Gao Wenxin saw that he was moving around and couldn't help but feel angry and annoyed. In a moment of forgetfulness, she slapped him. A crisp 'pa' sound was heard and even she was stunned. Yang Ling's mouth was wide open and he turned his head to look at her in shock. After a while, Gao Wenxin came back to her senses and hurriedly knelt on the ground and said, "Your servant has behaved rudely, please punish me, Master!"
She was only Yang Ling's maidservant and even if she was his concubine, no matter how intimate she was with her husband, there was no reason for her to hit his bottom. That was a great disrespect. When Gao Wenxin was treating patients, she had heard of a High Scholar divorcing his wife. The crime was that his wife had behaved inappropriately. In reality, when she was having sex with her husband, she got a little carried away and was found disrespectful by the High Scholar, causing the wife to commit suicide out of humiliation.
Yang Ling, on the other hand, did not have the awareness that a man should have. He was just stunned by her sudden action. Seeing that her lips had turned pale from shock, he felt bad for himself. He chuckled and said, "It's my fault. I suddenly got up and caught you off guard. Oh … I'll be gentler next time."
Gao Wenxin saw that he wasn't angry at all and even said that he was massaging her. Only then did she relax. She shyly stood up again and continued to apply acupuncture on him. When she pulled open his undergarments and exposed his buttocks, she saw that his buttocks had turned red. Gao Wenxin couldn't help but secretly stick out her tongue. She used the back of her palm to gently massage his buttocks a few times. Her jade-like hands were smooth and extremely comfortable to the touch, causing Yang Ling to feel proud of himself.
After Yang Ling finished the acupuncture, he immediately straightened his clothes and said, "The servants and maids in the fu are all Master Mo's people and it's not suitable for me to handle official business. Having you by my side is enough and I don't need anyone else to serve me. This small building must be completely under the control of our people. Tell Official Zheng to take over with the foreigners and let the people of the Gu fu leave. Then tell Liu Biao to come see me. "
Gao Wenxin saw his solemn expression and knew that he indeed had business to attend to, so she didn't dare to stop him and hurriedly responded. In the time it took to brew a cup of tea for Gao Wenxin to leave, the foreigners began to set up guards both inside and outside the building, chasing all the maids and servants out of this independent little building. Inside and outside the building were filled with bodyguards from the inner factory. Then the door opened, and a person dressed like an ordinary foreigner quietly slipped in.
Yang Ling sat at the table and had just filled two cups of tea. After this ordeal, he had sobered up a little, and his eyes had regained their clarity. Seeing Liu Biao come in, he waved his hand and said, "You're welcome. Come, sit down and talk!"
Liu Biao cupped his hands and said, "Yes, lowly officer pays respect to Factory Supervisor Daren." He walked closer and sat down on the opposite side. He had not seen Yang Ling for almost a month, and now that he had suddenly seen him, there was some joy on his face.
Yang Ling pushed over a cup of tea and said, "Liu Qianhu has worked hard these days. How is the information I asked you to find out?"
Liu Biao said, "Daren, as soon as I arrived in Jiangnan, I immediately cast out a surveillance net and disguised the people I brought as traveling merchants and tourists to gather information. The three guarding eunuchs have been in charge of Jiangnan's taxes for many years. Although their power is everywhere, because of this, their actions cannot be hidden."
As he said this, he was clearly very proud of his own achievements, so his expression was somewhat boastful. He picked up the cup and took a sip to moisten his throat. Then he took out a small notebook from his pocket and handed it over with both hands. "Daren, everything I have investigated is recorded in here.
I will first talk about the Guardian of the Tariffs and the Army Supervisor of the Dragon Mountain Guard, Yuan Xiong. Yuan Xiong's job is to set up checkpoints to collect taxes in important towns, passes, and on land and water transportation lines. For example, along the canal, he sets up a tax collector every forty li to stop the river from collecting taxes. A ship sailing three to four hundred li has to pay taxes at least five or six times. Some of the smaller local shops are unable to bear the burden. Silk and satins shops, cloth shops, and grocery stores have all closed down. "
Yang Ling frowned as he listened. "The taxes are too heavy. In the short term, the profits are quite good, but this is draining the pond to catch the fish. It suppresses the development of industry and commerce. In the long term, it is greatly disadvantageous to the country and the people. Yuan Xiong does not have a tax card every forty li, which clearly exceeds the conditions set by the court.
However, these measures must have been approved by the Bureau of Rites and cannot be used as a means of punishing him. Moreover, the reason the internal factory has developed so quickly is because of these illegal and legal taxes. That is why the internal factory's actions have such a large market. To achieve one's larger goals, temporary sacrifices are necessary. "
He muttered to himself for a long time, secretly calculating for a while before saying, "Hmm, I have noted this matter down. Does he have any other illegal actions that can be impeached?"
