Great Qing Xiangguo

Chapter 66

Chen Tingjing hasn't had a good night's sleep recently, and he stayed up all night last night.The results of the warehouse inventory came out, and there was a deficit of 58 four catties of copper material.Xu Da has only been in office for three months, so he is short of so much copper?In fact, as long as Xu Da confronts Ker Kun, the truth will be revealed.But Chen Tingjing pondered over and over again, it might not be that simple.The most important thing right now is to mint money. As long as the case of copper deficit is revealed, there will be a bloody storm, which will definitely delay the minting of money.It is extremely urgent to straighten out the money law, otherwise it will cause more harm.However, if Chen Tingjing finds out that the copper material is in short supply and fails to report it to the court in time, it will be a serious crime if he is investigated.

At dawn, the sound of the piano came from the simple room at the second hall of the Baoquan Bureau.Dashun, Liu Jing, and Ma Ming didn't go to bed either, they were waiting in the lobby all the time.Hearing the master playing the piano inside, Liu Jing pouted at Dashun and told him to go in and have a look.Dashun went out to fetch water and brought it in.Chen Tingjing washed up, ate breakfast indiscriminately, and buried himself in playing the piano again.Dashun and the others all knew that the master kept playing the piano, either because he was happy or something was wrong.I'm afraid the master is a little confused this time.

Xu Da came to the Yamen of Baoquan Bureau early, he got off the sedan chair, and heard the sound of the piano inside, so he couldn't help but slow down.Dashun came out to welcome him, and said, "I've met Mr. Xu."

Xu Da laughed softly: "Your master is so excited!"

Dashun said: "Master stayed up all night last night, play the piano to refresh yourself!"

Xu Da was startled when he heard this, and tentatively asked, "Have you stayed up all night? What are you busy with?"

Dashun hesitated and said, "I just serve tea and water, how can I know about the master!"

Xu Da entered the simple room lightly, and stood on the side listening to the piano.Seeing Xu Da coming, Chen Tingjing got up from the piano: "Master Xu, good morning!"

Xu Dadao: "Master Chen lives and boards at the Baoquan Bureau, I'm really ashamed!"

Chen Tingjing smiled and said, "Qian Fa, I'm an amateur, so the stupid bird flies first."

Xu Da laughed and said, "Master Chen is always modest!"

Dashun made tea and brought it in, but still retreated.Xu Da took out a box, opened it, and said, "Master Chen, the pattern of the mother's coin is ready, please have a look!"

Chen Tingjing took the money from Emperor Tongbao's mother, looked at it over and over, and kept nodding.This mother coin is carved from ivory and is very exquisite.Chen Tingjing said: "I think it's good, you can take another look."

Xu Da said: "I think it will work, it all depends on Mr. Chen's decision!"

Chen Tingjing said: "In this case, let's hurry up and present to the emperor."

Xu Da glanced at the ledger on the table, and couldn't help beating his heart.He guessed that the account would have been figured out a long time ago. Chen Tingjing didn't say anything, so it was inconvenient for him to ask.Ker Kun asked him to take the blame for the time being if the warehouse ran out of copper.He reluctantly agreed, but he didn't make up his mind.After all, it is life and death, so we have to play it by ear.

On the second day, Chen Tingjing led Xu Da to the Qianqing Gate to play a performance.The emperor inspected the mother coin carefully, and said: "This mother coin is exquisite in style, broad in font, and elegant in decoration. I am very satisfied. Mingzhu, what do you think?"

Mingzhu said: "I have seen it, it is indeed exquisite and elegant. Please ask the emperor to judge!"

The emperor nodded and said: "I agree with Chen Tingjing's performance, and hurry up to mint new money according to the mother's money! The purchase of a piece of copper is prohibited, and I will also play it!"

Chen Tingjing received the decree, but Samuha sang the opposite tune: "Report to the emperor, Chen Tingjing asked the emperor to prohibit the purchase of copper, and I have something to say. Regardless of whether the ban on the purchase of copper is reasonable or not, in fact, Chen Tingjing has already asked the emperor. Baoquan Bureau has been ordered to prohibit the acquisition before. The supply of copper material is related to money and law, and Chen Tingjing decides it privately, which is really daring."

