Emperor Renzong of the Great Song Dynasty

It is impossible to rely on traditional means to solve the problem that no one buys the secondary tea in the hands of tea farmers in the south of the Yangtze River.

Whether it is the sticking method decided by the imperial court or the buying method proposed by Bao Zheng, in essence, they regard inferior tea as a kind of disadvantage, shirk each other, and try to pass this disadvantage on to others.

The government bought the tea but could not sell it, so they decided not to buy it, and hoped that the tea farmers would digest these money-losing goods that could not be sold.

Bao Zheng was unwilling to increase the burden on the tea farmers, so he came up with this method of buying together, squeezing the profits of the tea merchants to subsidize the tea farmers.

These methods cannot be said to be unfeasible, but in Zhao Yiyi's view, they are all clumsy.

Second-order tea or those second-order tea, whether it rots in the warehouse of the government, in the farms of tea farmers, or in the hands of tea merchants, is essentially a waste of resources.

Second tea is also tea, it is all grown in the ground, so it is such a waste, what a pity.

It is better to use these raw materials and process them into various tea products.

This not only solves the problem of tea sales, but also enriches the food culture of the citizens of the Northern Song Dynasty, killing two birds with one stone.

After finalizing the next plan overnight, Zhao Yiyi told Bao Zheng: "Bao Qing, go to the cargo office tomorrow, first post the official document on the abolition of tie-buying, and then find a few people to pretend to be tea merchants to go to Guazhou to buy tea." Make tea for tea growers and tea merchants. Make sure people know that the government has changed its mind. From then on, tea can be bought and sold freely, and the government will no longer force tea merchants to buy tea.”

Bao Zheng nodded: "I understand."

Zhao Yiyi said again: "Eunuch Huang in your yamen, if he is not in the way, don't bother him. If he is in the way, don't take him into consideration. He was the first emperor who came to Yangzhou to supervise tea at that time. In fact, he is the same as now. The court situation has nothing to do with it."

Eunuchs are different from officials in the previous dynasty. Although officials also rely on the emperor's appreciation to gain power, they are still not as dependent as eunuchs on the emperor's personal dependence.Officials are still senior officials when they leave Beijing, but eunuchs can no longer be powerful eunuchs if they leave Beijing.

This Eunuch Huang was too easygoing back then, so he was sent away by a group of people in the palace to Yangzhou, a good place for the elderly.

Yangzhou is densely populated and located in an important place. For officials and business travelers, it is a good place to get promoted and make a fortune.

But for eunuchs, no matter how good the place is, as long as it is not in the palace, it can only be used for retirement.

After all, if the official left Beijing, he might be remembered by the emperor and recalled to his side.The eunuch has left the capital, how can the emperor remember who you are?

An official has talent, fame, and connections, all of which can drag him back to the emperor's side.Eunuchs have nothing but the emperor's favor.

But the emperor's favor is too frivolous, if you say no, you will have it, and if you say it, it will be gone.Can't count on it.

What's more, Eunuch Huang's master is the late Emperor Song Zhenzong, who has been dead for several years now, and the two current masters of the palace each have their own team of eunuchs, who would still think of him.

There is no need to worry about it.

He said this to make Bao Zheng feel at ease, and to rectify the tea politics more confidently and boldly.

Although Bao Zheng is Bao Qingtian who is not afraid of the powerful and upright, even if Eunuch Huang is an acquaintance in front of the queen mother in the palace and hinders his official duties, Bao Zheng will not tolerate him.But as Bao Zheng's boss, Zhao Yiyi still felt that it was necessary to give employees a sufficient sense of security.

Obviously there is no difficulty ahead, so why scare yourself and create a difficulty for yourself.

Moreover, Bao Zheng is only a minor official of the sixth rank now, and he still doesn't know where the three swords of Shang Fang are.

Bao Zheng said: "I understand."

No matter where Eunuch Huang came from, Bao Zheng couldn't spare him if he messed up Yangzhou's tea administration like this.

If the little emperor hadn't come up with a way to break the situation by visiting privately in his micro-service, wouldn't the tea farmers in the south of the Yangtze River have gone bankrupt this year?

This kind of person will never be spared!

After sending Bao Zheng to the yamen, Zhao Yiyi asked Liu En: "Do you know that Nan Xia?"

