Because today is Xiu Mu, the residence of Chief Assistant Qin Yan not far from the imperial city.
The small street in front of the Qin Mansion was filled with carriages early on, and there was a long queue of family members of various officials handing out notices at the door.
According to past practice, after breakfast, the Lord Chief Assistant began to receive the officials who asked for an audience in the flower hall of the East Cross Courtyard.
But today is very strange. Although Menzi has been collecting posts, at 3:30 p.m., there is still no word from the house to let anyone in.
At this time, in the east courtyard of the Qin Mansion, Qin Yan, whose beard and hair were all white but whose face was rosy, was sitting in the main seat drinking tea.
Sitting below, Li Xiyan, the Minister of Civil Service, and Qin Que, the eldest son of the Qin Mansion, each took something and looked at it silently.
After a moment, the two of them raised their heads and exchanged the things in their hands with complicated expressions before looking at each other again.
After the two of them finished reading, Qin Yan used the lid of the bowl to stir up the tea leaves and said calmly: "Have you finished reading?"
Qin Que didn't speak, and Li Xiyan didn't show the courtesy to the old chief assistant as he did outside. Instead, he stood up as if he were at home, standing with his hands behind his hands, silent in thought.
Seeing that he was silent, Qin Que said, "Father, this Fan Shouji has told you a few days ago that the second son of the Xu family is a fool. To put it harshly, the Xu family is now a squire and landlord, and they don't even have the dignity of the past." He didn't even look at it, and went to cooperate with that eunuch You Xiao. If you ask me, he is unkind and I am unjust. Even if Xiao Shigong had a good relationship with our Xu family back then, now decades have passed, who still remembers who!"
Qin Yan didn't say anything after hearing this. Instead, he turned to Li Xiyan and asked, "Yuanfu, what do you think?"
"Fan Shouji said that a young man named Xu He came forward to solve the Xu family's matter this time? Is this true?" Li Xiyan asked.
Qin Yan nodded: "It is true!"
Hearing this, Li Xiyan turned around and sat back on the chair and muttered: "Sir, you and Xiao Shigong are of the same age. Before Xiao Shigong resigned from office, your two families were neighbors. Do you know the origin of this Xu family member named Xu He? ?”
Qin Que said disdainfully: "That's bullshit. I heard from Fan Shouji. He is just a young eldest son who has just become famous. He has a bit of poetry. I don't know what luck happened in the county examination and the government examination. He was named the leader of the case!"
Li Xiyan sighed: "The old man in Xiaoge made a mistake. This young man put aside poetry and prose and just talked about the two strategies of salt and law. It seems that he has the talent of a prime minister."
Qin Que still wanted to speak, but Qin Yan spoke first: "Yuan Fu, I didn't expect you to be so optimistic about this son. Tell me your reasons!"
Li Xiyan said: "The salt method has always had serious disadvantages. If we follow the test method proposed by this scholar, we might be able to solve a big problem. First of all, officials will no longer be afraid of being appointed as salt officials. Secondly, it can also prevent personal enrichment and corruption." The key to the disadvantages of asking for bribes is to rectify the source, with one hand to comfort and the other to strictly supervise, officials will definitely urge the salt farms to produce salt for the sake of their future and official position. It is foreseeable that the salt tax will increase sharply in the future."
Qin Yan nodded and motioned for him to continue.
Li Xiyan said: "The salt officer's exam just now shows that he has a noble and righteous way to solve the problem! But looking at the Gang Yun method, it is a grand conspiracy combined with officialdom tactics."
"As soon as the gang book is established, it seems that money has been earned by gang merchants, but gang merchants are equivalent to state merchants. If something happens to the country, they can use the name of donation to make those gang merchants spit out the money."
Qin Que interjected and sneered: "It's easier said than done. Cutting off people's money is like killing their parents. If you can't protect all those gangs and merchants, they will hold on to the money and not let go!"
Li Xiyan smiled: "That's true, but Gang Shang is attached to the imperial court. If he is unwilling to spend money, then replace him! Isn't the so-called hereditary a word of the imperial court?"
"And!" Li Xiyan picked up the tea cup and took a sip of water and said, "And if the plan is made early, this Gang Shang will be another weapon for the boss to control the situation in the court."
Qin Que was still a little unconvinced just now, but after hearing these words, he immediately shrank back and started thinking.
After a while, he was seen saying with great joy: "Brother Yuan Fu is in charge of the civil service now. As long as we are assigned to the Salt Division, we will be able to sit firmly on Diaoyutai even if all parties are bothering us about Gang Shang's quota!"
Li Xiyan smiled slightly and said: "Xiaoge always draws inferences from one example, and I admire you!"
A look of pride appeared on Qin Que's face.
Qin Yan coughed slightly at this time and said: "Is that his ability, or his recovery and sharp eyesight? After you said this, I am like clearing the clouds and seeing the sun."
