Wen Shiyan looked at Wen Fangliang for a long time, and suddenly felt that the nephew in front of him was so strange, he sighed: "It's very rare for Liang'er to endure small profits and try to achieve great things." ”

Seeing his calm look, Wen Shiyan was half surprised again, and said self-deprecatingly: "Is it because of my uncle?" ”

He sighed and said: "The Acropolis is a stagnant altar, and my colleagues are excited, and they all want to come to the state city to seek work. People stand at thirty, do not be confused at forty, and know the destiny of heaven at fifty. For the uncle's year, he was close to the destiny of heaven, but he achieved nothing, and he felt guilty. ”

He said to Wen Fangliang: "By the way, if there is a good opportunity, Liang'er can give his uncle a praise job in the General Staff Division, and he still has the ability to give advice to his uncle and the general of Dingguo." ”

……

At this time, in Zhang Gui's house, looking at the dazzling array of books in Zhang Gui's study, Tian Changguo couldn't help shaking his head and praised: "I didn't expect that Brother Zhang collected so many military books and agricultural books, and he was so studious, and he really admired and admired my brother." ”

Zhang Gui sat on his seat and sighed: "If you don't learn, you can't do it, right now, all the soldiers in my Shunxiang Township must be literate, and if you relax a little, you will be left behind." Brother Tian knows that inside and outside the state city, there are a lot of people who are jealous of me, and I am trembling every day, and I dare not slack off. ”

Tian Changguo echoed: "Yes, yes, it's not easy for everyone. ”

He leaned comfortably on the Huanghuali official hat chair and said with emotion: "I was invited to participate in the discussion today, Brother Zhang doesn't know, my heart is comfortable." ”

He sighed and said: "I have passed fifty, and my name is the commander of the security guard, the commander of the state city, and the camp drill and military ministry power under my name have all been divided by Lin Daofu. What's the fun of the rest of the patrol duties? Baoan Prefecture is now not left behind, and it does not close its doors at night, and it may not be patrolled once a month. The old brother is crazy to be idle, and fortunately, the eyes of General Dingguo saw that the old brother came. ”

He sighed contentedly.

Zhang Gui glanced at him: "The opportunity is rare, Brother Tian should pay attention, the general has always hated his subordinates for being addicted to wine." In the future, you will still run less to the Qinglou Restaurant, which will dislike the general, which will be a big deal. ”

Tian Changguo looked a little embarrassed, and said: "Yes, yes, thank you Brother Zhang for reminding me, brother Minggan is five, Minggan is five." ”

Zhang Gui shook his head: "Brother Tian thinks about one thing, but he doesn't think about the other, the people of the state can sell grain, and the general can also sell grain, but if foreign grain merchants come to Baoan Prefecture to buy grain and rice, so what?" You must know that there are many wealthy grain merchants in Zhencheng and Taiyuan, and if they buy a large amount of grain and rice, prices will rise even more seriously than now. ”

Tian Changguo was stunned for a moment, and blurted out: "Then forbid them to buy grain." ”

Zhang Gui shook his head even more: "If this is the case, foreign traders will no longer bring grain to Baoanzhou." ”

Tian Changguo also got up and paced unconsciously, he thought about it repeatedly, and always felt that there was no perfect solution.

Seeing that he was out of his mind for a long time, Zhang Gui said: "Let's discuss this matter slowly, Brother Tian, there is something I want to explain to you." If you are really the head of the commercial department, in order to avoid suspicion, it is better to stop the business of those shops under your name, find a suitable price, and change it as soon as possible. ”

Tian Changguo said embarrassedly: "This, it's not in the way, right?" It's just that some nephews and nephews in the family do some small business. ”

Zhang Gui patted his forehead and said, "Lao Tian, don't be confused." If you are doing business in your home, how do you manage the affairs of the department? What will outsiders think, what will the general think? Some financial matters are small, and the loss of military weapons is a big matter, and time is not waiting for me. ”

Tian Changguo came down in a cold sweat, and he saluted Zhang Guishen: "Thanks to Ambassador Zhang's reminder, brother, I almost missed a big incident." ”

Zhang Gui waved his hand and said, "You and my brother's family, why do you want to see each other like this?" ”

He muttered: "Listen to the general's meaning today, in the future, tax bureaus will be set up in various places on the East Road to collect commercial taxes. In my opinion, the establishment of this tax bureau can first start from the state town and collect taxes from those businessmen for the purpose of raising the army and the people. Those merchants are under the control of the Commercial Affairs Division, which can also better prevent foreign thieves. ”

Tian Changguo said: "I am afraid that this matter will cause a big uproar*, and most of the businessmen operating in the state city are the sons and nephews of officials and gentry everywhere. Collecting commercial taxes from them is afraid that it will cause a lot of scolding, and may even lead to a boycott of the market, which will be used to blackmail the government. ”

Zhang Gui sneered: "My Shunxiang army is invincible, and I am invincible, and I am afraid that some businessmen will make trouble?" If they dare to jump out, General Dingguo can pinch them to death with a little finger."

"You can rest assured in this matter, either they pay taxes obediently, or they will get out of Baoan Prefecture, I don't believe that they have a business and don't do my Ming commercial tax is only thirty and take one, the purchase price is less than forty taels and are tax-free, such a light commercial tax they are still unwilling to pay, that is, what is the benefit of such profiteers staying on the East Road?"

Tian Changguo gritted his teeth: "With Ambassador Zhang's words, I will rest assured, brother." **,"

Zhang Gui shouted: "Okay, you and my brother advance and retreat together." ”

Then he sighed: "It's good that you are in charge of the Commercial Affairs Division, but if I am in charge of the entire Civil Affairs Department, I am afraid that it will cause a flood of scolding." ”

Tian Changguo said tentatively: "What does Ambassador Zhang mean? ”

Zhang Guidao: "From the ninth year of Chongzhen's Dingguo General to Shunxiang Fort, and then to the state city, reclaimed wasteland, and divided land for the army and civilians. However, the elder brother also knew that the fields under the names of the officers of the state city and the forts had not moved, and no taxes had been paid. I mean, I will re-measure their fields and levy grain by the acre."

"The newly divided fields, whether officers or small soldiers, are all levied grain according to the mu, it makes no sense that those old fields are still not levied at all, it is time to pay grain uniformly."

Tian Changguo took a breath of cold air: "This matter is not trivial, I'm afraid it ......"

Zhang Gui smiled: "If not, how can you leave a deep impression in the heart of General Dingguo?" Brother Tian, there were Han Chao, Gao Shiyin, Zhong Xiancai and others under my fort. When it comes to fighting, I can't keep up with them anymore, and if I don't do something in civil affairs, how will I gain a foothold in my Shunxiang army in the future? ”

Tian Changguo looked at Zhang Guiliang for a long time and re-evaluated this famous man who was rude in the eyes of outsiders.