People in Hongwu, from heavenly master to emperor master

Chapter 319 Recommending Zhang Yi, the emperor became angry from embarrassment

"Who does His Majesty prefer?"

Liu Ji didn't like Zhu Yuanzhang properly, and his expression was indifferent.

Old Zhu asked:
"What do you think of Wang Guangyang?"

Liu Ji frowned slightly. Wang Guangyang was summoned by the emperor to Zhongshu Province after Yang Xian became the right minister of Zhongshu Province.

This person is also an old man beside Zhu Yuanzhang, and he took refuge in Lao Zhu five years earlier than him.

In terms of ability, Wang Guangyang is definitely enough. He was very helpful to Zhu Yuanzhang during the uprising.

The emperor also trusted him very much.

But since Zhu Yuanzhang asked whether the other party could be prime minister, Liu Ji thought about it and said truthfully:

"Wang Guangyang has more than enough ability, but not enough courage. Although he is resourceful, he has no responsibility. I am afraid that he will not be qualified to be the head of the hundred officials!"

The emperor laughed angrily, and asked deliberately:

"Then who do you think can be the prime minister? I think you are good, do you want to be one?"

Liu Ji's expression remained unchanged, and he replied:

"I can't even do it. I have more than enough ability, but my temperament is not suitable for the position of Zhongshu Province. Your Majesty knows how to use people well, so I shouldn't think about humble ministers..."

Lao Zhu took a deep breath, and he had nothing to do with Liu Bowen's recalcitrant character.

"Why, you are not very dissatisfied with Jin Yiwei's taking away your power at Yushitai, I will find you a better position, why don't you Liu Bowen dare to take it again?"

Liu Ji replied:
"I'm not dissatisfied, but really want to go and ask about my future!

Naturally, there is no problem for the high commander to censor those speculators.

But no one in the capital knows that I have friendship with the Taoist priest who has a pure heart, and Jin Yiwei shouldn't make a fuss about this normal visit to a fellow Taoist! "

Old Zhu knew the reason and asked:

"Then what kind of future did you ask? Did you, Liu Ji, get promoted and get rich, or something else?"

Liu Bowen replied solemnly:
"I'm asking about the people in eastern Zhejiang, and about my future in Ming Dynasty..."

Zhu Yuanzhang: ...

This guy is really difficult to deal with. He deliberately used Gao Jianxian to convey a message to himself, but now he turns his face and denies it.

Between their monarchs and ministers, the main thing is a tacit understanding, no one should tear that layer of window paper.

"You, Liu Bowen, as an official of the imperial court, went to ask a little Taoist priest about Ming's future? Is it ridiculous?"

"Your Majesty, it is not ridiculous!

The minister has recommended to His Majesty the little real person from Qingxinguan more than once. Although this person is small, he is a stranger comparable to Zhou Dian.

His foresight of the future and his understanding of state affairs, I think I can listen to it!
As a matter of fact, Chen passed by yesterday and was reprimanded by the Taoist leader!
When I saw the high commander, it was also because I had resentment in my body, so I couldn't help being irritable..."

"Oh!"

Liu Bowen immediately aroused Lao Zhu's interest.

The emperor asked:
"Why did he scold you?"

"He said that the loyalty and filial piety of the humble officials are not complete...

As the censor Zhongcheng, he obviously has the authority to supervise all officials, but he doesn't say a word to the chaos below, and he never gives any advice to the emperor about the current situation in his hometown. He is a minister but eats a vegetarian meal. This is disloyalty!
The folks violated the state law, but the minister never used his influence to persuade the clan and elders, which is unfilial!

The little real person came up and called the old man disloyal and unfilial, the old man didn't accept it yesterday, but thinking about it last night, the little real Zhang scolded him right..."

"You were really scolded by him?"

Zhu Yuanzhang was happy. It is not uncommon for Liu Ji, the little old man, to suffer.

Old Zhu was happy to see him deflated, and he made no secret of his joy, but it made Lao Liu very depressed...

Your Majesty, can't you hide it a little bit?

"Ahem, what else?"

"The little real person also said that the appearance of Jinyiwei is because of the work of Yushitai and the Ministry of Zhongshu, which disappointed His Majesty, especially Yushitai under the leadership of the minister. The laissez-faire and dereliction of supervision work have led to today's karma. ...

Haimao brought a lot of wealth to the wealthy households in the south of the Yangtze River, but the profits generated by these wealth never contributed to the imperial court.

The imperial court was originally the backer of these people, and the vast land and rich products of the Ming Dynasty provided them with a basis for trade.

However, the merchants along the coast did not want to repay China, but colluded with the Japanese pirates to harm the folks, and they deserved what they deserved..."

Liu Bowen eloquently summed up Zhang Yi's point of view.

Zhu Yuanzhang listened very happily.

Zhang Yi was like a roundworm in his stomach, saying what he wanted to say in one breath.

Many of these words may not be so clear for Lao Zhu himself.

