Zhang Mao showed a peaceful attitude.

It’s not that Zhang Mao doesn’t want to fight, but that he is very clear-headed and knows that he doesn’t have enough strength to challenge the civil service group.

The things in front of him have nothing to do with him. Now Zhang Mao is all-out to let his grandson Zhang Lun enter the Governor's Office earlier and successfully take over his squad. In this way, even if he has a few strengths and weaknesses, it will not cause the Zhang family to lose its current status.

Zhang Mao has been traveling with Xie Qian frequently over the years, with the purpose of this, the civil servant group supports himself and helps Zhang Lun at critical moments.

Xie Qian had to think too many things. Due to his personality, no matter how others advised him, he was stubborn and it was difficult to turn things around.

When he returned to Wenyuan Pavilion, Xie Qian was still absent-minded and was in a state of dismay.

After seeing this, several colleagues in the cabinet thought it was very strange. This was too different from the scheming and decisive chief minister.

"Gei Master Xie!?"

Xie Qian took the memorial and didn't move for a long time. At this time, a voice came from beside him, which scared him. He subconsciously raised his head and saw Yang Tinghe looking at him curiously. Xie Qian quickly reacted, put down the memorial at hand with a smile, and asked, "Is there anything wrong with me?"

Yang Tinghe said: "This is the transfer of money and food to help the victims of war in Jiangxi... The newly appointed Jiangxi governor and a group of officials below attach great importance to this. They have asked the Nanjing Ministry of Revenue before. The Nanjing Ministry of Revenue cannot settle the matter. Isn't it sent to the capital again?"

Xie Qian carefully read the memorial handed over by Yang Tinghe. It was indeed the memorial of the Jiangxi governor requesting the court to allocate money and food.

Last year, Jiangxi not only experienced military disasters, but also flooded some areas and the people were displaced. During the rebellion of King Ning, a large number of victims had nowhere to make a living. This is also an important reason why King Ning led his troops to be unable to provide food and grass for foreign countries.

Last year, there were great problems in the sowing of autumn grain in many prefectures in Jiangxi, and it was difficult to ensure harvest this summer. Therefore, the yamen of the governor quickly asked the court for instructions to allocate money and grain during the spring famine.

This is also related to Zhu Houzhao's previous imperial edict to provide disaster relief and people when he was in Nanchang.

Since the emperor has agreed to allocate money and food to provide disaster relief and exempt local taxes at the same time, local governments dare not neglect their affairs and can only ask the court for instructions as soon as possible to avoid long nights of dreams.

Xie Qian asked: "Is there still food stored in the Jiangnan Treasury now?"

Yang Tinghe shook his head: "Jiangnan is a home of fish and rice, but His Majesty led his troops to quell the rebellion and took away a large amount of military rations, which caused the Jiangnan treasury to be almost hollowed out. If there are still remaining, there may only be Fujian and Guangdong and Huguang... However, the food reserves in Fujian and Guangdong are allocated a lot of new cities because Shen Zhihou built a new city, and Huguang also led to the empty treasury due to support from Nanjing..."

Xie Qian was a little listless. He did not want to deal with these troubles according to his original intention, but he said patiently: "Quickly ask the Ministry of Revenue where there is any place to allocate food and comfort the victims. If the relief is not effective, I am afraid that the rebellion will occur. People's livelihood and suffering cannot be neglected for a moment."

Yang Tinghe said: "Your Majesty has not returned yet, so it is not easy to implement many things...why would you urge Your Majesty to come back as soon as possible?"

Xie Qian was stunned and stared at Yang Tinghe and said, "Minghusband, you should know very well what the situation is... Can Your Majesty easily persuade him?"

"How can you know if you don't try it?" Yang Tinghe insisted.

Xie Qian frowned when he heard this and thought to himself: "Why is Yang Jiefu so stubborn? Is it because I am a corpse and don't want to persuade Your Majesty? But the little emperor is simply a rude person. If he persuades too much, he will only increase his disgust. It will be useless. Instead, if he doesn't persuade him, he may come back soon..."

Xie Qian said calmly: "If you want to persuade me, I will not stop you. You can find someone to write a memorial together to see if Your Majesty will obey. I will not get involved in this matter."

Yang Tinghe wanted to say something, but seeing Xie Qian's attitude was firm, he had to choose to compromise and salute, "I understand." After that, he stepped down and went straight to the inner room.

Xie Qian looked at Yang Tinghe's back, frowned, and his heart was full of doubts, but at this time he had to think too much. As his mind moved, his thoughts soon became absent.

...

...

The situation in the capital is stable.

As a veteran of the three dynasties, Xie Qian still has the ability. Even if there are delays and slowdowns in the affairs of the court under his jurisdiction, the implementation will be smooth. Even if the Central Plains and Jiangnan have just encountered military disasters, the court is still stable, and the lives of the people in most parts of the country have not been greatly affected.

The court basically held a positive attitude towards Mr. Xie’s rule.

