"I worry about national affairs day and night, but you must also pay attention to your health! With a healthy body, you can benefit all people better and longer!"

Thinking that Zhang Juzheng eventually died of illness due to overwork, Yang Ning couldn't help but persuade him.

"Alas! I don't want to live a more relaxed life, but the higher my official position is, the heavier my burden becomes! Today is a troubled time. Originally, I was in charge of border defense in the cabinet, not to mention many border defense affairs.

It needs to be dealt with. Recently, the emperor has entrusted the responsibility of the Yellow River flood relief to this assistant. This disaster relief matter is really difficult, but thinking about the tens of millions of homeless victims, my uncle is very anxious." Zhang Juzheng sighed.

Noticing the few strands of white hair on Zhang Juzheng's temples, Yang Ning couldn't help but sigh: Historically, Zhang Juzheng deserves to be the "first minister of the Ming Dynasty"! His ambition to sacrifice himself for the public and benefit the world is something that few people can match.

?

"The emperor's ability to hand over the heavy responsibility to the elder is out of his trust and ability in the elder!" Yang Ning praised.

Zhang Juzheng frowned and said: "Alas! Having said that, I am really ashamed. It is very difficult to control the river and provide disaster relief! It is strange to say that the imperial court has always attached great importance to the management of the Yellow River and has long established a special management system.

The Yamen also allocates special funds for governance every year, but it still manages and bursts every year. Why can't the Yellow River be harnessed?"

"Actually, this goes back to what we just said. If the floods cannot be cured, the root cause lies in the corruption of today's officials! In our hometown, the officials in the Hedao Yamen spend their days drinking, eating and having fun.

Most of the money allocated by the imperial court to regulate the river fell into the pockets of these corrupt officials. When they regulated the river and built dams, they used straw and firewood, packed them on the dam, and then covered it with soil. The river was considered to be regulated.

! But in the coming year, how can such a dam withstand the erosion of floods? It will definitely collapse as soon as it is washed away. The court will have to allocate more money to control the river, and the corrupt officials will continue to "make money". Repeatedly, the corrupt officials will make a lot of money.

Thousands of ordinary people will suffer!"

Zhang Juzheng slapped the stone table and said bitterly: "That's right! These corrupt officials should all be killed!"

Yang Ning couldn't help but smile. Zhang Juzheng's character and style cannot be changed overnight!

"We must kill, but we cannot kill them all! If we kill them all, how can we find so many officials to regulate the river? So we can only kill a part of them, and select those who have done the most heinous crimes and the people are extremely angry to kill a few to deter those

If the crimes are relatively minor and we find some capable officials to clean up the river, it will be much easier to control the river!"

"My little friend, this method is wonderful! With this 'one kill, one shock, one excavation', the river control can be accomplished!" Zhang Juzheng said happily.

Yang Ning waved her hand and said: "No, this is not enough!"

"oh?"

"River management and disaster relief require a large amount of money as a backing! Mr. Ge, who is in the cabinet, must be most aware of the financial resources of the current court. Can the court now spend so much money?"

As soon as Yang Ning said these words, Zhang Juzheng's expression became gloomy.

"Alas! To be honest, little friend, this is my biggest headache! Nowadays, my money can be said to be empty and money is scarce. I can barely do anything to control the river, but for disaster relief, I am afraid that I have more than enough energy.

It’s not enough! For the current plan, we can only control the river first, and we can only plan for disaster relief slowly!"

"If Mr. Ge thinks so, he is totally wrong! Mr. Ge, think about it. If thousands of disaster victims cannot be resettled in time and properly, and their food and clothing cannot be solved, then this group will become a huge group.

A 'powder keg' filled with gunpowder, and once this 'powder keg' is used, instigated, and 'ignited' by someone with ulterior motives, then - what consequences will Mr. Ge think?"

Zhang Juzheng's face became solemn and he said thoughtfully: "That makes sense. Nowadays, civil commotions and rebellions are happening in several provinces of Shandong. It is reported that there is a cult called the 'Dayi Jiao' that is fanning the flames and instigating them."

It is the common people that have caused the 'civilian uprisings' in various places to become more and more intense...!"

"So, the river needs to be restored, but the victims need to be rescued even more! In fact, ordinary people are easily satisfied. Having food to eat and clothes to wear is enough! But if you leave them without even the most basic food and clothing,

That means forcing them to rebel! And when these rebellions become a "prairie fire", then the entire Ming Dynasty will be in ruins. If any foreign tribes take the opportunity to invade..., hum! I'm afraid that my Ming Dynasty will be changed.

It’s also normal!”

Zhang Juzheng was shocked and said: "My little friend expected it to be so long-term, but if you think about it carefully, it is very likely to happen! In this way, this disaster relief matter is also of great importance and is imminent! But - with so many silver coins, the court was stunned for a while

I really can’t get it out!” After talking about it, Zhang Juzheng frowned again.

"This requires finding a way to reform the economy! In fact, the key to river control and disaster relief lies in reforming 'official governance' and 'economy'. If official governance is unclear, it will be difficult to implement government orders; and if financial resources are lacking, everything will be impossible.

Talk about it!”

"Then how to reform the economy?" Zhang Juzheng asked urgently.

Yang Ning was speechless for a while.

"Mr. Ge, although I have some shallow knowledge, I can't know everything! As for how to reform, it's up to you, a 'reformer' with great talent and strategy, to figure it out!"

From the beginning of the conversation until now, I have been talking and Zhang Ju is listening. There is something wrong with this!

At best, I only know some of the successes and failures of Zhang Juzheng's reforms in history, but I only know the "one whip method" for the specific reform methods, but I don't know the details! Besides, these reform methods are all Zhang Juzheng's.

You shouldn’t need to teach yourself about the “invention patent”!

Being dubbed a 'reformer' by Yang Ning made Zhang Juzheng a little happy. He smiled and said: "I have some ideas, but they are not mature yet. My analysis is incisive and my knowledge is extraordinary. Isn't this the same thing I want to do to you?"

Would you like me to ask for advice?"

"I don't know how to do it specifically. I only know that if we want to completely change the current decadent and decadent situation of our Ming Dynasty, we must achieve it through 'reform'! Only 'reform' can enable our Ming Dynasty officials to govern Qingming, and the national treasury is full, so that

Only when the frontiers are stable and the people live and work in peace and contentment can the prosperity of our Ming Dynasty be finally realized!"

"Well said! My little friend is really my uncle's confidant!" Zhang Juzheng exclaimed as he took the case.
Chapter completed!