Liu Biao smiled slightly, as if he had long known that this was not enough to punish Yuan Xiong. He confidently said, "There is. I sent people to disguise themselves as food and drink peddlers and interacted with the officers and soldiers of the Dragon Mountain Guard Station. I heard them grumble after drinking. Only forty percent of the soldiers' pay from the Ministry of Revenue falls into their hands. The rest is embezzled by Supervisor Yuan, the Commander of the Guard Station, and other officials.
Moreover, the officers and soldiers of the Dragon Mountain Guard Station all have their own land. Over the years, it has long been seized by the local tyrants and generals using such methods as forced buying and selling. As a result, many officers and soldiers have no choice but to flee and become fugitives for the sake of their families.
The Dragon Mountain Guard Station originally had a garrison of six thousand five hundred soldiers. Currently, there are only two thousand eight hundred officers and soldiers. Moreover, most of them are old, weak, sick, and disabled. The rest have all eaten up their pay. As for military equipment, it is even more pitiful. Many of the warships have long been unusable. When a superior inspects them, he temporarily commandeers fishing boats to make up the numbers. When the Wokou attack, they can only flee at the sight of the wind. The defense line of several thousand li is practically non-existent. "
Listening to this, Yang Ling was unable to restrain his anger. He slammed the table and said, "Who would have thought that the internal military affairs are so neglected. No wonder when I was in the capital, I heard that even if there are only a few hundred Wokou pirates who come ashore, it is as if there is no one there. They can attack everywhere …"
Speaking up to this point, he suddenly remembered something and asked in confusion, "But … when I was in Jiming County, the Tartars attacked. The southern soldiers conscripted were plentiful and well-equipped. It seems … Liu Biao, are you sure that the information you have gathered is correct?"
Liu Biao said in confusion, "Your humble servant has investigated very carefully. There can't be any mistakes. Because there are no strong enemies like the Tartars in the south, the Wokou pirates go ashore and plunder before leaving. They don't dare to fight for a long time. As a result, the military has always been neglected. Who is in command of the southern army that Daren spoke of? "
Yang Ling said, "Uh … I also don't know whose army they belong to, but I remember that the commander of the army is called Bi Chun."
Hearing this, Liu Biao laughed involuntarily and said, "Daren, the commander of the Dragon Mountain Guards is Bi Chun. In reality, in order to prevent the court from seeing any flaws in the transfer of soldiers from the south to the north, the troops conscripted are usually made up of elites from the various Guard Centers. Because this matter is beneficial to the various Guard Centers in Jiangnan, all the generals are very supportive. The Bi Chun army that Daren has seen must be the strongest military force put together by the several Guard Centers."
Hearing this, Yang Ling stared blankly for a long time before saying hatefully, "Good plan. I can tolerate other things for a while, but they are destroying the Great Wall. I will first use him as an example to have the coastal Guard Centers restrain themselves. You continue to gather information about them, but be careful not to alert the enemy."
Liu Biao said enthusiastically, "Your humble servant obeys. This is the second person. Let's talk about the Weaving Tax Supervisor, Li Daxiang. Suhang's silk industry has a very strict division of labor. There are lathe workers, yarn workers, satin workers, weavers, and other specialized craftsmen. The rich merchants who opened the weaving workshops also hired a large number of female workers who were responsible for thread, dyeing, changing machines, and picking flowers.
Li Daxiang's character is not too arrogant, but Suhang's weaving is famous throughout the world and the profits are great. He secretly used his trusted aides to pretend to be merchants and used his power to buy goods at low prices, profiting from it. The rich people in Suhang dare to be angry but dare not say anything.
For example, most of the people in Songjiang Prefecture weave cloth as a sideline. They weave one piece a day. Tens of thousands of people produce tens of thousands of pieces of cloth every day. The people in Jiashan make a living by spinning yarn, so their output is also great. There is a saying here, 'You can't buy all the Songjiang cloth, you can't collect all the Weitang yarn'. These pieces of cloth and yarn are all bought by him at low prices, and then sold everywhere. He can make a huge profit from it, so naturally he doesn't have to be like Yuan Xiong and cause anger among the people.
Moreover, the Huzhou area grows mulberry and silkworms, and the people in Shandong and Henan mostly grow cotton. Suhang's weaving requires a large amount of raw materials from these places. Because Yuan Xiong is in charge of customs duties, he hinders the transportation of these things, which is disadvantageous to his fortune. That's why he and Li Daxiang have a deep conflict. "
Yang Ling secretly nodded his head. In fact, centralized purchasing, shipping, and selling all have their own advantages. If Li Daxiang didn't exploit too much and could leave a way for the people to live, this matter wouldn't need to be calculative with him at this time.
