Chang Xiu returned to the Yamen of the Ministry of Industry in the southeast corner of the imperial city, and it was already the end of the hour.

The Ministry of Industry is at the bottom of the six departments, and the responsibilities of the department are not as good as the five departments of military punishment of officials, households, and soldiers, but the affairs are complicated, but all matters such as mining, smelting, coinage, geoengineering, instrument making, machinery making, rivers, hydraulic engineering, water conservancy, roads, construction, and tuntian, land reclamation, planting, animal husbandry, and so on, are all within its direct jurisdiction. More than 50 officials from the 7th Division, 19 Cao, and more than 200 scribes all work in this compound, and there are countless officials from other places who come and go here every day to do business, so the yamen is particularly crowded and cramped. There are many people and few houses, and it is common for two or three Cao Ke to work together in a room, and it is even more common for foreign officials to drag Lang Zhongsi Cao to talk about official business under the corridor. Even if Chang Xiu is the squire of the fourth grade, the squire in the yamen is just a small room in the atrium.

But today it's strange. Although the card is not at the end of the time, but now the clock has not been rung on the drum tower after all, but the yamen is already quiet. Two handymen pushed a cart and carried the tea barrels out of each chamber in turn; The two large baskets on the car were full of used tea cups. There are also two handymen who are already sweeping the atrium with brooms......

He walked around the corridor into his office room.

I heard the sound of him pushing the door into the house, and Lang Zhong Shen Jin from the Ministry of Engineering next door immediately rushed over with two documents.

"Boxian," he asked, calling Shen Jin's cousin, "is there anything wrong with you?" He took two cups in the corner of the room, poured two cups of tea soup, handed one of them to Shen Jin, and sat in the seat behind the big case with one of them. He didn't hurry to taste the taste of the tea, but first held it in front of him to inspect it. This is a freshly boiled tea soup, there is almost no white foam on the soup surface, the soup color is almost transparent, and there is no ginger and jujube residue at the bottom of the bowl. Smelling the faint mint scent of the hot steam, a look of satisfaction appeared on his face. However, the slight smile on the corner of his mouth has not been fully revealed, and it has disappeared. Thinking of those anxious worries, his gaze darkened again.

Shen Jin handed the document in his hand to the big case, and said at the same time: "My lord, this is the official document from Jiangning and Yuezhou that I just received. ”

Chang Xiu felt a headache when he heard about these two places. When the Ministry of Industry was considering the construction of a winery, in addition to the capital, Jiangning and Yuezhou were all large workshops with dozens of steamers, and the reason for this was because these two places were famous grain producing areas in the world. In order to prevent "grain cheapness hurting the peasants," these two localities had to spend a large amount of money every year to buy grain, so as soon as they heard that the Ministry of Industry had set up a winery in the local area and that they would buy grain and steamed wine at market prices, they were extremely enthusiastic about the officials sent by the Ministry of Industry. At that time, the local government pointed out a few grain hoards in the Changping and Leping warehouses to the Ministry of Industry, and repeatedly stated that the grain and money were not in a hurry, and it was not too late to settle the settlement later. At present, the wineries in the two places have not started, and seeing that the fire and wine are also far away, Chang Xiu asked the winery to return the few hoards of grain first. As a result, the yamen of the two places did not accept it, and bluntly said that it had already been delivered with the Ministry of Industry, and that the grain was owned by the Ministry of Industry, and had nothing to do with the local government; The maintenance of the grain hoard can be financed by the Ministry of Labor, but before the summer endowment, the Ministry of Industry must transfer the money to buy grain! Otherwise, even if the lawsuit is brought to the prime minister's office, the local government will have to recover the money! To make matters worse, this situation is not limited to Yuezhou and Jiangning. The same thing happened in the capital, in Qingzhou, in Huzhou, in Chengdu, in all the places where the Ministry of Industry has set up wineries. Because of the matter of food and money, the stewards of the wineries in various places sent official documents to Chang Xiu for advice in three days, which made him very troubled. But boredom is boredom, and things always need to be resolved. But he really couldn't think of a solution. If the liquor can't be steamed, the 200,000 stone of grain hoarded will be useless; With so much grain in his hands, he not only has to worry about the ups and downs of grain prices, but also has to worry about storage and maintenance, these expenses are not much, and the accumulation is only three or five hundred, but this is always a deficit, and Yushi must pinch this real handle to impeach him. And the grain can't be taken out and sold; Otherwise, if the crime of "competing with the people for profit" is really confirmed, those imperial historians who have nothing to do will have to kick a few feet, and they will not be able to jump three feet high?

