After talking freely with Zhang Maoxiu, Ning Xiu learned that the two brothers of the Zhang family won the top two in the Shuntianfu Township test. Ning Xiu couldn't help but sigh that it was good to be born in Zaifu's house, the whole road has been paved for you, so go up and step on it directly.

He was also glad that these two masters did not participate in the township test in his hometown of Huguang, otherwise wouldn't he have lost his Xie Yuan in vain?

Fame in Daming is the most important resource, especially a top fame like Xie Yuan.

In the eyes of outsiders, the strength of the Zhang brothers is, of course, because they have a father who is the first assistant, and it has little to do with their own strength. In fact, this is not the case, the two brothers are both knowledgeable, and their writing skills are also very good, especially Zhang Maoxiu, who can also be promoted by strength alone. As for the ranking, it is very accidental and subjective, and there is no first place, who dares to say that Xie Yuan's article must be better than everyone?

But no one in the DPRK and China will judge this matter so fairly.

Even the talented Yang Shen won the champion, and it was different for someone to chew his tongue behind his back, saying that Yang Shen could win the champion because of Yang Tinghe's relationship?

Zhang Maoxiu didn't care about those rumors. He may have been accustomed to being pushed to the cusp, and he has already lifted his weight lightly, and will not be affected by the outside world.

After talking freely with Zhang Maoxiu, he had a light meal at Zhang's house, and Ning Xiu said goodbye and returned to the Huguang Hall.

As soon as he entered the gate of the hall, a group of scholars from Huguang came forward and asked earnestly, "Is there a way for Ning Jieyuan?" ”

Ning Xiu is extremely famous in the Huguang literary circle, and he is Xie Yuan, so everyone naturally pins their hopes on him.

If even Ning Xiu couldn't rescue Han Zheng, then this matter would be really troublesome.

Ning Xiu pressed his hands down to signal everyone to be calm, and then lowered his voice.

"I've already taken care of this matter, so don't worry."

Hearing that Ning Xiu was already confident, these scholars breathed a sigh of relief.

"Brother Han is now imprisoned in the Imperial Prison, and the day is not safe, if Ning Jieyuan can save him, it is really a supreme merit."

Everyone bowed to Ning Xiu in unison.

"I can't help it, I can't help it, please get up quickly."

Ning Xiu hurriedly stepped forward and made a statement.

"For the sake of the friendship of fellow villagers, Ning will do his best."

Ning Xiu talked for a while before the crowd dispersed.

Back in his small courtyard, Ning Xiu couldn't help but sigh: "Fellow villagers are indeed a force to be reckoned with." ”

Liu Weining didn't hear the meaning of Ning Xiu's words, and echoed: "What Brother Ning Xian said is true. ”

"What did Tai Yue Gong say?"

"Taiyue Gong will take care of the matter, then Han Friend should be released from prison in a few days."

For Liu Weining, Ning Xiu naturally has nothing to reserve, everything is said truthfully.

"Great!"

Liu Weining waved his fists excitedly, looking extremely proud.

"This Zhang Cifu is too inauthentic to do things. is obviously a minister, but his heart and eyes are smaller than the nose of a needle. ”

Ning Xiu said lightly: "The so-called cabinet ministers are just ordinary people, since they are mortals, they must be selfish." Zhang Cifu is a Jin person, so he naturally wants to fight for the interests of Jin merchants. Friend Han scolded Jin Shang, it was impossible for him not to move. ”

Liu Weining took a deep breath and said, "What does Brother Ning Xian mean is that if Friend Han just scolded Zhang Cifu alone, he probably wouldn't turn his face?" ”

Ning Xiu nodded.

No matter how you say it, Zhang Siwei is also the second assistant of the cabinet and a dignified bachelor.

Those who can achieve this position must be very deep in the city. There are countless people who have scolded Zhang Siwei, he can't put everyone in jail, right?

In the final analysis, it was Han Zheng who touched Zhang Siwei's bottom line - Jin Shang.

The Jin Shang and Jin parties are one, one is prosperous, and one is lost.

This was also the biggest piece of fat that Ning Xiu could think of.

After eating this piece of fat, the court will be worry-free for at least thirty or fifty years. If the Hui merchants, Su merchants, Zhejiang merchants, and Fujian merchants can be accepted together, the Ming Dynasty can continue to be a hundred years old.

But Ning Xiu wouldn't say these things to Liu Weining, and even if he did, it would be difficult for him to understand. Sometimes vision determines everything, and Ning Xiu was able to master these thanks to the abundant resources of the later generations.

"So what do we do now? Just waiting? ”

"Well, the best thing to do is to wait."

The corners of Ning Xiu's mouth moved: "At this time, blind movement is the most important thing. ”

"Well, I'll go and tell them that everyone was going to write a joint petition and submit it to the Son of Heaven!"

......

......

There are two flowers, one on each branch.

However, it was said that the Metropolitan Procuratorate and the Sixth Section of the Speech Office launched a fierce attack on the second assistant Zhang Siwei, the Jin Party, and the Jin Shang.

