Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 752: What Should Have Come Never Comes
In the restaurant,
As the eunuch asked questions, everyone's hearts became heavier again.

Especially the prefect Jia Yucun, who kept giving him eye contact and warning him, but Ma Guangcheng deliberately turned a blind eye.
"My Lord, I sent people to the West City Gate to welcome you, but I didn't see your carriage. Instead, I saw someone with a motorcade, who brought wine and food from the Yuelaichun Restaurant in West City to the attic of the West City Gate. It seemed like a banquet was being held."

Ma Guangcheng was bold enough to speak out about something that was not confirmed. He should have sent someone to confirm it, but he knew that there was not enough time, so he could only make guesses. After all, Shen Wanhe's organization had arranged a banquet here, and the banquet at the west city gate might have been prepared for Eunuch Yang, so he dared to speak so boldly.

Just like this, the cheerful atmosphere became dull. Yang Chi's face instantly turned gloomy. Lord Jing, are you trying to show your displeasure to me?

at this time,

Shen Wanhe was also somewhat puzzled. He was not arranged to receive the eunuch, so why was a banquet held in the attic of the West Gate? Seeing that Eunuch Yang's face was getting worse, he said;
"What's going on? The tea isn't ready yet?"

"My Lord, that's all."

Several maids lowered their heads and divided the brewed tea into several tea bowls, and then brought them to the masters. However, they did not give any to Shen Wanhe. They only poured a bowl of freshly boiled water and took a sip from it.

And the rest,

After being interrupted by Shen Wanhe, he came back to his senses.

"Eunuch Yang, please, Lord Shen's tea may not be served to you."

Jia Yucun quickly winked at Ma Guangcheng, who quickly sat down and smiled.
"Yes, Eunuch Yang, I want to drink a sip of the tea from Lord Shen's house, but I may not be able to drink it. Today, I will take advantage of Eunuch Yang's blessing and drink a sip."

"Haha, since what you say is so mysterious, I'll just give it a try."

Yang Chi smiled, not caring about what he just said. He picked up the tea bowl and smelled it carefully, took a deep breath, and sighed;

"It's really good tea."

Shen Wanhe smiled.

"Eunuch Yang, this tea is the cloud tea from the northern mountain of Jinghu Lake this year. It was picked at night when the buds appeared. It was brewed with water from the spring in the center of Jinghu Lake. It is very rare."

As soon as the introduction was finished, Eunuch Yang and several adults picked up their tea bowls and took a sip.

"Good tea."

With an exclamation, Jia Yucun praised.

“It’s a superb tea.”

Ma Guangcheng also echoed.

Only Shen Wanhe smiled apologetically:

"Because it is of top quality, the production is small. I prepared two kilograms for Master Zhuang and Master Jing respectively. Please bear with me and prepare one kilogram for each of you. As for the eunuch, the remaining five kilograms of tea will all be given to you as a filial gift."

Yang Chi took another sip of the tea, which was fragrant and sweet, with an endless aftertaste. It was indeed a rare and top-quality tea. Five catties of tea was enough. He had to go back to honor the governor, and the Marquis's portion was indispensable. Five catties was not enough, so he could share some with the governor, Lord Zhuang.
"Well, I've accepted this, but it's still a little short. I heard that Lord Zhuang doesn't like to drink tea, but likes to play with the world's delicious food. So don't send it there. Just tell him that I still want to send some tribute to the capital, and ask him to forgive me."

Eunuch Yang held the tea bowl and continued to take a sip. Although his words were exhortations, his tone could not be ignored. When he was in the capital, he heard from the cabinet that Lord Jiangnanzhuang's memorials were constantly submitted, opposing the tone set by His Majesty. For example, before, he heard from Eunuch Zhao that this person had a private appointment with Marquis Luo Yun to taste the world's freshest food. It was just a few pieces of stewed tofu. What kind of fresh food is this? There are so many famous chefs in the capital, how could I have never heard of them?

It's because Marquis Luo Yun is kind-hearted that he always gives him some face. But today, I just won't give him face. I have to take care of things that Eunuch Zhao can do, and I also have to take care of things that Eunuch Zhao can't do. If you want to enter the Imperial Household Department, you have to be ruthless.

Eunuch Yang's move shocked everyone. It seemed that the eldest eunuch was not going to test the waters. He was clearly warning the governor with his carriage and horses. However, the governor had the power of the East Palace behind him. This way, Jiangnan would be in turmoil again.

