No one expected that the turmoil between the government and the public that began in the 30th year of Jianping and ended in the 31st year of Jianping was actually kicked off by a little Wen Linlang.
The origin is just that with the successful implementation of the New Deal, the Salt Transportation Department began to rectify the Lianghuai Salt Road.
In this regard, Emperor Jianping was happy to see the success.
Everyone in the court knows that when it comes to the most corrupt officials in the world, they don't think otherwise except the Yan officials. If it weren't for the corruption of these salt officials, how could the Lianghuai Salt Road have declined to this point? Although the new policy reforms have achieved gratifying results, the cost of manpower and material resources is huge. Even for Emperor Jianping, he undertook unimaginable pressure to reform the New Deal, so he naturally hated these officials deeply.
Based on the mentality above, the rectification started by Feng Sheng went more smoothly than expected.
This matter was handled by Feng Sheng herself. She handed over all the follow-up matters of the New Deal to Fan Jinchuan, and took over the most difficult part by herself.
At first, Fan Jinchuan didn't know what it meant at all, and it was just that Fang Fengsheng disliked him for not being good at this matter, and there was another matter between the two of them, it was almost what Feng Sheng said.
But after the incident happened, it was too late for him to regret.
Feng Sheng teamed up with several salt merchants, and first collected five million taels of silver to the imperial court in the name of repayment and donation. In fact, this issue has been discussed for a long time, but because the national treasury is empty, it has been pressed and not issued.
Although the reform of the Lianghuai salt administration has obvious effects, raising huge military expenditures cannot be completed overnight. Da Zhou once fought against Burma, but due to the terrain and the stretch of the battle line, the success was on the verge of failure. If the second war starts again, there will be no possibility of stopping it. If the follow-up military expenditure cannot keep up, it means that all the previous efforts will be useless, and the Great Zhou may face the possibility of losing its prestige.
This is the words of a group of officials of the main peace faction.
But Emperor Jianping was the main fighter. He has long regarded Myanmar as a thorn in his flesh, but unfortunately due to various reasons, he has not been able to achieve it. Now he is finally facing the wind and the situation is one-sided, but he was stopped by the last step, so the news from Yangzhou is very important to him. It is said that it is undoubtedly the rain after a long drought.
To make Longyan Joyful, not only allowed these salt merchants to obtain the qualifications to run official salt shops in the Lianghuai salt area. He also granted Feng Sheng the title of a counseling doctor, and allowed him to be qualified to inspect the Lianghuai Salt Road.
This is tantamount to making Feng Sheng a regular. In the past, she had to use Fan Jinchuan's banner to intervene in the affairs of Lianghuai Salt Administration. With such a decree now, it means that Feng Sheng has the qualification to be independent.
It was because of this that she was able to take over the rectification of Lianghuai Salt Road Yamen by herself.
After receiving the order, Feng Sheng started to work on this matter, not only brought the matter of checking the accounts over the years to the table, but also began to cooperate with the salt transportation envoy He Lun to detain and interrogate officials suspected of corruption.
For a while, the two Huaihe Rivers were shaken.
In fact, we all know that this event will come sooner or later, otherwise there will not be so many people opposing the implementation of the New Deal, but when the event comes, we will truly understand what it means to be panicked.
Feng Sheng acted more resolutely than expected, with all the witnesses and material evidence, and old accounts over the years as evidence, many officials were dismissed in a short time.
The witnesses are naturally those salt merchants, and the physical evidence is their account books, but even if they know it, it is too late. Since the surname Fang dared to show it, these salt merchants dared to come forward to testify that they have passed the Ming road in front of Emperor Jianping. It is His Majesty who wants to deal with them.
Based on this situation, almost none of the officials involved was struggling like a trapped beast, but whenever Jin Yiwei came to the door, he was like a dead dog, allowing himself to be taken away. Later, when I went to the Yamen of the Yanyun Department, I knew everything and confessed quickly, so as to avoid more flesh and blood pain.
Many people even made preparations early because of guilty conscience, sent away their wives and children, dismissed their servants, and waited for the people from Jinyiwei to come to their door.
