Chapter 72

December 16th.

Songjiang Prefecture, Huating County, Xu Prefecture.

"This is bullying people too much!"

"Damn it, this is bullying people too much!"

Xu Kun clutched a letter in his hand, pacing back and forth in the room, his face erupting with anger.

The day Hai Rui arrived in Nanzhili, he had lowered himself to go and meet him, wanting to mediate privately, but that scoundrel didn't even give him a chance to meet.

If that were all, it would be fine, but now he had actually killed the servants of their Xu family!

"Now, anyone dares to break ground on the head of the Grand Duke! A defeated general actually comes to bully my Xu Prefecture!"

"Hai Rui is merely a dog leashed by the Grand Secretariat; does he not know that the Chief Minister is a student of our Master!?"

Xu Jie lifted his eyes to glance at his second son, then closed his eyelids again.

On the contrary, the eldest son, Xu Fan, frowned and said: "It's not quite right. We have already prepared to scrape together the tax amount for 140,000 salt permits, enough for the Grand Secretariat to eat. Why is this Hai Rui still biting and refusing to let go?"

Xu Kun slapped the table and said angrily: "What else could it be? This person is bold and reckless, putting on a posture of pleading for the people, where would he understand how to do practical things!"

"Inviting fame and cultivating prestige—why didn't Emperor Shizong kill him back then?"

He looked at Xu Jie and said eagerly: "Master, quickly write a letter to Zhang Juzheng and hurry to transfer this scoundrel Hai Rui away!"

Xu Fan looked at his impatient younger brother, knowing that this foolish appearance would be scolded.

He hurriedly held him down and said: "Enough! Fidgety and restless, what kind of decorum is this!"

"Before Gao Gong retired, he must have made a deal with Zhang Juzheng specifically to target our family. Do you think finding Zhang Juzheng is useful?"

Xu Jie still did not speak.

His eyes were tightly shut, seemingly deep in thought about something.

Xu Jie is now sixty-nine years old, born in the sixteenth year of Hongzhi, having experienced the reigns of Hongzhi, Zhengde, Jiajing, and Longqing, and is now on the verge of the Wanli era.

This former Chief Minister who served two reigns, after retiring in the second year of Longqing, perhaps gained leisure and mastered the art of health preservation. Now, he looks ruddy and full of spirit, appearing to be in vigorous health.

After a long while, when both sons stopped arguing, Xu Jie slowly opened his eyes.

He ordered: "Kun'er, go and bring all the New Reports!"

Xu Kun was stunned.

Although he didn't know why his old father wanted the New Reports, he didn't dare to ask a word, let alone disobey, and went out to get them without a second word.

Xu Fan, being slightly more introspective, couldn't help but ask: "Father, is there something wrong?"

Xu Jie hooked his right hand into the web of his left hand, continuously rubbing his palms.

Since his son had doubts, he naturally had to teach him everything he knew: "You are right, it is not right."

"Gao Gong came purely to find trouble for me, but Hai Rui is different; he came for the salt inspection."

"Now that we have conceded twenty percent, not only did he not stop, but he killed my people in public. The more I think about it, the more wrong it feels."

Xu Fan guessed at the right moment: "Hai Rui is also one who bullies the soft and fears the hard. I heard he released Wan Hao's wife's brother and the heir of the Duke of Wei, while the others, like Minister Cao and the Earl of Xuancheng, were left untouched."

"Perhaps... it is to vent old grudges."

Old grudges naturally refer to the matter of Hai Rui being dismissed from office.

At that time, it was the Xu family that mobilized the commoners and gentry to splash dirty water on him, instigated the censors to impeach him, and even persuaded Zhang Juzheng to exert force in the Grand Secretariat, eventually driving Hai Rui back to his hometown.

Xu Fan put himself in his shoes; if he were in power again, he would also settle this score.

Xu Jie glanced at his son and shook his head: "Hai Rui is different from you; he does not mix personal likes and dislikes into official business."

"Furthermore, he has already killed two seventh-rank deputy judges of the Salt Tax Division and three eighth-rank salt tax officials. The day before yesterday, he even reported to the Nanzhili Ministry of Justice to execute more than twenty low-ranking ambassadors and deputy ambassadors."

"Without authorization from the Grand Secretariat, he would not dare to do this, but... it is unlikely the Grand Secretariat would allow him to act so conveniently."

Everyone knows Hai Rui is here to inspect salt and define taxes; to put it bluntly, he is here to grab money.

They conceded profit, yet he didn't stop and instead engaged in mass slaughter; no matter how you look at it, it's not right.

