"Huh~" Li Qing let out a long sigh of relief.
It's not easy, it's not easy.
Fortunately, the temptation was big enough and Shen Xin was finally fooled.
The reason why Li Qing was successful was, on the one hand, his superb pancake painting skills, and on the other hand, the attraction of being the richest man in the Ming Dynasty.
In comparison, the latter carries greater weight.
Li Qing took advantage of Shen Xin's greed, and he also knew what might happen when Shen Xin grew up in the future.
However, he didn't care.
After all, the Ming Dynasty was still a feudal dynasty with a monarchy, and Shen Xin was just one person after all.
Although the power of capital is powerful, it is not so powerful that an individual can shake the imperial power.
Just as Li Qing said to Zhu Qizhen, Shen Xin's rise was based on harming the interests of other wealthy gentry, which also destined him to not become a threat.
In its initial stage, capital is beneficial to both the country and the people, and the benefits are huge.
As for the future...if he makes too much money, it won't be his own.
From the beginning, Li Qing's plan was to kidnap capital.
Especially letting Shen Xin borrow money from the rich gentry, in the name of helping Shen Xin solve the problem, is actually dragging other rich gentry into the water.
When the rich spend money, it is good news for the poor, because the money spent by the rich will flow into the pockets of the poor.
In a sense, Li Qing's approach is similar to the work-for-relief approach, but it is more advanced than the work-for-relief approach.
Because this 'work' is 'industrial' work, not simple labor.
It has a strong beneficial purpose.
Oh my, that's good, that's good... Li Qing was in a happy mood.
The entire population of Jinling is about 1.5 million, and in the near future, nearly 10 million taels of wealth will be released here. You can imagine what changes it will bring to the people here.
The more Li Qing thought about it, the happier he became and couldn't help laughing.
Smiling, Li Qing suddenly noticed a strange gaze. When he looked up, Xiao Liuzi was looking at him with a different emotion.
"What's wrong?"
"Sir, our family is really convinced." Xiao Liuzi flattered with a hint of awe, "You just opened your mouth and said that Shen didn't even want money. It's amazing, it's really amazing."
"Ah haha...really?" Li Qing said with a sneer: "There is no way. The emperor has concerns and cannot openly assist him, so this is all I can do."
After a pause, "It's not that I can fool him, it's mainly because he wants to go further."
Xiao Liuzi smiled and said nothing, just thinking that Li Qing was being modest.
"However, my father-in-law should still provide him with as much help as possible in the future." Li Qing said seriously, "Jiangnan is an important tax area, and the imperial court's tax revenue has been decreasing year by year in recent years. After Shen Xin becomes more powerful, there will be high taxes. Jinling Your taxes are your political achievements;
Once this is done, Eunuch Bingbi won't be able to escape. "
"Oh? Haha... Our family understands, our family knows." Xiao Liuzi's eyes narrowed, "Isn't it just for this matter that the emperor asked our family to come? Don't worry, sir, it's about the future and destiny of our family. I will do my best.”
Li Qing smiled and said: "In that case, I would like to congratulate my father-in-law in advance."
"Nowhere, there's no sign yet." Xiao Liuzi said reservedly, but his smile gradually became...perverted.
~
Li Qing and Xiao Liuzi briefly explained some things, and then left him to take charge of the weaving bureau, while he took gifts and went home happily to celebrate the New Year.
The New Year atmosphere is strong. Spring couplets are posted on the doorposts, door gods are posted on the doors, and two red lanterns are hung under the eaves, which is full of New Year flavor.
Li Qing's face was full of joy. It had been a long time since he had experienced this feeling of celebrating the New Year.
He had stayed here for a short time some time ago, and the servants all knew that he was a distinguished guest of their master. When they saw him coming to the door with a gift, they hurriedly came forward to greet him.
"Young Master Li has met Mr. Li. Our master has said that you don't need to announce Mr. Li's arrival. You can just enter the house directly." The servant was very polite and said, "Sir, please follow me."
Li Qing followed him in and asked, "Is your master at home?"
"Yes," the servant said, "Gong Cao Guo is also here today."
"Didn't they go to the opera theater?" Li Qing was surprised.
"It's New Year's Eve tomorrow, and actors are also celebrating the New Year." The servant smiled, "The opera garden is also closed."
The ancients attached great importance to the New Year. Even poor people who lived frugally on weekdays would eat well during the New Year and work hard all year just for these few days.
Li Jinglong is really good at visiting during the Chinese New Year... Li Qing curled his lips: This guy has a good life. He enjoys happiness all day long and does nothing.
Li Qing felt envious of such retirement days.
But having said that, Li Jinglong is already half-buried, so he can’t still enjoy it?
