Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 620 If you are poor, you will want to change.
Li Zisheng and Qin Chang escorted a large amount of cloth from the capital to the northwest, but they had not yet arrived at Datong Town until the end of the twelfth lunar month, just before the Chinese New Year.

The team stopped moving forward that day.

Li Zisheng was a little confused, so he quickly found Qin Chang and asked him what was going on.

"Eunuch Tan, since we left Xuanfu, the snow everywhere has basically melted. Even if some roads are muddy, it won't affect our progress."

Li Zisheng questioned, "If we delay this, will it affect the travel schedule?"

In Li Zisheng's view, this trip to the northwest was purely for gilding.

The emperor’s mission is important!

I have to do it well to show that I am capable, and the emperor will entrust me with more important tasks in the future.

Qin Chang's mentality was completely different from Li Zisheng's. He looked helpless: "According to Ye Bu Shou's intelligence, the road ahead seems to be unstable, and we are escorting a large amount of supplies, so we can't advance rashly. We can only wait here and see how the situation develops."

Li Zisheng got angry when he heard this.

I thought, are you trying to pick a fight with me on purpose?
After I returned, although I could not be promoted to a higher position, I had a more important task to do, which was to repair the Yellow River and complete the diversion of the Yellow River. This would be a major event that would go down in history.

And if you, Qin Chang, return to Beijing, there is a high probability that you will be left idle and go home to retire.

Even so, you can't be so perfunctory in doing things!

Li Zisheng said, "We have been walking along the main roads in the interior of the country all the way, right? We have not been walking along the fortresses, and we have not seen any signs of Tatar activity along the way. Why are we afraid to move forward when we are almost at Datong Town, where there are troops stationed?"

Qin Chang looked at Li Zisheng and asked, "From what Minister Li said, you don't trust our family?"

"how could be?"

Li Zisheng smiled and said, "I just want to find out the truth, that's all."

Tan Chang said, "Minister Li, our Ming Dynasty suffered a snowstorm in the northwest, and the soldiers were suffering terribly. Do the Tartars further north have it better?"

"This one……"

Li Zisheng understood instantly and asked tentatively, "So, they also suffered a disaster? Even the northwest of Daming, which is further south, had such heavy snow. Doesn't that mean that their disaster will be more serious than ours? This is obviously a good thing!"

"What a good thing."

Qin Chang shook his head and said, "The Tartars have suffered a disaster and can no longer make a living, so they are thinking of looting the border of our Ming Dynasty. Originally, we could still make a living and live in peace in this winter. Now, the Tartars have come to loot places that have not been invaded by the Tartars for several years, such as the border near Datong.

"If the things we are escorting fall into the hands of the Tartars, wouldn't that help them get through the difficult times?"

Li Zisheng nodded and said, "That makes sense."

Qin Chang glared at Li Zisheng, and although he didn't say it explicitly, it seemed like he was questioning him.

Since you know it makes sense, why are you urging me to leave?
"But."

Li Zisheng added, "Our soldiers in the northwest have experienced snowstorms, freezing weather, and war. If they still don't have winter clothes and food, how can they resist the strong enemy? In my opinion, we have to find a way to rush west. The more difficult it is, the more time we have to hurry."

Qin Chang got angry when he heard this.

I thought to myself, you are here to make great achievements, and I just have to complete a tough task before retiring.

Don't always let your mentality affect me.

I won’t serve you!
"Minister Li is concerned about the country and the people, and cares about the soldiers in the northwest. This is truly admirable and lamentable."

Qin Chang evaded the question casually, "But some things have to wait for the right opportunity. If this batch of cloth is looted by the Tartars, they may have clothes to keep warm, and many people may not freeze to death. They may invade our Ming Dynasty in the future.

"How about this? We should write a letter to the governor of Datong and ask him to send troops to support us. What do you think?"

"This……"

Li Zisheng thought to himself, you are really shirking your responsibility.

