Why did the emperor rebel?

Chapter 644 Honorable Second Era?
In front of Fengtian Gate, Li Xian's voice fell, and he immediately felt a burst of real eyes coming from behind, like a knife piercing the pain of life,

However, Mr. Li remained as motionless as a mountain, standing where he was, without moving at all, pretending that those people who hated him so much didn't exist.

At the same time, many civil servants have the opposite attitude, and they appreciate Li Gongye's spirit of "sacrificing for the overall situation".

Especially Shen Shangshu from the household department, with a smile on his face, said.

"Your Majesty, if Duke Feng has such a heart, it is indeed the humerus of the country. If the civil and military courts of the Manchu Dynasty can serve the public as honestly as Duke Feng, and put the country's affairs at the top of the list, then what your majesty said about the king, ministers and virtuous people will be just around the corner. Yea!"

Uh, what I said was a bit too explicit, so that the minister who originally wanted to go up and praise the same, couldn't help covering his face and backing away, and at the same time couldn't help but vomit silently in his heart.

After all, you are one of the Seven Ministers, in charge of the world's finances, holding the entire treasury's money and materials in your hands. Even if the Ministry of Households has indeed spent too much in the past two years, and you are a little poor, you will not be so obsessed with money, right?

What's more, Mr. Feng Guo said clearly that these fields donated are also returned to the military land, and they are not turned into the official land of the Ministry of Households. Yu Shaobao didn't say anything. You are a bit too disrespectful Be reserved.

For these people, Shen Shangshu's attitude is...

With this realization, I will not be able to eat four dishes in this life!
It should be noted that although the Ministry of War took the lead in rectifying the military settlements this time, it was not only the Ministry of War that really benefited.

It should be said that if the problem of military settlements can be resolved, it will greatly reduce the pressure on the various yamen of the imperial court.

Among them, the first to bear the brunt is the household department!

Of course, the Ministry of Households could not get an acre of the land that Duke Feng Guo donated on his own initiative this time. Even in the process of rectifying the military settlements, there will be many privately cultivated land and privately sold military land that were originally registered as civilian land. Tian was taken back to the army.

From this point of view, it is indeed not something to be happy about the fact that Hubu's land tax at the border will decline instead.

but!

It is said that the Ministry of Households is in charge of the land tax and finance of the world!
Does Shen Shangshu care about the leftovers on the border?Who knows, the military expenditure allocated by the Ministry of Households to the border every year has already exceeded one-third of the annual income!

Shen Shangshu's heart would bleed every time he saw the expenditure account books of the frontier army.

The rectification of the military settlements is precisely aimed at this problem.

You must know that during the Hongwu period, the frontier army had stronger fighting power, more people, and less annual income, but the annual military expenditure was less than one-tenth of the annual military expenditure.

Shen Yi didn't expect to be able to return to the situation in the Hongwu years, which is unrealistic, but even if there is a slight improvement, the burden on the household department will be huge.

Therefore, Shen Shangshu verbally complained about rectifying the military settlements this time, but it was nothing more than to let the emperor remember how much effort the Ministry of Household put in. When he actually did things, this great Situ was unequivocal.

He is willing to buy such a large amount of silver to buy the farmland, not to mention his old face. Anyway, after thinking about it, he knows that Yu Qian can't save his face to do this kind of unreserved thing. Shangshu, why not do it.

As a result, in the court hall, the situation quickly changed from being tense with swords to complimenting each other and enjoying themselves.

With Li Xian taking the lead, Immediately afterwards, Bo Jing'an Fan Guang also spoke, saying.

"Your Majesty clearly learned that Feng Guogong's heart for the country made me feel ashamed. I have traveled to the border for many years, and I have seen with my own eyes the suffering of the frontier soldiers who were oppressed and enslaved because of the slack in the army. Change chronic diseases."

"Nowadays, the imperial court is investigating the military settlements and cleaning up the military discipline. I feel grateful to your majesty for the frontier soldiers. These days, the ministers are also self-inspecting the border farmland in the government. Anyone who finds out that it is a private purchase of military settlements, or is involved in service. The ministers have severely punished those who handled the land cultivated privately by the frontier army, and are willing to return these lands to the imperial court."

"However, after all, I am limited in my power, and there must be something unfinished. However, as long as the Ministry of War and the Metropolitan Procuratorate raise doubts about the Qingzhang's farmland, I will do my best to cooperate. Any farmland that is involved in the army, once found out , the minister must immediately return to the court and accept the punishment from the Ministry of War, which can be regarded as contributing to the great government of the court."

