Xie Jin supported the prince, and Huang Fu, the minister of the Ministry of Finance, was closer to the king of Han. Among the officials, it was not a secret, and everyone knew what it meant to express his stance.
Eventually, Liu Guan was promoted to the right deputy censor of the headquarters.
Jie Jin raised his head and saw Zhu Gaochi standing in the corner. His Majesty did not ask the prince's opinion. Even he wanted to give up the prince and switch to the arms of the King of Han.
Supporting the heir to the throne is a very dangerous thing. It is like a gamble. If you lose, you will not only lose your fortune, but also your head. Once you place your bet, there is no way out.
After the dispersion of the dynasty, Xie Jin hurriedly came to the duty room of Youqian Yushi Wuzhong.
"Why didn't Your Majesty choose Mr. Wu?"
Wuzhong sighed softly: "I have met with you many times about the relief work for the hungry people in Susong Lake. Your Majesty is troubled."
"Su Songhujia?" Xie Jin raised his eyebrows.
"Suzhou, Songzhou, Jiading, and Huzhou suffered from repeated floods, and the fields failed to harvest. In the early years, His Majesty sent Xia Yuanji, the Ministry of Household Affairs, to dredge the tributaries of the Song River. However, floods continued year after year."
Wuzhong's expression softened and he continued: "Huzhou already owes 600,000 dan in taxes and grain."
Jie Jin frowned: "How can your Majesty blame you for a natural disaster or a man-made disaster?"
Having said this, he sighed.
Wuzhong took a deep breath and said with a wry smile: "At the beginning, I was also very eager. I saw that the people of the four counties had lost all their old grains, new seedlings had not yet grown, and the young and old were crying. So I told your majesty to open a warehouse and donate 300,000 dan to the hungry people.
Niu Zhong, he promised to solve this matter with certainty, but alas, there have been floods for many years, time and fate..."
Xie Jin's face was solemn, he was unable to provide advice, and issued an order. Although it was for the people, he still had to take responsibility for his words and deeds.
Wuzhong guessed Xie Jin's purpose, lowered his voice and laughed: "Brother Jin Shen, are you here to talk to me about supporting the crown prince?"
Jie Jin nodded slightly and was about to speak.
Wuzhong smiled bitterly: "The prince has been watching the government for half a month. I heard that salt tickets are very popular in Jiangnan, and the public resentment has subsided. It's good governance. It's not that I don't support the prince. This matter has yet to be dealt with."
Xie Jin comforted him and said, "Don't be anxious, don't be anxious, support the prince first, there will always be a way to solve everything."
Wu Zhongzhong said to Xie Jinhuatou that both the prince and the king of Han were his majesty's heirs. It was your majesty's decision to decide who should be king.
Besides, I support the prince, can the prince solve this matter for me?
At this moment, the clerk at the door ran in and said: "Master Wu, sir... hurry up and see the driver, your Majesty has summoned you."
Wuzhong picked up his official hat and came to Fengtian Hall.
At this time, Zhu Di was flipping through the memorial in a light yellow paper book with a melancholy look on his face. When he saw Wuzhong coming in, he raised his head and said, "This year, the four counties of Susong, Lake and Jia are asking the court for help again?"
I haven't paid a pound of tax and grain, but the imperial court has provided relief for three years.
Wu Zhongxin said bitterly: "Your Majesty, I also find it strange, but those four counties have been suffering from floods for many years. I feel ashamed. I made the request in the first place, but now I have no way to deal with it."
Zhu Di put down the memorial and sighed: "Every year before spring, I order Xia Yuanji to dredge the Songjiang River. Even though I am worried that the people will lose their livelihood and become refugees, the court opens warehouses for relief every year, but it is not a solution. The four counties are in arrears.
How much tax and grain did you pay?”
Wuzhong looked frightened and spoke with difficulty: "Reporting to your Majesty, as of December this year, the tax arrears are 3.8 million dan..."
Half an hour passed...
Wuzhong left Fengtian Hall with a sad face.
