There's a gentle breeze.
It blew on the ground and wrinkled the spring water.
Hu Hai has left.
Ji Heng's house was quiet again.
The city was still as noisy as the previous days, even a little more chaotic.
"The haze is the air, the rain and soil are faint, the sky and the earth are bloody, and the top and bottom are surly." Such a rumor suddenly spread in the city. I don't know where it came from, but it quickly spread throughout the city, regardless of whether it was in the city or not. Strangers and acquaintances were all muttering to each other, telling each other a series of stories about the salt and iron that had been fermenting for several days.
There are even more alchemists in the city busy explaining.
But no matter what, in the end they were all surprised.
Something is going to happen to Qin!
It will eventually fall on salt and iron.
When the people in the city were gathering and whispering, someone in the crowd suddenly asked a question.
"Didn't the government keep any excess salt or iron?"
One word fell.
The surroundings soon became quiet.
An old man also asked: "Does the government have salt and iron?"
No one said a word for a long time.
After a period of silence, someone laughed loudly and said, "Zaizi is still awake, and your old man is still awake? What can't the government get out?"
"Let's just say that if the twelve golden men standing in front of the imperial city were to be melted down, I don't know how many good farm tools could be forged. The key is, is the imperial court willing to melt them down?"
"Your Majesty should be willing to bear it." Someone in the crowd said uncertainly.
"What are you criticizing again? If anyone dares to speak nonsense and slander His Majesty and the government, don't blame the officials." At this time, a small official in soap-colored clothes came over from nowhere, not forgetting as he walked. Give a verbal warning.
When they saw the little official, everyone didn't even dare to say anything.
They winked at each other and stopped talking, but the worry in their eyes could not be concealed. After hesitating for a while, the old man couldn't help but asked: "May I ask the superiors about the government's response to the matter of salt and iron in Guanzhong?" , what exactly is your attitude?”
"It's been almost ten days, why haven't you seen any movement from the government?"
I saw someone speaking.
The people around the clerk also spoke.
"yes."
"Spring plowing is about to begin, and we can't do it without salt and iron."
"The iron hoe in my house has been damaged for a long time and cannot be used at all. I tried to save money and tried to buy a new one, but the iron salt sank into the water. What will happen if I miss the spring plowing? .”
"Yes, yes."
"Sir, may I ask what the government thinks?"
"."
Everyone was talking in a hurry.
There was a trace of impatience in the eyes of the young official in soap clothes. He shook his sleeves and shook away the four or five hands that were holding the corners of his clothes. He said dissatisfiedly: "I don't know anything about the affairs of the imperial court. I can't even feed a small official." No, how do you know the attitude of the government? And even if there is any movement from the government, the young master has to come forward."
"How could I know so much?"
Finished.
The servant in soap clothes wanted to go out.
But before he took a few steps, he was blocked by the crowd again.
The young official in soap clothes looked angry.
But in the face of the fierce crowd, he could only look dull and dark, not daring to be tough anymore. He could tell that these people in front of him were already a little paranoid.
The old man said again: "Sir, you work as an errand in the government. You know more than us, and you know some things. This is related to the livelihood of our family."
The old man stamped his feet on the ground anxiously.
The young official in soap clothes looked embarrassed, hesitated for a while, and then reluctantly said: "I actually don't know much, but it's not necessarily true that I don't know anything at all. After all, I am also an official."
When he mentioned "official", the young official in soap clothes showed a touch of arrogance on his face.
He continued: "I have inquired in the past few days. The imperial court still attaches great importance to the Guanzhong salt and iron matter. His Majesty even arranged for the eldest son to handle it. However, it is different from what you think. The eldest son will handle it. It’s the shipwreck case in Huai County.”
"I have never cared about the lack of salt and iron."
There were exclamations from all around.
"ah?!"
"Don't care?"
"How can this be?"
"Those are dozens of big ships. So much salt and iron have sunk into the water. How could the eldest son not care about it? So much salt and iron affects so many people's livelihoods. You kid, don't talk nonsense."
The servant in soap clothes was not angry and ignored them, and sneered: "What do you know? Can the government be the same as what you see? You just stare at your own fields every day. Who is the eldest son? He is the eldest son of His Majesty. He cares about you." Can I be like you?"
"Let alone dozens of ships of salt and iron, even hundreds of ships will sink if they sink."
"It's not eye-catching at all."
"You boy, what do you know? That's salt and iron? During the spring plowing, even His Majesty has to personally lead the ministers to hold a ceremony and plow with the grass in hand. How could the eldest son not be interested? He is the eldest son and has a long history. The eldest son in the name of benevolence and righteousness." The old man shouted angrily.
But he didn't know whether it was Fusu's indifference or the angry indifference of the court.
"How do I know this? Anyway, the eldest son has indeed not taken care of the information I have inquired about. He may not even know about it at all. You are the only one who has made such a fuss about these things. How many people in the government care about it? But if you really want to It’s not impossible for the imperial court to take action.”
"At least." The young official said sadly, "Let the eldest son know about this."
"What nonsense are you talking about? How could the eldest son not know this?" The old man was furious.
