"Haha, this official is finally back!"

Yan Maoqing looked at the capital close at hand, and couldn't help but say excitedly.

Since receiving the emperor's order to dispatch the local guards of Nanzhili to kill on a large scale, Yan Maoqing's progress in collecting salt taxes has also been much faster, and no official dares to play tricks with him.

"My lord, the people of the Jinyi Guard are here!"

At this moment, I saw Yan Maoqing's personal guard step forward and report respectfully.

"Well, I know."

Yan Maoqing nodded, and immediately under the leadership of the personal guard, he saw the Jinyi guard who came to answer.

The brocade guard who came to answer had a cold expression, and after seeing Yan Maoqing, the left deputy capital imperial history, there was a slight expression on his face, only to see him arch his hand to Yan Maoqing, and said in a deep voice.

"I've seen my lord!"

Yan Maoqing just waved his hand quite casually and said, "No need, after confirming that the number of silver taels is correct, we will hand it over!" ”

"This official can also let the stone in his heart fall to the ground!"

At this moment, I saw a brocade guard step forward and report respectfully: "My lord, we have confirmed that the number of silver taels on the ship is basically the same as that reported before, and there is no problem!" ”

Seeing this, the brocade guard couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, and then ordered his subordinates to officially start the handover.

The efficiency of Jinyiwei is very fast, less than a quarter of an hour, and the handover work is completed by both sides.

Yan Maoqing looked at the dozen or so ships sailing into the distance, and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, and said to himself: "It's finally over!" ”

After that, Yan Maoqing took the sedan chair that had been prepared and headed for the Forbidden City.

Because of the task of collecting the salt tax very well, he also got an unprecedented opportunity to report to the emperor in person.

On the way to the Forbidden City in a sedan chair, Yan Maoqing was extremely nervous.

Before this, he had never met the emperor, let alone reported to the emperor in person!

"Yan Maoqing, Yan Maoqing, you have to seize this opportunity and show your talents to Your Majesty!"

Yan Maoqing warned himself in his heart, perhaps because he was too nervous, and large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead from time to time.

The closer he got to the Forbidden City, the faster Yan Maoqing's heart was beating, and he could even hear his own heartbeat clearly.

I don't know how long it has been, but I heard a voice coming: "My lord, there is the Forbidden City ahead!" ”

When Yan Maoqing heard this, he breathed a sigh of relief, and immediately got out of the sedan chair, just as he was looking left and right, he saw a eunuch come up and said respectfully.

"My lord, please come with me!"

"Hmm."

After Yan Maoqing responded, he followed the steps of the eunuch and marched towards the east gate of the Forbidden City.

Then, I saw that the eunuch took out a certificate from his bosom, and after showing it to the forbidden army for inspection, they were released into the Forbidden City.

Along the way, the eunuch just led the way in front of him, and did not mean to explain for Yan Maoqing.

When he took Yan Maoqing to the corner, he turned around and commanded.

"Please wait here for a while, someone will come to answer you soon!"

"You...... Wait a minute! ”

Before Yan Maoqing's words were finished, he saw that the eunuch disappeared after turning around.

Yan Maoqing was like this, bored and waiting, and after a while, he saw an old eunuch walking towards him.

Seeing this, Yan Maoqing hurriedly said respectfully: "I've seen my father-in-law!" ”

Unexpectedly, the visitor just glanced at him and said quite plainly.

"Come with me, I'll take you to meet Your Majesty!"

After the visitor finished speaking, he was like the previous eunuch, leading the way in front of him, without any intention of talking to him.

In this way, the two sides were silent, slowly walking through the Forbidden City.

And the eunuchs and palace maids encountered on the road, when they saw the old eunuch passing by, they would put down their work and salute him respectfully.

"Grandpa Shi!"

And this father-in-law Shi turned a blind eye to everything around him, and just led the way in front of himself.

I don't know how many turns he made and how many long corridors he passed, under the leadership of Gonggong Shi, Yan Maoqing finally came to the front of the Heart Cultivation Palace.

Immediately, I saw Gonggong Shi turn around and admonish.

