Huang Li looked at Chongzhen speechlessly, and so nakedly spread out the unsolvable problems faced by the Ming Dynasty, which really made the Ming Shoufu feel a little frightened.

Regarding the harm of land concentration to the dynasty, would the scholars of the Ming Dynasty not be clear? But the scholars and doctors of the Ming Dynasty, except for one Haigang Peak, others can only pretend to be deaf and dumb on this issue.

Even the famous Donglin Party members who satirized the government and commented on the officials, they dared to openly criticize the ruling court and demand that the officials be honest and honest, revitalize the rule of officials, open up their views, eliminate the accumulated shortcomings of the government and the opposition, and pinpoint the current affairs, but they never dared to challenge the problem of land concentration in the hands of high-ranking households.

The more it reached the end of the dynasty, the more the land was concentrated in the hands of the high-ranking families, and the landless peasants who had no food and clothing in various places could only become displaced people, once these displaced people gathered into a group, it was the rhythm of rebellion, and the prologue to the end of the dynasty was officially launched.

In the past, Zhang Jiangling was just cleaning up the hidden fields of the gentry, and it had already been attacked by these gentry and bureaucrats, and with the help of Emperor Wanli, Zhang Jiangling was wiped out after his death.

And Chongzhen is now directly pointing the finger at the gentry and bureaucrats who are swallowing up land everywhere, if this word spreads, it will inevitably be the end of the gentry in the world. It is estimated that Chongzhen's image among the gentry and bureaucrats of the Ming Dynasty is worse than that of the deceased Emperor of the Apocalypse.

Huang Liji's forehead was sweating slightly, and he said with great nervousness: "Your Majesty, please be cautious, the current Ming Dynasty can't afford another civil strife." The current situation of the Ming Dynasty is not as good as that of the early years of Wanli, and the authority of the center is not as good as when Zhang Jiangling ruled the country, and the talent and prestige of the micro ministers are not as good as Zhang Jiangling. What Zhang Jiangling didn't do back then, it's even more unsuitable to do now. ”

Zhu Youzhen first helped Huang Liji to sit down again, and then turned back to his seat, "Sir, don't be so nervous, I am not an indiscriminate person, and I don't plan to move the problem of concentrating land in the hands of high-ranking families."

I just want my husband to know what my problem is. If a person has a heart problem, but the doctor prescribes prescriptions for his hands and feet all day long, does Mr. think this person can live? ”

Huang Liji was silent for a long time, and finally replied vaguely: "If you don't take the medicine, you can't say that you can continue to hold on, if you take the wrong medicine, maybe you will lose your breath immediately, Your Majesty." ”

Zhu Youzhen replied with a smile that did not change: "Then Mr. might as well listen to the prescription I gave Da Ming first, and then decide whether to take this medicine or not." ”

Huang Liji bowed his hand to the emperor and said, "The ministers are listening, please show your majesty." ”

Zhu Youzhen pondered for a moment, then opened his mouth and said: "If you want to solve the current land problem in the Ming Dynasty, the first thing is to prevent the situation from continuing to deteriorate. In other words, these high-ranking families can no longer be allowed to continue to accumulate land in the Ming Dynasty, so that the people of the Ming Dynasty will go bankrupt one by one.

The Cabinet of Ministers should survey the status of land property rights in the provinces and find an average number of households. Nine cents of silver are exempted for acres below the average number of households, but a progressive tax system is adopted for those who exceed the average number of acres for each household, so that the heads of households with more land pay more taxes.

If someone dares to continue to conceal the property, collude with the officials, and evade state taxes, half of the family's property will be confiscated, all preferential treatment from the imperial court will be exempted, and the person concerned will not be allowed to enter the official career within three generations, and the person concerned will be exiled overseas.

Externally, it is necessary to open up new territories, such as those islands in the South Sea, although the climate is hotter, but at least it can support people. Sending the peasants who had lost their land to these new overseas territories. It can not only obtain the wealth of the newly opened territories overseas, but also use it to eliminate the hidden worries of the growing number of displaced people in the country.

In order to do both, the imperial court must have overwhelming force and authority over the local authorities. If the Houjin detour can deter the Gyeonggi officials and troops from daring to attack, and let the Houjin army come and go in the Gyeonggi area, how can the gentry of the world obey the orders of the imperial court? Obediently hand over the money and food in your pocket? ”

Chongzhen is so concerned about him today, even the old and sophisticated Huang Liji can't help but be greatly moved at this time. He sincerely thought about Chongzhen for a long time, and then said solemnly: "Your Majesty's idea may be good, but those people outside may not be able to understand Your Majesty's painstaking efforts."

Your Majesty knew that once this step was taken, the number of gentry officials who now opposed the New Deal would inevitably skyrocket. This is the enemy of the gentry in the same world, if you take a wrong step, it may not be possible that there will be no repetition of the story of Jingjing. ”

After getting along with Huang Liji for two years, Zhu Youzhen was already very satisfied to be able to hear this kind of heartfelt words from the mouth of this sleek bureaucrat.

He nodded at Huang Liji and said, "Sir is right, the road I have to take is really difficult, so the Houjin army that is now blocking me is just a small pass for me. If I can't even pass this pass, what can I talk about saving the Ming Dynasty?

