Chapter 266 Backstab

Inside the Qianqing Palace.

Tang Hao was still discussing the details with Zhu Houzhao.

However, the arrival of a person made the monarch and his ministers dumbfounded.

The person who came was none other than Empress Dowager Zhang, Zhu Houzhao's biological mother!

Seeing the angry look of Empress Dowager Zhang, Tang Hao and Zhu Houzhao looked at each other and saw the uneasiness in each other's eyes.

Which bastard passed the news to Empress Dowager Zhang?

There was no time to investigate the matter, and Zhu Houzhao had to find a way to overcome the difficulties in front of him.

He smiled and stepped forward to help Empress Dowager Zhang sit down, but was directly ignored by Empress Dowager Zhang.

"Except for Marquis Tang, everyone should go out, and no one should approach the door within ten feet!"

Hearing this, the palace maids and officials were so scared that they left one after another, and the imperial guards immediately held the hilt of the knife and waited in battle formation, and anyone who dared to spy would be arrested.

In the hall, only Empress Dowager Zhang, Zhu Houzhao and Marquis Zhongshan were left.

Seeing Empress Dowager Zhang's face as if facing a great enemy, Zhu Houzhao pretended to be puzzled and asked: "Mother, what happened?"

"What good things did you do?" Empress Dowager Zhang's face darkened and she shouted: "Emperor, what do you want to do? Don't you even want the throne?"

"I didn't do anything. What rumors did you hear again..."

Zhu Houzhao tried to fool her, but unfortunately Empress Dowager Zhang already knew the truth.

"Although I am in this deep palace, I am not deaf and blind!"

Empress Dowager Zhang asked angrily: "Emperor, are you planning to bring the royal family into the court?"

"No, how could I let the royal family and the princes take power again? This is the law of our ancestors..."

Zhu Houzhao suppressed his shock and anger and continued to joke with Empress Dowager Zhang, trying to fool his mother first, and then track down the damn thief!

"Don't try to fool me! You are my son. Others may not be able to see what you are thinking, but I can see it clearly!"

Empress Dowager Zhang made a direct statement and said sternly: "No matter what your purpose is, this move is absolutely not feasible!"

"Remove the feudal restrictions and reuse the royal family. If we are not careful, my family will repeat the mistakes of Jianwen!"

"Which of Emperor Taizu Gao's sons is easy to mess with? Emperor Taizong Wen did not dare to deprive them of all their power, but slowly abolished their military power, and then he was able to sit firmly on the throne!"

After saying this, Empress Dowager Zhang's tone softened.

"Son, you must be careful!"

"Don't think that after so many years, the royal family can rest easy. Which of these vassal kings is easy to mess with?"

"Emperor Taizong went through so much trouble to abolish them, but now you are giving them the opportunity to take power again. If they have different intentions, they will unite and it will be another Jingnan!"

Zhu Houzhao subconsciously turned his head to look at Tang Hao, who also had a gloomy face.

It had been less than a day since they discussed the new system of vassal states, and someone had guessed their real goal and reported the matter to Empress Dowager Zhang in the harem. It was a good trick to use Empress Dowager Zhang to restrain the emperor!

Zhu Houzhao was also extremely angry. He couldn't figure out who did it.

The harem had been cleaned twice by the four guards, and most of the spies planted by the outer court had been successfully removed, leaving only some spies who deliberately released false information.

So, how did Empress Dowager Zhang get the news?

Which fearless bastard wants to "kill someone with a borrowed knife"?

"Mother, where did this news come from?"

Zhu Houzhao asked coldly.

But Empress Dowager Zhang did not answer directly.

"No matter what you want to do!"

"You must not bring the royal family and vassal kings into the court, and you must not let them take power!"

"Emperor, this country is not yours alone. If something goes wrong, how can I face your father?"

Hearing this, Zhu Houzhao was even more irritated, and his anger was rising!

Just when he was about to lose his temper, Tang Hao finally spoke.

"Empress Dowager, this is my plan..."

"I know it!" Empress Dowager Zhang was furious, "Zhongshan Hou, what do you want to do?"

"You are deceiving the emperor and offering slanderous words. Do you have to stir up chaos in the world?"

Facing Empress Dowager Zhang's unwarranted accusations, Tang Hao remained calm.

