At dusk, Chen Caozhi returned to Gu Mansion and went to see Gu Minzhi to report to Gu Minzhi that the Shangshutai had revised the guest system and the order to persuade people to withdraw. Gu Minzhi was a little surprised by the order to persuade people to withdraw. It seemed that
Huan Wen was very determined to cut off the soil, and he immediately visited Zhang Ping with Chen Cao at night to discuss the matter.
Zhang Ping and Gu Minzhi knew that the sixteen counties of Danyang, Dongyang, and Wuxing were using excuses to delay the end of the land. Most of the officials in these sixteen counties were from the Yu family of Kuaiji, the He family of Kuaiji, the Wei family of Kuaiji, the Zhu family of Wujun, and the Lu family of Wujun.
The Gu family and the Zhang family of Wu County are still waiting to see, and the Kong family of Kuaiji has not supported Lu Shi yet, because Kong Wang has a close relationship with Chen Caozhi——
The Sanwu gentry are mainly concentrated in ten counties in Yangzhou. These ten counties are Danyang, Yicheng, Wujun, Wuxing, Kuaiji, Dongyang, Xin'an Linhai, Yongjia, Yixing, and Jinling. Except for Jinling County, they are not included in this article.
About half of the remaining nine counties and 120 counties were controlled by the Sanwu gentry. Lu Shi ordered 16 counties to block Tuduan, which was just a preliminary test. If the three Wu tribes united together, they could control half of Yangzhou, and Yuxu Tuduan would not be able to do anything at all.
If the conflict cannot continue, it is not impossible if the contradiction intensifies and turns into civil strife, but this is definitely not what Gu Minzhi and Zhang Ping want to see. As long as the ancestral foundation can be preserved, as long as the family representative can have a place in the court, as long as the family
In order for their children to have smooth career in officialdom and meet these three needs, the Sanwu gentry are willing to be in a secondary position in the court and try their best to avoid provoking fierce struggles. This can be said to be the consensus of the Sanwu clan and Gu Rong,
Lu plays with the steady and restrained strategies of these people——
But now Lu Shi believes that the Gengxu Earth Tribunal has damaged the ancestral foundation of the Sanwu clan and must be resisted. Gu Minzhi, Zhang Ping and others believe that although the Gengxu Earth Tribunal is more severe than the previous three Earth Tribunals, it is not unacceptable.
, after all, this is just an inspection of the households and has no impact on the land and estates. The northerners are not taking the opportunity to invade the southerners' fields. Moreover, the cancellation of the white nationality will also have a great impact on the northern residents. Originally, the southerners did not care about the northern residents.
It was quite dissatisfying to pay taxes and not perform corvee service, and this time the Tutu Ban obviously canceled many preferential treatment conditions for expatriates, so there was no need to confront Huan Wen on the Tutu Ban issue.
Zhang Ping said: "The revised guest system for food and clothing stipulates that the first and second grades can occupy eighty households, and the ninth grade can also occupy ten households. The households of ancestors can be inherited. In this way, a large number of households can become
It’s a legal shelter.”
Chen Cao said: "Let me, my juniors, do a rough calculation for Uncle Zhang. If we calculate according to the new shade household system, how many legal shade households can the Zhang family in Wu County have?"
Zhang Pinglue pondered and said: "My Zhang family in Wu County has one official of the third rank, one of the fourth rank, two of the fifth rank, five of the sixth rank, seven of the seventh rank, three of the eighth rank, and five of the ninth rank."
Chen Caozhi responded: "One person of the third rank occupies seventy shade households, one person of the fourth rank occupies 60 shady households, two persons of the fifth rank occupies one hundred shady households, five persons of the sixth rank occupies 200 shady households, and one person of the seventh tier occupies 200 shady households.
Those of the seventh rank occupy 210 shade households, those of the third rank occupy 60 shade households, and those of the ninth rank occupy fifty households, for a total of 750 households."
Gu Minzhi and Zhang Ping were amazed by Chen Caozhi's quick calculation. Zhang Ping planned in his mind: "My ancestors and fathers inherited nearly 400 yin households, and together they can own more than 1,000 legal yin households."
