high official

Chapter 386 Longtan
As a rule, before the imperial envoys leave Beijing, the emperor will meet with them to teach them how to use them. However, this time, the three imperial envoys are all on their way directly, and the emperor didn't see any of them.

On the second day after receiving the imperial decree, Wang Xian said goodbye to his wife in tears, and led the guards out of Beijing.This trip to Shanxi is related to the fate of the crown prince and grandson, so Wang Xian's elites, Xianyun, Wu Wei, Erhei, Mo Wen, Xu Huaiqing and others all set off with him.

The team of thousands of people crossed the Yangtze River and headed north by land. It was already the end of October, and the capital could still feel the chill. For the soldiers in Mobei, this is nothing.

More than a thousand riders galloped on the vast and endless Central China Plain, roaring and singing along the way, quite like a thousand riders rolling up the Hiraoka, how fun it is!
But Wang Xian and the others also clearly found that the further north they went, the more difficult the life of the people was. The dilapidated thatched huts, the poorly clothed, yellow and emaciated people were all different from the people in the capital and Zhejiang.

"Before I went to war and walked along the Grand Canal, I saw the people in ragged clothes and disheveled faces. I thought it was just the people in Shandong who were suffering so much." Wu Wei said sadly.

"Jiangnan is a land of plenty after all, no matter how difficult it is for the people, there is still food to eat," Xu Huaiqing sighed. "It's not the case in the north. The land is barren and low-yielding, and the people have to work hard. Life is extremely difficult."

"It is said that the emperor has overdrawn the power of the people these years, and the people are no longer sustainable. They didn't believe it at first, but now they know that what they say is true." Mo Wen's depressed face, expressing his current mood, is really suitable .

"Fortunately, the emperor has also realized that the world is alive now, and it is time to rest with the people." Wang Xian said softly.

"That's not necessarily the case." Er Hei said in a muffled voice, "I heard from Kuai Xiang that the palace has ordered all craftsmen in the capital to go to Beijing, and it is said that they want to build a Forbidden City that is much bigger than the current palace." He spat Said: "I don't understand, the emperor already has tens of thousands of mansions, why do you need to repair them? Can you live here?!"

"It's all just talking among brothers, don't complain to others." Wang Xian said with a glance at him.

"But I think you're overthinking it." Seeing everyone expressing their opinions one after another, Xianyun couldn't help but say, "The emperor built canals, built Beijing, compiled the Yongle Grand Ceremony, sailed to the West, and conquered Annan... There are many places where money is spent. It’s gone, but there hasn’t been any big troubles, and it’s impossible to overwhelm a palace, right?”

Everyone was speechless for a moment, but Wang Xian said indifferently: "Of course a palace can't crush Daming, but the money used to build the palace can crush Daming."

After hearing Wang Xian's words, everyone became more and more confused, so he had no choice but to explain further: "The reason why the emperor was able to accomplish a feat that several generations of emperors could not accomplish is because of a secret weapon."

"What secret weapon?"

"This." Wang Xian took out a piece of paper from the boot leaf and said.

"Baocha?" Everyone couldn't help but disappointed, "It's too hard to wipe your butt."

"This is where the secret lies." Wang Xian said with a blank expression: "From the time when a consistent banknote was worth a consistent money, to now a consistent banknote is only worth more than a dozen yuan. The reason for the sharp depreciation is that the imperial court has issued a large number of treasures in order to cope with the increasingly large expenditure. Money! The great cause of the emperor was built on the plundering of hundreds of millions of people's wealth in the past 20 years!"

"That's right, my family was considered a wealthy businessman at first, but after the banknotes law was corrupted, the family was rich and could not even make a living, so they had to come out to serve as soldiers for food due to their humble positions." These words resonated strongly with Zhou Yong, and Wu Wei Ye nodded and said, "The families of rich merchants in Jiangsu and Zhejiang 20 years ago are gone now."

"Excessive issuance of banknotes without reserves is blatant plundering of people's wealth." Wang Xian sighed: "It's just that when the people's power is exhausted, this road will no longer be able to go on..."

Everyone now understood what Wang Xian meant.During the Hongwu period, the precious banknotes could still be worth hundreds of coins, but now they are only worth a dozen cash. A slightly older one like this one is hard to even wipe your buttocks.The common people have long refused to use the money issued by the court!At the same time, in order to protect the status of precious banknotes, Emperor Yongle strictly prohibited gold and silver time and time again.
But now the common people would rather barter than accept the increasingly depreciating banknotes. This is the deadliest counterattack to Emperor Yongle!
"During the Yongle period, the imperial court's expenditure was always two to three times the annual revenue, and the difference was made up by over-issued banknotes." Mo Wen said with a pale face: "So, when the people abandon the banknotes, it is the moment when the court goes bankrupt." day!"

"When will the common people abandon the precious banknotes?" Young Master Xianyun asked with difficulty.

"Soon..." Everyone struggled to utter two words, and then fell into a long silence.

"Okay, Zhengzhou is ahead." After a long time, Wang Xian woke up the crowd and said, "You can't starve to death anytime, let's do the job well!"

Everyone responded in unison, and looked up, and sure enough, they saw that the people in front of them were gradually bustling, and there was a yellow city wall in sight.

