Chapter 121
Chapter 120
The people of Ning'an Prefecture are indeed not in a hurry.
They were lamenting the usefulness of the advanced water channels; the originally rampant water flow seemed to have been tamed.
Occasionally there is heavy rain for a few days, and there is also a place to store water.
The best thing is to put the fertilizer in the right place and let it flow into the fields. There will be a lot of it.
The ducks and fish raised together are so delicious.
Some people even killed a duck in advance, but not many people eat it locally and they think it would stew too slowly.
Who knows, even Ji Zhizhou can solve this problem.
Ji Yuan said directly: "The local pickles are so good, and they are also good at making sour dishes. Paired with duck, it is so delicious."
After saying that, Ji Yuan felt hungry himself, so he went into the kitchen and made a sour bamboo shoot and duck soup.
The freshest local bamboo shoots and the fattest duck.
After eating the meat, have a bowl of local rice noodles with the soup.
This taste is so delicious that you will feel heavenly after eating it!
The messenger from outside had a full stomach. After wiping his mouth, he couldn't help but ask, "Are you in Ning'an Prefecture really not in a hurry?"
"People outside are going crazy."
The messenger in front of him came here once last November and took the letter out of Ning'an Prefecture.
This year is June of Huayuan's fortieth year, and it is his turn to do the job again.
All in all, it’s only been half a year?
Ning'an Prefecture seemed to have become different.
Let’s not talk about the bustling Ning’an City in Ning’an Prefecture.
Take the outside world’s evaluation of Ning’an Prefecture, for example; it is completely different.
In short, after Ji Zhuangyuan, who was sent from the capital, took over this place, things have changed dramatically with each passing day.
In the past, when people from other places in Dianzhou Prefecture mentioned Ning'an Prefecture, they all said that it was poor and they didn't like to communicate with other places.
Although there is no land tax, the production capacity is relatively low, so it is not very attractive.
In just half a year, Ning'an Prefecture has become a paradise with green mountains and clear waters in the eyes of others.
Local agriculture and handicrafts developed rapidly.
Especially handicrafts.
The messenger started talking immediately after eating the duck soup and sour bamboo shoots rice noodles sent by the government.
"Anyway, they are waiting for your goods outside! If they can't buy your goods, they will overturn Zhennan Pass!"
It started at the end of the first month of the 40th year of Conghuayuan.
Two things that were popular in Dianzhou Prefecture suddenly disappeared.
High quality colorfast dyed fabric.
Waterproof good quality shoes.
The most important thing is that these things are not expensive.
It’s easy to use, inexpensive, and fresh, who wouldn’t like it?
Over in Ning'an Prefecture, business is done in a very orderly manner. Everything is clearly priced, merchants move in, contracts are signed, and everything follows a pattern.
It would have been fine if I hadn't had any contact with them before, but once I did, I realized that doing business there is very comfortable.
Such a good thing suddenly stopped in February.
No one can transport it out.
Either it was seized by the people at Zhennan Pass, or half of it was taken away directly.
In this case, all merchants will lose all their money.
Ning'an Prefecture even gave advance notice, reminding all merchants and advising them not to buy.
There is no way if you really don't believe in evil.
Anyway, they gave the necessary reminders.
There is just one bad thing.
If someone cannot sell their goods, they will be very anxious.
The people of Ning'an Prefecture were not in a hurry. As soon as the government gave the order, everyone went to busy themselves with spring ploughing.
The owner of the dyeing workshop simply closed the door.
Forget about it. Although there will be losses, he can bear it if he grits his teeth. It is right to listen to the prefect.
In this way, the seller is really not in a hurry.
During this time, I even figured out the recipe for sour bamboo shoots and duck noodle soup.
According to the prefect, fish meat can be used as the soup base in the future, and eating the two together will also be very delicious.
My goodness, the more peaceful and harmonious Ning'an Prefecture is, the more angry the outside world is.
Naturally, this anger was not directed at Ning'an Prefecture.
It's towards Zhennan Pass!!!
Zhennanguan!!!
Are you sick!!!!!!!
In the past, merchants would at most sell their goods to Zhennan Pass, and they did not have much contact with other places.
If it weren't for the business with Ning'an Prefecture, I would never have known that the local General Zhennan was so domineering.
If you have to pay to enter and leave the city, this is reasonable.
But it should be the government that collects it, not the army.
As for them, they just want to divide the profits in proportion.
