I'm really not doing business

Chapter 599: The Emperor, a Lonely Man

"He didn't let Yan Shixuan take the blame. Doesn't that mean he has a clear conscience? Aren't you being too cautious, sir?" Zhu Yijun really never doubted Shen Shixing's integrity because he didn't let Shanghai County Magistrate Yan Shixuan take the blame.

"There is a chameleon in the Royal Academy of Sciences. It is a gift from the West. If you don't look carefully, it is difficult to find it. This may be its protective color." Zhang Juzheng said calmly, making the emperor, ministers, and court officials simply believe that this was a chameleon created by Dong Wei, and everyone could accept it emotionally.

It is hard to say whether Shen Shixing gave the specific instructions.

"Songjiang is not suitable for major personnel changes now. After all, the Single Whip Law has just been implemented and I have just issued an imperial decree. We cannot touch him at this time." Zhu Yijun said with a frown. His punishments have always been harsh. This time he only demoted his rank by three levels and allowed him to make up for his crime with meritorious service. This was not out of consideration for his fellow disciples, but for the stability of Songjiang.

It is necessary for Shen Shixing to implement the "One Whip Law", which is the highlight of this year's new policy.

Zhang Juzheng immediately said, "So this is also the best opportunity for him to settle old accounts. Your Majesty, is there a better time to settle old accounts than this?"

"The court cannot touch him for the time being because there is a "One Whip Law" in place. He is different from Ling Yunyi Lingbu Tang and Guoxing Zhengmao Yinbu Tang. These two have cut themselves off from the literati community. When it comes to killing people, no matter who you are, Yansheng Gong will not let you go. In the eyes of the literati community, they are all executioners who kill without blinking an eye."

"But Shen Shixing is not like that. The shipyard is very large. He embezzled some money in the name of Dong Wei and then let Dong Wei escape. That's it. No one will ever know whether Shen Shixing took the money or how much he took."

"When the storm had passed, he used the imperial decree of His Majesty to implement the Single Whip Law and made meritorious contributions, thus escaping perfectly."

Zhu Yijun fell silent. Zhang Juzheng taught him by words and deeds how to be a person in a high position. The four words "alone and helpless" were by no means empty words.

Any promise made by anyone to you as an emperor may not be counted; only the things you decide on your own count!
Don't trust any minister at any time, and always be skeptical.

Suspicion is a quality that an emperor must possess, otherwise he can be easily deceived. The Taoist trusted Yan Song so much, but he never thought that Yan Shifan would dare to go to Prince Yu's Mansion to solicit bribes.

This is how Zhang Juzheng quickly and bluntly threw the dark side of the world in the emperor's face. This is what Zhang Juzheng taught by example.

Zhang Juzheng implemented the New Deal and offended almost everyone he could, except the emperor.

"It is also possible that this is a trap deliberately set by conservatives who oppose the new policies. After such suspicion is established, Shen Shixing has lost his greatest help in implementing the new policies in Songjiang Prefecture, the support of the Ming court." Zhu Yijun tried to make amends for Shen Shixing.

"If this is the case, Shen Shixing should be dismissed. Confronting the opposition is something that Wanli's Reform must go through. He fell for even such a crude trick. How can he be entrusted with the important affairs of the country? Incompetence should be dismissed more than corruption." Zhang Juzheng followed the emperor's words and explained why he was determined to dismiss Shen Shixing and even take away his official position.

Zhang Juzheng immediately said, "Zhou Liangyin will be back in Beijing in a few days. If there are no problems during the inspection, he will be sent to Liaodong to take up his post. Let Hou Yuzhao go to Songjiang Prefecture."

"Although Hou Yuzhao is a bit simple-minded, he can do well in Liaodong. He will not be lacking in ability when he goes to Songjiang Prefecture."

"Please allow me to think about it slowly." Zhu Yijun stretched out his hand to interrupt Zhang Juzheng's words.

Zhang Juzheng had even found a replacement. He was serious about kicking Shen Shixing out. Whether it was because of corruption or incompetence, in Zhang Juzheng's view, Shen Shixing had failed the test.

