As a salted fish, I was forced to become the teacher of all ages

"Huh?" Hua Manlou's eyes widened: "Can't you delay for a moment? So you want to marry me early?"

Wen Liang stomped her feet angrily: "You... If you don't speak well, I will leave you alone!"

Hua Manlou looked at her with a smile: "I really don't care?"

Wen Liang said angrily, "Be serious!"

After teasing Miss Wen, Hua Manlou slowly opened his mouth: "Like that group of civil servants... oh, I'm not talking about your father, I mean, any group that is divided into one category, most of the time it is They are fighting on their own, even divided."

"You want to divide and balance again?" Wen Liang understood immediately.

Hua Manlou smiled and said, "Otherwise? Wouldn't it be silly not to use such an easy-to-use method?"

Just like when they were dealing with shipping in Ningbo, destroying the disobedient ones and putting a bridle on the obedient ones to restrain them, Hua Manlou really couldn't believe that all Shanxi merchants were on the side of the Minister of the Household Department.

As a businessman, colleagues are enemies, so don’t Jack and Bonnie still pinch each other?

So, even if they are all Shanxi merchants, it is absolutely impossible for Na Zhenghao, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, to treat these people equally, so wouldn't it be enough to deal with people of his lineage?

Wen Liang thought for a while, and then asked: "Based on your relationship with Xuanwuwei in Dongchang, it is not a problem to find troubles with Shanxi merchants, but what will you use to win over the other part?"

Hua Manlou smiled and said, "Shanxi...do you think there are any special products?"

Wen Liang thought for a while before he said in a daze, "Jinci rice? Qinzhou millet?"

Hua Manlou smiled: "Coal mines, what other specialties are they?"

Wen Liang understood instantly.

In fact, during this period, the reason why Shanxi merchants were able to become Shanxi merchants was because there were not many special products in Shanxi, and only a little rice with a low output was available. Therefore, there were countless people in Jinzhong who went out to do business—— If you don't go out to do business, you will starve to death.

In the Song Dynasty, Shanxi merchants accumulated huge wealth. In the Ming Dynasty, there was a saying that "Pingyang, Ze, and Lu are the richest people in the world, and they are not rich unless they are hundreds of thousands." This shows how capable Shanxi merchants are.

So once Na Zhenghao, who is not very close to Huamanlou, hands over the coal business to them, will this group of Shanxi merchants not be able to offer Huamanlou as a grandfather?

We must know that the large-scale use of coal in the world is still led by the steel industry that is full of buildings, and the beginning of private coal use is still the carbon stove that is full of buildings.Let's not talk about the folks, the official Huamanlou not only needs to supplement the military equipment of the Xishan Guard and the entire navy, but also Emperor Guangxing also intended to equip the frontier army with firecrackers and artillery. when is it...

If you can do coal business, who wants to be a businessman?

As for how to punish the Shanxi merchants on Na Zhenghao's side...

Hua Manlou didn't even need evidence to convict the Shanxi merchants, because most of these people smuggled ironware into the grasslands, and the investigation of this matter was accurate, and a group of people died after investigation.

The part of Lao Ma’s discussion about interests is also applicable to Shanxi merchants, and there are historical records that Shanxi merchants not only sell things to Tatar and Wala, but they also didn’t miss Jurchen’s side, and they dared to sell everything.

There is a record in "Ming Hui Dian": ... the profiteers, making friends with Zhi, even stealing arms and leaking military information, although there are officials such as supervisors and city guards, the situation cannot be stopped.

This is about the Guangning horse market, so who are the unprofitable people referring to?

"Wanquan County Chronicle" records: The eight merchants are all from Shanyou (the old refers to Shanxi)... In this dynasty (Manchu Qing Dynasty), Longxing Liaozuo sent people to Koushi to trade, and they were all the heads of the eight families.After the tripod was set, all the people were invited to have a banquet in the hall, and they were given food from the top.

Take a look, isn't it abrupt that the Manchu Qing enshrined Shanxi merchants as imperial merchants?

All in all, this group of people can be regarded as the fault of Hua Manlou now--Hua Manlou didn't bother to care when he was not jumping, but when he started jumping, how could he be worthy of the conscience of the flower rabbit?

463. You call this a credit?

In Huamanlou's previous life, there were always arguments that Shanxi merchants were classified as traitors and traitors, not to mention the abuse, even the people from the right side of the mountain scolded together, this...

It’s a bit biased to be true—it’s wrong to scold all Shanxi people.

