Corrupt official in the Red Chamber

Chapter 75 Shandong Severe Drought
After Jia Rui persuaded Jia Zhen, he stopped interfering. The next thing was naturally a matter between Ning Guofu and Qin Ye.

That morning, the disappointed Jia clan members hurriedly left Shuiyue An and went back.

Others could rest for a while, but Jia Rui couldn't. After returning home, he immediately got dressed and hurried to the palace.

Arrive at the gate of Longshou Palace and ask the young eunuch to report inside.

Soon there was news that Jia Rui had an audience.

At this time, Jia Rui dared to enter the gate palace, and then visited the king in the side hall to worship.

After seeing the ceremony, Jia Rui stood at the bottom and looked up secretly.

I found that the face of the Grand Emperor was calm, as if nothing had happened.

"You've done a good job. Such ignorant things should ruin his reputation."

After complimenting Jia Rui, the Supreme Emperor avoided the topic, picked up a memorial and threw it at Jia Rui's feet.

"Look at it!"

Jia Rui quickly lowered his head to pick up the memorial, opened it and took a look.

It turns out that the memorial stated that there was a severe drought in Shandong, and it could be said that there was no harvest this year.

This is the memorial of the governor of Shandong requesting the food and money for relief from the imperial court.

Jia Rui was a little confused. He had never participated in the government affairs of the court. What did the Emperor mean by showing him this memorial?
"Read it, what do you think?"

"Returning to the Supreme Emperor, the governor of Shandong's memorial cannot be trusted immediately. People should be sent to investigate. If there is a severe drought in Shandong, food and funds for relief should be allocated for the stability of the court."

"You don't need to say that? I sent people to investigate a long time ago, and the news came back that there is indeed a severe drought in Shandong. If the relief food cannot be sent there after the autumn harvest, Shandong may be in chaos."

Now Jia Rui is a little confused. Since Shandong has been confirmed to be in severe drought, why not raise food as soon as possible, and then send useful officials to Shandong to relieve the urgent needs of the people?
"The emperor came to Longshou Palace yesterday to discuss this matter with me. Although we both want to send food to Shandong immediately, the treasury is empty and there is no peace in the north, so the court cannot send much food and money."

Jia Rui didn't expect things to go so badly. You must know that the imperial court has been established for less than a hundred years, and it is a time of prosperity, but the national treasury is so empty.

"Then there should be a lot of salt tax in Yangzhou. How about transporting the salt tax from Yangzhou to the south of the Yangtze River to buy grain, and then transporting it to Shandong along the canal, which can also solve the urgent need."

"Haha, you are still thinking about Yangzhou's salt tax. This money has already gone into the emperor's pocket. If you want to fish it out from his pocket, I don't have the ability."

Over the years, Yangzhou's salt tax has been controlled by the emperor, and at least 200 million taels of money flow into his pocket every year. As for the remaining salt tax, it is all handed over to the Ministry of Household Affairs, but this money has long been used up.

"You think of a way to get me some food and salary from Shandong."

Jia Rui was confused after hearing this. Can he do this kind of thing?He is not the God of Wealth. He points to a place and immediately produces a pile of money.

But he didn't dare to disobey the Supreme Emperor's words. After racking his brains and thinking about it, he couldn't help it. In the end, he felt that he had to make a decision on the salt merchant.

"The Supreme Emperor, the salt merchants in the world are as rich as a country, and they live a luxurious life. Now that the court is in trouble, it is time for them to reimburse them. Let these salt merchants immediately pool 500 million taels of silver."

The Supreme Emperor looked at Jia Rui with satisfaction, "That's very good, but have you ever thought that according to the greed of those salt merchants, if they are really asked to pay so much money, the price of salt across the country will immediately skyrocket next year?" times."

Jia Rui was stunned, he really didn't think about it.

After the Supreme Emperor's suggestion, he also figured it out. With the stinginess of these salt merchants, they lost so much money this year, and they must get it back from other places next year.

