Chapter 945: Fighting the Bull from Across the Mountain, Irreconcilable
The grand court meeting was more like a summary meeting.
The show begins with Yan Song’s work report, in which he reports his political achievements of the previous year to the emperor and everyone else.
The people present were very diverse, including dignitaries, nobles, officials, and envoys from foreign vassal states... Jiang Qingzhi saw three.
San Tiao had been looking at him, and when he saw him looking at him, he bowed respectfully.
"The Japanese are very polite." Zhu Xizhong said, and Jiang Qingzhi said: "There will be more in the future."
"What do you mean?"
"nothing."
Jiang Qingzhi smiled and thought to himself, how many people would be shocked when the matter of Iwami Ginzan was exposed?
The court was so short of money that the year-end rewards for the powerful and noble were discounted... Last year, the Ministry of Revenue finally raised some money, but it was still a long way off.
"Last year's rewards were 50% less," Zhu Xizhong said. "Many people are complaining that they have been poor this year."
"It's good to have it." Jiang Qingzhi also got it.
Yan Song's report is finished.
Before returning to class, he glanced at Jiang Qingzhi.
There was a strange look in his eyes, as if he was regretting, or sighing.
What does Lao Yan mean?
Jiang Qingzhi looked at the civil servants.
The attack should be coming!
Sure enough, a civil servant came out of the class without following the rules and said, "Your Majesty, the great scholar Wang Qing from the capital committed suicide."
Ok?
Jiang Qingzhi was stunned, "Wang Qing committed suicide?"
Yesterday, Wang Qing and his family were handed over to the Ministry of Justice. As for how to deal with them afterwards, Jiang Qingzhi planned to discuss it with the Taoist priest after the grand court meeting.
This incident is typical: tax resistance, contempt for government orders... How to deal with it will become the focus and will also become a model for handling similar incidents in the future.
Jiang Qingzhi was planning to make a fuss about this, but he didn't expect Wang Qing to commit suicide.
"Your Majesty, Wang Qing has taught countless students over the years, and his students are all over the world. How could such a great scholar be forced to death? Your Majesty..."
The civil servant lowered his head and choked with sobs, and Jiang Qingzhi swore that he saw tears.
These are all movie kings!
He felt that this matter had nothing to do with him.
"I learned that someone tortured Wang Qing yesterday in an attempt to force him to confess... to force him to turn against the scholars..." The official wept. "It's a pity that such a great scholar was beaten and humiliated by the clerks. Wang Qing couldn't bear it... and chose to commit suicide. He didn't even see the dawn of the 31st year of Jiajing!"
"Who is behind the scenes instructing the officials of the Ministry of Justice to carry out the executions in private?" someone asked.
In an instant, all eyes were cast on Jiang Qingzhi.
It was as if countless swords and spears were slashing at Jiang Qingzhi.
The atmosphere suddenly became tense.
San Tiao felt the tense atmosphere, and a messenger beside him whispered, "Is this a repeat of Di Qing's past?"
"At that time, Altan Khan was so aggressive. To be honest, I think the Battle of Tumubao will happen again. This Chang Wei Bo, with an army of less than 100,000, actually defeated Altan Khan's army of 200,000. Tsk tsk! Such people are first-class figures in Wei and Huo, and can be called the pillars of the country."
"But the Central Plains has always had a habit of destroying its own pillars."
"Bullshit, that was before the Song Dynasty. How could such a thing happen during the Han and Tang dynasties?"
For an envoy to be sent to the Ming Dynasty, being able to speak the Ming language is a basic requirement. Furthermore, he must have research on the history and current situation of the Ming Dynasty and the Central Plains.
A group of messengers were whispering, occasionally mentioning the past events of the Central Plains Dynasty.
San Tiao was watching from the sidelines, and he found that most of the envoys were gloating over the show, and some even... he saw some joy.
Why?
San Tiao frowned. He had great respect for Jiang Qingzhi and naturally did not want to see his idol being looked down upon in this way, so he said, "Chang Wei Bo is not only a martial arts expert, but also a great scholar. Otherwise, how could he be entrusted with the important task of the New Deal?"
