In the Palace of the Qianqing Dynasty, only Zhu Yunxi and the Secretary of the Ministry of Household Affairs, Zhang Wei, sat opposite each other.
Zhu Yunxi was sitting on the throne, looking down from a high position, and he could clearly see Zhang Yan's gray hair under his official hat.
Zhang Yan is old!
Even if he is not old, the heavy responsibility of being the great steward of the Ming Dynasty in recent years has made him grow old!
"Your Majesty, do you want to fully lift the maritime ban after the New Deal?"
There were only two of them, the monarch and his minister. Zhang Yan slowly spoke directly and said what was in his heart.
"Eh..." Zhu Yunxi smiled, reached out and picked up an orange and broke it open. Then he pointed to the fruit plate in front of him and said to the bastard, "Bring it to Zhang Aiqing!"
Outsiders thought that Zhu Yunxi, the emperor's most trusted minister, was probably Chang Sheng, Li Jinglong, Zhu Gaochi and others.
But in fact, as long as the ministers in the South Study Room knew in their hearts, the one the emperor truly trusted unconditionally was Zhang Yan, who was usually taciturn and even occasionally opposed the emperor.
Because Zhang Yan was a minister specially left by Emperor Taizu Gao to Emperor Yongchang who could be trusted to command him.
Throughout the life of Emperor Taizu Gao, the most disdainful and disgusting thing was the moral integrity that scholars kept talking about.
But what he admires most is precisely those people who are truly moral and ethical!
And Zhang Yan is such a person!
"Have you guessed my intention?" Zhu Yunxi put a mouthful of orange into his mouth and said with a smile.
Zhang Yan was silent for a moment, "Opening the sea should be a policy that benefits the country and the people!" As he said that, he raised his head and looked at Zhu Yunxi, "There was nothing we could do about banning the sea before!"
In the eyes of many people, the ban on the sea in the early years of the Ming Dynasty was a bit unbelievable. Just because there were Japanese pirates, or because they were afraid that people would sail out to sea and no one would farm the land?
The so-called politics are actually the epitome of the development of the times.
At that time, the Ming Dynasty had not long been established, and the entire empire had just emerged from the shadow of war.
But for the common people, one of the consequences of decades of war is that there is actually no difference between the common people and soldiers or even thieves.
The coastal land has always been barren, and people who disobey the government's control often gather to cause chaos. Once the government fails to control it effectively, these people will sail out to sea, become pirates, and escape.
In addition, the empire's first priority at that time was to launch production as quickly as possible. The country did not need expensive imported products, nor did it need anything flashy.
We need food, we need cloth...
Therefore, the empire's center of gravity at that time was destined not to be placed on the ocean!
But now, in Zhu Yunxi's era, all problems have been solved.
Without pirates, there is no need to worry about people fleeing overseas. The Ming Empire is neither short of food nor cloth...
~
Hearing this, Zhu Yunxi smiled and said, "What does it mean that it should be a policy that benefits the country and the people? Yes, what does it mean?"
"If you do it well, it will benefit the country and the people. If you don't do it well..." Zhang Yan pondered for a moment, "Maybe it will serve as a lesson for future generations!"
Zhu Yunxi put down the orange in his hand and looked at Zhang Yan waiting for the next step.
"If you want to do well, you can't be too hasty!" Zhang Yan added, "In my opinion, Your Majesty, you are... too hasty now!"
He already said it very tactfully!
It's just that the emperor is anxious, not that the emperor is too ambitious!
"The New Deal has not yet been settled, but there are already complaints from a corner of the south of the Yangtze River!" Zhang Yan said again, "In the southeast, we will implement the opening of the sea..."
"Your Majesty, I am getting old! When I was young, I felt that everything in this world is all about hard work and hard work. If you have a will, things will come true!"
"But it is only now that I am getting old that I understand a truth. People should not talk about many things in their lives. It is not easy to do one thing well and achieve success!"
As he spoke, Zhang Yan lowered his head, looked at the tangerines in the fruit plate in front of him, and continued, "This way is also the way of the emperor!"
Zhu Yunxi ate the tangerine silently and said nothing.
