Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Ability
"You unruly people! You're all unruly people!" The emperor was furious. He took a few more Qi-boosting and spirit-nourishing pills, but his anger was still not quelled.
How could there be such troublemakers?
If anything goes wrong, they'll shout for rebellion.
"I've been too good to them all along," the Emperor said through gritted teeth.
Inside the Hall of Diligent Governance, the officials all held their breath and remained silent, but they were clearly used to it.
After a long while, a voice said, "That General Fu is greedy and insatiable, which is why he has aroused public outrage. Now we can only do as they say."
One is Prince Zheng, and the other is Prefect Su.
Sending these two people over will solve most of the problem.
The emperor looked at the man coldly, knowing they were from the same hometown and shared the same blood: "What, are you trying to teach me how to be an emperor?"
Everyone immediately knelt down, saying they dared not.
But everyone's attitude was very clear.
They wanted Prince Zheng before, but you became suspicious and sent your trusted general Fu instead.
General Fu was gone for two months, and no battles were fought. Instead, he was urging the establishment of some kind of weapons workshop.
They even poached people from Su Qing's team.
If it only went this far, no one would say anything.
Anyway, there's nothing wrong with needing weapons to fight a war.
Furthermore, everyone was curious about how Su Qing improved the iron smelting technology.
The key is that the workshop was built and the people were brought in.
So it was all just for personal enrichment?
The weapons they produced were of poor quality and expensive.
The weapons that Su Qing transported from Guangyuefu were of excellent quality and inexpensive; it's no exaggeration to say they were both high-quality and inexpensive.
You just don't want to.
It turns out it wasn't for cost-saving purposes.
It's not that they want to make money for themselves.
It's no wonder everyone is angry; this was done outrageously.
In addition, the local officials colluded with General Fu and his group.
This has created chaos and disorder in the Haiwanzhou area.
If we don't fight back, do you really think we can just take them for granted?
The situation remained deadlocked until the nineteenth day of the twelfth lunar month.
The Emperor finally relented, his face grim, and ordered Prince Zheng to lead the expedition, and to go there before the New Year to replace General Fu Gui.
As for Su Qing, she will also be going there before the end of the year.
Aren't you guys supposed to be amazing?
Then let's go.
Now don't say anything, I won't listen to advice.
The emperor felt frustrated in his position as emperor.
When he first ascended the throne, the Empress Dowager was determined to seize power.
But at least she was his mother, and he had regained his power.
Today, the country is prosperous and the people are at peace, with favorable weather and abundant harvests.
He only wanted to build an imperial mausoleum, why is he being targeted like this?
Su Qing and Yan Zhengzhou are really a good match.
That's truly remarkable.
Since it's what everyone wants, then let's go.
Anyway, this is my world.
No matter how well you do, you are still my subject.
With this in mind, in this cold winter season.
Su Qing and Yan Zhengzhou are both setting off for Haiwanzhou.
After all, the emperor's decree cannot be disobeyed.
Su Qing had considered the possibility of Yan Zhengzhou going to Haiwanzhou.
There aren't many capable generals in the court.
Sending him there will not only reassure the people, but also help us win battles.
The emperor himself understood that Yan Zhengzhou was not the kind of person who would rebel.
But it was an unexpected turn of events that the people of Wanzhou allowed her to pass.
Ye Shanming has an answer to this question.
"It's because of what happened last year."
Last year, floods struck various parts of Shunchang Kingdom, with the Huizhou area being the most severely affected.
At that time, the imperial court levied heavy taxes on Guangyue Prefecture, and she also called on local wealthy households to donate grain so that the imperial court could not pretend not to see it.
The Huizhou area is not far from Haiwanzhou.
The news naturally spread.
In addition, the fact that the Guangyue Prefecture where she lived was so well-known was common knowledge.
The people of the world are not ignorant; even with the simplest of thoughts, they know who is good and who is bad.
Because of this trust, Su Qing will do her best to help.
Su Qing was already quite relieved to have Guangyuefu handed over to Wuhu Si.
Contact with the other locations was entrusted to Registrar Luo.
If you need anything, just write to her directly.
Before leaving, Su Qing went to see Mei Niang again, and then took Yun Xi and Lü Lan with him, along with Quan Jingwu and other clerks.
Officer Wu continued to lead his men to ensure security.
On the 21st day of the twelfth lunar month, the snow fell heavier and heavier.
Su Qing and the others set off the next day.
Ye Shanming, who frequently travels between the two places, is experienced and has planned his itinerary carefully.
