I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 447: The Capital of a Storm

Hai Rui stroked his beard and smiled slightly, saying, "I know some practical matters, but I am far behind Zhang Shuda, Wang Ruguan, Pang Shaonan and others. Not to mention Hu Ruzhen and Tan Zili, who are good at commanding the army and governing the people.

All I have left is this foul mouth and this moderate heart."

Zhu Yijun said sincerely: "Mr. Gangfeng, your heart is enough. It is the conscience of the Ming Dynasty."

Hai Rui's hand, which was stroking his beard, froze in the air. He turned his head to the other side involuntarily, and only turned back after a while.

He cupped his hands and thanked her: "I thank your Highness for your praise. Your Highness' words make my life worthwhile."

"Mr. Hai, whether it's worth it or not is another matter. First, impeach someone for me."

Hai Rui smiled and said, "Your Highness, if you really want me to impeach someone, who do you want to impeach?"

"The Governor of the Canal and Governor of Shandong, Wang Yi'e!"

"The prince recommended him!" Hai Rui was stunned. "He is doing a good job. Why would I impeach him?"

"He was not able to eradicate all the evil, and he even hid the wife of the third son of the chief culprit Kong Zhenning, Liang, who was originally to be confiscated by the Jiaofang Bureau, in the back house."

"What!" Hai Rui was furious!

Wang Yi'e actually dared to do such a thing. Isn't he afraid of being impeached?

However, Hai Rui had been in the officialdom for many years, and had been fighting wits and courage with treacherous ministers, Emperor Jiajing, and Zhu Yijun for many years. Even the most upright person would have many thoughts.

Wang Yi'e is young and promising, and he does things in a very organized way.

Can’t eradicate all the evil?

You think he never killed anyone?
He has chopped off more heads of Japanese pirates, sea thieves, mountain bandits and rioters than you have ever seen. In his eyes, what is the difference between the people in Yanshenggong Mansion and ordinary people? He can just cut them off with a stroke of the red pen.

Favoritism and shielding?

Who is he protecting?

He was from Quzhou County, Guangping Prefecture, Jingji District, and had nothing to do with Shandong. Who was he protecting?
Besides, he has a bright future ahead of him, so there is no need for him to be corrupt for the sake of a few people who have nothing to do with him.

For money?

He is in charge of the grain transport and waterways, and handles millions of silver. Isn't it easier for him to embezzle than you?
Secretly hiding Kong Shangxian’s wife Liang?
Your Highness the Crown Prince must have real evidence to support his statement.

When did Wang Yi'e become so lustful?

Every year he had to inspect the canal transport from Hangzhou to Tongzhou as usual. In the process, he visited Suzhou, Hangzhou, Yangzhou, Huai'an, Linqing and other world-famous dens of brothels, but he was not tired of them. Then, the wife of a prisoner in the Kong family suddenly caught his attention.

When did he become so absorbed in watching Romance of the Three Kingdoms and have such a strong sense of immersion in it?

Hai Rui thought for a while and when he saw Zhu Yijun's calm expression, he understood everything.

If Wang Yi'e really did something that angered God and the people, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince would be the first one who would not let him go, so there would be no need for me to step in and impeach him.

Hai Rui pondered for a while and asked, "Your Highness, is there someone behind the Kong family's affairs?"

"Yes, some people turned a blind eye and a deaf ear when the scum in the Duke of Yansheng's Mansion harmed the people and caused chaos in the area. When Wang Yi'e handled the matter impartially, they started to make a fuss, saying that Wang Yi'e was harming the gentry, insulting civility, shocking the area, and causing great suffering to the people.

Do they know what it means to cause great suffering to the people? In their eyes, the common people of the Ming Dynasty are just dumb grass, and they don’t matter. The noble families and gentry are the pillars of the country in their eyes.

The common people can suffer again and again, all for the sake of the Ming Dynasty; but the aristocratic families and gentry cannot suffer any loss, as any movement would shake the foundation of the country.

'The blue sky is dead, the yellow sky should be established!', Huang Chao's "Poem on Chrysanthemums after Failure", 'Water can carry a boat, but it can also overturn it', have they all forgotten it?"

Hai Rui continued, "Your Highness, they haven't forgotten. It's just that in their eyes, the water that can carry a boat or overturn it is different from what Your Highness and I think."

Zhu Yijun sighed and said, "Mr. Hai is right. These people are only responsible for the chairs under their buttocks and the hats on their heads. To be honest, I am the same. As the crown prince of the Ming Dynasty, I manage the government on behalf of my father. What I want is to balance the many forces in the country.

