Zhu Di seemed to hear the underlying meaning at once.
He stared at Liu Guandao: "You mean, Yang Pu is causing trouble?"
"Exactly." Liu Guan said calmly and calmly: "Rumors are spreading everywhere now, saying that Jiangxi's railway cannot be built."
"Your Majesty, the railway in Jiangxi is in full swing. Why is everyone saying this now? How can a few good people create such an uproar?"
Zhu Di was pacing back and forth with his hands behind his back, his head slightly lowered, as if he was thinking about something.
Liu Guan continued: "It can be seen that the identity of the person spreading these rumors is not simple. Yang Pu is in charge of the Railway Department..."
Zhu Di interrupted him at this moment and said: "Yang Pu is in charge of the Railway Department, and he dares to say such things just because he hates the construction of the Jiangxi Railway? In my opinion, I am afraid that Yang Pu may not be so narrow-minded."
"Your Majesty." Liu Guan prostrated and said, "There are some things that I didn't dare to say, but when Your Majesty asked me about them today, I didn't dare to deceive you, so I had to... boldly say everything."
Zhu Di felt more and more strange. He stared at Liu Guan, only pursed his lips and said nothing.
Liu Guandao: "I heard that Yang Pu originally planned to build railways across the country, and many merchants were also sharpening their knives."
Zhu Di raised his eyebrows: "Why?"
Liu Guan immediately said: "There are many merchants in Taiping Prefecture. When the Taiping Prefecture Railway was first built, most of the orders were placed in various workshops and trading houses in Taiping Prefecture. Many merchants made a lot of money through this. This is just a mere
In Taiping Mansion, Your Majesty, think about it. If all the railways were built in the world, the profits would be huge! I dare say that the profits made by this merchant would be ten times or a hundred times more than before. Such huge profits have been coveted for a long time. And
Let Xueshie Yang build it. Xueshei Yang has been cooperating with them for many years and is familiar with each other, so many orders can be placed on these merchants."
"But Your Majesty, Your Majesty, is wise, how can you let Master Yang monopolize the railway? Therefore, the errand of the railway fell on me. I also discussed with Xu Qi, the governor of Jiangxi Province, and thought that it is better to let the merchants of Taiping Prefecture provide steel.
For sleepers, it is better for Jiujiang Prefecture and Nanchang Prefecture to supervise and build them themselves. Firstly, they can use local materials. Secondly, it also prevents these merchants from making huge profits and saves some money for Your Majesty."
"But precisely because of this, those merchants left with hatred. Your Majesty... merchants make profits and dare to take risks. Now that I and Mr. Xu have cut off their interests, how can they not hold a grudge? So among the marketplaces,
Everyone is saying that something will happen to Jiangxi's railway, and some people are secretly obstructing Jiangxi, because if Jiangxi's railway cannot be built, then Bachelor Yang will come out to turn the tide, and those businessmen will follow Bachelor Yang and take advantage of the opportunity to make a fortune.
.”
"It is so easy to build a mere railway. What I worry about is the people's hearts. Xu Gong planned the railway in Jiangxi and worked hard. It is probably not easy. However, some people are waiting for the opportunity to make a big splash and obstruct everything. They even... bribed thieves in Jiangxi to cause chaos.
, I dare to ask, what are they trying to do? Jiangxi's railway has a bearing on the whole world. If Jiangxi's railway can be built, all provinces in the world will build it on their own. If someone takes the opportunity to cause trouble, Jiangxi's own railway construction will still be aborted.
Your Majesty, is this a blessing to the country?"
As Liu Guan spoke, he shed tears and then kowtowed: "Now His Majesty is going to punish Duke Xu for these gossips, and more importantly, punish the ministers for their crimes. It is not a pity that the ministers and Duke Xu will die, but once the long-term plan of railway construction is ruined,
, making this railway arbitrary in the hands of a group of merchants headed by Yang Pu... I am shattered to pieces, and it is difficult to forgive my sin."
Immediately afterwards, he kowtowed again and again.
Zhu Di looked at Liu Guan with strange eyes.
Speaking of which, no one likes Liu Guan.
But Liu Guan's words sounded quite reasonable.
The most important thing is that Zhu Di doesn't care whether this person's words are true or false, but Zhu Di at least believes in this person and does not form a clique for personal gain.
Because Zhu Di knew Liu Guan, and no one wanted to form a party with him.
