I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 138 Zhang Juzheng's First Sword
"I remember that Governor Ding's teacher was Duke Xinzheng?" Zhang Juzheng asked lightly, making Ding Wu feel uneasy.

"I would like to report to the Governor-General that when I took the imperial examination, I did indeed worship Lord Xinzheng as my teacher, and I also received guidance from Lord Xinzheng at the Qionglin Banquet.

Unfortunately, I was only a third-class Jinshi, and later I was transferred to a local post, so I had no chance to receive the teachings of Xinzheng Gong. "

Zhang Juzheng nodded and said, "Lord Xinzheng is a minister in the same palace as this governor, and he is also a lecturer in Prince Yu's palace. I will take care of his students."

When Ding Wu heard this, he felt unhappy.

In the officialdom, who would take care of other people's students and former officials for no reason? They can't even take care of their own.

Sometimes, this statement has to be heard in reverse.

What if Governor Zhang has a rift with his preceptor, Lord Xinzheng, and he uses another method to protect me? Wouldn’t that be the end of me?

Zhang Juzheng glanced at Ding Wu, stroked his beard and continued, "Taishu Ding, I am here by the order of the Emperor to inspect the prefectures and counties of Shandong to eliminate corruption and restore order. Tomorrow when I arrive at Laizhou, I need to look through the household account books of your government office, as well as the household account books of the five counties and two states of Laizhou. I also want to look at them."

Ding Wu became even more panicked.

At the local level, from counties to states to prefectures, there are a lot of bad debts.

There are many kinds of expenditures in the local area. The post stations and delivery offices alone cost a lot of money and grain every year. There are also the government offices, including the county magistrate, the chief clerk, the county lieutenant, the historian, the six room managers, the clerks, and the yamen runners.
The amount of money and food needed is difficult to count.

Then the official salaries set by Emperor Taizu were shockingly low, even lower than the beggar leader in the land temple.

But county officials and above had to support their families, hire legal advisors, hire servants and maids, and it was difficult to have children. They also had to marry a concubine to maintain the integrity of human relations.
After studying hard for more than ten years and passing the imperial examination, who wouldn't want to live a more comfortable life besides helping the country and serving the emperor?
All of this requires money and food. Where will the money come from?
Of course, it will be borne by the people under its jurisdiction.

People with a good conscience are just doing enough and not being so cruel; people with a bad conscience are levying heavy taxes and extorting money, sucking the marrow out of people's bones.

They are all confusing accounts. Now Futai Zhang suddenly told me that he wanted to check the accounts!

I'm so nervous!

Ding Wu replied hesitantly, "I will send someone back immediately to sort out the household account books, and then send a letter to each county and state, asking them to make a copy of the household account books and submit them."

Seeing Ding Wu's expression, Zhang Juzheng knew that his gentle persuasion had worked, and continued, "Don't panic, Governor Ding. I looked through the account books of various prefectures and counties not to check the accounts, but just to understand the people's sentiments in Shandong."

Understand the people’s sentiments?

real or fake?

I have never seen a governor who understands the people's sentiments so well before.

Zhang Juzheng nodded, without caring whether Ding Wu really understood or pretended to understand, and continued to get straight to the point.

"I have another duty when I came to Shandong, which you must know. A few days ago, I inspected the nine frontiers and found that the horse administration was malpracticed, especially in Liaodong and Shandong.

The emperor was shocked.

Horse management is a major military issue. If the horse management is malpracticed, it will affect the border troops. If the northern barbarians invade the border, there will be no war horses available. That would be a major event that would shake the earth. Therefore, the emperor has issued a decree to send this official to inspect Shandong and investigate the horse management. "

Ding Wu felt a little relieved and answered respectfully: "In response to the governor, horse administration is a major issue in Shandong. However, according to the imperial court regulations, horse administration is set up in the four prefectures of Qingzhou, Jinan, Dongchang and Yanzhou in the west of Shandong. There are no horse administration households in Laizhou and Dengzhou in the east.

It was just that during the Zhengde reign, the Ministry of War was restructured, and part of the horse quota from the horse administration of the four western prefectures was allocated to Laizhou and Dengzhou in exchange for silver. I have worked very hard, and Laizhou has never been short of the silver allocated for the horse administration every year."

Zhang Juzheng stroked his beard, looking kind, "I know about this matter. I want to ask Governor Ding, is the silver-for-Ma Zheng method a good idea? How much burden will it add to the local people?"

Ding Wu thought for a moment and answered cautiously, "Since the Yongle period, the imperial court has set a rule for raising horses. Five men in the north of the Yangtze River raise one horse, and ten men in the south of the Yangtze River raise one horse. But raising horses is not something that ordinary people can do just because they want to."

Zhang Juzheng praised, "That's right. The Imperial Household Department is the chief of the Ming Dynasty's horse administration and is responsible for raising horses. Even they are very nervous, let alone ordinary people."

