Ten days ago, the Taoyi City Lord's Mansion.

Cai Ze had a heavy face, holding a stack of very thick bamboo slips in his hand, and there were also scattered bamboo slips on the desk in front of the table, these bamboo slips were the taxes of Taoyi in recent years, in the Spring and Autumn Period, taxes and taxes were two different concepts, but in the Warring States Period, in order to further exploit the people and workers, the taxes were the same, the original Chinese people may only pay one of the taxes and taxes, but now they have to pay two kinds.

Obviously, this has no effect on the bureaucracy, but when Cai Ze looked at the huge amount of taxes on the bamboo slips and the poor treasury of the city lord's mansion, everyone was in trouble.

In Taoyi, there are three big surnames, namely Hua's, Cao's, and Fan's, which represents the Song Dynasty's sub-surname Hua's is the largest force in Tao County, their ancestors can be traced back to the Song Dynasty's four dynasties elder Hua Yuan, the operator of silk products, Qi Su from Qi and Lu Min from Lu are hot sellers at this time, through low-price acquisition, after transportation, in Tao County can be sold at a good price, the difference in which is their profit.

As for the Cao family, it is a slave business, as the remnant of the Cao State, the Cao family obviously has deep connections in Taoyi, and half of the officials up and down are their people, the Hu people from the Yan State and the Lin Hu people from the Daibei Land of the Zhao State can sell them here at a good price, and of course, there is no shortage of good horses in Daibei and Longxi.

As for the Fan family, they are the weakest, running the iron business left by their ancestor Fan Litao Zhu Gong.

The tax of just the land of Taoyi can be compared to the combination of Jiuyuan County and Dai County of Zhao State, which is a fat meat that everyone covets, but before Qin State was here, if the countries were not enough, or they would be allies with Qin State, and no one dared to take a bite.

"Waste, waste, just the three Fahrenheit, Cao, and Fan, you city guards don't have the courage to do it, a city guard with three thousand soldiers, jokes, jokes." Cai Ze was a little incoherent, and angrily scolded the middle-aged man standing next to him.

This middle-aged man was wearing a brown crown robe, his face was a little angry, but the corners of his mouth twitched and he couldn't hold back, he lowered his head and replied: "The lower officials don't dare, but these three thousand city guards are all children of the three families." In Taoyi, you can only look at the faces of the three families. ”

"Nonsense!" Cai Ze's face was gloomy, if he could not complete the task given to him by the prince, how could he talk on the prince's side, besides, he was just a businessman! With his own knowledge, what is a mere businessman!

The middle-aged man took out a set of bamboo slips from the overturned bamboo slips, handed them to Cai Ze, and said, "Please also ask Cai Zhan to take a look, this is the name of the Taojun City Guard, most of them are from these three families." ”

The corners of Cai Ze's mouth twitched, and he asked, "Isn't it possible to reorganize the city guards and promote others." ”

"Can't!" The middle-aged man replied seriously.

"Why?" Cai Ze couldn't believe it.

"Because most of the people who multiply up and down this Taoyi are branches of the three families, the population of Taoyi is 248,634 people, and the people of the three families are more than 16,000 people, and these more than 16,000 people are literate people and scholars, and the other more than 200,000 people are mostly poor and lowly household registration, and most of them are people who work in hundreds of jobs." The middle-aged man replied respectfully.

Cai Ze took a breath of cold air, he couldn't imagine that there was such a scene behind the flourishing business in Tao County, and there were tentacles of major families up and down!

"And according to the investigation of the lower officials, there are no less than 500 private soldiers raised by Hua's family house, and the other two families also have 300." The middle-aged man said again.

You must know that the private soldiers are not like this ordinary army, people who can become private soldiers must first be in good health, in this era of general under-eating, private soldiers are undoubtedly superior, these private soldiers have the idea of dying for the family, because these private soldiers are their own family members, and they are willing to die for the family.

But just when Cai Ze and the middle-aged man were silent, an urgent report came.

"Cai Zhanshi, Hua Sheng, Fan Si, and Cao Yi are visiting." The guard at the door hurriedly ran in and half-knelt down.

Cai Ze's face was a little puzzled, he first came here, he didn't know anyone, how could anyone come to him.

"It seems that the three families have gotten the news and come to see Cai Zhanshi." The middle-aged man's face was a little heavy.

Cai Ze waved his sleeves in annoyance, and just wanted to open his mouth, but he held back stiffly, and instead put on a kind smile, and said to the guard, "Please come in quickly." ”

.......

