Chapter 437 The more the cake is painted, the more realistic it becomes
At first, it was just an iron boat under the Pujin Bridge that was used as a pier and a floating platform. Then the emperor asked whether the Physics Avenue was going to collapse.
Now, Huang Zuo, the Minister of State in charge of the Ministry of Personnel, has received a new task: Grand Inspection.
The task was assigned by Zhang Bi, who had not yet resigned as Prime Minister and Minister of State, and looked depressed.
"...This time the inspection is no small matter." Zhang Bi sighed, "Zishi, Yongxiu, Yanghe, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Finance and Taxation and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce will also participate, as well as the Metropolitan Procuratorate, the General Department of Public Security and Huangming Assets
Bureau. Your Majesty’s move is intended for a major national policy meeting.”
Liu Tianhe, who had witnessed the incident, looked at Zhang Bi and felt disapproving.
The emperor was right. Too many people only saw official positions but no real practice.
It is understandable that Zhang Bi is in a bad mood. Before leaving office, he has to personally handle this matter, which will offend many officials.
But His Majesty specifically pointed out the performance of official duties, the status of official and business dealings, and the status of officials' descendants doing business of the same clan. Aren't these problems caused by Zhang Bi's ambiguous attitude and lack of decision-making after he took over?
Huang Zuo is already fifty-one years old. The ups and downs of his academic career finally came to an end in the 16th year of Zhengde's reign. He was ranked second in the complicated examination situation of that year due to his imperial examination policy on how to enrich the country based on personnel discussions. Now he is also ranked as the Minister of State.
In this position, I am in charge of the Human Resources Department.
Faced with Zhang Bi's statement, Huang Zuo hesitated for a moment and retorted: "I thought that your Majesty's decree to inspect this year's inspection was not for a major national policy meeting. Yong Xiu has been recommended by many colleagues in Beijing, and your Majesty is responsible for the central personnel affairs.
There are some calculations. But now that the new laws have been established, the Ming Dynasty started from top to bottom, and the systems are very different. However, the ideas of officials, big and small, are still the same."
"Oh?" Zhang Biping said calmly, "Would you like to hear the details?"
"I am in charge of the Ministry of Personnel. Nowadays, although the merit examination clearly orders local officials to report the gains and losses of government affairs as the main purpose, and to use public funds as a rope, the local government from top to bottom still praises His Majesty for his wisdom and the central government's wise decisions."
Huang Zuo looked at Yang Shen, "Yong Xiu knows it. If you want to know some data, you have to send a special official document to get it."
Yang Shen nodded: "In these years, Your Majesty has only cared about the development of government affairs. The rest of his energy has been spent on the Polytechnic Institute, imperial studies, and military reform. From the perspective of practical studies and dialectics, isn't everything without pros and cons?
Today, it can be said that the Ming Dynasty is richer than it was twenty years ago. Although the Ming Dynasty has gained, it has naturally also lost. Now is the time for His Majesty to pay attention to the problems buried under the achievements of these years."
Huang Zuo looked at Gui E, his old colleague in Guangdong, and nodded solemnly: "Your Majesty is also involved in this matter. Naturally, he has to uncover a number of models and handle a number of cases. Although the laws of the Ming Dynasty are strict,
, but you all know that in order for the new law to be effective in recent years, you have closed one eye on some issues."
Gui E, who has been passionate about criminal punishment for many years, has become very different from his original life, and is even still alive today. At sixty-three, although he had some ideas about the position of Prime Minister and Minister of State before, his competitiveness is among the others.
is the smallest.
Now that the position has been decided, Gui E was originally planning to retire and return to his hometown after finishing his work this year.
There is no other reason, just lack of interest. In recent years, as Huang Zuo said, although there have been many chaos in local areas such as business license registration, procurement bidding, accounting and taxation after the rise of commercial law, the imperial court has adopted a temporary closure.
A one-eyed attitude mainly encourages all industries to prosper.
If Zhang Fujing still needed more encouragement when he was here, then when Zhang Bi took over, it was already time to start hammering.
If you can't expect to be the Prime Minister or Minister of State, and you don't have any major cases to handle, isn't that too idle?
Now that Gui E is full of energy, she will work hard before leaving office!
His little eyes were all bright: "There is a certain trend, and I want to kill him!"
