"Brother Liu has won the award, what kind of all-round talent is civil and military, or Zhu Gongzi's young hero, not only a rising star in the martial arts, but also a favorite of the emperor, it is really promising, our old guys are already out of reach, hehe." Yu Shixiong said with a smile.

"The seniors of Yu are really falsely praised, the juniors really dare not be it, the seniors'Ruyi Divine Sword' are famous in the martial arts, and the juniors should really take the predecessors of the martial arts as a model for learning." Zhu Wenyu arched his hand.

"Hehe, Zhu Gongzi is really too modest. Okay, okay, let's not talk about some polite scenes, Zhu Gongzi is a court official at this time, and Brother Liu must have official business to discuss, and it is inconvenient for civilians to listen to the next one, so let's leave first. Yu Shixiong got up and arched his hand.

"Mr. Yu, don't be in such a hurry to leave, right? It doesn't hurt to stay a few more days. Liu Shicheng said.

"Exactly, the younger generation is just here to take a casual look, visit Lord Liu, and say a few words about irrelevant little things. There is no need to avoid the seniors, and besides, I want to ask the seniors for more benefits when I have the opportunity, so don't do that. Zhu Wenyu also said.

"Yes, Mr. Yu, you and I are just drinking and talking about poetry, this time there is Lord Qincha, Mr. Yu can also discuss martial arts with Lord Qincha, don't leave, it doesn't hurt to stay for a few more days." Liu Shicheng said.

"Zhu Gongzi, Brother Liu, since this is the case, Yu is very warm, so he will disturb Brother Liu for a few more days, and I really want to ask Zhu Gongzi for more advice if I have the opportunity." Yu Shixiong groaned slightly, raised his head and said with a smile.

"This is it, the opportunity is rare, how can Mr. Yu go?" Liu Shicheng said.

"Don't dare, it should be the juniors who ask for advice from Master Yu." Zhu Wenyu also said.

In this way, the old man still didn't bother the two adults to talk about business, and Yu took his leave. Brother Liu, I will borrow a few more days at Brother Liu's house in the future, and Zhu Gongzi will have every chance to spare, but you must give Yu a chance to ask for more advice. Yu Shixiong smiled and arched his hand and walked out of the hall.

Zhu and Liu got up to send Yu Shixiong off, returned to the hall and sat down, Liu Shicheng sighed: "Mr. Yu is indeed a civil and military all-rounder, not only is he the head of a faction, but he has also been promoted by virtue of his literary talent before, and his poetry and songs are first-class, and he is really a handsome person. It's a pity that I was wronged in the small land of Qingcheng Mountain, and I couldn't show my ambitions. Therefore, it has been nearly ten years since he and Xia Guan's drinking papers. ”

"Zhu has also been friends with Yu Zhangmen for a long time, and he has admired his name for a long time, and when I see it today, it is indeed worthy of his name." Zhu Wenyu also said.

"Then the adults can be as close as possible to Mr. Yu, Mr. Yu lives in the house these days, and the adults can pass him on at any time." Liu Shicheng said.

"How? Head Yu is a martial arts senior, of course, Zhu came to visit. ”

"Hehe, my lord is too modest. The lord is the minister of the imperial court and the emperor's confidant. Although Mr. Yu is the head of a faction, in the final analysis, he is just a grass people, how can there be a reason for Lord Qincha to visit the grass people? ”

"Don't worry about this Lord Liu, I have a reason." Zhu Wenyu was clear in his heart, knowing that Liu Shicheng was patting on the back, and said with a smile.

"That's nature. My lord is here today, I don't know what to teach? Liu Shicheng changed the subject.

"Oh, Zhu asked to see Master Liu today, but he wanted to find out something."

"I don't dare to be an official under the word 'ask to see', but if there is anything, Lord Qincha will ask for your orders."

"It is said that Lord Liu once issued a notice to double the tax on freight transportation on the Minjiang River, I don't know if there is such a thing?"

"Lord Yuqincha, this is indeed the case, this is the order of the imperial court, not only the tax on water freight has been doubled, but the lower official has also raised the fee of the wharf by fifty percent." Liu Shicheng hurriedly stood up and bowed.

"Oh? On the orders of the imperial court? Zhu Wenyu was quite surprised by this answer, he thought that this was just Liu Shicheng's own initiative to exploit the people and accumulate money, but he didn't expect it to be the will of the imperial court.

"Exactly, the imperial court's decree was issued in February last year, and the tax increase began in March, and it has been nearly a year now."

"Did the imperial court talk about why taxes should be raised?" Zhu Wenyu still couldn't believe it.

"Lord Yuqincha, this imperial court order did not mention it, but as far as the lower officials know, I heard that because of the excessive illegal logging in Sichuan, many merchants and smugglers of timber went south along the river, which caused soil erosion in the upper reaches of the Min River and a lack of water in the river."

