Kowloon wins

Chapter 181 Loot Sharing Agreement ([-])

"Master Rong, if there is any difficulty, please speak up."

Before coming here, Hong Qing had planned Rong Zhu's possible reaction, so she understood the pain of lack of money, but Hong Qing didn't plan to point it out, and she was not in a hurry to explain the solution. Instead, he wanted to use it as a price tag for negotiation, and he was happy to make Rong Zhu worry for a while, so he quietly took Rong Zhu into the army.

"This... well, let me just say it bluntly. This plan for controlling the river is very detailed and magnificent. This is something I have only seen in my life. If I follow this path, I will surely keep the Yellow River intact for decades. It’s just that a lot of labor needs to be used. Although we have no shortage of manpower in Henan, people are in panic during the catastrophe. If there is no money, the people may not want to do it; Even if the young prince has the million taels of silver brought by the Yamen of Hecao, it is not enough to use, and I am poor in Henan, and it is difficult to do much. If I really want to do it, I am afraid that the court will have to add another few million taels of silver Many, this one, if the little prince can do it, it may be feasible; third, building water conservancy, digging lakes and storing water can certainly cure the river, but I am afraid that there will be a shortage of water at the other end of the canal. Just kidding, I wonder if the little prince has a countermeasure?"

After all, Rong Zhu is a person who knows how to control rivers, and everything he said hits the point, and he is really not a vegetarian.

"Lord Rong is very worried, but none of these three problems are insurmountable difficulties. Lord Rong said that Henan has a large population. If Ben Bayle can invite a three-year tax exemption, and then use work as a relief, and work as a tax deduction, the manpower must be enough. Isn't it a problem?"

Hong Qing had long expected that Rong Zhu would bring up these three deficiencies, so she didn't take it seriously, smiled lightly, and casually gave the solution to the first one.

"Well, if that's the case, it's feasible, but the capital gap is too big, I'm afraid it's still embarrassing."

Rongzhu had served as a local official for many years, and he was very familiar with the way of government affairs. After a little calculation, he knew that Hongqing's method of dispatching manpower was indeed feasible-manage the Yellow River in sections, and perform contract responsibilities. During the slack season, a large number of people were dispatched to participate in the river control. This was Rong Zhu's secret preparation for Hong Qing's strategy, but before he could tell, Hong Qing had already pointed it out. The feasibility of this strategy will not be denied.

"In terms of capital and banking, it's not too difficult. This time, my father and son were entrusted by Huang Mafa to come to rescue the disaster and control the river. The household department approved 120 million taels, plus the 100 taels that Ben Baylor brought from the Hecao Yamen. Ten thousand taels, that's 220 million taels, and the difference is only about 80 taels. Now that the household department is in a tight situation, it is impossible to ask for more from the court. However, we can do something about river control. article."

Although the amount of 80 taels is not much, it is not too small. In the past, Hong Qing was still sure to get more from the old man, but now, there is fourth master squatting in the household department. If there is no, there is definitely not much to go. Hong Qing will not consider the source of this aspect, and she has already blocked the possibility of additional funds for river control with one sentence.

"Start from the river? This..., I really don't know, so I ask the little prince for advice."

Hearing that it was impossible for the imperial court to allocate additional funds, Rong Zhu's heart was already half cold. As for what Hong Qing said about making a fuss about harnessing the river, Rong Zhu actually didn't believe it. You must know that river governance has been a loser since ancient times. The so-called "spending money to buy peace" is the truth. I really haven't heard that Zhihe can get money. Unless it is cutting corners, otherwise, how can there be such a possibility? Rong Zhu doesn't believe it. , but seeing Hong Qing's serious expression didn't seem like she was telling a lie, curiosity was really aroused, and after a moment of stupefaction, she hurriedly asked a question.

"Didn't Master Rong read the article carefully? Why did you forget that there are more than [-] hectares of wasteland along the banks of the river and the four major lakes formed by the river's cofferdam?"

Hong Qing smiled confidently, and casually explained the way to get money from the river.

"A land of more than [-] hectares? The little prince is saying..."

When Rong Zhu was looking at the article, he had seen water conservancy construction and cofferdams to form a lake, but he didn't think about the land along the river at all. Because the Yellow River often floods, the land along the river banks is naturally infinite. People are willing to farm, even if the soil in those lands is quite fertile, but no one is willing to take the risk of being washed away by the flood. Since the end of the Tang Dynasty, those lands have been barren and unowned. Well, if it is really possible to exchange all of it into money, let alone 80 taels, 800 million taels is not a problem. Thinking of this, Rong Zhu's heart beat wildly.

"Oh, in fact, there are not more than 390 hectares that can really be used as fertile land. After deducting the needs of water conservancy and the use of cofferdams, there are only more than 400 hectares that can really be freed up. If it is converted into silver taels, it is about [-] million taels. Let’s take it into account that the built lake can also be leased and sold as a pond for raising fish and lotus root, and the income of [-] million taels should be enough. With this as a foundation, why worry about having no money for river governance.”

