prosperous age

Chapter 437 Chapter 436
The Zhejiang battle report was sent to the capital, but it did not get the jubilation that Hu Zongxian had expected.

In these years, such victory documents have been sent every year, but the Japanese pirates still appeared on time in the coastal counties in the second year to plunder.

This is also the reason why the attitude of the Beijing officials towards Hu Zongxian has deteriorated. He won the victory and killed countless enemies, but the Japanese pirates came again next year. What does this mean?
It is clear at a glance that Hu Zongxian has also committed the fault of those generals in the border town and falsely reported his military exploits.

The officials below think so, not to mention the people above, they have more channels to get information, even if they know that the battle of Taizhou has nine battles and nine victories, they don't have to wait until the end of the year, the Japanese pirates will come as scheduled in September and October.

The approval of the cabinet and Emperor Jiajing also reflects the attitude of the superiors, and the Ministry of War will check the nuclear power, and it will be over.

However, Yan Song still asked his son to write a letter to Hu Zongxian who was far away.

Whether or not the Japanese pirates will be suppressed will not be mentioned, and quickly wipe out the Fujian rebels, this is the focus of His Majesty's attention.

With the arrival of the copper materials from Yunnan, although some were distributed by the inner court, there was living money after all. Some of the salaries owed by the previous officials were reissued, and the previous documents sent by the Ministry of Households to raise money to various places also responded.

Yan Maoqing, the Prime Minister of the Salt Law Capital, gave a performance. The amount of 44 yuan for the two Zhejiang salt courses is amazing. Today, the main course is blocked by smugglers. As a general rule, 280 catties of small salt used in central Zhejiang, and [-] catties of large salt in recent trade, and the large price increases the merchants’ reluctance to go. Now it is appropriate to divide the positive and surplus into two packages at a rate of [-] catties each and use the remaining salt. The profit is priced at three cents and five cents per quotation in Hangzhou.
Yan Maoqing, whose name is Jingqing, was born in Fengcheng, Jiangxi Province. He was a Jinshi in the 20th year of Jiajing.

It was rumored in later generations that Yan Maoqing was attached to Yan Song and became the prime minister of Liangzhe, Lianghuai, Changlu, and Hedong. He was a well-known corrupt official in the Jiajing Dynasty.

This time, Yan Maoqing wanted to adjust the salt law system in Zhejiang and Zhejiang, and restrict salt packages and local salt prices, so as to crack down on illegal salt.

In this regard, the cabinet and Emperor Jiajing both agreed.

However, the imperial court had different attitudes towards Yan Maoqing's memorial, but the attitude of King Yu also made Wei Guangde a little helpless.

Perhaps influenced by official rumors, it seems that Yan Maoqing is a member of the strict party, and the so-called reform of the salt law is just to seek greater benefits.

"Your Highness, the imperial court employs people not based on whether they are upright or corrupt, but on the results."

One day, when Yu Wang talked about Yan Maoqing's adjustment of the salt law, he couldn't help but complain that this reform might increase the salt expenditure of the people in Zhejiang and Nanzhili, Wei Guangde still couldn't help saying.

"What's the price of salt in the salt field? What price do you think he set?"

Naturally, King Yu was not making trouble unreasonably. The salt price set by Yan Maoqing this time was indeed higher than the previous salt price, which seemed to increase the burden on the people.

However, the salt administration was the most lucrative industry in the Ming Dynasty, and Wei Guangde had the idea of ​​getting involved in it back then, but now, the dream at the beginning has long since disappeared, and now he wants to become a cabinet minister.

Wake up and take control of the world, drunk on the knees of beautiful women.

Wei Guangde just smiled, "Your Highness saw the price of salt reported by the officials at the time, but can the common people really buy salt with that little money?"

"What do you mean? Do they dare to deceive the king?"

King Yu raised his eyebrows and asked sharply.

"The price that the court knows is the price of the salt field and the price at which the salt merchants transport the salt to the local area. After the local merchants subcontract the salt, they will sell it at a higher price, so the price for the common people to buy salt is far higher than the imperial court's price.

Yan Maoqing's method is nothing more than making the previously hidden things public and putting them on the bright side. The interests are complicated and it is not easy to explain.

But Your Highness, have you calculated how much the imperial salt class can be increased after this law is implemented? "

Wei Guangde replied.

"Competing for profit with the people, what is there to say?"

King Yu shook his head.

Hearing what King Yu said, Wei Guangde couldn't continue talking, but he still said something after thinking about it.

"Before Yan Maoqing took charge of the salt administration, the four salt transportation departments in Liangzhe, Lianghuai, Changlu, and Hedong collected 60 taels of silver every year, and Maoqing increased it to 100 million taels."

Wei Guangde shut up after saying this, and Yu Wang didn't refute.

The matter of Yinzi was undoubtedly the most important matter in the Jiajing Dynasty.

Earlier Wei Guangde said that the standard for employing people in the imperial court is not based on character, but on results, and King Yu knew it was fulfilled here.

