Take control of Wei Zhongxian at the start and confiscate 100 million from him!

Chapter 323 Reshaping the Golden Body
This small Huating Post Station is like a microcosm, reflecting the thunderous storm unfolding along the entire Ming Dynasty official road.

The bloodsucking parasites like Li Zicheng were still wailing and lamenting the shattering of their pipe dreams, unaware that their ill-gotten gains and lives were nothing more than a speck of dust to be swept away when the young emperor cleared the chessboard.

The real game has only just begun.

Inside the main hall of Huating Post Station, Zhu Youjian did not rush to set off.

Beneath the throne, Bi Ziyan and Tian Ergeng sat comfortably, while Li Ruolian stood with her hands at her sides, her expression respectful yet capable.

Seated on the right were three civil officials who appeared to be younger.

Leading the group was Cui Erjin, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. He had a solemn expression and was holding a scroll of documents in his hand, clearly indicating that he had come prepared.

The other two were Ni Yuanlu, Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, and Huang Daozhou, Lecturer of the Hanlin Academy.

These are all people whom the current emperor trusts most.

Cui Erjin, Ni Yuanlu, and Huang Daozhou followed the emperor south from the capital.

For more than two months along the way, others only knew them as literary officials accompanying the emperor, but little did they know that they had hardly attended to any other affairs. They were solely focused on discussing a momentous matter day and night with His Majesty the Emperor and Bi Ziyan, the Minister of Revenue, and others, in the carriages of the imperial camp and at the temporary encampments—how to completely transform and restore the canal transport and post stations that had just been pulled from the mud!

Today, at this Huating Post Station, is the moment when the final decision has been made after months of planning.

The atmosphere in the hall was solemn. Zhu Youjian calmly swept his gaze over everyone and began to speak:

"I swept away the abuses of the grain transport and postal services with swift and decisive measures. In the process, countless lives were lost and rivers of blood flowed. It was not that I was fond of killing, but that the disease had reached the point of no return and could only be cured with strong medicine. Only by destroying can we rebuild, and only by abolishing can we revive!"
Now that I have personally removed this deeply entrenched festering sore, the next crucial matter for us, the sovereign and his ministers, is how to build an unprecedentedly magnificent edifice on this barren land.

He paused, his gaze falling on Cui Erjin, Ni Yuanlu, and Huang Daozhou, and continued, “In the past, the Grand Canal and the postal service were under different government departments. When problems arose, they would shirk responsibility and when profits were involved, they would fight over them. This resulted in multiple departments issuing orders and low efficiency, a problem I deeply abhorred. Now that both of these matters are under my control, there is no need to go through the old path of setting up some ‘joint government department’ for coordination.”

The emperor's voice was resolute:

"My mind is made up. The original canal transport system, the post stations throughout the country, and all their personnel, finances, and resources will be integrated to establish a brand new government office!"

He uttered the name that had been brewing in his heart for a long time, word by word:

"This government office shall be named—the Imperial Transport Bureau of the Great Ming Dynasty!"

Upon hearing this, Tian Ergeng and Li Ruolian remained outwardly calm, but their hearts were in turmoil.

They only knew that the emperor wanted to reorganize the canal transport stations, but they never imagined that he would actually combine these two huge systems into an unprecedented super government office!
What a grand gesture! What a bold statement!
Bi Ziyan, Cui Erjin, Ni Yuanlu, and Huang Daozhou, however, showed little surprise.

Because of this groundbreaking name and the grand vision it represented, they had already discussed and rehearsed it countless times with the emperor over the past two months.

What they had been waiting for was this day, the final moment decided by the emperor's golden words.

Looking at the expressions of the crowd, Zhu Youjian continued, "Today, I will settle this matter completely. I will draft an edict later and announce it to the world! Currently, the troops led by Qin Liangyu and Zhang Weixian are still stationed at major canal wharves and water and land stations."

So they were allowed to stay until the basic framework of the General Administration was established and the handover and integration of various departments were clear.

During this time, anyone who disagrees or dares to outwardly comply while inwardly defying you should be dealt with without further argument; simply send them to the underworld to be reasoned with!

"I don't have that much merit to slowly grind against those with ulterior motives."

The moment these words were spoken, even a fool could hear the undisguised murderous intent in them.

Everyone felt a chill run down their spines, and only then did they truly understand how firm and unwavering the emperor's determination was to accomplish this task!

Anyone who dares to obstruct this matter is going against the Emperor and against this mighty trend!
Seeing that the atmosphere had been set, Zhu Youjian gave Bi Ziyan a wink.

Minister of Revenue Bi Ziyan understood immediately. He stood up, bowed deeply to the throne, and then turned to the crowd, unrolling the scroll in his hand.

