Lin'an Mansion has been a prosperous place in the south of the Yangtze River since ancient times. It is now one of the most prosperous cities in the Chen Kingdom.
When Shizong was crossing south, he considered moving to Lin'an Prefecture, but the Chen Kingdom initially arose in Jiankang, so it ended up in Jiankang.
Let's put it this way, if Jiankang was not the actual capital of Chen State, in terms of prosperity, it would most likely not be as prosperous as Lin'an Prefecture.
When Shen Yi was in charge of the Di Newspaper Division, he ordered the leader of the fourth group, Zheng Hu, to go to Taizhou Prefecture and set up a Di Newspaper Division branch in Taizhou Prefecture. Later, when the Japanese invasion was pacified in Taizhou Prefecture, the Di Newspaper Division of Zheng Hu and others was moved to Lin'an. Mansion.
After all, only in a big city like Lin'an Prefecture, there is room for Dibao to survive and make money.
And now, although Shen Yi is no longer in the Di News Department, old people like Zheng Hu in the Di News Department still recognize him as the "old leader."
Facing these young people who came to pick him up, Shen Yi didn't have too much doubt.
After all, if there is any problem with these people and they basically cannot get close to me, they will be cleaned up by the internal guards.
Ever since, Mr. Shen smiled and nodded: "You just lead the way."
The young man who spoke nodded and led the way for Shen Yi. After walking a few steps, the young man seemed to remember something. He turned back to Shen Yi and lowered his head and said: "Shen...Shen Sizheng, would you like to call you a sedan chair?" ?”
"No need."
Shen Yi waved his hand, looked around, and then said with a smile: "This is my first time coming to Lin'an Mansion. I just want to see the style of Lin'an City."
Hearing what Shen Yi said, the young man nodded silently and continued to lead the way with his head lowered. A few people had just walked a short distance when a middle-aged man who described himself as ordinary walked in a hurry and hurried away. When he came over and saw Shen Yi, he quickly bowed deeply and saluted: "The fourth group of Zheng Hu has seen... met the imperial envoy!"
At present, the group of people were on an inconspicuous trail, so Zheng Hu's words did not attract much attention from others. Shen Yi smiled and patted his shoulder, and said with a smile: "Why did you change your name? You don't recognize me. Has this been corrected?"
Zheng Hu's face turned slightly red, he lowered his head slightly and said, "Sir, what are you talking about? The Di Reporting Department... is only a seventh-grade yamen after all. I am worried that I will call you too small for my humble position."
Mr. Shen chuckled: "It is true that it is a seventh-rank yamen, but where are there any seventh-rank officials who can preside over this yamen?"
"You should still call me Sizheng, so that we can be more friendly to each other."
"yes."
Zheng Hu also breathed a sigh of relief, smiled at Shen Yi and said, "Hearing what you said, I felt relieved."
Having said this, he sighed slightly and said: "To tell you the truth, all the low-level officials are counting on when you will be able to take charge of the Di Reporting Department again..."
Master Shen glanced at him and asked calmly: "Why, has Eunuch Sun wronged you?"
"It's not even a matter of grievance..."
Zheng Hu looked around, then walked to the left side of Shen Yi, lowered his head slightly and said: "That is, when you were in charge, Jiankang's Di Newspaper Division did not care about the expenses of the local Di Newspaper Division. Now the local Di Newspaper Division All the company's income must be handed over to Jiankang, and any expenses must be reported to Jiankang for unified expenses..."
"Although this is troublesome, if Jiankang was happy to give money, I would not say anything. But now, Jiankang is getting slower and slower to give money, and I am in charge of the Di Newspaper Division in Lin'an. I am in arrears with monthly payments to my subordinates..."
Shen Yi frowned, looked back at Zheng Hu, and asked, "Can the local newspaper office cover its income?"
"It's worth it."
Zheng Hu sighed: "Sizheng, if Jiankang doesn't take our money, the income of the Lin'an Residence Reporting Department will exceed the expenditure by a lot. The humble position can expand more manpower, but..."
Shen Yi nodded and said: "I know about this matter. Sun Jin is also in Zhejiang now. I will go to him in person to ask about this matter in a few days."
