Zhengde couldn't help but be surprised when he heard Zhao Jianzhi's words. He quickly looked at Yang Ling, and Yang Ling's face also changed slightly. The sons and grandsons of various vassal kings relied on their privileges to do illegal things. It was impossible to expect them to all abide by the law and be like the virtuous king of Shu.
In any era, a society may have to acquiesce to the existence of a gray area, but it was not a trivial matter to blatantly oppose the new policy of the court and kill dozens of civilians. If the actions of the Prince were tolerated today, then the other vassals would follow suit. It was not impossible that the reform that had just begun to take shape would gradually deteriorate because of such a matter, and eventually, it would be impossible for it to be implemented.
Yang Ling's expression darkened. Punishing a prince was not something that he could make the decision on. Yang Ling looked at Emperor Zhengde with a meaningful look. Under the watchful eyes of the public, he could not discuss with Zhengde again. Now, the emperor must stand up and say what should be said and do what should be done. It was impossible for him to bear everything for him. But it was not a trivial matter to deal with a prince. Could he decide?
Those officials who opposed the reform were secretly proud: Don't you want to reform? Don't you want to clean up the land, clarify the governance, and change the tax system? Good! One is the descendant of Sage Kong, and the other is a relative of the emperor and the descendant of the old Zhu family. Do as you see fit.
Jingzhou, also known as Jiangling, was originally conferred to the twelfth son of the Emperor Taizu, the Prince of Xiang, Zhu Bai. When the Jianwen Emperor removed the vassals, he found an excuse, saying that Zhu Bai's palace was larger than the Prince's, and sent the Imperial Bodyguards to investigate. Zhu Bai, in his fear, took his family and ran to Mount Emei on Guannan Xi to burn themselves in protest.
Prince Bai's bloodline was gone, Prince Yan Jing could not seize the country, and Prince Liao also contributed. When Zhu Di became the emperor, he moved his fifteenth brother, Prince Liao, Zhu Zhi, from the bitter and cold Guangning of Liaodong to Jingzhou of Hubei. Prince Liao's bloodline lived in Jingzhou.
Zhengde didn't have much of an impression of this prince, but he knew that he was an imperial uncle. He hesitated for a moment and said, "This matter involves a prince? Send the file to the Imperial Clan Court. I want to see his crimes and understand the details before making a decision. "
Zhao Jianzhi proudly cupped his hands and said, "Your subject obeys Your Majesty."
Emperor Zhengde hurriedly finished his official business and announced that the court was dismissed. Yang Ling stopped in his tracks until all the officials had left the palace and there were only the two of them left in the Golden Hall. Emperor Zhengde then said, "Subject Yang, they used Duke Yan to pressure me with his name. They used Prince Liao to pressure me with their emotions."
Yang Ling cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty is wise!"
Zhengde flicked his sleeves and pretended to be angry. "What do you mean by wise? We are asking you what to do?"
Yang Ling still cupped his hands in greeting, "First, we will investigate the crime. If the crime is true, how to deal with it will be His Majesty's will."
Zhengde hesitated for a moment and said, "After all, he is my imperial uncle. What if I exonerate him?"
Yang Ling said indifferently, "That's nothing. The reform will be canceled and everything will be restored to the old system. The abuses will remain the same, and the people will still revolt."
Emperor Zhengde glared at him and said, "Aren't I discussing this with you? What do you think I should do? "
Yang Ling smiled and said, "I am a Duke. Thanks to Your Majesty's power, I can deal with Duke Yan. That's all."
Zhengde's eyebrows moved and he laughed dryly. "I understand. You can only deal with Duke Yan. So I have to deal with Prince Liao?"
Yang Ling cupped his hands again and said, "Your Majesty is wise!"
Zhengde snorted and said, "Brothers who beat tigers! You and I, go back to your work. "
He took two steps and suddenly stopped. He asked curiously, "Hey, what happened to your leg?"
Thinking of the pain and joy of their wedding night, Yang Ling smiled and said, "Uh … Your Majesty, I didn't ride well when I was riding a horse two days ago and hurt myself."
Emperor Zhengde curled his lips and raised his chin. With a proud expression that said, "My equestrian skills are better than yours," he left complacently.
* * *
One was the Liao King, and the other was Duke Yan.
One relied on his connections, and the other on his reputation. They were both extremely difficult to deal with. If either of them was not handled well, it would lead to a series of unmanageable consequences. But if these two people were not dealt with, they would be like two tigers in the road. The reform would inevitably be difficult to carry out.
After Zhengde returned to the palace, he ordered the guards to investigate the details of the Liao King's crimes. Yang Ling was also anxiously waiting at home for the situation in Shandong. At this time, Tai 'an School of Education Zhang Duoqi's reply and Duke Yan's memorial were already on their way to the capital.
