Put fried rice, sesame, litsea cubeba and turmeric and the big-leaf tea produced in Wuling County, his hometown, into a bowl made of hawthorn wood and mash it into a paste, mix it with boiling water, and then add some fine salt to taste, gently take a bite into the throat, and suddenly give birth to the feeling of 'nine curved intestines, relaxed and happy', as the usual enjoyment in the career of the eunuch, the coolness of this early autumn is also particularly pleasant.

The small half bowl of tea was swallowed, and with the full fragrance of the mouth, Master Yang also teased.

"Zhang Yuanping is so interested, he delayed with a young boy for a long time."

The old man who was on the side was a few years younger than Master Yang, and he had followed his family since he was a child, but he was already an old man over half a hundred years old at this time, and it was a bowl of hometown flavor that he brewed for Yang He, so that his master could enjoy a moment of perch thoughts. Mr. Yang handed over the sixtieth year and did not eat lunch on the way of health preservation, but this food is obviously not limited to such rice from his hometown.

The old man beside him didn't have the heart to understand the mood of the master, and talked to Yang He while waiting.

"How did I hear that the uncle and uncle of the later life are the same year as you?"

The old steward has followed Yang He for many years, and he talks so casually in private, and Yang He will not pose in front of his subordinates at home.

"Wang Cunsi has just gone to Guangdong not long ago, and there has been a disaster there this summer, how can he still have leisure to care about his family."

The old man took over, "I heard that Guangxi is also suffering from a severe drought this year, and many fields are out of harvest, and there will be thieves who will cross the border after the autumn." ”

"Liangguang will not stop, but Wang Cunsi is going back to Beijing, and I am afraid that these things will be left to worry about by the successor."

"Oh, is Master Wang going to be promoted?" The old steward cleaned up the bowl, and there was another one who didn't have a match to talk to Yang He.

"But it's not worry-free, it's said that it's to make up for the Taifu Temple."

"Why is the court lord [note: the name of the emperor by the people of the Ming Dynasty] suddenly so diligent?"

Today's Son of Heaven has not been a member of the court for many years on the grounds of his leg disease, and he has not even been able to pay tribute in person when his biological mother Empress Dowager Xiaoding died, and I don't know if it is a real illness or because of the affairs of King Fu and the concubine Zheng and the courtiers. In recent years, the transfer of high-ranking officials submitted by the cabinet has also been mostly retained, and now the positions of Liubu Langzhong and Kedaoyan officials are almost vacant, and the scholars have become politically correct in privately ridiculing the emperor for laziness, and this atmosphere has led to the fact that even close subordinates dare to say a few jokes about the Zhu family at home.

Of course, Yang He is a serious official, and he is a clear and hopeful person like the Imperial History, so it is difficult to accept the words of the old family, but it does not prevent him from knowing a little bit of the inside story.

"It's a matter of national finances, Changying Treasury [Note: Taifu Temple's exclusive silver treasury] and the internal carrier warehouse are originally the same thing, and the Son of Heaven is naturally concerned."

Chang Ying Ku is in charge of the Ming Dynasty in the north of the horse administration of the Taifu Temple used to store the silver of the horse price collected over the years, the beginning of the country customized, the provincial households have the allocation of horses, if you do not want to raise horses then to fold the silver in the Chang Ying Library, the Taifu Temple in the use of this silver to purchase horses for the country and the army. This Changying Treasury was originally also a kind of treasury. But first of all, the successive emperors sometimes embezzled the treasury silver for other purposes, and since the fourteenth year of Wanli, Zhu Yijun has specially set the rules, and in the future, the imperial court ceremonies and rewards for merit are rewarded with silver within 10,000 taels from the internal money, and more than 10,000 taels are spent by Chang Yingku, which is customized for customization.

The emperors of the Ming Dynasty since Jiajing seem to be rats, and they can't wait to put any money into their own pockets. The Spaniards slaughtered China in Luzon, and there was also the credit of the Son of Heaven who coveted the silver of Manila, at least the Wanli Emperor's question did make the Spaniards like a man. It is precisely because of the love of money that the six departments are short of personnel in the middle of the matter and the imperial history of the Imperial Inspectorate, but the Taifu Temple is indispensable, but these rules in the court Yang He rarely mentions them in front of his family, and today he has nothing to do.

