Great Qing Xiangguo

Chapter 64

Kerkun led the new supervisor of money law, Xu Da, to the money factory of Baoquan Bureau, and Xiang Zhongying came out of the door to say hello: "Greetings to the University of Science and Technology! Congratulations to the promotion of the University of Science and Technology to the servant of the household department!"

Ker Kun said: "Excuse me! Xiang Zhong, this is the new Supervisor of Qian Law, Mr. Xu Da. Come, I have met Mr. Xu."

Xiang Zhong hurriedly bowed to Xu Da and said, "I have seen Mr. Xu!"

Xu Da said, "I'm not very familiar with Qian Fa, so I hope you can give me more advice in the future."

Xiang Zhong hurriedly cupped his hands and said, "How dare you!"

Ker Kun said: "Master Xu, Xiang Zhong is very prestigious among the masters of the Baoquan Bureau. If you have any problems, you can just go to him." Xu Da nodded to Zhao Zhong, and Xiang Zhonghan smiled, honestly.

Having seen the ceremony, Xiang Zhonggong invited the two adults in for tea.He greeted Zhong respectfully.After drinking tea, Ker Kun said: "Xiang Zhong, Master Xu and I will go to the Yamen of Baoquan Bureau to hand over the account books. You should go with me."

Xiang Zhong was flattered and hurriedly nodded in agreement.

Ker Kun and Xu Da took their sedan chairs, followed by Xiang Zhong on horseback, and went to the Yamen of Baoquan Bureau.Entering the living room, I saw several stacks of account books piled up on the table of the Eight Immortals.It turned out that Kerquin had already given orders here.Ker Kun called the small officials of the Baoquan Bureau to meet Xu Da, and told them to listen to Master Xu's orders in the future.The little officials promised to stand in the hall.Kerkun pointed to the ledger on the table and said: "Last year, the thirteen customs handled a total of 260 catties and six taels of copper, all of which were put into the warehouse of Baoquan Bureau. As of last month, a total of 150 copper was consumed for coin casting." Eighty-four thousand, two hundred and thirty-two catties and five taels, and 230 catties and one tael of copper in stock. There are also detailed accounts for the minted coins. Master Xu, please look carefully."

Xu Da opened the account book and read it carefully, and said, "Master, let's go to the warehouse to check the copper materials and make money?"

Ker Kun said with a smile: "If Mr. Xu is worried, then go to the warehouse to take stock. But I can't finish the handover today, and the Ministry of Accounting urged me to arrive early."

Xiang Zhong interjected: "Master Xu, the young one has been working in the Baoquan Bureau for more than 30 years. He started from the hands of Lord Shunzhi, and the money he sent away cannot be supervised by less than ten people. The rules have always been like this. When officials hand over the inventory, only Based on the account books, take stock of the physical objects and choose another date.”

Ker Kun shook his head and said, "No, no, since Mr. Xu proposed to take stock of the goods, let's go to the warehouse to weigh one catty and one tael. Xiang Zhong, I have to go to the household department immediately, and you can take stock for me."

Xiang Zhonglue hesitated, and nodded in agreement.Xu Da felt a little embarrassed, and said, "Master, since the account books have always been used to account, why should I make extra troubles? No need, no need."

Ker Kun said, "I'm afraid Mr. Xu won't believe it. If you lose money in the future, it's hard to say!"

Xu Da hurriedly said: "Where did the University of Science and Technology talk? You are offended by your lowly position!"

Ker Kun said with a smile: "Where is it? Since Mr. Xu is trustworthy, we both will sign each other?"

Xu Da nodded, and asked Kerkun to sign first, and then signed himself.When Xu Da signed, Kerkun said straight to Mr. Xu that he had written a good handwriting, and he really loved it.Xu Da said that the handwriting of the University of Science and Technology is good, and the best calligraphy among the ministers is Master Mingzhu and Master Kerkun.

