Chapter 669: Confidence

As soon as the Spring Festival passed, the weather gradually warmed up, and the major yamen reopened the yamen, which was a lot busier than at the end of the year. However, because Du Juan had not returned to his hometown in Zhangyan, Shanghai for many years, he had previously promised to return to his hometown on behalf of his father Du Zhen to take a look, and seeing that the weather was warm, he discussed with Zhang Yue.

Zhang Yue had promised Qiu when he left Beijing before, so he also wanted to take the opportunity to hide for a few days, so he asked for leave from Fu Yin Zhangxu. This kind of thing originally depends on Shangguan's heart, Zhang Xu and Zhang Yue have no grievances, and they are anxious at this moment, hoping that there will be fewer people and less disputes in the yamen, so they simply let the half-month leave with a stroke of the pen.

The land route from Nanjing to Songjiang Mansion is only a few hundred miles, and the Yangtze River waterway is also perennial freezing, and the water and land are convenient. Considering that the weather was warm and cold, the group chose a more comfortable waterway, sailed slowly along the way, and walked for six or seven days, and when they arrived in Songjiang Mansion, it was already the sixth day of the second month. Zhang Yue had been here for a few days when he went down to the south of the Yangtze River before, and now when he came again, he saw that Shanghai County had built a strong city, and he remembered the situation of fighting against the Japanese here, and he felt a lot in his heart.

Since the imperial court hunted the Japanese along the coast and wrote the Japanese state to strictly apply for punishment, the Japanese have disappeared in recent years, and the people live and work in peace and contentment, a peaceful scene. The rebellion seemed to be a nightmare of the past, and now there is no trace of worry on the smiling faces of the people.

Zhangyan is an ancient town, since the Tang and Song dynasties, there are many talents, and gradually formed a lot of families. Nowadays, there are more than a dozen families such as the Shen family, the Yang family, the He family, the Wu family, etc., most of which are scholarly eunuchs, but there are also wealthy families like the Yang family. Among them, the Shen family is the most noble, and other families also have their own prominent family trees. In contrast, the Du family is only gradually famous because of Du Zhen, but the reputation in the countryside is still not as good as the rest.

Du Zhen didn't let people send the letter back early, so Zhang Yue and Du Juan's sudden return to their hometown made the people up and down very busy for a while. After several elders of the Du clan personally accompanied the couple to worship the ancestral grave, they also served wine and entertained them, and heard that Zhang Yue was going to visit other families, so they sent a clever son and nephew to accompany them throughout the process, as if they were afraid that people would not know that the Du family had such a prominent son-in-law. In the face of their unusual hospitality, Du Juan, who knew it well, naturally felt that the boss was boring.

's father only has her own daughter, although she recognizes Xiao Wu in her name, but after all, she still has no heir. Even if the father is open-minded and unwilling, the clan etiquette is still there, and someone will inevitably jump out in the future. Only with his father's current position, he may be able to rise to the second grade in the future, and the grace that future generations can get is not trivial, who is not hot?

On this day, Zhang Yue went out with his entourage, and several uncles and aunts in the clan invited her to talk. In the face of all kinds of temptations, she simply said bluntly: "I came back this time, and my father also mentioned this matter." The Du clan is so big, he has no descendants in this line, and there are uncles and uncles from other branches. Besides, he is not a long-term heir, so it is really unpleasant for you to worry so much. He also mentioned that although the heirs can inherit his incense, someone must always endure the pain of separation. ”

"My niece's words are not right, since they are in the same spirit, each family has to make a little effort in this. Besides, even if it is recorded in your father's name in the future, he will still have to recognize us as elders, and he is not still a family? ”

After a middle-aged woman said this, several other concubines were afraid of being left behind, and someone immediately answered: "You are married after all, although we heard that your father and mother recognized a daughter again, this is also an outsider after all." Besides, if you casually recognize a child from the outside and come back, wouldn't it confuse the Du bloodline? Your father and mother must have someone to serve and flatter Huan, even if your father doesn't think about himself, he has to think more about your mother. ”

As they spoke, the words of the people were inevitably more revealing of the benefits of their own children, and at the same time they tried their best to belittle other children, and in the end they were about to quarrel. Du Juan didn't say anything, and when she saw them sneering and flying with guns and arrows, she coughed lightly.

"Ladies and uncles, listen to me. After my father and mother discussed, my father asked me to meet the elders after the sacrifice. Our Du family is not as good as those old families that have been passed down for hundreds of years, and it is nothing to have him in the family, and each child is true by his own hard work. Those children sent by the old patriarch to the Jingshi Zhang clan study have finally experienced a few now, and the rest here can't be relaxed. So, my father asked me to bring a question to test the children of the clan, and then I had to bring it back to my father to see for himself. He said very clearly, the so-called Cheng Huan's knees are just small filial piety, and the people of the world are the great filial piety, and after selecting the heir, there is no need to go to Beijing, so he has to study well, and he will inherit it naturally by him the next day. ”

This is the topic that everyone has been hiding has been completely torn apart, even these women who have their own plans can't help but be a little sneering at this time, but after complaining about Du Zhen's coldness in their hearts, they are all a little happy. This undoubtedly means that the child who chooses to pass does not need to be separated from his parents, as long as he becomes a filial son wearing linen and filial piety when Du Zhen dies in the future, this grace and grace will be in hand. Therefore, after everyone looked at each other, they also pondered another problem.

