Shen Tang tapped his fingers on the tea table and closed his eyes slightly in deep thought.
"Are you really seeing this with your own eyes?" He said and took out a piece of broken silver from his sleeve and pushed it out, with a sincere expression, "Oh, brother, I don't know, the little girl's parents only have one daughter, and she has worked hard all her life in the grain store business. There is no son to inherit, and the elders in the clan are coveting and want to force the parents to adopt his young grandson. How can you think this is reasonable in the world? If the family property is not given to the daughter, it will be eaten up by others? The elders even bring the clan members to the door to force him, and the little girl is very We need to make this deal so that they can take a look..."
The tea guest is a man.
He didn't think there was anything wrong with what the elders did.
He didn't say anything, but his true thoughts showed on his face.
Without waiting for him to speak, Shen Tang moved himself out. His pretty face was full of anger and unwillingness, and he gritted his teeth and said: "The current kings are all women. If we follow the elders' wishes, will the king also have to adopt him?" A younger brother’s Zen position?”
As soon as the tea guest heard this, his expression changed, and he waved his hands and said, "Don't talk nonsense about the saint, are you going to die?"
His reaction was a little extreme.
Shen Tang said in confusion: "I heard that the Lord of the country has a kind and gentle temperament, how can he kill someone just because of these two sentences? Besides, there is no word for a little girl to be disrespectful."
Seeing that no one was looking around, the tea guest breathed a sigh of relief and grasped the broken silver in his hand to feel a sense of security: "...Oh, what do you, a foreigner, know...I have already said everything that can be said. I have indeed seen it with my own eyes. I saw ghosts crawling out of the cemetery, carrying lanterns to guide the way, and scattering paper money to go to the county granary. In the land under your feet, don't say anything about the king, that person..."
As he spoke, he looked around again and leaned closer to Shen Tang to whisper.
"I heard that that man was no different from those stupid kings in the past. He killed more people behind his back." Shen Tang gave the tea guest seven or eight pieces of silver one after another, which was enough for his family to eat for a long time. He looked at Shen Tang's His eyes were a little more eager.
Take people's money and eliminate disasters with them.
It's cost-effective to spend some time talking about something that everyone knows.
The smile on Shen Tang's face faltered, and the disguised courtiers bent over to drink tea, wanting to bury their faces in the crude tea cup.
"Buddha's mouth is full of snake's heart? I've never heard of it..."
She admitted that she had killed a lot of people behind her back, but she dared to pat her chest and say that every head was justified. There are rules in troubled times, and she would not investigate what she had done in the past, but Kang Guojian still Is there anything wrong with her playing with the "unspoken rules" of the local emperor and blowing people's heads off? It's so insulting to compare her with those trash!
The tea guest looked like he had seen through everything.
Sighing: "That's her habit of showing off."
Shen Tang nodded as if he was really being taught.
With the eyes of the tea guests shining brightly, she pushed out another broken piece of silver. While watching the fun, the officials who were interested in counting the broken pieces of silver Shen Tang gave to each other were counting in their hearts. The doctor of Kurabe Division whispered to his colleagues: " This must be seven or eight taels, right?"
In the whole court, who knows how stingy the ruler of the country is?
Although she has not paid any official salary in these years, I have never heard of her giving anyone a penny in reward. Even the daily allowance for her previous tours across the country was obtained from Chu Xiangning.
The source of this gossip is reliable.
The official who provided the information was at the scene and heard clearly.
Qi Xiang sighed and emptied his wallet: [Isn’t this a banquet from the Lord?]
[You pay the bill and I treat, so why doesn’t it count as a banquet? Does the party having the banquet have to pay for it? Well, it’s not like you don’t know that I am so poor that I don’t have a penny... I’m really curious about how much money Hanzhang overdrafted me...
Is this the third year?】
Qi Xiang said: [My money is tight too.]
The king tutted: [Who asked you to raise so many cats?]
The official did not dare to listen to the subsequent conversation.
But the news spread.
The fire of gossip among the courtiers burned brightly.
How could this matter be without the Yushitai?
A stupid young man stood up.
You need to know that the expenses in a cat slave's house are like running water.
Fortunately, Qi Shan has a daughter who is a good housekeeper. Qi Miao is studying medicine at the medical office while taking care of the household income tax, so the accounts do not run into deficit every month. Of course, the deficit is not afraid, because Qi Yuanliang is a good friend.
Misappropriating the budget of the Society of Gods.
This matter has always been a secret that is not known to outsiders. A group of important ministers know that there is something fishy inside, but outsiders do not. The Yushitai Lengtouqing did the math in private and found that the money Qi Xiang spends on hundreds of cats every year,
It’s ten times the salary!
The Yushitai has always been known for its rumors.
Leng Tou Qing then played the prayer for good deeds.
Qi Shan is suspected of corruption and bribery!
The civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty hesitated and hesitated, and Qishan himself was also stunned.
That day, the censor doctor Gu Chi coughed loudly.