The handover between the two is considered to be over, talking and laughing happily.Xiang Zhong knew that the so-called physical inventory and another date were just a sentence.Xiang Zhong has seen so many Baoquan bureau doctors leave their posts, and no one has gone back to take stock of the copper materials in the warehouse.Most of the resigned have been promoted, so they are still willing to take care of old affairs.The rank of the successor is always lower, and I dare not ask the predecessor to come back to weigh every penny.

Ker Kun drank tea for a while, got up to leave, and said, "Master Xu, the burden of drumming new coins falls on your shoulders. Hurry up and order new coins of one cent and four cents."

Xu Da bowed his head and took the order, and respectfully sent Ker Kun out of the Yamen of Baoquan Bureau.

Xu Da didn't have time to sort out the clues of the Baoquan Bureau, so he was ordered to mint heavy money of one cent and four cents first.But heavy money has been sent out, and money making in the market is still tight.When the emperor heard the play, he hurriedly summoned the ministers to ask questions in Changchun Garden.

Xu Qianxue had already followed the emperor to Changchun Garden, and just came out of Danningju. He met Chen Tingjing head-on, and rushed forward to say hello: "Your Majesty Xu Qianxue has met Mr. Chen!"

Chen Tingjing smiled and said, "Oh, just learn! As soon as I returned to the capital, I heard that you were the first in the museum test this time, Long Yan is very happy!"

Xu Qianxue shook his head and said: "I'm not a good official, I won the first place only because Mr. Chen didn't take part in the exam!"

Chen Tingjing shook his hand and said, "It's not the reason, it's not the reason!"

Xu Qianxue said again: "Lord Chen, I have something to say, I can't hold it in my heart. It was Master Zhang Ying who attended you three years ago, and it is Master Zhang Ying who tried to ensure that you return to Beijing in front of the emperor this time. For several years, the entire capital has said that you and Mr. Zhang Ying are at odds, and the lower officials can't understand it!"

Chen Tingjing smiled and said: "Ganxue, I have always respected Mr. Zhang Ying. I have to meet the emperor, excuse me."

Xu Qianxue felt ashamed and walked away.Chen Tingjing had already guessed that Zhang Ying must have another reason for joining him.When Chen Tingjing arrived at Danningju, Mingzhu and other ministers had been discussing for a long time about making money.Chen Tingjing paid his respects, and the emperor asked, "Tingjing, what can you do about money and law?"

Chen Tingjing said: "The minister has written a note, and I respectfully invite the emperor to read it!"

After reading the papers, the emperor stood up and paced around for a long time, saying: "All the officials and workers in the court advocate heavier casting of coins, but Chen Tingjingzuo, please switch to casting lighter coins. You can discuss it."

Samuha said: "The shortage of copper coins is because the people think that copper coins are too light and the money is worthless. If you change to light coins, the people will even less recognize money making. Chen Tingjing's idea is too pedantic!"

Chen Tingjing said: "Qizuo the emperor, I think that the shortage of copper coins is not because the people don't recognize the money making, but because the people don't see the money making. I investigated this matter in Shanxi, and it turned out that the money making was in the hands of profiteers. I think the situation in Beijing is similar to that in Shanxi. The crux of the matter is that profiteers destroy money and sell copper!"

After hearing this, Samuha was dissatisfied and said, "Your Majesty, Chen Tingjing confuses the public, turning black and white!"

The emperor didn't speak, and let his ministers argue.

Chen Tingjing said: "Show the emperor, and the ministers calculated the accounts. According to the calculation of one penny, one penny weighs one penny, two cents and five cents. If a profiteer destroys a thousand pennies, he can get ten catties of copper! The price of copper is set at the current time, and the copper coins collected for one tael of silver are destroyed and turned into gold." After copper, you can earn a full six renminbi of silver! Now the new money has been increased to one renminbi and four cents, and profiteers can earn seven to eight renminbi by spending one tael of silver to collect copper coins! With such a huge profit, it is inevitable for profiteers to take risks!"

