Chapter 73 No Good Banquet
Chen Ping laughed it off and said no more, then welcomed the Liu father and son in.
as expected.
At this time, there were already quite a few people in the banquet hall of Liangzhou Prefecture. At a glance, they were all state marquises and county marquises in Liangzhou. Seeing the Liu family father and son coming in, everyone had different looks, but seeing how polite Chen Ping was to them, they could only stand up and welcome him in various ways.
"Liu County Marquis, how are you?"
"Mr. Liu, are you okay?"
Liu Zheng and the other person also greeted them and then found a seat to sit down.
"Marquis Liu, your seat is over here."
Unexpectedly, the butler in charge of the dinner laughed and pointed to a seat next to him.
Everyone was shocked when they saw it, and suddenly, a weird atmosphere arose and filled the whole place.
The seating order in Liangzhou Prefecture is, of course, also very particular. In Liangzhou, there are a total of three prefecture marquises, one is the prefect Chen Ping, one is the prefect Baiya, and one is the prefect Chenzhou. However, the other two prefects are still subordinate to Chen Ping. It is said that Chen Ping will be promoted to the governor of Liangzhou this year. The rest are all county marquises. In the Longyan Dynasty, this non-royal title is worthless, which is actually affected by the feudal system.
However, the seat that Chen Ping prepared for Liu Dahao was actually on the same level as the other two prefects.
This is quite meaningful.
The others looked at each other in bewilderment. What did Chen Ping mean by this? A few days ago, he was still clamoring to deal with Liu Dahao, but today he was... Was he deliberately trying to embarrass Chen Ping?
Liu Dahao was even more terrified: "Master Chen, you must not do this, you must not do this!"
Chen Ping laughed and said, "Why not? Liu Xianhou has been in office for only three months in Yinzhou, and his achievements are remarkable and his reputation is well-known. Especially the financial revenue and expenditure disclosure, which is very popular with me! There are not many good officials who are role models in the world and serve the people wholeheartedly!"
These words were powerful and sincere, but Liu Zheng did not know whether to laugh or cry. He had no idea what Chen Ping was up to.
"Yeah yeah!"
"Liu County Marquis has made great contributions and deserves it!"
"sit down!"
When the other county lords heard this, they all followed Chen Ping's rhythm.
Liu Dahao looked at Liu Zheng with a bitter face, but he had already cursed Chen Ping eight hundred times in his heart. He was just a county marquis, sitting in the position of a state marquis, wasn't this a slap in the face in public, making these people hate him to death?
Liu Zheng smiled coldly in his heart. He knew that there would be no good banquet in Liangzhou Prefecture. He did not expect that Chen Ping would make a move as soon as he came in. He could only nod at Liu Dahao, who then wiped his cold sweat and sat down. Liu Zheng also sat next to him, intending to see what Chen Ping was going to do tonight so that he could respond.
After Chen Ping sat down, he raised his glass and laughed: "Every year, the Liangzhou government reports on its work. Although it is called a report, it is just a gathering for everyone! Although Liangzhou was troubled by the Xiongnu on the border this year, the weather was generally good. We should feel the emperor's grace and the world is peaceful !"
Everyone stood up and responded loudly.
"The emperor's grace is great, and the world is at peace!"
After one drink, the atmosphere became lively, with beautiful women dancing in the hall and the sound of stringed instruments rising.
A county official nearby clapped and laughed: "Today, the Fengming Tower float plays the song "The Dragon Flame of the Prosperous Era", which speaks of the emperor's grace in the prosperous era. I heard that the lyrics and music were composed by Master Liu, what a talent!"
Everyone praised it highly.
Liu Zheng could only raise his glass again and take a sip of his own drunk Yinzhou.
After the song and dance, Chen Ping looked at Liu Dahao again and laughed, "Liu County Marquis's several decrees are well-known throughout the world and have achieved outstanding results. I have already reported them to the Crown Prince in the capital. The Crown Prince praised them generously. I am afraid that soon, he will make Liu County Marquis a state marquis!"
"What?"
Liu Dahao was stunned.
