Prime Minister

Chapter 404 Thank you, Master Zhang

The more Zhang understood what happened, the more he knew what happened.

Zhang Yue said to Zhang Kongmu: "It is easy to lower the price of salt banknotes, and the Shaanxi Transshipment Department has to issue notes, but the Shaanxi Transshipment Department is not willing to issue banknotes now. The right to make banknotes belongs to the Shaanxi Transshipment Department, and the northwest salt profit also belongs to Shaanxi."

Zhang Kongmu said: "Exactly. Although the Metropolitan Salt Institute is under the management of the Shaanxi Transshipment Department, the accounts are all owned by the Third Division. Therefore, the Transshipment Department is unwilling to put money here, let alone stabilize the price of salt in the capital."

The conversation between Zhang Yue and Zhang Kongmu suddenly changed suddenly, and a dozen vendors shouted in front of the door: "The Duyanyuan agreed to give money, but I can't buy money with cash!"

"Before, I couldn't exchange banknotes for money, but now I can't exchange money for banknotes. What's the use of this office?"

"If you don't sell the banknotes, this yamen will be smashed."

After speaking, hundreds of vendors outside the door shouted together, and the door saw that the situation was not good, so he couldn't help blowing the horn.

With the sound of the horn, two teams of Western Army men rushed out from the left and right of the yamen gate, and surrounded the traders in front.

The leading general said: "I don't even look at this place! I will arrest all the troublemakers!"

More than a dozen vendors in front of the gate were captured, and the soldiers of the Western Army beat the vendors with the hilt of their knives. The leading general shouted: "These people will be fined and confiscated, and they will all be sent to Kaifeng Mansion!"

"Yeah, it was hard to change a penny before, and now it's hard to change a money."

"Not even a few words."

"I have heard that Kansai people are arrogant, that's really good!"

Several vendors beside Zhang Yue couldn't help but speak.

At this time, the Western Army guarding the yamen came to patrol again one after another. Seeing that the situation was not going well, several traders were about to leave, but they were stopped.

One person was entangled by the big man of the Western Army and hurriedly said: "Can't I wait until I buy it?"

The Xijun said: "I suspect you are an accomplice, and torture them together."

The vendor struggled, but was dragged away by the Xijun on the spot. The vendor couldn't stop struggling and kicked dust all over the floor.Several vendors and his companions were about to step forward to rescue them, but the Western Army thought they were coming to rob them, so they immediately drew their knives out of their sheaths.

Zhang Yue shouted, "Hold on!"

Hearing Zhang Yue's words, the Xijun immediately threw the merchant heavily, and the left and right soldiers surrounded him and punched and kicked the merchant.

The Western soldier looked at Zhang Yue.

Another person said: "Hey, this person seems to be a scholar, don't cause trouble."

"It's just a big deal!"

Zhang Yue said: "Release these traders immediately! Call your Shangguan!"

The soldier of the Western Army hesitated immediately, the opponent's aura was no ordinary scholar.

At this time, the general of the Western Army had already strode forward. He looked at Zhang Yue and said, "Dare to ask your step..."

Zhang Yue interrupted: "There are two supervisors in the Capital Salt Court, one civil servant is a Beijing court official, and one general is an envoy from the third class! Are you an ambassador or a junior envoy?"

The general of the Western Army was taken aback for a moment, clasped his fists and said, "The last general will be in the third class!"

Zhang Yue said: "I still think that your honor is to observe Jiedu? How to deal with these vendors?"

The general of the Western Army immediately said: "Let them all go."

After talking about how the Western Army released all the vendors who were dragged to the ground, Zhang Yue said: "I will not pursue this matter, I want to see the prison!"

Zhang Kongmu on the side stepped forward and said, "We belong to the Third Division Yamen!"

The general of the Western Army changed his expression and said hastily: "The last general has eyes but doesn't know Mount Tai, please come here!"

After speaking, he surrounded Zhang Yue and Zhang Kongmu and entered the Duyan Courtyard.

A military man had reported to the courtyard long ago, but when he saw a green-robed official greet him, the other party obviously recognized Zhang Kongmu and said, "Brother Zhang, why are you here?"

