According to the previously established procedures, the salt dealers themselves apply for the quota at the Salt and Iron Department, and then the Salt and Iron Department conducts a preliminary screening and submits it to the cabinet. After deliberation by the three departments, it is finally submitted to the imperial court.

"We all made the decision together!" Zhang Heling looked at Zhu Houzhao slightly embarrassed and said with a hint of helplessness in his tone.

Zhu Houzhao put down the list at this time, raised his head and glanced at Zhang Heling, and then said: "This won't work. You have too many private goods in it. Make a new decision and find some people who have no relationship with you to put it in. You guys

If you do this, the Cabinet and the Third Division will definitely be caught, and not only will you suffer a loss, but Qi You will also suffer a loss."

"This is just the first screening. The second screening in five years is the key. There are too many people watching this time, so we can't do it like this."

Although the salt policy incident has passed, Zhu Houzhao knows that the civil servants have not given up on this matter at all. It may be better in the future, and everyone is used to it, but this is the first time, and they must be watching! Maybe it will really happen.

Waiting for Shouning Hou and Qi You on this matter, if something goes wrong, Shouning Hou and Qi You will definitely suffer.

"Report more and let the Third Division investigate. The rest will be discussed in front of the emperor!" Zhu Houzhao directly passed the blame to his father.

Although Zhang Heling's brain was not full, he had experienced something during this period. His expression immediately became serious and he quickly said: "I will let them change it when I get back. I will definitely let more people in!"

Zhu Houzhao nodded: "Then let's leave it like this! You have to remember that things can be done in private, but they must be acceptable on the surface. Do you understand?"

"Understood!" Zhang Heling nodded quickly, took the list handed back by Zhu Houzhao, turned around and walked out.

He breathed a sigh of relief. For Zhu Houzhao, as long as the general direction of the salt policy is changed, the rest are just minutiae. In fact, these minutiae cannot be done too much, otherwise they will have the opposite effect.

It's like doing something, you have already taken the big part, and you have to let out some of the small part. You eat the meat, but you have to let others drink the soup.

Otherwise, if you rob others of their livelihood, they will fall out, and if the table is turned over, no one will be able to play.

After the arrangements for Yanzheng were settled, Zhu Houzhao's attention returned to the northwest. However, before everyone could come to a conclusion, another news came from the northwest.

"Your Highness, the Emperor has summoned you!"

Seeing He Neng walking in in a panic, Zhu Houzhao's expression became serious and he quickly asked: "What happened?"

"Northwestern Battle Report!" He Neng said while walking eagerly.

When Zhu Houzhao heard this, his heart suddenly pounded, and the expression on his face became solemn. This time He Neng used the word "Northwest War Report" instead of "Northwest Army Report". Obviously, this was a war in the Northwest.

Seeing He Neng's panic, his father must have lost his temper. There is only one reason why he lost his temper: Northwest was defeated.

The imperial court was still debating about the Northwest, but Northwest really took the eye medicine and defeated it directly. It was really embarrassing.

Zhu Houzhao estimated that the debate in the court could be put to an end. Those who ignored the fire screen basically had no market. Now it was no longer a question of whether you ignored the fire screen, but that they were calling. Under such circumstances, you don't

I can't even talk to them anymore. I'm slapped in the face, and I think many people will lose their face.

After Zhu Houzhao arrived at the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Youtang was sitting on the dragon chair with a gloomy look. He Neng came to Zhu Houzhao's side and whispered: "Several adults from the cabinet and the Sixth Ministry have just left."

Zhu Houzhao finally understood. His father probably lost his temper. Even honest people sometimes get angry. Zhu Houzhao quickly took a few steps forward, bowed and said, "Father!"

"Here?" Seeing his son coming, Zhu Youtang's expression softened a lot. He reached out and handed a question book to Zhu Houzhao, and then said expressionlessly: "Look! It really makes me look good." Well, in the land of three majestic towns, there were hundreds of thousands of soldiers and horses, but they were beaten. What do these people do for food!"

