serious man in the red chamber

Chapter 410
Chang'an is expensive, and living in a big place is not easy.

Starting from the Ming Dynasty, housing prices and rents in the capital began to skyrocket. It was not easy to buy or rent a house in the capital. Many officials could only rent a small house in a remote street far away from Liubu. Even Qingshui Yamen such as Guanglu Temple bought it with public funds. Several houses were rented to subordinate officials at low prices. Several officials lived in a simple courtyard house.

Of course, for Jia Hu, housing prices in the capital were not too expensive. He walked around the West Market and bought the restaurant on the corner of the street with a wave of his hand, as well as several surrounding properties and shops.

It wasn't that Jia Hu was panicking because he had too much money, but that the people around him were afraid that someone would set fire to the newspaper office again.

With no other choice, Jia Hu had no choice but to agree to buy the entire surrounding area and leave a six-foot-wide gap around the newspaper office to build a firewall.

Another landlord walked out of the restaurant with a smile on his face and a contract in hand.

In the restaurant, Lai Sheng presented a stack of house deeds to Jia Hu, who was sitting at the small table.

Jia Hu took the house deed and glanced at it, then threw it on the wooden table: "Hurry up and go to Shuntian Mansion to register the house deed, and then give it to the princess."

"Yes." Lai Sheng picked up the stack of house deeds and walked out.

Lin San came over from the counter carrying a pot of tea and a cup. He poured the tea for Jia Hu and placed the porcelain pot on the small wooden table.

"What happened just now?" Jia Hu picked up the tea cup and looked at Lin San.

Lin San took out a letter from his arms: "A letter from Wan Ping."

Jia Hu took the letter, opened the seal and read it. After reading a few lines, his face darkened.

Lin San looked at Jia Hu in surprise.

Jia Hu said "Humph": "Really, it was still 44 years ago! Are you playing dirty tricks with me?!"

Lin San couldn't help it anymore and asked tentatively: "Your Majesty."

Jia Hu: "Wang Zhong has been promoted and is now in command of the Xicheng Army and Horse Department."

Lin San was surprised: "Why hasn't any news been spread?"

"It's not an order from the Ministry of War. The imperial edict issued by the Daming Palace in the name of the young emperor was directly handed over to Wang Zhong."

Jia Hu stood up, took two steps back and forth, and said, "Go to Wanping yourself and deal with the matter there without leaving any clues!"

Lin San understood: "Yes." He answered, turned around and left.

Jia Hu: "Go to the military camp first to mobilize five hundred soldiers. Anyone who looks suspicious will be killed directly without mercy."

Lin San walked out quickly after hearing this.

Jia Hu pondered for a moment: "Let's go home!" He turned around and strode out.

A group of soldiers quickly followed him out.
In the cabinet duty room, the cabinet members gathered together again.

Jia She sat on the kang.

Zhao Zixun, Li Shouzhong, and Shi Guangzhu were sitting on chairs near the window.

Wang Hetang sat in front of the big case with a gloomy face. In front of him were a stack of bills and stacks of official documents.

After a while of silence, Li Shouzhong spoke: "Draft a strict decree to collect the money owed to the national treasury by all provinces and collect the tax money for the first half of the year!"

Zhao Zixun stood up and said loudly: "This is not the fundamental solution to the problem. The problem lies in the two battlefields in northwest and southern Xinjiang. So far, the amount of silver consumed in these two battlefields has reached 700 million taels! For more than half a year, Either the main force of the rebels cannot be found for a decisive battle, or the time and place are not favorable for our army!

How can there be no risk in fighting? ! "After speaking, he turned his gaze to Shi Guangzhu.

In addition to Jia She, Wang Hetang and Li Shouzhong also looked at Shi Guangzhu.

Shi Guangzhu had a solemn look on his face: "The Ministry of War will recommend military reports from northwest and southern Xinjiang every time. It is true that the war cannot be ended in a short time. Furthermore, the war is fierce and dangerous, and if you make one wrong move, you will lose everything." . Our army does not have an advantage in strength on these two battlefields."

All three were silent.

Zhao Zixun started walking quickly, then stopped suddenly, and asked Shi Guangzhu: "The northwest side has already retreated according to the king's strategy. Can you think of a way to mobilize some cavalry to fight the rebels as soon as possible?"

Shi Guangzhu: "No! The fundamental problem in the northwest is that the rebels are erratic and unable to find the main force of the rebels for a decisive battle. However, some elite cavalry can be mobilized to support the front line." As he said that, he glanced at Jia She.

"Now is not the time to say that."

Wang Hetang took out a bill: "According to the current situation, in less than two months, the court will not be able to squeeze out even a penny. If this continues, it will miss the court's military and national affairs. We can't afford to die ten thousand times." Take this charge!"

There was silence.

