Why did this report including detailed information about the incident actually appear in Gao Gong's hands? This requires talking about the situation of the Ming Dynasty's cabinet.
As we all know, the assistant ministers of the Ming Dynasty cabinet are not technically prime ministers. Officially speaking, the entire cabinet is just the emperor's secretarial team. However, due to the needs of government affairs, the status of this secretarial team gradually increased and its power gradually strengthened in the actual operation process, and finally reached the point of "without the name of prime minister, but with the reality of prime minister" the point.
However, due to its deformed setting, the way it exercises power is also different from previous dynasties. When many cabinet ministers handle local affairs, they need to inform local officials how to handle them through a method similar to private messages. For example, Gao Gong had written to several local officials in Yingtian not long ago, asking them to put the matter of Xu Jie aside. This is a typical behavior.
Supposedly, this method of handling is not a government document and does not have legal effect in theory. However, in fact, this kind of private message is equivalent to a note issued by future generations of leaders - you may dare to turn a blind eye to government documents, but you dare to Did the leader just hand over the note and turn a blind eye? So a magical thing happened: the efficiency of governance in this way was actually higher.
But since the cabinet bosses often use this method similar to private messages to instruct local governments on matters, the personal connections between local officials and cabinet ministers are bound to be strengthened, and the specific situations in each locality will also change accordingly. This connection was gathered into the hands of the ministers.
Although Gao Gong is temporarily second only to the second assistant, he is actually the first person to truly control the direction of the government. Li Chunfang, the first assistant, seems to be a nominal one. Therefore, in key areas of the country and dynasty such as Southern Zhili, various situations would be written down in detail and submitted to Gao Gong for his knowledge. The reason why Gao Gong learned about this matter so quickly was of course for this reason.
Seeing Gao pragmatic holding the paper in silence without looking like a child at all, Gao Gong showed a satisfied smile on his face. He did not interrupt his nephew's thinking, but just picked up the tea and drank it.
After another long while, Gao pragmatic shook his head and said: "Third uncle, my nephew thinks this matter is very representative."
"Oh?" Gao Gong smiled slightly and asked, "What does it mean?"
Gao Pragmatic did not answer directly, but analyzed: "Look, Third Uncle, in fact, if this matter is to be taken seriously, Shuai Jiamo's move is a forced elevation. Because the core of this 'Ren Ding Silk' controversy is It’s about the attribution of the tax burden! In other words, should this tax be paid by She County alone or by all six counties? As for the physical conversion he emphasized, it is actually only a minor issue and has little to do with the One Whip Law."
Gao pragmatically said, and then explained: "It's like when I go out to buy something, let's say I buy a piece of cloth. When I buy this piece of cloth, it's for silver, copper coins, or treasure notes, as long as the actual value is the same. , in fact, there is no difference at all. But I insisted on giving the treasure banknotes, and even took out Emperor Taizu to explain the issue, saying that the treasure banknotes were customized by Emperor Taizu and issued to the world, so giving the treasure banknotes was an expression of respect for Emperor Taizu - -Is this important?"
Gao Gong laughed, pointed at Gao Yingshi, and said: "What example are you giving? Don't make fun of Emperor Taizu." But after all, he did not say that Gao Yingshi's example was wrong.
Gao Pragmatic also smiled and continued: "But under Shuai Jiamo's wonderful writing, this logical error was cleverly covered up. Not only did it not make people feel wrong, but it seemed upright and awe-inspiring, and the level of thinking suddenly went up. . To threaten Huizhou by holding Hai Rui hostage, this is Shuai Jiamo’s fundamental intention!”
The smile on Gao Gong's face faded slightly, he nodded, and sighed: "Haigangfeng's name can indeed scare many people." He answered like this, but in his heart he thought: Otherwise, Xu Jie How could you give in to me so easily? How could Zhang Taiyue have the opportunity to receive the Xu family's 30,000 taels of silver? Isn’t it because Haigang Peak’s reputation is too great?
Gao Pragmatic actually laughed, flicked the document in his hand, and said: "What's more interesting is that this handsome Jiamo not only complained, but even gave a solution. I think he may have stayed in the Yamen for a long time." He is well aware of the nature of some bureaucrats, and knows that what they are most impatient with is when the people below are arguing and arguing, but they cannot come up with a practical solution. So at the end of the submission, he was anxious to get to the top, He very considerately put forward such a solution: either according to the principle of "Da Ming Huidian", the six counties should be divided according to the population; or according to the "Huizhou Prefecture Chronicle", the six counties should be divided according to the fields, and the wheat, silver and silk should be folded. . You see, this is equivalent to telling the Yingtian Governor's Yamen or the Huizhou Magistrate's Yamen that I have prepared a plan for you to deal with this matter. You can approve it with a stroke of your pen, and there will be no worries at all. And What’s the result? No matter which level of government, Yingtian or Huizhou, decides on the policy, whether it is based on head count or field count, She County can reduce the burden by at least half.”
When Gao pragmatic said this, he smiled and said: "This kind of subordinate is good. If I were the governor of Yingtian or the prefect of Huizhou, after reading such a submission, I would probably think that this matter should be handled like this... The only thing to worry about is , which is probably the reaction of the other five counties in Huizhou after learning the news."
After hearing this, Gao Gong quietly picked up another document from the desk and handed it to Gao Pangshi, saying, "Hai Rui and the others did react. You see."
"Oh?" Gao Pingshi took the document and looked at it, and saw that it indeed recorded the reactions of Hai Rui and others.
On the fourteenth day of the first lunar month in the fourth year of Longqing, even before the Lantern Festival, Hai Rui promptly gave instructions: "The Yangfu will investigate and report the seizure." This means that I attach great importance to this matter, and you, the Huizhou Prefecture, should investigate it carefully.
Later, Inspector Liu Shihui gave more detailed instructions: Please ask the Huizhou government to convene responsible officials, squires, elders and other public representatives from the six counties to conduct verification and discussion on this matter.
Governor Yingtian and Governor Yingtian were both superiors of the Huizhou government. The former was in charge of local government affairs, while the latter was in charge of detecting and committing adultery. It didn't matter which one they were, as the Huizhou government would definitely not be able to offend them. So after Duan Chaozong, the magistrate of Huizhou, received the document, he saw that it had been signed by both the Fu and the Imperial Households. He was trembling at the moment. When he saw the signature and the name of Haigangfeng, he knew that this matter was probably not going to be resolved. There was nothing wrong with it. If you dare to delay, you will immediately issue a card and urge the six counties to send personnel to discuss.
Hai Rui's famous name is probably more frightening than having the Emperor's Sword hanging over his head.
Gao Pingshi smiled after reading it and asked, "Did anything come out of the discussion?"
"Huh?" Gao Gong looked at Gao Pragmatic's expression and asked, "Looking at your expression, it seems that you think nothing can be achieved through the negotiation?"
Gao pragmatic suddenly snorted coldly for no reason, stretched out his fingers again and flicked the document in his hand: "My nephew is sure that the other five counties will find all kinds of excuses to deal with it, and even threaten to do it." If we do this, I’m afraid the place will be unstable!”
