Jiajing Chengming

Chapter 32 Determining New Policy Strategies
At this time, Zhu Houcong walked out, shaking his hand and holding a small gilded wooden hammer.

Following behind him was the eunuch Wei Bin, who held the seal.

Wei Bin looked at Yang Tinghe meaningfully at this time.

However, Yang Tinghe and other ministers in the court were greatly surprised.

They didn't expect that Zhu Houcong had been eavesdropping in the Wenhua Hall.

However, it can't be considered eavesdropping.

After all, the emperor is more qualified than anyone else to listen to the court discussions.

After Zhu Houcong came out, he originally wanted to recite some poems, but he had too few poems in his mind and didn't know which one to recite, so he just said straight to the point:
"Good discussion!"

"This court discussion has given me a lot of clarity on what I should do next."

As Zhu Houcong spoke, he sat down on the throne in the front hall that had been prepared for him as the emperor.

After Zhu Houcong sat down, when the court was discussing whether to perform the grand ceremony, he said, "No need to perform the ceremony. Those who are sitting should continue to sit, and those who are standing should continue to stand. This is not a grand ceremony, nor is it a formal court meeting. This is just a court discussion between the emperor and his ministers. Everything should be handled according to convenience."

"Yes!"

then.

Zhu Houcong leaned forward, put his feet on the low table, rested his elbows on his knees, clasped his hands around the wooden hammer under his chin, and glanced at the ministers in the court.

Subsequently.

Zhu Houcong leaned back, one hand dropped to his knee, the other hand holding the hammer on the chair, and looked at the court officials and said: "In my opinion, this traitor must be eliminated, and this field must also be cleared."

"We need to do it with both hands, and both hands must be strong!"

Zhu Houcong added very seriously.

Many of the ministers in the court looked at each other in bewilderment.

"But we must be moderate, not too hasty, and not punish without grace, or be kind without punishment."

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

At this time, the second assistant Liang Chu couldn't help but echoed.

Zhu Houcong pressed his hand towards him, signaling him not to rush to agree.

Liang Chu quickly shut up.

Zhu Houcong smiled and said, "After cleaning the house, we can invite guests!"

"But this is not for the sake of keeping the people safe, but to ensure that the law is not abolished. As for the grace outside the law, it will naturally be granted when it is necessary."

"Clearing the fields is the way to keep the people safe."

"What the guy called Xia Yan just now said is right. When it comes to keeping the people safe, we can't just do the easy thing and we should consider the long term."

"If I can only establish my country by confiscating property, I might as well be a tyrant!"

"Yuan Fu, what do you think?"

As Zhu Houcong spoke, he looked at Yang Tinghe with a smile on his face.

Yang Tinghe immediately stood up and replied, "Your Majesty is right. I was not thoughtful enough. Now after listening to Xia Jijian's advice, I know that this is a more comprehensive solution."

"It just involves restructuring, right?"

Zhu Houcong asked again.

Yang Tinghe replied truthfully: "Yes!"

"The great scholar Luo Qinshun said something very well!"

"He said that if the law needs to be changed, it must be changed. If it is not changed, there will be no governance."

"He understands the teachings of the saints better than I do!"

"Today, I share this sentence with you."

"Because of what he said, I will not restore the punishment of skinning and stuffing with straw, nor will I stick to the laws of our ancestors. Our ancestors said that newly reclaimed land in the north will never be taxed, but they did not say that abandoned and wasteland will not be taxed, and they did not say how to define whether it is newly reclaimed land."

"So, my opinion is that it is important to first clear the abandoned wasteland in each village and distribute it to the people."

After Zhu Houcong finished speaking, he asked Yang Tinghe, "What do you think, Yuan Fu?"

At this time, Yang Tinghe was amazed at how His Majesty knew the Confucian classics theory of Luo Qinshun, who won the third place in the imperial examination in the sixth year of Hongzhi's reign.

But Yang Tinghe quickly understood and thought that this should have been taught to Zhu Houcong by Yuan Zonggao.

As a result, Yang Tinghe felt even more hatred towards Yuan Zonggao.

When Zhu Houcong asked him, Yang Tinghe agreed on the surface, saying, "Your Majesty is right. The laws established by our ancestors cannot be misinterpreted and should be interpreted correctly."

"What the Prime Minister said is indeed a wise and mature statement for the country!"

Zhu Houcong said again with a smile.

Yang Tinghe hurriedly pretended to be terrified: "Your Majesty, thank you for your praise!"

But Yang Tinghe was very happy in his heart.

Qi Zhiluan, Wang Jun and other disciples of Yang Tinghe could not help but feel secretly happy when they saw that Zhu Houcong respected Yang Tinghe's opinions so much. They thought that His Majesty really valued the opinions of their benefactor. It seemed that their future was still very bright.

"Who is Xia Yan?"

