My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 72 Cabinet Eye Drops

Returning to the imperial study, Emperor Longqing looked at the pile of memorials on top of the imperial desk.

These are all memorials from censors advocating for relocating borders and closing borders.

Emperor Longqing picked up the top memorial, on which were pasted the draft opinions of Zhang Juzheng and Gao Gong.

The person who submitted the letter was none other than Zhan Yangbi, the censor of the Censorate who had stirred up this political turmoil.

Emperor Longqing frowned. He no longer had a very good impression of this censor. After opening the memorial, he found that it was a memorial from Zhan Yangbi impeaching Su Ze.

The more Emperor Longqing looked at him, the more his brows furrowed. The emperor remembered that it was this Zhan Yangbi who was in charge of impeaching the cabinet last time, and this made him even angrier!
The chief minister of the cabinet, Li Chunfang, has claimed to be ill because of these censors. If the other ministers of the cabinet also claim to be ill, who will handle the government affairs?

Censor?

Then the emperor began to look at the draft opinions of the two cabinet ministers.

I got even angrier after reading this!
Gao Gong's draft opinion was very simple. It can even be said that Gao Gong did not express any opinion at all. Instead, he attached Zhan Yangbi's work experience and the comments of his superiors on the notice.

Judging from his resume, Zhan Yangbi's resume is quite good.

He was a Jinshi graduate and was initially appointed as the magistrate of Nanhai County. After taking office, he arrested robbers, provided relief to local people, and settled lawsuits. For this, he was praised by his superiors and promoted to the censor of the Censorate.

There has always been a saying that Beijing officials are promoted three levels, and Beijing officials who are sent to other places will be promoted three levels. A seventh-rank county magistrate being promoted to a seventh-rank censor is considered a considerable promotion.

If that were all, Gao Gong would have just written Zhan Yangbi's resume, but the subsequent evaluation by Shangguan revealed Gao Gong's harsh words.

When he was the magistrate of Nanhai County, Zhan Yangbi repeatedly requested the court to exempt the county from taxes and also requested the court to stop the royal family's task of purchasing pearls in Nanhai so that the people could rest and recuperate.

Zhan Yangbi's superior at the time also commented that he was "generous and loving to the people."

However, when Emperor Longqing thought of Zhan Yangbi's current proposal to relocate all the people of Datong, he felt that he was hypocritical.

In his draft, Zhang Juzheng did not comment on Zhan Yangbi, but instead listed the Ministry of Revenue's estimates of how much money it would cost to relocate the people of Datong.

Zhang Juzheng also got inspiration from the price index that Su Ze compiled in the "Yuefu Xinbao".

Zhang Juzheng enumerated various expenses, and the Ministry of Revenue estimated that in Datong alone, if the border was moved, it would cost 500,000 taels of silver, and this was only the cost of relocation.

The costs of resettling these relocated people and maintaining their stability will need to be borne by the local authorities, and the costs may be greater than the costs of relocation.

After seeing this, Emperor Longqing finally understood the situation.

He picked up the red pen and quickly wrote down his opinions on how to deal with Zhan Yangbi.

"He is to be transferred to a post outside the capital, and appointed as the Dianshi of Nanhai."

After dealing with Zhan Yangbi, Longqing felt that his thoughts became clearer. He realized that he had been deceived by these censors and minor officials and had even forgotten his ambition to "launch Longqing's New Deal"!

Just as Su Ze said, whether to suppress or pacify the North, to demand tribute or to impose border restrictions, we must first fight a battle!
The "Strategy for Subduing the Rong" was implemented, and the Ming court mobilized southern troops to march north. Qi Jiguang led his troops across the border and defeated Bahan Naji's forces.

After hearing this, Altan Khan sent an envoy to offer horses as tribute and apologize.

The "Plan for Subduing the Rong" stabilized the northern border defenses and reduced military expenses for the northern garrisons.

