Chapter 258 The emperor came to give a tooth ceremony?
Chapter 258 The emperor came to give a tooth sacrifice?
Zhu Houcong carried Zhu Zaiyan and walked off the boat, handed him to Lin Qingping and led him into the carriage that had been prepared, and then said: "Get back on your feet."
Zhang Fujing stood up and met Zhu Houcong. He stood and saluted: "Your Majesty is going to drive in Shandong. The officials, gentry and people in Qilu are all looking forward to it. Today, your Majesty is finally here."
Facing Zhang Fu's signature dragon butt, Zhu Houcong smiled slightly and said, "Let's go to the city first and then go to the state government office to see you."
Other ships arrived first, and the emperor's guard of honor and other accompanying officials were ready.
Zhu Houcong got on the large carriage that was brought, and the team marched toward the Jingding Gate in a mighty manner.
In the team, Zhang Fuking was chatting in low voices with Cui Yuan, Li Hao and others. Naturally, the other officials from Shandong who came to welcome him also seized the opportunity to closely exchange feelings with the senior officials accompanying the imperial court.
Rebellion is always accompanied by purges. Seven counselors left Beijing before, but this time it is unknown how many people will be implicated.
After the chaos is quelled, His Majesty will naturally use more familiar and trustworthy people to guard the place.
Looking at what the emperor is doing nowadays, even cabinet ministers can be sent abroad. The usual promotion path in the officialdom has obviously changed. The third and fourth ranks in these places also hope to go to the capital to become a minister or something.
And after the new law is implemented, will all provinces have to add more official positions like Guangdong?
There are too many changes that make local officials want to communicate with the well-informed emperor's ministers. Children, disciples, old friends... There are also a lot of benefits that can be hinted at in exchange. Hello, I am good, everyone is good.
For the people of Linqing, on the one hand, they are excited and proud of His Majesty's arrival in the deeply ingrained concept, but on the other hand, they do feel some inconvenience.
For the safety of the emperor, after Li Quanli took over the defense of Linqing, he had to control key areas in the city at least when the emperor was on the road.
The brick-walled Linqing Prefecture City is located in the northeast corner of the entire Linqing City. Although it occupies a small area, the government offices for various matters are located in the Prefecture City.
At this moment, the four gates of Linqing Prefecture City are closed to traffic. I am afraid that in the past few days, the efficiency of many official duties in Linqing will be very low, and the interrogation of people going to and from everywhere will be stricter.
Once the emperor leaves the state city and takes a look at other areas of Linqing City, such as going to Chaoguan, it will be a larger-scale control.
The people Zhu Houcong saw outside Jingding Gate were naturally local gentry and elders selected by the Linqing magistrate.
Zhu Houcong doesn't care about these forms and doesn't worry about them.
When there are rebels, his own safety is not only a matter of concern to him, but also a matter of concern to his subordinates who now have their property, life, and future of their children and grandchildren bound to him.
As an emperor, doing private visits in private is inefficient and irresponsible for national affairs under today's transportation and communication conditions.
As for the local reports, whether the information from Jin Yiwei and the inner factory will prevent him from seeing the truth, now is not the time for him to pay attention to such details, and adjustments in the general direction are more important.
Therefore, when he arrived at Linqing Prefecture Yamen and received a formal worship after being enthroned, Zhu Houcong said: "The most beautiful place in Shandong Province is the hometown of Dacheng Wenxuan. If I didn't have other important things on this trip, I should go to Qufu to pay my respects.
. Now I am not going to Qufu or Taishan, but I am only staying in Linqing for a while. I am waiting for the ministers of Shandong. Do you know why?"
The ministers of Shandong were headed by Zhang Fuking, who naturally came out and said respectfully: "Linqing prospered because of the canal. With the convenience of transporting goods from all over the world, Linqing has gathered millions of people, and it is actually the most important place in Shandong today. Your Majesty has the ambition
To make a country rich and its army strong, when you go to Shandong, the most important thing to look at is why you are rich. Even Shandong's culture and education are mostly located in Linqing, not Jinan or Yanzhou."
