Xia Yuanji, the head of the household, was urgently summoned into the palace, and met Wang Zhong, the left attendant of the household department, and Li Wenyu, the right attendant, who were also called, along the way.

"Xia Situ, two young Situ, Your Majesty is still waiting."

The Son of Heaven was in a hurry to call people, and he would rather offend the three people in front of him than miss the matter of the Son of Heaven.

The Zhongguan's anxious expression did not seem to be fake, nor did it seem like he was deliberately trying to make trouble for the three of them. Xia Yuanji and Wang Zhong Li Wenyu had a plan in their hearts, and they didn't dare to delay, and at the same time raised their whips, the sound of horses' hooves sounded, and the internal officials secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

There is no evening today, and it is very unusual for the Son of Heaven to specially summon the officials of the six ministries.

As soon as I entered the palace gate, a light rain fell in the sky, and the rain was mixed with snowflakes.

Xia Yuanji and the three of them dismounted, and the Jinyi guard on duty checked the Zhongguan's waist card, asked if it was summoned by the Son of Heaven, and got out of the way.

The court officials were not allowed to hold umbrellas when they entered the palace, and Xia Shangshu and the others had no time to put on their cloaks, so they could only brave the rain and snow and follow the lieutenants to the Xinuan Pavilion of the Fengtian Palace.

When I arrived at Xinuan Pavilion, the shoulders and hem of the official uniform were already wet.

Hou Xian personally waited outside the warm pavilion, and when he saw the three people who came in a hurry, he immediately entered the room.

"Your Majesty, Xia Shangshu and Wang Shilang and Li Shilang are summoned to meet you."

"Xuan."

Zhu Di didn't raise his head, but still took the music sent by Guangxi and watched it over and over again.

Every time you watch it, you have to be re-shaken.

The southwestern land, since the Tang and Song dynasties, has been a place of exile for criminals and sinners. Although it is not barren, it is overgrown with trees, full of miasma, scarce arable land, and no people are inhabited for miles. To exaggerate, there are probably more beasts than people in the woods.

Such state capitals are mostly governed by officials, soldiers and local officials, and there will be some chaos every once in a while, and the degree of education is not even comparable to that of Liaodong. It was not until the imperial court defeated the Northern Yuan Dynasty, and the Marquis of Xiping guarded Yunnan and set up guards in the southwestern state capitals, that the situation gradually improved.

Zhu Di couldn't understand how Meng got so much food in less than four months. In addition to supplying the needs of the army, it can also be transported to northern Xinjiang to supplement the border army. Could it be that the treasury of the neighboring state was emptied by the hands of merchants? Unlikely. If that's the case, Fanbang has already gone into trouble.

Last year, the country's grain tax was only more than 30 million stones, and it was still a grain tax in summer and winter.

In the southwest, with the power of merchants alone, there is such an abundance of grain, Emperor Yongle really doesn't know what to do.

Don't, reluctantly.

I want to, but I can't open my mouth.

Meng has already taken the initiative to give a batch of grain, which is on the way to Tianjin Wei, and a large amount of wood, indicating that it is for the construction of the Beijing Palace.

Speak again? Even if it's your own family, you can't be so unsophisticated.

Zhu Di found that he seemed to be able to understand the distress of the household.

There was no food, and he was worried.

There is more food, and he is also worried.

Jun has no jokes, as soon as the front foot gives the order, the back foot will be withdrawn, which is not conducive to the image of the emperor, and it is not good to hear it out.

It really can't be done, and the copper coins in the treasury of the household department are piled up, and it is not a bad idea to exchange the money for grain and distribute it to the conscription army.

Xia Yuanji and the others walked into the Xinuan Pavilion, and when they saw Emperor Yongle frowning at Song Shu, they suddenly chuckled in their hearts, thinking that which state capital had suffered another disaster.

There was not much grain in the treasury, and in the first month, the emperor ordered the grain tax to be exempted from the grain tax of the three prefectures and counties under the jurisdiction of Yingtianfu, and if it was exempted, the military grain transported to the northern Xinjiang would become a problem.

I was anxious in my heart, and there was a little bit in my expression.

The three of them bowed down according to the prayer and said, "The minister knocks to see Your Majesty." ”

Zhu Di raised his head, "The three Qing families, please." Let Aiqing enter the palace in the rain, I really don't want to go. ”

Xia Shangshu's faces turned white.

