Domineering Daming

But all of this is in the hands of the foreign ministers, and he doesn't know the inside story at all. I'm afraid it's the same as last time, and most of them are in the pockets of these ministers themselves.

The more Zhu Youxiao thought about it, the more angry he became, but he still held back and said, "Sir, then tell me, how much money is needed to fill the gap?"

Ye Xianggao calculated silently, and said, "Your Majesty, if you want to maintain the current situation, you need at least 500 million taels per year."

Zhu Youxiao's face darkened, and he said, "That is to say, the tax will still be increased?"

Zhu Youxiao's voice fell, but Ye Xianggao stopped talking. Since the three major levies in Wanli, the people's taxes have been getting heavier every day, but the tax money collected is getting less and less. The people themselves are living in a dilemma. Among them, if the tax is increased, I am afraid that civil uprisings across the country will come one after another, and it will be difficult to control.

Ye Xianggao was silent for a long time, then raised his hand and said, "Your Majesty, I think that in addition to increasing revenue, you can also save money. Like Jiangnan weaving, mines in various places can be abolished, and the remaining silver can be put to great use."

"Where is it useful?" Zhu Youxiao's face was so gloomy that it was about to drip water, with great hatred in his heart.

These ministers forced him to do this and that all day long, but in the end, did Daming have something good?Now these people not only pay attention to his internal money, but also forcibly abolish the Jiangnan weaving that serves the royal family, and the mine that supplies silver to the royal family. Will he, the emperor, become a seller for the national treasury after a while?

Suddenly, a little eunuch outside the door turned around and came in to report to Zhu Youxiao: "Report to the emperor, eunuch Wei asks to see you."

Zhu Youxiao's heart was full of anger at the moment, he waved his hand and said, "Let him in!"

Ye Xianggao stood there, frowning, his fat and old face remained unchanged, he looked like a good old man.But he was very disgusted in his heart. It was because of Wei Zhongxian that he wanted to resign over and over again.

"Your Majesty, this servant has come to plead guilty."

As soon as Wei Zhongxian came in, he knelt down with a plop, his voice full of fear and grievance.

Zhu Youxiao looked unhappy and glanced at a servant.

The little eunuch quickly took the notebook and handed it to Zhu Youxiao.

When Zhu Youxiao took it over, he felt a headache when he saw that it was for Chen Liangxun in the incident. These people's notebooks have never been good.

When he opened it, his expression was suddenly gloomy, and he threw the booklet to Ye Xianggao, angrily said: "Shoufu, this is the person you recommended, look at what he wrote!"

Ye Xianggao was startled, picked it up without moving his face, and flipped through it. When he saw the words "power eunuchs will harm the country, the fate of the country will come to an end", his eyes moved slightly, but he still bowed to Zhu Youxiao and said: "Back to the emperor, Mr. Chen's words are sincere, and the key point is in the sentence. I don't know why the emperor is angry?"

Snapped!

Zhu Youxiao slapped the imperial table fiercely, and roared angrily: "You are the chief assistant, don't you understand what I am angry about? A eunuch can bring disaster to the country, am I that senseless and stupid king? I am the one who only listens to the villain A Dou from Zhiyan? Isn’t he just a servant? How capable is he? The fate of the country is coming to an end, so what use are you ministers?”

Ye Xianggao endured Zhu Youxiao's anger, and he was neither humble nor overbearing, without any fear. After Zhu Youxiao finished speaking, he slowly said: "Your Majesty, Liang Xun is loyal and upright, and his temperament is outspoken. If there are inappropriate words, That is also an admonition for the imperial court, prosecuting the emperor's fault, and please don't be angry with the emperor, because the words are useless and block the way of speech."

Zhu Youxiao's eyes were wide open, his chest seemed to be about to explode, and he stared at Ye Xianggao: "Is this a statement of loyalty? Is this an admonition for the country? It is clearly a false statement to confuse the public and coerce my will! A little bit of the duty of a courtier, the manners of a gentleman!"

Ye Xianggao knew that Zhu Youxiao was really angry, he was silent for a while, and said: "Your Majesty, the good training was recommended by the old minister. As far as I know, he is a fair and fearless person. If there is any fault, it is also the responsibility of the old minister." , I hope the emperor will forgive me."

"you……"

Zhu Youxiao heard that the first assistant was taking the responsibility, and he felt great hatred, his teeth were gnashing, his face was livid, and his chest heaved violently, walking around inside the imperial table.

Wei Zhongxian knelt on the ground, his expression did not fluctuate, but his eyes flickered with excitement.

Zhu Youxiao was so angry that his heart was going to explode. After hating for a while, he forced himself to calm down. He looked at Ye Xianggao with cold eyes and said, "Chen Liangxun's words are rude, he humiliated the king, he was fined for half a year, and he closed the door and meditated on himself." Pass!"

