In the Kunming Palace, Concubine Fu Hui, who had a bulging pregnant belly, sat with the queen Dafu and said some thoughtful words.

"You are pregnant, you should give birth to a good baby, the autumn is getting stronger, the weather is getting colder, pay attention to your diet, don't catch a cold!" Da Fu, as usual, tirelessly admonished his sister.

"Hmm!" Concubine Fu Hui answered softly, and then whispered: "I am also pregnant, people don't go out of the palace like this, and they endure hard work, but they don't care about the royal blood in their womb and earn a lot of fame!" ”

Listening to his sister say this, of course Da Fu knew what Xiao Fu was talking about, and sighed: "You go listen to those gossips again!" ”

Xiao Fu's tender lips curled, and said: "During this time, inside and outside the palace, it is being preached, saying that the noble concubine is filial, the queen mother also praises her, and the official family also loves her, but she just thinks she is pretentious!" ”

When Da Fu heard this, he couldn't help but look at his sister twice. Since she became pregnant, Concubine Fu Hui's temperament has changed very significantly, she is much more sensitive and sentimental, of course, there are some reasons why the emperor is cold, especially compared with Concubine Zhexian and Concubine Gao.

The queen probably understood her sister's feelings, and was not angry, but just stroked her hand and said with relief: "You! King Linqing died, after all, Mrs. Gao lost her father, and it is understandable that the official family took pity on her. But you can't, in the palace, behind the back, mixing those rights and wrongs, dividing the palace, giving birth to children for the official family, and spreading branches and leaves for the royal family, is the most important thing! ”

Xiao Fu Moth frowned lightly, and said to Da Fu: "I just can't listen to those people's rumors, saying that although my sister is the queen, the longest official in the palace is the concubine, and the official family's favorite is also the concubine......"

"During this time, the official family rarely came to my sister's side!"

Seeing this, Da Fu couldn't help but shake his head and pointed at Xiao Fu's forehead: "In your head, don't think about these things, in the deep palace, there are a lot of rights and wrongs, don't care about it." The official family is busy with state affairs, and he rarely cares about the harem, and I know that you are also lonely, so I have time to come to my side to sit. On the official's side, I will also tell him to let him take time to go to Chunlan Hall and accompany you. ”

"Sister, I didn't mean that......" Xiao Fu was also smart and couldn't help but say.

Raising his hand to stop her, Da Fu Yurong was very like a woman, and said in a warning tone: "The official family is ambitious, has the world in mind, and is diligent in national politics, which is already hard. You and I sisters, we are fortunate to be served, and we should be more considerate and serve with all our hearts. Don't let the officials worry about this jealousy thing! If your words reach the ears of the official family today, he will be unhappy! ”

Seeing Da Fu say this, Xiao Fu didn't dare to talk back, and responded obediently: "Yes!" ”

The two sisters talked about some happy topics again, such as the emperor summoning his father Wei Wang and the Tianxiong army to envoy Fu Yanqing to Beijing......

Xiaofu looked tired all the time, and only then did he take the initiative to let people carefully serve him back to the temple. After Xiao Fu left, Queen Fu couldn't help sighing, her well-behaved and quiet sister was now also born to compete for favor.

However, between the beautiful face of the queen of Fu, she couldn't help but feel a little unhappy, and the words that her sister said always had some influence in her heart, and it was impossible not to have any mustard at all. The noble concubine is fighting with her, not for a day or two.

Taking a deep breath, Empress Fu summoned the servant, between the phoenix eyebrows, showing majesty, and ordered: "Pass my words, the palace supervision bureaus, let the people in charge strictly restrain the below, and then there are those who play right and wrong and disturb the peace in the palace, they will be severely punished, and there will be no mercy!" ”

......

In the Han Palace, when he had a resentful daughter, Liu Chengyou was inspecting the Yamen of the Three Divisions. The three divisions are in charge of the world's finances, and they have checked the details of the court's revenue and expenditure since this year.

