"The God of Wealth is back."

The day before Taizu's death, Xia Yuanji finally rushed back from Jiangnan.

This kind of important ceremony to announce the legitimate succession of the new emperor, if there are no special circumstances, any participating officials are not allowed to ask for leave, and the degree of neatness of the personnel far exceeds that of previous court meetings.

After entering the palace to report to Emperor Yongle, Xia Yuanji came to the president's law change affairs yamen to visit Jiang Xinghuo.

"Master Jiang doesn't ask about the situation in Jiangnan?" Xia Yuanji sat down and took a sip of tea with a smile.

"What is there to ask, just look at your skin color."

Jiang Xinghuo rolled up his sleeves and stretched out his arm, compared with Xia Yuan Jiyi, but it was two shades lighter, obviously Xia Yuan Ji was hotter than when he was exposed to the sun.

Xia Yuanji couldn't help but think that when he entered the palace today, the eunuchs in the palace didn't recognize him, and it seemed that it was really dark.

"But let's talk about it, how is Jiangnan now?"

"Hmmm......"

Xia Yuanji pondered for a moment, and his face showed a solemn look: "The water control is still effective, and I dare not guarantee it, but at least in the past ten years, there will definitely not be a situation where it will be waterlogged in summer, the rivers around Taihu Lake have basically completed dredging, and the fields have also been cleared. ”

"Huang Ziwei did his best?" Jiang Xinghuo asked about his subordinates when he was in Jiangnan again.

Xia Yuanji nodded in approval: "I'm very hardworking, I'm a talent, I used to be so slack because I couldn't change the environment." ”

Jiang Xinghuo didn't say anything, just thought in his heart, it seems that not all people who are rotten are hopeless, after all, most of them are incapable of changing the environment, and the lack of ability to change the environment does not mean that he is incapable of doing things well.

Then Jiang Xinghuo asked again: "What about Ye Zhixing (who changed his words two months ago)?" Did you make up for the official body? ”

"I reported it to Your Majesty, either go to the Ministry of Industry to renovate the office (Zheng Qipin) and then find an opportunity to transfer to the Dushui Qing Officials Division, or go to Jiangnan to be a county commander in a place other than Songjiang Mansion, as for where to go in the end, it depends on the arrangements of Your Majesty and the Ministry of Officials."

Jiang Xinghuo nodded and asked him the question he was most concerned about.

"What is the progress of the production and construction of the second phase of the manual workshop area?"

In Jiang Xinghuo's view, everything else is secondary to the change, and only the vigorous development of new manufacturing forces is the real main aspect.

"At present, we are in full production, not only the cotton textiles that are being done in the large field area, but also the small fields in the second phase are also trying to recruit people from different places to produce special textiles. For example, the crape myrtle silk in Haining County, Hangzhou Prefecture, the lake silk in Huzhou Prefecture, the Pu silk in Jiaxing Prefecture, the Ou silk in Wenzhou Prefecture, the cotton silk in Ruian County, the raw silk in Ningbo Prefecture, and the net silk in Dongyang County, Jinhua Prefecture, these small farms have also been established one by one. Natsuhara replied.

"Whose idea?" Jiang Xinghuo was slightly surprised.

"Tang Yin, she has a lot of ideas, if it weren't for her background, she is a woman, she should be used."

"I also need to investigate and investigate."

Jiang Xinghuo was noncommittal, and asked again: "There are so many female workers gathered in Shanghai County, most of them are homeless people who have been coerced by the White Lotus Sect, and they can be regarded as uprooting their hometowns, so is the order in the workshop stable?" Are there any green-skinned scoundrels who come to make trouble? What about the arrangements for the female workers' shifts and family visits? ”

"The wages are more, the food is good, and the order is still very stable. There were garrisons around, and no one dared to make trouble, and the soldiers were strictly forbidden to bully female workers. ”

"If you take a turn off."

Xia Yuanji made a little difficulty, but still chose to tell the truth: "At present, the production task is very urgent, and there are four days off every month, and in addition, family leave has not yet been implemented. After all, there are also concerns, one is that people are afraid that they will not come back after making money, and the other is that although the road is safe, no one can guarantee any accidents. ”

"I know there's a problem."

