"Spring, the first month, Ding Youshuo, there is a squint in the day, and there is blue and black gas next to it like water waves spinning."

The solar eclipse that appeared in spring allowed the ministers to seize the opportunity to target the "six thieves" for crazy output.

Although Cai Jing resigned, he did not leave the capital, and there were too many protégés and former officials. and some of his servants were officials; The maidservant girl who married in his family can actually be named a wife.

For the Cai Party, Wang Hao punished a group and incorporated a group.

Cai You also took the opportunity to be co-opted, and a large number of Cai Dang chose to defect.

People found that even if Cai Jing was gone, the imperial court was still the same ghost.

Corporal Wang Huang Lixian and the abolition of maladministration are just for show. Even the officialdom became darker, and began to sell official positions unabashedly, and those positions with rich oil and water had to send money to Wang Hao and his henchmen, and they did not accept them if they were given too little.

Especially this year's new science and technology scholars, those who take the fourth and fifth grades, don't want to get a real shortage if you don't run the relationship and give gifts.

Because of the abolition of schools, a large number of teachers who were born in Jinshi returned to the capital to seek officials. They are hungry and hungry, and they have to compete head-on with the young people who have just come ashore.

There are more than 200 new science and technology scholars, and they don't know what to do in the capital.

Cai Jing's number one henchman, Deng Xunwu, died of illness after the solar eclipse. The history books commented on him: "The defeat of Beijing is chaotic in the world, and the disaster comes from Xun Wushi." ”

But it is very interesting that a year before Deng Xunwu's death, he had always opposed the war and was removed from his position as privy envoy.

Tokyo.

Song Huizong has been noisy for the past few days, and Wang Hao and Tong Guan are facing each other.

"Why do you want to strike these two armies and twelve states?" Song Huizong summoned Wang Hao alone to inquire.

Wang Hao said: "The two armies and twelve states of Kuixia and Guangnan are all set up by Cai Jinghao. Instead of spending money on the state and consuming the people's wealth, we must allocate funds every year. Now that the treasury was empty, the minister thought that the two armies and twelve states should be abolished. Most of the Han people were changed to counties, and the rest were kept as walled forts. ”

Song Huizong asked, "Is there really no money?" ”

Wang Hao stubbornly said: "There may be a shortage. ”

Song Huizong sighed helplessly: "Let's retreat, if you can save it, you can save it." ”

Wang Hao bowed his head and said yes, and his heart blossomed.

These southern state armies are all Cai Jing's achievements in expanding the border, and all of them can eradicate Cai Jing's influence.

At the same time, it can reduce fiscal expenses and attract more centrist ministers.

The butt decides the head, Wang Hao is now the prime minister, he has no interest in fighting, and all he thinks about is how to make money for the country and himself.

Song Huizong asked again: "The envoy of the Jin State has been here for two months, how do you think the matter of joining Jin to invade Liao?" ”

Wang Hao replied: "But pay the national letter, and do not reprimand." ”

Song Huizong glanced at Wang Huang, and was already disheartened by the war against Liao.

Since Wang Hao became the prime minister, he no longer provoked the emperor to attack Liao, and his words often revealed resistance.

The eight words "but pay the letter of the state, and do not rebuke the envoy" are to let Song Huizong delay time as much as possible, and at the same time maintain good relations with the Jin State. Wang Hao's idea was to wait for the financial situation to be comfortable before fulfilling the agreement to work together to defeat Liao.

Song Huizong waved his hand, and Wang Hao bowed and retreated.

In the afternoon of the same day, Tong Guan came to ask for a meeting: "Official, the Jin people have been waiting for a long time, and they have urged the signing of the contract many times, please set a date for the invasion of Liao as soon as possible." ”

Song Huizong said: "I have my own opinions on this matter. ”

Tong Guan wanted to persuade him again, but Song Huizong was so annoyed that he sent him away in a few words.

Song Huizong knew what the situation of the imperial court was, and the increasingly embarrassed finances could not support a war. But he was a little unwilling, and after thinking about it, he decided to use Wang Hao's method to delay the time for a few years and take a look.

