Chapter 84: The Crowd Chirps, A Troubled Autumn

Since Li Chunfang met Hai Rui, all of Nanzhili had been waiting for the Emperor's reply.

The process of waiting is always tormenting, for both sides.

During this half month, the Japanese pirates in Songjiang Prefecture were stirring, and the Su-Song Military Preparedness Circuit hurriedly asked for help.

It happened that the Left Chief Military Commander Zhu Xixiao, who was on official business in Songjiang Prefecture, asked the Nanjing Garrison Commander Zhang Jing for help, and together they discussed with the Canal Transport Office to authorize the transfer of the former coordinating canal transport Assistant Regional Commander Huang Yingjia to guard the Su-Song Divine Pivot Camp, and asked the Canal Transport Regional Commander Chen Wangmo to coordinate with the Su-Song Military Preparedness Circuit to be strictly prepared.

At the same time, in various prefectures, counties, and villages, no one knew where it started, but the tax amounts paid over the years by the two capitals and thirteen provinces gradually spread.

Upon learning that Nanzhili's tax burden accounted for sixty percent of the world, the commoners' reactions were all different.

There were those who were proud and satisfied, those who felt the imbalance and were unhappy, and those who were kind and called for tax reduction.

This kind of thing was neither prohibited nor illegal, so the government could not easily deal with it.

For a time, the saying "The Great Ming is supported by Nanzhili" became rampant.

And the imperial envoys were not idle either.

They successively confiscated and handled several major cases.

The Salt Merchant Chamber of Commerce went without saying; almost every one of them was confiscated and arrested by Hai Rui.

Several large salt merchants begged their fathers and grandmothers behind them, but it was to no avail.

Xu Jie was even more hardworking, personally supervising the Xu Kun murder and rebellion case, the canal grain ship overturning case, the scholar-official fake broadcast text case, the Taizhou incitement of the foolish case, the Huai'an contempt for imperial envoys case... and eleven other cases of various sizes.

Directors, prefects, censors, supervising secretaries were arrested like dumplings, just waiting to be escorted to the capital.

While not allowing visits, they also released news of involvement from time to time.

Every few days, there was a surprise.

Both sides bared their fangs and brandished their claws, yet maintained restraint.

In this atmosphere, it was not until the second day of the third month that the imperial envoys finally met Li Chunfang again.

What exactly was discussed was unknown.

But in the next few days, the Su-Song Military Preparedness Circuit suddenly showed great power, engaging in close-quarters combat with the invading Japanese pirates in an unknown corner.

The garrison and military commission, who had previously been shrinking back, personally went to the battlefield and wiped out the Japanese pirates in one fell swoop, returning peace to Songjiang Prefecture for a time.

It was just a pity that due to the rapid current, many corpses were washed away, and the merit was greatly reduced.

In addition, the saying "The Great Ming is supported by Nanzhili" suddenly died down.

Enlightened gentry and clans ran around calling for great harmony in the world and the north and south being one family.

This kind of pattern made people feel respect from the bottom of their hearts.

At the same time, Hai Rui finished confiscating the last few salt merchants, and after bringing the various transport judges and salt levy ambassadors to justice, he finally stopped.

Together with the Court of Judicial Review Junior Minister Chen Dong and Nanzhili Ministry of Justice Vice Minister Wang Xijue, he closed the files on this salt administration case.

He would return to the capital to report his mission in a few days.

As luck would have it, Xu Jie's imperial cases were also handled, and he would return to the capital to report his mission together.

Before leaving, Xu Jie, feeling that the commoners' lives were not easy, entrusted the Ding'an Earl Gao Gong to return the 278,431 *mu* of fertile land donated by the commoners to the commoners.

As for his second son, Xu Kun, who plotted to harm the officials, Xu Jie, after sacrificing his family for righteousness, still requested the Songjiang Prefecture government to return the corpse for personal burial.

The commoners were grateful and all praised him for abandoning small feelings to cherish great righteousness.

Under Gao Gong's chairmanship, everyone tearfully erected a monument to the return of the land to commemorate Xu Shaohu's merit.

On the ninth day of the third month, Henan Circuit Hai Yushi Rao Renkan arrived in Nanzhili to check the documents of the Nanjing Metropolitan Circuit.

