Jin Lian, the head of the household department, is in charge of the Ming treasury, and the soaring grain prices in the north and the famine in various places, it can be said that no one including Shen Yichen understands the difficulties of people's livelihood better than him.

However, it was difficult for a good woman to cook without rice, and the treasury was already empty during the orthodox years. The follow-up expedition to the Northern Expedition squeezed out the last trace of national strength of the Ming Dynasty, Jin Lian looked at the empty treasury, and he couldn't offend his colleagues in the DPRK and China, so he really didn't know how to help the people.

Shen Yichen's move can be regarded as doing what Jin Lian wants to do, but he is powerless and afraid to do. In public and private, his thanks came from the bottom of his heart, rejoicing for the soldiers and the people!

"Da Situ praises, I can't afford it, it's just a matter of being a minister."

Shen Yichen waved his hand modestly, in fact, when you step into the center of power and control the supreme decision-making power of the government and government, then you must be responsible for the people of the world.

In many cases, power and duty are unified, but it is a pity that the vast majority of officials in the DPRK and China have forgotten this after decades of ups and downs in the murky official sea.

Just when Jin Lian and Shen Yichen were complimenting and humbling each other, Zhao Ranyuan, who was standing outside the duty room, suddenly pushed the door and walked in, with a panicked look on his face.

"Xiaguan took the liberty to disturb, just now Xiao Tongzheng, the secretary of the General Administration, sent someone to convey a message, does Shen Ge Lao want to take a step to speak?"

Xiao Yi sent someone to send news?

Hearing Zhao Ranyuan's message, Shen Yichen was full of doubts, and the main responsibility of the General Administration Department was to be responsible for the transmission of internal and external chapters, as well as the sealing and appeals of the subjects.

Under normal circumstances, the news of the recital that is related to government affairs must finally be sent to the cabinet for drafting, and then go to the emperor or the celebrant to be approved by the eunuch Bingbi. What happened to make Xiao Yi, who has always been steady, so anxious that he couldn't wait to finish the government affairs process and send someone to inform him in advance?

"It's okay, Zhao Zhongshu will say it directly."

Shen Yichen did not deliberately avoid Jin Lian, after all, the matter of the Southern Expeditionary Army had already been informed to the other party, and no matter how secret the government affairs were, they could theoretically not be higher than the changes in the situation between the two emperors.

"Yes, the subordinate obeys."

"There is news from the Department of General Administration, Chengshan Hou United Imperial Envoy led the Five Cities Soldiers and Horses Division, ready to seize the grain shop under the name of the Chengguo Mansion, the crime is to raise the price of grain for profit, when the arrest and punishment confiscated illegal acquisition, and the person in charge will be flogged forty."

After listening to Zhao Ranyuan's advice, Shen Yichen had a crying and laughing look on his face, and he didn't even think of using power means, just relying on "commercial" competition to suppress food prices.

As a result, I didn't expect that Uncle Chang, Sun Zhong and others, when the defeat was decided, would come back and rake, and prepare to forcibly seal down the grain shop to reverse the situation, do you really think that now is the period when the Empress Dowager Sun is in power?

Or do they think that when Emperor Zhu Qizhen returns from Mobei, he can immediately overthrow the current emperor's throne?

"What lawlessness!"

Shen Yichen hadn't even expressed his position, and when Jin Lian, the head of the household department who was standing on the side, heard it, he immediately felt angry and reprimanded angrily.

Officialdom is to talk about the rules of the game, and it is obvious that Huichangbo, Sun Zhong and others just can't play and flip the table, and what they are sent is still a national disaster such as natural disasters and wars. No matter how much Wang Ji is biased towards Emperor Zhu Qizhen in his heart, as long as there is a trace of responsibility as an official, or even a trace of conscience, it is impossible to approve of this kind of thing.

"Da Situ also please calm his anger, since Uncle Hui Chang wants to play, then the cabinet will have a good time with him this time."

Shen Yichen originally spoke in a calm tone, but the more he said it, there was a chilling coldness.

In the grain shops under the name of several Chengguo Mansions in the Jingshi City, a large number of officers and soldiers of the Five Cities Soldiers and Horses Division appeared, especially in front of the largest of them, standing proudly Chengshan Hou Wang Tong wearing a unicorn suit, and Wang Wen, the imperial envoy wearing a scarlet robe.

You must know that the Five Cities Terracotta Division is not a top yamen, the name sounds very loud, and the scope of authority is more similar to the urban management of later generations, at most with the authority to patrol and arrest thieves.

Under normal circumstances, it is impossible for the Five Cities Soldiers and Horses Division to be present, and it is impossible for the Ming Dynasty to lead the team. When he saw the official title card of Chengshan Hou and the imperial envoy of the capital, the shopkeeper of the grain shop immediately realized that something was wrong, and sent someone to the Chengguo Mansion to inform the eldest prince Zhu Yi, while he hurriedly went out to make a round.

"The little one met Cheng Anhou and Wang Duxian, I don't know what the big driver is doing here."

