Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 451 The Master-Disciple Argument in the Study Room
in the library,
The atmosphere is dull,

The master and apprentice looked at each other across the table, and neither of them spoke for a while.

Looking at the booklet about the Land of Jingnan, there were obvious signs of looking through it, and I couldn't bear it anymore.

Shen Zhongxin took out the letter written by Zeng Ze from his arms, placed it heavily on the table, and asked in a deep voice,
"Teacher, may I ask if the things in this letter are true or false?"

Gu Yichen sat comfortably on the chair, and instead of reading the letter on the table, he asked aloud,
"Yes or no, does it matter? This matter was decided by the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and the Minister of Punishment together. The Chief Assistant did not stop the decision of Jingnan. You are not able to participate in the matters here, do you understand? As for these, These are all leaks from people who were photographed and inspected by the Ministry of Revenue."

Hearing the teacher's answer, Shen Zhongxin couldn't help it anymore, stood up and said in a questioning tone,
"Teacher, if famine breaks out in southern Beijing, shouldn't the imperial court provide disaster relief? This is related to the life and death of millions of people in southern Beijing, but they actually colluded to conceal this matter, and they embezzled countless people's money and money. Now it has caused a big disaster. In order to make up for the matter, they sent troops to suppress it.
With such a series of up and down connections, it must be impossible to suppress it. If the Jingnan garrison general leads his troops south and the problem is not solved, it will be like the disaster of the White Lotus Sect, which may happen again. "

Shen Zhongxin looked heavy and spoke word by word. Gu Yichen picked up the tea bowl and took a sip of tea, nodding in agreement.

"Zi Yu, everything you said is right, but Zi Yu, think about it, if there is such a problem in Jingnan, I am afraid that officials at all levels will not be able to escape. For the sake of their wealth and life, they will do anything.
In the past few days, I was still thinking about the attitude of the chief minister, but now I understand how to save so many people. The food in the warehouse has bottomed out, and only the official warehouse has not been touched. However, these are not enough, so I have to make this decision, save the people first. If you save an official, he won't survive, so how can you save the people? "

"Teacher, this is totally ridiculous. It's simply ridiculous."

Shen Zhongxin shouted loudly, unable to believe that these words came from his mentor's mouth.

Gu Yichen also said sharply,
"This is a fact. Who is going to distribute disaster relief food to the tens of millions of victims? Is it you or me? It doesn't depend on what you think are corrupt officials, big and small officials. , only after feeding them will they be willing to work for the imperial court,"

"Teacher, this statement is really an ancient fallacy. Those officials who are corrupt and bribery are actually corrupt and corrupt. Where have we read all the sages' books?"

Shen Zhongxin had a look of sorrow and indignation on his face, then reached out and opened the memorials on the table. He looked at them and saw that they were all submitted by Jingnan. Gu Yichen did not stop him and sighed and continued,

"Jingnan can no longer suppress it, so naturally he has to think of follow-up remedies. As for the principles you mentioned, they are all great principles gained from decades of official career. These are golden principles gained from thousands of bloody facts. Ah, Ziyu, if nothing else, the disaster caused by the White Lotus Sect should have killed all the officials in Jingnan, but in the end, it was not relying on them to stabilize Jingnan, why don't you understand?"

"Teacher, we read the books of sages, eat your salary, and share your worries. Every bit of it is the people's fat. Teacher, how can they have the heart to deduct a grain of food from the people's mouths? This excerpt reads, the pot for giving porridge What’s inside isn’t rice, it’s "

Shen Zhongxin couldn't bear to say any more, so he put down the memorial and placed it in front of the teacher.

"I don't know, Ziyu, do you know that one pound of ration can be exchanged for three pounds of bran, which means that the food that could originally save one person can now save three people."

Although Gu Yichen spoke calmly, his faint trembling voice also expressed the uneasiness in his heart.

"But, teacher, that bran is for animals, not for humans."

Shen Zhongxin was still angrily scolding that the porridge in the capital was all made of white rice, and it would not fall down if a stick was placed on it. He had never seen anyone using animal rations to provide disaster relief.

