The banquet was placed and the aroma was fragrant.
Gu Qingqing hid in the kitchen and swallowed, but she didn't dare to go out.
Mrs. Gu looked at the slowly burning firewood in a daze.
From the glory of Brother Zhengchen's success in the examination, the fawning of everyone, the noisy excitement, to the imperial court's suspension of the imperial examination and his return in despair, the heart-wrenching cynicism, the helpless situation, the pleadings everywhere, and now, the clouds and moons are parted, and the crisis is turned into peace. .
In just a few months, the peaks and valleys have been ups and downs, like a dream.
Gu Zhengchen wanted to let his mother and sister eat together, but they both refused, so he had to bring two dishes to the kitchen.
Sun Bing and Liang Fengyang were discussing the sugar business. To Gu Zhengchen's surprise, the two of them went from being tit-for-tat and blushing at the beginning to having a good discussion and becoming friendly.
Thinking about it carefully, the Sun family is rich but weak, while the Liang family is rich but weak. The two families complement each other's strengths. Listening to the two of them laughing, Gu Zhengchen always smells the smell of collusion...
The Sun family spent money to purchase brown sugar, build five white sugar manufacturing plants, and find stores in Tengxian, Zouxian, Rencheng, Jining, and Qufu. The Liang family came forward to smoothen relations, ensure that sugar can enter various places smoothly, and resolve possible local troubles.
"Brother Gu, how about you take 30% of the profit from selling sugar?"
Sun Bing asked tentatively.
Gu Zhengchen shook his head with a smile.
Sun Bing said quickly: "The 40% cannot be more..."
Gu Zhengchen raised his wine glass, drank it down in one gulp, looked at Sun Bing and Liang Fengyang, and said seriously: "You two are older than Zhengchen, and they are Zhengchen's brothers. I'll just tell you that."
"Please say."
Sun Bing and Liang Fengyang spoke in unison.
Gu Zhengchen's face became serious: "Brother Liang, Brother Sun, I, Gu Zhengchen, am not interested in business, but in an official career. We, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, came from a humble background. We are well aware of the harm caused by corruption among officials, and regard corrupt officials as wild beasts. , cannibalizing one's parents will not eliminate the unhappiness. If I take a commission from this business and it becomes known to the court in the future, wouldn't it be clear evidence of corruption? How is this different from killing me? "
Sun Bing and Liang Fengyang's expressions changed slightly.
Emperor Hongwu was a ruthless character. He believed that the greatest evil in government was corruption. In the first year of Hongwu, he made repeated orders and never showed mercy to those who were greedy and sycophantic.
In the second year of Hongwu, Emperor Hongwu once said to the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty: "In the past, when I was a common man, I saw corrupt officials who ignored the people's life and life, and I hated them in my heart. Therefore, from now on, any corrupt officials who dare to harm the people will do so." , will never forgive."
This is what he said and this is what he did.
When ministers of civil and military affairs make common mistakes, the punishment is nothing more than dismissal, reprimand, and transfer. Even if they are punished, most of them will not kill them. However, it never showed mercy to officials who were corrupt and violated the law. In the second year of Hongwu, the most severe anti-corruption law in history was promulgated:
Anyone who embezzles more than sixty taels of silver will be killed immediately!
These things have been spread among the people for a long time, and they are heard in the streets.
Sun Bing looked at Gu Zhengchen and said in a low voice: "Gu Juren's share will not be leaked unless we keep the accounts or leave any writing."
Liang Fengyang nodded heavily: "The art of making sugar belongs to Brother Gu, so we should take a share. To ensure safety, we transfer money from the account every month without leaving any traces. It will be foolproof."
Gu Zhengchen smiled, waved his hand and said: "No need, I will leave my share to the villagers of Dayan Village. In the future, if the sugar business is profitable, I will figure out how much the villagers here can take, and I will take half of it. Share it among these villagers.”
"Half percent, that's too little."
The flesh on Sun Bing's face trembled.