He knew very well that Empress Dowager Zhang was a woman without political wisdom, and she didn't even know that she was being used as a gun.

So he was too lazy to get angry with such a person, but asked calmly: "Does the Empress Dowager know how much wealth these vassal kings and royal families have accumulated?"

Empress Dowager Zhang was stunned when she heard this, and did not answer.

Because, she really didn't know.

"For example, the princes of Jin and Qin, who have been vassal states since the Hongwu period, have continued to ask the court for more money and grain through reproduction, and on the other hand, they have annexed fields in their fiefdoms and extorted the people's fat. It is no exaggeration to say that the wealth accumulated from generation to generation is rich enough to rival a country!"

"And if your majesty wants to revive the Ming Dynasty, then money and grain are a problem that cannot be avoided. Whether it is training soldiers or court expenses, money and grain are needed in all aspects. If there is enough money and grain, then the revival of the Ming Dynasty is naturally a piece of cake. Therefore, it is better to use the family wealth accumulated by these vassal kings to govern the country for your majesty!"

Empress Dowager Zhang frowned and sneered: "Do you want to use the opportunity to regain power in exchange for the emperor's support from these vassal princes and clans?"

"But have you ever thought about it, although these vassal kings are now tigers in cages, the tigers in the cage are still tigers. Once the emperor gives them sharp teeth, how can you guarantee that you are not raising tigers to cause trouble in the future? Will the emperor suffer backlash? "

After all, what Empress Dowager Zhang is really worried about is the change of ownership of the Tian family!

After all, the lessons of the Battle of Jingnan are right in front of him, but now the emperor wants to bring the clan princes into the dynasty and give them a chance to regain power. Anyone else would probably feel uneasy!

"They don't have the guts to attack Tianjia, and they don't have the chance!"

Tang Hao looked calm and said: "Once the vassal king enters the capital, he will be immediately watched by the Jin Yiwei and the East and West Second Factory. If he dares to do anything to collude with the courtiers and plot evil, the factory guards will immediately capture him and then kill him. Either kill or waste, there is nothing to say.”

"What the Queen Mother is worried about is nothing more than the change of ownership of the Tian Family, but have you ever thought about it? The vassal clan is imprisoned in a place, like a tiger in a cage. They don't have the strength to compete with the Tian Family for the throne, but they can Fight for the blood of the people."

"Instead of letting these vassal princes and clans harm the people in the local area, it is better to let these tigers out of the cage. Anyone who dares to show his teeth and show his claws with different intentions will be hacked to death, leaving those obedient clans and vassals to assist His Majesty the Emperor in ZTE. Daming, why not do it?”

"The empress has just said that these vassal clans have lost their military power. What if they are given some decision-making power and discussion of political power? They have no administrative power, and naturally they have no chance to control military power. Even if they really have different intentions, can they do it? Can he still convince the civil and military officials of the entire dynasty to support him in stealing the throne? It’s impossible!”

"Furthermore, since Tianshun, the civil servants and gentry have taken control of the government and implemented increasingly stringent vassal ban policies. It is obvious that they deliberately suppressed the clan kings. There is an irreconcilable contradiction between the two. Your Majesty has introduced the power of the clan into the dynasty. There will be an emerging force above the court to compete with the civil servants and gentry, breaking their blockade of control over the court!"

It was rare for Empress Dowager Zhang to understand these truths.

However, she still found it difficult to understand, or could not accept the return of the feudal clan to power.

"Do you remember, Ai family, that you have taken the Metropolitan Procuratorate under your command? Then why is it that the civil servants and gentry still have a say in the imperial court?"

"Because the imperial censor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate is also a member of the gentry, so it is inevitable that he will have selfish motives when he talks about a thousand things!"

Tang Hao sighed and explained: "It's like the imperial court asking a censor to investigate the crimes committed by his relatives. If you investigate your own people, what else will you find out in the end?"

"The normal mode for the stable operation of the imperial court should be that there are two or three parties competing with each other in the imperial court. Even if there are overt and covert conflicts, as long as the emperor can suppress it, it is enough to ensure the stability of the country!"

"However, today's Ming Dynasty is a hall of civil servants and gentry. Even if they have internal fights, they are unanimous in dealing with the outside world. For example, they suppress the clan kings and military commanders. This is the best. prove!"

