Qin Zhan's three hundred brocade guards and the independent accounting team dispatched by Xiaoyuan were stationed at the Taihu Lake base two days later.

As soon as Jing Jie heard Qin Zhan explain his intentions, he knew that it was because he had taken in the princess before, and Xiao Yuan came to the door to retaliate.

He was going to go to Suzhou Mansion to ask Fang Yuan in person, but he was stopped by Su Hongyu. Since Fang Yuan issued an official document for the investigation, this inventory operation was agreed by Fang Yuan, and if he made trouble again, it would be unjustifiable, and it might make Fang Yuan suspicious, thinking that the Xuanjia Army had some secrets that could not be investigated.

Over there, Jinyiwei and the Independent Accounting Group are in full swing to check military affairs, and here Lu Ziyue, the prefect of Ningbo Prefecture and Yu Ying, the prefect of Shaoxing Prefecture, who were affected by the disaster in Zhejiang, came to visit Fang Yuan.

Fang Yuan met with the two at the Suzhou Mansion, accompanied by officials above the same level of Suzhou Mansion.

As soon as the interview began, Lu Ziyue said straight to the point, "Governor Fang, Ningbo Mansion has suffered a failed grain harvest due to a locust plague this year, and at least 200,000 people have been affected. If Governor Fang didn't help, it would be hundreds of thousands of lives! ”

Yu Ying also said, "Shaoxing Mansion has also suffered from the locust plague this year, at least 100,000 stone of food is lacking to survive the famine year, Governor Fang is the governor of the ten prefectures ordered by the imperial court, and the people of Ningbo Mansion and Shaoxing Mansion are also the people of Governor Fang, please Governor Fang to transport grain for disaster relief!" ”

Lu Ziyue presented a book of 10,000 words requested by the people of Ningbo Mansion and Shaoxing Mansion, and Fang Yuan opened this thick pile of 10,000 words, and the bright red handprints were shocking.

Chen Hongmi, the prefect of Suzhou, said in embarrassment, "Governor Lu, prefect Yu, disaster relief, need the edict of the imperial court, otherwise how can the grain in the official warehouse be lightly moved?" ”

This is a typical official dialect and cliché, and everyone knows that now Fang Yuan and the imperial court have long been in trouble, even to the point of poisoning and assassination. Today's Suzhou Mansion is Fang Yuan's final say, and the so-called need for the imperial court's edict is perfunctory official words.

Lu Ziyue was a jinshi in the early years of Chongzhen, and he was also an old oilman who had been mixed with officialdom for more than ten years, and when he heard Chen Hongmi's official tone, he said angrily, "Governor Chen, keep saying the edict of the imperial court, if the edict of the imperial court is to transport 300,000 taels of silver to Suzhou Mansion and 200,000 stone of grain to the north, will Suzhou Mansion transport it or not?" ”

Lu Ziyue's question was very acute, Chen Hongmi couldn't express his position without permission, and his eyes moved to Fang Yuan, who was silent.

Fang Yuan asked lightly, "Since the Lu Governor's Mansion keeps saying that this military gate is the governor of the ten prefectures, and the people of Ningbo Mansion are the people of this military gate, if this military gate wants to enter Ningbo Mansion through the petition system, Ningbo Mansion must be supervised, should Lu Governor's Mansion not?" ”

Lu Ziyue was speechless when asked, and the reason why the five governments in Zhejiang were reluctant to express their allegiance to Fang Yuan was that they did not want to accept the supervision of the petition system. Before coming to Suzhou this time, the officials and wealthy businessmen of Ningbo Prefecture had made clear the bottom line, they could be loyal to Fang Yuan, and they could even pay land taxes and commercial taxes according to the standards of Suzhou and other prefectures, but the only bottom line was that they could not introduce the petition system.

