The plan for the year begins with spring.
Last year, all states and counties suffered from drought and floods, so this year's spring plowing was particularly important. Firstly, the court urgently needed to stock up on grains, and secondly, the national treasury was empty and could no longer withstand famine and riots.
Being the head of a family is always the most difficult.
Zhu Suxing accompanied his father every day to calculate accounts and money. The money copied by the Xie family was not enough to cover the expenses reported by the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Industry in the coming year. The Ministry of Accounts also reported every day that they wanted to reduce taxes and recuperate to benefit the people.
Things are happening one after another, making people anxious.
The soup delivered from the imperial kitchen was bland and tasteless.
Zhu Xuxing took a few bites, frowned and put it down.
Xu Zhihuai reached around his hand, gently pressed his temples with his bare hands, and whispered softly: "It's getting late, your highness and I should go back and rest together."
Zhu Xuxing sighed: "These bad debts must be settled clearly."
Xu Zhihuai was secretly worried: the imperial court was short of money, and it would be impossible to scrape it together. It would be too time-consuming and laborious to find ways to raise money and wait for past debts to fill the hole. After all, who would spit out meat easily?
"His Highness said that the Xie family still has thirty thousand taels of silver."
"Wei Li has been investigating. Xie Ningchao will not give in to that stubborn old man easily. He is not afraid of death and will not vomit it out even if he dies."
Xu Zhihuai pondered slightly and said: "There is no one who is not afraid of death. Now that the matter has come to this, the most important thing is to recover the money. Why don't you, Your Highness, do a combination of kindness and power?"
Zhu Xuxing turned his head and raised his eyebrows: "What good idea do you have?"
Xu Zhihuai put his hands around his neck, put his warm and smooth cheek against his neck, and rubbed it gently: "Let him spend money to buy his life. As long as he is willing to spit out the dirty money he used to be greedy, the court will show mercy and thank him." Leaving the family with a way to survive can be regarded as making them guilty and meritorious."
"I won't give the Xie family a chance to make a comeback."
Zhu Xuxing obviously didn't agree with this approach. He could let Wei Li investigate the matter of Yinzi, but in the worst case, he would use all his means and bleed like a river.
Xu Zhihuai said softly: "Your Highness does not need to really promise them anything. As long as they see a glimmer of hope that they can turn around, the money may come back. As the saying goes, a war never tires of deceit... They have been bossing around all their lives, and the most important thing is dignity. Instead of money. Your Highness, why don't you dig a decent hole and wait for them to fall into it."
These words made Zhu Xiuxing deep in thought.
He deeply hates the Xie family. This disgust and resentment has been weighing heavily on his heart for many years, making him a little impulsive and stubborn.
The eldest sister also reminded him that he should sit back and observe the overall situation and not act on impulse.
Seeing that he was silent for a long time, Xu Zhihuai came close to his face and kissed him gently: "Your Highness works so hard every day, and I feel heartbroken when I look at it... Come to think of it, Xie Ningchao has accumulated misfortune, and he is the one who should work hard, and the one who should pay off the debt is His Highness wants to chop him with a knife, but it will make him happy instead."
Sometimes, real money is more useful than a bad breath.
Zhu Xuxing seemed to feel something. He turned around and hugged her fragrant and soft body: "Why are you so powerful today? You are so smart and powerful."
Xu Zhihuai put his chin lightly on his shoulder, his eyes dark: "The people your Highness hates are the people I hate. I will not allow anyone to bully Your Highness, and I will never let them have an easy time."
Zhu Xuxing was finally made to laugh by her.
In the afternoon of the next day, Zhu Xuxing summoned Wei Li and talked to him about the matter.
Wei Li heard that it was Xu Zhihuai's "idea" and knew that she still wanted to take the position of crown princess deliberately.
Zhu Xuxing's love for Xu Zhihuai was beyond words.
Wei Li looked at the unconcealable smile on his face and couldn't help but think about how Xu Zhihuai made him happy.
Soft body, soft lips, soft screams... She has so many tricks that will surely satisfy the prince.
Thinking of this, Wei Li's face sank slightly, and then he took the order and left.
For the Xie family, exchanging money for the emperor's favor and being released from prison is simply a great thing that they dare not even think about.
Zhu Xuxing was so sincere that he did not hesitate to go to the Ministry of Justice in person.
Xie Ningchao was brought out for interrogation. Although he was wearing a prison uniform, he was clean and tidy, and his gray hair was combed meticulously. His eyes full of vicissitudes of life shone with determination and determination to refuse to admit defeat.
"I thank Ning Chao and bow to His Highness the Crown Prince."
Hearing that he called himself "subject" instead of "criminal minister", Zhu Xuxing frowned slightly, but said calmly: "Give me a seat."
Xie Ningchao lowered his head and sat steadily.
Zhu Xuxing expressed his intention to come and mentioned the plight of the empty treasury. Xie Ningchao immediately stood up and kowtowed again: "Everything I and the Xie family have is given by the imperial court. As long as it is needed by the imperial court, I am willing to go to pieces. I will own all the property of the Xie family." I offer it to you, and I only ask that the Emperor’s grace be great, that Your Highness be wise, and let me and my family go... I am already a man with his neck buried in loess, and I won’t live long, so I hope Your Highness will be merciful.”
Zhu Xuxing was scornful in his heart, but still gentle and gentle on his face: "Mr. I don’t want your liver, but I don’t want your life. I just hope that you will be loyal to the end and do your best to raise 30,000 taels of silver for the court to ensure the stability of the country."
Xie Ningchao said with a magnanimous face: "I will never give up even if I die."
Cold weather is the best time to eat hot food.
A bowl of handmade glutinous rice dumplings is the best.
The thick honey filling is wrapped in a soft and tough skin, which is fragrant and sweet when you take a bite.
Xu Zhihuai made a large plate of glutinous rice balls with his own hands and gave a portion to the eldest princess, which was soft and glutinous and served in a warm bowl with Baoxiang pattern.
Coincidentally, Wei Li was also there.
Zhu Weizhen looked at the bowl of glutinous rice balls and smiled, then asked the maid to give him two to try.
Wei Li lowered his eyes and looked at the soft white glutinous rice balls in the bowl. In a daze, he suddenly thought of Xu Zhihuai's snow-white skin, icy skin and snowy skin. His palms had touched every inch of her body, her slender frame, and her soft skin. , fragrant and tender.
Her taste is sweeter, sweeter than glutinous rice balls wrapped in honey fillings.
In his memory, her long-lasting sweetness bewitched him and seduced him.
Wei Li's throat moved and his eyes blinked slightly.
"She is so clever and clever at coaxing people. No wonder the prince likes her so much."
Seeing his silence, Zhu Weizhen spoke calmly.
Wei Li put down the porcelain bowl and straightened her back: "It is her destiny to be liked by the prince."
"You obviously trained me well."
Wei Li made his attitude clear: "She is the Crown Prince's woman and does not need my training."
Zhu Weizhen smiled softly when he heard this: "Are you willing to do it?"
Wei Li was alert and his eyes were deep: "I never covet the prince's things."
"It's just a joke, why should we take it seriously?"
Wei Li did not answer directly, but stood up slowly and said, "Your Highness, if you have nothing to say, I will take my leave first."
Zhu Weizhen nodded meaningfully: "People who do big things don't have the leisure to mess with women."
