Wuying Palace.
Zhu Yunwen took the spoon and gently stirred the mung bean soup. A few pieces of crushed ice touched the bowl and made a tinkling sound. Then he stood up, brought the mung bean soup to Li Laosan, and said with a smile: "I haven't been a guest at your home for a long time. How are you, are you all okay? I heard that Li Sheng is going to be a father, and I know that girl Huanhuan, have you found Po Wen yet?"
Li Laosan respectfully took the bowl and put it aside, and eagerly took out a letter from his arms: "Your Majesty, Wen Po has been found and three experienced ones have been found. She will give birth at the end of this month. Huan Huan was thinking about the emperor's life-saving grace and asked Li Sheng to write a letter and send it to him."
Zhu Yunwen looked at Li Laosan who winked, took the letter personally, opened it, read it, and put the letter away calmly, as if nothing happened: "I have received this letter, and I understand your thoughts. Tell me. Li Sheng, Huan Huan, and others, I will go and see everyone when the child is one month old."
Li Laosan bent over and looked at Zhu Yunwen with some worry. He wanted to speak but dared not.
Zhu Yunwen understood Li Laosan's concerns and said with relief: "Don't worry, I'll keep my word and I won't miss the deadline."
Li Laosan understood, chatted for a few words, and left the palace in the rain.
The chamberlain exits.
Zhu Yunwen looked at Tang Buping who came out and handed the letter over: "Shen Yiyuan cannot make a judgment on my danger just based on some unknown merchants and big households coming to Beijing. Someone must have lobbied him and talked about something. It seems that the person behind the scenes, It’s very energetic.”
After reading the letter, Tang Buping asked worriedly: "Your Majesty, at this juncture, the two kings actually want to openly discuss floating tax rates, control of farmland and other court matters in the chamber of commerce."
policy, deliberately agitating people's hearts and putting pressure on the court..."
Zhu Yunwen raised his hand, interrupted Tang Buping, and said calmly: "Don't worry about them, just listen to what they say. They are my imperial uncles and they do not deserve to be punished for this."
Tang Buping opened his mouth but said nothing.
Indeed, Zhu Zhi and Zhu Gui were both sons of Taizu and uncles of the emperor. If they spoke too much, they could easily be accused of interfering in the internal affairs of the royal family and alienating royal relations.
The emperor is still too kind to these uncles.
Zhu Yunwen put his hands behind his back and listened to the heavy rain outside the window, with a cold murderous intent flashing in his eyes.
The vassal king engaged in business. This was a strategy that he had to adopt to weaken the vassal when he first came to the throne.
Looking back over the past eleven years, this policy has been implemented very thoroughly.
A number of vassal kings engaged in business, and those with business talents, such as King Zhu Zhi of Liao and King Zhu Chu of Min, went to Nanyang and did big business, and now have accumulated a lot of wealth. There is also the acting king Zhu Gui, who has almost built a coal "empire" in his hands. It controls the largest coal resources in the Ming Dynasty. If you don't have business talent, just dig some other minerals. Just stay at home and count the money, and you won't starve to death.
The vassal king engaged in business, which solved the potential threat of the vassal king sitting in a large place at the beginning of his accession to the throne, and avoided the possible problem of the vassal king's separatist regime.
But should the feudal king's policy of doing business really continue to be implemented?
Zhu Yunwen shook his head.
No!
What started as a compromise policy is now not far away from the end of the compromise.
There are problems with vassal kings doing business. It is okay to abide by the rules. For example, the King of Liao and the King of Min. Overall, these two people are very rule-abiding. When doing business, they do business thoroughly and use business.
To operate and live in a human way, to truly position yourself as a businessman, you should pay taxes and compete.
But not all feudal lords followed the rules.
The vassal kings such as Dai Wang Zhu Gui and Su Wang Zhu Mei were not so honest when doing business. They did not abide by the rules of merchants. They bullied the market by relying on their status as imperial uncles. They used illegal means to force other businessmen to withdraw from mineral deposits and to withdraw from better locations. There have also been incidents of smashing into other people's shops.
What they want is a monopoly and control of the Ming Dynasty's greatest wealth. What they want is to become an emperor in the business world and have everyone bow down and bow down!
In this case, we should not stop them, but allow them to continue to indulge in lawlessness.
If you want to take it, you must first give it.
Zhu Yunwen felt like a hypocrite, staring at the neck of the feudal lord with a concerned smile on his face.
But there is no way. There should be no leaders with official backgrounds in the merchant collective. It will never be the turn of merchants to form political forces to interfere with the operation of the court. Even if business develops again, the court can standardize and adjust business laws and policies, and listen to the opinions of merchants. opinions, but businessmen cannot be allowed to become political forces.
But now, some people are forming this force and trying to influence the court. This is wrong. If it continues, it will only lead to one result:
The emergence of large business interest groups and the emergence of political groups that spoke for businessmen led to the formation of party struggles.
Zhu Yunwen will never allow this to happen. Like the Bangzi Kingdom in later generations, a group can control who sits on the pile of broken rubble. Zhu Yunwen knows very well that the interests of businessmen can never replace political interests.
The businessman is dishonest, the feudal lord
Wang's dishonesty is not a bad thing at this moment.
Although they may bring some trouble, Zhu Yunwen is not afraid of trouble. There are enough troubles now, and it doesn't hurt to have a little more. Let's settle the accounts together after the autumn, so that we can solve the businessman's problem and the feudal king's problem.