"Altan Khan was defeated, and then the Ming Dynasty launched a new policy." An envoy sneered, "Do you know why Altan Khan was defeated?"
Japan and the Ming Dynasty have not had any communication for a long time, so Japan doesn't know much about the internal affairs of the Ming Dynasty.
Seeing that Sanjo didn't say anything, the messenger said, "It's because of the new policy."
Another envoy sighed, "It is said that the new policy was launched at the end of the 30th year of Jiajing, but I heard that the new policy actually started when Emperor Ming and Jiang Qingzhi purged and rebuilt the Beijing Guards."
"Not long after the reconstruction of the Imperial Guard, Altan led his army south. This battle... You should know that the Imperial Guard of the Ming Dynasty had a reputation as a watchdog."
Everyone couldn't help but laugh when they heard the watchdog metaphor.
"But it was this watchdog, under the leadership of Jiang Qingzhi, who defeated Altan Khan." The envoy whispered, "This is just the beginning. In the 31st year of Jiajing, the new policy will take effect."
The envoy shook his head and sighed: "Just rebuilding the capital guards defeated our long-time enemy Altan. If the new policy goes smoothly..."
In a flash, Sanjo blurted out, "You are worried..."
The envoy laughed, "Isn't Japan worried? Don't forget, the Japanese pirates have been wreaking havoc in the south of the Ming Dynasty for many years, and their harm is no less than that of Altan Khan. I have heard that there are voices calling for lifting the maritime ban in the Ming Dynasty. If the maritime ban is lifted, the Japanese pirates will bear the brunt... Japan? Haha!"
The messengers looked at San Tiao with ill intentions.
I would rather die than let my friend die... Sanjo understood that these people were worried that the Ming Dynasty would turn from a rabbit into a tiger like the Han and Tang dynasties after the new policy.
Han and Tang Dynasties?
San Tiao said softly: "The Ming Dynasty at this moment is like a sleeping tiger, and the new policy is to wake it up. Once the tiger wakes up, the prosperity of the Han and Tang dynasties will reappear in the Central Plains."
After reading the history books of the Central Plains, Sanjo couldn't help but be fascinated by the Han and Tang dynasties recorded in the history books.
Then, he shuddered. If the fierce tiger of Ming Dynasty awakened, what would happen to Japan?
According to the nature of the Han and Tang dynasties, the Japanese pirates were rampant? It was not enough to destroy them, they had to attack them again.
Thinking of this, San Tiao couldn't help but glance at Jiang Qingzhi.
Jiang Qingzhi leaves the class.
"Does the Ministry of Justice have any explanation?"
The Minister of Justice Zhu Yuan came out of the class and smiled bitterly, "Your Majesty, I have already ordered the arrest of those petty officials who took action. When questioned earlier, they said that it was spontaneous..."
"Spontaneous?" The civil servant sneered, "Why spontaneous?"
Zhu Yuan glanced at Jiang Qingzhi and said, "When the clerks learned that the Wang family treated farmers and businessmen as pigs and dogs, they took the initiative to punish them."
As he spoke, Zhu Yuan suddenly pleaded guilty, "Your Majesty, I failed to discipline myself properly and I am guilty. Please punish me. I..." Zhu Yuan knelt down slowly, "I am unbearable, please beg for my bones."
What the hell!
Just because of this one thing, you, Zhu Yuan, actually want to resign from your post?
Even if the matter was really to be investigated, Zhu Yuan would at most be reprimanded.
Who among those who have become the ministers of the six ministries has not been reprimanded by his superiors?
If you don't have this much accomplishment, why do you want to be a high-ranking official?
Zhu Xizhong sneered and whispered: "This is to avoid disaster!"
The Taoist priest sat high up, watching the scene coldly.
Handing over the Wang family to the Ministry of Justice was the tone he set for the new policy.
The New Deal is not a personal vendetta, but a public matter.
Official business must be handled impartially.
As the new policy takes effect, the competition between Jiang Qingzhi and the meat eaters will become increasingly intense.
