Zeng Yan took the wet handkerchief handed over by Bai Mei and wiped his sweat, and said: "The houses and shops in the east and west directions of Fucheng City are basically monopolized by aristocratic families like Lingnan. Others who want to buy the houses in these two places are basically monopolized.
If there is no drama, the best we can do is rent it.”
It's like a circle of aristocratic families. It's impossible for outsiders to blend in. The aristocratic families in Lingnan are particularly exclusive.
The area of Lingnan Fucheng is not large, and the land in the east and west of the city is limited. Every land they give up will be lost. Maybe this is the reason why the aristocratic families stay together.
Speaking of this, Xia Jing remembered that they had been in Lingnan for a while. At first, she wanted to buy some houses and shops in the city, but it seemed that most of them were willing to rent rather than sell.
She didn't think much about it at that time and just assumed that she didn't find the right one.
Now that I think about it, this is the reason Zeng Yan investigated.
It may be that they are xenophobic, or it may be that they are simply not short of money.
Xia Jing thought of another question and asked: "It's not an exaggeration to say that these aristocratic families are local powerful. Are they all involved in maritime trade?"
Zeng Yan nodded: "Yes, the big aristocratic families all have their own sea-going ships or fleets, and the smaller aristocratic families only have a few sea-going ships. If they go to sea, the aristocratic families in Lingnan will form a fleet and set off together, probably because of their interests.
They are the same, that’s why they are so united.”
"A sea ship~"
Xia Jing fell into deep thought. This is an industry with both high risks and high profits.
"Princess, which house does my uncle have his eye on? Do we need to go to the palace to say hello?"
Zeng Yan felt that Prince Qian's Mansion was now the largest in Lingnan. He believed that as long as his uncle told him which house he liked, they would not dare not give Prince Qian's Mansion face.
Xia Jing shook her head, "No, you go and get me a map of the city. Forget it, I'll go to the prince's study to check it myself."
Zeng Yan had doubts in his eyes. He didn't know what Xia Jing wanted the map for. When he saw that she was going to the study, he didn't ask.
Xia Jing said she was going to the study, so she didn't delay any more. She got up and took them to the front office.
In the study, both King Qian and the two gentlemen were very surprised as to why the princess took the initiative to come to the study today.
Xia Jing felt their gazes from the moment she entered the door, and asked with a smile: "Why are you all looking at me like this?"
Without waiting for their answer, he asked himself: "Do you have a map of the city? I can borrow it."
King Qian asked casually: "What do you want the map to do?"
Xia Jing found an empty seat and sat down, took the round fan from Hongmei's hand, and while fanning the wind, she told the truth: "I think the city is a bit small. I want to see the map and plan to expand two more streets, or add another one to the city."
The government office also moved there."
King Qian was dumbfounded, "Expanding two streets? Relocating the government office? Princess, do you know what you are talking about?"
Xia Jing turned to look at him and nodded with a smile, "I know, I think what I said is right. Look, this government office is old and dilapidated, and the place is small. Doesn't the relocation conform to the current situation?"
After hearing this, Mr. Zhang really looked at the study carefully, "It is indeed too shabby and not worthy of the prince's status. The princess wants to move the government office and expand two streets, which will cost a lot of money. Please give me this money."
Where will the money come from?”
Xia Jing only had this idea temporarily, but she hadn't thought about how to operate it in detail yet. "These are things for later. You need to find the map first and show it to me."
She remembered that in later generations, when the city expanded and the government relocated its office buildings, wouldn't that area prosper wherever it was moved? The same was true for bases in the last days, which were often scrapped.
King Qian glanced at Anu, who immediately understood and took out a scroll from the bookcase. He took out the map from the scroll and placed it on the table and unfolded it slowly.
The map includes the mountains near Fucheng, and the center is the floor plan of the city.
"Seriously, this city is so small. Is this area a wasteland?" Xia Jing pointed to an open space in the north of the city.
Mr. Zhang looked at the area. He happened to know about it before, so he replied: "The east is rich and the west is rich, and the south is poor and the north is humble. According to the distribution of other towns, this area should be a slum area with a mixed population. But Lingnan has a special geographical location.
Because the land is so vast and sparsely populated, even the urban population cannot be filled. Most of the poor people are crowded in the Nancheng District, so the Beicheng District has become vacant. Now most of them have become vegetable plots for nearby residents, or some shantytowns live there."
"Oh, it just so happens that if the vegetable fields or shantytowns do not have title deeds, the land will be taken back to the government. Except for the land where the government government built it, I will buy the other places." Xia Jing estimated the area in her mind.
Mr. Zhang swallowed his saliva and asked in disbelief: "Princess, do you really plan to move the government office there?"
