Chapter 2573
Tao Hongfang and Ning Zijing benefited a lot from this conversation with Li Fa. They had more or less thought that the Yangzhou salt merchants were trying to exploit their business, but now it seems that the government is deliberately supporting it, and the cooperation between the two parties is mutually beneficial. The relationship is more complicated than they previously expected, and it involves far-reaching things. It’s not just in the business field.
After the two returned to the inn, Bai Letong came back not long after. Tao Hongfang asked about the progress of his trial work in the township. Bai Letong, probably because something was not going well, was too angry to talk more, and instead asked them about the meeting with Li Fa.
After listening to the two people's stories, Bai Letong said: "After all, the Yangzhou salt merchants are just another interest group that is on the rise! They are not the first, and they will not be the last. I don't think so. We must be too nervous about their existence. Will our parents turn a blind eye to the problems we can see? Only if our parents are willing to give them a chance will they be able to control them. "
Tao Hongfang responded: "That's the truth, but I think it's better for us to sort out some things ourselves. There are a lot of things here that we haven't come into contact with before, and they are quite interesting to study."
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Interest groups like the Yangzhou Salt Merchants are indeed not uncommon in the Haihan Kingdom. However, compared with the first-mover advantage of other groups that started from the dragon earlier, the Yangzhou Salt Merchants, a latecomer, can only use more means. in exchange for official trust. Whether it is spending a lot of money to support Haihan's various engineering projects and military operations, sending children to study abroad in Hainan Island, or joining the military and politics in Haihan, they are all serving this purpose.
Of course, for young second-generation people such as Tao Hongfang, this situation is still somewhat fresh, giving them the opportunity to observe from a close distance how businessmen strive for their own interests during the period of changing dynasties. We can learn how the government uses various means to control these private interest groups.
Tao Hongfang himself works in the Ministry of Commerce, which is considered one of his duties. However, he did not have such an opportunity to contact the outside world in Sanya before. This time, his father Tao Donglai specially sent him to Hangzhou to broaden his horizons. You won't miss this opportunity easily.
However, several friends who came to Hangzhou with Tao Hongfang were not so interested in this matter. Ha Jianyi went to Zhoushan to inspect the East China Sea Fleet, but he didn't know when he would return to Hangzhou. Bai Letong was so worried about the upcoming provincial examination that he had no time to worry about other things.
Although Ning Zijing is half the same as Tao Hongfang, he does not hold a position in the government, and he does not like to be bound by responsibilities. This trip to Hangzhou is just to gain experience while sightseeing. It was not his interest to follow Tao Hongfang to slowly investigate the details of the Yangzhou salt merchants.
Tao Hongfang saw that the two were not active in this and did not continue to persuade them to join. Anyway, according to what Li Fa said, a salt merchant from Yangzhou will come to Hangzhou in a few days, and there will be an opportunity for face-to-face communication. At that time, you can also find out the details of the other party.
A few days later, Tao Hongfang returned to the inn in the evening and was told that a guest was waiting for him. He turned out to be Shunfengxing shopkeeper Xu Wenlin, whom he had met a few days ago.
Before the deadline for their seven-day appointment, Xu Wenlin came to his door. Tao Hongfang couldn't help but worry that the other party had encountered some unsolvable troubles during the investigation, so he came to him for help.
When Xu Wenlin saw Tao Hongfang, he quickly stood up and saluted. Tao Hongfang nodded and told him not to speak yet and to come into the room with him before talking, in case the walls had ears.
Tao Hongfang asked Apeng to guard the door, and then asked Xu Wenlin: "Have you encountered any trouble when you came to me so soon?"
Xu Wenlin shook his head and said: "There is no trouble. I have roughly found out what Mr. Tao told me, and I am here to ask for instructions."
"Oh? So fast?" This was somewhat beyond Tao Hongfang's expectations. He originally thought that even if Xu Wenlin had a way to find out what he had designated, he would fully use up the seven-day time limit, but he did not expect that the other party could actually complete the task ahead of schedule. Xu Wenlin responded: "Since it is a matter assigned by Mr. Tao, I dare not neglect it at all. I should complete it as soon as possible."
Tao Hongfang was very satisfied with his attitude, nodded and said: "Okay! Then tell me first, how is the investigation going?"
After Xu Wenlin received Tao Hongfang's commission that day, he immediately launched the investigation work non-stop. He did not tell Tao Hongyanming what channels he would use to investigate, but to investigate multiple targets in just a few days was obviously not a task that could be accomplished alone. There must be a group of people working for him.
According to Xu Wenlin's investigation, there are currently twenty-seven people in the township trial office. Excluding the handymen who do errands, there are only seven truly powerful people. Of course, among these seven people, Bai Letong, who had just arrived in Hangzhou not long ago, was not included.
The focus of Xu Wenlin's investigation is these seven officials who can influence this year's provincial examination.
Among these seven people, only one is originally from Haihan, and he holds a part-time job, just in name, and does not have much time to work in the rural trial office. This person is affiliated with the military and was arranged by Shi Diwen to conduct the rural examination. His job content is to serve as a channel for the superiors to issue information, but he does not participate in the task of setting the questions for the rural examination. Moreover, this person lives in the south and currently has no relatives in Hangzhou, so it is basically certain that there is no suspicion.
Shi Diwen may have arranged for this person to monitor the trial run in the township, but after Bai Letong arrived in Hangzhou, this person went to the trial run in the township less often. It seemed that he planned to leave this job to Bai Letong.
The remaining six people were all former literati and officials appointed by Shi Diwen, and they were all natives of Zhejiang. It is really not an easy task to investigate the social relationships of these people in such a short period of time, but Xu Wenlin still managed it.
Then Xu Wenlin said: "After investigating these six people, I found that what Mr. Tao was worried about was indeed true. They may have descendants or disciples around them, who are preparing to participate in this year's provincial examination."
Tao Hongfang said: "You mean these six people all have this situation? Are you sure?"
Xu Wenlin nodded solemnly and said: "OK."
Tao Hongfang was silent. If the situation is really as Xu Wenlin said, then these people have actually committed a taboo. If they have acquaintances who want to take the provincial examination, they should avoid participating in the process of setting questions, invigilating and marking papers, but the reality is obviously not like this. If someone among them might leak test questions to the outside world, then the motivation is already very sufficient.
(End of chapter)