Chapter 178 The actions of the Salt Transport Division! (Third update)
Beiping is in full swing and everything is on track.
Yingtianfu.
The new salt transport envoy has been in office for more than half a month.
During this half month, officials under the Salt Transportation Department of Yingtianfu were gradually replenished, and officials such as Yun Tong, Yun deputy, transportation judge, and promotion were also successively arranged. The appointment of the Ming Salt Transport Envoy The official position is not low, starting from the third rank.
It's also a fat spot.
In this Guo Huan case, everyone from the Yingtian Prefecture Salt Transportation Department was dismissed.
The new salt transport envoy is Wei Heng.
Now, a small banquet is being held in Wei Heng's residence. The banquet is mainly for some officials of the Salt Transportation Department. In addition to these officials of the Salt Transportation Department, there is also a strange face. This person is not an official of the Salt Transportation Department. But it comes from the Ministry of Industry.
Wei Heng, the salt transport envoy, sat in the main seat, and his two deputies, Yun Tong and Yun Fu, were ranked second.
The three of them looked at each other, raised their wine glasses to Li Sheng, who was sitting at the end, and said with a smile: "During this period, your Majesty has been conducting strict inspections on officials and has raided many officials. I have many officials in the Salt Transportation Department." Something happened, and I, Wei Heng, was lucky enough to fall into His Majesty's eyes and rise to the top. I was promoted from a Taoist priest in the past to the chief officer of the Salt Transport Department."
"I wanted to invite my colleagues warmly, but I was short of money, so I just couldn't do it. We can serve you with some wine.”
“I’ll finish this glass of wine first.”
Wei Heng smiled at everyone and drank the wine in one gulp.
Li Sheng looked around nervously, feeling uneasy. In fact, he was not qualified to attend at all. The reason why he came this time was because he suddenly received the invitation. He did not dare to refuse and hurried over. , I was really panicked in my heart, not knowing why I came here.
But seeing what Wei Heng had said, he didn't dare not drink. He raised his glass and drank with everyone else.
See this.
Wei Heng laughed.
Immediately, Wei Heng's expression faded and he said in a deep voice: "The reason why I invited you all here this time is because we have important matters to discuss. The salt class has been an important position since ancient times, but now it is not Something is different. Since I took office, I have discovered a very bad thing."
"As the salt transport envoy of Yingtian Prefecture, I was in charge of the ten provinces in Zhili Province, dominated by Yingtian Prefecture. Salt lessons in four prefectures and four states.”
"Now with the rise of the Kyoto Salt Industry, many prefectures that used to belong to the Zhongshu Province of Zhili are affected by the Kyoto Salt Industry. The production and sale of salt do not go through the hands of the imperial court, and they all fall under the scope of the Kyoto Salt Industry. , the imperial court cannot supervise this at all."
"Salt is one of the lifeblood of the country."
"Although Xia Zhibai is called a business official, he is actually a salt dealer, but he steals local salt. The political power makes me a little uneasy, but Yingtian Mansion and a few places are fine, but Xia Zhibai recently submitted a letter to the court, intending to control the entire northern salt market."
"This makes many people in the world uneasy. ”
“Especially the salt-producing provinces of Huaihe, Zhejiang, and Fujian are dissatisfied with Xia Zhibai.”
"Xia Zhibai is too ambitious. If he really takes over the northern salt market, he will definitely not let go of the central and southern parts. By then, our Salt Transportation Department will become a decoration, and all we can do is look at Xia Zhibai's eyes. ."
"I can't interfere in the affairs of the north."
"But I can't give in to the salt class within Zhili Province."
" I can agree.”
“The officials below will not agree.”
"You have also seen that this time, in addition to inviting officials from the Salt Transportation Department, I also invited a special person."
"That is Li Sheng from Kyoto Salt Industry."
Wei Heng looked at Li Sheng with a smile.
Li Sheng stood up quickly and saluted the officials respectfully.
He knows his identity.
At best, he is just a 'official'. He is not in the same position as the officials here. He dare not be careless or disrespectful in any way.
Wei Heng said with a smile: "You must have heard of Li Sheng's name. It has been rumored in the city during this period, which makes people feel like thunder. How can Xia Zhibai's salt industry in Kyoto develop so smoothly? , mainly thanks to Li Sheng's sleepless nights and putting that steam engine into practice."
"The situation of salt production in the past has been changed."
Wen Yan.
Li Sheng's cheeks turned slightly red.
His own family knew his situation and had not accomplished so many things. Many of them were participated by Zhou Ning and others. However, they did put a lot of effort into improving the steam engine, and they did provide assistance for the explosion of the Kyoto salt industry. .
Wei Heng glanced at Li Sheng indifferently, with a flash of contempt in his eyes, and said: "Li Sheng is a talent. In the past, because his father worked for the old dynasty, he was targeted and suppressed by some people in the dynasty. Talent is difficult to display, but once given the opportunity, it is immediately revealed."
"The steam engine he handled is praised by the world."
"It attracts more attention from the people."
“But for such a talented person, I heard recently that his life in Kyoto Salt Industry was not satisfactory.”
Li Sheng smiled awkwardly. Seeing that Wei Heng had said this, he couldn't deny it, so he said smoothly: "It is indeed the case. Xia Jinshi wants us to design a textile machine for him, but he doesn't want to spend too much money." At the price, various restrictions have been imposed on us engineers, without any consideration for our thoughts.”
“Many people in the salt factory are dissatisfied at the moment.”
