When Xu Liang came to Dingjun Mountain again, the entire Dingjun Mountain belonged to Liangji Mining. At the intersection of the main road into the mountain, a fence was also specially set up, and several miners on duty saw Luo Baiguan, the big shopkeeper of Liangji Mining, accompanying Xu Liang and others, and hurriedly moved the fence blocking the middle of the road.

Luo Baiguan explained to Xu Liang as he walked, "My lord, there were originally four roads into the mountain, and after the entire Dingjun Mountain was bought by us, our subordinates have ordered people to destroy the other three, leaving only this one import and exit, and the coal on the mountain can only be transported down the mountain through this one export." ”

Xu Liang nodded and said, "Keeping an exit for easy supervision, you are doing the right thing." ”

When a group of several people came to the mountain, Xu Liang visited the coal mines that were purchased from Qin Yuanwai and Weiyuanwai, and could see that the three coal mines had basically stopped production, and there were only four or five miners left behind in each mine.

The flat ground on one side of the mine was filled with coal as high as a hill.

Luo Baiguan pointed to the hills that looked like coal piles and said: "My lord, please see, there are three places like this where the coal dug up in our mountains, according to the rate of coal consumption in our factory, at least by the end of this year, the coal mines will not have to reopen." ”

The asking prices for the coal mines purchased from Cai Mao and Qin Wei are extremely low, and the coal that has been dug up is basically half sold and half given away.

Lunch was eaten in the mine, and it was extremely simple. Each person had a large bowl of white rice, and the mine workers had cooked two pots of green vegetables, and now they had killed a mine worker's own chicken.

After lunch, the group began to descend the mountain.

As a result, when the carriage drove to the intersection of the main road down the mountain, he saw the miners on duty in the distance stopping several tax collectors dressed as officials. What are the two sides arguing about.

Seeing this, Luo Baiguan's face turned ugly and he came to the carriage. Chao Xu Liang said, "My lord, these tax collectors are here again. ”

When the carriage drove in front of the tax collectors, Xu Liang jumped down from the carriage, stood in front of the five tax collectors, looked at the leading tax collectors condescendingly, and said in a deep voice: "Which yamen are you from?" What a bold man, he dares to make trouble here! ”

The tax collector raised his eyes to look at Xu Liang. His eyebrows twitched a few times, he has been a tax collector for some years, and he is no stranger to such things as official authority. Xu Liang's condescending posture and questioning tone. made the tax collector intuitively feel that most of the people in front of him were also a great high-ranking official.

The tax collector politely arched his hand and said, "This lord is invited." The small one is from the Mining Tax Department, who was ordered to come here to collect the mining tax silver. Haven't consulted an adult yet? ”

Luo Baiguan said: "This is Lord Xu, who participates in politics in Shaanxi." ”

The tax collector was taken aback and gave up his hand again. He said in a panicked tone: "The little one has eyes and doesn't know Mount Tai." I collided with the political officer, please forgive me. ”

Xu Liang snorted lightly, pointed at Luo Baiguan and said, "It turned out to be from the Mining Tax Department." The coal mines on Dingjun Mountain are all Liang Ji's assets, and I heard Luo's shopkeeper say that your Mining Tax Department actually levies a monthly tax of 3,000 taels of silver on the coal mines on Dingjun Mountain! Is there such a thing? ”

The tax collector's face changed, he was just a little guy under the Mine Tax Division, and he was not particularly clear about the origin of the coal mine on the mountain, so he had something to say. He was a small tax collector and only had the share of execution.

The tax collector looked embarrassed and said, "Back to the words of the lord." The amount of tax revenue from the coal mines on Dingjun Mountain is the amount directly set by the above, and the small one is only the annual difference. ”

Xu Liang waved his hand and said in a deep voice: "You go back and tell your leader, how much tax is collected by other mines, how much will be collected by the coal mines on Dingjun Mountain, dare to increase it by one or two, be careful that this official dismantles your mine tax department!" ”

The tax collector's face changed drastically, he glared at Xu Liang, and said in a trembling voice: "My lord, the Mining Tax Department is under the direct management of Gonggong Hu. ”

Xu Liang glared at him and shouted, "What's wrong with Gonggong Hu?" Without further ado, get out of here! ”

Xu Liang raised his voice, and the dozen or so Tsing Yi guards who accompanied him stared at the five tax collectors with unkind eyes, and the tax collectors were so frightened that they didn't say a word, and immediately turned around and left.

Luo Baiguan saw that Xu Liang scared away the tax collector, and he thought that the person behind the Mining Tax Division was the eunuch Hu Gonggong of Shaanxi. Then he said worriedly: "My lord, if you reprimand the tax collector today, those people will definitely report it to Gonggong Hu." The subordinates heard that this Father-in-law Hu is also a difficult character, in case Father-in-law Hu gets angry and embarrasses us everywhere, this is not good. ”

Xu Liang smiled slightly, and said disappreciatively: "Shopkeeper Luo is too worried. What I did just now was to throw stones and ask for directions. ”

Xu Liang was inspired by Song Chaodu, the prefect of Hanzhong, and when he led his troops into Guyuan City, the eunuch Hu Gonggong must have known the inside story to some extent. Based on Wang Qinian's judgment of Hu Gonggong, Hu Gonggong is a person who is very good at judging the situation and sizing up the situation.