After saying this, I remembered that a few days ago, he asked for Huguang to allocate the amount of food and salary in Guizhou as soon as possible, but there was no news, and I also felt that the imperial court did not know how to be sympathetic.

"Da Lang is also saying that the market in Beijing is not good this year, and there is still a lot of trouble in Liaodong."

"Da Lang has a letter?" The old manager was stunned in advance, he hadn't received any letters from Beijing in the past few days, but after thinking about it, since the old man knew the news of the promotion in the same year, most of them were acquaintances from the capital who brought a message.

Yang He's only son, Yang Sichang, was a Jinshi in the 38th year of Wanli, and he was only in his early twenties when he was nominated for the gold list, only six years later than his own Laozi, and is now serving as the director of the Fujian Department of the Ministry of Households. Whenever Yang He writes about economic affairs, most of them have ammunition provided by his son from Beijing, and he blindly cares for him in Guizhou, probably because he knows that the imperial court is in a difficult financial situation.

In fact, Guizhou Province moved from Chengfanfu [Note: Wanli 14th year to Dingfanzhou] to Guiyang in Longqing three years, Guiyang has only been established in less than 50 years, and it has been less than 30 years to change Guiyang's local Guizhu and Pinghua Tusi into a new upstart county. Since the Ming Dynasty established a province in Guizhou in the 11th year of Yongle, it took more than 150 years to set up a government in Guiyang, and it took 22 years for the upstart to set up a county. In fact, the reason for this is nothing more than a money word, a province's finances cannot make ends meet, and the first people to jump out to oppose the land reform are all Han officials in this province, which is also a spectacle.

It is also a paradox that Zhang Heming wants to make a difference, it is even more difficult to have enough taxes if he does not change the land and return to the river, and if he does not have enough food, he will not have enough soldiers to ensure the land reform, and even the law and order in the province will be difficult to maintain. Guiyang City north out of the city more than three miles is already Shuixian family Yu Zexi, to the south along the Du Ni River is a variety of small toast dense. The former governor of Guizhou, Guo Zizhang, said that "Guizhou is Miao Cave outside the first line" and "thieves do not peep into my road or into my city", and the fact that Guiyang Mansion is actually surrounded by various Tusi regimes is the reason why the Han officials in this province have huge differences of opinion on changing the land and returning to the stream, and in the final analysis, they are all afraid of accidents. The manor of the Tusi Hao family is densely packed in Guizhou, which makes people feel uneasy all the time, and Zhang Heming has always made a big show since he used the army to help the momentum.

Wang Xingping is now well-known in Guiyang, one of the most outstanding in Guiyang Wang's generation, and his thesis is under the name of the famous scholar Ma Wenqing, and he is valued by the province. In terms of doing things, not only does it support the Wang family's family business, but the previous few things are full of thought and planning, and the most important thing is that he is not yet fourteen years old. Therefore, the news that Zhang Heming saw him in the back office in the afternoon also spread widely, you must know that the school palace is next to the government office, and the students will naturally know it all over the city. [Note: Due to the narrow geography and insufficient funds of Guiyang Mansion, Guiyang Mansion School, Guizhou Xuanwei Si School and Yangming Academy are close together, and Guiyang Mansion will directly change the original branch of the Academy. The school and the school share the house, and the Minglun Hall of the School Palace (the place where the school lectures and discusses the Tao) is directly located in the Yangming Academy.

Zhang Heming and Wang Xingping said something is naturally unknown, but Wang Xingping wants to run iron smelting, and he has always said to the outside world that he wants to create a new weapon armor, Zhang Heming is estimated to be addicted to war, and he thinks that this future life can be used, and the Wang family has some connections in Weizhong, which is also a means to show favor to martial artists. However, if it is really as Wang Xingping said, it is not a bad thing to set up iron smelting to supplement the people's livelihood and help the military, even if it is not for the sake of being in the same year as his uncle, Yang He feels that he can help when necessary.

…………

From the face of His Excellency Wenchang, the crowd of people who squeezed into the city to sell chickens, sheep, vegetables and vegetables, out of Wushengmen, and then to the east is the territory of the original Pingfa Chang lawsuit, after changing the land and returning to the stream, it was first renamed Pingfa Township, and then merged into Xingui County.