Yang Tinghe watched coldly from the side of the court. He could also see that this was the last move of the opposing party. These two princes and dukes were not to be trifled with. Impeaching them in the court, regardless of whether it was successful or not, would be equivalent to offending these two forces. If they were not forced to, they would not use this method. So now, as long as these two matters were successfully resolved, there would basically be no resistance in the court.
However, Yang Ling's murderous spirit was too strong. Every time he did something, there would always be a bloodbath. He was afraid that Yang Ling was hot-blooded and impulsive, and would mess things up. The reform of the court was beneficial to the country and the people. It was also in line with his political philosophy. He really did not want to see such a good thing die halfway. So, after thinking about it again and again, he finally decided to visit Yang Ling.
It was already two days later. Other than the one time Yang Tinghe had paid a visit under the emperor's orders, he had never been to the Yang House. Yang Ling was lying on the kang bed playing grasshoppers with his son. Suddenly hearing that he had come, Yang Ling was very surprised. He quickly took off his undershirt and changed into a light robe. He handed his son over to Wen Xin and rushed to the central hall to meet.
Yang Tinghe exchanged a few words of greeting, and then went straight to the point, stating his purpose of coming. His meaning was very simple: these two important people must be dealt with. Even if the Emperor was not willing, he must do his utmost to admonish them, and must persuade the Emperor to make up his mind to punish them.
But the method of punishment must be different. If the Liao King's case was true, they must be severely punished. Just when the wind was blowing, double the punishment to achieve the desired effect. As for Duke Yan, he had to be more tactful to avoid giving others a reason to criticize him.
His opinion coincided with that of Yang Ling. In fact, Yang Ling did not necessarily have to use a massacre to frighten the people. It was just that the things he had encountered in the past were really infuriating. Without severe punishment, it would not be enough to appease the anger of the people. On the other hand, reform was a long-term matter. He had to allow some people to have different opinions or gradually change their minds. It was impossible to use a butcher's knife to force others to agree. As long as they obeyed, they could do whatever they wanted.
However, Yang Ling's punishment of the Liao King and Duke Yan Sheng, one tough and the other gentle, was a kind of intuition. There was no clear reason. Yang Tinghe's analysis was much clearer: the Liao King was guilty of a heavy crime, while Duke Yan Sheng was a foreign official. The Liao King was a relative of the emperor, while Duke Yan Sheng was a foreign official. The punishment of a relative of the emperor was light, while that of a foreign official was heavy.
Duke Yan Sheng was not poor either, but the Kong family was too famous. Everyone paid attention to his name and ignored his wealth. But everyone knew that the Prince of Liao was rich. If he were to be punished, everyone would applaud and applaud. They would even say that the Emperor placed righteousness above family and was stricter than the law.
As for the Kong family, everyone in the world became officials by studying the knowledge of Confucius. If the Kong family was too disgraced, it would not look good on everyone. Kong Sheng's reputation was too great. Every year, his descendants would be treated generously. Therefore, when he was punished, he had to pay attention to the face of the scholars in the world.
Yang Ling did not expect his analysis to be so clear. Yang Ling did not say that he already had the same idea. Instead, he praised him and thanked him profusely, indicating that he would respect his opinion.
Yang Tinghe saw that he was so humble despite his high position. He felt that he had been too stingy all this while because he had been close to Yang Yiqing. If you respect me one foot, I will return ten feet. Yang Tinghe also relaxed and talked cheerfully. He was not as serious as he was when he first arrived.
The two chatted happily until Steward Gao came in and whispered that a messenger had come to see him. Yang Tinghe smiled and stood up to take his leave. Yang Ling did not care about the messenger. He first saw him off and watched him get on the sedan chair. Only then did he ask the steward, "Where did the messenger come from?"
Steward Gao hurriedly said, "He said that he is from Shandong's Tai 'an School Administrator Zhang Duoqi's residence."
Yang Ling's expression changed. He happily said, "There is news from Shandong? Quick, bring him to see me! "
That person was a trusted servant of the Zhang Residence. He was tall and strong, and he was also skilled in martial arts. When he saw Yang Ling, he respectfully presented a letter that he kept close to him. Yang Ling opened it and read it carefully. He couldn't help but clap his hands and laugh. He asked the butler to give the servant ten taels of silver as a reward, then gave him some instructions and sent him away. Only then did he walk to the backyard with a smile.
It had rained this morning, but it was still quite cool. A group of women were playing Cuju in the backyard.
According to Lord Yang, Cuju was good for one's health and team spirit. It could cultivate one's character and broaden one's horizons. Therefore, he was very supportive of it. Of course, this sport could help his women maintain a healthy body. It could train the flexibility of the limbs and the strength and elasticity of the waist, buttocks, and thighs. It was beneficial to increase the interest in the boudoir. He would not publicly say it even if he was beaten to death.
Because of Yang Ling's approval and the large number of women in the family, Han Youniang simply made everyone in the family a set of short-sleeved martial arts clothes that could only be worn in the back garden of the wives. Everyone put them on when they played Cuju. They looked valiant and charming.