But someone on the side grabbed the old man and said in surprise: "It's possible that the eldest son doesn't know that I have a nephew who works in Tingwei Mansion. He just came back from Huai County two days ago. I went to ask him yesterday what he thought about salt. We are completely unaware of the impact of iron deficiency."
"The eldest son is probably the same."
"But..." the old man blushed.
The young official sneered and said: "This man is still sensible. The things the eldest son sees are different from us. What the eldest son is dealing with is not your matter, but the shipwreck in Huai County. Don't look at the eldest son with your eyes." Young Master, that’s not an identity.”
A male duck in the crowd shouted: "The eldest son doesn't know? Then we can't just ignore this matter. Spring plowing is coming soon. If we delay it any longer, we will delay the farming work. This will not cost people's lives." ?"
"yes."
"If this is not resolved, how many people will die."
"."
Seeing the excitement around him, the clerk hesitated for a moment and said in a low voice: "Actually, it's not impossible. I think the government is so calm. I'm afraid the salt and iron matter is not a problem at all in the eyes of the government. As long as the matter is dealt with If it reaches the ears of the eldest son, he will definitely help you solve it with his kindness."
"And don't forget it."
"The young master is in charge of the mountains, rivers and seas of the world."
“Isn’t that what salt and iron come from?”
"Other places are lacking, how can the Shaofu still be lacking?"
"It's useless for you to pull me. I'm just an errand boy. What's the use? If you are really capable, go find other people and let them spread the word to the eldest son. Let the eldest son come forward. Please If the government takes action, once the young government takes action, will this huge amount of salt and iron still matter?"
"At worst, it can be shipped from other places."
"Don't drag me around either."
"I still have something to do."
While talking to the clerk, he struggled to get out of the crowd.
It seemed like he was running away.
After the official left, the crowd gradually came back to their senses.
The man with the duck voice said, "What this boy said makes sense. There is no use asking anyone else for this matter. The government won't care about it at all. Only the eldest son can help, and the eldest son must speak. Only then can these things be conveyed to His Majesty’s ears, so that the young master can open a warehouse.”
"Can the young master really solve this problem?" someone in the crowd asked anxiously.
The man with the duck voice said loudly: "That's for sure. Didn't you listen to that boy? The Young Mansion is in charge of this, and didn't the Young Mansion take over the production of salt and iron some time ago? Can the Young Mansion still save money for itself? Some salt and iron?”
"Will the young master take action?" Some people were still worried.
“It’s never wrong to try.”
Just when the crowd gradually spread the word that the young manor could solve the salt and iron problem, the small official in soap clothes had already retired and was now back at the Tingwei Mansion, working with an official wearing a hat.
The official sitting in the hall had a square face, wore a crown and dark clothes, had a thick sagittal beard on his lips, wore brocade shoes, and held a bamboo scroll in one hand. He did not look at the clerk and asked slowly: "Is the matter completed?"
"Back to the chief official, I have done what the chief official ordered."
"This is the eldest son's order." The man frowned and corrected.
The junior official was startled and quickly changed his words: "The junior official made a mistake and followed the eldest son's instructions. If the eldest son hadn't spoken, how could the junior official dare to be so bold and arbitrarily criticized the young master."
The clerk also had a wry smile on his face.
The man glanced at the young official, seemed to have thought of something, and warned: "If you follow me back to the court from Lingnan, remember that too much talk will lead to mistakes. The Tingwei Mansion is not stable at the moment, so don't get into trouble."
Hear the words.
The little official was shocked.
He knew what the chief official was reminding him.
In the past few days, rumors suddenly spread in the Tingwei Mansion. Meng Yi has caused dissatisfaction with the eldest son due to his dereliction of duty, and may be dismissed from office. If Meng Yi is removed from the post of Tingwei, the new Tingwei will most likely be replaced by the current Tingwei. Three officials were selected from the Zheng, Zuo Jian and Right Jian.
The official in front of me is serving as Tingweizheng.
If Shi Lu could go further, how could he, who followed Shi Lu back from Lingnan, not benefit from this?
He quickly bowed his head and said: "Chief officials, don't worry, the subordinates will never dare to cause trouble."
Shi Lu held the bamboo slip with one hand and touched the beard on his lips with the other hand, moving back and forth on the clerk. He quickly made a decision. He placed the bamboo slip in his hand on the case and said, "Take this bamboo slip back and take a look." , you went deep into the market and had dealings with many merchants when you were building the Ling Canal."
"The imperial court wants to draft a "Business Code", and you may be able to make contributions in it."
The clerk's heart was pounding.
Didn't he understand Shi Lu's voice?
This is obviously to promote yourself.
He suppressed the excitement in his heart and hurriedly paused and said: "I will obey the order. I will strictly consider it after I get down. I will never let down the love of the senior officials."
"Go down." Shi Lu raised his hand.
The clerk bowed again, walked quietly to the case, clasped the bamboo slips tightly in his hands, and slowly backed away.
Shi Lu closed his eyes slightly, looked outside the room, and took out a bamboo slip from under the case again, the same bamboo slip that was given to the clerk just now.
(End of chapter)
