Soon in March, the emperor came to Fengze Garden to perform farming. A yellow tent was set up next to the imperial field, the emperor sat on the dragon chair, and the three princes and nine kings stood on the side. Four old farmers led the cattle and stood respectfully in the imperial field. Mingzhu led the four guards to carry the imperial plough frame, and then knelt down in the field and played: "Start the emperor, the imperial plow frame is ready." ”

The emperor nodded and put down the teacup in his hand. Suo Etu took a plate and held the royal bullwhip, respectfully walked in front of the emperor, and knelt down: "Respectfully invite the emperor to perform ploughing!" ”

The emperor stood up, picked up the bullwhip, and went down to the field. The four old peasants bowed their heads and led the oxen, the four guards supported the plow, and the emperor only put his hand on the plow gently, spurred the oxen, and shouted loudly. Gao Shiqi followed the emperor with the seed box, and Xu Qianxue sowed seeds. The emperor ploughed back and forth four times, and went to the field to rest. The father-in-law brought the basin of water in the morning, washed the mud on the emperor's feet, and put on dragon boots. Mingzhu, Suo Etu, Chen Tingjing and other three princes and nine kings took turns to plough the fields.

The emperor looked at the ministers plowing the fields, and talked to Mingzhu, Chen Tingjing and others, and said: "If it is peaceful today, the people will be in peace, and they will be rewarded for farming and have enough food and clothing." In the areas that were affected by the disaster last year, the seeds and silver taels allocated by the imperial court should be distributed to the people as soon as possible. Quickly inform the world of the court's intention to persuade farmers. ”

Mingzhu bowed his head to the order. The emperor said: "To govern the world, the most important thing is to supervise and use the right people." I look at Wang Jiwen, the governor of Yunnan, very well, and the people of Yunnan call him Wang Qingtian. ”

Mingzhu said: "The emperor knows people well, and the common people are blessed." ”

The emperor suddenly remembered Wang Jiwen's excerpt and asked: "Wang Jiwen asked to build the Grand View Tower, the excerpts have been up for a few months, why haven't they been settled yet?" ”

Chen Tingjing said: "Your Majesty, the ministers have discussed it, thinking that Wang Jiwen should be asked to calculate how much silver taels it will cost to build the Grand View Tower, and how to raise the silver. The detailed drawings of the pavilion should also be played, and the emperor should be invited to look at it first. ”

The emperor said: "Even so, the folds should be returned to Yunnan as soon as possible." ”

Chen Tingjing replied: "Your Majesty, the excerpts have already been returned to Yunnan, and the ministers will pay attention to the excerpts from Yunnan." ”

The emperor didn't ask any more, but Chen Tingjing was puzzled in his heart. He saw that the correspondence between the imperial court and the provinces was getting slower and slower, and the documents sent to Yunnan in the past had a response in about a month, no more than two months at most, and now it takes three months. Wang Jiwen's excerpt last time was sent back at the beginning of the year, and it has been almost three months, and there is no news yet.

Originally, all provinces that folded and folded to the imperial court had to be sent to Mingzhu's house in advance, and he would revise them, and then send them back to the province, re-transcribe, affix the official seal, and then send them to the south study through the general political envoy. Mingzhu only said that this is to experience the holy will, and the provincial officials are also eager to go to Mingzhu's door. This set of cutscenes, the rest of the South Study doesn't know.

On this day and night, there were more than a dozen people sitting in the guest hall of Mingzhu Mansion, all of them were dressed by ordinary people, sitting in a precarious position, just drinking tea and not saying a word. Their eyes occasionally met, either quickly avoiding them or smiling awkwardly. They are all officials from various provinces who have entered Beijing to perform affairs, but they do not disclose their identities to each other. Mingzhu's family Antu is in charge of greeting inside and outside, and whoever he shouts, he will follow him in. He did not call out the names of his guests, but stood up and followed him when he came out and pointed at whomever he pointed.

Antu's name at this time is Liu Chuanji, the staff of Hunan Governor Zhang Wang. Liu Chuanji hurriedly got up and followed Antu inside. Antu led him to an empty room and said, "Sit down first." ”

Liu Chuanji asked: "May I ask Grandpa An, when will I see Ming Xiangguo?" ”

Antu said, "When the master is done, I'll call you." ”

Liu Chuanji hurriedly thanked him and sat down with peace of mind. Antu said again: "I still have to explain a few words to you." The lord has accepted all the things you brought, and my lord has received the filial piety of your governor. It's just that when I see the master later, don't mention it. ”

Liu Chuanji nodded and said, "Yongshu understands." ”

Antu went out for a while, then came back and said, "Come with me." ”

Liu Chuanji got up and followed Antu, turned left and right a few corridors, and entered a room. Mingzhu sat on the kang, saw Liu Chuanji, and nodded with a smile.

