A ship sailed on the river, and the light and shadow quickly passed by on both sides of the river.
Jia Heng stared at the map for a while. At this time, he suddenly heard a "squeak" and saw a petite and exquisite figure flash across the screen and enter the cabin. His bright eyes looked at the young man and said softly: "
What are you busy with, husband?"
"Look at the map." Jia Heng looked up at the plate in the girl's hand and said with a smile, "What is Chan Yue holding in her hand?"
"Grapes, I brought them for you." Li Chanyue said with a sweet face and sweet voice, and then handed over a plate of washed crystal grapes.
Jia Heng smiled and said: "Chanyue, bring it over and let me have a taste."
In the past few days, Chanyue was particularly attached to him. She would come over to pester him when she couldn't see him. The two of them would often sleep together in the evening, but after all, they avoided the influence and didn't make too much noise.
Li Chanyue responded softly, put down the bunch of crystal grapes in her hand, her eyebrows were as curved as crescent moons, and said: "Husband, let me peel them for you."
Jia Heng said softly "Hmm", looked at the girl with gentle eyes, and asked: "Where is your cousin?"
Li Chanyue said softly: "Sister Xianning and sister Lin are playing mahjong. They have nothing to do on the boat so they just play together."
Jia Heng looked strange and asked, "Does your cousin also like to play this now?"
The main wife's destination is to play mahjong.
Li Chanyue approached, held a peeled crystal grape and handed it over, saying softly: "Mr. Jia, my cousin is playing with them."
Jia Heng was about to take the grapes with his hands when he saw the girl snort with a grunt on her nose, her beautiful eyes looking forward to it, so she had to open her mouth slightly.
The slender fingers handed him over.
Jia Heng ate the grapes, reached out and pinched Li Chanyue's cheek, and said softly: "Why are you so filial?"
Li Chanyue: "???"
Filial piety?
He immediately understood and said angrily: "What nonsense are you talking about?"
She was also in a state of confusion and infatuation the day before yesterday, so she responded to his weird call. It was really embarrassing.
Jia Heng looked at the shy girl, gently rubbed the bangs covering her forehead, and said warmly: "Didn't Chan Yue like her that day?"
He didn't expect that Chan Yue was so quiet on the outside, but had a masochistic gene hidden inside... Or if he had known it, he would have gone straight to the topic long ago. He was really worried that Chan Yue's young mind would be harmed.
After all, Chan Yue has lost her father since she was a child, and even her mother is a fake, so he still feels a little guilty.
Li Chanyue peeled the grapes again and said with a worried tone: "Just now, Third Sister and Sister Lan said that there may be a lot of resistance to the land clearing in Jiangnan this time. Does Mr. Jia think it will be easy to handle?"
Jia Heng said warmly: "It doesn't matter whether it's easy to handle or not."
Li Chanyue pursed her pink lips and said, "Our family actually has a lot of land and houses, so do we need to pay for these too?"
"Treat everyone equally, just pay more taxes when the time comes." Jia Heng took the girl's bare hand, held it in his arms, and said softly: "When we get to Jinling, we will first clear the land from the four major families in Jinling, and then wait for the leaders to take the lead.
, the rest will be easy to handle.”
An honorable man like him has to clear the land and pay taxes according to the acres, so it is difficult to evade other matters.
This time it is about giving full play to the leading role of the bureaucracy.
Li Chanyue stared at the young man and said in a low voice: "Mr. Xiao Jia has never rested since he became an official. The things he encounters are all big things that others can't handle."
Jia Heng said: "Since I came out of Liutiao Hutong, one thing has happened one after another, which is dizzying."
In fact, he is also a little stressed, so the garden is a haven for rest and relaxation.
"Chanyue, we are almost at Jinling, we can see her." Jia Heng took the grapes peeled by the girl's delicate hands and said softly.
Yangzhou is much closer to Jinling, so you can get back by boat in one day.
He wanted to go to Jinyang earlier, as well as Mopan and Xueer.
By now all three of them should have received news of his arrival in Yangzhou.