As that piece of gossip spread, in addition to Shen Tang's stinginess and poverty, there were also speculations about her relationship with Qi Xiang and Xun Zhen, the Minister of Household Affairs. From the analysis of the dialogue, the reason why the king was so stingy was because she would
All the money was given to Xun Shangshu. When he ran out of money, he borrowed money from Qi Xiang. Qi Xiang couldn't afford to raise so many cats with his own salary...
So here comes the question——
What is the relationship between these three???
Coupled with the emperor's connivance to the imperial censor, everyone in the court sang and sang in harmony, as if they had a tacit understanding. Prime Minister Chu was fond of female celebrities, and some witnesses saw Prime Minister Chu's things appearing on the emperor's body... The emperor also once
Stay with General Bai...
Even though the officials were well-informed, they also found it very confusing.
The doctor from the Ministry of Food and Drinks came over to share the gossip, but he didn’t have the guts to speak directly. His lord’s ears were more sensitive than a dog’s. He wrote on the table with his fingers dipped in tea: “There is a rumor that the lord spends his whole life spending time on one man.
Pass money."
My deskmate’s eyes lit up.
"who?"
The doctor from the Department of Food and Beverage said: "Prime Minister Chu."
"How much did it cost?"
"Three taels!"
Several people took a deep breath.
Some of them were brave enough to secretly look at Chu Yao's face.
Chu Yao's energy was not with these people. He was now the accountant beside Shen Tang. He approached the tea guest curiously and asked: "Is he always good at saving face? Where do you start talking about this?"
He always hated to see others say bad things about Shen Tang.
There was also a hint of coldness in his eyes.
The tea guest didn't notice it.
A pair of eyes stared straight at the money Chu Yao took out, and he hurriedly grabbed it while opening his mouth and pouring it out.
"The local government arrested and killed how many people? I remember that just half a year ago, the crazy woman from Niu Er's family fell ill and went to the streets to say that the saint was a promiscuous person who deserved not to have a son. The next day, the man's head was cut off and hanged. At the gate of the city, the belly was opened, the uterus was hung outside, and the whole body was naked... Sigh, thinking about that scene will give me nightmares for several nights." The tea guest looked like he couldn't bear to recall it.
In an instant, the station became quiet.
The original whispers disappeared completely, took a breath, and then resurfaced one after another, fearing that the tea guests would find out the clues.
Shen Tang lowered his eyelids: "What else?"
The tea guest took a sip of tea to moisten his throat.
He continued to point out: "I have a problem with you. I have to collect grain and do business in Jinli County. For the sake of your sincerity, I will reveal more. If local merchants want to do business, they have to borrow money. Official debt... If you don’t borrow official debt, you can’t even think about doing business in this area! Official debt, you know what official debt is, right? If you meet me today, if someone else, tut tut, takes out the gold, they may not follow. Please tell the truth."
He said angrily: "The ruler of this country relies on official debt to make money!"
The inn was quiet for a moment again.
The tea guest reacted.
Looking around, he saw that everyone was chatting and laughing as usual, and no one paid attention to this corner. Was it his hallucination just now?
Shen Tang asked curiously: "Official debt to make money?"
The tea guest asked: "Have you never heard of official debt?"
Shen Tang shook his head.
She really didn't lie this time, she really didn't know.
The tea guest gave her some advice: "The so-called official debts are the debts lent by officials! Generally speaking, it is a rule of law, nine times out and nine times out. When merchants do business, they go to the officials to borrow principal and use the money to do things. In business, you make money and give it to others with interest.”
Shen Tang understood the process as soon as he heard it.
You still have to ask clearly: "Here, there is something I don't understand. Since we are a merchant doing business, how can we have no money on hand?"
Going out nine times and returning thirteen times, isn’t this usury?
Shen Tang rubbed the tea cup with his fingers, murderous intent filling his eyes.
When the tea guest heard this, he immediately laughed out loud: "That's the truth, but the lady is a businessman, and businessmen can't be so rigid in their work. Official debts are borrowing money on the surface, but secretly they are looking for a backer. If you don’t borrow official debt and you have no backer, do you still want to keep your business stable? If you send a batch of goods out, people will check you and fine you for borrowing money! Deduct your goods! Take your skin off!”
The inn was eerily quiet again for a moment.
Shen Tang paused while stroking the tea cup.
The tea guest continued to mock: "In the early years when the world was in chaos, there was a risk of being robbed when going out for business, but at least there were not so many ways. Alas, nowadays, there are not many bandits on the road, and everyone has changed their appearance. The government office is here..."
Shen Tang grabbed the tea cup and pursed his lips in silence.
The tea guest mistakenly thought that she did not know these things in the boudoir before, and for the sake of the broken silver, he persuaded her: "Ms., doing business is a science just like being a human being. If you want to do a good job in this business, let The elders in the clan have nothing to say. Take my advice and find a way to find a supporter. Without a supporter to look after you, you won't be able to harvest much food here. Even if you do, those unscrupulous people below will always bully other places. When people hand over food to you, they will be short of weight or put sand and gravel in it, or even urinate."
