Go back to the Ming Dynasty to be a thousand households

Chapter 308
First of all, Wang Dewan stood up for the Ministry of Industry in the engineering department.

He said to Emperor Wanli: "Now the country's annual income is only 400 million taels of silver, but the amount dispatched to more than 450 million taels is already greater than the income! In recent years, there has been an increase due to events. For example, Ningxia used troops for several months, and the payment was about 180. More than 680 taels, seven years before and after North Korea’s use of troops, about 24 taels of salary. It cost more than [-] taels to repair and dredge the Zhaojiaquan at the Sanshan Pass. In a few years, the national use has greatly increased... ..."

"Now the emperor's eldest son needs a lot of silver for wedding jewelry and other items, but because of disasters and injuries, the provinces still owe 120 taels of silver for satin materials, and more than 5000 taels of silver for kitchen materials. Ten thousand taels. When the treasury is short of money, the best way to save money is to save money. I ask you to reduce weaving to save people's lives, stop building palaces to help border storage, stop buying pearls and jade to benefit swallows, and review and purchase to save people's lives. To help the country, promote large-scale work to save trouble! In addition, today the Ministry of Industry has no money, and it is difficult to make preparations for the wedding of the eldest son of the emperor. Please send the Japanese compensation money to save the urgent need!"

When Wang Dewan went to the meeting, the officials of the six ministries went to the meeting one after another, and each of them said a thousand words, but they all condensed into one sentence: begging for money!
Among them, the newly-appointed Minister of the Household Department, Chen Jue, and the Minister of the Household Department, Zhang Yangmeng, were the most enthusiastic and frequented.

In mid-April of this year, Yang Junmin, the former Minister of the Household Department, passed away, so Chen Yu, the former Shanxi political adviser, was elected to succeed the Minister of the Household Department.Chen Yu, courtesy name Bohan and nickname Yinghong, was born in Yingcheng County, Huguang.Jinshi in the second year of Longqing, successive Yibin county magistrate, Hu Ke Ge Shizhong, Shanxi deputy envoy, Shanxi political participation, and currently serves as Minister of the Ming Dynasty.

When Chen Yu was not serving as the Minister of the Household Department, he was very dissatisfied with Emperor Wanli's order to open mines and ask for taxes, and favored Huang Laifu and other warriors.After he became Minister of the Ministry of Households, he originally had great ambitions, but due to the years of repeated wars in the Ming Dynasty and the exhaustion of Ku Yin, his ambitions suddenly disappeared, so he turned his ideas to the inner treasury of Emperor Wanli Silver to go.

In the household department, he made friends with Zhang Yangmeng, the right servant of the household department.Zhang Yangmeng, courtesy name Taiheng and nickname Jianchong, was born in Zezhou, Shanxi.In the fifth year of Wanli Jinshi, he successively served as Zuoge Shizhong of Like, Dugeshizhong of Engineering, Henan Youshenzheng, Taifu Shaoqing, and Zuo Fudu Yushi. In April of the same year, he served as the right servant of the household department together with Chen Yu. job.

Zhang Yangmeng is known to be generous and outspoken, and not afraid of power. When he was the censor of the Zuofu Capital, he discussed the gains and losses of current politics many times, criticizing Emperor Wanli for employing people improperly, favoring eunuchs, and tax envoys to harm the people. In the first month, Shangshu criticized Emperor Wanli for being "easy", "suspicious", "victorious", and "good goods", etc., which can be called a fighter in the Metropolitan Procuratorate.

After both of them were transferred to the Ministry of Household Affairs, although their grades were different, they had the same hobbies—that is, scolding the emperor, military officers, and eunuchs.So soon the two became friends, and many things were in the same mind.

On the second day of March in the 30th year of Wanli in history, Emperor Wanli said that "today's treasury is empty, and the border is in a hurry. The officials of the household department suspect each other and push each other. He ordered Chen Yu, Minister of the Household Department, and Zhang Yangmeng, Minister of the Household Department, to retire at the same time.This is also the first time in the history of Ming Dynasty.

