Take control of Wei Zhongxian at the start and confiscate 100 million from him!

Chapter 255 Me too

When the emperor arrived in Nanjing, he did not choose the magnificent former Ming imperial palace, but instead chose a former royal residence in the eastern part of the city as his camp.

The buildings here are well-organized and easy to defend, and they also exude a sense of solemnity and simplicity that is completely out of place with the extravagance of Nanjing.

Within the camp, armored soldiers came and went, all of them battle-hardened elites brought from the capital, their eyes like wolves, their steps silent.

That night, Duke Xu Hongji of Wei was summoned alone to the warm pavilion of the military camp.

The interior of the warm pavilion was simply furnished, with only a huge map, a few tables and desks, and flickering candlelight.

The current emperor, still dressed in black military attire, stood before the map, gazing at the vast territory known as "Southern Zhili".

The candlelight cast his shadow on the wall, like a silent mountain.

"Your subject, Xu Hongji, pays his respects to Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor!"

Xu Hongji performed the grand salute meticulously, feeling confident yet not daring to be the slightest bit negligent.

"Duke of Wei, rise and be seated." The emperor's voice was calm and unwavering, revealing neither joy nor anger. He turned around and his gaze fell on Xu Hongji.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Xu Hongji sat down, his posture ramrod straight.

"On my journey south, I have witnessed much hypocrisy and self-righteousness," the Emperor said slowly. "Only the Duke of Wei was able to foresee the situation before it arose and to selflessly serve the country when everyone else was watching. I have read his memorial, 'To Share the Country's Worries, I Request That the Xu Family Begin a Land Survey and Grain Payment,' which is very well written."

The phrase "well written" is simple and plain, yet it carries more weight than any flowery language.

Xu Hongji felt a warm current surge from the bottom of his heart. He quickly stood up and bowed again, saying, "Your Majesty flatters me! I have received the country's favor for generations, and I have only done my duty. If my ancestor, the King of Zhongshan, were alive, he would teach his descendants to prioritize the affairs of the country and the emperor's favor. I... am unworthy of such praise."

"If you have this mindset, you will not fail the descendants of the Prince of Zhongshan." The emperor nodded slightly, gesturing for him to sit down. "There are countless noble families in Jinling, but your Xu family is the leader. Now that you have set an example, I believe others will also consider their own worth."

Upon hearing this, Xu Hongji's heart stirred, and he tentatively said, "Your Majesty is wise. Jinling has been at peace for a long time, and many sons of nobles have inevitably become complacent and lost the vigor of their ancestors. However, their hearts are mostly still with the court and with Your Majesty. As long as Your Majesty gives them a little guidance and uses both kindness and severity, I think they will all understand the truth. For example... for example, my son Wenjue, although young and ignorant, often tells me that the current Holy Emperor is wise and powerful, incomparable to the previous emperors. We who have received the Emperor's grace should think of repaying the favor..."

He intended to use the opportunity of praising his son to express that the younger generation of nobles also had their hearts set on the emperor, thus reassuring the emperor.

However, the moment the name "Xu Wenjue" left his mouth, a sudden change occurred!
Xu Hongji clearly saw that the emperor opposite him, who had remained calm and composed since his southward journey, whether facing the leader of the literati or a scene of bloodshed, had his expression, which was as calm as an abyss, crack open like ice!
A chilling, bone-chilling disgust and contempt flashed across those deep eyes!

That expression was so real, so undisguised!
Although it was only for a fleeting moment, so fast that it seemed like an illusion created by the flickering of a candle flame, Xu Hongji's decades of experience in officialdom allowed him to capture it instantly!

It wasn't just unfamiliarity with a name, but a deep-seated disgust for the person behind that name!
Xu Hongji's mind went blank for a moment, and cold sweat poured down his back. All the color drained from his face, leaving only a deathly pale complexion.

how come?
Your Majesty... How could Your Majesty treat Wenjue like this...?

He suddenly remembered how arrogant and domineering his eldest son, whom he cherished, was in Jinling City, relying on the power of the Duke of Wei's mansion. Although he had never done anything like cockfighting, dog racing, or bullying men and women, it was common for him to call on his friends to spend money like water, and to talk eloquently with those so-called "famous scholars of the Fushe Society" and criticize the government.
He used to think it was just youthful impetuosity, a common problem among scions of noble families, and never disciplined them strictly.

