The Ming Dynasty: A bookstore sells the history of the Ming Dynasty, leaving Emperor Chongzhen bewil

The post station was bustling with activity, carrying letters, supplies, and all sorts of people.

Even high-ranking officials and nobles were among them.

When these high-ranking officials and nobles traveled, the post stations became their transit points, where they could rest, replenish supplies, eat, and stay overnight.

Initially, post stations were temporarily used by officials when they went to take up new posts, were transferred, or were reporting on their duties.

Later, these officials discovered the convenience of the post stations, and some began to use official business as a pretext to travel with dozens or even hundreds of family members, using their personal belongings as document boxes, while the post stations were still required to provide free transportation, food, lodging, labor, and so on.

Later, some imperial censors, governors and other inspectors deliberately detoured to scenic spots, turning post stations into free inns.

Gradually, officials even regarded the free use of post stations as a symbol of status, traveling with their advisors and opera troupes to flaunt their power and compete to abuse post station resources, turning the post stations into a "power arena".

Where there is profit, there is trade. As a result, officials colluded with the Ministry of Personnel or the Ministry of War to issue false or alter official documents. Sometimes, a single document was reused or lent to others, leading to widespread abuse of postal services. People used public postal services for personal purposes, such as bringing their families and goods.

Therefore, many people of all kinds have come to the post station.

The postmaster and Li Zicheng had seen many high-ranking officials and nobles before, and their post station was located in a strategically important border town, so many high-ranking officials had visited, but the emperor had never visited them.

Why did the Emperor suddenly arrive? Does the Emperor also wish to use the post station?

wrong.

How can you say it's a loan when the Emperor needs it?

But how could the Emperor possibly need to use their small post station for his travels without prior notice?

The people at the post station were in a state of confusion, but there was no time to think too much, because the Emperor had already arrived outside the door...

……

When Emperor Chongzhen entered the post station, everyone there prostrated themselves on the ground, their heads pressed to the ground, not daring to raise their heads even slightly.

"This humble subject...welcomes Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

It was the first time the people at the post station had met the Emperor, and they hadn't rehearsed at all, so even their simple act of bowing was awkward and their shouts were loud and chaotic.

However, the Emperor seemed unconcerned and said in a gentle tone, "Get up, all of you."

The people at the post station still dared not get up. Wang Chengen, who was standing to the side, said, "His Majesty has told you to get up, so get up quickly." Only then did the people at the post station get up in a hurry, led by the postmaster.

Although they had already stood up, they all kept their heads down.

Emperor Chongzhen glanced at them one by one, and for a moment he really couldn't recognize which one was Li Zicheng, because there were several young men in the post station, all of whom had dark skin and were sturdy and well-built.

But he wasn't in a hurry. He sniffed and followed the smell back to look at the kitchen.

"Have you had breakfast?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," the postmaster replied respectfully.

Emperor Chongzhen turned and walked into the kitchen, saying, "Come, serve me a bowl too."

The postmaster hurriedly went to find bowls and chopsticks and served Chongzhen a bowl of buckwheat porridge, placing it in front of him. At this moment, Wang Chengen immediately stepped forward and probed it with a silver needle before pushing it back in front of Chongzhen.

"You eat too."

After Chongzhen sat down, he did not actually pick up his chopsticks, but instead invited everyone at the post station to sit down.

No one dared to sit at the post station.

Those who came with the Emperor, apart from Xu Guangqi, were all important officials from the Qin region, including Wu Zhiwang, the Governor-General of the Three Border Regions, and the four governors below him: the Governor of Shaanxi, the Governor of Yansui, the Governor of Ningxia, and the Governor of Gansu. Of course, there was also Hong Chengchou, the Shaanxi Grain Supervisor, who had already had private contact with the Emperor.

Although the people at the post station didn't recognize each other, they knew how formidable these people were. Since they were all still standing, how could they dare to sit down?

