Chapter 938: The Domineering Songjiang Xu Family
The Xu family is a prominent family in Songjiang. With the continuous promotion of Xu Jie's official position, the Xu family's prestige in Suzhou, Songjiang and other places is at its peak.
Some people say that Xu Jie was just a stray dog suppressed by Yan Song.
This is true, but it fails to show the enormous power behind Xu Jie.
Xu Jie can be considered a disciple of the School of Mind. Although the number of people who follow the School of Mind is not large, its influence is not small.
It is generally acknowledged that Xu Jie's other identity is the leader of the literati at that time.
At a time when the Yan Party was extremely powerful, all Xu Jie could do was to endure.
The entire Shilin community was forbearing with him, waiting for the opportunity to explode.
Although Xu Jie was tolerant in the capital, his influence was everywhere outside the capital.
Want to get promoted?
I'll give you a break from Lord Xu, it's no big deal.
Although Xiong Jia is selfless, the appointment of officials is often not black and white, and he has to learn to compromise and exchange. Otherwise, if you block others' way, others will also block your way.
Xu Jie spoke with the momentum of the leader of the literati, and as long as he didn't go too far, Xiong Jia had no choice but to make exchanges with him in many cases.
In Jiangnan, everyone knows Xu Ge Lao. But Xu Ge Lao is far away in the capital, so no one has the chance to meet him.
However, although Mr. Xu Ge was in the capital, his home was in Huating, Songjiang Prefecture.
Xu Jie's eldest son Xu Fan was studying at home. It was said that this child was very talented and often went to Beijing to accompany his father. Whenever Xu Jie had a problem, he would ask Xu Fan to make plans.
Huating is the seat of Songjiang, and it is no exaggeration to say that it is a land of plenty. It is a rich place where reading is very popular. And Xu Jie is the pride of the people of Huating.
In a restaurant not far from the government office, several businessmen were drinking.
New Year's Day is coming in a few days. Unlike in the capital, the New Year atmosphere in Jiangnan is a little lighter. It's not that people are quiet, but that there are many things to do. Adults are busy making money, children are busy studying, and women are busy weaving or doing something at home.
The entire Jiangnan area was in a period of booming productivity, and the subsequent Longqing opening released this powerful force in exchange for most of the world's silver.
The degree of wealth of Jiangnan merchants...probably the wealthy merchants in the capital could not even imagine. Just to name one example, the skinny horses in Yangzhou made the wealthy people in the capital envious.
A few businessmen just had a casual meal, but the dishes were quite rich. There were all kinds of things from the north, the south, flying in the sky, running on the ground, swimming in the water...
The drink was Jiangnan yellow wine, placed in a copper pot and warmed on a small clay stove. Steam would occasionally come out of the spout of the pot, and the smell of the wine would make me feel tipsy.
After drinking the warm rice wine with ginger slices, the sour taste becomes much lighter, and the spiciness of the ginger juice is neutralized, giving it a unique flavor.
A slightly plump businessman raised his glass and took a sip of wine. "That young master is not much different from Yan Shifan. It's not an exaggeration to say that he is a young minister."
"However, Lord Xu was firmly held down by the Yan Party and could not move. Yan Shifan, on the other hand, was able to govern the country on behalf of his father. They are incomparable." Someone laughed.
"How old is Yan Song? How long can he stay in power? Once he steps down, Yan Shifan will not be qualified to succeed him in terms of qualifications or official rank. Who else will be the first assistant besides Xu Ge Lao?"
"You said that a while ago, it's all right, but you forgot about that long Wilbur."
"Him? Too young. Even if Yan Song remains as Prime Minister for another five years, Jiang Qingzhi will only be in his twenties. A Prime Minister in his twenties... is not possible!"
"Nothing is impossible. Don't forget that Jiang Qingzhi is now in charge of the new policy. It is said that on the first day he went to Zhilu, he moved his chair to the side of Yan Song, saying that he wanted to ask for advice. But everyone knows that this is a wolfish ambition."
"He wants to be on par with Yan Song."
"It's just dog bite dog."
"He can bite as much as he wants, but he shouldn't come and provoke me, Jiangnan."
Everyone fell silent, and the slightly fat businessman sighed, "The Ministry of Revenue officials came to Songjiang. They went to Lord Xu's house a few days ago and wanted to know the number of fields and people."
"Now the whole Jiangnan is watching how the Xu family responds. If they bow their heads..."
"Bow your head? That young master is in his early twenties, a young and energetic age. I heard someone say that!" A fair-skinned businessman said mysteriously, "I heard someone say that the young master gave the Ministry of Revenue officials a warning."
"Tell me about it." The slightly plump businessman said excitedly.
The fair-skinned businessman sat up straight and said proudly, "I have a nephew from a distant place who joined the Xu family and changed his surname. He told me yesterday that the eldest son sent someone to say that he was not at home."
"Then just go the next day."
"The next day?" The fair-skinned merchant laughed, "The next day, and the next day, the officials from the Ministry of Revenue went over again, and they said the same thing again: he's not here!"
The slightly fat businessman was startled, "This is not giving me face."
"Give me a shit of face." The fair-skinned businessman said, "This is not the capital, this is Jiangnan, my Songjiang Prefecture. This is not a place where Jiang Qingzhi and the Mo family can be proud. Just wait, when this matter gets out, there will definitely be a lot of applause."
"Hey!" At this time, a businessman leaning against the window and drinking turned around, "The official from the Ministry of Revenue is back."
Everyone rushed to the window and saw four officials riding horses from the left, looking listless. Behind them were ten soldiers who looked more like frost-bitten eggplants, with their heads down. A sense of frustration could be felt from a distance.
