Jinyi Town Mountains and Rivers

Chapter 770 The farce is about to start

It took He Liu three days to sort out more than 360 authentic calligraphy and paintings in the internal storage.There are more than 490 fakes.

Next, He Liu arranged for Wang Zhizhen and Luo Sigong to search the homes of the eight eunuchs who were the foremen of the shipping warehouse and the 24 Dongchang warehouse guards.In these people's homes, a total of one million taels of silver were copied, and more than 100 unsold calligraphy and paintings.

According to the will of Emperor Wanli, these 30 people were all sentenced to death.

Next, it's time to sell these four or five hundred genuine calligraphy and paintings.He Liu did not expect that a farce in the Ming Dynasty would be staged just like this.

In the early morning of this day, He Liu led more than 300 warriors to Duanguzhai with a large collection of calligraphy and paintings.

The shopkeeper Xu Decheng came up to welcome him: "Uncle Liu, you are getting old."

He Liudao: "Nephew, I will trouble you this time."

Xu Decheng smiled and said: "What's the trouble in calling all the leaders of the antique shop in the capital to Duanguzhai? It's just that I'm afraid they won't dare to buy things from the inner palace."

He Liu smiled and said, "What are they afraid of? This time we are selling calligraphy and painting by order. Let me tell you, each of these calligraphy and painting is a treasure that can be passed down from generation to generation!"

After finishing speaking, He Liu asked people to unfold some calligraphy and paintings.

Xu Decheng watched intently, and opened his mouth in surprise: "Huang Gongwang's "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains"?! Huai Su's "Self-narration Post"?! Mi Fu's "Qinghe Post"?! My God. These paintings, whatever If you take out one picture, it’s worth more than 5000 taels of silver! Some can be sold for tens of thousands of taels!”

He Liudao: "There are so many calligraphy and paintings by famous masters. If you go to the antique shop, the market will definitely go down. All the calligraphy and paintings can be sold for [-]% of the current price. I have to sell them all. The emperor is still waiting for the silver. Woolen cloth."

Xu Decheng said: "Sell at 20% of the price? Uncle Liu, we don't have much cash in Duanguzhai, and there is always 20 taels. Before my colleagues come, I will pick out [-] taels of calligraphy and painting first."

He Liu picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea: "Success. You can choose. You have helped the court so much this time, I should let you, my own family, earn a piece."

Xu Decheng is a top businessman and a master in the antique trade.He is naturally very good at choosing calligraphy and painting.

Huang Tingjian's "Zhu Shang Zuo Tie", Su Shi's "Ji Dao Wen of Sacrifice to Huang", and Li Tang's "Wind Map of Pines in Ten Thousand Valleys". . .He picked a total of more than 8 calligraphy and paintings.These calligraphy and paintings have been hoarded in his hands for several years, and when the market rises, he can earn at least [-] to [-] taels of silver.

Xu Decheng handed a thick stack of banknotes to He Liu: "Uncle Liu, here are 20 taels of banknotes, all issued by Datong Bank, cash upon payment. You keep counting."

While counting the banknotes, He Liu said, "Nephew, you are worthy of being the grandson of my master Xu. You have good eyesight! These more than 30 calligraphy and paintings are all top quality."

Xu Decheng smiled and said: "You always sell calligraphy and paintings according to orders, and I take advantage of the opportunity."

At three poles in the sun, more than 100 colleagues from the antique shop in the capital entered Duanguzhai.

The huge hall of Duanguzhai was already covered with calligraphy and paintings by famous artists.These antique owners were all dumbfounded when they saw the calligraphy and paintings on the wall!

"Tsk tsk! As expected of the inner palace! All of them are of the highest quality."

"Oh my God. "Jingguozhijiaotie" written by Li Yu, the empress of the Southern Tang Dynasty? It is said that it was burned when the puppet Yuan Dynasty destroyed the Song Dynasty. Unexpectedly, it was stored in our Daming Inner Palace."

He Liu coughed, and everyone immediately fell silent.

He Liu said in a high voice: "Everyone, these paintings and calligraphy are sold at a low price. The imperial court only accepts [-]% of the normal market price."

