Brocade clothing as the country

Chapter 873 Wang Tong is still loyal

It was not a good time to go out of Beijing. When I was an imperial envoy, I encountered such and other things on the way. Seeing Wang Tong's weak and haggard appearance, everyone was depressed.

When Wang Tong returned to the capital in the past, the palace would send envoys to welcome him, but this time it was so silent, the eyes of the people in the capital were all sharp, and naturally they all noticed it.

After the establishment of Jinyiwei's several divisions, the system became more and more complete and functioned well, and the same was true for other matters in charge of Wang Tong in the capital, and there were not many that needed to be reported.

The Dingbeihou Mansion in Beicheng is still under construction, and it is approaching winter. It is good to be able to live in early summer next year, so I will stay in the original place.

Han Xia, Zhang Hongying, and Song Chanchan, three wives and concubines, cried when they saw Wang Tong. They went out alive and well, but came back in such a mess. How could it not make people feel sad.

Wang Tong didn't say much after a few words of comfort. He was worried that the wives and concubines at home might be hostile to the two women, Zhai Xiu'er and Lu Ruomei.

Perhaps women in this era understand that it is impossible for a person of Wang Tong's status to have only one woman by his side. Jealousy and anger are useless, it is better to accept it.

After returning, Zhai Xiuer was still serving her personally, but some people in this mansion had ideas, even Ma Sanbiao's mother Ma Pozi came over to say a few words after hearing about it, and later found out that Zhai Xiuer was only serving three meals a day, not in the house Rest, that's all.

On the second day after arriving in the capital, Yang Sichen came directly to discuss official business after receiving the wind the first day. We all knew that Wang Tong was in poor health and needed to recuperate. I can't care less.

"Your Excellency should have known the news on the way. The prince Zhu Changxun born by Concubine Zheng is now the entanglement of all parties in the capital. His Majesty has not yet established a heir, and the mother of the eldest son of the emperor is a concubine. The mother of the new prince is It's the noble concubine, who will be the crown prince is yet to be determined."

Yang Sichen finished speaking halfway, looked at Wang Tong's expression, although he was weak, he could still listen attentively, and continued:
"The eldest son inherits, this is the ancestor's rule, but you can see what your majesty means, but you clearly want to make this new prince the crown prince. Such things will inevitably cause an uproar between the government and the opposition. It is right for you to express your congratulations, but Next, what should adults do, how to choose, I hope to make a decision as soon as possible, so as not to be caught off guard."

"How your Majesty chooses, we as courtiers will follow suit."

Hearing Wang Tong's faint answer, Yang Sichen was taken aback, then shook his head and said:

"Whatever your Majesty does, our courtiers will naturally support it, but who will agree to it, the civil servants and scholars? At first, the students thought there would be one or two sneakers, but the reports sent up from various places these days, the officials and scholars are all unanimous. , Even Xungui has the same idea, if His Majesty does not appoint the eldest son as heir, then he will definitely argue for it, even if His Majesty does not choose a position, even if it is for His Majesty, he must make some preparations."

"Your Majesty's family affairs, we courtiers don't need to ask too much. Your Majesty has issued a will, and we will do it!"

Wang Tong answered simply, Yang Sichen was in a daze again, pondered for a while, didn't seem to think about coming to any conclusion, just sighed, and left with fists folded.

*************
One day after returning to Beijing, a doctor from the imperial hospital came to the door for another diagnosis and treatment. The palace gave some precious medicinal materials. In the past, the eunuchs worked a lot on what was given in the palace. They are inferior products, but Wang Tong's side is different.

The powerful eunuchs such as Zhang Cheng, Zou Yi, and Zhao Jinliang in the palace were all watching, and no one dared to slacken off.

According to Wang Tong's own judgment, the poison in his body should be pulled out, and the current weakness is due to the fact that he eats very little every day, but this is exactly the effect he needs.

On the sixth day of November, that is, the third day after Wang Tong returned to Beijing, the palace issued an order to select Wang Tong for an audience. It was necessary to prepare chariots and horses to send Wang Tong to the palace. After passing through the Daming Gate and entering the palace, several people The little eunuch came to greet him with a sedan chair, which was considered a great favor, but not many people could see it.

The court meeting had already dissipated. On the side hall of Fengtianmen, Emperor Wanli was there. Zhao Jinliang, who was waiting in front of the gate, saw Wang Tong's weakness, and immediately had a look of panic on his face. Wang Tong just smiled and touched him. on the top of his head, and said:
"Don't worry, I'm fine!"

The movements are all vain and weak, and this attitude is even more troublesome. Zhao Jinliang didn't dare to say more, and said in a low voice:

"Brother Wang, Lord Long Live is waiting."

After entering the palace gate, Emperor Wanli was watching the memorial. Zhang Cheng whispered something from time to time. When he saw Wang Tong coming in with Zhao Jinliang's support, he took a closer look. Emperor Wanli stood up from his chair, shook his head and said:
"How did it become like this, how did it become like this, there are jerks over there in Nanjing, and so are the prefectures in the south of the Yangtze River. The imperial envoys travel like they are walking in an enemy country in a war zone. How do they herdsmen and appease locals in their daily life? I want to send people to strictly investigate and deal with it. I sent you out. I originally wanted to let you relax, but why did you become like this, I...zhen."

