Baidu otaku as Chongzhen

Chapter 458

Bi Ziyan left Dongnuange with some doubts.

Wang Chengen reported again: "Your Majesty, Liu Yanyuan, Minister of the Ministry of War, has arrived. Do you want to see him?"

"See you!" Yang Reform took a sip of tea.

When Liu Yanyuan entered the Nuan Pavilion, he also checked the emperor's face. The emperor was not as angry as he imagined, and his face was not bad. It should be said that he was very good.

"I greet Your Majesty!" Liu Yanyuan saluted.

"No, sit down..." Yang Reformed.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" As a member of the imperial party, Liu Yanyuan sat down very comfortably. Now he is muddling around under the emperor's hands. It's a really easy day. The emperor let him do many good things to gain fame. , he likes to be the minister of the Ministry of War more and more, of course, the premise is that the emperor covers him.

"There will be a big battle in the spring of next year, and it will cost about three or four million taels of silver!" Yang said this since the beginning of the reform.

"Yes..., yes." Liu Yanyuan was caught off guard and wondered. He really wanted so much money. He knew the deduction of the staff department, and he was also present for the layout of next year's war. He knew that the emperor's words were not lies. Next year will be determined There is a big battle, three or four million taels is still tight, in case of accidents, I don't know how much money it will cost.Isn't the money always settled by the emperor himself?Why did you tell him?
"I just talked to the Ministry of Household Affairs. This year, the salt class is less than one million taels. There is still a gap of 400 million taels for disaster relief from Master Xu. I will not talk about what I posted earlier. Next year, the 400 million taels I'm afraid I will continue to post again, and counting the new army that was trained to deal with the Eastern captives, this is another several million taels of silver, plus the recruitment of the barbarian fleet, the construction of warships in the south, and the distribution of money to the frontier army. I’m afraid I can’t handle the salary without 300 million taels!” Yang Reform calculated his bills a little bit.

One thousand and three million taels of silver?Liu Yanyuan's head is getting bigger, how much money does this cost!The annual income of the Daming household department is only a few million taels, and it is not enough to give it all to the emperor!

"Your Majesty, this..." Liu Yanyuan didn't know what to say. The victories he won in the war against Donglu were all piled up with silver. Stop it, pile up this year, and pile up next year, otherwise, you will lose. If you lose, someone from the court will have to come out to "responsible". Thank goodness for losing the official and dismissing him.

"I heard that the cotton-padded clothes distributed to the frontier army this year, the response from the frontier army seems to be quite good! Isn't it?" Yang Reform said again.

"Returning to Your Majesty, all the officers and soldiers are grateful for His Majesty's reward, and remember His Majesty's great kindness. They all say that this cotton coat is warm and a good thing. Frontier officers and soldiers can have a warm year this year." Regarding this matter, Liu Yanyuan He regarded it as a major achievement during his tenure as Minister of the Ministry of War, and he often talked about it. Now hearing the emperor talk about it, he regained his energy.

"Well, the Ministry of War has never thought about it? Now it only distributes cotton-padded clothes to the frontier army, and other guards in the world, other officers and soldiers have no idea? If the cotton-padded clothes are distributed, there is no need for autumn clothes and summer clothes?" Yang Reform enlightened again.

"Here, Your Majesty..." Liu Yanyuan was stunned. Hearing what the emperor said, he meant that the emperor still planned to distribute cotton-padded clothes to all the officers and soldiers in the world.This... a good thing is a good thing, but how much money does it cost?

"The Ministry of War has never thought about it this way? How many officers and soldiers are there in the world, and each person trains every year, how much clothes and pantyhose do they need to consume in combat? How much do they need to replenish? There is no statistics and budget for this?" Yang Reformed.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, there are some, but it doesn't matter if you don't mention it, except for the Beijing Camp and other places that are better, for the rest, if you can distribute a set of clothes in two or three years, it is considered a favor from the Shangguan... If Your Majesty intends to Every year, various clothes are distributed according to the person, and the minister thinks that there are two million officers and soldiers in the world, and I’m afraid they will ask for a lot of money!" Liu Yanyuan told the truth, and he didn’t have to lie to the emperor about this matter, if the emperor didn’t know Insider information, why are you giving cotton coats to the frontier army?
"Well, I know this. I have this idea. The officers and soldiers usually train, and the wear and tear must be severe. Nowadays, it is obviously not possible to issue a set of clothes in the past few years. Even the most basic training cannot be guaranteed. The army without training, What is the use of him? Although the amount of money is too much, it is daunting, but the Ministry of War might as well make a plan on this matter, and see how much money it will cost in total to distribute two sets of clothes to each person every year... Although it may not be possible, but , Having plans and ideas is better than living in a daze without any preparation..." Yang Reform said again.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. If this is the case, the annual expenditure for this item alone will be quite huge! Please be careful, Your Majesty!" Liu Yanyuan agreed, but still reminded the emperor to do so. risk.

