When Wei Zhongxian entered, he saw that Zhu Youxiao's hair was messed up and his face was not as good as before, so he thought the emperor was sick.
"Your Majesty, are you feeling ill?"
Zhu Youxiao put down the document in his hand and replied helplessly:
"I'm fine. I just didn't sleep all night. Have you done everything you asked me to do?"
"Your Majesty, these are their charges, as well as the list of accomplices. There are fifty-seven main participants and more than two hundred other followers. Most of the followers are from Nanjing, and there are also gentry involved."
"And according to Zhang Heming's confession, they are currently planning to join forces with Yuan Yingtai to frame Xiong Tingbi, and then help Yuan Yingtai become a manager. Yuan Yingtai promises that their goods can flow unimpeded in Liaodong!"
"They also have interests in dealings with some officials in Nanjing. Basically, they are all from the Donglin Party. They have big assets, so I ask the emperor to make the final decision!"
Zhu Youxiao was calm after hearing this. He had already been mentally prepared. The Donglin Party was an interest group composed of Jiangnan scholars. They represented the interests of the Jiangnan gentry and powerful people.
And these gentry and powerful people will make large-scale investments before these people win the election. For them, it is quite cost-effective to spend some money to invest in some people who can protect themselves, because they do not want to pay taxes to the court.
They tried every means to avoid taxes, and these scholars, who had not yet made a fortune at the time, received a lot of money and food from these powerful gentry.
Over time, they were firmly tied together and formed a huge interest group. Those gentry and powerful people without fame would transfer their family land to the names of these officials in order to get tax exemptions.
There are even hundreds of thousands of acres of land under one person's name. In addition, their main targets of exploitation are farmers at the lowest level. A large amount of land is annexed by them. The country's income is getting less and less, and natural disasters are becoming more and more common.
The space is getting smaller and smaller.
The system that Emperor Taizu had at that time was good. In order to prevent scholars from being too poor and being bribed, they gave them some tax-free space. However, because these civil servants continued to challenge the imperial power since the founding of the civil society, it has become what is now called those who have merit and fame.
It is tax-free.
This was the fault of all the emperors of the Ming Dynasty. The main one was Xiaozong of the Ming Dynasty. He indulged those civil servants too much. The so-called Hongzhi Zhongxing was a more ridiculous joke than the heyday of Kangxi and Qianlong.
Let’s ask an emperor who can even give up an important strategic area like Hetao. You can imagine how short-sighted he is. What can he do with his literary, military and political skills?
"Every home will be confiscated, the men will be slaves forever, and the women will be thrown into the Jiaofang Department!"
"My slave obeys the order!"
Zhu Youxiao asked Wang Chaofu on the side:
"Wang Banban, how many people are there in Xiaoling Guards in Nanjing?"
"Go back to your Majesty, there are still 600 people, led by Li Zhicai, the commander of the capital!"
Zhu Youxiao wrote two edicts himself and handed the list to Wang Chaofu.
"Leave it to Xu Xianchun and ask him to send a group of capable cronies to Nanjing to assist Tian Ergen, and then transfer 5,000 troops from the auxiliary barracks southward, led by Zhang Shize, and hand them over to Li Zhicai in Nanjing to command."
"Tell Tian Ergen to search the homes of all the people on this list, as well as those who have found out the details of their crimes. I will ask Li Zhicai to help him. No one is allowed to escape. If he is blocked,
No matter who it is, he will be killed on the spot and punished as treason!"
"Li Banban, go to Liaodong and convey my instructions to Yang Huan, and immediately capture Yuan Yingtai and bring him back to Beijing. Xiong Tingbi will be in charge of all affairs in Liaodong for the time being!"
Zhu Youxiao suddenly felt a lot more relaxed. After this big purge, those troublemakers did not dare to do anything for the time being, and he could focus more on building the army.
After thinking about it, Zhu Youxiao fell asleep on the throne again.
Nanhaizi
"Zhang Shize, General Manager of Huben Camp, come quickly to receive the order!"