The shopkeeper went up with a smile on his face to make a big gift, and he was able to sit in the position of the shopkeeper of the Jingshi University Commercial Bank, and he was unconscious of being a personal essence. Even if you know that the other party is not good, but as the saying goes, if you don't hit a smiling person, you can turn big things into small things, and it is best to turn small things into small things.

"This official received a report that several grain shops under the name of the Chengguo Mansion took the opportunity to raise the price of grain to make ill-gotten gains. In accordance with the provisions of the "Daming Huidian", illegal money and stolen goods should be confiscated, and those who are confused and profited indiscriminately should be arrested! ”

Wang Wen, the imperial envoy of the capital, said this in a cold tone, he actually didn't want to offend Shen Yichen to the death and stand on the opposite side, but when everyone in the interest group has made a choice, there is no room for him to oppose alone.

And as the chief officer of one of the three legal divisions of the Ming Dynasty, if he wants to investigate the grain store and the "profit-taker", he has to come forward. Otherwise, relying on the honors alone, it would be difficult to mobilize the soldiers and horses of the five cities without the premise of the holy decree, and take people to ask for their crimes.

So far, Wang Wen can only go all the way to the dark.

"Wang Duxian was wronged, this small grain shop is a Chengguo government industry, and its operation has been law-abiding over the years, and the sale of rice and grain is at the market price, how can he make a move to raise prices and accumulate wealth?"

Faced with the shopkeeper's unjust defense, Wang Wen replied unmoved: "It's not up to you to decide whether there is a violation of the law, you have to let the Five Cities Terracotta Division investigate and collect evidence after it is sealed, and quickly hand over the account book and the key to the treasury, so as not to suffer from flesh and skin." ”

After that, Wang Wen was ready to wave his hand and order the officers and soldiers of the Five Cities Soldiers and Horses Division behind him to enter the store and seal it.

"Wang Duxian, my eldest son is on his way here, why don't you go into the store for a cup of tea before discussing?"

The shopkeeper of the grain shop understands this situation, and it is not his own little person who can calm down the incident, so he can only move the eldest prince Zhu Yi out, hoping that the other party will give a thin face for the sake of the Chengguo Mansion.

If Zhu Yong is still the former Duke of the Ming Dynasty, even if the two sides are in different camps, Uncle Huichang, Sun Zhong and others will have to give this face. But now it is not what it used to be, Zhu Yong, the Duke of Chengguo, not only betrayed the emperor, but even the new monarch was suppressed and weakened everywhere, and it was destined to have no possibility of a comeback.

Without the title of Duke of Chengguo, what is it to rely on Zhu Yi, the governor of the same capital who is idle at home, and the Jingshi who has many military generals and high-ranking officials?

Chengshan Hou Wang Tong is not like the imperial envoy Wang Wen, I saw him say impatiently: "Don't say what the eldest prince Zhu Yi is, even if Zhu Yong comes today, it's useless, the shop is sealed!" ”

After saying this, Cheng Anhou Wang Tong directly pushed away the grain shop shopkeeper who was blocking in front of him, and prepared to personally lead the officers and soldiers of the Five Cities Soldiers and Horses Division to rush into the store and seal it.

But at this time, a deep voice came from behind him: "Cheng Anhou, I don't know if it's useless for the cabinet to come." ”

Looking at the source of the voice, Shen Yichen was riding on a tall horse, followed by more than a dozen guards such as Canghuo. He came out of the palace as soon as he learned the news, and he could only say that Xiao Yi delivered the news in a timely manner, and arrived before the Five Cities Soldiers and Horses Division was sealed.

Shen Yichen's sudden appearance made the ordinary people of Jingshi who were watching from afar exclaim, they didn't expect the small scene of the seizure of a grain shop, not only was the marquis and the imperial envoy personally led the team, but now even the elders of the pavilion were involved.

"Shen Ge is old, it seems that they are connected by blood after all, and after the decline of the Chengguo Mansion, he has to rely on him to support the plaque."

"I heard that the grain shop of the Chengguo Mansion has released a large amount of grain during this period of time, and the source comes from the rice grain transported by Shen Ge Lao from the south, do you think this seizure will have anything to do with this matter?"

"Shen Ge Lao brought rice and grain from the south to help the people, but now he is going to be seized, what a good person has no good reward!"

The onlookers were talking, speculating about what was going on behind the scenes, but a sarcastic voice appeared: "Oh, good man! ”

"It's just a raccoon dog on a hill, and the rice and grain released from the grain shop of the Chengguo Mansion are priced at as high as two taels per stone, which is also worthy of the four words of disaster relief and helping the people?"

"That's right, at the beginning, it was still advertised to release grain at a low price, but the price became more and more expensive, and we ordinary people couldn't buy it at all.

"It is said that the one who bought the rice and grain of the Chengguo Mansion is also the noble minister of the Beijing Division, and now it seems that it is a dog eating a dog."

The people's concept of right and wrong is simple, and Shen Yichen did cooperate in disguised form to raise the price of grain in order to lure Huichangbo, Sun Zhong and others to take the bait. In addition, in the whole process of releasing grain, rice grain actually did not circulate in the market, and the two sides were more like playing a game of "capital".

