Linzhi

He Rong shook his head: "Now is not the time."

Yang Jun: "In the eyes of others, although the Yang family is extremely rich, they still can't hold their heads up in front of those nobles of the family. If the Yang family wants to pave the way for business, they have to rely on the family."

Xue Tan really didn't know the inside story, so he couldn't help asking: "Which family is the Yang family getting closer to now?"

Yang Jundao: "The Yang family's ancestral home was in Fangzhou. At that time, there was a rich Zheng family, who had been officials for generations. From the previous dynasty to the present, the family has flourished for more than a hundred years. Although the family has declined in this dynasty, it is still a high-ranking family for ordinary people. Everyone, every year and festival, the county magistrate will also invite the chief of the Zheng family to a banquet. I heard from my father that the Yang family's success in Fangzhou was due to the relationship with the Zheng family. With the help of the Zheng family, local officials Naturally, I won't make things difficult, and the Yang family's business has gradually grown."

Xue Tan: "Then the Yang family did not benefit the Zheng family, did they?"

Yang Jun: "That's natural. Up to now, all the Yang family's business in Fangzhou has given the Zheng family a [-]% bonus every year."

Xue Tan was speechless: "So many?!"

Yang Jun smiled wryly: "Not only that, when we met the Zheng family, we also had to be courteous and polite. Some descendants of the Zheng family were young and vigorous, and felt that the Zheng family had given the Yang family great favor and shelter. , We just barely let us kneel down and salute."

The He family had known Yang Jun for many years, and this was the first time He Zhan had heard of these things. He couldn't help looking at He Rong, but the latter was not surprised, apparently already knew about it.

Xue Tan pondered: "I remember that no one from the Zheng family is an official in the court now."

Yang Jun: "That's right. No one in the Zheng family is an official in the capital. There is only one governor of Shaozhou, Zheng Xuan, who is also a side branch of the Zheng family. But this is the difference between the noble family and the ordinary family. My Yang family has been doing business for generations. In the eyes of the world, he is humble, no matter how much he is worth, in the eyes of the Zheng family, he is always inferior."

This is also the reason why Yang Jun's father was willing to lend a helping hand to the He family when He Tai's family was down and down, and supported Yang Jun's relationship with He Rong.If the He family can prosper in the future, then the Yang family's investment will undoubtedly return hugely. If He Tai cannot return to Beijing, then in the end, Father Yang will just pay some money and waste some time.

Facts proved that Father Yang's choice was correct. Not only did He Tai return to the capital, but he also stepped up to the position of the Ninth Five-Year Lord. The Yang family climbed a towering tree because of this, and even the Zheng family, who had looked down on them in the past, also fell in love with him. Attitude changed drastically.

But now the Yang family has gradually moved their family business to the north, the attitude of the Zheng family can no longer affect the rise and fall of the Yang family.

Speaking of this, Yang Jun stood up, bowed to He Rong and He Zhan, with a solemn look on his face: "In the beginning, my father did not have any original intentions in dating the He family, but later on, my friendship with you was not fake. Forgive me, I would like to plead guilty to you on behalf of the Yang family!"

He Rong stretched out his hand to support him: "Hengyu, we know what you are like, we don't need to do anything more. The means are just the process, and the goal is the most important thing. Now that you and I are in each other's hearts, this is the best proof."

Yang Jun was slightly moved. Although he had a close relationship with He Rong, he was always worried because of Yang's father's original intention that day, because Yang Jun knew that the He family was not stupid, and He Rong was even more thoughtful. His father's intentions were seen in his eyes, and when He Rong said it clearly today, Yang Jun felt relieved like a boulder fell to the ground.

"The opposition between the aristocratic family and the poor family has existed for a long time. The children of the poor family want to make progress, not because of talent or hard work, but because they can't find a way to advance, let alone people like us. Those famous gentlemen will not include us in the gate wall, even if we are lucky enough to pass the Jinshi examination and become officials in the court, we will face exclusion from the powerful family." Yang Jun said.

"Heng Yu is right," Xue Tan said, "The late Emperor has been in power for more than 20 years and vigorously promoted the imperial examination system, but most of the officials elected were from powerful families. Among the six ministries, except for me, all of them are members of the aristocratic family."

He Rong: "It's not a sin in itself to be born into a family. Among these people, there are many loyal ministers of the country like Prime Minister Zhou Ying, Zhang Song, and Fan Yi. It's just that those clans have lasted for hundreds of years, and they have already formed an intertwined alliance of interests. Even if there are occasional internal strife, when there is a foreign enemy that damages their own interests, they will be unanimous. Like this time, they can work together to let His Majesty fall into the trap without knowing it. See the big from the small, if For those who are selfish and want to seek personal gain for themselves or their family, they can also use this method to contend with the imperial power and deceive the upper and lower."

He Zhan was leaning on the soft cushion carelessly, yawning and drowsy, listening to their casual chatting, it was only when he heard this that he couldn't help but get serious.

He suddenly interrupted and said: "In this way, wanting to control and balance the family is not something that can be achieved overnight, it will take a long time before it can be worn through."

He Rong nodded: "So now is not the time, we have to wait."

When he waited, he didn't say any more.

He Zhan remembered what they found out in Luoyang before, and couldn't help asking: "Then Zhenyuanhou...?"

He Rong said lightly: "He went to the school and asked to resign."

He Zhan was taken aback: "Father agreed?"

He Rong nodded: "Li Kuan said that he was suffering from wind disease, and resigned from all his official positions because of his illness. Now he only has his title."

He Zhan sighed: "It's a good move to retreat!"

