In September, the weather in the capital is cooler, and the autumn mood is stronger. The leaves of the West Mountain are as red as fire, attracting many literati and groups to go on outings.

The 16th was Jiajing's 57th birthday, and on this extremely important day, hundreds of officials also congratulated and praised the peaceful and prosperous era under the rule of this emperor.

However, regardless of the current true situation of the Ming Dynasty, the hundred officials have become accustomed to whitewashing the peace, and they are willing to do everything possible to raise silver to supply the emperor to cultivate the mysteries.

The people living in the capital know that this is not a prosperous era at all, and even has signs of troubled times.

With the abolition of the Shuncheon Governorate's Quota Silver, the optimization of the taxation system, and the stimulation of the local economy by the Drum Tower Lantern Festival, their life is much better than before.

Although Lin Haoran has been to the local rectification of the salt administration for nearly half a year, it has left a deep impression on the people of Shuntianfu, and some people have talked about it in the teahouse or restaurant, and there is a nursery rhyme praising Lin Haoran: "The editor should be removed, and the drum tower will be bright." Qingtian is in charge, and I can't support it! ”

This is the case many times, when Lin Haoran was in power, he didn't think Lin Haoran was so powerful, but after Lin Haoran left, many people began to remember that time.

With the arrest of the 10,000 stone salt smuggling case that shocked the whole country, Lin Haoran has become a popular figure in the capital, and many people know more deeply that Lin Haoran is an official who can really do practical things.

Now after all, it is not a troubled time, far from the point where the teahouse is pasted with "Don't talk about the country", and the people and scholars in the capital are keen on political affairs and the promotion of court bigwigs.

"Lin Qingtian should be recalled to the capital by the imperial court soon!"

"This time I should be the squire of the sixth department when I return to Beijing!"

"His official position is still a little smaller, and if he has a licorice pavilion, the imperial court will not implement reforms!"

……

Everyone guessed that Lin Haoran returned to the capital to serve as the sixth servant, but the first assistant Xu Jie, who once had high hopes, was disappointed, and after serving as the first assistant for more than a year, he still did nothing, and more and more people like to call Xu Jie, "Licorice Pavilion Elder".

The people and scholars in the capital all hoped that this court could change and implement some reforms that would benefit the country and the people, but the essence was that the emperor and the first assistant of the current dynasty were more willing to maintain the current situation.

On this day in late September, people come and go outside the Yongding Gate of Beijing City, and businessmen, scholars and people from all over the world gather here with the Muwen Road, highlighting the prosperity of the capital.

"It's here!"

In this endless stream of people, there is one more figure who seems to be dusty, it is Fan Qianshan, a big salt merchant in Shanxi, who looks up at Yongding Gate excitedly.

After Lin Haoran tore off the label of the salt merchant, after some careful consideration, he rushed from Yangzhou non-stop. Although there were dangerous situations on the way, I finally came to the capital without danger.

Fan Qianshan did not go straight to Yang's mansion, but went to Hanlin to edit Zhang Siwei's mansion.

Following Yang Dashi to take Yang Bo's path, his backstage is actually the current governor of Ningxia, the right governor of the imperial history Wang Chonggu, and Hanlin editor Zhang Siwei is Wang Chonggu's nephew.

Zhang Siwei was born in a salt merchant family in Shanxi, and can be regarded as a model of youthful ambition. At the age of fourteen, he was selected as a Xiucai, at the age of twenty-three, he was promoted to a person, and at the age of twenty-seven, he entered the Hanlin Academy as a high school jinshi and a Shujishi.

Although he is still in his thirties and is still the editor of the seventh grade of Hanlin, he has accumulated enough qualifications as the examiner of the past year's examination and became the editor of the re-recording of the "Yongle Canon".

Most importantly, his connections are rarely matched. He not only has an uncle Wang Chonggu, who served as the governor of Ningxia, but also a native of Puzhou with Yang Bo, and is a protégé of Xu Jie, the first assistant today.

Zhang Siwei is in the Hanlin Academy, although he has no real power in the capital, but he has a very thorough view of the situation in the court.

Fan Qianshan had already found the right person, and after learning the ins and outs of the matter, Zhang Siwei immediately gave him a move.

The next day, he knocked on the door of Wan Yukai, the right attendant of the Criminal Department, with a heavy gift.

Wan Yukai, the right attendant of the Criminal Department, once served as the governor of Caoyun, and the yamen of the governor of Caoyun was located in Huai'an, very close to Yangzhou City, and he also once received gifts from Fan Qianshan.

Facing this "old friend" who came with a generous gift, Wan Yukai met Fan Qianshan in the living room, and after greeting each other, he also directly asked the other party about his intention.

"Wan Shilang, please look!" Fan Qianshan seemed to be prepared, and handed the petition to Wan Yu Kaidao.

Wan Yukai actually vaguely guessed Fan Qianshan's intention, after all, it was not a secret that Lin Haoran implemented the Gang Salt Law in Yangzhou, and Fan Qianshan's attempt to rush to the capital was naturally self-evident.

It's just that he knows that this Gang Salt Law has increased a lot of salt taxes, and if it weren't for a strong reason, it would definitely be impossible for the emperor to suspend the Gang Salt Law, so he had actually rejected Fan Qianshan in his heart.

In line with the friendship between the two and the generous gift, Wan Yukai still opened the petition and read it, and found that it was a petition from a large group of Yangzhou salt merchants. But instead of ending the Gang Salt Law, the spearhead was directed at Lin Haoran's evil deeds, and soon discovered the bright spots: cultivating relatives and friends and excluding dissidents.

Hey?

Wan Yukai saw that Fan Qianshan was making a fuss about this, but his heart couldn't help but move slightly.

Although it has long been the norm for officials to form gangs and factions, and there is no lack of collusion between officials and businessmen behind the scenes, this is a matter that cannot be put on the table after all. If Lin Haoran's behavior can be implemented, the imperial court will definitely hold Lin Haoran accountable.

"Wan Shilang, Lin Haoran took the opportunity of presiding over the Gang Salt Law, but in fact, he cultivated relatives and friends and excluded dissidents. We were originally a generation of salt merchants in Huaiyan, but we didn't give him enough filial piety silver, so he excluded us from the program. We are really angry, so I am entrusted to go to Beijing to petition on behalf of everyone! Fan Qianshan saw Wan Yukai's reaction in his eyes, and even if he vomited bitterness.

The world is like this, a lot of right and wrong are on the same mouth, and Fan Qianshan rushed all the way from Yangzhou to the capital to shape Lin Haoran into a villain.

Wan Yukai's brows furrowed slightly, but he asked cautiously, "But what evidence is there?" ”

"I can swear by heaven that the salt merchants on this petition are all real people, and they are not half fake!" Fan Qianshan put up three fingers and said very sincerely.

Wan Yukai glanced up at Fan Qianshan, who was not on the same channel as him, and prompted impatiently: "Cultivate relatives and friends."