"Your Majesty, this is a report from Jiangdu Prefecture about the rectification of Huainan's salt affairs. After Wang Shijun's rectification, all the salt fields in Yangtai and Chu have been confiscated and the rectification has been completed. The salt people have made arrangements. It won't take long for the salt from Huainan to be used in the north. Diao. Huaibei no longer has the worry of salt shortage, and the imperial court will also increase a large amount of income!" Zhang Yisu held a memorial and presented it to Liu Chengyou.
"Wang Qing is very fast!" Liu Chengyou became interested and took a quick look at it with a smile on his lips: "Huainan's benefits to the country can already be seen!"
Wang Pu's task of staying in Yangzhou was not only to stabilize the situation, adjust the political system, and organize the rule of the Han Dynasty over Huaidong Prefecture County, but also focused on financial rectification, and the core of this was the rectification of salt affairs.
"Has the Third Division ever calculated how much annual income the imperial court can earn from the Huaidong Salt Service?" Liu Chengyou asked.
Zhang Yisu replied: "Based on the current situation, with this addition, the imperial court can earn at least 1.5 million yuan per year, and as time goes by, if the camp continues to expand, it should be doubled!"
Nodding, Liu Chengyou couldn't help but sigh to himself: "Just 1.5 million, how much can the court do?"
"How is the money system?" Liu Chengyou asked again.
Zhang Yisu replied: "The third division is preparing to raise millions of new coins and distribute them to Huainan. When the situation stabilizes, the two government offices will inform the people and order them to exchange Han coins. It will take half a year to gradually abolish Tang coins and other old coins. !”
"Just be prepared!" Liu Chengyou nodded.
According to the plan of the Third Division, just by looking at this one out and one in, a large sum of money and taxes can be obtained. This is a ruling measure, and it is also a disguised form of plundering the wealth of the Huai people. After thinking for a moment, he said: "Send a special person to take charge of the exchange ratio." , it must be implemented comprehensively, and it must be done with caution. In addition, we must pay attention to the impact and do not cause civil unrest!”
"yes!"
Liu Chengyou raised his eyes and looked at Zhang Yisu. He was under thirty. He was standing there, humble and submissive, giving people a sense of solidity. With his achievements in Huainan, after returning to the court, Zhang Yisu moved to the third department and served as the Salt and Iron Transport Envoy. The next thing is the main thing.
"How is Wang Qing's health?" Liu Chengyou asked casually.
After hearing the question, Zhang Yisu responded quickly, with a somewhat sentimental tone: "Back to Your Majesty, I vomited blood again last night and was unconscious for two hours. My wife is waiting in front of the bed. According to the doctor, I am already terminally ill and cannot be cured by any medicine. Perhaps, I will It’s been a few days!”
Listening to what he said, even if Liu Chengyou's heart was as hard as iron, he could not help but be moved. I still remember that Wang Zhang was in charge of the third department and was in charge of the country's financial affairs. Liu Chengyou often described him as "working hard". I'm afraid Wang Zhang's illness was half that They are all sick from working hard for the country.
Feeling sad in his heart and with a calm expression on his face, Liu Chengyou ordered Zhang Dejun: "I ordered the palace to take two pieces of old ginseng and ask Zhang Qing to take them back later!"
"yes!"
"You go back to your home and tell Wang Qing to take care of himself and say, I will take time to visit him!" Liu Chengyou said to Zhang Yisu again.
"On behalf of my dear wife, thank you Your Majesty!" Zhang Yisu knelt down on the ground, his tone choked with sobs.
After Zhang Yisu resigned, Liu Chengyou couldn't help but whisper: "Another old Yuan minister!"
After rummaging through the imperial records, I pulled out a memorial, which was submitted by Wang Jingchong, deputy envoy of Wude. What was written above was Wang Jingchong's investigation into Wang Zhang's "violations of laws and regulations," including forming cliques for personal gain, corruption and bribery, and resentment. Your Majesty, Wang Jingchong listed more than a dozen cases of ulterior motives...
Of course, Liu Chengyou didn't believe most of this memorial, and the small part that he believed in it was mostly because of Wang Jingchong's embellishing. This was basically a frame-up against Wang Zhang.
As for why Wang Jingchong did this, it was probably due to the grudge between the two. Two years ago, during the Yang Ping case, Wang Zhangke was very contemptuous of Wang Jingchong, who was jumping up and down and actively running around, and they often had verbal conflicts.
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With his eyes slightly narrowed and his eyes slowly turning cold, Liu Chengyou handed the memorial to Zhang Dejun and said in a deep voice: "Go to the Wude Department in person, find Wang Jingchong, and present this memorial in front of him. Burned!"
