old lady in red

Du Jijiu nodded: "Understood!

The king wants the minister to die and the minister has to die!

And you are not at this point yet.

If you don't go, you can't succeed, then think about how to go and retire.

You go back and think about it carefully, and I will go to the Criminal Department right away. "

Lin Ruhai bowed and saluted: "Students are ashamed, Mr. Lian has to meet those people you hate..."

Du Jijiu waved his hand: "I'm not just for you either.

The drought in Shanxi, Gansu has continued. Your Majesty has issued an edict of guilt. The disaster situation is still unrelieved. The treasury is empty. Your Majesty is already red-eyed.

In order to cooperate with your errand, Your Majesty has decided to dispatch you as a teacher to serve as Minister of the Household Department.

Your Majesty gave me three years to be a teacher. If we can't fill the national treasury, we, the master and the apprentice, will be punished together.

The only way out is for me to help you recover the salt tax.

Otherwise, after three years, I will be dismissed as a teacher and return home. "

Having said so much, Lin Ruhai had no choice but to say goodbye and go home.

At such a time, it is already the hour of Xu.

Seeing Lin Ruhai coming home, Shi Mei got up to leave.

Lin Ruhai offered to escort Shimei, and Jia Min also agreed.

In the past, Shi Mei would refuse and let Ru Hai accompany Jia Min.

Today, Shi Mei responded: "Such a good son-in-law."

He comforted Jia Min again: "Take a good rest, I will visit you again in a few days."

Lin Ruhai sent it straight to Rongning Street.

When she was about to leave, Shi Mei said, "Come into the mansion, and tell me about your errands in Jiangnan."

Lin Ruhai knew that this mother-in-law had some schemes, so she simply didn't have a charter yet.

The Lin family has no brothers, and his wife Jia Min is pregnant, so they cannot share the burden.

Why don't you discuss it with your mother-in-law and uncles.

Arrived at Rongqing hall for a while.

Shi Mei didn't summon the two uncles, but urged Lin Ruhai: "Sit down, to make a long story short, what exactly is your Majesty's order?

What do you want to do?

What are your plans, tell me everything, try to make a long story short, I am afraid that Min'er will become suspicious. "

Lin Ruhai bowed and bowed, then sat down and said: "Your Majesty just asked my son-in-law if he would like to share your worries. My son-in-law can't refuse at all. If there is no accident, my son-in-law, the inspector censor, will leave Beijing at the beginning of the new year. "

Shi Mei asked, "What exactly do you want?"

Lin Ruhai said: "The national treasury is empty, Henan, Gansu, and Shanxi are plagued by locusts after the drought, and the sweet potato leaves have been eaten up again.

His Majesty hopes that Jiangnan will increase taxation by 300 million taels next year. "

Shi Mei thought briefly: "How much does a good son-in-law know about the imperial court's taxes? How much is the imperial court's total annual tax revenue? How much are the five provinces in the south of the Yangtze River?"

Lin Ruhai said: "The entire imperial court's tax is about 3000 million taels, and the five provinces in the south of the Yangtze River are 1000 million taels.

Among them, the salt tax income is about 300 million. In recent years, the famine has caused the salt merchants to donate about 400 million taels.

However, in the past four years, the sales of salt products have been slow, and the salt tax has been reduced, resulting in a shortfall of nearly ten million..."

Shi Mei said: "You have underestimated the expenditure of the salt merchants, and officials from all over the south of the Yangtze River have made things difficult and blackmailed.

Parents need [-] yuan for their birthdays, [-] yuan for grandparents to relocate their graves, and [-] yuan to marry a daughter-in-law.

This is more than one official reaching out, and the salt merchant gave everything. Where did so much money come from?

It can only be dug from the people and raise the price of salt. "

Lin Ruhai thought to herself, what did her mother-in-law say about raising the price of salt when she said she was short-lived?