Zhou Liangyin has been working in reclaiming wasteland in Daning Wei for ten years. He was just pretending and he can be given a chance. Hou Yuzhao is not incapable of doing the job in Songjiang Prefecture. The danger in Liaodong is more direct, but the conflicts are also more intense. Hou Yuzhao, who has been tested for a long time, can also handle the job in Songjiang Prefecture.

"Emotionally, I still can't accept it." Zhu Yijun's fingers tapped on the table.

Zhang Juzheng was silent for a moment. Shen Shixing was his disciple. He said calmly, "Your Majesty has also said that he cannot accept it emotionally, but state affairs come first."

"The only way to prove Shen Shixing's innocence in this matter is to arrest Dong Wei and then hold a joint trial in the three courts of the Northern Pacification Office. If he is innocent, he will be demoted three levels. If he is neither innocent nor innocent, then... he will be dismissed." Zhu Yijun stopped tapping his fingers and made his own decision.

"Your Majesty, that lowly scholar's tactics of procrastination are useless to me. Not to mention that Dong Wei is difficult to catch after he flees overseas, even if he hides in a valley in the Ming Dynasty, how long will it take to catch him?" Zhang Juzheng looked at the emperor. That lowly scholar's tactics were useless to him. If they had worked, he would have been defeated long ago.

Your Majesty, your attempt to use the tactic of procrastination to attack your own teacher will not be effective at all.

Zhu Yijun took a deep breath. Wang Chonggu's fear of Zhang Juzheng was not unreasonable. He was really difficult to deal with. He said with certainty, "Three months is the limit. If we catch him, we will interrogate him. If we can't catch him, maybe Dong Wei is already dead. We will do as you said and dismiss him at noon."

"He will be dismissed from office and stripped of his honors and titles," Zhang Juzheng added.

"Sir! There is no evidence to prove that Shen Shixing was a corrupt and treacherous official, nor is there any evidence to prove that it was Shen Shixing who instructed this. These are all suspicions. Just because of suspicions, should we remove him from office and strip him of his honors?" Zhu Yijun disagreed with Zhang Juzheng's addition.

Zhang Juzheng was neither annoyed nor angry, and said calmly: "He is relying on the fact that he is Mr. Zhang's disciple and has the same master as Your Majesty, so he dares to act so recklessly. He has betrayed Your Majesty's favor and his crime is three times more serious."

"Whether it's corruption, incompetence, or failing to live up to the divine favor, he is guilty."

"I just won't deprive him of his honors and fame. What do you think, sir?!" Zhu Yijun believed that this was all suspicion. It was against reason, emotion, and law to impose such a harsh punishment just because of suspicion.

Zhang Juzheng smiled and shook his head, saying, "I can't do anything about it. As long as Your Majesty doesn't deprive the emperor of his right to ascend the throne, it's nothing. It's the blessing that Shen Shixing has cultivated for eight lifetimes."

"We are talking nicely, how can you scold me, sir?" Zhu Yijun slammed the table and said very dissatisfiedly.

"Swearing? I didn't..." Zhang Juzheng was stunned. Where did this come from?
Zhu Yijun said as a matter of course: "Isn't the term 'benevolent emperor' an insult? In your mind, is there any word 'benevolence' in the concept of a sage monarch or wise ruler? To be suspicious of everything first, is this benevolence?"

"Your Majesty, what I believe to be a sage and wise ruler may not necessarily be a sage and wise ruler. This is just my personal opinion." Only then did Zhang Juzheng realize that the emperor was very dissatisfied with the title of "Son of Heaven with Benevolence". This was a term that Wan Shihe made up when he was flattering him. Your Majesty was reluctant to refute Wan Shihe's face, but Your Majesty obviously did not agree with the three words.

"Then this matter has been settled for the time being. It depends on whether Dong Wei can be caught. Sir, would you rather see Dong Wei be caught, or would you rather not see Dong Wei be caught?" Zhu Yijun asked curiously.

"It would be best to catch him. I also hope that Shen Shixing is innocent. If he is really innocent, then it is reasonable to demote him three levels. After all, the governor of Songjiang is really busy. He is busy with various official factories and reconciling conflicts. It is understandable that he failed to notice it for a moment. We can treat it as a joke and learn from it." Zhang Juzheng personally did not want Shen Shixing to have any problems.

Zhang Juzheng was getting old, and the older he got, the more he valued feelings. He didn't want to see Shen Shixing, and they really separated as they walked.

