The next morning, the Wanshou Palace.

Jiajing's life and rest seem to be relatively regular, although he will only get up every day when the sun is on his buttocks, but he will spend all his time on cultivating and reviewing the recitals.

Just after getting up and washing, I heard Xu Jie's request to see him. Although he doesn't like to have too much contact with hundreds of officials, he is undoubtedly an exception to Xu Jie, who serves as the first assistant, and he will usually be summoned if there is no important matter.

Xu Jie was quickly ushered in, and after making a big salute in a proper manner, he respectfully explained his intentions.

Jiajing, who was wearing a plain white robe, was lying on the soft collapse, his face was still a little bad, but he looked at Xu Jie playfully and asked, "Xu Aiqing, do you really think that the imperial court should continue to rectify the salt administration?" ”

After reading Xu Wei's article, he actually moved his mind in this regard. It's just that the imperial court has rectified the salt administration several times, and each time it has had little effect, which makes him actually hesitate a little in his heart.

"At present, the voices of the government and the opposition are very loud in calling for the rectification of the salt administration, and Wu Shan, the secretary of the household department, also has such a position, and the minister thinks that he should do it as he wishes!" Xu Jie did not express his suggestion, but analyzed it objectively.

Jiajing waved his hand, but said with a straight face: "You are the first assistant of the Ming Dynasty, and you are the person I rely on the most, I want to hear your opinion now!" ”

Feng Baohou was beside him, and at this time, he also looked up at Xu Jie curiously.

Xu Jie's expression looked embarrassed, and he suddenly said with a straight face: "Wu Shangui is the head of the household, and his ideas are not right or wrong. It's just that the situation of previous dynasties is different, and we govern the government of a country, and we can't learn from the Chu people to cross the river! ”

"Xu Aiqing, then you can tell me that the salt politics of the previous dynasty was so rich, why did it decline in this dynasty?" Jiajing was noncommittal, but looked at Xu Jie quietly and asked.

"The minister also thought about this matter, but found that the situation in this dynasty is more complicated than that of the previous dynasty!" Xu Jie, with a loyal look, replied earnestly in the face of Jiajing's gaze.

Jiajing's brows furrowed slightly, and he asked Xu Jie, "For example?" ”

"People's hearts are not ancient, and private salt is overflowing!" Xu Jie seemed to have a draft, and immediately added: "The minister thinks that it is not the salt merchants who have taken huge profits, but the flood of illegal salt in this dynasty and the repeated prohibitions in the local area, so that the salt profits of the imperial court have entered the pockets of the private salt merchants!" ”

"You think it's all about the smugglers?" Jiajing frowned slightly, looked at Xu Jie, and asked.

Xu Jie immediately said eloquently: "The minister thinks that the situation is very complicated, not caused by private salt, but by many factors. And from the standpoint of the imperial court, we should not only pursue the increase in the revenue of the salt administration, but ignore the national capital and ignore the foundation of the salt administration! However, at present, the call for the government and the opposition to rectify the salt administration is extremely high, and the minister asks the emperor to send a capable minister to Huainan to rectify the salt government again, so as to block the mouth of the world! ”

Hey?

When Feng Bao heard this proposal, he couldn't help but look at Xu Jie in surprise. He naturally knew that Xu Jie had a close relationship with the two Huai salt merchants, but he didn't want to stab the two Huai salt merchants now.

Jiajing's eyebrows were slightly raised, and he looked at Xu Jie with a smile and said, "Is that really the case?" ”

"It's shallow on paper, and I never know that I have to do it!" Xu Jie replied with a quote from the poem.

Jiajing saw Xu Jie's attitude, and nodded and said, "Okay, who do you think is suitable!" ”

"This matter has always been sent from the Metropolitan Procuratorate, and the minister thinks that the left deputy capital Shi Dong Wei can take on this position!" Xu Jie looked up at Jiajing, and immediately listed a person.

Jiajing saw that Xu Jie was open-minded, and immediately replied: "I'm right!" ”

With this voice falling, the dispute surrounding the salt policy during this period is undoubtedly temporarily over.

The imperial court conformed to the trend of public opinion in the capital, and at the same time adopted Wu Shan's proposal and sent Dong Wei, the left deputy of the Imperial Palace, to rectify the salt administration.

After the scholars in the capital learned of this incident, they naturally did not make any more trouble, and they were very happy to accept this result, and they were very satisfied with this "pro-people" move of the imperial court.

"I said it a long time ago! Xu Ge Lao is different from Yan Song, he is a good first assistant who really thinks about the people! ”

After the incident came out, the incident about Xu Jie's request for the emperor to rectify the salt administration also spread in the capital, and many officials and scholars seemed to support Xu Jie.

Jintaifang, Lin Mansion.

Although today is not the first day of the new year, Yang Futian and others sacrificed this rare day of rest and gathered in the north of the city.

Yang Futian and others sat around the table, but the atmosphere was not active, and everyone did not raise a glass to celebrate.

"The left deputy capital Yu Shi Dong Wei came to rectify the salt administration, and if it can be effective, there will be ghosts!" After Ning Jiang poured himself a glass of wine and drank it, he complained.

"Just get used to it! This court is fighting for power and power, everyone is a good hand, I really want him to do something practical for the people, all of them are lazy and slippery! Yang Futian not only did not talk back, but echoed the words.

Xiao Jinian and the others listened to the complaints of the two people, and shook their heads gently.

The power of the Ming Dynasty is from above to bottom, and the reason why Yan Maoqing was able to promote the reform of the two Huai salt politics is precisely because of the strong support of Yan Song behind him. Even if he was counterattacked by local forces, he could still stay in that position unharmed.

On the other hand, Dong Wei is greedy and likes to climb to power. I was almost purged by the Xu Party last month, and this time I went to the local government to rectify the salt administration, either to make a fortune, or to take the opportunity to hug the thigh of the Xu Party, and it would be hellish if I could achieve results.

Lin Haoran took a sip of wine and said magnanimously: "Xu Jie is now the first assistant of our Ming Dynasty, as long as he is unwilling to touch the cake of the two Huai salt merchants, but no matter who is sent to Huainan, this rectification of the salt government is destined to have no effect." ”

"We're in vain?" When Sun Zhengang heard this, he immediately looked at Lin Haoran in disappointment and said.

Yang Futian and the others also looked at Lin Haoran, as if they also wanted to know the answer.

Lin Haoran met everyone's eyes, naturally knew what they needed at the moment, and immediately smiled and said, "How can we be regarded as Bai Zateng?" If it weren't for our action, I'm afraid that the Xu Party would have to restore the old practice for Huaiyan now, and the imperial court's salt tax revenue next year would have to be reduced again! ”

When Yang Futian and the others heard this, they immediately felt that everything was worth it.

"It's just that in the end, I suffered the people of Huguang!" Sun Zhengang is a native of Huguang, but when he heard the high price of salt in their prefecture and county, he sighed heavily.

The imperial court raised the salt tax of the two Huai salt merchants, but it was not the two Huai salt merchants who really suffered. Just like big fish eat small fish, small fish eat small shrimp, these salt merchants and the forces behind them are not ordinary people, and they have already spread the lost profits on the heads of the people.

"Brother Xingde, as long as I, Lin Ruoyu, don't fall, I will definitely wash away these maggots one day!" Lin Haoran looked at the frustrated Sun Zhengang and promised seriously.