The emperor said: "I have read Chen Tingjing's booklet and banned the collection of copper in order to prevent profiteers from destroying money and copper. I think it makes sense. But it is really inappropriate for Chen Tingjing to decide on such a big matter without reporting it to the court. !"

Chen Tingjing said: "Qi Zuo, the emperor, I looked at the warehouse of Baoquan Bureau and saw a mountain of copper piled up, so I felt suspicious. There are many things in Baoquan Bureau, which seem to be trivial, but they are all related to money laws. Rong Chen In the future, the book will be played in detail, and the most urgent task at the moment is to step up efforts to create new money."

Samuha was still not reconciled, and said: "Showing to the emperor, the minister thought that Chen Tingjing's duty was to supervise money laws, not go to the Baoquan Bureau to find fault. The emperor once taught the ministers to govern the world with tranquility as the most important thing. If Chen Tingjing counts pennies and pennies, the world will be in chaos."

Kelkun was secretly anxious, lest Samuha would force Chen Tingjing to reveal the case of copper shortage.Sooner or later, things were going to blow up, but it would be good for them to hold back for now.Ker Kun secretly gave a wink, and Samuha stopped talking.

Unexpectedly, Gao Shiqi said: "Chen Tingjing acted decisively and has the power to defy the sky!"

Mingzhu understood that this matter could not continue to argue, and said: "Your Majesty, I think Gao Shiqi's words are serious, and Samuha's words are unreasonable. Casting money is extremely trivial. If you have to report everything first, you don't know how to pay attention until the year of the monkey. Shun."

The emperor thought that it was Mingzhu who spoke fairly, so he said: "Mingzhu is right. I believe in Chen Tingjing, and I will allow Chen Tingjing to play first and then to play money!"

The emperor asked Chen Tingjing to play first, but no one expected it.After leaving the gate of Qianqing, Samuha and Kerkun went to the official office.Ker Kun said: "The warehouse inventory should have been settled long ago. Today, Chen Tingjing didn't mention a word. I don't know why?"

Mingzhu said: "Fortunately, Chen Tingjing didn't mention this matter, otherwise we'll see how you fight! Samuha, you are too reckless! It's fine if Chen Tingjing doesn't say anything, you still have to provoke him!"

Samuha said angrily: "Chen Tingjing always stares at the household department, I can't swallow this breath!"

Mingzhu said: "Now that you have something in his hands, you have to bear it! Are you really thinking about it? Xu Da is really willing to take it on his shoulders? It will only be good for you if this matter comes out a day later!"

Samuha was still not in a good mood, and said: "Ming Xiangguo, you are a scholar, minister of the Ministry of official affairs, and minister of the chief assistant. Chen Tingjing supervises the money law of the household department. I said hello to you. Prime Minister Ming Xiangguo can hold a boat in his belly, but I don’t have the strength!”

Mingzhu laughed and said, "Samuha, losing your temper is useless, you have to learn to lose your temper. You and I have been colleagues for so many years, when did you ever see me lose my temper? Suo'etu was in power for a while, why did you fall?" "

Both Samuha and Kerkun have no idea, just waiting for Mingzhu to continue.Mingzhu deliberately paused for a moment, and said: "Four words: Too much temper!"

Samuha quickly shook his head and said, "Oh, I'm a rough person, it's hard to learn!"

Ker Kun was always worried, and asked, "Ming Xiangguo, what's Chen Tingjing's idea?"

Mingzhu said with a smile: "No matter what tricks he plays, as long as he doesn't reveal the case of copper shortage for the time being, it will be beneficial to you. You have to let him do things, let him do more things!"

Samuha was smart this time, and said: "Yes, let him do more things. The more things he does, the more troubles he will have. Once he gets into trouble, we can handle it easily!"

Mingzhu smiled wryly, "Lord Samuha's mouth is really refreshing."

Samuha felt embarrassed and said, "Ming Xiangguo is making fun of me for being rude. I was born like this, so ashamed."