It's only been a few years, and the Jin Kingdom can't destroy the Liao Kingdom, right?

As a result, Song Huizong personally wrote the national letter. expressed his goodwill to the Jin State, and said that according to the previous agreement, the Song and Jin countries would definitely attack the Liao State.

But when exactly to send troops, Song Huizong did not say a word, and no longer sent envoys to the Jin State.

The envoy of the Kingdom of Jin was furious, and he came to Tokyo to negotiate for three months, which means that nothing was negotiated.

After the Jin envoys left, the conflict between Wang Hao and Tong Guan became public.

Wang Hao and Liang Shicheng instigated Song Huizong to restore Huashigang and dumped the Fangla uprising to Cai Jing's salt tea method. not only invalidated the "holy decree" promulgated by Tong Guan, but also secretly obstructed Tong Guan's invasion of Liao.

If Tong Guan wanted to destroy the Liao and seal the king, he had to raise military expenses as much as possible, so he opposed the restoration of Huashigang, and hated Wang Hao and Liang Shicheng so much.

Of course, this is only temporary.

Historically, Song Huizong had already planned to give up the war of Liao, and it was Wang Huang who was the first to jump out and pry up!

Because of the solar eclipse, Song Huizong granted amnesty to the world.

Zhu Ming is also in the ranks of pardons, and he has changed from management to placement.

Arrangement and management is to let the convict settle in a certain place, not to leave the place of household registration, and to report to the government every month.

There is no need to change the household registration for resettlement, and if something happens, you only need to apply to the government and obtain permission, and you can temporarily leave the resettlement site. For example, visiting relatives, going to funerals and so on.

……

Yangzhou.

The new governor is called Cao Zao, a native of Yichun, Jiangxi.

The three brothers of the Cao family were the same as Kedengdi, and their branch was later called "Sanguitang Cao's family".

Wang Hao sold his official beard and lordship, and on the other hand, he promoted the virtuous and invited him to buy fame. Especially for magistrates such as the governor and the prefect, he asked the centrists who had taken refuge to recommend him, and dozens of them were appointed and dismissed in the past few months.

Cao Zao was the lucky one to be recommended.

"Why is the population of Yangzhou decreasing instead of increasing?" Cao asked asking.

Hu Cao joined the army Li Yanzhi hesitated slightly, but he still couldn't hold back: "Zhu Guoxiang occupies the land and hides the population, and the people of the three counties of Yangzhou have many people who defect with their families. ”

Cao Zao said angrily: "Order the three counties and county orders, so that the population and land can be inventoried!" ”

Li Yanzhi said: "The county officials don't dare to investigate. Zhu Guoxiang has a very high prestige among the people, and he also privately practiced village bravery, saying that he wanted to guard against thieves. ”

Cao Zao was silent, and went to Jintan Village for a private visit the next day.

The area of Jintan Village has more than tripled compared to the beginning.

Zhu Guoxiang not only opened up wasteland in the valley, but also spent money to buy land outside the valley. Government exploitation is becoming more and more serious, and more and more small landlords are choosing to sell their land. Some yeoman farmers simply donated their land directly and took the initiative to become tenants for Zhu Guoxiang, the purpose of which was nothing more than to avoid taxes and forced labor.

Cao Zao is paddling up, and rice fields along the river are planting rice.

Most of the peasants were dressed more shabbyly, and their faces were sad.

No matter how much grain is harvested, the government always has a way to raise taxes, and all kinds of harsh taxes and miscellaneous taxes have been overwhelmed. The landlord could only pass it on to the tenants, and the rent was higher and higher. Small landlords and yeoman farmers, every year there are bankrupts.

"In front of it is Jintan Village, which used to be only in the valley, but now the land outside the valley is also incorporated into the village." The local guide pointed ahead.

Cao Zao got off the boat and landed in advance and observed all the way.

Entering the boundary of Jintan Village, the appearance changes instantly.

