In the quiet imperial study room, the emperor, who had previously looked gloomy, suddenly couldn't suppress a sneer.
Eighteen pairs of eyes stared at him with solemn expressions.
"Autumn grain, taxation, and border troubles. I have been in power for a short time, and the king and ministers are strong. The vassal kings have inherited the throne, and the clan is not stable."
Every word echoed in the Zhongyuan Hall, and Zhang Bi, who also served as the daily commentator, was shaking his hands.
How much of what the emperor said was enough to swallow up countless people?
"In a short time, there were a lot of bandits, vendettas, and dead soldiers." Zhu Houcong said with contemptuous sarcasm on his lips, "Did they happen to act at the same time and leave such a clue, or were they so bold that they thought they could bring the world's officials and gentry to order me?"
Yang Tinghe left the table and knelt down: "Your Majesty, calm down. I am willing to go to arrest the murderer and supervise the food supply, so as to control the overall situation in the southeast!"
The dignified chief minister of the cabinet, Yang Tinghe, who had never left the capital and the center of the court, took the initiative to ask for help, which shows the seriousness of this matter.
"Yang Ge always gives you a solemn request!" There is no longer any suspicion that the cabinet is fighting for power with the six ministries. Wang Qiong, who has been "cleansed" in the past, can't help but leave the table and kneel down, "However, as the chief minister of the old Ge, if you go to the southeast in person
, it seems that the imperial court is taking its affairs too seriously! The ministers in the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Households, and the Ministry of Personnel can take up this post!"
In the imperial study room, several people left the table and asked for their tassels.
Zhu Houcong nodded: "Take a seat."
After they sat down again, Zhu Houcong said with a smile: "If this matter was not too arrogant, it would have come to light again today. After several months of exchanges between monarchs and ministers, today the ministers finally did not shy away from the difficulties and had the courage to do their jobs."
Yang Tinghe smiled bitterly: "I'm just going to paper the paper again. Autumn food is important. If you have money but no food, no matter how much money you have, it won't help. They are already so rampant. Next year, it is possible that the spring will destroy the farming, and the summer will cut off the rivers, so that
The world is in chaos. When I leave, I will arrest the culprits, and I will not miss this year's Jiangnan land tax."
"It seems that everyone in the Southeast is united and can kill them all." Zhu Houcong's eyes flashed with coldness, "As Yang Qing said, it seems that the other generation has been rampant for so long. Is this Southeast still the Southeast of my Ming Dynasty?"
Yang Tinghe's reaction today was so straightforward that it surprised Zhu Houcong. After pointing out the sentence "Southeast is still the southeast of the Ming Dynasty," Zhu Houcong looked at Yang Tinghe.
Yuan Zonggao felt bad.
Southeast's most dangerous move to kill officials will eventually spread to the center.
In the national policy conference that was finally established, the monarch and his ministers supported each other, and cracks reappeared.
For such a heinous incident, there were people in the center backing it to put pressure on the emperor. It was only natural that the emperor would suspect this.
And Yang Tinghe, who was "conservative" in his governance, naturally became the prime suspect. Now he invited himself to the southeast, and he admitted that it was a cover-up policy.
He immediately looked at Zhu Houcong and said seriously: "Your Majesty, the criminal ministers of Guangdong and Guangxi used to support bandits and respect themselves. This time Zhang Fu Jinggu was able to catch all the culprits by surprise, but the pirates he supported fled. What happened in the southeast may also be bandits.
Sneaking in, deliberately using "Lun Hai Ce" and Guangdong's trial of new laws to cause trouble. Killing officials is like rebellion, who doesn't know? Anyone in the southeast would not be so insane, let alone kill nine imperial officials in the streets in a short period of time, all over the south.
Li, Zhejiang, Fujian? I think this is a revenge plan for alienation!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the imperial study room fell silent, as if giving him a chance to continue speaking.
Because Yuan Zonggao's identity is different.
To put it bluntly, in a short period of time, nine imperial officials were selected to assassinate in the streets in Southern Zhili and two provinces, without resorting to any tricks such as suicide or accident. Are the officials and gentry in the southeast really crazy?
