Chapter 464 Knife-wielding Man
Jiang Qingzhi had little contact with Xiong Jia. Judging from his resume, he was a well-behaved official who passed the imperial examination. During the Zhengde period, Prince Ning was plotting a rebellion, and it was he who reported and exposed it, forcing Prince Ning to start the rebellion ahead of schedule without adequate preparation. He was then slapped to death by Saint Wang.
After that, his career went smoothly until he angered Emperor Jiajing by making suggestions for conflicts within the royal family. After spending ten years at home, he was reappointed.
From then on, Lao Xiong's official career went smoothly, but Jiang Qingzhi vaguely remembered that in history Xiong Jia should have returned home, but at this moment he was still at the helm of the Ministry of Personnel.
Is this my butterfly?
Jiang Qingzhi would occasionally feel a little anxious, worrying that history would be completely changed because of his intervention. But if he thought about it carefully, if everything remained unchanged, how could the Ming Dynasty be saved?
He helped his wife into the carriage, nodded to his mother-in-law, Mrs. Chang, and then mounted his horse and prepared to leave.
"My dear nephew, is today convenient for you?"
Jiang Qingzhi turned around and saw Wang, who was smiling apologetically, so he said, "Since we have different paths, we should each do our own thing."
He had no interest in slapping this woman in the face, but Chang hated Wang so much that she shouted, "Who was it that said earlier that they would alienate the Second Lady's family and refuse to go to Xin'an Lane? Oh! Why did you change your mind now? If you don't change your habit of talking nonsense, you might hurt your man."
Jiang Qingzhi didn't want to get involved in the world of women. After arriving at the Ministry of Personnel, Xiong Jia, whose hair and beard were mostly white, came out of the duty room to greet him and said, "I am old. The last time I asked to resign, His Majesty didn't allow it, saying that I could serve for another two years. But now it has been two and a half years. Has His Majesty forgotten about this?"
Jiang Qingzhi smiled, helped him up, and the two of them went into the duty room.
Xiong Jia sat down and pointed at the thick documents on the table and said, "Last year, the evaluation of the southern officials was delayed. I was angry and urged them many times before they were delivered. Later, I learned that this matter was related to Chang Wei Bo."
"It's related to me?" Jiang Qingzhi was stunned.
"You went south and defeated the Japanese pirates entrenched in the coastal areas of Taizhou. This was a great achievement. Your unappreciated achievement has triggered a fight in the south."
Xiong Jia sighed, "Local officials say they have made contributions. In Nanjing, the six ministries all say they have made contributions. Some generals have also submitted memorials to the emperor, saying how great they are. What if I am not there to hold them back? It's like a riot of demons!"
Can you do this?
Jiang Qingzhi was also speechless.
"I invited you here because I want to ask about the administration in the south. You have traveled a lot and have seen a lot, and you are good at judging people."
"You flatter me."
"I am the most sensitive about employing people in the Ministry of Personnel. Hu Zongxian and Xu Wei, two down-and-out unlucky guys, have become counselors in your hands. Hu Zongxian has a good overall view. When you encountered some problems in the Bo Mansion in Yunnan, he was the one who took charge and dealt with them one by one. It can be said that there were no loopholes."
Xiong Jia spoke slowly, pausing after a few sentences to give himself time to think, "And Xu Wei is extremely talented. He is the only one among the Ten Scholars of Yuezhong who can handle worldly affairs. This shows that you have a great vision."
"I feel embarrassed by your praise." Jiang Qingzhi smiled and then pondered.
Xiong Jia did not rush him. He asked someone to serve tea and sipped it slowly.
Jiang Qingzhi took a sip of tea and said, "Excuse me for being blunt, the situation of officialdom in the south is not optimistic."
Xiong Jia frowned, "The Nanjing Ministry of Personnel said that although there are many problems with the administration of officials in the south, it is generally good."
"That's because the South is rich." Jiang Qingzhi said softly, "With money, many problems are covered up. But the problems will not disappear, they will only continue to accumulate. When the problems can no longer be covered up..."
"Pass the flower!" There was more coldness in Xiong Jia's eyes.
