Thirty taxes and one is already the old yellow calendar, even if the market tax and shop tax are not counted, the banknote customs tax alone has been fifteen taxes since the seventeenth year of Wanli, and the tax collectors often overestimate the market value of the goods, resulting in the banknote tariff reaching ten taxes one, of course, if you are willing to bribe the tax collectors, then underestimate the value of the goods, down to twenty taxes one, which is very large, [***] born from this -

Zhang Yuan is now entering Beijing to take the exam, and he has no time or ability to get rid of the serious ills of the banknote customs and taxation, what he wants to do is to try his best to understand the current situation of the Ming banknotes and merchants, and do research and research for possible reforms in the future, read thousands of books, travel thousands of miles, and now is the time to travel, so he has no intention of holding these two tax collectors, and it is useless to treat the symptoms but not the root cause-

The black-faced and yellow-faced tax collectors couldn't afford to provoke this group of people, and they didn't dare to collect the taxes of the Gaoyou merchants, but Zhang Yuan asked them to collect them, so they had to collect them according to one hundred and twenty jars of balsamic vinegar and four dollars and eight cents per altar, and fifteen taxes and one.

The boat has passed the banknote pass, the sunset has fallen in the distant mountains, the boats moored on both sides of the bank are gradually increasing, the boat lady is cooking on the fire, the cooking smoke is curling, the wind blows away and drifts to the river, the cold water is blue, the twilight is gradually rising, the canal at dusk in this winter is covered with a layer of dreamlike green smoke, not choking, there is a slight smell of smoke.

Fan Wenruo, who had passed the banknote pass early, and their three boats were moored on the left bank one mile away from the bank, and seeing that the two boats behind them had been delayed for so long to catch up, Fan Wenruo stood at the stern of the boat and asked loudly What happened?

Ruan Dacheng's boat slowly approached and docked, and Zhang Yuan said with a smile: "I learned about the banknote tariff system - are we going to park in Yangzhou at night?" ”

The Gaoyou merchant's ship also docked, side by side with Ruan Dacheng's ship, and it was four or five feet away, so the Gaoyou merchant jumped over desperately, kowtowed to Zhang Yuan and the old men, and said that if he hadn't met a few benevolent men today, then his trip would have been in vain, and maybe he would have let the tax collector fork to the yamen, which would be even worse-

Ruan Dacheng said with a smile: "I have to help you with a basket of salted duck eggs." ”

The Gaoyou merchant laughed and asked, "Do you want balsamic vinegar, the best Zhenjiang balsamic vinegar." ”

Ruan Dacheng said: "I'm not used to being jealous, what about you, Brother Jiezi?" ”

Mu Zhen really seems to like to eat a little sour, Zhang Yuan asked for a jar, and the Gaoyou merchant immediately ordered the guy to hold a jar of balsamic vinegar, this altar is about twenty-five catties, Zhang Yuan said in his heart: "How long will such a big altar be eaten." Let Wuling pay five coins of silver, where is the Gaoyou merchant willing to accept it, Zhang Yuan said: "Pingshui meets, I will help you this time, and there is no heart for you to repay, you are not a big businessman, five coins of silver is also a lot, accept it, accept it and talk well, I still have something to ask you." ”

The Gaoyou merchant was very grateful, and found five cents of silver in Wuling, even if this jar of balsamic vinegar was for the old man.

Ruan Dacheng looked at Zhang Yuan and the Gaoyou merchant standing at the bow of the boat and talking, and said to Jiao Runsheng beside him: "Zhang Sheshou really has something to say to anyone, don't be ashamed to ask, it is Zhang Sheshou." The tone seemed to be teasing.

Jiao Runsheng said: "My father once said that I only saw a life like Jie Zi who was studious and enlightened, and Jie Zi must have to know more about the various situations of the businessman, since everyone can be a sage, then everyone has their own knowledge, and knowledge is everywhere." He also told Ruan Dacheng about the year before last in Nanyuan, the deputy envoy of Bao in Hangzhou, and Zhang Yuan met his father Jiao Hong for the first time and said that "the tea boy is the way"-

"Huaizuo Mingdu, Zhuxi is the best place, and the first journey of unsaddle and young station——"

Zhang Dai said loudly: "You are passing through Yangzhou, do you just ignore it, regardless of the twenty-four bridges and the wind and moon?" "Zhang Dai's tour is really strong, last night sang Jinshan Temple, and today I want to travel to Yangzhou at night.

