Xu Jingchang's assassin strike, in terms of skill, is at least twenty years old.
Gentlemen of the cabinet, it is cloudy and miserable at the moment... Mr. Xu, you can't go too far!
It's just that their complaints and resistance are useless.
Xu Jingchang was right and strict in his words, and he had many reasons.
"Your Majesty, I know that you need civil servants around you, and so many heavy official documents are inseparable from human hands. But as the saying goes, a prime minister must start from the state department, and a strong general must be sent to the army. Although the bachelors in the cabinet are not real prime ministers,
They stay by His Majesty's side, give loyal advice, and participate in government affairs. If they are just good at writing, it is not enough. They must be familiar with local affairs and understand the people's conditions in order to better assist His Majesty."
Zhu Di was slightly moved, but still hesitated, "Can they do it?"
"Your Majesty, all the bachelors are knowledgeable and capable people. They uphold the holy will and go to the four palaces of Su Songchang Town. They are all in front of the emperor. The court is working hard and they can go back and forth in a day or two. As for what big things will happen, I will
I absolutely don’t believe it. This is a good time to implement national policies and train talents. In a year or two, several bachelors will return to the court and they will be able to better assist His Majesty. By then, the national treasury will be full and the finances will be very different.
Yes. In short, I think this fact is the best. Your Majesty, please take a closer look."
Zhu Di pondered for a moment, "You also said so. But do you have any ideas about which four bachelors should be sent to these four mansions?"
"Yes!" Xu Jingchang said with a smile: "I thought we could send Yang Shiqi, Hu Guang, Jin Youzi first, and then..."
Xu Jingchang paused for a moment. These three were all from Jiangxi. According to the original idea, if Xie Jin was inserted, the four Jiangxi people would be perfect.
"Now that things have come to this, we might as well make it clearer. This is a matter of cutting out flesh to mend sores. The court's intention is very clear as to where to cut the flesh. We are this sharp blade. Whether we can cut it off or not depends on us.
That's what I'm capable of." Yang Shiqi said in a muffled voice.
"Xu Tongzheng, I would like to thank you. This is a great idea. I want to ask for credit from your majesty..."
Because there were too many Jinshi and civil servants in Jiangxi, it was also the province with the largest tax arrears in the entire Ming Dynasty.
At that time, the fish will die and the net will fall apart, and the fun will be great.
What does it mean to turn your hands to make clouds and turn your hands to make rain?
Xie Jin finally understood the lesson.
Earlier, Xu Jingchang asked Xia Yuanji to include the portion retained by various places in the revenue of the Ministry of Household Affairs... It turned out that the portion retained by various places was generally about half.
After a while, Xie Jin went to the market, carefully selected a set of Four Treasures of the Study, and then came to the Xu Mansion to visit Xu Jingchang.
"Can you fish?"
Xu Jingchang nodded repeatedly, "He is indeed a great talent. He can tell the truth in just one point. That's all you can do is give His Majesty a pamphlet that can be easily disseminated."
The others looked at each other, but Xie Jin hesitated and said: "That's not true. I have read the imperial court's strategy, and it is beneficial to the country and the people."
Xie Jin thought for a while and said with a smile: "In addition to the three-character sutra used by children for enlightenment, the only thing that can be used is the perpetual calendar. Every household can use it even if they don't know a few characters. Choose a good and auspicious day and grasp the farming season.
, can’t live without it.”
Xie Jin looked at Xu Jingchang like a monster. I don't accept anyone, but Xu Tongzheng.
Several people exchanged glances, and it turned out that there was really no way out.
They sat down by the fish pond. Xu Jingchang put on the bait, threw out the hook, and chatted with Xie Jin, "His Majesty asked you to repair the book, do you have any idea about it?"
No matter how hard you press, you just can't pay the tax in full.
Xie Jin was startled and said hurriedly: "Xu Tongzheng, I went back and thought about it. If we recruit Hongru to come to Beijing and study books together, not to mention the huge cost, just because some people are too old and come to Beijing all the way, and they haven't studied books yet.
It might be gone. It’s really not a virtuous policy. It’s just the Holy Will. I don’t know how to persuade His Majesty, so I’m in a dilemma.”
Xie Jin lowered his head and said sheepishly: "I gave it to my mentor."
After a long time, Yang Shiqi said: "Brother Jie'an, where are you from?"
Anyway, most of the officials who handle affairs are from Jiangxi. Let’s see what the court can do to us?
If it were an ordinary person, he would only think about suppressing the Jiangxi gentry, dispatching capable officials, and trying every means to collect the arrears of taxes.
So Xu Jingchang is really bad at heart, and he is dedicated to embarrassing others.
However, when they arrived in Jiangxi, not only did more than 70% of the money remain, but they were also in arrears continuously, and even the goods that should be shipped to the imperial court were not shipped.
The others nodded one after another, raised their glasses, and drank the mixed-flavored liquor.
"It is good for the country and the people, but it is not good for the gentry and wealthy families." Yang Rong snorted: "As things stand now, if this cannot be done in Jiangnan, it will inevitably fall to Jiangxi, Zhejiang, and Fujian... So we can only stay here.
We should be of one mind and be of the same mind, regardless of whether we are leaving or staying, we must take care of each other and try our best to get things done. Otherwise, let alone the court, the elders in our hometown will poke our spines!
"
Jie'an is Huang Huai's nickname. He said solemnly: "I am from Wenzhou Prefecture, Zhejiang Province."
Xu Jingchang said generously: "It's okay. Once you get used to it, you'll get used to it, and you'll get used to it gradually."
He shook his head quickly, but he couldn't get rid of this idea.
The same two shoulders carry one head, how come there is such a huge gap between these two people!
