Jia Baoyu sat in the reception room with some absent-mindedness. He had been sitting there for half an hour, but his uncle hadn't come out yet.
When I got off the carriage, I saw the large and luxurious carriage in Niu Niu Mansion of Zhenguo. It was probably Niu Jizong, who succeeded his uncle Xuanda as governor, who came in person, otherwise his uncle would not have finished talking for so long.
After taking the position of Governor of Xuanda, my uncle was not as easy to see as he was as the Jiedushi in the capital camp, and he spent most of his time outside the capital.
Governor Xuanda is doing better. He has to go back to the capital from time to time. However, every time he returns to the capital, there are cars and sedans outside the mansion. There is an endless stream of civil and military officials and military descendants waiting to meet him.
After he was transferred from the Governor of Xuanda to the Governor of Denglai, there were rumors that his uncle had lost some power. However, the last time he saw his uncle, Jia Baoyu felt that his uncle was in good spirits, even more powerful than when he was the Governor of Xuanda, and
More and more people were waiting outside his house.
Originally, most of them were military generals, but last time there were obviously more civil servants, including officials from the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Personnel, and even the Metropolitan Procuratorate.
Although Jia Baoyu didn't understand the secrets of this official career, he also knew that in the Zhou Dynasty, civil servants were superior to military officials. When a civilian official saw a military officer, he was one level higher. Under the same circumstances, military officers must listen to civilian officials. This is why his family always
I hope he goes to study and take the imperial examination.
Now that there are more civil servants coming to visit, it naturally means that my uncle's official position is getting bigger and bigger, or that his power is getting stronger. Otherwise, why would the civil servants come to visit my uncle?
Among them were my father's bosses and colleagues in the Ministry of Industry. Although my father tried his best to appear indifferent, his proud look was still quite obvious after he returned home.
My mother had gone to the backyard to talk to her aunt, but the two cousins were not there.
Well, cousin Wang De probably went to the Daguan Tower to sing opera again. It has become the most popular place for children from wealthy families in Beijing to play tickets. Even he took Qin Zhong to meet Brother Liu and Jiang Yuhan from time to time, and even
I can run into Prince Beijing from time to time.
Unexpectedly, Xue Datou got along so well with Brother Liu and Brother Feng. After climbing to this high branch, Xue Datou suddenly started to shake his head. He felt that he had finally made a good living, and he didn't want to
Do you think that if Brother Feng hadn't promoted him for the sake of Rongguo Mansion, and the Jia family didn't want to get involved in this business, he would have gotten his turn?
But Xue Da's pride made Jia Baoyu even more flustered.
Jia Baoyu hated to see this aunt and cousin the most.
In addition to the incident with Xiang Ling, it was also because the other party caused such a big trouble in Jinling City. It was all thanks to my uncle's great efforts that the matter was smoothed over.
Logically speaking, this guy should have settled down in peace when he arrived in Beijing, but he was still causing trouble with five or six people a day. My uncle and aunt had said it many times, but they didn't bother to say it anymore.
However, this guy seemed to have done a lot more duty this year. He stayed in the Grand View Tower all day long and became familiar with Brother Liu and Jiang Yuhan. This made Baoyu a little tired.
How could Liu Erge and Jiang Yuhan look down on such filthy things and still compromise on their terms? They had lost their status.
In the past few days, Xue Datou wanted to provoke Brother Zhong again. Brother Zhong didn't want to cause trouble, so he didn't tell himself. Mingyan told herself that if her aunt hadn't been in poor health these past two days, he really wanted to complain to her.
, of course this is just a thought.
Sitting here, drinking Lao Junmei sip after sip, the tea and fruit tasted boring.
Baoyu looked at it and frowned, why is this uncle's family no longer particular?
The taste of this tea fruit is nowhere near as good as the water chestnut cake and pine pulp goose oil roll at home. Even the butter-fried small noodle fruit is too strong and makes people feel tired. I need to talk to my mother and let her
Tell your aunt so that you don't neglect your guests in the future.
Seeing his son's distracted look, Jia Zheng became very angry for no reason.
When I brought him to my brother-in-law's house, it was such a formal occasion, but he looked so absent-minded. Although his brother-in-law had not come out yet, the chief steward of the palace was accompanying him.
If this kind of performance falls into the eyes of others, I'm afraid that they will look down upon me, my legitimate son, who is the most beautiful person in the world.
Jia Zheng coughed slightly, and Baoyu immediately shuddered, suddenly came to his senses, quickly picked up the tea cup and took a sip pretending to be calm, and then asked with a smile: "I didn't know that Uncle Zhou is here to visit his uncle today, Niu Shibo."
?”
In fact, Jia Zheng had wanted to ask for a long time, but it was difficult to ask because of his different status. But Baoyu was different. He was Wang Ziteng's nephew, and he was also a junior, so there was no harm in asking.
"Mr. Bao, Mr. Niu came early in the morning and has been talking to the master. Later, guests came. They have been talking for a long time and it is estimated that it will end soon. Mr. Gu and Mr. Bao will wait a moment.
wait."
Those who can be the butlers in the palace are naturally confidants of Wang Ziteng and are very trustworthy. Without the master's instructions, he will not mention the identity of his guests easily.
