Jinyi Town Mountains and Rivers

Chapter 308
Li Shizhen was sent out of Beijing by order of Emperor Jiajing.He Liu knew that this should be a signal that Emperor Jiajing's time was numbered.How can the lifespan of the monarch be known to ordinary people?

He Liu was very fortunate that Emperor Jiajing did not kill Li Shizhen, a famous doctor in the world, on a whim.If Li Shizhen died, and the compilation of "Compendium of Materia Medica" was over, how many more detours would doctors of later generations have to take, and how many fewer people would be saved?

The spring of the 45th year of Emperor Jiajing came unconsciously.

The weather is getting warmer day by day, and the southern swallows are returning to the north.A group of swallows even built a small nest on the gate of Xiyuan Cabinet.

"Chirp chirp chirp chirp."

Inside the Xiyuan cabinet's duty room, the moods of all the court cardinals could not be as happy as the swallows outside the duty room.

There was a spring famine in the imperial court's finances.

Xu Jie said worriedly: "There is only so much silver in Taicang now. Let's make a list and pick up the most important things first!"

Zhang Juzheng said: "Soldiers are a major national event. As soon as Qi Jiguang arrived in Jizhou, he fought two battles with the Tatar cavalry who came to harass him. He beheaded more than [-] enemies. Brother Paoze, the frontier army, cannot delay the reward. Brothers in Paoze must not be allowed to bleed and shed tears."

Xu Jie nodded: "I can't owe this money. If you owe it, something big will happen."

Gao Gong said: "The Ministry of Industry reported that the eastern section of the canal is blocked. The Ministry of Industry asked our cabinet to allocate money to unblock it. The canal is the lifeblood of the Ming Dynasty. If the canal is blocked, there will be major disasters!"

Xu Jie asked, "How much money does the Ministry of Industry want?"

Gao Arch said: "At least 90 taels."

Xu Jie sighed: "Okay. Jizhou Town's military pay is one item, and the canal dredging fee is another item. Add these two items together, and Taicang will be empty again!"

The three looked at each other and sighed.

At this moment, Huang Jin, the supervisor of ceremonies, and He Liu, the governor of Jin Yiwei's North Town, walked in.

Xu Jie cupped his hands and said, "Eunuch Huang and the sixth son, you have nothing to do but go to the cabinet to check-in. Does the emperor have any orders for the cabinet?"

Huang Jin smiled, his face was fat and fleshy, his eyes narrowed: "The emperor has no will."

Xu Jie asked, "Are those two here?"

He Liudao: "He came to give money to the cabinet! We know that there is a spring famine in Taicang. All the political affairs of the court need money. If there is no money, there will be accidents, and the Ming Dynasty will not work properly!"

He Liu and Huang Jin each took out a bank note from their pockets and handed it to Xu Jie.

Xu Jie took the bank note and said in surprise, "80 taels, 60 taels, a total of 140 million taels? Where did it come from?"

He Liu and Huang Jin looked at each other and smiled.Huang Jin said: "It's not stolen, it's not robbed, Xu Shoufu and the cabinet can rest assured!"

Xu Jie asked: "Eunuch Huang, don't worry about your old age. Where did the money come from? If you don't tell the source, the cabinet won't dare to spend it!"

Huang Jindao: "I am in charge of the needlework bureau, the cap bureau, and the Jiangnan weaving bureau. Over the years, the emperor has been wearing Taoist robes in Yongshou Palace. Every year, I need to make three dragon robes and three dragon crowns. A few days ago As soon as I checked the accounts of the three bureaus, I found out that over ten years of accumulation, the three bureaus had a balance of 60 taels of silver on the books."

He Liudao: "My 80 taels are ashamed. This is the bad rule of Jinyiwei South and Beisi. Jinyiwei has always set up a small treasury. As for the source, I dare not hide Xu Shoufu's money. Over the past year, I have accumulated more than 80 taels. I heard that there was a spring shortage in the national treasury, so I took the money. This is also a little bit of brother Jin Yiwei's love for the court and the people."