"What he said is true." After hearing his praise, Zhu Houcong continued, "Shandong provided nearly 20% of the Ming Dynasty's taxes with less than one of the ten places in the Ming Dynasty. It can be said to be the pillar of the country. When I went to Shandong, I wanted to thank the people of Shandong.
He knows etiquette, values righteousness, and is diligent and hardworking."
After hearing their expressions of joy and fear, Zhu Houcong changed the subject: "But the people also say that there are many thieves in Shandong. Now the rebels are spreading the word to the world, and they are inciting bandits from all provinces to raise troops to rebel. This
Shandong must deal with the problem well."
Zhang Fujing said quickly: "Your Majesty, please rest assured that I will never cause anything to happen to Shandong if I am in Shandong."
The name of Shandong Raiders is known all over the world.
There are Peng Yue and Tian Heng's 500 soldiers who were the first to use guerrilla tactics in the late Qin Dynasty, as well as the Red Eyebrow Army of Wang Mang, the Qingzhou Soldiers, one of Cao Cao's important groups, and the Zhishi Lang Wang Bo who started in Zouping, Shandong in the late Sui Dynasty.
"Changbai Mountain's First Righteousness" and Huang Chao in the late Tang Dynasty.
In the Song Dynasty, the story of Liangshanbo Heroes has not been officially written down, but it has always been famous. After the fall of the Northern Song Dynasty, Xin Qiji gathered people here to revolt.
The latest big move in Shandong is naturally Liu Liu and Liu Qi a few years ago.
Now Zhu Houcong suddenly said that Shandong has many thieves, and Shandong officials suddenly felt their hearts in their throats.
Zhu Houcong shook his head: "If life could be good, no one would want to be a horse thief. Shandong is intertwined with mountains and rivers, and West Shandong is a land of flooded rivers. Although there is a lot of fertile land, the population is also dense. However, if famines and taxes are not managed well, the people will suffer.
If you become a refugee, you will naturally worry about falling into trouble and falling into trouble with bandits. In addition, in the 28th year of the Hongwu Period, the group of pastoral supervisors was abolished. After the Ma political reform, there were especially many horse households in Hebei and Shandong provinces."
Zhang Fu respectfully understood: "A home that raises horses is inevitably full of labor. There are many servants, and the labor force is consumed daily. Zhang Rubi, a Jinshi scholar in the second year of Chenghua, wrote in "Raising Horses": It is easy to raise horses, but difficult to raise them, and the wives will become cold and weak.
After your Majesty became emperor, you have slightly corrected this problem. Horses are sent to each household for adoption, and the middle households measure the amount of grass and grain and give them to you. Every horse household in Shandong Province is grateful for your majesty's kindness and always calls for sage."
In this era, the number of horses was also one of the indicators of the strength of the country.
But in the Ming Dynasty, the state regarded it as the people's obligation to provide horses, and the task of raising official horses was done by the people.
To raise a horse well, you need to consume a large amount of food. But to raise official horses, the people must not only raise the horses to meet the standards, but also have quantity requirements, otherwise they will have to compensate according to the price.
The problem is that the market price of the horse may only be about ten taels. But during the execution process, the compensation price may be twenty or thirty taels.
In addition to raising horses, horse households are often drafted by local governments to transport various supplies because of their horses.
After Zhu Houcong heard what Zhang Fujing said, he said seriously: "Treating the symptoms but not the root cause. In the future, Ma Zheng will have to come up with a comprehensive strategy sooner or later. Before that, Shandong knows the suffering of Ma Zheng and cannot cause more harm to the people. Mao Gong, are you there?
Shandong, you need to be careful about this matter. Taizu once said that a country is based on its people. If a country tires its people because of horses, it is not good governance."
"I must keep this in mind."
Although Zhang Fujing's name was only mentioned, all officials in Shandong expressed their stance in unison.
Nowadays, in the local area, it is also an important task for local officials to supervise people to raise horses. Since Taipu Temple, which has a relatively low status in the imperial court, has the authority to supervise horses, their evaluation of the effectiveness of local officials and people to raise horses is also evaluated by officials.
