Chapter 288 Different Hearts
Li Xian smiled bitterly, "They gave us the news."
"Who?"
"They have people in the Inspection Department. Long Wilbur, you are fighting a giant, hahahaha!"
Li Xian laughed wantonly, "In the court, in the local government, in the army. From the prime minister to a sergeant in the inspection office. From a general to a small soldier, we are everywhere. You can arrest one person, can you arrest everyone in the world?"
"Don't overestimate yourself." Jiang Qingzhi said calmly: "I know better than you what you rely on. It's just interests.
I don't know since when, any scholar with a degree does not need to pay taxes or serve in the military. This seems to be a preferential treatment, but some people ignore a drawback in it, a drawback that can destroy the Ming Dynasty. "
Xu Wei sat beside him rubbing his thighs, while Sun Chonglou sat beside him eating a pancake and asked, "Old Xu, what does the young master mean by this?"
"Just listen." Although Xu Wei was extremely smart, he was still limited by the times and his vision in many things.
"If one person doesn't pay taxes, or a group of scholars don't pay taxes, it won't affect the overall situation. But this person's family can also not pay taxes or serve in the military... This has become a business.
If you offer your land to me and become my slave, you will be exempted from official taxes and only need to pay me 60% to 70%. How many people would flock to it? Those people offered their land to me one after another... But what about the Ming Dynasty?"
Jiang Qingzhi asked: "Where did the missing taxes and population go? And who used them?"
"Who cares about the life and death of Ming Dynasty?"
My country’s destiny!
The more Jiang Qingzhi thought about it, the angrier he got. He slapped him in the face, "You bastard, it's not an exaggeration to say that you are traitors to the country!"
Li Xian laughed loudly, "This is how the world is. What can you do alone? You are just like a mantis trying to stop a chariot. If you don't bow your head, you will be ruined sooner or later.
Don't even think about leaving your name in history, because history is written by our generation, and you will be infamous for eternity, hahahaha!"
"Torture!" Jiang Qingzhi stood up.
He walked to a tree and thought of the wise rulers and famous ministers, as well as the foolish rulers and treacherous ministers recorded in history books.
History seems to be shrouded in a fog, making it difficult to see clearly.
"Uncle, Li Xian seems to be delaying." Xu Wei came over and said.
"I know." Jiang Qingzhi said.
A quarter of an hour later, Li Xian still refused to speak. "Master, Li Xian is refusing to confess."
"Kill me!" Li Xian gasped.
"The person who would rather die than tell you is probably not a woman." Jiang Qingzhi held a cigarette between his lips. "It's your son, right? An illegitimate child? This reminds me of the Zhuge family during the Three Kingdoms period. They lost a son in various places, and if one died here, they could still have branches and leaves in other places."
Li Xian suddenly laughed, "Hahahaha! My son has already run far away. Jiang Qingzhi, ten years later, twenty years later, my son will definitely see what happens to you!"
Jiang Qingzhi smiled and said, "After learning that your family had fled far away, I ordered Ye Bushou to set off early and rush to patrol the line between Juyong Pass and Bohai, keeping an eye on the pass.
His Majesty has ordered that the area around the capital should strictly check the passers-by. The Ministry of War has given me a note for a business trip to the north. From Juyongguan to Bohai, who is not in the north? There must be a lot of people blocking those passes at the moment, I hope your illegitimate son is not among them. "
Da da da!
Amid the sound of hurried horse hooves, more than ten riders came galloping, led by Chen Ji. Beside him was a young man, tied up with ropes, one end of the rope was in Chen Ji's hand.
"My Lord, we have intercepted Li Xian's son in Miyun." Chen Ji dismounted from his horse and brought the young man down with him.
"He actually ran to Miyun. It shows that he doesn't trust his father either." Jiang Qingzhi turned around and said with a smile: "Now the father and son are reunited. Congratulations!"
Li Xian lowered his head, and Sun Chonglou grabbed his hair and pulled it up suddenly, "Young Master is asking you a question!"