……

Of course, it is not known whether Chen Ju and Zhang Yangmeng will have this fate in this history, but both of them have shown their historical disposition.After Chen Yu took over the position of Minister of the Account Department in April, he was extremely dissatisfied with the previous Emperor Wanli and Huang Laifu who bypassed the Account Department and issued Dongzheng bonds privately.

He said publicly: "If everyone is like this, what does the government need the Ministry of Households to do?... In the future, the issue of bonds by private individuals or warriors should be strictly monitored, and related matters should be approved by the Ministry of Households."

At the beginning of this year, when the Ministry of Household Affairs, the Ministry of Rituals, and the Ministry of Industry were cooperating to prepare for the wedding of the eldest son of the emperor, Chen Yu used the excuse that there was no silver in the treasury of the household department, and hoped that Emperor Wanli would allocate money from the internal treasury.

At that time, Emperor Wanli ordered the Ministry of Households to quickly handle the marriage of the eldest son of the emperor. The two supervisors, the Li and the servants, were ordered by the Ministry of Households to demand money and food such as paving the palace. , priced at 180 million taels of silver. Recently, the prison treasury has been discussing, and the value of silver has been added three times to 41 taels. According to the calculation, 2201 million taels of silver have been used before and after. Compared with the 17 taels used by the emperor when he was married, it is more than an increase Pay ten times, but it is still not enough to prepare a gift. Today, the Taicang Bank has only 900 taels of silver, and there is nothing I can do. Please send the silver from the inner treasury as an emergency!"

Because the Korean war was in a hurry at that time, although Huang Laifu had prepared 400 million taels of silver, most of them needed to be used on the Korean battlefield. Therefore, after seeing the report from the Ministry of Households, Emperor Wanli said: "There are so many used in the grand ceremony, it is really a last resort. The Ministry shall set up and send the funds to the various yamen for use, and there shall be no mistakes in payment."

However, Chen Yu just insisted that the household department had no money. In the end, he even wanted to retire from illness. In the end, Emperor Wanli had no choice but to appropriate the silver from the inner treasury to pay for it. Most of Huangzhuang and Huangdian's income was spent at once.

Chen Yu's behavior was regarded as a victory for all officials, but it also increased Emperor Wanli's dissatisfaction with him.

At present, Huang Laifu has withdrawn 1000 million of the 400 million taels of silver indemnity from the Japanese. The wedding of the eldest son of the emperor still needs a lot of money. Officials, soldiers and other ministries are short of money, and everyone is staring at the remaining 600 million taels of silver.

As for the Minister of the Household Department, Chen Jue, as the chief official of the Household Department, he naturally thought that he had more say in how the money was spent.

May 25.

"Taiheng, did you hear about yesterday's incident, the emperor has allocated more than four million taels of compensation to the Japanese, and you are blessed with that Huang?"

In the Huke Gallery, Hubu Shangshu Chen Jue looked gloomy, and slowly said to Zhang Yangmeng, the right servant of Hubu beside him.

After Huang Laifu shipped the first batch of indemnities from the Japanese to the capital, they were sent directly to the emperor's inner palace. The decision on how to spend the money was entirely in the hands of Emperor Wanli.After standing still for some time, Emperor Wanli finally made his first decision on how to spend the money.

Zhang Yangmeng snorted coldly, and said: "Absurd! How can the emperor decide the wealth of the country with one word? The emperor and the scholar-officials rule the world together. If this is the case, what is the use of our household officials? Hmph, Your Majesty It’s a country’s misfortune that it’s a good product, but it also favors warriors and eunuchs! Even Huang Laifu’s 400 million taels of Eastern Expedition bond money has to go through our household department, right? Mr. Chen, we must go to the public to clarify this matter!”

