Beijing, Forbidden City, Wenhua Palace.

Nine, no, now there are eight cabinet ministers. Eight of them gathered around a round table for a meeting. This is the cabinet's famous round table meeting, which shows that the eight people are equal and discuss state affairs together.

Among the elders of the cabinet, the first assistant has three votes, the second assistant has two votes, and the other assistant ministers have one vote each. The total is 12 votes. This situation was deliberately caused by Zhu Youxiao. This is not for future generations. He must make an odd number.

, if the two parties cannot reach a decision through consultation, they will naturally need to ask him as the emperor for a ruling. Otherwise, everything will be decided by the cabinet, and over time he will become a virtual king.

At the round table, Xu Guangqi, the bachelor of Dongge University and the second assistant, was sitting at the top. He convened the meeting. At this time, an official document was passed out from his hand for everyone to read it.

"What do you think?" Xu Guangqi asked with a frown. He did not expect that he would actually get extremely valuable information from the people in Liaodong.

This information is short, but the content is very rich. It explains the hiding place of Xu Hongru, the leader of the contemporary White Lotus Sect, and how they are preparing to rebel in Shandong. There are also some names of people and places on it, which are all the secrets of the White Lotus Sect.

"Leave it to the clan government. Aren't they in charge of religious affairs in the world?" Zhu Xieyuan said. As a subordinate department of the cabinet, it is naturally more convenient.

"Let's leave it to the Jin Yiwei. After all, these cults are plotting to rebel and endanger the security of the empire. This is the duty of the Jin Yiwei appointed by His Majesty." Huang Kezuan had a different opinion. After all, he had more than a year more experience than the few bachelors who came behind.

With experience, he becomes more mellow in handling general affairs.

"That's right, that's right, just leave it to the Jin Yiwei." Bi Ziyan said. He had just entered the cabinet and was still unclear about all aspects. At present, he mainly follows the crowd when it comes to business decisions.

"In that case, let's all vote and unify our opinions." Seeing that everyone had this intention, Xu Guangqi did not object and directly agreed.

"I think there's no need to vote. This isn't a major resolution, it's just a transfer of official documents between the two departments." Wang Zuo interrupted. His opinion expressed the sentiments of many people. For some reason, they always

Avoid deciding any government affairs by voting. Even if the emperor said this, they would not dare to start it.

"Yes, yes, there is no need to vote for the decision." Other cabinet ministers also agreed. Seeing that no one was willing to vote, Xu Guangqi had no choice but to give up.

In fact, Zhu Youxiao's cabinet procedure is very simple. Several cabinet ministers gather together to discuss matters that cannot be resolved, and then vote and count. The one with more votes will naturally become the final conclusion. Afterwards, only a record is required.

Just come before the emperor.

After reading the record, if the emperor thinks it is good, he will let it go, and if it is not good, he will block the policy. Then, even with this simple procedure, the cabinet has been unable to implement it. There is no other reason. What if the resolution of the nine people is blocked by the emperor?

?What we did was not good? No one is willing to take this responsibility.

Therefore, until now, the cabinet has not worked alone and decided on a major event. They have all followed orders or dealt with some routine affairs. This has always made Xu Guangqi very embarrassed, and he was determined to push this rule before the emperor came back.

implementation.

Therefore, he brought up every issue, big and small, in an attempt to implement it, but without exception, he was stopped by the other seven people.

"In this case, I don't insist on having my own way anymore. I will hand over the official documents of the White Lotus Sect to Xu Xianchun of Jinyiwei." Xu Guangqi's face was calm. It was hard to tell what he was thinking, but the others were still a little shy and embarrassed.

.

Soon, a clerk came in to take away the official document, then went through the formalities and sent it to the Jinyiwei Command Yamen outside the Meridian Gate.

"Okay, a violent earthquake occurred in Yanzhou Prefecture, Dongchang Prefecture, and Jinan Prefecture in Shandong Province. More than half of the Juye city walls and battlements collapsed. The Confucian temples and verandas were damaged. The earthquake in Licheng was like thunder, and the houses shook and the earth shook. Caozhou (now Heze), the city

Wu, Cao County, Puzhou (now Pu County, Henan Province), Chaocheng, Jinxiang, and Yutai were all shaken loudly."

