After Jiajing left the cabinet, he turned around, looked at Lu Fang beside him, and gave instructions.
"Lu Fang, don't be in a hurry to go back, just walk around with me!"
"As you command, Your Majesty!"
Lu Fang, who was following Jiajing, immediately looked stern when he heard this and responded respectfully.
After that, the master and the servant just wandered around the Forbidden City without any purpose.
When the master and servant walked along the path paved with blue stone slabs to a small pavilion by the lake, Jiajing suddenly stopped in his tracks. After thinking about it for a moment, he immediately spoke.
"Lu Fang, by the way, have we been to this place before?"
When Lu Fang heard what Jiajing said, she immediately responded after thinking about it for a moment.
"Replying to Your Majesty, this slave has been here with you before. The last time he came was on the 29th of the twelfth lunar month last year?"
After Jiajing heard Lu Fang's words, some memories gradually began to emerge in his mind.
Jiajing clearly remembered that on the 29th of the twelfth lunar month last year, he personally asked Lu Fang a question here: "Am I a good emperor?"
Lu Fang's answer was of course quite satisfactory, leaving no room for fault!
Now, when Jiajing came to this place again, he felt that things were right and people were different.
The current money in the treasury is enough for the Ming Dynasty to squander it for more than ten years. Not only that, the Japanese pirates who were originally entrenched in the southeastern coastal area were also completely wiped out. The Ming Dynasty even defeated the Tatars in foreign wars and captured the current Zasak Tuhan !
In addition, there are also things such as the abolition of the craftsmanship system, the lifting of the maritime ban, the steam engine, the implementation of integrated grain payment for officials and gentry, etc., which were directly or indirectly promoted by Jiajing. At this moment, they were all popping up in his mind. .
When Jiajing came back to his senses, he suddenly realized that he had already done so many things!
Jiajing stopped there for a long time, then turned his gaze away, looked at Lu Fang beside him, and asked.
"Lu Fang, do you know why, during the cabinet meeting not long ago, when I proposed that I would send clan members and nobles to serve in Bozhou, do Yan Song and Xu Jie have such a big reaction?"
Lu Fang, who was on the side, heard Jiajing's words and immediately lowered her head and responded with unusual respect.
"Your Majesty, this servant is too stupid to make any assumptions!"
When Jiajing heard this, he immediately turned around, looked at Lu Fang up and down, chuckled, and said to himself.
"Because they have selfish motives, when the clan and nobles enter official careers and successfully participate in government affairs, it means that the voice of bureaucrats and gentry like them will inevitably be reduced!"
"On one side are the clan and nobles, and on the other side are the civil servants. Lu Fang, tell me, who will I trust more?"
When Lu Fang heard Jiajing's words, she suddenly looked embarrassed and hesitated.
"Your Majesty...Your Majesty, slave...slave, I think..."
Jiajing didn't care about Lu Fang's answer. He just turned his gaze to the goldfish rippling in the water not far away and continued talking to himself.
"Everyone has selfish motives, and I am no exception. But sometimes, it is not a good thing if the selfishness is too serious. It would be bad if it affects the court. Lu Fang, are you right?"
After Jiajing finished speaking, he immediately looked at Lu Fang, waiting for his answer.
When Jiajing finished speaking, Lu Fang was already breaking out in a cold sweat. How could he not realize that Jiajing's words were all for him.
Immediately, his face turned pale, his whole body was trembling and he knelt on the ground and said respectfully.
"Your Majesty, this slave is guilty!"
When Jiajing heard this, he couldn't help but raise his eyebrows. He immediately turned his eyes to Lu Fang and asked lightly.
"Lu Fang, what are you guilty of?"
Seeing this situation, Lu Fang spoke slowly after considering her words.
"Your Majesty, to be honest, my servant discovered some time ago that the new eunuch in charge of the Jiangnan Weaving Bureau has colluded with some officials in the court and plans to purchase raw silk from the people at a low price!"
After listening to Lu Fang's report, Jiajing sneered, his face full of ridicule.
"Oh, they are already interested in the local mulberry seedlings in Zhejiang before they are fully mature. Their hands are really long!"
Seeing this, Lu Fang glanced at Jiajing without leaving any trace. After organizing the words in her mind, she continued walking on thin ice.
"After I learned about this incident, I immediately launched an investigation. Later, through my investigation, I found that more than half of the eunuchs in the Li Jian were involved!"
"Later, the slave made a list, and everyone on the list..."
Before Lu Fang finished speaking, Jiajing interrupted impatiently.
"Okay, there's no need to read it to me, you can just handle it yourself when the time comes!"
When Lu Fang heard Jiajing's words, her face was full of disbelief, but she quickly reacted, lowered her head, and cried with gratitude.
"As you command, Your Majesty!"
"Well, get up!"