It can be said that spending money is like flowing water, and only the consumption of Huai and Yushu accounts for half of Thailand, not counting the subsequent rewards and aftermath pensions. Hedong's large-scale restructuring is far from enough to rely on the local treasury alone, and Tokyo has supported a number of fiscal and tax revenues. The rest of the consumption of soldiers, officials, and military equipment is also the majority.

In the past few years, the money and grain accumulated by the imperial court have been almost consumed under a series of big actions. However, today's big man is no longer as good as in the early years, with a lot of inputs, and most importantly, the share of local finance and taxes to Tokyo has risen sharply.

"Your Majesty, this is an official who has been transferred from the Third Division and is ready to be sent to the local area to clean up the finances!" Xue Juzheng, the third secretary, submitted a list.

"Oh, I'll see!" Liu Chengyou took over the imperial view, there were a lot of people, more than 20 people: "How are they arranged?" ”

"Back to Your Majesty, ten of them were sent to Guanzhong, and the rest were sent to Hebei. These people have been officials in the government for many years, are familiar with the tax system and government affairs, have financial management experience, and can do things! Xue Juzheng said.

"Who is the most outstanding?" Liu Chengyou asked.

"Zhang Mei, this person is shrewd and capable, good at writing and planning, starting from a small official, pulled out by the prince, during the Huainan War, planning grain and grass and military supplies, a matter of affairs, orderly, almost no mistakes!" Xue Juzheng replied, his words were full of appreciation: "This time I was sent to Guanzhong, and I could divide it into Yan and transfer it to make it hard!" ”

Liu Chengyou suddenly became interested, raised his finger and said, "I want to meet this person!" ”

Shaoqing, a middle-aged official dressed in a scarlet robe with a calm bearing, entered the shrine to pay homage: "Zhang Mei, the minister of the minister's branch, meet Your Majesty!" ”

"Flat!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Zhang Mei straightened up, bowed slightly, and waited for inquiry.

Liu Chengyou sat down, waved his hand, and looked at this person, calm, steady, neither humble nor arrogant, giving people the first impression that was very good.

Scanning the list, Liu Chengyou asked, "Do you know the duty of the imperial court to send you to Guanzhong?" ”

"Back to Your Majesty, Assistant Southwest Transit Envoy Yan Gong, clean up the Guanzhong Finance and Taxation!" Zhang Mei said.

"Do you know what the purpose of the court is?" Liu Chengyou stared at him.

In the face of the emperor's fierce eyes, Zhang Mei's face was not timid, and she responded in a deep voice: "For many years, the local finances and taxes have been different, each specializing in its own affairs, and this clean-up is to announce the tax law of the imperial court, eliminate chaos, unify the finances of Guanzhong, increase revenue from the imperial court, and supply military supplies to the southwest!" ”

Hearing this, Liu Chengyou was noncommittal, raised his eyelids, and said: "It's too condescending to only take you as the transfer envoy of Pizhou." In this way, since you did a good job in planning the conquest of military supplies in the past, then I will give you another chance to play and be promoted to the southwest grain envoy, specializing in the supply of military supplies in the southwest! ”

Zhang Mei was stunned, and Xue Juzheng hurriedly reminded: "Don't thank you yet!" ”

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"The Southwest Frontier Army, which I prepared for the destruction of Shu, is related to the military strategy, and you have a heavy responsibility, you should do it well, and it should be supplied, and there should be no shortage. I hope you will make persistent efforts and show your abilities, and you will live up to my entrustment and expectations! Liu Chengyou said.

Zhang Mei didn't see the excitement, she looked restrained, but solemnly responded: "The minister must keep in mind His Majesty's teachings, fulfill his duties, and live up to his mission!" ”

Unlike the hidden and secret preparations before the expedition, Liu Chengyou's plan to cut down Shu was fanfare and known all over the city. On Feng Xiang's side, Xiang Xun reorganized the troops, adjusted the garrison, and the movement was also very noisy.

