Survival countdown

Huo Jingtang walked forward with his hands behind his back, saying very little along the way.

Du Gong couldn't figure out his attitude at first, so he felt a little uneasy. He glanced at Huo Jingtang from the corner of his eye from time to time. The yellowish sunlight fell on the side face of the little county king. His face was full of brilliance, reminding him of the 15-year-old who defeated the Turks. The king of Xiaojun happened to meet Qionglin Yan when he returned to Beijing.

The king of the small county rushed to the banquet and left immediately, like a shadow of a ghost, which was deeply imprinted in the hearts of everyone that day.

Later, the news about the Xiaojun King was that he returned from southern Xinjiang, handed over his military power, and fell silent in the county palace. Suddenly, there were rumors of the Xiaojun King's ugly appearance and tyrannical temperament in Kyoto.

During the several meetings, the Xiaojun Wang always wore an ugly mask, which further proved the rumors of being ugly and disfigured.

When I came back from Huainan last year, although I lived in seclusion, I occasionally went in and out of the court without wearing a mask, and my demeanor was always amazing to young officials who had never seen the world.

If King Xiaojun and Zhao Baiyu stand side by side, the amazing effect will be doubled.

Lin'an County King and Zhao Baiyu probably don't know that they have become the most affectionate couple among the housewives in Kyoto Prefecture by virtue of their outstanding appearance. Even some literati have heard about it and think so.

People are always more tolerant of good-looking people, especially the literati and housewives in Kyoto Prefecture, who make no secret of their pursuit of good looks and regard them as noble sentiments.

"Master Du."

Huo Jingtang opened his mouth suddenly, and Du Gong reflexively cupped his hands: "Young Prince, please tell me."

As soon as he finished speaking, he reacted and put down his hand in embarrassment.

Huo Jingtang wrapped the beads round and round around his wrist, and then untied them again and again, repeating the action boredly, with an understatement: "Master Du admires my young gentleman?"

"My lord Zhao has wonderful ideas and plans, and he is full of loyalty and courage. Naturally, I don't hesitate to appreciate them."

"So you use him to help you deal with the Ministry of Households? I really appreciate Master Du's appreciation."

Du Gong's heart trembled, knowing that the little county king was here to protect his shortcomings, so he took care to make his tone a little more humble: "My lord Zhao has the ambition to rise to the top. Before that, because of family affairs, I spent several years in the yamen of the capital, wasting my talent. Otherwise, he should have been famous in the capital and climbed to the fifth-rank Beijing official steadily, why is he still struggling in some poor and dilapidated yamen?"

Huo Jingtang had a half-smile: "In the eyes of Mr. Du, the Water Transport Yamen is poor and dilapidated, not a springboard?"

Du Gongxian: "It's poor and poor, and it's also a rare opportunity. Mr. Zhao's complex status, non-jinshi background and other innate reasons make his official career difficult. If there is no opportunity, he will be at the end of the five ranks. I want to be among the three men and be above ten thousand people. If you are a prime minister, you must take the lead, do things that others dare not do, and use your unique and beautiful political achievements to stifle criticism from others."

Huo Jingtang: "Obviously it is biased towards one's own interests, but once you say it, it turns into a heart-to-heart confession to others. It's strange that Master Du doesn't form cliques with others, doesn't take the lead or pinch the head, but can sit smoothly all the way. Go to the position of the third secretary. Besides, debt collection and cancellation of accounts are obviously disgusting, but all the officials in the court have always had a good evaluation of Mr. Du, except for the Minister of the Ministry of officials. I couldn't figure out the reason before, but now I know that it is Mr. Du has a quick mind and a good eloquence, he can tell black into white."

Du Gongxian: "I'm really terrified, how can I bear His Royal Highness's speculation? I don't pinch, don't form cliques, and get along well with others, probably because of mediocre ability, I can't compete with others. No dispute, no hatred .”

Back and forth, like a spear and a shield, Du Gong replied impeccably, and his attitude was always humble.

Huo Jingtang glanced at him, not annoyed: "Master Du intends to reform water transportation?"

Du Gongxian: "The water transportation yamen is poor and dilapidated, and reform is indeed imminent."

Huo Jingtang: "When it comes to taxation, Mr. Du is very clear in his heart. You are also strict with your mouth. This king will not go around with you. The water transportation tax is related to the business tax system. Your Majesty intends to regulate water transport, and the civil and military ministers all agree, but it is a newly created yamen, which has no prestige, no connections, and weak power, so it cannot be promoted at all. Xiao Lang has never been exposed to major changes in the system before, so he does not know how to promote one. How much manpower, material and financial resources will be spent on the decree, but you, Mr. Du, who has been an official for [-] or [-] years, don't you know?"