As he spoke, Zhu Youtang became angry again. Zhu Houzhao knew that his father was targeting him and did not hide it at all.

Zhu Houzhao was speechless. If you were defeated in the conquest, it might not be a big deal. On the battlefield, victory or defeat is a matter of military strategists. However, if you were to defend, you could be defeated. It was really embarrassing. From this aspect, It can be seen to what extent the Ming Dynasty's army has deteriorated. Even the border towns are like this. Can we see it in other places?

Reaching out to take the question book, Zhu Houzhao flipped through it to see the general situation. As for how angry he was, Zhu Houzhao couldn't say.

In Zhu Houzhao's heart, he had actually been prepared for this for a long time. Thinking about being hung and beaten during the Jiajing period, this was really nothing.

The content in the title book is a battle report. Huo Si led his cavalry to invade Huamachi, Shaanxi Province, defeated the Ming army in Kongbagou, and went straight to Pingliang, where they looted wantonly.

Pingliang is located in the eastern part of Gansu Province in later generations, at the eastern foot of Liupan Mountain and the upper reaches of the Jinghe River. It is the "Golden Triangle" at the intersection of Shaanxi, Gansu and Ningxia, spanning Longshan (Guanshan), adjacent to Xianyang, Shaanxi to the east, Dingxi and Baiyin of Gansu to the west, and Shaanxi to the south. Baoji and Tianshui in Gansu Province are adjacent to Guyuan in Ningxia to the north and Qingyang in Gansu. Known as the "Longshang Dry Wharf", it is an important town that must pass through on the ancient "Silk Road" and is historically known as "the first city out of Chang'an in the west".

Pingliang has been a barrier to the Three Qin Dynasties since ancient times and an important town controlling the Wuyuan. It is a "must battleground for military strategists" and a traditional commodity distribution center in Longdong. It is also a transportation and military hub leading from the Central Plains to the Western Regions and the eastern end of the northern line of the ancient Silk Road. It is a highway hub in the northwest region and an important transfer station for the second channel of the Eurasian Continental Bridge.

"If Pingliang is lost, it will really be a big deal!" Zhu Houzhao sighed in his heart, feeling sad and helpless.

After glancing at his father, Zhu Houzhao said, "Has the imperial court decided on the candidates for the governors of the three sides?"

The Trilateral Governor, whose full name is the Governor-General of Shaanxi Trilateral Military Affairs, controls the governors of Hexi, Hedong, Shaanxi and the nine general armies of Gansu, Liang, Su, Xi, Ningxia, Yansui, Shendaoling, Xing'an and Guyuan. It can be said that He is a very powerful person, but this position is not permanent, and this can be considered a disgraceful history for my father.

The first Trilateral Governor-General of the Hongzhi Dynasty was first established in the 10th year of Hongzhi. Why was it established? In the 10th year of Hongzhi, the invaders were invaded, and important ministers were dispatched to oversee the military affairs of Shaanxi, Gansu, Yansui, and Ningxia. This led to the creation of the Three Governors. Border Governor.

The first governor of the three sides was Wang Yue. Wang Yue did a good job. He not only stabilized the three sides, but also sent troops to fight a battle. Wang Yue divided his troops into three groups and went straight to Helan Mountain. Although there was not much captured in this battle, But it shattered the idea of ​​​​fire screening in Muhetao, but Wang Yue's end was not so good.

At the same time that Wang Yue was victorious, the eunuch Li Guang, who was favored by his father, was offended and committed suicide. The admonishers successively impeached Wang Yue, accusing Wang Yue of being Li Guang's comrade.

Although his father paid no attention to the matter, Wang Yue felt filled with sorrow and resentment after hearing what he said. He finally passed away in Ganzhou (now Zhangye, Gansu) on December 1, the 11th year of Hongzhi's reign. He was seventy-three years old. After hearing the news, he resigned from the court for one day, gave him the posthumous title of Taifu, and ordered him to be sacrificed at the Nine Altar. Wang Xuan, the grandson of Yinbu Wang Yue, was the son of the country. In addition, the imperial court also sent Jinshi Wang Shouren was responsible for supervising the construction of Wang Yue's tomb.

