Thinking that Han Zheng dared to denounce the maladministration and scolded the Jin merchants, Ning Xiu was impressed.

Of course, he couldn't see death without help, and saw Han Zheng rotting in prison.

Just how can I help him?

Ning Xiu couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

To say that this matter was the order of the Son of Heaven, Ning Xiu felt that it was unlikely.

At this time, the Son of Heaven has not yet been in power, and he is still the image of a good baby.

Second, it is unlikely that such a trivial matter will reach the ears of the Son of Heaven.

Since it is not the emperor's holy decree, then there is only one possibility, which is the meaning of the second assistant Zhang Siwei!

Zhang Siwei is a gentleman on the surface, with the style of a celebrity.

But this man is actually a hypocrite who will be revenged.

As long as he offends him, there will be no good fruit to eat.

It is very likely that Zhang Siwei heard the poem scolding him and Jin Shang, so he ordered Jinyi Wei to lock Han Zheng.

It is not impossible to order the Jinyi Guard to act with the Superior of the Second Assistant. Although strictly speaking, Jinyiwei is the pro-army of the Son of Heaven and is only responsible to the Son of Heaven.

In this case, it is very interesting.

If the Son of Heaven didn't know about this matter at all, but Zhang Siwei planned it alone, then he could make things bigger.

As long as the matter is made big, Zhang Siwei will panic, and it will not be difficult to rescue Han Zheng as long as he gives a little thrust.

Then the first thing to determine now is whether the Son of Heaven knows about this matter or not.

This is not an easy thing to do. Although Ning Xiu was a traverser, he couldn't read minds, and it was impossible for him to understand the thoughts of the Holy Son of Heaven in the Forbidden City. This has to be done by someone else.

Ning Xiu's first thought was Zhang Juzheng.

With Zhang Ge Lao's status, he is the person who is most likely to know the inside story.

Of course, there are some other channels, but through these channels at most, they can only knock on the side, and the effect is far less than through Zhang Juzheng.

After thinking about it, Ning Xiu took a deep breath and said loudly: "Everyone, don't worry, Ning Mou will find out the news first." Until then, I hope that you will stay in the hall and be restless. ”

Ning Xiusheng was afraid that these fellow villagers would do something stupid in a hurry, if this was the case, it would be irreparable.

Ning Xiu is also Xie Yuanlang, and his words still have some weight.

After his words, everyone settled down, and they all said that they were waiting for Ning Xie Yuan Jiayin.

Ning Xiu said a few more words to Liu Weining, and then flicked the sleeves of his robe and left the hall.

This time, he is going to Zhang Juzheng's Beijing residence!

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Coincidentally, in the past few days, Zhang Juzheng did not go to the cabinet office because of the occasional cold, but stayed in the house to recuperate.

Otherwise, Ning Xiu came to the Beijing Mansion to meet him, but he could only pounce on him.

Compared with Qi Jiguang's mansion, Zhang Juzheng's mansion is obviously more luxurious, which is also in line with his identity as the first assistant of Wanli.

Ning Xiu came to the gate, handed the name card to the doorman, and waited patiently.

After touching a stick of incense, the official went and returned, indicating that his master was invited.

Ning Xiu followed the official into the house, and came to a relatively secluded courtyard.

"The master is in the study, Ning Xie Yuan and come with so."

Ning Xiu bowed slightly, and followed the doorman to the front of the study slowly.

The door was hidden, and Ning Xiu knocked lightly, only listening to the words "come in".

He took a deep breath, straightened the scarf, and pushed the door in his robe.

There was incense burning in the house, but Ning Xiu carefully tasted sandalwood.

He walked a few steps forward around the screen, only to see Zhang Juzheng sitting in front of the bookcase, holding a piece of music and looking at it.

Ning Xiu glanced at it, and there was still a thick stack of music on the table.

Ning Xiu couldn't help but sigh with emotion. Everyone in the world said that Zhang Taiyue was diligent, but Ning Xiu didn't expect him to be so diligent.

Even if you rest at home, you can't forget about government affairs, and I'm afraid that this thick stack of music will have to be drafted, right?

Ning Xiu took a step forward and bowed and said, "Late Ning Xiu pays a visit to Yuan Fu." ”

Zhang Juzheng put down his hand and said with a faint smile: "Xiansheng is here." ”

He nodded to the chair next to him and motioned for Ning Xiu to sit down.

Ning Xiu didn't even dare to say that he sat down after Zhang Juzheng's repeated insistence, but he still only sat on the small half of his buttocks.

Zhang Juzheng saw him so restrained and waved his hand: "Xiansheng doesn't have to be so outside, didn't you talk to the old man when you were in Jiangling?" ”

Ning Xiu couldn't help but blush.

He said in his heart that he was just a poor talent at that time, and he naturally had to be bold and bold in order to get a position.

If he was afraid of Zhang Ju like a tiger at that time and didn't make good use of that "chance encounter", I'm afraid that the trajectory of his life would have been very different, right?

