Good things are approaching, and there is an endless stream of visitors in front of Han's house.

The prime minister's house was originally bustling with traffic like a busy city, but now it has caught up with the Shangyuan Lantern Festival.

Only at the entrance of the alley, the carriage could no longer go in, Jing Cheng got off the car, looked into the alley, and couldn't help but sigh: "It's so lively." ”

Fang Xing also got out of the car, "There's no way, it's usually difficult to give a gift to Xianggong, after this village, I don't know when I will meet the next store." ”

"Oh?" Jing Cheng turned around, "Is there such a thing?" ”

"Xianggong's birthday is never a big deal, and there is no way to give gifts. The interpersonal exchanges during the New Year's Festival, the gift list is a little more valuable, and it will also be returned. However, if you give a gift to the newcomer, it is inconvenient to return. So Chengfu, take a look, this time the prime minister's family married a daughter and a woman, and many people took it as an opportunity to curry favor with the father-in-law. ”

"I'm afraid it's more than that." Jing Cheng shook his head: "Others sent it, but I didn't send it, and my heart is empty." ”

There are some things that you have done, and you can't remember them. You didn't do it, but you'll be remembered. This is a common practice in officialdom.

"There are tens of thousands of officials in the world, and there are thousands of people in the Jingshi, who sent and who didn't send it, just go to the four selections of Quancao, and I can't find out if I want to check the list, and there are not only a few people in the state and county yamen under the Zhongshu Gate."

Fang Xing said with a smile, pulling Jing Cheng, "Don't care about those people, they just gave gifts, and after a few days, the prime minister will return the favor - the prime minister's favor, how can it be so light?" - Come with me, and wait for you justly. ”

The situation in Runzhou finally calmed down, and Jingcheng was able to get out temporarily and go to Beijing to report on his work.

Fang Xingben has had several encounters with Jing Cheng, and recently served as a Beijing teacher, and was sent by Han Gang to meet Jing Cheng.

Han Gang was reviewing papers in the back garden at this time, and the noise outside came to the back garden, leaving only a little noise in the wind.

Small things such as receiving gifts and returning gifts, with Wang Yi watching, Han Gang, the shopkeeper, should be at ease.

However, in front of a paper discussing pi, Han Gang took a charcoal pen and drew dots on the draft, which was a little difficult to read.

In recent years, the speed of progress in the research of natural sciences has been very obvious, and in some places even Han Gang has a feeling that he cannot keep up with the development of the times.

In particular, after the creation of the algebraic system and the translation of geometric principles, the progress in mathematics was even more surprising. In the mathematics chapter of Nature, the calculation of the area and volume of irregular objects is the focus of the discussion, curves. Others began to study how to bring algebra into geometry.

It's a pity that Han Gang's level is not good, otherwise it would be difficult to guide the creation of the foundation of analytic geometry, and calculus should also appear.

Hearing that Fang Xing had brought Jingcheng here, Han Gang put down his pen, breathed a sigh of relief, and went out to meet the guests.

"Congratulations."

When he saw Han Gang, Jing Cheng congratulated him first.

Han Gang returned Jingcheng's half-salute, but shook his head and said: "The marriage of children is a private joy." Jiangnan is peaceful, and it is the joy of the prime minister. Now the land south of the Yangtze River can be regarded as Hangang Daoxi? ”

Jing Cheng visited Han Gang a few times before, and there were always a few words of greeting, and it was the first time that Han Gang was so straight to the point. Jing Cheng's heart stopped beating, and he didn't know what kind of news Han Gang wanted to hear.

He hesitated, peeked at Han Gang, and then glanced at Fang Xing, according to his understanding of Han Gang, when the prime minister of the dynasty likes to listen to people tell the truth and do the right thing, rather than singing praises and flattery. And Fang Cai Fang Xing said something about Han Gang's style outside, which also confirmed this.

