MTL - Poor Family-v2 Chapter 998 old friend Qingzhao
Chapter 998 Qingzhao of the deceased
This afternoon, the Qingfeng Teahouse in Jinmen, Lin'an Yonge, was full of tea customers, and a few scribes sat on the second floor by the ship window. They were drinking tea and talking about the current situation.
"I think Li Yanqing is still courageous and knows how to release water to raise fish. Just looking at the suspension of commercial tax, it is like a spring rain, and the business is booming rapidly. Qingfeng Tea House is already the fifth. In the past, who would be willing to give up commercial tax ?”
"The same is true for the exemption money. When Yuanfeng restructured, it was said that it would be cancelled. After seven or eighty years of discussion, no one had the courage to cancel it. When Li Yanqing came to power, he said it would be cancelled. The annual tax of more than 20 million yuan was gone. Others really don't have such courage."
At this time, another middle-aged scribe shook his head and said, "You didn't mention the root cause. Why did Li Yanqing dare to cancel it when he didn't dare to cancel it before? Aren't you afraid that the court will drink the northwest wind?"
Several scribes laughed and said, "I would like to hear Brother Yang's high opinion!"
The middle-aged scribe is obviously an official and knows the situation better. He stroked his beard and said with a smile: "Speaking of which, it has something to do with the Kingdom of Jin, not to praise the Kingdom of Jin, but the crisis of the Great Song Dynasty caused by the Kingdom of Jin has eased to a certain extent. We all know the three disadvantages of redundancy in the Song Dynasty, redundant soldiers, redundant officials, and redundant expenses! In the past, the imperial court raised more than 1.4 million troops, and the annual military salary alone was 50 to 60 million yuan. How many troops are there now? 300,000 from the Western Army, 50,000 from Yue Dutong, 100,000 from Han Dutong and Liu Dutong, 50,000 from Hedong Road, that’s 500,000, plus 100,000 from the capital, it’s 600,000 Almost half of the Wan Dajun was removed."
"That's right! Let's have a drink."
After everyone drank a glass of wine, the middle-aged man stroked his beard again and said: "Everyone understands the expense. The expenses of the relatives in the palace. In the past, the Supreme Emperor spent a lot of money, and a flower and a stone gang emptied our Jiangnan. Now this piece is basically no expense. Yes, at least tens of millions of coins can be saved every year, and the expenditure of the court will be much easier if these two big heads are saved, of course Li Yanqing has the capital to reform."
"That's right!" Everyone applauded, and even the other tea guests also applauded.
"Old Yang, let's talk about redundant officials!"
The middle-aged scribe pondered for a while and said, "It's more difficult to deal with redundant officials. If you want to reform the government, you have to break the system set by the Taizu. Now Li Yanqing has offended many local officials because of the reform of disputing and selling. Therefore, in terms of reforming the official system Both the imperial court and the local government resisted fiercely. I guess it will be changed slowly. I heard a rumor that it may start with reducing idle officials, such as Jiedu envoys, tuanlian, and governors. There are also Liu Cao Merging with the Six Departments and then increasing the income of the powerful officials should be the idea."
Everyone is silent. Reforming the officialdom actually involves everyone's vital interests, and it is too sensitive for everyone to express their opinions casually.
Next to several scribes sat two middle-aged men, a man and a woman, who looked like a husband and wife. The man was about forty years old, and the woman was a little younger. They both seemed to be well-educated. Silently listening to the conversation next door, at this moment, the woman whispered: "Mingcheng, I'd better look for him! He's not the kind of person who doesn't want to be kind."
This couple is Zhao Mingcheng and his wife Li Qingzhao. Zhao Mingcheng was the governor of Qingzhou. After Jin Bing killed them, the couple fled to the south of the Yangtze River. He was dismissed for committing crimes. Just after the palace coup last year, he used all his property to manage Huang Qianshan and was appointed governor of Huizhou. However, Li Yanqing set things right and rebuilt the general order, and Zhao Mingcheng was dismissed again because he served as a puppet official.
The property of the husband and wife was donated to the government, and they had no income. They lived by selling Li Qingzhao's fine and soft jewelry. Came to drink tea to celebrate, and just heard a few literati chatting next door, which aroused Zhao Mingcheng's sadness.
Zhao Mingcheng shook his head, "It's not that he doesn't know that I'm the governor of Huizhou, but he approved my dismissal. If he missed the old love, he wouldn't be so ruthless, and we are by his side, and he never came to us, begging him for help. What's the use?"
Li Qingzhao pondered for a while and said: "You can't say that. He dismissed you as a matter of principle. He won't show mercy just because you are an acquaintance. He may not know that we live in a shabby room. Maybe he has looked for us before, but we don't know. That's all, I think since he is willing to marry Shi Shi as his wife and will not give up for ten years, it means that he is not a heartless person, at least he will help us for Shi Shi's sake."
Zhao Mingcheng sighed and said: "Then you go! I really don't have the courage to ask him."
"Okay! I'm going to find him today."
The husband and wife discussed for a while, then got up and left.
Because Li Yanqing's wife and children hadn't come to Beijing from Jingzhao, he temporarily lived in his old house, and didn't buy a palace for himself. In fact, his old house was not too small, covering an area of ten acres, with high walls and The plaque of King Jin's Mansion was hung up, and the surrounding open space was built as a pro-barracks. There were soldiers standing guard outside the gate, which was quite imposing, and it also seemed that he was frugal and had won a good reputation.
At dusk, Li Yanqing's carriage, escorted by hundreds of cavalry, slowly stopped in front of the gate of the mansion. Li Yanqing got out of the carriage and walked quickly into the gate of the mansion.
