Chapter 18 The Xian Family

Xian Zijing took a deep breath and said: "The Xian family has always been benevolent and righteous, and even if the Xian family is not good now, it will not let the old man who will follow the Xian family be pushed into the furnace." The students thanked the general for his kindness, but this matter was absolutely not feasible. ”

These words seemed to exhaust all of Xian Zijing's courage, and after finishing speaking, he stiffened his neck and looked like he was waiting to die.

After Zhang Xuan heard this, he smiled lightly and said, "The head of the Xian family has misunderstood. I, Zhang Xuan, would do such a thing? For this dynasty is different from the former Ming. Even in the manufacturing bureau, they come and go freely, divide the money, and not conscription. ”

Xian Zijing was a little unconvinced, and said, "Really? ”

Zhang Xuan said: "Naturally, it's true, if it's not like this, this dynasty will directly inherit the set of the former Ming Dynasty, so why bother starting from scratch?" Establish major manufacturing bureaus? ”

The weapons built by the government at the end of the Ming Dynasty were simply like goods, and even the generals who led the troops also built their own weapons. Xian Zijing also knew about this situation, and his Xian family also built weapons for Xiong Wencan and Ding Chukui. even said that if it weren't for Ding Chukui, his Xian family would not have fallen into the crumbling situation it is in now.

Nearly one million taels of silver in Ding Chukui's mansion came from the Xian family in Foshan.

Xian Zijing suddenly had a glimmer of hope in his heart, and asked, "But I don't know what the charter of the Manufacturing Bureau is?" ”

Zhang Xuan said: "The craftsmen who enter the manufacturing bureau are all in the military ranks. Sergeants are paid according to their salaries. More than eighteen taels a year, less than ten taels. And if the head of the Xian family is willing to enter the manufacturing bureau, he will naturally wait for the vacancy. Although you can't be the general manager, you can be the deputy of the general manager. ”

"But there's one thing I want to be clear. I hope that the head of the Xian family will join the manufacturing bureau to work, and naturally I don't want the head of the Xian family to take care of both public and private affairs. Either the Xian family will be separated and another head of the family will be established. Either the Xian family moves the family into the manufacturing bureau, and I naturally won't treat the Xian family badly. ”

"But I don't know, how does the general want not to treat the Xian family badly?" Xian Zijing said.

Zhang Xuan listened to Xian Zijing's words, and knew that Xian Zijing was already moved, and said: "The children of the Xian family have official positions, and there may not be any big officials, but they can serve in the Manufacturing Bureau, and if they do a good job, they will be transferred to the Ministry of Industry or the Ministry of War." It's not the right path, but it's also a way forward. ”

Xian Zijing couldn't hide things on his face. Zhang Xuan could see at a glance that Xian Zijing was a little disappointed.

Zhang Xuan's voice changed and said: "If the head of the Xian family really merges the Xian family's stall into the manufacturing bureau. Then I will ask Your Majesty to knight the Lord of the Xian family. As for the size of the title, it depends on the Holy Judge. ”

Hearing the matter of the knighthood, Xian Zijing's eyes lit up, he thought about it, and said, "Can the general's words be counted?" ”

Zhang Xuan said: "That's nature. ”

Xian Zijing said: "Okay, I will seal all the thirteen iron furnaces of my Xian Zijing." From now on, these are all official families. ”

Zhang Xuan didn't expect that Xian Zijing would be so decisive, this is not a family fortune, I am afraid that when it is in its heyday, it will also have 100,000. Xian Zijing said that he would give up. Zhang Xuan didn't know that Xian Zijing's situation was far more difficult than Zhang Xuan imagined.

Zhang Xuan only thought that it was the Xian family's internal and external troubles, but no matter how internal and external troubles he was. The Xian family has stood in Foshan for more than 100 years, and it is not possible to fall down overnight, and the so-called hundred-legged insects are dead but not stiff. But he didn't know that the power of Xian Zijing's lineage was usurped by the side family, and it had reached a very dangerous point.

The property of the Xian family mentioned by Xian Zijing is certainly in the name of the head of the family, but only Xian Zijing himself knows how much he really controls.

Xian Zijing did this, there was a feeling of breaking the jar and falling, anyway, the Xian family's stall was like this, it was better to change the title. You must know that the ancestor of the Xian family is the most powerful, and he is only a loyal official. A knighthood is enough to go back and give an account.

But this title is the head of the family, Xian Zijing. It has nothing to do with the collateral.

This ship used the power of the court to coerce the people in the clan. It can be seen that although Xian Zijing is a little young and impulsive, he is not brainless.

