In the side hall, there is an Eight Immortals table with five or six plates of dishes. Except for two plates of meat, the rest are vegetables and fungi. A pot of wine is placed aside, and there is nothing else to eat. .
Such food and drinks were very simple. Judging from the extravagant trend in official circles at this time, even the banquet hosted by an ordinary county magistrate was several times better than the table hosted by Lu Xiangsheng.
Lu Xiangsheng asked Liu Yan to sit down, and Lu Huaiying sat beside him to accompany him. He also picked up the wine bottle and poured wine for Lu Xiangsheng and Liu Yan.
"Liu Yan, do you still remember that night at the Julu battlefield? We looked at the army of slaves and thieves besieging our army. The countless bonfires lit in their camp were like stars in the sky, just like our army's camp. There is nothing else but slaves, thieves, soldiers and horses!"
"Even when faced with such a desperate situation, I did not choose to retreat, nor was I timid or desperate. I still led you to fight bloody battles."
When Lu Xiangsheng said this, he drank a glass of wine, and his eyes became a little twinkling: "But since the governor-general of Shandong Military and Political Affairs, I no longer have the same pride and courage in my heart. Do you know why?"
Liu Yan shook his head and said, "Please give me some advice."
"I have often thought about this during this period. Over the years, I have tried various methods to fight for the country. I have also implemented the New Deal at the local level. I have also used strong methods to suppress local gentry and wealthy households. I have also fought with the ministers of the DPRK and China. They fought, but in the end they were defeated one by one. The governor couldn't understand, what happened to the Ming Dynasty? Why, from top to bottom, everyone only saw their own gains and losses, but not the worries of the country? "
"This governor is from the Donglin Party. However, in order to save the current situation, he has completely broken with the Donglin Party. Instead, he has become a thorn in their flesh. I want to get rid of him as soon as possible!"
Lu Xiangsheng drank another glass of wine, and Lu Huaiying tried to persuade him with red eyes. Seeing that he could no longer persuade him, he filled the glass and turned his head to wipe his tears.
"I have been serving in the army for more than ten years. I have long ignored life and death in the southern and northern wars. However, the situation in the world has become increasingly corrupt. There are ferocious slaves and bandits in front of me, but behind me, there are political enemies in the DPRK and China. The local gentry, officials and businessmen, almost everyone around me wants to kill me, except for the soldiers who are constantly dying in battles!"
"So now I can't figure out who I am fighting for for water!"
Lu Huaiying has seen Lu Xiangsheng's hardships over the years. Listening to Lu Xiangsheng's bitterness, Lu Huaiying was already crying.
Liu Yan also felt a sore nose. The hero has been fighting for many years, but in the end he only gets a deep sense of powerlessness. This result may be even more tragic than the hero dying!
"The governor has been fighting for the Ming Dynasty all these years, and what he has done is not wrong. What is wrong is the world."
Liu Yan said: "It has been more than two hundred years since the founding of the Ming Dynasty by Taizu. The system created at the time of the founding of the country brought the Ming Dynasty into the prosperous age of the Han and Tang Dynasties. However, times have changed and the current world is no longer more than two hundred years old. In the current world, everything has changed, but the so-called clean-minded and upright gentlemen in the court still hold the ancestral system and the so-called sage articles to guide the country. How can there be no problems in this country? "
"So my subordinates said that today's world and today's court system must be changed and reborn, otherwise the Ming Dynasty will surely fall into the dust!"
Lu Xiangsheng fell into silence again after hearing the words. Recalling Liu Yan's words before, the persistence in his heart completely collapsed. After a long time, he said: "Maybe you are right. The world seems to be imprisoned today, and we must break the imprisonment." Okay. But I can’t do what you said, I can’t do it!”
Liu Yan looked at Lu Xiangsheng and felt very uncomfortable. Lu Xiangsheng was a hero, but Lu Xiangsheng was a hero who was deeply bound by this era. Such a hero is destined to be tragic.
The bottle of wine was quickly drunk. Lu Xiangsheng did not order anyone to get it again. He just asked Liu Yan to go back and do it. Liu Yan must do what he couldn't do.