"Is there anything wrong?" He asked, handing the cloak to a female guard.
"There is news in the afternoon that Madam and the others will arrive in the capital tomorrow morning."
"Okay! There's nothing else to do!"
The female guard hesitated and said: "There is a woman waiting for you outside the gate of the mansion. She has been waiting for more than half an hour. She refuses to enter the mansion, saying that she is your old friend."
Li Yanqing was startled, he didn't see anyone!
He quickly walked to the gate, and sure enough, he saw a woman standing by the opposite wall. Her dress was shabby and her face was quite haggard. When he took a closer look, he was surprised. Isn't this woman Li Qingzhao?
Li Yanqing hurried forward, and it turned out to be Li Qingzhao. He asked in surprise, "Why is eldest sister here?"
Li Qingzhao was both happy and sad at the moment. The happy thing was that Li Yanqing still knew her and called her big sister, but the sad thing was that Li Yanqing had changed so much that she couldn't recognize him at all. When Li Yanqing stepped out of the carriage just now, she didn't dare to go. Let's face each other, is this still the innocent and energetic young man back then?
Li Yanqing also knew why Li Qingzhao came to him, it must be because of Zhao Mingcheng, he did not let go in principle, but he did not expect that Li Qingzhao would live in such a predicament, shabby and haggard, and he could no longer see a piece of jewelry on his body. She is so noble, if she is not forced to, she will never come to find herself.
"If you have anything to say, let's go into the room and talk, come with me!"
Li Qingzhao nodded silently, followed Li Yanqing into the palace, and sat down in the living room.
The maid served them tea, Li Qingzhao forced a smile and asked, "Is your wife and children not here?"
"They are still on their way and will probably arrive in Lin'an tomorrow. Sister, where do you live now?"
"We also live in Lin'an, renting two small houses, one is full of gold and stone objects, and the other is for us and my wife to live in."
"Then what do you live on?"
Li Qingzhao shook his head, "Didn't you see that I don't have a piece of jewelry on me? Mingcheng wants to recruit some students, but we can't even rent the venue, so he has to copy books for others to make a small living."
"Why such embarrassment? Mingcheng has been the governor of Qingzhou for several years."
"We were confused. Mingcheng was eager to seek an official position. He went to Huang Qianshan. He thought it was an old friend. He was willing to help find an errand. In the end, he blackmailed all our money and gave Mingcheng an official position. Unfortunately, even the second He didn't receive a month's salary, so Mingcheng was dismissed."
Li Yanqing felt a pang of guilt, he got up and went out, gave some instructions to his soldiers, and then came back and said: "I see, I will definitely help you."
Li Yanqing thought for a while, "Let's do this! Mingcheng first wronged him to be the head of the Taixue, and started the Taixue for me first, and then arranged for him to go to the Sixth Department in two years, and asked him to report to the Ministry of Officials in the morning the day after tomorrow."
Li Qingzhao was full of surprises, and arranged an official position so quickly? She suddenly remembered that Li Yanqing was the regent of the Jian Kingdom, so she quickly stood up and saluted.
Li Yanqing waved her to sit down, and said with a smile: "With the talent of the elder sister, it would be a pity to stay at home. How about I invite you to be a teacher and teach my younger sister and eldest daughter to read and write poetry."
"How old is your eldest daughter?"
"Six years old, her name is Alian. She is actually Shishi's adopted daughter. I see her as my own, but my younger sister is ten years old."
Li Qingzhao nodded and said with a smile: "Since she is Shishi's daughter, I can teach her."
Li Qingzhao finally made up his mind, sat down for a while, chatted about their past few years, Li Qingzhao got up and said goodbye.
Li Yanqing smiled and said, "Wait a minute, I'll give you something."
Li Qingzhao quickly waved his hand, "I accept your favor, but I can't take your belongings, Mingcheng will be angry."
"It's not mine, it's yours."
"What is that?" Li Qingzhao asked in surprise.
"Sit down for a while, it will be here soon."
After a while, two soldiers walked into the lobby, carrying a box with a seal on it. Li Qingzhao was stunned, "This is."
Li Yanqing smiled slightly: "Can you recognize it?"
Li Qingzhao stepped forward and gently stroked the box. Of course she could recognize it. The box was still her dowry. This was the box of silver that her husband gave to Huang Qianshan! All their belongings were exchanged for this box of silver, a total of two thousand taels of silver.
She looked at the back, there was still a note of "Respectfully Zhao Mingcheng" on the box, and the box had never been opened.
"I found it during a search of Huang Qianshan's home. I seized it and planned to return it to you, but I haven't heard from you all this time. Since the eldest sister is here, let's take it back today!"
Li Qingzhao suddenly felt an urge to cry, she wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, choked up and said, "Yanqing, thank you so much!"
Li Yanqing sighed and said: "I know you have resentment towards me, to be honest, I am also very sorry."
"I never blamed you!"
Li Qingzhao shook his head and said: "I was firmly opposed to Mingcheng seeking Huang Qianshan, and I also advised him not to be an official of the Supreme Emperor. You know that Mingcheng has always been keen on fame and wealth. He is a little dissatisfied with you, but it's not your fault. .”
"Anyway, I will try my best to help you. Mingcheng is capable and has enough qualifications, but his luck is not very good. You go back to appease him and let him do a good job. I will give him a future."
Li Qingzhao was grateful in his heart, so he got up to leave, and Li Yanqing sent her back in his carriage, and returned her together with the box.
Looking at the carriage going away, Li Yanqing sighed slightly, feeling an inexplicable sense of loss in his heart.
(end of this chapter)
