August 27, night.

Drunken Immortal Building.

The entire restaurant has been wrapped, and the largest private room on the third floor facing the street has gathered the wealthy businessmen and giants of Xiangshan County. They sat around a table, but the place at the top was vacant.

There is no doubt that they are waiting for someone.

"Brother Maocai, do you think Lord Ning will accept our gift?"

"It's hard to say. Bi Zhi, you also know that Lord Ning is young and vigorous, and young people are the most difficult to figure out. ”

"Alas, the imperial court took the lead in opening a sea ban in Guangdong, which is a good thing, but the tax of forty taels for a ship is too heavy. We are all small businesses, and we can't afford such heavy taxes. ”

"Who said no, presumably Lord Ning is also reasonable. We explained the situation to him, and we believe that he is willing to fight for us, right? ”

"Everything has to wait for Lord Ning to make a statement."

It was then that I suddenly heard a loud chant from downstairs.

"Guangdong Haiphong Dao has arrived with Lord Ning!"

Everyone got up and greeted the staircase together.

I saw Ning Xiu walking upstairs under the support of a group of guards.

He did not wear an official uniform today, but wore a lake-blue straight jacket and a net scarf on his head. If they didn't say it, others would think that what they saw was a Confucian student.

"The grass people meet Lord Ning."

All the merchants knelt down and bowed.

Although the atmosphere at the end of the Ming Dynasty was open, the power of merchants was also improved to a certain extent. But they still don't dare to be presumptuous in front of the big officials.

The official is the official, and the people are the people, and this boundary must be well divided, otherwise it will only be these businessmen who are unlucky.

Ning Xiu raised his hand and said, "Everyone, please get up." ”

Only then did these merchants get up one after another, but they still had their hands down and their attitudes were very respectful.

"Your Excellency, please take a seat."

Ning Xiu followed the voice and saw a slender businessman in his forties, who was kindly pleading at him.

Ning Xiu nodded, and walked to the top and sat down.

"I don't know why you invited this official to come?"

"The adults are not only the old parents of Xiangshan County, but also the inspectors of Guangdong Haiphong Province, protecting the territory and the people, and working hard. My generation was very moved, and I wanted to thank the people of the county for their kindness. ”

It was Wang Wenxiu who spoke, a well-known local businessman and the leader of the group of businessmen.

Ning Xiu smiled and said, "Outside of the king, the duty of this official is just to do what should be done, and he should not boast about it like this." ”

"Your Excellency is too modest. Looking at the Ming Dynasty, there will be no more than three people who can achieve both civil and military skills like adults, and their political achievements are unparalleled. ”

Wang Wenxiu patted his ass unequivocally, and Ning Xiu now finally understood why these businessmen wanted to promote Wang Wenxiu as the leader.

"You didn't invite this official here to make a fool of yourself, did you?"

Ning Xiu took a sip of wine and said lightly.

"Your eyes are like torches."

Wang Wenxiu paused and said: "I heard that the imperial court has decided to completely open the sea ban in Guangdong and levy a sea tax on merchants who operate maritime trade. ”

"It is true."

Ning Xiu didn't intend to hide this matter. After all, it will be announced sooner or later, that is, these two days.

"I don't know what kind of taxation law the imperial court has."

"Forty taels of silver for each ship."

Ning Xiu knew that these businessmen must have already inquired in advance, and now they were just making a show.

Then I'll act with them.

"Ahh

Wang Wenxiu exclaimed.

"That's so many."

After that, he hurriedly confessed, saying that he was acting incorrectly because he was too excited.

"Lord Ning doesn't know, we are all doing some small business, relying on diligence to make a living. This sea trade is already profitable, and if a ship collects a tax of forty taels, we really have to lose money. ”

Wang Wenxiu vomited bitterness according to the plan, that is, he asked him to hug Ning Xiu's thigh and cry now, and it is estimated that he will not hesitate.

Ning Xiu sneered in his heart.

Well, the acting is really outstanding. A boat can earn at least tens of thousands of taels by going to the sea, and it is not impossible to get lucky enough to earn hundreds of thousands of taels. Under such circumstances, these merchants would complain that the sea tax of forty taels levied on a ship was too high, and their cheeks were thicker than the city walls.

"I seem to be very familiar with the sea trade when I heard what Wang Yuanwai said, have you also walked through the sea before?"

"Ah, no, the grass people have never walked across the sea before."

Wang Wenxiu was shocked by Ning Xiu's words, and quickly explained.

"Oh? Where did the meager profits of the sea trade in the king's mouth come from? ”

The corners of Ning Xiu's mouth rose slightly.

"Ah, it's a relative of the grass people. The relatives of the grass people were doing business in Yuegang a few years ago. He told the grass people. ”

Wang Wenxiu is very satisfied with his wit, so he finally passed the test, right?

"Since the profits of sea trade are so meager, why should Wang Yuanwai do it?"

Ning Xiu changed his words and directly forced Wang Wenxiu speechless.

However, he still thought that Ning Xiu was testing them.

After all, the two sides have never cooperated before, and they don't know the root or the bottom, and in this case, it is impossible for anyone to show each other their old background.

This requires one party to take the lead in showing sincerity.

Ning Xiu is an official, and he is the official in charge now, and the businessmen can only be honest if they have a request.

"Lord Ning, although there are some profits in sea trade, there are also big risks."

He continued to cry: "We bear all these risks, and if a seafarer dies at sea, we have to give their relatives funeral money. The consumption of water and rice is equally staggering. As for floating on the sea, it's even more distressing. ”

Ning Xiu said in his heart, these guys' ability to avoid the important is really a must.

Just add all the things they said, how much money does it cost? Compared with their sea trade income, it is a drop in the bucket.

"What do you mean by Wang Yuanwai?"

"Your Excellency, please see, here are some of the thoughts we have prepared."

Wang Wenxiu handed the gift list that had been prepared a long time ago to Ning Xiu.

Ning Xiu unfolded it and looked at it carefully, and said with a smile: "You are very sincere." ”

Wang Wenxiu was overjoyed.

He was afraid that he would rather repair oil and salt than enter. Now it seems that he is also a layman.

"Adults work hard, these are what grass people should do. I only implore my lords to be accommodating in collecting taxes for the sake of our hard-earned money. ”

said it so clearly, Wang Wenxiu thought that things had become a mess.

Who would have thought that Ning Xiu would be furious.

"100,000 taels of silver, 10,000 taels of gold, 1,000 pieces of Su silk, 500 pieces of Shu brocade, 100 pearls..."

Ning Xiu read the things on the gift list again.

All the businessmen lowered their heads, looking at their noses and noses.

They said in their hearts, this Lord Ning's appetite is really big. So many things didn't satisfy him.

"These are what you have given to your own officer. You can give tens of thousands of gold and silver treasures to your officials, but you refuse to pay a sea tax of forty taels for a ship to the Ming Dynasty, and you keep saying that you are loyal and patriotic. Shameless! ”

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