Guangzong Yaoming

Chapter 118: A hidden clue in Caohe River

But as a minister, how can I be reckless and domineering?
"Public interest and private interest cannot be discussed clearly in the court." Seeing that they did not speak, Zhu Changluo continued, "Official career is a big melting pot. Even if you enter with a clean record, how many people can leave with a clean record? Are they willing to leave with a clean record? I can tolerate private interest, and the royal family has the greatest private interest of maintaining the country forever."

This was a rare state of affairs among the three of them. The emperor was indeed having a heart-to-heart talk with them without any reservations.

And his words revealed the understanding of a veteran official.

"The Great Learning says: 'Everything has its root and its branches, and every matter has its end and its beginning. If you know what comes first and what comes later, you will be close to the truth." Zhu Changluo looked at them, "I believe that the foundation of the country lies in the people. Only when the country is stable can your selfish desires have a foundation. Only when you have the people's support can you gain the country. I will not rashly shake the foundation. I will naturally know that a serious illness does not require drastic measures. If my father is still alive, how can I speak lightly about Zhang Jiangling's matter?"

Shen Yiquan understood what this meant, which was that they would not be immediately discovered as "enemies".

"Your responsibility is to help me recover elite troops to prevent unexpected events. As for the rest of the matters, why I do that, of course I still need your advice, to fill in the gaps. As far as the present is concerned, I will just train the Beijing Camp and the Brave Guard Camp and open up some sources of income. I will not let you preside over any new policies."

"…How can we talk about starting a new chapter?"

Zhu Changluo knew that Shen Yikuan was asking how could the emperor be worthy of being worshipped in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, and was asking about the rewards and the future troubles.

So he laughed and said, "If we can sort out the canal and the salt market, and lay the foundation for a rich country, then we will have opened a new chapter. I know the difficulty of financial planning, and the new title of the five dukes is a reward from me. Do you think I only give it to military officials?"

After all, it's nothing more than a promise from the "Holy King".

But what about the promise of the holy emperor? Taizu was wise and powerful, and many of the founding heroes had hereditary certificates. How many of them still have them now?

Wang Xijue said that this was "not the way for a monarch to employ his subjects" because it was essentially more threatening than Xu En.

But he knelt down first: "In the past, the world thought that I was a member of the New Party. I really agree with Zhang Jiangling's new policies and his earnest intention to serve the country. I advised him to mourn for his father so that he would not be ridiculed by the world. Now I understand that if this person leaves, the new policies will stop. Now that your Majesty is very loyal, I am willing to take on the responsibility and continue Zhang Jiangling's ambitions!"

He is the one with the least burden and the one who is easiest to convince himself.

If there is anything that can wash away his stigma, it is to let the world know that he is still the Wang Xijue who kicked the door and questioned Zhang Juzheng.

What can Shen Yikuan and Shen Shixing do?
The emperor had clearly used this method, and unless they wanted to bury their lives and their descendants here, they could only kneel down together and say, "I am willing to follow in his footsteps."

"I still say that. I think it is true that the salaries of officials are low, but I don't really want to shake the foundation of the country." Zhu Changluo reassured them, "With the wisdom of the monarch and his subjects, there must be a way to have the best of both worlds. If there is no way, then I can only try to reconcile like you guys."

Zhu Changluo helped them up one by one. The first thing the three cabinet ministers saw when they saw the emperor was the bitter smile on his face.

"Since I have been ordered, I should try my best. Will the historians record in the future that the Ming Dynasty fell at the hands of two or three generations of rulers and ministers like me and you? There are always wise people, and they will not put all the blame on the rulers and ministers of the fallen country. They will only sigh like me and you when reading history, lamenting that the fate of the country has ended and it is impossible to turn the tide."

It was Shen Shixing who first said: "Today I know that Your Majesty is more concerned about the country than an old minister."

"I have also witnessed your Majesty's talent, and I hope your Majesty will pity me, my old age and cowardice." Shen Yikuan said.

For a moment, it was as if the king and his subjects were communicating with each other heart to heart.

Only after giving them a meal and letting them go back did Zhu Changluo start to think deeply again.

"Your Majesty, why do you do this?" Tian Yi asked cautiously.

"The Grand Marshal said that a war that shakes the foundation can only be fought with subtle clues hidden for thousands of miles, and a single battle will decide the outcome without a long-term chaos." Zhu Changluo looked towards the south dimly, "I agree."

Not much was said after that.

Since people in the world have already made guesses, they will be prepared.

There is actually no difference in his thoughts whether he speaks them or not.

From now on, the cabinet ministers will have great power and they will all be suspected.

Secret reports were rampant, and many people did not know how much Zhu Changluo would analyze from them.

By telling the three of them clearly, we can actually take the initiative.

It also allows them to see the real opportunity to "protect themselves".

No matter who among the three really wants to help him, after hearing what he said today, they will at least tacitly and unnoticeably bring together those who are bound to resist into a party, and may even nominate the party leader to join the cabinet.

After all, they had already had secret discussions with the emperor, and they could also make secret reports.

The Ming Dynasty did not need to, and could not, eliminate all the gentry and wealthy families, so it was better to play this card tacitly with the emperor than to be played as a card.

This is the benefit of knowing the leader’s mind.