Lu Ziyue thought for a while and began to use the strategy of delaying the army, "Can Governor Fang transport grain for disaster relief first, and then reply to Governor Fang after I go back to discuss with my colleagues?" ”

Fang Yuan smiled, coughed, and lowered his head to taste the tea.

Chen Hongmi, who got the hint, said again, "So be it! If the Ningbo government is unwilling to accept the supervision of Fang Junmen, then the grain in the official warehouse of Suzhou government will not be able to move. However, looking at the 200,000 people in Ningbo who are waiting to be fed, we can collect grain in the market in Suzhou and lend it to Ningbo Fu. According to the folk rules of Suzhou Prefecture, it is necessary to pay 30% of the interest. ”

Lu Ziyue's face changed, and he said in embarrassment, "Governor Chen, Sancheng's interest is too high, and it won't be paid next year, and your appetite is too great!" ”

"Governor Lu's words are not right, this interest is not to be collected by the Suzhou government, but by large grain borrowers, do you want the Suzhou government to repay the interest for the Ningbo government?"

Chen Hongmi deliberately folded his fingers and calculated, "Also, if you don't pay it next year, the interest will rise to fifty percent, by the way, it's still profitable." Ningbo Mansion must not want to deny it, next year Governor Fang will send the Xuanjia Army to collect grain. ”

This is clearly blackmail, to force Ningbo Mansion to comply by borrowing grain, Lu Ziyue got up angrily, pointed at Fang Yuan and scolded, "Governor Fang, the officials, gentry, and rich businessmen of Ningbo Mansion will not accept you, what do you have to do with the people of Ningbo Mansion?" If you regard the people of Ningbo as your people, the people will regard you as your parents. I didn't expect you to use the lives of 200,000 people as bargaining chips to bargain for power and profit, and I, Lu Ziyue, were the first to disobey you, the governor of the Ten Provinces! ”

He began to scold Fang Yuan in public, and Hu Qi behind Fang Yuan took out the embroidered spring knife and pointed at Lu Ziyue, who was shouting and scolding, "Bold!" Dare to be wild in front of Fang Junmen! ”

Yu Ying, the prefect of Shaoxing, was so frightened that his face turned pale, which angered Fang Yuan, it was estimated that the two of them would not be able to eat and walk around, the hand holding the teacup was trembling, and he kept persuading, "Governor Lu, dissipate your anger, if you have something to say, we are here to borrow food, not to quarrel." ”

Lu Ziyue said angrily, "If you can't borrow food, at least half of the 200,000 people will starve to death, and 100,000 lives will be in front of you. Governor Fang wants to fight and kill, I still have to scold! ”

Fang Yuan smiled slightly, put down the teacup and said, "Okay, Governor Lu, I respect you for being a good official who loves the people like a son, and I will lend you the disaster relief food interest-free, and you can pay it off in three years." ”

Lu Ziyue looked at Fang Yuan in amazement and asked, "Governor Fang is suddenly so kind, what other conditions are there, let's talk about it together!" ”

Fang Yuan still had a pleasant face, and continued, "To borrow grain, you must have a mortgage. 200,000 stone of grain, I want to view the title deed of 20,000 acres of land around Haiwei as collateral. ”

He wanted to use Guanhaiwei as a stronghold to control Ningbo Prefecture, and these lands were used to support the military Toda of the soldiers stationed in Guanhaiwei.

Lu Ziyue hurriedly found the accompanying officials who were waiting outside the lobby, exchanged a few words in a low voice, and then replied, "Okay, Governor Fang's conditions are acceptable." The title deed, I will make it up and hand it over to Governor Fang within a month. But disaster relief is like fighting fires, and countless people will die in a day's delay, how long will it take for Governor Fang's grain to be transported to Ningbo Mansion? ”

Fang Yuan smiled and said, "Governor Lu, as you said, the people of Ningbo Mansion are the people of this military gate, how can this military gate disregard the lives of the people because of the struggle for power and profit?" This army has already prepared 200,000 stone of grain at Jinshanwei Military Port, and it will be able to land at Guanhaiwei in two days. Next, it depends on the disaster relief efficiency of the Lu Governor's Mansion. ”

