The flower hall of the county king's mansion.

Ye Zhao sat on the main seat, and more than a dozen Confucian students sat respectfully on the sofas on both sides, led by Zheng Zhen and Yu Quyuan, and the rest of the Confucians were also talented today, and they all hung up errands in the silent hall of the auditorium.

The silent hall of the ceremonial room is really the propaganda department in Ye Zhao's eyes.

Now these scholars, with different faces, have just experienced a big fuss, and when they heard the young master's yellow robe, they were surprised, and the bandit Su Hongniang surrendered to Cheng and was overjoyed.

Listening to the errand assigned by the general Wang to draft the new emperor's enthronement edict and the rebellion against the edict, the mood is different, there are those who are eager to try to achieve fame through the ages, and there are those who are timid and afraid of things and worry about the disaster to the whole clan. Zheng Zhen is happy to agree, he often writes poems to ridicule the darkness of the officials, come to Guangzhou can be described as a fish in water, see all kinds of changes in Guangzhou, faintly have the appearance of Zhongxing China, Zheng Zhen is overjoyed, once made "accompany the general to visit Huangpu" praise.

Among the Confucian students, although Yu Quyuan has achieved higher achievements in later generations, but now, it is natural that only Zheng Zhen is the first to look forward, and everyone knows that now he is retreating, but he is afraid that he will lose his head at any time, not to mention that the Pingyuan army is strong and strong, I heard that the five major generals were there when the young lord was established last night, and there were more Taiping thieves who surrendered, and the prestige of the general Wang was like Zhongtian, it seems that the Pingyuan army is in the hands of the general Wang, so it may not be impossible to break the Northern Dynasty, maybe it will be a great wealth in the future. Although the future is a bit dangerous, it is also a big gamble, and winning will be prosperous.

Of course, there are a few Confucian scholars who rub their fists and grind their palms, and their hearts are agitated, if they can follow the general Wang to determine the world, achieve peace and prosperity, and raise the prestige of China in foreign lands, how magnificent?

Ye Zhaozi knew that they had different thoughts, but politics was to unite the majority, whether it was for glory and wealth, or for ideals, as long as they followed him, they had to paint a bright future for them.

After taking a sip of tea, Ye Zhao said again: "Everyone is a handsome man in the world, with far-reaching insight, and Sage Confucius said that the people can make it, and they can not make it, and they know it." What the people do not know, they want to educate them. However, in ancient times, the teachings of the saints could only benefit three or five disciples, dozens of people, and more than a hundred people. Today, it is different, the telegram is thousands of miles away, the schools are all over Guangdong and Jiangxi, and there is the newsprint, which is widely spread among the people. This matter of education should also be advanced with the times, and this king is ready to be led by your silent hall to run a newsprint, and all of you can list the righteousness of the economy and be known to all the people. ”

The eyes of all Confucian students are bright, although there are a few newspapers in Guangzhou, but most of them are commercial information, wind and snow, novels are serialized, never involving current affairs, and occasional articles attacking opium to promote women's self-improvement are extremely rare, but they need to be checked by copywriters at all levels, and those who are careful can no longer be careful, for fear of violating the ban.

Ye Zhao said again: "This newsprint, since it is called newsprint, is mainly news, acupuncture the disadvantages of the times, and promotes the new deal, of course, write less on the dark side, and highlight the bright side, can't you be all together, right?" When we go back, we will transfer personnel from the Bureau of Commerce and the officials' offices, and the news of both things will be involved to broaden the people's horizons. Newspapers will be distributed to the village level, there are schools, teachers read newspapers, there are no schools, village gentry, there must be newspaper readers to read the newspaper, of course, I have to think about this again, it is a long-term idea. ”

Speaking of which, now only the primary school hall of Guangzhou Prefecture has gone down to the countryside, and even if there is a new-style school in the rest of the state capital villages, it is also funded by the squire. If you want to become a fat man in one go, unless all other developments are stopped, all the money will be allocated to education.

All the Confucian scholars nodded one after another, today's Confucian scholars, can have a piece of words and only write a book to be called a great Confucian, think about the article written can be passed on with the newsprint among the people of the world, what a beautiful thing? The hearts of these Confucian students are all hot.

At this time, a little maid hurriedly entered and whispered a few words in Ye Zhao's ear, Ye Zhao just smiled and picked up the teacup: "That's it today!" ”

The Confucian students were busy getting up and saying goodbye.

…… Marigold Pavilion, the crimson curtain in front of the bed is rolled up and hung with gold hooks.

