bookrandom Chapter 1332 Full Pressure
Chapter 1332 Full Pressure
Chapter 1332 Full Pressure
Zhang Cunru and Zhang Cai both looked unhappy.
There were at least dozens of Zhang family members who secretly invested in or directly intervened in the tea business.
Why couldn't the imperial court prohibit tea merchants from smuggling in recent years? It was these Jianzhou families who were obstructing it. I dare to ask if the local officials dared to investigate? They could only catch small ones and magnify them.
As for the remaining tea merchants without any background, the only option is to organize armed smuggling.
If you, the government, dare to investigate me, I will fight you to the death. Who is afraid of whom?
But this time Wang Zijing was serious. He sent soldiers to surround the tea gardens in Jianzhou, whether they were official or private.
The Jianzhou families could still bear it, but the low-level tea merchants, those in armed escort, had already begun secretly planning a rebellion.
The Jianzhou family also encouraged this.
Let you people make trouble with the government.
"Why has the imperial court repeatedly banned private tea production in recent years? Before the sound of the patrol officers' hooves arrives, the visiting cards from various families have already been delivered to the prefectural magistrates and county magistrates. In recent years, tea boats of poor families have sunk in the river, but have the private tea roasters of the noble families ever lost a single piece of tea?"
"The people were forced into a corner. Since the second year of Yuanfeng, there have been 27 armed resistances by tea merchants." Zhang Yue took a sip of tea and said, "In the fight in Pucheng last month, more than 30 soldiers of the Transportation Bureau were killed."
Zhang Cunru and Zhang Cai both said, "Since you are returning home to live out your days, why do you have to get involved in this matter?"
Zhang Yue said: "It is time to return home, and I am worried about my emperor even though I am far away from the government."
Zhang Cunru said: "We have to think about this matter carefully."
Zhang Yue said: "It's too late."
Zhang Cai said: "I'd like to teach you, my husband, that although some of our Zhang family members have participated in this field over the years, most of them still stick to farming and studying to pass on their family traditions."
"Which one is the worst?"
Zhang Cunru hesitated and said, "Seventh son of the Wu family sent us new Wuyi tea the day before yesterday."
"It is said that the tea was picked from the three old tea trees on the Jiulongke rock wall. A total of eight liang of tea was roasted. Naturally, this kind of tea should be sent to the capital as tribute."
Zhang Yue heard this and said, "I understand. If you said that the Wu family can do it, then other noble families will give me this little favor."
Zhang Cunru nodded.
Zhang Yue thought to himself, I knew it.
Cutting off your path to the imperial examinations for three generations will undoubtedly mean that three generations of your family will not be able to take the civil service examinations. For an average aristocratic family, this would be a huge blow.
Generally, you have to admit your mistake.
But for a family like the Wu family, which has been a family of nobles for generations, this threat is useless.
Zhang Yue stood up and said goodbye.
Zhang Cunru and Zhang Cai both saw Zhang Yue out of the temple, and the disciples of the clan school were waiting at the foot of the stone steps holding lanterns to see them off.
Zhang Yue discerned the expressions and clothes of several of them, and thought that the Zhang family's school had finally accepted students from poor families.
In the warm yellow light, Zhang Yue remembered that when he left the clan school, in addition to Zhang Youzhi, Zhang Wangzhi and his little granddaughter also saw him off holding a lantern.
It was also twilight at that time.
This was the last time I met my two teachers.
He remembered that in the Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber, Zhang Sanfeng returned to Shaolin with Zhang Wuji after he turned 100 years old.
Shaolin accused Zhang Sanfeng of being a traitor to Shaolin and stealing Shaolin's knowledge.
Facing the accusations of the Shaolin monks.
Although Zhang Sanfeng was a little unhappy, he changed his mind and realized that although he was just a servant of Jueyuan, his martial arts skills were rooted in Shaolin, so he humbly admitted it.
Zhang Yue said to Zhang Cunru, Zhang Cai and other disciples of the clan school: "If I had not received guidance from Master Youzhi and Master Wangzhi when I was young, I would not be where I am today!"
After saying this, Zhang Yue said goodbye and went down the mountain.
As dusk fell, the stone steps at the mountain gate turned dark blue. Zhang Yue reached the middle of the mountain and looked back to see the tiny lights of the clan school, which reminded him of the time when he was studying.
Zhang Yue did not come here just to drink tea. Before leaving, Zhang Yue ordered Peng Jingyi to buy 20 acres of school land and donate it to the clan school.
……
At dawn the next day, before the mist had dissipated, Zhang Yue headed for Pucheng County.
Every scene and object in the county town was familiar yet strange. He deliberately traveled light and had a small group of people when he returned home. He not only declined the prestigious positions bestowed by the emperor, such as the governor of Jianzhou and the governor of Jianning Army, but also did not send a message to announce his return date.
Since then, local officials have been tactful and have not disturbed Zhang Yue's peace.
When we reached the foot of Huanghua Mountain, the yellow walls and black tiles of the county school were still there. This was where Zhang Yue studied in the county school.
Zhang Yue had no plan to enter the county school. If he showed up now, he would inevitably be greeted with applause and admiration. It would be better for him to let the sounds of reading be heard inside the wall and the grass and trees grow lush outside the wall.
Then say something like "Yesterday I was proud of my alma mater, and today my alma mater is proud of me."
Not far from the academy is the residence of Xiuli Wu.
The Wu family of Pucheng entered the officialdom after Wu Daiwen passed the imperial examination. His four sons all passed the imperial examination. Among them, the eldest son Wu Yu and the fourth son Wu Chong both moved to the capital. The two branches living in Pucheng now are mainly the second son Wu Jing and the third son Wu Fang.
