Chapter 27 Careful visit

The Southern Tang envoys to Sichuan have not been idle since they arrived in Chengdu, because Xiao Yan and the secret envoy Gu Zijing both came with missions.But the two of them are busy in their own way, and no one interferes with the other. In the past few days, under the protection of Bu Fu and a few privately hired experts, Gu Zijing went out early and returned late every day.Bu Fu belonged to the official family, and this time Gu Zijing was sent as an envoy to the Kingdom of Shu, and he was transferred here through a document issued by the Ministry of Punishment.As for those privately hired masters, Gu Zijing didn't need to spend money either.He uses it for others, but the cost is taken from the normal expenses of the state government and county government allocated by the Ministry of Household Affairs.As a matter of fact, those state governments and county governments don't pay much attention to these normal expenses allocated, and it doesn't matter whether they give them or not.The money they got from other sources is far more than this fee, as long as the higher-ups turn a blind eye to it.As for the allocated money, they will use it for you where your superiors say to use it.

Gu Zijing did not wander around with a few people. Wherever they went and the people they were looking for, they had a purpose and a purpose.He had already expected that even if the envoy was sent to Shu in time, he would not see the King of Shu for a while after he arrived.Even though there are many grandiose reasons for friendship listed in the general document, the other party will still speculate on the true purpose of the trip, and will never summon him before thinking about the words and measures to deal with it. Gu Zijing first visited some officials of the Shu Kingdom during the period when Meng Chang had not summoned them.However, the officials he visited were not important state ministers, but low-level officials from the Ministry of Household Affairs and the Ministry of Officials who handled specific affairs.Most of these officials are not qualified to go to the pilgrimage, and they cannot express their opinions on the decision-making of state affairs.However, these officials didn't just go to visit. Before Gu Zijing came, he had already used the strength of the ghost party to find connections by beating around the bush.And these officials are more or less closely related to the Southern Tang Dynasty. Either there are classmates and fellow villagers who work in the Southern Tang Dynasty, or there are relatives in the inner circle of the family members who are officials of the Southern Tang Dynasty.

In the eyes of these officials, Gu Zijing is a very well-behaved official, and a friend who is very considerate of others.No matter whose house he went to, he would bring gifts in large and small packages, and he only said that the relatives and friends of the interviewee asked him to bring them.In addition, when communicating with these officials, they only talk about private matters, never ask about state affairs, let alone ask the other party to do anything for him.At most, it's just a meal and drink at someone's home or a nearby hotel.And this often makes him more affectionate and easy-going, making people feel like he is visiting relatives.

In addition to visiting these low-level officials, another thing Gu Zijing did was to visit the market shops.He has walked to all kinds of markets in Chengdu, big and small, and he has been in and out of almost every shop in the most lively streets and alleys.I didn't buy a few things, but I didn't talk too much nonsense.Every time he chatted and bargained with market vendors and shopkeepers, until people started to think he was annoying and sent him away. Whether it was visiting officials, markets or shops, Gu Zijing actually had only one purpose. He wanted to see how the state of Shu would react from the government to the people after the tax increase in the Southern Tang Dynasty.Those officials who deal with specific affairs are the ones who know the actual situation best. Although Gu Zijing didn't talk about official affairs during the meeting, from the short conversations with the parents, we can see what official affairs they are currently doing, and we can see their subconscious expression of concern for South Korea. Don's attitude towards raising taxes.The ramblings and bargaining in the market are more straightforward. If the tax increase in the Southern Tang Dynasty really has a great impact on Shu, those merchants who are disturbed will definitely show it subconsciously when the outbreak occurs.