Shen Tang exhaled a breath of thick air.
"Listening to what you say is better than ten years of reading. The little girl can't say anything to let outsiders deprive her of her family, let alone let them snatch the family property. Where can I find the official debt and backer you just mentioned? I heard you speak clearly and eloquently. You must know the way."
Official debt, bribery in disguise.
Shen Tang is very strict in this area.
There are patrols and censors in various places to keep an eye on them. Over the past few years, fewer and fewer insects have been caught. She thought that these people were afraid of being killed by her, but now it seems that is not the case. These insects are obviously more covert. Hidden, haha.
The ghost steals food, and the official debt backer...
It's hard to say that there is no relationship between the two.
Jinli County really gave me a big surprise.
The tea guest came forward and showed Shen Tang a clear path.
"...You go north. There is a river a few miles away. Along the river bank, you will find the Qujianghu in Jinli County. If you see a flower boat with a red flag docking, go over and nod the sign. The leader will tell you who to look for..."
Shen Tang raised his eyebrows: "Is that okay?"
The tea guest smiled and said: "It depends on luck."
Shen Tang was a little angry: "Does this still depend on luck? Although I didn't give the top priority, I also knew that their prices were high. I spent money to find someone, but in the end I didn't even touch the threshold. Isn't this like being taken advantage of? Are you like this? Sis, are you trying to trick me?"
The tea guest explained: "It depends on your luck to meet the flower boat."
That flower boat doesn't dock often.
Shen Tang asked many more details.
The tea drinker knows everything for the sake of money.
Seeing that it was getting late, Shen Tang had to leave again.
He walked to the door of the inn, got on his motorcycle, glanced into the house, and whispered softly: "Go and send someone to check on this tea guest."
The other party knows too much.
And it happened to be able to solve her doubts.
She wanted to know who was behind the other party's back.
Shen Tang quietly took people to Zhechong Mansion again.
The chief of Zhechong Mansion was a strange-looking female general. Because of her outstanding performance in the attack on Kunzhou and her contribution in suppressing the rebels, she was promoted to the position of Captain Zhechong of Jinli County. She had never seen Shen Tang’s face, and Shen Tang did not reveal it to her. Their identity - until the matter is clear, none of these people can be trusted - they only said that they were sent to investigate the "case of grain theft by ghosts" and the "case of the disappearance of the supervisory censor".
There was nothing wrong with Captain Zhechong's reaction.
When Shen Tang showed off his token, he answered all questions.
When he mentioned his glamour, she stared angrily and scolded: "How could there be such a shameful thing? Those old madams are really disgusting!"
Qujianghu is an iconic place in Jinli County.
The scenery here is pleasant, and local literati and flirts like to hang out here. Over time, many industries have spawned, such as the red light industry, where beautiful and young flower girls entertain customers on flower boats. It is said that when this place was at its peak, there were more than a hundred people gathering on the lake. Flower boat.
Every night, music and singing continue.
However, that was all in the past.
Since Kunzhou was completely captured by Shen Tang, they have continued to crack down on related industries. The nearby government soldiers have been practicing by the lake every now and then. They will inspect the flower boats when they see them, and occasionally conduct raids. Guests who are caught will be thrown into jail for a few days. After more and more severe crackdowns, Qu's flower boat business could no longer continue. Those old madams gritted their teeth with hatred and once resisted, asking the flower girl to bribe the chief of Zhechong Mansion with women's sex in an attempt to drag him down. Unexpectedly, the chief was a woman and kicked him to the iron plate.
Captain Zhe Chong was not used to it either.
The old bustard was beaten to pieces and paraded through the streets.
Since then, it has stopped.
Qujianghu Flower House began to transform.
He no longer engages in flesh-and-blood business, and only plays piano and sings for customers.
Several surprise inspections found no problems.
The original flower girls were more conservatively dressed than the others, and the songs they sang were not frivolous, and the guests on the flower boat were all well behaved. Lieutenant Zhe Chong thought these people were honest, but he didn't expect that they were actually selling dog meat with sheep's heads. Play with her!
Shen Tang asked some more questions about the supervisory censor Zheng Yu.
The strange thing is that Captain Zhechong didn't know about this.
Zheng Yu never came to Zhechong Mansion to move reinforcements.
Shen Tang tapped his finger on the table.
"There are some things that I need to ask the captain to cooperate with." She wanted to go on the flower boat to find out what was going on. She always felt that Zheng Yu's whereabouts were unknown, and maybe it had something to do with the flower boat. There were so many problems in Jinli County, and Zheng Yu was probably What was found was silenced.
Zhe rushed to the captain and saluted: "This is my official duties."
Shen Tang quietly sneaked back to his temporary room.
Someone is waiting inside the house.
Shen Tang sat down and drank tea: "Who did the tea guest meet?"