My God, I am the emperor, the lord of mankind.

Chapter 247 Argument
"The Ministry of Household Affairs has sent a list, and the grain ships from the southeastern provinces are already in place! The grain and grass collected by the provinces can be loaded at the ports along the river tomorrow and sent to Jinling!"

Outside Jinling City, among the Eastern Expeditionary Army, officials from Nanjing's Ministry of Household Affairs and the Censor's Bachelor's Degree who accompanied the army, as well as officials at all levels, were summarizing accounts and checking the amount of food and grass for the army's winter use.

Although the Ming army defeated a large number of the sharks' effective forces in Dengzhou and Caishi.

However, there are tens of thousands of shark nests along the coast from north to south, and some are far away overseas. These need to be cleared and filled one by one by the Ming army.

This is destined to be a long battle.

Hearing that the food had been loaded onto the ship, the originally complicated sound of abacus in the military camp paused slightly, followed by a sound of relief.

As long as the food and grass are in place, at least this winter will be over.

If there is food and drink, there will be no trouble among the frontline troops.

But just when everyone felt relieved and started to get back into the busy reconciliation work again.

Li Wenzhong, who was the censor of the Nanjing Metropolitan Procuratorate at the time and was sent to assist the capital officials in checking the account books, suddenly stood up. He had a copy in his hand that had just been delivered, regarding the imperial court's order last month to raise funds for the Eastern Expedition troops in various provinces. A list of the emergency extra money and the amount of grain collected.

With disbelief on his face, he looked at Xie Zan, who had just stepped down from the position of censor of the Eastern and Western Border Procuratorates and was currently in Jinling, and who was then the director of the Ministry of War, and asked with disbelief.

"Didn't the imperial court only raise and collect 200 million dans of rice in the southeast for the navy and the Eastern Expedition army to spend the winter? Why did it collect an additional 150 million dans in Zhejiang alone? You must know that last year Zhejiang only had a total of 700 million acres of land. I paid 250 million dans of grain! Thank you, sir! You have to give me an explanation for this!"

Faced with the sudden violence, Li Wenzhong, who is now only in his 30s and in his prime, suddenly revolted.

Xie Zan, who is now over 50 years old, sipped tea calmly and slowly opened his leisurely eyes. Apparently he did not take the criticism of the young man in front of him to heart.

On the one hand, it was because the other party came from a humble imperial examination, and his status was not much different from that of a member of a well-known family like himself. He had been deeply rooted in the central government since the Yongle period and was now in the cabinet.

In front of him was Li Wenzhong, a small censor of Nanjing. If the emperor hadn't come here now, he might never have the honor to meet Tianyan in his lifetime, and how would he be qualified to talk to him directly.

On the other hand, Zhejiang has been the place where their Xie family made their fortune since the Yongle period.

During the Xuande period, he served as the chief envoy of Zhejiang, the chief minister of delicacies of Guanglu Temple, and the chief secretary of Fujian. He followed the army to destroy the great-grandfather Xie Ying of Deng Maoqi's rebellion in the south.

In the 11th year of Chenghua High School, he was awarded the top prize in the Hanlin Academy. In the eighth year of Hongzhi, he joined the cabinet and participated in politics. He successively served as Chenghua Hongzhi, Zhengde and Jiajing, and sat in the central government for the Xie family. Xie Qian, a veteran of the four dynasties, now lives in seclusion in Zhejiang.

As well as Xie Qian's younger brother Xie Ping, he stayed in the local area and served as chief envoy to Guangdong. He was later transferred back to Zhejiang to continue to consolidate the Xie family's power in Zhejiang. Now he was transferred back to the central government and served as the head of the Ministry of War.

There are also six sons of Xie Qian. The eldest son Xie Zheng was then a member of the Ministry of Rites and Ceremony, Wai Lang, and later entered the Wenyuan Pavilion. He had a close relationship with the then cabinet minister Li Dongyang. Li Dongyang wrote a poem "Maoshan Cao Pavilion Song" as a gift to each other. At that time, it was said that Xie Pi, the second son, visited Huahua in the 18th year of Hongzhi's reign. He was appointed as the left minister of the Ministry of Personnel and the minister of the Ministry of Rites. The third son, Xie Dou, was appointed as the Zuo Temple of Dali Temple. The fourth son, Xie Dou, was appointed as the Zuo Temple of Dali Temple. The fourth son, Xie Dou, was appointed as the governor of the Zuo Army in the Governor's Office. The fifth son, Xie, was appointed as the judge of Wuding Prefecture in Shandong Province. The sixth son, Xie Guo, was a Tongzhi in Jiaozhou, Shandong.

