Chapter 554 – The Dragon’s Face is Angry

Zhang Anshi went over to take a look, in fact, his heart has already realized why this Hu Guang can not read.

It’s weird to read it!

This soporific is densely packed with numbers.

Zhang Anshi knew that the Arithmetic Academy had adopted the famous Arabic numerals of later times for the convenience of counting.

Of course, Arabic numerals have their drawbacks, namely, they are easy to confuse and falsify, so often, the total accounts will be followed by the numbers in Chinese characters at the same time to prevent tampering.

So by and large, this one zhengshi, becomes full of numbers, and in the eyes of the layman, it’s like a ghost picture.

It seemed, and everyone could see, that Zhang Anshi had read the sangha.

Then someone inquired, saying, “Your Highness, the King of Song, what is all this, up here?”

Zhang Anshi said, “It’s the number, all the money, food, taxes, and revenues from railroad operations for the entire Jiangxi Railway Division.”

The crowd heard, quite a bit of excitement, Xie Jin took the lead and said, “The number of geometry?”

Zhang Anshi, however, closed the zhengshi and said, “The number is not small, just ……”

“Just what?” Xie Jin was full of doubts.

Zhang Anshi said, “It’s just better to talk about it after the face of the saint.”

Hu Guang couldn t help but mumble, “What is this …… time selling ah.”

Zhang Anshi, however, laughed and said, “I’m afraid I’ll frighten you gentlemen if I say it now, this is for your health.”

“……”

Being so secretive made everyone even more curious.

So, Zhang Anshi ordered his servant to go and inform first and prepare for an audience with Zhu Di.

On the other hand, he hid in a corner and continued to open the zhengshi to read it.

In fact, Zhang Anshi is not afraid to scare them, but he himself although he can see, but these numbers, he himself was surprised, afraid that the railroad division side of the calculation is wrong, so they need to first accounts on a pair, lest by the time the imperial court embarrassed.

The reason why these accounts were complicated for even Zhang Anshi to read was because there were so many different revenues involved.

This is not the same as the accounts reported in the past, if it is Zhili, it is only responsible for reporting taxes and taxes, if it is Qixia merchant bank, it is only necessary to report revenues and profits.

But this railroad division, or rather, the Jiangxi Railway Division, in essence, it is a government, railroads, composite of commercial banks, the various revenues mixed together, a wide range.

Seeing Zhang Anshi looking down at the zhengshi and lost in thought.

Hu Guang several people, it would not be good to disturb.

Smart people, by and large at this time, is not going to continue to talk deeply on this, because soon can reveal the results, if you talk too much, but rather appear to be their own anxious, not stable.

Wanyuange Daoshi is regarded as Zaifu, Zaifu naturally should have Zaifu temperament.

Consequently, everyone drank their own tea and simply talked about some idle matters.

“I heard that right now, outside, there is a play that is hot.” Yang Rong smiled.

As soon as he heard the play, Xie Jin’s eyebrows moved slightly, but then he lowered his head to drink tea.

Hu Guang revealed a few points of displeasure, very unhappy said: “These so-called opera, said to entertain people, in fact, it is a bad heart of the thing, the readers should feel at ease reading, the people should feel at ease to make a living ……”

Yang Rong smiled and said, “Duke Hu, don’t be in a hurry, the old man said this opera, but also just want to understand some of the military and civilian people’s preferences. This opera is rumored to be popular all over the world, and now in the capital, all the opera troupes, are singing it.”

Xie Jin then said, “But I don’t know what it’s about?”

Yang Rong said: “said there is a family young master, because of the love of the master’s side of the maid, and its secret, and eventually gave birth to a son, after that, the young master but because of the family’s reasons, had to marry a thousand dollars as a wife, the maid was sent out, after that, that thousand dollars not long after the door, will be sick and died. The young master then renewed his wife, and married a lady, who knows, that maid’s child grew up, but with this renewed wife fornication ……”

Hu Guang put on an angry face and cursed under his breath, “It’s really hurtful!”

Seeing that Yang Rong didn’t squeak anymore.

Hu Guang couldn’t help but say, “Speak, what happened afterward?”

“I thought Hu Gong is not happy to hear it.” Said Yang Rong continued, “That side, but that was driven away from the maid, strayed into the civil world, gave birth to a daughter outside, who knows, that daughter …… even by mistake, but also into this young master’s residence as a maid.”

