Jinyi Town Mountains and Rivers

Chapter 86 Hu Zongxian's Difficulties

Chapter 86 Hu Zongxian's Difficulties
He Liu ordered the boat to dock, and escorted Lu Da and Bai Xiaoyan to the imperial envoy's camp.

He Liu's imperial envoy Xingyuan is actually the back office of the governor's office.There are people from Governor Hu Zongxian inside and out.Not long after, Hu Zongxian learned that he had arrested the Zhenfu envoy of Nanjing Jinyiwei.

Hu Zongxian hurriedly found He Liu.

"Old Six, did you arrest Lu Da?" Hu Zongxian asked.

He Liu nodded and said, "Hu Butang is so well informed."

Hu Zongxian was a little anxious: "Lao Liu, why are you arresting Lu Da? He is the head of Nanjing Jinyiwei after all."

He Liu said with a smile: "In addition to being the head of Jinyiwei in Nanjing, Lu Da is also one of the six private salt dealers in the south of the Yangtze River!"

Hu Zongxian sighed: "Oh, so, Lu Da has already confessed?"

With that said, Hu Zongxian sat on a chair in the Xingyuan hall.

He Liu unceremoniously moved a chair and sat in front of Hu Zongxian.

"Not only did I find out that Lu Da was smuggling salt, but I also found out the identities of five other big salt peddlers!" He Liu said.

Hu Zongxian put his right hand on his head, and it took a long time before he said: "I told you a long time ago not to go into the muddy water of Lianghuai Salt! This is good, I'll see how you end up!"

He Liu was a little strange: "Why? Could it be that the sixth imperial guard of Jinyiwei can't end the game if he arrests a governor of Jinyiwei in Nanjing? You should know, Hu Butang, that Jinyiwei in Nanjing is just wearing a tiger's skin and is no match for Jinyiwei in Beijing. No real power."

Hu Zongxian lined up a row of tables: "You have captured Lu Da. But have you captured Eunuch Yang from Bosi, Zhejiang? Have you captured Zhang Jin, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs in Nanjing? Can you capture Zheng Michang, governor of Zhejiang? You Did you catch Commander Hu of the Hedao Patrol Battalion? Or did you catch your third elder brother, Jin Wanguan, the behind-the-scenes owner of Sifang Teahouse?"

He Liu was stunned: Hu Zongxian obviously knew the truth about the Jiangnan private salt case long ago!However, Hu Zongxian only mentioned five of the six major private salt dealers just now.He didn't mention a word about Zhao Zhenji, the governor of Nanzhili.

He Liudao: "Hu Butang seems to have missed one person."

Hu Zongxian smiled wryly: "I'll tell you, old six! The person I didn't mention - that heinous private salt dealer is not the governor of Nanzhili Zhao Zhenji, but me! Governor Hu Zongxian of Zhezhi!"

He Liu seemed unable to believe his ears: "You? Governor Hu Butang is also one of the six largest private salt dealers in the south of the Yangtze River?!"

Hu Zongxian nodded: "That's right. Zhao Zhenji is just doing things for me."

He Liu was a little unconvinced: "Everyone in the officialdom knows that Governor Zhao belongs to Prince Yu. Hu Butang belongs to Old Yan Ge. How could Prince Yu's people do things for Old Yan Ge? Salt? Tell me, why does he do it for you?"

Hu Zongxian replied with a righteous face: "For the people of Zhejiang and Zhejiang provinces!"

He Liu almost laughed out loud: "Hu Butang. Don't be joking. Is the sale of private salt for the common people?"

Hu Zongxian sighed again: "Oh, I know you don't believe me when I say this. Sixth, let me ask you, whenever the imperial court encounters a famine or a military disaster, where does the court provide money to relieve the victims and allocate military expenses?"

He Liudao: "Does it need to be said? Naturally, the money is transferred from the treasury."

Hu Zongxian nodded: "What if there is no money in the treasury? You are in the officialdom of the capital, and you know more than me how much money you have in the treasury in recent years."

He Liudao: "The national treasury has indeed been stretched these years."

