Daming: Dad, you are really not good at governing the country

Manager Wang raised his fingertips and gently brushed across his forehead, wiping away the cold sweat that had quietly seeped out.

The beads of sweat on his slightly pale cheeks were like crystal dewdrops, revealing his extreme inner tension.

Tang Duo looked at Master Wang's nervous expression and couldn't help but sneer in his heart.

However, he did not show any expression on his face, thinking that it would be inappropriate to continue teasing the other party.

Tang Duo just coughed lightly and intentionally changed the subject according to the other party's words.

Then he slowly said: "Chongli, you have been in Shanxi for quite a while.

I'm sure you have some insights into this land and the ways of the world, so why not share them with me?"

After saying this, Tang Duo picked up the teacup and took a sip, the steaming hot tea lingering around his lips.

Tang Duo's eyes were always firmly fixed on Wang Chongli, as if he wanted to dig out some hidden thoughts from his answer.

Wang Chongli took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, and his face instantly showed just the right amount of appreciation.

He cleared his throat, his tone full of admiration and emotion.

“When I was working at the horse farm in Yansui Town, I was already familiar with the reputation of His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin.

Since the sixth year of Hongwu, Your Highness has been enfeoffed in Taiyuan at the young age of sixteen.

It happened that Your Majesty was vigorously promoting the Wei Suo system, which was aimed at strengthening border defense and consolidating the rule of our Ming Dynasty.

After His Highness took office, he adapted to local conditions and in just three years, he successfully implemented the Wei Suo system in Shanxi.

Militarily, the soldiers are strong and the morale is high.

In terms of economy, measures such as military farming have also achieved remarkable results and are thriving.

That series of measures is truly admirable.

Now, after five years of meticulous management, the whole of Shanxi has taken on a whole new look, as if it had been reborn.”

Tang Duo, who was about to take another sip of tea to moisten his throat, nodded slightly. His expression remained calm, but a barely perceptible scrutiny flashed in his eyes.

Wang Chongli saw this and said with great joy: "It's a pity that Your Majesty didn't know these things in detail.

Otherwise, with your ability, you would have been sent overseas by His Majesty to establish a fiefdom and open up a wider world.

Now, in order to stabilize the Ming Dynasty, Your Majesty relies heavily on the princes.

If His Royal Highness Prince Jin can expand overseas territory, he will surely make an unparalleled contribution to the Ming Dynasty."

As Wang Chongli spoke, he raised his head slightly, with a hint of longing in his eyes.

It was as if he had already seen the magnificent scene of King Jin leading his troops and making great plans overseas.

However, his slightly trembling fingers still revealed his inner unrest.

Tang Duo frowned slightly and slowly put down the teacup.

He tapped the tabletop with his fingers and said meaningfully, "Chongli, the water in Shanxi is very deep.

You must know that the current situation in the world is turbulent and the forces of all parties are complicated.

Shanxi's intelligence department has always been headed by the Hidden Dragon Guard, which is an intelligence agency secretly established by His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin in his early years.

He is directly under the command of his trusted confidants and acts in extreme secrecy.

Its responsibilities were to collect military and political intelligence from various places, secretly monitor the movements of officials, and maintain the stability of the court.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard was established by Your Majesty to strengthen central power. It was responsible for patrolling, arresting, and managing prisons, and was directly responsible to the Emperor.

Although the two have different responsibilities, they both shoulder the responsibility of maintaining the rule of the court.

However, there is also a subtle competitive relationship between the two institutions.

There might be spies from the Imperial Guard around us, listening in.

"Your Majesty is very strict in supervising officials now. If you are not careful, you will be doomed. Once some words are spoken, it is hard to take them back. Do you understand what I mean?"

Tang Duo explained the situation of the Hidden Dragon Guard and the Embroidered Uniform Guard in detail, and warned Wang Chongli both explicitly and implicitly to be careful with his words and actions.

Wang Chongli's heart trembled and his face became paler than paper.

He naturally heard the warning in Tang Duo's words and hurriedly stood up.

Wang Chongli's body was seen trembling slightly, like a fallen leaf in the cold wind.

He quickly expressed his opinion: "Thanks to your advice, sir, I really lost my sense of proportion just now.

I will be careful with my words and actions in the future and never make the same mistake again."

After saying that, Wang Chongli lowered his head, not daring to look directly into Tang Duo's eyes.

His heart was filled with regret and fear, and he also secretly wondered if there was any deeper reason behind Tang Duo's caution?

Tang Duo signaled the other party to sit down, and then said earnestly: "Chongli, serving as an official in this foreign land, although there are many opportunities to display your skills, you can make some achievements.

But you have to understand that the officialdom is like a battlefield, and every step is dangerous.

Even if you have accomplished some great deeds, His Majesty is far away in the court, so how can he know about it easily?

Nowadays, there are many factions among court officials, and if you are not careful, you will be caught up in the political whirlpool.

If those with ulterior motives find evidence against us and spread rumors in front of Your Majesty, we will be in great trouble.

Therefore, as an official, one must not only fulfill his duties conscientiously, but also know how to judge the situation.

Know when to hide your weakness, do you understand? "

Wang Chongli asked cautiously, "Your Excellency means that we should continue to cover up the current situation in Shanxi... so as not to let those with ill intentions take advantage of it?"

After saying this, he secretly looked up at Tang Duo. He was unsure of the other party's true intentions, and his eyes were full of anxiety and uneasiness.

Tang Duo sighed deeply, his expression quite complicated.

Then he slowly said: "If someone had told me in the past that Shanxi alone could support 160,000 soldiers, I would have thought it was a fantasy.

But now that I have seen it with my own eyes, I cannot help but admire the ability of His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin.

The current stable situation in Shanxi is all due to the hard work of His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin over the years.

The difficulties involved are not something that others can easily understand.

Shanxi must not be in chaos, and it must not be without the governance of His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin. I think you can understand what I mean, right?
Today, the remnant Mongolian forces in the north are still eyeing the Ming border covetously. Shanxi is a key border defense area, and the presence of His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin is crucial to stabilizing the situation."

Wang Chongli frowned slightly, a hint of hesitation flashed in his eyes, and he seemed to be hesitant to speak.

He picked up the teacup, took a sip, and tried to calm himself.

After a while, Wang Chongli seemed to have made up his mind, took a deep breath and said, "Sir, I will tell you the truth.

When I was investigating the "matter of the murder of military horses" recently, I discovered some things... that were not quite consistent with the reputation of His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin.

I was unwilling to believe it at first, but after repeated checks, the results left me very confused. "

Tang Duo was slightly startled, and his eyes instantly became alert.

He looked at Wang Chongli with a sharp gaze and asked calmly, "Oh? What's the situation? Just tell me."

Wang Chongli gritted his teeth and continued, "Take the number of cavalry for example, the total number of cavalry reported to the court by Shanxi is 160,000.

But we have now counted the garrisons in five prefectures, three states and seventy-seven counties, and found that there are only 60,000 cavalry.

The difference is so huge...

My Lord, I am well aware that His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin holds a high position of power in Shanxi, and I also understand that if this matter were to be made public, it would cause many problems.

But I really can’t bear it. I can’t bear to see anything that might violate the rules and regulations of the court. My heart is really tormented!” (End of this chapter)