And the Nanzhili Ministry of Justice—who knows what is going on? Whatever Hai Rui reports, they approve. In just ten days, dozens of officials have already been killed!

Xu Fan pondered for a long time without coming to any conclusion, and understood even less what this had to do with the New Reports.

He had no choice but to shut his mouth and wait for his father to explain.

Before long, Xu Kun returned with a stack of New Reports.

"Master, the latest one is up to December 1st; the subsequent ones haven't reached Nanzhili yet."

Xu Jie nodded, reached out to take them, and with slightly aged hands, opened the New Reports, carefully reading through them issue by issue.

Taking advantage of this time, the elder brother Xu Fan explained to his younger brother what the father and son had just discussed.

After listening, Xu Kun waved his hand dismissively: "What else could it be? He's just relying on Gao Gong's backing in Nanzhili!"

"A dignified Chief Minister, claiming the merit of heaven, stealing the military merit of pacifying Altan Khan to be ennobled, and willingly degenerating."

"A petty official, disregarding his wife and children, with a head full of nonsensical concern for the common people, deceiving himself and others."

"The two are just birds of a feather!"

Xu Fan sighed.

He couldn't help but lament: "Sigh, the final blow Gao Gong exchanged for by retiring is truly difficult to parry."

When Xu Jie retired, he could set conditions for Emperor Muzong and drive Gao Gong away; now that it is Gao Gong's turn to retire, his counterattack naturally cannot be underestimated.

The two brothers were just talking.

Suddenly, Xu Jie crumpled the New Report in his hand into a ball and threw it on the ground with an expressionless face.

He pressed his hands tightly against his knees to suppress his subconscious trembling.

Both brothers were stunned.

"Father?"

"Master?"

Xu Fan hurriedly picked up the New Report, stepped forward, and said: "Father... have you discovered some clue?"

Xu Jie wanted to speak, but found that when he opened his mouth, his lips trembled, so he bit his teeth together again.

Xu Fan, not knowing the situation, unfolded the New Report and frowned as he looked at the content that had just caused his father's emotional fluctuation.

Xu Kun also leaned over and read word for word: "Jia Daiwen, the Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, and Censor Hu Xiao, for using apocryphal omens to disrupt the government and harboring rebellious hearts, on November 29th... were executed according to the law."

After reading this sentence, Xu Fan's face also changed drastically!

Seeing the reaction of his father and brother, Xu Kun was confused and asked: "Weren't they already convicted before? Why be so surprised?"

Xu Fan's tone was stiff; he took a deep breath and gritted his teeth: "They were convicted, but the era name is about to change and a general amnesty is about to be declared!"

Hearing this, Xu Kun finally realized something.

He said in astonishment: "They killed them just before the amnesty!?"

"Ah? Does the Grand Secretariat dare to act like this?"

Xu Jie's state of mind was already not calm.

Seeing his son still acting foolishly, he finally flew into a rage: "The Grand Secretariat? You still think it's the Grand Secretariat!?"

"Does the Grand Secretariat dare to kill censors like this!?"

"Can the Grand Secretariat ignore the fifty-three memorials of intercession from Nanzhili!?"

"Does the Grand Secretariat dare to rush to kill people before an amnesty!?"

He picked up his teacup and smashed it against the portrait of himself paying homage to Emperor Shizong!

The tea flowed down the portrait.

He said angrily: "It is the Emperor!"

"It is the Emperor who wants to kill me!"

"That eleven-year-old yellow-mouthed child is treating me like a pig being fattened!"

Both sons trembled with fear.

Xu Fan, seeing the situation, hurriedly stepped forward to support his old father and handed the cane to Xu Jie, fearing he would be angered into illness.

Xu Jie pushed him away, clutching the cane in his hand, his knuckles turning white.

He closed his eyes tightly, trying to suppress the anger and fear in his eyes.

Jia Daiwen and Hu Xiao were both from the Nanzhili faction; their deaths revealed the central government's unshakable determination to rectify Nanzhili.

The problem lies in whose determination this is.

One person's will is hard to change, and the will of the masses is hard to adjust.

Xu Jie had worked in the Grand Secretariat for many years and naturally understood what kind of character the Grand Secretariat had.

When the Grand Secretariat handles affairs, if the pressure received exceeds a certain limit, no matter what the Chief Minister thinks, they must compromise.

But if it is the Emperor...

Xu Jie's heart sank to the bottom.

