People in the early Tang Dynasty: I compete with Wu Zhao for the throne

Chapter 256 Instead, the Yao Chong Family
Under the moonlight, three fast boats broke through the lake, and the splashed water fell on the lake, causing layers of ripples.

When the clipper docked, Li Xuan, who had a dignified face, went ashore first, followed by Qiu Zhenmu, Su Baotong, Su Yu, Kui Gong, Kui Heng and others.

At this time, the pier was already brightly lit.

More than a dozen Qianniuwei stood on both sides of the pier holding high torches, and further away, a black carriage was parked by the side of the road.

Li Xuan greeted Zhang Huan who had been waiting by the side for a long time, and handed over the handwritten letter: "Send this letter to Governor Yuan's office immediately, and deliver this letter to Governor Yuan personally, without passing through others."

"Here!" Zhang Huan took the letter, turned around and left immediately.

Kai Gong on the side looked at the hand letter with a slightly ugly expression on his face.

That letter will completely crucify Young Master Qi on the charge of treason.

At this moment, a fast boat sailed from the lake behind, and shouted loudly from a long distance: "My lord, wait a moment!"

Li Xuan who had just walked to the side of the car stopped, frowned and looked at the lake in the distance.

The clipper quickly disembarked, and three figures got off the boat one after another. The first person was the monk Fang Qin who was born in Niutoushan and is now in Lingyin Temple, followed by Gao Xiang, Gao Fenglan, a professor of state studies, and Jing, who was disguised as a man. Zhao Du's Du willow.

Monk Fang Qin put his hands together first, looked at Li Xuan, and let out a long sigh of relief: "I have seen the prince, and heard that the prince was assassinated. Everyone on the boat was shocked. It didn't work for a while, so the poor monk rushed to chase him. Now I see that the prince is safe. The heart of the poor monk has finally let go, Amitabha."

"Master I'm sorry for the trouble, I'd like to thank you both." Li Xuan bowed his hands and returned the salute, looking at Gao Xiang and Du Liu who were behind, and they returned the salute.

"The poor monk is chasing the prince. Apart from checking on the prince's health, he really has a private matter to discuss." After speaking, monk Fang Qin turned his head to look at Du Liu who was behind him.

Du Liu immediately took a step forward, and handed over a letter with a respectful expression. Li Xuan took the letter in surprise, took it away, read it a little, and immediately raised a trace of surprise on his face: "Brother Du, this way please, Kui Weng Brother Kui, please come together."

After finishing speaking, Li Xuan ignored the others and headed for the carriage first.

Qiu Zhenmu and Su Baotong turned around and walked towards the horse next to them. Su Yu and Gao Xiang hesitated a little, and followed them.

There was only one monk Fang Qin left on the shore. Although he was left alone, not only did Monk Fang Qin not have any dissatisfaction, but he folded his hands together and saluted slightly in the direction the carriage was leaving.

There was a trace of hope in his face, but also a trace of worry.

……

Li Xuan slightly lifted the curtain of the car, the moonlight penetrated, and the figures in the car were clearly visible.

Li Xuan and Du Liu sat on the left, while Kui Gong Kuiheng and his son sat on the right.

The car curtain was lowered, and the interior of the car was plunged into darkness again. With the shaking of the car curtain, the moonlight occasionally penetrated, and the light and shadow flickered.

"Kai Weng." Li Xuan spoke first, looked at Kui Gong on the opposite side and said, "What is the relationship between the Kui family and Mr. Qi, and why did you help him like this?"

Although the Wei family is at the bottom of the sixteen families of Wuyue, it is not just some random group of people who override it at will.

Even Mr. Qi, who has the support of the governor of Hangzhou, can't do it.

The trick of pretending to be a fox and pretending to be a tiger is simply not going to work with these aristocratic families, they are the ones who are best at this kind of game.

"Of course it's benefits!" Kai Heng on the side said quietly, glanced at his father Kui Gong, and then said to Li Xuan: "My lord doesn't know that although Hangzhou produces the most silk in the land of the Three Wus, it even occupies [-]% of the entire land of Wuyue, but the annual silk production in Hangzhou is less than [-]%, besides Suzhou, Huzhou is also a big silk producing state."

"Except for Hangzhou in the southeast, Suzhou produces the most silk every year. Therefore, although there are secret compromises among various families, the competition for silk is very fierce when it comes down to localities. It is not surprising that sometimes people die because of it."

Kui Gong sighed softly, looked at Li Xuan and said, "Although Kui's family mainly focuses on transportation, they often buy raw silk to make a profit, and Mr. Qi is planning to expand his business in Wuzhou, Taizhou, Quzhou, Kuozhou and other places. For the planting of silkworm trees, the Kui family will join forces with them, and I believe they can gain some upper hand, and then have more right to speak.”

"I see." Li Xuan nodded. Hu Yu, the governor of Hangzhou, once said that the entire silk industry is very huge, and every link is divided into fine details.

Now that many years have passed, it is not easy for the entire industry to have new developments.

There are two feasible ways, one to reduce expenditure and the other to increase revenue.

Throttling expenditure is nothing more than trying to exploit and squeeze the lower-level silk households and weavers. Every time one more copper coin is squeezed out of them, the upper-level families will get a lot of profit.