The grass on the field was cut short. Several women wore snow-white silk pants and small red phoenix boots. Their upper bodies were also short-sleeved in the same color. The snow-white silk sleeves were narrow and close-fitting. Their hands were tied with wrist guards and their waists were embroidered with gold belts. Each of their waists was tight and their breasts were round. They looked exceptionally attractive.
Adni also liked this sport invented by the Orientals. She was the tallest and the tallest. Her pair of slender thighs were wrapped in trousers and boots. The proportions were extremely beautiful, making her look even more seductive. Han Youniang, Yu'Er, Cheng Qiyun, Chu Ling, and the others were also well-proportioned and had beautiful figures. On the field, one could only see their waists and long legs. If others saw them, they wouldn't be willing to watch the game and would rather stare at them to their heart's content.
Seeing that they were playing football, Yang Ling slowed down his footsteps and walked over. He sat down beside the stone table, took out a porcelain cup that no one was using, and poured tea for them. He smiled as he watched them play. Cheng Qiyun was like a football coach. A ball flew up and down around her body. Her waist was like a willow branch, and her jade legs were free and easy. Her various stunts made a group of beautiful women exclaim in admiration.
Cheng Qiyun saw that Yang Ling had come. The ball was pushed forward by the tip of her foot. Her thigh was straight and formed a line with the tip of her foot. The ball whooshed and shot straight at Yang Ling. Yang Ling laughed and put down the teacup. He stretched out his hand and turned it, using the Tai Chi Pushing Hand's' Yin Formula '. The ball turned to his fingertips. Yang Ling casually flicked his hand and the ball shot towards Adni.
Adni had only learned football for a short time. When she saw it, she was shocked. She hurriedly caught it and kicked the ball into the air. When it fell, it was five or six feet off the mark. Chu Ling sprinted over and shot the ball back with a reverse hook. Han Youniang, Yutang Chun, and the others passed the ball in turn. The ball never fell to the ground.
Sheridan was pregnant and couldn't play football. She held a bag of dried plums and watched with relish. Cheng Qiyun pulled the handkerchief from her belt and wiped the sweat from her forehead as she leisurely walked over and sat on the stool next to Yang Ling. She said with a smile, "How come you have the time to stroll around the back garden today?"
Yang Ling took out the letter from his sleeve and handed it over with a smile. He said, "Take a look."
Cheng Qiyun took the letter and read it seriously. Yang Ling sipped his tea while admiring the graceful posture of his beautiful wives and concubines. After Cheng Qiyun finished reading, she puffed out her full chest and glanced at him with her almond-shaped eyes. She smiled charmingly and sweetly and said, "It's done? Haha, this is what it means when a scholar meets a soldier. You can't reason with him. Reasoning with a scholar is like venting with a woman. That is asking for trouble. Sir, your method is good. The insufferably arrogant Duke Yan has finally bowed his head. "
Yang Ling said with a smile, "Relying on the influence of Confucius, he really can't put anyone else in his eyes other than the Emperor. I also sent someone to pass on the Emperor's secret edict to him and severely reprimanded him. First, he dispelled his arrogance. Only then did I let those soldiers and that local moneybags use some rogue methods to punish him. Finally, I had Old Master Zhang come forward to admonish him. Only then did this big fish obediently take the bait. Haha, Duke Yan came forward to agree to the reform, and the direct descendants of the Sage support the new policy. It should be enough to shut the mouths of many pedantic scholars. "
It turned out that Yang Ling had requested an imperial edict and had it sent to the Kong residence. It severely reprimanded Duke Yan for using his power and colluding with the government to force others to sell their land. This was a disgrace to the Sage's family. It also said that someone had accused him of using torture without authorization, flogging a general who had performed meritorious military service, and abusing the court's reward. It also said that he was reprimanded if he wanted to establish a state within a state. This accusation was a bit harsh. It was obvious that the Emperor was extremely angry. Old Master Kong was so scared that he broke out in a cold sweat.
Finally, the imperial edict coldly said that his mistake had disgraced the Sage's family. For the sake of Master Kong, the Emperor would not publicly reprimand him, nor would he severely punish him this time. He was to reflect on his own and restrain himself from now on.
How could Duke Yan not panic when the Emperor issued such a strict imperial edict? It just so happened that this imperial edict was an imperial edict. No one outside knew about it. Of course, he would not publicize this scandal. Was he going to beat the drum and announce that he had disobeyed the Emperor and be reprimanded by the Emperor?
After receiving this imperial edict, the domineering Duke Yan was like a frosted eggplant. He was much more well-behaved. He was well-behaved. Qiao Sihai, who had received Yang Ling's secret letter, now had a pillar of support. He was no longer well-behaved. He did not go to the Kong residence to cause trouble. It was just that the local news began to spread that the White-clothed Bandits of Taihang Mountains, Tofu Wolf, had fled to Qufu. Moreover, there were indeed small groups of troops dressed in white roaming around at night. Although they did not steal or rob, it was still scary enough to be seen.
