The shipping department has a big problem.
The accounts of the three shipping companies in Ningbo, Quanzhou and Guangzhou have been reviewed, and without exception, they all show losses.
This has almost become a burden for the Ming Dynasty. The Ministry of Household Affairs not only cannot get money and food from the Municipal Shipping Department every year, but also needs to subsidize a lot of money and food.
Hu Weiyong was not sure of Zhu Yuanzhang's thoughts and said to Chen Ning: "The Ministry of Industry has received the order to prepare for the construction of large warships. Judging from your majesty's attitude, the Shipping Department will not stop in a short time."
Chen Ning frowned: "Large warship?"
Hu Weiyong nodded heavily: "According to the palace, this matter was finalized by Mu Ying and Mao Xiang after they returned from Jurong."
"Jurong, what Mr. Hu means is that this matter is related to Gu Zhengchen?"
Chen Ning was a little shocked.
Hu Weiyong put his hands behind his back and looked solemn: "Whether it has anything to do with him or not, this person must be taken seriously. Although he seems inconspicuous and has been away from the court, he is involved in many things now, even if the prince goes... Zhongdu had his persuasion behind his back, and that’s why he decided to stop Zhongdu!”
Chen Ning slapped the tea table and said angrily: "I have long said that this person is a threat and should be eliminated as soon as possible! Mr. Hu, I will launch a campaign right now. If you don't believe me, I can't find any flaws in Gu Zhengchen!"
Hu Weiyong suddenly laughed out loud: "Flaws? Haha, he has a lot of flaws, but he has a prince and an emperor behind him. What flaw do you expect to catch him and kill him? Chen Ning, you have to be clear about how to deal with an opponent. , but it doesn’t necessarily mean that he will fall to the bottom or lose his official position. Sometimes, getting people promoted is also a means."
"Promotion?"
Chen Ning stood up, walked towards Hu Weiyong, and said in a deep voice: "This man is already a male from Quanzhou County, the commander of the Jurong Guards, the director of the Ministry of Works, and the magistrate of Jurong County. Do you still plan to promote him? If he is promoted a few more times, I'm afraid he will be You want to step into the court and become our fierce enemy!"
Hu Weiyong walked to the bookshelf and pulled a rope, and a map of the mountains and rivers of the Ming Dynasty unfolded.
"This is Quanzhou, in Fujian!"
Hu Weiyong stretched out his hand, pointed to the location of Quanzhou, and said with a smile: "The journey from Quanzhou to Jinling is more than two thousand miles, and we have to cross mountains and ridges. Even if we take the sea route, it will take half a month to go to Jinling with favorable winds and rivers. If we go against the wind and the current, ...Why do you think I gave him a Quanzhou County boy instead of others when he was knighted?"
Chen Ning couldn't help but feel a little shocked: "You mean, you had already planned for him to go to Quanzhou when you knighted him?"
Hu Weiyong smiled deeply and said with penetrating eyes: "For a minister like Gu Zhengchen, who can govern both the people and the army, it is really a waste of talent to stay as a magistrate in Jurong. He should be promoted and go to Quanzhou to be a magistrate. "
Chen Ning frowned: "Zhang Hao, the prefect of Quanzhou, is still in office..."
Hu Weiyong waved his hand: "Zhang Hao may not be able to adapt to the soil and water of Fujian. He may become an official when he gets there. Now, do you know what to do?"
Chen Ning understood.
Since Gu Zhengchen couldn't be trampled to death, we had to find another way to make him fall to death.
It takes a certain height to fall to death. Now I need to help him. Give him a stool and bricks to step on his feet. He has climbed high and will fall easily. Plus the distance is far. When he falls, no one may be able to take action in time. Give him a hand.
Meeting the next day.
Yang Haihai, the imperial censor, wrote: "There was a severe drought at the beginning of the year in Shangyuan County, Jiangning County, Lishui County, Jurong County and other counties. Only Gu Zhengchen, the magistrate of Jurong County, knew that the drought was urgent, built water conservancy, and used water trucks to divert water day and night. Common people. At present, the common people in Shangyuan County, Jiangning County, Lishui County and other places have suffered a serious reduction in production, and the epidemic has come. I heard that the common people in Jurong have a good harvest, which is comparable to previous years..."
"Therefore, the magistrate of Jurong County has made great contributions to the people and the court. Considering his past achievements, it is reasonable to promote his official position and appoint him as a magistrate to display his talents and show the court's eagerness to use talents..."
Zhu Yuanzhang thought he heard wrongly.
Yang Hai was very close to Chen Ning, and the school inspector had reported this matter several times. Chen Ning and Gu Zhengchen were not getting along, which was well known throughout the court. Unexpectedly, one day, Chen Ning would ask the censor to say good things to Gu Zhengchen, and would he want to promote Gu Zhengchen to the prefect?
What are you thinking about?
The Yuanhuo Bureau founded by Gu Zhengchen has finally made some progress. You just want him to get away?
It's about firearms, about defeating cavalry with foot, and about the great cause of the Northern Expedition. Gu Zhengchen can only stay in Jurong for the past two years. Not to mention that he has trained his troops well. The Jurong Guard can defeat the elite Yulin Guard. We still expect him to be able to do so. Build an extra army and let him run away. Who can replace him?
This guy has a lot of clever ideas, novel ideas, and always finds unexpected solutions when faced with difficult problems. If he runs too far, we need to ask him, and we are not allowed to let people run back and forth for more than a month, or even two moon?
Chen Ning, Chen Ning, you obviously want to promote Gu Zhengchen, but in fact you want to send him far away.