He paused slightly, arched his hand at Zhang Juzheng and said respectfully: "Yuanfu taught us. ”

"The old man has already heard about your Zhongjie Yuan."

Zhang Juzheng stroked his beard slightly, and said with a smile: "The old man really didn't look at the wrong person, and the virtuous student does have the ability to pass through the heavens and the earth." ”

Can I not boast so hard, I'll be embarrassed!

"Huguang has countless talents, and it is a fluke to be able to get the solution in his later years."

Zhang Juzheng pushed his palm and said: "Xiansheng is good at everything, but he is too modest." As everyone knows, the most taboo thing about being an official in the court is modesty. You must fight when it's time to fight! ”

Ning Xiu couldn't help but correct his body, Zhang Juzheng was obviously teaching him like a junior. These words are not learned in books, they are the lifelong experience of a politician.

If Ning Xiu wants to mix in the officialdom, it is very useful to learn more of these.

"The late student was taught."

"You came to Beijing this time to prepare for the big competition, right?"

Zhang Juzheng's demeanor was extremely peaceful, just like an ordinary rich elder.

Ning Xiu felt that Zhang Juzheng had unconsciously narrowed a lot of distance with him.

"Yes, I came here to prepare for the big competition."

Ning Xiu settled his mind and said: "If you can get lucky with the sergeant, you can forget it, but you have a wish." ”

Zhang Juzheng said sharply: "What are these words, Zhongjinshi is just the beginning, the official career is long, and the virtuous students still have to work hard." ”

Ning Xiulian claimed that it was.

After a long time, Zhang Juzheng noticed that Ning Xiu's intention was not as simple as visiting him, so he stroked his beard and said, "What else is there to do with Xiansheng here?" ”

Ning Xiu was waiting for him, and he said with a straight expression: "I can't hide it, I really have something to ask for when I came here in my later life." A fellow villager who was born later was released by the captain of the Jinyi Guard and sent to prison today on the grounds that he was arbitrarily discussing the government affairs. But according to the late students, it is really slander. This fellow villager just made a poem satirizing Jifu and Jin Shang. If you can be imprisoned because of this, wouldn't it become a crime for words, and who else in the court will dare to speak out after that? ”

After Ning Xiu finished speaking impassionedly, seeing that Zhang Juzheng was silent, he couldn't help but beat the drum in his heart.

He said in his heart that this is a top politician, and his joy and anger are invisible, so that you can never guess what he is thinking in his heart.

After a long time, Zhang Juzheng let out a long breath and sighed: "Ziwei has gone too far. ”

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For a long time, Zhang Juzheng had an opinion on Zhang Siwei, but he didn't say it.

But he didn't expect Zhang Siwei to go so far this time, the second assistant of the dignified cabinet, and he was angry with a Confucian student, and he also used the power of Jinyiwei to put this scholar in prison.

With Zhang Juzheng's character, this kind of thing must be managed. It's just that how to open your mouth is really a science.

He can't find Zhang Siwei directly and ask him to greet Jinyiwei and release him, right?

Seeing Zhang Juzheng's brows tightened, Ning Xiu also had some drums in his heart.

Looking at Zhang Ge like this, he seems to be hesitating?

In order to make Zhang Juzheng make up his mind, Ning Xiu decided to add another fire.

"Judging from the late life, the reason why Friend Han was sent to the edict was not only because he touched the tiger whiskers of the second assistant, but also because he provoked the Jin Party."

Party strife was a major feature of the Ming Dynasty, and it became more and more intense. In the later period, the dispute between the Donglin Party and the Eunuch Party directly led the Ming Dynasty to its destruction. As for the feudal towns of the Southern Ming Dynasty, they were actually a continuation of the party struggle.

In the early days of the Wanli Dynasty, there were Chu Party and Jin Party. The representative of the Chu party was naturally Zhang Juzheng, while the representatives of the Jin party were Zhang Siwei and Wang Chonggu.

On the surface, the Chu Party has an overwhelming advantage, but in fact it is not. Behind the Jin Party is the Jin Shang. With the support of the Jin merchants, the Jin Party has inexhaustible wealth. What do politicians need most? Naturally, it is silver. Only with silver can you buy people's hearts, after all, it is impossible to get support by personality charm alone.

Zhang Juzheng has always been wary of the Jin Party, and when he heard Ning Xiu mention the Jin Party, he naturally became vigilant.

"You go on."

Ning Xiu was overjoyed when he was encouraged, he adjusted his thoughts and continued: "The Jin merchants are rich and rival the country, and Yuan Fu must know this. But where did the Jin merchants get their money? Isn't it because the Ming court is kind enough to allow them to transport grain in exchange for salt? The commercial tax of the dynasty was extremely low, which was 30 taxes and 1, which was absolutely unreasonable. Therefore, Taiyue planned to levy a salt tax to make up for this gap. ”

After a pause, Ning Xiu continued: "Friend Han's move is actually throwing stones to ask for directions. Who would have thought that the Jin Shang and Jin Party had reached such a point that they couldn't even tolerate a little different voice! ”

Of course, Ning Xiu's words were carefully scrutinized, and every word was very quintessential.

