Huo Shiqi has no time or energy to help the Huo family wine farm, so the rest of the candidates can only be Jiang Jun.

Jiang Jian is also an old man who has been with Shang Cheng for a long time. Although this person was born in a small place, he has no vision and not many outstanding insights, let alone read many books, and only has the fame of a showman, but don't forget, when he was in Ximazhi, he has been helping Shangcheng take care of local government affairs, and he is no stranger to Ximazhi's military supplies, logistics, water conservancy, reclamation, and tuntian. Later, when he came to Yanzhou, he replaced Huo Shiqi's role at that time and became Shang Cheng's "chief confidential secretary". For more than a year, his articles are all in the vernacular, which is even more "Shangcheng" than Shang Cheng, and sometimes even Shang Cheng himself is a little unclear whether the official document is from his own handwriting. It is no wonder that as soon as Chang Xiu and the others saw this contract, they immediately guessed that Shang Cheng was playing tricks in the middle.

Shang Cheng explained this, and Chang Xiu immediately believed it. He said, what a heroic figure Shang Yanshan is, it is impossible to ruin his good reputation for a few pennies!

Chang Xiu's sycophants were just right, and Shang Cheng couldn't help but raise his head and laugh. He knew very well that Chang Xiu was apologizing euphemistically for what he had just said. No matter how you say that Chang Xiu is a literary hero in the world, and if he can get his face-to-face praise, the weight of this sycophant is naturally different.

Yang Heng laughed a few times with the two of them, and said: "Uncle Ying, the workshop of the Ministry of Industry cannot be sold, the key is here, we have a contract with Huo's family, no matter what, even if not a drop of wine was sold that year, we need to distribute profits to Huo's according to ten times the annual output of Huo's wine farm." ”

Shang Cheng smiled: "Just renegotiate the contract." I also know Huo Yue, the owner of Huo's Liquor Farm, which you just mentioned, and he is not an unreasonable person. "He doesn't shy away from his relationship with Huo Yue." He happened to be in the capital recently. In this way, I will go back and ask someone to send him a message and ask him to go to the Ministry of Works, and you can sit down and talk about things, or stop the old contract, or sign a new contract, it is all good to say. Speaking seriously, I also want to thank you for him, because without your help, their wine would not have become tribute wine. He suddenly remembered something again, so he asked Yang Heng, "I remember that you went to Yixian County to discuss the matter of liquor with the Huo family, why did you come to the capital to sign the contract?" Where did this Lord Zuo come from? ”

Yang Heng squeezed out a smile with a bitter face.

Shang Cheng also understood. At that time, liquor was a unique business that made a lot of money, and there must have been many people in the Ministry of Industry who wanted to earn a prominent political achievement by relying on liquor, so they robbed Yang Heng of his errand halfway. But these people are all officials, and they are in the Ministry of Industry, and they can't grow their eyes to the top of their heads, where will they see Huo Yue and the Huo family's wine field in their eyes? He estimated that Huo Yue must have suffered a lot of anger during the negotiation process, so he simply found someone to run back to Yanzhou to find Jiang Tuan, and asked Jiang Tuan to concoct such a contract to trap people. Thinking of the contract terms that Yang Heng had just relayed, he couldn't help but shake his head and sigh. The contract was so harsh that the Ministry of Industry could still agree, he just didn't know what was going on in that Zuo man's head!

He said to Chang Xiu: "Let's talk again." I'll say hello to Huo Yue, and you can also send someone who knows how to come out and pick the head, and the two families will sit together and get a contract from the beginning. One by one, I think Yang Heng Yang is good, careful, pragmatic and hardworking, and Huo Yue has also dealt with him a few times, just sent him out on this errand, which happened to be connected with last year's events? Chang Xiu frowned and said, "Gongdu still has to take care of the firing of glass in Xiaoluofang, and transfer the liquor to the agency, I'm afraid it's not appropriate." ”

It seems that Chang Xiu still can't throw away the glass! Shang Cheng sighed in his heart and said, "What's suitable or inappropriate?" Lord Yang is engaged in management, and Xiaoluofang doesn't need him to dig sand and fill coal by himself, so how can he not even have time to talk? It's a big deal, let Huo Yue run a few steps and go to Xiaoluoyi to find Lord Yang. He turned his face and asked Yang Heng again, "What does Lord Yang think?" ”

Yang Heng is a person who is extremely hot, and he has been working hard in Xiaoluoyi for the past two months, doesn't he just want to be appreciated by his boss for his work in firing glass? At present, the future of the glass matter is uncertain, and his heart is also full of apprehension and uneasiness, for fear that in the end, others will put the responsibility for the failure on him, Shang Cheng suddenly suggested that Chang Xiu hand over the matter of revising the contract to him, he is too late to be happy, where can he not agree? Not to mention that Huo Yue went to Xiaoluoyi, even if he was asked to run between Xiaoluoyi and the capital every day, he would be happy!