After all, although he is in charge of the Tax Supervision Department, he can't personally oversee the world. In the end, he still has to rely on these people to do things for him. If the court's legal system and system can't be perfect, replacing a group of people may not necessarily be more honest than them. If you want to clean up the bureaucracy, it's not something that can be done in a moment. Even without these eunuchs, with this kind of huge profit to be gained, replacing a group of officials, don't tell me there aren't any corrupt officials? "
Yang Ling thought of this and nodded his head, saying, "Hmm, although this person is greedy, his heart isn't too black. He's a person that can be won over. Oh right, what about this Mo Qinghe Eunuch Mo?"
Liu Biao smiled and said, "Among the three guarding eunuchs, the one with the best reputation is this Mo Gonggong. Jiangnan's land taxes are converted into silver taels and not in kind. At the beginning of this dynasty, it was stipulated that four stones of rice and wheat are converted into one tael of silver. Later, the conversion rate changed greatly. One stone of rice needs to be converted into one tael of silver. The taxes of the farmers here have increased by three times.
The people say that for an acre of land, seven buckets are collected. They first send six buckets to Huangzhou, leaving only one buckets to be used for marriage. The people are worried until their hair turns white. It can be seen how heavy the taxes are. If it weren't for the abundance of Jiangnan and the abundant harvests of fish and rice, the people would have died long ago.
Because the people have to transport and sell their grain to be converted into silver taels before they can pay the taxes, there are losses in the middle, and there's Yuan Xiong who keeps collecting taxes. Out of five buckets, it's already quite good if they can get back three buckets of money.
After Mo Gonggong guarded Jiangnan, every year at the time of the autumn harvest, he would send people on official ships to the people's houses to buy grain. Although it's a bit lower than the market price, after taking into account the taxes and losses, the people's profit was still greater than if they transported and sold it themselves. Therefore, they were happy to sell it to him. That's why Mo Gonggong's reputation is very good, the people of Jiangnan all call him a kind man. "
On the ship that day Yang Ling saw Mo Gonggong's audacity to the extreme of the heavens, that he even dared to swap the tribute tea presented to the Emperor. He thought that Mo Gonggong was a eunuch who only saw money and was not afraid of death. He did not expect Mo Gonggong to have this kind of good conduct. He couldn't help but wonder, "So you're saying that he's an honest and upright official?"
Liu Biao chuckled and said, "He can't be considered an honest and upright official. After all, he's doing this to profit from it. Jiangnan is a land of fish and rice. There's so much grain. If he could earn a little bit from each stone of grain, it would be a mountain of gold. But no matter what, the common people still benefit. These common people don't care if you're greedy or not. As long as you take care of the common people when you're greedy, they'll be endlessly grateful. "
"Besides … Mo Gonggong is very strict with tea leaves, spices, medicine, salt, and other high-value goods that are in small quantities. As for the labor of the people, it's also indispensable. This way, when converted into silver, is very generous. It's just that among the three, Mo Gonggong is the most generous. If there's a year of disaster, he often sets up tents and gives out porridge, saving many lives. That's why his reputation is very good. "
Yang Ling stood up and slowly paced a few steps in the room. After thinking for a while, he said decisively, "Fine, you leave early tomorrow morning. Send your people to Yuan Xiong's place and focus on investigating him. As for myself … haha, on this trip to Jiangnan, I'm only responsible for sightseeing. I won't be responsible for anything else. Tomorrow, I'll go to Lion Village to taste tea. "
As Yang Ling's confidant, Liu Biao already knew his plan. He stood up and said, "Your Excellency is going to fight Yuan, pull Li, and Mo?"
Yang Ling smiled and said, "Haha, I can't kill them all with a stick. At that time, all the guarding eunuchs in the world will pile up their stalls for me. The imperial court will have no silver to use. Wouldn't it push the Tax Supervision Department back to the Department of Rites?"
Although he said so, the matter of Mo Qinghe exchanging tribute tea was still difficult to understand in his heart. So, he wanted to go to Lion Rock Mountain in Longjing Village tomorrow to personally inspect it. There was naturally no good tea at this time. He went to check it out. First, he wanted to let the three guarding eunuchs feel at ease. They thought that he was just putting on a show and had no intention to deal with people. Second, he also wanted to beat around the bush and probe Mo Qinghe's intentions.