Jiang Xinghuo sighed and said: "Let's deal with the current matter first, tomorrow's [Taizu Death Day] is the last pass, and if you cross this pass, you will really have a lot to do." ”

Speaking of which, Xia Yuanji also had to ask some of the questions he was most concerned about, after all, he was the head of the household.

"And after that? There are a lot of cotton fabrics and silk fabrics, if they really can't be sold, the venue, labor, equipment. This is all the money that the household department has paid for the warehouse. ”

The handicraft workshop in Dahuangpu, the investment of the household department is indeed very large, and now the Ming Dynasty is full of money-burning work, although there is no user department to pay for the West, but to build Beijing City, repair the "Yongle Canon", and levy the military expenditure of Annan, which is not a huge cost of billions?

And the Ming Dynasty now has great financial problems, last year Hongwu 35 years of the national fiscal revenue equivalent to grain is 34 million stones, of which 88% (about 30 million stones) is agricultural tax, 7% is salt and tea, 5% is commercial tax, according to the ratio of 1 stone rice = 0.2 taels of silver, this income converted into silver is 6.8 million taels of silver.

The most terrifying thing is that in the agricultural tax that accounts for as much as 88%, the land of the military field and the Huangzhuang of the Weisu contributed nearly 8 percent, that is, about 23 million stones, and this income must have declined year by year with the end of the Jingyan Battle, because many of the guards were defeated, which greatly affected the young and middle-aged labor force population of the guard.

Compared with the Northern Song Dynasty, which is a little smaller than the territory, the commercial tax revenue in the middle of the Northern Song Dynasty was 8 million taels, accounting for 70% of the total tax revenue, and the total income was about 11 million taels, while the commercial tax rate of the Northern Song Dynasty was 5%, and the Ming Dynasty was 3%.

At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, the fiscal revenue was in a state of extreme dependence on agriculture and the income from agricultural output of the nature of government land, which was an extremely fragile and single fiscal state.

Xia Yuanji's anxiety can be seen with the naked eye: "If this batch of goods produced urgently cannot be done in the unarmed free trade zone tomorrow, or if Annan cannot be dumped, not only will the law change face the risk of failure, but also this year's finances may become extremely difficult, and the military expenditure for the levy of Annan will be too great." ”

"So that's the crux of the problem - I can't bear the wolf with the child!"

"No matter how much opposition there is in the temple, the sea ban must be abolished, the tributary system must be changed, and foreign trade must be carried out."

Jiang Xinghuo said seriously to Xia Yuanji: "And the domestic salt class is open to Chinese and French, Cao Yun, and suppress business. Now that it is the eve of global trade, how can we still stay in the sky to eat? I don't believe that the Northern Song Dynasty can do what the Ming Dynasty can't do, the Northern Song Dynasty doesn't have Gansu, Ningxia, Yanyun, and Yunnan, and they can collect 8 million taels of domestic commercial taxes, why can't the Ming Dynasty? And the Ming Dynasty has a larger handicraft workshop than the Northern Song Dynasty, and the textiles we produce are more inexpensive and cheap, and when the Strait of Malacca is under control, open up the trade routes to the Mamluks and the Ottomans, overseas trade can also achieve a tariff of 8 million taels a year, believe it or not? ”

Xia Yuanji wanted to believe it, but he didn't dare to believe it.

If he can make Daming's finances skyrocket from 7 million taels a year to 17 million taels a year during his tenure as the head of the household department, and it is like this every year, and it is not the inflationary income growth like going to Japan to dig silver mines, then there is no doubt that he will become a figure on a par with Guan Zhong in the economic history of China.

As a professional financial expert, Xia Yuanji certainly knows that if Daming can achieve a fiscal revenue structure of 1/3 of domestic agricultural tax, domestic commercial tax, and overseas trade tariff, then it will be far healthier and more stable than relying on the sky to eat now.

There is no doubt that this will be an epoch-making initiative.

But although the dream is very full, the reality is extremely backbone, and after imagining the future, Xia Yuanji still has to face a bad debt.

"We can't afford to lose a single step."

"We won't lose a single step!"

"I've come so far, which step did I lose?"

