Zhao Xingde and Guan Ming reunited after a long absence, chatting and laughing while enjoying the sea view.

"Beasts are ignorant and unconscious, acting by nature alone, and although they are muddy, they also have a lot less troubles." Guan Ming sighed: "Mr. Da Su is only eight years old, and he is proud of the princess, but he is a poet, I hope that he will have a foolish and reckless child, and he will be the secretary of state without illness or disaster." That's probably what happened. Back then, we were all young and vigorous, and we all ran into blood, and finally looked forward to the day when we would regain our fortune. Minghuan died, his name will be remembered through the ages, and people like me are discouraged and lazy. Repel the ugly, clear stream and uphold the government, you and Shaoyang, Shouyi, and Chen Gongju are all old friends of Taixue, everyone has something to discuss, so why bother with each other? Isn't it good for everyone to make peace and work together? Don't let those outsiders see the joke. ”

Zhao Xingde's face changed slightly, "Hmm-" said, but he was noncommittal.

"Chen Gongju asked me to come and want you to make peace." Guan Ming felt a little embarrassed, and laughed at himself as if he was relaxed: "When I was waiting to study, I really laughed at you that you still had the leisure to write a book of Lao Shizi, who would have thought that more than ten years have passed, and you, Shaoyang, and Deng Su have become big names in the world, and I have become an idle cloud and wild crane, and I am used to being loose, and I am also very embarrassed to make a cameo appearance as a lobbyist for the time being." After speaking, Guan Ming spread his hands, looking like what I should have done has been completed, and I don't agree to ask you for anything at will.

Seeing Guan Ming's innocent expression, Zhao Xingde didn't feel funny.

This person is messing around in Guangzhou, and Chen Gongju trusts him, even if he is reluctant in his heart, he has to come to be this lobbyist.

"It's as if he's been forced into a prostitute." Thinking of this, Zhao Xingde didn't feel it.

"I'm an idle cloud and a wild crane, and I usually just live in a muddy nightmare."

"You're a light bird and you've strayed into a chess game. However," Zhao Xingde smiled strangely, shook his head, and said, "It's much more comfortable than those of us who are struggling in the whirlpool." Check yourself, I'm afraid you won't believe it when I say it, Ezhou advocates righteousness, Mr. Zhoushan's words, the reality of the hypocrisy, the enrichment of the place, and the meritocracy of the public to elect pastoral officials. This path, when others were skeptical, I firmly thought that this was the way out for the future of the Great Song Dynasty. But the Great Song Dynasty staggered and drifted away on this road, like now that the local government is in charge, Chen Shaoyang was suddenly impeached by Xuezheng again, and the Great Song Dynasty seems to be in danger and tired all the time, in the wind and rain. Is it right or wrong to go down this path? I hesitated a little again. Is what I am doing harmful or beneficial to the world, or is it useful or useless? ”

Zhao Xingde let out a long sigh, his eyes revealing a hint of doubt about the future.

It was almost impossible for Chen Dong to be impeached and removed from power, but it just happened.

This news really shocked Zhao Xingde, fortunately, Deng Su was also stable, and after taking the throne, he immediately announced to the world that the military and political officials in various places, from Cao Liangshi and Yue Fei to Han Shizhong and Zhao Xingde, did not move any of the people originally appointed by the imperial court. Even if it is the arm of the central departments, except for the vacant Ministry of Rites Shangshu served by Lu Yunsun, Deng Su made it clear what it meant to retain the Shangshu of the Li Society. Although others will always be skeptical, in this way, a wider range of rigging is always avoided. At the same time, Deng Su's potential influence and connections in Shilin have also begun to play a role, and some people who see the wind and steer have already tried their best to shout for the new prime minister, and even sing praises of virtue.

"Self is good for the country." Guan Ming said without thinking, "The authorities are confused, but I, a bystander, can see it clearly." Not to mention such inspiring things as your Northern Expedition to the Central Plains, just looking at this corner of Guangzhou, it can be said that all industries have flourished in the past few years, and the troupe of Nanqu alone is more than three or four times more than before, and the church will not be able to catch up with one after another. The imperial court colonized the South China Sea, the north-south trade was connected, the industry and commerce flourished, and the market was more prosperous than before. ”

"Really?" Zhao Xingde nodded and asked, "How is the people's lives compared to before?" ”

"It's getting better." Guan Ming looked at him as if he was very depressed, and said, "Over the years, the world has been in turmoil, and some people have been ruined, but there is no doubt that what Shaoyang and Yuanzhi have done is beneficial to the people." More than ten years ago, the people of Quang Nam were extremely miserable. The imperial court competed with the people for profit, and salt, iron, and tea were all monopolized. Prices are expensive. The people of the harvest are hungry and cold. The tea picking family doesn't know the taste of tea, and the weeping boy doesn't know what sugar is. In recent years, I have seen with my own eyes that the cloth and silk in the north, the rice and sugar in the South China Sea are flooding the market, and in addition to the wealth of the rich businessmen and magnates, the lives of ordinary people are much better. In the past, the family of Yin Shi could only satisfy their stomachs, but now they can afford to drink tea, eat sugar, and have meat during the New Year's holidays, which is unprecedented. ”

"But I've also heard that wealthy families from all over the country have seized fertile land and turned it into mulberry gardens, and many landless farmers have been displaced."

