"My method," Guan Zhuofan said, "At first glance, it sounds somewhat unexpected, but if you think about it carefully, hehe, it is actually reasonable - donating officials costs money, 'ransom officials', naturally it also costs money, and if people pay back the top and fame earned by beheading and draining blood, how can they not give appropriate compensation?" -- Actually, it's all fair trade! ”

Prince Xuan seems to know what I'm worried about?

"But," Zeng Guofan smiled slightly wryly, "Needless to say, the martial arts are actually not valuable, the prince just said, nine grades and eighteen levels, the lowest level, also give three hundred taels of silver, this is ...... Alas, if you really want to donate a martial arts position from the ninth grade, where do you need three hundred taels of silver? - That's too much! ”

"It's a little bit more," Guan Zhuofan said with a smile, "but to make a nondescript analogy - buy cheaply and sell expensively!" If the selling price is the same as the buying price, what does the seller earn? You have to ask someone to make some money! Otherwise, how can the resentment in my heart be evacuated? ”

Buying cheaply and selling expensive? This metaphor, uh, is really a bit "nondescript", but it doesn't seem to make any sense at all......

"Besides," Guan Zhuofan said, "donating officials, how can you not donate to the rank of admiral and chief soldier, now 'redeem the officer', but to redeem the rank of admiral and chief soldier, it is also appropriate to give a little more." Pen ~ Fun ~ Pavilion www.biquge.info"

"This ......"

Zeng Guofan frowned and was silent.

"This matter," Guan Zhuofan said, "The greetings that should be made will be done in advance, and I don't think there should be too much to say......

Zeng Guofan's eyes jumped slightly.

"It's time for me to come forward," Guan Zhuofan continued, "I will come forward, especially some feudal territories, which are too far away from the center, and the painstaking efforts of the imperial court and the embarrassment of the cleanser may not be very thorough." For example, Liu Zimo in Yunnan and Guizhou, Zuo Jigao in Xinjiang, well, I will personally write to explain this matter. ”

Zeng Guofan's eyes opened suddenly, and then lowered his eyelids again.

Liu Changyou is also a Hunan boss, he must understand someone's hardships, and he should not make irresponsible remarks about the "ransom of officials", Prince Xuan pulled out someone Liu, in fact, he used it as a foil for someone Zuo - "Some fiefdoms", in fact, it refers to Zuo Zongtang alone, but if he singled out Zuo Jigao to talk about things, the traces were too heavy, so he pulled Liu Zimo and made a sloppy look.

At this level, Zeng Guofan can be implied.

For Prince Xuan's tactfulness and thoughtfulness, he couldn't help but feel it.

At present, the way of speech has become more and more towards the way of looking at the face of the "above" and speaking -- this is recognized by the government and the opposition, and since Prince Xuan said that "the greetings that should be greeted will be done well in advance", then the words should indeed be "not too much to say", and in this regard, he should be able to relax his mind.

At the same time, in terms of qualifications, they are also so deep that they don't have to care about Zeng Guofan's face, in fact, there are only two people - both are from Hunan, one is Shen Baozhen, and the other is Zuo Zongtang.

Shen Baozhen has already made a decision, he is not in his position, he does not seek his government, and he will not easily dismiss the major policies of the imperial court. Besides, his situation, as if Liu Changyou, is a Hunan boss, although he is not on good terms with Zeng Guofan himself, but if it involves the overall interests of the Hunan family, he should not openly stand on the opposite side of Zeng Guofan.

Although Zuo Zongtang is also a native of Hunan, he is unique and cannot be regarded as a "Hunan family". And this gentleman likes to be angry the most, and the object of his troubles has always been concentrated on Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang's junior brothers.

Speaking of "extremely powerful people", the world is no bigger than Prince Xuan in front of him, he came forward in person, how can Zuo Jigao sell face!

"Then ......," Zeng Guofan sighed softly, "It's really Lord Lao." ”

Zeng Guofan said this, which is equivalent to officially accepting the plan of "ransom officials".

Guan Zhuofan's heart was relieved, hehe, two million white flowers, Lao Tzu generously sent it out, and he collected the money, but he did it, Lao Tzu still has to find an excuse for you to "bag and bag peace"!

Just as he was about to speak, Zeng Guofan continued, "However, this number is too big!" Alas! ”

"The amount is indeed not small," Guan Zhuofan said, "However, don't worry, we can still get this money." ”

"However, at the moment," Zeng Guofan said slowly, "foreign affairs, navy, industry and mining, all kinds of national developments, all need to use money, and the main expenditure is still insufficient, but it is ...... Alas! ”

Guan Zhuofan sneered secretly: What do you mean, I know, in fact, I don't want this money to go from the "main item", so as not to attract too much attention, right?

