NABC Chapter 376 A thorough investigation
Chapter 376 A thorough investigation
Chapter 376 A thorough investigation
Zhu Di seemed to hear the implication all at once.
He stared at Liu Guan and said, "You mean, Yang Pu was a hindrance?"
"Exactly." Liu Guan said calmly and calmly, "Rumors are spreading all over the place, saying that Jiangxi's railway cannot be repaired."
"Your Majesty, the railway in Jiangxi is in full swing. Why is everyone saying this now? How could it be that a few meddlesome people can cause such a commotion?"
Zhu Di paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, his head slightly lowered, as if he was thinking about something.
Liu Guan continued to speak: "It can be seen that the identity of the person spreading these rumors is not simple. Yang Pu is in charge of the railway department..."
But Zhu Di interrupted him at this moment: "Yang Pu is in charge of the railway department, and he dares to say such a thing just because he hates the construction of the Jiangxi Railway? In my opinion, I'm afraid that Yang Pu's mind may not be so narrow-minded."
"Your Majesty." Liu Guan bowed down and said, "There are some things that I dare not say, but today when Your Majesty asks, I dare not bully you, so I have to... boldly speak out."
Zhu Di felt more and more strange, he stared at Liu Guan, and now he only pursed his lips, without saying a word.
Liu Guandao: "I heard that Yang Pu originally planned to build the world's railways, and many merchants are also sharpening their knives."
Zhu Di raised his eyebrows: "Why?"
Liu Guan immediately said: "There are a lot of merchants in Taiping Prefecture. When the Taiping Prefecture Railway was built, most of the orders were placed in various workshops and commercial banks in Taiping Prefecture. Many merchants made a lot of money through this. A Taiping Mansion, think about it, if the whole world builds railways, the profits will be huge! I dare say that the profits made by this merchant will be ten times or a hundred times more than before. Such huge profits have long been coveted. And Let Xueshi Yang come to build, Xueshi Yang has cooperated with them for a long time, and they are familiar with each other, so many orders can be placed on these merchants."
"But your majesty, how can you let Yang Xueshi arbitrarily decide on the railway? Therefore, the railway errand fell on the minister. The minister and Jiangxi Governor Xu Qi also discussed it, thinking that it is better to let the merchants of Taiping Mansion provide steel. And sleepers, it’s better for Jiujiang Mansion and Nanchang Mansion to supervise the construction by themselves, firstly, they can use local materials, and secondly, it also prevents these merchants from making huge profits and saves some money for His Majesty.”
"But it is precisely because of this that those merchants left with hatred. Your Majesty... merchants dare to take risks for profit. Now that I and Mr. Xu have cut off their interests, how can they not hold grudges? So among the market, Everyone is saying that there is bound to be an accident on the Jiangxi railway, and some people are secretly making trouble in Jiangxi, because the Jiangxi railway cannot be repaired. At that time, Xueshi Yang will go out to turn the tide, and those merchants will follow Xueshi Yang to take the opportunity to make a fortune .”
"It's so easy to build a mere railway. What I worry about is people's hearts. Mr. Xu worked hard to plan the railway in Jiangxi. It's really not easy. But some people are waiting for the opportunity to make a big noise, and they are making trouble everywhere, and even... they even bought thieves in Jiangxi to cause chaos. I dare to ask, what are they going to do? The railway in Jiangxi is related to the whole world. If the railway in Jiangxi can be built, all provinces in the world will build it by themselves. Now, Your Majesty...is this a blessing for the country?"
Liu Guan said, weeping, and then kowtowed: "Now your Majesty is punishing Xu Gong for these gossips, and even punishing the ministers. It is not a pity that the ministers and Xu Gong are dead, but once the long-term plan of railway construction is broken. , making this railway arbitrarily in the hands of a group of merchants headed by Yang Pu... It is an unforgivable crime for me to be smashed to pieces."
Immediately afterwards, he kowtowed again and again.
Zhu Di looked at Liu Guan with strange eyes.
Speaking of which, no one likes Liu Guan.
But Liu Guan's words sounded quite reasonable.
The most important thing is that Zhu Di doesn't care whether the person's words are true or not, but Zhu Di at least believes in this person and has not formed a party for personal gain.
Because Zhu Di knew about Liu Guan, no one wanted to form a party with him.
