Tang's dining table

Conspiracies are like fire running underground, rushing and rushing.

On the surface, Chang'an has returned to its former prosperity, but it's just a bit empty.

For the first time, there was a surplus of the 200,000 kilograms of meat braised in Yun's cafeteria.

This time last year, Yun's kitchen had braised a total of 300,000 kilograms. There were people guarding the meat outside the wall every day. As soon as the meat came out of the pot, it would be sold out immediately.

Yunchu took out a piece of beef from the huge basket, tore off a piece and tasted it. The taste was as good as ever.

"Has it been advertised widely after this year's meat is cooked?"

The owner of the big cafeteria said: "Master, there is no need to advertise it widely. Anyone who wants to eat meat and can afford it is here. It's just that people who could buy five or six kilograms in previous years will only buy one or two kilograms this year." , In previous years, large families bought 400 to 500 jins at home, but this year many of them only bought 180 jins.

In previous years, those who could buy one or two kilograms to taste it were simply not seen this year. "

After hearing the shopkeeper's answer, Yun Chu asked Wen Wen who was also eating meat: "How is the situation over there?"

Wen Wenwen said while eating: "Thirty percent, 30% less business than in previous years, but taxes are nearly 60% less than in previous years. I asked the tax collector, and the tax collector said that this year, silk, gold, silver, bronze, porcelain, tea, wine, sugar , ready-made clothes, and even Pingkangfang's contribution to taxes has dropped a lot, but the sales of salt, grain, and cotton and linen are better than in previous years.

Think about it, with fewer people buying valuable goods, it is inevitable that taxes will fall.

Now, everyone in Chang'an County is looking forward to the long-distance caravans taking away more goods after the new year, which can also make up for Chang'an's shortfall.

Furthermore, what goes out from the Tang Dynasty is all goods, and what comes back is mostly gold, silver, and gems that are of little use. Even if there are some pretty good medicinal materials and spices, on the whole, it seems that we will suffer a loss if we continue to do long-distance trade. It's us.

The things we need most are actually copper, iron, grain, and kerosene, but the shipping costs for these things are really terrible.

Therefore, I think there is little hope. This decline will not be reversed within three to five years. "

Yun Chu finished the piece of beef in his hand, wiped his hands with a handkerchief and said: "There is no other way, then let's start developing Nancheng."

Di Renjie wrapped the remaining beef in a handkerchief and put it into his sleeve, frowning and said: "The Nancheng you are talking about refers to the large area west of Qinglongfang, east of Hepingfang, and south of Jinchangfang, right? ?

Not counting Qujiangfang, there are still seventeen cities and towns in total. With such a big movement happening at once, do you want to promote the construction-related industries of bricks, mortar, wood, and paint? "

Yun Chu spread his hands and said: "There is no way. I used to place my hope on the carriage shop in Chang'an, hoping that the carriages they made would be popular throughout the Tang Dynasty. Who would have thought that people in the Tang Dynasty could afford the carriages in the carriage shop? There are too few, and there is no way to create economies of scale and start businesses related to horse-drawn carriages.

Nowadays, only houses are the only thing that can make the people of Chang'an spend money desperately. "

Wen Wen shook his head and said: "Until the hole in Liushui Brand is filled, I don't agree to open this big hole in the south of the city. The reason why the real estate business you launched in the rest of Chang'an can succeed is because there are no Weidu families there.

As an honorable nobleman, I advise you to have a good understanding of Weidu's power in the south of the city. Don't think that the words "Weidu in the south of the city, one foot away from the sky" are for nothing. "

Yun Chu smiled and said: "I know, we have Zhou Xing!"

Wen Wen frowned and said, "Do you really think so highly of Zhou Xing?"

Yun Chu smiled and said: "I don't think it's good. Just six days ago, Chang'an generals cast a new copper coin. It was designed by Yu Baojia, the son of Yu Chengye, the imperial censor. It was very exquisite.

This copper box is a bronze box with openings on all sides. The four mythical beasts of east, west, south and north are cast on it. The interior is divided into four grids: east, west, south and north. The opening can accept the watch. Once the watch is put in, it cannot be taken back.

The Qinglongkou in the east is called "Yan'en", and it is for those who offer gifts and seek official posts.

The Suzaku in the south said: "Remonstrance", and those who confessed the gains and losses of the government submitted articles.

The white tiger mouth on the west side says: "Redress of Injustice", for those who have wrongful convictions to submit.

To the north, Xuanwu's mouth is called "Tongxuan", and it is delivered by those who confess to celestial disasters and military secrets.

It is managed by one person each, namely, Zheng Jian Dafu, Shi Yi, and Bu Que. "

Gentle and puzzled, he said: "It existed before. His Majesty made it to spread the word. I know that Yu Baojia is a guy who likes to make some strange things."

Yun Chuchao tenderly cupped his hands and said, "Congratulations. From now on, there will be countless censors and officials in the Tang Dynasty, as well as countless Zhou Xing."

Wen Wen spread her hands and said, "It's not as serious as you said, right?"

Yunchu laughed it off and brought the topic back to the development of real estate in the south of the city.

If the people of Chang'an have insufficient desire to buy, it will be difficult for business to prosper. If business cannot prosper, even if the Liushui brand is re-established, there will not be much business.

So Yun Chu, Wen Wen, and Di Renjie went to visit Zhou Xing together again.