An important point. In order to get promoted, local officials will naturally put political affairs above the livelihood of the people.
Zhu Houcong said that there are many horses in Shandong. The reason why he mentioned horse politics is because Shandong itself is one of the provinces where horse households are particularly concentrated in the Ming Dynasty. The important thing is not because there are horses in Shandong, but because horse raising in Shandong will force many people to do so.
Getting poorer and poorer.
When this topic was mentioned at the moment, all the officials were thinking was: If the horse administration is greatly reformed in the future, it means that the system of supervising horses in Taipu Temple will also be greatly reformed. I am afraid that the central institutions of the imperial court will also be greatly reformed in the future.
.
Zhang Fujing knew for sure: the emperor mentioned this matter so that Zhang Fujing could have another chance to be kind to the people and gain prestige after he attacked the Kong family in Shandong.
To make Ma Zheng less harmful to the people, he must be able to withstand the pressure from Taipu Temple and the officials in various prefectures and counties. Now that there is an oral edict from the emperor, Zhang Fuking has one more reason to make a fuss about Ma Zheng.
.
Later, Zhu Houcong mentioned several things that were equally important to Shandong, and others understood clearly: Your Majesty is really kind to Zhang Fujing and came here specifically to support him.
Is this a reward for almost eliminating all the core members of the Kong clan in Qufu?
According to the newly compiled "Da Ming Code", both Kong Wenshao and Kong Wenfang, who have committed treacherous behavior, will be punished and executed. The other high-ranking elders in the core of the Kong family have committed so many crimes over the years.
, go to jail, go to jail, go to the army, go to the army.
If the emperor got rid of such a "fierce" Zhang Fujing after using him up, you can imagine how miserable the outcome would be.
Today, Zhang Fujing continues to tie the necks of Shandong officials with a few ropes, asking them to make less money and do more work.
Fortunately, Zhu Houcong then said: "The new law in Guangdong is very effective. Although it has not yet reached the fifth year of Jiajing, Maogong was the first person to preside over the new law in Guangdong. As the governor of Shandong, he can reorganize the system as appropriate in Shandong. Linqing is especially wealthy.
To win over Guangzhou, how to establish a foothold in Linqing and make the people of Shandong live easier and be more prosperous? Mao Gong still has to shoulder this important task."
Zhang Fujing was overjoyed: "May I also try out the new method in Shandong?"
"Of course it's possible. Let's expand the scope of the trial. From the south to the north, the provincial conditions are different. If everyone can get rich due to the new law and the people can get the convenience of the new law, it will further prove that the new law is feasible."
"...So this year, can Shandong rush to the deadline and hold another provincial examination Enke?"
Zhu Houcong smiled: "Yes."
In a few words, Shandong was suddenly about to be turned upside down without any warning.
Zhang Fujing holds the power to reshuffle Shandong, and the future of countless descendants of Shandong gentry families will be in Zhang Fujing's hands.
However, the lineage of Yan Shenggong, the largest landowner in Shandong, has become a thing of the past. Who is still going to step forward?
At a time when the rebellion has not been put down, although the emperor is still in Shandong, the news that the new law has expanded the scope of the trial will definitely shock the entire Ming Dynasty: So what if there is a rebellion, this new law will be implemented nationwide, and there will obviously be no turning back.
After the news spread to the south, how would Nanzhili welcome the emperor to his loyal Nanjing?
…
In the Linqing Confucian Temple, Pan Gongfang, among the officials who were qualified to come here for a more relaxed discussion, the only ones who accompanied him were Zhang Fujing and the Governor of Water Transport, Zang Feng, who came to Linqing, Ma Cheng, the Chief Military Officer of Water Transport, and the Governor of the River Channel.
The Governor of Water Transport also served as the governor of Fengyang, Huai'an and other places and was responsible for collecting supplies.