But he didn't dare to say yes right away. The liquor workshop of the Ministry of Industry is very involved, and even if the contract with Huo's Distillery is re-signed, it is impossible to resell it. But if he doesn't go out, then there may still be a large loss, at least there will be no profit expected by the Ministry of Industry, so he had to take the opportunity to ask Uncle Ying for an idea.

He said: "Uncle Ying, Master Chang just said that the workshop of our Ministry of Industry cannot be resold, but in fact, there is an inside story. Even if a new contract is signed with Huo's Distillery, the distillery still can't be sold. Most of the workers in the workshop are craftsmen......"

"Artisans?" Shang Cheng fell silent abruptly. Of course, he knew what a craftsman was, and there were more than 1,000 artisan households in several government-run workshops in Yanshanwei. The so-called artisan household is a person who is engaged in handicraft production full-time and registers it in the government. He vaguely remembered that this system started in the Tang Dynasty, and Zhao followed the Tang system, and this system was extended. However, Da Zhao's artisan household system was stricter and more cruel. Compared with the elite, advocate, trick, and ling, as well as the military households who were also from the frontier, the life of the artisan households was even more miserable. Those who are registered as craftsmen are not only not allowed to engage in other industries other than handicrafts, but their descendants cannot leave their nationality, and they can only be craftsmen from generation to generation. Singers like Sang Xiu and Zhennu still have a chance to get out of their nationality and live the life of ordinary people, and if they are lucky, they may even get a seal, but the children of the artisan family can't even do this, even if it is a marriage, it can only be between the artisan families. In such a situation where the artisans worked hard from morning till night, in exchange for only a pitiful amount of food and cloth, passive slacking was the norm, and it was not uncommon for them to desert from service. At the beginning of last year, before Yanshan was about to use troops against the Turks, because there were a large number of ordnance that needed to be made temporarily, the craftsmen in the workshop of a military department could not bear it, and almost broke out into a rebellion. In this way, more than 70 craftsmen were beheaded. Shang Cheng had nothing to do about it. Although he sympathized with those craftsmen, he could not do anything in front of the state system. The only thing he could do was to try to persuade the officials and servants of the various government workshops to be kind to the craftsmen, and not to withhold their meager rations.

He was silent for a moment, then suddenly thought of another question. The laws of Dazhao do not prohibit the buying and selling of human beings, such as Zhennu and Sangxiu, who were sold to the Yanshan Sect, and the Ministry of Industry can sell the workshop together with the craftsmen who work in the workshop. Although this is unlikely to bring about any fundamental change in the situation of the craftsmen, since the situation has become so bad that it cannot be worse, how bad can it be if the environment is changed? Maybe these craftsmen will meet a kind owner......

"There is no precedent for this." Yang Heng stared at the green bricks under his feet and said dryly.

Shang Cheng was silent again. Yes, it is hard to say that the government buys and sells human beings for no reason; Moreover, the craftsmen are classified as lowly people, after all, they belong to the free people, and suddenly they become other people's slaves and maids for no reason, and even if they are clay figures, they will burst out a little angry; What's more, Yang Heng and Chang Xiu are not Zhang Pu and Zhu Xuan, most of them do not have the courage to challenge the system, and it is impossible to put forward the slogan of overthrowing the evil craftsman system. He tilted his face and searched in his mind for the reason for the demise of the artisan system. But there was no clear result for half a day.

He changed his mind and asked Chang Xiu: "Wen Shigong, can the Ministry of Industry lease the craftsmen in the workshop to buyers at the same time as reselling the liquor workshop?" He thinks that just as the laborers sell their labor, it should not be a problem for the Ministry of Industry to organize them to sell their labor on a large scale without changing the identity of the artisans.

Chang Xiu, Yang Heng and Tian Xiu, the three officials of the Ministry of Industry exchanged glances with each other, Chang Xiu nodded slightly, and Yang Heng said: "There is no law on the "Great Zhao Law". One by one should be feasible. But he immediately asked a new question. Craftsmen are generally supervised by officials in government workshops, and how to manage them after they arrive in private workshops? Private workshops are probably reluctant to let people from the government interfere in the workshops. Also, some of these craftsmen are skilled craftsmen for more than ten years and decades, and some are just young craftsmen with hairy hands, can the two be equated?