The acting king Zhu Gui is an impatient person and is very decisive in doing things. He has been in business for many years and is best at three-axe:
The first axe: Come to the door and give me conditions. Get out of here.
Second Ax: If you don’t take the initiative to get out, I will help you.
Third Ax: I am the emperor's uncle, and everyone obeys me.
How can an ordinary businessman withstand these three blows? After being beaten down, the business of Dai Wangfu became bigger and bigger, the money became more and more, and the number of followers naturally increased. There were ninety-nine goons in and out of the house, and the family also raised more than three hundred " "Son", this posture is even more powerful than when he was in Shanxi.
Zhu Gui's idea is very simple. As long as I don't rebel, the emperor can't do anything to him. As for bullying a few businessmen, it doesn't matter. Anyway, one-third of the profits are sent to the palace every year. Emperor, you have also received money and received benefits. There is no problem in using your name, right?
Being arrogant all the time made Zhu Gui resentful of disobedience and opposition, and made Zhu Gui want more.
Dai Wangfu.
Zhu Gui stood up and looked at the window that was opened by the wind and rain. He stood up and walked to the window. A bolt of lightning split the sky and the room instantly became brighter.
"Next time you come, don't climb through the window again."
Zhu Gui pulled up a chair and sat down.
A man in black slowly walked out behind him, took out a letter from his arms and handed it to Zhu Gui: "Wang Daneng has promised to take the lead in opposing the imperial court's arrogance at the Chamber of Commerce of Heroes.
Change tax rates and land control. However, Shen Yiyuan and Chang Baiye did not listen to the persuasion, and they had no intention of becoming our helpers. "
Zhu Gui took the letter, read it, and then tore it up bit by bit: "Shen Yiyuan and Chang Baiye, these two people have a huge influence on Huizhou and Shanxi merchants, and they have a great say among businessmen. If these two people don't stand up, , Wang Daneng alone may not be able to move many people's hearts. I didn't expect that several lobbying efforts were unsuccessful. It seems that they have made up their minds and sided with the emperor. "
The man in black said solemnly: "They don't agree. It's not easy for us to mobilize businessmen to do things."
Zhu Gui chuckled and threw down the scraps of paper: "Businessmen are just a cover and a cover-up. It doesn't matter if they are there or not. Just keep an eye on the Security Bureau. These talents are the biggest threat."
"yes."
The man in black agreed, turned and left.
Zhu Gui looked at the empty room, walked to the book wall, and fumbled for a button. The book wall slowly revealed a crack. He pushed the book wall open, Zhu Gui walked in, and the book wall closed.
In the secret room, the candlelight flickered.
An old man is playing chess. The chessboard is covered with black and white pieces.
Zhu Gui approached, cupped his hands and said, "Is it okay to just sit here and take a photo?"
Zhu Zuozhao glanced at Zhu Gui, stood up and returned the courtesy: "Your Majesty, everything is fine here, but there is some lack of breeze and no bright moon."
Zhu Gui laughed and said: "I can't let you appear outside now. I really can't imagine that so many things have happened in Jinling City over the years. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't even dare to expect that position. You are indeed the best Powerful chess player, you created all this,
It's just that you haven't told me yet why you chose me instead of King Yan? "
Zhu Zuozhao picked up a sunspot, and a smile appeared on his old face: "King Yan? Haha, if it were ten years ago, King Yan might still be able to achieve great things, but now King Yan can't do such great things. Although he has prestige in the army, and although he is the general who conquered the north, you also know that the strategy of the new army, the backbone generals, and the low-level sergeants are all loyal to Emperor Jianwen, and King Yan is a minister in the eyes of everyone."
"Without Zhu Yunwen's approval and nod, the King of Yan would not be able to command any of the Beijing troops, and it would be even less possible for him to lead the Beijing troops to rebel. What's more, there are many security bureau sergeants and scouts in the Beijing army. These people are very well hidden. Once Yan The king has other thoughts, and before he can return to Jinling, his head will fall to the ground halfway."
"But you are different. Among all the vassal kings, you are the one most likely to achieve great things. You have money, control the largest coal mine in the Ming Dynasty, and you also have soldiers in your hands, those slave soldiers made by Sergeant Timur. They are for When I go home, I must be willing to sacrifice and fight for you to the end. But no one cares about you. The security bureau does not care about you, and the emperor does not care about you. In such a stormy moment, except you as the king, who else can ride the wind and rise to the top of the world? ?”
When Zhu Gui heard this, his heart became hot and he paced excitedly: "Yes, the fourth child is indeed not qualified and has no means. As for the other elder brothers, haha, they are all either nerds or timid, not people who can do big things. .Since this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I have your help, let’s do this great thing. After it is completed, you, Zhu Lizhao, will become the chief minister of the Ming Dynasty.
! "
Zhu Zuizhao stood up, lifted up the hem of his clothes, knelt down, kowtowed and said, "I, Zhu Zuizhao, thank you for your grace. Long live, long live, long live."
Zhu Gui laughed and felt happy.
My dear nephew, you have been emperor for eleven years, which is long enough. Now my uncle also wants to sit on the throne!
Zhu Zuozhao lowered his head and hid the sunspot in his sleeve, with a smile on his lips, a strong smile.