The bed tooth carved dragon and phoenix, luxurious like a palace-like red cloud bed, sitting a great beauty who captivates the country and the city, red clothes and thin Luo, cloud sideburns and flowers, like a fairy concubine spring sleep awakening, lazy style, it is Su Hongniang.

Ruyi knelt in front of the bed and gently helped her to put on small embroidered shoes.

Hearing the footsteps, the matchmaker raised her head and came back to her senses in a daze, only then did she notice Ruyi kneeling under the bed, and when she saw Ye Zhao with a smug smile, the matchmaker blushed, remembering that he tossed his madness last night, remembering that he begged for mercy without a mouth, and the screams of her husband and father-in-law, she was ashamed and hateful.

"Master, the slave and maid are waiting for you to wash." Ruyi blushed and got up lightly, but her hands seemed to be still immersed in the silky and wonderful taste, this new master, it was really like water, and it made people's hearts pound when they touched it, but I don't know how much the prince loves her.

was tossed until the belly of the fish turned white, as a concubine, the matchmaker reluctantly supported to ask Fujin for peace, and then returned to the room, and slept until this afternoon, but Ye Zhao had already dealt with several official matters.

"Ruyi, in the future, you will be considered a person in the matchmaker's room, and the matchmaker will return home, all thanks to your care." Ye Zhao said with a smile that if she wants the matchmaker to integrate into this family, she naturally has to serve her by the people around her, which will soon make her feel at home.

"The slave obeys." Ruyi hurriedly agreed.

Ye Zhao smiled again: "You master is very powerful, our first ladylord of the Qing Dynasty, or the female marshal who led the troops, if you like her and teach you a trick and a half, you will be of infinite use." ”

Ruyi opened her mouth in surprise, and the matchmaker said, "Don't listen to him." He stood up and walked to the bathroom, was stunned, and hurriedly chased after him.

After washing, Ye Zhao and the matchmaker went downstairs to the restaurant next to Tingyuxuan, and said while walking Ye Zhao: "Are you hungry?" ”

The matchmaker didn't dare to look at him, she was really bullied last night, remembering the situation of begging for mercy and crying and screaming under him, thinking of his proud appearance, the matchmaker couldn't wait to beat him up now, but she could only think about it in her heart.

The restaurant is magnificent, the gold and silver utensils are shining, and Ye Zhao and the matchmaker sat down for a while, the maidservants wore flowers and butterflies to deliver dishes, the delicacies and seafood are the prince's favorite food, and there are a few Guangxi dishes, taro button meat, three fresh rice noodles, cordyceps stewed chicken, etc.

From Ye Zhao's order to wait for the matchmaker to eat together, the entire lotus building and the dining room were tightened, the matchmaker woke up, and the little maid in the lotus building immediately passed out a series of words, and the entire dining room was immediately busy, and the whole palace was like a huge machine, waiting or running at high speed with the prince's words.

Even Ye Zhao didn't know that with a simple meal, how many people tensed their nerves, and how many people were honored or disgraced.

"The chicken is the most famous little turkey in Wuzhou, tender, I also love to eat, sometimes I miss you, I ask the kitchen to make a few cinnamon dishes, so the kitchen materials are sufficient."

Ye Zhao said as he sandwiched a piece of chicken, and Ruyi hurriedly took it with a colorful small porcelain plate and sent it to the matchmaker.

The little maids looked at the red lady's eyes with more awe, the prince likes to give Xiao Fu Jin cloth vegetables, because these little maids are commonplace, now look, this red master is also very favored.

The matchmaker looked at the delicate little maids standing in a row in the restaurant, as well as the three big girls who were busy at the table, Ruyi, Zhaocai, and Jinbao, and she was a little unaccustomed, but she naturally had to work hard to adapt. It is even more necessary to secretly glance at Ye Zhao's every move and learn his dining rules, so as not to make jokes.

A little maid hurriedly entered, knelt down and said, "Lord Wang, those merchants have arrived. "The prince has instructed that if you are waiting for these people, even if you have time to eat, you must report it immediately.

Ye Zhao said to the matchmaker a little helplessly: "I wanted to have a good meal with you." ”

The matchmaker said: "It's okay." ”

Ye Zhao sighed and got up, "I'll have to wait for dinner with you next time." After eating this meal, the matchmaker naturally wanted to leave for Zhaoqing and Wuzhou.

The matchmaker was also a little stunned, but she was relieved, he always remembered last night, embarrassed.

The little maid hurriedly sent hot water towels, and Ye Zhao rinsed his mouth and washed his hands and face, and said, "I won't give it to you, what do you want in a while, tell Ruyi." ”

The matchmaker bowed her head slightly.