When the news reached Shu, the Chengdu court was obviously shocked, just as Liu Chengyou expected, Meng Chang, the lord of Shu, had increased troops to Qin Feng from China, hoarded grain, grass and ordnance, and strengthened the imperial garrison. Li Tingjue, who was defeated in Donghe Village, Meng Chang not only did not punish him, but also issued an edict to comfort him, retaining him in Fengzhou, and letting him lead the army to defend it.

"Xue Qing this time, he is to scatter all the capable officials of the three divisions!" Liu Chengyou looked at Xue Juzheng.

Xue Juzheng replied: "It is the time to employ people in the locality, and the three divisions have cultivated and trained them, and it is precisely for this great plan that I only hope that they can be diligent in the king's affairs and live up to their trust!" ”

"What's going on over there in Hebei?" Liu Chengyou asked.

"The Yamen of the Transshipment Division has been prepared!" Xue Juzheng quickly responded: "Li Gong has been in office for many years, he is quite famous, he has rich experience in political affairs, and with Li Gong here, it is expected that there is no danger!" ”

Not long ago, Liu Chengyou issued an edict to set up a transshipment department in Hebei, with Li Gu, the former governor of Hengzhou, the judge of the Chengde army, and the Hebei transshipment envoy, to be fully responsible for the financial transshipment of Hebei prefectures and the supply of the army in the north.

"Li Gu's ability, I naturally believe it, he has been working hard for the country in Hengzhou all these years, but it is not easy!" Liu Chengyou said: "Praise now!" ”

"Your Majesty is sympathetic, how can the ministers not do their best to repay it!"

"Your Majesty the Southwest Transit Division, how are the soldiers?" Liu Chengyou asked again.

"Train the soldiers and horses to the capital supervisor, and there are 1,500 soldiers, and they will be assigned to the transfer department for use!"

Liu Chengyou nodded and said: "Financial reform will definitely touch its benefits, and the wealth is moving. In this way, I will transfer the soldiers in the pass and fill up two thousand! ”

"Yes!"

"There is another matter that needs to be consulted by Your Majesty!" After a long silence, Xue Juzheng arched his hand and said.

"Say!" Liu Chengyou asked.

"When the late prince was in office, he tried to 'save consumption', 'save Mo', 'eliminate', 'escalate' and 'raise estimates' to increase revenue and alleviate the financial constraints of the imperial court. At that time, the financial plan was difficult, and in order to alleviate the country's difficulties, it was done, and it has become a maladministration and has been complained about by Shinong industry and commerce. The ministers proposed to abolish it immediately, so as to show the virtues of the monarch! Xue Juzheng suggested.

On this premise, when Wang Zhang was in power, he formulated a lot of methods to accumulate wealth for the dismal finances of the Han Dynasty. For example, "saving consumption", the old system, autumn and summer seedling rent, one civil tax, don't lose two liters, called "finch and mouse consumption". Wang Zhang customized, lose one, don't let lose two buckets, called "saving consumption".

Since Liu Chengyou succeeded to the throne, although he has repeatedly lowered edicts and reduced taxes, he has not seen this "provincial consumption" system. The rest, such as those who "save strangers", are all changing the law and increasing taxes to generate income. At the beginning of the country, it did relieve a lot of pressure for the operation of the imperial court, and Wang Zhang also carried a lot of infamy for the son of the Han family.

Hearing this at this time, Liu Chengyou waved his hand and said directly: "But it is my negligence, the people have suffered for a long time, and for this kind of maladministration, all the edicts will be forgiven!" ”

"Your Majesty is wise!" Xue Juzheng was not surprised by the emperor's decision, and said: "When the people hear it, they will be delighted, so as to feel Your Majesty's grace!" ”

"If they don't scold me in their hearts, I'll be satisfied!"

Unconsciously, Liu Chengyou is paying more and more attention to fame.