Although it is a cold winter, there is still a prosperous scene in the inner city of Beijing.

Unlike the out-of-town homeless people selling their sons and daughters everywhere, the inner city is inhabited by princes and ministers and princes and nobles, and naturally has high requirements for the environment and public security.

Dressed in a cyan robe, Tang Hu walked out of Yangliu Hutong with his big belly and came to Chengxian Street, which is very close to the imperial city, where the Confucian Temple and the Lama Temple live next to each other, and the Guozijian of the capital is also located here.

Since the Sui Dynasty, Guozijian has been the central official school of the imperial courts, and it is the highest institution in the ancient Chinese education system, also known as Guozixue or Guozi Temple.

During the Ming Dynasty, because the Ming Dynasty implemented two sets of government teams, that is, the two-capital system, there were Guozijian in Jinling and Beijing, and the Guozijian in Jinling was called "Nanjian" or "Nanyong", while the Guozijian in Beijing was called "Beijian" or "Beiyong". Of course, nominally the "Southern Prison" and the "Northern Prison" are the same, but in fact, because the government team in Jinling is virtually nonexistent, the status of the "Southern Prison" is much inferior to that of the "Northern Prison", and today Tang Hu has something to do when he comes to Guozijian.

Just as Tang Hu came to the gate of Guozijian, he saw that there were many students of Guozijian gathered in front of the two big locust trees in front of the door and shouted, these people were obviously divided into two groups and were scolding each other at the moment.

"Students, please listen to me." A young student, who was about seventeen or eighteen years old, jumped on a rock, waved his fist and shouted to the people around him: "Everyone, everyone has read the new "Jinling Times" in Jinling yesterday, right? Now when the Ming Dynasty is in danger of integrity, the loyal and brave Marquis Yueyang has led an army of 70,000 to Liaodong. First, he attacked Shanhaiguan, killed tens of thousands of officers and soldiers defending the city at Shanhaiguan, and forced the family of Wu Sangui, the chief soldier of Shanhaiguan, to flee to Jinzhou. ”

This Yueyang was still unwilling to be reconciled, and led the men and horses to Jinzhou, and the deputy governor of Liaodong, Zu Dashou, could not bear to see his former colleagues and had to withdraw from Jinzhou, and Yueyang pursued him closely, and finally had to surrender the Tartars. Ladies and gentlemen, Wu wants to ask, is there still a heavenly principle in this world? That Yue Yang is so reckless and brutal to kill Zhongliang, doesn't the imperial court care about it? As the saying goes, there are clouds. "Establish a heart for heaven and earth, establish a life for the people, continue to learn for the saints, and open peace for all generations", shouldn't our students seek justice for the innocent Liaodong soldiers who died tragically at the hands of Yue Yang when they see this injustice?

"Right...... Yueyang is a brutal and murderous person, and now he is wantonly slaughtering Zhongliang, and our students should uphold the heroic righteousness to go to the noon gate to beat the drum to shout for the Liaodong soldiers who died in the army! ”

"Exactly, how can such a villain be the Marquis of Daming for me? Justice is available today! ”

Seeing that many people were facing Yue Yang's surging verbal criticism, Tang Hu's eyes narrowed habitually, and he was about to take a few steps forward and say a few words. But I saw several students who were also wearing long robes walking out, and a tall and thin student led by him bowed his hand to the few students who spoke to them just now: "Everyone, please be quiet, please listen to Su's words." ”

As the student spoke. The surroundings gradually quieted down, and the student sneered at the one who yelled the most fiercely just now: "Brother Liu, you are gathered here today just to make a big deal about it, but have you people thought about it?" How did Marquis Zhongyong go to Liaodong? I sue you, he went to Liaodong to take over the military affairs of Liaodong by the emperor's holy order, but the Wu family and the ancestral family did not follow the order. Instead, the Xuan army was stopped outside the city, and the Xuan army had no choice but to attack Shanhaiguan and Jinzhou, Wu Pin, Wu Sangui and Zu Dashou and others were defeated by the imperial army, and even tried in vain to block the car with their arms, and after the defeat of the army, they openly took refuge in the Manchu Tartars, these rats should have been punished by everyone, but Brother Liu turned a blind eye to this, but shouted and killed the loyal and brave marquis who was ordered to exterminate the second thief, but I want to ask you what your intentions are! ”

