Chastity Layman

The bamboo garden in Ludaofang was originally called Bailianzhuang, because there is a five-acre pond in it, and white lotus is planted. However, Qin Lang didn't like this name, and felt that white lotus, like green tea, had some bad meanings. Although people in this era didn't understand it, he still felt a little hiccupped in his heart.

Qin Lang couldn't live in the luxurious Cherry Island covering an area of ​​one hundred acres, but Qin Lang chose to live in the bamboo garden, mainly because he was annoyed.

Although it's not the time of Empress Wende's national mourning, Qin Lang is a well-deserved king of heaven. As soon as he returns to the capital, he will automatically become the top searched man in Luoyang with top traffic.

After all, who can control the five military and political affairs by one person, and also serve as the five governors of Guangjiao Kun, Wu'an, and Tonghai?

This holy family can be said to be the most well-deserved number one in the Zhenguan Dynasty, even the grandson Wuji, the uncle of the country who inspected the school's scriptures, can't compare.

Therefore, Qin Lang, who has just received a sword from the emperor, two horses, and a hundred catties of gold, will always have people wanting to visit him during this period, whether he knows him or not, court officials, aristocratic scholars, and even officials from the Imperial Academy The students, the officials and envoys of the vassal state of Luo Piao in Luoyang City, and some Hu merchants all wanted to come to pay their respects, give some gifts, and make connections.

It doesn't matter if you have something to do or not, the important thing is to see Duke Wei, to be able to say a few words to Duke Wei, even if it's just to see him from a distance, as long as you can enter Duke Wei's mansion, you can go out Become a proud capital.

A lot of humble scholars took their poems, songs and Fu works and waited hard outside the Cherry Island for the opportunity to pass by the Weiguo Highway, so that they could present their works to the Duke of Wei. Even a few comments are enough.

There are also many merchants who came here with their own goods, money, and family business, just to dedicate them to the Duke of Wei. The Duke of the State of Wei actually only pays dividends to the dry shares of the Duke of Wei's government every year.

This kind of game has been played for thousands of years, the collusion of power and money, each takes what it needs, even many peasants like this, take their own little fields and houses to the powerful, and take the initiative to be slaves or part-timers , so that you can evade taxes and still plant your own land, but pay some rent to the powerful every year, and everyone gets their own benefits.

Although the situation has improved greatly since the reforms in the Zhenguan period, the main reason is that the rich and powerful have lost many privileges. How much tax has to be paid, so it is not worthwhile to accept contributions.

After the common people pay taxes according to the number of acres and households, there are new policies such as sharing the land into the acres, and paying labor and paying money. Whoever is so cheap still wants to continue to be a slave.

But for businessmen, although the industrial and commercial tax law has also been reformed, unlike traditional land cultivation, industry and commerce has its own laws of the market economy. The powerful not only hold great power, but also have huge capital themselves. In addition to their connections, etc., they have unparalleled advantages in the economic field.

Ordinary businessmen, if they don’t find a strong backer, can only be leeks, and they will be slaughtered if they are fattened up, so they take the initiative to invest in the rich and powerful, entrust the property under the name of the rich and powerful, and give dry shares as dividends every year. It's better than being killed by someone directly, and being a leek is definitely better than being killed by a pig.

The vast majority of people want to see Qin Lang because they want to see Qin Lang.

Cherry Island in Shanglinfang can't go back, Qin Lang can only hide in the bamboo garden in the walkway, where few people know about it.

Moreover, Ma Zhou and Xu Jingzong are next door, so it is very convenient to drink tea and chat with each other about chess.

Although Xu Jingzong is a bit snobbish, he may have no power. The disciples of the famous family have a strong foundation and are also smart. After several years of ups and downs, they are now worshiped by the central government. They respect Qin Lang, a former subordinate. of.

This respect is not entirely from the heart, the two can only be said to be a cooperative relationship, which is different from a true bosom friend like Ma Zhou, but at this stage, Xu Jingzong is definitely an advantageous partner.

