Dressed as Su Peisheng

Kangxi 49 years

The ninth day of February, Sichuan

In the backyard of the governor's yamen, Nian Gengyao stood in front of a pot of old pine, loosening the soil carefully.

Hu Qiheng waited at the side, with a smile on his face, "Prince Yong really behaved in a relaxed manner, and Chuoqi was wronged. Now, the food has arrived at the border safely, and Master Funing'an is also very grateful to his brother."

"The one in Beijing is what he is most grateful for," Nian Gengyao straightened up and dusted off his hands, "Right now Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu have become bargaining chips in the game in Beijing. Remaining in the original position is still a favorite in the eyes of everyone, and there are quite a few people who join him."

"From my point of view, this Chuoqi may have already been in contact with someone in Beijing." Hu Qiheng is now promoted by Nian Gengyao as governor of Kuizhou. He is very well-informed and has a lot of information everywhere. Some people often go in and out of the mansions of the generals and officials, and there are a lot of contacts, it seems that they are raising power for someone at the border."

"He dared to openly withhold the military rations shipped to the border. I don't believe that he said that no one was behind the scenes." Nian Gengyao turned around and led Hu Qiheng to walk slowly down the corridor. It's the cleanest right now. You should pay more attention to see which faction he has the most contact with."

"Brother, don't worry," Hu Qiheng lowered his head, then thought of something again, "Don't you try to win over E Hai? Prince Yong has a high position in Beijing, and he is also quite popular in the local area. E Hai has something to hold onto his elder brother again." In his hands, he may not be unwilling to submit. If elder brother can win E Hai under the banner of Prince Yong, half of the Sichuan-Shaanxi-Gansu border will be in our hands."

Nian Gengyao smiled softly when he heard the words, and shook his head, "It is impossible for me and E Hai to stay in the same camp. I can't tolerate him, and he can't tolerate me. Not to mention that I hold his handle in my hand, and I have been with him several times. To fight head-on, in the Sichuan-Shanxi area alone, there is no need for a second person who has the final say."

Hu Qiheng pondered for a while, then nodded slightly, "Then, will Funing'an do it? After all, Prince Yong definitely wants to lay a foundation in the northwest."

"You don't know the man in Beijing," Nian Gengyao turned his head to look outside the wall, "that's a person who takes one step and thinks about a hundred steps. For someone like E Hai who is strong from the outside, no matter how powerful he is, it's hard for him. That said, it’s not worth using.”

Beijing, Wenfeng Pavilion

On the stage, Qinhuai ditties were babbling. Su Dacaidong was wearing a satin robe, a black mink cap, and the braids were embellished with fine suet white jade. He had a ruddy complexion. Her skin was so fair and tender that she seemed to be glowing all over her body.At this time, while sipping tea, he was humming a little tune with the actor, shaking his head and looking uncomfortable.

However, the two shopkeepers sitting at the same table were a little bit silent. The more approachable this person looked, the more uncertain they were.Both of these two had just arrived in Beijing, and they were Wu Xuesong, the shopkeeper of Wuji No. [-], who cooperated with Jishengtang in salt sales, and Yu Jia, the shopkeeper of Longsheng Company.

Du Hong, the shopkeeper of Jishengtang, Muci the accountant, and Yin Shengrong, the piano player, also came to accompany him. Zhang Qilin, who had been out with Su Wei for the past two days, looked excitedly at the excitement.

After the song was over, Su Wei called Xiao Er to give a reward. The atmosphere in the room relaxed slightly. Yu Jia pursed his dry lips and asked tentatively, "I don't know, did the rich man read the account books we presented?"

"Look," Su Wei took a bite of the red bean cake and took a sip of tea, "The income is 5 to [-]% less than in previous years, and the two of you will add up to [-] taels. I'm also curious, last year Jiangnan Don’t the common people eat salt?”

"Su Caidong, we really can't blame us," Wu Xuesong said a little bit quizzically, "Last year, not only us, but all the salt merchants in Lianghuai have lost their money. The Lianghuai salt transport envoy desperately collected taxes, Collecting silver, trying every means to get money out of our pockets. In order not to attract the attention of the top, the salt merchants are not allowed to raise prices, and the salt gang is obstructing it. After this year, the salt merchants are really dumb and suffer. I can't tell."

"Salt transport envoy?" Su Wei leaned back in his chair and tapped on the table with one hand, "After Cao Yin passed away, the Lianghuai salt affairs are now under Li Xu's management, right?"

"Yes," Yu Jia replied, "The Cao and Li families are relatives by marriage. They have been close friends for generations, and they are deeply favored by the emperor. The rich vacancies in the two rivers and one place are occupied by these two families. When Cao Yin was alive, he was separated from Li Xu." Ren Jiangning and Suzhou Weaving, and was ordered to take turns managing the Lianghuai Salt Department for ten years. After Cao Yin's death, Jiangning Weaving was taken over by his son Cao Yong, and the Lianghuai Salt Department was still in the hands of Cao and Li. Usually, the salt merchants I just tried my best to please these two families. But who knows, for some reason last year, the salt transportation envoy opened his mouth again, and the salt merchants lost a lot of money."

Su Wei's eyes dimmed, he was silent for a moment, and sighed, "I can't blame you for the matter above, but the prince has so many eyes watching in Beijing, and I can't let you use his name to do business outside. Eat Let’s suffer some losses, anyway, how much they swallowed, they will have to spit it out sooner or later!”