Mingzhu said again: "The emperor trusts Chen Tingjing very much, you all have to be careful. The emperor told me in private that he intends to promote Chen Tingjing as the Zuodu censor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate."

When Samuha heard this, he became anxious: "Ah? Zuodu Yushi is an official who specializes in manipulating people, Ming Xiangguo, this official must not let Chen Tingjing do it!"

Mingzhu sighed: "The sacred will is hard to violate, I can only delay as long as possible. In a word, you have to be careful in everything. First let Chen Tingjing do more things in the position of Minister of Qian Fa."

Ker Kun suddenly tilted his head and said, "Ming Xiangguo, Chen Tingjing is already in trouble today!"

Mingzhu listened, smiled and said nothing.Samuha was puzzled, and asked: "The emperor allowed him to play first, and the power is very powerful! What trouble does he have?"

Ker Kun said: "Chen Tingjing knew about the copper shortage case, but concealed it and did not report it. This is a serious crime!"

Pearl listened, still smiling.Ker Kun was actually more scared than anyone else in his heart. He expected that the warehouse must be in a big deficit, and he had just resigned.

Early in the morning, Chen Tingjing made an appointment with Kerkun and Xu Da to discuss, planning to start a new stove, and supervise the casting together with the officials of the Baoquan Bureau to see how much copper can be cast per hundred catties, how much consumables are used, and how much labor is required.Kerkun knew that Chen Tingjing's intention was to figure out the confusion of the Baoquan Bureau for many years, and he felt 1 reluctances in his heart, but he had no choice but to say: "Let Master Chen decide!"

Chen Tingjing then asked Xu Da: "Master Xu, how much labor is needed for a furnace?"

Xu Da said: "Back to Mr. Chen, a furnace needs one copper maker, two money samplers, two miscellaneous workers, one plasterer, one edger, one edger, and two grinders. There are one craftsman and one fine coin maker, eight service craftsmen, a total of eleven, and there are also one burner and two craftsmen."

Chen Tingjing thought for a while, and said, "Okay, you can find a group of craftsmen according to the number of people. People should be selected at random, and there is no need to choose the best masters. Don't call Xiang Zhong the stove head."

In front of the yamen of Baoquan Bureau, a new coin furnace was built overnight.On the second day, more than a dozen craftsmen were busy, while Chen Tingjing, Kerkun, Xu Da and Baoquan bureau officials gathered around the stove to watch.The copper water in the casting furnace was slightly tumbling, and the craftsman scooped up the copper water and poured it carefully into the money mold.Ker Kun hurriedly backed away, but Chen Tingjing went up to take a closer look.

Da Shun hurriedly said: "Master, you have to be careful."

Chen Tingjing smiled and said: "It's okay, I have been watching this kung fu since I was a child."

Ker Kun was puzzled, and asked, "Master Chen's family may not make money?"

Chen Tingjing laughed loudly and said, "How can you be so courageous? My family has cast iron pots and plowshares for generations, and the process seems familiar!"

At dusk, a total of three furnaces were cast.Chen Tingjing ordered the casting to stop, please go inside and talk.Sitting down in the lobby, Xu Da reported the number first, and said: "Master Chen, Mr. University of Science and Technology, today I cast three furnaces, and I got 34 strings of 820 five coins. Every hundred catties of copper consumes twelve catties, nine catties, and eight catties. .”

Chen Tingjing said: "After careful observation, I found that the loss of copper is not fixed. It depends on the quality of copper. In the past, regardless of whether copper was good or bad, it was calculated on the basis of twelve catties per hundred catties. It was too much. I think it must be It is advisable to lose nine catties for every hundred catties."

Kerkun said: "Master Chen's words are naturally reasonable, but the copper materials purchased by the Baoquan Bureau cannot guarantee that they are all good copper!"

Chen Tingjing said: "Well, the responsibility lies with the Baoquan Bureau. The imperial court allowed the customs to release [-]% of the red copper and [-]% of the copper, which is already very lenient. If the Baoquan Bureau accepts low-quality copper materials , there are articles in it."

