Ten years of Yangzhou dream.

Spring breeze ten miles Yangzhou Road.

Wrapped around his waist for 100,000 yuan, he rode a crane down to Yangzhou.

On the moonlit night of the twenty-four bridges, where does the jade teach to blow. Xiao?

Yangzhou.

This is the most prosperous and important city in the history of China, and it is almost impossible to describe it too much.

Since the opening of the Grand Canal, it has become the most important economic center in China, a barometer that directly affects the Chinese economy, and a holy place for countless foreign barbarians to worship China's prosperity.

It's a pity that Yangzhou at this time is no longer as prosperous as it used to be.

Obviously in the season of 'Spring Breeze Ten Mile Yangzhou Road', the spring breeze is just right, but the street is full of winter-like gloom, except for a group of tired soldiers on duty, and no longer half of the people can be seen.

I don't know if it's because it hasn't rained in the past few days or whatever, but instead of that sense of heaviness, there are some unspeakable stains and dilapidation.

After the model army entered the city, Xu Changqing and Shi Kefa rode all the way to Yangzhou Mansion.

Seeing that Xu Changqing frowned from time to time, obviously dissatisfied with the situation of Yangzhou City at this time, Shi Kefa also had all kinds of feelings in his heart for a while.

When he came to the mansion and just got off the horse, Shi Kefa sent away the servants around him, and said to Xu Changqing with a wry smile: "Hou Ye, so, so, there is a responsibility for Hou Ye's trust......"

"Huh?"

Xu Changqing was stunned for a moment before coming back to his senses, and also understood what Shi Kefa meant, and hurriedly smiled and helped him up: "Cabinet, you don't need to blame yourself too much, this matter has nothing to do with you, if you really want to talk about it, all of us will have to take responsibility." ”

Shi Kefa looked at Xu Changqing busily, and his eyes were a little incredible.

Who would have thought that Xu Changqing would be able to say such a thing......

Xu Changqing didn't say much to him anymore, and patted him on the shoulder with a smile: "Pavilion, rest, let's talk slowly." ”

Only then did Shi Kefa react, and he was busy leading Xu Changqing to the main hall.

sat down in the main hall, the little servant served fragrant tea, and Shi Kefa also began to report to Xu Changqing in more detail the details of Yangzhou at this time, including the war during this period of time.

Although Yangzhou is one of the richest cores of the Ming Dynasty, the base camp of the two Huai salt fields, and the most important transit point for merchants from the north and south, the actual economic situation has been a serious landslide as early as seven or eight years ago, or even more than ten years ago.

The reasons for this are complex.

Shi Kefa didn't dare to say it explicitly.

It is even more likely that he has not mastered the core, so he is almost struggling to deal with Yangzhou affairs.

What's even more terrifying is that Yangzhou's grain and grass at this time are not rich.

Several major grain merchants in Yangzhou City did not dare to stock, long before hearing the news of the Qing army, many of them had already retreated to Jiangnan, and now those who remain here are all small fish and shrimp.

This made Shi Kefa extremely depressed, and he couldn't use his strength, so he could only contact some middle-class wealthy squires in the city.

It's not that these middle-class rich squires don't want to go, but they don't have the ability to go, even if they peel off their skins and smoke their tendons, how much oil and water can they get?

It's no wonder that they just live a mixed life.

In the end, Shi Kefa couldn't help but shake his head and smile bitterly: "Master Hou, the paper is shallow, and I never know that I have to do it." Only now do I know that if I want to do something, in the end...... How hard it is......"

Although some of the core things in Shi Kefa's words are vague and not very refreshing, Xu Changqing himself has some information about Yangzhou, plus Nanjing, and when the two sides are summarized, they can basically sort out a framework.

Yangzhou is not out of money.

Her location as a commercial hub is still there.

Even if in the past few years, the Ming and Qing dynasties have fought against each other, and many things are indeed not as good as before, but the huge profits from smuggling still have to go to Yangzhou.

What has changed!

The money that should have been handed over to the imperial court and the treasury somehow flowed into the pockets of private individuals.