When Tofu Wolf broke out of the encirclement, he was separated from the main group and did not follow Yang Hu south. As a result, he was killed by the ambushes set up by Yang Ling. They split into small groups and fled.
In the end, Tofu Wolf led 300 men and fled the plains. At the place where the big-eared Liu Bei was once the county magistrate, they were ambushed by the Tuanlian militia. Tofu Wolf led his men in defeat and fled to a bend in the Zhang residence. At this time, there were only six or seven men with him. Seeing that the situation was not good, he wanted to escape through the water.
Tofu Wolf was not a good swimmer, but there was a reed marsh not far away. The water there was not too deep. If he held his breath and dived over, he would be able to use the geographical advantage to escape. Unexpectedly, the water there was not too deep. The water was very muddy, and he could not see the bottom clearly. Tofu Wolf dove down and actually plunged his head into the mud.
Shandong's Pingyuan County was a vast expanse of fine soil, very few stones could be seen. If a child dug in the sand to play and dug out a stone, they would start a fight because it was rare. In summer, when a child splashed water on the black and shiny mud on the riverbank, they could use their bare buttocks as a slide without worrying about scratching their skin.
The bend in the river was full of deep and soft mud. Once Tofu Wolf dove in, it would be very difficult for him to climb out. He wanted to pull his head out, but his hands were full of soft mud, so he could not borrow any strength. Moreover, when he tried to pull his head out, the suction from the mud was especially strong.
By the time Zhang Shifu's men finished dealing with those several defeated soldiers and rushed to the bay, they saw a pair of big feet floating on the water's surface. Two men tied a rope around his feet and pulled him up like a piece of turnip. By the time the poor Taihang bandits' tofu wolf's throat was full of mud, he had already breathed his last. This dear friend was really born a good-for-nothing, and died a wronged death.
Although he died, his people were only scattered into small groups of bandits. These bandits gradually gathered into a group of seven to eight hundred people and began to roam the hinterland of Shandong. They were not eradicated yet.
The appearance of the White Bandits in Qufu caused the local people to panic again. The magistrate of Qufu was under the jurisdiction of the magistrate of Qufu, which was usually held by a member of the Kong family. This was a rule of the imperial court. Because the magistrate was a yamen official who was in charge of the daily necessities of the local people, as well as the birth, old age, sickness and death of the local people, they were commonly known as parents. Among all the officials in the world, which scholar was not a student of Sage Kong? How could they manage Sage Kong's family? Naturally, they had to let the Kong family manage it themselves.
Therefore, the Kong family not only had to be responsible for the safety of their own homeland, but also the management of a county. Last time, the bandits were powerful and claimed to have 100,000 troops. They entered the capital in the name of protecting the goods sent by the Sage, but this time, there were only a few hundred bandits, they could not run away.
The magistrate of Qufu was also a member of the Kong family. When he heard that the bandits had fled to the local area, he went to see General Qiao, who was stationed there, to arrange the local defense, and asked for the army's help.
General Qiao was quite warm to him. He lined up to welcome him and invited him into the commander's tent. He scolded his subordinate, who was beaten up by the Kong family, for not recognizing Mount Tai and offending the Old Duke. Then, without waiting for the magistrate to explain the purpose of his visit, he said that in order to prevent the unruly soldiers from angering the Old Duke again, they would immediately leave Qufu.
Hearing this, Magistrate Kong became anxious. He hurriedly told General Qiao about the appearance of the White Bandits in the local area and asked General Qiao to station the troops there and not leave. General Qiao, however, wanted him to show evidence. Otherwise, if he wanted to station nearly 10,000 troops here for a long time, he would need a military order from the Ministry of War. How could Magistrate Kong give him evidence?
General Qiao was very polite to Magistrate Kong and had a very good temper. But without evidence, he refused to budge and insisted that they would leave on the same day. The White Bandits were also strange. At night, they would come to harass the officials and the Kong family and disappear at dawn.
Everyone in the Kong family was scared. Would the bandits care about who the Sage Confucius was? Ever since the White Bandits appeared, countless families had been destroyed. Their properties were swept clean, and the women were humiliated. How could the Kong family not be afraid? This disturbance caused them to have no peace every night.
As the head of the family, Old Master Kong was in dire straits because of the bandits. The local moneybags that he had forced to sell their land at a low price had somehow eaten the heart of a bear and the leopard's gall, daring to openly oppose him. This friend built a small temple on the side of the road where he was forced to sell his land. Inside, he enshrined the memorial tablet of the Sage Confucius. Every day, he would come crying and complaining about his grievances. When passersby passed by, he would stop them and tell them about it. He even took care of tea and food. He had changed into a storyteller. The Kong family valued their reputation the most. How could they stand this?
