A crystal clear fine wine from Maotai Town was poured out of an excellent-quality azure ceramic wine jug. The chopsticks were used to explore the wine glass, and when the wine was lifted up, the wine actually followed the chopsticks.

First, he took a deep sniff, then poured the wine, which cost about a penny, straight into his mouth, but held it still, allowing the taste buds on his tongue to be fully stimulated, and then poured a few in his mouth.

Circle, the fragrance fills your mouth, and finally swallows it with a gulp, then shuts up and lets the line of wine go straight from the throat to the Dantian, turning into heat and overflowing throughout the body, then smacks the mouth with satisfaction.

“Good wine!”

Cen Zhong picked up the pot and filled it for the two of them again.

This kind of wine is basically not available on the market outside.

After combining the fine wine from Maotai Town with the ceramics from Jingdezhen, this wine is no longer wine.

It's just white silver.

Even in China, only the truly rich and powerful can enjoy this kind of wine.

A pot costs more than ten guan.

And when they were put on ships and sold to the West through the Maritime Silk Road, they fetched sky-high prices.

Compared with the profit from one ship of porcelain, the profit is several times higher.

Of course, private trading caravans will never be able to do this kind of business.

Only the Zheng family fleet, which is affiliated with the imperial court, can do this.

"Ask the officials to send people to search for the new world. What kind of sweet potato, potato and corn seeds are they looking for? Is it your masterpiece?" He picked a piece of liver tip and chewed it in his mouth. Xiao Cheng asked with a smile. "But what about the Zheng family's fleet?

The people who make money for the imperial court have forced them to separate some of their elite troops to search in the vast sea, and the losses are not small."

Cen Zhong clicked his tongue, tilted his head and looked at Xiao Cheng: "Look at your insincere words, but you are actually very happy, right? Isn't it your masterpiece to let the officials devote themselves to these so-called agricultural sciences?"

Xiao Cheng laughed: "Don't you think such an official family is cuter?"

"Not only cute, but also really useful!" Cen Zhong shook his head: "The Anmin No. 1 rice seed cultivated by the official family on Guizhou Road, last year alone, the income from selling the rice seeds exceeded a thousand dollars, and this year it is even more incredible.

The profit has exceeded 10,000 yuan. Next year, it will be rolled out on a large scale in Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou and other places. I calculated an account for the officials. One hundred thousand yuan is easy. Going on further, if the officials really come up with something like Anmin No. 2

, No. 3, rice seeds that have already established a good reputation among the people, there is no need to worry about sales. If we add Liangjiang, Lianghu, Liangzhejiang and other places, the official family will become a rich man. This much money is enough to support the official family

Let's do something he likes, and he doesn't need any additional money from the court!"

"That's true." Xiao Cheng said: "The official family was willing to give up. They actually gave all their income in the past two years to the Zheng family."

"Speaking of which, does that New World you're talking about really have these things? Can one acre produce several kilograms of edible crops?" Cen Zhong's face was full of question marks, and he seemed to be a little unconvinced.

"It really does!"

"How do you know? Don't tell me that there is a room of gold in the book. I'm sure you haven't read as many books as I have!" Cen Zhong picked up the wine glass.

Upon hearing Cen Zhong's question, Xiao Cheng shut up and didn't answer.

"Okay, I won't ask. I also hope there is such a thing." Cen Zhong drank the wine: "Speaking of which, what makes me strange is Liu Fengkui's attitude. You know, I have always been a little worried about him.

His Imperial City Secretary is not a show-off. In this matter, he could clearly see our intentions, but not only did he not stop it, he seemed to agree with it."

"Liu Fengkui was a not very successful eunuch in the previous dynasty. Well, he was actually a successful eunuch, but what was he in the eyes of the officials? He was nothing more than a slave. As with power and merit, so does power.

They all had great power for a while, but their final outcome was not good. Liu Fengkui has been traveling around a lot and has seen a lot, so naturally he has some ideas of his own." Xiao Cheng said.

"Liu Fengkui is still brave and capable. Although he is a eunuch, I still respect him very much!" Cen Zhong nodded.

"The reason why he is close to us is precisely because we respect him and regard him as our colleague, not a eunuch!" Xiao Cheng said: "This is why Si Junchao and the others have always wanted to win over him, but they have never been able to succeed.