Zhu Di pondered and said: "I will ask the factory guard to continue to verify this matter."
"Your Majesty," Liu Guandao said, "I think there is no need to guard the factory. I can just go there myself."
Zhu Di frowned and looked at him, puzzled: "You?"
Liu Guanban straightened his waist and said solemnly: "I have been ordered to supervise railway matters. Jiangxi is the first railway outside Beijing. It is of great importance. How can I dare to stand aside and watch?"
Zhu Di walked back and forth a few more steps before saying, "That's okay."
So Liu Guandao said: "I will start tomorrow, your majesty... I invite your majesty... no matter what gossip you hear, there must be no doubt that this Jiangxi railway... will be successful..."
Zhu Di felt resentful in his heart. Damn it, I have already poured in two million taels of silver, which I saved one by one. Now...it seems that I can only believe it temporarily.
Liu Guan added: "As for Bachelor Yang...how will your Majesty deal with it?"
Zhu Di glanced sideways, his eyes passing over Liu Guan's body like sharp knives.
Liu Guan was shocked and hurriedly bowed down and kowtowed: "If I talk too much, I will be punished by death."
Zhu Di waved his hand: "As long as the railway is completed, I don't care about anything else."
"yes."
Liu Guan left the palace, wiped the cold sweat from his head, and couldn't help cursing in his heart: "How can a thief come out when someone is so good?"
Although he thought so, Liu Guan still looked like he didn't care.
He is a born optimist. There is no obstacle in the world that he cannot overcome. I, Liu, can live a lifetime of wealth even while lying down.
Let's go to Jiangxi...just take some time to relax.
It's a pity that Yang Pu was not defeated.
He felt a little regretful.
If anyone were to try to punish Yang Pu, they would have to weigh their own weight.
But Liu Guan is different. Liu Guan is the kind of person who I dare to touch no matter who you are.
Anyway, anyone who offends can be promoted to a noble position.
Based on years of experience, the more people he offends, the more hope he has of rising to prominence.
Not many days later, Liu Guan happily arrived at Nanchang Mansion.
Here, Xu Qi heard that there was no delay, so he hurriedly led the officials to greet him.
Liu Guan happily held Xu Qi's wrist and said: "No need to be polite, no need to be polite... Your Majesty ordered me to come here to supervise the railway affairs. How is it? How is it? I heard that the station has been completed... You might as well take me to see it
look?"
Xu Qi's face turned black and he was hesitating.
Based on Liu Guan's many years of experience in deceiving superiors and concealing information from superiors and being corrupt, he immediately sensed something was wrong.
So his face dropped and he immediately asked: "What's wrong?"
Xu Qi said hesitantly: "Mr. Liu... the station has been repaired."
"Why don't you go see it after it's been repaired?"
"It's just that the tracks are not paved."
"Where are the tracks?"
"The iron is not yet refined."
"Then quickly build a workshop."
"The workshop has not been repaired yet."
"Since it has not yet been repaired, we can first purchase some steel for emergency use. Your Majesty is urging us urgently, so we must not neglect it."
“How can I buy something if I don’t have money?”
The smile on Liu Guan's face disappeared.
He paused, looked at Xu Qi calmly and said: "Where is the silver? Your Majesty allocated two million taels, and you issued public bonds, didn't you also raise three million taels of silver?"
Xu Qi raised his head and looked at Liu Guan with a strange look: "It's gone, it's all gone."
Liu Guan felt his heart beat suddenly and almost fainted. He was shocked and said: "I haven't embezzled even a penny and a half, how come this money is gone?"
As soon as I said this, I felt speechless.
Then he said angrily: "Why is this?"
Xu Qidao said: "I have prepared a small amount of wine, and I would like to invite Mr. Liu to come to the house to discuss it in detail."
Liu Guan was so angry that he was trembling: "You are hurting me. I guaranteed you a few days ago. If you fail, I will return to Beijing immediately to resume my life."
Xu Qi hurriedly grabbed Liu Guandao in panic: "If Liu Gong goes back to resume his life like this, something big will happen."
The look in Xu Qi's eyes was very strange.
Liu Guan seemed to understand something all of a sudden. He suddenly thought of something and said, "Go inside and talk."
After saying that, he stepped back and talked secretly with Xu Qi.
Liu Guan was heartbroken. Things were obviously beyond his expectation. The most important thing was that he didn't even have time to take advantage!