"Today's Ming Dynasty is not only deformed but also ridiculous. If His Majesty wants to take back his power, he can only reuse eunuchs. However, once eunuchs gain great power, they have brought disaster to the country and the people. It is not uncommon in the past dynasties. It is for this reason that we cannot give these The disabled take charge.”

"If you want the court to return to normal, you must introduce new forces to compete with the civil servants and gentry. Military generals and nobles cannot grow up in a short period of time. Then only the clan lords will be left. They want money and people, why not Can it be used?”

"When the military commanders and nobles have grown up and are strong enough to compete with the civil servants and gentry, His Majesty the Emperor can speak the law without hesitation, and he can simply seize the fault of a certain clan king and expel the clan forces from the court. !”

"Your Majesty now needs money, food, manpower, and even more time!"

Tang Hao's explanation from his mother-in-law and daughter-in-law finally allowed Queen Mother Zhang to see the overall situation clearly.

However, a woman's family is a woman's family. She was always worried about the clan being in power, and was always worried that the Tian family would change hands.

"But will the feudal lord agree?"

"How could they not see that they were being used?"

Zhu Houzhao couldn't help but interjected: "The Queen Mother is worrying too much. Whether they agree or not when the time comes, they will not be able to stop the general trend!"

"Actually, my father had considered solving the hidden dangers caused by the clan, but... in the end, nothing was done about it."

Zhu Houzhao did not say this completely out of respect for his biological father, Emperor Hongzhi.

During the Hongzhi period, the life of the vassal king and family was not very good.

Because Emperor Hongzhi was a holy king, he treated the clan surprisingly well.

Whenever the clan complained about poverty, Emperor Hongzhi would generously give money.

Whenever the clan asked for land from the court, Emperor Hongzhi would give it to him with a wave of his hand.

Emperor Hongzhi's name as the "Holy King" did not come for nothing. At least he won the unanimous recognition of all the noble officials in the world.

As for the people at the lowest level, how many people have their families broken up and their families separated, and how many people are separated from their wives and children because of this? It has nothing to do with Zhongxing Shengjun!

Tang Hao then gave Empress Dowager Zhang some calculation attempts. Starting from the twenty-sixth son of Taizu, he calculated all the way to the brothers of the late emperor. It was not even a terrifying increase in square numbers, but the simplest. Multiples, but calculated this way, the clan's population has reached tens of thousands.

Queen Mother Zhang listened patiently, then counted on her fingers for a while, and found that she couldn't do it at all!

With such a vassal system that only increases but never decreases, one day the court will no longer be able to afford the huge clan expenses, and the Ming Dynasty will be brought down by the clan salaries!

When she thought of this, Queen Mother Zhang shuddered.

No wonder Marquis Tang and the Emperor were bent on reforming the sectarian and vassal measures. If they didn't reform, I'm afraid the Ming Dynasty would fall soon!

"How can they have children so well?" Queen Mother Zhang frowned and shouted.

"You need money, you need time, you need women, you have no other serious things to do. Drinking and sex are your entire life. It's normal to be able to have children. On the contrary, it's weird not to be able to have children."

Tang Hao sneered, "Besides, the rule set by the imperial court is to provide for all the clan's children, so the more children they have, the more salary, money and food they can ask for from the imperial court. This is actually just a way to make money."

"On the contrary, the lowest-ranking Lieutenant Fengguo can't actually get two hundred shilumi at all. Most of them will be deducted by the main line. And the clans lower than Lieutenant Fengguo don't get the imperial lumi at all. They can’t participate in the business of the four peoples, so what can they do to support their families?”

"Sooner or later, the Ming Dynasty's finances will be unable to make ends meet, and it will naturally start to default on clan salaries. At that time, if the imperial vassal ban is not lifted, there will be countless clan members in the world who will starve to death on the streets!"

As soon as these words came out, the expressions of Zhu Houzhao and Queen Mother Zhang changed drastically.

The Ming Dynasty clan starved to death on the streets? !

This is simply a wonder in the world!

He is the laughingstock of the world!

The dignified Tianhuang nobleman of the old Zhu family would actually be reduced to starving to death on the streets!

But the mother and son couldn't laugh, because they knew very well that Tang Hao was not alarmist, but telling the truth!

