Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 622: Selling a Flaw
Forbidden City.

Room for the Supervisor of Ceremonies.

It was long after nightfall when Qin Ji came over and saw Huai En still busy screening memorials.

Qin Ji hurried over and told the truth about what he had seen and heard during the day... If you ask what Qin Ji's position is now, from his own perspective, he will try not to hide anything on either side, so that at least he will not be held accountable by Huai En or Zhang Luan for not reporting the knowledge.

But in his heart, he still leaned more towards Huai En.

After all, they are all eunuchs and share the same blood.

"You mean to say that Zhang Guozhang intends to change the method of paying taxes from grain to paying taxes from silver? Doesn't he know the disadvantages of doing so?" Huai En asked with a gloomy face.

Qin Ji shook his head and said, "I told him the truth, and he also said some things himself. In fact, there are some things that he should understand without outsiders telling him."

Huai En sighed, "Even I dare not mention this matter to His Majesty, but he seems to have no scruples at all... It seems that there is a master behind him giving him advice."

Qin Ji was very curious.

He was thinking, how did you know that there was someone behind Zhang Luan? Wasn't it his youngest son who gave him advice? Or, do you think there are officials in the court who are leaning towards him?
"The idea of ​​using silver instead of grain has been proposed long ago."

Huai En said, "Hou Fang, do you know Ye Qi?"

Tan Ji asked, "It seems to be... the former governor of Datong?"

"Ah."

Huai En nodded and said, "This person has served in the northwest for many years and has quite a bit of experience as an official. He was previously transferred back to Beijing to serve as the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, but because Zhang Guozhang was transferred to the Ministry of Revenue, he has been idle until now. It is said that the Ministry of Personnel is planning to let him supervise the Yizhou Mountain Factory at the end of the year, but this has not been implemented."

Tan Ji sighed, "A full-time assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue was transferred to be the governor of the Yizhou Mountain Factory, but he can't take up the post right away. That's really..."

Huai En said: "I wonder if Ye Qi is secretly trying to help Zhang Guozhang to reform the salt tax?"

Tan Ji asked, "You mean to say that this proposal was actually proposed by Ye Qi? And Zhang Guozhang was just borrowing his words?"

"Ah."

Huai En nodded and said, "Very few people know about this matter, or rather, apart from me who has paid attention to this proposal, it is impossible for others to know about it.

"This was mentioned in a memorial submitted by Ye Qi when the late emperor was still alive. The late emperor appreciated his suggestion very much at that time, but perhaps for some reason, this matter has never been implemented."

Qin Ji said: "You mean, if Ye Qi hadn't mentioned it to Zhang Guozhang, Zhang Guozhang would not have known about it? That's not right. Is the method of color reduction a secret?"

Huai En sighed, "To be able to explain it in such detail, and to be able to bring it up in front of His Majesty, and even to take charge of it, I don't think that Zhang Guozhang could have come out of thin air. This shows that at least he has a detailed strategy, and the person who can help him in this matter must be Ye Qi."

Qin Ji shook his head and said, "It was Zhang Guozhang who stole Ye Qi's position, but Ye Qi took the initiative to help Zhang Guozhang? It's really hard to understand!"

“Many things are so confusing!”

Huai En sighed, "Perhaps many people in the court think that Zhang Guozhang will not stay in the Ministry of Revenue for long and will continue to be promoted. In this case, someone will have to take over his vacant position in the Ministry of Revenue."

"You mean, Ye Qi has taken refuge with Zhang Guozhang and is planning to use Zhang Guozhang to gain power?"

Qin Ji found it more and more incredible.

What kind of weird thinking is this?

Is Ye Qi really willing to spend so much money to get an official position?

Huai En said: "The biggest problem with Yin Kaizhong's proposal is that the northwest border reclamation will be abandoned, and the court will definitely face many obstacles. This proposal cannot be made."

"What do you mean..."

Qin Ji vaguely felt that Huai'en was preparing to take action secretly to hinder Zhang Luan from implementing the reforms.

Huai En nodded and said, "It's just as you think. A dying person really doesn't need to worry too much. Just do whatever you want... Hou Fang, I need your help."

Qin Ji waved his hands quickly: "Alas, alas, my old bones are no different from you. Recently, I have mentioned to His Majesty that I am going to find a place to retire. I can only trouble you to take care of the relevant matters... I will not participate in it! It is late at night, Qin is exhausted, so I will find a place to rest first. Goodbye!"

"hehe."

Huai En smiled coldly, and pressed his hand hard on Qin Ji's shoulder, as if to put some pressure on him, and then said sinisterly, "How can I feel at ease and let go of you when you are like this?"

……

……

The night is deep.

Zhang Yanling remained in the study, almost never putting down his pen.

Zhang Luan yawned as he walked in, poking his head in and asking, "My son, are you still awake?"

"Who asked you to take on such a big job in front of His Majesty? I will be the one who will be busy in the end. Try to finish writing the memorial tonight. You can copy it and present it to the court tomorrow morning."

Zhang Yanling said.

Zhang Luan rubbed his hands and said with a smile: "So you are busy for your father? What a filial child!"

At this point, he seemed to suddenly remember something and asked in surprise: "Are you busy with the salt administration reform? This... My son, we don't have to rush, we can wait until after the New Year! The New Year is coming soon, and your father wants to see if you want to buy anything... We are not in a hurry, not in a hurry!"

Zhang Yanling put down the pen in his hand, looked up at his old father whose mood changed greatly, and asked: "Why are you not anxious anymore?" Zhang Luan said hesitantly: "This is what your father thinks... The salt policy of the Ming Dynasty was determined by Emperor Taizu. How many years have passed? Whoever wants to change it will be a big sinner! You said that your father is now controversial. Unless this matter is absolutely necessary, otherwise..."

