The Soul of the Han Dynasty in the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 636
Now that the price of grain remains high, the "Red Flag Big Grain Bank" does not hoard and has been implementing the maximum price limit to supply the market, and it is also indispensable to make profits.

In fact, grain was the most traded item in ancient cities, and the capital with a population of one million consumed at least 200 million shi of grain every year.

In order to stabilize prices, the "Red Flag Grain Shop" sold polished rice and white noodles in the capital at no more than two taels of silver a stone.

The prices of corn, potato flour, and dried sweet potatoes sold in Gyeonggi are less than one stone and six renminbi.

Xu Guangqi, who knew how to settle accounts, reckoned that Huang Han's profit from farmland should not be less than 200 million taels of silver every year.

In order to prevent profiteers from forming an alliance to organize funds to purchase grain sold at a limited price by the "Red Flag Grain Line", and to prevent the inflated price of grain from causing the ordinary people in Shengdou to face hunger.

Regardless of how other officials and merchants do business, Huang Han is already adopting a rationing system when he sells grain in Gyeonggi, according to the household registration system and the common people in Gyeonggi handle grain.

The population of Shengdou Xiaomin's family is registered in the food book. When they come to the "Red Flag Grain Store" to buy food, they can't buy food with silver or copper coins alone.

The clerks of the grain bank will write down the purchase quantity of ordinary people in the grain book, and the average amount of grain purchased by an adult per year should not exceed two shi.

This method is simple and effective, and it is especially suitable when commodity resources are scarce. It can create the most basic equality, so that ordinary people will not go hungry.

This kind of behavior has made millions of grassroots people grateful and grateful, Huang Han's image of the savior has been continuously elevated, and too many ordinary people in the capital city are eager to work for Dongping Hou, and even more eager to become the "Red Banner Army".

Because it is not so simple to register and register grain books, as long as one member of an innocent family is working for Huang Han, the whole family can enjoy the price-limited grain, and the rest must find three families as guarantees to receive grain books.

The guarantors must be family members of the military and employees in the system. Each military family can provide security for ten households. They must also inspect the insured to prevent criminals and enjoy the benefits of price-limited food .

The superiority of the "Red Banner Army" system has been demonstrated, just like the huge difference between rural and urban hukou in the 70s and [-]s, of course it made the big Ming rise and the small people yearn for it.

Xu Guangqi knew that Huang Han was not a miser, and he was willing to use the silver in his hands to enrich the country and strengthen the army. The old man clearly knew that even if the court gave 480 million taels of silver to pay Liao's salary, it might not be enough.

Aitu has always been kind to the soldiers, and must subsidize a lot of money and food for Liao affairs.

But when he saw that the young emperor had gray hair on both temples, he was touched. Everyone sympathized with the weak. Xu Guangqi knew that Huang Han was a month older than Chongzhen.

Comparing two people of the same age, Huang Han is full of energy, his back is firm, his hair is black and shiny, and his face is rosy.But today, his back is a little bent, his face is pale and thin, and he has gray hair when he is only in his twenties.

Xu Guangqi, who was moved with compassion, said frankly:
"Your Majesty, the Marquis of Dongping is determined to serve the country and is not inseparable from Jiannu. He is sincerely planning to completely destroy Dongnu, and the salary and treatment he demands are not out of line.

As for whether the imperial court finally granted the title of King of Liaoshen County, it would have to be five years later, when Hou Zhen of Dongping beat him to the point of establishing slaves, subjugating the country and exterminating the species before considering the final award.

The Marquis of Dongping took five years to pacify Liaodong. Could it be that His Majesty was freed from the Liao incident and that all the efforts of the Ming Dynasty could not solve the mere bandits?

Daming is so great, how much should the national power increase if it does not use weapons for three years? "

Xu Ge is really capable, and he wakes up the dreamer with one word.

After thinking about it for a while, Chongzhen couldn't help showing a happy face.

Huang Han was caught in the Liaodong war and was constantly fighting against Jiannu. He estimated that he would not only spend energy, but also spend money. He would spend a year or two to put down the bandits and another three years to spare.

At that time, with a strong army in hand, money and food could still be saved. If there was no disagreement with Huang Han, who had just ended the war with Jiannu, the monarch and his subjects would naturally start well and end well. If Huang Han had malicious intentions, the court could suppress it by force.

Chongzhen said: "Ai Qing's golden and jade words, I listened to them as if they were enlightened, but only 150 million shi grains, horse feed, 480 million taels of silver, this amount is too large, after the imperial court gave Liao's salary, it was used to supply the soldiers who participated in the extermination of the bandits. There is very little money left.”

Xu Guangqi pointed out: "If your Majesty is willing to give the Marquis of Dongping power and give him an official rank, he is a man with great ambitions and will definitely do his best to complete the five-year Ping-Liao plan. For this reason, he will certainly not hesitate to lose his fortune.

Therefore, the veteran believes that the amount of Liao's salary paid by the court can be negotiated.

But this does not mean that 480 million taels of silver can be used to pay salaries, weapons, armor, and chariots to as many as 10,000+ soldiers in Jizhen, Ningyuan, Dongjiang Town, Denglai, Tianjinwei, Shanhaiguan, and Yongping. , Your Majesty, don't forget to spend a lot of money building a castle! "

"What does Ai Qing imply that the Liao pay that Marquis Dongping asked for is actually not enough?"

"Of course, in the five years of the Ping-Liao Dynasty, we wanted to fight a real war with Jiannu, and fight a vicious battle, not to hide in a few cities and passively defend to waste money and food.

In the hands of Dongpinghou, every battalion in Liaoxi, Liaonan, Dongjiang, and Jizhen will be full and far away. The Liao salary of 480 million taels of silver is not enough. Dongpinghou was prepared to pay it back.

The old minister estimated that the imperial court would give 40 taels, and Dongpinghou would have to add another 20 taels a month, and 60 taels a month to barely cover his expenses.

Because the salary of the "Red Banner Army" is too high, on average, each soldier will not be less than two taels of silver a month.

Calculated with 15 people, it is 30 taels. If there are [-] to [-] horses and draft horses, tens of thousands of taels of silver will be consumed in a month.

15 people have to eat meat for three meals to maintain their physical strength and strengthen their combat effectiveness. There is no 10 taels of silver in a month.

Weapons, armor, military uniforms, gunpowder and lead bullets consumed during training...there are so many things, does your Majesty think less than 60 taels of silver a month is enough for expenses? "

Chongzhen was sweating when he heard that, and he said leisurely: "So, is it possible for the imperial court to discuss with the Marquis of Dongping to reduce Liao's salary?"

"It depends on how to talk about it. The old minister has heard Dongping Hou talk about his views on money many times. He thinks that money and food are worthwhile if they are used to enrich the country and strengthen the army. Everything else is just passing by.

The veteran judged that as long as His Majesty takes a step back in other aspects, it is still possible for the Marquis of Dongping to ask for at least 10 taels of silver. "

Chongzhen was extremely distressed, his eyes were red, he seemed to be asking a question and he seemed to be talking to himself: "Oh! It's a dilemma! If I agree to the conditions proposed by the Marquis of Dongping, it will be equivalent to putting the fate of Daming on him. just in case……"

(End of this chapter)