When the capital was seriously divided because of the Quanzhou incident, Shen Xi was still on his way back to Beijing, although he could predict that he would get into trouble, but he did not expect that he would become the living target in the power struggle...... A six-grade Hanlin official unknowingly became the target of public criticism.

Shen Xi returned to the capital on the fourth day of the sixth month, and did not enter the city, when he learned that the court officials came out to greet him, and then further learned that this person was Xie Qian, who recommended him to go to Quanzhou on business.

It was the height of summer, Shen Xi obeyed the carriage and got down, looking at the empty city gate building because of the noon heat, and from the shade of a shed on the left side of the city gate, a thin old man walked out, his expression was slightly wilted, and the first thing he said when he stepped forward was: "It's not that I came out to pick you up, who will come to the sun at this time, let's go!" ”

After Xie Qian finished speaking, he turned around and walked towards the city gate cave, this Shen Xi had not even completed the ceremony of meeting and saluting after a long absence.

When he arrived at the city gate hole, there was just a north-south penetrating hall, Xie Qian slapped it twice with a fan, and then looked at Shen Xi with a restrained face, and said coldly: "You are capable enough, I sent you to Quanzhou to meet the envoys, but you arrested the Quanzhou prefect back, and let you be an official for a few more days, do you want to end the six yamen?" ”

Shen Xi heard the care in Xie Qian's words, and he knew each other very well, and he didn't justify himself.

"Well, when you see Your Majesty, don't talk nonsense except for the matter itself...... If you want to come out of the palace safely......"

Xie Qian didn't keep counting Shen Xi, he was sorry for what happened before...... How can I say that Shen Xi didn't take the initiative to ask Ying to go to Quanzhou on business, the matter was originally imposed by him, and at the moment, it seems that in addition to him, the commander, the two Shangshu of the household department and the military department are also inseparable.

Otherwise, with Shen Xi's identity and status, what if he found out that Zhang Lian was corrupt and perverted the law? Without the warrant for the transfer of troops from Ma Wensheng, the secretary of the Ministry of War, what big disturbance can be made?

Xie Qian's carriage was parked in the city gate hole, and the person was about to climb up to the car, Shen Xi stepped forward to help, Xie Qian turned around and said angrily: "I can get into the car myself, you go back to your own car, let's go to the palace gate, Your Majesty is estimated to be in a hurry!" ”

Shen Xi came back with a disgraced face, the people from the Ministry of Rites had already picked up Almeida and the other Franc Ji people, and the officers of the Criminal Department escorted the Qin prisoners except Zhang Lian away, Zhang Lao Wu looked around, walked up to Shen Xi and asked, "My lord, where are we going to stay now?" ”

Zhang Lao's fifth-class officials were originally sent by Zhang Lian, the prefect of Quanzhou, to escort the Qincha along the way, but now Zhang Lian himself has become a Qin's prisoner, and several officials from Quanzhou Mansion have not been found after arriving in the capital.

Shen Xi explained two sentences to Tang Hu, asking him to settle Zhang Laowu and the others in the inn first, and look back to see if he would give Zhang Laowu and the others some entanglement and let them go back to Quanzhou or simply stay in the capital on an errand.

The team dispersed separately, Xie Yun'er and Lin Dai returned to the "Shen Mansion", Shen Xi wanted to move into the palace with Xie Qian, and the people and horses of the Tingzhou Chamber of Commerce and Zhang Laowu and other Quanzhou officials he brought went to the inn to settle down.

The carriage moved forward slowly, and after about half an hour, it finally came to the Dong'an Gate of the Forbidden City.

After getting out of the carriage, Xie Qian and Shen Xi walked back and forth.

Xie Qian turned back from time to time, and explained that when Shen Xi met with you later, he could only "talk about things", that is, except for errands, he didn't mention anything else. But Shen Xi knew that it was difficult, even if he didn't say it, Emperor Hongzhi would ask, Shen Xi made up his mind, it would be similar to the old things in Shangshu Jianwen before, and try not to mix with subjective wishes.

There were two listless eunuchs standing outside the Qianqing Palace, and when they saw Xie Qian, they lifted their spirits slightly, but after the rumors were spread inside that Xie Qian and Shen Xi entered to see the driver, the two eunuchs resumed their state of dozing off with their heads down.

Xie Qian thought to himself, anyone who has been on an errand for a long time will be lazy, and even the eunuch who is standing knows how to lean against the palace gate and close his eyes to take a nap, but why is this Shen Xiaoyou always looking for trouble?