Although the other party is the master's brother-in-law, he still has to abide by the rules. As for the other party seeing the Niu Mansion carriage and guessing the identity of the guest, it is none of his business.
Jia Zheng guessed that he must be a big shot. It would not be easy for his brother-in-law and Niu Jizong to receive him in person. He smoothed his beard and pretended not to care: "Second brother and Niu Gong must have important official business, so naturally they are.
Official duties are my top priority, and I don’t have anything important to do except bring Baoyu to see his uncle.”
Butler Zhou said with a smile: "I really should take Mr. Bao for a walk. I am getting busier and busier now. Moreover, after I went to Denglai, the house was full of guests as soon as I returned to Beijing. I received dozens of posts every day."
, we have to wait until the master leaves the capital and we can’t arrange it, so Mr. Bao comes to visit more and meet some guests.”
Although Baoyu didn't like this kind of social interaction, he knew that he meant well, and Jia Zheng nodded repeatedly.
If you can go in and out of the palace frequently, you will definitely meet some important people. No matter what profession you are in, there is no harm in getting to know each other. You might be able to help one day. They are talking about Baoyu, but why not talk about yourself?
?
While several people were talking, they heard a voice coming from the arch of the corridor over there.
"Prince, Mr. Niu, please stay. My nephew has written down what the two uncles said. He will definitely negotiate with the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Household Affairs as soon as possible. Let's see what they say. It's Mr. Zhang from the Ministry of War. Mr. Zhang from the Ministry of War.
I'm afraid I have to talk about it. In addition, my nephew heard that Mr. Chai may return to Beijing in the middle of the year to report the victory. At that time, he can also ask Mr. Chai to report to the emperor. Mr. Chai has always attached great importance to maritime defense and has always believed that Liaodong's logistics support must be guaranteed.
It must be supported by Thein Lay..."
Baoyu sounded familiar, but Jia Zheng immediately recognized who this clear and quiet voice belonged to.
"Well, Ziying, I have to worry about this matter for you. The people in the Ministry of Household Affairs and the Ministry of Works are not good at doing things, but they are good at picking up problems. Zheng Boxiao and Li Daofu, who are in charge of the Ministry of Household Affairs, are simply better than him.
My own money is precious, and someone who is in charge of the Ministry of Industry is more meticulous than anything else. I wish I, the governor, could figure everything out on my own, but Governor Denglai’s Yamen has not been set up yet, and Laizhou and Dengzhou are all complaining.
, It’s hard for a clever woman to make a meal without rice, if this continues, when will it come to an end?”
Wang Ziteng was also very angry. The governor of Denglai was a newly established government office. It took several months from site selection to construction, but the Ministry of Accounts kept saying that there was no money and asked him to hand over the land tax and calendar debt from Dengzhou and Laizhou first.
The Ministry of Industry has the same opinion. The labor required for construction will be advanced by the local government and can be deducted from it at that time.
How can it be that simple if you want to make the local people easily bow to your words when dry fields are flooded?
Although the governor is in charge of military and political power, this is a newly established governor's office, which is far inferior to Xuanda. With a long-established government office such as Jiliao, and the imperial court's money, it is conceivable that this will naturally make it difficult for the local people to be happy and satisfied. At least you
We also want the court to reduce taxes for two years, right?
However, the power to reduce or reduce taxes is not up to Wang Ziteng. The exemption from land tax must be submitted by the Ministry of Revenue to the Cabinet for approval and the emperor’s approval. The exemption from labor must also be offset by the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Industry. This is also the case.
program, Wang Ziteng felt bad at the thought of having to argue with Zheng Jizhi, Li Sancai and the cabinet.
The same goes for Xuanda. The imperial court gave priority to protecting Liaodong. In addition to last year's rebellion in Ningxia, the imperial court had to pacify Ningxia and Gansu first, and also restored Shazhou and Hami. Therefore, the only wealth the Ministry of Households had was for the government.
These two sides are tilted, and Xuanda's side is somewhat stretched.
Niu Jizong came here just to ask Feng Ziying when the issue of borrowing money for the sea-opening project would be implemented, so that he would know how to declare the Governor-General.
Naturally, it was impossible for Feng Ziying to give him an accurate message, but she also told him an approximate time. The specific details would depend on the pace of progress.
"Uncle, don't worry. Yesterday the emperor summoned his nephew to see him, and he also mentioned the issue of Denglai. The emperor also attaches great importance to it. It is estimated that measures will be taken soon. I believe the situation will change soon."
Feng Ziying didn't mention Yinzhuang's investment in the matter, and Emperor Yonglong didn't express his position. He must have considered it. He still had to think about it and figure out what Emperor Yonglong was thinking.
The footsteps and voices were getting closer and closer. Jia Zheng and Jia Baoyu had mixed feelings in their hearts, but they both stood up subconsciously and looked towards the door.
While accompanying Niu Jizong and Feng Ziying, Wang Ziteng seemed to have remembered something. He stopped, put his hands behind his hands and said to this side: "Cunzhou, Baoyu, come and meet Niu Gong and Ziying."
Jia Zheng and Jia Baoyu hurriedly stepped out of the reception room, looked up, and happened to be face to face with Wang Ziteng, Niu Jizong, and Feng Ziying, who was wearing an elegant blue shirt.