Zhang Juzheng said with some regret in his eyes: "Shen Shixing had a poor family background. His grandfather was adopted by his uncle and changed his surname to Xu. Before the 41st year of Jiajing, he was called Xu Shixing. That year, Shen Shixing passed the imperial examination and became the top scholar. He worshipped me as his teacher and changed his surname back to Shen. Since the 41st year of Jiajing, a total of 22 years, until he left Beijing to serve as a governor, he has been working under me."

"At that time, there was no Quan Chu Guild Hall. At that time, he was very motivated and shouted that he wanted to clear up the world and bring peace to the world!"

"I hope he doesn't have any problems more than anyone else."

As an individual, Zhang Juzheng did not want Shen Shixing to have any problems, but as the prime minister, Zhang Juzheng had to examine him.

"Then the deadline is three months." Zhu Yijun agreed.

"Your Majesty is wise." Zhang Juzheng bowed.

Zhang Juzheng was ruthless in his internal purge. He could be corrupt but could not deceive his superiors and subordinates. Gao Qiyu was one such person, as was the former Sichuan Governor Luo Yao, and now Shen Shixing. This was also the difference between him and Gao Gong. Gao Gong could blatantly shield the Jin people when it came to major issues for the world, but Zhang Juzheng would never shield his followers.

But, at the same time, when his disciples were attacked without reason, he would do his best to protect them.

Zhu Yijun smiled and said, "But having said that, our Ming Dynasty craftsmen are really amazing. The propeller of Feiyun is actually useful."

Zhu Yijun thought that it would take at least five to ten years to improve it. Unexpectedly, during this sea test, the propeller actually worked. Of course, it just worked. The research and development progress of the steam engine fell behind and was now slower than that of the propeller of Songjiang Ship Design Institute.

"Lord Wan told me that during the Yongle period, there was a huge bell that weighed 22.2 kilograms and was cast in one go. There were words on it, and the handwriting was extremely clear. It was cast, not carved. I went to see it myself, and it was truly amazing. The bell on the bell and drum tower of the main government office was not as difficult to cast as the Yongle bell." Zhu Yijun talked about the ingenuity of the Ming Dynasty craftsmen.

The weight of that bell is about 6.9 Ruyi Jingu Bangs. The key point is the 22.2 words on it. The handwriting is very clear. It is not carved but cast. After reading it, Zhu Yijun could only say it is bragging.

"The craftsmen had to consider a lot of things. After all, the lives of the entire family depended on the bell. If it was not cast well, it would be a huge crime." Zhang Juzheng had also seen the bell and found it magical. The craftsmen had to consider their families. After all, it was a bond between nine generations of the family.

"The craftsmen's exquisite skills are also one of the internal forces of the Wanli Reform." Zhu Yijun once again affirmed the craftsmen's status, strength and contribution.

The internal strength of the Wanli Reform included the elite soldiers of the Beijing garrison, the strong navy, the influx of silver due to the advantage of scale, commodity advantages, and the ingenuity of the craftsmen.

In casting, especially the casting of large equipment, the different cooling speeds of molten copper and molten iron will cause problems such as fracture and cracking. The method adopted by Ming Dynasty craftsmen is inner mold heating to prevent the molten copper from cooling asynchronously. This technology is now used in cannon casting, which is still a insignificant part of the technical level.

To be able to make something weighing 96,000 kilograms in one go is truly the ceiling for large-scale equipment casting in the world today.

When Zhu Yijun saw the bell in person, he was also filled with emotion.

Zhang Juzheng chatted with His Majesty for a few more words before bowing his head and leaving.

Zhu Yijun said to Feng Bao: "Bring the secret box here."

Zhu Yijun wrote a secret decree, sealed it with wax, and said to Zhao Mengyou: "I wrote a secret decree to the Nagasaki Governor's Office, asking them to carefully screen the people in the Nagasaki Governor's Office. After arresting the advisor Dong Wei, let the coastal defense inspector interrogate him on the spot. If there is any problem with Shen Shixing, Dong Wei will be killed on the spot and blamed on the Japanese harassment."