Of course Gu Yichen knew that those were for animals, but he sighed again.

"Oh, Ziyu, are those victims still human?"

"Well, teacher, what did you say?"

Shen Zhongxin's eyes widened, looking in disbelief at the fact that his mentor who had been following him for many years could actually say such words, and he couldn't make a sound for a while.

"Don't be so excited. You heard it right. That's what my teacher said. Do you know that when the White Lotus Sect in Jingnan suffered a disaster, my teacher took people from the Ministry of Revenue to provide relief?
Wherever he went, there were hungry and red-eyed victims all over the place. Those who were about to starve to death were no longer human beings, but beasts. As long as they could survive, there was no need for bran. Those were good things, such as grass roots, tree bark, and soil. All can be eaten,

Do you think that a teacher has no humanity? Do you think that a teacher has a heart of stone? You are wrong!When I was a teacher, I personally went to the disaster area. When I saw it, my heart dropped. I realized that no matter how much food the court distributed for disaster relief, it would never be enough. If the people below didn't try to work around it, then you would be in the disaster area. What you see are not the victims, but the bones. "

After Gu Yichen finished speaking in a heavy tone, everything in the room fell silent. Shen Zhongxin's heart was filled with waves, and he could not calm down for a long time. Looking at the memorial in front of him, he sat down on the chair, almost as if he had lost all energy and was sluggish.

When Gu Yichen saw him, how could he be so humble? He shouted loudly,
"Ziyu, this stumps you. I'm afraid you have never been to the disaster area. If you want to do something, you need to cheer up. It doesn't matter what role the Minister of Libu plays in it. He is the current Holy Emperor. He is a close confidant, so he knows some things but cannot tell them. Furthermore, Ziyu, do you think our household department can put aside the relationship?"

Shen Zhongxin's eyes regained their vitality. The teacher was right. He had never been to the disaster area, and he had never seen what it was like with his own eyes. He still didn't believe it. Moreover, the teacher meant that the household department was also involved, but the affairs of the department were obviously his fault. If someone is greedy for ink, he will definitely know about it.
"What do you mean by what the teacher said? Since the Hubu Pavilion has changed people, the student can guarantee that the Hubu has not embezzled a single tael of silver. Could it be you, teacher?" Suddenly Shen Zhongxin looked at the teacher, fearing that it was not the teacher who took the money.

Seeing Zi Yu's appearance, Gu Yichen scolded with an old face,

"As much as you think wildly, you don't have such thoughts as a teacher. You will have a good reputation all your life. How can you let your reputation be tarnished by these copper odors?"

"Then what does the teacher mean?"

Shen Zhongxin was relieved when he heard that the teacher was not greedy for money.

"Think about it, during times of famine, grain, or granary, is the top priority. Are the grains in the official granaries under the name of the Ministry of Households really full? Or are they filled with sand to make up for the shortage, or are they filled with sand? It’s just empty!”

Gu Yichen was also alert at this time, with a gloomy look on his face, and said in a deep voice.

"Teacher, the registration and statistics of the Ministry of Household Affairs are all filed together. It is not known whether the people sent to inspect are reliable! The official warehouse they inspected did not see whether it contained grain or other things. Nowadays, there must be rebellions in the counties south of Beijing. There are so many hungry people, and the imperial court will definitely provide disaster relief. If food cannot be provided at that time, teacher, I am afraid that we, master and disciple, will be doomed."

"It's good that you understand, so I didn't stop what the Minister of Civil Affairs said. I kept it for now, just to give you time to at least know how the official warehouses in the capital are, as well as the grain storage areas in the hinterland of the capital. Tongzhou is It’s the key, so Ziyu, we are pressed for time.”

The reason why Gu Yichen did not object was for this reason. Although the Ministry of Revenue was not involved, as long as something happened to the official warehouse, he would inevitably be held responsible. At the very least, he would be guilty of negligence and dereliction of duty. Although the crime would not lead to death, the official's status It's really the end.

