"I was ordered to come to Qingcheng to recruit military salaries."

On the nine-foot high platform, Lu Jingyuan, who was dressed in a black robe, had a straight figure, and his long arms stretched out to show the gold medal. It was nearly noon, in the brilliant spring light on the open wharf, the gold medal made of pure gold and carved with a five-clawed dragon flashed with dazzling light, accompanying his flamboyant Xuanyi, showing the majesty of the supreme imperial power.

"Hooray, hooray, hooray."

The first to react was Pan Zhizhou, with him taking the lead, the people below who were eating flowing water seats left their seats one after another. Kneeling on the ground, the sound of long live from the top of the pier resounded in the sky.

The sound came into the painting boat by the dock, and the tea on the flat head table rippled, rippling in a circle with King Ping's heart.

"That's what he said?"

Leaning on the bulkhead, he crossed Erlang's legs and continued to close his eyes to recuperate, Wu Youliang didn't even open his eyelids.

"Or else?"

The three words directly choked King Ping. Although he hated Lu Jingyuan, he had to admit that he held the holy decree of stamping the jade seal of the country, and he said it above board.

"But why didn't he say it earlier?"

After coming to Qingcheng for more than half a month, Lu Jingyuan had been hiding in the dark before, and the secret guard was privately investigating, which couldn't help but give him an illusion: the lack of money in the imperial court was a very embarrassing thing, and Lu Jingyuan didn't want to make a noise.

It's not his subjective assumptions, Lu Jingyuan, the Marquis of Dingbei, who is rampant and domineering in the capital and dares to bully even the cabinet ministers, is a very arrogant person. If anyone else is left to do this errand, even Guang Pinghou, who has been in charge of the military power in the northwest for many years, will definitely be able to bend down and deal with these merchants patiently. can let Lu Jingyuan bend down, go to deal with these low-status merchants, and work hard for that little bit of yellow and white things, how is it possible!

It was precisely because of his understanding of his character that King Ping was so active in contacting the Shen family.

But he never thought that Lu Jingyuan would say this. In front of the people of Qingcheng, such a direct sentence explained: The court is short of silver, let me ask the merchants of Qingcheng.

What about the arrogance that is good?

What about the arrogance that was once ignored by cabinet ministers?

"He just disregarded the royal face like this?"

In front of the white flowers, face is nothing. The corners of Wu Youliang's lips raised a mocking arc, like King Ping, who was born rich and noble, and who had been clothed and fed since childhood, would never know what the price of the people who fell into hunger in the famine years would pay for getting a handful of rice.

A penny is difficult to defeat a hero, Guangping Hou commands a million heroes in the northwest, it sounds mighty, but so many mouths have to eat every day. Once it was broken, the morale of the army was immediately unstable.

By the imperial court?

Wu Youliang laughed sarcastically, those gentlemen, who were full of benevolence and morality, were actually worse than anyone else. Counting on the household to allocate good wages, he starved to death 800 years earlier.

"That's already the case, and it's useless to be in a hurry."

"But what are we going to do now?" King Ping was a little helpless.

It's really stupid, he already has a plan in his heart, if he wants it according to Wu Youliang's own intentions, he doesn't want to take care of King Ping at all. But the Hou Ye sent a secret letter from the northwest, asking him to help King Ping as much as possible. He is a big man who can't understand Hou Ye's intentions, but over the years, he has long been accustomed to obeying Hou Ye's words.

"Wait and see."

As soon as the words fell, a faint voice came from outside the painting boat.

"Since last winter, the Tatar army pressed the border, and the Northwest Army tried its best to strengthen the city defenses, and finally kept the border peaceful. However, due to the sudden increase in the pressure of defending the city, the associated military expenditure increased. The treasury of the imperial court is not abundant, and now it is unable to support it, so it is specially ordered to come to recruit military salaries. ”

After a brief introduction to the cause, Lu Jingyuan looked at Shen Jinshan below.

As the Hu family girl said, the businessmen in Qingcheng have been operating in good faith for many years, and they have earned this family business with their hard work, and they can't donate their hard-earned money for no reason. After thinking about it again, the military salary recruited was borrowed by the imperial court. ”

"Borrow?" There was an uproar in the audience.