Zhou Menong said with a smile: "Zongzi is right, not leaving the name of Qinglou Bo Xing, it is simply a shame to the sages. ”

Ruan Dacheng has been to Yangzhou many times, and said: "This is about five or six miles away from Daming Temple and Pingshan Hall, how about we go there for a visit, Pingshan Hall has been rebuilt in recent years?" ”

The Gaoyou merchant answered some of Zhang Yuan's questions, then bowed and thanked him again and again, returned to the three-oar boat, and wanted to rush back to Baoying County overnight.

Zhang Yuan saw that everyone was discussing a night tour of Yangzhou, so he came over and asked: "Brother Ji, is Slender West Lake far away from here?" ”

"Skinny West Lake?" Ruan Dacheng was stunned, "Where is the Slender West Lake?" ”

Zhang Yuan said: "It's on the edge of Daming Temple." I thought, "Could it be that Slender West Lake hasn't been named at this time?" ”

Sure enough, Ruan Dacheng smiled and said: "That's Baoyang Lake, which is a remnant of the moat of the old Song Dynasty, but it's better for Jie Zi to call Baoyang Lake as a thin West Lake, and Baoyang Lake is really a corner of West Lake." ”

Wen Zhenmeng, Huang Zunsu and others don't like to play, and a few are weak and afraid of the cold and don't want to go, so they stay on the boat, Wen Zhenmeng and Jinnige have a long talk, and then translate "Aesop's Fables", Zhang Yuan, Zhang Dai, Ruan Dacheng, Zhou Menong, etc., together with more than 20 servants, hired a sedan chair man at the dock, and when they arrived at Daming Temple by sedan chair, they met a wealthy family in the city who crossed the dead relatives in the temple and set off the flames, everyone was a little disappointed, and went to Pingshan Hall, the door was closed, and it could not be opened for a long time, and the withered vines and leaves of the stone shed in front of the gate were very bleak-

Zhou Menong also took his flute and sighed: "Where does the jade teach? ”

Ruan Dacheng said with a smile: "This thin West Lake is still not as prosperous as Hangzhou West Lake, not to mention that it is freezing now, only I will come when I am in high spirits." ”

Zhou Menong rubbed his hands and shrunk and said: "The weather is really cold, not suitable for night travel, Brother Ji still take me to enjoy the wind and moon of the Twenty-four Bridges." ”

Ruan Dacheng is also accustomed to being romantic, and said: "Guangling Twenty-four Bridge Fengyue, only the publication ditch still has its meaning, but the name there is not idle, the name is hidden and does not see people, if there is no guide can not be seen, but also book first, there are hundreds of people in the crooked memory, Yangzhou people are not kind, good people are crooked, in fact, there are more beautiful women in the crooked memory, and the name is often not good at beauty, it depends on your preferences and eyesight. ”

Qi Biaojia refused: "I won't go." ”

Ruan Dacheng said with a smile: "We can have a glass of hot wine at the wine shop at the entrance of the alley, and take a look at it, if you really like it, why not stay for a night." ”

Zhang Yuan has no moral cleanliness, he himself will not summon to seek pleasure, but he is not disgusted by other people's memorization, go to have a glass of wine and see what does it matter if the red sleeves are full of red sleeves?

