When Xiao Feng returned to Xiao Mansion, it was already dawn, Zhang Yunqing and Qiaoqiao were practicing in the courtyard, and when they saw Xiao Feng, they ran forward together.

Xiao Feng raised the bun in his hand: "Qiaoqiao, Qiaoqiao Bun Shop gave you breakfast, I ate one, the oil is a little smaller than the original, and it tastes better."

Qiaoqiao took the bun with a smile, turned around and ran to the kitchen. Zhang Yunqing chased after him and shouted, "Slow down! Wash your hands before you eat them!"

Xiao Feng walked into the hall, and Liu Xueer and Chang An were learning to weave from Qiao Niang. Qiao Niang smiled and watched the two of them take turns to operate, just like an old driver in a driving school looking at two novice female drivers.

To tell the truth, Liu Xue'er is a little better, although the things woven are also different, but at least the movements are decent.

Chang An was more miserable, she was already in a hurry, and the machine was more complicated, she was gritting her teeth and fiddling, and suddenly saw Xiao Feng walking in.

Chang An wanted to behave well again, but instead she was even more busy, several silk threads came and went, entangled her two hands, and her hair was twisted into a lock, and she screamed in a hurry.

Qiao Niang and Liu Xue'er hurriedly rescued her, Chang An kicked the loom in anger, and then sat on the stool in pain, holding her feet with tears in her eyes.

Xiao Feng laughed, Qiao Niang pursed her lips and smiled, "Master, this is not to blame Chang An. My old loom, Chang An learned very well.

This loom is too big, and Chang An is not skilled, so it is like this. But this loom is really fast, I tried it, and it was more than twice as fast as it was."

Chang An raised his head with an expression of "look, look, it's not that I'm stupid", Xiao Feng touched her head to show comfort.

"This loom was my idea, and the technical officials of Guofang researched it. I asked them to send one over, just for Qiao Niang to try it.

Qiao Niang is very talented in weaving, you give advice, see where you need to modify, write it down and I will hand it over to Guofang.

If we revise it again, we can make it in large quantities, and in addition to using it in the WTO Accession Concept and the National Workshop, we must also promote it to the people, so that the people can use it."

Qiao Niang's eyes lit up, she didn't expect Xiao Feng to value her opinion so much, and said wistfully while touching the loom.

"If all the weaver girls in the world can use this loom, then the woman can support her family with her hands, and then I am afraid that there will not be enough silk and linen."

Xiao Feng smiled faintly: "Don't worry, I have already selected the places suitable for changing rice to mulberry in Jiangnan back then.

Now that Daming is not short of food, these things can begin to advance."

Chang An was stunned: "Isn't it Yan Shifan's conspiracy to change rice to mulberry? Didn't you use this as an excuse to make you take the blame and take me to Jiangnan by the way?

What kind of good idea could the father and son come up with be a good idea?"

Xiao Feng sat on the chair and said lightly, "An idea is an idea, and it doesn't matter who comes out of it. Just like knives, there are no good knives and no bad knives.

But look at whose hand it is in and who it is pointing at. Changing rice to mulberry was a bad idea at the time, but now it's a good idea.

Nothing is dead, and I don't allow you to buy food directly from outside, but only buy food from reliable vegetable stalls and come back to do it, just in case.

But I am willing to take the buns from the Qiaoqiao bun shop and give them back to Qiaoqiao to eat, first, I have a way to test whether the buns are poisonous, and second, the bun shop is a secret stake of Jinyiwei."

Everyone was taken aback, although Qiaoqiao Bun Shop has only recently changed its name, the history of this Bun Shop is not short, at least it can be traced back to before Xiao Wannian's death.

Chang An smiled bitterly: "These brocade guards really do everything, even the bun shop can be opened!" Qiaoqiao even gave it to me to eat, and the craftsmanship is very good!"

Xiao Feng nodded: "The Jinyi Guards are not like what you see, they are all flying fish suits, embroidered spring knives, and they are majestic.

Among them, there are too many people, who are lurking among ordinary people, living ordinary lives, and doing all kinds of walks of life.

They pretend to be doctors, and they really know how to see patients; Carpenter is really good at building houses; If you are a merchant, you will not only do business, but you will also drive up prices."

In Songjiang Prefecture, a group of farmers are working on a flat land. A fat man who looked like a merchant, with an entourage, looked around the land.