Especially Shen Jinshan, he had already discussed with King Ping and Wu Tongzhi, and he was clear about the recruitment of military salaries. As soon as Beihou said the first sentence, he already understood everything.

But he'd rather he didn't understand!

Because he understood, he knew what kind of trap he had fallen into. Today's matter was originally his fault, and in front of so many people in Qingcheng, he had no way to defend himself. Now that the Qin Cha has announced the recruitment of military salaries by the imperial court, he will have to hemorrhage hemorrhage no matter what.

It turned out that the apprenticeship ceremony was fake, and it made a big fuss to lure him out, and then tricked him into a large sum of silver.

has been an opponent for many years, not only Hu Jiuling knows Shen Jinshan, but in turn Shen Jinshan also understands Hu Jiuling. At this time, he finally sorted out the twists and turns of the matter, but he found that he had been completely spared and entangled.

What is the most humiliating thing in this world, is to understand all the keys, knowing that there is a trap ahead, but you must also jump down without hesitation.

Not only do you have to jump down, but you also have to jump down with a smiling face and all the good things you say.

This nine-tailed old fox!

Shen Jinshan was almost choked with internal injuries.

Standing on the high platform, Hu Jiuling looked at him with a smile. Although Shen Jinshan's expression was as usual, the hand that kept scratching his head showed the torment in his heart at the moment.

Uncomfortable, right? What's worse is yet to come!

"Dare to ask Master Hou, what kind of borrowing method is it?" Obviously he already knew the whole plan, but Hu Jiuling pretended to know nothing on his face, and asked respectfully.

This question asked the voices of everyone in the audience. Especially the tables with the best position in the front and middle next to the high platform. There are all the leading figures in Qingcheng, including Ah Yao's teacher in the academy, and the major shopkeepers who have business dealings with the Hu family on weekdays. The former was concerned with the affairs of the DPRK and China, while the latter was simply interested in the Chin Chati yì.

Lu Jingyuan took a step back, as if unintentionally avoiding him to salute, and said unhurriedly: "The money and grain provided by the merchants will be converted into a credit for future taxes. ”

That's really the case......

Many prescient businessmen had already vaguely thought of this, and this idea was confirmed, not to mention how comfortable they felt in their hearts.

Originally...... The imperial court was not much different from the mountain bandits, and taxes and robberies were all about stealing silver from them. The people who do business do not have the corruption of the literati, let alone the timidity of ordinary people, they are the most knowledgeable about current affairs. The people have never fought with the officials, and the imperial court wants to recruit military salaries, just find a reason, is there any way for them to refuse? Originally, when I heard the little marquis say that the military salary was recruited, the businessmen were ready to bleed, and they were thinking about how much they could do not affect the business of their shop.

I didn't expect the peak to turn around, and the silver taels taken out could still be used to offset the taxes later.

The silver taels, who were mentally prepared to play in the water, could still play a role, and for a while they felt that they had made money.

"The soldiers of the Northwest have worked tirelessly and fought bloody battles to ensure the tranquility of our Great Xia territory, and to protect the peace of our journey to the south and north to do business. has been favored for many years, and it is also a matter of course to pay some military salaries. ”

Sensing that the merchants showed their approval, Hu Jiuling took the lead in agreeing.

Shen Jinshan, who took a slow step and didn't say good things, scratched his head even more. What made him even more depressed was that the familiar businessmen on the table behind him would echo Hu Jiuling's words.

"The rise and fall of the world is the responsibility of the husband, and the people who do business like us are also men who stand up to the heavens and the earth, and we can't go into battle to kill the enemy in blood, can't we give some money for the soldiers to eat a full meal and wear some warm clothes?" This is a businessman who studied at Qinglin Academy in his childhood and has a lot of ink in his stomach.

"Of course it has to be out!"

"It is indeed the right thing to do."

With these wealthy businessmen taking the lead, the ordinary people behind also nodded one after another, and for a while, the voices of approval on the dock were endless.

The sound reached the painting boat, and King Ping was as anxious as an ant on a hot pot.

