"We don't charge good officials who ask for orders for the people and do good things for the people. If you cling to the powerful and confuse right and wrong..."
"You won't betray me?" The strong man showed an honest smile.
"No answer." Sun Fujia looked at him suspiciously again, giving people a strange feeling in Luoyang. Returning to the temporary official residence arranged in Luoyang, Ma Zhou happened to ask a few scholars.
Seeing that the person had returned, he sat down again,
"Has Sun Shaoqing sent the letter?" Sun Fugao nodded,
"It has been sent to Chang'an. I don't know how the court will react when they know this." Ma Zhou whispered: "These children of aristocratic families are becoming more and more aggressive. They start to seize people's fields and then sell them for money. , can’t ignore it.”
"Report! Sun Shaoqing, Ma Yushi Luoyang General Duke Qu Tushou asked for an audience." Sun Fujia nodded and said: "What is he doing here?" The visitor reported: "It is said that he has something important to report." Qu Tushou's father When he died at an early age, he inherited his father's title. His father, Qu Tutong, was also an old minister of the Qin Palace.
It is rumored that Qu Tutong was also involved in the Xuanwu Sect affairs, and won the trust of His Majesty to take up the post of Luoyang. But in the next year, Qu Tutong passed away at the age of seventy-two.
He left two sons. The eldest son Qu Tushou also stayed in Luoyang after inheriting the title. It stands to reason that they have a long history in Luoyang, and their family's status in Luoyang is also not small.
Ma Zhou took a sip of tea.
"Let people in."
"Here." Qu Tushou was over forty years old. He walked into the mansion and bowed: "I've met Sun Shaoqing, and I've met Ma Yushi."
"No need to be polite." Ma Zhou hurriedly stepped forward and helped the person who was saluting up. This was a descendant of Qu Tutong who followed Li Shimin to conquer the world and conquer Luoyang.
Ma Zhou was very polite and respectful to him. Qu Tushou looked sad,
"You two have been in Luoyang for some time, and you must have understood the situation here." Sun Fujia observed him. He seemed to be a very honest man, and his conversation was very humble.
"We have indeed found some clues, but we still need to verify them before we can make a decision."
"Sun Shaoqing, please save Luoyang." Qu Tushou saluted again and took out a memorial.
"This is the changes in Luoyang in the past ten years, as well as the records of their inaction in Luoyang in the past ten years, including the list of people involved in the sugar trade." Ma Zhou took the list and whispered: "Has anyone else seen this? A roster?" Qu Tushou replied,
"Not yet." What Qu Tushou said next to the two of them revealed the situation in Luoyang at this moment. The situation in Luoyang City is very complicated. On the one hand, Chen Guoren and Chen Situ's lineage control military power both inside and outside Luoyang City. .
Once chaos breaks out in Luoyang, it will not only involve the safety of Luoyang, but also the stability of Henan as a whole.
There is also a line of civil servants headed by children of aristocratic families, who control the civil affairs of Luoyang. The family controlled many noble families in Hebei, Henan, Taiyuan and other places.
Sun Fujia felt heavy after hearing this. Ma Zhou also felt that the situation was serious. At this moment in Lishan, Li Tai received a letter from Li Xin and asked someone to give away the remaining three hundred stones of sugar.
The sugar-making workshops in Lishan were also closed. Li Tai whispered: "Without my brother-in-law's instructions, I will keep all the brown sugar and stop making white sugar."
"Here." Several guards nodded in agreement. After organizing the workshop, Li Tai had the letter sent to Chang'an City. He tightened his clothes and
"Do you think it's particularly cold this year?" Several guards nodded in agreement. The letter arrived at home. After the couple read it, they were silent for a moment and Li Yue whispered: "Can you close the net, husband?"
"It's really time to close the net." After burning the letter sent by Qingque, Li Yue worriedly said: "I don't know whether Luoyang's money can be safely delivered to Lishan." Zhang Yang drank the tea in the cup,
"I'll go to the palace and ask Aunt Wang to tell Chu Mo so that he can take action in Luoyang."
"Here." Aunt Wang left quickly. Zhang Yang took out a large bag of this year's new rice harvest from his warehouse and sent it to the palace as a New Year's gift.
Changsun Wuji received the news first and had already gone to see His Majesty. As soon as he came out of Zhuque Gate, he saw Zhang Yang coming with a big bag on his shoulders.
He asked in surprise: "Zhang Yang? His Majesty is about to summon you, why are you here?" Zhang Yang, carrying a sack of rice, smiled and said, "Yes, why am I here?"
"You..." Changsun Wuji looked confused again.
"How did you know that His Majesty would summon you?"
