However, Emperor Luo Xiang's eyes were spread throughout the Ming Dynasty, and it was not easy for him to hide from the emperor. In addition, he was already rich and was not particularly interested in money. Therefore, after Zhou Jiansheng said this, he only smiled and said: "Zhou Jiansheng is really a good plan. In this way, the one who was deceived was His Majesty the Emperor, and the profits made by the Weaving Bureau in the future would only fill the belly of you and me, which would be of no use to the country!"

"It cannot be said that it is completely useless. The court can at least get a tax! Eunuch Luo just needs to prohibit the Weaving Bureau from directly purchasing cotton and raw silk from the people," Zhou Jiansheng said with a smile.

"Shut Luo didn't dare, let alone purchasing cotton and raw silk directly from the people at 50% higher than the market price is Your Majesty's decree. If Luo doesn't collect it from the people but from you, it's an order!"

After Luo Xiang finished speaking, he put the teacup and issued an order to expel guests.

Seeing this, Zhou Jiansheng had to say goodbye, but he couldn't help but sneer: "Father-in-law, do you know that doing this not only cut off the wealth of your subordinates, but also made the civil and military officials in the entire Nanzhili lose a chance to get rich."

"That's better than offending Your Majesty!" Luo Xiang replied.

Seeing this, Zhou Jiansheng had to bow and say goodbye.

At this time, Luo Xiang's eunuch Diao Yong and others were a little moved and asked, "Why didn't my godfather agree to him? This seems to be a great deal. Being an official for thousands of miles is just for wealth. Now this is indeed a good opportunity to make a fortune!"

"What do you know? Do you really think that the people are so easy to cheat? Is Your Majesty so easy to cheat? We have posted a notice under the order to purchase cotton and raw silk. If we withdraw the notice now and do not purchase it from the people, it is to resist the order. Once the people really come to the weaving bureau to sell cotton and raw silk, we will not accept it. It will be passed to Your Majesty, which will be a crime of making friends with foreign ministers and collusion!"

"And, once the incident occurs, these gentry will only put the blame on us, saying that we eunuchs are insatiable and forced them to do this!"

After Luo Xiang said this, the eunuchs from the Weaving and Dyeing Bureau understood, but Lai En asked again: "But what Zhou was saying just now was right. If we don't cooperate with them, it will also reduce the chance of getting rich in the civil and military officials in Nanzhili. It means that we offended all the civil and military officials in Nanzhili!"

"What are you afraid of if you offend me? We are not scholars. We are your Majesty's slaves. The more we offend them, the more your Majesty will trust us! He just wanted to instigate you and said that I have cut off your financial path. You will also believe it? I will tell you the truth. Following Your Majesty has the opportunity to make a fortune. It will naturally be beneficial to start this weaving bureau in the future. But now, we cannot make a fortune without hiding it from Your Majesty. Even if you make a fortune, you will have no life to enjoy it at that time!"

After Luo Xiang said this, the eunuchs from the Weaving and Dyeing Bureau said nothing.

At this time, Zhou Jiansheng returned to his home disappointed: "This Luo Yin is quite loyal. He doesn't want to do good things to make money. He insists on using reasons that the decree is difficult to violate. There are only people in the world who cannot be messed with, and there are no rules that cannot be broken!"

After saying that, Zhou Jiansheng said again: "However, it is not guaranteed that he will report to the court at the moment, go to Nanjing to find the old man (Zhou Yong, Minister of the Ministry of Works of Nanjing), and ask him to find the Nanjing staff officer Wang Wenchang, and participate in his Luo Xiang's book, and take the initiative!"

...

It’s almost 18 years since Zhengde, but Zhu Houzhao didn’t expect that a weaving bureau with steam spinning machines as the latest production technology has been delayed for nearly half a year and has not started operating and profitable!

First, the scholars and people of Songjiang Prefecture blocked the establishment of the new weaving bureau, and even the chief officer Xiong Jia stood up to speak for the scholars and people of Songjiang Prefecture.

Now the Weaving Bureau cannot receive cotton. According to Luo Xiang's secret memorial, the gentry of Songjiang Prefecture used his advantage in controlling the grassroots civilians to block the procurement channels for cotton.

According to the impeachment memorial by Wang Wenchang, the Nanjing Husin, when Luo Xiang announced the purchase of cotton and raw silk at a purchase price of 50% higher than the market price, he deliberately sued but refused, with the intention to contact some illegal merchants in Songjiang Prefecture to make profits.

This made Zhu Houzhao feel very depressed, and he angrily threw two memorials from Luo Xiang, the inner court, and Wang Wenchang of the outer court on the table: "It's really too much! It's so difficult to start a weaving bureau!"