But after a few days, Gu Zijing didn't realize that what he was worried about was also what Yuan Zong was worried about. In fact, Gu Zijing heard from the Southern Tang Dynasty on the way to Shu through Chudi that Chudi has also raised the export and transit tax rates of tea, silk floss and other goods, and Nanping has also raised taxes on some items such as paper and ink.It stands to reason that these practices will bring about a chain reaction, and will eventually have a direct impact on the prices of Shu.However, in the territory of Shu State, especially in Chengdu, he did not find the impact of raising taxes on Shu State.This may be because the tax has just been raised, and its impact has not really spread to Shu, or perhaps the goods raised in Chu and Nanping are not materials and necessities that Shu is extremely short of, so the impact is not very big.

However, Gu Zijing discovered a very important situation, that is, the private capital, government and businessmen that the officials and people of Shu Kingdom are talking about.Gu Zijing had a feeling that the decision-making of private capital, officials and businessmen was probably the main reason why Shu temporarily suppressed the impact of tax hikes in neighboring countries. The so-called private capital government operation is actually that the government does not pay funds for the time being, but just purchases food, salt and other materials from the people with food coupons and salt coupons, and then transports these materials to the border of the Great Zhou where there is a shortage of food. goods.Then the cattle, sheep and horses obtained by barter are bred and bred, so that not only the principal can be returned to the people, but also a certain profit can be given according to the income.In this way, not only will the country profit and the treasury will be abundant, but even the common people will have a lot of benefits.

Gu Zijing didn't quite agree with such an approach.In his opinion, this method can only temporarily suppress the influence of tax increases in neighboring countries, and it is only because of a compelling factor that the influence is suppressed.The common people stockpile grain and salt to prevent various unexpected changes, and now they are being purchased by the government in the form of food coupons and salt coupons, which will inevitably cause a kind of panic.In this way, ordinary people can only change their ways, cut down on food and clothing, and hold on to the little money left in their hands to prepare for emergencies.Therefore, the demand for inbound goods among the people of Shu has reached a low point, and everyone is unwilling to spend money to enjoy inbound goods that have already been expensive due to tax increases.Without consumption, there is no transaction, and without transaction, there is no way to show the impact of tax increases.

But this phenomenon also made Gu Zijing feel suspicious.Since the Kingdom of Shu had considered such a countermeasure before, and even wanted to make a fortune by raising taxes in the Southern Tang Dynasty, why bother to send assassins to Tanzhou to assassinate themselves?Could it be that his judgment was wrong, that the one who assassinated him in Tanzhou was not the assassin sent by Shu? "Wait, my lord, something seems wrong." Bu Fu reminded Gu Zijing who was strolling in the market in a low voice. Gu Zijing stopped in his tracks and frowned slightly: "What's going on? Nothing should happen in this area."

What Gu Zijing said was right, he was in Tanzhou, even in Jinling, he might be killed twice and killed three times by the assassins sent by Shu.But as long as he enters the territory of Shu, he is safe, especially in Chengdu.Because he is currently an envoy of the Southern Tang Dynasty, and he came to visit the Kingdom of Shu under the imperial order of the Southern Tang Dynasty.After entering the territory of the Shu Kingdom, if something happened, the Shu Kingdom could not explain it to the Southern Tang Dynasty, and it would be a shame for the Shu Kingdom.What's more, now that the transit and exit tax rates for Southern Tang goods have been raised, killing him will not help, at most it can only be used to vent anger.Therefore, the Kingdom of Shu would not do such a thing with the face of a country. If the assassins who were unsuccessfully assassinated in Tanzhou were indeed sent by the Kingdom of Shu, then the assassins against him would definitely be removed after the Southern Tang officially announced the tax increase.Even if the assassin was not sent by the Shu Kingdom, this time he came to Chengdu as an envoy from the Southern Tang Dynasty, the Shu Kingdom would do everything possible to ensure his safety.

