Chapter 605: T-Juan’s Battle
If you don’t come, you won’t come. When you come, four of them come. When Feng Ziying received the letter, she could already feel the unusual attention from the court.
Lian Guoshi led the team, followed by Fan Jingwen, He Fengsheng and Wu Di.
They arrived very quickly. Almost on the third day after Feng Ziying's third letter arrived, they started to head south.
After reading the letter, Feng Ziying also found it quite interesting.
Among the four people who came, Lian Guoshi and Fan Jingwen were scholars from the north, He Fengsheng was a scholar from Huguang, and Wu Di was an out-and-out Jiangnan scholar. With a reasonable combination, no one could say what they were, and the only ones who would be criticized They were probably all Qingtan Academy disciples, but it was obvious that Guan Yingzhen ignored them.
After putting down the letter, Feng Ziying glanced at Wang Wenyan and Wu Yaoqing who were sitting opposite her, "I have several classmates and colleagues who will come to help us in a few days, so I can breathe a sigh of relief."
Wang Wenyan and Wu Yaoqing both had a thought in mind. They were classmates and colleagues, and they were basically Jinshi.
"Don't be too nervous. Basically, they have not had much contact with these specific matters below. The main purpose of coming here is to familiarize themselves with training. Of course, their identities can indeed suppress the situation, but in terms of actual operation ability, they may be far behind you. .”
Wang Wenyan laughed and said, "Sir, these classmates are all Jinshi, and they must all have the ability. It is just a process of adaptation,..."
"It's different. The scope and methods of their work are different from yours. They can only be spectators and learners of many specific things. I need to make this clear to them when they come, and don't jump to conclusions easily. But more observation, understanding and discussion are needed.”
Feng Ziying will not easily entrust her classmates with important responsibilities or trust them. Maybe their mentality and enthusiasm are good, but they still lack a lot to do these things well. The only advantage is their positive attitude, well, And identity.
"Don't worry, sir. We know how to do it." Wang Wenyan was born as a civil servant and knew very well what his new boss meant. These newcomers should come here more for a kind of training and honing, which can of course be regarded as a kind of gilding. , such a brilliant result, as long as the participants return, they will inevitably get a lot of achievements.
"Well, it will take a few days for them to arrive, but our work here cannot stop, and I have to arrange some things for them first. After they get to know each other for a while, I may have to go back to Beijing."
Guan Yingzhen also specifically mentioned this point in his letter, asking him to return to the capital as soon as possible after arranging the affairs here and make a comprehensive report to the cabinet and the emperor on the affairs of the Eastern Front.
This is also what Feng Ziying wants to achieve.
The Dongfan Salt Service is a bait, and of course the land is a very rich bait, but the comprehensive reclamation of the entire Dongfan is the goal.
If Dongfan Island can be cultivated properly, it will be easy to absorb three to five million landless refugees in the short term, that is, within ten years. In thirty to fifty years, it may even reach the level of an inland prefecture, with a population of one million It's also a piece of cake.
The more critical thing is to control Dongpan. In the future, whether it is going south to Luzon and Sulu in Nanyang, or going north to control Ryukyu and influence Korea and Japan, it will be much more convenient. Dongpan's good climate and rich products are enough to make it easier. This island land became a true treasure island.
“Sir, are you going back to Beijing?” Wang Wenyan and Wu Yaoqing were both a little surprised.
"Wen Yan, Yao Qing, you don't think that this is really a formal yamen, and I am really the person in charge of the yamen, right?" Feng Ziying laughed, "I am just a temporary advance team sent by the Zhongshu Department, come first To get this thing done, I cannot take everything into my own hands. That is neither possible nor in line with the regulations of the imperial court. Even the Zhongshu Department cannot make decisions on many major matters, and they need to be reported to the emperor and the cabinet. Only then can I make a decision. For things like Dongfan, I will definitely have to go back and report, but I will be back soon. I will make a start on the debt raising issue, and then I can let a few of my classmates come in contact and slowly take over. As for the affairs of Yinzhuang, I have to be responsible for it..."
Feng Ziying has already considered it. Whether it is Dongfang affairs, Kaihai bonds, or charter money, these can be handed over slowly, but he must seize the matter of Yinzhuang.
Even if you need to find someone to take over in the future, you must be absolutely trustworthy.
Whether it is practicing state affairs, whether it is Fan Jingwen, or He Fengsheng, they all still need to be investigated.
He knew that he could not hold all of this in his hands. Guan Yingzhen obviously realized this when he sent so many people south at once.
I was not aware of such outstanding achievements and the power it would bring before, so I naturally have to firmly grasp it now. This is normal and in line with expectations.
Thinking of this, Feng Ziying couldn't help but grin. It seemed that no one could escape the word fame and fortune, not even a humble gentleman like Guan Yingzhen. Well, how could Master Qi and Master Qiao be the same?
