"Lao San, tell me what's going on?"

In a study room in the west wing of the Zhang family mansion in Jiangling, Zhang Juzheng, who was dressed in mourning clothes, angrily threw a stack of documents on a middle-aged man in his forties who was also dressed in mourning clothes.

"Brother, this...this was all during my father's time...what can I do for you?"

After picking up the pile of documents that fell on the ground, the middle-aged man whom Zhang Juzheng called "Lao San" couldn't help but put on a helpless expression.

"Father, why do you want so much land? Are you trying to trap your son in disloyalty?"

Seeing the helpless expression on his brother's face, Zhang Juzheng could not understand that this was another good thing done by his father, whom he had not seen for nearly twenty years.

It turned out that Zhang Juzheng, who had just rushed back to Jiangling after more than 20 days of running around, had not had time to take a breath. Among the officials who came to visit after learning the news, he received a letter from his parents in Jiangling County.

A genuine special 'gift', a list of the Zhang family's 'land purchase' in Jiangling!

It is conceivable how ashamed Zhang Juzheng was after receiving this 'gift'. He was just about to start clearing land all over the country with great fanfare, but he did not expect that his family was seizing private land. This made him feel so embarrassed!

"Even if you can't control my father's purchase of land, what's going on?"

While talking, Zhang Juzheng picked up another "Jiangling County Tax Book" from the case, pointed to the words "Cabinet Zhang You're exempted from more than 640 shi" on it, and asked his brother.

road.

"Brother, isn't it just a matter of a few hundred taels of silver? Why do you need to make a fuss about it? The imperial court still lacks a few hundred taels of silver from you, the chief minister?" Glancing at the yellow book of Jiangling County, the man named "Old Man"

The three-year-old middle-aged man said without caring.

"Hundreds of taels? What a fuss? Do you know how much tax, money, and food the imperial court loses every year just because everyone is like this? You calculate, just for our family, excluding the seventy-four shi that I have paid to my brother every year over the years.

, how much food do you owe the court?"

Seeing that his brother didn't care much, Zhang Juzheng couldn't help but scolded loudly and sternly.

"Brother...I..."

An eldest brother is like a father. When Zhang Juzheng scolded him like this, the middle-aged man couldn't help but stammered.

"You said you can't stop my father, but is it so difficult to pay the taxes behind my back? Also, when did our family have so much money to buy so many fields?" Looking at the stack of two coins in his hand

Zhang Juzheng couldn't help but asked sharply again about the list of more than 10,000 acres of fields.

"Brother, this...this actually has...nearly half of them were donated by other people..."

Facing the angry eldest brother of the chief minister, the third son of the Zhang family was also afraid, and soon poured out all the "purchases" and donations received by the Zhang family over the years like beans.

"Your Majesty, I am so ashamed of myself!"

After learning about his father's misdeeds over the years, Zhang Juzheng fell to his knees facing north with a plop and cried bitterly!

…

"Ying Ming, thank you very much! If Ying Ming hadn't reminded you in time, I would have been kept in the dark without knowing it. I don't know how many mistakes they will make in the future!"

A few days later, in the main hall of the Zhang Family Mansion in Jiangling, Zhang Juzheng, dressed in plain clothes, bowed to a seventh-grade magistrate, about forty years old, who was wearing a patchwork suit.

"I dare not think of you as such a great gift! You have been away from home for nineteen years and have been busy with state affairs all day long. It is understandable that you have neglected things at home. As long as you don't blame your subordinates for being unreasonable!"

Although this middle-aged magistrate avoided the gift of Zhang Juzheng, the chief minister of the empire, there was no hint of flattery in his words.

"Ying Ming, what are you talking about? With Ying Ming's reminder, it's too late for me to thank you, so how can I blame you? If the officials of the imperial court can be like Ying Ming, not afraid of power and enforcing the law impartially, then there will be no need to worry about the world being unstable.

?Why worry that the prosperous times will not come!"

It turned out that this Qipin County Magistrate was Zhu Zhengse, the Jiangling County Magistrate who sent Zhang Juzheng a "big gift" as soon as he returned to his hometown.

This Zhu Zhengse was a Jinshi in the second year of Wanli and first became the county magistrate of Yanshi, Henan. As he said during his scientific examination, he put state affairs first and people's welfare first, and he carried out drastic reforms as soon as he took office.

By cleaning up money and food, verifying military strength, and scrutinizing academic tyrants and cutting off local tycoons, Zhu Zhengse soon managed Yanshi, which was in chaos at the time, in an orderly manner. He was praised by both the state and government houses as "the best governance at that time, and it was worthy of the nine provinces"

'!

Soon, Zhu Zhengse's outstanding political achievements in Yanshi attracted the attention of the imperial court, and he was appointed as the magistrate of Jiangling County by Zhang Juzheng, the first minister.

You must know that although Jiangling is Zhang Juzheng's hometown, Zhang Juzheng is very aware of the dirty officialdom in his hometown. That's why he hopes to use the young and energetic Zhu Zhengse to bring Jiangling's officialdom into order.

But what he didn't expect was that not long after Zhu Zhengse took office, the first 'big tiger' he found was himself, the chief minister of the Ming Dynasty!

"I will definitely live up to your expectations and will enforce the law impartially to the end!" Faced with Zhang Juzheng's praise, Zhu Zhengse, the seventh-grade county magistrate, immediately replied with a serious look on his face.

"That's right! With your words, I feel relieved. In addition to the original one thousand acres of farmland in my home, these extra fields will be handed over to you, Ying Ming. The tax arrears that should be paid will be paid back.

, the fields that should be cleared should be cleared, in short, everything should be dealt with fairly!"

"Don't worry, sir. I will not shun the powerful and will deal with you impartially!"

When Zhang Juzheng, the biggest 'powerful person' in the dynasty, said that he should not avoid powerful people, Zhu Zhengse, who had maintained a serious face since he entered the house, couldn't help but chuckle at this time.

"Hahahaha, it turns out that Ying Ming can also laugh. I thought you were born with a cold face!" Looking at the Jiangling parent official who finally smiled, Zhang Juzheng couldn't help laughing.

"Xiaguan was originally planning to make a 'strength order', but I didn't expect that your Excellency didn't give me this chance, haha!"

Seeing that what Zhang Juzheng said was indeed sincere, Zhu Zhengse couldn't help but laugh freely.

"Ying Ming, I still have a selfish motive. I hope Ying Ming can stay in Jiangling for a few more years, bring peace to Jiangling's officialdom, and protect the name of the Zhang family. I wonder what Ying Ming wants?"

, Zhang Juzheng looked at Zhu Zhengse expectantly.

"I have my wish, but I dare not invite you!"

"I would like to thank Ying Ming for your support!"

…
Chapter completed!