Not long after Li Qing just walked in, he vaguely heard Li Jinglong's loud voice.
"That guy Li Qing really talks like farts. It's already the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, so I know he's not a thing..."
Li Jinglong cursed, and then said: "Old man, I'm not telling you, if I accept such an unfilial disciple, I will drag him back from the capital, hang him from a tree and give him a beating."
Zhang Ruoyun said calmly, "So you are not me."
"Old man, he is unfilial!" Li Jinglong continued to be angry.
"Okay, stop making noise, Qingzi is back." Zhang Slutty said impatiently.
"where?"
"Here it is." Li Qing shouted loudly.
Soon, there was a rapid sound of sticks hitting the floor tiles, and a moment later, Li Jinglong walked out of the moon door.
Seeing that it was really Li Qing, he was overjoyed at first, and then he rolled his eyes and pouted, "Hey, hey... Isn't this Li Daqin's envoy? How come you have time to come to Aurous Hill?"
Li Qing imitated his mean look and retorted, "Hey, hey, hey, isn't this Mr. Cao Guo? Why are you visiting other people's houses during the Chinese New Year?"
Li Jinglong said angrily: "Do you know what it means to respect the elderly and love the young?"
"That's what you say." Li Qing teased, "Naughty children have never been liked by others."
"Your uncle!!" Li Jinglong broke his guard.
"Okay, okay, you guys are really good at making a quarrel when we first met." Zhu Yunwen stepped forward and took Li Qing's gift, "Come here, why don't you buy any gifts?"
"If you want it, give it to me." Li Jinglong said.
Zhu Yunwen -_-||: Cousin, it’s not unreasonable for my senior brother to call you a naughty kid.
He handed the gift to the servant and said with a smile: "Let's go to the backyard to chat."
There are no female relatives in the house, and there are no worries about the front and back yards.
The room where the three girls lived was sealed, and Zhu Yunwen only had it cleaned once in a while.
There are too many wing rooms in the mansion. On weekdays, Zhu Yunwen and Zhang Sugao live in the wing room next to the library.
Both the master and the apprentice like to read books. "Yongle Dadian" is a collection of all the books in the world. When they are not watching the theater, they spend all day in the library.
A few people naturally went to the library. Li Qing admired the library and asked with a smile: "How many books have you read?"
"I just regret that life is too short!" Zhu Yunwen looked regretful, "I'm afraid I won't be able to finish watching it in my lifetime."
There are more than 10,000 volumes of Yongle Dadian, with 30 and 70 million words. It is not written in vernacular. You can read ten lines at a glance, and you can read one volume in a day, which is considered fast.
Li Qing took out a book and flipped through it, then put it back and said with a smile: "I'll show you the real thing later."
Zhu Yunwen scratched his head, "What's the real thing?"
"Original." Li Qing said.
Li Jinglong broke the news and said: "Come on, you don't have such a big face. That is a great achievement of Taizong. The emperor will not let you take it out. I will let you read it."
"Putting it in the palace will only eat dust. The emperor will not read it at all." Li Qing said, "Even during the Taizong period, there were only two books on the desk as decoration, and no one would read it at all."
Li Jinglong curled his lips and said: "There is no reason to reward someone without looking at it. It is a treasure left by Taizong. Don't even think about it. The emperor will never give it to you."
Li Qing smiled and said nothing more.
What Li Jinglong said was true, but he never thought of going through formal channels.
The Yongle Grand Ceremony was kept in the palace, but it was not safe with him yet.
Li Qing didn't covet the ceremony, he just didn't want the original to be damaged.
Seeing that the two of them were arguing again, Zhu Yunwen quickly changed the subject: "Brother, are you here for official business?"
"Um."
"Isn't the Weaving Bureau open?" Li Jinglong was puzzled and a little annoyed, "No, Li Qing, aren't you here to celebrate the New Year?"
"That will happen after the New Year." Li Qing said with a smile.
Hearing this, Li Jinglong's expression softened a lot and he sighed: "As the saying goes, those who are capable work harder. The greater the ability, the greater the responsibility; don't be too showy, otherwise the emperor can kill you." ωＷω.GoＮЬ.οrＧ
"..." Li Qing was speechless, "Can't you hope for something better from me?"
"It's hard to tell the truth, but it's the truth!" Li Jinglong spread his hands, "You are so useful, the emperor must be very useful!
Cousin, what do you think? "
Zhu Yunwen (*￣︶￣) was speechless.
Except when Zhang Sloppy went to the Liyuan, he usually didn't have much conversation with the talkative Li Jinglong. He picked up a book and went to read on a reclining chair.
The three of them were left to reminisce about old times.
Li Qing said loudly: "Master, I bought you a lot of uncommon herbs this time in Aurous Hill. If you are always bored, you can make elixirs."