"Dad, is this the result of your careful consideration?"

Zhang Yanling asked curiously, "This is not like your style... In the past, you seemed to like to rush to the front and steal the show in everything. Why did you suddenly avoid it this time?"

Zhang Luan's voice suddenly rose an octave, and he said, "Did I have to rush forward? It was someone behind me who pushed me forward! Which task did I take the initiative to undertake? My son, I know you are only thinking about your sister and brother-in-law, but we have to do what we can."

"Dad, I want to ask you something. I'll give you 10,000 taels of silver. What do you want to do with it?"

Zhang Yanling asked.

Zhang Luan asked in confusion, "Why are you asking this for no reason? What? Are you going to honor your father during the New Year? Ten thousand taels? You can't have made so much money so quickly, right?
"Tell me, where is the silver? If not, just exchange it for food and send it to the northwest front. It will help your sister and brother-in-law anyway."

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "Then...what if I give you one million taels of silver?"

"I……"

Zhang Luan originally thought that his son really had 10,000 taels of silver. Hearing this, he rolled his eyes and said, "Why do you always talk nonsense, and such pure nonsense?"

Zhang Yanling said, "Dad, if I ask you, if my brother-in-law had one million taels of silver, what would he use it for?"

Zhang Luan said, "You asked a good question. The emperor has one million taels of silver...wait. Is one million taels of silver a lot? The court has so much revenue every year, why would it care about one million and eight hundred thousand taels of silver?
"Of course, if there is any surplus, I think your brother-in-law will use it to repair the river, or repair the mausoleums of our ancestors. The rest will also be good for repairing temples. Our family temple seems a bit shabby... How about asking your brother-in-law for some money and taking some money back to repair it? How glorious it would be?"

Zhang Yanling nodded and said, "So, in your opinion, if the court has a sum of money, it will not spend it on the northwest border affairs, but will eventually be used for other purposes, right?"

Zhang Luan thought about it carefully and shook his head, "Not entirely true. Wherever there is a gap in the court, we will of course try our best to fill it and avoid problems."

Zhang Yanling said, "Will that be a reserve for precaution? I'm talking about reserves at the border! You should know that the biggest advantage of the grain opening method is that the salt permits will not pass through the hands of the court, and the grain will be directly solved on the northwest front. The excess will also be stored and will not be transported to the capital."

"My son, why are you still talking about the salt administration after all this talk?"

Zhang Luan asked curiously.

Zhang Yanling nodded: "If it's not the salt administration, then what is it? Listening to what my father said, the matter is actually simple and clear. If we insist on the grain opening method, no matter how many disadvantages there are at present, the grain will always be transported to the northwest front. The court will not be able to get it and will not use it for other purposes.

"But if the silver exchange method is changed, the grain converted into silver will be remitted to Taicang first, and it will be difficult to use the money for its intended purpose. The silver earned by the salt administration will also become a regular income for the Ming court."

Zhang Luan's eyes rolled around and he asked, "Do you want to ask me, father, whether it is better to use the money for its intended purpose or to confiscate the money?"

"Yes."

Zhang Yanling nodded and said, "Right now, it seems that the Ming Dynasty's finances have actually encountered major problems. From the perspective of the main contradiction, it is better to replenish the Taicang first and let the court make unified allocations. The effect will be much better. Is that what you mean?"

Zhang Luan thought about it carefully and nodded, "No problem. My son, that means we still have to change it, right?"

"Yes."

Zhang Yanling shrugged and said, "My brother-in-law has just ascended the throne. He is restricted in everything he wants to do, and that is the empty treasury. The reason why you are staying in the Ministry of Revenue is because this is what my brother-in-law is most worried about right now."

Zhang Luan said dissatisfiedly: "The court is short of money, so your brother-in-law arranged for me to go to the Ministry of Revenue? If there is a war in the future, won't I be transferred to the Ministry of War again?"

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "That makes sense."

"That makes sense."

Zhang Luan said angrily, "Then I will tell your brother-in-law tomorrow that I want to join the cabinet, so that I can continue to be lazy. Anyway, I basically won't go to the cabinet... Doesn't that old guy Liu Ji dislike me? Hey, let's just ignore him!"

Zhang Yanling grinned and said, "The cabinet is good. Dad, when you become the cabinet elder, there will be no distinction between the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War. You will be in charge of everything."

"..."

Zhang Luan was speechless for a moment.

Zhang Yanling said: "Dad, let's talk about something serious. This time the salt administration changed the silver Kaizhong method, that is, the color reduction method, more because of the general trend.

"Just go ahead and ask for it. Even if you encounter big obstacles, as long as you think that you are helping your brother-in-law overcome difficulties, you will feel that it is worth it."

"What? Will it be a big obstacle?"

Zhang Luan asked in confusion.

"How much of an obstacle you encounter depends on how ruthless your enemy is in attacking you."

Zhang Yanling said, "Since the late emperor fell seriously ill, your career has been too smooth. If there were no setbacks at all, others would only think that you are the biggest hidden danger in the court."

"What do you mean?"

Zhang Luan asked.

"What I mean is, Dad, sometimes you have to know how to retreat in order to advance."

Zhang Yanling said, "This time, the salt administration reform is like you selling a flaw to the enemy. You should sacrifice yourself first. When you gain something, your brother-in-law will promote you.

"After you've experienced ups and downs, others will think you're not such a big threat anymore. At that time...your position will actually be more stable."

(End of this chapter)