Wei Zhongxian seemed to want to see through Wei Bao's true thoughts.

Wei Bao was a little hairy by Wei Zhongxian's electric gaze, but his performance was quite calm.

After nearly a year of political baptism, he has been at the top of Ming politics, and has a strong force, Wei Bao's temperament has long been different from what it used to be, and he has the aura of some high-ranking officials.

Li Yongzhen glanced at Wei Zhongxian, and Wei Zhongxian motioned for Li Yongzhen to speak alone.

Li Yongzhen said: "Lord Wei, you are a rare talent in the Ming Dynasty, at this time you are in your youth, it is time to make great achievements, make contributions, and contribute to the imperial court, why do you want to resign?" ”

"Back to the nine thousand years old and Father-in-law Li, I am really a shallow learner, and my ability is limited, so I can't take on any big responsibilities. Moreover, I am not used to the deceit of officialdom, fighting back and forth, I am rough in nature, and I still prefer life in the mountains. Wei Bao said.

These words were all thought of by Wei Baolai before, anyway, no matter what he said, Lao Tzu is going to resign!

Li Yongzhen smiled slightly, didn't pay attention to what Wei Bao said, and directly brought out the thoughts he had said to Wei Zhongxian before: "Lord Wei, the old slave knows that you want to open a treaty port, and you want to reorganize all the sailors of the Ming Dynasty, for the sake of the imperial court, to make silver for the imperial court to make up for the holes, and if you want to do things, it is nothing to suffer a little grievance, these grievances are all trivial matters." Do you think this is okay, hand over the Yamen of the Governor of Haiphong to you, and ask Your Majesty to actually appoint Lord Wei as the governor of Zhengsanpin, and transfer the Shandong Army back, which is still under the jurisdiction of the governor of Denglai! The Yamen, the governor of Haiphong, was only in charge of one part of Hejian Prefecture, and Shandong and Denglai were still under the jurisdiction of the Governor of Shandong and Denglai, and the Cangzhou Mansion was reassigned to the jurisdiction of Beizhili. Now that the situation in Liaodong is stable, the authority of Lord Wei to supervise the army in Liaodong will be relieved, and in the future, Lord Wei will concentrate on the Yamen of the Governor of Haifeng, how about it? ”

Li Yongzhen didn't beat around the bush, he said it all in one go, agreed or disagreed, it was all Wei Bao's words.

Wei Bao understood Li Yongzhen's meaning as soon as he heard it, although he couldn't tell whether this was Li Yongzhen's meaning or Wei Zhongxian's meaning, but for Wei Bao, it didn't matter, it didn't matter who meant it.

Because, Li Yongzhen's arrangement is in Wei Bao's arms.

Wei Bao was secretly amused, how could Li Yongzhen and Wei Zhongxian, the eunuchs who stayed in the Forbidden City all day long, understand military affairs, they didn't understand military affairs, let alone what was going on with the Bao Army.

There are more than 50,000 soldiers and horses in Shanhaiguan, as well as more than 50,000 people in Denglai's army, all of which have been reorganized.

Except for some of the original hereditary generals, most of the rest are officers of the Bao Army, which means that these two armies have been firmly controlled by him Wei Bao.

As long as Wei Bao is still in the wild, there will be no accidents.

Even if Wei Bao really resigns and returns to his hometown, these two armies will still be under his control, unless there is a major purge of all generals and soldiers.

In that case, the operation will be big, and with laymen like Wei Zhongxian and Li Yongzhen, they can't imagine that grassroots officers can control an entire army!

Therefore, what Li Yongzhen raised is not a problem for Wei Bao at all!

Wei Bao wanted to agree to it, but the officialdom experience during this period of time made Wei Bao's city government a lot deeper, and he knew that if he agreed too quickly, it might not have a good effect, and the other party might be suspicious.

Wei Bao knew very well what Wei Zhongxian wanted, Wei Zhongxian wanted silver, but he didn't want to offend himself to death, so he completely turned himself into a hostile angle, and wanted to cut off the military power in his hands, at least the military power of the infantry army, maybe Wei Zhongxian felt that the water division was not a big threat to the capital, and it was not a big threat to the safety of him and the emperor.

