As Qiu Wanshan, a know-it-all in officialdom, slowly spoke, Chu Qing finally understood what was going on behind Zhang Songling's backstage.
Zhang Songling also came from an aristocratic family, but he was not a direct descendant of the main family, but a descendant of a side branch. His real backer was not the Zhang family, but two women.
One is his sister and the other is his adopted daughter. Now these two women are in the palace.
More than thirty years ago, the heads of the Zhang family were staunch supporters of the previous generation of princes. Zhang Songling also wanted to lick the prince, but he was not qualified. After all, he was not the eldest grandson of his legitimate son, and the direct lineage of the Zhang family looked down upon him.
Zhang Songling didn't know why, but he secretly quarreled with the master's family. The master's family supported the prince, while he supported the emperor, who was still a prince, and brokered a deal to send his own sister to the emperor's palace.
His sister Zhang Muling is indeed quite beautiful and talented. The Supreme Emperor loves her very much.
After the Supreme Emperor ascended the throne, Zhang Songling rose to prominence. He was a relative of the emperor. If it were left to the people, he could call the Supreme Emperor his brother-in-law.
However, Chang Law did not stipulate that the emperor could marry a wife. As Qiu Wanshan said, no woman is always eighteen, but there are always eighteen-year-old women.
Once people get older, their childish innocence remains, so the emperor who ascends the throne is more rare in young and energetic women.
After the Supreme Emperor ascended the throne, Zhang Songling's sister became old and beautiful, and the old emperor took in a lot of concubines.
This is human nature. After all, the combined ages of these young concubines may not be as high as Concubine Hua's blood pressure.
However, it is not wrong to say that Zhang Songling and his sister have completely fallen out of favor. After all, they have followed the emperor through hard times. The emperor is also quite nostalgic, and the two of them would communicate with each other in bed about the problem of osteoporosis.
Afterwards, the Supreme Emperor abdicated and handed the throne to Huang Laosi. Logically speaking, Zhang Songling should have lost power, but this was not the case.
Two reasons. First, Concubine Hua, Zhang Muling, Zhang Songling's sister, was very good to Huang Laosi after she married into the palace. Huang Laosi's own mother died in miscarriage, so Zhang Muling treated Huang Laosi like her own mother.
The second reason is that Zhang Songling is an old pimp. When Huang Laosi was about to ascend the throne, he sent his adopted daughter Zhang Yaoniang to the palace.
Zhang Songling took care of all the night entertainment life of two generations of emperors.
Zhang Yao Niang must also be talented and beautiful, otherwise she would not be able to enter the palace. It is said that Huang Laosi is very rare for this girl and made her a noble person, Lan Guiren.
Therefore, the relationship between Zhang Songling and the royal family is very complicated. He can call the old emperor brother-in-law, or he can call the new emperor son-in-law.
Of course, this was not actually the case. The two emperors had many wives, and it was impossible to have multiple fathers and a group of relatives just by accepting a girl.
In any case, Zhang Songling was not liquidated and still served as the right minister of the Ministry of Rites.
And this old guy is smart here. He doesn't play short-term, frequent, or fast. He is engaged in long-term investment and stable returns.
The Zhang family's hometown is in Hongchuan, which is mountainous and rocky. The Zhang family is also the largest engineering and materials merchant in Zhongzhou. After the previous generation of princes were killed by the Supreme Emperor, the main family completely lost power, and Zhang Songling also took advantage of the situation and moved in as a side disciple. Having completely mastered the Zhang family, he naturally took over the master's materials business.
But Zhang Songling did not eat alone, but gave 60% to his sister and his adopted daughter.
One is a concubine, and the other is a nobleman, and it is impossible for him to leave the palace every day to spend money. Therefore, this gift is for the two girls, but it is better to say that it is sent to the palace every month, one part for the emperor and one for the emperor.
Zhang Songling does not have any materials shop under his name, but all the materials shops in Beijing only sell raw materials from his Zhang family.
According to Chang's law, business tax is 2 out of 10, not 2 yuan for 10 yuan profit, but 2 yuan for 10 yuan transaction.
To be inaccurate, this means that if Zhang Songling earns ten yuan, he will give three yuan to the Supreme Emperor, and then three yuan to Huang Laosi, and then four yuan will be divided between Zhang Songling and the other Zhang family members.
But now that Qianqiying and Ma Rui are cleaning up the merchants, the question arises, who cares about the two yuan that Jingzhao Mansion wants?
Zhang Songling can't go to the palace and say to the Supreme Emperor, "Brother, the court wants to collect taxes. It's two yuan. You and your son should discuss it and see how to deal with it. Should you two work together to collect two yuan together, or these two yuan?" You paid all the money.
The Supreme Emperor and Huang Laosi must not care about this matter. They are only responsible for collecting money, so the two yuan must have come from Zhang Songling.
Then the problem comes again. Zhang Songling seems to be getting four yuan, but he has to share these four yuan with other Zhang family members. If it is divided into his hands, it will be good if he can have one and a half yuan left.
As a result, if Chu Qing did this, he would have to pay fifty cents, which he would definitely not be happy with.