"He actually used the court tax as bait, who will give us the silver now. Wait and see? If you are quiet, the cooked duck will fly. ”

Seeing Wu Youliang, who was still closing his eyes and recuperating, he suddenly became angry: "Wu Tongzhi has not forgotten, now we are still grasshoppers on a rope." I can't get the silver, and neither can the marquis of your family in the northwest. When the time comes, he can only watch his least favorite son complete the imperial order, and the scenery is unique. Now he has bypassed the Marquis of Guangping Mansion and directly sealed the Marquis of Dingbei, and then he will be promoted to become a prince of the country, when his son's grade is higher than that of Lao Tzu, this is to ask Guangping to kneel down to his son when he returns to Beijing to report on his work? ”

"You...... What are you doing. A dagger was pressed against his Adam's apple.

"Your Highness also knows that we are grasshoppers on a rope now, so don't say these insulting words again."

"I—I don't say it, you put the knife down first."

"Your Highness is in a hurry, can you come up with a solution in a hurry? Now, we can only wait and see what happens! After saying it a little ruthlessly, Wu Youliang slowly withdrew the dagger.

Stroking his neck, King Ping sat on the ground with his buttocks, and there was a slight heat between his crotch. Before he could react to anything, a word came from outside again.

"Today, this candidate is also adding a color here, and the one who has the most silver in the businessmen can be the first head of the Qingcheng Silk City Chamber of Commerce. The head of the meeting, together with the officials of the imperial court, maintained the normal operation of the silk market, and could directly bypass the officials and report to the imperial court. ”

What the!

A wave of heat poured out from between his legs, but King Ping didn't realize it. At this moment, he only felt that it was dark in front of him, and Lu Jingyuan first leaned down to borrow silver from Shang Jia, and made a low posture. After making everyone feel sincere, he threw out the condition of tax reduction and exemption, which is equivalent to returning the borrowed silver. Just when the major silk merchants felt that they had made a bargain and sincerely wanted to give up the silver, he threw out the position of "head of the meeting".

These silk merchants in Qingcheng are so rich that they are not short of silver at all. The head of the meeting, and the head of the meeting that can directly reach the heavens, even if it is just a gimmick, will make those big silk merchants snatch their heads one by one like mosquitoes seeing blood.

Lu Jingyuan has already promised such high conditions, what can he do to win over these unprofitable businessmen?

His dream of being a prince!

The dream was shattered, and King Ping sat there paralyzed, his fat body stupid and stupid, but he really looked like a person who had lost his mind since childhood.

A strong smell of urine came, and Wu Youliang walked out of the cabin in disgust. Standing on the side of the boat, he looked at the young man in Xuanyi in the middle of the high platform through the excited people on the dock.

This is the eldest son of Hou Yeyan?

Thinking of the perennial robe, dignified and calm Hou Ye, and then looking at the young man with a beautiful face and a wanton face, he couldn't help but have a trace of disgust in his eyes. Such a son who doesn't look like anything at all, no wonder Hou Ye is not happy, or the second son who is in the northwest and stays by his side all the year round is more like Hou Ye.

He dared to joke about the court taxes to see how he would end up then.

With his big rough hands clenched and a sinister smile on his lips, Wu Youliang turned around and walked into the cabin.

He didn't notice it at all, and a moment after he turned around, the young man in Xuanyi on the high platform suddenly turned his gaze over, and aimed at it as accurately as he had expected that there was a person standing here. Seeing his figure, the corners of the young man's lips raised slightly, and his eyebrows were full of coldness and mockery.

"Brother Jing."

Frightened by the sudden cold momentum of the young man next to him, Ah Yao carefully tugged at his sleeve and screamed tentatively.

The soft voice was like a feather, caressing the heart as cold and hard as ice. His heart was touched, and at an angle that Hu Jiuling couldn't see, his arm spun around and held her little hand with his backhand.

He had long noticed that this girl's hands were different from the rough ones when she was circling around the pot in her previous life, and she had not experienced hardship, and each finger was as white and tender as the shallots that had just sprouted in the spring. When you hold the book, put two fingers on the navy blue book cover, like a fine painting; When holding the pen, the five fingers pinch the polished smooth log barrel, such as the mutton fat white jade inlaid in it; When making chess pieces, the dough is kneaded with small hands, and the agility makes people feel that the irregular chess pieces are a supreme delicacy comparable to the dragon's liver and phoenix marrow.

