However, it was said that after Jia Yuanchun was provincial, Rongguo Mansion finally quieted down. The masters of all sizes could also take a rest, and the subordinates also began to herd sheep under the control of the masters.

Among them, the most alive is Jia Baoyu, now everything is going well, and he has already made a marriage with Lin Daiyu, and his heart is put down. Second, he has a close friend Qin Zhong who accompanies him day and night, which can be said to be carefree. Now that the province has ended, everyone is resting, and naturally no one controls him anymore. It was Jia Baoyu who took Qin Zhong to meet friends in the capital during this time.

And Qin Zhong followed Jia Baoyu during this time, and he also had insight, and he saw all the gentlemen in the capital. Among them, the most famous is Feng Ziying, this Feng Ziying used to be friends with Jia Baoyu, and they have always been very close to King Beijing, but because of the recent dirtiness between Jia Ke and King Beijing, King Beijing was confined at home, and their relationship with King Beijing was weakened.

On this day, Xue Pan passed on a message to Jia Baoyu and Qin Zhong, saying that he was going to entertain guests in the most famous restaurant in the capital, and asked Qin Zhong and Jia Baoyu to support him first.

Now Qin Zhong and Jia Baoyu are also well-known in the capital, one of them is the brother-in-law of Jia Ke, the foreman of the Military Aircraft Department, and the other is the third master of Rongguo Mansion.

This time, Xue Pan invited guests to the banquet mainly because there was some problem with the royal supplies they bought last time, so Xue Pan invited the stewards and eunuchs in the palace to cover up this matter. He used people lightly, so he invited Jia Baoyu and Qin Zhong to come to the town.

On that day, Jia Baoyu and Qin Zhong came to the private room of the restaurant, at this time Xue Pan had already held a banquet, and in the middle of the wine table sat a eunuch in a brocade robe.

Xue Pan saw Jia Baoyu and Qin Zhong coming, and quickly stood up and introduced them.

"Two virtuous brothers, this one is Gonggong Zhao, the chief eunuch in the palace."

After Xue Pan introduced the eunuch, he turned around and respectfully introduced to this Zhao Gonggong, "Zhao Gonggong, you don't know these two people, one of these two is the third master of Rongguo Mansion, and the other is the brother-in-law of Wuyang Hou Mansion, everyone knows each other in the future, and I hope to take care of each other." ”

This Zhao eunuch glanced at Jia Baoyu and Qin Zhong, stood up and arched his hand to the two of them, and without speaking, he continued to sit in the middle, silent.

When Xue Pan saw this scene, he was also a little blind. You must know that this time something went wrong, he had already made some connections everywhere, but it was useless, and finally he finally invited the chief manager, thinking of inviting Jia Baoyu and Qin Zhong to put some pressure on the chief manager and let him put this matter over, but he didn't expect this old eunuch to be soft and hard.

And Jia Baoyu and Qin Zhong are both not eating fireworks in the world, and they didn't even see the reason, and the two of them arched their hands to Eunuch Zhao and entered the table.

When Eunuch Zhao saw the two of them at the table, he asked, "Two sons, why did you come this time?" ”

This sentence made the two of them a little stunned, they only came at the invitation of Xue Pan this time and said that a friend introduced them to them, but they didn't expect Eunuch Zhao to ask like this.

Xue Pan hurriedly played a round next to him and said: "Everyone is friends, and we know each other this time." I will be able to take care of anything in the future. ”

So what kind of character is Eunuch Zhao? I saw through Xue Pan's intentions at a glance. But after thinking about it, since these two are here, they can't let their face be broken. Besides, Jia Ke is indeed in power now, so don't bother him about this little thing.

"Since the two of you are also here, our family can't help but give face, this matter is in the past, but our family wants to talk to Uncle Xue, if there is a next time, our family will not be able to cover it up for you."

Xue Pan was overjoyed when he heard this, and hurriedly bowed to the eunuch.

The eunuch Zhao stood up, arched his hand and said to them: "Since the matter has been decided, there is still something in our palace, so I won't bother much, and I will leave." ”

After Eunuch Zhao finished speaking, he turned around and left the restaurant, and Xue Pan followed behind with a fart, sending him out of the door until he came back.

After coming back, Xue Pan kept thanking Jia Baoyu and Qin Zhong, and now these two also understand what happened just now, but the two did not take this matter to heart, but were a little proud.

thought that the two of them were so noble, such a difficult thing, as soon as the two of them came, they came to naught.