“It was a fruitless effort.”
"It's the fourth day. That young master is indeed so tyrannical that he even treats the officials of the Ministry of Revenue as nothing."
"The South is our land. No matter how long Jiang Qingzhi's arms are, he can't reach us."
"If he dares to reach out, just cut him off."
"Don't mention him, even if it's that person, he can't do anything to Jiangnan!"
The person they are talking about is Emperor Jiajing.
At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, the South crushed the North in the imperial examinations with an overwhelming advantage. The northern scholars naturally did not accept this and started to make a fuss.
At that time, Emperor Taizu Gao was annoyed that those famous scholars would rather hold the tablets of the Mongols than work for him, and seeing this, he took the opportunity to divide the people.
Thus, the North and South Lists were released.
This move won the hearts of the northern scholars, but offended the southern scholars. In addition, Emperor Taizu Gao and Zhang Shicheng and others fought each other, and he hated those who supported Zhang Shicheng, so he imposed heavy taxes...
A variety of reasons combined led to the gap between the North and the South, and the southern scholars regarded the emperor as their enemy.
"Great!" The fair-skinned businessman clapped his hands and smiled. "My family has a lot of land, and I was worried that it would be liquidated. Now it's good. With the Xu family taking the lead, there's nothing to declare."
The slightly fat businessman nodded, "If you ask, why doesn't the Xu family pay?"
"Exactly."
"Everyone, speaking of this, we have to thank Lord Xu."
The fair-skinned businessman returned to his seat and raised his glass, "This one..." He looked around.
"Respect to Lord Xu!"
"Respect to Lord Xu!"
Everyone drank it all.
For the second glass of wine, the fair-skinned businessman raised his glass and said, "This glass is for Jiang Qingzhi to step down soon!"
The slightly plump businessman sneered, "I heard that Jiang Qingzhi is weak, that's a problem he brought from his mother's womb. People like him usually have a short life span. This cup should be used to wish him a speedy death!"
"That's right. Come, everyone, drink this cup to the full!"
"Dry!"
Several officials from the Ministry of Revenue in Songjiang returned to the government office. The leader, Xie Yong, went to see Chen Lian, the prefect of Songjiang.
Chen Lian looked quite kind, with a chubby white face, a short beard, thick eyebrows, and a thick northern accent, which made Xie Yong and others feel very close to him.
"Greetings, Mr. Chen." Xie Yong bowed.
"It's been a hard trip." Chen Lian smiled and asked someone to pour tea for Xie Yong.
Xie Yong took the tea, drank it all, and handed the cup to the clerk, "Please have another cup."
The clerk smiled and said, "How about a pot?"
This was a bit frivolous, Chen Lian frowned slightly, but Xie Yong nodded, "That's exactly what I want."
He smiled bitterly at Chen Lian, "I went to the Xu family, but I couldn't even get in this time. The doorman just said, 'The eldest son is not here, how about asking the second son to come see you?'"
Chen Lian was startled. "I heard that the second young master is only a few years old."
"Isn't it? How could an official like me see a child of such age? Can I still ask him to declare his land and population with a straight face? If this gets out, will the Ministry of Revenue still be able to behave like a human being?"
Xie Yong complained, "Mr. Chen, what does that young master mean?"
Chen Lian frowned, "This matter... I don't know either."
Xie Yong said: "I originally thought that the Xu family would definitely support the new policy. If I start with the Xu family, it will be easier to deal with it. Now I can't even meet the person in charge of the Xu family. Those who are just watching... Oh! If this goes on, I'm afraid it won't be done until next year. The Ministry of Revenue will be furious, and I..."
Chen Lian sighed sympathetically, "This is indeed a troublesome matter. But... by the way, didn't you go to see Lord Xu before leaving the capital?"
If you want to come to Xu Jie's house first, you should at least inform Xu Jie in advance, right?
Xie Yong said, "I'm going, but..." He smiled bitterly and said, "Lord Xu is not here."
Isn't this just a continuation of the past?
Neither the father nor the son is here.
If you say that the Xu family is not cooperating, that's not true, there is no one!
How could the steward dare to agree to this when the master is not around?
It's a waste of time!
Xie Yong bowed, "Mr. Chen, I know that the eldest son must be at home. Please pass on a message, Mr. Chen, this matter is unavoidable. You must know that the Yuanfu family has gone to the Ministry of Revenue to report it. Duke Chengguo was the first dignitary to report it..."
Yan Song applied for it, and Zhu Xizhong also applied for it.
Isn't it time for Xu Jie, the Ninja Turtle, to bow his head?
Are you more awesome than Yan?
Even more extravagant than Duke Cheng’s Mansion?
Chen Lian sighed and said, "I can send someone to pass on the message."
"Thank you, Mr. Chen!" Xie Yong was overjoyed.
After he left, Chen Lian's staff member Fan Lin said with a smile: "This person is desperate, so he came to ask the Lord of the Palace for help. Lord of the Palace, this matter is not easy for us to do."
Chen Lian said calmly, "Why not? Send someone to pass on the message. As for how the young master responds, just follow his instructions."
"Yes."
Fan Lin went out to explain and soon brought a man back.
"I am the steward of the Xu family." The visitor smiled and said, "The eldest master said that he has been busy outside recently and cannot go home for a while. If there is anything at home, please take care of it. By the way, the eldest master also said that if you have time, please come to the mansion for a drink."
——Let’s join forces on this matter!
To be an official in the south, one must get along well with the local prominent families.
Fan Lin glanced at the host.
It's risky, but the rewards will be great.
Chen Lian stroked his beard.
smile.
"Reply to the eldest master, I have no choice but to do this!"
(End of this chapter)