Du Gongxian: "It depends on man's effort."

Before they knew it, the two had reached the gate of the palace, and when they were about to part ways, Huo Jingtang stopped and turned to look at Du Gongxian. His eyes, as sharp as frost and sharp knives, pierced the calculations deep in Du Gongxian's heart. shape.

"Is it for the two rivers?"

Huo Jingtang's voice was very small, falling on Du Gongxian's ears was no less than a thunderstorm, and his original composure was wiped out at this moment.

Du Gong couldn't help raising his head first, and looked at Huo Jingtang in horror, his glass-colored eyes seemed to see through all the ghosts and monsters in the world.

Du Gong moved his lips first: "Why do you..."

How could you guess Liangjiang?

At least ten years of experience in the court situation is required to be able to understand it well, otherwise he would not recommend Zhao Baiyu to a new yamen to do business, and he would be able to see Liangjiang far away from the capital.

How could Huo Jingtang know the situation in court so well?

At the age of 12, he was far away from the political center. After returning to Beijing, he stayed at home and had no real power in his hands. How could he find a way to control the situation?

It is even the geniuses of the sky, if they have no connections and no channels, it is impossible to calculate the big situation through one or two small things!

Unless you are ambitious and aim for the throne.

"Lord Du is better off. This king likes the life of idle clouds and wild cranes, and he also hopes that Xiao Lang can be a rich and idle person. But he has a long-term ambition, and this king can only support him. I hope everything goes well for him, but it is not possible to be accepted by him." You used it once or twice to use it as a spearman." Huo Jingtang's eyes were dangerous, and his tone was cold: "That scheming in the palace, a courtier can't refute it, but ask yourself, what are you?"

Mr. Du Gong was annoyed, thinking that Huo Jingtang was eager to love, but caring would cause confusion, so he patiently persuaded: "If you don't mention the officialdom, you will plot against each other, and being plotted will prove that Mr. Zhao is not a useless mediocrity. As for His Royal Highness, you want to protect Mr. Zhao, but can you protect him for a lifetime of official career? He is also an upright man, more than thousands of men in the world. Since he is a prime minister, why do you have to let him hide? Another man enjoying a peaceful but mediocre life after death? Instead of leaving Zhao Baiyu in a broken yamen in the capital, it is better to let him go to other provinces to fight for it."

Du Gongxian's so-called earnestness was based on the fact that he wanted to grind Zhao Baiyu into a knife for cutting Liangjiang, so he couldn't persuade Huo Jingtang to say a word.

Huo Jingtang looked at the sky, fiddled with the Buddhist beads, and silently recited the Buddhist scriptures to eliminate anger, and said: "It's a pity that I couldn't reach an agreement with Lord Du, but I have said everything that needs to be said. If Lord Du really wants to rectify Liangjiang can fight in person, don't come to harm my little man, otherwise—”

The hand that was playing with the beads paused, and with a little force, Huo Jingtang forcibly twisted a small-leaf red sandalwood beads into powder.

There is no need to say the threat, it is already frightening to the point of death.

Du Gong swallowed his saliva first, and when Huo Jingtang took a step forward, he reflexively jumped to the back of the imperial guards at the gate of the palace. His escape speed was like that of a martial arts practitioner. It took a long time before he dared to stick his head out, but found that the gate of the palace was empty. Jing Tang had already left.

Returning to his sedan chair in shock, Du Gong first wiped off the cold sweat on his head, and he shook his head and sighed bitterly when he thought of promoting the progress of Emperor Yuanshou's plan to visit Liangjiang.

Liangjiang's officialdom is indeed dangerous, but it also means that rectifying Liangjiang's officialdom may become a generation of famous ministers. This is a great opportunity to enter Zhaoxun Pavilion and be famous in history!

"How many new scholars want to become famous ministers through the ages, want to have a chance to show their talents, but how many of them have been mediocre all their lives, leaving no name in history. Mr. Zhao has made great achievements, why don't you let him go to the mountains of swords and flames? "

Du Gong couldn't figure it out at first, and sighed to himself.

***

The meeting with the East Palace broke up badly, and Zhao Baiyu wandered aimlessly in Kyoto Prefecture. From the bustling market to the state bridge, there were stalls on both sides of the bridge, and under the arch bridge, there were tank boats full of grain passing by. The field staff not far away stopped me and asked for the bridge toll.

