prosperous age

Chapter 468 Chapter 467 Yan Song, getting old
In the first year of Jingtai in the Ming Dynasty, the imperial court used the frontier to serve the Yin, and ordered all the students in the world to pay for millet and mount their horses, and they were allowed to be imprisoned.

The selected cases are the same as Sui Gong.

This is the first time that the Ming Dynasty allowed to enter prison in the form of paying tribute, and the purpose of entering prison is naturally to enter the official career in the name of Guozi Jiansheng. Although the grade is not high, but after all, he has an official status.

This routine was temporarily suspended after four years, but in the second year of Chenghua, there was a great famine in Nanjing, and the guard suggested that the officials, soldiers and civilians' descendants should be imprisoned.

As a result, paying tribute became a routine, and when the court lacked food, horses, and even fodder, it would follow this routine.

Although orthodox scholars criticized this a lot, even Yao Kui, Minister of the Ministry of Rites, said: "The Imperial College is a place for cultivating talents, and the imperial court is endowed with governance. Recently, since everywhere, 40-year-olds have been sent and recruited by grass and horses, tens of thousands of people have been mobilized. , It has been too much to abuse, and if you do this again today, it will make the world regard goods as virtuous, and the morals of scholars will become poorer day by day."

In this regard, Emperor Xianzong of the Ming Dynasty took it for granted and once again stopped the case of accepting students and officials to the Dian. However, after the Hongzhi, Zhengde and even Jiajing dynasties, whenever the court needed it, they all used it to solve the problem of material shortage.

Now, Ge Jin once again applied to the Ministry of War to report the matter on the grounds that the Beijing camp lacked horses and the Taipu Temple was difficult to raise funds.

Yang Bo knew that Emperor Jiajing would definitely agree to this memorandum. As for other people's criticisms, let them do it.

As the Ministry of War, solving military problems is the main task. As for criticism, when these people rise to high positions and face this problem, paying tribute is still the last and only solution.

After carefully reading Zhang Shouzhi's statement, it is the same as the previous practice. Those who are willing to pay the money and accept the horse to be imprisoned will be given 240 taels of silver by the teachers and students of the martial arts school and guaranteed by the guard. 320 taels, civilians and military personnel can also follow this procedure and come to Beijing to pay tribute.

Serving military generals can also pay tribute to get promoted. The governor needs 100 taels of silver, the commander needs 140 taels of silver, and the commanders and above receive 200 taels of silver. If they have made meritorious service for one to four years, their ranks will be reduced according to the number of years.
In the Outer Guards Office, there are more soldiers who are willing to serve as messengers, seal officials, and servants. The chief secretary Zhiyin accepts 100 taels of silver, four horses, and 80 taels of silver; For three horses, ten liang of silver is attached to the outside; in the capital, 70 liang of silver is paid, and three horses are given; the cloth is assigned to two officials and sixty in silver; The staff of the Salt Transportation Department of the Taipu Temple in the Dead Horse Temple ordered 40 taels of silver, one horse, and 14 taels of silver on the outside.

The chiefs of the various divisions and prefectures and counties received 20 taels of silver, and 15 taels of guards' official codes, which were used by the provincial government to fill in the vacancies of the candidates who were exempted from the examination.

It can be said that as long as you are willing to pay tribute with silver, you can buy almost all the middle and low-level official positions, and even ordinary people can be awarded crowns and belts if they pay 20 taels of silver.

In fact, although the tribute paid for the crown and belt is small, it is a large piece of income.

Local merchants and even small landlords will choose this item as long as they have the financial resources, because giving this money means that they can openly wear clothes made of materials that could not be used before, just like scholars.

In the period of feudal society, people's clothing is not only the embodiment of beauty, but also can show their own status, which is a symbol of status.

In the early Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang established a very strict clothing hierarchy, and the clothing characteristics of different groups of people were obviously different.

For example, the group of merchants, Zhu Yuanzhang was born in a poor family. He was used to profit-seeking merchants since he was a child, so he despised them very much. Wait.

But the most important thing is that Zhu Yuanzhang distinguished merchants from other common people in terms of clothing, and did not allow Shangen to wear silk, thereby suppressing the status of merchants.

To break this shackle, either a businessman's family will have a student who is educated and obtained a family background, or the restriction will be lifted by paying tribute.

In fact, according to Zhu Yuanzhang's original intention, the system of paying tribute should not be allowed, but future generations seem to be unable to find a better way when faced with difficulties that are really difficult to solve.

"As usual, I have nothing to say."

Yang Bo had already read the article, and knew that this idea should be the result of discussions between Zhang Shouzhi and Ge Jin, so naturally he couldn't easily veto it, even though he really didn't want to use this method in his heart.

Looking at Ge Jin, Yang Bo said, "Ge Shilang, you drafted this memorial, and I will submit it when the time comes."

