Chapter 254 Undercurrent

Qiu Baoguo was a little confused: "What did I say?" ”

Xie Anning still smiled and said: "The rules of the River Governor, we, and the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Industry have all been abolished, brother, did you just say this and forgot it?" ”

Qiu Baoguo somewhat understood: "Brother Zhiyuan is talking about ......"

Xie Anning nodded: "Exactly." There are no rules, there is no circle, and the practice that has existed for one or two hundred years must have a reason for its existence. As soon as he came up, he pulled a chicken leg and lifted the table so that no one could eat it, even if it was a three-year-old doll, he would still cry, not to mention that it was the adults who offended most of the court? Hmph, wait and see. ”

Qiu Baoguo said thoughtfully: "What Brother Zhiyuan said is indeed reasonable. However, the one who is in the middle of the day......"

"Hahaha." Xie Zhiyuan interrupted him with a smile, "Brother Fool told you personally, Wang Zhen's father-in-law in the orthodox period, you must know." How was the prince back then? It's not the same power, it's a big hit! What about today's wind reviews? ”

Qiu Baoguo continued: "It's a mixed reputation. ”

"Hmph." Xie Anning snorted disdainfully, "Foolish brother, let's take a guess." What you said was ruined, because of the provocation of Waragong Ma and then the change of Tumubao that led to the martyrdom of the Son of Heaven, the so-called reputation, is the statue of the ancestral hall after the restoration of Yingzong, right? ”

Qiu Baoguo said: "That's right. ”

Xie Anning said indifferently: "Brother Bijiang only knows one of them. ”

"I would like to hear the details, Brother Zhiyuan will speak quickly."

Xie Zhiyuan lowered his voice to a thin gnat: "Hmm." Yingzong was first imprisoned in Wara and then ordered to hang in the South Palace due to the change of Tumu Fort, and he was worried for many years...... If all this is really caused by the prince, if you and I are you, will you still set up an ancestral shrine for him! ”

"Huh? I didn't expect this layer! That ......" Qiu Baoguo couldn't help but be stunned.

"Brother, don't forget, whose hand is the pen that writes history!" Xie Zhiyuan's voice carried a hint of hideousness, "Sooner or later, the wooden statue will decay, and the Zhihua Temple will eventually become a ruined wall, but the history books will be passed down through the ages." It's only been a few years, the prince and his people have a mixed reputation, and the foolish brother dares to guarantee that one hundred and ten years later, this prince will be a heinous traitor! ”

As soon as he said this, Qiu Baoguo broke out in a cold sweat.

"There are also Wang Zhi of the Xianzong Dynasty and Liu Jin of the Wuzong Dynasty...... The fate of offending the civilian clique is clear there. It is the Son of Heaven...... Wu Zong's personal expedition to Yingzhou, the little prince of Tatar, was a battle of 100,000 troops on both sides, and even the Son of Heaven personally went into battle, and came back and said happily, 'I am an enemy'! How do you read it in "The Record of Wu Zong"? Sixteen of the Mongols died, and fifty-two of the Ming army were killed! Is it possible? If you die a dozen people, you won't dare to commit a border for ten years? Less than seventy people died on both sides of the porridge? There are more people killed in the fighting in both villages, think about it! But that's what it's written in black and white! Xie Zhiyuan continued, "Don't you look at this person who is in the limelight now, hmph, don't you lose if you don't hear that you are full?" Just now, brother, you only mentioned the six, what are the six? The foolish brother said something that he couldn't see, this is 'a leaf that blinds the eyes, and he can't see Mount Tai', hehe. ”

Hearing this, Qiu Baoguo, who had just understood a little, fell into a daze again: "Brother Zhiyuan, to be clear, my brother is a little like falling into a fog, and he doesn't seem to understand." ”

Xie Zhiyuan snorted and said, "Brother, you are really heartless." Two days ago, you complained to me that your hometown in Zhenjiang was charged more than 500 taels of commercial taxes, and at that time I also said that the relatives of the foolish brother Haimen were also charged 340 taels of sea taxes. It's only been a few days, have you forgotten it so quickly? ”

"Of course I haven't forgotten...... However, these are private matters, and the business matters we are talking about are not in line with it. Qiu Baoguo still hasn't woken up for a while.

"Why don't you cross the line? It's clearly the same thing! Xie Zhiyuan's eyes were instantly full of resentment, "'Those who have meritorious names are exempt from taxes and labor' is the grace of the great grandfather!" What kind of thing is he, who dares to blatantly corrupt the ancestral system? Salt tax, sea tax, land tax, mining tax, commercial tax, ...... Clever and cleverly set up a name to expropriate and expropriate, and see the money eye and sweep the floor! Is this how the people of the country are raised? Brother, do the math: the two mansions, the two prisons, the five temples and the six departments, plus the Imperial History Terrace of the General Political Division*, how many adults can be spared from this messy punch? Do you think, there are no more than two kinds of origins for adults, either they are from a family or Tian Shelang, right? It goes without saying that the door valve family has a solid industry; What about a poor kid like you and me? Three or four generations, four or five generations of people strung their trouser belts to save us money from between their teeth, and they were counting on us to leap into the dragon gate to glorify our ancestors, and we would no longer be free from the nest of pickled and lowly officials. It's good, they were all stabbed and blooded! Hmph, when it comes to the ability to offend people, the previous ones are not even worthy of lifting shoes compared to this one! ”

