Listening to Yan Shifan talk about the salt administration, Xia Yan's sensitive political sense was smart, Yan Song was a secretary of the Ministry of Rites, how could His Majesty let him check what salt politics?

I didn't have time to think about it so much, I just knew that I couldn't let the Yan family touch the two pieces of salt and household again, otherwise I don't know how much he would have to be greedy.

He arched his hand and said: "In the first month of Xinchou, Taizu first proposed to establish the salt law, and set up officials to control it. The imperial merchant took one of the salt for every twenty minutes of the imperial court to pay for the army. Your Majesty, there has been no salt tax in the household department recently. ”

This is a rule that has been established since the time of Taizu of the Ming Dynasty, and the imperial court has a local salt department that specializes in managing salt administration, a local stove for frying salt, and a royal salt merchant who pays high taxes for the imperial court. All this has already formed a huge and meticulous network of relationships, how can it be easily destroyed? This is the foundation of moving the country!

As soon as he heard his words, Yan Shifan's heart was relieved, and he quietly stood up and withdrew from the main hall from the side.

Xia Yan said this, but he didn't stand in Sejong's position at all, he wanted to cultivate the Tao, he wanted to repair the palace, and he had no money! If you don't start with the big head, where can you find the money?

The treasury is empty, the treasury is empty, what should Your Majesty do!

Secretly scolding a fool, he slightly hooked the corners of his lips, straightened his back, removed the tears from the corners of his eyes, and left elegantly.

My father's return to the court is just around the corner.

Zhu Houxi followed Xia Yan's words, and continued: "There is no obstacle to the salt, but in the past, every time the stove household paid a small amount of surplus salt, he could get one stone of rice." There are always some stove households who ignore the hanging, and bring private salt to the scene, and the matter of private salt has been repeatedly banned since Taizu. ”

He pointed at Xia Yan and said, "Xia Shoufu is the head of the Ming Kingdom, but is there any way to strictly prohibit this?" ”

This question can be asked by Xia Yan, Xia Yan's official road is since he was a young Zhan Shi and an academician of the Hanlin Bachelor, and then he was promoted to the left waiter of the Ministry of Rites, still in charge of the Hanlin Academy, and later became the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, until the fifteenth year of Jiajing, he was promoted to a scholar of Wuyingdian University and entered the cabinet. It can be said that there is no detour and smooth progress.

The affairs of the household department, the affairs of the salt class, how can he take care of so much?

But someone had already handed him a "panacea" to deal with such a scene.

Xia Yan thought about it for a while, leaned over, and said cautiously: "It's better to start with the local salt transportation envoy department and the salt department promotion department, and the officials and the people are clear." This matter still needs to be investigated by the Metropolitan Procuratorate, or sent a patrol to investigate and visit. Let the big greed and huge greed of those leaders have no tile to cover their bodies, and there is no place to stand below. ”

Xia Yan also understood in his heart that when the water is clear, there are no fish, and when people are observed, there are no fugitives. If those local officials are not fed, who will do things for the imperial court? But I look forward to this sentence being able to purge the entire Ming Dynasty!

Zhu Houxi nodded in agreement, and said slowly: "Then according to Xia Shoufu's words, start with the local officials." The cabinet chose a day to appoint important ministers as inspectors, and the secretaries of the various administrations thoroughly investigated the salt administration... and other things. ”

He pointed to Li Dazhang, the secretary of the household department, and said: "You also have to supervise and urge the income and expenditure and settlement accounts in various places, which one has gone wrong, and strive to collect a few hundred more salt in various places this year." After a pause, he continued: "The two Huai salt farms produce the most salt, and the sparse sales and accumulation issued by Jiajing in the eighth year of Jiajing, those outline laws, it's time to rectify them. There are also jade, tea, and horses, don't let me dial everything! The officials investigated, which officials falsely reported their merits! Dare to fill your own pockets and punish you severely! ”

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

The ministers of the Manchu court saluted one after another, what a scene of unity!

The officials were all shocked by Zhu Houxi's resolute and resolute actions, but they felt strange, what is wrong with Your Majesty? Everyone speculated in their hearts, whether Jinyiwei had already found out something, and His Majesty was taking this opportunity to rectify the officialdom?

