Emperor Ming Dynasty

Chapter 1011
"Are there so many fools in Datong?"

The governor of Shanxi, as the great official of the frontier, has the right to play solo and seal secrets, and the news goes straight to Beijing.

The emperor read the secret letter and couldn't help muttering.

In the letter, the governor of Shanxi said that in recent years, there have been a lot of Mongolian people going south, and there are nearly [-] people in Datong, and the trend is becoming more and more obvious.

Thousands of miles of frontier, after the guards were dismantled and reduced, there was no way to prevent people who crossed the border.

Once managed, it's easy to make mistakes.

Shanxi official circles thought over and over again, no one wanted to take responsibility, so they reported to the court.

The cabinet has a copy, and the emperor naturally has a copy of the secret box, which confirms each other.

Yan Chongxin leaned against the chair with half of his buttocks, enjoying the cool breeze. He lowered his head slightly, revealing his mixed black and white hair:
"Your Majesty, the ten thousand people in Datong Mansion should not talk about it."

"There are hundreds of thousands of people in Suiyuan, and about [-] herdsmen. It is not uncommon for Datong Prefecture to have more than Wanmeng people in its twelve counties."

Zhu Yixi nodded slightly, waved his hand, and asked the eunuch to give Shoufu a snow mountain.

The so-called Sushan is the ice cream made by the emperor according to ancient books. It was called Sushan in the Tang Dynasty.

The emperor disliked its ugly name and didn't like ice cream, so he named it Xueshan.

To do this, you need to heat the cream until it is half-melted, then grab the cream with your hands, drip it on the ice tray, insert flowers, colorful trees and other decorations, and finally put it in the ice cellar for refrigeration.

Because of its shape like a mountain, it was called "Sushan" by the Tang people.

It is said to be freezing point, but it is actually a work of art.

The latter hurriedly thanked him, took two bites carefully with a spoon and put it down, and said with a wry smile: "I am old, my teeth have given up."

The emperor smiled lightly and said, "Then serve an iced sour plum soup!"

After drinking the sour plum soup, Yan Chongxin finally felt at ease: "It is common for Mongolians to go south. Although the Suiyuan grassland is fertile, it has reached its limit. The herdsmen can only survive."

"However, some people in the ruling and opposition parties are worried that the Mongols will be like the end of the Jin Dynasty. Doves will occupy the magpie's nest, and there will be troubles, so they demand to drive the Mongols back to the north."

"What does Shoufu mean?"

The emperor scooped up the snow mountain by himself, eating the strawberries on it, and said casually.

It is said to ask the chief minister, but it is actually referring to the cabinet.

The emperor trusted and guarded against the chief minister of the cabinet.

It is required to control the cabinet, but it cannot be arbitrary, and it is difficult for people to grasp the scale.

But Yan Chongxin was very familiar with this, he heard the deep meaning of the emperor, and said with a smile:
"I naturally feel that this matter cannot be forced. The Mongolian people will naturally have worries when they go south, but it is better than committing crimes."

"As long as these Mongolian people learn to farm, won't they become good people again?"

Zhu Yixi nodded: "Is there a solution for the cabinet? It won't work in the long run."

"The cause of this incident is that Suiyuan's population is overpopulated and the pastures are crowded. Therefore, in the opinion of the ministers, some herdsmen can be relocated to Anxi, or Jilin and other places."

Yan Chongxin was careful, he glanced at the emperor's face, he didn't dare to speak loudly.

"It's just a palliative, not a cure."

The emperor unconsciously patted the table and chairs with his right hand, and began to think in his mind:

"Let Suiyuan reclaim more arable land, teach herdsmen to cultivate land, and relocate some herdsmen to northern Xinjiang to fill the population."

"Besides, didn't Suiyuan become a Jinshi this year? Then we should promote culture and education and let Mongolians study."

"After learning the way of a sage, naturally you won't mess around."

In Suiyuan, an average of [-] acres of grassland can support ten sheep, and a family of five needs at least [-] sheep and a thousand acres of land to live on.

And if it is replaced by farmland, [-] to [-] mu for a family of five is enough for food and clothing.

So at this time, replacing pastures with farmland is the best way at present, and immigration alone is not really a good way at all.

At this time, Zhu Yixi also felt helpless.

Population reproduction is a natural law, especially in peacetime, herdsmen actually like to give birth.

It is impossible for him to follow the example of the Manchu Qing Dynasty and implement the policy of reducing Ding Ding!

"Your Majesty Shengming."

Yan Chongxin hurriedly bowed down.

Zhu Yixi remained silent.

As long as Lake Baikal is taken, the redundant Mongolians can be urged to go north to enclose the land, and the population will naturally pour out.

At that time, set up settlements one by one in Siberia, build cities, and enfeoff small feudal states, and then you can control the vast northern border.