"Warning, once again emphasize the rules for the education of officials and businessmen." Huang Zuo looked at Yang Shen, "Your Majesty has never made a decision on some issues reported by local governments, yamen, and enterprises. I thought they were all related to
There is already a law on the treatment of officials related to the administration of officials. Nowadays, local in-laws, fellow villagers, and tribesmen are doing business and setting up shops, and they are also purchasing corvee projects.
A hidden worry like the bridge?"
"How much money and taxes have been lost is no small matter!" Yang Shen said categorically, "What Cai Bo said is right, the important thing is the rules! If so many people still think that Your Majesty clears the land, the officials and gentry receive money together, and also lifts the ban on business
, the purpose of raising officials’ remuneration is to open up new ways for them to make money and appease them, but that is a big mistake.”
Seeing them chatting back and forth, Zhang Bi felt uncomfortable sitting there.
Before they left, the core of the State Palace seemed to have been transferred to Yang Shen.
He felt a little annoyed. The emperor had raised a small matter to such a high level this time, perhaps to express his dissatisfaction with him as the chief minister.
Gao Fengliang abdicated the throne in favor of a wise man, and solved the big problem of the court being unstable after the death of the empress. Isn't that credit?
Now, Cao Cha has not publicly resigned, and Yan Song is naturally secretive about the beatings he received from the emperor. Zhang Bi doesn't even know about the incident with the concubines in the harem.
He thought that Yan Song and Cao Cha had a clear understanding of righteousness, and it was Zhang Bi, the chief assistant, who had the prestige and face.
Now that the Chief Assistant has become like Zhang Bi, he just laughs: "Since you all can see clearly, let's go and plan this matter separately. Yongxiu, His Majesty has decided that you will take over as the Chief Assistant.
You will actually take charge of this matter. However, this year there will be a longevity ceremony and a major national policy meeting, so it is better not to cause instability. If there is any major issue that requires me to deal with it, I will report it to Your Majesty."
Harmony and compromise is his main theme. He doesn't want to be a bad guy. When he wants to take action, he must sell it well and make compromises.
He knew very well that Yang Shen's temper had revealed the problem: in some cases, it was because of His Majesty's general direction of encouraging business that in the end it was the officials, gentry and wealthy households who got most of the benefits.
After taking care of the land and then taking care of the business and wealth, are we really going to kill all the rich officials, gentry, and wealthy households?
These talents are the foundation of the Ming Dynasty's current national wealth and power, and they cannot be made unstable.
Zhang Bi looked at Liu Tianhe.
The direction of the inspection this time was the line of authority of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. Liu Tianhe remained silent and obviously felt that something was wrong.
Today's Ministry of Industry and Commerce is no better than the Ministry of Industry in the past. It is already in a bad state.
Zhang Bi had already foreseen that many big problems would be discovered this time.
Who would be interested in the positions of Minister of Industry and Commerce and Minister of State in charge of Ministry of Industry and Commerce affairs?
…
Yan Song did not attend this meeting. He was promoted from the former Minister of Culture and Education to the rear of the State Council, where he was assigned the post of Minister of Etiquette.
But does the Ministry of Etiquette have nothing to do with this matter?
It matters a lot.
In the entire Ming Dynasty, border trade is now the most profitable. The most powerful businessmen, those with the deepest contacts with officials, are often the ones who have obtained border trade licenses.
Xu Jie, who was in Shanxi, had always maintained a good relationship with him. This time, Yan Song was also planning for him to return to the center. Although he was still only thirty-eight, he was in the third grade, and being a Zuo Shilang of a certain ministry was a good idea.
Is that ok?
After another three years, he will be promoted to minister, and then go to governor of a province. After six years, if Yan Song can become the chief assistant, Xu Jie will be qualified enough to enter the palace of state, which will definitely be a great help to him.
Now Xu Jie is involved in the Pujin Bridge matter.
Yan Song knew that the Pujin Bridge matter was not simple. He was familiar with his student. Since Xu Jie had decided to handle this matter, he would never dare to neglect the quality of the project. Wouldn't that ruin his future official career?
Instinctively, Yan Song suspected that there was a potential opponent preparing for a rainy day.
Among the important officials in the court, Yan Song's prestige was increasingly suppressed by the emperor.
Chief of the Royal Study, Governor of Zhejiang, Minister of Rites, Minister of Culture and Education, Minister of State... He has stayed in a prominent position for twenty years.