Xia Jing stared at him and said seriously: "Of course, how can this be a joke? This place faces north and south, which is absolutely good Feng Shui. I believe that if the government office is located there, it will be smooth and prosperous."
"Pfft!" Mr. Zhang couldn't help laughing. He looked at King Qian helplessly and said to Xia Jing, "I hope you can achieve your wish as soon as possible."
Xia Jing put away the map and sighed, "We haven't finished this matter yet. It's early. I have to buy this piece of land first and plan to build a house there for my parents to live in."
King Qian realized what he was doing now, "You asked me to move the government office there just so that we can live there and keep company with your natal family, right?"
Xia Jing nodded without hesitation: "Yes, there is a reason for this."
Prince Qian really couldn't understand her brain circuit, so he asked: "If you want to be close to your parents' home, just find a house next to the government office and buy it for them. There is no need to go to such trouble!"
"Hey!" Xia Jing sighed, "You don't know that my eldest brother has been looking for a house in the city for several days. There are suitable houses but no one is willing to sell them. The houses that are willing to sell are too small, and he has not found a place to live yet.
"
"How is it possible? The city is not big, but it is not small. How is it possible that a suitable house cannot be found?" King Qian obviously didn't believe it.
Xia Jing pointed at Zeng Yan, "I'm too lazy to tell you, butler, tell your master what's going on!"
Zeng Yan lowered his head in agreement and told the investigation results again.
Everyone was just surprised when they heard this, and then they understood that whoever is willing to sell the property if they don’t have enough money would be a loser!
Of all the people sitting in the room, Xia Jing might be the only one who didn't understand the ancient people's thoughts.
For the ancients, there was no special reason for buying property at home. Even if it was left vacant, they would not think of selling it, because if they sold the property properly, it would look like a waste to outsiders, and only a prodigal would sell it.
Ancestral industry.
King Qian came to Lingnan, but it can only be said that he came too late. The industry in Lingnan was basically divided up by the aristocratic families.
But Xia Jing's idea was not wrong. Since the east and west of the city were divided up by the aristocratic families, they would rebuild the north of the city and turn it into their own territory.
King Qian wanted to support, but he had no money!
Now that he has less than 20,000 troops, he has a headache, and any further construction will cost him his life.
Xia Jing didn't know what they were thinking, so she urged Mr. Zhang to get the land deed in the north of the city completed.
Mr. Zhang smiled helplessly, "Princess, the whole Lingnan belongs to the prince. Whatever you want to build in the north of the city, you can just build it. There is no need to apply for a land deed."
Xia Jing shook her head, "I have the land deed in my hand, and I know it in my heart. Since it counts as my own territory, why don't you give me the land deed without paying any money?"
"This" Mr. Zhang looked at King Qian.
King Qian waved his hand, and Anu bowed his head and exited the study.
Not long after, Anu came back with a land deed.
King Qian took the land deed, glanced at it, handed it to Xia Jing, and said with a smile: "My princess, here it is!"
Aunt Xia glanced at him suspiciously, pulled out the land deed, checked that there was no problem, and handed the land deed to Hongmei for safekeeping.
She thanked King Qian: "Thank you. If it's okay, I won't disturb you. I'll go back first."
"Princess, please wait a moment."
Xia Jing was about to stand up, but after hearing this, she sat back down and looked at King Qian: "Is something wrong?"
King Qian coughed and said, "Well, what do you think of the Bingzhanfang incident?"
Xia Jing looked at him suspiciously, "Isn't this case closed? How else can I look at it?"
"It's just that the clues have been cut off and the investigation can no longer be continued. The case has not been closed."
"Oh, then do you have anyone to suspect?"
This case is nothing more than a result of cutting corners and shoddy workmanship. In fact, it reflects the current corruption in the imperial court from another aspect, which is very common.
King Qian said angrily: "It's nothing more than the work of interest groups. The only ones in Lingnan who can influence the government's actions are these aristocratic families."
After hearing what he said, Xia Jing raised her eyebrows slightly and asked, "Since there is a suspect, what are you going to do?"
King Qian just asked Xia Jing because he didn't know what to do. Now Xia Jing asked him what to do, which made him feel a little happy. "It's just suspicion and there is no evidence. What can I do?"
Xia Jing could tell that King Qian was in a bad mood. His indecisive temperament made her shake her head and said: "You are the king of Lingnan now. This land of Lingnan is your territory. You have soldiers and power.
Who are you afraid of?"
"Let me tell you, as long as you have doubts, no matter whether there is evidence or not, just pick one company and copy it, kill the chicken to scare the monkeys, and show your attitude to the forces in Lingnan!"
King Qian looked at her in shock, "Is this okay? I don't kill innocent people indiscriminately!"