On the same day, Nanjing Ministry of Revenue Minister Cao Bangfu submitted a memorial to retire.

On the eleventh day of the third month, there was an imperial edict to establish a Salt Administration Office in Shandong Province to lead the salt administration of the six offices, and the two Huai Transport Commissions were ordered to follow upon arrival.

On the same day, Nanjing Ministry of Rites Minister Qin Minglei submitted a memorial to retire.

On the fourteenth day of the third month, there was an imperial edict that the Xuancheng Earl Wei Guoben was the mastermind behind the overturning of the grain ships; to clarify the punishment and rectify the law, and to correct the court discipline, he was ordered to commit suicide, and the title was temporarily not inherited.

On this day, Left Chief Military Commander Zhu Xixiao led the Northern Division of the Embroidered Uniform Guard to come forward and supervise the Xuancheng Earl to obey the edict.

The next day, the Xuancheng Earl's mansion held the funeral.

On the seventeenth day of the third month, the Emperor and the Grand Secretariat reviewed the death sentences of officials of the seventh rank and above; there were no errors; those detained were to be escorted to the capital starting from today.

Promoted Nanjing Censorate Right Assistant Hai Yushi-in-Chief Zhang Lu to Censorate Left Assistant Hai Yushi-in-Chief, still commanding river operations and managing river patrol.

At the same time, ordered the Marquis of Yongkang, Xu Qiaosong, who managed the Nanjing Right Chief Military Commission and commanded Nanjing river operations while also managing the river patrol, to enter the capital to see the Emperor.

On the eighteenth day of the third month, Xu Jie, Hai Rui, Chen Dong, and other imperial envoys returned to the capital.

On the same day, former Grand Secretary Li Chunfang, hearing that the Rensheng Empress Dowager was raising Princess Yanqing for enlightenment, specially requested to send his granddaughter into the palace to serve and accompany her in studies.

On the eighteenth day of the fourth month, an imperial edict arrived in Nanjing.

Approved: Nanjing Ministry of Revenue Minister Cao Bangfu and Nanjing Ministry of Rites Minister Qin Minglei to retire and recuperate, respectively added as Grand Preceptor of the Crown Prince and Grand Preceptor of the Crown Prince.

Promoted Nanjing Imperial Academy Libationer Wan Hao to Nanjing Ministry of Rites Minister, bestowed 5 taels of example silver.

Changed Nanjing Ministry of Justice Vice Minister Wang Xijue to Nanjing Ministry of Personnel Left Vice Minister, bestowed 20 taels of example silver and a set of gold-patterned clothes.

Ordered the Marquis of Yongkang, Xu Qiaosong, to concurrently be the Provincial Governor of Feng, An, Hui, Ning, Chi, Tai, and Guang, relocated to Anqing, still commanding river operations, and to set up camp in Anqing starting from today.

Ordered the Left Chief Military Commander Zhu Xixiao, who managed the Embroidered Uniform Guard, to escort Li Baiyang, the granddaughter of former Grand Secretary Li Chunfang, into the capital.

In addition, requested Ding'an Earl Gao Gong and the various ministries and offices of Nanzhili to prepare for the "Shanghai Maritime Trade Office" and use the customs duties of the first three years to remit the tax payments of the various prefectures of Nanzhili, to be adjusted by the Nanjing Ministry of Revenue.

On the thirteenth day of the fourth month, Tongzhou Luhe Ferry.

Tongzhou County is the starting point of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and is also under the feet of the Son of Heaven, only forty *li* west of the capital.

It is a vital place in the capital region, prosperous, and people coming and going are endless.

The imperial envoy's large ship docked, inevitably attracting a crowd.

After the Embroidered Uniform Guard cleared the irrelevant people, the imperial envoy's party disembarked.

Xu Jie pushed away the guard who intended to support him, put his hands behind his back, and walked off the ship slowly and steadily.

Quietly waiting for the Embroidered Uniform Guard to find a carriage, he turned his head to look at Hai Rui: "How will the Emperor deal with me?"

Hai Rui shook his head and did not speak.

Xu Jie sighed: "Hai Gangfeng, considering I saved you once, what harm is there in telling an old man about this matter that doesn't violate the law?"