What Wei Guangde meant inside and outside the words was nothing more than saying that the saltworks in charge of Yan Maoqing made money and paid more money to the court, so he was naturally regarded as a useful official.

"Well, he, Yan Maoqing, is from your hometown, so he can only understand if he helps you speak."

Finally, Yu Wang said perfunctorily.

Wei Guangde felt very speechless when the words came into his ears. He was speaking for Yan Maoqing, he was simply telling Yu Wang that whether an official is good or bad, and whether he can use it depends on the interests of the court. At least within the scope of Yan Maoqing's salt field, local officials have no If the salt price of impeachment is too high and the people are in dire straits, then one should not criticize too much.

The common people definitely want to use high-quality and cheap products, but with the existence of government and businessmen, is it possible?

In fact, as long as one degree is appropriate, it is enough.

The situation in the Ming Dynasty was similar, the system definitely had flaws, but if drastic reforms were to be implemented as some people thought, the common people would not only not support them, but would rebel.

The system of the Ming Dynasty is actually suitable for this era, at least for the early Ming Dynasty, but it has not been adjusted in time after the development of people's livelihood, and it has not been able to keep pace with the times. This is the root of the current problems of the Ming Dynasty.

At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, all industries withered, business taxes were really less than a few dollars, and finances depended entirely on agriculture, so it was right for Zhu Yuanzhang to emphasize agriculture.

But until now, the imperial court has become bloated, but the finances are still supported by agriculture, and the industry and commerce, which were not profitable before, are now flourishing and have become the most profitable industry, but they have not shared the burden borne by the farmers at all. This time is the problem. the crux of the problem.

It is easy to implement and difficult to implement, so we can only expand financial resources and work hard in industry and commerce.

In later generations, finances are all supported by industry and commerce, and agriculture not only does not bear taxes but also subsidies.

Wei Guangde knew this but couldn't explain it, because the times were limited, and the current industry and commerce were far from meeting that condition, even in another 200 years. It would be useless to say more.

However, Wei Guangde still had to respond to King Yu's words just now, otherwise it would be bad if he mistook him for the township party.

"Your Highness, my evaluation of Yan Maoqing is only based on his achievements in managing the saltworks, not because he is from Jiangxi."

Wei Guangde argued.

"Well, I understand, but when he took down the salt field, Shoufu should have considered his identity as a native of Fengcheng."

King Yu sighed and said: "In fact, I understand that the minister below is not like this. Naturally, the fellow countrymen have to take care of one or two. At least Yan Maoqing is considered to be meritorious in state affairs. As for character, let's not talk about it."

In the Yanzheng, no one will not get rich, Wei Guangde understands, and doesn't want to continue to entangle in this.

If King Yu really wants to find honest officials to fill the court, he is afraid that only recruits will be left in the officialdom, because they haven't had time to be greedy.

Well, even the Qingshui Yamen can get some water out of the office expenses. Wei Guangde knew it when he was in the Imperial Academy, but he didn't bother to do it for that little money.

The capital is always the capital, and every day, the memorials from various places are sent in like running water, and the situation in various places in the Ming Dynasty is also known to the upper echelons of the court through this form.

Only two days after the incident, the memorial of Zhang Yuanchong, the governor of the capital of Jiangxi, was sent again, which made the slightly more stable officialdom start to turmoil again, and undercurrents surged.

Zhang Yuanchong, the governor of Jiangxi, reported that from December last year to May of this year, Fujian-Guangzhou thieves broke into Jiangxi from Guangguang and Ninghua. The Jiangxi army cooperated in the suppression.

Li Tinglong, the imperial censor of Fujian Province, also reported that bandits Lu Shangsi, Li Zhanchun, etc., and Fuxing and Zhangquan remnants of Japanese looted everywhere. From the north of Jianning to the south of Funing, there was no place for robbers.

In Zhang Yuanchong's memorial, it is mentioned for the first time that Zhang Lian's anti-thief forces have begun to invade Jiangxi. Before that, they only contacted the local people to make trouble, but now they have sent troops into Jiangxi to plunder.

And Li Tinglong, the censor of Fujian, reported directly that Jianning and Beifu had become places where thieves gathered, and they also collude with Japanese pirates to plunder everywhere.

Just now Hu Zongxian reported that Fujian and Zhejiang repelled the Japanese pirates, and then the censor reported that the bandits and the remnant Japanese were colluding. This was undoubtedly a severe slap in the face of Hu Zongxian. stop.

For more than ten days, Jin Yiwei quickly checked the reports of Zhang Yuanchong and Li Tinglong. Naturally, Jin Yiwei was investigating in various guards, and the news was quickly passed back.

At this time, Emperor Jiajing would not believe the memorials of the officials below, he only trusted the memorials of Jin Yiwei.

Afterwards, Wei Guangde and the others got the news in Prince Yu's Mansion that Xiyuan issued several imperial decrees in succession, admonishing the minister of the Ministry of War and governor Hu Zongxian, the imperial censor Liu Tao of Fujian, Yang Yizhi of Nangan, and Zhang Nie of Guangdong and Guangxi. The Ministry of War decided to blame all the ministers for the rampant bandits that caused disasters in the three provinces. If they were too lazy to devise a plan to destroy them, the aunt ordered them to commit crimes and kill the thieves.