Liu Chuanji gave a big salute and said, "Liu Chuanji, the governor of Hunan, visited Ming Xiangguo. ”

Mingzhu smiled: "Your Governor Lord Zhang Wang, you are an old friend with me. He has praised your literary talents before me. Hurry up, please take a seat. How many days is it? ”

Liu Chuanji said: "It's been three days. ”

Mingzhu turned around and blamed Antu: "It's not easy for people to come from Hunan, how can they make people wait for three days?" ”

Antu bowed his head and said, "There are too many people to see the master, and I can't arrange them." ”

Mingzhu was a little angry and said: "This is to deal with national affairs, I just don't eat or sleep, and I also want to see them." ”

Liu Chuanji arched his hand and said: "Ming Xiangguo has all the opportunities, and he is very hard!" Yongshu is new to Zhang Wang's curtain, and many places do not understand etiquette, and they still hope that Ming Xiangguo will advise. ”

Mingzhu shook his head and said politely, and said with emotion: "Serving the emperor, no matter how hard you work, you have to hold on!" The emperor worked harder. I'll check it here first, and the emperor's burden will not be so heavy. ”

Liu Chuanji hurriedly nodded yes. Mingzhu said: "Don't talk too much. Hunan has been suffering from famine for many years, the people are very bitter, and the emperor is worried! Your governor asked for 700,000 taels of taxes, I don't think it's enough! ”

Liu Chuanji was overjoyed and said: "Ming Xiangguo, if you can get rid of it more, the people of Hunan will remember your kindness!" ”

Mingzhu said: "Skip 800,000 taels." ”

Liu Chuanji knelt down and said, "I kowtowed to Ming Xiangguo for the people of Hunan!" ”

Mingzhu helped Liu Chuanji and said, "Hurry up!" Excerpts you take back and redraft. If you want to get rid of 800,000 taels, you have to write 1 million taels on the folding. ”

Liu Chuanji's face was embarrassed, and he said: "Ming Xiangguo, disaster relief is like saving lives, I will run back and forth again, and it will take two months." ”

Mingzhu said: "There is no way to do it. It's easy for you to rewrite a fold, but you still need the governor's seal! Liu Chuanji thought about it, but there was no way, and said, "Okay, I have to go back." ”

Mingzhu said: "After the excerpt is rewritten, send it directly to the Political Envoy Department, don't send me here again." To be fast, many places are asking the emperor to reduce or reduce taxes. It's late, it's hard to say. ”

Liu Chuanji was very anxious in his heart, and said, "I'm afraid that I won't be able to catch up if I go back again." ”

Mingzhu said no more and smiled kindly. Liu Chuanji had no choice but to thank him again and again and resign.

Antu led Liu Chuanji and circled in the Jiuqu corridor.

Antu asked, "What to do next, do you understand?" ”

Liu Chuanji said: "I understand, Ming Xiangguo has commanded." ”

Antu shook his head and said, "So, you still don't understand. ”

Liu Chuanji asked, "What else?" An Ye, please command! ”

Antu said: "The emperor approved you to exempt 1 million taels, but Hunan can only exempt 800,000 taels, and the extra batch of 200,000 taels will be paid as a ministry fee." ”

Liu Chuanji was taken aback and said, "What did you say?" I'm confused. ”

Antu was not angry and said: "Clear account, what's there to be confused about?" Your old master knows a lot better than you. Let me tell you, if the emperor approves the tax exemption of 1 million taels in Hunan, you will pay 200,000 taels as a ministry fee. ”

Liu Chuanji asked: "In other words, the more the emperor approves, the more silver we pay for the ministry fee?" ”

Antu nodded, "You understand." ”

Liu Chuanji was impatient, and he didn't care where this was, so he said straightly: "So that's the case?" We might as well just ask the emperor to waive 700,000 taels. ”

Antu snorted and said, "Without our master to speak for you, a tael of silver is inevitable!" ”

Liu Chuanji shook his head and sighed: "Okay, I'll go back and report to the governor." ”

Three days later, Mingzhu went to the south study, and when he entered the door, he asked: "Lord Chen, has the excerpt of Wang Jiwen of Yunnan arrived?" ”

Chen Tingjing said: "I haven't seen it yet, but I have received an excerpt from Zhang Wang, the governor of Hunan, asking for a tax exemption of 1 million taels. ”

Mingzhu was secretly taken aback when she heard this, she didn't believe that Liu Chuanji had returned to Hunan so soon, and she must have engraved the official seal privately. His face was fine, he only took the fold and said: "Hunan has been affected by disasters for many years, and the emperor knows about it." It's just that how much is exempted from taxes, let's discuss it, and then invite the emperor. ”

At night, Mingzhu asked Antu to go to the Hunan Hall to call Liu Chuanji. It turned out that Liu Chuanji was worried that if he went back to Hunan to run for tax exemption, he would be disappointed, so he really engraved the governor's official seal privately. Liu Chuanji naturally knew that this was a big crime, but he thought that Mingzhu reached out and asked for 200,000 taels of silver, and he didn't dare to say it if he knew it.

