Regarding these problems, Zhao Junchen had already thought of countermeasures when he was in Lu'an Mansion. At this time, when he saw Emperor Deqing asking, he was also confident. //.//
"Let's talk about the first question first." Zhao Junchen gently waved the book in his hand and said: "In the eyes of many ministers in the DPRK, His Majesty's southern tour is purely a face-saving effort and has no practical significance. This is really pedantic. As an old thought, our Ming Dynasty has a vast territory. As the saying goes, the sky is high and the emperor is far away, so it is most likely to cause various problems. Zhejiang, Anhui and other places are also important salt and grain towns in our country, so we must not lose anything. Your Majesty needs to visit the south. , inspecting local areas, emphasizing the presence of the emperor, spreading the emperor's majesty, making local officials and local elders fear the imperial court, strengthening the connection between the central and local governments, and understanding the people's livelihood and sufferings. Isn't this the purpose of the southern tour? With these implications, is it still enough to spend three to five hundred thousand taels of silver on the southern tour?"
After a pause, Zhao Junchen continued: "Your Majesty's southern tour is actually out of concern for the country and love for the people. If anyone dares to hinder your majesty's southern tour on the grounds that 'the southern tour has no practical significance' in the future, your majesty can directly If he takes the case for questioning, he either despises the king's good intentions, which is a serious crime of disrespect, or he has ulterior motives and conceals local conditions, which is a serious crime of treason."
After hearing what Zhao Junchen said, Emperor Deqing nodded slightly in appreciation.
Although Emperor Deqing knew very well that the reason why he visited the south was just because he was tired of staying in the palace and wanted to go to the beautiful places in the south of the Yangtze River to relax. How could he have thought of so many things?
However, these high-sounding words are indispensable no matter when or where they are. Therefore, Emperor Deqing also secretly remembered these words in his heart, waiting to use them to refute the ministers in the court in the future. He also used similar reasons. I can think of many things, but I can't say them as beautifully as Zhao Junchen.
However, the actual money issue was not resolved, and everything was just words on paper. Therefore, although Emperor Deqing nodded in appreciation, he did not say much and just motioned for Zhao Junchen to continue.
Seeing the look on Emperor Deqing's face, Zhao Junchen understood the key point, so he sped up his speech and continued: "As for the second reason, as the emperor, your majesty should stay in the capital and cannot leave lightly. Otherwise, it will be easy for chaos to arise. In my opinion, it is even more ridiculous. This world belongs to your Majesty, so why can’t you go wherever you want? If your Majesty leaves Beijing, chaos will arise in the world. Then it is your Majesty’s problem after all. ? Or is it a matter of ministers? What's more, regarding national construction, there are various opinions in the DPRK and China competing with each other, each with its own reasons. How can your majesty formulate national policies without going to the local area to actually understand it? Do you just listen to your ministers? A one-sided statement? Throughout the ages, all the ignorant kings and lords were kings who did not understand the people's livelihood and national conditions, and were deceived by their ministers. Your Majesty, you are wise and mighty, and you love the people like a son. How can you just sit in the Forbidden City and let your ministers manipulate you? As an emperor, your Majesty, You should be the one to decide everything. In my opinion, the reason why those ministers objected to Your Majesty’s inspection of the place may have suspicious intentions.”
After hearing what Zhao Junchen said, Emperor Deqing nodded again.
Zhao Junchen's words were flattering just right, and they were in line with Emperor Deqing's self-proclaimed sage and his love for great achievements. Thinking about the opposition from the Manchu civil and military forces in recent days, he couldn't help but make Emperor Deqing feel "Manchu". There are countless ministers in the court, but only Zhao Junchen understands my feelings deeply."
At this time, Zhao Junchen finally talked about the key to hindering the southern tour.
"As for the third issue, that is, the southern patrol mobilized labor and disturbed the people, and the fourth issue, that is, the southern patrol cost a lot but the Ministry of Finance has insufficient money, they are actually two problems, one divided into two. In the final analysis, the North Korea These two views of the ministers can be summed up in four words, that is, it wastes money and wastes people. Although it is somewhat reasonable, in my opinion, it is quite easy to solve it with some modifications."
Hearing what Zhao Junchen said, Emperor Deqing also became energetic. After glaring at Zhao Junchen, he said: "Don't beat me around the bush, tell me quickly."
The reason why he urgently recruited Zhao Junchen back to Beijing was to use Zhao Junchen's financial management skills to solve these problems.
Although Emperor Deqing urged, Zhao Junchen did not answer in a hurry. Instead, he asked Emperor Deqing: "Your Majesty, I would like to ask you a question first, do you have to live in a palace during your southern tour?" ? Does Your Majesty really want to live in the palace?"
Emperor Deqing frowned slightly and asked, "How do you say that?"
Zhao Junchen said: "In my opinion, although His Majesty's southern tour this time is for the country, the people, and the country, he still can take some time to relax in the south of the Yangtze River."