In such a state, the Skobe itself is difficult enough, and Xu Changqing will never be again

forced him, turned the page with a smile, and directly handed over the defense of Yangzhou City to him.

Shi Kefa will not be greedy for power in this regard, but will be amnesty.

After all, with his foundation, even if Yangzhou City is thick and the walls are thick, it will be difficult for them to defend it, and they may be careless anywhere, and the overall situation will collapse.

At this time, Xu Changqing, who is the mighty of the world, and the model army came over, how could he not allow it?

After arranging the defense, he briefly patrolled the city, and it was already evening, Shi Kefa summoned some middle-class wealthy squires in the city to relieve Xu Changqing's trouble.

Xu Changqing had just come down from the West Gate and was about to go drinking, when Huang Shu greeted him quietly and said in a low voice: "Master Hou, the situation is not optimistic...... The grain and grass in the Yangzhou treasury, they Yangzhou soldiers are afraid that they will not be able to hold out for a month. In addition, all kinds of daily necessities are in short supply in the city, prices are soaring, and many people are selling their children and daughters to make ends meet......"

Today, Xu Changqing walked on the official side, and Huang Shu walked on the 'dark side'.

This guy is an old fritter, the grassroots, the middle level, and the upper level are all very proficient, and it doesn't take much effort to sort out the core framework of Yangzhou at this time.

Xu Changqing couldn't help frowning after hearing this: "It's okay if the people lack oil and food, but his mother's Lianghuai salt farm is around, why are the people still short of salt?" ”

Seeing that Xu Changqing was a little angry, Huang Shu smiled bitterly, and could only explain to Xu Changqing in a low voice.

Xu Changqing hated the itch of his teeth after listening to it!

He finally understood what it meant to 'have a policy at the top and a countermeasure at the bottom'.

Although the auction of the Lianghuai salt field made Xu Changqing and the imperial court, including several nobles in the palace, full of money, the losses of the local salt merchants were extremely heavy.

They don't dare to mess around in the open, but in private, they keep making small moves.

After the outbreak of the war, the official salt was basically broken, and there was no need to find a reason, and the goods were robbed by the Tartars.

Other core materials such as grain, oil, and cloth are also in the same shape.

Now, Xu Changqing's reputation among the people in Yangzhou is not very good, and it is not very friendly to the entire model army.

This is still Huang Shu's more subtle statement, you can imagine the real situation!

After Huang Shu finished speaking, he was busy and secretly looked at Xu Changqing's expression cautiously.

The current state is not only external troubles, but also internal worries, Rao is Huang Shu is very confident in Xu Changqing, and now there is not much bottom......

What made Huang Shu stunned was that Xu Changqing's face was only cold for a short while, and then it quickly melted, and even showed a smile: "Lao Huang, you have worked hard, don't think too much, let's focus on external troubles first!" Let's go, drink and go! ”

"This ......"

Huang Shu couldn't touch Xu Changqing's mind for a while, and he was busy subconsciously keeping up.

……

A large restaurant near the Yangzhou Mansion has hung up the long-lost red lanterns, and the traffic outside the door is quite lively.

Many well-dressed gentry and wealthy families are in groups in the restaurant, laughing and exchanging things.

"Here, the carriage and horse of the Marquis of Haicheng are here."

At this time, the servant outside the door suddenly shouted in a sharp voice, and the originally noisy building quickly quieted down, and then there was a restlessness, and everyone went out one after another.

When Xu Changqing, who was dressed in a purple gold python robe, got down from the carriage in a hurry, everyone greeted him.

"Lord Hou......"

"Hou Ye is ...... healthy"

"Master Hou, the student has saluted you......"

Shi Kefa, Zhou Chang, Shi Dewei and others also hurriedly came up.

"Hehe, all Yangzhou fathers are polite. In this situation, I still have to bother the parents and elders in Yangzhou, and Changqing really can't help it. ”

Xu Changqing didn't have too many shelves, and when he made eye contact with Shi Kefa, he greeted these people with a smile first.

These squires and wealthy families were a little flattered, how could they have thought that Xu Changqing was so easy to contact, and they were all in good spirits.