At that time, the Mongolian tribes in the Monan Grassland became springs one after another, and the population continued to flow to the north, contributing to the great tomorrow and resisting the eastward direction of Tsarist Russia.

This is his plan.

Therefore, the key is still in the Qing Dynasty.

"Soon, soon."

He murmured in a low voice, his eyes bright.

Yan Chongxin bowed his head and remained silent.

Immediately, he resigned.

When he returned to Wenyuan Pavilion, all the courtiers were quite polite, but he only had a smile on his lips, without much enthusiasm.

Sitting on the chair, Yan Chongxin felt that he was really old.

Unknowingly, he has been Zhao Shu's chief assistant for nearly seven years, and has been in the phase for 19 years.

He entered the shogunate at the age of 37, served as a cabinet minister at the age of 54, and served as the chief assistant at the age of [-]. After the sixtieth year, he was already sixty-one.

Accompanying the king for a long time and dealing with government affairs has made him exhausted, and his aging body is getting tired day by day, gradually unable to keep up with the emperor's thoughts.

For a while, he actually had the idea of ​​becoming an official.

The emperor stipulated that he should be an official at sixty, and he seemed to have fulfilled the requirement.

But the emperor's kindness is great, as long as the emperor keeps it, who can drive him away?

This is the grace of ministers above rank four.

"I have to go." Yan Chongxin recalled the past of these years, thinking of Zhu Mou's expectant eyes, he couldn't help feeling worried.

In the past 20 years, almost all the court has his staff, and he has created a huge power without knowing it.

Although it is not a party, it is enough to make the king afraid.

"When it comes to retreating bravely from the rapids, it's still Zhao Shu'a!"

At this time, Yan Chongxin thought of Zhao Shu who was at home with his grandchildren. The former chief assistant is now at ease, and he is still alive and kicking in his 70s.

During the Chinese New Year, the prince also went to pay New Year's greetings.

The approval of two generations of monarchs, Yan Chong's indescribable envy in his confidence.

……

After the summer harvest, Hebei was immersed in joy.

This year is neither good nor bad, it is an average year.

Enjoying the double treatment of the canal and Gyeonggi, even if it is an ordinary year, it is a good year for Hebei.

But for some, it's been a rough year, or not at all.

Hejian Mansion, as an important section of the canal in Hebei, is prosperous along both sides of the river, with countless markets and vehicles and boats.

After the canal unloaded [-]% of its grain transportation tasks, it became a golden waterway and the most important economic lifeline between the north and the south.

And Hejian Mansion is the largest mansion in Hebei after Tianjin, and its population and taxation are far superior to other mansions. Apart from the canal, the Changlu Salt Farm is the most important.

Surrounding the entire Bohai Sea, Cangzhou is an important salt-producing area of ​​the Changlu Salt Field, with spacious and flat muddy beaches, coupled with more wind and less rain, abundant sunshine, and strong evaporation.

Then through canals and rivers of all sizes, it was transported to Shandong, Beijing, Henan and other places. Only by transporting salt, it supported thousands of boatmen.

Xia Wanchun was dressed in Tsing Yi, followed by two Xiaosi, just like a young man who went out to play, without the slightest official air.

"My lord, the sun outside is so strong that it would kill me, so I'd better go back to the boathouse!"

The pole-pulling boatman persuaded.

"Not urgent."

Xia Wanchun shook his head, his freshly shaved beard looked very white, he turned his head and asked the boatman: "I heard that Cangzhou is one of the best places in Hebei, what is there to eat?"

"Young master, you are asking the right person."

The boatman said proudly: "In Cangzhou, although there are many saline-alkali lands, there are many fruit trees. Peaches, pears, and dates are three unique things, and they are all provided for the emperor's daily food."

"There are two to three thousand hawkers who sell this fruit every year, and every household receives the fruit, which is very easy to sell."

"Besides, you have to taste the wine. There are fruits and grains. The taste is amazing..."

Cangzhou is close to the Bohai Sea, which has advantages and disadvantages.

The benefit naturally lies in the sea salt, but the disadvantage is that there is not much arable land, and most of it is salt flat land.

This kind of barren land can't grow food at all, it can only grow some fruit trees, and the harvest will be more.

Because Tianjin and Beijing are both big cities, and countless fruits are consumed, it is extremely convenient for Cangzhou to transport them to the two cities through the canal.

Hearing the situation in Cangzhou, Xia Wanchun nodded slightly, and the scene of the emperor summoning him appeared in his mind.

At that time, Yan Chongxin, the chief minister of the cabinet, played the correct answer alone, his face was ashen, but when he arrived, the emperor had no expression on his face, obviously angry in his heart.

He came cautiously, only to learn of a major event.

It turned out that Cangzhou Tongju Gaode was killed by his wife.

It was reported in Cangzhou, saying that it was Cangzhou General Judgment.He does not get along with his wife on a daily basis, and his wife is extremely jealous.

