In the new year and new atmosphere, Xu Jingchang changed into a bullfighting uniform belonging to a first-class official early, and then took a carriage to the noon gate. After the ministers congratulate today, they will go to the Wuying Hall to discuss state affairs.

Due to the backlog of many things during the Chinese New Year, it is estimated that it will be talked about until late.

Mrs. was very considerate and stuffed a few ginseng pills into Xu Jingchang's sleeve, which can quench thirst and replenish energy, neither hungry nor hoarse.

It is a must-have for home travel and court debates.

It's so formal, and it's really different today.

Xu Jingchang has already communicated with several major courtiers in private, but unfortunately, even the old father-in-law Huang Guan expressed that he couldn't help, and he wouldn't be involved at most, but if he wanted the Ministry of Rites to bow his head and support the General Administration, he couldn't do it.

At the same time, Lu Zhen, the secretary of the Criminal Department, also secretly poked and poked to inform Xu Jingchang that the Criminal Department was also in difficulty, and asked Xu Tongzheng to understand.

The six departments and nine qing, the two closest to Xu Jingchang gave up, and the remaining officials of the Ministry of Heavenly Officials Jianyi, the Ministry of Household Shangshu Xia Yuanji, the Ministry of Industry Shangshu Luo Yan, and the Ministry of War Shangshu Fang Bin, these people will never support Xu Jingchang.

In other words, he is now facing the situation of being besieged by his ministers.

Fortunately, Xu Jingchang is experienced and did not really admit defeat in discouragement.

As usual, he led the ministers into the court, met Zhu Di, said a lot of auspicious words, and then returned home without enough grades, and the rest of the people, under the leadership of Xu Jingchang, went to Wuying Palace.

At this time, Zhu Di went to rest, and when he turned around, he would rush to Wuying Palace.

Before the arrival of the Son of Heaven, Xu Jingchang had a simple exchange with the ministers.

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince hopes to transfer the prisoners who have made meritorious contributions to the position of local officials, and I think this is a good matter." After Xu Jingchang finished speaking, he looked at Jian Yi.

Jian Yi said with a smile: "I also agree to promote meritorious officials, as long as these students can participate in the imperial examination and get ranked, the officials will definitely be given priority." ”

Xu Jingchang's face remained unchanged, and he turned his head to look at Lu Zhen, the secretary of the Criminal Department.

"Lu Shangshu, there is also a special examination for local criminal officials, do you think it's okay?"

Lu Zhen's face was full of embarrassment, "Dingguo Gong, there are many cases in Jiangxi, and a large number of officials who are familiar with the laws of the Ming Dynasty are needed, I understand this, and the Criminal Department is also transferring people to assist His Royal Highness the Prince." However, there is a special examination for criminal officers...... If it is applicable in Jiangxi, what about other provinces? and the Beijing Criminal Department, is it all like this? This movement is still too big, I wonder if I can slow it down? ”

Xu Jingchang looked at Xia Yuanji again, "Xia Shangshu, what is your opinion on the matter of the grain chief?" ”

Xia Yuanji smiled, "Dingguo Gong, you also know that Emperor Taizu was worried that the small officials would exploit the people, so he demarcated the grain area, and used Ding Duo Liang Duo as the grain chief to transport money and grain into Beijing. But after so many years, the long-term grain system is no longer what it used to be. For example, in the south of the Yangtze River, many of them are responsible for recruiting officials and transporting grain and grass. It is considered to be not wasted, and this matter involves the ancestral system. Dingguo Gong, I mean. It's best for us to tacitly know it, so why make it known to the world? When the time comes, Kedao will jump out and make trouble, which is not good for us. ”

The three Shangshu were all opposed, and the first three cannons were placed in front of Xu Jingchang.

Huang watched it in his eyes, and he also had a relative. This was set off by Zhu Gaochi, who supervised all kinds of government affairs in Jiangxi and wrote to ask the court to cooperate.

Xu Jingchang agreed to Zhu Gaochi's proposal, but these suggestions couldn't be pushed at all.

"Dingguo Gong, let's see if this matter can be discussed later? Also to give the big guy a sigh of relief? Huang Guan said.

Xu Jingchang smiled undiminishedly, but did not answer.

At this time, Zhu Di walked in from outside, and the ministers saluted together.

Zhu Di said: "Sit down, year after year...... Last year, I was still in Beiping, and it was the prince who presided over it, and this year the prince is in Jiangxi, so if you have any government affairs, let's talk about it. ”

Xu Jingchang, as the political envoy of Zhengyipin, has the right to speak.

"Your Majesty mentioned Jiangxi, and there are just a few important things here that you want to play Your Majesty...... First, Jiangxi has the largest tax arrears over the years, with more than 5 million stone of grain. ”

Zhu Di frowned, "How can there be so many?" ”

Xu Jingchang said again: "This is actually a small amount, and the real big boss is in business taxes." ”

"How?"

"Back to Your Majesty's words, Jiangxi porcelain is famous all over the world. Jingdezhen is rich in precious porcelain, which is exported to overseas. According to the latest survey, smuggled porcelain alone accounts for more than half of the annual traffic. ”

"What? Smuggling porcelain? Do you have proof? ”

Xu Jingchang said: "Now His Royal Highness the Prince, Governor Chen Ying, and Governor Hu Yan, they are all in Jiangxi. And a lot of big houses were raided...... Among them, the Xu family privately runs a porcelain business, and according to the investigation, their porcelain smuggling is divided into two routes. ”

"Two more routes? How so? ”

"First, it is to go to Poyang Lake, enter the Yangtze River, and send it to the upper reaches, Huguang, Bashu and other places, this route smuggles 200,000 taels every year, mainly to buy grain and timber in Huguang and other places. Secondly, it is sent to Lingnan through Da Yuling, and then smuggled overseas, which is the most important thing, and the amount of smuggling exceeds 500,000. ”

Zhu Di was furious, "The imperial court has set up city divisions in Hangzhou, Ningbo, Quanzhou and other places, why did they all bypass it?" ”

"Because these places have tariffs."