Although the bamboo garden is quiet, there are still people who come to disturb it.

afternoon.

Qin Lang had just dozed off for a while, when Zhang Chao said that Mr. Pei had come.

This Mr. Pei was Qin Qiong's adoptive son, and he was Pei Xingjian, the youngest son of Pei Renji, his former boss at the end of the Sui Dynasty, and the younger brother of Pei Xingyan, the enemy of ten thousand people.

After Pei Renji's father and son Wagang were defeated, they took Qin Qiong and others to join Wang Shichong. Later, both father and son were killed when they wanted to get rid of Wang Shichong. Pei Xingjian was still very young and escaped in his hometown. He was adopted as a adopted son and raised by himself.

Qin Lang was also very kind to this adopted brother. When he was the owner of the Chongxian Hall, he arranged for him to go in to accompany the prince to study. Later, Pei Xingjian took part in the imperial examination. While continuing to study, he took the imperial examination again after three years, but this time it was a more difficult Jinshi subject, and he won the Jinshi in one fell swoop, and he was still third.

Qin Lang came forward to help him again and transferred him to Chang'an County Captain, which was Qin Lang's first official position.

Although it is a righteous brother relationship, in fact Qin Lang is also a teacher and a friend. Although Pei Xingjian has already become a Chang'an county captain, he is only 20 years old this year. When Qin Qiong brought him to Chang'an from Pei's hometown in Hedong At that time, he was only nine years old, and Qin Lang personally taught him martial arts, calligraphy, and the art of war.

He grew up with Luo Tong, Cun Xiao, Cun Yi and others.

The real elder brother is like a father.

Pei Xingjian, the captain of Chang'an County, also came to Luogong for the funeral of Empress Wende, so he naturally had to come here to see Qin Lang, his elder brother.

"Long and strong again!"

Pei Xingjian has a bit of his father and brother's excellent general genes, but he still has the temperament in the bones of the famous Pei family in Hedong. He is tall and handsome in his twenties, and he salutes Qin Lang as soon as he comes in.

"Brother, I brought a friend to visit today."

"Who is it?"

"The current provincial Dianyi, called Li Yifu, is very talented. His hometown is Yingzhou, Hebei. Later, because his grandfather served as the magistrate of Shehong County in the middle of Shu, he moved to Jiannan. In the middle of Shu, I recommended myself to my grandfather in Songzhou, and my grandfather recruited him into the government as an aide, because he was good at writing articles, so he recommended the imperial court.

·······

Dian Yi is just a small official from the ninth rank, and his main duty is to roll the names in the hall during the court meeting.

Qin Lang, the new school servant, had no impression of his subordinate Yamen, but he was still a little surprised when he heard the name Li Yifu.

Li Yifu, the prime minister of Empress Wu, and Xu Jingzong should be regarded as a pair, and they are called traitors.

He looked at Ma Zhou, and then at Xu Jingzong who was opposite Ma Zhou. Today, the minister of Zhongshu Province and the minister of inspection came to his neighbor for dinner, and after dinner they played chess together.

"Outside the door?"

"Well, if brother doesn't want to see you, I'll go and talk to him."

Qin Lang smiled, "Since you're here, let's meet."

"I'll call him."

"The visitor is a guest, I will go with you to welcome you."

Although Xu Jingzong was playing chess with Ma Zhou, his chess strength was much stronger than Ma Zhou's, but he deliberately reserved some of his strength, pretending to play against his opponent, but actually he kept his ears open to listen to Qin Lang's words.

Li Yifu, under his family Dianyi, is a small official from the ninth grade, and he is not a nobleman. His grandfather has only served as a county magistrate, and his father has never been an official. He is a typical poor family. But since this kid was recommended by the Tai Bao Qin Qiong to join the court, now that Qin Lang took the initiative to welcome him, it was not easy.

Could it be that there is something else going on here?

Could it be that Li Yifu is a confidant of Tai Bao Qin Qiong and sent to the capital, that's why Qin Lang is so polite?

I secretly wrote down the name Li Yifu in my heart.