It would be effortless for him to compile such a pamphlet at his fingertips, and it would be easy to disseminate. His Majesty would certainly be pleased with it.
Xie Jin went to see them off, and looking at the backs of several people, he suddenly felt like the wind was rustling and the water was cold, like a strong man who will never return once he is gone.
Zhu Di thought for a while, and after excluding these four people, Huang Huai, Xie Jin and Yang Pu were left. In addition, if Hu Yan was included, there were still two Jiangxi people.
"No need." Xu Jingchang waved his hand, "Don't let us, His Majesty, just spend money randomly as you please. Otherwise, even if you have a golden mountain, you won't be able to withstand His Majesty's torment, and none of us will have a hard time."
Xie Jin nodded hurriedly and said: "Xiaguan understands, but he still can't figure out the key."
Xu Jingchang laughed and said: "Tomes have advantages, but a book has thousands of copies and countless words. How to print it? How to spread it? Even if someone wants to buy it, who can afford it?"
Xu Jingchang asked again: "Then what does Bachelor Xie think is the most popular book on the market?"
Yang Shiqi suggested: "Let's have a drink and say goodbye."
This was an important tax base for the imperial court, and it was also the key to Zhu Di's efforts to enrich the treasury.
I sent several cabinet bachelors from Jiangxi to Jiangnan and put them in charge of the four offices of Su Songchang Town.
Yang Pu also took the initiative and said: "I am from Shishou, Huguang."
Xie Jin said: "Yes, but the fishing is not good."
It was said that it was preparation, but with Xie Jin's talent, he compiled this book in less than half a month.
But Xu Jingchang opened up a new track and came up with new methods.
Jiangxi gentry, or Jiangnan gentry... you can choose for yourself.
Thinking back to the beginning, Xu Jingchang put me on gardening leave, and I was dormant at home for several months, almost ending my career.
With that said, Xu Jingchang stood up, took Xie Jin's wrist, and the two of them went straight to his small fish pond.
If everything goes well, the emperor gets the money, and the people get benefits, no matter what, everyone will be happy.
According to his past temper, which was based on his talent and arrogance, he would never take Xu Jingchang seriously, who was young and relied on his family connections to become the General Secretary.
Now it's Xu Jingchang again. With a few words, he dispatched several upstarts from the cabinet to serve as prefects and charge into the battle.
But if it fails, Xu Jingchang will give advice and send officials to thoroughly investigate Jiangxi's arrears.
"Xia Guan is from a poor family. I only have this little intention. I hope the general secretary won't mind."
But after experiencing his own lessons and witnessing what happened to his colleagues... Xie Jin suddenly realized that although he had not experienced the baptism of imprisonment and was not considered authentic, Xie Jin had already seen through it. In this Ming Dynasty, some people said that they were
More effective than the Emperor.
Xu Jingchang smiled, "Actually, you have to think about it carefully, what is the Holy Will? Your Majesty doesn't know how to perform the Yongle Ceremony... He just thinks that the tome is majestic and dignified, and it can promote his civil and military skills and highlight his status.
.Actually, our Majesty is very concerned about Jingnan."
Yang Rong is from Fujian. Fortunately, there is no one from Southern Zhili in the cabinet.
"Just write that our country is called Ming Dynasty, the reign name is Yongle, the imperial court has six ministries, there are county magistrates, the people have to pay taxes, and they have to appeal for grievances... In short, just write things that the people can use, and then subtly instill some things.
Go in...you know what I mean, right?"
Xu Jingchang smiled all over his face and said, "Thank you so much, Master Xie. I will cherish these four treasures of the study."
In other words, in the Yongle Dynasty's cabinet, there were eight bachelors, five of whom were from Jiangxi.
However, Xu Jingchang was still careful not to go too far in everything, especially the promising cabinet bachelor, so Xu Jingchang said: "Add Yang Rong, he is from Fujian, mature and prudent, and he is the first of the four.
It is most suitable for him to be in charge of Suzhou."
Xie Jin nodded, "I understand, I will make preparations right now."
Xie Jin was startled, "It's true, Xu Tongzheng has a great opinion."
"What should I write about?"
Later, Yang Rong and others, with the title of cabinet bachelor, were appointed prefects of the four prefectures respectively, and went directly to their posts.
Xu Jingchang smiled, "Do you mind? This is the first time you, Bachelor Jie, have come to give gifts? Have you ever given them to others before?"
Such a selfless person who sacrificed his hometown for outsiders will definitely be remembered by the people in his hometown. As for the consequences, you can think about it yourself!
The decree was conveyed to the cabinet, and their expressions suddenly changed. Several bachelors were stunned.
The seven people whose names were called, Yang Rong, Jin Youzi, Hu Guang, and Yang Shiqi, as well as Yang Pu, Huang Huai, and Xie Jin who were lucky enough to stay, looked at each other in confusion, and no one could speak.
As the province with the largest imperial examinations in the early Ming Dynasty, Jiangxi produced high-quality Jinshi and a large number of Jinshi. Therefore, there is a saying that half of the Jinshi were from Jiangxi and half were from Hanlin.
When he came to the palace with an excited heart and trembling hands and handed it over to Zhu Di, his whole body seemed to be suspended. The feeling was not much better than that of a prisoner waiting to be sentenced.
Zhu Di just watched silently. After a long time, he slowly said: "How many copies can be printed, Bachelor Jie?"
Xie Jin was stunned and replied: "At the beginning, Emperor Taizu wanted every household to have a copy of the imperial edict, but the imperial edict still contained too much content. Such a book is only one-fifth of the imperial edict. I thought that not everyone had a copy.
, it can be almost the same.”
Zhu Di took a deep breath and said slowly: "So, I finally have something that is as good as the Imperial Examination!"
