Yu Chaoen roared angrily and threw the tea cup in his hand to the ground, causing it to shatter into pieces.
Several maids were so frightened that their faces turned pale and they lowered their heads deeply. Next to them, Liu Sigu persuaded in a low voice: "Father, please calm down. Being so angry will only hurt your body and will not help."
Yu Chaoen punched the table hard, "How can we not be angry? It's obvious that they killed Sanlang, and now they have to investigate. What a crap investigation! Isn't this just a thief shouting to catch the thief?"
Liu Sigu waved his hand and asked several maids to go down. He then whispered: "Father, now is not the time to be angry. I have to let go of revenge for Sanlang. Now I am worried that Huangfu Wen from Jianghuai will support him."
We can't help it. We don't have an army in our hands and we can't control the salt field at all. Unless Wengfu gives up, we must find a way as soon as possible."
"Of course I don't want to give up. I originally wanted to appoint another captain, but I just hate those bastards in the Ministry of War for handing over the appointment power to the emperor. Now the emperor refuses to appoint a new captain. He must wait for the investigation results to come out, and keeps saying that he will pay back
I'm being fair, I'm so anxious now that I can't do anything."
Liu Sigu pondered for a while and said: "Actually, there is not a way out!"
"What can I do?" Yu Chaoen suddenly turned around and asked.
"Have you forgotten that Dong Huaishan sent a letter to Father Weng on behalf of his father last year?"
Dong Huaishan was the eldest son of Huaixi Jiedushi Li Zhongchen. He was a hostage in the capital, but he was also Li Zhongchen's liaison in the capital.
Liu Sigu's words immediately reminded Yu Chaoen that last year Li Zhongchen wrote a letter to him, suggesting setting up a salt army in Yangzhou to protect the safety of the salt fields, but he ignored him at the time.
Yu Chaoen walked a few steps with his hands behind his back: "I know that Li Zhongchen has been planning the salt tax. I even suspected that he sent people to assassinate Liu Yan before, but I don't believe that he dared to openly seize the salt tax from the court.
?”
"He actually wanted to persuade Mr. Weng to form a salt army and then use his army as the basis. He did not dare to seize the salt tax from the court, but it is true that he wanted to take a commission from the salt tax."
"But what's the point of looking for him now?"
Yu Chaoen asked in confusion: "Isn't it realistic to ask him to go to Yangzhou to form a salt army now?"
"Beizhi does not mean to ask Li Zhongchen to form the salt army, but refers to the matter of the salt army. Beizhi feels that it is obviously not appropriate for the local army to protect the salt field. I can only say that it is okay to temporarily fill up, but if we form a salt army
, then we can legitimately enter the salt field."
Yu Chaoen paced back and forth with his hands behind his hands, secretly evaluating the feasibility of forming a salt army.
If Liu Sigu had put forward this suggestion five years ago, he might still have room for maneuver. At that time, the army was still affected by the remaining power of the Supreme Emperor and generally remained neutral.
Now as time goes by, the military has gradually moved closer to the emperor. Yu Chaoen is worried that he is the one who made the suggestions, but in the end it is others who pick the peaches, especially the Guanlong nobles and several major aristocratic families who are extremely powerful.
How could they let go of such a good deed?
"Let's put this plan aside for now. Is there any other way?" Yu Chaoen hesitated for a long time and decided not to take the risk.
"Another way is to accuse Li Zhongchen of attempting to rebel, such as buying one of Li Zhongchen's lieutenants and asking him to report to the court that Li Zhongchen has ambitions to become emperor, etc. Then Weng's father takes the initiative to invite troops to attack, using one hundred thousand divine troops.
Completely annihilate Li Zhongchen, and then leave 30,000 Shence troops to deploy on the front line of Jianghuai. Wouldn’t Jianghuai’s financial resources and lifeline be in the hands of Father Weng?”
"no!"
This time Yu Chaoen did not hesitate and rejected Liu Sigu's suggestion, "The Shence Army must be stationed in the capital and cannot go anywhere. This method is inappropriate."
