In the blink of an eye, at the end of February, the Dancheng case became a major case that everyone knew about in the city. Pan Lin stayed in the court for half a month without any progress. There was a lot of discussion among the students in the community, they pinned their hopes on Xue Xiuzhuo, and the impeachment of Pan Xiangjie in the DPRK also increased day by day.
When the snow stopped, a line of Juexi caravans also arrived at Qidu.
Xiao Wu was wrapped like a zongzi, but he was very dexterous. He kicked his legs and jumped off the carriage, and stood at the checkpoint chatting and laughing with the tax collector. The curtain behind the car was lifted, and Ge Qingqing, who had a short beard, walked down.
Ge Qingqing flicked the copper plate with his thumb, caught it firmly, and smiled at the clerk: "We have been familiar with goods and services for a long time, and I would like to ask the master to show his face in the evening, let's sit on Donglong Street. My brother took care of you last year, I have to thank you for this."
The subordinate with the tax book in his hand knew that this person was a businessman from Juexi. Last year, Xiao Wu had exchanged goods with him, and the money he had handed over here went away. Now he finally saw Ge Qingqing. Although it was the first time, he knew him well. like brothers.
The subordinate officer jumped out of the truck with an "Ouch", repeatedly handed Ge Qingqing's hands, and laughed: "I am just a muddy pen, how can I afford to say 'Master' from Master Ge? You are the master, and you are our master! "
Ge Qingqing returned to Yedu after a year, and saw that the gates of the city were all inspected, and read the road guides and books of the past caravans in detail. He calmly said to the subordinate officer, "How long will my brother have to stand here on such a cold day? I can see that the line behind me is still growing."
The subordinate officer stood on the side and took the tobacco from Ge Qingqing. He had received a lot of "Bing Jing" from Ge Qingqing, so he was naturally willing to deal with Ge Qingqing, and immediately complained half-truly: "Stand at the closed city! If it weren't for other advantages, who would rather stand here? You don't know that there are more than 100 caravans coming and going in one day, and there are also many cheating and cheating, thinking of ways to evade taxes."
"That's really not a thing," Ge Qingqing said, "Isn't this sincerely hindering the brothers from doing business?"
"You are a sensible person!" The subordinate officer bridged the bridge while looking at Ge Qingqing, "I've been collecting taxes and silver here for so long, it seems that you are the most loyal, Lord Ge."
Ge Qingqing patted the subordinate's shoulder and said a few words of relief.
The subordinate asked, "Master Ge is here in person, right next to a big business?"
Ge Qingqing was smoking a bong. He used to not smoke when he stayed in Jinyiwei, but he was indispensable when he was in Juexi. At this moment, he made a "hmm", turned his head and exhaled smoke, and said to the subordinate: "Business is not good now, Strict inspections are carried out in various places. If we don’t go to Trent City, we have to go to Dicheng City. The transit tax for large goods is too high, and the idea of making a fortune has stopped early.” After he finished speaking, he said with emotion, “It’s better to be brothers, it’s better to follow the imperial court. Wrong, I also look majestic."
"Master Ge doesn't come here very often," the clerk said, smoking his bong. "Some turtle sons, relying on a few stinky money, have eyes that grow on the top of their heads, and don't treat us as individuals at all. , there are many things that spoil us."
What the subordinates say is mixed with truth and falsehood, and collecting tax and silver is a fat man. All day long, they deal with merchants from all over the world, and they occupy the dignity of the capital of the emperor. There are few troublemakers. Those who know a little about things will take the initiative to honor them. Subsidiaries who can stand at the checkpoint and do errands are usually taken care of by someone above. But it's true that if you encounter someone like Xi's occasionally, you can't afford to provoke them.
"Brothers are working hard," Ge Qingqing waved at Xiao Wu, motioning him to bring the goods in, "That's it, I'll hold a banquet at Donglong Yanyu Building and wait, the brothers will go straight after picking up their badges. Let's have a good drink then."
The subordinate said, "Master Ge is too polite, so it's better to be respectful than to obey!"
