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The gatehouse of the Wei Mansion is like a large flower hall of ordinary people. It looks like a member of the blush robe, or a minister of the court, or a governor and Taoist magistrate who was released outside. Although the fourth-rank Huang Tang was blush robe, he could not enter such a flower hall.

Each official in the hall has a sense of arrogance, and he often talks about it as a tribute of praise.

Only then did Gao Di realize that there were some officials in the hall who recognized Wei Zhongxian as his godfather or godfather.

Even if he could not even cling to Wei Zhongxian, he would cling to Wang Tigan and other eunuchs, or Xu Xianchun and others.

A soldier said, "Why don't you flatter the Chief Minister? I feel that the Chief Minister is also very close to Eunuch Wei."

A participant in politics showed disdain and said coldly: "Of course, the cabinet masters of the cabinet also cling to Eunuch Wei, otherwise there would be no foothold. However, Eunuch Wei only used them and did not believe in them. The ones who really believed in him were Lord Xu and others. How could we go far away from us?"

All the officials agreed, and they all said that what they said about participating in politics was very true.

Gao Di also knew that Wei Zhongxian had a group of quite loyal confidants, represented by Wang Tigan, Tian Ergeng, Xu Xianchun and others. These people were either eunuchs or officials in the Jinyiwei Hall, and were not civil officials who had obtained the imperial examination.

In Wei Zhongxian's core power circle, these non-mainstream eunuchs and military officials were their most trusted confidants. As for civil servants such as Gu Bingqian and Wei Guangwei, they originally had their own circle of interests. For example, they were originally members of the three parties. In addition to being forced by the Donglin Party, their other consideration was to seek more benefits for themselves. Of course, they regarded Wei Zhongxian as the co-rule, but they also had their own small circle of interests. For example, Xu Dahua, who was born in the Zhejiang Party, had other thoughts in addition to being loyal to Wei Zhongxian. A while ago, they wanted to persuade Wei Zhongxian to invite Fang Congzhe back. His thoughts were quite strange. This kind of thing also made Wei Zhongxian deeply understand that civil servants had their own thoughts and had many concerns when doing things. Those who could really rely on their own eunuchs in the palace and military officials who controlled the Jinyiwei outside.

For these foreign officials who come to seek experience, it is better to find Xu Xianchun than to find Gu Dafo. For the latter, as long as they come to the door with money, they will definitely do things for them. Unlike the cabinet masters in the cabinet, they should also pay attention to their image and should not be too ugly in their eating habits.

Gao Di didn't say anything, but felt sad inside.

When did the officials of the Ming Dynasty become like this?

When Gao Di was a scholar, Gao Gong was in power in the Ming Dynasty. He was a tall and bearded man, and he was impatient. His style of doing things was not only fair but also a cool and powerful style. Therefore, the official style was quite scrupulous, and people were afraid of the irritable Gao Gong, who was stolen.

At that time, Emperor Longqing was in power. The sea ban had long been abandoned. The influx of silver gradually increased. The people gradually became richer. People's income increased. There was no serious inflation. The people's life was quite easy... Gao Di still remembered that his family was not well-off. Sometimes he would go to the city to be a slut. Although he was exhausted in the day, he could at least earn forty or fifty cents. At that time, a pound of pork was only more than ten cents. On the way home, he would buy half a pound of pork burritos, chewed and ate it slowly. When he met the magistrate's ceremonial guard, he rushed to the virtuous and avoided the road. His heart was full of awe and yearning for officials.

At that time, officials were serious in their work and had rules and regulations. The Ming Dynasty's civil servant system had been fully established. In fact, they had mastered the major national affairs and the eunuchs were restrained. The honorary and relatives could not interfere in political affairs. Even the arrogant emperor Longqing only ruled with a high position. In fact, they did not have much opinion on government affairs, and entrusted all government affairs to the hands of the prime minister.

To put it bluntly, Emperor Longqing knew that although he was the emperor, he grew up in the deep palace and the royal palace, and succeeding to the emperor was only his bloodline rather than his ability. Compared with Gao Gong, a smart man who came out of thousands of troops in the imperial examination and was able to hold a high position, the emperor had no strengths except his bloodline. Since his ability was far less than these capable ministers, why should he compete with his subordinates for power and profit?

