The Spring Festival of the second year of Chongzhen's reign was definitely an unforgettable Spring Festival for everyone in Yan'an Mansion.
After going through all kinds of hardships for a year, I can spend the Spring Festival quietly and peacefully at the end of the year. Whether in the city or outside the city, almost everyone has a place to live, and everyone has a hot meal.
In such a world, this is simply unimaginable.
Song Gun, the prefect of Yan'an Prefecture, was probably the one who felt the deepest feelings about this.
In previous years, even if there were not so many refugees, during the coldest days at the end of the year, dozens of bodies that had died of freezing and starvation could be found in the streets and alleys of Yan'an Prefecture, let alone outside the city.
.
But now in Yan'an Mansion, there is almost no one who has died of cold and starvation. To be honest, if it weren't for the constant news from outside and the Nanhai Guard patrols that can be seen everywhere in the city, he feels that even if he
If I serve in Yan'an Prefecture again, I will not have such political achievements.
There is no doubt that next year's procuratorate, whether it is passing the exam or taking the assessment, he, the prefect of Yan'an Prefecture, should be ranked high. Of course, now Yan'an is only a prefectural city, and several counties under the jurisdiction of Yan'an Prefecture may not be able to reach the prefectural city.
However, as soon as the weather outside the city started to warm up and the refugees started farming under the supervision and help of Nanhaiwei, it seemed that it would be just around the corner for this kind of weather to spread to surrounding counties.
Food has always been at the throat of Nanhaiwei!
Song Gun now knows very well the combat power of Nanhaiwei. Judging from the bandits entrenched in the nearby counties, it should be an easy task for Nanhaiwei to defeat the enemy and recover them. Of course, it is easy to annihilate and expel the bandits, but like
Just like Yan'an Prefecture, it is unrealistic to rely entirely on grain transportation from Shanxi.
Therefore, as long as Yan'an Prefecture has enough food, everything will not be a problem.
Song Gun's mood has improved a lot recently, and there are a lot less trivial matters that can be brought to him. Many things used to require him, the prefect, to personally coordinate, persuade, and even force him to give orders. However, now these things suddenly
Time becomes much easier to manage.
Those gentry who had always criticized Nanhaiwei now not only no longer have any resistance to Nanhaiwei, but even have some support for it. Of course, all this started from that day at Chen's house, when Jiang Wan personally agreed to these gentry's investment
What happened after Sihai Trading Company.
Song Gun was a witness to this incident, but he wisely did not get involved. He did not even care about the specific content of the cooperation between these gentry and Nanhaiwei, the changes in the attitudes of the gentry, and the actual actions it took.
, he could still see clearly.
Nanhaiwei confiscated all the treasure banknotes stored in the government office, stamped them with their seals, and issued them as banknotes in Yan'an Prefecture. Who would have expected that now they are almost like waste paper, and even ordinary people are unwilling to do so.
How can the Ming Dynasty treasure banknotes accepted be circulated in the market?
Moreover, the consistent treasure banknote is equivalent to one tael of silver, and the exchange ratio fluctuates, not even 10%.
This is already something that is hard to imagine, but the gentry all over the city and the shops they own actually recognize this kind of banknotes from all over the world. It is said that the few shops in the city opened by Shanxi people are now
I also started using this kind of banknote to buy salt from the salt factory. If this continues, the banknote may even flow to Shanxi.
Of course, Song Gun just thought about this kind of thing. Using a piece of waste paper as money, what people look at is the ability of Sihai Commercial Bank to exchange it at any time. This kind of exchange is possible in Yan'an Prefecture, but outside Yan'an Prefecture, it is really necessary
People took out tens of thousands of banknotes to cash them, and if Sihai Commercial Bank couldn't cash them out, it would have ruined its own reputation.
This is not something that happens overnight, but he doesn't plan to take such a long-term view. Anyway, if nothing happens, he should leave Yan'an Mansion tomorrow. Regardless of promotion or transfer, he will not continue to stay here. This is his
It’s an issue that the next president should consider.
People become officials for promotion. However, judging from these newspapers at the end of the year, Song Gun feels that in fact, he is not that eager to be promoted or not. Even if he goes to Beijing, now is not a good time, because
Regarding the young Jurchen's invasion, the current situation in the capital is very strange. With his status and qualifications, he may not be able to achieve anything after entering the capital. The best result is just to continue his qualifications in the capital.
This is still a promotion, but there is a high probability that he will just be transferred. If he is transferred to other state capitals in Shaanxi, he feels that he might as well stay in Yan'an Prefecture. If nothing else, at least the current situation of Yan'an Prefecture is far away.