.

The guards stationed at the post station outside Zhengzhou City, Wang Xian took a dozen people and entered Zhengzhou City in casual clothes.At this time, Zhengzhou was just a scattered state under the jurisdiction of Kaifeng Mansion, and its status and prosperity were far from being comparable to those of later generations.But no matter what, it is also the hinterland of the Central Plains, where all directions are connected, and it looks much better than the prefectures and counties passing through.

Wang Xian and the others were not in the mood to go shopping. They searched all the way to a secluded alley to the west of Zhoucheng, looking for Shi Longtan, the former head of the Jin Palace who lived here.

According to the address given by the grandson, everyone found the third house in the alley. Before knocking on the door, they smelled a strong smell of medicine from the closed door.

Erhei stepped forward to knock on the door, and after a while a crisp female voice asked, "Who is it?"

"Excuse me, is this Mr. Longtan's house?" Er Heiweng asked angrily.

"Excuse me, who are you?" The door opened slightly, revealing half a pretty face full of vigilance.

"Oh, we are from Beijing, and we are here to visit Mr. Long by the order of my master." Erhei said, handing in a dragon-shaped jade pendant.

"Please wait a moment." The woman took the jade pendant, went in and opened the door for a while, and said softly to everyone, "my father is bedridden and cannot greet him in person, please forgive me."

"Too serious." Erhei looked at this woman, with jet-black braids, slender figure, and a face that is not beautiful, but beautiful and charming, with slightly thicker eyebrows, making her look even more heroic.Unexpectedly, his face became hot, and he looked a little cramped.

Wang Xian and others wanted to laugh at him, but the girl's father was ill, so they had to hold back their laughter and filed into the yard.The small yard is kept very clean, but the medicinal materials in the dustpan and the jars of medicine boiled on the charcoal stove let people know that there are sick people in the house.

Entering the north room, I saw a haggard middle-aged man lying on the kang, with gray beard and hair and dull eyes, he looked much older than his actual age, his eyes rolled and his lips moved a few times.

"My father asked," or his daughter explained, "Are you from the Eastern Palace?"

"Yes, I was sent by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince." Wang Xian nodded, looked at the middle-aged man with a sickly face, and said, "Are you Long Tan Long Changshi?"

The middle-aged man pointed to the first drawer of the cabinet, and his daughter opened the drawer, took out an official report and handed it to Wang Xian. Wang Xian saw that it was the 20th year of Hongwu, and Longtan, an imperial student, was appointed as the right minister of Jin Wangfu. Without doubt, he handed it back to the girl and asked, "Why did your father suddenly fall ill?"

"My father's health was not good, and he had so many things to do this year. He fell ill as soon as he came back from the capital." The girl Long said with tears in her eyes.

Everyone sighed when they heard the words, and they all thought that he was sick, let alone go to Shanxi when he was so sick, and couldn't bear to ask him anything.

That Long Tan seemed to know what they meant, his lips moved a few more times, and his daughter said: "My father means, if you have any questions, just ask me, I know everything."

"This," really didn't know what to ask her, so Wang Xian had no choice but to tell the truth: "Actually, we are here to invite Mr. Long to be our guide." Afraid that the other party might misunderstand, he hurriedly explained: "But before we come, I didn't expect Mr. Long to be so seriously ill."

"Is the imperial court going to rehabilitate His Highness?" Miss Long asked with a flash of light.

"This... needs to be played by ear." Wang Xian said vaguely.

But this already made Miss Long act like a different person, and she volunteered, "I will go to Shanxi for my father and you!"

"You..." All the men suspected that they had heard it wrong.

"It's me!" Miss Long puffed her chest out, and said crisply: "I grew up in Shanxi, and my father never kept anything from me, so I know the people and things in Shanxi the best."

"That can't take you a woman on the road." Erhei muttered.

"What's wrong with women, you don't think I'm a woman." Miss Long said, "No one will recognize me in men's clothes."

"That's right." Erhei said with his huge head like a chicken pecking at rice.

"Don't mess around," Wang Xian coughed and said, "Your father won't agree."

Who would have thought that Long Tan nodded slowly, pointing at his daughter and at Wang Xian, the meaning could not be more clear - let her go with you!
"My lords don't know something." Seeing the astonishment on their faces, Miss Long choked up and said, "My family has been greatly favored by two generations of lords, even if they were smashed to pieces, they would not be able to repay it. My father was framed and deposed because of the lord. I was unable to rescue him, so I became sick with anxiety and anger. Now that I have the opportunity to rehabilitate the prince, my family will do it even if they risk their lives!" She looked at her father and said, "Now my father is bedridden, and it is my duty as a daughter to do it. Please agree, my lord!" After speaking, he knelt down to Wang Xian and kowtowed vigorously.

"My lord..." Erhei was so moved that he almost shed tears, and winked at Wang Xian, begging him to agree to her quickly.

Wang Xian sighed, "Then what about your father?"

"With my mother and my brother here, my father will always take care of me." Miss Long was overjoyed and said, "My lord, wait a moment, I will tell my mother right now!" Saying that she would not give Wang Xian any chance to go back on his word, he slipped into the room like a gust of wind. into the room.

(End of this chapter)