"If we had come earlier, the boat trip would have been smoother," Ye Shanming said. "Now we can only take a carriage or ride a horse."
The journey from Guangyuefu to Haiwanzhou is about 3,200 li.
The weather isn't great right now; getting eighty miles a day is already pretty good.
The further south you go, the warmer the weather becomes, and then you can travel day and night.
It will take about twenty days to complete.
This group included Prince Zheng and others who had come from the capital.
There's a high chance we'll be spending the Lunar New Year on the road.
Ye Shanming frowned: "His Majesty is clearly doing this on purpose."
Those accompanying him, whether from the Ye family or Su Qing's subordinates, were all his own people, and their faces were very familiar, so he spoke without any reservations.
But it was still the Emperor's usual method—too despicable and petty.
After saying that, Ye Shanming looked at Su Qing and said, "With your personality, you're not going to retaliate?"
She's not one to suffer in silence.
That General Fu not only betrayed her good intentions, but also poached Lord Zhen.
And the Emperor insisted that they set off before the New Year, spending the entire holiday on the road.
This is completely unreasonable.
Su Qing raised an eyebrow: "How can I retaliate? He's the Emperor. His word is law, and as his subject, I can only obey."
Ye Shanming laughed for a long time after hearing this. In fact, he didn't know what was so funny, but he just felt that these words should not have come out of Su Qing's mouth.
If she had been more respectful to the Emperor, she wouldn't have been sent on a business trip in the dead of winter.
Although it is deep winter, the further south you go, the warmer the climate becomes.
Yunxi and Lvlan had never traveled far from home.
Quan Jingwu also said, "Even in the dead of winter, the water here doesn't freeze."
Su Qing casually replied, "It's not snowing there yet."
In today's information-rich world, the vast differences between the North and South often leave netizens in awe.
Moreover, in ancient times, the roads were different and information flowed less smoothly.
Ye Shanming, who had traveled all over the country, knew more about this, and he looked at Su Qing in surprise.
If we're talking about the places Su Qing has been, compared to men, she's been to quite a few places, not to mention women.
However, whether it is Gaoqing Prefecture, Shanyang Prefecture, Tongmin Prefecture, or the capital, they all belong to the north.
But when she talked about the customs and culture of the Jiangnan and Guangdong regions, it was almost exactly the same.
Seeing his expression, Su Qing casually explained, "I read it in a book."
Whether you read it in a book or not, it's amazing.
By the 29th of the twelfth lunar month, there were hardly any people left on the official road.
Most of the surrounding inns were also closed.
One reason is that it's too cold, and the other is that everyone is staying home for the Lunar New Year.
Unless it's extremely urgent, who would go out during the Lunar New Year?
Once they entered a city, Su Qing asked, "What territory is this?"
Ye Shanming replied, "Yuncheng in southern Shanxi."
That was quite a place. Su Qing looked around and said, "Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, let's rest here."
We're not in a hurry anymore?
If the imperial court finds out, they'll definitely have something to say.
Su Qing didn't care at all: "The mountains are high and the emperor is far away, why should we be afraid of them?"
"It's the Lunar New Year, let's get some rest first."
Ye Shanming laughed, "This is Su Qing's true nature."
He immediately ordered his men to find the largest restaurant in the area, rent two courtyards, and hire chefs and cooks at high prices.
Su Qing spent extra money, intending to wait until the second day of the lunar new year before setting off.
They didn't let anyone follow them, and everyone was allowed to rest well, which was considered a way to celebrate the New Year.
Not only that, he also personally bought New Year's goods and prepared red envelopes.
Since we're out here with you, wouldn't it be a shame not to treat you well?
However, as soon as they settled in, local officials from Yuncheng heard about it and hurriedly brought over gifts.
Speaking of which, several workshops in Guangyuefu have connections with Yuncheng.
In particular, the pig iron workshops and weapons workshops purchased large quantities of coal from Yuncheng.
Among the many buyers, they were considered good customers, never delaying payment.
The officer knew where Su Qing and his group were going and what errand they were going to run, and he sighed repeatedly.
The imperial court, too, for no reason, wouldn't even let us have a peaceful New Year.
But he had only been gone a short while when he heard a servant say, "My lord! Prince Zheng has arrived! He's also staying at the same restaurant where Lord Su is staying."
Prince Zheng?!
How could he possibly pass through Yuncheng on his way to Wanzhou?
Is this a detour?
"I'll stop thinking about it now. I need to hurry and buy a gift so I can go and pay my respects."
During the Lunar New Year, the sudden arrival of two important figures would make anyone panic.