It was beyond his imagination. It was not easy to move to another place, let alone start the business from scratch, even to be able to continue to be an officer safely.
Therefore, now that he has free time, he spends more time thinking about his official career than caring about the changes in the city. It's just that the capital is in chaos now. When he wrote to ask his advisor, he kept asking.
Didn't get a reply.
"Master, it's time for you to get up!"
The concubine beside her was urging Song Gun angrily and funnyly. She didn't expect that Song Gun, who had always been very diligent in her eyes, would be able to stay in the back house of the prefect's Yamen without venting his anger.
He had been lying in bed since he woke up early in the morning, almost like a child staying in bed, instead of the majestic prefect.
"It's nothing official. Sir, I've worked hard for so long. Why don't I get up after just one day of rest?"
Song Gun said confidently: "Go and do your business, the master is thinking about something!"
"I don't care if I lie down all day, but the guest has been drinking tea for almost an hour. I asked someone to check it, and the tea is as clear as water, but the guest still refuses to leave!"
"Hey, didn't you ask someone to invite Mr. Zhou?"
Song Gun started to have a headache. The guest mentioned by the concubine was of course Fan Ji's shopkeeper. It was said that he was a wealthy businessman from Shanxi named Fan Yongdou. He came to ask to see him, but he definitely didn't want to have tea with him.
He doesn't want to have anything to do with the Fan family at all. Even though most of the grain roads from Shanxi to Yan'an are run by the Fan family, he has served as an official and reached the prefecture level. Of course he knows that there are some things that he can't touch randomly.
of.
Never touch things that you shouldn't touch. You will regret it if you touch them.
The Fan family is related to Nanhaiwei. To be precise, the Fan family is related to Jiang Wan. Anyway, he, as the prefect, knows it very well. Based on his face alone, he begged Fan Yongdou, a wealthy Shanxi businessman, to work tirelessly to open up grain roads, and then organize a steady stream of manpower.
He transported grain from Shanxi in exchange for the green salt produced in Yan'an Prefecture. He definitely didn't have such a big face.
No matter how Jiang Wan persuaded the Fan family, the Fan family definitely cared about Jiang Wan's face. In this matter, Song Gun did not do anything at all.
At this time, he was hooking up with people from the Fan family in private. If Jiang Wan felt that he and the people from the Fan family were planning to cooperate and Jiang Wan was left aside, he could imagine how the other party would feel.
Too bad.
Now, he doesn't want to make Jiang Wan angry at all.
In the past few times, he simply refused the other party's request for an audience because he was too busy with business. However, today the other party obviously came to see him because he knew he was idle. He ignored the other party for half an hour, but the other party still had no intention of leaving. He
You might as well just ask someone to invite Zhou Jie of Nanhaiwei, who is the most diligent in and out of the government office.
As a result, I don’t know what the two people said. Anyway, shopkeeper Fan didn’t leave, but Zhou Jue did.
"Go ahead and change your clothes. I'll send him away. He's such an uninvited guest, disturbing my sweet dreams!"
He muttered and finally got up reluctantly.
After half a stick of incense, he saw the nasty guest who stayed in his office. When the nasty guest saw him, he didn't even wait for a long time. He didn't even complain. This made him want to find an excuse.
I felt a little embarrassed to walk away.
But it doesn't matter. To be an official, you must have a thick skin.
He said calmly: "Shopkeeper Fan has always wanted to see me. It must be something important. Could it be that something happened to Fan Ji?"
"The prefect is too worried!" Fan Yongdou smiled slightly: "How could something happen to the Fan family in Yan'an Prefecture? Even if something happens, it will happen in Shanxi, so I won't come to the prefect for help!"
"Oh, what's that?" Song Gun said calmly.
"Of course it's a good thing!" Fan Yongdou Gong handed over his hand: "Fan heard that the prefect's term will expire this year, and Fan boldly wanted to come and ask, does the prefect have any plans for his career?"
"Huh?" Song Gun's face darkened and he glanced at him displeased: "Is my official career something that you, a businessman, can worry about? Shopkeeper Fan's business is so big, he won't even worry about anything.
You don’t understand the simple truth about what you can and can’t do!?”
"No, no, no, the prefect has misunderstood what Fan means!" Fan Yongdou shook his head: "What Fan means, if the prefect has any plans, Fan can help the prefect!"
He smiled and said: "Now that the prefect has achieved political achievements, if you want to find a good position, what you need is nothing more than money and connections. In terms of connections, maybe I, a businessman, can't compare with the prefect, but money.
In this regard, Fan is still somewhat sure!"
