Chapter 266
Lu Dou guided Su Ze and Gui Youguang to the living room in the backyard.

For salt merchants like them, being able to organize activities in the literary world is a matter of face.

Although today's scholars will not take the initiative to praise the salt merchants at a literary meeting, as long as they spread the news of the literary meeting, the attitude of the literati towards the salt merchants will be better.

Gui Youguang and Su Ze met in the Lu family's mansion. If they wrote some famous articles because of this, and wrote about their own garden in the postscript or postscript, then the status of the Lu family in Yangzhou in the literary world will become higher and higher in the future. .

Just when Lu Dou was about to close the door and let the two literary figures have a private chat, Su Ze stopped him.

"Young Master Lu, please stay."

Lu Dou looked at Su Ze suspiciously. Most literati actually look down on salt merchants. They think merchants are vulgar and do not understand literature.

Su Ze talked with Gui Youguang, why did he stay by himself.

Full of doubts, Su Ze saluted Gui Youguang and said:

"Mr. Zhenchuan."

Gui Youguang also looked at Su Ze. In fact, Su Ze didn't even know how strong his own reputation was in Jiangnan.

As soon as the Peony Pavilion came out, all troupes in the south of the Yangtze River were excluding his play.

As soon as Nan Kemeng in "Warning the World" came out, it immediately became popular in the south of the Yangtze River.

Su Ze is now the top performer in Jiangnan folk art!
Quyi is relatively low in the contempt chain of literature, but it has a high degree of spread.

Although Gui Youguang's prose has a high status in the literary world, its reputation among the people is still not as good as Su Ze's.

Gui Youguang also has some understanding of Quyi. He originally thought that Su Ze wanted to discuss Quyi with him, but he didn't expect Su Ze to say:
"From Mr. Zhenchuan's point of view, how is the court situation?"

Gui Youguang was stunned for a moment, to put it mildly, his character was easy-going, but in reality he was cowardly.

Gui Youguang in the history of the Ming Dynasty was finally admitted to Jinshi, but when he became an official, he couldn’t persuade the local tycoons and subordinates. Got a horse.

From his articles, we know that Gui Youguang is a good man, but he is not a cunning official.

If it was in the early Ming Dynasty, he might still be a good official who valued enlightenment and could treat the people tolerantly, but in this era he is destined not to be able to stand in the official career.

When Su Ze asked this question, Gui Youguang was stunned, and soon he gave the standard answer for scholars in Jiangnan.

"The treacherous officials are in power, and only by removing the Song thief can the finances be restored."

Su Ze asked again: "If Yan Song falls, who can take over the court?"

"Of course Xu Ge is getting old. Xu Ge is always the leader of Qingliu. As long as he can serve as the chief assistant, he will be able to cleanse the treacherous evil and bring clarity to the court!"

Gui Youguang said it firmly.

Su Ze looked at Lu Dou, and suddenly asked Lu Dou.

"Master Lu, tell me the truth, your family has been in the salt business for generations, how much salt do you still have in your family?"

Lu Dou was stunned for a moment, he looked at Su Ze, then at Gui Youguang, lowered his head and said, "Now my Lu family has no one to attract."

Gui Youguang was stunned, and he asked: "How is it possible? Your Lu family is not a rich family in Yangzhou? This garden?"

Lu Dou smiled wryly and said, "Mr. Zhenchuan, if it weren't for this garden, our Lu family would have been in ruins long ago."

Su Ze asked Lu Dou, "Who did you sell the Lu family's Yanyin to?"

Lu Dou said to Su Ze: "Mr. Su, it's hard to say."

Su Ze said: "I came to Jiangbei this time to follow Jiayue's order to check the direction of salt drainage."

"Is Ling Yue that adult?"

Su Ze nodded, and Lu Dou had a surprised expression on his face.

There have long been rumors that Su Ze is the son-in-law of Fang Wanghai, the new servant of the household department. Now that he has personally confirmed it, how can Lu Dou not be overjoyed.

You must know that the Nanjing Household Department is in charge of the salt administration. If the Lu family can get on the line of Su Ze, wouldn't they be able to stand up?
Even Lu Dou had other ideas, maybe the Fang Shilang sent Su Ze to Jiangbei just to get a share of the salt business?

If so, isn't your own best white glove?
Lu Dou immediately said: "All the Yanyin from my family has been delivered to the Xu family."

Gui Youguang was stunned for a moment and asked, "Which Xu family?"

"Which Xu family is there in South Zhili? Of course it is Huating Xu."

