Wang Changshun took Hou Xuanyan's hand, smiled all over his face, and together with other gentry and celebrities, civil and military officials in Changzhou, he hugged Hou Xuanyan to a simple and elegant courtyard.

The scenery here is unique, typical of the small garden style of the south of the Yangtze River, and what is even more rare is that there are several natural springs, and the spring water collects from all over the place to form a shallow lake with crystal clear bottom in the center.

A pavilion in the lake, the curtain woven of gold silk brocade hangs down on all sides, and half hangs on the high eaves of the pavilion in the center of the lake. Under the cold spring water, there are servants who have already buried the ice cubes in the cellar, and there is a slight coolness from the bottom of the pavilion, which is indeed a good place to escape the heat.

Qin He stood outside the pavilion with hundreds of soldiers and horses, holding the handle of the sword, Wang Changshun rolled his eyes and said: "The generals and military masters outside are working so hard, quickly arrange a banquet for me to entertain all the military masters." ”

The old housekeeper bent down and smiled, and was about to go out to Zhang Luo, Hou Xuanyan waved his hand and said with a smile: "If there are many battles, the courage is small, these people have never left me." Qin He's face did not fluctuate in the slightest, and he strode into the pavilion and stood straight behind Hou Xuanyan.

Seeing this, Wang Changshun bowed down and nodded, and ordered, "Serve." ”

Hou Xuan has been in Suzhou for a long time, and he has also seen big scenes, especially his father-in-law, Gu Jia, who lives a luxurious and almost extravagant life. But this table of dishes in Changzhou still opened his eyes. The eight treasures of the waterway, the delicacies are delicious, many of which Hou Xuanyan has never seen. What's even more rare is that each dish is beautifully made, so people can't bear to put down the chopsticks, but fortunately, he doesn't need to do it, and he has a delicate maid standing next to him, cut it and put it in front of him.

Wang Changshun saw that he was quite interested, and said jokingly: "Your Excellency Governor, our Changzhou is now on the front line, and the adjacent Zhenjiang Mansion is a well-known military town. ”

Hou Xuanyan put down his chopsticks, licked his lips, and said, "Yan Yingyuan will be there soon, you are so close to Jiangyin, you must have heard his name." I am allocating 50,000 horses to him, plus the Qing soldiers captured in this battle, the number is no less than 100,000. At that time, Changzhou, Jiangyin, and Wuxi were fighting each other, and even if the Qing troops came from the east, they should not be afraid. ”

Speaking of this, he paused for a moment, then changed his tone and said with a smile: "The soldiers and horses have not moved, the grain and grass go first, and now is the time when the country is in danger, which is extraordinary." I know that you are all gentry in Changzhou, and you all have the heart to serve the country. ”

When everyone heard this, they chattered and said:

"Your Excellency the Governor, rest assured, we are willing to send military rations in Changzhou."

"I didn't say it, my Wang family is willing to give 50,000 stone of grain."

"The soldiers are working hard to defend the land, how can we sit idly by."

....

Hou Xuanyan listened to their noisy and shouting, they were all willing to pay money and food, when the Qing soldiers entered Changzhou, they also used this means to keep their way to make money. But what Hou Xuanyan was staring at was their mines and salt. Jiangnan is different from the north, where there are few natural disasters, fertile soil, and inexhaustible food. As long as you master the mine, you have money, and you can't buy as much grain as you want? These people want to pay for themselves so that they can continue to make a living every day.

There was also a golden lamb with charred skin and tender roasted flesh, with only a few slices of meat cut off.

Hou Xuanyan pulled out the Pu knife from Qin He's waist behind him, and the noisy Huxin Pavilion suddenly quieted down, leaving only the exclamations of a few maids.

Hou Xuanyan faced the roast sheep, went down with a knife, grabbed a piece of big meat and chewed it happily.

"To eat meat, you have to eat it in a big gulp, and meat is the most fragrant when you eat it with full cheeks." He looked around and asked, "If you let this delicate beauty feed little by little, although it looks comfortable and enjoyable, when will you be full?" I'm not afraid of everyone's jokes, I have a big appetite since I was a child, and I never eat small pieces of meat. ”

The gentry and celebrities were dumbfounded, their expressions were complicated, and they didn't know what they were calculating in their hearts. Hou Xuanyan continued: "Don't hide it from you, this piece of fat in Changzhou, I, Hou Someone, will also eat a big one." The Ming people don't say dark words, and the mine smelting and salt drying in the salt fields must be taken back for the time being. Now that you have a mine at home, you don't have to worry. Later, I will ask the officials of the yamen to calculate a number, which will be converted into two pieces of silver and compensated to you. ”

As soon as these words came out, the pot exploded, and a long-faced mustache stood up and asked, "Then why haven't Hangzhou and Suzhou heard of such a thing?" ”

"Because this is what the Governor just decided, do you have any opinion?"

Wang Changshun smiled at this time and said: "Your Excellency the Governor doesn't know that there are many people in Changzhou. A few of our old bones, relying on the villagers, can still talk about them. If it's someone else.... At the beginning, Wanli Ye levied the mining tax, and the tax supervisors and fathers-in-law in other places added millions of taels of silver to the emperor's treasury, but our father-in-law in Changzhou was beaten to death by the people of Diao, and even the court did not pursue it. ”

"Oh? There is also this matter, then I can't let these people be lawless and brazenly confront the imperial court. I have 100,000 horses in Changzhou, and if these people were really so good, they wouldn't have shaved their hair and braided pigtails and walked around the streets. I heard that when Liu Liangzuo hit Jiangyin, some people in Changzhou sent food and money, for fear of being left behind. The governor can be blamed for these things in the past, but whoever dares to jump forward again will want to test my knife with his neck. ”

The people at the table were played by Hou Xuan so much, only he still had an appetite.

After letting go of the cruel words, Hou Xuanyan then sat down and chased all night, and he was already hungry. After feasting as if no one was around, he stood up and said, "Thank you for your hospitality, I still have military affairs with me, so I will stay for a short time." Qin He, let's go. ”

Hou Xuanyan was escorted out of the courtyard by the guards, and the rest of the people came alive, all surrounding Wang Changshun and waiting for him to make a decision.

"This kid doesn't eat oil and salt, he doesn't eat soft and hard, and he is determined to cut off our wealth."

"He was just a governor, and he was lucky to take Suzhou and Hangzhou, and he really made himself the emperor. If you don't take the opportunity to make money and get out, does this kid really think that he can block the iron cavalry of the Qing soldiers? ”

Wang Changshun coughed lightly, waved his hand, and the maid in the pavilion bent down and retreated.

"This kid is not easy to control, even the old man can't see through him. Even if he is not pretending, and really wants to set up a position here to fight with the Qing soldiers, we can't let him succeed. If Changzhou becomes the front line, wouldn't it be the second Yangzhou, the river at the mouth of the old river is still red, and we must not follow in the footsteps of Yangzhou. We can't fight in Changzhou! ”

"Old man Wang, there are no outsiders here, what do you say, we will listen to you."

"Send someone to Jinling and contact Lord Hong, and when the city is broken, we will have a way to live."