The news also quickly spread to Ou Lingtian, the king of Huashan.

The imperial court transferred official salt from Huai'an to Sichuan, a total of 50,000 stones, and was personally escorted by Huai'an Salt Imperial Shi Liang Jinzin, which was not afraid of a small movement. What's more important is that the great eunuch Liu Jing pretended to be a public servant, mixed 10 private ships into the official ships, and prepared to follow the fish, the amount was 30,000 stones. It adds up to more than 10 million catties of official salt, which is equivalent to two million taels of silver. Big deals, big deals. Ji Kang looked at Ou Lingtian and said: "Brother Ou, this time Liu Jing is determined to win, there are more than 1,000 sailors on five Cangshan ships and a Xiaofu ship, the Xiaofu ship has strong firepower, and there are also soldiers from Dongchang on the wooden sailing boat, they are prepared." Lord Liang Jinzin Liang personally commanded, he is a third-grade official of the imperial court, which is not trivial. ”

Ou Lingtian smiled slightly: "I only saw the loaded official salt, it was silver from white flowers, why don't you accept the benefits of sending it to the door." As for whether Liang Jinzhen is an official from the third grade, I haven't paid attention to it yet. He dared to stop me from killing me. ”

Li Ji agreed: "The lord still has this temper, he is still tenacious after thousands of blows, and he is in the east, west, north and south. is so arrogant that he didn't even pay attention to Zhu Di, what is Liang Jinzin. ”

Ji Kang said: "That being said, Liu Jing is menacing this time, so you must be on guard. Just because we had a successful surprise attack on White Dog Gorge last time doesn't mean it will work in the future. Now the imperial court has sent heavy troops to patrol along the Yangtze River to crack down on small groups of water bandits, leaving no chickens and dogs. This is all Liu Jing's precautionary measures to clear the way for this transportation. We can't help but pay attention to it. ”

Ou Lingtian nodded and said, "Brother Ji is right, the combat effectiveness of the Ming Army's naval division is not ordinary. Last time we were a surprise attack. Without a head-to-head confrontation, victory comes too easily and the arrogant soldiers will be defeated. So I'm wondering if we can use this opportunity to have a real fight with the Ming army's sailors to test our strength in water battles. Brother Ji, what do you say?"

Ji Kang looked at Ou Lingtian and thought for a while, his eyebrows relaxed, and he said with a smile: "Brother Ou, I understand what you mean, don't you set up the battlefield and fight with the Daming Sailor once." Beat them up. Liu Jing wouldn't come to us, would he? ”

Ou Lingtian smiled but said nothing.

Li Ji said: "If Zhu Di knows about this, he will definitely be furious and send troops to exterminate the water bandits, and the matter will be big." ”

Ou Lingtian said: "Liu Jing doesn't dare, he must desperately cover up the facts that happened and hide it from Zhu Di, so that he can conceal his crime of using official ships to smuggle official salt." If he can be dealt a hard blow this time and intercept the official salt, Liu Jing will definitely be in chaos. We can just sit down with him. By helping him eliminate the bandits and take control of the salt industry, our goal has been achieved. ”

Ji Kang said: "It's good, but it's also a dangerous victory, so you have to make good arrangements." ”

Ou Lingtian said: "Immediately summon the leaders of 'Dragon's Village' and 'Huashan Heitan', as well as Dong Lianghong and Chen Shouxin from Shiyanpo Wharf to Shiyan to discuss major matters. ”

Huai'an is located in the north-central part of Jiangsu Province, in the eastern part of the Jianghuai Plain. Located in the Yangtze River Delta region, at the intersection of the Huai River and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, the Song Dynasty was relatively peaceful, becoming a port for Cao Yun and salt transportation, and the Southern Song Dynasty and the Jin and Yuan Dynasty confronted each other. After a long period of war, Huai'an was desolate. During the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, Huai'an Caoyun flourished again, especially the transportation of Mrs. Huaiyan. The imperial court set up the Huai'an Patrol Salt Imperial History, Liang Jinzhen was the second, and the former Huai'an Patrol Salt Imperial History had enough money to go to the capital, and this fat was missing in his hands. Naturally, I won't let it go, smuggling official salt is the crime of killing the head, but a few court officials have lost their heads for this.

Liang Jinzhen has not been in office for many days. He knew that Ming Chengzu Zhu Di hated officials the most for using power for personal gain, especially when official salt involves the national economy and people's livelihood, no one can live without salt, officers and soldiers are like this, and the people are like this. However, the annual supply of 500 million catties of official salt is obviously in short supply, and there is a shortage of at least 300 million catties in the country, resulting in repeated prohibitions on salt smuggling, and Liang Jinzhen sees business opportunities.

At this time, the great eunuch Liu Jing personally visited him.

What is Liu Jing doing here, he has not met him a few times, his friendship is thin, he does not interfere in each other's internal affairs, Liang Jinzhen knows that Liu Jing is by no means here to chat with him, "Xiao Zhuge " is interested in his position, Huai'an patrols the salt imperial history, from Sanpin, and is also an important member of the imperial court. This old thing, who is neither male nor female, is insatiable, and his subordinates don't know how many lives there are. The officials of the imperial court were all trembling when they saw him, how many unlucky people Dongchang had arrested on trumped-up charges, and some didn't even know what crime they had committed. He was still not satisfied, and his eyes were fixed on the official salt.