When a truckload of goods is shipped over, we don’t charge you based on the truckload, but based on the price of the goods.
ah?
Are you that cruel?
Is this the territory of Tianqi Kingdom?
The question is, let the people from Ning'an Prefecture come over to talk.
Who wouldn't understand this?
I just want Ning'an Prefecture to pay protection fees to Zhennanguanjiao, and give them money, so that everyone can live in peace.
Of course, some people came to persuade the officials of Ning'an Prefecture, and the general meaning was: "How about you talk about it?"
"It should be OK if we negotiate a reasonable price."
"Aren't you in Ning'anzhou in a hurry to sell things?"
Throughout February, many businessmen came to lobby Ning'an Prefecture to submit to Zhennan Pass.
But the government office in Ning'an Prefecture was extremely busy.
Spring ploughing!
I've said it a hundred times!
They are going to do spring plowing!
By the way, try spring bamboo shoots, they are delicious.
There is also a mushroom pot, which is really delicious.
The merchants were silent.
All right!
You really don't need to rush!
There is no such thing as this in any business in this world.
The sellers are not in a hurry, only the buyers are.
By March, everyone was getting even more anxious.
Not only have all the goods that were previously shipped been sold out, but many people also came to ask about their products.
Even some of the finest dyed fabrics were sold to the mainland, and many people from the mainland also came to inquire about them.
Is this a question? This is clearly silver.
How much silver can they earn if the trade routes are smooth?
For businessmen, not allowing them to make money is more painful than beating them up.
What's more, these things are really easy to sell.
If that were all, that would be fine.
There are always alternatives.
It's just that everyone complained a little more and cursed the people in Zhennan Pass.
When I wake up in the middle of the night, I regret the money I earned less.
But the emergence of another thing changed everyone's mind.
Bearing pads on various vehicles.
As for all horse-drawn carriages, ox-drawn carts, etc., the wheels are connected to bearings so that the vehicles can move. Everyone knows this.
I even know that the delicate parts inside are very important and very easy to touch.
Generally speaking, the gaskets inside are made of good wood, have a certain degree of elasticity, and are of good quality.
It can greatly reduce the shock of the carriage and the wear of parts, and it can also save the effort of the animals pulling the carriage.
Ordinary people may not have access to these parts, but they are closely related to our lives and there are no substitutes.
I don't know which genius came up with the idea that the rubber of rubber-soled shoes had good elasticity and quality, so he cut pieces from the soles and made them into gaskets to put on the carriage bearings to replace the original wooden gaskets.
This small action directly changed the operation of the carriage!
No matter how good the wood was, it was not as good as this rubber mat!
After finding several places to put pads, the carriage became incredibly stable!
The ox cart and horse carriage are also more labor-saving! It seems that we can add some more cargo to the cart!
Let’s look at it from a modern perspective.
The original parts of the car are expensive and need to be replaced frequently, and they are not easy to carry around.
Now it has been replaced by a "high-tech" product.
It is not only wear-resistant and portable, but also improves the speed of the vehicle and increases the vehicle's load capacity.
Just say it.
Isn’t this technological progress?
And all kinds of cars are closely related to people's lives.
From transporting goods from all over the place to people’s daily lives, transportation by various types of vehicles is like the blood vessels of the human race.
We can live a better life by relying on these flows.
It can be said that this small rubber gasket can change the entire transportation industry in Tianqi.
Let everyone get more goods faster and more conveniently.
When the news spread, people from all walks of life were shocked.
Which industry doesn’t need to transport goods?
Okay, you don’t have to transport the goods.
So you usually take the car, right?
In short.
Rubber gaskets must be a must-have item for all transport vehicles!
But how do you get such a good thing?
ah?
The road to buying rubber is blocked?
Some people were quick to buy up all the rubber-soled shoes available on the market. They didn't care about the shoes, they just wanted the rubber on them, and then made them into axle gaskets and started selling them.
How much does a gasket cost?
Five taels of silver!
Buy it if you like!
But after everyone did the math, they found that it was actually a good deal to buy such a gasket for five taels of silver.
Especially some wealthy and noble families.
They didn't want to transport goods, they just wanted their own carriages to be more comfortable.
Not to mention five taels, they can afford fifty taels. They pay for comfort, what's wrong with that?
But after asking again.
In fact, the sole of a rubber-soled shoe bought from Ning'an Prefecture costs less than a hundred coins.
And one sole can be used to make more than ten gaskets.
