Go back to the Ming Dynasty to be a thousand households

Chapter 272

On June 24, the 24th year of Wanli, the capital.

Although the people in the capital are still living a relatively peaceful life, a major event happened in the court, like a huge unexpected thunder, which exploded the entire Beijing city, making the capital already hot. The weather became drier and more active, which is why Emperor Wanli issued an edict to open the mine.

From November of the 20th year of Wanli, since Emperor Wanli met Huang Laifulai for the first time, he has been planning the mining of the world.After various balances and repeated inquiries about Huang Laifu, on June 24, 24th Wanli, finally under the hint of Emperor Zhu Yijun, Qianhu, the avant-garde deputy of the government army, went to the cabinet in February and asked to open the silver mine in Jinai , to help rebuild the two palaces of Kunning and Qianqing.After the memorial of Zhongchun arrived, Emperor Wanli immediately agreed to approve the red, and ordered the household department and Jinyiwei to send one person to mine together with Zhongchun.From this day onwards, it also marks the end of the Wanli era, and the start of mining that has caused huge repercussions across the country.

On the second day of the seventh lunar month, Lu Song from Jinyiwei's hundred households, Xu Long from Honglu Temple, Feng Shixing from Shuntianfu, and Zhao Fenghua, who went through the process, figured out what they wanted, and they all said they would open up the mine to help the big workers.Zeng Changqing, the secretary of Zhan Shifu, asked to open a mine in Xia County, Shanxi, and Emperor Wanli agreed.

On July [-], Wang Hu, the eunuch of the carrier depot, led Dai Shaoke, a doctor in the household department, and Zhang Maozhong, the secretary of Jin Yiwei, to start mining in the above-mentioned prefectures and prefectures in Kinai.

On July 25th, the Daming General Mining Bureau was established, and mine supervisors came out everywhere, and they went to Zhending, Baoding, Jizhou, Yizhou, Yongping and other places in Jinai to prospect for mines...

Emperor Wanli's decrees and actions one by one made the officials dumbfounded and unable to react at once.Compared with the original history, this time there is an additional Mining Bureau, which is in charge of the mining affairs of the whole country.This is the measure Huang Laifu has taken after learning the lessons of history.In the history of mining taxation, mine supervisors were greedy and rarely engaged in prospecting and mining activities. Most of them used mining as an excuse to extort people's wealth and even humiliate women, resulting in riots everywhere.

The most important thing is that in the eight years from the 25th year of Wanli to the 33rd year of Wanli, the mining tax envoys handed over a total of 300 million taels of mining tax to the inner government, which was only one tenth of the total amount collected by them. First, the benefits of these mining taxes are roughly included in the internal funds (one), restrained by the middle envoys (two), divided among the participants (three), and those who are cheated by the soil sticks (four).

Huang Laifu believes that this is very inappropriate. The mine supervisors can get some bonuses, but those with low income should not be less than [-]%.With the General Bureau of Mining Affairs, after commanding and supervising the mining of the whole country, it can effectively prevent the mining profits from being embezzled casually.In addition to these, the Mining Bureau can also plan various mines and carry out systematic geological exploration activities. At that time, what mines will be available in the country and how to mine them will be able to carry out an overall layout.

Although the Daming General Mining Administration is supervised by the eunuch Chen Ju, the supervisor of ceremonies and Bingbi, there are also other people in key departments. On the surface, Huang Laifu has nothing to do with the General Administration of Mining Affairs and does not hold any position. The influence is unquestionable.The establishment of the bureau is the result of Huang Laifu's efforts.Chen Ju had to consult Huang Laifu himself for many matters and plans in the bureau.

In mid-July, when Emperor Wanli asked Huang Laifu about opening mines, Huang Laifu proposed to set up the Daming Mining Administration. What about mining affairs? And just like farming, Daming also needs its own register of mines, so it is imperative to set up the General Bureau of Mining Affairs and coordinate the mining affairs of the entire Ming Dynasty."