"Ten breaths!" Jiang Qingzhi pointed at the young man.
This is a life-and-death fight!
If Daoye and Jiang Qingzhi had failed, Daoye might have died suddenly, and the history books would have added a record: the emperor fell into the water... No, the candle left by the palace maid burned down the bedroom, and the emperor died.
And no one in Jiang Qingzhi's family will survive.
Mo Zhan drew his sword without hesitation and placed it on the young man's neck.
Sun Bu Tong was a step late and asked in a low voice: "How can you be so fast?"
Mo Zhan said, “Listen carefully.”
Sun Bu Tong was stunned for a moment, and after thinking for a while, he seemed to be thinking about something before.
Smart and focused... For the first time, Sun Bu Tong looked at Mo Zhan with complicated eyes and sighed softly.
"Ten, nine, eight, seven..." Sun Chonglou loved to count, and he counted faster and faster, "Four, three..."
"I... am willing to tell you." Li Xian looked at Jiang Qingzhi desperately, "He is someone from the palace, that person is someone from the palace..."
Xu Wei stood up suddenly.
"On my way back, I submitted a memorial to His Majesty, which stated that I would return to the capital as soon as possible..." Jiang Qingzhi narrowed his eyes, a sharp gleam flashing in them, "I will return to the capital immediately!"
Li Xian was laughing behind him. "This world has never belonged to the emperor. Stupid people can't see through it, so just die. The late emperor is dead, hahahaha! I bet that the so-called death from drowning or illness must be false..."
Jiang Qing got on his horse and said coldly, "I know."
"But you don't know what those people can do when they get together." Li Xian panted and suddenly laughed, "I know I can't escape death, but I want to ask for something. If you agree, I will tell you a secret."
"explain."
"How can my son not die!" Li Xian looked at his illegitimate son with kindness in his eyes.
"Old dog, you're the one who caused me trouble!" the young man yelled.
"Okay!" Jiang Qingzhi nodded.
He was very curious about what the secret was that Li Xian was talking about.
Li Xian knelt on the ground and said, "I heard that last time those people discussed taking action, several family heads opposed it. Do you know why they opposed it?"
Jiang Qingzhi frowned, "Don't try to delay the time."
Li Xian smiled and said, "Those family heads said that Your Majesty is stubborn and self-righteous, but to be honest, is there any emperor who is stronger than him? The Ming Dynasty treats you and me well. If civil strife breaks out and foreign tribes take advantage of the situation and invade, how can you and I face our ancestors?"
Jiang Qingzhi was silent for a moment.
"Go back to Beijing!"
He galloped on his horse in the morning sun.
Sun Chonglou and Xu Wei hurried to chase after him.
"Old Xu, the young master seems very happy!"
"I am very happy."
……
"Father still refuses to see me."
In the old place, Prince Yu sat on the steps, with the sun shining in front of him.
"It was all that Taoist's fault." King Jing stood in the shadows behind. "What do you say?"
"I said that the saying that two dragons should not meet is just speculation. I am... not afraid."
"Hey!"
"how?"
"You are not afraid, but father is!" "..."
King Jing came over and sat down. "The more you say this, the more worried father will be."
"It's just true love for true love." Prince Yu muttered.
"My mother is sometimes unreasonable, so I will coax her at this time, and when she is happy, everyone will be happy. Do you think this is sincere?"
"Yes."
"So! Sincerity does not lie in the means, but in the mind."
"I don't have that many thoughts." Prince Yu was a little disappointed, "I'm really stupid."
"You're not that stupid, it's just...what did your uncle say? Are you just too clever to do anything? Or is it something like a lot of hard work leading to great success?"
"My cousin said I look like a man named Guo, with all the Eighteen Palms and Beggars' Sect."
"Hey! Someone in the court suggested that you should be made the crown prince."
"This is courting death!"
“That’s what I think.”
The two brothers sat side by side.
After an unknown amount of time, Prince Yu stood up and looked at Prince Jing, and asked seriously, "Can we not turn against each other?"
King Jing smiled.