Li Xiyan shook her head and sighed: "If you want to talk about being powerful, the young man named Xu He is the most powerful. Look at this Gang Yun Technique. Originally, everyone's attention was focused on the disaster caused by Xu Dai, but after what he did, If the water is muddied, the court will definitely compete for Gang Shang's position, and who will remember Xu Dai by then?"
Qin Que sighed at this time: "It's true to say that, this little guy's methods are really powerful. As the Xu family is the leader of the Lianghuai River, all parties want to seize the opportunity, but they dare not offend the Xu family easily. It's hard to say, everyone Fang also tried his best to win over the Xu family, and the Xu family's precarious situation was suddenly reversed."
Li Xiyan sighed: "This boy has great skills, and he can also write the sentence "Don't be afraid of being shattered into pieces, but keep your innocence in the world." Such a young man has a righteous mind and powerful plans. Isn't he the talent of a prime minister?"
After hearing this, Qin Yan sighed: "Since Wen Jiangong, the people in charge of the Xu family have all been great talents in the world. Now that there is such a person in the younger generation, it shows that the Xu family is not declining, and the future is promising!"
After finishing speaking, Qin Yan shook his head: "It's a pity that I only have grandchildren, otherwise I would have written a reply to Xu Song and invited Qin Jin to marry me."
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Forbidden City.
The third watch has passed, and Wang Ji, the eunuch in charge of the ceremony, is carefully lifting the wick with a silver solder to make the candle as thick as an arm brighter.
After all the candles in the hall were picked out one by one, at that moment, there was a sound of a chime, and Emperor Zhizheng, who was wearing the black Taoist robe of the Nine Palaces and Bagua, breathed a long sigh of relief and slowly stood up from the Yin Yang Fish paved with purple and gold Bagua bricks. .
At this moment, Wang Ji put down his silver hammer and came to the emperor's side, lifting him up with both hands.
"Your Majesty, I have prepared some bird's nests, white fungus, and some light snacks. Can you use some before reading the memorial?" Wang Ji smiled and helped Emperor Zhizheng sit down in front of the case.
Emperor Zhizheng sighed: "You, an old man who has followed me for many years, know my thoughts. That fool Wang Mian, at this time, only wants to bother me with the memorial first!"
Wang Jidui smiled and said: "Although Wang Mian is a little stupid, he is also loyal to His Majesty."
Emperor Zhizheng sneered and said: "Loyalty? Why didn't He Xian get it? Who is Wang Mian from outside? Do you really think I am deaf or blind?"
Wang Ji's back was covered with cold sweat after hearing this, and he could only lower his head and say nothing.
Seeing his appearance, Emperor Zhizheng smiled faintly: "I am just complaining to you, but with you looking after me, Superintendent of Ceremonies, I can rest assured!"
Wang Ji brought a small gold-painted bowl filled with bird's nests and white fungus and placed it on the table. He also placed a few ordinary fruit snacks on the table. He just laughed and didn't talk to him the whole time.
Emperor Zhizheng seemed to have become accustomed to the behavior of the first eunuch in the harem. He picked up the chopsticks and revealed the incident just now.
At this time, while the emperor was having a meal, Wang Ji whispered: "Your Majesty, there is a letter from You Xiao, saying that your Majesty has been looking for an outsider who is from Xinghua County in the south. His name is Lu Xixing, he is proficient in the dual cultivation method of Taoism, and it is said that he was personally taught by Lu Zu."
The emperor ate silently and didn't say anything after hearing this.
Wang Ji knew that this was the emperor's acquiescence to bring people into the palace to see him, so he hesitated for a moment and continued: "There is another report in You Xiaoxin. It is said that there was a riot in the stoves of the Lianghuai Salt Farm, which caused great disturbance in the local area. !”
When Emperor Zhizheng heard this, he paused with his chopsticks, but continued to eat without saying anything.
After he finished eating, Wang Ji asked someone to clear the table and bring all the memorials over.
Emperor Zhizheng picked up one of the books and saw a yellow sticker that read: "There are many disadvantages in the book. Please change the salt law. There are two strategies! It is signed by Chen Hua, the magistrate of Hailing County."
When Emperor Zhizheng saw this, a ferocious look flashed across his face.
Wang Ji watched with horror.
After the emperor finished reading the memorial, he flipped Chen Hua's memorial onto the case frivolously and landed on the case where the read memorial should have been placed.
Wang Ji knew that the majesty he served usually showed no expression of joy or anger. It seemed that his actions just now showed that he was furious at this moment. However, the royal etiquette he had developed since childhood made him not as big as a common man. angry.
Just when Wang Ji was worried, the door of the palace was suddenly pushed open, and Queen Xie, who usually went deep into the palace, walked in.
Just when Wang Ji was wondering why Queen Xie came here at this time, he saw Queen Xie smiling at him.
Wang Ji reacted immediately and said: "Your Highness, I will bring you a bowl of bird's nest and white fungus when I go out!"
…