But now it seems that these trivial matters, which he considered insignificant, have probably already been clearly presented on the emperor's desk through the secret reports of the Embroidered Uniform Guard!
How would this iron-fisted emperor, who could kill even the Shilin leader Qian Qianyi without hesitation, view a noble son who was ignorant, boastful, and enjoyed the legacy of his ancestors but did nothing to help the country?
The answer is self-evident.

That fleeting look of disgust was the clearest answer!
Xu Hongji felt utterly horrified, and he made the decision almost instinctively.

This child must not be allowed to remain in the world and cause harm! No, he cannot be killed, but he must be transformed, made to understand the power of Heaven and the grace of the Emperor!
He suppressed the turmoil in his heart, his face pale, and kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty... my son is disobedient, I... I have failed in my duty to educate my son, and deserve to die!"

The emperor's expression had long since returned to calm, as if the disgust he had felt just moments before had never existed.

He said calmly, "You flatter me, Duke of Wei. It's good for young people to have some vigor, but they need to use it in the right way."

To Xu Hongji, these seemingly comforting words were nothing short of a final warning.

"Your subject...accepts the decree!" Xu Hongji kowtowed heavily, his mind already made up.

Upon returning home, he immediately apprehended that rebellious son, Xu Wenjue!
No need for trial, no need for questioning, just hang him up and give him fifty lashes, until his skin is torn and his flesh is ripped, so he knows the pain! Then confine him to the ancestral hall in the mansion for a year! Day and night, he must face the ancestral tablets and reflect on his mistakes, and is not allowed to leave his room even once!

Let him truly experience what it means for rain and thunder to be the emperor's grace!
It will also serve as a wake-up call to his foolish heart, which has been spoiled by wealth and glory and made him arrogant and ignorant. He will learn how to keep a low profile, how to respect his sovereign, and how to strictly implement His Majesty's policies.
……

Emerging from the camp, Xu Hongji was utterly dejected, feeling as if the May night wind were as biting as the cold of December.

After he left, the emperor's voice rang out again, calm and majestic.

"Issue an imperial decree to summon Bi Ziyan, Minister of Revenue; Wei Zhongxian, Director of the Directorate of Ceremonial; Wen Tiren, Minister of Rites; as well as Sun Chuanting, Xiong Mingyu, Hong Chengchou, Chen Qiyu, and Lu Xiangshan, to come here immediately for a meeting."

Before long, a group of people filed in.

Bi Ziyan and Wen Tiren were both veteran generals in the court, and their expressions were solemn.

Wei Zhongxian, on the other hand, still looked old and frail, as if he might fall asleep at any moment, but his triangular eyes, which occasionally opened and closed, held a sharp glint in them.

All three of them noticed that there were several much younger faces in tonight's meeting.

Sun Chuanting, the governor of Shaanxi, was travel-worn, but his brows carried a unique sense of fortitude and sharpness characteristic of the Northwest.

Xiong Mingyu, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, had a calm demeanor and profound eyes.

Hong Chengchou, the Shaanxi Grain Supervisor, was not tall, but he stood ramrod straight, and his eyes were frighteningly calm.

Chen Qiyu, the Right Vice Minister of Henan, had a square face and large ears, and exuded an aura of authority without being angry.

Standing at the back was Lu Xiang-sheng, the military commander of the Beijing garrison, who was excessively young, like a sharp sword yet to be fully drawn, its edge already revealed. Wei Zhongxian, with his shrewd eyes honed over decades in the officialdom, understood him with a single glance.

These young men were all full of energy and had a heroic air about them. They were not ordinary officials who had climbed up the ranks by seniority, but rather capable and courageous individuals who could get things done!
It seems His Majesty is planning something big tonight!

These individuals are the future regional governors and pillars of the nation!
After everyone had paid their respects, the emperor did not invite them to sit down. Instead, he went straight to the point and posed a startling question.

"My esteemed ministers," the emperor's gaze slowly swept over each of them, "Southern Zhili has enjoyed over two hundred years of peace. However, looking at it today, I believe its system is no longer a good one; its continued existence is no longer a blessing. I would like to hear your opinions—is the existence of Southern Zhili today still justified?"

