Teng County, Zhang family.
Zhang Shiping told his father Zhang Xian everything he saw in the Gu family.
Zhang Xian had a square face and bright eyes. He listened carefully with a tea bowl in hand, and then asked: "In your opinion, how is Gu Zhengchen?"
Zhang Shiping solemnly said: "The scheming is deep and the city is terrifying."
Zhang Xian took a sip of tea and put down the tea bowl: "He was able to get Liang Fengyang and Sun Bing to come forward for him in a short period of time, and even staged a secretive drama outside Sun's house. This person does have means and scheming."
Zhang Shiping was a little worried: "That's why I don't want to get close to the Zhao family. It would be unwise for Gu Zhengchen to have a grudge against the Zhang family because of a woman."
Zhang Xian looked at Zhang Shiping and said with a straight face: "Are you afraid of causing trouble and are you giving in?"
"Father……"
Zhang Shiping wanted to defend himself.
Zhang Xian slapped the table and stood up, scolding him in a cold voice: "You are going to be an official in the court. It is right to be diplomatic, but you must not be afraid of others. Today you gave in because Gu Zhengchen and Zhao Ya'er had an engagement, and abandoned Zhao. Family, when facing senior officials in the future, will you sacrifice your staff and relatives to protect yourself?"
"I……"
Zhang Shiping was a little flustered.
Zhang Xian looked at Zhang Shiping seriously: "You must learn to take responsibility."
Zhang Shiping calmed down and saluted: "I will follow my father's teachings."
Zhang Xian nodded slightly and summoned the housekeeper Zhang Guang: "Ask Mrs. Xu to tell the Zhao family to choose a good day for Shiping and Zhao Ya'er to sign a marriage contract and get married in July."
Zhang Shiping lowered his head and grasped the skirt of his clothes tightly with both hands.
Liang family.
Liang Fengyang, who smelled of alcohol and had a red face, walked to the backyard. Before Mr. Liang could get angry, he handed over the package: "Father, the reason why Rich Sun helps the Gu family is for this."
Liang Heng looked at the sugar and listened to Liang Fengyang's explanation, and then he lost his anger. When Liang Fengyang said that Gu Zhengchen only took half of the money and shared it with the villagers, he couldn't help but admire: "This man is cautious and knows how to repay kindness. Finally, I saw him correctly.”
Liang Fengyang asked cautiously: "What does father think of the sugar business? If there is anything wrong, I will send someone to inform Mr. Sun and let the Sun family run it."
Liang Heng tasted a little sugar and smiled on his old face: "Although business in the New Dynasty was not as relaxed as in the Yuan Dynasty, the emperor did not prohibit business and was very lenient to businessmen. You must have heard about the collapsed houses in Nanjing, right?"
Liang Fengyang nodded slightly.
There are countless soldiers and civilians in Jinling, the houses are crowded, and the neighborhood houses are lined up in rows. After the merchants from other places arrived in Jinling, they could not find a warehouse for their inventory, so they had to stay on the ship temporarily.
After Emperor Hongwu heard about it, he ordered the Ministry of Industry to build a group of houses in the waterside area outside Sanshan Gate for merchants to temporarily store goods or stay. These houses were called "collapse houses". The emperor's provision of convenience to merchants was in itself a measure to protect merchants and develop commerce.
In the first year of Hongwu, the emperor also issued an edict: "For all business taxes, one in thirty will be taken, and those who exceed the tax will be considered as violating the order."
Business taxes are very low.
Liang Heng looked at the snow-white sugar and warned: "It's okay to do a small business. But you have to remember that all the tax items that should be paid must be paid, and none of the regulations that should be followed are allowed. The imperial laws are strict and cannot be violated. .”
Liang Fengyang accepted the order: "Don't worry, father, I will never violate the law."
Liang Heng slapped the armrest of the chair and hummed: "I can't see through it - the dusk is heavy, I can't predict it - the future life is terrible..."
dusk.
The smoke from the cooking pots dispersed, and each family walked out.
