Jinyi champion

Zhu Hao was not in the capital, and Zhu Si lacked a satisfactory helper, and felt powerless to do anything.

So ever.

Zhang Zuo was often asked by Zhu Si about Zhu Hao's situation.

Where is Zhu Hao?

How is Zhu Hao doing now?

Is there a letter?

A series of questions made Zhang Zuo increasingly restless.

Although Zhu Hao was ordered to go to Nanjing to check the accounts, Jin Yiwei followed and protected him secretly, but after all, he had to cover his eyes and ears to avoid causing Yang Tinghe's suspicion of Zhu Haoxin. At the same time, Zhu Hao also had Yu Chengxun and other cronies of Yang Tinghe following and monitoring Zhu Hao, how could there be too much about it? The news about Zhu Hao reached the capital?
"...everything is fine, logically speaking, we should arrive in Nanjing in mid-to-late September."

"Ah, I just got married at that time, and he was too late to attend in the south!" After Zhu Si finished speaking, his face was full of regret.

Zhang Zuo thought to himself, the emperor's wedding, as a courtier, it's good to be able to witness it with his own eyes, but it's okay if he can't. There are so many officials in the world, and no one insists on entering the palace to attend the emperor's wedding ceremony. It seems that you, the emperor, cannot do without Zhu Hao Generally...Your Majesty, can we be a little more reserved?
At first Zhang Zuo thought that Zhu Si would calm down after asking, but within two days, Zhu Si asked the same question again.

This made Zhang Zuo very depressed, as if no one could get things done without Zhu Hao by the emperor's side?
Your Majesty, we can't be partial.

……

……

Although Zhu Hao is not in the capital, the battle between the monarch and his subjects in the court has intensified.

With the order to transfer troops from the three sides, the soldiers and horses on the three sides will be transferred to Piantouguan, Datong and other places to assist in defense.

It's not that it's embarrassing to the local soldiers on the three sides, but because Xuanda's own military supplies are not enough, and they can't afford to take care of food.

For several days in a row, the courts were arguing over how much grain to requisition from the Northwest. Although the amount of silver used for the river this year was a little less, the expenditure on the Northwest was huge. After all, the war lasted from the beginning of the year to September. This kind of long-term combat readiness, As a result, the Northwest needs a steady stream of money and food supplies, while self-produced goods are almost nonexistent...

When Sun Jiao returned home that day, he was told that Peng Ze, Minister of the Ministry of War, had come to visit.

"Master, Mr. Peng has been waiting in the study for a long time."

What annoyed Sun Jiao was that Peng Ze came here as soon as he came, and even waited in his study in advance, and he didn't see anyone at all.

Unavoidable, Sun Jiao could only meet Peng Ze in the living room.

"Xing'an, you came here uninvited, this old man is very upset...couldn't he be asking for money again?" Sun Jiao had nothing to shy away from, so he made it clear when he came up.

Peng Ze's name is Jiwu, and his name is Xing'an.

In Daming, officials who were acquainted with each other were often referred to by nicknames. Peng Ze had been in the Northwest for many years and was a half-life soldier.

Peng Ze has a lot of young grandsons in his age, and his qualifications are far inferior to Sun Jiao's. In addition, this time he came to ask for something, so he bowed politely and said, "Sun Butang, my lord, there is really no other way. Tight, the Ministry of War support is difficult, is it possible to watch the soldiers go to battle without food and clothing? I hope Sun Butang will give me a face."

If you can't ask for something in court, ask for it in private.

Sun Jiao sat at the main seat, and stretched out his hand to tell Peng Ze to sit down, but Peng Ze stood there, like a door god, which probably means that as long as you promise to allocate money and food, I will leave immediately, and I will never delay with you time.

Sun Jiao said angrily: "You are making things difficult for you by acting like an old man? Putting the safety of the soldiers in the northwest at risk? If the imperial court can allocate money and food, why should you come to ask for it?"

"The expenses of autumn grain have long been listed in the account books. Now the government treasury is still in a huge deficit of 40 taels. I don't know where to find the supplement after the end of the year. ? Do you want to embarrass the court and the old man?"

The talks between the two quickly reached a deadlock.

After autumn, the Ministry of Household Affairs did not allocate money and food to the northwest, but
The demand outside the main item is too great.

The imperial court can't provide so much money, food and supplies for a while, so the transfer to the northwest can at most ensure that the soldiers can survive the winter without encountering a war. It was in full swing, and the imperial court really couldn't allocate extra money and food to fight this battle.

Sun Jiao's meaning is very clear, it's hard for a clever wife to cook without rice, and I can't do anything without money.

Peng Ze said: "In the past few years, the Xuan Mansion seems to have accumulated reserves. Why is it in such a situation in the Jiajing Dynasty?"

"Then you have to ask the Minister of the Household Department before the Jiajing Dynasty. You come to ask the old man, how should the old man answer you? But Xing'an, are you sure that the Xuanfu treasury was full when you were in Zhengde?"

Sun Jiao was angry at first, and choked Peng Ze, and then realized that it was wrong.

In terms of status, the Secretary of the Ministry of War is actually half a rank higher than the Minister of the Ministry of Households. Besides, the other party just came to ask for money and food, so there is no need to get angry, and he immediately asked a very real question.

What Sun Jiao meant was that in the last years of Zhengde, you were not in the center, so how would you know what happened to the Xuanfu treasury?