The Chief Water Transport Officer once commanded more than 120 guard posts along the river. If the full strength of his troops were calculated, it could be called an army of 100,000, and only honorable ministers could serve. Later, the status of civil servants was improved, and the rank of the Chief Water Transport Officer was
Although his status was greatly reduced, he still commanded more than 120,000 Cao troops.
As for the river governor, he is the supervisory censor.
The Ming Dynasty had its own special management system for this canal.
It's very complicated, requires too many people, and is inefficient.
The governor-general of water transportation also visited Fengyang and other seven prefectures in the north of South Zhili. All matters involving taxation, grain, disasters, water conservancy, cities, post offices, etc. were within his responsibilities; the water transportation system and the prefectures and counties in Jiangbei of South Zhili
Local system officials are all within the scope of their inspection.
However, any matter involving grain must be discussed with the Ministry of Household Affairs; any matter involving the dredging of the Cao River and the repair and construction of canals must be coordinated with the Ministry of Industry; any matter involving military matters and horse administration must be subject to the orders of the Ministry of War; all matters related to water transportation and the promotion and dismissal of local officials must be
Report to the Ministry of Personnel; regarding water transportation criminal cases, there is a dedicated member of the Water Transportation Criminal Department to be in charge.
In order to prevent the governor of water transportation from being too big to control this artery of the Ming Dynasty, during the Zhengde period, a governor of river channels was established to take charge of river rights.
Zhu Houcong's attention only stayed on the other person: "Mao Gong, where is Qi Shixian?"
Zhang Fujing was stunned for a moment: "Shixian... is supervising Linqing's defense together with Uncle Xiangcheng."
He didn't know why the emperor specifically asked about Qi Jingtong.
Zhu Houcong asked again: "I heard that he established another concubine, the Wang family?"
Zhang Fujing is even more surprised. Why do you care about this?
But he could only nod in agreement, wondering in his mind that the emperor was showing that he was aware of the happenings in Shandong and the region?
Zhu Houcong just smiled and nodded, not knowing whether the baby Qi Jingtong created after he became the general of Zhang Fu Jingbiao Barracks was still Qi Jiguang.
But if you want to be a tutor, you can’t fake it, so just wait and see.
Now that Xu Jie had appeared in front of him, he already knew where Tang Shunzhi was. Yu Dayou and Hai Rui hadn't appeared yet, and Zhu Houcong didn't go looking for them either.
Zhu Houcong met more and more people who left their names in the Jiajing Dynasty in history.
At this moment, he looked at Mao Bowen, another minister of Dali Temple who accompanied him on the southern tour and was transparent in his advice. The man who left the original Jiajing with the joke "I took off my shirt with the general".
If the original chief minister of Dali Temple had not been promoted to the governor of Fujian, Mao Bowen, who was promoted to the prime minister of Dali Temple in the 16th year of Zhengde, would not have been able to climb to this position step by step amid the constant vacancies of high-ranking officials in the center of the imperial court.
For Mao Bowen, His Majesty had an inexplicable appreciation for him.
Zhu Houcong knew that Mao Bowen had some abilities, and later became associated with Yu Dayou, which allowed him to advance step by step.
After mentioning Qi Jingtong, Zhu Houcong said to Zangfeng and others: "If Mao Gong tries out the new law in Shandong, it will definitely focus on Linqing. Linqing banknote customs involves water transportation and commercial taxes, so the water transportation and river yamen should not block it.
"
"...I understand." Zangfeng and others immediately expressed their stance, feeling uneasy at the same time.
One move affects the whole body. Today, there are seven major banknotes on the canal. The tariffs collected by these seven banknotes are an important source of tax revenue for the Ming Dynasty.
How the Linqing banknote is changed will determine the future operation logic of the entire canal.
"I am relieved that you have come to see Your Majesty the Qing Dynasty. After leaving Shandong, I will go to Huai'an, Fengyang and Sizhou. Please go back and finish your errands first."
The Governor's Office of Water Transport is located in Huai'an Prefecture. Qingjiangpu, located in Huai'an, is another famous city on the canal similar to Linqing.
