"Shangchao," Zou Cheng said with an embarrassment: "private kitchen households, these things do exist. In the ninth year of Hongzhi, Southern Zhili and Jiangxi were hit by disasters. Liu Wensi, the censor of Jiangxi Province, went to the imperial court to ask for two Huaiyu salt was used to help the victims, as the late emperor also promised."
What Zou Cheng meant was that although these things sounded unpleasant to say, the emperor actually knew them. At that time, there was no way to deal with the disaster. Tens of thousands of people were crying for food. Looking around, they could not find any silver coins for disaster relief. There was some leftover salt in the salt field, so naturally they quickly sold it out.
It was an emergency measure at the time.
But in fact, it also smells like cheating.
It is equivalent to finding a way to legalize 'Yu Yan' at that special juncture.
The so-called leftover salt refers to the salt left over from the kitchen door after class.
This is indeed the case in history. In the middle of the Ming Dynasty, the rulers had to admit the existence of Yu Yan in disguise due to financial leakage when they had no choice.
Officials now dare to speak. It’s not like your emperor just says these things are okay when he needs them, but now he doesn’t need to change his tone and say it’s not okay, right?
This is not the way to kill a donkey.
But Gu Zuo is not a vegetarian. He can't deal with those elite officials who play tricks, but he is not afraid of the methods of bullying and concealment by subordinate officials below.
"Ambassador Zou means that the imperial court should not take care of the proliferation of illegal salt, let alone the plight of merchants Shouzhi?" He took a sip of hot tea and lowered his eyebrows, "Gu has no intention of arresting anyone. , why should Ambassador Zou be afraid?"
Zou Cheng's heart was pounding, and he said with a smile: "What's wrong with the superiors? The lower officials are not afraid. They are just presenting the facts to the superiors. Moreover, the merchants' defense is not only privately owned by the kitchen households, but also occupied frequently. , these... are all questions that cannot be discussed."
As he spoke, he pointed upward.
That means, if you really want to solve this problem and come here to show off your power, it is obvious that the people above want to pay the salt in advance.
"It seems that Ambassador Zou is also a loyal minister who cares about the country and the country."
"Hey, if that's the case, it's just my duty as a minister."
"But Gu came here really intending to solve the problem of guarding Zhi. Moreover, when Gu came out of the capital, His Majesty had just rejected King Qi's memorial to beg for salt. There are all smart people in the capital, and King Qi's invitation was all No, none of the eunuchs in the palace or future relatives would say this again. It can be seen that His Majesty also intends to solve this matter. Just now Ambassador Zou said that there was a feeling of squatting, and Gu felt that this matter was not trivial. "
"Since Ambassador Zou is dedicated to serving the country and has bad intentions, it would be better for him and me to jointly report this matter to His Majesty!"
Zou Cheng's heart trembled, "What are you playing?"
"Of course he's the one who occupied the nest!"
What? !
Zou Cheng was stunned. He wanted to look up to the sky and ask: Will this person be an official?
"Shang Chai!" He said with some fear as his buttocks were halfway off the chair: "If this is done, the officialdom of our Ming Dynasty will definitely be shaken, and Shan Chai will also find himself in a desperate situation!"
"Sacrificing one's life for righteousness is what I want. Ambassador Zou said that the frequent occurrence of nest-occupying phenomena has caused difficulties for merchants to guard their branches. Since you said it, how can I pretend that I didn't hear it? You three, what do you think?"
The three businessmen were a little dumbfounded and looked at each other without knowing what to say.
I don’t know what to say, that’s what I mean.
nonsense,
Of course it’s great for businessmen. You officials should take this risk and raise this issue with the emperor. Let the emperor punish those who occupy the nest. Once the dignitaries and internal officials who occupy the nest are restricted, it will naturally be extremely harmful to them. benefit.
Businessmen value profit over separation.
Even if they usually follow Zou Cheng, hesitation at this time is unavoidable.
They made eye contact, and finally the eldest old man in the middle raised his hand and said: "Everyone speaks softly, and the superiors make the final decision. No matter what, the young people have no objection."
Gu Zuo smiled imperceptibly.
"In any case, I must report the word "Zhanwo" to His Majesty. Otherwise, if His Majesty asks in the future, Ambassador Zou can still say that he has reported it to the Salt Patrol Censor. But what should I, the Salt Patrol Censor, do? Explain to His Majesty?"
Zou Cheng wanted to slap himself.
Why did someone get caught with this!
As for the three salt merchants, there was a hint of hope in their eyes.
For one thing, Gu Zuolai's banner was to relieve the businessmen's difficulty in guarding their branches.
Secondly, the logic behind such a firm expression at this moment is correct.
If this memorial to Gu Zuo is indeed accepted, then they businessmen will have to treat Gu Zuo as their grandfather.
Although the Salt Patrol Censor was originally their grandfather, whether he did anything beneficial to them or not, there was a difference between how close this grandfather was to him.
And Zou Cheng would not be in this book no matter what.
No matter what Gu Zuo said, even if he made the emperor's temper clear enough and said that it would not affect the emperor's treatment of him, Zou Cheng was still unwilling.
In his opinion, this matter is not the emperor's problem.
