The King of Qi came to Yangzhou quietly. It was only after the plaque of the Salt Inspectorate was hung up that the officials and merchants of Yangzhou knew that such a person had come to Yangzhou.
Many people wanted to visit him, but were turned away.
Two days later, it was heard that Prince Guangling had come to the capital with his princess.
Officials of all ranks in Yangzhou were in a complicated mood.
"Yangzhou's salt merchants are the most extravagant in the world. Those with less than one million are called small merchants."
This sentence can describe the wealth of salt merchants.
But in recent years, the taxes collected by the court have been reduced by nearly half compared to before.
Salt tax is an important source of national fiscal revenue, accounting for more than half of the country's tax revenue.
Xiao Feng did not meet the officials who came to visit him. He had been privately investigating the complicated relationships between officials and merchants, and had people keeping an eye on the major salt fields.
This investigation revealed that the relationship between officials and businessmen in Yangzhou was connected into a network that was almost impenetrable.
Unlike the capital, where marriages are basically between officials, rarely marrying between officials and merchants, the aristocratic families in Kyoto are more particular about marrying people of equal status.
But here, the combination of officials and businessmen is common.
Yangzhou is a typical representative of the Lianghuai region, and most of the major salt merchants are located here. Xiao Feng understood that it would be difficult to find out anything from it.
Moreover, we watched the salt field for half a month and didn't find anything unusual.
We have to find a breakthrough.
Xiao Feng was sitting in the warm room checking the salt field's account books when Butler Wang reported, "Your Majesty, Miss Wan is here and wants to take a look."
Yes, the sled dog pup has a name, and it was Xiao Feng who gave it the name, Diandian.
Xiao Feng seemed to suddenly remember something and asked, "I heard that Wan Jinlan's grandfather's birthday is coming soon?"
Butler Wang nodded and said, "Recently, many families in the city have been buying birthday gifts."
The two daughters of the Earl of Yongchang married well. One was the concubine of the Prince of Guangling, and the other was the eldest lady of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion in Kyoto. In Yangzhou, they were also a very respectable family. No matter whether they were officials or businessmen, any smart person would not want to take this opportunity to show off and build relationships.
Xiao Feng felt that Earl Yongchang should be a good breakthrough point.
"Have someone bring Diandian here, and bring Miss Wan here as well."
Butler Wang glanced at their prince, then responded and went out to get the people.
It was cold today, so Wan Jinlan was wearing warm clothes when he went out.
She wore a peach-pink short jacket with a cross collar, a lighter-colored aqua skirt embroidered with forsythia flowers, and a white rabbit fur cloak on the outside.
As soon as I entered the warm room, I felt a little hot.
Faintly, it seemed as if there was someone sitting behind the plum blossom screen.
She looked over and saw that it was Xiao Feng. The sunlight streaming through the window fell on him, and he looked cool and peaceful.
The little fat dog circled around her feet, bent over and barked at the pearls on her shoes, wagging its short, fat tail.
Wan Jinlan picked up the puppy and walked over the screen.
Butler Wang opened his mouth to stop her, but finally, for some unknown reason, he closed his mouth. Seeing Chuntao standing beside him, Butler Wang asked, "Would you like to go with me for some hot tea?"
Chuntao hesitated, and Wan Jinlan answered for her: "Go, Chuntao, and come back soon."
"Your Highness, does it have a name?" Wan Jinlan rubbed the little fat dog's head, his eyes falling on his bony and slender jade-like fingers holding the pen.
Wan Jinlan still had some sense of propriety and didn't get too close to the table so he couldn't see the contents of the book spread out on it.
Xiao Feng's voice was clear and serious, "Call me Diandian."
Wan Jinlan chuckled and poked the dog's chubby body, "This name is interesting, but it doesn't seem like the name a prince would marry."
"I thought the prince would create some kind of wind or snow-covered scene."
Xiao Feng was disturbed by her chattering. He looked up and saw her squatting sideways. His eyes fell on her forehead. The fine hair on her forehead was coated with a layer of gold. Her cheeks were rosy and translucent, and he could see the very fine hairs on the side of her cheeks very clearly.
Wan Jinlan turned around and smiled, "Your Highness must find me annoying. But I guess you have something to talk to me about, otherwise you wouldn't let me come here to play with the dog."
"Your Highness, please speak frankly. For Diandian's sake, I will definitely help you if you need anything."
Xiao Feng coughed lightly and remembered his important business.
"I heard your grandfather is going to celebrate his birthday?"
Wan Jinlan nodded, "Your Highness, do you still care about such things?"
Xiao Feng lowered his eyelashes and said, "Remind your maternal family, don't forget to send a message to this prince."
Wan Jinlan thought she had misheard. Was this the thing he was looking for her to do today?
"If you want to go to the Earl's house, why don't you just go directly? No one will stop you even if you don't bring any gifts." Why do you have to be so particular about that invitation?
Xiao Feng said succinctly: "Etiquette cannot be abolished."
In the eyes of officials and wealthy businessmen in Yangzhou, it was different whether he came to the door on his own initiative or was invited to the door with an invitation.
But there's no need to tell her.
Wan Jinlan's mind raced, and he suddenly understood.
Xiao Feng is currently serving as the Imperial Censor of Salt, and he is here to address the salt administration issues in Lianghuai.
Officials and wealthy businessmen in Yangzhou all stick together. He wanted to find out some results, but without the guidance of a local, he couldn't find a breakthrough for a while.
He approached her and wanted to visit the Shen family on her grandfather's birthday. This seemed ordinary, but it was actually not.
These days, the Censorate has not allowed other irrelevant officials or wealthy businessmen who want to give benefits to enter the house, but the King of Qi accepted the invitation to visit the Earl's house. What will others think?
Wan Jinlan suddenly turned around and looked at Xiao Feng.
This person wanted to drag her grandfather into the same boat with him to deal with others.
But there is nothing wrong with sending an invitation. It is a normal social interaction and there is nothing wrong with it. But when she returns, she still has to tell her grandfather.
Wan Jinlan knew that it was time to stop, so he didn't bother Xiao Feng for too long and carried Diandian out of the rooms.
"It's too hot in the house. I'll take Diandian out for a run."
She said this and went to the garden.
Diandian's fur is white with a hint of gray, and its ears flicker when it runs. It is so adorable, the kind that you want to steal it back home.
After the room was empty, Xiao Feng felt a little hot, so he got up and opened the window. He saw Wan Jinlan smiling and chasing Diandian.
The next day, the Shen family sent someone to deliver an invitation to Xiao Feng.
Wan Jinlan reminded his grandfather, but his grandfather said that the invitation was just a courtesy and didn't mean anything.
Since it didn't matter, Wan Jinlan put it aside.
I wanted to continue leaving the house today, but before I could make a move, my second aunt, Concubine Shen, came.
When Concubine Shen came today, her face was flushed, and she looked like she had some happy event.
After a round of conversation, Wan Jinlan learned that before taking Princess Guangling to the capital, Prince Guangling had entrusted the marriage between Xiao Mingyi and the Governor of Youzhou to Concubine Shen.
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