Da Ming: The system granted me immortality; I clock in every day.

"He doesn't even know where his own food and clothing come from, yet he dares to presume to teach the crown prince how to govern the world?"

Gu Yannian's tone turned cold, exuding an imposing aura without anger.

"Your so-called 'rule of the king' is nothing but a castle in the air built on the toil of millions of farmers. Go back to the Hanlin Academy and copy the 'Collected Statutes of the Ming Dynasty' and the Yellow Register of the Ministry of Revenue a hundred times before you talk about your benevolence and morality!"

Kong Hongxu felt as if he had been granted a pardon, and dared not argue any further. He scrambled out of the Wenhua Hall.

The atmosphere inside the hall immediately relaxed.

Zhu Qizhen was surprised to find that he had not only escaped being scolded, but had instead received praise from his father.

He immediately became smug and ran to Zhu Zhanji as if presenting a treasure.

"Father, I not only know how much money will be spent on disaster relief, but I also know how profitable the Grand Tutor's game in Annam was the other day!"

Zhu Qizhen counted on his fingers, calculating meticulously.

"The copper from Annam is transported back, minted into copper coins, and after deducting the losses from mining and sea transport, the imperial court can net a 40% profit! It's even more profitable than mining in Guangdong and Guangxi!"

Zhu Zhanji nodded repeatedly, his face beaming with delight.

"Prime Minister Gu, it was a wise move of mine to entrust the Crown Prince to you back then. With such a pragmatic ruler, how could the Ming Dynasty not prosper for another hundred years!"

Zhu Zhanji praised.

Gu Yannian bowed slightly: "Your Majesty flatters me. Your Highness is naturally intelligent, but it is only through my strict supervision that he has avoided some detours."

Only Wang Zhen was secretly lamenting his misfortune.

This Minister Gu is not urging us on; he is clearly treating the Crown Prince as a free laborer for the Ministry of Revenue.

They tormented themselves with endless, messy accounts all day long.

However, he also admitted that the current crown prince is no longer the naive child who was easily fooled back then.

"My son performed exceptionally well today."

Zhu Zhanji stood up and patted his son's head.

"I grant you a half-day off today, so you don't need to worry about math. Come with me to the Thousand Autumns Pavilion to admire the lotus flowers."

Upon hearing that he was given a holiday, Zhu Qizhen jumped for joy.

They followed Zhu Zhanji with cheers and excitement, like a bird released from its cage.

Gu Yannian stood there, watching the father and son walk away, without stopping them.

He naturally understood the principle of striking a balance between relaxation and restraint.

A string stretched too tight is prone to breaking.

Occasionally give this little schemer a heads-up, and then squeeze him dry tomorrow; that way, you'll be more adept at handling him.

After leaving Wenhua Hall, Gu Yannian did not return to his post in Jianji Hall.

Instead, they left the imperial city and headed straight for a secluded alley in the west of the capital.

Today, he has a secret contact to meet.

In this imperial court, bookworms like Kong Hongxu are not worth worrying about.

The real undercurrents were among the old aristocratic families of Jiangnan who were unwilling to be stripped of their power and wealth.

Although they were suppressed in the court, they secretly colluded to form a vast web.

Walking deeper into the alley, we came to a shop with a sign that read "Chen's Grocery Store".

Gu Yannian lifted the curtain and went inside.

The shop was dimly lit, and a strong aroma of aged tea and spices filled the air.

Behind the counter, a gaunt old man who looked like a shopkeeper was dozing off.

Upon seeing a guest arrive, the old man suddenly opened his eyes, a strange glint flashing in them.

Upon recognizing the visitor as Gu Yannian, the old man quickly emerged from behind the counter.

He strode quickly to the back hall and stood respectfully with his head bowed.

"Your subordinate, Zhao Si, a centurion of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, pays his respects to the Grand Secretary."

The Embroidered Uniform Guard of the Ming Dynasty was nominally under the direct control of the emperor.

