"Well, Daddy is here." Yun Xi and Min'er said a few words, and when they saw Xianqin and Siqi also coming over, they smiled at them: "Are you all up?" Have you had a meal? ”

"Sister/Siqi has already eaten." The two of them said in unison.

"We've all eaten. Today, we didn't sleep like my father, and we woke up early. Min'a sat on Yunxi's lap and said in a proud tone.

"Well, Min'er is so good." Yun Xi said with a smile, picked her up and put her on a chair beside her, and asked Siqi and Xianqin to sit down as well, and talked to them while eating.

After nearly two years, the women's school has become very formal, teaching women's literature, piano, chess, calligraphy, painting and many other knowledge. Of course, the most important thing is the cultivation of their personal character. The vast majority of courses have a ranking of grades, not only to motivate them to work hard, but also to see how they perform in different positions. Those who perform well are the candidates for the future princess, princess and even queen.

Yun Xi asked what they had learned in the school, and soon finished eating, got up from the chair and played with them for a while, Wang Xi walked in and whispered something in his ear, and he immediately said to a few children: "Min'er, Wenyuan, Dad has some things to deal with now, and I will play with you when I come back later." ”

He deliberately touched Min'er's head again: "Daddy will come back to dine with you at noon." Min'er pursed her lips, but in the end she didn't say anything.

Yun Xi came to the Qianqing Palace, and as soon as he walked into the door, he had not yet adapted to the dim light, when he heard a voice in front of him: "Minister Yang Zirong has seen Your Majesty, long live, long live, long live!" ”

"Yang Qing, hurry up." Yun Xi calmed down, saw where Yang Zirong was, and walked over with a smile and said.

This person is Yang Zirong, who was left behind when Yun Xi went to Suzhou on his eastern tour nearly three years ago, when he set up the Suzhou Industrial Park there. Yang Zirong was a second-class jinshi at the beginning, and Yunxi remembered his reputation in history, so he directly appointed him in charge of the industrial park. Yun Xi remembered him when he was reviewing the examination papers and the palace examination papers a few days ago, so he sent someone to recall him from Suzhou.

Yang Zirong saw that Yun Xi was still talking a little casually like this, and his heart was relieved, but he still kowtowed respectfully nine times, and then stood up and said: "Your Majesty, the minister has not seen His Majesty in the past few years, and he has not saluted His Majesty for a long time. ”

Yun Xi looked at him carefully and said, "Yang Qing is strange that I have put you in Suzhou for nearly three years and have not made any announcements?" That Aiqing is wrong. ”

"I attach great importance to the matter of Suzhou Industrial Park, and I have always kept it in my heart, and I have never forgotten it. It's just that things are complicated in the Ming Dynasty, and I sent troops to conquer Annam last year, so I can't always be concerned; Besides, I know Aiqing's ability very well, and I will definitely not live up to my expectations, so why should I always be concerned? ”

Yang Zirong wanted to speak when Yun Xi just spoke, but he didn't dare to interrupt the emperor's speech, and immediately knelt down and replied after he finished speaking: "Thunder, rain and dew are all Jun's grace, how dare the minister complain?" ”

"You get up." Yun Xi helped him up again and said with a smile: "I just said it casually, not really thinking that you think so. But even though he said this, Yang Zirong still replied tremblingly, and it took a while to return to his normal situation.

Yun Xi then asked: "How is the Suzhou Industrial Park doing now?" ”

"Your Majesty, the situation in the Suzhou Industrial Park is good, in addition to the original Li family and the Shang family, several more have moved their own industries to the park, and the taxes paid have increased year after year, and the taxes paid by the Suzhou government in addition to the industrial park have not decreased."

Yang Zirong briefly introduced the development of the industrial park, including the amount of taxes and the industry, there are detailed figures, and he also made a clear table according to Yunxi's instructions, and took it out to Yunxi at this time.

Yun Xi looked at the form and said, "This Li family has moved many industries into the park, and he is not afraid that the court will regret it?" ”

"Your Majesty, the Li family has made a lot of money in the past three years because of this park, and of course they are willing to move the industry into the park. But even so, the family has not moved all their industries in, and many of them are outside the park. ”

Yun Xi thought of the little girl from the Li family who was good friends with Yun Zhi and ran a jewelry store herself, and said with a smile: "This is also normal, is it a cunning rabbit." Moreover, it doesn't matter if some industries move into the park. ”

After reading all the forms, Yun Xi smiled and said, "Suzhou Industrial Park is very good, your credit is not small, I want to reward you." ”

"Yang Zirong listened to the seal, I will reward you with a string of pearls and a piece of silk on it."