"You...... You're just messing around! The student surnamed Liu couldn't help but speak for a while, and after a while, he sneered and pointed at the other party and said: "The surname Su, you don't have to use the emperor's holy decree to press me, the ancestral family and the Wu family have guarded Liaodong for decades, and there is no merit and hard work, but the court wants to take it down on trumped-up charges and ask for the guilt, what is the justice?" What is the principle of heaven? If it weren't for the fact that Yue Yang was pressing forward step by step, how could General Zu and General Wu surrender to the Manchus, and the reason why they came to this point today was all forced. ”

"Huh...... Hehehe......" The tall and thin student looked up to the sky and laughed, and said with a disdainful face: "Today I am considered to have a long experience, and there are even people who intercede for the traitors who take refuge in the Tartars, is it possible that you Liu Xueying turned out to be a spy sent by the Tartars?" ”

The sentence of the student surnamed Su is very serious, a student of the Guozijian was accused of being a spy of the enemy country, this accusation is not light, if it is spread, his future will be ruined.

The student surnamed Liu was so angry that he trembled all over, pointing at the other party and unable to speak. At this time, the student on the side came out and said: "Brother Su, your words are too heavy, Brother Liu just accused Zhongyong Hou a few words, you don't need to ruin people's future like this, right?" ”

The student surnamed Su said disdainfully: "Hmph...... Just allow him to have a bad reputation as a villain, don't you want me to say a few words? I'm ashamed that such scum deserves to stay in the country to study! The Tao is not the same, and I have taken my leave! After speaking, the student surnamed Su turned around and walked outside from the crowd.

Seeing this, a faint smile appeared on Tang Hu's face, it seems that the Guozijian of the Ming Dynasty is not all waste, and there are still a few talents.

He entered the gate of Guozijian while thinking, passed the Jixian Gate, bypassed the glazed archway, Yilun Hall and Jingyi Pavilion, Tang Hu came to a simple room, he didn't knock the door and walked in, he saw two old men in civilian clothes playing against them, and there was an old man sitting next to them, as if he didn't reflect his action of opening the door.

As soon as Tang Hu entered the door, he smiled and said, "Elder Yang Ge and Master Cheng, the two adults are really interested, yo...... There is also Guo Sai Wine, could it be that the three adults are going to come to a three-hall trial today? ”

As Tang Hu's voice fell, the three people immediately turned their heads, and it turned out that the two people who were playing chess were none other than Yang Sichang, the first assistant of the cabinet, and Cheng Guoxiang, the head of the household department. And the person who was watching the chess was Guo Yan, the sacrificial wine of the Guozijian.

Seeing Tang Hu talking in front of the three of them, there was no surprise on his face, and there was a hint of surprise in the eyes of the three of them. Among the three people present today, Yang Sichang and Cheng Guoxiang are the most powerful people in the court, and Guo Yan is also a clear stream with a very high status. But this one is good, and he joked with them as soon as he came.

Yang Sichang's eyes showed a hint of appreciation, this Tang Hu doesn't look good-looking, but both his bearing and his ability to deal with people are outstanding.

Yang Sichang stretched out his hand and stroked his beard and chuckled, "Master Tang, tell me the truth." This time, the old man asked you to come here to discuss some things, but you can't enter the palace, but there are many people in the yamen of the military department, so I can only ask you to come here to talk, I hope Lord Tang doesn't mind. However, if Lord Tang is willing, Lord Cheng's household still has a position as a foreigner, I wonder if Lord Tang can succumb to this position? ”

Tang Hu grinned: "Xia Guan was originally just a down-and-out person who had failed many times, and he didn't even have a place to live except for a set of clothes. In desperation, he had to follow his friends to Shanbei Road, and finally was valued by Marquis Yue and made the student a deputy director of the financial department. Specially responsible for the taxation and grain from Shanxi to the capital, since then the students feel that they have lived like a person, and even become officials, and the students feel that this life has not been in vain. As for Yang Ge's kindness, Xia Guan can only understand it. ”

People who know how to be grateful will be appreciated and respected by people wherever they go. No matter how dark the person is in his heart, he always wants his subordinates to be a good person.

