"Bastard!"

Yu Chaoen roared angrily and slammed the teacup in his hand to the ground, and the teacup was shattered.

Several maids turned pale with fright, lowered their heads deeply, and Liu Sigu next to them persuaded in a low voice: "Father Weng is angry, being angry like this will only hurt his body, and it will not help." ”

Yu Chaoen slammed his fist on the table, "How can we not be angry, it's clear that they killed San Lang, and now they have to investigate, investigate a fart!" Isn't this a thief shouting to catch a thief? ”

Liu Sigu waved his hand and asked several maids to go down, and then he said in a low voice: "Father Weng, now is not the time to be angry, and he must let go of revenge for San Lang, and now he is worried that Huangfu Wen on the Jianghuai side is likely to not be able to hold on, there is no army in his hands, and he can't control the salt field at all, unless Father Weng gives up, he must find a way as soon as possible." ”

"Of course I don't want to give up, I originally wanted to appoint another lieutenant, I just hate those bastards in the military department, I actually handed over the appointment to the Son of Heaven, and now the Son of Heaven refuses to appoint a new lieutenant, I must wait for the results of the investigation to come out, and I keep saying that I want to pay me back, and I am so anxious that I can't do anything now."

Liu Sigu groaned and said, "Actually, there is no way!" ”

"What's the solution?" Yu Chao asked with a look of grace.

"Father Weng forgot that Dong Huaishan sent a letter to Father Weng on behalf of his father last year?"

Dong Huaishan is the eldest son of Li Zhongchen, the envoy of Huaixi Jiedu, who is a hostage in the capital, but he is also Li Zhongchen's liaison in the capital.

Liu Sigu's words immediately reminded Yu Chaoen that Li Zhongchen wrote a letter to himself last year, suggesting that a salt army be established in Yangzhou to protect the safety of the salt farms, but he ignored him at that time.

Yu Chaoen took a few steps and said: "I know that Li Zhongchen has been fighting the idea of salt tax, and I even suspect that he sent someone to assassinate Liu Yan before, but I don't believe that he dares to openly seize the salt tax of the imperial court?" ”

"He actually wanted to persuade Weng's father to form a salt army, and then based on his army, he didn't dare to seize the imperial salt tax, but it was true that he wanted to take a cut of the salt tax."

"But what's the point of looking for him now?"

Yu Chaoen was puzzled and asked: "Is it unrealistic to let him go to Yangzhou to form a salt army now!" ”

"The humble position does not mean that Li Zhongchen should form the salt army, but refers to the matter of the salt army, and the humble position feels that it is obviously not appropriate for the local army to guard the salt field, and it can only be said that it is okay to fill the number temporarily, but if we form a salt army, then we can justifiably enter the salt field."

Yu Chaoen paced back and forth with his hands in his hands, secretly assessing the feasibility of forming a salt army in his heart.

If Liu Sigu had made this suggestion five years ago, perhaps he would still have room to maneuver, and at that time, the army was still under the influence of the Emperor Taishang's residual power and generally remained neutral.

Now with the passage of time, the military has gradually moved closer to the Son of Heaven, Yu Chaoen is worried, it is he who makes the suggestion, but it is someone else who picks the peach in the end, especially the Guanlong nobles and several major families are extremely powerful, how can they let go of such a good thing as forming a salt army?

"Let's put this plan aside, is there any other way?" Yu Chaoen hesitated for a long time, but decided that he couldn't take this risk.

"Another way is to accuse Li Zhongchen of trying to rebel, such as bribing one or so of Li Zhongchen, asking him to report to the imperial court, Li Zhongchen has the ambition to be the emperor, etc., and then Weng's father took the initiative to invite troops to attack, and used 100,000 Shence troops to completely destroy Li Zhongchen, and then left 30,000 Shence troops to deploy on the front line of Jianghuai, isn't Jianghuai's financial lifeline in the hands of Weng's father?"

"No way!"

Yu Chaoen did not hesitate this time, and rejected Liu Sigu's suggestion in one bite, "The Shence Army must be stationed in the capital, and it can't go anywhere, this method is not appropriate." ”

Liu Sigu sighed secretly, this is actually the best way, Yu Chaoen still lacks courage!

