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Qin Yueniang and her group of ten people rushed to the Bian River. The scenery along the Bian River was beautiful, and a row of buildings on a wide ground was Cai Jing's private residence.
The Northern Song Dynasty lasted until the Song Huizong Zhenghe period. Powerful officials like Cai Jing and Tong Guan all built their own private residences.
The private residence and the official residence formed a " dual world ". The private residence was built with his own money. Of course, the money of the powerful officials was the people's fat that was plundered.
The official residences were built by the imperial court and allocated to the officials.
The official residence of the Song Dynasty was similar to the welfare housing of the factory in the 1980s. All the workers in the system could enjoy it.
The official residence of the Song Dynasty appeared in 1071 A.D. It was the product of Wang Anshi's reform.
Before Xining, all the officials in the capital, be they prime ministers or ordinary officials, rented or bought houses.
Kou Zhun, the prime minister of Emperor Zhenzong of Song Dynasty, liked to drink and was called Kou Laoxi. He could not afford a house all his life and could only rent a house.
Officials renting houses and buying houses saved the court a lot of money, but the fatal drawback was leaking information.
At the end of the Northern Song Dynasty, the population of the country had grown to 120 million, and the government affairs of the court were very busy.
Some officials had to deal with some urgent official business after work, and the staff responsible for delivering documents often did not deliver the documents in time due to lack of responsibility or carelessness, or leaked secrets because they were sent to the wrong place.
The Northern Song Dynasty implemented a policy of opening up, and the surrounding small countries all set up consular offices in Tokyo to spy on political, military, and economic intelligence.
Foreign spies were everywhere. The leak of the Song court officials would naturally bring good news to the foreign spies.
Song Shenzong believed that this drawback must be changed, so he accepted Wang Anshi's suggestion: In the capital, they would build public residences for officials, which were also official residences.
When the official residence was first built, it was only used as a residence for officials in the capital. However, after Wang Anshi's reform failed, the stubborn Sima Guang came to power, and the official residence became a facility that integrated residence and office.
Sima Guang was old and in poor health. He had limited time during the day. Sometimes, he would sleep until midnight to deal with government affairs, so the official residence had more of an office nature.
After Sima Guang, the official residence was not only the residence of the officials but also the workplace.
Cai Jing did not like the official residence. He felt that the noisy official residence was not conducive to working and sleeping, so he built a private residence to live in and obtained the permission of Emperor Huizong of Song Dynasty.
Cai Jing's ability to build a private residence was inseparable from the support of rich wealth. Cai Jing's land alone was as high as 500,000 mu. The gold stored in his home was worth 80 million strings, silver was worth 20 million strings, and silk was 200,000 bolts.
Cai Jing extorted money for himself, but in the eyes of Emperor Huizong of Song, he was an excellent financial planner.
Cai Jing used all kinds of methods to exploit the people. The most important method was to earn money from the people through state monopolization. In the most profitable areas, the state implemented a monopoly policy, which was also a monopoly system. The most typical commodity was salt.
The implementation of the salt monopoly system did not begin in the Song Dynasty. Cai Jing's "brilliant" aspect was that he had changed the way the country sold salt.
Through the reform, Cai Jing took back the huge income from tea, salt, wine, and other commodities to the central government. The annual income from the salt tax alone was as much as 40 million strings.
Other than salt, tea leaves, wine, iron, and other goods that were closely related to the daily lives of the people were all monopolized, and they also made a lot of profits.
Qin Yueniang and the others arrived at the Cai Mansion. The sky had already turned dark, and they saw that the door was as crowded as a market, and there were many satellite channels.
Qin Yue 'niang pointed to the door and said," This is the main door. The officials are like ants coming in and out. Let's go through the side door!"”
Qin Yue 'niang led Yan Duo, 8 people, and her daughter Su Jingcao to the west side door. It was indeed very quiet here.
Qin Yue 'niang glanced at the guards at the side door and got off the horse. She held the reins in her hand and asked,""Generals, do you know what rank is Grand Preceptor Cai's guard officer?”
Yan Jieji, Su Jingcao, and the other nine heard what Qin Yueniang said and all got off their horses.