While a farmer had reached the end of the field, the merchant approached him, brought out some candied snacks and some tobacco, and warmly invited the farmer to take a break.

The peasant only wanted to ask for directions as a businessman, and he was not polite, he filled a bag of cigarettes, took a puff, and nodded pleasantly.

"This boss, what do you want to ask, just ask, there is no place I don't know about this hundred miles. When I was younger, I used to be a merchant."

The merchant laughed, "I'm not asking for directions. I see this piece of land very well, and I like it in my heart. Brother, you don't know, I used to be a farmer.

Later, he was young and ignorant, greedy to save a few taxes, and took refuge in the local family.

Who knew that the old man was not a son of man, he colluded with the government, and sent someone to rob the contract of selling the land and not selling the tenant, and plotted to seize my land.

In desperation, he went out to become an apprentice and learn to run a business. After half a lifetime of hard work, I finally accumulated some furniture, and it was all tears!"

The peasant's heart trembled, and he frowned and took two puffs of his cigarette before slowly shaking his head.

"Then you're really unlucky. This kind of master does exist, so you still have to look at the talent, and you have to make an appointment with a group of people to take refuge together.

There are so many people and there is a foil for each other, and the old man doesn't dare to play tricks easily, he can rely on one person, but he can't rely on a group of people."

The merchant wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes: "What the old brother said, although it is reasonable, but the heart is separated from the belly. And people change, too.

That old man, his father is still a well-known good man. He looked fine when he was younger, but who knew what would happen to him later?

Besides, my group of villagers usually have their chests beating loudly, and it is difficult to say anything. But when I'm in trouble, I'm fucking on the sidelines!

The old man only said that I was a scoundrel and made trouble, if you don't make trouble, you can collect less money back then, and you will settle them!"

The peasant's brow furrowed even more, and he quickly took a few more puffs of cigarette to suppress his shock, and then regained some confidence in himself.

"This ...... I don't think I can do it here, I won't...... Our lord's character here is still very good......

The merchant looked surprised: "Brother, you also surrendered the land? It can't be the Xu family, right?

His lord is the first assistant of the dynasty, so he is naturally good. It's just that the one who is now in charge of the house, I heard that ...... Alas......"

This made the peasant even more panicked, and he hurriedly refilled the tobacco leaves and took a few puffs.

"Boss, you are in business, and you have seen a lot of things when you travel south and north, is there anything else that our uncle of the Xu family can't do?"

The merchant looked left and right at no one, lowered his voice and said, "This is the Xu family's land, how dare I talk nonsense."

It's just that the uncle of the Xu family obviously won the jinshi and failed to be an official, who knows what the court thinks. If he is a good man, can the court not let him be an official?"

The peasant was flustered and sullen, and the merchant arched his hand and turned to go away with his servants, but the peasant grabbed him.

"What kind of business did you come to us? I have also been a merchant, and if there is anything I can send, just talk and give a little money."

The merchant smiled: "I have been in business for half my life, and I have the intention to buy some land to settle down and become a small landlord.

But since the land on your side has already taken refuge in Master Xu, I don't dare to provoke it, so I will leave.

By the way, brother, if Master Xu suddenly comes to you and wants to pay for the real purchase of the fields, you must not agree."

The peasant was stunned: "The Xu family doesn't need to pay for this refuge, and they have to rent, and they are willing to pay for land?" No, it won't."

The merchant sighed, "I'm just guessing. I heard from a friend who did business in the capital that the change from rice to mulberry before the imperial court really began.

That Guofang made a new loom, and the weaving speed was faster than the original

Much faster. And now many weaving mills have been built, and women are going out to work.

Silk and hemp cotton are not enough, and the market is rushing to buy them. Especially silk, hemp and cotton can also be expanded, but this silk depends on silkworms to spit out!

If there is no mulberry tree, how can you raise silkworms, if you can't raise silkworms, how can you spin silk? I heard that one of the places where rice has been changed to mulberry is this part of Songjiang Prefecture!

The purchase price given by Guofang now is fifty taels of silver per mu, whoever has it in his hands will be rich in an instant!"

The merchant departed with his entourage, and the peasant stood in the field for a long time, then turned and went home.

The acquaintances in the adjacent fields saw it and asked strangely, "Brother Zhang, why did you go home at this time, and all the work in the field was done?"

The peasant muttered a vague sentence that there was something at home, and went straight home. When he arrived at home, his wife was preparing to cook and asked him strangely.