Zhu Di pondered and said: "I will ask the factory guard to continue to verify this matter."
"Your Majesty." Liu Guandao: "I think that there is no need for factory guards, I just go there myself."
Zhu Di frowned and looked at him, puzzled, "You?"
Liu Guanban straightened his waist, and said righteously: "I am ordered to supervise the railway affairs. Jiangxi is the first railway outside Beijing. It is of great importance. How dare I stand idly by?"
Zhu Di paced back and forth for a few more steps before saying, "Also."
So Liu Guandao: "I will do it tomorrow, Your Majesty... Your Majesty... No matter what gossip you hear, there must be no doubts. This Jiangxi Railway... will surely succeed..."
Zhu Di resented in his heart, for marrying his mother, I have poured in 200 million taels of silver, all of which I saved up one by two, one by one, and now... it seems that I can only believe it tentatively.
Liu Guan said again: "As for Bachelor Yang...how will His Majesty deal with it?"
Zhu Di looked sideways, and his eyes flicked across Liu Guan's body like sharp knives.
Liu Guan was shocked, bowed down and kowtowed: "Your words are a crime of death."
Zhu Di waved his hand: "As long as the railway is built, I don't care about other matters."
"Yes."
Liu Guan came out of the hall, wiped the cold sweat off his head nonchalantly, and couldn't help cursing in his heart: "It's so good, how could there be thieves?"
Even though he thought so, Liu Guan still looked like a big lala, a look of indifference.
He is a natural optimist, there is no hurdle in the world that he can't overcome, I, Liu, can be rich and honored all my life lying down.
Going to Jiangxi...just to relax.
It's a pity that the boy Yang Pu was not defeated.
He felt a little sorry.
If anyone else tried to punish Yang Pu, he would probably have to weigh his own weight.
But Liu Guan is different. Liu Guan belongs to the kind of person who I dare to touch no matter who you are.
Anyway, if you offend anyone, you can be promoted to a noble.
Based on years of experience, the more people he offends, the more hopeful he will be.
Not many days later, Liu Guan happily arrived in Nanchang Mansion.
Here, Xu Qi heard that he dared to delay there, and hurriedly led the upper and lower officials to meet him.
Liu Guan happily held Xu Qi's wrist and said: "You don't need to be too polite, you don't need to be too polite...Your Majesty ordered me to supervise the railway. How is it? Look?"
Xu Qi's face was black and black, and he hesitated.
Based on Liu Guan's many years of experience in deceiving his superiors and his subordinates and being greedy for ink, he immediately noticed something was wrong.
So he pulled his face down, and then said: "What's wrong?"
Xu Qi said hesitantly: "Mr. Liu...the station has been repaired."
"Why don't you go see it after it's fixed?"
"It's just that the tracks are not laid."
"Where are the railroad tracks?"
"The iron has not yet been refined."
"Then build a workshop quickly."
"The workshop hasn't been repaired yet."
"Since it hasn't been repaired, you can buy some steel from outside for emergency. Your Majesty is urging it urgently, so don't neglect it."
"How to buy without money?"
The smile on Liu Guan's face disappeared.
He paused, looked at Xu Qi calmly, and said, "What about the silver? Your Majesty allocated 200 million taels, and you issued public bonds. Didn't you also raise 300 million taels of silver?"
Xu Qi raised his head and looked at Liu Guan with a strange look: "It's gone, it's gone."
Liu Guan felt his heart beating suddenly, and he almost passed out. He was shocked and said: "I haven't embezzled a penny, why is this money gone?"
As soon as this remark came out, I suddenly felt a slip of the tongue.
Immediately he said angrily: "Why is this?"
Xu Qi said: "The lower officials have prepared some thin wine, please invite Mr. Liu to enter the house and have a detailed talk."
Liu Guan was trembling with anger: "You've hurt me, I was a guarantee for you a few days ago, if it doesn't work, I'll return to Beijing immediately to return to my life."
Xu Qi grabbed Liu Guan in a panic and said, "If Mr. Liu goes back to his command like this, I'm afraid something terrible will happen."
Xu Qi's eyes were very strange.
Liu Guan seemed to understand something all of a sudden, he suddenly thought of something, and said, "Go inside and talk about it."
As he spoke, he screened back to the left and right, and had a secret conversation with Xu Qi.