"Yeah, okay." Zhang Slutty replied and continued reading.
Li Jinglong asked: "What is my gift?"
"A crutch and a folding fan." Li Qing said.
"Nothing else?"
Li Qing suppressed a smile: "Nothing else can bring out your arrogance."
"...your uncle."
Zhu Yunwen didn't care about these external things. He stood up and said, "You guys sit down first, and I'll make a pot of tea."
"Don't you have servants?" Li Jinglong snorted, "You're old and you don't know how to enjoy yourself."
"Life lies in exercise. It's not good to do nothing." Zhu Yunwen smiled and said, "Senior brother, where will you stay tonight? I'll ask my servants to clean up a room."
Li Qing thought for a while, "I'll live with you."
Zhu Yunwen was a little surprised. He thought Li Qing would live in the same room he had lived in before.
"What's wrong?"
"It's nothing." Zhu Yunwen smiled easily: It seems that senior brother has really let go.
Li Jinglong stretched, leaned back on the chair, and asked, "How long can I stay this time?"
"I can't tell, it could be as little as half a year or as much as a year."
This time, Li Jinglong didn't use his venomous words again, and Li Qing stayed much longer than he expected.
"Balance work and rest. If you have to be busy with official duties, don't treat yourself too badly." Li Jinglong said softly.
Li Qing smiled and nodded: "By the way, I have a way to make a fortune, do you want to do it?"
"What kind of connection?"
"Raising pigs."
"Is there nothing wrong with you?" Li Jinglong said angrily, "Rich people won't eat this stuff, and poor people can't afford it. Raising anything is better than raising pigs."
Zhu Yunwen came in with a teapot and asked with a smile: "What are you talking about?"
"Li Qing asked me to raise pigs, do you think it's funny or not?" Li Jinglong teased, then realized that there was an ambiguity in his words and added: "It's a pig for food."
As he spoke, he hummed twice in a vivid way.
"Pfft..."
"Kukuku..."
Even Zhang Sloppy, who was reading in the distance, started laughing, and the huge study room was filled with laughter.
The taste of the new year is more abundant.
Zhu Yunwen poured hot tea and said, "Master, come over and have a cup of hot tea."
"Hmm... Okay~" Zhang Sloppy stretched, walked to the tea table and sat down, "Qingzi, you asked Li Xiaozi to raise pigs, but in the future the people will be able to afford it?"
"Master's warning." Li Qing smiled and nodded, "In half a year, the quality of life of the people of Jinling will definitely soar."
Beef and mutton are too expensive, and the people at the bottom cannot afford it. However, the price of pork has always been relatively close to the people, and it is also the first choice for people to improve their lives.
(ps: Killing cows has been prohibited in all dynasties, but beef can be eaten in all dynasties.)
Zhu Yunwen said in confusion: "Senior brother, Jinling has a population of nearly 1.5 million. With such a large population base, how can you be so sure?"
"Yes!" Li Jinglong was puzzled, "Does the emperor want to give money to every citizen?"
Li Qing said: "It will be kept secret for now. You will know it later. The truth must be this or that."
"Are you sure?" Li Jinglong was confused.
"Believe it or not." Li Qing rolled his eyes, "I can only say that if you listen to the advice, you will be rich in money; if you don't listen, you will regret it later."
"Then I'll do it." Li Jinglong knew that Li Qing would never cheat him.
He is old, and money is of little use to him, but he has a large family, full of children and grandchildren, so the more money, the better.
Li Qing joked: "The dignified Duke Cao actually raises pigs, aren't you afraid of being laughed at if word spreads about it?"
"I don't steal or rob, and I don't violate the laws of the Ming Dynasty. What should I be afraid of?" Li Jinglong looked indifferent, "Besides, it's not like I raise it myself, why should I find someone to do it for me?"
After a pause, he asked strangely: "Why did you think of this?"
"Of course it is to improve the quality of life of the people." Li Qing said with a smile, "When the people have money, they will definitely want to improve their lives, but what is available in Jinling is not enough to support consumption. If there is no relative supply, prices will rise;
When they have no money, they can't eat meat, and when they have money, they can't eat meat. So isn't that money in vain? "
Food and clothing are necessities of life.
There is no shortage of clothing in Jinling, but there is a shortage of food. To be precise, it is meat.
Sweet potatoes and potatoes have solved the problem of starvation, and the next step is to eat well.
And high-quality and low-priced pork is the best choice.
Li Qing vaguely remembered that later generations of experts said that the price of pork determines the happiness index of the people to a large extent.
…
~
ps: I’m not feeling well, so this is just one chapter...let’s take a leave of absence, I’ll resume updating tomorrow.
