Chapter 1535

Yuxi Palace.

Jiajing narrowed his eyes slightly: "Armor, crossbows, and firelocks—they used them all?"

Lu Fang nodded with a solemn expression: "Exactly, Master. This servant has already asked Huang Jin to investigate."

Huang Jin was the head of the Eastern Depot, and the Northern Division of the Embroidered Uniform Guard could also be mobilized, meaning the entire Factory and Guard had been dispatched.

"Investigate! I want you to get to the bottom of this and turn everything upside down!"

Jiajing's tone was very poor, suppressing his anger, and he turned to ask, "How is Wang Yan?"

"Thanks to the protection of the Master, the Long-lived Emperor, he is unharmed."

"Unharmed?" Jiajing was no longer angry, but very surprised.

"Master, on the way to the capital earlier, Wang Yan had already beaten Zhu Qi and the others into submission. Zhu Qi and four or five others couldn't beat Wang Yan alone. Zhu Qi said Wang Yan was born with divine strength, possessed high martial arts, and had no rival in the world.

Now it seems he is truly a peerless fierce general. This servant heard that he alone, with one long spear, danced it so that not even a drop of water could pass through. Those assassins who attacked him were injured if they just brushed against it, and died if they were hit solidly... A total of twenty-eight people, including four firelock shooters. Wang Yan killed thirteen people, including the firelock shooters, whom he nailed to the ground by throwing his long spear. The remaining fifteen were all heavily injured and lost their ability to act.

This servant remembers that when Wang Yan was the Registrar of Chun'an, he personally led the local militia to fight the Japanese pirates. At that time, this servant thought he had swallowed the heads of the militia he led. Now that I think about it, Wang Yan probably yielded the heads to his militia, letting them accumulate military merit, receive rewards, and live good lives."

Lu Fang said a lot, as if telling a story, wishing he could explain clearly how Wang Yan had wounded every single armored soldier.

Jiajing understood that this was to divert his attention and ease his mind. But this matter was indeed very attractive.

He couldn't help but laugh: "I didn't expect this kid to have such ability. It wouldn't be a bad idea to let him preside over military affairs at the front in the future."

"The Master, the Long-lived Emperor, is best at knowing people and assigning them tasks. Wang Yan hasn't disappointed the Master yet. Although he always makes a big stir when doing things, he knows his limits, understands when to advance and retreat, and doesn't cause bigger trouble for the Master. If he really went to the border army, I think he would definitely be able to win military merit and expand the territory for the Master, the Long-lived Emperor."

"I was just saying it casually. He is only twenty years old. If I let him preside over military affairs, those rebellious ministers and thieves would tear down my Golden Throne Hall. It's better to manage Daxing well and let me see if the path of wealth circulation he spoke of is truly useful, and if it truly makes my commoners wealthy and business prosperous."

"Once the matter of clearing fields and checking households is settled, it should be the slack farming season. By then, the commoners will all come out to work, and by the autumn harvest, we should be able to see the initial results."

"Good, good..."

Jiajing nodded with satisfaction and turned to ask about the construction of the palace, no longer continuing to be angry about the fact that someone had used armor, crossbows, and firelocks to assassinate Wang Yan.

This matter had to have a result; it was only a matter of time. Even if he, the Emperor, didn't want a result, the good ministers below would have to give him one.

This was crossing the line—raising private slaves and dead soldiers, privately hiding armor and weapons, and even getting hold of firelocks. If Jiajing didn't want a result, he would follow the clues and expand the investigation, and such a big disturbance was something the hundred officials couldn't tolerate.

They didn't want to cause such a big upheaval either; without Jiajing going crazy, they would give an account themselves.

The assassination had already broken the bottom line and ignored the rules, and since they hadn't killed him and had been caught in a weak spot, what else was there to say?

So Jiajing wasn't worried at all, and he had no intention of expanding it. Finding the mastermind and killing them would be enough, and then dealing with the military people. It was impossible to really follow the clues all the way, because according to Jiajing's rich experience, it would eventually lead to the border army.

With both civil and military sides involved, the matter couldn't be handled...

In the middle hall of the Daxing County Yamen, another sumptuous banquet was set.

Facing Huang Jin's question, Wang Yan said with a smile: "Eunuch Huang, although this humble official was assassinated, this humble official is not concerned about who the mastermind is."

"Why is that?" Huang Jin asked curiously.

"Those who want this humble official's life—the imperial clan, imperial relatives, nobles, civil and military officials, and many merchant families—all have the possibility. In short, it's nothing more than those who have suffered major losses because of the cleaning fees and the clearing of fields and household registration.

So the target is very clear, isn't it? As long as this humble official doesn't die and keeps making them pay money, haven't they found their way back? As for specifically which family or surname should be wiped out, it actually doesn't matter. The crazier they are, the more they can't do anything to me, and the more tormented they will be.

