Fang Congzhe thought for a while and said: "Your Majesty, this is still not good, there are many ministers in the court, at home or their relatives and others, there are a large number of shops, if taxes are collected, although they can still make money, but no one will be afraid to make too much money, I am afraid that they will not agree, and they also have a grand reason, the court can not compete with the people for profit, besides, the first emperor has just abolished the mining tax, His Majesty will immediately collect the commercial tax, which will provoke the ministers to discuss." ”

Zhu Youxiao thought for a while and tried to say, "If I and Shoufu both agree, how about forcing the tax to be collected?" ”

Fang Congzhe hurriedly stopped: "Your Majesty, by all means, you can refute the holy decree in the matter, Your Majesty will collect commercial taxes under the following decree, and the ministers can be sure that they will definitely refute it, and it will not be good if the prestige of the court will be damaged at that time." ”

Zhu Youxiao understood that Fang Congzhe meant that the emperor's prestige was damaged, and it turned out that the emperor didn't do whatever he wanted. So how do you do that? He consulted Shoufu on this issue, and Fang Congzhe was silent for a long time and then said, "Unless most of the courtiers agree." Then he shook his head, knowing that it was almost impossible.

Zhu Youxiao knew that this problem was really difficult, so let's take it step by step first. So he proposed to let Xu Guangqi be the head of the household department and ask Shoufu to support him, and Fang Congzhe of course agreed.

A few days later, Zhu Youxiao convened a cabinet meeting and proposed to promote Xu Guangqi to the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, and because Xu Guangqi was his first daily official, he proposed to give him a gold medal for the emperor, with which he could face the saint at any time, and could govern officials below the third rank and seize the post of officials below the fifth rank.

The cabinet strongly objected, except for Fang Congzhe, the other two people in the cabinet all thought that Xu Guangqi's qualifications were too shallow, and now he was only a third grade, and Sun Shenxing, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, had just taken office, and there was nothing wrong with him, how could he be replaced by Xu Guangqi? And the gold medal has jurisdiction over officials below the third grade, which will make Xu Guangqi too powerful, not to mention that he can also seize the post of an official below the fifth rank at any time, which will make Xu Guangqi's power even more terrifying than that of the first assistant of the cabinet, and I am afraid that it is not a blessing for the country.

Fang Congzhe is very satisfied with Xu Guangqi, not only did the emperor tell him a few days ago, but also mainly because Xu Guangqi has no party affiliation, it is much better for him to be a scholar than a member of the Donglin Party to be a scholar, but it is not embarrassing to say that he agrees with Xu Guangqi to replace Sun Shenxing, not to mention that Sun Shenxing is a Jinshi nine years earlier than Xu Guangqi, and he is indeed stronger than Xu Guangqi in terms of qualifications, and the last time the emperor said that he was in the household department, he was also confused, so he had to not express his position.

Zhu Youxiao said with a smile: "Mr. Xu's qualifications are too shallow, if the qualifications refer to the number of years in the Jinshi examination, I admit this, but since Mr. Xu has been a Jinshi, he has translated Taixi books, written various works on agriculture and calendars, and has opened canals to plant rice, trained soldiers to strengthen the army, and educated the emperor and grandson." Some people are indeed early in the Jinshi, but they only know that they are fighting for power and profit every day, and the party is the same and the party is different, and none of them contribute to the country. With such qualifications, it is like an old thief, who is better than nothing. “

The emperor said this, and it is not good for the people in the cabinet to oppose it in terms of seniority, especially the two of Donglin, for fear that the emperor will also belong to the party and fight against the other, because Sun Shenxing is also from Donglin. Liu Yixian said: "Even if you don't care about your qualifications, it's just that since Sun Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites took office, he has done everything with all his heart, if he takes his position, he can't explain the reason, and it's not easy to arrange, please think twice." “

Zhu Youxiao immediately said: "Then you mean that Xu Guangqi can be promoted to Shangshu, but Sun Shangshu is not easy to arrange, right?" “

The two ministers had no choice but to reply: "Exactly. “

Zhu Youxiao smiled and changed the subject: "Fang Shoufu, Li Shangshu has not yet been approved for his illness the day before yesterday, right?" “

Fang Congzhe understood what the emperor meant, and couldn't help but be overjoyed, the Hubu Shangshu is of course more important than the Ministry of Rites: "Exactly, Li Shangshu is infected with scabies, but there is no one in the Hubu to succeed the Shangshu for a while, so there is no approval." “

"That's good, Xu Guangqi is good at arithmetic, and he can be a scholar of the household department."

Now Liu Han and the others have no choice, since they think that Xu Guangqi has the qualifications to be the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, then of course he can be the secretary of the Ministry of Rites. But Liu Yixian was unwilling, and questioned the gold medal again, thinking that the gold medal was too powerful. Since the main purpose was achieved, Zhu Youxiao did not care about himself, so he agreed to downgrade the gold medal function by one level, so that everyone in the cabinet agreed to the appointment of Xu Guangqi.

In a few days, Li Ruhua, the secretary of the household department, begged for the ninth time, and the emperor finally allowed it, in order to reward him for so many years of conscientious work in the household department, he ordered to add the crown prince Taibao, reward gold, silver and silk, and let the brocade guard escort him back to his hometown.

At the same time, the emperor decreed: promote Xu Guangqi to the head of the household, give the emperor a gold medal, hold the gold medal can enter the palace at any time, and once indicated, you can not go through the general political department or the gate of the pole (the foreign official is to pass through the general secretary, and the Beijing official is to pass through the gate of the pole), and directly to the front of the emperor.

Xu Guangqi thought that the emperor would only let him serve as the right attendant of the household department, at most the left attendant, but he didn't expect it to be a scholar, but he didn't pretend to pretend to resign, and immediately after entering the palace to thank him, he began to discuss with Zhu Youxiao about the collection of commercial taxes, and the two discussed until dinner was not finished, Zhang Yan waited for the emperor to eat, and the left and right always did not come, and he was angry after sending someone to inquire, and it was this Xu Guangqi again, and he didn't trouble him last time, so he took Duan Ying and Wang Wan and asked to see the emperor directly.

Zhu Youxiao was very strange, so he let them in, and did not let Xu Guangqi avoid them. After the three daughters came in to greet the salute, Zhang Yan said: "Your Majesty, your dragon body is the safety of the world, and it is also the reliance of the concubines, and it is the most concerned thing for the subjects of the world. “

Xu Guangqi realized that it was getting late, and hurriedly knelt down to plead guilty. Zhu Youxiao stopped him and said with a smile: "It was discussed by Mr. Iliu, and it has nothing to do with Mr. Okay, it's almost over, please go back first. “

After Xu Guangqi thanked him for withdrawing, he was very puzzled, I heard that the queen was virtuous and gentle, why did she deliberately target herself today? Did you do something to upset the queen? I thought about it for a long time and didn't come up with a reason, so I had to shake my head and sigh and go back.

After Zhu Youxiao waited for him to leave, he said to Zhang Yan with a smile: "I understand that you can't hate me, so I hate Xu Shangshu, this is called fishing without a strange fish basket." Xu Shangshu originally had good intentions, don't do this next time. Thinking that you are a first-time offender, tonight the family law will serve, and I will personally carry out the execution. The third girl blushed, spitted, and fled with a smile.