The Ming Dynasty started with caution

All the officials looked at the Supreme Emperor and the princes blankly, why should they raise business taxes?

Xiao Jing shouted at the top of his voice to withdraw from the court.

Li Dongyang and others exchanged glances, and the Supreme Emperor avoided seeing him because he expected that the officials would dissuade him.

After retreating from the court, the officials gathered in groups in twos and threes and gathered in the duty room at an urgent speed.

Zhang Fuhua was extremely confused and said: "The Supreme Emperor avoided mentioning commercial taxes. Yan Chengjin met the Supreme Emperor and issued an imperial edict."

No need to ask what he said to Yan Chengjin again.

"The strange thing is that even the princes also seconded the proposal. Maybe there is something we don't know about."

The princes have always disliked Yan Chengjin, how could they unanimously agree?

Now, the imperial court has issued a decree to exempt the people of Fengyang, Huai'an, Yangzhou and other southern Zhili from taxes.

More than two million taels were allocated to the warehouse of Songjiang Mansion, but only a letter of edict was sent, without even mentioning the use of silver.

The attendants in the palace were probably discussing this matter.

Cui Yan spread out the rice paper and began to write the imperial list. Whoever wrote the imperial list would be unlucky and would be stabbed in the spine by the gentry and scolded to death.

But if he wants to make meritorious deeds, he needs to write this imperial list.

A moment later, outside the palace, a golden imperial list was posted on the red palace wall, and the silk was eye-catching in the sunlight.

The people thought that the imperial court had good governance again, so they gathered from all directions.

Cui Yan stood in the moon cave and watched from a distance.

At first few people saw it, but after a quarter of an hour, more and more gentry gathered, and they began to curse, saying that the imperial court was greedy for people's wealth.

"Master Cui, do you want to arrest them?" Yang Qianhu asked.

Seeing this scene, Cui Yan felt mixed emotions in his heart and shook his head: "No need."

There are so many gentry who want to scold them. If they were to be arrested, the prisons of the Sanfa Division would not be able to contain them all.

It only increased twice, and this is what happened. If it increased five times, what would it be like?

After thinking about it, he turned around and returned to Fengtian Palace. The Supreme Emperor and the princes should be waiting in a hurry.

At this moment, the Supreme Emperor Hongzhi changed into regular clothes from head to toe and sat beside the imperial desk worriedly.

The princes have mixed feelings in their hearts. They originally didn't want to touch the commercial tax, but now Songjiang Mansion wants the court to pay compensation.

The business names of Fengyang Mansion and Yangzhou Mansion are also empty.

If he was found out, the court would not be able to repay it at that time. It is not difficult to predict what will happen in South Zhili.

Out of curiosity, Wang Qiong came to ask where the funds were allocated. Only then did she know what happened in Nanzhili. She stood aside and sighed, covering her mouth.

"Master Cui is back."

The Supreme Emperor raised his eyes slightly and asked anxiously, "How is it?"

Cui Yan gritted his teeth and said bravely: "Insulting the imperial court and stealing property, the new emperor is arrogant and extravagant, plundering the people's wealth and anointing, he is extremely stupid..."

He polished it a little, not using such rude words as pig or dog.

The Supreme Emperor Hongzhi fell into deep thought.

Li Dongyang bowed: "Tomorrow, I'm afraid all the officials will kneel down to admonish me in the main hall."

Liu Jian and others nodded.

The Supreme Emperor Hongzhi was trembling in his heart and thought for a moment: "I decree that anyone who kneels down in the main hall to remonstrate will be given a twenty-twenty stick. Anyone who dares to persuade the imperial court to ban additional conscription will be sent to the Ministry of Punishment's Prison regardless of his official position."

Yan Chengjin was also worried that the Supreme Emperor would be soft-hearted.

Hundreds of officials are very thieves. If they are not determined enough, they will take advantage of the opportunity and rub them the wrong way, and they will never be able to increase the business tax in their lifetime.

After the court meeting dispersed, Cui Yan walked out holding the Fupai and saw Yan Chengjin blocking him.

"I have drafted the imperial edict and posted the imperial list. What else do you want?"

Yan Chengjin took out a book from his sleeve and handed it to him.

Cui Yan opened it and was so frightened that he broke into a cold sweat. It turned out to be a new magazine, signed by Cui...