So the ministers were too stupid to think of this before and didn't remind the emperor from this perspective?
Yuan Zonggao struck while the iron was hot: "It is even possible that the Northern Barbarians found out that our Ming emperors and ministers were of the same mind. His Majesty also had the ambition to reform the country and enrich the country, and to train troops to become stronger, so he took this opportunity to cause civil strife. It is not yet known. A thousand words can be said: This series of important
The case is too strange, and the most sinister part of the intention is still in the court, in the imperial study room! Your Majesty, the evils in the southeast, or the evils in the world, your Majesty has the ambition to double the number of years, and I am like this
The fundamentals have already been discussed at the national policy meeting. If Zhang Fujing had not frightened Guangdong and Guangdong, how could Guangdong easily try out the new law? Your Majesty, think again!"
Zhu Houcong asked with complicated emotions: "Mr. Yang Ge, the first time the Heavenly Official opened his mouth, it proved that the local government had the courage to do such a thing."
Yang Tinghe and Wang Qiong showed a hint of embarrassment on their faces.
They looked at each other, as if they were waiting for the other party to explain first.
"Chen..." Yang Tinghe is the first assistant, and he can't embarrass Wang Qiong. "If I don't speak out about my shortcomings, explain the reasons, and take my own responsibility to supervise my affairs, wouldn't there be chaos among the emperor and his ministers in the imperial study? Even if there are thieves.
To provoke, the Southeast has its own ills that can be provoked."
"...I want to look back. No matter what the reason is, I will first state the possible consequences of the subsequent treatment and the pros and cons that need to be weighed." Wang Qiong bowed his hand to Yuan Zonggao, "Some words are most appropriate for the eldest uncle to say. Your Majesty
, some people in the southeast have some ideas and some courage. But if they really want to do something, it won’t be like this. It seems arrogant, but in fact it is stupid."
Zhu Houcong had a strange expression: "...I am very relieved that the ministers are becoming more and more frank now. According to your opinion, it is more likely that it was done by foreign enemies or the remnants of Guangdong and Guangxi, with the intention of making me and the ministers suspicious of each other.
To make the court and local governments suspicious of each other?"
The eighteen Arhats nodded in unison.
Only then did Cui Yuan say: "Your Majesty, please forgive me, I... am still not used to the status of being able to talk about things now. In the current situation, no matter who takes action, the only thing they rely on is Jiangnan Tianfu. And Jiangnan Tianfu is related to half of the imperial officials.
The people surrendered to avoid corvee, and almost all officials from Jiangnan were involved. Among the ministers who participated in the national policy meeting, only the minister was not from a scientific background. If they kept silent... wouldn't it mean that the central government was relying on Southeast to do this? "
Yang Ting and the others looked at him with complicated expressions, as if to say: I have been waiting for you for a long time! Guo Xun doesn't understand, and I don't know if you understand the pros and cons, do you have the courage to say it?
Suddenly I felt that it would be good to have an honorable minister in the national policy meeting.
But you have to have a brain.
"As your Majesty has seen, this important minister in the court is as intelligent, tolerant, and as powerful as your Majesty. Under the mighty power of Heaven, how can it be difficult for the hearts of the people?" Yang Tinghe quickly took this opportunity to continue to add: "In accordance with the imperial edict,
When the cabinet and the Empress Dowager Zhaosheng Cishou discussed the appointment of His Majesty, they only knew that Your Majesty was intelligent, calm, and measured in behavior. It was so important to assist the country that I would have no choice but to give up on him. During the sixteen years of the late Emperor's reign, all the ministers were often worried.
Your Majesty is in charge of the imperial court. He discusses etiquette and understands the legal system. He works diligently and keeps close to all ministers. When he is attacked, he understands the general situation. He has a cup of wine to clear up old mistakes. He has set up an imperial study room to serve as ministers, and national policies are discussed by all the ministers. Even the most difficult strategies are still given by His Majesty in the middle of the night.
I am untiring, and I also advise Your Majesty to be fearless."
Everyone remembered that night when he was tortured.