Immediately, Lin Ruhai understood: "My mother-in-law said that corrupt officials at all levels persecuted the salt merchants, and the salt merchants persecuted the common people.

The common people took risks and sold private salt?

In this way, the market of salt merchants was squeezed out, and the salt merchants could not sell their salt, so naturally they no longer bought salt from the imperial court at high prices.

The reason for the shortfall is that private salt squeezed out the share of official salt? "

Shi Mei waved her hand: "It's not that private salt has taken over official salt, it's that salt merchants have monopolized the salt industry, forcing the people to take risks because they can't afford salt. If the people have cheap salt, who would take the risk?

The crux of the problem is how to make people eat official salt instead of private salt. "

Lin Ruhai: "People don't eat official salt because it's expensive, and table salt is expensive because salt merchants increase the price randomly..."

Shi Mei said: "Then don't give the salt merchants the right to raise prices, and take this right back to the imperial court.

Then, use this right to stabilize the price of salt.As long as the price of salt is cheap, the common people will naturally eat official salt, and the court's tax revenue will increase? "

Lin Ruhai nodded: "My son-in-law understands what my mother-in-law means, but the government's salt merchants don't buy it, ordinary people want to buy it but can't afford it, and no one is willing to sell cheap salt. What can I do?"

Shi Mei thought of the most distinctive food stamp replacement ticket in later generations.

Common people can't afford a whole piece of cloth, but one or two feet and three feet must be able to afford it.

Small merchants can't afford to sell the whole piece of cloth, but can sell it in fractions.

Shi Mei said: "I can't afford one hundred thousand shi at a time, so how about [-] shi, a thousand shi, a hundred shi, ten shi or even one shi?"

Lin Ruhai is very clever: "My mother-in-law said, turn large amounts of salt into small amounts, turn personal monopoly into imperial monopoly, divide a region into towns and villages, and take the intermediate profits of salt merchants to the imperial court..."

Lin Ruhai laughed immediately: "So, there is nothing to be afraid of when the salt merchants go on strike!"

Lin Ruhai stood up after saying that, bowed and bowed: "Thank you mother-in-law for your instruction, my son-in-law is so polite!"

Shi Mei said: "This method can immediately receive the salt tax, and increase the salt tax several times or even ten times.

However, he offended the salt merchants, the officials in the south of the Yangtze River, and even the important officials in the court.

Therefore, this is not something that you, a sixth-rank patrol salt censor, can undertake, and you can do it in the honor of the imperial court.

Just like our Rongfu's ability to grow sweet potatoes is limited, we must contribute this method to the Ministry of Households, to His Majesty, and let His Majesty issue decrees and decrees.

Then let the important ministers with prestige and status, or the princes and grandchildren take the lead.

At that time, even if you are the inspector of salt and censor, you will only act according to the law..."

Shi Mei's suggestion is based on Huaxia's national policy of subcontracting land.

The subcontracting of land allows people to see profits and the hope of having a full stomach, which greatly mobilizes the enthusiasm of the people.

Shi Mei still didn't say a word.

If Emperor Jiahe didn't have the courage, he didn't want to invest manpower and material resources, but just wanted to sit back and enjoy the benefits.

No matter how salt merchants oppress the common people, and corrupt officials oppress salt merchants and blackmail salt merchants, the promise of reform will eventually come to naught.

But it was not without gains.

At least, Lin Ruhai can clearly see how deep the water in the Jiangnan officialdom is.

Furthermore, regardless of whether this frenzy is successful or not, it will take time for Emperor Jiahe to coordinate with the imperial court.

If such a huge organization wants to be harmonious and unified, it may not be possible in three to five months, or a year or so in the past.

At that time, Jia Min had successfully given birth to a child.

And the mother and son of the Lin family, who have learned about the sinister officialdom, may have to think carefully about the fate of Jia Min's mother and son.

Or they would accept Shi Mei's suggestion and let the three generations of their grandparents stay in the capital.

