eldest son of Ming dynasty

Chapter 340 Fireworks under Yangzhou in March

In order to make the capital better, the Song family's house is often brightly lit recently.

Many young people also pretend to be wealth myths and run around the streets.

On the other side, the emperor's dynasty will gradually return to normal.

And then there will be an even more exciting event in the capital—Xiu Nu's entry to Beijing.

According to the regulations formulated by the Ministry of Rites at the beginning of the year, a major event in the first year of Zhengde was to select a woman from a good family as the queen for Emperor Zhengde.

This incident was actually rehearsed in the 17th year of Hongzhi. At that time, Emperor Hongzhi had ordered the Ministry of Rites and the Qin Tianjian to survey and determine the auspicious date, but it happened that Emperor Hongzhi was in poor health in the middle of the incident.

In the 18th year of Hongzhi, the new king ascended the throne and held a big funeral, and the happy event naturally fell.

But this year, no amount of reasons can stop this matter. If it drags on, the emperor will be older, and if he is too old to get married, it would be embarrassing for the court if this happened to the emperor.

According to the post-election process of the Ming Dynasty, unmarried women of the right age (13-16 years old) across the country must participate in the selection, and after the first round, 5000 people will be concentrated in the capital.

With so many people, the capital will soon be lively again.

In addition, the current situation has also changed from the 17th year of Hongzhi. Simply put, the year before last only had to choose a crown princess.But this year, Zhu Houzhao, as the reigning emperor, actually wants to choose three people.

One empress and two concubines.

This number makes it difficult to have any emotional expectations. You can't love three at once, right?Various procedures and etiquette will also dispel all thoughts.

Of course...it's not that Zhu Houzhao has lost interest in this,

When the Ministry of Rites reported it, he still listened carefully to many details.

At the same time, Gu Zuo actually encountered such a thing in Yangzhou.

The folks have a polarized attitude towards the emperor after the election. Some families try their best to send their daughters out, while others are afraid of separation.

Going out of the capital and going to the people, Gu Zuo can deeply understand this.

After he arrived, all the major salt merchants in Yangzhou Prefecture came to visit one by one, not only prepared a luxurious house for him to stay in, but also took special care of his daily life.

It was also heard that he came here to keep the income of the salt merchants, so people's enthusiasm for him exceeded Gu Zuo's own imagination.

Before he had time to rest, the first morning outside the mansion was full of people.

The attendants were his own people brought from the capital, two agile young men and a girl who was good at serving others.

"Is Zou Cheng, the salt transporter, here?" Gu Zuo asked while wiping his face.

Liu Da replied: "He's here too, too early. And it's obvious that he's here at a glance."

"Why?"

"All businessmen look up to him."

Gu Zuo paused for a moment. Before meeting these people, there were some things he had to figure out by himself.

The purpose of the Salt Envoy must be to hope that he can join forces with him and not report too many problems.The salt merchants are simple, nothing more than more salt imports, faster delivery of salt, and a little bit of salt from the salt farm, which is money in the final analysis.

And the purpose of his coming here is to find out the bottom line of the salt transporter, for example, how much salt can be produced by the salt farm under his management, and how serious is the phenomenon of private salt production by kitchen households.

The other one is to find out the bottom line of the salt merchants. If the imperial court wants to conduct an auction, what is their attitude?

Of course, one must not forget the basic duty of patrolling salt—to bring some salt tax back to the emperor.

"Let's divide the work. I will stay here to attract their attention. Liu Da and Liu Er, find an opportunity to go out and go to the people to understand the specific situation of private salt and salt prices. Besides, these salt merchants and salt transporters are good. Whether it’s good or not, only the common people know best, and you also need to understand these things. After you’ve figured it all out, you come back and report to this official.”

Liu Er was a little worried, "Master, we are all gone, what about your safety?"

Gu Zuo wasn't worried at all, "I'm an imperial envoy who patrols salt and censors. I don't kill people or steal goods, so what's the danger? Just go, you don't have to worry about the rest."

"Yes!"

In fact, Gu Zuo hid his words. He is a person who hates evil like an enemy. If he is willing to join forces, he does not know how many opportunities he can get together. Now that he has this identity to patrol salt, he will not let those corrupt officials go!

On the way from the capital to Yangzhou, he had already thought clearly,

Others said he would not be an official, he admitted.

But what he does is an official different from many others.

After coming to Yangzhou, if there is nothing worth submitting to the emperor, then Gu Zuo is worthless!

In fact, it is not difficult to think clearly about this issue, just think about His Majesty.

As far as people's hearts are concerned, the emperor is an expert among them. Doesn't he know who he is?But the emperor relied heavily on him, why?
So when he comes to Yangzhou, he must make a big mess. Even if the emperor wants to hide, he will reveal the facts and unfold them in Qianqing Palace!

Establishing a life for the living people, what does it mean to establish a life for the living people?So much salt tax from the imperial court fell into the hands of this group of people, and he was asked to turn a blind eye. If this is really done, what is his character?

Snapped!
Gu Zuo threw the towel into the washbasin, "Go, meet them!"

