In the restaurant, Zhang An and others looked at each other and knew it was time to serve the main course.
Zhang An was the first to take out a few banknotes from his arms and gently placed them in front of Yang Xuan.
Others followed suit and took out their banknotes and placed them in front of Yang Xuan.
Yang Xuan glanced at it with his peripheral vision and made some calculations in his mind.
The total number of these banknotes is probably two thousand taels.
With Zhang An's salary, I don't know how long it will take to save enough.
Now taking out hundreds of taels at a time, it seems that he is quite greedy!
Yang Xuan coughed twice, looked at Zhang An, and said, "Master Zhang, what are you doing?"
"Sir, that's what I mean, nothing else!" Zhang An said with a smile.
The others also laughed.
"Heh, are you using this to test me?"
"Which official can't stand the test?"
"I tell you, you have seen the wrong person!"
Yang Xuan lectured with a straight face.
If I didn't know what kind of person you are, I might have been fooled by you... Hearing Yang Xuan's words, Zhang An felt disdainful.
Of course, nothing changes on the surface.
He knew that Yang Xuan was dissatisfied with the lack of money.
He had already made a lot of preparations for this.
The two thousand taels of silver notes were just a test to see how much Yang Xuan's bottom line was worth!
If you pay too much for the first time, isn’t that a loss?
You know, when he embezzled all this money, he was very worried and put a lot of thought into it.
Even if you lose money, you can’t lose too much.
"Your Excellency is so upright and upright, I admire you greatly!" Zhang An flattered him and took out a few more banknotes from his arms.
Others also took out their banknotes and placed them on the table again.
This time, all the banknotes totaled almost five thousand taels.
Yang Xuan just glanced at it lightly, then picked up the teacup in front of him and took a sip.
Then he spoke slowly: "Mr. Zhang, you should take this money back."
"A few days ago, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince rewarded me with hundreds of taels of gold, and it's all still at home now."
The implication is that more money is needed.
He didn't believe that the few people present could only come up with so little money.
Zhang An has been in office for several years and has close relations with the local gentry.
How can the family’s property be reduced?
No matter what, tens of thousands of taels have to be squeezed out of these people.
So greedy... Zhang An cursed secretly in his heart, but still smiled apologetically on the surface.
Immediately afterwards, a stack of silver notes appeared in front of Yang Xuan.
This time it looked like there were at least tens of thousands of taels.
Yang Xuan's face changed quickly, and he looked at Zhang An with a smile: "Master Zhang, if you have anything to say, it doesn't matter. If I can help, I will naturally help."
Hearing this, Zhang An also breathed a sigh of relief.
He was really afraid that Yang Xuan would not be satisfied.
"I don't have anything serious to do, I need your help."
"Just a little thing."
"Master Zhang, please speak."
"Yanzhou Prefecture has outstanding people and simple people. The official has been in office for several years."
"I hope that after you return to Beijing, you can say a few kind words in front of His Majesty."
"Easy to say, easy to say." Yang Xuan smiled.
As for knowing everything you say, okay!
…
After leaving the restaurant, Yang Xuan returned to the residence arranged for him by Zhang An.
Not long after, Jiang Wei came over.
"Uncle, these guys are really rich!"
he said excitedly.
"They gave more than a thousand taels of silver notes to the villain alone."
"Other brothers, ranging from dozens of taels to hundreds of taels."
"You can take the money as long as you take it, but don't spend it."
"This is all evidence and will be handed over to His Majesty when the time comes."
Yang Xuan smiled slightly and said.
"Young man understands," Jiang Wei said.
"Um!"
In the following days, Yang Xuan, led by Zhang An, ate, drank and had fun in Yanzhou Mansion.
…
Beijing.
Imperial Palace, Wuying Hall.
Lao Zhu was very angry.
"Biao'er, look, what did this bastard do when he went to Yanzhou Mansion?"
"Eating, drinking and having fun, hanging out in brothels every day, and even accepting bribes."
"I'm afraid he has forgotten his identity."
Lao Zhu handed Zhu Biao the information returned by the spies.
After reading the latter, it did record what Yang Xuan did in Yanzhou Mansion.
He said: "Father, please calm down."
"My son, I believe in Yang Xuan's character."
Since Queen Ma left, Lao Zhu has become extremely angry. Zhu Biao now just wants Lao Zhu to calm down.
With Yang Xuan's character, how could he be greedy for this?
I'm afraid it's just to confuse those people!
Under Zhu Biao's explanation, Lao Zhu quickly calmed down.
Thinking about it carefully, it is true that Yang Xuan is not that kind of person.
It’s just that Lao Zhu will not admit his mistakes easily.
He snorted coldly: "What is going on? Everything will be clear when he comes back."
"Father is right." Zhu Biao did not argue.
…
After staying in Yanzhou Mansion for a few days, and waiting for the men sent by Jiang Wei to find out the situation and collect evidence, Yang Xuan set off and left Yanzhou Mansion.
He has other places to go!
On the way.
Jiang Wei gave a report to Yang Xuan.
"Sir, these people really deserve to die."
"When they collect taxes, they cleverly create names such as water money, cart money, food money, treasury money, cattail basket money, bamboo basket money, god and Buddha money, etc."
"It simply brings out the best in the common people."
Jiang Wei said through gritted teeth.
"Is this true for Yanzhou alone, or is it true for the entire western Zhejiang?"
"Jiang Wei, let your brothers investigate carefully."
"Don't miss it at all."
"After this is completed, I will personally ask Your Majesty for your merits."
Yang Xuan said seriously.
"Uncle Xie." Jiang Yu said happily.
"Yeah." Yang Xuan hummed lightly.
He is in a bad mood now.
These days, his stay in Yanzhou was not in vain.
He knew exactly what kind of life the people of Yanzhou Mansion were living.
"Damn these moths!"
Time passed, and it took Yang Xuan more than half a month to understand the situation in western Zhejiang.
He roughly calculated that this year's autumn grain for Shaojiao in Western Zhejiang was far more than one million dan.
Two million stones, no matter what, I still have it.
"These bitches are too courageous."
"I have embezzled so much food and I am not afraid of dying."
Thinking of this, Yang Xuan couldn't help but sympathize with Lao Zhu.
No matter how determined Lao Zhu is in eradicating corruption and how cruel his methods are.
But corruption cannot be eradicated.
Yang Xuan was also thinking about this problem, and finally discovered that it is still the human heart!
It is true that some people are greedy out of necessity, but most people become officials just to make money.
They say you can get promoted and make a fortune, right?
As the official becomes more senior, the younger brothers below will pay more filial piety.
"It's also Lao Zhu's fault. The salary set is too low."
Yang Xuan sighed and thought no more.
He still needs to go to Taiping, Zhenjiang and other places.
It's a pity that he still couldn't return to Beijing before the Chinese New Year.
By the time things were over and we returned to the capital, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month had already passed.
…
