Chapter 830 The Taoist Who Refuses to Give Up
The Taoist priest was overjoyed and rushed out of the hall. Then he remembered that his son was still outside and shrank back.
"Tell me what happened." The Taoist's eyes were sharp.
Prince Yu was ecstatic at first, but then he felt a little disappointed when he saw his father go in.
Cui Yuan came, and the old prince consort looked at the complacent Rui Jingxian with disgust, wishing he could slap the guy to death.
Rui Jingxian said happily: "Chang Weibo rushed to Changping Prefecture first and summoned merchants to collect food and grass overnight. In the early morning of the next day, the army had no food, and the soldiers were excited. The prime minister couldn't stop them. At this time, Chang Weibo arrived and calmed the troops with a few words..."
These words were simple, but the danger hidden in them moved Emperor Jiajing. He knew his cousin was taking a risk... If the troops mutinied, he, a famous general, would only be sending himself to die.
Just like when the Beijing guards were purged, some people brazenly launched a mutiny. When faced with a desperate situation, prestige and dignity are of no use.
"Where did all that food and grass come from?" Changping Prefecture is not very big, just a small place, but it can actually produce enough food and grass to supply 60,000 troops. What's the trick here?
The emperor's unique way of thinking began to deduce... various negative lessons emerged in his mind.
Is someone hiding food and fodder in secret? Why is it hiding food and fodder in the capital area?
Want to do something big?
"I don't know yet."
Rui Jingxian rushed all the way to report the good news after hearing the news, so he had no time to pay attention to these details. Moreover, there was no such detail in the news from the East Factory.
Emperor Jiajing frowned and thought for a long time but could not figure out how Jiang Qingzhi could get such a huge amount of food and fodder from the merchants.
Zhu Xizhong had been thinking about it for a long time outside. When the news came that the army might mutiny, the first person Zhu Xizhong thought of was his son.
Zhu Shitai was just a small flag officer. When the army mutinied, the only thing he could do was to follow the crowd. If he showed any other ideas, he would immediately become a victim of the sword.
At that moment, Zhu Xizhong prayed to God, hoping that his son would not be foolish enough to dissuade him. Secondly, he thanked Jiang Qingzhi for his original advice.
Jiang Qingzhi had suggested that Zhu Shitai should join the army quietly and not reveal his identity. Zhu Xizhong and the Duke's wife were a little hesitant.
The prestige of the Chengguo Duke's family in the army is not low. If Zhu Shitai joins the army with the identity of the Chengguo Duke's only son, it will reduce a lot of trouble.
But Zhu Shitai felt that his uncle was right.
When the score was 2 to 2 and the situation was at a stalemate, Zhu Shitai asked, "Dad, Mom, do you know more about martial arts than my second uncle?"
Got it!
When the son grows up, he is no longer controlled by his parents, but by his second uncle.
Zhu Xizhong and his wife had no choice but to comply.
I didn’t expect that the helplessness I felt at that time would turn into foresight at this moment.
My brother is so lucky that even my nephew can benefit from it.
When the new policy was launched, Zhu Xizhong was a staunch supporter of the imperial family and Jiang Qingzhi's elder brother, so there was absolutely no reason for him to back down. However, he was not optimistic about the prospects of the new policy.
The wind rustles and the water becomes cold, and the strong man is gone never to return.
Zhu Xizhong was calm both outside and at home, but he seemed a little depressed when others were around.
At this moment, the old dude's face was beaming with joy, and he had thrown all those worries behind him.
Even if someone told him at this moment: Duke Chengguo, your brother has brought a god with him.
Zhu Xizhong believed it without a doubt.
Our ancestors once said that there is a kind of people in this world who seem to be God's illegitimate children. You see him suffer misfortune, and watch him go through all kinds of desperate situations and setbacks. He is about to collapse, but he just won't fall or die. Then, he climbs out of the desperate situation, and the whole person is refreshed... Suddenly, his luck turns around. From then on, he is unstoppable, blessed with both wealth and fortune, and has many children and grandchildren. His descendants are rich and prosperous...
This is luck!
It’s also the trend!
When good luck comes, money, fame, fortune, health... and so on will come rolling in and you can't stop them.
It's impossible not to have it.
It was as if an invisible giant hand was controlling all this.
"What luck." Cui Yuan was old, and the older he got, the more superstitious he became. He whispered, "Could it be that this Long Wilbur was blessed by God?"
Zhu Xizhong said sinisterly: "You, Cui Yuan, have been against my brother for many years. Be careful that God may be displeased and send down thunder to strike you to death!"
Cui Yuan shuddered and sneered, "Am I afraid of him?"
"Then why are you trembling?"
"It's cold, and my old rheumatoid arthritis is acting up."
"Then why is your face pale?"
"I was born with a fair complexion."
"Little white face, no, old white face!"
"envious?"
"I'm not envious. If I see it at night, it's like seeing a ghost."
The two were bickering when a eunuch came in hastily, "Your Majesty, Lord Wei Bo wants to see you."
The real boss is here.
"Call him!" This was the first time that Emperor Jiajing was so eager to see someone.
Jiang Qingzhi, however, walked leisurely in the West Garden.
From time to time, he burped.
"That tree is nice." Mr. Jiang pointed to a tree and said, "Who is that? Paul."
"My Lord, your people didn't follow us." The eunuch who led the way apologized with a smile, thinking that this was the West Garden, which was actually the Imperial Palace. Could you please not treat this place as your own backyard?
Emperor Jiajing was so anxious, but this gentleman was not. Not only was he not anxious, but he also stopped from time to time to admire the exquisiteness of the early winter in the Western Garden, muttering to himself, as if he would do it next time he entered the palace.