Leaning on the east gate, the city is a residential area that is classified as Gu Guangli, which is one of the ten new squares under the jurisdiction of the new noble after the county, and the outer house of Gu Fengming's favorite concubine is purchased here.

Early in the morning, Gu Erjiao was hurriedly woken up from the concubine's bed.

"What to do? Did you get picked up by a mad dog? ”

Gu Fengming, who had not yet gotten up and had not yet subsided, was not polite at all to the lackeys who usually bowed down to his ears, and he actually found this place at any hour, which was really frustrating.

Zhang Changgeng stammered in fright, "Second, second cabinet...... The proprietor is anxious to ask you to come over. ”

Gu Fengming felt that something was wrong, so he hurriedly changed his clothes.

"What's wrong?"

"The villain doesn't know, it seems that he wants to ask about the grain in the warehouse."

'Isn't it possible to leak the news?' ’

This was the first possibility that Gu Fengming thought of when he heard this, but after thinking about it, there was nothing missing in the middle, and the only nephew He Jindang who was worried about it would not easily take out the matter of selling grain in private. Offending the owner's small matter, selling grain to Tusi privately will cause trouble in Guiyang Mansion, and he should know the severity.

In any case, let's go and see it first.

"Where is the owner now?"

"It's already on the counter, and Wang Xiaoliu and that Ding Deshui are with me."

Gu Fengming said in his heart that since people seem to be talking about food on the counter, it can't be that Zhang Heming mentioned something to him yesterday, most of them are looking for grain merchants to raise grain at this time, but now the price of rice on the market is about to rise to one or two silver and one stone, and the government will not come to buy it, even if Zhang Heming is willing, other officials in the palace will stop him, and he is counting on so much money in the treasury, do you want anyone to pass it?

But since it was the governor's summons, maybe he made some excessive requests, and Wang Xingping couldn't make up his mind before he came to discuss with him. Yesterday, when the city gate was closed, it was in a hurry to find it early this morning, and Zhang Changgeng came out as soon as the city gate was opened.

When he arrived at the Futai cabinet, more than half an hour had passed, and Wang Xingping's face was as calm as water, and he couldn't see half of his anxiety.

"I'm really sorry for the owner, and I'm delayed on the road."

Gu Fengming stepped into the threshold while making a confession.

"It's okay, but there's actually something to discuss with Mr."

"Is that so? The owner sent Xiaoliu to say a word, where to make a special trip. ”

"Don't dare to slack off on the dispatch sent by Zhang Fujun, it's better for me to discuss with you personally."

When Gu Fengming heard this, he had an expression of 'sure enough', and his heart also relaxed, and sure enough, as he expected, the yamen's apportionment came down.

It is common for officials to send errands to merchants in the Ming Dynasty, but it does not mean that there is no way to be perfunctory, Gu Fengming is a way.

But his face was still calm, and he asked, "I don't know what Zhang Fujun said to the owner yesterday?" ”

"I only said that I will use troops in the near future, and I want to raise some military rations from our grain merchants, especially hoping to find a large quantity in my Futai."

"Buying?" Gu Fengming grabbed the joint, "Did you say how much silver Fuzhong would give?" ”

"It is said that it is four coins of silver and one stone, and the money is received from the treasury of the Acropolis."

When Gu Fengming heard this, he chuckled, "The officials do a good job, four coins of silver and one stone, if you want to buy rice at the moment, you will lose money, and Fujun has the face to say." ”

"The price is indeed cheap, and the officials who have no face also opened their mouths, so they asked Mr. Gu to discuss."

Gu Fengming's mind turned, maybe Wang Xingping was really a little confused right now, but seeing that his face was calm, he was also suspicious in his heart. Either this young man is good at cultivating his energy, or he really has some bad water in his heart, and what he has done in the north has spread widely. After thinking about it, Gu Fengming decided to give it a try.

At this moment, Wang Xingping was also observing Gu Fengming, knowing that this shopkeeper was not a good match, he was kind and pleasant on the surface, but he did a lot of disgusting things behind his back. Before going to the government office yesterday, he specially found Ding Deshui to inquire again, or Zhang Heming, who only went to see after everything was thoroughly understood, he sorted out his calculations and various deductions in his heart, and felt that it should be no big deal.

