Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

In Shanxi, Zhang Chengjun, who was in charge of the Zhang family, finally breathed a sigh of relief after receiving the news from Han Yu in the capital, but he couldn't help but sigh:
"It seems that there is no danger to life this time, but it is inevitable that we will lose money to avoid disaster."

"What did you do? How did you get involved in the case of collusion with the enemy?"

He looked at a member of the tribe with an angry face, blaming him for almost implicating the entire tribe.

This tribe member had a gloomy face and explained:

"Who knew Wang Dengku was so bold as to become a spy for the Jianlu?"

"I thought he just had connections on the grassland, so I asked him to sell the goods."

"Who knew he actually sold it to Jianlu? Was he trading with Jianlu?"

Zhang Chengjun said with great regret:

"Can't you use your brain to think about it?"

"The grasslands have been occupied by the Jianlu. If we don't sell it to them, who else can we sell it to?"

"To put it bluntly, this matter is collusion with the enemy. If it weren't for the emperor's wisdom, even Prime Minister Han would be implicated."

"You..."

He pointed at him and scolded him angrily, feeling scared about the consequences of this incident.

After the Jianlu invaded the west and swept across the grasslands south of the desert this year, the imperial court ordered the severance of grassland trade.

Because Xuanda Admiral Zhu Mei executed the order well, Shanxi merchants engaged in foreign trade, although reluctant, had no choice but to obey the order.

However, there were still some people who tried to recover their losses because the goods they transported to the grassland were robbed by the Jianlu.

Wang Dengku was one of them. This man was very bold. He actually found a way with the Jianlu and sold the stolen goods.

Then he found big families like the Zhang family and sold their goods as well.

Although Zhang Chengjun felt that there was something fishy about this matter before, he turned a blind eye and did not investigate it carefully because the Zhang family had lost control of the Changlu Salt Field and suffered great losses in the past two years.

Who would have thought that what Wang Dengku had done was discovered by the Embroidered Uniform Guards, and then they traced the clues back to the Zhang family.

If the Zhang family had not produced a prime minister and was not related to the current prime minister, Han Yu, by marriage, the family members involved in the case would have been arrested long ago and punished along with other people who colluded with the enemy.

Now that the emperor has shown mercy, there is no need to punish the Zhang family, but the Zhang family must at least pay 150,000 shi of grain and donate the title of knight.

"One hundred and fifty thousand shi! One hundred and fifty thousand shi!"

"It's not enough and we have to make up for it. How much money will the Zhang family pay?"

Thinking of this incident, Zhang Chengjun felt distressed and wished he could throw the clan member who presided over this incident into jail.

However, this kind of thing is just a thought, because the Zhang family is, after all, the prime minister's family, and they can't allow someone who colludes with the enemy to appear in the family.

Not to mention that after some officials learned about this, they blamed Han Yu, making Han Yu's position as prime minister shaky.

The Zhang family and the Shanxi merchants were able to escape punishment this time because the emperor did not want to make too big a fuss and affect the stability of the court.

But paying money and grain is inevitable, otherwise the emperor will just do nothing and the matter will become a big deal again.

So Zhang Chengjun commanded:
"Go to the Wang family and the Ma family and invite the heads of the two families over."

"Also, check the granary and prepare 150,000 shi of grain."

"If it's not enough, prepare to buy some, and then we can buy some together."

It was not just the Zhang family that was suspected of colluding with the enemy. Wang Dengku also implicated many large families.

Almost everyone who went outside the country to trade was implicated.

It was because he was so blatant that he was discovered by the Embroidered Uniform Guards.

The reason why the Zhang family attracted attention was because someone wanted to get rid of Han Yu.

Now, Zhang Chengjun can only donate as soon as possible to put an end to this matter.

People from the Wang family and the Ma family came quickly because they were also paying attention to this matter.

After seeing Han Yu's reply, the head of the Wang family said bitterly:

"I knew Wang Dengku was unreliable. This time he screwed the Shanxi merchants badly."

"But the amount the emperor asked us to donate is too high."

"I heard that in Suzhou, as long as you own 375 acres of land and pay 3750 shi, you can get the title of knight."

"Can Prime Minister Han talk about lowering the amount?"

The head of the Ma family had the same opinion and thought that 150,000 shi was too high.

Some even thought that it would be enough to just show their appreciation and they could donate 1,000 shi of stone to become officials and commoners.

Zhang Chengjun also considered this and explained:
"Donating to the knighthood is just the beginning. Maybe this money is not enough."

"After all, the emperor said that Shanxi merchants would provide next year's military expenses, but he didn't set a specific amount."

"We are all some of the most powerful merchants in Shanxi. Even if we only offer 150,000 shi, it may not be enough."

"Maybe it will cost 200,000 or 300,000, and we will have to pay more later."

Wang and Ma looked at the letter carefully and their brows immediately frowned.