If you want to solve the problem, just let me solve it. The court will provide you with food, damn it! He held up the hem of his clothes angrily and stomped down the imperial steps.
"If you press me again, I will be dismissed from office."
After venting a bit.
Wuzhong sighed and walked to the left gate of Chang'an with his hands behind his back and his head hanging down. Suddenly his path was blocked by deer velvet leather boots. He was so angry that there was still something blocking his eyes. He raised his head and gradually looked up. He saw a handsome face. Look at him with a smile.
"Meet...meet His Highness Zhan Yong."
Zhu Zhanyong heard that the imperial court appointed the censor of the capital, and finally managed to get Chen Ying. How could he let the people of the second emperor's uncle occupy it? He chose Wuzhong from the people given by Zhu Yuanzhang.
So he waited here.
Zhu Zhanyong asked with a smile: "Did Mr. Wu get the food he begged for?"
Wu Zhong looked at Zhu Zhanyong and didn't want to say a word. He thought to himself that if your grandfather gave him food, how could I be like this?
"Why does Your Highness ask this?"
Zhu Zhanyong put his arm around Wuzhong's shoulders: "I am worried about the people in the four counties. If they beg for food, they will give up. If they don't beg for food, is there a way? Do you want to hear it, Mr. Wu?"
Just you? Wu Zhong looked at Zhu Zhanyong in disbelief as he came over.
"What?"
"Does Lord Wu know about the new salt method?" Zhu Zhanyong asked.
Wuzhong was puzzled: "Of course...but..."
"The four counties of Susong, Lake and Jia were frequently hit by floods, and the fields were naturally unable to be cultivated. However, the new salt law was tried out in ten prefectures in the south of the Yangtze River. The gentry rushed to redeem the salt stamps, but the court could not exchange them for salt."
"The Ministry of Household Affairs has already recruited corvees, so why not let the hungry people make salt for the imperial court, and use the collected silver coins as relief money, and then distribute it to the hungry people, so that the people do not have to do corvee labor."
Zhu Zhanyong discussed it with Zhu Yuanzhang.
Wuzhong's eyes brightened: "It is a way to feed the people with the silver from selling salt, but... there are so many people in the four counties, how can they all make salt?"
"The people the court wants to help are only hungry people. Ordinary gentry and common people have enough food in their homes to survive until next spring."
"Among these hungry people, one person from each family can earn enough money to survive the winter."
According to Zhu Yuanzhang, Susongjiahu is a land of silk, and most of them are silk households.
"Master Wu, look at how much labor is needed to fish out salt from sea water, well water and rock walls. How much labor is needed to sweep up, transport, cook, and remove the bitterness of the salt... how much labor is needed to cook it? The three methods can solve the problem in Jiangnan. Salt stamps are urgent."
After Zhu Zhanyong finished speaking, he looked at him.
Wuzhong seemed to hesitate: "Is this... too much salt?"
"Will there be floods next year? This is just to relieve an urgent need. When spring comes, these hungry people will go back to farming."
Zhu Zhanyong gave Wuzhong a pair of white eyes. How come this old man couldn't figure it out at the critical moment?
Compared to Xie Jin, my father needs Wuzhong's smoothness, exquisiteness and prudence more.
After listening, Wu Zhong's eyes gradually lit up, and then he laughed.
"Okay, I will talk to Your Majesty right now."
"Master Wu, please sign this."
After speaking, Zhu Zhanyong took out a university book from his pocket. The chapters were filled with annotations, which he had received from Zhu Gaochi.
Wu Zhong was stunned and took it: "What is this?"
"The battle between my father and my uncle started when the emperor conquered the world. It is not a secret in the court. When my father first came to the capital, I helped Mr. Wu solve his urgent needs, and Mr. Wu helped my father observe the government."
These officials are cunning. Today they support the prince, but tomorrow they will support the king of Han when he becomes powerful. Oral promises are worthless.
Wu Zhong was startled, suddenly feeling a little hot, and immediately his expression changed slightly: "Your Highness, why is this happening?"
…………
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