After having lunch with Concubine Huang Shufei's mother and son, and telling Shi Chongjie not to delay his studies, and to go to the palace to accompany his mother when he has time, Shi Fangzhen drove back to the imperial study. As the Son of Heaven, he was very diligent and self-disciplined, and every afternoon he was in the imperial study to deal with the recitals and state affairs.

The rain was heavy, although walking in the corridor, the rain was blown by the wind and flew in, Liu Weiguo held an umbrella, carefully shielded the wind and rain for the Son of Heaven, and the rain hung down along the edge of the corridor, and hung bead curtains on both sides. Shi Fangzhen stood still, looking at the majestic imperial city, the red wall and blue tiles were washed in the rain and were extremely amazing, and the corner of the eaves was exposed not far away, like a goshawk spreading its wings, breaking through the wind and rain.

The sight is getting farther and farther away, Shi Fangzhen has grown up in the palace since he was a child, and has lived for forty-five years, and he is extremely familiar with every grass and tree: the grand Hanyuan Palace, the dignified and majestic Xuanzheng Palace, the strict and cheerful Zichen Palace, the golden and brilliant Kun'an Palace, the noble and simple Shou'an Palace, the exquisite and elegant Shujing Palace, and the poetic and picturesque Leyou Garden, the imperial garden full of exotic flowers and plants, these all kinds of synthesis in front of the beautiful and solemn forbidden city.

The imperial city has been expanded and repaired in the hands of the Son of Heaven in the past dynasties, and Emperor Zhao and Emperor Xuan were even more large-scale construction, expanding the area of the imperial city by half, but the luxurious building consumed the vitality of Dazheng, and the Yuan Tianjiao had an incident, and disputes in the world were frequent.

Reigned fifteen years, Shi Fangzhen has never built a palace, even if it is a small pavilion, time passes, many old palaces are in disrepair, abandoned and long grass, some time ago inadvertently passed through the Pinghong Palace, found that the bluestone potholes in front of the palace are different, and the barren grass has grown a foot high, and the corner of the Muyun Building not far away collapsed, revealing a decadent gray.

As the master of this imperial city, the ruler of the world, Shi Fang really feels that he is connected with the imperial city's flesh and blood, and his heart is connected, and the majesty, heaviness, and desolation of the imperial city are all in his heart.

Stretching out his hand and patting the pillar beside him, Shi Fang said silently in his heart: Old man, be patient, wait for more time, I will drive the people of the Northern Desert to make you look new, I heard that Li Man asked people to build a palace in the royal court, and those people of the Northern Desert will actually make palaces, and wait for me to set the royal court in the north and arrest the people of the Northern Desert to do coolies, so that you will not be afraid of losing money and labor, I will definitely dress you up majestic.

Looking north, the Wushi Khan, who had scared him, didn't know how long he could hold on, and he secretly sent people to support Liman, hoping that Liman, who was at a disadvantage, could compete with his brother, as long as the grasslands fought with each other for three or five years, I would be able to personally lead the royal division to smash the Northern Desert royal court and remove hundreds of years of trouble. Shi Fangzhen's face showed an excited red light, the trouble of the Northern Desert, after the Great Wei and the present dynasty, if I can put an end to this trouble, the history books will definitely be able to pass on the merits through the ages.

Stretching his waist, Shi Fangzhen shook up his spirits and walked towards the imperial study again. In front of the steps of the study, Feng Zhong had been waiting for a while with the black box in his hand, and walked into the imperial study behind the Son of Heaven, a palace maid handed over a hot towel, Shi Fangzhen wiped it off, and asked: "Feng Zhong, Huazhou Mei Hongmin did not listen to the dispatch, causing the remnants of the Yuan Tianjiao to flee out of the country, have you and Han Zhi verified it?" ”

On August 23, the Son of Heaven was furious when he received Wang Zuoguo's report about Mei Hongmin, and his henchmen fled to the Western Regions, which would be even more difficult to arrest in the future. Mei Hongmin is Zhu Zipu's favorite general, and Zhu Taiwei's face is still a few points, but his disgust with Zhu Zipu is a little heavier.

convened Zhu Zhipu to reprimand him severely, and Zhu Zhipu pleaded guilty after being trained, but he defended that Mei Hongmin was a military general, and he knew the truth of the order and prohibition, and he was suspicious of not listening to the dispatch, so that the Son of Heaven could verify Mei Hongmin's guilt in many ways, and if it was true, he would need to be severely punished.

