"Nanjing Hubu Right Minister Lang Zonghe sent people to find Xiao Jingao, Zhao Lijiao and Man Gui? Please tell me the specific situation."
Zhu Youxiao glanced at the secret report from the East Factory, and his expression became serious. He didn't bother to read the detailed report anymore, but let Wei Zhongxian talk first.
"I obey the order! The specific situation is that Zonghe did not hesitate to give Yingtian Governor Xiao Jingao and the Xichang Second Counselor General Zhao Lijiao and Mangui stationed in Yingtian 500,000 taels of silver each to assist the Jiang defense officers and soldiers. He prevented Dongchang from handling the case, and promised to give the property with an income of 200,000 taels of silver to three people every year, and bribe them. When our Dongchang spy knew about this, he immediately reported it."
Wei Zhongxian replied.
After hearing this, Zhu Youxiao nodded and said to himself: "What a big gesture! The amount of silver I gave to the first-rank officials was only one hundred thousand taels. These Jiangnan gentry are really worthy of being big chaebols, and they are even more generous than the emperor like me." ! Although these people do not control a strong military, they are indeed extremely wealthy economically! If they really spend money like this, there is a possibility that their loyal ministers and generals will be bribed! "
Thinking of this, Zhu Youxiao frowned even more, because he had to admit that even if he was the Ming Emperor, he had the supreme power of the empire.
However, when it comes to financial strength, the Ming Emperor is not the richest plutocrat in the Ming Dynasty.
Because no one knows how much wealth the Jiangnan noble families who have been secretly smuggling goods to Southeast Asia and East Asia for hundreds of years have accumulated.
Zhu Youxiao clearly remembers that he did not copy a single Shanxi merchant, and the Shanxi merchants did not reach their peak development in the Chongzhen period in history, and the amount was as high as tens of millions of taels of silver.
Therefore, it is not possible for Zhu Youxiao to estimate how much money these gentry in Jiangnan can spend to bribe and corrupt their "loyal ministers and good generals".
But Zhu Youxiao knew that sugar-coated shells were a more powerful weapon than any other shells at any time.
It is impossible for me to rely solely on the moral sentiments of "loyal ministers and good generals" to maintain imperial power and reform the Ming Dynasty.
Because people with noble sentiments are often in the minority, just as people with despicable sentiments are also in the minority.
Most people talk about interests when their own interests are involved, and sentiment when their own interests are not involved.
Therefore, Zhu Youxiao had to admit that he had to be wary of the money methods of these Jiangnan gentry, and he could not despise them just because he thought they were afraid of death because they had too much money.
For this reason, Zhu Youxiao immediately asked Wei Zhongxian: "How did they deal with being bribed?"
"According to a secret report from people in Dongchang, the reply from Xiao Jingao, the governor of South Zhili, to Zong He needs to be looked at again. He said that he was not sure whether Xu Xianchun would really give up the arrest operation because of his intervention as the governor. "
Wei Zhongxian started talking.
"You're a cunning thing! But you're cautious and don't get carried away by the huge bribe of 500,000 taels of silver and the annual income of 200,000 taels of silver."
Zhu Youxiao said something secretly, and then asked: "Where are Zhao Lijiao and Man Gui?"
Zhao led the Ministry of Education and the Mangui Ministry to be considered one of the most combat-effective imperial officers and soldiers sent by Zhu Youxiao in southern Zhili. It can even be said that they gave Zhu Youxiao the confidence to dare to carry out drastic reforms in Jiangnan.
Therefore, Zhu Youxiao cares about the performance of these two people.
"Zhao Lijiao also said that he would think about it again, but after the people sent by Zonghe left, he directly wrote a memorial and asked people to expedite his deportation to Beijing!"
Wei Zhongxian started talking.
After hearing this, Zhu Youxiao nodded: "Keep talking."
"Mangui cursed the person who came, and even wanted to behead him. He said that the people sent by Zonghe wanted to make him feel sorry for you, the emperor. The people sent by Zonghe had no choice but to leave in despair."
Wei Zhongxian replied.
"I understand. Don't let this matter spread out first. We will only strengthen surveillance around Xiao Jingao! Especially during the time he is in Jiangnan."