Liu Biao responded with a smile. He was about to turn around and leave. Yang Ling suddenly remembered the strange thing he just saw. He quickly stopped him and asked, "Liu Biao, there's something I want to ask you. Our Ming Destiny's eunuch … can also marry a wife?"
Liu Biao was taken aback. He had secretly investigated the three guarding eunuchs, so he naturally knew their family affairs like the back of his hand. Thus, after a moment of surprise, he smiled and said, "Milord, have you met Master Mo's wife?"
Yang Ling was surprised and said, "You also know? Don't tell me … Mo Gonggong became a monk halfway … Ah! Did he enter the palace halfway after getting married? "
Liu Biao laughed and said, "Your Excellency misunderstood. In fact, there are many eunuchs and palace maids who are husband and wife in the palace. However, they are not called husband and wife. They are called 'food pair' and 'vegetable pair'. There are heterosexual and homosexual couples. This has existed since ancient times. During the time of Emperor Hongwu, it was forbidden for a while. Later, it was left to be. Now, even if the Emperor and Empress hear about it, they will not intervene.
The eunuchs in those places are powerful. Not only will they marry a wife and adopt children, but their wives are often good girls from official families. Mo Gonggong's wife is from a prostitute's background. I heard that she used to be the number one prostitute in Jiangnan's' Spring Rain House '. "
Yang Ling thought of the beauty's peerless charm. He couldn't help but laugh and said, "I said that I was shocked when I saw her today. I thought that Mo Gonggong married his wife before entering the palace. Otherwise, how could he be so bold to openly marry a wife as a eunuch."
As he spoke, he thought of the ten thousand kinds of charm of that Jiangnan woman who married a eunuch. He couldn't help but shake his head and sigh, feeling deeply regretful.
Liu Biao said, "Your Excellency, don't look at them just because they are fake phoenixes and fake phoenixes. These eunuch husband and wife are more affectionate than ordinary people. The vegetable pair in the palace often, once they are in love with each other, they will respect and love each other for the rest of their lives. If occasionally there are eunuchs or palace maids who fall in love with someone else, the other party will often be in so much pain that they wish they were dead. Some even commit suicide or hang themselves. This kind of secret is not uncommon in the palace.
Most of them, if one of them dies, the other party will never marry again. They will worship the other party's memorial tablet in their own room. On the anniversary of their death, they will often grieve and wail, crying their hearts out. Their feelings … are really not something we ordinary people can understand. But if they marry outside the palace, whether they can be affectionate as one, lowly officer does not know. "
Yang Ling did indeed have some disdain for eunuchs marrying wives. After hearing Liu Biao's words, he remembered that although those people could no longer be called men, they were more anxious than ordinary men to live a normal life. It really made one sympathize with them.
Yang Ling smiled and said, "Listening to a gentleman's words is better than studying for ten years. This official has learned. As long as the other party is willing, we really shouldn't make irresponsible remarks just because he is a eunuch. "
※ ※ ※
The next day, the local officials and gentry came one by one to formally visit the imperial envoy, especially those officials and gentry who didn't have the qualifications to host imperial envoy Yang the day before.
All of the people who came to visit naturally did not come empty-handed. There were banknotes, jewels, paintings, local products, precious medicinal ingredients, and so on. Yang Ling had purposely disguised himself as an incompetent and greedy person, so he did not refuse anyone.
Gao Wenxin didn't know the inside story. She didn't like her master becoming so unscrupulous. She was angry but couldn't let it go. So although she received Yang Ling's orders to sit there and act as an accountant, she ignored the people who came to send gifts.
Fortunately, those people had already heard that Yang Ling had only brought this one beautiful servant girl. They also heard that she often sneaked into the imperial envoy's quarters every night. Who dared to treat her as a servant girl? No one dared to offend her.
Jiangnan was the wealthiest place in the world. Those rich and powerful families were worth hundreds of millions. When they came to visit the Factory Supervisor of the Inner Factories, who dared to give ordinary gifts? Although they didn't dare to say they were rare and precious treasures, the gifts were all extremely expensive.
Gao Wenxin was taking note one by one when a foreigner suddenly led a large salt merchant in. This person actually sent over four beautiful women. Two were Korean and two were Dongying. Although the four women weren't as beautiful as Gao Wenxin, when they stood there, their exotic charm was indeed fresh.
Gao Wenxin was really angry. She rushed into the living room with a brush. Yang Ling had just sent away a tea merchant. Seeing her holding a brush and her angry and delicate appearance, he couldn't help but laugh. "What's wrong? Who made you angry again? "
Gao Wenxin said sourly, "I've already had people take the gifts from others into the warehouse. Now that someone has sent over four living things, I don't know if I should put them on Master's bed. I've come to ask Master. "
Yang Ling's eyes turned and he said with a smile, "Put them on my bed? Haha, did someone send over beautiful women? Come, come, let's go out and take a look. "
He thought that someone had sent Jiangnan beauties to him. When he went out, he saw that it was actually four foreign women. The one carrying a small bundle on his waist naturally recognized them as Dongying. He couldn't help but be startled.