"Well, I know this, it's really difficult! But, doesn't the Ministry of War think that soldiers can't carry out normal training without clothes to wear, and can an army that can't even guarantee basic training be able to fight against the enemy? Then what's wrong with this army? Useful? Wouldn’t it be broken at the first touch?” Yang Reformed, this is really a worrying and basically unsolvable thing, in a country with an annual income of several million taels, it is certainly impossible to spend as much as 10 taels Buy clothes for the officers and soldiers.

"I...understood!" Liu Yanyuan said.

"...I know that this may not be possible, but this year, we have distributed cotton coats to 80 frontier troops, and another cotton coat to 80 officers and soldiers. Maybe I can do this. The Ministry of War might as well make a plan for this matter. Let's distribute cotton coats to those places..." Yang Reform said again.

"The minister leads the decree..." Liu Yanyuan immediately agreed, this is another good job to earn fame!
"You should be nervous about this matter, and try to bring it up in the next morning..." Yang Reformed.

"Thank you, minister!..." Liu Yanyuan hurriedly thanked him.

After seeing these people, Yang Reform, without exception, asked these guys to ask him for money.

……

The next day.

early morning.

Amidst the shouts of the ministers of civil and military affairs, the early court began.

All the ministers couldn't help taking a sneak peek at the emperor. They were quite happy to hear that the emperor was angry about the treason. After reading it today, it turned out that the emperor was doing well and his face was very good. Could it be true that the emperor ransacked his house? Got silver?Happy for money?

"Do you have something to play, gentlemen?" Yang Reform said with a gentle expression.

"Report to Your Majesty, I have something to report." Shi Fenglai was the first to stand up.

"What's the matter with the chief assistant?" Yang Reform asked.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, I implore Your Majesty to regard planting sweet potatoes as a national policy of our dynasty, so as to relieve natural disasters." Shi Fenglai got the emperor's instructions, and said straight away as soon as he came up.

The eyes of all the ministers fell all over the ground. Isn't this chief minister always the emperor's mouthpiece?How can you say such a thing today, and say that planting sweet potatoes is a national policy?Now, is the sun coming out from the west?All the ministers looked at the first assistant Shi Fenglai in surprise, but Shi Fenglai was very calm.

Yang Reform was also a little surprised. It really took some courage to speak out about planting sweet potatoes as a national policy in the court!Unexpectedly, this Shi Fenglai was so straightforward, which made Yang Reform admiration.

"Oh, making sweet potato planting a national policy? Is there any memorial for the chief minister?" Yang Reform asked, and the benefits of this double reed appeared. There is something wrong with my ears.

"Return to Your Majesty, I have. This memorandum is my impression after reading Xu Zixian's memorabilia for planting sweet potatoes..." Chief Assistant Shi Fenglai spoke very briefly and confidently today, as if he was a capable man. Shousuke.

"Oh, bring it up to have a look, big companion, and bring me Master Xu's memorabilia." Yang Reform gently instructed Wang Chengen.

Wang Chengen agreed softly, and first handed the memorial of the first assistant to the emperor, and then ordered someone to find Xu Zixian's memorial.

After a while, Yang Reform roughly finished reading it. It was basically the same as Xu Guangqi's book, but some things were added. For example, planting sweet potatoes was raised to the level of a national policy, supervised by the cabinet at all levels, and implemented in the prefectures and counties. , Responsible at all levels, if not implemented, the annual exam will fail, and the plan is not for one year, but for five years.

Yang Reform breathed a sigh of relief, and said: "Shoufu and Master Xu are both ordinary, they are both dedicated to the sake of the country and the people! I read Master Xu's memorabilia, which is very touching. Looking at the memorabilia of Shoufu, I think , It is majestic and majestic, if it can be implemented, it can show the great determination of our country and our dynasty to fight against natural disasters, this is really a blessing for all people in the world!" Yang Reform praised.

