Shipin Dalizheng

Chapter 370 Conditions

Emperor Xuanning didn't expect this.

"I thought you would want to join the Ministry of War, or the Ministry of Personnel, or at the very least, the Ministry of Justice."

Among the six ministries, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Personnel, and the Ministry of Justice are the most respected, while the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry of Works are the auxiliary ones.

"Your Majesty, I want to do something practical for you, not to gain power. I believe that the Ministry of Revenue is closely related to the national economy and people's livelihood, and it can nourish the lifeblood of Your Majesty and Dai Viet. Of course, if Your Majesty ever needs me to rush to the border to fight for the country, I will absolutely not hesitate."

Emperor Xuanning was so moved that his heart was boiling with emotion, and he patted his shoulder vigorously.

"Apart from anything else, I have confidence in your ability to make money. Tell me, how much tax increase do you plan to make?"

Rong Tang didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Your Majesty, the people's lives are already difficult enough. If I want to make money, of course I have to do it with my own ability. I can't let the people scold me."

He Daban interrupted with a smile, "Your Majesty, Earl Jian'an is very capable. He can draw blueprints for water dragons and make sugar. Of all the profitable businesses in the Ministry of Works, Earl Jian'an has a stake in every one of them."

Even Emperor Xuanning himself secretly asked Princess Zhaoling to invest in a fan manufacturing workshop on his behalf, and his private treasury was overflowing with money.

Emperor Xuanning leaned forward and asked, "Why don't you join the Ministry of Works?"

Rong Tang smiled and said, "Whatever your majesty tells me to do, I will do it."

As soon as Rong Tang left, Emperor Xuanning summoned Zheng Jiuan to the palace. Taking advantage of this opportunity, He Daban asked in confusion, "Your Majesty, why didn't you let the Earl of Jian'an enter the Ministry of Revenue?"

Emperor Xuanning had his own thoughts, "This guy is too good at checking accounts. I'm afraid that he's making false accounts, and no one in Great Yue will be able to find out."

He Daban said, "Oh, that's right. This is also good. If I can earn money myself, of course it will go into my own pocket. If I go to the Ministry of Revenue, all the money I earn will go into the national treasury, which is not cost-effective."

Emperor Xuan Ning was completely unable to sit still. What was wrong with him? Rong Tang didn't need to cook the books at all. The money he earned was his own in a legitimate way. His willingness to share a share with others showed that he didn't care about money.

"Go and announce the order that he must attend court tomorrow. I think he still has too much free time."

Li Dequan took the responsibility and said, "Your Majesty, I will go and announce the Zheng family's secret decree."

Emperor Xuanning could see that Li Dequan was still brooding over the Xie family stealing his credit and wanted to make things difficult for them.

"Just give this secret order to Zheng Changzhi. He knows what to do."

Li Dequan led his men on fast horses to the Zheng family, directly asked to see Zheng Changzhi, handed him the secret order, and left.

After reading the secret decree, Zheng Changzhi naturally called Zheng Jiuan over to discuss a solution with him.

"The Xie family has gotten into big trouble again this time."

Zheng Jiuan took a look at the secret decree and said, "Your Majesty only asked me to find out the truth and didn't say anything else. I just want to tell the truth..."

"That's the problem. Unless the wild wheat is found in a remote area, Xie Bingzhi's memorial will be full of loopholes."

He pointed at the blueprint and said, "There's a mountain not far away, and there are run-down villages in this area. It's impossible for seven or eight acres of wheat to grow in a year for no reason. If you go there, you'll easily find signs that the wheat fields are being tended."

Zheng Jiuan frowned. "Even if someone else planted it, if he found it and reported it, it would be a great achievement. Why disguise it as wild wheat?"

"The Xie family is still too impatient. Although Concubine Xie has fallen from favor, her rank hasn't been demoted, and Grand Tutor Xie's official position hasn't changed. Xie Bingzhi's request for permission to relocate the exiled was also an opportunity to gain merit. This shows that Your Majesty didn't intend to force the Xie family into a desperate situation, but merely to give them a warning. It's a pity that this happened... If anyone were killed, it would be even more difficult to deal with."