With their style of taking lives at every turn, there's no shortage of rotten things in their daily lives. In the end, it's just exploiting the commoners. As long as this humble official is alive and doing things for the commoners normally, I'll eventually catch them in the act. When that time comes, their life and death won't be up to them."

Huang Jin laughed: "You see things clearly and think clearly. It was in vain that the Master, the Long-lived Emperor, was so furious and had such good intentions to seek justice for you."

"Hey, Eunuch, that's not right." Wang Yan waved his hand, "This humble official saying all this is to let you, Eunuch, and His Majesty know that this humble official has no resentment in his heart. Serving His Majesty, it doesn't matter if this life is lost. If it weren't for His Majesty, how could this humble official eat such sumptuous meals three times a day?

His Majesty cares for this humble official, and this humble official knows it in his heart. But this humble official cannot be arrogant because of favor and ignore the overall situation. These rebels are insane; how could they be so easy to investigate? Officials protect each other, and these rebellious ministers are all in the same gang. When the time comes, they will all stand against His Majesty, and even His Majesty won't be able to handle it easily, affecting the peace of our Great Ming.

They say one should endure for the sake of the country. His Majesty has it hard; for the sake of the grand plan of the nine provinces, such a small matter can be big or small. It was this humble official who pushed them too hard; they aren't really rebelling. Raising high and putting down lightly is the best choice at this time. As ministers, we cannot make it difficult for His Majesty."

"No wonder I find you pleasing to the eye. These words are good, good!"

Huang Jin raised his wine cup, "I have been in service for decades, seen too much, and heard too much, but a minister like you, who wholeheartedly thinks of the Master, the Long-lived Emperor, and solves problems for the Master, the Long-lived Emperor—there isn't a single one. Don't worry, I will definitely tell the Master, the Long-lived Emperor everything you said, so he knows your intentions.

Regarding this assassination, what you said makes sense, and I think so too. We can't make too much of a disturbance and ruin the Master, the Long-lived Emperor's good mood. After I interrogate them, I'll kill a few to vent your anger."

"If this humble official were to say, letting them die too easily won't do either. It would be better to send them to work with those criminals, working until they die, which still wouldn't be a ten-thousandth of the crimes they committed. Besides, whether I vent my anger or not is not important, Eunuch Huang. The main thing is to raid their homes and take their wealth for His Majesty to build palaces, which is the proper use.

I heard that His Majesty's great virtue is like an abyss, and he has paid a lot of wages to the craftsmen and commoners who work, letting the commoners live good lives. This humble official truly wishes His Majesty would build palaces all over the Great Ming and pay wages to all the commoners. At that time, our Great Ming would surely be a paradise on earth, and the commoners would all pray for His Majesty to live ten thousand, ten thousand, ten thousand years."

Huang Jin laughed heartily, saying there was no need for the commoners to pray, as the Master, the Long-lived Emperor, would also live ten thousand, ten thousand, ten thousand years.

Then, after exchanging cups with Wang Yan, he ended the banquet and went to investigate the case...

It wouldn't be a big disturbance, but the matter itself wasn't small; it would take dragging out a thousand or eight hundred people to finish it.

Wang Yan certainly didn't say pretty words to Huang Jin; he really didn't care who the mastermind was. After all, too many people wanted him dead, and some just took action; no one was more deserving of death than anyone else.

But being assassinated for nothing and not retaliating was also wrong.

So Wang Yan, after eating, drinking, and thinking, called for Ma Defu.

"Old Ma, recruit some more decent people as assistants to register the households and population in the city."

"Magistrate, didn't you say we would register the city last?"

"I wasn't finished." Wang Yan glanced at him, "Checking people must be done one by one, all clearly. In the process of checking people, what's more important is checking the wealthy families in the Dongcheng. Check the servants of the wealthy families clearly for me—how many people are in each family, not a single one can be missed. It's not easy for outsiders to enter the back courtyards, but it doesn't matter. You go find women and let them go to the back courtyards to check; pay them the same wages.

Post the notice in a while, telling them we are going to check all household registrations. And wealthy families with servants must pay a 'Daxing Construction Expense' for their servants. Those who evade taxes will be fined one thousand taels of silver and sentenced to three months of labor reform. As for the specific amount, we'll study it slowly; first, check the people clearly and spread the news."

Ma Defu let out a long sigh: "Magistrate, stop. Fines for fire hazards, cleaning fees, clearing fields and checking households, and now another Daxing Construction Expense... You've already been assassinated so many times, and this time armored soldiers were dispatched and firelocks were used..."

"Old Ma, you just do your work with peace of mind. As long as I don't die, you'll be fine. If I die, you were forced by me; even if others retaliate, the worst that can happen is returning to your hometown. You won't lose your life and can still live as a wealthy man."