What Zhang Chengjun said was indeed true. Next year they will be responsible for the military expenses of the Liaodong war.

This is really an uncertain situation, and perhaps several companies will suffer heavy losses.

The head of the Ma family said:

"We can't let the emperor do whatever he wants. We need to set a price."

"The punishment for beheading and hanging a minor criminal is only 360 shi, 150,000 shi is too high!"

The head of the Wang family also disagreed, thinking that it would be better to hand over the family members who committed the crime.

Zhang Chengjun said to them anxiously:

"This is not about atonement. Someone wants to use this incident to drive Prime Minister Han out."

"The Emperor suppressed this matter in order to protect Prime Minister Han and asked us to make donations to atone for our sins."

"If we don't do it, the Royal Guards will close the case, and someone in the court will surely make trouble."

"What do you think we should do if we lose Prime Minister Han and change our business?"

The head of the Wang family was silent after hearing this, thinking about the current situation.

After the emperor used the Salt Industry Law to establish the Salt Industry Group and reorganize the Changlu Salt Field, the Zhang family, who previously controlled the Changlu Salt Field, saw their business plummet and faced many competitors.

The Hedong Salt Field controlled by the Wang family has not yet been restructured and is still under their control, but the court's salt monopoly policy will certainly expand its scope of implementation in the future, and Shanxi, which is already under martial law, will not be able to stop it.

Therefore, the two companies increased their investment in the grassland, intending to make up for the income from the salt industry through the increasingly prosperous grassland trade.

Who would have thought that the Jianlu would suddenly launch a westward expedition, and all the investment in grassland trade would be trapped in it.

This is also the reason why, although they knew that there was something fishy about Wang Dengku’s selling of goods, they chose to turn a blind eye.

Now that the emperor has found out and used it as evidence against them, they can only blame themselves for their bad luck.

After Zhang Chengjun explained the current situation, he comforted the head of the Wang family and said:
"The money you donate is not given in vain. You can get the territory with it."

"I heard that Admiral Zhu is planning to recover Guihua. When the time comes, as long as we establish a Protectorate in Guihua, our families can all obtain fiefdoms on the grassland." "That will make trade more convenient, and we can also buy weapons and build a guard team."

"If I become a baron and have a thousand soldiers, I can fight any tribe that wants to rob me on the grassland."

The head of the Wang family certainly knew the benefits of this, but he was unwilling to donate the money.

Especially since the Wang family inherited the title of a thousand households of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the title was converted into baron, and there was no need to donate for the title.

The head of the Ma family was even more unwilling. After thinking about it, he pointed at the letter and said:

"Don't rush to donate. The letter says that Shanxi merchants should contribute together."

"As long as we find enough people, we don't have to pay 150,000."

"Besides, Wang Dengku and his men are going to confiscate their property. Maybe what we seize from their home can meet the needs of the Liaodong war next year."

Zhang Chengjun was surprised and asked suspiciously:

“Is Wang Dengku so rich?”

“I’ve never heard of this person before.”

The head of the Ma family laughed and said:

"Wang Dengku's money may not be enough, but we can use other people to make up for it!"

"I heard that Jin Liangyu, Fan Yongdou and others in Zhangjiakou also have connections with the Jianlu."

"As long as we find evidence, we can seize their property."

"The Fan family is a well-known wealthy family in Zhangjiakou, and has been passed down for seven generations. Even if they are not as good as our families, they are not far behind."

"They can at least find several million taels of silver, enough for next year's military expenses."

Zhang Chengjun was horrified by these words and realized the ruthless methods of the head of the Ma family.

They could not confirm whether Fan Yongdou and others were colluding with Jianlu, but as long as they reported the rumors, it was estimated that Jinyiwei would at least be able to get a layer of skin off them.

That way they will have less pressure and won't have to spend so much money next year.

Another advantage is that these merchants from Zhangjiakou control foreign trade and are their competitors.

If they could use the power of the imperial court to defeat these people, they would have fewer competitors.

Therefore, the three families quickly decided to let the Jinyiwei raid the merchants in Zhangjiakou.

However, the donation still needs to be made, Zhang Chengjun said:

"The emperor asked Shanxi merchants to donate, we should at least show some attitude."

"Brother Wang has a hereditary position, so that's fine. But I don't have a hereditary position, so I have to spend my own money."

"There are more and more people with titles. If you don't have a title, you will be embarrassed to go out."

The head of the Wang family chuckled and stroked his beard with great pride.

His ancestor Wang Chonggu was the host of the Longqing Peace Talks, which was highly praised by the emperor.

Now, not only has Wang Chonggu been listed as a wise minister in the Purple Pavilion, but the captain of the Jinyiwei inherited by the Wang family has also been determined to be the hereditary captain of the Jinwuwei.