There are about a thousand hidden households in Zhang's manor. According to the new system of renting, clothing, and food, nearly 400 of the more than 1,000 hidden households can be converted into legal hidden households, and the remaining more than 600 hidden households must be handed over.
It seems affordable to register with the government and bear taxes and corvees."
Zhang Ping smiled at Gu Minzhi and said, "Brother Gu has more property and secluded households than I, the Zhang family. I only follow Brother Gu's lead."
Gu Minzhi smiled and shook his head and said: "It seems that Brother Changzong is willing to hand over the hidden house. Then I will go back to repair the book and report it to my brother to make a decision as soon as possible."
The three Wu clans, headed by Gu and Lu, also have the largest number of servants in the manor. Although Gu Minzhi does not know the exact number of hermit households in his clan, there are definitely two thousand hermit households. This time, at least half of them must be handed over to bear the burden. Heavier than Zhang's.
Zhang Pingdao said: "Brother Gu, please come with me to see brother Lu Zuyan first. The three Wu clans are united. Although I don't agree with Lu Shi's drastic measures, I must remind him not to let him have his own way."
Chen Caozhi said casually: "The two uncles will go to see the Minister of the Mainland first, and I will also go to see the Minister of the Mainland."
Gu Minzhi smiled and said, "Okay, then let's go together."
The Lu Mansion is on the north bank of Hengtang, and the Gu Mansion and Zhang Mansion are on the south bank. They go around the lake for only a mile. Gu Minzhi and Zhang Ping only go on foot with four or five servants. Chen Caozhi is accompanied by Ran Sheng, holding a lantern. Clear the way and head to Lu Mansion.
In August, there is the fragrance of osmanthus. In addition to hundreds of cannas, there are more than a dozen osmanthus trees on the small island in the middle of Hengtang Lake. The night breeze blows, and the faint fragrance is faint. I think of that day when Lu Weirui and Short Hoe threw stones on the island. As the water surged, Chen Caozhi couldn't help but smile. Lu Weirui's cute look with one hand raised in front of her chest seemed to be right in front of her -
Gu Minzhi and Zhang Ping went to the Mainland Shangshu Mansion to discuss the matter of land separation with Lu Shixiang. Chen Caozhi went to see Lu Na. Lu Na was preparing to invite Chen Caozhi to meet him tomorrow. When he heard that Chen Caozhi wanted to see him, he immediately invited him. In the study room, I looked Chen Caozhi up and down. Chen Caozhi was as gentle and handsome as ever.
Lu Na asked: "Has Cao Zhi met Wei Rui?"
Chen Caozhi did not expect Lu Na to ask this when they met, and replied: "Yes."
Lu Na asked: "How is Wei Rui?" Lu Na was very reluctant to let his beloved daughter return to Huating, but he could not disobey his brother Lu Shi's order.
Chen Cao said: "When Wei Rui passed by Jizi Temple in Yanling, she rubbed the cross tablet written by Confucius."
Chen Caozhi didn't seem to answer the question, but Lu Na nodded, satisfied with Chen Caozhi's answer, and asked again: "Cao Zhi came to see me at night, what's the matter?"
Chen Cao said: "The younger generation came with Zhang Shizhong and Gu Zhongcheng. Zhang Shizhong and Gu Zhongcheng went to visit the Minister of the Mainland, while the younger generation came to see the Lord Lu."
Lu Na said "Oh" and asked for details. Chen Caozhi then talked about the modification of the Yinyi Food Guest System and the order to persuade people to withdraw. Lu Na said: "Zhang Shizhong and Gu Zhongcheng are here to persuade my second brother to accept the Yuxu Tuban Order. It seems that Gu and Zhang have been convinced by Cao Zhi."
Chen Cao said: "The trend of family interests cannot be controlled by younger generations. This is Zhang Shizhong and Gu Zhongcheng. For the sake of long-term interests, full of losses and modest benefits. The merger of wealthy families cannot continue to develop without restrictions, otherwise Jiangzuo will surely chaos."
Lu Na twisted his beard and thought deeply, then suddenly asked: "Do you really think that the Lu family will be in ruins in the next three years?"
When Chen Cao heard this, he understood what Lu Na was thinking, and replied: "The Lu family in Jiangdong has many outstanding people. With wise men like Lu Shijun, the Lu family will only become more prosperous. The junior Meng Lu Shijun Appreciate it, and wholeheartedly hope that the Lu family will become strong."
