Chapter 253: One rises and the other falls, ups and downs

Luo Luo Yuren's writing was named *Proverbs on Wealth, Anger, Sex, and Entertainment*, an impromptu article prepared for the supplementary issue of the Nanjing Imperial Academy Journal.

The so-called wealth is the Emperor's sin of greed.

How greedy is he?

Competing for every copper, every penny must be exhausted; the public treasury is full, but private families are empty—the New Policies are blindly collecting wealth; salt administration, clan property, and taxes are fine, but even small copper coins are ordered to be collected and remelted. In this way, although the national treasury is full, there is nothing left in the commoners' homes.

King Wu of Zhou once scattered all the wealth of the Deer Terrace, and eight hundred hearts returned; on the contrary, Emperor Yang of Sui was greedy and gathered wealth, and the mandate of heaven was hard to fathom!

The so-called anger is the Emperor's sin of rage.

How angry is he?

Indulging in anger, arbitrary and willful, the law is harsh and urgent, and the government violates fairness—lightly raising the heart of anger, wantonly venting, arbitrary and willful, the punishment is harsh on the scholar-officials, and the administration does not care about regional fairness at all.

Emperor Shun was gentle and cautious, humble and auspicious; on the contrary, Jie and Zhou were cruel and ruthless, and the group resentment was clear!

The so-called sex is the Emperor's sin of lust.

How lustful is he?

Beautiful concubines, sleeping and waking at his side, opening up favor and accepting insults, competing for beauty and misleading the country—so many years have passed, the Empress has not yet given birth to an imperial heir, but the Wu concubine is pregnant first, which is clearly due to the Emperor's preference for beauty.

Shang Tang did not approach women and enjoyed a long life; on the contrary, the Muzong Emperor, perhaps the Tang Muzong, was excessively intimate, taking golden pills, and died at thirty!

The so-called entertainment is the Emperor's sin of frivolity.

How frivolous is he?

The desolation of the fields, sound, color, dogs, and horses, touring without limit, just like a commoner—last year he enjoyed a tour of the Northern Metropolitan Area, and now he wants to go to Jiangnan for pleasure, simply forgetting that he is the Son of Heaven who bears the burden of government.

Emperor Renzong of Song sat in the center, and the four seas were peaceful; on the contrary, Qin Shi Huang toured the east several times for pleasure, was assassinated every time, and died in the second generation!

If we talk about splitting the country, who can compare to the consequences of these words and deeds of the Emperor?

Luo Luo Yuren wrote rapidly, and for a moment, he didn't hear what the two club friends were saying.

This caused Zhao Zhao Nanxing and Zou Zou Yuanbiao to walk behind him and stretch their heads to look.

They didn't know until they looked, and they were shocked.

An uneasy expression climbed onto Zou Zou Yuanbiao's face. He hesitated for a moment and couldn't help but advise euphemistically: "Is the wording of Yili a bit too intense?"

The wind has been released from the palace that the Emperor is going to tour the south; how can he dare to write such things!

Luo Luo Yuren didn't raise his head, his tone cold: "A hundred schools of thought contend, speaking freely, is the imperial edict of the Emperor; what are you afraid of being too intense? Which sentence of mine is wrong?"

Seeing his bad attitude, Zou Zou Yuanbiao had to turn his head and look at Zhao Zhao Nanxing.

Zhao Zhao Nanxing ignored him.

Although the three were in the same forest, they were not Siamese twins after all.

Zou Zou Yuanbiao was from Jiangxi; hearing that the Emperor was touring the south, he was afraid that the Emperor would borrow the topic to play, trampling on his hometown and clan, so naturally he was trembling with fear.

But Zhao Zhao Nanxing and Luo Luo Yuren were northerners and were not in the strike range of this North-South dispute, so they could be said to be calm and composed.

According to the current New Learning's contradiction analysis.

