Naturally, everything that happened in the capital could not escape Jiajing's observation. At this moment, he and Lu Fang were playing Go leisurely.
Hearing a 'click' sound, Jiajing dropped the black chess piece in his hand onto the chessboard, chuckled, and said slowly.
"These guys really can't keep their temper. I haven't said anything yet!"
After hearing this, Lu Fang immediately dropped the white chess piece in her hand next to the black chess piece and spoke in agreement.
"Your Majesty, these officials already know how to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages, so how can they put themselves in danger?"
After hearing what Lu Fang said, Jiajing took out a black chess piece from the chess basket on the side, dropped it onto the chessboard again, and said.
"It is human nature to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages. There is nothing wrong with this. It's just that these guys are too eager!"
"Neither I nor Yan Song can tolerate people like this."
When Jiajing said this, he stopped the topic abruptly and immediately gave instructions to Lu Fang.
"Tomorrow you go to Yan Mansion in person and call Yan Song to come to me!"
When Lu Fang heard this, she immediately looked stern and responded respectfully.
"As you command, Your Majesty!"
Afterwards, the master and servant started playing Go again, and neither of them spoke.
Time passed slowly like this, and the fighting on the chessboard became more intense. In the end, Lu Fang shook his head, sighed, placed the two chess pieces in the lower right corner of the chessboard, and said helplessly.
"Your Majesty, I surrender!"
Jiajing looked away from the chessboard and asked with a smile.
"Would you like another plate?"
Seeing this, Lu Fang could only nod in agreement, and then the two sides reset their stance and started fighting.
After Lu Fang dropped the white chess piece in his hand, he asked Jiajing a question that had been bothering him for a long time.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me for being bold. What exactly are you going to instruct Mr. Yan Ge next?"
Hearing this, Jiajing dropped the chess pieces in his hand onto the chessboard and said calmly.
"I want to implement the integrated payment of grain by officials and gentry."
"What!"
After hearing this, Lu Fang suddenly turned pale, as if she had been frightened. She hurriedly knelt on the ground and begged Jiajing.
"Your Majesty, you must not do this!"
When Jiajing saw this situation, there was no trace of anger on his face and he asked with interest.
"Oh, Lu Fang, tell me, why not?"
Realizing that the emperor's eyes had fallen on her, Lu Fang had no choice but to speak her mind.
"Your Majesty, the measures you proposed are undoubtedly digging into the roots of those scholar-bureaucrats, and the resistance they will encounter will be unimaginable!"
When Lu Fang said this, he paused and then added.
"Your Majesty, the reason why people in the world are so keen on being an official is, in the final analysis, nothing more than fame and fortune!"
"But not everyone has the lofty ideal of supporting the country and dying. Most people only look at the benefits and conveniences they can have after becoming an official. If you do this, you will completely stand on their side. On the opposite side.”
"Although they dare not resist you on the surface, behind the scenes, there must be a phenomenon of deferment and procrastination. In this way, they keep dragging your energy, Your Majesty, so that you can retreat in the face of difficulties."
"His Majesty Taizu never hated corrupt officials, and even used tortures such as skinning and stuffing them with grass to deal with corrupt officials in the court. But after him, those regulations were quickly abolished."
After Lu Fang finished speaking, she felt quite uneasy and waited quietly for the emperor's decision.
Unexpectedly, after hearing what Lu Fang said, Jiajing not only did not show any dissatisfaction on his face, but instead helped Lu Fang up from the ground and laughed loudly.
"Haha, okay, okay!"
Lu Fang was quite puzzled by Jiajing's reaction. Logically speaking, shouldn't His Majesty be furious and then deal with him severely?
Jiajing noticed Lu Fang's doubts and immediately explained.
"Lu Fang, I know what you said."
When Lu Fang heard this, she blurted out without thinking: "If that's the case, then why do you still have to..."
Jiajing took in the expression on Lu Fang's face and explained immediately.
"I don't expect to be able to complete this matter overnight. I just want these officials to know in advance that I have this plan. Maybe one day, I will officially announce the implementation of this matter!"
"Besides, what I don't lack most right now is time."
After hearing what Jiajing said, Lu Fang's face was full of hesitation and she couldn't help but secretly said.
"What do you mean by your Majesty's words? What do you mean the most indispensable thing is time?"
While Lu Fang was still racking her brains to think about the meaning of Jiajing's words, a eunuch walked in from outside the Yangxin Hall and reported respectfully.
"Your Majesty, people sent by Hu Zongxian, the Governor of Zhejiang Province and the Governor of Zhejiang Province, are waiting outside the palace at the moment!"
Hearing this, Jiajing and Lu Fang immediately looked at each other, and both saw deep doubts in each other's eyes. Jiajing quickly came to his senses and turned to give instructions.
"Well, let him come in, there is no need to inform him!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
After listening to Jiajing's instructions, the visitor quickly left the Yangxin Hall.
After a while, under the leadership of the guiding eunuch, the visitor entered the Yangxin Hall.
As soon as he entered the Yangxin Hall, he knelt on the ground with a plop, carefully took out the envelope from his arms, raised it high above his head, and said respectfully.
"Your Majesty, here is the letter entrusted by Hu Zongxian, the Governor of Zhejiang Province and the Governor of Zhejiang Province, to personally deliver to Your Majesty!"
When Jiajing heard this, he glanced at Lu Fang beside him, and the latter quickly understood. He immediately came to this person, took the envelope, and stood next to Jiajing.
Jiajing took the envelope, turned his eyes to the visitor, and gave instructions.
"I have received the letter, you can go down and rest!"
"As you command, Your Majesty!"
The visitor kowtowed a few times with great gratitude, and immediately left the Heart Cultivation Hall under the leadership of a young eunuch.
Jiajing did not open the envelope in a hurry, but turned his gaze to Lu Fang and asked.
"Lu Fang, you might as well take a guess, what is the content of Hu Zongxian's letter to me at this time?"
Although Lu Fang had already made a rough guess about the content of the letter, she still pretended to be completely unaware as she spoke.
"Your Majesty, this slave is ignorant and cannot guess the content of the letter."
When Jiajing saw this, he suddenly felt bored. He quickly withdrew his gaze, opened the envelope, and began to read the contents word by word, only to see what was written above.
"Your Majesty, I have already screened the Japanese pirates and selected those who are willing to be loyal to our Ming Dynasty..."
"In addition, as the imperial court opens more and more ports, the number of Japanese pirates along the southeast coast has become less and less!"
"Currently, Zhejiang has reopened the Ningbo Port. The number of ships going to sea is increasing day by day, and the taxes paid are also gradually increasing. Therefore, I kindly request your Majesty to send officials from the Maritime Trade Department to Ningbo Port to take charge of specific matters."
"In addition, the conversion of rice into mulberry is also being implemented steadily. If everything goes well, the Weaving Bureau's order of 500,000 pieces of silk will be successfully delivered before the end of the year at the latest."
"Your Majesty Hu Zongxian, pay your respects again!"
After Jiajing read the contents of the letter, he put it aside and said in a deep voice with a smile on his face.
"This Hu Zongxian did a good job!"
(End of chapter)