Thinking of these bad things, he felt that the tea soup in his mouth didn't even taste at all. He frowned, stared at the two documents, and was silent for a long time before he said, "I know." You put it down first, and I'll look back. ”

Shen Jin agreed, and he was about to say goodbye.

"Boxian," Chang Xiu suddenly stopped him again.

Shen Jin immediately stopped, turned around and asked, "What else do you have to ask?" ”

Chang Xiu suddenly forgot what he wanted to say when he called him. He thought about it for a while, but he still didn't remember, so he asked casually: "This is not yet the time of Shen, why is it so clean in the yamen?" ”

"Adults forgot, tomorrow is a ...... of rest"

"Oh." Chang Xiu nodded awkwardly. He has been so busy lately that he has forgotten about Xiu Mu. No wonder everyone left so early. But everyone else can take advantage of the rest to reunite with his family and have a good rest, he still has to continue to worry about the food matter, worry about the promotion of new farm tools and new methods, and continue to throw a lot of money into the black holes of Xiaoluoyi's kilns...... He couldn't help but sneer at himself in his heart. Chang Xiu Chang Wenshi, you are a person who has read poetry and books, and you have gone through the sixteen histories, which book records that there is colorless and transparent glass in this world? Alas, it's all my own fault, I was actually obsessed with believing in that guy from Shang Yanshan with a few nonsense words!

He blamed himself in his heart, and at the same time remembered what he had called Shen Jin for. He asked, "I'm going to the Prime Minister's Mansion for a while......" He suddenly felt that it was inappropriate to say this, so he coughed and paused, and changed his words, "After a while, is there any news from Xiao Luoyi?" He asked this several times a day. At present, the liquor cannot be sold, so much grain will inevitably have a large loss sooner or later, and the promotion of new agricultural tools is hindered, he really has no way to catch it, so he has to hold on to the life-saving straw of glass and not let go! Of course, he himself knows that asking is also in vain. However, he always had a bit of delusion. Maybe in the blink of an eye when he went to see Zhu Xiang, there was good news from Xiao Luoyi's side?

Shen Jin looked at his boss with sympathetic eyes and shook his head gently.

Chang Xiu waved his hand dejectedly, trying to squeeze a smile on his face, and said, "I'm just asking." Okay, I don't have anything to do here, you can go and get busy first. Tomorrow is Xiu Mu, if there is nothing to do, you should go home early. He vaguely remembered that Shen Jin's home was outside the city, and it was still more than ten miles away from the city.

Shen Jin nodded gratefully. He gave Chang Xiu another salute, and then prepared to go back to his public office to clean up and go down. His hand had already pulled the bolt of the door, and he suddenly remembered something, turned around and said, "My lord, there is a saying, the lower official doesn't know whether to say it or not?" ”

Chang Xiu held the lamp, frowned and looked at the two documents on the case, and said without raising his head: "If it is a business matter, Bo Xian should speak freely and bluntly." The implication is that if it's a private matter, then keep your mouth shut......

"My lord, as the saying goes, the bell must be tied to the bell......"

Chang Xiu didn't take what Shen Jin was going to say seriously. When Shen Jin said the "common saying" that he had never heard of, "the bell must be tied to the bell", he raised his head suddenly. This proverb is close to Zen, and it has a deep meaning! He pondered the meaning of the words at one end, and said at the other: "This is the first time I have heard of this sentence, but there is an allusion?" Well, I don't know where Bo heard it first, and can I know its origin? ”

Shen Jin was stammered by his question. After thinking about it for a long time, I didn't say with certainty: "I seem to have heard about it in Yanshan......" After thinking about it carefully, he added, "It should be in Yanshan." ”

Chang Xiu knew that Shen Jin had been working in the Yanbo Division of the Ministry of Industry for the past three or four years, and had been running around Yanshan all year round. He even guessed that the sentence "The bell must be tied to the bell" is the same as the "contract" signed between the Ministry of Industry and the Huo family, which is from Shang Yanshan's handwriting. Alas, Shang Yanshan, a fake monk, has hurt him Chang Wenshi this time!