The Demon Book Case at this moment is not a question of who covers up whom, but a concrete manifestation of multiple contradictions superimposed on regional fairness, tax distribution, public opinion hegemony, old and new theories, and association participation.

The situation is complex and a mess.

Although the three of them walked together because they were dissatisfied with the imperial court on many issues, and became the Donglin Three Gentlemen sung in Jiangnan today.

But when they encountered specific problems, they still had different attitudes.

Compared to things like the Emperor's southern tour, Luo Luo Yuren and Zhao Zhao Nanxing, two Donglin gentlemen, were more resentful of the fact that the center now showed signs of wanting to restrain the path of speech and restart the newspaper ban!

Since it is a struggle for the right to speak, how can the wording not be intense?

Not to mention the gentle language of belittling the Emperor as heinous, even if it adds fuel to the fire and provokes a sentence of "Southerners are not incompetent children, they don't need northerners' protection," it is a matter of course!

Zhao Zhao Nanxing pondered for a moment, and instead persuaded Zou Zou Yuanbiao: "Erzhan, when we sacrificed to heaven in the southern suburbs, we personally experienced what it means to have power filling the court and demotions following one after another."

"The poem says, the upright of the country."

"At that time, you and I decided to make an appointment that even if we were reduced to wild commoners, we would contribute our meager strength to the country!"

"Now the imperial court is borrowing the topic to play, not only instigating the Emperor to tour the south, but even wanting to restart the newspaper ban and restrain the path of speech. Can we just sit idly by?"

"Writing these intense articles is also to point out to His Majesty not to make mistakes again and again!"

From this progressive relationship, one can see that Zhao Zhao Nanxing cares more about whether the Donglin Academic Journal can regain the right to speak.

Zou Zou Yuanbiao's expression was gloomy.

He was a Donglin veteran after all, and naturally knew the thoughts of the two, after all, running a newspaper was the root of the three of them gathering in the Southern Metropolitan Area.

After Gu Assistant County Magistrate and Li Sancai entered the evil path of New Learning, they parted ways with them.

In a fit of anger, the three of them took over Gu Assistant County Magistrate's original philosophy and newspapers—the governance and chaos of the world are tied to the human heart; the evil and righteousness of the human heart are tied to academic learning.

To save the world and the people, newspapers are the top priority!

As for things like the Emperor's southern tour and the urging of land clearing, can they kill Zhao Zhao Nanxing, a person from the Northern Metropolitan Area?

Landlord tyrants, die if they die; the Donglin Academic Journal doesn't lack gentry sending money.

Even.

If the Emperor really messes up the south and makes the complaints endless, will the newspaper industry like the Donglin Academic Journal, which makes a living by criticizing the government, get more widespread support?

Of course, the three of them can only tacitly understand this—Donglin gentlemen naturally have to be cautious alone; if they cannot consistently maintain their persona, how can they teach the world?

However.

Zou Zou Yuanbiao, a southerner, is different!

His family is exactly the gentry of Jishui County, Jiangxi, with fields stretching across the fields and countless properties!

Once the Emperor tours the south, carrying the North-South dispute and crushing it, how can Jishui County, known as "half of the court officials are from Jiangxi, and many of the Hanlin are from Jishui," be spared!?

At that time, I'm afraid it will be the same as Fan Xue Yingqi, and even the ancestral graves won't be saved!

Seeing his unhappy expression, Zhao Zhao Nanxing also knew in his heart.

He pondered for a while, then restrained his expression, looked directly at Zou Zou Yuanbiao, and said sternly: "Erzhan, can cautious and euphemistic words persuade the Emperor to change his evil and return to righteousness?"

A counter-question actually brought out the firmness of gold and iron.

Zou Zou Yuanbiao was stunned by the question.

Zhao Zhao Nanxing stared at Zou Zou Yuanbiao, his gaze firm.

Does the Emperor stop touring the south because the Donglin Party stops publishing newspapers now?

Can the ancestral graves of the clan be saved because Zou Zou Yuanbiao kneels and begs for mercy?

