During the two months from the end of the 19th year of Wanli to the beginning of the 20th year of Wanli, the imperial court could not be called a major turmoil, but it could definitely be considered a change.
The situation of the imperial court was constantly transmitted to Suzhou through official documents, official newspapers and other forms and channels, but there was inevitably a certain delay.
When the time entered the twelfth lunar month of the 19th year of Wanli, Zhao Canlu, the governor of Yingtian, although still holding on in Suzhou, was already trapped in internal and external difficulties.
At this time, he still did not dare to enter the city, so he led the Biaoying soldiers to guard the Snake Temple outside the south city in the winter.
The public opinion position was completely lost. People all over the city were talking about "the Yue governor picked up Wu to buy Yue", and even the weaving eunuchs of Suhang and Hangzhou came to "cooperate".
Moreover, this situation was reported angrily to the court by officials from Suzhou. Although no punishment was imposed, it was difficult for colleagues to help.
After all, his motives for gathering in Suzhou are difficult to explain clearly on the table, so the saying that "the Yue governor picked up Wu to supplement Yue" has gained popularity.
Then the good news is that the anticipated tax resistance turmoil has occurred, but the bad news is that the turmoil occurred in Songjiang Prefecture next door and did not occur in Suzhou.
What happened in Songjiang Mansion cannot be linked to Lin Tailai at all. Governor Zhao is not powerful enough to accuse Lin Tailai of being a deer.
Up to this point, Governor Zhao, who was completely passive, relied on his stubbornness to support himself in the Snake Temple.
He firmly believes that as long as you wait, there is hope. If you don't persist, there will be no hope at all.
As long as Lin Tailai cannot remove him, he must persist.
But in the eyes of Lin Daguan, Governor Zhao was already a dead man, just like the national army trapped in Shuangduiji during the Huaihai Battle.
After dealing with the first wave of social pressure and sorting out the various industries of the Lin Group, Mr. Lin was finally able to relax a little and was in a good mood.
Most of the indicators are good. For example, the silk fabric output of the industrial park accounts for one-third of the entire Suzhou city.
Although the growth of the engineering industry has stagnated, key industries such as rice grain and logistics have continued to grow.
Lin Daguan, who was temporarily free, had half a day to spare and personally escorted Feng Menglong to Shantang Street to "plant the flag."
Lin Tailai promised at the beginning that "anyone who can defeat Governor Zhao will be rewarded with two thousand taels of silver and Shantang Street will be entrusted to him."
As Ji Bu, who promises a lot of money, he must do what he says! So Lin Daguan escorted Feng Menglong to appear in Shantang Street today.
He wanted to use this to show and consolidate his public image to all Suzhou people. After all, he had not been in Suzhou for nearly two years.
Shantang Block is roughly the section from Changmen to Huqiu. It is one of the three major commercial blocks outside the city wall of Suzhou today.
After leaving Changmen, walking northwest was Shantang Street. Lin Tailai glanced at Feng Menglong as he walked and asked dissatisfiedly:
"Today is a great day to establish your business. Aren't you happy? Why don't you smile?"
Feng Menglong said with a grimace: "You should know, this is not my ambition."
Who wants to join a club? He also wants to take the Juren Examination!
Lin Daguan said domineeringly: "No matter what your ambition is, Shantang Street must be taken over today!
Otherwise, wouldn’t the world think that I, Lin Tailai, didn’t keep my word?”
Shen Yongjia, the second master of the Shen Mansion, was also following and couldn't help but persuade: "Shantang Street is originally the territory of the Xu family in Huqiu. How can we use other people's territory as a reward for enfeoffment?"
The relationship between the Xu family and the Shen family in Huqiu is quite special, and Mr. Shen had to give some advice because of their feelings.
Lin Tailai quoted the classics and replied: "Isn't this what the Emperor of Zhou did? I am imitating the rule of the previous king!"
Second Master Shen said again: "You already occupy two of the three major blocks outside the city, why do you still have to look at Shantang Street?"
Lin Tailai snorted coldly and said: "If the ten-mile carriage letter is mixed up, how can there be any other title in the city? As the saying goes, the virtuous people live in the geomantic treasure land.
Back then, the Xu family relied on the virtue of your Shen family to occupy Shantang Street. Now that the Xu family's virtue has declined, shouldn't it be natural for Shantang Street to change owners?
The poem goes like this: Huang Chu wanted to learn from the affairs of Tang and Yu, and Sima will follow his example in the future."
Second Master Shen: "."
You, Lin Tailai, speak the language of emperors and kings, can you continue to talk today?
In the morning, the law enforcement team of the Lin Group began to enter Shantang Street, and expelling the Xu family's employees was like boiling water and throwing snow, with almost no resistance.
A representative stood in front of each merchant, waving small colorful flags, warmly welcoming the presence of Lin brand influence.
In the afternoon of the same day, the Shantang Street District Municipal Management Office was established with the unanimous support of all businesses. Feng Menglong became the first general manager and was fully responsible for the municipal administration, fire protection, sanitation, public security, toll collection and other services of the district.
Lin Tailai patted Feng Menglong on the shoulder and said, "If it doesn't work out, you can work for a year or two first and then wait until you get through the limelight."
