First Prince of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 322
These people usually work together, or engage in smuggling salt activities together, and their organization and discipline are stronger than those of ordinary farmers. They are organized, more united, and their combat effectiveness is stronger. They are naturally rebellious talents. Not to mention Wang Xianzhi, Huang Chao and others of the previous generation, Zhang Shicheng and Fang Guozhen were born as salt dealers at the end of the Yuan Dynasty.

It's just that these people are often limited by vision and knowledge, and most of them have traits such as not thinking about progress, greedy for enjoyment, extravagance, indulgence, and connivance with subordinates, so at most they can only separate themselves from one side, and it is difficult to leap into the dragon's gate, becoming the last to sweep the world. The real dragon emperor.

In the end, they were all swallowed up by the real hero. Neither Huang Chao nor Zhang Shicheng or Fang Guozhen could escape such a fate. It is also a place where the will is insufficient.

But I have to admit that their destructive power is second to none. When Zhu Biao met the aristocratic family in Hangzhou, if the Li family did not show up, they would all have to die that day. Zhu Biao would not indulge the salt dealer who was backed by the Jiangnan aristocratic family growing stronger.

Fortunately, Li Qiantang was smart enough to know the truth that the world was determined to be unstoppable. Zhu Biao also thought it would be a pity to get rid of such a force. It happened that Tang Ding still needed people, so he gave them a way out.

After a while, Chen Youzong took the initiative to leave: "It's getting late, Your Highness should rest early, and the food will be prepared when I go back. It happens that the rivers in the south of the Yangtze River are almost dredged. It’s easy to ship there.”

Zhu Biao nodded: "That's good, Liu Jin, go and see it off."

The two people below bowed and retreated, while Zhu Biao raised his pen and made the calculations. It was probably enough for the corvee and the north to fight for two months. With this unplanned food injection, the imperial court was much more relaxed in scheduling. What's more, the aristocratic families outside the south of the Yangtze River may not all be stupid, and they can more or less come up with two to three million stones.

What's more, there is such a big income as ransacking the house. It is absolutely forbidden for the imperial court to ransack the family's property for the sake of others' property.

Liu Jin also came back when he left the Wenhua Palace. Without Liu Jin personally sending him off at night, it was impossible for Chen Youzong to go out of the palace without spending an hour. He would not be given preferential treatment just because he was a third-rank official.

Seeing Liu Jin's face full of joy, Zhu Biao asked with a smile, "How much benefit has this given you to be so happy?"

Liu Jin took the lantern from the little eunuch and walked beside Zhu Biao and said, "Chen Tongzheng gave the maidservant 2000 taels of silver bills. The slaveservant should not have accepted such a large amount, and please forgive me."

Zhu Biao also knew that Liu Jin was not a money-grubbing person, and the money he took was only to subsidize the expenses of the East Palace. After all, the dignified prince could never live with the dowry of the princess.

Zhu Biao put his hands behind his back and said: "Since you have taken other people's money, you should take care of it more. Miss Chen's family will enter the palace next year. You have time to show yourself."

Liu Jin laughed beside him and said, "I understand, but is it too late next year?"

Zhu Biao is also in a good mood after solving the big trouble: "There must be someone who comes first, Li's and Gao Li's. The status and status are all in place, not to mention that it is indeed settled earlier than her."

In fact, according to common sense, these two people should have entered the East Palace long ago, but Zhu Biao has been busy recently and didn't think much about it. Empress Ma may have taken care of Chang Luohua so she didn't make any fuss, and Lao Zhu didn't care about such trivial matters, especially Chang Luohua After getting pregnant.

But it can't be delayed any longer. The Li family and Gao Li are both urging them. It is estimated that these two will enter the East Palace this year. After all, they are not princes and concubines, and there will be no big ceremony. The date is set. A few tables are enough, this is because the two people are noble, otherwise they just carry them in.

At this time, Chang Luohua had already fallen asleep, Zhu Biao didn't bother her, and she fell asleep after calling Nuanyu to wait on her. Yunjin came back late recently, and there were many things in the harem. Empress Ma was also used to relying on Yunjin to do things, so she had Give them a place in the future, if they can have a son and a half daughter, they will be rich and happy for a lifetime.

Early the next morning, although he didn't have to go to the court, he still had to go to the Ministry of Rites. Tomorrow, Fu Youde was going to take the Lord of Xia to the capital, and Zhu Biao was going to accept the surrender and canonize him as Marquis of Guiyi and grant him residence in the capital.

Although that kind of insulting ceremony was not used, the attitude of the loser is still there. The Ministry of Rites has already formulated the regulations. Zhu Biao wants to go and have a look. If there is no objection, the Ministry of Rites will prepare immediately.

It was already noon when the processing was finished, and Zhu Biao returned to Jinshen Hall to accompany his father to review the memorials. Although the six officials were basically filled up, they were all forcibly promoted by the generals who were among the dwarfs. The current level of ability Very ordinary, which made Zhongshu Sheng and Zhu Yuanzhang even busier.

Zhu Yuanzhang asked while criticizing: "You met Chen Youzong last night, what did you say, how much can they give?"

Zhu Biao replied directly without raising his head: "At least 120 million shi, but any more is about 50 million shi."

Zhu Yuanzhang was overjoyed when he heard the words: "Damn it, these aristocratic families are rich, and our treasury is about to run out of rats. They still have so many. We thought they could have 50 million shi."

Zhu Biao put down his pen and said with a smile: "Father underestimated them too much. The families who can survive the troubled times are not usually rich, let alone Jiangnan, which is the most wealthy in the world. My son estimates that the grain of the Jiangnan family has at least 200 million shi. But they have to save some, it is the reason why the Chen family took the lead in giving away so much."

Zhu Yuanzhang thought for a while and said: "The aristocratic families in Jiangnan are rich, and the ones in Shanxi are not bad. We have to think about it."

Zhu Biao hurriedly said: "Father's more than 100 million shi of grain can not say that it can solve all the problems of Ming Dynasty, but it is enough to solve the urgent needs. After all, the north side does not plan to fight big ones. If this is the case, the rest will come naturally. Deliberately killing the rich."

Zhu Yuanzhang sighed with some pity. If he is not in charge of the family, he does not know the price of firewood, rice, oil and salt. Every day he opens his eyes, tens of millions of people in the world are waiting for food.

Zhu Biao was relieved to see that his father gave up the idea of ​​digging pits and killing people. The most important thing in the early years of the founding of the country was stability. After years of wars and chaos, the population of the people has dropped sharply.

Although the aristocratic family has a lot of land, it is nothing compared to the land in the hands of the court. Except for a little land left by the princes and nobles of the former Yuan Dynasty who were rewarded by Zhu Yuanzhang, the rest are still in the hands of the court. What is lacking is farming. common people.

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(End of this chapter)