Struggle in the early Tang Dynasty

Looking at Guo Ye's smile, Zhang Yuanzhi felt angry, and suddenly became suspicious. Could it be that it is fake that Guo's surname is arresting me, and his real purpose is to wait for me to take the initiative to come to the door?

No, where did he come from such a deep city at such a young age?

Afterwards, he nodded to express his acceptance, but he still pointed to Zhang Chengzong on the ground, and asked Guo Ye: "Guo Inspector, then my son Chengzong..."

Guo Ye naturally understood Zhang Yuanzhi's meaning, but he didn't just let Zhang Chengzong go, but said with a heartless smile: "Your son is already middle-aged, but he is still so frizzy and angry. Let him lie down on the ground to cool off. The second master and I will talk in the inner hall first, if you and I have a good conversation, it is not easy to talk about your son?"

The implication is obvious. Guo Ye really reminded Zhang Yuanzhi that whether he can be lenient about Zhang Chengzong's matter depends entirely on the result of the conversation between the other party and himself.

Although Zhang Yuanzhi is as violent and impulsive as Zhang Chengzong, he can still understand the good words, and he understands Guo Ye's off-screen strings.

"Forget it, leave it to Governor Guo." Zhang Yuanzhi said in a low voice, "Guo Governor, then you and I will talk in the back hall first."

Guo Ye rushed to Chen Jitao and said: "For the time being, you will preside over the court for me. I will go in with Mr. Zhang Er and have a talk before coming out. Mr. Zhang Er, please!"

The last sentence was directed at Zhang Yuanzhi.

Zhang Yuanzhi hummed, lowered his head and went around to the back of the courtroom first.

……

……

in the inner hall.

Guo Ye and Zhang Yuanzhi each held a cup of tea in their hands, sitting opposite each other and drinking with their heads down.

Zhang Yuanzhi raised his head suddenly, staring at the young but extraordinary young man in front of him, he took the lead to break the silence and frowned and asked, "Guo Cishi, what exactly do you want?"

Guo Ye asked innocently: "What's the matter? What's the explanation of Mr. Zhang Er's words?"

Seeing Guo Ye pretending to be stupid, Zhang Yuanzhi was so angry that he almost threw the tea bowl on the ground with his hands, and asked in a deep voice: "Guo Cishi, Ming people don't speak dark words, what are you going to do to let my son Chengzong go?" ?”

"So that's what Master Zhang Er said?"

Guo Ye looked suddenly enlightened, and said in a long voice, "Second Master, it's not that I want to embarrass your son on purpose. Alas, you saw and heard it outside the court. Your son is the Yangzhou salt transport envoy, but Guarding and stealing, privately withholding the imperial salt tax. Tsk tsk, and the annual salt tax is in the millions. Cutting is not an exaggeration."

As soon as he heard the words "Zhu Lian Nine Clans" and "Man Family Copy and Cut", the muscles at the corners of Zhang Yuanzhi's mouth couldn't help twitching, and he continued to hold back the anger in his heart and said, "Why should Governor Guo be alarmist? What is the identity of my Zhang family in Yangzhou? Could it be that Governor Guo didn’t know? These words are for ordinary people to listen to the official words, so let’s save the governor Guo. I just ask, what will the governor Guo do to release my son and make this matter invisible?”

Guo Ye didn't expect that Zhang Yuanzhi would directly cut into the topic, and he cut it so bluntly that he didn't have any fear at all. It seems that the Zhang family is really used to being the emperor in Yangzhou City.

Immediately, he spread his hands pretending to be powerless, and said helplessly: "Master Zhang Er, the emperor is as guilty as the common people when he breaks the law, let alone your son? Now that there are all witnesses and material evidence, what else do you want? I'm sorry." Now, what is my official duty, your son has committed such a heinous crime, and it is inevitable that he will escape this calamity."

"you……"

Zhang Yuanzhi saw that Guo Ye was still putting on airs at this time, so he couldn't help standing up, and shouted angrily: "Guo Inspector, those who know current affairs are outstanding. As long as you can do something convenient today, you will be a friend of our Zhang family in Yangzhou from now on." .How about it?"

Guo Ye suddenly pulled his face down, his words were full of disdain, and he said contemptuously: "Second Master, you take your Zhang family too seriously, don't you? What about the friends of the Zhang family? Can they still be in Yangzhou city? Can't kill and set fire?"

"Guo Inspector, what do you mean?"

When Zhang Yuanzhi heard that Guo Ye's words were wrong, he dared to feel that the other party was reckless. He was about to get angry, but suddenly thought of returning his son who was forced to the ground in the court, and then he endured it again.

Zhang Yuanzhi somewhat understands that if you want to ask for help from others, you must first show courtesy to others.

So, with a forced smile on his face, he tentatively said softly: "Guo Inspector, I know what you are rushing to come to Yangzhou this time. In this way, the annual salt tax in Yangzhou will be sent to the government by the Zhang family at the end of the new year." How about it?"

Guo Ye was slightly taken aback, this old boy actually started to openly bribe.

Then his complexion tightened, and he stretched out his hand to block the stern words and refused: "Master Zhang Er, I have been favored by the emperor, and I was appointed by the emperor as the new governor of Yangzhou to guard the side for the emperor. How can I do something that I can't do to the emperor? Let's talk , After the trial today, do you think your son can still stay in the position of Yangzhou Salt Transport Envoy? You must not forget that this official came to Yangzhou with a sacred order to control Yangzhou's salt tax."