But Duke Yan had just been reprimanded by the Emperor's secret decree. How would he dare to use the power of the officials? Moreover, they were worshiping their ancestors. They could not smash them or touch them. With such a scoundrel, they allowed him to ruin their reputation to the villagers and passing merchants, but they could not do anything about him.
At this time, the Tai 'an School of Learning, Zhang Duoqi, came to visit. He said that he had heard that Duke Yan had returned from the capital and specially came to visit. He was a famous scholar in Shandong and had been in contact with the Kong family. He drank and played chess with many elders and stewards of the Kong family. He could be considered a friend of the scholars.
After listening to his good friend talk about Duke Yan's troubles, Zhang Duoqi secretly advised his friends in the main branch of the Kong family. The current Emperor was reforming the new policies. Although the Emperor had the intention to protect the Kong family and did not publicly reprimand them, a tall tree would attract the wind. Those wealthy families whose interests had been harmed would definitely use the Kong family as a shield when they heard the news.
Now that they had lost the Emperor's favor and were forced by those people, it was hard to say whether the Emperor would not take action against the Kong family. Instead of this, it was better to do it beautifully and put effort first. Not only would it not allow others to use the Kong family's weakness against them, but it could also win back the Emperor's favor. The stewards of the main branch of the Kong family knew that this old man was full of ideas. They were overjoyed when they heard this and immediately asked him for an idea.
Old Master Zhang said, "The matter of buying land in the neighboring county is very easy. The Kong family has a big business, they are not short of that bit of land. It's just that the servants got into a dispute over water, so Duke Yan Sheng wanted to teach him a lesson. Sage Confucius said 'protect the people' and 'love the people'. If you give in to him, no one will say that you are timid. Instead, they will praise Duke Yan for having the Sage's legacy.
There is no harm in returning the land to him. Duke Yan's status is respected. The person who stepped in was just a small steward. It was his negligence that caused the matter to blow up. Duke Yan is busy every day. How could he know about such a small matter? It was clearly a servant who did not do his job properly. Punish him and give an explanation to the village and the Emperor. "
The Kong elders repeatedly nodded in agreement. Zhang Xuezheng continued, "As for the soldiers, you all know how many words those soldiers can read. Their rude words are not because they really want to offend the Kong family, but because they lack education. They are only boorish people. Isn't it degrading to argue with them?
Moreover, they have fought on the battlefield and shed their blood. This is the time when the imperial court is mobilizing troops. Duke Yan severely punished the meritorious soldiers and hurt their hearts. It is no wonder that the Emperor is angry.
But this matter has been promoted and people have been beaten. The great Duke Yan has no reason to apologize to him. Moreover, his brother is a steward of the Kong residence. In this old man's opinion, giving his brother a sum of money in private and saying that it is medicine to treat his injuries shows the Duke's benevolence. At the same time, promote his brother. Which one of them is so untactful? "
"These things are just to appease them so that they will not be used by others to attack the Kong family. There is a great opportunity to win back the Emperor's favor. The current Emperor is ambitious and inspired to reform. He wants to restore Ming Destiny's prestige. If the imperial court's prestige is great and the four seas submit, as the descendants of Kong Sheng, their prestige will spread to the four barbarians and enlighten the people. This is a good thing.
Why don't you all persuade Duke Yan to let the stewards of the residence gather together and clean up the barren land. Make another book, not on the quality of the land, but on the quantity. Then, write a memorial saying that although the Kong family has not annexed land, the imperial court has rewarded them countless times. Now that the imperial court is implementing new policies, the Kong family is grateful for the Emperor's kindness and is willing to donate some land to settle the refugees.
Just how much influence does the Kong Family have? Once this matter is settled, they will become an important minister who supports the Emperor's new policies. With a few beautiful words and some dispensable rotten lands, the Emperor's imperial favor will return. What do you guys think? "
The stewards of the eldest branch felt that this was very reasonable and went to persuade Duke Yan. Duke Yan was also worried about losing the Emperor's favor. After all, the Kong family was a wealthy family with long-term benefits. Ming Destiny was very open. There were arrogant scholars among the people who claimed that Kong Sheng did not live up to his name and that it was undesirable for the Kong family to enjoy such favors. They requested that the Kong family's hereditary nobility be revoked.
If they lost the Emperor's favor, this title might not be revoked, but many special treatment in the officialdom could be obtained with a word from the Emperor. It was not advisable to lose the big picture because of a small gain. Thus, they decided to adopt Zhang Duoqi's idea and prepared to perform well in the reform that the Emperor personally presided over.
Zhang Duoqi saw that he had achieved his goal and was happy. He stayed at the Kong residence for a few more days before leaving. However, he wrote a letter about the details and sent it to the capital immediately. When Yang Ling saw the letter, he knew that Duke Yan's memorial would arrive in the capital in a few days. Naturally, he could not contain his joy.