Zhang Yang interrupted him." We are from the countryside and are ignorant. Do you really not know the rank of Grand Tutor Cai's guard?" Big Sister Fengxiang, please tell me!"
"Grand Advisor's guards are at least seventh-grade, equivalent to the county magistrate of Red County!"”
"Oh my god, the guard and the magistrate are of the same rank. This is too awesome!”"How much is the monthly salary of Grand Preceptor Cai's guard?" Ma Wei asked disdainfully.”
"80 Guan!" Qin Yue's mother did not hide her words." Now the market price of rice is 3 wen per catty. 80 strings of money can buy more than 20,000 catties of rice. It's enough for a family of five to eat for 10 years. Think about how comfortable it is to watch the door for Grand Master…"
Before Qin Yue Niang could finish her words, she saw a man wearing a soft towel walk out from the side door. He shouted from afar,""Who are you? Why are you at the side door…"
Yan Duo and Zhang Yang handed the reins to Li Fu and Lin Du, who were beside them, and both of them hurried over to bow.
"Sect Official, we came from Hua Prefecture. We are under the orders of Grand Advisor's grandson, Jiang Tianlong, to deliver the report to the Military Intelligence Pond within 600 miles!" Yan Duo said respectfully and humbly.”
Zhang Yang continued," The leader of the bandits, Shi Bin, is besieging Longxiao Villa. It's urgent. We have to travel day and night to come to the capital to meet Grand Advisor!"”
The man was called Sun Erxian. When he heard Yan Duo and Zhang Yang say that they had to report the military situation within 600 miles, he hurriedly let the 10 men go to the living room and let the servant serve tea. Then, he ran to the East Hall of the Grand Preceptor's Residence.
The East Hall of the Grand Preceptor's Mansion was decorated with lanterns and streamers. The Grand Preceptor was holding a banquet for the dignitaries of the capital.
The banquet had been going on for more than two hours since the afternoon. Cai Jing's six sons and five grandsons served as receptionists.
The six sons and five grandsons were all scholars and important ministers. They welcomed guests from all directions with a smile, and the atmosphere was extremely warm.
More than twenty tables in the hall were fully occupied. The atmosphere of the banquet was harmonious.
Dozens of dishes were served, and there were a few dishes worth mentioning.
One dish was quail soup. Cai Jing had to kill hundreds of quails to eat the quail soup. The cost was equivalent to the annual living expenses of ten families.
There were more than 100 guests tonight, and the number of quails slaughtered had reached 10,000. The cost was enough to feed 1,000 families for a year.
A glimpse of poverty and extravagance was enough to see the whole picture, and the uprising of Song Jiang, Fang La, and Shi Bin happened under the premise that the disparity between the rich and the poor was difficult to bridge.
Water Margins only described the heroic and heroic scenes of Liangshan heroes, and there were not many scenes involving the poor lives of the common people.
One of the dishes was Cai Jing's favorite crab roe steamed bun, which was also known as steamed bun by modern people.
Crab roe steamed buns were wrapped in flour and steamed. Cai Jing used crab roe steamed buns to entertain guests once, and the cost was a year's living expenses for 100 ordinary people.
One was canned chicken, as well as pufferfish, lamb, camel, red deer, and other high-end dishes.
After Cai Jing's banquet, the living expenses of ten to twenty thousand people for a year were gone.
In order to support Cai Jing's extravagance in food and drink, he needed a strong team of chefs.
There were dozens of people in charge of making steamed buns in the kitchen of the Cai Residence. "Crane Forest Jade Dew" recorded that: There was a scholar who bought a concubine in the capital. He claimed to be a bun chef in Cai Taishi's house. One day, he asked him to make steamed buns, but he refused. "Since you are a cook of steamed buns, why can't you make steamed buns?"”"I am the one who makes the scallions in the steamed bun kitchen. How can I make steamed buns?”
It could be seen that the kitchen servants in Cai Jing's family were all highly specialized. From this, one could imagine how exquisite and extravagant Cai Jing's daily life was. How many people's happiness had to be sacrificed to support his extravagant life!
