The Ming Dynasty started with caution

Cabinet, duty room.

Yan Chengjin held the document from the Ministry of Personnel and read through every line carefully.

The list of the first batch of officials to be assessed after the administration of officials was sent to the cabinet.

After Li Dongyang, Liu Jian and other five people reviewed it, they had no objection. They wrote a draft on a two-finger-sized piece of paper and prepared to send it to Fengtian Hall for red-stamping.

"Zhang Cai is actually in collusion with Yan Chengjin. This official really didn't expect it."

Han Fu looked at the list of officials and thought about it.

Just mentioned in the court yesterday, the assessment of the Ministry of Personnel came today. It seems that Zhang Cai is really determined to have an affair with Yan Chengjin.

Beijing, Shunyi County.

Song Zhen walked back to his mansion from the government hall, a small courtyard with two entrances and two exits.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, he heard scolding from a long distance, and even the household items were thrown out.

However, Song Zhen stroked his beard and asked, "What are you arguing about today?"

He has two wives and concubines, living in the courtyard seems very lively, and they quarrel to death every day.

The little man had a worried face: "Master, did you visit the second wife last night and buy her a wooden hairpin?"

Song Zhen asked in confusion: "The second wife is my wife, why can't I visit her?"

It's not that I can't, but I have to treat her equally. If the first wife knows about this, will she let it go?

Song Zhen sighed. A day of marriage is a hundred days of grace. The first wife has suffered a lot with him. Now that she has a salary increase and lives a good life, how can she be a heartless man.

Just as he was about to bypass the main hall to go to the study, he saw the county magistrate holding a document and hurriedly ran in: "Sir, you have been selected!"

Song Zhen knew what it was.

Yesterday, the Ministry of Personnel issued a document that all Beijing officials would be evaluated irregularly in the future, and he was actually selected.

The county magistrate had a worried face: "It must be that we paid too little taxes and were targeted by the Ministry of Personnel. What should we do?"

Fangshan is the poorest county in Shuntian Prefecture. Now the people are gradually getting rid of poverty.

Shunyi has become the poorest county in the capital.

There is no war in the Nine Frontiers for the time being. Military households and merchants do not go to Xuanfu in the north, and business is not easy.

"I am not corrupt." Song Zhen thought for a while and said, "It's good that he comes. My memorial cannot enter the cabinet, so it's just right for the Ministry of Personnel to take a look."

The county magistrate sighed: "County magistrate, you should think about how to fill the stomachs of the people."

Song Zhen sighed when he mentioned this.

At this time, on the road to the capital.

Yan Chengjin came to Shunyi for an inspection. Shunyi is about fifty miles northeast of the capital. It is a poor county for raising horses.

The low thatched houses and streets are like the good villages at the beginning.

The people are selling many straw products, such as straw hats, straw shoes, straw mats and straw raincoats, etc., which are not worth a few copper coins.

Zheng Qian said: "I heard that the people here are very hungry, so they eat grass roots. The wages are three cents a day, which is more than half lower than that in the capital."

Zhang Cai chose this place for assessment, probably to see where the silver went.

Yan Chengjin understood his intention. Zhu Houzhao lifted the carriage curtain and looked at him: "Lao Gao, what are we doing here?"

"Your Highness wants to establish a reputation for virtue, so you need to come here."

Zhu Houzhao didn't believe it: "Father and the other officials knew that I was so far away from Beijing, and they would definitely scold me for being stupid and confused."

"The new emperor was also scolded for being stupid in the palace, why not give it a try?"

"Hehe, you always have a point."

The carriage went north all the way, attracting the attention of many people. Shunyi County hadn't seen so many carriages for a long time, with five double-horse carriages.

The streets were bumpy, and even though the wheels were covered with rubber pads, Yan Chengjin was also shaken and sore.

Zhu Houzhao got off the carriage, "But how can I let father know that I am wise?"

"The new emperor still remembers the bet with the emperor? If Shunyi County can be prosperous, the credit belongs to the new emperor."

If Zhu Houzhao wants the old ministers to surrender and sit firmly on the throne, he needs to show his political achievements.

Although the emperor is still in charge of the world, the public will think that the achievements made by Zhu Houzhao in person belong to him.

Yan Chengjin went straight to the Shunyi County government office.

At this moment, the police officer stood listlessly in front of the injustice drum. When he saw Yan Chengjin and his party coming over, he moved slightly: "Do you want to report a case?"

Zheng Qian said: "My master wants to see the sitting official."

