Chapter 19 Weng’s Mansion for a while (1)

After March, the weather in the capital gradually became hotter. Cao Dezheng and Li Quan lived in Weng's house. They consciously disturbed a lot and wanted to go back. However, Weng Xincun had to go to the court every day and entered the examination again after March. During the palace examination, he ordered the emperor as the minister for the review of the papers. He was so busy that he could not see him every day. He didn't have much time to see this. He had to sit down and express his gratitude to the old man seriously before he could set off on his way. There was no way, Cao Dezheng and his family had to wait, and the matter was delayed.

At the end of April, the palace examination was over, and the new Jinshi visits the teacher as usual. Weng Xincun was able to take a break from his busy schedule and sit down and rest. By the way, he met Cao Dezheng's family: "I have a heavy business business, but I have let Xianqi wait for a long time, which is rude and rude."

"I don't dare to be a niece! The minister of kindness is in charge of the country. The young master has nothing to do, so it's okay to wait for a few days."

"Originally, after this palace examination, I wanted to chat with Xian Qiduoduo for a few days. However, the emperor will move to Rehe at the beginning of next month and ordered me to go with him. After today's separation, I'm afraid I will be far away again."

Li Quan, who was sitting aside, replied with a smile: "The old man has a heavy state affairs and needs to be paid off."

Weng Xincun knew that Li Quan would sometimes speak a bit absurd, so he couldn't just say it directly, so he had to say it: "If the king is diligent, the minister should do it."

Li Quan touched a soft nail when he said something, and shrank his head embarrassedly, no longer daring to speak easily.

Weng Tonghe and Weng Zengwen stood up first: "Father, Brother Cao's trip back home this time, I don't know when I will see him again. My son ordered someone to prepare a table of food, just to practice it for Brother Cao's family and Brother Shaoyuan?"

Weng Xincun nodded: "Okay." He said: "Just use a table of food today to practice it for the Xianqi. When I return to my hometown, I will drink with Xianqi and make a drunk together!"

The guests and hosts entered the dining room of the second hall and asked Weng Xincun to sit on the chairperson. They were about to say something, but the butler under the door was in front of him and brought a few people into the hall: "It's so lively today? Let's add a chair for me, right?"

Weng Xincun's face changed drastically. He put down his chopsticks, hurriedly stood up and greeted him a few steps, and knelt down: "My, Weng Xincun, respectfully invite the Holy One!"

Weng Tonghe and his uncle and nephew, together with Cao Dezheng's family, knelt down in the seat in chaos, but they didn't know how to claim themselves. They just kept touching the ground with their heads and making noises.

"Everyone gets up. I'm a villain today and I'm going to be a villain, so I don't have to salute you."

Weng Xincun then got up, and while hurriedly directing his servants to remove the wine and food that had not yet begun to enjoy, he smiled and said with apologies: "If the emperor has the will, he can send someone to summon the old ministers. Why... Since ancient times, no saint has visited the ministers. How can I say that... what should I say?"

"I came out today and walked around casually. I remembered the last time I told you that I wanted to meet Cao Dezheng, so I turned around." The emperor's eyes fell on the people kneeling on the ground: "What are these?"

"Yes." Weng Xincun hurriedly recommended him: "Your Majesty, this is the minister and the man, this is Zeng Wen, the grandson of my minister. This is Cao Dezheng, who came from Changshu, my minister's hometown, and this is Young Brother Li Quan."

Weng Tonghe and Weng Zengwen were so excited that their faces turned red: "Student...Grass people..." Just this title made the two of them feel a little incoherent. Weng was angry and embarrassed, and Jun Qian could not have an attack, but just stared at them fiercely.

The emperor burst into laughter: "Just claim to be a student."

"Yes. Student Weng Tonghe (Weng Zengwen), come to the emperor!"

"This is Weng Tonghe, who is a talented person in the province, right? He is indeed a handsome talent!"

"The children are a little bit weak, so I dare not be the emperor's mistaken words." Weng Xincun said: "Your Majesty, please speak in the Zhongzheng Hall of my mansion?"

The emperor asked while walking, "That Cao Dezheng?"

"yes."

"Let him come over in a while, and I will see him."

"Yes, please sit in my house and arrange it."

Inviting the emperor to sit in the main hall of the mansion, Weng Xincun hurriedly took Yi Qi's hand to the side: "Prince, why did the Emperor Yuzhi suddenly come to my house?"

Yi Qi smiled, "Don't worry, if you go to see the car today, the emperor suddenly mentioned the Cao Dezheng he mentioned when he was talking to Lord Weng last time. He wanted to ask some of the words in person. I think, instead of asking the emperor to issue an order to summon Cao Dezheng to the palace to attract discussions from all over the world, it is better to go to Lord Weng's mansion to meet him in person. First, we can talk in detail, and second, we can also let the emperor come out to relax. Now, the emperor agreed to what he asked and came out."

It’s not right for Weng to be angry or angry. It’s ridiculous that the princes of a country have made each other with slight words, which leads the emperor to come out in disguise! He also knows that King Dun has always been such a casual personality. As a subordinate, he should not say anything but cannot say it. Even if he can speak, what’s the use of it?

