Chapter 72: Jiajing was smeared

Ok Hee Palace.

A storm formed between lightning and thunder.

A silent thunderstorm hovered over Yuxi Palace, and the emperor's rage rushed straight into the palace and into the sky.

And in Yan Mansion.

Yan Shaoting walked out of the house and looked at Huang Jin, who had an expressionless face. He was about to step forward and bow to greet him.

Coming closer.

But he burped at the other person with a strong smell of alcohol.

Huang Jin frowned and moved away, looking at Yan Shaoting and Hu Zongxian with confusion, who had obviously drunk a lot of wine.

Hu Zongxian was much more polite. He bowed to Huang Jin and said, "Eunuch Huang."

Huang Jin sighed: "Hu Bu Tang, you should think carefully about your Zhejiang Province..."

Yan Shaoting stepped forward and took Huang Jin's arm, which was rare. "Today, Hu Butang's prelude is over, so I have to invite him to my house to discuss the southeast affairs. Speaking of which, Hu Butang also brought a lot of Mingqian tea from Hangzhou when he returned to Beijing this time. I'll have someone send it over later."

Naturally, there was no Hangzhou Mingqian tea brought by Hu Butang.

But Huang Jin also knew what this meant.

He nodded silently: "His Majesty is very angry today. Before leaving the palace, His Majesty has already punished several servants who were impatient. You two should follow me to the West Garden as soon as possible."

The three of them said no more.

Perhaps because the matter was urgent, Huang Jin actually came here on horseback.

Yan Shaoting and Hu Zongxian could only ride one horse each.

The three of them, together with the Jinyiwei following Huang Jin, rode several horses at full speed on the street and galloped towards the West Garden.

All the way to the front of Yuxi Palace.

Yan Shaoting and Hu Zongxian both had a lot of sweat on their faces, and the smell of alcohol on their bodies had mostly dissipated.

Huang Jin motioned for the two to follow behind.

When they arrived at the gate of Yuxi Palace, Huang Jin entered the hall first. Not long after, a voice came from the hall summoning Yan Shaoting and Hu Zongxian.

As he stepped into the gate of Yuxi Palace, Yan Shaoting couldn't help but mutter to himself.

I came to Yuxi Palace twice today.

This can be considered as going to the palace twice in one day.

After entering Yuxi Palace, a young eunuch led Yan Shaoting and Hu Zongxian to the Taotai in the back hall.

It was at this time that Yan Shaoting saw that Huang Jin had already brought a basin of Maotai liquor and placed it aside, as if he was preparing to serve the Taoist priest in soaking his feet.

However, the aroma of wine in the wooden barrel was spreading everywhere, which just happened to cover up the remaining smell of alcohol on Yan Shaoting and Hu Zongxian.

Yan Shaoting couldn't help but look at Huang Jin who was standing in the distance.

Well done, Lao Huang!
"Weak minister, please see Your Majesty."

Yan Shaoting and Hu Zongxian arrived in front of the Taotai and bowed.

Lu Fang and Yang Jinshui are also here at this moment.

Lu Fang was standing and Yang Jinshui was kneeling.

Looking at the jade stick rolling to the side, Yan Shaoting's eyebrows twitched slightly, and his mind replayed what happened here before he arrived.

On the platform.

Jiajing's face was gloomy.

He raised his head slightly and glanced at Yan Shaoting and Hu Zongxian.

"I follow the example of Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing, and like Lao Tzu, I rule by doing nothing."

This is the opening settlement.

This also set the tone for the second meeting with Yan Shaoting and Hu Zongxian today.

Jiajing's tone suddenly turned cold: "I have always used you without any doubt. I have given you authority and entrusted the Ming Dynasty to you. This is a great trust."

Jiajing's tone became increasingly gloomy and cold, and finally he questioned Yan Shaoting and Hu Zongxian in a low voice.

"How will you repay me?" The Taoist priest was really angry.

This time, even Yan Shaoting had to choose to kneel down with Hu Zongxian, waving his robe.

Hu Zongxian was about to speak, but was nudged by Yan Shaoting's elbow.

