However, this matter is really too difficult. If I really give it to Xu Xi, I don’t know if he can do it.

However, at this point, there really was no other good solution. It just so happened that Xu Xi had come to me, so it was only natural to hand this matter over to him.

If things are done successfully, he will naturally get his share of the credit; but if things go wrong, then he will have to take the blame.

Zhang Weixian calmed himself down and thought that Duke Dingguo came to him for help in order to find a solution, but he was here for a purpose.

Now that the General Staff Office has been established, my position should change. Before, I was seeking self-protection, but now it is different. I want to seek power.

Under such circumstances, Zhang Weixian had more things to think about and do. In the past, he could do some things in person, but now it was inconvenient. Finding someone to follow him was the right choice.

So in this situation, keeping Xu Xi by his side is also an option. After all, at this point in time, there must be a few people under him who listen to his words and bite people.

Now it depends on whether Xu Xi has the courage. The task assigned to him this time is, on the one hand, to give an explanation to the emperor, and on the other hand, to serve as a token of allegiance.

Xu Xi also sat aside and thought, although he came to beg for help in a humble manner, it did not mean that he had no thoughts in his heart. As a Duke of the Ming Dynasty, there were some things he was very clear about. He knew what he could do and what he could not do.

So Xu Xi really didn't dare to agree with the Duke of England's words.

After pondering for a while, Xu Xi said, "Duke, isn't this a bit too big?"

"A broken drum must be hammered. Although it may break, it may also wake up the deaf. At this point, if you are still hesitant in your heart, then I don't think there is any need for us to continue talking." Zhang Weixian looked at Xu Xi and said in a light tone.

What I want is someone who can stay by my side and is willing to rush forward and bite people for me.

Dingguogong is a duke, and his status is very special, so he is a very suitable candidate. But if he doesn't dare to do it, no matter how special his status is, it will be useless.

"But Duke, you understand that those salt dealers are not easy to mess with. Besides, there's a lot of money in the salt. Not to mention other things, we all make a lot of money from it every year. You know what happened back then, and I know it too. If things really get out of hand, I'm afraid it will be a mess."

After saying this, Xu Xi looked up at Zhang Weixian and said seriously, "If this matter really gets out of hand, I'm afraid none of us will be able to escape."

"What are you afraid of?" Zhang Weixian sneered and said, "This world belongs to your Majesty. Who to punish and who not to punish is just a matter of your Majesty's words."

"You have done things for His Majesty, so His Majesty will naturally protect you. How is Prince Fu? Isn't he still jumping around in the capital now?"

"Look at Duke Chengguo Zhu Chunchen again. What's his current status? Are you really willing to do this? If you are, then just pretend I didn't say anything."

After hearing what the Duke of England said, Xu Xi was silent for a long time. He gritted his teeth and said, "Duke, please speak."

Duke of England Zhang Weixian glanced at Xu Xi and said, "You should speak."

Xu Xi smiled helplessly. He knew that Zhang Weixian was testing him, but at this point, he really had no other choice but to listen to Zhang Weixian.

After thinking for a moment, Xu Xi said, "Do you want to take the money from Zhanwo?"

"Go on." Zhang Weixian glanced at him and said,

The so-called "occupying a nest" is actually a secret known to all the nobles and their relatives. It was first proposed during the Hongzhi period, and the leader was the then emperor's uncle.

At that time, Emperor Hongzhi only favored Empress Zhang, so the Zhang family was naturally at its peak.

Zhang Heling, Marquis of Shouning, was a man of great intelligence but little talent, but he was very good at making money for himself.

The so-called "occupying a nest" actually means occupying the salt permit.

Everyone knows that salt permits are money, but this thing cannot be issued indiscriminately. Once it is issued indiscriminately, the damage caused will be very great.

But Marquis Shouning didn't care about all this. He collected salt permits on a large scale and even obtained hundreds of thousands of dan of salt permits through the imperial palace. Naturally, all the money fell into his pocket.

However, these things could not be turned into money and had to go through the salt merchants. And paying taxes and opening the market was the biggest obstacle to their making money.

So they cooperated with each other and changed the payment of grain to payment of silver.

Although there is only one word difference, there is a world of difference.

To pay the grain tax, what is needed is grain; to pay the silver tax, what is needed is only silver. By using silver to purchase salt permits, there is no need to transport grain. Salt merchants can buy salt permits with just money.

The then Minister of Revenue, Ye Qi, changed the system of paying grain into silver. In name, this was to increase the court's revenue. Allowing merchants to use silver to buy salt permits could increase the court's revenue.

In fact, this was exactly the case. In the following years, the imperial court was able to get several million taels of silver every year.

However, this policy gave Anhui salt merchants an opportunity to rise. From then on, they no longer had to rely on grain, but could directly use silver.

At that time, the nobles and relatives of the emperor were also frantically making money from this. They obtained a large number of salt permits from the royal family and sold them to salt merchants; the salt merchants would buy the salt permits from the nobles and relatives of the emperor, and the price was naturally not too low.

This kind of operation is to occupy a place, and that time it was a feast of wealth for countless people.

Whether it was civil officials, salt merchants, or nobles and relatives of the nobles, they all got a large portion of it, and this money could be inherited from generation to generation. It can be said that there was very little opposition at the time.

This policy has been in place for quite some time now. Everyone knows how much money is involved, a mountain of gold and silver, but if this policy is to be changed, many people will be affected.

First of all, there are the nobles and relatives of the emperor, they will definitely oppose it.

The second is the salt merchants. Today's salt merchants are no longer the same as before. These people are powerful and wealthy. Among the officials in the court, countless people were cultivated by them. It can be said that they have a deep foundation.

If you touch the salt, you will offend everyone. If you really follow this perspective, then it will probably be a dead end.

So Xu Xi directly asked the key question: Does Zhang Weixian want to touch this money?

Glancing at Xu Xi, Zhang Weixian said bluntly, "When the nest is overturned, how can the eggs remain intact?"

After hearing this, Xu Xi slowly closed his eyes.