In the Han family's prime minister's mansion, Han Qi and Tian Qi were also waiting for news, and the song was singing, but they didn't seem eager, probably knowing that Gan Qi couldn't break the game no matter what.

Han Qi also felt that he was going to earn both horizontal and vertical, and as soon as the major event of the commercial tax supervision came out, Han Qi came forward to take over the business tax matter, and then handled the business tax matter properly, with high merit and hard work, and turned the tide, and everything was fine.

Li Ming of the Imperial City Division received the news and hurriedly went to the Imperial City, and Han Qi here was naturally about to receive the news.

A person came in with an anxious face, bowed to him, and said: "Xianggong, the big thing is not good, and the commercial tax supervisor is fighting." ”

Big things are not good? Han Qi smiled when he heard this: "Haha...... Fighting? Gan Qi is very brave, and he really dares to give orders. ”

Tian Guo also smiled when he heard this: "Congratulations to Han Xiang!" ”

Han Qi waved his hand, signaling to keep a low profile.

But when he heard the man, he immediately said again: "Xianggong, it's not that the tax collector is fighting with people, it's ...... Be...... Anyway, it was the people who surrounded the government who fought with the other people. ”

"What?" Han Qi didn't seem to understand.

Tian Guo hurriedly asked, "What do you mean by this?" Who fought with whom? Did the people fight with the besiegers? Nonsense, how can the people start to fight? ”

"The two prime ministers, it was really the people and the people who surrounded the government to fight, and it was also the people who watched the people who did it first, for some reason, there were many onlookers who threw stones into the crowd, smashed many people who surrounded the people's heads and blood, and then they fought and then became a large-scale fire, and at this time they were still fighting, and the fight was inextricable, and the enemy and I couldn't tell the difference."

The two shocked Xianggong glanced at each other, and Tian Qian, who was surprised, stammered a little: "This ...... What's going on? ”

Han Qi's brows furrowed, his eyelids twitched a few times, and his hands waved in the air: "No, no, no, it's not the people who did it, how can the people do it?" ”

Han Qi has been an official for so many years, how can he not know what kind of people the people of Bianliang are? It's not that they can't eat enough and don't have enough clothes and no warmth, even if there is some anger in their hearts, ordinary good people can't let go of a good life but, they take the initiative to provoke a fire and.

When Han Qi was reading the newspaper in front of him, he read all kinds of righteous indignation articles in the newspaper, and Han Qi didn't really take it seriously, because he knew that it was useless to write this article as a flower, and even if Bianliang scolded the whole city, it would not affect Han Qi's plan at all.

At this time, he would not believe that it was really the indignant people who took the initiative to provoke the fire.

Tian Kuang also came back to his senses, and hurriedly said: "Xianggong's words are reasonable, it must be the manpower arranged by Gan Qi to fish in troubled waters while in the chaos." ”

Han Qi had already stood up, the corners of his mouth twitched again and again, and said, "I have to go to the palace, I have to enter the palace quickly, and go to prepare the car quickly." ”

Things went out of Han Qi's expectations again, and they developed in another direction, and Gan Qi's death seemed to have come to life.

At this time, Han Qi must enter the palace to face the saint, otherwise it will really be a bamboo basket to draw water.

At this time, in the imperial city, Li Ming had already appeared in front of the emperor, just waiting to speak slightly.

The old emperor Zhao Zhen was already furious, and opened his mouth to scold: "This Gan Daojian, how can it be bad?" I told him in every possible way, how can he dare to let his soldiers beat people......

Li Ming heard that the emperor was scolding Gan Qi, and hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, the commercial tax supervisor was not involved in the matter of the fire merger. It was the people who got together with those people, and the cause of it was that many people threw stones at them, and then there were sporadic beatings, and in a few moments it became a large-scale fire. ”

"The people? Onlookers and the lively people and those merchants' homes are on fire? Zhao Zhen was a little puzzled for a while.

"That's right, none of the people in the commercial tax supervision yamen participated in the fire merger, but outside the yamen, there were many onlookers, at least more than 10,000 people, crowded to the brim, and the fight ......was dark."

"Why are you still here? Why don't you quickly lead troops to stop it? If there are countless casualties, how can I explain to the people of Bianliang? Zhao Zhen said angrily.