This is also the reason why many people can often see the slaves of many aristocratic families beating the ordinary peasants below to half death for a copper coin.

In the sixteenth family of Wuyue, every copper coin on the family's body is bloody.

As for open source, it is planting trees and raw silk.

"This matter, I will do it after I arrive in Wuzhou. Taizhou, Kuozhou, I have enough connections to do these things. Don't worry. In the end, there will be Quzhou left. Weng Wei should know that Quzhou is on the east. Wuzhou is connected to Hongzhou in the west, unfortunately, it is all under the control of this king..." Li Xuan's eyes showed a sharp edge, staring at the father and son of the Kui family.

"That's it, I will take more care of the prince in the future." Kai Heng took the lead in responding, while Kai Gong was still hesitating.

Li Xuan looked at Kai Gong, under the swaying curtain of the car, the moonlight shone through, and Kai Gong finally nodded seriously.

Kai Heng watched from the side, heaving a sigh of relief, in his opinion, it was nothing more than Li Xuan who used to take the place of Young Master Qi.

And all of this is Mr. Qi's own fault. From the inexplicable provocation that started yesterday morning, to today's banquet without the slightest intention of apologizing, Mr. Qi has already lost everyone's hearts. If he loses the support of Governor Yuan again, then this person is equal to died.

Li Xuan didn't think so much, he thought more about other things.

The sixteen aristocratic families who control the entire land of Wuyue, until now, Li Xuan has finally opened a small door for real.

Even though Li Xuan has a good relationship with the Lu family, the He family, the Yu family, and the Zhang family, what these people talk about with Li Xuan is either articles or poems, or court secrets.

As for the means by which they control the land of Wuyue, they seem to disdain to talk about it at all, and they don't even talk about it at all.

"So, I have a second question, Kui Weng, who is the leading family in the entire Wuyue silk industry in this Hangzhou?" Li Xuan asked solemnly.

Kui Gong looked at Li Xuan in surprise, although he seemed to be thinking of something, he suddenly said: "The prince has only been in Hangzhou for a day and a half, it is normal to be puzzled by these situations, in fact, in the whole of Hangzhou, the real The master in the silk industry is actually the Yao family.

The ancestor of the Yao family was Yao Ping, a minister of the Western Han Dynasty. During the great chaos at the end of the Han Dynasty, the Yao family moved to Hangzhou and took root. Shi Yao Yi, Chief of the Jinwu Guard, is a member of the Yao family. "

"Wait, who, Yao Yi, Zuo Jinwu Guard Chief Shi Yao Yi, Yao Chong's father Yao Yi?" Li Xuan couldn't help being slightly taken aback, this answer was really beyond his expectation.

"My lord knows Yao Yi?" Kui Gong looked at Li Xuan in surprise, he didn't expect Li Xuan to know Yao Yi.

"We worked together for a while, and when this king left Shendu, brother Yao went out to see him off. However, Kui Gong, as far as this king knows, Yao Yi is from Jingzhao, how could he become a child of the Yao family in Hangzhou?"

"My lord doesn't know. Yao Yi's father left Hangzhou very early and went to Chang'an to seek a job. Yao Yi was born in Chang'an, but every year they would send people back to Hangzhou to worship the ancestors, so we also know how he is doing now. They also take care of it in the court." Kui Gong explained to Li Xuan the origin of Yao Yi's family.

But at this time, he generally understood the relationship between Li Xuan and the Yao family.

Although the relationship between the two parties is good, it is not deep, otherwise Li Xuan would not even know the origin of the Yao family.

"The Yao family has only become the talker of the silk industry in recent years, but if the future career goes well, the Yao family will give up this position in the near future, just like the He family back then, and become a real official family." Kui Gong couldn't help feeling a burst of emotion.

The sixteen families of Wuyue, although their ancestors all had bright backgrounds, have experienced ups and downs over the years. Some soared to the sky, while others had already sunk into the depths of the mud and disappeared without a trace.

In every dynasty and every generation, there are newcomers, new family leaders, and old people, old families fall, or even fall directly.

"Why, the He family was also in charge of the Wuyue silk industry before?" Li Xuan couldn't help being slightly taken aback.

He has investigated a lot before, but he has never investigated this point.

"Yes, but when the He family rose up decades ago, they gave up their position." Wei Gong explained slightly.

Li Xuan nodded, if he remembered correctly, He Zhizhang's grandfather was a close minister of Prince Li Jiancheng in his early years.

It's just that their luck is very good. Before the gate of Xuanwu Gate, He Zhizhang's grandfather had already died of illness, and he had no connection with the prince's party after that. occupies a central position.

Kui Gong said with emotion: "Wu Yue's sixteenth family, the highest is the noble and powerful family, just like the Wang Xie family back then, even the later Gu Lu Zhu Zhang was just a rising star. Until recent years, Wang Xie has been declining more and more. , Gu Lu, Zhu and Zhang are prosperous, and the two sides are now on an equal footing.

They are also the top six families among the sixteen Wuyue families.

As for his subordinates, Bibi has been chasing their footsteps for so many years, from generation to generation. "

Li Xuan nodded silently, the entire system of Wuyue's sixteen families, from top to bottom, finally showed a clear outline in front of his eyes.

(End of this chapter)