These things are known to the common people in the city. Before seeing Jin Yiwei, everyone was terrified, but now they are clapping their hands and applauding. Some people even made up nursery rhymes and spread them in the city, which made people smile. This was beyond Tong Baihu's expectation, and he couldn't help sighing with Feng Sheng. He was supposed to assist in handling the case, but he didn't expect it to be so beautiful now, but it would improve Jinyiwei's reputation.
Of course, this is only on the surface, but it is not so peaceful behind the scenes. As Feng Sheng went down to investigate, more and more officials were involved, and how many people jumped the wall in a hurry to kill people. But this mouth is destined to be unstoppable, the matter has developed to the current situation, I can only ask someone above to speak up, and Fang Fengfu is smart enough to know what can be checked and who can't.
This is a common practice in the officialdom, but everyone has factions and is always afraid of death. Even if His Majesty wants to rectify the two Huaihe Rivers, it is impossible to remove all the officials for investigation, and some people will definitely slip through the net. Now they are secretly praying that they are the one who slipped through the net. Of course, they must go through the back door and ask for protection.
There are many people who say hello secretly, and the ways of saying hello are also various, so I won't list them one by one. Among them, Fan Jinchuan was the most, but Fan Jinchuan never came to find Feng Sheng, and nothing seemed to happen.
It wasn't until Wei Tongxin, a colleague of the Salt Transport Department, was sacked and arrested that the matter had reached a state of raging fire.
He Lun came to look for Feng Sheng again, with a serious expression on his face.
"You should stop. You should understand who is behind this person. We have been going smoothly for a while. It is they who know how to block the car with their arms and abandon the pawns to protect the commander. But if this continues, I am afraid that His Majesty will not stand by you." Here it is. Once they attack in groups, you will only be reduced to ashes."
Feng Sheng naturally understood what He Lun was talking about, but this was exactly what she wanted.
These days, she only sleeps for two hours a day, and spends all her time fighting wits and courage with those officials, but instead of being tired, she feels excited. Because she knew that she was getting closer to her goal, every step she took now was forcing the other party to play a card until the other party had no more cards to play, and the big fish that had been hiding behind came out.
In fact, Feng Sheng doesn't need to be so radical, she has more ways to achieve her goals, but all of those ways will take years or even decades. Accumulate yourself, until your strength is strong enough, the enemy will not be scary, but this does not mean that you will definitely win, because while you are accumulating, others are also accumulating.
The other party was born as a nobleman, maybe he will be the king of a country in the future, maybe this is the only chance she has in her life, and she will never let it go.
"You are simply crazy!" He Lun walked away in a huff.
But in the afternoon he came again, still so persuasive, but this time he begged more.
"You are still so young, why should you be so serious? There is no real right and wrong in this world. When the water is clear, there will be no fish. Seeing you and Zijin carry out the New Deal to benefit the people of the two Huaihe Rivers and the court and society, I am one of them. I am very excited, I feel that I have found the true meaning of being an official. But a man can do something and not do something, you have a bright future, why bother with this matter."
Feng Sheng just smiled slightly, and said: "Master He, have you ever heard a sentence, someone has to stand up."
He Lun was taken aback: "I haven't heard of it."
"That's what my father said, but unfortunately I wasn't there at the time."
Feng Sheng stood up to make tea.
He Lun lowered his head. He used to be a high-spirited seven-foot man, but now his shoulders were slumped and his face was blushing.
"Brother Fengfu, I'm sorry for this road. I can't accompany you on this journey. If it's just me, I will definitely accompany you to have a good time, but I have a lovely wife, young children, old mother, and several hundred members of the He family. people… "
Feng Sheng looked at him.
In fact, she didn't even think that He Lun would be the one who would accompany her to kick off this prelude. At the beginning, she asked Mr. Ma to give him advice just to prevent him from doing bad things, but she never expected that he would change so much. Even under such great pressure, she has been protecting her. These days, how many people have stepped through the door of the He family, and who has stepped through, she knows a little bit, that he can do this, which is beyond his expectations .
"Master He, don't be ashamed, I understand."