"Yes, my lord."

Ge Jin, like Yang Bo, was born as a Jinshi in the second list. It is impossible to say that he has no idea about paying tribute, but sitting in this position, all he can think about is how to solve the problem.

He already knew the reason for the lack of horses in the Beijing camp through investigation, but what can be done?

It's not just that we can only try our best to gather another batch of horses from the Taipu Temple. Even if these horses are gone in a few years, the successor will continue to find ways to gather them.

A dilapidated small temple outside the city of Nanjing is no longer as deserted as usual. A few strong warriors outside the temple are standing around, monitoring every move around them. A dozen or so horses are tied to trees by their reins, and horses neigh from time to time. came.

"I just said that the old guy Yan Song has no good intentions. We have worked so hard to open up the trade routes along the Yangtze River in the past few years. They are like choking Jiujiang and robbing us of our business."

A burly man cursed under his breath.

"Okay, what's the use of saying this now, let's think about how we should react after the capital's release."

Another well-built fat man spoke to persuade him.

"I said, Lord, this is stealing the territory of your former military governor's mansion, why don't you say a few words?"

The man smiled and said to a middle-aged man with a square face, seeing that this man has an extraordinary bearing, he must be a person of high status.

"Yeah, your son-in-law sent the news, don't you have any idea in your heart, and you called us to discuss, what to discuss? Just reject it, don't save face for the surname Yan, just step on that kid Hu Zongxian, let the following provinces The escorted money will be sent to Nanjing first, and we will take care of it for him."

The fat man seemed to be the master who didn't think the matter was too big, so he started to come up with crooked ideas.

"They thought that if they strangled Jiujiang, they would cut off our financial resources. How can there be such a good thing."

The middle-aged man was naturally Wei Guogong Xu Pengju, this time he sneered with some disdain.

"What if His Majesty really agrees to them? I can only guarantee that the ship will be safe and sound when it arrives in Anqing, and there is nothing I can do when it arrives on the water in Jiangxi and Huguang."

It was the fat man Li Tingzhu who was speaking. He was named Marquis of Linhuai after Li Wenzhong, the founding hero of the early Ming Dynasty.

Admiral of Caojiang, this is an official position set up by the Ming Dynasty. The admiral of Caojiang is in Nanjing, leading the upper and lower rivers to prevent incidents, and the Yangtze River waterway east of Anqing Mansion is under his jurisdiction.

The title of Marquis of Linhuai is a descendant of Cao Guogong Li Wenzhong. After Li Wenzhong's duke title was passed on to his son Li Jinglong's generation, he was abolished by Zhu Di. Later, in the Jiajing Dynasty, Emperor Jiajing found Li Wenzhong's descendants and gave it to a Marquis of Linhuai knighthood.

Because of this, the Li family suffered a great loss in strength and influence in the army. It is not comparable to a family like Wei Guogong who has been active in the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty. In the guard, there are many real powers in the guard.

"Actually, when I first contacted Yan Maoqing, I was still wondering why they were so kind to give us so much sea salt. I guess they wanted to use our relationship to traffic private salt to Jiangxi, Huguang and other places. They earn much more than those private salt dealers who carry their shoulders on their shoulders and cross mountains and mountains."

Liu Shiyan spoke at this time.

"Don't talk too far, I came to you to discuss this matter."

Xu Pengju said.

"You haven't talked to those people in the city about it yet?"

Liu Shiyan asked.

"I didn't say, I will inform you to come out when I received the letter today. Those people are officials in Nanjing City today, maybe they won't be tomorrow. It's not like you and I are holding hereditary golden rice bowls."

Xu Pengju explained.

"Indeed, those people are more greedy than us, but who told them not to have that life, hehe"

Liu Shiyan laughed.

"My lord, is there any way to deal with the Yan family?"

At this time, Li Tingzhu suddenly asked.

"I have an idea, but it's not mature yet."

Xu Pengju said, "Whether it is the Poyang garrison or the Jiujiang Guard, they are all under the control of my former army's governor's mansion, even the entire Jiangxi capital. This is the business of my former army. When is it his turn to dictate.

Since he wants to intervene in the affairs of my former army, I can't agree. They want to integrate the entire Poyang Lake and Jiujiang water surface. It just so happens that the Jiangxi capital is actually under the control of the Ministry of War. There are still many constraints in doing things, so it is better to take this opportunity to withdraw the post of Poyang garrison, and merge the Nanhu Water Camp into the Qianhu Office of the Jiujiang Guard Army. "

"Isn't that your in-laws' territory?"

Liu Shiyan said with a slight frown.

"Will the Ministry of War agree?"

Li Tingzhu also said, "Actually, merging into Jiujiangwei is better than merging with my Anqing Water Camp. At that time, as long as I am still in the position of admiral of Caojiang, our ships can enter and leave Jiangxi at will."