[Ming Dynasty +2]

As expected, this national policy further extended the nation's fortunes. Satisfied, Su Ze put away the [Portable Ming Dynasty Court]. According to the system's simulation, Qi Jiguang's achievements in Datong would give Xu Wei's side quest of redressing Hu Zongxian a clue.

As long as Qi Jiguang made meritorious service, Su Ze could take the opportunity to submit a petition to exonerate Hu Zongxian. Even if it was enforced, the prestige points required would definitely not be much.

However, Su Ze has no idea about the other task of improving his reputation among the elders, and he doesn't know what his position is in the hearts of the elders?
It's all the system's fault! It doesn't even show a reputation value! How can you kill a monster without seeing a health bar?
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Two days later, in the Eastern Palace, Zhu Yijun asked Zhang Hong to copy down Su Ze's "Tired Ghost" and ordered him to recite it aloud. However, no matter how loudly Zhang Hong shouted, the Tired Ghost did not appear.

"How come I didn't see the Weary Ghost even after following Master Su's method?"

Zhang Hong was tormented by Pang Jun, but he was very happy in his heart.

The fact that the prince allowed him to do such a thing showed that he was already his confidant. He said earnestly:
"Your Highness, perhaps it's because you've been working so hard these days. Didn't Hanlin Su say that? A tired soul wouldn't dare disturb a diligent person."

Zhu Yijun's fat face showed a look of sudden enlightenment:

"So that's how it is! I was wondering why I didn't fall asleep during the two days of lectures! It turns out that the tired ghost has run away!"

Putting away the article "Tired Ghost", Zhu Yijun said:
"The lectures these past two days have been so boring. When will Master Su give me lectures again?"

Zhang Hong did not forget to praise Yin Shidan at this time. He immediately said:

"I heard that Su Hanlin should have given His Highness a lecture a long time ago, but was rejected by the Junior Secretary Yin. If it weren't for His Majesty's decree, Your Highness wouldn't even be able to see Su Hanlin."

Hearing this, Zhu Yijun's face was puffed up with anger, but since the Junior Secretary Yin Shidan was highly respected and was the director of education appointed by his father, he did not dare to scold him directly, and could only say:
"They can't explain it themselves, and they won't let Master Su explain it to me!"

"I will go and ask my father to let Master Su give me lessons every day!"

Hearing Zhu Yijun say this, Zhang Hong quickly stopped him and said:

"Your Highness, His Majesty is busy with state affairs. How can I bother you with everything? This matter still needs to be considered in the long run."

Zhu Yijun was a little scared when he thought of Yin Shidan's serious look. Then he began to think about how to let Su Ze give him lectures.

Although Zhu Yijun is not very old, he is actually quite smart. He has already started to think about how to bypass the system of the Zhanshi Mansion and let Su Ze give lectures to him.

He said to Zhang Hong:

"Go get the Imperial Ming Ancestor's Instructions, and that thing, what do you know?"

"The Great Ming Code?"

"Yes, yes, yes, I just don't believe it. There's no way in the ancestral precepts for the prince to choose his own teacher!"

Seeing Zhu Yijun's enthusiastic look, Zhang Hong did not expect that Su Ze would actually use this method to encourage learning.
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Su Ze didn't know that he had become the target for the Crown Prince to learn how to use power. If he knew, he would probably just smile and say, "The boy is teachable."

The work at the newspaper is finally back on track, and Su Ze has just completed his third popular science article.

This article talks about gunpowder. Su Ze did some popular science on the history of gunpowder and its evolution into weapons, and finally raised a question.

When firing a firearm, is it better to load it with more powder and gunpowder?
If not, how much powder should be filled?
Is it possible to improve the ratio of various raw materials in medicinal fire?
Is there any better explosive than the current powder fire?

Su Ze did not write any formula in the article, so naturally he did not have to worry about leaking any military secrets. He just raised these questions, as long as someone was willing to try to study them.

Just when Su Ze felt a little relieved, he received a notice asking him to go to the Ministry of War for consultation.

(End of this chapter)