As far as the matter is concerned, since the Chenghua period of the Ming Dynasty, even hoes were not allowed to be sold to the grasslands and Liaodong, but Shanxi merchants got involved with these things, and there are historical records that they not only provided a large number of weapons when the Qing army entered the customs, but also sold a large number of them. Food and grass were given to the Qing army. From this perspective, they were indeed linked to traitors, and they had an account for the demise of the Ming Dynasty.

Of course, there were many reasons for the demise of the Ming Dynasty. Since the Wanli Three Great Expeditions, the Eunuch Party, the Donglin Party, and even the corruption of the local government, the disasters brought about by the Little Ice Age, etc., have generally backstabbed the Ming Dynasty, so It would be too much to completely plant the death of the Ming Dynasty on the heads of Shanxi merchants.

Shanxi merchants did exactly what the old horse said capitalists did. This is the talent of merchants. After all, they were reduced to slaves of capital. , and sold the 'special products' brought by the Britons from the sea to various parts of the Celestial Dynasty to earn more wealth, and then...

Everyone knows what happened next, and the air is shaking and cold.

It is worth mentioning that the status of merchants in the Ming Dynasty was really not high, so if there were no bureaucrats behind the bold things they did, who would believe it?

This matter is also recorded in historical data. During the reign of Chongzhen, the general Li Yulan exposed the whole story of Zhangjiakou trade, exposed the crazy traitorous behavior of Xuanda bureaucrats, and denounced their behavior as "cutting muscles to feed tigers".

So who are the people who trade in Zhangjiakou under the Xuanda bureaucracy?

As we all know, there is a district in Zhangjiakou called Wanquan District, which used to be called Wanquan County. According to the "Wanquan County Chronicle"...

Oh, I said it in the last chapter.

Therefore, when it comes to traitors, the Xuanda bureaucrats and Shanxi merchants who sold ironware, grain and other goods to the Jurchens can't get away from each other.

In the final analysis, these bad things are caused by the corruption of the system and bureaucracy, and the roots are in the court of Ming Dynasty, just like the line of teacher Chen Daoming in the TV series: If our place is a bit rotten, XX country will be rotten...

Therefore, things are basically the same in Dazhao. Datong was thoroughly cleaned before Huamanlou crossed. If there were no too dirty things behind this, how could the benevolent Emperor Guangxing take so many people away? Down?

To sum it up by borrowing the words of a person with magnetic fruit ability: Compared with the power holders who are blinded by profit, the villains in the world are much more humane.

So, Huamanlou started to make trouble.

……

Xuanwu guards are all commanding and envoys in the room.

"Uncle Xishan is so free today?" The not-so-handsome Lu Shuai refills Huamanlou tea himself with a smile on his face: "Why did you think of coming to play with me?"

Hua Manlou took the tea he handed over with both hands, and also smiled: "Uncle Shi was joking, he has been back in Beijing for many days and has not had time to visit the deceased uncle's mansion, if he doesn't come again, Uncle Shi should pick a gift. "

This courtesy...

In fact, it's not too polite. In theory, Hua Manlou should have come to visit this old boss early. After all, Xuanwuwei really provided him with a lot of information during the Pingwa period. This one gave it.

Before Xishanwei was separated, Huamanlou and Lu Kun had neither too much nor too little contact. Except for some paperwork, Xuanwuwei was absolutely unambiguous about what Huamanlou could support—although this was mostly because Lu Kun knew that the Xishan Thousand Households Office, which was full of flowers, was roughly equivalent to being directly under Emperor Guangxing, but at least they gave enough face, didn't they?

Therefore, basically Huamanlou will pull the old boss if there is a good thing. Needless to say, the sea transportation is also provided, and Xishanwei also provides firecrackers, and even trained a team of firecrackers for Xuanwuwei.

"Hahahahaha, shall I pick your gift?" Lu Kun smiled even more happily: "If I said that I dared to pick you when you were still in the Xuanwu Guard in name, now I look at the whole Dazhao and dare to pick you." I'm afraid you can't count the number of slaps, right?"

Hua Manlou said with an innocent face: "How is it possible? Others don't say anything, there are a large group of people in the Metropolitan Procuratorate alone, and some people who have never met are behind the scenes. Little nephew, my life can be described as trembling. Walking on thin ice, for fear of accidentally offending someone, alas..."

Lu Kun felt a bit of a toothache when Hua Manlou said this: "Nephew, you are deeply trusted by His Majesty, even if someone is behind your back... Cough, saying a few words to you will not harm you, will it? You understand the truth, so Uncle Shi thinks it’s good to pretend that Quan didn’t see it sometimes, doesn’t he?”