Du Zhen has always been eccentric, what will be the topic this time?

Although Zhang Yue had been to the Yang family's mansion in the southwest of Shanghai County, it was the first time he boarded the Yang family's ship. The last time Fang Qing took him to see Yang Shan, the head of the Yang family who was sick and dying, after more than three years, he was now replaced by the boss Yang Jinde. As soon as they met, seeing that this middle-aged man with an honest and loyal face was saluting, he personally helped the person up, and then glanced at Fang Qing next to him. I have to say that this person is fast, and when he left Beijing, he ordered someone to go to Shandong to carry a letter, and this person arrived just right.

Because the Yang family made a lot of money and made a lot of effort when building a city in Shanghai, Yang Jincai's matter was naturally quietly pressed, and after the death of the old head of the Yang family, Yang Shan, the transition of power was also smooth. Although Yang Jinde, who is now in charge of the family business, is not a man of great talent, he is cautious and cautious, and the ships that go to sea every year are still the same as when they were smuggled before. Compared with the current situation of maritime merchants gathering in Ningbo Mansion, his conservative behavior has naturally been ridiculed by many people.

After greeting him for a while, because Zhang Yue asked him bluntly why he didn't build new ships and send more ships to sea, Yang Jinde's face was a little sneering: "My lord, this deed at sea is inaccurate." No matter how precise the chart, no matter how capable the boatman, no matter how sturdy the ship, once it encounters some unpredictable danger such as a storm, it is very likely that the whole army will be wiped out. I don't have much power, so I'd rather be careful lest an accident ruin the family business. Besides, the Yang family's previous foundation was not clean, if there was a lot of fanfare, those who were jealous would expose the past, and they would have to peel off their skin if they didn't die. ”

Fang Qing had always thought that his eldest brother was too loyal and not a material for business, but when he heard this at this time, he couldn't help but secretly praise him. Although the locals don't know about the Yang family's past deeds, there are a lot of people in the industry who know about it, even if the imperial court said before that it would not be investigated, it may be better to be cautious when calculating the old accounts in the future. So, he smiled at Zhang Yue and said, "My lord, my uncle is such a character, don't laugh." ”

"Be careful to sail the ship of ten thousand years, this is the way it should be." Although Zhang Yue is in Nanjing, he has been inquiring about the news of the capital, so he asked this first, just to see if the Yang family is smart enough now, and at this time he can be regarded as relieved. After calculating the time, he knew that the news was almost the time for the imperial court to decide, and immediately said lightly, "The pioneer has issued an order to abolish the Western treasure ship, and I got the news that the emperor has decided to stop the Ningbo Mansion from going to sea." In other words, the imperial court is going to ban the sea again. ”

Because Zhang Yue was very understated when he spoke, Yang Jinde and Fang Qing were both slightly stunned when they heard this, and when they fully reacted, their faces changed greatly. Fang Qing is not bad, all he wants is to open a city and port in Denglai and the two prefectures, so that he can go to Japan and Korea for sea trade, and he doesn't value Ningbo Prefecture. But this is a sea ban, and once it is banned, the coast will be a piece of board and will not be allowed to go to the sea!

After a while, Yang Jinde asked, "What about the ship that went to sea first?" ”

"The first ships to go to sea are not subject to the ban, but if the will arrives, the Ningbo government will close the port again."

Yang Jinde is not a person who is good at adapting to situations after all, he was dizzy by the news of Zhang Yue, his head was already a little insufficient, and he could only look at Fang Qing with a look of help. And Fang Qing was also in a difficult mood at this time, but after all, he had experienced many ups and downs, and quickly calmed down.

"My lord, you have spared no effort to promote this matter, and now you are seeing a great deal of good governance run aground?"

He expected this before leaving Beijing, so Zhang Yue was not surprised - the person who insisted most on the sea ban was not Xia Yuanji, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, and Wu Zhong, the secretary of the Ministry of Works, who was reinstated and changed to the Ministry of Industry, in addition to Liu Guan, the imperial history of the Metropolitan Inspectorate, who had been obstructing him. You must know that all the regulations that Xia Yuanji advised before were adopted, but only the sea ban was not mentioned, and this time it was the same, which shows that this old Shangshu is still an enlightened person.

