I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 251: There are two evils in Songjiang! I am one of them

Hai Rui, with his hands behind his back and leaning forward, slowly walked into the yard of the Southeast Office of the Coordination Bureau, looking around curiously.

There were people coming and going in the east and west wings of the front yard. There were clerks carrying account books and documents, walking from the east wing to the west wing, and from time to time the sound of abacus could be heard from the wing rooms.

Hai Rui walked up to it deliberately and saw wooden signs hanging in the east wing.

"General Affairs Department", "Budget Department", "Audit Department".

Turning to the west wing, there were also wooden signs hanging next to the door, reading "Information Department", "Regulations Department", and "Election Affairs Department".

There were people in every room, sitting behind desks, bent over their pens, busy with their own things.

"Although the sparrow is small, it has all the organs!" Hai Rui laughed.

Yang Jinshui's trusted servant smiled beside him and did not dare to urge him.

The middle courtyard was relatively quiet, with not so many people coming and going, but the east and west wing rooms were also full of people.

There was a sign hanging on each of the east and west wing rooms, which read "Audit Office" and "Accounting Department" respectively. There were many more people sitting inside than in the outer courtyard, filling up four large rooms.

Hai Rui turned around and asked his confidant, "The front and middle yards are all occupied by people who work there, so your master lives in the back yard?"

"Yes. Our master said that since he is alone, such a big backyard is enough for him. Master Hai, have you seen enough? Do you want to move? Our master is waiting for you in the flower hall in the backyard."

Hai Rui nodded, "Okay, let's go."

Walking into the flower hall in the backyard, it was very clean. There were six chairs on both sides, two chairs on top, and a coffee table in the middle, which was similar to the layout of an ordinary landlord's house in the south of the Yangtze River.

There are two paintings hanging on the wall, one of which is "Fishing Alone in the Snow on a Cold River".

It is said that since Hu Zongxian, the southeastern lineage of the princelings all love this painting, and different versions of "Fishing Alone in the Snow on a Cold River" are hung in every living room or study.

I witnessed it again today here at Yang Jinshui's place, and it seems to be true.

Haha, fishing alone, quite like Xiyuan!
On the opposite wall hangs a painting called "A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains", which was painted by an unknown painter.

Hai Rui turned around with his hands behind his back, feeling that it was simple but not shabby.

Of course, it was definitely better than his own family, but it was beyond Hai Rui's expectations.

The eunuchs, especially the favored and powerful eunuchs like Yang Jinshui, would let themselves go and live a life of luxury once they left the capital. They would even use gold to build toilets and silver to build beds.

The layout of Yang Jinshui's residence today surprised Hai Rui greatly.

Two-thirds of the yamen was separated, and the front and middle yards were used as office spaces, while the man himself lived in the inner yard.

The inner courtyard is decorated rather simply, but it is really below average and can only be considered passable.

Hai Rui had supervised the search of salt merchants' mansions in Yangzhou. Compared with the mansions of those big salt merchants, Yang Jinshui's inner courtyard flower hall was not even as good as the servants' living quarters.

With this comparison, Hai Rui could feel that Yang Jinshui had taste, but was definitely not someone who indulged in extravagant things.

interesting!
"Mr. Gangfeng, I am so sorry for not coming to greet you. I am so rude!"

Yang Jinshui came out from the inner room. He was wearing a light blue cotton straight-leg suit, his hair was combed into a bun with a jade hairpin inserted in it. He had a fair face and no beard, and looked very neat.

Hai Rui looked him up and down, his gaze lingering on the jade hairpin on his head for a few moments, then quickly shifted to another place.

Yang Jinshui was in charge of the Southeast Office of the Coordination Office. If such a powerful person had a wooden hairpin in his hair, Hai Rui would be suspicious.

This guy is a rootless disabled person, but he lives such a simple and frugal life and has great ambitions!

Hai Rui cupped his hands and said with a smile, "I apologize for interrupting you, Eunuch Yang!"

"Haha, Mr. Gangfeng, please take a seat and serve the tea. This year's spring tea!"

Hai Rui sat down leisurely, picked up the teacup, opened the lid, and smelled the aroma. "Hmm, not bad, very fragrant, it is indeed this spring's Biluochun."

"Mr. Gangfeng is a connoisseur of good goods. This tea was produced from Junshan in Taihu Lake the day before yesterday and sent to our house." Yang Jinshui said, pointing to an exquisite teapot on the table.

Hai Rui laughed, "I know what's good, but unfortunately I can never afford to drink it all. I can only take a little here and there when I get the chance to satisfy my craving.

I am so lucky today that I had a cup of new tea from Yang Gonggong this spring. Wonderful!"