Can the stripped official positions be returned because they start singing praises now?

Since there is no way to retreat, there is nothing to be panicked or hesitant about!

Zhao Zhao Nanxing lowered his voice and continued to say sternly: "Erzhan, although you and I have lost our official positions, we must still hold onto our integrity and not let down the reputation of the scholarly circles!"

Since they have been demoted, their butts have long since not sat on the Emperor's side.

The reason why they have the qualifications to sit at the table to eat is all because they fought for it themselves, relying on Jiangnan's dissatisfaction with the imperial court, all poured into the Donglin Party, only then did they have the current gathering of scholars and the admiration of the commoners.

This is the basic foundation, and it cannot be put before the horse.

Once the Donglin Party turns from criticizing the government to becoming a two-faced person who mediates yin and yang, or even simply starts flattering the Emperor, then the reputation they have, the status of the scholarly circles, and the public opinion they coerce will immediately vanish!

The southern tour has already been decided, and their foundation is not in the imperial court. In this way, what are they afraid of, intense wording, just move forward bravely!

The imperial court opens the path of speech widely and will never punish because of words.

When the Emperor toured the Northern Metropolitan Area, his younger brother Zhao Zhao Nan Dou followed He He Xinyin and openly scolded the Emperor, and he wasn't punished, was he?

It is to fiercely remonstrate against the Emperor! Remonstrance can gather knowledgeable people! Remonstrance can call upon the commoners! Remonstrance can write and cut the power of the imperial court!

This statement is simply piercing, making Zou Zou Yuanbiao speechless.

After a long time, a helpless sigh sounded in the duty room.

Zou Zou Yuanbiao bowed and apologized: "It was this younger brother who thought wrong, thanks to Brother Gongji for pointing it out."

Zhao Zhao Nanxing nodded with satisfaction.

When the enemy is in front, if they can't twist themselves into a rope, I'm afraid they will be defeated again—this is the lesson of the southern suburb sacrifice!

Zhao Zhao Nanxing slowly reached out and grabbed Zou Zou Yuanbiao's arm, saying warmly: "The matter of the Donglin Newspaper and the Nanjing Imperial Academy Journal will be left to me and Yili."

"There is another matter that needs to trouble Erzhan."

Zou Zou Yuanbiao heard this and knew it in his heart.

He had wavered for a moment, and it fell into Zhao Zhao Nanxing's eyes, so the matter of writing articles to insult the Emperor and using pen names to hide his identity would definitely avoid him.

He didn't point it out, and bowed back: "You and I are brothers and friends who entrust each other with aspirations, why talk about trouble?"

Zhao Zhao Nanxing really had something to entrust.

Even after the matter turned in his mind, his face became visibly ugly, and his palm subconsciously exerted force.

Until Zou Zou Yuanbiao's arm was pinched and painful, he slowly opened his mouth: "I wrote to the Zhang family in Taicang but didn't get a reply, so I need Erzhan to go there in person..."

Zhao Zhao Nanxing's expression was expressionless, his tone cold: "Ask everyone to ask, what exactly is going on with Zhang Zhang Fuzhi?"

"Third brother, what exactly is going on with Zhang Fuzhi?"

In a study of the Zhang family in Taicang, the atmosphere was not very good, faintly revealing a voice with a hint of questioning.

The Zhang family is a powerful family recorded in the *Taicang Old Records: Clan Hope*, building righteous manors, opening Confucian schools, and providing disaster relief, and has a reputation among the people.

The three brothers who are in charge of the family are all people with official positions.

The eldest is Zhang Qing, serving as a Physician in the Nanjing Ministry of War; the second is Zhang Yi, serving as the Vice Prefect of Taicang Prefecture; the third is Zhang Xing, serving as the grain-supervising counselor of Suzhou-Songjiang.

Logically speaking, they are powerful families themselves, and they have official positions, so they should be full of energy and not be chaotic even if Mount Tai collapses in front of them.