In the past, when Zhang Yangmeng was the left deputy capital censor, he was a fighter in the Metropolitan Procuratorate. Now that he is the right servant of the household department, he is even more eager when it comes to the money of the household department. After passing through the hands of others such as himself, it was directly in the hands of others, so he couldn't help being jealous.After the anger rushed straight to his forehead, he decided to give full play to his strengths and quarreled loudly at Shuda.

However, Chen Yu shook his head: "It is useless to talk about this matter. When Huang Laifu prepared funds for the emperor and sold the bonds for the Eastern Expedition, the cabinet and other ministries did not intervene. Now he asked the Japanese for compensation and took the money. If you are justified, the emperor will protect him!"
His face was deep: "However, this matter also taught us a lesson. We need to report to the emperor. If the government issues bonds again in the future, even though it has been approved by our household department, the matter must be handled by the household department in the future!"

Unlike the former Minister of the Ministry of Households, Yang Junmin, and others, many people were dumbfounded because of the great success of Huang Laifu's issuance of Eastern Expedition bonds. This point of view has spread to the hearts of the cabinet and the six ministries and officials.

When Huang Laifu sold the Eastern Expedition bonds that day, the cabinet and the six ministries watched the show with nothing, but now they regret it so much that their intestines are green. If they were in charge of selling the 400 million taels of Dongzheng bonds at that time, how much benefit they could get afterwards.

It is useless to regret it now, the key is how to remedy it afterwards. In order to compete for the issuance and management rights of the Ming Dynasty's national debt in the future, the workers, officials, cabinet, household department, and ceremonial supervisor of the Ming Dynasty have already fought hard. Of course, Among them, the household department has the highest voice.

Zhang Yangmeng nodded, and said: "What Chen Gong said is very true, but in order to compete for the issuance and management rights of the national debt, the Sixth Ministry and the Supervisor of Rituals are already fighting for red eyes. I don't know how many chances our Ministry of Households has to win?"

Chen Yu sneered: "Our Ministry of Accounting has always been in charge of the world's finances, and the rest of the ministries are not well-known, and their words are not right! No matter how they make a lot of noise, the future management and issuance of national debt must fall on the head of our account department. On this point, Taehyung doesn't have to worry about it!"

He said seriously: "The most important thing right now is to ask the emperor for the remaining 600 million taels of money!"

He said: "Nowadays, the money in the government is empty, and the waste is increasing day by day. The Ministry of Households owes the Ministry of Industry. There is a lot of silver in the Taipu Temple. The silver in the warehouse and this year's summer tax silver have long been used up. Check the Taicang Bank. , the remaining balance has been less than 1 taels. Even if the autumn tax is put into the treasury, after the shortfall is offset, there will be no surplus. And after the autumn, millions of shi will be paid to the guards and soldiers of the towns, and the discounted silver will be distributed. More than [-] taels, and there are officials’ salaries, which is another shortfall!”
A stern look flashed in his eyes: "Taiheng, the remaining 600 million taels of indemnity, our household department is determined to get it, if it doesn't work, the old man will have to ask for a medical report, will you advance and retreat with me?"

Zhang Yangmeng cupped his hands and said solemnly: "Mr. Chen has a heart of loyalty and courage. Yangmeng, how can I fall behind others! I should advance and retreat with Mr. Chen!"

Chen Yu said happily: "Okay, my way is not alone!"

……

After many days of quarrels between the various ministries, especially when Chen Jue, Minister of the Ministry of Households, and Zhang Yangmeng, the right servant of the Ministry of Households, were close by complaining of illness, on May 600th, Emperor Wanli finally made a statement that the [-] million taels of silver would be allocated The household department is assigned by the household department officials, and he is really annoyed by the bombing of the officials.

However, Emperor Wanli didn't say anything about the 300 million taels of silver from Japan's indemnity next year, and how to spend the money from Japan's annual indemnity over the years. Fight again.It is already a huge victory to get 600 million taels of money from the emperor this year.