However, many people have made some slight remarks about Xie Qian's proposition, such as recruiting Chen Xi back to Beijing. However, because Xie Qian's status was high, he was the only top civil servant in the Hongzhi Dynasty in the court, and even if he was willing to do anything to others, he could do nothing.

As the news came, Chen Xi was about to return to Beijing, and some people began to plan secretly.

Everyone knows what Chen Xi's status in the court. What the emperor trusts most now is Chen Xi. Once he returns to Beijing, it will definitely have a significant impact on the court structure. The officials are thinking about which side they should lean towards.

Unlike before, after Chen Xi completed the Jiangnan War, he was equivalent to purging the entire Ming army system from north to south. From the capital to the local government, many officials had served under his command. It was no longer realistic to think of Chen Xi as a fledgling backward official.

A group of old guys had to treat Chen Xi as a veteran minister in the court. After all, during the Hongzhi Dynasty, only Xie Qian and Shen Xi were left.

Even those who valued the late emperor, how many years have passed since the experience, who dares to underestimate them?

More and more people wrote letters to Chen Xi in the capital to express their loyalty gradually. All the letters were delivered to Jiangnan in the form of secret letters and handed them to Chen Xi.

At this time, Chen Xi no longer needs to lead troops to quell the chaos, nor does he need to worry about others attacking the civil servants and military generals and plotting against each other. Officials usually write letters in the form of daily inquiries, which seems ordinary, but one or two may not feel anything about it. If there are too many, it will be a headache because the letters are the same and have no nutrition at all.

"There were dozens of people who wrote letters to me a few years ago. Now there are as many as hundreds of people who wrote letters to me. Are I very familiar with them? Who are these? Even local officials in Zhili, Shandong, Henan, Huguang, Zhejiang, Fujian and Guangdong regard themselves as my disciples. I seem to have just presided over a provincial examination and have never presided over an imperial examination. Who can be called my disciple?"

Chen Xi looked at the thick stack of letters in front of him, one head and two big ones.

It is not about whether Chen Xi wants to establish a relationship with these people, but about whether he feels that these people’s motives are impure and seem to be discussing court affairs with him. However, in fact, many things have nothing to do with him. Writing letters is more like reporting to him for work, and these things should only be reported to the emperor.

Yun Liu said: "Adminton is the Minister of Personnel after all, and he is in charge of the official hat of officials in the world. No matter who he is, he wants to have a good relationship with him, right?"

Chen Xi shook his head and said, "It seems you still don't understand the trick... In fact, so many people wrote letters to show that Old Man Xie was unpopular. He has not had much time in the court. The central and local officials are thinking about who will be in charge of the government in the future... They have never thought about the cabinet, because whether it is Liang Chu or Yang Tinghe, they have a bad relationship with His Majesty and it is difficult to gain trust... Now they are thinking about how to establish contact with me to facilitate communication with me in the future."

Yun Liu suddenly remembered something and blurted out: "It seems that there is a rumor in the court... the lord is about to enter the cabinet."

"It's all about catching wind and shadows, how is this possible?" Chen Xi said angrily, "I am still two ministers. If I enter the cabinet, wouldn't the Ming Dynasty be in chaos? But...ah!"

At the end, Chen Xi suddenly realized that Zhu Houzhao didn't play according to common sense, and he really couldn't help making a similar decision.

Yun Liu said: "Sir, do you have to reply to these letters one by one?"

Chen Xi casually looked through a few letters and shook his head and said, "After the news that Your Majesty summoned me back to the capital spread, so many people wrote to me at the same time. How many things are really important? Even if it is really important, I will wait until I return to the capital before talking... I will read all the letters first to see if there is anything worth replying in the middle, otherwise I will put them aside."

Yunliu reminded: "If the adults want not to be boycotted in the future, they can actually reply to letters more. After all, many of them are important officials in the court. With the adults' current status and status, it would be okay to accept some people as disciples."

Chen Xidao: "Do you think I need to establish my own faction in the court? If I really want that, from the beginning, I can become his disciple, so that I can take over his ranks legitimately. Don't everyone else have to listen to me? But what's the benefit of doing this? Some people just want to find a backer for themselves under the emperor..."

Yun Liu kept silent.

Chen Xi said again: "I believe that after Master Xie knew that Your Majesty was going to summon me back to the capital, he began to regret the previous memorial... I have changed my mind and am not going to keep you in the new city for the time being, but ask you to go back to the capital, bring a few letters and my oral letters. Those words that are not convenient to tell you in letters will be conveyed by you."

"Sir, let Bei Zhi go to see Master Xie?" Yun Liu asked in surprise.

Chen Xi nodded: "You have seen Mr. Xie for a few times. I don't have the time to do this. Mr. Xie can listen. If someone else really doesn't have the ability to do this, just let Xier stay and do things for me. It's time for her to stand alone."

...

...

Chen Xi does not need to rush back to the capital for the time being.

