Ming Dynasty: A mere unruly commoner is rebelling against the heaven?

Chapter 131 The Ming Dynasty officially entered the second year of Hongzhi!
"Xu Pu, how is the Ministry of Revenue doing with surveying the land in the country?"

Zhu Youtang then asked the Minister of Revenue Xu Pu.

Xu Pu bowed and replied: "Your Majesty, the land around Shuntian Prefecture has been checked."

"The entire northern Zhili region has made the fastest progress in the investigation and has almost completed the investigation."

"The next is Jinzhou, because it is closer to Northern Zhili, so the progress of the investigation is also good."

"Wang Yan, Yang Jizong, Qin Lu and others have already gone to Jinzhou to check the land."

"The situation of the investigation in the Central Plains is also encouraging."

"It's just that the progress of the inventory in the northwest, southwest, and southeast provinces is a little behind."

Zhu Youtang nodded and continued to ask: "How many acres of land are recorded in the register?"

"Did you encounter any difficulties in the process of checking the land?"

Xu Pu: "Your Majesty, the number of acres of land recorded is now 78,692,157 acres."

"The data recorded in northern Zhili alone amount to more than 43 million mu."

Zhu Youtang knew clearly in his heart that the Ministry of Revenue would not dare to conceal or underreport the results of this land measurement.

The surveying teams sent to various parts of the country to measure the land were supervised not only by people from the Censorate, but also by people from the Western Factory.

If anyone from the Ministry of Revenue tried to play any tricks, they would be caught on the spot by the Western Factory and put in jail.

Finally, Zhu Youtang asked another question about currency reform.

Xu Pu's response was that the situation was encouraging, as not only officials in the capital were using Hongzhi Baochao.

The common people in the capital and the merchants who came to the capital to celebrate their birthdays were also willing to use Hongzhi Baochao instead of bulky silver.

Often, merchants from other places would bring large sums of silver to the capital and deposit the silver into the bank branch in the capital as soon as possible to get the corresponding treasure notes.

Afterwards, he used the lightweight treasure notes to do business with various merchants in the capital.

When leaving the capital, he would exchange the remaining banknotes for silver and leave.

Some merchants who frequently traveled between the capital and the countryside simply kept the treasure notes and waited to use them the next time they came to the capital.

After hearing Xu Pu's report, Zhu Youtang drank a glass of wine and knew that the goal of his currency reform had been half achieved.

As a prerequisite for tax reform, the real purpose of currency reform is to facilitate currency circulation and accelerate the economic development of the Ming Dynasty.

At the same time, it was also to rebuild the Ming Dynasty's coinage rights.

It’s not that the Ming Dynasty court no longer has the right to mint coins, but because the Ming Dynasty court is seriously short of silver!

Since ancient times, the silver production in the Central Plains has been low, and even less can be made into silver ingots.

Therefore, there was a silver shortage in the middle of the Ming Dynasty, which seriously affected economic development.

It was not until the opening of the port during the Longqing reign that a large amount of silver flowed into the Ming Dynasty and the shortage of silver was alleviated.

After the use of Hongzhi Baochao, there will no longer be a silver shortage.

Merchants coming to the capital now already know the convenience of the Hongzhi Baochao.

Then, after the Ming Bank opened branches in the two capitals and thirteen provinces.

It is foreseeable that many merchants who travel around to do business would tend to deposit their silver in local branches first and exchange it for treasure notes.

After they arrived in other places, they would exchange the treasure notes for silver from banks in other places.

This method is not only convenient but also safe, as there is no need to carry a carriage full of silver around.

Of course, Zhu Youtang will start charging a certain fee for this method of storing large amounts of silver and then withdrawing it.

When merchants feel bad about the handling fees, they will reduce the number of times they withdraw silver, and the amount of silver circulating in the market will become less and less, while the amount of treasure notes will become more and more.

Until the end, when only Baochao became popular in the market, Zhu Youtang would prohibit the people from trading in silver and money, and they must use Hongzhi Baochao.

Afterwards, Zhu Youtang would slowly start to over-issue currency, and quietly cause the Hongzhi Baochao to depreciate in an orderly and controlled manner, resulting in controllable inflation.

At this time, the Ming Dynasty court would quietly reap huge profits.

For example, the actual purchasing power of one tael of silver may be equivalent to ten thousand yuan.

Ten years later, one tael of silver could be exchanged for one string of Hongzhi Baochao, but the actual purchasing power of one string of Hongzhi Baochao was only 9,500 yuan.

The five hundred yuan was earned by the Ming Dynasty court.

To make money, you can't just kill a few corrupt officials to fill the national treasury.

It is imperative to establish a perfectly functioning system that can reap the wealth of the people of the Ming Dynasty quietly and at all times, which is the long-term solution.

Zhu Youtang put down his wine glass and ordered Xu Pu: "Very good, then after the New Year, the Ministry of Revenue and the Baochao Bureau will open branches in Yingtian Prefecture, Zhejiang Prefecture, Yuezhou Prefecture, Shuzhou Prefecture, and Chang'an Prefecture."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Xu Pu bowed and accepted the order.

He started provincial imperial examinations, surveyed all the land in the country, and established branches of the Ming Bank in five prefectures.

These three things are the important matters that Zhu Youtang focused on in domestic affairs after the beginning of the year.

While Zhu Youtang was discussing state affairs with the six ministries of the cabinet, Zhu Youtang's concubines were also talking in private.

"Congratulations to the two sisters. You are both favored by His Majesty. Today you have both been promoted. This is truly a day worth celebrating."