Hearing this, Qiu Baoguo was also angry, and smacked fiercely: "This account will have to be settled sooner or later!" ”

Xie Zhiyuan continued: "Of course you have to count!" And the foolish brother can be sure that this one will be remembered for ten thousand years. The aforementioned ones are indeed a little more domineering, but who dares to sweep the boat full of people with a rod? They are still pointed out by thousands of people, this one, hmph, it is not good to say that he will become the number one traitor in history. Look, it's almost time......"

Qiu Baoguo couldn't help but be stunned: "Huh? Why did Brother Zhiyuan say this? ”

Xie Zhiyuan pondered for a moment, and said slowly: "Brother foolish, tell you someone again, you also know, Meng Zhongkuan." ”

Qiu Baoguo's eyes lit up: "Brother Zhiyuan is talking about Lord Shi Meng, the head of King Cheng's Mansion?" ”

Xie Zhiyuan nodded meaningfully and did not speak.

Qiu Baoguo can be in charge of the world's money and grain, and he has also grown a delicate heart, and after thinking about it for a while, he immediately understood the mystery, and couldn't help but gasp: "Lord Meng (Meng Liangqing, the word Zhongkuan) is the younger brother of the old Meng Ge of the Ministry of Officials (Meng Liangchen, the word Zhongzhi). Back then, I thought that Meng Ge always recommended Lord Meng to go to the vassal king's mansion to be a lifelong errand who couldn't get ahead, and he was still sighing vigorously that people are loyal and straightforward as their name suggests, and Brother Zhiyuan is ...... Who knows, who knows that the adults are playing such a big game of chess! Awesome, awesome, awesome! Adults are adults, and the clouds are light and light! OMG......"

Speaking of this, he was suddenly startled, and looked at Xie Zhiyuan in a daze: "Brother Zhiyuan, what do you mean ......?"

Xie Zhiyuan also stared at Qiu Baoguo's eyes: "I didn't say anything. ”

Qiu Baoguo hurriedly said: "Clear, clear!" Our brothers are talking nonsense, they didn't say anything, no one said anything, hahaha. Well, I'm hungry after a long day of idle work, Brother Zhiyuan will see if he will eat something here, or ......"

"That's it. It's hot at noon, and after eating for a while, I have to go to the Punishment Department to see a friend. ”

In the palace, there was another oracle from the Holy Son of Heaven to call King Cheng to enter the palace to see His Majesty, and this was the fourth time in five days.

"Long live my emperor. Hooray, hooray, hooray. The young man dressed in a five-dragon robe saluted respectfully.

"Brother, hurry up." Seeing this half-brother, a trace of excitement flashed over the pale face of the Holy Son of Heaven on the couch, his eyes were full of love, and he pointed to the stool in front of the couch, "Brother sit." ”

"Long live thanks." The juvenile manners show a kind of old age that is not commensurate with his age.

The Emperor had a total of five dragons, but three of them died young. The Son of Heaven is a kind person, and he feels that this fifth brother is favored by God and specially left it for himself, so he has loved him very much since he was a child, and even Princess Cheng was personally selected by the queen.

Seeing King Cheng sit down, the Son of Heaven looked at this younger brother with a smile for a while, and then said, "I heard Li Shizhong and them say that Princess Cheng always wears plain clothes in the palace, and her hair is just an ordinary silver hairpin. Ah Di Gui is a prince but he is so diligent and thrifty, although it is good, I can't bear it. I called you this time, I wanted to allocate the land rent of King Gongjing to Ah Di, which is 6,500 taels a year. ”

King Jing was the fourth son of Sejong and was enshrined in De'an (now Anlu, Hubei). After living for four years, he said "Gong", returned to Xishan, and the concubine also lived in Beijing. Emperor Jiajing didn't like him, and when he learned of his death, he said to the scholar Xu Jie: "This son has always plotted to seize the heir, and now he is dead." "King Jing had no children, and his kingdom was destroyed.