Li Chanyue said softly: "Mr. Xiao Jia, when you come back this time, you should wait until she gives birth before returning to Beijing."
Jia Heng said: "I can give you another one in two or three months..."
Li Chanyue's cheeks turned red with embarrassment, she slapped Jia Heng's hand and said urgently: "Don't say it, don't say it."
"Then give her one." Jia Heng chuckled and joked.
Li Chanyue said shyly and angrily: "Husband, you still say that."
Jia Heng smiled, picked up the grapes on the side and peeled one gently, and said softly: "I'll feed Chan Yue a grape too."
Li Chanyue opened her pink lips slightly, bit the grape lightly, and the juice overflowed on her glossy lips, and said: "It is too dangerous for my husband to be busy with these things. It would be great if I could live happily with cousin Xianning for the rest of my life."
.”
Jia Heng said softly: "I want to, but sometimes I just can't help myself."
As he said that, he held Li Chanyue's face and said softly: "If there is a day when the world is peaceful, Chanyue and I will have a good time exploring this picturesque country."
I don’t know when the world will be peaceful.
After a while, Chen Xiao left and came back. He looked at the young man and said in a clear voice: "All the generals from the Jiangbei camp have gone back, but the magistrate of Yangzhou, the transfer envoys of Lianghuaidu, the censor of salt inspection and others want to see you.
.”
As an imperial envoy sent by Emperor Chongping, Jia Heng's mission was to refine the navy and prepare the military and political affairs, but he was also assigned to supervise the new administration.
Jia Heng thought for a while and whispered: "I'll go take a look later."
Compared with the meeting with the generals from the Jiangbei camp, which was a bit ostentatious and uneasy, the meeting with officials from the Yangzhou Prefecture and the salt affairs system after going south was better.
Previously in Huai'an Prefecture, he got off the boat and met with the deputy governor of Nanhe, Guan Shoufang, and mainly asked about the flood preparations of the canal and Yellow River dams during the flood season.
Inadvertently, his disciples and former officials also spread throughout the military, river affairs, salt affairs and other systems.
Chen Xiao turned to look at the plate of crystal grapes that had not yet been eaten, looked at the young girl with a beautiful face, and said: "Chanyue, I was saying I was thirsty, peel one for me."
Chen Xiao glanced at Li Chanyue, then looked at Jia Heng, and said coldly: "Then in the future, don't let Chanyue lie on me."
She was at the bottom every time. Even with her martial arts skills, she could not bear the weight of more than 200 kilograms, and there was no sense of comfort at all.
"Sister Xiaoxiao, you can eat." Li Chanyue suddenly held out a hand, her bright eyes twinkling, and she said softly.
She doesn't want to make meat mats for these three people.
Jia Heng smiled and said: "Xiaoxiao, clean up and come with me to meet the officials of Yangzhou Prefecture."
Chen Xiao responded and immediately followed Jia Heng outside.
At this moment, just beside the Yangzhou ferry, Du Bojun, the magistrate of Yangzhou Prefecture, Dai Shang, the salt inspector, Wang Yuanshan, the transshipment envoy of the Huaihe River and Yangzhou Prefecture, as well as officials and staff of Yangzhou Prefecture, were waiting in the dark at the ferry.
He was looking at the ships with high masts and sails.
After a while, a young palace guard wearing a flying fish uniform came over, cupped his hands and said, "Two adults, my governor will be down soon."
Du Bojun, the prefect of Yangzhou, quickly cheered up. This middle-aged official in his mid-thirties, with handsome appearance and a well-fitting figure, looked at the young man who was surrounded by several royal guards.
Because it was morning, and there was abundant rain in the Jianghuai River, the weather seemed to be gray, but the boy in the python suit had a calm demeanor surrounding him.
"I've met the Duke of Wei." Du Bojun, Dai Shang, the salt inspector, and Wang Yuanshan, the transshipment envoy of the Huaihe River, walked a few steps quickly and bowed their hands towards the young man in greeting.
Jia Heng returned the salute and said with a smile: "Master Du, Master Dai is so polite."
When everyone saw the humble look on the young man in the python suit, they suddenly felt good in their hearts.
