Future library

Among the many mansions in Xia Jing, Shen House is one of the famous ones.

It was built 200 years ago and has been restored to this day. The annual maintenance cost is a lot of money. On the other hand, after a hundred years of accumulation, every brick and tile used to build the mansion has become an antique. At the beginning of construction, this mansion used the best materials and the best craftsmen. The best decorations are even more amazing today.

In particular, the row of paintings hanging in the porch and the reliefs on the wall of the hall are the Shen family's favorite places to show off - they were painted by "young" artists Zeng Laide and Zhang Jinrong respectively, about 100 years ago, when The Shen family funded these two people and helped them complete their transformation from "young artists" to "famous artists". The art pieces left in the house are part of the rich rewards.

Like those families in Florence, the Shen family is very supportive of young artists, and buys their works at higher prices than those of "young artists". After keeping them for several years or decades, the Shen family reaps hundreds of times the return - regardless of profits. Problems aside, this is a commendable way of cooperation for both parties. Artists don’t starve and are allowed to thrive, families are rewarded and have bragging rights…

Nowadays, what the Shen family most often brags about is their porch and hall reliefs.

Very few families would hang things worth hundreds of thousands of taels of silver on their walls.

Cheng Jinzhou followed the two servants who led the way from the Shen family, listening to the introduction boredly while looking around.

The servants of the Shen family must have been trained countless times by their masters to show off the family's wealth - for most nobles, their lives are made up of showing off, obtaining public offices, acquiring fiefs, having vassals, everything. It's all about showing off.

Cheng Jinzhou's artistic talent was pitifully small, and he felt quite helpless when he heard it. He couldn't interrupt the other party's narration rudely, so as not to leave a bad impression on an unknown noble - the Shen family is still very influential. Noble family.

Fortunately, it didn't take long for Shen Cong to rescue Cheng Jinzhou. He drove away the two noisy servants and said with a smile: "I can't help it. What my father likes most is to introduce the history of the family."

With that said, he led Cheng Jinzhou towards his room. Along the way, even the centuries-old stone bridges are engraved with the names of famous sculptors, not to mention the pavilions, pavilions, and lighting statues of different shapes.

Cheng Jinzhou was a little unaccustomed to Shen Cong's obedient "fatherly" language. He shook his back and said, "I'm asking you to do a favor. Do you know any Master Xing Ming?"

"Who is in trouble? Or is someone in the family exiled?" As an official in another county, you often need to hire a criminal master, a money and grain master, etc. From the perspective of the 21st century, when you go to a different place to take office, you must bring a lawyer and accountant with you. Of course, if the family is very powerful locally, these manpower can be saved.

Cheng Jinzhou smiled and shook his head: "I just want to ask about some criminal law matters, but I don't want others to know too much."

Master Xing Ming's loyalty is still very high. To bribe them, it often requires tens of thousands of taels of silver. Compared with the officials' fickleness, the cost of leaking secrets for masters who are only allowed to rebel once is higher.

Shen Cong had an interesting expression on his face, patted his chest and said, "If you just ask, Lord Shen Cong can answer."

"Do you know Daxia Law?" Cheng Jinzhou said in surprise. It is a masterpiece with millions of words. If you don't say every word is precise, it is also annoying. It is not easy for a 17-year-old child to finish reading it.

Shen Cong liked Cheng Jinzhou's casual tone very much, and nodded naturally: "Then what do you think I do every day? You know, to know how to make imperial edicts, you must understand the laws of Daxia. Compared with those romantic affairs, reading the laws of Daxia is the first. Bit."

Zhizhigao is the most enviable noble position among nobles. On the surface, it means drafting edicts, but in fact, it serves as a standing advisor to the emperor. It requires gorgeous diction, noble status, and proficiency in common affairs. The best among them will be Zhongshu Sheren, a high-ranking official under the sect, who can compete with the princes of Zhengshi Hall. The most important thing is that whether they are Zhizhigao or Zhongshusheren, they are often younger and not as good as Zhengshi. It is a pity rather than an honor for a prime minister to be so senior and old that he has no energy to show off his power.

Cheng Jinzhou didn't believe it and asked, "Then you say, who should not be tortured to extract a confession?"

Without thinking, Shen Cong replied fluently: "Nobles, royal families, those with meritorious status, and those with military merit of level 10 or above are not allowed to be tortured and interrogated."

"I really know." Cheng Jinzhou patted his head. With his level, he couldn't think of any other questions. He simply said, "Then I have something that I want you to help me with. Let's see how best to do it."

He walked a few steps quickly as he spoke, entered Shen Cong's room, and closed the door furtively, like a businessman discussing tax evasion with a lawyer.

Shen Cong was made to laugh by his actions and said: "Don't think that only the Cheng family is governed by military law. The rules of the Shen family are that you are not allowed to discuss what the master says, and anyone who dares to gossip will be killed."

What he didn't say was that in order to ensure that people always pay attention to this iron rule, his father Shen Zhecong would kill several people in pretexts every three or two years, and he would often kill concubines and maids. Therefore, the Shen family's operating record in this regard is even worse than that of the Cheng family. After all, the latter is located far south, and it is difficult to feel like the center of a storm like the famous family in Beijing.

Cheng Jinzhou shrugged, continued to close the window and said, "What I said today, I won't admit it after I go out."

He spoke extremely seriously, and Shen Cong also became serious and said, "Tell me about it."

Cheng Jinzhou organized his words and then whispered: "In recent times, I have been spending a lot of money, you know, practicing astrology."

"Then?"

"My father works as the head of the warehouse. You know this."