Zhan Zhao followed Bao Zheng to the yamen, but before going out, he had been staring at Liu En secretly, thinking that no one else had noticed.

Not to mention Liu En, even Jiang Ping pretended to cough several times to remind him to restrain himself.

Liu En shook his head: "I don't know him."

I think so, one of them is a deep palace eunuch, the other is a knight-errant, there is a difference in age of more than ten years, how could they know each other?

When Zhan Zhao was born, Liu Endu had been in the palace for two years.

"However, I seem to have met once before."

Zhao Yiyi asked curiously, "Where did you meet?"

Will there be any chance for the two to meet again?

"Master Fan's backyard."

"Ah?" Zhao Yiyi frowned: "Fan Zhongyan's house?"

Fan Zhongyan was his close minister, and Liu En was his eyes and ears. He often sent Liu En to have secret talks with Fan Zhongyan, so it is not surprising that Liu En appeared in the backyard of Fan's mansion.

But why did Zhan Zhao also go to Fan Mansion?Did he have a feud with Fan Zhongyan?

Fan Zhongyan was the mainstay of his royalist party, Wan Yi was involved in some kind of disputes and accidents, he dared not think about the consequences.

Liu En offered Zhao Yiyi another cup of tea: "When Bao Zheng hadn't left the capital, Master Fan and I were discussing matters in the back garden. At that time, this Zhannan Xia was in the tree. I didn't think he had any malicious intentions, so I didn't remind him. Mr. Fan, just asked Mr. Fan to prune the canopy of the tree. It is not a good thing to have too many branches and leaves. Nan Xia may have just recognized me, so it is a bit strange."

It should be strange, how a eunuch can have such strong martial arts.

However, Fan Zhongyan obviously misunderstood something, and he wrote an article to confess his heart, and asked him to forward it to the little emperor, asking the little emperor to believe that Fan Zhongyan was absolutely dedicated to the country and had no other ideas.

Making Liu En dumbfounded, he went back to the palace and showed the article to Zhao Yiyi. Zhao Yiyi read it from beginning to end, and circled two lines of words with a red pen.

Before the world's worries and worries, after the world's joy and joy.

Zhao Yiyi nodded: "It's good if you don't know him. I thought you owed him money. Speaking of money, how much money do we have left from Beijing?"

Liu Endao: "The 300 taels of copper coins have been used up in the past two days to reward the store. Before the 120 taels of gold, I spent 180 taels of gold to pay the tea farmers. Two boxes of silver collars totaling 10 taels have not been used."

Zhao Yiyi calculated and found that the 10 taels of silver would be enough for the next wave of spending, and it might even be a little insufficient.

What a deal!

Why is he so short of money for what the emperor did?

"Liu En," Zhao Yiyi looked at him expectantly, "Your martial arts are so high, can you go back to the capital with lightness kung fu and ask Niang Niang for some silver taels? Not much, 10 taels would be fine."

Liu En ruthlessly rejected him: "This subordinate is only a junior AI now, and there is no space movement function before the upgrade."

Zhao Yiyi was speechless and sighed.

You can't use Liu En to cheat, and it's unrealistic to ask for money if you want to go back to Tokyo.

After going back and forth, and carrying a few thousand catties of silver, there is no one who will not be able to reach Yangzhou for more than a month.

This month, he can wait, but the tea farmers at Guazhou Ferry cannot wait.

After all, this sum of money can only be squeezed out from Yangzhou itself.

Although Yangzhou is the most prosperous and wealthy place in the world, it is so-called riding a crane to Yangzhou with one hundred thousand guan in his waist, but so much money has nothing to do with Zhao Yiyi.

He began to figure out who the richest people in Yangzhou were.

The prosperity of Yangzhou is entirely brought about by the Grand Canal.

The Grand Canal runs through the north and the south, and the Yangtze River runs across the east and west. The junction of the east, west, north and south is Yangzhou.

In the Song Dynasty, when there was no railway transportation, the exchange of goods and personnel depended entirely on water transportation.

No matter which waterway you go from east to west, north to south, you will eventually converge to Yangzhou.

And the Song Dynasty creatively set the capital in Bianliang, the place of the Four Wars, which means that Bianliang needs to maintain a large-scale standing army.