"Cai Zhanshi, Hua Sheng heard that the prince's relatives came to Taojun, and he had no respect, so he specially picked up thirty fine silk horses from home and gave them to Cai Zhanshi." Huasheng arched.

Cai Ze glanced at Hua Sheng with a smile, Hua Sheng was tall and thin, dressed plainly, with barren flesh and bones under the light cyan robe, and the black mole at the corner of his mouth would move when he laughed, and the beard at the corner of his mouth was very long like a mouse, and Hua Sheng smiled from time to time and pinched his long beard with his hand.

"The head of the Hua family is so polite, although he is the prince of the East Palace, he is embarrassed to accept these things." Cai Ze refused.

"Cai Zhan doesn't like to send less, or I'll add thirty horses." Hua Sheng was a little frightened, and the two strands of beard that flowed at the corners of his mouth danced up and down, looking different and funny.

Cai Ze shook his head and said, "Thirty pieces of silk are too much for me, and the head of the Hua family doesn't have to send them anymore." ”

"Your Excellency regards gold and jade, and it is dregs for us." Cao Yi's eyes narrowed slightly, and he stepped forward and said respectfully.

"Oh?" The corners of Cai Ze's mouth rose slightly, he had never seen such a sneer, it seemed to be a gift, but it was actually putting pressure on him.

I have never seen others modestly say that the things they see in their eyes are chaff in the eyes of others, and this Cao Yi said in the opposite way that it seems that you don't have to care, you look like a lot of thirty pieces of silk, in my eyes it is not a fart.

Cao Yi's appearance is much lower, wearing wide and luxurious clothes, with a high crown on his head, as if to prove that he is not lower than others, and the eyes the size of mung beans squeezed by the fat on his cheeks look like needles, as if they can pierce other people's hearts. It seems that this person is also an unforgiving character.

Cai Ze smiled and said to Cao Yi: "In the past, Zhuangzi went to the Great Liang of Wei State, and Hui Shi thought that he was going to rob him of the position of Xiangbang, but at that time Zhuangzi said: Fu Hu was born in the South China Sea and flew in the North Sea; Non-sycamore is not stopped, non-practice is not eaten, and non-liquor (lǐ) spring is not drunk.

Today's little thirty pieces of silk, will I Cai Ze be tempted? ”

But although he said so, Cai Ze's heart was fame and fortune, and he turned his back on Tian Jian for the sake of thirty pieces of silk, and he could still tell which was more important.

"What Cai Zhan said is that I have become a layman." Huasheng snorted and apologized to Cai Zeyi.

"No, no, what Cai Zhanshi said is that the husband and the eagle were born in the South China Sea and flew in the North Sea; Non-sycamore is not stopped, non-practice is not eaten, and non-liquor (lǐ) spring is not drunk. This canopy took off from the South China Sea and flew to the North Sea, not because the plane tree did not inhabit, not because the fruit of the bamboo did not eat, not because of the sweet spring water. Just like Cai Zhanshi, as a national soldier, isn't he limited to just thirty pieces of silk? Vance laughed.

Van Si was dressed elegantly, very different from the two beside him.

"Oh? The head of the Fan family seems to have something to say? Cai Ze smiled reluctantly.

"No, no!" Fan Si shook his head, he took a few steps around here, touched the lacquered wood red pillars on the lobby from time to time, or the carvings, and then said: "These thirty pieces of cloth are just short-term wealth, but there is a far-reaching wealth in this world, I just don't know if Cai Zhan agrees?" ”

"Of course, I agree that the so-called way to get rich in the world, there are Yidun who started by selling furs, Bai Gui who started by selling agricultural products, and Qi who got rich by fish and salt, but what is the difference between this and what the head of the Fan family said?" Cai Ze groaned slightly and replied slowly.

Fan Si laughed and said: "Cai Zhan is really far-sighted, this long wealth is in front of him, Taoyi is in the middle of the world, the north passes the Sanjin, the Yan country, the west is connected to Longyou, the east has the Qi country, and the south is connected to the Chu country, and the world's goods transactions are carried out in Taoyi. ”

Cai Ze didn't answer this question, but asked, "What does the Fan family master mean?" ”

But Vance just shook his head and smiled.

"What is the benefit of the Taoyi Law to extract 30% of the commercial tax?" Hua Sheng asked rhetorically, staring at Cai Ze with a pair of rat eyes, lest he miss a trace of expression.

Cai Ze only then understood, what Fan Si meant was to enrich his own pockets and operate from it himself, so that the three could maintain a sufficient monopoly position in the commercial market, and they could give him kickbacks, even if they ate meat, they would also leave Cai Ze a few mouthfuls of soup.