The cabinet ministers below all looked at each other. They all received many secret letters from their colleagues in Nanzhili, and the contents of the secret letters asked them to find a way to arrange Luo Xiang, who did not give officials in Nanzhili, to leave in front of the emperor.

But now the cabinet ministers dare not stand up and touch Zhu Houzhao at this time. Although they accepted Tan Jing from the officials in Nanzhili, they could not accept the money and had to do their business for others.

Only Wang Qiong said at this time: "Eunuch Luo has been following His Majesty for many years. He has always been a mature man, but he has always been kind and soft-hearted. He is inevitably concerned about his work, which has slowed down the itinerary of the Weaving Bureau. According to my opinion, you might as well choose another palace grand sacrificial, which may be better!"

Yang Yiqing secretly admired Wang Qiong's words, thinking that his colleagues in Nanzhili wanted to transfer Luo Xiang, who did not give the civil servants and gentry a chance to make money, but His Majesty could know what Luo Xiang was doing through Luo Xiang's secret memorial. If his cabinet ministers attacked Luo Xiang at this time, it would be counterproductive. However, Wang Qiong's explicit comments on Luo Xiang were actually advising His Majesty to replace him, and it would be easier to transfer Luo Xiang away. Then, a eunuch who was willing to cooperate with civil servants and gentry alike and would make money with civil servants and gentry alike to preside over the opening of a new weaving bureau.

So, Yang Yiqing also took the initiative to make suggestions: "From the opinion of me, Eunuch Wei, who is an official in the internal affairs department, has always been decisive and has extraordinary strategies, which is very suitable for this task."

Wang Qiong smiled slightly and secretly agreed with Yang Yiqing's accuracy in judging people. Wei Bin is also one of the Eight Tigers and is a person that His Majesty can trust. However, Wei Bin is more greedy than Luo Xiang. If Wei Bin wants to leave, he can naturally achieve the result of the civil servants, eunuchs, gentry, and the people making money together, and will not be better because of the current results that only make the people and the royal family profit, which will lead to the inability to start the Weaving Bureau.

Kang Hai was a little stupid, unable to understand the cleverness in Wang Qiong and Yang Yiqing's words, and only said: "Your Majesty, there seems to be nothing wrong with what the two adults said, but maybe the reason for this matter is really improper employment!"

Wang Qiong smiled secretly. Now even Kang Hai believed that he had proposed the conclusion that "Improper employment of people leads to the inability to start a weaving bureau." It was naturally better.

In this way, I am afraid that the emperor will believe it. As long as Luo Xiang, an official who is ignorant of the current affairs, everything will naturally be solved and the Weaving Bureau can be opened. The officials, gentry and the people in Southern Zhili will also benefit. Of course, these cabinet ministers in Beijing have not received the filial piety money from the people below.

Zhu Houzhao had to admit that Kang Hai, the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, was very ignorant and said directly that the current situation was caused by improper employment. This was not obvious that he, the emperor, did not choose a good person.

Of course, Zhu Houzhao was not Chongzhen, and he didn't want to be too face-saving, but he didn't realize that the other three cabinet clerks, except Kang Hai, were all practicing Tai Chi, and he tried to change his ways to transfer Luo Xiang, who was unwilling to cooperate with the gentry and civil servants of Songjiang Prefecture, back.

However, Zhu Houzhao has been the emperor for almost twenty years now, and he knows that the ministers below cannot believe them all. Therefore, he just habitually decided to put this matter tomorrow and then think about it himself.

"This matter will be discussed tomorrow!"

After Zhu Houzhao said this.

The three cabinet ministers retreated.

Zhu Houzhao summoned Zhang Zhong, the admiral of the West Factory, and asked: "What are the changes in the three cabinet ministers in the cabinet recently?"

This is just Zhu Houzhao's habitual question. After all, the cabinet is the central minister of the court, and Zhu Houzhao must ensure that the cabinet ministers are absolutely devoted to the public. Otherwise, he would not have dismissed Liu Yu's position as chief minister when he was just trying to entrust the crown prince for his family.

Considering that his eldest son wanted to become the prince in the future, he naturally needed to get the support of the cabinet, so he deliberately covered up the cabinet ministers. He completely forgot Liu Jin's instructions before his death and replied: "Go back to Your Majesty, Wang Shoufu has only listened to operas with his children and grandchildren after he has returned home recently, while the second servant still compiled textbooks, and the third servant often went to military schools to give lectures."

After hearing this, Zhu Houzhao nodded and thought to himself that the rule of officials in the world has really changed. Whether it is eunuchs or civil officials, what he learned about is considered a group of honest officials.
Chapter completed!