He didn't bother to talk to Yi Qiong and ordered his servants to change into court clothes. Weng Xincun entered the main hall twice and performed a great ceremony for the monarch and ministers: "Emperor," he said: "If the emperor intends to summon Cao Dezheng and others to ask, can the ministers discuss with the Ministry of Rites tomorrow, teach him etiquette first, and then..."

"I will go to Rehe next month. How can I have so much time for you? What other etiquette details are there?" He said, "I came today to ask him some details about the restructuring of the canal transportation." Seeing that Weng Xincun wanted to persuade him again, the emperor waved his hand impatiently: "Let Cao Dezheng come in."

Weng Xincun dared not say much, kowtowed and retreated, went outside and ordered someone to find Cao Dezheng and explained to him a few words: "The emperor wants to see you. Ask you about the details of the life of the Cao people after the restructuring of the canal transportation, and you must answer carefully."

Cao Dezheng never expected that the emperor would suddenly come to Weng's house and indicate that he would see him? He saw him in the second hall just now, but he didn't dare to look up, and he didn't even know what the emperor looked like! After hearing Weng Xincun's words, he was stunned for a moment before asking a question: "Sir, what should I say... the young one?"

"For the last time you told me what you said to me, and the other ones, look at my eyes."

"Sir, the emperor is the emperor, I...I don't know?"

"Come to meet more and less." Time was very rushed, and Weng Xincun could not explain too much, so he had to tell him a few words without getting upset, and then led him into the main hall.

When Cao Dezheng entered the door, he saw a young man wearing a goose yellow dress sitting on the seat with a smile. He only knew Weng Tonghe and Weng Zengwen, and there were a few people around him, but he didn't know him and didn't dare to look at him too much. When he got closer to the emperor, he knelt down with a thud, but forgot what Weng Xincun had just explained outside, and didn't know what he should say, but he just touched the ground with his head, making a thud.

The emperor smiled and asked in a very gentle tone: "Are you Cao Dezheng from Changshu?"

"Yes. I am." The first sentence was said to be taboo. Weng Xincun, who was kneeling in front of him, turned around and pulled him: "Don't talk to the emperor like this, and call himself a commoner."

"Ah, yes, the little people are Cao Dezheng."

Weng Xincun once told the emperor that Cao Dezheng was a man from the world and had not known the Tianjia Yizhu. The emperor did not force it. He asked again: "Last time Weng Xincun came to me and told me that after the Cao people were unemployed, he had a lot of suffering. After hearing this, I was very worried about it. I came to see you and wanted to hear more detailed situations. Don't hide anything. Let me tell you about the living conditions of the Cao people like you. Do you understand?"

"Yes. Caomin knows." Cao Dezheng knelt on the ground and did not dare to look up. He said slowly: "Since the 30th year of Daoguang, the Cao Gang has received the emperor's will from the Shangfeng. From the first year of Xianfeng, the grain of grain in the southern provinces has been changed to coastal routes north. We were very panicked and did not know how life would be maintained in the future once the grain transport was cut off. We went to the gang to ask, and we also went to the Hangzhou Family Temple to visit the elders of the gang. The elder said that this matter has not yet been concluded. So we don't need to panic and sent us back."

"Then what?"

"Then Lord Liangjiang Lu issued a defense for the pass, and ordered many members of the Cao Gang to rest and recuperate from the first year of Xianfeng. After sending personnel to pick them, they will train them through the Shachuan Gang and arrange their lives separately." Cao Dezheng sighed involuntarily, saying: "The news came, Caomin and others knew that the Cao Gang would no longer be in the glory of the past, and everyone would also make a living."

"...As we, the people who make a living in the world, always come with their left hand and right hand. It is difficult for anyone to save money. Once their work is cut off, life will be very hard."

Hearing this, the emperor frowned slightly: "I have given Liangjiang for a few years. Didn't the decree of Lianghu Lake say that I would like to governors of all provinces to take good care of the remaining grain workers' lives? Why, they didn't do it?"

"Even if you take care of it, it's just a few taels of silver that the public pays for a month. What can a family get from feeding horses?"

Weng Xinxiong scolded next to him: "Speak and say it, don't use such a tone."

"Oh, yes." Cao Dezheng suddenly remembered that the young emperor of the Qing Dynasty, who was sitting, hurriedly touched his head again: "The people are confused, please forgive me."

"Nothing, you keep talking."

"Yes." Cao Dezheng also said: "Lord Lu of Liangjiang also came up with some solutions to our livelihoods for the grain gurus, but there are too many brain-wrenching places. It's like selling salt. Everyone gathered the capital together and went to Lianghuai Salt Field to sell salt. They spent six or seven hundred taels of silver, raised more than 20,000 kilograms of salt, and sold it to Yunnan and Guizhou. They didn't talk about their hard work on the road. They always rely on each other to be in the world and could have some care. But when they were on land, they had to pay more trouble. Every time they passed by, they had to pay tax silver," he paused and continued: "The grass-roots people dare not deceive the emperor. Many grain gurus suffered from tax silver, so they could only take a detour. Only those who could not get by will bite the bullet and be exploited by some tax nurses."

"What is the tax silver collected by taxpayers in each province? Do you know these?"

"Caomin has never trafficked with humans and does not know the details, but I heard that they are all taxes that are worth one hundred."

"Well, what else is there besides these?"
Chapter completed!