Let’s be fair…How many of those meat eaters have clean butts?
Jiang Qingzhi used the Wang family to summarize the 30 years of Jiajing: Next year, the good days you have been waiting for will be gone.
Thinking of this guy's methods, Zhu Yuan was scared.
The meat eaters would rise up in resistance, and Jiang Qingzhi would take action. Batches of prisoners were sent to the prison of the Ministry of Justice... If Zhu Yuan followed Jiang Qingzhi's instructions, even if he was doing things impartially and according to the law, he would still be angered.
Damn it!
I didn't get to eat the meat from the Ministry of Justice, but I ended up smelling of mutton.
If not handled properly, innocent people will be affected.
It would be better to retreat early.
Avoid the vortex of the Ministry of Justice.
He is indeed a smart man!
The Taoist said, "The difficulties will be solved by you!"
It's time for guessing game.
An interpretation that comes to most people’s minds is: work hard, the road is tortuous, but the future is bright.
I won’t allow it!
You, Zhu Yuan, have been putting all the old and young in the Ministry of Justice for me.
"Your Majesty!" Zhu Yuan really didn't want to become cannon fodder for both sides!
Dao Ye said calmly: "Is there anything else?"
This is to suppress the matter of Wang Qing's suicide.
"Your Majesty, as far as I know, someone attacked the Wang family... It was premeditated." Someone stepped out of the class and glanced at Jiang Qingzhi, "Wang Qing heard that someone wanted to persuade Your Majesty to lift the maritime ban, so he spoke out against it. Wang Qing is a great scholar, and his words attracted the approval of the scholars in the capital. That person held a grudge and took advantage of the new policy to attack the Wang family."
Jiang Qingzhi sighed, "After all this trouble, you just want to oppose the lifting of the maritime ban. Why bother? Just say it directly. Look, you have forced Minister Zhu into a corner."
Zhu Yuan was also angry, thinking that you were going to attack the Ministry of Justice and me, but you were actually targeting Jiang Qingzhi and the New Deal.
But Zhu Yuan immediately felt a chill down his spine.
He thought of those clerks who carried out the execution in private. Who was behind those people?
Yes.
Wang Qing is a great scholar, with students all over the world. The clerks in the prison are the best at seeking benefits and avoiding harm, so why would they take the initiative to cause this trouble?
There is someone behind this matter!
Who?
Zhu Yuan glanced at the excited civil servants, sighed, got up with difficulty, and returned to class. Eyes follow the nose, nose follows the heart...
"Your Majesty, once the maritime ban is lifted, people from the south will flock to the sea."
"There are great benefits in going overseas." Wang Yiqi came out of class and spoke on behalf of the new policy and the boss.
A civil servant sneered, "Going to sea is profitable. But the more so, the more restless people become. Working hard all year round, they can barely make ends meet, while others can earn a lot of money from a single trip to the sea. When those who go to sea return with a full load, will those people in the south still have the heart to farm? Will they still have the heart to work peacefully?"
"The South is an important source of money and grain for the Ming Dynasty. Once people's hearts become unstable, the country... will be in danger!"
"Your Majesty, you must not lift the sea ban!"
"I heard that the Japanese pirates are making a move again recently. Once the ban on sea trade is lifted, those cunning people will collude with the Japanese pirates... By the way, last time, Long Wilbur said that most of the Japanese pirates are coastal Ming people. Once the ban on sea trade is lifted, the Japanese pirates will definitely become more powerful. How will the South respond then? Does the Ming Dynasty have to launch another southern expedition just to lift the ban on sea trade?"
"That's right. The Ministry of Revenue, which had accumulated money and grain for many years, was completely wiped out in one northern expedition. If there is another southern expedition, will they be able to survive?"
"Anyone who proposes lifting the maritime ban is a traitor to the country!" said an old civil servant, his hair and beard standing on end. "I will never forgive him!"
"I second the proposal!"
"I second the proposal!"
Amid the crowd's uproar, Jiang Qingzhi walked out.
"Your Majesty, your subject Jiang Qingzhi proposes lifting the maritime ban!"
(End of this chapter)