Jiang Xinghuo said with certainty: "The focus of the second stage of the reform is the financial reform, so that Your Majesty and the entire temple can see a steady stream of money. And the new policy can also be bound to the income of officials all over the world, and when the actual benefits are obtained, just like the fertilizer workshops of the Beijing officials before, how many people will oppose the change of the law at that time? Once there are interests involved, the greater the Ming Dynasty's tax revenue, the more profits they will receive, and there will be more and more overseas official positions and promotion paths. ”

"I understand, and I also believe that what Master Jiang said can be realized, but what about tomorrow's [Taizu Death Day]?"

"I've also heard some rumors, behind this matter, I'm afraid it's not as simple as it seems!" Natsuhara took a deep breath.

"Someone looking for you?" Jiang Xinghuo asked.

Xia Yuanji shook his head: "I just heard that it's just speculation at the moment, and the specific inside story, I'm afraid it will have to wait until tomorrow to reveal." ”

"Jianwen Yu has some plans, but the focus is not on them, they just played a role in fueling the flames, and it was actually the conservatives in the temple who really made this matter surge and then form a monstrous wave. At present, there is a Shangshu and two squires who are going to end up in person. ”

"Is it so serious?"

Xia Yuanji frowned.

"What else do you think?" Jiang Xinghuo asked with a wry smile.

"Of course I know it's not easy, that's why you called me back."

Xia Yuanji took a sip of tea and asked in a condensed voice: "Sun Yu, the left attendant of the household department (the former left senator of the Beiping Political Division, Zhu Gaochi's descendant), and Li Wenyu, the right attendant of the household department, are these two people involved?" ”

The former represents Zhu Gaochi, and the latter is the former head of the household department Shangshu Yuxin, that is, Xia Yuanji's recommended master, and the right-hand man left to Xia Yuanji, who also supports the reform of the law and supports financial reform.

No matter who has problems with these two people, it will be difficult for Xia Yuanji to accept.

Fortunately, Jiang Xinghuo's answer made him breathe a sigh of relief.

"None of them participated."

Xia Yuanji silently pondered, no one in the household department participated, it was impossible for the Shangshu and the right waiter of the Ministry of Rites to participate, and Wang Jing of the left waiter was suspicious, so the rest of the officials, the Ministry of Works, the Criminal Department, the Ministry of War, and the four Shangshu and eight waiters, who were involved in the "one Shangshu and one waiter" in it?

Frankly speaking, at this moment, Xia Yuanji couldn't guess, he still had to figure it out.

Because the rest of the people are suspicious, and basically they are not supporters of the change.

But in Xia Yuanji's first reaction, the only one who can rule out suspicion may be Zheng Ci of the Criminal Department, Zheng Ci only obeys the orders of Emperor Yongle, and it is extremely slippery, even if he does not support the change of the law, he will not openly oppose the change of the law on such an important occasion as [Taizu's death day].

Jiang Xinghuo took a pen and wrote and drew on the paper.

Officials: Shang Shu Jianyi, left waiter Xu Siwen (former deputy envoy of Beiping, Yanjun civil official system, Zhu Gaochi's lineage) right waiter Liu Guan (transferred to the right waiter of the household department, and Xia Yuanji has a gap)

Military Department: Shangshu Ru Yu (Yongle Emperor's lineage), Left Shilang Qiao Wen (former Beiping Liwen, Yanjun civil official system, Zhu Gaochi's lineage), Right Shilang Shikui (famous Qing official)

Criminal Department: Shangshu Zheng Ci (Yongle Emperor's lineage), Left Shilang Ma Jing (Hongwu Laochen, former Dali Siqing), Right Shilang Li Qing (Hongwu Laochen, former Right Yudu Yushi)

Ministry of Industry: Shangshu Huang Fu, Left Squire Chen Shou (Zhu Gaochi's lineage, praised as 'the first person in the Squire'), Right Squire Jin Zhong (Yongle Emperor's lineage, Yan Jun's No. 2 strategist)

In fact, it can be clearly seen from this list of high-ranking officials at the Shangshu and Shilang levels that although Zhu Gaochi, the prince of the high-ranking officials at the Shangshu level, did not directly intervene, but at the Shilang level, after a series of civil official transfers, appointments and dismissals in the first year of Yongle, Zhu Gaochi installed four left squires in the four key departments with the heaviest functions and powers in the six departments: households, officials, soldiers, and workers!

