When the news reached the capital, it was really like a thunderclap on the ground!

The whole bureaucracy was suddenly fried.

They don't even know what to say.

Originally, the situation was very favorable to them, they just needed to quietly watch them fight to the death, and then come out to clean up the mess.

But now, they have become the biggest losers.

The ups and downs of this life are so exciting.

East Pavilion.

"A dignified minister, he actually gave in to a businessman, but it really raised the face of us ministers!"

"He Wang Xijue is shameless, then it's okay, but why did he decide to hire Xinxing and Qianzhuang, as well as reduce tariffs, this is not in accordance with the rules, we must go to Your Majesty to participate in your copy."

"Hugh and I are ignorant, then Wang Xijue must have received Guo Dan's money, and we will investigate this matter strictly to the end."

......

Many officials and courtiers crowded into the main hall of the East Pavilion, angrily questioning Shen Shixing, Wang Jiaping, Xu Guo, Yu Youding and other ministers.

Shen Shixing just treated him coldly.

Watching them jump to their feet one by one, I only felt inexplicably happy in my heart.

Very, very painful.

How did things get to this point, didn't you just force it?

From beginning to end, you didn't really think about the country, you were thinking about Guo Dan before, and then you were thinking about the cabinet, as if this change was just a means in their eyes, not a policy.

It's good this time, smart is mistaken by smart!

All of them are exhausted, and the abacus is so loud that they have fallen into the trap of others.

At this time, they are more like a group of clowns jumping off the beam.

Refreshing!

In just one scene, Shen Shixing felt that he had done nothing wrong, and he gradually began to enjoy their anger.

"It's so lively!"

Suddenly, I heard someone talking outside.

Hey? The voice was somewhat familiar.

Li Zhi and the others turned their heads and were suddenly shocked.

The person who came was none other than Wanli, who had not appeared for a long time.

"Wechen see Your Majesty, long live my emperor, long live long live."

After a short period of stunned, the ministers suddenly came back to their senses, hurriedly stepped forward and knelt down to salute, and at the same time secretly glanced at Li Gui, as if to say, father-in-law! Where is your "emperor"?

Li Gui is innocent.

The reason why he didn't shout must be because Wanli didn't let him shout!

Wanli came to the chair and sat down, raised his hand and signaled, "Everyone, Aiqing is exempt." ”

"Your Majesty."

When the ministers stood up, Wanli smiled slightly: "I heard good news from Nanjing today, so I came here to ask." ”

When did the emperor become so diligent.

It's incredible!

"Your Majesty."

Li Zhi immediately said: "The minister has a book." ”

"What's the matter?"

"The minister wants to impeach Wang Xijue and the merchant Guo Dan for giving and accepting things privately, bending the law for personal gain, destroying the court system, and deceiving His Majesty and the court."

"Oh?"

Wanli frowned and said, "There is such a thing? ”

"Your Majesty, this is true."

"Your Majesty sent Wang Xijue to Nanjing to quell the people's grievances, but Wang Xijue secretly colluded with Xinxing and Yinuo Qianzhuang, and also promised to store the tax money in Yinuo Qianzhuang, and took the initiative to issue a notice of new tariffs without the review of the imperial court, so as to buy people's hearts and minds, in an attempt to deceive Your Majesty and cover up the truth about the failure of the new law." ”

Wanli's expression changed, and he looked at Shen Shixing seriously, "Shen Shoufu, can there be such a thing?" ”

Shen Shixing said: "Your Majesty, the matter is not what Ding Yushi said, after Wang Xijue went to Nanjing, he found that the new tariff law was indeed inadequate, so it caused some people to be dissatisfied with it.

If you want to appease the people's grievances, you must adjust the tariffs, and Wang Xijue heard that Xinxing has a high reputation in this regard, but all the amounts calculated by Xinxing are convincing to the people, so he hired Xinxing to recalculate the tariffs.

The imperial court also often hired private workshops to produce firearms and cotton armor, and the ministers felt that there was nothing wrong with this. ”

Wanli nodded, and then said to Li Zhi and the others: "Shen Shoufu is right, didn't the household department also hire Yinuoya to make financial statements." ”

"Your Majesty, things are not so simple, if you just hire Xinxing, the ministers will naturally not say anything, but Wang Xijue arbitrarily adopted the tariff calculated by Xinxing and announced it to the public, how can such a major matter not be reviewed by the imperial court?"