Tonight, Cai Jing's six sons and five grandsons, who were in charge of welcoming guests, were all officials of the imperial court. How many of Cai Jing's sons and grandsons had not entered the system? No one could tell.
Wei Wei from Baihe County, Martial Saint Village, and Qianwei was Cai Jing's excited son, and Jiang Tianlong was Cai Jing's grandson.
With such a complicated social relationship, the poor people could not squeeze in. When they could not survive, there was only one way-rebellion...
Cai Jing was in the bright, pearl-like East Hall, toasting the guests. Sun Erxian came up to him and said,"Grand Advisor, a letter has been urgently sent from 600 miles away in Hua State. Ten people are already waiting in the living room at the west door!”
When Cai Jing heard that it was urgent to travel 600 miles in Huazhou, he immediately told his eldest son Cai You to greet the guests. He rushed to the living room on the west side accompanied by Sun Erxian.
When Cai Jing entered the living room, he saw Qin Yue's mother and Su Jingcao. He couldn't help but be shocked and didn't know what to say.
Cai Jing's emotions were captured by Qin Yue's mother. Qin Yue's mother walked up to him and said,""Grand Advisor is healthy!"
"You are…600…Li…Urgent…" Cai Jing muttered.
"The eight of them are the ones who are rushing the 600-mile journey!" Qin Yue 'niang smiled.”"They don't know about Grand Advisor's mansion. They're eating in my restaurant. I brought them here after I found out about the situation!" Qin Yue 'niang pointed at Yan Duo and the other two.”
Cai Jing sighed and chuckled,""I see. Madam Su is really warm-hearted!”
"Grand Advisor, you flatter me!" Qin Yue's mother smiled. The female family was not warm-hearted, so she came to find Grand Advisor to kill two birds with one stone. Firstly, she wanted to lead the way for the eight military masters, and secondly, she wanted to get back her husband's life!”
Cai Jing frowned and smiled awkwardly.""Madam Su is indeed scheming!"
When Yan Duo and the other eight heard Qin Yue Niang's words, they hurriedly knelt on the ground and kowtowed.
Yan Duo and Zhang Yang handed over the letters.
Cai Jing hurriedly finished reading and looked at Yan Duo.""What's your name?"
"Reporting to Grand Advisor, I am Yan Duo, an official!”
Cai Jing replied with an " oh " and said," Yan Jieji, please talk about the situation!”
Yan Duo told him about the situation where Shi Bin of Mount Shaohua surrounded Longxiao Manor, and De Yun Manor, Baoyue Manor, and Forest Creek Manor were in an emergency.
Zhang Yang continued," The commander has captured three bandits from Mount Shaohua. Shi Bin has come to rob them. The situation is dire!"”
Zhang Yang stood up and whispered into Cai Jing's ear,""Foolish grandson General Jiang has another matter for me to convey to Grand Advisor!”
When Cai Jing heard Zhang Yang mention Jiang Tianlong, he knew that there was something confidential. He asked the others to wait in the living room while he dragged Zhang Yang's hand to a room.
The room was not big. Cai Jing dragged Zhang Yang in and closed the door. He asked seriously,""General Zhang can speak freely now!”
Zhang Yang bowed and thanked Cai Jing. Then, he told him about the poem that Wei Wei had written on a folding fan. Jiang Tianlong had read out the hidden poem," Chen Da's Undercover ".
Cai Jing was stunned. He stared at Zhang Yang and said,""Wei Wei is really a stupid pig. He left the folding fan with him for a long time, but he didn't know which poem was hidden. In the end, it was read out by his grandson, Jiang Tianlong!”
"Foolish nephew is wise and intelligent, he is a person who does great things!”Zhang Yang saw Cai Jing complimenting Jiang Tianlong, so he took the opportunity to flatter him,""Grand Advisor, why didn't you ask Deputy Jiang to serve you?”
Zhang Yang's ability to adapt to the situation was not to be underestimated. He and Yan Duo had seen the bustling and lively Tokyo on their way to the Grand Preceptor's Residence. They were discussing among themselves, saying that if they could take a dump in the toilet in Tokyo, it would not be in vain.