Shi Fangzhen asked Feng Zhong to verify this matter, Wang Zuoguo was the person sent by Feng Zhong, and he had already sent someone to send a batch of jade jewelry to Feng Dutong, and Feng Zhong naturally wanted to speak for Wang Zuoguo. The Son of Heaven asked Feng Zhong to verify the results, and Feng Zhong naturally sued Mei Hongmin for a confession, and easily told Mei Hongmin that Jiang Anyi was embarrassed, and that the bandits wanted to open the silver.

Shi Fangzhen said angrily: "Huazhou has been invaded by foreign enemies, and I let Mei Hongmin garrison Huazhou is a stable place, this person actually has to open up silver when he sends troops, it is unheard of, Jiang Anyi is too weak." Mei Hongmin was so unruly that he was afraid that he had missed my major event, so he sent a decree to demote Mei Hongmin to the rank of general of Dingyuan, in order to set an example, and the garrison of his department was led by his deputy Xuanwei General Guan Pingzhong, and told him that if necessary, the state government should try its best to cooperate. ”

From General Zhuangwu to General Dingyuan, he was demoted three levels in a row.

Fang Zhen opened the black box and began to read the spy reports reported by Long Wei and the dark guard, the territory was quite peaceful, the Yuan Tianjiao had entered a dormant period, the state and county implemented tax consolidation for the benefit of the people, some small contradictions did not affect the overall situation, in general, the wind and waves were calm and the world was peaceful.

Putting the spy back into the black box, Shi Fang Zhen said: "The remnants of the Yuantian Sect have fled to the Western Regions, where are they now?" What measures has Wang Zuoguo taken? ”

"Long live, according to the spy report of the Western Regions, Liu Ziwei and others of the Yuantian Sect appeared in the Rong Mi Kingdom, but some of Wei Dachang's people did not know what to do, and Long Wei did not have many secret agents in the Western Regions, so he could not get accurate information. Wang Zuoguo was in Bingzhou, and he reported that he had found clues about the theft and sale of winch crossbows, and was searching for melons along the way, and he would soon be able to crack the case of stealing and selling ordnance. ”

"Okay, this Wang Zuoguo still has some skills, what is the situation quickly reported to me, I want to know who is so bold and reckless, using the country's sharp weapons for profit, it is really killable." Shi Fangzhen slammed it heavily on the table.

The little eunuch came in and reported: "Lord Jingzhao Yin Gao Jin will see you." ”

Shi Fangzhen motioned for Feng Zhong to step back, and then said, "Please let him in." ”

The thin old man entered the study, bowed his hand, and Shi Fangzhen said: "Gao Qing is here, give me a seat." ”

Jingzhao Mansion Yin is in charge of the civil affairs and security of the Yongchang Imperial Capital and the three nearby counties, the position is high and powerful but extremely difficult, there are many powerful people in Kyoto, there are not a few people who are lawless and bully men and women, since Shi Fangzhen ascended the throne, Jingzhao Mansion Yin has changed twelve people within ten years. In the tenth year of Fengle, Gao Yizhi was promoted from Jiangzhou Assassin Shi to Jingzhao Mansion Yin, and sent people to arrest the wife and nephew of Yicheng Marquis Wang Keyan, the grandson of the former Guogong Li Zhirou, and other six Jingzhong gentlemen, and severely punished the sixty boards in the court, and ordered that they were not allowed to appear in Yongchang City again.

The Wang family and the Li family impeached Gao Yizhi for his misdeeds, Shi Fangzhen severely reprimanded him in court, fined the six families 1,000 taels of silver, and ordered that these six gentlemen be assigned to serve in the Qianzhou Annan Metropolitan Protectorate, and they would not be allowed to return to Beijing for 20 years without merit. The support of the Son of Heaven made Gao Yizhi let go of his actions, and the children of nobles and eunuchs in Beijing avoided disasters and left Beijing, and the atmosphere of the imperial capital was clear. Shi Fangzhen relied more and more on Gao Yizhi, especially before the six Shangshu.