Zhang Xuan secretly said in his heart: "I thought that just one son, a man, would be able to send him away." It looks like it's going to be given to an earl. ”

Zhang Xuan's heart flashed this thing, how to operate. There is no need to think about it, Zhang Xuan's face is still given by someone in Nanjing. Zhang Xuan focused his attention on the front of him and said, "Lord Xian, from now on, you will be the deputy director of the Manufacturing Bureau, and you will hang the seven products for the time being." If you have merit, it's not too late to get promoted. ”

Xian Zijing immediately became respectful and said, "Thank you, General." ”

Zhang Xuan said: "There is one thing, I want to ask you, the seven elements of Foshan seem to be chaotic repeatedly, but is there something wrong?" ”

Xian Zijing said: "There is indeed a thing, but there is a reason for it." During the Zhengde period, the government collected taxes according to the furnace, and each furnace was only ten taels, but it was repeatedly levied after that. During the Jiajing period, it reached fifteen taels, and it increased to twenty-three taels during the Wanli period. By the time of Chongzhen, it had reached fifty-three taels. ”

"It's still a furnace tax."

"As for every 10,000 catties of iron, you must go to the Guangzhou Iron Works to pay taxes, 8 yuan per 10,000 catties of pig iron, and one tael per 10,000 catties of wrought iron. Later, regardless of raw or cooked, they paid one tael, and then later, three taels per 10,000 catties. In addition, there are more filial piety of all kinds, as well as iron pots and other things, and they have to pay taxes separately. The goods table can't work. ”

"We can still support our big business, but most of the seven lines in Foshan are family-oriented, and there is no other land, and the goods cannot be done, so the livelihood of the family is blocked. Why don't you fight for your life? ”

Zhang Xuan sighed slightly, he didn't completely believe what Xian Zijing said, but Xian Zijing said this, Zhang Xuan has a new understanding of the contradiction between the Seven Elements and the government, that is, I am afraid that behind these things, there are shadows of the four major families. It's just that it's all about the previous dynasty, and Zhang Xuan has no intention of getting entangled in it. "People's livelihoods are difficult," he said. As for the one. After I went back, I discussed the reduction of the iron department. ”

"The general is wise." Xian Zijing said.

Zhang Xuan said: "There is no need for this, but now is the time to use the army, and I am afraid that the reduction will not be much." The first emperor was also born in poverty, so he naturally knew the people's suffering, but although Guangdong's livelihood was difficult, compared to Henan and Shaanxi, it was not the same, and he could only rest with the people after the world was peaceful. ”

Zhang Xuan is not a woman's benevolence. Guangdong's fiscal gap is not small. He hadn't noticed Tieke before, but Xian Zijing said that it was estimated that he could collect one or two thousand taels of silver. A town in Foshan may be taxed more than an ordinary county.

Even if Zhang Xuan has the intention to reduce or exempt, he must ensure the supply of the army first, and then the government will spend it.

Xian Zijing said: "The general is here, it is the right time, and now the road in Lingbei has been opened, but there are many bandits among them, and it is difficult for small caravans to pass for a while, but among the seven elements, many people can't hold on." Now that the Great General has established a manufacturing bureau, he can take them all into the manufacturing bureau. Many of them have a unique skill. For example, the Huang family is known for being good at casting cannons. ”

Zhang Xuan heard the words "casting cannon", his heart moved, and his body leaned forward slightly. said: "Huang's cannon casting technique, how can it be compared to the Westerners?" ”

After hearing this, Xian Zijing paused slightly and said: "Don't dare to hide it from the general, the cannon cast by the Huang family is of course excellent, but it is only slightly inferior to the Macao artillery factory. ”

"Macau Artillery Factory?" Zhang Xuan repeated.

It is not the first time that Zhang Xuan has heard of the Macau Artillery Factory. There is even a bit of a thunderous feeling.

Xian Zijing said: "It is the Macao Artillery Factory, which was also a big customer of my family before, and it brings a lot of iron materials from home every year. He paused slightly, and said: "The lower officials have a strategy, which can open up a source of wealth for the general." ”

"Oh." Zhang Xuan immediately came to the spirit and said, "Let's hear it." ”

Xian Zijing said: "Open the sea." In the past, my family only exported tens of millions of catties of iron to the South Seas, from Japan in the east to Vietnam and Java in the south. The countries of Nanyang rely on the iron of Foshan, and even the Xiyi people come to Foshan to sell iron for their own use. ”

"And iron is only one end."

"Now the general has appeased the four pirates. The sea is quiet, why not open the sea to open the inside and outside. As long as the general opens the sea to collect taxes, he doesn't dare to say one million taels a year, but there are still hundreds of thousands of taels of silver. Please be a general. ”

Zhang Xuan listened to Xian Zijing's words, and just sighed.