I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 25: Adding Value to Grandpa Huang

In the front hall of Renshou Palace.

The grandparents and grandchildren started practicing Tai Chi after breakfast to help digestion.

Zhu Yijun asked, "Grandfather Emperor, I heard that Lord Yan is sick?"

Emperor Jiajing spread his wings like a white crane and snorted, "This old fellow has been back in the capital for six days, has been a clay Buddha in the cabinet for three days, and then handed in a sick note, saying that he is sick and needs to recuperate at home.

Haha, recuperating? He can’t be recuperated in Jiangxi, should I ask him to come to the capital to recuperate?”

The Emperor is so cold-blooded, mean and ungrateful.

Zhu Yijun continued, "Grandpa Emperor, I want to go see him?"

"Why are you looking at him? Do you think the fight between Old Master Xu and Big Beard Gao in the cabinet isn't exciting enough?"

Emperor Jiajing said disapprovingly, glanced at Zhu Yijun, and changed his tone: "Okay, I'll ask a eunuch to go and see him later."

"Grandpa Emperor, your grandson wants to go see him in person."

Just as they finished practicing Tai Chi, they lowered their arms and inhaled and exhaled almost at the same time.

After taking a breath, Emperor Jiajing looked at Zhu Yijun and said, "Jun'er, you said you wanted to go see Yan Jiehu in person?"

"Yes."

"why?"

"A big tree once supported the entire Ming Dynasty. There were many vines and leaves attached to the tree, and many trees gathered around it.

Now that the tree is old and about to fall, all its vines and leaves have been cleared away, and some people are thinking of clearing away the useful trees next to it as well.”

Emperor Jiajing understood immediately, "Jun'er, are you talking about Hu Zongxian and others?"

"Yes, Grandfather Emperor. Not all members of the Yan Party are corrupt and embezzlers. Grandfather Emperor has been able to trust Grandpa Yan for many years and rely on him to govern the Ming Dynasty for twenty years. He did not rely solely on those corrupt officials, but on capable officials like Hu Zongxian.

However, some people wanted to label all members of the Yan Party as treacherous officials and corrupt officials and catch them all in one fell swoop.

I really don't know what they are thinking. Do they want to prove to the world that the emperor is incompetent and has used corrupt officials to govern the Ming Dynasty for twenty years?"

Zhu Yijun's words made Emperor Jiajing's face turn cold. The eunuch who came up to him lowered his head in fear and offered a towel and hot tea with both hands.

Zhu Yijun took the hot towel and handed it to Emperor Jiajing.

After he wiped his face and neck, he took it and handed him a bowl of hot tea.

Emperor Jiajing took it, took a sip, and threw the tea bowl heavily on the tray, causing the tea to spill all over the tray.

"Someone wants to bully you!"

Huang Jin and Li Fang desperately made gestures in secret, signaling the four eunuchs to quickly leave the front hall. Then they also took a few steps back, sticking close to the large pillar in the hall, wishing they could merge themselves with the pillar.

"Grandpa Emperor, whether I am deceiving the emperor or not, I cannot tell. It is just that I feel that Grandpa Emperor and the ministers have different positions and consider issues from different angles.

For the Emperor, the Yan Party was the pillar and cornerstone that supported the Ming Dynasty. It had good and bad qualities, and was uneven. After twenty years, the old ones became old, the broken ones became broken, and the ones that were eaten away by insects were eaten away. It was time to replace them.

For some officials, the Yan Party is a mountain that stands in their way and a stepping stone for them to gain fame. They are all bad and they want to eradicate them all as soon as possible. "

Emperor Jiajing stared at Zhu Yijun with his cloudy eyes for a few seconds and nodded.

"Jun'er, you have now realized some of the principles of being a monarch. That's right, in this court, if the ministers don't fight with each other, they will join forces to fight against the monarch.

So you have to let them fight each other. And your establishment of the Food and Pay Coordination Office is a brilliant move."

"Thank you, Grandpa Huang, for your compliment."

"I'm not praising you, you really did a good job. Why were the Qin Emperor and Han Wudi able to achieve great achievements that will go down in history? In my opinion, the most important point is that they all had Shaofu.

The Coordination Office is my Shaofu!"

Emperor Jiajing said proudly with his hands in his sleeves, then tilted his head and asked curiously, "Jun'er, how did you think of the Coordination Office?"

"Grandpa Emperor, in my Ming Dynasty, the national treasury and the internal treasury are separate, but the source of income is the same. The civil servants always say that they compete with the people for profits, and they are unwilling to give in to this and that. As a result, the national treasury is dry, the internal treasury is in trouble, but the officials and gentry are rich." Zhu Yijun certainly knew that there were many reasons for the poor financial situation of the Ming Dynasty.

