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Xuzhou, one of the "Nine Chinese States", has been the key to the North, the gateway to the South, a battleground for military strategists, and a gathering center for merchants since ancient times. It is located in the northwest of South Zhili, on the northern flank of the Yangtze River Delta, and is a land bordering four provinces. It is the "thorough thoroughfare of five provinces".
When the Southern Patrol Fleet entered Xuzhou, it was already the 19th day of the third lunar month, and it was about to enter the second half of March.
However, Xuzhou is now in sight, and Xuzhou is only more than a thousand miles away from Yangzhou. If there are no accidents, Emperor Deqing's wish of "Fireworks descending on Yangzhou in March" will definitely be realized.
As a result, Emperor Deqing was not as anxious as before. He also thought that Xuzhou connected the north and south and bordered the four provinces and had unique customs and customs, so he issued an imperial edict to let the southern patrol fleet stay in Xuzhou for repairs. Two days - during this period, Emperor Deqing could naturally take the opportunity to inspect Xuzhou's scenery and people's livelihood.
Nowadays, Zhao Junchen is responsible for all matters related to the southern tour. Therefore, after Emperor Deqing issued the imperial edict, Zhao Junchen still led a group of officials from the Ministry of Rites and took the first step by speedboat to the dock in Xuzhou to meet with Xuzhou officials. Let’s prepare together to welcome the Holy Emperor.
However, unlike the previous times, the officials accompanying Zhao Junchen this time, in addition to the officials from the Ministry of Rites, there was also an important second-rank official of the imperial court - Su Changzhen, the governor of Southern Zhili!
This was a matter of course. Although Su Changzhen stayed in the capital for a while and now accompanied him south, the Southern Patrol Fleet had already entered the territory of Southern Zhili. As a "landlord", Su Changzhen naturally Can't be idle. He must personally handle all the matters related to welcoming the Holy Emperor, so that he can take the opportunity to please Emperor Deqing.
but. When he and Zhao Junchen took the fast boat to Xuzhou, Su Changzhen violated the rules and took his daughter Su Xiuning with him. Obviously, in addition to wanting to please Emperor Deqing, he also wanted to take the opportunity to close the distance between Zhao Junchen and Su Xiuning.
Unfortunately, unlike Su Changzhen, Zhao Junchen always distinguishes between public and private matters and prioritizes matters. Therefore, on the Clippers, although Su Xiuning has been following Su Changzhen, Zhao Junchen only communicates with Su Changzhen. Chen discussed the preparations and arrangements for Nanzhili to welcome the Holy Emperor. But he didn't say a few words to Su Xiuning, which made Su Xiuning look sad and sad, and also made Su Changjin's wishful thinking come to nothing.
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But while Zhao Junchen and Su Changzhen were discussing, time passed and Xuzhou was already in sight.
When the clipper docked at the Xuzhou Pier, Zhao Junchen and Su Changzhen stepped off the ship side by side. When they looked up, they saw that the dock was already crowded with officials from Nanzhili who were waiting for the Holy Emperor. They were crowded and crowded. A rough calculation showed that there were nearly two hundred officials on the dock alone.
Zhao Junchen turned to Su Changzhen and smiled: "Compared with Shandong, the climate in South Zhili is indeed very different. When we arrived in Linqing, Shandong, all the officials from Shandong also came out to welcome us, but aside from Those magistrates and magistrates stationed in various places are only a few dozen, but they are far less powerful than those in Nanzhili."
Su Changzhen smiled and said: "This is natural. Regardless of the level of wealth, the area under the jurisdiction of Nanzhili is much larger than that of Shandong. Not to mention that there is Nanjing in Nanzhili, and Nanjing, like the capital, has six ministries. , the Metropolitan Procuratorate, the General Administration Department, the Fifth Military Governor's Office, the Hanlin Academy, the Imperial College and other agencies, as well as the Water Transport, Salt Road and other yamen, so there are naturally more officials."
Although Su Changzhen seemed to be smiling casually while explaining, Zhao Junchen was keenly aware that when he talked about the yamen in Nanjing, a hint of gloom flashed across Su Changzhen's expression.
Zhao Junchen understood Su Changzhen's thoughts very well. The governor should have been the highest official of a province, but Nanzhili was an exception. This was precisely because of the existence of Nanjing yamen.
After Ming Dynasty emperor Chengzu moved the capital to Beijing, he still retained Nanjing's status as the capital for various reasons and maintained a set of central institutions. The officials serving in these institutions were all elderly or marginalized ministers, and most of them were just ministers. It is in name only and has no actual authority. Its power is far inferior to that of Beijing's yamen agencies.
However, even so, the Nanjing yamen still have certain powers, especially the Nanjing Six Ministries, whose powers should not be underestimated.