If Gonggong Hu gets the tax collector's reward, then he will make a wise choice after recognizing Xu Liang's tough attitude.

As Xu Liang expected, a few days later, the tax collector personally went to Liangji Mining and sincerely explained to Luo Baiguan that the tax silver of the Dingjunshan Coal Mine only needed 200 taels, and the previous 3,000 taels was a pure misunderstanding.

At the same time, Xu Liang unexpectedly received a letter from the eunuch Hu Gonggong. In the letter, Gonggong Hu didn't mention anything else, but invited Xu Liang to go to Gonggong Hu's Mansion to sit down when he was free to go back to Xi'an.

Xu Liang understood that this was the attitude of Gonggong Hu.

The change in the attitude of the eunuch Hu Gonggong is just the beginning. Perhaps at the behest of Yang He, the governor of the three sides, Qian Yongtai, the political envoy of Shaanxi Province who originally suppressed Xu Liang everywhere, gradually changed his attitude, at least he would not secretly wear Xu Liang's shoes.

Almost in just a few days, the attitude of the entire Shaanxi officialdom towards Xu Liang has changed. The senior officials of the Third Division of Shaanxi met Xu Liang in Xi'an City, and they began to smile a little. The political envoy Qian Bu even specially called Xu Liang when Xu Liang went back to the political envoy Si Yamen on business and chatted with him for a while.

Taking advantage of the change in the attitude of Shaanxi officialdom towards Xu Liang, Xu Liang instructed Luo Baiguan to successfully build a honeycomb coal factory in Xi'an Mansion and Gongchang Mansion, plus two factories in Hanzhong Mansion and Pingliang Mansion, and the scale effect of honeycomb coal began to be reflected.

The time entered November of the second year of Chongdai.

On the most prosperous street in Xi'an, a house called the Shaanxi Branch of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce was presented in front of the people of Xi'an.

On the day of the establishment of the Shaanxi Branch. Not many people came to congratulate them. In addition to Liang Ji's shopkeeper in Xi'an Mansion, Liang Yinxian's father and son of the Liang family in Jingzhou, they were several businessmen from the original Pingliang Chamber of Commerce. The situation at the beginning of the establishment of the Shaanxi branch of the Chamber of Commerce. In this way, there are only eleven members.

As soon as the firecrackers were hung at the door of the Chamber of Commerce, the establishment of the Shaanxi branch was announced. In the internal living room of the branch chamber of commerce, Liang Yinxian, as the president of the branch, was greeting the few guests. In a wing room on the second floor of the branch, Xu Liang was meeting with an extremely important person.

Ge Qiao, the big shopkeeper in the world, looked much older than a few years ago, and almost all the hair on his head was white. Xu Liang said with concern: "Old Ge." Now that the logistics of the world is on the right track, things can be handed over to the people below, and Ge Lao does not have to do everything himself. Pay attention to your body. ”

Ge Qiao smiled and said: "My lord, it's okay to do the things on the side, the old man is handed over to the people below to do." Only the incident in the River Mansion was confessed by the adults themselves. The old man didn't dare to make mistakes. If you don't go there in person, you won't be at ease after all. Fortunately, it lives up to the trust. ”

Xu Liang's eyes also became eager, and he got up and stared at Ge Qiao and asked, "So, the thing has been found?" ”

Ge Qiao nodded, reached out and carefully took out an object wrapped in oiled paper from his arms, opened it carefully, and placed it on the table.

A simple and unpretentious Diamond Sutra covered with sheepskin appeared quietly in front of Xu Liang.

Xu Liang picked it up carefully. As he looked at it, his hands trembled slightly. This is the fifth parchment Diamond Sutra! Back then, Wei Zhongxian buried his life savings. He painstakingly left behind five sheepskin Diamond Sutras. As long as the five sheepskin Diamond Sutras are collected, Wei Zhongxian's treasure can be found.

Thirty million taels of treasure! Xu Liang was shocked when he thought about it. Carefully put it away and put it in his arms, Xu Liang said to Ge Qiao: "For this thing, let Ge Lao be tired and run in person, Ge Lao has worked hard!" ”

"Where, handle it for adults, the old man doesn't feel tired."