"Perhaps you, not the governor, will be the one who can save the Ming Dynasty in the future!"
Liu Yan left the Governor's Mansion with Lu Xiangsheng's words. Although he was infected by Lu Xiangsheng's tragic spirit, he would not change his development rhythm in his heart.
"If Ming Dynasty can save him, he will save him; if he cannot save him, he will replace him!"
This is the general guideline for Liu Yan to follow. Whether it is to save Ming Dynasty or replace it himself, the ultimate goal is to save China. China can change its dynasties, but it cannot surrender to the foreign Tartars. The tragedy of Jiashen's national calamity and Shenzhou's Luchen in history must not happen in the hands of Liu Yan!
"Sir, are we going back to Jimo Camp City now?"
Miao Shao, who was waiting at the gatehouse of the Governor's Mansion, followed him out. There was a flag of guards waiting in the streets outside.
Liu Yan thought for a while and said: "It's hard to come to Jinan Fucheng. I can't go back so soon and go to the governor's office again."
"Going to find Yan Futai?"
Liu Yan said with a smile: "I got the support I wanted from the governor, and I can go back to work. But I haven't gotten the benefits from Yan Futai, so we have to go there."
Soon, Liu Yan and others arrived at the governor's Yamen. After the concierge's announcement, Liu Yan quickly came to the main hall. Yan Jizu greeted him with a smile and said: "General Liu, you are a rare visitor. Why did you suddenly come to Jinan Fucheng?" ?”
After Liu Yan sat down, he smiled and said: "My subordinates came to report the military situation to Governor Lu, and stopped by to visit Yan Futai."
Yan Jizu smiled and said, "You, you don't go to the Three Treasures Hall for anything. Tell me, what's the matter?"
Liu Yan smiled, clasped his fists and said, "Yan Futai knows about me."
"If there's anything you need, as long as I can help, I can tell you."
Liu Yan said: "Futai is in charge of the civil affairs of Shandong. His subordinates redistributed the cultivated land for military camps in Jimo Yingcheng and reclaimed a lot of wasteland. The civilians in the military households who were allocated the cultivated land were very poor and did not have much financial resources. So I thought I would like to apply to Futai, and my military household’s farmland in Jimo Ying City will be exempted from taxes for three years.”
"this……"
Yan Jizu looked troubled and said: "This matter is not a trivial matter. I, the governor, cannot make the decision. I need to write a report to the Ministry of Household Affairs of the imperial court."
Liu Yan said: "Please worry about Futai."
As he spoke, Liu Yan winked at Miao Shao beside him, and Miao Shao hurriedly stepped forward and handed over a banknote.
At this time, there were already so-called ticket accounts, but they were not as large-scale as the Shanxi merchants of the Manchu and Qing Dynasties in later generations, and there were no rules. They basically fought on their own.
There is only one bank account in Jinan Fucheng, and the banknotes issued by this bank account cannot be exchanged with other bank accounts. Such long-distance traders basically had no need for banknotes because they could not be exchanged in one place. Most of them were used locally and circulated among merchants and officials.
Yan Jizu took the banknote with a smile, took a glance, and saw that it was a banknote of five hundred taels of silver. A surprised look appeared on his face, secretly thinking that Liu Yan was generous.
"Haha, Liu Shen will serve the people wholeheartedly. I will definitely go all out for this matter. It shouldn't be a big problem. In this way, Liu Shen will go back to business first. I will keep an eye on this matter and will send someone to inform you as soon as there is news. How? ?”
Since Yan Jizu said this, the matter is almost certain. Liu Yan smiled and clasped his fists and said, "Okay, then I won't disturb Mr. Futai. Please pay more attention to this matter."
"Haha, easy to say."
Liu Yan came out of the governor's office, but Miao Shao's face was full of displeasure. He followed Liu Yan and muttered: "Five hundred taels of silver, five hundred taels! Yan Futai is too dark. Sir, what you just saw No, when Yan Futai put away the banknotes, he didn’t even raise his eyelids!"
Liu Yan said with a smile: "Some things require a small amount of money to achieve big things. Five hundred taels of silver in exchange for so many people in Jimo Camp being exempted from taxes for three years is already a good deal."