Zhang Kongmu said: "Luo Jian Yuan is the new judge of our third division, Zhi Ji Xian Yuan, Bachelor Zhang!"

The other party was taken aback for a moment, wondering how could there be such a young bachelor in the imperial court?Could it be...

Luo Jianyuan hurriedly said: "Your official has seen the number one scholar!"

Zhang Yue waved his hands and said, "Go inside and talk."

Hearing the words, the generals of the Western Army followed inside anxiously.

Zhang Yue and Luo Jianyuan sat down, the general of the Western Army and Zhang Kongmu stood aside, and the court officials served tea soup.

Zhang Yue said: "Luo Supervisor, may I ask how many people are there in Duyan Academy?"

Luo Jianyuan said: "There are five people under the Dian, and eight people in the main scale... Is Zhang Xueshi here today to check the accounts?"

The Capital Salt Institute is under the jurisdiction of the Shaanxi Transit Department, but the accounts go to the third department.

Zhang Yue put down the tea soup and said, "I'm not here to check the accounts, but I just asked Luo Jianyuan if I don't know. There are so many vendors outside asking for salt money, why don't you ask the transport department to get more salt money! It's not difficult."

Luo Jianyuan said: "Scholar Zhang didn't know something. It's not that he didn't give it. It's because Cao Shuai ordered him to release the salt banknotes in the pool before. There were too many fake banknotes and the salt was lighter. Therefore, we postponed printing more fake banknotes to realize the salt benefits in the northwest."

Zhang Yuezhi is now Shanxi's transshipment envoy Xue Xiang, who is known as the Minister of Prosperity and Fortune.What he said actually gave him some face, and Sima Guang directly criticized Xue Xiang as a sly and cunning person.

After he took office, he first canceled the tolls for salt sales in the states and counties on the West Road.Another move is to use salt banknotes instead of silver silk to buy horses in the northwest border city.

Xue Xiang was scolded by the third division for this move.

The right to make banknotes is in the hands of the Shaanxi Transshipment Department. Xue Xiang unrestrainedly distributed salt banknotes to buy horses.The indiscriminate issuance of salt banknotes led to the corruption of the banknote law. As a result, when traders in the northwest took money to exchange banknotes for money at the Capital Salt Court, they could not get the money.

In the past, the Shaanxi Transshipment Department had a little restraint in printing banknotes, but after the establishment of the Duyanyuan, the three imperial courts paid to buy back the salt banknotes at a low price, and Xue Xiang's Northwest banknote printing machine began to start.

What should I do if I have too much cash?It doesn't matter, anyway, Sansi will pay the bill in the end.The Sansi Yamen refused to be taken advantage of, which led to the current situation of the Duyan Court.

Cai Xiang scolded Xue Xiang for his eagerness for success, and forced the central government's revenue to cover him for his achievements in the Northwest.Fan Chunren, the deputy Cao official, also expressed his opposition.

However, Xue Xiang was thick-skinned and acted as if he didn't hear it. He had a background, and it was Wang Anshi who recommended him as the Shaanxi transshipment envoy.

Later, the salt banknote law was corrupted, and the imperial court sent people to Xue Xiangna to check the accounts and found that there was a problem, but Xue Xiang was saved by Wang Anshi.When Wang Anshi fell ill in the future, Xue Xiang gave Wang Anshi expensive ginseng. Wang Anshi saw it and said that if I didn't eat this ginseng, I would live to my age, so I returned it and decided not to eat it.

Xue Xiang's even more extraordinary method is that in the future, after the Northwest political achievements are promoted all the way to the third division envoy, he will just give the Duyan Court.At the beginning, when he was serving as a transfer envoy in Shaanxi, he spammed so much money, and originally had to pay for the money from the third division, but he didn't need it when he was the third division envoy.

Countless merchants who bought salt banknotes were killed in this blow, which can be regarded as the realization of "the people do not add taxes and the country uses enough".

Luo Jianyuan said: "Xue Caoshuai told me several times that this banknote law must be firm, so that people will not doubt banknotes, and then banknotes can be used as currency!"