Although the rule of Emperor Longqing was only a few years, the Ming Dynasty was truly a prime minister of revival. The ministers lived in their positions, the government orders of the upper and lower levels were smooth and the people were prosperous and stable. Since the second year of Longqing, due to the court's measures, the northern enemy was not allowed to invade the Great Wall again. There were no Japanese plagues in the south and no enemy cavalry in the north. The world was peaceful and the world was peaceful. It can be said that it was the golden period of the Ming Dynasty.

Gao Di, who was born in Jiajing and raised in Longqing, left enough beautiful memories in his youth and youth. Later, in the early days of Wanli, there were Zhang Juzheng, then Zhang Siwei, Wang Xijue, and Shen Shixing, who were all powerful and capable chief ministers, or had different selfish intentions. For example, Zhang Siwei cooperated with Wanli to settle Zhang Juzheng, Shen Shixing and Wang Xijue took too much care of the interests of the gentry in Jiangnan. However, before the fifteenth year of Wanli, the Ming Dynasty was still booming. The emperor once walked dozens of miles to pray for rain. At that time, Gao Di was a juren who was studying in the capital and waiting for the spring examination. He saw with his own eyes that the slightly obese emperor walked from the imperial road to the Temple of Heaven in the southern suburbs under the watchful eyes of hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians. The military morale and civil spirit at that time were really boiling to a peak.

In the 17th year of Wanli, I passed the Jinshi exam, and it seemed that it was from then on that Ming Dynasty began to decline.

To this day, Gao Di already feels that he is not in the Ming Dynasty, and the officials in front of him are not his colleagues.

"Please, Mr. Gao."

A little fireman came over, reached out and slapped his hand, and asked Gao Di to go inside.

The officials then realized that the old man who seemed to be inadequate in front of him seemed to be a little impatient. He did not participate in the discussion of everyone's words and was the newly appointed Liaodong Strategic. Then they all stood up and bowed to Gao Di to say hello.

"Don't say something easily." Gao Di looked at a soldier who had just shouted to worship Xu Xianchun as his godfather, and said with a smile: "You should still be a little decent."

Bing Beidao looked dissatisfied and bowed his hands and said perfunctorily: "Yes, thank you, the Lord, for your teachings."

Gao Yi sighed and followed the people to visit Wei Zhongxian.

In the study, Wei Zhongxian was waiting in a big red python suit. The eunuch seemed to love this outfit the most, just like the military officials in Beijing liked to wear Qilin replenishment clothes. The eunuch liked the most was this big red python suit.

"I've seen the factory."

Gao Di walked up, bowed and bowed, but did not kneel down.

Recently, when civil servants at the level of the minister, they all knelt down to bow when they saw Wei Zhongxian. Some of the great relatives and military officers all knelt down to bow when they saw Wei Zhongxian. Among the civil servants, they all knelt down to bow when they saw Wei Zhongxian. Only the ministers and above still maintain the dignity of civil servants.

"Please sit down by Lord Gao." Wei Zhongxian glanced at Gao for the first time, feeling that he was a more traditional and experienced civil servant bureaucrat. He thought he was self-righteous and had some self-esteem and arrogance. However, because he had experienced too much, he was over 60 years old and had more concerns in his actions and could suppress this person without much effort.

"Before Lord Gao leaves, let's invite the old man over. The main thing is to hear how the old man will handle the military affairs in Liaodong after he takes office?"

Gao Di said frankly: "There is no clear conclusion yet. Sun Ge's troops have been in western Liaoning for several years, and the situation of the enemy is still stable. In order to make a safe plan, the subordinate officials plan to Xiao Gui Cao Sui and not make any major changes."

Wei Zhongxian said slowly: "It is necessary to make some changes. To be honest, Master Gao said that we are still quite dissatisfied with the situation in western Liaoning."

"Please speak frankly."