"Thank you, Your Majesty for your favor." Yang Zirong knelt down again and said.

The two said a few more words, Yun Xi casually asked about the cultural customs of Suzhou, Yang Zirong replied: "Your Majesty, Suzhou City is basically no different from three years ago, but because the Ming Dynasty is getting richer and stronger, and Suzhou is a rich place, there are a lot more shops in the city, and there are more people who are willing to spend time in the city." ”

However, although this is a scene of wealth and prosperity, the minister thinks that there is something to worry about. On the one hand, as Suzhou became more and more affluent, the prices of local objects became more and more expensive. This has little to do with the people of the city. Prices are high, and they make more money every day; But it can be very relevant to the rural households outside the city. ”

"Farmers in the countryside are just planting a little bit of land, but the price of local food has not risen, and they are not making enough money to spend. This inevitably makes all the peasant households want to go to the city to work, and they are unwilling to stay in the countryside to farm. ”

"Both, the price of the object is getting more and more expensive, but the salary of the officials has not risen, many ministers have been in Suzhou for three years, and have heard a few officials say that the money sent to their hands every year is not spent. It is not obvious now, but in the future, prices will become more and more expensive, and the salaries of officials will not be enough to support their families, and it will be difficult to prohibit corruption. ”

"These two things are similar not only in Suzhou, but also in nearby Changzhou, Songjiang, Zhenjiang and other places, and Your Majesty must not ignore them."

"The former must guide the people to plant vegetables, fruits, trees and cotton mulberry trees on part of the land, which can produce more and be more expensive, and the farmers can earn more money, and they don't have to worry about whether they will stay in the countryside." Yun Xi never worried about the food security of the Ming Dynasty, just like the later generations of rice countries never worried about the lack of oil. Daming is such a powerful sailor, not just for looking good. What's more, at this time, Huguang in the interior has not yet been fully developed, and there is still room for excavation of grain inside.

"But the latter is a concern." Yun Xi said: "Although the officials and officials are all honest and self-disciplined people, they can't help but support their families. Meng Ziyun, those who have constant property have perseverance, and it is the same when used on officials, and the money is not enough to support the family, how can he serve the court with peace of mind. ”

As an individual, Yun Xi believes that there are still many people with high moral character in the world, but he never believes that a group of people are people with high moral character. If the vast majority of officials have no external constraints, they will certainly be corrupt without limits, both ancient and modern, both in China and abroad.

However, when using all kinds of rules and regulations to restrain them from corruption, they must be able to make the money they earn to support their families, otherwise no matter how strict the rules and regulations are, they will just be a piece of waste paper, or they will keep killing officials. Yun Xi doesn't have the energy of Lao Zhu, so he must make the official's money not enough to spend.

However, we must be cautious when facing these rich places in Suzhou alone. It is obviously not possible to add money to these prefectures alone, and other officials should have opinions; However, the overall increase in financial pressure is very great.

So Yun Xi finally said: "But this matter has to be discussed in the long run, and it will not be decided until I discuss it with the auxiliary officer, Hubu Qitai and others." ”

Yang Zirong was a little puzzled by Yun Xi's previous question being so light, but the latter question was taken for granted. But he didn't ask, just bowed down and agreed.

After saying this, Yun Xi said to Yang Zirong: "I asked you to go back to Beijing this time, not just to ask how the situation is in the Suzhou Industrial Park. ”

"In the past three years, you have gained a lot of insight in Suzhou, and you have become a lot more experienced in dealing with people, so I can hand over some important matters to you."

"Dali Temple, as a yamen for reviewing the criminal department and the Metropolitan Procuratorate to inquire about whether the case is appropriate, has great power and responsibility, and cannot be ignored, I am determined to appoint you as Zuo Shaoqing of Dali Temple, and I will look at this yamen for me. Your qualifications are still light now, and I am afraid that you will not be able to serve the public if you rashly become the chief official of the Sanpin Yamen, so I will take you as the Shaoqing first. After a few years, you have more qualifications and a good understanding of the affairs of the prison, and I will appoint you as a third-rank official. ”

"The minister dares not to obey the edict." Yang Zirong knew that Yun Xi would definitely be of great use when he called him back to the capital, so he was not surprised; At the same time, although he has not been by Yun Xi's side for a long time, he has paid close attention to Yun Xi's practices even if he is far away in Suzhou, and he knows Yun Xi very well, so he does not pretend to shirk at this time, and directly agrees.

