The fourth elder brother handed it back with both hands in his hands, and said: "Huang Ama, since the salt lord is making trouble, please ask the emperor Ama to allow the performance of the Anhui Xiaosi Yamen, and send troops to suppress it!" The salt lord disrupted the national politics, and he should have been rectified a long time ago, but now he is taking advantage of the situation to investigate and deal with it in one fell swoop, and it is the right time for the ministers to guarantee that it can be quelled within half a month! ”

Kangxi snorted and said, "Can you guarantee it?" ”

"Erchen guarantee!" The fourth elder brother said quietly, "It's nothing to do with it, it's all Erchen's idea." The official gentry and salt merchant wolf bèi is a traitor, and it has become a big trend, no matter how bad it is! ”

Kangxi jumped up from the kang with a "sigh", forced his eyes at the fourth elder brother and said, "You have such wide shoulders!" He actually said such a big thing in front of me! It's a good Anhui, so that you will stir things upside down, and you will brag! I told you to go to see the river workers, who told you to ask the salt government? Do you even take care of the affairs of the rulers? The eighteen provinces alone rectify an Anhui province and force people to pay money, can there be no accidents? What about other provinces? You're just restless! It's all to blame for the prince for pampering you too much! ”

Seeing Kangxi's anger, everyone was immediately frightened and turned pale, and Brother Jiu hurriedly kowtowed and said: "The matter was provoked by the son, please give an order, the son is willing to go to Anhui with the fourth brother again, and use the soldiers and bullets to suppress!" ”

"It's none of your business!" Kangxi shouted angrily, "I told you to watch the river workers, you just look at the river workers, who told you to cause trouble?" One or two million silver, can't the household take it out? ”

"Back to the words of Emperor Ama." The fourth elder brother kowtowed and said, "Actually, the retainer is kind-hearted and did not act beyond his authority." If the river is not firmly defended, the silver will not be raised on the spot, and then the silver will be transferred from the household, for fear of making a mistake. Besides, the ministers also know a little bit about the situation of the household department, and I am afraid that it will be difficult to get together for a while if they want to take out so much silver......"

Kangxi laughed angrily, and turned his face to Zhang Tingyu and the others: "Listen, he knows a little more than me!" The booklet handed over by the household department yesterday still has more than 50 million silver in the treasury! ”

"Your Majesty ......" Ma Qi beside Zhang Tingyu smiled bitterly and said, "What the fourth elder brother said is the truth. Although the minions do not know the details, the accounts of the household department do not match the inventory, and it has been a long time. ”

Tong Guowei said: "When it comes to this matter, the fourth master thinks Meng Lang is a little bit, but he is loyal to the country, and things like this should be done after the request." ”

Only then did Kangxi know that the ministers of the study also disagreed, so he eased his color and said: "You are naturally kind, but you must know that there must be disadvantages in the world, which is impossible to prevent." On a peaceful day, more things are better than less. Fourth, I want to say to you, it's good to be serious, but you have to be generous to others, the people below have their difficulties, you have to put yourself in the shoes of others in everything: you not only deduct the consumption of a province, but also make up your mind from the salt merchants, how can you not attract resentment? Go and see the prince first, and then I will have a will. ”

After the two of them kowtowed silently and went out, Kangxi sighed: "Lao Jiu is a stupid and bold man, and the fourth child is meticulous in his work, but he is mean by nature. ”

Tong Guowei only smiled when he heard it, but Ma Qi said: "If you talk about treating people, you are still the prince, the third master and the eighth master; When it comes to doing things, the slave thinks that the fourth master is so serious! ”

Kangxi lowered his head and thought for a while, and asked Zhang Tingyu with a smile: "Why don't you say anything?" ”

"The minion has been thinking." Zhang Tingyu frowned and said, "Is it a bit exaggerated by the Third Division of Anhui, and the salt lords of the six provinces have made a mess, but they have not alarmed the military department!" Several courtiers in Anhui who are secretly folding and playing are not handing over the performance box, what do they do? ”

reminded Kangxi with a word, and he couldn't help but be stunned: Really, if you want to look at the twists and turns of the three divisions of the yamen of the province, it is already a mess, why don't a few prefects see any excerpts come in? He patted his head, which was a little swollen, asked for a cup of tea and took two sips, but he was silent.