"but I… "
He Lun suddenly let out a melancholy smile, and turned his back: "If I continue talking, even I feel hypocritical. Well, if you shrink back, you will shrink back. There is nothing to hide your shame and melancholy. Brother Fengfu, I wish you the best of luck. Success, the name will go down in history."
He Lun left.
Feng Sheng looked at his back for a long time, then returned to the desk and sat down.
She called Uncle Yu and everyone around her.
There are not many of these people, except for those who know the spring and the autumn, they are people like Dao Qi. Zhichun Zhiqiu didn't stay, no matter how unwilling they were, she let Uncle Yu send them away.
After the two went down, the room finally became quiet.
Feng Sheng looked at these people, there was some money on the table, she said before that she would never keep anyone who wanted to leave, she could leave with the money.
"Young Master, I, Dao Qi, came from a reckless background. I don't understand the principles. There is only such a woman in my family. My mother-in-law and I owe Lao Yu a few lives. Since he regards you as his master, you are my master. And stay here It's not bad, so I won't say anything about whether to go or not."
"I think the same as my man." Hu Siniang said to Feng Sheng with a smile.
"Brother Dao is not leaving, so naturally we are not leaving either. Anyway, we can eat enough for one person and the whole family will not be hungry."
"If you take the money from the master, you have to work for the master. If you haven't sold your life, what are you going to do?"
"It's gone, let's go, go drink!"
These people walked away shoulder to shoulder, their backs were not good-looking, even vulgar, but Feng Sheng felt tears welling up in her eyes, so her face was very stiff.
"Master, we people are different from those scholars, and we can't help you much. You can only stay by your side as long as you are still alive. But master, even if I want to avenge the master in my heart, I don't want you to take me Go gamble." Uncle Yu sighed.
"We've been walking on eggshells every step of the way. It's a gamble with our lives. This time we'll bet big."
In the evening, Fan Jinchuan came.
Wearing a blue shirt and being alone, Feng Sheng thought of how he was in a small inn in the wilderness, carrying a bookcase and bringing a book boy, and just broke in in the heavy rain.
Fan Jinchuan also thought of that year, when he was very embarrassed, she waved the folding fan to help him out.
"Brother Fang Xian."
"Brother Fan."
Looking at each other with a smile, all love and obsession disappeared, she was still the resourceful brother Fang Xian, and he was still the honest brother Fan who was not smart enough.
"If I had known that you were thinking of such an idea, I would have stopped you at that time."
"Actually, I have already planned it, but you don't know it."
Fan Jinchuan couldn't help but smile, the smile was a bit bitter: "Every time you do something, I always know it later."
"I just don't want to hurt you. You know, in this matter, the last thing I want to hurt is you. After all, I have been using you from the beginning to the end. I am too selfish and don't want to owe others , I don’t want to accept anyone’s favor, but I have been favored by others repeatedly, if you are involved again this time, even if my vengeance is avenged, I will feel uneasy for the rest of my life.”
"So, I don't have to join in. But—"
Fan Jinchuan's turn was a bit abrupt, Feng Sheng looked over subconsciously, and saw that he was smiling a bit bitterly, a bit fulfilling his wish, and the content was too complicated, she was a little stunned for a moment.
"But I didn't say that I can't help you secretly. I guess it won't be long before you may be called to Beijing to report on your work. You should understand why. I have already contacted my friends in the court to speak for you in the court and give you as much as possible." Buy some time, King Wu, King Zhao, and King Xiang will not miss this opportunity. The reason why they haven't made a move is probably because they are waiting to see who makes the first move. If they join in, your pressure should be relieved. As for the future —”
Fan Jinchuan paused for a moment, and his expression became a little worried: "Fishing in troubled waters can relieve you for a while, but it can't be fundamental. You need to go the rest of the way alone. If you can, try to put yourself on the bright side, so they don't dare move you."
Feng Sheng was surprised, she didn't expect Fan Jinchuan to say such a thing.
And what he said exactly coincided with her plan, Lianghuai is just a temporary battlefield, if you want that person to pay the price, the home field must be in the capital. Maybe Emperor Jianping has lost patience with her now, and is waiting to escort her to the capital, calling it a report, but actually letting her calm down.
It is because of these calculations that she has been staying up lately, because what she can get here is the weight of her life after entering Beijing.
