The Emperor of the Apocalypse and his entourage set off, and the large caravan of more than five hundred people was enough to shock everyone at this time. If it is placed in Saibei, it may not be much, but it is a little redundant to put it in Jiangnan.

I made a travel route, took the land route to Beitongzhou, and then took a boat to the south. After looking at the road map, the Emperor of the Apocalypse decisively decided to lay off employees. It's not Saibei here, so there's no need to bring so many people. Of the original team of five hundred people, the Emperor of the Apocalypse only left a hundred. These 100 people are all the guards of the Tengchong Four Guards, and they are all elites with extraordinary hands.

The ship of the Emperor of the Apocalypse is the ship of the Longchang Firm, and it is a very large lucky ship, and it can be used by people to pull goods. A group of more than 100 people were not idle and crowded on this ship. On the mast of the bow of the ship hung a flag with the words Kinkiwei Senho.

Before the boat left the dock, the boat had already dodged, and such a big ship, with the flag of Jinyi Wei Qianhu, really couldn't be provoked.

Standing on the deck at the bow of the ship, the breeze is blowing, the willows on both sides of the bank are fluttering, and the scenery is very good. The Emperor of the Apocalypse was also in a very good mood, with a smile on his face all the time, looking back at the city of Beijing that was gradually moving away, the Emperor of the Apocalypse suddenly had a feeling that the sky was high and the birds were flying, and the sea was wide and the fish was leaping.

Behind the Emperor of the Apocalypse was the main escort of this trip, Chen Lin, the eunuch who was responsible for serving the Emperor of the Apocalypse, and was also the personal bodyguard of the Emperor of the Apocalypse. Although I don't know how he and Chen Hongbi are doing, the Emperor of the Apocalypse saw Chen Lin scratch through a wooden plank with his own eyes.

On the other side is the representative of Jinyiwei, who is frugal and cold, dressed in white, holding a folding fan in his hand. It seems that he is either a son who reads, or a child of a rich family, and it is difficult for people to associate him with Jinyiwei.

By the side of Dang Han. There were two young girls standing, who didn't look very old and were in good shape. This is a special bodyguard arranged by Luo Sigong for the Emperor of the Apocalypse, who not only has a good hand, but also has a lot of experience in the rivers and lakes. Because she is a woman, she can be regarded as the personal maid of the Emperor of the Apocalypse.

Stand at the bow of the boat. The Emperor of the Apocalypse wore a pair of round black sunglasses, a long shirt made of the finest Su brocade fabric, and thin-soled boots of deerskin on his feet. Holding Zhengming's fan in his hand, with a fine Hetian jade pendant hanging from his waist, he looks like the son of a rich family.

Gently shaking the paper fan in his hand, the Emperor of the Apocalypse smiled and said to the party next to him: "I heard Luo Aiqing mention you, and I have followed him to the north and south for many years, and I am also very effective in doing things. This time, I accompanied me to Jiangnan and did a good job! ”

"Yes. Emperor! The minister must be honest! He bowed to the Emperor of the Apocalypse and said in a respectful tone.

Nodding slowly, the Emperor of the Apocalypse looked at Chen Lin on the side again, and said with a smile: "You are Chen Hong's godson, and you have been serving by my side, so I should have promoted you." I just want to see how your heart is, yes, hard work. There were no rumors in the palace either. Do it well, I won't treat my own people badly! ”

Chen Lin suddenly smiled. He naturally understood the meaning of the Emperor of the Apocalypse's words, and hurriedly knelt on the ground and said, "The slave is the emperor's slave and maid, and he should do his best for the emperor!" "He is still young, and there will be many opportunities in the future, and the most important thing now is to gain the trust of the Emperor of the Apocalypse.

As long as you have the emperor's trust. Naturally, this power came. He is a eunuch, and he is different from those officials. His godfather is deeply trusted by the emperor, and he must have that day.

There was another person in the cabin, an older man who looked to be in his fifties. He was wearing a long shirt. He is full of elegance and looks like a teacher. This person is none other than Yuan Keli, who has just returned from Yunnan.

As if remembering the title just now, the Emperor of the Apocalypse frowned slightly, and said in a deep voice: "From now on, I am your young master. Yuan Aiqing is the housekeeper, Mr. Dang Qianhu is the bookkeeper, Chen Lin is a small servant, and the two girls are maids, don't help it! ”

Several people glanced at each other, and all of them bowed to the Emperor of the Apocalypse, and said, "Yes, Childe!" ”

Nodding with satisfaction, the Emperor of the Apocalypse turned his gaze to Yuan Keli, and said with a smile: "Mr. Yuan, it's really difficult for you to follow me south just after you came back from Yunnan, if you are tired, go inside and rest!" ”

Yuan Keli didn't expect that he would receive such an errand, and when the Emperor of the Apocalypse found him, he was also taken aback. But then there is ecstasy, after all, this kind of good thing is not encountered for long.

Just wanted to bow down, but when he saw the Emperor of the Apocalypse glaring at him, Yuan Keli naturally understood. He arched his hand at the Emperor of the Apocalypse, and said with a smile: "Childe is polite, I can go out on patrol with Childe, this is." Saying this, Yuan Keli was stuck, and he was worried about the title.

If it is a real housekeeper, he naturally calls himself an old slave, and obviously Yuan Keli can't say it. I can't be called either, and it's not appropriate to call a student like that.

"Mr. is an old man in the house, respectable, just call me it!" Emperor Apocalypse, he didn't expect to be stumped by a title, so he said with a smile.