Xu Guangqi said loudly that they all knew about this big earthquake. It affected half of Shandong Province and affected as many as one million people. It was very difficult to deal with. The key point was that if you want to open a warehouse to release grain, since you can't find it,

Responsible department.

"Earthquakes are easy to deal with, and disaster relief is the only thing to do, but how to provide disaster relief is a troublesome matter, especially the affairs of the local Changpingcang. Which department is responsible for it? Let everyone announce the next thing." Xu Guangqi said without joy or sadness, because Jin Yiwei just said

The matter was handled in the same way. Several other cabinet elders did not doubt that he was involved and offered suggestions one after another.

The first person to speak was Wang Zuo, a cabinet minister who started his career as Minister of Industry. He has been responsible for the construction of roads all over the country since he joined the cabinet. He rushed to say with bright eyes, "Disaster relief is easy to handle. I heard that Your Majesty

After the land was to be distributed, all the farmers in the construction team went back. Construction started after the year. Although the construction company of the inner government recruited a group, there was a serious shortage of manpower, which greatly affected the construction of main roads. These disaster victims could be handed over to the Ministry of Industry and let them go

Build roads and distribute food to them for relief."

"This is called work-for-relief!" Wang Zuo said proudly. This is something he has been thinking about since he learned about the Shandong earthquake. In his opinion, the displaced people are all the best labor force!

"According to what you said, the working farmers have gone back to divide their land. Don't the farmers in Shandong want to divide their land? Will anyone follow you?" Cui Jingrong sang the opposite tune, but what he said was very reasonable, which made other people continue to talk.

nod.

"Then the land will be distributed in Zhaozhou." Wang Zuo was unconvinced and squinted his neck and retorted, "This earthquake has affected most of Shandong, and the local crops have been completely destroyed. Moreover, it is now past the farming season, and they will have no harvest in the first half of the year.

, If you don’t follow the road construction, where will there be food for them?”

"Even if you have money to buy food supplies in the future, but now, the institutions are divided, the local Changping warehouse is a pile of bad debts, and the food deficit inside is serious. No department in the Ministry of Accounts, Ministry of State, and Ministry of Finance wants to take over. The central government is like this.

The place is getting worse, and they are pushing each other, how will this first batch of food come from?" Cui Jingrong said a little tit for tat.

Xu Guangqi's unexpected entry into the cabinet shattered his thoughts of going further. In his unhappy mood, he was naturally a little angry and said something irritable. However, what he said was very reasonable. Looking at the few university students around him who had fallen silent,

You'll know when you do.

Changpingcang was originally used by the government to purchase grain in good years and sell it or provide relief in disaster years. However, the grain was piled there, which was just money. No one could bear it. Of course, there were rats reselling it.

For good places, 30% will be left for you, and for bad ones, not even a single pellet will be left.

Normally, positions are often closed and no one cares about them, which naturally covers up these bad debts. However, now that there was an earthquake in Shandong and when food relief was needed, everything was exposed. Fortunately, it was discovered in time and a batch of food was mobilized from Tianjin, and it was able to survive.

Passed the first stage.

The huge deficit exposed by Chang Pingcang made the three departments that were originally interested in this organization fearful. No one dared to take over, so they could only leave it vacant. However, the follow-up work still needs to be adjusted by Chang Pingcang.

, how can it be done if there is no one to manage it?

The scene fell silent for a moment. Wang Zuo opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say. His idea of ​​providing work-for-relief was a very good one. It not only used the idle labor force, but also solved the problem of feeding the victims. But the premise of all this was

He first stabilized the people, and then he removed the manpower batch by batch and distributed them to various places to build roads.

Moreover, there is still an unresolved issue of land distribution. If this issue is not resolved, those people would rather starve to death in their hometown than leave even half a step.

"Since there is no one to take over Chang Pingcang, it is better to set up a third-level specialized service department like the customs and taxation. As for the deficit, let the Metropolitan Procuratorate and the local police station investigate. If they can find it, they will do it. If they can't, let it go for the time being.

Put it aside. What do you think of this method?" Seeing that no one had any opinions, Xu Guangqi suddenly spoke.

His proposal suddenly stunned everyone present. After thinking about it carefully, it seems feasible. The third department did not take over because they were afraid of being in bad debts, but the new department does not have this problem. They were all established later, and they are different from the previous ones.

It doesn't matter if the position is always closed. Besides, these losses can be shelved.

Yes, feasible!

