are too... too bad at spending money. You say they can't do something elegant, so... such a straightforward and shallow way of giving away money is simply a waste of money." I don't know what pleasure is if I waste everything I have."

After speaking, he turned to look at Rong Yu, and asked curiously, "If you have a lot of money, my lord, how would you spend it?"

Hearing this, Rongyu was stunned, a little unsure of how to answer this question, and apparently he had never imagined this question.Seeing him in a daze, Lin Sheng hurriedly said, "You don't have anything you want to have, and you might not be able to spend the money. But you obviously have your own preferences, don't you?"

Rong Yu smiled, and said leisurely with his hands behind his back, "I have a lot of things that I like, but there are some things that I never thought about owning. If I really have a lot of money, I will probably build a library. Apart from collecting ancient books, I can also collect them. Local chronicles, political books, imperial examination records, and current poems and essays. They can be read and preserved for future generations, and they can also let future generations know who are the romantic and handsome people in our era."

After saying a word, I suddenly heard someone walking by the side of the road, calling for friends and companions, "Mr. Shenzhai is giving a lecture in Weiyang Academy today, hurry up, it's late, and there is no place to sit. .”