In six more years, Yang Shen will step down from office. If Yan Song is still in good health, who else will be replaced by him as Prime Minister and Minister of State?
In the eyes of the outside world, Yan Song has always been a member of the holy family.
Only Yan Song always felt that the emperor was deliberately suppressing him.
Now that something happened at Pujin Bridge, why is there a big inspection? Why is the main focus on officials performing their duties and industrial and commercial matters?
Yan Shifan's current apparent identity is also in business...
Yan Song found Lu Bing on the pretext of preparing for the escort of the Longevity Ceremony.
The commander of the Imperial Guards, the Prince Consort, had a good relationship with Yan Shifan, not to mention his relationship with the emperor.
Lu Bing felt that it was too early to discuss the Longevity Ceremony now, as there were still four months left.
So he guessed the reason, so he smiled and said: "No wonder His Majesty hopes that Yan Guolao will accompany you for another twenty years. Yan Guolao thinks ahead in everything."
"Don't dare to slack off." Yan Song said insinuatingly, "Shifan is living in the wind and rain in Japan, and he can't even take care of his wife and children. I just hope to complete the things assigned by His Majesty and enjoy a family as soon as possible. Commander Lu is busy with things, so we don't want to discuss it now.
For a moment, I’m afraid that Commander Lu won’t have that much energy next time.”
"...Same." Lu Bing smiled and discussed official business with him first.
He received the true biography of Wang Zuozhen and stayed in Jinyiwei for so many years. The thirty-two-year-old Lu Bing had already tempered it.
Although Yan Song wanted to find out some rumors, Lu Bing's Tai Chi skills were not bad either.
It was only when he presented the recent report to Yangxin Hall at night that Lu Bing mentioned: "Old Yan Guo seems a little uneasy."
"Why are you uneasy?" Zhu Houcong lowered his head to read the report and asked casually.
Lu Bing recounted what happened, and Zhu Houcong was speechless and shook his head: "This guy is still like this. He knew you would report it to me, but he did it deliberately. This is just a way of probing me."
Is it a guilty conscience?
After so many years, Zhu Houcong also knew the situation of the Yan family. Since Yan Shifan was doing business, although Yan Song only had such a son, there were also some from the same clan and hometown.
As long as the affairs of the Grand Supervisory Bureau are arranged, how many officials in the world will not be involved in such things as relatives, relatives and friends doing business? How many officials will behave in a well-behaved manner?
Eventually some important ministers will be affected.
The question is, who are the typical people?
Those who have an open heart know very well: this kind of thing is inevitable, and the only effective way is to kill the trend from time to time and create a group of role models.
For the emperor, it was also a way to establish authority over his ministers. No matter how attractive the position was, the emperor still had to make the selection in the end if he could get it.
If I don't want to use you, then it will point out the problem with you.
Now, Yan Song felt that the emperor wanted to point out his problem.
Zhu Houcong actually didn't think so. He just wanted to straighten out the internal atmosphere before looking outside, so as not to accumulate trouble in the future.
"I know about this." Zhu Houcong put the memorial aside, "Huang Jin, go and tell Yan Song that I will have dinner with him tomorrow night."
After receiving the notice, Yan Song was naturally worried about the consequences. He went to the Zhiyuan Zhai of the Yangxin Hall early the next day to wait.
While waiting, I faintly heard the emperor's voice getting louder from the imperial study room.
After a while, Yu Chengye came out of it with a sad face.
Yan Song greeted him at the door, and Huang Jin also escorted Yu Chengye to the door of the royal study. At this time, he just said: "Yan Guo has been waiting for a long time. Let's see him in the palace."
"Thank you, Eunuch Huang."
Yan Song straightened his robes and entered the familiar imperial study room.
The emperor was still looking down at something, but when he heard the noise, he stopped and looked up at Yan Song.
"Your Majesty, Yan Song, comes to see you."
Every time he saw the emperor, he was given a big gift, and Zhu Houcong was used to it.
After he got up and sat down, Zhu Houcong first asked about the progress of Sun Ming's mausoleum, and then asked him what he thought about the King of Portugal wanting Louis to stay in Beijing permanently.
"I have met him. This Louis now understands the etiquette of the Ming Dynasty, and this time he is dressed in Ming Dynasty clothes. If you only look at him from behind, you can't tell that he is a Westerner. It can be seen that he has made up his mind and wants to
I have lived in the Ming Dynasty for a long time. As soon as I arrived in the capital, I asked to go to the library to take a look."