……

Zhanggou Nine Lane is Yangzhou fireworks land, half a mile across the river, there are nine winding alleys, the fine house is dense, twists and turns, the living people go in is like entering the maze of Emperor Yang of Sui, can not find the way out, Zhang Yuan, Ruan Dacheng and his party came to the mouth of Zhanggou Lane when it is already the end of the unitary hour, the sky is completely dark, I saw the teahouse and wine shop on the south bank of the Zhanggou hanging a hundred yarn lanterns, the glow is shining, hundreds of crooked ointments are incense, grease and powder, waiting for benefactors in groups under the eaves in front of the lamp in the teahouse restaurant, Ruan Dacheng said that this is called the station pass-

Zhang Yuan and his eldest brother Zhang Dai, Wang Binglin, Qi Biaojia and several people went to a teahouse nearby, sat down on the street seat on the second floor, and asked for a pot of Yangzhou famous tea Kui Longzhu, as well as mille-feuille oil cake, double hemp shortbread, chicken shredded rolls and bamboo shoots potstickers, these Yangzhou snacks, while tasting tea and eating snacks to satisfy hunger, while looking at the market under the window, I saw Ruan Dacheng and Zhou Menong who were reviewing the hundreds of crooked notes, looking at them one by one, beauty pageant-

Zhang Dai said with a smile: "Under the moon in front of the lamp, people have no positive color, these female fans are thick, and it is difficult to distinguish between scars and numbness, Zhou Menong is short-sighted, picking and picking and picking, look at it, he will choose the ugliest one to think it is stunning." ”

Qi Biaojia felt very fresh, stood by the window and stretched her neck to look-

Wang Binglin said with a smile: "Brother Huzi might as well go down and take a closer look." ”

Qi Biaojia's face flushed, sat back in his seat, ate chicken silk rolls, and his ears were full of the sound of warblers and swallows outside the window.

Zhang Dai said with a smile: "Zen Master Huzi, let's see if it's not in the way, it's not as if you broke the vows." ”

Zhang Yuan and Wang Binglin both laughed.

Yangzhou banknotes, businessmen gathered, businessmen are the main consumer of fireworks Qinglou in the nine lanes of Zhanggou, as well as wanderers, all love to come here to seek joy and comfort loneliness, Zhuji covers the light between the curtains, the guests come forward to look at each other, see the favorite, reach out and pull, a moment ago was still scratching the head to attract the crooked memory of the guests at this time suddenly reserved, refused to go with the guests, pointed to the alley, signaled the guests to go first, she walked slowly, there were turtle slaves at the entrance of the alley, saw the girl with the guests coming, and shouted to the door of the alley: "Sister Furong has a guest." The alley responded, and the lanterns soon came out to welcome this Sister Furong and her benefactor, not to mention the wine and acacia-

Zhang Yuan and a few people watched it interesting in the teahouse, "dong dong dong" stairs sounded, Zhou Menong came up with a girl, and said with a smile: "Zongzi, Jiezi, you help me take a look, can this girl still see it?" ”

The female fan who followed Zhou Menong was extremely thick, covering her ugliness with white, painting her eyebrows and lips, a little vulgar, and her body was slender and slender, although Zhang Yuan was short-sighted, she dared to conclude that this woman was not young, she should be an older girl in her thirties, and her appearance was also middle and lower among the group of crooked memories downstairs, Zhou Menong was decisively dazzling-

This woman blessed Zhang Yuan and a few people, and her eyes showed pleading, for fear that Zhang Yuan and them would make fun of Zhou Menong for not having the eyes to cause her to be abandoned, Wang Binglin had already pouted and wanted to say a few words, but when he saw this woman's eyes, he closed his mouth and just smiled-

Zhou Menong said: "What is Brother Wang laughing at? ”

Wang Binglin said: "I didn't laugh at anything. ”

Zhang Yuan looked at the girl who was very nervous, presumably because of her age, her business was not very good, and she finally caught a short-sighted scholar, and she was very worried that someone would interrupt her and disturb the good thing, her waist was slightly twisted, maintaining a blessed posture, and Chu Chu looked at them pitifully-

Zhang Yuan said: "Brother Zhou has good eyesight, vulgar clouds, in the eyes of his lover, Brother Zhou just likes it." ”

"The lover's eye is full of wisdom, and this is wonderful."

Zhou Menong was happy, turned his head to look at the woman he had selected from hundreds of crooked records, and said proudly: "Ruan Jizhi also said that she is ugly, I will come to ask for your opinion, very good, it's just her - what's your name?" "Ask the girl.