Qin Lang thought of the name Li Yifu, but actually he couldn't remember too much about Li Yifu's deeds. He only knew that he was an adulterer in Wu Zetian's era who was as famous as Xu Jingzong, but it seemed that he had died before Wu Zetian officially ascended the throne. Later, he died of anxiety and anger, but as soon as Wu Zetian came to the throne, he was posthumously posthumously made him the governor of Yangzhou. It can be seen that the demotion of Li Yifu must have been caused by the fierce power struggle between Gaozong Wu's court and China, and Li was always a member of Wu's family.

Thinking about it again, it seems that Li Yi's mansion was able to start with a little cold, and finally become powerful. The key is that he became the official of Jin Wang Li Zhi not long after entering the court. This is the most important step. Li Zhi accidentally picked up a prince in the last year of Zhenguan. As a result, many people in Jinwangfu also ascended to heaven with chickens and dogs.

Li Yifu was that person, and later he stood on Wu's side, and Xu Jingzong helped Wu's to overthrow Changsun Wuji and his elders, and overthrew the Guanlong faction, and indeed made a lot of contributions.

From a certain point of view, Xu Jingzong and Li Yifu actually took the same route as Qin Lang. Qin Lang also relied on the merits of supporting Conglong and establishing authority for the emperor to eliminate dissidents. of.

All are personal servants of the emperor.

Of course, they are also very capable.

It is said that when Li Yifu was young, he was a very upright and straightforward person, and he was extremely talented and learned, especially good in writing articles.

Perhaps it is precisely because of this that Qin Qiong strongly recommends a scholar from a slightly poor background, and it is also because of this that he can be selected as an official by the Ministry of Officials.

Outside the door, Qin Lang saw Li Yifu for the first time, and his first impression was that he was really a scholar with a beautiful face, with red lips and white teeth, upright and handsome. people favor.

"Hello, please come in." Qin Lang greeted with a smile.

Li Yifu was stunned, his face turned red with excitement, although it was not the first time he saw Qin Lang, let alone the first time he came to Beijing, but although he was recommended by Qin Qiong to be an official in the court, his background restricted him, so he had no choice but to As a small official from the ninth rank, Li Yifu has seen the vast world outside and realized his own insignificance in the capital where purple scarlets are everywhere. Even if he has the ability to write articles, so what. He is such a wit.

Countless young heroes, which article is poorly written? But how many can get a chance?

Before coming to the capital, he had the feeling that his talents were underappreciated. After meeting Qin Qiong, he also felt that it was difficult for Jiannan to develop his ambitions. But it was only after he arrived in the capital that he realized that he was so small and overestimated himself.

He once went to visit Changsun Wuji, but he was turned away. He went to visit Fang Xuanling again, but he didn't pass the gatekeeper. The name sticker was thrown into a big basket by the gatekeeper, which was full of There are famous stickers of young scholars like them, petty officials and officials, and there are even many poems written by scholars.

It has only been more than half a year since he became an official in the court, and the passion of Li Yifu has been worn down. A few days ago, he happened to meet Pei Xingjian, the captain of Chang'an County who came to Luo, and knew that he was the adopted son of the old boss Qin Qiong, so he took the initiative to visit and chat However, it was rare to have a sense of confidant, so he took the opportunity to propose to take Pei with him when he came to visit Qin Lang.

When he was just standing outside this door waiting, he also thought about it, maybe it turned out that Qin Lang didn't have time to see him, didn't want to see him, and came here for nothing, but he didn't expect that Qin Lang not only saw him, but even went out to greet him in person Him, it flattered him.

"Duke Wei, Li Yi's Mansion of Dianyi under the humble family..."

"This is not a public office. You are from Songzhou, Jiannan. You were my grandpa's guest before, and you came to the capital. Come to me for a walk. Let's go. Today, the neighbor's Gaotang county stallion servant and Mr. Gaoyang County Marquis Xu Shilang is also there, and they are also masters of writing. I heard that you write a good article, so it’s just a good time to make friends with writing..."