As for whether the soup is delicious and highly toxic, it is not for them to consider.

For them, it is the Taoyi City Mansion that is short of this, not Cai Ze's own, how much can he get by keeping Cai Ze open and closing his eyes?

But Cai Ze's heart was full of difficulties!

Should I say yes or no?

But when he thought of Tian Jian's viciousness, he shivered coldly.

When he went to Chu State, because he was worried about his safety, he was secretly threatened by Tian Jianming, and the murderous aura entangled his heart for a long time, and during the autumn hunt of Chu State, the crown prince Tian Jian planned it single-handedly, and he was only the part of the execution, and the thoughts in it made him shudder.

It seems that under Tian Jianwen's gentle smile, there is a hidden tiger, although this tiger is sometimes as amiable as a cat, but from time to time it will choose people to eat, and it is also as cunning as a fox.

Although this kind of master is what he Cai Ze has been looking forward to, he is also terrified.

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is more kind to me than the mountain, and he has promoted me between the steps, and entrusted me with a heavy responsibility, and I have the courage to do such a disloyal thing in Xia's peace!" Cai Ze said categorically.

The smiles of the three froze.

"Cai Zhan really doesn't think about it anymore?" Vance smiled stiffly, and bowed his hand again.

"You know, it's a rare errand, you don't have to take a little risk, you can sit back and enjoy it!" Hua Sheng took a step forward, his tone sharp.

"Hahaha!" Cai Ze laughed loudly and said to the three of them: "Why are the three of them so angry? Although Cai Ze has no ability at all, he also has the ability to distinguish between right and wrong, if the three of them can do their best for my Qi country impartially, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will definitely reward you heavily. ”

Hua Sheng was stunned for a moment, a little ridiculous, what can the prince give them, their wealth is so much that they can't even count it, although they can't say that they are rich, but it is okay to call them the world's richest. If it comes to official positions, what high-ranking officials can the prince give them, even if they do, they will not give much money, they are still very clear about this.

"Cai Zhan, there really isn't a trace of room for maneuver." Huasheng said.

"What does the head of the Hua family think is room for maneuver?" Cai Ze snorted and didn't want to talk about it.

"Then I'll leave it at that." Hua Sheng snorted coldly.

Seeing this, the other two also gave a salute and turned around.

"Master Hua, thirty pieces of silk!" Cai Ze shouted.

"No need." All three shouted at the same time.

......

"Cai Zhan is really bold." The middle-aged man waited until the three of them left and praised.

Cai Ze put away his smile and asked with a tense face, "Go and observe the nearest bazaar to see if there is anything unusual." ”

......

Sure enough, three days later, the market in Tao County was like a long-drought rice seedling, and goods from all over the country were either unsellable or extremely scarce.

Especially to the silk, slaves, horses, iron market.

Of course, when Tian Jian arrived in Tao County, these things did not change.

Looking at the Xiaosuo market in Taoyi, Tian Jian's face was gloomy, and he stopped an old woman and asked, "Old woman, may I ask if this Taoyi is so depressed after the war, or is there another reason?" ”

The old woman glanced at Tian Jian's dress and the attendants in the back, and replied with some horror: "Noble, this Taoyi has not changed as usual after the war, but I don't know what's going on recently. ”

.......

"Cai Ze, come out to this palace." Tian Jian's face was dull, he had already inquired about the reason, according to the owner of the shop, this shop was plainly thirty percent more rent, and many people felt that there was no benefit, so they boycotted the market!

Cai Ze hurriedly ran over from the City Lord's Mansion and said respectfully: "Your Highness, Minister Cai Ze is polite, I don't know why His Highness is angry?" ”

He also had some doubts in his heart, although this prince was not as humble as he was inside, but on the surface, this prince had been doing a lot of work, and this time he didn't know why he was so angry.

Tian Jian sneered and said, "Cai Zhan, it's so powerful, you actually raised the commercial tax without authorization?" ”

"Minister Cai Ze is puzzled, please let His Highness know!" Cai Ze said respectfully.

Tian Jian's face became more and more depressed, and he looked at Cai Ze becoming more and more unkind, and shouted: "Cai Ze, you still don't admit it, the commercial tax has been raised by three percent, making the businessman not business, this is the way to kill the chicken and take the eggs, this palace originally thought that you were an understanding person." This palace thinks that he treats him as a countryman, and he treats me as a countryman. Nope..."

"The minister is wronged!" Cai Ze immediately knelt on the ground and shouted.