The girl said: "The name of the concubine is like a flower. ”

Zhou Menong said happily: "Like a flower like jade, a good name." He bowed his hand to Zhang Yuan and the others, and pulled the girl downstairs.

Zhang Dai said with a smile: "I wanted to give Lao Zhou a wake-up call, but when I saw this woman's eyes, I couldn't bear it." ”

Wang Binglin said: "Jie Zi is right, Zhou Menong can like it himself." ”

When I looked out the window again, Ruan Dacheng and Weng Yuansheng were gone, presumably they had chosen their favorite female ministers to follow them into the alley, Zhang Yuan drank tea for a while, it was already the second drum time, and there were only twenty or thirty people left in the hundreds of crooked memories at the station, so it can be seen that most of the crooked memories have benefactors-

At this time, the past guests have been scarce, the candle flame in the gauze lamp under the eaves of the teahouse wine shop will burn out, and it will not be added tonight, some teahouses have no guests, the black and silent silence, a few crooked memories are still waiting for guests sitting on the teahouse pestle, they are all familiar with each other, and the tea doctor is not good at driving them away, so he has to keep yawning with his sleeves, and the few girls will scrape together a few pennies to buy a small candle from the tea doctor and light it, in order to wait for the late guests, and sing slang songs such as "breaking the jade" in a coquettish voice, laughing and laughing, pretending to be lively, so that it seems that the hour is still early, but he couldn't laugh when he smiled, his voice gradually became sad, and Dr. Tea finally spoke: "Sisters, go back, no one will come tonight." ”

Zhang Yuan and a few people from the teahouse opposite walked down and prepared to go back to the boat, and the six or seven girls here stood on the side of the street and looked at them, which should be their last hope tonight, but Zhang Yuan obviously didn't plan to give charity in the flesh, just looked at them, turned around and went south-

Late at night, I didn't bring back the guests and went to the alley as if I was sorry, the black light was blind and the fire quietly groped, and I didn't dare to make a noise when I entered the door.

……

The cold moon was desolate, the night wind was cold, and Zhang Dai, who was walking in the direction of the canal from the ninth lane of Zhangou, suddenly sighed: "It is a sin to know that it is not a mistake to remember today. ”

Wang Binglin said with a smile: "It's still too late to atone for your sins." ”

Zhang Dai smiled: "There are too many people, I can't redeem them." ”

Zhang Yuan said: "Shinong, industry and commerce, three religions and nine streams, each has its own way of living, it is good to have such a peaceful life." ”

Walking through the Linhe Market, Zhang Yuan saw that the shop with leather boots was still lit, remembered something, went in and bought a pair of medium-sized cowhide boots, Wu Ling looked at it and asked, "Young Master, did you buy it for Sister Zhenzhen?" ”

Zhang Yuan said "um", the heels of Mu Zhenzhen's winter felt boots were worn out, and the fallen girl refused to buy new ones even if she had money in her hand, so she had to wear them so that she couldn't wear them.

When he was about to reach the canal, Qi Biaojia suddenly said: "It's snowing again." ”

Zhang Yuan immediately felt the fine snow drifting on his face, it was the snow of Jiangbei.

……

The next morning, Zhang Yuan woke up, the cabin was already very bright, Mu Zhenzhen was combing his hair, his clothes were clean, they were all newly changed, this winter coat was rewarded to her by Zhang's mother Lu when she left Shanyin this time, Mu Zhenzhen was reluctant to wear it, and put it on today, seeing Zhang Yuan wake up, the girl with blue eyes looked back and smiled: "Young master, it's still early, it's the snow light." ”

Zhang Yuan said: "Was it snowing heavily last night?" "I sat up and looked at the gap in the canopy window, and sure enough, I saw that the shore was white—

Mu Zhenzhen hurriedly took out his long coat and put it on him, and said, "Today is colder than yesterday, young master, don't freeze." ”