Shen Jin waited for a while, and saw that Chang Xiu was only holding the lamp and was concentrating, and said tentatively: "My lord, the lower officials think that Xiao Luoyi always has no eyebrows when he fires glass, so why don't he tell Ying Bo the truth about all the hardships and tribulations in the meantime. Since the matter of firing glass was first mentioned by Ying Bo, the matter naturally fell to Ying Bo to settle it. ”

Chang Xiu smiled wryly. Didn't the Ministry of Industry go to Shang Yanshan for advice? How do you ask the Ministry of Works? He sent two groups of people to find Shang Yanshan, but Shang Yanshan also admitted frankly that he didn't know how to burn glass. As for twisting the Ministry of Industry to wade through this pool of muddy waters, "Isn't that drunk and talking nonsense, and was 'coerced' by Li Dingyi?" ”

Shen Jin didn't say anything. After being silent for a while, he said again: "My lord, I have been working in Yanbo Division for the past few years and am based in Yanzhou. Although I have little contact with Uncle Ying, as far as I know, Uncle Ying is a strict and cautious person who rarely deceives people with big words. Ying Bo's ability is not only limited to the military. He is also proficient in miscellaneous ......" At this point, he suddenly paused and did not finish a sentence. But since Chang Xiu is a waiter in the Ministry of Works, he naturally knows what Shen Jin wants to say. From the new farming tools and new practices of Yixian County, as well as the secret Han Dynasty steel frying technique of the Ministry of Industry, nineteen is Shang Yanshan's ability! He nodded at Shen Jin and motioned for him to continue. Shen Jin said again, "...... Ying Bo is not only proficient in miscellaneous studies, but also superb in arithmetic, among which his attainments are not below Li Dingyi. Otherwise, Li Dingyi would not have taken him as a confidant. ”

Chang Xiu nodded again. Li Mu said that he also knew about Shang becoming a confidant, but not many people knew why Li Mu said this; Everyone only knows that it is related to arithmetic. Chang Xiu is a member of the article, so he doesn't know much about arithmetic, so he can only memorize a "Ninety-Nine Tips" and keep an account book or something, so he didn't ask carefully. Now that he heard Shen Jin say it was mysterious, he really couldn't figure out what he meant by praising Shang Yanshan, so he simply asked directly: "That uncle thought that this glass matter was ......" He stopped talking and looked at Shen Jin.

Shen Jin lowered his head and said: "According to what Ying Bo did in the past, the glass matter should not be groundless, and there must be something to be done." It's just that Ying Bo is moral and elegant, and he is not good at fame, but he has credit for everyone. The lower officials thought that if the adults were willing to deign to go to the advisors, the glass matter might be solved. ”

Chang Xiu understood it at once. Shen Jin was obviously hinting that the Ministry of Industry only sent two or three junior officials to Shang Cheng to inquire about how to fire glass, which was obviously a bit rude. Since the Ministry of Industry has offended in the past, it is reasonable for others to ignore their nonsense. Thinking of Shen Jin's praise for Shang Cheng just now, he couldn't help but smile slightly. However, what Shen Jin said made a lot of sense. If you find the door yourself, Shang Zida can't shirk it anymore, right? He even further thought that since the matter of glass could be settled, Shang Yanshan couldn't sit idly by and watch the matter of liquor, right? Besides, the new farming tools and new methods were also instigated by him, and it was even more reasonable for him to help come up with an idea to solve the problem. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that it should have been this way a long time ago. Look, if Shang Yanshan hadn't come up with these things, how could he have been put on the fire to suffer? This mess at hand should have been solved by him!

Just do it! He casually praised Shen Jin for a few words, and then left the yamen in a hurry. Walking out of the imperial city, he found his own carriage, and before he could climb into the carriage, he shouted to the coachman: "Hurry up! Go to Chongyifang's Yingxian Bofu! ”

But when he arrived at the Ying County Uncle's Mansion, he pounced. Duan Si, who happened to be in the mansion, told him that as early as the middle of last month, after sending Guo Biao away, Ying Bo moved to the newly given Zhuangzi outside the city to recuperate in peace.

The disappointed Chang Xiu asked again and again, where was Shangcheng's Zhuangzi outside the city.

"By the Apricot River outside the North City. It is about thirty or forty miles away from the city, and it is now called Merchant. Duan Si said.

Chang Xiu was so anxious that he almost jumped to his feet. There can be dozens of miles up and down the Xinghe River, and there are one or twenty Zhuangzi along the river, so you can't let him inquire about the past one by one, right? Besides, the merchant Zhuangzi must have just changed his new name, and it is estimated that few people will know about it.