That is to say.
Something that costs one penny to purchase.
It was sold for fifty taels of silver.
They are rich people, but they are not suckers!
Rich people are also stingy.
But they also have something to say.
This is the only rubber on the market.
You can’t buy it nowadays.
Why can’t I buy it?
People from all walks of life are looking towards Zhennan Pass.
OK, so that’s how it is.
All the wealthy families and merchants who used carriages in Dianzhou were as angry as the shoe and cloth merchants.
The latter's anger has caused Zhennan Pass to be cursed all the time.
And the energy of the former.
It's not comparable to Zhennan Pass.
What?
You have 30,000 troops?
Thirty thousand troops, are they yours?
Are you trying to rebel by doing this?
People in Ning'an Prefecture are still seriously studying various ways of eating duck.
Those outside who wanted rubber were just about to tear the people from Zhennan Pass apart.
It will only affect one or two industries.
Affects everyone.
This is not something that Zhennan Pass can solve alone.
No matter how powerful he is, can it be greater than the entire Tianqi Kingdom?
There is no need to compare it with Tianqi Kingdom. Just in Dianzhou Prefecture, there is more than one general.
Furthermore, the severity of this matter is more than just a few rubber gaskets.
Countless anger gushed out.
No place can bear it.
Many things were circulated in all walks of life in Dianzhou Prefecture, and even without Ji Yuan fanning the flames, everyone could make the matter worse and worse.
“Is rubber really that rare?”
"It's not difficult. Ning Anzhou has been doing it all the time, and it wasn't expensive before."
"Ah? Then keep buying."
After he said this, everyone looked at him, and many of them explained at once.
“I can’t buy it!”
"I'm so angry! The people from Zhennan Pass want a share from Ning'an Prefecture."
"If you don't give me a share, you won't be allowed to leave. Isn't this robbery?!"
"Yes, it's too overbearing. I heard that during the first month of the year, Ji Zhizhou of Ning'an Prefecture took the initiative to go to Zhennan Pass."
"It seems that they also contacted the prefect of Zhennan Pass, but the prefect said that he couldn't do anything about it."
"Is this impossible to control? Or is he colluding with that general to get more money?"
"Can't you just leave with the goods?"
"No! We might get robbed on the road!"
"Those who didn't rob would also be forcibly confiscated of money and property!"
In a word.
Zhennan Pass relied on being the only road leading to Ning'an Prefecture and directly blocked these things!
Want rubber?
No!
Want easy-to-use dyed fabric?!
Neither do they!
Unless you pay!
Generally speaking, Ning'an Prefecture would definitely be anxious to resolve it.
But Ning Anzhou is not in a hurry.
The point is, we are used to it and have always lived this way.
Then the rumors began to escalate.
"Have people in Ning'an Prefecture always lived like this?"
"This Ning'an Prefecture has been incorporated into Tianqi State for decades, but it has not been integrated into Tianqi State, and has not even been integrated into Dianzhou Prefecture. Could it be because it is located in Zhennan Pass?"
"Don't talk nonsense! If that's the case, Zhennanguan will be a sinner for all eternity!"
"Who would leave the money unearned?"
"It seems that Ning Anzhou must have been wronged over the years."
When this news reached here, it became quite a big deal.
It's just a matter of stating it directly.
General Zhennan has his own troops and is very powerful.
Holding the pass.
To put it simply, it's greed for money.
To put it in a broader sense, does he treat Zhennan Pass or even Ning'an Prefecture as his own private property?
When this news reached Zhennan Pass, General Zhennan's face froze. Then he thought, the court doesn't care about them, and they haven't done anything anyway.
But some of the staff members were already scared to death.
Some things are better not mentioned.
If it were really brought to the surface, we would be doomed.
In particular, all industries in Dianzhou Prefecture were waiting to use rubber.
If it is not released, there will definitely be more rumors.
At the same time, industries that require rubber gaskets began to take action.
When business reaches a certain level, it is more than just about making money.
More power in hand.
The prefect of Zhennan Pass and the general of Zhennan kept receiving documents from various parties, all asking about this matter.
Especially since April, the appearance of rubber car mats has made these documents fly away like snowflakes.
I heard that Zhennan Pass has to deal with these documents every day.
At the beginning, General Zhennan was able to remain calm, but later on his expression became increasingly grim.
Originally thought, he just made a few threats and Ning Anzhou would definitely compromise as long as he wanted to make money.