Yun Xi really didn't feel that there was anything inappropriate, and said with a smile: "Yang Qing really has the courage to do anything." Good. ”

After saying this, Yun Xi said again: "This time, I will not let you go out of Beijing as an official for a few years, so you can take your family from your hometown to Beijing." I have ordered you to be given a larger house to live in. ”

"Your Majesty, the minister's mother is still here, and she will leave her inner son in her hometown to serve her mother, and she will not let her come to the capital, so you don't have to bother Your Majesty to make special arrangements for the minister, just give the minister a house at will." Yang Zirong said.

But he didn't expect Yun Xi's face to be not very good-looking immediately, and he said in a deep voice: "It's ridiculous to leave a wife to serve her parents in her hometown, and to be happy with a concubine in the capital by yourself." ”

Yang Zirong was puzzled: Aren't all dynasties like this? Why are you so dissatisfied? But he did not make any excuses, and immediately knelt down and said, "Please forgive your majesty." ”

"You get up." Yun Xi said, "I don't mean that's what I do to you. I just think it's ridiculous. ”

"I have heard of such a thing in the previous dynasty: there was a woman who was well-read and well-versed in etiquette and righteousness, and was a first-class good woman, and was called a martyr's wife. Because there is no way to know the age and surname after all, it is called this way. Mrs. Lie was born in a noble family, with first-class appearance, and her husband is also a civil and military all-rounder. The two have been married for three years, and Mrs. Lie gave birth to a son. On the occasion of the family sharing the family, her husband was promoted, and the following year he entered Beijing to participate in the scientific examination and won the Jinshi, stayed in the field as an official, and left Mrs. Lie to worship her mother-in-law who was very strict with her, and raised the only beloved son to marry a wife and start a family. ”

"Her husband has been an official for 20 years, where is he willing to suffer from loneliness, he has already accepted a beautiful concubine, and his former children are in groups, and his mother died of illness 20 years before he took his wife to Beijing. Family reunion is the joy of life, but no matter how good Mrs. Lie is, the filial piety of 20 years of devotion is not as good as the 20 years of love of the concubine who gets along day and night. ”

Later, this martyr lady couldn't stand her husband's perennial indifference, and even more, the favored concubine harmed her beloved son, and her husband actually protected her, not allowing her family to be ugly, grounded in the backyard, and said that she was seriously ill and could not socialize, and the big and small affairs of the family were handled by the favored concubine. When Mrs. Lie saw that her beloved son was surrounded by tigers and wolves, and if she was not careful, she would become the food in her belly, and in a fit of anger, she dragged the stump and beat the drum, accusing her husband of betraying his wife's righteousness and taking a concubine as his wife. The drums sounded, and the people were gone, leaving only the blood in the shape of a picture known to the whole world. ”

"Mrs. Lie has been in charge of the family for many years, and there are always a few henchmen, so she can escape from the mansion and beat the drum, but after all, she has been grounded for a long time, and her diet is very poor, and she has been regarded as sick and broken, which shocked the world, her husband resigned, the staff was ninety, the concubine died, and her son inherited the family business, but the wife sued her husband, which was also a scandal, so that his family could not raise their heads for many years."

"The so-called family and everything is prosperous, the husband and wife have been separated for many years, and they don't understand each other at all, what kind of family harmony? While this may not necessarily be the case, it certainly won't be good. ”

"There is also a saying that self-cultivation and Qi family rule the country and level the world, first you have to Qi family to govern the country, leaving your wife and children in your hometown, even if the family is harmonious, can you say that this person can be regarded as a Qi family?"

Yun Xi felt that it was very inappropriate for people at this time to leave their wives in their hometown to serve their mothers—to do their filial piety for themselves. How can a man not take a concubine when he is out of town and is an official? If you take a concubine and get along all year round, your relationship must be much better than that of a wife who stays in her hometown, and she will definitely have children. If the wife also has a son, it is good that the mother-in-law understands the reason, but if the mother-in-law does not understand the reason, and the wife does not have a son, it is strange that the family is harmonious. So he was very disgusted with this situation.

Of course, he put forward this truth, and even did not hesitate to make up a story to illustrate his own truth, not only because he was not used to it. In order to maintain the ruling order of the Ming Dynasty, he vigorously advocated the difference between concubines and concubines, and advocated the difference between wives and concubines, of course, he had to oppose the behavior of spoiling concubines and killing wives in everyone's family, and the families of officials who left their wives in their hometowns were not all of them, at least most of them had more or less similar situations, and he naturally had to oppose them.