Daming: I can’t kill such a greedy prince-in-law?

Chapter 401 New Year’s Gift Box, Officials Were Moved to Cry (Please Subscribe!!)

Judging from Li Shanchang's failed experience, Ouyang Lun will definitely get into trouble if he does this, and it will be a big one!
In addition, Li Shanchang also knew the emperor Zhu Yuanzhang.

For Zhu Yuanzhang, if you are useful, his tolerance for you will reach an extremely high level. As long as you do not openly rebel, you will not die. But if you are no longer of much use and pose a threat to the Ming Dynasty, then Sorry, even if you commit a very minor offense, it can kill your whole family.

This is true for Yang Xian and Hu Weiyong!

Even he was like this. Even after so many years, Li Shanchang still clearly remembered how respectful Zhu Yuanzhang was when he asked him to come out.

Originally, after the incident in the four southern provinces came out, Li Shanchang felt that he was going to see Hu Weiyong, but Zhu Yuanzhang did not kill him. He just removed his official position and title and left him free in the house.

Obviously for Zhu Yuanzhang, Li Shanchang is still useful, or his usefulness is that after Zhu Yuanzhang failed in Ouyang Lun's plan, he could stand up and solve the problem.

After all, when things have developed to this point, the only one who can check and balance Ouyang Lun in terms of prestige, ability, and political power is Li Shanchang.

With this idea, Li Shanchang was not in a hurry. He was sure that something big would happen to Ouyang Lun, Zhu Yuanzhang would still be useful to him, and it was only a matter of time before he, Li Shanchang, came out again.

"Old Xiangguo, do you mean that something will happen to Ouyang Lun this time?"

"Mr. Liang Guo, I think you can spend the money with confidence. According to the wishes of the old prime minister, Ouyang Lun may not be able to survive for a year at all."

Li Shanchang took in everyone's expressions, and he didn't understand the concerns of these Huaixi nobles. Even he himself was the same, but the current situation was really not a good time to take action.

There was a look of violence in Lan Yu's eyes.

"Now all the provinces are setting up state-owned enterprises and building roads. With such huge expenditures, the national treasury is already empty. It is definitely not enough to just open a flat bank!"

"I still firmly believe that Ouyang Lun's money will be used up one day, and by that time it will be time for us to launch a full-scale counterattack."

"You guys, don't look at the people praising Ouyang Lun now. When we have no money, these people will be the ones who scold Ouyang Lun the most. At that time, I will definitely ask Ouyang Lun if he regrets doing this in the future. Do it, haha!”

"I'm not 100% sure about this. Ouyang Lun is extremely treacherous. We must not take it lightly!"

"Haha, that's a good idea. After Ouyang Lun can't hold on anymore and falls, most of the money won't have to be paid back."

"I heard that this Kaiping Silver Cabinet contains most of the Ming Dynasty's silver. No one knows how much money this Kaiping Silver Cabinet contains until now."

Song Guogong Feng Sheng asked.

Hearing this, everyone at the scene, including Lan Yu and Feng Shengzai, were shocked. They had followed Zhu Yuanzhang for so long, and they knew Zhu Yuanzhang's methods very well.

Li Shanchang's firm words made the Huaixi nobles present feel more confident and no longer so anxious.

The nobles in Huaixi were talking a lot.

Song Guogong Feng Sheng said in a deep voice.

"Money is worth it, but the stall Ouyang Lun set up this time is too big, and the amount of money he consumes every day is an astronomical figure!"

"Old Xiangguo, Ouyang Lun and the Prince Consort Party are actually not afraid of me. The big deal is to have a bloody fight with them. Who will lose or win is not sure! Liu Bowen's Zhejiang East Party was also very powerful at the time, and we were unable to parry it for a time, but in the end We still won.”

"That's right, we all borrowed money based on our ability, why should we pay it back?"

Li Shanchang was hit hard by the events in the four southern provinces, but it also made him more aware of Ouyang Lun's power.

"You have to endure it even if you can't bear it! You have to suppress it even if you can't help it!" Li Shanchang said in a deep voice.

A noble Taoist from Huaixi.

"Yes! The Prince Consort has become more and more arrogant recently. We can tolerate it, but some of the brothers below cannot."

When Li Shanchang said this, he paused deliberately, glanced at everyone present, and then asked in a deep voice: "What will be the consequences of going against His Majesty? I don't need to say more, right?"

The nobles of Huaixi expressed their thoughts one after another.

"The Prince Consort is working in full swing. How many businessmen have made fortunes with them? I don't believe there is nothing fishy in this!"