Zheng Hu lowered his head and said, "Sizheng, don't say it's because of his humble position..."
"rest assured…"
Shen Yi smiled hoarsely: "I know it well."
He looked at Zheng Hu and asked, "Where are we going now?"
Zheng Hu smiled at Shen Yi.
"I will take you to Lin'an Residence to report to the department."
While he was talking, a carriage was already driving over. Zheng Hu helped Shen Yi lift the curtain and asked Shen Yi to sit in. After Shen Yi got into the carriage, he waved to him. Zheng Hu hesitated for a moment and sat down too. Got in.
The carriage started to move slowly.
Mr. Shen sat in the carriage, reached out to lift the curtain, and while looking at Lin'an City, asked: "Is there anything else you want to tell me?"
"And..."
Zheng Hu lowered his head and said cautiously: "Also, when Si Zheng sent us brothers to Jiankang, you promised us that we would work hard outside for a few years, and you would find an official position for us in a few years. Body, but now..."
Zheng Hu sighed and said: "To be honest with you, Si Zheng, this Zhejiang newspaper office cannot be said to have been built from scratch with a humble job. At least it was built with hard work and hard work, and it has some appearance. But now, Jiankang has sent several eunuchs to take charge of the affairs. I'm afraid it won't be long before the low-ranking people and others are kicked out of the Di Reporting Department, and people from the palace will be in charge of the local Di Reporting Department..."
"Is this happening?"
Shen Yi frowned again.
He really had no idea.
In his early years, he gave up his position as Chief of the Diji Newspaper Division because the emperor promoted him. After being promoted, he couldn't let go of his old position. But now, what he left behind in the Dishi Newspaper Division already feels like someone is rooting for him. Already.
"You will be able to see some of the father-in-laws in the palace later."
Zheng Hu smiled bitterly and said: "In my humble position, I would not dare to lie to you no matter what."
Mr. Shen closed his eyes, thought for a while, and then said: "At the beginning, I did promise you that I would give you an official vacancy. The idea at that time was that after the Di Reporting Department was established, it should be promoted to the fifth rank of chief official. , and finally even the yamen with the fourth-rank chief officer, how can you, the group leaders assigned to the local areas, be able to get to the seventh-rank rank by then."
"Later, for various reasons, I left the Di Reporting Department and went to the Ministry of War."
Shen Yi raised his hand and said, "Things are no longer under my control."
He looked at Zheng Hu and said softly: "But don't worry, what I said is true. When this period of time passes, I will write to Your Majesty, requesting Your Majesty to transfer the Di News Department to the Imperial Academy, and try my best to regain it." If I fail to take charge of the Di News Department..."
Mr. Shen lowered his eyebrows and said, "If it doesn't work, we will give up the Di News Department. Then I will find a way to transfer you guys to work under me and still give you an official status."
Zheng Hu was overjoyed when he heard this and was about to kneel down in front of Shen Yi. However, the carriage was so narrow that he couldn't stand up at all. He could only bow his head deeply to Shen Yi: "Humble job...humble job..."
Before he could speak, Shen Yi waved his hand to stop him from continuing.
"No need to say too many polite words, tell me where those Western businessmen came from."
Zheng Hu nodded immediately and said seriously: "Yes, Si Zheng, those Western businessmen once came to our Lin'an Di Newspaper Office to advertise in the Di Newspaper Office... to buy good porcelain, tea, etc., and also wanted to buy some from us. Take the women of the Han family back to the West."
"But I only advertised for them to buy goods, and the buyers ignored them."
"These Western businessmen are very rich."
Zheng Hu lowered his head slightly and said: "Spending money is like running water in Lin'an. I feel that their power in the West should be quite large. They are the kind of people you need, Si Zheng."
"So I kept an eye out and had some dealings with them."
"They know that the Dijing Newspaper Department is a function of the imperial court, so they still trust us. I told them humbly that our imperial envoy wanted to see them and discuss a business deal with them."
Zheng Hu coughed and continued: "They agreed."
Shen Yi nodded and asked, "When?"
"Tomorrow and the day after tomorrow will do. I'll send someone to say hello to them and then we can meet them."
"Then let's do it tomorrow."
Master Shen said slowly.
"The sooner we meet, the sooner we know what we are doing."