Chapter 670 The wind rises in the "E" scroll
Channgle Palace.
Since the sixth year of Yonglong, Zhang Ye has moved here. It is not far from Renshou Palace, more spacious and quiet, and further away from Yangxin Palace and Qianqing Palace.
I don’t know why, but after turning the New Year, Zhang Ye felt that his body was not in good condition. After catching a cold, he kept coughing. It didn’t get better until February, but then he had hot flashes, sweating, and loss of appetite. Not good, which made him feel more and more the impact of his age on him.
I think back then, I was a man who mounted his horse, raised his spear, dismounted his horse, and wielded a sword with great prowess. How come I now have to weigh how many steps I can take?
“Gu Cheng, please accompany me for a walk.”
Seeing that Gu Cheng, whose hair on his temples had turned white, was still looking calmly, Zhang Ye felt much more at ease. As long as Gu Cheng was around, he would not become deaf or blind, and everything would still be under control.
The two people walked slowly out of the door. The spring light outside the window was bright and the breeze was gentle, attracting waves of Lin Tao.
"Lin Hai has died of illness. The fourth child has been more diligent in coming to me these days. Huh, he is eyeing my little private money. Doesn't it mean that the strategy of opening up the sea can bring a lot of income to the court? "Zhang Ye's eyes were blurred, as if he was looking into the distance or thinking about something.
"Back to the Emperor, there has been a lot of momentum for opening up the sea, but no cash has been seen yet. The emperor has allowed the Zhongshu Department to be responsible for the opening of the sea, but the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Industry are also arguing with the Zhongshu Department. It depends on what Yangzhou is like. Whether Bian can implement it or not, they should have gained something by stabbing the salt merchant. However, now Chai Ke is guarding the door of the household department every day and scolding, and neither Feng Tang nor Chen Jingxuan is willing to take office. The emperor may be really anxious. .”
"Chai Ke is so shameless? Hasn't he always prided himself on his image and magnanimity?" Zhang Ye laughed dumbly, put down his hands from behind, bowed slightly, and picked up the flowers with his fingers, as if he was feeling the vitality of the spring of the eighth year of Yonglong. "Let's start with the salt merchants. Is this killing the goose to obtain the eggs, or drinking poison to quench thirst?"
"It's a desperate situation. Neither Feng Tang nor Chen Jingxuan are willing to take office. This household owes more than one million taels to various departments. Zheng Jizhi also promised Li Sancai's river engineering and water transport repairs. It is said that it will cost 800,000 taels. It is estimated that even Chai Ke is starting to worry about whether Jiangnan can really get money as Feng Keng said." Gu Cheng pondered for a moment, but had no easy answer to the Emperor's last question.
"Well, if the three salt merchants and the imperial court are ruthless, they may be able to harvest two to three million, but this will chill the salt merchants' hearts. If there is no explanation, the salt merchants' money will not be good in the future. Take it." There was a hint of disdain on Zhang Ye's lips, "Zheng Jizhi and Guan Yingzhen are also jumping over the wall in a hurry, and Lao Si and Ye Xianggao are also pretending to be deaf and dumb. What benefit does Fang Congzhe gain?"
This topic is even harder to answer, but seeing Zhang Ye twisting the petals and leaning slightly, he knew that this topic could not be avoided. He thought about it for a while and Gu Chengcai said: "It is said that the salt merchants were supposed to contract most of the previously determined sea-opening bonds. But later on, he did it voluntarily. In addition, the matter of the bank was also voluntary, but because of the support of several princes in Beijing, it still had some influence on Jiangnan..."
“Oh? Lao Jiu?” Zhang Ye’s eyes narrowed.
"Well, it is said that Prince Zhongshun first invested 80,000 taels to invest in Yinzhuang, and later added another 70,000 taels, making a total investment of 150,000 taels. He is the largest shareholder of Yinzhuang. Several other princes also invested, and several princes also invested. The total investment is around five hundred thousand taels,..."
Gu Chen's words made Zhang Ye fall into silence. After a long time, Zhang Yecai said quietly: "If Lao Jiu behaves like a monster, are you not afraid that Lao Si will feel bad about him?"
Gu Cheng hesitated for a moment, as if he still didn't understand the meaning of the Emperor's words. Before he could speak, the Emperor shook his head sadly.
"I'm wrong. How can the fourth child care about this now? He is probably hoping that the ninth child can take the lead in shouting for him. Humph, these people who usually cry about being poor and curse and ask for money in the ancestral hall during the Chinese New Year are behind their backs. The guy who stabbed me in the spine can easily take out hundreds of thousands of taels of silver, which makes me feel chilled."
Gu Cheng remained silent.
In the thirty-fifth year of Yuanxi, Emperor Yuanxi went south to the south of the Yangtze River for the last time. The cost was huge, which aroused criticism and criticism from the ministers in the court and the people. They believed that the cost of going south to the south of the Yangtze River was extravagant, but the household department was stretched everywhere, and the nine-border frontier army was in arrears with pay. Countless, triggering constant small-scale mutinies.
At that time, it was the battle between the Nine Tribes outside the Pass. The Ministry of War ordered Liaodong Town to send troops to intervene to prevent the Jurchen forces from growing in Jianzhou. However, Li Chengliang refused to intervene in the battle on the grounds that Liaodong Town had insufficient food and wages and low morale, which directly led to the defeat of the Nine Tribes.