Since you have to put bad water, it is better to let Gu Fengming come first, after all, the elders are respected, and then you have to give the old shouting on your cabinet a surprise.

Listening to Gu Fengming's question, "The uncle of the owner and the inspector Yang Yushi seem to be in the same year." ”

"Oh? What did Mr. Gu think of? Wang Xingping pretended to be surprised when he heard this.

"I foolishly see that Yang according to the Yuan has always been the main Fu, and is unwilling to increase troops to the natives, Zhang Fujun is good at provoking the border, and now he wants to compete with the people for profit, if the Yang Yuan Department knows about this, it will definitely say a fair word for the expensive Yang grain merchants."

Seeing that Wang Xingping was a little hesitant, Gu Fengming continued to increase his efforts to persuade him, if it was really because of this to let Wang Xingping come out and make the Futai offend the governor's yamen, it would be interesting, maybe he also gave himself a way to get into the body, and at the critical moment to give the owner a stone, he Gu Fengming asked himself if he could do it.

But Wang Xingping diverted the topic to the other side, "Now the price of rice on the market is almost one tael of silver and one stone, right?" ”

Gu Fengming felt that he seemed to have caught Wang Xingping's mind again, and said, "In a few days, it will really be one or two stones." ”

Then began his own analysis of pride.

"Now there is no more summer grain from other provinces on the market than in April and May, and the price of rice will only be higher than during the spring famine.

Wang Xingping knew Zhang Heming's thoughts, "When the autumn harvest is over, and the toasts have food in their hands, it will be inconvenient to use soldiers at that time." ”

"That's true, but the price is also lower, and one stone of rice is worth four or five dollars of silver."

"After last autumn, the grain harvest was three coins and one stone, right?" Wang Xingping has read the accounts, so naturally he will not be mistaken.

"Yes, but there are still expenses in the warehouse this year, and all these warehouses have to spend money to raise."

"Indeed, I checked the accounts yesterday, and there are still more than 10,000 stones of grain in the warehouse."

Wang Xingping finally got to the point, and Gu Fengming obviously repeated the mistakes that many people had made to Wang Xingping in his young man's words, underestimating the young business owner.

"Fifteen thousand four hundred and seventy-three stones." When it is time to show shrewdness, Gu Fengming will not be perfunctory, if the reported number is less, it will make Wang Xingping suspicious, who knows if he really can't remember clearly or pretend?

But after Gu Fengming finished speaking, he always felt that there was something wrong with Wang Xingping's words, and he was about to think about it, but he heard Wang Xingping sigh.

"In this way, you will earn more than 7,000 taels less."

"Ah......" Gu Erzhou shouted with a sudden realization, and only half of it came out, and he held back himself.

'The plot is not right'

Wang Xingping felt that if he could see through Gu Fengming's thoughts, Mr. Gu would most likely have this sentence written in his mind now, and his expression would not deceive people.

Gu Fengming forced his composure, "East, East...... Are you saying that you want to sell all the food stored on the Futai to the officials? ”

Wang Xingping said kindly, "I have agreed with Zhang Fujun to sell the 15,000 stone grain in the warehouse to him as military rations. ”

Gu Fengming's face turned pale, and the following words were a little inaudible.

Wang Xingping didn't pay attention to it, the amount of grain stored in the warehouse Gu Fengming said himself, Wang Xiaoliu and Ding Deshui are human witnesses, and no one else on the counter will help except for an iron like Zhang Changgeng, so the rest of the matter is under the control of the young master of the Wang family.

"This matter is very important, so I came to Mr. Gu to discuss, three days later, the sergeant of Guiyang Wei will come to deliver, and there will be no difference between the three days. So from this day on, the furnace workers don't have to follow me, just stay on the other side of the barn. ”

[Note: Some book friends mentioned the problem of rice harvest in Guizhou, there are two main factors here, first, although Guizhou is in the south, but because of climate reasons, it has always been one crop a year, and there is no problem of two crops of rice. Second, now the rice harvest in Guizhou is usually in mid-to-late September of the Gregorian calendar, but at the end of the Ming Dynasty, due to the problem of the Xiaoice period, the rice ripening time is slower, and the harvest period at that time will be delayed to October, that is, in the middle of September of the lunar calendar, about a month after the Mid-Autumn Festival.