However, they didn't believe that Sejong had jumped out of the Dao Gate, but it was just a whim, right?

The court was scattered, and Xia Yan did not sit in a sedan chair today, but walked out of the palace on foot.

The sun nourishes everything in the world, and the air floats with the rich fragrance of prosperity. The people of Beijing were full of joyful smiles to welcome the spring of the new year.

Xia Yan took a deep breath and slowly exhaled the turbid qi in his heart. After walking hundreds of steps, the Qingke behind him whispered: "Master, the people below replied that Tao Wenzhong had bad luck and died in the night incense barrel." ”

Xia Yan nodded and said, "Dealt with?" ”

Qingke nodded cautiously and replied: "Because Your Majesty believes in Taoism, headed by the Yan family, Tao Wenzhong also abandoned the sedan chair and rode a horse, but he died on a startled horse, isn't it the retribution of the heavenly cycle?" ”

Xia Yan relieved his heart and said slowly: "Nannan, you say, did I do something wrong?" ”

Wu Xuannan smiled and said, "Once Guo Xun and the others unite with the Yan family father and son, Lord Shoufu will only be in a desperate situation. The song of spring, and those who are peaceful will be few. Does Lord Shoufu want to survive the Qingming Dynasty in vain, or does he want the Ming Dynasty to reappear in the prosperous era? He paused slightly, and then said: "The Yan family and his son have long been known to everyone in Sima Zhao's heart, but Lord Shoufu has been caring for the friendship of fellow villagers and has repeatedly helped the wolf. ”

In the early years, when Yan Song was first transferred to the Beijing Division, another Qing guest in the family reminded Xia Yan not to be soft-hearted. Xia Yan was angry and snubbed him, but he was wary of Yan Song in his heart. Yes, that time Yan Song was invited to a banquet, he excused himself not to go, and in the end, Yan's father and son came to the door to kneel and beg, and he was soft-hearted, and he angrily scolded the Qingke for not distinguishing between right and wrong, and went to Yan's mansion for the banquet.

But Yan Song, who really secretly cultivated his henchmen, repeatedly slandered him with secret arrows, and the blue fairy in the palace was one of the people who fell under the gold and silver given by the Yan family.

Xia Yan pondered for a long time and said, "Is Yang Qu still in the mansion?" ”

Wu Xuannan said with a smile: "Yang Quye still has an eighty-year-old mother to support in his family, and he has tried and failed repeatedly in terms of fame, how can he leave the house?" He coughed lightly, and continued: "Yang Xianggong has the ability to predict the future, I have seen it with my own eyes, he has predicted many changes in the court, and he has been tested many times!" What a talent! ”

Even if Xia Yan no longer believed in any immortal trickery, he couldn't deny Yang Qu's calculations in his early years, and he felt a little guilty about him. After thinking about it, he said: "Take a trip to Gaofu with heavy gifts, set up a banquet on another day, invite Gao Wuyi to come to the mansion, and invite Yang Qu to accompany you." ”

Wu Xuannan smiled comfortably, but no longer mentioned Yang, but asked: "Did the master fall in love with the general banner of the brocade guard?" ”

Xia Yan smiled bitterly and said, "If it weren't for his comprehensive serial plan, I'm afraid I would have to be a master again." He looked at the bustling crowd and smiled slightly: "It's just that I can't bear to let the people fall into the mouth of the tiger and wolf." ”

Grievance?

How can this grievance in my heart be as heavy as the people?

It was bitter after all, he sighed, and never spoke again.

Xia Yan walked a few steps, suddenly stopped, turned his head to look at Wu Xuannan, and said suspiciously: "Can Yan Song willingly give up the salt administration for us to take over the thorough investigation?" ”

Wu Xuannan suddenly froze there as if he had been struck by lightning, and then smiled bitterly: "No wonder... He is trying to make you an enemy of the Manchu Dynasty and the civil and military, and finally be isolated. ”

Xia Yan's face darkened, and he scolded coldly: "Straight lady thief! The upper vertical (Shangshu) is a dog, and the tail hangs down as a wolf! ”

Wu Xuannan saw that Xia Yan's generation of virtuous ministers was so angry that he spat out evil words, and couldn't help but be speechless, and only said slowly: "This matter has to be discussed in the long run." ”

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