Of course, it would be best if Lin Ruhai could stay in the capital and follow the path of Hanlin editor, Guozijian offering wine, and minister of rites.

Or simply follow along to become a county magistrate, which is not bad.

I hope that Emperor Jiahe will see Lin Ruhai's extraordinary strategy, take pity on the talent, and stop using him as cannon fodder to block the holes.

Lin Ruhai went back with enthusiasm.

But Shi Mei began to toss and turn and couldn't sleep, and would definitely report to the court seriously every day.

When Jia Amnesty came to pay his respects again, he would ask questions along the way.

In the afternoon of the third day.

Lin Ruhai took advantage of Jasmine's opportunity to visit her aunt Yuxiu, and sent a letter to Shimei, and the message was affirmed by Du Jijiu, the incoming Minister of the Household Department.

It is learned that Du Jijiu may be transferred to the Minister of the Household Department.

Shi Mei felt a little comforted in her heart.

There are people in the court who are good at being officials, and there is Du Jijiu, a benefactor who speaks for Ruhai in front of the emperor. At least, Ruhai's memorial can go straight to heaven.

In this way, even if Lin Ruhai went to Jiangnan, he would still have a big umbrella of protection over his head.

Now that he has a canopy on his head, what Lin Ruhai lacks is a capable bodyguard.

If people are not there, everything is useless.

This candidate.

Shi Mei thinks of Jia She's playboy friend Yanhou.

Sending the prince to the south of the Yangtze River, Emperor Jiahe may be afraid that the prince will become a big one.

Although corruption is prevalent in the Jiangnan officialdom today, on the surface, they still have their hearts on His Majesty.

If after the reform, taxes were raised, the entire Jiangnan officialdom would get out of control and fall into the hands of a certain prince.

Emperor Jiahe couldn't bear it.

Don't look at it as a biological son, father and son will also fight for power and profit.

The deposed prince may not be willing to rebel.

However, Emperor Jiahe beat him today, reprimanded him tomorrow, scolded him the day after tomorrow, and cut power the day after tomorrow.

Tossing back and forth made the prince feel uneasy.

Finally forced against the prince.

The reason is that the prince has a huge shogunate and vassals.

The emperor felt pressured.

But if this person is just a knife in His Majesty's hand, it's different.

Not only will His Majesty not be afraid, but he will try his best to protect and help.

This day when Jia She came to pay her respects, Shi Mei first asked if there was anything new in the court.

Then he asked Ru Hai what he was doing, and said: "The other day, I heard that His Majesty summoned your brother-in-law, intending to let him be the salt administrator, and felt that your brother-in-law's status was not enough..."

Shi Mei spoke ambiguously, deliberately leaving room for Jia Amnesty to guess.

Among other things, Jiangnan is a paradise for many people.

Doing nothing but going to play at public expense is also the dream of many aristocratic children.

It's not that Shi Mei doesn't trust Jia She, the key is that this matter has not been made public, if Jia She knows in advance.

Hou Yan will definitely know, and so will Emperor Jiahe.

No matter how good Yan Hou is with Jia She, he will not hide his own father.

In this way, Emperor Jiahe would feel that Lin Ruhai's work was not confidential, and he was not worthy of trust, reuse and maintenance.

If it doesn't work out, it's still better to throw it as bait to plug the blast hole.

Furthermore, Jiahe Dihuduzi is famous,

If he knew that Shi Mei was plotting against his own son secretly, he didn't know how he would react.

Shi Mei didn't dare to offend this person who held his life in his hands and held the constitution of heaven in his mouth.

Although, Shi Mei really wanted to fire a cannon in front of Emperor Jiahe to brainwash Emperor Jiahe.

However, Shi Mei is not a censor and has no right to accept advice.

She is just a married woman and a widow.

It is a dead end for women to interfere in politics.

In order to save her life, the only thing Shimei can do is push the waves and wait patiently.

