After Guarjia received Emperor Longqing's promise of trade between the two countries, he was grateful and shouted long live, long live, long live.
But in fact, several cabinet ministers and senior officials in the court knew in their hearts what Emperor Longqing had planned.
Duke Yan Sheng even praised him: "Your Majesty calmed down the war and allowed the people of the two countries to recuperate and recuperate. This is truly the image of a holy king."
Many civil servants agreed.
Emperor Longqing didn't want to listen to the flattery of these civil servants, so he signaled the ministers to withdraw from the court, leaving Yu Zheng and Lin Ruhai, the ministers of the Ministry of Hubu, alone.
After leaving the palace wall, Wang Ziteng was just about to step forward to talk to Xue Hong, when he saw Zhu Hui running next to Xue Hong, and the two of them put their arms around each other, so they stopped and stared at each other, not knowing what he was thinking of.
Zhu Hui: "Junchen, you don't know how annoying Old Man Kong is. Almost every time he comes to the capital, he creates trouble for my father, but my father can't touch him. This old man is immortal!"
Xue Hong reminded: "Your Highness, we haven't gone far out of the palace yet. Aren't you afraid of being heard by others?"
Zhu Hui: "Tch! I didn't name anyone. Do they know who I'm talking about?"
…
"Lin Aiqing, tell me what you know about Jiangnan salt merchants and the Zhen family."
Emperor Longqing sat upright, his pupils reflecting the cold air.
Lin Ruhai stood up from the stool, bowed and saluted: "I obey your order."
"The salt policy in Jiangnan has festered to an outrageous level, and the salt tax is not even a tenth."
"I am incompetent. I have only found some clues in Yangzhou for many years. Before I left office, the salt merchants cut off their tails to survive and erased all traces."
"However, I suspect...that the Zhen family and the salt merchants are relying on someone else, not the second prince."
Emperor Long Qing snorted coldly: "Of course he is not the second child. I still know what he is capable of. The Zhen family and the salt merchants are just using him as a shield on the surface. It's a shame that he doesn't know it."
"Put aside the salt affairs for now. There are more important issues to solve now. Yu Aiqing, did you find what I ordered you to check?"
Yu Zheng, Secretary of the Ministry of Household Affairs: "Your Majesty, I have secretly visited merchants in various places. I can now conclude that all the armor and ironware that flowed into Houjin were smuggled to the north by Shanxi merchants.
Not only that, Shanxi merchants also took advantage of natural disasters to annex land, and officials and businessmen colluded to take advantage of it. Now seventy-eight percent of the land in Shanxi has been in the hands of wealthy businessmen and officials, and the people have only a few fields left. If there is a good year, they can barely make a living, but if …”
Good years? There have been few good years in the Ming Dynasty for so many years. As long as there are no major disasters in the country, the emperor will be thankful.
Emperor Longqing: "A nest of snakes and rats is so intertwined that it is difficult to remove it. Yu Aiqing, I temporarily give you the authority to mobilize all the imperial guards in Jin. I must always know every move of the national thieves in Jin. After the New Year, I will attack these Shanxi merchants first!"
Yu Zheng: "I obey your order!"
Emperor Longqing: "By the way, Yu Aiqing, you should understand what I mean about trading with Houjin. We must strictly control the types of goods.
Only those who are allowed by me can appear in the Northland, and those who are not allowed by me can’t fall outside Liaodong Town!
In addition, the imperial merchants will be used again, and the task of trading with Houjin will be handled by them. After all, they know the basics, and they will be more comfortable to use and feel more at ease."
Yu Zheng: "I obey your order!"
Emperor Longqing suddenly lost his serious expression and said: "I have been busy for so long today, and the sun is about to go up to the upper third pole. Today, you two dear ladies will not go back, but will have dinner with me here.
Someone come! Pass the meal!"
…
In the lobby of Jia's mansion, Wang Ziteng and Jia She sat side by side on the main seat, while Jia Zheng sat on the side seat.
Wang Ziteng went straight to Rongguo Mansion as soon as he had an early morning meeting. A lot of things had happened in recent days, which made Wang Ziteng determined to climb higher. And the foundation of Rongguo Mansion was a good asset for him to advance.
Although Wang Ziteng is now the governor of the Beijing camp, in fact, it is Emperor Longqing who truly and completely controls the Beijing camp. The only ones that Wang Ziteng can really fully control are Zuo Shao and Zuo Ye among the five military camps.