Seeing Gu Zhengchen's resolute attitude, Liang Fengyang nodded and said, "In that case, let's do as Brother Gu said. In the afternoon, our two families will send someone to each send twenty guan of money, which can be used to buy the sugar-making craftsmanship. The money , Brother Gu must accept it."
Sun Bing saw that Gu Zhengchen still wanted to refuse, so he quickly said: "Buying a craft is not corruption. Even if the court investigates it, there will definitely be nothing wrong with it. What's more, this craft is to benefit the people, not to harm them, let alone It's a violation of the law. Besides, Gu Juren has not yet entered the official career at this time, so unless he collects it while in office, it cannot be classified as corruption."
Gu Zhengchen thought about it for a while, and then nodded in agreement since there was indeed no risk.
Liang Fengyang and Sun Bing were relieved when they saw Gu Zhengchen agreed.
Sun Bing looked at the dilapidated Gu family and changed the subject: "The Zhao family forced Gu Juren to regret the marriage contract. I wonder if his intestines are full of regret at this time. It's a pity that I don't have a daughter, otherwise I would be betrothed to you."
Liang Fengyang felt bitter. Although he had a daughter, he got married two years ago...
"By the way, Gu Juren doesn't have any available manpower around him. Do you want to buy some adopted boys and girls to help you?"
Liang Fengyang said suddenly.
Gu Zhengchen was stunned for a moment and looked at Liang Fengyang doubtfully: "Adopted son, adopted daughter?"
What do you mean, I'm not married yet, so why don't I recognize a few godsons first instead of goddaughters?
Liang Fengyang and Sun Bing looked at each other and couldn't help laughing.
Sun Bing explained.
Gu Zhengchen suddenly realized.
The so-called righteous men and righteous daughters are actually slaves and maidservants.
During the Yuan Dynasty, slaves were also known as qikou, that is, people who were captured in wars and forced to be slaves and driven by others.
A series of wars in the early Ming Dynasty captured a large number of captives. A large part of these prisoners were rewarded to meritorious officials, relatives, nobles and bureaucrats, and became slaves.
Zhu Yuanzhang knew the disadvantages of allowing the trade of slaves and maidservants, and prohibited the spontaneous servitude of good people among the people, and opposed the sale of human beings.
Whether it is the current "Lv Ling" or the upcoming "Da Ming Ling", there are clear provisions:
If a commoner's house keeps slaves and maidservants, he will be given a hundred sticks to be released into good deeds.
Ordinary families are not qualified to keep slaves and maids, nor are common people landowners or wealthy businessmen. But the problem is that the law prohibits large households from keeping slaves, but it does not prohibit them from using other labor forces...
Since the imperial court does not allow us to keep slaves, then we should not keep slaves. It would be okay to accept some adopted men and women, right? Officials, this is my son and my daughter, not a slave. You must see clearly.
By adopting "adopted sons and daughters", the families of scholars and common people not only avoided legal risks, but also obtained slaves.
Liang Fengyang persuaded: "You are a member of the imperial court, not a commoner. You can buy slaves and maidservants. It is not within the prohibition. However, the court stipulates that only meritorious ministers can have slaves and maidservants. In order to save trouble, you can buy slaves and maidservants in the name of a righteous man and a righteous daughter." good."
Sun Bing said with a smile: "You are the only male in the Gu family. You can't do everything yourself, or strain Aunt Gu and Sister Gu, right? By buying one or two slaves, you can have a follower and servant by your side to deliver news and purchase goods. See, Vigil at home.”
Gu Zhengchen lowered his head and pondered.
In the Ming Dynasty, there were indeed no major cases related to slaves, and people and officials were rarely punished for slaves. In the future, Lan Yu will raise thousands of "fake children", but he will do it by himself, without looking at whose territory he is on...
What Sun Bing said makes sense. The Gu family's resources are really too thin. To buy some brown sugar, you have to go to Teng County in person, an eight-mile round trip, which is really not easy.
There should be two trustworthy people around you. It is always necessary to pass on the message and check on the door. Gu Zhengchen made up his mind, raised his head and asked, "Where can I find an adopted son and an adopted daughter?"
