The progress of the re-inventory of the various divisions is different, and although Cao Hao and his colleagues have checked the open accounts of the sea tax early, they have been detaining it without making a noise. After the accounts lost by the Fujian Haikou were handed over to Cao Hao, Cao Hao called Fu Xiangong and Chade to privately check the accounts on both sides in detail, and studied them again, but the accounts of the sea tax, which seemed to have no loopholes, were 17,400 taels of silver.

Fu Xiangong's attitude is still "I believe in Master Li's character". And Chade is humble, although they also show that they believe in Li Qichang, but they all make it clear: "Everything is subject to Lord Cao's disposal." The implication is that if Cao Hao helps Li Qichang, everyone is willing to hide it; If Cao Hao wants to expose it, everyone will be willing to corroborate it.

Before Prince Yong issued an official document asking him to re-examine the losses and taxes of the pirates, the Ministry of Officials and the Ministry of War gave Wang Yi a petition to ban the maritime merchants on the grounds that the pirates were rampant.

"Scholar's view! How can you give up food because of choking? After listening to Cao Hao's retelling, Zhuang Xi couldn't help but retort.

Cao Hao smiled and said: "The excerpt was refuted, and when I heard that the holy decree was declared, I asked, 'I don't know that the marine robbery is no different from the robbery of the rivers and lakes in the mainland. The local civil and military attaché in charge. can be carefully inspected, do their best to search, bandits have no room for themselves. How can the trade of merchants be forbidden, because of the occasional wreck of the sea?' Even the officials and the military department were also implicated, saying that they were unwilling to do their best and disregarded the overall situation. ”

Zhuang Xi stroked his beard and said with a smile: "The emperor is wise." Although this Wang Yi is upright, he is wooden! ”

Cao Hao was stunned: "This Wang Yi is upright?" ”

He was still thinking in his heart whether this Wang Yi would be a certain elder brother's force, and he took the opportunity to make trouble this time. There is a problem with the sea tax account here, and this kind of coincidence really can't make people think about it.

Zhuang Xi said: "I also know a little bit about this person, he is indeed an upright person, and he is a person who dares to speak." The Hanlin Academy, which was entered by the Jinshi in the twenty-seventh year of Kangxi, was quite praised by the emperor, and was once worshiped as a banquet attendant, and he was very strict with the teacher, and the prince was punished for violating the school rules, and he taught the third elder brother, the fourth elder brother, and the fifth elder brother. Later, the official came to ......"

"Fourth elder brother?" Cao Hao was surprised and couldn't help but interrupt Mr. Zhuang's words.

Seeing Zhuang Xi nodding yes, Cao Hao frowned slightly: "Although the emperor refuted Wang Yi, the fourth elder brother issued an official document to investigate the losses and taxes of the sea invaders, don't be collecting evidence, do you really want to ban the sea?" ”

Cao Hao knew that the Qing Dynasty had implemented the policy of "closing the country to the outside world" until the Opium War, but he could not remember whether it was the Yongzheng period or the Qianlong period, so he was quite worried that this "closing the country" and causing China to move towards colonial history was actually the political views of the fourth elder brother and his staff.

Zhuang Xi was puzzled: "Collecting evidence? Why? ”

Cao Hao pondered for a moment and said, "Maybe I'm thinking complicated!" In fact, in the long run, overseas trade is absolutely beneficial, but in the short term, because the sea tax itself is not high, if some people above cannot take into account the overall situation, they see that the sea tax on the surface is not much, and the sea invaders suffer a lot of losses, so they think that the benefits outweigh the disadvantages, so they will ban the sea ......."

Zhuang Xi said: "It's not impossible, after all, there are still many people who are eager for quick success." If that's the case, there's no other way, your business in Guangdong will have to be collected! ”

Thinking about the negative impact of "closing the country" on the country, Cao Hao also began to hesitate about the fourth elder brother in his heart, if he really insisted on going his own way, then how should he deal with it? Can't you just get past him and tell him about the dangers of the forbidden sea, and tell him that if that's the case, the country will only get more and more backward, and after more than a hundred years, the foreigners will open the country with guns?

If the fourth elder brother was really influenced by the teacher and had the intention of forbidding the sea, then he would not be able to watch it? Although he has no ambitions and no thoughts about the country and the people, how can Cao Hao, who is familiar with the humiliating history of China in later generations, stand by indifferently?

