When people in the north talk about the Wuyue area in the south of the Yangtze River, most of them will think of the 480 temples in the Southern Dynasties, how many buildings are hazy in the smoke and rain; The sunrise river flowers are red, and the spring river is as green as blue; A Sichuan tobacco, the city is full of wind and flocculent, and the plum is yellow and the melancholy of the rain......

And Yangzhou has been a very famous city since ancient times, "fireworks in March down Yangzhou", what "waist around 100,000 runs, riding cranes down Yangzhou" such adjectives are many, and there are many poems about Yangzhou.

It's just that Zhu Youxiao came to Yangzhou at this time, and he didn't have any heart to go shopping. I came to Yangzhou to do things, how could I wander around?

The reason why I ran to Yangzhou so quickly was because I was afraid that the news from Nanjing would spread.

Once the news from Nanjing spreads, things will be difficult to do. In such a situation, it is the best choice to go directly to Yangzhou.

When Zhu Youxiao arrived in Yangzhou, everyone didn't know about it, so it can be said that it came quietly.

Zhu Youxiao took a boat, dressed as a rich boy who was playing, and came directly to Yangzhou.

After arriving in Yangzhou, he naturally lived in Lichun Courtyard in Yangzhou for the first time.

Just listen to the name, you know that this Lichun Courtyard is the industry of Jinyiwei in Yangzhou, or Chen Hong's industry in Yangzhou.

At the same time that Zhu Youxiao lived in Lichun Courtyard, people from the whole Yangzhou began to enter one after another. In addition to Zhu Youxiao's guards, there are also people transferred by Zhu Youxiao.

For Zhu Youxiao, nothing is as important as his own safety.

When night fell, Yangzhou also became brightly lit. Compared with Nanjing City, Yangzhou's liveliness can be said to be surpassed.

It's just that Zhu Youxiao doesn't have any appreciation. Standing by the window on the second floor, holding a cup of tea in his hand, Zhu Youxiao took a sip from time to time.

Behind Zhu Youxiao, there were a few people standing honestly. In addition to Chen Hong and Wei Chao, there were also Qi Yuangong and Xu Xianchun.

In addition to this, there is also a more face-to-face person.

This person is naturally the person in charge of Yangzhou Lichun Academy, and his name is Wei Changsheng.

He is in his thirties, very rich, and has a mustache.

At this time, Wei Changsheng's body was slightly bent, his hands were placed in front of him, and he stood there with a serious face, with a respectful look on his face.

It's really disrespectful, and there is no one here that he can afford to mess with.

Zhu Youxiao glanced at the people behind him and asked, "Everyone has been arranged?" ”

"Back to the emperor, everyone has already been arranged." Wei Chao hurriedly said: "The people of the Qing Officials Division live in the courtyard at the back, and several adults are also arranged on the inns on both sides, and no one notices. ”

This time I came to Yangzhou, and it was not only those businessmen who wanted to be investigated, but also officials.

Under such circumstances, it is naturally impossible for Zhu Youxiao to come over alone, and it is impossible for Jinyiwei to investigate.

The Jinyi guards are responsible for arresting and interrogating, and they are very good at this, but they are not good at other aspects.

Professional things are handed over to professional people to do, and Zhu Youxiao understands the truth of this sentence very well.

Now that he heard that all the officials he brought had been arranged, Zhu Youxiao nodded.

This can begin.

Zhu Youxiao turned around, glanced at Wei Changsheng and said, "Yangzhou is a good place, just look at you." It's been a good time in Yangzhou in the past few years, right? ”

After hearing this, Wei Changsheng hurriedly took a step forward, his heart pounding.

Your Majesty said that you are doing well, and this is something to ponder. Are you careless?

If His Majesty has such an idea, let alone his own future, his life may not be saved.

Wei Changsheng hurriedly said: "Back to Your Majesty, since the minister came to Yangzhou, he didn't dare to slack off in the slightest, it can be said that he is working day and night, and please ask Your Majesty to be clear." ”

"I never look at that." Zhu Youxiao said in a calm tone: "What I look at is the result. ”

"If you can do it this time, that's good. How much do you know about Chen Zhenglin, the transport envoy of Yangzhou? Did this person commit adultery or accept bribes? ”

Zhu Youxiao looked at Wei Changsheng and said in a very casual tone: "Don't say that you don't know anything in Yangzhou for a few years. ”

There are many things in this world that are deceived and not hidden, and the things that the people above don't know don't mean that the people below don't know.

What's more, after Wei Changsheng arrived in Yangzhou, with the cooperation of the Internal Affairs Office and Jinyiwei, if he couldn't find anything, then there would be something here.