Xu Jie's nose was sore, he wanted to cry!

Jin Yiwei and eunuchs are the emperor's domestic slaves.I have never seen domestic slaves relying on the emperor's authority to oppress the cabinet and exploit the people.Have you ever seen domestic slaves take the initiative to share the worries of the cabinet and solve the problems of the people?

Xu Jie cupped his hands and bowed to Huang Jin and He Liu: "Both of you! Xu Jie brought the people from the two capitals and the thirteen provinces, thank you!"

Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng also bowed their hands when they heard the words.

Huang Jin hurriedly supported Xu Jie: "My Xu Shoufu! You can kill Huang Jin! I, Huang Jin, am just a stinking slave with no roots, but you, Xu Shoufu, are the pillars of the Ming Dynasty! Give me a bow!" , I want to shorten my life!"

He Liu smiled and said, "Shoufu Xu, don't be polite to us. They are all working for the emperor! After all, we always gave you 140 million taels of silver. Your boss should reward us with a bowl of tea, right?"

Xu Jie hurriedly said, "Come on, serve tea to Eunuch Huang and Liuye He!"

Turning his head, Xu Jie said to Zhang Juzheng, "Come on, continue to make a list of urgent matters!"

"Zhejiang Dusi requests the cabinet to allocate money to build [-] warships to consolidate coastal defense."

"The tsunami in Jiaodong destroyed countless houses. The governor of Shandong asked the cabinet to allocate money for relief."

"Bailian sect bandits started to stir up trouble in Mizhi. The governor of Shaanxi asked the Datong Guard to send troops to suppress it, and Yin needs to be mobilized."

He Liu and Huang Jin were drinking tea in the duty room while listening to Zhang Juzheng's report of various expenses.But with the effort of a stick of incense, all 140 million taels of silver came in handy.

Xu Jie said: "Thanks to Eunuch Huang and Lao Liu for sending charcoal in the snow. These important things can be done quickly!"

Gao Gong said worriedly: "Xu Shoufu, you seem to have forgotten one thing."

Xu Jie asked, "What's the matter?"

Gao Gong said: "The salaries of the officials in the capital have already been owed for three months! It seems indecent that even the salaries of the officials have been released in such a dignified state, doesn't it?"

Xu Jie sighed and said, "Alas, the only thing we can do now is to suffer the officials! It is better to suffer the officials than the common people!"

Gao Gong turned his head and asked Huang Jin: "Eunuch Huang, over there at the inner carrier warehouse..."

Huang Jin waved his hand and interrupted Gao Gong's words: "Gao Butang, I advise you not to think about the internal transport warehouse! The emperor is very strict about his private money!"

Gao Gong shook his head and sighed: "Oh."

At this time, Zhang Juzheng said to He Liu: "By the way, the soldiers from the five cities came to report that all the Taoist priests from Lingji Palace and Chaotian Temple disappeared overnight. Even the emperor's most beloved Lan Shenxian was missing. Lao Liu , didn't you Jin Yiwei check it?"

He Liudao: "I've checked. This matter was done by Dongchang, and it seems to have been ordered by the emperor. This is regarded as the emperor's family affairs. Zhang Butang, I advise you not to ask any more questions."

Xu Jie said: "Anyway, this spring is off to a good start! The emperor ordered to stop building palaces and temples. The expenditure will not increase. With Huang Gonggong and Lao Liu's life-saving money, this spring can barely Get over it."

At this time, a young eunuch came to the cabinet to be on duty: "Master Liu, the emperor has summoned you!"

He Liu asked: "Oh? Do you know what it is?"

The little eunuch said: "I don't know. But at the same time, the emperor also summoned Duke Liu of Dongchang. It seems that there is an important matter for Jin Yiwei and Dongchang to handle together."

(End of this chapter)