Emperor Renzong of the Great Song Dynasty

Guazhou Ferry is the intersection of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and the Yangtze River.

However, today's Guazhou Ferry is a hundred times more lively than before.

Zhao Yiyi stood at the bow of the ship, looking at the large ships near the pier from a distance.

The skeletons of those ships were huge, about 30 meters long, and the draft was very deep. At first glance, they looked like cargo ships full of cargo.

On the deck of each ship, there are several people who look like porters pushing one after another large baskets off the ship.

The big baskets fell into the water with a thud, first sank to the bottom of the water, and then slowly floated up. As the big baskets floated up one by one, pieces of dark green tea leaves floated up, filling the entire water area.

Zhao Yiyi frowned: "What's going on? Liu En, go and have a look."

This time out of Beijing, Di Niangniang not only sponsored a lot of travel expenses, but also sent several guards with the most powerful martial arts in the Nanqing Palace to personally protect Zhao Yiyi.Therefore, Liu En left for a while, and Zhao Yiyi was still acceptable.

Liu En estimated the distances of those cargo ships, raised his breath, tapped the deck with his toes, flew across the sky, and landed on the largest cargo ship.

The spectators exclaimed, and those who had trouble even whistled.

Liu En looked around and clasped his fist at one of the porters who pushed the tea into the water: "This old brother, the younger brother is polite. My master is on the boat over there, and I sent the younger brother to ask, what is the old man doing?" Pour good tea into water?"

The porter didn't even lift his eyelids: "If they can't be sold, they're all collapsed."

While talking, he poured another basket of tea into the water.

Liu En stopped him, stretched out his hand and grabbed a handful of tea leaves from the basket, twirled them, and said with a smile: "I think this tea is fragrant and refreshing, it is obviously a first-class tea, why can't it be sold? If you don’t dislike it, my younger brother will make the decision for my master and buy them all.”

The porter finally looked up at him and sneered, "You want to buy it? Yes," he turned around and called out, "Someone wants to buy tea!"

The rest of the porters stopped what they were doing and surrounded them.

"How much tea do you want to buy?"

Liu En pointed to the tea in the basket: "For such a good tea, let's buy two hundred catties first."

The porter nodded: "OK."

As he spoke, he pushed three large baskets over: "There are twenty sticks in total, take them away."

Liu En looked at the big baskets, and said with a smile, "Don't be kidding me, old man, this is two hundred catties? Is it all five hundred catties? And," he pointed to the two baskets behind: "The two baskets are The tea leaves look a bit bad, not the tea I want to buy."

The porter snorted: "If you don't buy it, pull it down."

As he spoke, he pushed three large baskets into the water.

Liu En frowned: "Brothers, what are you doing? I want to buy two hundred catties of good tea, so it's fine if you don't sell it, so why bother?"

The porter glanced at him: "Did you just arrive in Yangzhou?"

Liu En nodded: "The owner's boat is parked over there."

The porter said, "No wonder you don't know."

Pointing to the city of Yangzhou: "If your master comes to buy tea, please come back as soon as possible. Now there is an iron Luocha in the yamen, and good tea is not allowed to be bought or sold. If you have that capital, do something else." What kind of business is not good? If I hadn’t been a farmer for generations, I would have quit this business a long time ago.”

Liu En asked: "Then who is Tie Luocha, why is he not allowed to buy tea?"

The porter said: "He is an official from Beijing. His surname is Bao, and everyone calls him Bao Heizi. Since he came to Yangzhou, he has stirred up wind and rain without a moment's rest. Originally, when the government was collecting tea from the mountain farm , everyone is fine. Since he came to Yangzhou, the government is no longer allowed to collect tea, and the farmers are required to buy and sell tea with tea merchants. It is a good thing to say, but for some reason, the bag of sunspots made the tea leaves made to order by the government Third class, for every catty of good tea, you have to buy a catty of medium tea and a catty of secondary tea. This is great, who is willing to buy it? Our tea was transported from the mountain farm to Yangzhou for Those who are looking for a buyer can’t sell a catty now. If you park at the pier for a day, you will be charged for a day’s boat fee. We have no choice but to pour the tea and go home. It’s all grown by ourselves. Tea, if it wasn't so difficult, who would want to waste it like this?"