Only the salt merchant Wang Shouqi had something strange on his face. The Duke of Wei had also spoken so kindly to the Yangzhou salt merchants.
Who would have known that he would actually be a smiling tiger who could always say good things and never do bad things.
Jia Heng was also looking at a few people at this moment, and his thoughts couldn't help but swirl a little.
I vaguely remember that the last time I came to Yangzhou, the former Yangzhou magistrate Yuan Jichong welcomed him to the mansion for a drink and a meal, but in the end he found an opportunity to participate.
Du Bojun smiled and invited: "Duke Wei, your subordinates, and Lord Dai are preparing a small banquet at Fulin Restaurant in the city. We hope that Duke Wei will come."
Dai Shang, the censor of the Salt Patrol, also said: "Duke Wei, please come to the restaurant for a glass of water and wine to express our admiration and reverence."
Jia Heng nodded, stretched out his hand to invite you and said, "Master Du, please come forward."
Just as Jia Heng and officials from Yangzhou Prefecture and the Salt Affairs System were heading to Yangzhou Fucheng for dinner, they were greeted by the gentry under the trees on the west side.
On a carriage hanging the flag of "Jinling Ye Family", delicate hands as white as jade let go of the bamboo curtain, and a trace of suspicion flashed in the eyes under the willow eyebrows.
And those handsome and bright eyebrows glanced at the girl opposite who also raised the curtain to watch, and said: "Okay, everyone has left, don't look at it."
Nan Ling reluctantly looked back and said in a trembling voice: "Sister Gu."
"This girl who has just been made a duke and is also married to an emperor's daughter and a clan daughter, Sister Nanling, there are some things that you don't have to think about, it's simply impossible." Gu Ruoqing said.
I really didn't expect that the arrogant young man would gain merit again and even marry the emperor's daughter and the daughter of the clan.
The joyful look on Nan Ling's young white face gradually faded, her face turned pale, her head gradually lowered, and she gave a soft "hmm" sound.
She certainly understands what Sister Gu means. She cannot reach such a powerful and powerful person, no matter how high she is. Even if she is lucky, she will soon be abandoned by the chaos.
Gu Ruoqing took Nan Ling's hand and said comfortingly: "Okay, it's okay. Don't worry about it. Let's go back."
She was going to see her junior sister later. Master recently had a letter for her.
Jia Heng, Du Bojun and others headed to Fulin Restaurant in a grand manner, entered the box and sat down.
Some gentry in Yangzhou Prefecture, well, that is, people in the business community, led by four salt merchants who were originally the eight major salt merchants in Yangzhou.
Wang Shouqi, Huang Rishan, Jiang Tong, and Xiao Hongsheng stepped forward to speak.
Jia Heng stood up, supported Wang Shouqi's arm, and said, "Mr. Wang, there is no need to be polite. We are all old acquaintances."
"I don't dare to worry about the prince." Wang Shouqi raised his eyes and looked at the young man, with a complex look in his old eyes.
The other four major salt merchants were not much better, because how long had it been before? The young man in front of him had already achieved the title of Duke of the country and returned as the leader, shaking the world.
It was originally planned that this young man would suffer a huge defeat in the north and fall from power, but he did not want his power to become even three cents higher than before.
The great war in the north had completely established Jia Heng's historical status.
Not only Wang Shouqi, but also Jiang Tong, Xiao Hongsheng and others were also restless and in awe.
At the beginning, the young man whose tricks turned his hands into clouds and his hands into rain left a shadow.
Jia Heng said: "Now that these few people can actively participate in maritime trade, this is the progress of our great cause of ZTE."
As the salt ticket method became popular in the world, the imperial court established a salt affairs company, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs unified the Salt Patrol Censor and the Huaidu Transfer Department. In addition to continuing to collect salt tickets, the four major salt merchants began to transform and develop.
Other business.
After the rise of maritime trade, the four major salt merchants actively participated in maritime transportation. However, in the past few months, new problems have emerged again, that is, pirates and barbarians entrenched in Wanwan Island, threatening the safety of navigation in the waters of Fujian and Zhejiang.