It's over, things are in trouble.

The six departments of the imperial court, but all those who have brains, know very well that there are only two possibilities to be treated so kindly by Emperor Yongle, either to be promoted to become rich, or to be roasted on the fire.

The former refers to Xingningbo, and the latter is considerable.

It's okay to get closer to Xingningbo, but if you are on par with Xie Jin, you will be unlucky.

Zhu Di became more and more cordial, "Hou Xian." ”

"The slave is here."

"Give a seat to the three Aiqing and serve hot tea."

"Yes."

Hou Xian received the order, and Xia Yuanji's faces became whiter, and their hearts became more and more bottomless. Look at each other.,There's nothing wrong with the household department this time, right? The fire consumption and filial piety have stopped, and those who don't do things have also taken off the black yarn and gone to the edge, what are the problems that I haven't noticed?

The only possibility, is food!

This is really not a problem of the household, natural disasters occur frequently, the grain harvest fails, the emperor is happy to be exempt, not to mention reaching out to the treasury, the household can't wait to ask God to worship the Buddha, please which way the gods conjure up some food.

If the Son of Heaven pulls out the knife because of this incident, they are truly wronged.

Seeing that the three of them were uncomfortable, Zhu Di coughed and tried to ease the atmosphere. Unexpectedly, the opposite effect was achieved, and Xia Yuanji and the others became even more nervous, and their foreheads began to sweat.

Emperor Yongle touched his chin, was he so scary?

Xia Yuanji and the three of them trembled and picked up the teacup, Your Majesty, there really is!

After half a cup of hot tea, the faces of the three of them improved slightly, and Emperor Yongle motioned to Hou Xian to hand the music sent by Guangxi to Xia Yuanji.

"This is a joint performance by Chengguo Gong and Xingningbo, let's take a look at the three Aiqing."

"Yes."

Xia Yuanji put down the teacup and took it respectfully.

The content at the beginning of the song is not surprising, and when the honorable civil and military are played, they are basically in a fixed format. Write a few lines of good words first, sing the praises of the Son of Heaven's martial arts, show benevolence, show loyalty, and then enter the official topic.

Xia Shangshu glanced at ten lines, swept these clichés, and continued to look down, his expression changed instantly, his face turned from white to red, and his hands trembled faintly.

Wang Zhong and Li Wenyu felt strange, thinking that something had gone wrong with the conquest army, so they confessed to Emperor Yongle and looked at it together.

Then, he shook more than Xia Yuanji.

With so much grain, timber, gold and silver, did the army that conquered Annam get a cornucopia?

The song is written by Cheng Guogong himself, and there is a seal on the bottom, and Xia Yuanji and the three of them have no doubt about the authenticity of the content. After being shocked like Emperor Yongle, a burst of excitement surged in his chest, with these grains, the disaster relief food sent to the state capitals, and the military food in the northern Xinjiang were all available at once!

Emperor Yongle could guess what Xia Yuanji and the three of them were thinking, and had to speak out to break their beautiful illusions.

"I have decreed that the imperial court will not levy the food and salary of the Annan army, and the income of the army can be done cheaply."

In other words, these grains are not owned by the imperial court.

Hearing these words, the excited Xia Shangshu and the three of them suddenly cooled down.

From hope to disappointment, it only takes a few seconds.

Originally, the mountains were full of flowers, and the most difficult problems could be solved, and the emperor was beaten back to the prototype with a word.

Don't have a share to show them? Tease them?

Xia Yuanji and the others were very disappointed, and Zhu Di was a little uncomfortable. It is true that the imperial court has no share, but the inner treasury does. But I can't say it clearly, and when I say it, I always feel that it's not very kind.

"I summoned Qing to come, and that's it."

"What does Your Majesty mean?"

Xia Yuanji's eyes lit up instantly, could it be that there is still room for things to turn around?

The two commanders before and after the conquest of the Annan army were not masters who had something to discuss, and the emperor issued a clear decree again, biting to death and not giving it, replacing it with someone else, and the household department could still think of a way, but Xingningbo, forget it.

The army conquest of Annam, military rations are the top priority.

The household department has been quite faceless if it can't raise enough food, leaving a very bad impression on the soldiers, and dare to reach out to the army's self-raised food? Obviously looking for a beating.

Lots of food, share it?