I personally conquered Jizhou, blocked the Houjin army from moving south, and gained some military and people's hearts, so that there was a glimmer of possibility in the future. Otherwise, who will listen to what I say with my bare hands? If you want me to watch this Ming Dynasty rot day by day, it is better to let me fight vigorously with Jiannu. If you win, you can do everything, and if you lose, you can comfort the ancestors, although the descendants are not good, but they have not forgotten the aspirations of the ancestors. ”

The emperor's determination to go on the expedition was so firm that Huang Liji was a little helpless. He has now reached the pinnacle of being a human servant, but he is also the object of envy of everyone. In the process of implementing the new policy, he and the conservative officials in the DPRK and China have almost torn their faces.

With the support and trust of the emperor, the conservative forces in the court are still helpless against him, but once the signs of his disagreement with Chongzhen are revealed, there will be many people who take this opportunity to divide his relationship with Chongzhen. Therefore, Huang Liji was reluctant to let outsiders know any differences of opinion between him and the emperor, and gave some people the opportunity to question him.

What's more, in the Emperor Ming, the power of the imperial power is almost unlimited, as long as the emperor does not care about his reputation, he can always fulfill his will, and the ways in which the courtiers can oppose are almost extremely limited. Whether it is Emperor Jiajing who wants to give his biological father a honorific title, or Emperor Wanli who sends a tax supervisor to the world, as long as the emperor is determined enough, there will always be someone who will act according to the emperor's wishes. Moreover, now Chongzhen has also taken out the righteousness and pressed it on himself.

Huang Liji weighed it for a long time, and finally acquiesced in Chongzhen's decision to recruit himself. He also comforted himself in his heart, even if the emperor personally conquered, he might not go to the battlefield, as long as Chongzhen stayed in Jizhou City and brought some more troops to protect himself, there would be no danger.

After convincing Huang Liji, Zhu Youzhen handed him the edict he had just written, "Shoufu and take a look at this edict, after reading it, I will seal this edict behind the plaque outside the Qianqing Palace." If there is any accident in me, Mr. Xu Shangshu of the Ministry of Officials, Chief Sun of the General Staff Department, and Wang Chengen, the head of the Internal Affairs Office, will announce the edict to the ministers together to implement it. ”

Huang Liji didn't stretch out his hand to pick it up, he said with an extremely ugly face: "Your Majesty, why is this, even if Your Majesty is personally recruiting, there is a large army to protect him, how can there be any accidents?"

His Majesty left an edict, but it is possible that the unscrupulous people will take the opportunity to make trouble and disturb the hearts of the people in the capital. Therefore, the minister did not dare to accept this edict. ”

Zhu Youzhen said with a straight face: "The lion fights the rabbit with all his strength, not to mention the battle between the two armies. Since I have decided to go on a personal expedition, I naturally have to give an account of what happened after my death. If everything is safe on this trip, this edict will only be known to the gentleman, and when he returns, he will be burned. If something really happens, at least let the political situation continue to transition smoothly, and some people must not be allowed to make waves again. ”

Huang Liji was silent for a moment, and finally reached out and slowly took the edict handed over by Chongzhen, he just glanced at the content of the edict, then raised his head and said in surprise: "Your Majesty, how can this make the queen and Tian Guifei pregnant." His Majesty already has it, how can he pass the throne to this person? ”

After handing over the edict, Zhu Youzhen was a little more relaxed, "Since even I can't save the situation, this drudgery of the Ming Emperor doesn't have to give my son a headache."

Besides, with the current situation of the Ming Dynasty, how can you expect a fetus that has not yet been born. When the country is in trouble, he should be a long-term king. King Fu has a deep grudge with Donglin, and the prince must rely on you to come to power, so the new policy can continue to be maintained, and the officials who preside over the new policy can also keep themselves, which can be regarded as the last bit of strength that I have exhausted. ”

"In this way, how should the concubines of the harem and His Majesty's descendants deal with themselves in the future?" At this time, Huang Liji had no choice but to let go, and asked Chongzhen bluntly.

Zhu Youzhen replied calmly: "If there is really such a day, after the dust settles, let a few concubines go out of the palace and go south, and my descendants will not accept any titles, just let them learn to live as ordinary people." ”

Huang Liji didn't know how he ended this conversation, and he didn't know how he got out of the Qianqing Palace, he still had all kinds of calculations in his heart when he came, but when he left, he felt empty in his heart. Only the tingling sensation in his clenched hands let him know that it wasn't a nightmare.

Huang Liji spread out his left hand and glanced at it. A delicate key lay quietly in the palm of his hand. The edict he had read had been put into the brocade box in front of him, and the key to the padlock on the brocade box was handed over to him by Chongzhen. Huang Liji stood in front of the palace gate and thought for a long time before hiding the key in his hand against his chest, and then walked quickly towards the Wenhua Palace.

At this time, he could only put down all his calculations and cooperate wholeheartedly with the General Staff so that Chongzhen could return safely. As for King Fu or something, he didn't even want to think about it. This vassal king was known for his miserliness and greed in the fief, coupled with the irresolvable contradictions between him and the Donglin party, it was not as easy to assist the prince of King Fu as to inherit the unification. This edict, he will not let it come out under any circumstances.