Hua Manlou glanced at him and smiled.

It has to be said that being the commander of the Xuanwu Guard in the Guangxing Dynasty was really a bit grievous. It is natural to be able to sit firmly in this position. At least one should know what it means to hide one's strength and bide one's time - Lu Kun is exactly such a person.

If not, how could he have been in this position for ten years?

But to keep a low profile, another way to put it is to protect yourself wisely or to be a good man, not to offend others, and not to show your face easily, and to follow the golden mean--you should make friends, you should avoid taboos, and you should treat them as if you didn't see them. The heart is like a mirror.

Otherwise, how could he just open his mouth and persuade Hua Manlou Quan to pretend nothing happened?

"What is Uncle Shi talking about?" Hua Manlou pretended not to know, "My nephew is just preparing for the marriage honestly recently, and didn't do anything to attract attention?"

Lu Kun's teeth hurt even more: "Then you are here today to invite me to a wedding?"

Hua Manlou was serious: "Huh? Didn't my nephew say that I haven't visited Uncle Shi after returning to Beijing, so I have to come to listen to the teachings..."

"Grandpa! You are master! Your Hua family is a master from top to bottom!" Lu Kun stopped pretending completely: "After the court was over, your father came to me and told me if there was anything, and at noon you came to torture me again and owe you money Is it?"

"Ah... I haven't heard my father mention this. So what did Uncle Shi and my father talk about?" Hua Manlou asked with a smile: "I didn't visit Uncle Shi?"

After Lu Kun gritted his teeth for a while, he glared at Hua Manlou angrily, and then lowered his voice: "Go back, I'll send someone to deliver what you want later!"

Hua Manlou blinked: "Why do I want things? Shouldn't Uncle Shi take care of this kind of thing?"

Lu Kun said frantically: "Those who dare to provoke you, you think I can afford to provoke you? If I give you anything, I will make a fuss, and you still expect me to play with you?"

"No, such a great contribution, Uncle Shi doesn't want it?"

"Why do you call this a credit?"

"Ang, credit must be credit." Hua Manlou looked at Lu Kun happily and said, "Uncle Shi, Dongchang can actually handle this..."

"Then why don't you go to Xu Dacheng?"

"So, I'll just give Uncle Shi the credit. What does a dead eunuch like Xu Dacheng need credit for?" Hua Manlou smiled brightly: "Uncle Shi, it's been so long, I haven't cheated on you, have I? Trust me once , This time it's a credit, a great credit."

"...You tell me first, how to do it!"

464. Your Majesty's Aspirations

Huamanlou knew that with Lu Kun's personality of more than ten years, it was basically not so easy to fool.

This old fox is different from Xu Dacheng. Xu Dacheng has too many distracting thoughts. He also wants money, power, and holy family. In the end, he also hopes to enter the ancestral grave or the imperial temple after death—in a word : I want everything.

But Lu Kun...

Of course, Lu Kun also wants everything, but what is smarter than Xu Dacheng is that he knows that no matter what he wants, he has to pay a price.

So, when he can reach out, he must reach out and take as much as he can. When he feels that the situation is not right, he retreats and pretends that he doesn't know anything. If he should suppress it, he can't wait to step on the other party to the [-]th floor of hell. It should be good. He will make the other party feel as if the autumn water is like the spring breeze.

Smart man.

This cleverness allowed him to sit firmly in the top spot of Xuanwuwei, and because of this cleverness, he missed many opportunities. After all, Emperor Guangxing liked honest people, even if they pretended to be honest.

People who are good at calculating are always out of the eyes of Emperor Guangxing, so the reason why Xuanwuwei was miserable in the Guangxing Dynasty is not only because Emperor Guangxing didn't like factory guards - Dongchang is not necessarily as shabby as Xuanwuwei no?

As for why Lu Kun is willing to listen to what Hua Manlou has to say...

The main reason is that Emperor Guangxing's impression of him has changed because he accidentally collected some information for Huamanlou about Pingwo. At least he established a "just" person. His attitude was not as cold as before.

For this reason, Lu Kun still regretted coming here afterwards, regretted not being able to completely stand by Huamanlou, even going to Pingwo together would be better than dawdling in Beijing, wouldn't it?

Now that Huamanlou is looking for him, he knows better than anyone that this matter is a conflict between Shanxi merchants and Huamanlou. Logically speaking, he should take the opportunity to climb onto the big boat of Huamanlou, but...

He can't afford to offend Huamanlou, so how can he offend Shanxi merchants who dare to offend Huamanlou?

