Almost subconsciously, Hu Guang frowned, but he immediately returned to normal and asked flatly, "How do you say it?" ”

At this time, he was a little unsure, whether this Min Hongxue was playing tricks, winning eyeballs, or really seeing the shortcomings, and speaking out.

Min Hongxue didn't seem to see the change in Emperor Chongzhen's face, and said directly: "On the way to Beijing, I heard that the imperial court had a policy of mobilizing grain, which was to adopt the method of deporting grain into Beijing in turn province by province. I think this law is inappropriate!"

Hu Guang didn't expect him to mention this, and he was a little surprised in his heart. This method was proposed by him himself, and he thought it was a very good method. He couldn't think of anything wrong with it himself, so he asked directly, "Why is it wrong?" ”

"This policy seems to be a great good, but it ignores whether the specific implementation of the local government can meet expectations." When Min Hongxue said this, his expression became serious, and he raised his voice and said, "With the understanding of the ministers, this move is very laborious!"

Hu Guang finally frowned when he heard this, and defended himself a little unhappily: "I have sent the factory guard to supervise, if I dare to do something illegal, I can also know it, and I will not spare it!" ”

"Your Majesty, the minister admits that this move may be effective, but there are only a few factory guards, how big is the territory of a province, and it may be able to monitor it? In the government, county and below, will there be factory guard monitoring? Local officials took the opportunity to extort money and seize ......"

Hearing this, there was no need for Min Hongxue to go any further, Hu Guang already understood what he meant. He is worthy of being a local capable official, familiar with the local situation, and is far from being comparable to the officials of the Beijing Division.

“…… Therefore, the minister thought that the final result of this policy would be to disturb the people throughout the provinces of the Ming Dynasty, and if there were other disasters, or if they were used by people with intentions, it was likely to cause civil revolt in many places! This is by no means alarmist!" When Min Hongxue said this, his face was already very serious.

Hu Guang nodded again and again when he heard this, and after Min Hongxue finished speaking, he hurriedly asked: "In Min Qing's opinion, the shortage of food in Beijing is imminent, what should be done to deal with it?" ”

In fact, if it was only the land of Gyeonggi, because a large amount of grain was seized during the raid of the Jin merchants, it was considered a temporary solution to the food crisis. But Hu Guang still has to ask, naturally he is elegant.

"In the humble opinion of the minister, choose a place with relatively more stock in the surrounding provinces, and let it supply the Beijing division, so as to temporarily replace the vacancy period when the grain from the major grain-producing provinces arrives in Beijing." Min Hongxue bowed down and replied, "Minimize the disturbance of the local government to the people!"

Hu Guang nodded when he heard this, he really believed in Min Hongxue's true talent at this time, so he asked modestly again: "In Min Qing's opinion, what else should I say?" ”

When Min Hongxue heard this, he was unceremonious, and immediately played again: "The original intention of the imperial court to use salt to compensate grain households is to reduce the harm of disturbing the people, which is indeed good. But this move is also taken for granted! ”

When Hu Guang heard this, he was a little surprised, and hurriedly asked, "How do you take it for granted?" ”

"Your Majesty may not know that my Ming Dynasty's salt has long been hoarded and surplus, and many merchants have salt in their hands, but they have never been able to receive salt, so they can only sell it cheaply or pass it on to their descendants!" Min Hongxue replied without hesitation.

When Hu Guang heard this, he couldn't help but say: "What's so difficult about this, just increase salt production!"

"Your Majesty, the truth is by no means so simple!" Min Hongxue immediately made a serious face and replied seriously: "The stakes are very large, and it will definitely be resisted by the existing salt merchants, and it is very likely that in the first few years, the salt tax revenue will be greatly reduced." Dare to ask Your Majesty, can the imperial court bear it? ”

Speaking of this, without waiting for Hu Guang to speak, Min Hongxue himself added: "In fact, there are too many salt citations, and they have not been fulfilled for many years, and there is also the credit of salt merchants!" For example, official salt is adulterated with illicit salt, and the price is maintained at a high price, etc.......

If Wen Tiren wasn't the first assistant, if he hadn't changed his opinion of the emperor after coming to Beijing, he wouldn't have poured out his heart and lungs like this.

"Also, the imperial court seems to be fully prepared in the matter of Jin Shang, but it is not. In the eyes of the ministers, the imperial court did not delve into the matter after the investigation of the Jin Shang. For example, to appease the hearts of the people, to appease the hearts of the border army, and so on. All of this, relying on a white pole army alone is useless. For example, the white pole army is a knife and a fist, and in addition, the imperial court lacks a date. And in the opinion of the minister, there are signs of expansion in the seizure of Jin merchants. ”

Speaking of this, Min Hongxue bowed, then raised his head and said solemnly: "The minister thinks that it is time to stop the matter of raiding the Jin merchants." And the imperial court will make it clear to the world, the crime of smuggling, before today, will not be investigated, and after today, it will be committed again, just like Fan Yongdou and others!"

When he said this, he was afraid that Emperor Chongzhen would misunderstand him, so he deliberately took a serious attitude, and immediately added: "Otherwise, I am afraid that it is not only the Jin merchants, but also the border land of the Ming Dynasty, under the fear, I am afraid that it will be chaotic, this is definitely not the blessing of the court, the blessing of the people, and I hope Your Majesty will be cautious!"

When Hu Guang first listened, he was indeed a little unhappy. It's not a pity that those Jin merchants are all killed. But after hearing it, he also remembered a lot of things in later generations, as long as the scale is large, it will definitely expand, causing very bad consequences.

If the seizure of Jin Shang continues, maybe there will really be a chain reaction. At that time, the borders will be in chaos, and the trouble will be really big.

Thinking of this, Hu Guang also had a serious face, nodded and affirmed: "Min Qing is reasonable, I understand!" ”

Speaking of this, he remembered the problem that had been put aside for the time being, so he asked: "Min Qing, now many of the soldiers in Xuanfu Town have collapsed......

When he finished speaking, Min Hongxue immediately replied: "Your Majesty, the minister just said that it's time to give dates." The imperial court should quickly send officials with local governance ability to fill the vacant positions, so that they can appease the hearts of the people and the army, and govern the Xuanfu together with the white pole army!"

Hu Guang nodded when he heard this, he was very satisfied with Min Hongxue. Then he inquired in detail about Min Hongxue's local governance, inquired about the people's situation in the southwest of the Ming Dynasty, and heard the real situation in Yunnan and Guizhou for the first time.

The two chatted for a long time, and finally Hu Guang was quite satisfied with the title of Min Hongxue as the secretary of the ministry and the scholar of the Huangji Palace, and entered the cabinet as an auxiliary minister.

Subsequently, Hu Guang adjusted his strategy, and according to Min Hongxue's proposal, he abolished the grain requisition in other provinces other than the major grain-producing provinces, and sent officials to Shanxi to stop the Baigang army and factory guards from raiding other small-scale Jin merchants, and according to Min Hongxue's performance, the world was clearly intended.

Of course, Hu Guang did not pardon the eight Jin merchants who had been confiscated and other large-scale Jin merchants. The final verdict was: the eight Jin merchants headed by Fan Yongdou punished the nine clans, among which the backbone of the Tongyu, such as Fan Yongdou and other family patriarchs, their eldest sons were all Ling Chi. The other immediate family members were decided, and they were first class again, the male was assigned to Hainan, and the female was admitted to the teaching workshop. 2