The large salt merchant was respectfully waiting for the imperial envoy's summons. He saw four foreigners escorting a young gentleman wearing embroidered gown and jade belt out. The beautiful woman in charge of bookkeeping followed behind with a brush in her hand. Her lips were pouting so much that one could hang an oily mouth. He knew that the person in front was the imperial envoy, Mr. Yang. He couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the favor. He smiled apologetically and knelt down, saying, "Commoner Du Ce pays his respects to imperial envoy daren."
Yang Ling smiled and said, "I came to Jiangnan to inspect the local tax situation. I didn't want to trouble the local gentry and nobility. Mr. Du, despite your busy schedule, still came to visit. I don't deserve it."
The large salt merchant, Du Ce, smiled apologetically and said, "Not at all, not at all. It is commoner's good fortune to see daren. Uh … commoner heard that daren is travel-worn and doesn't even have a servant girl by your side. So I specially bought four maids to send to daren to attend to your daily needs. I hope daren will kindly accept them."
Gao Wenxin coughed twice on the side. Yang Ling heard this and laughed in his heart. He didn't want to bring a bunch of beautiful women back to Jiangnan and turn his home into a Grand Monastery. Yang Ling was about to tactfully decline when he heard a coarse voice laugh and say, "So boss Du has also come? You ran faster than me. Hahaha, if you want to send beautiful women, you should also send some of the best. Thinking back to the time when there was a peerless beauty that I couldn't help but feel sorry for, she secretly pledged her heart to Mr. Yang. Mr. Yang even repeatedly refused her. How could he like these women? "
As he spoke, he saw a civil official with a full beard walk over with his hands on his belt and his belly bulging. Yang Ling looked up and saw that it was the Jiming County Magistrate, Min Wenjian, who beheaded the Tatar Prince. He quickly rushed forward two steps and held his hand. He happily said, "Min daren, we haven't seen each other for several months. I missed you so much."
Min Wenjian was still as rough as before, but his belly was a bit bigger. He hurriedly pulled his hand away and knelt down to salute, saying, "This lowly official Min Wenjian greets …"
Yang Ling helped him up and scolded, "My Min daren, you came to Jiangnan. Look at how you speak so genteel. Why are you so particular about these red tape? If it weren't for daren's kindness in recognizing me, how could I be here today? You don't need to be this polite. "
Min Wenjian stood up and said with a smile, "The necessary etiquette must be followed. Haha, ever since daren went to the capital, there are often strange stories that spread to Jiangnan. When I heard them, I was sometimes on tenterhooks, sometimes I was infinitely happy. Originally I wanted to move around, wanting to move daren to Jiangnan. But now, daren has come, but I can't move you. Hahaha …"
The salt merchant Du Ce stepped forward and smiled apologetically, "So salt transport envoy daren is an old friend of the Imperial Envoy daren. Ah, I was disrespectful."
Min Wenjian used his pair of mung bean eyes to glance at him. He laughed and said, "What? Do you have a feeling of deep veneration toward me? " He took another look at the four foreign beauties and said, "Don't let them stand here. You can be considered a smooth and slick person. Don't tell me you haven't heard that the current Emperor has decreed concubines? What kind of worldview does Sir Yang have? How could these silly little girls enter his discerning eyes? "
Yang Ling heard this and laughed. "Min daren, you've only been in Jiangnan for a few months, but now you can speak so eloquently. It really makes one look at you in a new light."
Min Wenjian heard this and laughed. "There's no helping it, there's no helping it. I've heard them say these words all day long. Calluses have formed in my ears. How can I remember a few words?"
As Yang Ling chatted and laughed with him, he invited the two of them into the living room and called for someone to serve them tea.
The salt merchant Du actually had other business. This time, he had come to Hangzhou to receive a batch of goods from the capital that Yang Ling's official ship had sent. Seeing that the beauties he had sent were not to the Imperial Envoy's liking, he couldn't let this trip be in vain. It had to be known that he had climbed up this big tree. In the future, if there was anything he could do, who knew how much help he could get.