However.

At this moment, the three Zhangs of Taicang are far from the word "calm."

It can even be said to be exceptionally anxious and uneasy.

A copy of the court report and several vernacular newspapers are placed on the desk—all from the local newspapers in Beijing—which seem to be the source of the three people's irritability.

Several newspapers are talking about the same thing...

At first.

The Emperor Wanli Emperor originally advocated opening the newspaper ban and letting a hundred schools of thought contend.

For this, he spared no effort to lobby the ministers everywhere, which was clearly sincere.

But on one hand, in the imperial court, the Emperor Wanli Emperor's ideas were difficult to be accepted by most people.

On the other hand, the objective reactions triggered by the development of things also forced him to change his original intention.

Just because literati are naturally cheap-mouthed and like to satirize, it's fine at ordinary times, but once they have the opportunity to speak, they can't stop.

Once there are many literati speaking, the situation is not easy to control.

Among them, major associations, scholarly Confucians, and local gentry have taken the opportunity to open the newspaper ban to speak freely.

In addition to discussing classics, they also expressed many different opinions on government affairs.

These different opinions have good intentions, such as criticism of land clearing disturbing the people, and even reflection on the many negative impacts since the New Policies, aiming to better implement the New Policies.

There are also many opinions that are malicious, such as writing demon books, provoking North-South opposition, inciting regional contradictions, aiming to resist land clearing and threaten the imperial court.

As a political challenge, how can the latter be tolerated?

But the imperial court has been slow to react, causing demon books to rise everywhere in the folk, and even words like "Southern Monarch, Northern Court" have been used in newspaper articles!

For a time, the court vied to remonstrate, and it could no longer be left alone!

Must send out city patrols and constables to search for the thieves who wrote the demon books!

Even the Vice Minister of Revenue Fan Xue Yingqi openly submitted a petition, hoping that the Emperor could tour the south to sweep away this evil atmosphere.

The matter became bigger and bigger, and there was no result after half a month of arguing.

Finally, at the end of the sixth month, a coincidence completely detonated this powder keg.

The current successful candidate, Shujishi, Hanlin Academy Reader, and Dong Zhongshu Zhongshu Sheren valuing the Academy of Seeking Truth, Zhang Zhang Fuzhi, submitted a petition saying that the current demon books are merely to resist land clearing. After all, all provinces are following the steps, only the Jiangnan provinces have slow progress, civil unrest, and endless public opinion. Now even words like "Southern Court, Northern Monarch" have come out. If the Emperor doesn't tour the south at this time, when will he wait?

This is naturally not a heavy petition, after all, the official position is only a Dong Zhongshu Zhongshu Sheren.

Even the Taipu Temple Minister Cai Cai Ruxian submitted a petition to impeach, directly scolding Zhang Zhang Fuzhi as "obedient," "brainless," "only knowing how to speculate," "specializing in small reports," and "thug," etc.

It can be seen that its weight is not worth mentioning.

However, it is precisely such a person who is not worth mentioning that seems to have just caused the thieves to play freely, so that a matter that no one thought of happened openly on him.

Someone anonymously wrote an article, published it in the newspaper, and openly intimidated Zhang Zhang Fuzhi!

The article said.

Zhang Zhang Fuzhi has climbed to the position of Dong Zhongshu Zhongshu Sheren, but in the past, he contributed a lot of strength in criticizing the imperial court. Now he is acting as a tiger for the tiger, which is truly shameless!

Warn Zhang Zhang Fuzhi to turn back early! Otherwise, the Jiangnan commoners will not forgive you!

If the imperial court only believes in people like Zhang Zhang Fuzhi, it will perish sooner or later!

How can this be allowed!?

Fan Xue Yingqi, who advocated the Emperor's southern tour, immediately seized this opportunity.

He found Shen Shen Shixing and said that this intimidating article was very good.