Yang Sichang sighed lightly, a trace of regret flashed on his face, and then he said, "Since Lord Tang insists on this. The official can only say that he regrets it, but the official thinks that it is indeed a talent to be a nominal deputy director of the financial secretary in Shanxi with the talent of Master Tang. If Lord Tang intends to serve in the household department in the future, as long as the old man is still in office. You can come to the old man at any time. ”

Tang Hu grinned and said, "Then the lower official will thank the adult for his kindness, but when the time comes, the adult should not dislike the lower official." ”

Although Tang Hu said it well, Yang Sichang has been in the officialdom for so many years, how can he not see that he is just perfunctory, and sighed secretly in his heart, Yang Sichang will no longer do these futile and useless efforts, he cheered up and started today's topic.

"Master Tang, this official came here today to ask if Shanxi can sell a batch of grain to the imperial court, of course, the imperial court will pay you according to the price."

"The imperial court wants to buy grain?" Tang Hu was slightly shocked in his heart, and couldn't help asking: "Lord Shoufu, Xia Guan remembers that Shanxi has already handed over a million quintals of grain to the imperial court a few months ago, why do you want to buy grain now?" ”

"Well...... Yang Sichang couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed in his heart, and he looked at Cheng Guoxiang on the side.

Seeing this, Cheng Guoxiang hurriedly said, "Lord Tang...... That's right, now the rogues are raging in Hunan, Hubei, Henan, Sichuan, Shaanxi and other places, and the imperial court has sent large armies to suppress bandits many times, but the effect is not very good. A few days ago, Lord Hong Chengchou said that he had suffered a lot of losses when he exterminated Li Zicheng's troops in Hunan, and he urgently needed to train a new army, but he was suffering from a lack of food, so that he could not form an army, and asked the imperial court if he could support a batch of his food, but you also knew that the imperial court was really out of food now, so he asked if you could sell a batch to the imperial court. After Cheng Guoxiang finished speaking, he seemed to feel embarrassed, and lowered his head, not daring to look at Tang Hu.

And Tang Hu was silent after listening to Cheng Guoxiang's words, although his face did not change much, but he scolded in his heart. Although Yang Sichang and Cheng Guoxiang kept saying that the imperial court would buy according to the market price, everyone knows what the price of grain is in the market now. Although the price of grain in the official market of the imperial court is one or two dollars of silver per stone, in fact, there has been no grain to sell in the official market for many years, and the grain stores on the market have grain, but the grain in the grain stores is at least twice as expensive as the official market, which is the real grain price. Now Yang Sichang said that he would use official prices to buy grain, which in itself was to take advantage of Shanxi.

There was still silence in the room, and after half a quarter of an hour, Tang Hu was still silent, and Yang Sichang's face was a little unbearable when he saw such a situation. He thinks that with his dignity, he is willing to deign to ask a deputy secretary of finance from Shanxi who has appeared out of nowhere, which is already very face-saving for him. But this one is good, he simply came to Cao Ying and didn't say a word.

Seeing that Yang Sichang's face was getting more and more ugly, Guo Yan, who had been watching quietly and silently, said loudly: "Lord Tang, now that the state affairs are difficult, Yang Shoufu has already done his best for the imperial court, and now he finally opens his mouth to you once, can't you be accommodating?" ”

Seeing that even Guo Yan had opened his mouth, Tang Hu thought for a while and then said: "It stands to reason that it is rare for Yang Ge Lao to open his mouth once, and Xia Guan should meet the requirements of Ge Lao no matter what, but you must also know." Although the lower official has the title of deputy secretary of finance on his head, he is also an errand runner, and he has no real power at hand, so even if he wants to agree, he can't. ”

Seeing Tang Hu say this, Yang Sichang's face immediately sank. He said lightly: "Master Tang, this official seems to remember that a batch of grain was just shipped from Shanxi last month, a full 500,000 quintals, and these grains were transported into the warehouses of several grain stores in the capital. ”

Yang Sichang's official authority is not fake. When his face sank, Tang Hu suddenly felt a great pressure, as if enveloping his heart.