"A few days ago we were walking around, followed by a group of guards from the Shu Kingdom. But since noon today, the guards of the inner guards have disappeared. But there are more clothes around us. A young scholar with a unified logo, judging from his clothes, he looks like a member of the Nine Classics Academy of Shu Kingdom." Bu Fu replied. "Is it the Nine Classics Academy composed of hundreds of dormitories that Wu Zhaoyi founded with his own money?" Gu Zijing asked. "Exactly, although it is clearly said that it is Wu Zhaoyi's private property, all the useful funds are actually taken from the royal treasury. It is clearly a school for preaching and teaching, but it is actually a place for training royal guards. The folks It is rumored that Meng Zhixiang, the former emperor of the Shu Kingdom, did not die of illness, but was assassinated by someone who broke into the palace. Therefore, the first thing Meng Chang did after he ascended the throne was to eradicate some arrogant and domineering old officials who might threaten his throne. They are searching for the mastermind behind the assassination of Meng Zhixiang in a net-like manner. They would rather kill a hundred by mistake than let one go. The second thing is to set up the Jiujing Academy and Wuwenyuan Pavilion. One is to train masters to deal with assassins, and the other is Directly recruit experts who can use it for oneself directly from the Jianghu. Then don’t ask the source hall. Although it has such a name, it is actually very difficult to enter. The so-called don’t ask the source just doesn’t care about your original status, whether you are an official or a thief. But join The relationship between the three generations of the author must be investigated clearly, and various tests will be set up. After making sure that there is no resentment or conflict with the Meng family, they will be entered into the Wuwenyuan Museum. And the members of the Jiujing Academy are all Orphans who are homeless and have no parents in various places have been admitted to the academy for rigorous training in both civil and military fields since they were ignorant, so there is no need to check three generations and tests. After continuous screening, all those left are those who are beyond ordinary people in all aspects Outstanding."

"I've heard of this. The people in Wuwenyuanguan are mainly responsible for secret foreign affairs, including assassination. The Jiujing Academy is responsible for the defense of the inner palace, and specializes in anti-assassination. Wuwenyuanguan is almost an open organization. Zhao Chongzuo is in charge. The Nine Classics Academy is a completely secret organization under the jurisdiction of Wu Zhaoyi, and usually only protects royal dignitaries. From this point of view, they withdraw the imperial guards and replace them with experts from the Nine Classics Academy. To better protect us." Before Gu Zijing went to Shu as an envoy, he had a certain understanding of the internal situation of Shu, so he knew some things about the Nine Classics Academy.But what he said was not complete. The masters of the Nine Classics Academy were not only used to deal with assassins, but also used to deal with their own people.The ministers of the court, the emperor's cronies, and the relatives in the harem, these people are all under the surveillance of the Jiujing Academy.Because since the assassination of Meng Zhixiang, the Shu royal family's defense focus has been concentrated within the close range.This measure is not wrong at all. What should those common people who don't see each other guard against?They simply have no ability and no chance to be against the Royals.And credible people are often terrible people, and close people are often murderous people. "Not necessarily, it's also possible that they have become suspicious of our activities these past few days, so they sent experts from the academy to investigate what our intentions are." Bu Fu said worriedly. "There is also a possibility that the King of Shu is already preparing to summon us. So let the masters first identify our identities and appearances, and then find out whether our identities correspond to prevent being replaced by others. In fact, up to now, my task has almost It's done, it doesn't matter whether you see the King of Shu or not. It's just that I don't know if things are going well with Mr. Xiao, but his task is also irrelevant to the King of Shu, and it doesn't matter whether he sees the King of Shu or not." Gu Zijing's analysis is very good . "I heard that Mr. Xiao has found the right owner, and all the gold and silver treasures that have been dredged have been collected, and the items to be checked have also been sent over. I just wait for the reply from the other end." Bu Fu sometimes knows things better than his master. Both are more. "However, after we go back, we still have to remind him that we have good excuses for wandering around the city and visiting officials of Shu these days. A proper way of saying this is that if the King of Shu asks him the reason why he has been walking around for the past few days, and if he tells the real purpose, the King of Shu might be jealous." Gu Zijing's worry is correct, the Southern Tang Emperor's affairs should be handled in the Kingdom of Shu. Moreover, buying Meng Chang's most trusted Daoist Shen to do it would indeed make Meng Chang think differently.