Liu Zheng also frowned, and the others were even more envious and jealous. They all raised their glasses to congratulate Liu Dahao. Regardless of whether they were sincere or not, this was the fourth marquis title in the entire Liangzhou. Who wouldn't be envious?
Chen Ping continued with a smile, "I think that the several decrees of Yinzhou are being implemented in Liangzhou! Especially the financial disclosure, the people are loyal, and it should be promoted in a big way. What do you think?"
When these words were spoken, everyone was shocked.
"My lord, you must not do that!"
"We are an agricultural county in Kezhou. If there is no agricultural tax, what will happen?"
"Yes, I am Wuzhou..."
Everyone is complaining.
Chen Ping slammed the table and stood up, his face full of anger: "What do you mean, Liu County Marquis can do it, but you can't do it?"
At this moment, everyone looked at Liu Dahao angrily, blaming him for roasting them on the fire rack, which was abominable.
Liu Zheng sighed deeply after hearing this. The ancient officialdom was full of twists and turns. He could see that Chen Ping did it on purpose to arouse public anger. Knowing that his father was unable to deal with it, Liu Zheng quickly stood up and clasped his fists and said, "Master Chen, I think what you masters said is right. Only by adapting to local conditions can we cure the root cause! Yinzhou was originally an unruly place, so it was possible for father to vigorously rectify it. The other states and counties in Liangzhou have long had stable income and expenditure, and their balance must not be disrupted!"
Others also responded.
Chen Ping then suppressed his anger and laughed: "That's right, but, in any case, it is okay to make public the income and expenditure, right? There is no need to mention this matter again, it must be popularized!"
Liu Zheng wanted to speak more.
"My lord, you must not do that!"
At this moment, a fat governor next to the Liu family father and son knelt on the ground, shouting, "Publicly disclose the income and expenditure, what can I do with Baiya? Sir, you also know that Baiya's income and expenditure are complicated, and even the accounts are not in my governor's mansion. This, this, this..."
"What?"
Chen Ping was immediately furious: "You are a prefect, but you can't get the accounts? What use are you? Come here..."
Everyone was shocked and tried to dissuade him.
Zhang Chengjiang, the governor of Baiya, prostrated himself on the ground, howling and complaining about the current situation of Baiya. The Baiya army was so powerful that the governor's mansion was useless. Twenty thousand elite soldiers dared not even fart in the face of the Baiya army. Even in Baiya Prefecture, many businesses that should have been managed by the governor's mansion had been taken away by the Baiya army... Which of the three heads of Baiya was not higher in status than him, the governor?
How dare he, a prefect, disclose his income and expenditure?
I’m afraid that by then, we will be suppressed by the Baiya Army!
"Liu County Marquis, you can't do this! This matter is really difficult, you have to help me speak up!"
"Liu County Marquis!"
Everyone was stunned.
A dignified marquis of a province actually knelt down to beg a county marquis. This made Liu Dahao look extremely panicked and he didn't know how to respond.
There was total silence at the scene.
Chen Ping's face was even more gloomy as he looked at Liu Zheng.
Liu Zheng was suddenly at a loss whether to laugh or cry.
Chen Ping went through a lot of trouble to tell himself a few things: First, I, Chen Ping, want to make peace with you. It is not impossible for you to marry my daughter. Second, I have asked the prince for a state marquis for you. It will arrive today. But... Third, if you want to be worthy of this state marquis, you must be the enemy of the Baiya Army! In other words, you can't stand on the side of the queen, you should choose to cling to the prince's thigh!
As an official of Liangzhou Prefecture, you should know what is right and wrong.
If not, you and your son from the Liu family will probably offend the entire Liangzhou Prefecture and the more than 30 prefectures and counties!
"snort!"
"You are a prefect, yet you are afraid of the bandit army!"
"How shameful!"
Everyone was trembling with fear.
If you are not afraid, why don't you send troops to destroy it? Of course, they dare not say this.
"In that case, let's discuss it later!"
Chen Ping glanced at Liu Dahao and said lightly.
Continue drinking and watching singing and dancing.
By the time Liu and his son returned to the inn, it was already late at night.
"My son, what should I do as a father?"