But other than that, Gu Zuo didn't make particularly excessive demands and didn't ask him about his crime on the spot, so Zou Cheng wouldn't do anything else.
But in this way, the first meeting inevitably ended on bad terms, leaving only superficial politeness to cover up the embarrassment.
But Gu Zuo was confident, so he just had to wait.
Two more days passed,
People from the Yamen of the Lianghuai Salt Envoy always monitored the imperial envoy's journey.
In fact, the people from the salt merchant were also looking at Gu Zuo.
"...Apart from writing poems and playing, don't you have other activities?" Zou Cheng didn't quite believe his subordinate's response.
"Indeed no more. We watched the imperial envoy day and night. He went out twice in total, once to visit an old friend, and once to go out of the city to enjoy the scenery. We saw everything before and after."
"Old friend? What old friend?"
"It's a woman, a courtesan."
Zou Cheng glared at his subordinate, "Then tell me clearly, sir, I thought you were some old court official!"
"Yes, yes, please pay attention next time, little man."
The salt merchants on the other side were also a little more suspicious.
Those following Zou Cheng that day were the Luo, Ji, and Tong families.
It turned out that they had some expectations for Gu Zuo, but they only met him that day, and the imperial envoy couldn't see any difference after that.
Gu Zuo didn't make any move, and they didn't dare to take risks.
After waiting for a few more days, Gu Zuo also felt that something was wrong and quickly adjusted his approach. He met with some salt merchants again, and the main discussion was about the issue of guarding.
From this, some people slowly began to believe that the imperial envoy was really here for this matter.
But the one who really couldn't wait any longer was not the three families of Luo, Ji, and Tong, but a small salt merchant named Ye Liyuan. He was probably in ruins because of the problem of keeping branches, so he had no choice. When there was a life-saving straw like Gu Zuo, he grabbed it without caring about anything.
Gu Zuo was also very simple to the kneeling people - I help you, you help me.
"Your three hundred salt quotations are not a big sum. I am the salt patrol censor personally appointed by His Majesty. Even if I try to force them, I can get rid of these salt quotations from you. But now that the problem of guarding the quota is becoming more and more serious, why should I I want to help you, but you have to give me a reason."
Ye Liyuan's ideological struggle is extremely fierce, but in fact, there is nothing to fight for him. If he kneels here, he is basically desperate.
That is to say, this time the Salt Patrol Censor said he wanted to deal with Shou Zhi.
In the past, how could officials help the people? He is considered a good official even if he doesn't ask you for any money.
"Whatever the official wants the villain to do, the villain will do it. It's just that the villain is a desperate salt merchant and really doesn't know how to help the official."
"No, you can help me." Gu Zuo stepped forward and pulled him up. "Although you are not a big salt merchant, you must know how to do the salt business. So there are many things you can tell me. My officer."
"But I don't know...what does the official want to know?"
"For example, how do households make private salt privately?"
Ye Liyuan knelt down and said, "Master Guan, I know many kitchen households. The kitchen households are all poor people. There is nothing they can do. The court does not even provide enough rice for work. If we don't secretly make some private salt, many people will die." I can’t survive at all!”
"There is a certain amount of money in the world. Since the kitchen households have no money, and the merchants also say that they have suffered losses due to keeping the branches, then I don't understand. Where did the money go?"
Ye Liyuan lowered his head. He actually didn't dare to say anything at this point.
In fact, Zhu Houzhao's understanding of the Salt Law of the Ming Dynasty came from historical data. However, the emperor could not rely on historical data when handling cases. He had to rely on actual evidence. There were so many twists and turns in the Salt Law, and there was no such thing as occupying and buying nests. These cases had to break out. Come out so that he can take measures.
You can't tell your ministers that you have read this history before, right?
So no matter what, he needs an opportunity.
This is what Gu Zuo is doing at the moment.
But Ye Liyuan stopped.
He is afraid.
"Let me tell you, the money on salt has been glutted by officials at all levels, occupied by nobles and ministers, and has also been hidden by those salt merchants, right? The official salt that should be made is not made, and the salt that should be made is not made. The taxes paid are not paid!”
Ye Liyuan still didn't dare to speak.
He just wanted to pay for the salt he had bought in vain so that he could sell it for money. He didn't dare to get involved in the rest.
Just at this moment, Gu Zuo's maid came over to report, "Sir, Ambassador Zou from the Salt Transportation Department is here."
It seems that he is also unable to stabilize himself, knowing that salt merchants will keep coming to find him.
"Ye Liyuan,"
"The villain is here."
"You go and stay behind the screen first."
"yes."
After giving these instructions, he arranged his official uniform and raised his hand, "Let him come in."
At this time, Zou Cheng was extremely anxious.
He sent someone to look at the carriage, and he would naturally know who was coming in. What could a small salt merchant do with the Salt Patrol Censor?
Zou Cheng already had an unknown premonition.
Judging from the current situation, Gu Zuo has indeed not thought about arresting people directly in Yangzhou, but the literati have the sword of the literati. Once he polishes the characters, he will report all the things here to the court and to His Majesty.
So what should we do?
Don't say this guy can't do it!
(End of chapter)