"Later, whatever Your Majesty asks, you will answer, don't answer randomly, and don't break the rules, you know?"

"Also, you have to pay attention to the etiquette ......"

With Shi Gonggong's narration, Yan Maoqing also had a general understanding of the etiquette needed to meet the emperor later.

After Gonggong Shi explained all the precautions, he saw Yan Maoqing quietly stuffing a thick stack of silver tickets into Gonggong Shi's hand, his face full of gratitude.

"Thank you, father-in-law!"

After roughly perceiving the thickness of the silver ticket, Shi Gonggong's attitude also improved a lot, and advised.

"Remember, see Your Majesty later, don't talk too much nonsense."

After dropping this sentence, Shi Gonggong turned around and left.

"Thank you father-in-law for the reminder!"

After Yan Maoqing finished speaking gratefully, he turned his gaze to the Heart Nourishing Palace, which was close at hand.

……

"Your Majesty, Yan Maoqing is waiting outside!"

I saw Lu Fang take a step forward, came to Jiajing's side, and reminded.

"Oh, I know, let him in!"

After listening to Lu Fang's reminder, Jiajing nodded and commanded rather plainly.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

After Lu Fang responded, he walked out of the Heart Cultivation Hall and ordered the matter to continue.

After a while, I only heard a shrill voice sound: "Xuanzuo Deputy Capital Yu Shi Yan Maoqing, meet you!" ”

As soon as this voice fell, Yan Maoqing stepped on the steps of the Heart Cultivation Palace, and after a short time, he entered the Heart Cultivation Palace.

The moment Yan Maoqing entered the Heart Cultivation Palace, he immediately felt an invisible pressure, wrapping himself layer by layer, and even breathing became difficult.

After being stunned for a moment, he remembered the previous advice of Shi Gonggong, and immediately knelt on the ground with a 'plop', and raised the song high above his head, and said loudly.

"Weichen knocks to see Your Majesty, long live my emperor, long live, long live!"

"Your Majesty, here is the specific account book of the salt tax, please check it for Your Majesty!"

Hearing this, Jiajing glanced at Lu Fang beside him, and the latter quickly understood, only to see him come to Yan Maoqing's side, take the account book, and then return to Jiajing's side, and said respectfully.

"Your Majesty!"

"Hmm."

After Jiajing responded, he took the account book from Lu Fang's hand and began to look through it.

I saw that the first page of the account book recorded like this, Zhejiang, 1.26 million taels!

After Jiajing hastily flipped through a few pages, he lost interest, put the account book aside, turned his gaze to Yan Maoqing, who was kneeling on the ground, and said encouragingly.

"Yan Maoqing, you have done a good job, you have made a great contribution to the collection of salt tax this time!"

"At one time, more than 15 million taels of silver were collected from all over the country."

Facing the emperor's praise, Yan Maoqing was a little embarrassed, and immediately said in a deep voice.

"As a courtier, it is a blessing for a courtier to be able to share your majesty's worries!"

When Jiajing heard this, he immediately withdrew his gaze from Yan Maoqing's body and said in a deep voice.

"That's right, since that's the case, then from now on the salt tax will be collected by you!"

After listening to Jiajing's instructions, Yan Maoqing suddenly looked embarrassed and hesitated.

"Your Majesty...... Your Majesty, Wechen felt ......"

It's just that Yan Maoqing's words were not finished before he was interrupted by Jiajing.

"Oh, Yan Maoqing, don't you want to share my worries?"

"Or are you just deceiving me about worrying about the king?"

Seeing that the emperor said such a heart-wrenching remark, Yan Maoqing no longer dared to shirk it, so he had to bite the bullet and take the errand.

"Wechen is willing to share His Majesty's worries!"

Seeing that Yan Maoqing had yielded, Jiajing couldn't help but feel in a good mood, and immediately ordered.

"In recent days, the salt tax has been collected everywhere, and it has been hard for you."

"In this case, I will reward you with five hundred horses of silk, and grant you a few days off, and you can go back and have a good rest!"

Hearing this, I saw Yan Maoqing's face full of gratitude, and immediately knelt on the ground and thanked him.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace!"

(End of chapter)