Although Zheng Ci is shameless, he has done an excellent job in safeguarding the interests of the official groups from the three law division systems of the department, and the criminal department is basically professional bureaucrats from Dali Temple, the Metropolitan Procuratorate, and the Criminal Department.

However, with the three Yang of the cabinet in one hand and the six ministries in the other, silently, the civil official system of the Yan Army represented by the great prince Zhu Gaochi and the subordinate ministers, that is, the great prince faction, have become the most important force to be ignored in the temple.

In addition, there are the reformers who did not completely stand in the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Households, the descendants of the Yongle Emperor and the imperial faction, and the conservatives who inherited from the Hongwu-Jianwen era.

Of course, the spectrum of the temple is never either/or, it is just a simple division according to the [attitude towards the change], and the division is based on the reformers who support the change, and the conservatives who oppose the change, that is, the imperial power and the great prince who change their attitude towards the change at any time according to the attitude of the dominant figure.

In fact, the temple is much more complicated, and the conservatives are not necessarily opposed to certain reform policies, and the reform faction does not necessarily support all reform policies; It is possible that the conservatives are also the great princes, and the changes in the face of the great princes are the imperial power, which is the most complex thing in the world is the hearts of the people, who can say for sure?

After all, to put it bluntly, this is the era of imperial power, although everyone usually stands in line and divides, but when it comes to the critical moment, they all become imperial power.

However, if it is simply divided to facilitate and quickly understand the current [attitude towards the change of the law] of each faction, there are currently 6 Shangshu and 12 squires in the six departments, a total of 18 people.

The Fa-changers occupied 2 Shangshu and 2 Shilang, a total of 4 people.

The Great Prince's faction occupies 4 squires, a total of 4 people.

The imperial power faction occupied 2 Shangshu and 1 squire, a total of 3 people.

The conservatives occupied 2 Shangshu and 5 squires, a total of 7 people.

Although the conservatives are not united within themselves, and even have a lot of contradictions with each other, they have always maintained the change in the face of the change, that is, they have resisted the change and insisted that the law of their ancestors cannot be changed.

"Shave off those who support the change of the law, as well as the officials who obey His Majesty and the Great Prince, and then look at it, these three kinds of people will not openly oppose the change of the law tomorrow."

After drawing on paper × doing subtraction, the list really slimmed down a lot.

Shangshu level: the Ministry of Officials Shangshu Jianyi, the Ministry of Industry Shangshu Huang Fu

Squire level: Wang Jing, the left waiter of the Ministry of Rites, Liu Guan, the right waiter of the Ministry of Soldiers, Shi Kui, the left waiter of the Criminal Department, Ma Jing, the right waiter of the Criminal Department, and Li Qing, the right waiter of the Criminal Department

"Wang Jing has been determined, so the question now is, only need to pick out a Shangshu and a squire?" Natsuhara asked.

"Well, Shangshu actually already has an answer, but the other squire doesn't know." Jiang Xinghuo nodded and replied.

Xia Yuanji smiled bitterly.

He had already guessed who it was.

"Huang Fu, right? Jian Gong Lao Cheng Cheng Mou Guo, even if he is not satisfied with changing the law of his ancestors 10,000 times, he will not easily throw away his official position and authority, otherwise for him, no one will be able to be the 'Optimus White Jade Pillar of the Ming Dynasty, the Purple Gold Beam of the Sea' Jian Gong will be carried until the last moment. ”

"Yes."

Jiang Xinghuo was also a little helpless.

Is Huang Fu a good official? Of course, he is a good official, and he is a rare capable minister and cadre.

In the history of Jiang Xinghuo's previous life, Huang Fu was appreciated by Lao Zhu when he was a teenager, and the Tai student served as the chief secretary of Xiangcheng, and then established the dynasty for more than 40 years, and worked in Annan for 19 years in the middle.

But such a person is precisely the main force opposing the change of the law.

Because the belief he adheres to in his heart is in fundamental conflict with Jiang Xinghuo.

