Chapter 67 I want to hear what Yan Shaoting says

Hu Zongxian, a provincial governor who had been in office for more than 20 years, couldn't help but look up at the young man in front of him.

Hu Zongxian knew it very well.

As Yan Shaoting has become a new upstart and a popular figure in the court, there will surely be countless people in the court flocking to him and willing to follow him.

But he wouldn't believe that Yan Shaoting could still be of any use to someone of his status.

Hu Zongxian smiled and said, "I am now nearly fifty years old. I have been in the army for most of these years. My health has long been exhausted. I don't know how many years I have left. If it weren't for your majesty's appointment and entrusting me with a mission, I would have already considered retiring to the countryside."

This is true.

After so many years, Hu Zongxian's health has long been failing.

According to the original history, he committed suicide in the 44th year of Jiajing because he was wrongly imprisoned and could not bear the injustice.

Yan Shaoting said, "Although Zhejiang is facing difficulties right now, I have read reports from Zhejiang and other places in the southeast while in Beijing, and I think there will be a major battle in the southeast this year to resist the Japanese invaders.

The governor-general of Zhejiang Province has been in office for many years, and this time he will certainly lead the army to fight against the Japanese pirates in order to eliminate the Japanese threat along the coast.

But now the national treasury is empty, and the local treasuries have been emptied out year after year, and it has long been difficult to maintain. The minister thinks that if the anti-Japanese army is in urgent need of funds, and if the minister can help Your Majesty solve this worry, after the war, what kind of reward should Your Majesty give to reward the minister for his contribution? "

Faced with the current political situation in the capital, Yan Shaoting felt that he should wait until the matter in Zhejiang Province was resolved and the Japanese threat at sea was eliminated before bringing Lao Hu to the capital.

It would be best to get him into the cabinet.

After hearing Yan Shaoting's remarks, Hu Zongxian also raised his eyebrows.

Although the situation in Zhejiang Province is a mess now, the troops of the Zhejiang Guards and the anti-Japanese troops led by Qi Jiguang, Yu Dayou and others have been preparing for a decisive battle with the Japanese pirates along the coast.

But all these matters were carried out step by step by the Governor-General's Office of Zhejiang Province.

Why could Yan Shaoting, who was far away in the capital, see all this?

And can it be accurately stated that the Zhejiang Governor's Office is preparing to seek a decisive battle with the Japanese pirates this year?
But Hu Zongxian was also a smart man.

He immediately said, "What Yan Shidu meant is that if I can help the court in Zhejiang to solve the problem of military pay for the anti-Japanese war, then I can..."

"Joining the cabinet won't be a problem!"

Yan Shaoting spoke in a deep and decisive voice, his eyes flickering as he looked at Hu Butang who had already come to his senses.

He also believed that among the tens of thousands of officials in the entire Ming Dynasty, no one could resist the temptation of joining the cabinet.

Hu Zongxian's expression did change.

He said in a deep voice: "Payroll Yan wants to execute Zheng Michang and He Maocai, is it also because of this matter?"

Yan Shaoting nodded and said, "I have been an official for many years, and I know that only when you are in a higher position can you do things more calmly."

His intention to push Hu Zongxian into the cabinet was clearly made known to the other party.

Hu Zongxian suddenly asked hesitantly: "Lord Yan..."

Yan Shaoting said, "Grandpa is over eighty years old."

Even though Old Yan no longer has the possibility of being held accountable by the Taoist priest, as a man in his eighties, he can still stay in the cabinet for a few more years.

If Yan Shifan was not so stupid and Yan Shaoting himself was still young, how could he have thought of pushing Hu Zongxian into the cabinet.

When Hu Zongxian heard Yan Shaoting mention Lord Yan's age, he completely understood the reason.

He nodded: "Without the appreciation of Lord Yan, I would not have been the Governor-General of Zhejiang and the Governor of Zhejiang. These years in the southeast, far away from the capital, it is difficult to have the opportunity to serve you. If I could be in the capital, I can make up for this past regret."

Hu Zongxian finally agreed to Yan Shaoting's proposal and expressed his willingness to stay in Beijing as an official in the future.