Liu Guan was heartbroken, the matter obviously exceeded his expectations, and most importantly, he hadn't had time to take advantage of it yet!
But he still has to bear such a big relationship with Xu Qi.
One night passed, and the next day, the horse went straight to the capital.
Zhang Anshi has a lot of leisure these days.
Now the Dudu Mansion is also considered to be full of talents. Of course, if these talents are placed outside of Zhili, they may not be regarded as talents, but these people he cultivated by himself are now handy in their own positions.
Although they are not Jinshi or Juren, most of them can easily deal with emergencies within their duties after tempering.
Zhang Anshi didn't like to seize power, so after seeing this, he naturally handed over the matter to the people in the Dudu Mansion, and he was happy to be at leisure.
As for the railway, there is also the implementation of the New Deal.
Although these are important, what does it have to do with Zhang Anshi?A group of people who profit from the New Deal have been cultivated, and people will naturally defend their own vested interests. Even if these people are still weak, Zhang Anshi does not intend to treat them as unweaned children and worry about them day and night.
Might as well hang out with a few brothers at ease.
It's just that Yang Pu came to the door.
"Captain Zhang." Yang Pu saluted Zhang Anshi first.
However, he frowned slightly, looking worried.
Zhang Anshi said: "What's the matter, you look frowning."
Yang Pu sighed.
Zhang Anshi sat down and said with a slight smile: "I heard that you are being criticized in the court. Many people say that you are colluding with merchants?"
Yang Pu said: "A little gossip is nothing, it's just... what the lower officials worry about is that because of the lower officials, it will implicate His Highness the Crown Prince and Dudu Zhang."
Zhang Anshi smiled indifferently and said: "If you are involved, you can be involved. Anyway, I don't have to worry about my debts. As for my brother-in-law... it is not a bad thing to be said to be in collusion with merchants."
Yang Pu: "..."
Zhang Anshi continued with a smile: "Actually, you don't have to frown, the boat will be straight when it reaches the bridge. If you are not confident in your own affairs, how can you help your brother-in-law in the future?"
The so-called bystander is clear, Yang Pu listened, but felt a little more at ease, so he said: "The governor also thinks that the railway in Jiangxi cannot be repaired?"
Zhang Anshi said with certainty: "It is absolutely impossible to repair."
Yang Pu said: "Since the governor is so sure, then he should..."
Zhang Anshi said calmly: "I'm sure, but I can't shout all over the world. Otherwise, people who don't know will think that Zhang Anshi is colluding with merchants and trying to make huge profits. But... since the prediction will not happen, this should be done I still have to make preparations, but I still have to do it. Don't worry, I have already made the layout, and when the time comes... just wait and see the excitement."
After Yang Pu heard this, he just sighed in his heart, but then heaved a long sigh.
Zhang Anshi said: "Bachelor Yang is still worried about his fate?"
Yang Pu shook his head, and said in a low voice, "The lower official is not worried about himself, but..."
He looked speechless, his eyes were slightly red.
For a moment, some tears came down: "The lower official is also a scholar. He studied hard in a poor window. The lower official was born in a farming family. He read the books of sages and sages, and set up the ambition to help the common people and the community. But now the real officialdom is ups and downs, but what I see It’s my old teacher, the same year, and my classmates. Although they all set the ambition to help the world, they are all conservative now and don’t know how to adapt. How can they be half divided into common people? The officials are thinking, is it because everyone reads crookedly? It’s still after entering the court, and the interests are in the heart.”
Zhang Anshi couldn't understand his feelings, because he only read the Spring and Autumn Period in the Four Books and Five Classics.
The reason why I read the Spring and Autumn Annals is that in the Four Books and Five Classics, the Spring and Autumn Annals are composed of many small stories, unlike the "Analects of Confucius", "The Book of Songs", "Shangshu" and "Book of Rites", which are jerky and difficult to understand, or full of preaching .
Zhang Anshi even suspected that the second brother Guan read Chunqiu instead of "Book of Rites" and "Shangshu" every day, probably because of the same reason as him.
Zhang Anshi looked at Yang Pu's grief, put away his thoughts, and persuaded: "Okay, you don't have to be sad, everyone has their own choice, just like me, obviously I have a lifetime of wealth, and I can live comfortably all my life." , But do I lose my ambition? What I think about is the common people, so it can be seen that the quality of a person does not depend on whether he reads or not, or what kind of book he reads."