The rations of 80 imperial troops are an extremely large number, not to mention the countless citizens living in Bianliang City.

The grain these people eat every year has to be transported from the grain-producing areas in the south of the Yangtze River. How do they transport it?water transport.

Since it is transported by water, Yangzhou cannot be avoided.

Over time, the wealth stored in Yangzhou City is an unimaginable number.

This is a city built of gold and silver.

The richest people in this city are nothing less than wealthy businessmen who operate large-scale trade.

Grain, salt, silk, and tea, these merchants purchase commodities from Jiangnan every year, and transport them all the way to the north, or even directly to the territory of Liao, earning ten times and a hundred times the profit.

10 taels of silver is nothing to these businessmen, and even 10 taels of gold is not an astonishing number that they cannot come up with.

But how to get them to take out the money in a reasonable way?

It is impossible for Zhao Yiyi to tell them directly. Hello everyone, I am Song Renzong Zhao Zhen who has been on the throne for two and a half years. Please lend me 10 taels of silver. Jokes, like this.

If he really wanted to expose the identity of the emperor, not to mention his personal safety, he would not be able to pass Liu E's test.

If Liu E knew that he was colluding with Di Niangniang to deceive her, Liu E would probably be able to directly peel off a layer of his skin.

The emperor's identity cannot be revealed, and Bao Zheng's identity cannot suppress those businessmen to make them donate money voluntarily for the country.

If you can't overwhelm people with power, you can lure them.

Zhao Yiyi sighed.

The temptation is to lure, anyway, he, the emperor, has never been tough.

He asked Liu En: "Where's Jiang Ping?"

I didn't see Jiang Ping when I got up in the morning. I don't know where he went.

This one is also a big businessman, although it is estimated that he can't get 10 taels of silver, but it is better to lure it from him.

"I was called away by pirates last night."

Liu Endao: "The pirates came here in the middle of the night yesterday, and they said they wanted to invite him back to the ship. At that time, His Majesty was discussing matters with Mr. Bao, so I didn't let them come in to disturb him."

"Called away by pirates?"

Zhao Yiyi wondered: "Could it be that their leader is also awake?"

The pirate leader fell into a coma together with Bao Zheng. It stands to reason that if Bao Zheng woke up, she should wake up too.

only……

"She won't vent her anger on Jiang Ping, will she?"

After all, Jiang Ping did a lot of good things when she was in a coma, like releasing prisoners privately and leading people to rob prison, it is not a trivial matter at first glance, if this person wants to pursue it, Jiang Ping probably lives in danger.

Liu En shook his head: "No. I don't think the pirate looks like he wants to settle accounts after autumn."

Zhao Yiyi frowned: "It's just that Jiang Ping is not here now, where should we start?"

They are not familiar with the place of life in Yangzhou, without Jiang Ping as a guide, it is really difficult for them to move forward.

If there is no recommendation from an acquaintance, where can I invest?

At this time, someone shouted from downstairs: "Master Zhao from the capital! Master Liu! Someone is visiting!"

When Liu En walked to the stairs, he saw seven or eight burly men with big arms and round waists sitting in the lobby. The head of the head was bandaged. It was the pirate named Zheng who had one ear cut off by Zhan Zhao earlier.

Zheng Hailong was waiting downstairs, scratching his neck. When he saw Liu En coming out, he hurriedly saluted: "Liu Yingxiong, our masters are welcome! Please come to the boat for a few heroes!"

Seeing it was him, Liu En smiled: "Are you guys awake?"

Zheng Hailong nodded hurriedly: "The master woke up yesterday afternoon."

Liu Endao: "So, it's not a coincidence that you came here. Then Nanxia Zhanzhao has gone to the Yamen with the imperial envoy Mr. Bao. If you want to find him, you should look for him in the Yamen of Dispute Affairs."

He guessed that the pirate leader must have woken up and saw that his men had their ears cut off, and he wanted to find a place for his men.

Unexpectedly, Zheng Hailong shook his head: "Our master said that Nan Xia and Master Bao are common, but Mr. Zhao and Mr. Liu have never seen each other. They should see each other."

Liu En lowered his face: "Bold! My master also met you when we met?"

Zheng Hailong took out a note from his sleeve: "Our chief said that the two of you must want to come after seeing this."

