That afternoon, the Qingfeng Tea House in Kinmen, Lin'an Chung, was full of tea customers, and a few scribes sat by the window of the boat on the second floor, drinking tea and talking about the current situation.

"I think Li Yanqing still has the courage, knows how to release water to raise fish, just looking at the suspension of commercial taxes, it is like a spring rain, business is booming rapidly, Qingfeng Teahouse is already the fifth, if it was in the past, who would be willing to give up commercial taxes?"

"The exemption money is also, when Yuanfeng was restructured, he said that it would be canceled, and after discussing it for seventy or eighty years, no one had the courage to cancel it, and when Li Yanqing came to power, he said that it would be canceled, and the annual tax of more than 20 million yuan was gone, and it was really not so courageous to be someone else."

At this time, another middle-aged scribe shook his head and said, "You haven't talked about the roots, why did Li Yanqing dare to cancel it but didn't dare to cancel it before, isn't he afraid that the imperial court will drink the northwest wind?" ”

Several scribes laughed and said, "I would like to listen to Brother Yang's high talk!" ”

The middle-aged scribe was obviously an official and knew the situation better, so he smiled and said: "Speaking of which, it has something to do with the Jin State, not to praise the Jin State, but the Great Song Dynasty crisis caused by the Jin State has alleviated the three redundant drawbacks of the Great Song Dynasty to a certain extent, redundant soldiers, redundant officials, and redundant expenses, everyone knows it!" In the past, the imperial court raised more than 1.4 million troops, and the annual army alone was 50 or 60 million yuan, and how many troops are there now? There are 300,000 troops in the west, 50,000 on Yuedutong's side, 100,000 on Handutong's side and Liu Dutong's side, and 50,000 on Hedong Road, which is 500,000, plus 100,000 in Beijing, which is 600,000 troops, almost half of which is removed. ”

"That's right! Let's have a drink. ”

Everyone drank a glass of wine, and the middle-aged man brushed his beard and said: "Everyone understands the redundancy, the expenses of the relatives of the palace, the former emperor spent all the time and drank all the time, and a flower stone gang hollowed out our Jiangnan, and now there is basically no expenditure in this area, at least tens of millions of yuan will be saved every year, these two big heads and one province, the expenses of the imperial court will be much easier, and Li Yanqing certainly has the capital to reform." ”

"That's a good point!" The crowd applauded, and even the other tea drinkers applauded.

"Lao Yang, let's talk about redundant officials!"

The middle-aged scribe muttered and said: "The redundant official part is more difficult to do, if you want to reform the government, you have to break the system set by Taizu, and now Li Yanqing has offended many local officials because of the implementation of the reform of selling officials, so the court and the local government have resisted the reform of the official system more strongly, I estimate that it will be changed slowly, I heard a rumor, it may start from the reduction of idle officials, such as the festival degree envoy, the regimental training, the history of the assassin and the like must be cut, and the six Cao and the six departments are merged, and then increase the income of the real power officials, it should be this idea." ”

Everyone didn't speak, and the reform of officialdom actually involves everyone's vital interests, which is too sensitive, and it is difficult for everyone to express their stance at will.

Next to a few scribes sat two middle-aged people, a man and a woman, who looked like husband and wife, the man was about forty years old, and the woman was a little younger, who seemed to be well-educated, and they had been silently listening to the conversation next door, at this time, the woman whispered: "Mingcheng, I'd better go find him!" He's not the kind of person who doesn't have a lot of gratitude. ”

The couple is Zhao Mingcheng and his wife Li Qingzhao, Zhao Mingcheng was originally the governor of Qingzhou, after the Jin soldiers killed, the couple fled south to Jiangnan, the family property was looted by the Jin soldiers and bandits, Zhao Mingcheng was originally sentenced to Jiangning, because of the crime was deposed, just after the palace coup last year, he took out all his property to dot Huang Qianshan, was appointed as the governor of Huizhou, but Li Yanqing set things right, rebuilt the unification, Zhao Mingcheng was reposed again because of the puppet official.

Today is Zhao Mingcheng's birthday, Li Qingzhao sold the last silver hairpin, invited her husband to drink tea to celebrate, and just heard a few literati chatting next door, which aroused Zhao Mingcheng's sadness.

Zhao Mingcheng shook his head, "It's not that he doesn't know that I am the governor of Huizhou, but he approved my dismissal, if he misses the old relationship, he won't be so ruthless, and we are by his side, and he hasn't come to us, what's the use of begging him?" ”

Li Qingzhao sighed and said: "You can't say that, he dismissed you as a matter of principle, and he won't show mercy just because you are an acquaintance, we live in a humble house, and he may not know, maybe he has also looked for us, but we don't know, I think since he is willing to marry his teacher as his wife and will not give up for ten years, it means that he is not a merciless person, at least he will help us in front of his teacher." ”

Zhao Mingcheng sighed and said, "Then you go!" I really don't have the courage to ask him. ”

"Good! I'm going to look for him today. ”

The husband and wife deliberated for a moment, then got up and left.

........

Li Yanqing because his wife and children have not come to Beijing from Jingzhao, he temporarily lived in his old mansion before, and did not buy himself a palace, in fact, his old mansion is not small, covering an area of ten acres, built a high wall, and hung the plaque of the Jin Palace, the surrounding open space was built as a pro-military barracks, there are soldiers standing guard outside the door, but also quite imposing, and it also seems that he is very thrifty, won a good reputation.

At dusk, Li Yanqing's carriage, escorted by hundreds of cavalry, slowly stopped in front of the gate of the mansion, and Li Yanqing got out of the carriage and walked into the gate of the mansion quickly.