Liu Sigu sighed secretly, this is actually the best way, Yu Chaoen still lacks courage!
"Sir, do you have any other ideas?" Yu Chaoen continued to put pressure on Liu Sigu.
Liu Sigu had no choice but to say: "There is another way, but it is actually a bad idea. I don't recommend that Father Weng adopt it."
"Why don't you tell me and listen!"
"Another way is to cut the firepower. We will hold our troops for the time being and wait until the tax money is transported to Beijing before making any fuss. As long as Father Weng gives a hint to the warlords along the way, I believe that both Li Zhongchen in Huaixi and Tian Shenyu in Bianzhou will be
We will not remain indifferent, and then we may be able to fish in troubled waters."
Yu Chaoen's eyes lit up, this was a good idea.
.........
Guo Song, led by a civil servant, walked into Liu Yan's official room. He placed a thick stack of information on Liu Yan's desk.
"This is the detailed information of the forty-two salt and iron judges. It should be relatively reliable."
Liu Yan was suddenly surprised and happy. This is what he lacks most now. He knows all the forty-two salt and iron judges, but that's all. He has no idea what the other party's background is. With this
The information saved him at least three years.
He quickly found a piece of information from the middle, "This is this person, his name is Yu Jiaxu. He is the oldest salt and iron judge. He is also a stubborn old man. He is determined not to transfer the tax money from the salt and iron warehouse back to the transportation department. I have visited him three times.
But he just refused to die."
Guo Song took his information and looked at it, and found that he had been a salt and iron judge for twenty years. Li Zhi's father still investigated in more detail. This person was promoted by Pei Zunqing. Pei Zunqing was over ninety years old and lived in his hometown of Wenxi.
, is still the backbone of the Pei family, this Yu Jiaxu goes to Wenxi twice a year to visit Pei Zunqing, and is one of the typical representatives of the Pei family's power in Jianghuai.
"Is this person important?"
Liu Yan nodded, "Now that the army has been stationed in the salt field, it is responsible for escorting the tax money to the transfer department. The problem will not be big in the future, but what about the previous tax money? The salt tax for last year and the first nine months of this year was a total of 1,500
Millions of coins are placed in the warehouse of the Salt and Iron Supervision Bureau. I want to transfer them all to the warehouse of the Transportation Department. I have to ask the salt and iron judges to change the order. With the change order, even if Huangfu Wen does not agree, I can use the army to force it.
Transport.”
"So you want to persuade Yu Jiaxu to change his signature first. If he takes the lead, the other salt and iron judges will follow, right?"
"Just like this, I found a few other people, and everyone agreed verbally, but no action was taken. Only then did I realize that most people were waiting to see Yu Jiaxu's attitude."
Guo Song thought for a while and said: "This Yu Jiaxu is from the Pei family. Does the Pei family support Yu Chaoen?"
Liu Yan smiled bitterly and said: "You can't say that. The Pei family supports Prince Zheng, and Prince Zheng is now tied to Yu Chaoen, so the information says that this Yu Jiaxu is a member of the Pei family. I suddenly realized that it is no wonder that this is the case."
Stubborn, refusing to agree to life or death."
"Leave this person to me! I will visit him tonight."
........
At night, an important guest came to Yu Jiaxu's house in the east of Jiangdu County, Huangfu Wen, the commander of the Salt and Iron Supervisor.
Yu Jiaxu’s immediate boss should be Liu Yan, the Jianghuai salt and iron transport envoy, but it can also be said to be Huangfu Wen. This was the practice that formed when the former salt and iron supervisor Wu Qi also served as the Jianghuai transfer envoy. The salt and iron supervisory order was directly in charge of the salt and iron magistrate.
.
Yu Jiaxu is about fifty years old, with a thin build and a long face that looks very smart and capable. He is from Taiyuan, Hedong, and his family is poor. He learned reading from the Pei family since he was a child. He was later recommended by the Pei family to study at Taixue University. When he was twenty-three years old,
After becoming an official, he served as county magistrate and county lieutenant. At the age of thirty, he became a salt and iron judge in Yangzhou. He worked there for twenty years.