He had enough time to recover from the aftermath, and could even directly submit a request to the emperor to stay in the new city.

Everything depends on the next change.

In addition to setting up the city's factories and enterprises, Chenxi also needs to establish a business system.

Before the New Year, Xincheng began to establish various commercial organizations, and after the New Year, the government took the lead in establishing the Jiangnan General Chamber of Commerce, allowing local chambers of commerce to dispatch personnel in the new city.

The General Chamber of Commerce had just been established. The merchants learned that Chen Xi was about to be recruited by the emperor and tried every means to hold a banquet and invited Chen Xi to attend. First, they hoped to curry favor with this senior official in the court, and second, they hoped that Chen Xi would set the rules in the city before leaving and guarantee their vital interests in the form of laws.

On the fourth day of the second month, representatives of chambers of commerce in the city gathered together to host a banquet to entertain Chen Xi. Chen Xi sent someone to say hello to him early that morning, saying that he would attend that night.

The person who arranged the banquet was Ma Jiu, and his assistant was Ma Ang.

Ma Jiu and Ma Ang went to the shopping mall where the General Chamber of Commerce was located that morning, checking the origins of the merchants who attended the banquet today one by one, and doing a good job in security.

The banquet started at noon on the day of the day, and a few more tables were required to be prepared in the afternoon. Only the wealthy merchants are qualified to attend the final banquet and successfully meet Chen Xi.

At sunset, the entrance of the mall suddenly became lively. Chen Xi's sedan stopped. Representatives from various chambers of commerce came out to greet him, but were stopped by the guards brought by Ma Jiu.

In this era, the social status of merchants was very low, and they were accustomed to being humans with their tails at their feet everywhere... and Chen Xi's status was extraordinary, and they dared not have any emotions.

As soon as Chen Xi got out of the sedan chair, all the merchants fell to their knees at the entrance of the mall. Chen Xi was escorted by Xier and other guards in men's clothing to the door. Ma Jiu came over as the person who hosted the banquet.

"Get up and talk... there is no need to be polite here. Today I am just coming as an ordinary person."

Chen Xi did not ride in an official sedan chair or wear official uniforms. He was relaxed and comfortable in casual clothes. For him, it was just a banquet for officials and businessmen to meet, and it was more like an investment promotion meeting. He had no expectations for the moral level and social responsibility of merchants in this era, so he did not need to have any psychological burden.

Han Yi, a big merchant who had just returned from buying goods from Hangzhou, stood up first and walked behind Ma Jiu, bowed to Chen Xi, and Chen Xi waved his hand when he saw this.

Han Yi turned around and greeted: "Are you up and come in with the lord."

Chen Xi did not say hello to these people too much. As a top civil servant, he had enough confidence to face everything. Of course, this does not mean that he likes to put on airs, but that this group of businessmen are very philanthropic, bullying the good and fearing evil on weekdays, and instead respecting and convinceing the strong.

...

...

Although it was not yet night, the interior of the store was decorated with lights.

Before Chen Xi arrived, the General Chamber of Commerce asked to arrange a grand welcoming ceremony. After Shen Xi entered the main courtyard of the mall, the banquet began immediately. The servants served the dishes one after another, and the maids walked back and forth between the banquets. There were various programs in the yard to cheer them up.

Everything is fine in the new city, but it seems very cold in terms of entertainment. It is not that there is nothing, but that it has not become rich for the time being.

This is also related to the fact that there is no Jiaofangsi in the city and the restriction on population trading.

But today, these merchants were rich and brought singers and dancers everywhere they went, and some also had the entire opera troupe. Taking Han Yi as an example, after he was rich, he could not gain a higher social status. So while helping his family children study and seek fame, he hoarded land and houses on a large scale, and in addition, he was spending time and enjoying a luxurious life.

This situation is everywhere in this prosperous place in Jiangnan.

As a representative of the local chamber of commerce, Han Yi accompanied Chen Xi, Ma Jiu and Ma Ang into the main hall of the mall, where there was a round table in which twelve people could sit down at the same time, and there were two large round tables in the inner hall. In this way, even if the plan was full, only 36 people could attend the banquet.

Ma Jiu said: "Sir, there has been a banquet here in the main courtyard today, and hundreds of merchants in the city have been hosted. Now it is a banquet specially prepared for the adults. Only the presidents of the chamber of commerce and those who have contributed to the construction of the new city are qualified to enter, and the personnel are also selected by the chamber of commerce within the chamber."

Chen Xi glanced at Han Yi and nodded, "It seems that he is quite prepared."

Han Yi walked to Chen Xi and smiled and said with apologies: "It is the honor of us and other people who can do things for us... Please take our seats."

Chen Xi looked around the scene and saw that some low-ranking businessmen could not even come in through the main hall of the mall, and had to go to the side door to the curtain to enter the seat. As for the people next to the Korean B, he didn't know all of them. They all looked very rich and seemed to be living a good life.

Chen Xi didn't say much, and sat down in the middle of the current table.
To be continued...