Changle Palace.

Since the sixth year of Yonglong, Zhang Ye has moved here, which is not far from Renshou Palace, and it is more spacious and quiet, and it is also farther away from Yangxin Palace and Qianqing Palace.

I don't know what the reason is, after turning the New Year, Zhang Ye felt that his body bones were not very good, and he kept coughing after catching a cold, and he didn't get better until February, but then he had hot flashes and sweats, and his appetite was not good, which made him feel more and more the impact of his age on him.

I think that I was also a heroic man with a gun on the horse and a sword, why do you have to weigh a few more steps now?

"Gu Cheng, you can accompany me for a walk."

Seeing that Gu Cheng's eyes were still calm, Zhang Ye's heart was much more steady, as long as Gu Cheng was there, he would not become deaf and blind, and everything would still be under control.

The two of them slowly walked out of the door, and the spring outside the window was bright and the breeze was slow, attracting bursts of Lin Tao.

"Lin Hai is sick, the fourth child came to me a few days ago and became more and more diligent, hmph, he is eyeing my little private money, doesn't it mean that the strategy of opening the sea can bring a lot of income to the imperial court?" Zhang Ye's eyes were blurred, as if he was looking into the distance, and as if he was thinking about something.

"Back to the emperor, the opening of the sea is very big, but so far I have not seen the cash, the emperor allowed the Zhongshu Department to be responsible for the affairs of the opening of the sea, but the Ministry of Household and the Ministry of Industry and the Zhongshu Department are also arguing, to see if Yangzhou can be implemented, but they slashed the salt merchant It is estimated that there should be some gains, but now Chai Ke is in the household department for three days and scolds at both ends, Feng Tang and Chen Jingxuan are unwilling to take office, the emperor may be really anxious."

"Chai Ke is so faceless? Hasn't he always boasted of his image? Zhang Ye smiled dumbly, put down his hands from behind his back, bowed slightly, and pointed to explore the flowers, as if he was feeling the vitality of the spring of Yonglong's eighth year, "Or start from the salt merchant, is this killing chickens and eggs, or drinking water to quench thirst?" ”

"That's also urgent, Feng Tang and Chen Jingxuan are unwilling to take office, this household owes more than one million dollars of silver everywhere, and Zheng Jizhi promised Li Sancai's river work to be repaired, it is said that it will cost 800,000 taels, it is estimated that even Chai Ke is worried about whether the Jiangnan side can really get the silver as Feng Keng said." Gu Cheng pondered for a moment, but he didn't have a good answer to the last question of the Emperor Taishang.

"Well, if the three salt merchants' courts are ruthless, I am afraid that they can also harvest two or three million, but this will inevitably chill the hearts of the salt merchants, if there is no explanation, I am afraid that the salt merchants' silver will not be easy to take in the future." The corners of Zhang Ye's mouth were a little more disdainful, "This Zheng Jizhi and Guan Yingzhen are also jumping off the wall in a hurry, and the fourth child and Ye Xianggao are also pretending to be deaf and dumb, what benefits did Fang Congzhe get?" ”

This topic is even more difficult to answer, but seeing Zhang Ye twisting the petals and his body slightly sideways, he knew that this topic could not be avoided, so he thought about it for a while before Gu Cheng said: "It is said that the previously determined Kaihai bonds were originally contracted by the salt merchants, but then they were voluntary, and the matter of the silver village was also voluntary, but because of the support of several princes in Beijing, it still had some impact on the Jiangnan side,......"

"Oh? Old Nine? Zhang Ye's eyes froze.

"Well, it is said that the prince of Zhongshun first invested 80,000 taels in Yinzhuang, and later increased 70,000 taels, with a total capital contribution of 150,000 taels, which is the largest shareholder of Yinzhuang, and several other princes also contributed, and several princes contributed a total of about 500,000 taels,......"

Gu Chen's words made Zhang Ye fall into silence, and after a long time, Zhang Ye said faintly: "Lao Jiu is such a demon, and he is not afraid of Lao Jiu's heart?" ”

Gu Cheng hesitated for a moment, as if he hadn't been able to understand the meaning of the Emperor's words, and before he could speak, the Emperor shook his head sadly.

"I think badly, how can the fourth accountant care more about this now, he is afraid that Lao Jiu can take the lead in helping him shout, hum, these people cry and shout poor, scolding and asking for money in the ancestral hall during the Chinese New Year every year, and poking my backbone in the back, but he can take out hundreds of thousands of taels of silver casually, which makes me feel cold."

Gu Cheng was silent.

In the 35th year of Yuanxi, Emperor Yuanxi went south to Jiangnan for the last time, which cost a huge amount of money, which caused criticism and criticism from the ministers and people in the court, thinking that this time the south went south to Jiangnan and spent extravagantly, but the household department was overstretched everywhere, and the nine-border border army owed countless salaries, causing small-scale mutinies.

At that time, it was the battle of the Nine Divisions outside the Guan, and the Ministry of War ordered Liaodong Town to send troops to intervene to prevent the Jurchen forces in Jianzhou from growing, but Li Chengliang refused to intervene in this battle on the grounds that Liaodong Town was short of food and low morale, which directly led to the defeat of the Nine Divisions.