These are not a problem for Wei Bao, the more than 50,000 troops in Shanhaiguan, as well as the more than 50,000 troops in Denglai, are already completely controlled by the officers of the Heaven and Earth Hui Bao Army, and have completed a comprehensive reorganization, more than half of them are soldiers of the Bao Army, and in another month or two, the other newly recruited soldiers and hereditary soldiers of the Ming Army will also be transformed, and those who can't be reformed will definitely be kicked out.

Anyway, all in all, the army of Shanhaiguan and the army of Denglai have been completely controlled by themselves.

Even if he was removed from his post as the supervisor of the Liaodong Army, even if Denglai, Shandong, and Cangzhou Prefectures were re-demarcated from the jurisdiction of the Governor of Haiphong, only one Hejian Province would be placed under the jurisdiction of the Yamen of the Governor of Haiphong, and there would still be a large number of seaports under the rule of the Yamen of the Governor of Haiphong.

As long as the treaty ports can be fully opened and all the Ming army sailors can be controlled, these are not problems.

Even if the governor of Denglai is replaced by Wei Zhongxian's people, Wei Zhongxian's people don't want to control Denglai's army, and when Wei Zhongxian finds out this, he must have completed the control of the water division, and when the time comes, he will have more bargaining chips to fight with Wei Zhongxian!

It's just that Wei Bao can't easily let Wei Zhongxian find out that he is willing to accept his request, he must pretend to be very reluctant, very embarrassed, and can't show it too deliberately, which is a test of acting skills.

"Gonggong Li, nine thousand years old is here, nine thousand years old is my benefactor, just like my father, I can't lie in front of nine thousand years old. I, Wei Bao, don't care about these powers at all, and I haven't thought about eating soldiers' salaries, the army I have organized is all real, and there are as many people as there should be! So, what's the use of me asking for so many armies? Whoever likes to go to it, I like to do business properly. I went on a career in office, just to make it easier to do business, and I also wanted to rely on my own intelligence to serve the court. But the experience of being an official during this period of time is too tiring, so to speak, it makes me exhausted, and I feel too difficult. Now I know 9,000 years old, His Majesty is also good to me, my father-in-law is a British duke, even if I resign and do some small business, no one should embarrass me, I believe that with my intelligence, I can't do anything big, and doing some small business is still not a big problem. In that case, why should I work so hard in officialdom? Wei Bao said seriously: "So, please be gracious to Duke Li, please be gracious to the nine thousand years old, please allow me to resign and return to my hometown, I don't want all official positions, even this title, if you can, the court will take it back, and I have no complaints." I just want to live a peaceful and ordinary life, and I don't want to live a life in fear. ”

When Li Yongzhen heard this, he glanced at Wei Zhongxian, and he didn't know whether Wei Bao was telling the truth or nonsense.

Wei Zhongxian was also weighing Wei Bao's words and judging Wei Bao's intentions.

In fact, Wei Zhongxian believes in Wei Bao a little, Wei Zhongxian knows that Wei Bao likes money, but he doesn't have too prominent nostalgia for power.

Because after Wei Bao took power, he didn't specifically target anyone, Wei Bao was born more mature, unlike many people, once in power, he was incoherent and showed off everywhere, Wei Bao has always been very low-key.

Moreover, how many people are willing to resign after they reach Wei Bao's power and status?

Resigning is risky, even if you Wei Bao may just be pretending, you may just retreat as advance, but the emperor is really likely to approve your request to resign in anger, when the time comes, it will be difficult for you to be an official again, it will be difficult to return to the court, even if you can come back, it will be much more difficult to get to a high position in the future.

Because the emperor and officials will not trust you, if you don't like it one day, and you want to resign again, how dare you give an important position to this kind of person?

If it is handed over to this kind of person, the officials will definitely impeach him for the experience of resigning from office, so it will be difficult to become a high-ranking official again.

When you are an ordinary official, it may be better to be below the fourth grade, but once you reach the fourth grade or above, the officials will definitely play on the past excuse of the resignation.

What's more, Wei Bao once came to the third grade, how could he come back lower than the third grade, he would definitely be unwilling.

"Xiaobao, our family knows that you have grievances in your heart, and you advise Your Majesty to reorganize all the naval divisions of the Ming Dynasty, reduce the number of naval divisions, unify the establishment, and unify the command, which is also conducive to the coastal defense of the Ming Dynasty. In addition, when you say that you want to open treaty ports and do business with overseas, I believe that you don't want to bring down the Ming Dynasty, but you want to get a sum of money for the Ming Dynasty and plug the big hole in the arrears of military salaries for the border army as soon as possible. Do you know why our family opposes it in front of His Majesty? Wei Zhongxian finally spoke.