The emperor looked at Mingzhu and Samuha, and said, "Why didn't I hear that you have settled this account?"

Mingzhu faltered, but Samuha said: "Chen Tingjing guessed wildly, and there is no basis for it!"

At this time, Gao Shiqi, who had been silent all this time, spoke: "Qizou the emperor, I recently heard a new saying that the shortage of copper coins is due to the poor market; the poor market is due to the suffering of the people's livelihood; Because of the coordination of the big households!"

The emperor sneered and said, "Chen Tingjing, have you heard of this?"

Chen Tingjing knew that Gao Shiqi was trying to trick him, but he had no choice but to say, "I have never heard of it."

Mingzhu said: "Show the emperor, the imperial court pacified Yunnan, and the big households have made great contributions! Now preparing for the war in Taiwan, we still need sufficient military pay, and the big households must not give up the overall planning!"

The emperor still sat down on the kang, waved his hands and said, "I have no intention of abolishing the overall planning of the big households, so don't say any more. Now that the money law is blocked, people's livelihood will be inconvenient; if people's livelihood is inconvenient, there will be no place to make money; if there is no place to make money, the treasury will be difficult to continue. In the end, it is difficult to raise military salaries, and preparing for the war in Taiwan will be empty talk! Therefore, the biggest thing right now is to straighten out the money law!"

After discussing Qian Fa for a long time, they still couldn't reach an agreement.Chen Tingjing said: "The emperor has three strategies, please ask the emperor to order! First, straighten out the money law, change the casting of light money, and prevent profiteers from destroying money and copper; The common people live and work in peace and contentment; [-], adjust salt, iron, tea and tariffs to prevent leakage, so as to fill the treasury with silver!"

The emperor nodded and said: "It sounds very reasonable! I ordered Mingzhu to convene a meeting of Jiuqing to discuss it in detail!"

Mingzhu bowed to the leader's decree, but was quite unhappy in her heart.If the emperor obeys Chen Tingjing and changes to light money, it will be like slapping Mingzhu's mouth.

Chen Tingjing said again: "I still have something to say to the Emperor of Ming Dynasty! The Beijing Province casts money, the Ministry of Households is in charge of the Baoquan Bureau, and the Ministry of Industry is in charge of the Baoyuan Bureau. I think that the accumulated evils are all in the two departments of household and industry, and we should avoid it." The Second Department will send money and law officials to supervise it!"

When Samuha heard what Chen Tingjing said, he immediately became angry, and said: "Chen Tingjing, what is your intention to keep an eye on the household department!"

The emperor shot the dragon case and said angrily: "Samuha, you are openly arguing with others in front of me, you are not a minister!"

Samuha hurriedly knelt down and said: "Qizou the emperor, because I have impeached Chen Tingjing, he holds a grudge in his heart, and he can't get along with his minister everywhere!"

The emperor closed his eyes, ignored him, and said: "You guys can discuss the matter of Qian Fa again. I think what Chen Tingjing said is not unreasonable, so you might as well give it a try. I have another idea, order Chen Tingjing to be Qian Fa's servant, In charge of minting money in Beijing Province."

Mingzhu understood what the emperor meant, and the Jiuqing meeting would be just a formality.Chen Tingjing also served as the Minister of Qianfa, supervising the important affairs of making money in Beijing Province.Samuha was a person who couldn't hold back. When he came to Mingzhu, he was full of grievances and said, "Ming Xiangguo, the emperor approved Chen Tingjing's method of making money, so we have to knock out our teeth and swallow it!"

But Mingzhu spoke in a high-sounding way, saying: "Samuha, as ministers of the imperial court, we should not only pretend to be our own gains and losses, honors and disgraces, what matters is the country's money law! As long as Chen Tingjing is reasonable, we have to help him!"

Samuha said: "Of course this is the reason. But the emperor didn't say to pardon Chen Tingjing's crimes, he still wears the guilt, why does the emperor always respect Chen Tingjing?"

