Liang Guogong and the two looked at each other and were just about to speak, when they heard a palace maid outside report and said, "Long live the lord has arrived!" ”

Empress Dowager Li said happily: "I don't know how the Lord of Banzai is also free to come over, it just so happens that you two princes may not have seen the Lord Banzai for a long time, sit down and talk together, and let the Lord Banzai get closer to you!" ”

At this time, the two princes felt bad in their hearts! Why did it happen that the emperor came over at this time? But things have come to this point, and the two of them have to hurry up to meet them.

As soon as the two of them got up and were about to walk out, Emperor Wanli had already strode in. When he saw the two of them, he said directly with a smile: "Isn't this the Duke of Liangguo and the Duke of Baoguo?" Why are you two so free today, why are you here to have a family trip with the queen mother? ”

Bao Guogong hurriedly said with a smile: "I haven't seen the queen mother's phoenix face for a long time, so I always have to enter the palace to greet her!" ”

Then a few people sat down and talked again, and finally Emperor Wanli said: "If there is something about the two princes, let's talk directly, I see that you all seem to be a little anxious!" ”

When Baoguo Gong heard this, he knew that Emperor Wanli must know something, and he had heard that there was the shadow of Emperor Wanli behind the matter of collecting money, and now he is more and more sure! But at this time, he could only say helplessly: "Your Majesty, the ministers entered the palace this time to beg the Queen Mother and Your Majesty to restrain the Jinyi Guard, and not let them disturb the ministers in their property!" ”

Emperor Wanli widened his eyes when he heard this, and said angrily: "What? Jinyiwei actually dared to go to the Guogong Mansion to disturb them, I see that they are impatient, right? I immediately called Liu Shouyou to see what he had to say! ”

The two of them are not stupid, and when they heard Emperor Wanli's words, they were tired in their hearts! Your intention to cover it up is too obvious! This shows that Emperor Wanli knows what is going on at all, which makes them feel a little chill in their hearts!

It's just that they don't know where the problem is, so Bao Guogong can only say helplessly: "Your Majesty, they didn't go to the Guogong Mansion to disturb them, but to make trouble and blackmail in the property under the name of Weichen!" ”

Emperor Wanli relaxed his body when he heard this, blinked his eyes and said, "Industry? What kind of property do you have? Isn't it all farmland and stuff like that? How dare they go there for blackmail? Besides, what can they extort from a farmer's farm? ”

At this time, Liang Guogong knew that the matter was completely out of control, but for the sake of the silver in vain, he still turned his heart and said directly: "Your Majesty, Baoguo Gong is not talking about Zhuangzi outside the city, he is talking about the shops in the city!" ”

Emperor Wanli slapped the table and said, "The shop is not good!" Wait, shops? How do you have a shop? The imperial court stipulates that it is forbidden to do business above the fourth rank official, don't you two know? ”

Emperor Wanli said yes, there was a clear rule in the Ming Dynasty, that is, officials above the fourth rank were not allowed to do business! This point has never changed since Zhu Yuanzhang and Emperor Wanli! It's just that by the time of the Wanli Dynasty, this rule was already useless!

In the early years, officials were still covering up their business business, often using the means of buying shares or hanging in the names of relatives and servants. By the time of the Wanli Dynasty, the officials were already shirtless and directly opened shops in person!

The prohibition of officials from doing business actually had a rule in place for a long time, and it was first established during the Han Dynasty.

After Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty Liu Che took power, Dong Zhongshu once wrote a book about the harm of officials doing business! He told Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty that once officials were involved in business, they would use their power to collude with profiteers or suppress legitimate businessmen, and so on, listing a long list of disadvantages of officials doing business.

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty thought it was true when he saw this book, and after discussing it with Dong Zhongshu, he set the rule that officials were not allowed to do business. And this rule has been completely followed by the imperial courts of all dynasties. And the regulations are becoming more and more detailed.

It's just that all dynasties and dynasties have not been able to put an end to the fact that officials are doing business. Especially in the middle and late dynasties, the business of officials became more and more intense every time! A large number of officials are eating one by one, and the businessmen are miserable! So Emperor Wanli seized this matter and forced the two princes into a corner!

Under the pressure of Emperor Wanli, the faces of the two Baoguo Gong turned red! But they still have this adaptability, so Baoguo Gong immediately bowed and said: "Your Majesty, Wechen really did not obey the laws of the Ming Dynasty, Wechen is guilty!" But Weichen can't help it, the population of the family is increasing, and there are many relatives who come to defect, and the output of Zhuangzi is so much every year, and the life is beyond his means, so he can only run some shops to subsidize the family! ”

Liang Guogong also poured bitter water, telling that life is not easy! When they finished speaking, Emperor Wanli took out a confession from his arms and threw it on Liang Guogong, and said coldly: "Is it? If the family can't make ends meet, they will go to open a green building and a casino? ”

This sentence struck the hearts of the two people like a thunderbolt on a sunny day, and the frightened two people were covered with cold sweat! Especially after Liang Guogong glanced at the confession in his hand, he was even more frightened!

It is already wrong to be a national open shop, but they still dare to open a green building and a gambling house, which is a mistake on top of a mistake! The dignified Guogong actually runs a cheap business, and he really doesn't want any decency at all! This is simply a smear on the face of the imperial court!

In fact, the fact that they opened the Qinglou Gambling House was known to everyone in Beijing, but no one came out. This is the so-called unspoken rule. Everything is fine if the unspoken rules are not lifted, but if they are lifted, someone will be unlucky! Looking at the current situation, the unlucky one is definitely not Emperor Wanli!

Just when the two of them were panicking, Emperor Wanli had already roared loudly: "You two are dignified princes, and the imperial court has rewarded you with so much land, Zhuangzi, isn't it enough for the expenses of the Guogong Mansion?" And the court has rewards every year and festivals, why is it not enough to spend? I think it's greed! And if you open a shop next to you, I won't say much. But you actually opened a green building and a gambling house! You don't want to be faced, the court still needs face, I still have face! ”

Hearing Emperor Wanli start to roar, the two of them hurriedly knelt down to accept the reprimand, and the two of them didn't even dare to raise their heads! And Emperor Wanli took this opportunity to reprimand them for almost a cup of tea, and then took a sip of the teacup, and glanced at the Empress Dowager Li at the same time.

Empress Dowager Li and Emperor Wanli's mother and son were connected, and naturally knew what Emperor Wanli meant, so she said softly: "Long live Lord, drink saliva to dissipate your anger!" However, the mourning family wants to say a few words for them, like their Guogong Mansion has a large population, and there are many relatives who defect to it, plus they always have to maintain the dignity of the Guogong Mansion, the cost will naturally be larger, so it is understandable to open a shop! ”