Chapter 12 Liu Jin was promoted to the position of chief seal of the Department of Bells and Drums
When Zhu Houzhao stayed in the Leopard Room and engaged in industrial production, the court was not peaceful either.
Since Zhu Houzhao promised to make Ma Wensheng the first assistant in the future, Ma Wensheng has begun to use his opportunity as the Minister of Personnel to place his own people in the local and six departments.
In addition, Ma Wensheng, who worked hard to fight with the cabinet, also implemented a strict evaluation system, demoting and dismissing many incompetent officials such as Liu Jian, which made Liu Jian, the chief minister of the cabinet, and others very unhappy.
Because of this, Liu Jian and other Qingliu civil servants ignored Zhu Houzhao, and did not even dare to force Zhu Houzhao. They were deeply afraid that the emperor Zhu Houzhao and Ma Wensheng would side with him, and he would lose more than he gained.
Therefore, Zhu Houzhao also successfully avoided the regular sutra banquet arranged for them by Qingliu civil servants, and only banned it on the grounds that he was too sad and needed to rest.
In addition, Zhu Houzhao made soap and glass and engaged in these strange and cunning things, and Liu Jian and other Qingliu court officials had no time to care about him. What's more, they originally hoped from the bottom of their hearts that the emperor would not do his job and not care about the government. Although on the surface, he said Your Majesty must be a virtuous sage.
Ma Wensheng and other Zhuoliu civil servants, who were not from Hanlin and most of whom had local experience in border towns, naturally cared less about this. They were now more concerned about seizing power from Qingliu.
The courtiers seemed to have forgotten the existence of Emperor Zhu Houzhao of the Ming Dynasty, and what they now know is that Zhu Houzhao played music every night in the Leopard Room, and even stayed at the Chu Pavilion in Qinlou. He even made soap to play with if he had nothing to do, especially for those who were brave. Zhu Houzhao was jokingly called the Craftsman Emperor.
Wang Yue, the eunuch in charge of the ceremony, adhered to the habit of reporting everything to Zhu Houzhao, but he would always appear when Zhu Houzhao was busy with his craftsmanship, and Zhu Houzhao would also raise some questions at the beginning.
"Why is Suzhou's tax exempted again?" For example, on this day, Zhu Houzhao asked about this matter. He knew that the tax was a commercial tax. Although it was not the source of official tax for the court, it was the main source of his own internal funds. After all, these businessmen Taxes are all attributed to internal funds, so they are related to your own income from internal funds, so I couldn't help but ask.
“The cabinet’s intention is that two counties in Suzhou will be hit by floods this year, so tax exemptions and the people’s resources should be spared,” Wang Yue replied.
"Isn't it better to be exempted from land tax? Why is it exempted from land tax? Businessmen don't farm. How will the flood damage them?" Zhu Houzhao asked.
"Your Majesty, the government is currently unstable, so it is better to listen to the cabinet vote," Wang Yue, the eunuch in charge of the ceremonial department, would suggest at this time.
At this time, Zhu Houzhao also understood that Wang Yue had obviously become the lackey of the cabinet civil servants, and hurriedly said: "Since we care about the people's strength, we have exempted Suzhou from all land taxes this year! Let the cabinet decide!"
"Your Majesty is kind, and the minister will return the order immediately!" Wang Yue bowed to Zhu Houzhao and left. He couldn't help but breathed a sigh of relief in his heart. He thought that your Majesty really had a simple idea. If the tax discussion is unavoidable, can the civil servants agree? Jiangnan gentry We don't have so much money in vain.
Zhu Houzhao naturally wanted to overthrow Wang Yue more and more, but he also knew that he could not make a big move until he took control of the 12th Regiment Battalion and the Imperial Guards, that is, the military power. Therefore, Zhu Houzhao often simply pretended to directly attack Wang Yue and the cabinet. Very trusting.
Sometimes, when Wang Yue, the chief official of the Supervisor of Ceremonies, comes to report on government affairs, Zhu Houzhao will pretend not to care and say: "Don't bother me with these things!"
Wang Yuecheng, the chief official of the Supervisor of Ceremonies, was very satisfied with this, and Liu Jian and others in the cabinet were also very satisfied, and they all wished that Zhu Houzhao would do this every time.
However, in August of this year, after the urgent military report of the little prince's raid on the border town of Datong was delivered to Beijing, the courtiers had to hold another court meeting. Naturally, the court meeting could not be held without Emperor Zhu Houzhao.
then.
Wang Yue, the eunuch who was in charge of the ceremonial department, did not dare to come and make trouble this time while Zhu Houzhao was studying industrial manufacturing. Instead, he immediately found Zhu Houzhao.
Zhu Houzhao no longer pretended to be indifferent to government affairs this time. Accompanied by Wang Yue, the chief official of the Supervisor of Ceremonies, he went to the platform of the main hall of Qianqing Palace to hold a court meeting with the cabinet and important officials in Beijing about the disaster of the little prince in the border town.
Zhu Houzhao was also very annoyed by the Tatarism of the little prince. In his memory, the little prince seemed to have never lived in peace, and he repeatedly buckled down. However, the powerful Ming Empire was unable to do anything about it, but Qianzi invested in it. A lot of people went in, and Emperor Hongzhi spent half of the money he saved in his frugal life on border towns.
"The little prince has been attacking my border town of the Ming Dynasty, killing my border troops, and plundering the people of my border town. Do you have any good ideas?" Zhu Houzhao asked directly as soon as he came up.