"Brother, how did you conclude that there was a demon in the Xie family?"

Zheng Changzhi flicked the blueprint and asked, "Do you know who drew this?"

Zheng Jiuan certainly didn't know. He looked at the painting very casually. With just a few strokes, the scenery came to life on the paper.

"It was drawn by the Earl of Jian'an. That route is the one he took during his southern expedition last year. The fact that he drew it so detailed suggests he'd stopped there before and knew people lived there. More likely, he knew the owner of the land."

He snapped his fingers outside, and a secret guard came in to report, "The Earl of Jian'an had just come out of the palace, and Eunuch Li came to announce the secret decree."

"Look, the Xie family just donated summer wheat this morning. As soon as Rong Tang entered the palace, His Majesty asked you to thoroughly investigate the matter. It goes without saying."

Zheng Jiuan is not a fool, of course he knows what is going on.

"Brother, what are you going to do?"

"This is the choice we brothers have made. For now, being impartial is the best option for our Zheng family."

"Why do you say that?"

"Each of the four surnames has six official quotas each year. I have three, and my father has three. Now, His Majesty has given me the two quotas from the Xie family."

In this way, the Zheng family has eight indicators. Zheng Jiuan knows what this means. It means that the Zheng family can place eight of their own people into the six ministries every year. But the Xie family...

"Our four families have always been closely connected..."

"That's when the four families are at the same power level. The Southern Xie family is already crippled. Not only can it no longer be the main force of the family, it's now a wanted criminal at the imperial court. The Xie family's legitimate son has become a cripple, Concubine Xie has fallen from imperial favor, and the Xie family's maternal family is still the Duke of Yin. They have also offended both the Wang family and His Majesty. Basically, the next generation of the Xie family is empty except for Xie Bingzhi, and now they have been reduced to using tactics full of loopholes. Such a Xie family will soon be defeated, and even if you and I do nothing, we will withdraw from the Daiyue court."

"But, the four great families have maintained a balance for so many years, and it was disrupted for no reason..."

Zheng Changzhi looked at him strangely, "It's not us who broke it, it's the cycle of cause and effect. Don't you have that feeling? Our lives have changed dramatically because of one person. The Rong family almost disappeared, because Rong Tang regained its glory. I have imagined more than once how tragic the battle to recapture Jiangnan would be, because of Rong Tang, the loss of national destiny was minimized. I should have spent my whole life sitting in a wheelchair waiting to rot, but now I'm standing up again. Although the process was painful, sometimes I wanted to kill him, but when I think about it carefully, he has done me more favors. Also, there are too many capable people around him. Tang Fuyun was going to rely on me to recommend him to the Ministry of Industry, but he became the backbone of the Ministry of Industry because of Rong Tang's support. The new weapons crafted by Tang Fuyun are primarily equipped to Sima Zhi, whose vanguard is currently the most powerful. Furthermore, he is surrounded by the world's greatest physician, the most wicked physician, and the most skilled warriors. Just take Wen Ruyu for example. Do you know what it means to have him? It means gaining the support of half the Jianghu. His southern expedition was so powerful and unstoppable. Do you think it was the strength of 50,000 improvised refugee soldiers? No, it was the strength of Jianghu masters. I tried for ten years to gain Wen Ruyu's support without success. His heart was never with me. As soon as he left me, he immediately went to Rong Tang, where he was said to be toiling away all day and enjoying the work. It's this kind of personal charm that attracts talented people to him and makes them his own."

Zheng Jiuan was momentarily distracted, then came to his senses and asked, "Wen Ruyu represents half of the Jianghu, who is the other half?"

Zheng Changzhi sighed softly, "The other half is the mysterious black market. I've been researching for a long time, and currently I only know of a Wuji Bank that belongs to the black market. I heard a little news last year that the old master of the black market has stepped down, and the new master is called Gongsun Wuji."

Zheng Jiuan suddenly remembered that one night in Jiangnan, countless masters invaded the observatory and stole Master Huici's inheritance. But now, the Buddhist beads are in Rong Tang's hands. Could he be Gongsun Wuji?