The final result was that the Jianzhou Jurchens took the opportunity to rise, and eight years later they attacked and annexed the Hada tribe, the former overlord of the Haixi Jurchens. This directly led to the fact that the Haixi Jurchens were no longer able to compete with the Jianzhou Jurchens, and the entire situation outside the customs began to get out of control.
As if he realized something, Zhang Ye smiled to himself, "I know that going to Jiangnan has attracted a lot of infamy. I'm afraid even you, Gu Cheng, are a little dissatisfied, right? But as the king of a country, do you think I want to go there?" Isn't it okay to go to the places I like? I went to Jiangnan and there was no chance again. I know very well. As for how much money the court really spent, I know it well. Some people always want to shift the responsibility to I don’t care if you come up to me, but if you want to take the opportunity to do something that would endanger the country, I won’t allow it.”
Gu Cheng was a little confused, what's wrong with the Supreme Emperor, why he talks so much today?
Gu Cheng was stunned and weighed it carefully before saying: "As far as I know, although Lin Ruhai was seriously ill, according to the doctor, he should have been able to survive for a month or two, but he suddenly died of a serious illness within a few days. There are still some doubts, and his son-in-law Feng Keng is a little suspicious. It is reported that he has taken over Lin Ruhai's original staff and is investigating. They suspect that there should be people involved in the Jianghu..."
"Oh? Is there any basis for this? Or is there any direction?" Zhang Ye stood still.
Gu Cheng also stopped and said, "Lin Ruhai should have made arrangements before, so all his staff have gone to his son-in-law Feng Keng. Feng Keng is a meticulous and low-key person. Those staff turned out to be quite loyal to Lin Ruhai, so I didn't I can understand more, but..."
“But what?” Zhang Ye asked.
"Tao Guolu, the salt transport envoy, has been very active since then. As far as I know, after he took over the salt transport envoy Si Yamen in the Huaihe River, he has issued several salt quotations,..."
Zhang Ye's eyes turned cold.
It doesn’t matter who the Yanyin is signed to, and it is difficult to find out in a short time the reason why these Yanyin were signed, and it may even go astray.
But Lin Ruhai is his own person, at least on the surface. Even if he is a little distant in the final stage, he still gives the impression to the outside world that he is his own person. If the cause of death is really suspicious, then all the focus will be on it. On oneself.
But Tao Guolu is so arrogant, which is a provocation to himself.
But the Salt Transport Envoy is no longer something he can interfere with. The initial default was that the Salt Patrol Inspector would be arranged by himself, but the Salt Transport Messenger never considered it. However, at this time, there was no suitable candidate for the Salt Patrol Inspector, and the stalemate continued. Let the people behind Tao Guolu benefit.
"Gu Cheng, do you think he is the fourth child or the eldest?" Zhang Ye naturally knew that Tao Guolu had complicated connections and had a close relationship with Prince Yizhong, but at this time, he always felt that it was not that simple.
“I don’t know, I don’t know.” Gu Cheng lowered his head.
“I don’t know? Do you not know, or do you dare not say?” Zhang Ye said indifferently.
"Your Majesty, the matter is over. Besides, Lin Ruhai is indeed terminally ill. Why bother..." Gu Cheng advised.
"Gu Cheng, do you think this matter can be settled like this? If it is so simple, why would Feng Keng ignore the investigation?" Zhang Ye said coldly: "Lin Ruhai's daughter was promised to Feng Tang's son, Feng Tang He is about to take office as the governor of Jiliao, and Chen Jingxuan will be transferred to the governor of the three sides. The fourth child is very capable..."
Gu Chengruo had some realization, but he always felt that there was something else that was behind him and he couldn't figure it out.
“Your Majesty, do you mean that Feng Tang will think this is directed at him?”
"Whether Feng Tang thinks so or not, it is a fact that his son just got engaged to Lin Ruhai's daughter, and it was Qi Yongtai who was the one who attacked him. If Lin Ruhai's death is suspicious, then who is the most suspicious?" Zhang Ye's eyes became more suspicious. Somewhat sharply, "I'm afraid that the boss is being taken advantage of without knowing it."
"Your Majesty, even if Feng Tang has some doubts, he is about to go to Liaodong..." Gu Cheng's meaning is very simple. Even if Feng Tang suspects that Prince Yi Zhong did it, it will not have much impact. After all, Liaodong is thousands of miles away. , the pressure from the Jianzhou Jurchen alone was enough for Feng Tang to worry about other things.
“Why don’t you, Your Majesty, talk to Prince Yizhong? Prince Yizhong has been infrequent during this time...”
Zhang Ye shook his head. Although Gu Cheng was his confidant, he had always been in the circle of Long Jinwei and could not see that far. The fourth child might be forced to drag it on forever due to the situation, but if he realized that the boss was unwilling to be lonely, he would do it. What a close call?
Say it to your boss, will he believe it? Besides, if you talk to him yourself, it might just be counterproductive.
It’s just that even if you can see and think about some things, others may not be able to think of or believe them, and even if you believe them, they may not take them seriously.
Sometimes Zhang Ye himself feels tired. Both his sons are so uneasy, and there is another one who is adding fuel to the fire.
Perhaps this is destiny. Even if you are yourself, you can't stop certain things from slowly sliding towards a track that you don't want to see, and you don't even know how to stop it.
(End of this chapter)