But after one wave, another wave came up again. It was true that the imperial court sent Duke Wei to the south of the Yangtze River to clean up the pirates, but he came with four new policies. Although it was to save money, the wool came from the sheep. Who knew what would happen in the end?
It will not be passed on to them.
Both the official gentry and the merchants had the habit of hoarding land for cultivation. Compared with the budding national capital of merchants, which was still somewhat advanced, the official gentry was a rentier class through and through.
Du Bojun smiled and complimented: "Nowadays, sea trade is booming in the world, and millions of people in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian and Guangdong rely on it for a living. It is said that the policy of opening up the sea was proposed by Duke Wei. I propose that everyone here respect Wei Guo.
How about a cup for the Duke?"
Jia Heng met the gazes of everyone and said: "I am also working for the imperial court, and I understand that we are the officials who should do our duty. Please be polite."
A group of merchants raised their glasses and toasted to the young man in the python suit.
Jia Heng picked up the wine cup and drank it all in one gulp.
"Duke Wei is so generous." Du Bojun praised him.
Everyone complimented him again.
Jia Heng looked indifferent and said softly: "You are all heroes of Yangzhou. Nowadays, sea trade is booming. I don't know how much more convenient it is than working in the fields. It is the time to vigorously develop sea trade."
As soon as this statement came out, the atmosphere at the scene became much more subtle.
Because it was in conjunction with Jia Heng's errand to go south, to clear out the land and spread the land among the tenants, the gentry present felt a vague warning.
At this time, Dai Shang, the censor of the Salt Patrol, echoed: "What Mr. Wei Guo said is true. If you just dig food from the ground, how many people can you have? Nowadays, the sea is in full swing. A shipload of goods goes to sea, and the profit is huge. Everyone here is interested in it."
They are people who are proficient in the production of goods."
Of course, the people here are not fools. Although it is good to open the sea, the risks are not small. It is not easy to collect rent from farming.
Jia Heng said in a low voice: "I know some of the concerns here. The pirates are cutting paths and robbing the sea. My purpose of going south this time is to solve all the difficulties that hinder the opening of sea trade."
Du Bojun smiled and livened up the atmosphere and said: "The Duke of Wei is a famous general who has great power against the pirates. Since he said that he wants to deal with the pirates, I think it won't take long to clean up the evil atmosphere and clarify the world. In the future, I don't have to worry about losing money when I go to sea to do business."
This is it."
Everyone spoke in agreement, and the hall quickly became noisy and lively.
Jia Heng did not continue talking, but looked at the group of Jiangbei gentry with a smile. These people were actually the little ones, and the real big ones were the senior officials in Jinling.
But when this smile fell in the eyes of Wang Shouqi and others, they felt a little chilled in their hearts, secretly wary.
This smile was so familiar that they were just careless at first.
…
…
Jinling, Liangjiang Governor’s Office
There was a thunderstorm last night, and under the strong wind, the leaves in the courtyard fell all over the floor. In addition to the water droplets rolling back and forth on the leaves, there were also some ants and insects crawling around.
In the back office, in the study room, Gao Zhongping, the governor of Liangjiang, looked calm, sitting on a black lacquer chair, talking to a group of staff.
After receiving the letter from Jia Heng, Gao Zhongping listened selectively to Jia Heng's opinions and gave up clearing the land in some places where resistance was high. Instead, he first investigated the local land conditions and planned to make key breakthroughs in the future.
This move undoubtedly gave the Jiangnan gentry confidence, but as Jia Heng gradually approached Jinling, a new atmosphere of panic spread from Jiangbei to Jiangnan.
Compared with Gao Zhongping, who was famous in the Bashu land, not many officials and gentry in the south of the Yangtze River knew about him. The name of Duke Wei was about to spread throughout the south of the Yangtze River.
First of all, there was a group of salt merchants who hated and feared Jia Heng. Compared with the Shanxi Shanxi merchants who were wiped out and not even a single splash, the fate of the wealthy salt merchants in Jiangnan was better.
At least the Wang family and the Xiao family were able to survive.