Frightened, Li Mingpu knelt down, and immediately replied: "Your Majesty, the Imperial City Division has already beaten the drum and gathered troops, and when the ministers entered the palace, several detainees had already led troops to the commercial tax superintendent, and it would not take long to calm down the matter." ”

When Zhao Zhen heard this, he was a little relieved, and began to think about some things in his mind, why did the people fight with the merchants?

The answer to this question, Zhao Zhen couldn't help but think of the newspapers in recent days, and asked again: "How have the people of Bianliang discussed the matter of commercial taxes recently?" ”

Li Ming replied bluntly: "Back to Your Majesty, the people of Bianliang have been extremely concerned about commercial taxation recently, whether it is in the building, or in the Washe, or in the streets and alleys, there are voices of the people everywhere, and the words of the people are mostly indignant. ”

"Indignant? How to be indignant? ”

"Your Majesty, the people are indignant about the merchants' resistance to taxes, and the main reason is that the merchants have more profits and less taxes, and the people have less profits and more taxes, so they are unhappy." Li Ming replied.

Zhao Zhen sighed: "No wonder this is the case, in the commercial tax supervision account book, a large merchant's profit and tax for a month is worth a year's profit and tax of thousands of households, but these merchants are still unwilling to pay, and they actually gather people to resist taxes, how can they be peaceful in their hearts?" ”

Li Ming nodded, the Imperial City Division is the emperor's eyes and ears, what Li Ming said today is also the truth he should say, which also means to help Gan Qi, I hope Gan Qi can survive this catastrophe safely.

"That's it, you go to the commercial tax superintendent quickly, and you must stabilize this matter and try to reduce the number of casualties. After this incident, whatever the people of Bianliang talked about after tea and dinner, you will cause a secret report. "Zhao Zhen now, what he wants to know most is what the people think, this is the perspective of Zhao Zhen, the emperor, whether the Great Song Dynasty can be eternal, the people's thoughts are the most important.

"Yes!" Li Ming replied and went out, and as soon as he went out, he ran into Han Qi who came in a hurry.

Li Ming saw Han Qi, bowed his head, bowed, and ran away.

Han Qi entered the imperial study, bowed down, and when the emperor saw him coming, he had already spoken: "Han Xiang also knows about the chaos of the commercial tax supervisor?" ”

Han Qi nodded hurriedly: "As soon as the old minister heard about this, he hurriedly entered the palace and came, Your Majesty, this matter is strange!" ”

"Strange?" Zhao Zhen asked suspiciously.

"Your Majesty, it's really strange, it was a merchant asking for his life, why did it suddenly become a fire? Someone must have provoked it, and perhaps someone behind the scenes, so there was such a chaos with countless casualties. This is Han Qi's last remedy, otherwise it will really be wasted.

"Well, in this way, it is also provocative, the person who provoked is Nagan Daojian, if it weren't for his daily newspaper rebuke and attack, there would not be such a mess today." Zhao Zhen felt that Han Qi was right, it was the Beijing Times that provoked emotions, it wasn't the Beijing Times who scolded so much every day, it wasn't that Gan Qi sent people everywhere to read the newspaper to the people, how could the people be so angry?

Han Qi was stunned when he heard this, how could His Majesty the Emperor say anything? Why did you directly tell the mastermind behind the scenes?

It's okay, Han Qi said again: "Your Majesty, the old minister also suspects that Gan Qi is making trouble behind his back. ”

"I can't blame Ganqi, he just told the truth in the newspaper, and I was in favor of the merchant's tax payment, and the newspaper article actually spoke to my heart. It's just that no one thought that the people would be so angry about business taxes, and they didn't like to come to these merchants in ordinary times. Deal with the matter first, see how many dead and wounded, and the court should be responsible for the compassionate matter, after all, what the people did was also full of righteous indignation, and they had a heart for the country in their hearts. Zhao Zhen was once again kind-hearted.

Han Qi heard this and knew that something was wrong. Han Qi said that Gan Qi was the mastermind behind the scenes, that Gan Qi sent people to provoke the people's fire, and the emperor said that Gan Qi was the one who provoked it, but it was said that Gan Qi's article caused the anger of the people.

