The emperor went to court for the first time after his illness, and he left first without lasting too long, but the ministers did not leave there, they also had to deal with some court affairs in the palace, and the emperor sent someone to supervise them.

Inside the Mandarin Palace.

A lot of desks and cushions have already been set up, and the ministers can sit down to deal with and discuss these affairs, and there are many things that have been backlogged for a long time, and the backlog of affairs for three or four months or half a year or so is the norm, and there are many things that the ministers think the emperor has forgotten, and who knows that they will just stay in the middle and not send them.

Li Dongyang discussed with Hubu Shangshu Tong Zhong for a long time in the past, but when he came back, no one followed, and the people present deliberately kept their distance from him so that he could discuss things with Liu Jian alone.

Li Dongyang handed over a book fold that was not considered a sparse book, but just a Chen Bao to Liu Jian, and said: "Last year, the internal government increased more than 2 million taels of silver, and the expenditure reached 1.26 million taels, which can be regarded as the highest in the past few years. ”

"Oh?"

Liu Jian has not been very clear about the cost of dealing with the inner government, and he can't help but pick it up and look at it when he hears it.

Li Dongyang commented: "More than half of them were brought back from overseas, and outsiders do not know where they came from. However, I heard that if you send a boat to sea after the beginning of spring, you can bring back a lot. ”

Liu Jian said with a little worry on his face: "The sudden increase in silver is just afraid that it will bring about a high price of goods." ”

Although there are no economic concepts in this era, the inflation theory brought about by the increase in currency issuance also has a general outline in the minds of these traditional scholars.

"It's strange to say." Li Dongyang said, "The increase in the expenditure of the internal government, except for the basic construction of temples and Taoist temples, the rest is used for military expenditures, especially the purchase of a large number of military rations, and even the purchase of a lot of grain cultivated by merchants in the northwest, but even so, grain prices this winter are still maintained at a low level, not rising but falling." ”

"Really?"

Liu Jian couldn't help frowning.

Although cabinet ministers are prime ministers without official titles and deal with state affairs, they themselves are not directly linked to the lives of ordinary people, and they only listen to other people's talks about things such as food prices in the market, and do not personally check them.

Li Dongyang took out another copy and handed it to Liu Jian, who immediately opened it and read it.

"This is the East Factory report, the price of grain in the north, from the comparative changes after the spring famine last year, the prices of various crops are above, even if it is not clear how much is true or false, but I have asked the household department, there is basically no difference with the actual situation, and the autumn grain is summarized after the wind and rain, last year is not considered to be smooth, the situation of disasters and famines everywhere is still common, but the extent of disaster relief has not been reduced, but it is the end of the year...... The government's grain stocks have also increased. ”

After Li Dongyang finished speaking, he was already waiting for Liu Jian to give his opinion.

Liu Jian said: "If the magistrate is trying to cover up the disaster, whitewash the peace, and even extort tyranny, it is unacceptable and should be thoroughly investigated." ”

"There's no way to find out." Li Dongyang said, "It may be that the grain stocks of the past few years were released last year, which may bring grain prices after the spring famine." Hard. ”

Still don't have a clue.

Obviously, there was no bumper grain yield, and the emperor brought so much silver from overseas, which should have led to inflation, after all, grain prices were the most intuitive manifestation, but the result was that grain prices did not rise but fell, and the people's lives were stable, and there was no wanton expropriation, or even forced grain payment by the imperial court.

Everything seems so unreasonable.

"Check again." Liu Jian didn't have any opinions, so he could only reserve his opinions.

Li Dongyang nodded and said: "The matter still needs to be investigated, there is still news that after the beginning of spring, Zhang Bingkuan will promote new grain crops in Yongping Mansion and other places, this matter can be big or small, Your Majesty has approved it, and does not plan to decide through the imperial court." Do you want to ...... then?"

This means obviously, should we fight to the death and not allow Zhang Zhou to mess around?

Liu Jian also did not give an accurate attitude.

After the two were silent, Liu Jian suddenly asked: "The cabinet hasn't seen Zhang Tingmian's performance in the past few days, have you seen it today?" ”

"Not yet. How to ......" Li Dongyang wanted to ask, why did he suddenly care so much about Old Man Zhang?

Liu Jian said: "In the affairs of the northwest, he can be said to have done a good article, first impeached Ma Yi, and led to the impeachment of Wang Shouren, making people think that he is unique, or he controls the overall situation, but in the end it is a joke!" His son followed Ma Yi to the grassland, and also made military achievements, and now he wants to be rewarded for his merits, what is the reason? ”

Liu Jian was also annoyed.

If it weren't for Zhang Mao's vigorous participation in the impeachment of Ma Yi, the cabinet would not have been so sure that the war in the northwest had ended, and it would not have made such a big mistake on the issue of Xie Qian.