Zhang Yue said heartily, you are the one who prints money, and you are the one who doesn't print money.

He said to Luo Jianyuan: "Luo Jianyuan, I didn't come here today to tell you these things. If Xue Caoshuai doesn't give money again, the price of salt in the capital will continue to soar. That's right, the salt money from Shaanxi Road can be saved and sold at a high price. Once the empress dowager's officials are angry, we cannot afford it!"

Luo Jianyuan hesitated and said: "May I ask the Jieyan Division? I don't know how much money I need to solve this urgent problem."

Zhang Yue stretched out five fingers and said, "At least [-] seats are required first!"

Luo Jianyuan changed color and said, "That won't work."

Zhang Yue said: "I see that last year, Jieyan issued 110 seats, but Shaanxi Yunshitong printed 170 seats, and nearly 60 false notes. Our three companies don't want too many seats. From here Give me 60 seats out of the [-] seats, and temporarily suppress the price of salt in the capital, and let me deal with the Queen Mother!"

Luo Jianyuan shook his head and said: "[-] seats are too many, I really can't give them, I will be the master of Xue Caoshuai at most [-] seats!"

Zhang Kongmu winked at Luo Jianyuan frequently, but the other party kept shaking his head.

Zhang Yue said: "Then there is no way..."

Zhang Yue got up, Luo Jianyuan said: "Scholar Zhang really has nothing to do, even Xue Caoshuai can't give more here."

Zhang Yue said: "Who is going to ask Xue Caoshuai? I will go up to the officials and transfer the money-making power of the Shaanxi Transshipment Department to the imperial court..."

……

At this point in Zhang Yue's words, seeing Luo Jianyuan's expression change, he hurriedly said: "Scholar Zhang, you can't do it! You can't do it!"

After Luo Jianyuan finished speaking, the general of the Western Army on the side knelt down and said, "Scholar Zhang, have pity on us fighters!"

"The imperial court has never allocated enough money and food for our Western Army. It is all thanks to Xue Caoshuai who has tried every means to turn salt money into money. This has kept us fighters alive, and our wives and children have a bite to eat." of!"

"This salt money is closer to our Xijun than our parents!"

Zhang Yue was annoyed: "Your Western Army has received more than just salt money!"

The general of the Western Army cried like a child. He hugged Zhang Yue's leg and said repeatedly: "Scholar Zhang, the life of our Western Army is hard! We all rely on salt money to support us."

Zhang Yue knew that he couldn't be soft-hearted at the moment, if he softened, he would take the blame, and Han Qi had no way to explain it.But he also thought that the imperial court's forbidden army could earn 100 million guan if they didn't do anything.

However, the Western Army undertook the heaviest national defense pressure, and the soldiers were stationed on the long border to fight against the Qingtang and Tubo parties.The Western Army is incomparable to the Forbidden Army, which is the most elite army in the Song Dynasty, but the treatment given by the imperial court is very different.

As for Xue Xiang, that's right, his method is to throw the pot around shamelessly.

But Xue Xiang didn't think of a way to change the money. With the money given by the court, how could such a large-scale frontier defense field force be maintained?How to execute a shallow attack?Fighting is all about money!

Sima Guang and Fan Chunren saw Xue Xiang's despicable means, but they didn't see the importance of the Northwest to Song's national defense.

The more Zhang thought about this, he finally softened his heart and said to Luo Jianyuan: "How much money do you give?"

Luo Jianyuan's joy flashed by, and he continued to worry: "At most seven thousand seats...it can't be more."

Zhang Yue said in his heart, the benevolence of women kills people!Seven thousand seats is a drop in the bucket!
……

"Let's leave it at that!"

After Zhang Yue finished speaking, apart from Luo Jianyuan, the generals of the Western Army and all the officials in the courtyard bowed down to Zhang Yue!
Zhang Yue said, "What is this for?"

Everyone said: "Let's thank Bachelor Zhang on behalf of the soldiers and civilians in Shaanxi!"

Zhang Yue smiled wryly, thank you, it will be difficult for me to go back.

(End of this chapter)