Zhu Yuanzhang did not tolerate Chen Ning this time and decided to give him a beating. His face darkened and he said sternly: "Zhao Hai, as a censor, don't you even know about the common sense of appraising officials every few years? Then Gu Zhengchen It's just a local magistrate. He has been in office for less than a year, and you speak for him like this, and you want him to be promoted to magistrate. Why, did you accept a bribe?"
Zhao Hai was stunned for a moment.
Emperor, you are going too far when you say this. Look at the civil servants of the Manchu Dynasty. There are a few who have been tested for three years after serving. In some places, county magistrates have become ministers in a blink of an eye. Some censors have suddenly become involved in politics. Some The unpopular teachings suddenly emerged and became the supervisory censor...
When it comes to nonsense, aren't you the most foolish?
Now that Gu Zhengchen has been less than a year old, let me go and see if I can show my face.
The slander is the slander, Zhao Hai did not dare to directly say anything wrong with Zhu Yuanzhang. He is the emperor and can be willful, but he is the censor, so he can only accept his fate...
"Your Majesty often asks the imperial censor to inspect talents. I believe that Gu Zhengchen is a capable minister and should be reused. It has nothing to do with him personally."
Zhao Hai is neither humble nor arrogant.
This is what you, Lao Zhu, told me to do. I will do it according to your instructions. I can't make any mistakes, right?
Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at Zhao Hai jokingly, and said with a smile: "I can see that you are loyal to work for me. Since you have a keen eye for discovering talents, I will send you to Guangdong to patrol places and inspect talents. You must work hard. , knowing the suffering of the people and detecting corruption and corruption!”
Zhao Hai was dumbfounded.
If he wasn't just recommending an official, why would he recommend himself?
Guangdong!
The place was very wild, and people would make trouble from time to time. If someone was killed, there would be no one to collect the body on the road.
Chen Ning was a little uneasy.
Could it be said that both those who impeached Gu Zhengchen and those who recommended him will be in bad luck?
This girl is a hedgehog, no one can touch it?
Hu Weiyong had a straight face and said nothing.
Judging from Zhu Yuanzhang's attitude, Gu Zhengchen might not be able to leave Jurong in a short time. Is this person really so important?
Zhao Hai looked at Zhu Yuanzhang and begged for mercy: "Your Majesty, I am ill and may not be able to go to Guangdong. Please have mercy on me."
Zhu Yuanzhang smiled: "Are you sick? I heard that you just took a concubine a month ago, and you went out last night and didn't go back for an hour. Since you are sick, why don't you have a good rest at home? As a censor, you You have the duty of patrolling and supervising the local area. I appointed you to go there, but you refused to do it. How can this happen?"
Zhao Hai was panicked.
He is just an inconspicuous censor, but the emperor actually knows so much about his movements and affairs?
Hu Weiyong felt Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze coming over, and his heart sank.
It seems that school inspections are everywhere. Chen Ning's visit last night may have also fallen into the eyes of this group of people!
But that doesn't matter.
As a censor, it was normal for Chen Ning to discuss matters with the prime minister. It was not a mistake to work overtime at night. As for the conversation between the two people, it will not be leaked.
The mansion is not so easy to penetrate, and my home is not the Song Lian family.
Zhao Hai had no choice but to accept the order and go to Guangdong.
Another censor fell to "Gu Zhengchen", which gave everyone in the censor station a common understanding:
Gu Zhengchen cannot be mentioned.
No matter whether he is good or bad, no matter how outstanding or outrageous he is, just pretend that the censor can't see or hear him, and don't mention him.
If there is a problem with Gu Zhengchen, it is probably the emperor's problem, at least after the emperor backs him up. It’s weird to say you can win in this situation…
Jurong.
Han Yike walked, looked, and asked all the way, and found that the people in Jurong and the people in Shangyuan County were completely different.
The people in Shangyuan County were in poverty and lamented that they did not know the future.
The people in Jurong County work diligently, and no matter how tired they are, there is always a sense of vitality on their faces.
"Old man, how is the harvest this year?"
"One acre of land yields two stones of rice. It's not bad. It's a good harvest year."
"It all depends on you as the county magistrate? No, you are the ones who really do the hard work."
"Why is this old woman sitting on the ground crying, but she has been unfairly wronged, or is being bullied and dare not file a lawsuit?"
"Oh, you miss your wife, then think about it..."
"Brother, why are the pigs here dragging the children away? Could it be that the children in Jurong are left to the pigs?"
"What about that? If you keep chasing me, I won't help you. Poor kid, he's not as strong as a pig, so why let the pig go..."
Han Yike searched for a long time, but he could not find anyone who had resentment against the county government, nor did he meet a common person who was oppressed by big families. The people here are very harmonious, there is no disturbance here, it is very peaceful.
Han Yike looked back in the direction of Minghe Mountain. The Jurong Guards Camp was there, but he could not enter it because he did not get His Majesty's warrant.
Entering Jurong County, Han Yike would visit every fifth store and ask questions. When he saw the caravans lined up outside the Jurong Craftsman’s Compound, Han Yike was a little shocked.
Jurong County is much more lively than Shangyuan County, and the number of caravans is also much greater.
It can be seen that Gu Zhengchen worked hard to govern Jurong.
Han Yike stood outside the gate of the county government office and took out the censor's waistband and documents: "I have been ordered to check the accounts of the Jurong County government office and bring all the accounts to me."
When Zhao Qian, an official in Chengfa House, saw that he was the censor, he did not dare to neglect him. After asking his name, he smiled and said, "The county magistrate is not here. Can Yushi Han wait for a moment?"
Han Yike looked at Zhao Qian coldly: "The account belongs to the magistrate? If not, bring it over immediately, I want to review it!"