Xia Jing sneered and looked at him with contemptuous eyes, "Don't pretend to be kind in front of me. I know what kind of person you are. My suggestions are here. It's up to you whether you want to or not."
After that, Xia Jing left the study without paying attention to the others. She tossed her sleeves and left the study.
The door shook, indicating that the princess was angry just now.
Mr. Zhang looked at Prince Qian and spoke with a hint of schadenfreude, "My lord, you have made the princess angry!"
Prince Qian's expression was very innocent, "What I just said is correct. Why is she angry?"
Mr. Zhang couldn't bear it anymore and decided to expose him, "My lord, what you said just now seems that you are very kind, but the princess is very vicious. How can she not be angry?"
"Ah? I don't mean that."
Mr. Yan, who had been sitting silently next to him, used a fan to cover the corners of his slightly raised mouth and said something fair, "Actually, what the princess said is absolutely right. If you want to establish a foothold in Lingnan, you have to scare the monkeys on one thing and make them afraid."
You, what can you do in the future so that there will be less resistance?"
King Qian was still stubborn, "It's untenable for us to raid other people's homes without evidence."
This time, Mr. Yan's slightly hooked mouth straightened and he said seriously: "Your Majesty, you must first be clear that no family in this world is innocent. They violate laws and disciplines, annex land, concentrate wealth, bully the weak, and force good people to become lowly.
Each and every one of them is a history of blood and tears of common people, there is no way they can be said to be innocent!"
If you want to confiscate your home, there are so many accusations against aristocratic families. Do you need to go out of your way to find evidence?
King Qian frowned, thought for a long time, and seemed to compromise: "Then which one do you think we should copy?"
Mr. Zhang raised his eyebrows and said, "If the prince is displeased with anyone, we will copy whichever one we want."
At this casual tone, King Qian looked at him slightly surprised, "Is this okay?"
Mr. Yan coughed and said, "Well, of course we need to evaluate it. The so-called persimmons are only for picking soft ones. If we want to copy it this time, we can't choose someone whose family background is too strong, for fear of getting out of control; nor can we choose someone who is too weak, causing trouble.
It has no deterrent effect.”
King Qian raised his eyebrows and asked tentatively: "You mean the Lou family?"
On the second day, after breakfast, Xia Jing took her guards out of the city, inspected the progress of land reclamation, and rushed back to the city before noon.
Not long after entering the city, I found that the streets were busier than before. I felt strange and asked Hongmei: "What day is today?"
Is it some kind of festival in Lingnan?
Hongmei opened the curtain and looked outside, shaking her head: "I haven't heard this. It's probably not a festival, but something happened."
As the carriage drove along, there were more and more people going forward.
After a while, Ye Fei stepped forward and said, "Princess, my subordinates have found out that the Lou family has been raided by the prince."
Hearing this, Xia Jing was surprised, "He really ransacked other people's homes."
Judging from his performance yesterday, she thought he was really ready to play a qualified holy father.
Tsk tsk, man!
Ye Fei looked at the front with envy, "It's run by the prince's guards."
Xia Jing opened the curtain and told him: "Send someone to find out how much money the Lou family has."
Ye Fei cupped his fists and said, "Yes, I will make arrangements right now."
When Xia Jing woke up from her nap in the afternoon, Ye Fei handed in the news.
The Lou family confiscated 500,000 taels of real gold and silver. If the shops, farms, servants' houses and other assets were used as payment for the silver, the total amount would be one million.
Xia Jing feels that the fastest way to make a fortune in the world is to confiscate homes.
How much money did she earn after working so hard to lead her guards to suppress bandits? This time, the house raid cost a huge sum of millions. How many bandit nests did she have to destroy to reach this amount?
I believe that with the downfall of a powerful party and the concealment of the Lou family, it will be possible to collect a lot of tax money for the government during the autumn tax collection.
This action of King Qian can be said to kill two birds with one stone and gain a lot!
"Ding Dazhuang and the others have been away for quite some time, but has any news come back?"
Hongmei shook her head, "There should be no news. If there is news, Captain Ye will notify you as soon as possible."
Xia Jing nodded, thinking about it, she must have been stimulated by the huge amount of money from King Qian who confiscated his house for asking this nonsense today.
"You tell Ye Fei later and ask him to tell me as soon as he has news about Ding Dazhuang and the others, and ask him to send someone to find out about them."
"yes."
Hongmei agreed and turned around to send a message to Ye Fei.
Xia Jing thought for a while and asked Bai Mei to go to the inn to send a message to the Xia family and tell them about the house in advance.
Thank you A! Ziye, 45. Looking up, you were once simple, ordinary, Minmin, Juesha, Ye Xingchen 3399, Book Friends 20220504092315377, Love Nianyu, Heart is like water, recommended and supported~