At the beginning of July, the hot summer weather has cooled down a little, and colorful flags are fluttering at the big wharf in Mudu Town, gongs and drums are noisy, and firecrackers are blasting.
The opening and closing ceremony of the Mudu Port branch under the Hushu Customs Department is being held here.
Officials present to congratulate include the head of the Ministry of Household Affairs and the customs envoy of Hushu, Wang Zhidu, the magistrate of Changzhou County, Yuan Hongdao, the magistrate of Wuxian County, Guo Tong, and the inspector of the Mudu Inspection Department, Jin Zhiqian.
Wang Shishi and Yuan Zhixian stood together, exchanging greetings and chatting.
The king's tax envoy said: "I have admired Yuan Zhonglang's name for a long time, but it is rare to see him. After the switching ceremony, if Yuan Lingyin has any other matters, you might as well get together with me."
The second eldest brother of the family, Wang Situ, said that the Wang family will strengthen their influence in the literary world in the future and make up for its shortcomings.
This Yuan Hongdao is a big shot in the literary world and is very worth making friends with.
Yuan Zhixian replied expectantly: "I have already agreed to go to inspect the water conditions of Taihu Lake and Xujiang River, accompanied by the forest manager."
Huh? Wang Shishi suddenly came up with a plan, but it was his turn to speak first, so he suspended his conversation with Yuan Hongdao.
Previously, Wang Zhidu was worried that Lin Tailai, being young and inexperienced, would perform the switching ceremony in a nondescript manner.
Unexpectedly, although the switching ceremony was a bit different, it still looked similar and felt like a big scene.
Hundreds of community workers were called to pretend to be members of the public and gathered under the platform. Everyone held small flags and waved them vigorously when prompted.
The officials stood on the earth platform and gave speeches in turn according to their rank. Then some scholars loudly read the congratulatory poems of each official to the crowd.
Later, Ma Yingming, the civil service representative of the branch, came forward to express his determination to the officials.
Later, there were business representatives who came from nowhere, and representatives of the residents of the town took turns to show their faces and give speeches to express their support for the branch.
After all the speeches were completed, Wang Zhidu personally unveiled the red cloth on a plaque, and then raised the plaque in the main hall of Fenguan.
Finally, forty river guards belonging to the branch took ten boats and lined up on the Xujiang River. They shouted slogans in unison: "Collect taxes for the country and serve the court!"
The whole ceremony process, you sing and I come on stage, is really orderly and thorough.
It was hard for Wang Shushi to imagine that this was planned by an eighteen-year-old martial arts officer.
Thinking of this, Wang Shizhi couldn't help but look at Lin Tai, who had been keeping a low profile throughout the entire process today.
However, at this time, Lin Tailai ignored his superior, the tax envoy, and the most famous county magistrate, Yuan. Instead, he only chatted and laughed with Jin Xinxuan, the lowest-ranking official in the field, and had a lively chat.
Suddenly, he saw Lin Tailai put something that looked like silver paper into Inspector Jin's hand, and then they laughed together.
The tax envoy Wang couldn't help but cursed secretly, he had never seen a young man like Lin Tailai.
He may act recklessly, but he is really cunning, and he always knows the key.
According to common practice, the inspection department must obey the orders of the county government and accept the command and dispatch of the county government.
However, in places with customs customs, they give priority to obeying the orders of the customs customs, which can be regarded as a force guarantee for customs inspections of smuggling.
For example, the Xushu Inspection Department is subordinate to the Xushu Customs Department.
After the Mudu Port customs clearance switch, the Mudu Inspection Department will also be subordinate to the Xushuguan General Administration and cooperate with the customs clearance work.
Therefore, Lin Tailai seized the time at this time and established a good relationship with Mudu Inspection Inspector Jin Inspection. This was a very "smart" behavior, which would be very useful for future customs affairs.
Wang Zhidu shouted: "Master Lin, come here!"
Lin Tailai had no choice but to leave Jin's inspection temporarily and asked the tax envoy Wang, "What are your orders, Your Majesty?"
Wang Zhidu said: "Lend out your Shenwei Lieshui and let me use it for a few days."
Lin Tailai was very surprised: "There is no problem in lending this boat to the prince, but don't you have an official ship, prince?"
Wang Zhidu replied: "I made an agreement with Yuan Zhixian just now to visit together in the past few days, ah no, to inspect the water conditions of Taihu Lake and the eastern part of the lake.
The official ship is a bit ostentatious, and I was afraid of being criticized by people who didn't know the truth, so I borrowed your big ship for use."
Damn it! Lin Tailai was shocked. You, the tax envoy, are so bad that you actually want to cut off Hu!
Yuan Hongdao had obviously promised to take him to visit Taihu Lake with him!
After all, Yuan Hongdao is a big boss of the public security faction and a golden brand in the literary world.
As long as you publish a few poems and articles based on Yuan Hongdao's name, it is an opportunity to become famous in the literary world, especially through Yuan Hongdao's letters, which can be spread throughout the country.