Shen Wanhe obviously realized it, hesitated for a moment, smiled and shook his head, did he have any choice?
"Don't worry, Eunuch Yang. I will send someone to explain. It's all my fault. I can't even handle such a small matter as tea leaves. Please don't bring it with you."

"Well, just tell me. What explanation is there? As for the output of tea, it's nothing more than this. Why blame you? I'm not trying to embarrass you. To tell you the truth, there are too many people in the capital who need to be sent. The old ancestor and the marquis need to share some of the profits. Eunuch Wang from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Eunuch Zhao from the Imperial Stables all need to be taken care of. Five catties, one catty per person is not enough."

Eunuch Yang's words made the hands of the people at the table tremble unconsciously. From Eunuch Yang's mouth, anyone is unattainable, let alone the Bodhisattva in front of him. Shen Wanhe was a little restless. Was he blaming him for not thinking carefully, or reminding himself?

"I will definitely do what Eunuch Yang said. It's all my fault for not thinking it through. Please forgive me, Eunuch."

Seeing Shen Wanhe had spoken, how could the remaining three people remain still? Jia Yucun clasped his fists and spoke first.

"Eunuch Yang, it's all my fault for not being tactful. I don't like tea, so I hope you will accept this pound of tea from me, Eunuch Yang."

Jia Yucun spoke, and the other two quickly stood up and bowed.
"Please accept it, Eunuch Yang."

This is following the trend.

Yang Chi shook his head at this time, stretched out his hand to comfort him, and asked him to sit down.
"Ah, I appreciate your kindness, but as Lord Shen said, there are so many in total, it's rare. If I give them all to me, I will look down on them, which is not good. Please keep these tea leaves and taste them slowly. Who doesn't like tea? Sit down."

"Thank you, Eunuch Yang, for the reward."

The three of them spoke in unison, and sat down calmly again, their expressions no longer so nervous.

After speaking,
Eunuch Yang went to put the tea bowl away, but when he glanced, he found that there was a bowl of plain water in Shen Wanhe's tea bowl. What was this?

"Master Shen, you gave us the best cloud tea, but what about you? Why did you drink plain water instead?"

This question,
This attracted the attention of the three prefectural officials. When they looked up, they saw that the tea bowl in front of Lord Shen was filled with clear water. Why was that?

Shen Wanhe touched the worn-out tea bowl in front of him and smiled.
"My Lord, I am used to it. I like to drink plain water!"

How could Yang Chi believe this explanation? The people in official uniforms were served top-grade cloud mist tea, while he was served a bowl of plain water. Others had brand new blue and white porcelain tea sets, but he had a broken bowl. Moreover, Shen Wanhe's clothes were not silk or satin, but just coarse linen. The patches on his feet were clearly visible. This was done for himself.

After taking a look, Eunuch Yang narrowed his eyes and asked;

"Everyone says that you, Shen Wanhe, are the richest man in Jiangnan. Look, you are the people who are against you." Before coming to Jiangnan, the people in the Imperial City Bureau had already found out everything about the Weaving Bureau and who Shen Wanhe was. How could they hide it from him? Eunuch Yang took a sip of tea and continued;

"Thirty-five workshops, four thousand looms, more than 200,000 mu of mulberry fields by the Jiangnan Canal, and hundreds of silk and satin shops, tea shops, porcelain shops, and rice shops in your mansion, including this restaurant. With such wealth, you drink plain water and eat vegetarian food all day long, never eat meat unless it is a good time, and never eat delicious food. You also wear coarse linen clothes, and your pants are all patched! You are so poor! Who are you pretending to be for?"

As soon as Eunuch Yang finished speaking, Jia Yucun and Ma Guangcheng looked at each other. It was obvious that they were unaware of these things, but they could understand that Shen Wanhe had been staying in Suzhou and could not go back to Nanjing very often. Moreover, they were only the prefect of a place and had not seen him very often. They had never seen Shen Wanhe dressed like this. They did not expect that there would be such things. They had misjudged him.

Apart from the co-magistrate Hu Wenxuan who remained silent, the magistrate Ma Guangcheng was also smart and knew that there was something else going on, so he didn't dare to interrupt. However, Shen Wanhe's behavior was incomprehensible. As the richest man in Jiangnan, he shouldn't eat so poorly even if he didn't like it. Who could stand eating simple meals every day?