When I saw Zhou Xing again, this guy seemed to have recovered his health, and the fractured left leg seemed to have healed. Although there were still some inconveniences that could be seen, it no longer affected this guy's ability to treat others.

As for the stab wound on his lower abdomen, it didn't look serious. After all, there was a jar of wine on this guy's desk, and it smelled like anti-toxic medicine produced by Yun's.

The person hanging on the shelf was no longer Pei Lian. Instead, he was replaced by a strong man with lumps all over his body and a beard. This guy was covered in tiny wounds all over his body, and his whole body was cut like fish scales. After cutting, it is glued with isinglass. It is not Ling Chi, but better than Ling Chi.

"This man's name is Du Shen, and he is the nephew of Du Zhengxuan, the chief official of Li Dan, the king of Yuzhang."

Seeing Yun Chu's confusion, Wen Wen immediately said, "The elder brother of Prime Minister Du Zhenglun, who was sent to Hengzhou to die of illness after fighting with Li Yifu."

Yun Chu looked at Zhou Xing and said, "What does this person have to do with Pei Lian?"

Zhou Xingdao: "Don't you know the relationship between King Yuzhang and King Shu Li Yuanming?"

Yun Chu was not familiar with the vast royal family of the Tang Dynasty at all, so he looked at Wen Wenwen, coughed and said, "Li Dan is the son of King Shu Li Yuanming."

Zhou Xing thought to himself and said: "On the eighteenth day of the fifth month in the third year of Xianqing, Pei Lian and Du Zhengxuan were separated from each other in Baqiao. Pei Lian broke a willow tree and inserted it into Du Zhengxuan's lapel and said: I wish I could serve King Shu together with you. "

Yun Chu thought for a moment and said, "Is there something wrong with this sentence?"

Zhou Xing said proudly: "Your Majesty, when you read a sentence, you must look at the environment at that time. When Pei Lian said this sentence, it was the critical time for the censor to impeach King Shu for his rebellion. At this time, others were staying away. King Shu, why did he, Pei Yong, come up to him and say that he wanted to serve King Shu together with Du Zhengxuan?

At that time, Pei Lian had just been dismissed from the Chariot and Horse Prison by His Majesty for some reason. He did not think about his own faults and still harbored resentment. When he heard that King Shu was preparing to rebel, he wanted to join King Shu's command immediately and participate in the rebellion. "

Yun Chu took a breath and said, "Didn't it be said later that King Shu was innocent and was framed?"

Zhou Xing said with a smile: "Prince Shu is innocent, but Pei Lian and Du Zhengxuan are not innocent. No, I just learned from Du Shen that Du Zhengxuan was hiding everything in Prince Yuzhang's palace, and he also secretly worked with Prince Shu. The governor of Qingzhou has contact with the captain of Zhechong Prefecture in Huazhou.

The three of them are seated for the time being, and a certain family will take people to search Du Zhengxuan's residence. If the certain family's predictions are good, new results should come out soon. "

Yun Chu and the others watched Zhou Xing leave, and Wen Wen immediately said: "Du Zhengxuan's residence is in Changmingfang near Anhua Gate. His housekeeper is the same as your housekeeper, and he is the head of the house. I don't know anything else. Du Zhengxuan If they were charged with treason, it would be difficult for the other Du family members living in Changmingfang to escape.

In this case, it will be very convenient for you to start your Nancheng renovation plan in Changmingfang. "

Yun Chuyou said to Di Renjie, whose face was ashen, "What do you think?"

Di Renjie said angrily: "What else do I think? He is the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, his official position is one level higher than mine, and he holds the emperor's order. If I say one more word, I think this guy can rob me too." Get involved in this case."

Yun Chu spread his hands and said: "Since Zhou Xing was raided, the decree from Luoyang not only allocated the manpower of Baiqisi to Zhou Xing, but even the Chang'an Hualang disciples in the hands of the Queen are now under Zhou Xing's control .

We brothers will not get involved in their affairs, and we must not get bitten, otherwise it will be really troublesome. "

Wen Wen let out a long sigh and said, "Now I begin to understand what you just said. My God, everyone in the world has become a censor. If the whistleblower is useful, he will be reused. From now on In the end, many, many people will be unlucky because of this.

If you don’t believe it, just watch. "

Yun Chu said: "In that case, do you think we should take the opportunity to launch our Nancheng reconstruction plan? With Du Zhengxuan as a child, I don't think anyone would dare to go against us at this time, right?"

Di Renjie said: "In this way, it can be considered that Du Zhengxuan died in a well-deserved death, his family died, and it benefited the entire Nancheng District. It can also be regarded as a blessing among misfortunes."

Yun Chu saw that Du Shen, who had just betrayed his uncle, began to groan in pain. This was obviously the rhythm of waking up. It would make people feel very uncomfortable if a person who had been tortured so miserably by Zhou Xing asked the three of them for help. Comfortable.

So, the three of them quickly left the dungeon.

After leaving the dungeon and walking another hundred meters along the corridor, we arrived at the East Market. Today is the ninth day of the Lunar New Year, and the women of Chang'an need to go out to buy things for the Lantern Festival. Logically speaking, it should be the middle of the year in the East Market. A rare good day to sell goods.

Unfortunately, standing in the middle of the street and looking around, it seems that the women of the Tang Dynasty, who usually like to compete in crowded places, have turned into demure and good women, rarely going out.

Yun Chu and the others walked half a street before they saw a woman who could barely catch their eyes...