"That's what Cai Dong said," Yu Jia cupped his hands, "Everything should be put first, we won't talk nonsense outside, please rest assured Cai Dong."

"The two shopkeepers are sensible people." Su Wei curled his lower lip, turned his head and said to Mu Ci, "you will go back with the two shopkeepers in a while, and help me clear up the accounts. I will send someone to Yangzhou to look at it later. Look. The two shopkeepers have too much business, so we have to help."

"Yes," Mu Ci bowed his head slightly.

Both Yu Jia and Wu Xuesong secretly swallowed their saliva, they knew that this father-in-law, who had always been stingy, would not let them take advantage so easily!

Mu Ci and Yin Shengrong sent the two shopkeepers away, and the always kind-faced Eunuch Su finally couldn't hold back that hypocritical smile.

"His grandma's, dare to covet your grandpa's money!"

The dining table in the private room was shaken, and Zhang Qilin watched the plate of cakes on the table being crushed into powder by his father-in-law Su.

Du Hong rubbed his nose, thought for a while and said cautiously, "Even though these two shopkeepers may make some small moves, they definitely don't dare to be so greedy. The villain heard from the caravan that came to Beijing recently that Lianghuai Salt Market is indeed somewhat Complaining."

"Your wealth owner is not talking about those two shopkeepers," Zhang Qilin grinned, "he's talking about the Salt Transport Envoy."

Grandpa Su snorted heavily, and Du Hong understood now, but thinking about the identity of his family's wealth owner, it is understandable for him not to take a salt transportation envoy seriously.

Baye Mansion

Jiayi leaned against the head of the bed with a pale face, while Xiuxiang stood aside, clutching the veil in both hands, staring unblinkingly at the imperial physician who gave Jiayi her pulse.

The imperial doctor's surname is Wang, and he was specially summoned by Ba Age.If there is really a young master in her family, then the news will soon spread throughout the government and the public.

"Congratulations, my lord," Xiu Xiang was taken aback, Wang Taiyi stood up, and bowed to Jiayi, "My lord has a son of Lord Belle."

Jiayi clenched her hands on the quilt, the corners of her mouth twitched for a long time, but she couldn't show any happy expression.

It was Xiuxiang who reacted first and blocked the imperial physician Wang's sight, "Please also ask the imperial physician to tell the servants about the miscarriage of the young master. Our young master has always been weak..."

Jiayi sat on the bed blankly for a long time, before returning to Xiuxiang, she waited for the Eight Fujin.

Ba Fujin walked into Jiayi's bedroom, Jin Huan turned around and closed the door.

"The slaves just came to report. I have already sent someone to inform Lord Baylor immediately." Bafujin sat down beside the bed with a smile on his face, "Since you are pregnant, don't think too much. Mother depends on child , once this child is born, your side Fujin's position will definitely be stronger."

Jiayi stared at Fujin's face, her sunken eyes were not bright at all.

Ba Fujin didn't want to provoke her too much, and put the overall situation first in everything, "I won't keep any more. If you need anything, just send someone to the library to get it. As long as you give birth to this child safely, everything will be fine."

Xiu Xiang walked into the room with the medicine bowl in her hand, Ba Fujin stood up, "Serve your master well, come to me if you need anything, I'll come back to see you in a few days."

"Yes," Xiu Xiang lowered her head, and Ba Fujin walked out of the room holding Jin Huan's arm.

"My lord..." Xiuxiang walked to the bed, looked at Jiayi's withered face, and felt more and more uncomfortable, "My lord, there are still eight months left, we must have a chance. Take care of your body first. Alright, servant girl, go and think of a way."

In the evening, Prince Yong's Mansion

In the east small courtyard, the fourth elder brother leaned on the couch, looking at the tax files of the Ministry of Households, and the room was silent.

After the lights on the kang table flickered once and twice, Prince Yong, who always pays attention to concentration when reading, finally couldn't stand it anymore.

"Cao and Li's family are now protected by Huang Ama. It's not that I don't want to move, but I can't move." The fourth elder brother put down the book and looked at Su Wei helplessly. "When Cao Yin died, he left a large amount of money. Huang Ama also left the Cao family and Li Xu in the salt class, just to let them find a way to fill the hole. They didn't start with the common people, they started with the profitable salt merchants, which is a bit of a bottom line. will punish them."

"Are you sure it's just mending the hole?" Su Wei wrinkled his nose, "How much money do they have to make a year by doing this? The arrears from the emperor are only three 10,000+ taels. If it is really to mend the hole, so I can make up several times a year."

"Perhaps there are other uses." The fourth elder brother didn't care much, "You also know that Cao Li is now close to Lao Ba, and they are far away in the south of the Yangtze River. They can't help Lao Ba, so they can only support him with financial resources. "

Having said this, Eunuch Su became even more angry, "They are all elder brothers, why do they have ready-made purses, but you don't?"

"I have always hated corruption and bribery the most, and it's not like you don't know it," the fourth elder brother leisurely flipped through two pages of the book, "The following filial piety is just a wish, but there is an inexhaustible treasury handed over. It's just , I don’t even want it.”

Grandpa Su exhaled turbid air from his nose, the fourth elder brother smiled, and touched his legs together, "Don't worry, you remember how much Cao and Li's family have been greedy for you, and I will definitely make them pay you back twice when you turn around." for you."