Xu Liang nodded, and asked again: "When you took these things, it didn't make people suspicious, right?" ”

Ge Qiao shook his head and said confidently: "My lord, don't worry, although Gonggong Wei buried this thing in the Wei family ancestral hall in Hejian Mansion, ordinary people can't approach it at all." The old man tried his best to get in under the pretext of repairing the ancestral hall. The people who handle it are reliable people who will not leak the news. ”

When Xu Liang heard this, he was relieved. Seeing that Xu Liang had kept the sheepskin Diamond Sutra extremely solemnly, Ge Qiao couldn't help but ask curiously, "My lord, what secrets are hidden in this scripture?" In order to preserve this scripture, Gonggong Wei has gone to great lengths. ”

Xu Liang groaned, about the five sheepskin diamond scriptures, the less people know, the better. Xu Liang smiled and said: "The matter of the Diamond Sutra is inconvenient to disclose for the time being, but when the time comes, Ge Lao will naturally know." ”

Seeing this, Ge Qiao knew that the Sheepskin Diamond Sutra was very important to Xu Liang, so he didn't ask much. Standing up, he arched his hand towards Xu Liang and said: "My lord, I learned that my lord wants to create the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, the old man came to Xi'an this time, and invited a few wealthy businessmen to come over. ”

Xu Liang said: "Let's go." ”

After Xu Liang waited for Ge Qiao to go downstairs, he also followed downstairs, went out from the back door of the Chamber of Commerce, and went straight back to the Xi'an Courtyard.

instructed the accompanying Tsing Yi Wei not to let people enter the study, so Xu Liang took out the sheepskin diamond sutra in his arms in the study, lit a candle, and carefully put the scripture on it to roast for a while, only to see a trace of tiny cracks on the surface of the sheepskin case.

Bake for a while and the cracks expand. Xu Liang stopped, found the scissors and carefully cut a hole along the cracked lines, and then reached in and pulled out a piece of paper held in the sheepskin case.

Under the candlelight, Xu Liang pulled out of the holster, and it was actually a yellowed map the size of a palm. Xu Liang's breath was suffocated, his eyes were fixed on the map, and after looking at it for a while, it seemed that he wanted to memorize every line on the map.

After getting half of the map, Xu Liang was like a poor man who suddenly had a check for five million in his pocket, and felt that it was not safe to put it anywhere. After changing several places in a row, Xu Liang finally decided to lock this half of the map into a special copper box.

The establishment of the Shaanxi branch of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce does not seem to have attracted the attention of Shaanxi officialdom at all. The Chamber of Commerce was lively for three days, Feng Suqin, Ge Qiao, Liang Yinxian, Luo Baiguan, Wu Side and others under the auspices of Xu Liang agreed on the articles of association of the Chamber of Commerce and issued them to all members through clear texts.

Thanks to Ge Qiao, the number of merchant members of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce finally exceeded twenty.

After the inauguration ceremony of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce passed, Xu Liang returned to a state of idleness. In fact, although Qian Yongtai and others are no longer embarrassed by Xu Liang, there is nothing to do with the Qingshui Yamen of Hanzhong Dao. Xu Liang threw a deal of affairs to Wang Qinian, but he quietly returned to Pingliang with Lou Xian'er.

Although he came back quietly, people like Lu Yifa, the prefect of Pingliang, Huang Daozhou, and Dai Feng, the deputy commander-in-chief, soon knew about it.

The popularity in Xu's mansion is rising rapidly, and when Governor Lu, Huang Tongzhi and others are fine in the yamen, they will run to Xu's mansion, and in the pavilion in the backyard of Xu's mansion, they drink tea, eat snacks, and talk about state affairs.

Xu Liang once suspected that these old subordinates took advantage of their return to eat and drink. Of course, the Xu Mansion has strong financial resources, and it is not a matter for a few people to eat at all.

It seems that this so-called free talk about state affairs was first initiated by the Zodiac Zhou. A few days later, other officials were added one after another, and finally the generals of Pingliang Mansion followed in.

As the master, Xu Liang would rather pull Feng Suqin and Lou Xian'er to hide in the house and play mahjong, rather than mix with Huang Tongzhi's chat.

One day at the end of November, Feng Suqin took Lou Xian'er to Pingliang soap paste factory to check the accounts, Xu Liang thought about it and had nothing to do, so he sat in the pavilion rarely, listening to Dai Feng, Luo Rucai, Sima Qiudao and other generals gossip.

In fact, there are different types of small talk topics. Civil officials like to talk about state affairs, and they look like they are worried about the country and the people, while military generals like Luo Rucai and Sima Qiudao mostly talk about meat jokes.

Xu Liang sat and listened for a while, and when he saw that there were not many snacks on the table, he ordered people to go and bring some more. At this time, Lu Yifa and Huang Daozhou came in together.

When the two entered the pavilion, Huang Daozhou beat his chest and shouted: "Shame, shame!" My Ming border army is nearly one million, and today I let the Houjin thieves be bullied so far! ”

Xu Liang and the others all looked at Huang Daozhou in surprise. Xu Liang said with a smile: "Dao Zhou, as soon as you came, you sighed with emotion, what happened to touch your fragile little god? ”

Huang Daozhou looked at Xu Liang, blushed and shouted, "Don't you know, my lord?" Jingshi, Jingshi is under martial law again! ”

Why say "again"? Could it be that Jingshi is often under martial law? Xu Liang said secretly, shook his head, and said: "I secretly ran back to rest, and the affairs of the yamen are all taken care of by Wang Qinian, even if there is news from the court, it will not be able to reach me here for a while." What's the matter, is there something big going on in the Jingshi? (To be continued......)