"Yes, how did I know?" After leaving these words, Zhang Yang quickly walked into the Suzaku Gate.
Changsun Wuji stood in the center of the cold wind, full of doubts and confusion. He looked at Zhang Yang and then at the Zhuque Street behind him. His mind was full of doubts. He frowned and walked to Hongwen Hall to arrange the next thing.
Zhang Yang carried the sack all the way to the Chengtian Gate and said to the guard in front of the gate: "General, please report. I will come to the palace to give a New Year gift to His Majesty."
"In normal times, we can let Zhang Shilang enter the Chengtian Gate, but now that he has taken a rest, we still hope to wait here."
"It doesn't matter, just wait here. You are responsible for the safety of the imperial city. I understand." Not long after, the prince and his father-in-law came in a hurry.
"Your Majesty, please invite Mr. Zhang to enter the Ganlu Palace." The guard let him go, and Zhang Yang quickly walked into the Chengtian Gate and said with a smile: "Old Wang, I just saw Zhao Guogong here." The prince's face was full of smiles,
"The Duke of Zhao came to the palace to discuss matters in Luoyang with His Majesty."
"I wonder what Duke Zhao Guo has planned?"
"The county prince is embarrassing the old slave again. It would be better for His Majesty to inform him personally about such matters. How dare the old slave talk nonsense."
"You are still as rigorous as ever."
"Old slave serving His Majesty should be careful in his words and deeds."
"You are really suitable to come to Lishan." Faced with Zhang Yang's eager gaze, Wang Gonggong smiled apologetically.
"Don't let the county prince talk about such things again. This old slave will never leave your majesty."
"It's okay, I can wait." Zhang Yang lifted the sack on his shoulder again.
"We in Lishan are short of talents that the prince can mobilize and coordinate." Walking to the front of Ganlu Hall, Lao Wang was still smiling. His temples were gray and wrinkled when he smiled.
Zhang Yang put down the sack in front of the palace, straightened his clothes and walked into the palace. The hall was very warm, and a stove was burning. Li Shimin was sitting in the hall, reading a book.
"I was just about to summon you, but I didn't want you to come now." Zhang Yang nodded and said, "I'm here to give you a New Year gift." Li Shimin frowned and nodded.
"Is that the sack of rice?"
"Yes, this is our new rice harvest in Lishan this year. The cold winter came early this year, so the harvest was not good. I left a bag for Your Majesty, and you can also give it to the younger brothers and sisters in the palace."
"I thank you on their behalf."
"Your Majesty, you are welcome."
"Sit down." Zhang Yang took the chair handed by Lao Wang and sat down. He took the warm tea, frowned at the amount of tea in the bowl, and put the tea bowl down again.
"Why, the tea I gave you doesn't suit your taste?"
"Your Majesty's tea is getting stronger and stronger." Li Shimin nodded and said: "I don't know what's wrong? I can't live without this kind of tea. Unknowingly, it's getting stronger and stronger." The emperor was worried about state affairs, and Zhang Yang looked at him He is still making notes on the scroll. You can tell the state of a person by watching him drink tea.
The emperor's tea was getting thicker and thicker, which also showed his mental state. Zhang Yang whispered: "Your Majesty, can you come to Lishan to celebrate the New Year this year? My younger brothers and sisters should also go to Lishan to visit their grandpa." Li Shimin finally put down the book in his hand, relaxed his arms,
"I will go to Lishan to visit my father, but I can only go there once. There are many things to be arranged in the court. There are nobles from various clans who want to come to congratulate me. I still have to sit in the Tai Chi Hall, so I can't Leave." The emperor expressed his dilemma.
His words paused again,
"I will let Li Zhi and the others go to Lishan. Father will be happier if the children are here. You and Yue'er should make preparations early."
"Here." Li Shimin confirmed that there were no omissions in the annotations on the scroll, put down his pen, and handed the scroll over.
"I have to trouble your brother-in-law again."
"As the children's brother-in-law, I should do the same." Zhang Yang took the scroll from His Majesty and saw that it was a roster.
There are many names on the roster, and those circled among them are all important people. Li Shimin took a sip of hot tea.
"The auxiliary machine has received news from Luoyang. He hopes that I will appoint Qu Tutong's son Qu Tushou as the temporary governor of Luoyang and command the military in Luoyang to prevent uncontrollable situations in Luoyang." There is also a roster. The names of several children from aristocratic families were circled.
Zhang Yang asked again: "What should we do with the children of these aristocratic families?" Li Shimin smiled and said,
"This was written by Sun Fujia. When he arrived in Luoyang, he began to collect all kinds of evidence, some of which were rumors and some of which were true. He made Qu Tushou temporarily serve as the county governor of Luoyang. However, the children of the aristocratic families in Luoyang are from famous families in various places. Direct lineage."