It was good because it was anonymous; anonymity can make people widely associate with a tendency, an idea, a force, and let the scholarly circles reflect well.

Shen Shen Shixing agreed after hearing it.

Thus, a letter "Why?" signed by the Second Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, Shen Shen Shixing, was delivered to the Nanjing Wu Tongzheng Office as scheduled and spread to Jiangnan.

That is the court report placed in front of the three Zhangs of Taicang.

First, it told the ins and outs of the Demon Book Case from the perspective of the cabinet, and then it refuted the demon books one by one, followed by the Emperor's generosity, which was exchanged for stirring up trouble, feeling it was not worth it.

Finally, there was an angry question.

Why!?

Everyone should think about it. Under the background of the New Policies, in the preferential treatment of opening the newspaper ban, and in the process of clamoring for the North-South dispute, such a thing was discovered, openly calling for the imperial court to perish in the name of the Jiangnan commoners.

Why is this!?

This is a rhetorical question, giving no one room for discussion.

At the end of the court report, Shen Shen Shixing made a final decision and characterized this matter.

This is a signal, a signal of some people using the opportunity of opening the newspaper ban to conduct sharp acts of splitting the country—the situation of the New Policies is so severe that the Emperor has to tour the south! It is worth mentioning that Zhang Zhang Fuzhi, as the victim of this matter, was assigned the task of "investigating the demon books" at the court meeting.

And this is also the most confused point for the three Zhangs of Taicang at this time.

Just want to ask the same question as Shen Shen Shixing, why?

Is the child of one's own family not one's own person?

And this, Zhang Xing, who was questioned, naturally couldn't answer.

He looked at his two brothers and shook his head blankly: "I will write a letter now and ask Zhang Fuzhi what is going on."

Zhang Yi said with hatred: "It's too late! By the time the letter is sent, the Emperor will probably arrive in Jiangnan before the reply!"

Previously, a series of connections had caused so many issues.

Civil unrest in Shandong, hundreds of commoners and officials killed or injured; civil unrest in Zhejiang, so angry that Shen Shen Shixing's teacher fell ill and overturned Fan Xue Yingqi's ancestral grave; several manuscripts, scared Wang Daokun so much that he didn't dare to attend to affairs, scared Sun Sun Piyang so much that he outsourced land clearing to the gentry.

It has already reached this point, why doesn't the Emperor restrain himself and stop!?

He actually dared to have the idea of touring the south, not afraid of water and soil incompatibility!?

That's all.

At most, continue to connect widely and have another confrontation.

Who knew that this Emperor Wanli going south was promoted by his own nephew!

This is not just connecting, even the reputation that the Zhang family in Taicang has accumulated for many years is ruined!

Famous families and old friends close their doors and don't see them, and local gentry and tyrants scold them constantly.

The letters of questioning from scholarly Confucians almost flooded the Zhang family's gatehouse!

Zhang Yi still can't tell until now whether his nephew's petition to ask the Emperor to tour the south was just a political speculation following the trend, or selling his grandfather's fields to seek promotion!?

Slap!

A sound of slapping the table scared the two younger brothers.

Zhang Qing's palm was printed on the table, as if he had figured out something, his expression expressionless.

As the eldest brother, no matter what, he has to make a decision at this time!

He looked at Zhang Xing and said decisively: "Li Zhi, you go quickly and deal with the seventeen newspaper offices under the prefecture."

The sudden instruction made Zhang Xing almost unable to react.

Deal with what!?

Seventeen newspaper offices? That is the foundation of the streets!

Don't look at the three of them, their literary names are flourishing.

Not only do they have frequent article exchanges with Wang Wang Shizhen, Gui Gui Youguang, Wang Daokun, and others, and are regarded as fellow travelers, but even after the publication of *Loudong Poetry Collection* for more than ten years, they finally have the framework of a school, and the door is full of people seeking teachers, and their scholarly reputation is famous in Jiangnan.

But really talking about accumulation.

The literary name spread by newspapers is worth ten years before!