The "not tasted" and "by the way" in Zhao Junchen's words were actually the main thoughts of Emperor Deqing's southern tour. Of course, Zhao Junchen would not say it clearly.
Seeing Emperor Deqing nod, Zhao Junchen continued: "In this case, why does your Majesty deliberately live in the palace? Although the palace is luxuriously built and can show the royal style, it is inconvenient whether it is for inspection or play, and How are the various constructions of the palace different from His Majesty's Forbidden City? How can there be anything new to talk about? They are all the same, and how can they allow Your Majesty to relax?"
Seeing that Emperor Deqing seemed to understand something, Zhao Junchen continued: "Compared with palaces, Jiangnan gardens have always been the greatest feature and beauty of Jiangnan. They are known as the 'mountain forest in the city' and are famous for their waterscapes, ancient trees, flowers and trees. , mainly stacked stones, skillfully borrowing scenery, simple and elegant, and full of wild interest. Gardening is like writing poetry, and it must be twisted and twisted in a regular way. Compared with the palace scenery, it has a different flavor. Your Majesty, I think, has rarely seen it. of."
Seeing the longing look on Emperor Deqing's face, Zhao Junchen smiled and said: "In that case, why do you have to live in the palace, Your Majesty? Wouldn't it be better to live in the Jiangnan gardens during the southern tour?" "
Emperor Deqing asked: "You mean not to build a palace but to build a garden instead?"
Zhao Junchen shook his head with a smile and said: "Although I have the intention to build a Jiangnan garden-style palace for your majesty, the construction of the garden is probably more expensive than the palace, and the time spent on building the garden is even more expensive. It is far more than the construction of a palace. It cannot be completed in less than three to five years. How can it be done in time? What's more, the beauty of Jiangnan gardens can only be found in those private gardens. What I mean is that His Majesty's southern tour will be a great success. But I don’t live in a palace, but in the famous gardens in the south of the Yangtze River."
Seeing Emperor Deqing's slight hesitation, Zhao Junchen continued: "I have calculated that your Majesty's southern tour will require three to five million taels of silver even if you can save a few provinces. Among them, the construction and repair of the palace account for the largest share. The head requires at least 150,000 taels of silver. If His Majesty changes his residence to Jiangnan Garden, this large sum of money can either be saved or used to increase His Majesty's honor guard."
After a pause, Zhao Junchen continued: "As for those famous gardens in the south of the Yangtze River, most of them are now in the hands of the wealthy people in the south of the Yangtze River. If your majesty wants to live in them, it will be an honor for them. Those people are very rich. When the time comes, As long as I give them a little hint, how can these rich people be stingy in order to win the qualification for His Majesty to stay? By then, let alone the three to five million taels of silver, even if the cost is doubled, there will be no problem. "
It seems absurd to live in someone else's house and ask for money from others, but Zhao Junchen said it was natural, and Emperor Deqing took it as a matter of course and nodded repeatedly.
And Zhao Junchen has not finished what he said: "In this way, His Majesty's southern tour can completely eliminate the expenditure of money from the Ministry of Revenue, and can even increase the internal treasury income. In this case, how can there be a huge expenditure of money from the Ministry of Revenue and the worry of insufficient money? The main reason for laboring the people is to recruit people and occupy private houses when building the palace. If Your Majesty lived in those Jiangnan gardens, how would it disturb the people? On the contrary, your Majesty's various purchases during your southern tour will also increase the income of the people. , if this is the case, how can it waste people and money?"
After hearing what Zhao Junchen said, Emperor Deqing was finally convinced. He couldn't help but laugh proudly when he thought that during his southern tour, he could not only generate income for the country, but also make the people rich. This was an unprecedented move. , said: "Everyone in the world says, Junchen, that your financial management skills are the best in the world. I finally believe it today!!"
Zhao Junchen said with a smile: "Isn't that because Your Majesty knows people well and employs people wisely? If it weren't for Your Majesty, I would be just a down-and-out scholar now."
Hearing what Zhao Junchen said, Emperor Deqing became even more proud. Emperor Deqing was extremely satisfied with Zhao Junchen at this moment.
………
After Emperor Deqing recovered from his heart disease, he was in high spirits and talked with Zhao Junchen for a long time. Zhao Junchen took the opportunity to present the reform of Sichuan's salt affairs and the details of asking for credit for Liu Changan.
Sichuan's salt reform was of great importance, and Emperor Deqing only supported it cautiously and agreed to discuss it in the court. As for Liu Changan's request for credit, Emperor Deqing only took one look and approved it.
After chatting some more with Emperor Deqing, Zhao Junchen saw that Emperor Deqing looked tired, so he left knowingly.
However, just after leaving the Yangxin Hall, Zhao Junchen saw Prince Zhu Heyu walking towards the Yangxin Hall surrounded by a group of eunuchs.
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