Zi Teng has never been a person willing to be lonely. Zi Teng Zi Teng, as long as it is a vine, the desire to climb up will be engraved in his bones and blood.
Jia Zheng: "Brother in law, what did you say to the court today? Why did you come to court so late?"
Because Wang Ziteng had a request from Jia's family today, it was rare for him to patiently answer Jia Zheng's questions.
Jia Zheng is now only a minister of the sixth rank, and Jia She is idle at home and ignores government affairs, so now the Jia family is relatively slow to receive news about major events in the court.
Wang Ziteng suddenly mentioned Xue Hong intentionally or unintentionally: "The adopted son of my brother-in-law of the Xue family is called Xue Hong, right? He is really good-looking and has good luck. He is a third-grade doctor at a young age. It is difficult to mix among a group of old people.
It’s quite conspicuous!”
As soon as these words came out, Jia Zheng's eyes showed a look of unwillingness. He had wasted half his life, and now a sixteen-year-old boy came in front of him. How could Jia Zheng be reconciled?
As for Jia She, no matter what Wang Ziteng said, he just played with the fan in his hand, as if the fan had some magic power.
Seeing that Jia She didn't respond, Wang Ziteng deliberately sighed heavily: "Alas! Now the turmoil under the court is getting bigger and bigger. Among the princes, I don't know which one will make it to the end."
When Jia She heard this, he raised his head sharply: "Zi Teng, what's the matter with you, just tell me!"
Wang Ziteng smiled and said: "Brother Enhou, it can be said that the trees are still but the wind is not stopping. You can't avoid the storm just by hiding."
"Now that the forces in the court are in disarray, and the power of the Xungui lineage is getting weaker and weaker, isn't Brother Enhou concerned about the future plans of the Rongguo Mansion?"
Jia She pushed up the glasses frame on the bridge of his nose and said half-seriously: "In the future? Children and grandchildren will have their own blessings. What do you want to do?"
Wang Ziteng: "Haha...Brother Enhou, if it hadn't been for that incident, you would be a legitimate marquis now. Maybe it wasn't Sun Chuanting and Xue Hong who defeated Hou Jin, but Brother Enhou."
Already."
"And Yuanchun... I have been in the palace for so many years. Even though we have taken care of it, we are still the weak ones in the natal family. Up to now, Yuanchun still doesn't have a position. As an uncle, I feel heartbroken.
ah."
Jia She smiled coldly: "Ziteng, you don't go to the Three Treasures Palace for anything. I'm afraid you came here this time because you are eyeing the little military incense left by your late father, right?"
Wang Ziteng: "To tell you the truth, now that I am appointed as the governor of Beijing Camp, if I want to make even half a step forward, it will be as difficult as climbing to the sky. Without the help of your government..."
Jia She: "Everything else is easy to discuss, but this little bit of incense and love cannot be discussed."
Jia Zheng quickly wanted to persuade: "Brother! If Brother Sannei really takes the next step, let alone our family, it will be your poor Yuanchun niece..."
Jia She raised his hand, and there was no longer the wretched look in his eyes: "If Zi Teng just wants to take another half step forward and regenerate a pillar for our four major families, that's it.
Just for my niece's sake, I'd bet on it.
But Brother Ziteng, I see that there is more than just His Majesty’s shadow behind you now!”
Wang Ziteng sighed in his heart, he was indeed the heir trained by the old Duke Rong himself, and he was not on the same level as his idiot brother-in-law.
Wang Ziteng: "Haha, brother Enhou, this is not something you should worry about. Among our four major families, I am among you, and you are among me. Even if I, Wang Ziteng, harm anyone, I will not harm the Jia family.
.”
The feeling of ascending to the sky through the power of a dragon is addictive, especially for Wang Ziteng, the only one of the previous generations of nobles to succeed in the dragon.
In Jia She's eyes, standing in line is undoubtedly the most dangerous behavior. Jia Daishan and Jia Daihua taught Jia She this lesson with their lives!
Jia She closed his eyes and said decisively: "No matter what, this incense is the last guarantee of my Rongguo Mansion! It must not be touched unless it is a matter of life and death!"
After saying that, Jia She lifted his legs and left.
Jia Zheng wanted to persuade Jia She again, but Wang Ziteng held out his hand to stop him: "Haha, don't worry, brother-in-law, Brother Enhou will change his mind~"