I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 227: Planning for the Country and for Oneself

On the morning of February in the second year of the Longqing reign, in an inconspicuous house in Shanghai County, Yang Jinshui got up, put on a set of tight clothes, went to the yard, and performed a set of Tai Chi.

Ever since Zhu Yijun "realized" Tai Chi and taught it to Emperor Jiajing, the two practiced together, and Tai Chi became popular among eunuchs, relatives of the emperor, nobles, and officials.

The eunuchs were the best learners and the most enthusiastic practitioners. Among the eunuchs, Yang Jinshui was the best practitioner, and the Tai Chi he performed had the style of a master.

So, when eunuchs start practicing martial arts, they start as masters.

Yang Jinshui moved as fast as flowing water and as steady as a mountain, and finished a set of Tai Chi without any haste. The eunuch Wang Liang, who was serving beside him, quickly handed him a towel that had been soaked in warm water and wrung to the right degree of wetness.

"Did the imperial report from the capital arrive yesterday?"

"It's here. It was delivered last night, and I took a look this morning. There are two copies of the Chao Bao from the Tongzhengsi, and four copies of the Zheng Bao from the Xuanjiao Bureau. They are all from the past few days. They might have been collected together by the Canal Transport Department and sent over together."

"Well," Yang Jinshui nodded, wiped his face with a towel and handed it back to Wang Liang, "These canal transport bastards are born lazy. Wait until Your Highness has cleaned up Nanzhili, then come and deal with them. They will cry!"

"Dad, breakfast is ready and it's in the room."

According to the eunuch tradition, Wang Liang also worshipped Yang Jinshui as his godfather.

"Okay." Yang Jinshui walked into the house, finished his breakfast, went to the study, turned his head to look at the bright sunlight outside the window, touched the official newspapers on the table in his hand, waited for the hot tea to be delivered, and prepared to read the newspapers.

"Dad, Mr. Pan is here." Wang Liang brought a cup of Biluochun and reported.

Yang Jinshui was delighted and said, "Please come in."

Mr. Pan's real name was Pan Yinglong, with the courtesy name Fengwu and the pseudonym Tianchi. He was originally from Shanhua, Tanzhou, Huguang. He passed the imperial examination at the age of 20. However, his father had a feud with a big salt merchant in Yangzhou, who connected him with dignitaries in Nanjing and framed him and put him in prison.

His parents died tragically in prison, his family property was seized, and his title of provincial scholar was also stripped away by a coalition of both the upper and lower classes.

Fortunately, his father's old friends and colleagues heard the news and rushed to help, so he was saved, but was forced to leave Yangzhou and wander around the southeast. By chance, he met Yang Jinshui, admired his talent, humbled himself and invited him to be his staff.

This series of schemes in the Lianghuai Salt Administration were secretly planned by Pan Yinglong.

Pan Yinglong was less than 30 years old at this time. He was wearing a lake blue straight suit and a straw hat. He had a bright look and looked exhausted.

Yang Jinshui greeted him at the door of the study, "Have you had breakfast, sir?"

"Yes, I ate at a foot shop near the pier. A bowl of臊子粉, filled my stomach." Pan Yinglong replied with a laugh.

Yang Jinshui looked him up and down, took his right hand, and walked into the study together.

"Look at how happy the gentleman looks. He must have gotten his revenge!"

"Yes, Mr. Yang, I was at the Caishikou in Yangzhou City and saw with my own eyes that the entire Tian family was slaughtered. I felt so happy! The deep hatred was finally avenged. Pan has no regrets in this life."

After saying this, he cupped his hands and said to Yang Jinshui: "This time, thanks to Mr. Yang for giving me the opportunity, I was able to avenge myself. I will never be able to repay your kindness in my lifetime."

Yang Jinshui held his hand and said politely, "Mr. Pan, why do you say that? It's alienating our friendship to say such things."

Yang Jinshui pulled Pan Yinglong to sit on the chair in the study, "Wang Liang, serve tea to the gentleman."

"Yes."

Pan Yinglong said in a deep voice: "This time, the special task force was ordered to go south to enforce the law strictly, quickly and severely. Under the supervision of Hai Qingtian, in less than three months, 19 salt merchants in Yangzhou were sentenced to death, and 171 officials above the seventh rank, including Qu Wenshou, the salt commissioner of Lianghuai and Wang Wanyang, the governor of Yangzhou, were executed.

The rest were beheaded, hanged, or exiled 3,000 miles away, 3,126 people. This thunderous move frightened the scoundrels. The haze in Lianghuai was swept away, and the people all applauded. "

Yang Jinshui nodded and asked, "Sir, have you met the new Lianghuai Salt Transport Commissioner Pang Shangpeng?"

"The student met with Envoy Pang Du and had two in-depth talks with him. Envoy Pang Du was an able official who used the Ten-Section Brocade and One-Stripe Law to manage complicated matters and benefit the country and the people.

He had a very clear understanding of the salt policy and was well prepared to try out the salt ticket system. He was confident in promoting the sun-drying salt method, operating salt fields, and centralizing purchase, transportation, and sales.

Yang Jinshui took the hot tea brought by Wang Liang, placed it in front of Pan Yinglong's table, and said in a loud voice: "Pang Xing'an is a capable minister, famous in the southeast, and a stubborn donkey.

