Leaving Gai Nie in the Sima Mansion, Zheng Anping and Chen Si took their leave and went out. Along the way, they tried to figure out the purpose of Gongzi Zhen's summons, but they couldn't figure it out. Returning to the post house, Mang Wei and Xing Cao reported that a minister came to report that Hedong was completed and the report had been received. It was already the autumn harvest. He ordered the Prime Minister of Hedong to return to Hedong quickly and report the population, money and food, soldiers, equipment, etc. of Hedong. As soon as the records are made, the calculations are recorded, and then the results in Hedong are reported together. Zheng Anping originally wanted to stay in Xianyang for a few more days, but he didn't expect him to report at all and drove him away directly. At this time, Wuwang had been sent home by Zheng Anping, and he probably wouldn't be able to come back in time. Zheng Anping left a message to the post official, asking him to go home and wait for the autumn harvest if Wuwang came back, and then pick him up after the autumn harvest was completed. The next day, after everyone had breakfast, they boarded the boat and returned to Anyi.
After getting off the ship from Puban, Zheng Anping first sent someone to report to Zhang Lu and others that the Prime Minister wanted to come back first to complete the plan, and then complete the plan together. He and his party went to various counties to inspect the crop growth, check the population registers, and where the mountains and rivers came from, and they had a rough idea. They urged the county magistrate one by one to make statistics and report them on time. Xing Cao was very familiar with the provisions of Shangji in the Qin Code and gave Zheng Anping great help in this regard. After inspecting the counties, he returned to Anyi and explained the matters in Xianyang one by one. He especially explained that leaving Hedong and leaving Taoyi were the current military directions that King Qin was considering. If there was enough food in Hedong, he would probably leave Hedong.
According to Zhang Lu's original intention, he hoped that Hedong could rest and recuperate for a few years, develop first, and then use troops. But when Zheng Anping said that if he did not use troops in Hedong, he would use troops in Taoyi. This made Zhang Lu have to change his plan: he would use troops in Hedong relatively prematurely, and he was even less willing to use troops in Taoyi. , almost impossible to defend firmly.
As the statistical data from each county were reported one by one, Anyi's office team, mainly Pi Wan's team, began to compile an atlas of the above statistics. Finally, Zhang Lu told Zheng Anping a principle: to use troops to attack Zhidao in Hedong, there was only a shortage of strong men, and the other expenses were not a problem. So, one month after leaving Xianyang, Zheng Anping and the other four returned to Xianyang again, this time for a trick.
There are many units listed in the border counties and Guanzhong counties, and each county transports the products that need to be turned over to Xianyang in various ways. Hedong is a new county, and its subordinate counties have profits and losses, but as a county, the content of the handover has not yet been approved, so Zheng Anping and others came empty-handed.
When registering at Xianyang Palace, those counties and counties that handed over a lot of items were all arrogant. Seeing that Zheng Anping didn't even have a list of items to hand in, they inadvertently showed contempt. Zheng Anping had the confidence in his heart and just ignored these scorns. Due to the large number of people in the plan and the crowding in the post, Zheng Anping and his party simply did not stay in the post and returned to their homes. The only inconvenience of living at home is that you have to get up early every day to go to court.
When Qiu Li saw everyone coming back, they came to visit one after another, and Zheng Anping and others paid their respects one by one. Chen Si and Mang Wei's allotment fields are mature fields, which are already cultivated by people. Only Zheng Anping's field is cultivated grass and needs to be cultivated by himself. Zheng Anping has been away for a year and there is no one at home, so farming is out of the question. Fortunately, Qiuli's stingy husband took care of him and arranged for people to do the farming for him. When the five prosperous crops came back, they were just in time for the harvest. Although it is not as careful as planting it yourself, the harvest is good at least. In addition to paying taxes, Zheng Anping handed over 70% of the remaining grain to Qiuli to express his gratitude for everyone's help. Wuwang watched helplessly as the grain he harvested went into other people's granaries, and he couldn't help crying.
The daughters of Qiu Shifu and Li Shifu were engaged to Chen Si and Mang Wei. When they saw Zheng Anping and his party coming back, they also came to discuss the issue of marriage. Zheng Anping, on behalf of the man, agreed with the two families on the date of appointment. However, both Chen Si and Mang Wei were a little uneasy: they had witnessed Zheng Anping's experience of running around with his slave and not being able to rest even though he was pregnant; they were still living in Pu Ling's home. I had to give birth to my child in Puban before I could return to Anyi. Zheng Anping's lesson made them have to think about whether they would have to take their wives with them after getting married, and wander around endlessly like this. Of course, this thought only passed by in a flash. Huang Xie's regret for Hu Yang also deeply hurt them. Leaving his descendants as soon as possible and continuing his industry has a strong attraction for them. .
None of these people had official positions last year. Although they were all awarded titles, Zheng Anping was still a doctor. He only had land and houses, but no salary. This year, I have been traveling all year round, so I can't plant any land, and the limited harvest can only provide food rations. Although Zheng Anping has become the Prime Minister of Hedong and has an official position, his salary goes to Hedong County. Considering the miserable situation of Hedong County this year, he may not be able to get much money. The only hope is Zhang Lu. The salary of Zhang Lu and Zheng Anping is the same as that of Zheng Anping, but he still has the status of a guest minister and can receive rewards from the King of Qin at the end of the year. The "year-end bonus" that Zhang Lu can get is the only hope for the two to pay the betrothal gift.
Zheng Anping went to court every day and returned home every day. There were many county ministers who were received by the Prime Minister's Mansion and received their annual comments and went back to resume their orders. However, Marquis Rang never summoned them. This made several people wonder: Is Zhidao so important? Can't even the news move the hearts of the highest level?