Wei Bao sighed and said, "I don't want to know, how to do it at the age of nine thousand, there must be a truth about the age of nine thousand." ”

"Xiaobao, you are angry, you must think that it is because you did not communicate with our family in advance, and our family deliberately demolished your platform, so you deliberately objected, right?" Wei Zhongxian said with a smile.

Wei Bao thought about it and simply nodded, this explanation is very reasonable, and it was said by Wei Zhongxian himself, so he can't say that he was afraid that he would not be able to negotiate with you at the price, so he directly presented the new deal in front of the emperor.

"Our family is for your own good, this matter is not so easy! Even if several ministers agree and don't object, if our family doesn't speak, Your Majesty thinks it's good, and it's difficult to implement! Most of the gentry and officials in the world will oppose it! There are many things that Your Majesty cannot dictate autocraticly. Our family opposes it, it seems to be against you, but it is actually helping you, what our family opposes, there may be many people below who will turn from opposition to support! Wei Zhongxian said.

Wei Bao looked at Wei Zhongxian curiously, and couldn't understand why Wei Zhongxian said this, I don't know if the other party was trying to comfort himself, or if Wei Zhongxian was really so cheating, he suddenly proposed a new policy, and Wei Zhongxian thought of it so much.

It's like playing chess, Wei Bao only made one move, and Wei Zhongxian immediately thought of the three moves and four moves behind.

"Xiaobao, do you think our family doesn't know your little thoughts? You bring it up directly in front of Your Majesty, and Your Majesty will agree if you agree, and forget it if you don't agree. Promise, you can get more silver, and His Majesty directly agreed, even if you divide a little silver from our family afterwards, you won't give a lot, you can just give some silver according to your heart and fool the past. If Your Majesty doesn't agree, you forget it, and you don't think so, so you let Gu Bingqian and a few of them help you play the script, you don't want to take risks at all, you just want to get benefits, and you don't want to be scolded by the gentry, right? Wei Zhongxian said with a smile.

Wei Bao was convinced: "You can't hide anything from nine thousand years old, I really think so." But I resigned this time, and I was sincere, I don't want the nine thousand years old to misunderstand me, I'm really tired of officialdom, I'm too tired. ”

"Xiaobao, the imperial court asked people to go to Liaodong to be a supervisor, it was originally temporary, it could not be long-term, the eunuchs of the Ming Dynasty were usually eunuchs, and it was not appropriate for you to serve as a supervisor for a long time, you wouldn't have any ideas about this, right? What's more, even if you don't work as a supervisor of Liaodong, your father-in-law Wu Xiang's Shanhaiguan general will not exempt him, doesn't it mean that he is still an errand for your family? As for Denglai's infantry army, since you have no intention of mastering the army, it is easy to be suspicious of people if you control the army, so it is better to simply give up. Our family can agree now to let you take charge of the Yamen of the Governor of Haiphong and be promoted to the Governor of Zhengsanpin, how about it? Wouldn't it be nice for you to have 30,000 sailors in your hands and open two more treaty ports for you? However, you have to try to raise nine million taels of silver in the next few days. ”

Wei Bao was speechless, sighed and said, "Nine thousand years old, can you fall silver from the sky when I am old?" I really don't care about that, I just don't really want to be an official anymore, I just want to take a good rest. ”

"Xiaobao, don't play tricks in front of our family, just say what you want." Wei Zhongxian frowned, a little impatient.

Wei Bao sighed and said, "Isn't the governor at least the second grade?" How did you come to me and become the governor of Zhengsanpin? Then my coastal defense governor's yamen, won't it become a three-grade yamen, and it can't catch up with the local political envoys. The Yamen of the Governor of Haiphong is a yamen directly under the cabinet. ”

Wei Zhongxian saw that Wei Bao began to bargain, and smiled: "You are only fifteen years old, do you think that if you become a second-class person, can the world's scholars be convinced?" Can the officials of the world be convinced? Also, do you think it's possible? You have only been promoted to the second rank in less than a year after entering the career, what do the other second-grade members think? ”

"I'll be sixteen in a few days, I can't wait until I'm sixteen to be appointed." Wei Bao said: "There used to be eight years old who became a minister, and I am sixteen years old, which is not young." ”

"The Yamen of the Governor of Haiphong can be a Zhengerpin Yamen, and you can not give you the title of Governor first, and you can continue to preside over affairs. Anyway, what you want is affordability, and you don't want to be famous, this is always okay, right? Wei Zhongxian asked.

