I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 228: If you don’t think about the future, you will have immediate worries!

Yang Jinshui's expression changed slightly, "Mr. Pan, why do you say that?"

Pan Yinglong looked at Yang Jinshui's expression and said carefully, "I heard a secret story that the Yangzhou salt merchants took advantage of the imperial court in Beijing to select beauties to fill the palace, bribed the eunuchs, and stuffed several beauties into the palace.

Among them, there was a beauty who was deeply favored by the emperor, but she was arrogant and showed her true colors. The prince noticed it and reported it to the queen. Then the beauty disappeared. Her father and brother who followed her to the capital also disappeared.

Then we will investigate the Lianghuai salt administration.”

Yang Jinshui listened quietly and replied casually: "Mr. Pan, you said it was a secret. Who can tell whether it is true or not?"

Pan Yinglong said quickly, "Mr. Yang, what I mean is that these people want to curry favor with the rich and powerful, but they are wrong. The center of the Ming Dynasty is in the Western Garden, not in the Forbidden City. Everyone knows this."

"So what if you know? Can you enter Xiyuan whenever you want?"

"Mr. Yang, it would be extremely difficult for others to enter the West Garden, but for Mr. Yang, it is a piece of cake."

Yang Jinshui stood up, slowly walked to the window, pushed it open, and looked at the flowers and plants in the backyard.

"It's already spring in the south of the Yangtze River, but I heard it's still freezing cold in the capital."

Pan Yinglong was a little unsure of what Yang Jinshui meant, so he could only continue talking.

"Mr. Yang, it is spring now. No matter what, the capital will always be full of flowers."

Yang Jinshui stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the blue sky and white clouds in the distance, and said quietly, "I hope that when I return to the capital, it will be spring and flowers will be in bloom."

Pan Yinglong could hear the worry and anxiety in Yang Jinshui's words. He pondered for a while and asked softly, "Mr. Yang, are you worried about the uncertain political situation?"

"The political situation is very clear, but only the external court is clear. The internal court is undercurrent."

"What is Yang Gong worried about?"

"Godfather is going to retire. He is old and it is time for him to retire. He is the ancestor of the inner court. If he is not around, many clowns will jump out.

Your Highness has great ambitions, and now most of the affairs of the inner court are entrusted to Godfather and Feng Bao."

Pan Yinglong understood what Yang Jinshui meant. He was worried that after Huang Jinrong was raised, the inner court would be controlled by Feng Bao.

On the surface, Feng Bao and Yang Jinshui are both Huang Jin's godsons.

But Feng Bao had long been sent to Prince Yu's Mansion to serve His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, who was still a prince at the time. Later, the Crown Prince was made the Heir to Prince Yu and was brought to the late emperor, and he followed him into the West Garden.

He has been serving the prince all these years and is now the chief eunuch of the Imperial Household Department and the commander of the Eastern Depot.

Yang Jinshui had always been in the southeast, far away from the crown prince. His title was only the eunuch of the Duzhijian and the director of the Southeast Coordination Bureau, which was far from Feng Bao.

Pan Yinglong also heard from Yang Jinshui's words that there was a rift between him and Feng Bao.

In the past, Feng Bao and Yang Jinshui had no conflicts and lived in peace despite being thousands of miles apart. Now that he has been recalled to the capital and back to the prince, will Feng Bao regard him as a thorn in his side?

Feng Bao has been by the prince's side for a long time and holds power.

Yang Jinshui has been isolated in the southeast. After he returned, he was too weak and alone to fight at all!
No wonder he was worried.

However, Yang Jinshui's concerns had already been taken into account by Pan Yinglong.

Ever since the second half of last year, when Pan Yinglong heard that the Crown Prince intended to recall Yang Jinshui, he has been calculating the gains and losses of Yang Jinshui after returning to Beijing.

Pan Yinglong knew that he and Yang Jinshui were already tied together. If he could take a step forward, he would have a bright future. If he was defeated by Feng Bao, he would be doomed as well.

"Mr. Yang, Your Highness is wise. This time when we return to the capital, we will definitely not let Feng Bao bully Mr. Yang. After all, Mr. Yang is not alone now."

Pan Yinglong's words made Yang Jinshui turn his head sharply and stare at him intently. Since he was sent to the southeast in the 41st year of Jiajing, from Ningbo to Shanghai, Yang Jinshui is indeed no longer alone. Behind him stands the Southeast Sea Merchants Group headed by the three major companies of Xingruixiang, Deshengmao and Lianshengxiang.

They were all small and medium-sized maritime merchants before. With the support of the Coordination Bureau, they gradually developed into wealthy sea merchants. They currently control the maritime trade between Ming Dynasty and Japan, Korea, the West and Southeast Asia.