It takes three to five days for the communication to go back and forth. If it is slow, it may take ten days or half a month, by which time the flowers will have withered.

"If that doesn't work, then Minister Li will have to find a solution on his own."

Seeing that Li Zisheng looked unhappy, Qin Chang threatened, "Perhaps you can ask the soldiers accompanying you to see if they are willing to continue their journey west. Lives are at stake. Even if we are concerned about the soldiers freezing on the frontier, we must first consider the safety of those around us.

"I think this is how a competent chief officer should be."

……

……

Forbidden City, Qianqing Palace.

Huai'en was holding several reports from the three borders and Datong and Xuanfu, explaining in detail to the emperor the difficulties currently encountered at the northwestern border.

"…In many places in the northwest, Tatars have been causing border disturbances, and reports have been coming in of people and livestock being robbed. The further west you go, the more serious the situation becomes.

"Especially in Ningxia and other places, the Tatars invaded the border with thousands of troops at a time, and even showed signs of knocking on the gate and heading south. However, thanks to the heroic fighting of the soldiers on the front line, the Tatars did not move further south.

"Among them, Ningxia Deputy General Lü Hong led his troops to repel the Tatar invasion once and beheaded four people. The Tatars had to move from Huamachi and other places to other places. Now the local defense of Ningxia is getting tighter, and Yansui and other places have also reported that the bandits have reoccupied Hetao and other places, and destroyed the earthen forts set up by our Ming Dynasty in the Hetao Plain..."

The more Zhu Youtang listened, the more solemn his expression became.

When I first became emperor, I knew nothing.

Just when he had sorted out the civil and political affairs and felt that he was starting to get the hang of it, military and political troubles arose, which meant that this outsider had to deal with many things he did not understand.

As an autistic person, Zhu Youtang is very afraid of coming into contact with things that he does not understand, and instinctively wants to escape.

But as an emperor, Zhu Youtang had a certain sense of responsibility, which forced him to listen and learn.

This caused him to feel very conflicted and entangled inside, and he almost split into two.

Huai En seemed to understand the emperor's difficulties at the end, and concluded: "Your Majesty, we should transport the food to the northwest front as soon as possible so that the soldiers can have enough food and resolve the Tatars' ambition to invade the border." Zhu Youtang asked: "How is the money and food collection going on my father-in-law?"

"It is said that there is no problem now."

Huai En said, "Look, someone has been sent to summon him. I think Zhang Guozhang is on his way to the palace now. Should we send someone to urge him?"

Zhu Youtang sighed, "Even if we start shipping now, it will take a long time to get to the northwest border. It will take even longer to get it to the soldiers. Is there any good solution?"

Huai En sighed, "Originally, relying on the salt tax, the salt merchants transported grain to the northwest, issued salt permits to them, and the soldiers also had grain, which was a win-win situation. However, now the salt administration has a big problem, and the situation of having salt permits but not being able to withdraw salt is getting more and more serious. If it is not changed soon, I am afraid... Alas!"

"Kai Daiban, do you also think that reforms should be promoted?"

Zhu Youtang asked expectantly, "I asked the gentlemen of the Eastern Palace before, and they believed that we should follow the old law. We should not change it lightly, and they also said that doing so would cause the border policy of the Ming Dynasty to collapse rapidly."

Huai En said: "If you are in trouble, you must change. If you change, you will get through. If you want to stick to the old rules, you should also find effective means to prevent the situation from getting worse. But... it's difficult."

Zhu Youtang sighed, "I understand. Now it is more difficult to keep the old rules than to change them? Then maybe there is really no need to stick to the old rules! But how can we change them?"

"This one……"

Huai En said, "It seems that we can only discuss it separately at the moment."

"I see."

Zhu Youtang waved his hand and said, "Huai Daban, you are ill and should not work hard. You should go back and rest. Leave this to me. When my father-in-law comes, I will ask for his opinion."