Liu En nodded: "I see."

He asked: "Brothers, how much do you charge for these few boats of tea that have been parked at the pier for half a month?"

The porter said: "These five big boats will cost two thousand yuan if they stop for half a month!"

Liu Enyang said in a loud voice: "Brothers, stop pouring tea!"

His inner strength was so deep that the porters on the five boats heard his words.

Liu En continued to shout: "My master is a big businessman from Beijing, and he wants to come to Yangzhou to buy tea. No matter what the people in the yamen say, we will definitely buy tea! Your tea will definitely find a buyer! Don't pour tea, Within half a month, someone will definitely come to buy your tea! To show our sincerity, my master will pay the boat fee for everyone first! Please follow me to my master’s boat to get the money!”

After hearing this, the porters stopped pouring tea.

Who wants to pour tea into the Grand Canal for nothing if they can sell the tea?

The courageous ones couldn't help shouting: "Hey—you really paid for the boat for us—"

Liu Engang wanted to shout "You are not joking", but then remembered that the little emperor was visiting privately in disguise, so he changed his words: "If you say a word from a gentleman, it is hard to catch a horse! Please come to my master's boat with me to collect the money!"

Not long after, a short and fat man came out of the cabin: "Who is going to pay for the ship?"

Liu En cupped his hands and saluted: "My master wants to go to Yangzhou to buy tea, but he sees the tea farmers dumping the tea. If the tea farmers destroy all the tea leaves, who should my master buy tea from? For half a month's boat money, we will pay for it. The tea farmers have paid, please ask the owner to come with me to the boat to get the money."

If someone was willing to pay, the ship owner was of course willing, and sent a man to accompany Liu En on board to collect the money.

Liu En flew onto the boat by relying on his lightness. The guy didn't want to be led by Liu En to fly over, so he hoisted a small boat and rowed over with his oars.

Zhao Yiyi had already heard Liu En's shout from the air.

He trusted Liu En unconditionally, knowing that Liu En must have his own reasons, he asked someone to take out the money and wait.

A pile of two thousand coins weighs more than 1 catties, and it is impossible for anyone to carry so many copper coins on their body.

Di Niangniang only brought them twenty copper coins, which were broken up for rewarding people. The real big ones were several hundred taels of gold and two boxes of silver collars.

After the guy took more than 100 taels of gold, he went back happily.

Zhao Yiyi sent the other guards away, and beckoned Liu En to come closer: "What's going on?"

Liu En said in a low voice: "Bao Zheng told the tea merchants to buy two catties of tea for every catty of good tea they bought. One day's boat money is not enough, so the tea is destroyed. The subordinates have already appeased the tea farmers and told them not to destroy the tea, and everything will be discussed after His Majesty sees Bao Zheng."

Zhao Yiyi frowned: "How could this be?"

Good tea and inferior tea are all from the hands of tea farmers.In previous years, when the government bought them, they took all the orders regardless of whether they were good or bad, and then sold them to tea merchants. In fact, it is the same as now. People are willing to buy more good tea. In his hand, he piled it up for three or four years and rotted, so he burned it directly.

The reform of the tea government should eliminate the old disadvantages and increase the income of the tea government, which is of course one of the old disadvantages.

Once the sticking method was implemented, the government no longer received tea, and tea farmers and tea merchants traded freely.Of course, tea merchants are unwilling to buy second-time tea. The tea cannot be sold, and the tea farmers can only bear this part of the loss.

Bao Zheng's method requires tea merchants to purchase secondary tea in proportion to the purchase of high-quality tea, which seems like a good idea, allowing tea farmers to reduce their losses.

But I also know that tea merchants must not be willing.

If tea merchants are unwilling to buy tea together, the government has to come up with an idea, or threaten or lure them, so that they have to buy it.

How can tea merchants be allowed to unite to resist government policies, so that tea farmers have no choice but to pour tea?

Even if Bao Zheng was really helpless and couldn't tame this gang of tea merchants, seeing what was going on at the pier, why didn't he take care of it?