And now Liu Jian is holding the booklet of the emperor's reward for meritorious deeds, and today the ministers moved to the Wenhua Hall to discuss things, mainly to discuss how to give meritorious soldiers meritorious service, Liu Jian thought that he was shaken by Zhang Mao, and naturally felt very angry.

Li Dongyang seemed very calm about this matter, and said: "Zhang Tingmian seems to be a far-sighted old fox, but he has repeatedly been greedy and lost big in major matters, first sitting back and watching Zhang Bingkuan rise, and now he still can't see the situation clearly by personally leading the troops, which can be said to be old and confused. Even if he knew the good news of the grassland, what could he do? Gray pretending not to know what to do, or being forgotten, the more he jumps, the easier it is to be caught, this kind of person...... Alas! Deficiencies and conspiracy! ”

Liu Jian said: "Your Majesty kept him in the northwest this time, obviously to make him look good." Since he can't bear to break this pus, then we will help him. If you look for someone again, you must look for him secretly, and go to impeach him for being old and stupid for doing nothing. ”

Li Dongyang smiled: "Isn't this a beating of water dogs?" ”

Liu Jian said with a bit of ruthlessness on his face: "He doesn't fall into the water, we are the ones who fall into the water!" This kind of person...... He has been arrogant in the Taiping Nest for a long time, and he can't see the wind and waves, even if he wants to retreat bravely, we have to push him forward, and the grievances and contradictions in the Governor's Mansion are not something he can stop if he wants to. ”

"Hmm." Li Dongyang nodded.

It seems that the two can fully reach a consensus on the issue of treating Zhang Mao.

……

……

Ningxia, Huamachi.

Zhang Mao sat there with an indifferent look, and Zhong Decai was still reading out the detailed battle report in front of him, some of which were written by Zhang Rui himself, and Liu Jing on the side simply wanted to find a crack to get into.

"Well, let's talk about it, my face has been lost to my grandmother's house, and now that my children have led the troops out of the grassland, and the soldiers and horses of Datong are together, there will be no more accidents, right? Tell me, if the old man continues to pretend to be deaf and dumb, will others forget all the ugly things about the old man? Aren't you very capable? Participating in the impeachment of this and that of that, will the old man still have the face to return to Beijing in the future? ”

Zhang Mao does not believe that the mistake was self-inflicted.

Of course, he has to rely on Liu Jing who gave him ideas, which will make him hate to pick Liu Jing's skin.

Liu Jing also looked distressed, and sighed: "Grandpa, haven't you already blamed you?" Why do you bring up the old thing again today? Haven't we all figured out a way to make up for it? ”

"Fart!"

Zhang Mao slapped the table, stood up and said, "The fame that Lao Tzu has accumulated through hard work for half a lifetime is lost in such a moment, obviously Wu'er won the battle, but others laughed at Lao Tzu like a fool, and let Lao Tzu thank you?" That is, Lao Tzu still has a heavy responsibility on his body, otherwise he should have found a place to jump rope and hang it up to break himself! ”

Zhong Decai hurriedly said, "Grandpa, you can't be like this." ”

Zhang Mao was originally angry at Liu Jingsa, but when he heard this, he couldn't help but glared at Zhong Decai angrily, meaning, can't you still use you to remind him? Lao Tzu doesn't know that his life is expensive?

Liu Jingdao: "Now that the imperial court's order has not yet come, as for whether you are meritorious or demeritorious, I'm afraid it's hard to say, or you...... Personally go to the recital of the guilt, let Your Majesty see for the sake of your three old ministers, and ...... you"

Zhang Mao frowned and said, "You're going to have a bad idea again?" ”

"How could this be a bad idea? I'm all for the sake of Grandpa. Think about it, if you don't mention this, then no one will come out and make a fuss? Liu Jing said hurriedly.

Zhang Mao sneered: "Originally, the old man was guilty of negligence, or it was also a choice, but after you said this, the old man knew that this matter was not advisable." ”

"This ......" Liu Jing also looked embarrassed.

What's the matter, it's not easy for me to mention it, which means that I have a bad idea?

Zhang Mao said: "First took Zhu Dongyang into the ditch...... No, you take yourself to the ditch first, if it wasn't for the Empress Dowager to protect you, it is estimated that you would have died hundreds of times, right? When I returned to the dynasty when I was old, I really thought that I had experienced what level I had experienced in half my life? But I don't know how capable I am when I play chess! Even if Lao Tzu dies, he will no longer listen to your advice. ”

Zhong Decai also hurriedly said: "Grandpa, I also think that this will not be able to play the guilt, maybe Your Majesty is worried about how to punish you, you are playing like this, but it is in the hands of Your Majesty." ”

"Yes!"

