"He's going to increase the amount?" Xia Yang asked, "In the past few years, his orders have been very stable, is his business bigger now?" ”

"Probably not. Tao Shouqing replied, "At the beginning, Sun Tianhao and he agreed on a supply of 50,000 taels a year, and it must be cash.www.biquge.info He now asks for an increase to 150,000, but he doesn't have that much silver, and he wants to take credit. ”

"Why would he suddenly ask for credit?" Xia Yang muttered to himself.

"There's no need to guess, the reason is simple." Lu Tianxiang said, "Mourinho must have heard something, he is worried that Portugal will turn against us, so he can order more first." ”

"Old Lu, what should we do then, do you promise him?" Tao Shouqing asked.

"I want Chairman Xia to make up his mind about this matter." Lu Tianxiang said with a smile, "Mourinho's matter is nothing, our control of Hainan Island is the top priority." ”

Lu Tianxiang and the others finally met Chen Mincheng in a restaurant, since the last time Wang Kezong accompanied Wang Chengen to Yulin Bay, Lu Tianxiang has not seen Chen Mincheng for almost three years.

"Mr. Chen's heroic appearance has not diminished back then, and he has become more and more energetic over the years."

"Where, where. Mr. Lu is the old man who is strong. ”

The two men exchanged pleasantries and took their seats.

After a few glasses of wine, Xia Yang knew that it was time to talk about business, and pointed his glass at Chen Mincheng: "Mr. Chen, you must also know the purpose of coming this time." ”

Chen Mincheng looked at Xia Yang with a smile: "My family has been friends with you Yulin Bay for many years, and students have also been in contact with you for many years. ”

"Mr. Chen is really the world's Zhuge in the world." Xia Yang complimented, "Don't hide it from the old man, the matter of tax collection is indeed suggested by our Yulin Bay to the emperor, and it is inevitable that there will be arguments in the court." But this matter is the will of God, but I don't know why the king has not moved for a long time. ”

Xia Yang said this more or less forced, do you dare to disobey the emperor's meaning.

Chen Mincheng's face changed color slightly: "The student doesn't hide it from Mr. Xia, long live now that I value you in Yulin Bay, my family also knows." But long live the importance of you, Yulinwan, not my family. You don't know, the will of Long Live has arrived, and my family has received several letters from the cabinet celebrants, and it is difficult for my family to do it. ”

"We have also considered what Mr. Chen said." Lu Tianxiang took over, "The old man wants to dare to ask, but Lord Wang is worried that the collection of taxes will cause a civil uprising?" ”

"My family is not worried, and my family also understands that collecting taxes is a matter that is beneficial to both the country and the people." Chen Mincheng said with some hesitation, "It's just that I'm afraid that someone will secretly stumble." ”

"Dare to ask Mr. Chen, how many merchants are there in the city of Qiongzhou now?" Xia Yang asked.

"Thank you for this, Yulin Bay." Chen Mincheng said, "Since you set up sugar factories and businesses here, and use Fucheng as a transit point for goods to the mainland, the number of businesses has increased exponentially over the years. Now, there are about two or three hundred merchants, large and small. ”

"Then does Mr. Chen think these hundreds of merchants will set off any waves?" Tao Shouqing interjected and asked.

"Tao Gongzi." Chen Mincheng turned his head to Tao Shouqing, "Hundreds of businessmen naturally won't have any big waves, but there are many people in the court. Although the will of the imperial court is like this, but the top and bottom are staring at it, once there is any wind and grass, my family will be difficult to argue. ”

Lu Tianxiang heard Chen Mincheng say this, and secretly gave Xia Yang a look, and Xia Yang took out a letter: "Mr. Chen, this is a letter from the prince of Beijing to Lord Wang, we didn't dare to open it, and asked Mr. Chen to hand it over to Lord Wang." ”

"This is a letter from the Prince?" Chen Mincheng didn't know that Wang Chengen's status in front of Chongzhen was a little declining now, but he was a little puzzled in his heart, why the letter from the prince would be handed over by Yulinwan.

Chen Mincheng didn't ask much, and stretched out his hand to take the letter: "Don't worry, the student will definitely present it to my family in person." ”

This letter was indeed written by Wang Chengen to Wang Kezong, and when Jiang Beiming was in Beijing, he frankly and unfairly explained to Wang Chengen the benefits and possible consequences of the Qiongzhou government's tax collection. And all the thoughts of Yulin Bay were revealed, but they only skipped the plan that Yulin Bay wanted to garrison troops in various places. Wang Chengen felt that since he had made up his mind to stand with Yulin Bay, and had already entrusted his two nephews to Yulin Bay, he could still make some efforts, so he wrote this letter to Wang Kezong according to Jiang Beiming's intentions.

The banquet was over, and both sides went home. Chen Mincheng did not dare to delay, and entered the mansion overnight to meet Wang Kezong.

Wang Kezong didn't speak for a long time after reading Wang Chengen's letter, Chen Mincheng didn't know what Wang Chengen's letter said, and he didn't dare to ask more when he stood aside.

"Old master, take a look too." Wang Kezong handed the letter to Chen Mincheng, but said with some grievances, "This Yulin Bay, this official can't hide if he wants to." ”

Chen Mincheng took a cursory look at the letter, and what Wang Chengen said in the letter was very simple, just asking Wang Kezong to follow the will of the imperial court to raise industrial and commercial taxes as soon as possible. As for the criticism in the court, you don't have to worry about it, because this will is Chongzhen's intention after all.

Wang Chengen said in the letter that if anything happens because of the problem of tax collection, the Qiongzhou government can announce the exemption of agricultural tax, and Yulinwan has promised that they will make up for the exemption of agricultural tax.

"Old master." Wang Kezong waited for Chen Mincheng to read the letter and asked, "What do you think?" ”

"My lord, it's difficult." Chen Mincheng said, "Although the prince made it very clear in the letter that this matter is the will of the Holy Lord, Yulin Bay will also fill some vacancies. But after all, the prefect of Qiongzhou is an adult, and the students have also paid attention to it these days, and now the news of tax collection is already circulating on the street, and the opinions of the merchants are very large. Once something really happens, the first thing the court will ask is us, not the prince and Yulinwan. ”

"This is exactly what the official is worried about, the county officials are not as good as the current management, and the government and the opposition are not concerned about Qiongzhou Mansion, but Qiongzhou Mansion is the focus." Wang Kezong said, "But if we keep dragging it out, I'm afraid it won't work, and some people in the court will still say that we don't obey the order." ”

"My lord, what should we do?"

Wang Kezong thought for a while, "Old master, you go and see the people from Yulin Bay again." You can tell them that the Qiongzhou government can start collecting taxes, but they must ensure the stability of the Qiongzhou government and must not cause a popular uprising. ”