Antu led Liu Chuanji to see Mingzhu, and said as he walked: "Master Liu, you are too ignorant. Our master is so busy that you have to let him see you twice! Our lord never said anything serious to people, and this time he was really angry. ”

Liu Chuanji bowed his head and said nothing, just following along. Mingzhu saw Liu Chuanji enter the study, and scolded him: "Chuanji, what are you telling me to tell you?" You dare to privately engrave the governor's official seal, where did you come from to be so bold? Zhang Wang will be planted in your hands! ”

Liu Chuanji was not afraid in his heart, but deliberately said with a bitter face: "Yongshu just wants to get the errand done quickly, I'm afraid that it will be late, and the emperor will not approve it." As a last resort. ”

Mingzhu shook her head and said, "You are really confused! Did you know that this is a crime of homicide? If the emperor knows about the matter, Zhang Wang will also be dismissed and investigated! ”

Liu Chuanji said: "Anyway, only Ming Xiangguo knows about this matter!" Please open your eyes and close your eyes, and you'll be fine. ”

Mingzhu sighed: "Zhang Wei is my old friend, I will not report this to the emperor." The emperor has granted Hunan a tax exemption of one million taels, so go back to Hunan as soon as possible. ”

Liu Chuanji knelt down, kowtowed a few times, and got up to say goodbye. Mingzhu said again: "Chuanji is not in a hurry, I still have a letter here, please bring it to Lord Zhang Wang." ”

Liu Chuanji accepted the letter, respectfully saluted, and withdrew. Antu Lighting Bead instructed to send off the guests, Liu Chuanji hesitated again and again, and said hesitantly: "An Ye, please tell Ming Xiangguo, 200,000 taels of fees, we have difficulties." ”

Antu said angrily: "Don't you dare to say it in front of our master, what nonsense do you talk to me?" I was about to tell you, the ministry fee is now 300,000 taels! ”

Liu Chuanji was so shocked that he couldn't close his mouth, it turned out that Mingzhu grabbed the handle of his private official seal and asked for an extra 100,000 taels of silver. Liu Chuanji glared at An Tu and said: "If the emperor only exempts 700,000 taels, Hunan should not ask the people for a tael of silver in the past two years." Now that the emperor has exempted us from 1 million taels, we have to collect 300,000 taels from the people. How can this be true? ”

Antu said: "How can Zhang Wang use such an ignorant staff like you!" Don't forget, you carved the official seal privately, and you will be killed! ”

Liu Chuanji was originally a temperamental person, and he couldn't hold back the fire in his heart anymore at this time, and he brushed his sleeves out.

On the second day, Liu Chuanji was not in a hurry to leave, and asked Zhang Pengxi to drink. It turned out that Liu Chuanji and Zhang Pengxi were raised in the same year, and they met in the capital when they tried to meet, they were very confidants, and they have been communicating with each other. Zhang Pengxi later became a jinshi, but Liu Chuanji was not in a good situation, and he was looking for a living for a few years, and was recently invited by Zhang Wang to be a guest of the scene. Liu Chuanji had something in his heart, so he only cared about drinking himself, and soon got drunk, and said loudly: "Mingzhu, he is the number one corrupt official in the dynasty." ”

Zhang Pengxi hurriedly said: "Brother Liu, you speak softly, the pearl is full of eyes and ears in the capital!" ”

Liu Chuanji didn't care so much, and said loudly: "I, Liu, am incompetent, and I have tried and failed, so I have to be a guest of the scene." But this scene is not easy to do, you have to do things with a clear conscience! ”

Liu Chuanji said, holding the wine jug and pouring it, and shouted: "For the sake of the governor, I have to pretend to be a grandson in front of Mingzhu, but I look down on him in my heart!" When I went back, I told the governor that we would not pay 300,000 taels of money! ”

Zhang Pengxi accompanied Liu Chuanji to drink until dark and sent him back to the Hunan Hall. Coming out of the hall, Zhang Pengxi went to Chen Tingjing's mansion and told Liu Chuanji's words in detail.

Chen Tingjing suddenly realized at this time, and said: "No wonder the exchange of documents between the imperial court and the provinces is getting slower and slower!" ”

Zhang Pengxi said: "Now if we have a speech, we have to go through the pearl first, and the emperor's ears are sealed by the pearl!" Lord Chen, it's not as good as our secret ginseng pearl. ”

Chen Tingjing said: "It is impossible to act recklessly, you have to touch the emperor's meaning first." Usually, there are not no secret pearls, but the emperor has his own opinions. ”

Zhang Pengxi shook his head and sighed, the straight pearl covered the sky and the sun, and he deserved to die for his crimes.