In the three halls of the Qi Palace, Li Zhi sat on the throne and discussed Wang Dehua's visit with his subordinates.

Today's Qi Wangfu is actually the original Guogong Mansion. Speaking of which, this palace is too small for Li Zhi today, and it cannot reflect Li Zhi's identity. Li Zhi had already asked a brand new Qi palace to be built on the eastern outskirts of Fanjiazhuang, with a larger main hall and a more decent harem.

However, the construction of this palace will take time, and it will not be possible to build it without one or two years. For the time being, Li Zhi also had to use this low-standard Guogong Mansion.

Wang Dehua was ordered by the Son of Heaven to discuss "important matters" with Li Zhi, but Li Zhi did not immediately meet him. Li Zhi asked him to stay in the palace temporarily, and asked the secret guard ambassador "An Pingbo" Han Jinxin to go and talk to him first.

Wang Dehua was also simply, and Han Jinxin and Han Jinxin explained the meaning of the Son of Heaven, and said all the thoughts that the Son of Heaven wanted to use Li Zhi's strength.

Listening to Han Jinxin's report on Wang Dehua's intentions, Li Zhi summoned his ministers to discuss this matter.

The officials in charge of Tianjin stood in Li Zhi's three halls, divided into two classes, civil and military, standing on the left and right of the three halls.

Zhong Feng objected as soon as he came up.

"I don't think this can be done."

Zhong Feng stood up and said: "The king is in charge of the ruling side in Tianjin, and every point of hard work has a harvest, and it has become a situation of its own, so why bother to wade through the muddy water of the imperial court." As the official of the Son of Heaven, the secretary of the Ministry supports the decision of the Son of Heaven, and uses the power of Tianjin to deter the officials in Jiangnan for the Son of Heaven, which is a matter of all kinds of harm but no benefit. ”

"If the king really goes and works hard in the capital, what will he gain in the end? Appoint a large number of Confucian scholars who were born in the imperial examination to be this and that official? I'm afraid that in the final analysis, he is only a loyal servant of the Son of Heaven. At that time, if the construction of one town and nine provinces is delayed because of the energy in the capital, the gains will really outweigh the losses. ”

Hearing Zhong Feng's words, Li Zhi's subordinates discussed a lot, and many of them agreed.

Even Zheng Kaicheng stood up and said, "Lord Mingjian." If the prince enters the capital west this time, I am afraid that he will be the shield of the Son of Heaven. ”

"The Son of Heaven had the heart to order the world to implement the new law, but the gentry and civil officials in Jiangnan did not listen to the dispatch. If the prince enters Beijing to be the secretary of the ministry and uses the strength of one town and nine provinces to deter Jiangnan, then the Jiangnan gentry will probably double their hatred of the prince. ”

"When the Son of Heaven implements the new law, he gains the hearts of the people of the world. But the Son of Heaven has no strength, and he has empty ideas and is unable to implement them. If the Son of Heaven uses the strength of the prince to implement the new law, it will be all the prince who will contribute, and it will be the Son of Heaven who will benefit. In the end, all the gentry in the world hated the prince, but the prince got nothing empty-handed. ”

"No matter how you look at it, it's not a desirable thing to do."

Hearing Zheng Kaicheng's words, Li Zhi's subordinates began to talk again. Most people agree with Zheng Kaicheng's words, and they are not interested in being the Son of Heaven to drive all the gentry and civil officials in Jiangnan.

For example, if he went to Li Zhi as soon as he encountered a problem, the officials in Tianjin were really tired of this habit of the Son of Heaven and were unwilling to make any more efforts.

Zhong Feng stood up again and said, "We can do our Tianjin affairs, and the imperial court will do the affairs of the imperial court itself." If the Son of Heaven assigns all of Jiangnan to the prince to govern, and lets us collect taxes and report in Jiangnan, we can really manage the affairs of Jiangnan. ”

When they heard this, they all nodded.

Cao Yu stood up and said: "Since the Son of Heaven can't control Jiangnan, it is better to hand over Jiangnan to the prince." and with the help of the power of the prince, and appoint officials according to the will of the Son of Heaven. The benefits are all the Son of Heaven, and the contribution is all the prince, isn't this a big injustice? ”

The officials were again in agreement.

However, when Li Zhi heard these words, he was silent.

The officials in Tianjin talked a lot, and when they saw that Li Zhi did not express his position, they gradually quieted down. They didn't know what Li Zhi's attitude was, so they stopped talking.

Cui Changwu looked at Li Zhi's face, stood up and arched his hand and said, "Lord Wang, the minister thinks that there is something to be done in this matter. ”

Li Zhi looked at Cui Changwu, became a little interested, and said, "Changwu said! ”

Cui Changwu walked out of the queue and said: "The prince is dedicated to the people, and the reason why he continues to expand the management scope of the Tianjin system is to be the master of the people and seek benefits for the people. However, no matter how the prince expanded his territory, the Ming Dynasty only managed Tianjin, Shandong, Henan and Jianghuai. The benefits to the people are limited, and not all Han people are benefited. ”

"However, if the prince asks the prince today, it is equivalent to giving the prince a chance to promote Tianjin's policy to the entire Ming Dynasty."

Speaking of this, Choi Changwu looked up at Li Zhi's face.

Li Zhi looked happy when he heard this, and said with a smile: "Changwu's words are interesting, keep talking!" ”

Cui Changwu saw that Li Zhi was interested, his expression perked up, and he said: "The Son of Heaven now has to rely on the power of the prince to manage Jiangnan, but he is afraid that the prince's authority is too great, so he only allowed the prince a position of secretary and secretary. So this matter seems to be very cost-effective, and it is completely driven by the Son of Heaven. ”

"But the prince sits on one town and nine provinces, and he is the power that the Son of Heaven relies on. With this as a bargaining chip, you can bargain with the Son of Heaven. The Son of Heaven offered a minister's book, and the prince could bargain for a cabinet chief. ”

"If the Son of Heaven relinquishes the official position of the first assistant of the cabinet, then the prince can not use the army, and directly display the prince's ambitions throughout the Ming Dynasty. If the prince can talk about public morality and land endowment in the entire Ming Dynasty, run schools and newspapers, build mines and factories, and build railway docks, then wouldn't the prince be able to benefit the whole country. ”

"If this can be the case, the prince is doing things for the court, and it is worth it."

After listening to Cui Changwu's words, everyone was in a trance.

What Cui Changwu said was to let Li Zhi benefit the entire Ming Dynasty. But let Li Zhi manage the entire Ming Dynasty, what about one town and nine provinces?

Li Zhi went to be the first assistant of the cabinet, regardless of one town and nine provinces?

What about officials in one town and nine provinces?

Zhong Feng frowned and said, "Lord Wang, the minister thinks it's impossible..."

Li Zhi waved his hand, stopped Zhong Feng's words, and said, "The widow has been fighting for more than ten years, laying the foundation of one town and nine provinces. Nowadays, the people and officials of one town and nine provinces are mainly based on widows, and widows will not give up this foundation no matter what. ”

"The foundation of one town and nine provinces is a widow, and this is to be passed on to Li Huan."

When everyone heard Li Zhi's words, they were relieved and no longer in a trance.

Li Zhi thought for a while and said, "But now is indeed an opportunity to use the strength of one town and nine provinces to benefit the people of the entire Ming Dynasty." ”

Looking at Cui Changwu, Li Zhi said: "Cui Changwu, the widow will recommend you to the imperial court, and as the representative of the widow in the court, influence the policies of the entire Ming Dynasty!" ”