When Jiajing saw this, he glanced at Lu Fang quite indifferently and immediately gave instructions.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
After receiving Jiajing's permission, Lu Fang slowly stood up from the ground.
At this moment, his heart was full of joy, because he knew that he had just climbed back from the gate of hell.
Based on the current situation, it is not difficult to guess that someone secretly tipped off Jiajing and exposed Lu Fang's concealment.
The conversation just now was Jiajing's disguised attack on Lu Fang for hiding and not retaliating. Seeing that he admitted his mistake, the matter was dismissed lightly.
After that, Jiajing changed the topic and gave instructions.
"Lu Fang, go to the British government in person later and tell him that I have something to discuss with him!"
"Yes, Your Majesty, I will go right away!"
After listening to Jiajing's instructions, Lu Fang immediately leaned down and answered in a deep voice.
Lu Fang had just walked out a few steps when he heard Jiajing's emotionless voice ringing in his ears: "Lu Fang, sometimes pay more attention to the people around you, and be careful not to fall into trouble!"
When Lu Fang heard this, her steps suddenly stopped, she turned around and said respectfully.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for reminding me. I know this!"
"Um."
When Jiajing heard Lu Fang's words, he responded in a subtle way, then waved his hand and gave instructions.
"Okay, let's go quickly, don't waste time!"
"As you command, Your Majesty!"
After that, Lu Fang did not stop at all, but took a sedan chair and embarked on the road to the British government.
But at this time, his heart was far less peaceful than it seemed on the surface, because the person who informed him almost killed him!
At this moment, Lu Fang's mind had already flashed several candidates who might leak the secret.
Naturally, this also includes the person Lu Fang values the most and who he trains as his successor - Feng Bao.
Then, Lu Fang took a deep breath, tried to calm down, and muttered silently to himself.
"Feng Bao, it's best that this matter has nothing to do with you, otherwise, your godfather will make you regret coming into this world!"
…
The British Duke's Mansion is still the same as when Lu Fang came last time, not much has changed, and it is still so majestic.
Since Lu Fang had already been to the British government residence last time, this time, the guard guard skipped the interrogation step and went straight into the residence to report.
Shortly after the soldier in charge of guarding the door went in to report, Lu Fang also successfully entered the British Duke's mansion and met the British Duke Zhang Rong in the hall used for entertaining guests.
At this moment, British Duke Zhang Rong was sitting at the top. He looked at Lu Fang who was coming, his face was full of curiosity, and he asked.
"Eunuch Lu, why did your Majesty ask you to come here this time?"
Lu Fang did not hide the British Duke Zhang Rong's intention. After thinking about it for a moment, he spoke.
"Mr. British, to be honest, the cabinet just passed a resolution not long ago, and the chieftains in the southwest will soon be rehabilitated!"
"What, change your ways and return to your old ways!"
Zhang Rong, who was sitting at the top, was immediately shocked and confused after hearing Lu Fang's words, because he knew that this was a major event that could affect the whole body!
Immediately, he came back to his senses and confirmed to Lu Fang expectantly.
"Eunuch Lu, is it possible that your Majesty is planning to let me lead the army..."
Seeing this, Lu Fang knew that Zhang Ronghui had made a mistake, so she shook her head and explained.
"My Lord, you have misunderstood. Your Majesty is not asking you to lead troops to fight, but he intends to personally select some members of the clan and nobles to serve for the purpose of training!"
After listening to Lu Fang's explanation, Zhang Rong couldn't help but feel a hint of disappointment on his face, but he quickly grasped the key to the problem.
"After this experience is over, shouldn't it be reused? Your Majesty is giving us clan members and nobles a chance to perform!"
But then, a trace of hesitation appeared on Zhang Rong's face. After all, there are many ethnic groups in the southwest and the situation is complicated. The mountains are high and the forests are dense, and there is miasma. If you don't pay attention, you will be at risk of death.
In this way, Zhang Rong fell into hesitation. He didn't know whether he should send his son Zhang Yuangong to serve there.
After a long time, I saw him come back to his senses, his face was firm, and he comforted himself like this.
"Forget it, he still has a younger brother. Even if something happens then, my British government will not be extinguished, but this opportunity is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
After that, Zhang Rong came back to his senses, turned his gaze to Lu Fang and spoke.
"Without further delay, Eunuch Lu, let's go meet His Majesty right now!"
"The British prince comes with us!"
In this way, British Duke Zhang Rong and Lu Fang embarked on the road to the Forbidden City.
…
"Your Majesty, the British Duke has arrived!"
"Um."
At this moment, in the Qianqing Palace, after Lu Fang respectfully reported to Jiajing, he came to stand beside Jiajing. Behind him was the British Duke Zhang Rong who came with him.
"I bow to your majesty, long live my emperor!"
"Well, get up, come and give the British Lord a seat!"