"Is there anything going on?" He asked, handing the cloak to a female guard.

"News came in the afternoon, Madame, they will arrive in the capital tomorrow morning."

"Good! Nothing else! ”

The female guard hesitated and said, "There is a woman waiting for you outside the gate of the mansion, and she has been waiting for most of the hour, and she refuses to enter the mansion, saying that she is your old friend." ”

Li Yanqing was stunned, he didn't see anyone!

He hurriedly walked to the door, and sure enough, he saw a woman standing by the opposite wall, her dress was shabby, and her face was quite haggard.

Li Yanqing hurriedly stepped forward, and sure enough, it was Li Qingzhao, and he asked in surprise, "Why is the eldest sister here?" ”

Li Qingzhao was both happy and sad at this time, happy that Li Yanqing still knew herself, calling herself the eldest sister, and the sadness was that Li Yanqing had changed too much, so big that she couldn't recognize it at all, when Li Yanqing walked out of the carriage just now, she didn't dare to recognize each other, is this still the simple, energetic young man back then?

Li Yanqing also knew why Li Qingzhao came to find him, it must be for Zhao Mingcheng's matter, he did not let go in principle, but he didn't expect Li Qingzhao to be so embarrassed, shabby, haggard, and there was no jewelry on his body.

"If there is anything to say, let's go into the house and say, come with me!"

Li Qingzhao nodded silently, followed Li Yanqing into the palace, and came to the guest hall to sit down.

The maid served them tea, and Li Qingzhao smiled reluctantly and asked, "Are your wives and children not there?" ”

"They're still on the road, probably to Lin'an tomorrow, eldest sister, where do you live now?"

"We also live in Lin'an, and we rent two rooms, one is full of gold and stones, and the other is where our husband and wife live."

"And what do you live on?"

Li Qingzhao shook his head, "Didn't you see that I don't have a single piece of jewelry on my body?" Mingcheng wanted to accept some students, but we couldn't even afford to rent the venue, so he had to copy books for people to earn a little money to survive. ”

"Why is it so embarrassing? Ming Cheng has been the governor of Qingzhou for a few years. ”

"It's because we are confused, Mingcheng begged for an official, and went to find Huang Qianshan, I thought it was an old friend, he was willing to help find an errand, but he extorted all our money and property, so he gave Mingcheng an official position, but unfortunately he didn't even receive the first month's salary, and Mingcheng was dismissed."

Li Yanqing felt sorry for a while, he got up and walked out, and ordered his soldiers a few words, and then came back and said, "I know, I will definitely help you." ”

Li Yanqing thought for a while, "That's it! Mingcheng first wronged him to serve as Taixue Xuezheng, first made Taixue for me, and then arranged for him to go to the Sixth Department after two years, and asked him to report to the Ministry of Officials the morning after tomorrow. ”

Li Qingzhao was pleasantly surprised, and he arranged an official position so quickly? She suddenly remembered that Li Yanqing was the regent of the prison country, and she hurriedly got up and saluted.

Li Yanqing waved her hand to sit down, and said with a smile: "With the talent of the eldest sister, it's a pity to be idle at home, or I will ask you to be a Xixi seat and teach my sister and eldest daughter to read and write poetry." ”

"How old is your eldest daughter?"

"Six years old, called Ah Lian, she is actually the adopted daughter of the teacher, I see myself, but my sister is a little older, ten years old."

Li Qingzhao nodded and smiled: "Since she is the daughter of the teacher, I can teach her." ”

Li Qingzhao's heart finally settled, sat down for a while, and chatted about their affairs in the past few years, and Li Qingzhao got up to say goodbye.

Li Yanqing smiled: "Wait a minute, I'll give you something." ”

Li Qingzhao hurriedly waved his hand, "I received my heart, but I can't ask for your property, Mingcheng will be angry." ”

"It's not mine, it's your own."

"What's that?" Li Qingzhao asked a little surprised.

"Sit down for a moment, and you'll be here soon."

After a while, two pro-soldiers walked into the lobby, carrying a box with a seal on it, Li Qingzhao was stunned for a moment, "This is ......."

Li Yanqing smiled slightly: "Can you recognize it?" ”

Li Qingzhao stepped forward and gently stroked the box, of course she could recognize it, the box was still her own dowry, this was the box of silver that her husband gave to Huang Qianshan! And all their possessions were exchanged for this chest of silver, two thousand taels of silver.

She looked behind her, and there was still a note on the box that said 'Zhao Mingcheng respectfully', and the box had never been opened at all.

"I found it during a search of Huang Qianshan's house, I took it off and was going to return it to you, but there has been no news of you, since the eldest sister is here, let's take it back today!"

Li Qingzhao suddenly had an urge to cry, she wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, and choked up: "Yanqing, thank you so much!" ”

Li Yanqing sighed and said, "I know you have a grudge against me, and to be honest, I am also very sorry. ”

"I never blamed you!"

Li Qingzhao shook his head and said: "I was originally resolutely opposed to Ming Cheng begging Huang Qianshan, and I also advised him not to be the emperor's official, you know that Ming Cheng has always been keen on fame and fortune, he is a little dissatisfied with you, but it is not your fault." ”

"Anyway, I will try my best to help you, Mingcheng is capable, and his qualifications are enough, but he is not very lucky, you go back to comfort him, let him do a good job, I will give him a future."

Li Qingzhao was grateful, so he got up to say goodbye, and Li Yanqing asked his carriage to send her back and return her with the box.

Looking at the carriage walking away, Li Yanqing sighed slightly, and there was an inexplicable sense of loss in his heart.

Please remember that the first domain name of this book is .. Three-Zhangmen mobile version reading website:m.