amaotonovel Chapter 1150 We'll break your legs!
Chapter 1150 We'll break your legs!
Yang Shaofeng replied directly: "Have the Ministry of Revenue randomly select three people from each prefecture and county, one each of twenty-five, forty, and fifty-five years old, and provide them with travel permits, travel expenses, and carriages to be sent to the capital."
"The Ming Dynasty currently has over 1,200 prefectures and counties, which together amount to only about 3,600 people."
"Why doesn't Father-in-law meet the people himself and ask them what they think?"
As Yang Shaofeng finished speaking, Emperor Zhu's heart began to pound wildly.
We summoned more than 3,000 people this year, and we can summon more than 3,000 people again next year.
As long as we can ensure that the people summoned each year are randomly selected, we can hear the most authentic thoughts of the people.
Compared to that, whether or not one seeks advice is secondary.
Emperor Zhu nodded with a smile, but then changed the subject, saying, "Asking the people for advice would take several months just for the preliminary preparations. By the time the people arrive in the capital, it might not be until the autumn of the eighth year of Hongwu's reign?"
"The reform of the cabinet, the censorate, the grand military command, the regional military command, and other government offices is imminent. How can it be delayed until next autumn?"
"This is what we're thinking. When you get back later, write a memorial to the throne, clearly describing all the government offices, big and small, in Ningyang County and Dengzhou Prefecture."
"Let's have the officials discuss it again after the grand court assembly tomorrow, and see if we can directly modify it according to Ningyang County."
Yang Shaofeng was stunned for a moment, and in his daze, he had a sense of confusion, wondering "Who am I, where am I, and what am I doing?"
So, you guys had already planned to copy my homework all along?
The key point is that this official wanted to save himself trouble, so he almost copied the system of the State Council of later generations to Ningyang County and Dengzhou Prefecture. In other words, as long as Old Deng started copying homework, he was copying the final answer!
So what have I been doing, jumping around like this these past two days?
Yang Shaofeng was filled with rage and malice. He was just about to devise a way to humiliate Lao Deng when Xia Yu rushed to the Qianqing Palace. Upon seeing Emperor Zhu, Xia Yu handed him a secret report and then bowed, saying, "Urgent report from Bogu: Two merchants in Bubeiqiang have been kidnapped and their families are being extorted for a ransom of ten thousand strings of cash. Their fate is currently unknown."
The Emperor Zhu paused slightly as he flipped through the memorial, and without looking up, asked, "What about Pegu?"
Xia Yu took a deep breath and bowed again, replying, "The King of Pegu has already sent troops to rescue them and has also sent someone to inform the Ming embassy. However, the area around Bubeqiang is mostly mountainous and swampy, with dense miasma, so I'm afraid..."
Emperor Zhu hummed in agreement, but Li Shanchang and Liu Bowen unconsciously looked at Yang Shaofeng.
Yang Shaofeng was completely bewildered by their stares and couldn't help but ask, "Why are the Duke of Han and the Marquis of Chengyi looking at me like that?"
Li Shanchang turned to the side, deliberately lowered his voice, and tentatively asked, "Was it the Prince Consort who instructed the passersby to do this?"
What the hell?
Yang Shaofeng was stunned again and asked, "What do you mean, did I instruct the passersby to do it?"
Li Shanchang snorted and said in a low voice, "Don't think I don't know. Your Embroidered Uniform Guard had a secret report last month saying that oil and iron ore had been discovered in the Kingdom of Pegu."
Liu Bowen stroked his beard and said, "It's not a bad deal to lose two merchants in exchange for a legitimate reason to launch an attack."
As soon as Li Shanchang and Liu Bowen finished speaking, Emperor Zhu immediately put away the secret report and joined Li Shanchang and Liu Bowen in keeping an eye on Yang Shaofeng.
Even Xu Da and Chang Yuchun suddenly relaxed, and a smile appeared on their lips.
Yang Shaofeng almost laughed out of anger at these old geezers.
So you all doubt me, huh?
No, even if you guys are going to use tired old jokes, they're like bacteria growing in a mine, not like me growing in a mine!
What have I done to make you doubt my character and integrity?
Yang Shaofeng, his face dark, said to Emperor Zhu, "It wasn't me! There's still a whole mess to sort out in Fujian, how could I have time to worry about the mess in Bago!"
Black Sesame Dumpling nodded in agreement and said, "I can vouch for my brother-in-law; this really has nothing to do with him."
Emperor Zhu once again presented a secret report, and Li Shanchang and Liu Bowen's expressions changed simultaneously. Xu Da, even more menacing, bowed to Emperor Zhu and said, "Your Majesty, I request permission to send troops to Bogu!"
Chang Yuchun exclaimed, "I'll go! My superiors want me to go to Pegu. With just 100,000 troops, I can rescue those two merchants, take down Pegu, and bring back the oil and iron mines!"
Emperor Zhu closed the memorial again and had Chen Zhong give it to Li Shanchang. Then he glared at Chang Yuchun and said, "One hundred thousand soldiers? By the time you've prepared one hundred thousand soldiers, those two merchants will be finished!"
Li Shanchang looked at the memorial for a while, then suddenly sneered and said, "Your Majesty, these bandits who kidnapped people are probably not simple characters either."
At this point, Li Shanchang got up and walked to the huge map. He gestured towards the Pegu Kingdom and said, "Pegu is mountainous and densely forested, and it is also close to Siam. If Pegu sends people to arrest them, the bandits can retreat into Siam at will. Once the Pegu government troops have left, they can make a comeback."
"In my opinion, it would be better to select a garrison that is skilled in mountain warfare, and then have the Dengzhou fleet quickly transport it to Pegu."
“These two merchants… if we can save them, then save them; if we can’t, then kill all the kidnappers to avenge them, and also slaughter the entire area within ten miles around them, and build a mound of skulls to deter those who dare to disobey.”
Emperor Zhu grunted expressionlessly, but Chang Yuchun's eyes widened as he asked, "By the way? Slaughter the entire area within ten miles? Build a mound of skulls?"
Li Shanchang nodded and said, "No matter what these kidnappers are all about, they still need to eat and drink. Since they are entrenched in Bubeiqiang, it means that the local barbarians in Bubeiqiang must be colluding with them. Perhaps there are also people in the court of Bogu Kingdom who are in cahoots with them."
After a slight pause, Li Shanchang looked at Emperor Zhu and added, "The most important thing is the oil and iron ore in Bago."
"The purpose of sending troops on this expedition is twofold: first, to punish the wicked and punish the innocent people of our Great Ming Dynasty."
“Building a mound of corpses to deter disobedience was intended to prevent similar situations from happening again.”
"Another one is to rightfully take over the iron and oil mines in Bago."
"Especially iron ore."
Emperor Zhu nodded again, then looked at Xu Da and instructed, "Do as Mr. Shanchang wishes. Select a garrison in the Fujian area that is skilled in mountain warfare, and have the Dengzhou fleet send people to Bubeiqiang to rescue them. Kill all the bandits within ten miles and build a Jingguan to deter the disobedient."
Xu Da immediately bowed in agreement, and Li Shanchang returned to his seat from in front of the map. However, Emperor Zhu glanced at Yang Shaofeng and Zhu Biao and snorted coldly, saying, "You two stay in the capital and wait for the New Year. If you dare to sneak out again, I'll break your legs!"
As Emperor Zhu finished speaking, Zhu Biao, who had just given Yang Shaofeng a wink, immediately fell silent.