Prince Yan's Mansion.
In the pavilion in the lake, Dao Yan was sitting alone by the chess game, playing with each other, leisurely and contentedly.
There was a gentle breeze, layers of ripples appeared on the lake surface, and fish jumped out of the water, as if trying to break free from the shackles of water.
Zhu Di hurried to the pavilion, walking quickly, almost trotting all the way.
"You're upset."
When Dao Yan waited for Zhu Di to run into the pavilion, he didn't get up to greet him. He still stared at the chess game and spoke calmly.
"Something big happened in the court." Zhu Di took a breath and sat down opposite Dao Yan.
Dao Yan held the white piece in his hand. He was slightly startled but did not put it down immediately. He asked, "Has your Majesty appointed a prince?"
Zhu Di shook his head and said: "That's not true. This morning, Zhao Mian, the Minister of Household Affairs, petitioned to increase the commercial tax from one tax of thirty to one tax of five."
Dao Yan said with a smile: "Since your Majesty came to the throne, you have changed the heavy commercial tax of the previous dynasty and reduced it to thirty-one tax. You have also stipulated that all books, pens, ink, farm tools, boats, carriages, silk cloth, etc. are tax-free, and the tax levy has been abolished. The three hundred and sixty-four divisions are the benevolent government of this dynasty, and are praised by everyone in the world."
"Zhao Mian is in charge of the household department and is in charge of the world's money and food. It is reasonable to want to collect more taxes. However, this move is detrimental to His Majesty's sage."
"Since ancient times, business taxes have been difficult to collect. Rich businessmen often find many ways to avoid taxes. Those who are taxed are just small businessmen who harm the people's livelihood."
"It is absolutely impossible for Your Majesty to agree to Zhao Mian's request."
Zhu Di sighed and said: "You are right, I think so too. But Your Majesty is right!"
Snapped!
The chess piece in Dao Yan's hand fell, but it didn't fall to the critical point, and he made a bad move.
He didn't look at the chessboard, looked up at Zhu Di and said, "Tell me in detail."
Zhu Di took out a printed manuscript from his arms, handed it over, and said, "Look at this first."
Dao Yan took it and opened it, his face gradually became solemn. After reading it, he sat there blankly, as dumb as a chicken, without saying a word.
After a while, he sighed and said: "Whoever can come up with this method is truly a genius."
Zhu Di nodded and said: "I think so too. Even you said this, do you know who mentioned it?"
Dao Yan thought about it for a moment: "Zhao Mian is just a pedantic Confucian scholar, there is no way he can come up with such a wonderful method. People in the court..."
He thought again and again, shook his head and said: "Lao Na really can't think of anyone in the court who has such ability and can come up with this method."
Zhu Di shifted his gaze to the fish that were faintly visible on the lake and said, "The one who came up with this method is my nephew Zhu Yunxu."
Dao Yan's body froze.
Zhu Di said: "You saw it just now. This method is exquisite, which shows that the person behind him is extraordinary."
"But we don't even know who he is."
He never thought that Zhu Yunzhen came up with this method himself.
Neither Zhu Di nor Dao Yan thought that a seven-year-old child could think of double-entry accounting, invoices, tax certificates and other things.
But that's not important.
They are Tianhuang nobles, and it is their ability to recruit capable subordinates.
What Zhu Di was most worried about was that there was such a person standing behind Zhu Yunxuan. Zhu Yuanzhang would definitely take him into consideration when he established the throne.
Just like Shangshan Sihao came out to persuade, Liu Bang no longer had the idea of changing the prince.
Because they represent the world's literati.
The prince has the support of the world's literati, how else can he change it?
Similarly, with the assistance of such a figure, Zhu Yuanzhang had reason to make him the crown prince.
Zhu Yunwen himself does not stand out, but he pushes his seven-year-old brother to the front desk. He is really tall!
Zhu Yunzhen was just a little boy, and he was not the eldest son. No one would think that he had any ability to compete for the heir apparent.
For everything he did, the credit must go to his brother from the same mother.
But the storm outside was blocked by this younger brother, who was hiding behind the scenes.
I think dad must understand what he means.
The more Zhu Di thought about it, the more it made sense.
I didn't realize that this nephew had such ability before, so I underestimated him.
"Master, how do you think this person is smarter than you?"
Dao Yan smiled slightly, touched his beard, and said, "As far as accounting skills are concerned, I am far inferior to him based on the double-entry accounting method he proposed."
