Wang Tiaoding is young, he must not have lived enough, where does he dare to tell the truth?

immediately hugged his fists and said: "This Zhao Yan is a masterpiece, rare in the world." However, there are two disadvantages of its nature, one is roundabout, and the other is benevolence. ”

Chongzhen said strangely: "Benevolence is also disadvantageous? ”

Wang Tiaoding explained: "This benevolence is the benevolence of a woman. Your Majesty can know that Zhao Yan's soldiers are flourishing, but they are still cramped in half of Jiangxi? ”

Chongzhen was a little angry, what does it mean to be cramped in half of Jiangxi? Is it too little to occupy half of Jiangxi?

Chongzhen didn't answer, and Wang Tiaoding could only continue: "The officials and soldiers under his command are all boiling for war, and they want to expand their private land and be promoted. However, Zhao Yan's kindness to women, every time they send troops on a large scale, they must stop after the summer harvest and autumn harvest, and at most two months. He also said that the use of too many soldiers will make life difficult for the people. Isn't this a woman's kindness? With its prestige and military strength, it was able to sweep through Jiangxi two years ago. ”

"Bastard, there are many soldiers in the imperial court, how can Jiangxi be taken by him!" Chongzhen was furious.

Wang Tiaoding hurriedly bowed his head, not daring to say any more.

In fact, Chongzhen already believed this, and combined with the evaluation of Chen Yuding, Liu Tongsheng and others, he sketched a vivid image of a Zhao thief in his heart.

In Chongzhen's mind, Zhao Han is the kind of Confucian who believes in "benevolence and righteousness". Because of his own experience, he hates the court and the big clan, but he cares very much about the small people. Therefore, Zhao Han forcibly distributed the land of the big clan to the ordinary people. Even in the case of being able to occupy the whole of Jiangxi, because he was afraid that too many troops would be used and affect the lives of the people, he only sent troops for one or two months every time, and he would take a little territory when he saw it. In order to expand the territory, the common people were never forced to pay more taxes.

This is an idealistic, moral, and responsible thief, which is completely opposite to Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong.

Seeing Wang Tiaoding kneeling on the ground, Chongzhen stopped his anger and asked, "This is the kindness of his woman, so what is the roundabout?" ”

Wang Tiaoding said: "Zhao Yan does things in a roundabout way. It follows the "Da Ming Law" as the guideline, but those who break the law must be severely punished. At that time, there was a person who had already been attached to the whole clan, and he was serious and unremitting, and he could be described as a clean official. Because of drunkenness and insulting a good prostitute, he was sentenced to death by hanging according to the "Da Ming Law". This matter completely lost the heart of the gentry, and there were many people who fled from the clan. ”

Chongzhen actually began to defend Zhao Han: "How can this be considered broad? To be an official, you should abide by the rules! ”

Wang Tiaoding said: "Your Majesty, those who do great things are not informal. For the sake of a good prostitute, he killed a clean official and an honest official, causing many gentry to flee. It's really roundabout. ”

Chongzhen said angrily: "You scholars, you just don't follow the rules, and the world is so fielded!" Kill, kill! ”

Zhao Han's image in Chongzhen's mind has added another "iron-faced selfless".

Benevolence, righteousness and love for the people, iron-faced and selfless, how good it would be for this kind of person to come to me as an official, but it's a pity that he became a thief. It's all to blame for the corrupt officials in Jiangxi, who forced a moral and well-behaved scholar to rebel!

Chongzhen asked again: "How many scholars and thieves are there in Jiangxi?" ”

Wang Tiaoding replied: "There are also thieves among the children of the big clans, but most of them are poor scholars. Jiangxi's literary style is prosperous, and poor families read more. Such scholars, the imperial examination is hopeless, there is no way to serve the country, and there is no livelihood, and Zhao Yan gave them land, so they flocked to be thieves. Although Zhao Yan is broad, the servants are eclectic. Prostitutes, turtles, and domestic slaves can all be officials. It is rumored that the person in charge of the money and food for him was born as a slave. ”

"Does this slave manage money and food well?" Chongzhen said curiously.

