Zhang Juzheng listened to Yan Hongkou's mouth as if he was hanging over the river, and told the truth of this exploitation of officials and businessmen, and he thought about it again on the water surface of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, and couldn't help but smile on his face, shook his head and said: "You are really an expert at collecting money, but these few things sound a little crooked." However, if it is really to be implemented in this way, the provisions involved in it and how to prevent ills need to be carefully considered. ”

Yan Hong said: "This is, presumably the teacher has your own discretion, and I won't make an axe for the students." There is also a rule, this time the sea is open to trade, but it is not allowed to follow the old regulations of tax exemption for scholars. If according to the old law of the great grandfather, it is forbidden by the sea, and the goods come from overseas, how can it be reduced or exempted? Even if you want to be exempted in the future, you have to collect it today. Teacher, you don't know, since ancient times, people have said that those who owe debts are not as ruthless as debt collection, but the matter of collecting taxes depends on who owns the money. Let's not care about 3721, first find a way to get the tax, then the initiative is in the imperial court, in the future, to reduce or exempt, to return, look at the constitution of the imperial court. If you first reduce it according to them, and then go back and collect it, it will be difficult. ”

Zhang Juzheng nodded and said, "This is also reasonable. But there is one thing you need to remember. The opening of the sea in the south of the Yangtze River this time is not only related to the fate of the country and the dynasty, but also a matter of life and death for the wealth of the wealthy merchants, gentry, and people along the coast. When the water is clear, there are no fish, and I don't ask you to have a breeze on your sleeves as a teacher, but since you and I are here to pick up this burden, we can't take it lightly. Especially before the opening of the sea is done, don't lose the big because of the small. ”

Yan Hong understood what Zhang Juzheng meant, if he wants to make money, don't be in a hurry for a while, the food is too ugly for fear that even his appetite will be ruined. He immediately nodded yes.

The fleet of the Chincha ships traveled all the way. Through the state through the county. It is often moored in a busy place along the coast. Local officials were reluctant to stammer and be hospitable. Just said that the banquet that received the wind and saw it off was all delicacies, and it was extraordinarily rich. Yan Hong has been a messenger a few times, but he is not surprised by this matter, but he just thinks about how many times he has been on an envoy, and the first time he came to Hai Ruihai Gangfeng, the old master was quite pedantic. Because he thought that the local reception was too extravagant, he tore his face and made a lot of noise, and finally forced him to replace it with four dishes and one soup that conformed to Taizu's old system. In the next two missions, Shi Jinxiao, the deputy envoy who went to the trench realm, was a guy who cut off his head and climbed his own big tree, of course, he only had fun; There was no deputy envoy at all when I went to Xuanda, so I spent a lot of wine and wine along the way, although I was happy.

Now the situation is different this time, he is just a deputy envoy, and Zhang Juzheng is not only the country's son of the priest, but also his own teacher. If this famous reformer in history was also an honest and honest master, wouldn't he be bored with himself?

Yan Hong was a little apprehensive in his heart. Facing a sumptuous feast. Who knew that Zhang Juzheng couldn't see that he was not comfortable at all, and continued to talk and laugh, eat and drink. Just waited until the wine passed three rounds and the food passed the five flavors, but I made a cup of fragrant tea with the local officials, and slowly chatted about the local people's livelihood, how business and trade, and how much rent and tax revenue had been in the past few years? Zhang Daqin spoke softly and asked questions without hurry, but since he asked them, he was to get to the bottom of the matter, and he was never perfunctory by the officials.

When the team was about to leave, the magistrates were not allowed to follow the usual practice, holding gold, silver, pearls and jade, and chatting with a few Qincha about their intentions. This time, Zhang Juzheng refused with a straight face: "The kindness of the great order is understood by the official." It's just that the tax revenue of your county is less than seventy percent, and the county yamen must not be sufficient. A banquet is too rich, and the official is ashamed, this yellow and white thing can't bear to take it again. "Just so politely, I turned down the gift. Yan Hong saw that the teacher had such a face, how could he accept the gift? I had to pretend to return the gold and silver I had given, and I was secretly distressed. However, the Feng Bao Feng father-in-law did not refuse, and he was very happy to receive it. Zhang Juzheng has always been polite to Feng Bao, and he also turned a blind eye to Feng Bao's gifts, and Feng Baole made a fortune.