Wei Heng. He sneered and said disdainfully: "It seems that this Xia Zhibai has lived up to his reputation. Just like those senior officials in the Ministry of Works in the past, they could not see anyone who was more talented than themselves. If they didn't go their way, they would suppress them. This I am ashamed to be associated with such a person.”
“I have heard about it.”
“Engineer Li Sheng has made a lot of contributions to the Kyoto Salt Industry.”
"The Kyoto Salt Industry has been able to reach today and monopolize the salt markets of several prefectures step by step, largely due to steam engines. However, Li Sheng, who made the greatest contribution, did not receive the reward he deserved. I am also here for you. I feel regretful and unwilling.”
“These words should not have been said.” “It’s just that I, Wei Heng, have a sharp temper, so I can’t be more honest.”
"I'm not secretive, I'll get straight to the point."
"With the emergence of the Kyoto Salt Industry, the salt market in the Lianghuai region has been shaken, and local people have complained about it. ”
"You should have heard about the Lianghuai area. In the past, Zhang Shicheng started his business by selling illicit salt here. Many local people still remember Zhang Shicheng. Now, because of the Kyoto Salt Industry, many people in the Lianghuai area have started to remember Zhang Shicheng again. Zhang Shicheng's favor has, to a certain extent, intensified the local sale of illegal salt."
"This situation must be curbed."
"It is just that the salt policy of the court is difficult to change in the short term. The best way to change is to apply the method of Kyoto Salt Industry."
"I heard that you have been dissatisfied with Xia Zhibai for a long time. Have you ever thought about finding another place?"
"What if? If you can present the complete blueprint of the steam engine and help us stabilize the salt industry in the Huaihe and Huaihe areas, I will give you a few kind words to the court. In addition, I know many officials from the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Industry. I will ask them to recommend you. Maybe you will You can be directly promoted from an engineer to an 'officer'."
Hear the words.
Li Sheng's complexion changed slightly.
He did not expect that Wei Heng called him here to make him betray Xia Zhibai.
But the temptation is indeed big enough.
Be an official.
In this world, officials are officials and officials are officials.
Zhou Ning, who he knew so well, might not have been able to become an official in his life if he had not seized the good opportunity. If he continued like this, he would have no choice but to continue working as a "hundred workers" in the Ministry of Industry in order to get ahead. It is simply impossible to become an official.
He is still young.
Even if you are just a ninth-grade official, you may not be unable to be promoted in the future.
And he thinks his results are enough.
With his steam engine alone, he has become famous in Yingtian Mansion, praised by the people in the city, and envied by many engineers. When he becomes an official in the future, without the constraints of Xia Zhibai, his achievements will only be higher.
Li Sheng was moved.
Yun Tong Qiquan said with a smile: "Li Sheng, why don't you seize such a good opportunity?"
"This Xia Zhibai has made it clear that he does not trust you."
< br>“When I come back in the future, will I still have your good fruits to eat?”
"Xia Zhibai is narrow-minded and can't tolerate talented people. Do you still want to continue to be suppressed and continue to ignore talents?"
"You have already proven yourself, even if you bear some infamy, it doesn't matter. ? And you won’t bear the infamy. If you send out the detailed drawings of the steam engine, it will solve the salt situation in the entire south, reduce the burden on the people, and completely solve His Majesty’s concerns about the Huaihe River area.”
"You are taking care of His Majesty's worries."
"With such achievements, how can you not be reused by the court?"
"As the old saying goes."
< br>
"If you don't keep me here, there will be a place for you."
"Since Xia Zhibai cannot tolerate you, won't allow you to get ahead, and won't recommend you to the court, why should you continue to stay?"
>
"The world is vast. Besides Xia Zhibai, there are many people who appreciate you."
"There is no need to hang yourself on a tree."
Qi Quan and others followed the temptation .
While persuading him, he also poured wine for Li Sheng.
After a few glasses of hot wine, Li Sheng's mind recalled Xia Zhibai's past meanness, fussing over them, making all kinds of harsh accusations and demands, which annoyed them. I can no longer stand the guidance of laymen.
For a while.
Li Sheng thought of a lot.
I thought that after the steam engine was publicized, I suddenly became famous and was praised by many scholars and officials. I also thought about the 'textile machine' that I carefully designed, but was ruthlessly rejected by Xia Zhibai and was directly discontinued. In their future "iron measurement", they also thought of using the steam drawings to solve the instability of the Huaihe River for His Majesty. As a result, he was appreciated by His Majesty and got many opportunities that were not available before to show off his talents.
But Li Sheng was also worried.
Xia Zhibai was still frightened in his heart.
Xia Zhibai did share some steam engine drawings in the past, but those were the first few editions. Those drawings were not unusable, but the efficiency was very low and not as good as the Zaohu production in the past. Follow-up The improved steam engine was the key.
If you hand it over yourself.
Kyoto Salt Industry’s advantage in salt production will be lost.
Perhaps he could still have some advantages in a few places such as Yingtian Mansion, but it would be impossible to occupy the southern salt market in the future, and he would also completely hate Xia Zhibai. At the same time, he could use this to follow Wei Heng and other officials can build relationships and make friends with many southern officials, which can help them become officials.
All kinds of thoughts emerged in Li Sheng's mind.
Eventually.
His eyes became firm.
He looked at Wei Heng and took the initiative to pick up the wine glass: "I am willing to listen to the orders of the Salt Transport Envoy!"
(End of this chapter)