There were several times when the court wanted to transfer him, but the Pei family stopped him. His position was not high, it was only the sixth rank, but it was very important. At the same time, this was the limit of Yu Jiaxu's promotion.
Before the Anshi Rebellion, if one was not a direct descendant of an imperial examination, the official position could only be up to the sixth rank. After the Anshi Rebellion broke out, the imperial examination was stopped, and the unspoken rules of the court changed to: If one is not a direct descendant of a noble family or a powerful family, the official position can only be up to six ranks.
Able to achieve the sixth grade.
Yu Jiaxu is a disciple of the Pei family, not even a descendant of the Pei family, so his official position has reached the top when he is promoted to the sixth rank.
Yu Jiaxu respectfully invited Huangfu Wen to the distinguished guest hall and asked the maid to serve tea. Huangfu Wen picked up the tea cup and asked, "I heard that Liu Jingshi has visited Judge Yu three times?"
Yu Jiaxu sighed and said: "The army forcefully transported the salt tax to the warehouse of the Transportation Department. We can't resist the army, so that's it. But Governor Liu still wants to pursue the previous tax money and requires us to sign a change order. This is a bit difficult.
"
Huangfu Wen nodded, "Judge Yu's attitude is admirable. I hope Judge Yu can continue to adhere to his principles. Yu Xiangguo often said that those who adhere to principles will be rewarded. Judge Yu, do you understand what I mean?"
"You are humble and stupid, please give me an order from the supervisor!"
Huangfu Wen said calmly: "Yu Xiangguo said that as long as you stick to your principles to the end, at this time next year, you will be promoted to the fifth rank of Jianghuai Salt and Iron Supervisor."
Yu Jiaxu was overjoyed and quickly stood up and said: "I will never let the prison commander and Yu Xiangguo down!"
After Huangfu Wen received a satisfactory expression, he stood up and left. Yu Jiaxu sent him out of the door and watched Huangfu Wen's carriage disappear before returning to the distinguished guest hall.
As soon as he entered the guest room, he was startled when he saw a tall man standing in the room, with his hands behind his back facing him.
"Who are you?" Yu Jiaxu took a step back and asked sharply.
"It doesn't matter who I am, what matters is that you recognize this gold medal!"
The man took out a gold medal and showed it behind him, "Do you recognize it?"
Yu Jiaxu recognized the four words on the gold medal at a glance: 'It's like seeing my face'.
He was immediately taken aback and hurriedly stepped forward and knelt down on one knee, "The humble minister Yu Jiaxu is waiting for the holy edict!"
The young man is naturally Guo Song. He wears a mask that turns him into a burly man in his thirties with a green face and thick eyebrows.
Guo Song put away the gold medal and said coldly: "It seems that you are more convinced that the eunuch can replace the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty. I am right!"
"I don't dare. I am absolutely loyal to the Tang Dynasty and to the Emperor?"
"Yeah?"
Guo Song sneered, "Since you keep saying you are loyal to the emperor, I will give you until noon tomorrow to change all the salt taxes to the warehouse of the transportation department."
Yu Jiaxu said for a long time: "I, Yu Jiaxu, am loyal to the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, but you are not!"
Guo Song turned around, grabbed him by the collar, and said viciously: "Since you have to drink wine as a penalty if you don't drink the toast, then I will tell you that your eldest son Yu Jian is fifteen years old, and your second son Yu Qiang is thirteen years old. They are both celebrating the wedding."
The Pei family is learning to read. Your third son, Yunong, is nine years old. If you don’t sign before noon tomorrow, I will let you see the heads of your three sons one by one!"
"You...you are threatening me!"
Guo Song said coldly: "Li Fuguo, I killed you just like Yu Lingxuan. Who do you think you are? Killing you is like crushing an ant. If you don't believe me, just give it a try!"
After saying that, Guo Song threw him to the ground and turned around. When Yu Jiaxu turned around, there was no one behind him. Yu Jiaxu sat on the ground helplessly, his back dripping with sweat. The other party actually found out all his family's assets.