Of course, after Emperor Wanli was relieved, it was Chen Yu's turn to have a headache. As soon as the joy of getting the money in a last-ditch battle was gone, officials from various ministries flocked to ask for money, and they flooded their departments.

……

Amid all the ups and downs, Huang Laifu, who was in the capital these days, has been very calm.On May 24th, after he received 400 million taels of silver from Emperor Wanli, he ordered Qu Yuanrui to release the news publicly, saying that it was time to withdraw the annual bond interest again.

Huang Laifu also asked Qu Yuanrui to publicize it so that everyone can see it, saying that the former Huang Junmen and the current Prince Taibao had promised everyone to buy Dongzheng bonds when the sale of Dongzheng bonds started on May 25, Wanli [-]. Every businessman who buys Dongzheng bonds can get high benefits. Not only does he have a high annual interest every year, but he can also repay the principal with interest after five years.

Take a look, in just two years, the Prince Taibao has fulfilled all the promises he made that day, the Japanese paid compensation, and opened up a treaty port. Now 400 million taels of white money is in the hands of the Prince Taibao, which proves All the Eastern Expedition bonds purchased by the merchants on that day were good things of real money, and they already had substantial guarantees, so they don't have to worry about the prince's and Taibao's lord not being able to pay in the future.

And when they received the annual interest in the past, didn't they smile happily?

However, now the Prince Taibao has also let out the word that if people who can’t wait to withdraw their principal in five years, they can withdraw it from the Prince Taibao now, and he will never stop him.This is the self-confidence of Prince Taibao and the strength of the Eastern Expedition Bonds sold back then!
When the news came out, no one sold the bonds in advance. Due to the high annual interest rate of the Eastern Expedition bonds, the value of the bonds bought by the merchants has increased a lot in the past two years, especially when the Ming army defeated the Japanese and gained a lot of money. After the news of the reparations came, the value of the Eastern Expedition Bonds rose even more rapidly.

Many people have also decided to keep these Dongzheng bonds in the future, and keep them there to enjoy the annual interest, and even pass them on to their children and grandchildren. I believe that with the ability of the Crown Prince Taibao, everyone can enjoy this annual interest for many years.

In this state of mind, although everyone happily exchanged for the annual interest of Dongzheng bonds, very few people wanted to get back the principal, and Huang Laifu's 400 million taels of silver was useless at all.Keeping most of the silver is good capital for Huang Laifu to invest in the future.

These are the businessmen who bought unregistered bonds. As for those big merchants who invested a lot of money to buy registered bonds, they have gone to North Korea and Japan to investigate business affairs.

Their registered bonds have a single minimum of 10 taels, no annual interest, and no repayment of the principal in the future. They just obtained the right to do business in Japan.However, after Huang Laifu signed the treaty with Japan on behalf of Ming Dynasty, especially the Toyotomi family's reliance on Huang Laifu will effectively protect their interests.After the opening of trade, the profits of sea trade are huge at this time, and I believe they will make a lot of money soon.

……

The receipt of the annual interest of the Eastern Expedition Bond was huge, and it became a hot topic in all parts of the capital. Seeing this situation, all the ministries and officials had nothing but envy and jealousy.

In the midst of all the turmoil, on June [-], the cabinet, the Ministry of Officials and the Ministry of War finally made the arrangements for Huang Laifu's position. They believed that Huang Laifu should continue to serve as the commander-in-chief of his Shanxi town because of Huang Laifu's young age and low qualifications. it is good.

This made Emperor Wanli very dissatisfied. On the [-]th, he called the cabinet ministers to discuss the matter, and drafted an edict to let Huang Laifu governor of the military affairs of the two towns of Datong, Shanxi, and concurrently manage the food and payment of the two towns. When the news came out, all the officials were shocked!

(End of this chapter)