However, with Zhu Zhanji's tacit approval, Gu Yannian had already secretly selected a group of the most capable secret agents.

They wove an intelligence network exclusively for the cabinet.

It was used to monitor all officials and local powerful figures.

"Get up. Is there any unusual activity in Jiangnan?"

Gu Yannian sat down on the armchair in the back hall, speaking in a calm tone.

Zhao Si stood up, took out a secret letter from his pocket, and handed it over with both hands.

"Your Excellency, since the granaries were filled and the method of converting silver into cash was implemented, the salt merchants and silk merchants of Jiangnan, though outwardly compliant,..."

"But in Suzhou, in the Songjiang area, a literary society called the Fushe secretly arose."

Zhao Si lowered his voice and reported the secrets he had uncovered.

"These societies, ostensibly for composing poems and paintings and exchanging knowledge, were actually secretly funded and supported by powerful and influential families. They bribed unsuccessful scholars to spread songs about the prime minister in the countryside, claiming that he was a traitor who competed with the people for profit."

"Even worse..."

Zhao Si swallowed hard, his tone grave.

"They secretly colluded with several censors in the capital, planning to submit a petition to the emperor under the guise of presenting gifts on the emperor's birthday next month, impeaching the prime minister for abusing his power and disrupting the government."

Gu Yannian took the secret letter but did not rush to open it; he simply played with it in his hand.

"Fuxing Society?"

A mocking smile curled at the corner of his lips.

"These scholars, powerless to even kill a chicken, always dream of turning the world upside down with their pens. Do they think that by manipulating so-called public opinion, they can force the emperor to back down and make me give up?"

Gu Yannian lit the secret letter over the candle flame and watched it turn to ashes.

"They haven't figured it out yet. In the Ming Dynasty's calculations, a few sentimental poems are not worth a tael of real gold or silver."

Gu Yannian stood up, a chilling glint flashing in his deep eyes.

"Order our spies in Jiangnan not to alert them. If they want to gather, let them gather. Find out exactly which powerful families are secretly funding us, and make sure I know everything about their land, shops, and banks."

"Not a single penny of tax evasion shall be overlooked."

Gu Yannian dusted off his sleeves, his tone revealing a ruthless, calculating air.

"Since they think they have too much silver and have spare money to support those frivolous scholars, then I will bestow upon them an immense fortune—the confiscation of their property and the extermination of their entire clan—before the Emperor's birthday celebrations."

"Let them know who is truly in charge of this Ming Dynasty."

"Your subordinate obeys!"

Zhao Si shuddered, knowing that a bloody storm was about to break out in Jiangnan.

After handing over his tasks, Gu Yannian walked out of the grocery store.

The sun outside was gradually setting in the west, and a cool summer breeze blew through the alley.

Everything is proceeding smoothly.

The dying struggle of the civil service group and the secret collusion of the wealthy gentry in Jiangnan.

They were just a few disobedient pieces in his long game of chess.

He had plenty of patience and carefully removed them one by one.

We walked out of the alley and onto Qianmen Street.

A roadside roasted lamb stall was emitting an enticing aroma.

The vendor waved a palm-leaf fan, and the lamb skewers on the charcoal fire sizzled with oil. He sprinkled on some cumin and dogwood powder, and the aroma exploded instantly.

Gu Yannian stopped, a hint of leisure in his eyes.

"Boss, thirty skewers of roasted lamb, extra chili. And a corner of baijiu."

He found a low table and sat down, watching the people coming and going on the street, listening to the lively noise and hawking sounds.

With a full treasury and an obedient crown prince, most of the world's troubles will be reduced.

When the steaming hot roasted lamb was served, Gu Yannian poured himself a glass of strong liquor and drank it all in one gulp.

The spicy liquor flowed down my throat, a truly exhilarating experience.

Gu Yannian picked up a lamb skewer and slowly savored it.

The afterglow of the setting sun cast a long, slanted shadow of him.

From the distant Drum Tower, the familiar sound of the evening drum once again drifted through the air.