Zhu Houcong asked at this time.

Not long after.

Xia Yan stood up and bowed to Zhu Houcong with a look of excitement on his face.

After all, the emperor personally named him.

How could this not excite him?
After Xia Yan finished his greetings, Zhu Houcong asked him, "Who is the new scholar who advocates clearing the fields?"

"Your Majesty, this man's name is Zhang Cong."

As soon as Xia Yan said this, Zhu Houcong's mouth corners slightly raised.

"Sure enough, when a wise man is in his place, he is like a needle in a bag."

Zhu Houcong said, "Xia Yan, you are also a wise man. I am very happy with what you said today."

"I am ashamed of myself."

Zhu Houcong then looked at the ministers in the court and asked, "Who is the other censor named Fan Jizu?"

At this time.

Fan Jizu also hurried forward and bowed deeply to Zhu Houcong.

“Whether a man is a wise man or not depends on whether he or she cares about the country and the people.”

"You are able to seek truth from facts. When you went to Huguang, you expressed the sufferings of the people you saw along the way. It can be seen that you care about the country and the people."

“So he is also a wise man.”

After Zhu Houcong said this, Fan Jizu could not help but bow deeply again, his eyes reddened: "I am ashamed to accept your praise, Your Majesty!"

"The prime minister must come from the state."

"In our Ming Dynasty, most officials started out as minor officials who did practical work."

"I will entrust the task of clearing the farmland to you. Xia Yan will be the chief imperial commissioner, and Fan Jizu will be the deputy imperial commissioner. You will clear the farmland in the capital for me, so that the refugees in the capital can be safe and the banditry can be reduced."

Zhu Houcong then smiled and spoke to the two again, and then asked them: "Do you have the confidence to do this well for the country and the people?"

Xia Yan and Fan Jizu were both very excited at this time, and they kowtowed and said, "I will definitely fulfill my mission!"

After all, the emperor himself made the promise, indicating that he wanted to train them as officials.

They would never back down at this time.

What's more, they had just sung a different tune from Prime Minister Yang Tinghe, and now that a bigger thigh had appeared, how could they not hug it quickly?

"Very good!"

"From now on, you two will report the results of your land clearing and the results of future imperial examinations directly to the cabinet, and the cabinet will then report directly to me."

"Others have no right to ask what you two do or your promotion or demotion!"

What Zhu Houcong did was equivalent to asking the cabinet's grand secretaries, Xia Yan, Fan Jizu and himself to set up a working group to clear the fields.

"Who are Qi Daluan, Wang Jun, and Yan Hong?"

Zhu Houcong then named the three censors who had just advocated the elimination of traitors.

Qi Daluan, Wang Jun and Yan Hong also walked up with serious expressions and bowed deeply to Zhu Houcong.

"You hate evil, and you are wise men."

"I will leave the investigation of the adultery to you. Together with the Royal Guards, you will be responsible for Jiang Bin's case. You must find out who his accomplices are."

"The results of your investigation and the future Beijing inspection will also be reported directly to the cabinet, and the cabinet will report directly to me."

Zhu Houcong also said a few words with a smile, but his heart was not what he meant.

However, Qi Daluan and others also had tears in their eyes and said that they would not fail in their mission.

After Zhu Houcong did this, he looked at Yang Tinghe and said with a smile: "It is these young and strong people who do the work, but the prime minister and the cabinet ministers are needed to coordinate and coordinate the affairs of the country and clean up the mess so that the policy of clearing the fields and investigating the traitors can be completed smoothly."

Yang Tinghe clasped his hands and said, "I and the other officials in the cabinet will obey the imperial edict!"

Jiang Mian and Mao Ji also bowed at this time.

Zhu Houcong then stood up, took the gilded wooden hammer and left the front hall, saying: "The result of the court discussion is set. First, clear the land, and second, eliminate the traitors. Then everyone can go about their own business."

"I will respectfully send you off to Your Majesty!"

at this time.

The voices of the ministers in the court were heard behind Zhu Houcong.

Zhu Houcong just smiled and said nothing more.

But Yang Tinghe looked embarrassed.

Liang Chu could see Yang Tinghe's dilemma.

As for those who like to be kind to others or have a pleasing personality, they said to Yang Tinghe, "Yuanfu, your majesty is as benevolent as heaven, and you are bound to have the ambition to pacify the people, so you are eager to govern. You have to work harder, and we will do our best to share some of the burden for you."

"I am dizzy."

Yang Tinghe held his forehead and shook his body, and then after a while, he fell to the ground.

Seeing this, Jiang Mian and Mao Ji hurried over to help him.

"Yuan Fu, what's wrong with you?"

"Mr. Liang, what did you say to Yuan Fu?!"

Liang Chu couldn't help but spread his hands, feeling quite aggrieved: "I didn't say anything?"

(End of this chapter)