Mingzhu smiled coldly and said: "Gao Shiqi also said such stupid things! Do you think Chen Tingjing is really guilty? He is not guilty at all!"

Samuha's eyes were like lanterns, and he said: "Ming Xiangguo, I don't understand. Chen Tingjing is guilty, that's what the emperor said three years ago!"

Mingzhu smiled and said: "This is the wisdom of our emperor. The emperor has to make you feel guilty, and then forgive your sins, so you will be more obedient and loyal! As an emperor, you are not afraid of wronging good people. The emperor has wronged good people At most, I listened to the slander of the treacherous officials, the bad ones are the treacherous officials, and the emperor is still a good emperor."

Samuha nodded, but his head was still numb, unable to figure it out for a long time.Seeing Samuha's appearance, Mingzhu secretly sighed at the foolishness and ignorance of the ministers, but didn't say anything, just said: "Samuha, Chen Tingjing is very shrewd. He proposed to bypass the Ministry of Households and the Ministry of Industry, and send another official to supervise The money management method, I’m afraid it’s right. The Baoyuan Bureau has nothing to do with you, but the Baoquan Bureau is under the control of your household department!”

Samuha only nodded, without any suggestion in his mind.

When Xiang Zhong heard that the imperial court had appointed a new minister, Qian Fa, he became more careful in doing things.One night, when Su Ruzhai was clattering his abacus in the counting room, Liu Yuan drove a carriage into Quanyi Liji.It turned out that Xiang Zhong asked him to send the newly minted coins directly to Su Ruzhai.Su Ruzhai was frightened, but Liu Yuan said, "Master Xiang is very thoughtful. I'm afraid you will cause trouble by collecting copper coins everywhere, so I just pull the newly minted copper coins to you!"

Su Ruzhai was stunned for a long time before saying, "This is a good way! Is it just easy for Baoquan Bureau to explain?"

Liu Yuan smiled and said, "The new supervisor of the doctor of the Baoquan Bureau, Mr. Xu, is a bookworm, easy to fool! I just heard that Chen Tingjing, the new servant of Qianfa, is a powerful character."

Liu Yuan repeatedly asked Su Ruzhai to be more careful, and left quietly.

A few days later, Chen Tingjing went to Baoquan Bureau to take up his post, and Kelkun accompanied him there.Liu Jing and Ma Ming naturally followed.Xu Da received the news early, and led the servants and Xiang Zhong to wait outside the Yamen of Baoquan Bureau.After seeing each other, Chen Tingjing said: "All the money in the world comes from this. I swear to the sky today that I will not be private in the slightest. I would like to encourage you all!"

Ker Kun said generously: "I would like to work with Mr. Chen to abide by the law impartially and conspire to make money together!"

Xu Da clasped his hands and said: "As a humble supervisor of the doctor of Baoquan Bureau, he is responsible for his duties and dare not have the slightest greed."

Chen Tingjing nodded and said: "The emperor asked me to supervise the money law, but I don't know anything about minting money. I would like to ask you for advice! I want to learn from the beginning, first find out how much copper is in stock, and then figure out how much copper is consumed every year for minting money."

Ker Kun bowed his hands to Chen Tingjing, and said, "Master Chen, I think the most urgent thing is to cast new money, not to clean up the inventory."

Xiang Zhong looked at Ker Kun's eyes and said: "Master Chen, it has been the old rule over the years that the furnace head goes to the Baoquan Bureau to get the copper, cast it to make money, and then return it in full. The accounts are clear and there is no need to take inventory."

Chen Tingjing looked at Xiang Zhong, then turned around and asked Ker Kun: "Who is this?"

Ker Kun said: "Back to Mr. Chen, he is Lutou Xiangzhong. There are a hundred Lutou in Baoquan Bureau, and he is in charge of them all."

Chen Tingjing asked: "Does the burner in charge of the burner have this official position?"

(End of this chapter)