That's why he said, give Huamanlou what he wants - this is the way people who have lived together for more than ten years do things. He is too used to weighing things up. If he is not sure, he will definitely not get involved in these things. At most, provide some information like last time, and then wave the flag and shout for soup when the situation is one-sided.

But Huamanlou is Huamanlou after all, the miracle son of Guang Xingchao, if it is really a great achievement and is really sure, why eat soup when you can eat meat?

Amid Lu Kun's suspicion, Hua Manlou said, "I'm sure Uncle Shi is no stranger to the transactions secretly conducted by Shanxi merchants? Would you like me to explain them in detail?"

"...No need." Lu Kun hesitated and said, "I know everything I need to know."

Hua Manlou smiled and said: "Then... Uncle Shi, do you know His Majesty's ambition?"

"Your Majesty's ambition?" Lu Kun repeated it like a repeater.

"Yes, Your Majesty's ambition." Hua Manlou smiled and said, "Although I am embarrassed to say it, but in the Guangxing Dynasty, has Uncle Shi seen anyone who was promoted faster than me?"

Lu Kun was silent.

In September or October of the year before last, an imperial decree suddenly came from the palace asking him to assign Uncle Huai'an's hapless son a general banner position. At that time, Huamanlou was not worth a penny, but now...

Although I don't know what the palace means, but Huamanlou may become the existence of Shen Zhizhengshi - although the matter has not been discussed for the time being, but this possibility alone is already very important, which is equivalent to him in less than two years The time has gone through the apex that the civil and military of the Manchu Dynasty can only climb in almost a lifetime.

Even if this is not counted, Hua Manlou not only won the title and title, but also has a regular fifth-rank university scholar and a second-rank prince junior teacher. This kind of promotion speed...

"Then Uncle Shi thinks, is Nephew Yu smarter or luckier than others?" Hua Manlou continued.

After hearing this, Lu Kun's heart suddenly moved.

As a matter of fact, many people's impression of Huamanlou comes from the evaluation of the literati who hold the mouthpiece, namely: the favorite minister.

This is not a good word. If some people in Huamanlou's previous life were used to describe it, the evaluation is generally similar to "Eight Tigers", "Ten Changshi", and "Gao Taiwei". Disgraceful existence.

That's right, literati never took what Hua Manlou did seriously, and even his poems were accused of plagiarizing others—of course, they thought this was right, but there was no evidence.

On the contrary, many low-level people have a very good sense of Huamanlou, and anyone with a little discernment in the imperial court dare not underestimate Huamanlou.Otherwise, could Mr. Wen Ge promise to marry his most beloved daughter?

This is also the reason why Lu Kun dare not provoke Huamanlou. In his opinion, Huamanlou is the kind of genius that is rarely seen in thousands of years, and if it is said that ordinary geniuses are fed by God, then Huamanlou is simply a genius. God pinches his mouth and pours it into it hard, so Huamanlou is awesome.

However, when Huamanlou talked about this matter by himself, Lu Kun faintly felt a little enlightened: In short, if the emperor were changed, would Huamanlou still have the glory it is today?

Obviously not.

So he murmured: "What nephew means is that everything you do is in line with His Majesty's... ambition?"

Hua Manlou smiled and said: "Of course. My uncle has always seen everything my nephew did, such as the Oirats and Tatars in the past, the Japanese pirates in the past, the reform of the military system, business trips to sea, and even the establishment of colleges. Is it true that my nephew Yu can't do anything? And among them, my nephew Yu even did some things that would be beheaded because he was young and ignorant, but His Majesty still favors me very much. Why?"

Lu Kun pondered for a while, and finally sighed: "Yes, what you do is what His Majesty wants to do, and it is all to share His Majesty's worries."

Hua Manlou smiled and said: "Then, for Your Majesty, sweep away some unsightly Shanxi merchants, investigate and deal with some bureaucrats who steal the country, and dig out some rotten roots in the Great Zhao Dynasty. Uncle Shi thinks this is an ordinary court dispute." Is it still considered a great achievement?"

This is a proper hint, and it is even suspected of falsely passing on the emperor's decree, that is: the meaning of Emperor Guangxing is to hate Jin merchants.

Of course, according to Emperor Guangxing's "ambition", this is not wrong, but the difference is that he himself has no idea that Huamanlou wants to play like this...

But Lu Kun believed it. After Huamanlou's flickering, he began to believe that Huamanlou's past actions were basically guaranteed by Emperor Guangxing, so he dared to go all out to play—for example, when he was in Pingwo, he was in the palace with the Minister of Rites Stubbornly, why should Huamanlou have him?