But he still has to bear such a big stake along with Xu Qi.
The night passed, and the next day, we rode straight to the capital.
Zhang Anshi has a lot of leisure these days.
Nowadays, the Dudu Mansion is full of talents. Of course, if these talents are placed outside Zhili, they may not be considered talents. However, these people he has cultivated are now very good at their positions.
Although they are not Jinshi or Juren, most of them have been able to easily handle emergencies within their duties after hard training.
Zhang Anshi didn't like to take power. After seeing this, he naturally left the matter to the people in the Governor's Mansion, and he felt at ease.
As for railway matters, there is still the implementation of the New Deal.
Although these are important, what do they have to do with him, Zhang Anshi? A group of people who rely on the New Deal to make profits have been cultivated. People will naturally defend their vested interests. Even if these people are still very weak, Zhang Anshi does not intend to continue
Treat them like unweaned children and worry about them day and night.
It's better to hang out with a few brothers and feel more comfortable.
But Yang Pu came to the door.
"Captain Zhang." Yang Pu first saluted Zhang Anshi.
However, he frowned slightly, looking worried.
Zhang Anshi said: "What's the matter? You look sad."
Yang Pu sighed.
Zhang Anshi sat down and said with a slight smile: "I heard that you are being criticized in the court. Many people say that you colluded with merchants?"
Yang Pu said: "A few gossips are nothing, but... what I am worried about is because I have troubled His Highness the Crown Prince and Governor Zhang."
Zhang Anshi smiled nonchalantly and said, "It's okay to be involved. Anyway, I have a lot of debts and I don't have to worry about it. As for my brother-in-law... it's not a bad thing to be said to be colluding with merchants."
Yang Pu: "..."
Zhang Anshi continued with a smile: "Actually, you don't have to be sad, it will be straight when the boat reaches the bridge. If you are not confident in your own affairs, how can you assist your brother-in-law in the future?"
After hearing this, Yang Pu felt at ease, so he said: "The governor also thinks that the railway in Jiangxi cannot be built?"
Zhang Anshi said with certainty: "It is absolutely impossible to cultivate."
Yang Pu said: "Since the governor is so sure, then he should..."
Zhang Anshi said calmly: "I am sure, but I can't shout it all over the world. Otherwise, people who don't know will think that I, Zhang Anshi, colluded with businessmen and wanted to make huge profits. But...since the prediction of this matter failed, this is what we should do
There are still preparations to be made, but you still have to do it. Don’t worry, I have already laid out the plans. When the time comes...just wait and see the excitement."
After Yang Pu heard this, he just sighed in his heart, but then he sighed.
Zhang Anshi said casually: "Scholar Yang is still worried about his fate?"
Yang Pu shook his head and said quietly: "The person I am worried about is not myself, but..."
He was speechless and his eyes were slightly red.
For a moment, he burst into tears: "Xiaguan is also a scholar. He studied hard in a poor family. He was born in a farming family and read the books of saints and sages, and he set his ambition to help the people and the country. But now, the real officialdom is ups and downs, and what we see is...
He was my mentor at the time, and my classmates in the same year, although they all had the ambition to help the world, now they are all stuck in the old ways and don't know how to adapt. How can they care about the common people? The official is thinking, after all, everyone is studying wrongly.
Well, after entering the DPRK, I became obsessed with interests."
Zhang Anshi could not understand his feelings because among the Four Books and Five Classics, he had only read the Spring and Autumn Period.
The reason why I read Spring and Autumn is that in the Four Books and Five Classics, Spring and Autumn is composed of many short stories. It is not as jerky and difficult to understand as The Analects of Confucius, The Book of Songs, The Book of Songs, and The Book of Rites, or it is full of preaching.
.
Zhang Anshi even suspected that the reason why brother Guan came to read the Spring and Autumn Annals every day instead of the "Book of Rites" and "Book of Documents" was probably for the same reason as him.
Zhang Anshi looked at Yang Pu's sorrowful look, put away his thoughts, and advised: "Okay, you don't have to be sad, everyone has their own choice, just like me, I obviously have a lifetime of wealth, and I can live a lifetime of food and clothing.
, but do I want to play with things to lose my ambition? What I care about most are the common people. It can be seen that the quality of a person does not depend on whether he reads or not, or what kind of book he reads. "
"You scholars actually regard reading the Four Books and Five Classics as a sign of a person's moral character. In fact, your brains are damaged by reading! If it weren't for the fact that there were few people in the world who could read, the people in the world would only be deceived by you scholars, who would
What the hell do you care about your nonsense?”
