Empress Dowager Empress Dowager

Chapter 266
Huo Mingzhu didn't want to argue with Situ Yueer, it wasn't because she was broad-minded, but because it was unnecessary, disposing of her would not spoil her mood, this snowy red plum is so beautiful, how can this ignorant woman ruin it.

Thinking of this, Huo Mingzhu said lightly: "I've been out for so long and only traveled so many places. I don't know if Mr. Wuhuan has seen enough. I haven't seen enough of Ai's family. Let's walk with Ai's family."

After Huo Mingzhu finished speaking, he ignored Situ Yue'er, and didn't even get a word from Baili Jingqi, so he and Jin Wuhuan passed these two people and walked to the imperial garden further ahead.

Situ Yueer's face turned pale. She knew that she had offended Huo Mingzhu, so she took a cautious look at Baili Jingqi, and happened to meet Baili Jingqi's angry eyes. Situ Yueer was startled, and hurriedly knelt down.

Baili Jingqi said: "Concubine Yue, people need to be smarter, understand?"

Situ Yue'er hurriedly said: "Yes, my concubine understands, understands."

Baili Jingqi didn't wake her up, but left there alone, leaving Situ Yueer to kneel.

Jin Wuhuan lived in the palace for a day and then left the palace to buy the things that Huo Mingzhu asked him to buy, such as the plain dowry. Although these things are also available in the palace, they are incomplete. It is easier for Jin Wuhuan to do it .

Jin Wuhuan's ability to handle affairs is quite fast, and within five days, he bought what Huo Mingzhu wanted. During this period, Fang Tieyi also started to prepare for the wedding. That day was the best day, Huo Mingzhu was very satisfied.

If Sulu could marry Fang Tieyi, her heart would be more than half relieved.

The days are going on, and there is still a light snowfall from time to time, which keeps the snow from melting, but makes Huo Mingzhu a little tired of watching the snow scene, thinking in her heart, it has been spring for so long, and the snow has not yet melted , but helpless against such a stubborn God.

Seeing that the day of Su Hui's marriage is coming, the sun has begun to be fierce, the accumulated white snow has begun to melt, and the young leaves on the branches have faintly shown signs that spring has come.

On the day when Su Hui got married, the snow had melted away, and everything looked like it had been washed. Even the young leaves on the branches had sprung out several pieces, and there was a breath of spring everywhere.

On a bright spring day, Su Hui got married.

Huo Mingzhu is like her elder. On the day of her marriage, she gave Su Yun some instructions, but she herself is still a big girl, so she had to let Nanny Li who was by her side teach her how to instruct her. What happened after Fan Sulu became a wife.

Looking at the cheerfully dressed Su Yu, Huo Mingzhu sighed deeply. Finally, Su Yu did not suffer a tragic fate like her previous life, and she was very comforted in her heart.

Of course, Su Hui didn't know what Huo Mingzhu was thinking, but she was about to leave Huo Mingzhu's side and become the general's wife, which also meant that her slave status would be removed, and in the future, she would be a nobleman. A little uneasy, but seeing Huo Mingzhu's smiling face, Su Hui felt much more at ease.

Following Huo Mingzhu during this time, watching Huo Mingzhu deal with Huo Zhengde and Huo Huaiyu in such a way, her innocence has been diluted a lot, and she also understands some things. Therefore, when Huo Mingzhu made her feel at ease to become Mrs. Fang, Sulu's confidence has increased a lot.

The mansion that Huo Mingzhu bestowed on Fang Tieyi was the National Teacher's Mansion in the past. Although some people objected that Fang Tieyi was a small general and was not suitable for such a big mansion, Huo Mingzhu ignored it. There is no distribution power in the mansion, so what's the point of what the empress dowager did?
Moreover, as expected by Huo Mingzhu, the person who echoed her actions was of course Baili Zonglu, and Huo Mingzhu didn't get involved, watching Baili Zonglu say a few words and change the opposing official's mind, Huo Mingzhu didn't say anything, just maintained her usual light smile.

The officials who opposed her were not just Baili Zonglu's pawns. Huo Mingzhu enjoyed watching Baili Zonglu's self-directed and self-acted plays.

The Lantern Festival, in Dayong, is also a very lively festival that cannot be missed. On this day, many ladies and gentlemen will go to the Lantern Festival to guess the characters and enjoy the lanterns. Last year, Huo Mingzhu did not have the opportunity to participate in the Lantern Festival. This year, Huo Mingzhu was even more unable to participate, she was already the Empress Dowager, it was very inappropriate to join in the fun at the Lantern Festival, so Huo Mingzhu held a Lantern Festival banquet in the palace.

This move brought the merchants in the upper capital ushered in the first bleak Lantern Festival in history.

After the Lantern Festival, Huo Mingzhu's strategy has started.

First of all, Luo Guogong, this old stubborn, because Huo Mingzhu became the empress dowager, emptied the empress dowager's rights, and put the Luo family in an irrelevant position, and the rights and interests in the hands of some of the Luo family's children were also distributed. Therefore, It turned out that the power in Luo Guogong's hands was overwhelming, but at this moment, Lin Congyue, Marquis of Pingyang, was overwhelmed everywhere.

Of course, this can't convince Luo Guogong, so that he always confronts Huo Mingzhu when he goes to court.

At the beginning, Huo Mingzhu didn't have the heart to deal with him. Without the support of the Empress Dowager, Luo Guogong couldn't make any waves. Moreover, if he wanted to deal with a minister, he had to be dealt with with some influence. You can only do it when you are waiting for its usefulness.