Taxation is the foundation of the imperial court, and the root cause of the liquidation of wealthy coastal households is also taxation...

Even in Zhu Yuanzhang's rectification of local governments, taxation is still one of the main purposes.

Everyone in the world must pay taxes...

This idea won Lao Zhu's favor.

Since ancient times, Huaxia has had many customizations.

Some people just don't pay taxes by nature...

But once these things fall into place, it will be very difficult for latecomers to change them.

Zhang Yi is right, if "tax payment" can be regarded as a natural status, it will save a lot of trouble.

"so what?"

Zhu Yuanzhang remained calm and asked Liu Bowen.

Liu Bowen was very entangled. He understood what Zhang Yi said, but if he agreed to this approach, it would be tantamount to betraying his own class.

Whether Li Shanchang or Song Lian, everyone is pushing scholars to have more privileges.

And the most important core of these privileges is tax exemption...

Letting everyone in the world pay taxes is tantamount to offending almost everyone except the common people who have already paid taxes.

home and country...

public and private...

Liu Ji remembered the result of his whole night's thinking, nodded and said:
"I think what he said makes sense, and I want to ask the emperor to arrange for my minister to compile the tax law of Ming Dynasty..."

The concept of tax law was also proposed by Zhang Yi.

Lao Zhu and Liu Bowen hit it off in this matter.

However, since Liu Ji compromised on this issue, he naturally has his demands.

After Zhu Yuanzhang agreed to the matter, Liu Bowen knelt down.

"I have one more thing to ask the emperor!

Since the emperor named Taicang City Shipping Department, I feel that His Majesty has a tendency to ban the sea. After the sea ban, the people along the coast will lose their source of income!

Your Majesty should think about it, the situation in each place is different!
In eastern Zhejiang, Fujian and other mountainous places, it is true that I cannot rely on the land to support myself...

Your Majesty encourages recuperation, but land is needed for recuperation!
If the land is not enough for the people to recuperate and live, and there is no way for the people to survive, there may be a civil uprising! "

Zhu Yuanzhang's face changed slightly, and what Liu Bowen said was also true.

After Jiangnan was bloodbathed once, the vacant resources can indeed make Jiangnan live in peace for a while.

But if the sea is banned, the fields in many places cannot support more people.

The big immigration can be regarded as Lao Zhu's plan to transform the population structure.

But it is impossible for him to relocate everyone. There are fewer people and more land, and sooner or later there will be conflicts.

"That's why there are many merchants in eastern Zhejiang and Fujian.

When the food production is unsustainable, please allow me the businessmen in eastern Zhejiang and other places to develop industry and commerce, and give some support in industry and commerce! "

"Is that what the kid said?"

Zhu Yuanzhang snorted coldly, and Liu Bowen nodded silently.

Lao Zhu became entangled, and Zhang Yi told him more than once that when the fields under the sky cannot support the population, industry and commerce are the main source of tax revenue for the court, and it is also the way to continue life...

Whether industry and commerce should develop, it must develop, but definitely not now!

But the question raised by Liu Bowen is also a real problem.

Different places in Ming Dynasty have different standards for the so-called recuperation.

In plain areas such as North China and the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, they can obviously support more people.

Lao Zhu resisted the early development of industry and commerce.

If industry and commerce can make money, how can the common people feel at ease to work in agriculture and five productions?
Moreover, there are actually very few cases where businessmen make money and can feed back to the local area...

The emperor stood up and paced back and forth, but did not immediately agree to Liu Bowen.

"I've made a note of this matter, and the matter of the ban on the sea is also slowly being figured out!

You first give me the first draft of the tax law, and I will review it..."

Zhu Yuanzhang planned to meet Zhang Yi and listen to what he had to say first.

He only listened to Liu Bowen's one-sided words, and he couldn't make this decision lightly.

Liu Ji took the opportunity to propose:

"Your Majesty, why don't you summon that child and have a good chat with him?"

Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned, what was he really afraid of?
As Zhang Yi got more and more in contact with other people, gold could never be hidden.

That child's sharpness will provoke some people and be appreciated by some people.

From Xu Cunren to Liu Bowen, they all belong to those who appreciate him.

But if he could really see it, he would have seen it long ago...

"Your Majesty, you also know that ministers are arrogant and rarely convince others, but this child minister is convinced!
It's a pity for such a talent to let him stay outside the imperial court!
Even if you can't enter the court as an official, you should be regarded as a national scholar.

I guarantee with my life that this child's achievements are definitely a hundred times better than Zhang Normal's. His Majesty favors Zhang Normal, so why does he look down on this child? "

Old Zhu really wanted to yell at you, but didn't you, Liu Ji, wink?

He couldn't help retorting:

"Emphasis on agriculture and suppression of commerce is a national policy set by me, and that kid pointed out Jiangshan, insisting on talking about the development of industry and commerce.

It's fine if I don't pull him over and beat him up, but you, Liu Ji, have more to say?

