During this time, Ju Yi and Gu Wei carried out a division of labor, Ju Yi was responsible for dealing with the local salt merchants and gate valves in Yangzhou, and was responsible for staggering all day long, while Gu Wei was responsible for finding out the salt households and salt merchants, as well as the situation of Yangzhou officialdom.

After this period of investigation, the situation in Yangzhou is generally clear, and more than one salt merchant secretly told Ju Yi that the reason why they did not agree to participate in the auction was because several local gate lords in Yangzhou had already greeted them, and they did not dare to offend them.

Although the salt merchants didn't mention that it was those gate valve families who were in the end, Ju Yi and Gu Wei knew it and were very angry, but how to break the situation, the two of them gave up the method of raising a big prison, although this method was the most direct and fastest, but the two were different, Ju Yi wanted to negotiate directly with the gate valve, or persuade those gate valve families through the King of Huainan, Gu Wei advocated courtesy before soldiers, and business to business.

The two had disagreements, but neither of them handed over the contradictions, but after discussion, they decided to do it at the same time, Ju Yu continued to persuade the gate valve family, and Gu Wei persuaded the salt merchants, but after a period of time, the two of them now, they have not made progress, the salt merchants still dare not participate in the salt policy reform, and the gate valve also gave a little step, but in the key salt tax and distributors, half a step is not granted.

Ju Yi was very disappointed, but Gu Wei was very confident, and told Ju Yi that the first salt farm and salt auction would be held ten days later, and at the same time strengthen the anti-smuggling, Ju Yi was very puzzled, and hurriedly asked how many salt numbers participated in the auction, Gu Wei told him that there were at least three.

Ju Yu was a little incomprehensible, and inquired secretly, but none of the salt numbers admitted to participate in the auction, and his actions alarmed the Yangzhou gate valves.6 Lu Zhangyu and the other gate valves joined forces to put pressure on the Yangzhou salt merchants, warning all salt merchants not to violate the consensus of the industry, otherwise the participating salt number will be expelled from the trade association.

Yangzhou Salt is a member of the Yangzhou Salt Association, for the Association, Ju Yi and Gu Wei have long learned from the intelligence transferred by the internal guard, this Association seems to be a business association voluntarily formed by salt merchants, but in fact it is a tool for 6 Lu Yu Zhang Zhujia to control Yangzhou Salt, the Association seems to have little power, but in fact it has great power, it stipulates the price of salt, stipulates the freight rate, and even stipulates the output of each salt field, so to speak, if it is not a member of the Association, the salt of the salt merchant will not be able to be shipped out of Yangzhou, even if it is the largest gang in the south of the Yangtze River, the Cao Gang has to look at the eyes of the Association。

After learning about it, Ju Yu was both angry and helpless, if he was like Peng Zhu in Chen Guo, he set off a big prison and arrested one or two of the 6 Lu Yu Zhang Zhuzhu, which was bound to offend the gate valves of the entire Jiangnan, and the consequences were great, so he was unwilling and did not dare to take such an action.

But in the face of such a deadlock, the sentence is helpless.

But Gu Wei was very confident, during this time, in addition to investigating salt merchants, Gu Wei also went out frequently, participated in the poetry meeting of Yangzhou Academies, and practiced with Yangzhou's celebrities, and participated in the debate of Yangzhou Dongguan Mountain two days ago.

Gu Wei not only simply participated in these poetry meetings and debates, but also explained the reasons and purposes of the imperial court's salt policy reform, hoping to gain the support of Yangzhou Shilin, but most Yangzhou Shilin people expressed support, but it was only verbal support.

He was almost desperate, but the day before yesterday, Gu Wei proposed to him to hold the first auction in ten days.

When Gu Wei made this decision, he was full of confidence.

Although he didn't believe it very much, he still didn't stop Gu Wei, on the contrary, he was trying his best to assist Gu Wei and strive to run this auction well.

This trap was something he only figured out after he had hit a wall frequently, which made him both angry and frightened, and the person who could come up with such a trap was terrifying.

The next day, Gu Wei received a report that Ju Yi was sick, Gu Wei was very surprised, yesterday Ju Yu was fine, why is he sick today, he hurried to visit.

Walking into Juyi's room, I happened to meet a Lang Zhong who was taking the pulse of Juyi, Gu Wei didn't alarm them, and stood quietly on the side, Lang Zhong looked like he was in his forties, with three long beards, a thin face, towering cheekbones, wearing a homespun robe, and a medicine box on the table.

"Adults are cold, the small ones are prescribed a few medicines to the adults, and the adults should stay in bed more. After Lang Zhong took the pulse, he said to Ju Yi, Ju Yi leaned on the head of the bed, and did not speak when he heard the words, Gu Wei stepped forward slowly, looked at Ju Yi's face, and there was a slight red tide on Ju Yi's face, and there was a layer of fine sweat on his forehead.

"Are you feeling better?" Gu Wei asked, Ju Yu smiled reluctantly, and sighed: "Alas, it's really not the time, Lord Gu, the matter of Yangzhou will be entrusted to you." ”

"My lord can rest assured that he will do his best, and he will live up to his expectations and share the worries of the emperor and the court. Gu Wei agreed, turned around and looked at Lang Zhong's prescription, and told Juyi's subordinates to grab the medicine as soon as possible, take care of it, and tell him if there is any need, and Juyi's subordinates agreed again and again.

Gu Wei comforted a few more words, and then said goodbye and left, a deep sigh came from behind him, and a smile slipped through the corners of Gu Wei's mouth, which quickly disappeared, and the brows with it were deeply twisted, extremely heavy.