The final result was that the Jianzhou Jurchens took the opportunity to rise, and eight years later, they defeated and annexed the former Haixi Jurchen overlord, the Hada Division, which directly led to the Haixi Jurchens no longer being able to compete with the Jianzhou Jurchens, and the entire situation outside the Guanxi began to get out of control.

As if realizing something, Zhang Ye smiled self-deprecatingly, "I know that the incident of going down to Jiangnan has caused a lot of infamy, I'm afraid that even Gu Cheng is a little dissatisfied in your heart, right?" But as the king of a country, can't I go to the place I like? I went to Jiangnan that time, and I had no chance, I know very well, as for how much money the court really spent, I know in my heart, some people always want to put the responsibility on my head, I don't care, but if I want to take the opportunity to do that dangerous national move, I can't allow it. ”

Gu Cheng was a little puzzled, what's wrong with the Emperor today, and he has become so talkative?

"Gu Cheng, I'm a little nagging today, people are getting older, it seems to be inevitable." Zhang Ye's pace became slower and slower, "What kind of turmoil is there when Lin Ruhai dies?" ”

Gu Cheng was stunned, and carefully weighed it before saying: "As far as the minister knows, although Lin Ruhai is seriously ill, according to Lang Zhong, it should have been able to support a month or two, but he suddenly died of serious illness within a few days, and there are still some suspicions, and his son-in-law Feng Keng is a little suspicious, it is reported that he has taken over Lin Ruhai's original staff, and is investigating, they suspect that there should be people from the rivers and lakes involved,......

"Oh? Is there a basis for this? Or is there a point? Zhang Ye stood still.

Gu Cheng also stopped, "Lin Ruhai should have been arranged before, so his staff have all been under his son-in-law Feng Keng, Feng Keng is a fine and low-key person, and those staff members were originally quite loyal to Lin Ruhai, so the ministers didn't know more, but ......"

"But what?" Zhang Ye asked.

"After transporting salt to Tao Guolu, he was very active, as far as the minister knows, after he took over the two Huai to transfer salt to the Yamen, he has issued several salt ,......."

Zhang Ye's eyes froze.

It doesn't matter who the salt citations are signed to, and it is difficult to find out what the reason for these salt citations is signed out in a short period of time, and it may even go astray.

But Lin Ruhai is his own person, at least on the surface, he is his own person, even if this person is already a little absent in the final stage, but the impression to the outside world is still his own person, if the cause of death is really suspicious, then all the focus will converge on himself.

And Tao Guolu is so arrogant, this is a provocation to himself.

But the salt envoy is no longer able to intervene by himself, the original default is that the salt patrol imperial history is arranged by himself, but the salt envoy has never considered it, but at this time, there is no suitable candidate for the salt patrol imperial history, so that the people behind Tao Guolu will benefit.

"Gu Cheng, do you say it's the fourth or the boss?" Zhang Ye naturally knew that Tao Guolu's connections were complicated, and he had a close relationship with Prince Yizhong, but at this time, he always felt that it was not so simple.

"I don't know." Gu Cheng bowed his head.

"I don't know? Do you not know, or do you dare not say? Zhang Ye said indifferently.

"Emperor, the matter has passed, not to mention that Lin Ruhai himself is indeed terminally ill, why ......" Gu Cheng persuaded.

"Gu Cheng, then do you think this matter can be over like this? If it was really that simple, then how could Feng Keng ignore the investigation? Zhang Ye said coldly: "Lin Ruhai's daughter Xu gave Feng Tang's son, Feng Tang is about to leave and immediately become the governor of Jiliao, Chen Jingxuan is transferred to the governor of the three sides, the fourth is powerful,......"

Gu Cheng realized, but he always felt that there was something left behind, and he couldn't figure it out.

"Imperial Lord, do you mean that Feng Tang will feel that this is aimed at him?"

"Regardless of whether Feng Tang thinks so or not, but his son has just been engaged to Lin Ruhai's daughter, and it is Qi Yongtai who is the enemy, this is a fact, if Lin Ruhai's death is suspicious, then who is the most suspicious?" Zhang Ye's eyes were a little sharper, "I'm afraid that the boss will be used by others without knowing it." ”

"Emperor, even if Feng Tang has some suspicions, he is about to go to Liaodong ,......" Gu Cheng's meaning is also very simple, even if Feng Tang suspects that Prince Yizhong did it, it will not have much impact, after all, this trip to Liaodong is thousands of miles away, and the pressure of Jianzhou Jurchen alone is enough for Feng Tang to have no time to estimate others.

"Why don't you talk to Prince Yizhong, Prince Yizhong has been here for a while,......"

Zhang Ye shook his head, although Gu Cheng was his confidant, he had always only been in the circle of the Long Forbidden Captain, and he couldn't see that far, the fourth child might drag on because of the situation, but what if he realized that the boss was going to be lonely and take a risk?

Tell the boss that he will believe it? Besides, talking to him yourself may only backfire.

It's just that even if you can see and want some things, others may not be able to think or believe them, and if you believe them, they may not pay attention to them.

Sometimes Zhang Ye himself feels tired, his two sons are so uneasy, and there is one who adds fuel to the fire.

Maybe this is destiny, even if it is yourself, you can't stop something from slowly sliding towards the track you don't want to see, and you don't even know how to stop it.