The rough and inefficient fiscal and taxation system, the emperor's extravagant spending, the bottomless pit of the royal family, the passive defense of the nine frontiers became a heavy burden, and the southeast, an important source of fiscal revenue, was plagued for twenty years.
But speaking requires skill.

If you want the other person to listen to you, you naturally have to make some choices.

"Since this is the case, I think it would be better to find a new source of income for the inner treasury. However, if we directly open a new source of income for the inner treasury, the world will definitely be criticized.

It happened that the Emperor summoned Hu Zongxian, and the grandson thought that suppressing the Japanese in the southeast was the top priority of the country, so he used this as an excuse to transform the Jiangning, Suzhou, and Hangzhou weaving factories into privately run factories under the Emperor's supervision.
My grandson only provided an idea, but Grandpa Emperor was decisive and made plans, and he quickly implemented the matter. He also sent capable people to point out the direction, and then quickly opened up the situation and achieved considerable success. "

Emperor Jiajing listened with a smile as Zhu Yijun flattered him.

Zhu Yijun observed the emperor's expression from the side and behind, and gradually became more reassured.

Hu Zongxian was worried that he would be abandoned, and Zhu Yijun was also worried.

The Emperor was moody and when he saw that the Japanese invasion in the southeast had been wiped out, he became confused and remembered that Hu Zongxian was a core member of the Yan Party. In order to silence the people, he forced him to commit suicide with a stroke of his pen, and all his efforts were in vain.

Therefore, I seized the opportunity today to give Grandpa Emperor some value, to strengthen his mind, and to make him deeply realize that Hu Zongxian's suppression of the Japanese pirates was superficial, and his real goal was to work with Yang Jinshui and others to seize the financial resources in the southeast.

Shaofu was the financial and taxation department directly under the Qin Emperor and Han Emperor Wu. But if there were no Wang Jian, Meng Tian, ​​Wei Qing and Huo Qubing, how could the Shaofu of Qin Emperor and Han Emperor Wu collect any taxes?

Zhu Yijun accompanied Emperor Jiajing in circles in the front hall, walking in the immortal steps, and expressing his ideas bit by bit, word by word.

Emperor Jiajing was such a smart man that he could understand Zhu Yijun's hidden meaning after just two or three sentences.

"Jun'er, are you saying that Hu Zongxian is my Meng Tian and Wei Qing? With him in charge, no one dares to make decisions about the General Coordination Office, my Shaofu?"

"Grandpa Emperor, everyone in the government and the public knows how the Japanese threat in the southeast came about. They are simply trying to defy the maritime ban and create chaos to cover up their trade with maritime merchants.

For the sake of huge profits, these people are so bold and reckless. Now the Coordination Office is obviously trying to rob their wallets, so I guess they will use any dirty tricks.

We are not afraid of the upright path of impeachment. We are just afraid that they will take risks. Grandpa Emperor, money can move people’s hearts.”

Emperor Jiajing stood in the front hall with his hands in his sleeves, looking at the slowly rising sun, like a golden statue.

After half a quarter of an hour, Emperor Jiajing slowly said, "Jun'er, then go and see Lord Yan."

"It's the Emperor, Grandpa." Zhu Yijun was delighted, thinking that what he said today was not in vain.

He added, "Grandpa Emperor, after seeing Elder Yan, I want to go to South City to take a look."

"Haha, this is your real purpose. Lord Yan, I'm just trying to get in touch with you."

"Hehe, nothing can be hidden from Grandpa Huang."

"Huang Jin."

"The slave is here!"

"Tell Feng Bao to bring the best men from the Eastern Depot and the Imperial Guard to protect the prince. If anything goes wrong, I will skin him alive."

"Yes!"

Zhu Yijun said at the side: "Grandpa Emperor, your grandson is going to change clothes. See you tomorrow."

"tomorrow?"

Emperor Jiajing remembered that today was the day when Zhu Yijun returned to Prince Yu's Mansion once every ten days.

The days go by so fast!
Emperor Jiajing stood at the entrance of the palace, waiting.

When Zhu Yijun changed into a casual dress and wore a net scarf, he came out.

He waved his hand and watched him and Feng Bao and his entourage disappear at the palace gate.

The morning sun cast the shadow of Emperor Jiajing obliquely on the ground at the palace gate.

Amid the splendor and gold, the long shadow appears particularly lonely.

(End of this chapter)