There was only one Jia She left, and he spoke calmly: "The court's lack of money is nothing more than cutting costs and increasing revenue. For example, last year, every expenditure was legitimate, but did we have to spend so much? In the past, it was okay to be extravagant, but now that the situation is special, all expenses must be tightened. Let’s all work together to get through this difficult moment.”

Li Shouzhong spoke: "That's exactly what you said. All the expenses of the yamen in Beijing will be reduced by half, and all the money saved will be used for the army."

Zhao Zixun: "This is just a drop in the bucket!"

Jia She continued: "We have just signed a trade treaty with the French. As long as the routes for merchants on the South China Sea are open, all the silk, tea and porcelain that the French want can be shipped out. In addition, there are also silver mines from Japan. .”

Wang Hetang interrupted him: "The two things you mentioned are the same as collecting money from various provinces. It will take several months. We can't wait that long. We need cash."

Jia She wanted to tease him with this sentence. After he finished speaking, he stood up. His eyes slowly glanced at Zhao Zixun, Li Shouzhong, and Shi Guangzhu, and then fell on Wang Hetang: "It's not that the Zhou Dynasty didn't have money, it's just that this money It’s not in the treasury.”

Wang Hetang, Zhao Zixun, Li Shouzhong and Shi Guangzhu were all startled, and all looked at Jia She.

Jia She said calmly: "In the fourth year of Jianwu, the Liaodong Army dug up the tombs of the Manchu Qing emperors and brought a large amount of property into the palace; the Yongwei camp also transported five batches of property from outside the customs into the palace; in the third year of Jianwu, Prince Teng A large army looted southern Anhui and most of the property was sent to the palace."

All four were silent.

Jia She: "Although the palace expenses are high, there is no problem in squeezing out 1000 million. As long as we have this amount of money, there will be no problem."

Wang Hetang stood up and took a few steps: "Having said that, I'm just afraid that the palace won't be willing to do so! Besides, it's hard for us to say this!"

Jia She looked at him: "If you want cash, you have to pay from the palace or from the officials. You can't increase taxes on the people of Gyeonggi!"

Wang Hetang turned around and said, "The late emperor had just exempted the people of the capital from taxes for a year after his death."

Jia She was stunned for a moment. He really wanted to raise taxes on the people.

Li Shouzhong also stood up: "If we can't reach an outcome through discussing this matter, we should report it to the old lady!"

At this moment, Song Jing's voice came from outside the door: "Chief Assistant, there is a message from the Daming Palace, saying that the Chief Assistant and several elders are invited to come over."

Jia She and Zhao Zixun looked at Wang Hetang together.

Wang Hetang picked up the bill, sighed and said, "Let's go." After that, he hurried out.
It was a warm spring afternoon, and Ningrong Street was very lively with people coming and going.A carriage stopped outside the east corner gate of Beining County Prince's Mansion.

At this time, Jia Rong walked out with a smile and accompanied an old gentleman carrying a medical bag. Under the waiter of the boy, the old gentleman got into the carriage.

The carriage started slowly.

Seeing the carriage go away, Jia Rong suppressed her smile, sighed softly, and turned around to go home.

Just then, the sound of horse hooves and wheels came from the street.

Jia Rong watched and saw a group of cavalry protecting Jia Hu's carriage approaching the gate.

"Uncle is back!" Jia Rong hurried over to greet him.

When he reached the door, the carriage stopped.

The carriage door opened and Jia Hu stepped out of the carriage.

Jia Rong came over quickly: "Uncle."

"Ah."

Jia Hu turned his eyes to the direction where the carriage disappeared and asked, "Are there guests?"

Jia Rong: "Back to my uncle, I am not a guest, but the doctor my nephew invited for the Qin family."

"What doctor?"

"My predecessor, Feng Ziying, came to give birthday gifts. He heard about the Qin family and introduced an old gentleman to him. This old gentleman was the one he studied with when he was a child. He was said to be knowledgeable, profound in medical knowledge, and able to diagnose people. His life and death. This year he happened to go to Beijing to donate an official position to his son, and he stayed at Feng Ziying's house. My nephew posted a message to invite him here."

Feng Ziying?
Jia Hu thought for a while, then turned to Jia Rong and asked, "What did the doctor say? Has Mr. Wang read the prescription?"

Qin's tragedy alerted Jia Hu, and now Lin Daiyu was also pregnant. Once she encountered a serious problem, she quickly hired an old doctor, the uncle of Dr. Wang, with a lot of money.

Jia Rong said sadly: "The old gentleman said the same thing as Dr. Wang and others. He drew up a prescription, left a sentence to see the doctor, and left. The prescription and the pulse chart were shown to Mr. Wang to see how to use the medicine. look."

Jia Hu understood, so he didn't ask further.