Later, Ning Anzhou would rather not sell anything than pay him tolls, which also angered him.
If you want to compete with him, then don’t sell it!
If there are no rubber-soled shoes in other places, will life be impossible?
Who could have thought that things would escalate.
Rubber has other great uses, too.
That’s fine, the rumors outside are really bad for him.
It is said that he has his own army and is very powerful.
No military general is worthy of these four words.
Even if this is true, it cannot be said.
Just don’t say it.
Really say it.
His nine clans are not enough to be killed.
The messenger said: "General Zhennan has been scolded for a long time. If nothing unexpected happens, they will send someone over to negotiate soon."
The Ning'an Prefecture official raised his eyebrows: "What are you talking about?"
"Reopen the trade route so your goods can pass through."
The clerk just smiled and didn't care about these things at all.
How to say it.
What's it to them?
Still coming to negotiate, is it true, as Ji Zhizhou said, that Zhennan Pass is still thinking about discussing the distribution of silver and money?
In this era where everything is under control, I am reading the letters from my good friends and teachers again.
Some are from Anji Village, some are from Zhengrong County, and some are from Jianmeng Mansion.
There are also people from the capital.
It took Ji Yuan an hour to read all the letters.
He also looked at the sea for a long time, but when he looked at Ji Yuan, he thought, so this is what it feels like to be away from home. He had been away from home for so long, for twenty years, and he still felt so suffocated in his heart.
Ji Yuan went out to study when he was eight or nine years old, and his life has probably been even more difficult till now.
No wonder Yuan Ge'er was successful.
They really can't compare.
Most of the news from across the sea comes from Anji Village.
This year is the year for the provincial examination, and Xiaohe must take part in it. He is extremely nervous.
Ji Yuan also received letters from Li Jin, Cai Fenglan and others.
They all failed the last provincial examination, so they will definitely try their best this year and have high hopes for this year's examination.
Provincial examination.
Ji Yuan looked at his Ning'an Prefecture.
They can't even organize the Tongshi here, let alone the provincial examination.
The few students there are basically studying in areas within Zhennan Pass.
This can't go on like this.
Official schools will be established sooner or later.
Other matters are mostly the responsibility of the teachers.
Mainly Dr. Yin and Mr. Gao, they both thought rubber was very useful and asked him to send more.
Mr. Gao said that rubber can be used to make pistons for steam engines and has very good sealing properties.
Look, he is indeed a professional. As soon as he gets the materials, he knows how to use them.
Ji Yuan will naturally not be stingy.
Their local rubber is stored in the warehouse, and they have as much as they want.
Almost half a year of stockpiling, that’s a lot.
The capital city is the same as usual.
The party and government are constantly changing.
As the emperor grew older, he became more and more suspicious.
Monk Bai has already set off for his overseas assignment, but his letter contains something bad.
Something happened to the Cheng family.
As the person in charge of the Ministry of Works' construction, Lord Cheng is responsible for the deaths in the suburbs of Beijing in the winter of the 38th year of Huayuan.
If it was because of this matter, the most that would be a salary deduction would be the consequences.
But later, Lord Cheng was implicated in other matters and was accused of embezzling money, which led to problems in the villa built for the emperor.
Anyway, it's a huge mess.
Lord Cheng was directly sent to prison and has been in prison for several months.
The Cheng family is now in a precarious situation.
I heard that it was at least exile.
The wife, children and the entire family will be implicated.
Monk Bai knew about the relationship between Ji Yuan and Teacher Cheng, and helped them a few times, but the power behind them was too powerful.
Lord Cheng, it seems like he was pushed out here to get in the way.
Lord Cheng, who has no background, is the most suitable candidate.
Monk Bai also helped pass the message to Mr. Cheng's cousin, Teacher Cheng, but Teacher Cheng was assigned to a faraway place and didn't know if he could make it.
Ji Yuan's heart sank.
I read this letter over and over again.
The scene of celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival at Cheng’s house is still vivid in my mind.
At that time, both adults in the Cheng family were promoted, and they thought that the Cheng family would have a better life in the future.
Who knew it would take a sudden turn for the worse and become like this.
The last time Monk Bai wrote to her, Miss Cheng was thinking of ways to make money. At that time, Lord Cheng only had one case, so even if life was hard, his life was not in danger.
But things are different now.
Ji Yuan thought of Lord Cheng’s family.
