This year, the smell of the New Year in the capital is very strong, and the sound of firecrackers is heard from time to time.

Thanks to the rapid development of the textile industry in Beijing, the economy of Beijing has been driven by the textile industry, resulting in many people in the capital being able to enjoy the development dividend.

The economic principle of a city and a country is actually the same, and if the capital can continue to have a trade surplus, then the money flowing in will feed the people of the entire capital through various industries.

Now the people of Beijing are not limited to the work of planting cotton and dyeing cloth and other related industries, with the improvement of the consumption level of the capital, it is also driving employment in related fields.

In particular, when rice soared, other farmers who grew fruits and vegetables also benefited, resulting in a good return for the sweat of the people in Beijing.

Now that the Spring Festival is approaching, after everyone's pockets are bulging, they are also buying more New Year's goods than in previous years to enjoy this better life.

"The Spring Festival in the capital is really lively!"

"It's been like this all these years, it wasn't like this before!"

"In fact, it is still the current emperor who is wise, and the people of the capital are living a good life!"

……

The servants and guards who came with Yin Zhi were all from Jiangxi, and there were old people who followed Yin Zhi before, and they were also newcomers who felt the Spring Festival in the capital for the first time, but they all sighed with emotion.

Yin Zhi closed his eyes in the sedan chair and naturally heard the conversation outside.

In fact, he was more deeply touched by this change, not to mention that he had been an official in the capital for decades, and he used to go to the capital to take the exam to integrate into the bottom of Beijing, so he could naturally be more aware of the invisible changes here.

Although the current emperor is indeed not like the Ming monarch praised in the history books, let alone ruling by hanging the arch, he has basically not stopped since he ascended the throne.

The initial reorganization of the Beijing battalion directly controlled the military power, and then used Wang Yue to sort out the salt administration, and then cracked down on the most lucrative financial industry in the country, and in the face of the Yellow River disaster, it was to recover Jianzhou and resettle millions of victims.

Even now, while continuing to vigorously promote maritime trade, it is also resolutely abolishing the silver standard and cracking down on the Jiangnan landlord class and the Japanese daimyo to mine silver.

It's just that under the derivation of the idea of "empty talk misleads the country, and hard work prospers the country", although the entire Ming Dynasty is not called Hongzhi Zhongxing, it presents a prosperous scene.

Yin Zhi no longer bothered about what Mingjun should do, but decided to focus on the current people and work hard to assist Emperor Hongzhi to create a prosperous era.

At this moment, he has also silently substituted his identity into the role of the governor of Zhejiang.

Compared with Liu Ji and Xu Qiong, he is actually more willing to be Wang Yue. Now the resistance of Jiangnan obviously comes from the landlord class, and if the landlord class in Jiangnan wants to obey the imperial decrees, the only way to do it is to adopt absolutely tough measures like the emperor and Wang Yue.

He was originally a benevolent person, but for the sake of the Ming Dynasty and tens of millions of Li people, he could only learn the Shura body like Wang Yue.

Just as Yin Zhi was thinking about doing so, the sedan chair had already returned to Yin's mansion.

Due to the strong wind today and a few snowflakes in the sky, the sedan chair driver did not drop the sedan chair in the front yard, but gently lowered the sedan chair in the sedan hall.

Mrs. Yin seemed very virtuous, and when she learned that Yin Zhi had returned, she also led her family to welcome her.

Of course, Yin Zhi was suddenly summoned into the palace by the palace, which was something that rarely happened before, so there was also a little curiosity in her heart.

Yin Zhi grimaced slightly, but his eyes fell on the fat man behind his wife, and his eyes immediately flashed with surprise.

"Brother-in-law!" Seriousness was originally a fat body, but now it is even more dressed to greet him.

Yin Zhi had already regarded this wife and brother as a relative, but after the joy in his heart, he looked very confused and said, "Serious, why did you come to Beijing?" ”

Since the end of the disputed case in Jiangxi, he has been serious but more enthusiastic about business, and he has started maritime trade with the advantages of Jiangxi ceramics.

Mrs. Yin glanced at her brother and immediately coughed.

"I'm going to Beijing to accompany you and my sister for the New Year!" Serious, with a smug face.

Mrs. Yin interrupted their conversation and said, "It's cold outside, let's talk inside!" ”

"yes, yes, it's cold outside!" Seriously knowing that the brother-in-law in front of him is already a Xiangye, his body is more precious than before, and he echoes it more respectfully.