The ministers had already stretched their necks below. If it was normal, they would have discussed it long ago. However, when the emperor read the memorial, they did not dare to discuss it, fearing that it would affect the emperor's reading, so they all stretched their necks and watched. The emperor, I really want to know what the content of this memorial is.

"Big Companion, show these two memorials to your family." Yang Reform said pretendingly.

Only then did the ministers circulate the two memorials.Those who watched, some of them looked at it, and kept nodding their heads as a sign of approval, some of them looked at it, and showed no expression, and some of them shook their heads in a gesture of absurdity.

After the ministers circulated it around.Only then did Yang Reform begin to speak.

"Have you all read it? What do you think? Do you have anything to say about raising sweet potatoes to the level of national policy?" Yang Reform asked.

"I want to report to Your Majesty, I think this matter is good or not. Xu Zixian's lofty integrity to relieve the country's worries and plead for the people is indeed admirable. He is a model for my generation to learn from. However, I think that raising sweet potatoes to the national policy The height is a bit too high." A minister came out first, explaining his point of view.

Yang Reform nodded. There are still some people in the court who are thinking about problems.

"I would like to report to Your Majesty that I do not approve of this matter, and this matter is too child's play. I admit that sweet potatoes are indeed a good thing against natural disasters, and Xu Zixian's memorials are indeed touching. But, is it not a national policy to plant sweet potatoes? Have you planted it?" Another official expressed a different opinion.

Yang Reform also nodded, as if listening.

"Your Majesty, I believe that although Xu Zixian's memorabilia is touching and pleading for the people is right, it is not right to raise sweet potatoes to the height of national policy, let alone link planting sweet potatoes with the annual examination. Sweet potatoes have become the basis for deciding an official's promotion or dismissal? How can you put this face on the country? Don't lose your dignity!" A minister tried hard to persuade.

The court began to argue. Generally speaking, no one has any opinion on the promotion of sweet potatoes, but there are different opinions on how to promote it.

After listening for a while, Yang Reform felt that he had heard enough opinions, so he raised his hand.

The ministers who were still arguing immediately quieted down to see what the emperor had to say.

"Shoufu, what do you say to the ministers' questions?" Yang Reform asked Shi Fenglai.

"Returning to Your Majesty, I think that food is the most important thing for the people. Naturally, food is very important. If there is no food, wars will break out, the people will be displaced, and the world will not be peaceful. There is nothing wrong with increasing food as the national policy of my Ming Dynasty, it is in line with the teachings of the sages and the law of heaven." Shi Fenglai said seriously.

This statement was praised by many ministers, many people nodded, and Yang Reform also nodded. This is what I taught him.

"That's right, I've always thought so. The high yield and drought resistance of sweet potatoes, I think, needn't be said anymore. You all know that today's disasters continue. I think that the imperial court should make increasing the food for the common people a priority. Only when the common people in the world are full of food can they live and work in peace and contentment, otherwise, the world will not be peaceful, it means that I have lost my morals, and the court has neglected its duties, what do you think?" Yang Reform gave the chief assistant Shi Fenglai affirmation, and secretly smiled, This double reed sings really cool.

When the emperor said this, many ministers nodded. This is not bad. A world without wars is a prosperous age in many people's minds. If the people in the world can really feed their stomachs, this is indeed a remarkable thing.

However, there are also different voices.

"Your Majesty, I think that there is nothing wrong with planting sweet potatoes, but it should not be linked to the annual examination of officials. This, this is too serious, let alone planting sweet potatoes as a national policy. Doesn't this make me Ming?" A sweet potato on top of the head? This is too ridiculous..." An official hastily came out to object.

"Puchi..." In the main hall, many officials laughed out loud, asking Daming to put a sweet potato on his head?This is really funny enough.

"His Majesty, I think it is a good thing to promote sweet potatoes without delay. Why don't your majesty send an imperial envoy to take charge of the promotion of sweet potatoes throughout the world? This is enough, and it is indeed a bit too much to raise it to the level of national policy." It's..." Another official also suggested.

Yang Reform raised his hand again, and the ministers stopped again and looked at the emperor.

