Prince of Song Dynasty

Chapter 177
Ye Chen thought so in his heart, couldn't help laughing and said: "Your Highness likes to eat bad white fish, just ask the local government to deliver it regularly, why bother to ask the minister for it as a princess?"

Princess Yongqing stared at her almond eyes and said: "What's the matter with the princess? This princess just saw you by chance, and suddenly remembered this matter. If you don't want to, it's fine. The emperor has already set the rules, and the palace is not allowed to go to other places. If I ask for food, if I can ask the local government, do I need to ask you?"

She turned around and left, saying resentfully: "Brother knows that I like to eat bad white fish, so he went out and came back empty-handed, and he didn't say anything for my sister."

"That's right! Big brother is really, I don't know how to bring some gifts to my younger brother." Zhao Defang also said a little dejectedly.

Ye Chen was stunned, not knowing what to say, but the next moment, he saw the parrot on Princess Yongqing's shoulder, and shouted from a distance: "Princess! That parrot can actually learn how to speak, and the princess teaches him how to speak every day." , he will learn to speak."

After Princess Yongqing heard it, she stopped and turned around, her black eyes were shining brightly, and she looked excited, but she had already forgotten about the bad white fish, and said, "Uncle Xiangfu! Are you telling the truth? My little parrot can actually learn to talk."

Ye Chen said seriously: "Your Highness! I can guarantee this."

Zhao Defang, who also stopped beside him, said, "Sister! You forgot, Xiang Fu Bo is a disciple of the gods. He said that parrots can learn to speak, so they will definitely be able to learn."

Ye Chen watched the pair of the most noble boys and girls in the world walk away while talking to the parrot, he couldn't help but heaved a sigh of relief, and looked back at the Palace of Funing standing under the scorching sun, with a little bit of light in his eyes. tribute.To be honest, after he was kidnapped by the Maitreya Sect this time, he was very moved by what Zhao Kuangyin did, and he also developed some genuine loyalty to him.

Time was running out, so Ye Chen went to the Yamen of Zhihedisi.The emperor's decree had already arrived at the river embankment department before Ye Chen, and the six river embankment envoys who were in charge of repairing, heightening and thickening the other six river embankments except Baima County had also rushed back from the river embankment.

In addition, Luo Gongming is still in Jianghuai now, and Chu Zhaofu, the envoy of the third division, dare not delay the will of the emperor, not to mention that he is also very aware of the importance of the matter.I personally selected an officer with outstanding ability and rich experience and two officials, and sent them here early to wait for Ye Chen at the Yamen of the River Dike Division. , As long as he informs, he will send someone to send it there at any time.

Calling all the officials and officials for a meeting, Ye Chen first learned in detail the current progress of the embankment construction and the number of people.After learning that the total number of people currently scattered on the embankments of the six counties is only 1, Ye Chen has already made a plan.He planned to concentrate these 1 people on a river embankment in one county, and asked one of the river control envoys to lead them to repair a river embankment in a county.The other five counties will have to rely on the big leaders of all walks of life in Kaifeng, who have all kinds of hands and eyes.

Afterwards, Ye Chen told them what he had done and made a clear division of labor.Regardless of what everyone thinks in their hearts, let them leave and start to implement it separately.

What Ye Chen asked them to do was actually very simple, that is, to ask them to invite the leaders of all walks of life in Kaifeng City to Chunfeng Tower at three quarters you.

After Ye Chen finished his confession, he returned home without stopping. At this time, Li Junhao had been waiting for a long time.

When Li Junhao came out of the palace, he sent a guard to call him.Ye Chen has five empty name Xuanzha on his body. These are five official positions. Although they are only eighth or ninth rank officials, for ordinary people, it is as difficult as heaven to obtain, even if they have money in this world, they cannot buy them. arrive.With such benefits, how could he not consider the people close to him.

In the living room, Ye Chen and Li Junhao sat as guests of honor. After Ye Chen finished speaking, Li Junhao stood up and said in a low voice, "My lord is serious."

After finishing speaking, Li Junhao felt that he had lost his composure, and questioning Ye Chen's words was tantamount to being disrespectful to Ye Chen.Quickly bowed and said, "My lord, forgive me. It's not that the villain doesn't believe in the lord. It's just that this matter is too joyful and important to the villain."

Ye Chen didn't care about this at all, on the contrary, he was delighted with Li Junhao's reaction.Even a person like Li Junhao valued his official status in the Song Dynasty so much, let alone an ordinary wealthy businessman.

"So, brother Li wants this official status?" Ye Chen asked with a slight smile.

Li Junhao is unrestrained and unrestrained, he never puts on a coy attitude, he immediately said: "The Sir has given such a great benefit to the villain, the villain really does not know how to be grateful to the Sir."

Ye Chen waved his hand and said, "Don't mention the words of gratitude for the kindness, I just want to know if Brother Li can gather 1 people to take over one-fifth of the work on the river embankment?"