He originally wanted to get involved in the splitting of Nanzhili to show his usefulness.

As a result, the Emperor was even steadier than he imagined.

He flatly refused Li Chunfang's proposal and instead used the safest way to plan slowly.

While it was beyond Li Chunfang's expectations, it also cut off Xu Jie's room for maneuver.

I don't know if his good student helped him.

Now that life and death are in the hands of others, and there are no chips, how can one not be anxious.

Hai Rui met Xu Jie's gaze, paused, and said seriously: "The Emperor has arrangements; how could he tell his subordinates? I truly don't know about this."

Xu Jie knew Hai Rui would not easily lie, and was even more helpless.

It stands to reason that if the Emperor wanted to kill him, he wouldn't let him return to the capital to report his mission as an imperial envoy; he should have been escorted to the capital in a cage instead.

Moreover, he was a former Senior Grand Secretary; for the sake of the dignity of the ministers, he shouldn't be easily executed.

After all, the hundred officials didn't want to see a repeat of the Xia Yan incident.

But... life and death, this kind of thing, just guessing is enough to torture people.

These nights, Xu Jie tossed and turned, and in a short time, he had aged quite a bit.

He couldn't suppress his fear—the Emperor was too vicious.

Xu Jie now had no room for survival in Nanzhili.

His colleagues and fellow faction members hated his previous methods, and it could be said that everyone shouted to beat him.

He wanted to rely on his clan, but was forced to return the land and dismiss his "family members."

Even his closest descendants began to look at him with strange eyes when he decided to use his second son to take the blame for his eldest son.

It could be said that he was forced from a scheming old minister into a pure minister by the Emperor!

Facing this kind of Emperor, he couldn't be sure whether the Emperor's summons for him to enter the capital was another arrangement or if he wanted to continue to concoct him.

He had been thinking, did he still have a way to live?

Just when Xu Jie and Hai Rui were speechless, a clamor suddenly came from afar.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard immediately surrounded the high officials.

Gu Chengguang hurriedly led people forward to check.

Before long, he hurried back.

Gu Chengguang said with a strange expression: "Hai Yushi Hai, in front are the Tatar envoys; I don't know why, but they got into a conflict with someone."

After saying that, he added: "People from the Chahar tribe."

Hai Rui was startled, and then his brows furrowed.

The Chahar tribe was what was often called the Tumen Khan, which was the tribe of the orthodox Great Khan of the Mongols today.

Why did they send envoys to the court?

Luo Sigong was still young and hadn't experienced the Gengxu Incident, so he couldn't help but be curious: "Mongols? Chahar tribe?"

Xu Jie was also pondering the reason.

He explained distractedly: "There are many ten-thousand-household tribes among the Mongols, and they are not all of one mind."

"There are tribes that are friendly with our dynasty, and there are tribes that are hostile to our dynasty."

"Although Gao Gong's ability is mediocre, the Altan Khan enfeoffment he presided over was a great merit, and this Altan Khan is a tribe that is friendly with our dynasty."

"As for the Tumen Khan, it is a tribe that is hostile to our dynasty."

"The Tumen Khan's Khan is called the Zasaktu Khan; this person is orthodox of the Golden Family, ambitious, determined to govern, formulated the 'Tumen Khan Code,' and selected ten-thousand-households to integrate the nobles and ministers."

"Externally, the Tumen Khan subdued the Haixi and Jianzhou Jurchens in the east, and repeatedly invaded our dynasty's Ji and Liao regions in the south."

"He even repeatedly sent envoys, attempting to persuade the Altan Khan to abandon the alliance and join hands to invade our dynasty."

"Truly a heart-and-belly trouble for our dynasty!"

Xu Jie's expression was serious, and he knew them like the back of his hand.

His tone was rhythmic, carrying both fear and murderous intent.

This awe-inspiring state, even his speech inadvertently carried a cold chill.

Hai Rui and the others looked at each other—this was the first time everyone had felt the majesty of the Senior Grand Secretary!

Xu Jie seemed unaware and turned his head slowly to look at Gu Chengguang: "What is the Tumen Khan coming to the capital for?"

Gu Chengguang told the story he had just heard: "In the second month, the Tumen Khan learned that our dynasty was changing from old to new, and his heart was not dead, so he sent people to test."