"If this money is disbursed in the household department," he said with a smile, "it is indeed a bit troublesome to insert a large sum of money in the middle; Besides, we still have to fight with Yan Danchu - hey, it's not very necessary, let's not provoke this gentleman! ”

After a pause, "Those who say wrong are right and wrong-this matter, since Zhao Zhusheng has been born, this money, let's find Zhao Zhusheng for it!" ”

Zeng Guofan's heart moved, "What does the prince mean, isn't it...... Uh, two Huai salt politics? ……”

"Yes," Guan Zhuofan said, "to be precise, I asked the 'Jianghuai Salt Company' to pay for the money." ”

After a pause, "Zhao Zhusheng is about to go to Jiangning to take up his post, this money, even if it is a meeting gift he gave to the people of Jiangning - Jiangning soil and guests will benefit from it, isn't this also a beautiful thing and a good story?" ”

The "soil" of Jiangning naturally refers to the locals of Jiangning; The "guest" of Jiangning refers to the Hunan generals who stayed in Jiangning.

If the account goes from the "Jianghuai Salt Company", it will naturally not be so obvious, but-

Is this "JAC Salt Company" really so rich?

"This is a big problem for Takesheng! However, this is a huge amount, the burden of the 'JAC Salt Company', well, will it ...... Too heavy? ”

"The burden is naturally there...... Guan Zhuofan pondered, "In this way, this year's profits, quasi-'Jianghuai Salt Company' will keep it for itself, and there is no need to hand it over, so that there will be a one-year buffer period, and there will be some burdens, which can also be bearable." ”

Zeng Guofan heard that what the Jianghuai Salt Company "does not have to hand over" is only "profits", not "salt tax", and the annual salt tax of millions of taels is still paid to the state treasury on time and in full. The salt tax is also the "positive item" of the state, and if the cost of "ransom officials" comes from the salt tax, it is equivalent to using the "positive item" of the state, and if so, the pressure on the Hunan family and himself will be greater--this was what he was worried about.

Now, rest assured.

At the same time, he couldn't help but gasp slightly: this "Jianghuai Salt Company" is truly unfathomable! Over the course of a year, in addition to the salt tax of millions of taels, its own profits seem to be in millions of taels!

So he sighed heartily, "The prince is far-sighted, and the bamboo is full of talents!" It's only been two years, and the salt politics of Lianghuai have been reborn! I'm so ashamed by that comparison! ”

The governor of Liangjiang and the salt administration of Lianghuai, whether it is supervising the river or rectifying the salt affairs, Zeng Guofan is Zhao Jingxian's predecessor.

"Where did you come from?" Guan Zhuofan said, "When Di Weng took over the two Huai salt administrations, it was the soldiers who were in addition to the fire, and everything was difficult at the beginning. ”

said, "Hehe" smiled, "Di Weng's predecessors planted trees, and bamboo descendants took advantage of the shade, that's it!" ”

"Don't dare to be! Don't dare to be! Zeng Guofan shook his head again and again, "Ashamed! Ashamed! ”

Zeng Guofan said this is not all modest -- when he was in charge of the river, he had indeed begun to rectify the salt administration of the two Huai, but on the other hand, the forces of the Hunan system also entered the salt works of the two Huai at the same time, and some of them were linked with Li Shizhong's forces, and Zeng Guofan could only turn a blind eye to this; Zhao Jingxian rectified the salt affairs of the two Huai, but "did not distinguish between the good and the bad", and even the forces of the Hunan system were cleared out together.

"Let's settle it!" Guan Zhuofan said, "How to handle it, naturally there are still many details, we have to consider them one by one, and when the charter is drawn up, I will ask someone to show it to Di Weng." ”

Zeng Guofan hurriedly owed, "Don't dare!" ”

sighed, "The prince is gracious!" I don't know what to say, it's just-"

"If you have anything else to say, please say it clearly."

"I guess, it's a little too much! In my opinion, nine grades and eighteen levels, the lowest level, two hundred taels of silver, is enough! The countryside of Hunan, no better than the city of Jiangning, two hundred taels of silver, buying land and land, and making careful calculations is enough to make a well-off life! As for the rank of the highest admiral...... I see, three thousand taels of silver is enough! ”

"This ......"

"Lord Wang," Zeng Guofan said in a very earnest tone, "this is not a reward after all-too much is given, and some people will really think that they have harassed the place and have done it meritorious!" And those who are serious about their careers and keep to themselves are afraid that they will be unfair! ”

After a pause, "In our Hunan dialect, this is really just 'sending the plague god'!" ”

"'Send the plague god'?" Guan Zhuofan smiled, "It's interesting to say this." ”

Zeng Guofan smiled slightly bitterly, "Also, Shengmien, Doumiqiu, give too much, and increase your appetite, sometimes, it's the opposite-"

Speaking of which, stopped.

Guan Zhuofan's heart moved: Shengmien, Doumien?

That's true.

He thought about it seriously and determined that Zeng Guofan's purpose in asking for a reduction in the amount of silver for the "ransom officials" was just not to attract greater ridicule for the Hunan family; In addition, it is indeed "old Cheng seeks the country" -- for the sake of the imperial court and for the sake of his successor.

As the saying goes, "think about yourself in the first half of the night, think about others in the second half of the night", since others are so planning for themselves, they can't help but turn around and plan for others.

Other than that, there should be no other purpose.

So, he nodded, "Okay, just according to what Di Weng said, the rank of admiral, three thousand taels of silver; And so on, the lowest level, not less than two hundred taels! ”

Speaking of this, he smiled slightly, "Di Weng saved hundreds of thousands of taels of silver for Zhu Sheng, I think, he has to thank Di Weng well!" ”

*