Fortunately, both Prince Zheng and Lord Su said directly, "It was just a chance encounter. Everyone can go about their own business."
"Don't worry about us, we'll set off after the New Year holidays."
Despite holding a high position, he did not abuse his power to bully the weak.
No wonder they both have such good reputations, and no wonder the people of Haiwanzhou jointly requested that they go to their area to suppress the bandits.
Not only were the officials of Yuncheng very surprised by Prince Zheng's arrival, but Su Qing and Ye Shanming were as well.
Especially Ye Shanming, Prince Zheng is always cautious in his actions and would never offend the Emperor.
This action was indeed somewhat unexpected.
But Su Qing's smile never faded, and she was clearly in an exceptionally good mood.
Ye Shanming looked at the two of them, his shock impossible to hide.
However, Prince Zheng said, "Please excuse yourself for now, Young Master Ye. I have official business to discuss with Lord Su."
It's Chinese New Year.
What can we discuss?
Even if something is wrong, we should talk about it when we get to Wanzhou.
Ye Shanming has been in business for many years and has met countless people.
How could he not see that Su Qing's smile was strange? Although Prince Zheng had a cold face, his eyes were always on her.
After a moment, Ye Shanming left the room.
He suddenly realized.
Prince Zheng is extremely loyal.
Su Qing, however, was a “rebellious” person.
The two of them have such a good relationship, it's hard to tell who will influence whom.
Ye Shanming mentally voted for Su Qing.
There's nothing she can't accomplish if she sets her mind to it.
Ye Shanming slowly retreated, leaving Su Qing's courtyard, and said to the others, "There is official business to be discussed inside. Do not approach. Wait for Lord Su's instructions before we speak."
Inside the room, Su Qing simply smiled and asked, "Why are you here?"
Yan Zhengzhou didn't speak, but his expression was very clear.
Why do you think I'm here?
Su Qing thought he wanted to spend the New Year with her.
Unexpectedly, the other party asked, "That peephole, was it given to you by Young Master Ye?"
Su Qing remained silent.
That happened ages ago, why bring it up again?
She's long forgotten.
Seeing that she didn't answer, Yan Zhengzhou took the initiative to move closer and stared intently at her: "There are a few more."
What, how many are left?
Su Qing had absolutely no idea what he was saying.
Su Qing tried to play dumb, but was pulled back by the waist.
Yan Zhengzhou chuckled lightly, as if he was no longer going to press the matter, but he said slowly, "My brother and I are quite similar in this respect."
What?
Petty.
Su Qing laughed and leaned against him, patting Yan Zhengzhou's chest muscles: "Don't worry, I still prefer this one."
I don't mean to say anything bad about others.
In terms of physique and appearance, Yan Zhengzhou is definitely top-notch.
If this face and this physique were in later generations, he would definitely be considered a male celebrity with explosive hormones.
Yan Zhengzhou looked down at her, his throat bobbing.
Turning around was definitely the right thing to do.
There really wasn't any official business to discuss during these two days of the Lunar New Year holiday.
The main focus is on allowing subordinates to relax and rest.
They would often gather together to drink and play cards, and local officials even sent over a few singers to help relieve their boredom.
Whether it's Su Qingyan, Zhengzhou, Ye Shanming, or the local officials.
Everyone knows that we'll only have a day or two to rest.
After setting off on the second day of the Lunar New Year, I haven't had a single day of rest.
Only Ye Shanming remained silent, only helping to pack the luggage.
He also wanted to know how many people admired Su Qing, and whether he would even be able to get a number in line.
First there was Gu Congsi, then Hua Jingming, and I heard there was also a garrison commander. Before that, she also had a clerk by her side, whose eyes were full of admiration when he looked at her.
Needless to say, the Emperor would not hesitate to call her a favorite concubine if Su Qing showed any interest in him.
Now another prince has arrived.
Then he should just wait in line.
However, neither Su Qing nor Yan Zhengzhou would let personal matters interfere with public duties.
Unless one party intentionally indicates it, outsiders cannot tell.
The seventh year of Yongsheng, the second day of the first month.
The group set off from Yuncheng.
Watching them walk away, the local official said, "Doing the job too well isn't good either."
They were feared by the emperor, yet they still had to travel through the winter.
Who wants to live like this?
So just focus on protecting yourself and don't waste your time.
Su Qing and the others continued south.
The further south you go, the faster you go.
We finally arrived in Yangzhou before the Lantern Festival.
Ye Shanming stopped there and watched Su Qing and the others leave for Haiwanzhou.