If he didn't come to Yangzhou today, wouldn't these tea farmers have to pour their whole year's hard work into the Grand Canal and return home with nothing?

What about Bao Zheng?How did he know about Jiangnan tea policy?

Zhao Yiyi frowned when thinking of the note "Wenqu is in danger".

He raised his head and said to Liu En, "Go to the city immediately and go to the cargo office to find Bao Zheng."

Liu En nodded, arranged for the boat to dock, and asked people to disembark first to hire a car and horse.

The man who hired the carriage came back soon: "Master, there is a merchant outside who wants to see the master."

Liu Endao: "We didn't know each other in Yangzhou. This person must have come to us after seeing what happened just now."

Zhao Yiyi said, "I've come to see him."

Anyway, they are not familiar with the place in Yangzhou, so how can they not accept a local person as a free guide?

"However, I've had enough of this ship," Zhao Yiyi waved his hand: "Tell him, if you really want to see him, prepare three cars and sixteen horses for us first, and arrange an Accord in the best restaurant in Yangzhou City." , I am willing to see him."

The man took the order and left, and after an incense stick, three carts with two horses and sixteen tall horses had arrived at the port.

Liu En helped Zhao Yiyi get off the boat, got into the leading carriage, packed his luggage into the remaining two cars, and the guards rode on their horses and drove towards the most prosperous restaurant in Yangzhou City.

There are more than a dozen best restaurants in Yangzhou City, and this one is the one closest to Guazhou Ferry. Its name is both elegant and popular - Huixianlou.

The carriages and horses stopped in front of Huixian Building, and the doorman who had been waiting in front of the door came up to welcome him: "You are Mr. Jiang's distinguished guests, please come upstairs. Mr. Jiang has been waiting for you upstairs for a long time."

Zhao Yiyi didn't look sideways and didn't answer his words. Liu En smiled and said, "I'm sorry to bother you, brother, please lead the way."

He took out a small string of copper coins from his sleeve and handed it to the doorman.

The doorman smiled brightly: "Upstairs, please, upstairs!"

There are three floors in Huixian Building, and the largest private room is on the third floor. From the window, you can have a panoramic view of the entire Guazhou Ferry.

Zhao Yiyi picked up the steps and went upstairs, and as soon as he turned the corner on the third floor, he saw a person greet him: "I take the liberty of inviting you, Jiang Ping apologizes here."

Zhao Yiyi sized him up from head to toe, and saw that he was lean, with piercing eyes, and his small beard was full of energy, so he couldn't help laughing: "There's no need to be polite."

Sure enough, the replacement of the civet cat for the crown prince was a fait accompli, and it was time for Bao Zheng and his friends from the world to appear on stage one after another.

Jiang Ping, the Jiangshu mouse, has been admiring his name for a long time.

Jiang Ping led him into the private room, ordered Xiaoer to present the meals he had prepared, and told them not to disturb him.

Xiao Er knew that they had something important to talk about, so she withdrew.

Zhao Yiyi also ordered the rest of the guards to stay outside the door, leaving only Liu En by his side.

There were only three people left in the room, so Jiang Ping stopped going around in circles: "Is your honor invited by Mr. Fan?"

Zhao Yiyi nodded: "I am familiar with Fan Zhongyan."

Jiang Ping breathed a sigh of relief: "Great, Mr. Fan has received our letter, Yangzhou tea administration is saved."

Zhao Yiyi took out the note that Wenqu was in danger: "So, this note is indeed sent by you."

He handed the note to Jiang Ping: "Among you, there is a capable person. May I see it?"

Jiang Ping took the note and was stunned: "This note was not sent by us."

"Didn't you send it?" Zhao Yiyi took back the note: "Didn't you send the letter to Mr. Fan?"

Jiang Ping nodded: "We did send a letter to Mr. Fan, but not this one."

Zhao Yiyi asked: "Is the person you sent back a Fan family who went to Yangzhou to deliver a letter for Bao Zheng a long time ago?"

Jiang Pingdao: "That's right, I wrote the situation in Yangzhou in a letter and sent it to Mr. Fan. Please help Mr. Fan."