All the pavilion elders are very satisfied. Xu Guangqi is able to sit in this position. He really has the real talent!

Without waiting for the other seven academicians to express their opinions, Xu Guangqi spoke again, "As for the issue of farmers' land, Shandong is very close to the capital. Compared with the county governments, which are all divided and organized, we should immediately recruit local scholars and start sending imperial power to the countryside.

Planning and land allocation policy.”

"Your Majesty has said that the army and the people belong to the same family. The cabinet should send a letter to the Governor's Office, requesting them to send 20,000 city defense troops to Shandong for disaster relief, and to recruit young soldiers on the spot to establish the Shandong City Defense Army for self-rescue."

Three opinions were thrown out in succession, leaving everyone stunned and unable to react. After they absorbed Xu Guangqi's opinions, they all looked horrified and looked at each other in a daze.

There is no need to talk about establishing an independent department. After all, there is a precedent from His Majesty. All you need to do is to seal the official document and ask for instructions. However, each of the following is more serious than the last. Even the so-called military disaster relief is unheard of and is simply a fantasy.

Looking at their appearance, Xu Guangqi felt very happy in his heart. Although he became the second assistant and took charge of the cabinet, the other three Sifang Pavilion elders did not buy it and made obstacles from time to time. Now he suppressed them in one fell swoop and made him

I am very happy in my heart. Now I know how powerful I am. If I didn’t have the courage, I would just be obedient from now on.

"Your Majesty emphasizes the separation of civil and military affairs, and asks the Governor's Office to send troops, whether...or..." Cui Jingrong, who has some knowledge of the military system, stammered.

"It's just a request for assistance. The request for instructions is naturally Sun Zhisheng's business. You don't need to worry about it. I think the cabinet still has the right to send an official document to the Governor's Office. Cui Nange?" Xu Guangqi took his time.

He forced him step by step.

"Yes, yes." Cui Jingrong wiped his sweat nervously.

"Does Cui Nange agree with these three opinions?" However, Xu Guangqi seemed to not want to let him go, and asked again urgently.

"This... this..." Cui Jingrong had more beads of sweat on his head, and he couldn't finish his nervous words. Among these three items, any one of them was a big deal, and the pressure he faced was naturally greater. He didn't dare to say anything nonsense.

"I need to ask His Majesty for instructions on this."

"But His Majesty said that when the cabinet faces major issues, they can be decided by vote. I wonder if Cui Nange agrees?"

"This..." Cui Jingrong looked at the others for help, but the other people turned their heads away, not wanting to get involved in this dispute. Apparently Xu Cifu couldn't see Cui Jingrong's rebuttal to Wang Zuo just now, and was ready to take action on him to establish his own

authority.

At this time, don't get involved stupidly, otherwise you will be beaten by a rabbit or a rabbit. Everyone present is an old fox, and they can still see through this point.

However, a second later, they realized that they were still too naive. How could Xu Guangqi miss such a great opportunity?

"What do you think? Oppose or agree?" Xu Guangqi turned his head slightly and glanced at everyone present. The teeth exposed in a smile were shining with a cold light at this moment, giving people a feeling of murderous intent.

As soon as everyone caught Xu Guangqi's gaze, their minds were immediately captured, and they couldn't open their mouths for a while.

"Where is Wang Beige? Didn't you just set up the Grain Bureau together?" Seeing that everyone was silent, Xu Guangqi stepped forward and pressed forward, preparing to defeat them one by one.

"I..." Wang Zuo was so anxious that he didn't know how to refute for a while.

"Start voting now, Wang Zuo, do you agree or disagree?" Suddenly, Xu Guangqi shouted loudly, staring at Wang Zuo with a powerful voice.

Frightened by this, Wang Zuo suddenly shouted, "I agree!"

After he finished speaking, his body softened and he sat motionless on the chair.

"Very good, here's the next one!" Xu Guangqi's eyes moved to Huang Kezuan next to him.

"I...agree!" Huang Kezuan couldn't resist and surrendered.

Then the four-season bachelors, who were already nervous and had no sense of presence, all agreed.

"Very good. Since all members of the cabinet voted in favor, we will issue an official document accordingly and order the governor of Shandong to start the process. Dingsheng will record the meeting process." Turning his head, Xu Guangqi smiled gently and looked at the person next to him who was already frightened.
To be continued...