After walking all the way to Yongshou Palace, Jiang Qingzhi saw Zhu Xizhong and Cui Yuan eagerly waiting for him. He ignored them and waved, asking, "When did the third brother come back?"
It was Jiang Qingzhi's plan to let Prince Yu leave the army and return to Beijing alone, so he sent a fast horse to ask the Taoist priest for instructions. The Taoist priest replied with just one word.
Can!
Jiang Qingzhi wished he could invent the telegraph, but he just tapped his fingers and it happened!
But electricity was a problem, and the rubber was still in South America… What was I thinking?
The wine looked plain, but it had a strong aftereffect. Jiang Qingzhi felt a little dizzy at the moment. When Prince Yu came over, he patted Prince Yu's shoulder without any hesitation and asked, "How did you gain from this trip?" Prince Yu said, "Quite a lot."
"Reading thousands of books is beneficial. Traveling thousands of miles is the unity of knowledge and action." Jiang Qingzhi said with emotion: "Looking back and summarizing it, it will be regarded as the end-of-year homework of Jiajing 30 years. By the way, what about the fourth brother?"
"Your Majesty..." Huang Jin winked at this guy, implying that His Majesty was anxiously waiting for your report, but you were still teaching the prince.
This is not the right time and this is not the right place.
Jiang Qingzhi burped and said, "Oh, I forgot something."
He walked over and saluted, "Your Majesty, Chen Yao committed suicide."
"Oh!" Chen Yao's death was only a little disappointing to Daoye, but he wanted to know one more thing, "Where did those merchants get the food and grass?"
"What's this?" Jiang Qingzhi scratched his head. "Those merchants mobilized their people to buy up all the grain from grain merchants in Changping Prefecture and nearby areas, as well as from wealthy families, at high prices. They also went all over the city to buy grain at high prices, and vowed to deliver a batch of grain to Changping Prefecture and other places within five days to sell at market prices. If they raise the price by even a penny, anyone selling grain today can burn down their houses. If they complain, they will die without a burial place."
Zhu Xizhong's eyes widened. "So they cleared out all the food in Changping Prefecture and other places! No wonder they were able to supply the army. This... was done overnight. I'm afraid the Ministry of Revenue is far from being able to do this!"
Cui Yuan said seriously: "The Ministry of Revenue? They can't do it even if we give them two days."
"Therefore, the power of businessmen should not be underestimated." Jiang Qingzhi said: "As long as they use profit as a medium, businessmen will forget themselves and do everything they can."
Later, Shanxi merchants smuggled goods across the grasslands and acted as guides, all driven by profit.
If the Man Qing failed, they would certainly be liquidated, some would die, and their children and grandchildren would either become slaves or maids.
But people just don’t regret it!
I would rather die than not get the benefits that are in front of me.
Knowing this mentality of merchants, Jiang Qingzhi threw out the bait of maritime trade.
What is a day's supply of food for 60,000 people?
"This is nothing."
Jiang Qingzhi said.
Emperor Jiajing remained silent for a long time.
"The power of merchants?"
Prince Yu seemed to be thinking about something, and recalled what his cousin once said during his lecture: people die for money, and birds die for food. This is an eternal truth.
As a ruler, you should not always suppress your subordinates. When it comes to motivating them with benefits, don't be stingy.
"Drive them with profit!" said Prince Yu.
Emperor Jiajing said calmly: "Some people like fame, some like profit, some like Taoism, and some like Buddhism..."
For a ruler, the so-called employing people according to their abilities is exactly like this.
A wise ruler places his subjects in the most suitable positions according to their temperament and abilities.
Prince Yu understood.
"Thank you, Father."
Emperor Jiajing was not a stingy person. No, he was not stingy with his own people. "You should thank your uncle."
"Yes." Prince Yu bowed solemnly, "Thank you, uncle."
Jiang Qingzhi smiled, then walked to the door and said, "Chen Yao has something for me to tell Your Majesty."
"Ok!"
Jiang Qingzhi glanced at Cui Yuan.
Lao Cui, be more self-aware.
Cui Yuan grumbled, but Emperor Jiajing did not speak, so he had to step back. Jiang Juzi felt that the distance was not enough and continued to stare at him.
I retreat!
I retreat!
I……
"Ouch!"
The old prince consort missed a step and fell down the stairs.
Jiang Qingzhi turned around and said, "Chen Yao said that the biggest enemy of the Ming Dynasty is not foreign enemies or alien races, but..."
Jiang Qingzhi looked at Prince Yu, "Confucianism!"
Prince Yu was greatly shocked.
Chen Yao is a staunch anti-Mo general, and he actually said such words.
"When a man is about to die, his words are kind; when a bird is about to die, its cry is sad." Emperor Jiajing said quietly, "I fought with them for a long time, how could I not know that these people are the greatest enemy of the Ming Dynasty.
But in this world... they are everywhere.
Outside the imperial city, it seemed as if countless silk threads had woven a huge net, encircling me and the Ming Dynasty, preventing us from being free.
Outside that big net are the Confucianists. They are devouring the flesh and blood of the Ming Dynasty. I fought, but was covered with wounds. I had no choice but to retreat to the Western Garden. "
Prince Yu lowered his head. This was the first time that the Taoist admitted that he was no match for the Confucians and the literati.
"The purge of the Beijing guards and the great victory in the north have given me the confidence to challenge those people. Taking advantage of this confidence, I must do something for the Ming Dynasty. As for what will happen next..."
"Don't worry, I won't leave a mess for future generations."
The eyes of Emperor Jiajing sparkled with a strange light, "I will once again compete with the Confucians for supremacy!"
(End of this chapter)