According to the character of Xing Ningbo, eighty percent will say that the officers and soldiers trek hard, fought continuously, and the physical consumption was very large, and then the amount of food - surge - increase, a meal of five bowls is half full, eight bowls is not unusual, ten bowls is the real hero.

Xia Yuanji covered his face.

He regretted it a little, why did he become friends with Xingningbo?

If you don't be friends with each other, won't you have such practical associations?

In that case, there may be more hope.

However, as soon as Cheng Guogong's recital arrived, the Son of Heaven urgently summoned them to enter the palace, it should not be boring enough to tease them, maybe there is really a way to produce some food for the household?

It is clearly written in the song that most of the rice raised by the army was rice, a large part of which was Champa rice, and there were also a lot of grain varieties. can get a fifth, which is not a small amount.

The three of them looked at Emperor Yongle with hope, and Zhu Di coughed again, "It's not okay to directly draw and transfer, use the inventory money and silk as military salaries and exchange for food, what do you think?" ”

The imperial court took money for food?

Xia Yuanji and the others were stunned for a moment, and quickly understood why the Son of Heaven was in a hurry to summon them.

Obviously, this matter can't be said in the court, and there can't be too many people who know about it, otherwise, the saliva of the imperial historian can be sprayed directly on his face.

"Your Majesty, I'm afraid there is something wrong with this."

Li Shilang frowned, and after thinking about it for a long time, he said something inappropriate. But what is wrong, I can't give a suitable reason for a while.

It is inappropriate to say that the court is inappropriate to exchange money for food, or is it inappropriate for the Son of Heaven to do business with his courtiers?

If you don't give money, you will directly transfer grain to Beijing, and the imperial court will not be reasonable. If Xingningbo is silent, the conquest army will also complain.

Is this really not a matter of treating military men as human beings? Is there such a reason for not paying food and wages in the war, and still thinking about the law--dish-stripping-searching-looting? Even if part of the money exchanged for grain was captured by the army, it is still unjustifiable.

Li Shilang stopped talking.

In the end, it was Xia Yuanji who plucked up his courage, stepped forward, and arched his hand: "Your Majesty, the current grain is the heaviest. The exchange of money for food is for the sake of the court. ”

"Do you think it's feasible?"

"I think it's possible!"

Xia Yuanji gritted his teeth and admitted it, planning to write a note when he returned home, and carry the matter on his shoulders. Even if the imperial history wants to impeach in the matter, he will bear it!

After the Jianwen and Yongle dynasties, Xia Yuanji completely understood that today's Ming Dynasty needs to kill the decisive Son of Heaven. This does not mean that Emperor Jianwen is abandoned, on the contrary, as a scholar, Xia Yuanji has a certain good impression of Zhu Yunwen. But for the people of the country, the dynasty and the society, the son of heaven like Emperor Yongle can really sit firmly in the country.

Xia Yuanji spoke up, and Wang Zhong and Li Wenyu quickly understood his thoughts. The two glanced at each other and gritted their teeth at the same time, it's a big deal to go to exile! As long as the Son of Heaven remembers their loyalty, sooner or later he will be restored!

As for being scolded by the official, let him go.

is in the sixth department, but anyone who has achieved an official position above the fourth grade and has not been sprayed by the official can be counted with two slaps.

"Your Majesty, the ministers attach to Xia Shangshu's proposal."

"The minister also seconded the proposal."

The first, second and third leaders of the household department reached a united front, and for the sake of food, they worked hand in hand for the emperor to top the cylinder.

Zhu Di was very moved, "The three Aiqing are all pillars of the country. ”

was praised by Ti Tianzi, Xia Yuanji and the three of them were moved to tears, and they were called "Aiqing" today, and the price was really not small.

The next day, in front of the ministers, Xia Yuanji and the three of them asked for the grain raised by the Annan army to be requisitioned to fill the household department, and said that the household money would be used to pay the household department.

The ministers were in an uproar and exploded in an instant.

"The minister is against!"

The criminal department was the first to jump out to oppose it, and then more courtiers raised objections to it, both civil and military.

Since Emperor Yongle rectified the dynasty, Jinyiwei arrested a large number of people, and the general political envoy did not dare to easily leak the content of the recital. Cheng Guogong's recital, except for Xia Yuanji and the three officials of the general political envoy, the courtiers did not know anything.

The generals were worried about the food and salary of the army, and thought that the household department was going to stumble on the army that was conscripting Annam. The army that is conscripted abroad, not to mention the food and salary, but also a part of it, what else can it be if it is not a stumbling block?

