However, Fu Qian and Lu Wenyuan are used to being intimate after all, and some small actions in private cannot be changed. Although the two are not acting together now, and they are not talking in the same place, they always unconsciously make eye contact secretly. The most common thing is that Lu Wenyuan raised his eyebrows and made an inquiry, if Fu Qian agreed, he would blink quietly, and if he disagreed, he would frown and squint in hesitation.

Zhu Shiyang thought the two of them were strange at first, but gradually saw the clues, and dared to talk with his eyes, which was really better than silent at this time. Zhu Shiyang was extremely indignant, only to feel that these two people were eyebrows, like a pair of mandarin ducks that had been broken up by themselves, and they were more affectionate than before, and they had been staring at Fu Qian since then and refused to let go.

On this day, Zhu Shiyang summoned his ministers to the imperial study to discuss the increase in Yangzhou's salt tax, and Lu Wenyuan, Fu Qian, and Zhao Yongning all came at the edict.

Yangzhou is an important town in the south of the Yangtze River, due to the developed water system in the area, the Huai River, the Yangtze River and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal converge here, forming a water conservancy hub that runs through the whole country, providing great convenience for salt merchants to sell salt. However, since the Ming Dynasty Chengzu Zhu Di moved the capital to Beijing, the national political center moved north, Yangzhou salt merchants relied on the Tiangao Emperor to do whatever they wanted, bribing officials, exploiting the people, raising the price of salt, and making huge profits. Zhu Shiyang was furious about this, believing that it should be strictly rectified, and heavy taxes should be imposed on it, and it is advisable to raise the salt tax by two percent.

Lu Wenyuan believed that even if heavy taxes were imposed, they should be increased year by year, and it was not appropriate to act in a hurry, lest the salt merchants become dissatisfied and recruit troops to rebel. Fu Qian and Zhao Yongning both agreed with Lu Wenyuan's statement.

Zhu Shiyang also felt that Lu Wenyuan was reasonable, but when he was debating in the hall, Lu Wenyuan's words were a little more intense, and Fu Qian was afraid that he would quarrel with the emperor, so he secretly pulled a few handfuls. Lu Wenyuan did listen to him, and every time he was pulled his clothes, he would calm down a lot and rethink the wording.

Zhu Shiyang couldn't see them like this the most, but he was only bent on opposing Fu Qian, so he frowned and looked at Fu Qian: "Master Fu, what do you have to say in private?" ”

Fu Qian was taken aback, he didn't know what to say for a while, he thought about it, and then hurriedly lowered his head and replied: "The minister also thinks that what Lord Lu said is reasonable." The salt merchants in Yangzhou have no king's law, and their words and deeds are rampant, which is really hateful, but if they want to impose heavy taxes to restrain their behavior, they need to think long-term and step by step. Just because there is no shortage of money in the hands of salt merchants, if they are forced to recruit troops to rebel, it is also a great disaster for the imperial court. ”

Yixi's words are calm and to the point, and they don't leak. But Zhu Shiyang looked dissatisfied, and snorted coldly: "Master Fu is too crowded, isn't there any other opinion?" ”

Asking like this is obviously looking for Fu Qian's trouble, just because of this matter of increasing the salt tax, it has been discussed for more than half a month, everything that should be said has been said, and Fu Qian has not played a chapter on this matter, today is just the end, the final decision has been made, and what other views are needed. Fu Qian had no choice but to answer honestly: "Back to the emperor, there is no more." ”

Zhu Shiyang really put on a disgusted face, pointed at Fu Qian, and said, "Why can't I get used to your cautious appearance like this?" All day long, he was submissive, and he couldn't kick a fart. You should also learn from Lu Wenyuan's loyalty. ”

Fu Qian only said yes, but he became more and more trembling, walking on thin ice. Lu Wenyuan and Zhao Yongning were also confused, but they didn't know where this holy anger came from, so they hurriedly pulled Fu Qian from the ground and retreated in panic.

Another day, Zhu Shiji, the king of Kangping, came back from running errands outside the palace, and as soon as he entered the palace gate, he saw Fu Qian kneeling under the sun at the entrance of the main hall basking in the sun, and there was a folding book in front of him. Zhu Shiji was a little surprised, he knew that the imperial brother had always been sad with Fu Qian during this time, but he didn't expect it to reach such a point of madness. Zhu Shiji hurriedly took two steps forward, leaned over and asked, "Master Fu, what's wrong?" ”

Fu Qian's face was flushed with sunburn, and fine beads of sweat oozed from his forehead. looked up at him and said with a wry smile: "The emperor said that there is too much nonsense written by the ministers, and it is hard to look at it, and the punishment ministers have thought about it here." ”

This reason Zhu Shiji really felt incredible when he heard it. It turned out that Fu Qian was a calm and cautious person, he was careful and meticulous in his work, and there were few mistakes, Zhu Shiyang couldn't grasp the handle for a while, so he had to find some trivial things to humiliate him. Zhu Shiji felt a little sorry for the imperial brother, and hurriedly comforted Fu Qian and said: "Master Fu will be here for a moment and a half, and this king will go in to intercede for the adult." ”

Fu Qian nodded again and again, and watched Zhu Shiji enter the hall with a blank eye.

Zhu Shiji entered the hall, and when he saw Zhu Shiyang sitting on the couch in front of the window, he was eating a cold melon with a skewer, looking calm and relaxed. Zhu Shiji didn't get angry, and stepped forward and said with a wry smile: "Brother Huang, this cold melon is very comfortable to eat, and Master Fu is very hard to tan outside." ”

Zhu Shiyang glanced at him nonchalantly, and said, "That is also what he deserves, who let him work against me all day long." ”

Zhu Shiji said: "How come? The younger brother has heard that there is no one in this court who is more responsible than Master Fu. ”

Zhu Shiyang snorted coldly and said, "Duty? I said a few days ago that I wouldn't let him get too close to Lu Wenyuan, and today I saw them talking under the wall outside the cabinet. If I dare not listen to my words, shouldn't I be punished? ”

Zhu Shiji knew that this was the real reason why Fu Qian was punished, what was too much nonsense, but it was just a trumped-up charge that the imperial brother put on others. asked Zhu Shiyang: "Then why did the imperial brother only punish Master Fu but not Lord Lu." ”

Zhu Shiyang was prick a piece of cold melon and sent it to his mouth, and he couldn't help but pause when he heard the words, obviously being asked. After frowning and thinking for a long time, he hesitated and said, "Because I only look at Fu Qian, which is not pleasing to the eye." ”

Zhu Shiji asked: "Why does the imperial brother only look at Lord Fu unpleasantly?" ”

Zhu Shiyang was asked again, and after thinking about it, he said: "Because Lu Wenyuan refused to move into the house of my imperial gift in order to be with him." ”

Zhu Shiji smiled: "Really? It's as simple as that? The imperial brother was angry with Lord Fu because Lord Lu refused to move? ”

Zhu Shiyang raised his eyebrows and said suspiciously: "Yes, is there something wrong?" Then he became alert again, squinted his eyes and forced Zhu Shiji to look, and said, "What do you mean?" ”

Zhu Shiji saw that he couldn't understand it when he got this one, so he had to spread his hands helplessly, and said with a wry smile: "How dare the younger brother have any meaning, but the imperial brother should go to the Fu Mansion to see in person, Lord Lu may not be because of Master Fu who refuses to move over, maybe there are other reasons, maybe he has already moved over now." Brother Huang's blind speculation is really not a way. ”

Zhu Shiyang thought about it and felt reasonable, so he reluctantly let Fu Qian go and prepared to come to Sunrise Palace to find out.