The reason for that.”

"They don't understand." Cen Zhong said: "It seems that they are fawning over Liu Fengkui, but deep down, they always regard Liu Fengkui as a servant of the official family, a castrated guy who is neither male nor female. Liu Fengkui

After going through so much, how can we not understand this little thing about them? With Liu Fengkui watching over the palace confinement for us, we don’t have to worry about anything going wrong inside."

"Of course. They have no intention of giving up infiltration!" Xiao Cheng sneered: "Didn't the palace recruit a group of eunuchs from the original palace into the palace this year? They took the opportunity to stuff people in."

"Is there such a thing?" Cen Zhong was stunned: "Wouldn't that mean that a good person was castrated?"

Xiao Cheng nodded.

"Someone actually agreed?"

"In order to rise to the top, many people sell themselves for glory! They all think that the officials are young and easy to fool. The people who enter have learned the skills of playing with little babies. Unfortunately, they haven't entered the palace yet.

Liu Fengkui found out and is still cleaning toilets in the palace!"

"Staying in the palace is still a disaster. Such a person will definitely try every means to get close to the official family."

"Now that I know, how can I still make him happy?" Xiao Cheng said.

After having a drink with Xiao Cheng, Cen Zhong smiled and said: "It's strange to say that you said that we are fighting to the death with the southern factions, but when it comes to the imperial consultation system, we all support it fully!"

"Power is poison. Once they have tasted it, no one is willing to put it down!" Xiao Cheng said: "Who wants to have a knife hanging over their head? Maybe it will always be fine, but what if he falls down!

Now, what everyone is fighting for is actually those positions that are eligible to vote. As long as you have an advantageous position, you can decide major issues in the court."

"Three auxiliaries, six ministries of official affairs, households, soldiers, rituals, workers, and punishments, five temples of Dali Temple, Taichang Temple, Guanglu Temple, Taipu Temple, Honglu Temple, the Supervisory Yuan, and six governors

The main body of voting, among which one person as the first assistant serves as four votes, one person as the second assistant serves as three votes, and one person as the third assistant serves as two votes, the total is twenty-seven votes. Brother Chongwen, I think the range is still too small. If the range can be

If we expand it a little further, our chances of winning will be even greater."

"We know this, and Si Junchao and the others also know it. So when this system was first negotiated, they insisted that only officials of third rank or above with actual duties could have the right to vote." Xiao Cheng said: "But this

It’s already a progress, isn’t it? Take your time and expand step by step.”

"Do you already have a candidate for the position of governor of Jiangning Prefecture?" Cen Zhong stroked his beard and said: "I think you will definitely take advantage of this opportunity to win this position. How can you give it to someone who has the heart of your heart?"

people?"

"Of course!" Xiao Cheng said: "The current magistrate of Jiangning, Yu Teng, is corrupt and perverts the law, disregards human life, and allows his relatives to commit misdeeds. There is evidence for all of them."

"I'm afraid these alone are not enough!" Cen Zhong said: "This position is too important, and they must hold on to it no matter what."

Xiao Cheng laughed: "This time we met with power and took advantage of Yu Teng, so no matter how reluctant Si Junchao was to let go, he knew he had to take a step back."

"It's not worth exchanging this big victory on the front line for Yu Teng. I'm afraid they will try their best to block the reform of administrative regions and official system that you want to do next."

"Finish this thing first, and then do the second thing. Of course, a more powerful bargaining chip will be placed in front of Si Junchao, so he can't help but refuse to agree." Old God Xiao Cheng was here.

"Can't you tell me first?" Cen Zhong was a little angry.

"Of course!" Xiao Cheng said: "Zhiqiuyuan is already doing the final verification. Do you know that the tax revenue we lose on sea trade every year is at least millions of dollars."

Cen Zhong was stunned: "The Supervisory Yuan reviewed the two shipping companies in Guangzhou and Quanzhou. Although there were some minor problems, there were no major findings. You also know that old man Zheng Qi is thinking about the Northern Expedition. But if

If such corruption occurs, he will only jump higher than us."

"What if these didn't go through the Shipping Department?"