Wenchen was quite critical of Xia Yuanji's proposal to exchange copper coins for grain. What is the difference between this and merchant trading? It's simply insulting, and it's ridiculous!

Controversy arose between the court and China, and the left and right servants of the household department who faced the saint with Xia Yuanji appeared, and most of the courtiers thought that this recital should not be passed.

Emperor Yongle didn't say anything, and waited until most of the civil and military officials in the court expressed their stance before throwing out Zhu Neng's recital, and then comparing it with the number of grain stored in the household.

"Last year, many counties and counties in the eighteen prefectures of Shuntian were hit by disasters, or floods, or droughts, and there was no harvest in the fields. I have decreed that the summer grain of the state and county will not be affected by the disaster, and the taxes and penalties that we have borne before the year will be lost. ”

After the words fell, Zhu Di sat on the dragon chair, overlooking the ministers in the hall.

When the people encounter disasters, the grain tax will naturally be reduced or reduced.

Now that the household department is short of food, and the border army is also waiting for payment, if it is not seconded from the place where there is food, who will make up for the shortage?

Imperial History? Giving in the middle of the matter? Or Dali Siqing? The Governor's Mansion of the Five Armies?

"Every time I think of the sergeant who went deep into the land of Annam, he was touched by the miasma, and the road was sparse, and he was all grateful. The road is far away and he can't work, and the lack of food makes him self-funded, and he is very worried, and he can't sleep at night. Now Chengguo Gongxing Ningbo Bo raises a huge amount of food, the military salary is worry-free, and part of it is fed to the north, which has the merit of the countrymen. I can't commend it, but take away its merits, but what? ”

The ministers were silent.

Yes, the army is out on a quest, and it is already very difficult to say that the court does not give support, and it is still necessary to reach out, what is the matter?

Some people even noticed that the Son of Heaven not only mentioned Xingningbo, but also listed Chengguo Gong in front of him, obviously reminding the generals to weigh whether they were weighty enough before objecting.

Among the Wenchen of the left class, the Hubu Shangshu and the left and right servants should have been instructed by the emperor to be willing to risk being attacked by the ministers. Even if he is knocked down this time and sent to the ends of the earth, as long as Emperor Yongle is still there, sooner or later he will get up.

There is no food in the household department, many prefectures and counties are waiting for disaster relief, and the food and salary of the border army cannot be delayed, except for transferring grain from Xingningbo, there is really no other way.

The Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Punishment were listed successively to support Xia Yuanji's invitation.

Wuyang Hou Xu Zengshou, and Mu Xin, the commander of the horses, also came out to express their approval.

The wind in the court suddenly changed, and soon it turned from one side to one side of the argument between the two sides of the favor and the opposition, and then the side of the favor gradually gained the upper hand.

Xia Yuanji wiped his sweat and didn't mention others, Wuyang Hou supported this proposal, and Mu Xin, the commander of the horses, seconded the proposal, and the matter had the possibility of success. Eighty percent of them don't need to go to the north to blow the wind, but to be wild men in the south.

The controversy in the court was fierce, but no one doubted the authenticity of the song from beginning to end.

It can be seen that the image of Xingningbo making money is quite deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.

Meng, who was far away in Guangxi, didn't know that the imperial court had exploded the pot because of him.

At this moment, he was looking at the hundred households who came from Liuzhou Fengyiwei, and his brows were so furrowed that he could kill flies.

"What Liu Baihu said is true? Is there really a thief-coward-rebellion? ”

"I don't dare to talk nonsense, not only in Xunzhou, but also in Liuzhou. The thieves mainly hijacked caravans, and a few days ago they gathered more than 500 people to boldly commit the grain transport officers and soldiers, and the local officials of the Qianjiang Institute led troops to support, killing nearly 100 enemies before they repelled the thieves. ”

"Can you report to the Guangxi guard?"

"Uncle Hui, it was Han Du who sent his subordinates to report to the uncle, and there were thieves who confessed, and the thieves were the seventeenth and other secret criminals, and nearly 2,000 people have been gathered."

"Guilty of Pingxiang?"

Meng's first feeling was not nervousness, but absurdity. Looking at Zhu Neng who was recuperating with his eyes closed, a thought popped up in his mind, if he wants to find death, he doesn't need to do this, right?

With this person in charge, he dared to run Pingxiang to rob, did he really want money and die?