Da Ming: Father, step aside, I'll be the prime minister!

Chapter 267 Matters of the Imperial Court reside in Jiangnan, while matters of Jiangnan unfold in the New School.

Their conversation ended there.

Zhang Yunxiu could easily guess Empress Dowager Li's attitude towards this matter.

She never thought about taking action herself, and was even quite energetic.

But this ironically led to Prince Lu charging into battle.

It seems that this "Prince of Lu" must be his biological son.

For a time, the Shanxi merchants, the Jiangnan gentry, the Cining Palace, and the Prince of Lu all seemed to have joined forces to deal with him.

No wonder Princess Yongning was in such a hurry to spread the news; she was genuinely afraid that these people would ruin her.
Zhang Yunxiu's expression was somewhat strange.

Is this princess?
He shook his head, deciding to stop thinking about these things.

Those around him were worried, but Zhang Yunxiu didn't seem to care. He walked out of Renmin Medical Hall with a calm demeanor.

These past few days, Yu Xiangdou had been by Zhang Yunxiu's side, handling various matters in Jiangnan. Upon seeing Zhang Yunxiu emerge, he quickly stepped forward to greet him.

"Sir, what should we do next?"

He had a bitter face, looking like he was under a lot of pressure, and there were even a few more gray hairs on his head.

Zhang Yunxiu turned to look at him, his tone matter-of-fact: "How to do it? Wasn't everything already arranged?"

“But I really have no idea what to do…” Yu Xiangdou looked troubled.

He went from being a bookseller in the capital to becoming Zhang Yunxiu's ally in his fight against the world; where could he possibly have any confidence?

"You dog-like thing." Zhang Yunxiu glanced at the other person. "Just do as I say. Can't you even win without lifting a finger?"

What is "winning by doing nothing"?
Yu Xiangdou was completely confused, but he roughly understood the meaning and quickly nodded: "I understand."

Once he was in the carriage, he asked again.

"Sir, where are we going?"

Without hesitation, Zhang Yunxiu answered, "Wenyuan Pavilion."

"Huh?" Yu Xiangdou was taken aback.

This notorious rebellious son, who is known throughout the world, actually thought of going to see his father on his own initiative. It's like the sun has risen in the west.

Zhang Yunxiu chuckled and said.

"We haven't seen the old man for days. Let's go find him and cause him some trouble. The fish has taken the bait, so it's time for us to haul in the net!"

Nanjing.

Yingtian Prefecture Government Office.

Yin Zhengmao and Hai Rui, however, did not appear so composed.

In the main hall of the governor's office, Yin Zhengmao, his face ashen, slammed a cabinet appointment letter onto the table and roared furiously.

"These pedantic scholars who only know how to talk big! What do they know about the hardships of ordinary people? They spend their days in their grand mansions, indulging in pleasure with their concubines, yet they start lecturing this old man?"

He slammed his hand on the table, causing tea to splash everywhere.

Where were they when Jiangnan suffered from floods? Where were they when the people of Jiangnan were displaced and lost their livelihoods?
Now that the situation has improved slightly, they are doing everything they can to attack us!

"If I were to embezzle even half a tael of silver from Jiangnan, may my lineage be cut off."

Heaven have mercy, since he took charge of Jiangnan, he can truly be described as having clean hands and empty sleeves.

Even so, countless impeachment memorials still flew into the cabinet like snowflakes and were sent to the emperor, filled with accusations of "extorting money and harming the people" and "tyrannical rule and oppression of the people".

The cabinet's issuance of this summons was precisely Zhang Juzheng's reminder to him to be careful in his actions and not to give anyone a handle to use against him.

Zhang Juzheng understood very well that if Yin Zhengmao were removed from office, the newly initiated reforms in Jiangnan would once again face numerous difficulties.

However, after venting his anger, Yin Zhengmao found that no one in the hall responded, which made him quite embarrassed.

He looked at Hai Rui, who was sitting upright to the side, and said.

"Are you unmoved, Ruxian? They criticize me for 'accumulating wealth,' and they accuse you of 'seeking fame and fortune.'"