This official from the Ministry of Personnel, who was known for his steadiness, finally revealed his inherent sharpness.
Jiang Qingzhi nodded. "If the problem doesn't break out now, then it's good for you, me and everyone else. As for when it will break out, it depends on luck."
"The problem you mentioned..." Xiong Jia narrowed his eyes, wanting to see the quality of this young man.
"The biggest problem with the southern government is the tendency to stick together," said Jiang Qingzhi.
"Hold together?"
"Yes." Jiang Qingzhi put down the teacup, "And the bigger problem is..." He smiled and said, "Minister Xiong, this is a whirlpool."
Xiong Jia said calmly: "I am over seventy years old and have lived enough. Just tell me."
No wonder the Taoist priest would use this person again... Jiang Qingzhi admired him in his heart, "The trade in the south is prosperous, while the economy in the north is somewhat declining. In addition, the north is mainly engaged in resisting the foreign tribes on the grassland, and it wastes countless money and grain every year..."
These were summarized by historians of later generations and were also the biggest hidden dangers of the Ming Dynasty.
Xiong Jia had been the Minister of War and had also been in charge of the Censorate. His resume was rich, and there was more sternness in his old eyes. "How dare those people..."
"Why don't they dare?" Jiang Qingzhi said, "This poor relative in the north is beaten by the foreign tribes on the grassland all day long, and he cries out for money and food every day, otherwise the foreign tribes will invade. From the perspective of the South, this is what the poor relative in the north asked for. Therefore, there is a view in the officialdom of the South, that is..."
Jiang Qingzhi stood up and said, "Either dominate the court, or..."
Xiong Jia's old eyes twitched, "What?"
"Or, let's go our separate ways!"
"How dare they!" The old man slammed the table.
In history, when the capital fell and the emperor died for his country, many people in the south were actually delighted after hearing the news. They felt that the Man Qing were just here to rob and would leave sooner or later. When the time comes, we can strike back and support an emperor, and the court will be full of justice in no time!
The key point is that from now on, southern officials will be able to dominate the court and the world.
Jiang Qingzhi smiled and said, "Do you think they don't dare? The biggest problem of the Ming Dynasty right now is land and population. In short, it's money and grain. The Nine Borders are a bottomless pit that can never be filled. The South is rich, and they think there's no reason to let the South fill this gap."
After the lifting of the maritime ban, the development of the South was even more rapid. However, under the threat of foreign tribes in the grasslands, the North was forced to rely mainly on military struggle, which also delayed its development.
The old man was deep in thought. Jiang Qingzhi said, "If we don't break down the divide between the north and the south, this issue will become a fire under the Ming Dynasty. When the firewood increases, as long as someone lights the fire, the Ming Dynasty... boom!"
The cause of all this lies with the literati, the wealthy merchants, and... the southern officialdom.
"Rectifying the administration of officials is not about treating the symptoms but about finding the root causes and seeking solutions," said Jiang Qingzhi.
Xiong Jia stood up and said, "You sit down for a while."
"You are busy, I will go back first." Jiang Qingzhi said.
The old bear glared and said, "I said I would treat you to a drink to celebrate our success, and I have to keep my word." OK!
The old man was stubborn, so Jiang Qingzhi just sat down and picked up a book to read.
Xiong Jia hurried into the palace to ask to see Emperor Jiajing.
"...Chang Wei Bo said that the North-South divide is the biggest crisis for the Ming Dynasty. If it cannot be resolved, it will sooner or later become..."
"Will it destroy the Ming Dynasty?"
"Yes."
Emperor Jiajing narrowed his eyes and asked, "What do you think of what he said?"
Xiong Jia saluted and said, "I have always believed that Your Majesty favors his relatives, but what Lord Wei said today makes me feel ashamed."
"Oh!" Daoye stroked the jade cone, "What do you mean by that?"
"I have heard that a wise ruler must have wise ministers as his companions. It would be a waste of talent if we don't use such a talented person as Chang Wei Bo!" Xiong Jia said seriously: "I am willing to give way to the wise."
