"Mr. Zhang is very clever. If I had known earlier, I would have asked you to take action." Zhang Heling smiled.

Zhang Zhou was not angry and asked his retinue to bring the horse over, and said: "Wait a minute, I will inevitably fight Tumo Xingzi with you when I return to the capital. Is it for myself that I came to the northwest to enrich the country and strengthen the army? Since I have no mercy, then

Let’s have something special! Shouning Hou, you will give a memorial when you rest tonight.”

"What? I'm going to submit a memorial?" Zhang Heling looked confused.

Zhang Zhou walked over and said in a low voice: "Just accuse the local gentry of colluding with the government to seek personal gain from the court, opening many mines, killing people, and evading taxes. Can you do this?"

"Okay, I'll do it!"

Zhang Heling became excited as soon as he heard it.

In the past, others came to impeach me, but now it’s finally my turn to be the guest, Zhang!

So it turns out that you can still do this by taking advantage of others? Is this considered... a slap in the face?

Zhang Zhoudao: "In terms of words, I will help you think about it. With your talent... the words must be simple and the feelings must be sincere. After the memorial is presented, the civil and military ministers of the DPRK and China will feel that you have been wronged in the northwest! And you are participating in the impeachment.

You must take me with you when the time comes."

Zhang Heling said in confusion: "If you want to jointly sign, you can write it yourself and I can just sign it. Why bother?"

Zhang Zhou sneered and said: "I said it lightly, and I was also involved in the impeachment. I said that I am the leader among those who condone the mining in the surrounding areas of Datong."

"What?"

Zhang Heling was shocked again.

Zhang Zhou said: "If you still want to divide the money, just listen to what I do. Let's put each other on opposite sides first, so that others will think that we are in two camps. Then when we divide the money later, we can be harmonious."

"Oh?" Zhang Heling didn't have that brain.

Nothing he did before was done without much thought.

Zhang Zhou said fiercely: "During my time in Datong, I have thoroughly understood the chain of local interests. It's up to you to break it open! Don't they want us to be unable to mine in Datong? Cut off their financial resources first.

Oh! Otherwise, they would really think that we are just here to mine secretly!"

"Yes, yes, we are here with integrity." Zhang Heling said empathetically.

Zhang Zhou said: "So you're welcome, it's best to clean up the officialdom in the northwest. By then, you, the Marquis of Shouning, will still be a meritorious official of the Ming Dynasty, and your Majesty will definitely praise you."

When Zhang Heling heard this, he could not only get money, but also let out a bad breath, and even earn credit from his brother-in-law... He felt as if he was about to reach the pinnacle of his life. This was different from how he and his younger brother used to rob the capital.

Times are different.

Zhang Heling narrowed his eyes and said, "Mr. Zhang, aren't you worried about being criticized for being too close to me?"

"What the heck are you afraid of!" Zhang Zhou was not so polite in front of rough people. "Now the court has attacked me more than you. As long as you two brothers don't mind following me."

"hey-hey."

Zhang Heling felt more comfortable after hearing this. He smiled and said, "That's right, we are all grasshoppers on the same rope. No one can jump away!"

…

…

Before Zhang Zhou returned to the capital, as expected, a steady stream of reports reached the capital about Zhang Zhou's mining in the northwest, which caused many local disputes.

The difference from the past is...this time the civil servants appeared to be very restrained.

In other words, except for those who are brainless, everyone knows that the imperial court is currently short of money and cannot even pay out rewards for military merit in the northwest. The emperor agreed to let Zhang Zhou open the mine... At the same time, Zhang Zhou also said that in the future, the income from the mine

In addition to the mining tax, officials were also given discounts for their salaries.

Those middle- and lower-level officials are plundering people's money and money, and at the same time they also want to make a good job. It's nothing for them to squander their salary, so they naturally don't care.

But we...he cares about the money.

As the morning session came to an end, Min Gui, the imperial censor of Zuodu, brought up the matter, especially mentioning the fact that Zhang Heling was engaged in a mining operation and even had a fight with local officials and gentry.

Zhu Youtang asked: "Is this the kiln that Shouning Hou occupied when he started mining?"

Min Gui naturally knew that this was not the case, but in his opinion, grabbing local land for mining was also a form of appropriation. He insisted: "Exactly."