Yin Zhi knew that it was impossible for Serious to just accompany himself for the New Year, and after entering the warm pavilion inside, he also asked with concern: "Serious, are our elders okay?" ”

"Chengmeng's brother-in-law cares, and the family is safe!" replied seriously, and then took out the envelope he was carrying and said, "Brother-in-law's house is fine, this is your family letter, the road is a little damaged!" ”

In this day and age, family letters are worth thousands of dollars.

Yin Zhi left Jiangxi at the beginning of the year, and now it is about to be a year in the blink of an eye, and he is actually very worried in his heart. It's just that living in this era is like this, loyalty and filial piety can't be both.

It's just that when I saw that everything was fine at home, and the letter had the concern of my loved ones, I also felt a warmth in my heart.

The butler put down a cup of hot tea and gently stepped it back.

Yin Zhi picked up the teacup and felt the warmth, but he said straight to the point: "Serious, you haven't been at home for many years, and you deliberately went to the capital this time, I don't know what happened?" ”

This......

Seeing that Yin Zhi had seen through everything, he couldn't help but glance at his sister in embarrassment.

"Let's talk, I'll prepare dinner!" Mrs. Yin glared at her younger brother unhappily, but she still said to her younger brother.

Seeing his sister leaving, he pleaded seriously: "Brother-in-law, I want you to write a note to Zhao Tiju, the Ningbo City Governor and Zhang Jue, the Governor of Zhejiang, to help me go back to the merchant ship that was seized by the City Ship Division, right?" ”

"Bastard! Didn't I tell you earlier, I will never do favoritism! Yin Zhi stopped the teacup that was brought to his mouth, and said sternly.

Seeing that Yin Zhi was really angry, he hurriedly explained: "Brother-in-law, listen to me first!" In fact, this matter is not for you to show favoritism, but to hope that you will write a note so that they can treat us Jiangxi businessmen fairly! ”

Since he saw that the southeast maritime merchants were making a lot of money, his mind was also active, but he and a few Jiangxi merchants made a batch of porcelain in Jingdezhen, wanting to sell the porcelain to Japan to make money.

Because he has been in business for many years, whether it is the source of goods or the formation of a fleet to go to sea, these things are very familiar, and in fact, he is very smooth in trade.

Originally, they were already preparing to have a fat year this year, and the seafood that they didn't want to ship back was not only not able to be exempted from tax, but was also detained by the city shipping department on suspicion of tax evasion.

Seriously told the truth of the matter, but continued to cry: "Brother-in-law, I have never used your banner, but they are really too deceitful!" You don't know how deep the water is in Zhejiang, and the ship of the Jiangnan business is unimpeded, but our boat in Jiangxi has to take off its golden body even if it is a golden Buddha! ”

"Jiangnan firm?" Yin Zhi was very concerned about the affairs of Zhejiang, and suddenly became interested.

Serious is a businessman who knows how to observe words and looks, and he also nodded heavily: "Brother-in-law, you don't know the situation in Jiangnan in the capital!" The profits of this sea trade are too high, and the big families in Jiangnan have united, and they actually want to squeeze out our Jiangxi Chamber of Commerce. To tell you the truth, even if I use your banner, I don't need to join them! ”

"When you say this, I think that the tax revenue of the Shanghai Shipping Division has decreased this year, but the tax revenue of the Ningbo Shipping Division has increased, and it seems that the Ningbo Shipping Division is going to get back the tax money from you!" Yin Zhi took a sip of tea and immediately said with an understanding.

It is not a secret that the tax on the side of the household department is not a secret, and when he saw the reduction of the tax revenue of the Shanghai shipping company, he once thought that the Shanghai shipping company was the most hateful.

It's just that judging from the feedback of his wife and brother, Dare is not Ningbo Bosi is law-abiding, but it also opens the door for Jiangnan businessmen, but it is just to fill the gap by squeezing other small and medium-sized businessmen.

Compared with the two, Ningbo Bosi is even more hateful.

"Brother-in-law, do you know why I have to make this trip? If Ningbo City is fined for arresting the ship, we will pinch our noses and admit it! It's just that their city boss even dares to hack the money on the ship, and we will lose money on this trip, so I don't dare to make some connections to return to the ship, I can only hope to borrow your name so that they will not dare to be greedy for the silver on our ship. ”

It was not easy to make a trip to the capital, if it weren't for the fact that Ningbo Bosi dared to empty the silver taels on the seized ship, he didn't want to bother his incorruptible brother-in-law.