"By decree of the Emperor, Zhang Shize quickly mobilized 5,000 troops from the auxiliary barracks to go south with the Jinyi Guards. He handed over to Li Zhicai, the commander of the Xiaoling Guards, to garrison in Nanjing!"
"I obey the decree!"
After Li Yongzhen left, Zhang Shize asked Zhang Weixian doubtfully:
"Grandpa, why do you think His Majesty asked me to go to Nanjing?"
And Zhang Weixian said solemnly:
"Shi Ze, grandpa has warned you many times that our Zhang family is the Duke of the country. We can do whatever His Majesty asks us to do. Don't ask more questions if you are not supposed to know. Do you understand?"
"My grandson knows!"
After Zhang Weixian finished speaking, he took a deep look in the direction of the palace, and then went directly back to the military camp.
The reason why Zhu Youxiao wants Zhang Shize to go south is very simple, because he is the young prince of the British Duke. The British Duke is the first noble of the Ming Dynasty. Apart from Zhu Youxiao, I am afraid that only the British Duke can barely suppress the Ming Dynasty today.
Those who live in Nanjing are noble.
Although the Xu family has two fathers, the Xu family is not as respected and trusted by the emperor as the British family, starting from Zhang Fu to Zhang Weixian today, has always been the first noble.
Zhang Weixian naturally knew what Zhu Youxiao meant, but as he said, the British government never asked too many questions, which is why they have remained standing for more than two hundred years.
…
When Zhu Youxiao woke up, the sun was almost setting. He felt that he had slept deeply and comfortably.
"Your Majesty, Gu Bingqian and Wei Guangwei arrived an hour ago, and the concubine has also sent people here three times."
"Oh, what's important, Princess?"
Gu Bingqian and Wei Guangwei should be the business of two companies, so it doesn't matter if you think about it.
Wang Chaofu bowed and said:
"I didn't ask, but I'm afraid the concubine has something important to do, otherwise she wouldn't have sent someone here three times."
"Wash and change my clothes!"
Zhu Youxiao was also wondering what Concubine Liu wanted to do with him. Nothing happened in the palace recently?
"Toffee, Your Majesty is here!"
"Sun Chen sends his regards to the concubine!"
Concubine Liu, who was chanting sutras and praising Buddha, stood up slowly, turned back to Zhu Youxiao and said with a smile:
"Did the emperor rest well? I heard that the emperor stayed up all night last night, but what happened?"
"The concubine is overthinking it. How can something big happen in the Ming Dynasty? Sun Chen was just fascinated last night by reading the archives of Emperor Taizu's rule of the country!"
Concubine Liu said kindly:
"I am relieved that the emperor is worried about state affairs, but the emperor still needs to take care of his health and not to work too hard. The emperor is still young and has a long time."
"Sun Chen knows!"
"I'm afraid the emperor hasn't eaten yet? Why don't we eat at Cining Palace today?"
Zhu Youxiao slept for most of the day and was already hungry, so he smiled and said:
"It has been so long since Sun Chen has been on the throne that he has not had a peaceful meal with the concubine."
Concubine Liu turned to her personal maid and ordered:
"Let Superintendent Shang prepare some more dishes!"
After finishing the meal, Mrs. Liu suddenly said:
"The palace is still too deserted. The emperor will be seventeen next year. Does the emperor have any ideas about choosing a concubine?"
Zhu Youxiao understood as soon as he heard it. What happened last night must have irritated Mrs. Liu. She probably regarded herself as a workaholic and was afraid that she would forget to find a wife, so she came here to remind herself.
It’s no wonder she has it. The emperor’s lack of heirs is a top priority for the country. After all, the Ming Dynasty has a living example. (Zhu Houzhao)
Although Mrs. Liu has nothing to do with her in terms of blood, she is the concubine of Emperor Shenzong after all, and she is also the master of the harem now. Of course she has to worry about these things, and she does not want to have another "Jiajing" in the future.
"Since the concubine has this intention, then Sun Chen should ask the concubine to take charge of this matter!"
"The emperor agreed, and I will start working on this matter as soon as spring comes."