Thinking of this, Mr. Du took out a pair of pearl earrings from his pocket. He had originally bought them in Jinling to give to his most beloved concubine. He presented them with both hands and said, "This commoner was rash. This commoner will take the four women away in a moment. This pair of pearl earrings is only a small gift. It's really not enough to show my respect. Daren, you must give me face. "
The design of the pearl earrings was delicate and elegant. The pearls were round and plump, the size was even, and the color was bright and enchanting. Placed in the palm of the hand, it gave off a deep and glossy glow. With one look, one could tell that it was an extremely expensive piece of jewelry. Yang Ling casually took it and handed it to Gao Wenxin. Seeing that she was still holding a pen, he smiled and said, "There's no need to write it down. I'll give this pair of earrings to you."
Gao Wenxin's face reddened. She glanced at him and then gracefully turned and walked out. That sudden expression of shyness and happiness was extremely moving. Mr. Du revealed a look of sudden realization and thought, "So the Imperial Envoy is infatuated with this woman. No wonder he didn't accept my beautiful maidservant. This young lady's appearance is indeed much better than theirs."
Yang Ling chatted with the two for a while. Mr. Du had already given his regards. He knew that the Imperial Envoy and Lord Min had not seen each other for a long time and must have some things to talk about. So after a while, he got up to leave.
After sending off Mr. Du, Yang Ling and Min Wenjian sat down again. Min Wenjian said, "Daren, on this trip to the south, you must find time to go to Haining. It's not too far. At that time, let me do my best as a host."
Yang Ling smiled and said, "If there's a chance, I will certainly go. How is Lord Min doing in Haining?"
Min Wenjian said, "It's fine. This place is far more affluent than the north. But the army here is far inferior to our border army. I heard that on the other side of the sea, the daimyo of Japan are causing trouble. Often, some samurai and vagabonds who have lost their power and status will collude with some merchant ships to rob us.
Damn it, there are some local profiteers, local tyrants, rogues and pirates who leak information to them, lead the way for them, and even participate in the robbery.
When I first arrived in Haining, the Wokou came to attack. Luckily, the salt transport company has an escort team of about three hundred people. Their fighting power is stronger than the soldiers. The number of Wokou is not that great. I led my men and taught those bastards a lesson. With a machete, I chopped more than twenty of them to death. So far, I haven't seen them come to the salt transport company to cause trouble. "
Yang Ling once again heard the word Wokou and couldn't help but ask, "Are these Wokou very powerful?"
Min Wenjian said disdainfully, "Their fighting power is inferior to the Tatars and their numbers are a bunch of scattered soldiers. But this coastline is too long and we can't defend against them. In addition, the army here is too weak. Often, a small group of a hundred or so Wokou will come ashore and run amok.
I heard that the marquises in various parts of Japan are fighting each other for power, so they are short of money. There are also some marquises who wanted to do business with our Great Ming. Unfortunately, the number of ports where we are allowed to do business and the goods we are allowed to trade are too few, we are unable to satisfy them.
Those fellows are driven to desperate action. They might as well organize their men and collude with our illegal merchants to smuggle in the dark. If they are chased by the navy and can't do business, they will change their profession to bandits. When they come, they will leave and hide in the sea. We really can't do anything to them. "
Yang Ling's heart skipped a beat and thought, "So some of these pirates want to do business but can't, so they turn to pirates. In the past, I heard that the Wokou are cruel and greedy, often robbing the people along the coast. I've never heard of this reason."
Yang Ling nodded his head and thought, "To solve these problems, we have to block them. On one hand, we have to increase our military power so that they will be afraid of us and won't attack easily. On the other hand, we have to open ports and actively do business with them. This is mutually beneficial. What's wrong with that?
How many things could the pirates rob from the hands of the people just by looting? Most of it is just enough for them to survive. If there are profits to be made, these people will change and become merchants … "
At this point, Yang Ling suddenly stopped. Could the people of the inner factory do it? Open ports? If the officials don't agree, will this policy work? He doesn't have enough power and connections. People's ideology needs to be changed. There are too many conditions that are not ripe yet. So all of this is not something he can do right now. Does he have the opportunity and time to do these things?
Min Wenjian didn't understand these things. Seeing him frowning as if he was worried for the people of Jiangnan, he quickly laughed, "Your Excellency need not worry. Most of the Wokou come from the sea. Ships on the sea must rely on the wind. So what wind blows in different seasons and when the Wokou come ashore are fixed. They can't be changed even if they want to.
If we are prepared, they won't be able to cause much trouble. At most, they can rob fishing villages, but that's not very powerful. Hmm … usually, April, May, September, and October are the best months for ships to travel. The Wokou will come and rob at that time. Before I came to see you, I told the officers and soldiers of the salt transport department to be on high alert. As long as we can endure these two months, they will have to wait until April next year if they want to come again. "
Yang Ling and Min Wenjian were chatting when Baihu Zheng ran in and reported, "Reporting to the Supervisor, Master Mo has prepared a sedan chair. Please accompany me to Lion Peak to investigate."