Seeing that there was nothing he could do, Mr. Shen stopped nagging. Anyway, he tried his best and had a clear conscience.
Lin Tailai said to Mr. Shen again: "I think back then, when I first debuted, the first serious threat I encountered came from the Xu family in Huqiu. At that time, my hall was smashed by the Xu family.
This has been my inner demon for many years. Today, by seizing the Xu family’s foundation, I finally avenge my previous shame and break my inner demon!”
Shen Yongjia: "."
Although I understand that Lin Tailai wants to give him, Master Shen, a step down, can you be more perfunctory?
Can the Xu family alone become your inner demon? Are they worthy?
No longer entangled in the issue of Shantang Street, Mr. Shen talked about another matter: "The Xu family sold me the other half of the Humble Administrator's Garden."
The Humble Administrator's Garden covers an area of ​​200 acres and is located in the northeast of the city. It was originally the largest garden in Suzhou today.
The year before last, the Xu family lent the Humble Administrator's Garden to the leader Wang Lao as the new venue for the literary conference, which angered Lin Tailai.
Later, Lin Tailai put pressure on Shen Shoufu, and the Xu family had to compensate Lin Tailai for half of the Humble Administrator's Garden, which was about 110 acres.
However, Lin Tailai later returned to the capital and did not return to Suzhou for nearly two years. The half of the Humble Administrator's Garden he received was not carefully tidied up.
The rest of the family didn't understand Lin Tailai's intentions and didn't make any decisions, so they just left it there untouched.
Hearing that the Xu family sold the other half of the Humble Administrator's Garden to Mr. Shen, Lin Tailai sneered: "This is because they are afraid that I will find an opportunity to take the other half away. They are smart."
Second Master Shen added: "Let's talk about it. Regarding the Humble Administrator's Garden, you have 110 acres over there and I have 90 acres over here. Can you give me 10 to 20 acres?"
Lin Tailai replied without thinking: "No way!"
Is this a question of ten or twenty acres? This is related to the question of who is the largest garden in Suzhou!
With an area of ​​110 acres, it is the largest garden in Suzhou, so it can be worthy of my status as the most wealthy family in Suzhou!
If one or twenty acres are allocated to the other side, then the other side will be the first!
Second Master Shen said dissatisfiedly: "You are not in Suzhou all year round, so what's the use of being number one?
It would be better to give it to the Shen Mansion to give me some face, and it will be more effective in my hands.
After all, you, Lin Jiuyuan, have great ambitions and want to run the world, but I only have the dignity of being a local in Suzhou, so what do you do to me?"
The two of them were bickering as they walked towards Changmen. Just when they couldn't figure out what to say, they saw someone guarding Changmen, shouting to Lin Tailai: "Urgent report from the Communications Department!"
Then this person walked quickly to Lin Tailai and reported in a low voice: "Secrets of the first and second assistants have been leaked, and the talk about the appointment has caused an uproar in the court. Both the first and second assistants have resigned!"
Lin Tailai was stunned for a moment. This seemed to be both unexpected and not surprising at the same time.
In history, secret leaks did occur, leading to the resignation of the first assistant Shen Shixing and the second assistant Xu Guo.
Unexpectedly, the second assistant in this time and space has been replaced by Wang Xijue, but the cabinet still did not escape this disaster, and the inevitability of history is still running tenaciously.
However, after being stunned for a moment, Lin Daguan quickly came back to his senses and completely returned to normal. After all, he was mentally prepared for this and had stronger psychological resistance.
Besides, now that Lin Tailai is in charge of the "civil and military stewards" of the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War, and Zhao Zhigao is supporting the cabinet, it is not that important who the chief assistant is.
Speaking of this, Lin Tailai remembered that back then, Yan Song Yange was known as a powerful traitor, and he also had civil and military stewards, but they were only doctors in the Literary and Selection Department of the Ministry of Personnel and a doctor in the Fangfang Division of the Ministry of War.
And in his hands are the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and the Minister of the Ministry of War, whose configuration is higher than that of Yan Song.
Lin Tailai acted like a normal person here, and was still in a mood to compare with his senior Yan Song, but Master Shen was faced with the sudden impact and could not recover for a while.
Having been the son of the pavilion for eleven years and the son of the chief minister for eight years, he has long been accustomed to the identity of the prime minister, and he is not mentally prepared to lose this identity at the moment!
Without this identity, what else could I be?
"Are you okay?" Lin Tailai asked with concern.
Although Mr. Shen regained his clarity, he walked silently towards the city without saying a word.
After passing through the Changmen, Master Shen suddenly said to Lin Tai: "I don't want the area on your side of the Humble Administrator's Garden."
I don’t know if my psychology has begun to adapt to the new changes, and I have even lost the courage to compete for the first garden.
Lin Tailai opened his eyes wide and asked, "Are you testing me by saying this?
Don't worry, I have always treated my relatives and friends the same way. I never forget my original intention and will never change based on my status!
So how about you give me another twenty acres? In this way, my area can reach one hundred and thirty acres, and the title of the largest garden will be more secure."
To be continued...