"Wang Xijue is eager, proving that there is a ghost in his heart, how can there be such a coincidence, whether it is Xinxing or Qianzhuang, but they all have a close relationship with Guo Dan, and as far as the minister knows, before that, Wang Xijue had a secret meeting with Guo Dan, and there must be something unscrupulous in this."

Wanli nodded and looked at Shen Shixing again.

Shen Shixing hurriedly said: "There is a reason for this matter, when Wang Xijue arrived in Nanjing, the situation there was already very critical, and the people were already armed to confront each other, and turmoil could break out at any time, so when Wang Xijue saw the tariffs counted by Xinxing, he immediately issued new tariffs, and the people's grievances immediately dispersed." ”

Wanli sighed and said curiously: "What's so wonderful about this tariff?" ”

Li Zhi and they were speechless for a while, are you listening to the story?

Shen Shixing said with a smile: "It's not that it's wonderful, it's actually a reduction in tariffs." ”

"Lower tariffs?"

Wanli was slightly stunned.

Shen Shixing nodded and said: "Yes, after the tariff is lowered, the people have no resentment in their hearts. ”

Yang Mingshen said: "Your Majesty, the tax matter is very high, this needs to be considered in the long run, how can it be decided rashly." ”

Wanli said with a smile: "Didn't you say it all just now, the situation was very critical at that time, and Wang Qing's family was also worried about causing civil unrest, so they decided to reduce tariffs, which is understandable!" ”

"Your Majesty, this is just Wang Xijue's words." Ding Jilu immediately said.

Shen Shixing said: "Wang Yiyi, the Shangshu of the Nanjing Military Department, and Tian Yi, the eunuch of the garrison, can testify, and they have also dispatched troops several times to prevent civil unrest. ”

If Wang Yiju heard this, he would have to faint, obviously Wang Xijue asked him to do this, but he didn't dare to say it, because Wang Xijue was only secretly instructed at that time, and it was they who came forward to provoke the struggle.

Shen Shixing continued: "As for saying that Wang Xijue and Guo Dan privately gave and received each other, it is even more nonsense, Wang Xijue has ordered Guo Dan to cancel the subsidy of Weihui Mansion, and to make a fine of 20,000 taels. ”

Wanli's expression immediately changed, and he said angrily: "How can this be reasonable, Guo Dan is just helping the people, what kind of law is this violating, why should Wang Qing's family punish Guo Dan, I don't allow this matter, you immediately order Wang Xijue and let them withdraw their punishment for Guo Dan." ”

Yang Ming couldn't help but be overjoyed when he saw that the emperor was angry, and just opened his mouth, he was stunned again.

Who should I support?

Li Zhi and the others were also depressed, which made them not know what to say.

Should Guo Dan be punished?

They can't really say it.

Punish Guo Dan?

Isn't that a contradiction to what they said before?

Wanli took advantage of their stunned moments, and suddenly said: "Okay, okay, I generally understand, this matter has come to this point, then try it first, if it doesn't work, then do it." ”

Try?

How could you try that?

"Your Majesty......."

Yang Mingshen and the others suddenly woke up, you just want to fool the past like this, when we are stupid.

Wanli raised his hand, stopped them, and said: "Regarding the case of Tang Wenwen, I have already seen the evidence you submitted, and I think that Tang Wenwen is not at fault. ”

Li Zhi and the others couldn't help but be stunned, and there was a cold sweat behind them.

This is a landmark event of this turmoil.

The two sides have been fighting over this matter, and Wanli's statement is the final word.

It's no joke.

Wanli has already decided to support the cabinet.

Why didn't he support it before, it was very simple, because Guo Dan had not been involved in it before, and he didn't want the cabinet to have too much power, but now that Guo Dan has achieved absolute control over tariffs, he no longer has any worries.

However, Wanli's statement also declared that the entire bureaucracy had become the biggest loser in this incident.

This also includes the Cabinet.

The purpose of the cabinet was also not achieved, and instead of strengthening the power of the cabinet, it only made the court more divided. In the future, it will be even more difficult to centralize power.

The biggest winner is naturally the pair of Wanli and Guo Dan.

They got everything they wanted.

And it's not just silver.

Guo Dan has a certain control over the canal, laying a solid foundation for the future transportation of silk, porcelain, and tea to Tianjin, and at the same time, Guo Dan completed the dragon crossing the river, established a foothold in the south of the Yangtze River, and controlled the raw material market.

Of course, Guo Dan is only in control, and it is actually Wanli who benefits, this money belongs to Wanli, and even Guo Dan's money belongs to Wanli.