Wang Shouren's first errand was to build Wang Yue's tomb. As for the eunuch Li Guang, one of his father's few dark histories.

Zhu Houzhao thought of Wang Yue at this time, and naturally thought of Wang Shouren beside him, and Tang Bohu, who was brought to the northwest by him. He didn't know how he was doing now.

Zhu Youtang saw his son's expression was strange and he didn't know what he was thinking. He glared at his son fiercely, and then said very embarrassedly: "It's settled, it's Qin Hong!"

Hearing his father's words, Zhu Houzhao was stunned again and asked in disbelief: "Qin Hong?"

Zhu Youtang did not answer Zhu Houzhao, but turned to glare at Zhu Houzhao. The meaning was obvious, what do you want to say?

Zhu Houzhao had no objection to Qin Hong. He knew that he was a capable person. He was an imperial envoy and had served in the dynasty, Yingzong, and Xianzong. When he came to his father, he was already a veteran of the four dynasties. Qin Hong also had good military qualities. During the Chenghua period, Dayan Khan led tens of thousands of cavalry to invade Datong, marched straight into Shunsheng River, and plundered Xuanfu.

Qin Hong and the commander-in-chief Zhou Yu fought hard to fight back the little prince. Soon, the little prince looted Xingningkou. Qin Hong and others fought with him one after another, forcing him to retreat and recovering the looted materials.

An embarrassing thing happened in the second year of Hongzhi. Qin Hong was promoted to the censor of Youdu and the governor of the military affairs of Guangdong and Guangxi. Qin Hong wrote to his father, requesting that the power of the eunuchs and generals who were guarding them be reduced: the eunuchs and generals were divided into various places and took care of civil affairs, interfering with local affairs. Judiciary, even killing innocent people without permission. Some even relied on the emperor's power to allow their family members to engage in illegal business for profit, disrupting normal commercial circulation and competing for profits with the people.

Qin Hong petitioned the imperial court to abolish the power of the eunuchs and military generals to handle civil affairs. The bounty treasury of each town government had uncontrolled money coming in and out. Qin Hong proposed that the finances of each town government must be audited and inspected by the censor to eliminate the source of corruption. , compiled Baojia and set up etiquette in the Guangdong and Guangxi areas to eliminate the source of theft and promote the style of writing.

These articles all sound okay. It is inappropriate for military generals from all over the country to interfere with civil affairs. Of course, most of the military generals mentioned here are nobles.

Qin Hong's actions naturally touched the interests of some people. This person was Anyuan Hou Liu Jing. When Anyuan Hou Liu Jing was in the military town of Guangdong and Guangxi, he embezzled military pay and massacred good people. He was exposed by Qin Hong and imprisoned. Liu Jing falsely accused Qin Hong in prison. Brutal murder. Xiaozong ordered a strict review, but there was no evidence, and the judicial department sentenced Liu Jing to death.

Liu Jing was related by marriage to the empress dowager in the palace, so she defended Liu Jing in front of Xiaozong. Her father ordered Qin Hong to be arrested in Beijing for interrogation, and the results proved that Qin Hong was innocent. For the sake of Mrs. Zhou In the 19th century, Emperor Xiaozong demoted Liu Jing to live in idle life, and Qin Hong was also dismissed from office and returned to his hometown. Qin Hong's dismissal caused widespread dissatisfaction in both the government and the public. More than a hundred officials, led by the Minister of Civil Affairs, Wang Shu, jointly signed the petition for several months. Later, Qin Hong was changed to the Minister of Household Affairs in Nanjing.

Some people in later generations said that when employees resigned, it was either because they were given less money or they felt wronged. Qin Hong was a typical example of feeling wronged. So not long after arriving in Nanjing, Qin Hong resigned due to illness.
Chapter completed!