Zhao Yiyi frowned: "Why did you write the letter? If you want to send a letter to Mr. Fan, can you ask Bao Zheng to send an official document back to Beijing?"

Jiang Ping shook his head and smiled wryly: "We think so too, but the problem is, the current Mr. Bao can't write a single word."

Sure enough, Zhao Yiyi's worst guess came true.

Sure enough, something happened to Bao Zheng.

Zhao Yiyi said: "I have been talking for a long time, but my name has not yet been announced. My surname is Zhao, and my name is Yuanheng. I hope Jiang Yishi will tell the truth about what happened in Yangzhou City."

Jiang Ping was shocked.

The surname is Zhao, and the first name is Yuanheng... Now the princes of the older generation belong to the generation of Yuan characters, and this one's background is really not small...

He said more cautiously: "When Mr. Bao first came to Yangzhou to take office, because he did not get along with businessmen who entered China, he temporarily stayed at the house of a friend of mine. This friend of mine is called Yun Niang, and she is a foreigner. A famous pirate. Yunniang took Master Bao in and helped him everywhere. After reconciling with the merchants, Master Bao did not move out of Yunniang's house..."

After smoothing out the merchants, Bao Zheng went to the mountain field to investigate in person. He was well aware of the sufferings of the tea farmers, and he also knew that part of the court's losses would be passed on to the tea farmers.

He is a good official who is dedicated to the people, and he is not willing to hurt the interests of tea farmers to fill the court.

So he ordered that the tea should be rated as third-class, and that every catty of first-class tea bought by tea merchants should be matched with a corresponding amount of second-class and third-class tea.

The number of collocations is calculated according to the annual tea output ratio, in order to take care of the interests of both tea farmers and tea merchants to the greatest extent.

Bao Zheng also knew that such an approach would be resisted by tea merchants.But he knew that this kind of resistance could not last long, because tea merchants could not really fight against the government if they wanted to make money.And even under such conditions, tea merchants are still profitable. Since they are profitable, there must be people who will buy tea according to this regulation.

As long as one person obeys, it is only a matter of time before everyone accepts this rule.

"Then what happened at Guazhou Ferry today?"

Zhao Yiyi asked: "Those tea farmers were forced to dump their good tea into the Grand Canal."

Jiang Ping smiled wryly: "At the beginning, no one expected it would be like this."

"Master Bao made this rule and ordered the goods to be implemented the next day. We are all very happy. Nan Xia brought a jar of good wine—by the way, Nan Xia is a friend of Master Bao—the four of us have a good relationship with each other. We drink together during the month. At this time, Yunniang said that she has a treasure handed down from her family, called the Ancient and Modern Basin. The basin is filled with water, which can reflect people's past and present lives. Yunniang asked us if we would like to try it. "

Zhao Yiyi raised his eyebrows.

Ancient and modern pots, one of Bao Zheng's three treasures, it seems that this Yunniang is a treasure-giving npc.

"Actually, Mr. Bao is not keen on these ghostly things, but Yunniang has insisted on it again and again, and the guest can do whatever he wants. Mr. Bao has no choice but to agree to take care of the past and present."

"As a result, something went wrong with this photo."

"Yunniang filled the ancient and modern basin with water, and invited Master Bao to take a picture. Master Bao walked over, and I looked from the side, and the shadows of him and Yunniang appeared in the basin at the same time."

"Then for some reason, there were waves of water in the basin, and the figures in the basin were shattered. Master Bao and Yunniang both passed out, and they have not been able to wake up from this coma until now."

Zhao Yiyi blinked.

What's going on here, Mr. Wenqu Xing was backlashed by his magic weapon?