Zhao Baiyu was on the bridge watching the envoy collect commercial taxes, and a small vendor next to him asked, "Young Master, would you like some wine crab and braised duck?"

Zhao Baiyu looked, but he was a dark-skinned man in his forties. There were two large rectangular cabinets in front of him. The top layer was being opened, and the smell of marinade could be faintly smelled.

"There are still fresh crabs at this time?"

"Mr. Xiaolang, have you never heard of spring crab and summer crab? Spring crab is not as fat and big as autumn crab, but it has its own unique flavor. The meat inside is fresh and sweet when eaten raw, but if it is poured into wine and fermented for two days and one night before being eaten out, it will have both the freshness and sweetness of the meat and the mellow aroma of the wine, without any harsh smell.”

"Give me four wine crabs and four taels of braised duck."

"Good Le!"

While Zhao Baiyu was waiting for the vendors to pack, they chatted suddenly: "Will the government collect taxes if you set up a stall here?"

"No charge. Small business, where can I get the money to pay taxes? But I heard that there are some counties below the Kyoto Prefecture that collect taxes. ? They all went out to do business, and peddled in the village to make ends meet.”

"There is a decree from the imperial court that vendors do not charge any taxes."

"Hey! There are policies at the top and countermeasures at the bottom. The emperor is high above, so how can he see how the ordinary people live?" The small vendor packed the food and handed it to Zhao Baiyu, carefully examining his clothes, temperament and clean face, He nodded and bowed involuntarily: "Don't blame me, little man, I don't mean to blame the Tianjia and the imperial court. The Holy One showed mercy, opened a night market to encourage business, and exempted us from taxes and money for small businesses, so that we can have enough food and have spare money It’s too late for us to be grateful!”

Zhao Baiyu smiled gently: "Don't be nervous, I'm not a big shot. Is there no one in the capital collecting taxes randomly?"

The peddler hesitated for a moment and said: "A few years ago, there was one business every five miles, but then for some reason, many business affairs were suddenly withdrawn, and many miscellaneous and exorbitant taxes were reduced."

Zhao Baiyu thanked him, took the food after paying, and went to several bridges, ferries, and water gates in the mansion to observe. Unknowingly, he walked to the Royal Street and met Chen Shidao who had just left for work.

Chen Shidao stopped him: "I don't belong to Shensi, but I have doubts in my heart?"

Zhao Baiyu said with a smile: "If you encounter a little trouble in business, it will not get in the way."

Chen Shidao looked at him intently, and moved his nose to smell: "There is wine and seafood...is it a drunk crab?"

Zhao Baiyu opened the exquisite takeaway box: "The name of the teacher is well-deserved."

Chen Shidao rubbed his hands and laughed, grabbed Zhao Baiyu's arm and pulled him into the nearest restaurant. He found a seat by the window and sat down, facing the tributary of the Bian River below. He ordered a few dishes and two bottles of wine. Zhao Baiyu drank with him.

Zhao Baiyu couldn't refuse, so he risked his life to have a few drinks with his mentor, and gradually he became drunk, his tense nerves relaxed a lot, he looked up and saw that his mentor had already eaten two wine crabs, and was about to attack the third one, so he quickly took it away. Tight and push the braised duck out.

"Huo Jingtang hasn't eaten yet, I have to save two for him."

Chen Shidao stared: "Just eat one and taste it. If you eat two in a row, you will become addicted. It's too late."

Zhao Baiyu respected Chen Shidao very much. In the past, no great Confucianist was willing to teach him. Only Chen Shidao, who taught without distinction, treated him equally. Later, he discovered his precocious wisdom and miraculousness, and taught him carefully, giving him the love and care of his elders.

If there is no Huo Jingtang, or he is not in the mood to drink at the moment, he must give Chen Shidao all the wine and crabs to enjoy.

But right now he is a family man, a little drunk, conscious, but too relaxed.

So Zhao Baiyu told Chen Shidao very seriously: "You have two, Huo Jingtang has two, I can't favor one over the other."

Chen Shidao didn't think anything at first, but when he heard this, he immediately felt unbalanced: "What's wrong with favoring one more than another? Can the king of a small county compare with a master?"

Zhao Baiyu looked embarrassed.

Chen Shidao couldn't believe it, did he still need to choose which one was closer, the lord or the mentor?Still need to hesitate?The best relationship between the protagonist and the protagonist is just a confidant who only uses talents, but in the end, it is clearly the family who really loves and loves him!

In less than a year, is the lord more important than the mentor in the apprentice's heart?