Upon hearing this, the air in the entire warm pavilion seemed to freeze.

Bi Ziyan and Wen Tiren exchanged a glance, then both lowered their eyes, looking down at their noses and their hearts, without uttering a word.

They were seasoned bureaucrats; they could tell at a glance that His Majesty already had a decision in mind, and that today's question was not for advice, but for consideration.

Wei Zhongxian didn't even lift his eyelids, as if he were really asleep. He knew better than anyone that the emperor didn't want to ask him, nor Bi Ziyan and Wen Tiren, but the newcomers standing behind them.

Sure enough, the emperor's gaze passed over the three veteran ministers and landed on Sun Chuanting, with a hint of encouragement in his eyes.

After receiving the imperial decree to travel south of the Yangtze River, Sun Chuanting rushed to Nanjing without stopping.

Although he did not know why His Majesty suddenly appointed Wei Jingyuan to succeed him as the governor of Shaanxi, he had no complaints about the emperor's orders.

During his time in Shaanxi, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to the task. With the emperor's generous financial support and the iron-fisted determination to personally execute corrupt officials and princes, he managed to stabilize the deteriorating situation somewhat.

Seeing the emperor's gaze fall upon him, he knew this was a test and dared not be negligent. He stepped forward and answered loudly:
"Your Majesty! I believe that, as Your Majesty has said, Southern Zhili has enjoyed peace for over two hundred years and is no longer the simple important region surrounding the capital. Instead, it has become a huge, uncontrollable beast! Its drawbacks are obvious, and if it is not reformed, it will surely become a threat to our very being in the future! I believe that the root of its problems lies in the excessive financial power it wields, making it too big to be controlled!"

He spoke eloquently, his voice echoing in the quiet, warm room:

"During the Ming Dynasty, the Southern Zhili region, despite being only a small area, accounted for nearly 30% of the nation's annual tax revenue! Among them, the cotton cloth from Songjiang Prefecture, the silk from Suzhou and Hangzhou, and the merchant guilds from Huizhou were the most prominent. Such concentration of financial power led to the deep-rooted local power structures, with gentry, salt smugglers, and maritime merchants colluding to form a vast network of vested interests."

They used public opinion as a spear and reputation as a shield, openly defying imperial decrees and even daring to influence the appointment and removal of local officials! When His Majesty wanted to levy commercial taxes, they said it was "competing with the people for profit"; when His Majesty wanted to open maritime trade, they said it was "inviting Japanese pirates to invade"; when His Majesty wanted to clear land, they said "ancestral rules cannot be violated"! The recent cases of Qian Qianyi, Qian Longxi, and others are the ultimate microcosm of this abuse! Without dismantling their "territory," their factions will be difficult to disperse, and the nation's wealth will ultimately not go to the national treasury, but to their own pockets!

The emperor nodded slightly and turned his gaze to Xiong Mingyu.

After a moment of contemplation, Xiong Mingyu stepped forward and said in a steady voice, "Your Majesty, I believe that the second problem with Southern Zhili is that its jurisdiction is too vast, and its orders cannot be effectively implemented!"

"Southern Zhili spans the Jianghuai region, with fertile land stretching for thousands of miles. It governs fourteen prefectures, including Yingtian, Fengyang, Huai'an, Yangzhou, Suzhou, Songjiang, Changzhou, Zhenjiang, Huizhou, Ningguo, Chizhou, Taiping, Anqing, and Luzhou, which is almost equivalent to the size of two ordinary provinces!"
The governor, overseeing everything alone, was simply unable to manage in multiple places. Orders issued from Nanjing, by the time they reached Huizhou, Anqing, Luzhou, and other areas, had already lost their effectiveness, like a spent arrow. Even worse, local powers outwardly complied but inwardly defied them, misinterpreting and undermining their authority, thus completely losing their original purpose. Such inefficient governance and the weakening of central authority, if allowed to continue, would only lead to chaos!

"Excellent!" The emperor's eyes showed even greater approval, and he looked at Hong Chengchou again.

Hong Chengchou pondered for a longer time than Xiong Mingyu, clearly having mentally reviewed every detail, before stepping forward and bowing, saying, "Your Majesty, what Governor Sun and Vice Minister Xiong said is all to the point. I dare to add a third point—the flourishing of literary style has led to a rampant factionalism!"