"Don't wait, everyone. In addition to the five-year plan, the ministries of the imperial court, the provinces and the army also need money. If we can help and apply for more loans from the Ministry of Household Affairs, maybe the time can be brought forward a little earlier. "

"I'll go to the Ministry of Finance to borrow another few hundred thousand taels later. Anyway, I just need to make a plan. The amount the Ministry of Finance has given me is a full one million!"

"The only thing we have a chance of winning now is to wait! Wait for Ouyang Lun and the Prince Consort to cause problems themselves."

"Although His Majesty has recently relaxed his control over our children in Huaixi, it does not mean that His Majesty will relax his vigilance against us. Now is the critical time of the five-year plan. If we attack Ouyang Lun, it is equivalent to going against His Majesty!"

"When we were managing the four southern provinces, we probably prepared enough money, but in the end, we still didn't have no money."

When other people heard this, they also looked very anxious.

"What I'm afraid of is that His Majesty will attack us! Should we make some preparations?"

Of course, their eyes eventually fell on Li Shanchang, waiting for Li Shanchang's decision.

"Everyone, let's not talk about this! Your Majesty is wise, as long as we do our own thing well and don't get into trouble at this critical moment, Your Majesty will not take action against us."

"I estimate that the court will be short of money by the end of this year!"

Lan Yu muttered.

"This matter is related to the survival of my descendants in Huaixi. You must not act rashly!"

"Yes, we can still suppress it now, but if this continues, we really can't guarantee it."

"Old Prime Minister, now the Prince Consort is pressing harder and harder, should we do something?"

Li Shanchang did not take Ouyang Lun seriously in the past, but now he has long regarded Ouyang Lun as the most threatening political opponent.

Hearing this, Lan Yu's eyes lit up, "Yes, if Ouyang Lun can't survive this year, then he won't have to pay back the money."

"Is there a problem because there is not enough money? This is impossible, the Ministry of Household Affairs allocation has arrived, and there is a lot of money. What I am worried about recently is how to spend the money. After all, the money will have to be paid back after a year."

"You actually have one million, and I only have half a million. We are both marquises! No, I have to ask the Ministry of Household Affairs for an explanation!"

After some discussion, most of the Huaixi nobles were satisfied and left. Some of them went straight to the Ministry of Revenue immediately after leaving Li Shanchang's residence, obviously wanting to borrow more money from the Ministry of Revenue.

In the hall, only Li Shanchang, Feng Sheng, and Lan Yu were left.

"Old Xiangguo, how long do you think Ouyang Lun will be able to hold on?" Feng Sheng asked.

"I think Ouyang Lun can survive this year. After all, we have all seen his abilities. I personally think that the most likely problem is when the first loan expires." Li Shanchang said with a smile.

"The first loan is due? That will be one year later, but the money we borrowed from the household department belongs to the household department. As soon as we repay the money, won't he be able to support it?" Feng Sheng said with some doubts.

"What if you don't get it yet?" Li Shanchang smiled mysteriously.

Hearing this, Feng Sheng and Lan Yu suddenly realized. "The old prime minister is still wise!"

"Haha, I didn't say anything." Li Shanchang said with a smile: "But you must not underestimate Wang Youguo. We just need to watch patiently. It is better to be still than to move. If some small shrimps are killed, it will not be good for us in Huaixi." As far as the party is concerned, it can’t hurt the foundation at all!”

"As long as our Huaixi Party can completely trample the Prince Consort Party under its feet, there will be more compensation in the future."

"It's not convenient for me to come forward now. There are many things that I can only do for you two to run around and keep an eye on more. This time is our best chance to win over Ouyang Lun and the Prince Consort Party. If we win, we Huaixi children can enjoy it again. I will be rich and prosperous for decades, but if I lose, my life and fortune will be at stake!”

"understand!"

Feng Sheng and Lan Yu looked at each other and nodded in unison.

The five-year plan is progressing steadily.

In the 20th year of Hongwu, the development of Ming Dynasty accelerated, and various changes can be called major reforms!
There are many achievements, but of course the cost is also quite high.

Tens of millions of taels of silver are thrown out every day, and hundreds of millions of taels of silver are spent in ten days!

Officials of the Prince Consort Party and those who were willing to govern the country according to the Five-Year Plan became the mainstream in the Ming Dynasty. However, those who held different opinions did not stop them. They all stood on the sidelines and watched coldly.

The most anxious ones are of course the nobles of Huaixi. They are all ready to tear Ouyang Lun into pieces as soon as there is a problem on Ouyang Lun's side.

But after waiting for one month, two months, and three months, watching the twenty years of Hongwu pass, there was still no news of any problems, and the court still seemed to have no shortage of money.

And the scene that Ming Dynasty presented now shocked them even more.