Bi Ziyan went straight to the point, explaining in detail the regulations for the "Great Ming Royal Transportation Bureau" that the emperor and his ministers had drafted after months of brainstorming and repeated discussions.

"Your Majesty, my colleagues," Bi Ziyan's voice was steady and powerful, "in accordance with Your Majesty's will, the essence of our proposed 'Great Ming Royal Transportation Bureau' lies in the two words 'integration' and 'efficiency.' Its ultimate positioning is—"

He took a deep breath and slowly recited:
"A super state-run general office that oversees the flow of water, land, information, and even money and grain throughout the country."

"This government office will no longer be a government agency solely supported by the imperial court's funds. It must prioritize national expenditures and focus on profit, emulating the business practices of the great merchants across the land, meticulously calculating every detail. Its duties will not only be to transmit military intelligence and government orders to the court and transport official goods and provisions, but also to revitalize the nation's trade, facilitate trade between the north and south, and open up new sources of revenue for the national treasury!"

The words "profit," "merchant's method," and "increasing revenue" were spoken by a Minister of Revenue, and everyone present understood their significant implications!
Bi Ziyan did not pause and continued to expound on the organizational structure that he already knew by heart:

"We propose that the position of 'General Director' be established for this 'Imperial Transportation Bureau of the Great Ming Dynasty,' with a rank of First Grade. This position is of great importance and power, concerning the national economy and the people's livelihood. Only someone with great talent, great courage, and the deep trust of His Majesty can be entrusted with this post."

His gaze turned to Cui Erjin, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.

"His Majesty has made a decisive decision and has appointed Cui Erjin, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, to take up this position. Vice Minister Cui will be separated from the Ministry of Revenue and will no longer be subject to the control of the Six Ministries. He will report directly to His Majesty and be responsible for matters."

Upon hearing this, Cui Erjin was startled and immediately stepped forward, kneeling down on the ground. His voice trembled slightly as he said, "Your subject, Cui Erjin, is worthy of such a heavy responsibility! I am filled with fear!" Although he had already vaguely guessed that the emperor had entrusted him with important tasks and inquired about him frequently along the way, it must be for a great purpose.

But when this responsibility, this unprecedented position of "general manager," truly fell on his shoulders, he still felt the immense weight and honor of being crushed by Mount Tai!

Zhu Youjian smiled faintly and offered a helping hand: "Minister Cui, there's no need for such modesty. I've seen you assisting Minister Bi in managing the finances and taxes of Jiangnan these past few days. You are capable, energetic, and most importantly, you have a heart willing to serve the country and unafraid of difficulties. This position of general manager is perfect for you. Get up. From now on, my country will have an extra burden to bear."

Cui Erjin was filled with righteous indignation upon hearing this. He kowtowed heavily and choked out, "Your subject will certainly not fail Your Majesty's grace!"

Bi Ziyan waited for Cui Erjin to get up and return to his seat before continuing:
"Under the General Manager, there will be two Assistant General Managers, who will be of the second rank. These two will be in charge of the waterway and the land route respectively, to ensure that professionals do professional work, with division of labor and cooperation between them."

His gaze then fell on Ni Yuanlu and Huang Daozhou respectively.

"After deliberation, we respectfully request Your Majesty's decision. We propose that Ni Yuanlu, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, be appointed as the co-director in charge of waterway affairs, and Huang Daozhou, the Hanlin Academician, be appointed as the co-director in charge of landway affairs."

Ni Yuanlu and Huang Daozhou were both shocked upon hearing this!

Although they had followed and participated in the General Bureau's planning all the way, they never expected that the Emperor would directly grant them such an important and powerful position!

One was the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, and the other was a Hanlin Academician—both prestigious positions, yet far removed from such concrete administrative affairs. They originally thought they were merely acting as advisors, offering suggestions.

But now, the official hat of co-organizer is actually going to be placed on their heads!

This is an exceptional promotion, an immense favor!
The two knelt down almost simultaneously, their hearts surging with overwhelming emotion. For a moment, they were speechless and could only kowtow repeatedly in gratitude.

Zhu Youjian looked at the two of them and smiled, "Both of you are men of great vision and profound knowledge. What I need is not just capable officials, but also visionary and strategic ministers. Water and land transportation may seem like mundane affairs, but in reality, they concern the livelihood of the people and the fate of our Great Ming Dynasty. I entrust this important task to you two in the hope that you can use the wisdom of sages to infuse this mundane matter with a pure spirit and a selfless heart. Let us not allow this newly cleaned courtyard to grow new weeds."