Then the original price will rise next year for sure, and after such a commotion, they also have an excuse, the court asked for so much money, if we don’t raise the price, how can we get back the cost?

But think about it, the profit they get from the price increase will definitely exceed 500 million taels.

There was nothing Jia Rui could do now.

"Jia Rui, yesterday the emperor recommended you to go to Shandong for disaster relief, what do you think?"

Jia Rui was so frightened that his legs became weak.

This is a terrible deal!

The imperial court now wants money but has no money, food but no food, what kind of disaster relief can they get, and they are going to Shandong by themselves, and they will not be eaten alive by those hungry people.

This job cannot be accepted.

After making up his mind, Jia Rui quickly knelt down on the ground, and said, "Your Majesty, you know me too. I'm not afraid of others if you say it's dancing with knives and guns, but you want me to go to disaster relief and do these dancing and writing things. I really don’t have the ability, so in order not to delay the important affairs of the court, I asked the Supreme Emperor to choose another worthy person.”

The Supreme Emperor looked at Jia Rui who was a little anxious, smiled and said: "Although you are now a third-grade official, to be honest, you have little influence in the court. I think you should go to Shandong. When you come back, you can use this credit to me." You can also get a reward.”

Your Majesty, this is to pave the way for Jia Rui to reach a higher level.

But Jia Rui was very resistant to going to disaster relief. After all, if he had no money or food to go to disaster relief, wouldn't that be asking for trouble?
"Long live my lord, I just want to go to Shandong, but I have neither food nor money. What should I do?"

"Don't worry, the emperor has allocated 30 dans of grain from the Ministry of Households, and I will allocate 20 taels of silver to you from the internal treasury. What do you think?"

I don't think so, Jia Rui thought to himself.

How many people are there in Shandong?There are at least a few million people. What do you do with 30 dans of grain and 20 taels of silver?It can burn high incense if it lasts for a month.

The Supreme Emperor signaled Dai Quan who was standing on the side to help Jia Rui up, and then said to him earnestly: "You always stand guard for me, and you have no future. After this matter is settled, I will let you go to the Ministry of Households as a servant. For a few years, a minister can't escape you."

After Jia Rui heard this, he understood the painstaking efforts of the Supreme Emperor, who wanted to promote himself!

Even though he is now a third-rank official, at the same level as the Minister, in comparison, the power of the Minister is dozens of times greater than that of Jia Rui.

Especially the Minister of Household Affairs. This is a fat position. How many people in the world apply for the position of Minister of Household Affairs every year?

By that time, Jia Rui had established a firm foothold in the court, had a place in the court, and was considered a big boss in the court.

What can Jerry say so far?I can only bite the bullet and go, if I refuse again, it will be too ignorant of flattery.

"Jia Rui thanks the Emperor for his kindness. Jia Rui is very sensitive to the Emperor's love for Jia Rui. I will prepare things to go to Shandong now. I will not embarrass the Emperor."

"Okay, ambitious."

The Emperor smiled happily, and then waved to Dai Quan next to him.

Dai Quan hurried to the side, picked up a tray wrapped in red cloth, and walked over.

"This is the Shangfang Sword I gave you. This time you go to Shandong. With this sword, you can mobilize the officers and soldiers in Shandong. At the same time, you can kill officials below the third rank first and then report them."

This power is not small. The imperial envoys of all dynasties have said that they can inspect places on behalf of the sky, but there are very few people who can really use this right.

Because they do not have the power to deal with these officials, the most they can do is suspend them temporarily and wait at home.

But this time, Jia Rui has a Shangfang sword, which can directly execute officials below the third rank. You must know that even the officials of the frontier are only third rank. It can be said that Jia Rui can become the local emperor of Shandong with this sword.

This is the insurance that the Supreme Emperor gave Jia Rui. Obviously, he was afraid that the Emperor would hinder Jia Rui, so he gave all the rights to Jia Rui.

(End of this chapter)