"You see, the maximum silver used in western Liaoning was nearly five million a year. After more than a year of cuts, tens of thousands of passenger troops were transferred, which reduced a lot of pressure on military pay transfer. Even so, there was still more than three million a year. The imperial court earned only eight million silver a year in the past two years, but it took five million in western Liaoning. Now it is said that there are tens of millions a year, but western Liaoning still has to take nearly half of it. With the use of silver on nine sides, the salary expenses of the court officials, the cost of the palace, and the military pay expenses are so great. Would you worry?"

Wei Zhongxian actually made a clue. Gao Di, who knew his background was only a few words, felt funny.

"Please make an announcement." Although Gao Di despised himself, he knew that the plan to defend the Liaoxi war was still the eunuch in front of him, and he was not his disciple, and he did not obey his opinions in everything. However, from a realistic perspective, it would be better to hear what Wei Zhongxian said.

"Does Gao know the saying of the king in Jin?"

"Didn't you mean to establish Chongguan, abandon Jinzhou Youtun Qiantun Ningyuan, and only guard Shanhai Chongguan, and enrich Jizhen's method?"

"Yes!" Wei Zhongxian's tone increased, and he seemed a little sharp. Only then did he show his appearance as an eunuch. Otherwise, he would have a tall chin, a beard, and a tall figure. He looked like a minister of the cabinet, rather than an eunuch of the East Factory.

"The officials of the lower rank have also heard of this method and have considered it." Gao Di said: "If it comes to saving military pay and military supplies, this method is the best. Only strong troops need to guard the heavy pass. There is no need to build cities and forts hundreds of miles outside the pass, nor do they need to transfer large military food and salary. They can save at least two million military funds a year, and the savings can enrich Jizhen... To be honest, the subordinate officials agree with what Wang Zaijin said."

“Is it feasible now?”

"It's amazing now." Gao Di said: "Sun Ge's troops have used tens of millions of silver in the past three years to build eight cities, more than 60 forts, and more than 200 miles of land to collect hundreds of thousands of Liao people, reclaim hundreds of thousands of acres of land, and train more than 100,000 troops. With Ningyuan and Jinzhou as the two major defense cores, Shanhaiguan has become the gate of the Nei Town, Juehua Island is used to the grain storage area, hundreds of thousands of stones of grain and a large amount of silver materials are placed on the island, hundreds of thousands of small boats, and more than 2,000 large ships... The Xiaguan means that the court has paid so much, and the military and civilians are also used to the court's practice of regaining Liao territory. If he advocates giving up at this time, not to mention that the people in the world are scattered, even the officials of the court will not agree, and the emperor will definitely be very dissatisfied."

Wei Zhongxian sighed, and it was fine if Gao Di said anything else. Wei Zhongxian had already understood what officials and the people were all in the face of absolute power. Emperor Shenzong Xian was still not cruel enough. Suzhou people had no choice but to make trouble, but Wei Zhongxian would never do this. He went to Suzhou to arrest prisoners and cause trouble. In the end, he arrested Suzhou officials and executed all the leaders of the troublemakers.

Power is to use it, but you dare not use it. So what if you want power?

What Wei Zhongxian really cared about was Emperor Tianqi's idea. The emperor directly approved the appointment of Gao Di, a member of the eunuch who was not a member of the eunuch, as a strategy. It can be seen that Gao Di's ability and experience were also recognized by the emperor. Like his ancestor, Emperor Wanli, Emperor Tianqi often listened to ordinary government affairs and said, "The factory minister will do it as appropriate, and then I will know again."

The normal government affairs are left to Wei Zhongxian, unless it is a military and national affairs, especially the position of Liaodong General Manager. Wei Zhongxian has been jumping up and down many times. Half a year ago, he wanted to replace Sun Chengzong to calm his heart. It took so long to truly succeed. Various details show that Emperor Tianqi was still satisfied with Sun Chengzong's various measures in western Liaoning. The only dissatisfaction and doubt is the ability of the Ming army in western Liaoning. So far, the Jianlu has not launched a large-scale attack. It is still difficult to say whether the Ming army camps in western Liaoning can really pass the severe test.
Chapter completed!