Han Qi hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, the minister thinks that the reason why the fire broke out on the spot was also provoked by Gan Qi's instigation of the chaos, and those who did it first must be the ones appointed by Gan Qi." Otherwise, how could the good people in Bianliang City cause trouble for no reason? ”

Hearing this, Zhao Zhen looked up at Han Qi and asked, "Are you saying that the matter of the fire merger was instructed by Gan Qi?" ”

Han Qi nodded: "The minister thinks that's the case." ”

"Gan Qi has so much power? Can you mobilize thousands of people to start a fire in Bianliang City? Zhao Zhen felt that Han Qi's speculation was really a bit fanciful.

Gan Qi is a scholar, at a young age, can start thousands of people to fight? Even if Ganchi had the ability, what good would it do him?

It's a siege affair, so why would Gan Qi make it a matter of thousands of casualties?

It was also Zhao Zhen who didn't know how big the crisis was at this time, Zhao Zhen thought it was just a simple besieged yamen to ask for help, he didn't know that these people who surrounded the yamen were ready to storm the yamen, and he didn't know that Han Qi, the mastermind behind the scenes, had already planned a bloody conflict.

Therefore, Zhao Zhen felt that Han Qi's speculation was nonsense, and his motives were really untenable.

Han Qi immediately said: "Your Majesty, Gan Qi is a rare rich man in Bianliang City, the relationship in Bianliang City is complicated, and he has connections with the three sects and nine streams, so it is not difficult to mobilize some people to start a fire." This matter was Ganqi's move to avoid disaster, and with this fire, the matter of besieging the government and asking for his life was also resolved. Therefore, the minister thought that this matter was instructed by Ganqi. ”

When the people fight with the merchants, the matter of commercial taxes will be solved? Zhao Zhen hadn't thought of this idea before, but when he heard Han Qi say it at this time, he felt that it was really the case.

After such a fire between the people and the merchants, these merchants also know what the attitude of the people in the world is, how dare they gather to resist taxes again?

The matter of business tax is really done!

The business tax matter is completed, Zhao Zhen is inexplicably a little happy, that is, Bianliang is a city, and it can have an extra few million yuan a year, how can Zhao Zhen not be happy?

After the joy, it is the sadness of the dead and injured people, which is really a mixed taste.

But I heard Zhao Zhen suddenly ask: "Han Qing, I want to ask you something!"

"Listen to me." Han Qi thought that the emperor was going to ask about Gan Qi.

But he didn't want Zhao Zhen to speak: "Han Qing, as the prime minister of the imperial court, does he think that the matter of merchants surrounding the government is also strange?" ”

This question has long lingered in Zhao Zhen's heart and has never gone away. At this time, when he opened his mouth to ask, it was not that Zhao Zhen had insight into anything, but that Zhao Zhen did not think about Han Qi.

Why didn't Zhao Zhen think about Han Qi? is also a lack of motives, Han Qi, as the prime minister, why is it necessary to mobilize the merchants of the whole city to fight against the commercial tax supervisor? The redundant matter is also a problem that Han Qi often talks about, and Han Qi must be trying to find a way to solve it, and the business tax matter has been completed, which also brings a lot of convenience to Han Qi's work as the prime minister.

As for Han Qi and Gan Qi having a personal grudge? Zhao Zhen has never thought of this angle, a court prime minister, a scholar who has just been admitted to the Jinshi, the two are very different, what grievances can they have?

When Han Qi heard this question, he was a little panicked in his heart, but his face did not change, and he only replied: "Your Majesty, Taishi is a cloud, the world is bustling, all for profit, and the world is bustling, all for profit." The competition of interests is strange, and the mountain and forest bandits can also raise their heads to fight for the wealth of buying roads, not to mention the huge amount of money of millions a year? ”

Han Qi is just a sentence, it is all for the sake of interests, there is nothing strange.

Zhao Zhen heard Han Qi's words, and asked seriously: "Han Qing really thinks so?" ”

This question made Han Qi's heart jump even more, but he could still keep his face unchanged, this is how powerful Han Qi is. Han Qi said again: "Your Majesty, the old minister is sure that this is the case. ”

How could Han Qi not be sure? If someone else was behind the scenes, Han Qi would have given an ambiguous answer. But this matter is about himself, so he naturally has to be sure and be sure in every way. Emperor Zhao Zhen is not such a conspirator, since the emperor asked Han Qi like this, Han Qi also knows that the emperor trusts himself, and he will trust his words.

