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The period after the southern tour began was probably the most proud time in Huang Yourong's life.
There was no suppression from Emperor Deqing and his chief minister Zhou Shangjing above, no constraints from Shen Changmao and Zhao Junchen around him, and no trouble from officials from hostile factions below. Huang Yourong finally experienced the pleasure of "monopoly power."
The only trouble is probably that the "princelings" have been biting people like crazy dogs during this period, causing some turmoil in the court situation.
However, after all, Prince Zhu Heyu lacks some experience, and most of the so-called "princelings" are high-minded but low-handed. Although Huang Yourong's scheming, methods, city government, etc. are far inferior to those of Zhou Shangjing and others, it is still difficult to deal with Prince Zhu Heyu. And "princeling" is more than enough.
At least, Huang Yourong believed that although the current situation in the court was a little chaotic, the overall situation was still under his control.
In fact, Huang Yourong has been targeting Prince Zhu Heyu everywhere during this period, not because of the troubles caused by the "princeling party", but because Huang Yourong also heard the news that Prince Zhu Heyu planned to reform commercial taxes.
From Huang Yourong's perspective, he naturally understands what "commercial tax reform" actually means!
Everyone knows that there were loopholes in the commercial tax system of the Ming Dynasty, which led to rampant smuggling and insufficient tax revenue. However, local officials made profits through commercial tax checkpoints, and merchants made money through smuggling and tax evasion. Beijing officials usually made money through smuggling. A large part of the bribes he received also came from this - it can be said that except for the court, today's commercial tax system has benefited everyone!
Therefore, if Prince Zhu Heyu implements the "Business Tax Reform Plan", it will definitely cause chaos in the world. And aroused everyone's hostility, and Huang Yourong was the assistant minister. He will definitely be implicated, and may even become the scapegoat for Crown Prince Zhu Heyu...or rather. In order to stabilize the situation and keep the crown prince, Emperor Deqing will definitely let Huang Yourong take the blame!
It is precisely because of this that Huang Yourong will always target the prince Zhu Heyu and never let the prince Zhu Heyu successfully control the situation in the court!
However, Huang Yourong felt that this alone was not enough. He had to divert Crown Prince Zhu Heyu's attention to other directions!
On this day, at the same time, the main officials of the Shen and Huang factions gathered at Huang Yourong's mansion. Discussing next steps.
Huang Yourong was sitting in the main seat, still smiling like a tiger, with a gentle and harmless smile on his face.
After taking a sip of tea, Huang Yourong said with a smile: "Everyone has performed very well during this period. The power of our two factions has also increased a lot, and the prince has not been allowed to control the situation in the court, but that's all. , it’s not enough. If we don’t divert the prince’s attention, maybe the prince will take risks and forcibly implement the ‘Business Tax Reform Plan’, and then all of our colleagues here will be in big trouble.”
Having said this, Huang Yourong put the tea cup in his hand aside. Then he asked himself and answered: "But how to divert the prince's attention? I have a way here. Let's discuss whether it is feasible."
Within the lobby. Officials from the Shen and Huang factions responded one after another: "We will listen to Mr. Ge's instructions respectfully!"
Huang Yourong's smile did not change and he said slowly: "Speaking of which, although no one can stand our Highness the Crown Prince, the person he hates the most is undoubtedly Zhao Junchen! So we have to transfer the Crown Prince. We still need to focus our attention on Zhao Junchen.”
After a pause, Huang Yourong suddenly called out, "Well... is Master Xiong here?"
"I'm here! Mr. Huang Ge, please give me your orders!"
Following Huang Yourong's call, an official stood up quickly and answered respectfully.
This person's name is Xiong Youbao. He was originally a Shaoqing of Dali Temple. He was the best at investigating cases and auditing accounts in his life, and he was also Shen Changmao's right-hand man.