Yang Ling described the unwritten details in the letter and let out a long sigh. "Those who oppose the new policies can only do this. Once Duke Yan's memorial enters the capital, we can hit them in the head with a stick. With Kong Sheng's descendants in favor of the new policies, they will have nothing to say in terms of law and morality.
The Emperor has already decided to severely punish the Liao King. Some of the quick-witted vassals have already written memorials or directly sent officials to the capital to hand over the land register and support the new policies. The court's reform is the general trend. When it comes to specific matters, deployment, and coordination, I cannot compare to the few experienced officials in the cabinet and the six ministries. The specific matters will have to be handled by them.
I plan to wait for the court to completely stabilize in the next few days before immediately going to Shanxi. Crazy Zhao has set up a stronghold on Mt. Zhongtiao in Shanxi, especially in the border area. Moreover, it is extremely unstable outside the borders. We cannot let him take root there. "
Cheng Qiyun nodded and thought for a moment. "Hmm, if Daren goes to Shanxi, I'm afraid he will not be able to return for a while. I will take the opportunity to go to Liaodong. We have pastures, armor workshops, fur workshops, ginseng antler medicine factories, dyeing factories, grain and oil factories, and countless newly opened fields.
Yu Yong has been there all along. In the near future, he will go to Yizhou by sea to take a look at the sea terminals and shipping fleets we have built there. The business in the northeast has not matured yet, so I am worried. Moreover, our family owns the majority of the Songhua Shipyard's shares. I also want to take a look. "
Yang Ling nodded and said softly, "I am in the court and really can't care about these things. Yun 'er, these things have troubled you."
Cheng Qiyun smiled sweetly. Her eyes sparkled and she said sweetly, "Isn't your business my business? If I don't work hard for you, who would I be busy for? "
Her boundless charm, deep affection, and her tone was tender and soul-stirring, causing people's hearts to sway. Yang Ling's heart unconsciously swayed.
Cheng Qiyun noticed his fiery eyes and couldn't help but smile proudly at her own charm. Her beautiful eyes turned and looked at the group of beautiful women who were happily playing football on the grassland. She slightly leaned forward and Yang Ling only felt a delicate grass-like fragrance floating toward him.
Along with the delicate fragrance, a soft and charming voice floated over: "These two days, you have brought a new beautiful woman to your door. Renjia also doesn't pester you. In a few days, I will go to Liaodong. This time, I will be gone for a few months. Renjia misses you. Tonight … will you come over? Renjia wants you … wants you to give all your 'shares' to Renjia tonight. "
Yang Ling's head turned hot and he replied softly, "Okay, I will give you all the shares. Hehe, I will definitely do it deeply and not return the hard-earned capital."
Cheng Qiyun covered her mouth and laughed, "What kind of words are you using? Didn't you say … share after share?"
Yang Ling laughed, "Yun 'er, now you are following me bad, hahaha."
Cheng Qiyun bit her lip and smiled charmingly at him, "Women don't like bad men. In the bedroom, the worse you are, the more people like you. "
Yang Ling looked up and saw that Cheng Qiyun's pair of soft and charming eyes were so wet that it seemed like water was about to drip out. There was a layer of hazy mist in her beautiful eyes. Those eyes were like the moon in the fog, only revealing a touch of seductive light, bright, and a hint of amorous feelings. Seductive, very seductive.
※ ※ ※
Duke Yan's memorial had entered the capital, and all the loopholes had been filled. He had even taken the initiative to donate tens of thousands of mu of land to the court. This was a beautiful move. Turning defense into offense, not only was he not guilty, but he was also meritorious. At this time, if anyone still talked about the Kong family, wouldn't that be beating around the bush against the new policy and targeting the Emperor? The officials of the opposition were all dumbfounded.
It had only been two days since their impeachment. No matter how powerful Yang Ling was, it was impossible for him to inform Duke Yan in such a short period of time and let him deal with all the future troubles and take the initiative to donate land to prove his innocence. It was also impossible for the memorial to be sent to the capital so quickly. It could only be said that Duke Yan was one step ahead and was astute. He observed the movements of the court and eliminated the hidden dangers in time, but this helped Yang Ling.
In the current situation, Duke Yan was like a standard-bearer of the Reformist Party, and it was impossible to impeach him. Everyone's eyes were completely focused on the Liao King. It was up to the Emperor to decide how to deal with his own blood relatives.
Emperor Zhengde was not careless. Yang Ling dealt with Duke Yan, and sure enough, he brought down the Liao King.
When the guards sent the results of the investigation to his desk, Emperor Zhengde immediately issued an edict: The Liao King oppressed the villagers, exploited the people, resisted the law, and killed people. This was a heinous crime. He was ordered to be stripped of his title and imprisoned by the Imperial Clan Office. The title of Liao King would be succeeded by his eldest son.