It's just that although Tang Hu was a little lamented by Yang Sichang's official authority, he still shook his head with a wry smile and said, "Elder Yang Ge is right, a batch of grain and grass was transported from Shanxi last month. But along with this batch of grain and grass, there was also an order from Marquis Yue, who said that no one was allowed to move this batch of grain and grass without his order, and whoever dared to move him would have his head. Although the head of the lower official is not very valuable. But Xia Guan still likes it a lot, and he doesn't want to let this guy who eats separate from his neck for the time being. ”

Yang Sichang's eyes flashed, and he looked at Tang Hu and said lightly: "You are so afraid that your father-in-law has taken off your head. Do you think that no one in the capital can pick your head except for Marquis Yue? Speaking of which, the threat in Yang Sichang's words is already undoubted.

Hearing this, a wave of anger rose from Tang Hu's heart, it seems that Yang Sichang is not going to be soft and plan to be hard.

In the face of Yang Sichang's threat, Tang Hu arched his hand and said respectfully: "Of course the lower officials are afraid, but the lower officials are not afraid to tell the truth, if there is no Hou Ye's edict, even the lower officials will not be able to mobilize a grain of grain, if Yang Ge Lao does not believe it, you can try, anyway, there are not many guards in the grain store, Yang Ge Lao can collect this batch of grain and grass in the name of the imperial court, but what consequences will be caused, don't blame the lower officials for being unpredictable!" ”

"You ......"

Rao Yi Yang Sichang's city government was also so angry by Tang Hu's words that he couldn't speak for a while, he couldn't remember how long it had been since no one dared to talk to him like this. This Tang Hu is nominally just the deputy director of the Shanxi Finance Department, and this official position is just Shanxi's private name, which is not recognized by the imperial court on the surface, strictly speaking, this Tang Hu is just a person without an official body in the Ming Dynasty, Yang Sichang just called him an adult is just a kind word, but I didn't expect that it was this guy who couldn't be smaller in Yang Sichang's eyes to push him back.

Cheng Guoxiang on the side saw that the boss was pushed back, and he hurriedly said, "Tang Hu, do you know what you're doing?" Yang Ge Lao looked down on you at that time and asked you to come over to discuss, the face has already been given to you, you don't want to toast and eat and drink! ”

Seeing this situation, Tang Hu also let go, and he said coldly: "Master Cheng, Yang Ge Lao, to be honest, you are all one of the most important ministers in the imperial court, and Tang is just a scholar, and he was lucky to be appointed as the deputy director of the financial secretary, and he is just helping Shanxi pay taxes on weekdays and act as the contact between the imperial court and Shanxi, why do you bother to embarrass me, an insignificant pawn?" If you really want to buy food, you can write a letter directly to Hou Ye, if Hou Ye agrees, don't say it's 500,000 quintals of grain, even if it's 1 million quintals of grain! ”

Tang Hu's words put Yang Sichang and Cheng Guoxiang into the corner of the wall all of a sudden, and the meaning of his words was already obvious. One of you is a big man in the imperial court, why are you bullying me, a little pawn, you have the ability to ask Yue Yang for food, you can see if he will give you face.

Yang Sichang and Cheng Guoxiang were so angry by Tang Hu's words that they were so angry that they were angry. I think that if Lao Tzu has the ability to get food from Yue Yang, the bastard will surrender his identity to deal with you, a person who doesn't even have a serious official body, do you really think that the face of Shoufu and Hubu Shangshu is so worthless.

Looking at Yang Sichang and Cheng Guoxiang's uncertain expressions, Tang Hu sneered in his heart, these two guys knew that they couldn't afford to provoke Hou Ye but came to trouble their little pawns, it seems that the world is the same, no matter who they are, they like to bully the soft and fear the hard...... (To be continued......)