In Huang Laifu's plan, the Daming Mining Administration was established in the capital, and each province, prefecture, and county had its branches and transshipment bureaus. For some minor coal, iron and other minerals, businessmen can be encouraged to obtain licenses, but they must pay a full amount of taxes. .As for important minerals such as gold, silver, and copper, all kinds of ores run by the government and collected by the government need to be shipped out for sale.

In administrative implementation, each province has a Mining Bureau, with its general office, conference office, promotion staff, etc., as well as a dedicated and independent clerk.Layers upon layers of joint operations have changed the situation in which mine supervisors overwhelmed the sky with one hand in history, and avoided the situation of mining profits being embezzled to the greatest extent.

Huang Laifu's proposals naturally made Emperor Wanli appreciate them very much, and he followed them one by one, thinking that it was no wonder that his mines in Wuzhaibao and other places made so much money. Everything he proposed was based on pros and cons.It's a pity that Huang Laifu, as the commander-in-chief of Shanxi Town, can only work part-time as a staff member for mining affairs.Otherwise, hand over the Mining Administration to him, and he will be at ease.

※※※

The Wanli Emperor's thunderous action, the rapid establishment of the Daming Mining Bureau, the mine supervisors came out everywhere, and the officials finally reacted after being dumbfounded.

Yang Cheng, the censor, was the first to remonstrate. He said: "In the old days of the state, Emperor Su ordered mining in July of the 27th year of Jiajing. During the ten years from October to December of the 36th year, successively More than 180 officials were commissioned, and [-] guards were dispatched. The cost of food, equipment, lead, and charcoal was more than [-] taels of silver, while the income from mining was only [-] taels of silver. The loss outweighed the gain. Mining, the world is in turmoil, and it is about to repeat the same mistakes, please punish Zhong Chun and others for the crime of exploiting mines to lure profit..."

Emperor Wanli ignored him, and then, He Qiaoyuan, a doctor in the Ministry of Rites, Zhao Wanbi, Wang Dewan, Lu Zhongli, Xu Guanlan, Gu Long, Chen Weizhi, Tang Yipeng, etc., all went up to ask them to stop the mining business. Ignore it.

At the beginning of August, Yang Junmin, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, couldn't bear it anymore. He also objected to the Shangshu. He said: "The opening of mines in Zhending, Baoding, Jizhou, Yizhou, and Yongping may hinder the dragon veins of Tianshou Mountain. Please order it to be closed and shut down." Cure Lu Song from one hundred households of Jinyiwei, Zhongchun from one thousand households, and others for the crime of arguing over mining interests."

Emperor Wanli replied: "Zhending and other five prefectures are far away from the ancestral mausoleum, and the emperor used to mine it, so it's okay..."

……

If the previous candidates for Shangshu were all small soldiers, then Yang Junmin Shangshu, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, would be a heavyweight figure.However, it is useless even for him to go to the sparse school, which shows the determination of Emperor Wanli to open the mine this time.This has aroused many people's worries. At present, the mines are only opened in Jinai, but the interests of many officials have been damaged. If it is implemented throughout the country, what should we do?

The officials in the capital were talking a lot, many people scolded Lu Song and Zhong Chun, scolded them for fighting for the interests of the people, and traitors for harming the country.Many people traced back to the source, and even scolded Huang Laifu.If he hadn't made a lot of money by opening mines in Shenchibao and other places, why would the emperor want to open mines?Although Huang Laifu was not among the people who wrote to open the mine this time, and Huang Laifu was not among the candidates for the Mining Bureau, many people vaguely knew that Huang Laifu was the source of the person who provoked the mine.For a while, many officials cursed Huang Laifu in private.

Of course, Huang Laifu has also heard these words a little bit, but the climax of the mine supervisor and tax envoy in history has not yet come, and it is too early to react now, but he has already planned in his heart. After returning to Wuzhai Fort, How to order the "Wuzhaibao News" to fight back.

