Guangzong Yaoming

Chapter 151: A Country Within a Country
But Zhu Changluo is now obviously prepared to have both, because he has a ledger in his hand.

"People always come up with solutions. Man can conquer nature, so how can the court not solve the problem of banknotes?" Zhu Changluo looked at Wang Chengxun and Li Sancai. "After the initial decision to change the Zhayang General to a merchant, there were many opinions in the court and the public. Now that you two are here, tell us what changes it will bring to the canal and grain."

Wang Chengxun was very obedient: "I will obey your Majesty's orders. Your Majesty and the officials in the court must have carefully considered the pros and cons."

Li Sancai couldn't help but look at him first.

Are you holding me up?
The emperor and the officials in the court have already considered it carefully. Even if the governor-general's grain transport office has something to say, is it just to remind the emperor and the court to pay attention to the "disadvantages" and admit that the benefits outweigh the disadvantages?

"Your Majesty, Zhayang General only transports the newly added gold and silver, so there are other ways to stabilize it. Now the transportation of grain to the north is assigned to the other twelve generals, and Zhayang General is changed to a merchant, which will not cause much disturbance to the grain transport. However, a lot of grain in Liaodong is still transported by Zhayang General. I have also heard that Your Majesty and the ministers are only trying out one general, but in the future, the grain transport will be greatly changed. I don't know the essence of this new policy on the grain transport, so I dare not speak rashly."

He emphasized the word "new policy" and then looked at the other ministers with an expression that said, "I don't know, I want to listen."

Jiangnan is not stupid either. Zhayang was restructured into a merchant. Then there was the new policy on Caohe River. Will there be other new policies?
After the first year of Taichang, the emperor's will gradually became clear. What did the court officials think? What would Jiangnan think?
Unexpectedly, the emperor nodded and said, "Daofu and Xinjianbo both said so, which shows that there is no big problem in the transformation of Zhayangzong into a merchant. In this case, let's talk about the specific strategy of transforming Zhayangzong into a merchant. The transportation of troops, the garrisons, the transportation, and the existing grain transport ships must be completed within this year, so that you can arrange the grain transport next year after you return."

When Li Sancai heard this, he felt a little relieved, but also a little lost.

It sounds like the emperor has no intention of transferring him to another place. This means that he will neither question his previous dominance over the Cao Army nor punish him for this year's turmoil.

But precisely because the storm has already started, Li Sancai actually wants to leave this position.

When Xiao Daheng went south, Li Sancai knew very well: at least one Shangshu would leave Nanjing this time!
There are also many elderly and important officials in the capital.

He was a man accustomed to adjusting his style and stance, so of course he wanted to come to the capital.

For this reason, he began to make peace with Gu Xianjiao in order to lay a good foundation for the future.

In this Yangxin Palace, the matter of Zhayang Zong's transformation into a merchant was quickly discussed.

One was the commander-in-chief of the grain transport army, and the other was the governor-general of the grain transport and the commander-in-chief of the grain transport army's military affairs. It seemed that the emperor summoned them just to move forward with this matter.

So why set the tone so high in the beginning, wanting to cure the Caohe River and "extend the life" of the emperor?

"Since you have arrived in Beijing, you can stay for a while." Zhu Changluo looked very serious about them, with a smile on his face, "Stay in Beijing to work, calculate the total assets of Zhayang first, and attend the restructuring auction. I will get married in August, you can attend the ceremony and then return to Huai'an."

"…I thank your majesty for your grace."

Li Sancai's heart was in turmoil: Are you going to bid so quickly?
Jiangnan is still caught up in the turmoil of the imperial envoy going south to investigate a case, and the big merchants in Jiangnan are in a panic because of the affairs of the Cheng family in Jiangyou. So, which merchant group will take down Zhayang?
They all left, and Zhu Changluo stayed in the Yangxin Palace.

I was too lazy to move at night. The layout of the Hall of Mental Cultivation was compact, and it was no wonder that later Qing emperors liked to stay here.

"Let Concubine Shu come here. There is no need to go back to Jingren Palace tonight."

Wang An was thinking that Concubine Shu's family had also arrived in Beijing.

When her mother came to the palace to visit, she would naturally know that the concubine was allowed to stay in the palace. This grace would naturally reach the ears of Wang Xun and others, allowing them to devote themselves to the subsequent bidding for the reform of the Zhaiyang General with greater peace of mind.

He felt that his progress had been faster and faster since the emperor came to power.

……

Late at night in the Yongwei Camp west of Zhenjiang, Xiao Daheng and others had been listening to Geng Dingli talk until now.

That night, they heard countless surnames, countless names, and countless complicated relationships.

"Does the Imperial Envoy want to do it?" Geng Dingli said with a sneer on his face, "I wonder if the dismissed official can be spared the punishment of his entire clan for telling me everything he knows?"

"You said it very well, and I am very satisfied with it." Xiao Daheng expressed his appreciation, "But I don't like your expression."

Geng Dingli did not change his expression, but after a long time, he looked at Cheng Jing.

After a long sigh, he stood up and knelt down to Cheng Jing.