Su Qing already had a basic understanding of the situation over there and was fully aware of it.
Before they even arrived, the news had already spread throughout Haiwanzhou.
When General Fu came last time, everyone was full of anticipation and even lined the streets to welcome him.
But as we all know, that's how it turned out.
Therefore, the people of Haiwanzhou did not react much when Prince Zheng entered the city this time.
It's not that they don't have expectations, but rather that they dare not have expectations.
"Prince Zheng has been victorious in every battle before, so we should have even higher expectations."
"God of War? Do you know that he didn't want to come to Haiwanzhou at all?"
"Don't you want to come?"
"Yes, that's why the Emperor sent General Fu Gui, who is greedy for money, because he didn't want to come."
Su Qing and Yan Zhengzhou both knew about this rumor.
It was the Emperor's doing; he didn't want him to come, nor did he want to take responsibility.
We cannot blame the people for believing.
Who can blame them when the imperial court is always unreliable, and the rumors are so detailed and convincing?
Therefore, when Su Qing and Yan Zhengzhou entered the city, it seemed particularly deserted.
But neither of them cared about such empty fame and went straight to the Haiwanzhou government office.
At this moment, the local prefect and General Fu were both waiting.
The prefect of Wanzhou, surnamed Zhang, is a newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) this year.
His family bribed them to get him here.
I thought it was just some banditry, which happens everywhere, but I never expected it to escalate to this extent.
What he didn't expect was that General Fu would instigate him to start a scheme to amass wealth.
If Su Qing hadn't discovered the problem in time...
Prefect Zhang and General Fu have already pocketed the donations from all over Jiangnan.
Logically, the two should have gone to greet Prince Zheng and Lord Su.
But nobody wanted to move.
Who would be willing to greet someone who comes to seize power with a smile?
Not to mention, they were all somewhat afraid of those two.
It's easy to understand why General Fu was afraid of Prince Zheng.
They were both military generals, and it is said that in literature there is no first place, but in martial arts there is no second place. They were well aware of each other's strength and martial prowess.
If I were to face off against Prince Zheng, and I were to win even once, it would be an incredible stroke of good fortune.
Prefect Zhang's fear of Su Qing stemmed from an instinctive dread.
Don't let her age fool you; she's a woman, and even younger than me.
But he has extensive experience as an official.
Under her rule, countless corrupt officials, local gentry, and powerful figures all knelt down and begged for mercy.
Begging for mercy is useless. Just like the Hua family, they had to sell most of their land before Lord Su spared them.
"Don't be afraid before the battle even begins," General Fu said through gritted teeth. "If you're scared now, what will you do when you see them later?"
Looking at his trembling appearance, Prefect Zhang thought to himself, "You're not even as good as me."
The two were terrified, but what was bound to happen would happen anyway.
Su Qing and Prince Zheng entered the room one after the other, and the two of them stood up abruptly, their heads bowed low.
Su Qing and Yan Zhengzhou arrived on the emperor's orders, and everyone immediately knelt to welcome them.
Once the imperial edict was read, General Fu and Prefect Zhang's official positions would be temporarily terminated.
Both were dismissed from their posts and placed under investigation. They were temporarily detained at home to assist Lord Su and Prince Zheng in their duties.
"If you cooperate well, we can put in a good word for you. If you don't cooperate well, don't blame us for being ruthless in our memorials."
Regardless of the Emperor's attitude towards Su Qingyan and Zhengzhou.
But now that they've come, their memorials will be extremely important.
The fate of Prefect Zhang, General Fu, and even the Zhang and Fu families is in their hands.
Sure enough, upon hearing this, the two bowed again, clearly out of fear.
Giving them a hard time right from the start makes things easier.
Yan Zhengzhou took General Fu to the military camp to check on the situation.
The yamen was handed over to Su Qing, who would temporarily take charge.
The two men had just arrived in Haiwanzhou and immediately began working.
The local officials complained bitterly.
The two of them were extremely experienced, proficient in all tasks in the military and government offices; anyone who tried to bluff would be turned away.
Su Qing first checked the yamen's accounts.
Many of the details are too painful to look at.
If it weren't for the fact that Wanzhou is backed by a seaport, the situation would definitely be worse.
However, rebels are now frequently seen in small boats near the harbor, which is very dangerous and affects the passage of ships.
As for fishermen and farmers, life is much harder.
They work in the fields during the normal time, and when they are not fishing or farming, they work at the docks.
Life was alright throughout the year.
In recent years, with the increase in the number of ships at the dock, income has improved.