Yan Hong came out this time, but the beauties in the back house brought Zhang Qingyan and Hua Yuexian with him. When it comes to the favored Cheng dù, Zhang Qingyan is naturally far above the Flower Moon Immortal. Yan Hong spent the first two nights in Zhang Qingyan's cabin.

After a violent cloud and rain, Zhang Qingyan was panting, her soft jade arms wrapped around Yan Hong's waist, and she said, "Xianggong, in addition to being here as a concubine, you are also walking around to Sister Yuexian." ”

Yan Hong smiled: "What, you can't stand the majesty of your husband, are you going to leave Dongwu behind?" ”

Zhang Qingyan took a sip and said: "What did the Xianggong say, the majesty of the Xianggong, and the concubine I ...... I am always willing to bear it. It's just that Hua Yuexian and Geng Jinling have always dressed Sister Sun, and there are few times when they can be alone with you. This time, it was easy to come out, so she also bathed in the blessings of the Xianggong, and maybe she could give Xianggong one more son. ”

Yan Hong was very happy to see Zhang Qingyan so broad-minded, patted Zhang Qingyan's crisp chest and said: "It's hard for you to still care about your sisters, you deserve to be my Yan Hong's concubine, haha." ”

Zhang Qingyan stretched out his hands and pressed Yan Hong's palm on his chest, letting him feel the softness carefully, and said in a low voice: "Xianggong, seriously, my master's visit to Beijing last month really scared me. I'm afraid that her old man will prevent me from marrying you, and I'm afraid that she will follow us south, and it will be inconvenient along the way. ”

Yan Hong said: "My dignified prime minister's grandson, the fourth-grade military attaché, is probably not enough to insult the reputation of your Shuiyue Nunnery, how can your master prevent us from getting married?" As for saying that she really wants to go south, that's pretty good. I have a lot of things to do this time, your master is strong in martial arts, if she is really willing to bring your senior sisters and sisters to help, I have a lot of more people here. Besides, that junior sister of yours is really good-looking...... Ouch! ”

Zhang Qingyan pinched Yan Hong's wrist hatefully, and said, "Xianggong, you are so kind-hearted, you can still make these meat jokes at this time." My master is a decent and high-ranking person, and he is very resentful of the Japanese Bandits. If you want to open up the sea and trade, recruit An Wang Zhi and Xu Hai, this is something that my master is very disgusted with. Because of this, I ambushed Xianggong in Cixi two years ago, preparing to kill Xu Hai. If her old man really takes her senior sisters and sisters south, I don't think I can get used to what you do, and if you make trouble with your husband, I'm afraid it won't be so easy to deal with. ”

Yan Hong smiled: "Don't worry." I don't think Master Ling is the kind of old stubborn who is stubborn and confused to the extreme. Since she is also a righteous man who has been loyal and loved. Then I will be able to convince her on the topic of the national economy and people's livelihood. Besides, if she really wants to go against me, can't I clean up a few nuns with high martial arts with these hundreds of brocade guards in my hands? When the time comes, hum ......"

Zhang Qingyan's face turned red, and he couldn't answer this, but he pinched Yan Hong again. Yan Hong said again: "Just talking." Your master left Beijing in such a hurry and went west, I see, she is going to find perilla. Hey, this trip to the south of the Yangtze River, I can't help but remind people that last time I fought the Japanese in Taizhou, Zisu used the name of your division to find me hundreds of heroes from the rivers and lakes...... Never mind. I don't want to talk about any of this, but I don't know where Shiso is now. The brocade guard that your master heard was going to give her a secret order. The truth of the matter has not yet been ascertained. I'm just worried that she is pregnant, is it already alive at this time, is the mother and child safe? ”

Along the way, Yan Hong's life was leisurely. Anyway, the boat is sailing by water, and there is no pain from the fatigue of cars and horses. I came to talk to Zhang Juzheng about the principles of governing the country, and sometimes Feng Bao and Feng Gonggong also participated. Don't look at this eunuch who is the celebrant and the eunuch, he has a lot of insight into the personnel appointments and administrative processes of the court. Especially when it comes to the reopening of the market, they are extremely excited and dancing, although they say a lot of nonsense in the eyes of Yan Hong and Zhang Juzheng, but in terms of how to collect taxes and manage the market, they really put forward their own reasoning. came and went, Zhang Juzheng and Feng Bao became more and more inseparable, and sometimes the two played the piano and wrote together, chanting poems against each other. At this time, Yan Hong was dumbfounded, so he had to obediently step aside and enjoy the scenery of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. Or, call Hu Baiqi's son up, and the two of them play horse hanging, push and push pai gow, and they are happy.

