Jingtai: Making the Ming Dynasty Great Again

On the same day, at Chaoyangmen.

A group of people slowly made their way through the morning mist.

The group consisted of only about twenty people, and the gatekeepers initially mistook them for ordinary merchants.

As the group drew closer, it became clear that the leader was an elderly man nearing sixty.

The old man wore a worn-out blue cloak, the corners of which were covered with dust accumulated from days of travel.

A middle-aged man in his forties followed behind the horse.

He also looked travel-worn, with an ordinary iron sword hanging at his waist.

The gatekeeper stepped forward and shouted, "Halt! Who dares to enter the city?"

The middle-aged man was about to speak when the old man pulled on the reins.

He then took out a domino from his sleeve and handed it over.

The centurion took the document and his expression changed drastically upon reading it. He immediately knelt on one knee: "I was unaware of the Minister's arrival. I have been extremely rude!"

This man was none other than Jin Lian, who had been ordered to travel from Shandong to Beijing overnight.

The centurion held the ivory token above his head with both hands and returned it: "Minister Jin, you...you rode all the way back from Shandong on horseback?"

Jin Lian put the token back into his sleeve and nodded slightly: "An imperial decree delivered by express courier is too slow to travel by sedan chair."

Only then did the centurion notice that the Minister of Justice was wearing a set of ordinary soldier's cotton armor under his blue cloak.

The middle-aged man behind Jin Lian said in a deep voice, "Aren't you going to let them through?!"

"Yes, yes, yes!"

The centurion hurriedly got up and waved his hand to order his soldiers to make way.

Jin Lian spurred his horse, and the procession slowly entered the city gate.

The centurion watched the troop disappear into the morning mist and murmured, "This Minister... why does he look like an old soldier?"

An old soldier beside him whispered, "What do you know?"

In the thirteenth year of the Zhengtong reign, Minister Jin went to Fujian to quell a rebellion.

He personally led troops into battle, and I heard he even personally beheaded some bandits.

He's not some high-ranking official sitting in a government office.

Baihu suddenly realized, and when he looked at the receding figure in the morning mist again, his gaze was filled with more awe.

Jin Lian reined in his horse on Chaoyangmen Inner Street.

Shops on both sides of Chaoyangmen Street have gradually reopened.

The breakfast vendors carried their loads on shoulder poles and called out their wares.

A pharmacy clerk was taking down the door panels.

The clanging sound of hammering metal came from the blacksmith's shop.

Several ragged refugees squatted on the street corner, holding bowls in their hands, waiting for a kind person to give them porridge.

Everything seemed so normal.

Jin Lian recalled the scene when he left the capital in the winter of the thirteenth year of the Zhengtong reign.

At that time, he was ordered to lead an expedition to Fujian, while Beijing was still a peaceful city.

Emperor Taizong had moved the capital here more than 30 years ago.

It has always been a bustling market town with a dense population.

There were various discussions in the court.

But who could have imagined that in just one year, the Ming Dynasty would face such a tremendous change?

The Tumu Crisis.

The 500,000-strong army was wiped out.

The emperor was captured.

The Oirat army was at the city gates.

He could hardly believe it when he heard about these things in Fujian.

After confirming the news was true, he immediately began packing his belongings and preparing to head north to serve the emperor.

On the way, he received another imperial edict: to go to Shandong and await orders.

He spent a month in Shandong, unable to sleep peacefully day and night.

Now, he has finally returned.

The eldest son, Jinda, whispered, "Father, should we go back to the mansion to bathe and change, or...?"

Jin Lian withdrew his gaze: "Go to the Ministry of Revenue."

Jin Da was taken aback: "Father, you've traveled such a long and arduous journey, you should go home and rest for a while..."

Jin Lian had already turned his horse around: "The matter of the Ministry of Revenue cannot wait."

Before long, Jin Lian and his party arrived at the gate of the Ministry of Revenue.

The gatekeeper saw a group of people heading straight for the government office.

Just as he was about to step forward to stop them, he froze upon seeing the face of the elderly man in the lead: "Minister Jin... Minister Jin?"

The clerk hurriedly stepped forward to take the horse's reins: "Minister Jin, you've returned?"

"Is Minister Shen here?"

"Yes, yes, yes! Vice Minister Shen has been in the yamen every day these past few days, and he didn't rest until midnight last night."

The clerk led the way, saying, "Please come in, I'll go and inform them right away."

Jin Lian waved his hand: "No need to inform them, I'll go in myself."

The rear hall of the Ministry of Revenue.

Shen Yizheng and several doctors were verifying the accounts for the resettlement of displaced people.

There was a thick stack of files on the table, some from Shandong, some from Henan, and some reported by Shuntian Prefecture.

Each ledger was filled with numbers:

How many refugees were settled in a certain place? How much grain was used daily? How many shacks were built? How much silver was paid out? How much silver was still needed?

Shen Yi rubbed his temples, picked up the now-cold teacup, and took a sip.

He rose from a minor official to a vice minister, and had never seen such a dire situation before.

The money was spent like water, but no money came in.

He could recite the entire Taicang city plan with his eyes closed, but what good would it do?

An empty ledger can't be used as money.

"Minister Shen."

The sound coming from the doorway made Shen Yi suddenly look up.

Shen Yi was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly stood up and stepped forward, bowing deeply: "Minister Jin! When did you arrive?"

Jin Lian stepped into the back hall, his gaze sweeping over the ledgers piled on the table: "Just arrived. We came to the Ministry of Revenue as soon as we entered the city."

Shen Yi hurriedly invited him to take a seat and ordered someone to serve tea.