"Haha...... Sure? Han Qing may have thought about it wrong this time, and there must be something strange about this matter. When I said this to Han Qing, I had a sense of proportion in my heart, and I also wanted Han Qing to investigate this matter and see what was behind the merchants' gathering to resist taxes. "Zhao Zhen is not as sure as Han Qi, he has some of his own judgments.

When Han Qi heard this, he was a little annoyed, but he was not so flustered, at least the investigation of this matter fell into his hands, so it would be safe. Han Qi asked again: "Your Majesty, what about Gan Qi's matter?" How do you decide? ”

"This matter will wait for the Imperial City Division to come back to life, look at the number of dead and wounded, the court should not shirk the blame, and when the time comes, see which yamen has the money, and then sort out the future. But...... I think that only the commercial tax supervisor has money, so let the commercial tax supervisor pay for it when the time comes. Zhao Zhen said that what should happen in the end of this chaos depends on what the people think. If the people of the city are still indignant at the merchants, this matter will pass, and only the pension will remain, and the pension is to stabilize the people's hearts.

Of course, the bereavement pension only compensates the people, not the merchants, and the money of the imperial court is not blown by the wind. The merchant's affairs, the merchant solves it by himself, and the emperor Zhao Zhen at this time actually resents the merchant in his heart, but he doesn't express it.

Han Qi sighed deeply, and when he said this, the bamboo basket was empty, and stealing chickens and rice was not successful.

Han Qi sighed, angry in his heart, but also regretful, and annoyed. He never thought that he would lose in the hands of a hairy boy, spend so much effort, spend so much face, and things still get like this.

Han Qi swore a lot of promises in front of many officials, and the face of the prime minister of the court was really disgraced at this time.

In front of the emperor, Han Qi could only endure and endure, endure and endure, trying to control his facial expressions and emotions. If you want to lift the table, you'll have to go back.

Zhao Zhen heard Han Qi sigh, thinking that Han Qi was worried about the country and the people, and said a word of encouragement: "Han Qing is the minister of the society, my arm, work hard!" ”

"Your Majesty's grace, the old minister should do his best and die." Han Qi hurriedly replied.

On the side of the commercial tax superintendent, the army of the Imperial City Division came, and the fight was over, leaving only the ground wailing and scolding.

The people who should have run have already run, such as Ganba, who has already run out of the city, returned home, grinned, and taught his mother to prepare wine and food, and wanted to drink today's refreshment.

Those who should have been carried away were also carried away. For example, Brother Mao, if he has to do big things, he refuses to leave, and the fight starts, and the fourteen or fifteen-year-old small body is hanging the color after all, and it hurts so much, but he still has to endure it. Then he was carried away by Cui Erye with someone.

Those who wailed and cursed on the ground were waiting for the government to come, some of them were merchants and slaves, and some of them were the people who had suffered unjustified calamities.

As soon as the army of the Imperial City Division came, there were people covered with blood who cried out for grievances.

"The official is coming, this person beat me, wronged, this person committed murder, I must not teach him to get away......"

"Nonsense, it's obvious that you attacked me first, why did I start beating you?"

"Official, here, wronged, I'm Li Liulang who bought groceries in front of my head, I just came here to watch the excitement, this guy is indiscriminate, he stepped forward and slammed my head with a wooden stick, you see, my head is full of blood, he beat him, quickly hold him! He is the lackey of the merchant, who is here to resist the law and taxes, and he also wants to commit murder and beat people...... Come on, come on......"

The soldiers of the Imperial City Division didn't know how to deal with it, and they reported to the detainees, but the detainees didn't know how to deal with it, so they just waited for Li Ming, who went to ask the emperor's order, to come and talk about it. So he only ordered the soldiers to drive away the people, surrounded the wounded all over the ground, and of course sent people to ask Lang Zhong to save their lives, and some people on the ground were afraid that their lives would be lost.

Li Ming came late, and the words of the people who were driven along the road were full of righteous indignation.

"Well fought, these merchants don't know the height of the sky, and they dare not pay the taxes of the imperial court, and they also gather people to resist taxes, so they should be beaten."

"I couldn't squeeze in just now, if I squeeze in, I should also start beating those merchants, so that I can relieve my anger."

"You just blow, just now you ran fast, if you are in front of the head, I am afraid that you will already hold your head and run away."

"Nonsense, Lao Tzu is also a man......"

Li Ming listened to the words, and his mood was very good.