Gui Youguang was a little dazed, his hometown was Suzhou, and he had heard some rumors about the Xu family in Songjiang.

Originally, Gui Youguang thought that these were all framed to frame the Xu family, but hearing the news from Lu Dou, Gui Youguang still felt a little disillusioned.

He asked again: "Could it be that these were all ordered by Mr. Xu Ge?"

But Su Ze said: "I believe that this was not ordered by Mr. Xu Ge."

Only then did Gui Youguang feel better, and he said: "That's right, Xu Ge's old country is busy with affairs, it's just that he doesn't manage his family strictly."

Lu Dou smiled wryly and said: "This kind of matter, why do you need Mr. Xu Ge to do it yourself? The Xu family wants to handle affairs in Nanzhili. Who would dare not cooperate from officials to merchants?"

When Gui Youguang heard these words, he felt even more harsh.

Su Ze also said: "Actually, I believe Mr. Xu Ge didn't know about this matter, at least Mr. Xu Ge didn't ask his family to do it."

"But even if Mr. Xu Ge doesn't know, all the officials in Nanzhili will do it for the Xu family. What do you think, Mr. Zhenchuan?"

Gui Youguang is also 50 years old, he just doesn't think about some things, but after Su Ze pointed it out, he quickly figured it out.

Su Ze said: "Mr. Zhenchuan should know better than me, a Fujianese, what Jiangnan looks like. The rich have endless fields and the poor have no place to stand. Is this the credit of Yan Song and his son?"

Gui Youguang was speechless.

Su Ze said: "If you spend too much, you will plunder it from the people."

"Is the issue of court hall a problem of one person with one surname?"

Gui Youguang was silent again.

Su Ze said: "There is Mr. Xu Ge today, and there will be other Mr. Ge in the future. As long as this world continues to run like this, then this world will always be like this."

Su Ze said to Gui Youguang: "Mr. Zhenchuan, I would like to ask you to do something for me."

Gui Youguang looked at Su Ze suspiciously and said, "I'm just a mere scholar, and I don't have money, so what can I do for you?"

Gui Youguang knew that Su Ze's father-in-law was the Minister of the Nanjing Household Department, so he thought that Su Ze asked him to handle the customs duties.

Unexpectedly, Su Ze said:

"Of course there is! It is said that writing is like a knife. What I want to use is the knife of sir. I want to invite you to join "Warning the World".

Warning message?

Of course, Gui Youguang knew about this magazine. Under Xu Guo's management, "Jing Shi Tong Yan" has become the most influential publication in Jiangnan.

Su Ze said: "I want to split the section of "Warning the World"."

"The "Jing Shi Tong Yan", which was originally published twice a month, was split into two parts, one is "Jing Shi Bao", which is published every five days, and the other is "Tong Yan Shuo", which is maintained twice a month."

"The original opera novels were published in Tong Yan Shuo."

Gui Youguang asked, "What about "Warning World Daily"?"

Su Ze smiled and said: "Naturally, it is used to publish some current articles and discuss current affairs."

Gui Youguang looked at Su Ze in surprise, he didn't expect Su Ze to be so courageous?
Discussing current affairs is what almost all literati and bureaucrats are doing, but it is different when it is published.

The words in black and white are true. If you add a "discussing government affairs indiscriminately", it will be too much to go around.

Su Ze continued: "The "Warning World" can submit articles anonymously, and the manuscript fee can also be paid anonymously. Our "Warning World" does not reject anyone who comes, and does not set up a position. As long as there is something to say, it can be published."

Su Ze looked at Gui Youguang and said:
"Mr. Zhenchuan, I would like to ask you to be the editor-in-chief of "Warning World Daily."

Gui Youguang looked at Su Ze suspiciously.

Su Ze wanted to hire Gui Youguang as the editor-in-chief, not entirely on a whim.

Nowadays, it can be said that the literary world of the Ming Dynasty is full of celebrities, but Gui Youguang's position in the literary world is actually very embarrassing.

Although he was sought after because of his articles, his status in the officialdom was too low.

Although the cultural circle is huge, its influence is far less than that of the academic circle.

Gui Youguang was regarded as a guest of honor at various cultural associations, but when someone with real power came, he was treated as an embellishment for the literary association.

To put it bluntly, the status of literati in today's cultural circles is more similar to that of actors and musicians in Tang and Song Dynasties. They can be regarded as an atmosphere group for parties and mascots for banquets.

This is why the scholars in the south of the Yangtze River scolded Yan Song, but Yan Song's position is still stable.