They didn't know that this eunuch Zhao was Wei Kun's main leader in the palace. This time, it was just for Jia Ke's sake, so he let Xue Pan go.

So next, Xue Pan treated the two of them with good food, drink and hospitality, and called a few famous fans to serve the two of them comfortably.

After the banquet, he sent someone to rent a sedan chair and send the two back to the house. That night, Xue Pan returned home and excitedly showed off in front of Aunt Xue and Xue Baochai.

"How big do I think? This is not solved as soon as it goes, those eunuchs under them are just trying to get some money, and now that Eunuch Zhao has spoken, they don't dare to make any more troubles. ”

"Or I'm clever, I invited Baoyu and Qin Zhong to go, you don't know how good that Eunuch Zhao turned out to be, as soon as he saw Qin Zhong and Baoyu, he immediately changed his face, and agreed to my thing in one bite."

When Xue Pan said this, he raised his head with some pride, waiting for Aunt Xue and Xue Baochai to praise him.

Aunt Xue was so happy on the side that she kept praising Xue Pan, thinking that he had done a good job this time, and he had grown much better than before.

And Xue Baochai, who was sitting on the side, although he had a smile on his face, he actually felt helpless about this brother's incompetence in his heart, what is his ability? If it weren't for Jia Baoyu and Qin Zhong being present, then the eunuch would be so easy to let go of Jia Ke's face.

Xue Baochai has heard that this time the imperial pen used by the emperor is broken, what a big deal is this, if there is no Jia Ke, where would those eunuchs dare to let Xue Pan go? This is the reason why I found no number of ways to find it some time ago.

At the same time, Xue Baochai's heart was more eager for power, and Jia Ke's majesty made her yearn even more, such a big thing didn't need Jia Ke to come forward in person, but his younger brother and brother-in-law showed their faces and solved the matter. I secretly made up my mind in my heart for the sake of my family. It seems that it is time for me to sacrifice, otherwise I will be sorry for the teachings of my father and mother over the years, and I will also be sorry for my appearance and talent.

It is said that others can rest during this time, but Jia Ke can never rest. After the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the emperor reopened the seal, and Jia Ke also returned to the military aircraft and began to continue his career as a foreman.

Now Jia Ke is in the military aircraft department. Although he was ostracized by several other ministers of military aircraft, he still firmly grasped the power of the military aircraft department by virtue of his fact that he was the minister of the military aircraft foreman. Even the emperor's edicts sometimes had to be based on his face.

Because Jia Ke fought against the emperor several times, the civil servants of the Manchu Dynasty regarded Jia Ke as a traitor, but they thought that Jia Ke had the protection of the emperor, and there was no way to take Jia Ke for a while. So everyone is forbearing. didn't know that Jia Ke had a deep rift with the Emperor.

The first thing Jia Ke did at the beginning of the year was to check last year's tax situation. This look frightened Jia Ke into a cold sweat.

Jia Ke didn't care about these things before, but it was only this year that he was more sensitive to silver money because the provincial relatives Jia family spent a lot of money.

Jia Ke saw this year's report, and the total tax revenue for the whole of last year was only more than 18 million taels, nearly 3 million taels less than the year before, which is quite remarkable. If this continues, the imperial court will not be able to maintain normal operation.

Jia Ke took the winning bid and watched it carefully, and found that the field tax last year was 2 million taels less, and the total commercial tax, including salt tax, tea tax, city tax, passage tax, and business tax, was only more than 3 million taels.

Jia Ke, as the minister of the military aircraft foreman, naturally couldn't help but ask about such a serious matter, and immediately ordered the little eunuch waiting next to him, "You guys hurry up and go to the household department to find Liu Wan, the secretary of the household department, and say that I have something important for him to come and pay tribute." ”

What Jia Ke said was very serious, under normal circumstances, Jia Ke would invite the big people on these sides, and now it is very polite to directly say that he should return the gift.

At that time, the eunuch didn't dare to delay when he saw that Jiake's face was not good, and he ran out of the military aircraft as soon as he slipped away.