Jiang Ping sighed again: "Master Bao is in a coma, and another lord is in charge of the affairs of the cargo office. The other lord... is a father-in-law, he... oh... this father-in-law doesn't like to be in charge , still a confused temper, originally told tea merchants to buy a catty of good tea only need to mix a few or two teas, but he didn't like too complicated things, so he said, isn't the tea divided into three grades, so he asked them to buy a catty and a tea. Waiting for tea, it’s better to match one catty with second-class, one catty with third-class! How can the tea merchant be willing to buy it? Someone advised him, isn’t this a tyrannical government, please stop this method quickly, but Eunuch Huang said, Master Bao made the decision, and he didn't dare to change it without authorization, so this situation has come into being. Now nine out of ten people in Yangzhou city are scolding Master Bao, in fact, Master Bao is so wronged!"

Zhao Yiyi also sighed: "I see, this kind of person is really hateful."

He said to Jiang Ping again: "So you asked the Fan family to send a letter to Mr. Fan?"

Jiang Ping nodded: "Indeed."

Zhao Yiyi said: "But the letter was not sent to Mr. Fan, and the messenger was killed in front of Fan's residence."

Jiang Ping was shocked: "How could this happen!"

Then he said angrily: "It turns out that they have already killed someone! No wonder they let me out of the house today!"

Zhao Yiyi asked, "Who are they?"

Jiang Ping smiled wryly and said: "Didn't I say that Yun Niang is a pirate. She was unconscious together with Master Bao, and the pirates under her thought that we killed their leader and wanted to kill us to pay for their lives. Only then did Master Bao and Nan Xia’s lives be saved, and now these two are being imprisoned on their ship. They still don’t allow me to reveal the matter of Yunniang’s coma, for fear that other pirates will find out that Yunniang is unconscious and take the opportunity to make trouble. They are disadvantaged."

Zhao Yiyi looked up at him: "Then what's going on with this messenger?"

Jiang Ping smiled awkwardly: "When Master Bao first entered Yangzhou, Yunniang intercepted Master Fan's letter in order to get close to him, and personally handed the letter to Master Bao. Later, Yunniang fell into a coma, and the pirates were in a hurry. He said a few disrespectful words to Yunniang, and his tongue was cut off. Although I am a businessman, I also know that the situation in Yangzhou is dangerous. If Mr. Bao does not wake up, The tea policy reform is about to fall short. For the current plan, the only way is to ask the imperial court to send rescuers. Lord Bao and Lord Fan have a deep friendship, so I quietly released this messenger and asked him to help send this distress letter."

"After the courier was released privately, those pirates put me under house arrest at home, and they were monitored when they ate and drank. Two days ago, they suddenly withdrew their hands, and today they allowed me to come to the ferry. It turned out that they had already killed After receiving the messenger and taking back the letter, this will be released by the subordinates."

Zhao Yiyi nodded and remained silent.

Fan Zhongyan's family members went to Yangzhou and never returned. After a long time, their tongues were cut out and they were killed in front of Fan's house. It seems that it was all done by pirates.

The letter he originally carried was also taken away by pirates.

The pirates intercepted the messenger because their leader wanted to get close to Bao Zheng.Killing the messenger and taking the letter was all because of fear of revealing that his leader was in a coma.

The piece of paper that Wenqu is in danger seems to have nothing to do with pirates, and it should have nothing to do with Yangzhou.

If the note was brought from Yangzhou by a courier, it makes no sense for the pirates to leave the note after taking the letter.

The greatest possibility is that someone left this note after the messenger was killed to remind Fan Zhongyan and him.

If it weren't for the words "Wenqu is in danger", he probably would never have thought of coming to Yangzhou in person, and he would have no way of discovering Bao Zheng's situation, let alone knowing that the reform of the tea administration is about to fail.

After figuring this out, he also understood that no matter who the messenger was, at least in this matter, he was a friend rather than an enemy.

Zhao Yiyi said: "Now the tea farmers have calmed down, within half a month, there will be no more incidents of tea destruction. Now, please Jiang Yishi take me to see Bao Zheng, I must see Bao Zheng's current situation with my own eyes. "

The main thing is to meet, An Anxin, to make sure that Wen Quxing is really still alive.

Jiang Ping pondered and said: "It's a bit difficult... Those pirates guard Master Bao very tightly, I'm afraid it's not easy to see..."

Zhao Yiyi smiled and said, "That's no problem."

He patted Liu En's arm: "With our housekeeper Liu here, I can go to the ends of the world."