As expected, this decisive and swift move had a great deterrent effect.
Even a royal prince had been stripped of his title. What else could the others say?
Yang Ling originally thought that if there were people who did not know what was good for them and continued to use the Imperial Plantation as an example, he would petition the Emperor to withdraw the Imperial Plantation. The Emperor complied with the demands of the reform in court. This would immediately defeat the opposition's deployment of attacks. Unexpectedly, halfway through, the Liao King did not want to be left out. Not only did he beat up dozens of people, but he also arrogantly said that the nobles did not need to comply with the new system. Now, he was like a chicken in a pen. Those monkeys actually did not dare to use the Imperial Plantation as an excuse.
Even so, the Imperial Plantation still had to be withdrawn. Yang Tinghe submitted a memorial in court. He listed the causes of the Imperial Plantation and the Imperial Shop, the number of existing shops, and the harm caused. He requested the Emperor to withdraw the Imperial Plantation and dismiss the stewards of the Imperial Plantation, so as to set an example. Emperor Zhengde immediately agreed and issued an edict.
Soon after, some vassal kings began to submit memorials to the Emperor to express their support for the new policies. The King of Shu was the first to complete the investigation of the farms and handed over all of them to the Ministry of Revenue to manage. King Ning attached even more importance to this. He actually sent a middle-ranking official to the capital with a list of the farms and shops. He also donated 200,000 taels of silver to support the imperial court in suppressing the bandits. Emperor Zhengde was overjoyed and immediately praised these two vassal kings.
At this point, the reform of the new policies was the general trend. Anyone who spoke against it would be crushed to pieces. No one could stop it anymore.
When King Ning sent people to the capital, Yang Ling secretly became vigilant. He immediately ordered people to keep a close eye on the middle-ranking official in King Ning's residence and pay attention to his every move, who he was making friends with, and what his purpose was. King Ning was too good at acting. If he had not taken advantage of the foresight, who would dare to say that he was rebelling from all of his actions until now?
Just when the Emperor needed the support of the imperial family for the reform, he came up with such a move. No matter what, he could not do anything to him now. Taking the initiative to attack would be self-defeating. At present, not only could he not do anything to him, but he also had to be rewarded. Yang Ling had no choice but to be cautious and deal with the attacks as they came.
At the same time, his gaze began to turn towards the seemingly peaceful Shanxi, towards Mount Zhongtiao. There, there was a madman with high ambitions and a stubborn and stubborn wife.
At this time, on Qinghai Lake, thousands of li away, Bayan Mengke was also looking into the distance, overlooking the plains to the north. There was a flower that he wanted to eat and drink blood for, and an empress that he yearned for day and night.
Zhengde's words were spot on. Qinghai Lake was the hinterland of Wala's territory. Now that Bayan's forces had been mostly destroyed, it was time to pursue and attack fiercely and completely eliminate this thorn in their eyes. They would not miss this golden opportunity. News from the scouts said that Wala and Huo Xi were gathering troops and seemed to be preparing to head south.
It was true that Qinghai was rich in water and grass, but there were too many local tribes that opposed him. There was no geographical or human harmony, and the grasslands here were limited. There was not much room to move around, so it was difficult to deal with the allied forces of Wala and Huo Xi. At the same time, the countries in the west were eager to try. Ming Destiny had sealed off the borders and seemed to be preparing to send out troops. The current situation was besieged on all sides.
The Living Buddhas and Dharmarajas of Qinghai had already rushed back. Under their call, the originally loose tribes began to form an alliance, preparing to fight against this powerful enemy, Bayan. Qinghai could no longer stay.
It was dusk again. The herdsmen had set up their cattle and sheep, and the fragrance of meat and singing began to drift through the air.
Gasi Bu's tent had now been changed into Bayan Mengke's Great Khan's tent. His trusted generals and tribal leaders were gathered in the tent. Long tables were laid out, and the ground was covered with a red carpet. Everyone sat in a circle in the big tent. There was a large fire pit in the middle, and a few whole roasted sheep were hung on a metal rack. They were drinking wine and eating meat. They were enjoying tonight's delicacies.
Among these people were Gasi Bu's subordinates who had surrendered, and some tribes that were originally loyal to the Manduhai family because of the situation. Bayan Mengke knew that they might not all be of one mind, but now he had to unite all the forces he could use, so he could only tolerate their existence for the time being.
The Empress of the Manduhai had disappeared again. Of course, to the outside world, it was said that she had never appeared. This ill-fated woman was destined to be a superfluous person in the field of power. It didn't matter that she was Bayan's aunt, and it didn't matter that she was older than Bayan by more than thirty years. But this woman was too powerful. As long as she existed, a proud and invincible hero like Bayan Mengke would no longer be the only one on the grasslands.
There were too many people who were willing to bow down to her. Even though she would never harm Bayan, a hero like Bayan Mengke would never tolerate a woman who could easily divide his power and make any important decisions without her permission. That was a kind of humiliation.
