Under the moonlight, three speedboats cut across the lake, and the splashing water fell on the lake, creating ripples.
The clipper docked, and Li Xuan, who looked solemn, was the first to go ashore, followed closely by Qiu Zhenmu, Su Baotong, Su Yu, Wei Gong, Wei Heng and others.
At this time, the dock was already brightly lit.
A dozen Qianniu Guards stood on both sides of the pier holding torches high. Further away, a black-framed carriage stopped by the roadside.
Li Xuan greeted Zhang Huan, who had been waiting for a long time, and handed over the written souvenir: "Send a letter to the Governor's Office immediately. Send this letter to Governor Yuan personally, without passing through anyone else."
"Here!" Zhang Huan took the souvenir and immediately turned around and left.
Wei Gong on the side looked at the souvenir with a slightly ugly expression.
That letter will completely nail Mr. Qi on the charge of treason.
At this moment, a speedboat came from the lake behind and shouted loudly from a distance: "Your Majesty, wait a moment!"
Li Xuan, who had just reached the car, stopped and looked at the lake in the distance with a frown.
The clipper quickly landed, and three figures got off the boat one after another. The first one was Monk Fang Qin, who was born in Niutoushan and is now working in Lingyin Temple. Following him were Professor Gao Xiang, Gao Fenglan, and Jing, who was disguised as a man. Zhao Du's Duliu.
Monk Fang Qin took the lead and clasped his hands together. While looking at Li Xuan, he breathed a sigh of relief: "I have seen the prince and heard that the prince was assassinated. Everyone on the boat was shocked and couldn't bear the consequences. The poor monk hurriedly chased after him. Now he saw that the prince was fine. This poor monk has finally let go of his mind, Amitabha."
"Thank you so much, Master. Thank you for helping me." Li Xuan returned the salute and looked at Gao Xiang and Du Liu behind, who returned the salute.
"The poor monk is chasing the prince. Apart from checking on the prince's health, he actually has private matters to discuss." As he said this, Monk Fang Qin turned to look at Du Liu behind him.
Du Liu immediately stepped forward and handed over a letter with a respectful expression. Li Xuan took the letter with some surprise, took it away and read it briefly. His face immediately showed a hint of surprise: "Brother Du, please come this way, Wei Weng." Please come with Brother Wei."
After speaking, Li Xuan took the lead in heading towards the carriage without caring about the others.
Qiu Zhenmu and Su Baotong turned around and walked towards the war horses next to them. Su Yu and Gao Xiang hesitated slightly and followed them. Chinese website
There was only one Monk Fang Qin left on the shore. Although he was left alone, Monk Fang Qin not only did not have any dissatisfaction, but instead clasped his hands together and saluted slightly in the direction in which the carriage left.
There was a hint of hope and a hint of worry in his face.
Li Xuan opened the car curtain slightly, the moonlight filtered through, and the figures in the car were clearly visible.
Li Xuan and Du Liu sit on the left, while father and son Wei, Gong, and Kui Heng sit on the right.
The car curtains were lowered, and the car fell into darkness again. As the car curtains swayed, moonlight occasionally penetrated, and the light and shadow flickered.
"Weng Wei." Li Xuan spoke first, looking at Wei Gong opposite and said, "What is the relationship between the Wei family and Mr. Qi? Why are you helping him so much?"
Although the Wei family is at the bottom among the sixteen families of Wu and Yue, it is not just a group of people who can easily rise above them.
Even Mr. Qi, who had the support of the governor of Hangzhou, could not do it.
The trick of pretending to be powerful doesn't work at all with these aristocratic families. They are the ones who are best at this kind of game.
"Of course it's profit!" Wei Heng said quietly, glanced at his father Wei Gong, and then said to Li Xuan: "Your Majesty, I don't know. Although Hangzhou produces the most silk in the land of Sanwu, it even accounts for 40% of the entire land of Wu and Yue, but the annual silk production in Hangzhou is less than 20%. In addition to Suzhou, Huzhou is also a big silk-producing state. "
"Except for Hangzhou in the southeast, Suzhou produces the most silk every year. Therefore, although each family secretly compromises, the competition for silk is also very fierce at the local level. It is not surprising that sometimes people die because of it."
Wei Gong sighed softly, looked at Li Xuan and said: "Although the Wei family is mainly engaged in transportation, they also often purchase raw silk to make a profit, and Mr. Qi is preparing to expand the business in Wuzhou, Taizhou, Quzhou, Kuozhou and other places. Silkworm tree planting, Wei
By joining forces with them, we believe we can gain some advantages and gain more say. "
"That's it." Li Xuan nodded. Hu Yu, the governor of Hangzhou, once said before that the entire silk industry is very huge, and every link is divided very finely.
Nowadays, after many years, it is not easy for the entire industry to achieve new development.
There are only two feasible methods, one is to reduce expenditure and the other is to increase revenue.
To reduce expenditure, it is nothing more than trying every means to exploit and exploit the lower-level silk households and weavers. Every time one more copper coin is squeezed out of them, the upper-level families will make an unknown amount of profit.
This is why many people often see rich slaves from many wealthy families beating ordinary farmers below to half death for a copper plate.
In the 16th Wuyue family, every copper coin in the family was stained with blood.