Zhang Yuanzhi scolded the eighteenth generation of Guo Ye's ancestors in his heart, pretend, you continue to pretend, I don't believe that your surname Guo will not be tempted by Yangzhou's salt tax of several million taels a year.To put it bluntly, isn't he full of male thieves and female prostitutes behind his back?

However, Zhang Yuanzhi scolded him, but he also heard Guo Ye's ambition.Guo Ye's meaning is very simple. He not only wants to replace Zhang Chengzong's position as the Yangzhou salt transport envoy, but also completely controls the Yangzhou salt tax in his own hands.

In Zhang Yuanzhi's view, as long as Guo Ye controls and controls Yangzhou's salt tax, isn't it up to him how much he can pocket from it?

Tsk tsk, what an insatiable young man.

This is Zhang Yuanzhi's direct impression of Guo Ye.

Seeing Guo Ye's resolute attitude, Zhang Yuanzhi had no choice but to take a step back and said, "It seems that Mr. Guo is determined not to let my son Chengzong stay in Yangzhou Salt Transport Yamen?"

Guo Ye shrugged his shoulders and said that was exactly the case, thinking in his heart, it is a fool to let people from your Zhang family continue to harm the Yanyun Yamen.

Seeing this, Zhang Yuanzhi thought in his heart, since the surname Guo is determined to remove Chengzong from the position of salt transport envoy, he might as well push the boat with the current and use this as an exchange to get Chengzong out first.

Immediately, he promised: "Guo Inspector, as long as you definitely let my son go, and forget about the account book, the Zhang family has decided not to get involved in the affairs of the Yanyun Yamen. How?"

The old guy was playing tricks, how could Guo Ye not hear it?

What Zhang Yuanzhi said was that he wanted to exchange Zhang Chengzong's position as a salt transport envoy in exchange for Zhang Chengzong's criminal evidence and exonerate him.

How could Guo Ye not understand?

Moreover, he also knew that the Zhang family was indeed powerful in Yangzhou. Removing Zhang Chengzong and making Guan Jiujiu the Yangzhou salt transport envoy would not necessarily completely control the Yangzhou salt tax in his own hands.

In the future, the Zhang family will definitely plan and plot other things in the dark.

How could the Zhang family easily give up the millions of taels of salt tax money a year?Even if the Zhang family is willing to give up, what about the clans that shared the money with the Zhang family?And what about Changsun Wuji and others who are active in Chang'an every year relying on the tax money divided by the Zhang family?

How could these people be willing to hand over this piece of fat?

Therefore, Zhang Chengzong's value in Guo Ye's eyes is not limited to this.

Immediately, he stretched out his index finger and shook it left and right, and said with a smile: "Master Zhang Er's wishful thinking is very good. Even if you don't back down, so what? Zhang Chengzong committed the crime before, and this official has decided on his own. Power, why do I want your Zhang family to agree? You have done a good deal with empty hands and white wolves."

Zhang Yuanzhi was exposed by Guo Ye, his old face blushed, and he became angry from embarrassment: "Then what are you going to do?"

Guo Ye grabbed the tip of his nose, continued to wear a harmless smile, and said: "If you want me to release Zhang Chengzong, I can destroy the detailed account books, but the Zhang family must agree to my three conditions. If you are willing I agree with these three conditions. Of course, I don’t believe your empty words. You have to sign a letter with me and sign it. Then I will believe you. I know that Zhang Yuanli, the patriarch of your Zhang family, is in Chang’an now. It doesn’t matter, you It is also valid to sign and draw with Zhang Yuanxin from the three places."

"Three conditions? Sign and draw?"

Zhang Yuanzhi was furious, and scolded: "Guo, you are a lion, don't you? You are so greedy at such a young age, and you are so greedy, you are not afraid of disaster for yourself?"

"Don't scare me with these nonsensical things. Didn't your son Zhang Chengzong scare me just now? What's the result?"

Guo Ye responded coldly, and counterattacked: "Master Zhang Er, do you really not know why Zhang Chengzong is greedy for ink, taxes and money? How can he eat so much money for an ignorant person? Where did the money go? Everyone knows it well. Zhang Chengzong is your son, and the second master should know better than me whether his bones are hard or not. Haha, don’t you fear that your son will be taken to Chang’an to the Ministry of Punishment, and he won’t hold back after being severely tortured? Have you brought out all the words? When the time comes to pull out the radish and bring out the mud, I am afraid that it will be your Zhang family who will suffer the real disaster, right?"

"You, you, okay, count yourself as ruthless, Guo!"

Zhang Yuanzhi was immediately hit by Guo Ye's words, and he was beaten to pieces and flustered for a while.

Indeed, my unscrupulous son knew too many things. With the behavior of his elder brother Zhang Yuanli, it is likely that the unscrupulous son died on the way inexplicably before he arrived in Chang'an or entered the prison of the Ministry of Criminal Justice.

Taking him out of Guo Ye's hands now, wouldn't it save the life of this wicked person?

When he thought of this, his ashen face was full of gloom, and he shouted in a deep voice: "Guo, stop talking nonsense, let's talk about your three conditions first..."