"Yes, there is, but after the boom of the workshops, there was a shortage of manpower everywhere, and these landless farmers were recruited as apprentices, and although the wages paid every ten years were different, the apprentices were still able to make a living, and the situation was not more difficult than that of the mean landlords they had met before." Guan Ming sighed and said, "Those who are unwilling to be apprentices and have no way to make a living can also cross the sea, sign a deed of sale with the firm for five years and ten years of reclamation labor, and go to the South China Sea to reclaim the land, the manpower needed there is almost endless, and the wages given are even higher than those on Guangnan Road, as long as people are willing to endure hardships, there is always a way to live." As for those who are unwilling to endure hardships, and those who are arrogant, those who fall into the grass and become bandits, and those who go to sea to become cowards, there are not a few. The big food is a problem, and these people are indispensable to cooperate with the outside world. ”

Zhao Xingde sighed "Huh" and said strangely: "Didn't you say that the profiteers colluded with it?" ”

"There are profiteers, and there are also local sitters." Guan Ming said indignantly, "The big cannibal is like a-stirring stick, stirring up all the scum." There are always some people who help and abuse, and the sea rogues and the local sitters are in collusion and do everything. It is often the sitting-cowardly detective who hears the news clearly, and the cowards suddenly come in a big way. They looted and burned them all before leaving, and even slaughtered dozens or hundreds of families in the entire village, killing and wounding thousands of people......"

Guan Ming recalled those tragic scenes after the catastrophe, and his face couldn't help but turn slightly pale.

"Haikou has done a lot of evil," Zhao Xingde's face was slightly gloomy, and he said in a cold voice, "You should teach them to pay for their blood debts!" ”

"That's right!" Guan Ming suppressed the fear in his heart, gritted his teeth and nodded. He was convinced that Zhao Xingde was a famous general in the world, and if he worked with one heart and one mind in Guangzhou, the extermination of the Haikou was just around the corner. Thinking of something, he said, "The food and salary of the water master, you Mo Dao Chen Gongju and they really deliberately owe it, and it is really that the Guangzhou government treasury cannot make ends meet, and they really can't take it out." ”

"Is that really the case?"

"That's true. Although the income of Guangzhou Bosi is extremely rich, the reclamation of the South China Sea is a bottomless pit for spending money. ”

Guan Ming was afraid that Zhao Xingde would not believe it, and explained: "Therefore, except for a small part of the annual income of the City Shipping Division, which is handed over to the imperial court, a large part of it is immediately transferred to various reclamation lands in the South China Sea, and the silver money does not even enter the treasury, but it is just turned around in the accounts of the Municipal Shipping Division. In addition, this year, many caravans have stopped, and the income of the city has been greatly reduced, because the factory has been suspended, and the Guangzhou government has to allocate money to help the workers, which is even more inadequate. Therefore, it is possible that they will not be able to raise funds for a while. ”

Zhao Xingde nodded, and said leisurely: "The water master's food and salary, but it is a special money account." ”

"So what?" Guan Ming smiled bitterly, "The imperial court has always regarded the Guangzhou Bosi as a place of wealth, so if the sailors receive food and salary in Guangzhou, most of them will not send it from Ezhou, but will allocate this military salary from the income of the city's Bosi. However, recently, the sea routes have been sluggish, trade has withered, the income of the city has plummeted, and the Guangzhou government is in urgent need of money to help the apprentices. ”

"What?" Zhao Xingde raised his eyebrows and embezzled military salaries, which is a big crime.

"For the local government, moving things around is commonplace."

"Yuan Zhi, don't blame Chen Gongju too much," Guan Ming sighed and persuaded: "There are hundreds of thousands of workers in Guangzhou Prefecture alone, and many of them have been dismissed by the workshop in the past year, and many of them have no food and clothing. Chen Gongju is also quite guilty of you, and the Guangzhou government is also trying to raise food and salary, and it is estimated that he is almost ready these days, so Chen Gongju asked me to tell me that in addition to sending him on the ship, he is going to personally go to the dock to set up a banquet to resolve the misunderstanding with you, and in the future, the two families will work together to manage the situation in the South China Sea. ”

"I see, he has his problems." Zhao Xingde was slightly moved, he glanced at Guan Ming, and sighed, "As the commander of the water division, it is inconvenient for me to leave my post without permission. However, since it is a banquet at the dock, you can tell Chen Gongju to thank him for having a heart, and Zhao will definitely go to the meeting. "The so-called gentleman's word, the horse is difficult to chase. Zhao Xingde's tone was even more categorical.

Guan Ming was overjoyed at the moment, thanked Zhao Xingde for understanding the people of Guangzhou, and hurriedly went back to tell Chen Gongju and Liu Yu about this.

In the afternoon, the city shipping department transported a part of the grain and grass to the wharf for handover. Most of the supplies required by the sailors on their voyage to the South China Sea were originally planned to be embarkated in Guangzhou. Therefore, although this batch was only a part of the grain and grass, it had been piled up on the wharf, and the city ship company hired hundreds of men to carry it for half a day, and it was not until the moon was halfway up the mountain that it was all loaded.

The wharf has not been so lively for a long time, the people nearby saw this situation, all of them were overjoyed, one was happy that the sailor and the Guangfu were reconciled, and the other was that the sailor was about to go on the expedition, the sea route was restored, and many workers and apprentices would regain their livelihood. There is work to do and food to eat, there is nothing better than this for the small people of Shengdou.