Obviously, Dudu Fan is more cautious than Mr. Li, who is an old introvert when he opens his mouth.

After all, he is not as big as Fengguo's family, so although he has the same attitude.

However, Fan Guang only voluntarily reported and returned the fields involved in the military settlement, unlike Mr. Li, who gave away all the border industries in one go.

But even so, it can represent sincerity.

In the final analysis, the Ministry of War has been tossing and tossing under pressure for so long, and has come up with a regulation that requires the mobilization of the whole court to cooperate. The ultimate goal it wants to achieve is actually to take back the land that should be taken back.

With Fan Guang's statement, at least in matters related to the Jing'an House, the pressure and workload of the Ministry of War will be greatly reduced.

However, the surprise is yet to come.

Following Fan Guang's appearance, there was another disturbance on Xungui's side, followed by Fan Guang, Zhao Rong, Uncle Xin Cheng, Xu Yong, Uncle Wu Kang, and Zheng Heng, Marquis of Wu'an, also stepped forward and spoke.

"Your Majesty, although the ministers have been in the capital for a long time, it is their duty to rectify the military settlements. The ministers are willing to do the same as Jing Anbo, and immediately check the fields in the mansion that are involved in the military settlements. Once found out, they will be returned to the court free of charge. Among them, the ministers and others will definitely deal with them strictly, and do their part for the imperial court to straighten out the army.”

This time, the court hall was truly filled with astonishment.

Although Li Xian and Fan Guang's statements were beyond everyone's expectations, they still made sense.

After all, up to now, everyone can see that the emperor was behind the rectification of the army, and Li Xian and Fan Guang were promoted by the emperor.

So it's not surprising where they stand, what's surprising is that they're actually willing to make such a big concession.

However, the Marquis of Wu'an, to be honest, although they usually walk very close to Feng Guogong, they are not the same as Feng Guogong who has received the favor of the emperor.

Strictly speaking, even Zhao Rong, the governor of the military government, was obtained in exchange for the Beijing camp at the beginning, and it can't be regarded as a kindness.

They are also willing to do so, but it is really unexpected.

However, the unexpected is yet to come.

Immediately after the statements of Zhao Rong, Xu Yong and others, two more people stood up, Xu An, Marquis of Yongkang, and Zhang Fu, Marquis of Longping!
The two came to the middle of Dan Chi and looked at each other, then Xu An took out a memorial from his sleeve and said.

"Your Majesty, today's court discussion on the rectification of the army will affect the situation of the court. We are all honored and military officials who are very concerned about this matter. This time, I brought a memorial jointly signed by the Duke of Dingguo and the minister. We are also willing to do our best to cooperate with the imperial court in rectifying the military settlements, and to conduct a self-examination of the farmland in the mansion."

"The ministers are willing to return all the acres of land involved in the military settlement to the imperial court. Those who are involved in the military settlement should also plead guilty to the imperial court and obey the court's disposal. If they have been resold, it is difficult to return them. , the ministers are willing to purchase additional land to make up for it, so as to assist the imperial court, restore the military settlements as soon as possible, and purge the frontier troops!"

As soon as this remark came out, there was a lot of discussion in the court.

However, the difference is that most of the civil servants can't hide their joy, but on Xungui's side, they have different expressions, ranging from surprise to anger.

Of course, more wavering and hesitation.

Xu An, Marquis of Yongkang, and Zhang Fu, Marquis of Longping, these two people are not considered leaders among the nobles of this generation. The class has always been low-key.

However, they have another layer of identity, and it is this layer of identity that makes them speak this time with extraordinary significance.

Both the Yongkang Hou Mansion and the Longping Hou Mansion are family friends of the Dingguo Mansion!
There are now six mansions in Daming, among them, Duke Mu's mansion is located in Yunnan, and Duke Wei's mansion stays in Jinling, needless to say.

The remaining four dukes are all in the capital and involved in the court, but their situations are different.

The British government has deep roots, the Chengguo government cannot protect itself, and the Fengguo government is in full swing, but the Dingguo government has never made any voice during the turmoil of the court for more than a year.

So much so that the court almost forgot that such a duke existed among the nobles.

Of course, the reason for this is very complicated, and it has something to do with Dingguo Gongfu's origin, consistent style and the special situation it is facing now.

Xu Zengshou, the first Duke of Dingguo, was the son of Zhongshan King Xu Da. He was killed by Jianwen because he secretly assisted Emperor Taizong during the Battle of Jingnan.