"Yes!" The emperor's gaze sent chills down Zhang Dejun's spine, and he did not dare to neglect.
"Also, let Li Shaoyou come to see me!"
It was a pity that Wang Zhang did not wait for Liu Chengyou's visit, so he passed away early in the morning on March 14, the fifth year of Qianyou's reign. The emperor lamented that he could not see him before his death, which was a pity!
...
As the Han Dynasty became more and more stable, Tokyo's market became more and more prosperous. Various pavilions and courtyards sprung up in the flower streets and willow alleys in the northern city, and together with the official buildings, they provided entertainment for officials, soldiers and people.
Since Emperor Murong Yanchao took office as the governor of Kaifeng, he has rectified the folk hook market, issued licenses, and regularly inspected prostitutes, making this market formal and prosperous.
Compared with many soldiers and wealthy businessmen, who prefer to go to official squares that are open to the public, many officials in the court prefer private squares, especially those high-end places where poetry, lyrics, paintings, and music are played. In them, they recite poems and compose dialogues, Playing the piano and flute is called elegant, and requires less restraint to avoid exposing one's ugly appearance.
The same goes for Tao Gu.
"Tao Gong, please take your time. I will pay you a visit someday!" In front of the poetry workshop covered with colorful lanterns, a middle-aged man in gorgeous clothes bowed and smiled, and helped Tao Gu onto the carriage.
"Thank you for the hospitality!" Tao Gu seemed to have drunk a lot of wine, and his tongue was a bit tangled.
Today, at the invitation of his friends, he came to get together, and the host was naturally this middle-aged man. This man is a businessman, from Huainan, a businessman who pursues profits and has a keen sense of smell. As a Han citizen of Xinshun, these days , many merchants entered Tokyo, bought properties, spent a lot of money, and had frequent activities. Huai merchants came from the north and contributed to the prosperity of Tokyo in all aspects...
After boarding the car, although his eyes were blurred by drunkenness, Tao Gu still retained a trace of sanity. He leaned against the carriage, opened the curtains, and looked at the businessman who was still standing respectfully on the left side of the road with his hands tied: "What you asked for, we can talk about it another day. Change it." Talk to you later!"
"Everything depends on Mr. Tao!" The middle-aged man remained modest.
It took more than a quarter of an hour for the carriage to circle around and return to the mansion. The people who were called to serve him were the two dancing girls who had been given to him by Feng Yansi during the Tang Dynasty. For these two young girls who could be his daughters, Tao Gu has always loved this servant, and often calls her to serve him. This old boy is very good at playing.
Two pairs of slender hands, each holding an old leg, scrubbed and massaged Tao Gu, and served him wholeheartedly. He was almost awake from the wine, and looked down at the two maids. Tao Gu sighed quietly, with a look of despair on his face: "Girl. Like a flower, it can be ignored; a talented person like an orchid, but no one appreciates it..."
"What's wrong, Master? Is it because the servants are not serving you well?" A girl raised her head and asked nervously.
Looking at the upturned tender face, Tao Gu reached out his hand, pinched his chin, and said with a smile: "You have served me well. It's a pity that the sigh in my heart is beyond your understanding!"
Tao Gu compares himself to Fanglan, but no one appreciates him. After returning to the imperial court from the southern expedition, Tao Gu felt that his talents were not appreciated. He worked hard in the expedition, received few rewards, and no one paid attention to his political appeals.
These days, the situation in the court has changed greatly. Guo Wei left the court and took office in Xiangyang. Fan Zhi went to governor of Hedong, Su Yugui completely retired, Wang Zhang died of illness, and the position of the third envoy was officially vacant.
The position of prime minister suddenly became vacant. For many years, Tao Gu had been looking for this, but this was the only one he had been seeking. However, this time, it was still not his turn.
Liu Chengyou directly set the number of prime ministers in the Political Affairs Hall at five. After he strengthened Xue Juzheng, the deputy envoy of the Third Department, there was no further action. Feng Dao, Li Tao, Fan Zhi, Wei Renpu, and Xue Juzheng shared the power of the prime minister. Tao Gu was full of enthusiasm. Enthusiasm, when cold water is poured on it, it chills the bottom of my heart.
After this, the people of Taoshe started to gossip more and more, and the occasions for partying and having fun became more frequent.
In Tao Gu's own words, no one asks for poems and books when he is full, and there are many frustrated people in the busy city.
Originally, Liu Chengyou had the idea of taking Tao Gu as his prime minister, but this person did not know how to love and respect himself. Although Liu Chengyou has always valued talent more than virtue, there is a bottom line, and Tao Gu, In some things, it just crosses the line.