The husband and wife are in harmony, the siblings are close, such a harmonious family, yet such a thing could happen.
Ji Yuan thought for a moment and decided to write a letter.
One letter was to the Cheng family and the other was to Prime Minister Li.
Ji Yuan thought about it and attached the detailed information about rubber.
I hope this can help the Cheng family.
Teacher Cheng was really good to him. If it weren't for Teacher Cheng and Lord Lin, he wouldn't have known the truth about Xiao Jiyuan's family.
Moreover, a good family, a harmonious and happy family, should not suffer this hardship.
"Send these two letters by express horse. I'll pay for the extra money." Ji Yuan instructed the clerk Chai Feng, "Send them as quickly as possible."
"Definitely."
There is a lot of trouble outside.
The stability of Ning'an Prefecture will also become different.
I guess the people at Zhennan Pass would be restless and want to come and talk to him.
Ji Yuan shook his head.
Forget about the things in the capital.
Let’s wait until we get news from the capital.
Sure enough, just as Ji Yuan guessed, Zhennan Pass sent people over on the second day of June.
What I am talking about is very simple.
General Zhennan naturally did not come. The person who came was the prefect of Zhennan City who had talked to Ji Yuan before. When he saw Ji Yuan, he felt a little uncomfortable.
When Ji Yuan approached him, it was obvious that he was asking if he could cooperate.
But his answer was no.
reason?
Do I need to explain the reason?
The Zhennan prefect was the one who knew best how powerful General Zhennan was.
He believed that given the situation in Ning'an Prefecture, they would definitely agree to give a share to General Zhennan.
As for how much to give, we can discuss it.
Who knew that Ji Zhuangyuan didn't talk at all and just turned around and left.
Others speculated that Ji Yuan must have failed to reach an agreement with General Zhennan, or that General Zhennan asked for too much, so he just left.
The reality is that Ji Yuan doesn’t talk about this at all.
Even though General Zhennan himself was nervous, he didn't seem to mention the price at all.
Although at the beginning, this person wanted to be one person, Zhennan City wanted half of the profits, and then become the backer of Ning'an Prefecture's business in the future.
otherwise?
Otherwise you are not allowed to pass!
Earn half or nothing at all!
You guys in Ning'an Prefecture should think about this for yourselves!
Unfortunately, these words were never spoken.
General Zhennan actually wanted 30% or 40% in his heart, and he asked for such a high price just to test Ji Yuan.
He tried.
Then what.
Then Ji Yuan left.
Just ignore it.
General Zhennan also said privately that Ji Yuan was a fool.
Why do you become so weak when you hit a snag?
But now it has been proven that they are fully aware of their situation and there is no need to proactively negotiate.
Now that things have developed to this point, it is time for the people of Zhennan City to take the initiative to come over and allow the goods from Ning'an Prefecture to pass through.
If the goods from Ning'an Prefecture are not allowed to pass through, the rumors outside will be enough to tear General Zhennan to pieces.
The huge monster in his eyes seemed to be shattered directly when Ji Zhuangyuan remained motionless.
I didn't even dare to touch it, the problem had already been solved here.
When the prefect of Zhennan saw Ji Zhuangyuan coming, he hurriedly saluted.
Although the two are of the same rank, he is older than Ji Zhuangyuan.
But after all, he came here this time to ask for help.
The messenger who knew that someone was coming from Zhennan Pass thought to himself that he had witnessed the whole process.
I think after this time, Ning'anzhou's goods can be sold?
How many people outside are looking forward to shipping the rubber out.
Many merchants in Ning'an Prefecture also think so.
When they finally sent someone to negotiate at Zhennan Pass, they hurried over.
As long as Zhennan Pass lets us go, as long as the deal is settled here.
They all want to buy the rubber!
Such an anxious mood is almost written on his face.
It's completely different from the leisurely lifestyle of the locals.
In a hurry, they had no choice but to eat the local sour bamboo shoots and duck noodle soup.
Hey, what kind of treasure place is Ning'an Prefecture? The ducks here are so delicious.
Unfortunately, the locals said that it was not yet duck season and we had to wait a little longer.
ah?
Isn't this the season yet?
When is the season?
Eat while waiting for the negotiations in the yamen.
Here, Ji Yuan, who was already half local, was calm and composed. He did not speak to the Zhennan prefect in a condescending manner, but listened to what he said carefully.
"I think there was a misunderstanding at that time."
