Chapter 357: Yan Shifan

Capital, Yan Mansion,

In a brightly lit room,

Many high-ranking officials in red robes were sitting there.

Raising his wine cup, Yan Shifan narrowed his eyes: "Is the matter in Jiuzhoudao true?"

"It's absolutely true, Junior Cabinet Minister. Thirty million taels of silver have already entered the capital from Tianjin Wei; the carriages were so heavy they cracked the blue bricks!"

Looking at Yan Shifan earnestly, Luo Wenlong explained.

"Roar, thirty million taels of silver?"

Opening his mouth in astonishment, Yan Shifan couldn't help but grip his wine cup, his eyes filled with a burning expression.

You have to know, when it came to raking in silver, he, the Junior Cabinet Minister, dared to call himself the number one person in the Great Ming; who dared to claim second?

After all, he was a "real man" who even dared to embezzle the long-term salary of the Prince of Yu!

"According to the people below, Zhang Xinzhi has gone crazy raking in money overseas; it's at least several million taels of silver!"

Looking at Yan Shifan before him, Luo Wenlong continued.

Because they were also very jealous of this income!

"I'll go discuss it with my father later, but who should be sent to Jiuzhoudao?"

Thinking, Yan Shifan couldn't help but tap the table.

And just at this moment, Luo Wenlong, who was beside him, continued: "How about Hu Zongxian?"

"Hu Ruzhen?"

Hearing this name, Yan Shifan stroked his breath: "Not bad, that person it is. But how do we transfer Zhang Xinzhi back?"

"There is chaos in Lingnan; it has been reported these past few days. Why not take this opportunity to transfer him away?"

Looking at Yan Shifan, many people began to offer ideas.

Because if there really were such huge profits in Jiuzhoudao, how could they let it go? Wasn't this clearly sending money?

Hearing everyone's words, Yan Shifan's eyes also shone: "Good, let's do that!"

The next day, when memorials were sent into the West Garden one after another, Jiajing, who was currently cultivating immortality, became unhappy.

Because he had just received the silver, how could these officials start making trouble right after?

But thinking of the situation in the imperial court, Jiajing narrowed his eyes: "It seems these officials of Mine are very jealous!"

"Your Majesty, these are just clowns!"

Looking at Jiajing before him, Jia Jingzhong hurriedly explained.

And hearing this, Jiajing sneered: "Have Yan Song come here!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Leaving to report, Jia Jingzhong hurriedly had someone call Yan Song.

Not long after, when the "wild boy" Yan Song arrived, he immediately saluted: "Subject Yan Song, pays respects to Your Majesty!"

"Get up?"

Raising his hand, Jiajing walked in a square step: "Today's morning court was quite noisy!"

"Your Majesty, this subject believes this is all because of the ancestral teachings. After all, the Founding Emperor once said 'Non-Conquest Nations'!"

Looking at Jiajing before him, Yan Song had no choice but to use this reason to explain.

"Oh, Non-Conquest Nations?"

Looking at Yan Song with a face full of smiles, Jiajing then said: "Then have you forgotten the grievances suffered by the people of Jiangnan in the Great Ming in recent years?"

"This subject dares not forget!"

Kowtowing hurriedly, Yan Song was frightened.

Because Jiajing had never spoken so confrontationally before.

"This silver belongs to Us; you had better make it clear to the people below. If anyone submits another memorial, don't blame Us for being impolite, do you understand? Grand Secretary Yan!"

Looking at Yan Song before him, Jiajing was also very furious.

When he ascended the throne, the Great Ming was almost broke. After spending over ten years of time, he finally managed to stabilize the imperial court, but then the Jiangnan Japanese pirates appeared. But the Jiangnan matter wasn't resolved, and the northern Tatars began to raid the borders again!

If it weren't for Zhang Cheng sending away the Tatars and going south to wipe out the pirates, he, Jiajing, would never have known in his life that silver was so easy to earn!

Sitting back and collecting fifteen million taels a year—what kind of concept was that? It was almost catching up to the Great Ming's annual food income!

You have to know, the Great Ming's potential was two hundred and fifty million taels of silver!

But that belonged to "normal" tax revenue, and no one had ever managed to achieve it!

Nowadays, in Jiajing's reign, what was the annual income? Food was about twenty million taels, and silver was four million taels!

