After the court meeting that night, the British Duke Zhang Mao also fell into embarrassment. He originally had a transcendent status and was in charge of the Governor's Mansion of the Chinese Army. It can be said that he has been "the one who has held the military command for thirty years" and doted on his ministers.
As a result, the sentence "I bought all my fields, not occupied them" made him a human being.
In fact, not only was he feeling uncomfortable, but Duke Dingguo Xu Guangzuo, Duke Baoguo Zhu Hui, and Duke Chengguo Zhu Fu were all feeling very uncomfortable.
At this time, there was another duke, the Duke of Wei, Xu Yan. However, Duke Wei was in charge of the Nanjing Governor's Office and guarded Nanjing, so he was far away from the turmoil in the capital.
In addition to the Duke, there are also various marquises and uncles in the capital...
Without these numbers, Xunchen would not have occupied more than one million acres of land.
"Mr. British, what are you going to do now?"
Among these four people, except Zhang Mao, who is very old, and Baoguo Gong Zhu Hui, who is also sixty, Ding Guo Gong and Cheng Guo Gong are still relatively young.
However, Bao Guo Gong Zhu Hui did not live to such an old age in vain. When he was ordered to go on an expedition during the Hongzhi period, he did things such as fearing the enemy and falsely reporting the results of the battle.
It's just that Emperor Hongzhi always treated these people with kindness. Even if a minister exposed it, he was fooled.
It is now the second year of Zhengde, and the emperor's character is becoming more and more distinct. On the one hand, Baoguo Gong is old and on the other hand, he knows that the sky has changed, so he usually avoids government affairs and basically degenerates from an honorable minister to a Big landowner.
He was also most worried about this incident.
It's a pity that the British father seems to be speechless at this moment.
Duke Baoguo had no choice but to continue: "...According to His Majesty's wishes at that time, it seemed that he didn't want us to withdraw from the land. Afterwards, I went to inquire again and found that no one from the cabinet, the Supervisor of Ceremonies, or the Jin Yiwei was investigating the sale of our land deeds. Your Majesty...perhaps he has no intention of pursuing it?"
Of course the British public also knows these things.
"But what about the ministers outside? They discussed government affairs like that, but no one stopped them. Your Majesty is happy to see it happen. It's also my fault. It only said one hundred acres at the time. It might be better if it said five hundred acres. But we all know it. , the stall is big, there are many mouths to eat, His Majesty is very strict in controlling the land, especially the salary, and we don’t have a share, you say this... sigh."
Duke Baoguo was anxious and said, "Mr. British, you must not sigh at this time."
"Then what can we do?" The British Duke was a little worried, "It's okay for now, but if one of the prince's or uncle's houses comes to offer 10,000 acres of land to His Majesty, then we will be uncomfortable."
"It's not easy for any family." Xu Guangzuo, Duke of Dingguo, said, "Besides, if the unruly people in Gu'an County make trouble, they will not be punished on our heads. This is not the case."
But the British public was worried that the emperor was not being reasonable, but was talking about friendship.
In other words, we share the blessings and the hardships together. Although it is a bit far-fetched to describe this kind of civil unrest as a catastrophe for the royal family.
"We'd better wait and see." The British Duke finally said: "His Majesty's decree is only to withdraw the emperor's village and the farmland of the Zhongguan. As for the others, as Baoguo Gong said, he didn't even check. Besides, we can go there ourselves. If you retreat from the field, isn’t there three hundred taels of silver left here?”
Right? Originally, the emperor didn't know that you had so many acres of land, but you ended up telling it yourself. If the emperor pursued you, it would be a joke.
But that’s a different worry.
The main reason is still reluctant to give up.
These properties of theirs were accumulated by their ancestors, and as descendants, they have the responsibility to safeguard their family wealth.
Especially Duke Zhu Hui, who was so old and had no further requirements for his official position, just pointed to these lands to make his life more comfortable. If you already have no power and no money, then what’s the point of being the prince of the country?
Anyway, the imperial edict did not strictly order them to retreat from their fields.
The British Duke was also worried that if others really went to retreat before the Holy Emperor, they would look ugly. He didn't even worry about this. He was just afraid that the emperor might have some hidden agenda, so he came over to seek peace of mind.
In fact, Zhu Houzhao never thought of using the method of 'crowding' to make these people donate their family wealth out of fear or embarrassment.
That's so childish.
He mainly uses these to highlight his moral status.
The real killer move is to appoint a prefect like Gu Renyi.
Of course, with his political sensitivity, he knew that once a minister like Gu Renyi reached the position of Shuntian Prefect in this position, he would fight to the death.
But Zhu Houzhao could only do this. The Hebei peasant uprising happened in the past few years. To be honest, Gu Renyi's memorial still shocked him a little. He only knew that the herders were doing great harm to the people. Then I thought about it, if the common people still live in such misery after withdrawing from the herdsmen, then how serious should this contradiction between man and land be?
Chinese people will not kill officials and rebel as long as they have gruel to drink.
As for Gu Renyi, he knew the emperor's intentions clearly. He also saw clearly the difficulties of the common people. Of course he will fight to the death.
The emperor's fields have been withdrawn, why the hell don't you?
If you bought it seriously, there is nothing to say, but if you bought it seriously, Beizhili should be a paradise now, not a hell on earth.