Time passes little by little.

The end of the year is coming soon.

Winter is very cold, and the demand will be even stronger. Road construction and other constructions have not stopped, and more and more money is consumed.

The nobles of the Huaixi Party concluded that Ouyang Lun would not be able to handle it and a big problem was about to arise.

At this time, the chief envoys of each province were reporting on their duties.

At the end of the year, the Ministry of Household Affairs will compile statistics on taxes and various data for the entire Ming Dynasty. Whether this year will be a good harvest year or a loss year, etc., these data will be summarized and you will know at a glance.

Because of this, everyone's eyes are fixed on these chief envoys and the Ministry of Household Affairs! !
Hubu Yamen.

Ouyang Lun was sitting at the head of the table, while Guo Zi and another minister of the Ministry of Revenue were staring at the officials of the Ministry of Revenue to compile the data of each province.

"Master, you have tea!"

Zhou Bao brought a cup of tea and said respectfully.

"Ah."

Ouyang Lun took the teacup and took a sip.

"I have done all the calculations carefully. I can't make a single mistake. After the calculations are completed, I need to check them several times. I don't want to see Guo Huan's affairs again!"

"Yes, my lord!"

Ouyang Lun's prestige among officials is extremely high.

After all, ever since Ouyang Lun took charge of the Household Department, the Household Department immediately became the most popular yamen in the entire Ming Dynasty. Even the junior officials in the Household Department were fawned over when they stepped out. If the Beijing official is a third-level official, then the Household Department officials still have to Three more levels!

I would rather be a minor official in the Ministry of Household Affairs than be a magistrate!
"Lao Guo."

When he heard Ouyang Lun calling him, Guo Zi immediately ran over, "Prince-in-law, are you calling me?"

"Well, I have something else I need to leave to you to do."

Ouyang Lun nodded and said.

"Prince-in-law, please speak." Guo Zi said solemnly.

"It's the end of the year, and everyone has worked hard for a year. You allocate a batch of money from the treasury." Ouyang Lun said slowly.

"There is no problem in allocating the money, but what will the money be used for?" Guo Zi asked curiously.

Ouyang Lun smiled slightly, "Of course I want to buy a gift."

"Oh! Prince Consort, are you going to give a gift to His Majesty? Don't worry, I will do this for you, and no one will notice at all!" Guo Zi looked like he understood.

Ouyang Lun rolled his eyes at Guo Zi and said angrily: "Who told you that I was going to give gifts to His Majesty? I am going to give gifts to all Ming officials!"

Ah!
Give gifts to all Ming officials? !
This is the first time I've heard of it.

"Have you never heard of New Year gift boxes?" Ouyang Lun continued: "It is to purchase some fashionable pastries and dried fruits and put them in a gift box and give them to each official to reward them for their hard work in the past year!"

"I see." Guo Zi suddenly realized, and his heart warmed, "The prince-in-law must be you! All the officials are grateful for your friendship."

"Damn it, you are not allowed to use my name. Are you trying to harm me?" Ouyang Lun scolded angrily: "You definitely can't use the name of the emperor. My emperor's father-in-law searched very hard and suddenly gave him a gift box for officials. , maybe it will frighten the officials, so let’s give it to them in the name of my queen’s mother-in-law.”

"The Queen is kind and virtuous. All officials will be very happy if they receive the Queen's gift box."

Guo Zi nodded, but soon frowned, "Prince-in-law, if you give each of the officials of the Ming Dynasty a gift box, how many things will you have to buy! Now is the busiest time for the Ministry of Revenue. I'm afraid I won't be able to do it well." !”

"I didn't let you go. Don't we have central enterprises now? You are responsible for making money, and the central enterprises are responsible for purchasing. Remember the gift box must be exquisite! The food must be delicious!" Ouyang Lun warned: "In addition, you must do this and this."

"Understood!" Guo Zi nodded repeatedly, agreed and went to make arrangements.

A few days later.

The officials all received gift boxes distributed.

Just as Ouyang Lun expected, when the official suddenly received the gift box, he was shocked and thought that the emperor was going to send him to death!

But after hearing that this gift box was from Empress Ma, she immediately beamed and happily accepted it.

"Hey, have you received the gift box from the Queen?"

"Of course I received it. I heard that the Queen has given it to everyone this time, ranging from ninth grade to first grade. As long as they are officials, they have it!"

"The Queen is really thoughtful. The gift box was very beautifully packaged, and there was also a letter of encouragement written inside. I shed tears while reading the letter of encouragement while eating the contents of the gift box!"

"Yes! The Queen has written all the things I have done in the past year on it. Even I did not expect that I have done so many things!"

(End of this chapter)