Chapter 33: Zhou Yang's Meeting

"I understand. I understand." Zhang Yunling was a little confident. After being surprised, she recovered from calmness and said, "Mr. Zhou wait."

Zhang Yunling instructed the Yang family servants beside him to entertain Zhou Mengchen, but he hurriedly left.

After a while, Zhang Yunling invited Zhou Mengchen to come in.

Under the guidance of Zhang Yunling, Zhou Mengchen entered the mourning hall.

It was winter.

In the mourning hall, there was air flowing from all directions, and the coldness came from all directions, which made people shudder. Under the white sides, Zhou Mengchen saw a man kneeling in front of the coffin, lonely like a piece of old wood.

This person is Yang Bo.

Seeing this, Zhou Mengchen saluted again before the old lady's spiritual position.

Yang Bo saluted as a filial son.

Zhou Mengchen sighed and said, "Shangshu Yang is mourning."

Yang Bo didn't say anything. After all, I don't know how many people said this to him. He had long since felt it. It was just that he felt so much sadness in his heart, but he also knew that Zhou Mengchen was not just for mourning.

Yang Bo said: "Mr. Zhou, this is not a place to speak, please come here."

Zhang Yunling had long left tactfully. Zhou Mengchen followed Yang Bo to a small room on one side.

Zhou Mengchen could tell at a glance that this was the place where Yang Bo would rest at night.

The place is not big, so you can only place one bed. Although there is bedding on the bed, it is still covered with straw mats.

Zhou Mengchen said, "Mr. Yang, why do you suffer like this?"

Yang Bo sighed and said, "I have not been with my mother for a long time in my life. In the blink of an eye, I have reached this point. I have no idea how to be between heaven and earth. This will make me feel more comfortable. Lord Zhou, you are here not just talking about this."

Zhou Mengchen could feel the pain in Yang Bo. Many times, physical pain has its limits, and spiritual pain has no limits. The limits of physical pain are nothing more than death. The pain in the mind can make people live worse than death.

Sometimes, people would rather use physical pain to relieve mental pain.

Zhou Mengchen said, "Today, I shouldn't have said this. However, Brother Yang can't stay in Puzhou for a few days. I can only take the liberty." Zhou Mengchen paused and said, "Brother Yang, I'm afraid there are also expectations. I came here this time to borrow money."

Yang Bo nodded and said, "As a mere million tael, for the current situation, it is simply a drop in the bucket. It is not enough. As a court official, I originally wanted to contribute to the court, but I also had to think about the elders of my hometown. I don't know how much money Lord Zhou wants. But it is definitely not a small amount. This is the foundation of the elders of my hometown, and I can't make decisions randomly. I can grit my teeth and make decisions. Just think it's contributed to the court. But this is not what Lord Zhou wants."

Zhou Mengchen said, "I know." Zhou Mengchen pondered for a moment and said, "Brother Yang, the court has been worrying about money for many years. The Ministry of Revenue has counted the money to live, but Brother Yang understands the most. Is the Ming Dynasty really not rich?"

Yang Bo nodded. As the backstage of the Shanxi merchants in Puzhou, he knew very well how much money the people had. Not to mention anything else, the Yang family's property was hundreds of thousands of taels. This is because of Yang Bo's officialdom and does not require too much money. The Shanxi merchant group behind him concentrated on his efforts, estimated to be tens of millions of taels, which was a little difficult. It is precisely because of this confidence that Yang Bo must have a place in the court. There is too much money, no one can protect him. But he really holds gold and travels between downtowns. It is precisely because of his status as the Minister of War that he said calmly at this moment: "I know. It's just that Brother Zhou wants to make money, just like he did to the King of Qin?"

He was sure that Zhou Mengchen would never dare to do what he did in the Qin Palace.

The King of Qin was a vassal king and had no power. However, if Zhou Mengchen dared to do such a thing here, Yang Bo dared to let Zhou Mengchen know about the strength of the Shanxi merchants.

Zhou Mengchen laughed and said, "Of course not. However, it will not be certain in the future. Brother Yang feels that the court is so embarrassed, but there are people who are rich enough to compete with the country. What will the court think, and what will Your Majesty think?"