If Cai Jing were to pull some tricks to transfer Jiang Tianlong to Beijing, then Zhang Yang would be the first one to be brought here.
Cai Jing was elated for a while. He looked at Zhang Yang and said,""What else did the Heavenly Dragon bring?"
"Deputy Jiang plans to contact Zheng Da, but he doesn't know the code!”Zhang Yang said passionately," When he asked me to send the military intelligence to you, he asked Grand Advisor what the answer to the hidden poem was!”
"The answer to the riddle is to listen to the zither picture and write a poem!" Cai Jing said bluntly and began to recite the poem in a low voice,
I chant the conscription of Shang's paulownia tree under the stove,
I suspect there is a wind blowing into the pines.
Looking up and looking down, I carefully examine the love-struck guest,
it seems to hear a stringless tune being played.
After Cai Jing finished reciting the poem, he looked at Zhang Yang and said,""The place where they contacted Chen Da was at the Teahouse of Juxian Building in Baihe County. The two of them each held a folding fan in their hands. On the folding fan, there was a picture of listening to the zither and writing a poem. They were reciting the poem in a low voice. When the other party saw the poem written on the folding fan and the poem recited by his mouth, he connected the lines!”
Cai Jing meticulously described the contact details and said with a little worry,"It's a little too early to contact Chen Da. My goal is to let Chen Da hide for a long time until Shi Bin is sent to the guillotine..."
Zhang Yang knelt on the ground and thanked him." I understand your intentions, Grand Advisor. I will send the imperial edict to Deputy Jiang…"
Cai Jing and Zhang Yang returned to the guest room after they had finished their investigation. They saw Yan Duo and a few soldiers waiting for them attentively.
He frowned and said to Sun Erxian,""Sun Junmen, go to the east hall and invite Grand Commandant Gao over!”
Marshal Gao was Gao Qiu. He was originally a servant of Su Shi. His good kick was noticed by Emperor Huizong and he was kept in Prince Duan's residence.
However, the Song Dynasty was a society that valued literature over martial arts. Gao Qiu could only be considered a casual member of society and had nothing to do with civil officials and generals.
However, Emperor Huizong of Song wanted to promote him and let Gao Qiu train in the army of a border general.
After Gao Qiu had gained some experience at the border, he was promoted by Emperor Huizong of Song to the position of Grand Marshal in charge of the Imperial Army, under the dual leadership of Tong Guan and Cai Jing.
Gao Qiu was toasting with his eunuch friends in the east hall. When he heard that Grand Preceptor Cai had summoned him, he hurriedly put down his wine cup and ran over from the banquet hall.
Cai Jing passed him the information that had been urgently sent from 600 miles away in Hua State. Gao Qiu looked at it and bowed to Cai Jing." Lord Zai Zhi, don't worry. The deputy general will immediately lead 5000 imperial soldiers to Hua State to capture Shi Bin…"
After Gao Qiu left, Cai Jing looked at Qin Yue Niang and Su Liang Cao and said,""General Su's whereabouts are still unknown, and this old man can't help but feel sorry for him. However, the 1,000 copper coins that I promised previously still have to be fulfilled! How about this!"
Cai Jing asked Sun Erxian to find the butler in the study room to bring two silk folding fans to Qin Yue 'niang and said,""These two silk folding fans are worth more than 1,000 copper coins.”
Qin Yue 'niang and Su Jingcao could read. They opened the first folding fan and saw Cai Jing's calligraphy poem: "Stop in the water and look beyond the lonely smoke. Ask the people of Wuxi who have mountains to sell.”
The second one also had Cai Jing's calligraphy poem: "At the end of the Qin Dynasty, every family wanted to fight for the deer, but the Four Luminaries of Shang Mountain forgot their opportunity. How can the frosty hair on my temples be similar, and I can judge right and wrong from the deep mountains?”
Qin Yueniang had long known that Grand Preceptor Cai's poetry and calligraphy were not inferior to Emperor Huizong. She took a folding fan, called her daughter Su Jingcao, and left the Cai residence in a hurry...
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