"I hope they can be expelled from Luoyang by then, in exchange for Luoyang's temporary peace, so as to appease the aristocratic families, and the court can also control Luoyang, and nothing like this will happen again in the future." Zhang Yang finished listening. Then he let out a long sigh.
The cold wind howled outside the hall, and Li Shimin frowned and said, "I think this method is good. Firstly, we don't have to fight with the aristocratic family, and secondly, we can appease them, and they don't dare to refute the court's reasoning."
"They have done so many evil things and just let them go?"
"What do you think?" Zhang Yang stood up and said
"Your Majesty, I am not as magnanimous as Duke Zhao. You must know right from wrong. Even if the children of his aristocratic family do something wrong, they will still be punished by the law. Why should you be lenient to these children of the aristocratic family?" People who know Zhang Yang Temperament, this matter will not let go.
Li Shimin said again: "You mean everything should be dealt with strictly?"
"Catch those who deserve to be arrested and punish them with those who deserve to be punished. We cannot be lenient to them."
"This matter..." Li Shimin looked troubled,
"I understand, please go back. I will summon you to discuss the matter again." He wanted to say something else, but seeing that the emperor had not made up his mind, Zhang Yang could only say, "I have to retire now, and we will discuss it later."
"Wait!" Li Shimin called Zhang Yang again,
"On the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth lunar month, I will take the children to Mount Li. You and Yue'er should prepare first."
"Here."
"Yes." Li Shimin nodded slowly, with a look of exhaustion on his face. Changsun Wuji hoped to treat the aristocratic family gently to avoid a major war. He and Li Shimin did not express their stance on both sides, leaving the officials to fight in their nests.
Zhang Yang returned home and picked up the firewood knife to chop the firewood again and again.
"The emperor is playing tricks of power!"
"No one who is an emperor is a good person!"
"They're all bastards!"
"If it weren't for the fact that Luoyang spent so much money, I would still look at Changsun Wuji's face!" The master would curse every time he cracked open the firewood.
Xiao Wu and Xu Hui looked helpless.
"Xiao Hui, you find that you often go home without the master, and you often lose your temper." Xu Hui nodded,
"Senior sister is right. Master must often encounter unhappy things." Feeling a little sweaty, Zhang Yang threw away the hatchet.
I went back to the house and washed up. Seeing that my wife had prepared hot water, I took off my coat and washed it. Then I put on loose clothes and sat on the deck chair in the yard, trying to calm down my mood.
Li Yuehao packed up her clothes and walked back to the house. She saw that the water in the bathtub was turbid and looked at her husband's wet hair.
She frowned and stood there for a long time, wondering why her husband had used the hot water she used to take a bath.
Noticing the angry look on his wife's face, Zhang Yang added: "The water temperature is very good, and it is very comfortable to wash." Seeing her husband's expression of enjoyment, Li Yue was so angry that she stomped back to the house and prepared hot water again.
At the end of the year, there are more and more people in Chang'an City. This is the busiest time of the year. I heard that on New Year's Eve in previous years, auspicious signs would appear in the night sky of Chang'an City. Some people came here to see what the auspicious signs looked like and what flowers blooming in the night sky looked like.
On the second day before the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month, the family came to Lishan. Along with Li Shimin came a group of children from the palace, and the village had to prepare in advance.
The two aunts have become the leaders of the village. They give an order to all the women in the village to prepare together.
To welcome the new year, Lishan's workshops have also stopped working and will not resume work until after the new year. No matter how busy Lishan is, the village's annual New Year's Eve banquet and work stoppage are untouchable.
No matter how intense the production tasks are, work will be suspended during these days at the end of the year, so that everyone can take a good rest.
Running water mats are placed in the village for several days to celebrate the good life at hand. In the coming year, we will continue to work hard to get rid of poverty and become rich.
Zhang Yang was sitting at the door of his house, looking at the excitement in the village at the moment. The children's classes had also been temporarily suspended. Children of all ages were playing in groups in the village.
In line with the idea that the excitement in front of him has nothing to do with him, Li Tai's eyes are dull and he is running Lishan's business with heart. Counting money every day can make him happier, but he can no longer cheer up for other things.
At this moment, he had a sense of being detached from the world. Except for money and always being filial to the emperor, everything else was insignificant to him.
The two held their own worries and were quiet for a long time. Li Tai spoke first to break the silence,
"Brother-in-law, if nothing happens, Li Xing still has 500,000 guan of silver on hand, which is being sent to Lishan in batches."