They said you were using the pretext of the Jiangnan Textile Bureau to deliberately humiliate the local gentry in order to gain the empty title of "Upright Official Hai".

Yin Zhengmao shook his head repeatedly.

"In my opinion, Shi Yuan's decision to invite a Beijing opera troupe to perform 'Hai Gong's Judgment' was a complete blunder."

"Does your reputation, Hai Gangfeng, need actors to promote it with gongs and drums? Now people are using this as an excuse to accuse you of deliberately seeking fame."

But after he rambled on for a while, he saw that Hai Rui still ignored him, still engrossed in looking at a stack of account books, as if everything in the capital had nothing to do with him.

Yin Zhengmao couldn't help but have some doubts.

After rambling on for a while, Hai Rui didn't even lift his eyelids.

"Master Hai"

Yin Zhengmao was about to speak when he saw Hai Rui slowly raise his head and look towards the corner of the hall.

Zhao Rui, the manager of the Jiangnan Textile Bureau, was sitting in a corner, wiping his sweat with a handkerchief.

Hai Rui pushed the account books to the table, pointed with his finger and said.

"Manager Zhao, I still have some doubts about the financial reports of the Jiangnan Textile Bureau over the past seven days. Please tell me about them. This matter is of great importance and cannot be neglected."

Upon hearing Hai Rui's words, Zhao Rui hurriedly dragged his bloated body to his feet and bowed. He then slowly walked to Hai Rui and respectfully bowed as he passed Yin Zhengmao.

Zhao Rui took the ledger and then began to explain it to Hai Rui in detail.

"Hai Xiantai, please take a look here. This is a chart made by the Jiangnan Textile Bureau, modeled after the Xishan method. Since we implemented this 'loom lending method,' nearly ten thousand good families have benefited. Those with better conditions can rent a loom and spin yarn themselves, while those with worse conditions can become weavers at the Jiangnan Textile Bureau, which will pay them accordingly."

He glanced at Hai Rui subconsciously, only to find that although the other man was frowning, he looked very serious.

Zhao Rui's expression relaxed considerably, and he continued his introduction.

"According to the Yellow Register of the sixth year of the Wanli reign, there were about 140,000 households under the jurisdiction of Yingtian Prefecture. In the Jiangnan region, three or four out of ten people were engaged in weaving. In comparison, we have already accommodated nearly half of the farmers. In just two months, we have achieved quite good results."

With Zhao Rui's guidance, Hai Rui quickly understood the clues in the accounts and couldn't help but sigh.

"This Zhang Shiyuan is quite good at tinkering with things; his chart method makes everything crystal clear."

"Your Excellency is exceptionally intelligent, and this chart method is truly ingenious. I have heard that the Ministry of Revenue is also implementing it."

"This is good governance."

Hai Rui was very stingy with praise, so this was considered a very high compliment. He looked at the accounts again and again and continued to ask questions.

"What is the income of the people? Are there any relevant details?"

“Yes,” Zhao Rui said, helping Hai Rui turn to a page.

"Hai Xiantai, please look here. Compared with the same period last year, the output of cotton cloth in Yingtianfu has more than doubled. This is even before the looms were widely used."

At this point, Zhao Rui's face lit up with pride.

"Now, let's talk about Widow Wang by the Qinhuai River. She used to make a living with an old spinning wheel. The cotton yarn she spun in a day wasn't even enough to exchange for two liters of rice. She also had a young child. In the past, she lived a very frugal life."

Things are very different now. Thanks to our Tiangong textile machines, we no longer need to go out and do odd jobs. We can earn four or five times the income we used to make just by spinning all day long. Last month, we even saved up a few taels of silver, which finally gave us enough money to send our children to school.”

When it comes to these things, Zhao Rui remembers them clearly because he had personally met almost every one of these people, and they are all vividly imprinted in his mind.

"And there's Old Man Li, who has three sons. With the slack season approaching, he's also started learning how to use a loom." As if reciting a familiar story, Zhao Rui told Hai Rui about the changes in the people.