Henan Provincial Superintendent Yu Shi He impeached Zhang Siwei for forming a party for personal gain. In the matter of Hu Ke, Du Yu even bluntly said that Zhang Siwei used the public for personal gain and stood up for Jin businessmen.

At first, Zhang Siwei didn't think about it, he just thought it was an ordinary impeachment. But the impeachment notes became more and more frequent, and the words became sharper and sharper, and he gradually couldn't sit still, and hid at home for a few days to avoid the limelight.

This is also a common trick used by officials in the Ming Dynasty, and it has been tried and tested repeatedly. Who hasn't been sick? When encountering something that is difficult to solve, it is better to have a serious illness and wait until the limelight has passed.

Only this time his wishful thinking was wrong. Although he claimed to be sick at home, there were more and more impeachments against him, and even many adjutants of ministries and institutes were in agreement.

Zhang Siwei was really scared now. Being able to mobilize so many people to impeach himself at the same time, who else in the DPRK and China besides Zhang Jiangling is there?

Zhang Siwei was shocked and frightened. He couldn't understand why Zhang Juzheng still couldn't tolerate him if he was so a man with his tail between his legs?

He didn't do anything to offend Zhang Juzheng.

If you want to talk hard, you can only say that Zhang Juzheng doubts his background. He is an authentic Jin person, and naturally represents the interests of the Jin Shang and Jin Party. And Zhang Juzheng is the representative of the Chu Party.

Could it be that Zhang Juzheng was worried that the Jin Party was powerful and threatened the safety of his Chu Party?

Thinking of this, Zhang Siwei couldn't help but sweat profusely on his back.

This is indeed said in the past.

After all, the Jin Party's power in the DPRK and China is second only to the Chu Party, and Zhang Siwei himself is the second assistant, only after the first assistant Zhang Juzheng.

Any politician will be wary of those behind him.

After thinking about it, Zhang Siwei found that he was indeed the person who could most threaten Zhang Juzheng's political status, and this point could not be changed no matter how he disguised it.

How's that to be?

This storm came so quickly and without any warning, I'm afraid Zhang Juzheng won't give up, right?

Voluntarily resigned from a secondary position? Of course not.

It's not that Zhang Siwei can't make concessions, but his political position can't be easily conceded. Otherwise, the entire Jin Party will fall apart.

Then you can only use the knife on the Jin merchants.

Although Zhang Siwei is very unbearable, this is indeed the only feasible way at the moment.

Smart people can always find the best solution before things get worse, and Zhang Siwei thinks he has found it.

......

......

Zhang Siwei gave in.

This is undoubtedly the thing that makes Zhang Juzheng the happiest recently.

He had been worried that the increase in salt tax on the Jin merchants would cause strong resistance from Zhang Siwei, but after some testing, he found that Zhang Siwei was not as tough as he imagined.

In fact, Zhang Siwei decisively chose to lose his car and protect his handsome when he was impeached.

The car he lost was the Jin Shang.

Zhang Siwei took the initiative to propose a special salt tax on Jin merchants, and expressed full support for Zhang Juzheng's tax collection plan.

As for Shen Shixing, he naturally didn't have any opinions, how could he object to what both the first and second assistants agreed to.

The three members of the cabinet unanimously passed, and the Son of Heaven issued a holy decree to deliver the six sections.

Naturally, the six branches would not touch the dragon beard of the Son of Heaven, and the holy decree was officially lowered, and the Jin merchants were in an uproar.

As the leader of the Jin Party, Zhang Siwei actually supported this tax plan that was extremely exploitative of the Jin merchants, and Zhang Siwei was a traitor in the eyes of the Jin merchants!

Many people who had sent ice and charcoal to Zhang Siwei began to scold him, eager to break the backbone of this guy in the back.

Such a strong reaction may seem unimaginable, but when you think about it, it is not difficult to understand.

A businessman is a mother if he has milk.

The reason why they did not hesitate to support Zhang Siwei before was only because Zhang Siwei was a Jin person and could give them benefits.

But now Zhang Siwei actually jumped back, sharpening his knife and pointing at his father and fellow villagers, isn't such a person worthy of being spurned?

No matter how many unspeakable secrets Zhang Siwei has and how many hardships he has, in the eyes of Jin Shang, he is a traitor.

However, after all, it is impossible for Jin Shang to affect Zhang Siwei's political career, at most, his reputation will be damaged.

After Zhang Siwei took the initiative to show goodwill, Zhang Juzheng also made a statement.

The previous impeachment of Zhang Siwei like a storm finally stopped. The notes that were sent to the cabinet before were also suppressed, and the notes that had been sent to the imperial front were left behind.

These are, of course, Zhang Juzheng's words.

As for Han Zheng, who scolded Zhang Siwei and Jin Shang, he was treated like a hero.

Most of the scholars of the Ming Dynasty had an iron-clad complex. They dare to speak out and offend the Son of Heaven. Whoever is rebuked by the Son of Heaven is like a hero.