Liu En said coldly: "Throw it up!"

Zheng Hailong tossed the note upwards, the note was so light, no matter how it could be thrown up, it was about to fall down.Liu En flicked his sleeve, and the note floated into his hand as if there was a wind holding it underneath.

Liu En checked the note and made sure that there was nothing on it that could not be touched by the little emperor, so he presented the note to Zhao Yiyi.

Zhao Yiyi held it in his hand and looked at it, only to see that there was only one large character written on the note - Yi.

Yi, Book of Changes.

The first hexagram of the Book of Changes, do——

He tucked the note into his sleeve, and couldn't help wondering, is my vest so loose?

How come it seems that everyone can recognize me?

So did the nagging Kou Yaoniang before, and so did the pirate leader this time.

I simply don't need to visit privately in micro-services in the future, and I can go to the south of the Yangtze River generously.

He asked Liu En in a low voice: "If the two of us get on their boat, if they are against us, can you take me out with all my tail?"

Liu En also whispered: "I don't necessarily have to have all tails, but you must have all tails."

Zhao Yiyi nodded: "OK."

He raised his voice and said to Zheng Hailong: "I have seen the sincerity of your masters, and dare not follow orders!"

Seeing that he agreed, Zheng Hailong breathed a sigh of relief, involving the wound on his ear, and "hissed" again: "Please, two heroes."

Zhao Yiyi took Liu En downstairs, and the pirates had already prepared the carriage in front of Huixian Building.

This is the busiest time of the day, and Huixianlou is the busiest restaurant in Yangzhou.Such a group of vicious pirates who didn't look like good people gathered in front of the gate of Huixian Tower, inevitably caused a wave of pointing and pointing, and those pirates were calm, as if they didn't see it.

Zhao Yiyi and Liu En got into the carriage, and Zheng Hailong drove the carriage himself. Within an hour, they had already left the city and arrived at the port where they parked their ships by the river.

When he got out of the carriage and looked at the huge ship moored on the river from a distance, Zhao Yiyi clearly felt that the ship had undergone earth-shaking changes in the past two days.

If it was a giant sleeping monster in the middle of the night two days ago, now it is awake.

There are still 15 people standing guard on the deck. Compared with the lax and slack before, the guards at this time are all ready, looking around like a falcon, with their hands on the crossbow, ready to shoot the intruders at any time.

Zhao Yiyi reckoned that if it was this ship they broke into two days ago, it would probably have become three dried human skins hanging on the middle mast by now.

Zheng Hailong yelled a few words to the boat that they didn't understand, and immediately a small boat was put down on the boat, and someone rowed over to pick them up.

Zhao Yiyi noticed that the pirate who rowed the boat was the one who had the most quarrel with Jiang Ping two days ago.

At this time, he was no longer the fool he was two days ago, but his eyes were wide open, his teeth were clenched, and he was rowing hard, not daring to say a single unnecessary word.

Zhao Yiyi couldn't help admiring this pirate leader whom he had never met.

He had only seen this kind of deterrence from the head teacher in high school.

Look how scared the children are.

On board the boat, Zheng Hailong led them to a cabin and punched them in the arms: "The master is waiting for you two inside, and I will take my leave."

After finishing speaking, he turned around and left. Zhao Yiyi could sense a hint of running away from his back.

A woman dressed as a maid came out of the cabin: "You two, please follow me."

Zhao Yiyi and Liu En followed her into the cabin, and saw that the cabin suddenly opened up, it was a huge and simple space, and there was a big book table in the middle, and a pair of pens, ink, paper and inkstones on the table, the ink was not dry yet. .

Behind the table, sat a woman in plain clothes and skirt, with her face turned to the sky, she held a piece of paper and said to the man beside her, "Look, how does my hexagram go?"

Jiang Ping smiled and said, "Good luck."

Seeing someone coming in, the woman turned her head to look: "It turns out that the distinguished guest has arrived, please forgive Yunniang for being far away."

She turned her head around, and Zhao Yiyi could see clearly that half of her face was covered with hideous scars, which was quite frightening.

Yun Niang came out from behind the table, came to Zhao Yiyi, knelt down on her knees: "The daughter of the people kowtows to Your Majesty."

