Zhao Zhenji, a bachelor of Wenyuan Pavilion, the Minister of Rites, and the crown prince's Taibao, soon left the capital and went to the prefectural capitals of North Zhili to inspect and inspect according to orders.
However, after Zhao Zhenji left the capital, his attitude towards local bureaucrats was completely different from the attitude towards Zhang Siwei in the cabinet. He was neither arrogant nor arrogant. Instead, he listened carefully to opinions, promulgated the emperor's edicts, and explained Zhang Juzheng's new policies. .
Rao did not perform well in the examination in the second year of Wanli. Zhao Zhenji did not criticize him harshly, but mainly encouraged him.
If the exam is not completed due to force majeure factors, such as a sudden natural disaster or illness, they will also intercede with the court on their behalf.
In addition, Zhao Zhenji also took the initiative to tell these bureaucrats that Yuanfu Zhang Juzheng taught Emperor Zhu Yijun very well. The emperor was not only wise and wise, but also kind and tolerant, and also decisive in dealing with matters.
So let everyone rest assured that our efforts and difficulties will be seen and understood by the Emperor.
For example, when Zhao Zhenji met Yan Qing, the governor of Baoding, he said: "As a disciple of Yuan Fu, you should work harder to implement the new policy presided over by Yuan Fu, because Yuan Fu has already reported your name to the emperor. The emperor has made a guarantee for you, so if you do well, the emperor will remember your achievements in the future."
Yan Qing was naturally delighted after hearing this, and hurriedly promised that he would conscientiously carry out the land measurement.
Not long after Zhao Zhenji came to Baoding, Yan Qing personally led his troops to supervise the local prefect to clear out the Feisha land of Wu Qinghou in Baoding Prefecture.
"Don't tell this court that this is the farmland of Marquis Wu Qing. Even the farmland of the Queen Mother of the two palaces must be cleared!"
Yan Qing really believed what Zhao Zhenji said, and believed that the emperor taught by Zhang Juzheng was a sensible person. He believed that the emperor would think highly of him because of his behavior of not fearing the powerful today, and would reuse him in the future, so he arranged for Marquis Wu Qing. Zhu Chenggui, the head of the mansion here, shouted.
After Zhu Chenggui heard what Yan Qing said, he had no choice but to endure his anger and let Yan Qing clear the land. After the father-in-law was cleared, he learned that most of Zhuangzi's fields were civilian fields that Zhu Chenggui had seized in the name of Wu Qinghou, so Yan Qing simply seized them. Get up and prepare to do it again according to the imperial decree.
However, what Yan Qing didn't know was that Zhu Yijun in history did not pay much attention to the reformists who were Zhang Juzheng's best friends, and even abandoned many of the reformers left to him by Zhang Juzheng.
Of course, in this generation, Zhu Yijun has determined that he will inherit the political resources left by Zhang Juzheng in the future, and will not stop using some officials just because they are labeled as Zhang Juzheng.
In fact, Wanli in history did not completely give up on those who were related to Zhang Juzheng, such as Shen Shixing, who were still reused by Wanli, but Shen Shixing lost his energy after seeing Zhang Juzheng's fate.
"The Holy Emperor is in the dynasty, and you should work together to build a prosperous era. You will not worry about not being able to be a high official in the future, and your name will be left in history."
Zhao Zhenji continued to encourage local officials like Yan Qing and encouraged them to dare to measure the hidden fields of powerful officials and gentry.
Yan Qing and others were naturally encouraged, and knowing that they had the support of cabinet ministers, they became more daring to fight against powerful officials and gentry.
Of course, when Zhao Zhenji met an official who did not measure the land but asked his staff to create a large amount of new land on the heads of ordinary people, he was not so gentle and gentle. He immediately locked up the person and ordered the assistant officer to temporarily take over the official position. This makes the Beizhi bureaucrats not dare to act recklessly.
At the same time, Hai Rui was also very diligent in supervising the work in Nanzhi.
Like Zhao Zhenji, although the governor and the inspector were responsible for inspection, he was not completely assured of the perfection of the governor and the inspector, and he did not travel to various state capitals day and night.
And because Hai Rui likes commoners and wears private clothes, it is easier than Zhao Zhenji to discover their respective problems.
On this day, when Hai Rui inspected Baoying County in Gaoyou Prefecture incognito, he discovered that the subordinate officials of Baoying County were cleaning a lake. He immediately put on his official uniform and asked, and when he learned that it was the order of the county magistrate Li Lai, he immediately He ordered Li Lai to be brought in and asked:
"I have visited and found that in your county there are at least tens of thousands of acres of good polder land occupied by wealthy gentry, but it has not been measured out and shown in the books! As a result, you haven't measured it yet, but you have asked people to measure a lake. You What do you want to do?!”
Li Lai replied: "I don't know that the lake is very shallow and can be filled in to make new fields. The official plans to measure it first and then fill the lake into fields and distribute them to the people for farming."
"You filled in the lake, but how will the people who have fields nearby irrigate it?! How to prevent waterlogging? Even if you fill in the lake, how much will it cost the people in filling the lake? Are you stupid as an official, or are you deliberately insulting me?!"