Therefore, in terms of the source of the title alone, the Dingguo Mansion is different from the other two mansions, because the titles of both the British Duke and the Cheng Guogong are derived from the military exploits on the frontal battlefield, while the Dingguo Duke's mansion , Strictly speaking, it can be regarded as the merit of escorting the dragon, and has little to do with military merit.

Therefore, fundamentally, Dingguo's mansion did not have the habit and obsession of going to the battlefield, and over time, it developed a low-key style of being a man in the court.

But no matter how low-key it is, the Duke's Mansion is the Duke's Mansion, with its own contacts, status and role.

In the past few decades, although Dingguo's mansion seldom went directly to the battlefield and did not directly hold military power, but most of the time, it held positions in the five-army governor's mansion, and was very trusted by the emperors of all dynasties. .

Therefore, regardless of the ups and downs of the British government and the Chengguo government in the past few dynasties, there will be a tacit understanding and there will be no real disputes.

Because they know that the emperor can choose people, not really only their two houses.

This special status and style also attracted a group of nobles who were also unpopular in the court, that is, the nobles who surrendered in Jingnan.

As a general who was recruited, whether compared with a group of Taizong's team headed by the Chengguo government, or compared with Beizheng Xungui, headed by the British government, who rose later but had an innocent net worth, he was somewhat repelled. of.

After all, the nobles at that time were all from the army, and they always felt contempt for those who were surrendered.

Under such circumstances, in order not to be squeezed out, these descendants naturally gathered around Dingguo's mansion, forming a new political force.

Originally, although this force was not strong, it was quite influential in the court.

But it is a pity that Dingguo's mansion is not rich in children because of the strict family style. The second generation of Dingguo, Xu Jingchang, has two sons and a daughter, and the second son was acquired in his later years.

Passed down to the third generation Dingguo Duke Xu Xianzhong, Zhengtong died of illness in 13 years. When he died, he had only one son and one daughter, and the eldest son Xu Yongning was only five years old.

According to the court practice, the succession of the title should be at least 13 years old unless there are special circumstances. The British government obtained a special favor and allowed the youngest son to inherit the title in advance because of Zhang Fu's numerous military exploits and death in battle for the country.

However, Xu Xianzhong died of a normal illness, so naturally he had to follow the rules. This has led to the fact that although the candidate for the title of Duke Dingguo has already been determined, he cannot inherit it.

Of course, this cannot be inherited only because Xu Yongning is not old enough, which is completely different from the situation in Cheng Guogong's mansion.

Because Xu Yongning was still young, and his only uncle died young, in fact, the current Dingguo Mansion does not have a real head of the family, and all the affairs are handled by the old lady.

This has also led to the fact that Dingguo's mansion has almost no sense of existence in the court. In the previous turmoil in the court, Dingguo's mansion will not speak out, and no one will let Dingguo's mansion speak out.

However, that is a prominent family after all, and not speaking out does not mean that they have no influence.

Cheng Guogong's mansion has fallen into such a state, and there are so many families of honorable ministers who are willing to watch over and help each other because of their old in-laws, let alone Dingguo's mansion, which has always stood firm.

The legacy left by several generations of Duke Ding is not so easy to be exhausted.

This is why, although there is an extra Fengguo Duke in the imperial court, it is often Ren Li or even Zhang Fu who speaks out on behalf of the nobles, but the title is not the highest.

In the final analysis, although Li Xian was bestowed the honor of the Duke of the State because of his support, but before that, he was just an ordinary Marquis, and he was not a Marquis with enough power and experience, so only a non-hereditary Marquis The duke title, there are not too many things that can be done.

But now...

Although it was the Marquis of Yongkang and the Marquis of Longping, they were very close to Duke Ding's mansion. The memorandum also stated that the mansion of Dingguo took the lead, and the three mansions were jointly named. In fact, they could It is regarded as the statement of Dingguo government.

Of course, it has been more than two years since Xu Xianzhong, Duke Ding of the previous generation, passed away. Counting the time, the little baby who is certain to inherit the title is already seven years old.

At this age, you can't actually make any decisions. More importantly, even if you speak out in the court, you will definitely not be able to regroup the original forces that belonged to the Dingguo Mansion.

So, at this sensitive time, does the appearance of this memorial mean...

Feng Guogong, or Jing'an Bo, has already completed the connection with Dingguo Duke's Mansion, which is similar to the connection between the British Duke's Mansion and the previous Marquis of Ningyuan.

Or to put it more bluntly, does this mean that the long-term infiltration of the nobleman behind Feng Guogong and Jing Anbo has finally paid off?

(End of this chapter)