Ge Qingqing smiled and followed the caravan into the city. Xiao Wu led the horse around and asked, "Brother Qing, what are you asking them to do? They're all idiots, and they're very greedy!"
"Master said fishing," Ge Qingqing threw the copper plate between his fingers to Xiao Wu, "How can you fish without baiting?"
The customs duties at the city gates are managed by the Taxation and Expenditure Department of Qedu, which is directly under the Ministry of Households. When they eat money here, they also have to consider the importance of it. Like the large amount of goods that Ge Qingqing took last year, the private tax often cost thousands of taels. How can the subordinates have the courage to swallow it alone? They only dare to lose a fraction of the money, and the big head still has to be given to the "father" above.
When Ge Qingqing returned to the capital this time, it was on the order of Shen Zechuan to catch these old men.
"Let's go," Ge Qingqing watched Biwa covered with fresh snow, and patted Xiao Wu's back, "Go and get our 'old house' back first."
* * *
Yao Wenyu's illness did not improve, and it was useless to take a few bowls of medicine. Taking advantage of the opportunity of Jin Yiwei's horse test, he went outside to blow air. Fei Sheng was careful, he prepared a screen before Shen Zechuan's instructions, and provided a charcoal basin under the shed to make sure that the husband would not freeze.
Shen Zechuan saw Xiao Chiye standing at the front, talking to Hai Rigu. He didn't look away, just tilted his head slightly and said to Yao Wenyu, "Ge Qingqing has been in Juexi for a long time, but he is still homesick. He was born in Qidu and has relatives at home."
Fu Jun's earlobes were clear and bright, and the agate swayed slightly with the movement, rubbing against the fur collar, looking thrilling. He suits red, those Nong Li, whose white fur has faded her eyebrows, seem too friendly when necessary, and only red can force a sharp awn. This is a process of "sharpening". The higher he sits, the more obvious the sharpness hidden in the depths.
"The chief executives of the Taxation and Expenditure Department of Qudu are officials from aristocratic families," Yao Wenyu refused to show any weakness in front of outsiders, so she covered her blankets and looked energetic, "Fujun wants Ge Qingqing to start from here, you can borrow Xi Hongxuan. old story."
"That can't be done." Shen Zechuan watched Hai Rigu get on the horse, and Jin Yiwei at the other end also got on the horse, Fei Sheng was talking to Qiao Tianya over his body. He continued: "Most of Xi Hongxuan's old stories are related to Xue Xiuzhuo. It took Xue Xiuzhuo a lot of effort when Xi Hongxuan was able to enter the capital in the year of Xian De. These people are mixed, and they need to be carefully screened before they are used."
"Pan Lin's resignation," Yao Wenyu said, "Liang Luoshan is the most promising chess piece. If Ge Qingqing is to open up a new path under him, I'm afraid he will not catch up with the Dancheng case."
"We can't get involved in the Dancheng case," Shen Zechuan felt that something was moving around his waist, he lowered his eyes and saw Hu Nu stretching his claws to reach his folding fan tassel, "But in the Dancheng case, no matter who wins or loses, It's not good for me. I asked Ge Qingqing to return to the capital, not to let him make waves in the Dancheng case, but to wait for a winner."
Yao Wenyu didn't see Hu Nu, and his eyes were taken away by Qiao Tianya on the racetrack.
The recruitment criteria of Zhongbo Jinyiwei were set according to Qiao Tianya. Today, he was dressed in a strong suit. He bent down and lowered his arms to pick up Ding Tao, who was running around, and threw it to Gujin behind him. He hooked Lixiong's collar with a horsewhip. , also threw it to Gujin.
"...The busy farming season in May is over," Yao Wenyu said, "Libei is still fighting, so Fujun is planning ahead."
The end of the busy farming season means that farming and other farming tasks are over, the pressure on the cabinet has plummeted, and there is enough energy to start confronting Zhongbo and Libei. Shen Zechuan must ensure that his line will not be broken. This year, he has to bear the supply of military rations for the three parties, but he lost the Xi family's copper mine in Juexi. The Liuzhou port that he planned with Yan Heru is only a prototype this year.
