Forbidden City, Xiyuan.
At this moment, Jiajing was seen leaning in front of the railing and throwing the fish food in his hand into the water, causing many fish to fight for it.
Perhaps feeling bored, Jiajing immediately threw all the remaining fish food in his hand into the water.
Then he came to the maid holding a golden basin, washed her hands, took the handkerchief handed to her by the eunuch and wiped away the remaining water.
As soon as Jiajing sat down on the stone bench, the maid beside him skillfully poured a cup of hot tea for Jiajing.
Jiajing picked up the tea cup, took a sip, put it back to its original position, and couldn't help but sigh.
"Well, good tea!"
At this moment, Lu Fang came to Jiajing with silent steps and said in a low voice.
"Your Majesty, your servant has sent the message!"
"Oh, how did they react?"
After hearing Lu Fang's report, Jiajing looked very interested and then asked.
After Lu Fang thought for a moment, he immediately gave the answer.
"Prince Yu's side seems quite calm, but Prince Jing's side is extremely frightened!"
After Lu Fang finished speaking, she waited anxiously for Jiajing's instructions.
"Humph, of course he will be panicked! I have long asked him to go to the fiefdom to seal it, but he just doesn't listen and insists on staying in the capital for various reasons."
"Don't I know what he is thinking?"
"Prince Yu won't let me worry about these two traitors!"
After Jiajing finished speaking, he slammed the stone table.
"Your Majesty, please calm down!"
When Lu Fang saw this, she knelt down suddenly and then comforted her.
"That's all, let's wait until then to discuss this matter!"
"Lu Fang, please get up."
After Jiajing finished speaking, he motioned for Lu Fang to get up from the ground.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
After receiving Jiajing's permission, Lu Fang slowly stood up from the ground.
Immediately, he stood beside Jiajing as usual.
"What are you still doing? Sit down!"
Jiajing glanced at Lu Fang and ordered.
"Slave, you obey!"
After Lu Fang responded, she immediately sat down next to Jiajing, and the maid beside her poured a cup of hot tea for Lu Fang in the same way as before.
"I have just tasted it. This tea has a special taste!"
Jiajing pointed at the teacup in front of Lu Fang and said.
Lu Fang didn't refuse, and immediately picked up the tea cup and drank all the tea in one gulp.
After he put down the tea cup, he couldn't help but praise: "Your Majesty, this is really good tea!"
Jiajing nodded with satisfaction, then picked up a piece of pastry, put it in his mouth, and began to taste it carefully.
"Well, it seems that the Imperial Kitchen Room has listened to what I told you earlier."
"The taste of this pastry has finally changed!"
"Lu Fang, you should try it too."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
After Lu Fang heard what Jiajing said, she immediately picked up a piece of pastry and put it into her mouth, tasting it slowly.
Then, his eyes shone brightly, and he said: "Your Majesty, the pastries this time are much better than before. Both the taste and texture must be improved to a higher level!"
Hearing this, a smile appeared on Jiajing's face, then he looked away from Lu Fang and said.
"I'm not wrong!"
At this moment, a eunuch came to the two of them and reported respectfully.
"Your Majesty, the supervisory censor Zhao Zhenji is already waiting outside!"
"Well, let him in."
Jiajing nodded and ordered.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The eunuch left quickly after listening to Jiajing's instructions.
Not long after, Zhao Zhenji came to Jiajing and Lu Fang.
"I bow to your majesty, long live my emperor!"
When Zhao Zhenji saw Lu Fang here, a hint of horror flashed through her heart, and she immediately knelt on the ground and saluted respectfully.
"Well, get up!"
Jiajing moved his eyes away from Zhao Zhenji and immediately gave instructions.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
After receiving Jiajing's permission, Zhao Zhenji slowly stood up from the ground.
"May I ask what your Majesty's instructions are for letting the ministers come?"
Zhao Zhenji couldn't hold back her curiosity, and then asked Jiajing.
However, Jiajing did not answer Zhao Zhenji's question immediately. Instead, he pointed to the empty seat beside him and said slowly.
"sit!"
As soon as Jiajing finished speaking, the maid on the side stepped forward and laid out a soft cushion for him.
"As you command, Your Majesty!"
Seeing this, Zhao Zhenji immediately sat down at the position indicated by Jiajing. He sat upright and did not dare to make the slightest move.
After Zhao Zhenji sat down in his seat, Jiajing began to tell the reason for calling him over.
Jiajing coughed twice, and after attracting both people's attention to himself, he spoke.
"I came here to see you this time, mainly for the purpose of rectifying the affairs of the officials!"
"Huh~ It turns out that His Majesty came to me for this matter. It's okay, it's okay."
When Zhao Zhenji heard this, he thought to himself, his whole body immediately relaxed, and he no longer felt nervous as he had on the way here.
"As a supervisory censor, I want to hear your opinion!"
After Jiajing finished speaking, he turned his gaze to Zhao Zhenji and spoke slowly.
Seeing the eyes of the emperor and Lu Fang falling on him, Zhao Zhenji took a deep breath and calmed down before giving an answer.
"Your Majesty, I feel that the trend of retreat is prevalent in the imperial court!"
"Many officials, for the sake of good political performance, or to conceal the current situation of land annexation by powerful landlords, disregard the lives and lives of the people and wantonly exaggerate the land owned by the people."
When Zhao Zhenji said this, he paused and then continued.
"For example, people obviously only own one acre of land, but in the process of reporting it level by level, this acre of land may eventually become ten acres of land, or even twenty acres of land!"
"In this way, the situation grasped by the court is far from the actual situation!"
"If the court collects taxes based on the reported acres of land, the people will simply not be able to afford such heavy taxes. They will have no choice but to sell their own fields to powerful landowners at a low price."
"And this just intensifies the annexation of land!"
"Those powerful landowners have many ways of concealing and underreporting their land. The part they underreport will eventually be shared equally with the people of Ming Dynasty."
"Your Majesty, the burden on the people is really too heavy!"
After Zhao Zhenji finished speaking, he looked heartbroken.
After hearing what Zhao Zhenji said, Jiajing was silent for a long time. After looking Zhao Zhenji up and down, he said slowly.
"You mean that the court should take this opportunity to clean up the officials and conduct an inventory of the fields?"
"Yes and no."
Zhao Zhenji replied after pondering for a moment.
When Jiajing heard this, he frowned slightly and said in a deep voice.
"If you have something to say, just say it, don't try to hide it from me!"
Zhao Zhenji saw this, and after sorting out his words, he spoke.
"Your Majesty, the inventory of the fields is destined to be a long-term process."
"Therefore, we must make complete preparations before we can officially implement it!"
"If it is carried out in a hurry, it may alarm the enemy. If the landlords and gentry are more vigilant, the court will lose more than the gain!"
After Zhao Zhenji finished speaking, he stopped talking and waited for Jiajing's instructions.
"Well, in that case, I will leave this matter to you to prepare."
"When the time is right, let's officially implement it!"
Jiajing waved his hand and ordered like this.
"As you command, Your Majesty!"
Seeing that his suggestion was adopted by the emperor, Zhao Zhenji couldn't hide the joy on his face and immediately agreed.
(End of chapter)