"Ah?" Zhao Mengyou blinked. This was the condition he had just agreed upon with Zhang Juzheng, so why was this order completely different from what he had agreed upon?
"If Shen Shixing is okay, he will be escorted to the capital properly." Zhu Yijun put the secret decree into the secret box and said calmly.

"What if the Nagasaki Governor's Office can't catch him?" Zhao Mengyou asked solemnly.

Feng Bao took the secret box, stamped it, and handed it to His Majesty for inspection before handing it to Zhao Mengyou to send to Nagasaki.

"We will definitely catch him." Zhu Yijun looked at the secret box and said. "I obey your order." Zhao Mengyou bowed his head and accepted the order. He listened to the whole process, but he was confused and had no idea why His Majesty made such a decision. But he understood the order. No matter what, Shen Shixing must not have any problems.

Even if Shen Shixing killed Dong Wei, the Nagasaki Governor-General's Office would create another Dong Wei.

"Sir, you have your concerns, and I have my plans." Zhu Yijun looked at Feng Bao, Zhang Hong, and Zhao Mengyou, and said calmly, "Sir, you should consider ensuring that the people you send to me are useful, and my first consideration is to protect your reputation after your death and the results of your new policies."

"This is what I must do. This is also the turmoil and disturbance that you will inevitably experience a hundred years later. I need more power and more support to preserve the achievements of the new policy."

"I don't care whether Shen Shixing has bad character or is stupid, as long as he is your disciple, that's enough. If he can't do it, I can do it myself."

"I think what I said is very clear."

Zhu Yijun had not suspected that Master Duanshui was a bad guy before, but now, Zhang Juzheng reminded him that there was indeed such a possibility. However, Zhu Yijun still chose to protect Shen Shixing on the premise that he realized that there might be a problem, because they needed to work together to prevent a counterattack.

Shen Shixing's character, integrity and ability are not the key. The key is his name and what he represents. If Shen Shixing is really not good enough, Zhu Yijun can take over himself. At most, it will be the ancestral law of Emperor Taizu Gao, a one-man autocracy.

Zhu Yijun said more clearly: "And Shen Shixing is also quite capable. When the Youlong, Feiyun, shipyard, silver inflow, and Jiangnan slaves took up arms and fought against Qi, Shen Shixing responded quickly and did not allow the contradictions to escalate further, and did not allow the civil unrest to lead to worse consequences. This was all done by Shen Shixing. We cannot fabricate false accusations just because it is possible."

"Until there is clear evidence, he is still a hero."

Zhu Yijun must explain clearly why he did this, at least to convince the people around him. If the person who does things is confused, then everything he does will also be confused.

"Your Majesty is wise!" Feng Bao felt that what the Majesty did was right. The older Zhang Juzheng got, the more he lived like Hai Rui. He could not tolerate any grain of sand in his eyes. At a time when despicable Confucian scholars were in power, there were only a few officials who could get practical work done, so it didn't matter if they were a little greedy.

Clear water should be used, but muddy water should not be used? Shouldn’t the Yellow River water be used for irrigation? Water that can irrigate the land is good water, and officials who can make the people live and work in peace and contentment are good officials.

"Of course, I also hope that he is fine." Zhu Yijun still had some worries. It didn't matter if Shen Shixing was a little greedy. The amount of silver was not important in this matter. If he really used Dong Wei to settle the old debts, it would be deceiving his superiors and subordinates. This was intolerable.

This is also why Zhang Juzheng said that Shen Shixing failed the emperor's grace and trust in appointing him to such an important position, but he betrayed this trust.

Zhu Yijun thought the process would take a long time, but in the end he didn't even have to wait ten days. On February 15th, Shuri Hou Chen Lin sent a secret report stating that Dong Wei had been arrested in Shuri Prefecture in Ryukyu.

Dong Wei had influence in Songjiang Prefecture and escaped the supervision of the Maritime Customs, but his influence was limited to Songjiang Prefecture. There were three ways to escape from Songjiang Prefecture. One was to go south to Yuegang, Guangzhou Prefecture, and Da Nang; the second was to go south to Yuegang, Penghu Inspection Office and then to Luzon; or go out to sea to Ryukyu, the sea bridge of all nations, and then make plans.