……

Since last autumn, the Ming Dynasty's cabinet has undergone some adjustments. The Minister of Rites, Luo Wanhua, retired and replaced him with Zhang, and participated in the maintenance of the aircraft.In addition to various ministers, there were four ministers in the cabinet at that time: Zhao Zhigao, Zhang Wei, Shen Yiguan, and Chen Yubi, all born in the same year.

On the fifth day of the eighth month, Chen Yubi, who participated in the maintenance of the aircraft, a scholar of Wenyuan Pavilion, and the prince Taibao, came out of the cabinet and passed by the value room of the Sixth Section Corridor. talking.

"...The emperor really ordered to open the mine, so the world is in a commotion, and the country is endangered."

"What is the Mining Bureau? It's full of mid-level officials. I waited to read the sage books, but I was excluded. What's the reason?"

"Mine supervisors are everywhere, collecting taxes everywhere, competing with the people for profit, which is against the law of the ancestors. Didn't you say that? During the reign of Emperor Su, the country also opened mines, but the gains outweighed the losses. Why didn't the emperor listen to such a clear truth? "

"I've heard people say that it's all because Huang Laifu, the commander-in-chief of Shanxi Town, opened the mine and made huge profits. The emperor was moved by it, so he ordered the mine to be opened."

"Then Huang Laifu is just a mere warrior. He was concentrating on martial arts and defending the country's borders, but he only does small things. What's his intention?"

"It's all the result of that Huang Laifu. I don't think there is such a thing as the General Mining Bureau. Without Huang Laifu's plan, those eunuchs would never have been able to do it."

"Now that the matter has come to an end, what can we do? Even Yang Shangshu of the household department objected, but the emperor didn't listen, so what can we do?

"Hmph, if you can't do it once, you can do it twice, or even fifty times, or a hundred times! One person can't make ten or a hundred people. If the entire cabinet ministers go to the shuffle together to advise, the emperor will always obey. ..."

"Hey, although we hope that the emperor will urgently try to reform and start all kinds of businesses, but the emperor has repeatedly refused to advise, and the upper and lower levels are isolated. Even if the emperor refuses to accept it, we have nothing to do."

……

Those officials were talking happily, when they suddenly saw Chen Yubi coming over, a large group of heads rushed over, all of them yelling at Chen Yubi.

"Scholar Chen, middle-ranking officials are everywhere, and the sky is angry and people complain. Now that the country is in crisis, as a cabinet minister, how can you just sit idly by? Even the Minister of the Ministry of Households, Yang Junmin, has gone up to persuade you. You have high morals and prestige, and you worry about the country the most. Youmin, I hope you will always lead everyone to go to Shushu to persuade the emperor."

The rest said yes, Chen Yubi respected the etiquette, seeing the crowd surrounding him like this, he scolded: "The ministers of the cabinet will discuss the matter of Shangshu, but you are surrounding the old man like this, but what is the etiquette?"

Hearing what he said, everyone hurriedly dispersed, Chen Yubi sighed, and said: "Don't worry, everyone, the emperor will come to advise you on the matter of the emperor's mining."

He went out of the Six Section Corridor, and came out from the Huangji Gate. Outside was a market full of shops. There were quite a lot of teahouses and restaurants here, and there was an endless flow of people of all kinds.The news of Emperor Wanli's mine development has spread all over the capital, and most of the idlers in these teahouses are talking about it, and from time to time, voices of approval or disapproval come to Chen Yubi's mouth.

He was sitting on the bridge, but he was meditating. Many officials opposed the mining of Emperor Wanli. At this time, the attitude of the cabinet ministers was very important.In the cabinet, although Zhao Zhigao, the chief assistant of the cabinet, did not agree with the emperor's mining, he made it clear that he would not stand up and express his position openly.There are also ministers of the Ministry of Industry Zeng Tongheng and ministers of the Ministry of War Shi Xing, who also have ambiguous attitudes and may not go up to persuade them.In addition, it is the consistent attitude of the two assistant ministers Zhang Wei and Shen. Zhang Wei likes to fight for power and has always looked down on him.There is also Shen Yiguan, who has served as a political assistant for ten years. Chen Yubi thinks that although he likes to discuss clearly, he secretly forms a party for personal gain and rejects dissidents. His attitude is also difficult to understand...