Ding Wu immediately echoed, "The governor is very observant. Therefore, after the horse-raising system was changed to apportionment, it became a head tax levied according to the number of people.

But nowadays, the land is being annexed, the people are displaced, the population is missing, and raising horses is deducted from the silver, just like other head taxes, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to collect. "

"Occupying farmland and hiding people?" Zhang Juzheng asked. Ding Wu's forehead was covered with cold sweat, and he answered nervously: "Laizhou, where I govern, is surrounded by the sea to the north and south, and there are many mountains in the middle. There are not many good farmlands, so there are not many cases of occupying farmland and hiding people."

Zhang Juzheng understood the meaning from Ding Wu's cautious words and changed the subject.

"What Governor Ding said is correct. Horse policy is not Laizhou's most important policy. The most important policy is people's livelihood. Laizhou is surrounded by the sea, so coastal defense is a top priority. Ye County is in the north. When the governor arrives tomorrow, Governor Ding and Deputy Envoy Liang will accompany the governor to inspect Ye County's front-line coastal defense.

In addition, I plan to go around Shandong. After three months, I will go to Jiaozhou and Jimo in the south of Laizhou, and then go to Laiyang, Wendeng, and Weihai. "

Zhang Juzheng informed Ding Wu and Liang Chuyong of his itinerary in advance, meaning that they should prepare in advance. This made Ding Wu feel a little relieved.

But at this moment, he was confused by Zhang Juzheng's moves left and right, and he was not sure what Zhang Juzheng was trying to do.

After inspecting Laizhou and Ye County, Zhang Juzheng ordered that the financial account books of Laizhou Prefecture and five counties and two states for the past three years be copied and packed up, and then continued on his journey.

After seven days of hurried travel, they arrived at Yidu County, the capital of Qingzhou Prefecture, and officially began their investigation into the horse politics in Shandong.

According to custom, the horse affairs of North and South Zhili, Henan and Shandong were directly managed by the Imperial Household Department.

"The Imperial Household Department is in charge of the government orders for horse breeding, and reports to the Ministry of War. One junior official assists the department, one supervises the horses in the camp, and one supervises the horses in the capital. There are several secretaries in the department, who are responsible for the breeding and storage of horses in the capital, the capital, Shandong, and Henan counties."

When Zhang Juzheng left Beijing, he checked the documents in the Jiageku of the Imperial Household Department.

According to documents, there were 710,000 horse households under the name of Taipu Temple, and 175,000 hectares of land dedicated to horse breeding, a quarter of which was distributed in the western four prefectures of Shandong.

What Zhang Juzheng wanted to investigate was the 170,000 horse households and 47,000 hectares of horse farms in the four prefectures of Qingzhou, Jinan, Dongchang and Yanzhou in Shandong Province under the Imperial Household Department.

That night, after Zhang Juzheng met with officials of all ranks in Qingzhou Prefecture, he returned to the backyard of the Qingzhou Prefecture government office. In the study, he allowed two maids to gently take off his hat and official uniform for him.

He changed into casual clothes, sat down on a chair, picked up a bowl of ginseng soup, and drank it in small sips.

Ma Zheng!

It seems that I have really disturbed a hornet's nest!

From Ding Wu's evasive words to the Qingzhou officials' fear of a formidable enemy, his trip as governor of Shandong was not that simple.

Zhang Juzheng put down the ginseng soup, full of confidence.

The Lifanyuan successfully negotiated peace with Altan Khan, and Shanxi opened up border trade. Next, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is preparing to open up border trade in Gansu and Qinghai. The Ming Dynasty can obtain good horses continuously, which is a great opportunity to reform the horse policy.

Zhang Juzheng hoped that through this battle, he could consolidate his position in Zhu Yijun's heart and elevate his own status in the court. It was not that easy to inherit the mantle of his teacher Xu Jie.

Ma Zheng was carefully selected by Zhang Juzheng. He was in charge of military affairs and had a huge impact.

He also had little to do with various forces, including the Jiangsu and Zhejiang Party, the Jiangxi Party, the Prince's Party, and his own Chu Party.

It may have some connection with the Jin Party, but the old Jin Party has been beaten into a dog by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, so there is no need to be afraid!

The new party is growing under the support of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and they have little relationship with Ma Zheng.

It’s just right for me to draw my sword for the first time.

"Master!" the servant reported at the door, "Lu Chengju, the secretary of the Imperial Household Department, has come to see you."

Lu Chengju was the secretary of the Imperial Household Department stationed in Shandong.

He rushed from Jinan to Yidu County, Qingzhou Prefecture, waiting for me?

Zhang Juzheng thought for more than ten breaths, then ordered, "Please go to the front hall for tea. I'll change my clothes and come over."

(End of this chapter)