"I originally thought that both sides would cooperate. It's far to deliver the goods there, and Zhennan Pass is in the middle and can also provide help."
"It's not easy for the soldiers at Zhennan Pass. It's good to give them some benefits."
"Besides, the increase in your caravans will also have an impact on Zhennan Pass. We still need to be cautious about stationing a large army there."
In a word.
Want money.
Ji Yuan nodded, neither saying yes nor no.
When the Zhennan prefect saw this, he thought of Ji Yuan's temper and threw away all those rhetoric and said directly: "Forget it, Lord Ji, I will tell the truth too."
"You also know the location of Zhennan Pass."
"We won't charge more, how about 20% profit?"
The prefect of Zhennan thought to himself.
General Zhennan wanted half at first, and later 40%.
Now it has become 20%.
The actual price is 10%.
It can't get any lower.
If the price is lower than this, there will be a lot of "bandits" on the road.
By then, no one will be able to find Zhennan Pass and will find it difficult to do business here.
But having said that, the difficulty in doing business is also a consideration for other buyers.
The people of Ning'an Prefecture will probably remain the same as before? They won't care at all?
Anyway, they just need to ship the goods.
Anyway, they have no trouble selling their products.
I feel sad.
Who lets them have such good things?
Rubber, how is it made?
Even if we take a step back, what if Ji Yuan really insists on not giving a single penny of toll?
That person has soldiers at his disposal, so he might just snatch the technology away.
By then, Ning'an Prefecture will have nothing.
In short, in the eyes of the Zhennan prefect, a 10% to 20% agreement between the two parties was the most favorable outcome for both parties.
And Ji Yuan finally spoke.
"Why should Ning'an Prefecture's business be shared with Zhennan Pass?"
Ji Yuan asked the most crucial question directly.
Why should we share the profits with other places?
This is the credit of the people of Ning'an Prefecture.
It is the result of their hard work in cutting down trees.
Why give it to General Zhennan?
"After all, we have passed Zhennan Pass." said the Zhennan prefect, feeling uneasy for a moment.
Facing Ji Yuan, who was more than 20 years younger than him, he felt like he couldn't sit still at all.
Ji Yuan smiled: "Then the toll should be paid to Zhennan Pass, not to a certain person."
Ji Yuan put forward his own conditions.
"For vehicles passing through Zhennanguan, we can build the road together and give them money to pass through the city."
In short.
It's impossible to divide.
Giving a share to the prefect of Zhennan is even more impossible.
The cost of entering the city was paid directly to the government, not to General Zhennan.
This is also the reason why General Zhennan did not mention this.
To be honest, this method is beneficial to the Zhennan Prefecture, after all, the city entry fee is under his jurisdiction.
But he refused directly at the beginning because he was afraid of General Zhennan.
Now, isn't he afraid anymore?
Ji Zhuangyuan may not be afraid, but he is afraid.
To be honest, if it weren't for Ji Zhuangyuan's reputation, General Zhennan's trick would have happened long ago.
The prefect of Zhennan came out of the yamen with a sigh.
How could he be so difficult to deal with at such a young age?
Ji Yuan's proposal is actually of great benefit to the prefect.
But does he dare to accept it?
I dare not.
If you accept it, you might lose your life!
Many people saw the Zhennan prefect leave Lord Ji and hurried to find out the news.
Did the deal come to fruition in the end?
If the deal is successful, then it can be passed.
The answer is, it didn’t work out.
Why didn’t the deal come to fruition?
The prefect of Zhennan naturally did not dare to tell the reason.
He could say that Ji Zhuangyuan would give the toll to the yamen, but would he give the money to General Zhennan?
If he says something like that, his future will be ruined.
You will be laughed at by countless people.
And General Zhennan will not let him go either.
There are already rumors out there, and if this matter gets out, General Zhennan's reputation will become even more domineering.
Why has it come to this?
Could it be that Ji Zhuangyuan’s prediction was correct?
The clerk beside the Zhennan prefect whispered, "Master, why don't we give it a try? Ji Zhuangyuan is so reliable. Maybe with his help, we can turn things around?"
Turn over?
The prefect of Zhennan even laughed at himself.
He was appointed as the prefect with the help of General Zhennan.
It can be said that his entire family depends on the general. If he dares to have any second thoughts, what will happen in the future?
He has always been a retainer of General Zhennan.
Otherwise, why did he directly refuse when Ji Zhuangyuan tried to win him over for the first time?