In the Qianqing Palace, after Hongzhi Emperor Zhu Youzhu sat on the dragon case, Xie Qian was standing in front of him, and Shen Xi was kneeling.

Zhu Youzhu took Shen Xi's summary of the trip to Quanzhou before and after, and couldn't take his eyes off it

Shen Xi, as a "guilty body", can only kneel on the ground and listen to the fall, and even as long as Emperor Hongzhi Zhu Youzhu says a word, Shen Xi will go to Zhenfu Si Prison to squat for a few days when he turns around.

The more Zhu Youzhu didn't speak, the more worried Shen Xi became, this movement was too big, dozens of officials in the government were served in one pot, and things didn't end so well.

It's not that Shen Xi likes to find trouble when he has nothing to do, it's just that the actual situation is so cruel...... In fact, before he returned to Quanzhou for the second time, Zhang Lian had already submitted a second share of the fold, not to mention that he was not ready to give him any credit, and he was framed in many ways to put him to death, and there was basically no possibility of reconciliation between the two.

Shen Xi thought that he would not be so lucky every time, and a senior member of the DPRK stood up to support him.

After a long time, Zhu Youzhu finally finished reading the recital, raised his head to look at Shen Xi, and asked, "What is going on with the anti-grain case in the first year of Quanzhou?" ”

Shen Xi thought to himself, I made these things very clear in the recital, and there was also a performance on the Hubu side before, you just watched it, don't you know it...... This question may be a sign that the emperor is attacking me, or of course, the emperor wants to use my mouth to sort out the context of the whole thing.

Shen Xi immediately respectfully recited, this is his first real sense of the Holy Call, the last time the Mongolian envoy presented the Book of Heaven he also came once, but that time he came as a translator and adviser, this time he really faced the Holy as a minister.

"On September 16 of the year, there are villagers Chen Liu and others in Nan'an County......"

Shen Xi explained in detail the beginning and end of the anti-grain case, especially expounding several key points: First, Zhang Lian concealed the situation of frequent typhoon disasters and locust plagues in the localities in the past few years; second, Zhang Lian privately changed the yellow book and increased taxes; third, because the people could not pay the taxes, they would have conflicts with the government, and then they would become more and more violent; and fourth, the government had wantonly hunted and killed people indiscriminately, causing the people's resentment to boil.

When Shen Xi finished talking about the matter, Zhu Youzhu didn't say anything, but it was Xie Qian who came out to speak: "Your Majesty, although the anti-grain case happened last year, the disaster continued until Hui'an City was broken by the rebellious people...... If the thieves are not brought to justice decisively, I am afraid that the local people will still suffer. Now that the food has arrived, the local civil unrest has gradually subsided, and it is only by providing good appeasement that the local area can be stabilized. ”

Xie Qian did not allow Shen Xi to tell about things other than the case, and he had the right to make subjective assumptions to give advice to the emperor, in addition to the fact that he could participate in politics and discussion because he was a cabinet scholar, and he wanted to take this opportunity to express that Zhang Lian was brought to justice purely by himself, and took the opportunity to protect Shen Xi.

Shen Xi was grateful, Xie Qian's attitude was lukewarm when he went out to greet him before, but now he still spoke for him after all.

Zhu Youzhu bowed his head slightly and asked, "Judging from the current situation, how much money is needed for disaster relief?" ”

Xie Qian didn't reply immediately, and glanced at Shen Xi, as if blaming Shen Xi and looking at the trouble you caused...... Knowing that the imperial court's finances were stretched thin, and the drought in North China and the Central Plains was blazing, a large amount of money and grain was needed. After all, the land of Fujian belongs to the south near the sea, there is no shortage of rain, everything is easy to grow, even if there are wind disasters and locust plagues, as long as they are well managed, it will not be long before people's livelihood will be restored. If you take out the silver for this reason, won't it make it difficult for the emperor?

"Back to Your Majesty." Xie Qian pondered for a moment, and according to the truth, "This matter should be planned by the household department." However, according to the minister's expectations, since the criminal minister Zhang Lian has embezzled a lot of money in recent years, the local government treasury is also roughly full, which is enough to relieve the disaster, and there is no need for the court to allocate money and grain. ”

Emperor Hongzhi was not satisfied with this answer.

Zhu Youzhu asked: "Shen Qingjia, you handled this case, what do you think?" ”

Originally, Shen Xi did not have the right to express his opinions, but Emperor Hongzhi personally asked, whether you can answer it or not, you have to answer, this is the duty of a courtier.