"Oh, that's it." Zhu Wenyu doesn't know anything about this kind of people's livelihood and government affairs, how can he know whether it's true or not? Seeing Liu Shicheng say this, he didn't know how to speak for a while.

"It's just...... Nowadays, there are almost no wooden rafts in the Minjiang River, so isn't it too limited? So that the wood in the middle of the river can not reach the Central Plains? I am afraid that there is not much timber in the Central Plains from the east of this Minjiang wharf last year, right? Zhu Wenyu said again.

"This ...... Yes, sir. Liu Shicheng didn't know what to say for a while, and said for a while: "Xiaguan...... The lower officials are only following orders, this is ......"

"Lord Liu, can you reduce this tax a little? It doubled last year, can it only be increased by 50% this year? If it is reduced by fifty percent, there will be more rows of boats in the river, which will not only limit smuggling, but will not be as deserted as it is now, and it will not be good for the imperial court. ”

"This ...... The subordinate obeyed. It's just that...... My lord, this is the local civil administration of Leshan, if the adult wants to intervene as a messenger, it is inconsistent with the imperial court's order...... Fear...... I'm afraid that this matter still needs to be left by the adults to leave a note, and the officials can ......," Liu Shicheng said in a slurred manner.

"Hehe, this is nature, and naturally you can't embarrass Lord Liu. Zhu also had to report to the imperial court and explain the matter to the emperor's uncle, and I had to ask Lord Liu to send someone to send the book to the capital for me. Your side will come down first and then say, I will take responsibility for everything, and I will not embarrass you. Zhu Wenyu said categorically.

"The lower officer obeyed. The lower officials will post a notice tomorrow to reduce taxes heavily. By the way, my lord, do you want to go south and return to the capital by water? ”

"Hehe, Lord Liu is really smart, Zhu is exactly what he plans to do, come to your territory, one is to pay homage to the Buddha, and the other is to return to Beijing by water."

"Then the lower official will immediately arrange a boat ride for the adults." Liu Shicheng said.

"That's not necessary, I'll rest for a few days, pay a visit to Master Yu again, and then look for the boat and leave, don't bother Lord Liu."

"How does this work? Lord Zhu is a noble body, and he also carries treasures, how can he take the passenger boat that those grass people take on? Liu Shicheng said busily.

Zhu Wenyu heard Liu Shicheng say the word "treasure", thinking that when Wei Zhengxing, the political envoy of Sichuan, said these two words in Chengdu, Tang Yun lost his temper at that time, and glanced at Tang Yun who was sitting next to him, who knew that Tang Yun didn't seem to hear what Liu Shicheng said, and remained motionless, still quietly listening to Zhu and Liu.

Zhu Wenyu smiled secretly, didn't argue much, and said: "The two of us have been like this all the way, Lord Liu doesn't need to bother arranging, I'll wait to take a passenger boat." ”

"This ...... Lord Qincha is really sympathetic, and he is really a capable and important minister of the imperial court. Liu Shicheng slapped the sycophant again.

"Hehe, that's it, it's getting late today, let's go back to the inn first, and come to the mansion tomorrow to meet Master Yu."

"How can an adult stay at an inn? There is a ready-made post house in Leshan, which is located in a quiet place, and there is also a special person to serve, why not ...... adults"

"You don't have to worry about Lord Liu, Zhu arranged it himself." Before Liu Shicheng finished speaking, Zhu Wenyu interrupted him with a wave of his hand, got up and walked outside, and Tang Yun hurriedly got up and followed.

"It's easy for adults to go, but the officials won't send it." Liu Shicheng was busy in the back, bowing and saluting.

When Zhu Tang and the others walked out of the gate of the mansion, it was already dark, Liu Shicheng returned to the hall and said, "Come on, please come over Mr. Yu!"

"Shicheng, why did Zhu Wenyu suddenly come here today?" After retreating, Yu Shixiong asked.

"Back to the alliance leader, it seems that the kid surnamed Zhu didn't know that you were here in advance, and he didn't notice the identity of the alliance leader, just for the Minjiang waterway tax."

"Oh, I see, how is the tax money going?"

"The imperial court originally ordered to raise taxes, and the political envoy Yamen asked us to increase it by one percent, let's secretly double the rate, plus the dock silver, accumulated in a year, in addition to the silver that should be handed over to the imperial court, there is also a little bit for Lu Chenglin's kid, and more than 1.5 million taels of silver have been collected."

"Well, plus the cases that Du Feng and them have done over the years, there are almost millions of taels of silver now." Yu Shixiong groaned. "What did Zhu Wenyu say?"

"He asked me to reduce the tax by 50% first, and then he would explain the reason to the court himself, and asked me to send someone to send him a fold."

"Then come down first, you promise to send the fold, but don't send it quickly, just go to the capital before he himself, before that, we can collect a few more months and accumulate some silver." Yu Shixiong said.