But no matter how specific the location is, Duan 4 can't say. He was in the city most of this time, and Xin Zhuangzi had been there twice, and Chang Xiu asked him to explain the place clearly, which was difficult for the strongman. He suddenly remembered something, and said, "Do you know that Princess Nanyang is Zhuangzi outside the northern city?" ”

"Yes!" Chang Xiu said. He is good at articles and poems, Princess Nanyang is good at calligraphy, everyone is a famous artist, and they naturally have a lot of contacts; Princess Nanyang is in the Zhuangzi outside the northern city, and he has been to it many times.

"That's good!" Duan Si said, "From the Zhuangzi of Princess Nanyang, I walked more than five miles northwest along the river and less than six miles, and on the east side of the river is the Zhuangzi of my general. ”

Chang Xiu thanked him. It's good to know the place, and I'll go to Shang Zida tomorrow for advice.

Duan Si hurriedly returned the salute and said, "It's a little thing, where do you dare to be an adult...... " He suddenly stopped talking, squinted his eyes and stared at Chang Xiu's back.

Chang Xiu also heard the sound of horses' hooves behind him, and when he hurriedly turned his head to look, he saw a blue-robed captain leading four or five eight- and nine-grade captains to come on horse. Behind them, two columns of soldiers from the Plains General's Mansion trotted over with guns and knives. After that, dozens of headcatchers from the yamen crowded around a few carriages, swarming in a chaotic manner.

Chang Xiu and Duan Si had already opened their mouths and looked in a daze. It wasn't until the soldiers had surrounded a courtyard at the end of the street, and heard men shouting and women crying dolls, that the two men breathed a sigh of relief, and then looked at each other.

What happened?

Duan Si didn't know the family that was blocked, he only knew that the head of the family was working in the Tai Hospital, as if he was still an eight-rank official. But he knew one of the officers who led the team to get people, so he stopped the green-robed captain: "Lao Qi, come here, I'll tell you something!" ”

By this time, a small half of the street had been sealed. The yamen grabbed the picture book and the roster, named the house next to each other, and inspected it to find out that it was correct, and immediately put it on the flail and locked it, and then pushed it into the carriage. The appearance of the carriage is also strange, long and square, with horses up and down in front and back, and there is not even a sign at the entrance of the yamen. Until now, Duan Si has not figured out where this group of officials came from. Chang Xiu can see it clearly. But the more he knew where these people came from, the more nervous and panicked he became. This group of officials is not an ordinary street patrol and arrester in Pingyuan Mansion, but a catcher of the Criminal Department! Those carriages are also the carriages of the Criminal Department!

The captain surnamed Qi heard Duan Si's greeting, so he whispered a few words to the people who came with him, covered his waist and trotted over with his knife on the ground, and approached first with his legs and chest in front of him to salute and smile: "It turned out to be General Duan!" I heard that in a few days, it will be a good day for you to get married. Congratulations to you first! ”

Duan Si smiled and said, "On the twenty-third and twenty-fourth days of this month, it is in the Star Picking Building on the edge of the West Market. They are all brothers in the army, everyone eats and drinks as they please! ”

Captain Qi probably didn't expect that he could be invited by Duan Si at all, and under the excitement, he gave another military salute and shouted loudly: "Yes!" Obey the general's orders! On the 23rd, I decided to congratulate you! ”

Duan Si waved his hand, beckoned him to come closer, and asked in a low voice, "What's going on?" Why did you come to get a doctor? He's a doctor who takes the pulse and sees a doctor, can he see whose fault is wrong? ”

Captain Qi grinned and said nonchalantly, "Who knows? As he spoke, he glanced at Chang Xiu next to him. Seeing that Duan Si didn't say anything or introduce, he estimated that this fat old man was either Duan Si's relative or Duan Si's elder, anyway, he was close to people, so he no longer hid it, and said in a low voice: "What the hell is going on, I don't know what I'm doing." However, I heard that this was an order from the Prime Minister's Office to the Criminal Department. However, this time the hospital must have been troubled! Just our commander sent out four routes, and only one person was arrested along the way......"

Duan Si nodded and grinned, looking like he was startled by Captain Qi's words. In fact, he had something else on his mind. He finally understood now, why Shang Cheng told him earlier not to inquire about the affairs in the Tai Hospital, let alone rumors, it turned out that the general had long expected such a big disaster in the Tai Hospital!

Chang Xiu also heard Captain Qi's words. But he was only a little curious, and didn't seriously think about what could happen in the hospital.

He is now focused on how to move Shang Cheng and make Shang Cheng willing to agree to help him......