Jin Lian did not sit down, but stood in front of the table looking at the account books.

"Is this the Ministry of Revenue's revenue and expenditure ledger for this year?"

Shen Yi replied, "Yes, Minister Jin."

These past few days we've been verifying all the expenses related to the resettlement of displaced people; the accounts are numerous and complex, and we haven't finished sorting them out yet.

Jin Lian nodded slightly, picked up the account book on the far left, and opened it.

That was the military expenditure account from July to September of the fourteenth year of the Zhengtong reign.

He scanned the lines one by one, his fingers pausing occasionally at certain points, his brows gradually furrowing.

"From July to September of the fourteenth year of the Zhengtong reign, the capital's military expenditure amounted to 2.8 million taels of silver and 1.5 million shi of grain."

"Minister Shen, how many times has this account been checked by the Ministry?"

Shen Yi felt a chill run down his spine. How could he not know that there was something wrong with this account?

The expedition of 500,000 troops to the north resulted in military expenditures exceeding the quota by more than 30%.

Where did the extra silver go?

On the transfer orders handled by Wang Zhen, the signatures of the people in charge were so illegible that they were almost unrecognizable.

The former Minister of Revenue died in the Battle of Tumu Fortress, and the former Minister of War, Kuang Ye, also died in battle.

Some of the doctors and officials in charge of this matter died, while others fled.

This was a messy account that he dared not and could not investigate.

Shen Yi said in a low voice, "Reporting to Minister Jin, it has been checked three times and is correct."

Jin Lian didn't press further, but simply placed the ledger back on the table: "I'll check this account."

Shen Yi looked up at the old minister, who was known as "the talented Congolese".

He recalled something that happened twenty years ago.

At that time, Jin Lian was serving as a military advisor in Ningxia.

One memorial was submitted to the emperor to dredge three canals, irrigating more than 1,300 hectares of barren land.

Even today, the people of Ningxia still speak of his name.

In the thirteenth year of the Zhengtong reign, a rebellion was quelled in Fujian.

While others were at a loss, he went there and set up an ambush at Jiulong Mountain, capturing the bandit leader Deng Bosun alive.

He cleared up more than 800 old cases that had been piling up in the Ministry of Justice within a year.

Minister Kim is a capable person and a person who dares to take action.

Jin Lian then opened the next booklet.

That was the "Revised Regulations for Imperial Clan Salaries" drafted by the Ministry of Revenue.

"Salaries will be reduced by 30%, and those below the rank of Lieutenant General will have their titles revoked. Members of the imperial clan may request to have their titles revoked before entering officialdom through the imperial examinations..."

Jin Lian's eyes flickered slightly: "Who drafted these regulations?"

"It was jointly discussed and drafted by the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Rites, and the Ministry of Personnel."

His Majesty has approved Zhang Lun's three proposals at the court meeting.

"Zhang Lun?" Jin Lian hesitated for a moment. "Is he the secretary in the Ministry of Rites' Ceremonial Department?"

"Exactly."

Jin Lian nodded slightly and continued to flip through the booklet: "Reduction of salary by 30%, saving 320,000 taels of silver annually."

The ranks of Lieutenant-General and below in Fengguo will be stripped of their titles, which could save even more money in the long

This Zhang Lun certainly dares to speak his mind.

After reading it, Jin Lian closed the booklet: "Minister Shen, have you calculated it?"

Next year, the reduction of stipends for members of the imperial clan will save 320,000 taels of silver.

The population of the imperial clan increased again the following year, which offset most of the reduction in stipends.

The border defense pay shortfall is 2.4 million taels.

The reconstruction of the Beijing garrison requires 800,000 taels of silver.

The resettlement of displaced people requires 700,000 taels of silver.

Next year, 300,000 taels of silver will be needed to repair the dikes during the autumn flood season on the Yellow River.

Without funds allocated from the imperial treasury, where will this silver come from?

Shen Yi was speechless when asked the question.

He's been checking the accounts day and night these days, how could he not know about the shortfall?

But what could he do?

They tried everything they could think of: raising the price of salt and tea, issuing bonds.

They've squeezed out every last penny, but the deficit is still there.

He can only take it one step at a time and get through the immediate difficulties first.

As for next year, the year after...

He dared not think.

Shen Yi bowed deeply: "Minister Jin, you are wise. The accounts of the Ministry of Revenue are complicated, and I am only of limited ability and knowledge, so I can only barely manage to keep up."

If Minister Jin has a good plan, I am willing to serve him.

Jin Lian's gaze softened slightly as he looked at him.

Although Shen Yi is not a pioneer, he is an honest and hardworking person.

Someone else might not have been able to manage the mess at the Ministry of Revenue for as long as he did.

Jin Lian looked up at the rising sun outside the hall: "When will His Majesty summon me?"

"His Majesty has decreed that Minister Jin shall proceed directly to the Wenhua Hall upon his arrival in the capital and need not wait for court."

Jin Lian nodded and turned to walk out.

After taking two steps, he suddenly stopped: "Minister Shen, make a copy of the accounts for July and August and send it to the Ministry of Justice."

Shen Yi was taken aback: "Ministry of Justice?"

Jin Lian didn't explain, only saying calmly, "I want to see."

After saying that, he stepped out of the back hall.

Shen Yi watched his retreating figure disappear outside the porch, remaining motionless for a long time.

The physician Li Xian beside him whispered, "Minister Shen, what is Minister Jin doing...?"

Shen Yi slowly exhaled: "He wants to check the accounts."

"Inspect the accounts? Inspect what accounts?"

Shen Yi did not answer.

He simply stared at the empty door, a sudden sense of anticipation rising in his heart.