It can be said that every man in the Xie family has an official position, and there is no need for any network such as fellow family friendships. The influence of the Xie family alone can spread throughout the government and the public.

You, a small censor of Nanjing, dare to speak arrogantly in front of me.

This is not just the case with the Xie family. These cabinet members are not only disciples and old officials, but their descendants are also all over the government and the public. For example, Yang Tinghe, the former chief minister who was forced away by Zhu Houcong, has four sons and more than ten grandchildren and great-grandchildren. As long as they can survive, All are prosperous in officialdom.

Historically, his son Yang Shen led a group of accomplices in the palace to openly commit murder at Zuoshunmen. Jiajing summoned the Jinyi Guards to arrest him and drive him out of the capital. When Jiajing died, he was immediately rehabilitated by the court. His grandson Yang Wenlong was directly named the commander of the Jinyiwei. , the great-grandson Enyin Jinyiwei has enjoyed the support of Beizhen Fusi for generations as compensation.

It is estimated that if Jiajing Jiuquan could see his son teaming up with these civil servants to fool around like this, he would be resurrected directly when the coffin board was lifted.

In Xie Zan's eyes, what do you mean to a little Nanjing censor?

It's just that the imperial court is short of manpower recently and has transferred some officials from Nanjing to support the scene as temporary workers. Do you have a say here?
"When the imperial court is in trouble, Zhejiang's wealthy gentry actively donate food and salary. What's wrong?" Xie Zan looked at Li Wenzhong, whose face was flushed with anger, slowly put down the tea cup, and said slowly.

"Donate enthusiastically?"

Li Wenzhong was almost furious.

"I'm afraid that if they don't work together to extort wealthy households and plunder civilians to please the imperial court, they can become officials in Zhejiang and get promoted——"

"Stop! Bold maniac!"

Seeing that Li Wenzhong in front of him was targeting Xie Qian, a highly respected clan elder who was now living in seclusion in his hometown in Zhejiang, Xie Zan clapped the document in his hand, and the tea in the tea cup splashed out, hitting the official's face, causing him to subconsciously Back away.

Xie Zan stared angrily at the young man in front of him who didn't know the heights of the sky.

"Do you know what crime this is for slandering the official and making irresponsible remarks about the court?"

But the Li Wenzhong in front of him was obviously not the kind of stupid young man who could be intimidated by being frightened.

He stiffened his neck and stared at each other without fear with a pair of tiger eyes on his red face.

Eye contact, Xie Zan, who has been an official for more than thirty years and is now over fifty, is afraid to look at her.

"This year's floods in the southeast, coupled with attacks by sharks, have meant that the output is not as good as in previous years. Even if the levy is based on 250 million dan, at least three to four out of ten small farmers will still go bankrupt this winter and have to sell their land to large farmers.

Under the heavy pressure on large households, officials extorted excessive amounts of money and ran out of reserves. They will inevitably force their tenant farmers to pay more and pay more for food... By then, Zhejiang will inevitably find another miserable scene of selling sons and daughters.

When there is nothing to sell, the farmers who were able to provide taxes to the court will become refugees who can only consume food resources... And due to the attacks and plunders of the sharks, the coastal land has been uncultivated for more than a year. By then, There is a famine and there is no food in Zhejiang. How can the court feed them——"

"Alarmist!"

Hearing this, Xie Zan, the head of the Ministry of War, narrowed his eyes and sneered.

"Everyone knows that the southeast is rich. How can Zhejiang be emptied of just 200 million tons of grain? Even if there is a grain shortage, what if there is a grain shortage? The imperial court can bring grain from wealthy places to help, or return part of the grain."

"Many of my colleagues are still here today. The edict encouraging the southeastern provinces to collect more grain and grass has been approved by the cabinet. All cabinet ministers agree. What else do you have to say."

Cabinet ministers are civilian leaders.

Represents the common will of the entire cultural management group.

Xie Zan was able to move it out, naturally with the idea of ​​letting the other party retreat in spite of difficulties.

Each of these pavilion elders is a powerless little man. If he offends them, he will be lucky enough not to be demoted by the court, let alone be promoted to an official position and make a fortune.

　stone, burden,

　　I don’t quite understand the division between the two. If anyone knows more about it, you can tell me in the comment section. I’ll change it.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)