When Jiajing heard this, a warm smile suddenly appeared on his face. After Zhang Rong got up from the ground, he turned to give instructions.
As soon as the words fell, a eunuch came forward, prepared a seat for Zhang Rong, and laid a soft cushion on the seat.
Seeing this, Zhang Rong quickly bowed his hand to Jiajing and thanked him: "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!"
"British Sir, there is no need to be polite to me, sit down!"
"As you command, Your Majesty!"
After that, Zhang Rong sat on the chair, sitting upright and not even daring to breathe.
At this moment, Jiajing turned his gaze to Zhang Rong and asked.
"Mr. British, Lu Fang must have roughly told you before coming here, right?"
"Yes, Your Majesty, Eunuch Lu has already told Wei Chen about this!"
After receiving Zhang Rong's response, Jiajing nodded and continued immediately.
"For a long time, the chieftains in the southwest have been uneasy, so I plan to take this opportunity to completely deal with this unstable factor, restore the policy of the Yongle period, and implement the reform of the land!"
After Zhang Rong heard Jiajing's words, he immediately suppressed the chaotic thoughts in his mind and turned to ask.
"Is Your Majesty planning to gradually abolish the chieftains across the country, starting with the chieftains in the southwest?"
When Jiajing heard this, he couldn't help but be stunned for a moment, shook his head, and then spoke.
"No, I have no such plan for the time being. There is no need to move those chieftains who are loyal to me, the Ming Dynasty!"
After Zhang Rong heard Jiajing's answer, he couldn't help but breathed a sigh of relief.
After all, the matter of changing one's native land and returning home is no small matter. A single move can affect the whole body. If one is not careful, the current Ming Dynasty will be dragged into the abyss!
As a nobleman who was highly bound to the interests of the Ming Dynasty, Zhang Rong did not want to see anything happen that threatened the rule of the Ming Dynasty. After all, as long as the Ming Dynasty was still there, the privileges of the clan and noblemen would still exist.
Immediately, Zhang Rong was seen carefully considering his words and asked Jiajing.
"May I ask, Your Majesty, who will command the army when the time comes?"
When Jiajing heard Zhang Rong's words, he turned around and glanced at Lu Fang in confusion: "Does that mean you didn't even tell him this?"
Seeing Jiajing's doubtful look towards him, Lu Fang shook his head in an incomprehensible way, the meaning of which was self-evident.
When Jiajing saw this, he sighed helplessly and immediately spoke.
"I plan to have Huguang Governor Feng Yue take charge of commanding the army at that time!"
After listening to the candidates given by Jiajing, Zhang Rong's eyes flashed with an inexplicable light and he immediately spoke.
"Your Majesty is wise, Feng Yue is an excellent choice. He has been the governor of Huguang, Sichuan and Gui military affairs for a long time, and he knows the local situation very well!"
After that, Jiajing's voice sounded in Zhang Rong's ears again.
"Mr. British, I came to you today just to ask for your opinion."
"I plan to personally select some members of the clan and nobles to serve in the southwest. What do you think?"
When Zhang Rong heard Jiajing's words, he immediately knelt on the ground with a thump and responded in a deep voice.
"Your Majesty, I think this proposal is very good. Not only the vassal king, but also our nobles have the responsibility of guarding the territory of the Ming Dynasty!"
"As a hereditary British duke of the Ming Dynasty, I have received favor from the emperor, so I should set an example in this regard."
"Therefore, I would like to ask Your Majesty to send your son Zhang Yuangong to serve in the southwest!"
Zhang Rong's words were so powerful and righteous that Jiajing couldn't help but feel a little moved.
When Jiajing saw this situation, a look of helplessness suddenly appeared on his face, and he immediately spoke out words of admonishment.
"Mr. British, the southwest is no better than other places. The environment is harsh. The mountains are high and the forests are dense. There is also miasma everywhere!"
"If you are not careful, you may be at risk of getting sick, not to mention that there are many ethnic groups in the area, which are very chaotic and often fall into vendettas."
"Wouldn't you be harming your son by sending him to that place?"
Despite Jiajing's repeated admonitions, Zhang Rong still had no intention of backing down, and even put on a posture of saying, "I won't get up if Your Majesty doesn't agree."
"Your Majesty, as a British Duke, I must take the lead and set an example. If I shrink from this matter, then I will not be worthy of the title of British Duke!"
"Your Majesty, you don't have to worry. Even if something happens to Zhang Yuangong, my British Duke will not be extinct. He still has a younger brother!"
Seeing Zhang Rong speaking so firmly, Jiajing had no choice but to agree to his proposal.
"Well, Mr. British, get up. I promised you that I will select Zhang Yuangong to serve in the southwest!"
"Thank you so much, Your Majesty. Long live my emperor!"
(End of chapter)