Zhang Yan raised his head again and said, "I know that the emperor has the ambition to reach the sky, but as the saying goes, everything must be allowed to take its course. Excessive strength is easy to break, and excessiveness is not enough. I believe you, the emperor, also know it!"
"Historical kings have always governed their country with caution! Because our country, China, has too many people and a vast territory, and it will affect the whole body!"
"Since the emperor came to the throne, he has carried out various drastic reforms, civil and military affairs, agriculture and commerce, and now there is a sea ban!"
"Yes, Your Majesty, your plan is right! If all kinds of disadvantages are not dealt with now, they will be left to future generations!"
"But you don't need to be so anxious, there is no need to take a multi-pronged approach! Many reforms have not yet achieved results, and you are anxious for the next one."
Having said this, Zhang Yan slowly took off his official hat, put it aside, and whispered, "You must give all officials and the people of the world a time, a time to go from suspicion to trust, a time to witness the benefits of the new deal, right?"
?”
"Too much haste will lead to chaos! Chaos will lead to bad things! And if bad things happen now, everything the emperor did in the early stage will be in vain!"
"Furthermore, Your Majesty, you are still young now. To be disrespectful, I have at least several decades to go... Even if your generation cannot do it, there will still be future generations...
"
Finally, Zhu Yunxi raised his head and looked at Zhang Yan.
"Say what you say, why take off your hat?"
Zhang Ming paused and said, "Old minister..."
"If you want to avoid suspicion over Qi Zhu's matter, do you want to give up your choice?" Zhu Yunxi looked at Zhang Wei, "Then tell me, who should I hand over as the big housekeeper of the Ministry of Revenue? Li Zhigang?"
"Old minister..." Zhang Yan's mind was filled with words to persuade the emperor to take it easy. Unexpectedly, the emperor seemed not to hear him at all, but directly changed the subject.
To be precise, it wasn't a disagreement. What the emperor said and what he said were not the same thing.
Zhang Ming was talking about government affairs, while Zhu Yunxi was talking about the future appointment, dismissal and transfer of officials. In fact, he, Zhang Ming, and other officials in his group were in the dark!
He didn't react for a moment, so he could only reply subconsciously, "The Department of Husbandry must not be handed over to someone as eager for quick success as Li Yixing!"
"Let me tell you the truth!" Zhu Yunxi looked at Zhang Yan again, and pinched a handful of melon seeds on the plate next to him, "Qi is not corrupt, but his status cannot allow him to stay in Guangdong! But now, he still has
Can’t leave!”
"Around August next year, Chen Dewen will be promoted to Chief Secretary of Guangdong. Qi Zhuo will go to Beijing... Zuo Shilang of the Ministry of Revenue!"
"You don't have to worry, opening up the sea is opening up the sea. It won't be like the New Deal, which caused many people to lose their official status and lose their heads. It's not like the east wind suppresses the west wind, and it doesn't involve a struggle for power."
As he said that, Zhu Yunxi glanced at Zhang Yan and said, "You know, what I hate most is party strife!"
"I am worried that Your Majesty, you are young and energetic..."
"No matter how young and vigorous I am, I can't possibly kill everyone who opposes me, right? Then what has become of me?"
Zhu Yunxi smiled and said, "Zhang Aiqing, put on your hat, don't get cold!"
As he spoke, he clapped his hands and picked up the handkerchief to wipe it.
"As for what you just said about me being too hasty in everything, it is inevitable that I am eager for quick success!" Zhu Yunxi nodded and said, "Yes, I am in a hurry! My life is only a few decades, how can I not be in a hurry?"
"Every generation has its own responsibilities. I never believe in the nonsense that future generations will take care of it on their own!"
"My generation has not been able to do things clearly, so how can they do it? And what my generation does not do will be left to future generations, and what will be left behind will be disasters!"
"It is precisely because I am young that I dare to act so vigorously and resolutely! Whether it is the new policy, farmers, merchants, military and civilians, or maritime bans, we all need to cut through the mess with a sharp knife!"
"It's true that you are mature and prudent, but if you are too old, you lose your spirit!"
"Zhang Aiqing, if you advise me, I will listen! But you must help me even more!"
Zhang Yan looked at the official hat and smiled bitterly, "In the emperor's mind, along with the reform of opening up the sea, there should be a tax system, right?"