"But when it comes to strategy and calculation, Lao Na will not lose to anyone in the world."
Between the words, he suddenly felt heroic.
Zhu Di smiled and said: "Master, don't forget, he also proposed a strategy to pacify Beiyuan and consolidate the vassal state."
Daoyan's smile suddenly froze, and the hand touching his beard stopped there.
Zhu Di laughed.
On weekdays, Dao Yan always thinks that his talent is the best in the world, and his strategy and mental arithmetic are unparalleled.
Today I finally saw him eating turtle, and Zhu Di felt very happy.
"Speaking of which, there is one more thing to do today."
"My seven-year-old nephew Zhu Yunzhen also wrote a poem. Our father was very happy and has ordered it to be published and announced to the whole country."
As he spoke, he read out the poem.
After hearing this, Dao Yan said softly: "There have been talented people from generation to generation, and each has been leading the way for hundreds of years!"
"What a loud tone and high ambition."
Zhu Di said: "There are rumors that this poem was memorized by Zhu Yunxi after he overheard an unknown monk reciting it casually. After the monk finished reciting, he disappeared."
Dao Yan sneered and said: "The unknown monk also helped him with accounting methods and Ping Beiyuan's methods. Could it be that these are just recited casually?"
Zhu Di pondered for a moment and said: "This person's identity is unknown, and the spies I placed in their house failed to find out the situation."
"My two nephews have secretly discussed matters with Fang Xiaoru, Qi Tai, and Huang Zicheng. Could it be that they..."
Dao Yan rolled his eyes at him and said, "Your Highness, how smart are you usually? Why are you so stupid today?"
"Fang Xiaoru and others are just rotten scholars. Their poetry and composition are acceptable, and their strategies and operations are only at the level of a child. How could they come up with such brilliant strategies and accounting methods?"
"There must be someone else behind Zhu Yunzhen."
Zhu Di sighed: "This person has been hiding in the dark, but I want to find a way to force him out."
Dao Yan didn't answer immediately. He picked up a black stone, looked at the chessboard, and played with the chess piece between his fingers without letting it fall.
After a long time, he finally said: "Zhu Yunzhen's previous advice to Lan Yu to avoid trouble was a bit strange, and it didn't seem like a move to compete for the heir apparent."
Zhu Di was thoughtful, then turned around and said, "Perhaps it's just a tactic of retreating in order to advance, not fighting in order to fight."
Dao Yan shook his head gently: "Pointing at Lan Yu is against the holy will. With this person's scheming, it is impossible to even think of this. The poor monk has a vague feeling that Zhu Yunxuan and Zhu Yunxuan are not of the same mind."
Zhu Di was shocked when he heard this and blurted out: "How is it possible? Is it possible that Zhu Yunzhen, a seven-year-old child, still wants to compete for the position of prince?"
"Why not?"
Dao Yan dropped the black seed in his hand and said, "His Majesty asked him before, have you forgotten?"
"As for the eldest son, you are not either."
"You can fight for the reserve, why can't he?"
"The person behind him has such an astonishing talent, and he has also written poems that are proud of the world, and has the potential to lead the way for hundreds of years. The person behind him must have a big plan."
"If he said that he had the intention to guide Zhu Yunzhen to fight for the Ming Dynasty, Lao Na would not be surprised at all."
"Besides, His Majesty has made his proposals public many times without hiding them. He has also published his poems to help increase his reputation. Who knows if they belong to him?"
Zhu Di was stunned and speechless for a long time.
He never thought deeply about this idea.
In his opinion, Zhu Yunzhen was not qualified to compete for the throne at all.
But now when I heard Dao Yan mention it, the more I thought about it, the more it made sense.
Immediately, he burst into laughter and his worries turned into joy.
"If this person instructs Zhu Yunwen to fight for a big position, with his great talent, I really can't bear to think about it."
"But he insists on putting his treasure on a seven-year-old, so God helps me."
In any case, in his opinion, it is much easier to deal with a seven-year-old baby than to deal with Zhu Yunwen, a teenage boy.
Not to mention that the other party is not the direct eldest son.
Dao Yan said in a deep voice: "It's better not to be careless."
"Didn't he say he likes riding and shooting?"
"You can find a time to ask him out and see if you can catch the person behind it."
"No matter how powerful the person behind him is, your nephew is just a seven-year-old baby after all..."
