Poaching someone? What's the matter?
Song Liyun was completely confused. She had only been gone for a little over twenty days, so how could she not understand anything anymore!
Wang Junxu was certain that Song Liyun knew nothing before shaking his head and sighing, "Jiang Feng wants to build another acorn vermicelli workshop in Qili County, and put it under our name... The profits will have nothing to do with us!"
"He's practically robbing us outright!"
Song Liyun was so angry she almost twisted her nose. She had an acorn vermicelli workshop in Suijin Town, and Jiang Feng was going to set up another one, using Suijin Town's name without contributing anything.
What terrifying ignorance of the law!
They didn't care that the next day was already the 30th of the twelfth lunar month, a day for family reunions.
While Yang Hua and Yun Niangzi were busy preparing for the New Year's Eve dinner to celebrate the New Year together, Song Liyun led Abu and two cavalrymen directly to the Qili County Government Office, without even going inside Tianxiang Tower.
Jiang Feng did not bring his family. The clerks of the six ministries of the yamen had already taken leave. Apart from the servants and gatekeepers, even the cooks had gone home to take care of their children. The entire back yamen was deserted.
Song Liyun's return on New Year's Eve was somewhat unexpected by Jiang Feng.
After being informed by the servant, Jiang Feng, dressed in plain clothes, quickly appeared in the warm pavilion.
After a brief greeting, Song Liyun asked directly why he wanted to seize her acorn workshop.
Jiang Feng seemed to have heard something unimaginable. He frowned and said seriously, "Miss Song, you can't be so selfish."
"Selfish?" Song Liyun laughed in anger.
From the moment I picked up the first acorn, everything was mine; what was there to be selfish about?
Jiang Feng was prepared for Song Liyun's reaction and said, "Acorn trees are everywhere in Yunzhou. In order for ordinary people to have enough to eat, your method of removing astringency should be made public."
"I never concealed my methods of obtaining the astringent herbs; most of the farmers around Suijin Town know this. But you, a county magistrate, have embezzled public funds and knowingly broken the law. Doesn't that suggest you have ulterior motives?"
Song Liyun was a little annoyed. She had never thought of hiding her methods when she started the workshop, but the feeling of voluntary donation and forced donation is different.
She had every reason to suspect that Jiang Feng was envious of the acorn workshop's profits.
Yesterday she looked at the account book that Uncle Han brought. Although the various incomes of Xiangzi were very small, they added up to thirty taels a month.
This was Song Liyun's share after Xue Zhuang and the others had already divided it up at the garrison.
As for the villagers who went up the mountain to collect acorns, each household had about one or two taels of silver, enough to buy cloth, cotton, and a few pounds of meat to have a comfortable winter.
When faced with money, the ship of friendship capsizes easily. At this moment, Song Liyun and Jiang Feng no longer have the tacit understanding they had when they were dealing with Young Master Lin together.
Both of them glared at each other with dark expressions.
Jiang Feng suppressed his anger and said, "Miss Song, do you know that the new emperor has ascended the throne and his ambition is for the prosperity and well-being of the people? You are now a member of the royal family, yet you refuse to part with your money for the common people?"
What a huge pot!
Song Liyun was furious. She hadn't even married Zhao Tingduo yet, and she was already worrying about the world before her?
Even if you're worried, you should first consider the interests of the Uda tribe, what does it have to do with the Emperor of the Wu Dynasty!
Song Liyun didn't want to argue with Jiang Feng. The two of them were not on the same wavelength, and each thought he was right.
Jiang Feng is right. It is the responsibility of every official to share the emperor's burdens and seek benefits for the people, including Song Liyun, who will be an indirect beneficiary in the future. There is no reason to directly take money from someone else's pocket.
Song Liyun thought for a moment and said, "I will not agree to Qili County setting up another acorn workshop."