"Eunuch Lao Cheng has reported to Your Majesty that the criminal Geng Dingli has failed to live up to the teachings of the saints and the grace of the emperor. His death is not a pity." He raised his head and looked at Cheng Jing, and said slowly, "It's just that the officialdom in Jiangnan is really hard to tolerate honest officials. Of course there are those who are self-disciplined, but they will definitely have a hard time and will find it difficult to accomplish anything. The criminal was incompetent and became increasingly arrogant, and finally committed a serious crime. Now I have only reported a few things about Jiangnan, and I still want to advise Your Majesty to put the country first."

He kowtowed again, and said compassionately: "The criminal deserves the punishment, and I am willing to use my head to help Your Majesty to deter the situation for a while. A dying man still has loyal words. Jiangnan is the foundation of the country, and if we treat it too harshly, it will be dangerous for the country. Combining kindness and severity is the best policy in the end, Your Majesty will understand!" Cheng Jing watched him perform and just nodded indifferently: "I heard what you said. Your Majesty has also heard such words from other important ministers a long time ago. But you said it in a way that you can't help yourself, I despise it. Being greedy is a small matter, but you dare to instruct your minions to do such a daring thing, how is it different from treason? What loyal words are you talking about now, I will tell Your Majesty that I am uncomfortable listening to it."

After that, he bowed to Xiao Daheng and said, "How the case is investigated is not our business. We are still concerned about Nanjing, so I will return to the city overnight."

"Eunuch, go first." Xiao Daheng stood up and returned the greeting. "Geng Dingli has confessed. I will also move to Nanjing tomorrow."

Geng Dingli listened to Cheng Jing's words with a grim expression, and Cheng Jing stopped when he passed by him and spat on his head.

When the eunuch humiliated the civil official, even though he was a civil official sentenced to death, everyone else had complicated expressions except Niu Yingyuan, who remained indifferent.

"Don't think that your majesty and I don't know the truth about Jiangnan, so we will show mercy and execute only you. Don't expect the officials and gentry in Jiangnan to think well of you and take care of your family in the future."

Xiao Daheng looked at Geng Dingli with complicated eyes: "If you ask me, you were fed well in Jiangnan, which is not an unforgivable crime. Your Majesty, don't you know that corruption is hard to eradicate?"

"Waiting for arrears will indeed alarm people. We have advised and argued against it. Since Your Majesty is determined, we should obey His Majesty's will. After all, everyone here knows that not forgiving debts will not harm the people. Even if it harms the people, it is because the local authorities deliberately use this as an excuse to harm the people. If we can help, we should help. If we can't help, we should not help. At least we should not indulge them and let them coerce us, right?"

"You are so good. Not only do you work together to pamper the gentry in Jiangnan, but you also want Your Majesty to weigh the importance of Jiangnan. Has Jiangnan really become a country within a country? Do you really think of yourselves as local emperors and the people under your rule, the foundation of Jiangnan? You have been talking for a whole night. Are those noble families more powerful than Your Majesty? This imperial envoy has said long ago that if you want to rebel, do it sooner. If not, Jiangnan should recognize their own names and who they are as subjects. The important officials in Jiangnan should also recognize whether they are subjects or local emperors!"

After hearing what Xiao Daheng said, Geng Dingli felt aggrieved: "Why must the Imperial Envoy punish me?"

"I'm not saying this just for you." Xiao Daheng laughed and bowed to Niu Yingyuan, "Mr. Niu, thank you for your help today."

Niu Yingyuan looked at him deeply and said in return, "You are too kind, Grand Minister of Justice."

"Take him away, and send him to the Nanjing Ministry of Justice jail tomorrow." After giving the order, Xiao Daheng bowed to Zheng Jizhi and Li Tingji, "Finally, we have tried one person first. You two should rest early. Tomorrow when we enter Nanjing City, there are still important people to try."

Geng Dingli was taken away with a deathly pale face.

The emperor was really prepared to charge them with treason.

The emperor needs more heads than just his.

But are the emperor and the court really not afraid of problems with Jiangnan’s land tax this year and water transport next year?
No... they say they know the truth about Jiangnan, but do they really know?
Early the next morning, in the new office of the Yingtian Inspector General of Suzhou Prefecture, Wang Dewan received a letter from the imperial envoy.

After reading it, he gritted his teeth and ordered: "Inform all prefectures, counties and districts that I will conduct another inspection and investigate criminal charges this time."

It would be best not to use that imperial edict. It would be best to take advantage of the fact that the Grand Justice is in Nanjing to intimidate enough people first.

In the early morning, several large ships were waiting on the Tonghui River from Beijing to Tongzhou in the east of Beijing.

There are many people who are about to set off, and there are also many people who come to see them off.

"Second brother!"

"Second brother!"

Jie Jingya and Jie Jingbang came together to send Jie Jingfu off.

"Take care of yourself!"

Wei Yunzhong also came to see Cheng Qinan and Meng Xikong off: "You must write more often. If you are undecided, even if you don't write a memorial, you can ask me. After all, I can see Your Majesty more often."

Gong Nai also said goodbye to his friends, feeling depressed about the future ahead.

A heart like a clear stream, a life like a turbid stream.

But he had no choice.

"The future is bright!"

Amidst the congratulations, many new scholars in the first year of Taichang went their separate ways.

(End of this chapter)