Zhang Tingyu thought about it and understood that this was the fourth elder brother and the ninth elder brother who knocked out the officials' fire and consumed silver in Anhui, and the officials' anger was nowhere to attack. Because he knew that Tong Guowei and the prince were not in harmony, he smiled and said: "According to my knowledge, the matter of Anhui can only be put away, listen to the next news, but it is Ma Qi who said, the account of the household does not match, and no one can figure out how much silver is stored in the treasury, this is indeed a big deal!" Gotta clean it up right away! Long live the lord, salt administration is not the most important task, you have to know it! ”

Kangxi leaned over and asked, "In your opinion, what is the most important thing?" ”

Zhang Tingyu bit his lip and said after a while: "Order!" ”

"Yes!" Ma Qi said happily, "How can it not be so! The slave also wants to be refreshed at this time, I am afraid that the fourth master is in Anhui, and he asks the officials to donate fire consumption and clean up the salt class, and asks them to donate money to control the river, how can he not offend this shameless ink official? They use things to make trouble, and there are them! ”

Tong Guowei hurriedly sighed: "Today's greed is really amazing! Originally, during the reign of Shunzhiye, the first prefect came down, but the output of 350,000 yuan was only 350,000 yuan, and now 150,000 yuan can't be stopped! If you are not greedy, where does all this money come from? The emergency measures taken to open up financial resources during the Ping San Domain and the Western Expedition were originally good, but they became a common practice...... This official, the slave is heartbroken when he thinks about it, it's time to rectify! ”

Ma Qi was so interested by what he said, he echoed in a loud voice: "The law is governed by people, and the officials can't rule clearly, so they can't say anything!" Don't talk about anything else, the cheating in the field, the show is six hundred taels, the lifting is one thousand two, I don't know how many people come out, there is also a price, and there is no bullying in the public to buy and sell children, how can it go on like this? ”

Zhang Tingyu was silent, and covered up by writing living notes on the side. He knows better than anyone else that the rule of officials is corrupt and corrupt, and bribery is commonplace, but he thinks that the root is in Kangxi, such as Mingzhu, Yu Guozhu, and Xu Qianxue, all of which are clearly corrupt officials. Tong Guowei said that the rule of the whole officials, in fact, the root is still aimed at the prince. If the officials are not well governed, it is the prince's incompetence; After the rectification is done, it is he Tong Guowei who is prescient; If the charcoal basket is not neat, it is still buckled on the heads of the prince and the fourth elder brother, and this intention is terrifying! was thinking about it, but I heard Kangxi ask: "I approve of rectifying the rule of officials, but where to start?" ”

"The fourth elder brother has a Chen," Ma Qi said, "The slave has already submitted it to the prince, and it will be handed over in a few days, and the corruption and chaos should be cured, and strict punishment and strict laws should be enacted!" For example, like Mingzhu's son Xu, the greedy officials Xu Qianxue and Yu Guozhu are still at large, why can't they do a few and cut a few? If you want to rectify it, you have to look like a whole, and once the bribery case is more than 1,000 taels, once it is clear, the copy that should be copied, the one who should be killed, and the one who should be chopped, so that the corrupt officials have no place to stand, and there are greedy people who know that the law of the country cannot be violated. The fourth master said that if there is no improvement in a few years, please live the crime of vain words. The slave thinks about it, you might as well give it a try according to the fourth master's article! ”

When Tong Guowei heard this, the fourth elder brother wanted to deal with the eighth elder brother's people, and he couldn't help but feel angry in his heart: people said that the fourth elder brother was cold-faced and cold-hearted, which is really true! He glanced at Ma Qi, who was foaming at the mouth, with disgust, and was about to speak, but heard Kangxi say: "The fourth elder brother has the talent to manage things, but he doesn't seem to know the general situation. It's good to use heavy rules to control chaos, but at the moment there is neither external trouble nor internal strife, so why not do it calmly! I believe that the integrity of officials is the most important, and an edict should be issued to reward honest officials, such as Yu Chengchan, Peng Peng, Zhang Yushu, Zhang Bonian, Chen Ying and others. Those who are not dead should be cared for, and those who are dead should be merciful, so that people know that honest officials should not only be, but also be! Refreshing the rule of officials is a real article that is extremely difficult to do, and the ground is thundering, and it is going to be a mess! So you have to take it slowly, start from the easy place, and get things done peacefully. ”

Tong Guowei said: "Long live the holy thoughts, the slave is stupid!" If it is ruled by Qing officials, causing riots in the government and the opposition, burning incense to attract ghosts, and rejecting wolves and tigers, it will be even more difficult to deal with the aftermath! That year, Yu Jackie Chan was in Shandong, and tried to pay grain for the officials and gentry, which caused the scholars to strike the exam, and almost provoked a popular uprising! Yin Jian is not far away, how can you forget! It is better to treat the symptoms than to cure the root cause, according to the slaves, you might as well start with the readers. Scholars have no shame, can they be honest as officials? Therefore, an edict should be issued to the provincial superintendents until they are instructed and instructed, and the hadiths are preached by the scholars, so as to arouse the conscience of heaven and restore the declining wind. The officials of the Ministry of Merit, picket a corrupt official, run one, sandwich between the two ends, and the few can be slowly clarified. ”

"It's a cliché." Ma Qi listened to Tong Guowei casting a net all over the sky, and said it painlessly, and said coldly, "I'm afraid it won't help!" ”

"I said to preach the holy oracle, and Ma Qi also thought it was wrong?" Tong Guowei was proud of his uncle, he didn't take Ma Qi who had just entered the study in his eyes, and listening to his ridicule to his face, Tong Guowei suddenly blushed and sneered: "If you don't preach the holy oracle, if you don't read the book of the sages, you will copy and kill if you take it!" It's called punishment without teaching! ”