In Qingjiangpu, there has been another new label in recent years - the place where Zhu Houzhao fell into the water.
Zangfeng and others left with worries. When the news came out that the emperor ordered Zhang Fuking to try out the new law in Shandong, the wealthy officials, gentry and wealthy households in Qifu Prefecture in the north of South Zhili would be uneasy again, and the pressure on them would increase.
Zhu Houcong then said to Zhang Fuking: "Tomorrow, I will order the prefect of Dongchang, the prefect of Linqing, the chief of Chaoguan, the censor, and the tax supervisor to come here first. I want to ask about the situation."
…
The order was sent to Linqing Chaoguan, and the three "giants" got together.
Because of its importance, Linqing Chaoguan is a specialized tax collection department under the Ministry of Household Affairs.
The chief officer is affiliated to the Ministry of Household Affairs and is the head of the sixth grade. In addition, there are special Chaoguan censors and tax inspectors and eunuchs dispatched.
Now, Jiang Guanqing, the head of Linqing Chaoguan, has heard the new holy message in the state government office: Shandong will also try out the new law!
Compared with Guangdong Shipping Company, Linqing Chaoguan has a stronger "profitability", so how can it not be the target of public criticism?
"Your Majesty is going to see us tomorrow, how should we deal with it?" Jiang Guanqing looked worried, "I have checked the account books over and over again, but with the number of merchants and people in Linqing and the amount of goods coming and going, your Majesty must know that Linqing banknotes have to be cleared every year.
Not only can we collect 70,000 to 80,000 taels of silver. Mr. Ma, I'm worried that after the news gets out, the merchants and people in the city will be bold enough to file a lawsuit!"
Ma Gui, the tax inspector at Linqing Chaoguan, looked at the expectant eyes of the two men. He shook his head decisively: "Guangdong Fulun, Zhejiang Lai En, everything is in order. Our family does not dare to do anything wrong. Although it depends on the kindness of godfather.
, our family can always stay in Linqing, but my godfather has reminded our family that everything will be handled by His Majesty."
"But..." Jiang Guanqing couldn't sit still.
Ma Gui looked at him and reminded: "Mr. Jiang, our family doesn't care about other things. I just want to remind you. My godfather said that your Majesty will always do things well in the future regardless of what happened in the past, and do not harm the country or the people. I
I advise you, don’t let small things make you lose big things, and don’t be afraid of blame and get into trouble.”
Jiang Guanqing gritted his teeth.
The actual amount of shipping materials and goods taxes passed through Linqing Bank Pass every year is not a small number, and the final amount is tens of thousands of taels. Over the years, the total amount of money has actually been obtained by so many officials and gentry every year.
The number is a huge number.
But now they are fighting rebellions and providing disaster relief, asking for money.
He did not dare to bet that the emperor would not pursue his previous crimes.
There is a beheaded man in Shandong, so as long as the force is not excessive, why should we care about the distance between Shandong and the capital? The main goal of His Majesty's southern tour is to intimidate Southern Zhili.
But now, the emperor actually wants to stay in Linqing for seven days.
Every day is a torment for Jiang Guanqing and Linqing Zhizhou, and now the first thing the emperor has to do tomorrow is to find the local officials in Linqing to understand the situation.
He looked at Ma Gui, and finally said: "Thank you very much, Eunuch Ma, for reminding me. Since Eunuch Wei said so, it must be true."
One of Wei Bin's godsons has stayed in Linqing Chaoguan for seven years. In the past few years, he also made a lot of money for the late emperor.
After the Yuan Dynasty changed, he, the godson of one of the Eight Tigers, was actually safe and sound.
But now that the emperor was eyeing Linqing Chaoguan, Jiang Guanqing was horrified for a moment - Ma Gui, who had restrained himself a lot in the past three years, couldn't be the one the emperor deliberately left to make nails at Linqing Chaoguan, right?
When I see you tomorrow, I will undoubtedly be like a sheep entering a dragon's mouth.
Who knows if the emperor came to Qingchao Pass to perform tooth sacrifice?