Although scolding and scolding the second assistant is not as sensational as scolding the Son of Heaven, it is by no means something that ordinary people can do.

Now Han Zheng's name is really popular in the Huguang Shilin circle.

As for Ning Xiu, he is naturally also a hero.

Everyone knew that the reason why Han Zheng could come out of the edict prison was because Ning Xiu went to see the first assistant Zhang Juzheng, and Zhang Juzheng came forward to mediate.

If it weren't for that, how could the dignified second assistant easily bow his head to some of the lifters.

As for the details, not many people know the details.

But it doesn't matter, heroes are heroes.

Han Zheng also expressed his gratitude to Ning Xiu. It is said that he is one subject earlier than Ning Xiu, and he failed in the last test, so he will come to Beijing to take the exam again this time. Because he hated what the Jin Shang and Jin Party did, he scolded Zhang Siwei and Jin Shang.

Compared with rescuing Han Zheng, Ning Xiu was happier that the imperial court had finally used a knife against Jin Shang.

This is a good sign.

As everyone knows, all of these businessmen have a group.

Such as Jin merchants, Hui merchants, Su merchants, Zhejiang merchants, Fujian merchants...

In the past, they were all monolithic, and the oil from the outside could not be poured into it at all.

Now that a hole has been opened, as long as you continue to dig along this opening, there will definitely be a big harvest.

More than 200 years since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, commercial taxes have reached the point where they have to be changed.

It is better to have a short pain than a long pain, and the earlier you start, the sooner you benefit.

Ning Xiu is more interested in what Zhang Juzheng will do next, whether to take advantage of the victory and pursue the mining tax in steps, or to slow it down first.

No matter what kind of Ning Xiu is, he is very confident. He has planted a seed in Zhang Juzheng's heart, and this seed will take root sooner or later. At that time, the commercial tax reform of the Ming Dynasty will be more and more perfect.

"Brother Ning Xian, which do you think is the best match, Taiyue Gong or Qi Shaobao?"

Liu Weining asked coldly, Ning Xiu was a little surprised.

That's a hard question to answer.

One is his mentor, and the other is his future old Taishan, and it seems that it is not good to offend either side.

"Ahem, Taiyue Gong and Qi Shaobao are very good at getting along."

Ning Xiu smiled faintly and said, "Why did Brother Liu ask this? ”

Liu Weining waved his hand and said, "It's nothing, just ask casually." ”

"Seeing that the New Year is coming to an end, I don't know if there will be some special arrangements in the hall."

His words changed abruptly, and he turned to the New Year.

"It's up to you, let's not worry so much at home."

"By the way, these days, I may have to go to the Shoufu Mansion to study with Zhang Sangongzi during the day, and only come back at night."

Ning Xiu remembered Zhang Maoxiu's invitation, and said to Liu Weining.

It turned out that Zhang Maoxiu missed the time when he and Ning Xiu were training together in Jiangling, and wanted to use the time before the big competition to train again.

Ning Xiu naturally readily agreed.

As Zhang Maoxiu, it is naturally not suitable to come to the Huguang Hall, so only Ning Xiu can run more.

Fortunately, Zhang Maoxiu promised to send a sedan chair man to the gate of the hall every day to pick up Ning Xiu, which also reduced a lot of fatigue.

Liu Weining was greatly surprised.

He knew that Ning Xiu and the third son of the Zhang family had a good relationship, but he didn't expect the relationship between the two to be so good.

Reading with Shoufu Gongzi, tsk, it's really enviable.

......

......

Qi Ling'er has been sleepless lately.

It's good that the nerd didn't come, but after he came, it completely aroused Qi Ling'er's affection.

She really wanted to hang out with the idiot day out, but the idiot didn't understand anything, and he never came back since he left.

However, Qi Ling'er was grounded by her father and was not allowed to take a step out of the house. Even if she knew that Ning Xiu lived in the Huguang Guild Hall, it was impossible for her to visit.

"Momoharu..."

Qi Ling'er pursed her lips and called the little maid.

"Miss? What are the commands? ”

Tao Chun knew that Miss had been bored recently, so she spoke extremely carefully, for fear of upsetting Miss.

"You can go to the Huguang Hall for me and see what that nerd is doing."

Tao Chun showed an indignant expression and said, "The slave doesn't go, and my uncle doesn't know how to hurt people." The slave maid feels worthless for Miss! ”

Qi Ling'er burst out laughing.

"You're afraid of him, aren't you? Okay, okay, I'll tell you to look at him from afar, and you don't have to see him. ”

Tao Chun was a little confused: "If you don't go to see him, what's the point of going to the guild hall?" Then he didn't know that he was going to come to Miss. ”

"Which one wants him to find!"

Qi Ling'er said to herself: "I just want to see if he is studying in the guild hall or going outside!" ”

Women are always sensitive, especially women who are about to become married, and Qi Linger is naturally no exception.

She always felt insecure, and of course all this was caused by Ning Xiu.

......

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