…… In the flower hall of the palace, there are more than a dozen businessmen and gentry, including Wu Chongyao, Liang Lunshu and other giants, as well as Cao Yi and other industrial upstarts, as well as Huizhou landlord Shen Lao Ye and Foshan landlord Jiang Lao, as well as Cantonese newspaper tycoon Hu Ningming, Taihe Xing Taipan Huang Wenxiu, etc.

When these people saw Ye Zhao entering the hall, they all said goodbye and kowtowed, Ye Zhao smiled and said: "You don't have to be polite, sit, sit." ”

The flower hall is magnificent, and the sofas on both sides are also extremely long, these people didn't dare to sit, but seeing Ye Zhao sitting, because it was a sofa, it was obvious that the general Wang's body was half shorter, so these people hurriedly sat down carefully on the sofas on both sides in turn.

Ye Zhao glanced at everyone and said with a smile: "I think about last night's incident, some of you have got the letter, and some of you don't, but the queen mother of the two palaces has to rely on your support!" ”

The businessmen looked at each other, and several of them had shocked expressions on their faces, obviously not aware of this.

Ye Zhao picked up the teacup and tasted the tea, giving them time to digest.

After a while, Wu Chongyao said with a straight face: "Lord Wang, how much food do you need, but please make it clear, the grass people will do their best." "His property has been inseparable from the property of the general king, one is prosperous and one is lost, even if he wants to stay out of the matter, but the general king falls, the Northern Dynasty gains power, then his property will not be confiscated It will become a strange thing, and it is even more difficult to say whether the head of the whole clan can be saved, after all, the Northern Dynasty is not like the general king, it can be seen that the law under the rule of the general king is gradually protecting the private property of property, and the Northern Dynasty likes to engage in the act of killing the head and stealing the family and the nine clans.

Some businessmen secretly complained, they didn't want to wade into this troubled water, even if they hoped that the general Wang would gain power, but they didn't want to get into trouble, not to mention donating money for no reason, who wouldn't feel distressed?

Just donate silver, what do you want people like Hu Ningming and Huang Wenxiu to do? Huang Wenxiu is just a shopkeeper, how can he be the master? Hu Ningming ran a "Cantonese Daily", but how many net worth? And the net worth of two of those industrial factory owners is also obviously a big difference, so why should he do it?

Ye Zhao smiled and said to Wu Chongyao: "Liangfu, you want to be bad, this king called you, not to ask you for silver, to say that this time and a half, the treasury can still support, even if the war is tight in the future, there is no need for everyone to donate, there are people who are willing to serve the emperor and the queen mother of the two palaces, it is all voluntary, and the principal and interest will be recorded with loans, even during the war, we will act according to the law." This king can vouch for this! ”

All the merchants were relieved, and they hurriedly said: "The prince is serious. ”

Some people thought that if they used the national debt to raise money for the army, according to the custom of the countries of Europa, they could buy some, but it would take a few months to see if the general king could support it. Otherwise, they can only sell their property as soon as possible and take refuge in Nanyang. In any case, the city of Guangzhou is broken, but I am afraid that the big guys will not be better.

And the factory is inconvenient to relocate, or has a stake in the railway and telegraph company, so he thinks that he must do his best to help the general king against the Northern Dynasty no matter what, otherwise, he will really lose all his money.

Ye Zhao said with a smile: "All the monarchs are people of noble character, and they are even the best for a while, this king invited you to come because this king and the queen mother of the two palaces have discussed, and I want to ask everyone to contribute to the new policy." ”

Everyone didn't understand what they meant, financial prestige, Wu Chongyao was the head of everyone, and immediately said: "The prince is sent, and the grass people and others are doing their best." ”

Ye Zhao said with a smile: "The Queen Mother of the Two Palaces, the Emperor and the King want to set up Enping Lieutenant, ready to grant it to the monarchs. ”

Are all the businessmen stunned, taking money to sell their officials under different names? But this is not like the style of the great general king.

Ye Zhao said with a smile: "Enping Lieutenant is not an official position, nor is it a title, it is just a title awarded to the virtuous people of the people to commend their virtue, but it is not just an honorific title, Enping Lieutenant is to bear the power and responsibility of maintaining civil tranquility and preventing illegal punishment." For example, if he is a lieutenant, he can inspect prisons and other detention institutions to receive complaints from detainees, and if he finds any violations of law and discipline in various yamen, he can also directly complain to the officials' rooms or even to the secretary's office of the general's palace. ”

This En Ping Lieutenant is similar to the justice of the peace in Hong Kong in later generations, but it was changed by Ye Zhao and used as a signal to enhance the status of the businessman gentry at this stage.