Besides, at that time, the treasury of the Xuanfu was basically controlled by the maids around the late emperor. They had already moved all the money and food in the treasury. The weapons have not been replaced for many years, and the fortresses have been in disrepair for a long time. Do you think you can cause such a tragedy in one year?

Facing Sun Jiao's question, Peng Ze had a difficult time answering.

Sun Jiaodao: "It's like this. I didn't want to go back to the court at first. Speaking of it, I just don't have the ability to make money with money. I heard that Huang Shangshu of the Southern Household Department is very good at raising money and food. I just want to return to my hometown. Let him come Taking over the position of the Headquarters, maybe we can make up for the lack of money and food in the Northwest, Xing An, what do you think?"

wipe!
I came to ask you for money, so why don't you come and give up?

You are really shameless.

If you want to say that the old woman is cunning, you, Sun Zhitong, are more skilled.

"Sun Butang, even if you really want to become an official, don't you just wait...after the matter of this winter is settled...this, alas! In fact, this is also what Yang Zhongtang meant. He didn't have a good way to let me I came to discuss with you." Peng Ze spoke very modestly.

Sun Jiaodao: "The Ministry of Households can't help it, that is, it really can't. As far as I know, the internal treasury is also empty, so don't expect your majesty to conjure up money and food out of thin air."

"I'm living a tight life now. Originally, the previous dynasty was full of chaos, which caused the people's livelihood to decline. They should have recuperated and recuperated. It will take a few years for the finances to improve. Who knows that the barbarians on the grassland will not give them a chance."

"Go and tell Yang Jiefu that this old man has done his best. Up to now, he has taken care of all the places he can pick up. His officials have to cut down on food and clothing. If they can't pay their salaries, they won't pay them first... There is still a gap, that can only be... ...resign yourself to fate!"

……

……

Peng Ze didn't seek any advantage from Sun Jiao.

Then he went to see Yang Tinghe, and when he conveyed Sun Jiao's meaning, Yang Tinghe was very angry.

"The Hubu Shangshu of Ming Dynasty actually said the bastard words of resigning to fate? What face does he have to stay in the position of Hubu Shangshu?"

Yang Tinghe didn't shy away from Peng Ze either, and just cursed at Sun Jiao.

I kindly asked the Minister of the Ministry of War to come to your door to beg you, and gave you enough face, but you are so ignorant that you will join our army instead?It seems that you really don't want to mess around in the court.

Peng Ze sighed: "Actually, I feel that Sun Butang's words are rough, but he is not lying. Most of the state of the court was created by the previous emperor. In this way, there are still many gaps in the court, and the salt for the coming year or even many years has been paid in advance. The introduction and salt tax all make up for the shortage. At this time, where can Sun Butang allocate money and food? Even if there is money, where will the supplies come from?"

Although Peng Ze also hated Sun Jiao for not being able to save him, he was also a commander in the Northwest after all, and he knew very well the important role of money and food supply in war.

In Peng Ze's view, it is not easy for Sun Jiao to support the household department in such a difficult time.

Yang Tinghe said coldly: "As the Minister of the Household Department, shouldn't you be worried about this? According to what you said, could it be

Is he still successful?Now that the grain from the south of the Yangtze River is about to be transported to the capital, why can't he transfer it to the northwest first? "

Peng Ze said: "Zhongtang, Sun Butang proposed... saying that Huang Shangshu from Nanhu came to the capital to replace him. Maybe this person... can conjure money and food out of nothing."

Peng Ze didn't go to Yang Tinghe to investigate the Caoliang matter.

Everyone knows that the main purpose of grain storage is to ensure the supply of the capital. If all of it is transferred to the northwest, then the officials and people, the surrounding defenders, and the soldiers of Liaodong and other places will drink from the northwest wind.

But just because the situation on the three sides is bad, the defenses of various places cannot be collapsed. Even if there is trouble, the whole border can't suffer together.

The situation in Xuanda has been bad to a certain extent, and it's okay to be even worse, but if there are problems in other places, the entire nine border defense lines of Ming Dynasty will be over.

"Huang Gongxian?"

Yang Tinghe frowned.

Peng Zedao: "Zhongtang seems to have always had a prejudice against this person? It is said that when he supervised the treasury of Xuanfu as the right servant of the household department, he managed it in an orderly manner. , the officers and men in the army are well-known, if it is used to manage money and food in the Northwest..."

Now Peng Ze is in a hurry to go to the doctor.

As Minister of the Ministry of War, all his subordinates in the Northwest are "waiting to be fed". He has to find a way to raise money and food so that his power can continue in the Northwest Frontier Army.

Sun Jiao had no choice, so he recommended an official who could solve the problem, and Peng Ze took advantage of the opportunity to mention this person to Yang Tinghe. Liquidation, or not yet time to liquidate.

"He is in Nanhu, how can he be transferred to the north?"

Yang Tinghe didn't directly refuse, but just asked a cold question.

At the beginning, Huang Zan came to Xuanda as the right servant of the household department to manage the money and food affairs of Xuanda's treasury, but the problem is that Huang Zan is now the secretary of the southern household department. Official titles such as Minister of the Household Department or Minister of the Ministry of War, it is impossible to be demoted from Minister to Minister, right?

Besides, the Minister of the Nanhu Department had a heavy responsibility. The transportation of grain needed to be coordinated by the Nanhu Department, and the power and responsibility should not be underestimated. Why did Yang Tinghe put people who were not from his own faction into important positions in the court?