As soon as Dong Wei arrived at Ryukyu Shuri Prefecture, he was arrested as a spy, mainly because of a problem with his pass. It was not until Luo Bingliang issued a warrant to arrest Dong Wei that Ryukyu Shuri Prefecture realized that they had caught a big fish! Of course, the Ryukyu Shuri Prefecture governor soon handed the matter over to the Coast Guard Inspector.

According to preliminary investigation, the criminal can be sent to the capital without falling into the water.

Luo Bingliang simply didn't know about Zhang Juzheng's suspicion. If he knew more, he would have complained about Zhang Juzheng's ruthlessness. There was nothing wrong with Shen Shixing. Luo Bingliang's judgment was not due to his personal character, but because he didn't have time.

Shen Shixing was really busy. He wanted Songjiang Prefecture to develop rapidly, the production relations to change substantially, and he also wanted Songjiang Prefecture to prevent the collapse of social order due to the influx of silver. He had to want all this and was so busy that he was exhausted.

Standing at the forefront of the rolling tide of the Wanli Reform, there were infinite views, infinite risks, and even more infinite busyness.

If it weren't for the care of the chief medical officer, Luo Bingliang was afraid that Shen Shixing would die suddenly. He would have no time to settle old accounts. If he had that time, he might as well think about the shipyard, where the mass production of fast sailing ships was not as expected.

"I am slightly better than Zhang Juzheng in going to the Quan Chu Guild Hall." Zhu Yijun put away the secret memorial, took the case files, and went to Zhang Juzheng's Quan Chu Guild Hall in a swagger.

"I told you, dear Shen, that you have a smooth road ahead of you, and all the roads have been paved for you. How can you be shaken by a little money?" Zhu Yijun slapped the file on Zhang Juzheng's desk, leaned on the armchair, and pulled out the pin. The armchair became a reclining chair. Zhu Yijun looked at Zhang Juzheng swayingly and said with certainty, "Sir, you worry too much."

Zhang Juzheng felt somewhat helpless as he looked at the lazy emperor. When his majesty arrived at the Quan Chu Guild Hall, he didn't know how to sit or stand properly and just did whatever was comfortable for him.

"I have been very kind to you, sir. If he could enter the cabinet, how could I treat him unfairly? Over the years, I have awarded the Chu Guild Hall with at least 300,000 silver coins, if not 500,000. If he really tried to take advantage of the situation, how much could he have gotten? Is it as much as the reward I gave him?" Zhu Yijun staggered, took an apple from the fruit plate brought by Feng Bao, and began to eat it.

The more greedy you are, the bigger the noise you make. It is better to feel at ease when receiving rewards from the emperor.

Feng Bao whispered, "Your Majesty, it's more than 500,000 silver coins. It's 673,350 silver coins."

"Ah? So many?" Zhu Yijun felt a little sour because of the apples. There were no apples at this season. They were all grown in the greenhouse.

"Sixty or seventy thousand silver coins a year is not a lot. Wang Ci Fu can get more as dividends." Feng Bao said in a low voice.

Only 60,000 or 70,000 taels a year, is that a lot?
Wang Cifu earned more than one million silver coins a year! This was the dividend from the Yongding and Yongsheng woolen official factories, which was changed to a fixed amount of 10,000 silver coins, and the bulk of it was mainly from the dividends from opening up the sea.

"You said it was dividends." Zhu Yijun finished eating the sour apple. Dividends were dividends and rewards were rewards. They were completely different. Zhang Juzheng came from a poor family and was not a merchant for generations, so he did not have that much savings.

Zhang Juzheng finished reading the file, bowed his head and said: "Your Majesty is as perceptive as seeing through fire, and I am overthinking."

In the files, many new situations appeared, but these situations had nothing to do with Shen Shixing. Instead, Dong Wei scolded Shen Shixing for blocking his way to wealth. For example, Songjiang Shipyard and Weaving Bureau had a lot of incoming materials, and Dong Wei wanted to give them to Huating Dong, his biological father, but Shen Shixing refused.

Otherwise, how could Dong Wei, a rich and powerful son of a wealthy family, get along with Hai Lao Si? How embarrassing!
But Shen Shixing refused to give it.

Compared with moral character, ethics and morality, Zhang Juzheng believed more in conflicts of interest.