He already knew what had happened on the northern grasslands. His tribe had been destroyed by Hua Dang, and his beloved woman had become a plaything in bed with Hua Dang. Bayan Mengke felt humiliated and pained. But the news had been sent by his defeated subordinates.
More than ten thousand soldiers who had completed their diversion mission rushed back to the grasslands overnight. Their goal was to rush back and strengthen the defensive strength of their tribes before the other tribes heard that he had sent out his troops and attacked his tribe. But it was too late. Not only had his entire tribe been taken over by Hua Dang, that treacherous old fox had also planted a large army in his own tribe's tent, carrying out a perfect ambush on his tired soldiers who had returned.
His power in the north had already dissolved, but if he wanted to stand up again, he could not be a coward. He had to rush back and kill Hua Dang. His prestige would be reestablished, and he still had hope of becoming the king of the grasslands.
The news from the northern grassland had been blocked by him, and only a few of his most trusted generals knew the details. He could not tell his subordinates everything, otherwise some tribes would refuse to follow him back to the northern grassland that he had already lost and risk their lives. He could only bring them back, bring them to the battlefield, and force them to fight for their survival.
Bayan Mengke used a pair of oily hands to grab a fat lamb leg that weighed at least three catties. As he swallowed the tender and plump lamb, he grabbed a large bowl and drank the pure wine. He seemed to be very relaxed, but his gaze swept across the faces of his subordinates from time to time, as if he was observing their expressions and actions.
Everyone was sweating and their faces were flushed. Six maids were singing and dancing in the middle. Seeing that everyone was half drunk, Bayan Mengke took the handkerchief handed to him by a servant and wiped his hands. Then, he picked up a large bowl of wine and slowly stood up.
The noise in the tent gradually died down. Someone waved his hand and the dancers stopped dancing and singing, bowing and retreating. The musicians also picked up their instruments and retreated. Bayan Mengke's cold gaze swept across and he loudly said, "Qinghai Lake is very beautiful, and the water plants here are also very rich. But this is not a place for us to stay for long. Wolf packs are spying on this place from all directions, plotting against us.
The small Qinghai Lake cannot nurture the eagles of the grasslands. Our vast world is in the north, where there are even vaster grasslands. We can step on this place and turn it into our pasture. But we first have to sharpen our knives to deal with the wolves, so we must go back and destroy all the enemies in the north who oppose us. "
There was a solemn atmosphere in the tent. Everyone was listening to him speak.
Bayan Mengke straightened his back and his gaze became resolute. He solemnly said, "Gasibu brought you out and brought you here to be cowards. I want to bring you back. You are all brave and fearless warriors. Without your horses and blades, where will your glory and wealth come from?"
He looked around and raised his voice, "With the strength of the Everlasting Heaven and the protection of the Great Blessing, I command you, my brave warriors, to return to our grassland, kill our enemies, and capture their women, cattle, and sheep!"
'In the strength of Longevity Heaven, in the protection of great blessings, 'this was the imperial edict of the Emperor, the imperial edict of the Emperor of Dayuan. It was equivalent to what the Han people said, 'In accordance with the will of the heavens, the imperial edict of the Emperor of Dayuan'. The first sentence of the imperial edict that the Han people were familiar with was created by Zhu Yuanzhang after he founded the country.
The original words of the imperial edict of the Yuan court, when translated into classical Chinese, were the heavens' blessings. After Ming Destiny founded the country, he intended to use this edict. Zhu Yuanzhang felt that it was not modest enough. Why would the heavens only favor you? You were just thinking too much, but in the end, you were still chased back to the grasslands by your father to graze the sheep.
He changed it to 'In accordance with the will of the heavens,' in accordance with the will of the heavens. He took on the mission given by the heavens, so he came to govern the world. With such respect, if the heavens did not use him, who else could they use? As for the Khan of the grasslands, it was still in the format of the imperial edict of the Dayuan Imperial Court. Bayan Meng was the descendant of the Huang Jin family, the Khan of the grasslands, and the self-proclaimed Northern Yuan Imperial Court. Naturally, he could give such an order.
As soon as Bayan Meng issued the edict, his trusted generals and subordinates immediately knelt down to receive the edict. The leaders who had just surrendered to him looked at each other and had no choice but to obey. Bayan Meng's eyes flickered and a sharp glint flashed across his eyes. If Hua Dang was standing in front of Bayan Meng right now, following this sharp gaze, a glint of a sword would slash across the sky and behead him.
"Everyone, go back and prepare early. Tomorrow morning, we will break camp and return to the north!"
Bayan Meng retracted the ferocious glint in his eyes and calmly gave his last order.
The capital was also preparing in full swing. The lights in the Public House of Duke Wei were brightly lit. Yang Ling was also about to set off for Shanxi and begin the second battle to exterminate the White Coat Army!
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