Chapter 114

Capital.

Approaching the end of the year, countless officials rushed from all over to report on duties, among whom there was no lack of high-ranking officials.

Mixing among them, Li Mu, this Assistant Regional Commander, returned to the capital without stirring up any waves.

The focus of everyone's attention is cutting redundant personnel.

The big movement made by the Cabinet, tossed until now, only persuaded a part of officials to retire.

In fact, these people don't need to be persuaded at all.

Influenced by the idea of falling leaves returning to their roots, officials will actively choose to retire and return to their hometowns to spend their old age after reaching a certain age.

Everyone knows that the Cabinet cannot let its political decrees become waste paper, and there must be big moves next.

"Dry father, the Cabinet has fallen into trouble; our opportunity has come.

Can't even do the work of cutting redundant personnel well; if let His Majesty..."

Before Zuo Tianjun finished speaking, Zuo Guang'en's face turned black.

"Fool!"

"Do you think cutting redundant personnel is really that easy to do?"

"That group of old foxes in the Cabinet, if they really want to reduce the number of officials, would they have no way!"

"Delaying action is because they want to minimize the risk."

"I have already seen the accounts of the Ministry of Revenue; the salary expenditure for officials this month has decreased by 30,000 taels."

"The administrative expenses of government offices at all levels in the capital also decreased by 20,000 taels this month."

"Personnel were not cut, but the court's expenditure has already come down first."

"I'm afraid only a fool like you would think the Cabinet has done nothing!"

Zuo Guang'en reprimanded with a bad temper.

Being able to stand out from many eunuchs is not just relying on the Emperor's favor.

Except for the eunuchs in the early years of the founding of the country, who were mostly illiterate, the eunuchs in the middle and late periods were carefully cultivated.

There is a special "Inner Attendant Hall" in the palace responsible for teaching eunuchs to read.

Eunuchs who can serve by the Emperor and Imperial Princes are all well-versed in classics and history.

Knowing a lot, they know the power of that group of old foxes in the Cabinet.

With the knife of streamlining personnel hanging, various ministries can calmly accept the reduction of administrative expenses, and officials will default to the increase in the proportion of precious paper money in salaries.

Reducing expenditure by 50,000 taels a month, the number doesn't seem very large, but it's different when the time cycle is lengthened.

Reducing expenditure by 600,000 taels a year is equivalent to two points of fiscal revenue.

Playing according to the current situation, after this layoff storm ends, the Great Great Dayu Dynasty can save 1 million taels of expenditure every year.

For a dynasty that has lasted for more than 200 years, being able to reduce administrative expenditure without causing drastic fluctuations is definitely not something an ordinary person can complete.

"Dry father, the court just harvested a sum from salt tax, and now it is starting to reduce expenditure."

"The tasks of tax supervisors in various places have also increased a lot."

"Everyone is working so hard to get money; is the court really going to use troops against Liaodong next year?"

Zuo Guangjun asked with concern.

Being scolded often doesn't mean he is really a stupid person.

Wanting to mix well in the palace, being too stupid won't work, and being too smart won't work either.

Sometimes saying a few stupid words is also an art of inviting favor.

Personal ability is not mature, so it needs "dry father" to cultivate.

If one performs too capable, one is a right-hand man when needed, but becomes a confidant threat when not needed.

Being smart at times and stupid at times is also a way of survival.

"Things you can see, do you still need to ask!"

Zuo Guang'en said with a bad temper.

As a person by his side, he knows Emperor Tianyuan's health condition very well.

The Emperor clearly doesn't have many years to live and wants to solve the border problem before he dies, not leaving regrets for himself.

Under this background, the court naturally needs to get money.

Once the flames of war are reignited, what both sides compete with is not only military strength but also manpower, financial resources, and material resources.

"Dry father, I'm afraid this battle is not easy to fight!"

Zuo Tianjun said with a grave expression.

Just encountered a big defeat in Liaodong, and then hurriedly preparing for a counterattack, no one has a bottom in their hearts.

Even if he doesn't understand military affairs, he knows that this battle is very difficult to win a big victory.

But for eunuchs, the Emperor's will is heaven.

Emperor Tianyuan wants to solve the border problem before he dies; they have no reason to refuse.

Standing from Zuo Guang'en's position, he also needs the victory of foreign war.

Only by sweeping away border troubles and consolidating imperial power can Emperor Tianyuan rest assured to adopt a son from the imperial clan.

Such a big event as assisting a young emperor, the Emperor must hand it over to confidants to complete.

This means his political life will be significantly extended.

The Cabinet fully cooperates with the Emperor, which is also the case.

The temptation of being a supporting minister is the price offered by Emperor Tianyuan.

Although the matter was never explicitly stated, smart people have seen it.

If the foreign war situation is unfavorable, then for the sake of the country, the new emperor can only choose an adult monarch.