The powerful forces in the capital are intertwined, although Gao Yizhi has the support of the Son of Heaven, he is still struggling, and he can't defend himself with open guns and hidden arrows.

Looking at the white hair on Gao Yizhi's head, Shi Fangzhen felt a little guilty, he remembered that Gao Yizhi was only fifty-four years old this year, but he looked like a sixty-year-old man.

"Gao Qing, you are tired, I know that it is not easy to govern the Jingshi, you will work hard for another two years, I will find the right person to let you recuperate with peace of mind, you just have to rest assured, I have to protect you thoroughly."

Shi Fangzhen's heartfelt words moved Gao Yizhi deeply, and he got up and said: "Long live Shengen, the minister is grateful." Only by doing your best and being loyal to the king can you repay it. ”

Motioning for Gao Yi to sit upright, Shi Fangzhen said: "I summoned Gao Qing to inquire about something. I heard from the queen that the palace was short of goods in the East Market, and many spice and treasure shops were closed, what happened? ”

"This is indeed the case", Gao Yi said straightly: "The minister personally went to the East Market to see, and indeed many shops selling in the Western Regions have closed. The minister asked the store, saying that Huazhou strictly prohibits the outflow of goods from the Western Regions, and wants to trade in the local border market, and the merchant has no supply of goods, so he has to close his business. ”

Shi Fang Zhenyi frowned, he approved the opening of the border market in Huazhou, and Jiang Anyi promised to pay an extra two million taels of commercial taxes every year, but even if the border market is traded, the goods in the Western Regions will flow out, how can there be no supply?

"Gao Qing, what do you think about this matter?"

"The price of commodities in the Western Regions of the Eastern City has risen by three percent," Gao Yizhi continued: "After Jiang Tingshi collected the transaction tax and transit tax in Huazhou, the cost has risen, and those who can afford to buy these Hu people's things are rich families, and whether the price rises or not has little impact on them, let alone ordinary people." However, the lack of supply is a big problem, I am afraid that it will affect the commercial tax and prosperity of Beijing, and many merchants in the Northern Desert have gone back empty-handed. Long live the order, ask Jiang Thorn Shi what's going on? ”

Huazhou, Thorn History.

Sima Hua Siyuan brought a headache to Jiang Anyi, Huazhou and the Western Regions are not bordered, and there is a Gobi Desert about 400 miles wide and more than 1,000 miles long. The scattered supply points are places where horse thieves sell their stolen goods and indulge in indulgence, and these towns are known as places outside the law, where Jiang Anyi passed by Xiaoji Town when he returned to Dazheng from Weicheguo, where he bought thunder guns and star-shooting bows, and where he found people selling winch crossbows.

Hua Siyuan said in a deep voice: "Lord Jiang, Xiaguan has received many complaints from businessmen that their goods were robbed by horse thieves in the Gobi Desert. ”

The trade of the Western Regions has always been accompanied by horse thieves, these merchants will hire guards and dart masters to protect the goods, and even form a large caravan, and the dry bones of dart masters and horse thieves can be seen everywhere in the Gobi Desert.

"Lingji County Ning Shilang Mansion sent to say that as long as the state government sends someone to recapture the goods for them, the goods of Ning Mansion will be directly traded in the border market in the future." Hua Sicheng said with a smile.

Jiang Anyi's eyes lit up, Ning Shanxing's father, Mrs. Ning, was very influential in Huazhou, if he promised to trade the goods in the border market, he should lead a group of people, and the deadlock in front of him could be broken.

"How many horse thieves are there? Is it a gang? Jiang Anyi asked.

Hua Siyuan said: "The horse thieves described by the robbery should be the same gang, there are more than 200 people, like a new one, they don't pay attention to the rules, they are not only robbed of goods but also killed, I heard that Weiyuan Dart Bureau lost dozens of good players." ”

Jiang Anyi thought about it: "Brother Hua, you send someone to the Weiyuan Dart Bureau to inquire about the situation, send someone to the Gobi Desert to inquire, and then make plans after asking clearly." ”