Chapter 124: Love and Hate Duo (Subscription Request)
creak.

The residence of the Minister of Revenue was carefully closed by Xu Wei.

He turned and looked at Yan Shaoting.

Yan Shaoting didn't say anything, but just gave Xu Wei a look. The two of them walked out of the Ministry of Revenue under the secret gaze of countless pairs of eyes.

As the two left.

The Ministry of Revenue, which was silent, seemed to let out a long sigh in unison.

Standing outside the Ministry of Revenue.

On the street, people from the factory guards were tying together with ropes the officials from the Ministry of Revenue who were involved in a case of embezzlement of military supplies as well as the officials from the neighboring Ministry of Works and Ministry of War.

This is naturally against the rules.

But the factory guards have never been a place where rules are followed.

After being silent for several days, the major case of embezzlement of military supplies suddenly broke out. The commotion it caused today immediately attracted officials from various ministries and government offices to stand by and watch.

Yan Shaoting watched the arrested officials from the Ministry of Revenue, Ministry of Works, and Ministry of War shouting non-stop with a calm expression.

Xu Wei turned around and took a deep look at the silent Ministry of Revenue.

He walked to Yan Shaoting and said in a low and helpless voice: "It seems that it will be difficult for the tutor to speak and do things in the Ministry of Revenue in the future."

Yan Shaoting said calmly: "If you are easy to talk to, you will not be an official."

This is obviously a statement that goes against the truth.

If you are easy to talk to, you will naturally be good at being an official.

Xu Wei did not refute, but smiled and said: "However, Gao Shangshu and the two assistant ministers have also made their attitude clear. It will be more convenient for the assistant tutor to do whatever he wants in the Ministry of Revenue in the future, without having to worry about the constraints from all sides."

Yan Shaoting smiled and said, "That's because they can clearly distinguish the interests at stake. If they really ask about the embezzlement of military supplies, what will Your Majesty think?"

Xu Wei nodded: "The tutor only wanted to take charge of military supplies. Now that the Ministry of Revenue has expressed its attitude, everything else is just a side issue."

Yan Shaoting smiled but said nothing.

In fact, he didn't have to meet Gao Yao, Liu Dabao and Bao Daoming who had been waiting in the government office today.

But he went anyway.

That's his attitude.

He worked for the Taoist priest and the cabinet, but he still respected the three officials from the Ministry of Revenue.

Gao Yao also made his attitude clear. He supported Yan Shaoting's investigation into the case of embezzlement in military supplies, and he would not interfere in the military supply affairs of the Ministry of Revenue in the future, leaving it to Yan Shaoting to handle.

Then.

Yan Shaoting could not continue to embezzle military supplies and suddenly regret it later, and use this matter to criticize Gao Yao, Liu Dabao and Bao Daoming for their negligence.

The officials in various ministries and departments involved in the case of embezzlement of military supplies have been escorted to the Jinyiwei prison by the factory guards.

Looking at the streets that are gradually becoming empty.

Yan Shaoting restrained his expression, he just remembered it now.

Probably in the next two years, the Ministry of Revenue will undergo a major reshuffle.

It seems that this year, Zhao Zhenji, who is now serving as the governor of Nanzhili, will be ordered to come to Beijing and join the Ministry of Revenue.

Finally, he jumped from the Ministry of Revenue into Wenyuan Pavilion.

He became the famous non-stick pan maker in the Ming Dynasty.

Now in Wenyuan Pavilion, Yuan Wei is the new promotion, and Zhang Juzheng will probably have to wait until next year to return to Beijing.

The cabinet has always been a one-person-one-job situation.

If he wanted to push Hu Zongxian into the cabinet, he had to make preparations in advance, block the position of Lao Zhao, the non-stick pan, and let Lao Hu enter the cabinet first.

Xu Wei couldn't think of these things.

The cabinet was too far away and it was beyond his ability to think.

Xu Wei just smiled and said, "Speaking of which, the tutor and the Ministry of Revenue can be regarded as being in the same league as the common people."