"If Xue Yanqing wins," Yao Wenyu looked at Shen Zechuan, "Where did the lord find his weakness?"
"I can't find it," Shen Zechuan shook his tassels, "I couldn't find Xue Yanqing's weakness as early as in Yedu, this man has nothing to give up. He cut off Xi Hongxuan's treasury from my hands. , but he is willing to wear outdated official robes and run fieldwork in places, I admire him."
Lang Taoxue galloped through the scene and burst into applause. Xiao Chiye reined in the reins and laughed at Shen Zechuan across the distance.
The chill in Shen Zechuan's eyes disappeared, and he turned the folding fan over.
"Quanchengsi also did a fairly clean job, I couldn't catch him... But he's not alone."
* * *
Xue Xiuyi pressed his handkerchief and blew his nose. He claimed to be a noble scholar, but his actions were rather rude. He wore his official robe sloppy, with black and wrinkled corners. Now Xue Xiuzhuo is in full swing, but Xue Xiuyi is just a freelancer. He ruined his family property in the early years, and now he has to think twice about eating a bowl of copper plate noodles.
The colleague next to him was tired of Xue Xiuyi, but he didn't dare to show it, he just said: "You are sick, it doesn't matter if you rest in the house for two days, why do you insist on it? I'll find a doctor for you later. Look."
Hearing the sound, Xue Xiuyi felt that his face was dull. He was a dignified son of an aristocratic family, and it seemed that he couldn't even pay for the consultation fee, so he rubbed the veil and said loudly, "There is a doctor in my house! The head of the family is waiting for you! When have you ever been short of a doctor? It’s because you’ve been busy with official business recently, so I forgot about it, and I’ll call you when I go back today to have a look.”
Colleagues all know that he pretends to be rich, and he is so poor that he fights with his mother-in-law at home all day long, and the girl and everything are sold. They perfunctory and perfunctory, no longer care about Xue Xiuyi.
It was getting dark at the moment, and people were walking in the office compound. Xue Xiuyi sat on the cold bench, facing the stove, trying to dry his wet boots, but the candle was blown out. When he was a child, he was used to eating fine clothes and jade, and he was accompanied by maids and wives when he went to bed. He was afraid of the dark. When he saw that the candle was gone, he quickly stood up and hurried out.
A few colleagues stood in the yard, smoking guns, thinking about drinking for a while. Xue Xiuyi hurried to the door and listened to them.
"Can't you see this? I've heard that the Xue family treats their concubines very harshly, especially this Xue Da." The colleague whispered, "At the time of Yong Yinian, the Xue family's old man was willing to let Lord Yanqing follow him, just Because Xue Da is really not a piece of material, Mr. Changzong said that it is rotten wood, and he can't teach it!"
Xue Xiuyi's heart was half cold. He was so good at it, he immediately shrank behind the door, endured the shame, and listened to what they continued to say.
"That's why Xue Yanqing refuses to promote him now," someone said. "He's sitting in the yamen and doing some idle work, and his monthly salary is not as much as that of a beggar outside. If his family holds the title like Fei's, that's fine, but the No."
"I think Xue Yanqing's recommendations are all the Qingliu of the Hanlin Academy. Most of these people are Jinshi in the Spring Festival a few years ago. After the palace examination, they are all talents. How does Xue Da get promoted? He knows shit. The last time I asked him to sort out old cases, There are eight wrong characters on a piece of paper."
They gathered together and smirked.
Xue Xiuyi's hands trembled. He clutched his wet robe and wanted to run out and scold these despicable villains who mocked him behind his back, but he was no longer the same as he was back then, without the honor of the Xue family, and he would never eat with this little salary again. He dared to speak as openly as he humiliated Pan Lin back then.
Xue Yan liquidated something.
Xue Xiuyi stretched his neck and spat lightly.
Contemptuous son of a bitch!
The author has something to say: chapter 120 of Li Jianting's life experience, and chapter 151 of Hason's story of the roundup of the autumn rain.