Chapter 242 The Man Hai Rui and Zhang Juzheng Praise
"This time, Ruzhen can stay in the capital, which can be regarded as a vision come true. It is worth celebrating."

Yan Song held the wine glass in his hand and pointed it towards Hu Zongxian.

There were many people seated at the table in the inner hall of Yan's mansion.

Hu Zongxian immediately stood up with the cup in his hands, smiling: "If it weren't for the love of the elder cabinet and the recommendation of the emperor, I would never have been able to stay in the capital and take charge of the five southeastern provinces to suppress the Japanese."

After saying that.

Hu Zongxian raised his head and drank it all in one gulp.

Yan Song looked at the enthusiasm of this student whom he valued so much and drank the wine in his glass.

Yan Shifan accompanied him and said with a smile: "Dad, Ruzhen will stay in the capital this time and take charge of the five provinces in the southeast. It can be said that the entire southeast is on his shoulders. In the future, when he is in the capital, he can come to your house more often and enjoy the friendship between teacher and student with you."

Hu Zongxian looked at Yan Shifan, his eyes moving.

No matter how his relationship with this young cabinet minister began last year, the Yan family was now at peace in the court, so naturally they still had to maintain their friendship.

Hu Zongxian said, "But this time, I will stay in Beijing, so the posts of Governor-General of Zhejiang and Governor of Zhejiang will be vacant. Zhejiang has just pacified the Japanese invasion, and it is time to reform and appease the people's livelihood. I wonder if the Lord has any plan for Zhejiang?"

Old Hu was promoted and retained his post in Beijing, so the Zhejiang affairs naturally became a thing of the past.

Someone has to fill that spot.

Yan Shaoting, who was chatting with Qi Jiguang about the Shanzi Camp of Qi's army, turned around and looked at the three people above.

"Why not ask Zhao Zhenji from Nanzhili to take over the job in Zhejiang?"

"Based on his past experience and character, he would be a safe choice if he took over Zhejiang Province."

Zhao Zhenji.

In fact, he was considered a capable minister.

Nor are they those who only seek power and profit.

People still have some misunderstandings about him.

Yan Shifan frowned and said, "This Zhao Zhenji is close to the Xu family."

obviously.

The young cabinet minister was unwilling to let Zhao Zhenji take over the official position in Zhejiang that was vacant after Hu Zongxian stayed in the capital.

Yan Shaoting said, "When employing people, one should always look at their abilities and conduct. At present, Minister Hu has stayed in the capital. Even though Zhao Zhenji is closer to the Xu family, if grandfather speaks up first and recommends Zhao Zhenji to take over the post of Governor-General of Zhejiang and the Governor of Southern Zhili and Zhejiang in front of the emperor, this is a real favor. Zhao Zhenji should not be ungrateful no matter what."

Lao Zhao must be nailed down in the southeast, or at least kept there until Lao Hu enters the cabinet, and then he can be loosened.

This is Yan Shaoting’s plan.

Moreover, Zhao Zhenji is indeed a capable person. Now he is in charge of the assignment in Nanzhili and Zhejiang, so he is familiar with the job.

Hu Zongxian also spoke up, "You may not know, but at the beginning of this year, the Xin'an River dike in Zhejiang was destroyed, and the local people were short of food and supplies. Zhao Zhenji, as the governor of Southern Zhili, also made a lot of efforts to allocate food and supplies to Zhejiang. He was indeed a good official as Yan Shidu said."

I always say this to my eldest grandson and good students.

Yan Song finally nodded and said, "In this case, I will write a memorial today and present it to the Holy Lord in Xiyuan tomorrow, recommending Zhao Zhenji to take charge of the post of Governor-General of Zhejiang and the Governor of Nanzhili and Zhejiang."

During the banquet.

A few words.

The candidates for the chief officials of the two southeastern provinces were thus decided.

Yan Shaoting turned around and looked at Qi Jiguang: "General Qi, would you like to drink another cup with me?"

Qi Jiguang's face flushed, and he immediately raised his cup and said, "I should serve you respectfully."

Say it.

The man who was fighting against the Japanese in the southeast drank it all in one gulp.

Then I felt something was wrong.

He drank two more cups.

He drank three glasses of wine.