It made him want to turn into a book, a pen, and a dough, and she gently held, kneaded, and kneaded slowly.

Because of the white and tender calves under the water in the morning, the blood gushed in the small half of the weather, and he finally couldn't help but hold the jade man who was playing. Pull her fingers into the palm of her hand, and then hold it all inside, covered with a wide sleeve. Her hand is so small and tender, he can wrap it lightly, and in the palm of his hand, he only feels that he is holding a piece of fine mutton fat white jade, smooth but not greasy, soft but not cool.

"Brother Jing."

Ah Yao said timidly, what is he doing, how can so many people hold her hand. It's still so tight, he can't break free.

"Yes."

Isn't it bad to pull the girl's hand like this...... The roots of the ears were slightly red, and the ink-colored scarf floated down, just covering the heat, and Lu Jingyuan's face was even more severe. Gently put it into the palm of his hand, and the comfortable feel made him reluctant to let go.

Anyway, standing so high, and there are wide sleeves that others can't see, it should be ...... Nothing will happen either.

Lu Jingyuan was relieved too early, although the angle relationship was not visible to everyone standing on his side, but Master Kukai who was standing on Ah Yao's side, and Song Qinwen, who was gradually calming down, saw his small movements clearly.

The little marquis is really making rapid progress, and he can hold a small hand in front of the public. Under Baoxiang's solemn face was a heart with pink bubbles, and Master Kukai said: If he can make the eldest apprentice and the second apprentice a pair, the biggest heart disease in his life will be gone. Otherwise, in the future, a man will not be able to marry a good wife, and a girl will not be able to marry a good man......

Thinking of this, he glanced back, and happened to see Song Qinwen with a shocked expression.

"You ......"

"Amitabha." Walked quickly to Song Qinwen's side, stopped the debunking words he blurted out, and he bent down to help him: "The sea of bitterness is boundless, and turning back is the shore." The cause of the benefactor yesterday bears the fruit of today, which is really not to blame. However, God has the virtue of a good life, and the old monk can't bear to see the donor so sad, so he will send the donor to leave this sad place as soon as possible. ”

After speaking, without waiting for Song Qinwen to react, he lifted the person up with a drag and dragged him down, and walked down the wooden ladder that came up when he came.

After many years of martial arts, although Master Kukai is old, it is still more than enough to deal with a weak scholar. In line with the principle of sending the Buddha to the west, he followed the road that everyone did not pay attention to, and dragged Song Qinwen to the edge of the flowing water seat. As soon as he wanted to find the Song family's carriage and send it away, so as not to have too many things in the future, he saw the young man in his hand trembling.

"Daddy."

Today, there are also flowing water seats in the countryside, and Song Guansheng, as an in-law, of course has to go. Not long after he entered the table, he learned from the subordinates sent by Hu Gui that his son had done a bad thing.

Hu Gui sent his subordinates over, but he really didn't want to make a small report to Song Guansheng. After seeing that the big girl was making trouble, Shen Moci was exposed, he had an idea, such a major event cannot be known only to the people in the city. Such a good opportunity to help A-Yao vent her anger must be taken advantage of.

Publicity, vigorous publicity!

A few days ago, Yang's mother and daughter made trouble in front of Hu Mansion, and later in the rumors of "losing their jobs", he dug out a group of subordinates who were suitable for spreading rumors. From Shen Moci's experience of the benefits of public opinion warfare, Hu Gui quickly learned. He singled out these people, and when he had nothing to do, he was assigned to the Hu family's silk villages as lobbyists, blowing his own silk to the sky; When something happens, such as now, it is transferred to mix in the crowd and spread gossip.

These people were sent to the countryside, and some people recognized Song Guansheng, thinking that the brother of his wife was a proper person, and he said a few more words under pity.

After listening to this, Song Guansheng only felt that the world was spinning for a while, and he didn't even care about the carriage, turned over and got on the horse and hurried all the way to the dock, just in time to see Master Kukai coming over with Song Qinwen.

"Son!"

