Zhu Youde's little life in the capital was pretty good. He read the battle reports every day, and then he had nothing else to do.
Wang Zhonghou came over that day with an excited look on his face: "Your Majesty, the eldest princess of the Southern Tang Dynasty has crossed the Yangtze River."
Zhu Youde smiled and said: "I thought we just crossed the Yangtze River when we arrived at the capital?"
"Your Majesty, it only takes half a month to cross the Yangtze River and reach the capital!"
"Let's talk about it when we get there!" Zhu Youde smiled.
Nan Tang seems to be very sincere this time.
But he is still a bitch, and he will not know what respect means unless he is taught a lesson.
Zhu Youde asked: "Is Zhou Chaozong coming?"
"Waiting outside!"
Zhu Youde nodded, Wang Zhonghou led Zhou Chaozong in, and then handed him a memorial.
"Li Mingzhou, the magistrate of Huating County, wrote that there are foreign merchants who want to build a residential area in Huating. What do you think?"
Half a month ago, an overseas ship arrived in Huating for unknown reasons. These foreigners proposed that they want to buy land in Huating. Li Mingzhou thought this matter was weird and couldn't decide!
Zhou Chaozong was stunned, "Your Majesty, I think this matter is weird."
"What's weird!"
Zhou Chaozong thought for a while: "How did the foreign merchants get to Huating? Our border with Daliang only reaches the southeast, and we do not trade with foreign countries. When I was a merchant, I heard that there were foreign merchants in Guangdong Province.
Foreigners buying land are just trying to test our government's attitude."
"That's right!" Zhu Youde smiled coldly, his eyes extremely cold: "These people have bad intentions and want to test my attitude towards foreign countries. If I am weak, they will be tough, but I am not like these Westerners.
No matter how we dealt with it, these Western missions will come to the capital in seven days. You and Honglu Temple will meet them together. We welcome you as a guest, but you are welcome as a financial wolf."
Zhou Chaozong was not surprised at all by Zhu Youde's attitude.
Zhu Youde was very wary of these foreign devils.
"What I'm afraid of is that someone deliberately sent these Westerners to my door in Daliang." Zhu Youde said: "Contact first, and then make arrangements."
Let’s see where it comes from.
Zhu Youde is not from this world. He knows very well the virtues of foreigners.
But it doesn't hurt to get in touch, and you can also understand what's going on in the world.
Because all the materials in Daliang, the capital, have been transported to the north, prices in the capital have risen recently, and the wealthy families in the southeast are taking advantage of this opportunity to speculate!
Zhu Youde has received many reports.
When Zhou Chaozong was called over, Zhu Youde had another idea: "Sir, prepare a tax collection charter. I will collect taxes on bulk materials and limit the prices, otherwise the people's wealth will be defrauded."
"yes."
Zhou Chaozong looked at Zhu Youde, thought for a moment, and decided not to say anything. Zhu Youde smiled and didn't say anything.
Both of them knew what the other wanted to say, but Zhu Youde would definitely not be polite if he wanted to confront the powerful Southeast Asian family at this time.
Zhou Chaozong wanted to plead for mercy, but felt it was inappropriate. He also felt that the merchant had gone too far.
This time the emperor was angry.
After returning home, Zhou Chaozong spoke to Zhou Fang.
Zhou Fang said: "Your Majesty is going to take action. What does it have to do with us? Anyone who disobeys will be killed."
"But they are all wealthy families in the southeast..."
Zhou Fang's face twitched, she was too young: "Do you think we are still the same as them? We are now officials, do you understand, what qualifications do those merchants have to be with us?"
You've only been an official for a few days and you've already forgotten your origins.
Zhou Fang said calmly: "Those pigs and dogs are so selfish that they don't want to serve His Majesty when the court is in such a difficult time. They also cause chaos to Your Majesty. If pigs and dogs are not as good as pigs and dogs, how can they live in this world? I think your Majesty did the right thing!"
“But they are all fellow villagers and we all know them!”
"What's the matter with our acquaintance? Why can't you do it!" Zhou Fang said angrily: "We are officials, what are they? It's just hard to make money for the country, villain. If you can't do it, I will do it!"
After Zhou Fang finished speaking, she still felt that it was not enough: "A group of businessmen still want to play with me, who are they?"
"Uncle, my Zhou family is also a merchant..."
"That was before, but now who dares to say that we are still merchants, we are officials, people of the court, and His Majesty's people!"
Zhou Fang doesn't care, young people are just unreliable.
It's better for an old man like him to keep an eye on things.
"Do you think His Majesty is discussing with you? His Majesty comes to you and tells you that he is going to take action. You can't wait for His Majesty to take action first. You have to take action before His Majesty. Do you understand?"
"This is called sharing the king's worries. Forget it. One look at your effeminate manner and I know that you are soft-hearted. This is what I do, so learn from it!"
Zhou Fang thought about it for a moment. His mind was full of names, then he selected a few people and wrote down their names.
"Kill them!"
Are you going to kill him now? Before I even asked, Zhou Chaozong's face turned pale.
"Kill him now?"
"Why don't we wait until the New Year?" Zhou Fang said, "If they don't die, others won't be afraid."
hiss……
Zhou Chaozong was speechless, but when he thought about the abilities of these people, he really felt that it was necessary. After killing these people, the tax collection matter would be easier to handle.
The old man is still cruel enough.
Zhou Fang said: "Remember one thing, anyone who hinders us from doing meritorious service is the mortal enemy of my Zhou family. Since we all work for the emperor, then our Zhou family will be the emperor's people from now on. Don't think about friendship, friendship is nothing!"
"
Can you help yourself become an official? A group of merchant scum will die if they die.
Zhou Fang was full of resentment. The last time he sent a woman to the emperor was not successful, so he was anxious to make a contribution.
As for how many people died, he didn't care, since it wasn't him who died anyway.
Does he need to care if others die?
Don't care at all
Zhou Chaozong nodded and agreed. Zhou Fang laughed and said, "It would be nice to have a daughter in these families. What do you think of giving it to the emperor?"
"My uncle has already decided to take action on them. It will not harm his wife and children!"
"You are stupid. I am giving them the opportunity to serve the emperor. How can this be considered a disaster? This is a blessing."
You just want to give women to the emperor, why do you say so nicely?
Zhou Chaozong was speechless, but Zhou Fang always believed that if you want to be a high official, you must give gifts to the emperor!
He feels that he has not been able to become a high official yet, mainly because he failed to give a woman a gift last time.
My nephew has become a minister, but he still has his original official position. This is because the gift was not given properly!
This time, he knew all the girls in these families. Some of them were quite good, and they were also famous in the southeast as talented girls with both talent and beauty.
Not to say it's better than the one in the emperor's harem, but it's not much worse.
Your Majesty, you are relieved after suffering a lot. You will definitely be promoted.
If His Majesty is unhappy, can he be promoted? That is absolutely impossible.
Even the imperial court can have one Goudong Shangshu, so what's wrong with having one more?
The more she thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed to Zhou Fang: "These women have just settled down."