"In the beginning of the third month, Chang'ang and Dong Huli of the Uriankhai Guard led troops to Xifengkou."

"Fortunately, the Viceroy of the Four Towns, Qi Jiguang, learned of it and hurriedly led troops to face them."

"The two sides fought a battle; although they forced Dong Huli to retreat, both sides had casualties."

"Afterward, Dong Huli proposed to exchange prisoners and asked for imperial rewards; Qi Jiguang did not dare to act arbitrarily and sent the people and the memorial to the capital."

Xu Jie and Hai Rui looked at each other, their eyes full of seriousness.

Both had experienced the Gengxu Incident, and the scene of the Tatars looting around the capital for eight days was still fresh in their memories.

Neither dared to take the Tatars lightly.

Xu Jie was about to ask again, but thinking about the current situation, and being unable to protect himself, he couldn't help but feel dispirited.

Hai Rui asked again: "Then what is the noise in front?"

Gu Chengguang looked left and right and whispered: "The Tatar envoys had a conflict with the family generals of Minister Wang who entered the capital; the county didn't dare to stop the fight, and the crowd gathered more and more."

Hai Rui was startled: "Wang Zhigao?"

Wasn't that the Minister of Justice? How did he get family generals?

Xu Jie was more sensitive to this matter and suddenly interjected, surprised: "Wang Chonggu has entered the capital!?"

Gu Chengguang hurriedly explained: "Yes, it is the Minister of War, Wang Chonggu."

"Minister Wang entered the capital to see the Emperor first; some family generals and private soldiers stayed behind, their tempers were not very good, and they had accumulated grievances with the Chahar tribe; they happened to meet, so they started to make trouble."

Xu Jie nodded, understanding.

When the Altan Khan enfeoffment was led by the central government, it was Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng, and the one who led it at the border was Wang Chonggu.

After the Altan Khan bowed his head and claimed vassalage, and opened the tribute market, he basically broke with the Tumen Khan.

Afterward, Wang Chonggu wanted to repeat the old trick and sent the Khalkha tribe to mediate, but the Tumen Khan didn't give him face, and the two sides fought.

In short, the top level of the Tumen Khan was very wary of Wang Chonggu.

It seems the envoys entering the capital now are the most determined war faction.

Xu Jie rubbed his chin and began to think subconsciously.

Why did they come?

New monarch ascended the throne, coming to test the reality? Or thinking that the inside and outside of the court were unstable, wanting to ask for benefits? Or simply a barbarian's crazy behavior?

Xu Jie couldn't think of a reason, shook his head, and looked at Hai Rui: "Let's go, enter the capital to see the Emperor first."

Entering the central government is nothing more than death or life; if you die, it's over; if you live, there is nothing you can't know.

At this time, the Embroidered Uniform Guard had already brought the carriage, waiting on the side.

After Xu Jie finished speaking, he turned and got into the carriage.

Hai Rui looked twice more, nodded, and got into the same carriage as Xu Jie.

Chen Dong and the others went to the one behind.

In the carriage, Hai Rui was still worried: "Xu Shaohu, in your view, does this Mongol Khan's movement have any major trouble?"

Whether it was Xuan-Da or Ji-Liao, they were too close to the capital.

The shadow cast by the Gengxu Incident was truly hard to erase.

But Xu Jie pondered for a moment and shook his head: "Hai Gangfeng is overthinking."

Seeing Hai Rui was still not at ease, he explained the origin: "Hai Gangfeng doesn't know that the Chahar tribe has suffered repeated major blows and has not yet recovered; in my view, it is probably just bluffing."

Hai Rui was startled: "Suffered major blows?"

Previously, he was either a minor official or still in prison.

Moreover, relatively speaking, Hai Rui was not very clear about border affairs.

Xu Jie nodded proudly: "I was in the Ministry of War during the Battle of Pianling, and the Battle of Jielingkou was commanded by me; I know the Tumen Khan quite well."

"Just in the first year of Longqing, Yingke and Dong Huli joined the Uriankhai Guard, united with the Three Uriankhai Guards, totaling tens of thousands of people, and invaded the Luan River; the capital was shaken."