Zhu Youxiao said that the performance of Zhao Lijiao and Man Gui did not disappoint him. Of course, he also knew that this was related to the loyalty of these two people in history.
"My slave obeys the order!"
Wei Zhongxian therefore replied.
Wei Zhongxian replied and left Qianqing Palace.
Zhu Youxiao, on the other hand, stopped and stood still, looking at the white snow in the courtyard, frowning and thinking deeply, and said to himself: "Fortunately, I, Huanghuang Daming, are not all people who only care about money. Even if they care about interests, most of them don't." I don’t dare to be reckless with my interests, and as an emperor, I don’t have to be afraid of these wealthy Jiangnan gentry! The worst outcome will not be much worse than the original history!”
Zhu Youxiao couldn't help but smile bitterly when he thought that he had only seven years as an emperor in history, while the Ming Dynasty had only twenty-four years of national destiny.
Then, Zhu Youxiao looked up at the gray sky outside the Forbidden City. Seeing that the red plum blossoms blooming against the wall were very beautiful, he walked over and broke off one. Then, wearing a Yishan crown and a Yisha imperial costume He leaped up the white marble steps and returned to the Qianqing Palace.
"Queen!"
Because it was still early, Zhu Youxiao found that the queen was still sleeping when he returned to Qianqing Palace, so he had to lower his footsteps and did not wake her up like last time.
Wang Chengen wisely took out an empty porcelain bottle and placed it in front of Zhu Youxiao.
Zhu Youxiao inserted the red plum into the porcelain vase and told Wang Chengen: "When the queen wakes up, you ask her to take her back to Qianqing Palace."
"My slave obeys the order!"
Wang Chengen replied.
Zhu Youxiao arrived at the Political Affairs Hall next.
Fang Congzhe had naturally arrived at the political hall long ago. Although he was much older than Zhu Youxiao, he did not dare to arrive later than Zhu Youxiao, just as he did not dare to leave earlier than Zhu Youxiao.
"His Majesty!"
When Fang Congzhe saw Zhu Youxiao coming in, he immediately stood up and shouted.
"Yuansuke, please sit down."
Zhu Youxiao said something like "Da Ma Jin Dao" and sat down on the chair and asked: "What are the important inscriptions?"
Before Fang Congzhe sat down, he stood up quickly and replied: "Your Majesty, there are memorials from General Zhao and General Manchu of Xichang, both of whom impeached Lang Zonghe, the right minister of Nanjing Ministry of Revenue, for bribing them. It was said that they were going to send troops to stop Dongchang. This is a rare case of impeachment of a civilian official by a military official in our court. The cabinet did not dare to draft it, so it was sent to the Political Affairs Hall."
Zhu Youxiao already knew the story of Zhao Lijiao and Man Gui's impeachment of Zonghe, so he just said "hmm" and said: "Then let's wait for Dongchang Xu Xianchun's report first!"
Not long after, Wei Zhongxian hurried to the political hall and glanced at Zhu Youxiao with a somewhat uneasy expression.
But he didn't rush to say what it was because Fang Congzhe was here.
Seeing this, Zhu Youxiao just asked: "What's the matter?"
"yes!"
Wei Zhongxian then replied: "Your Majesty, an urgent report from Xu Xianchun of Dongchang has arrived. Xu Xianchun said in the report that he found out that Lang Zonghe, the right minister of Nanjing Ministry of Revenue, was suspected of planting spies in Chongwen Temple and Dongchang. He decided to arrest Zonghe first and then interrogate him for his evil plan. However, Wang Qia, the Minister of War in Nanjing, and Li Zushu, the Marquis of Linhuai, Deng Wenxu of Dingyuan, and Liu Zuochang, the Marquis of Anyuan, led their troops to stop him. They attempted to disobey the emperor's order, so he had no choice but to arrest these people. Kill without mercy! I would like to ask the Emperor to accuse these people of having no regard for the imperial court and forming cliques to resist the decree!"
"Good kill!"
Zhu Youxiao said immediately, "This Xu Xianchun did not disappoint me after all!"
7017k