Liu Dahao was worried.
Liu Zheng took a deep breath and said, "Dad, you must not get close to old Chen Ping."
Liu Dahao agreed with this: "Dad, how could I not know this guy's temper? He is an expert at killing the donkey after he has done his job! How could I be fooled by this bastard? Pah!"
Liu Zheng was thinking that Chen Ping wanted the Yinzhou Chamber of Commerce to fight with the Baiya Chamber of Commerce, which did not fit in with Liu Zheng's blueprint for the next step of development. After all, if he could really get the title of Marquis of the state this time, Liu Zheng would start the salt transportation business when he returned to Yinzhou... In ancient times, this was definitely a business that would cost you your life! But it was definitely a very profitable industry! It even made money faster than soap and perfume.
But Liu Zheng didn't dare to do it, firstly because prefectures and counties were not qualified to make salt privately, they were only qualified to sell it.
Second, Liu Zheng knew that once this thing was made, it would definitely attract a lot of attention. Before, Yinzhou did not have enough power to protect this kind of workshop. Even after getting the title of state marquis and truly taking Yangzhou into his pocket, this business could not be too rampant...Official salt, official salt, this is something that only the court can make, and the government below can only sell it.
So, in this situation, Liu Zheng naturally wanted to cooperate with the unofficial Baiya Army.
Instead of Liangzhou Prefecture!
He didn't want to give Chen Ping another handle so that he could kill him at any time! The most important thing was the advantage in territory. Yinzhou was located in the westernmost part of Liangzhou, and Baiya was in the northwest. In other words, Baiyazhou was right above Yinzhou, with only two counties in between. If Liu Zheng could open up this line and sell refined salt through the Baiya Army, then the entire Yinzhou would not have to pay agricultural taxes, and even commercial taxes would not be collected, and everyone could be guaranteed to have enough to eat.
In addition, Chen Ping's previous suppression of Liu Dahao had created an indelible hatred between the two families. How could Liu Zheng believe him?
"So, my son, we should still please the Queen! We should capture Zheng Yueru!"
Liu Dahao's next words made Liu Zheng roll his eyes again.
The next day.
It was the Lantern Festival, and it was also the day when the Empress returned to visit her parents. Liangzhou City was on high alert from early in the morning, and the atmosphere was tense. The Liangzhou soldiers had a guard every three steps and a sentry every five steps to prevent any possible assassination.
Early in the morning, Zheng Yueru ran to find Liu Zheng with a bitter face: "Brother Liu, you were indeed a bit rash yesterday. Yueru thinks that the "Prosperity of Dragon Flame" should be performed best tonight! Hey, Xiao Ruzhi from the Lanxiang class prepared a court dance overnight, and I heard that it is comparable to "Prosperity of Dragon Flame"! "
Liu Zheng said calmly, "Who said I'm going to be on "Shengshi Longyan" tonight?"
"ah?"
Zheng Yueru was stunned.
To welcome the Empress, don't we need "The Dragon Flame of the Prosperous Era"?
Isn't that prepared for the princess?
Liu Zheng laughed and said, "Don't worry, my Fengming Tower will definitely win tonight!"
The two walked to the street. The Queen officially returned to Liangzhou, and with the Lantern Festival, today would certainly be the busiest day. After walking for a while, they found that the Yinzhou Chamber of Commerce's logo was still everywhere.
The advertising effect is becoming increasingly evident.
The report from the front said that the Queen will arrive in Liangzhou at noon, rest for an afternoon, and then come to attend the Oiran meeting.
So, at this time, the streets were crowded with people, all waiting for the arrival of the imperial princess who came from Liangzhou.
Just then, a hearty laugh rang out.
"Mr. Liu, what a coincidence, we meet here!"
Liu Zheng felt a headache. It was that Du Biao again!
With a smile on his face, Liu Zheng turned around.
Du Biao had already approached and said with a chuckle, "Mr. Liu, are you interested in joining me in meeting the Empress Dowager?"
Liu Zheng smiled bitterly. Is this going to be announced directly in public?
Zheng Yueru also took a deep breath, and then her face changed drastically, as if she had figured something out.