But no matter what, Chen Yu admired Yang Junmin, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs. He passed on his poems and books to his family, and he had always been an upright official.At the beginning of the Wanli period, he served as an official, Sikong, and supervised the repair of the capital. During the construction, he calculated carefully, planned carefully, plugged the loopholes, completed the project ahead of schedule with quality and quantity, and saved more than [-] gold. , the governor of Fengyang.

When he was in office, he rectified the water administration and ensured the smooth flow of the canal. He made great achievements. He personally deserved a bonus of 13 yuan, but he gave half of the money to the poor and half to the nursing home, so he had a high reputation and was cited as a highly respected person. .In history, Chen Yubi was a high-ranking official who handled more than hundreds of millions of dollars in money and food, but he was spotless. After his death, he cleaned up his inheritance. There were only eight taels of silver, which was not worth a small family, so that when Chen Yubi was buried, his The son couldn't afford the funeral expenses, so he was buried hastily with the help of friends.

However, a person like him is the most traditional. He regards mining and business affairs as the end of the country, and also believes that the monarch only needs to pay attention to agriculture and mulberry. He hates Emperor Wanli's mining.In the end, Chen Yubi made a decision to follow Yang Junmin's example and went to Shushu alone to persuade him.

Before he knew it, the carriage bridge stopped in front of his mansion. His Majesty Chen Yu got off the bridge, and his family came up to welcome him. His young brother Chen Yujie also bowed to him and said, "Brother is back?"

Chen Yubi nodded. He was strict in running the family and taught his younger brother Chen Yujie very strictly. During the time when his younger brother was in Beijing, every morning and evening, he asked his younger brother to greet him in front of his room.In history, Chen Yujie was also ranked first, and finally became an official in Huailong's army. He was quite famous.

After entering the mansion, Chen Yubi went directly to the study in the inner house. Without his permission, the family members were not allowed to come to his study.

He looked out the window, pondered for a long time, took out the pen, ink, paper and inkstone, and after concentrating for a while, he began to write like flying. Soon, a copy of "Please Stop the Mining Tax Public Document" became: "...to preserve the affairs of the sect, the minister Waiting for Fushimi: The emperor opened mines and collected taxes for all the things to gather wealth, but he was in the middle of the world, the people were stripped of their skin and spine, and they were displaced in poverty, but the emperor didn't care. There is no time for a turnaround. In the place of the tax driver, the situation is so far, everyone knows that it will be chaotic, but I don’t know where it started and when it happened. Once the land collapses, there will be chaos in all directions, and it will be impossible to catch it. To punish him is invincible, and I don't know how the emperor will deal with it at this time.... The old minister has no time to report other matters today, and he does not distinguish between the benefits and disadvantages of mining taxes and the sufferings of Lu Yan, so he specifically uses the word "Zongshe" His Majesty Wan Ken treasured it and cherished it, so he stopped the mining tax and called back the middle officials, the hearts of the common people can still be dealt with, and the chaos can still be brought to an end!"

……

On the second day, Chen Yubi put Shu in, and followed Yang Junmin, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, which caused a great shock and attracted applause from officials big and small.However, after the evacuation, Emperor Wanli remained silent, and the mining business was still going on.

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When Daming was clamoring for the mining matter, and there was a lot of noise, at this time, Japan in the east was full of swords and gunpowder.