"Smuggling?" Cen Zhong immediately reacted: "Is it such a large-scale smuggling? The tax alone has reached millions of dollars? In order to promote sea trade, we draw one out of twenty!"

"So you know how big the interests here are, right? Once it is verified and the real evidence is obtained, as long as the people involved in this matter, the Yi tribe is not a big deal, right?"

Cen Zhong took a breath: "You mean, the Si family was also involved?"

"It's not just him!" Xiao Cheng said calmly: "Who among the so-called important figures of the Jiangnan faction is not a member of it? Without such an important relationship, how could they be so united!"

Cen Zhong suddenly became excited: "If we can get evidence in one fell swoop, we will have a bumper harvest this time."

But immediately, he said with some disappointment: "But if we use these things to force Si Junchao to give in, we can't use these things to bring them to justice. We can't even make these things public. It would be too easy for them."

Already."

"Compared to the big things we have to do, letting these moths go is a trivial matter. What we gain is the general trend, the advantageous situation over the imperial court. Only in this way can we take the next step firmly.

.And this is a virtuous cycle, we will get stronger and stronger, and they will get weaker and weaker."

"It's like boiling frogs in warm water, slowly weakening them and dividing them. When they feel the pain and want to resist, they suddenly find that they are already fish on the felt board and have no power to resist!"

"That's right!" Xiao Cheng said: "For the south, we people are outsiders and locals, whether they are gentry or villagers, we are all repelled to a certain extent. Si Jun is superior to them.

, a century-old operation, deep-rooted, and the power has penetrated to the lowest level. Of course, we can use strong hands and iron blood to suppress it, but in this way, we will kill ourselves in rivers of blood, and where will we still have the strength to deal with the threat from the north? What if we kill ourselves in rivers of blood?

There are no Liao people watching, so I am not afraid to use such a method, which is both refreshing and simple, but now, it is not possible!"

"When the nest is overturned, there are no eggs left. Sometimes I really don't understand. If the Liao people really come to attack them, how can they survive? Why can't they work together with us? We have to rack our brains and think of ways.

To do this, if we can put all our thoughts on the Liao people, what does the Northern Expedition mean?"

"Because these people feel that even if the Liao people come, they can't rule the place better without their help. So, they don't care."

"We have to show them the scenes of people plundering everything on the Hebei Road!"

"Did the Liao people touch the real big gentry on the Hebei Road? Those who were robbed were just some guys who were not strong enough or influential enough. But the real unlucky ones were the common people at the bottom."

Xiao Cheng said.

"They are all bastards! When I think about having to fight with these bastards in a hypocritical manner, my head hurts!" Cen Zhong angrily said.

"Don't you feel better about being able to tie these bastards to our chariot and see them marching with us with a smile on their faces despite their unwillingness?"

Cen Zhong thought for a while and laughed: "That's true. This is more satisfying than killing them with one knife. But we have to prevent them from jumping over the wall in a hurry!"

"Now they must have understood the importance of the army." Xiao Cheng said: "But it is too late. Jiangning Mansion has Jiangning garrison, which can no longer accommodate a second army. Lu Wenhuan took the lead and established two land and water forces.

The pacification army, they have no say over the military."

"Lu Wenhuan can still be considered one of our own."

"At least when it comes to the Northern Expedition, he and we are of the same mind."

"Come on, let's have another drink to celebrate that we have taken another big step forward!" Cen Zhong raised his cup and bumped into Xiao Cheng.

A few days later, the first big news broke out in Jiangning Mansion.

Yu Teng, the magistrate of Jiangning, a fourth-rank official and just one step away from becoming a purple robe, was taken away from home by Dali Temple for questioning due to corruption.

The announcements that followed one after another made the people of Jiangning dumbfounded.

Magistrate Yu, who usually seemed kind-hearted, was actually burdened with several lives and a hundred thousand dollars of corruption.

Yu Teng was executed as a prisoner, and Yu Teng's two sons were sent to serve in the army. The rest of the Yu family were all distributed to Lingnan, and all the Yu family's property was confiscated.

The person who took over as the prefect of Jiangning was Bozhou Tianchou.

Another person who is an out-and-out leader of the auxiliary faction.
Chapter completed!