Yang Tinghe said in a touching tone: "The monarch and his ministers have been helping each other so far. I finally put down my worries and asked my son to go out and take care of the affairs without hesitation. From then on, father and son worked together to help your majesty achieve great achievements for a long time. All the things that have happened before are because I really know the place.
It is complicated. The Battle of Tuen Mun is an example. Once the imperial edict came, they were so bold that they wanted to eliminate their dissidents by defeating the battle first, and then asked for food and salary to whitewash the old accounts. I know that some people suspect that I used the Guangdong and Guangxi affairs to let His Majesty know the difficulty, but the local situation
It's been going on for a long time. It's either Guangdong, Guangxi or Southeast China. One day, it will be difficult to deal with!"
Suddenly, Wang Qiong was in a trance. When did he start to speak so truthfully in the court?
But Yang Tinghe is right. It really doesn't matter whether he guided it intentionally or not. The place is so bad, and the Ming Dynasty is so big, there will always be a big case caused by some outrageous thing. Either the officers and soldiers of Tuenmen died in the battle, or
Why are people elsewhere dying?
Even if he guided it with intention, it was just to let the emperor see the true side.
Although Yang Tinghe confessed his intentions at this time to explain to the emperor: the killing of officials in the southeast has nothing to do with me.
Yang Tinghe looked at Zhu Houcong and said sincerely: "I have seen the beauty of the sky every day, and I know that your Majesty has great talents and strategies, and is far more calm and steady than ordinary ministers. However, this place is far away from the center, and your Majesty's kindness and power are not yet fully realized by others. The court hall
No matter what, they also think that the southeast has always been the southeast of the Ming Dynasty as it was in the past. But the southeast is so big that there are many people who are bold and have ulterior motives. Killing an official is the same crime as rebellion! This case will be investigated strictly! It’s just that your majesty
, this case is probably not the work of the officials and gentry in the southeast, and the autumn grain cannot be mistaken! If the land tax is greatly reduced this year, the morale of the border town army will be unstable, and it will be useless to have silver in the future. If the southeast is greatly searched, people will be panicked, and the land tax will not be available for several years.
The next danger!"
A sudden major case, after slowly testing and unprecedented frankness, everyone looked at the emperor expectantly.
I don't know if he turned a corner or not.
Really, Your Majesty, it’s not necessarily them who did it, unless they are all crazy. Killing officials is rebellion. If there are rebels, we need an army to plow the southeast. We would rather kill the wrong ones than let them go. Those shrewd officials and gentry in the southeast will be so bold.
To this extent?
We're all afraid that the more we persuade you, the more you'll get into trouble! It's better to explain everything about Southeast's problems first.
Zhu Houcong looked at them.
To be honest, he does not tolerate provocation of imperial power. After all, he lacks a very personal understanding. This may be another reason why he does not kill easily.
Deep down in his heart, the inequality between everyone is not that exaggerated. Everyone does have their own interests and positions. Zhu Houcong can understand this, and he also understands the nature of mutual support between imperial power and his subjects.
And he also knows that it is said that "it is more difficult to touch interests than to touch souls" and "the mountains are high and the emperor is far away". If you don't believe it, see how brave the important officials of Guangdong and Guangxi are?
So he immediately thought that this was a warning from the southeastern officials and gentry to him and the court because of the signal of reform.
The initial speeches of Yang Tinghe and Wang Qiong seemed to confirm his inference.
As a result...that's what they actually thought? Are they afraid that the emperor will be jealous from top to bottom?
"I understand." He felt a little more relaxed in his heart, "The court is wholehearted, but once this case comes out, if it is really not the fault of the local government, they are worried that the court will do something else if it attacks Southeast.
Come? Or maybe they are just doing the opposite, using the Guangdong and Guangxi affairs and the Northern Lu to cover up, and leading me and the ministers to think in this direction? What if the thieves all know that using Southeast Tianfu to cause trouble can work.
, doesn’t it prove that the Southeast cannot be moved lightly, so that the new law will not be implemented in the Southeast in the future?”
Yang Tinghe and the others had tangled faces: What you said... also makes some sense, although not much.
How could the imperial court not vigorously investigate and deal with this kind of thing? The possibility of losing the gambling in Southeast is too great, and he would not be so stupid.