As Hu Zongxian looked at him with hesitation, Yan Shaoting said, "Your Majesty summoned me today and reprimanded me. This is the emperor reprimanding his subjects. However, we were summoned to the palace immediately and we don't know the whole situation or why the emperor is so angry. If we have really done something wrong to the emperor, I am willing to take the blame!"

Unlike Yang Jinshui, who had been kneeling on the ground for who knows how long.

There was no fear on Yan Shaoting's face, but his expression was tense and his eyes showed confusion.

Three million taels!

Three million taels!

Jiajing was filled with rage at the moment, and was trying hard to recall the three million taels of silver that Yan Shaoting had just given him today, so he stopped himself from throwing the things in his hand at him.

Jiajing said coldly: "What crime? Zhejiang Province! The Zhejiang Province is under the control of you, Yan Shaoting, and you, Hu Zongxian!

There were even cases where the gentry and merchants took advantage of the disaster to annex the land of the victims, and even used rotten old rice as relief food.

Tell me! Who did it! Who did it! "

Hu Zongxian was about to kowtow and admit his guilt for negligence.

Yan Shaoting continued to speak first: "How could such a thing happen in Zhejiang Province?"

There was a hint of hesitation on his face.

Afterwards, Yan Shaoting continued, "Your Majesty said that we are in charge of Zhejiang Province. Now that something has happened in Zhejiang Province, we are naturally guilty of negligence.

But now that these things have happened in Zhejiang Province, what are the details?
Since I have been in charge of all affairs in the southeast, I have not dared to rest for a day. When I received the imperial order, I wrote to the government offices in the southeast, strictly ordering them not to take advantage of the disaster to annex land at low prices. Now, how can the gentry and merchants in Zhejiang annex the land of the victims?

Zhejiang Province had just borrowed grain from merchants to help the people because the imperial court was in financial difficulties. How could the government let those grain merchants send rotten rice to the victims under their noses?

Now that Zhejiang has been hit by another disaster, it is the misfortune of the court and also the result of my negligence. But what about the victims now?

I will never forget your majesty's great grace, and I will never forget to repay your majesty's kindness. I am willing to correct the mistakes and omissions, track down all those involved in the case, and punish them severely! "

In front of the Taotai.

Facing the emperor's wrath, Yan Shaoting remained calm as always.

Even Jiajing couldn't help but look at him twice more.

At this moment, Hu Zongxian finally understood why Yan Shaoting was so highly regarded by the emperor and why he promised to join the cabinet.

With such courage and composure, it is destined that Yan Shaoting will be the figure in the Ming Dynasty court in the future.

Huang Jin, who was far away, brought the wooden barrel filled with Moutai liquor to the Taoist priest.

Then he raised his head and whispered, "Many disaster victims in Zhejiang Province were dissatisfied with the actions of the officials and gentry, so they rose up in rebellion and were arrested by the government and charged with collusion with the Japanese."

Yan Shaoting immediately asked: "Why did the Zhejiang Province suddenly act like this? What's the excuse?"

This time, before Huang Jin could speak, Lu Fang said, "People in Zhejiang Province, if they speak out, it must be for national policy. If they keep silent, it means the people are resisting the law. Grain merchants donate the rotten old rice to the government for free to help the people, and the officials and gentry annex the land at an average price or even a high price."

Yan Shaoting's eyes moved.

The reason why the Taoist priest was so angry today was not entirely because of the sudden incident in Zhejiang Province.

But it was because the basin of dirty water had been poured on him.

Because what Zhejiang Dao is doing now, whether it is annexing land or providing relief of old rice, is all because Zhejiang Dao wants to promote the policy of replacing rice with mulberry.

The reason for changing from rice to mulberry was that the imperial court wanted to make up for the emperor's past deficits.

Then this matter is equivalent to that done by the Taoist priest.

The Taoist priest was naturally furious when this dirty water was poured on him.

Jiajing snorted coldly and stood up angrily.

"The imperial court issued the decree in order to increase revenue and taxes and make up for the deficit."

"They are so good!"

"You took my order to annex land in Zhejiang and exploited the people, but now you are throwing all the blame on me!"

"I still need to thank them!"

(End of this chapter)