"Then, even if I find a good position, what good will it do to you?" Song Gun looked at the other party with disdain: "Song Gun thinks he is not a good official, but he is definitely not a faint official. This
I think there is probably no such thing in the world as giving me money for no reason!"
"You don't need to do anything, Lord Prefect!" Fan Yongdou shook his head: "Sir, Lord Prefect, can I say a few offensive words?"
"Say!" Song Gun glanced at the other party: "So you don't think it's offensive to bribe me like this, but I would like to know what your offensive words look like!"
"Then let me tell you the truth!" Fan Yongdou saw Song Gun's expression change, and the conversation could no longer continue. He planned not to beat around the bush with the other party, but to directly explain his purpose. If he wanted to leave on bad terms this time, he
Believing that he would never have another one almost made Song Gun finish what he wanted to say.
"Fan is still a bit thin-faced in Shanxi. No matter which state capital it is, even if the local officials look down on Fan, there are really not many officials who can let Fan drink a cup of tea for an hour!"
Fan Yongdou said: "Of course, the prefect of Yan'an Prefecture, Fan, doesn't think he has that much face, let alone Fan and his colleagues. In the past few months, thousands of dan of grain have been sent to Yan'an Prefecture every month. Fan
I admit that I have made meritorious service to Fan of Yan'an Prefecture! Isn't that so, Mr. Song?"
"I will definitely report this to the court and ask for praise from the court!" Song Gun nodded. This is the truth. It is understandable for him to ask for a praise for the other party.
"That is to say, Mr. Song has a share in Mr. Fan's political achievements. Mr. Fan does not ask Mr. Song to repay him. He just asks Mr. Song to give Mr. Fan this opportunity. Don't walk away before Mr. Fan has finished speaking, okay?
?”
"I promise you!" Song Gun nodded. Considering the other party's merits, he felt that he could listen to what the other party had to say. At worst, he could just refuse the other party's unreasonable request.
"Master Song is in Baoshan and doesn't know it!" Fan Yongdou sighed: "The commander of Nanhai Wei Jiang is a close minister of the emperor. The commander of Nanhai Wei, Xu Renzhi, whose real name is Xu Caining, is the daughter of Duke Ding, and the real
Xu Renzhi, the son of Duke Dingguo, is now serving as the governor of Nanhai to serve as a hundred households!"
He looked at Song Gun: "Master Song, you don't think that they came to Yan'an Mansion to quell the civil unrest and take in the refugees because of your invitation, Master Song, and because they are worried about the imperial court's corruption in Shaanxi!"
Song Gun looked at him and said nothing.
"These few people also need merit. Mr. Song's political achievements are their achievements. If their achievements are recognized and praised by the court, Mr. Song, do you think you, the chief official of Yan'an Mansion, are you?
If they dare to randomly find a place to put you, who dares to let you sit on the bench!"
"Of course, if they are willing to directly help you, Mr. Song, then things will be easier. With their favor and the power of Duke Dingguo in the court, I think, whether it is to promote a fifth-grade prefect, or to give this
It shouldn’t be difficult for a fifth-grade magistrate to change to a prosperous place.”
"Why should they help me? They don't owe me anything. Moreover, you also said that although they have done so much in Yan'an for their own achievements, these are also political achievements. In total, they have helped me.
That’s a lot!”
"Then Master Song, help them, so they have a reason to help you again?" Fan Yongdou said: "Master Song wants to pave the way for his own official career. I have the money here, the connections they have, and the Yan'an government has the achievements.
It all happened naturally, how wonderful!”
"Am I helping them?" Song Gun frowned.
"Of course, Mr. Jiang is very short of money. Mr. Song, didn't you see that the city is full of Ming Dynasty treasure banknotes flying? But if this year, Nanhaiwei pacifies the entire territory of Shaanxi and even the entire territory of the three sides, these Ming Dynasty treasures will
I'm afraid the banknotes won't just be flying around Yan'an Prefecture!"
Fan Yongdou said patiently: "With the little wealth of the Sihai Trading Company and the gentry of Yan'an Prefecture, let alone the three sides, even in Shaanxi, one run is enough to make everyone lose their money. Therefore, Mr. Jiang's Sihai Trading Company is now
The more money, the better!”
"You are lending my hand to give money to Jiang Wan!" Song Gun finally tasted the taste and said, "And in this, I got some benefits! Isn't that what you mean!"
"Master Song, if you understand it this way, it's not wrong!" Fan Yongdou nodded.
"So, what about you, why are you sending the money out?" Song Gun didn't understand the thinking of the businessman in front of him.
Fan Yongdou thought for a while and suddenly laughed: "I said it for peace of mind! I wonder if you believe it, Mr. Song?"