Without Wanli's support, Guo Dan would not have been able to have this kind of wealth.

Not only that, but Wanli will also receive tariffs.

In fact, there are not many tariffs, but Guo Dan assured Wanli that the commercial tax will be the big one in the future, but if you wait until the commercial tax rises, and then you come to seize the commercial tax, it will be very difficult, this is the best time to start.

......

Nanking!

Wang Xijue, who made the decision without permission, was not panicked at all, he knew that there could be no problems in the capital, after all, the emperor was the mastermind of the whole thing.

Guo Dan also immediately took out 20,000 taels to solve some stubborn problems on the canal, especially some places that would affect farmland.

Today, Wang Xijue and Guo Dan came to inspect the river embankment.

"Alas......!"

Wang Xijue suddenly sighed.

Guo Dan was curious: "Why are you sighing? ”

Wang Xijue glanced at him and said, "The official has been busy for most of the day, and he actually made a wedding dress for you, ..... kid." ”

Speaking of this, he looked at a group of craftsmen who were building the river embankment on the bank, "But if you want to say that you kid is hateful, but you have taken out so much money to solve the stubborn problem that the government has not been able to solve, and the old man can't figure out whether to lose or win." ”

Guo smiled lightly: "Whether the adults win or lose, the grass people don't know, but the grass people are definitely the biggest losers." ”

Wang Xijue looked at him in surprise.

Pharmacy Bilian?

Guo Dan smiled bitterly: "The grass people pay taxes every year, not a penny, and they have fulfilled all the obligations of a common people, and the purpose of my tax payment, of course, is to hope that the country will be better, but the problem is still the same, and there has been no improvement, and these problems should be solved by the imperial court, and there is no half-penny relationship with the grass people, but the imperial court just can't solve it, and the grass people can only go on their own." If the imperial court governs the country in an orderly manner, why should the grass people work for this god. ”

Wang Xijue's face turned red.

This is a fact, and he also agrees with it very much, he just sees that the current court can't do anything, no matter what the cabinet does, the courtiers have to oppose it, and this is anxious, so he thinks of using the new tariff law to strengthen the power of the cabinet.

Stunned for a while, Wang Xijue suddenly showed a smile, at this moment he also figured it out, the court can't do anything, he also tried hard, but still didn't succeed, then it is better to let Guo Dan do it.

At least not like a dead man.

He suddenly asked again, "That's right! One thing, I've always wondered, is you really able to afford to clean up the river if you lower so many tariffs? You can't hide it, I'll have to explain it to the other capitals. ”

Guo Dan shook his head and said: "Actually, you can't get it, this definitely requires the household department to allocate money and subsidies." ”

"You...!"

Wang Xijue couldn't help but say angrily: "You are trying to harm me!" ”

At that time, the household department will definitely not be willing to allocate money.

The ministers will not agree.

Guo smiled lightly: "My lord, don't stare at me!" I am also innocent, it was His Majesty who wanted to do this, if the household department refused to allocate money, then let the household department calculate all the customs duties to His Majesty's account, whether it is more or less, Your Majesty will bear it. ”

Wang Xijue was stunned, how did he come around here, suddenly, he suddenly realized, and immediately gritted his teeth and said: "You are really cautious!" ”

He really didn't expect that Guo Dan had buried a trap here, he had already said that the tariff would pay for the governance of the river, and if he regretted it, the household department would not agree, and the local government would definitely not agree.

Then he will have a hard time riding a tiger.

Guo Dan's meaning is very clear, if this tariff is not on the fat house account for a day, it will be lost forever, how much money can you take out to fill it.

It is clear that it is to prevent them from cheating.

"Don't blame you, adult, it's not that I don't believe you, I just don't trust other people." Guo Dan said with a smile.

Wang Xijue snorted angrily, but didn't say anything.

He also knew that Guo Dan's worries were indeed necessary, because now the imperial court is really often ripping off, and a big thing may be able to be involved for a year, and how to transfer the tariff to Wanli is of course a very troublesome matter.

Even if they do, it will take a long time.

Guo Dan said: "I'm also thinking about you, my lord, this kind of thing can't be hidden, there has to be a reason, as long as the tariff can't afford the management of the river, the ministers of the court and the central government will definitely make trouble again, and the adults only need to push the boat down the river." ”

Wang Xijue has thoroughly understood that Guo Dan is actually trying to force the household department to take the initiative to transfer the account to the inner government.

It can only be said that Guo Dan took good care of them.

This avenue has really helped them get to the end.

The only thing they have to do is follow this avenue.