Yan Shaoting said with a smile: "This time, Minister Hu will stay in the Ministry of War in the capital and take charge of the suppression of the Japanese in the five southeastern provinces. And General Qi will also go south to Zhejiang soon. This time the court will probably issue an order to order General Qi to lead the Qi Family Army Shanzi Battalion to Nanzhili or Fujian to assist in suppressing the Japanese. In this case, General Qi and his brothers will have to work hard to suppress the Japanese in the southeast."

Qi Jiguang nodded and said with a smile: "I dare not say how hard it is. With the trust of the court and your majesty, and the recommendation of the tutor, I will do my best to quell the Japanese invasion and protect the peace of the people in the southeast of our dynasty."

See this comment.

Yan Shaoting waved his hands repeatedly: "General Qi is much older than me, so you don't have to be so humble in the future. If General Qi doesn't mind, you can just call me Runwu in the future. If General Qi agrees, I will also call him General Qi Yuanjing brother."

Qi Jiguang was a little surprised, but he still said: "Runwu is young and talented, I am too shameless."

Yan Shaoting shook his head: "We are all brothers, no one is different from the other."

Qi Jiguang nodded.

The two continued to drink.

Sometimes, some things don't need to be said explicitly.

Just like now.

No matter where Hu Zongxian and Qi Jiguang went, their relationship with the Yan family could not be erased.

Unless there is a major conflict of interest, the two of them will never betray the Yan family.

Relationships and roots, that's how they grow stronger little by little.

Thousands of miles away, in Huizhou Prefecture, nestled in the mountains, the spring rain was already falling.

The buildings with green bricks and tiles and Hui-style horse-head walls are located in the mountains in an orderly manner.

however.

Huizhou Prefecture should have been a place with drizzling spring rain and picturesque scenery of the Jiangnan region.

Now the fields and ditches in the mountains are filled with people.

There were also many people lying on the ground.

It is just outside the city of She County, the seat of Huizhou Prefecture, and at the border with other counties.

The people were wailing all over the ground.

The government soldiers and officials had also entered the scene and separated the crowd.

The prefect of Huizhou held an umbrella and stood on a high place with a gloomy and grim face, looking at the magistrate of She County and the magistrate of the neighboring Xiuning County, who were standing on their own county territories and cursing at each other across the boundary marker.

Hai Rui, who was guarded by two followers, did not hold an umbrella. He stood in the rain with a tense face as he looked at the people of the six counties and the two county magistrates who were already making a fuss below.

Hai Rui looked up at the Huizhou prefect Huang Ningdao and the judge Song Ren standing beside him, who were standing at the highest point.

"Governor Huang, it has been raining a lot in spring and the water is plentiful. Why are the people of She County and Xiuning County fighting over water?"

"I think..."

Huang Ningdao, the prefect of Huizhou, looked over at Hai Rui who had asked the question, frowned, and felt a little unhappy.

"Censor Hai, you don't know that during the spring ploughing season, who would complain about the lack of rain?"

Tongpan Song Ren also helped, saying, "The Imperial Censor Hai has just arrived in Huizhou, so he doesn't know the local sentiments here. It's always like this at this time of year. But this year..."

Hai Rui's face sank: "But this year, someone died!"

Song Ren, the Tongpan of Huizhou Prefecture, stopped talking and glanced at the prefect Huang Ningdao.

Huang Ningdao was also very troubled.

Everything was fine with him. He had just taken office as the prefect of Huizhou last year, and then this year the incident of the silk and satin worth 6,146 taels of silver came to light.

I am the one who stepped into the trap!

Hai Rui snorted coldly and lifted the lid directly: "I think it's all because of the 6,146 taels of silver worth of silk and silk for the population!"

Huang Ningdao looked over immediately.

"Hai Yushi! The people's silk is the people's silk, and the people's scramble for water is scramble for water. How can these two things be counted together?"

Huang Ningdao felt a growing headache. Ever since the matter of Ding Sijuan was exposed, he understood what was going on.

Let the six counties of Huizhou fight.

I have just taken up the new position and the past accounts will not be held accountable to me.

Even now, even if someone has died today, it is just one of the many deaths caused by fights over water that are happening all over the country.

There is absolutely no way it is related to the matter of Rending Sijuan!
Hai Rui also lost his temper and said, "In my opinion, it is the Huizhou Prefecture that has neglected its duty! It is unwilling to investigate the truth of the matter! It only knows how to shirk responsibility!"