One emperor, one court.

Emperor Tianyuan trusts them, which doesn't mean the next emperor also trusts them.

Referring to historical experience, every change of imperial power is a disaster for high-level officials.

Lucky ones are replaced after supporting for three to five years.

Tragic ones can't pass the year and have to make room for newcomers.

In this regard, everyone's interests are the same as the Emperor's.

According to the patriarchal system, an adopted son is also a son.

The incense sacrifice later will definitely not be less.

For the sake of his own imperial legitimacy, the new emperor will also strive to raise Emperor Tianyuan's status.

It would be different if it were changed to a brother.

People's imperial legitimacy can come from him, this elder brother, or from the deceased late emperor.

It's fine if he thinks of brotherhood; if he harbors resentment, who knows how he will smear it.

Even if this generation gives face, after the next generation of nephews rises, the sacrificial treatment will also drop in a straight line.

For Emperor Tianyuan, who is deeply influenced by traditional culture, his own funeral affairs are also an important reference factor for choosing a new monarch.

After weighing the pros and cons, he simply chose to bet big.

Not to mention directly sweeping away external troubles, as long as there can be a victory in the foreign war, eliminating the bad political impact brought by the big explosion in the capital.

He can rest assured to adopt a son from the imperial clan and continue the incense of his lineage.

Coming to the capital again, Li Mu's feeling is completely different.

Last time he came, he entered the city quietly by himself.

This time it is clearly different; looking from afar, he found that peers in the clan were waiting outside the city early.

Status and position determine the right to speak; in the Li clan, he is already considered an outstanding talent.

Although he is only an Assistant Regional Commander now, as a link in the marriage between two big families, he can at least grind out a Regional Commander.

A Regional Commander with real power, his political status in the Great Great Dayu Dynasty is already not low.

Now is not the early years of the founding of the country, when the Emperor strictly guarded against nobles becoming big.

Now it is the Emperor hoping that nobles can stand up again to balance those Nine Borders military families who don't listen very well.

In recent years, noble descendants have continuously entered border armies and local armies.

Unfortunately, most of them have sunk; those who can stand on their feet are rare.

The Yangzhou Battalion Li Mu tinkered with, at least from the current point of view, is considered not bad.

After simple greetings, he returned to the mansion surrounded by clansmen.

"Brothers, rest for a while first.

After I wash up, I will reminisce with everyone!"

Li Mu persuaded the crowd who wanted to leave to stay.

Mixing in officialdom for such a long time, he has made great progress in human relationships.

People didn't fear hardship to run outside the city to welcome him; he must entertain them.

Not to mention just arriving in the capital, he still has many things to understand.

These clan brothers and cousins before him are undoubtedly the best candidates to inquire about news.

"Cousin Mu, please do as you please!"

Li Sen said with a smile.

In the clan, one also looks at status and position; among the peers, although his age is not big, his status is the highest.

As the eldest son of the Marquis of Zhenyuan, even if he is born of a concubine, no one dares to look down on him.

If the Marquis's wife cannot give birth to a legitimate son, theoretically he is the first heir.

From the expressions of the brothers, one can see that everyone is very convinced of him.

Of course, this kind of thing everyone just thinks about privately; on the surface, absolutely no one dares to say it.

The Marquis's wife is not a good person to provoke; if rumors spread, one will have to pay a painful price.

Including Li Sen himself, he is also as low-key as possible, never mentioning the succession.

On the issue of the next heir to the Marquis's mansion, besides the Marquis of Zhenyuan, the Marquis's wife has the most weight.

Which of the three brothers of the Marquis's mansion can be adopted under the Marquis's wife's name is the legitimate heir.

The Great Great Dayu Dynasty follows the legitimate eldest son succession system; legitimate comes before eldest.

After Li Mu left, the small courtyard suddenly became lively.

Living in the capital for many years and being brothers of the same family, they grew up together and were familiar long ago.

On the contrary, Li Mu, this distant relative, was relatively unfamiliar because of little contact.

Unfamiliar relationship doesn't mean everyone is not familiar with Li Mu.

Because of his sudden rise in his official career, Li Mu's frequency of appearing in the mouths of their fathers is getting higher and higher, and he is like "someone else's child."

After Li Mu finished washing up and returned, he found that he had become the protagonist of everyone's discussion.

After eavesdropping for a few sentences, Li Mu soon found something wrong.

In everyone's mouth, he was almost deified.

Everything from literary talent to military strategy is proficient, using troops like a god on the battlefield, beheading hundreds of enemy generals.

It is fake and cannot be more fake; it feels like hard blowing.

But everyone's expressions cannot be fake; everyone clearly believed it.

Because of marriage needs, advancing momentum in advance can be understood, but blowing like this is too much.

"Cough cough!"

Li Mu's coughing interrupted the discussion, and the scene fell into embarrassment.

(End of chapter)