Even with this number, Zhang Cheng had added to it to calculate it; as for the real situation, it was spending more than it earned!

Why did Jiajing need Yan Song? It was because Yan Song could raise money! But what Jiajing didn't expect was that in Yan Shifan's heart, he had to take the lion's share!

Of the two million taels of salt tax, he only dared to give Jiajing one hundred taels, and the Emperor still had to thank him.

You tell me, was what Yan Shifan did enough for him to play "Nine-Clan Elimination" at the vegetable market?

If it weren't for Jiajing considering that Yan Song did things "conscientiously and responsibly," he reckoned the whole family would have died!

Jiajing: I actually get the smaller share?

Zhang Cheng: You're lucky to get anything; you don't know about raiding homes and scraping the leftovers!

Ji Gang:...

Walking out of the West Garden, when Yan Shifan saw his father, he immediately stepped forward: "Father, how was it?"

"Do not mention this matter again!"

Warning Yan Shifan, Yan Song also turned serious.

"Don't mention it? That's tens of millions of taels of silver; think of how much it could do for our Great Ming!"

Looking at Yan Song before him, Yan Shifan explained.

And looking at Yan Shifan, who was the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, Zhang Juzheng chuckled: "It seems the Junior Cabinet Minister is impatient to build our Great Ming!"

"What are you stirring up? This has nothing to do with your Ministry of Rites! Stirring things up so the north has no pay for war, Lingnan cannot suppress the rebellion—if the Great Ming falls, I'll just play with my life alongside you all!"

Looking at Zhang Juzheng, Yan Shifan retorted as soon as he spoke.

And hearing Yan Shifan's words, Zhang Juzheng sneered: "It seems the Junior Cabinet Minister thinks of himself as the Chief Grand Secretary! Are you trying to shoulder the two capitals and thirteen provinces?"

!. Read

"You!"

Looking at Zhang Juzheng, Yan Shifan still intended to say something, but Yan Song beside him hurriedly stopped him.

"Alright, get to work!"

Looking at Zhang Juzheng, Yan Song suddenly discovered that ever since the other party became the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, he had inexplicably gained confidence.

You have to know, Xu Jie had already stepped down because of his son's matter!

Who was the backer behind this Zhang Juzheng? Could it be His Majesty?

Just as Yan Song was suspicious, Yan Shifan also felt something was wrong.

Because in the past, even Xu Jie didn't dare to anger him, so why did Zhang Juzheng dare to confront him head-on?

Zhang Juzheng: Guess!

Zhang Cheng: Old Zhang, get him!

Kyushu, on a wilderness,

The assembled Great Ming army began to converge to the sound of drums.

"Boom, boom, boom!"

The war drums resounded through the clouds, and the Great Ming army roared as they charged forward.

Looking at the Japanese pirates who were like trash fish not far away, Shen Lian turned his head: "Lord Zhang, four thousand against thirty thousand, is that too..."

"Too much face; it should have been two thousand!"

Speaking quite uncomfortably, Zhang Cheng then said: "Ding Xiu, you take people to block the gap later; if anyone runs, slaughter them for me!"

"Yes, my lord!"

Hearing Zhang Cheng's words, Ding Xiu hurriedly went down.

"No, Lord Zhang, I meant, are you being too contemptuous of the enemy!"

Looking at Zhang Cheng awkwardly, Shen Lian shouted loudly.

"Contemptuous of the enemy? You need an enemy for that! These short winter melons, even if they jumped, they couldn't reach my knees..."

Drawing the horse-slaying saber at his side, Zhang Cheng rode forward, then arrived at the front of the formation and roared: "The Great Ming army is mighty!"

"The Great Ming army is mighty! The Great Ming army is mighty!"

Following the deafening roar, the Great Ming soldiers, whose fighting spirit had been completely ignited, roared.

"Kill!"

Raising the horse-slaying saber, Zhang Cheng immediately spurred his horse forward.

And looking at the Great Ming army before them, the united daimyo were frightened and at a loss.

Because they never expected the Great Ming army to be so terrifying!

Four thousand people fighting thirty thousand, and they still dared to charge head-on—were they monsters?

And just as a samurai was thinking this, he saw a "giant" riding a horse, who backhanded him and tore him apart.

Watching the sky full of fresh blood splattering, the farmers who followed behind completely collapsed, because what the hell was the point of fighting this!

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 358 =====