"This, what the teacher said is absolutely true. Those official warehouse records are all sealed. As for checking on the spot, the students have never been there once. They are all inspected by the Treasury Department sent by the Ministry of Household Affairs. As for whether they are really checked or not, I don’t know if those people would be so bold.”

Shen Zhongxin still couldn't believe it. These were all official warehouses in the hinterland of the capital. They were within the jurisdiction of the capital and were the top priority of the imperial court, especially the granary Tongzhou in the south of the capital. Although the city was small, it was full of construction. Large granaries, water storage tanks, high-level warehouses, and various fire and moisture-proof warehouses were built by the Ministry of Household Affairs themselves. They are divided into four large warehouses, including 150 warehouses in Taicang, 150 warehouses in Yucang, 150 warehouses in Fengcang, and [-] warehouses. , built separately in the four directions of east, west, north and south, and complementary and managed separately.

The rest is a highland in the northeast of the capital, where the three hundred large warehouses of the capital are located. They are managed by officials appointed by the Ministry of Household Affairs, and there are grain orders and other officials appointed by the Ministry of Household Affairs here. Cui Dehai will take care of this matter personally, so there shouldn't be any problems.

"What the teacher means, students understand, the granaries in the important areas of Jingshu are under the jurisdiction of people appointed by the Ministry of Household Affairs, and are not controlled by outsiders. I don't think it will be the same as in Jingnan,"

"Haha, Ziyu, don't think too well of those people. Do you know why Song Zhen, the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment, also agrees? It's because something happened. The prison of the Ministry of Punishment really can't hold so many officials. At that time, an imperial edict will be used. prison,
If people from the Imperial City Department intervene, it will be in trouble. Beijing and Tongzhou are under the control of the Ministry of Household Affairs, but because of this, the so-called darkness under the lamp, knowing the person but not knowing the heart, so why don't you come here tonight? Teacher, I am going to send someone to find you. Now we can’t take care of other people’s affairs. We must protect ourselves first and act first to gain strength and then to suffer disaster. "

Gu Yichen sat on a chair and thought about this all night. He felt that it was not simple. I am afraid that his subordinates had been involved in it for a long time. The most important thing now was to check the granary to ensure that everything was safe.

"Teacher, what do you mean?"

Shen Zhongxin seemed to understand, but he still wanted to know what to do next.

"Ziyu, take the token from the Ministry of Revenue and find the people from the Imperial City Department and the Imperial Guards. With the people from the Ministry of Revenue, you will check the reserves in the capital and warehouses tonight. As for Tongzhou, if the checks in the warehouses are correct, I will go there early tomorrow morning and make sure to verify. As for the official warehouses in other places, the Ministry of Revenue will send people there after they stabilize. Whether there is food in those granaries is a local matter. If something goes wrong, they will bear it, so tonight Things must not be done by others. If there is any problem, Cui Dehai will be arrested immediately, and then go to the palace to face the saint, and the teacher will follow closely."

After a pause, he continued,

"As for the matter in Jingnan, we must not bring it up. It is a matter for the officials. How to deal with the aftermath is naturally up to Lu Shangshu. The current emperor has great ambitions. At this juncture, no one can guarantee it."

"Yes, teacher, students go now."

Shen Zhongxin's eyes condensed, showing a firm look, he bowed to Gu Yichen, then turned around and left, taking back Zeng Ze's letter before leaving. Gu Shangshu was helpless when he saw this. Although Zi Yu had ambitions, he was too ambitious. If you are upright, you will inevitably hit a wall in the future. However, with such officials in the country, why worry about having no successors in the court, and I feel happy in my heart.

After seeing the person leave, he immediately went back to his house, changed into his official uniform and waited here, waiting for news about Shen Zhongxin.

And Shen Zhongxin hurried out of the mansion, not even paying attention to the greetings from the porter. He got into the carriage and shouted,
"Hurry, return to the headquarters quickly,"

"Yes, sir, drive."

(End of this chapter)