But when he was actually lying on the bed, the Zhennan prefect still had some thoughts in his mind.
Finally sighed.
Forget it.
General Zhennan has his own soldiers, and he has so many family members. He cannot afford the cost of any one of them dying.
With this in mind, the second round of negotiations between Zhennan City and Ning'an Prefecture failed again.
Ning Anzhou is still not in a hurry.
Ji Yuan was anxious about the letter sent to the capital.
Zhennan City certainly wouldn't dare to stop this official messenger.
When the messenger left, he still felt unsatisfied.
He really wants to know the result.
result?
Ji Yuan whispered.
The Courier stepped back in shock.
He just mentioned it casually, without expecting an answer.
And the answer???
Is this true or false?!
The messenger quickly said, "I will never tell you."
Ji Yuan smiled: "I believe it."
Then he gave the messenger extra silver and said, "Please deliver the letter as soon as possible, please."
The Messenger nodded.
Left with that shocking news.
A few days later, facing the Zhennan prefect's renewed negotiations, Ji Yuan said directly: "Since we can't reach an agreement, then forget it."
"see a visitor out."
Ji Yuan would never waste words talking about it.
Ji Yuan’s tough attitude made it impossible for people from Zhennan Pass to talk.
It was not until the prefect of Zhennan City said something to the general that the final toll was finally decided.
Charged per vehicle.
A cart fully loaded with goods costs one hundred coins.
The money was given to the guards at the city gate as tax for the Zhennan Yamen.
On the eighth day of June, the long-awaited contract was finally signed.
The merchants were so happy that they cried.
Very good!
They can buy rubber!
You can buy dyed cloth now!
You can buy wood here!
One hundred more coins for each cart?
That’s fine too!
That’s also profit!
purchase!
Must buy!
Speaking of which, Ning Anzhou also negotiated such a price for them.
Otherwise, they would have to pay a lot more for each truckload of goods.
However, the matter of the rubber gasket of the carriage had spread beyond the Dianzhou Prefecture.
Lots of orders waiting every day.
As long as you get the stuff shipped out, that’s money.
It's all money!
The rubber trade in Ning'an Prefecture finally resumed.
What was shipped out this time included not only rubber soles, but also various gaskets for carriages.
The local rubber industry has once again gained a new branch.
After pressure from many parties, Zhennan Pass seems to have really behaved itself.
If a car costs one hundred coins nowadays, General Zhennan would naturally think it is too little.
But there's nothing I can do.
If he still didn't agree, the pressure from all sides in Dianzhou Prefecture would eat him alive.
Not to mention, the rumors out there are more outrageous than each other.
If we talk for a while longer, it seems like he's going to rebel.
In this case, he had no choice but to give in and charge each vehicle.
This is fine for now.
Anyway, the money just passed through the yamen's pocket and then ended up in his hands.
Moreover, he had formed a feud with Lord Ji of Ning'an Prefecture.
General Zhennan had never seen such a stubborn person.
Isn't it just collecting tolls?
So what?
After the incident has passed, let’s see how he deals with the people of Ning’an Prefecture.
This important transportation route is in his hands, and he still has so many soldiers and horses.
Can you bear this loss?
Lord Liu of Ning'an Prefecture also had the same concern.
After all, they are "neighbors", and the other side has 30,000 soldiers.
Ji Yuan patted his shoulder: "Don't worry."
rest assured?
How can I feel at ease?
Please tell me about it.
When the official messenger passed Zhennan Pass, he saw groups of lazy soldiers.
What Lord Ji said was still in his mind.
Young Lord Ji smiled and said, "The soldiers at Zhennan Pass should move to another place."
"Perhaps there will be no garrison at Zhennan Pass in the future."
ah?
Just don't station any troops.
So, where are the soldiers going?
The messenger only thought of the answer when he was about to run out of Dianzhou Prefecture.
Go to Ning'an Prefecture.
Ning'an Prefecture is the farthest territory of Tianqi Kingdom.
The stationed soldiers should go to Ning'an Prefecture.
From now on, Zhennan City will be just an ordinary small town.
There will no longer be heavy garrisons, and there will be no soldiers or bandits blocking the road.
Ji Zhuangyuan is definitely not someone who would be coerced by others.
So he is not in a hurry.
If he wants to do something, he has to do it cleanly and beautifully.
June 13, the 40th year of Huayuan.
“Bold!”
