bastard seizes tang

Chapter 302 Linjiang Palace Banquet
Huainan, Yangzhou.

Linjiang Palace was first built in the Daye period of the former Sui Dynasty. It has been standing in the south of Yangzhou for nearly [-] years. During these [-] years, countless Yangzhou people passed by Linjiang Palace. However, Linjiang Palace was closed because it was the emperor's palace. It is tightly sealed, and no one else is allowed to enter.

But now as Li Ke went south, Emperor Li Shimin felt sorry for his son, fearing that Li Ke would not be used to living in Yangzhou and would be wronged, so he bestowed Linjiang Palace on Li Ke, which made this mysterious royal palace known to the world. in the eyes.

But Li Ke is a prince after all, and it hasn't been long since he came here. Those who really got into the Linjiang Palace were all important officials in the southeast officialdom. Tonight, Zhou Dingfang, the chief executive of the Southeast Salt Company, finally set this precedent.

King Li Ke of Chu held a banquet in Linjiang Palace and specially invited Zhou Dingfang to the banquet alone.

With Li Ke's status, even if the person invited is a member of the third rank or higher in the court, it is considered an honor and favor, not to mention that Zhou Dingfang is just a white body.Don't you see, at Li Kechu's reception banquet in Yangzhou, Li Ke never gave him a high-handed look at how courteous old Chen Zhang of the Chen clan of the Guangling family was, and the nobleness of the Chen Zhang family was even higher than that of places like Zhou Dingfang.

If this matter had been left a month ago, Zhou Dingfang might have been overjoyed, and he would have even ordered his servants to run around to tell the story, and he would tell everyone he met, that he had a good face, but now, Zhou Dingfang is not so interested .

Li Ke was captured and just returned to Yangzhou. He met Zhou Dingfang before he even summoned He Xiu, the governor of Yangzhou. What, Li Ke missed him so much, and even specially sent his little father-in-law Qin Huaidao to invite him, it's strange that he can feel at ease in his heart.

When Zhou Dingfang was "invited" from the Zhou Mansion to come to Jiang Palace by the young prince Qin, it was already the end of the night.

"Master Zhou, my Highness is waiting for a banquet in the side hall, please." Zhou Dingfang followed Qin Huaidao into the palace, walked straight all the way, and came to a side hall. Qin Huaidao pointed to the side hall and said to Zhou Dingfang.

Zhou Dingfang looked at the gate of the side hall in front of him, panicked in his heart, and wanted to retreat, but he looked behind him, saw Qin Huaidao and Wang Fuwei standing upright behind him, turned his head again, and walked in bravely .

The scene in the side hall is much better than what Zhou Dingfang originally thought. There is indeed a table full of dishes in the side hall, and the dishes are exquisite, which are different from the local style. Obviously, Li Ke is in charge of the dish brought out from the palace. cook.

"Yo, it's Mr. Zhou who is here, sit down quickly." Zhou Dingfang entered the door, before he could meet Li Ke first, but Li Ke saw Zhou Dingfang and said to Zhou Dingfang first.

Seeing this, Zhou Dingfang hurried forward and thanked Li Ke: "Caomin thank you, Your Highness."

After finishing speaking, Zhou Ding conveniently sat next to the table and sat down opposite Li Ke.

"The king has not been in Yangzhou for some time. How has Mr. Zhou been doing?" As soon as the two of them sat down, Li Ke started chatting with Zhou Dingfang, as if they were two old friends who hadn't seen each other for many days.

Although Li Ke looked friendly, Zhou Dingfang didn't dare to be careless at all, and replied cautiously: "Cao Min is doing business, it has always been like this, but Cao Min was worried for several days when he learned that His Highness was in danger. Gong, I just let go of my heart."

Li Ke looked at Zhou Dingfang's cautious expression. Although his face remained calm, he couldn't help but sneered a few times in his heart. I'm afraid what Zhou Dingfang said was the opposite.When Li Ke was in danger and narrowly escaped death, he took advantage of the chaos to make money, the most comfortable time, and after Li Ke returned to the palace safely, he was the most disturbed.

However, Li Ke's rumor that Zhou Dingfang came to Jiang Palace today was not all to punish Zhou Dingfang. Otherwise, why would he bother to take him to prison with just a piece of paper. What Li Ke wanted was the Southeast Salt Company behind him.