He thought, so he gritted his teeth, "The silk factory is endless, and the chaos in Jiangnan is not endless." ”

Fang Xing asked on the side: "Could it be that the silk factory owners in Jiangnan haven't raised their wages yet?" ”

"It's just a small rise, and sooner or later it will come down again. This generation has a hard time filling the desires, and they have begun to quote the Japanese people, how can the wages be high. ”

Fang Xingdao: "The cotton factory was opened in the northwest, and how many landless farmers were absorbed. Wages are better than farming, why can't Jiangnan be like this? ”

Jing Cheng said: "There are few cotton factories and many silk factories, the price of cotton is high and the price of silk is low, the cotton industry is more public and the silk industry is selfish, and there are many factories for spinning cotton and many small farmers for silk weaving, so the cotton factory can be peaceful and rich for the people, and the silk factory is chaotic and remnant." ”

Han Gang said: "I also know about this matter, so taking advantage of this chaos in Zhejiang, the imperial court will be exempted from the tax of two Zhejiang for three years." At the same time, starting next year, the two Zhejiang and two taxes will no longer collect silk, but will be changed to pay money, and then avoid the suffering of the people. ”

Jing Cheng said: "If you can reduce the change, it will be a blessing for the people of the two Zhejiang." But the silk mill ......"

Fang Xing interrupted him and asked rhetorically, "Brother Chengfu, do you think the silk factory can be scrapped now?" ”

"Why can't it be scrapped?" Jing Cheng held back the unhappiness in his heart and asked rhetorically.

"Because it can't be scrapped." But it was Han Gang who replied, "The weight of the remnants of the people is far greater than that of the silk factory, and the Son of Heaven can't stop the change." The income of the silk mill is far greater than farming, and the rich people are flocking, do you think you can scrap the silk mill? ”

Han Gang sighed, "Thank you Chengfu for being honest with you." But as a pro-people official, what you want to do is to let there be no displaced people in the territory, not to corrupt other people's property. Silk is selfish, can be edified, guided, and governed according to law, but it cannot be rashly abolished, Chengfu, do you understand? ”

"Xia Guan understands...... But the people are innocent. Jing Cheng said in a low voice.

Han Gang could hear that Jing Cheng's attitude was somewhat of his favor, but there was also a bit of sincerity.

"Don't just think of silk farmers, but also think of the people of the world who can wear cheaper clothes. Compared with hundreds of millions of yuan in the silk world, the silk farmers in the south of the Yangtze River are insignificant. The imperial court governs the government, and it can't have both ways, so it can only make trade-offs, and the current situation is on the side of more people. ”

……………………

It took more than an hour to see the guest, and it was only on the second watch day that Han Gang got out.

Wang Yi waited for a long time with the sorted out gift list and accounts, and when she saw her husband, she was a little impatient: "Why is it so long?" ”

"I first met Jingcheng from Runzhou, and then I met a young man who had just been promoted by Shen Cunzhong. It is said that the level of erecting railway bridges is better than Li Mingzhong, and he presided over the construction of the Shazhou stone bridge from Sizhou to Yangzhou. Fang just chatted a few words, and he had some ideas, but he had some temper. ”

"Oh?" Wang Yi became curious: "There are still people who can still have a temper in front of officials?" ”

Seeing a lot of officials who can't even speak well in front of their father and husband, and hearing many stories of trembling hands and feet and incoherent speech in front of the Son of Heaven, Wang Yi can't imagine that ordinary petty officials can still have a temper when they see Han Gang.

"There are many young people like this, and it is good to be able to do things with peace of mind."

is conceited because he is talented, and because he has no fame, he is even more proud under his inferiority, and there is even a reckless.

If those who only know are rotten Confucians, Han Gang didn't plan to get used to their temper, but if they are really capable people, they naturally have to look at them differently.

He was thinking of using steel to build a bridge, which had a larger span than a wooden and stone bridge. If it succeeds, it will definitely be"

Compared to the meeting with Jingcheng, the young engineer's little temper is nothing at all.

In the face of power, Jingcheng did not dare to stand hard. But Jingcheng's attitude represents the thinking of a large number of officials.

Cotton mills, which are factories that create a new industry, will inevitably be counterattacked by the old forces if they eliminate the old productive forces, and a large number of unemployed people will also make many bystanders stand on the opposite side.

But Han Gang had no intention of retreating, and the situation in Jiangnan could not shake his foundation.

"Official...... Officials, officials! ”

Wang Yi raised his voice higher and higher, pulling Han Gang's train of thought back.

"Well, listen." Han Gang replied nonchalantly.