Today, when it comes to the taxation of the people, Huo Mingzhu advocates maintaining the status quo, that is, maintaining the taxation status since the new emperor ascended the throne, while Luo Guogong wants to return to the taxation status of the previous emperor's era.

When the two sides confronted each other, Baili Jingqi remained neutral - he had always been like this, if he didn't say he was listening to the Queen Mother's order, he would discuss it with everyone, and he didn't have any opinions of his own.

Anyway, Huo Mingzhu didn't intend to rely on Baili Jingqi, but even if Huo Mingzhu was in charge of the government, the emperor was still Baili Jingqi. Many things needed Baili Jingqi's nod to count, and those ministers knew about it, so, People from Baili Zonglu's faction often confronted Huo Mingzhu, but in the end it was not Baili Jingqi who came out to mediate and make the final decision, but Baili Zonglu came out.

On this day, it was the same again, Luo Guogong said: "Empress Dowager, now that the new emperor has ascended the throne, the treasury has not been filled. If the tax revenue is not restored, I am afraid it will not be able to withstand consumption."

"Now my Dayong is peaceful. Even if the national treasury is not full, it is enough. If the tax is increased now, the lives of the people will not be improved." This is the reason for Huo Mingzhu's rebuttal.

Baili Jingqi said: "What the Empress Dowager said is absolutely true."

"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is kind, understands the sentiments of the people, and sympathizes with the hard work of the people. However, if the soldiers of Dayong cannot keep their stomachs full, how can they protect Dayong? Your Majesty, don't win the hearts of the people and hurt the soldiers." Your hearts." Luo Guogong turned to Baili Jingqi and said this, in order to force Baili Jingqi to make a final decision.

Of course Huo Mingzhu won't let him do what he wants. Has all the over-collected tax and food really gone into the treasury?I'm afraid it won't happen, at least Huo Mingzhu doesn't believe it, and Luo Guogong, who has been managing this area in the past years, may not know how much people's fat and people's anointing he has collected.

Huo Mingzhu has calculated that if the current taxation rate is maintained, although the national treasury is not full, there is no way to increase it too much, and those who want to collect the people's fat from it can't be too rampant. No wonder the Luo Guoguild is so persistent.

However, Huo Mingzhu felt that Luo Guogong's insistence really helped her a lot. She really didn't think of how to pull out this Luo Guogong. Now the old man has bumped into him. If she still let go, it would be really too bad I'm sorry Luo Guogong.

"What Luo Guogong said is very true. The taxation in the hands of the former emperor is like this. It is not a big deal if it is restored to the same in the hands of our emperor. However, there is a reason for the Ai family to insist on it." The words said Here, Huo Mingzhu paused, and scanned the group of officials.

The ministers murmured in a low voice, and some ministers also took advantage of it, naturally they looked unhappy and wanted to find an opportunity to speak for Luo Guogong. Now that they heard what Huo Mingzhu said, they calmed down and listened to what Huo Mingzhu said first.

Huo Mingzhu smiled slightly and said: "If you really count how many fields there are in the whole country, I'm afraid you won't be able to get an approximate number, but even if you can't remember everything, there are some approximate numbers." Huo Mingzhu said Here, two eunuchs brought in a small wooden box.

When the two little eunuchs opened the box, Huo Mingzhu continued: "Here, there is the tax account book in Shangjing this summer. Ai's family ordered someone to sort it out. The accounts are clear at a glance. You ministers may wish to read it." Take a look, and after reading it, come and tell the Ai family how the taxation will be carried out in the future."

Luo Guogong's face was full of excitement. He stared at the neatly placed ledgers in the box. Looking at it this way, there were hundreds of books. In this summer alone, there were so many ledgers, but they were still few. If the tax books of all counties in the country were put together, it might not even be enough for a government office.

Huo Mingzhu asked all the ministers to take a look at the ledger, but no one was willing to look at it, of course it was not that they didn't want to, nor did they dare.

If you look at the account book, you are questioning Huo Mingzhu's words. Huo Mingzhu insisted on reducing taxes, and now only Luo Guogong insisted on restoring the taxation of the former emperor, but now Huo Mingzhu took out the account book.

Although many people believed that if the account book was really taken from the magistrate, there would be no loopholes, but if Huo Mingzhu dared to speak out with the account book now, then there was indeed a problem with the account book.

It’s not true if you don’t look at it, it’s not true if you don’t look at it, it is destined to make Luo Guogong suffer from being dumb, and more importantly, what Luo Guogong usually swallows may be more than what is paid into the treasury. You know, the Ninth Prince wants to keep private Bing, where does the food come from?Isn't it on Luo Guogong's side?

Now that Huo Mingzhu made such a mess, seeing that the private army in his hands would be hungry, Luo Guogong was of course extremely resentful in his heart, but he didn't want to let go so simply.

So Luo Guogong said: "Empress Dowager, although there are no Tartars coming to invade at present, if the treasury is not full, I'm afraid it will be inappropriate."

Of course Huo Mingzhu knew that the Luo Guogui would say so, so she smiled and said: "Luo Guogong really doesn't need to worry about this matter. Ai's family went to the national treasury to see it. It can be resisted, and if it is really not enough by then, it will be too late to increase taxes.”

Huo Mingzhu's appearance was quite calm, so that all the officials could see that Huo Mingzhu had made complete preparations for this matter, and he might not be able to change it.

At this moment, Baili Zonglu said: "The Empress Dowager, I feel that this is inappropriate."

(End of this chapter)