Shen Xi thought about it, now the capital and the Central Plains treasury is tight, after Zhang Lian's stolen money was seized, Emperor Hongzhi estimated that he wanted to use the money on the blade, such as the Beiguan War that had just started, and then the drought in North China and the Central Plains, which was more important than the disaster in Fujian.

Now that the rebellious people who broke through Hui'an have dispersed and the ringleaders have been arrested and brought to justice, the disaster in Fujian is no longer important in the eyes of Emperor Hongzhi.

Shen Xi said: "According to the minister's opinion, the money and grain of Quanzhou Mansion can be exempted for three years to show the emperor's grace." ”

When Emperor Hongzhi heard this, his brows furrowed slightly, obviously considering the feasibility of Shen Xi's proposal.

In a long-term sense, exempting Quanzhou from three years of money and grain is equivalent to using future money to fill the current deficit, and Quanzhou's annual agricultural tax is quite a lot, but in the current situation of tight treasury, this move can solve the urgent need.

In addition to saving the need to transfer money and grain for disaster relief, it can also divert Zhang Lian's embezzlement income and the northward transfer of grain from the local government treasury for other purposes, which can be described as killing two birds with one stone.

"Hmm." The Emperor nodded, but instead of agreeing immediately, he glanced at Xie Qian.

When the emperor is in power, he will weigh the advice of his courtiers.

Shen Xi's proposal was to give the people an almost empty promise, saying that it was exempt from money and grain for three years, but in fact it was only exempt from field tax, before the implementation of a whip law, the Ming Dynasty's field tax, forced labor and other miscellaneous levies were complicated, and the few here could be made up for from other aspects.

Of course, it is a good discount to be able to not pay the land endowment, and those victims can borrow money from the silver number, in addition to surviving the famine, they can also resume production, so that Quanzhou Mansion can gradually recover its vitality and vitality, which is the only intention that Shen Xi can fulfill.

Shen Xi's proposal, compared with Xie Qian's suggestion to be helped by the local government, is more in line with Emperor Hongzhi's wishes, but because of Xie Qian's status in the court, Zhu Youzhu couldn't agree immediately, just nodded symbolically, but in fact, he had already made up his mind in his heart.

Emperor Hongzhi said: "Shen Qing's family has just returned from Quanzhou, and the journey is tiring, so you can go back to Zhan Shifu to do things." Xie Aiqing and stay, I have something to discuss with you. ”

Shen Xi finally breathed a sigh of relief, judging from the current situation, Emperor Hongzhi did not reward or punish him, and the matter of Quanzhou would be revealed.

In the eyes of short-sighted people, he didn't make any profit by doing this, but was full of dangers, and he was looking for trouble. But in the long run, he successfully completed the errands assigned by Emperor Hongzhi and Liu Daxia respectively, and obtained a lot of political capital, which is more important to the people in the officialdom than a simple reward.

Shen Xi exited the main hall of Qianqing Palace unhurriedly, and before he could reach the Wenhua Palace, Xie Qian had already followed briskly from behind.

Shen Xi didn't know what Emperor Hongzhi had said when he left Xie Qian, but seeing that Xie Qian's expression was quite relaxed, that is, the emperor didn't give Xie Qian a problem.

Xie Qian glared at Shen Xi angrily, his tone seemed to blame, but in fact, it was not mixed with too much anger: "You have to rest for two days, don't ask about the case between the envoy and Zhang Lian." Your Majesty is now troubled by the Tatars' crimes, do you know how to share your worries? ”

Before Shen Xi arrived in the capital, he had heard that after the Mongolian fire screen led 7,000 people to plunder the border in March, the fire screen personally led 50,000 horses to invade the border at the end of May, and the border passes were all closed and could not be stopped, and all the surrounding areas of Xuanfu were under martial law, and even the Beijing division had to implement a curfew.

This was a sign of renewed war with the Mongols.

As for the diplomatic relations between the Ming Dynasty and the Dayan Ministry, it was also suspended due to this border incident, and at present, there is no good way for the DPRK to face the 50,000 Mongol army.

Shen Xi shook his head and said, "The students are still young, so they don't dare to talk about the military. ”

Xie Qian pointed at Shen Xi angrily and said, "What happened to your defense strategy of Yanbeiguan in the first year?" Now Your Majesty is in a hurry to take countermeasures! ”

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PS: The first update has arrived!

The weather is so hot, the Son of Heaven is in the air-conditioned room code words, cooking in the sauna, tossing back and forth, I really can't stand it, the most worried about the hot and cold hedge, in previous years, the almonds will be inflamed, and then lead to a cold and fever......

Do you have any good ways to solve this problem? (To be continued.) )