Shi Mei's only solution now is to use Yan Hou to make contributions and prove her own mind.

Although Yan Hou has a lot of status, princes and nobles also give face, even though he broke the sky, someone will make it up for him.

However, he is indeed an embarrassing existence.

This is related to his life experience.

Yan Hou's honorary father is just a dandy clan, the only advantage is that he married a beautiful wife.

Emperor Jiahe got him a marquis, and when that man had enough green hats, he passed away.

The benefits naturally fell on Hou Yan's head.

Although Yanhou's mother lived in seclusion after giving birth to the dragon species, she wanted to bury this secret.

It's a pity that that man would rather die a hero than pass on the Marquis in his body to his own son.

He planned to kill Yanhou.

At such a time, the woman used the nuns who were guarding her to fight back, and instead killed Yan Hou's concubine brother.

Then, the man looked at his own son who was bleeding from Qikong, and he was so angry that he rose to immortality.

The favored concubine became the culprit.

Although this royal scandal was deliberately annihilated by the government, there is no impenetrable wall in the world.

Therefore, although Yanhou is honorable enough and majestic enough.

But it's hard to hide the many mouths, everyone insulted him openly and secretly, saying that his official hat is flesh-colored.

Yan Hou was 16 years old this year, full of vigor and arrogance, he beat and disabled the son who took the lead in insulting the son-in-law.

Then, calm down, he was scared to death, His Majesty's concubine sister is also a princess.

Yan Hou's family is just a clan that didn't make five clothes.

In the end, he was safe and sound.

However, the princess concubine was severely reprimanded for defaming the holy reputation, and the first-class marquis was demoted to the first-class earl.

Not only was Yanhou not punished, but the son-in-law's mansion also came to make amends and make peace with several carts of gifts.

His Majesty also rewarded Hou Yan with a pair of Panlong jade pendants, a thousand mu Huangzhuang located in the south of the Yangtze River.

At this moment, Yan Hou really doubted his life experience.

Holding the Panlong Jade Peitian Deed, he went to ask his mother.

Mrs. Hou said indifferently: "Take it, don't be ashamed, this is what you deserve!"

Yan Hou didn't like reading at first, but loved practicing martial arts.

His adoptive father had fulfilled his filial piety for three years, and he withdrew from the official school after he became a noble.

Soon, Emperor Jiahe kissed Jane, and Marquis Yan became Emperor Jiahe's imperial guard.

From then on, Emperor Jiahe took Yan Hou with him wherever he went.

Yan Hou became the most filial son of Emperor Jiahe.

A transcendent being.

Fortunately, Yan Hou was favored in every possible way, but he did not become overlord.

Instead, he became the kind of chivalrous character who is both good and evil.

For example, someone has been wronged by the sky, and there is no way to ask for help.

As long as you can see Yan Hou, you can get a fair chance.

This is the reason why Jia Daishan and Jia's mother did not object to Jia Amnesty's association with the Marquis of Yan.

This kind of person can save lives at critical moments.

Of course, you have to be truly wronged.

If he is full of evil, Yanhou will also work harder to send you in.

If such a person is allowed to become an imperial envoy, he will go to the south of the Yangtze River to stir up trouble.

Even if Lin Ruhai was appointed as the censor of salt inspection, he would not be afraid of being framed by the officials of the salt transportation department.

Yan Hou not only has a special status, but his uncle is also a general in Hangzhou.

General Hangzhou has thousands of soldiers and horses under his command. Others can't move them, but Yanhou can borrow them.

Therefore, Shi Mei hopes to use Yan Hou's mentality of making contributions to make money from him.

While making meritorious deeds, he also escorted Ruhai.

Shi Mei prayed in her heart that Emperor Jiahe could focus on the country and be more courageous.

Don't just want to detain this cheap son in a greenhouse for protection.

Instead, let him go out to fight and prove his worth.