Zhao Yiyi walked to her desk, picked up the papers scattered on the desk, and saw some mysterious hexagrams written on them, so he said: "It is better to learn rituals than to learn easy."

She turned her head and said, "Get up, I don't like to see other people kneeling."

Jiang Ping knelt down with Yunniang early, and got up when he heard the words, and stood beside her.

Zhao Yiyi asked him, "Did you tell me?"

Jiang Ping shook his head: "How dare the grassroots."

Either Jiang Ping told him, or he guessed it.

Zhao Yiyi seriously considered whether to change his vest.

"Tell me, what can I do for you?"

Zhao Yiyi sat behind the table and said, "If there is any grievance, I can also make the decision for you."

Yunniang shook her head: "Minnv's life is generous and she has no grievances."

Zhao Yiyi smiled and said: "There is no grievance, why do you have to see me?"

Don't you want to kill and set fire and be recruited?

Then this matter is out of my control for the time being, you have to wait another two years, or turn left and go to Beijing to find Kou Zhun.

But after finding Kou Zhun, I can't guarantee what your situation will be in two years.

Yun Niang said: "The daughter of the people wants to offer something to His Majesty."

Zhao Yiyi said: "I am rich all over the world, and I don't expect my people to offer sacrifices."

Yun Niang said: "Your Majesty doesn't count on it, but as a citizen, you are still willing to do your part for His Majesty."

As he spoke, he pulled out the large box under the table, and lifted the lid, revealing a golden light.

Zhao Yiyi estimated the weight of the big box, looked at Yunniang's thin arms, and opened her panel again, and sure enough——

Force value 92

"Close it, it's dazzling."

Yun Niang heard the words and covered the box.

Zhao Yiyi asked: "It's rare that you have such a heart, so I will thank the girl for her righteous act on behalf of the tea farmers in Yangzhou."

Sending money to him at such a juncture must not simply want to bribe the emperor, but to understand what is happening in Yangzhou now.

Besides, whoever has seen bribery of officials has seen bribery of the emperor.

It's not easy to be informed to such a degree after waking up for half a day.

Yunniang said blissfully, "I don't have anything else to ask for, I just hope that Your Majesty can bestow a favor."

Of course, Zhao Yiyi knew that the money was not taken for nothing, so he asked, "What grace?"

Yun Niang said firmly: "Minnv implore Your Majesty to grant a marriage."

Zhao Yiyi asked, "Whose marriage?"

Yunniang said: "Imperial envoy Bao Zheng's marriage."

Bao Zheng?

Zhao Yiyi said euphemistically: "Girl, where there is no grass in the world, it is better to cherish the person in front of you. I think the character and talent of Jiang Yishi around you seems to be..."

This sister, you are a pirate leader!

You and Bao Zheng are definitely not a good match!

Yun Niang said: "Your Majesty misunderstood, Minnv did not want to marry Lord Bao."

Not married?

Do you want to have an underground romance?

Zhao Yiyi said: "This also depends on Bao Qing's wishes..."

Yunniang said: "This is a marriage destined in heaven, Mr. Bao will never disagree."

Zhao Yiyi looked at her, thinking about how to persuade Yunniang to give up this idea in a harmless way.

After all, this is the patron's father, and the patron's father is not happy to take back the small money, so what can he do?

Yun Niang said: "Lord Bao and the daughter of Master Li, the former servant of the Ministry of Officials, are destined to be married. The daughter of the people, please Your Majesty to facilitate this matter."

Zhao Yiyi was taken aback for a moment.

The daughter of the official servant, surnamed Li...

He hurriedly asked: "How do you know?"

It is true that Bao Zheng will marry the daughter of a servant named Li. This is one of the plots in which the civet cat is exchanged for the prince.

But how did Yunniang know?

... Ancient and modern pots!

Yunniang raised her head to look at him: "Heaven bestows a happy marriage, please Your Majesty make it happen."

Zhao Yiyi looked at her: "I really want to know, Miss Yun was born as a water bandit, why did she think of being a mediator?"

Yun Niang sighed: "The fate is like this, who dares to disobey it."

"Your Majesty, Ziwei leaves the palace and Beichen has no master. Within three years, if there is no bondage in the world of mortals, the stars of civil and military music will return to their positions."