Hu Guang revealed a miserable look, “Needless to say, this is another human tragedy. Heavens, the hearts of people nowadays are so bad that they have reached such a point.”

Yang Rong said, “Lord Hu, can you keep your mouth shut.”

Hu Guang had to be silenced.

Yang Rong continued, “So then, the son born of this maid, but also looked at this maid, since it is extremely offer attentiveness.”

Hu Guang: “……”

Although Hu Guang wanted to curse a few more times, he finally held back.

Yang Rong said, “In the meantime, that renewed wife saw the situation, and naturally could not help but be jealous.”

Hu Guang coughed desperately.

Yang Rong glanced at him and continued, “But who would have guessed that just when this maid’s daughter and the maid’s son, the young master of the current residence, were about to fulfill their good deeds, this maid’s daughter, was even spotted by that current master and insisted on taking her as a concubine.”

“So then, one night, the young master made a scene in the mansion, and confronted the old master, only to finally reveal the past step by step, the old master realized that his son had actually fornicated with his stepmother. And the young master actually found out that the maid of the house is actually his half-brother and half-sister ……”

Hu Guang finally couldn’t bear it anymore and said angrily, “Don’t look at it if it’s not polite, don’t listen to it if it’s not polite, don’t say it, don’t say it.”

Young Wing is still really reticent.

Hu Guang saw that he did not say anything, and finally could not help but say, “These people in the back, can they be condemned by heaven?”

“That’s not true.” Yang Rong said with a smile.

Hu Guang exasperatedly said, “Hateful, the person who sings this opera is hateful, and the one who compiles this opera is also hateful. What happened afterward?”

Yang Rong, however, held back a smile at the corner of his mouth and said, “Doesn’t Lord Hu not want to hear it?”

Hu Guang tensed his face and said, “I just want to know the result.”

Yang Rong said: “The situation is more complicated than the party said, because this play old man can only say a rough, there are many more, are too late to say, in the middle of this story, it turns out that the maid of honor born of the maid of honor, in fact, before entering the house, had an affair with a certain man …… ”

Hu Guang showed a pained expression.

But I heard Yang Rong continue, “And this man who had set up an affair with the maid’s daughter, in order to find the maid’s daughter, actually also entered the mansion and became a horseman.”

Hu Guang exclaimed, “It’s really the world’s style, the world’s style is going down!”

Yang Rong said, “But this horseman begged but could not get, and saw the maid’s daughter almost to be dominated by the young master of the house, so in grief, hiding in the treasury to drink wine, and in a certain night, even with the renewed wife ……”

“What ……” Hu Guang clapped his hands, his eyes were as big as bronze bells, and the fire in his eyes seemed to burst out.

Yang Rong to him pressed the hand said:” no no no, Hu Gong, you first do not gas, you misunderstand, this horseman and the lady all have nothing to do with the lady, just the renewal of the lady, see the young master moved away from love, since the sadness from the heart, at this time heard the horseman’s sufferings, can not help but share the same feelings with him, and so will introduce the horseman into the inner house …… ”

Hu Guang then said, “So in the inner courtyard, this horseman renewed his relationship with that maid’s daughter?”

Yang Rong shook his head and said, “Nonetheless, this horseman entered the inner courtyard and actually gained the trust of the master, who saw that he was born fair and handsome, and even ……”

Hu Guang covered his eyes and exclaimed, “My God, this should be killed theater troupe.”

Yang Rong said, “Even made this horseman, a book boy.”

Hu Guang sighed, “Hurt the wind to this point.”

“And after this stable boy became a book boy, and got the favor of the master, then he had revenge in mind, and wanted to put the young master to death, and even more to kill the daughter of this maid, so he conspired with the wife of the renewed wife, and the two of them hooked up to become adulterers ……”

Hu Guang was already jaw-droppingly tired.

Yang Rong continued: “Until that night, the truth is revealed, the maid’s daughter, pain in their childhood sweethearts horseman even to this, immediately jumped into the well to kill themselves. The master never thought that his wife was so, angry with heart disease, actually died in the past. The wife of the renewed marriage was so ashamed that she fled in the night. The young master was disillusioned and fled the countryside. The horseman also learned that the maid’s daughter was actually still miss their own, and see the maid’s daughter killed herself, but also overwhelmed with grief, full of self-reproach, so incognito, and then returned to their hometown, only to learn that the family suffered a catastrophe, parents and brothers all starved to death, the family’s fields, also all pawn.”