I hope he can return to his senses, make some long-term plans for this cheap son, create an opportunity for this son, gain a foothold in the future, and accumulate some political achievements and qualifications.

After all, Emperor Jiahe is getting old now, and in a few years he will be resigned because of his inability to do what he wants.

I can't protect this son for a few years.

Then, Emperor Jiahe summoned Lin Ruhai three times to discuss in-depth his matters.

Shi Mei was very excited when she heard the news.

This shows that Emperor Jiahe saw the important role of this line in curbing salt merchants and increasing taxes.

However, until Laba, when the winter hunting feast began again, Emperor Jiahe never looked for Lin Ruhai again.

For this reason, Lin Ruhai went to his master Du Jijiu, and also to Shi Mei.I got a similar guess: Your Majesty is considering it carefully.

After all, it doesn't matter whether it's the veterans in the officialdom in Jiangnan, or the salt merchants in Jiangnan.They have all served the country.

Just last year, three provinces were hit by drought, and the officials on the ground in the south of the Yangtze River not only had to save themselves, but also grabbed the salt merchants to donate 200 million yuan, which relieved the urgent need of the court.

During the more than [-] years of Emperor Jiahe's reign, salt merchants donated many times to support the imperial court in disaster relief.

In his heyday, Emperor Jiahe went to the south of the Yangtze River several times for inspections. The funds were said to be paid by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, but in fact the money was collected by salt merchants.

Huang Guowei, the largest salt merchant in the south of the Yangtze River, has donated generously several times, donating for disaster relief and military pay.

As soon as Lin Ruhai's statement comes out, the good times of these salt merchants will come to an end.

Of course, this is only one aspect.

Emperor Jiahe considered far-reaching.

Once the monopoly rights of salt merchants are blocked, I am afraid that official salt and private salt will be lost.

In short, the salt industry in the south of the Yangtze River cannot be accomplished overnight.

However, His Majesty urgently needs silver taels.

Furthermore, Emperor Jiahe and Shi Mei had the same views.

To implement this new salt policy, all parties in the south of the Yangtze River will surely rise up to resist.

Lin Ruhai, who was born in the Imperial Academy, is not enough to deter those silverfish that have been entrenched in the south of the Yangtze River for many years.

Those princes and ministers in the capital who depended on the prosperity and wealth of the salt merchants.

Any one of them can bite Lin Ruhai to death.

This winter hunting feast, none of the women's family members from Rongfu and Linfu attended.

It was inconvenient for Mrs. Yang to drag her little grandson, so she reported illness.

Here at Shimei, because his daughter-in-law Zhang has a big belly, she will give birth around the New Year.

Shi Mei didn't dare to leave.

Therefore, Shimei reported the truth to the queen empress, and Mrs. Zhang sued for childbirth.

Shi Mei took sick leave.

As for the Lin family, Mother Lin's perennial illness, Jia Min gave birth, so there is no need to go.

The day before the winter hunting, Shi Mei took Jia She at home and took time to visit Lin's house, mainly because she was worried about Jia Min.

It will take three to five days for Lin Ruhai to go.

Shi Mei came to discuss with Lin's mother, take Jia Min back to Ning, and return to her mother's house for a while.

Certainly, the population of Lin's mansion is not strong.

As soon as Lin Ruhai went out, there was no male at home.

Both mother-in-law and daughter-in-law felt a little flustered, Shi Mei came just in time.

Lin Ruhai was thinking about asking her mother-in-law to take care of her at first, but she knew that her mother-in-law couldn't leave.

This time the mother-in-law took the initiative to greet her, which couldn't have been better.

In this way, Ruhai is also at ease when you are outside.

Shi Mei invites Lin's mother to come to the house as a guest, but Lin's mother has to guard the old house and refuses.

Mrs. Zhang was the happiest when Jia Min came to Rongfu.