Only then did Lu Ziyue understand that Fang Yuan had already prepared the disaster relief food and done a good job in disaster relief, and his hanging heart also fell to the ground, and he repeatedly thanked Fang Yuan, "Governor Fang is really benevolent, I was too reckless before, I bumped into Governor Fang, and asked Governor Fang to punish him." ”

Fang Yuan smiled and said, "Governor Lu, go back and tell the officials, gentry, and wealthy businessmen of Ningbo Mansion that after this disaster, this army will send troops to Guanhaiwei in Ningbo Mansion." If they want to stay in Ningbo Mansion, they have to accept it if they don't accept it. Of course, if you want to leave and go to another place to find an official position or livelihood, you can pack up and leave in advance. ”

Lu Ziyue's face changed slightly, and he still responded in a low voice.

Fang Yuan's gaze swept over Lu Ziyue and fell on Yu Ying, the prefect of Shaoxing Mansion, "Prefect Yu, what kind of grain borrowing method are you?" ”

Yu Ying saw that as soon as Fang Yuan borrowed grain, his power was about to reach into the local area, his eyes rolled slightly, and he hurriedly got up and said, "Governor Fang, the grain will not be borrowed for the time being, and I will go to Hangzhou Mansion to think about ideas." ”

Fang Yuan was slightly stunned, if Shaoxing Mansion could borrow grain from Hangzhou Mansion, where would he cross the province to come to Fang Yuan to find it unpleasant? Yu Ying was reluctant to borrow grain, making it clear that she would rather starve to death the affected people in Shaoxing Mansion than compromise with Fang Yuan.

He immediately made a judgment in his heart, this Yu Ying is a brute who cares about human life, and this kind of person is also worthy of staying in the position of the prefect of Shaoxing?

Fang Yuan asked rhetorically again, "Prefect Yu, really don't borrow grain?" ”

"No, I don't dare to have a Governor of Labor."

Yu Ying threw down this sentence and turned around to leave, but heard Fang Yuan shout, "Since the prefect Yu is unwilling to borrow grain, then the military gate will hang the people and eliminate the harm for the people!" Tomorrow, the Xuanjia Army will be stationed in Linshanwei and start disaster relief! ”

Yu Ying saw that he wanted the overlord to take over Shaoxing Mansion, and turned around and said with a dead face, "Governor Fang, you, you!" ”

Fang Yuan shouted coldly, "Commander Hu, arrested Yu Ying, the prefect who cares about people's lives, and detains him in Suzhou Prison. Wait for this military gate to verify this person's crime in Shaoxing Mansion, and then ask the guilt together. ”

Several strong Jinyi guards rushed in directly and dragged Yu Ying, the prefect of Shaoxing, down, and Yu Ying's pig-like shouts came from far away from outside the lobby, which shocked Lu Ziyue and trembled.

Fang Yuan smiled slightly and said, "Governor Lu doesn't need to panic, this military gate only punishes corrupt officials and corrupt officials who fish and flesh the common people, such as Lu Governor's Mansion who dares to speak up for the livelihood of the people, this military gate can only admire." ”

Lu Ziyue wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and the plaintiff resigned.

Fang Yuan looked at Lu Ziyue's back, turned his head and said to Hu Qi, "Go and order Shi Lang, the grain ship will go to sea from Jinshanwei tomorrow, and 200,000 stones will be transported to Guanhaiwei to settle with Lu Governor's Mansion; There were also 100,000 stones, escorted by twenty warships, and the military gate and Commander Shi went to Shaoxing Mansion for disaster relief. Commander Hu, you also bring five hundred brocade guards and go with me. ”

Hu Qi suddenly realized that Fang Yuan was going to take over Shaoxing Mansion in person, and he hurriedly surrendered his promise.