"I've written to advise me, but I'm afraid it's hard to undo it." Seeing what Yang Jinde and Fang Qing were going to say, Zhang Yue waved his hand and said to Yang Jinde, "The coming day is long, and it will be useless to dwell on this matter now." Since you are anxious, go down and make arrangements, and remember not to show your mouth. ”

When Yang Jinde hurriedly retreated and closed the door again, Fang Qing hurriedly stood up and stepped forward to stand beside Zhang Yue: "My lord asked me to pass on the book and let me wait in Songjiang, it can't be for such bad news, right?" ”

"I came to you, naturally, not for such bad news, but for more bad news." Seeing that Fang Qing's face suddenly tightened, he knew that the strength of his opening sentence was extraordinary, so he stretched out three fingers, "I have already said the first one; The second is the salt law in the middle of the country, and now there are bigwigs in the DPRK and China who have different opinions, and it may not be known whether they can hold it; The third is the path I discussed with you before......"

The sea ban had little impact on the other party's family, but Kaizhong Salt was the biggest financial road for the Jin merchants, so Fang Qing's face changed greatly when he thought of the possible losses suffered by the Shanxi family. However, Zhang Yue's vague third point, which was what he valued the most, for a while he only felt that his mouth was dry, his face was even more pale, and he was so depressed that he didn't have the heart to listen to the rest of the words.

These are all decrees that Zhang Yue has proposed to Zhu Di for many years, and now they have all been overturned? If this is the case, doesn't this mean that as long as the current emperor reigns for one day, Zhang Yue will not be used for one day? In this case, wouldn't it be better for this master to help the Han King Zhu Gaoxu in the first place? As soon as the Zhang family defected, many nobles would follow suit......

It was easy to get rid of all these dangerous thoughts, and he swallowed hard. Seeing Zhang Yue's calm face, he couldn't help but feel a sudden burst in his heart, but he was a little uncertain, so he could only say tentatively: "My lord told me before that I took the opportunity of sending a caravan to the Tatar tribes to let the spy inquire about the information, and then try to pass it on with carrier pigeons, this article really doesn't work now?" ”

"You're right, it's just not working now."

The tone of the two words was aggravated, and seeing Fang Qing's sudden realization, Zhang Yue knew that he had already understood, and immediately stood up with a flick of his sleeves. The two have already dealt with each other many times, so he no longer beats around the bush: "So, you still plan this road according to what I said before, and don't give up just because there is any rumor in the court." As for the sea ban, the same is true, at this time and from time to time, the imperial decree is always changing. ”

Zhang Yue had to do this. In business, although Fang Qing bet on him lightly, and he also gave people a lot of benefits, but at this moment, he had to try to knock and knock. Therefore, after a pause, he said, "Besides, I have summoned you from Shandong for another important matter. If there is a suitable place to moor a sea boat in Tianjin, you should pay attention. ”

Knowing that Fang Qing was a smart person, he should have expected it in his heart, so after saying this, seeing that the other party's face was only slightly stiff, he knew that this person had already understood. The new monarch has been on the ground for several months, but the foundation has been firmly established. Zhu Gaochi left the impression on most people that he was a good gentleman, and he changed the situation of the pioneer Zhu Di who was prone to thunder and anger and used troops excessively. Only those who know the inside story like him can understand that Zhu Gaochi accepts the pertinent advice of those important ministers, but has his own stubborn understanding of many things, including stubbornly trying to sweep away the influence of Zhu Di's power for many years - whether the influence is good or bad.

Therefore, even if he could let Tang Sai'er use a little trick to directly take Zhu Gaoxu's life, he couldn't do it. Although the thorn of the Han King Zhu Gaoxu is no longer fatal, it is still necessary to exist. As long as this thorn is still there, Zhu Gaochi will not take his eyes off Shandong, and his life will be much better, and the lives of others will be much better.

He agreed with Tang Sai'er that after using that trick to save Feng Yuanming, Tang Sai'er couldn't take the life of Zhu Gaoxu, the king of Han. Now that the time has come, I also hope that the White Lotus Sect Master will retreat. If Zhu Gaochi really died early, then Zhu Zhanji would undoubtedly be beyond the reach of Nanjing Whip. At that time, the land official road is of course one, and the sea route to Tianjin Wei is also a good road to the north.

stayed at Yang's house for a whole morning, and after discussing several things, Zhang Yue left. Because it had been arranged in advance, the Du family only thought that he was going to sea on a fishing boat to relax, and he didn't realize that he had seen someone from the Yang family on the boat under this name. Even if it is a brocade guard or other secret spy, it is impossible to monitor the movements at sea. After all, even if it is not as powerful as before, the sea in Songjiang Mansion is still the world of the Yang family, and others still can't catch up.

Stepping on the dock safely, Zhang Yue couldn't help but think of what Du Juan was arranging at this moment. He had already known Du Zhen's arrangement in advance, and he was not without admiration in his heart. This practice is very unkind, good parents want to become uncles and aunts, and the children of relatives become other people's flesh and blood, and it is even more despicable to use this to rob people's property. Now Du Zhen has such a clear statement, undoubtedly because of his strong self-confidence.

He Zhang Yue and Wan Shijie are added together, is it not worth a son?