"You are just increasing your land in vain, and you are deliberately deceiving the court, but you don't dare to offend the nearby gentry! What's the use of the court using an official like you, and what's the use of Baoying people having parents like you?!"
Hai Rui continued to question.
Li Lai said: "Why do you think the minister is talking like that?"
"What do you want me to say?"
Hai Rui slapped the desk hard, and then said: "Immediately send an official letter from this church to Fu, Baoying County Magistrate Li Lai is dismissed from his post and detained! The county magistrate acts as the magistrate's affairs. If he acts like this again, he will be dismissed from his post and detained, and then the chief secretary, I will give you instructions until the county can successfully clear its head!"
Li Lai was shocked when he saw this. When he was detained by the soldiers of Governor Biaoying, he couldn't help but struggle: "The lower official is the former eldest uncle Dong Wucheng's in-laws. Where can the ministry treat Dong Gong like this?!"
"You have the nerve to mention Dong Wucheng."
"Well, just because Dong Wucheng has an in-law like you, I will go to Wucheng County, Huzhou, to urge the local officials to measure Dong Wucheng's land first!"
After Hai Rui said that, he threw up his sleeves and said, "Take it away!"
Li Lai was at a loss for a moment and felt frustrated. He seemed to have realized at this moment that Hai Gangfeng didn't care about being a minister. After all, the biggest reason why he could rise from an official to a ministry was that he really dared to work hard. .
Li Lai even regretted confessing his family background.
In general.
Regarding the matter of clearing the land of the father-in-law, not only because most local bureaucrats are willing to clear the father-in-law, but also because the caretakers are all people whom Zhang Juzheng and other cabinet ministers can trust and will carefully supervise the clearing of the father-in-law. In addition, the two top bosses Zhao Zhenji and Hai Rui are patrolling everywhere, and can proceed smoothly in the future.
However, the effect of clearing land ownership will have to wait until at least next year before we can see an increase in national funds.
Therefore, the Ming court is still relying on the confiscated income from last year to increase military preparedness and fully distribute food and salary.
Spring of the third year of Wanli.
Changyong Fort, Liaodong.
When the vigorous new policy of clearing land and land was launched in Guan Nei, the officers and soldiers of Liaodong finally received more food and salary because the imperial court confiscated two senior officials last year.
So at this time, in Changyong Fort, Li Rusong was ordered by his father to personally pay the officers and soldiers in the fort guard station who were about to leave the fort to take the initiative to fight against the invading Tuman tribe.
"One stone of food per person is the official salary for your family; plus two taels of silver, it is the silver reward that the Fuyuan will give you this time when you go out of the city to fight the Tatars!"
Li Rusong stood on his horse at this time, pointed to a group of Liaodong military households in front of him, pointed to several carts of grain and several boxes of shiny silver behind him, and spoke loudly.
"Sir, how come the imperial court has started to pay so much food and salary this time that it can even afford the reward for going out to the city to fight?"
At this time, a flag officer asked.
Li Rusong said: "Because in order to prevent you from fleeing and continue to kill enemies for the imperial court, your majesty specially seized two high-ranking officials."
"This is so kind, but who did you copy?"
At this time, another hundred households started asking.
Li Rusong replied: "Wei Fuyuan who came to Liaodi before and Sun Fuyuan from Baoding."
"Ah! Wei Fuyuan is also corrupt? He even helped us."
At this time, what a thousand households experienced returned to the Tao.
Li Rusong said: "What do you know? Your Majesty is a good Majesty, and he is fair in dealing with things. Although Wei Fuyuan is not too bad as an official, he will not let go of corruption, but he also gave him dignity and did not do anything to him. Chasing his stolen money!”
After saying that, Li Rusong continued: "All you need to know now is that you are able to have such a good life now because you are a sage today. You should be grateful for the emperor's grace. Do you understand?!"
Because it was still the early years of Wanli and the court's food and salary shortage was not serious yet, Li Rusong and other generals of the Li family had not yet raised private soldiers to ignore the court's ideas. They would still preach loyalty to their officers and soldiers and tell them about the emperor's kindness.
"clear!"
the men shouted.
Li Rusong said, "Then now do you dare to go out with me to kill the enemy and be worthy of His Majesty the Emperor's silver reward?!"
"dare!"
The guardsmen responded loudly.
The flag officer just now even said loudly: "Don't worry, sir, we are no worse than those Tatars outside. As long as the emperor really cares about us, treats us as individuals, and cares about us who have guarded the Ming Dynasty for generations, we still dare to Just like our ancestors did, dare to fight the Tatars!"
"Okay, follow me out of the city to kill the enemy!"
After Li Rusong said that, he really led these guards officers and soldiers to rush out of the city and directly launched an active attack on the Tuman Tatars.
And these guardsmen also followed them with shouts, as if they had really awakened the bloody spirit of their ancestors who dared to drive Meng Yuan out of the desert with spears in the early years of the Ming Dynasty.