Ye Zhao smiled again: "The first batch of fifteen Enping Captains is ready to be awarded to the monarchs, and they will be added every five years in the future, but the future review will definitely be stricter than the current law, and there are a few of you who are a little younger." According to the king's thoughts, in the future, there will be about thirty Enping lieutenants in each province. "Although it is an expedient measure, it can be used to prepare public opinion institutions in the future.

Most of the businessmen are well-versed in Western affairs, but they know that the British Empire has set up a Justice of the Peace in Hong Kong, which has something in common with the Grace Ping Lieutenant mentioned by the general Wang, but the Justice of the Peace in Hong Kong also has to serve as a magistrate, and Grace Ping Lieutenant is more of a folk title.

Just, supervising prisons and patrol cells? Can you directly fold bullets to the secretary room of the general Wang, and the yamen habit? For them, this is an unthinkable privilege.

This is not the same thing as spending money to donate to officials, no matter how much money you donate, what if you donate a red top? That's just a false name, in the eyes of others, you are still a businessman, and no one will really take your red top seriously.

Under the new policy in Guangzhou, this Enping Lieutenant is very different, not an official, but he has the right to comment on the yamen, the general Wang Xiang is not false, and he can think about it, how will his status be improved if he is this Enping Lieutenant, at least, there is no need to worry about the unpopular officials to extort money.

Ye Zhao looked around at everyone and said: "Of course, everyone knows the current situation of this king, you have received Enping Wei, if the situation changes in the future, I will harm all the kings, if you can't resign, this king will not be reluctant." ”

Wu Chongyao immediately said: "The prince, the grass people and other humble bodies, the prince loves him, and he is only afraid in his heart, afraid of losing the prince's high hopes, but the grass people must be conscientious and conscientious to maintain the peace of the township and the harmony of the people." How dare you say a push word? ”

The rest of the crowd was also grateful to Dade for his humility.

Ye Zhao said with a smile: "That is the case, the gentlemen should be the ones who should not give in, and all walks of life in Guangdong and Jiangxi still depend on the gentlemen to maintain them." ”

This first batch of fifteen Enping lieutenants is exquisite, there are tycoons, and there are also big landlords; And a few people who run an industry, even if their strength is slightly inferior, are also people with relatively representative surnames and broad prospects in all walks of life, just like Hu Ningming, the first brother of the newspaper industry, who is only more wealthy than Huang Wenxiu, but as the founder of Cantonese Newspaper, the owner of Guangzhou's hottest newsprint, to a certain extent, is also very important.

Huang Wenxiu, not to mention Ye Zhao's partiality, Taihe Bank invests in all walks of life, and this shopkeeper is even more widely travelled and famous, and can be said to be the out-and-out No. 1 shopkeeper in Guangzhou. And among Enping's lieutenants, if you want to choose a manager representative, he is naturally the only one.

Fourteen proprietors, one shopkeeper, announced to the outside world that this business community is not only the social status of the big boss of the proprietor, but also those managers and shopkeepers and even men can also give birth to outstanding talents, which is enough to deserve the glorious title of Captain Enping.

The businessmen present are all extremely shrewd, and now we can know why the general Wang summoned the representatives of the business gentry, including Hu Ningming and Huang Wenxiu.

Ye Zhao smiled and picked up the teacup to send off the guests, and said: "Another day, the zodiac is auspicious to award medals to you, and Boss Hu will not wait for the time being, and this king will not send you to you." ”

The merchants hurriedly said goodbye, and soon only Hu Ningming was left in the hall.

Sitting alone in front of the great general Wang, Hu Ningming felt a little uneasy in his heart, but fortunately, the prince's smile was gentle, and he was slightly relieved.

Ye Zhao smiled and said: "Boss Hu, the ceremonial room in this palace is planning to organize a newspaper, and I want you to give me more advice." ”

Hu Ningming hurriedly said that he didn't dare, and his heart was even more wide, he had contact with the people in the palace secretary's room from time to time, and the articles criticizing opium and other articles were all from the palace secretary's room, and the officials in the palace, he felt that he was honest and efficient, and there was nothing to be afraid of.

Ye Zhao said again: "But this newspaper can't catch up with the emperor's enthronement ceremony, so when the emperor ascends the throne and promulgates the world, he must also announce the military and the people in the Guangdong newspaper, Boss Hu, no problem, right?" ”

Where did Hu Ningming dare to say no? How polite is this General Wang? If someone else is changed, how can they summon you alone to discuss with you? Naturally, I didn't have a chance to agree.

(To be continued)