Yan Shaoting tilted his head, looked at Xu Wei, and said with a smile: "Who in the officialdom doesn't want to be in the same league with the world? It's just that..."

……

"Lord Zhang must be humble and at peace with his colleagues in the court."

"I don't have the magnanimity of you, Lord Zhang."

"When the Ming Dynasty was founded, starting in the third year of Hongwu, Emperor Taizu promulgated the Ming Code and repeatedly warned his officials to be strict with themselves and not to break the law knowingly."

"Master Zhang, may I ask what you have done in this Grain Supervision Office for half a year?"

Suzhou Prefecture.

In the city, there is the Grain Supervisory Office.

In the hall, Hai Rui, who already had a dark complexion, looked even darker. He questioned Zhang Juzheng, who was sitting in the hall, in a loud and eloquent voice.

On the desk in front of Zhang Juzheng was a pile of memorials covered with mud.

The cracks between the memorials were slightly yellowed and had frayed edges.

This is a situation that will only occur if you frequently read and use the content.

And in these memorials, Zhang Juzheng knew very well what was recorded.

These are all detailed contents of the concealment of land in Suzhou and Songjiang prefectures.

This was not the first time that Hai Rui came to the Grain Inspectorate to question him.

It definitely won’t be the last time.

Each time, Hai Rui brought more memorials than the previous one.

Zhang Juzheng was filled with worry, because the joy he had gained from completing the conversion of 150,000 acres of farmland in Suzhou and Songjiang prefectures from cotton to mulberry had long been wiped out by Hai Rui.

If he didn't have to stay in the southeast and wait for the Left Vice-Censor-in-Chief Yan Maoqing of the Censorate to investigate the Lianghuai salt affairs and the southeastern commercial taxes, he could prevent the other party from causing too much trouble in the southeast, which would lead to any changes in the plan of replacing cotton with mulberry to increase silk production.

Zhang Juzheng had already prepared to submit a memorial and return to Beijing.

Seeing that Zhang Juzheng remained silent, Hai Rui could only ask with a sullen face, "Mr. Zhang! How long do you want to remain in the dust?"

Zhang Juzheng raised his head and looked at Hai Rui with a serious and complicated look. He had to admit that he admired Hai Rui's official conduct.

In fact, in his heart, Hai Rui was a court official who must be used.

only……

Zhang Juzheng said with difficulty: "Hai Rui, when did I ever say that I should live in harmony with the officials in the court? When did you ever hear me say this? Every time you say something, it must be the law of our dynasty. Then you can just say it. What crime is there in slandering your superior without any evidence?"

This Hai Rui is a good person in every way.

It's this stubborn and inflexible character that gives people a headache.

Usable but not reusable.

Hai Rui remained calm and said, "I have returned to the Suzhou and Songjiang prefectures from Zhejiang. I have visited the countryside six times to investigate the issue of concealing the amount of land in the local area. I have submitted 32 reports, describing the causes of the concealment of the amount of land in the Suzhou and Songjiang prefectures, as well as the problems of officials, the people, and taxes.

I am not forcing Lord Zhang, I just hope that he can report this matter to Your Majesty so that the court can issue an edict to conduct a strict investigation into the case of concealing the land areas in the two prefectures of Suzhou and Songjiang.

I have been to the Grain Supervisory Office six times, but Lord Zhang has always evaded the question. Isn't Lord Zhang trying to cover up for the officials in the court? Why is that?"

"Hai Rui, are you working as a censor for nothing? Why don't you report this to the court yourself?"

Zhang Juzheng was a little angry.

I had no choice but to not give in to Hai Rui's pressure.

But how did I become a treacherous minister who protected each other?

Zhang Juzheng stretched out his hand and slapped heavily on the thirty-two memorials that Hai Rui had brought with him for the sixth time.

Zhang Juzheng roared, then sighed deeply, and finally spoke: "Hai Rui, you and I are both serving in the southeast by imperial decree, and our mission is to plant mulberry trees in Nanzhili and Zhejiang to increase silk production.