His voice wasn't loud, but every word was piercing:
"This place boasts a rich literary tradition, producing top scholars and prime ministers for two hundred years, a true testament to the nation's prosperity. However, extremes beget their opposites. The sheer number of candidates and scholars, unparalleled in the country, led to the rise of numerous academic cliques and deeply entrenched factionalism. Scholars formed factions based on geographical ties and mentorship, criticizing current affairs and remotely influencing the court. The Donglin Party and the Fushe Society both originated here, demonstrating their immense power!"
They value their local ties more than the bond between ruler and subject; their friendships with teachers and friends more than the laws of the state! When trouble arises, they unite as one to oppose the central government. The fact that Qian Qianyi, a disgraced official, could still rally supporters with a single call is clear proof of this! If their regional bases are not dismantled, the roots of their faction will be difficult to eradicate; cut the weeds today, and they will spring back to life tomorrow!

"Excellent!" The emperor couldn't help but clap his hands in praise, his eyes full of admiration.

These three people certainly did not disappoint him!
Then, Chen Qiyu stepped forward and discussed the problems of Southern Zhili as a secondary capital, from the perspective of "redundant officials and arrogant soldiers, resulting in a host of malpractices." His analysis was insightful and to the point.

Finally, everyone's eyes fell on the youngest, Lu Xiang-sheng.

The first four were all high-ranking officials or regional leaders with experience in local governance. Their analysis was incisive and thoroughly dissected the ills of Southern Zhili.

Lu Xiang-sheng was only twenty-eight years old. Although he had been repeatedly favored by the emperor and promoted beyond the usual level, he was still relatively inexperienced. He had previously served as a principal officer and assistant director in the Ministry of Revenue, then as the prefect of Daming, and then directly promoted to the garrison commander of the capital. In terms of overall situation and strategic planning, it was indeed not his forte.

His face flushed slightly, and he pondered for a long time, but he couldn't come up with a more brilliant answer than the previous big shots.

Rather than forcing your way out and doing something unnecessary, it's better to be honest with each other.

Lu Xiang stepped forward, bowed, and said in a loud and sincere voice, "Your Majesty! I am of limited talent and learning. My views and thoughts are roughly the same as those of Governor Sun, Vice Minister Xiong, Councilor Hong, and Councilor Chen. I have no further insights."

Upon hearing this, Bi Ziyan, Wen Tiren, and the others all sighed inwardly, thinking that this young man was still too young and did not know how to seize opportunities to show his abilities.

Unexpectedly, the emperor showed no sign of blame upon hearing this. Instead, he laughed heartily, stepped forward, and patted Lu Xiang-sheng on the shoulder.

"Jiandou, there's no need for such modesty!" The emperor's laughter was full of praise. "Talking big is not your forte. But I know that your strength lies in action! From arresting people at the Confucius Mansion to clearing out the stubborn resistance in Songjiang Prefecture, and then to Suzhou and Yangzhou, you accompanied me south. Every task I assigned you was handled cleanly and efficiently. What I need is a capable minister like you!"

These words shocked everyone in the room!

Everyone, including Wei Zhongxian, could hear the undisguised protection and importance in the emperor's words!
This is clearly telling everyone that Lu Xiang-sheng is the emperor's man!
Sun Chuanting, Hong Chengchou, and Chen Qiyu were all outstanding individuals with high self-esteem.

Both Sun and Hong were already in charge of their own affairs at the age of thirty-six, and considered themselves to be the best among the young officials of the Ming Dynasty.

But seeing Lu Xiang-sheng, who was nearly ten years younger than them, receiving such favor from His Majesty, they couldn't help but feel a complex mix of emotions.

They understood even more clearly that anyone who could catch the eye of this emperor and be valued so highly was no ordinary person!

This child's future is limitless!
For a moment, the atmosphere inside the room became subtle.

The veteran officials saw through the situation perfectly, while the newly rich were filled with excitement.

They pondered the emperor's words and the answers of the four talented young men repeatedly, and a terrifying yet self-evident thought surfaced in everyone's minds—

His Majesty asked this question and specifically asked these young people, who are currently enjoying great favor and have unlimited potential, to answer it. What exactly is the meaning behind this?
(End of this chapter)