Hong Qing nodded with a smile, told the result of the budget, and gave Rong Zhu an incomparable answer.

"The little prince is really clever. With so much silver, it is not difficult to control the river, but, hehe, it's just this land..."

400 million taels of silver is not a small amount. You must know that the annual tax of a poor province like Henan is only less than 80 taels. Naturally, the governor didn't have much taste for it. Hearing that he could get 400 million taels out of the river, his thoughts immediately shifted from how to manage the river to how to divide the spoils, but it was really hard to say that. Come, it can only be hemmed and hawed vaguely.

Well, here comes the play meat, this old clapper is really not a fuel-efficient lamp!
Although Rong Zhu's words were vague, Hong Qing understood them immediately. Basically, he was saying that those lands belong to Henan, and if there is a way to make profits, Henan should take the majority. yes.

"My lord Rong learned that this land of tens of thousands of hectares seems to be a lot, but it will take time to free it up, and secondly, it must have a large number of buyers. The land in Henan is too poor, and there are few people who can afford it. What's more, our Ministry of Industry has sent people and money to control the river, and we have paid a lot for the large-scale water conservancy in Henan Province, after all, we have to get something in return, what do you think?"

Now that the meat has been placed on the table, it's time to cut the knife. As for who can get the big portion, it depends on whose ability is strong. On this point, Hong Qing is unwilling to make any concessions. Unceremoniously, he first put the credit of the Ministry of Industry on the table.

"What the little prince said is reasonable, but the land is originally from my Henan province, and the manpower needed to control the river was also mobilized by me from Henan. If you don't give an explanation to the folks, I'm afraid it will be difficult for you to be an official, little prince. What do you say?"

Rong Zhu is a veteran of the officialdom, and in the face of such a huge benefit, he naturally did his part. He also put his own reasons on the table, and in turn led Hong Qing's army in the name of the people of Henan.

"Heh, since Lord Rong said so, Ben Baylor is not too good at what he does. If this is the case, after deducting the cost of harnessing the river and managing the joints of the court, there is still a land of [-] hectares. Come on, my Ministry of Industry will take up [-]%, and the rest will go to Henan."

Seeing that Rong Zhu wanted to take more, Hong Qing naturally refused to agree, so he chuckled, opened his mouth like a lion, and took the big head into his arms.

Listen, all the meat has been scooped up, and there is only a sip of soup left. It's not good enough, so it's impolite to take the pot away?As soon as these words came out, Rong Zhu's eyes immediately turned red, and he didn't care about his superiority or inferiority. He shook his head and said: "Young master, this calculation is wrong. Let’s use an analogy. Hiring workers to help repair houses in other people’s homes. It’s worth the hard work, but you can’t take all the houses for yourself. Fan has indeed done a great thing for me in Henan, and I in Henan should thank you very much, this is good, [-]% will go to the Ministry of Industry, and the rest will go to Henan, what do you think, my lord?"

Damn it, this old clapper is really ruthless, [-]%?You always send beggars!
Hearing Rong Zhu's proposed share ratio, Hong Qing immediately became a little annoyed, but the city was too deep, but she didn't bring it to her face, she just smiled indifferently, and didn't accept the move at all. She picked up the tea bowl, and carefully He started tasting tea, and Rong Zhu, who was obviously a very calm master, also picked up the tea bowl, and played a silent confrontation with Hong Qing, and the atmosphere in the hall became so strange for a while .

"Master Rong's asking price is too high, I'm afraid Ben Baylor won't be able to afford it, that's all, let's stop this matter, Ben Bayle will go to Liu Fantai to discuss it."

Silence after silence, both sides are masters of nourishing qi. After some silence and confrontation, it is obvious that neither of them intends to back down. Put it on the table, got up, and said goodbye with something in it.

"Wait a minute, little prince, can we discuss anything, come on, sit down and talk, sit down and talk."

Although what Hong Qing said was casual, the meaning behind it was not simple. It was saying that you, Rong Zhu, were unwilling to back down, so you would not even need to be a governor anymore. Although the meaning was hidden, as a veteran official However, Rong Zhu could still hear it, and it was precisely because he could hear it that he didn't dare to let Hong Qing go away in such a rage. You have to be determined to participate in Rongzhu's book, although you may not be able to push Rongzhu to the end, but it is easy to pull him out of Henan. In this way, let alone the benefits of those fields, Even the credit that is about to be obtained has to fly away. This is not a situation that Rong Zhu likes to see, so he dare not let Hong Qing go away like this, so he hurriedly got up, and finally calmed Hong Qing down. Well, this spoils agreement, of course we have to start over from the beginning.

(End of this chapter)