When the number of clans exceeds a certain limit, the imperial court will naturally be unable to support them, and will begin to default on clan salaries. This will have no impact on the princes and princes who hold high positions, but it will have no impact on the lowest-ranking lieutenants such as Fengguo. For humans, it is a disaster.

They have no salary to receive, and they cannot participate in the industry of the four peoples. They cannot cultivate the fields, do business, enter official careers, and make a living by blacksmithing... What should they do to support their families?

This truth is easy to understand.

Queen Mother Zhang sighed, and then looked at Zhu Houzhao.

"Emperor, just go ahead and do it. The Ai family will never interfere in the government affairs again!"

Zhu Houzhao's eyes flashed and he asked: "Where did the queen mother learn this news?"

After hearing this, Queen Mother Zhang hesitated for a while, but finally spoke.

"It's from the cabinet..."

cabinet!

Yang Tinghe!

Tang Hao and Zhu Houzhao looked at each other, and both saw the shock and anger in each other's eyes.

Good on you Yang Tinghe!

This is where things start to stir up trouble, right?

Zhu Houzhao suppressed his anger and sent the Queen Mother away. As soon as the Queen Mother left, the furious Emperor kicked the table over.

"This is simply unreasonable!"

"I thought Yang Tinghe was of the same mind as us. How dare he do such a thing?"

Zhu Houzhao was indeed very angry and disappointed.

After all, Yang Tinghe was his imperial mentor, and it was Zhu Houzhao who single-handedly supported him to take the position of chief minister of the cabinet.

Zhu Houzhao originally thought that this imperial master was like a savage, his right-hand man that he could completely trust, and his confidant in reviving the Ming Dynasty!

But now, Yang Tinghe suddenly stabbed him in the back!

Tang Hao saw Zhu Houzhao's furious attitude and opened his mouth with a smile.

"Your Majesty, don't you think that Yang Tinghe is very similar to Liu Jian now?"

Yang Tinghe?

Liu Jian?

Zhu Houzhao was startled when he heard this, and then fell silent.

"Your Majesty can indeed trust Yang Tinghe, there is no problem with that."

"The ability of the chief minister of the cabinet is obvious to both you and me. With his assistance and support, reviving the Ming Dynasty will not be empty talk."

"But your Majesty, don't forget that Yang Tinghe is a civil servant after all, and he is also a member of the gentry. He can help your majesty clarify the administration of officials, and he can also assist your majesty in fighting corruption. However, your majesty brings the power of the clan into the court, which is directly depriving the civil servants. The power of the Jin gentry is over!”

"The chief minister of the cabinet is the leader of the gentry. What else can Yang Tinghe do? Is it possible that he can still turn to the power of the clan? It's impossible. He, Yang Tinghe, also has to survive, otherwise there will be no place for him in the court. So Doesn’t your Majesty feel better when you think about it?”

After hearing this, Zhu Houzhao snorted coldly and sneered: "He, Yang Tinghe, knows how to hide, but what about you, a savage? Why can you be unselfish and wholeheartedly serve the public?"

"Because I am a savage!" Tang Hao sighed in a bleak tone, "I do not belong to any force, not even the Ming Dynasty."

Seeing Tang Hao's lonely look, Zhu Houzhao immediately realized that he had said the wrong thing.

"What are you feeling sentimental about?"

"I am not always by your side. No matter what you do, I will support you unconditionally!"

Hearing this, Tang Hao raised his head and glanced at Zhu Houzhao, and then asked with a smile but not a smile: "What if one day I, Tang Hao, become the target of thousands of people's criticism?"

"Will Your Majesty still stand by me?"

What a thousand people are pointing at?

The target of public criticism?

Zhu Houzhao wanted to laugh at first, but he soon stopped laughing.

Because His Majesty the Emperor suddenly realized a problem, if he follows the barbarian's series of plans, sooner or later he will stand on the opposite side of the gentry and clan kings, and become the ruthless eagle dog that these people hate!

By that time, the savage will really be the target of criticism!

"Savage, I promise you!"

Zhu Houzhao shouted resolutely: "As long as I am alive, I will never allow anyone to touch you!"

Tang Hao nodded silently.

The two looked at each other and smiled, saying nothing.