It has close relations with the Ming Dynasty's eastern, southern and northern navies, and its strength should not be underestimated.

They and Yang Jinshui share the same fate.

Yang Jinshui's gaze was as cold as ice. Most people would have felt scared by being stared at. However, Pan Yinglong looked calm and said calmly, "It's just that people who don't think about the future will have immediate worries. Mr. Yang, we can't just focus on the present and ignore the future."

"What will happen in the future? Can you see clearly?" Yang Jinshui asked lightly, with a joking tone.

Pan Yinglong bluntly brought out the idea he had prepared long ago: "Mr. Yang, I heard that the Queen is selecting concubines for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

Your Highness is fourteen years old this year. In a year or two, it will be time for you to get married and start a family."

Pan Yinglong glanced at Yang Jinshui's expression and found that he had not changed, so he continued: "I also heard that Shuntian Prefecture, the nobles, and Mr. Zhao Dazhou and Mr. Zhang Shuda all recommended candidates, and the queen selected them to enter Kunning Palace.

Lord Yang is in the southeast, close to Suzhou and Hangzhou, and is deeply trusted by His Highness, so why doesn't he recommend someone?"

Yang Jinshui stared at Pan Yinglong and asked, "Has Mr. Pan already chosen the candidate?"

"To reply to Mr. Yang, it is indeed true!" Pan Yinglong did not hide anything after saying, "Mr. Song Yingqing, the third owner and chief manager of Xingruixiang, is originally from Wuxian, Suzhou. He has a daughter named Song Liuli, who is twelve years old, talented and beautiful, and elegant."

Seeing Yang Jinshui remained silent, Pan Yinglong became anxious and quickly advised: "Mr. Yang, now is a time of great contention. If you don't fight, you have no future. Mr. Yang is now connected to thousands of merchants in the southeast. He is definitely not fighting alone. Everyone is holding their breath. As long as Mr. Yang says a word, money will come and people will come."

Yang Jinshui walked back to his chair, sat down slowly, picked up the teacup and drank a few sips slowly.

"We have seen seven good women of suitable age, but Mr. Song's beloved daughter is the most outstanding in appearance, talented and virtuous, and can enter the East Palace."

Yang Jinshui’s words made Pan Yinglong stunned, and then the two of them smiled in tacit understanding.

At the canal dock in Yangzhou City, Wang Yi'e displayed his full ceremonial guard to see off Xu Yangzheng who had returned with a great load.

The three judicial departments' special task force had been withdrawn long ago. Last month, Zhang Juzheng also passed through here with a group of Nanjing nobles and headed north to the capital.

Now Xu Yangzheng was returning to Beijing in high spirits with the last sum of stolen silver recovered from the Lianghuai Salt Administration case.

"Brother Mengquan, the stolen money from the Lianghuai Salt Administration has entered the national treasury. The Ministry of Revenue must use it well. I will keep an eye on you after I return to Beijing."

Hai Rui's serious words made Xu Yangzheng's face freeze. The joy that was fixed on his face had not yet dissipated, but the distress that surged from the bottom of his heart had already spread to the corners of his mouth and eyes.

After the Lianghuai Salt Administration case, Hai Qingtian's reputation rose to a new level. Everyone in the world knew that if you were targeted by him, you would be involved in it without losing a lot of skin.

Xu Yangzheng was also aware that the Ministry of Revenue was plagued by problems and that the clerks under it were doing all kinds of dirty things.

If Hai Rui targeted him, what would happen? If his subordinates were caught, could his superior escape responsibility?

No, I have to sort things out when I get back. I've finally turned my life around and earned a bright future, and I can't let these bastards ruin it.

Wang Yi'e looked at Xu Yangzheng's embarrassed expression and secretly laughed in his heart. He quickly said, "Mr. Mengquan, it's getting late. We should get on the boat and hurry on our way."

Xu Yangzheng smiled bitterly and shook his head, then he bowed to Hai Rui and Wang Yi'e and said, "Mr. Gangfeng, I will recommend you, my dear brother. We will say goodbye now!"

Watching Xu Yangzheng's official ship gradually sailing away, Wang Yi'e turned to Hai Rui and asked, "Lord Gangfeng, when will you return to the capital to report?"

"I have submitted a petition to the capital, requesting to visit the Huaidong Salt Field to see for myself what Pang Shaonan's new salt policy is all about. Then I will go to Nanjing and Suzhou. It's a rare trip to the southeast, so I want to take a closer look!
Xiyuan approved it, allowing me to stay for another three months."

Wang Yi'e was happy. Not only Xu Yangzheng and Gao Da Huzi were troubled, but Pang Shangpeng and the wealthy families in Nanjing City and Suzhou and Songjiang were also in trouble!

(End of this chapter)