Ma Wensheng, the official secretary of the Ministry of Finance and former governor of the border town, immediately stood up and suggested: "Your Majesty, the armaments are now weak, the soldiers dare not fight, and the generals are afraid of death. We should train elite soldiers, select good generals, and destroy them!" "Your Majesty, a large-scale military campaign is a waste of military force. This move is not conducive to the policy of supporting the people," and at this time, Li Dongyang, the second assistant to the cabinet, said.
"The Tatars have already reached the doorstep of their home. It is not militancy to send troops to annihilate them. Just like if a person is beaten, shouldn't he scare the people who bully him? When did Ming Dynasty become so cowardly? Didn't I just take over Xia? Taxes, how can we train without money and food, and if we don’t have elite soldiers, and let the Tatars be so rampant, they are not nourishing the people but harming them.”
Zhu Houzhao said.
"Your Majesty! The Tatars have always been wandering horses. It is a fact that they are difficult to exterminate. Even if the Ming Dynasty spends countless amounts of food and raises millions of elite soldiers, it will be difficult to exterminate them all. It is better to build a border wall to defend ourselves. If the invaders come, they will only be attacked in three to five days. Go away!”
It was Liu Daxia, the Minister of War, who said this. But after Zhu Houzhao heard this, he felt that Liu Daxia was not suitable to be the Minister of War. The Minister of War is equivalent to the Minister of Defense. In the Ming Dynasty, he was in charge of the army. One of the people in charge of the army said that the enemy is coming to attack me. Regardless of whether he will leave on his own, can a person with this kind of ostrich mentality be suitable to be the Minister of the Ministry of War?
"There is a shortage of money in Taicang now, and the summer tax has to make up for last year's shortfall. Moreover, the mausoleum and burial of Emperor Dahang still cost money, and the money for the construction of the Qianqing Palace has not yet been allocated. Your Majesty, your wedding will also cost money. Training elite soldiers and selecting good generals to suppress the Tartars can only be delayed first. What Great Sima said is indeed a mature and prudent statement! ”
Liu Jian, the chief minister of the cabinet, spoke at this time, and implicitly praised Liu Daxia. Then other ministers also nodded and felt that Liu Daxia was right.
Zhu Houzhao saw that all these senior civil servants supported Liu Daxia except Ma Wensheng who insisted on training troops and preparing for war. Naturally, he could not say anything more. He only said: "Since the chief assistant said so, so be it."
"Your Majesty is wise!"
The chief minister of the cabinet, Liu Jian, and other ministers hurriedly praised Zhu Houzhao. They were also very happy. After all, they were old enough to seek the country and did not let the majesty think about military affairs. In the future, Qingshi will naturally praise themselves. of.
But Zhu Houzhao was unhappy because he did not expect that a court discussion on national defense would end with the conclusion that "the bandits will go away."
Zhu Houzhao didn't want to wait any longer. He couldn't help but glance at Ma Wensheng, Ma Wensheng, Liu Jin and others. Then after the officials left, he asked Wang Yue: "Which of the twenty-four yamen in the inner court has been vacant recently?"
"Back to the Emperor, there is a vacancy in the Department of Bells and Drums." Wang Yue noticed that Zhu Houzhao had been looking at Liu Jin for a long time. Knowing that he wanted to promote Liu Jin, he only applied for a yamen that was relatively cold in the inner court.
"Then let Liu Jin be in charge of the Bell and Drum Division." After Zhu Houzhao said, Wang Yue nodded in agreement.
In this way, Liu Jin became the eunuch of the Bell and Drum Division and one of the twenty-four yamen chief eunuchs.
But Liu Jin was still a little disappointed. What he wanted was not the eunuch in charge of the Bell and Drum Department, but the eunuch in charge of the Li Supervisor.
Zhu Houzhao also saw it, but he did this to let Liu Jin know that if he didn't follow him to defeat Wang Yue and others, he would not be able to be a powerful eunuch at all.
As soon as he returned to the Leopard Room, Zhu Houzhao secretly summoned Liu Jin: "As you can see, it's not that I don't want to use you, it's that someone doesn't want to use you. Don't worry, I will let you go up sooner or later. Now it's just throwing stones to ask for directions. The most important thing now is is military power If they are not in our hands, the positions of Admiral of the 12th Regiment and Minister of the Ministry of War must belong to us! I decided to get rid of Liu Daxia, the Minister of the Ministry of War. If this guy is in the Ministry of War for one more day, the military affairs of our Ming Dynasty will be even worse!" br>
"No matter what, the minister Liu Jin must be grateful to the emperor. Without the emperor, Liu Jin would not even be able to take the palm of the Bell and Drum Division," Liu Jin said.
"As long as you understand, how is your contact with the civil servants? Who are you willing to make friends with?" Zhu Houzhao asked.
Liu Jin asked hurriedly and solemnly: "Jiao Fang, the left minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Xu Jin, the left minister of the Ministry of War, and Zhang Cai, the head of the Literary and Selection Department, are all willing to make friends with slaves. The emperor wants to get rid of Liu Daxia, and Young Sima Xu Jin is suitable. He has been Being suppressed by Liu Daxia, Xu Jin is quite resentful and can ask Xu Jin to find someone to deal with Liu Daxia.”
"That's too slow. Ask Xu Jin if he wants to put the chair of the Ministry of War first. If he wants, help him and let him know your methods. Murder is not the only thing that civil servants can do!" Zhu Houzhao smiled.
(End of chapter)