"Every day you work until it's dark and come back, why is it so early today? My daughter-in-law hasn't even left work, has she?"

The peasant had something in his heart, and while helping the old lady to work, he asked the old lady at the same time.

"Mother, do you remember that you told me that two days ago, someone came to the village to ask if there was any land to sell and give twenty taels of silver per mu?"

The old lady nodded: "It's a young student, at first glance, it's running errands for others, on a hot day, I went into the house to ask for saliva to drink, saying that I ran to several villages." Ь.

The peasant said in a sullen voice, "Our piece of land, twenty taels of silver, is a good price. But everybody stays home, and no one wants to sell it."

While he was talking, his wife entered the house, picked up the threads on her body as she walked, saw her husband and mother-in-law, and said while helping to cook.

"We bought two new looms from Guofang in the weaving workshop, which are really much easier to use than the original. The housekeeper said that I should use a new machine!"

The peasant's heart jumped: "There are many people in your weaving workshop, but there is no other news?"

The lady thought for a while: "The housekeeper said that the Xu family had approached their family, and his family opened a weaving mill, and his eighty acres of land were planted by others.

The Xu family asked him if he wanted to take refuge in the past, and the rent was only 20% of the government's, and even said that 10% could be discussed."

The farmer was taken aback: "When we took refuge in the Xu family, we agreed on forty percent! At that time, I thought it was a good deal, and the masters in other places wanted fifty percent. I can't imagine that I am so generous to her family!"

The lady also sighed, "This is a matter between rich people. Our family only has a few acres of land, and if we don't take refuge in the Xu family, won't we hand it over to the government?

Our owner runs a weaving mill, and there is still business in the city, so it is not bad for the rent. And people also think that the reputation of taking refuge is not good after all.

You are like our family, in order to take refuge in the Xu family, you even signed the deed of sale, and the whole family is considered a slave of the Xu family. Even if it's fake, it's not a good reputation."

The peasant gritted his teeth and whispered to the lady, "I will tell you one thing, this matter is only to be said to your brother's family, and it must not be spread outside!"

That night, the lady's brother whispered to his mother-in-law, "This matter can only be said to your brother, and it must not be spread outside!"

The brother's lady said to her sister, "This matter can only be told to your man, tell him that he must not spread the word!"

A few days later, Xu Fan looked at the accounts in front of him depressedly, and the concubine Ting'er stood behind him and helped him pinch his shoulder.

"Ting'er, what's going on? Why has the number of people who have come to take refuge in the past few days suddenly decreased?"

Ting'er shook her head and said, "Not only that, but some people who took refuge also came to the door and wanted to renew the contract. said that the rent of the original government was too high."

Xu Fan snorted: "The lords in other places have not collected less than fifty percent of the rent! I'm forty percent of them, and they're too much!"

Ting'er said coquettishly: "It's not that you're too anxious, those big families don't want to take refuge, so you let the rent be reduced to three or two percent."

I think it's because the big ones are not strict with their mouths, and the rumors leak out, and those tenants naturally refuse."

Xu Fan sighed

Said: "Time is running out, seeing that this port is being built faster and faster, and the goods of Guofang are getting more and more. Those merchant ships have gone to the beach to receive their goods!

Now the Ming Dynasty, Japan, and Francois are at war in all countries on the sea, and those merchant ships are running around at risk, so you can see how much interest there is here!

Moreover, at the time of Tianfu, there was news that the imperial court's will to change rice to mulberry would continue to advance, but the imperial court was unwilling to expropriate land piecemeal, which was too slow!

The imperial court wants to choose a large household with the most land, and finish it all at once, so as not to cause trouble. I heard that this time the land is expropriated, Guofang will pay a lot of money!

Now looking around, Matsue is definitely one of the best options. So I have to hold the land in my hands as soon as possible, so that I can slow down the pace of Guofang.

Even if I can't delay it in the end, I can still slaughter Guofang ruthlessly. Now there are wars everywhere, and the silver is spent like flowing water.

I don't believe how much money Xiao Feng can come up with to support Guofang. As long as Guofang slows down, the trade on this seaside is not in the hands of my Xu family!"

Ting'er was attached to Xu Fan's back, and the soft Q-elastic feeling made Xu Fan very comfortable, and he comfortably reached out and pinched Ting'er's thigh.

"Master, I heard that the commander of the Jinyi Guard, Lu Bing was beaten? Is this also your plan?"