This was like pointing at Huang Ningdao's nose and scolding him.

Without waiting for Huang Ningdao to refute.

Hai Rui was already bowing and facing north.

That is the direction of the capital.

Hai Rui said in a deep voice: "At the beginning of the year, the court followed the method of evaluating performance recommended by Yan Shidu, and this year began to rectify the administration of officials. The purpose is to strengthen the administration of officials in the country and maintain the vitality of the people!

“As the Censor-in-Chief, I am under the Emperor’s grace and cannot sit idly by and watch this matter continue to be delayed!
"If Huizhou Prefecture does not take care of this matter, I will take care of it!

"If Huizhou Prefecture cannot find out the matter of the people and silk, I will investigate!

The court has loyal officials like Yan Shidu who care about the people of the world. I don’t believe that even if this matter is reported to the court, there will be no conclusion! "

Hai Rui's voice is deafening.

Even Huang Ningdao frowned.

Very good.

I'm just unlucky!
Just after taking office in Huizhou Prefecture, the silk incident occurred. This year the court has to start to rectify the administration of officials.

Huizhou Prefecture is walking into a trap!

Hai Rui sighed in his heart.

At the moment, I really hope to go to Beijing and meet Yan Shidu, whom I have never met before.

Fortunately, there is still Yan Shidu in the court who is loyal to the country, cares about the people's livelihood, and establishes a performance evaluation method that puts people's livelihood first.

Otherwise, I would have nowhere to appeal.

Hai Rui immediately pointed to the people in various counties who were still gathering together. If the soldiers and officers had not stopped them, they would have started a fight.

"The deceased should be compensated by Huizhou Prefecture!" "Those who caused the trouble should be imprisoned together!"

"This is the responsibility of the prefectures and counties, and it is also the method approved by Yan Shidu, which puts the people's livelihood first! If the prefecture and county of Huizhou disregard the law, I will report the prefecture and six counties of Huizhou today!"

Huang Ningdao has been forced into a desperate situation.

Facing the aggressive Hai Rui, Huang Ningdao could only stomp his feet fiercely.

"Compensation! I will ask the Huizhou government to provide compensation to the deceased. Is that not enough?"

"I will dispatch more soldiers and police officers to drive away the troublemakers!"

"Hai Yushi, are you satisfied now?"

Huang Ningdao, the prefect of Huizhou, was so angry that his teeth were itching.

One regret is that Huizhou has one prefecture and six counties, and the remaining population is left with a huge debt.

The second regret is the infighting among the six counties of Huizhou.

The third hatred was that Hai Rui was watching covetously from the side.

I might as well just beg for my bones and return home! Return home!
They saw that the officers, soldiers and servants on the slope had already been sent to reinforce below under the command of Huang Ningdao.

Only then did Hai Rui's expression relax a little.

But he knew clearly that if the issue of the population and silk was not resolved, the current situation in Huizhou Prefecture would never be completely resolved.

Submit a memorial!

We still have to continue to submit petitions!

After making up his mind, Hai Rui waved his official robe and left with two attendants and guards.

And on the other end.

Hundreds of miles away.

The north bank of the river.

Zhang Juzheng had received the imperial edict and, in accordance with Yan Shaoting's request, surveyed the area step by step before returning to Beijing.

His face had been gloomy and tense for many days in a row.

The guards who were accompanying them dared not say a word.

Just like the old days.

Zhang Juzheng got off the carriage and looked around at the fields where spring plowing was going on.

"Where is this place now?"

The accompanying guard explained: "Reporting to the elder, we are already in Huai'an Prefecture. Over there is the Zhongdu Fengyang, and to the north is Xuzhou Prefecture."

The place where three prefectures meet.

Zhang Juzheng frowned slightly: "This place has been an ancient battlefield in the Central Plains since ancient times. There have always been endless disputes. It's a pity to waste such a good land."

immediately.

Zhang Juzheng walked to the side of the road and saw people plowing the fields with large oxen.

Zhang Juzheng stood on the ridge of the field and shouted, "Father, is this land all yours? How has the harvest been in the past few years? How many people are there in your family, and how much land do you have?"

The father-in-law looked at Zhang Juzheng in his red robe.

This is a high-ranking official that is rarely seen in decades.

I've only heard of it in operas.

The old man reined in the big bull, stepped deep into the mud with his legs, and bowed to Zhang Juzheng.

