Why this report, including detailed information about the incident, actually appeared in Gao Gong's hands, we must talk about the situation of the Ming Dynasty's cabinet.
As we all know, the assistant ministers of the Ming Dynasty cabinet are not technically the prime minister. Officially speaking, the entire cabinet is just the emperor's secretarial team. However, due to the needs of government affairs, the status of this secretarial team gradually increased and its power gradually strengthened in the actual operation process.
Finally reached the point where "without the name of prime minister, there is the reality of prime minister".
However, due to its abnormal setting, the way of exercising power is also different from previous dynasties. When many cabinet ministers handle local affairs, they need to inform local officials how to handle them through a method similar to private messages. For example, Gao Gong previously
Soon he wrote to several local officials in Yingtian, asking them to put Xu Jie's matter aside. This is a typical behavior.
Supposedly, this method of handling is not a government document and does not have legal effect in theory. However, in fact, this kind of private message is equivalent to a note issued by future generations of leaders - you may dare to turn a blind eye to government documents, but you dare to
Did the leader just hand over the note and turn a blind eye? So a magical thing happened: the efficiency of governance in this way was actually higher.
But since the big bosses in the cabinet often use this method similar to private messages to instruct local governments on matters, the personal connections between local officials and cabinet ministers are bound to be strengthened, and the specific situations in each locality will also change accordingly.
This connection is gathered into the hands of ministers.
Although Gao Gong is temporarily second only to the second assistant, he is actually the first person to truly control the direction of the government. Li Chunfang, the first assistant, seems to be a nominal one. Therefore, in key areas of the country such as Nanzhili, all situations will be
Someone took the liberty to write it down in detail and presented it to Gao Gong. The reason why Gao Gong learned about it so quickly was of course for this reason.
Seeing Gao Jingshi holding the paper in silence without looking like a child at all, Gao Gong showed a satisfied smile on his face. He did not interrupt his nephew's thinking, but just picked up the tea and drank it.
After another long while, Gao pragmatic shook his head and said: "Third uncle, my nephew thinks this matter is very representative."
"Oh?" Gao Gong smiled slightly and asked, "What does it mean?"
Gao Pragmatic did not answer directly, but analyzed: "Third uncle, you see, in fact, if this matter is to be taken seriously, Shuai Jiamo's move is a forced elevation. Because the core of the 'Ren Ding Silk' controversy is
It’s about the attribution of the tax burden! In other words, should this tax be paid by She County alone or by the six counties? As for the physical conversion he emphasized, it is actually only a minor issue and has little to do with the One Whip Law.”
Gao pragmatically said, and then explained: "It's like when I go out to buy something, let's say I buy a piece of cloth. When I buy this piece of cloth, I give it silver, copper coins, or treasure notes, as long as the actual value is the same.
, in fact, there is no difference at all. But I insisted on giving the treasure banknotes, and even took out Emperor Taizu to explain the issue, saying that the treasure banknotes were customized by Emperor Taizu and issued to the world, so giving the treasure banknotes was a sign of respect for Emperor Taizu -
-Is this important?"
Gao Gong laughed, pointed at Gao Jingshi, and said: "What kind of example are you giving? Don't make fun of Emperor Taizu." But after all, he did not say that Gao Jingshi's example was wrong.
Gao Pragmatic also smiled and continued: "But under Shuai Jiamo's wonderful writing, this logical error was cleverly covered up. Not only did it not make people feel wrong, but it seemed upright and awe-inspiring, and the level of thinking suddenly went up.
.To hold Hai Rui hostage in order to frighten Huizhou, this is Shuai Jiamo’s fundamental intention!”
The smile on Gao Gong's face faded slightly, he nodded, and sighed: "Haigangfeng's name can indeed scare a lot of people." He answered like this, but in his heart he was thinking: Otherwise, Xu Jie
How could he surrender to me so easily? How could Zhang Taiyue have the opportunity to accept the 30,000 taels of silver from the Xu family? Isn’t it because Haigangfeng’s reputation is too great?
Gao Pragmatic actually laughed, flicked the document in his hand, and said: "What's even more interesting is that this handsome Jiamo not only complained, but even gave a solution. I think he may have stayed in the Yamen for a long time.
He is well versed in the nature of some bureaucrats, and knows that what they are most impatient with is when the people below are arguing and arguing, but they cannot come up with a practical solution. So at the end of the submission, he expressed the urgent need to go to the top,
He very considerately put forward such a solution: either according to the principle of "Da Ming Huidian", the six counties should be divided according to the population; or according to the "Huizhou Prefecture Chronicle", the six counties should be divided according to the fields, and the wheat, silver and silk should be folded.
.You see, this is equivalent to telling the Yingtian Governor's Yamen or the Huizhou Magistrate's Yamen that I have prepared a plan for you to deal with this matter. You can approve it with a stroke of your pen, and there will be no worries at all. And
What's the result? No matter which level of government, Yingtian or Huizhou, decides on the policy, whether it is based on head count or field count, She County can reduce the burden by at least half."
When Gao pragmatic said this, he smiled and said: "This kind of subordinate is good. If I were the governor of Yingtian or the prefect of Huizhou, after reading such a submission, I would probably think that this matter should be handled like this... The only thing to worry about is
, which is probably the reaction of the other five counties in Huizhou after learning the news."
After hearing this, Gao Gong quietly picked up another document from the desk and handed it to Gao Pangshi, saying, "Hai Rui and the others did react. Take a look."
"Oh?" Gao Pingshi took the document and looked at it, and saw that it indeed recorded the reactions of Hai Rui and others.
On the fourteenth day of the first lunar month in the fourth year of Longqing, even before the Lantern Festival, Hai Rui promptly gave instructions: "The Yangfu government will investigate and report the matter." This means that I attach great importance to this matter, and your Huizhou government should investigate it carefully.
Later, Inspector Liu Shihui gave more detailed instructions: Please ask the Huizhou government to convene responsible officials, squires, elders and other public representatives from the six counties to conduct verification and discussion on this matter.
Governor Yingtian and Governor Yingtian were both superiors of the Huizhou government. The former was in charge of local government affairs, while the latter was in charge of detecting rapes. It didn’t matter which one, the Huizhou government would definitely not be able to offend them anyway. So after receiving the document, Duan Chaozong, the prefect of Huizhou,
When I saw it, I felt that both houses had signed the document, and I was trembling at the moment. When I saw the signature and the name of Haigangfeng, I knew that this matter was probably going to be bad, so I didn't dare to delay at all, and immediately issued a license to urge the six counties.
Send someone over to discuss.
Hai Rui's famous name is probably more frightening than having the Emperor's Sword hanging over his head.
Gao Pingshi smiled after reading it and asked, "Did anything come out of the discussion?"
"Huh?" Gao Gong looked at Gao Pragmatic's expression and asked, "Looking at your expression, it seems that you think nothing can be achieved through the negotiation?"
Gao pragmatic suddenly snorted coldly for no reason, stretched out his fingers again and flicked the document in his hand: "My nephew is sure that the other five counties will come up with all kinds of excuses to deal with it, and even threaten to do it.
If we do this, I'm afraid the place will be unstable!"