When King Cheng heard the Son of Heaven say this, he immediately stood up and knelt down and said, "Long live, this matter must not be done." Now the northeast is in trouble, the southwest is still in turmoil, the border army is short of food and salary, the people are displaced, and the ministers have no worries about food and clothing, and all kinds of expenses are available. Six thousand five hundred taels of the great ministers could not accept it, and the ministers asked to return to the treasury for side affairs or the people, and the ministers prayed for resignation. ”

"Brother, get up and speak." The Son of Heaven tried his best to lift his body, and Li Shizhong on the side hurriedly reached out to hold it, and took advantage of the situation to put a yellow brocade pillow on the back of the Son of Heaven. The Son of Heaven waved his hand, motioned for Li Shizhong to step back, and said with a smile: "This is the inner court, our brothers talk about some homely things, brother don't have so many courtesies, you are tired, I am also tired." ”

"Yes, Brother Huang." King Cheng got up and glanced at Li Shizhong intentionally or unintentionally when he looked at the Son of Heaven. On the surface, he didn't show any sound, and secretly thought in his heart: "I was really said by Mr. Meng, this guy really laid eyeliner in the palace!" ”

I only heard the Holy Son of Heaven continue: "Since Ah Di said so, then listen to Ah Di, haha." However, don't worry, the state of the treasury has been much better recently, do you know, last year's annual income was 26 million taels! I also have more than 3 million taels of internal money, all of which are due to Li Shizhong. ”

When Li Shizhong heard this, he immediately knelt down and thanked: "The old slave doesn't dare to be. ”

King Cheng wanted to say something, but he glanced at Li Shizhong, who was kneeling on the ground, and stopped.

The Son of Heaven turned to Li Shizhong and said, "You also get up, you are doing a good job." But he didn't notice that King Cheng wanted to speak for a moment.

The Son of Heaven turned to King Cheng again and said with a smile, "Brother, do you remember what we said when I ascended the throne? ”

King Cheng was shocked again, and secretly thought, "Why did the imperial brother talk about this? Could it be that Li Shizhong is also secretly making trouble? He replied: "My brother was still young at that time, and he forgot what he said. ”

The Son of Heaven said, "I remember." On that day, I accepted the worship of hundreds of officials, and you watched it with relish, and then said to me: 'Brother Huang, the emperor is too funny, can I do it?' 'Hahaha. ”

King Cheng was shocked, and was about to kneel down to apologize, but was stopped by the Son of Heaven laughing and waving his hand: "I said, our brothers talk about it in the inner court, don't be so restrained." We grew up together, we were brothers and sisters, so let's talk casually. I remember saying to you, 'It's not fun at all. Now you're still young, and when your brother does it for a few years, you'll be done. 'I was sixteen years old, and you had just turned nine.' ”

Of course, King Cheng knew in his heart that the Holy Son of Heaven had a strong love for him, but the emperor's unintentional remarks seemed to him to have another understanding.

Due to the early death of his biological mother, he was handed over to Concubine Zhuang to raise by his father (who was still the crown prince at the time) at the age of three. Concubine Zhuang has no children and no daughters, and she takes care of herself as if she were her own, but unfortunately, she also passed away later. The royal brother also lost his mother at an early age and was raised by another crown princess, Concubine Kang.

The royal brother is the eldest son of the crown prince, and the probability of inheriting the unification in the future is much greater than that of others, so whether it is himself or Concubine Kang, he will definitely be welcomed and cared for by the palace people far more than Concubine Zhuang. These things will naturally cause Concubine Zhuang to be dissatisfied, but she can neither spread her resentment on the former emperor, nor dare she dare to deal with Concubine Kang and the emperor's eldest son, so she holds a grudge against the subordinates over there - Li Shizhong served Concubine Kang and the emperor's eldest son at that time. Therefore, what the young King Cheng heard in his ears was how Li Shizhong was not a good thing!

When the imperial brother ascended the throne and canonized himself as King Cheng, soon the officials recommended Mr. Meng to make a long history. Because I was still young at that time, I still lived in the country where I didn't have the palace of diligence, so I didn't have too many affairs to deal with. This Mr. Meng is a well-educated Confucian, and he reads with him every day. Unlike those gentlemen who only hold the books of the sages and tell them to memorize, Mr. Meng tells himself stories every time he reads a paragraph. Qin died in Zhao Gaola, the five princes of the Han Dynasty dictatorship and ten permanent servants of the chaos of the dynasty, Tang Xuanzong listened to Gao Lishi's control of the government and led to the Anshi Rebellion, and Tong Guan in the six thieves of the Northern Song Dynasty...... These stories, coupled with Concubine Zhuang's ears and eyes, King Cheng's heart was full of vigilance and hostility towards all the inner prisons.

Hearing the imperial brother say this, although he knew that the Holy Son of Heaven had no other intentions, King Cheng's heart was still shocked: Did the imperial brother listen to what that guy said?

The two brothers chatted for a while, and the face of the Son of Heaven showed a tired face, and King Cheng resigned. Li Shizhong was happy when he sent King Cheng out of the palace, thinking that the Holy Son of Heaven personally dictated the praise of the little inner eunuch of the palace, King Cheng would definitely be very happy, and the prince cared so much about state affairs, it was really a blessing of the Ming Dynasty, but he didn't know that this young prince was already surging in his heart.

*Knowledge points in this article:

Two mansions: Zongren Mansion and Zhan Shi Mansion

Second Supervisor: Guozijian and Qintianjian

Five temples: Dali Temple, Guanglu Temple, Taichang Temple, Taifu Temple, Honglu Temple

Six departments: officials, households, rituals, soldiers, criminals, and workers

Goshidai: Another name for the Metropolitan Inspectorate