Hu Guang this is a long sigh of relief, said, “This is more or less the same, at least …… there is always a karma in, the back is always gone.”

“And.” Yang Rong said.

Hu Guang: “……”

Hu Guangfang Fang’s face that had loosened up, all of a sudden tensed up again.

Xie Jin smiled and looked at Hu Guang.

And Jin Youzi actually listened intently, feeling that he couldn’t get enough.

Yang Rong said: “That young master, is not far away from home? But by mistake, boarded a merchant ship to go overseas, first in the merchant ship to do sailors to make a living, and then arrived in Java, but somehow, doing business, earned a waist of ten thousand dollars. His family business, even more than his ancestral property ten times, a hundred times, so he was in Java, repairing bridges and paving roads, repairing virtues and doing good deeds, rumored to be a good story.”

Hu Guang: “……”

“And that horseman, almost to starve to death, suddenly the postal service to recruit workers, he was desperate, even went to the recruitment, was lucky to get in, because of the hands and feet of the diligent, do things carefully, even began to earnest up, married a wife, gave birth to many children, the days are also flourishing.”

Hu Guang: “……”

Out of the corner of his eye, Yang Rong glanced at Xie Jin.

Xie Jin smiled and said, “Yang Gong has always been smart, but I would like to ask, why is such an opera, can be popular all over the world?”

Yang Rong laughed, calmly said: “In fact, I was confused at first, but chewed, but also noticed that here is not simple, this play, both the gentry family, the high mansion of the matter, compiling this play, must also be a scholarly family origin, and thus will be in the house of the matter of the drama of the exquisite, teach many people, to be able to see that the life in the mansion, to meet the curiosity.”

“The second thing is, the relationship of the characters, both complex, but also connected to each other’s destiny, which inevitably added some adultery, maid and young master love, the horseman to change the fate of the bridge and so on, but also to teach the people and the people to listen to the army, greatly enjoyable.”

“Of course, this is ultimately less of that karma thing that turns into a pomp and circumstance warning.”

“And then later, although the young master and the horseman made a mistake, but also got retribution, since then, regained a new life, but also may not not not cause people to reverie.”

Hu Guang only shook his head and said, “The person who compiled this play has such a vicious mind, he really deserves death by a thousand cuts.”

“……”

But at this moment, a eunuch hurriedly came and said, “Your Excellencies, His Majesty has summoned all the princes for an audience.”

It was only then that everyone was silenced, quickly collecting their respective thoughts and getting up to straighten their clothes.

Zhang Anshi has finally checked the number and is also confident.

Thereupon, several people went together to the Chongwen Hall.

At this time, Zhu Di is listening to the Hanlin Academy spindle speech.

See all the bachelors audience, immediately smiled, said: “the ministers, I heard that the Jiangxi Railway Division has a request?”

Zhang Anshi then stepped forward and replied, “Yes, Your Majesty, the Jiangxi Railroad Division has come to the rescue.”

The Johnnies each had an indifferent expression.

In fact, their impression of the royal grandson was still good, only this royal grandson had gone a bit off track since he followed his uncle.

This is in everyone’s opinion, the royal grandson is a moldable talent, just on the wrong path.

However, this time, the situation in Jiangxi has worsened, so that many people have quite a bit of slander on the royal grandson, Jiangxi’s situation is so rotten, which is not unrelated to the royal grandson and the railroad division in the local nonsense.

Jiangxi is the land of fish and rice, has always been the focus of taxation, if even Jiangxi is so, then the rest of the world, I am afraid to follow the disaster.

Zhu Di at this time but quite a few nervous up, he is naturally also clear, now the scholar and the city, has begun to appear royal grandson in Jiangxi nonsense gossip.

Zhu Di of course knew that these rumors could not be taken seriously, but the problem was that the very fact that such rumors appeared was quite damaging to his grandson’s prestige.

Zhu Di was a bit anxious and immediately said, “Report it.”

Zhang Anshi said, “Jiangxi Railway Division, this year’s freight income, counting one million nine hundred and fifty thousand taels.”

When these words came out, the hundred officials first showed their surprise, and then they could not help but start whispering.

