Ming Dynasty: I risked my life to teach the prince, the emperor begged me not to die

Chapter 216: You are so good, Chen Ce, let me be a villain

Zhu Houzhao continued to say to Emperor Hongzhi: "Father, let's measure the land of the whole country."

Emperor Hongzhi smiled, put aside the brush he used to write memorials, and said to Zhu Houzhao, "Measuring land is a waste of money and has little effect. It is even more impossible to find the land hidden by the royal family. What's the point?"

Zhu Houzhao said: "Father is right. Yes, we can't find the hidden lands of the royal family and princes. Instead, they will cry about their poverty."

"They even went further to demand their salary from the imperial court."

Emperor Hongzhi asked, "You know it, and you're still telling me?"

Zhu Houzhao said confidently: "Father, you can tell them that the court has no money either, and ask them to be considerate of the court."

Emperor Hongzhi shook his head helplessly. They were still children after all, and too naive. How could he expect them to understand the court?

Isn't this just wishful thinking?
Zhu Houzhao changed the subject and said, "Although the court has no money to pay salaries, we can reward them with land."

"There is so much vast land in the southwest. Although we cannot give them money, we can give them land and let them go to the southwest to open up wasteland. Don't they have no land?"

"Let's just give them land as a reward. Aren't those lands in the southwest worth money?"

Emperor Hongzhi was stunned for a moment, staring at Zhu Houzhao, then he became interested and said, "Go on."

Zhu Houzhao smiled and said, "At that time, Father, you can give them the right to choose."

"The court has no money anyway, but it still found a way to pay them salaries. Either they give up asking the court for money, or they accept the reward of land in the southwest to make up for the salary owed to them by the court."

"Father, this matter should be left unfinished. If we are to do it, we must do it thoroughly. We cannot just solve the problem this year, but we must solve all the problems in the future."

"Take a look at this data."

Zhu Houzhao took out a notebook from his arms and handed it to Emperor Hongzhi.

Emperor Hongzhi took it suspiciously, then opened the book and began to read it carefully. He did not take it seriously at first, until he saw that the book deduced that in the next few decades, the size of the royal family would grow to 150,000, and the royal family's salaries would account for nearly 40% of the country's total expenditure!
After seeing these data, Emperor Hongzhi finally couldn't help but start to gasp.

In fact, the data collected in this book starts from the Hongwu period. It counts the number and years of development of vassal kings as well as their financial expenditures, and provides month-on-month growth and comparison.

Based on the population growth of royal family in previous years, it is estimated how much hidden danger the royal family will bring to the Ming Dynasty’s finances in the next few decades!
After reading it, Emperor Hongzhi stared at Zhu Houzhao in a daze.

This data is too scary. In a few decades... if he were to pass away, how big a hole would he leave for his son?

Someone has to solve this problem. If you don't solve it yourself, then you have to leave it to your son.

At that time, Zhu Houzhao will face an even larger clan population and economic pressure!
Emperor Hongzhi shuddered!

"Who...taught you this data?"

Is the record in this book so terrible? Father's face changed.

To be honest, Zhu Houzhao didn't even have the time to read what Chen Ce wrote, but judging from his father's expression, the contents of the book seemed to have had a great impact on him.

Zhu Houzhao had not yet figured out how to answer, but Emperor Hongzhi obviously already knew who it was.

That monster!

He wants me to be the bad guy and solve the problem of royal family salaries now.

He... knows that Houzhao is the prince, he must have known it!

Is he helping Hou Zhao?
The royal family salary could not be delayed any longer and had to be resolved quickly, and Chen Ce did point out a clear way for the emperor. However, the specific way to proceed still had to be decided by Emperor Hongzhi himself, and Chen Ce only pointed out the way for him.

If this monster were to be known by tens of thousands of royal families and princes throughout the world that he was plotting against them behind their backs, would he still have a chance to survive?

No wonder he doesn't dare to show up in public!

No matter whether it is solving the salt permit issue or solving the royal family salary issue this time, as long as any of them is made public, Chen Ce will surely die!
"You, you go back first, I will think about it carefully."

Emperor Hongzhi waved his hand, signaling Zhu Houzhao to return to the East Palace first.

Seeing his father's unpredictable expression, Zhu Houzhao did not dare to disturb him any further. He left obediently and did not dare to mention the matter of being conferred a title of nobility.

Because Emperor Hongzhi's expression became so gloomy and terrifying.

"You are pushing me into the fire pit!"

"You are forcing me to make a choice. Either I offend the royal family of the world, or I leave a mess for my own son!"

"You listed all the data for me, forcing me to be the bad guy, forcing me to deal with the royal family of the world!"

Emperor Hongzhi angrily threw the book that Chen Ce handed over to the ground and cursed, "You bastard!"

"Evil creature! Bastard!"

"This evil creature! How dare he force me!"

Huai'en had never seen Emperor Hongzhi get so angry. In his impression, Emperor Hongzhi was always kind and rarely got so angry.

I don’t know who he was cursing or how he offended the emperor.

But no matter who it is, I'm afraid there will be a river of blood.

Huai En was even ready to summon the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

But the result surprised him.

Because Emperor Hongzhi sat down quickly, but his breathing was a little rapid.

Huai En hurried forward to ask.

Emperor Hongzhi waved his hands and said, "I'm fine, I'm not angry, he's directing me, haha, bastard!"

You want me to deceive the royal families of the world, tell them that the court has no money, and then pretend to measure the land in front of them. On the surface, they will think that I am investigating their hidden lands, but the real purpose will be revealed in the end, right?

Don't you have no land and no money and need a salary? Well, the court will solve it for you. There is a vast land in the southwest waiting for you to develop. I will give it all to you. This will allow you to make a lot of money as long as you can develop it.

If you are willing to accept, the court will reward you; if you are unwilling to accept, the court will stop paying your salaries. It is not that he is an unkind emperor, nor does he violate the ancestral teachings. It is that the court is really out of money. However, the court still has not forgotten you and is still trying to find a way for you. You are unwilling to go, so you cannot blame the court.

What is the reality? This is an open conspiracy, telling the royal family members clearly that I am plotting against you. I know that the income from your hidden land is enough for you to survive, but I just don't want to pay you salaries. What do you think?
If you were asked to take over the task of developing the southwest, would you dare? Would you be willing?
If you really want to, the southwestern economy will develop and the court will not suffer any losses.

If you don't want to, the court will stop paying your salaries in the future, and you will be self-sufficient relying on your own land.

In this case, won’t all the princes and vassal kings in the world break my spine behind my back?
What a vicious guy!

(End of this chapter)