Liu Rushi raised her wine glass and congratulated Chen Yuanyuan and Dong Xiaowan beside her.

The joy in Chen Yuanyuan and Dong Xiaowan's eyes froze, and they quickly picked up their glasses: "Thank you, Sister Liu." After drinking a glass, Chen Yuanyuan comforted them: "Don't worry, there will be opportunities in the future. We still have a long time to live."

Liu Rushi moved her lips and said, "I entered the palace at the same time as my two sisters. Both sisters have been favored, but I... I'm afraid that His Majesty has already forgotten that there is such a person as me in the palace."

"My two sisters still have a future, but I... don't have one anymore."

"Sister Liu, don't think like that."

Dong Xiaowan held Liu Rushi's hand and said, "Your Majesty doesn't summon me very often, and what's more, something like this happened in the palace recently...Your Majesty just can't take care of it."

"Yes, Sister Liu, you are both talented and beautiful, you must not be so self-deprecating."

"Besides, hasn't Miss Gu been summoned by the Emperor yet?"

As Chen Yuanyuan spoke, she glanced at Lady Gu who was attacking them.

The two of them also looked in Gu's direction, only to see Gu looking straight ahead, as if nothing had happened, quietly enjoying her meal and watching the dance.

Gu's presence in the harem was very weak. If they hadn't met her at this banquet, they would have almost forgotten her existence.

Liu Rushi smiled bitterly and shook her head: "We are not unaware of Lady Gu's situation..."

The three women fell silent. In this situation, Chen Yuanyuan and Dong Xiaowan didn't know how to comfort Liu Rushi.

The more you say, the more mistakes you make. It’s better not to say anything.

The banquet lasted until late at night and everyone ended happily. Zhu Youtang summoned Dong Xiaowan to sleep with him, and everyone else left.

Zhu Youtang and Dong Xiaowan were drunk, so Zhu Youtang ordered the Hun Tang Si to prepare a hot spring for Dong Xiaowan to bathe and change clothes.

There is a side room in the Qianqing Palace, which contains a 20-square-meter hot spring pool, which is usually used by Zhu Youtang for bathing.

Soon, the hot spring was ready and covered with plum petals, giving it a faint fragrance.

There was cold ice and snow outside the house, and a warm hot spring inside. Dong Xiaowan couldn't wait to take off her clothes and get into the pool to enjoy the warm hot spring.

Dong Xiaowan waited in the hot spring for a while, but no palace maid from the Shangqin Bureau came to serve her.

While he was wondering, Zhu Youtang walked into the side room and came to the edge of the pond.

Dong Xiaowan exclaimed: "Your Majesty..."

Zhu Youtang reached out and touched Dong Xiaowan's pretty face: "I only envy the mandarin ducks, not the immortals. How about I become the mandarin duck with you?"

Dong Xiaowan blushed, lowered her head shyly, and whimpered in an inaudible voice: "Your Majesty, please be gentler..."

Zhu Youtang touched Dong Xiaowan's hair and smiled slightly.

The next moment, Zhu Youtang had taken off his clothes, walked down from the hot spring, and embraced Dong Xiaowan in his arms.

……

The first day of the first lunar month in the second year of Hongzhi.

Zhu Youtang woke up early and then woke up Dong Xiaowan beside him.

If it were before, Zhu Youtang would have to pay his respects to the two empress dowagers separately, but now... it is quiet.

But he still has a lot to do today.

After a simple breakfast, Zhu Youtang went to Fengxian Hall to worship his ancestors.

Fengxian Hall, like Taimiao, is a place where the tablets of former emperors are enshrined.

But the difference is that the Taimiao is the Taimiao of the entire Ming Dynasty, and the emperor usually leads his ministers to worship there.

The Fengxian Hall is a family temple and is only used for worship by members of the royal family.

After paying homage to the late emperor, Zhu Youtang had to go to Chengtian Gate, Qin'an Hall, Qianqing Palace, Kunning Palace, Shouhuang Hall and other places to burn incense and pay respects.

Afterwards, Zhu Youtang accepted the greetings and congratulations from the concubines in the Kunning Palace.

Because Chen Yuanyuan had been promoted to Concubine Ning, she had the highest rank and was the only concubine, so she took the lead in kneeling and paying homage to Zhu Youtang.

Finally, Zhu Youtang came to the Fengtian Hall again and accepted the worship of officials from the capital under the dark roof of the Fengtian Hall.

During the worship, Zhu Youtang looked at the Minister of Works Jia Jun and couldn't help asking, "When will my three main Fengtian halls and Yangxin Hall be repaired?"

Jia Jun wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "It's almost there, it's almost there, it's almost there."

"The Yangxin Palace will be completed after the beginning of spring at the latest!"

"The rough timber from the southwest can only be transported by water after the spring when the seawater thaws."

"But the preliminary work has been almost completed. The three main halls of Fengtian will definitely be completed before the middle of the year."

The worship in Fengtian Hall lasted until after noon.

During the next three days, all officials can rest at home and do not have to deal with government affairs.

After accepting congratulations and greetings from all officials in the Fengtian Hall, Zhu Youtang planned to hold a family banquet in the Qianqing Palace.

This time, only members of the royal family participated.

In addition to Zhu Youtang and his concubines, if there are any princes who have not yet been enfeoffed, they also need to go to the palace to congratulate them.

In the past, family dinners could be considered as a time of loving mother and filial children, with everyone having fun.

But now that Zhou was imprisoned in Qingning Palace and Wang and Wu had passed away, the atmosphere at the banquet became somewhat subtle.

(End of this chapter)