As the news spread, the officials in the capital talked a lot, saying that luckily they hadn't issued a commendation order, otherwise the court would lose all face by praising first and then warning.

However, before the Beijing officials watched the fun, the capital also made a joke.

Of course, the joke wasn't funny at all.

Cha Bingyi, courtesy name Xingfu, nickname Jinchuan, was born in Haining County, Hangzhou Prefecture, Zhejiang Province. He was a Jinshi in the 17th year of Jiajing, and he was a doctor of Yazhong and a governor of Shuntian Prefecture.

Having been in the court for more than 20 years, achieving the third grade is actually a good career, but such an official died suddenly in office.

According to the imperial physician, he died of an illness due to exposure to heat.

But those in the know know that Mr. Cha Bingyi was not in good health before, and he didn't care much about things when he was the minister of Taipusi for two years, and he didn't know what to think. .

Then the Ministry of Officials reported it, and the emperor also approved him as popular, and died within five days of taking office.

Upon hearing this news, King Yu couldn't help but get angry, "What's wrong with the Ministry of Officials, don't they first find out if those people are in good health when they arrange official positions?"

In King Yu's opinion, if one is not in good health, one should recuperate from one's illness. Why occupy an official position and die in an official position, as if the imperial court doesn't care about officials.

"This is a strange thing."

Yin Shixuan shook his head and said to Yu Wang: "I know Mr. Zha. In the 26th year of Jiajing, Wang Gao, Minister of the Household Department, was imprisoned. Cha Bingyi and his colleague Li Rujin tried their best to save him. Shaoqing Yan Shifan and others and Yan Shifan stole patriarchal power, embezzled and accepted bribes.

He was punished by the court for this at the beginning, and he was not from the same family as the Yan family, but Ouyang Shangshu gave him a promotion. "

The Yin of Shuntian Prefecture is the third grade, but the Minister of Taipusi is from the third grade, and in terms of power, Yin of the Shuntian Prefecture is much older, so it seems strange how to look at this matter.

"No way"

Wei Guangde didn't think there was anything at first, but after Yin Shizhen said this, he also felt that something was wrong, and suddenly thought of something, he couldn't help but speak.

"Could it be something, just say what you think of."

Yin Shizhen glanced at Wei Guangde, and asked directly.

"I'm just guessing whether it's the idea of ​​playing Taipu Temple over there. After all, the horse market and the Changying warehouse are all profitable places."

Wei Guangde thought about it, and said what he thought just now.

The horse market is naturally a policy that the Ming Dynasty has been implementing since the founding of the country, and traded with neighboring countries to obtain war horses.

At first, Zhu Yuanzhang put great effort into building a horse farm, hoping to cultivate a large number of war horses, and even set up a private breeding of official horses. The government assigned the task of raising official horses to each household, and gave certain preferential conditions in exchange. It seems that the business is not losing money. In the end, the government and the people are exhausted and it is difficult to make ends meet.

Later, this showdown task directly became a kind of tax and labor. The local government collected fodder and silver and went straight to the Taipu Temple, and the Taipu Temple used the money to buy fodder for horses.

This money is one of Changyingku's main income.

But the horse market business that Wei Guangde mentioned is another matter.

By purchasing horses from the horse market, corrupt officials will sell horses that meet the standards of war horses and are of high quality to the market to earn a lot of money, and send weak and old horses of low quality to border towns as war horses.

"This is just a guess, but it can't be accurate. You can only know who will succeed the Minister of the Imperial Palace."

Wei Guangde hurriedly explained, of course he didn't know whether there were these twists and turns, so he made it clear to avoid misunderstanding.

"Take a message to Master Gao and keep an eye on this matter."

King Yu nodded, but still gave Li Fang instructions.

When Wei Guangde left Prince Yu's Mansion and returned home, he received a report from his family that the chief assistant Yan Song's wife Ouyang had died while he was still on the way.

Hearing this news, Wei Guangde was both a little sad and a little happy.

Sad because Wei Guangde is still going to the Yan Mansion during the New Year holidays. Although Yan Shifan is picky with him, Yan Song and his wife Ouyang are still okay with him.

Fortunately, he suddenly felt like the burden on his shoulders was lightened, because Yan Shifan wanted Ding You.

The death of Yan Song's wife naturally has no effect on him, but Yan Shifan, as his son, is different. According to regulations, he will help the spirit to return to his hometown Ding You for 27 months.

Changed the road and went to the Yan Mansion, which is also the right thing to do.

On the second day, Emperor Jiajing sent an order to Xu Jie, the second assistant, "I heard that Song's wife can't afford it, and there are not many couples in their [-]s. There are other ministers who show ceremonies to discuss sympathy, so I won't be an example later."

Of course, Yuan Wei is different from Wu Shan. After Xu Jie came over, he said, "Take the story seriously."

Afterwards, the two discussed a general agreement, and Xu Jie was sent to Xiyuan.

(End of this chapter)