Chen Tingjing said a few more words, and told everyone to go back and rest, leaving only Xu Da behind.Ker Kun also wanted to stay, but Chen Tingjing said no.Ker Kun was afraid that Xu Da would change his mind, so he left with a beating in his heart.

Everyone had dinner in the yamen, and then lit the lamp to settle accounts.Chen Tingjing wanted to do his own calculations, clattered for a while, and said: "In the past, the loss of copper materials was too high, and it should be reduced by three catties for every hundred catties. It can save more than 700 catties of copper every year, and can cast more than nine thousand coins." More than 230 strings."

Liu Jing interjected, "In other words, the money was stolen by people in the past."

Ma Ming also answered, saying: "Only for this item, more than 200 taels of silver are embezzled every year."

Chen Tingjing didn't answer, just looked at Xu Da.Xu Da blushed, and said: "Master Chen, I am ashamed of my lowly position. I have been here for several months, and I still haven't figured out what's going on inside!"

Chen Tingjing smiled and said: "It's okay, let's settle the accounts together, and you will figure it out."

Chen Tingjing looked at the account book in hand, and said: "The wages of the craftsmen are too much. Each drum casts one hundred catties of copper, and in the past, the labor craftsmen were paid 490 yuan. I calculated, and each item should be paid. Subtracted, a total of 430 five coins was reduced. For example, the first two craftsmen were paid [-] coins each in the past, which is too much. These two people are not coin miners, but only purchase materials and food, and hire labor craftsmen. Their wages are only [-] yuan per person, and [-] yuan has been reduced. The salary of the stove has been reduced from [-] yuan to [-] yuan."

Xu Da carefully asked: "Master Chen, the wages of the craftsmen are all hard-earned money, can it be reduced?"

Chen Tingjing said: "This is calculated on the basis of casting one hundred catties of copper per day. In fact, two to three hundred catties can be cast every day. We cast three hundred catties today. Each furnace needs to be paid for a year. The Baoquan Bureau received 12 catties of copper, and based on my reduced wages, it is equivalent to 72 taels of silver per year, which is not much different from the salary of a fifth-rank official like you!"

Xu Da suddenly realized, and said, "That's right, why didn't I think about doing the math?"

Chen Tingjing said again: "The wages of other craftsmen are even higher. In the past, every hundred catties of copper melted by a copper melter cost 180 Wen, minus 140 Wen. He still has [-] taels of silver a year, which is still higher than that of the third grade. The official salary is more!"

Xu Da couldn't help bowing his hands: "Master Chen is so shrewd, I really admire his humble position! Ashamed, ashamed!"

Chen Tingjing bowed his hand and returned the salute: "No, no, it's not your fault. After you took office, you were busy minting new coins, so the emperor sent me here. You haven't had time to display your talents!"

Hearing what Chen Tingjing said, Xu Da was ashamed and said: "I'm just a scholar, I barely take up this job, so I can't talk about talent."

Chen Tingjing said: "Master Xu, you don't have to be too modest. By reducing the wages of the craftsmen, you can reduce the expenditure by more than 700 taels of silver every year."

Xu Da didn't expect that there would be such a big loophole in the wages alone. If there is a deficit in the copper materials in the warehouse, what should we do?He wasn't sure whether to tell Chen Tingjing the truth early, or to follow Ker Kun's orders.

Xu Da was thinking to himself, and Chen Tingjing said again: "Master Xu, I want to see the roster of the servants who receive their wages."

Xu Da said: "The Baoquan Bureau only has a list of wages for each item, and there is no roster of unemployed craftsmen who receive wages."

Chen Tingjing asked: "This is strange! Then how to pay wages?"

Xu Da said: "The wages are all collected by Lutou Xiangzhong at the Baoquan Bureau according to the usual practice, and then he distributes them all by himself."

Chen Tingjing nodded for a while, and said to himself: "This Xiang Zhong is really a character!"

Xu Da listened, not knowing how to answer.It was very late at night, so Xu Da stayed at Baoquan Bureau.

Chen Tingjing instructed: "Master Xu, don't talk about the account we settled today outside. Especially the reduction of the wages of the craftsmen, otherwise there will be trouble." Xu Da nodded in response, and retreated to rest.

(End of this chapter)