Li Ke smiled, pointed at the table full of delicacies, and said to Zhou Dingfang: "Come on, Mr. Zhou is here today for a banquet, why are you just sitting here, get up your chopsticks."

Zhou Dingfang was slightly taken aback when he heard Li Ke's words.

Zhou Dingfang thought that it would be difficult for Li Ke to survive if he was taken into captivity, so he boldly ordered the salt company to raise the price of salt and made a fortune by taking advantage of the chaos, but who would have thought that Li Ke would come back alive.

Zhou Dingfang knew very well that what he had done had violated Li Ke's edict. He thought that Li Ke ordered him to come to the palace today, and he must be responsible. Ke Jing's expression was as usual, and he didn't mean to punish Zhou Dingfang. Zhou Dingfang couldn't help muttering in his heart: "Could it be that the king of Chu asked me to come here for other important things."

Zhou Dingfang thought about it, and suddenly remembered the goods he had given to Li Ke. Could it be that those goods played a role, and Li Ke asked him for money again.If this is the case, Zhou Dingfang will feel more at ease. His salt business is making a lot of money every day, and the most important thing he lacks is money.

In fact, how did Zhou Dingfang know that Li Ke really wanted something from him, but what he wanted was not money, but a salt shop that made money.

Zhou Dingfang was still muttering in his heart, and at the same time, according to what Li Ke said, he took up the chopsticks and stretched out to the plate of mutton closest to himself on the table.

Zhou Dingfang picked up a piece of white mutton and slowly put it in his mouth. As soon as he chewed it, he realized that something was wrong. Apart from the mutton's own smell, this plate of mutton had no taste at all. Obviously, there was no salt in it. of.

Tasting the unpleasant smell in his mouth, Zhou Dingfang bit the bullet and swallowed the mutton. Zhou Dingfang's heart shook suddenly, and what he was worried about finally came.

There was no salt in the dishes, and Li Ke's imperial chef would never be so careless. This matter must have been ordered by Li Ke, and he came to beat him.

"Caomin has done it, I hope His Highness will forgive you." Zhou Dingfang has been scrambling in the southeast for many years, and he is so alert today. Seeing this situation, he just thought about it for a while, and quickly swallowed the mutton, knelt down on the ground, and bowed to the ground. road.

"Oh? But I don't know what crime Mr. Zhou is guilty of? Could it be that the dishes ordered by the king are not good in taste and make things difficult for Mr. Zhou?" Seeing this, Li Ke asked with a smile.

Zhou Dingfang lay on the ground, not daring to get up, but replied: "Caomin dare not."

Li Ke said: "Nowadays there is a shortage of salt in Huainan, and the price of salt is soaring, so that the people have no salt to eat. As the chief official of Huainan Road, I patrol hunting on behalf of the heavens, so I should share the joys and sorrows with the people. Why did Master Zhou do this?"

How dare Zhou Dingfang admit his guilt in front of Li Ke, openly confessing that he disobeyed Li Ke's order and sold salt at a high price, so he had to say: "The grass people are incompetent, and it rains continuously in summer, which is not good for cooking salt, so that the salt production is insufficient, and Huainan is short of salt. fault."

Zhou Dingfang's words were originally words of evasion. It sounded like an apology, but he pushed the guilt to the heavy rain that lasted for several days. It sounded smooth, but Zhou Dingfang didn't know that his words hit Li Ke's arms.

Li Ke actually helped Zhou Dingfang up himself, and said to Zhou Dingfang: "It's okay, Master Zhou Zhou is not an official after all, it is very inconvenient to do things, and the heavy rain in Huainan is not the enemy of manpower, so how can we blame Master Zhou for everything? Please get up quickly."

Li Ke's words caught his ears, and Zhou Dingfang felt a lot more relaxed. Hearing Li Ke's meaning, it seemed that he had no intention of blaming him heavily. This was also in line with Zhou Dingfang's original guess that Li Ke might really have come here to ask for money.

Zhou Dingfang got up slowly according to Li Ke's words. The words of thanking him were just about to come out, but Li Ke spoke again.

"Since Mr. Zhou is inconvenient and unable to do things, so that the salt production is insufficient and it is difficult to supply Jianghuai, then the matter of cooking salt and selling salt should not be handed over to the salt company. This king wants to express his father to the emperor, and set up another branch in Huainan. How about the Yandao yamen, who specialize in this matter?"

(End of this chapter)