What Tang He said to him when he left that day flashed in Bai Shan's mind, "Once the salt policy incident breaks out, not only Yang Heshu, but also you and Zhou Man will attract attention. After all, you two are the instigators."
He said: "But you two are both capable and not greedy. I'm afraid it will be difficult for them to criticize you in official matters, so they can only start from your family."
"Your family and Zhou Man's family are good opportunities for breakthroughs. Perfection can easily come about if you are calculated on your own without any intention. From today on, you must start to be careful."
Bai Shan came back to his senses slightly and couldn't make up his mind whether Ning Yushi was reminding him, warning him, or something else, so he smiled calmly and said: "Ning Yushi is joking, my fourth uncle just planted some plants at home."
He sells the excess medicinal materials and helps the villagers buy and sell other things. He is not a professional merchant, so how can he do this kind of business?"
"Really? It's just that I always heard in the capital that Mr. Zhou's brother has a huge business. So it's just a rumor?"
Bai Shan nodded affirmatively, "It's just a rumor."
Ning Yushi smiled and ignored the topic for the time being.
When Bai Shan returned to the county government office, he went into the office to meditate.
When Dong County Lieutenant returned home from the office, he saw that he was still in the office. He couldn't help but knock on the door and poke his head in, asking: "Your Excellency, are you busy with official duties?"
Haven't you been free lately?
The county magistrate handed over some county affairs to Fang Xiancheng and him. Normally, they shouldn't be busy at the moment.
Bai Shan raised his eyelids and glanced at him, put down his pen, folded up the half-written letter and stuffed it into his arms, then called a yamen servant and said, "Wash the pen clean."
Lieutenant Dong always felt that the county magistrate was not in a good mood, so he touched his nose and followed him out.
Bai Shan looked back at him, "I'm going home."
Lieutenant Dong County was stunned for a moment and then said: "The lower officials are also going home."
Bai Shan raised his chin, and County Lieutenant Dong smiled awkwardly, turned around and walked towards the gate of the county government office. Wasn't he accustomed to this and didn't change it at once?
Bai Shan came home from the small gate of the county government office. Bai Erlang and the others were there. Cui Yuan lived close to the small gate. When he went out for a walk, he saw Bai Shan with a thoughtful look on his face. He was overjoyed and stepped forward and asked: "Master Lang, who are you?"
What's the problem?"
When Bai Shan saw him, he raised his eyebrows, and then he remembered that he also had a staff. After thinking about it, he smiled and said: "Fortunately, making a decision is not very difficult, but it will take a certain amount of effort to implement it, and things will be different."
It’s complicated, so it’s just a bit of a headache.”
Cui Yuan immediately said: "Cui is willing to serve Master Lang."
Bai Shan took him with him. He was a staff member and there were some things he should know.
He introduced Cui Yuan to Bai Erlang and the others.
Bai Er looked at him curiously, "We lived in the backyard of the county government and didn't see Mr. Cui before."
Bai Shan: "...I initially thought that the prince would also live here. Even Man Bao and I moved out, so naturally the other people in the courtyard also moved out."
But in the end, the prince didn't live there, so Bai Shan and Zhou Man didn't move, and Cui Yuan came back after Bai Erlang and the others moved away.
Bai Shan showed the half-written letter to Zhou Man and said, "You also know that Beihai County Official Salt will be famous all over the world in a short time. You probably don't know about my family's situation, right?"
This was mainly directed at Cui Yuan. He said: "I am from the Bai family in Longzhou, a side branch. Once the salt-drying method becomes popular, I may become a thorn in the eyes of some people. I can't find an opening here, so I can only
Look for it from among my people.”
Cui Yuan was a little nervous and asked quickly: "How is the relationship between Master Lang and my family?"
"So-so," he said, "Although we have had more contact with each other in the past few years, we rarely see each other. Moreover, my family mainly lives in Beijing now, and earlier in Mianzhou."
Cui Yuan understood as soon as he heard it, this was not average, it was clearly very bad.
"Then they can't threaten Master Lang."
Bai Shan nodded, "I can't threaten you, but I still have to remind you what you need to do." Bai Shan looked at Zhou Man, "I plan to write a letter to my grandmother, but the changes in the salt drying law and the salt policy cannot be dealt with yet.
We spread the news here, so..."
So what reason is he looking for?
Cui Yuan thought for a while and then said: "It is not a secret for the prince to inspect the government, and it is not a secret for him to come to Qingzhou. Why not use this as an excuse?"
Bai Shan thought this was a good reason and readily adopted it.
When Cui Yuan was sent away and only the five of them were left, the other four looked at Bai Shan together.
Bai Shan turned around to look at them and raised his eyebrows, "What do you want me to do?"
When Yin You drank tea and said nothing, Bai Erlang laughed and asked: "Are you testing your staff? I can find such reasons, can you not think of them?"
Man Bao also chuckled: "It's so embarrassing for you to pretend to be troubled and embarrassed."
Bai Shan: "...I'm really distressed."
"Ah?" Zhou Man looked at him doubtfully, and Yin Orou also raised his head curiously.
Bai Shan sighed and said, "It's not because of the Bai family, but because of your family."
Zhou Man pointed to his nose and asked, "My home?"
"Yes," Bai Shan said, sitting next to her: "I have a normal relationship with my family, and it is not difficult to find out about things like discord. I am afraid that the only trouble they can cause me is to incite people from the clan to come and invite me.
Li, but you are different."
Zhou Man asked: "My family's problem...the caravan in the hands of fourth brother?"
"That's right," Bai Shan said, "Although the fourth brother has suppressed the size of the caravan, the money he makes every year is still more and more."
This can be seen from the amount of money Zhou Man receives every year.
"Even if we say that most of what he sells is the output of the fields and villages, which are also crops, if the scale is too large, he will still be recognized as a businessman," Bai Shan said: "Now the Zhou family not only has you as an official, but also
Li Xue and Li Gu, Sanniang and Li Ru, there will be Li Zhong and Li Wei in the future, and even the fourth brother's children will also go into official careers in the future, so the family must not be a businessman."
Although Zhou Man and Zhou Liru are already married, which does not have a great influence on them, the Zhou family is one, especially Zhou Man and Zhou Liru, who have deep feelings for their family.
So it's best to prepare for this kind of thing in advance.
He said: "Fourth brother had better hand over the caravan in hand."
Zhou Man rolled his eyes, "For example, like your caravan, it's recorded in someone else's name?"
A smile flashed in Bai Shan's eyes, he nodded and said, "Yes."
"But your family has no servants, and the servants you are buying now must not be trusted. Even if you keep their families, there will still be risks if you have the other party's contract of sale, so you can only hand it over to your relatives." Bai Shan said: "Or from there.
Choose a close family in Qili Village to help, or..."
He looked at Man Bao, and Man Bao also looked up at him, blinked, "Leave everything to Li Jun?"
A smile flashed in Bai Shan's eyes, and he nodded and said: "Yes, in the long run, it is better to leave it to relatives than to the emperor. Married women rarely interfere with the finances and business of their parents' families, but your family is a little different."