The method for removing the astringency from acorns has actually been known for a long time. Don't just sit in court listening to others; if you let the craftsmen clean an extra ear, you'd know that every household in the villages around Broken Gold Town soaks acorns, grinds them into powder, and eats them.”
Jiang Feng's face darkened further; these words were referring to the clay and wooden sculptures on the court.
But Song Liyun said that every household could grind their own flour to eat, which made him feel relieved.
Song Liyun continued, "Although grinding flour can solve part of their food problem, they still can't buy the necessary grains, oils, cloth, and salt because they don't have money. The only way is to let them earn money first, and then they can buy cheap grains."
Jiang Feng understood some things, but he was also unclear about others. However, he knew that Song Liyun had many ingenious ideas, so he calmed down.
After a moment's thought, he asked, "You mean everyone can make money? I understand that."
But then they say acorn workshops can't be set up in Qili County. Where will the money come from? Not from your lamb skewers, right?
During the twelfth lunar month, Tianxianglou's business was booming, and barbecue restaurants all over the city were extremely popular. However, these things also required money to consume, and not every household could set up a barbecue stall.
Song Liyun started counting on her fingers, and Jiang Feng listened attentively, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper as he listened.
According to Song Liyun, people should be encouraged to engage in more livestock farming and planting.
If you can't raise chickens, ducks, and pigs that eat grain, you can raise sheep, rabbits, and cattle that eat grass.
Since sheep and cattle are too expensive, we raise rabbits instead.
Furthermore, the barren slopes on the mountains do not produce fine grains, so they plant more beans and millet to feed livestock.
Before Song Liyun could continue, Jiang Feng interrupted her: "Not to mention that rabbits are hard to raise, nobody raises them either. You just said you grow coarse grains to raise livestock, but you don't raise sheep or cattle, so what kind of livestock are you feeding?"
Song Liyun beckoned to Abu, who was sitting in a daze not far away: "Abu, come here and tell Lord Jiang if he needs beans to feed the livestock?"
Abu was getting a headache from all the talk about business, but when he heard about feeding livestock with soybean residue, he perked up and quickly sat down, saying, "Lord Jiang, the best feed on the grasslands is soybeans."
He also enthusiastically talked about how to fatten up sheep, cattle, and horses.
Seeing the two of them singing in unison, Jiang Feng shut up: he had been so happy to see the new emperor ascend the throne that he had become confused; Song Liyun wanted coarse grains because she was looking for them for the Third Young Master.
Farmers are encouraged to grow forage and coarse grains to sell, and then spend the money to buy beef and mutton. All the money goes into her pocket, so nothing is wasted.
Seeing Jiang Feng's unconvinced expression, Song Liyun smiled and said, "There are others to take care of making money. Lord Jiang, you should stick to your old profession!"
I heard from Commander Luo that several corrupt officials in Pingyang Prefecture have been exposed and imprisoned. If their homes are confiscated, they'll find a lot of silver.
Jiang Feng said solemnly, "To be a subject is to receive the emperor's bounty, to be loyal to the emperor, and to bear the emperor's worries!"
Song Liyun stopped arguing. In any case, with each new emperor comes a new set of officials. Sooner or later, the emperor will be replaced from top to bottom, and the money will be used to fill the national treasury.
However… she raised an eyebrow and said, “I also heard that the Lin family of Pingyang is close to several imperial merchants and has done a lot of things to deceive the inner court by passing off inferior goods as superior ones.”
Jiang Feng curled his lip: "I have my own arrangements."
To paraphrase you, just focus on your own work; you don't need to worry about this.
His retort came quickly; he immediately returned the exact words to Song Liyun.
In Qili County, Young Master Lin not only made things difficult for Song Liyun, but also humiliated Jiang Feng by making a scene in court.
Therefore, it's not just the Lin family's shops that need to be investigated; the eldest son of the Lin family also needs to be investigated for colluding with other county offices to fabricate evidence and for engaging in favoritism and malpractice in cases.
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