An eighty-year-old man asked: "He Shaobao. We are violating the "Law of the Ming Dynasty" when we buy and sell the things in the inner palace."

He Liu patiently explained: "You don't have to be afraid. It is the emperor's will to sell the calligraphy and paintings in the inner carrier warehouse. You can buy them with confidence! Whoever buys the calligraphy and painting here is doing a favor to the court and the emperor!"

When everyone heard the words, they were all gearing up.

"I will pay 8000 taels of silver for this piece of "Entering the Country Knowledge and Education Post"!"

"I want Liu Songnian's "Drunken Pine" for 5000 taels!"

"I'll pay 3000 taels for Huang Tingjian's "Night Journey by Holding Candles"!"

Hundreds of big players in the antique shop divided up four to five hundred calligraphy and paintings in the middle of noon.

Hong Lang was keeping accounts on the side.Luo Sigong was in charge of counting the banknotes.

At noon, He Liu asked Hong Lang, "How much money did you collect in total?"

Hong Lang replied: "A total of 190 taels!"

He Liu turned around and asked Luo Sigong again: "Is the amount of the bank note correct?"

Luo Sigong replied: "One tael is not bad."

He Liu got up: "Let's go, let's go to the four major banks in the capital and exchange all the bank notes into cash."

The emperor's internal transport depot does not deposit bank notes, only deposits of cash.When Emperor Wanli, the miser, saw this extra silver mountain, he might not know what success would be.

At this moment, Shen Yiguan, the second assistant of the cabinet, entered Duanguzhai in a hurry.

He Liu was surprised and said, "Shen Cifu, why are you here?"

Shen ***: "Liu Ye, I heard that you sold a lot of calligraphy and paintings in the inner storage?"

He Liudao: "That's right, they sold a total of nearly 200 million taels."

Shen Yiguan said anxiously: "Okay! You set aside 100 million taels and give it to our household department! The rice field sect riot in Shandong, the locust plague in Henan, and the flood in Hubei all cost money. The local tax money for this ten-year period has not yet been escorted to Beijing. Hubu has already sung the empty city plan!"

He Liu was surprised and said: "Shen Cifu, it's only been a few years, how come the imperial court's finances are so embarrassing?"

Shen Yiguan replied helplessly: "Cough, the imperial court's money is tight, and there are many reasons. I can't say a word or two. In short, the country is in decline!"

He Liu was in trouble: "Shen Cifu, the emperor has a decree. All these silvers must be sent to the internal storage."

Shen Yiguan became anxious when he heard this: "Send it to the inner storage? Most of the silver in the inner storage is moldy and hairy! If the silver is replaced with grain and ordnance, that is the silver. It is piled up in the warehouse. Here, it can’t keep up with a bunch of stupid irons!”

Outside the gate of Duangu Zhai, a shrill voice suddenly came: "Shen Cifu, the inner carrier warehouse is the emperor's private treasury. The affairs in the inner carrier warehouse are the emperor's private affairs. The emperor's private affairs are also for you, a foreign minister, to discuss of"

The person who spoke was Zhang Jing, the palm seal of the supervisor of ceremonies.Behind him, followed by two writers, Wang An and Chen Ju.

Shen Yiguan has always been at odds with Zhang Jing.He snorted coldly: "Eunuch Zhang came just in time."

Zhang Jing said seriously: "There is a decree, He Liu will sell the silver notes obtained from the sale of calligraphy and paintings in the inner carrier warehouse, and hand them over to the Supervisor of Rites."

No matter how much He Liu sympathized with Shen Yiguan, he could not disobey the imperial decree.Helpless, he had to hand over all the accounts and bank notes to Zhang Jing.

Zhang Jing looked at a box full of banknotes, and smiled brightly: "Master Liu has a solution! Exchange a bunch of rotten papers for a small 200 million taels of silver!"

He Liu remained silent.He knew that what Shen always said was the most reasonable words.These banknotes were exchanged into silver and put into the dark inner storage, which was not as good as a pile of stupid iron!

Zhang Jing led Chen Ju and Wang An, and left contentedly.

He Liu also left Duanguzhai.

A farce planned by Emperor Wanli begins here!
(End of this chapter)