mtl008 Chapter 926: Mingzhi
Chapter 926: Mingzhi
Chapter 926: Mingzhi
For Zai Yao, there will always be such a day.
It is impossible that every word and every thing he said in front of the emperor could have been carefully designed.
This time, Yan Yishou was not actually in any great danger.
The emperor was taking advantage of the needs of the dynasty, and this was a tacit understanding between the monarch and his subjects.
Since the dynasty is indeed "bad", Yan Yishou, who is willing to risk his life, is truly doing it for the country in the eyes of the emperor.
As long as he does this, he can sit firmly on the Diaoyutai regardless of the wind and waves.
Not to mention that Yan Yishou has been in the officialdom for more than 30 years. Although he is not a prominent figure, he has made some contributions, and this is certain.
The problem now is Zai Yao.
Jiang Yong and other ministers in the mansion looked worried. How could the trip to Jiangnan be so easy?
Zai Yao was also a little scared by the atmosphere they created, so he secretly did some unnecessary things.
These ministers who were trying to figure out a plan around him didn't know yet,
But Zhu Houzhao had already learned the lesson first.
After he returned to the harem, he met Concubine Ning Huaixiao and Concubine Zhao Huaiyan.
There is no need to go into details about the complicated rhetoric, but in the end it still emphasizes that the eldest brother is loyal and filial, and has no other thoughts.
Zhu Houzhao went to the harem to seek some peace and quiet, but ended up listening to them talking about the shitty things that happened in the previous dynasty, which made him feel even more depressed.
What made him even more annoyed was that the fighting in the previous dynasty had spread to the harem.
But he listened patiently and did not get angry in front of her.
After returning to the Qianqing Palace, he immediately changed his expression and said, "The harem is not allowed to interfere in government affairs. This has always been my rule! Who is the gossiper who told my concubines about the past, causing rumors and chaos in the royal inner court? If I find out, I will punish him severely!"
In fact, he knew it in his heart. Wasn't it because Zaihe was not made the crown prince?
This matter was because he did not "follow the rules", and it was delayed for too long, and all parties could no longer hold back, so it was inevitable that disputes would arise from time to time.
But the boss obviously doesn't have much talent, and he's actually not very interested in this kid anymore.
This matter needs careful planning.
Back then, even a tough emperor like Emperor Yongle wanted to make his second son the crown prince, but was stopped by civil officials.
Later, Emperor Wanli encountered constant resistance when he wanted to establish Prince Fu as the emperor, and he failed in the end.
After calming down, Zhu Houzhao began to think.
Zhang Cong...actually, it is impossible to accomplish this task.
Zhang Cong is now sitting on the edge of a volcano, and all that's missing is an eruption. If he pushes this matter through, the old accounts and new grudges will add up to some unpredictable chaos.
He was not afraid of these officials.
The main thing is that he obviously chose the method that would cause more resistance. Isn't that a problem with his brain?
Suddenly thinking of this, Zhu Houzhao suddenly had an idea that it was almost time to give up Zhang Cong...
Actually, the means?
The Emperor Zhengde never lacked.
Take the currency reform for example.
The news that the dynasty had to withstand the impeachment and get through it smoothly in the court, but Yan Yishou was scolded by the emperor instead spread like wildfire.
Once this iconic political signal was sent out, officials in all places knew what to do.
The Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot are constantly patrolling the eastern provinces of the Ming Dynasty. The dynasty needs to find another way out. What else is there to say?
First, write a letter of apology!
If the dynasty can say there is collusion between officials and businessmen, why can't they say it?
Do you have to wait until the door is locked before you regret it?
Maybe there are some people who do this, but there are definitely many people who need to imitate the dynasty.
Second, report the progress of currency reform.
Otherwise, how can you escape punishment?
As a result, a trend of apologizing quickly spread from the north to the south.
According to the Yingtian Governor Wang Shouren, two prefects and seven county magistrates in Jiangnan alone had submitted petitions of apology.
"Not only that, the faster they apologize, the more 'unscrupulous' they will be when it comes time to reform the currency."
It's August now.
In the city of Nanjing, there are already many families who have been left with poverty due to the currency reform, and it is not even a new thing to see white cloth hanging on the doorplate.
"The court said that the exchange was voluntary, but they forced the people to exchange within a time limit. This kind of thing is not easy to do openly, so they did it secretly. The longer it is delayed, the more difficult it will be for the people who want to exchange, so as to achieve the purpose of coercion.
The imperial court stipulated a transition period of one year, but the government openly or covertly allowed merchants to charge lower prices when using the new currency and higher prices when using the old currency, deliberately creating an atmosphere of "loving the new and disliking the old."
When someone refused to obey, the government would punish them severely for obstructing currency reform! In Nanjing alone, 20 people were wrongly convicted in one day! "
Wang Shouren could constantly hear the angry words of his subordinates.
In fact, he himself understood.
"You must correct a wrong without going too far, and you must take the right path when things are urgent. Your Majesty has achieved the goal of promoting currency reform by using such means."
"What about those who were wrongly accused?"
Wang Shouren said: "You can't get anything done just by relying on a few words from sages. The books of sages can only be read, but they are useless for doing things. What we can do in Jiangnan is to reduce these unjust, false and wrong cases as much as possible. As for truly accomplishing things, we have to wait for the right time."