If it weren't for the rebels causing trouble, there would actually be a way out.
Having learned all this, Su Qing turned her gaze to Prefect Zhang.
Su Qing had no impression of Lord Zhang.
But judging from his eyes, he clearly recognized me.
Indeed, all the newly appointed scholars had seen her at the Qionglin Banquet.
Su Qing smiled and said, "Lord Zhang, how have you been?"
“Lord Su, do you still remember me?” Magistrate Zhang said immediately.
Su Qing did not say yes or no, but only said: "His Majesty places high hopes on the newly appointed Jinshi, otherwise he would not have appointed many of them as prefects."
"Lord Zhang, you have truly failed the Emperor's trust."
High hopes are placed on it.
Betrayed trust.
Such words mean nothing to seasoned professionals.
But for someone like Prefect Zhang, who had only recently taken office, it was really embarrassing.
"Your subordinate is ashamed before His Majesty." After saying this, Prefect Zhang noticed that the clerk beside him kept shaking his head.
There are some things that can be done, but not admitted; please don't say anything more.
Seeing that he stopped speaking, Su Qing did not press him, and simply said, "I have been here for three days now."
"Take me to see Hai Wanzhou's weapons workshop."
The clerk beside Prefect Zhang looked ashen-faced.
That's really hitting a nerve.
The so-called weapons workshops were all taken from Su Qing.
Even though they only poached Lord Zhen, it's still poaching people.
It seems that this Lord Su is going to settle accounts.
Su Qing didn't care at all what these people thought.
She was just going to check things out.
If there really is a weapons workshop in Haiwanzhou, it would definitely be a good thing for the local war effort.
Suppressing the rebels as soon as possible is the top priority.
When Su Qing arrived at the weapons workshop in Haiwanzhou, he was in a daze.
She hasn't seen it, has she?
Yunxi said, "My lord, isn't this the weapons workshop of our Guangyue Prefecture?"
Yes, aren't they exactly the same?
Copy it from their Guangyuefu workshop?
Upon entering the workshop, the group from Guangyuefu fell silent.
Copying only the appearance, not the substance?
The workshop was already poorly managed, and things got even worse after the incident.
That's fine.
As long as the boiler equipment inside is working properly, it's fine.
Once Su Qing has sorted things out, he can get to work.
Prefect Zhang and General Fu recruited Lord Zhen, wasn't it all for the more advanced steam engine?
Su Qing thought the steam engine was finished.
But where is there any trace of a steam engine in this workshop?
The boiler inside was so rudimentary that it was unthinkable to use it for making weapons, let alone ordinary ironware.
Thankfully, craftsman Dou didn't come, or he would have been furious.
Su Qing looked around and asked, "Isn't Lord Zhen in charge of this area? Where is he?"
After he finished speaking, Lord Zhen slowly walked out, his eyes full of pleading.
Back then, this Scholar Zhen was recommended by Master Gong, and Su Qing brought him from the capital.
Knowing he was ambitious for officialdom, Su Qing didn't think much of it, gave him a suitable official position, and let him do what he was good at.
The steam engine project proceeded smoothly, and Su Qing did not interfere much.
The subsequent betrayal was entirely expected.
However, his betrayal was so swift that it made Su Qing reflect on herself.
It is normal for people to gather and disperse for the same reason.
If you only think about using official positions to lure people away, they will naturally leave when they are offered a higher position.
Therefore, when Su Qing saw Lord Zhen, he was not too angry. He simply asked in a businesslike manner, "Lord Zhen, where is the steam engine here?"
Lord Zhen knew Su Qing's personality and understood that she wouldn't hold a grudge against him.
But there was no blame at all, which still made him burst into tears.
Instead of secretly shedding tears, Lord Zhen burst into tears on the spot.
Startled, Su Qing took a half step back. Officer Wu said, "What are you crying for? Lord Su is asking you a question."
Prefect Zhang, standing nearby, wiped the sweat from his brow.
Lord Zhen's current condition is naturally a problem between him and General Fu.
To say that we're poaching people from Guangyuefu.
Neither of them expected it to go so smoothly.
After all, everyone knows about Su Qing's situation, and anyone with a modicum of sense wouldn't leave.
Unexpectedly, Lord Zhen immediately agreed to the promotion upon hearing it.
It also describes the internal situation of the weapons workshop in Guangyuefu, only mentioning the personalities of the people around them and the extremely useful steam engine.
Others?
The other ones aren't that I don't want to talk about it, but rather that I simply don't know.
After bringing him over, Prefect Zhang and General Fu did not give him an important position or promote him; they simply put him in charge of the weapons workshop.