First of all, he tied the Jin Merchants and Jin Party together, and then led Zhang Juzheng's commercial tax reform, and finally said that Han Zheng's attack on Jin Merchants and Zhang Siwei was to ask for a way for Zhang Juzheng's commercial tax reform. In this way, Zhang Juzheng helping Han Zheng is actually helping himself, and the chess pieces sent to the door are not used, which is really not in line with Zhang Juzheng's character.

It's a bit of a bare directness, but that's sometimes the way politics is.

"Okay, what Xiansheng said is right!"

Zhang Juzheng's eyes flashed with scorching brilliance, and Ning Xiu was overjoyed in his heart, knowing that this was done.

Regardless of how Zhang Juzheng plans to deal with this matter, Han Zheng is saved.

"The old man will ask about this matter, as for the matter of the salt tax, what do you think of the virtuous student?"

Zhang Juzheng was willing to take the initiative to ask Ning Xiu for his opinion on the salt tax, of course, it was not a whim. When he was in Jiangling, Ning Xiu once gave him a very pertinent opinion on a whipping method.

Just the return of fire consumption to the public can eliminate a large part of the drawbacks of a whip method, and this is exactly what Zhang Juzheng did not expect.

Compared with a whip law, the salt tax itself naturally requires less thought. Ning Xiu was able to optimize a whip method, and naturally he could also put forward his own opinions on the increase in salt tax.

Ning Xiu didn't expect that Zhang Juzheng really wanted to hear his opinion.

He first arched his hand at Zhang Juzheng, expressing his trepidation, and then said eloquently: "The windfall profits of salt are far from being comparable to other things. It is certainly not possible to only levy a commercial tax of thirty taxes and one tax. But if you simply set a tax amount, it is not fair. Later students had an idea that they could be taxed in tiers according to how much the salt merchant profited, and only 30 taxes and one commercial tax would be levied if the amount of silver was lower than a certain amount of silver, and a ladder tax would be charged for those exceeding this amount of silver, and the more profits there were, the more salt taxes would naturally need to be paid. ”

As soon as Ning Xiufang finished speaking, Zhang Juzheng fell into deep thought.

It's a novelty. He had never heard of it before......

If you think about it, this ladder tax is very reasonable, those who earn more pay more taxes, and those who earn less pay relatively less taxes, and no one can say anything.

It's just, are those salt merchants really willing?

Ning Xiu seemed to see Zhang Juzheng's concern, and said in a deep voice: "Pavilion Elder might as well use this matter to make a fuss, not afraid that those salt merchants will not be satisfied." ”

Of course, what he was referring to was Han Zheng's denunciation of Jin Shang.

Whether this matter is big or small, the key depends on how the people in power want to deal with it.

With Zhang Juzheng's power, if he wants this matter to ferment, he only needs to inform the officials of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, and naturally someone will wave the flag and shout for him.

And the Jin merchants are the first of the group of merchants. As long as the Jin merchants are obedient, the rest of the salt merchants will not jump too much.

Zhang Juzheng's face was still sinking like water, but there was already a hint of joy between his eyebrows.

Ning Xiu continued: "In addition to collecting salt taxes, Pavilion Elders can also add mining taxes, and also use ladders to calculate taxes. Of course, it needs to be made clear that the minerals are all owned by our Ming court, and they are only contracted to those miners. ”

Zhang Juzheng didn't expect to collect mining taxes, but he came back to his senses through Ning Xiu.

As for the minerals owned by the Ming court, it is even more important. This would ensure the absolute control of the imperial court over these merchants.

"What about the rest?"

Zhang Juzheng tasted the sweetness, so he urged Ning Xiu to continue.

Ning Xiu smiled bitterly and said, "Elder Ge, the most profitable thing is to sell salt and mine. Let's focus on these two places first. ”

Ning Xiu said this not because he didn't think there was a need to change the collection mode for the rest of the commercial taxes, but because he thought that everything was too much. What's more, the Ming Dynasty commercial tax has been a model for two hundred years, and there needs to be a process of change.

It is undoubtedly a wise choice to start with the most profitable one.

Otherwise, if it provokes the rebellion of the merchants, it will not be beautiful. When the salt tax and mining tax are collected, it will be a matter of course to change to other taxes.

"You're right, the old man will think about it."

Zhang Juzhengfu regained his calm and relaxed posture, and stroked his beard leisurely with his right hand.

"You should prepare carefully these days, and you will try not to be careless."

Ning Xiu couldn't help but feel a warm feeling in his heart, at this moment, Zhang Ju was admonishing him as an elder.

"The teachings of the elder pavilion will be remembered in my later life."

"Well, since you're here, let's stay and have a light meal together."

Zhang Juzheng had the intention of keeping Ning Xiu to have a light meal together, but Ning Xiu refused well, so he should go.

There was still some time before the meal, so Ning Xiu simply went to the inner courtyard to talk to Zhang Maoxiu. The two parted ways, but they haven't seen each other for a while.

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