You are a very good person from East Zhejiang, but have you never thought about not suffering from inequality?
As far as you specialize in eastern Zhejiang and Fujian, how can I appease the hearts of the world?

Come on, drag Liu Ji out to me, and beat him ten times first! "

Liu Bowen was stupefied, I will recommend talents to you, why are you so angry?

Is it because Zhang Yi said that the development of industry and commerce angered the emperor?

Before he could recover, he was carried away by the guards who rushed in from outside.

"Be gentle, he's an old bone, don't give me away..."

Lao Zhu did not forget to pull the eunuch over and asked:

"This old boy has been punished, let him go back and fix the tax law for me..."

……

Liu Bowen was the emperor who met in the morning and was carried out of the palace at noon.

The rumors about him going to be the emperor of Zhongshu Province disappeared with these ten sticks.

When the news reached Zhongshu Province, Li Shan let out a long breath.

Although he didn't think that the emperor would promote Liu Bowen as prime minister, there was still a stone in his heart.

Now that the dust of this stone has settled, Li Shanchang also breathed a sigh of relief.

"Liu Ji's official career has probably come to an end here!"

Zhongshu Zuocheng Hu Weiyong heard Li Shanchang's soliloquy, and replied:

"Li Xiang, should we just send him away?"

"Let's talk later!"

Li Shanchang gave Hu Weiyong a look, and then glanced at other officials of Zhongshu Province who were working.

The two tacitly bowed their heads.

……

"Rather than punishing me, the emperor doesn't seem to want to...meet Zhang Yi..."

Liu Ji was informed that his family would pick him up from the palace. He was lying on the carriage, seemingly dripping with blood.

But he understood that at most he was a little bit skinny.

This wound, if not for the sake of the emperor's face, he would be able to walk on the ground now.

In other words, Zhu Yuanzhang was not really angry, but just didn't want him to continue doing something...

With Liu Ji's wisdom, he can naturally guess something...

……

"That dead child, it's getting harder and harder now..."

After Lao Zhu sent Liu Ji away, he wandered around in the imperial study...

He had a hunch that he probably wouldn't be able to fool Liu Bowen, an old guy, for a while.

But how long can be cheated for the time being.

"How about sending this old man out of the capital?"

After Zhu Yuanzhang had this idea in his mind, he couldn't help it, and he immediately gave up this idea. Liu Bowen was in the court to restrain Li Shanchang...

Before there is someone who can distinguish Li Shanchang, I can't touch him easily.

"Forget it, go talk to that child!"

Regarding the matter of industry and commerce proposed by Liu Bowen, Lao Zhu smelled something unusual.

Zhang Yi, that little bastard, often used these officials in the court as his spearmen.

Song Lian is still helping Zhang Yi carry the blame, Lao Zhu is not sure if Liu Bowen has also been fooled by Zhang Yi.

He asked Gao Jianxian to get ready, changed his clothes and went out.

"How's the business in the store recently?"

When Zhu Yuanzhang left the palace, he didn't go to Qingxin Temple for the first time, but asked about his business.

A look of embarrassment suddenly appeared on Lao Gao's face.

Zhu Yuanzhang understood immediately.

"Why, as the commander of Jinyiwei, do you look down on those small jobs of intelligence?"

"His Majesty!"

Gao Jianxian was so frightened that he knelt down on the spot, trembling.

Lao Zhu glanced at him and stopped talking.

Only then did Gao Jianxian realize that he had been too complacent recently, and the emperor was beating himself.

If he still made the same mistake, he would probably be one of the dead souls in Jinyiwei's prison.

"Your Majesty, I know I made a mistake, and I promise I will never do it again in the future?"

"Who is in charge of intelligence now?"

"Return to Your Majesty, after the minister Erling said that he would withdraw, Mao Xiang would be in charge..."

Lao Zhu didn't say anything more, just said lightly:
"Let that Mao Xiang come back to the palace to see me!"

After finishing speaking, the chariots and horses left the city and stopped at the entrance of the Taoist temple not long after.

The concept of pure heart is still closed.

Lao Zhu had long known that Zhang Yi was at home from Jin Yiwei's intelligence system.

Li Qingmo also received the news that Lao Zhu was coming, and took the initiative to open the door.

"Little Daoist is teaching Meng Yao to read..."

Lao Zhu nodded, told Lao Mo not to follow, and walked into the backyard by himself.

"Are there male and female flowers?..."

Meng Yao's lively voice and Zhang Yi's gentle words made Lao Zhu feel at ease inexplicably.

"Uncle, are you here?"

"Well, here to bring you something..."

Lao Zhu asked someone to come over with a batch of materials, which were materials that Zhang Yi rarely bought.

"You have a heart, you are short of resources recently..."

Zhang Yi asked Xiao Mengyao to make tea for Lao Zhu, and the two naturally sat together.

"By the way, Liu Ji, do you have Liu Bowen's connections?"

Zhu Yuanzhang took the initiative to ask questions.

(End of this chapter)