"What kind of timing?"
"Yan Yishou's memorial was not only a signal that the currency reform could not be stopped, but also a signal that Zhang Cong's party was at the end of its rope. The emperor did not punish Yan Yishou, which shows that the emperor did not distinguish between right and wrong.
It's just that Zhang Bingyong's people are all over the court and the country. If the emperor wants to complete the currency reform, Zhang Bingyong is indispensable at this time. So no matter how reasonable your words are, even if they are ten times more reasonable than Yan Yishou, the emperor will not give up Zhang Bingyong. Therefore, the timing is the time to complete the currency reform, or the time for Zhang Bingyong to make a mistake. "
"My own mistakes?"
"I can understand the general trend, but can't he? For him, if he wants to survive, there is only one way." Wang Shouren opened his eyes while sitting on the recliner, "Monetary reform must be carried out, and it cannot be accomplished."
But if this is true, the emperor will never tolerate him.
However, the emperor always relied on Zhang Cong and the people he employed, so if he wanted to not tolerate him, he would have to make a great determination, but he believed that the emperor had this determination.
……
……
"Cough cough."
In the study room of Zhang's house, two figures were still visible under the flickering candlelight.
Zhang Cong was fifty-two years old. Long-term hard work had made him a little weak, especially after nightfall when the cold air would make him cough uncontrollably.
As for the man beside him, he was an old man who had followed him for many years.
"Master, take some medicine."
"Oh, okay, you can leave it there."
Zhang Cong still held the pen and wrote with a frown on his face, without looking up.
"Master, it's late. Shall we stop here today?"
"You go first."
Zhang Cong was drafting some memorials.
Although the emperor had taken back most of the power of the cabinet through secret memorials, there were too many things to do in the world and it was impossible for the emperor to handle it all by himself. Most of the routine government affairs still had to rely on the cabinet.
Currency reform is not the only thing the country needs to deal with.
From weapons and horse farms to disaster relief, to various bizarre cases and the appointment and dismissal of various officials, all the reports from the officials below must be responded to.
I didn't sleep for many hours that night.
The next day, I went around the cabinet and dealt with dozens of government affairs. I went home in the afternoon to relax a little. Then Wang Qiong and Lu Zhongming arrived again.
"It is understandable that the emperor did not kill Yan Yishou this time, but it is strange that he did not demote him. What is even stranger is that he took his anger out on His Highness. This is the emperor's will..."
It sounds like a guessing game.
In fact, it is full of murderous intent.
What's so exciting about this game of guessing people's thoughts? But if you guess wrong, you will die, and your wealth and glory will disappear overnight. This is exciting.
Lu Zhongming narrowed his eyes and continued to indulge, "Sir, in my opinion, how come the currency reform is becoming more and more dangerous?"
Zhang Cong looked at Wang Qiong again, and seeing that he was not surprised, he knew that he also knew what Lu Zhongming was going to say, and the two of them had discussed it before.
"In terms of age, both of you are older than me. According to the seniority in the court, it is far from my turn to be the prime minister. Why do you think that is?"
Lu Zhongming flattered him and said, "The elder understands the emperor's mind best."
"Understand the emperor's mind? What's the use of understanding? Who among you two doesn't understand? Aren't you smart enough, Lu Zhongming? When the emperor dealt with Yan Yishou, you immediately realized that the currency reform had become a dangerous situation. Wang Qiong was even more so. When her beloved son was in trouble, she immediately took measures to save his life even though she was worried about him. If you didn't understand the emperor's mind, how could you do it?"
Wang Qiong said: "Please enlighten me, Lord."
"The most fundamental reason is that I, Zhang Cong, and Your Majesty share the same idea." Zhang Cong's tone was somewhat nostalgic, "Back then, Yang Yiqing was promoted quickly, and Wang Ao remained in power for decades, all because they shared the same idea as Your Majesty.
You only know that I used other means to circumvent the smuggling of government silver, but means are only one aspect. In the final analysis, it is still this idea. I, Zhang Cong, have never done anything for myself. Whether it is seeking personal gain, eliminating dissidents, or even killing people, I have always killed for Your Majesty. Those who are at odds with Your Majesty, obstruct Your Majesty's reforms, and endanger the Ming Dynasty, of course, must be killed!"
Zhang Cong's people around him also began to show a ruthless look, "You don't need to say more. The currency reform must be implemented in a down-to-earth manner. The more of our people are, the more they must stand out at this time. There can't be any obstruction! Otherwise, don't blame me for turning my back on you!"
After saying this, he stood up despite his tired body. Before leaving, he told Wang Qiong, "Yangzhou is a place where everyone is watching. Tell him to behave in a proper manner so that Your Majesty knows that he has made mistakes and will correct them. Otherwise, how can you beg for mercy after the matter is done? Also, tell him not to have the thoughts that Lu Zhongming said. This is the bottom line of the emperor, and it is also the bottom line of me, Zhang Cong."
Afterwards, Zhang Cong returned to the cabinet and immersed himself in the piles of memorials. The pen in his hand was like a small whip, lashing the officials across the country: Do-your-fucking-job! !
In September, good news finally came from overseas. Duke Chengguo Zhu Feng and the third prince Zai Yao reported that Luzon had been conquered, and King Suleiman II was sent to the capital.
(End of this chapter)