"If the above really thinks about the forbidden sea, it will be terrible, and future generations will suffer from it. Sir, is there any way to resolve it? Cao Hao asked.

Due to the limitations of the times, in fact, Zhuang Xi himself only felt that the opening of the sea trade could make the circulation of goods and goods among the people and the coastal provinces more beneficial, and it was a policy that benefited the people, and he did not have a particularly deep understanding. Therefore, although he raised his hands in favor of the implementation of this policy, if he did not implement it, he would not have thought of any great harm that would affect future generations.

Zhuang Xi was puzzled by Cao Hao's attitude towards political affairs, he originally saw that he was just indifferent, except for his family, he followed his surname on everything; Now, is it actively concerned about political affairs, or is it not related to their own errands, what does this portend?

Cao Hao's eyes are as clear as ever, and he has no ambition that has been nurtured by the desire for power, and he looks no different from the past.

Zhuang Xi shook his head in his heart, it seems that he has been tossing hard in the autumn room these two days, and he is a little lacking in energy, and he is starting to think crankily. Maybe Cao Hao can't let go of the income in Guangdong, so he will pay special attention to the matter of banning the sea. Therefore, he smiled and comforted: "No matter what the fourth elder brother means, there is an emperor above, and the folds of the forbidden sea over the years have been in vain." Although the falsification of accounts may reduce the already small amount of sea tax, it becomes more and more apparent that the losses of the sea pirates are greater than the sea tax revenues, so as to prove that the sea should be banned. But Wang Yi is indeed upright, and he only has a five-grade official position in the matter, and he also asked the people of the Ministry of Households to change his accounts greatly. This time, the fourth elder brother asked to thoroughly investigate these two items, perhaps in order to investigate the greed for ink! ”

"Greedy for ink?" Cao Hao said: "In September last year, a large number of people were just dismissed from the household department of the Caodou case, and these people still dare to go against the wind? He remembered the unmatched ten thousand taels of silver on the sea tax account, and shook his head: "This account is not something that one or two people can change, but ten thousand taels of silver, is it worth such trouble?" ”

Zhuang Xi said with a smile: "Hao'er was born rich and noble, and she doesn't know poverty. A five-grade annual salary is only eighty taels, and a thousand taels of silver require many years of savings! ”

Cao Hao nodded, it was indeed his vision that had become higher. The families who usually interact, except for the Jueluo family, are either rich or expensive, like those royal mansions, a gift may use up 1,800 taels of silver; When I entered the household department, I said that all I saw were accounts of hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars, so I had no concept of money, and I didn't take the more than 10,000 taels of silver seriously.

If you are greedy for ink, it naturally has nothing to do with you, because you got married a year ago, and you can only be a month apart. Cao Hao didn't bother to think about it anymore, he didn't have a good impression of these corrupt officials and moths in his heart, and he wished that the fourth elder brother could find out more.

As for Li Qichang in Langzhong, he is not worried. Li Zhong was promoted to Langzhong in September last year, how could he be greedy for a year's worth of silver in three months? Let's find out his innocence.

On official business, Cao Hao has no interest in investigating the case by himself. When Prince Yong routinely inspected the household, Cao Hao was cautious in his wording and reported the suspicious accounts.

For the rest, let those who have a heart go to it.

* Now that the weather is warm, when Chu Yu finished living in the palace "to the moon", Cao Hao decided to transplant two sycamores to this side according to what he thought before. Because the florist was going to come over, after Cao Hao went to the household, Amethyst would take Chu Yu over to the side of the Kwai Courtyard first, and Mama Ye would take care of it with a few mothers-in-law.

Chu Yu was wearing a milky white crepe silk jacket covered with a red river silk colorful silk horse gown, and two hairpins with two ruby strings of rice beads on her head, and no other jewelry, but it was not plain and light, reflecting the more refreshing people. Amethyst poured tea for her, looked at it carefully, and said with a smile: "The slave and maid look at the county lord and are a little plumper than last month!" ”

"Isn't it!" Chu Yu touched his face and smiled helplessly: "A few Eniang took turns to make up for me, and there were either ducks or geese in the whole day, although it was really greasy, but it was not easy to refute the kindness of the elders!" ”

Amethyst said with a smile: "The county lord was a little thin before, but now it's just right, and the uncle will be happy here!" ”

When Chu Yu heard Cao Hao mention, he shook his head embarrassedly: "I see that he is less clear than before!" "Thinking of the teachings of several Fujin in the palace, they are all called to give birth to children early and spread out the branches, and I am looking forward and worried in my heart. Thinking of Cao Hao's hot eyes when he picked her up and sent her back in the morning, he couldn't help but be sweet.