Clearly, Hai Rui preferred these more human stories to cold, hard numbers, and a smile crept onto his lips as he listened.

However, his expression vanished in an instant, and he immediately asked again.

"Everything you've said is good, but there's always a problem, isn't there?"

This is what makes Hai Rui so unlikeable; even when something is clearly a good thing, he always seems to want to create trouble for you.

It was precisely because of this personality that he became a fearsome figure in officialdom.

But Zhao Rui was already used to it, and after thinking for a moment, he explained.

"There are some problems. Since a few days ago, many aristocratic families in Jiangnan have been instructing merchants and farmers not to buy cotton yarn or silk from Tiangong Textile Machines, nor to sell any cotton or silk. This has had some impact on our production and promotion."

Hai Rui thought for a moment and said, "This is not entirely a bad thing. Those people hoard goods and speculate, so the price of cotton yarn and silk will naturally rise, and the people will also make some money."

"Your Excellency has also read economics?" Zhao Rui asked with slight surprise, but still said with concern. "Prices will indeed rise, but even a skilled cook can't make a meal without rice. Not to mention that these people have cut off our sales channels, which is like choking us. If this continues, I'm afraid we won't be able to continue."

Just then, a leisurely voice was heard.

Zhang Jianxiu reminded us, "This is nothing to worry about. Shiyuan has sent a letter telling us to wait for good news. Recently, our Jiangnan Textile Bureau has purchased all the cotton and silk produced by the cotton farmers. We cannot let the people suffer any injustice."

With Zhang Jianxiu's words, Hai Rui felt much more at ease, regardless of whether Zhang Yunxiu's "waiting for good news" was reliable or not.

But what more can be said when this incredibly wealthy and influential man is willing to provide the funds to resolve the predicament in Jiangnan?
Hai Rui then looked at Zhao Rui again and said, "In addition, the Changzhou and Zhenjiang areas are rich in tea and melons and fruits. Some people see that cotton farmers around Yingtian Prefecture are making a profit, and they are thinking of changing their tea and melon and fruit fields to cotton and mulberry fields."
The loom is a way to enrich the people, and it must be promoted.

But food is also fundamental, and it absolutely cannot be taken lightly.

"Manager Zhao, do you have a solution?"

He glanced at Zhang Jianxiu in the corner, his expression quite suggestive.

"As for finding some overseas grain varieties to replace grain, there's no need to mention it anymore; it's ultimately just a pipe dream."

Zhang Jianxiu immediately retorted, "What are you saying, Lord Hai? We can definitely find these overseas grain seeds. I have already received the news and dispatched the Imperial Guards to Fujian and Guangdong to search for sweet potatoes and taro. I expect we will have some results soon!"

In the past, even Zhang Jianxiu found it hard to believe that there was such a thing as a mu of land yielding forty shi of grain.

After Xishan created a series of novel gadgets, he had no choice but to believe it. After all, his younger brother, who was usually a bit eccentric, had fulfilled almost every promise he made.

His trip to Jiangnan was not only to promote the Jiangnan Textile Bureau, but also to search for the divine grain seeds.

Imagine if such a grain really existed, how many ordinary people in the Ming Dynasty could be fed?
This matter even concerns the fate of the Ming Dynasty!

However, Hai Rui seemed unimpressed by this strange occurrence and instead turned his gaze to Zhao Rui, who was standing to the side.

Zhao Rui understood and quickly explained to Hai Rui.

"The Changzhou and Zhenjiang areas are clearly more proactive in implementing the new policies and loan laws compared to Songjiang and Suzhou."

Over the past few days, Zhao Rui has also figured out the tricks of the trade.

“Changzhou and Zhenjiang have been grain-producing areas since ancient times, so planting cotton and mulberry trees is not very suitable. It is understandable that the people want to earn money, but if it harms the country's grain production plan, then it will be a loss that does not outweigh the gain.”

I think that besides using grain varieties, another thing I could do is to set certain restrictions. During the current off-season for farming, the Jiangnan Textile Bureau could set up some workshops specifically to employ people who want to earn money.