Only Yuan Zonggao could continue to erode the trust of the emperor's master and his former ministers: "Your Majesty, it is most likely that thieves or foreign enemies are responsible. People in the southeast must be panic-stricken right now. If we don't appease them early, I'm afraid we may have fallen into the trap of the thieves."
He was only worried that the emperor's actions one after another would trigger more and more chain reactions.
Just like if it weren't for Zhang Fujing's strike and arrest in Guangdong and Guangdong, without Guangdong starting to try out new laws, and without "Lun Hai Ce", what happened in the southeast would probably not have happened now.
He hoped that the emperor would be more stable...
"Now that the matter has come to this, if it is really Southeast's fault, but the imperial court behaves in such a manner, wouldn't it mean that it loses its face and its authority?" Zhu Houcong thought for a while and then said, "No matter who did it, if a court official was assassinated in the street, it was someone.
There is a rebellion. What do those who have not participated in it fear? Only by working together to find out the real culprit can we solve this crisis. What is the truth, the imperial court has to find out in an upright manner. But in order to seek stability, both Guangdong and Guangxi will face many difficulties. I may have been
I’m a little anxious, but I can’t withdraw anymore!”
Yang Tinghe was about to speak, but Zhu Houcong continued: "As for autumn grain and tax revenue this year, that is another matter. If someone uses the southeast to investigate the case and suppress the rebellion, it is treason. If there are still people who are helplessly implicated.
, don’t worry too much if your annual income is reduced. Let me see who are the arrogant and disobedient people who dare to do such arrogant things. These traitors have such courage, and they must have prepared money and food to meet the needs of thousands of years.
1. The investigation has been completed, the grain is available, and the money is available. If there is not enough grain, I will take their money and make Zhang Fujing pay double the price to go to Jiaozhi and occupy the city to buy it!"
Wang Qiong and Wang Shouren both looked at the emperor in astonishment. He actually wanted to go to Jiaozhi and occupy the city to buy. This would prevent the price of grain from soaring in the Ming Dynasty.
With Zhang Fujing's current state of confiscating properties in Guangdong, I'm afraid he can advance the money first without waiting for the money from the southeast to be copied, and set out to buy new rice from Jiaozhi and Champa at this moment.
The emperor's vision pattern surprised them a bit.
Zhu Houcong said solemnly: "You know that I intend to explore the southwest and that I am re-establishing the three major camps, but you still have the courage to do so. This is to help my soldiers see blood. How can you practice without experiencing war?"
Elite soldiers? Whether they are foreign enemies, the remnants of Guangdong and Guangxi or the crazy rebels in the southeast, if this matter is about to happen, there is no reason to settle it! Since the ministers have also said that there are people in the southeast who have ideas and courage, but they are not so stupid.
Then it should be a shock! If you are innocent, what are you afraid of?"
He stood up and said: "We are going to the southeast not to supervise grain and propagandize, but to quell rebellion and suppress rebellion! Five thousand soldiers of the new Shenji Camp were set up to go south to Zhili, and five thousand soldiers from Guangxi went to Fujian. Cui Yuan, you are the commander-in-chief
The military officers commanded the Marquis of Wuding and the Marquis of Funing. They established the Governor-General of Zhejiang Province and the admiral of Southern Zhili, Zhejiang and Fujian military affairs, as well as the food and salary belt and the salt law. If the case is not solved, Southern Zhili and the two provinces will not register any candidates for ten years, and they will not be selected.
Gongsheng! No matter who wants to harm the southeast, the officials, gentry and scholars in the southeast have the responsibility and obligation to help me find the thief! Who wants to go to the governor of Zhejiang Province?"
Each command is breathtaking.
Marquis Wuning, who had been demoted, and Marquis Funing, who had been expelled from the world, were all red-eyed and wanted to make up for their mistakes with meritorious deeds.
Cui Yuan, no one knows his way of doing things. He is now mainly in the rank of honorable ministers and generals, and as usual, he must be controlled by civil servants.
Who is willing to serve as the first governor-general of Zhejiang Province?
I know you are impatient for some plots, but don’t be impatient. This is a daily series. Why are you questioning it at every turn...