Yan Shaoting smiled and said, "It's late at night now, and Grandpa has gone to bed. The ministers will have to go to the palace to see the emperor tomorrow. Before the emperor, he will report to the emperor on the affairs of Zhejiang Province. It's better to go to the official post to rest early. No matter how difficult it is, there is still time to deal with it."

The purpose of meeting with Hu Zongxian today is to find someone for the Yan family to rely on in the cabinet during the power vacuum after the old man Yan retires.

Since Hu Zongxian agreed.

There was nothing more to say. Hu Zongxian understood and stood up, clasping his hands: "I came back to Beijing this time for the disaster victims in Zhejiang. I am now in charge of all matters in the southeast, and I hope that the lives of the disaster victims can be better."

……

The next day.

The court already knew that Hu Zongxian, the leader of the southeastern half of the country, had entered the palace and was making a report before the emperor in Yuxi Palace.

The eunuch Yang Jinshui, who was sent by the inner court to Zhejiang to be the chief of the Weaving Bureau and the Maritime Customs, had also returned to Beijing.

Early in the morning.

In Yuxi Palace, the sound of bells and chimes rang out.

Yang Jinshui knelt in front of the Taotai who was arranging the Bagua around him, not daring to look up at Emperor Jiajing on the Taotai.

Hu Zongxian, who entered the palace from the official post station in the morning, was waiting to be summoned in the front hall.

On the platform, Jiajing squinted his eyes and looked at Yang Jinshui who was kneeling in front of him.

"I ask you, why do you want to blow up the dike?"

Yang Jinshui trembled all over and lowered his head: "Because we need to implement national policies, and...some people want to take advantage of the opportunity to annex the land and enrich themselves."

He didn't dare to hide it from the emperor, but he also didn't dare to explain the whole thing clearly at this time.

Because the matter is related to him, the palace, and his master.

Jiajing's eyelids trembled: "Who did it?"

Yang Jinshui lowered his head, his face pale. "It was done by Hangzhou prefect Ma Ningyuan and the prefecture and county officials. Minister Hu has already punished and executed this official. But I think it must be more than just Ma Ningyuan!"

Jiajing frowned and became angry: "Why are they doing this? Answer me!"

Lu Fang, who was standing guard at the side, bent over with his head down. Upon hearing this, he quickly looked up at his godson Yang Jinshui who was kneeling on the ground.

Yang Jinshui raised his head, looking embarrassed: "Master, at the beginning of the year, the court decided to change cotton to mulberry in Nanzhili and rice to mulberry in Zhejiang. Zhejiang Province allocated 50,000 acres of land to plant mulberry trees.

The people of Zhejiang were unwilling to make the changes, and even went so far as to block the government's plan to reclaim the land.

Ma Ningyuan and his men were worried that the Zhejiang Province would not be able to properly handle national policy matters, which would delay the court's fiscal and taxation affairs, so they took advantage of the Zhejiang flood season to blast the Xin'an River dike, hoping to use this opportunity to convert rice to mulberry."

This is the reason that has now been made public, and Yang Jinshui said it all out loud.

Jiajing's face turned cold, and he asked in a deep voice: "Except Ma Ningyuan, who are they?"

Yang Jinshui kowtowed and said, "What I know is that Ma Ningyuan led the people to blow up the Xin'an River levee. They... are all from Zhejiang Province. The court originally wanted to implement the national policy in the southeast to make up for the deficit of the court. Even if mulberry trees were planted this year, they would have to wait until next year to grow enough mulberry leaves.

The people of Zhejiang Province were unwilling to switch from rice to mulberry trees. Ma Ningyuan and they were worried that the longer they delayed, the more difficult the task would be, and what would be at stake was the 500,000 rolls of silk that the court had ordered.

That’s why he led his men to blow up the dike, hoping to force the people to sell their fields to silk merchants so that they could plant mulberry trees and increase silk production.”

suddenly.

Jiajing's brows twitched.

He stared at Yang Jinshui and said, "You said that even if we plant mulberry trees this year, we will have to wait until next year to have enough mulberry leaves to feed the silkworms?"

Yang Jinshui looked up at the emperor.

Doesn’t the emperor understand this?
Seeing the expression on Yang Jinshui's face, Jiajing finally understood.

He snorted coldly and turned to look at Lu Fang.

"Go, bring Yan Shaoting here in person."

"I want to hear what Yan Shaoting has to say."

(End of this chapter)