"Hehe, what the Qing family said just now is really funny, but if sweet potatoes can fill the stomachs of all the people in the world, even if there is a sweet potato on my head, I will recognize it. The society is second, and the king is the lightest'. I am the lightest in the words of the sages. For the most important people, it is nothing if I have been wronged. If sweet potatoes can really solve the problem of eating for the people in the world, even It is an offering for sacrificing ancestors, I can also replace it with sweet potatoes, and save tens of thousands of people in the world from suffering, I think, this sweet potato is worth offering to the altar..." Yang Reform doesn't care about face-saving projects, life is more important than face ?These people don't have the pain 17 years later, so they naturally care about face like that, but they don't care at all.

The emperor's words made all the ministers smile, the emperor really had a true temperament, and being able to say such words fully showed the emperor's seriousness and support for this matter.Many officials who originally wanted to object, after hearing the emperor's "joking" words, their minds became heavy, and they held back their objections for a while, unable to speak out.

Yang Reform looked at the reactions of the ministers, and heaved a sigh of relief. If he wanted to do this with such a low profile, the ministers should not object to him.

"Your Majesty, I object..." An official shouted loudly, causing the people in the hall who had stabilized to boil again.

"Oh, what's the Qing family's opinion?" Yang Reform's originally relaxed heart tightened up again. Judging by the official's posture, he seemed to be very confident in opposing this matter.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, I think it is indeed right to promote sweet potatoes. Your Majesty is willing to use sweet potatoes on your head to pray for a good harvest of sweet potatoes in order to support the people of the world. Your Majesty's great virtue is even more admired by you. However, I think that promoting sweet potatoes has the power of the whole world." Are they all promoted? If it is promoted in disaster-stricken areas, I have nothing to say, but not all places in my Ming Dynasty were affected by disasters. In some places, it may not be necessary to grow sweet potatoes. For example, the south has sufficient grain and rice, and there is no need to grow sweet potatoes at all. There is no free time to grow sweet potatoes, since there is no need to grow sweet potatoes to satisfy hunger, let alone no free space, is it not a joke to use sweet potatoes to determine promotion? Isn’t it unfair to Jiangnan officials?” The official said aggressively.

This remark immediately gained the support of many people in the hall, and they started discussing it one after another.

Yang Reform took a look at this official, and took him to heart. His words were very aggressive and ruthless, and he criticized the national policy of sweet potatoes to the brim. Yang Reform looked at Shi Fenglai, and handed over the matter to Shi Fenglai.

"Does Shi Shoufu have anything to say?" Yang Reform said, he should not get involved in this matter directly, let the ministers fight with the ministers.

"Reporting to Your Majesty..., I think..." The ministers thought that the chief assistant of the "response tube" would not be able to explain why. When they were about to see a joke, Shi Fenglai continued: "Reporting to Your Majesty, I think that if it is normal times, It is true that there is no need to plant sweet potatoes as a national policy, let alone plant sweet potatoes all over the world, and it is not necessary to use planting sweet potatoes as a basis for assessment. However, I believe that this is an extraordinary period, with natural disasters lasting more than ten years, In this way, it is necessary. This lord said that there is no need to grow sweet potatoes in the south, and there is no time to grow sweet potatoes. I think this is inappropriate, let alone, this year, your majesty will not be exempted from the three prefectures? Isn’t this a disaster? Who said that the south is free from disasters? Last year, Fujian was so devastated that pirates landed on the shore and moved tens of thousands of people. Does this mean that the south is free from disasters?”

Chief assistant Shi Fenglai confronted that aggressive official with a straight face.Immediately, many ministers agreed. This is true. This year the emperor did exempt the three prefectures from paying grain, not to mention what happened in Fujian last year. This is enough to show that the south was also affected by natural disasters.

The aggressive official just now was also speechless by what he said. It was a matter of nothing, but they tricked the emperor and made fun of him for a long time. It's really shooting yourself in the foot.

"...Your Majesty, I think that as for saying that there is no idle land, that is simply an excuse. I heard that in many places in the south, fertile land is converted into mulberry fields for profit, so that the price of grain increases every year. The land grows mulberries, but there is no land to grow sweet potatoes... I think this is just an excuse." Shi Fenglai said flatly, and when he finished speaking, he looked contemptuously at the official who sang against him just now.Although in the eyes of everyone, Shoufu is just a "batter", but this Shoufu's power is also very grand.

This time, Yang Reform couldn't help nodding, and looked at Shi Fenglai with admiration. This time, Shi Fenglai just finished talking about that aggressive official in a few words.

(End of this chapter)