Farmland must be protected, which requires the efforts of local officials and may even involve providing farmers with some preferential treatment for growing grain.

Finally...

He looked up and glanced at Hai Rui.

"I believe that by establishing a futures market, we can stabilize the prices of cotton and grain in the Jiangnan region and resolve this problem."

"Easier said than done?"

Yin Zhengmao, who had been sitting upright and ignored by everyone, finally spoke up.

“The Jiangnan gentry, led by Xu Jie, Wang Shizhen and others, occupied the Suzhou and Songjiang areas, seemingly ready to confront the imperial court.”

They are intentionally hoarding goods to drive up prices. We have no goods on hand, how can we possibly operate? It's truly..."

Over the past few days, they have thoroughly grasped the situation in Jiangnan.

Although the Jiangnan region is not a monolithic entity, the situation is still far from optimistic.

Just like the pace of implementing new policies, the implementation of the loan law often only existed in the area around Yingtian Prefecture, such as Huizhou and Taiping Prefecture, and it was relatively smooth.

It was difficult to go to Changzhou and Zhenjiang, but the local gentry were not influential and could still be suppressed by force.

But when they reached the Suzhou and Songjiang areas, it was practically a monolithic entity.

Not only the local people, but even the local officials colluded with Xu Jie and his associates.

Even with these people present, the transformation of Jiangnan still faces immense difficulties.

But Hai Rui actually smiled slightly and turned to look at Yin Zhengmao on the stage.

"Is Governor Yin no longer angry?"

Yin Zhengmao said, somewhat speechless, "Where do you get this idea, Ruxian? I..."

Hai Rui interrupted, saying, "Lord Yangshi is troubled by the impeachment and is anxious and upset. It's not that I'm unwilling to respond, but I feel that this matter is not very important."

"Not really?!" Yin Zhengmao was clearly a little angry.

But Hai Rui said leisurely, "Doesn't Yangshi Gong understand?"
Now that the predicament in Jiangnan is resolved, the two of us will naturally be free of trouble.

If the predicament of Jiangnan is not resolved, no matter how pure and upright we are, we will still be defiled by others.

Our most pressing concern right now is resolving the crisis in Jiangnan, not worrying about the chaos in the capital.

He looked very confident.

"Zhang Shiyuan and the Prime Minister will naturally handle the matters in the capital."

Yin Zhengmao noticed that when Hai Rui spoke, he put Zhang Yunxiu first.

In just a few short months, it is truly astonishing that Hai Rui and Hai Gangfeng, who were once "upright and incorruptible" and "hated evil as if it were their enemy," have also begun to understand the ways of officialdom.

What changes have occurred in Hai Rui in recent days?
But then Hai Rui sighed deeply and said...

"As the 'new learning' says, we must be realistic, down-to-earth, and think about what can be changed. If we can do our best to implement the policies in Jiangnan, then we can leave the rest to fate. If we must have any hope, then we'll have to see how Zhang Shiyuan handles things."

The fact that Hai Rui could say such a thing shows how perilous the current situation is.

Even his mindset began to change, and he placed his hopes on Zhang Yunxiu.

Yin Zhengmao recalled Hai Rui's dismissal from office and heard him mention Zhang Yunxiu's "new learning," which aroused his curiosity.

Just as he was about to ask some questions.

Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the lobby.

A member of the Imperial Guard rushed in, and without even having time to pay his respects, went straight to Zhang Jianxiu's side.

After whispering something to Zhang Jianxiu, his previously carefree expression vanished, and he looked at Yin Zhengmao and Hai Rui and said...

"My lords, let's put this matter aside for now; there's an even greater urgency right now!"

"What is it?" Yin Zhengmao asked somewhat nervously.

Zhang Jianxiu said with a grim face, "The gentry of Jiangnan have launched an attack. An urgent report just arrived that in Songjiang, Suzhou and other places, many people and merchants have been incited to strike and resist the Jiangnan Textile Bureau and the new policies!"

(End of this chapter)