Ni and Huang, their eyes brimming with tears, kowtowed again, saying, "Your Majesty's kindness in recognizing our favor is something we can never repay, even with our lives!"

After the three men had expressed their gratitude, Bi Ziyan began to explain the specific division of responsibilities under the General Administration:
"Under the General Administration, it is initially proposed to establish three major departments, each responsible for its own affairs."

"Firstly, there is the Waterway Transportation Department. Its responsibilities include overseeing all inland waterways such as the Grand Canal, the Yangtze River, the Yellow River, and the Pearl River, as well as the coastal waterways of our Great Ming Dynasty. It specializes in the transportation of bulk goods, such as grain, cotton, coal, official salt, ore, and timber. The head of this department is called the 'Director of the Waterway Transportation Department,' and his rank is the third grade."

"Secondly, there is the Land Transport Department. Its responsibilities can be further divided into three parts. First, it is responsible for express mail, specializing in the delivery of military orders, urgent official documents, and encrypted letters. This is of paramount importance and cannot be compromised. Second, it is responsible for commercial express delivery, specializing in the transportation of civilian parcels and high-value goods. Third, it is responsible for transporting grain, cotton, coal, and other goods that must be transshipped by land, as well as providing passenger services. In addition, this department is also responsible for the collection, analysis, and scheduling of national logistics information. The head of this department is called the 'Director of the Land Transport Department,' and his rank is also the third grade."

"Thirdly, there is the Director of the Warehousing Department. Their responsibility is to plan, construct, and manage all newly established 'integrated water and land transport hubs' and warehouses at all levels throughout the country, ensuring the safe storage and orderly dispatch of goods. Their superior is called the 'Director of the Warehousing Department,' and their rank is the same as that of the third grade."

Bi Ziyan then explained this entire organizational structure, which had been refined over several months and was extremely clear, in one go.

This structure has a clear division of labor and responsibilities, and the members are interconnected, forming a whole that is far superior to the bloated and chaotic government offices of the past.

Zhu Youjian nodded in satisfaction after listening and said in a deep voice, "Good! Let's do it this way! I approve this structure!"

The emperor slapped the armrest of his throne, and the matter was settled, with no room for change.

Everyone felt a surge of excitement.

But at that moment, the emperor frowned slightly, as if he was thinking about something. He tapped his fingers lightly on the table, and after a while, he suddenly said, "Minister Bi's proposed plan is already very detailed. However, I think there is still one point that can be added."

Upon hearing this, everyone perked up and immediately listened attentively.

The Emperor slowly said, “Since the Transport Bureau handles goods, there must be money involved. Whether it is the collection of freight charges, the insurance of merchants, or the payment of salaries in the future, the amounts are huge. If we continue to use the old method of cash settlement, firstly, the transportation will be inconvenient, and secondly, it will easily lead to corruption. I think that we can add a cooperating agency within this Bureau.”

Everyone held their breath, wondering what other stroke of genius His Majesty would come up with this time.

Zhu Youjian said, word by word:

"This organization could be named 'The Headquarters Office of the Great Ming Dynasty's Imperial Notes'!"

"Its responsibility is to set up dedicated counters in all levels of the Transportation Bureau's network that will eventually spread throughout the country. It will be responsible for all transportation business payments, remittances, insurance claims, and even provide small loans to reliable merchants who have long-term dealings with the Bureau. The salaries of the Bureau's internal staff can also be directly allocated and paid from here."

"As for the relationship of this branch office," the Emperor's eyes gleamed with a profound light that was difficult for others to comprehend, "its personnel and operations are all under the direct management of the Central Bank of Paper Money, and the Transport Bureau is not allowed to interfere. However, it must unconditionally cooperate with all the business processes of the Transport Bureau. The Bureau provides it with premises and security, while the Central Bank of Paper Money provides the Bureau with convenient monetary services!"

The group instantly understood the ingenuity of the emperor's "sent-down" post!
This is more than just wonderful; it's downright defying the heavens!

In this way, the Transportation Bureau's huge cash flow was fully incorporated into the Baochao Bank's system.

Meanwhile, the Baochao Headquarters, leveraging the nationwide network of the Transportation Bureau, extended its financial services to every corner of the Ming Dynasty!
This not only facilitates transportation operations, but also perfectly combines the lifeblood of commerce—money and logistics—into one!
Exchange rates, loans, price guarantees... how many business opportunities can be generated from these, and how much immeasurable revenue can be brought to the national treasury!

Bi Ziyan and the others felt their breathing become rapid.

They looked at the calm young emperor on the throne, and only one thought crossed their minds:
How exactly is His Majesty the Emperor's head structured?

(End of this chapter)