"But in less than a month, they were repelled by our army, and Yingke was also killed by our army's firearms."

"Not just this battle; I heard that in the fourth year of Longqing, they were also routed by Regional Commander Li Chengliang in Liaodong, killing and wounding countless."

"Even if people grew in the fields, they wouldn't recover this fast."

After hearing this, Hai Rui was a little relieved.

He shook his head and sighed: "A troubled autumn."

Last year, the Emperor took his hand and said that the central government had no money, and entrusted the Nanzhili salt administration to him.

He had only been tossing and turning in Nanzhili for half a year, and the Tatars were making trouble at the border again.

Poor Emperor, only eleven years old, how could he bear such a heavy burden?

Xu Jie looked at Hai Rui's sighing appearance and couldn't help but smile and comfort him: "Hai Gangfeng, rest assured; our dynasty's military expenses are not spent in vain; not to mention anything else, the year before last, it cost a full eight million taels."

Hai Rui was startled and horrified: "Eight million!?"

How much is the total income of the dynasty?

The Emperor told him earlier that the Taicang Treasury had more than three million in cash silver a year; if all the grain, rice, grass, tea, etc., were converted into cash silver, and the granaries, Court of Imperial Stud Treasury, Court of Imperial Sacrifices Treasury, and inner treasury were all added, it would probably only be a little over fifteen million taels.

Meaning military expenses would consume half!?

Xu Jie didn't care about Hai Rui's shock and laughed: "Otherwise, what does Hai Gangfeng think?"

"Hai Gangfeng, believe it or not, half of the 5.27 million taels you brought back this time will have to be used as military expenses."

Based on his experience in the Grand Secretariat, forty percent of the annual income is military expenses, and forty percent has to go into the inner treasury to raise those meat-pig imperial clans.

Hai Rui was silent.

This is the harm of excessive border troubles.

This is not being warlike; this is being exhausted by defense.

He sighed: "State affairs are difficult."

Then he cheered up again: "The Emperor has a governing age; he will surely be able to sweep away all border troubles!"

The two kept talking in the carriage, while Luo Sigong, who was driving outside, carefully controlled the horses.

Tongzhou was not far from the capital.

Plus, the official road from Tongzhou to the capital was flat and steady, and the speed was much faster than elsewhere.

The forty *li* journey took two hours, and this was the result of slowing down.

This time Hai Rui returned to the capital, but it didn't become known to everyone, and the group entered the city gate very smoothly.

As soon as they entered the city gate, they found Li Jin waiting at the city gate.

Li Jin stopped the group who were preparing to get off the carriage to salute and said respectfully: "Hai Yushi Hai, Senior Grand Secretary Xu, the Emperor is not free today; he ordered me to settle the two of you, and you will see the Emperor tomorrow."

Luo Sigong stopped the carriage and changed to pulling the rope in front.

Li Jin leaned against the carriage window and walked beside the carriage.

Xu Jie lifted the curtain and asked casually: "Is the Emperor holding an audience with Wang Chonggu?"

He had just heard that Wang Chonggu had entered the capital, and he had arrived one step earlier than them.

Now that the Tatars were moving, Wang Chonggu's face naturally grew two points larger, and it was reasonable for the Emperor to take the initiative to hold an audience.

Li Jin looked straight ahead and smiled: "Minister Wang is also having an audience tomorrow, after Senior Grand Secretary Xu."

Xu Jie was startled and looked over with a questioning gaze.

Li Jin said warmly: "Today, the Emperor is at the Huangji Hall, issuing an edict to send ministers and close attendants to sacrifice to the mountains, towns, rivers, and marshes, Confucius, the ancestral tombs, etc., as well as the Xu King and other kings and princes, and the Great Mountain, Taihe Mountain Zhenwu, and other gods."

"And the Emperor will personally sacrifice to the emperors of past dynasties."

Xu Jie nodded and didn't ask any more.

This was also the proper meaning after ascending the throne, and it was also a type of precedent.

It was just that it was rare to see the Emperor sacrifice personally.

Eh? Xu Jie suddenly frowned.

He suddenly realized something and looked at Li Jin: "Emperors of past dynasties? What about the former Yuan?"

Li Jin nodded and smiled.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 85 =====