Lu Na nodded, was silent for a while, and said, "I'll go to my second brother's house and listen to what Gu Zhongcheng and Zhang Shizhong have to say."
Chen Caozhi left immediately, but Lu Na said: "Cao Zhi will wait a moment, my wife Zhang wants to see you, I have sent a boy inside to inform -"
Just as he was talking, Lu Qin came over to invite his third uncle to come over to discuss matters. When he saw Chen Caozhi, he was shocked and angry, but he did not dare to get angry in front of his third uncle Lu Na. He was just resentful.
Lu Na was worried about a dispute between Lu Qin and Chen Caozhi, so he went with Lu Qin without waiting for his wife Zhang Wenwan to come out.
Chen Caozhi was waiting alone in Lu Na's study, with two children waiting on him.
There was a soft sound of footsteps, and Madam Lu Zhang Wenwan came to the study accompanied by several maids. Madam Lu, who was originally slender and nearly three months pregnant, was obviously much plumper. Seeing Chen Caozhi, Madam Lu sighed and said: "Wei Rui returns to Huating." I finally met Chen Langjun before, and I finally felt a little relieved. Otherwise, I was afraid that Wei Rui would fall ill because of her grievances. Originally, I wanted to accompany her back to Huating, but she refused to let me go with her. I’m afraid I won’t be able to bear the bumps.”
Chen Caozhi said in a low voice: "It was me who made Wei Rui suffer. I'm really ashamed."
Mrs. Lu Zhang Wenwan quickly comforted Chen Caozhi: "Wei Rui has suffered a lot of grievances, but she has never experienced the happiness she has felt with Chen Langjun. The last time she came back from Xinting, Wei Rui often sat alone and smiled. I painted several pictures of chrysanthemums in the new pavilion and a picture of lotus, which must have been from that trip with Chen Langjun." He ordered his maid to bring Lu Weirui's paintings to show Chen Caozhi.
After talking for a while, Chen Caozhi said goodbye and returned to Gu Mansion. Gu Minzhi had not returned yet, and Chen Shang was talking to a strange young man. When he saw Chen Caozhi, Chen Shang said: "Sixteenth brother, this young man is your husband." I come from Wuxing, my surname is Shen, and I am determined to wait for you here."
The young man was about fifteen or six years old, and his face and eyes looked quite like Shen Jin. Chen Caozhi asked: "Who are you, Shen Shijian?"
The young man had already stood up and said respectfully, "It's my father." After that, he saluted Chen Caozhi. The young man was only three or four years younger than Chen Caozhi, but he was giving the courtesy to his elders.
Chen Caozhi hurriedly returned the gift and asked his name. He replied Shen Chiqian. Before his father Shen Jin crossed the Yangtze River and went north, he wrote a letter back to Wuxing and ordered Shen Chiqian to go to his aunt to worship Chen Caozhi as his teacher and study Confucianism, Mysticism and Economics. Study, Shen Jin strictly ordered Shen Chiqian in the letter to respect Chen Caozhi as his father——
The political status of the Shen family in Wuxing and the Zhou family in Yixing was not high during the reign of Sun Wu, and their family status was not prominent. After Yongjia, they did not receive the attention of Wang Dao. However, the Shen family and the Zhou family were powerful and were known as "the tycoons of Jiangdong." "Strengthening Zhou and Shen." When Wang Dun rebelled, Shen Jin's father, Shen Chong, who was deeply dissatisfied with the imperial court, raised ten thousand private soldiers to respond. Shen Chong was able to raise ten thousand private soldiers in just a few dozen days, which shows the strength of the Shen family in Wuxing. After the strong and powerful Shen Chong was executed, the Shen family was deprived of their gentry rights and became a criminal family. However, the Shen family still owned a large amount of land and tenants in Wuxing and had great influence. Now the court has lifted the Shen family's ban in Wuxing because of Shen Jin's loyalty. After being restricted from serving as an official, the Shen family of Wuxing was expected to be revived. Shen Jin was grateful for Chen Cao's kindness in meeting him, and also knew that Chen Cao was knowledgeable and talented, so he ordered his son Shen Chiqian to study under Chen Cao.