In my eyes, the water that carries the great ship of the Ming Dynasty is all the people of the Ming Dynasty, not just a certain group of people. "

Hai Rui stroked his beard and said, "Heaven and earth are not benevolent, they treat all things as straw dogs; saints are not benevolent, they treat the people as straw dogs."

Zhu Yijun glanced at him and continued, "Heaven and earth are not emotional, they treat all things equally and let nature take its course; saints are not emotional, they treat the people equally, and all beings are equal."

Hai Rui sighed, "It was only after I had a tour of Yanzhou that I understood what Your Highness meant by fairness and justice. I am still obsessed with fairness and honesty, but Your Highness thinks of the world for the public, and your realm is far beyond ours.

To be unkind is to be great benevolence, to be righteous is to be great Ming! Your Highness, I will write the memorial to impeach Prince Jian when I get back."

Zhu Yijun said happily: "Thank you, Lord Hai. Among all the impeachment memorials in the world, who can compare with Lord Hai's impeachment memorial?"

Hai Rui smiled bitterly and said, "Your Highness, you are using this old minister as a shield. But I know that Prince Jian is a capable official who can do practical things and get things done.

Such public-spirited officials should not be harmed by those bastards who only have a mouth to speak.”

Zhu Yijun said at the side: "Mr. Hai, it's not that I have to use you as a shield, but I don't have the energy and time to get entangled with these censors. I have more important things to deal with."

Hai Rui was stunned for a moment, then nodded slowly: "The situation is peaceful now, Tan Zili has returned to Beijing, and Hu Ruzhen should also return. The capital is full of talented people. There are so many smart officials in the Ming Dynasty, but they all spend their time on intrigue. It would be great if they could focus on doing practical things."

Zhu Yijun smiled and replied, "Mr. Hai, this is human nature. It is the same in ancient and modern times, both in China and abroad. If everyone focused on doing practical things, I would have led the Ming Dynasty to the moon and seized Guanghan Palace long ago."

Hai Rui laughed loudly, with helpless tears in the corners of his eyes.

Sitting in the carriage, Hai Rui closed his eyes and thought, his upper body swaying slightly with the shaking of the carriage.

Suddenly, the carriage stopped.

"what happened?"

"Master, the Zuifenglou in front has reserved the entire place, and the carriages and sedan chairs have blocked the road."

"It's really extravagant to book Zuifenglou for the whole place. Who is so generous?"

"Master, they say a group of princes and dukes are coming to celebrate the birthday of Prince Qing. Oh, the traffic is so bad ahead, Master, let's take a detour."

"detour!"

The carriage turned to the side road. Hai Rui could not help but lift the curtain of the carriage and saw that there was a crowd of people in front of Zuifeng Tower, crowded with hundreds of sedan chairs and dozens of carriages. The soldiers of the Shuntian Prefecture Police Patrol Camp were trying their best to clear the crowd, but to no avail.

Looking at the groups of Ming princes wearing red and yellow robes and footless hats, they bowed and greeted each other. Thousands of people who loved to watch the excitement gathered on the street, and the sound of discussion came from not far away.

"It's rare to see so many princes gathered together since the founding of the dynasty."

"Now the prince is almost worthless. I heard that the Censorate and the Imperial Clan Court formed a special task force, from the princes to the generals and lieutenants, everyone was checked, and several thousand members of the royal family were arrested."

"It's only a few thousand. For the Ming royal family, it's a drop in the bucket."

"You can't say that. We caught a few thousand in the first half of the year, and a few thousand in the second half. We caught a few thousand this year, and a few thousand next year. Let alone nine cows, even the hair of ninety cows wouldn't be enough to pluck that many!"

"In my opinion, it would be better to remove them all. With so much money and grain in a year, how many people can be fed?"

"Haha, what good things are you thinking! I am the descendant of our great grandfather. Even if your family starves to death, you dare not let me give you a grain of rice."

Hai Rui listened and couldn't help but sigh and let down the curtains.

The affairs of the various vassal states and royal families are not that simple!

The Kong family only caused trouble in Yanzhou Prefecture, Shandong, but the various vassal clans caused trouble all over the country. There were so many royal clans in Henan alone, and nearly half of the people in Zhongzhou were vassalized, which brought a heavy burden to the Ming Dynasty.

How could it be possible that tens of thousands of royal family members and a century-old ancestral system could eliminate the abuses with just a few decrees? Now, His Highness summoned these royal family members to the capital in turn and examined them in turn.

Everyone understands what the ultimate goal is, which is to make the various vassal states and royal families return the land they have occupied.

The Ministry of Revenue has estimated that the farmland occupied by the various vassal states and royal families accounted for one-tenth of the land in the country.

