My Brother-in-law is the Prince

  Zhu Di was already in good spirits at this time.

  At the beginning, he supported Zhang Anshi to open up the sea on a large scale, essentially because his brothers and sons were outside the domain. With the help of this open sea, they can not only support their actions in the West, but also strengthen their control.

  Therefore, Zhu Di had more thoughts on controlling his brothers and sons.

  Of course, he is also prepared to earn money. Zhang Anshi will definitely earn money if he makes a move. The key to the question is how much he can earn.

  In his impression, it would be great if he could increase his income by one million taels of silver.

  Until now, Zhu Di realized that things were not so simple.

   At this moment, he looked at his grandson.

   Beckoned to Zhu Zhanji and said: "In that case, why didn't your uncle come to report the situation at the customs?"

Zhu Zhanji said: "My lord, Yu Qian is smelly and tough. He only cares about customs affairs on weekdays. My grandson heard that he doesn't want to make friends with anyone. It's for my uncle, for someone else... In the past I used to work in Changshi's mansion, but now I'm out on my own, why don't you want to meet Uncle every now and then in the name of giving a report, so as to get closer?"

   "But grandson heard that he seldom even goes to the county palace. All the reports are said to wait for the customs to make a general ledger before submitting it. Presumably...my uncle doesn't know the inside story."

  Zhu Di couldn't help becoming a little interested, and said: "There are such people in the world?"

  In fact, Zhu Di has seen a lot of people who are not reasonable. Many scholars are like this, putting on a high-minded look.

  But this kind of loftiness, with Zhu Di's knowledge, can be seen at a glance, but it is just a name for Qinggao, or to show his character.

   It's just to cater to others, put on the appearance of a gentleman, it's acting!

  It is rare for people like Yu Qian to be so absorbed in his work while turning a deaf ear to others.

I saw Zhu Zhanji then said: "This Yu Qian was just a juren in the past, but uncle conscripted him to the palace, first made him a secretary, and then suddenly granted him the right to customs. At the beginning, many people thought that, This person lacks experience, and I'm afraid he might make a mistake. Unexpectedly, this customs was really prepared for him..."

  Zhu Di raised his eyebrows: "Zhang Qing has a way of employing people, you have to learn more."

  Zhu Zhanji said: "Yes, Sun Chen knows, in fact, Sun Chen is also learning how to employ people."

  Zhu Di became more interested at this time: "Oh?"

Zhu Zhanji said: "It's like building a canal. There are hundreds of thousands of people below. Whoever knows how to build a river, who is good at controlling strong men, and who is upright can be appointed as the logistics. Such people, as long as they choose With the right person in the right position, the grandson can get twice the result with half the effort."

   "But if you use the wrong person, you will definitely be in a state of distress. If something happens here today, something will happen there tomorrow. In the end, all the troubles will fall on the grandson, and the grandson will be very annoying."

Zhu Zhanji paused, and continued: "So on weekdays, my grandson has gradually learned to observe carefully when doing things. He not only looks at people's strengths, but also looks at people's weaknesses. , I deliberately appointed him to take care of a small matter first, and if he can still handle it well, I will give him a big responsibility."

  After hearing this, Zhu Di said happily, "My family's grandson is going to become a monster."

   After being praised, Zhu Zhanji also laughed.

  Zhu Di's mood suddenly brightened, and he had dinner with Zhu Zhanji. When Zhu Zhanji was about to leave, he showed regret, and gave him a few nagging instructions to teach him to pay attention to his body before he was willing to let him go.

   "Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness, but you are very fierce." Yi Shiha said with a smile beside him.

  Zhu Di knocked on the imperial case, but said: "If there is any movement at the customs, it must be reported."

  Yi Shiha said: "The servant obeys the order."

  Zhu Di said again: "There is still this Yu Qian, I need to pay attention to it."

"yes."

  Zhu Di stood up, with his hands behind his back, and said, "Where are ten million taels of silver? With so many checkpoints in Daming, how many can earn so much silver?"

  Yi Shiha smiled and said: "This is the credit of His Royal Highness Wuhu County Prince!"

  Zhu Di nodded, and couldn't help but said depressedly: "Why didn't I think of it at the beginning?"

  He shook his head, but remained silent.

  As long as Zhu Di is concerned about things, Yi Shiha can always quickly grasp the focus and gather a lot of news at the same time.

