Chapter 59: Alone with Jiajing
As a new weightlifter from the southeastern half of the country was selected to participate in the competition.

Yan Song and others slowly retreated.

Yan Shaoting was the last one to come, following a few people out of Yuxi Palace.

When he just walked to the palace gate and had not yet stepped out of the hall.

"Yan Shaoting."

Behind him, the Taoist priest's voice was heard.

The footsteps stopped behind the palace door.

When Yan Shaoting raised his head, he saw Xu Jie, Gao Gong and Yan Shifan looking at him in different ways.

Only Yan Song smiled and said softly, "Your Majesty has summoned you. Go quickly. When you get home later, go to the study and have a cup of tea with Grandpa."

Yan Shaoting bowed and then turned back to Yuxi Palace.

Return to original position.

Yan Shaoting saw that Lu Fang had already drafted the imperial edict. After presenting it to the Taoist priest, he solemnly stamped the imperial seal on it.

Seeing Yan Shaoting coming back, Lu Fang carefully put away the imperial edict and smiled at him.

Yan Shaoting glanced at the Taoist priest who had called him to stay alone, and bowed his head and said, "Your Majesty."

Jiajing hummed, calmly, and it was impossible to tell his emotion.

After a while, Yan Shaoting heard footsteps walking into the hall.

"come over."

Yan Shaoting looked up and saw the Taoist priest walking towards the platform in the hall, so he quickened his pace and followed him.

Arriving at the Taotai where the Bagua was arranged around, Jiajing sat down cross-legged with a tired look on his face, leaning against the soft pillow, staring at Yan Shaoting weakly.

"You must be wondering why I called you alone."

Yan Shaoting stood silently, lowering his head slightly: "Your Majesty, you want to ask why the Xin'an River embankment in Zhejiang was destroyed, and how hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland in Suzhou and Songjiang were concealed."

"You are very smart, which is why I always use you."

Jiajing spoke in a gentle tone.

He glanced at Yan Shaoting casually, with an elusive smile on his lips.

Yan Shaoting replied politely: "It is my honor that Your Majesty employs me."

"No." Jiajing sneered and said, "Four million taels of silver. Although I have the account in my mind, I never dare to think that someone would take out four million taels of silver and give it to me. But you dare to do it, and no one dares to point out the reason."

Sweat oozed out of Yan Shaoting's back layer by layer.

Originally, he thought that this matter would be a tacit understanding between himself and the Taoist priest.

But now, this tacit understanding was broken by the Taoist priest himself.

Yan Shaoting bowed his head deeply: "In this time of turmoil in the country, the country is not at peace, how can my family be at peace? I dare not forget that everything in the world is decided by the Holy Lord."

On the platform.

A few chuckles.

Jiajing's eyes moved: "Look up."

The unprecedented pressure made it very difficult for Yan Shaoting to raise his head again.

Jiajing, who was on the Taotai, said with a mysterious smile: "You are loyal to the country and strict in nourishing things... We have settled our previous accounts. This is another reason why I chose to use you."

It was not until the Taoist priest said the words "the previous accounts are settled" that Yan Shaoting's pressure suddenly disappeared.

Yan Shaoting spoke word by word in a deep voice: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace!"

Jiajing, however, held the jade stick in his hand and tapped the jade chime lightly.

A clear and long humming sound echoed in the hall.

Jiajing's tone sank. "Now, tell me the truth. How was the levee of Xin'an River destroyed? Why did Suzhou and Songjiang conceal the land? Which good ministers of mine are involved in these two matters?"

Yan Shaoting's eyebrows jumped.

at last.

Jiajing still asked about his real purpose.

Jiajing, who was suspicious by nature, would not have simply believed the memorials sent by Jinyiwei or Zhang Juzheng and Hai Rui. He was more keen to use his own wisdom and vision to find the answer and the truth in person.

Yan Shaoting did not dare to hesitate for too long and replied: "Your Majesty, the destruction of the Xin'an River embankment was a man-made disaster!

The concealment of hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland in Suzhou and Songjiang prefectures was not unique to the two prefectures; it was a common occurrence in the local areas of our dynasty.

As for your Majesty's question about which officials in the court were involved in these two incidents, I cannot tell you, but your Majesty knows clearly. "

Inside the hall, as Yan Shaoting finished speaking, the place gradually became quiet.

No one knew when the heavy rain outside Yuxi Palace stopped.

I don’t know how much time has passed.

Jiajing on the Taotai just laughed.

"You are indeed an honest person, hiding nothing from me."

Yan Shaoting doesn't need to speak.

Jiajing continued, "If you want to investigate Zhejiang Province, then go ahead and investigate. If you want to survey Suzhou Prefecture and Songjiang Prefecture, then go ahead and do it.

I don't care who you find or how you convict them. I only have two requests. If you do well, I will grant you one of your wishes."

Yan Shaoting immediately bowed and said, "I obey your order."

Jiajing's expression gradually calmed down, and he waved his hands to shake the hair scattered on his chest behind him.

"First, the matter of changing rice and cotton to mulberry in the southeast and increasing silk production for overseas marketing must be done as soon as possible. I know you are already dealing with that Spanish merchant. When the time comes, you can draft the rules and I will allow you to do it.

Second, since you care about the people in your heart, this time the disaster victims in Zhejiang Province have to change their rice fields to mulberry trees, and not let a single family's land be bought by unscrupulous merchants at a low price. This can be regarded as praying for the Prince Yu on my behalf."

Yan Shaoting lowered his head and his eyes moved.

The Taoist priest's words revealed too much information.

The Taoist priest already knew that he was dealing with Bai Fugui, and even at that moment he agreed with his proposal to monopolize the overseas sales of silk in the near future.

In addition, the Taoist priest mentioned the disaster victims in Zhejiang Province, but did not mention the cotton farmers in Suzhou and Songjiang prefectures. This naturally meant that he was now responsible for the two southeastern regions and could punish the cotton farmers in the two prefectures and even the local gentry and wealthy families behind them.

And at the very end.

The prince of Prince Yu's mansion was also singled out by Jiajing.

This has many unspoken meanings.

However, no matter how many ideas the Taoist priest has at the moment, the most important thing is still to increase silk production in the southeast and obtain more silver for the court.

make money.

After all, it is still the most important priority in the Jiajing Dynasty.

It seemed that everything had been explained.

Jiajing waved his hand and said, "Go ahead. I think our Lord Xu is still waiting for you outside."

After saying something inexplicable, Jiajing finally slowly closed his eyes.

The long sound of chanting came out of his mouth.

Yan Shaoting said goodbye quietly and slowly moved back.

When he was about to leave the inner hall.

From behind the heavy curtains that had become blurred, Jiajing's hollow voice, which really sounded like that of a god, came slowly.

“Birds of a feather flock together.”

"If the old things are gone, new people should be hired."

"But one day, you, Yan Runwu, will cause the Ming Dynasty to be in turmoil, and I..."

"I will also kill you!"

………………

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(End of this chapter)