Amethyst told Chu Yu about pity and regret for autumn, which Cao Hao had already said when he visited the palace before. Because Mr. Zhuang is old and Lianqiu has a body again, after Cao Hao discussed with Chu Yu, he didn't wait for Chu Yu to come back, so according to Mr. Zhuang's wishes, he invited wine to promote Lianqiu and Xiqiu. When Amethyst chose two little girls to come over, she also prepared a dowry for the two brides. Fortunately, the Banyan Courtyard is spacious, and there is no need to change places, so I packed up two new houses and came out, and opened my face to the two new aunts.

Chu Yu nodded while listening, she had only seen one of the two of them, and after the newlywed worshiped the ancestors of the gods and Buddhas and recognized her relatives, all the people in the house came to kowtow to her.

At that time, Mama Ye was still strange with her, thinking that a few maids around Cao Hao were outstanding, but she didn't expect that Rongyuan and Huaiyuan were not inferior. Later, I inquired privately and learned that these four and the few who married with the three girls were all bought by Mrs. Li when she was in Beijing the year before last, and she was supposed to ask them to go to Kwai Yuan to serve, but for some reason there didn't leave any of them.

Because of this, Mama Ye also deliberately inquired about the sex between the county lord and the forehead several times, and she was also worried that Cao Hao was different from ordinary people or had any quirks, and wronged the county lord.

At that time, if the princess got married, there were palace maids who acted as "trial marriages", and went to the Edon's house before the Zhengzi and shared the bed with the Edon, and the next time she returned to the palace to tell the Queen Mother in detail whether the Edon had physical defects and whether the surname was tender. After making sure that there is no hindrance, the wedding will be held. The county lord did not allow this, so he could only marry blindly and mutely, and resign himself to fate.

Chu Yu only blushed and smiled and said that Mama Ye was too worried, and Mama Ye was relieved.

Waiting for Amethyst to talk about some miscellaneous trivial things in the house this month, Chu Yufang asked Xiyun to hand over a small bag, and when he opened it, it was a pair of stone blue satin women's shoes. Chu Yu took it with both hands and handed it to Amethyst: "This is what I did some time ago, I wanted to embroider some flowers and plants, but I thought that my sister Su said that she didn't like those embroidered clothes, so that's it, Sister Amethyst, don't be too rough by hand!" ”

Amethyst was stunned, and hurriedly shook her head and said, "This is a torture and killing slave!" "And he didn't reach out and take it. When I went back to my mother's house this time, I made a few pairs of shoes by myself, and it was also a marriage custom to bring to my in-laws' family after the moon, but the identity of Amethyst was not suitable.

Chu Yu rested directly in Amethyst's hand: "It's not that I'm looking at the forehead, it's Chu Yu himself, and I also feel that Sister Amethyst is close!" As he spoke, he wrenched his fingers and said, "In addition to this, there are also those with a forehead, a second brother, a father-in-law in the south, a mother-in-law, and a grandmother, a whole six pairs!" ”

The two were talking, Huan'er came to tell him, the steward of Changping Zhuangzi came, he came to see the uncle, and now the uncle is not in the house, and the chief housekeeper asked Amethyst, is it to ask the county lord to go out and get an idea.

Amethyst asked Chu Yu what he meant, Chu Yu thought about it, whispered a few words to Xicai, and then got up and followed Amethyst to the front yard.

The person who talked to the chief butler Cao Zhong in the side hall was He Maocai, the steward of Changping Zhuangzi. "It hasn't snowed since the beginning of the year, and although there have been two snowflakes since the end of the year, the ground has not been covered. I had hoped that it would be better after the beginning of spring, but it was still rainless......" He Maocai said worriedly.