Taking advantage of the strength of dismounting, he kicked it directly.

was kicked to the ground, Song Qinwen came from the grief, hugged his leg and cried bitterly, "Daddy, Lord Zhizhou has taken away my qualifications." ”

"What?"

His son only learned from Song Guansheng and knew that he won the first place in the last time he took the Xiucai exam, and he could pass the township exam no matter what. In his selfish heart, he was proud of this son, although he kicked it just now, but it was also the deep responsibility of love.

"How so?"

"Daddy, you go and beg your uncle and cousin. My cousin is now the younger sister of Lord Zhizhou, and adults will definitely be able to listen to her words. At that time, if the son can be lifted, he will definitely repay the Hu family. ”

Yes, go and ask for a sister, ask for a brother-in-law.

At a loss, Song Guansheng raised his feet and walked towards the high platform. But before he could take the first step, he was stopped in front of him by the hunchbacked old monk in front of him.

"Amitabha, plant cause and effect. Ling Lang kept saying that the girl of the Hu family had everything, begging him to let go of the poor girl of the Shen family, and even took action against the girl of the Hu family for this reason. Lord Zhizhou was angry that he did not distinguish between good and bad, and felt that if such a talented and learned person was promoted, wouldn't there be another mediocre official in the world, so he asked the court for guilt and canceled his qualifications. ”

Before he could leave, Song Guansheng only heard from the Hu family that his son went to the high platform of the apprenticeship ceremony with Shen Moci, and he didn't know what happened next.

Now listening to Master Kuhai's original words, he only felt angry: "Ah Yao should let the Shen family girl?" You said that? ”

"Daddy, Kindness, she ......"

"Until now, you still mentioned the demon girl of the Shen family, it seems that this thing is true. That's it, you still make a move on Ah Yao? Who is A-Yao, that is the pearl of the Hu family, even your uncle and aunt have not dared to say a word to her in the past thirteen years. What did you and Ah Rong do, a demon girl who was verbally towards the Shen family, you not only shot at A-Yao, but even for her, who gave you the guts! ”

If it weren't for Shen Moci's words of comfort, Song Qinwen, who was immersed in remorse, would definitely regret it. But a few words from Ah Ci in the crisis just now gave him great encouragement, and he finally dared to say the doubts in his heart for many years.

"Daddy, it's okay for uncles and aunts to look at A-Yao, after all, they are A-Yao's biological parents. Why do you also want to face her, since you were a child, you have told me and Ah Rong'er, and we must let Ah Yao go, do we owe him? ”

The son actually said so! Song Guansheng's body shook for a while.

"Or what do you think?"

"For so many years, you have eaten supplements, dressed in silk shirts, and used the four treasures of the study room to study, which one was not given by the Hu family? Don't you see the hard days of the neighbors around the Song family, a girl as big as your sister has already fed silkworms with A-Niang, and you are so big that you have to help reel silk and weave cloth. Who gave you a rich life when you have slaves and no worries about food and clothing? It's your aunt, she took it out of the Hu family. Eating the Hu family's clothes and wearing the Hu family, why do you think you don't owe the Hu family? ”

"I'll make it clear here today, A-Yao is higher than you, you have to respect her and coax her! It's her business that she's good-natured and easy-going, but that doesn't excuse you from forgetting your roots. ”

How so...... Song Qinwen was stunned.

And Song Guansheng especially felt that it was not enough, stood firm, and said the last sentence: "Lord Zhizhou is right, you are indeed good and bad, and people like you will be an official in the future and a scourge to the people." This student qualification has been cancelled, and since you can't read, you will go back to the countryside with me from now on. If you mothers do such things, I really don't have the shame to enjoy the benefits of the Hu family with peace of mind. Your aunt has returned all the land and property donated by you, let's move back to the countryside, as a man in the family, you are not young, it is time to shoulder the responsibility of supporting the family. ”

Is this to ask him to go back to the countryside to farm?

Obviously, an hour ago, he was still at home and Wenshu, planning to try to do a good job in the township, and the title of the gold list in the palace test next year, and return to his hometown. Why is it that after a while, he is going to go back to the countryside?

The sudden change almost made Song Qinwen stupid.