Prince Yu said: "I like living like this, and I hate days full of calculations."
"But isn't life all about calculation?" King Jing said.
"What are you planning? That position? I..." Prince Yu suddenly stopped talking.
"Fortunately, you didn't say that." King Jing said coldly, "If you said that I won't fight anymore, then we can go our separate ways from now on."
"Fair!" Prince Yu looked at Prince Jing.
"Are you worried about my mother?" King Jing said with a smile.
"Kind of."
King Jing stood up, "My mother is very smart, she knows my father's bottom line, so... don't worry! Besides, do you think I need it?"
"You are smarter than me." Prince Yu said.
"My cousin said I'm too smart." King Jing smiled.
"Let's go."
"go!"
The two of them walked slowly into the sunlight.
……
"Your Majesty, the two princes have come to pay their respects."
In the Yongshou Palace, Emperor Jiajing was copying scriptures. He had a sore at the corner of his mouth, which was a little swollen.
"Tell them that I am fine." Emperor Jiajing kept writing with his hands, as if he was writing down many emotions.
When a person needs to calm down, the best way is to write, and gradually he will be immersed in it.
Huang Jin went out and saw a eunuch waiting outside, so he asked, "What's the matter?"
The eunuch was called Fang Yi. He said, "The Taichang Temple has prepared some fruits, which they say can help to clear heat. Would you like to get some?"
Huang Jin thought for a moment and said, "Let's get some!"
"Yes." Fang Yi took his leave.
Huang Jin then said to the two princes: "Your Majesty is well."
Watching the two princes leave, Huang Jin said, "People say that there is no family affection in the royal family, but that is just because the emperor is ruthless."
For lunch, Emperor Jiajing drank a bowl of thin porridge.
"Your Majesty, please use more!" Huang Jin looked at the much thinner Emperor Jiajing worriedly.
"I am not hungry." Emperor Jiajing shook his head. "By the way, Xu Jie has entered the Zhilu. How is he getting along with Yan Song and others?"
"Very humble." Huang Jin said.
"Humble... He still chose to bow his head and endure." Emperor Jiajing thought for a moment, "That's good."
Fang Yi came with two eunuchs. Huang Jin went out and saw that they had brought two food boxes and fruits.
"It's quite fresh." Huang Jin squatted down and checked them, then picked up two at random and handed them to the eunuch who was following him.
The eunuch ate it with big mouthfuls, and praised it after he finished, "It's sweet and juicy."
Huang Jin also wanted to eat one, but he was not in a hurry. Emperor Jiajing usually ate one fruit at most and gave the rest to them.
As for the remaining rewards to the princes or important officials, that was political tactics. According to the Taoist, one pretended to be crazy, the other pretended to be stupid, and treated the fruits as the most important treasures of the country.
A quarter of an hour later, the eunuch who tested the poison was fine. Huang Jin said, "Bring it in!"
Fang Yi held a food box in each hand. Huang Jin was surprised, "You are quite strong."
Fang Yi smiled and said, "I have been working at home since I was young, and I have also done manual labor for several years in the palace."
The two entered the hall.
Huang Jin heard someone arguing.
"Wait for your mother! I have to see His Majesty urgently, get out!"
Huang Jin was startled. Emperor Jiajing in the palace heard it and said, "It sounds like Qingzhi's voice. Let's go and have a look."
"Yes." Huang Jin went out again and saw Jiang Qingzhi and two guards arguing.
Didn’t report?
Logically, Jiang Qingzhi should have waited for someone to report to Emperor Jiajing first, and only after Emperor Jiajing decided to see him could he come in.
A bit overbearing... Huang Jin sighed, but still waved, "Your Majesty summons Chang Wei Bo."
The rest has nothing to do with us.
Huang Jin shook his head.
Inside the palace, Fang Yi put down the food box and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty."
Emperor Jiajing was still copying.
Didn’t you notice the strange look in Fang Yi’s eyes?
He made a hole in the side of the food box and slowly pulled it open.
A flash of metallic light suddenly flashed...
(End of this chapter)