Today, the imperial court is in deficit, the national treasury is empty, and everyone from Your Majesty to the peddlers and common people in the countryside is working to plant more mulberry trees and produce more silk so that they can sell them to foreign merchants next year and get money and food for the imperial court to make up for past deficits.

You, Hai Rui, are aware of this matter, right? "

Hai Rui's face was gloomy, and he said in a muffled voice: "I understand this clearly, but the court is in deficit..."

Zhang Juzheng raised his eyebrows, interrupted Hai Rui's next words, and said directly: "Since you understand, you should know that nothing can be more important than increasing silk production, and nothing can be more important than filling the deficit for the court!
I know that you, Hai Rui, are also known as the Hai Pen Holder. You are also an extremely honest official. You wear your official robe for several years. All the officials under your rule complain about your strictness and praise your fairness.

But why can't you understand that if you present these 32 memorials to the court now, how much turmoil will it cause in the court? And how much more chaos will it cause in the two prefectures of Suzhou and Songjiang, which have just stabilized?"

Hai Rui's eyes flickered.

Same as Zhang Juzheng.

He also agreed with Zhang Juzheng's character, and saw how he was exhausted from dealing with the local people in Suzhou and Songjiang prefectures, and how he worked day and night to convert 150,000 acres of cotton fields into mulberry fields.

Perhaps Zhang Juzheng was not an innocent man.

But he is definitely an official who is willing and able to do things.

It’s just.

"Those who have different paths do not agree with each other."

Hai Rui muttered to himself.

Zhang Juzheng suddenly looked up and glared at Hai Rui.

Hai Rui said softly, "I have heard from the imperial court that there was an incident in the Xiyuan area a month ago in Beijing, and corruption in military supplies was exposed in the court.

Such a major case was of great importance and implicated the country. However, Yan Shidu of the Hanlin Academy was able to speak passionately before the emperor and advocated an investigation into the corruption of military supplies in various ministries and offices in the capital.

I know what Lord Zhang is thinking and worrying about. He is concerned about the increase in silk production in Suzhou and Songjiang.

But since Yan Shidu is in the capital, doesn't he have any concerns about the officials of various ministries and the morale of our army of one million?"

Zhang Juzheng's heart was trembling.

This guy...

This Hai Rui!
He actually compared himself to Yan Shaoting, a member of the Yan Party!
Who does Hai Rui think he is!
Zhang Juzheng was almost furious, but he could only hold back and said in a deep voice, "Hai Rui, what do you mean? What do you want to do?"

Hai Rui waved his robe and bowed respectfully to Zhang Juzheng.

Then, he stepped forward and took back the thirty-two memorials placed in front of Zhang Juzheng and held them in his arms.

Hai Rui looked at Zhang Juzheng, whose face was gloomy, with clear and bright eyes.

"Lord Zhang, you asked me earlier why I, as the Censor of the Metropolitan Censorate, did not submit these 32 memorials to the court myself.

I will answer you now.

"I did this before because the two prefectures of Suzhou and Songjiang are now under the jurisdiction of Lord Zhang. I am an official of the Ming Dynasty and I have never dared to forget my superiors and report to the court alone, bypassing Lord Zhang."

Zhang Juzheng's heart was moved.

He really didn't expect that Hai Rui would actually care about his own dignity.

but now……

Hai Rui sneered, "But now... Lord Zhang, please don't blame me for disrespecting your dignity. Today, I will submit these 32 memorials to the capital in the name of the Censor of the Metropolitan Censorate and present them to His Majesty."

Zhang Juzheng finally got anxious.

He slammed his hands on the table, stood up, and stared at Hai Rui intently.

"Hai Rui!"

"You can't do this!"

"everything……"

"Please trust me for once. I will never let these thirty-two memorials be buried and no one will care about them!"

Hai Rui's eyes, however, became increasingly clear and kind.

He looked back at Zhang Juzheng.

A not-so-nice smile appeared on Hai Rui's face.

"Lord Zhang, I believe you have a heart as fierce as a tiger."

"But... the people can't wait, and the Ming Dynasty can't wait."

…………

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(End of this chapter)