Zhang Anshi's words obviously changed a bit later on. Instead of being comforted, Yang Pu was scolded by Zhang Anshi angrily.
As a result, he seemed even more dejected. Normally, he was a calm and calm person with a very determined mind. However, perhaps because he was secretly criticized, his psychology was relatively fragile at this time. He had mixed feelings at the moment and was greatly touched in his heart.
At the moment, he smiled bitterly and said: "Hey... the good thing is studying, the bad thing is studying..."
After saying that, he shook his head and stopped talking.
At the end of the month, Zhang Anshi went to the palace to pay an audience.
It's early summer now.
At this time, the weather was already hot, so Zhang Anshi designed a short-sleeved sweatshirt for himself, which was quite cool. Unfortunately, he couldn't wear it when he entered the palace. After he was fully dressed, he felt extremely hot.
By the time I walked from the palace gate to the Wenlou, I was covered in sweat.
But as soon as he walked in, he saw that Zhu Di's face was quite unhappy.
I also saw that many ministers came, and everyone seemed too arrogant to show off.
Zhang Anshi saluted and said, "I have met your Majesty."
Zhu Di looked straight at Zhang Anshi and said: "Over in Jiangxi, the railway is progressing at a rapid pace. Stations have been built everywhere, and the roadbed is almost laid. However... Liu Qing's family and Xu Qing's family are reporting.
They want money again, but they are willing to open their mouths. The railway from Jiujiang to Nanchang Prefecture is only a few hundred miles away. How much money has it cost now?"
Zhang Anshi was shocked when he heard this, and then said: "Your Majesty, I have an offer in mind. Logically speaking, the completion can be completed with three to four million taels of silver. But they have already issued a debt of so much silver. Logically speaking, it has already been completed."
It's enough. Your Majesty's internal funds have allocated another two million taels of silver. The funds are already sufficient, why do you need more silver?"
"That's why I came to you to inquire." Zhu Di said with a distressed look on his face: "Why is this railway so expensive?"
"This..." Zhang Anshi felt that this question was really difficult for him, so he smiled bitterly and said: "How can I explain it clearly?"
Zhu Di then looked at Xia Yuanji: "Xia Qing, you are the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, can you tell me?"
Xia Yuanji was also confused at this time. He was just the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue and didn't care about this.
But when His Majesty asked, he couldn't just say nothing, so he thought about it and said, "Could it be because we missed the construction deadline..."
"It's not so bad even if we meet the construction deadline." Zhu Di was obviously not satisfied with the answer, so his eyes fell on another person and said: "Wu Qing's family, you tell me."
When his name was called, the person who stood up was Wuzhong, Minister of the Ministry of Industry. After all, Wuzhong was responsible for building palaces and imperial mausoleums and had engineering experience. However, at this time, he was a little confused: "Your Majesty, I am just the Minister of the Ministry of Industry."
Shangshu..."
Zhu Di suddenly became angry and said angrily: "Is there no one here to share my worries?"
Zhang Anshi said: "Your Majesty, don't be anxious yet. I think... it would be better... to appoint an imperial envoy to make inquiries."
Zhu Di frowned and said: "Who should I appoint? I have already sent the Minister of Rites, who else will be useful?"
Zhang Anshi thought for a while and then said: "Zhu Neng, Duke of Chengguo, maybe it can be done."
After Zhu Di heard this, he became somewhat interested.
This guy is quite suitable!
Zhu Neng was a military minister and had nothing to do with the central government or the local government.
The most important thing is that this old guy is very good at calculating. Although he looks careless on the surface, he is actually very shrewd. He knows very well about settling accounts.
So Zhu Di's expression softened a little, and he said: "Let us allocate another five hundred thousand taels of silver. No more will be lost. In any case, we cannot delay the construction period. Zhu Neng, the Duke of Chengguo... will draft a decree for him tomorrow and ask him to hurry up."
To Nanchang Mansion..."
After Zhu Di was angry for a while, he gradually calmed down and guessed many possibilities.
But if you think about it carefully, although there may be some surprises about something that the emperor values so much, there shouldn't be any big mistakes.
After all, the reason why he was angry was because the cost was so huge, and it was only his own money.