"I am not tired, and I also want to hear Zhang Guozhang's opinions, which may be inspiring."

Huai En certainly didn't want the emperor to have any private contact with Zhang Luan every time, so he wanted to break this tacit understanding.

Zhu Youtang smiled and said, "Father-in-law is a man of foresight. I think he can come up with some good ideas. You should go and rest first and recover from your illness so that you can manage the affairs of the court with me."

Huai En realized that the emperor just didn't want him to disturb him.

He tactfully bowed and said respectfully, "Then I will take my leave first. Your Majesty, you must also get more rest. You can't miss lunch."

"understood."

Zhu Youtang responded casually and continued to review memorials with his head down.

……

……

After Zhang Luan entered the palace, he followed Tan Ji closely.

Qin Ji walked faster than him, and even turned back several times to urge him to hurry up.

Zhang Luan said with a bitter face: "Eunuch Qin, your legs are fine, but mine are not. Have you forgotten that I just broke my leg? If I walk too fast, the injured part will break again. After all, my arms and legs are old... Alas! I can't hold on any longer!"

"Mr. Zhang, His Majesty is waiting."

Qin Ji was also helpless.

You, Zhang Luan, never know the priorities of things.

You're pretending to be unsteady in front of an old guy like me?
No matter how bad your health is, you are only in your forties. Can't you have some shame?
Zhang Luan continued to walk slowly, but he was not idle: "Eunuch Tan, why did His Majesty call me here this time?"

"It should be about raising money and food for the soldiers at the border."

Tan Ji replied.

"Eh? Aren't they all shipped? Two hundred thousand dan of grain, not less, there's even some left."

Zhang Luan said this and shook his head repeatedly, "It's really strange that the Ministry of Revenue didn't take any action on such a big matter and I had to handle it all by myself.

"Tell me, what on earth is the purpose of keeping those officials in the court?"

Qin Ji flattered, "Your Majesty is very capable, and those who are capable should do more work. Besides, you are the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. If you are not responsible for this matter, who will be responsible?"

Zhang Luan asked, "I have no idea about the subsequent food supply. I heard that we need to raise millions of dan of food to meet the shortage? How much is needed in the northwest? I can't be the only one in charge of the lives of all the soldiers in the nine borders, right?
"I don't have that much ability, I'm so ashamed... How about I talk to His Majesty and ask him to get someone else to take care of this matter?"

"..."

Qin Ji was speechless at first, then hurriedly said, "Mr. Zhang, you have already taken over such a big matter, so you should be responsible for it to the end.

"We are almost at the Palace of Heavenly Purity. Should we hurry up? Your Majesty has been waiting for a long time."

Zhang Luan said slowly, "You need to take a breath before hanging yourself... Let me think about it again, think about it again..."

Tan Ji remained speechless.

Fortunately, no matter how slow they were, they managed to reach the gate of the Qianqing Palace and saw Huai En walking out.

When Huai En saw the two men coming, he nodded in his direction, but he did not stop to wait. Instead, he took the two young eunuchs and went directly to the duty room of the Silijian.

Zhang Luan asked curiously, "Isn't that Eunuch Huai En? Why didn't he stay and come up with some ideas?"

"Why? Do you still need his advice?"

Tan Ji was a little surprised.

"Of course, it's to raise money and food, and to gather ideas. The price of rice in the capital is almost one tael of silver per stone, and ordinary people can hardly afford to eat! If we continue to raise money, I'm afraid even the people in the capital will starve." Zhang Luan shook his head and said, "As far as I know, officials in Beijing cannot pay their salaries, and they are all borrowing money to get by."

Tan Ji asked: "Then your house..."

"Oh, my family won't starve. I'm just thinking about others." Zhang Luan said, "There's no way around it. We have to sharpen our weapons before the battle. We can barely get through this time, but it will be very difficult next time."

(End of this chapter)