Operating to this point today, I don't know how much money was spent! The resources for the grandchildren to become the leaders of the scholarly circles and call for response are all in it!

Actually say abandon and abandon!?

He confirmed hesitantly: "Eldest brother, Zhang Fuzhi just submitted a petition, it's not to this point, right?"

Zhang Qing didn't leave any room for maneuver, his brows frowned, and he scolded sternly: "What foundation is not fought for by people? Don't say more, must be clean!"

If you keep the green hills, you don't have to worry about no firewood. The eldest brother is like a father, and there is no need to explain anything when making trade-offs.

Seeing his eldest brother so decisive, Zhang Xing gritted his teeth and barely agreed.

Zhang Qing paused, his gaze swept over the two younger brothers, and finally fell on Zhang Yi: "Daozhi, you go to Zhejiang immediately!"

Zhang Yi met his eldest brother's gaze blankly.

Why let himself go to Zhejiang? The ancestral grave of the new party Fan Xue Yingqi has been dug up, a great victory, why go back?

Feeling urgent, Zhang Qing didn't have the energy to sell the secret, just saw him reach out and press Zhang Yi's shoulder, explaining: "I have been studying Confucianism in recent years, and I am really unable to separate myself. The family can only be entrusted to you to do it yourself."

"So much so that the Sage of Duke Yansheng in Shandong, Yin Yin Shidan, the Dong and Fan families in Huzhou, the Governor of Yingtian Sun Sun Piyang, the Governor of Zhejiang Wang Daokun, all the big and small things were handled by you personally..."

Zhang Yi was slightly moved, vaguely seeing his eldest brother's arrangement.

Zhang Qing grabbed his brother's shoulder and said word by word: "Go to Zhejiang and find a private ship to go to sea. Before receiving my letter, don't come back!"

As soon as the words fell, the faces of the two younger brothers changed!

"Eldest brother..."

Zhang Yi naturally understood his eldest brother's plan. He was too conspicuous. Once caught by the Emperor, I am afraid it would be the end of the family!

This is both avoiding the limelight and a necessary investment.

But asking him to abandon his family and career alone and flee overseas is truly forcing people!

He didn't have time to speak.

Zhang Qing waved his sleeves directly, his voice stern: "Don't entangle, do as I say!"

This sound truly embodied the majesty of the eldest brother.

Zhang Yi opened and closed his mouth several times, and finally gritted his teeth and nodded.

The three of them fell into silence at the same time.

Zhang Xing hesitated for a moment and couldn't help but ask actively: "Then what about eldest brother? Are you going to welcome the Emperor in the Southern Metropolitan Area?"

The younger generation inexplicably became a key figure. Even if the Emperor was just a whim, he had to ask about the official position of the elders. It is customary.

Zhang Qing nodded. He was a Physician in the Nanjing Ministry of War. Returning home at this moment was to ask for leave to return to his hometown, so naturally he had to return to Nanjing.

Pondering for a moment, he still explained his arrangement together, so as not to misjudge in the future: "When I return to the Southern Metropolitan Area, I will personally go to find Li Li Chunfang!"

The two younger brothers were stunned and couldn't help but look at each other.

Although the eldest brother's few words were orderly in giving orders, they still felt an oncoming irritability.

Li Li Chunfang is not a good person!

After the salt administration case, Li Li Chunfang fell into depravity. In order to send his granddaughter into the palace, he completely turned to the Emperor, and since then he has drifted away from the Jiangnan gentry.

Later, he took charge of the Nanjing News Publishing Office, frequently reprimanding and questioning, and all families were restricted by this guy.

Although he suppressed for a time with official rank and reputation, he was big and didn't fall, and on the surface he was a leader in Jiangnan, but in reality, his gate was already much colder.

Just like Zhang Xing, one of the three brothers in the house, originally married a woman of Li Li Chunfang's clan, and had to call Li Li Chunfang a clan grandfather. At the beginning, he would visit every year—regardless of whether Li Li Chunfang was at home or not, regardless of whether he took a detour.