Yang Jinshui also smiled, "If this can of tea can be the first cup of new tea for Mr. Gangfeng this spring, then this can of tea of ​​Yang is of great value." Hai Rui took two more sips, closed his eyes, sipped it back and forth a few times, then slightly opened his lips and inhaled the sweet taste.

“Good tea, good tea!”

The trusted servant stood nearby, watching Hai Rui drinking the new tea so comfortably while his master showed no reaction at all. He could not help but touch the teapot on the table and glanced at Hai Rui.

Yang Jinshui glared at him and said, "Stupid!"

Hai Rui put down his teacup and asked curiously, "What's wrong?"

Yang Jinshui replied: "We invite Mr. Gangfeng to drink a cup of new tea this spring. It is a favor. If we give this can of new tea to Mr. Gangfeng, it will be overstepping the line. No!

How could you do such a stupid thing? "

Hai Rui raised his head and laughed: "Eunuch Yang is really a wonderful person. My reputation is both stinky and hard, but Eunuch Yang has no taboos."

"Yang has an open mind. Even if I sit opposite Lord Gangfeng, I will not be disturbed. There is nothing to be ashamed of. Yang is actually looking forward to Lord Gangfeng's coming."

Hai Rui's eyes sparkled. "Eunuch Yang is looking forward to my coming? There are actually officials in the Ming Dynasty looking forward to my coming. This is really unheard of."

Yang Jinshui replied calmly: "A few days ago, Yang knew that Mr. Gangfeng would definitely go straight to Songjiang after leaving Nanjing City. It took me half a month to wait for Mr. Gangfeng."

Lord Hai Rui narrowed his eyes slightly, "Oh, Lord Yang, why are you so sure that I will go straight to Songjiang?"

"Songjiang has two major evils. One is Wang Zhi, the chief culprit of the eunuch party in the eyes of the aristocratic scholars, who wanted to get rid of him first and then as soon as possible. That is me; the other is the Xu family, the big tiger that eats people without leaving any bones in the eyes of the people of Songjiang.

No matter what, Lord Gangfeng will come to verify its authenticity."

After listening to Yang Jinshui's words, Hai Rui remained silent for a long time, then stroked his beard and slowly said, "I have been a teacher and a county magistrate, and have worked in local areas for many years. I know that the most cruel man-made disaster to the people in local areas is to rob and occupy land by trickery.

Hai, who was far away in Fengyang and Huai'an, could hear the merchants traveling around occasionally sighing that no place in the world had occupied more land than the Xu Mansion in Songjiang.

Xu Shaohu has been a cabinet minister for twenty years and earned back four hundred thousand acres of fertile land, making him the most valuable cabinet minister in the country!
So I have to come and see it. Eunuch Yang, are you free to accompany me to Huating to see the might of the Xu family? "

Yang Jinshui smiled and said, "Since Lord Gangfeng has summoned me, I naturally have plenty of free time. But let me make it clear first, the Xu Mansion is my biggest enemy in the southeast, and I want to get rid of it as soon as possible.

If my comments are biased, please forgive me, Lord Gangfeng."

"Eunuch Yang is truly frank. Can you tell me why the Xu family is Eunuch Yang's biggest rival in the southeast?"

In the Qinzheng Hall in Xiyuan, Beijing, Zhu Yijun was looking down at some documents. Feng Bao walked in quietly and stood beside the desk, holding his breath and not making a sound.

After half a quarter of an hour, Zhu Yijun looked up unintentionally and saw Feng Bao standing beside him. He nodded and said, "Feng Bao is here. What's the matter?"

"Your Highness, Lord Gangfeng has gone to Songjiang."

Zhu Yijun was stunned, leaned back in his chair, and looked up at the roof. "Mr. Hai, he finally went to Songjiang. Does anyone else know?"

"Gongfeng's whereabouts were very secretive. The Royal Guards helped set up many mazes. Outsiders thought he went to Suzhou and Huzhou. Only the East Factory and the Royal Guards..."

Feng Bao hesitated for a moment and then said, "Yang Jinshui should know this, too."

"The southeast is his territory, and I have long told him to look after Lord Gangfeng. He should know that."

"Yes."

Zhu Yijun thought for a while and asked, "Has the land survey of the three garrisons in Shanxi, Xuanfu, and Datong, which Gao Suqing is in charge of, started?"

"In reply to your Highness, let's begin."

"Gao Bu Tang recommended Zhu Zhenshan (Zhu Heng) as the Right Censor-in-Chief. He went to Shanxi to personally preside over the meeting. He also specially selected 26 of his favorite students to go and listen to his advice. I hope he will gain something from this meeting.

The news from Songjiang Prefecture will be reported promptly. In addition."

Zhu Yijun paused for a moment, and Feng Bao immediately bent down and listened attentively.

"Watch carefully over there, Lord Xu."

"Yes."

(End of this chapter)