After struggling in his heart, Zhao Baiyu decided to buy a few wine crabs later and bring them back to the Prince's Mansion, so he pushed out the wine crabs in his arms: "Teacher, you can eat."

Chen Shidao: "I don't care about it as a teacher, it's good to have some peanuts for my teacher."

"..." Fortunately, Zhao Baiyu is a master of hair smoothing, he said slowly: "Crabs are cold in nature, and fermented rice is not good for the stomach. My teacher has a little problem with stomach pain, and he likes to accompany wine, so The students feel that the mentor will taste it and it will be done."

Chen Shidao twitched his mustache, keeping the corners of his mouth curled up: "Stomach pain is not a serious problem, just ask the imperial doctor to prescribe some medicine. You are too fussy, and even small problems are always on your mind..."

Stomach pain is not a small problem, Huo Jingtang also has this problem.

Zhao Baiyu kept playing with the wine glass in his hand, while wandering in his mind, while listening to Chen Shidao's rambling, this is his talent for dual-purpose.

Chen Shidao suddenly changed the subject: "But are you not used to the new yamen?"

Zhao Baiyu came back to his senses, took a moment to say, "It's okay."

Chen Shidao: "You have encountered a problem." After drinking a glass of wine, he said firmly: "You are my student, and I have more thoughts on cultivating you than that child Fang Rong. Fang Rong is a little clever, but you have great wisdom There is a saying that has been used vulgarly, but it makes sense. This sentence is 'wisdom will hurt'. You, a person like you is actually more suitable to be a hermit, arty, looking at mountains and rivers, plum wife and crane son , Occasionally someone from the world will come to beg you, and once you make a move, you will win thousands of miles away... In this way, word of mouth, you will become a legend."

Zhao Baiyu laughed: "Master, have you read too many stories?"

Chen Shidao shook his head, drank another sip of wine, shook his head and sighed: "You are not suitable for entering the officialdom. Little white fish, the officialdom is too dirty, no one can get out of the mud." It is full of the transparency of a veteran minister who has gone through three dynasties: "The officialdom needs smart people, and there must also be foolish people. Smart people do smart things, and foolish things should be handed over to foolish people. , you have to adapt to power, appoint people on their merits, you can do these things, you are better than me. But when you really step into the officialdom, you have to learn to compromise, know how to advance and retreat, put yourself into the unspoken rules of the officialdom, and shape yourself into a A look you don't even know yourself."

Zhao Baiyu pursed his lips and remained silent, his fingertips holding the wine glass were pale.

Chen Shidao: "Remember what I said before? When you learn to hide your clumsiness, show weakness, and sit on the mountain and watch the tiger fight, you can be regarded as stepping into the officialdom, because at this time you know how to use the rules in the officialdom to handle things. But when When you step into the officialdom with both feet, you will find that the officialdom does not follow your heart and do what you want, but bows your head again and again."

Zhao Baiyu said in a low voice, "Teacher, you know that your tribe is using your reputation to do business outside?"

Chen Shidao: "Yes. They want to survive and live well, and don't cross the line. As a teacher, they just turn a blind eye and close their eyes."

Zhao Baiyu: "The teacher also knows about the tax evasion of water transportation?"

Chen Shidao: "There is no wall in the world that does not leak air."

Zhao Baiyu looked towards the tributaries of the Bian River, where three tank boats loaded with goods were sailing towards the bridge pass. The bridge was bustling with people on and under the bridge, and business was booming, which gave a glimpse of the prosperous future.

"I just hope that the prosperous world will be peaceful and the suffering of the people will be alleviated a little."

The working people in this era are living too hard. Others always think that he is too kind, and always praise him as a Bodhisattva, just because they don't know how dignified he has seen the people of another era.

Chen Shidao: "As a teacher, I have seen the collapse of dynasties with my own eyes, and I have also experienced the fighting in the official circles of the three dynasties. From frequent wars, changing sons to eat, poor and poor, to today's borders are stable, and the people live and work in peace. The imperial court is not as clear as water, and the Tian family is not very tolerant. At least the top and bottom are united. The civil and military forces of the whole court have their own thoughts, but it is not that no one is doing practical things... So, as a teacher, I believe that I will see a peaceful and prosperous world. Little white fish, you I will also see peace and prosperity as I wish.”

Different.

Zhao Baiyu turned to Master Chen and said, "Yes."

In the eyes of Emperor Yuanshou, Chen Shidao and others, the prosperous age is that the people will not go hungry or cold, but the prosperous age in Zhao Baiyu's eyes is not only like this.