Zhu Youtang said: "Then who asked the previous mine owner to mine there? Did they pay taxes to the court? How much taxes are paid every year?"

"Well……"

Min Gui was speechless.

Zhu Youtang said coldly: "Dear gentlemen, I have actually known for a long time that in places with mineral resources, private mining kilns have been banned many times, and even local officials support it. Once outsiders intervene, they will still want to

Gathering people for looting. In the past, for the sake of local stability, I often turned a blind eye to such things, but that doesn’t mean I want to condone it.”

Liu Jiandao: "Your Majesty, you may send someone from the Ministry of Industry to Datong to investigate this matter strictly."

"What to check?" Zhu Youtang certainly knew what Liu Jian meant.

When Zhang Zhou opened the mine, it was equivalent to opening the mine under his own name, and the interests were transferred to the northwest military and political system by Zhang Zhou personally. The Ministry of Household Affairs, the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of War and the local government were almost not involved in it, which meant that the dominant power was with him. Zhang Zhou's hand.

Before Zhang Zhou opened the mine, people in the court didn't have much opinion on it.

Because they felt...Zhang Zhou might not be able to drive.

Now that the mines have really produced a harvest, Liu Jian wants to incorporate these mines into the supervision system, turning the royal ones into the imperial court's, and then the imperial court will allocate them uniformly.

But this is obviously not in line with Zhu Youtang's wishes.

Zhu Youtang said: "The mining in Bingkuan was approved by your family. It seems that you didn't object when the salary money was folded, right?"

The ministers present were speechless.

"The purpose of mining in the northwest now is to save military supplies for the imperial court. In the past two months, I have heard that only a handful of money and grain have been transferred from Beijing to the northwest. Given the current situation, the soldiers in the northwest do not even have basic food and clothing. How can we serve our country if we can’t even eat enough?”

Zhu Youtang's attitude is very tough.

What it probably means is that you don’t need to discuss the matter of mining with me, and I have no room for discussion with you.

Zhu Youtang said: "If anyone else makes irresponsible remarks about this, then send him to the mines to experience the hard work of miners! Resign from the court!"

…

…

The emperor was extremely protective of Zhang Zhou.

It also made the ministers of the DPRK realize that it would be useless to use even the slightest interest of Zhang Zhou now.

But in fact, they can be considered "adapted". After all, Zhang Zhou is preceded by Li Guang. In fact, the emperor's trust in Zhang Zhou is not much higher than that of Li Guang, just because Zhang Zhou is no longer just an eunuch in charge of alchemy in the inner court. In addition to interfering in matters such as passing on officials, it can also be related to court affairs.

And no matter how you look at it, Li Guang is greedier than Zhang Zhou.

In the past, I had to give various gifts to Li Guang, but now Zhang Zhou... I have to share some money with them, and even open a mine and still have to be criticized.

Probably... Zhang Zhou was too "kind" to these people.

"In the past few days, Zhang Bingkuan is going back to Beijing. His Majesty has sent people to ask the Ministry of Civil Affairs and said that he will be given the position of Minister of the Sixth Ministry, but there is no mention of Duke Lai and the Bachelor of Academic Affairs. It is estimated that Your Majesty wants to use Zhang Bingkuan as the minister. One person is responsible for the duties of the Governor's Office, the Six Ministries and the Hanlin Academy."

The three cabinet members returned to the duty room, and Liu Jian brought the news.

Xie Qian smiled and said: "I'm lucky that I'm not a minister."

Li Dongyang said: "The six ministers will probably be the household minister and the military minister first. As for whether it is the left minister or the right minister... it is also to facilitate his continued control of the northwest military affairs."

"Yeah." Liu Jian nodded.

Li Dongyang sighed again: "Now it depends on whether he intends to incite His Majesty to send troops to the grassland. Even if he sends troops, in my opinion, he still wants to make peace with the little Tatar prince."

"What do you say?" Xie Qian asked.

Li Dongyang said: "Send troops to intimidate the little Tatar prince, force him to retreat, and at the same time make the three guards of Duoyan surrender to the Ming Dynasty. This result should be more practical and convenient than directly defeating the little Tatar prince."
Chapter completed!