Zhu Si was holding back his energy to do something big, but in fact, with his ability and the current absolute control of the civil servant faction such as Yang Tinghe on the court situation, even the emperor could hardly do anything.
On the third day after Zhu Hao returned to the capital, he went to the Hanlin Academy to perform his duties.
He didn't plan to stay in the Hanlin Academy for too long. He also wanted to meet Su Xigui that day.
Now Su Xigui can be said to be a busy man. There seems to be no one in the capital who does not know his identity as an agent. He is generous and generous and never hesitates to give money to others. It gives the impression that he wants to put Huang Zan on the fire.
.
Even Sun Jiao kindly reminded Zhu Hao to ask Su Xigui to keep a low profile.
But being high-profile also has its benefits.
Is Yang Tinghe taking this opportunity to take action against Huang Zan?
Since Zhu Si ascended the throne, Yang Tinghe has been trying hard to unseat Huang Zan.
Could it be that if Su Xigui didn't give gifts, Yang Tinghe wouldn't have the idea of punishing Huang Zan?
On the contrary, because of Su Xigui's high profile, the high-ranking officials in the capital realized that Huang Zan was not just for making money for the court, but that his subordinates were all veterans of Huizhou merchants, and their financial resources were beyond the reach of ordinary people.
Although most officials claim to be clean and honest, some people stuff their pockets with money, which is still a lot of money. It is much more than the salary they get from the court, and there is no risk of corruption and perversion of the law. Who doesn't want to accept it?
point?
The Ming Dynasty was very strict about corruption crimes, but it was not very strict about bribery, mainly "accepting stolen goods".
After receiving bribes, there is a distinction between those who have violated the law and those who have not. As long as the law is not violated, punishment with the rod and exile are nominally the punishment measures. However, in actual implementation, as long as there is no actual evidence related to the violation of the law, the court will basically not pursue the case. The punishment with the rod
You can also use money to atone for your sins.
It is equivalent to saying that after accepting bribes, as long as you act secretly and prevent others from discovering that your violation of the law is related to accepting bribes, then all the punishments imposed on you by the law can be eliminated.
However, the purpose of Su Xigui's coming to the capital to send money was just to build up reputation for Huang Zan, and there was no question of perverting the law at all.
This means that even if he goes to many officials' mansions and delivers the money, he doesn't expect much. Others will see that the money comes easily and directly... The banknote has a small target and can be exchanged for money at any time at a bank in the capital, without having to lift it.
Walking around with a silver box, there is no need to bend the law to help Huang Zan...
Except for a few timid and fearless people or those who care about their reputation and don't know how to handle it, such money will most likely fall into their pockets.
If Huang Zan really encounters trouble, the officials who have received the gifts are still willing to come out and help. After all, there are two gifts once and twice. As long as Huang Zan does not fall, he will be grateful for his kindness and will be more generous and accept the gifts himself.
You can also feel at ease.
After all, who cares about having too much money?
…
…
Zhu Hao went to the Hanlin Academy and met Yang Shen.
Although Yang Shen had heard about Zhu Hao's return to Beijing this time, he never thought of visiting him. He deliberately showed a sense of alienation, as if he wanted to draw a clear line with Zhu Hao.
Of course, Yang Shen was still very polite when they met. He took the initiative to move a chair and sit across from Zhu Hao's desk. He introduced the situation in the capital, especially the Hanlin Academy, in the past two months, and then asked about Zhu Hao's situation.
Zhu Hao told him about his general experience in the mine, and Yang Shen was done with it without delving into the details.
Zhu Hao was exiled because of Yang Shen. Yang Shen may have been apologetic in his heart, and there were some things that were hard to say clearly. He pretended to be concerned and asked about Zhu Hao's physical condition, then stopped the topic and started a new one.
"I heard that recently, Minamitobe Huangbudo has a crony in the capital, traveling around. I remember... Jingdao, you know him, right?"
Yang Shen took the initiative to meet Zhu Hao, and indeed he had other purposes.
Zhu Hao nodded: "We know each other, and we have had many contacts since Anlu."
Yang Shen said: "He has recently visited many official residences and many private residences, but I haven't seen him bring any generous gifts. I heard that he spends generously every time. Do you know this?"
Zhu Hao smiled and shook his head: "I just returned to the capital and he didn't come to see me. Where do I know where to go?"
"Then you should go see him, maybe he will give you a generous gift." Yang Shen said
"oh?"
Zhu Hao pretended to be surprised.
But actually he wants to say, even if you don't say it, I will go to see him in the afternoon.
"This kind of people are causing huge storms in the capital. They have absolutely no good intentions. The order of the Ming Dynasty's officialdom has been corrupted by people like this! Go and find out how he does illegal things and turn around..."
Yang Shen almost wanted to say, go be an undercover agent, explore that person's mouth, let us know the evidence of his crime, and then bring him to justice.
Zhu Hao shook his head: "Isn't this appropriate?"
Yang Shen frowned, lowered his face and asked, "Don't you uphold justice?"
Zhu Hao shook his head: "Justice and so on must be maintained, but I am very familiar with this businessman named Su. If I were asked to go for a physical examination, wouldn't it be like... betraying a friend for glory?"
"Do you consider him a friend?"
Yang Shen's eyes were filled with disappointment for Zhu Hao.
"yes."
Zhu Hao did not mean to be cryptic at all, "I have known him for many years. When our family was in the official salt business, we had a lot of contact with him. It can be said that we have known each other since we were young. If I ask him now as a friend,
situation, and using this to make him plead guilty and submit to the law, I'm afraid this is against justice."
Still want to use me as a gunman?
You, Yang Yongxiu, are so shameless.
I was just fined because of you and asked to charge the mine for two months. You didn't even say a word of apology, and now you want me to betray my friends? It's true that your justice is justice and other people's justice is bullshit!