"Is there any other way, sir?" Yu Chaoen continued to put pressure on Liu Sigu.

Liu Sigu was helpless, so he had to say: "There is another way, which is actually the next policy, and I don't recommend Father Weng to adopt it." ”

"Let's hear it!"

"There is another way is to draw salaries from the bottom of the kettle, we will not move for the time being, and wait until the tax money is transported into Beijing before making a fuss, as long as Weng's father gives a hint to the warlords along the way, I believe that no matter Li Zhongchen in Huaixi or Tian Shenyu in Bianzhou, we will not be indifferent, at that time, we may be able to fish in troubled waters."

Yu Chaoen's eyes lit up, this method is not bad.

.........

Guo Song, led by a scribe, walked into Liu Yan's official room, and he placed a thick stack of materials on Liu Yan's desk.

"This is the detailed information of the forty-two salt and iron judges, and it should be more reliable."

Liu Yan was suddenly surprised and delighted, what he lacked most now was this thing, he knew all the forty-two salt and iron judges, but he just knew each other, he didn't know anything about what the other party was, with this information, it saved him at least three years.

He hurriedly found a piece of information from the middle, "This person is called Yu Jiaxu, the oldest salt and iron judge, and he is also an old stubborn, resolutely refusing to transfer the tax money from the salt and iron warehouse back to the Transit Division, I have visited him three times, but he just refuses." ”

Guo Song took his information and looked at it, he had actually served as a salt and iron judge for 20 years, Li Zhi's father still investigated in detail, this person was pulled up by Pei Zunqing, Pei Zunqing is more than 90 years old, lives in his hometown Wenxi, and is still the pillar of the Pei family, this Yu Jiaxu goes to Wenxi twice a year to visit Pei Zunqing, one of the typical representatives of the Pei family's forces in Jianghuai.

"Is this person important?"

Liu Yan nodded, "Now that the army has been stationed in the salt field and is responsible for escorting the tax money to the transfer department, it will not be a big problem in the future, but what about the tax money in the past?" The salt tax for last year and the first nine months of this year, a full 15 million yuan, was placed in the warehouse of the salt and iron superintendent, and I want to transfer them all to the warehouse of the Transit Division, and the salt and iron judges must change the signature, and with the change order, even if Huang Fuwen does not agree, I can use the army to forcibly carry them. ”

"So the envoy wants to persuade this Yu Jiaxu to change his contract first, and with him taking the lead, the other salt and iron judges will follow, right?"

"That's right, I found a few other people, everyone agreed, but they didn't take action, I knew that most people were waiting to see this Yu Jiaxu's attitude."

Guo Song thought for a while and said: "This Yu Jiaxu is a member of the Pei family, could it be that the Pei family supports Yu Chaoen?" ”

Liu Yan smiled bitterly and said: "I can't say that, the Pei family supports King Zheng, and King Zheng is now tied to Yu Chaoen, so the information says that this Yu Jiaxu is a member of the Pei family, and I suddenly realized, no wonder he is so stubborn and refuses to agree." ”

"Leave this person to me! I'm going to visit him tonight. ”

........

At night, an important guest came to the mansion of Yu Jiaxu in the east of Jiangdu County, the salt and iron supervisor Huangfu Wen.

Yu Jiaxu's immediate boss should be Liu Yan, the Jianghuai salt and iron transfer envoy, but it can also be said to be Huangfu Wen, which is the practice formed when the former salt and iron supervisor Wu Qi concurrently served as the Jianghuai transfer envoy, and the salt and iron supervisor ordered the salt and iron judge to be directly in charge.

Yu Jiaxu is about fifty years old, thin and thin, a long face looks very shrewd and capable, he is a native of Taiyuan, Hedong, his family is poor, he studied in the Pei family since he was a child, and was later recommended by the Pei family to study in Taixue, at the age of twenty-three, he was a county magistrate, a county lieutenant, and he served as a salt and iron judge in Yangzhou at the age of thirty, and this work is twenty years.