Ye Xianggao felt relieved, he was finally saved, and bowed and said: "Thank you for your forgiveness, the old minister will retire."

As soon as Ye Xianggao went out, Zhu Youxiao kicked the imperial table, and immediately screamed in pain, but still unwilling, he pushed everything on the imperial table to the ground.

Zhezi, the carpenter respectfully, sawdust scattered all over the floor.

He sat on the dragon chair, angrily yelling at a group of servants: "Look, look, this is the real Chief Assistant, and this is my right-hand man, what else can he do except embarrass me!"

Chapter 130

Apart from Zhu Youxiao, there are servants and Wei Zhongxian in the imperial study room.

Wei Zhongxian knelt down silently, and the other servants were also silent, all tightening their necks, wishing they were all transparent.

After a long while, Wei Zhongxian felt that Zhu Youxiao had recovered, so he raised his head and said comfortingly: "Your Majesty, from now on, the slaves will keep these papers so that you won't be angry. The slaves of the tax supervisor will also send special personnel to review them, at least every year. Add 50 domestic funds for you."

Zhu Youxiao leaned on the dragon chair, looked at Wei Zhongxian, his expression was not much better, and said with a cold snort, "Come see me when you do what you say!"

Wei Zhongxian was overjoyed, it was equivalent to having an imperial decree, but he said with trepidation on his face: "Don't worry, your majesty, this servant will not let you down!"

Zhu Youxiao was still extremely annoyed, he waved his hand and said, "Get out!"

Wei Zhongxian quickly knelt down again and said, "Your maidservant will leave." After saying that, he stood up and retreated.

As soon as Wei Zhongxian left, Zhu Youxiao frowned, lifted one leg onto the dragon chair, and said to the attendant, "Hurry up and declare the imperial doctor, my leg hurts again!"

"It's the emperor." A valet hurried out of the imperial study room and went straight to the imperial hospital.

Zhu Youxiao rolled up his trousers, and the white cloth covering the wound was alternately black and red, seeping out.

He frowned, and his face twitched from time to time.

Not long after, the imperial doctor arrived, carefully cleaned Zhu Youxiao's wound, and changed a new gauze, then said: "Your Majesty, I have already cleaned up your wound, and most of the toxins have been cleaned up. As long as your majesty is more careful in the future, It should be back to normal before the end of the year."

Zhu Youxiao nodded slightly, still thinking about what Ye Xianggao contradicted before, his chest felt like a heavy stone was pressed, and he felt a dull pain.After wrapping it up, he got up and said with a blank expression: "Send Xian'an Palace."

The servants immediately knew what the emperor was going to do and hurried to make arrangements.

As soon as Zhu Xu returned to the palace, such wonderful news from the Imperial Study Room naturally reached his ears.

It stands to reason that he should be very amused by this scene, but in fact he shook his head helplessly.The court in the late Ming Dynasty was so strange, the courtiers took pride in contradicting the emperor, so not only would nothing happen, but it would become a powerful ladder for promotion.

Therefore, the imperial staff will either be beaten to death or maimed, or most of them will gain both fame and fortune.

At the dinner table, Zhu Xu and Yao Qingqing were sitting opposite each other, with Cao Huachun standing behind him. After listening to his words, Zhu Xu said while serving food, "By the way, what's wrong with Brother Huang? Did you find out?"

Cao Huachun hesitated for a moment, then said: "Your Highness, the imperial hospital is tight-lipped, but an apprentice dispensing medicine accidentally said that the emperor seems to have been poisoned by a snake."

"Snake venom?" Zhu Xu was surprised, but immediately felt relieved.Since it was not fatal immediately, and there was not much movement in the palace, it was obviously not fatal.

Yao Qingqing sat opposite Zhu Xu, hesitant to speak.

Zhu Xu pretended not to see it, and ate happily.

The weather at the end of September was still hot and dry. After Zhu Xu finished eating, he turned and went into the study.There are ice cubes here, which can be cooler. He sat on the chair, thinking while flipping through the book.

Not only did Chen Liangxun fail to write the letter this time, but he succeeded in angering Zhu Youxiao in front of Wei Zhongxian and Ye Xianggao.According to the temperament of these officials, not only will this matter not stop, but even more violent attacks are brewing.

Thinking about it, Zhu Xu couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth, and whispered to himself with a strange smile: "Wei Zhongxian, Wei Zhongxian, will you kill the Donglin Party as if you were in history..."

Yao Qingqing packed up the dishes, quietly walked into Zhu Xu's study room, stood at the door, looked at Zhu Xu with a somewhat "twitchy" expression.

Zhu Xu touched his lips with his finger, as if he didn't see her, he quietly flipped through the book.

Yao Qingqing hesitated for a moment, then walked in and said softly, "Your Highness..."