Xu Fan smiled and said, "You take care of things outside for me, and you are really well-informed. Yes, Lu Bing was beaten, but it's a pity.

Long live not letting the letter be traced, Lu Bing still didn't give up, and secretly pursued it.

This would have been a good thing, but it could force the remaining strict party officials to also join their father's disciples.

It's a pity that he didn't act confidentially and was demolished by the East Factory. But it's not all bad for us."

Ting'er's face rubbed against Xu Fan's ear, and she asked suspiciously, "Why isn't it all bad for us, Lu Bing doesn't investigate, and other strict party officials are not afraid?"

Xu Fan smiled, "Everything is too much. Now eighty percent of the Yan Party officials have joined my father's door. The remaining two percent, it doesn't matter if you have it or not.

What's more, Lu Bing is not a stupid person, and if he investigates, he will never find any other letters, so it is inevitable that he will have some suspicions, and this matter is not a bad thing to end here."

As he was talking, the second housekeeper hurriedly ran over, Ting'er straightened up, but her chest was still attached to Xu Fan's back, and the second housekeeper hung his head, when he didn't see it.

"Young Master, Miss Ting, many farmers have come to the door and want to resign the contract."

Xu Fan frowned: "Promise them to reduce the rent to thirty percent, and the contract will not have to be re-signed, so many people, it's too troublesome."

The second housekeeper shook his head and said, "Young master, no, they not only asked for a rent reduction, but also asked for the removal of the status of a servant."

Xu Fan was stunned: "Why is this? According to the law of the Ming Dynasty, if you are not a slave, you cannot follow your master to be exempt from tax and forced labor. Don't they want to take refuge?"

The second housekeeper took out a notice: "This is a notice issued by the Jiangnan Governor's Mansion, and it has just arrived in our Songjiang Mansion."

Xu Fan picked it up and took a look, and the notice read: Land, the foundation of the country. Scholars, pillars of the country.

However, a small number of people in various places pretended to sell themselves to seek refuge under the pretense of raising scholars by the state, but in fact they tried to exempt themselves from paying taxes, and such acts were really silverfish of the country.

Therefore, from the date of the order, the slaves in each place were ordered to establish a contract with their masters, and if they were counterfeiters, they should be cleaned up and eliminated.

The period is 10 days, after which the status of the slave is confirmed, and the government will no longer accept such disputes.

If any scholar deceives the state and obstructs the return of the land, he shall also be punished."

Xu Fan thought for a while, "In that case, then return the deed of sale to them. Anyway, the land is in the name of the Xu family, and it is still rent-free. They're just going to be forced into servitude."

The second housekeeper said with a bitter face: "They refused to pay a penny of rent, and asked the Xu family to turn around and give them rent, saying that otherwise, they would go to sue the young master!"

Xu Fan jumped up suddenly: "What? Outrageous! They took refuge in my family and only paid a few percent of the official tax, what a big advantage!

Not only do you not know Entu, but you also want to blackmail my Xu family? They're so big

Dog guts! Call the leader in!"

The leader came in, it was the owner of the weaving mill, with a farmer surnamed Zhang, who bowed to Xu Fan.

"Uncle Xu, it's not that we are ungrateful, it's really a great benefit, we can't get it alone."

Xu Fan blinked: "What is the great benefit? What nonsense are you talking about?"

The owner of the weaving mill said with a smile: "Guofang wants to take the land of our Songjiang Mansion and change rice to mulberry, and the whole provincial capital has heard about it!"

The land is now in your name, and it will be your family that will be rich. Either you annul everyone's land deeds and return them to everyone. Xiu Shu

If Uncle Xu still wants to keep the land, then he will re-sign the contract and pay rent to each household from now on.

In this way, when the land is expropriated, we only need 50 taels of silver per mu of land, and the above part belongs to Uncle Xu, so we can save our worries, how about it?"

Xu Fan's eyes turned black with anger: "You gang of Diao people, listening to the wind is rain!" When I was the Xu family, was it easy to bully?

You say that if you take refuge, you will take refuge, and if you say that you don't take refuge, you will not take refuge? I tell you, slavery can be spared, and since the land has taken refuge, I will give you a fixed price and reduce it to 10%.

How many big things do I have to do now, I don't have time to toss with you, who dares to disagree, don't want to mix up in this Songjiang Mansion in the future! Get out of here!"

Free to read.