Chapter 80                                                             �

No matter how many thoughts Zhou Mengchen had in his heart, he could only stand up and bow and say, "I thank you for your kindness."

Jiajing smiled and said, "The Ming Dynasty needs a minister like you. And today's difficulties are only you who can reassure me. Last year, the drought was empty, and the Ministry of Revenue actually asked me for money. It's simply outrageous that you were in Datong, not only did nothing happen, but you could attract refugees and appease the people. You almost built a new county town in Shuozhou and Huairen. It turned out that Renzhu lived in a year, a family of people in two years, and a city of three years. The ancients did not deceive me."

After hearing this, Zhou Mengchen bowed again and said, "Your Majesty is so important. I am just leveraging Your Majesty's power to nourish the people. The people admire Your Majesty's virtues, and I only have one or two strengths in it."

It is a gathering in one year, a city in two years, and a city in three years. It is not the origin of the name Chengdu. It is said that it is the allusion of King Tai of Zhou moving to Qi. Who is the King of Zhou? He is the ancestor of the Zhou royal family. Why did Zhou Mengchen deserve it? This is not a comparison that a minister can use.

Jiajing seemed to be speechless, but in fact it might not be without the intention of striking. He said, "Why do you have to be humble? I can trust you. You are my sword. Where can you solve the problems in the world? You can use you to solve them easily. Today I also have difficulties. Please help me solve my doubts."

Zhou Mengchen's status in front of Jiajing was completely different. At this moment, Jiajing's attitude towards Zhou Mengchen was first to win over and beat him up, and no longer regarded Zhou Mengchen as his old favorite. Instead, he regarded him as an important minister in the court and one of the pillars.

The more Jiajing emphasized the relationship between Zhou Mengchen and him, the more he showed this.

Nothing else, as a favorite minister, Jiajing can call him and sway him. Even if he kills him, he will not cause any trouble. For example, when Tao Zhongwen and Shao Yuanjie were in full swing, they could be called the wind and rain, and even Yan Song had to give him some face. But when he died, no, when he became an immortal, he did not cause any trouble.

Perhaps many foolish men and women really thought that they had become immortals. But for the important officials in the court, no one was like a mirror. But no one said a word. Even Zhang Si Tianshi was implicated, and he was still applying to the court for succession as the Tianshi year after year. He knew it was impossible. But he was afraid that if he didn't do this, the court would forget the Zhang family over and over time.

The important minister is that even if Jiajing wants to get rid of it, he must think carefully. For example, killing Xia Yan is easy, but it is difficult to eliminate influence. This is the case with Zhou Mengchen. Even if Zhou Mengchen contradicts Jiajing again, Jiajing must think twice before acting.

Although the important officials were lower than Jiajing, they were more inclined to collaborators. Although some relationships between the emperor and the ministers were still there, they gradually faded.

Zhou Mengchen said, "Your Majesty, please speak."

Jiajing said: "The south and the north are drought. There are so many places in the world where the military is used. The military expenditure is vast and the disaster relief needs are endless. I want you to go to the Ministry of Revenue and help the Minister of Revenue Fang Du with his arm. It also solved my troubles. How about it?"

Jiajing needed more than just a minister of the Ministry of Revenue. After all, if he wanted Zhou Mengchen to be the minister of the Ministry of Revenue, he would just say one thing. What he wanted was Zhou Mengchen to work hard in the position of Minister of Revenue, just like he was in the position of governor of Datong, and with the pressure from the upper and lower levels, he would tidy up the finances of the Ministry of Revenue.

It is best to make things happen out of nothing and get him money so that he can not be so worried.

We need to have a good talk with Zhou Mengchen in advance.

Zhou Mengchen felt a thud in his heart and said to himself: "Whatever you are afraid of is coming." He doesn't want to be the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. It's not that he doesn't want to change. It's that the Ming Dynasty is not suitable for change at all. Although Wang Anshi's reform failed, some of Wang Anshi's ideas are still correct. If the upper class of the court cannot maintain consistency, the reform is simply a joke. So as soon as Wang Anshi came to power, he had to use the method of extermination and punishment to release many opposing ministers. Now the situation in the Ming Dynasty is worse than that of Wang Anshi.