There were several times when the imperial court wanted to transfer him away, but he was stopped by the Pei family, his position in this position is not high, it is only the sixth grade, but it is very important, and this is also the limit of Yu Jiaxu's promotion.

Before the Anshi Rebellion, if you were not born in the imperial examination, then the official position could only be achieved at most the six grades, and after the outbreak of the Anshi Rebellion, the imperial examination was stopped, and the unspoken rule of the court was changed to: If you are not a descendant of a family or a powerful family, you can only be an official at most six grades.

Yu Jiaxu is a protégé of the Pei family, not even a child of the Pei family, so his official position has been promoted to the top of the sixth grade.

Yu Jiaxu respectfully invited Huangfu Wen to the guest hall, and asked the maid to serve tea, Huangfu Wen picked up the teacup and asked, "I heard that Liu Tingshi has visited Judge Yu three times?" ”

Yu Jiaxu sighed and said: "The army has transported the salt tax to the warehouse of the Transshipment Division, and we can't resist the army, so that's it, but Liu Tingshi still has to investigate the previous taxes and ask us to sign the change order, which is a bit difficult for a strong man." ”

Huang Fuwen nodded, "Judge Yu's attitude is admirable, I hope Judge Yu can continue to adhere to principles, Yu Xiangguo often says that those who adhere to principles will be rewarded, does Judge Yu understand what I mean?" ”

"Humble and stupid, please make it clear by the superintendent!"

Huangfu Wen said lightly: "Yu Xiangguo said that as long as you stick to your principles to the end, this time next year, you will be promoted to the deputy envoy of the Zhengwupin Jianghuai Salt and Iron Prison." ”

Yu Jiaxu was overjoyed in his heart, and hurriedly got up and said, "I will definitely not disappoint the prison order and Yu Xiangguo!" ”

Huang Fu Wen got a satisfactory statement, so he got up and said goodbye, Yu Jiaxu kept sending him out of the gate, watching Huang Fu Wen's carriage disappear, and then returned to the Guike Hall.

As soon as he entered the guest hall, he was startled, and saw a tall man standing in the room, with his hands behind his back.

"Who is Your Excellency?" Yu Jiaxu took a step back and asked sharply.

"It doesn't matter who I am, what matters is that you know this gold medal!"

The man took out a gold medal and showed it backwards, "Do you know it?" ”

Yu Jiaxu recognized the four words on the gold medal at a glance: 'If you see me).

He was suddenly taken aback, and hurriedly stepped forward and knelt down on one knee, "Weichen Yu Jiaxu listens to the holy oracle!" ”

The young man is naturally Guo Song, he wears a mask, which makes him a man with a green face and thick eyebrows in his thirties.

Guo Song put away the gold medal and said coldly: "It seems that you believe that the traitorous eunuch can replace the Tang Emperor, I'm right!" ”

"Don't you dare to be in the next, absolutely loyal to the Tang Dynasty and loyal to the Son of Heaven?"

"Really?"

Guo Song sneered, "Since you keep saying that you are loyal to the Son of Heaven, then I will limit you to change all the salt taxes to the warehouse of the Transshipment Division before noon tomorrow." ”

Yu Jiaxu said for a while: "I, Yu Jiaxu, am loyal to the Son of Heaven of the Tang Dynasty, but Your Excellency is not!" ”

Guo Song turned around and grabbed him by the neck, and said viciously: "Since you toast and don't eat, you have to eat and drink, then I will tell you, your eldest son Yu Jian is fifteen years old, and your second son Yu Qiang is thirteen years old, both of whom are studying in the Wenxi Pei family, and your third son Yu Nong is nine years old, if you don't sign before noon tomorrow, I will let you see the heads of your three sons one by one!" ”

"You.... You're threatening me! ”

Guo Song said coldly: "Li Fuguo and Yu Lingxuan were killed by me like this, what are you?" I'll kill you like crushing an ant, if you don't believe me, try it! ”

After speaking, Guo Song threw him on the ground, turned around, and when Yu Jiaxu turned around, there was no one behind him, Yu Jiaxu was unable to sit on the ground, his back was sweating profusely, and the other party actually found out all his family background.