The sister-in-law relationship was good, but now there is a new topic, to exchange parenting experience together.

Really talk about everything, intimate.

Although Jia Min didn't tell Zhang about the purpose of breaking Lingyu.

However, every time she saw that Mrs. Zhang was not wearing the Lingyu jade pendant, Jia Min would remind her sister-in-law: "Jade can soothe the nerves, so it's better for my sister-in-law to wear it."

Jia Min wanted to visit her elder sister Yuxiu, but because Yuxiu was ill right now, not only did the room smell of medicine, but also Yuxiu herself had unhealed cough, which became more and more serious in winter.

Both the doctor and the midwife suggested not to meet each other, so as not to get sick.

Because Yajuan is shy, she never leaves her mother.

Jia Min and his eldest sister have been separated for ten years, and the only thing they see is Bai Jintang.

Bai Jintang's face resembled that of a man from the Jia family, with a long face, fair complexion, and peach blossom eyes.

When Bai Jintang learned that this grandma was the fourth aunt who gave his mother several large boxes of clothes, fabrics and medicinal materials, he accepted it and kowtowed to pay his respects.

Jia Min was too heavy to help, so he hurriedly raised his hand: "Hurry up and help."

However, Bai Jintang got up after kowtowing, and said: "Mother told her nephew that she respects her aunt just like she respects her mother. When meeting an elder for the first time, it is only natural to pay respects."

Every word and deed of Bai Jintang shows that this is a smart and well-educated child.

Shi Mei gave a meeting gift, and also brought a gift to Yajuan, all of which were a piece of spiritual jade.

Bai Jintang held the jade pendant in his palm, full of gratitude.

This jade pendant can calm the mind, and my mother's spirit is much better with the jade pendant.

Now I have it again, and my sister has it too.

Bai Jintang was only happy in his heart, and hoped that his younger sister could adapt to the new environment as soon as possible, walk out of the durian garden, like the cousins ​​of the female school, read happily, and talk and laugh freely.

Jia Min watched Bai Jintang go away, feeling lost in his heart: "What a good brother, why doesn't the Bai family know how to cherish it."

Lin's mother was so eager for her grandson that she couldn't see through her eyes. She thought she would be like Bai's mother, who was trying to torture her daughter-in-law and grandson for a few taels of silver.

It is also a coincidence.

Since Jia Amnesty received Shi Nai's letter, he has been hunting in the countryside, but he has not seen Jiang Heng's imperial envoy.

Until the evening of the seventh day of the lunar new year, Jia Amnesty finally caught the person who came to the capital to bribe.

Jia Amnesty looked at the gift list, and there were more than one family.

One is given to the eldest prince who is in the Ministry of Officials.

The other one is for King Zhongshun, who is on a temporary post in the Ministry of Household Affairs.

The last one is for the Ninth Prince who is unemployed at home.

The Ninth Prince didn't have a serious job, but he was better at studying in the imperial study.He also takes good care of the younger brothers below, and is willing to spend money on them.

His only advantage is that his mother, under the oppression of the empress and concubine Zhen, can still accompany Emperor Jiahe from time to time.

It is said that this rich lady has been indifferent to fame and fortune for decades, and has never asked Emperor Jiahe for any benefits.

Emperor Jiahe wanted to promote her brother to an important department, such as the Ministry of Rites and the Department of Accounts.

She declined saying that her younger brother was useless, and that it would be nice to be a supervisor of Qin Tianjian.

Jia Amnesty could understand the gift to King Zhongshun, he had face in front of the emperor, and he was able to speak up in almost all the six departments.

But what's so special about the First Prince and the Ninth Prince?

Jia Amnesty was confused.

Why give gifts to the First Prince and the Ninth Prince?

Do you think that the prince has fallen and there is no heir to stand up?

Ninth Prince, is it because her mother is second only to Concubine Zhen in favor?

Zhen Guifei has no son.

This Chen Chongyuan has a son?