Accompanying Jia Hu into the door, Jia Rong suddenly remembered: "Earlier, my mother sent me to deliver ginseng to Aunt Lian, and Uncle Lian asked me to bring a message to my uncle, saying that he has done everything he asked me to do."

Jia Hu nodded. Although Jia Lian resigned, he still had some connections in the Ministry of Revenue, which could help him detect the whereabouts of the money and food in the Ministry of Revenue at all times.

Jia Hu stopped and said, "Tell Lin Zhixiao to clean up the three-in-one courtyard in the back street."

Jia Rong: "Yes. I haven't had time to congratulate my uncle yet."

"What are you congratulating?" Jia Hu interrupted him.

Jia Rong looked at Jia Hu: "Uncle, don't you know?"

Jia Hu looked puzzled.

Jia Rong understood and told Jia Hu about Xue Baochai.

Gee!
No wonder Lin Daiyu lay in bed muttering for a long time last night and said she would give you a surprise during breakfast. Come and translate, what is a surprise?

Seeing Jia Hu in a daze, Jia Rong smiled secretly, and then said, "My uncle has no other instructions, so my nephew is busy with his business."

Hearing this, Jia Hu turned his head and glanced at him: "Go." Then he walked into the Yimen.
It's almost dusk.

Wang Hetang walked out of the Daming Palace with a gloomy look, and Liu Yong, the right minister of the Ministry of Finance who was waiting beside him, quickly followed him.

Liu Yong: "Chief Assistant, what do you say to the concubine?"

Suddenly Wang Hetang's feet stopped, and then Liu Yong's feet also stopped.

Looking back at the deep palace gate, Wang Hetang sighed deeply, turned around and walked forward again. At this time he spoke: "Don't think about the money in the inner treasury."

"What? Not lending a penny?"

"It's not that I won't borrow, but I can't borrow. The money in the internal treasury is for emergencies and should be used wisely."

"Chief Assistant, you are not aware of the situation in the Ministry of Household Affairs. The 20 yuan that was just shipped out were all squeezed out through the teeth. Northwest, Southern Xinjiang, Guanwai, Jiubian, and the Yongwei camp outside the city. The [-]-strong army will soon have to pay military pay again. There are also the salaries of officials and the expenses of various ministries and yamen. The amount of money in the treasury cannot support the tax money entering Beijing." Liu Yong was anxious.

Wang Hetang said as he walked: "Starting from tomorrow, all expenses of all ministries and yamen in Beijing will be reduced by half. In addition, officials below the fourth rank will only receive half of their salaries, and those above the fourth rank will not be paid temporarily until the tax money comes to Beijing. Reissue!”

Liu Yong said quickly: "This is not enough!"

Wang Hetang stopped and said, "Then you go and borrow it from the chamber of commerce in the capital in the name of the Ministry of Household Affairs. These chambers of commerce are all wealthy people, so it is easy to borrow two to three million silver."

A wry smile crossed the corner of Liu Yong's mouth, and Liu Yong said: "Which of these chambers of commerce in the capital has no background? Tomorrow at the latest, the news that the palace refuses to lend money to the Ministry of Household Affairs will spread to the ears of each family. No one in the palace is willing to lend. If you give money to the Ministry of Accounts, they won’t even know how to do it!”

After a pause, "The surname of the Zhou Dynasty was Wu."

Wang Hetang was stunned, stood there in silence for a long time, then took a few steps forward, stopped again, and then walked back: "How many things were copied from the offices of Liang Jianzhang, Zhu Qizhen and the five corrupt officials of the Mei Party?" ?”

Liu Yong was overjoyed, but he pretended to be silent for a long time before he said, "I haven't gotten into details yet, but there are more than [-] taels of free money and banknotes."

Wang Hetang couldn't believe it: "Really?"

Liu Yong: "Yes."

Wang Hetang fell silent.

Thinking about Jia She's promise, Liu Yong plucked up the courage: "There are some words that I didn't want to say. It's just that the recent national situation is difficult, the northwest and southern Xinjiang are constantly using troops, and the national treasury is empty. At this time, the court should be strict."

Wang Hetang looked at him: "Say."

"It's time for the court to express its stance on the matter of Beijing officials embezzling local property." As he said this, Liu Yong glanced at Wang Hetang cautiously.

Wang Hetang was staring at him closely.

Liu Yong: "As far as the official knows, it is not just the big families who have had their ancestral fields seized, but also ordinary people." As he said this, he took out a stack of complaints from his sleeves and presented them to Wang Hetang with both hands.

Wang Hetang looked deeply at Liu Yong, and then he started to read the stack of papers. He only read a few lines, and his face gradually became serious. After reading the last piece of paper, his eyes were full of confusion, and he murmured: "This is the civil servant of my great Zhou Dynasty! How different is this from an animal?"

(End of this chapter)