"This senior official is a wise man. This land does not belong to us. We are a family of eight and we are tenants of Mr. Zhang's family at the east end of the village."

Zhang Juzheng frowned and pointed to the other side: "What about the field over there? Is it also owned by Mr. Zhang at the east end of your village?"

The father-in-law shook his head.

"That's not it. That's Mr. Sun's house in the next village."

"And the other end of that canal is the land of Mr. Wu in Xuzhou Prefecture."

Zhang Juzheng's face became increasingly gloomy.

He said in a deep voice: "This place is Huai'an Prefecture, why did it become the property of the people in the neighboring Xuzhou Prefecture?"

My father-in-law has a wrinkled face and a dark complexion.

Nor did I sigh.

I just think this is a very normal thing.

Instead, he looked at Zhang Juzheng standing on the ridge of the field as if he was looking at a fool.

"You are joking, sir."

"There's no such thing as a prefecture or a county here. It belongs to whoever has the most money, right?"

Zhang Juzheng clenched his fist under his official robe and said, "What about food? I can have enough to eat, right? As a tenant, I don't have to pay taxes anymore."

"Are you full?" The old man seemed to have heard some shocking statement.

"After a busy year, it would be great if I could avoid starving to death."

"As for the court's taxes?"

"We are all citizens of the court, how can we not pay taxes?"

Say it.

At the other end of the field, far away, there was a man who looked like a manager and was dressed in silk, and he was accompanied by several idlers holding sticks, who were standing in the distance and shouting.

"Hurry up and plow the land!"

"If we miss the season and the rice seedlings can't be planted, your second daughter will also come to our Master Zhang's house as a concubine!"

After hearing this, the father-in-law no longer cared about Zhang Juzheng.

He nodded repeatedly towards that side, then whipped the big ox and drove it to continue plowing the land.

Zhang Juzheng stood on the ridge of the field and felt like he was holding his breath.

"I finally understand why Yan Runwu wanted me to walk back to the capital step by step!"

Zhang Juzheng's eyes flickered and there was a hint of anger on his face.

The follower approached cautiously.

"Lord, someone is coming over there. Let's continue on our way back to the capital. After all, His Majesty's decree has arrived."

Zhang Juzheng raised his head and looked into the distance. The person who was coming seemed to be a servant from Mr. Zhang's house at the east end of the village. He snorted coldly and turned around to get on the carriage.

In the car.

His staff and advisors were sorting out what they had seen and heard along the way recently.

When he saw Zhang Juzheng coming back, he immediately bowed and said, "Master."

"Sir, after all this time, I finally understand why Yan Runwu asked me to walk all the way back to the capital."

Zhang Juzheng was always polite to his staff and advisors.

The staff member looked puzzled: "What does the master mean?"

Zhang Juzheng's eyes flickered.

After pondering for a long time.

He then spoke in a deep voice: "Reform!"

The staff was shocked.

Zhang Juzheng said, "I admire Yan Runwu's advice on the method of evaluating performance. The government has to rectify the administration of officials."

The staff's eyes moved.

He knew in his heart that his master had always been a proud person.

But I never praise someone like this.

Zhang Juzheng shook his head and said, "Just rectifying the administration of officials is far from enough to solve the current difficult situation of our Ming Dynasty! We must carry out comprehensive reforms! Only in this way can the people continue to live well!"

The aide wanted to say something, but Zhang Juzheng had already closed his eyes.

political reform!

Once this idea came into being, it has been lingering in Zhang Juzheng's mind.

He admired Yan Shaoting, who was able to give advice at a young age and get the emperor's approval to implement the performance evaluation system and rectify the court administration.

But this alone is far from enough.

If the Ming Dynasty wants to continue to move forward, it has reached the point where it must carry out comprehensive reforms!

just.

Reform requires people and a constant stream of supporters.

"Yan Runwu!"

Zhang Juzheng closed his eyes and spoke softly.

That young man might become his most important helper and supporter in future political reforms.

Think of this.

Zhang Juzheng wished he could rush back to the capital immediately.

He immediately opened his eyes and looked outside.

"Don't stop, return to the capital as soon as possible!"

…………

Monthly ticket recommendation ticket

　Thanks to Yi Yangqianxi's Aoao and book friend 20230510011040564 for the reward

　
(End of this chapter)