Before Gu Zuo came, the three major salt merchants in Yangzhou City had already discussed with Zou Cheng.This time when the imperial envoy came, he didn't bring the royal guards, nor did he bring any imperial decree to investigate the case, nothing, just two followers and a maidservant, it shouldn't be a big deal.

But be careful when sailing for thousands of years, anyway, Gu Zuo is not very easy to deal with, his reputation is so good that he can't fake it.

It's really a headache for the emperor to reuse this person.

So they have nothing to do, like this celebrity in front of the emperor, they can only eat and drink as offerings, don't offend him, try to fool him as much as possible, and send him back to Beijing as a gift.

As for keeping Gu Zuo's life in Yangzhou, that's a joke.

What is the character of the current emperor?

Now the emperor hasn't paid much attention to Yangzhou and the salt merchants. If something like that happens, it is estimated that this master will transfer the first-class guards from the Beijing camp. In the 17th year of Hongzhi, it was not like there were no similar incidents.

So there are still some rules.

When it was said that it was time to enter the mansion, Zou Cheng hurriedly led the three people behind him to a trot all the way. He left the others outside the mansion. There is no way.

After entering the gate and descending the stairs, I saw someone approaching in front of the main door,

"Oh, Ambassador Zou, I asked you to stand outside the door for such a long time. Gu has already reprimanded the people around him. Even if you are tired of traveling, it is really too much to ask you to wait outside the door. Please forgive me, please Forgive me."

Zou Cheng thought of many possibilities, but he didn't expect him to be so polite, "What's the matter with the business, we should wait for the business."

Gu Zuo bowed his hands to the three people behind him again, then stepped aside, "Come, come, please, please."

"Please come first when you are on business, please first when you are on business."

Gu Zuo is actually not tall, but Zou Cheng is not a big guy either. He has a small head and small eyes. I don't know if it's the reason why he laughs here all the time. In short, he looks a little flattering.

After some courtesy, I went to the room and took a seat.

Zou Cheng began to talk, "On business, did you sleep well last night?"

"Okay, the fireworks are going down in Yangzhou in March, and Gu got a good job. Since it's a good job, it's natural to sleep well."

"If there is anything unfinished, please tell the superior, and the subordinates can arrange it. Hehe." He added a laugh at the end, and gave the three salt merchants a look.

The three of them understood, and immediately attached the words: "It's hard work on the road. When I first arrived in Yangzhou, I must have a good rest. There is nothing else in Yangzhou City. There are still some delicious, beautiful, and interesting things. Although it is not as prosperous as the capital, But the younger ones must also try their best so that the trip will be worthwhile."

"Ah, yes, yes, this trip is worthwhile."

Gu Zuo pursed his lips and smiled, "Don't worry about the delicious and good-looking ones. Gu has an errand, so eating and drinking should not miss the main task. This is what His Majesty cares most about today."

"We have also considered this matter, please don't worry." Zou Cheng continued with a smile and said, "Your Majesty's military needs must not be a small number in order to implement the national policy. How could it be inappropriate for you to be a salt envoy for the transfer of the two Huaihe Rivers?" Do you like it? Coupled with Shao Situ patrolling salt, no matter what, we will collect a sum of tax money and ask Shao Situ to return to Beijing to pay a job!"

Gu Zuo was a little surprised, "Cutting people's money is like killing their parents, and what I do is also an errand for the household department. Silver is the most rare thing in the world. Ambassador Zou and everyone...are you really willing to give generously?"

Zou Cheng is serious, and has the consciousness to sacrifice his life for the country, "I am an official of the Ming Dynasty, so I naturally put my allegiance to the emperor and father first, otherwise how can I be worthy of the word "loyalty?"

Gu Zuo couldn't deny it, "What about these three, what do you think?"

"Oh, don't worry about it. We have no objection to what Ambassador Zou said."

Gu Zuo pondered for a while,

If that's the case, then his errand... is actually over.

But how is it possible?
This time he is someone who is here to 'seek trouble'.

So in front of them, Gu Zuo took out something from his cuff, lens, white.

"It's also my official's maid who is busy. On the way here, she said to buy salt, but in the end she bought private salt."

When the words of private salt came out, the hearts of Zou Cheng and the three salt merchants trembled.

"Gu sat in the capital and looked at Yangzhou, but he couldn't understand many facts. For example, the problem of salt merchants' keeping their expenditures became more and more serious day by day. It was obvious that they could not get salt from the salt farms, and on the other hand, private salt was rampant. Disaster, Ambassador Zou, you said you want me to report to His Majesty, how can I report to Your Majesty on this matter?"

They really don't understand Gu Zuo's routine.Why did you say this when you came here?It was also because the air was a little stagnant for a while.

"Oh, maybe I'm not right. In fact, the main purpose of my trip is to solve problems for you. Of course, the court needs salt tax, but your Majesty's next generation of sages must always solve more critical problems. Keep it up is one of them."

Zou Cheng and the three major salt merchants couldn't answer for a while, Emperor, what does this mean?
Gu Zuo was thinking, how much of the court's salt tax has been lost?
(End of this chapter)