Wang Tiaoding replied: "With a humble body and being reused, this slave is grateful to Zhao Yan and has worked hard for the officials. He learns from Zhao Yan in life and work, holds money and grain and pays taxes, but does not buy property, does not accept concubines, does not raise slaves, and only lives on a living on weekdays, and passes through countless money and grain without taking a penny. ”

"I am also diligent and thrifty, why are all officials greedy, and how many honest officials are under Zhao Yan?" Chongzhen was very interested in this and asked, "How does Zhao Yan rectify the rule of officials?" ”

Wang Tiaoding replied: "Zhao Yan employs people, regardless of background. Even if you raise people to be officials, you must also start from small officials, and you will be rewarded for your merits, and you will be punished for your mistakes. Every year, there are corrupt officials, who are punished and killed, and at least they are assigned to be miners. ”

Chongzhen's brows furrowed, even more incomprehensible, he also has merit that must be rewarded, and he must be punished, how come the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty are all corrupt officials?

Chongzhen really couldn't figure it out, he was diligent and thrifty, never built a lot of buildings, and the imperial palace was leaking, so he was reluctant to pay for repairs. The emperors of the Ming Dynasty took money from the treasury for personal use, but he took private money from the treasury to raise soldiers, and when it came to selflessness for the country, he was the first person among the emperors of the Ming Dynasty.

He is such a good emperor, why is the country in such a situation?

Even God punished him, the financial situation was already embarrassing, and this year there was a national disaster, rich people such as Nanzhili and Zhejiang cannibalism.

Suddenly, Chongzhen was completely interested, waved his hand and said, "Let's go." ”

Wang Tiaoding didn't dare to say more, and was taken away from the Forbidden City by the eunuchs.

Chongzhen went to Queen Zhou, didn't say a word, just sat down.

Queen Zhou sighed secretly, came behind Chongzhen, and silently gave Chongzhen a shoulder and back. She didn't dare to say more, because it was useless to say it. In history, Beijing was besieged, Chongzhen let the concubine commit suicide, and Queen Zhou finally complained: "I have been married to you for 18 years, and you didn't listen to a word, so you have fallen to this point." ”

Empress Zhou hinted at Chongzhen's move south, but Chongzhen just didn't understand.

"Am I the King of the Dead?" Chongzhen suddenly spoke.

Empress Zhou didn't dare to tell the truth, nor did she dare to point out Chongzhen's faults, so she only comforted: "Your Majesty is diligent and loves the people, and he is not the king of the country." ”

Chongzhen looked at the candle flame in a daze, and whispered: "Nanzhi, Zhejiang disaster, cannibalism. The Jiangxi anti-thieves actually wanted to join forces with me to stabilize grain prices, but I have been urging taxes in these two places. Am I not even as good as a thief? There is no need to pay taxes, how to train soldiers, how to suppress thieves? ”

Empress Zhou comforted and said: "Your Majesty, don't worry, you can send a minister ......"

"Where did you come from?" Chongzhen interrupted suddenly, "The civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty are all greedy and despicable, and even the house slaves under the command of Zhao Thief are not as good!" The slave was in charge of the money and food for the Zhao thief, and he was conscientious and not greedy. And what about my ministers? I really don't know, before the Jiubian food and salary left Beijing, half of it didn't know where to go. The civil and military generals were greedy for silver, and the eunuchs I sent to supervise the household department and the ministry of industry were also greedy for silver. None of them should be killed! He said that the king was loyal, and I asked him to guard Jiangxi, but he didn't let him collect taxes, and he was beaten to death by the merchants because of the tyranny and extortion! ”

Queen Zhou didn't know how to persuade her, but she felt sorry for her husband, she was too tired all these years.

She hopes that her husband will not be the emperor, and he will still be the king of faith before. She was sitting in front of the dresser, and King Shin secretly pulled her hair, and she suddenly turned back when she was shocked, and her hair shook King Shin's face. The eunuch was too frightened to speak, but the king laughed.

At that time, the king of faith was so cheerful and funny, but the emperor today is irritable and irritable.