Xu Kun was still in the dark, frowning: "Master, are you talking about the Emperor? But isn't it rumored that Zhang Juzheng holds the real power in the court now?"

"A few days ago, I even heard that the Emperor had already been driven out of the Qianqing Palace by Zhang Juzheng and thrown into the Western Garden!"

Xu Fan quietly pulled his younger brother's sleeve. Xu Kun looked up in confusion and saw his old father with a look that wanted to devour someone.

He hurriedly shut his mouth.

Xu Fan, however, understood his father's meaning.

Although it was still somewhat unbelievable, after sorting through the events, he felt it was even more reasonable.

"No wonder."

"No wonder Zhang Juzheng is clearly at odds with Hai Rui, yet the Grand Secretariat still gave Hai Rui power; it turns out the Emperor was pressing for it."

"No wonder after the Duke of Wei's heir, Xu Weizhi, was released, the Duke of Wei's mansion began to close its doors to guests."

"No wonder the Nanjing Garrison Commander, Zhang Jing, brought people from the Imperial Horse Bureau to take office."

"Former Chief Minister Gao Gong, Canal Transport Viceroy Wang Zongmu, Imperial Envoy Provincial Governor Hai Rui, Nanzhili's Wang Xijue, Nanjing Garrison Commander Zhang Jing, Regional Commander Chen Wangmo..."

"Unknowingly, they have transferred all these people to key positions; this is a plan to strike a fatal blow!"

"How could it come to this? How could it come to this?"

Xu Fan muttered to himself, the more he thought, the more terrified he became.

Don't look at the Xu family's great power; the people the Emperor wants to deal with, no matter how great their power, once singled out, are all vulnerable!

How could it come to this!

Although Xu Jie has many fields, those were all obtained through voluntary exchanges by both parties!

For example, Sun Wu back then voluntarily offered his land, worth over 1,500 taels of silver, to the Xu family.

The Xu family didn't let him suffer a loss either; they immediately ordered him to change his name to Xu Wu and took him in as a family member. Isn't this mutual benefit?

This way, he wouldn't have to pay taxes anymore—as a former Chief Minister, Xu Jie's tax-exemption quota naturally goes without saying.

They even lent over 20,000 taels of silver to Xu Wu to open a pawnshop as a means of livelihood.

Repaying monthly, as long as it takes about thirty years, the debt can be cleared. Is there anything better in the world?

Although it is said that the people who donated their land died and that was the end of it, the shops and fields all belong to the Xu family.

But didn't the commoners also gain the Xu family's protection and half a lifetime of peace?

If it were really as Hai Rui said, that they were competing with the commoners for profit, would the commoners of Songjiang Prefecture flock to them?

Why not think about whether it is your Zhu family that is building palaces and taxing too heavily?

His Xu family benefits the country and the people, yet they have become a thorn in the Emperor's side. Does the central government have to plunder the commoners just because it lacks money!?

This is unreasonable!

Xu Kun still couldn't believe it: "Master, could it be that you are overthinking it? After all, he is just an eleven-year-old child..."

Before he finished speaking, Xu Jie smashed his cane onto him and roared: "Kneel!"

Xu Kun immediately shut his mouth and knelt down, feeling somewhat aggrieved.

Xu Jie's aged voice was extremely intense: "How many times have I taught you! When cooperating, judge people strictly; when confronting, judge the enemy leniently. You are already forty! Still with this face of a playboy, can you ever learn a lesson!?"

"Pick up the New Report! Take a good look at the little Emperor's theory of good and evil! Take a good look at the drama of praising the harmony between monarch and minister on it!"

"Open your eyes and look at the final verdict on Jia Daiwen in the report!"

"It's all clearly telling you that the New Report is the Emperor's mouthpiece, and you still ask where such an eleven-year-old exists?"

"Do you all think that an eleven-year-old should be as stupid as you?"

"Do you know that Shen Shixing in the neighboring Suzhou Prefecture passed the scholar examination at fourteen, the metropolitan examination at twenty-six, and now at thirty-seven, he is already a high official, on the verge of entering the Grand Secretariat!"

"The Emperor wants to kill me! I am dying! When will you ever become useful!"

Xu Kun was scolded so much he couldn't lift his head.

The elder brother on the side hurriedly consoled: "Father, the most urgent matter is to think of a strategy. Please calm your anger."

He made a gesture behind his back, telling Xu Kun to kneel further away and not to be scolded right in front of him.

Just at this moment, the youngest son, Xu Ying, rushed in anxiously.

He ignored his second brother, who was kneeling as usual, and said: "Father, Prefect Song Zhihan has come again!"