   Soon, the eighteen generations of Yu Qian's ancestors were all investigated.

   "Your Majesty, a few days ago, there seemed to be a rift between the Marquis of Chengyang and the customs. In addition... there are..."

  Zhu Di just listened quietly.

  After a long time: "What about the customs account?"

"This..." Yi Shiha said with a look of shame on his face, "It's not good to say that people from Dongchang can't get into the customs. The people in this customs are all selected by Yu Qian. ..."

  If you don’t wait, you will lose your words, Zhu Di said: "Wine bag and rice bag."

   Also lost, Hatton was speechless.

  Zhu Di said: "This Yu Qian is amazing. He made this customs house like an iron barrel, airtight! This guy...he doesn't look like a scholar, but he looks like he was born in Jinyiwei."

  Yi Shiha smiled awkwardly.

  But Zhu Di's jokes are not funny.

  At this time, Yi Shiha said: "Your Majesty, this account should be released after the summer tax is collected."

  The summer tax collected every year is the most important thing.

  Zhu Di only nodded, and then said: "Summer tax, customs duty... and the taxes of the eighteen provinces in the world, it is time to take a good look."

  Yi Shiha said: "However... the servant girl learned that the eighteen provinces... this year's annual income... should be quite a lot."

   "Huh?" Zhu Di glanced at it in dismay.

"The Ministry of Household Affairs has issued a note, and is also urging all prefectures and counties in the world to collect money and food...Xia Butang is even more earnest, admonishing all prefectures and counties, and teaching them not to count the gains and losses of one year and one year, and don't lose big because of small things. "

  Zhu Di said: "What kind of trick is this?"

  So Yi Shiha said: "Now the people in the provinces are fluctuating, and many people are spreading the new policy of the Taiping Mansion, but it is because...paying a lot of taxes, so His Majesty supports the land distribution."

Yi Shiha paused for a moment, and continued: "I also said that if things go on like this, sooner or later the world will be divided by His Highness Wuhu County King. And Xia Butang... just borrowed the power of His Majesty Wuhu County King to warn All the prefectures and counties in the world, don't do this thing of picking up sesame seeds and losing watermelons. Hidden fields have to pay some taxes, and there are also hidden silver taxes on weekdays. You can also collect some. I want to teach your majesty to see, even if It doesn't matter whether it's land or land, it's still okay..."

  Zhu Di couldn't help laughing when he heard this: "Interesting, this is very interesting."

  In the past, the gentry concealed the land, and these lands did not have to be taxed. After Zhang Anshi’s new policy, the land was divided, and there was no middleman such as gentry and scholars, and the tax was greatly increased.

   Now encouraging the gentry to pay money and food is tantamount to borrowing Zhang Anshi's knife and putting it on everyone's neck to make everyone make a compromise.

   If there is no compromise, Zhang Anshi will come to divide the land.

   But if there is a compromise and the tax increases, maybe... everyone still has a chance.

   This is obviously some kind of expedient strategy, but Zhang Anshi has become a trump card in Xia Yuanji's hands.

  Zhu Di thought for a while and said, "The gentlemen, I'm afraid they may not be willing to obey?"

Yi Shiha said: "As far as I know, it is quite effective. The parents and officials of the prefectures and counties got the note from the Ministry of Households and took this opportunity to negotiate with the local gentry. Most of the gentry also nodded and knew that they got this For the sake of it, there is no other way. But...although everyone nodded, but..."

   "But when it falls on their own heads, it will look different?" Zhu Di snorted coldly.

  Yi Shiha smiled and said: "Almost... so some people made trouble, but it was smooth."

  Zhu Di nodded and said: "This guy Xia Qing has some skills."

  Yi Shiha said: "My maidservant remembered that a few days ago... Duke Xia has been teasing His Royal Highness Prince Wuhu."

  Zhu Di raised his eyebrows: "Huh? Is there?"

Yi Shiha said: "He always contradicts His Royal Highness the King of Wuhu County, every time...it's almost the same. The more so, the more impolite His Majesty and the King of Wuhu County are, so...they hit the scholars again. So, ten The gentry in the prefectures and counties of the eight provinces were all terrified when they heard that, today it is the scholars who clean up the Taiping Mansion, and in the future, it may be their turn."

