Lin'an, Privy Council.

Ye Mengding walked into Cheng Yuanfeng's apartment and looked at each other. Before they could discuss politics, they both sighed deeply.

Cheng Yuanfeng has aged much in the past year since he became prime minister, and he cannot hide the haggard look on his face.

Ye Mengding sat down and felt that he had so many things to worry about. He didn't know where to start. After thinking about it, he first told what happened.

"Recently, the officials have been particularly fond of Hu Guifei. Today, Hu Xianzu, the father of Hu Guifei, is promoted to be a critic and to bring imperial weapons."

"The nepotistic ministers serve the emperor, but Mr. Ye doesn't stop him?"

Ye Mengding sighed: "It was because of the obstruction that Hu Xianzu was allowed to take charge of the weapons, otherwise...sigh."

The embarrassed state of his imperial master was gradually becoming difficult to conceal.

Officials were increasingly unwilling to listen to his advice.

Cheng Yuanfeng twirled his long beard and said: "The officials have approved it. Jiang Chun moved to the palace to serve as the censor and to serve as minister. The deacon will be in the palace and the advisers will deal with it."

As he spoke, his expression became more and more sad, and he murmured: "Forty million dollars in military supplies, to mobilize troops in Longxi, and to install party members, it was a mistake."

"In this way, the close officials of the official family can be divided into three categories."

Ye Mengding also shook his head, his tone was pessimistic.

"The first type, Jia Sidao's followers, mingled among the Empress Dowager Xie and the entire Queen's clan, serving the officials, praising Jia Sidao, and convincing the officials that Jia Sidao was loyal and capable of governing the country; the second type, Li Xiazhi

Although the number of party members is small, they secretly occupy important positions of close servants, such as Guan De and Jiang Chun. Officials have inexplicable trust in Li Xia; the third category is nepotistic ministers who can be promoted by presenting beautiful women. It can be said that... the Manchu Dynasty

Lucky you!"

After all, there are not many upright people among the emperor's close ministers who are loyal and diligent to the country.

Of course, this official does not care about state affairs anyway, and spends his days banqueting in the harem, drinking and having fun. If there are honest people accompanying him, he really cannot stay there any longer.

Ordinary sycophantic ministers only get some favors and wealth, but I can see that Jia Sidao and Li Xia are definitely not like this, and they have great plans.

For the time being, state affairs are still in the hands of Cheng Yuanfeng and Ye Mengding.

However, it can be predicted that when Jia Sidao completely regains the Sacred Heart, he will once again be in power and monopolize the court. As for Li Xia, the heart of the vassal town has gradually been revealed.

The two important ministers, inside and outside, had both made great contributions to the country and had extraordinary talents. The emperor allowed the emperor to indulge in debauchery, and all the people who were arranged around the officials did not dissuade them, but only said good things.

Seeing that the affairs of the country are in turmoil, he has no intention of direct advice and only seeks personal power. Can he still be a loyal minister?

His heart can be killed!

Cheng Yuanfeng and Ye Mengding were really angry.

There are rogues and bandits from outside, and there are weak rulers, powerful ministers, and vassal towns inside. The three-hundred-year-old stable system of the Song Dynasty is gradually falling apart.

But on the other hand, they really feel powerless.

Except for powerful ministers, disasters in feudal towns can be foreseen and more precautions need to be taken.

The current national affairs are even more worrying...

~~

When Jiang Chun arrived in Lin'an, he was surprised to find that...the recapture of Longxi did not cause the shock he expected in the central government.

The court was not happy about this.

When many officials heard about this, they reacted with confusion and some concern.

"If a barren land that is vast and sparsely populated and easy to attack and difficult to defend is recovered, how much money will it cost to propagate it?"

"Li Jieshuai actually has the military spending to regain Longxi?"

"..."

It can be seen that there is a general attitude in the imperial court. They do not want Longxi, but blame Li Xia for wasting military supplies.

Jiang Chun's heart felt cold.

He realized that the central government probably did not want to give Li Xia a substantive reward other than an official title, or would require Sichuan and Shu to transfer money and food because of the Longxi incident.

It would be useless to gain the trust of the officials, as the officials obviously do not have the ability to squeeze out money and food.

In fact, the Central Committee did not want to discuss merits, but wanted to hold Qingqi accountable for his crime of provocation.

Faintly, many officials have expressed this attitude.

Jiang Chun didn't understand why he had such a strange reaction at first.