Shen Wanhe's face looked somewhat sad, with wrinkles on his face and a strand of hair scattered at his temples, looking somewhat lonely;

"It is said that the oil seller combs her hair with water, and not saying that she is poor is just crying poor. All these looms and silk shops of your subordinates are opened for the Weaving Bureau. If one day the Weaving Bureau does not need Shen, and kicks your subordinates, your subordinates can still survive with simple meals and simple tea."

"Haha, Master Shen is joking,"

Eunuch Yang raised his voice. It seemed that Shen Wanhe was worried.
"Even if I really want to kick you out, the imperial court's weaving bureau cannot do without you, Shen Wanhe. Work hard. If you do well, you will be rewarded. If you don't do well, Lord Shen knows the situation."

"Don't worry, Eunuch Yang. As long as the court needs me, I am willing to serve you."

Shen Wanhe's face straightened. He naturally knew what Eunuch Yang meant. If you do a good job, you will be rewarded. If you do a bad job, you will be punished. The punishments are heavy or light. You need to weigh them yourself. As for what to do, the weaving bureau produces silk and satin, which is silver, right?

Eunuch Yang nodded. Shen Wanhe was a man of sense. As the saying goes, a man who knows the current affairs is a hero. He could be the richest man in Jiangnan. How could he be a bad person? So he simply got straight to the point and told the most important matter of the Weaving Bureau.

"Well, in that case, let's stop talking nonsense. Magistrate Jia, Magistrate Ma, you two should listen carefully. This matter is of great importance, and it is also the reason why I came to Jiangnan. No matter who it is, if they stand in the way of the court, don't blame me for being rude."

Jia Yucun and the other two were shocked when they heard this. They remembered that Lord Jing had conducted a thorough investigation of the land and acreage in Jiangnan. Although they had not started yet, the tone had been set and they could only move forward. They quickly stood up and replied:

"That's not right, Eunuch Yang. As long as the court needs us, we will do our best to help the court and His Majesty."

"it is good,"

Eunuch Yang praised loudly, and looking at the three people in front of him, he had an idea in his mind. If he wanted to promote the "convert farmland into mulberry trees" thing, it would not work relying on Lord Jing's tough measures, he had to be prepared for both situations. As the saying goes, use courtesy before force, and overcome hardness with softness. Now that Nanjing is implementing it, as long as Nanjing moves, who in Jiangnan will dare to stop it? This first step is the most difficult.

"Let's not waste time talking. Let's get down to business. When we arrived in Jiangnan, our ancestors told us that the total number of looms shipped from the Ministry of Industry, plus the existing ones, should be maintained at 10,000. The brocade and silk produced should at least double, so raw silk is the key."

As soon as these words came out, the atmosphere became a bit awkward. Lord Jing encountered obstacles everywhere in his attempt to convert farmland into mulberry trees, so he had no choice but to conduct an inventory of the number of acres of land. Although the inventory was clear, the rumor of converting farmland into mulberry trees had spread, but there was no action.
If you want to increase the production of raw silk, you need to raise silkworms, and silkworms need to eat mulberry leaves. There is no solution. Lord Zhuang is clearly against it, which makes the people below feel very awkward. I just don't know why Eunuch Yang didn't write a letter to the court to transfer Lord Zhuang.
Jia Yucun was suspicious and asked in a roundabout way.
"Don't worry, Eunuch Yang. We have done our best in the affairs of the court, but our words are not taken seriously. If the prefectural government can cooperate, you can give orders. However, Lord Jing has been here for so long, but there is no movement. I only heard that the governor's office said that they want Jiangnan to be stable. The local government has two different opinions. We are helpless."

"Yes, Eunuch Yang, even the Minister of Justice doesn't dare to take action on his own. If we act too aggressively, the consequences will be too serious."

Ma Guangcheng was deeply touched. He thought that Lord Jing would be able to make a difference and that he himself could have a bright future. However, Lord Zhuang's reaction was so strong that many officials were dismissed and investigated. Others felt that they had a heavy burden on their shoulders and had to think about it carefully.
"Well, what you said makes sense. Lord Zhuang, you are a good official, but unfortunately you can't see the way forward. This is the only way. You are serving the court and you should do your job. Why think too much?"