   "But the gentry are afraid, but at the same time, they are more convinced of Xia Gong. They all say... Xia Gong is speaking for them, racking his brains to preserve the seeds of scholars. For this reason, he really worked hard."

  Yi Shiha said: "Because of this, the scholars and gentry in this world are both fearful and grateful for Xia Gong's kindness, so at the household department, after Xia Gong sent a note, everyone is willing to accept it."

  Zhu Di snorted coldly and said, "Go into his mother's way... crooked ways. The dignified minister of the household department is full of crooked thoughts every day."

Yi Shiha thought for a while and said, "Grand Xia is helpless. He knows the benefits of the New Deal, but he also knows that the New Deal will hit the gentry like him the hardest, just like a young wife. It's hard to do both. If you can't break it In the middle, there is no right to change, as the Minister of the Ministry of Households, I am afraid that he will not be able to survive for a day."

  With his hands behind his back, Zhu Di felt that there was some truth in what he said, so he nodded slightly and said, "Let's wait and see what the end result of his expedient plan will be."

  Yi Shiha said: "Yes, the servant is also watching."

  Yi Shiha couldn't help but feel lucky for himself at this time, he already knew about Xia Yuanji's matter, Dongchang is not a vegetarian after all, but he has been suppressing this matter, and is not in a hurry to report it immediately.

  It's like shaking the burden, the burden cannot be shaken out immediately, but has to wait.

   How long should I wait? I have to wait until a certain time when I am not good at handling affairs, His Majesty is furious and blames myself for being bad at doing things. At this time, I properly raise it.

   This not only attracted His Majesty's attention, but also changed the topic.

  At the same time, he also sorted out the doorways inside, and gave His Majesty the impression that he is quite capable.

  Of course, the most important thing is that money and food are also involved in this matter. His Majesty is old, and he doesn't care much about beatings and killings. But for money and food, the original intention is still the same.

  ...

   Until late September.

It was a scorching summer day, and Nanjing was hot and humid, so that everyone in the household department refused to stay in the small duty room. Staying in the duty room was like being in a stove, which was really unbearable. rise.

  Everyone likes to huddle in the hall. There is a draft in the hall, and when the wind blows, you feel refreshed.

   "Duke Xia, Duke Hu is here."

  Xia Yuanji got the report, so he immediately got up and said, "Go, go and meet me."

  But not long after he got up, he saw Hu Guang already wearing a cool shirt, and walked in slowly.

  Xia Yuanji greeted him.

  Hu Guang said with a smile: "Today Muxiu is at home and doesn't have to go to the palace to be on duty, but I still have some worries, so I came here to have a look at Duke Xia."

  Hu Guang respects Natsuhara Yoshinoshi very much. Natsuhara Yoshino is the Secretary of the Household Department, and even his predecessors. Of course, they have another layer of identity, they are all from Jiangxi.

  Xia Yuanji said at this time: "Please sit down, Mr. Hu."

  Hu Guangdao: "A few days ago, I went to Honglu Temple to meet Xie Gong. Xie Gong is planning to return to the Java domain. Hey... After so many years of friendship, I really don't want him to leave."

  Xia Yuanji seemed to have thought of something at this time, his face was a little complicated, he hesitated for a while, and then said: "This Mr. Jie... seems to have some bad rumors."

Hu Guangdao: "I know what you want to say, and I have heard those rumors a little bit. But I firmly believe that Xie Gong will not be that kind of person, and he will not murder his fellow countrymen. These rumors, what are they deceiving people to work as coolies? Like that, it is estimated that Xie Gong offended too many people in the past, and now some people are using this to retaliate. Hey... the world's affairs, the bad thing is that three people become tigers, and one mouth makes money."

  Xia Yuanji said: "What did Xie Gong say?"

Hu Guang said calmly: "I just talked about the old days, asked if my relatives are in An'an, and asked about the situation in Jiangxi. Of course, I also said something...Although I am an official in the court, the current atmosphere, but say Not good, words such as the three caves of the cunning rabbit."

  Xia Yuanji said: "He still wants to invite your relatives to Java?"

  Hu Guang shook his head and said: "It should also be considered for me. Xie Gong is a person who does everything by taking one step at a time and watching three steps. Sometimes it is too worrying."

  Natsuhara Yoshi: "..."