"But I still feel sorry for the five hundred taels of silver!"
While they were talking, Liu Yan and others rode their horses to the outside of Prince De's Mansion. Miao Shao said in surprise: "Sir, are we still going to Prince De's Mansion?"
"Yes, I'm looking for King De to make a deal."
Still sending the name card to the porter, Liu Yan, Miao Shao and other soldiers waited outside the door for a while. The side door next to the main entrance slowly opened, and a man with a sword came out and clasped his fists, and said with a straight face: "Liu Shen. General, His Royal Highness King De is waiting in the flower room, please go to General Liu Shen."
Liu Yan followed him in with fists clasped, while Miao Shao and others were waiting outside.
When Liu Yan went in, he deliberately gave the man with the knife five taels of silver, which immediately put a smile on his face.
After walking for a while, Liu Yan came to a flower house. It was said to be a flower house, but there was another cave inside. In addition to various exotic flowers and plants, there were also many unknown birds, locked in exquisite cages. Chirping incessantly. The ground is not a simple floor, but has winding creeks, and you can even see koi carp swimming around in it.
"This Prince De really knows how to enjoy himself. He can create so many tricks in one greenhouse!"
Liu Yan followed the man with the sword to the depths, and saw King De leaning on a wicker chair. Seeing Liu Yan come in, he stood up and said with a smile: "Haha, now I have to call Liu Shen General. I haven't seen you for a long time." , General Liu Shen really has a prosperous official career."
Liu Yan cupped his fists and saluted. King Zhu Youjue of Virtue did not put on any airs, so he asked Liu Yan to sit aside and said, "General Liu Shen is here unexpectedly. Is there something wrong?"
Liu Yan smiled and said, "I'm going to take the liberty of disturbing you. I have a business I want to do with His Highness."
"Ha ha!"
Zhu Youli, the king of virtue, laughed loudly and said: "Although I am not a rich and powerful vassal king, I still have a lot of wealth. I have a lot of business in various places in Shandong, even in North Zhili and South Zhili. Every month The amount of money exchanged is more than tens of thousands taels? I wonder what kind of business Liu Shen will do with me?"
Liu Yan said: "At the end of the day, I have some goods that I want to sell to His Highness. How about His Highness selling them elsewhere by himself?"
"What cargo?"
Liu Yan stretched out three fingers and said: "Glass, soap, cement."
De Wang Zhu Youli stood up suddenly and said: "The glass, soap and cement that are selling well all over Shandong are really made by you Liu Yan?"
King De Zhu Youjue had heard about it before, but he regarded it as a hearsay rumor. How could Liu Yan, a warrior who led the army in war, know how to make these exquisite and magical things?
Now that Liu Yan brought it up, De Wang Zhu Youli couldn't sit still and asked again: "Is it true?"
Liu Yan smiled and said: "It's absolutely true!"
"The general knows that His Highness has many contacts with vassal kings and wealthy merchants from North Zhili and South Zhili. The general can sell these three kinds of goods to His Highness in large quantities. His Highness can resell them to other places, but cannot sell them in Shandong. ,how?"
Zhu Youli, the king of virtue, immediately agreed. Only in Shandong can he earn a little money. Only a noble vassal king would look down on such a small profit.
"But what price will you give me for these goods?"
Liu Yan said: "Like other merchants, soap costs six taels of silver per piece, glass wine sets cost 85 taels, tea sets cost 75 taels, and the rest are all 35 taels. As for cement, it costs 80 taels per piece. Bag of four hundred coins."
Dewang Zhu Youli stood up directly. This price was much lower than the selling price on the market. He would sell it to Beizhili nearby. Even if the freight and losses on the road were included, he could still make a lot of money.
So Zhu Youli said loudly: "Okay, it's settled. I'll place the order today, and Liu Shen will ship it to me as soon as possible!"
"The last generals can only be transported to Qingzhou Mansion, and the rest needs to be transported north by Your Highness yourself."
Zhu Youli thought for a moment and said, "Okay, that's it!"
Some people died, but not completely...