Wu Jing and Wu Fang both died of illness, but as the aristocratic family second only to the two Han families and one Lu family, no one could shake the status of the Wu family in Pucheng and even Jianzhou.
But he is not really all-powerful, otherwise Wu Anshi would not have been dealt with by Cai Que several times.
In response to this, Zhang Yue silently gave Cai Que a thumbs up.
Zhang Yue stationed in front of the gate and asked Huang Haoyi to submit a message. After a while, the middle gate of the Wu family opened and came to welcome him.
The head of the Wu family is Wu Anren, Wu Fang's eldest son. When he was in Bian Jing, he visited Zhang Mansion several times to meet Zhang Yue.
As soon as Wu Anren saw Zhang Yue, he said, "It's really Lord Jiang."
"When Mr. Jian returned to his hometown this time, I sent people to inquire about him several times, but unfortunately, no one showed up."
Zhang Yue smiled and said, "Uncle, I don't want to disturb others. I just want to keep the village quiet. If I hadn't had to, I wouldn't have made a special trip to the city."
Wu Anren's heart trembled, and he immediately smiled along.
Zhang Yue knew that Wu Anren was now guarding the ancestral home for the Wu family. He remembered that the Wu family's ancestral home originally had more than 50 acres, and now it has been expanded by more than 20 acres.
Zhang Yue was too embarrassed to say that the Wu family had come here several times on their own back then.
When he arrived at the main hall, he heard some footsteps upstairs. Zhang Yue raised his head and saw a lot of people standing behind the curtain upstairs.
Zhang Yue knew the layout of this house.
There is a pavilion built on the main hall, and the stairs are hidden very deeply, making it convenient for unmarried women in the family to live upstairs.
If there were guests coming, or if a son-in-law was being chosen, the unmarried girl could look from behind the curtain of the pavilion to see what the guests were like.
Maybe it was one of my sisters-in-law looking at me.
I could faintly hear a voice saying, "Mr. Zhang is so handsome!"
'A rare talent!'
"Remember to choose a son-in-law according to Zhang's example in the future!"
The voice was very soft, but I had sharp ears.
Zhang Yue glanced at Wu Anren and said, "This time when I return home, I can't help but think of the time when I was thirteen or fourteen years old and crossed Xianxia Mountain to Imperial College. The journey was not peaceful. First, I encountered a man who ate vegetables and worshipped demons. Later, Anshi Langjun and I encountered river robbers at the Huai River. We almost lost our lives."
Wu Anren said: "I have heard about this matter before, it is very thrilling."
Zhang Yue asked, "The public security in this village is very good. Is there such a thing? If there is, I will report it to the court and investigate it and deal with it!"
Wu Anren said: "There is absolutely no such thing in this village. The people of this village have always abided by the law, but... but..."
"Just what?" Zhang Yue peeled an orange and looked at Wu Anren's expression. Wu Anren smiled and said, "Just some thieves. I think the local officials can deal with them."
Zhang Yue smiled and said, "That's good."
"In recent years, there have been five or six officials from Fujian who have been promoted to prime ministers. Previously, there were Duke Lu, Chen Shengzhi, then Lü Jifu, Lao Taishan, and now there are me and Zhizheng, etc. Uncle, why is that?"
Wu Anren said: "I don't know about that."
Zhang Yue smiled and said, "Zeng Lugong prospered with water conservancy, and Chen Shengzhi rose with seedlings. It is because we Fujianese are willing to sacrifice and take risks without hesitation."
Wu Anren thought to himself, what you said is half true. It is obvious that your husband Zhang did not get to the position by risking his life and taking risks.
However, Wu Anren said, "The words loyal and honest are the most worthy of him."
Zhang Yue said: "If the government wants to reform, we, the people of Fujian and Chu, will be the first to rush to the front."
"If a gentleman in this world wishes to achieve extraordinary success, he should not worry about making plans to preserve himself."
Wu Anren thought that people like Wang Zijing were not only faultless but also meritorious.
He said, "Mr. Jiang is right in your advice."
Zhang Yue asked, "What do you think of Wang Zijing's tea monopoly law, uncle?"
Wu Anren hesitated for a moment and said, "Too strict, too harsh, too harsh."
Zhang Yue looked at Wu Anren again. Wu Anren reorganized his words and said, "But it is also the general trend."
"My lord, when you went to the countryside this time, you heard a rumor among the people: 'Pick branches in March during the Qingming Festival, and the government's demand for taxation is like asking for death.'"
Zhang Yue said: "Although I have retired to live in the countryside this time, I cannot help but pay attention to the suffering of the people. However, Jianzhou's tea tax is a top priority right now. Can the Wu family prohibit private approval in the future?"
Wu Anren couldn't help but said, "Sir, to be honest, the price the government gave is too low..."
Zhang Yue said, "It's the government's business to give the price. I just want to ask the Wu family if it's okay. Don't think I don't know how much smuggled tea the Wu family leaked last year."
"The court will never tolerate this matter. Today I am sitting here talking to you. If it were Cai Zhizheng... the copper nails on the shackles of the Censorate are something you would never want to see."
Wu Anren naturally knew Cai Que's bad reputation.
He said, "Please, sir, please mark out a path for us."
Zhang Yue said: "Do as I say, and I will ensure that you will be rich and safe for the rest of your life!"
"Thank you for your grace, sir."
"Don't thank me yet. You have a boss in the room below you named Zhu Chi?"
"Yes, I wonder why you are looking for him?"
Zhang Yue said: "This man is connected with the bandits who robbed the river in Huaishang. Hand him over to me!"
When Wu Anren heard this, he cursed in his heart, "Zhu Chi is really going to kill me."
Zhang Yue saw Wu Anren surrender and nodded. Now that he had dealt with the Jianzhou family, he was about to enter Jianzhou to deal with Wang Zijing.