  Hu Guang smiled and said: "Okay, let's stop gossip, have you calculated the money and grain of each prefecture and county?"

  Xia Yuanji said truthfully: "It's still calculating."

   "I don't know if Xia Gong's method is effective?" Hu Guang looked worried.

  Xia Yuanji's so-called method, some people in the court are at a loss, and some people have guessed it, but they don't say it.

   Regardless of whether they guessed it or not, everyone kept silent, but Xia Yuanji and the others couldn't say it clearly, so they explained it to Hu Guang.

  Hu Guang is such a person. In fact, there are not many people who are harmonious with each other in the court and the field, but everyone trusts Hu Guang. Yang Rong is willing to talk to him about himself, and Xia Yuanji is also willing to share his heart with him.

  Even His Majesty is quite indulgent to him occasionally.

  Hu Guang, like Xia Yuanji, is actually very complicated. Personally, they hate the New Deal, and even say they are afraid of the New Deal.

  You can be a court minister, but you have to admit that the New Deal has solved many important problems of the court!

  Especially for money and food, it is really useful.

  Under this kind of ambivalence, Xia Yuanji can be said to have tried his best.

  So Xia Yuanji said: "Mr. Hu, don't worry, the money and food in the prefectures and counties will increase a lot this time."

  Hu Guang's eyes lit up, he couldn't help feeling a little more excited, and said, "Really? Mr. Xia...you said this..."

   "I said it." Xia Yuanji said: "Judging from the official documents handed over by many prefectures and counties, many hidden fields are now willing to pay their grain. In addition...there is also a silver tax, which has also increased a lot."

Hu Guang calmed down, and said: "If this is the case, I will be relieved. From this point of view, to solve the problem of money and food, it is not necessary to rely on the New Deal. As long as the scholars and gentry in the world can understand the imperial court, they can still solve the problem of money and food. Big trouble."

  He couldn't help staring at Xia Yuanji and said, "Gong Xia, tell the truth, can the growth this time surpass Taiping Mansion or other prefectures in Zhili?"

  Xia Yuanji pondered for a while, then said: "It's hard to say, but one thing is certain, the difference should not be far."

"Okay." Hu Guangda was overjoyed, and even his face became brighter, and he said happily: "I said earlier, the New Deal is nothing special! If they can do it, we can do it too, haha... the Ministry of Household Affairs , I would like to ask Mr. Xia to take your troubles..."

   As he spoke, Hu Guang stood up and said, "As for me, I have to invite some Hanlin officials, as well as imperial censors..."

  Xia Yuanji said: "What is Mr. Hu doing?"

Hu Guang happily said with a bit of pride: "The smell of wine is still afraid of deep alleys. This time... if the taxes in the eighteen provinces can be greatly increased, of course everyone must prepare a memorial to announce the good news. In addition, we must Praise it, if not... Duke Xia's painstaking efforts will be in vain."

  Xia Yuanji smiled slightly, he understood what Hu Guang meant, and Hu Guang was well versed in court rules.

  Things like this can only be made big if they are well praised.

  In this way...the court's money and food have been settled, and the gentry can breathe a sigh of relief.

  So Xia Yuanji smiled and said: "Then I will trouble Mr. Hu."

   "It's thanks to Duke Xia." Hu Guangdao: "If it wasn't for Duke Xia's efforts to support the overall situation, I'm afraid... hey..."

  The two looked at each other, quite moved.

  The current situation is too difficult, especially for those like them who sleep in the west house after eating at the east house. One can imagine the hardships.

  The two agreed, and Hu Guang was about to leave.

  But at this time, a civil official came in a hurry, and hurriedly said: "Xia Gong, Xia Gong... The money and food of the Zhejiang Chief Commissioner have been converted."

  When Hu Guang heard this, he immediately took back the steps he had already taken, paused, and then stopped.

  Xia Yuanji was also a little anxious, so he said, "Bring it."

   But when the things were delivered, Xia Yuanji gasped and looked dignified.

  Hu Guang also came up, and both of them stared blankly at the pile of account books half the height of a person.

  Xia Yuanji couldn't stand it anymore, and couldn't help gnashing his teeth and said: "I have said it a hundred times, but I still don't want to listen. I taught them to use the method of Taiping Mansion to convert money and food, but they turned a deaf ear to it."