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

Chapter 254 Hongzhi Closes the Net
Early this morning, the Crown Prince came to Chen Ce again to learn sketching and painting.

At lunchtime, Chen Ce asked Zhu Houzhao, "Is the project of measuring the land of the Ming Dynasty finished?"

Zhu Houzhao nodded hurriedly and said to Chen Ce while eating, "I would have forgotten if you hadn't told me, little brother."

"Yes, the land survey has been completed. Is it time to take action against the princes of the royal family now?"

Chen Ce nodded and said to Zhu Houzhao, "There is one more thing we must guard against. There are so many royal families and princes in the world. If the emperor comes forward to do this, it will cause fierce hatred from the princes and royal families."

Zhu Houzhao said: "Then let the people from the six ministries of the cabinet do it?"

Chen Ce shook his head and said, "They don't have the power. The emperor still has to make the order... but the one who makes the suggestion doesn't have to be the emperor."

"For example, the person who gives advice could be the crown prince."

Zhu Houzhao: "..."

Wouldn't this make my uncles and aunts hate me?

Chen Ce glanced at Zhu Houzhao and smiled, "No one will believe that the crown prince would carefully plan all this. They will only think that there is a master behind the crown prince."

Aren't you the master? Aren't you courting death?

If such a huge group of royal family and princes really unite to deal with you, can you survive?
Chen Ce drank a sip of tea and guided Zhu Houzhao, "The salt permit issue has already made the royal family and other groups hate Jiao Fang. This time they will still think that Jiao Fang is targeting them."

Zhu Houzhao's eyes suddenly widened. Yes! Jiao Fang!

The group of people outside have always believed that it was Jiao Fang who was directing me behind the scenes, and Jiao Fang himself has never denied it. If my father were to reveal to the outside world that everything was the Crown Prince's advice, others would only believe that it was Jiao Fang who was guiding the Crown Prince behind the scenes, and would immediately transfer all conflicts and hatred to Jiao Fang!

What a good plan!

……

After Zhu Houzhao returned to the Qianqing Palace, he immediately conveyed Chen Ce's words to Emperor Hongzhi.

After the country completed the land measurement, Emperor Hongzhi planned to take action against the royal family and princes all over the world, but he still had some concerns. He was afraid that this matter would be too drastic and would cause strong opposition from the royal family and princes. However, after Zhu Houzhao finished speaking, Emperor Hongzhi suddenly became enlightened.

Asking Jiao Fang to take the blame would undoubtedly put himself out of the matter.

As for Jiao Fang... I'm sorry, someone has to sacrifice! For the future of Ming Dynasty, Jiao Fang's sacrifice is worth it!

In the 13th year of Hongzhi, after the Lantern Festival, the royal family and princes of the Ming Dynasty, led by Prince Xing Zhu Youju, continued to submit memorials, praying that the Ministry of Revenue would distribute their salaries.

This was the third time that the royal family and princes had jointly written a petition since last year. Qin Hong went to Emperor Hongzhi with great concern.

The Ministry of Revenue's budget for this year has basically been completed, and there is no extra money to pay the royal family and princes throughout the world.

Emperor Hongzhi had no choice but to ask Qin Hong to reply to all the royal family members and princes in the world, stating that the country was in financial difficulties and had no extra money to pay their salaries.

Zhu Youlang continued to write letters on behalf of all the royal family members and princes in the world, stating that the royal family and princes were seriously short of money and were almost unable to eat.

On the 17th day of the first lunar month, Emperor Hongzhi held a grand court meeting. All officials stood in orderly rows on the left and right, and the royal family and relatives headed by the Earl of Changning and the Earl of Xinning were also summoned to the hall to listen to the government affairs.

Emperor Hongzhi arrived late, and immediately said to his ministers with a worried look on his face: "My dear ministers, the court currently owes salaries to the royal family and princes of the two capitals and thirteen provinces, and the Ministry of Revenue's finances are getting worse year by year. I cannot treat them unfairly, so what should we do about this matter?"

The ministers were silent.

The three elders of the cabinet have never understood Emperor Hongzhi's operation. Last year, the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Personnel spent so much effort to measure and count the land in the world, but the result was not satisfactory. The royal family and princes did not find out the hidden land at all. In their opinion, this operation was meaningless.

But why did the emperor spend so much effort measuring the land when he knew he would find out nothing?

They really couldn't understand Emperor Hongzhi's methods.

Emperor Hongzhi continued to sigh, "Last year, I ordered the Ministry of Revenue to take the lead in checking the land of the vassal states. It is indeed as they said. With the increase in the population of the vassal states, their fields are not enough to support the current population."

"They need the court's salary to support their lives, and I understand them."

All the officials in the hall continued to remain silent, but their expressions varied. Everyone present knew the nature of those vassal clansmen.

The fields they secretly hid can not only feed the current population, but also solve the food problem for the next ten to twenty years.

They are just greedy and simply want to continue sucking blood from the imperial court.

Emperor Hongzhi looked around at his ministers and continued, "The Ministry of Revenue has made statistical predictions and found that in the next few decades, the imperial court may not be able to pay salaries to the royal vassal states."

"But I cannot pretend that I saw nothing about this matter, nor can I ignore it. The rules set by our ancestors cannot be broken by me. The princes and vassals have made great contributions to the Ming Dynasty. If I treat them so badly, how can I face my ancestors in the future?"

"Fortunately, the East Palace gave me a very good suggestion, which can completely solve the current predicament."

The expressions of officials from the Cabinet and the six ministries gradually became serious.

Emperor Hongzhi's ultimate goal is finally about to be revealed!
"There is a vast expanse of land in the southwest. Although I cannot pay the salaries of the vassal states, I can compensate them."

"Therefore, I have decided to assign the vast tracts of land in the southwest to the various vassal states. The imperial court will not take a penny of the income from the land. The vassal states can move their families to the southwest and establish themselves as kings. I will also have the local officials calculate the income from the original fiefdoms and give it to the vassal states in full."

"I wonder what you think?"

Although the Ministry of Revenue's finances cannot pay the salaries of the princes and vassals, Emperor Hongzhi can compensate them. The court has awarded all the vast undeveloped land in the southwest to you.

Didn't you say that the existing land and grain harvest were not enough for you to eat? Well, there is so much land in the southwest waiting to be developed, you can develop it, the court doesn't want a penny, Emperor Hongzhi is equivalent to giving up a large area of ​​land in the southwest, ceding it all to you.

Your own fiefdom doesn't have much land anyway, so you can move your family there. I won't take a penny of the income from your original fiefdom. I will ask the local officials to count the income and give it all to you in the end.

In this way, you have both the vast land in the southwest and the original land income. These should be enough to maintain your income, right?

After Emperor Hongzhi finished speaking, the entire hall was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop!

The Earl of Changning, the Earl of Xinning and other relatives of the royal family were all stunned. Their expressions were distorted, dull, their faces twitched, and their fists were clenched!
The elders of the six ministries of the cabinet were only suddenly awakened now, and they couldn't help but gasp!

(End of this chapter)