But many knowledgeable people said that it was too little, and in fact the various vassal states occupied more land.

When Hai Rui went to Huguang to investigate the Liao King case, he conducted on-site investigations on the various vassal states and royal families along the way.

According to his understanding, the main sources of land occupied by the various vassal states and royal families of the Ming Dynasty included imperial grants, petitions, donations, purchases and occupations.

The first two were legal, while the last three were illegal but difficult for the court and local officials to control. For example, the King of Shu initially had three guards under his jurisdiction, but later he petitioned to abolish the guards, and the military settlements of the three guards were legitimately allocated to the King's farm.

Later, when the late emperors Renzong, Xuanzong, and Xiaozong enfeoffed their beloved sons as princes, they felt sorry for their poor living in other places and lavishly granted them land as rewards.

Another point is that because the various princes and royal families had "no hope of a career in the government", their only remaining interests were in making money, lust and culture.

In terms of culture, scholars from all over the country became "retainers" of the various vassal states. These people rose and fell with the various vassal states. They would become the mouthpieces and think tanks of the royal family, cheering for their masters and offering advice.

In terms of amassing wealth, the royal family must collude with local noble families in order to make a lot of money. In this way, the royal family of various vassal states only numbered tens of thousands, and the relationships involved were complicated and confusing.

Hai Rui hoped that Zhu Yijun would solve this major problem as soon as possible, reduce the burden on the people of the Ming Dynasty, and let them breathe.

But he also knew that this matter could not be rushed.

Hai Rui felt fortunate at this time. His Highness had taken drastic measures to gradually eliminate the external threats to the Ming Dynasty, so that he could devote all his energy to solving the internal pustules and rot of the Ming Dynasty.

The carriage took a detour and stopped after about ten minutes.

"what happened?"

"Master, the one ahead is Minister Xu's residence. Today is the day he is hosting a banquet, and the streets are filled with carriages and sedan chairs."

"Xu Wenchang, is he celebrating his birthday?"

"I don't know. Master, I only know that he is now a popular figure in Xiyuan, and all the civil and military officials in the court are flocking to him. Look, the road ahead is blocked again."

Hai Rui said, "Take a detour!"

After returning home, Shu Youliang stepped forward, stretched out his hand, and helped Hai Rui get off the carriage.

"Master, Madam Xu is hosting a birthday banquet today. Should we go and do our part?"

"Xu Wenchang?"

"Yes, Minister Xu's wife is celebrating her 24th birthday today."

Hai Rui said angrily, "It's ridiculous! She's turning 24. Is she going to die next year?"

Shu Youliang said with disgust: "Master, you said I can't speak, and you can't speak even more. If your words get to Xu's house, Minister Xu will fight you to the death!"

After saying this, he urged, "Master, please make a decision quickly. I heard that half of the civil and military officials in the city have gone to celebrate the birthday."

Hai Rui glared at him and said, "Okay, you go to celebrate the birthday on behalf of the Hai family, and the gift will be deducted from your salary."

Shu Youliang was so angry that his beard twitched. "Master, if you want to be honest, is it easy for me to earn a little money? I work like a slave, and the gifts from the Xu Mansion are deducted from my wages. The birthday of Minister Xu's wife has nothing to do with me!"

Hai Rui didn't bother to pay attention to him and continued walking into the yard: "Xu Wei has been wandering for half his life, full of talent but frustrated, which makes him arrogant. Now that he is on the rise, it is inevitable that he will be arrogant.

Don’t worry about him.”

Shu Youliang shook his head: "That's right, no one in this world can get a penny from you, Master."

Hai Rui had no choice but to continue ignoring him and went straight to sit in the study.

Shu Youliang brought in a bowl of hot tea.

"Master, Gao Sui, it's not as good as the tribute tea from Xiyuan, so you have to make do with it."

Hai Rui raised his head and said, "Youliang, the situation in the capital is turbulent. I don't want to stay here anymore."

Shu Youliang was horrified: "Master, we have only been back in Beijing for a few days, and you are in a hurry to leave before we even have time to relax. People who don't know would think you have a mistress in another place!"

Hai Rui glared at him, "Get lost!"

"Okay!" Shu Youliang turned and left. Just as he reached the door, he turned back and said, "Master, the appointment with Dr. Wan is tomorrow morning at ten o'clock. It's hard to get an appointment with him. If I hadn't used your name, I wouldn't have been able to get in.

Don't forget the master. Even if you want to go out of Beijing to have fun, master, let's ask the doctor to take your pulse and diagnose your body first."

Hai Rui nodded, "I understand, Youliang."

(End of this chapter)