"What a guts!" Zhu Di was furious, "One family is like this, every family is like this, how much wealth will I lose?" Then Zhu Di looked at Xia Yuanji and shouted angrily: "Xia Qing's family, the treasury has always been short over the years, it seems that it is not that we have no money, but that we have a lot of money, and we can't collect it at all, don't you say?" ”

Xia Yuanji was dumbfounded, this is naturally true, but Xu Jingchang did not mention Zhu Gaochi's several requests, but talked about these things, and he was not good at lying in front of the Son of Heaven.

"Your Majesty, it is true that there are some places that are too much, there was Shandong before, and now there is Jiangxi, which are the most difficult places to deal with, and the household department is very difficult."

Zhu Di snorted: "Of course I know that the household department is in trouble, but who knows about my difficulty?" ”

Xia Yuan Jinuono lowered his head, but Xu Jingchang hurriedly relieved the siege, "Your Majesty, this matter is true and has nothing to do with Xia Shangshu, there are some more shocking things here that need to be played." ”

"Say!"

Xu Jingchang said: "Your Majesty still remembers that in the autumn of the first year of Yongle, there was a storm in Jiangxi and other places, and it was reported to the imperial court and asked for relief. The imperial court allocated 300,000 stone of grain, and allowed Jiangxi to leave 300,000 stone, a total of 600,000 stone, to help the victims. ”

Zhu Di said: "This disaster relief thing happens every year, and I also listen to your courtiers, and I allocate a lot of money and grain every year, is it possible that someone is greedy for disaster relief food?" ”

Xu Jingchang smiled bitterly: "It seems to be more serious than this." ”

"What do you mean?" Zhu Di asked angrily.

"According to the investigation, the officials in Jishui, Jiangxi, handed over the disaster relief money and grain given by the imperial court to the local large households, on the grounds that they were familiar with the local situation and asked them to help the people for the imperial court."

"And then? They did not act according to the orders of the imperial court? ”

Xu Jingchang said: "They used the grain they originally used for disaster relief to buy the land of the victims at a low price. ”

"What?" Zhu Di was furious, and the whole person was not good.

"Are you saying that they took the grain given by the imperial court, and in turn defrauded the people's land, spent the court's money, and let the court carry the black pot? It just doesn't make sense! ”

Xu Jingchang said: "Your Majesty, don't be impatient, there is a follow-up to this matter...... If you don't believe it, you can ask Jian Shangshu. ”

In an instant, all eyes fell on Jian Yi, and suddenly this heavenly official of the Ministry of Officials was uncomfortable.

Zhu Di gritted his teeth and said, "Jian Shangshu, do you know what Dingguo Gong said?" ”

Jian Yi said helplessly: "If the minister is not mistaken, he should have been evaluated by Jiangxi officials back then...... Because, because they were able to provide disaster relief, no people starved to death! ”

"Ridiculous! It's ridiculous! Zhu Di was so angry that he slapped the table again and again, the whole person was furious, and he paced back and forth on the ground, "So bullying the king, fooling the official, and covering each other, the court didn't know it, what is going on?" You people, you have wasted my trust, you really deserve to die! ”

Jian Yi was sweating, and at this moment, he couldn't help but think of a way, "Your Majesty, the minister does not dare to shirk the responsibility, it should be the minister, and the minister must accept the guilt." It's just that Jiangxi's disaster relief, evaluation, and many things have gone through the cabinet and the General Administration, and some things are also done according to years of experience, and there is really a responsibility for negligence. ”

Zhu Di snorted: "Neglect? Then Dingguo Gong should be damned? ”

Jian Yi hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, it was not Dingguo Gong who served as the general envoy at the beginning, and this is not Dingguogong's crime. ”

Xu Jingchang is fine, so it is naturally Xie Jin.

Another Jiangxi person!

Zhu Di was already angry, "One or two, everywhere!" Repeatedly, take the Ming Dynasty as their family? Am I the one who is the great wrong? ”

Zhu Di's anger was completely uplifted, he was really angry and angry...... Xia Yuanji, Jian Yi, and Yang Shiqi, who attended the political meeting, were in a cold sweat, and their souls were not possessed.

At this time, Xu Jingchang suddenly stood up, "Your Majesty, this matter cannot be judged by region, let alone the fault of Jiangxi officials...... Although there are some malpractices in this, I would like to ask Your Majesty to calm down and elaborate slowly. ”

"Elaborate? How else to elaborate? Don't think I don't know, you are also Jiangxi's son-in-law! Zhu Di snorted angrily.

"Your Majesty, the same thing, we have already had a ...... For example, Emperor Taizu increased taxes on Su Song and other places. In order to avoid the loss of taxes, people from the four prefectures of Susong Changzhen were not allowed to be officials of the household department. This method seems to have some effect, but it still can't solve the fundamental problem. The same is true of the loss of finance and taxation in Jiangxi. ”

"What's the truth?"

"It's just that the things that the court should be in charge of can't be managed, and the responsibility that should be shouldered is not shouldered. Courtiers don't necessarily know how to do things if they want to...... In the end, it became inevitable to engage in favoritism, give and receive privately, and deceive each other. ”

"What necessarily? Here in me, there is no necessity! There are so many maladministrations in Jiangxi, I can't sit idly by. ”

Xu Jingchang said: "Your Majesty, the minister also sees it this way, and it just so happened that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince handed over an official document, wanting to appoint students and break bad habits...... Fang Caichen has also discussed it with all of you, Your Majesty, please take a look. ”