In recent days, under Huang Yourong's operation, the original Minister of Household Affairs Zhan Shanchang was dismissed from his official position, so there was a vacancy in the position of Minister of Household Affairs. Then Huang Yourong handed over this lucrative position to Xiong Youbao, so Xiong Youbao became the new one. The Minister of Household Affairs.
Xiong Youbao was naturally very grateful for Huang Yourong's decision. During this period, he became closer and closer to Huang Yourong, and even gradually forgot about the faction he originally belonged to.
At this time, seeing Xiong Youbao's respectful look, Huang Yourong's eyes flashed with pride, feeling that his good intentions were not in vain, but his expression was still gentle and calm, and he said slowly: "This time I will let you take over the position of Minister of Household Affairs. , just want to use your ability to check accounts to cause some commotion in the Household Department! The prince has always resented Zhao Junchen. As long as you check the accounts in the Household Department and pretend to be looking for evidence of Zhao Junchen's crime, the prince may Shift your attention and also focus on Zhao Junchen... Of course, it would be better if you can really find evidence of Zhao Junchen's crime... Now, Zhao Junchen is accompanying Zhao Junchen on his southern tour, and another servant of the Ministry of Revenue, Ma The same goes for Sen. Hubu respects you, so you can just let it go!"
After hearing Huang Yourong's instructions, a trace of embarrassment flashed across Xiong Youbao's face.
After serving as the Minister of Household Affairs, he discovered how deep Zhao Junchen's control over the Ministry of Households was. Although Zhao Junchen was currently accompanying him on his southern tour, and Xiong Youbao was the only serving Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, Xiong Youbao had no control over the Ministry of Household Affairs. The Ministry of Accounts still has no involvement in the affairs. In addition, the accounting method used by the household department is very novel and strange, which makes Xiong Youbao somewhat unpredictable.
However, at this time, Xiong Youbao couldn't say anything bad, and quickly promised: "I will do my best, please rest assured, Mr. Huang Ge."
Huang Yourong smiled and nodded, then turned his attention to another official.
This official turned out to be Zhao Junchen’s subordinate—Chen Dongxiang, the minister of the Ministry of Industry!
At the beginning, Chen Dongxiang pretended to join Huang Yourong and handed Huang Yourong a piece of evidence of the "Zhao Party" officials. Huang Yourong also relied on this evidence to get rid of many "Zhao Party" officials!
Unfortunately, all this was Zhao Junchen's plan. Zhao Junchen just used Huang Yourong's hands to get rid of some unworthy moths, so Zhao Junchen did not suffer any fundamental losses!
At the same time, Huang Yourong's two most capable officers - Yan Pengfei, the Minister of Punishment, and Liu Quanan, the Inspector-General - were dismissed from office under Zhao Junchen's calculations, and the "Yellow Party" suffered serious losses as a result!
so. Huang Yourong had already begun to doubt Chen Dongxiang's position, believing that Chen Dongxiang's defection was just Zhao Junchen's "counterintuitive plan." And gradually alienated Chen Dongxiang!
However, since the southern tour began. However, Chen Dongxiang used his actual actions to win Huang Yourong's trust again!
During this period of time, whether Gu Quan, the censor of Youqian City, and Liu Changan, the minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, were dismissed from their official positions, or Zhan Shanchang, the minister of the Ministry of Revenue, was ordered to suspend his duties and reflect, all because of the information provided by Chen Dongxiang!
Gu Quan, Liu Chang'an, and Zhan Shanchang were all Zhao Junchen's right-hand men and loyal confidants. Since Chen Dongxiang helped Huang Yourong bring down these three people, what reason did Huang Yourong have to continue to doubt Chen Dongxiang?
In fact, Huang Yourong already regarded Chen Dongxiang as his most loyal confidant and right-hand man!
then. When looking at Chen Dongxiang, Huang Yourong's eyes were also particularly kind and gentle, and he said slowly: "Not only does the Ministry of Accounts have to audit the accounts, but the Ministry of Industry, which is also Zhao Junchen's sphere of influence, also needs to audit the accounts! Regarding this point, I would like to trouble Mr. Chen. Got it!"
