Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 135 Official Property Declaration
This change was quickly noticed by Zhu You.

Seeing more and more memorials supporting the grinding method, Zhu Youjian was very happy.

It feels like sometimes some ministers just have to be forced to do something.

It is said that Huang Liji did nothing, but now it seems that this is not entirely true.

"Everyone says that Huang Liji is Wei Zhongxian's spokesperson and only follows orders."

"I think he still has some abilities, isn't he so mediocre?"

While dealing with these memorials supporting the grinding method, Zhu Youjian smiled and said to Wang Tiqian.

Wang Tiqian had an apologetic smile on his face, but in his heart he was wondering if the emperor had any intention——

These memorials supporting the grinding method also have his contribution.

After all, after Wei Zhongxian's death, the eunuch party needed a new leader. Some people chose Huang Liji, and naturally others chose him.

As the eunuch in charge of the ceremony, Wang Tiqian was still very powerful in the eyes of outsiders. The emperor's trust in him seemed to be as strong as ever.

But Wang Tiqian was self-aware and knew that he was helping the emperor's people occupy seats.

Once the emperor felt that Gao Shiming, Wang Wenzheng and others could shoulder the important task, he, an old minister of the late emperor, would have to go.

It can even be said that as long as you can save your life in the future, it will be the emperor's grace.

This made him secretly glad that it was a good move to arrange for Wang Wenzheng to send letters to the palace.

Xu Yingyuan, who acted carelessly, fell into trouble easily in the palace, and brought with him a group of old people from Qiandi. Wang Guotai and others were all sent to Nanjing by the emperor.

Nowadays, the most trusted person in Qiandi by the emperor is Wang Wenzheng, the deputy minister. The remaining people in Qiandi are also headed by him, and the emperor will not move lightly.

With Wang Wenzheng in the palace, Wang Tiqian thought that he could retreat safely. This was the reason why he could still feel at ease now.

However, Wang Tiqian also has troubles today, that is, the Integrity Department established by Wang Wenzheng in the Metropolitan Supervisor requires the eunuchs under review to declare their property. All illegal income must be turned over.

According to Taizu's rule, eunuchs should earn one meter per month. Except for this income and the emperor's reward, it is all illegal income.

This made Wang Tiqian really complain:

"Have you worked hard for decades just for a dollar and a stone?" 』

"Should I declare my property on my own initiative?" 』

Wang Tiqian was reluctant to submit the application.

But if you don't hand it over, after the eunuchs are examined, there will definitely be a eunuch who has had his property confiscated and will feel dissatisfied and throw away his property.

At that time, if the emperor knew that he had a fortune of millions and was so poor that he wanted to punish his relatives and confiscate their property, he might also punish himself in the name of rebellion——

Once included in a counter-case, it will be difficult to escape.

The matter of property declaration is really difficult for me.

Thinking about Wang Wenzheng's reminder to him, Wang Tiqian thought it might be the emperor's instruction. So much so that when I hear anything the emperor says now, I always feel that the emperor means something. He was always worried about whether he had disobeyed the emperor's wishes and whether he would be punished in the future.

This kind of torture made Wang Tiqian sometimes think that he could just hand over his property. With the magnanimity shown by the emperor, he should not be embarrassed.

But he was really reluctant to hand over the property he had finally collected.

He now understands why Wei Zhongxian refused to leave in the first place to help his nephew keep his title:

"Li Lingzhi fainted!" 』

"It's so stupid to be so powerful!" 』

"What fascinates Wei Zhongxian is the title, but what fascinates me is the property." "I can't follow in Wei Zhongxian's footsteps and put my life first." 』

Having made up his mind, Wang Tiqian did not go to Wang Wenzheng to report, but directly said to the emperor:

"Your Majesty, I have some assets in my family."

"Now that the country is in dire straits, the old minister is willing to hand it over to His Majesty, and it is entirely up to His Majesty."

Holding back the bleeding in his heart, Wang Tigan knelt down and even apologized to the emperor, saying that he should not have embezzled so much property.

Unexpectedly, Wang Tiqian came. Zhu Youjian was surprised at first, and then overjoyed.

He has been promoting the matter of declaring the property of officials for some time, but except for those who rely on him like Yang Jingchen and people like Lu Tunan who can't find money and food in Leng Yamen, few people have responded.

Wang Tiqian, as the eunuch in charge of the ceremony, responded proactively, which was really a surprise.

Especially after hearing that the property donated by Wang Tiqian amounted to one million, Zhu Youjian immediately said:

"Wang Qing is indeed loyal, and he is worthy of being a minister who the late emperor said can plan important things."

"I will forgive all previous crimes!"

He was so happy that he directly addressed himself as a minister and pardoned his previous sins. After Zhu Youjian reassured Wang Tiqian, he disposed of his property:
"Wang Qing keeps these properties, fixed assets such as houses, calligraphy and paintings, for himself, and treats them as my reward."

"You keep one-tenth of the floating wealth, and put the rest into the inner treasury."

"If the Ministry of Household Affairs cannot raise Shaanxi's salary arrears, it will use this money to solve the problem."

"Wang Qing has made great achievements, and I will reward him heavily."

As he spoke, Zhu Youji thought of the overseas affairs handling rights he had won from the ministers and ordered:
"King Ti Qiangong is loyal to the country, and the commander of the Jinyi Guards who was previously a shadow has been transferred to the hereditary position of Dongning Guards."

"Another brother, Yin's nephew, joined Jinyiwei and was appointed as a ninth-rank official with a hundred households of the sixth rank."

This reward was definitely not generous in the era when Wei Zhongxian was in power. Overseas hereditary official positions and ninth-grade minor officials may even be looked down upon.

But Wang Tiqian knew that Wei Zhongxian's previous reward did not count at all. This reward from the emperor can be fulfilled.

That he could receive this reward showed that the emperor was really happy.

Zhu Youjian was of course really happy. The family property donated by Wang Tiqian relieved his urgent need, and the matter of letting officials declare their property set an example for the inner court.

If he could gain millions or tens of millions of money from this and settle the salary arrears from Jiubian, he would even not hesitate to confer knighthoods and confer overseas titles like the Shuntian nobles——

Compared with the frontier troops waiting for unpaid wages and the stability of the Ming Dynasty, what is a mere title?
Even if he canonize princes, Zhu Youjian can do it!
Thinking about the title, and then thinking about the hereditary commander and other worldly officials, Zhu Youjian frowned slightly, feeling that it would be better to use the title:

"Hereditary official positions are too damaging to the official system, so it is better to use titles instead."

"I have obtained the authority to directly handle overseas affairs, so I don't need to worry so much."

"In the past, I could be conferred the title of Shuntian, but now I can also be conferred the title of overseas knight."

"Hereditary command, hereditary inheritance of thousands of households, etc., after all, are not as loud as the title."

"Consider changing them to knighthoods!"

With this plan in mind, Zhu Youjian looked at Wang Tiqian who had donated all his family property and said sincerely:

"Wang Zhangyin, what do you think about changing the hereditary command to a viscount, the hereditary rank of a thousand households to a baron, and the hereditary rank of a hundred households to a knight?"

"Are any nobles recognized for the titles of Viscount, Baron, and Sir?"

(End of this chapter)