Since they knew each other tacitly, Liang Jinzhen received Liu Jing with the most solemn courtesy, and when the two met, Liang Jinzhen greeted him with a smile on his face and said: "Lord Liu is really brilliant when he comes to me, and I Liang is flattered." Qing accepted Liang's bow. ”

Liu Jing hurriedly took a step forward to help him up and said: "Don't dare, don't dare, Liu Jing has long wanted to get acquainted with Lord Liang, but he has no chance, passing by here today, he came to Lord Liang to ask for a cup of tea, I don't know if I bothered Lord Liang." ”

"There, there, it's too late for Lord Liu to come, please please." ”

Since it was a private visit, he naturally had to go to Liang Jinzin's house. Liang Jinzhen took office not long ago, and he was timid as an official, and he didn't make much money, a huge courtyard looked a little shabby, there were few servants, and the decoration was so-so, Liu Jing looked at it while walking, and said with a smile: "Lord Liang is really dedicated to the people, honest and honest, Liu admires." ”

Liang Jinzhen blushed, not happy but ashamed. The third-grade officials of the imperial court, when they go out, they also sound the gong to show off their might, and they still live so poorly in the cornucopia of Huai'an, which is not as simple as the residence of one of his concubines Liu Jing, how can they be mixed. The great eunuch Liu Jing is sarcastic about him. What else could Liang Jinzhen say, uh-huh, yes, he replied: "Lord Liu said he laughed, Lord Liu said he laughed." ”

The two sat down, the servant left with tea, and Liang Jinzhen said: "What do you have to tell Lord Liu to come to Huai'an this time, as long as Liang can help, he will definitely die." ”

Liu Jing smiled slightly, looked at Liang Jinzhen meaningfully and said: "Lord Liang patrols the history of salt for Huai'an, guarding Jinshan but living so poorly, Liu Jing I can't bear to look at it." The amount of money issued by the imperial court to the third-rank officials was only a few hundred taels of silver a year, which was not enough for their expenses for a month. Last year, the Cabinet University Scholar Song celebrated his 60th birthday, and the gift money alone was no less than 100 taels of silver, and he was worth half a year. How much did Lord Liang come out of?"

Liang Jinzin's face was a little pale, Lord Song celebrated his sixtieth birthday, he made up five hundred taels of silver, and people didn't look at it, so he asked privately, and there were not a few who gave a thousand taels. The great eunuch Liu Jing shot 10,000 taels. People have to die more than others, and goods have to be lost, but what you can't afford to lose is your old face. Thinking of this, he sighed softly and said, "Lord Liu, please say it directly, Liang listens." ”

Liu Jing took a sip of tea and said: "This is last year's Lushan clouds, which have the characteristics of thick ropes, verdant and multi-millimeters, bright soup color, tender and uniform leaves, long-lasting fragrance, mellow and sweet taste. Between the five old peaks of Lushan Mountain and the Hanyang Peak, because the clouds and mist do not disperse all day long, the tea produced is the best. I saw that Lord Liang's Lushan clouds and mist were produced in Xiaotianchi, and the taste was slightly worse. ”

Liang Jinzin's face was pale, and Liu Jing's every sentence concealed sarcasm, making him feel like he was on pins and needles at the moment. Wulao Peak and Hanyang Peak's Lushan clouds and mist get a tael of silver, that is a sky-high price, only Ming Chengzu Zhu Di can be used as water to drink casually. Liang Jinzin's Lushan clouds and mist are honored by others, not much, usually reluctant to hide, and only taken out by important guests. Liu Jing didn't look at it at all. Can people compare with people?

Liu Jing still held on: "Lord Liang, wait for me to send someone to bring you some excellent tea, to be an official, your identity is very important, and if you are too greeting, you will be looked down upon." Lord Liang, what do you say? ”

Liang Jinzhen nodded repeatedly.

"Lord Liang's mansion should also be decorated, I know that you are an honest official, but you are an official in the same dynasty, how many people are dressed and fed, and they sing at night. The one who lives in the corridor waist is back, and the eaves are high pecked. I'll pay for the decoration, and Lord Liang will leave it alone. ”

Liang Jinzhen was still pretending to be confused at this time, it was too inappropriate, he clasped his hands into fists and said: "Lord Liu's kindness, I Liang Jinzhen is unforgettable. If Lord Liu has any instructions, just speak. Liang is not a stupid person, and he understands the simplest truth that receiving the grace of a drop of water should be repaid with a spring. ”

Liu Jing laughed: "Okay, good, Lord Liang has finally opened up." You have this great power in your hands, the transportation of official salt. At present, the allocation of salt in the country is nearly 500 million, which is far from enough. The remaining shortfall is at least 300 to 400 million catties, and Huai salt smuggling is rampant, and more than half of it is from Huai'an. Why don't we completely grasp the salt transportation industry, pretend to be public and private, Lord Liang, think about it, how much silver will it get. Not to mention decorating your mansion, it's easy to build a few more. ”

Liang Jinzhen asked: "What does Lord Liu mean that we will join forces, and you Dongchang will come forward, and I will cooperate?"

Liu Jing nodded: "That's right, as long as Lord Liang gives convenience, your benefits are indispensable." ”

"If this is for the emperor to know that it is the crime of killing the head, Liang will have a head on his neck, and he will not be able to grow it if he cuts it off. Liang Jinzhen replied with palpitations.

Liu Jing laughed: "Wealth and danger are sought, don't you not, understand this truth." Besides, what are you afraid of with me Liu Jing coming forward? Who can see that some private salt is mixed with official salt. As long as we do it secretly, you know and I know, this matter will not reach the emperor's ears at all. That's a lucrative deal, don't do it for nothing. What do you say?" (To be continued......)