Seeing Chu Yu and Amethyst coming in, He Maocai hurriedly knelt down to say goodbye. Before Chu Yu returned to the palace, he had come to ask for peace twice, and this was not the first time they had met.

Chu Yu sat down with a smile, and asked He Maocai and Cao Zhong to sit down and talk back, both of them didn't dare to say, and stood and said the reason why He Maocai returned to Beijing. Due to the lack of rain in winter and spring, and the weather was as abnormal as in previous years, He Maocai was worried about this year's year, wondering whether to dig a few more deep wells in several granges to prevent drought. However, it is the spring plowing season, and the various expenses of drilling wells are more expensive, so he came to the capital to ask for instructions.

Chu Yu did not directly say whether he agreed to dig a well, but asked: "I don't know how much silver money a mu of fertile land is now, compared with previous years, is it cheaper or more expensive?" ”

He Maosheng said: "Because of the high grain prices in the past two years, the price of land near Gyeonggi has also increased by half percent, and now the high-quality fields are almost 921 acres. ”

Chu Yu nodded, and said: "I have a place in Zhuangzi, and I am also over there in Changping, so I will send someone to take you over to take a look." There are fifty hectares, if you can find someone, let's shoot! ”

In a word, the other three in the hall were stunned. The county lord married fifty acres of land, which they all know, but what is the reason for this land sale?

"Shoot what?" With the sound of questioning, it was Cao Hao who came back from an errand, and heard that He Maocai was coming, so he came over to take a look at the side hall, and just heard the second half of Chu Yu's words.

Chu Yu got up to greet him, and He Maocai was about to kneel again, but was stopped by Cao Hao. Cao Hao smiled and said, "How do you have to come here?" As I said in the first month, I will plant some more peach trees in the spring of this year, 'peach three apricots and four', and those trees should be able to bear peaches next year! Let He Maocai and Cao Zhong sit down, Cao Haofang turned around and asked Chu Yu: "Who are you looking for, what are you looking for?" ”

Chu Yu smiled and said: "I mean that I have dozens of acres of land, there are several Zhuangzi in our family, and there is no shortage of that place, I just want to see if I can let He Guan Zhang Luo Zhang Luo change hands!" ”

Those fifty hectares of land are the property of Chu Yu's marriage, and according to the current rules, she can use it freely, and she usually has to keep her own children. Therefore, everyone will feel strange when they hear it, Cao Hao shook his head and said with a smile: "Okay, what kind of land to sell?" When people hear it, they think that we can't make ends meet, and we have to rely on your dowry to sell it for money! As he spoke, his heart moved, and he looked at Chu Yu again.

Chu Yu heard Cao Hao say this, only to know that he was still young and did not think about it thoroughly, although this land sale was kind, but it hurt his face, even the palace may not be able to understand. Thinking like this, she couldn't help but feel a little ashamed on her face, and she felt a little uneasy in her heart.

When Cao Hao saw it, he didn't say much, and listened to He Maocai talk about digging a deep well. A few years ago, several Zhuangzi collected 6,000 taels of silver, and Wei Xin also sent someone to send some back, although it cost a lot to marry a sister, but then the share of the collection was almost flat, but now it is very rich.

Cao Hao is a layman in farming, but he also knows that crops can't be done without water, and if there is little rain, the yield will be reduced or even the harvest will be lost, so he asked He Maocai to find someone to dig a well.

He Maocai said again about planting peach trees on the mountain, I am afraid that I will have to wait and see, if it does not rain in Qingming Valley, it will be difficult to survive even if it is planted. The mountain is no better than the mountain, and even if it is watered, it seeps down.

Cao Hao remembered the tenants he had seen in Changping in the past two years, if it was really a drought this year, he would only lose a few thousand taels of silver in income, but for the hundreds of tenants in Zhuangzi, it was a major matter related to their livelihood. Thinking of this, Cao Hao instructed He Maocai again not to care about the money and to dig a few more wells.

He Maocai responded one by one, and Cao Hao saw that Chu Yu was a little uncomfortable, so he smiled and said to her: "Uncle He has dealt with the land all his life, which is a trouble-free one. Since he said that he was afraid of a big drought, that is, ** is not far from ten, your Zhuangzi, also drill a few deep wells! It's the palace side, let's send someone to tell Ming'er! ”

(To be continued)