Now the retro faction will definitely not bring him Lin Tai to play, relying on the public security faction is a must choice.
Putting down the surprise in his heart, Lin Tailai couldn't help but ask: "Why would a great and elegant writer like Yuan Zhixian want to travel, no, inspect with you?"
If it weren't for him, Lin Tai, looking down on people, how could you, Wang Zhijun, be able to sing harmoniously with Yuan Hongdao's poems?
Wang Shishi proudly said: "Not only will we inspect together, but Yuan Zhixian also promised to add my name to the title of his poem!"
Lin Tailai immediately said: "Then you can go together and sing with Yuan County Master. It is also a refined thing!"
Wang Shishi responded disdainfully: "This is a gathering of our literati and officials, and we are all Jinshi in the second rank.
And why are you, a military student, joining in the fun and trying to steal the limelight from me, a Jinshi?"
Lin Tailai said unconvinced: "You can't say that, things always come first. Prince, it's just that you intercept the opportunity, and you don't let me go. This is too much."
Wang Zhidu said earnestly: "The Wuxiang Examination is in September, and you have to go to Nanjing to take the exam in mid-August at the latest.
And now that it's July, you don't have much time left to prepare for the exam. Do you still have the time to look around?
I am doing this for your own good, so that you can concentrate on preparing for the exam, and the Wuxiang exam will also test your writing skills!"
Lin Tailai and Wang Shishi had no common language, so he went to Yuan Zhixian again and asked quietly:
"Why are you going back on your word, County Lord? The poems and essays written by the king's tax envoy are not worthy of the County Lord!"
County magistrate Yuan smiled bitterly and said: "The tax envoy Wang said that he would write to my brother and relax the assessment of money and grain in Changzhou County this year and next."
Lin Tailai: "."
Damn it! This is the corruption of literature by power!
At the same time as the opening and closing ceremony was taking place, several people gathered around to drink tea in Xiangxi Tower in Mudu Town.
The leader of the New Wulian Hall, Lu Yibin, the master of Anle Hall, sits at the center and the chief, and the masters of the five halls on the east bank of Taihu Lake occupy the remaining seats.
Today is also the day for the alliance meeting between Xinwu Lian and Hudong Wutang. Lin Daguan was really lacking in resources, so he simply scheduled the alliance meeting and the switching ceremony on the same day.
Different from the hustle and bustle on the big pier, it is slightly deserted here.
Lu Yibin is also an old man in the world, and he will not mess up in the scene. He toasts and chats with the five hall masters with a smile.
After three rounds of tea, Lu Dalongtou still did not talk about business. Instead, he started gossiping about the new "Oiran Election" in Suzhou City in the second half of the year.
"I heard that in the last oiran election, Manager Xu of the school secretary office spent a lot of money to push Bai Ji to the top position.
And so far, Bai Ji, a Qinghuan, is still waiting for a price with the title of No. 1 Scholar, so the money that Manager Xu spent last time has not been recovered at all.
Seeing that the new Oiran election is coming, Manager Xu is already in a dilemma.
If she doesn't continue to spend money, Bai Ji will lose her title of No. 1 pick, her net worth will inevitably plummet, and she won't be able to get back her previous investment.
However, if you continue to spend money to win the No. 1 pick, after investing more, the cost will be too high, and it is also doubtful whether you can recover the money.
I heard that Mr. Xu is now having a hard time eating and drinking every day, and is anxious and insomnia every night. He feels very miserable, hahahaha!"
The oiran election should have been a topic of interest to all men, but the other five hall masters were completely absent-minded at this time.
Peng Youwei, the leader of Hu'an Hall in Xukou Town, listened to Lu Yibin's nonsense for a long time, and finally said unbearably:
"Your Anletang claimed that it would form an alliance with our Hudong Wutang, and our Wutang agreed and all of them have attended the appointment today. This is our sincerity!
So please tell us clearly what regulations you, Hall Master Lu, have.
We are all too busy to listen to Hall Master Lu’s rambling ramblings here!”
Xukou Town is located at the intersection of Xujiang River and Taihu Lake, hence its name, and its geographical location is very strategic.
Therefore, Hu'an Church in Xukou Town is qualified to speak on behalf of several other churches.
In fact, Lu Yibin, the so-called leader of the New Wu Alliance and the initiator of the alliance, also wants to know what the regulations of this alliance are.
If he really knew the rules, how could he keep talking about them?
Suddenly, another hall master from one of the five Hudong halls struck the case and said, "Brother Peng, if you want to ask Hall Master Lu, you are looking for the wrong person! I guess he also doesn't know anything!"
The big leader Lu Yibin suddenly became unhappy. Who leaked this Anletang secret?
Doesn't he, the great leader and hall master, have no respect for face?
Peng Youwei laughed a few times and asked Lu Yibin: "Is that so?
To be continued...