He raised several concubines outside, but he dared not bring them home.

One day when he came home, his wife was annoyed by the smell of rouge and gouache all over his body. Before he knew it, he got into a fight, and one accident killed him.

On the surface, this is a typical family matter, but it only involves officials, so it seems abrupt.

The Cangzhou officialdom laughed out loud for a while, causing the whole Hebei and the people in the capital to watch the excitement.

This was supposed to be the case.

Unexpectedly, Gao De's brother-in-law did not agree with his sister's murder, so he dug up his bones in the middle of the night, and invited a family member from another county to do an autopsy.

It turned out that one was not good, and it turned out to be poisoned.

In this way, the so-called husband and wife fight became a fake thing, and the Cangzhou officialdom deceived the court.

It's fine if you just deceive the court, the key is to deceive the emperor.

This naturally made Emperor Shaowu very dissatisfied.

Because Jin Yiwei, Cangzhou, and the governor of Hebei all said that it was manslaughter at the beginning, but in the end it turned into murder by others.

For the emperor, wouldn't Longyan be furious?
Therefore, Xia Wanchun became an imperial envoy and came to Cangzhou to supervise the case.

If there is no accident, it is necessary to take off a few official hats, and it will even implicate the entire Hebei officialdom.

His imperial envoy can be described as a humble position with heavy responsibilities.

It also represents the trust of the emperor.

Once this matter is done, Qingyun will rise straight up, just wait.

Thinking of this, Xia Wanchun couldn't help but clenched his fists and made up his mind.

Therefore, facing the entire Cangzhou officialdom, Xia Wanchun did not play the sign of an imperial envoy, but decided to do some research in private before reacting.

He has served in various places before, so he naturally understands how local officials can fool his superiors.

Unfortunately, as soon as he boarded the pier, he was surrounded by a group of people.

"Summer envoys come from afar, and we are very welcome in Cangzhou."

Hong Zhengming, the prefect of Cangzhou, cupped his hands and said with a smile, the smile on his face was extraordinarily bright.

And behind him, there are dozens of officials, all wearing official robes, suffering for a long time in the summer, sweating profusely, and soaking the official robes.

This is obviously an official pouring out of the city.

But Xia Wanchun was not happy in his heart.

This is an understatement.

He was a majestic imperial envoy, came out in a private server, and was stopped and greeted as soon as he arrived at the Cangzhou pier. Doesn't this mean that his every move is under control?
who is it?

Xia Wanchun looked back, the boatman smiled and bowed, his smiling face was very conspicuous.

My heart sank, the difficulty was greater than I imagined.

He smiled and cupped his hands and said, "Prefect Lao Hong and Cangzhou welcome you from all over the world, but isn't this motivating the crowd?"

"Hahaha, the status of an angel is precious, no matter how grand it is, it can't be overstated." Hong Zhifu laughed.

Immediately, he was introduced to everyone one by one.

There are officials and local elders.

His young face was remembered by dozens of people in less than a moment.

It is conceivable that in just half a day, it will spread throughout Cangzhou.

Traveling in plain clothes is simply impossible.

Sure enough, as he expected, after being welcomed into the inn, although it was convenient for him to travel, he always felt that someone was following him.

Everything they say and do is monitored.

Whether it's a crime or a judgment, it all follows him.

But after three or five days, the result remained unchanged.

Gothe was killed because of his quack doctor who accidentally injured his life in the battle.

Can this conclusion be played?
Xia Wanchun himself didn't believe it.

I started to write in the letter continuously, but I couldn't finish writing.

Everything has fallen into the quagmire.

He simply couldn't pull out the cocoon and find out the truth.

"Or, is this not a murder case?"

Xia Wanchun couldn't understand the purpose of covering up the case in Cangzhou.

Therefore, this case is only on the surface, and the inside is the key to connect the official circles.

Thinking of this, he asked Gao De's brother-in-law to complain to his sister.

Pan Zhuo, born as a scholar, is also from a scholarly family.

When I met the imperial envoy at this time, his body was thin, his face was yellow and thin, and his eyes protruded, obviously he had suffered a lot.

Xia Wanchun was not worried but happy, as expected.

All dignified scholars have suffered such torture, and the case here is very complicated.

"Imperial envoy Rong, the student just wants to complain to his sister."

Pan Zhuo said in a low tone: "Although my elder sister is jealous, she only makes trouble on weekdays. She doesn't have much hatred for her brother-in-law. She will definitely not murder her."

"Who did Gao De offend?"

Xia Wanchun looked at him and asked.

"My brother-in-law is kind and gentle, that's why my father married my sister to him..."

Pan Zhuo was a little embarrassed: "He didn't do anything to offend anyone in the officialdom."

Xia Wanchun frowned: "Then he just unintentionally blocked the way of others."

(End of this chapter)