"I understand." Zhao Baiyu smiled, "I believe what the teacher said."

The Ministry of Households only wanted [-]% of the commercial tax on water transport, and his original expectation was that only four to five cents of the commercial tax on water transport would be poured into the national treasury. On the other hand, it was an unexpected good thing that the Ministry of Households took away [-]% of the tax from the government to help maintain the stability of the tax system.

Zhao Baiyu took a deep breath: "I was stunned."

He was blinded by his desire to win or lose, and he was only thinking about the battle between the Water Transport Yamen and the Ministry of Households. He wanted to win, but he forgot the original purpose.

Even casinos have the variable of a tie, not only winning or losing, let alone the officialdom?

He fixedly looked at Zhao Baiyu, making sure that he had really figured it out, so that Chen Shidao could feel at ease.

He was afraid that the most proud student would not be able to hold back and insisted on arguing right and wrong in the officialdom, but fortunately, Xiao Baiyu was extremely intelligent, and he was indeed his most proud student!

Chen Shidao started to talk about business. If Zhao Baiyu couldn't figure it out, he wouldn't continue with the next step.

"Actually, the water transport business tax in the mansion only accounts for a small part of Dajing's annual business tax." Chen Shidao gestured a little bit of his little finger, and said mysteriously: "Although the water transport in the mansion runs from north to south, most of the water ships pass through the capital and don't stop. Only a few tariffs have been collected, and most of the tank boats transport tax-free grain, and the commercial tax they can receive is not much. Donggong is not mediocre, and his hands can only be extended to the four canals in the north. However, it cannot be denied that it has also been used in practical matters. The stability of commercial taxation in the government is not lacking in the dispatch of the household department. In the past, the inland river only allowed the transportation of official grain and prohibited trade, but now it is liberalized, so the foundation is not deep, and the tax money collected into the national treasury is barely enough Alleviate the urgent need of the country."

"The real bulk is transported by water in the south, but by sea."

Zhao Baiyu's eyes moved.

"You should use the tax money embezzled by the Ministry of Households to make a rough estimate of the tax money for water transportation in the world, right?"

Zhao Baiyu nodded.

"Is it an astronomical figure?"

"The total tax revenue of the country doubles in one year."

"You think it was corrupted by the Ministry of Household Affairs? I tell you, no." Chen Shidao said firmly.

"The south is rich and rich, as it has always been. The previous dynasty opened Guangzhou Port and Quanzhou Port, encouraged maritime trade, established a city shipping department, established diplomatic relations with seventy countries, and all nations came to Korea, laying a solid and complete foundation for maritime trade. Domestic tea, porcelain , Silk export, in exchange for a steady stream of foreign gold imports, flowing through Jiangxi, and now, there are more incentive policies such as water transport and commerce, what do you think is the profit?"

"There are hundreds of thousands of profits."

"However, since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the shipping in the South has been mediocre, and the annual tax and silver income is only three or four million taels."

Zhao Baiyu's pupils constricted. He guessed that Southern Shipping was seriously corrupt, but the truth was beyond imagination.

"Sea tank ships need to transfer to inland rivers, do you know where to transfer?"

"Two rivers."

"My teacher hastily estimated that rectifying one of the two rivers can raise a great scene for 50 years."

Zhao Baiyu opened his eyes wide, this number surprised him.

"How can a mere five-rank water transportation yamen trap you? You are a dragon, how can you be trapped in the shallows? If the capital officials are not released, how can you have a great career? How can you rank among the prime minister's political achievements? Little white fish, let me tell you about you Not suitable for officialdom, but as a teacher, I know that you care about the world and cannot do without you. You hope that you will not be swayed in the officialdom in the future, so you have to be the prime minister and enter the two governments. The best way to help you enter the political center is in Liangjiang !at--"

Chen Shidao dipped his finger in the wine and wrote on the table, staring at Zhao Baiyu with scorching eyes, and Zhao Baiyu seemed to understand that his teacher also had grand ambitions in his heart, and he also wanted to promote the emergence of a peaceful and prosperous age. I want to see the prosperity born in his hands with my own eyes.

Zhao Baiyu moved his eyes down and landed on the table, the two words written by Chen Shidao.

Hongzhou.

--------------------

The author has something to say:

Field affairs, tax collection place.

In the ancient times of peace and prosperity, such as the Tang Dynasty in my understanding, in fact, the common people were not hungry or cold, and it could not be said that they were all fed and clothed. This was considered a prosperous age.