Chen Dongxiang stood up quickly and replied: "I will obey the elder's order! I will definitely do it!"
Huang Yourong smiled and said, "I feel relieved when you do things!"
However, Huang Yourong was more than proud. But he didn't notice the flash of contempt in Chen Dongxiang's eyes.
This time, Chen Dongxiang still pretended to seek refuge with Huang Yourong, but in fact he was still working for Zhao Junchen!
Now, Gu Quan, Liu Changan, and Zhan Shanchang have certainly been overthrown by Huang Yourong. But their "crimes" all stemmed from Chen Dongxiang's intelligence, and of course this intelligence was all false! In other words, as long as Zhao Junchen returns to the capital. The charges against Gu Quan, Liu Changan, and Zhan Shanchang will be overturned soon, and they will be reinstated to their posts soon!
so. In this party struggle, except for some weak-willed and bad-hearted losers. Zhao Junchen will lose nothing at all.
But when the time comes, Huang Yourong will be charged with "false accusations against officials" and "rebellion and injustice"!
In addition, Chen Dongxiang's "attendance" to Huang Yourong this time was also to infiltrate the "Yellow Party" forces and win over "Yellow Party" officials. After Huang Yourong's fall in the future, he would try his best to recruit "Yellow Party" forces for Zhao Junchen!
Although Zhao Junchen bribed Huo Zhengyuan for this goal, Zhao Junchen never puts his eggs in one basket!
It can be said that Huang Yourong thought he was in control of the situation in the capital, but in fact he was still being manipulated by Zhao Junchen!
Seeing Huang Yourong being played around by Zhao Junchen without any sign of noticing, Chen Dongxiang naturally had reason to despise Huang Yourong.
At the same time, Chen Dongxiang became more and more in awe of Zhao Junchen.
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Big people have the troubles of big people, such as the power is not big enough, the gold and silver are not enough, the wives and concubines are not beautiful enough...
And the little people also have the worries of the little people, such as eating, such as wives and children, such as survival...
These days, both Prince Zhu Heyu and Pavilion Elder Huang Yourong have been indulging in party disputes and have inevitably neglected some other things, such as...the imperial palace has begun to recruit eunuchs and maids from the public again!
In the late Ming Dynasty, although eunuchs had no yang roots and no offspring, they would be looked down upon by others, but in a certain respect, they were still a promising profession. At least, they would be supported by the internal treasury, and they would have enough food and clothing. If you were lucky, , can gain a firm foothold in the inner court, and is even more powerful, wealthy, and prestigious.
And as a result, there will naturally be many people who want to join the palace and become eunuchs, either because they have no choice or because they are too lazy to do it!
But what is quite cruel is that when the Ming Dynasty's inner court selected new eunuchs, the selection scope was "those from the palace"!
In other words, those who want to enter the palace as eunuchs must first cut off their Yang roots just to participate in a selection!
In this way, if they are not selected in the end, it goes without saying that the fate of these "self-employed people" will be tragic.
In the Ming Dynasty, the inner palace would recruit eunuchs every three years, and each time there were as many as a thousand "self-employed eunuchs" recruited. It seemed like a large number, but in fact there were more unsuccessful ones. The gathering in the capital has even become one of the more serious social problems in the capital.
The place where these "self-imposed persons" gather is known as "Eunuch Alley" by the world.
For the "self-imposed" in "Eunuch Alley", this selection is related to their survival, but it is much more important than "business tax reform" and "party strife"!
They are eager to be selected into the palace and become eunuchs. This is their biggest ambition in life!
And Yan Ru'an, who was once a juren but also became an eunuch due to a strange combination of circumstances, is also one of them!
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ps: Well, the second update today, there will be another update before midnight!
...(To be continued...)
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