Xu Jie's face no longer showed any expression; he said coldly: "What trick is it this time?"

Xu Ying hurriedly said: "This person is holding documents stamped by His Majesty, the Grand Secretariat, the Ministry of Personnel, and the Ministry of Revenue, demanding to redeem 10,000 mu of fertile land for the Earl of Ding'an!"

Hope rose in Xu Fan's heart.

It's just 10,000 mu of fertile land; previously, 20,000 mu had been allocated to Gao Gong, but that scoundrel didn't want it.

Now that the Grand Secretariat is not asking them to return everything, could it be that they have chosen to settle the matter and make a big issue small?

And not only do they only want 10,000 mu, but they also want to pay silver to redeem it, which seems to be releasing goodwill...

Thinking of this, Xu Fan couldn't help but ask: "Redeem? How many taels of silver?"

Xu Ying's face flushed red as if he were constipated: "Six hundred ninety-eight taels and two mace... four copper."

As soon as he finished speaking, he saw his elder brother and old father flush red in unison, both of their knuckles turning white.

Xu Ying continued: "Also, Song Zhihan is using this as a pretext to measure all our land to prevent disputes."

Xu Fan, as the eldest son, could not sit idly by and turned around abruptly: "I'll go out and meet him!"

The prefectural yamen is just an empty shell with only a few dozen people, but the Xu family's servants are different; in the entire Huating County, more than half are servants of the Xu family.

One mouthful of spit from each person could drown someone.

Xu Fan is not stubborn; it's just that he sees it very clearly... if the Emperor really wants to move against them, they should show their own capability to fight for a chance to cut off flesh and survive.

A vulnerable pig is the one that is doomed.

This Xu family member realized the so-called "value of the united front" last time when Emperor Muzong wanted to move against the Xu mansion.

Just as he moved his steps, Xu Jie suddenly said: "Stop!"

The two brothers hurriedly stopped.

Xu Jie said: "You must not come forward."

Xu Fan asked: "Father, what should we do?"

Xu Jie finally regained his composure; when soldiers come, block them with generals. Even if the Emperor wants him dead, he won't just stretch his neck to be slaughtered.

His expression was solemn: "Gao Gong requested the imperial decree but didn't come to find trouble himself; that is not his style."

"Be cautious; do not have a direct confrontation. Let them measure first."

"There are our people in the yamen, and then..."

He paused, his tone cold: "Song Zhihan, in pursuit of political achievements, is seizing land and does not hesitate to command yamen runners to kill innocent people!"

After saying this, he slowly stood up.

He signaled for his second son to stand up.

He ordered: "Xu Fan, pass this order down to stall Gao Gong. I am going out for a trip!"

Inside the Songjiang Prefectural Yamen.

Gao Gong sat in the main seat, Zhu Xixiao sat in the guest seat, and Chen Mingyan stood behind Zhu Xixiao.

Zhu Xixiao asked curiously: "Do we really not need to come forward?"

He had originally intended to come forward directly to suppress Xu Jie, but he didn't expect Gao Gong to only let Prefect Song Zhihan come forward.

Without Zhu Xixiao and Gao Gong coming forward, a prefect could not suppress Xu Jie.

Gao Gong glanced casually at the noble in front of him, and perhaps because he was in a good mood, he explained: "If Xu Jie disobeys the imperial decree, wouldn't that be just right?"

Chen Mingyan, standing behind, couldn't help but scratch his neck upon hearing this.

Although the Emperor often uses him for bitter and tiring work to test the Chen family's loyalty, it must be said that this really broadens one's knowledge.

The Earl of Ding'an's heart is at least eighty percent vicious.

Zhu Xixiao asked curiously: "What does the Earl of Ding'an plan to do?"

Gao Gong said confidently: "If Xu Jie disobeys the imperial decree, then the Embroidered Uniform Guard will arrest him directly, saving a lot of effort!"

"If Xu Jie waits for death, then we will measure the land, and after measuring, we will clear up the ownership of the land."

"Return the donated land to the original household registration! Reduce taxes after returning the land!"

It is hard to say exactly how many people the Xu mansion received as donations, but it is at least in the thousands.

Back then, "the Xu family's servants reached thousands, and there was a register for them, half of which were fake."

Fake means the commoners who were given names as servants after donating their land.

And when Hai Rui came last time, he returned them all to their original household registrations, "asking for their registrations to be deleted, leaving only a few hundred for service."