The three states and fifteen prefectures under the jurisdiction of the Southern Zhili area are equivalent to the two provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui, and Shanghai in later generations. However, there are no Chief Secretary, Inspectorate Department, and Capital Command Department within the territory. The functions and powers of the three departments are all handled by the Nanjing Six Ministries. , As a result, although Su Changzhen was the governor of Southern Zhili, his power was greatly reduced by the six departments in Nanjing, and he was often criticized by various yamen in Nanjing. Naturally, he felt resentful about this.
In fact, Su Changzhen was the only one who resented this? Even Zhao Junchen felt like he was choking because of the existence of Nanjing Sixth Department!
Among the six departments in Nanjing, the Nanjing Household Department and the Nanjing War Department are particularly powerful!
Among them, the Nanjing Ministry of Household Affairs is responsible for collecting taxes and grains from Nanzhili and Zhejiang, Jiangxi, and Huguang provinces—the taxes and grains paid by these four places accounted for almost half of all taxes and grains in the Ming Dynasty—and is also responsible for water transportation and national salt diversion. Collection and management of the national collection and management of tax records.
Although the grain taxes, water transportation, and salt import taxes collected by the Nanjing Household Department will eventually be handed over to the Beijing Household Department, the existence of the Nanjing Household Department is still a great decentralization for Zhao Junchen. Now Zhao Junchen The Ministry of Household Affairs is already regarded as a forbidden wife, how can you tolerate this?
Zhao Junchen has always believed that the reason why the treasury's money and grain turnover is so difficult today is largely due to the existence of the Nanjing Ministry of Household Affairs. The Nanjing Ministry of Commerce is responsible for the taxation of the wealthiest places and industries in the Ming Dynasty. However, the amount of money given to the treasury every year is However, the silver grain was always unsatisfactory. Zhao Junchen repeatedly wanted to take back the water transportation and salt import rights of the Nanjing Ministry of Revenue, but due to many obstacles, he was unable to do so.
In fact, the "Commercial Tax Reform Notes" that Zhao Junchen handed to Prince Zhu Heyu through Chu Jiayi was not only framed by Prince Zhu Heyu, but also to a large extent to shake the status of the Nanjing Ministry of Household Affairs. In addition, When Zhao Junchen supported Shanxi merchants to develop Sichuan salt, he not only wanted to gain the support of Shanxi merchants and divert the attention of Shanxi merchants to prevent them from defecting to Jianzhou Jurchen as happened in history, but also wanted to weaken the advantages of the Nanjing Ministry of Household Affairs. .
It can be said. Zhao Junchen had been eyeing the power of the Nanjing Ministry of Household Affairs for a long time. And many plans were designed for this purpose, and this time we went south with him. He also had the intention of testing the reality of the Six Divisions of Nanjing.
Of course, such thoughts only flashed through Zhao Junchen's mind, but his expression did not change at all - regarding the Nanjing Sixth Division, although Zhao Junchen and Su Changzhen had the same position and there was room for cooperation between the two parties, Zhao Junchen did not Not wanting Su Changzhen to see what he was thinking, Zhao Junchen wanted Su Changzhen to seek help from him rather than cooperate. Only in this way can Zhao Junchen take the initiative.
In official circles, the so-called "active" and "passive" are often just a matter of being patient.
Therefore, Zhao Junchen just smiled and said: "Yes, Nanzhili is a prosperous place with a large jurisdiction, and there are many yamen in Nanjing. It is reasonable for so many officials to come to greet the Holy Emperor. But I don't know who among these officials , and how many of them are here representing Nanjing?"
Su Changzhen shook his head and said: "I'm afraid there are many, His Majesty is coming to Nanzhili. For such a big event, there should be one or two officials from the yamen in Nanjing as representatives to welcome the Holy Emperor."
Zhao Junchen asked again: "So, does Governor Su know that among the officials who come to greet His Majesty on behalf of various yamen in Nanjing, which Nanjing adult will be headed?"
Su Changzhen still shook his head. A hint of sinisterness flashed across his expression, and he said, "I don't know about this. The major government offices in Nanjing rarely report news to me."
Zhao Junchen smiled again, but said nothing more. Firstly, Zhao Junchen had tried to understand Su Changzhen's position and attitude. Secondly, while the two were talking, all the officials on the dock had already They all came to greet him one after another. At such a time and occasion, it was inconvenient to talk much.
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But he said that the officials from South Zhili came to Zhao Junchen and Su Changzhen, saluted one after another, and greeted them in unison: "I have met Governor Su and Mr. Zhao. You two have had a good journey."
It seemed that it had been rehearsed beforehand, the voice was neat and loud, and it sounded quite powerful.
Zhao Junchen nodded slightly to the salutes and greetings from the officials in Southern Zhili, but did not express anything. He was just waiting for Su Changzhen's performance. After all, this was Su Changzhen's "home field", and it was not inconvenient for Zhao Junchen to dominate the scene.