Wang Yi glared at him, as always, he couldn't do anything about him, and put a few booklets in front of Han Gang one by one, "This is today's gift list, those to be returned, and those to be returned, are all classified." This is the eldest sister's dowry list, which will be sent over in two days. The Su family also sent Jin Niang's dowry list yesterday, two more things than before, official, see if it is returned. ”

Han Gang looked through it, and there were four hundred acres of paddy fields and two thousand yuan more, "Probably Su Zirong heard something from Zhang Zihou, I will go and tell my in-laws." ”

Su Ziyuan has remarried and gave birth to a pair of children. But Su Jinniang is the fiancée of the prime minister's family, and Su Ziyuan's step-room is not to mention abuse, even if it is treated slowly. The dowry was not frugal, but more than expected.

After Su Ziyuan took the opportunity of the Hajj and took his daughter to Beijing, Wang Yi and Yan Suxin both went to visit Su Song's house and were very satisfied with this daughter-in-law. Moreover, with the Han family's background, they will not have any strict requirements for dowry. Suddenly seeing that the dowry was more than agreed in advance, Wang Yi felt bad.

"There's no need to compare, can the two be the same?" Wang Yi said.

The prime minister's family and the Zhizhou family are not of the same rank at all, and with the Han family's family background, they will not care too much about this dowry. In Wang Yi's opinion, there is no need for the Su family to slap a swollen face.

"Aren't you afraid that your daughter will be wronged in her husband's family? It's all a parent's heart. Han Gang was deeply touched, "Not to mention the customs of Fujian." ”

Fujian has always been particular about marrying girls. When the daughter of a wealthy family gets married, in addition to the dowry, she has to prepare hundreds of thousands of dollars with the car to send her son-in-law's house in a car to show off all the way. If not, they will laugh at their neighbors. In order to marry a daughter, even the official eunuchs have to do their best. Fujian's reluctance to have daughters also comes from this.

The Su family is a big family in Fujian, and when they heard the dowry prepared by the Han family for their daughter, they didn't want their daughter to be too far behind.

"Since Su's family has added another dowry to Jin Niang, is the eldest sister's dowry also a little added." Wang Yi asked.

Although the customs of Beijing are not as good as those of Fujian, they still pay attention to the richness of the dowry.

"Enough. In the future, it is not enough to subsidize again, and it is not too late. Han Gang didn't think that the dowry he prepared for his daughter would be too simple.

The most important part of the dowry that Mr. and Mrs. Hangang prepared for their daughter was two title deeds and a certificate of deposit.

A Zhuangzi with 800 acres of high-grade paddy fields within the boundaries of Kaifeng Prefecture, and a Zhuangzi with nearly 3,000 acres of cotton fields in Longxi, as well as the voucher for extracting 100,000 guan from the Ping'an.

The other dowries other than the three add up to only a fraction of all the dowries.

At the beginning of the founding of the country, this dowry allowed the prime ministers to break their heads.

Xiang Minzhong, the great-ancestor of the Empress Dowager Xiang, once competed with another prime minister, Zhang Qixian, to marry a widow with 100,000 pieces of furniture, and finally made trouble in front of Emperor Zhenzong, causing both sides to lose.

Now that it has been a hundred years since Shengping, the country is rich and the people are rich, and 100,000 yuan has not attracted the prime minister to come forward to compete, but it is enough to shock the world.

However, it is inevitable that the latter two will not be made public, and the two families will be fine. Han Gang only casually mentioned it to Zhang Dan.

"Why don't you bring back the carriage and horses for your relatives, and leave them for Brother Xiang and eldest sister?" Wang Yi ti yì.

"It's fine." Han Gang nodded.

According to the customs of the Jingshi at this time, the dowry needs to be resisted, and the bride must also sit in a sedan chair.

But taking people as animals has always been hated by Han Gang, and this time marrying a woman and marrying a woman, the Han family will send and welcome each other in a carriage.

The wedding car that is ready to go to the wedding is ready. The dowry of Han Qiang will also be transported by freight wagons. Instead of two porters carrying a box, the custom of crossing the streets and alleys would hinder the traffic of the Kyoshi.

In Han Gang's opinion, it is still a team that is more in line with his aesthetics.

Do you want to change the ceremony after the appointment of the Son of Heaven by the way? Han Gang thought.