In late June, Huai'an has passed, and it seems that it is about to arrive in Yangzhou. Originally, according to the plan to open the sea, the northernmost port among the five ports was Hangzhou, Zhejiang. Moreover, Hangzhou is also the place where Hu Zongxian, the governor of Zhejiang, is stationed, and Zhang Juzheng and Yan Hong want to open the sea, which is inseparable from Hu Zongxian's cooperation, and it is most convenient for the Qincha fleet to cross the Yangtze River directly along the Grand Canal to Hangzhou.

However, Yan Hong had a different idea in his heart. After all, Wang Cuiqiao and a group of people from the Mo family are now running salt shops in Yangzhou. I counted it myself, and I haven't seen them for nearly a year. Time flies, youth is easy to grow old, how many years can there be in life? For the soft and delicate Xue Yanniang, sometimes the talented Wang Cuiqiao, who is sometimes charming, and Mo Qing'er, who is not yet naïve and wants to marry him as a concubine, Yan Hong said in his heart that he didn't want it to be fake. Now, although we have to shoulder a heavy responsibility, we have to do the matter of opening the sea, and this trip can not be completed in ten days and half a month. Since they have all passed through Yangzhou, why not stop for a while.

Therefore, as early as when the ship passed through Huai'an, Yan Hong said to Zhang Juzheng that although this port is only available in Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong provinces, there is no port in Jiangsu. However, Yangzhou is an important commercial port on the Yangtze River, and Yangzhou has a huge amount of money, and once the sea is opened, they must also be a very strong participating force. Since we have passed here, we might as well discuss it for a few days and discuss it with the local government and Hao, and also understand their thoughts. In this way, when I go back to Hangzhou, I can also have a bottom in my heart.

Zhang Juzheng was quite appreciative when he heard this: "What Xianqi said is that the more the land opens the sea, how can the land of Wu be isolated?" It is also a calm strategy to stop in Jiangsu first to find out the details, and then enter Zhejiang. In addition, after arriving in Yangzhou, I also wanted to go to Nanjing. There are many gentry in Nanjing, and it is the base camp of Jiangnan military equipment. Open the sea to the south of the Yangtze River, and their help is indispensable. ”

Yan Hongxi said: "What Mr. said is true. Then our fleet will stop in Yangzhou, first visit Yangzhou, and then Mr. will go to Nanjing, and I will stay here, wait for you to come back from Nanjing, and then go south to Hangzhou together. ”

Zhang Juzheng scolded with a smile: "Song Renyun, with 100,000 yuan wrapped around his waist, riding a crane down to Yangzhou, you apprentice, you want to go to Nanjing as a teacher, so you are not cunning." As a teacher, you are not deaf, your romantic debts in Yangzhou, can you hide it as a teacher? I still have to find this high-sounding excuse. ”

Yan Hongxin said, Zhang Juzheng is amazing, it's really boring to be sloppy with him. He hurriedly said: "The teacher is wrong, I do have two outer rooms in Yangzhou, and I want to take the opportunity to meet them." But am I a student who has been corrupted by private affairs? In fact, the official gentry and wealthy families in the south of Zhili are all related to the opening of the sea. We have to prepare to overcharge taxes, and we can't do without the support of Nanjing. Therefore, we must stop in Nanzhili for a few days. If the gentleman wants me to go to Nanjing together, that will also make it. ”

Zhang Juzheng smiled and said, "Whether you go to Nanjing or not, let's talk about it the next day." And call the boat to Yangzhou to go. ”

When he returned to the cabin, Zhang Juzheng removed the smile on his face and carefully pulled out a piece of yellow silk from his arms. Carefully unfolded, the thick ink red seal is just a secret decree, and the number of words is less than a hundred. Zhang Juzheng read it again from beginning to end, without saying a word, put away the secret decree again, but pushed open the window in the cabin, looked at the Yangtze River that was getting closer and closer, and sighed. (To be continued......)