On the twentieth day of the first lunar month, the celebration of the New Year has disappeared, the fatigue after indulgence has recovered, and everything is on track.

But the cabinet is quiet every day, and everyone who has a certain status in the Beijing division knows that although Zhang Juzheng, the first assistant of the cabinet, is diligent in government affairs, he is also a hobby for wine banquets and beautiful women, and the first month has always been the time for his old man to enjoy himself, but last year, Mr. Zhang's father died of illness, and his children should be filial piety, stricter, and even wine and meat can not be touched, let alone indulge in lust.

So since the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, Zhang Juzheng has always had a gloomy face, and his mood is not very good.

Last year, a large number of hidden acres of land were discovered, the tax base of the imperial court rose sharply, and the officials of the various departments of the household department, all the way to the squire and Shangshu above, have never broken the smile on their faces from the beginning of last year's lunar month to the present.

Nearly 30 years of hard work have finally come to an end, and last year the treasury began to have a surplus, and this year it can even be hoped that the treasury will be full.

There are small rebellions all around, and the provinces can assess it by mobilizing their own troops and horses, and there is no famine, and there are not many places to spend money, and it will be much more relaxed next year.

It is no wonder that the officials of the household department are happy, in the past, for the local and military to use the silver and money in various places in the palace every year, from the Shangshu to the chief affairs below, they are racking their brains, and from now on, they will not need it, how can they not be easy and happy.

The finances are abundant, and all aspects are getting better, and everyone's mood is good, but no one can reflect this joy on their faces, because Zhang Ge is in a bad mood.

Zhang Siwei, a scholar of the cabinet and a scholar of the Ministry of War, is deeply respected by Zhang Juzheng, the first assistant, and he himself is also respectful and diligent, and Zhang Juzheng will never spend the night here, and he must do it thoroughly.

Now Zhang Siwei is nominally under the first assistant Zhang Juzheng, the second assistant Lu Tiaoyang, and the university scholar Ma Ziqiang in the ranking of the cabinet, but the actual power has been ranked second.

This is just a change of more than two months, and everyone in the world sighs that there are many capable people, you must know that the position of this second place is originally Zhang Juzheng, the first assistant of the cabinet, who is interested in Zhang Han, the secretary of the ministry, but he didn't expect that Zhang Han himself could not see the situation clearly.

Early in the morning, the cabinet scholars and the six scholars and the corresponding important ministers entered the Wenyuan Pavilion, nodded and said hello after coming in, and then sat upright, waiting for Zhang Juzheng's arrival.

Zhang Siwei, who has always been kind and pleasant, greeted everyone with a smile, but when he entered the house this time, he looked a little cautious, and he didn't know what was on his mind.

Seeing Zhang Siwei like this, some thoughtful ministers were worried in their hearts, thinking that there must be something big, this Zhang Siwei is Zhang Gelao's cronies!

Not long after, the first assistant Zhang Juzheng also came to the house, and everyone in the house got up to greet him, Zhang Juzheng nodded calmly, and sat there to open a few folds and look.

The Pavilion Boss is in a bad mood, and if everyone shows a smile, it will inevitably be disrespectful to Lord Shoufu, so let's stay with him and don't speak.

According to the rules of these days, the old man of the pavilion came, there was almost a stick of incense in the Wenyuan Pavilion, and several old ministers had to fight their spirits, otherwise they would probably sleep for a short period of time, and when the emperor came over, it would be a loss of honor in front of the king, a great sin, "Pavilion elder, the lower official learned a news in the military department last night, saying that Li Chengliang, the chief soldier of Liaozhen, led the soldiers out of the fortress and attacked the speed of the Taining Department. ”

“…… He Li Chengliang is really a famous general......"

“…… The thief chief of Subahai has been in trouble for more than ten years, and I don't know if I can behead this person this time......"

Hearing Zhang Siwei's words, the ministers were buzzing for a while, and Li Youzi, the secretary of the ministry, and Shen Shixing, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, glanced at each other, which is obviously good news, why is this Zhang Siwei that dejected look, there is something strange in this, both of them were silent there without making a sound.

Zhang Juzheng coughed lightly, the room suddenly fell silent, and Zhang Juzheng said in a deep voice:

"Li Chengliang is good at attacking, and his subordinates are full of strength, and it is reasonable to win, but the speed of the Taining department, he has won three times in three years, but the speed of the country is still outside the pass, if there is a big victory this time, the praise will be praised, and the joint will also be made clear to him."

When everyone was happy, Zhang Juzheng said this, although it was also the truth, but he poured a basin of cold water on this atmosphere.

Zhang Siwei immediately got up, with no disappointment on his face, bowed down and said:

"The elder of the pavilion sees it clearly, but the vision of the lower officials is narrow, and when the military report over there comes, he must prepare a ticket to handle it." With such a low profile, Zhang Juzheng also nodded with satisfaction, everyone looked at each other but didn't speak, thinking that Zhang Siwei, who was clear-minded, was he trying to say this uncomfortably? Zhang Siwei sat down, but took out another fold and said loudly:

"I still have an excerpt here, which was sent by Panda of Tianjin Bingbei Road, and he can't make up his mind, so please let me see if it is handed to the General Administration?"