When the police officer heard the words "my master", he stood up straight and ran into the government office to report.

Not long after, Song Zhen strode out and bowed slightly to Yan Chengjin: "I am the Shunyi County Magistrate, who are you two?"

Yan Chengjin bowed and said: "I am Zhang Xian, the magistrate of Fangshan County."

Zhu Houzhao also bowed in a formal manner: "I am Yan Chengjin of the Censorate."

Damn, you pretended to be me, and you pretended to be me in front of me.

Yan Chengjin turned his head: "Xiao Zhu Xiucai, you are too good."

"You are the only one in the world who can bear my talent. I am also forced to do it."

Yan Chengjin didn't want to pay attention to him, "I came here today to discuss a business with Lord Song."

Song Zhen's expression was condensed. There was a rule in the court that officials could not engage in business.

"How can an official do business? Lord Zhang, please go back."

Yan Chengjin said: "This business can be done for a thousand years, and it is a sure profit. It can make everyone in Shunyi Prefecture rich."

The summer tax paid by Shunyi County every year is only one thousand taels of silver.

In many years, bundles of grass are used to offset taxes, like the most useless son in the prefectures and counties under Shuntian Prefecture.

Song Zhen said in a deep voice: "What?"

"Shunyi County is adjacent to Jizhou, and there are grasslands everywhere, which can allow people to raise dairy cows. I, Zhang Xian, once again promise that no matter how much, Liangxiang Chamber of Commerce will collect it." Yan Chengjin said.

Song Zhen knew that Fangshan and Liangxiang relied on Liangxiang Chamber of Commerce to rise.

Zhang Xian was the county magistrate of Fangshan and Liangxiang.

Nowadays, except for the main city of Beijing, the taxes in all parts of the capital are not as good as those in Liangxiang.

Song Zhen hesitated: "But I don't have the imperial court's order, how dare I use the grassland to raise black and white divine cattle privately?"

The grassland belongs to the imperial court and is specially used to raise war horses in the nine borders.

Not to mention using the grassland to raise dairy cows, even if the grassland degrades, he will be held accountable.

If war horses can be sold, Shunyi Prefecture will not be so poor, but war horses are military supplies, and it is strictly forbidden for the people to trade privately.

Zhu Houzhao said happily: "With this official here, you can raise them boldly. If anyone dares to ask for punishment, you can ask him to come to the Censorate to find me."

This guy is indeed an actor, and Yan Chengjin even suspects that he is fake.

Song Zhen took a deep breath, "Shunyi grassland needs to raise Liaodong war horses, and this subordinate dare not."

Zhu Houzhao glanced at the eunuchs beside him, and Gu Dayong immediately understood.

...

Fengtian Hall,

Han Wen handed the assessment list of the Ministry of Personnel to Xiao Jing.

The retired emperor Hongzhi flipped through the documents and took a look. After a moment, he closed the memorial. "Only Song Zhen was rated as low?"

"Shunyi County is in the northeast of the capital, with a vast territory and more people than Changping Prefecture. Taxes have not been collected for years. Your Majesty, please look at the accounts of the Ministry of Revenue." Han Wen said.

The more labor service, the more taxes can be collected.

Although Song Zhen did not embezzle or engage in private gains, his talent was not enough to be an official.

The retired emperor Hongzhi opened the accounts of the Ministry of Revenue. Shunyi County has gradually defaulted on taxes since the 18th year of Hongzhi.

Xiao Jing said cautiously: "Just now, the new emperor and Lord Yan went to Shunyi, pretending to be Zhang Xian and Yan Chengjin, and wanted to use the court's pasture to raise a thousand black and white sacred cows. Song Zhen must have been forced to do so."

The retired emperor Hongzhi's face gradually turned cold. The new emperor ran out of the palace and threatened local officials?

Han Wen had heard of this cow and worriedly said, "The black and white divine cows can eat more grass than war horses."

In the capital, there is only one grassland in Jizhou, which supplies war horses in Xuanfu and Liaodong.

"What are they raising black and white divine cows for?"

"Reporting to the emperor, it is said that it is to increase taxes for Shunyi County."

A thousand black and white divine cows will definitely cause the grassland in Shunyi to degenerate and the number of horses to drop sharply.

Liu Jian said, "Han people don't like to drink milk, but tea. Now merchants all over the world need horses to transport goods. Why not take back the grassland?"

The emperor Hongzhi looked at Xiao Jing and said, "Call the new emperor and Yan Chengjin."