Mu Zhenzhen pulled the long jacket with both hands and put it on Zhang Yuan, Zhang Yuan held her hand, a little cold, and asked, "Zhenzhen, why did you put on new clothes today?" ”

Mu Zhenzhen's eyes dodged: "It's cold, young master." ”

Zhang Yuan said: "I remember the sixth day of the winter month of the year before last, and the sixth day of the winter month last year, I really put on the new clothes that I was reluctant to wear, why?" Is the sixth day of the winter month a good time? ”

"Ahh Mu Zhenzhen didn't expect the young master to be so careful, he even saw this kind of trivial matter in his eyes, his fair cheeks showed a flush, and he stammered a little when he spoke: "The maid is, I like to wear new clothes on this day." ”

Zhang Yuan stretched out his hand and stroked Mu Zhenzhen's cheek, changing the topic and said, "Zhenzhen's complexion is really healthy, just like our Shanyin's rice tube melon." ”

The skin of the rice tube melon is not pink, but it is as smooth and firm as white porcelain-

Mu Zhenzhen lowered his head and smiled: "The rice tube melon is not delicious to eat raw, it needs to be sliced and fried in oil to be delicious." ”

Zhang Yuan said: "I don't believe it, I always eat it raw." As he spoke, he took the girl's cheek and kissed her on the red lips, and bared her white teeth to bite—

Mu Zhenzhen shrank down and smiled, and when she saw Zhang Yuan pressing on her, she hurriedly whispered: "Young Master, Xiao Wu and Laifu are over there." ”

Zhang Yuan's cabin is larger, Mu Zhenzhen and Zhang Yuan sleep inside the cabin, Wuling and Laifu sleep outside, separated by a screen-

Zhang Yuan felt the bullet surname of this girl's body, and said in her ear: "Zhenzhen, today is your birth." ”

Mu Zhenzhen was silent, his body softened, he hugged Zhang Yuan with both hands, and shouted, "Young Master." With a whimper, in this world, except for her father Mu Jingyan, only Zhang Yuan remembered her life, and she didn't mention her life to Zhang Yuan-

Zhang Yuan sat upright and put on his robe, and said with a smile: "I know things like a god, I really can't hide it from me." ”

Mu Zhenzhen helped him tie his belt, and responded happily: "Yes, the young master is more divine than the Qingmo Mountain people on the cross street." ”

Zhang Yuan said: "Where is the Qingmo Mountain people's divine calculation, it is completely a hexagram to cheat money, he doesn't seem to have opened a fortune teller shop on the cross street, maybe the business is not good, and he went back to the mountains to farm." As he spoke, he took out the pair of cowhide boots from the side of the mattress: "This is what I bought at the Linhe store last night, you can wear it and try it, if it is not suitable, you can change it, this is the birthday gift I gave you, I originally planned to buy it with you today." ”

Mu Zhenzhen's heart jumped happily, but he said: "But young master, the maid is a depraved person, and she can't wear leather boots." ”

Zhang Yuan said: "There are not so many rules, hurry up and put them on." He thought to himself: "Now that the merchants' mansions are more than the regulations of high-ranking officials, the eunuchs are all wearing winged crowns, and Nurhachi is about to build a country, so there is no point in dwelling on these ranks." ”

Mu Zhenzhen put it on as he said, walked back and forth a few steps, stomped his feet lightly, and said diligently: "Young master, it fits very well, thank you young master." "Come over and put a hat on Zhang Yuan's bun, and say: "When my mother gave birth to me, it was on such a snowy day, my father rushed back, and when he saw that my lips were black, he opened his arms and hugged me against the flesh, so I didn't freeze to death, and my mother died of cold and fell ill in a few years——"

……

At the beginning of the year, Ruan Dacheng and Zhou Menong returned from the Nine Alleys of Zhangou, and Zhou Menong said with satisfaction: "The joy of last night is better than that of the prince." ”

Zhang Dai asked, "What do you mean?" ”

Zhou Menong said: "There are hundreds of beauties, they are provocative, they regard me as Pan An, I command and pick at will, and the prince has no such pleasure." ”

The boat is in full swing.

(To be continued)