Elder Yan Ge doesn't care about the insults from you poor literati. No matter how hard you cursed you after killing Yang Jisheng, it would not reach Elder Yan Ge's ears.

But what Su Ze appreciates about Gui Youguang is the theory of "true feelings" he advocated.

Judging from Gui Youguang's articles and his later experience as an official, this Mr. Zhenchuan is indeed a good man with true feelings in his heart.

Don't underestimate this "good man". When Yan Song first entered the officialdom, he was also praised as a gentleman and a good man with integrity.

Many treacherous officials in ancient times were also good people before they made their fortunes.

It may be the rarest one who can be ups and downs in the big dye vat of officialdom for many years and still maintain a sincere heart.

It is not easy for Gui Youguang's young man to become famous, and to be able to keep this original aspiration.

Su Ze then invited him to be the editor-in-chief of "Warning World".

Gui Youguang said hesitantly, "Mr. Su, please hire someone else."

Seeing that Gui Youguang was about to leave, Su Ze finally said:
"Mr. Zhenchuan, do you know why this newspaper is called "Warning the World"?"

Gui Youguang said: "I want to warn the world by writing a general message. I have read the first issue of your magazine. Isn't this the original intention of Mr. Su to start the newspaper?"

Su Ze nodded and said, "When will the long dream wake up after a thousand years, and who will send the alarm bell to ring in the sleeping town?"

"Mr. Zhenchuan, China has reached a time when it is waiting for change through the ages, so I want to publish this magazine."

Su Ze looked at Lu Dou, and Lu Dou immediately left the room cleverly.

After half an hour.

Gui Youguang stepped out of the living room, he said to Su Ze who sent him out:
"Mr. Su, I'm going back to Suzhou right now to organize the "Warning World Newspaper."

Xu Shixing and Xu Guo, who were waiting at the door, looked at each other. They didn't know how Su Ze persuaded Gui Youguang to let this Mr. Zhenchuan, who is all over the south of the Yangtze River, help him with the newspaper.

Xu Shixing was also emotional, Su Ze was definitely a talent for the prime minister, wasn't he persuaded by Su Ze's few words, and obediently worked for him?

After sending Gui Youguang away, Su Ze called Lu Dou again.

"Young Master Lu, Jiayue is preparing to issue a new Yan Yin."

Lu Dou said with a bitter face, "I, Mr. Su, don't look at our Lu family looking bright, we really can't afford to subscribe for Yanyin."

Su Ze said: "It's not a forced apportionment. If the Yanyin issued this time can definitely mention salt?"

Lu Dou's eyes lit up, but he quickly dimmed and said, "Don't be joking, Mr. Su. There are hundreds of thousands of salt coins that have not been exchanged in the market. If you exchange for new coins first, those with old coins will How can people be willing to give up when they are defeated."

Su Ze waved his hand and said, "This is not something Mr. Lu has to worry about. Let me ask you, as long as you get new salt, you can exchange it for salt. Are you Huaiyang merchants willing to pay?"

Lu Dou immediately said: "I am willing! Of course I am willing! Even if the Huating Xu family gets the salt, it is sold through our Lu family. As long as we can get the salt, our Lu family can always make money."

Su Ze clapped his hands and said, "Very good, since this is the case, then your Lu family can start raising money!"

Lu Dou still asked, "May I ask when Su Xianggong can get the salt?"

Su Ze waved his hand and said, "The shortest is one month, and the slowest is two months. As long as you are willing to subscribe for Xinyanyin, you will definitely get the money!"

Lu Dou still didn't believe it, Su Ze said directly: "It doesn't matter if Mr. Lu doesn't believe me, but the new salt has a limited supply, so buy it quickly!"

After saying this, Su Ze took Xu Guo and Xu Shixing away from Lu's house.

After getting rid of Lu's Shouzhi Garden just now, Xu Guo couldn't help but say:
"Brother Ru Lin, if you told this Lu Dou, the whole of Nanzhili knows about it."

Xu Shixing also said: "That's right, Brother Ru Lin, if you don't keep things secret, you'll lose yourself. This leaked the news in advance, and those people with a lot of salt in their hands will definitely not let it go."

Xu Guo also nodded repeatedly. He is a Juren from Huizhou Prefecture, and he knows salt merchants very well. He knows what these merchants are called "Confucian merchants", but in fact he has no ethics at all.

Don't look at Lu Dou's obedient look now, he gritted his teeth at the Xu family when he said it, and turned around to report to the Xu family.

Su Ze said indifferently: "What I want is for them to spread the news."

(End of this chapter)

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