Li Buqi's reputation is a golden sign in the eyes of businessmen, I didn't see Li Buqi making money in everything. Hearing Li Buqi say this, Cui Wangxi's mind immediately became lively, and he hurriedly introduced to Li Buqi how he went from an apprentice in a small cloth shop to a big boss in the north and south of the country.

Judging from Cui Wangxi's introduction, this person is really almost self-made, relying on his smart mind and several successful speculations to earn a fortune in thirty years. Such a person must have some ability.

But when Cui Wangxi introduced himself, a message caught Li Buqi's attention: "Your hometown is from Yangzhou? ”

"Exactly."

"Then do you still communicate with your hometown regularly?"

"This is natural. Our businessmen must be well-informed, and the letter of our hometown naturally cannot be broken. But I don't know what happened to the officials? ”

"Have you heard about Gaoyou's appointment?"

"I know. Gaoyou is not far from Yangzhou, and the details of this matter were mentioned in the letter over there. ”

Li Buqi said, "Then you come and listen." ”

Not long ago, there was a robber Zhang Hai led the crowd to pass through Gaoyou, Gaoyou Zhijun Chao Zhongyue got the news that Gaoyou City was ruined, and there was no army that could resist the bandits, this battle could not be fought, so he told the people in the city, let the rich merchants take out gold, silver, cloth, cattle and sheep wine, and put them outside the city to reward the robbers. Zhang Haibing took things without blood, and really didn't embarrass the people and went around the city.

When the news reached the Chinese Wudu of the imperial court in the capital, he was very angry, and Zhao Zhenzong was even more furious. Fu Bi advocated killing Chao Zhongyue, but Fan Zhongyan said: "The weapons of the county are enough to defend the war, and if the thief does not defend it, and bribes him, the law will be punished; Today, Gaoyou has no soldiers and weapons, and the feelings of the small people, entropy out of property and freedom from killing and plundering, will be happy. Killing, illegal intentions. After Emperor Renzong heard this, he also felt that it was reasonable, and demoted Chao Zhongyue to Xingzhou as a guard.

This incident made Li Buqi creepy, and he seemed to see the scene when the Jin soldiers surrounded Bianliang decades later, when the monarchs of the Great Song Dynasty sent wine, meat and women to the Jin soldiers. When I used to read history, I wondered why the monarchs and ministers of the Great Song Dynasty could have the face to do such a thing, but now I know that the backbone of the scholars and doctors was broken a few decades ago.

But Cui Wangxi obviously didn't think there was anything wrong with Chao Zhongyue in this matter. According to him, the Gaoyou city wall was dilapidated, and he implied that because the magistrates knew about the taboos of the officials, they did not dare to train troops or prepare armaments, and the local government simply did not have the ability to resist bandits. As long as the Xiang army hears about the robbers, they will disperse in a hurry, so it is impossible to let Gaoyou block the bandit Zhang Hai from the city. Once the bandits enter the city, they don't know how many people will die or how much money they will break, so it is better to give the bandits a little benefit and let the bandits retreat on their own.

Li Buqi knew that Cui Wangxi was telling the truth, and he also knew what the "official taboo" he hinted at. The Zhao Guan's family was afraid of rebellion by the subordinates, so the magistrates almost did not renovate the city walls in order not to cause trouble, and they did not dare to rest and train their soldiers with war equipment, for fear of framing political opponents and those who wanted to invite favor as "attempting rebellion". This is also the unspoken rule of the Great Song Dynasty, from this aspect, Chao Zhongyue can be said to have done good things for the people of Gaoyou, but the impact is too bad.

After Li Buqi confirmed the authenticity of the news again, he said to Cui Wangxi: "Boss Cui has ever thought that this time Gaoyou met a good robber, so he took a little something and retreated. What if one day an insatiable robber comes? ”

"This ......"

Li Buqi finally said to Cui Wangxi: "Okay, don't talk about these things. Does Boss Cui have land at home? ”

Cui Wangxi said: "That's natural, there are two Zhuangzi below." ”

"Well, if you believe me, I'll plant some grass and cotton next year. I can send someone to teach you how to grow grass and cotton, and if you help me promote it, you will have to make less money. ”

"Thank you for your trust." Cui Wangxi gritted his teeth: "In this way, I will follow the officials to make a fortune." ”

"Okay, let's talk about the details later. I'm also going to visit Fan in politics. ”

"Ah, then don't bother the officials for now."

After Cui Wangxi left, Lu Xiaopang asked, "Do you really want to take him with you in the grass cotton business?" ”

Li Buqi said: "The money in the world is inexhaustible. He is a cloth merchant and can take us to familiarize ourselves with this line as soon as possible. What about sharing some of his profits? What's more, the trade of grass and cotton is too big for one or two people to eat. ”

Seeing that it was not early, he was really going to Fan Dawenhao, so Li Buqi took Tao Lin to participate in the government.

Fan Zhongyan still valued Li Buqi very much, and didn't let him wait long before someone led him to the living room.

"Ah, politics." Li Buqi first saluted respectfully, and then said: "The kid doesn't understand something very well, and he wants to ask for advice and participate in politics." ”

"I don't know why even a smart person like Zhongzheng doesn't understand?"

"Ah, it's Gao Youchao's appointment. The kid really doesn't understand why this is so ridiculous? ”

"I have already made this matter clear, Gaoyou City is ruined and has no strength to resist the enemy, Chao Zhongyue has saved the people from sword soldiers, and it should not be investigated."

Li Buqi said: "But this is not in accordance with the law. ”

Fan Dawenhao frowned slightly, "Although it is not legal, it is humane." Do you know that the meaning of the law is nothing more than heavenly reason and human affection. ”

Li Buqi said: "But the imperial court asked Chao Zhongyue to be an official and support him with people's fat and people's ointment, not to let him bribe the thieves with the people's property, but to let him resist the thieves." If no one is responsible for this matter, then I am afraid that the people will not believe that the government can protect them in the future. ”

Fan Dawenhao asked rhetorically: "You also want to kill Chao Zhongyue?" But the dynasty does not kill scholars, this holy virtue, why do you want to damage it? ”

"The kid didn't say that he had to kill Chao Zhongyue."

"And what do you think?"

Li Buqi said: "The kid thought that he should find out whether Chao Zhongyue had asked his boss to renovate the city and strengthen the strength to protect the city before this. If he had asked for instructions, then the responsibility was not on him, and the current punishment was barely possible, but the boss had to be held responsible. But if he has not done anything since taking office, then he should be punished for dereliction of duty. ”

Fan Dawenhao looked at Li Buqi for a long time and said carefully: "There are some things in the local area that are not what you think. ”

Li Buqi and Fan Zhongyan looked at each other: "The kid only knows that he has become an official, and he should take his own responsibility if he enjoys the people's fat and people's anointment." If you feel that he can't afford this responsibility, don't be an official. ”

Fan Zhongyan looked at Li Buqi again for a while before shaking his head and sighing, "Sure enough, as Master Ding said, you are too sharp." The old man has to give you a word of experience, just easy to break! You should keep this sentence in mind, and when you get to the point where you participate in politics, you will know that there are some things that you must not be rash of. I'm afraid I won't be able to teach you anything else. There are many truths that you can only gradually experience by yourself, and how much you can experience depends on your creation. The old man can only say that you are talented and intelligent, and if you devote yourself to learning, you may not be able to become a family of your own in a few decades. ”

Is this going to sweep Li Buqi out of the house? Doesn't that seem like a saint's style? Li Bu gave up the lawsuit and returned to Chunze Prison, because he was depressed, he often squatted on the roof until he had an epiphany one day.