Zheng Yuanxun took great pains to send off the salt merchants who had come to his house in the hope of letting him out, and after making some arrangements, he hurried back to the back garden.

The Zheng family in Jiangdu has been engaged in the salt industry for several generations, and the wealth of the family can be described as innumerable. When Zheng Yuanxun's generation arrived, the Zheng family began to learn from their predecessors salt merchants and took the road from business to Confucianism.

As the eldest son of the Zheng family, Zheng Yuanxun has some talent for reading, especially for painting, and is very talented.

But compared with those famous scholars in the south of the Yangtze River, his talent is still a bit of hemp rope to lift tofu, which is difficult to mention.

However, after all, the Zheng family is one of the eight major merchants in Yangzhou, and if a large amount of money is spent, there will naturally be Jiangnan celebrities to endorse and promote Zheng Yuanxun. Even Dong Qichang, a famous scholar in the clouds, often calls Zheng Yuanxun a little friend when talking between friends.

In the early years of the Apocalypse, Zheng Yuanxun asked the famous gardener who lived in Zhenjiang to cross the river to build a garden for him, and the site of the garden was selected in the southwest corner of Yangzhou City, the north lake of the lotus pond, and the east bank of the Erdao River on the Changyu Island.

This huge garden has been built for 9 years, and it is still just beginning to take shape. Someone who has done good things has gone to see the Zheng family garden under construction, and thinks that it will take about five or six years to build it all and move in. But after completion, it should be the first park in Yangzhou.

From this, it can be seen how amazing the Zheng family's wealth is. In addition to befriending Dong Qichang, Zheng Yuanxun has always been polite to all kinds of literati who are famous in the south of the Yangtze River, trying to form a good relationship.

Among these literati, he is the most sought after by Zhang Pu and Zhang Cai, and has always wanted to become a member of Yingshe. Compared with Suzhou, Yangzhou's literary style is naturally much inferior. And the reputation of "Lou Dong Erzhang" seems to be the literati leader of the new generation in Jiangnan.

Being able to become a member of Yingshe, Zheng Yuanxun naturally became a real Jiangnan celebrity. It's just that although Zhang Pu accepted Zheng Yuanxun's funding from the corresponding society, he did not introduce him into the corresponding society, and only regarded him as the money bag of the corresponding society.

It wasn't until in order to convene the Wujiang Yinshan Conference that the shy talents of the Ying Society had to pinch their noses and admit Zheng Yuanxun as a supernumerary member of the Restoration Society.

In the eyes of these talents, although Zheng Yuanxun is not a bad person, it is still not enough to let him work with them to support Sheji. However, running errands for all the celebrities and paying for the silver, it is barely okay.

Zheng Yuanxun didn't know anything about the thoughts of the talented people of the Restoration Society. In his opinion, being able to associate with these gentlemen has already made the Jiangdu Zheng family feel a little scholarly, and they will no longer be regarded as a low-status salt merchant family.

His father has always been in charge of the family's salt business, and Zheng Yuanxun only began to learn the business slowly three years ago. Zheng Yuanxun himself did not care so much about his family's business, and if he had time, he preferred to invite a few literati to chant poems and paint in the other courtyard.

When Zheng Ziyan was invited by the procuratorate and did not return for a long time, the Zheng family did not know what was going on. The arrival of these salt merchants immediately surprised Zheng Yuanxun, who was receiving friends.

After sending away these salt merchants who reported the news and asked for ideas, Zheng Yuanxun immediately ordered the news to be blocked from the back house, for fear that something would happen to his mother if he found out. In addition, he also sent several domestic servants to several other general merchants' mansions, the Salt Inspection Yuan, and the Yamen of the Salt Transportation Department to inquire about what happened.

After arranging these affairs, he was still confused and did not know what to do, but he soon thought that a few friends who were still enjoying the flowers in the back garden wanted to ask them for advice.

When Zheng Yuanxun returned to the water pavilion in the back garden, several talents of the restoration society were a little drunk, and when they were talking, they didn't notice the absence of their master at all.

When Zheng Yuanxun hurriedly returned, a scholar sitting by the window of the water pavilion shouted to him in surprise: "When did Brother Chaozong escape from the table, we are waiting for everyone to make a poem with the theme of chrysanthemums in the house, and if they don't do it well or don't make it, they will be fined three glasses of wine." Brother Chaozong, you came just in time, and you came to make a song..."

Although Zheng Yuanxun's heart was anxious, he still didn't dare to be rude to these literary friends, and after he clenched his fists and confessed his guilt, he told the news he had just received.

Hearing that the Zheng family suddenly had a big case of forging salt citations, these drunken literati suddenly sobered up. All of a sudden, the water pavilion suddenly became quiet.

After being silent for a long time, a scribe suddenly got up and bowed to Zheng Yuanxun and said, "I didn't know that such a thing happened in the house, and I came to the house to disturb me. Brother Chaozong must be upset at this moment, and Yu is now overwhelmed by alcohol, and it is difficult to help his brother for a while.

Wait for Yu to go back and sober up, inquire about what happened, and then come to my brother to discuss how to deal with this matter. Yu took his leave. ”

Zheng Yuanxun hurriedly returned the salute and said: "Brother Huang can go by himself, do you want the younger brother to arrange carriages and horses?" ”

"No, brother still arranges family affairs first, and arranging family affairs is important."

With the surname Huang Wenren taking the lead, the 7 or 8 scholars sitting in the water pavilion also said goodbye and left, and in the end, there was only one person left, still drinking and eating as if nothing happened.