Yan Chengjin is a person of integrity and will not impeach again for the time being. "Based on the experience of my officer being assassinated, it is better to ask the imperial guards to escort Mr. Cui when he is on duty."

Baiguan probably spread the news.

He remembered correctly, Cui Yan was the first to second the proposal just now.

Cui Yan snorted, "Thank you Master Yan for your kindness. I have no grievances in the capital except you. Who would come to kill me?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he walked away angrily with his hands behind his back.

After returning to the duty room and reading for an hour, Li Dongyang and several others came off duty one after another.

He also went to the Meridian Gate to get on the sedan, but met Yan Chengjin again, who seemed to be waiting for him.

Yan Chengjin pressed his hand and signaled He Neng to wait for a while, "I have twenty guards, do I have to divide them into two, Mr. Cui?"

Ye Zhun glanced at the sedan next to him.

Every day, from the Meridian Gate to West Chang'an Street, a group of ordinary people will take to the streets. In fact, they are all actors. There are obviously fifty...

Cui Yan's heart was filled with unknown anger. One person needed twenty guards. How much money would be wasted?

I almost didn't curse.

"I haven't done anything wrong. I'm not as timid as you are in getting up the sedan chair."

Yan Chengjin said: "Master Cui, don't panic when something happens. If you panic, just shout "Shacao" and you will feel calmer. I hope you can see Master Cui again tomorrow."

Just now, I heard from the Robbery Department that someone was smuggling kerosene for steel stoves in Liangxiang.

Cui Yan's sedan chair gradually moved away. Although he knew it would dissatisfy the gentry and officials, this was the capital, could he still send someone to assassinate him?

Along the way, I heard the gentry cursing the government, but Zhu Houzhao failed to include it in the play.

But when they returned to the house, everything was fine.

Cui Yan looked at the butler next to him: "Call the young master. I have something to tell him."

"The young master has gone to Liangxiang," the housekeeper said.

I’ve heard of Liangxiang, a place where literati and officials from the capital gather, so there’s no harm in going to see the world.

At night, the moonlight is bright.

Back in the bedroom, after paying for his daily food, Cui Yan yawned, pulled up his pillow and fell asleep.

In the middle of the night, as if his whole body was being burned in a fire, Cui Yan opened his eyes and hurriedly lifted the quilt: "Hold the grass, hold the grass..."

There was a red fire all around, and the white smoke made people's eyes blurred.

He hugged the sleeping lady beside him and ran out with his shoes on.

"Master, master...the accounting room was also burned down..." the steward shouted.

In the middle of the night, the accounting room was burned down first, and most of the servants were still asleep in the side room and never woke up.

Cui Yan's back was wet with cold sweat, "Fortunately it's a rented mansion. Where is the young master?"

"Going to put out the fire."

Outside the gate of the mansion, many people came out to watch, and officers and soldiers from the Five Cities Military and Horse Division also came.

Early in the morning, Qianqing Palace.

Xiao Jing looked like he was hesitating to speak. The Emperor hadn't had breakfast yet, so he didn't speak for a long time.

Arriving at the Wenhua Hall, the Supreme Emperor Hongzhi frowned. There were more than a dozen volumes of memorials on the desk. Liu Jian and others were also there, "Are they all ballads?"

Jiang Mian whispered: "This is a memorial for hundreds of officials to beg for official positions..."

The Supreme Emperor opened it and took a few glances. There were eleven books, all of which were written memorials for people seeking to become officials.

Want to threaten the crowd with a strike?

Li Dongyang said: "It's also on the new emperor's desk."

The face of the Supreme Emperor Hongzhi became a little more solemn.

Seeing this, Xiao Jing reminded in a low voice: "Last night, Master Cui's mansion was set on fire. Fortunately, it is a rented mansion..."

Liu Jian and others squinted their eyes slightly, their hearts full of shock.

Xiao Jing continued: "Ye Qianhu said that Master Yan reminded Master Cui yesterday, but Master Cui did not listen..."

Li Dongyang and Xie Qian looked at each other. Did Yan Chengjin know this earlier?

"Password to Yan Chengjin."

…

Dongnuan Pavilion,

Early in the morning, Zhu Houzhao was a little unhappy when he saw the notes on the imperial case.

Gu Da said in a low voice: "Sir, there are all nineteen adults who want to beg for employment."

"Everything is played correctly."