Dao Ye: “…”
Xiong Jia sighed, "Your Majesty, the Ming Dynasty is full of crises... I..."
"Want to retire?" Emperor Jiajing narrowed his eyes and looked at Xiong Jia.
"I am worried that if I die in the Ministry of Personnel, it will ruin the feng shui of the Ministry of Personnel." Xiong Jia looked up with a calm look.
"I have practiced Taoism for many years and am not afraid of this."
"Then how many more years will I work here?"
"Just die in the Ministry of Personnel!"
"Sir, obey the order!"
The old official in his seventies bowed seriously and had some difficulty in straightening up. A hand supported him, and Xiong Jia used the force to stand up straight. He wanted to thank the person who supported him, but he saw that it was Emperor Jiajing who supported him.
"I will die on the imperial throne, and you will die in the Ministry of Personnel. It is a worthy death."
Emperor Jiajing said: "The Ming Dynasty is full of crises, but some people say that crises are also opportunities. If you and I work together, no crisis can stop the revival of the Ming Dynasty!"
"The Ming Dynasty will be revived!" Xiong Jia was shocked. He looked directly at the emperor and said, "Is this your Majesty's wish?"
"No." Emperor Jiajing shook his head, "This is my responsibility."
"Without hesitation?"
"No turning back!"
"Okay!" Xiong Jia nodded and smiled. "Many years ago, your majesty retired to the Western Garden. I have always thought that from then on, the Ming Dynasty was just struggling to survive. I thought that I would probably never see that heroic emperor again in this life. I didn't expect that many years later, I would hear the word "revitalization" again. I have no regrets even in death!"
The old man's eyes were full of excitement and he left tremblingly.
"Huang Jin!" Emperor Jiajing pointed at him, and Huang Jin hurried over to support him.
"No need. I can still walk." Xiong Jia walked slowly, his back becoming straighter and straighter. When he walked out of the gate, he raised his head, looked at the sky, and raised his hands.
As if cheering something.
He suddenly turned around and asked, "May I ask Your Majesty, who said that a crisis is an opportunity?"
"Celebrate it."
"It's really him, young man, hahahaha!"
Wang was staying temporarily at a relative's house when she received news that day that the Ministry of Personnel had restarted the evaluation of officials from the south.
"Why is this happening?" Wang suddenly screamed, "It must be Jiang Qingzhi who is causing this! It must be him!"
A narrow-minded person always feels that the whole world is against him.
Xiong Jia summoned relevant officials from the Ministry of Personnel and severely criticized the southern officials for forming cliques and covering up for each other, which resulted in the evaluation of officials becoming a formality.
Just when everyone thought that Xiong Jia would target southern officials, news suddenly broke from the Ministry of Personnel that more than a dozen officials who had accepted bribes had been arrested.
Xiong Jia's actions shocked the officialdom in the capital.
"Those officials accepted bribes, helped others gain careers, and covered up for others..." Xia Yan and Jiang Qingzhi walked slowly in the courtyard.
"Xiong Jia is still strong despite his old age." Jiang Qingzhi praised.
"My Lord!" Hu Zongxian came. "The Ministry of Personnel suddenly launched an action. Thirty percent of the officials in the South were found to have falsified their evaluations and need to be re-evaluated. The entire capital seemed to be turning over like a dragon..."
"The South is just an instigator. They are afraid that the Northern officialdom will also be purged in this way." Xia Yan said with a smile: "Qingzhi, if those people know that you are the instigator, you'd better be careful not to be put in a sack and beaten when you go out."
"Am I scared?" Jiang Qingzhi laughed.
The next day, he received the "bad news"
"Someone in the Ministry of Personnel said that after you discussed it with Xiong Jia that day, Xiong Jia immediately took action to rectify the administration in the south. Now many people are clamoring to take your head."
Tang Shunzhi looked at the young man and asked seriously, "Do you regret it?"
Jiang Qingzhi shook his head, "This Ming Dynasty needs a radical healing. And I am willing to be the one who carries the knife. Even if there is an abyss ahead, I will not look back!"
(End of this chapter)