Hearing this, Yang Ling stood up and said apologetically, "Official Min, we haven't seen each other for a long time. I should have a good chat with you over wine, but I have already agreed with Master Mo to patrol Tea Mountain. I wonder where Official Min lives? When I return tonight, I will send someone to invite you over. We will drink and talk merrily. We will not go home until we are drunk. "
Min Wenjian laughed heartily and said, "Based on our friendship, there is no need for such pleasantries. It is just that you have come from afar, and it is not easy to see you. That is why I sneaked over. The salt transport official's father is critically ill and has already returned to his hometown. I do not dare to leave my work behind for too long, so I have to rush back today. If you can come to Haining to inspect, let us drink to our heart's content. "
Yang Ling happily said, "Good. It is rare for me to come to Jiangnan. I will definitely go to Haining."
Min Wenjian raised his eyebrows and smiled slyly. "Since you know it is rare for you to come to Jiangnan, then … are you going to Jinling?"
Yang Ling was startled. "Nanjing? I don't think we need to go to Nanjing to inspect Jiangnan this time, right? "
As he spoke, he thought to himself, "Why should I go there? Wang Qiong is in Nanjing. Although that old man hates me to the bone, he is not a bad person. I do not want to make things difficult for him, but I will inevitably run into him. His son died in my hands. When I see him, I do not know what kind of situation it will be. As for Ma Lian 'er … ay! "
Min Wenjian laughed. "The journey is not too far. Actually, if you have time, you might as well go to Jinling." He smiled. "When I was transporting salt to Nanjing, I met Deputy Ma's beloved daughter. That little girl is deeply in love with you, Sir Yang. If you let her down, even I will not be able to stand it. "
As he spoke, he took out a folded piece of paper from his sleeve and stuffed it into Yang Ling's hand. "This is her address," he said. "That is all I have to say. It is up to you whether you want to go or not." Min Wenjian seemed to be very happy after this matter was settled. He grinned with a self-satisfied look on his face.
Yang Ling saw him out the door. He saw that there were already two horse sedan chairs parked outside the door. Baihu Zheng was standing outside with some foreign officials, tax collectors, and some servants from the Gu Mansion.
Yang Ling bid farewell to Min Wenjian and watched him get on the sedan chair and leave. He stood under the green wall covered with creepers, looking at the green willows and clear river by the wall. He fumbled with the piece of paper in his hand and stood there in a daze for a long time.
In a trance, he seemed to see a beautiful woman dressed in white, like a graceful and hazy branch, as delicate as a peony, leaping out of the water. She was walking toward him with eyes full of affection. That leisurely gait, that every part of her body was seductive, made people lose their minds.
You are like the bright moon, I am like the fog. The fog follows the moon and hides in the sky.
Only when you look back, I think of you in the morning and at dusk.
My soul follows you to the end of the world. My clothes gradually become loose and I cry.
I sigh that time is like the morning dew. When will I hold the mud in my mouth?
After thirty-six moons, I will dance for you … "
Yang Ling murmured the last sentence. He remembered that after thirty-six moons, he and Ma Lian 'er would be separated by human and ghost. It would be difficult for them to meet on different paths. He couldn't help but feel a burst of sorrow in his heart. He steeled his heart and tightly clenched the paper with Ma Lian' er's address. He was about to throw it into the river when he heard someone next to him clap and praise, "Good poem, good poem. If I guessed correctly, this must be a gift from a passionate girl to Daren."
Yang Ling looked back and saw Mo Qinghe standing next to him applauding happily. His charming and charming madam was standing next to him. Her eyes were also shining with admiration.
Jiangnan's atmosphere was open, very different from the north of the capital. Mo Qinghe's wife didn't have too many taboos. Her master wanted to go to Lion Peak, so she sent him off. She happened to hear Yang Ling reciting this poem. She couldn't help but smile at Gu Qinghe with appreciation, "Master, since I heard the poem 'Peach Blossom Nunnery' written by Suzhou scholar Tang Yin for his villa in Peach Blossom Nunnery in June this year, I haven't heard such a good poem with such artistic conception. If Sir Yang doesn't mind, can I write this poem down?"
Gu Qinghe frowned and said, "Meng Lang is rude. How can I make things difficult for Daren?"
Yang Ling said with a smile, "That's not a problem." As he spoke, he put the ball of paper back into his bosom and said, "When I and Official Gu return from the mountains, I will read it to Madam."