The palace's decree is quite quick.
When the emperor said it here, someone would tell it there.
Wang Hao also said goodbye and went out, but instead of going home, he went to the cabinet.
At the beginning, Liu Jian was willing to go to Shandong. It took several operations, and Liu Jian himself also had the title of Liu Mumu, and was willing to practice being an official and serving the people.
In fact, it is unlikely that the chief minister of the general cabinet will go to a province to serve as chief envoy. This has something to do with face, but more importantly, it is also political.
Anyone with a little bit of historical perspective knows that it is indeed difficult to go up as an official, but even more difficult is to go down.
For thousands of years, there have been many people who have become high officials, but very few have achieved success.
Just like at this time, a person with the energy of the cabinet minister would be very risky to defeat him, which is equivalent to touching the tiger's butt, so once he really shows signs of decline, he must be beaten to the end.
Wildfires cannot be burned out, but they are rekindled by the spring breeze.
Don't kill him, leave him half dead, in case he achieves some merit, or the emperor loses his temper, and then bring him back as the elder of the pavilion. As his opponent, is it annoying or not?
People like Liu Jian and Li Dongyang naturally understand this truth. So if you want to retreat, just return to your hometown.
At that time, political opponents usually have some concerns about their own reputation, and since you appear harmless and too old to move, you are safer.
For Liu Jian, he is okay, because behind him are Li Dongyang and Xie Qian, and these two people will not frame him every day.
But Li Dongyang and Xie Qian were not so lucky. How could they not know that Wang Bingming, the Minister of War, was secretly promoting some things?
Including this fight for money, there are some conflicts between the two sides. If they retreat without giving up, Wang Bing will be stuck in his throat.
So they didn't think about following Liu Jian's old path.
Until Wang Hao expressed this meaning.
Both men fell silent.
Wang Hao was not polite. He and Xie Qian were good friends and continued to persuade, "I heard that taxes in Shandong have increased this year. I also met Mr. Xixian. He seemed more energetic than in previous years and talked with him. Most of them were related to farming and mulberry farming. Your Majesty still feels that this arrangement was quite ingenious and even a bit complacent. Thousands of years later, this relationship between monarch and minister is also a good story. I really can't think of anything wrong with it. Why are you two silent?"
Xie Qian replied: "Jizhi, whether it is me or Binzhi, it is never our pursuit to become an official."
"Of course I know this, and I believe it."
Li Dongyang asked: "Is Jizhi going to join the cabinet?"
Wang Hao was stunned, "This matter depends on His Majesty's wishes."
What else is there to see?
If I hadn't gone to Zhejiang and Fujian to serve as governor, I would have been a governor of Zhejiang and Fujian. Wang Hao must have entered the cabinet in the first year of Zhengde.
Now wait for a while, wait for the two of them to leave, who can be in front of him in the court?
Gu Liqing?
He is still too junior.
Yang Tinghe? That's not even scheduled.
"If there is help, our lives can still be saved."
When he said this, Wang Hao understood it immediately. He said another meaning, "No one can do what His Majesty does not allow."
Li Dongyang nodded, then smiled, "Actually, His Majesty is indeed a kind person."
What Wang Mao means is that the emperor has achieved his goal by lowering you to that position and will not allow anyone to touch you again.
Because I really want to put you to death, why take two steps? Take the first step and then let people trap you? Where there is so much trouble, it’s just one step away.
"But Jizhi, I am indeed old, and Yu Qiao may have to work harder."
"There is no rush. At least the two things promised to His Majesty must be completed first."
Wang Hao didn't know what to say anymore, so he stood up and handed over his hands, "Among the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty, only one in Shandong got Duke Xixian. Please think carefully for the sake of thousands of people! The same thing happened this time. Your Majesty is not Encircling the fields, but dividing the fields and giving them to the people, some fools don't understand, but don't you two know His Majesty's good intentions?
During the Hongzhi period, Xiaomiao took care of a lot of relatives, and there were also cases of occupation of people's fields. At the beginning, who of us didn't try our best to ask Xiaomiao to order that the fields be returned to the people? Now, Your Majesty does not need my persuasion and takes the initiative to do this. Even the land of honorable ministers and officials is unwilling to retreat. Your Majesty also considers the people's concerns and immediately retreats from the palace farmland. I think that if His Majesty wants to add a few more imperial estates, the cabinet and the ministers in the court should risk their lives to dissuade him. "
Li Dongyang sighed, "I'm just afraid that I'm a little impatient. What if it causes turmoil?"
"The life and death of the people is a matter of urgency. Besides, what can you do if you are anxious? With the support of the ministers in the court and the elite training in the army, it will be as stable as Mount Tai. What is turmoil? If the cabinet opposes your majesty on this matter, it will Aggravating the unrest. Therefore, the more times like this, the more we should support His Majesty."
The matter of dividing the fields is indeed sensitive. At present, the imperial decree is still to divide the emperor's village, so it is not a big problem.
The prefects in the back took out the fields of some civil servants, honorable ministers, and wealthy households to dry, and the situation was hard to predict.
But once things are done, they can't stop even if they die. Once they stop, it will never be done. Because next time people like Gu Renyi might not risk their lives with their heads up.
Because you, the emperor, have given up, compromised, and been afraid.
(End of chapter)