"There's only one squire left. Actually, it's easy to guess. ”

Xia Yuanji opened his mouth and said: "The two squires of the Criminal Department are both old criminal names from the Three Law Divisions system, and they have a very good relationship with Zheng Ci, their Three Law Divisions system is an independent small kingdom of its own, and whoever becomes the emperor has to use these professional bureaucrats, and they oppose changing the law because the 'law' they use is the law of their ancestors, but it does not mean that they will come forward to openly engage in confrontation." ”

Although they are all too students, they have been appreciated and promoted by Emperor Taizu Gao, but his resume is completely different from Huang Fu Huang Fu was appointed as a student of Taicheng and Qingyuan, and later moved to Jinwu avant-garde experience, and was promoted to the right waiter of the Ministry of Industry in the last years of Hongwu; Shi Kui was appointed as a student of Tai, and later served as an envoy to Shaanxi, known for his honesty and good at judging cases, but he intersected with the two servants of the Criminal Department on weekdays, and the Military Department was not what he was best at playing, and the Criminal Department was. ”

"So the last three squires are actually the same kind of people, they don't like to change the law, they are against changing the law, but they won't come out easily."

"Then there's only one answer."

Jiang Xinghuo also agreed with Xia Yuanji's guess, and continued: "Liu Guan, the right attendant of the ministry, there is a high probability that it may be him, he not only always opposes the change of the law, but also has a gap with you. ”

It must be said that Liu Guan is really not a good person.

In the history of Jiang Xinghuo's previous life, after Zhu Gaochi ascended the throne, Liu Guan was in charge of the Imperial Procuratorate, and added the title of prince and Taibao, at that time, Dali Temple Shaoqing Yi Qian wrote many times, Zhu Gaochi was bored with Yi Qian's cumbersome words, Liu Guan impeached Yi Qian according to Renzong's thoughts, and let the Fourteen Inspectors in the imperial history of the impeachment of Yi Qian said false words, so he was despised by public opinion.

When Zhu Zhanji ascended the throne, Liu Guan had a banquet and had fun, courtesans were full of courtesans, and accepted bribes in private, and the imperial historians of the Imperial Procuratorate with his subordinates were also corrupt and indulgent, Zhu Zhanji decided to rectify the atmosphere of the government and the opposition, and sent Liu Guan to the Jinyi Wei Prison, and exiled his son Liu Xian, who helped him collect money, to Liaodong to guard the frontier, and ordered Liu Guan to follow, and finally Liu Guanke died in Liaodong.

"History of the Ming Dynasty" recorded: "Li Zhigang's danger, Wu Zhong, Liu Guan's ink, and insignificant. ”

Think about it, Li Zhigang, who has an infinite cycle of "making money - going to prison because of making money - spending money to get out of prison - making money back - and then going to prison because of making money" has no discipline at all, what kind of good person can he be?

"Then since the people have been checked out according to the list, what is Master Jiang going to do?" Natsuhara asked.

"Preemptive strike."

Jiang Xinghuo said simply: "Wang Jing's students and Liu Guan's sons are not clean. ”

Xia Yuanji said thoughtfully: "In other words, how did Li Zhigang go to the edict and use the same method to deal with them?" ”

"Yes."

Jiang Xinghuo replied: "If you are not strict in disciplining students and family members, of course the recommender and the biological father are jointly and severally responsible, so let's reflect on it first when you go to prison." ”

"What about Huang Fu? He is a clean official, and he is actually the same kind of person as me and you, but in a different direction. Xia Yuanji asked with some regret.

"Let him speak, speak openly, and explain it to the whole world." Wang Bayi, ancient and modern's three debates, I did not take the stage in person, and this big stage in front of Taizu Xiaoling is related to whether the law can enter the second stage, and I will not let it go. ”

Jiang Xinghuo put down the teacup: "As for the rest of the people, they are just a group of bedbugs in the gutter." ”

——————

Imperial Palace, Fengtian Temple.

"Your Majesty, Sang Hongyang of the Western Han Dynasty has a [Salt and Iron Conference] with all the virtuous and virtuous, Wang Anshi and Sima Guang have [Yanhe Palace Debate], whether Jiang Xinghuo's method is feasible or not, there should always be an argument, in fact, what Huang Shangshu said just now is not wrong."

Looking at Jin Zhong and Jin Youzi, the "two gold" henchmen, Zhu Di frowned.

Why is it so complicated?

Before the edict, there were three arguments about "Wang Ba, Yili, Ancient and Modern", isn't it enough? Isn't it just a change of law? As for the quarrelsome?