"Really?" Yin Zhi realized that the problem was more serious than he thought, and immediately asked seriously.

"It's true! After so many years, if I hadn't been forced to be so ruthless, where would I have gone to Beijing to bother you! Facing Yin Zhi's eyes seriously, he also said his difficulties.

Although he is Yin Zhi's brother-in-law, he has always hoped that Yin Zhi will be a good and honest official, and he has never revealed his identity as Yin Zhi's brother-in-law outside.

It's just that this time he was really forced too hard, if he followed his usual way of solving, although the ship and cargo could come back, the hard-earned gold and silver would be wasted.

It was precisely because of this that he also came to the capital very rarely, and only hoped to use the influence of his brother-in-law to make Zhao Tiju, the governor of Ningbo City, and Zhang Jue, the governor of Zhejiang, dare not take the money on the ship.

"In that case, I'll accompany you to Ningbo City to come back in person!" Yin Zhi's eyes flashed with a fierce look, and he even said with a statement.

Yes?

When I heard this seriously, I didn't feel like I believed my ears, and I even suspected that my brother-in-law was playing tricks on me.

Not to mention that my brother-in-law can't leave the capital at all, I just hope that a letter will be enough for Zhao Tiju, the secretary of Ningbo City, and Zhang Jue, the governor of Zhejiang, to converge, and there is no need to go in person.

The seriousness quickly reacted, and said very bitterly: "Brother-in-law, I'...... I was wrong, you really shouldn't be allowed to do this kind of thing! ”

Mrs. Yin had been rubbing the corner outside the door, and at this time she came out and reprimanded: "I told you not to say it, how can you let your brother-in-law come forward with this kind of thing, aren't you causing trouble to your brother-in-law?" ”

"I'm not kidding! After the second day of the Lunar New Year, we packed up our things and went south to Jiangnan! Yin Zhi looked at this depressed wife and brother and his wife who played a round game strangely, but he was very serious.

Mrs. Yin and Zheng realized that Yin Zhi was not talking back, but her brain still couldn't turn around and said, "Why is this?" ”

The dignified elder of the pavilion went to Jiangsu and Zhejiang to help his wife and brother because of a trivial matter, and this matter is full of magic even if it sounds.

"Just now, His Majesty summoned me and Wang Ge Lao into the palace, in fact, it is to discuss the matter of Jiangnan! The imperial court abolished the silver order was blocked, and now the Jiangnan businessmen dared to help the Japanese daimyo mine silver ore in exchange for my Ming goods, His Majesty decided to be dealt with by the cabinet ministers in Jiangnan, Wang Ge Lao is in charge of Nanzhili, I happen to be in charge of Zhejiang, Ningbo will be my first stop in Jiangnan! Yin Zhi took a sip of tea and told what had just happened.

Yes?

The serious eyes suddenly lit up, it was like dozing off and sending a pillow, my brother-in-law was going to take him directly to the door to smoke someone!

"This trip is far away, you stay in the capital, and I can take a few servants to Zhejiang!" Yin Zhi put down the teacup and explained to his wife.

Mrs. Yin knew that Xianggong did not belong to the release, but she said worriedly: "How can a few servants behave?" The place is different from the capital, so you have to bring a few people to protect you! ”

"Your Majesty will arrange for the Qincha Guard! I'm now a pavilion elder, and if they really want to do it, I'll have to weigh it carefully! Yin Zhi felt concerned, but he was serious.

Seriously knowing that the weight of the elder pavilion to the place was definitely an invincible existence, his eyes were full of hope and asked, "Brother-in-law, do you have Shang Fang's sword?" ”

"I am the elder of the cabinet, and I go to the place as the governor, who dares to openly call me out? According to His Majesty's temperament, he will definitely give it to Wang Ge Lao, and I'm afraid it won't be worse than mine! Yin Zhi met the gaze of his wife and brother, and also said his own.

Jiangnan's problems are largely because they are disloyal to the country and the emperor, so the emperor will definitely give Wang Yue a sword of Shangfang, whether it is to help Wang Yue open up the situation, or to deter the entire Jiangnan family, it must be a sword of Shangfang.

Seriously found that happiness came so suddenly, and danced and said: "It's so cool, why don't we leave now!" ”

"Nonsense!" Mrs. Yin immediately scolded angrily.