Hu Zongxian complained: "Then you should know that as soon as the treasury has no money, it transfers money to the treasuries of Zhejiang and Nanzhili! When the money in the treasury is dimmed, it will be forcibly apportioned to the salt merchants and silk merchants in Jiangnan! It is said to be the richest place in the entire Ming Dynasty. Heh, the treasuries of Zhejiang and Nanzhili are so poor that they can’t even afford the military salaries of Qi’s Army and Yu’s Army! Not only the military salary, but also the two provinces of Zhejiang and Zhili. I, the governor of Zhezhi, can't afford the floods and the money for disaster relief."

He Liudao: "What Hu Butang said is the truth. The imperial court has always regarded the officials and businessmen in the south of the Yangtze River as inexhaustible piggy banks."

Hu Zongxian said: "The imperial court has always been exhausted in the south of the Yangtze River. In the past few years I have been in office, I can only barely maintain it. Anti-corruption in the southeast is a major event! Military salaries, food, and ordnance, everything needs money. I guard The two empty treasuries in Zhejiang and Nanzhili, where can I get money to pay for the military expenses of the Qi family army and the Yu family army? I can only find money by digging holes in the mountains."

He Liudao: "So, Hu Butang and Governor Zhao are eyeing the private salt business?"

Hu Zongxian nodded: "Yes. The private salt business is among the various businesses in the south of the Yangtze River, and the money comes in the fastest. People from Eunuch Lu, Mr. Yan Ge, your Jinyiwei people, and even the emperor's people are all doing this business. For the sake of money, the parties who were at war in the court turned a blind eye to each other in Jiangnan. They even tacitly formed an alliance of private salt dealers - the Salt Gang. I, Hu Zongxian In front of the governor of Zhezhi, Zhao Zhenji is the governor of Nanzhili. If the two of us want to get involved in the private salt business, those people won't say much."

He Liudao: "In other words, all the profits from the sale of private salt by Governor Hu Butang and Governor Zhao were used in the military expenditures of Qi's Army and Yu's Army?"

Hu Zongxian stood up: "Lao Liu, I can swear to God. I, Hu Zongxian, did not take a tael of silver from the private salt business for personal gain! All the profits were given to Qi Jiajun and Yu Jiajun for military expenses! The private salt business is cheaper than those self-enriched Why don’t I personally intervene and find a military salary for the [-] sons of Qi’s and Yu’s troops!”

He Liu sighed: "I figured out why Hu Butang didn't let me touch the private salt case. If this case is found out, it would be like cutting off the military pay of Qi's and Yu's troops. I don't understand again, Qi and Yu The military salaries of the two armies should be approved by the Ministry of War and approved by the Ministry of Households. Could it be that the Ministry of Households has not given a single penny in the past few years?"

Hu Zongxian picked up the tea bowl and took a sip of tea: "Oh, three years ago, the emperor issued an edict: [-]% of the military salaries of the Qi and Yu armies will be paid by the household department, and [-]% will be raised by the governor's yamen of Zhejiang Province. This year, even the limited two The household department of the military pay can't even get it out. Ten of them have been raised by our Zhejiang and Zhizhi provinces."

Hu Zongxian put down the teacup and continued: "You know, the reason why Qi's and Yu's troops have repeatedly defeated Japanese pirates along the coast is because of their sharp firearms. Those junks given by the Ministry of War's Manufacturing Office? Oh, they can't even kill birds! Qi's army , The firearms used by the Yu family’s army are all bought from the Fulang machine man on the coast of Fujian! Do you know? A Fran machine cannon costs 5000 taels of silver, and a Fran machine gun costs 80 taels of silver! There are 2 people who need money for food and clothing, official salaries, and even fodder for war horses. There are huge sums everywhere! I can only use all methods to raise money!"

He Liu patted his head, thinking: This is really difficult.Hu Zongxian is a good official, and Zhao Zhenji is also a good official.But these two are like sitting in a boat with the other five corrupt officials.If I miss this boat, two good officials—even Qi Jiajun and Yu Jiajun's [-] sons will fall into the water!
(End of this chapter)

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