As for open source, it means planting trees and producing silk.
"I will do this after I arrive in Wuzhou. I have enough contacts in Taizhou and Kuozhou to do these things. There is no need to worry. In the end, there is only one Quzhou left. Wei Weng should know that Quzhou is east of Wuzhou is connected to Hongzhou in the west. Unfortunately, it is all under my control..." Li Xuan's eyes revealed a sharp edge as she stared at the Wei family and his son.
"In this way, I will take care of you in the future." Wei Heng agreed first, while Wei Gong was still hesitating.
Li Xuan looked at Wei Gong. Under the swaying car curtains, the moonlight filtered in. Wei Gong finally nodded seriously.
Wei Heng looked on and breathed a sigh of relief. In his opinion, it was just that the position of Mr. Qi had been replaced by Li Xuan.
Moreover, Mr. Qi has brought all this upon himself. From the inexplicable provocation that started yesterday morning to the lack of apology at today's night banquet, Mr. Qi has lost everyone's hearts. If he loses the support of Governor Yuan again, then this person will be equal to died.
Li Xuan didn't think so much, he thought more about other things.
The sixteenth family that controls the entire Wuyue land, today, Li Xuan has finally pried open a small door.
Although Li Xuan has a good relationship with the Lu family, the He family, the Yu family, and the Zhang family, what these people talk to Li Xuan is either articles and poems, or secrets about the court.
They seemed to disdain or even not talk about the methods they used to control the land of Wuyue.
"So, I have a second question, Wei Weng, who is the leading family in the entire Wuyue silk industry in Hangzhou now?" Li Xuan asked seriously.
Wei Gong looked at Li Xuan in surprise. Although he seemed to have thought of something, he said suddenly: "The prince has only been in Hangzhou for a day and a half. It is normal to be confused about these situations. In fact, in the whole of Hangzhou, what is really happening in Hangzhou?" The person who calls the shots in the silk industry is actually the Yao family.
The ancestor of the Yao family was Yao Ping, a minister of the Western Han Dynasty. During the chaos at the end of the Han Dynasty, the Yao family moved to Hangzhou. Since then, it has taken root. The Northern and Southern Dynasties have been very prosperous, and now it has reached a higher level. Secretary Lang Yao Xuan, Jinwu's chief of guards, Shi Yao Yiju, were both members of the Yao family. "
"Wait, who, Yao Yi, Zuo Jinwu's guard chief Shi Yao Yi, Yao Chong's father Yao Yi?" Li Xuan couldn't help but was slightly stunned. This answer was really beyond his expectation.
"Your Highness knows Yao Yi?" Wei Gong looked at Li Xuan in surprise. He did not expect that Li Xuan actually knew Yao Yi.
"We have worked together for a while. When I left the capital of the gods, Brother Yao went out to see me off. However, Kui Gong, as far as I know, Yao Yi is from Jingzhao. How could he become a descendant of the Yao family in Hangzhou?"
"My lord, I don't know. Yao Yi's father left Hangzhou very early and went to Chang'an to find a job. Yao Yi was born in Chang'an, but every year they send people back to Hangzhou to worship their ancestors, so we also know how they are doing, and we know each other. The court also takes care of it." Wei Gong briefly explained to Li Xuan the origin of Yao Yi's family.
But at this time, he also roughly understood the relationship between Li Xuan and the Yao family.
Although the relationship between the two parties is good, it is not deep, otherwise Li Xuan would not even know the origin of the Yao family.
"The Yao family has only become a talker in the silk industry in recent years. However, if their career goes smoothly in the future, they would like to
It won't be long before the Yao family will give up this position and become a truly powerful official family just like the He family back then. "Kui Gong couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
Although the ancestors of the 16th Wuyue family all have a glorious background, they have experienced ups and downs over the years. Some have soared into the sky, while others have long since sunk deep into the mud and disappeared.
In every dynasty and every generation, there are new people and new families coming to power, and there are also old people and old families falling down, or even falling outright.
"Why, the He family was also in charge of the Wuyue silk industry before?" Li Xuan couldn't help being slightly stunned.
He had investigated a lot before, but he had never found out about this.
"Yes, but when the He family rose to prominence decades ago, they gave up their position." Wei Gong explained slightly.
Li Xuan nodded. If he remembered correctly, He Zhizhang's grandfather was a close official of Prince Li Jiancheng in his early years.
It's just that they were very lucky. He Zhizhang's grandfather had died of illness in front of the Xuanwu Gate, and he had no connection with the prince's party since then. In the Taizong and Gaozong dynasties, although they were not high-ranking officials, they were firmly entrenched. occupies a central position.
Wei Gong said with emotion: "The highest among the sixteen families of Wu and Yue are the noble and powerful families, such as Wang Xie's family back then. Even Gu Lu, Zhu Zhang and others were just rising stars. Until recent years, Wang Xie's family has become increasingly declining. , the Gu, Lu, Zhu, and Zhang families were prosperous, and both sides were now on an equal footing.
They are also the top six families among the sixteen Wuyue families.
As for the people below, they are chasing their footsteps, and they have been doing this for many years, generation after generation. "
Li Xuan nodded silently, and the entire Wuyue Sixteenth Family system, from top to bottom, finally revealed a clear outline in front of his eyes.