Speaking of this, Zhang Juzheng's brows furrowed again, and he said coldly:

"He has already done the military preparation, didn't the Metropolitan Procuratorate and the Ministry of War teach him the rules, and Shangshu has also made so many strange things."

"Elder Ge forgives his sins, and the military salaries, grains and grass in Jizhen are all raised and distributed by Panda, but after Wang Tong of Jinyi Wei Qianhu went to take office, he clashed with him." Zhang Siwei said very slowly, but Zhang Juzheng, the first assistant of the cabinet, his face sank, the ministers can still roughly judge the likes and dislikes of Zhang Ge Lao, this Wang Tong's name obviously will not make Zhang Ge Lao happy, but what Zhang Juzheng said shows that he judged clearly:

"Then Panda has nothing to do to offend Wang Tong?"

"So that the elder of the pavilion knows, Panda gave a two-percent discount on the military salary distributed by Wang Tong as usual, and then six rice bills and four bills, which is also the rule of the main army and the guest army, but Wang Tong was furious, saying that it could not be discounted, and insisted on not having treasure money for the whole rice, Panda was also embarrassed, this rule is done like this all over the world, Wang Qianhu gave the whole rice salary and silver without discounting, what if the other battalions in Jizhen make trouble?"

After he finished speaking, all the ministers in the room couldn't sit still, and Deng Yuemin, the head of the household, stood up very excitedly, first clasped his fists at Zhang Juzheng's side, and said in a slightly trembling voice:

"The military salary is issued, there must be a loss of cars and horses, if it is not broken, this is not in the Ming Dynasty to shed blood and cut flesh, besides, the discount of this rice banknote is also determined according to the situation in various places, how can it be said that it will be changed, Ge Lao, now the treasury has just eased up, if it sets off a storm in this matter, the Ming Dynasty nine border towns, inland provinces, so many soldiers and horses, this hair down, I am afraid that something will happen again."

"Wufu is vulgar, hungry for them, in order to prevent them from having an accident, when the Qi general soldiers of Jizhen were in Zhejiang, the soldiers below were not hungry, and the food and salary were in arrears for half a year, and they were defeated and made great achievements, which means that the soldiers are full and hungry and have nothing to do with victory or defeat, as long as we choose the right generals to lead the troops, we can win the battle."

"Li Chengliang of Liaodong, it is said that the military salary of nearly 200,000 soldiers and horses has been deducted by him to raise the generals of the family, and the long-term victory for so many years is based on these soldiers, and this is still a discount, if the full salary is paid, what can he toss, in case he has a separate mind?"

The courtiers, you talk about it word by word, no one thinks that it is a good thing to pay the full salary, and the Ministry of Rites Shangshu Shen Shixing does not make a sound, but he keeps nodding his head there, looking like he agrees, he knows very well in his heart, the discount of the salary, the proportion of rice money, the household department and the military department and the relevant officials below do not know how much profit is shared, and this is related to all aspects, the local prefecture, county, province, and the imperial court, it is not an exaggeration to say that if this piece is moved, sixty percent of the civil officials in the world will be damaged, Who would dare to touch it.

If the civil official agrees, he will inevitably be attacked by everyone, and all kinds of crimes will be smashed on his head, and he will be completely ruined. Therefore, as soon as this matter is mentioned in this Wenyuan Pavilion, everyone must show their attitude, otherwise this position will not be stable.

Lu Tiaoyang, the second assistant of the cabinet, rarely expressed any opinions, his family is a big family in Jiangxi, and there is no shortage of money, money, and land, so he never has any stains on money, and Lu Tiaoyang is old, even if he doesn't express his position, no one will target him.

However, the old minister groaned and stood up from his seat, after all, his identity and qualifications were over there, Lu Tiaoyang's action, Zhang Juzheng raised his head, and the others also quieted down.

"Pavilion Elder, colleagues, when we became our grandfather in the Ming Dynasty, the grain and rice money distributed to the army began to be mixed with rice money, and there were discounts, until now, what is it for, not to restrain this martial artist, the martial artist dances with a knife and a gun, does not read the sage books, does not know the sage truth, and has to do a lawless act if he indulges a little."

Everyone nodded, Lu Tiaoyang's white beard fluttered, his face was full of righteousness and awe-inspiring expression, and he continued in a loud voice:

"The rules set by Grandpa Tai and Grandpa Cheng are that our Wenchen is the first to assist the Son of Heaven to rule the world, and this is also the rule of the ancestors, but now the generals everywhere are flying and domineering, and there are put this rule in their eyes, if there is no control of this military salary, I don't know what chaos to make, since the founding of the country, there has never been any military chaos, this is the benefit of this rule, how can these thousands of years of rules be changed for a small minister who is a close friend of His Majesty, Lords, don't read the book of sages in vain!"

Having said this, Zhang Juzheng and all the ministers in the house stood up solemnly, bowed down and clenched their fists, and the clerks who were waiting outside the house were all in tears, and they couldn't control their excitement.

(To be continued)