The men wore short clothes and wore sweat towels on their shoulders, and the women, holding their children and shaking cattail fans, gathered at the Shenming Pavilion.
Shenming Pavilion, that is, the pavilion for enlightenment and enlightenment, is the place where people in various houses of the prefecture and county can read the Dharma, understand the principles, show good and restrain evil, resolve disputes and minor disputes, and assist in the administration of punishments. There is a Jingshan Pavilion built to the east of Shenming Pavilion. On the pavilion, good people and good deeds and evil people and evil deeds are written to show punishment and advice.
The Shenming Pavilion in Dayan Village was built in November of the fifth year of Hongwu, exactly half a year ago.
Yan Sanjing is an old man in Dayan Village and is responsible for educating people.
If villagers have minor matters such as household marriages, land disputes, fights, etc., they will often gather here to discuss, and the village chief or the elderly will handle it, and they will not directly report it to the official.
"Mr. Yan, what do you want to teach you today?"
Uncle Wang asked in a loud voice.
Elder Yan stood in front of the Shenming Pavilion with a cane in his left hand. He raised his right hand with a chuckle. After everyone calmed down, he said kindly: "Today is not a day for preaching. I have called you here today because I have been entrusted by Gu Juren."
"Masaomi?"
Everyone was confused.
Gu Zhengchen came out, looked at the familiar neighbors, and said passionately: "All the uncles and aunts are helping the Gu family. Zhengchen remembers that Yan Bozhao and everyone have always raised fifteen cents, and Zhengchen will pay back ten times!"
"What?"
Everyone was shocked.
"Ten times, how much is that?"
"Isn't that more than ten strings?"
"God, I've never seen ten coins."
The villagers shouted.
Aunt Wang stood up and shouted: "Zhengchen, when everyone is in trouble, everyone should help, but you don't dare to ask for anything in return."
Uncle Liu swatted a mosquito to death: "Yes, when we are in trouble, the Gu family can just give us a little more help. We don't want this money."
Aunt Liu stretched out her hand and pinched Uncle Liu fiercely. This was money, how could you not give it up?
"I want!"
Aunt Li stood up with a groan.
Uncle Li covered his face, I'm going to die, it's so shameful, this woman doesn't know how to restrain herself.
Everyone laughed.
Gu Zhengchen laughed loudly and raised his hand to calm everyone down: "The Book of Songs says that if you give me a papaya, I will repay you with a qiongju. When a bandit repays you, you will always think it is good! The same goes for Zhengchen. With today's money, who will If you don’t take it, you just don’t want to get along with the Gu family forever, isn’t that right, mother?”
Mrs. Gu walked out with the package and looked at everyone gratefully: "Everyone in this life has a chance to repay kindness. Don't refuse, Mr. Yan, please pass on the money."
Yan Sanjing chuckled, took out a piece of paper from his arms, unfolded it and shouted: "Wang Daniu's family, give twenty-six cents, receive two hundred and sixty cents!"
Wang Daniu stood up and scratched his head, and was pushed forward by his wife.
Gu Zhengchen bowed deeply to Wang Daniu, while Gu and Gu Qingqing saluted beside him.
Wang Daniu was startled and couldn't help himself.
According to the imperial etiquette system, the people who held the ceremony were essentially among the officials. Only the common people saluted the people who held the ceremony, and the people who held the ceremony did not bow to the people.
But Gu Zhengchen insisted on saluting in order to repay his kindness.
Old Man Yan counted clearly and handed it over to Wang Daniu. Wang Daniu was very moved. Last night, for the twenty-six cents, his mother-in-law didn't let her sleep on the bed. Just one day later, it became two hundred and sixty cents!
"Wang Wuyue, give thirty-one cents and receive three hundred and ten cents..."
Outside the Shenming Pavilion, torches illuminated the crowd, and the small village was filled with laughter.
There were only about thirty households in total, and the money was collected quickly. When the villagers were immersed in joy, Gu Zhengchen cleared his throat, and after everyone calmed down, he said: "Now, uncles and aunts, what are you doing?" Want to get rich?"