The mission of the Ming Dynasty to pay tribute to Japan was detained in Li Zongcheng. After Yang Fangheng took over as the envoy and Shen Weijing as the deputy envoy, they continued to visit Japan.After crossing the sea in July, they arrived in Japan.Toyotomi Hideyoshi was very happy about the visit of the Ming delegation. He arranged a grand welcome ceremony and entertained the Ming delegation in Osaka, the most prosperous city in Japan at that time.

On September [-]rd, Toyotomi Hideyoshi led all the princes and ministers of Japan, big and small princes, even Tokugawa Ieyasu and others, all attended the meeting.In order to show his respect for Daming, Toyotomi Hideyoshi personally put on the clothes and clothes sent by Daming, and forced all the ministers to change into Ming clothes to accompany them.

At first, the atmosphere was good. When Shen Weijing and others presented the imperial edict and the golden seal presented by Emperor Wanli, Toyotomi Hideyoshi readily accepted it and hosted a banquet in honor of the envoy.Later, Toyotomi Hideyoshi summoned a monk who knew Chinese to read out the imperial edict of the Ming Dynasty in Japanese.

The imperial edict is as follows: "Fengtian Chengyun Emperor, the system says: Holy benevolence, great fortune, everything is overwhelmed by heaven and earth, and everyone respects the emperor's orders. Pu generals and sunrises in the sea corners, no one will follow. In the past, my emperor's ancestors gave birth to many parties. Guiniu The dragon chapter is bestowed far away on the Fusang area. The Zhenmin seal character is the mountain of Rong Shizhen. The successor is separated by the wave of the sea, and occasionally the wind occupies it. When this is a prosperous occasion, it is appropriate to resign the Yi chapter. Rise Haibang, know and respect China. An envoy from west to west, admiration to come to the same place. North to the pass of thousands of miles, willing to seek attachment. Since love is firm in obedience, kindness can be treated in tenderness. Zitfenger is the king of Japan, The imperial order is bestowed on you. In the letter of Xilong Benzhi, the crown is worn on the surface of the sea, and the clothes are popular, and the vassals are guarded in the sky. The court, you should practice your duties as a minister. Follow the essentials, and I am grateful for the emperor's kindness. There is no substitute for sincerity, only obedience to Lun's words, and Yongzun's voice to teach. Thank you!"

The tone of the edict is like the tone of the emperor of the central power to bestow favors and rewards on the small state.When Toyotomi Hideyoshi heard the sentence "Zite Fenger is the king of Japan", he was stunned. Finally, he reacted furiously and threw down the imperial edict and said, "Didn't the Emperor Ming beg and seal me as the Emperor of Ming? Japan If I want to be the king, I will be the king, so why should I be granted the title of a captive from the Ming dynasty?"

The development of the matter was out of control, Toyotomi Hideyoshi not only wanted to convict Governor Konishi, but also immediately expelled the Daming Mission from the country.In this way, the two-year peace negotiation farce broke down completely.

At the same time, Toyotomi Hideyoshi also issued a general mobilization order to form the Eighth Army to invade Korea: First Army: Commander Kato Kiyomasa, 1 people.Second Army: Commander Konishi Xingchang, 4000 people.Third Army: Commander Kuroda Nagamasa, 1 people.Fourth Army: Ueshige Nabeshima, 1 people.Fifth Army: Shimadzu Yoshihiro, 1 people.The Sixth Army: Changzong, our department Yuanjin, 3000 people.Seventh Army: Hachisuka Housekeeping, 1000 people.Eighth Army: Maori Xiuyuan, 4 people.The total number of people is 12, plus the army stationed in Busan, the total strength of the Japanese army is about 14.The cloud of war will cover the land of North Korea again...

Of course, Japan is still too far away from Daming, and it will take several months for the news to reach Daming.

※※※

Yang Fangheng, the envoy of Daming's tribute mission to Japan, was kicked out by the Japanese for no reason. Finally he understood what was going on, and when he wanted to arrest Shen Weijing, he found that the old man had disappeared.He had no choice but to lead the members of the mission and returned home in a rage.

(End of this chapter)