When he was the governor of Zhejiang, he promoted the "One Whip Law" while constantly submitting memorials to impeach Hu Bu Tang. He was good at planning for the country, but not for himself. So he became a Jinshi in the 32nd year of Jiajing, transferred to a local post, and had outstanding political achievements, but he was still only a fifth-rank Dali Temple Right Prime Minister.

If I hadn’t been recommended by my fellow villager Ye Shijiang and selected and appointed by His Highness, I might have been in a difficult situation.”

Pan Yinglong smiled faintly: "I know that Envoy Pang had impeached Hu Butang in the past, and the two had an old grudge, so His Highness reused him." Yang Jinshui smiled and shook his head: "Nothing can be hidden from Fengwu. I don't know whether there is an old grudge, anyway, the two will never have any contact with each other until they die."

Pan Yinglong smiled and replied, "I know. When Hu Butang was fighting against the Japanese in the southeast, Eunuch Yang had a bad relationship with him. He would often report to the late emperor to impeach him, causing him to suffer several setbacks."

Yang Jinshui pointed at him and laughed.

Now the Nanjing Zhenwu Camp has been disbanded, several nobles including Xu Pengju have been arrested, and the rest of the nobles have been called to the capital for a lecture. Xue Lin, Liu Xian, Chen Wu, and Fu Yingjia, who are now in charge of the military preparations of Southern Zhili, were all promoted by Hu Zongxian.

According to the rules of the Ming Dynasty officialdom, they all had to call Hu Zongxian as the sponsor.

The Hu Party controlled the military power of Nanzhili, so Nanzhili's largest source of income, the salt administration, had to be managed by a capable official who was incompatible with Hu Zongxian.

As in the previous campaign to suppress the Japanese pirates in the southeast, Hu Zongxian was in charge of the military and Yang Jinshui was in charge of finances and food, so there must have been a conflict between the two.

This is what His Royal Highness the Crown Prince does.

Yang Jinshui tapped his fingers on the stack of official newspapers, "Mr. Pan, here are the newly delivered court newspapers and government newspapers. It's a good opportunity for us to take a look at them together.

Yang guessed that it was time for Xu Pengju and others to make their verdict.”

Pan Yinglong immediately responded: "Okay, Mr. Yang, let's take a look together."

When I opened the morning newspaper from the Ministry of Public Administration, the headline was the cabinet's decree on how to deal with a small group of illegal nobles headed by Xu Pengju.

Xu Bangrui and Xu Bangning were executed, Xu Pengju was stripped of his title and dismissed from his post, demoted to a commoner, and his property was confiscated.

Zhang Tong and his two sons were executed, their property was confiscated, and his title of Marquis of Longping was stripped.

Zhao Zuzheng was executed, his family members were exiled, their property was confiscated, and he was stripped of his title as the Earl of Xincheng.

Liu Shiyan was executed and his property was confiscated. He was stripped of his title and dismissed from office during the Jiajing reign, so there was no such thing as the removal of the title of Earl of Chengyi.

The rest of the nobles were severely reprimanded and their salaries were fined for one to six months. Then they were all ordered to move to the capital and their children were sent to military academies.

Lingbi Marquis Tang Shilong assisted in the pacification of the Zhenwu Camp and made great contributions. He was given a son, a house in the east city of the capital, and was promoted to the Military Affairs Supervisory Office to assist in military affairs.

Pan Yinglong smiled and said, "Your Highness has finally achieved his goal after all his efforts. The nobles of Nanjing have been uprooted and moved to the capital. Nanzhili is no longer bound and can freely implement the new military system and thoroughly reform the army."

Yang Jinshui smiled faintly, continued to read a morning newspaper, and handed it to Pan Yinglong after reading it.

After reading it, Pan Yinglong's eyes lit up. "The emperor ordered that all officials from Nanjing be summoned to the capital to meet the emperor. Now there is only one right vice minister left in each of the six ministries in Nanjing, and only one right deputy censor-in-chief left in the Censorate. The Hanlin Academy, the Dali Temple, the Honglu Temple and other five temples have all been recalled to the capital.

Lord Yang, Your Highness, are you planning to abolish Nanzhili?"

Yang Jinshui replied: "The Jiangnan family headed by Lord Xu actively cooperated in the investigation of the Lianghuai Salt Administration and the Nanjing nobles case. Why?"

"Abolish Nanzhili and establish a provincial government in Jiangnan."

"Yes. They are anxious to set up a provincial government in Jiangnan, but the prince is not. At least he has to wait until Xue Lin, Liu Xian and others have fully organized the troops in Nanzhili.

But they have to give an explanation for the efforts and manpower they have put in."

Pan Yinglong smiled.

That’s right, this is the explanation.

The six ministers of Nanjing, the left vice minister, and the heads of the Censorate, Hanlin Academy, five temples and other institutions were all recalled to the capital to meet the emperor, but it was hard to say whether they could come back.

Zhenwuying and Lianghuai Salt Administration were involved in such a big case, don’t they have any responsibility at all?

After some persuasion, after one or two years, when the military preparations of Nanzhili are in good order, Nanzhili can be abolished and a provincial government can be established.

The prince is very calculating.

Yang Jinshui put down the court newspaper and government newspaper, and suddenly said: "After the matter is done, Yang will also return to Beijing."

Pan Yinglong's eyes flickered, and after hesitating for a while, he finally spoke: "Mr. Yang, you should not only plan for the country, but also for yourself!"

(End of this chapter)