Zheng Yuanxun looked at this person and asked with a wry smile on his face, "Brother Wu is also leaving?" Little brother, I'll arrange a carriage and horses for you. ”

Wu Changshi raised his head and smiled at Zheng Yuanxun and said, "Brother Chaozong, is this trying to drive me away?" But I can't help you with anything? ”

"Where, where. It's just that Brother Wu is from Zhejiang, and he is not familiar with the place in Yangzhou, so he is afraid that he will implicate you. Zheng Yuanxun sat down dejectedly.

Wu Changshi looked at him, then put down the wine glass and said: "I have known Brother Chao for almost 3 years, and I have been helped by Brother Chao for more than three years, and I have not been able to repay him.

Brother Chaozong is in trouble today, how can I get away? Although my talent and learning are not as good as others, my righteousness is not less than that of others. Thanks to the great help of Your Excellency, the Wujiang Yinshan Conference was successfully completed.

Sheshou Zhang has always wanted to officially introduce you to the Fushe and become a full member. In my eyes, there is really no difference between Your Excellency and other friends of the Restoration Society.

My friends of the Restoration Society take Kuang Fu Sheji as their ambition and the style of the ancient gentleman as their model, how can they turn a blind eye to the troubles of the super clan brothers?

The new inspector of the Imperial Salt Inspectorate did not have much fame in Shilin in the past, and he wanted to set off a big case in the Lianghuai Transportation Division, just to win some fame.

Zheng Zongshang is just a small businessman, and this Imperial Master may not do anything to him. I guess what this lord wants is nothing more than for the eight chief merchants to come up with evidence that the officials of the transportation department have forged salt quotations and solicited and accepted bribes.

However, all the officials of the Yun Division have a background, and they all have benefactors behind them, and it is not something that he can shake by an infamous imperial history. And this time, he actually arrested the entire officials of the Lianghuai Transportation Division in one go, in my opinion, it is simply beyond his strength.

Brother Chaozong doesn't need to worry too much, and wait and see what happens. The procuratorate can't keep the eight major salt merchants in custody, if it disturbs the two Huai salt administrations, how can he take this responsibility.

As for the benefactors behind those Yun Si officials, once they get the news, they will definitely take action, and they will not let this Han Yushi mess around. ”

Wu Changshi analyzed a lot for Zheng Yuanxun, and finally settled down the rich man's son. Only then did he finally come to a conclusion and said: "This Han Yushi is so self-conscious, I guess he won't stay in Yangzhou for long." ”

The reason why Wu Changshi gave advice to the Zheng family was not only because of the reasons he analyzed, but also because the Zheng family was really the biggest source of wealth for the restoration society. He came to Yangzhou this time to ask Zheng Yuanxun for funding.

For the talented people of the Restoration Society, the formation of the Literary Society is not just a random hut to talk about ideals and literature. Without food and wine, without beauties on their side, no matter how grand their ideal blueprint is, they lack a sense of achievement.

Although most of the talented people who were able to form a literary society were gentry with small assets, the cost of allowing them to occasionally attend a meeting was probably barely able to last. I want to pay for it every time, and after about two or three meetings, there are only three or two kittens left in the club.

Without regular and frequent gatherings, how can their literary names spread? If the name of the text cannot be disseminated, the establishment of the Fusha Society will be meaningless. Therefore, in order to provide a source of funds for the resumption of the reunion, Wu Changshi also had to hold on to Zheng Yuanxun, hoping that the Zheng family could survive safely.

However, the next situation exceeded Wu Changshi's expectations. Three days have passed, and the eight salt merchants still haven't walked out of the procuratorate. The procuratorate in Yangzhou City is still calm, without any sense of turmoil.

No matter how you look at it, Wu Changshi's previous analysis was not expected. Zheng Yuanxun began to become anxious again, and the families of the eight chief merchants also went to the procuratorate several times to meet the chief merchants who were under house arrest, but they were still sternly rejected by the procuratorate.

Things came to this point, and Wu Changshi finally couldn't bear it anymore. In his opinion, now the only way to take a risk and make a fuss in Yangzhou City is to let the eight chief businessmen know that someone outside is still rescuing them, lest they say something they shouldn't say, then they will really regret it.

Wu Changshi once again found Zheng Yuanxun, who had some six gods and no masters, and said to him: "I'm afraid that Zheng Zongshang's affairs will be difficult to do well, if everyone doesn't take action for a long time, once Zongshang confesses his guilt in the procuratorate, I'm afraid that the Zheng family will also be overturned." ”

Zheng Yuanxun hurriedly grabbed Wu Changshi's hand and said anxiously: "If there is any way brother, please tell me as soon as possible." If I can overcome this difficulty, I should regard my brother as the eldest brother, and if I have a life in the future, I will not dare to disobey. ”

Wu Changshi patted Zheng Yuanxun's hand lightly and said: "Today's events can only imitate the story of the two Mr. Zhang in Suzhou that day, one is to contact the eight general merchants, call on the two Huai salt merchants to strike the market, and let the local officials of the two Huai Xing salt districts put pressure on the imperial court;

The second is to instigate the family members of the officials of the Department of Transport to ask for their families, and incite the righteous people of Yangzhou to pressure the procuratorate to release them.

Yangzhou is not only the concentration of salt transportation between the two Huai, but also the transportation point of the Grand Canal, once there is a civil riot here, the imperial court will not ignore it..."