"What will Your Majesty do now?"

Yang Bo sneered and said, "Brother Zhou, don't be exaggerated. The emperor and the scholars and officials rule the world together. Your Majesty is wise and powerful, and he will definitely not do anything as stupid as a fool."

Zhou Mengchen actually heard Yang Bo’s implicit meaning. He really thought that the only one who was so rich was the Shanxi merchants. Compared with Jiangnan merchants and Jiangnan gentry, although the money of Shanxi merchants cannot be said to be worth mentioning, it is definitely nothing.

Although Jiajing is amazing, if he really could make the world follow with just one word, Jiajing would not have governed the country like this.

Jiajing, who seemed strong, actually his strength was only above control of the court. But the court was actually powerless in many cases. If Jiajing really forced to do something, he would have to face the collective opposition of the scholars and officials all over the world. Emperor Wanli was not a fool, but in the end he could only fight the Cold War that almost died together, and ended the situation between the monarch and the ministers.

The emperor could not do anything happy, and Jiajing even understood what could be done and what could not be done.

Zhou Mengchen said, "Brother Yang is right. But I think we can't walk the road. You have also been in the capital and know what the situation is in the court. If you are really impatient, how can a tiger not eat people, let alone Your Majesty today. If you really have to force Your Majesty today, he will not be able to do anything. Maybe Your Majesty today can't move all the gentry in the world, but I think there is no problem in dealing with one or several families."

Yang Bo thought to himself and said to himself: "Did Zhou Mengchen come with what mission?"

In Yang Bo's mind, the biggest label in Zhou Mengchen was nothing else. It was Jiajing's people. What kind of Jiajing had to deal with people? As Jiajing's confidant, he often performed the meaning of Jiajing.

Could it be that Jiajing has already acquiesced to Zhou Mengchen to kill a group of gentry?

Yang Bo thought carefully in his heart and said in his heart: "No, I can't be this bird."

In fact, the game between imperial power and the gentry in the world is at a level of fear. On the one hand, the emperor found that no matter how many people they killed, it seemed that the same group of people came up, and gentry from all over the world were unwilling to sacrifice their own interests for the interests of the gentry in the world.

After all, the interests of the gentry group in the world are simply a false proposition. After all, if the merchants in Jiangnan knew that the Shanxi merchants were stewed by the court, they would probably be very happy if they died of a rabbit and were sad.

After all, those who do business also look forward to those who go with them.

Moreover, Yang Bo also asked Zhou Mengchen for some reason and said, "Tell me about your plan."

Zhou Mengchen breathed a sigh of relief. He actually understood the pattern of the Ming Dynasty. Although the imperial power was powerful, the emperor was often powerless. In the local area, the gentry was powerful.

Officials have dual identities. On the one hand, they are bureaucrats who manage the world on behalf of the emperor, and on the other hand, they are representatives of local opinions. It is precisely with such dual identities that if the officials are managed well, they can manage the world well. But at the same time, if the emperor breaks with the bureaucrats, then it is very likely that the imperial edicts from the court from the local government will be less than a piece of waste paper. Just like during the Wanli period, the eunuchs sent by the emperor were beaten to death in Suzhou. Without the support of the gentry behind it, it would be unimaginable.

Unless Zhou Mengchen wants to lead troops to fight the world again, the game, cooperation and struggle with local gentry are inevitable. Even when Zhou Mengchen arrives at this position, officials from Huguang begin to gather silently around Zhou Mengchen.

In more than ten years, Zhou Mengchen's status in Wuchang is probably Yang Bo's status in Puzhou.

Without communicating with Yang Bo, the rest of the matter would definitely not be possible. Zhou Mengchen doesn't know whether his ideas can be fulfilled, but one thing is confirmed, that is, Yang Bo does not have the idea that he must refuse. This means that there is a possibility of discussion.

This is already excellent.

Zhou Mengchen said: "I know that the people have concerns about lending money to the court. However, I think you can look at this matter from another perspective and treat this matter as a business?"
Chapter completed!