Gao Zhongping looked at a few people and said: "Duke Wei has arrived in Yangzhou. I am going to take a boat to Yangzhou to discuss the reform plan with him."
"Dong Weng, this... this is too much." General Judge Wu Xiancheng advised.
In terms of qualifications, Gao Zhongping is a minister of Qiandi. In terms of merit, Gao Zhongping also has military achievements and is a first-class viscount.
Nowadays, it is too much to treat a young man so politely.
Gao Zhongping's eyes were fierce and he said in a deep voice: "For the sake of the imperial court's grand plan, I need to meet with Duke Wei in advance. Now is the time to work together in the same boat, and we can no longer talk about superiority. If Duke Wei is willing to use Jinyi Mansion to detect Jiangnan
By concealing the number of acres of land and clearing the land for the new law in the Jiangnan camp, the New Deal will be completed."
It can be said that after the one whip law became the four new policies, he was destined to be unable to enjoy the grand prestige of the new law's spread all over the world.
Of course, citing Duke Wei as an ally in this matter actually made it easier to implement and promote the New Deal.
Even if we continue to compete, we have to wait until we are successful.
…
…
At this moment, there is a vast landscape manor located near the Purple Mountain in Nanjing. In the misty and rainy courtyard, the pavilions and pavilions in the backyard are surrounded by rain. The pavilion with hooked eaves in the backyard is like a curtain of rain on all sides, and the small furnace of the purple clay pot is bubbling with steam.
As the ancient capital of the Chen and Han Dynasties, Jinling has given birth to many aristocratic families over the past hundred years, and the Du family is one of them. Compared with the high profile of the Zhen family in Jiangnan, the Du family is much less prominent.
The ancestor of the Du family was once a famous prime minister in the Taizu Dynasty. Later, Taizong's first queen, Empress Xiaohui, was born in the palace. Later, the children of the family became several governors and cabinet ministers, and there were also many local officials.
For example, Du Bojun, the former magistrate of Yangzhou, was a descendant of the Du family.
The Du family can be said to be extremely noble. Now I am in charge of the affairs of Taizu Mausoleum in Nanjing. It is basically Qinggui's errand.
At this moment, the old man of the Du family, Du Wannian, who is nearly seventy years old and has gray hair, is playing with two shiny walnuts on a quilt in his hand. The gray beard under his chin is fluttering in the evening breeze, and his droopy eyelids are open.
Cang Sheng said: "Duke Wei has arrived in Yangzhou?"
There were several people sitting not far away. They were Dong Chongxue, the Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Nanjing, Yan Mao, the Minister of the Ministry of Industry of Nanjing, Kuang Chun, the censor of Nanjing Youdu, Hao Xixian, the son of Hao Jiru, the second minister of the Longzhi Dynasty, and Yuan Tu, the son of the Minister of Rites of Nanjing.
Yuan Hong, as well as Bao Shiqin, an official who became governor of Jiangnan, and other related officials who became official.
These people have purchased large amounts of land in Jiangning, Suzhou and other places. They are the first to bear the brunt of the new policy to clear land ownership.
Yuan Hong replied: "I am already in Yangzhou Mansion now."
Du Wan's cloudy eyes flashed under his white eyebrows, and he sighed: "There has never been such a young prince since the founding of the country, but he still thinks about the way to reform. How many good endings have there been for those who advocated reform in the history?"
"Mr. Du, this Duke of Wei is not an economical lamp. If he comes here, he might be wielding a knife or a gun." Dong Chongxue, the Minister of Personnel, said in a low voice.
Du Wanchang said: "As far as I know, although the Duke of Wei wields a knife and a gun, he still has a sense of proportion. As long as I don't get caught with too many things, his new policy will not be implemented."
Yan Mao, Minister of the Ministry of Industry in Nanjing, said: "Mr. Du, although this Duke of Wei may look like someone, he is more ruthless than anyone else when he finds a handle. The eight major salt merchants found excuses for him and wiped him out with thunderous means.
The four companies completely changed the Jiangnan Salt Law and dug out the roots of salt merchants."