In front of a eunuch with a wife, Yang Ling couldn't call him father-in-law, so he called him Daren instead. Gu Qinghe and his wife immediately showed a very happy expression. Madam Gu smiled sweetly and said, "Just now I was only thinking about the artistic conception of the poem and didn't remember the whole word. Daren only needs to recite it again and I will remember it."
Yang Ling looked at her in surprise. He didn't expect this woman to have such a good memory and the ability to remember everything she saw. He recited the poem again. Madam Gu listened attentively and then couldn't help but clap her hands and said, "I have remembered it. I will go back and record it." As she said this, she happily led the two maids back to the mansion without saying goodbye, as if she was passing through flowers and brushing the willows.
Gu Qinghe looked at her back and smiled helplessly. He said to Yang Ling, "I have always been rude. Daren must laugh at me."
Yang Ling said, "To be frank is to be a real person. Your wife is frank and has no schemes. What's wrong with that? Hehe, I came out a bit late because I had to deal with some guests. Daren has waited for a long time. Let's go to Lion Peak. "
Gu Qinghe could not help but chuckle when he heard Yang Ling mention the Lion Rock Peak. The two of them boarded their respective carriages. Yang Ling brought a hundred and twenty foreigners, while Gu Qinghe brought forty tax collectors. They headed for the Lion Rock Peak together.
Hangzhou had West Lake with light makeup, Fuchun with clear water, Qiantang with tides, Wu Mountain in the south, and Gu Mountain in the north. There were many beautiful places. In fact, its scenery mainly lay in the gentle and beautiful Jiangnan gardens and cultural landscape. Many natural sceneries were heavily man-made. If you put aside the artistic conception, it was nothing.
For example, Su Xiaoxiao's tomb next to West Lake. If it wasn't for the fact that she was a famous courtesan in Jiangnan and had many scholars left behind the poem "Orchid dew, like weeping eyes. Nothing is of one heart. Fireworks can't be cut. The grass is like a carpet, the pines are like a canopy. The wind is the clothes, the water is the pendant … "Such beautiful poems, just looking at the tomb, no longer had any taste.
The scenery of Hangzhou had never been seen in the mountains, and the Lion Peak was even more ordinary. In the eyes of Yang Ling, who was used to seeing famous mountains all over the world, it was even more boring. But it was this seemingly ordinary peak that produced the world-famous Longjing tea.
Suzhou and Hangzhou's mountains, Tiger Hill was famous because of the spring. Feilai Peak was famous because of the Lingyin Temple. This Lion Peak was famous because of the Longjing tea.
The sedan chair entered the mountain. The tax collector who was in charge of guarding the mountain hurriedly came to welcome the two officials into a wooden house built on the mountain.
Yang Ling sat on the bamboo chair and said with a smile, "In such a month, if we were in the north, the autumn wind would have been blowing and the trees would have withered. But here, the grass and trees are lush, and the weather is still so hot."
Gu Qinghe said, "Jiangnan's water is cool, but if we go further south and inland, it will be even hotter. Someone, quickly bring a cup of good tea to relieve the heat. "
When Yang Ling heard the two words "good tea", he couldn't help but sneer in his heart. He touched the small bag of tea in his bosom. Once the tea was served and tasted, he would ask Gu Qinghe in front of everyone. But since he already had the idea of subduing Gu Qinghe, he didn't want to go too far. He just wanted to give him some pointers and pressure him, making him surrender.
A tea-picking woman wearing a sapphire blue gown, a batik colored floral skirt, a black belt around her slender waist, and a cloth scarf around her hair, walked lightly into the room with a smile on her face. She quickly brewed a pot of tea, and served Yang Ling and Gu Qinghe each a cup.
Yang Ling picked up the cup of tea and saw that the sparrow-tongue-like tip of the tea was still spinning in the water. Yang Ling glanced at Gu Qinghe, then slowly brought the cup to his nose and sniffed it. He couldn't help but stare blankly.
This tea smelled fragrant, exactly the same as the top-grade Emperor tea he tasted in Shanghai. Gu Qinghe's private collection of good tea, and the tea offered to the palace was much worse than this tea. Now, in front of him, the imperial envoy from the capital, he didn't have the slightest scruple and calmly offered this tea. Was he not afraid that he would find out something was wrong and report him for deceiving the emperor?
Yang Ling was startled for a moment. He looked up at Gu Qinghe, who was smiling and waiting for him to taste the tea. He couldn't help but ask, "Gu Daren, your tea is overflowing with fragrance, refreshing the mind, it really is top-grade Emperor tea. But … when I was in the capital, I also drank the imperial tea from the palace. The tribute tea that the emperor drank is much worse than your tea. How does Gu Daren explain this? "
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