Wang Anshi is a big shot after all. He has the absolute trust of the emperor. He has been in a position to support himself for twenty years and has his own team.

But what does Zhou Mengchen have?

Wang Menqi studies have already declined. Although some teams have been cultivated in the main gate, they are all young. If you don’t say anything else, just talk about one thing, how many Jinshi are there in Qi studies? After all, in government affairs, they are not Jinshi and they don’t even have the right to speak.

The upper level is divided into two parts, Yan Song and Xu Jie, who really supports the reform?

Yan Song seemed to support him, but Zhou Mengchen estimated that Yan Song was waiting for Zhou Mengchen to do everything well and offend people almost. Then pick peaches, they would not object at first. Xu Jie was even more so. Xu Jie's political philosophy was quite conservative. Perhaps, the political philosophy of the mind learning has always been quite conservative. The political philosophy of the mind learning is more based on the hearts of the people. If the heart is upright, then the political affairs are upright. The current situation in the Ming Dynasty is more about the beginning of the heart. Or the gentleman is in the court.

Yes, the Donglin Party’s main dynasty may not be an extension and development of this idea.

Therefore, if Zhou Mengchen did it drastically, Xu Jie would also disagree.

Don’t look at Jiajing so easy to talk about now. But Zhou Mengchen knew very well. What Jiajing wanted was money, money, and money.

Say it importantly three times.

It is not a reform of the fiscal system, not a reform of the fiscal distribution, not a easier tax system.

In a word, what Jiajing wants is a minister who is detained and not a minister who reforms. What Jiajing hopes is to fill the treasury at all costs. As for the means, as long as no major problems are caused, Jiajing can be regarded as invisible.

In fact, it is precisely because of Jiajing above that Yan Song below.

Jiajing only cared about himself and had no principles in many things, so Yan Song was the same dynasty.

Of course, Jiajing may not be unaware of some things about Yan Song. He just thinks that no one else is useful. There is nothing else. The real problems of the Ming Dynasty need to be solved. The court needs money, Jiajing needs money to do experiments and enjoy it. The court needs money to operate. However, other officials cannot get a lot of money through legitimate channels.

Even Xu Jie couldn't do it.

It is true that Xu Jie's governance ability is better than Yan Song. But the problem is that although Xu Jie is talented, he does not meet the standards of Jiajing.

What does Jiajing want? If you don’t make a big move, you will make money. It’s best if there is nothing in the government, the financial problem will be solved. But how is it possible? The financial problem is a disease in the fetal womb of the Ming Dynasty. If you want to solve this problem, you can’t do it if you make a big move.

Not to mention Xu Jie, he couldn't do anything like this even if he let Zhang Juzheng be here.

It’s time to see how Zhang Juzheng implemented the test method and the one-whip method, he would know the ups and downs.

Jiajing seemed to think he had a better choice now, that is Zhou Mengchen.

But Zhou Mengchen didn't know what would happen if his actions in the Ministry of Revenue exceeded everyone's expectations. Zhou Mengchen could do whatever he wanted in Datong, but he couldn't. Moreover, Zhou Mengchen was not the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. But he was the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue?

How can this make people do things?

Of course, Zhou Mengchen also knew that his qualifications were too shallow. The Minister of Revenue, who was around 30 years old, might not be a little too shocking. But the power and the great things he had. The bargaining chips and power that Zhou Mengchen and Jiajing gave him were not enough to make him fight in the Ministry of Revenue.

The time has not come.

However, when Jiajing said this, Zhou Mengchen wanted to refuse, he had to be careful. Otherwise, a bad thing would really anger Jiajing, and the consequences would be unimaginable.

Zhou Mengchen thought in his heart and bowed, saying, "Thank you for your kindness. I just think that the reason why the Ming Dynasty treasury is empty is not in the Ministry of Revenue, but in the local area. I know that Shangshu Fang has been a veteran in money and grain for many years, and I can think of it. He can also think of it. Even if I go to the Ministry of Revenue, I can't help much. If I want to find the root of the Ming Dynasty's finances, I must know why the court is so short of money."

Jiajing was a little unhappy when he heard this. He thought to himself: "Will I learn from those censors this year? Is it not that I am not good at all?"
Chapter completed!