He Rong: "All our doubts are just doubts, but he has won the trust of his father by virtue of his escort, and now he has retired without a speck of dust. If there is no evidence to make a hasty identification, it will put us in a passive and embarrassing situation."

While talking, Gao Changning brought some bowls of peach juice, which contained plum meat and peach meat, and added honey. It tasted sweet and sour. After drinking a bowl of it, He Zhan felt refreshed.

Seeing this, He Rong said: "I forgot, you came all the way, busy entering the palace for an audience, haven't you eaten yet?"

Gao Changning said: "The kitchen at the back made some candied elm money and cherry porridge, I'll go get them."

He Zhan rubbed his stomach. He didn't feel anything at first, but after drinking this bowl of sweet and sour peaches, he really felt a little hungry.

Gao Changning quickly brought over all the food and a jar of peach juice, filling it up for everyone.

He Rong took the jar from her hand: "I'll come, you sit down too."

Gao Changning was taken aback: "It's okay, how can I let Mr. Lang do it?"

Xue Tan smiled and said, "Sanlang feels pity for you. Seeing that you are about to travel far away, he wants to replace wine with peaches, and he will personally do it for you."

He Zhan was surprised: "Where is Mrs. Gao going?"

Gao Changning's hand holding the jar accidentally touched He Rong, her face became slightly hot, and she didn't dare to fight with the other party anymore, allowing the other party to take the jar and fill it up for everyone.

"I'm about to leave for Lingzhou to open a tea shop. In the future, Yang Langjun's caravan wants to go out, and there can also be used as a transit point."

He Zhan frowned: "But Lingzhou is facing the Eastern Turks directly, and I am afraid that it needs to face threats from foreign races from time to time. Why not choose Ganzhou, which is more stable?"

Gao Changning smiled slightly: "Where there is danger, there are more opportunities."

Ever since she narrowly escaped from the hands of the Zhang family and had the Turkic experience, her heart has become harder and she is no longer afraid of any difficulties and obstacles.

Maybe someone is delicate and innocent all her life and doesn't know the dangers of the world, but she doesn't have such a blessing, and she doesn't need such a blessing.

He Zhan raised his glass to respect each other: "Then I wish you the best of luck in this trip, and your wish will be fulfilled."

Gao Changning returned the glass to respect: "Thank you, Mr. Wulang."

The corner of He Zhan's eyebrows twitched slightly as the cup entered his throat: "Is there any clear tea? Give me a cup of clear tea. I still can't drink these, it's sweet and greasy."

He looked at what was on the case again.

The so-called candied elm money is actually the freshest elm money picked in early spring, washed and sprinkled with icing sugar, and eaten as a snack; there is also cherry porridge, probably because there are too many cherries, bite it down, the cherry pulp is full of sour and sweet .

He Zhan couldn't help complaining: "This table is all prepared for the third brother, why is it all sweet?"

Most of the plate of frosted elm money disappeared in a blink of an eye, and it all fell into He Rong's mouth. He Zhan couldn't stand it anymore, so he took the plate away.

He Rong frowned: "Come again."

He frowned coldly. Even if others were not afraid, they had to be a bit scruples, but He Zhan was not affected at all.

"When I was away, you didn't eat less sugar, did you? If you eat like this, you will gain weight in less than two years!"

He Rong: "You care about the sky and the earth, and you also care about your brother's food. Are you annoying?"

He Zhan: "You are so vicious, are you willing to be controlled? Isn't it for your own good not to let you eat candy?"

He Rong was angry: "No need, give it to me!"

He Zhan said to Xue Tan and Yang Jun: "I, the younger brother, can't persuade you, but you should be able to talk about him as friends, right?"

Xue Tan said: "I suddenly remembered that there is still a jug of wine at home, so I will leave first. If I don't drink for a day, my whole body will itch. Let me say goodbye!"

He didn't wait for He Rong and He Zhan to speak, cupped his hands, got up and left without taking any smoke and dust.

Yang Jun didn't want to get involved, so he laughed and said, "I'll go ahead and have a look at the shop, you guys talk."

The back foot also went.

Gao Changning followed closely behind.

One walks faster than the other.

Without outsiders, He Zhan completely let go, and scolded him: "I asked the imperial doctor before, it's not good to eat too much sugar, do you want to suffer from a whole body of illness at a young age? Your legs and feet are not working well, is it difficult?" If it doesn’t work, do you still want to make it difficult for other places?”

He Rong couldn't help but rolled his eyes.

When He Zhan saw it, he became even angrier: "If it wasn't for your own good, why should I be such a villain? Wouldn't it be better to let you eat as much as you want?"

He thought of what his second elder brother said to him before leaving the palace, and thought that he really broke his heart for these elder brothers, and there was a little bit of grievance in his anger.

"Can't you let me relax?" He Zhan's eyes turned red when he thought that there was already a gap between the brothers, and the gap would only grow bigger in the future.

He Rong was taken aback: "Isn't it just that you don't give me money, why are you still crying?"

He Zhan raised his head and sniffed.

He Rong hurriedly coaxed: "Okay, okay, I don't want to eat, can't I? How old is he, he has led soldiers, he has killed people, and he still cries all the time, and he is not afraid of people's jokes!"

"You don't need to worry about it!" He Zhan said stubbornly.

He Rong was so angry and funny, he took him over, patted his shoulder, and coaxed him: "Could it be that you have been outside for a long time, and when you return to Chang'an, forget your feelings for a while? Take a good rest, sleep, and wake up. alright."

Before He Zhan had time to be moved by his words, he turned his head and saw He Rong reaching out to pick up the icing elm money he put on the plate behind his back, and was about to put it in his mouth. He was so angry that he was dizzy, and blurted out: "He Zhenguan!"