Emperor Wanli hesitated to speak, but it was obvious that Wang Tong's weakness was beyond his expectation. From that incident to the present, what Emperor Wanli did to Wang Tong and the results it caused have all been revealed.

Judging by Emperor Wanli's expression and attitude, the rumors in the palace that Emperor Wanli regretted these things might be true, but Wang Tong didn't have any channels to confirm it. Now that things are up to now, the meaning of confirming or not confirming is not very significant.

"Thank you for your majesty's concern, I'm fine, I congratulate your majesty on the new dragon son!!"

Wang Tong pushed away Zhao Jinliang's support, knelt down to thank him, and said in a well-regulated manner. Emperor Wanli walked up to him and said repeatedly:

"Sit down quickly, your body can't afford to toss."

While speaking, he helped Wang Tong up with his own hands. Wang Tong respectfully thanked him while Zhang Cheng sorted out the documents on the table. Looking at the situation here, he sighed lightly and shook his head there.

After the two parties sat down, Emperor Wanli ordered nourishing soup and medicine from the imperial dining room, and then said:
"I have seen your memorial. The civil and military affairs of the dynasty, counting those nobles who are related to each other, only your memorial is the most suitable for me. You are right. I can do whatever I want with my family affairs. What are other people talking about?"

Having said that, Emperor Wanli had a smile on his face, and said:
"Wang Tong, you come back this time and stay in the capital on business. You should settle down well. I have a lot of sons and daughters here, and you don't have any!"

After chatting a few words, Emperor Wanli asked about the situation in the south of the Yangtze River. Wang Tong said it very directly:
"Your Majesty, Nanzhili is in the prefectures of Jiangbei, and Fengyang is where the Central Capital is located. The control is good. In other places, Jiangbei is in the hands of salt merchants, and Jiangnan is in the hands of wealthy families. The local government is just their servants. Driven by them, the yamen is full of their eyeliners, and these people still have fame, do not have to pay taxes, do not have to bear corvee, such families are getting bigger and bigger, there is only one family in a county, and only two families in a state. The three families, even like Songjiang, have no more than one family, they don’t pay taxes, they don’t take on corvee, but they keep annexing the fields of the common people, so that the imperial court receives less and less taxes.”

After all, he was weak, and after a few words, he was a little out of breath. After drinking a saliva, Wang Tong continued:

"They keep sucking blood from the imperial court, but they never do anything beneficial to the imperial court. They are born from the so-called scholarly family. Most of the children in the family are officials in various places, and they continue to expand their private property through official positions and power. , the expansion of private property can also make the children become bigger officials and gain more power, and the cycle will repeat itself, and sooner or later it will become a serious disaster that cannot be dealt with."

Emperor Wanli listened carefully, and said in a deep voice:

"If you say that, don't the gentry all over the world look like this, if the imperial court rectifies them, there will definitely be chaos!!"

"Your Majesty, other places are better, but Jiangnan has to be dealt with. I heard on the way that the Xu family was wiped out because of a dispute with Japanese pirates. If it is true, the Xu family is naturally to blame. But it also shows that these wealthy families in Jiangnan Colluding with bandits in the rivers and lakes, doing evil in secret, if there is an ambitious person with ulterior motives who wants to do something, and there are bandits and other desperadoes as assistance, wouldn't it be a catastrophe?"

Wang Tong said very directly, but Emperor Wanli fell into deep thought, and Wang Tong said there again:
"Your Majesty, the Xu family is now in ruins. His family has hundreds of thousands of acres of fertile land in Songjiang. Please also bring it into the palace as soon as possible. It can be used as Huangzhuang or public land. Otherwise, it will be annexed by private individuals. The Xu family has gone. I don’t know whose family it is. Get up again."

Hearing this, Emperor Wanli nodded slowly, and said with emotion in a slow voice:

"The only one who is doing business for me so wholeheartedly now, except for the officials in the palace and the inner court, is you, Wang Tong."

Speaking of this, Emperor Wanli turned his head and looked at Zhang Cheng, shook his head and said:
"Even in the palace, someone's mind may not be wholehearted."

Wang Tong was stunned for a moment, but saw Emperor Wanli and Zhang Cheng shaking their heads there.

**************
After the call, Wang Tong returned to the mansion, feeling that his body could not keep up. After all, he talked a lot and used his brain a lot when meeting the emperor, which was a waste to his weak state.

Song Chanchan was acquainted in the capital, and she arranged for someone to invite the famous doctor Kong Youhua, who claimed to be an imperial physician who was not in the imperial hospital. Kong Youhua's diagnosis was different from others, saying that the poison in Wang Tong's body was still there, but the poison was hot and could not be left behind. Many, if Wang Tong went to a place of bitter cold to recuperate for a few months, he would recover.

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(End of this chapter)