Finally, only after Chongzhen's repeated urging did they sit down with trepidation.

Dining at the same table as the emperor was something they never dared to dream of. At this moment, they wished they could find an artist to paint this scene so that it could be passed down as a family heirloom.

But someone had already recorded it for them. The historian on the side hurriedly wrote down the harmonious and touching scene before them.

The Emperor personally inspected the post station and had a cordial conversation with the people there.

"Have you heard that the imperial court is planning to abolish the postal stations?"

The first words Chongzhen uttered not only surprised everyone at the post station, but also nearly made Xu Guangqi, Wu Zhiwang, and others who had come with him drop their jaws in astonishment.

The postmaster dared not deceive the emperor, so he could only nod: "This humble subject... has heard a little about it."

As a low-ranking official, the postmaster could not even address the emperor as a subject, but only as a commoner. However, now, the emperor seemed to be paying special attention to this commoner.

Emperor Chongzhen then asked, "So, what do you think? Should the postal stations be abolished?"

The postmaster panicked. He certainly didn't want to be dismissed, but how could he know if the Emperor was trolling him? He could only reply tremblingly, "This humble subject... this humble subject knows nothing about this."

"If I decide to abolish the post stations, where do you plan to go?"

Emperor Chongzhen asked the same question that the postmaster had just asked Li Zicheng, completely baffled the postmaster. He had been asking Li Zicheng so enthusiastically, but now that it was the emperor's turn to ask him, he finally realized he was in deep trouble.

"This humble subject...does not know."

The postmaster shook his head vigorously, thinking to himself, "Your Majesty, please don't ask anymore. This humble subject doesn't understand anything."

Emperor Chongzhen did not ask any further questions, but instead said, "Currently, the Ming Dynasty has a total of 1,158 post stations, with more than 250,000 post soldiers and clerks, and the annual expenditure is nearly one million taels of silver."

"The Imperial Censor Gu Qiguo submitted a memorial stating that 'nothing disturbs the military and civilians more than the post stations.' Liu Mao then submitted another memorial stating that 'currently, about seven or eight out of ten prefectures and counties in the country are troubled by the post stations, and only two out of ten post stations are used for official business, while eight out of ten are used for private business.'"

"This clearly shows that the post stations of our Great Ming Dynasty are truly bloated and corrupt, and should indeed be abolished."

Chongzhen's words left the postmaster and the rest of the post station speechless, but they all felt a tightness in their chests. With the emperor speaking, the closure of the post station was practically a done deal. Compared to the others, Li Zicheng was more at ease because he was not yet married and only needed to feed himself.

Meanwhile, high-ranking officials such as Xu Guangqi and Wu Zhiwang showed expressions of surprise.

Since last year, people have been petitioning to abolish the post stations, but nothing has been decided yet. Given the current situation, it is highly likely that the post stations will be abolished, and on a large scale.

Unexpectedly, Emperor Chongzhen would bring up this matter in the context of a small post station.

"but!"

Chongzhen suddenly changed the subject, saying, "If the post stations are abolished, where will you go? What will happen to your families? You have no land, no other skills. Are you suggesting your entire family starve to death?"

"More than 200,000 postal workers! How many families are behind them? If they become bandits, what will the imperial court do?"

Chongzhen's words were like a thunderclap exploding above everyone's heads.

Whether it was the people at the post station or Xu Guangqi and others who came with them.

How could these words come from the Emperor's mouth?

The Emperor's ability to see things from the perspective of everyone at the post station is beyond everyone's imagination. More than 200,000 post station workers and their families—not to mention the Emperor, many ministers had not even considered this issue.

After the initial shock, Xu Guangqi, Wu Zhiwang, and others fell into deep thought.

What the Emperor said was astonishing, but wasn't it also the truth?

Emperor Chongzhen said, "If we don't abolish the post stations, the imperial treasury can't afford it; but if we do abolish them, what will happen to the more than 200,000 post station workers?"