Zhu Houcong smiled slightly: "It can be seen that Wei Zhong has devoted himself to culture and education for many years and has made great contributions to courtesy."
"How dare I claim my merits? This is all His Majesty's great talent and great plan." Yan Song bowed, "It has only been six or seven years since Portugal benefited from maritime trade with the Ming Dynasty, and the compensation of twelve million taels of silver has already been enough."
The deal has been made. Now I want to live in the Ming Dynasty for a long time, and I have reaped the benefits. I know that His Majesty has always been willing to travel all over the world. The Nan'ao Bo has now established a firm foothold in Portugal. There are many people here who often exchange news, which is not a bad thing. "
"... After traveling all over the world, Europe is too far away." Zhu Houcong sighed, "Japan is much closer. However, I asked Yan Shifan to go to Japan. Your father and son have not been able to see each other for many years. Have you ever complained to me?
"
Yan Song immediately left his seat and stood up: "Your Majesty gave Quanzi a great responsibility and made him an earl. I am very grateful. How can I have any resentment? Both father and son are loyal, and Quanzi will only feel that your Majesty knows him and is deeply grateful.
His Majesty uses him."
Zhu Houcong shook his head: "I don't want my son to be in a dangerous place all the time, for fear of something going wrong."
He paused and then looked at Yan Song: "Weizhong, there's something I've been wanting to ask you for a long time."
"I will tell you everything I know."
Zhu Houcong said: "I promoted you at the beginning of my imperial career, and you have been in power for twenty years. Although Yan Shifan was extremely intelligent, you were still in your prime at the time, so why didn't you leave a few more heirs?"
Yan Song was a little stunned, and his nervous mood just now turned into a surprise.
The question that the emperor has been thinking about for a long time is actually this?
He panicked slightly, and then smiled bitterly: "The dog has an eye disease since he was a child, and I feel sorry for him. If he has a younger son, I'm afraid he may feel that his father is partial to him. Since this is his fate, I won't care about him."
Zhu Houcong fell silent after receiving this answer.
He has very complicated feelings towards Yan Song.
This guy only had one son, and he was sent out to torment him. Even though he felt a little helpless over the years, Yan Song always acted with care.
When it comes to seeking wealth... Judging from Zhu Houcong's attention, it's just like that, not an exaggeration.
Maybe it's because he is different from Daojun, maybe it's because Yan Song hasn't taken the last step yet, and his son who is capable of doing bad things is not around either.
But Zhu Houcong was indeed curious about the fact that Yan Song, who in his impression was a very popular minister, had only one son in his life.
Under his own rule, Yan Song climbed to a more prominent position faster. I don't know how many important ministers have prosperous heirs, but Yan Song's family is very simple.
Now when I heard it, it was just because I loved my son.
He loved his son, but the emperor was still tormenting his "son". Although he only lived in Tsushima Island and didn't have to go to and fro all the time, it was a foreign country after all.
Zhu Houcong thought of Xu Jie again.
Accepting his petition and letting him be responsible for building the Pujin Experimental Bridge was not a test for Xu Jie after he was released.
When something happened to Pujin Bridge this time, Zhu Houcong naturally had the idea of taking a closer look.
He had indeed used and warned Yan Song and Xu Jie, but now he felt that he had overreacted?
If the emperor is different, his ministers will naturally be different too.
"I'm really touched that you pity your son so much." Zhu Houcong showed a smile to him, "I made him the Eastern Bodhisattva, and it's time for him to come back and thank me. By the way, we should also discuss Japan's affairs and start moving.
."
Yan Song was immediately relieved.
We are about to invade Japan, how can we lose our son?
If you want to use his son, how can you touch me?
"Let's go, dinner is probably ready." Zhu Houcong stood up, "I want you to work in the Ministry of Etiquette and the Ministry of Culture and Education first. I have arrangements. When I am over forty, I will have to spend time to dress up.
human time."
"Your Majesty has your orders, how dare I fail to do the hard work of dogs and horses?"
Yan Song was smiling in his heart. Although he was still a cake, it was becoming more and more real.
It seems that even if I don't sit in that position in the past few years, I have to devote myself to the hard work of supporting the emperor's expansion of territory and grand ambitions.
If that's the case, I'm afraid I won't live to be eighty.