Therefore, he was not worried about the wealth of the Wang family at all, because they had been included in the new nobles by the emperor.

The head of the Ma family was a bit unlucky because his family had no hereditary official position.

Now, Zhang Chengjun wanted him to donate as well, which made him reluctantly say:
"I'd better take a closer look. Fifteen thousand shi is really a bit tight."

"It would be great if you could donate a junior knighthood. It only takes over 30,000 stones, and the down payment is just over 3,000."

Apparently, after the emperor allowed Suzhou gentry to donate money for junior knighthood, many people preferred this.

As long as you donate, you can inherit it and obtain the corresponding status. Many people don't care whether it is ordinary or high. The difference in the area of ​​the fiefdom between the two is not taken seriously by many people now.

Zhang Chengjun tried to persuade him for a while, but seeing that the head of the Ma family was unwilling to spend money, he had to give up.

The reason why he insisted on donating was because the emperor said that he could include his grandfather in the Purple Pavilion as a wise minister.

By then, the title that one donated would not be bought, but inherited from one's ancestors.

So what he wanted to donate was not the title of knight, but the title of baron.

He also planned to pay the money and grain in installments and try to get the emperor's consent.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but look at the head of the Wang family, and he also felt some resentment towards his grandfather.

The Wang family is now truly benefiting from the blessings of their ancestors, but his Zhang family has to bleed because of their ancestors.

The emperor's warning to Han Yu, "Don't learn from Zhang Siwei," made Han Yu feel uneasy after he learned about it privately from the Han family.

Therefore, he did not dare to make a fuss after losing control of the Changlu Salt Field, but asked Han Yu to introduce him to do business in the grassland, fearing that the emperor would investigate further and punish the Zhang family for privately controlling the salt field.

Now that the emperor has finally given him the opportunity, he decided to spend money to make his grandfather a wise minister in the Purple Pavilion so that the Zhang family can benefit from his ancestor's influence.

However, thinking about how the descendants of his grandfather's political enemy Zhang Juzheng obtained the title of Duke of Jiangling County without spending a penny, he almost burst out with envy and even more resentment:
If my grandfather had kept some dignity at that time, he wouldn't have ended up like this.

Maybe just like the Shen family and the Wang family, after being punished slightly or severely by the emperor, they can get the title.
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Zhang Chengjun’s resentment comes from the fact that he cannot become a new elite directly.

But Wang Dengku and others were completely disheartened.

After the emperor's order came down, their family was quickly searched and raided, and a lot of evidence of secret dealings with the Jianlu was found.

They also followed the clues and captured several officers who were in collusion with the enemy, including the garrison commander of the Xuanda Fortress and also the guards.

Especially the fact that the Guard Commander Shen Qi was in collusion with the enemy shocked Xuan Dadu. They had never thought that a Guard Commander would be in collusion with the enemy:

"This is the commander of the imperial guards, who can compete with the general. The next step is to become a governor and a military commander, and become a high-ranking official in the frontier."

"What on earth was he thinking? He actually wanted to collude with the enemy?"

Many people were unwilling to believe this, but after seeing the evidence found by the Jinyiwei, they had to admit it.

Xuanda Admiral Zhu Mei was even more frightened, because some time ago he had wanted Shen Qi to go to Guihua Protectorate to serve as a guard.

Now it seems fortunate that I didn't bring it up, otherwise I would have been suspected of colluding with the enemy:

"Zu Dashou colluded with the enemy, and Shen Qi also colluded with the enemy."

"What exactly did Yuan Chonghuan do, and how many people did he hide it from?"

"Those of them who are negotiating peace are indeed suspected of colluding with the enemy."

Although the imperial court gave Zu Dashou a light punishment and a severe warning for his collusion with the enemy, it did not put him in jail or punish him.

However, Zhu Mei knew that based on Zu Dashou's behavior of hiding the surrendered prisoners, it was not an exaggeration to charge him with collusion with the enemy.

Shen Qi was one of the executors of Yuan Chonghuan's peace talks. The imperial court did not find out anything at the time and simply transferred people out of Liaodong.

Unexpectedly, after the Jianlu reached the grassland, he was caught again and it was found that he did have private contact with the Jianlu.

This made Zhu Mei completely dispel the resentment of being transferred from Liaodong, knowing that it was not excessive for the court to transfer them out:
Yuan Chonghuan did collude with the enemy when he negotiated peace privately. Those who were related to Yuan Chonghuan were just transferred out or protected.

If Shen Qi had not persisted in contacting the Jianlu again, or if he had been transferred further away after being released, it is estimated that his contact with the Jianlu would not have been discovered, just like those who followed Yuan Chonghuan to Yunnan.

Now, they knew that they would have to bear the consequences of Shen Qi's investigation. He and Zu Dashou, who were related to Yuan Chonghuan, had to take concrete actions to show their loyalty to the court. (End of this chapter)