Yang Shen stared at Zhu Hao for a long time.
There are many words in my chest and abdomen that I want to reprimand or preach, but when the words come to my lips, I can't say them out.
Even Yang Shen had a sense of propriety, justice and shame. He felt that Zhu Hao might have been used by him since he entered the Hanlin Academy, and he felt a little embarrassed in his heart.
"Brother Yongxiu, there is one more thing. My mother is not in good health recently. I want to take a few days off and take good care of my mother at home." Zhu Hao said.
Yang Shen said: "Don't worry about what happened before. Once you return to Hanyuan, you should do your best so that you can live up to the court's expectations of you."
"No, no, I just want to fulfill my filial piety, and I don't want to excuse myself." Zhu Hao said.
Yang Shen thought for a while and sighed: "I haven't been promoted to minister yet. Even if I am, don't ask me about this kind of thing... just go to Bachelor Li and see if he can make arrangements for you."
You want me to find Li Tingxiang?
Zhu Hao followed the trend: "Okay, then I'll go now!"
"etc."
Yang Shen said: "When you have time, you should go see that man named Su and see what he is up to. I always feel that he is holding something back. I don't ask you to ask, just to find out his details."
…
…
Yang Shen tried his best to use Zhu Hao to help him find out about Su Xigui's depth.
Maybe he thought that as long as Zhu Hao asked, he would be able to find out something from Zhu Hao, so he started to show off his cleverness again.
Zhu Hao seemed to have received Yang Shen's order to meet with Su Xigui.
When we met again, Su Xigui looked much older than when he was in Nanjing. Maybe it was because he had traveled all over the world recently, even to the northwest. He looked much older than when he was a traveling businessman, with a sense of vicissitudes and a much more stable person.
, the speaking voice is somewhat deep.
"...Young master, if you mean anything, it is not a sign of respect."
In the past, when Su Xigui gave gifts to people, he would always bring a box full of silver and gold. Now it is easier to just stuff the banknotes into them.
He opened his own bank account and could exchange money at will. Of course, he had deposited all the money in advance. After all, all the accounts had to go through Zhu Hao's hands, and he couldn't line his own pockets.
"Thirty thousand taels."
Su Xigui said with a smile.
Zhu Hao said: "You are very generous with your move."
The free gift was 30,000 taels. Anyone would think that Su Xigui's family ran a silver mine.
Su Xigui sighed: "I won't reveal my feelings to others, but to you, the young master, of course... I have to tell you carefully.
"
He didn't mention the money, as if it was a matter of course that he gave Zhu Hao 30,000 taels.
Su Xigui walked around the capital, not caring who could help, and would only give a few hundred taels of silver to Zhu Hao. Giving one person to Zhu Hao was equivalent to giving to a hundred or even hundreds of people, because Su Xigui knew that Zhu Hao could help him better than those people.
It all adds up to a lot.
Zhu Hao was not polite at all and directly stuffed the thirty thousand taels of silver notes into his arms.
When Su Xigui saw Zhu Hao accepting the money, he felt relieved instantly.
Zhu Hao smiled bitterly and said, "You also know that I am short of money recently."
"Really? Then I'll give you some more..."
Su Xigui took a look and saw that the iron rooster Zhu Xiaozhang, who used to regard money as dirt but never plucked out a dime, actually started to cry about poverty now?
For Su Xigui, this is great news.
I'm not afraid that you claim to be honest, but I'm afraid that you don't have any need. As long as you open your mouth, it will definitely be enough.
Zhu Hao said with a smile: "I want to open a mine and a shipyard... Recently I have been building trains. You should know this. If I don't take money from the Ministry of Household Affairs, I will pay for it by myself. Even if it's gold and silver, it will be worth it."
If it is not enough for consumption... I have decided that when the train opens to traffic, I will collect tolls from the court..."
When Su Xigui heard this, his eyes widened.
Good guy, you build trains for the imperial court, and you plan to make a profit?
Zhu Hao said: "Let's put it this way, I have basically invested all the tens of thousands of taels of silver I have earned in the past few years, but it is still a drop in the bucket."
Su Xigui asked curiously: "You only earned a few tens of thousands taels? I'm afraid... it's much more, right?"
Zhu Hao said with a smile: "Some of the money can be seen on the bright side, which is the actual accounts, but some of the money has not entered my pocket at all, such as the bank account, and the surplus goes directly to the inner government...
Besides, a lot of the cloth and other materials I sell to the imperial court can only be settled after the autumn grains are put into the warehouse... But now that Mr. Sun, the Minister of Accounts, is familiar with me, I don’t think he will default on the payment.”
Su Xigui kindly reminded: "Then you have to be careful. What if the court cannot make ends meet? Wait... Look at my brain, you only need to swipe a pen and the money will be in your pocket... I am confused.
!」
Su Xigui suddenly realized.
It's just a pretense that Sun Jiao is one of our own.
If Zhu Hao dares to sell imperial cloth, he must have a way to get the money back.
Zhu Hao said: "These are accumulated in thousands, usually a lot every year. The northwest looks like this. Last autumn, I was too embarrassed to ask the court for silver. That's tens of thousands of taels..."
Su Xigui took a breath.
After hearing this, Zhu Hao's expenses are really quite high.
In order to ensure the operation of the court, Zhu Hao, the hidden minister, tried his best to share the worries of the court.
Su Xigui said: "Actually, the cloth you purchased from you cost tens of thousands of taels of silver. If the imperial court purchased it from outside, I'm afraid it wouldn't be able to get even one hundred thousand taels of silver. I'm afraid you supply all the winter clothing for the soldiers in the northwest."
.The young master made great contributions to the stability of the northwest of the Ming Dynasty!"