"Teacher is still a good teacher." Zhu Yijun waved his hand and said, continuing to chew the sour apple and said: "Teacher, would you like one?"

"The chief physician won't let me." Zhang Juzheng was not interested in the sour apples of this season. At his age, if he bit into something sour, it would really make his teeth ache.

"Xiong Da, come and have one." Zhu Yijun greeted Xiong Tingbi happily. If he couldn't bully Zhang Juzheng, he could bully you, Xiong Da!

Xiong Tingbi took a deep breath, picked up a green apple and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

He had to eat it even if he didn't want to. Jun Youci didn't dare to refuse. Xiong Tingbi finished the sour apple with difficulty, his face almost twisted.

"Is it delicious?" Zhu Yijun said excitedly, "Tell me the truth."

"Your Majesty has eaten it. You naturally know whether it tastes good or not." Xiong Tingbi had a complicated expression and expressed tactfully that except for pregnant women who love acid, it seems that no one can eat this thing. It is really very sour.

"That's right, it doesn't taste good! I also feel it's sour when I eat it, and I think it's a waste to throw it away. I'll let you suffer this with me, hahaha!" Zhu Yijun looked at Xiong Tingbi with a twisted face and said with a laugh.

Xiong Tingbi stared at the emperor in a daze. Is love meant to suffer together? I've been caught in the rain, so I broke your umbrella, right?
Xiong Tingbi shook his head helplessly, then smiled with relief and said, "When your majesty is not in the court, he is not so serious and majestic."

In Xiong Da's eyes, when the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was not in the Quan Chu Guild Hall, he was the true dragon emperor in the nine heavens, but when he arrived at the Quan Chu Guild Hall, he put down all his disguises.

"It's only in the Quan Chu Guild Hall." Zhu Yijun sighed and said helplessly: "As for me, I seem to have a life of luxury, better than yours when you were a child. When you were a child, you were herding cattle, but when I was a child, I was surrounded by people even when I went to the toilet."

"But in fact, there was murderous intent at every step. I have walked on thin ice until today, and this is still under the care of the master."

"Master, young master, this young master is suspicious, it's not easy to do."

"Xiong Da, let me tell you, I have a business plan for off-season fruits and vegetables. Even though they are sour now, wait a year or two. Once I have figured it out, I will promote it and plant it everywhere. Then, I will make a lot of money!" Zhu Yijun enthusiastically talked about his business plan for off-season fruits and vegetables. This is a blue ocean!
Xiong Tingbi was stunned for a long time before he said, "Your Majesty, is it possible that the fruits in the south mature earlier, and in the future, when the highways are paved all over the Ming Dynasty, the fruits transported from the south to the north will be cheaper than those grown off-season in the fire room?"

"Don't worry. We will advertise that their fruits and vegetables are all grown with water and fertilizer, and are ripened prematurely. Ours are grown with real compost and are harmless. We can sell them just for the sake of the word 'harmless', and with a little profit! No need to worry about sales." Zhu Yijun said immediately.

Xiong Tingbi was even more confused. He said doubtfully, "Sir, you have a proposal to discuss the problems of Confucian scholars. I have also read it. Isn't this a typical example of changing the definition when you can't change the facts? Can this be done?"

Zhu Yijun smiled and said, "You are still young, and the teacher has not yet revealed his cruel side, so he is still a good teacher. It's okay. When you grow up, the teacher will naturally let you know what cruelty is. The teacher wrote this memorial to let us master these methods and avoid being deceived by them. When necessary, we must also use them flexibly."

"Just following the same path is not a long-term solution."

"Think about it, people who can afford to eat out-of-season fruits need not worry about not having enough food or clothes to wear?"

"No need." Xiong Tingbi shook his head.

Zhu Yijun slammed the table and said, "Isn't that right? The purpose of the imperial farm is to earn money from the rich and use the money to build highways and open up the sea! Do you think this is the distribution method mentioned in the theory of distribution?"

"Making money from rich people?" Xiong Tingbi repeated dully.

Zhu Yijun patted Xiong Tingbi on the shoulder and said confidently, "That's right! Whoever has the money gets it!"

Zhang Juzheng could only hold his forehead as he stood aside. God knew what would become of Xiong Tingbi, a man of both civil and military talents, in the future under the hands of His Majesty.

(End of this chapter)