“Sir, as per your request, representatives from eight and twelve households are here.”
“Are they all here?” The corners of Feng Ziying’s mouth raised slightly. She had done so much preparation work in the early stage and had built enough momentum. Now she was just waiting for this wave.
"Aren't you sick?" Feng Ziying ignored Wang Wenyan's hesitant look and narrowed her eyes slightly. A touch of coldness made Wang Wenyan feel biting. "Maybe these eight and twelve households are too many. Well, go and invite the dragon." Mr. Su, the imprisoned captain, come here, I will talk to him first."
The atmosphere in the room full of salt merchants was a little different from the last time the maritime merchants gathered. Last time, there was fear and sincerity. After all, the charter qualifications of the maritime merchants were in the hands of Zhongshu Ke, and no one wanted to be eliminated. , but this time is different.
The strength and background behind the salt merchants are far beyond that of the maritime merchants.
If the capital strength of maritime merchants is far from that of salt merchants, their background is more limited to local areas and relies more on local government or some connections within their own families. And these salt merchants It is really a century-old accumulation, and it involves not only local officials but also the whole world, and almost all are entangled with interests rather than superficial feelings.
Just because of this latter point, all salt merchants are qualified to be proud.
Not to mention there is another crucial point.
The creation of sea bonds is a matter for the Zhongshu Keke, not a matter for the Salt Transport Secretary Yamen.
Even if you have a good relationship with the Salt Patrol Censor, and you may even become the Censor’s son-in-law, so what?
Not to mention that this relationship is impossible to put on the table, and who doesn't know that Mr. Lin is seriously ill now and has been away for several days. There are even rumors that the imperial court has confirmed a new salt patrol censor and is about to take office.
Under such circumstances, who can you intimidate as the soon-to-be son-in-law of the Salt Patrol Censor?
Of course, you are a court official, and the strategy of opening up the sea is indeed the court's plan. Zhongshu Ke holds the power of opening up the sea, which is related to the interests of the entire Jiangnan. The gentry in the south of the Yangtze River are looking up to you. Everyone will give you a little favor. The respect in the scene must be in place. , even if you make some demands and ideas, as long as they are not excessive, everyone will comply.
But you have to understand that there is a bottom line and you cannot go too far. This is not the job of our salt merchants.
It is my duty to give you something, but it is my duty not to give it to you.
At least when Feng Ziying looked around at the salt merchants in this building, she got a lot of this feeling from the polite and courteous appearance of these salt merchants.
Each of these twenty salt merchants has received a license from the merchant before, and several have even received the license twice, three or even four times.
When the emperor traveled south to the south of the Yangtze River, he stayed in Yangzhou, Jinling, Hangzhou and Suzhou in the gardens of one of their families. He even wrote poems and paintings, leaving behind calligraphy treasures.
Although Feng Ziying has never met most of these salt merchants, he is no longer unfamiliar with these salt merchants due to Wang Wenyan and Wu Yaoqing's repeated introduction and indoctrination. Family members can tell you clearly what your last name is and where you are from, and they even know some of the secrets.
But this is not what Feng Ziying wants.
These people are salt merchants, not other groups. Other effective methods may not be suitable for these people.
To kill a chicken to scare a monkey, you have to distinguish between a chicken and a monkey. If the knife stabs a monkey, it may not kill the monkey, but it may splatter its own blood.
Compared to maritime merchants, salt merchants are indeed much better informed, sensible, and able to discern trends, at least on the surface they have to do a much more beautiful job.
As soon as Feng Ziying stepped into the flower hall, the salt merchants, old and young, all got up early to bow and salute. They were all respectful and had gentle and humble smiles on their faces, so you couldn't find anything wrong with them.
Feng Ziying realized that this matter might not be easy to handle.
No wonder Su Qianhu, the former Long Jinwei in Nanzhili, frowned and said nothing when he heard about his introduction to the salt merchants. Until he finished speaking, he did not make a clear position and only said that he needed to make a decision based on the situation.
This is a euphemistic excuse, and Feng Ziying is mentally prepared to a certain extent. However, this is under the premise that Lu Song has given clear instructions to this person, and it is still so ambiguous, which cannot help but make people feel alarmed.
Having been entrenched for hundreds of years, if they could be overthrown at will, these salt merchants would not be worthy of sitting here. However, to achieve their goals and complete the tasks above, Feng Ziying also knew that some people must be wiped out.
Sometimes, being in this position is original sin, and there are a hundred other reasons you can find.
"Everyone, I am very happy to see you all here,... maybe you are not familiar with me, or know me personally, but you don't know the purpose of my coming south..., well, even Many people will wonder why we were blamed, and whether the imperial court is going to make some donations and apportionments again..."
(End of this chapter)