"Erjin", as Zhu Di's ironcore, has been with Zhu Di for a long time, so he naturally understands his thoughts, so Jin Youzi explained.

"Your Majesty, the previous dispute was public opinion in the folk forest, and the dispute was whether to do the royal road or hegemony, to emphasize righteousness or profit, to learn from the past or to learn from the present, and now the fight is clear, naturally it is to be domineering, rich and strong, rich and profitable, and you have to change the law of the ancestors, not the ancient."

"And now Huang Shangshu means to convene another [Salt and Iron Conference] similar to the Western Han Dynasty to discuss what role the imperial court should play in the economy of the whole country."

“.”

Zhu Di was silent for a moment and asked a question: "What is the [Salt and Iron Conference]?" ”

Jin Youzi: "."

Jin Zhong: "."

In the end, Jin Zhong said: "[Salt and Iron Conference], also known as the Salt and Iron Discussion, is the Han Zhao Emperor, after the advice of the doctor Du Yannian proposed, the general Huo Guang in the name of Emperor Zhao, the prime minister Tian Qianqiu, the imperial historian Sang Hongyang, convened more than 60 virtuous literature, on the various policies of the Emperor Wu period, especially the salt and iron monopoly policy, a comprehensive summary and debate, the end of the meeting in July of the same year, the cancellation of the liquor monopoly and the iron monopoly in some areas, to the Han Xuan Emperor, Huan Kuan according to the records of the meeting at that time, sorted out as "Salt and Iron Theory". ”

"From the beginning, it is the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, under the auspices of Sang Hongyang, successively implemented a series of economic reforms such as the calculation of the Han Dynasty, the sue of the Han Dynasty, the salt and iron official camp, the average loss, the leveling of the standard, the currency system reform, and the wine and wine, which greatly increased the financial revenue of the Han Dynasty and laid the foundation for the Northern Expedition of the Xiongnu by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty."

"Wait!"

Zhu Di came back to his senses, co-authoring this so-called [Salt and Iron Conference] is to cancel the various policies of Sang Hongyang to help Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty manage money, right?

So who is "Sanghong sheep" now? Who is the "Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty"?

Of course, Jin Zhong understood what Zhu Di's "wait" meant, so he decisively changed his words.

In fact, it is because Sang Hongyang's policies of salt and iron, equal loss, leveling, and wine infringe on the economic interests of others, and among the opponents, in addition to the local tyrants, are the newly rising nobles, and Huo Guang is its representative. Your Majesty, our Ming Dynasty's [Salt and Iron Conference] can't repeat the mistakes of the Great Han! ”

Jin Youzi resolutely followed: "Yes, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty used Sang Hongyang's financial management skills to have the ability to do the deeds of the first emperor through the ages." ”

With the help of the roundworms in the stomach, Zhu Di roughly understood the former, and asked, "What is the process of [Yanhe Palace's debate]?" ”

"The main reason is the disagreement between Wang Anshi and Sima Guang, the debate topic of [Yanhe Palace's court debate] is that at that time, the industrial and commercial economy of the Northern Song Dynasty was developed, but the country was very poor and weak, and the court was stinking for food, and in the people, due to the lack of land annexation, the gap between the rich and the poor was huge, what should I do."

Wang Anshi advocated open source, that is, the imperial court should put away all the powers of the economy, follow the example of Shang Yang and Sang Hongyang, and carry out economic reform led by the imperial court; Sima Guang's view was the opposite of Wang Anshi's, he advocated throttling, that is, the imperial court should not spend money indiscriminately, it should curb land annexation, and the people should be rich, and the imperial court should not loot the people's money. ”

"Wang Anshi's point of view is 'the people do not give and the country uses spare', Sima Guang particularly hated this sentence, he reprimanded Sang Hongyang for using these words to deceive Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, which led to the rise of thieves in the late Emperor Wu Dynasty, and was forced to issue the "Edict of Guilt". In his opinion, there is a certain amount of wealth in the entire Great Song Dynasty, and if it is not in the people, it is in the imperial court, and the two will encroach on each other. ”

Zhu Di looked at his father's portrait: "I understand, it seems that Huang Fu is right, it is clear that a new [Salt and Iron Conference] or [Yanhe Palace Court Debate] is needed. ”

(End of chapter)