But even so, there are still people who stand up and speak for Shen Yichen: "Don't talk nonsense if you have no evidence, at least the government has opened a large number of porridge sheds recently, which finally makes people see hope." ”

"That's right, it is said that there will be a fight in Liaodong soon, and the old man can still come to the aid after the war, which is much better than waiting for death at the beginning of the year."

"Alas, it is difficult for the court and the people in this world, and Shen Ge Lao has tried his best."

The various discussions of the onlookers represent the trend of public opinion in Beijing during this period of time, and it also shows the endurance of the people at the bottom.

It's just that these discussion voices couldn't reach the ears of Chengshan Hou Wang Tong, and he turned around and saw Shen Yichen walking towards him step by step, and the expression on his face was instantly gloomy. The other party's reaction speed is too fast, and now the ledger and stored food are not in control, which means that there is not enough evidence to convict.

To be honest, even as the Marquis of Daming, Wang Tong had no need to face Shen Yichen's absolute confidence in his heart.

"Master Shen, Ben Hou is handling the matter in accordance with the law, and I hope I don't make things too embarrassing."

Chengshan Hou Wang Tong coldly warned, he knew that Shen Yichen rushed over to block the seizure of the grain shop, but there was no turning back, if he couldn't get the account book and the evidence of hoarding rice and grain, then the consequences might not even be able to bear the relatives.

"This cabinet department doesn't know what kind of law Chengshan is waiting for, ordering the soldiers and horses of the five cities to act with a holy decree?"

Shen Yichen slowly walked up to Chengshan Hou Wang Tong and questioned him expressionlessly.

In addition to the title, Wang Tong is also in charge of the Beijing camp and has the rank of governor and governor of the five armies. The military power of the Ming Dynasty was divided into two, the military department was in charge of the right to transfer troops, and the governor's office of the five armies was in charge of the power to command the troops.

Theoretically, Wang Tong has the power to command the soldiers and horses, but the problem is that the Five Cities Soldiers and Horses Division is not within the jurisdiction of the Governor's Office of the Five Armies, and he has no right to order unless there is a holy decree issued by the emperor.

There is no procedural justice, why did Wang Tong say in front of himself that he would handle the case according to law?

Shen Yichen's question made Chengshan Hou Wang Tong dumbfounded, and he couldn't answer at all. In the past, fifty percent of the soldiers and horses seized the shops, which needed to involve the level of the holy decree, and it was not that someone was sent to say that it would be sealed if it was sealed.

Looking at Chengshan Hou Wang Tong was speechless, and Wang Wen, the imperial envoy standing aside, sighed secretly. Xun Qi military generals are often simple and rude, and they don't pay attention to any Ming laws at all, and the Five Cities Soldiers and Horses Division actually has the power to enforce the law alone, so they can only be led by Xun Qi.

Cheng Shanhou wanted to take the initiative to stand up and say what to do according to the law, but he was brought into the text trap by Shen Yichen, so the imperial envoy Wang Wen could only stand up and say: "Shen Zhongtang, Cheng Shanhou only came to assist in handling the eucalyptus, and this matter was mainly handed over to the Five Cities Soldiers and Horses Division to deal with." ”

Regarding the answer of the imperial envoy Wang Wen, Shen Yichen showed a playful smile on his face, in fact, this kind of justification of procedures and regulations had long been expected by him. If Wang Wen, who is one of the chief officials of the Three Law Divisions, doesn't even understand the authority to order the Five Cities Soldiers and Horses, it means that the entire Ming Law is in chaos.

However, for the familiarity of the "Daming Law" and "Daming Huidian" and other codes, Shen Yichen dared to say that he was not inferior to any of the officials of the Three Law Divisions.

I saw him ask with a mocking face: "Then Wang Duxian still remembers, what department does the Five Cities Terracotta Division belong to?" ”

"Of course this official knows that the Five Cities Terracotta Division is subordinate to ......"

When the words came to his mouth, the expression on Wang Wen's face changed, and he swallowed back the words he wanted to say.

The reason is very simple, the Five Cities Terracotta Division is directly under the command department, which is one of the six military departments. Coincidentally, in addition to Shen Yichen's status as a scholar of the palace, he has the title of the right attendant of the military department.

Although Shen Yichen's squire of the military department is a higher rank, it is just so that the ministers will not have too low ranks, and they will not participate in the daily affairs of the military department. But with the identity of this squire of the military department, from a legal level, it means that he is the direct commander of the Five Cities Terracotta Division!

That is to say, if Chengshan Hou Wang Wen and others want to comply with procedural justice, they have no authority to personally order, and they have to let the Wucheng Soldiers and Horses Division seal up the grain store in a separate name. But the problem is that Shen Yichen is their direct superior, and he really has the power to command the soldiers and horses of the five cities, and he is simply sending the military power to the door.

In an instant, whether it was Chengshan Hou Wang Tong or the imperial envoy Wang Wen, his face turned green......