The fields are still those fields, the peasants are still those peasants, but the mental state is completely different.

The chief of the village was arranged by Zhu Guoxiang.

The taxes were first paid to the village, and then escorted to the county by the chief of the armor. Zhu Guoxiang has the final say on how much tax to collect, pay the full amount of taxes to the government, and the rest is his own.

There was no violation of the law, because the land of the entire village was nominally owned by Zhu Guoxiang. He is not collecting taxes, but the landlords are collecting rents.

The real violation of the law is that Zhu Guoxiang is hiding the population land!

"This seedling is very well grown, and I think we can have a good harvest this year." Cao Zao stood on the ridge of the field and said to several farmers who were planting rice.

No one paid attention to him, they were all working.

And he is full of energy, because with Zhu Xianggong, the days are getting more and more hopeful day by day.

Zhu Xianggong is a good person, which has become the consensus of all over the country. There are even people who are unbearable to be exploited by the government, and drag their families to walk dozens of miles to defect, and they are all arranged to go to the depths of the valley to open up wasteland.

Cao Zao continued to walk inside, talking to people many times, but he couldn't find any results.

The villagers are now very taboo about strangers, afraid that if the government tracks them down, their good days will come to an end.

After two or three miles, Cao Zao saw a large residential area.

It is a paper making place, and the scale has expanded a lot. More than half of the papermaking workers came from inside and outside the city of Yangzhou, and Zhu Guoxiang recruited a large number of bankrupt citizens.

"The guest is here to buy paper?" Liu Shidao, the deputy head of the village, suddenly appeared behind Cao Zao.

Cao Zao smiled: "I am a merchant passing through Yangzhou, and I heard the name of Yangzhou Yundang paper, so I came here to take a look." ”

Liu Shidao asked again: "What kind of business did you do before?" ”

Cao Zao made up blindly: "Trafficking spices, medicinal herbs, etc., the ship will not be empty when you return, and you will receive some goods." ”

Liu Shidao asked again: "Last year, the wind and rain in Hanzhong were smooth, and the herbs also grew well, so you have come to the right place." This spring's Bupleurum, at what price to buy? ”

Where can Cao Zao answer, casually said a price, Liu Shidao laughed twice.

Cao Zao said that he wanted to go to see the Yundang paper to determine whether he wanted to buy it, and Liu Shidao accompanied him throughout the process, and naturally did not negotiate a business in the end.

After a mess, Cao Zao asked a two-story building in front of him: "Where is the inn?" ”

"No," Liu Shidao replied, "there is Zhu Xianggong's observation tower." ”

Cao Zao said: "I want to meet Zhu Xianggong." ”

Liu Shidao said: "Zhu Xianggong is not in the village. ”

Cao Zao walked towards the two-story building, and saw that there was a lobby and a counter inside, but Liu Shidao blocked him from entering, and even didn't let him continue to walk forward.

Cao Zao had no choice but to give up and leave Jintan Village with a gloomy face.

It is true that it is not an inn, but there are also a few rooms that provide accommodation for merchants who buy paper.

There is another store on the side, which is an illegal salt shop in the village.

Not only the villagers of Jintan Village come here to buy salt, but even the neighboring villages also come here to buy salt. Zhu Guoxiang has cooperated with smuggled salt dealers for a long time and has become a smuggler of salt.

Cao Zao had enough reason to be angry, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Zhu Guoxiang: What is this?

Compared with Zhu Mian, it's just a big thing. Zhu Mian's father and son covered an area of hundreds of thousands of acres and raised more than 1,000 private soldiers, and local officials did not just ignore it.

Zhu Ming was removed from the list, and Zhu Guoxiang was not so favored, but after all, he was registered with the emperor.

Cao Zao decided to go to Daming Village again, if it was too outrageous, he would write a letter directly to his Bole, and Bole would pass it on to Wang Hao. Impeach Zhu Guoxiang for occupying private land, hiding land, and privately storing population!

By the way, I heard that the Zhu family is also involved in smuggling.

(End of chapter)