Ma Qi also blushed and said, "Tong Zhongtang! Corrupt officials have one picket and one to do one, can this be called punishment without teaching? The 16 Hadiths of the Emperor have been promulgated for decades, and the Four Books and Five Classics were not written last year. The tiger and wolf are in the hierarchy, and they still talk about cause and effect, which is pedantic and incompetent! ”

Kangxi was still listening quietly, but when he saw that they were moved, he threw the fan in his hand and stood up, and said with a calm face: "What does it look like?" With your impatience, you are still the prime minister and preside over the government! When I go back, I can pick up a few books to cultivate my mind and cultivate virtue and read! ”

Seeing that both of them lowered their heads and stopped, Kangxi paced two steps, and suddenly turned his face and asked Zhang Tingyu with a smile: "What is your idea?" ”

"What Tong Ma said makes sense." Zhang Tingyu hurriedly knelt down and said, "At present, the rule of the officials has indeed reached the point where it is necessary to be strict and rectified, but as the emperor said, it seems that there is no need to be in a hurry. As far as the slave knows, there are 50 million silver in the accounts of the household department, but in fact, there is not so much in the inventory, and the officials are about to be borrowed, so the fourth master raises money on the spot, which is really a last resort. Although it is inconvenient for him to say this clearly, the emperor ...... You have to know it! ”

"Listening to your tone, it seems that you have checked, how much silver taels are actually deposited?" Kangxi looked at Zhang Tingyu suspiciously, and said, "You get up and talk back!" ”

Zhang Tingyu swallowed, didn't get up, kowtowed heavily and said: "The slave listened to what the fourth master said when he didn't leave Beijing, so he didn't dare to believe it, and after the fourth master left, he didn't feel at ease." I went to check it again, and it was appalling! ”

"What are you rambling! How much exactly? ”

"The minions didn't dare to check carefully, I don't know the exact number, it's about less than 10 million taels......"

"Ten million!"

Kangxi suddenly felt dizzy in his head, his legs were weak, he sat down on the kang, gasped, and his face turned pale. He knows that officials are borrowing money, but he can not be shocked when he borrows the treasury empty! After a long time, Kangxi Fang sighed and said: "What a prince, whatever family he cares, it has come to this point, and he still hides it from me!" ”

"The fourth master's Tiao Chen is here for this." Zhang Tingyu said, "It is said that it is a debt, but in fact, it is still an improper official style, and it should not be taken lightly!" The slave thought, the officials are in a thousand troubles, how to clean it up? Tackling the deficit seems to be a doorway. This matter is not only easier to handle than prison lawsuits and bribery, but it is also a top priority. Otherwise, once the country has something to do, there is no silver in the treasury to spend, and it is a terrible thing! ”

The more Kangxi listened, the more frightened he became, and he raised his face and shouted, "Where is Li Dequan?" ”

"Zha! The minions are here! Li Dequan stood beside the chiming bell and waited, hurriedly agreed to come over, bowed down and said, "What is the will of the Lord Long Live?" ”

"You go to Yun Songxuan, pass the decree to the prince and the fourth elder brother, and immediately start preparing to clean up the deficit and arrears of the household, think about it first, and Ming'er will hand over the sign to see me!"

"Piercing!"

"Go ahead!"

"Piercing!"

Kangxi came back to his senses, took a sip of tea, conspired for a long time, and said with a smile: "Whether it is to speak the holy oracle or read the Four Books and Five Classics, it is nothing more than to regulate the world." The prince is too cowardly, and you can't follow him in everything, a big thing like this, if it doesn't come out today, I am still blindfolded, how can this be done? ”

Although these words eased, the three ministers all weighed their weight, Tong Guowei and Ma Qi also knelt down, kowtowed, and said: "Yes, the minions are not prudent in their duties, please give punishment!" ”

Zhang Tingyu said: "Although it is said that it is said that it is clear of the deficit and collects the arrears with the help of the article, it is not easy to do it for a long time, and the slave asks for an order, and is willing to go to the household department with the prince to do an errand!" ”

"You don't have to go, whoever makes the wine will drink it." Kangxi groaned, "It's good to let the brothers experience some practical things." I'm afraid that there are some people you may not be able to provoke, so ask them to touch them, if there are not enough people, like Shi Shilun, just transfer a few helps. ”

As he was talking, Li Dequan had already come back and said, "The prince has gone out, and the slave has not been seen." The fourth master and the ninth master are still waiting in Yunsongxuan, and the fourth master will come back and forth to the master. ”

Kangxi was speechless after listening for a while, and said: "Kneel down, I'm a little tired, and I'll hand over the sign again tomorrow." ”

Everyone got up and quit. When I arrived in the courtyard and looked up at the sky, a large dark cloud was slowly pressing down from the west. Zhang Tingyu sighed, and said secretly in his heart: "It's just to clear the debt, how easy is it!" Alas! (To be continued.) )