"It's simple." The problem in Yang Heng's eyes was not worth mentioning in Shang Cheng's eyes. He said, "The management of the craftsman is negotiated by your Ministry of Industry and the buyers. Anyway, we have to talk about buying and selling, so we simply put the affairs of the craftsman into the contract and tie them together to talk. As for the distinction between skilled workers and unskilled workers, it is completely possible to refer to the situation of the official department to conduct examinations for officials every year, and according to the length of service, one by one, it is to participate in the work, oh, that is, the number of years of work in the workshop is also a three, six, nine, etc., and it is divided into these grades: upper, upper, middle, up and down, and even lower. Of course, the upper craftsmen must charge the highest rent, and they must also have the highest wages and the best treatment; Needless to say, the craftsmen under the order are just like ordinary apprentices, just eating and lodging, and at most they will be paid a little basic salary for pocket money......"

He held the teacup and talked eloquently, but Chang Xiu frowned the more they listened. Chang Xiu couldn't help but interrupt him and said: "Zida, not all craftsmen are all craftsmen, and the longer they work, the more skilled they are. Although some craftsmen have not been in service for a long time, their craftsmanship is not as good as that of old craftsmen. Do they also have to divide according to your three, six, nine, and so on? ”

Shang Cheng smiled and said, "I'm just proposing an idea." Specific problems are analyzed in detail and implemented into the classification of each craftsman, of course, according to the actual situation. Not only that, but I think that those craftsmen who are really good at craftsmanship should of course pay special attention, not only to pay them more wages, but also to give them more rations and cloths, so that they can become role models and targets in the minds of other craftsmen! He noticed the uncertain expression on Chang Xiu's face, and said with a smile, "Wen Shigong, I'm doing you a favor, if all the craftsmen in your Ministry of Industry are of the upper rank, and you are worried that you can't get a good price for renting?" The more wages the craftsmen take, the more your ministry earns? ”

Chang Xiu had already approved Shang Cheng's suggestion in his heart, but he always felt very uncomfortable to let the Ministry of Industry sell his workshop and start doing human things. Besides, he can't be the master of this matter alone, and he has to go back to discuss it with others, and maybe he will have to inform the household department and the prime minister's office in the end, so he can't express his position casually. He snorted twice and pulled the topic back again: "What about our contract with the Huo family?" Can you help us with a great idea? ”

"Then it's up to you to think of the Ministry of Works."

"What do you mean?"

"It depends on whether your Ministry of Industry wants to continue to intervene in the liquor business." Shang Cheng said.

Chang Xiu had already made up his mind, and when he turned around, he discussed with his two colleagues about selling the liquor workshop, and never participated in the messy things in the liquor business again. From beginning to end, the liquor thing was almost dominated by him, but in the end it was a disgraced ending, to put it bluntly, if it weren't for the situation, he would rather grit his teeth and lose than let people see jokes! At this time, he suddenly heard Shang Cheng say that there was still a chance, and his spirit was suddenly lifted. He leaned over, and looked at Shang Cheng eagerly with a pair of bloodshot bruising eyes: "Zida still has a good plan in his chest?" Hurry up and ask me! ”

"If you don't have any ideas, discuss with the Huo family to stop the old contract, and then help invite those who are interested in the liquor business to the capital, and let them go directly to meet Huo Yue. If you have any ideas, sit down with Huo Yue and talk openly and honestly, remove the overlord clauses such as 'Party A has the final right to interpret this contract, and Party B has no objection to this', and sign a new contract. You can also make some concessions in exchange for the consent of Huo's Distillery, and your Ministry of Industry will take the lead and authorize other people to set up workshops in other places to produce liquor. ”

Chang Xiu thought about it and felt that there seemed to be no profit in this way, and the big head was still taken away by Huo's Liquor Farm, and the Ministry of Industry only had some small profits left. For the sake of a small profit, he has a bad reputation of "competing with the people", which makes him feel that the gains outweigh the losses.

When he lowered his head and thought about how to politely refuse Shang Cheng, Yang Heng bowed down in the chair and asked: "Uncle Ying, the lower official wants to ask: the biggest problem of the Ministry of Industry in liquor today is not that the workshop cannot start, nor is it the hoarding of a large amount of grain, the key is that there are many newly established liquor workshops in various places, and their liquor can be seen everywhere in the workshop; And Huo's Liquor was reluctant to help come forward to the government to complain. Consult Uncle Ying one by one, can there be a way to make Huo's come forward at the moment? ”

Chang Xiu immediately turned his approving gaze to Yang Heng. That's really to the point!