And that's how the weapons workshop ended up.
Lord Zhen only knows how to build steam engines; he knows nothing about management or procurement.
When asked about the prices of various materials used in the Guangyuefu opera and the costs involved, he still didn't know.
He doesn't need to worry about these things at all.
However, Lord Zhen was very familiar with the quantities of all the materials needed to build the steam engine.
They also gave Prefect Zhang a list and told him to buy according to the list.
When Prefect Zhang saw what was needed, he immediately declined.
reason?
The reason is that building a steam engine is too expensive.
They're here to make money.
There's no such thing as spending money before making money.
No, no, that won't do.
I'm not going to make any more.
Any boiler you buy will do.
Su Qing felt dizzy and disoriented listening to this, wishing she could take a qi-boosting and mind-nourishing pill.
They're a bunch of idiots.
Lord Zhen wept bitterly because he realized that after arriving, he could neither accomplish anything nor get promoted.
The family members were robbed while shopping, and on their way home, they were robbed by bandits.
They were so happy when their whole family came.
I feel so depressed right now.
Most of the money he saved in Guangyuefu is gone, and he can't even make ends meet.
"I'm still better suited to Guangyuefu, Lord Su. Please let me go back to Guangyuefu, or I'll return to the capital," Lord Zhen said, weeping.
But Su Qing, who usually seemed easy to talk to, did not agree at this moment. She chuckled and said, "Going back to Guang Le Mansion is definitely out of the question, and you can forget about your old home in the capital. You can only stay here."
Only one can stay?!
"There are rebels and bandits everywhere here, sir. I really can't live here anymore."
Su Qing found him annoying and said directly, "We'll talk about leaving when we build a real steam engine."
"You just focus on building the machines, and don't worry about anything else."
Su Qing looked around and then focused her gaze on the two siblings, Yun Xi and Lü Lan.
Both of them recognized Yu, the eunuch, as their godfather, and thus they were truly siblings.
They've been with me for a long time, so it's time for them to try doing things on their own.
"How about you two, one in external affairs and the other in charge of internal accounts?"
Yu Yunxi and Liu Lülan immediately agreed: "We obey!"
They've been waiting for this for ages!
"Tell me immediately if anything happens."
Prefect Zhang hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.
Isn't that utterly ridiculous?
To say that I'm bad at being an official is because I have absolutely no experience.
But it's still better than those two brats.
Lord Su really is a nepotist.
Su Qing glanced at him and asked again, "Where are the donations from the wealthy merchants of Jiangnan?"
Since we need to rebuild the workshop, we will definitely need money.
Since the government's accounts were insufficient, they could only look at the funds raised.
Although Prefect Zhang was not convinced by Yun Xi and the other man, he immediately replied, "They are in the hands of the Shi family, the president of the local chamber of commerce, and the Ye family, the president of the Yangzhou chamber of commerce."
Although it's the same set of accounts, there are two different supervisors, precisely because they're afraid the money won't be used properly.
It was Su Qing's reminder that led them to discover the collusion between Prefect Zhang and General Fu.
So when Su Qing brought up the matter, the local Shi family patriarch took the initiative to visit and request an audience that very day.
To Zhang Zhizhou's dismay,
He repeatedly asked for the accounts and money, but Master Shi made various excuses and refused to give them to him.
Lord Su only mentioned it briefly, and this man followed him eagerly.
Ye Shanming from the Ye family rushed over overnight.
From now on, Prefect Zhang will not be able to participate in the matter and will remain under house arrest; he can only be contacted when necessary.
Su Qing explained the weapons workshop to Master Shi and Ye Shanming, and said, "The steam engine must be built."
At this point, Su Qing paused again, subtly raising her head to look in the direction of the harbor: "Even if we don't build it now, we'll have to build it eventually."
Since we're already here...
It would be really inappropriate not to build a steam engine and leave it by the sea.
This was also one of the reasons why she wouldn't let Lord Zhen leave.
Seeing that Lord Su said this, Master Shi and Ye Shanming, though they did not understand his meaning, still agreed.
Yunxi and Lvlan will also submit a report on the funds needed for the weapons workshop, and the money will be collected in due course.
Upon hearing this, Master Shi said in surprise, "Lord Su, we had our reasons for not giving the money to Prefect Zhang before. If you accept it, we will naturally give you the accounts and money together."
Su Qing looked at Ye Shanming with some surprise.
Ye Shanming waved his hand and said, "It has nothing to do with me. It's because everyone trusts you."