Mang Wei came up with an idea for Zheng Anping: let Zheng Anping let the news go, and two of his retainers would get married within the year, so as to observe the movements of the officials. Although Zheng Anping was a little puzzled, he still did as he was told: when he went to court, he informed the officials with the same title as him that his retainers Chen Si and Wuming General were married to the Chefu and Huaili Chefu from Gaoqiu Township. Everyone listened. Yes, everyone held their hands in congratulations in person. But that day, only two officials sent congratulatory gifts, either a piece of cloth or a piece of gold.
The next day, when Zheng Anping went to court, he expressed his gratitude to the two officials who gave the gift. On this day, King An Guo actually sent a congratulatory gift, and it was brought by a cart, including cloth, money, meat and wine... all available. Soon, Sima Jin, the fifth doctor, also sent a congratulatory gift. Although it was not as generous as An Guojun, it still loaded a car, and the person escorting the car was actually Gai Nie. Since the beginning of these two people, more and more officials have sent congratulatory gifts, including cloth, money, wine, and meat. Xing Cao temporarily acted as a clerk and registered the officials who gave gifts one by one. At night, everyone analyzed the list of gifts and found that they were limited to people with whom they had interacted in the past, such as those who had built the Baoxie Road together, or those who had fought in Yanyu and Wu'an together.
On the third day, Bai Qi, Lord Wu'an, sent a congratulatory gift. Mang Wei said: "Things are ridiculous, Hedong's contribution is not small."
Zheng Anping then asked the villagers for help and paid ten loads of betrothal gifts. A group of children ran back and forth and went to the two houses to hire people in a lively manner. The local husbands and wives in the countryside had already heard that King An Guo had sent congratulatory gifts, and they all paid their respects to him.
On the fourth day, Lord Jingyang and Lord Gaoling also sent congratulatory gifts. Mang Wei said: "Without the courtesy of Marquis Rang and Hua Yang, I'm afraid there will be differences in the meeting and we won't give in." Everyone saw that Mang Wei was very sure, but they didn't know why. Mang Wei explained: "The wind is born in the ground, rising from the end of green duckweed; when a leaf falls, you know that autumn is coming!" Everyone was still confused.
On the fifth day, Prince Chu sent a congratulatory gift. Unlike the gifts from Qin, which were all simple products from Qin, the gifts from the Prince of Chu were all products from Chu: beaded scales, silk and brocade, bamboo, wood and lacquerware... all of them were luxurious! The person escorting the car was the third son of the Mang family.
Zheng Anping, Chen Si and Mang Wei all knew the identity of the third son of the Mang family, but they could not reveal it to the criminal officials. They only said that they were Mr. Shen, a disciple of Huang Xiemen, a disciple of Chu Zuo, and his disciples. After the criminal registration was completed, Zheng Anping and others were asked to unload the truck alone and not to mix it with other people's gifts. In fact, there is no way to fool around. The difference between Chu ware and Qin ware is so obvious that you can almost see it at a glance. But since Xing Cao said so, Zheng Anping and the others followed suit and put Prince Chu's gifts in a separate room.
During the banquet, Mr. Cheyou asked: "Maybe the Yunhedong Salt Industry is officially run, or is it possible?"
Zheng Anping said: "All mountains and rivers are government camps, not just salt. Fish, birds, beasts, bamboo, wood, copper and iron are all like this."
Mr. Cheyou said: "Salt is used by the people. The salt of Anyi is admired by the world. Even if the official camp is closed, it should be widely spread all over the world and circulated. It cannot be exclusive, and it will lack the taste of the world. "
Zheng Anping felt strange and said: "The salt of Anyi is spread all over the world. It is not known to be exclusive."
Mr. Cheyou said: "In the past, salt merchants traveled around the world with carriages and horses carrying bags, so they had their own salt. Now I heard that the salt merchants have not been seen in Wei for several days!"
Zheng Anping said: "Not all salt merchants are from Anyi, and there are all in Anyi, but they go to Anyi to transport salt and do business in various places. If there is no salt in Wei, they should go to Anyi to sell salt, and then they can sell it."
Mr. Cheyou said: "What we saw in Wei is definitely not what the doctor said."
Zheng Anping said: "I have been out of Anyi for a few days. If there is a new policy, I have not heard about it."
Mr. Cheyou said: "The world at Yanguan is not small, and it shakes the world with one move. I hope the doctor can speak well and guard it, so as not to make the world boring."
Zheng Anping moved out the salt plums and said: "There are no shortages of salt plums in Xianyang. I don't know about the salt plums in Wei. You should be good at speaking to the Lord."
After the banquet, Zheng Anping asked the three of them: "Without salt merchants in Anyi, doesn't it mean that we are cutting off our financial path? Shen's words may not be credible."
Mang Wei said: "Young Master Shen is in charge of Zuo Tu and the Crown Prince of Chu, so I'm sorry. It's okay for the Prime Minister to consult with Anyi."
Zheng Anping said: "Both of your sons are married and cannot divorce. The only one who can do it is Mr. Xingpi." Xingcao is the Xingcao of Pi County, so Zheng Anping calls him that.
Xing Cao said: "Hedong Cheng has ordered me to say goodbye. I am willing to go as soon as I receive the order."
Zheng Anping knew that this criminal had been away from home for more than a month and had been traveling to Xianyang for more than a month. He had long wanted to return home. So he said: "Mr. Fanlao, I can't bear it." So he listed all the matters to be reported to Zhang Lu one by one, and everyone added them. There were twenty or thirty items in total, including the marriage of Chen and Mang. Who should send gifts and how to distribute the rewards from the King of Qin at the end of the year are all listed within the scope of the request. Of course, one of them is "I heard that the salt merchants in Anyi are not good, what can I do?"