The emperor said angrily: "What a great Zhennan Prefecture, what a great Zhennan General."
"If you don't pay the money, the trade routes to other places will be cut off."
"Okay, this is extremely courageous."
Since May, the secret documents from the Inspector General of Dianzhou Prefecture have been in the hands of the emperor.
Just a written document.
There were memorials one after another complaining that General Zhennan was too domineering.
If you look closely, you can find that behind these memorials are forces of the Dianzhou Prefecture.
These forces realized something was wrong when the rubber was taken out and could be used on a carriage.
This is something that can change the transportation industry in Tianqi State.
This item is stuck halfway and cannot be transported out?
This is a huge loss for every family.
In March and April, they communicated with Ning'an Prefecture and then with Zhennan Pass.
I wanted to find a suitable solution.
But after contacting Ji Zhuangyuan, everyone tacitly gave up lobbying Ji Zhuangyuan.
Because Ji Zhuangyuan convinced them with just a few words.
"This stumbling block is placed in the middle. Even if we reach an agreement today, we may change our mind tomorrow."
"The soldiers under his command could turn into bandits at any time. What should you and I do?"
"The so-called agreement is just our compromise."
Yeah, as long as this one is here.
With General Zhennan's overbearing temper, he would definitely be unhappy.
He has so many people under his command, what if he pretends to be a thief and steals things?
The best way.
Just let this person leave.
This is not an easy matter to handle.
But compared with the huge profits brought by rubber.
What does that count for?
Yes, huge gains.
Many people have realized that this thing will bring immeasurable benefits.
Even shimming the axles is just a small part of the job.
These things represent another level of anger in front of the emperor.
All under heaven belongs to the king.
That General Zhennan actually dared to block the road. Did he think Zhennan Pass was his family’s land?
This is an offense to imperial power and an offense to the emperor.
The emperor doesn't care what is transported on this road.
Be it rice or wheat.
Even if it's just a branch, it doesn't matter.
What matters is that as a small general, how dare you be the master of my land?
To put it mildly, this is wanton behavior and excessive greed for money.
To put it in a broader sense, one can even say that General Zhennan had rebellious intentions.
This kind of offense is enough to make the emperor furious.
Especially the emperor of this dynasty, who has become insecure due to aging and needs a role model to establish himself.
When the emperor was young, he might have sent someone to beat him.
The emperor now is truly angry.
He first cursed the Ministry of War, asking why there was no rotation of guards here.
Keep scolding the Ministry of Revenue, why don’t you report the situation here?
In the end, the Hanlin Academy and the Crown Prince cursed together.
Don't you have any responsibility for what happened in Tianqi?
Finally, he said, "We still need to hold the martial arts exam and make more use of people. Replace these good-for-nothings!"
It is hard to say how many of these things can be accomplished.
Every change of defense involves huge interests.
Not to mention places where the mountains are high and the emperor is far away.
But Zhennan Pass, which was established as a typical example, will definitely be changed.
The temporarily established supervisory inspection team immediately set out for Zhennan Pass in Dianzhou Prefecture.
The Tianqi Kingdom has enjoyed peace for a long time.
It is common in many places to only change soldiers but not generals.
Sometimes even the soldiers and generals are not changed, and that's fine.
After all, if it’s moved, it’s money, and if it’s moved, it’s relationships will be involved.
Up and down, left and right.
If you don't move, nothing will happen, and if you don't move, you won't spend any money.
It's unlucky that Zhennan Pass was singled out.
Ji Yuan calculated the profits of rubber and the reaction of the imperial court accurately.
Another thing is even more accurate.
The taxes that were promised to the government will definitely go into the general's pocket in the end.
Wait until the people sent by the court investigate this level.
Maybe, some troubles can be solved completely.
I have said that to solve these problems, we must solve them thoroughly.
Leaving hidden dangers is not his style.
Ji Yuan said to Chai Feng, "Calculate carefully how many truckloads of goods have left Ning'an Prefecture."
"One hundred coins per cart."
"When the time comes, we will have to pay it back one by one."
Chai Feng agreed immediately, his eyes filled with excitement.
Want to take advantage of Ning'anzhou? !
What a dream!
You will definitely be in big trouble!
Chai Feng was still excited, Ji Yuan patted him and said, "Let's go and look at the sites of several cattle farms."
Who has time to play around with you guys?
Raising cattle is the most important thing!
If he doesn't raise cattle anymore, his little Huang will really die of exhaustion!
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