Eunuch Yang smiled and did not answer. Lord Zhuang did not understand the reason. It was not only because of the East Palace, but also because of the Minister of Personnel Lu. How could Jiangnan hide every word from him? Nowadays, the court officials are not in a situation of two factions fighting each other, but a three-way confrontation. The Li party is unwilling to be lonely, and with the addition of nobles mixing in it, it may be difficult for the court to live in the capital.

Shen Wanhe sat on one side, listening to the words of several adults. He understood the attitude of the officialdom. If the Weaving Bureau wanted to increase the output of silk and brocade, it would need to increase the supply of raw silk. After all, it was still a matter of converting fields into mulberry trees. No matter how capable the Weaving Bureau was, a skilled cook could not cook without rice. No one could create something out of thin air. He didn't know why the court was so anxious.

"Eunuch Yang, since you have come to this point, I will not hesitate. If you want silk and brocade, you need raw silk, which means you need to increase the output of mulberry leaves. So Lord Jing's work must be done. However, the people in Jiangnan also need to eat. These are all contradictions."

As he spoke, Shen Wanhe stretched out his finger, tapped the tea, then drew a circle on the table, dotted a few more dots inside, and continued while pointing at these dots;
"Please look, Eunuch Yang. This is the boundary of Jinling County. This is Jinling. The four counties around it, Anning County, Shangyu County, Chunyang County, and Yongning County, are all large counties along the Yun River. The farmland is the largest in Jiangnan, and the people are rich. It is extremely difficult to convert the farmland into mulberry trees. Therefore, we must find Master Jing to come here to discuss this matter properly. We must first conduct a pilot project. Everything is difficult at the beginning, so we must be prepared for any eventuality."

"Well, you are worthy of being Lord Shen. Someone, go and invite Lord Jing and the others here quickly."

"Yes, Grand Eunuch."

Captain Li Yun responded and immediately sent Captain Niu Hu to lead his troops to the west gate.

But in the attic of the West Gate,

Lord Jing and his companions had eaten three rounds of wine and five kinds of dishes. I don't know if they were really hungry or were anxious because of the wait at night, but they ate most of the food on the table and drank a lot of wine. The table was a mess. There were empty wine jars scattered crookedly on the ground, bones left over from eating meat were thrown everywhere, and crumbs of pastries covered the table. If you didn't know, you would think they were the leftovers of beggars.

Even Jiang Xiyu, the governor of Jiangnan who always looked down on merchants, drank until his face turned red and he forgot about welcoming Eunuch Yang.
"This wine is really strong, hiccup!"

Outside the city wall, the rain was still falling and the wind was blowing. Except for the officials from the Imperial City Bureau, the others in the attic were all a little tipsy. Jing Cunliang felt a little happy. Although the matter of converting fields into mulberry trees had not been truly implemented, he had consumed a lot of Lord Zhuang's prestige bit by bit, which was useful. This drink was worth it.

The salt merchant in front of me was much more pleasing to the eye.

"Mr. Su, I'm sorry to bother you to make an extra trip today,"

"How can you say that, Lord Zhongcheng? This is all from my humble heart, to honor you and the others. Before, you were busy at the government office, so I had no chance to see you. Now that I have the opportunity, it is God's guidance to me. I must honor you, Lord Zhongcheng."

"Ahahaha, well said, well said, very thoughtful,"

Jing Cunliang smiled heartily, and the depression in his heart was swept away, and he said to everyone;

"Everyone, now that you have eaten and drunk enough, go back home and rest. You may have to get up early tomorrow morning."

"Yes, Lord Zhongcheng,"

Jing Cunliang came drunk and waved his hand to chase him away. Everyone followed his lead and stood up to leave. But suddenly, the transport envoy, Lord Xu, suddenly said,
"Wait, that's not right, Lord Zhongcheng, aren't we here to welcome Eunuch Yang?"

The others were also startled, then they remembered that they were here to greet Eunuch Yang. They stopped immediately and looked over.

But Lord Jing staggered to his feet.
"That's true, but at this time, those who should come have come, and those who shouldn't come may not come. Go back."

The words were full of implications, leaving everyone speechless. They could only clasp their fists and go down the attic. Su Jinkai was also sensible and took people to clean up.
"Sir, what should we do?"

"Of course I'll go back and rest."

Once the people left, Niu Hu's troops were left empty-handed.
(End of this chapter)