"Yes, Childe! It's my blessing to be able to come out with my son! Yuan Keli was obviously not good at sycophancy, and after saying this, he was gone, his face turned red, and he looked at the Emperor of the Apocalypse with some embarrassment.

Laughing and waving his hand, the Emperor of the Apocalypse said in a brisk tone: "Mr. Yuan, everyone is good at something. Mr. has good plans and ambitions, and he can do things well for the court. If you're a sycophant, let them say it! Not only is it good, but Childe is also comfortable to listen to! Saying that, the Emperor of the Apocalypse stretched out his hand and pointed to Chen Lin on the side.

Yuan Yingtai breathed a sigh of relief and said to the Emperor of the Apocalypse: "Gongzi Shengming! ”

Chen Lin, who was on the side, listened to the Emperor of the Apocalypse say this, and a smile suddenly appeared on his face, looking proud. This is the difference between eunuchs and officials, if the Emperor of the Apocalypse says this about an official, it is estimated that he will probably commit suicide when he goes back. The eunuch felt that this was a very glorious thing, and it was the Emperor of the Apocalypse who was praising himself.

Not far away, the Emperor of the Apocalypse and his entourage arrived at the tax customs, and what made the Emperor of the Apocalypse strange was that his ship did not say that it was collecting taxes, and there was no one who came up to ask. Looking at the ships shuttling in front of them, most of the officers and soldiers who collected taxes passed by at a glance.

"Mr. Yuan, what's going on? Isn't this the place to collect taxes? How come no one collects taxes? The Emperor of the Apocalypse looked at the tax customs with a frown, with a thick puzzle on his face, and asked hesitantly.

Seeing that Yuan Keli was about to speak, the Emperor of the Apocalypse seemed to think of something, and said in a deep voice: "Mr. Yuan, there are so many people in the family, do you know why I asked you to follow me?" ”

Yuan Keli shook his head and stood aside respectfully, he knew that the Emperor of the Apocalypse was going to explain the reason next, and this was not a question for him to answer.

"Because you tell the truth, you went home more than twenty years ago because you were reprimanded for telling the truth, and you haven't been activated for more than twenty years. I don't know if you've changed, but if you do, then you're changing back, and I need you to tell the truth. There are too many people in this world who speak good and obedient and false, and I need to hear the truth. Tang Taizong has become a generation of Ming Jun because of Wei Zheng, and I also hope that you can be like Wei Zheng. The Emperor of the Apocalypse looked at Yuan Keli with blazing eyes and said in a deep voice.

His whole body trembled and looked at the Emperor of the Apocalypse, Yuan Keli's lips trembled and he couldn't speak. What happened more than 20 years ago has always been a thorn in his heart, and sometimes he wonders, is he really doing something wrong? Now with the words of the Emperor of the Apocalypse, Yuan Keli is content.

In the words of the Emperor of the Apocalypse, Yuan Keli heard two meanings, one was to compare himself to Wei Zheng. The second is to say that Wanli is not a Ming monarch like Tang Taizong, he can't tolerate you, but I can.

Looking up at the Emperor of the Apocalypse, it happened to make eye contact with the Emperor of the Apocalypse, deep and far-reaching. Although this emperor is young, his ambitions are not low, and his mind does have the bearing of a wise man.

"Although the imperial historians of the Metropolitan Procuratorate are always on the sparse, there is no one like Hai Rui's. I hope to have a book that has something to say, which can pinpoint the disadvantages of the times and go straight to the point. Even if I say that I am arrogant and lascivious, I am willing to take a look! The Emperor of the Apocalypse said in a low tone with emotion: "Okay, now you can say it!" ”

Yuan Keli understood what the Emperor of the Apocalypse meant, and it seemed that he wanted to have no reservations! I really didn't have any reservations, and said: "Your Majesty, Taizu has an ancestral system, and officials can be exempt from taxes." As long as the official is carried, the ship can play the lantern of official rank, and temporarily become an official ship in the name of the official's appointment and the family and the province, and when it passes through the customs and the river defense road, it can not only be justifiably exempted from bad rules and regulations, but also exempted from the regular tax on the goods loaded. ”

After saying it carefully, Yuan Keli looked at the Emperor of the Apocalypse cautiously, as if he wanted to see what was written. However, he was disappointed, the Emperor of the Apocalypse looked like an ancient well, and he couldn't see the slightest abnormality.

"Mr. Yuan, you go on!" The Emperor of the Apocalypse didn't look back, and there was no trace of emotion in his voice.

"Yes, Childe! The commercial tax of the imperial court is thirty taxes and one, which is the ancestral system of Taizu, and the ministers dare not discuss it. The tax exemption of officials is also the ancestral system of Taizu, and the ministers do not dare to discuss it. However, if all these merchant ships with flags and officials who are not on the ships are taxed, they can increase the income of the imperial court by at least two million taels per year. Since the Emperor of the Apocalypse wanted to hear it, Yuan Keli naturally said it all, and he couldn't get used to all this.

The Emperor of the Apocalypse naturally heard the resentment in Yuan Keli's mouth, not only against the merchants, but also against the ancestral system. Although he didn't dare to talk about it, the resentment in his tone was extremely strong.

Smiling indifferently, the Emperor of the Apocalypse muttered: "A Beijing-Hangzhou Canal is two million taels, and there is really a lot of money in this world." You turned his head and said to everyone: "Childe is tired, go back and rest first!" With that, he turned and walked into the cabin. (To be continued......)