Tantanon carried a jug of fine wine as he walked down the deserted street. On both sides of the street were the most prestigious mansions in the capital. However, at this time, they were all outside the city to welcome the old man who was even older than himself. Every door was tightly shut, which saved him a lot of time for this visit. He stopped outside a mansion and raised his head to look at the golden inscribed board written by the Emperor. The plainly dressed "Prime Minister" gatekeeper saw this unexpected guest and was somewhat stunned. However, before this year, Tantanon came and went simply, so he didn't make a big fuss. If the time came, he would be caught by the Left Servant She. He could only respectfully go forward and greet him. Huan Wen smiled and nodded. He casually said a few words, "Old Ma, is your youngest daughter married or not? If she isn't, do you want me to help you kidnap a young man?" This made the old gatekeeper, surnamed Ma, very happy. Huan Wen was even more familiar with this mansion than his own. He didn't need anyone to lead the way. He walked straight to the Grand Secretary's study and didn't knock on the door. He stepped over the threshold. Zhang Julu, who was habitually standing and reading a book, glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and didn't say anything. Huan Wen placed the jug of fine wine he had stolen from the Ministry of Rites on the table. He sat on the only chair in the room and said, "It really is the noise of cicadas that surpasses the silence of the forest."
The two old men were best friends. In Tantanon's words, "When you raise your butt, I know what shit you're about to shit." Zhang Julu quickly understood and said calmly, "This is not the noise of cicadas. Qi Yanglong entered the capital on the Great Path of the Sun. It is more like a dragon entering the sea."
Huan Wen gave a cold snort and casually picked up a few documents on the table. His heart immediately sank. "You really want to make a big move on the water transport that the Northern nobles single-handedly control and the salt policy that the new nobles in the capital see as their lifeblood? In addition, a few days ago, you proposed in court that the left and right assistant ministers of the Ministry of War patrol the border on a regular basis. Well, the two main camps of scholars in the court, the local generals headed by Gu Jiantang, and your removal of the feudal vassals. These four huge monsters, not one is left out. Do you think you have too few enemies? "
Zhang Julu didn't raise his head. "You count as one less. I still have to deal with the abuses of the officials. After the world's poor soldiers advance, it can't be done once and for all.. rules still have to be followed."
Huan Wen muttered, "Crazy, crazy."
Zhang Julu put away the book in his hand and meticulously placed it back in its original position on the bookcase. The tall Grand Secretary of the current dynasty stood in the shadows and slowly said, "Our Liyang is not the Da Chu that once controlled the left side of the Yangtze River. Regardless of when the remnants of West Chu will be extinguished, the imperial court will continuously transport grain and supplies from the rich and populous lands in the southeast to the capital. This is a national plan that requires a hundred years of operation. Furthermore, the war at the border is imminent and has become an urgent matter. Back then, when I proposed the matter of transporting grain by sea, reality proved that it was not feasible. The risk was too great. Even now, we still don't know whether the disappearance of the fleet in the last year of Yonghui was due to a disaster at sea or if they were kidnapped. This canal has the malicious saying of scraping off all the richness of the southeast, but it also shows its importance to the imperial court. Back then, the plan I set was indeed to use the southeast's taxes to support the Northern Liao soldiers and at the same time to force West Chu to rebel. Even so, along the canal every year, the common people stirred up riots over the river water. Therefore, I deliberately did not suppress it. However, in the past few years, the northern nobles who came from the land where the dragon rose to power held the lifeline of the country in their hands and profited without realizing it. They became more and more rampant in their actions. In the sixth year of Yonghui, there were still nine million dan of grain entering the capital. Where did it go? Even if the Grassland Bandits were allowed to swagger away with the grain, how much could they take away? In order to appease the so-called founding heroes, the imperial court did not hesitate to set up a second-rank official post for the transport of grain. The eight chief officials under them, including the grain transport company and the distribution company, were all fifth-rank and above officials. If they could peacefully distribute the money, then it would be fine. However, now that West Chu had reclaimed the country, they actually dared to use the so-called ancestral system to forcefully reject the order of the Minister of War, Lu Baijie, to deploy troops. If I don't touch the administration of the transport of grain, who will? When the time comes, will the northern soldiers have to go to war with the Beimang on an empty stomach? Will the soldiers who are going to die for the country eat grain to fill their stomachs and still have to look at other people's faces? Or even beg the transport officials who don't care about the Ministry of Revenue? "
Huan Wen sighed and shook the memorial in his hand. "Then this salt administration? Who doesn't earn money? It was originally a fat piece of meat that was eaten by outsiders from the imperial court. Do you have to go to the tiger's den to pull teeth? "
Zhang Julu laughed coldly. "Stagnant water stinks, living water is clear. The right to issue the salt seal has been in their hands for more than a decade and earned more money than their descendants can spend in ten lifetimes. Is the imperial court's reward not generous enough? Great military service should be rewarded to the end. It's time to change the banker and make a lot of money! "
Huan Wen asked, "You plan to give it to the Jiangnan aristocratic families who boast of their clean sleeves and carry the bright moon on their shoulders?"
Zhang Julu said with a nod, "If they don't do this, how could they wholeheartedly work for the court? Otherwise, even if the court fought with West Chu for several dozen years, they would still be able to leisurely enjoy their several dozen years of romance. The rich families have always been like this. There are only two things that can make them lower their heads: an official's hat and a money bag. "
Huan Wen wanted to say something but hesitated. If it were in the past, he could pick out any matter and discuss it day and night with Bi Yan until they confirmed that there was no great harm to the people's livelihood. Then, they worked together to implement national policies, like slowly unblocking the meridians of the entire empire.
Zhang Julu walked out of the shadows. In the twilight, the dim yellow afterglow shone on one side of the tall old man's face.
Huan Wen sighed.
Zhang Julu asked, "I heard that you had a bad cough a while ago?"
Huan Wen glared at him and said, "Who do you think will die faster between a minor illness and a person who doesn't know how to control himself?"
Zhang Julu dismissed it with a laugh.
Huan Wen hesitated and was about to speak when Zhang Julu smiled and said, "That young man from Beiliang who is under your tutelage, I will give him an evaluation of 'too much ingenuity but not enough power, can be used, but can't be put to great use.' That will guarantee him a few years of stability."
Huan Wen looked deeply at his old friend and then silently walked out of the study.
Zhang Julu opened his mouth but did not speak in the end. He only looked at Huan Wen's old figure and gently waved his hand.
After Tan Tanweng left the Zhang Mansion, where even now there were people who dared to throw letters at the door insulting the Grand Secretary Daren, he went straight to the Zhao Family's weng, to the Hanlin Academy where no one was on duty, other than the odd-job workers and petty officials, there was no one else.
The old man smiled bitterly. Great Peace City thought that as long as that old dragon came out to save the people, what deer was there to be needed?
Huan Wen walked to a secluded room and had someone bring a key to open it. While there had not been any big or small yellow doors working here for many years, there were often people cleaning and it could be considered elegant and clean.
In the past, he and Bi Yan had been in this room. He, Huan Wen, had been high-spirited and looked down on everyone. After drinking, he dared to scold anyone. Was there anything in the world that he, Huan Wen, could not teach?
Bi Yan never drank and only listened. Every time Huan Wen got drunk, she would have to carry him home.
Huan Wen rummaged through a book box in the corner, found a pair of chopsticks and placed them on the table.
After Huan Wen sat down, he used a chopstick to lightly tap against the porcelain cup.
Ding ding ding.
The old man choked and said, "The spring mountain is not old, it is still green. When one is old, there is no one to accompany them, only listening to Ding Ding Ding."
Ding ding ding.
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