But since the Emperor Wanli era, the relationship between the two sides has turned sharply, and except for big birthdays and big banquets, there has been little contact, not even as good as visiting the in-law Wang Wang Xijue's mansion.

Zhang Yi asked: "Eldest brother wants to test Li Li Chunfang's tone?"

Zhang Qing didn't deny it and said candidly: "The Emperor's southern tour will definitely inform Li Li Chunfang in advance, so I will go and test whether we have been exposed."

Logically speaking, his nephew who could pass the imperial examination would definitely not be a stupid person, and should not be showing off in such matters and putting himself in an unfavorable situation.

But if it was forced...

Thinking of this, Zhang Qing's face became even uglier, and he suddenly sighed as if he had lost his strength: "Or see if there is any need to kneel and beg for mercy."

When these words came out, the three of them had different expressions.

Blue, red, purple, white, pig liver, banana, all kinds of colors, wonderful.

The Emperor's southern tour, clearly not yet seen, the sense of oppression has reached this point.

I don

I do not know how the people of the southern regions will be bullied when the southern tour takes place.

Coincidentally, the Emperor is currently bullying the people of the southern regions.

"You stinking outsider!"

Zhu Zhu Yijun's fingers ran through Li Baiyang's hair: "Eat along the edges!"

At this moment, the sky was just beginning to brighten.

Having gone back to sleep too late and woken up too early, he simply decided to wake up his mind while lying on the bed.

Li Baiyang was covered by the quilt, and one could only hear the muffled, stuttering sounds: "Country bumpkin!"

The tone was very sharp, and Zhu Zhu Yijun could not help but gasp.

The rivalry between the North and the South is truly terrifying!

Stung by the pain, he issued a harsh threat: "If you continue to be so unaccommodating, don't blame me for not taking you on this southern tour!"

Upon hearing this, Li Baiyang's movements paused.

She poked her head out from the quilt and said vaguely: "Has the list of people accompanying Your Majesty on the southern tour been decided?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Zhu Yijun nodded gently with tender affection: "There is a distinction between those close and those distant; I am only taking you and Noble Lady Wang."

After saying this, he pulled her into his arms, playing with her incessantly.

Li Baiyang pushed away the hand on her chest and gave the Emperor a sideways glance: "Your concubine knows. Your Majesty must have told the Empress that she is the one trusted most in the inner palace and that you cannot do without her holding down the fort. You were also afraid that your concubine would rely on the status of Imperial Noble Consort to stay in the inner palace, contend with her for power, and bully her, so you simply decided to take your concubine away to avoid the sight."

Zhu Zhu Yijun's expression was neither awkward nor natural.

Using the same tactic too often really makes it ineffective.

"The outer court has also drafted the list of candidates. Hai Rui returns to the capital today, and I just need to go to the outer court to make some arrangements."

As he spoke, Zhu Zhu Yijun coughed lightly, pulled Imperial Noble Consort Li onto his body, and feigned a change of subject: "By the way, what did the imperial physician say about Imperial Consort Han yesterday?"

He had spent half a month with Imperial Consort Han in June.

By the end of the month, Imperial Consort Han's menstrual cycle had actually stopped.

The imperial physician also understood the way of being cautious as an official; after taking her pulse, he only said it was possible, perhaps, seemingly, and that they should wait and see.

It was not until August, after she had missed two cycles, that the Imperial Medical Academy confidently organized a consultation, taking her pulse in the morning, noon, and evening, and observing the state of her fasting urine this morning, and so on.

Zhu Zhu Yijun could not keep watch, so he entrusted the two Empresses Dowager and the Empress to inquire about it.

Li Baiyang lay on the Emperor's chest, staring at him: "The imperial physician said it can only be confirmed after checking this morning, but the physician said yesterday that Mount Putuo has shown a sign, so it should be almost certain."