Ordinary people may not understand Su Qing's abilities.
But Master Shi knew it.
Needless to say, Ye Shanming.
These wealthy merchants in Jiangnan were not afraid of officials being greedy for money, as long as they could get things done.
Upon his arrival, Lord Su immediately took over the duties of the local government and even visited the most important weapons workshop.
These two areas have visibly improved.
Things went smoothly on Prince Zheng's side as well.
He has extensive experience in leading troops, and his men are quite capable.
They are already training troops and allocating manpower for defense.
In this situation, they would definitely hand over the money.
The locals just want to quickly suppress the rebels and return to normal life.
At this point, Su Qing looked at the two of them and asked, "Should we return to normal life, or resume seaport operations?"
Neither Master Shi nor Ye Shanming spoke.
After a while, Ye Shanming said, "As expected of you."
While wealthy merchants in the Jiangnan region might be anxious about the rebel uprising, they wouldn't be this worried.
Donations were raised very quickly.
While they were certainly acting in their hometown's best interests, Su Qing didn't believe they weren't driven by self-interest.
Su Qing asked curiously, "Just how far have you gone with your overseas business?"
The two of them remained silent.
Su Qing smiled and said, "Alright, then I'll go and find out which family donated money and which family donated the most."
“You two families are in the business of trading silk and porcelain.”
"The other companies can also be investigated clearly."
Master Shi looked helplessly at Ye Shanming.
Although he had already warned him, he was still surprised that Lord Su saw through his lie so easily.
"Silk and porcelain will definitely sell well, and other businesses also have some of these items," Master Shi said vaguely. "Business is not good in Shunchang, so we can only look outwards."
Everyone knows how chaotic Shunchang Kingdom has been in the last seven or eight years, or even the last ten years.
Although silk, porcelain, and fan-shaped items produced in the Jiangnan region are still in high demand, transporting them to the interior is fraught with difficulties.
Let's take the land route; in many places, the pipelines haven't been repaired for years, making it difficult to travel.
Let's take the waterway; many docks aren't dredged.
Even if you overcome these difficulties, you may still encounter robbers and bandits.
Local officials, and even the imperial court, were even less inclined to comment on their attitudes.
Just the year before last and the year before that.
Ye Shanming, while selling Su Qing's treasures, discovered that by shipping the goods to other overseas locations, he not only had no worries about finding a market, but also earned ten or even a hundred times more money than before.
They transported their handicrafts out and brought back the spices, gold, and other items needed by Shunchang Kingdom.
They made a lot more money.
Ye Shanming was busy with this very thing the year before last.
His ability to manage donations from wealthy merchants across the country at such a young age was also a way for him to establish his prestige through his overseas ventures.
The problem is...
They finally found a new sales channel.
However, it also attracted the attention of rebels on nearby islands, who demanded tolls and protection money.
If they couldn't get what they wanted, they chased him ashore.
From then on, they began burning, killing, and looting.
This is the complete clue.
Of course, this cannot be blamed on the merchants who went overseas.
There's nothing wrong with them trying to make money.
The mistake was made by the island's rebels who were driven by greed.
The inaction of local government officials is also a problem.
However, if the local government takes action, another matter will inevitably arise: "Since maritime trade is doing so well, why is there so little revenue from the Maritime Trade Office?"
Su Qing's words made Master Shi and the others even more embarrassed.
This matter is rather unsolvable.
Because local officials don't get involved.
Therefore, they discovered that maritime trade was a path to instant wealth.
They made a lot of money.
But because they didn't take charge, the rebels lingered in the vicinity, even burning, killing, and looting.
If Shunchang were peaceful and stable, there would be no rebels coveting it, and this war would not have happened.
But there will be no way to make money through maritime trade.
Even if they knew about this route, the local officials would still be diligent in their duties, ensuring that the Maritime Trade Office collected taxes based on the price of the goods, thus reducing the merchants' profits.
For wealthy businessmen who want to go overseas.
They want both peace of mind and profit.
But as it turns out, you can't have both.
Su Qing brought this up now to inform them, as well as the wealthy merchants from Jiangnan who had donated money.
You know why you donated.
You all know why you're in such a hurry to wipe out the rebels.
This portion of the silver is only intended to supplement the tax revenue of the Maritime Trade Office.
The goods were then distributed by the Maritime Trade Office to local logistics departments for use as military supplies.
After much effort, the details of the silver were explained.
It also tells them that they are holding onto the money not because of your favor.
Instead, they openly and honestly used money to govern the local area.