But when he started renting an apartment, he gradually gained a little experience.

…

"So expensive?!"

When he heard Mrs. Mou talk about the rent of a small courtyard, Jiang Chun jumped up and exclaimed.

"I have been an official in Sichuan and Sichuan for eight years, and the price of houses in Lin'an has increased... more than eighteen times?!"

Mou Zhu looked sad and threw a stack of huizhuzi on the table in the guild hall.

"Not only are house prices soaring, but these coins can't be exchanged for copper coins. I knew it was worthless, but I didn't expect it to be worse than paper now."

"No, it's not Baiguan Huizi exchanging ten coins for copper coins?"

Mou Zhu stamped his feet and said angrily: "It's only if I can redeem it. I'd have asked the officials to bring the copper coins, otherwise it would be easy..."

Amid his wife's nagging, Jiang Chun realized how high prices in Lin'an had reached.

…

When the Song Dynasty issued Huizi, it spent a capital of 100,000 yuan. This happened more than a hundred years ago.

Emperor Xiaozong once said, "I couldn't sleep for almost ten years because of Huizi." But in fact, from the beginning of Xiaozong's Northern Expedition and the war between the Song and Jin Dynasties, Huizi began to prosper.

During the Ningzong Dynasty, during the Kaixi Northern Expedition, military expenditures were depleted. In more than ten years, 230 million yuan of Huizi were issued, causing prices to skyrocket. People at the time said, "In a hundred years, the price of land and rice has been more than a hundred times higher!"

But compared to the next thirty or forty years, these consequences can only be considered minor.

During the reign of the late emperor, he first united with Mongolia to destroy the Jin Dynasty and brought peace to Luo, and then there was a war between Song and Mongolia that lasted for more than 20 years. There were floods and droughts in the country, and the farmland lost its harvest, and He Bian harvested grain...

Just say that in the five years between Li Quan's rebellion and the Mongolian army's attack on Sichuan and Shaanxi, more than 32900 huizi were issued, an increase of 33 times.

Huizi sharply over-issued and depreciated sharply, causing prices to rise sharply.

The price of rice can rise four to five times within a year, and countless people have been ruined.

No need for a while?

The imperial court used Huizi to buy grain from the people for the purpose of "peaceful purchase", otherwise how could it fight a war?

But the late emperor still had means to maintain it. He used various names and ministers to rectify the situation, redeemed the huizi with silver and copper coins and burned them, issued hundreds of copper coins, etc.

Jiang Chun recalled that he could not help but sigh that the late emperor and all the ministers were masters of governing the country.

That is to stabilize the situation amid internal and external troubles.

The price of land and rice has skyrocketed to an appalling level. How can we not say that it is great to be able to resist foreign enemies without destroying the country?

Finally, Mongolia was in civil strife and had no war for many years.

I thought the situation would improve.

However, I did not expect that in the past year since the current official administration, Fei Dan has been unable to control it. Instead, it has intensified and reached the point where it is out of control.

…

"Two hundred guan, can't buy a pair of straw sandals?!"

On this day, when Jiang Chun visited Mou Zicai, he couldn't help but talk about the price of goods in Lin'an, and was shocked again.

The tea in my hand has been spilled on me.

"Even with three hundred guan or five hundred guan, it is difficult to buy a pair of straw sandals. Prices have skyrocketed, which is shocking, and people's livelihood is difficult."

Mou Zicai glanced at Jiang Chun and thought to himself, last year he paid 40 million yuan to Sichuan and Shu. Where did the money come from?

When he was dismissed from office, he did not have such a sad face, but now that he is back, he is worried about everything.

In the past, the late emperor was called a coward, but compared to today, the late emperor was hundreds of times wiser...

There were many things that Mou Zicai could not discuss with Jiang Chun.

Now, he, Cheng Yuanfeng, Ye Mengding, Rao Huchen, Yang Dong and other loyal ministers also want to get rid of the bad government, bring interest to the people, eliminate peace buying, rectify the currency, and restore the current situation.

Little results were achieved.

Even Jia Sidao sneered in person, "I'm used to making small fuss. What's the use of treating the symptoms rather than the root cause?"

He was determined to dominate the court.

As for the official family...

Mou Zi just thought about the official family and felt a headache. He didn't know what to say.

In this smoky atmosphere, the news of Longxi's recovery made people feel happy and sad at the same time.

Of course he was also ecstatic, but after the ecstasy, he still felt desolate.
To be continued...