At this time, the old Hanlin Meng Ming, who was reviewing the folds next to him, saw Jia Ke's impatience, although now Meng Ming is no longer Jia Ke's ally, but the relationship between the two has not deteriorated because of the breakdown of the alliance, this old Meng Ming is really worthy of being a benevolent gentleman, even now, for Jia Ke's affairs, it is also a matter of facts. As long as Jia Ke does it right, whether it is in line with the emperor's wishes or not, he will support it with all his might.

It is precisely because Meng Ming has this temper that Jia Ke has great respect for this old gentleman.

"Master Jia, what's wrong? Make such a big fury? Old Meng Ming said calmly.

As soon as Jia Ke heard Lao Mengming's question, he put the fold on the table, and said to Lao Mengming in distress: "Old man, I just looked at our annual tax revenue last year, and it was nearly three million taels shorter than the year before. If this continues, our court will not be maintained. ”

When Lao Meng Ming heard him say this, he also began to become serious, if it was really like what Jia Ke said, this matter would be a big deal. The annual income of the imperial court is about more than 20 million taels of silver, and if these 3 million taels are missing, although it can barely be maintained, but in case of a military disaster, where there is a famine, there will be no emergency silver taels.

Meng Ming hurriedly stood up and came to Jia Ke's bookcase, picked up the piece of music that Jia Ke had read and looked at it carefully, he didn't understand it at first, after all, he didn't specialize in this, but this old gentleman had a spirit of not being ashamed to ask. But if you don't understand something, ask Jia Ke next to you. Later, he slowly understood, but the old gentleman's hands began to tremble.

Several ministers of military aircraft next to him saw the two of them whispering there, so they glanced at each other, and finally Liu Yu, the secretary of the minister of military aircraft, came over and saluted Jia Ke, "I've seen Master Jia, the foreman, I don't know what the two adults are discussing here, can I let Xiao Lao'er listen to it." ”

Jia Ke frowned at the sight of his appearance, this person was obviously here to inquire about the news. But there's nothing you can't say to people about this, and I'm afraid I have to let them know in the end.

So Jia Ke said to Liu Yu with a serious face: "Lord Liu, you really need the three of you to know about this matter. Otherwise, I'm afraid we won't be able to explain to the emperor and the emperor. ”

"So I'll hear it."

"Our tax revenue this year is nearly three million less, do you know?" Jia Ke didn't talk nonsense with him and asked directly, after all, Hubu Shangshu and them are all emperors' people, and they should have heard of these things.

Liu Yu, the secretary of the ministry, was also taken aback when he heard this, although he and Liu Wan, the secretary of the household department, were the emperor's people, but he had never heard any rumors about this matter. And there is a loss of three million, which is not a small amount, and if you don't get it, there will be turmoil in the imperial court.

Liu Yu hurriedly said: "There is such a thing, I don't know about it at all." ”

Jia Ke saw Liu Yu's stunned expression on his face, as if he didn't know at all, Jia Ke had no choice but to say to him: "On a whim just now, I checked the tax revenue for the whole of last year, and it turned out that it was nearly three million taels of silver less than in previous years. ”

When Jia Ke finished saying these words, Lei Ying, the secretary of the military department, and Tian Ye, the imperial history of the left capital, also came over, and they came behind Lao Meng Ming to watch this recital together.

Both of them are capable officials, and before they could finish reading, their faces had already turned red. In any case, it is impossible for this tax to drop by three million at once, not to mention that last year's wind and rain were good, even the Tatars were blocked out of the nine sides, and the tax revenue did not increase, how could it be so much less.

When the few of them were discussing there, the little eunuch took Liu Wan, the secretary of the household department, to the military aircraft.

Liu Wan had already arrived at the military aircraft and bowed to several military aircraft, "A few adults are here, I don't know what to ask?" ”

Before Brother Jia could speak, Old Meng Ming couldn't help it, he rushed to Liu Wan's side with his age-disproportionate agility, and pointed at Liu Wan's nose and scolded: "You bastard, you still ask why we called you here now, don't you have any points in your heart?" ”

Then he slammed the fold in his hand in front of him, and then glared at him and said, "If you don't give us an explanation today, our military ministers will give you an explanation." The old gentleman was now so angry with him that he was a little incoherent.

Liu Wan didn't panic, squatted down slowly and picked up the fold, opened it and looked at it. This recital was played by him in person a year ago, but it was almost the New Year, and he didn't specifically tell him that this recital was important, so it was not until the New Year later that Jia Ke discovered it.