If you think you can manipulate officials and make them and the army obey you just by donating money, that's absolutely impossible.
Master Shi and Ye Shanming left the government office, and Master Shi sighed deeply.
"No wonder she was able to manage the Guangyuefu for so many years."
I've arrived in Wanzhou, Hainan.
From local officials to these wealthy businessmen eager to go to sea, everyone got a slap in the face, and no one could escape it.
With such clear logic and quick thinking, their defeat was not unjustified.
Fortunately, some people took the slaps, and they were slapped even harder than the others.
Those were the rebels gathered at sea.
Originally there were twelve rebel groups, two of which had been wiped out by Yan Zhengzhou, while the others scattered and fled.
There were four rebel groups near Haiwanzhou, originally numbering only a little over a thousand.
Over the years, various prisoners have come seeking refuge with me.
Whether they committed murder or robbery, they were all wanted by the government or were extremely vicious people.
It contained not only fugitives from Shunchang Kingdom, but also people from many surrounding small countries, and even the island's natives.
Now, the total has reached four or five thousand.
They were extremely familiar with the sea conditions, navigating the small boat with ease, almost like they were operating a magic trick.
Su Qing doesn't need to worry about how the war is fought; he just needs to ensure the supplies are allocated properly.
Putting aside everything else, it is indeed much more convenient to buy things in Jiangnan.
Through Mr. Shi and his associates, the prices are relatively low.
With Su Qing around, Yan Zhengzhou only needs to train his troops.
Yan Zhengzhou also transferred several officers and soldiers familiar with naval warfare and gave them important positions.
He arrived in Wanzhou, Haikou on the sixteenth day of the first month of the seventh year of Yongsheng.
In just one month, local public security has significantly improved.
The rebels intended to plunder the enemy's property while they were off guard, but they were repelled by Prince Zheng, who was well-prepared.
These rebels hated Yan Zhengzhou to the core.
Back in Beijing, I was already fighting him. Now that I've run off to an island, why should I still fight him?
Why is Yan Zhengzhou such a persistent ghost?
The area has finally stabilized.
When the time is right, we can wipe them out completely.
Of course, weapons and equipment are still insufficient.
That depends on the weapons workshops here.
The weapons workshop was incomprehensible to Governor Zhang.
With Yunxi and Lülan managing the project and urging Lord Zhen to work on the steam engine, it had already taken shape by the end of February.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, construction should officially begin in mid-March.
At that time, Haiwanzhou will have the perfect timing, location, and people.
Find a suitable opportunity, and wiping out the island rebels will be a piece of cake.
The efficiency of Lord Su and Prince Zheng finally brought hope to the local people.
When it comes to the rebels, the most innocent victims are the ordinary people.
They neither enjoyed the windfall from going overseas nor benefited from inadequate local regulation.
For ordinary people, turmoil is entirely detrimental and offers no benefit whatsoever.
What Su Qing and Yan Zhengzhou are doing now is for their own good.
The news reached the capital.
Officials and common people alike praised Su Qingyan and Zhengzhou highly.
"They got things done in such a short time."
"The local officials, the wealthy merchants who donated money, and the local garrison troops were all completely obedient."
"Yes, no wonder the people there specifically asked for the two of them; they really are good."
"It is also because of His Majesty's wisdom that this is the key."
Even though someone tried to cover up the mistake, everyone still cautiously watched the Emperor's expression.
It has been seven years since the Emperor ascended the throne.
The court officials had been trying to figure out the emperor's intentions for quite some time.
The emperor preferred tranquility to conflict and stillness to movement.
They enjoy sweet talk, yet appear generous on the surface.
Everything else is fine.
But this was especially evident in Prince Zheng's case.
Some people have said it privately.
The Emperor was not in good health, so he greatly admired Prince Zheng's tall stature and healthy physique.
Besides, the title of Prince Zheng, the God of War, was a source of great anxiety for him.
However, most people thought the emperor was worrying unnecessarily.
From any perspective, Prince Zheng had absolutely no intention of rebelling.
This incident led many people to whisper behind the emperor's back, wondering if he was being too petty.
Forget it, let's just wait for Prince Zheng to wipe out the rebels and restore peace and stability to Haiwanzhou.
Only the emperor, with a gloomy face, looked at the collected opinions from all sides, and was furious.
He truly is a good younger brother and a good subject.
At this moment, it was like adding fuel to the fire.
The rebels on the island suddenly released the news.
"They became rebels simply because the emperor was vindictive and lacked the demeanor of an emperor."
"If Prince Zheng becomes emperor, they will immediately surrender to the court!"
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