Zhang Mao said, "Even if Lao Tzu dies, he can't admit his mistake!" Lao Tzu just talked about things, Ma Yi didn't listen to the order to lead troops into the grassland, couldn't Lao Tzu impeach him? What if he takes Wu'er to war? When the old man participated in his impeachment, did he avoid his relatives? Now that you have won the battle, you think that the old man is wrong? What's wrong? ”

Liu Jing muttered in a low voice: "That elder Xie Ge in the court, I guess I think the same thing as you." ”

"What did you say?" Zhang Mao was angry and didn't fight anywhere.

You compare me to a man who has been imprisoned?

Liu Jing was also a little unhappy, this time he simply raised his voice a little and said: "In the matter of impeaching Ma Zongbing, Grandpa did something wrong, the so-called mistake can be improved, if you don't mention it, I'm afraid that Your Majesty will be even more annoyed, and you may not want to return to Beijing for a while." ”

Zhang Mao said: "Since Your Majesty doesn't look down on me, why do you leave me in the northwest?" The wind and sand in the northwest are so big, do you think it's delicious and delicious? Whoever Your Majesty trusts, let him come! ”

"Grandpa......"

Just as Zhang Mao was complaining, the voice of the herald came from outside.

"If there's a fart, let it go!" Zhang Mao's temper is also not good, and he has no gentlemanly demeanor at all.

When the herald heard that Zhang Mao was losing his temper inside, he didn't dare to go inside, and hurriedly said: "There is a decree from Jingzhong, saying that you should continue to stay in Ningxia, and the messenger has already entered the barracks, do you want to go out and have a look?" ”

"What?"

Zhang Mao's mouth opened wide, almost thinking that he had misheard.

Liu Jing said with a look of surprise on his face: "The battle report of Datong has just arrived, and His Majesty's will to leave you in the northwest has arrived?" Seemingly...... Your Majesty has been prepared for a long time. ”

"Humph!"

Zhang Mao glared at Liu Jing angrily again, and then walked out of the camp quickly.

……

……

Night.

In the theater, Zhang Zhou was meeting Zhang Yong.

Zhang Yong smiled and said: "Your Majesty stays in Ningxia, it is a good thing for us, the whole Jingying now mentions you, Grandpa, all with admiration, and they all say that no one in the world can surpass you, even if it is throughout the ages, you are also the number one strategist and general, the person who leads the army in the world, who can match you?" ”

Zhang Zhou said: "You can't talk nonsense. I'm not relying on advice, it's more about providing them with a new weapon and a platform. ”

"Platform? It's a wooden platform...... Or the stage? Zhang Yong didn't quite understand it yet.

Zhang Zhou said with a smile: "I am the shopkeeper of an opera troupe, bringing the singers to the stage, showing it to them personally, I am just a bystander." When they got the results, they would put gold on my face, and I would just follow suit. ”

Zhang Yong hurriedly said: "Grandpa, you are really humble, one by one, which one of them was not cultivated by your discernment?" If it weren't for you, I dare to say that no one in the court would have this ability. ”

"Huh." Zhang Zhou just smiled.

The one who becomes the king is the king, and now that the Ming Dynasty is winning battles everywhere, Zhang Yong wants to slap him, so he will naturally say good things about him everywhere.

Although flattery sounds awkward, it has been listened to for a long time...... Even Zhang Zhou felt that if he didn't hit a smiling person, who would turn away such a person who said good things?

"Since the British duke can't come back, grandfather, the procurement and other things in Beijing in the coming year can be decided by you, the preliminary budget, the capital camp in the coming year in terms of ordnance and other expenses, about 130,000 taels of silver, if you add food and salary, etc., you will need to use 300,000 taels in the coming year."

"Oh, quite a lot." Zhang Zhou nodded.

The main tax of the Ming Dynasty was to collect rice and grain, and the income from silver was two or three million taels, and the value of rice grain was about six or seven million taels.

The expenses of the Beijing camp only accounted for one-twentieth of the income of the Ming court, which was relatively reasonable.

Zhang Yongdao: "But if it is the beginning of spring next year, if Your Majesty wants to drive the expedition in person, this silver will not be enough!" Regardless of whether it can be played or not, let's talk about preparations...... If you build more ordnance, you need to more than double it. The household department must not be able to count on it, this winter, I heard that the output of iron ore and coal mines has come down, and it is estimated that it will cost a lot more to build a firearm or something before the beginning of spring. ”

Zhang Zhou said with a smile: "Grandpa Zhang is really a prescient and prepared person. ”

"No way." Zhang Yongdao, "Your Majesty did say before that you want to prepare for a battle in the beginning of spring, how can you prepare two or three hundred thousand soldiers and horses for grain, grass, ordnance and baggage, even if it is a Beijing camp, I am afraid that fifty or sixty thousand people will have to be transferred, and if you requisition some from all over the place, I am afraid that it will not be enough." (End of chapter)