Fortunately, at this time, the housekeeper had already prepared the meal and came over to inform them to go to the dining room, which relieved the seriousness.

In the thirtieth year of the Chinese New Year's Eve, the Qianqing Palace was brightly lit.

Although Zhu Youzhu has entered a state of vacation, because the intelligence from all over the country continues to come to the capital, he will still check the latest information at night.

It's just that after opening the information on Nan Zhili's side, his face suddenly became gloomy.

Although Ying Tianxun Governor Zhong had a good official reputation, he was dismissed from his post because he had too close a relationship with the family in Jiangnan, especially during his tenure as the Zhejiang Inspector Yushi, who was successfully publicized by the Jiangnan gentry.

Who would have thought that the new governor of Yingtian, Qiu Nai, had been in office for less than half a year, and now there was news of drowning.

Zhu Youzhu thought of Qiu Nai's earlier secret reports, and suddenly felt that the water in the south of the Yangtze River was indeed too deep, so deep that they didn't know about the existence of the imperial court at all.

"Your Majesty, why do you still like to keep a straight face during this New Year?" Empress Chang personally sent the ginseng soup over, and she looked very gentle and authentic.

Zhu Youzhu looked up and saw Queen Chang, and said helplessly: "Governing the country is like curing a disease, although Tang Taizong is cured, but now Daming is riddled with diseases, how can I be happy!" ”

Although he complained like this, he still adjusted his emotions, and at the same time opened his arms for the queen to give him a hug.

Empress Chang carefully protected her stomach, snuggling in Zhu Youji's arms very affectionately, feeling the Chinese New Year's Eve that belonged to their husband and wife.

Niu Mengmeng was originally standing here guarding the lights, but after seeing the emperor and the empress so close, he secretly spit out his cute tongue, and tiptoed to the courtyard outside to prepare for the fireworks.

"Your Majesty, the soup should not be left for a long time, you should drink it while it is hot!" Although Empress Chang enjoyed this intimate time very much, she still reminded with a smile.

Zhu Youzhu pinched Empress Chang's face, and was ready to enjoy this kind of body-nourishing ginseng: "Although our ginseng is good, the taste of American ginseng is also good, I don't know if Liu Zhang can bring me some American ginseng back!" ”

Although all kinds of bad news have been coming in a lot recently, there is also a piece of information that makes him very comfortable.

After investigation, it was found that the appearance of Liu Zhang's ship in the South Seas was fabricated, and the businessman did not say that he saw Liu Zhang's ship, even if Liu Zhang's people had not seen it.

Liu Zhang's failure to flee proves that his plan to go to South America in search of the treasure seed cannot be determined to fail.

Although it is still impossible to know the situation of Liu Zhang's fleet, and even Liu Zhang's fleet may have been buried in the sea, it still retains the spark of hope.

Even if he is a high emperor, all he can do now is wait silently.

Liu Zhang led the fleet across the Pacific Ocean to face food shortages and diseases, and this trip could not reach the other side without tenacity, but China needed this miracle.

With the current productivity of China, the population that can be fed is basically the peak.

Not to mention going up to the Xiaoice River, even if Daming encounters a major natural disaster, in fact, it should be damned, and it needs to be restored to a position where food and population match to stabilize.

Now if China wants to develop, only by introducing high-yield crops can it solve China's food problem, which can not only feed more people, but also liberate more people to devote themselves to scientific and technological development.

Now the most ideal result is that Liu Zhang led the fleet to South America to find the treasure seed, and now he is ready to return, only hoping to get the good news of Liu Zhang's smooth return in half a year.

"Your Majesty, the concubine wishes Your Majesty's wishes for the New Year come true!" Empress Chang knew that Zhu Youzhu had been looking forward to opening a route to the New World for the benefit of all people, and she also wished very gently.

After drinking ginseng soup, Zhu Youzhu also suspended his work and led the queen outside to enjoy the fireworks.

Maybe there were some bad things last year, maybe next year will be even more difficult, but now the family is reunited, and the whole capital is enjoying this moment.

Although it is not as colorful as that of later generations, and not as colorful as later generations, the happiness of the capital in this era seems to be simpler.

A new couplet, a new clothes, a reunion dinner with meat, and the sound of firecrackers in front of the door are enough for them to feel the joy of the New Year.

In a brilliant firework in the night sky, the fifth year of Hongji came as scheduled. (End of chapter)