Feng Sheng never felt that Fan Jinchuan was stupid, at most he said he was ignorant of current affairs and more than upright, but he actually understood these things, such a person could be regarded as very wise and stupid.
"Thank you. After I leave, the matter of Lianghuai depends on you. You have to know that even though I always want revenge in my heart, I still hope that this place can be good." Because apart from corruption, there are also Many, many beautiful things, such as the separation outside the city of Yangzhou that year, such as the government office where she insisted on being his master, such as He Lun, such as Zou Yunpan, such as Wang Lao, such as Xiao Huzi, such as Gou Qing, For example, the Salt River was rescued that night, there are too many, indescribable memories.
"I know"
…
Feng Sheng sent Fan Jinchuan away, and was about to close the door when a person appeared outside.
It is virtue and wealth.
"The master told you to stop immediately. He is currently unable to come because of his troubles. He will come here as soon as the matter is over."
This is not the first time Decai has come here, seriously it is the third time, but Feng Sheng has never heard what he said every time.
"You tell him, it's too late. Tell him not to ask about it, I don't want to involve him."
Feng Sheng then closed the door. Decai remembered what King Wei said in his letter, if necessary, he could do it directly, and was about to break in, when a person walked out from the side, it was Uncle Yu. He looked to the right again, it was Dao Qi who was spinning the saber flowers.
He was no match, and Decai retired.
Uncle Yu and Dao Qi looked at each other, and were about to retreat when the door opened from the inside again.
It is Feng Sheng wearing a cape.
"Go to the prison of the Yamen of the Salt Transport Department."
When it comes to the entire Salt Transportation Department, the prison is the most tightly guarded.
Because Wei Tongxin was locked in, all the guards were changed.
With Feng Sheng's sudden visit, several torches were lit in a stone room in the prison, illuminating the room brightly.
A huge grand teacher's chair was placed at the top, Feng Sheng sat on it, and Dao Qi and others stood beside him. On the opposite side is a man in a prison uniform, who is Wei Tongxin, the well-known acquaintance of the Department of Salt Transportation.
Wei Tong's new Salt Transportation Secretary Tongzhi has been appointed for nearly seven years. He has sent away several salt transportation envoys, and has intensive contacts with major salt merchants. But such a person, including Wei Tongxin himself, did not expect that he would be arrested.
If you know that he can sit in such a position for six or seven years, who is behind it needless to say? He never expected that the reform of the salt administration would fall on his head.
But since he was arrested, firstly, no one came to ask him, secondly, no one came to torture him, and thirdly, he was served with delicious food and drink every day. Wei Tongxin felt relieved again. He guards against arrogance and impetuosity, presumably these people dare not touch him, or are still afraid of the people behind him, maybe arresting him is just a formality.
Based on this mentality, Wei Tongxin didn't take it seriously when he was taken out of the cell in the middle of the night. Even if someone asked him something, he would ignore it and just yelled to go to sleep until someone stuck a knife to his face.
"I don't have much time left. I hope you can answer what I ask, so that you can go to bed earlier and I can go back earlier."
…
When Feng Sheng came out of the prison, Dongfang Gang turned pale.
Back in the house, she didn't go to rest, but washed her face with cold water, and went to the table to eat the breakfast bought at the breakfast stall she just passed.
While eating, Tong Baihu came.
Feng Sheng looked outside the door and asked Tong Baihu: "Brother Tong, have you eaten yet?"
"Brother Fengfu."
"What's the matter, let's talk about it after breakfast, the emperor still has hungry soldiers."
The latter sentence made Tong Baihu subconsciously glance at her, but he couldn't see anything.
He sat down and had breakfast with Feng Sheng, but he didn't eat much, but Feng Sheng ate very seriously.
After using it up, Feng Sheng wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, and then said: "Brother Tong came to visit so early, what's the matter?"
"Received the oral order, Your Majesty ordered us to escort you to Beijing." After a pause, Tong Baihu said again: "Holy orders are difficult, but don't worry, Brother Fengfu, I will definitely send you to Beijing safely, and I will never Let you make any mistakes on the way."
Feng Sheng stood up: "Let's go."