Xu Changqing had been to Yangzhou before, but he didn't enter the city much, and stayed in the 'Xu Garden' in the north of the city, among the people at this time

At that time, there were very few people who could talk to Xu Changqing, but I didn't expect that Xu Changqing was not the kind of young and ambitious person.

Xu Changqing's attitude was very good, which directly determined the tone of today's dinner, which made everyone's mood a lot easier.

Coming to the banquet, it was also in response to everyone's speculation, Xu Changqing didn't mention anything serious at all, but just got to know everyone one by one, and between pushing glasses and changing lamps with everyone, the toast was basically not rejected by those who came.

This made the atmosphere of tonight's banquet unstoppably lively.

After getting acquainted with each other for a while, Xu Changqing cleared his throat slowly and methodically.

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly froze.

The original harmony and liveliness seem to have dissipated only in this moment.

Shi Kefa 'groaned' in his heart, and when he couldn't stop his liver, he mentioned it in his throat, and his face was a little sallow.

If this master is too impulsive and offends these masters, then the current situation in Yangzhou may not be able to be saved.

But even if he was anxious, he didn't have a chance to speak, and even if Shi Kefa was in a hurry, he could only endure it in his heart first.

"Huh."

Xu Changqing smiled faintly and looked around at everyone: "Everyone, speaking of which, it is Changqing's work that has not been done well, and he has let the Tartars wreak havoc in the hinterland of my Ming Dynasty like this." However, you don't need to worry too much, our model army has already defeated the Qing army twice in the past few days. Come to think of it, it won't take much time to get rid of the Tartars. ”

Crash.

As soon as Xu Changqing said this, there was a lot of noise in the hall.

Don't look at these people are all human spirits, and the news channels are even more varied, but under the condition that Shi Kefa and their officials can't get accurate information, most of the news channels of these people have collapsed.

Even if it is related to the Qing army, it is impossible to know the details of the battle between the model army and the Qing army, unless the Qing army wins a big victory.

Of course, there are people who understand that there are already many problems at this time.

After all, it was the model army that came to Yangzhou at this time, but it was the Qing army that retreated.

After a short period of noise, the hall quickly returned to quiet, a group of rich squires, look at me, I look at you, some are vigilant, some are restrained, some are uncontrollable, and some are faintly eager to try.

Xu Changqing has long been unknown to deal with this kind of scene, and after a glance, he has a rough idea in his heart.

smiled: "Everyone, these days, everyone is working hard. But if there are any difficulties, you can tell Changqing. As long as it is within the scope of evergreen ability, it must be done with all its might! Everyone's contribution to my Yangzhou and my Ming Dynasty can not be erased! ”

When Xu Changqing's words fell, the real agitation in the audience began, and most people's hearts began to put in their stomachs, and they saluted Xu Changqing one after another.

As long as Xu Changqing didn't come over to lift the table, then everything would be easy to talk about.

"Master Hou, you are relieved to come here. We, the Zhang family, are willing to give 50,000 taels of silver and 5,000 stones of grain and rice to support the Hou Ye to meet the enemy and strive to drive the Tartars away as soon as possible......."

"Master Hou, our Su family is willing to give 30,000 taels of silver and 4,000 stones of grain and rice......"

"Master Hou, our Liu family is willing to present ......"

As Xu Changqing chatted with a little old man surnamed Zhang and listened to his hardships, the head of the Zhang family directly began to give money and things to Xu Changqing.

And then a wave was sparked.

Everyone present cheered, crying and shouting to give money and things to Xu Changqing.

This made Shi Kefa confused.

What's going on?

He had feasted these people several times before, and when he had said all the good things, he was about to kneel down and beg them, but he only picked out a little dust from the nails of their hands and feet.

But at this time, Xu Changqing almost didn't do anything, so what could he ......

When Huang Shu saw this, he also had a little heart to carry it, and he also put it back in his stomach.

He was worried that Xu Changqing was light-hearted, and maybe he would be impulsive and play cards not according to the rules, but when he saw the appearance in front of him, he understood that Xu Changqing was much older and more slippery than him in dealing with this kind of thing.