"Back to Your Majesty, Chen Zhenglin is quite upright as an official, and he never accepts money. It's just that this person has always liked vassal elegance, and basically has no resistance to celebrity calligraphy and paintings, antiques and other things. So the salt merchant started from this aspect, and gave him a lot of good things over the years. ”

"Especially Chen Zhenglin likes red sleeves to add fragrance, and the salt merchants have been able to do what they like over the years, and they will send a few people to his house every year. In Yangzhou City, it has long been no secret. ”

Wei Changsheng said as he looked at Zhu Youxiao cautiously.

Seeing that Zhu Youxiao's expression had not changed, Wei Changsheng continued: "The atmosphere here in Yangzhou is like this, the style of those salt merchants is very extravagant, and they do more things on weekdays. ”

"If you hold a poetry meeting or something, these salt merchants will also pay for it. Every year during the imperial examination system, they are relatively busy. And once there is a talent somewhere, they will also send some silver, and they will also send someone over, basically they are beautiful women they have trained. ”

"These women will be cultivated from an early age, proficient in piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, poetry and songs, and their appearance is also first-class. They are also very measured in their send-offs on weekdays, and they can be said to be not inferior to everyone's misses. Such a beautiful thing as red sleeves and incense is very common in Yangzhou City,"

After Zhu Youxiao heard this, he glanced at Wei Changsheng and said, "It's still insightful, are there anything else?" ”

"Back to Your Majesty," Wei Changsheng said, "there are still some." Not only did these people do this, but they also gave gardens, women, fields, and houses to officials. There is only what you can't think of, and there is nothing they can't think of. As soon as there's the slightest wind on your side, they'll deliver something. ”

"In addition to that, they will also mediate in officialdom. For example, if something happens to an official, they will help them go through the path of connections. After all, they have great powers, and many things can be settled. ”

"In addition, when officials are promoted, they will also give silver; If someone wants to be promoted, they will also help, and they will participate in things like invitations. ”

"In short, if a scholar falls in love with them, then he will live a good life when he is studying, the money will not be used endlessly, and the red sleeves will add incense, and the ranking of the imperial examination will be very good; After becoming an official, the people in the family will also be taken care of by them, and they will have houses, fields, and shops. ”

"And he himself is above the officialdom, they will also help, and they will deal with it when there is an assessment and promotion. So their power is huge. ”

Zhu Youxiao looked at Wei Changsheng and said with a smile: "There is still one thing missing from what you said, if you let me do this, I will hold the imperial examination in my hand." ”

"I will use all kinds of methods to achieve this goal, whether it is bribing the examiner, bribing the local officials, in a word, no matter how much it costs, I will do it."

"If you can really do that, if you want to be admitted to the imperial examination, then you have to obey; If they don't obey, they don't want to think about getting in. ”

"Only by obedience will they have a future. In this way, it is a combination of grace and power. It is good to follow me, and if you don't follow me, you will not get anything. ”

After hearing this, several people in the room had some strange expressions.

No one expected Zhu Youxiao to say such a thing, obviously this was beyond their expectations.

Emperor, is it really good for you to say that?

But in fact, after hearing this, everyone's hearts were shocked.

If it is really according to what Zhu Youxiao said, these people can do this, then this matter will be a big deal. In this way, they have a lot of things in their hands.

In fact, in Zhu Youxiao's view, that's what the Donglin Party did back then. The financiers behind the Donglin Party paid them to build academies, and then vigorously collected and cultivated scholars, built momentum for them, gave them money, made them famous, sent them women, and made them officials. ”

I don't know if I can buy it when I take the exam, but Zhu Youxiao believes that cheating can't be stopped at all.

What's more, in the era of the Ming Dynasty, they are so rich, there is nothing they can't do.

In the United States in later generations, anyone with money could buy a prestigious university, let alone in the Ming Dynasty?

How could the political environment in the United States be better than the current Ming Dynasty?

But the result? Isn't it the same?

The imperial examination sends their own people up, the officialdom allows their own people to be promoted, the officials in the front promote the officials in the back, and the officials in the back support the officials in the front, and a complete closed loop is formed.

At the same time, in the academy, everyone can pinpoint the disadvantages of the times and come up with a complete set of theories. Our policy and current political thinking are all about the kind of things that "sound useful, but we can't do it."

Anyway, it's not easy to criticize and be a keyboard warrior?

Just keep your voice loud.

"Why don't you speak?" Zhu Youxiao's gaze swept over everyone and said.

Who would dare to talk about this kind of topic?

The emperor can talk nonsense, but they can't?

Several people's eyes all fell on Wei Changsheng.

Wei Changsheng didn't dare to speak.

He knew all the things he said before, but he didn't know what His Majesty said, so he couldn't talk nonsense in front of His Majesty.

What's more, he also has the lowest status among the people on the scene, so it's best not to say anything.

But the men all looked at him.

Can you please not look at me? Take your eyes back!

No, it's too stressful! I still have to say something.

Wei Changsheng took a step forward and said, "Back to Your Majesty, the minister doesn't know about this matter. I beg your Majesty's forgiveness. ”

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