Zhu Zhu Yijun wrapped his arms around her waist and nodded absentmindedly.

If that is the case, the noise surrounding the southern tour will also be much quieter—these court officials are truly afraid that I will not acclimatize and will die of illness in the Western Garden.

Coupled with Hai Rui's return to the capital today, everything is already prepared.

Finally, I can set off on the southern tour!

The situation in the South is a tangled mess; a southern tour is absolutely necessary!

For instance, the land survey; simply going through the motions as in history will not work at all.

Do not look at the progress reports from various counties submitted by Sun Sun Piyang and Wang Jiaping as being not bad; if you really examine them, I am afraid none of them can be counted as accurate!

If the fields were all calculated clearly, could the Nanzhili only measure out forty thousand qing?

If the hidden households were all registered, where would the slave uprisings in Jiangnan at the end of the Ming Dynasty come from!?

And then there is the tax arrears; this issue has been addressed in edicts no fewer than seven times, yet they are still making excuses and requesting exemptions—the arrears in Suzhou and other prefectures in Jiangnan amount to over 711,350 taels of silver, and in Huaiyang and other prefectures, over 239,630 taels.

That is nearly a million taels!

Could it be that the common people did not pay their taxes? Of course, that is impossible.

Judging from the exorbitant taxes and levies in Huizhou Prefecture, I do not know how many Prefectural Yamen there are, setting up checkpoints to intercept taxes, yet when it comes time to transfer them to the central hub, they say they cannot collect them.

I must settle the old accounts and determine which are truly difficult and which are truly corrupt.

The same applies to tax reform.

Even the most powerful imperial court must obediently go to the South to sit down and talk reasonably when it comes to tax reform.

Just like the Chengzu Emperor, why did he leave the palace for a southern tour?

It was precisely because his succession to the throne was not normal, and his control over the South was particularly weak.

Since Zhu Zhu Yijun ascended the throne, he has never stepped half a step outside of Beizhili, and his control over the South is likely no better.

Emperors with real power must go on southern tours, as there are too many weak points in their power located in the South.

Continue to push for land measurement and household registration.

Liberate the population and foster commerce.

Evaluate the tax reform in Songjiang Prefecture and summarize the gains and losses.

Reorganize the administrative divisions and dismantle Nanzhili.

In terms of ideology, try to calm regional disputes and add bricks and tiles to the common imagination of the Great Ming Dynasty.

Under the preaching of the grand masters, the old learning is huddling together for warmth in Jiangnan, and it still needs to be plowed and swept away.

After the sacrifice to heaven in the southern suburbs, the opposition in the court is clustered in the Nanjing ministries and courts; it is necessary to bombard the headquarters.

All sorts of things.

Zhu Zhu Yijun simply cannot count them all.

This is not even something that can be easily solved in a year or two.

Thinking of this, Zhu Zhu Yijun suddenly remembered that the massive invasion by the Tuman Khan had not yet arrived as expected, and he still had to instruct Wang Wang Chonggu and Qi Qi Jiguang, in case if...

Just as he was taking precautions, he felt a warmth in his lower body and could not help but tremble.

Zhu Zhu Yijun then came back to his senses, realizing he was still chatting with Imperial Noble Consort Li.

He shifted his posture with difficulty and managed to say: "We will go to see Imperial Consort Han together later. When we go south, you can go to Mount Putuo to fulfill a vow for the Consort to the Child-Giving Guanyin."

Li Baiyang sat beside the Emperor, not even listening.

"We can talk about Mount Putuo later; Your Majesty, please take your concubine to Mount Wu first..."

Her hair at her temples was disheveled, and her charming eyes were like silk.

Zhu Zhu Yijun watched, mesmerized.

Unable to restrain himself, he stopped his serious talk, followed his instincts to wrap his arms around her waist, and pressed tightly against her.

Just like the situation between the North and the South.

Inseparable, yet rising and falling, ebbing and flowing.