I, Jiajing, successfully cultivated immortality

Chapter 74
After Hu Zongxian finished speaking, he bowed his body and raised the confession above his head, and then Lu Fang, who had been waiting beside Jiajing, stepped forward and presented it to Jiajing.

Jiajing took the statement from Lu Fang, flipped through it a few times, and saw that the statement recorded the testimony of Li Xuan, the river supervisor, and Yang Jinshui, his godfather, the chief eunuch of the Weaving Bureau. They colluded together and used what means to embezzle the imperial court's project funds for building dams. As for the others, they did not mention it at all.

"Well, Hu Zongxian, you did a good job this time! If that Yang Jinshui is crazy, he must be crazy, and let them stop investigating." Jiajing put it aside after reading the above content.

"Obey, Your Majesty!" At this time, Hu Zongxian still kept bowing.

"Sit down, I came to you today because I want to ask you something."

"Minister Hu Zongxian, thank you for your grace!" After Hu Zongxian finished speaking, he sat on the seat prepared for him.

"You are the governor of Zhejiang Province, and you have been suppressing Japanese pirates in the southeast for a long time. In your opinion, how long will it take to completely wipe out the Japanese pirates along the coast?" Jiajing said, turned his gaze to Hu Zongxian, and asked.

"Your Majesty, although most of the main Japanese pirates in the southeast area have been wiped out, their strength is still not to be underestimated! And most of these Japanese pirates' strongholds are scattered on the sea or on unknown islands. Arrived, coupled with the lack of sea defense, it is impossible to form an effective attack on Japanese pirate ships."

"In addition, some aristocratic families on the southeast coast secretly funded these Japanese pirates behind their backs, and some people who couldn't survive joined them. It's a trend that won't go away. It will take at least a year to completely eradicate them."

Hu Zongxian combined his experience of suppressing the Japanese in recent years and the reality to give a conservative answer.

"Well, at present, the Shi Ship Division has built more than 50 sea ships that can go to sea to fight, and has trained soldiers to go to sea to fight Japanese pirates. Presumably, in time, they should be able to achieve some results." Jiajing nodded after listening. It can be regarded as an approval of the answer given by Hu Zongxian.

"Your Majesty is holy!" Hu Zongxian praised sincerely after listening to Jiajing's narration.

"As for the problems you mentioned earlier, you have to do it boldly. If you need money, let the Ministry of Households transfer it to you; Whoever is standing, I will support you!"

"Minister Hu Zongxian, thank you, Your Majesty!" Hu Zongxian said, wanting to bow and salute.

"I don't know Hu Aiqing, would you like to share more for me?" Jiajing's faint voice reached Hu Zongxian's ears like thunder.

"May I ask what His Majesty is referring to?" Hearing the emperor's words, Hu Zongxian already had some guesses in his heart, but he still dared not confirm.

"After the Japanese pirates on the southeast coast are wiped out, you can join the cabinet."

"What? Your Majesty! This is absolutely impossible! The minister Hu Zongxian has little talent and learning, how can he be worthy of such an important task? I am afraid that the country will be missed, and please Your Majesty choose another wise man." Hu Zongxian was shocked when he heard that the emperor wanted to let himself into the cabinet. color, knelt down to the ground, and couldn't help but refuse.

"Hu Aiqing, don't be self-effacing. I believe that with your talent, you will be able to shoulder this important task. Besides, can you take back what you said?" Jiajing turned his gaze to Hu Zongxian, with a warm expression on his face. With a smile, he asked back.

"Minister Hu Zongxian, follow orders!"

Seeing that the emperor had made up his mind, Hu Zongxian no longer refused, so he had to accept the order.

"Okay, then I look forward to seeing Hu Aiqing in the cabinet at that time!" Seeing Hu Zongxian's agreement, Jiajing couldn't help but be in a good mood, and said loudly.

"Next, I will go to the cabinet meeting, so I won't accompany you."

"Minister Hu Zongxian, take your leave." After Hu Zongxian finished speaking, he bowed and left.

……

Outside the Forbidden City, it is the time to be on duty at this moment. After Hu Zongxian came out from the emperor, he was still dizzy. Being able to enter the cabinet is the dream of countless scholars of Ming Dynasty!Because only in that position can you fully display your ideals and ambitions. Just as Hu Zongxian was thinking about it, he happened to bump into Yan Song's sedan chair.

"Teacher." Hu Zongxian quickly moved out of the way and bowed to salute.

"It's Hu Ruzhen, Your Majesty has already summoned you?" The sedan chair stopped, Yan Song came down tremblingly with the help of his servant, looked at the student in front of him, and said softly.

"Yes, His Majesty has summoned me." Seeing the teacher's appearance, Hu Zongxian couldn't bear it, so he had to bite the bullet and replied.

"Okay... okay." Yan Song said, smiled, then shook off the servant's hand that supported him, and approached Hu Zongxian.

"What did His Majesty ask you?" Yan Song walked up to Hu Zongxian, stared at him, and asked.

"Your Majesty asked me about the exact confession about the collapse of the embankment, as well as some strategies for suppressing the Japanese in the southeast." Hu Zongxian was unwilling to conceal his teacher, so he replied exactly.

"Well, you did a good job. I'm going to court later." Yan Song said, stretching out his dry and wrinkled hands, gently touching Hu Zongxian's head, and then got on the sedan chair.

"Student Hu Zongxian, send off the teacher respectfully!" After Yan Song left, Hu Zongxian looked at the sedan chair going away and bowed in salute.

……

"His Majesty is here!"

Outside the cabinet, a high-pitched voice sounded, which might be nothing in normal times, but today, in the eyes of the five elders in the cabinet, it was a reminder that something happened to them!

Jiajing took Lu Fang into the cabinet, and then sat in his seat.

"Stay flat, get up." Jiajing's tone was flat, without any expression on his face, making it impossible to tell the depth.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, Long En!" The five elders got up immediately and took their seats.

I don't know if it's Jiajing's illusion, but today's voice is louder than usual.

"Recently, Hu Zongxian submitted to me the inside information about the damage to the dam in Zhejiang. I wonder if any of you dear friends would like to see it?" He took the statement in his hand and placed it on the table.

Silence, deathly silence, the elders were like statues, motionless, as if they hadn't heard Jiajing's words, while Yan Song seemed to be sleeping but not sleeping.

"You didn't hear what I said, did you?" Jiajing frowned displeasedly and said.

"Since you don't want to read it, I'll send someone to read it to you, Lu Fang!"

"Your servant obeys." After Lu Fang finished speaking, she came to the table and read the confession word by word.

"Last year when the imperial court built the embankment, the original materials used were high-quality stones. Later, they received 80 taels of silver and exchanged them for..."

Lu Fang just read it word by word, and gradually, these elders who were originally heartbroken and knew that they would die gradually regained their vitality.

What Lv Fang read was the confession that Li Xuanhuo, the river supervisor, and his godfather Yang Jinshui embezzled money for the project together, and shoddyly made it, which eventually led to the collapse of the dam.

"Your Majesty, the servant has finished reading." After reading the confession, Lu Fang returned to Jiajing's side, expressionless.

"Since you've finished reading, do you want to read the contents?" Jiajing said in a flat tone, and after Lu Fang stood beside him, he asked immediately.

In the end, Yan Shifan hesitated for a moment, opened the confession and read it carefully.

(End of this chapter)