This number, obviously, is much more than anyone expected.

Not waiting for everyone to slow down, Zhang Anshi said: “The big head is freight transportation, revenue mainly depends on this, the single freight accounted for 80% of the revenue.”

Zhu Di listened to it and finally perked up, saying, “There’s such a lot?”

“After the railroad came through, the transportation of merchants and traders has been just unceasing, so to speak, night and day.” Zhang Anshi answered honestly.

In fact, this is also related to the great development of the railroad, because the large-scale construction of the railroad in Jiangxi, so a lot of business firms began to influx, a variety of equipment, materials and commodities, all need to be transported by rail.

For Zhu Di, this is like an unexpected surprise, can not help but rejoice: “This Jiangxi railroad, not yet fully through, and even Nanchang, Jiujiang and other places, through is only three or two months to half a year’s time, only these days, the railroad revenues have one hundred and ninety-five million, then the whole territory through, is not it to have more than five million two?”

Facing Zhu Di’s expectant gaze, Zhang Anshi said, “The Railroad Division also estimated it this way.”

Zhu Di roughly calculated, although I do not know how much pure profit, but this revenue, but also enough to cope with their own so much money invested, the heart of the heart since it is a joyful exception.

Only to see Zhang Anshi added: “Of course …… this railroad revenue, just a small head, your majesty …… these are actually nothing, in addition to the Division of Railroads also played up … …”

The monarchs and ministers all of a sudden did not squeak, if the freight greatly out of everyone’s expectations, Zhang Anshi actually only compared it to a small head, obviously, Zhu Di began to Zhang Anshi’s next words, even more to come to the interest.

Zhang Anshi said, “This more than a year, the Division of Railroads stations, the number of increased population, is one million one hundred and thirty thousand households ……”

One million one hundred and thirty thousand households ……

Everyone’s jaws had dropped.

And in an instant, many people began to panic, looking at each other in disbelief.

It seemed that at this moment, there was an unsettling sign that gradually appeared.

Sure enough, Zhu Di’s face, first from great joy, then his eyes began to become deep, and then, his face began to be cold as frost.

Zhu Di suddenly said coldly, “Is Xia Qing available?”

Ministry of household secretary Xia Yuanji, today also participated in the spindle speech, at this time can not help but stand out stiffly, said: “I …… in ……”

Zhu Di gaze like electricity, then fell on Xia Yuanji’s body, slowly said: “Jiangxi Buzhengji, household geometry?”

“This ……” responded Shahara Yoshi, actually starting to stumble.

He had to say with trepidation, “In the twenty-sixth year of the Hongwu …… Jiangxi Buzhengji’s household, the total number of households was eighty-nine million ……”

After a pause, Xia Yuanji continued, “After that, Yongle thirteen years, it is known because a large number of people in Jiangxi moved to Hubei and Guangdong and other places, thus …… there are households of seven hundred and thirty thousand.”

The hall was in an uproar at these words.

Zhu Di fierce burst of anger: “Since …… a few years ago, Jiangxi has seventy-three million households, but why now this Jiangxi Buzhengji Division, alone the population of the Division of migratory railroads, there have been one hundred and thirteen million households, more than the entire Jiangxi in the register of households into the majority?”

And it’s this problem that’s the scariest.

Hongwu years to now, has almost experienced two generations, two generations of time, the household not only did not increase, in this world peace, and in the land of fish and rice in Jiangxi, actually the household population has been reduced to seventy-three million households.

In the past, can also be used to explain the migration of people from Jiangxi to Hunan and Guangdong, but in fact, it is not explained, the migration of the population only how much?

Of course, in fact, during the Yongle period, the population decline in Jiangxi Buzhengzhi was still considered light.

What is more ridiculous is that in the history of the Ming Dynasty, Jiangxi has experienced a full hundred years of development, the whole of Jiangxi is almost in a time of peace, to the Wanli six years, the population of Jiangxi Buzhengzhi, actually registered in the register of only five hundred and eighty thousand households!

After ten generations, and with hardly any major natural disasters, no wars, and no plagues on a larger scale, the population plummeted by nearly half in the span of a hundred years.

And this so-called registered population is actually essentially a taxpaying population for the court.

No one thought that a royal grandson to report the accounts of the sangha, in the twinkling of an eye, has unveiled a terrible truth!