Wei Bao understood what Wei Zhongxian meant, this was to let himself continue to control the Yamen of the Governor of Haiphong with the official title of Zheng Sanpin, which seemed to be okay, and Wei Zhongxian had already shown sincerity.

"Although the 30,000 sailors are a little less, I don't care, as long as I can ensure the tranquility of Daming coastal defense, but for sea transportation, some sailors must be allowed to be privately funded, and all ships must be Daming official ships."

"It's up to you to do it, you don't have to ask the court for money." Wei Zhongxian said with a smile.

"It is definitely not possible to open only two treaty ports, at least twenty." Wei Bao Lion opened his mouth widely.

Li Yongzhen was taken aback, twenty places? How many ports are there along the coast of Daming? Whether there are twenty ports or not is a question.

"No, at most three, one in the north, one in the middle, one in the south, no more." Wei Zhongxian said.

"At least fifteen, no less." Wei Bao said: "There are at least two ports in each of the coastal provinces. ”

"At most, there are four treaty ports, which is already the limit! Da Ming has never been. Wei Zhongxian said.

"At least fourteen treaty ports." Wei Bao does not let go, a port is a piece of territory under his control!

"We don't talk to you, you little profiteer." Wei Zhongxian scolded with a smile: "At most five, this is the best price, as for which five, you can discuss with Gonggong Li, Nanzhili can't open a treaty port." ”

"It's too little, what are five treaty ports enough for? It can't reflect the advantages of sea trade at all. Wei Bao said with a bitter face: "Nine thousand years old, at least thirteen treaty ports." ”

Wei Zhongxian was a little unhappy, and flicked his sleeves, "Xiaobao, do you think that our family is also a profiteer like you?" Six places, don't say it again! ”

Wei Bao saw that Wei Zhongxian seemed to be really angry, so he said: "Six treaty ports are okay, but at most six million taels of silver can be collected, and each treaty port must be indicated, at least thirty years will not change!" ”

"Wei Bao, you're too aggressive, aren't you? According to your meaning, you need to get 9 million taels of silver, and at least 9 treaty ports? Do you know that this is a fat gap, how many people have broken their heads and want this position. Wei Zhongxian said angrily.

"Nine thousand years old, don't be angry, I really don't want to take care of this, how much pressure do you have to withstand? Moreover, if the silver is taken out in advance, how many years will it take to recover the capital, who can say clearly? Things are unpredictable, and who knows what tomorrow will bring? I really don't have much confidence in this kind of beauty, whoever has the ability to take it, I promise to applaud. "Wei Bao is not afraid of Wei Zhongxian.

Wei Zhongxian was furious, you boy, little profiteer, when it comes to the price, you are really ruthless!

"Wei Bao, do you know, even if it is six treaty ports, it is not clear how many people in the world will oppose it, and it is not possible to pass it, you still have nine places." Wei Zhongxian said: "It's okay to stay unchanged for thirty years, at most seven, don't say it again." ”

Wei Bao said helplessly: "Nine thousand years old, I really didn't understand, what is the difference between the seventh and the ninth place, is there only two treaty ports?" ”

Wei Zhongxian looked at Wei Bao with a profiteer's face angrily and funny, not knowing what to say.

Since the Tang Dynasty, China has used the wealth of the southeast to raise the horses of the northwest.

In other words, the southeast is the money bag, and the money and grain are used to feed the border guards in the northwest.

After the Song Dynasty, the military center of gravity shifted to the northeast to solve the problem of the northern threat.

In order to ensure the control of the border regiments, the capital of the Tang Dynasty was to be in the north.

There are two problems with this, the southeast has money to come out, and it can take out the money from the southeast. The problem of money in the southeast was solved with the development of the southeast during the Northern and Southern Dynasties.

And the second problem is more complicated, no one wants to be a money bag.

There is money in the Southeast, there are big geographical barriers, there are people.

If there is a strong organization, it is likely to make its own independence and divide one side.

The Northern and Southern Dynasties, the Five Dynasties of Southern Secession, and the Southern Song Dynasty are all examples.