Only then did Li Junhao realize that he was only thinking about being happy just now, but he didn't expect whether his family could eat it. 1 hands, according to the current wages of small laborers in Kaifeng, ten yuan a day per person.A month is three guan, 1 people is 1 guan, and 1 guan is enough for the [-] people to eat and drink for a month, and the tools needed to repair the embankment.A total of [-] yuan was saved by Nan Gang over the years, plus the money he earned from opening an ice shop and lime and gypsum in Kaifeng in the past two months, he can still spend it.But the key question is where to find these [-] people.Two hundred people from the Southern Gang have just arrived in Kaifeng for more than a month, and the ice guild established is the smallest one among the many guilds in Kaifeng.There are too few contacts and manpower to gather [-] workers in a short period of time.

After a while, Li Junhao sighed and expressed the difficult problem in his heart.

Ye Chen had expected this, and said, "Brother Li, do you know how many beggars there are in Kaifeng City?"

Li Junhao's eyes lit up, but he still said honestly: "The villain doesn't know?"

Ye Chen said: "According to my guess, although Kaifeng has a population of one million, there are also a lot of beggars, probably at least five or six thousand. Excluding some old, weak, sick and disabled, those who can work on the embankment should be able to make up three to five thousand. People. These people rely on begging for a living, and most of them can only guarantee that they will not starve to death. If you can pay ten yuan a day and take care of food and housing to hire them, you will definitely be willing. In addition, although Kaifeng Wealthy people, but the poor always make up the majority. As far as I know, there are more than 5000 people in the slums. Most of the people also do short-term jobs for a living. If you go to the slums to recruit people, you should be able to recruit 20 to 7000 people. , with a total of 1 people, it should be possible."

Li Junhao's eyes became brighter and brighter, he bowed deeply to Ye Chen, and said: "It's not too late, the villain will go to plan this matter."

Ye Chen said: "Go! For this matter, the more than 200 people in the gang will definitely be used to recruit beggars everywhere, and then they will be managed and distributed on the river embankment. In addition, it is cold now, so the ice shop can temporarily The business has been closed. As for how to build embankments, the imperial court will naturally send people to supervise and give advice.”

After Li Junhao left, Shen time had passed, and it was three quarters before You time, so there was not much time left.Ye Chen led all the guards towards Chunfeng Tower.

As mentioned earlier, Kaifeng City was the center of the Song Dynasty and the most prosperous city in the world, with a population of one million, and the number of goods imported from all over the world to the capital was incalculable.However, after these goods arrived in the capital, they were not sold directly, but had to be resold to the heads of various guilds, who then distributed them to the merchants in the guilds for retail.

For example, there are cattle dealers for cattle dealers, horse dealers for horse dealers, butcher dealers for meat sellers, and even manure dealers for manure collectors. There are 360 ​​rows, and there are guilds in every trade. As long as you do business, you must belong to one family. guild.

In each state below, each guild basically controls the business transactions of a state, or even several surrounding states, and the largest guilds in various industries are all in Kaifeng City.

These guilds not only control the shops on the streets of Kaifeng, but often control the entire industrial chain.From production, to transportation, to sales, it is all integrated.For example, the cloth business, from silkworm cocoon purchase to silk reeling, weaving, printing and dyeing, and other workshops are all closely linked, and the relationship between them is intricate.

The power held by the leaders of these guilds is actually far beyond the imagination of court officials and the emperor.Only Ye Chen, who came from later generations, has preconceived ideas, and in addition, he has learned some through Li Junhao, Zhou Jie, Li Siyan and others these days.

However, no matter how rich these leaders are, how much they have connections, people, and invisible power in their hands, in this era, their status is still incomparable with those who are officials.What's more, the auspicious Fu Bo Yechen who is now in full swing.

Therefore, when they heard that Ye Chen invited them to a banquet, as long as they were in Kaifeng, regardless of their involvement with those high-ranking officials and nobles behind their backs, they all came to appreciate them.

Of course, it is said to be 360 ​​lines, but there are only more than 20 people who have really reached a scale, reached the point of monopoly, and met Ye Chen's requirements.

At this time, on the second floor of Chunfeng Building, in the hall.A total of 27 people dressed in all kinds of luxury merchants and official clothes, most of them are between 50 and [-] years old, short or tall, thin or fat, ugly or handsome, have all arrived.

Although most of these people have heard of it in normal times, and even have a lot of business contacts, many people know each other, but this is the first time that all of them have gathered together like this.

Therefore, although Ye Chen, the real master, has not come yet, the atmosphere at the scene is already extremely lively.

It's really lively to say hello to each other, to inquire about each other's news, to take the opportunity to discuss business, and to establish contacts.

As a matter of fact, the content of the discussion at the Chongzheng Hall this morning, especially the matter concerning the Xuanzang of the five empty names, has been inquired by some of the twenty leaders who are really hands-on.For example, an acquaintance of Ye Chen, Qian Ning, the head of Li Siyan's grain business, already knew why Ye Chen called everyone today.And I have asked Li Siyan for instructions on what to do.

27 wolves, five pieces of meat, under the lively atmosphere of everyone smiling and talking, there is actually a faint sense of vigilance and competition among each other.No one is willing to give up this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for them to easily obtain an official position.

(End of this chapter)