Don't be afraid to say some things, others will make choices that are beneficial to themselves.

……

In the afternoon of that day, the last grain boat that was supposed to cross the Huai River in the first month of the lunar year finally passed the Huai'an customs and obtained the signature on the waybill.

"Raise the sails!"

There were lions carved on the bow and stern of the canal boat, now heavily pressed on the water.

Measuring carefully from head to stern, it was found that it was nearly 70 feet long, far exceeding the 52-foot standard for ordinary shallow boats on the Cao River.

The width of the boat was not six feet, but more than nine feet.

There was a small pavilion at the stern, and at the command of the person who was shouting, two dark-skinned but strong men ran, one to the mast slightly forward in the middle, and the other climbed to the top of the stairwell slightly in front of the small pavilion.

"Get up! Get up! Get up!"

The man who gave the order looked at the two busy boatmen, one in front and one behind, a satisfied smile appeared on his lips, and he turned around and sat back at the table and chairs in the small attic.

"Hold the helm steady, and sound the gong ahead to clear the way!"

"General, the grain ships are heading north, who dares to block the way?" Next to him, a subordinate wearing a cotton-padded jacket poured him tea and nodded, "Why is the grain transport so important this time that you have to trouble yourself to escort it? Don't you trust Xiaowu's work?"

"How can I not come?" He took a sip of tea and glanced at the scenery on the canal. "The general hasn't arrived yet. Which general wouldn't be anxious? Fortunately, the canal commissioner took up the responsibility and reported to the capital while approving the note. When we get there, will you report to me? If someone interrogates us on the pretext of something, how will you respond?"

"No wonder, then only you can escort it yourself."

After glancing at him, the "general flag" asked leisurely, "Have you taught me everything? What are the names of the brothers in our flag? Have you divided them up?"

"That's natural. They are all sensible."

"Tell them that as long as nothing goes wrong, they will get nothing less than what they deserve! When we get there, I'll treat them to a drink and some fun in the brothel!"

"The general flag is bright!"

"Go check the cabin again to see if there's anything missing. After all, it's a new king, and if there's anyone who wants to get serious along the way, we have to be on guard."

"Xiao Wu understands. The general flag will take a rest first."

A grain ship with a capacity of 400 tons and capable of transporting about 500 shi of grain slowly began its journey northward from Huai'an.

But now, this grain ship is carrying so much that the various goods and grain in the cabin, which has been raised, widened and lengthened, should weigh more than two thousand shi of grain.

It doesn't look full, because there is a stop on the way to Shuici Warehouse to collect the grain that the Wei faction has exchanged. Besides, why should they transport all the grain?

The more spacious areas can be used as sleeping quarters for sailors and boatmen.

There are clever ways to conceal something that needs covering up.

Moreover, the imperial court did not forbid smuggling. During the Chenghua period, each ship was allowed to carry 10 shi of smuggled goods, which was increased to 40 shi during the Jiajing period and 60 shi in the 7th year of the Wanli period. These rules have not changed.

[Transporting troops and local products, no lawsuits are allowed to disturb! ]

This is clearly stated.

Now, in addition to the regular rations that should be delivered, there is also rice for the troops needed along the way.

But no one has counted how many there are.

Each ship should have a flag of grain transporters, and the one on top is just a small flag officer, but now there are only two grain transporters on the entire ship.

This Xiao Wu is not only a subordinate of the small flag officer Jiang Xuan, but also his servant.

In the past, Xiao Wu was often the only one who escorted the goods.

The rest of the "registered transport soldiers" on the ship were all hired personnel who worked on the ship to make a living.

As long as the canal was opened, each ship would receive an additional four taels of silver, and a little more than ten taels of silver for shipbuilding every year, which should be replaced with about one hundred taels of silver every five or six years.

How can this money be enough?
But firstly, the people hired would not eat the rice allocated to the grain transport army, and secondly, they could help load and unload goods and operate the boats on the way.

The big expense is the rice and cargo on the ship when it leaves, and the cargo that is called an empty ship but is actually full of cargo when it returns.

Xiao Wu checked downstairs and when he returned to the attic, he saw Jiang Xuan looking at him and smiling.

"Does the general know?" He winked.

"You kid..." Jiang Xuan pointed at him, "You know how to do things."

"There has to be someone on board to light the fire and cook. I am honoring you."

Jiang Xuan didn't care. It didn't matter whether it was this kid who presented the tribute or the canal gang who sent canal workers to present the tribute.

I took a look at her when I went in to get some wine just now, and her appearance and figure were pretty satisfactory.

Only a small flag officer can feel so happy on the Caohe River.

At this moment, there are a large number of canal ships sailing from south to north on the canal, most of which have been modified.

There were groups of grain ships, with five ships forming a flag group and the crews were arranged in groups.

The Jia group formed a gang, and the gang group formed a guard. When the grain boats set out, "the Jia group was not allowed to pass the gang, and the gang group was not allowed to pass the guard." The fleet went north, advancing side by side with the Jia group.

They sailed northward, carrying not only the hopes of the national treasury in the capital, but also the expectations of the grain transport troops and countless officials, gentry, and merchants in the north and south.

This is the Caohe River, which is like the artery of the Ming Dynasty.

(End of this chapter)