"Admiral Caojiang was originally in charge of the river in Nanzhili, so it is difficult to expand the management of waterways to Jiangxi."

Xu Pengju shook his head and said, "My proposal is more likely to be approved by His Majesty. At that time, the Nanhu Water Camp can almost be abolished, and only the strong and strong will be retained to supplement the Thousand Households of the Rear Army. Jiangxi's military pay can also be reduced."

"A South Lake Water Battalion, the Ministry of War may not object."

Liu Shiyan said after a moment of silence.

"Jiujiang Wei swallowed the Nanhu Water Camp, and our boats can walk sideways in Poyang Lake. Before, we had to cover it with the help of various guards. Now we can directly transport illegal salt to Jiangxi provinces by water.

Ask your son-in-law to move around more in the capital and the adults of the Ministry of War, and Mr. Xu Ge and Mr. Yuan Ge should also be active, so that he should be able to fight with Mr. Yan Ge in the cabinet. "

At this time, Li Tingzhu rolled his eyes and spoke.

In fact, there are not many yamen in the capital that can speak out on this issue, that is, the Ministry of War and the cabinet.

Jiangxi Dusi is nominally under the jurisdiction of the former Military Governor's Mansion, but in fact the rights have been taken away by the Ministry of War. The abolition of a Nanhu Water Battalion actually has little impact on the Ministry of War. The most influential is the Jiangxi Dusi. The income of two silver coins.

As long as the Ministry of War can support their opinions, then only the cabinet remains.

Originally, Yan Song should have the most say in the cabinet, but this matter was caused by the Yan family, and they knew that they would definitely not be able to find the Yan family, so they might as well persuade Xu Jie and Yuan Wei to carry the elder Yan Ge.

Those who enter the cabinet, who is not ambitious, anyway, Yan Song is more than 80 people, how long can he stay in the position of chief assistant?

Not to mention the past, even now, if the three people present saw Yan Song, they would lower their eyebrows and respond respectfully, but this did not mean that the three respected Yan Song from the bottom of their hearts.

Unlike them who have hereditary titles, Yan Song is still able to secure the throne of the chief assistant relying on the favor of Emperor Jiajing, but when he is too old to work, he still has to remove all official positions. What will he do with ordinary people then? the difference.

But they are different, even if they don't have a real job, they still have a title and rank, which is incomparable.

"That's what I mean. The money earned in the past two months will be divided into 10 taels and sent to the capital, so that Guangde can go to activities."

Xu Pengju said.

"10 taels, isn't that too much?"

Immediately, Liu Shiyan was a little dissatisfied and said, "Twenty to thirty thousand taels should be enough."

"If you want to persuade Xu Jie and Yuan Wei to speak up, if you don't get more benefits, I'm afraid they won't stand out."

Xu Pengju said, "Send the money over there first, and just give it over there."

"If you take out half of the profit all at once, the people in the city and the boys below will probably be dissatisfied."

Li Tingzhu felt a little bleeding. If he sent the 10 taels away, he would never get it back. At least 1 taels of it belonged to him. This is blatantly using public money to subsidize his son-in-law.

"Is the money for the Lianghuai, Liangzhe and Changlu saltworks also temporarily withheld?"

Of course Liu Shiyan also understood that Xu Pengju's move was not clean and his heart was too cruel, but similar to Li Tingzhu, in the Jiangnan boundary, he and Li Tingzhu could not stand against Xu Pengju's family together, so naturally it was not easy to tear their faces openly.

But since the losses here have been lost, they always have to find a place to make up for it, and immediately sent their ideas to Yan Maoqing.

"It must be withheld, and I won't give it to you for the time being. Forgive them for not daring to tear their face apart, otherwise they won't be able to run away."

Xu Pengju said.

"But what if they also withhold the salt? This way of making money will be cut off."

Li Tingzhu rolled his eyes and said.

"At the salt field, the ambassador and deputy envoy of the salt field, we don't deduct the money that should be paid, as long as they give the salt. As for Yan Maoqing's salt government office and the transshipment department, depending on the situation, as long as the salt is not deducted, we still have to continue to divide the money, but It is to press first.

It's not that we won't give it if it's deducted, but it's just a matter of time. Since the Yan family is jealous of this profit, we have to show them some color, so that they don't think that we are soft persimmons and can be manipulated casually.

I don't even think that old man Yan can live for a few more years, so he is so eager to steal our money. "

Xu Pengju said.

"I've been dismissed from office now, and I have nothing to do. I'll go over and see who dares not pay wages, and I'll deal with them later."

Liu Shiyan also spoke.

Don't look at people like Yan Song and Yan Maoqing who seem to have great power, but when they really come down, their power is often not as good as the knife in Liu Shiyan's hand.

"Alright, I'll talk to those in the city tomorrow."

Xu Peng raised his head and said.

(End of this chapter)