Chu Qing could compete with Zhang Songling, so he shouldn't have any scruples in the first place.
Chu Qing is not fighting alone. The second prince, King Langya, the Minister of Hubu, Wei Changfeng and the right minister Qiu Wanshan, the young minister of Dali Temple, Tao Shaozhang, Qianqiying, General Tan Zhongping of Yunhui of the Ministry of War, and Yin Ma Rui of Jingzhao Mansion, are tied together. Can't you fix Zhang Songling?
It can be fixed, and there is a high probability that it can kill him. The question is, after the correction, who will pay the six yuan every month to the Supreme Emperor and Huang Laosi, Chu Qing?
And there is another problem. In Qiu Wanshan's words, once Chu Qing wants to mess with Zhang Songling, it is very likely that the Ministry of Rites will be completely offended.
Not to mention being reasonable, Zhou Youwei, the left minister, had just been punished, and he was also trying to punish the right minister. No matter what the Ministry of Rites said, it was impossible for him to just watch.
"I understand." Chu Qing said with a sad face: "Zhang Songling is not scary. What is scary is that he is the right minister of the Ministry of Rites. The Ministry of Rites has no left minister. If I hire the right minister again, the Ministry of Rites will definitely fuck me, right?"
Qiu Wanshan also said helplessly: "There are official rules in officialdom. If you provoke Zhang Songling, you are not giving face to the Ministry of Rites."
"In addition to the Ministry of Rites, I have also indirectly offended two women. One is the fifty-year-old beautiful witch Hua Fei Zhang Muling, and the other is the palace noble Zhang Yaoniang. The main reason is that there are two men behind these two women, one is the Supreme Emperor, and the other is today's Son of Heaven."
"Yes, that's why Brother Yu advises you to protect yourself."
Chu Qing was happy.
At first, he and Tao Shaozhang planned to rectify the county magistrate Li Mu, but ended up involving Zuo Shilang.
What kind of thing is it to provoke a right minister and bring out two emperors now?
Chu Qing looked hesitant: "Could it be that you are overthinking it? Let's talk about Concubine Hua Zhang Muling first. Didn't the Supreme Emperor abdicate? His health is not good, so he shouldn't meddle in so many other things, right?"
"I'm confused. The Supreme Emperor has abdicated. He is also the father of the current emperor. If he no longer has the authority, why can't he still deal with you, the deputy commander of Qianqiying who is just a fool?"
Speaking of this, Qiu Wanshan also felt a little regretful.
If Chu Qing were the real deputy commander of the Thousand Cavalry Battalion, it would be okay. The problem is that this kid is just a cannon fodder that attracts firepower.
"What about that day?" Chu Qing still refused to give up: "Business taxation is a big deal. Taxation is coming up, and it will benefit the country and the people."
"Let me ask you, if I don't tell you how much the business tax is, even if it is collected, where will it be paid?"
"Treasury."
"Zhang Songling made money from stones, but where did he give it to him?"
Chu Qing was silent.
The inner treasury is also called the imperial treasury.
That's not the case. The taxes are given to the treasury and cannot be used by the emperor. However, Zhang Songling's money is given directly to the palace and the inner treasury of the palace. The emperor can spend it as he wants, and he can spend it as he wants. There is no need to throw away a piece of it. People control.
"Then..." Chu Qing finally gave in: "Then let's put the stone shop aside first and check other merchants and other industries. That's all."
"You, you, you are so confused when you should be smart. Let's not talk about whether it is feasible or not. Why do you want to let it go instead of turning a blind eye? Is it possible? It is better not to give up. Do you think you still want to investigate this chapter of Songling in the future?"
Chu Qing touched his nose in embarrassment and smiled, acquiescing.
In fact, Chu Qing didn't know why he had this kind of mentality. It might be because he thought of Zhang Songling's "appreciative" look at him, or it might be because he promised Tao Ruolin that he must do things and do the right things.
Of course, there is another reason. Fu San said something that was deafening. If you are not as brave as a mother-in-law, wouldn't that be a coward?
Chu Qing was not afraid of being a loser, but he was mainly afraid of not being able to marry a wife.
"Okay, Brother Yu, I won't ask further questions. I just want to tell you that even if you don't check this stone shop and only check other merchants, it is not appropriate."
"Why?"
"Zhang Songling!" Qiu Wanshan shook his head and said disdainfully: "This person is the best at bragging and showing off. Now that you, Chu Qing, and Qianqiying are in the limelight, the ministers are talking about it. If you don't check the stone shop but other merchants, he will definitely He spread the word so much that others thought Qianqiying was afraid of him, Zhang Songling, and through this matter, many courtiers clung to him."
"You can't, it's too shameless?"
"It's probably true. If Brother Yu changes places, I will do it."
"Zhuo, is this old guy planning to step on me to become famous?!" Chu Qing's temper increased: "This means that if I check, it won't work, if I don't check, it won't work. Whether I check or not, he wants to step on me. foot?"
"That's why Brother Yu said that you should blame the Jingzhao Mansion for this matter so that you can escape unscathed."