With Ju Yi falling ill, all the power of the Qin Cha Xing Camp was handed over to Gu Wei, and Gu Wei did not shy away from using the power at all, and did not discuss with Ju Yi in advance.

"Dong Weng, Qin sent a camp, Lord Gu has a letter again, what should we do?

"Alas, let's take a look first, we can't afford to mess with the 6 Zhang families. ”

"Forget it, they're just crossing the river, sooner or later they have to leave, we still have to do business here, well, in this way, I'll go to the guild to find out the news, as for this letter, I won't answer it for the time being." ”

"It's worthy of being a boy in white, this Lord Gu's word, tsk, it's really not what I said. ”

"Owner!" the voice was visibly helpless.

"The handwriting is good, it's a pity, it's a pity! This has to be changed, just rush this word, I also have to go to the scene, alas, it's a pity, it's a pity!"

The backyard of the salt god shrine in Yangzhou, the salt god is the statue of the salt merchants, every time the industry association meets, they must first go to the front to incense the salt god, but there is no meeting today, but the shopkeeper of the top ten salt numbers in the city all come to the industry association, and first give the salt god incense when they enter the door.

"Brother Hanping, look at this, how should we do it?"

Lin Lin, the shopkeeper and proprietor of Yangzhou's largest salt number, Fusheng Salt, is more than 50 years old this year, and has served as the president of the industry association for 20 years, and is the leader of Yangzhou Salt.

Lin Zhen smiled, picked up the teacup and took a sip of water, the folding fan in his hand shook up and down, he was wearing a very ordinary cotton robe, the bun on his head was wrapped in a cloth towel, and there were no extra accessories on his body, looking like a boring old man who came out to drink tea with nothing to do.

"Hehe," Lin Yan put down the teacup, looked up at the other nine people, smiled and asked, "You have all received it?"

The nine nodded at the same time.

"President, tell me, this sentence seems to be iron-hearted, ten days, now five days have passed, this auction is Guantian!"

Guantian, naturally belongs to the government's salt fields, the shopkeepers present know in their hearts that the official fields are now dilapidated and the yield is low, but the location of the official fields is very good, as long as part of the funds are invested in maintenance, the output can go up immediately, and these official fields will be sold very cheaply now.

So, it's a big piece of fat! Everybody wants it!

"Hehe, let's not go, everyone, who else dares to go?" Lin Zhen asked with a smile, a cold light flashed in his eyes: "Is there any of us who wants to go?"

Nine people shook their heads at the same time, Lin Zhen nodded: "That's good, as long as we have one heart, no matter what they want to sell, it won't work," Speaking of this, Lin Zhen sighed deeply: "This salt tax is now 20%, although the imperial court has lowered it to 10% and 5, but you also know that in addition to paying taxes to the imperial court, we also have to maintain the salt fields, the annual annual festival income, and the annual water control and road construction, we need our help, we are busy for a year, how much can we fall?" With less taxes in the imperial court, we can also be more relaxed, and we can do more good deeds for Sangzi, everyone said yes. ”

"Yes, yes, yes!" Everyone nodded again and again, Lin Zhen put down the teacup: "Don't worry, go back and tell them that the meeting has made a decision, all members will not participate in this auction, tell everyone, calm down, wait for the salt tax to come down, everyone's life will be better, at this time, we must work together to tide over the difficulties." ”

"That is, you can't do it at this time. Someone reminded from the side.

"Yes, whoever wants to eat inside and outside at this time, we should punish him together!"

"Yes, expelled, no forgiveness!"

Everyone was talking, and Lin Yan smiled and nodded again and again. After everyone agreed, they didn't stay at the club for long, and soon left.

Lin Yan sat in his own carriage, the carriage looked very ordinary from the outside, only a little wider and longer than the carriage of ordinary people, but when he really entered the carriage, he could see that it was exquisite and comfortable, and it was by no means comparable to ordinary people.

After crossing several streets, the carriage stopped in front of a courtyard, Lin Zhen got out of the car, and a man in green clothes waiting in front of the door came over and helped the coachman pull the carriage into the alley next to it, while Lin Rong was fully dressed and entered the courtyard.

"Yo, Lin Gong, you're here. ”

After entering, a thirty-year-old greeted him, tall, with picturesque eyebrows, a jade delphinium hairpin inserted in his bun, wearing a small silk satin cheongsam, stepping on high heels, and swaying over to salute in front of Lin Zhen.

"Is the second young master here?" Lin Yan asked with a smile, smiling slightly: "Yes, drinking tea in Cuizhu Garden, Lin Gong came with the slave family." ”

The spring in the south of the Yangtze River is early, there is a fresh fragrance of flowers in the yard, full of greenery everywhere, full of vitality, take Lin Zhen to enter from the moon gate next to it, bypass the rockery, pass through the green flower corridor, and enter a small courtyard.

"There's a guest!

Lin Yan smiled and looked up at the birdrest hanging on the plum tree, where a parrot was screaming loudly.

Lin Yan stood quietly at the gate of the courtyard with his head down, did not continue to walk inside, but still swayed inside, bypassing the flowers, and soon disappeared, and bursts of women's laughter came from the flowers.

After a while, it came back again.

"The second son, please. ”

Lin Yan just went in, but he didn't follow anymore, but went straight out, and the courtyard was quiet, leaving only bursts of aroma and a coquettish smile that was sometimes strong and sometimes weak.

Passing through a few bushes of flower paths, the eyes suddenly brightened, a pool appeared in front of the eyes, the pool is made of white marble, the middle of the pool is a rockery, there are eight faucets on the rockery, the faucet spews out steaming hot water, the pool is foggy, through the fog, you can clearly see several figures.

"Second son. Lin Hao was not a little surprised, stood by the pool, and saluted respectfully.

...