"Kill, kill!"

In the middle of the night, Empress Zhou was awakened and listened to a few more sounds, but it was the emperor who was talking in his sleep.

Empress Zhou's tears suddenly poured out. She didn't dare to cry out again, but wept silently, holding her husband's hand to give some comfort.

Early the next morning.

Chongzhen received an urgent military situation, and Li Zicheng surrounded Chengdu, which made him feel incredible. Because of the military situation a few days ago, it was Li Zicheng who surrounded Hanzhong.

In only nineteen days, Li Zicheng's main force quickly crossed the Qinling Mountains and came from Hanzhong to the outside of Chengdu!

How can the officers and soldiers chase after the thieves?

Yang Sichang's ten-sided net strategy leaked like a sieve, and the officers and soldiers could only eat ashes behind the rogue buttocks.

However, Xiong Wencan is still very powerful, not long after he ran to be the prime minister of the six provinces, he actually "surrendered" Zhang Xianzhong.

It's just that Zhang Xianzhong's surrender is even more than Zhao Han.

This cargo is injured in battle, and it is inconvenient to run around, and if you are idle, you will be idle, so you will accompany the court to act. While accepting Zhao'an, he reorganized his army for war, and also invited someone to talk about "Sun Tzu's Art of War".

Really, Zhang Xianzhong began to read, to be precise, listening to books.

And I don't listen to "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", but listen to the serious art of war and strategy of the readers.

Chongzhen ordered the soldiers in front to hurry into Sichuan to suppress the thieves, and then sent someone to transfer the information of Wang Tiaoding.

At the age of eleven, he was a prodigy who showed off his talents, and he was promoted to the jinshi at a young age. When he was the magistrate of Beizhili, his achievements included suppressing bandits, building cities, reassuring the people, and persuading farming.

Those bastards in the Ministry of Officials, such capable ministers, why didn't they transfer to the center as officials?

Wang Tiaoding waited left and right, and it dragged on for more than half a month, and finally waited for Emperor Chongzhen's reply.

Nanjing Hubu Shangshu and Zuo Shilang were imprisoned for questioning. Li Xuan, the right attendant of Nanjing's household department, was promoted to the secretary of Nanjing's household department on the spot, gave Shangfang the sword, and had full authority to supervise the disaster relief matters in Nanzhili and Zhejiang.

As for joining forces with Jiangxi Zhao thieves to stabilize grain prices, there was no mention of this matter, and Chongzhen couldn't afford to lose that person.

"Alas!"

Wang Tiaoding sighed, although he had expected it, he still felt sad.

If the imperial court does not cooperate with Jiangxi, the price of grain will definitely not be able to suppress it, and Zhao Han is helpless about it. Even if the grain merchants in Jiangxi are forced to sell the grain in a hurry, the grain merchants in Jiangnan will inevitably not be able to ship.

Moreover, Wang Tiaoding could not leave Beijing, and he was appointed by Chongzhen as a clerk.

Wang Tiaoding was very speechless, this official position has a bird's use.

There are no more than two kinds of speech officials at the end of the Ming Dynasty. One relies on spewing people to accumulate fame, and the other relies on spewing people to attack political opponents. There are very few people who really give advice, and Chongzhen basically doesn't listen, which leads to fewer serious deliberations.

The initial role of the six departments in the ministry was to serve as lubricants and supervisors of the cabinet and the six ministries.

During the Jiajing period, there was an imbalance of power within the six pavilions, and the status of the six branches became extremely embarrassing. During Zhang Juzheng's reform, the power of the six branches rose sharply, and since then he has become a lackey of the cabinet.

Chongzhen repeatedly tossed the cabinet, causing the cabinet, six sections, and six ministries to completely lose their due functions, and they couldn't do anything except political fighting.

Some ministers want to do things, but they can't do things at all in the court, because the three major power organs have been dysfunctional.

What Chongzhen should really do is to adjust the cabinet, six sections, and six ministries, and redefine the scope of functions of the three major institutions, so that at least the operation of the court can be a little more normal!