Although Su Changzhen always looked cautious in the capital, he was also extremely polite in front of Zhao Junchen, but in front of these Nanzhili officials, he changed his appearance. Not only did he straighten his back, but his expression became even more serious. He was calm and calm, and when he raised his hands and raised his feet, there was an air of calmness and authority.
"My lords, there is no need to be polite. Your Majesty will be here soon. Lord Zhao and I came here in advance just to stand in front and inspect all the matters here to welcome the Holy Emperor." Su Changjin drawled his official tone and spoke slowly. He said: "I have been accompanying the Holy Emperor in the capital these days, and I don't know much about the current situation in Nanzhili. Can you tell me how prepared you are for welcoming the Holy Emperor?"
An official from South Zhili came out and said: "Back to the governor, in order to welcome the Holy Emperor, Xuzhou's palace, procurement, preparations, and other matters have been fully prepared, and nothing has been missed. Please rest assured, governor." .”
Su Changzhen nodded, and turned to Zhao Junchen and said: "This man is Jiang Wenshan, the magistrate of Xuzhou. He has been working under me for many years. He has always been prudent and prudent. Please rest assured, Mr. Zhao, he will never be like Zhang Jizhi of Shandong." If a person who acts recklessly says that he is ready, then he must be ready."
After explaining, Su Changzhen turned to the officials in Southern Zhili and asked: "Xuzhou is ready, what about other places?"
"Returning to the Governor, all preparations for welcoming the Holy Master in Huai'an have been made. Please rest assured, Governor."
"My Lord Governor, all preparations for welcoming your Majesty in Yangzhou are in place and we are waiting for His Majesty's arrival at any time. Please rest assured, Lord Governor."
"Go back to your Majesty the Governor. I, Suzhou, are fully prepared. Please rest assured, Your Majesty the Governor."
As Su Changzhen opened his mouth to ask questions, officials from the various states in South Zhili came out to answer questions one after another, and their attitudes were extremely respectful.
Obviously, most of these local officials are Su Changzhen's people, otherwise they would not be so attentive and respectful to Su Changzhen and answer all questions.
Originally, Su Changzhen only needed to ask about the situation in Xuzhou at this time, but Su Changzhen specifically asked about the situation in other state capitals, obviously showing his strength to Zhao Junchen.
Obviously, although his power was restricted by the Six Ministries of Nanjing, Su Changzhen still had far-reaching influence in Southern Zhili, at least most of the local officials everywhere followed his lead.
Sure enough, after all the officials had finished answering, Su Changzhen explained to Zhao Junchen: "Master Zhao, these officials, like Jiang Wenshan, are all reliable people. I have always been assured of them. Since they said so, , which means that all the reception matters in various places in southern Zhili are worry-free, and the two of us can also have a lot of peace of mind in the future."
Zhao Junchen nodded and smiled: "Since I have Governor Su's guarantee, I feel relieved..."
However, just as Zhao Junchen was speaking halfway, there was a sudden commotion behind a group of officials from the Southern Zhili Province, and then all the officials stepped aside one after another and exited a road.
Then, two old men wearing second-grade official uniforms walked slowly and passed by.
Both of these two old men looked to be in their early fifties. One was slender, with a serious expression, and he was not angry, and the other was well-built, with squinted eyes and always had a smile on his face.
Seeing the two old men getting closer and closer, Zhao Junchen asked Su Changzhen softly: "Oh? These two adults are so grand, but I don't know who they are?"
Obviously, these two old men had been resting in the room behind the pier, and did not wait on the pier like other officials. At this time, they only showed up late when they saw the situation on the pier. After they appeared, everyone The officials in Nanzhili even gave in one after another. Such a grand display made Zhao Junchen a little dissatisfied.
After Su Changzhen saw these two people, his face darkened and he said slowly: "Didn't Mr. Zhao ask me just now who would be the leader of the officials welcoming you in Nanjing? It's these two adults. Mr. Zhao, look. , the old man with a rich figure and a smile on his face is Tang Zhen, the Minister of the Ministry of Human Resources of Nanjing, and the other old man with a thin body and a majestic look is Wang Baoren, the Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Nanjing..."
"Wang Baoren?"
Originally, after Tang Zhen, the Minister of Household Affairs in Nanjing, appeared, Zhao Junchen should have focused his attention on him. After all, Tang Zhen was Zhao Junchen's biggest enemy in terms of power.
But after hearing Wang Baoren's name, Zhao Junchen no longer cared about Tang Zhen. He just focused his eyes on Wang Baoren and looked at him carefully.
Because Emperor Deqing has made up his mind to appoint Wang Baoren as the next crown prince to assist the crown prince Zhu Heyu! We only have to wait until we reach Nanjing to announce the decree!
If Tang Zhen is Zhao Junchen's biggest rival in terms of power, then Wang Baoren will be Zhao Junchen's political enemy in the next period of time, and Zhao Junchen naturally takes it seriously!
At this time, these two people actually appeared at the same time!
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…(To be continued…)
Chapter 309. Zhao Junchen’s biggest match:
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