"You scholars, you actually regard reading the Four Books and Five Classics as a sign of a person's high moral character. In fact, reading and reading your brains is broken! If it weren't for the fact that there are so few people in the world who can read, people in the world can only be deceived by you scholars. Who are you?" The fuck do you care about your nonsense?"
After Zhang Anshi said this, the mood obviously changed a little bit. Yang Pu didn't get comforted, but was scolded by Zhang Anshi with him in a strange way.
This made him even more distraught. Normally, he is a calm and calm person with a firm mind, but perhaps because of being secretly criticized, he is more fragile at this time.
At that moment, he smiled bitterly and said, "Hey... the good thing is reading, and the bad is reading..."
After all, he shook his head and did not continue talking.
At the end of the month, Zhang Anshi was ordered to enter the palace to have an audience.
It is now early summer.
At this time, the weather was already hot, so Zhang Anshi designed a short-sleeved undershirt for himself, which was quite cool, but unfortunately he couldn't wear it when he entered the palace. After he was fully dressed, he felt extremely hot.
By the time he walked from the palace gate to Wenlou, he was covered in sweat.
But as soon as he walked in, he saw Zhu Di's expression was rather displeased.
Seeing that a lot of ministers came, everyone didn't dare to show their air.
Zhang Anshi saluted and said: "I have seen Your Majesty."
Zhu Di looked straight at Zhang Anshi and said, "Over there in Jiangxi, the railway is progressing at a rapid pace. Stations have been built everywhere, and the roadbed is almost laid. They want more money, but they are so open to open their mouths, the railway from Jiujiang to Nanchangfu is only a few hundred miles away, how much money has it spent now?"
Zhang Anshi was shocked when he heard this, and immediately said: "Your Majesty, I have an offer in my heart, and it is reasonable to complete the project with three or four million taels of silver, but they have already paid so much silver, logically speaking, it is enough Now, His Majesty’s internal funds have allocated another 400 million taels of silver, the funds are already sufficient, why do we need more silver?”
"That's why I asked you to inquire." Zhu Di said with a distressed face: "Why is this railway so expensive?"
"This..." Zhang Anshi felt that this question was really difficult for him, so he smiled wryly: "How do you understand?"
Zhu Di then looked at Xia Yuanji: "Xia Qing, you are the Minister of the Household Department, can you tell me?"
Xia Yuanji is also at a loss at this time, he is just the Minister of the Household Department, he doesn't care about this.
But when His Majesty asked, he couldn't say nothing, so he thought about it for a while and said, "Could it be because the construction deadline..."
"It's not like this if the construction deadline is over." Zhu Di was obviously dissatisfied with the answer, so his eyes fell on another person, and he said, "Wu Qing's family, you can tell."
This was named, and it was Wu Zhong, Shangshu of the Ministry of Industry, who stood up. After all, Wu Zhong was in charge of repairing palaces and imperial tombs, and had experience in engineering, but at this time, he was a little confused: "Your Majesty, the minister is only from the Ministry of Industry." Shangshu..."
Zhu Di suddenly became angry, and said angrily: "Is there no one here to share my worries?"
Zhang Anshi said: "Your Majesty, don't be in a hurry, I think...it's better...to appoint an imperial envoy to make inquiries."
Zhu Di frowned and said, "Who should be appointed? I have already sent the Minister of Rites, who else will be useful?"
Zhang Anshi thought for a while, then said: "Cheng Guogong Zhu Neng, maybe it can."
After Zhu Di heard it, he became a little interested.
This guy is just right!
Zhu Neng is a military official, and has nothing to do with the court and the local government.
The most important thing is that this old man is very good at calculating. Don't look careless on the surface, he is actually very shrewd. He is very clear about calculating accounts.
So Zhu Di's face softened a little, and he said: "Allow another 50 taels of silver, there will be no more, no matter what, we can't delay the construction period, Cheng Guogong Zhu Neng... Tomorrow, he will draw up an order and let him go there as soon as possible." Nanchang Mansion..."
After Zhu Di got angry, he gradually calmed down. He guessed many possibilities.
But if you think about it carefully, although some accidents may happen to something that is so important to him as the emperor, there shouldn't be any major mistakes.
The reason why he was furious, after all, was because the cost was really huge, and it was his own money.
(End of this chapter)