"Play well, see if those merchants dare to resist taxes!"

"Why didn't those tax collectors just do it? If those tax collectors had done it, they would have beaten those who resisted taxes to the ground. ”

"Hey...... You don't understand this, if the official dares to directly order the beating of the people, he can't eat and walk around, and His Majesty will have to eat a big crime. ”

"It's really hateful, they just think that Your Majesty is kind-hearted, if they dare to be so fearless, fortunately there are some heroes in front of them, see who dares to underestimate us good people."

"That stone is really relieved, I don't have a stone in my hand, if there is, I will smash his mother!"

Li Ming listened, listened, listened and listened, listened too much, and made some decisions in his heart.

When Li Ming arrived at the scene again, he was full of wails and did not frown.

Several officials of the Imperial City Division gathered around Li Ming at this time, waiting for Li Ming's life to be invited from the emperor.

Li Mingya bit his teeth and said: "Interrogate everyone roughly, see where they came from, record the merchants who came, and record the addresses and names of ordinary people." ”

"And after that?"

"After that?" Li Ming lowered his head and lowered his voice: "First record everything, and when everything is recorded, all the merchants will be brought back to the Yamen prison, and the ordinary people will let them go home." ”

The faces of the crowd changed, and they asked, "Is that really the case?" ”

Li Ming nodded: "Don't worry, this is the Sacred Heart!" ”

"So...... That's it. "The word Sacred Heart is enough to calm everyone.

Li Ming said again: "The seriously injured will be treated first, and the dead will also be brought back, and when the time comes, the family members will come to recognize the person, and the court may be happy to compensate for it." ”

"Understood."

The Imperial City Division arrived at the scene of 3,000 people and began to get busy.

Commercial tax supervision.

Shi Honglei reported again: "Chief, the fire is over, and the Imperial City Division has taken over." I think Your Majesty also knows about it......"

Gan Qi nodded: "It doesn't hurt if Your Majesty knows, if Your Majesty wants to blame us and others, you will already send someone to summon you." Since no one has come to summon us, it proves that Your Majesty does not blame us and others. ”

Shi Honglei was relieved when he heard this: "That's good, that's good, Your Majesty Shengming, Your Majesty is the first Shengming king throughout the ages." ”

"Tomorrow, notify all the officials to come to the duty, all the accounts are also in place, and the tax collectors are not allowed to approve leave. The time is almost over, all merchants should pay the last month's tax, door-to-door notice, do not take the invoice to the commercial tax supervisor to pay the tax within three days, severely punished. "Ganch's order has been issued.

"Yes!"

After Ganqi finished speaking, he got up and walked out of the lobby door, glancing up at the sky.

Thousands of miles of clear sky, thousands of miles of light clouds, a good early summer day.

Stepping forward, stepping out of the commercial tax superintendent, the left and right ironclad tax collectors gave way to the road, and Gan Qi walked out slowly.

There were as many as five or six hundred wounded.

"Hmph...... Gan Qi sneered and looked up: "Zhou Tong, prepare the car, go home!" ”

Zhou Dong on the side, his hand has been holding on the handle of the knife, he has been holding it for several hours, and he seems to be ready to draw the knife to kill at any time.

At this time, Zhou Tong also turned his head to look at Gan Qi. Just now, shouting outside the door to kill Zhentian, Zhou Tong himself has been nervous and has been holding the handle of the knife tightly. But it was Gan Qi, from beginning to end, his face did not change, as if there were no waves in his heart. At this moment, Zhou Dong admired it in his heart.

When I went home, it was the house in the city, and the ready-to-wear store opposite, the business was still thriving, and I didn't know how much money I had earned from the families of dignitaries and dignitaries.

Gan Qi was in the courtyard, sitting on a recliner, the maid had prepared tea and snacks, and the watermelon was gone, just waiting for the summer.

Looking out through the door from the recliner, Gan Qi could see Wu Qiao'er smiling at the guests, and also smiled and sang: "I think at the beginning, Lao Tzu's team was only opened, and there were only a dozen people with seven or eight guns......

Singing and singing, Gan Qi suddenly looked serious and muttered in a low voice: "Someone has to be responsible for this!" ”

made such a big drama that Gan Qi hid and hid, and spent face and money. This matter is only over temporarily, and it is not over yet! Tomorrow we will have to let some people see how he is willing to do things.