"Not bad!" Lu Tingfang sighed: "Officialdom pays attention to circles, and there are all kinds of circles, including large circles, medium circles and small circles.

But the two largest circles are the two circles of Beijing officials and local officials.

These two circles often intersected when the official position was still young. Beijing officials can be sent out to serve as officials. Magistrates can also be transferred to the capital as Beijing officials. However, as the officials became bigger and bigger, the Beijing officials and the local officials became two distinct circles.

The magistrate who can do the three grades will say goodbye to the Beijing official, and he will only be able to be a magistrate forever. Even if he is transferred back to Beijing one day, there is no possibility of entering the cabinet. And once Jingguan achieves the three grades, he will not go to the place again.

To put it bluntly, the first assistant of the cabinet was elected by the Beijing officials and represented the interest groups of the Beijing officials. It must be trusted by the Beijing officials, and where does this trust come from? From getting along with usually. How can an official who has been released from the outside world have no time and opportunity to get along with the Beijing officials, so how can he get the support of the Beijing officials?

Therefore, if you want to become the head of the cabinet, when the official position is small, you can be released, which is also a kind of qualification. However, after the four officials, they must return to the capital, stay in the capital, stay by the emperor's side, stay by the side of the Beijing officials, and stay in the capital to survive, so as to be able to survive the capital. ”

"I see."

Luo Xin looked at Lu Tingfang with admiration, although Lu Tingfang's official work is not high, but he is an old official, and he can see things very clearly.

"Try to do this thing well, otherwise even if you want to be a Hanlin Bachelor, you won't have a chance."

"I understand."

"Can you handle it?"

"There should be no problem."

"When are you going to go?"

"Rest for the night today and leave tomorrow."

"Then go and rest, I just came back from the southeast, and I have to leave again tomorrow morning."

"Okay, father-in-law, you and your mother-in-law live here, I'm not at home, and Dai'er is lonely."

"Well, I know it." Lu Tingfang stood up, his face showed embarrassment, and said to Luo Ping, who was sitting on the side:

"In-laws, I'll never stop nagging."

Luo Ping hurriedly waved his hand and said, "It's not that you are young, and you need the guidance of your in-laws." ”

Lu Tingfang smiled and said, "You father and son talk, I'll go rest for a while." ”

After Lu Tingfang left, Luo Ping stood up and said, "No, let's go to the study." ”

"Okay."

The two of them left the flower hall and went to Luo Ping's study. Lu Daqing and Wan Daquan stood outside to guard. Luo Ping, father and son, sat opposite each other. Luo Ping lowered his voice and asked:

"No, what's the situation now? Met your cousin? ”

"See. The cousin disguised himself as a small soldier and was in the southeast at this time. Now my cousin has occupied the Ryukyus, and next year he is preparing to conquer Japan. Therefore, my cousin's side also needs supplies from Daming's side. This time, Xu Jie's two sons also helped us. ”

"Hehe......" Luo Ping couldn't help but laugh in a low voice: "What extent do you think this time is appropriate?" ”

"Just half of it." Luo Xin pondered for a moment and said: "Pay half of the tariff, and then Daming's iron and other metal materials can determine a quota, and trade within a certain quota every year." The cousin's side is responsible for the security of the sea and exterminates all the pirates that breed. In this way, His Majesty also has face, which can be regarded as a transaction between the two countries. ”

"Well, that's good!" Luo Ping nodded and said, "You have made meritorious service again this time, will Your Majesty be even more jealous of you?" ”

"yes!" Luo Xin sighed and said, "So the preparations that need to be made still have to be made." ”

"Understood, I'll arrange it." Luo Ping nodded and said, "You go to see Dai'er, and then rest early." ”

"Good!"

Luo Xin left the flower hall, went straight to the bedroom, pushed open the door, and saw that his mother-in-law was also inside, and when his mother-in-law saw Luo Xin come in, she smiled and said a few words, then left, pouring out space for the little couple.

Luo Xin stepped forward and hugged Luo Yu in his arms, looked at Lu Rudai and said, "Are you okay?" ”

"Hmm!" Lu Rudai nodded and said, "Xianggong is tired and thin." ”

"It's fine!" Luo Xin said gently: "I have someone to serve in the yamen outside, and there is no hard work when I go out to sit in a sedan chair." It's the family that has worked hard for you. ”

"What do I have to work for!" Lu Rudai said softly: "I have a mother-in-law at home, and my father and mother often come over, but I am always worried about you." ”

Luo Xin lifted Luo Yu up and said in his son's giggling voice, "What do I have to worry about, you are so capable." ”

Lu Rudai looked at Luo Xin with admiration and said, "Well, my father-in-law is the ability." ”

Early the next morning.

Luo Xin and Liu Shouyou set off again and hurried to the southeast.

Luo Xin was also very anxious to facilitate this negotiation, because Luo Sheng's side had already digested the Ryukyus, and now he had set his sights on Japan. Moreover, Taiwan's technology at this time is already very advanced, but it is very lacking in raw materials. To make more guns, you need a lot of iron ore, which can only be imported from the Ming Dynasty. As long as more guns are made, it is only a matter of time before Japan is taken.

And Luo Sheng told Luo Xin that the steam engine already had eyebrows, which was what made Luo Xin the happiest.

Therefore, in a desperate mood, Luo Xin and Liu Shouyou hurriedly returned to the southeast.

The place of negotiation was the City Division, and the participants included people from Luo Sheng's side, Luo Xin, Liu Shouyou, Zhang Juzheng and Xu Shixing from Daming's side.

The negotiation process was very difficult, and of course it was all in Luo Xin and Luo Sheng's plan. From sunrise to sunset every day, in the eyes of Zhang Juzheng and others, Luo Xin gave full play to his negotiation skills, and finally reached an agreement between the two sides in a period of seven days.

Huaxia paid half a tax and traded 2,000 kilograms of iron from the Ming Dynasty every year, as well as some other metals. And the order at sea is the responsibility of Huaxia.

The day after the two sides reached an agreement, another round of vassal merchants arrived. When they met Luo Xin and learned that everything had been restored to order in the southeast of Luo Xin, the merchants of the vassal kingdom were very happy. Luo Xin told Xu Shixing, and returned to the capital with Liu Shouyou on the third day.

returned to the capital, and the two of them came to Yuxi Palace non-stop.

Inside the Yuxi Palace.

Emperor Jiajing was watching the excerpts played by Luo Xin, Liu Shouyou, Hu Zongxian, Zhang Juzheng and Xu Shixing, and the content of these five excerpts was similar, explaining the arduous process of the negotiation from their own perspectives.

Even the content of Zhang Juzheng's excerpt is very fair, because Zhang Juzheng knows in his heart that even if he distorts the facts, it is useless. Because the content of the other four people's excerpts will be roughly the same, in that case, he will be revealed.

However, Zhang Juzheng still wrote some things about Luo Xin's persecution of the Xu family according to Xu Jie's meaning.

8

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