"I know..." Shen Cong had vaguely guessed what Cheng Jinzhou was thinking.

Xiao Cheng looked at Shen Cong for a while and then said: "I predict that if we empty out the things in several big counties, there will be no shortage of money within a few months."

Although Cao Lu of Huangjin County tried his best to flatter him, Cheng Jinzhou couldn't guess whether the other party was willing to take risks, and he didn't want to guess. However, the Ministry of Revenue and the Warehouse Department are in charge of the warehousing and transportation of the entire Daxia. Although the three principals have primary and secondary powers, in Cheng Jinzhou, they can always drag a few people into the water. Ordinary prefectures and counties cannot compare with Huangjin. A few may be enough. Moreover, it is safer if it is further away from the capital.

After guessing it, Shen Cong was still startled and said: "Which counties are you planning to move to? How many counties are you moving to?"

"It depends on how much risk you take." Cheng Jinzhou licked his lips and said, "If you are caught, what do you think the court will do?"

Shen Cong was stunned for a moment, then turned to muttered: "You are a star warlock... Ordinarily, Dali Temple has no jurisdiction over you, but the Cheng family can't escape it, and neither can your father..."

"Will it be implicated?" Cheng Jinzhou originally didn't think much about the issue of implication. As far as he knew, except for rebellion, the policy of implication was not often used, because the entanglements among the nobles were too serious. Once the involvement was too large, even a small noble family would cause the royal family a huge headache, making simple cases becomes complicated. For example, the Cheng family, in theory, Cheng Jinzhou has been married to the Liu family in the capital, and the maternal family is the Zheng family in Hexi. Other children in the family will also marry in all directions, like dandelions.

The more noble a family claims to be, the fewer marriage partners they have. As men's fertility is not affected by condoms and policies, nor by the number of women, the result is that among large families, The relationship between them is getting closer. Faced with this situation, any decree against the nobility needs to be considered carefully.

Shen Cong was not really sure whether there would be any question of involvement, so he had to continue asking: "How big do you want to get?"

After waiting for a long time for such an answer, Cheng Jinzhou couldn't help laughing and scolding: "No matter how much I do, I will still pay it back, but a gap of two or three months is inevitable."

Warehousing and warehousing means putting it away and not using it. There are so few people guarding the warehouse, the things in the warehouse are so valuable, and the salary of the warehouse owner is so low. Under the huge temptation, endless tricks are inevitable.

Such things as guarding and stealing happen at any time and in any region. Shen Cong also knew this. He clapped his hands to the beat and thought: "If three people don't touch each other, if the number is not too big, I don't think it will happen." You’re in big trouble, but if you get caught, you’re bound to lose your skin.”

If you really have Star Alliance Level 4, the slight impact on the family will be nothing at all. Before thinking about victory, he first thought about defeat. Cheng Jinzhou thought clearly and said: "Which three should I not touch?"

"Ordnance, warehouses and treasury." Shen Cong took a breath and said, "However, this can only guarantee part of it. If there is a fight, I am afraid that I will eventually be stabbed by the Political Affairs Hall to the Star Warlock Association. You know it yourself, If you are not a third-level star warlock, the star warlock branch has arbitrary power, and the Star Warlock Association of Daxia may not be able to withstand the pressure from the Political Hall."

Daxia was a powerful country and far to the west. Coupled with the fact that there are many star warlocks who do not belong to the association, the Great Xia Star Warlock Association is far less independent than the Far West countries. It does not always support the star warlocks unconditionally on many major issues.

As for the Star Warlock Association, although they tried their best to improve the status of Star Warlocks, due to the inability to do so, they could only give full support to registered Star Warlocks, that is, Star Warlocks of level three and three stars or above. Before that, Star Warlocks could not perform. Too unscrupulous.

After hearing his detailed explanation, Cheng Jinzhou was moved in his heart and asked, "Do you want to make this vote with me?"

"Me? Of course not." Shen Cong was so frightened that he almost jumped up and said, "You are a star warlock. The most you can do is work hard for decades to pay back the money, or go to the battlefield and risk your life. I'm afraid I won't be able to wait for news from you. It just clicked.”

"If anything happens, I'll take care of it. Just blame me for anything and I'll take it all. Before anything happens, I'll give you 30%. After three months, I'll make up for all the stuff in the warehouse myself." Cheng Jinzhou thought of 14 million Xingyuan's scalp felt numb. He couldn't use other goods to replenish the items in the warehouse, and it was even more impossible to sell them through a trading house. The only possibility was to steal them first and then think of another way.

In this way, 14 million star dollars would mean stealing at least 6 million to 7 million taels of silver, which is equivalent to raising supplies worth 210 million US dollars in the world of the 17th century - you know, at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century In the United States, Morgan saved the U.S. stock market and raised the U.S. dollar exchange rate with only 62 million U.S. dollars of bonds. Although the U.S. stock market at that time was young and small, the federal government was weak and poor, and Daxia's raw materials were not inferior to it, personal It is still very, very difficult to get this number. Even if he got it, he would inevitably attract people's attention. The Ministry of Household Affairs and the Ministry of Works were Shen Zhecong's traditional sphere of influence. By involving Shen Cong, he could eventually disperse a lot of firepower.

Shen Cong didn't know Cheng Jinzhou's purpose, but he could guess how many valuable materials were stored in Daxia's warehouse without even thinking. There was a star warlock in front of him, and there were Shen family and Cheng family behind him. If he could just steal supplies for a period of time and get 30%, he couldn't help but be tempted. As for his father being involved, he didn't care that much.

…