"Magistrate, I'm not worried about myself..."

Wang Yan waved his hand: "No need to worry about me either. Old Ma, you're over forty, you've seen the ups and downs of officialdom and are well-informed; how can you not understand my situation? Ever since I resisted orders and targeted the wealthy in Chun'an to overcome the flood, there has been no way back.

If it weren't for His Majesty's protection at the time, I would have surely died in Chun'an. Zheng Bichang, He Maocai, and Yan Shifan and Yan Song behind them—none of them are good people. As the saying goes, if you don't advance, you fail. I can only walk this path to the end. Fighting against those powerful and wealthy families is what I will carry out for my whole life.

As for the Yan Faction or the Pure Stream in the court, and now Xu Jie is another faction, plus Prince Yu and Prince Jing—these have nothing to do with me. I am of the Emperor's Faction, specifically doing things for His Majesty and sending silver to His Majesty. If I do my job well, I'll naturally be safe and sound, and no disturbance will reach me. If I don't do it well, forget who I am, and forget His Majesty's holy favor, then naturally everything will be over.

In the final analysis, if you want to live well and rise high, you must find your own footing and execute it consistently. Just like Hu Zongxian—recently, the court has been impeaching Hu Zongxian, accusing him of embezzling military pay and abusing the collection of taxes, with every charge threatening his life.

Why? Because Hu Zongxian is Yan Song's man, because Hu Zongxian refuses to topple Yan, and Hu Zongxian is the banner of the Yan Faction, so Xu Jie wants to destroy Hu Zongxian.

If you really want to talk about it, who hasn't embezzled military pay? Who hasn't abused the collection of taxes? Haven't I abused the collection of taxes? Can I change this fact by creating new names for fees? Why can the memorials impeaching me drown me, yet I'm still here drinking and eating meat? Because I am His Majesty's man, because I earned five million taels of silver.

When Hu Zongxian asked me about his situation, I said his heart was like cold ash and his body like an unmoored boat. I didn't expect that in less than half a year, he would become a prisoner. Speaking of which, when he reaches the Imperial Prison, I'll have to go see him."

After hearing such heartfelt words from Wang Yan, Ma Defu didn't say anything else and went out to do his work.

Wang Yan knew better than anyone what he was facing and what the situation would be in the future, but he still insisted on doing it, so what else could he say?

Being able to come and advise him repeatedly before, Ma Defu was already very decent; it's rare to see someone as honest as him. This Ma Defu had actually given silver to the commoner who was whipped by Xu Jie's second son earlier...

Of course, this was also why he could live until now without being kicked out or dealt with by Wang Yan.

Over there, Huang Jin was conducting a thorough investigation into the armored soldiers and firelocks, the villages within Daxing were vigorously clearing fields and checking households, and the Dongcheng had also begun the operation to check the population.

The notice clearly stated that families with servants had to pay more silver, with the amount to be determined. It also stated that from now on, any increase or decrease in servants in the family must be registered and reported to the Yamen. Failure to report would be treated as hiding population, resulting in fines and labor reform. If there was intentional concealment, it would result in fines and labor reform. Those who report it would be given silver, and if they were servants, they would be provided with household registration, housing, and a livelihood.

After this combination of punches, the interior of the wealthy families became turbulent. To stabilize the situation, they not only had to pay the Yamen but also pay their servants more money.

Otherwise, who knows what would happen if someone couldn't think straight and ran to the county Yamen to find Wang Yan and say a bunch of things?

After all, servants in the past had no human rights, and no one cared if they lived or died. Now, Wang Yan was known to be someone who really did things and would scrape silver from them whenever he found the chance...

So the capital suddenly became lively. Those who did things had to find the mastermind, those with a guilty conscience had to find a way to solve the problem, and those above had to find a way to maintain stability.

On the other side, they had to continue impeaching Wang Yan for being lawless and abusing the collection of taxes; this was their only means for now, and they had to show their attitude.

They couldn't kill him, cursing was useless, and they couldn't resist.

After all, within the jurisdiction of Daxing, Wang Yan represented the authority of the legitimate government. He expanded the Yamen runners, assistants, and guards, creating over a thousand strong men. Enforcing the law within Daxing was unrestricted. If ten or eight people from a family came out to resist together, they would be branded as rebels.

The powerful and wealthy families in the Dongcheng, no matter how high their official rank or how deep their background, had to be submissive when facing strong men who could fill their homes.

And Jiajing didn't care about things, Xu Jie was rotten inside but looked like he didn't offend anyone, sitting in the position of Senior Grand Secretary like a dead man, and the other cabinet ministers were all thunder and no rain.

All the various methods that had been invincible in the past were useless against Wang Yan...

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