But, the people were returned to their original registrations, but the land was not returned. After Hai Rui was driven away, the people naturally became servants of the Xu mansion again.

Especially in the last two years, it has expanded again, and there are already nearly ten thousand servants.

Since only a few hundred were left at that time, it shows that the Xu mansion only had a few hundred real servants; these nearly ten thousand were all donated.

Now that Gao Gong wants to restart the donation case, he must return the donated people to their original registrations and surnames, and after returning the land, reduce taxes so the commoners can farm it.

Zhu Xixiao bowed: "The Northern Chief Military Commission will follow the arrangements of the Earl of Ding'an."

The Embroidered Uniform Guard can set up private prisons anytime and anywhere without going through the procedures of the Three Judicial Offices.

As long as the Northern Chief Military Commission makes up its mind, there is no ironclad case that cannot be handled.

Gao Gong waved his hand: "It's good that you came to make it easier to handle. The yamen will start receiving reports from the commoners tomorrow. Master Zhu, please help keep an eye on it!"

Previously, they could only beat the drums on the side; one reason was that controlling the yamen officials took time, and the other was the fear that Xu Jie would jump over the wall like a dog.

The yamen only has a few dozen yamen runners, but the Xu mansion is different; just the servants number in the tens of thousands, not to mention that half of Songjiang Prefecture are "peripheral servants."

There are too many entanglements, so they had to be cautious to prevent mass incidents.

Now that the Embroidered Uniform Guard has arrived, Gao Gong can finally let go.

This is the consequence of a weak central government; no matter what the case is, if you don't bring soldiers, you can't do anything.

If it were strong, the central government could issue a dozen edicts and drag it out for three to five years, and they would still be able to grind out a result.

Chen Mingyan couldn't help but echo: "In this way, the case should be handled very quickly."

As soon as he finished speaking, an Embroidered Uniform Guard dressed as a yamen runner walked in.

"Commander, Earl of Ding'an, the Xu mansion says their master, Xu Jie, has gone out, and we have to wait for him to return before we can sign the land transfer deeds."

Hmm? Several people were stunned.

Xu Jie went out at this critical moment?

Chen Mingyan asked: "Did they say where he went?"

The Embroidered Uniform Guard shook his head.

Gao Gong also frowned endlessly.

At this, Zhu Xixiao couldn't help but say: "Earl of Ding'an, do you want me to send people to pursue him?"

He brought people secretly and is not yet in the open; if he sends people to search and arrest on a large scale, his identity will naturally be revealed.

Whether it's worth it depends on Gao Gong's decision.

Gao Gong thought for a while, but shook his head: "We cannot be led by the nose; let's measure our own!"

"Release the news now that the yamen is accepting reports on donations, returning land and registrations, and halving taxes!"

December 23rd.

It is already close to the end of the year, but the capital is not as lively as in previous years.

This is because the Emperor followed the Grand Secretariat's advice and canceled extravagant things like lantern festivals, fireworks, and pleasure boats.

Some praised the Emperor for being simple and frugal, calling him a sage king, and the Grand Secretariat for their effective education, calling them virtuous ministers.

There were also commoners who were not used to such a desolate end of the year, privately saying the Emperor was a stingy miser and the Grand Secretariat ministers only knew how to invite fame.

But regardless, the Emperor did not forbid celebrations outside the palace or enjoy himself extravagantly; instead, he treated everyone equally, and even within the Imperial City, extravagance and waste were not allowed.

At this time, the fame-seeking ministers were fishing by the Taiye Pool with the stingy miser Emperor, appearing leisurely and carefree.

Chen Jingbang and Shen Li, the two Hanlin scholars, were fanning the flames behind them, skewering fish and setting up the grill.

Not far away, there were eunuchs driving the fish in the Taiye Pool toward the fishing spot.

Zhang Juzheng said helplessly: "Your Majesty, if you have something to say, you might as well say it directly."

The Chief Minister had been fishing for an afternoon, and even though the eunuchs drove the fish to his side, he hadn't caught a single one, and he had already lost his patience.

Harmony between monarch and minister sounds good, but you have to find a more interesting pastime.

Zhu Yijun was fishing for the first time in this life and seemed to have triggered the novice protection period, catching fish one after another.

By the time Zhang Juzheng called him, he had caught another one.

He pulled the fish up and threw it to Shen Li, asking him to help grill it.

He turned his head to look at Zhang Juzheng and smiled: "There are a few things I need to discuss with the Grand Secretariat."

Everyone, look at the sign of 9,000 words updated daily next to my directory! There's nothing more to say!