Baidu otaku as Chongzhen

Chapter 482 The Wordless Judgment

With Shou Sui, the last day of the first year of Chongzhen finally passed.An old era is coming to an end, and with the arrival of the new year, a new era is coming.

Except for the first day of the first lunar month, when receiving congratulations from the officials in the Huangji Hall, Yang Reform stayed in the harem to accompany his family. The queen was eight or nine months pregnant in Zhou Wan'er, which made Yang Reform, who was about to be promoted to a father, often bewildered one of them giggled.

Originally, according to the rules, every three, six or nine would go to court, even the first lunar month was no exception. However, Yang Reform obviously liked the habit of long vacations in later generations, and he did not intend to be a workaholic, nor did he intend to follow the historical track and let Chongzhen Too tired, a combination of work and rest is what Yang Reform wanted. Therefore, Chongzhen’s long holiday at the beginning of the second year was put on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. Shy of the majesty of the emperor, he didn't dare to be too wordy, muttered a few words, and went to enjoy the big vacation.

On the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, the first real early dynasty in the second year of Chongzhen began.

After not seeing each other for half a month, Yang Reform discovered that many people had gained weight.

After the cumbersome etiquette, the official court meeting began. Since it was the first official court meeting in the new year, the ministers, led by the chief assistant Shi Fenglai, said some nice and auspicious words, and Yang Reform accepted them all with a smile. ask.

"Is the Ministry of Households here?" Yang Reformed on the first morning of the new year, and the first question he asked was about the salt law.

"The minister is here." Bi Ziyan, Minister of the Household Department, came out and replied immediately.

"Is there any progress in the matter of the salt law?" Yang Reform asked, and the matter was done step by step, and it was almost brewing.

"Your Majesty, there has been some progress..." Bi Ziyan, Minister of the Household Department, immediately replied, perhaps because he has been working hard on the salt law these days, so it makes the whole person look a little haggard, and he is well-fed with others There is a difference between white and fat.

"Oh, tell me..." Yang Reformed.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, according to His Majesty's request and the suggestions of your colleagues, I have listed the following basic requirements for the new salt law. If these basic requirements can be met, it can be said that the new salt law is feasible. It is acceptable, if this requirement is not met, it means that the new salt method is not much better than the standard salt method, and it can be regarded as the new salt method is useless, and the salt method has failed..." Bi Ziyan immediately said seriously.

Following Bi Ziyan's serious words, the court, which was originally in a festive atmosphere, immediately became nervous, wondering what "perverted" demands the emperor's confidant would say.

"Oh, tell me..." Yang Reform also asked seriously.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, first, the reason for changing the Salt Law is as requested by His Majesty and suggested by colleagues. The Salt Law cannot pay the salt tax in full. My Ming Dynasty is thousands of miles away, with a population of tens of millions, and the salt tax is not enough every year. One million taels is actually ridiculous..." Bi Zi, Minister of the Household Department, said solemnly.

"... Therefore, the minister has drawn up an amount for the new salt law. If the amount of salt tax collected by the new salt law can reach this amount, it can prove that the new salt law is reliable, feasible, and sustainable. If it cannot be achieved, the new salt law will It's useless, invalid, I suggest you change it..." Bi Ziyan's serious words resounded through the entire hall, and completely wiped out the leisurely atmosphere brought about by the many-day holiday in the court hall.

"Oh, what kind of amount does the Qing family plan to set up for the salt class?" Yang Reform asked.

"Returning to Your Majesty, I believe that the annual salt class should not be less than 1000 million taels of silver, otherwise, it will indicate that the new salt law has failed, and I suggest that it be changed again..." Bi Ziyan's loud words made Chongzhen the first emperor in the second year. The people on the stage were astonished with stares in their eyes.

"Ah!..." The ministers who had been waiting for Bi Ziyan to say a number all exclaimed after hearing the number Bi Ziyan gave. Although they knew that the emperor would change the salt law, even though they knew that the new salt law would definitely It collected more money than the gang salt law, but no one dared to imagine that the emperor planned to collect 1000 million salt lessons every year, except of course, except for those who knew the inside story.

Some ministers are still exclaiming whether 1000 million taels of silver is too much, but they haven’t recovered yet. Some ministers are more flexible and have already covered their faces with their sleeves. If the new salt law charges 1000 million taels of salt every year , Compared with the old salt law, which was less than one million taels, salt merchants damn don't need any trial, this new salt law is the best trial for salt merchants.

"Your Majesty, this, Your Majesty..., isn't this too high?" Some ministers were dazzled by this number. Since when did Ming's money become so worthless?Whoever makes a move can cost millions or tens of millions. A few days ago, the emperor just took several million taels of silver as a bonus, which became the most lively event in the dynasty. It really opened people's eyes. A Minister of the Household Department dared to say that the salt class was raised to ten million taels. Although this was ordered by the emperor and everyone had already expected it, this figure is still life-threatening.

"Hehe, I need to ask Bi Aiqing about this matter." Yang Reform said with a smile, although everyone knows that this new salt method is made by himself, but the play that should be performed has to be performed, and he has to pretend that he just did it. Know.

The minister who asked the question was stunned for a moment, and suddenly he came back to his senses. He was really confused. It was the first time the emperor had heard of this salt method, so how could he answer himself?He turned his eyes on Bi Ziyan again and again.

"Bi Aiqing, I like to give Xinyan such a high tax amount, but I also want to know the reason." Yang Reform asked with a smile.

"Returning to Your Majesty, it's actually very simple. How much salt does a person need to eat every year? How many people are there in the world? Such a simple math problem can be calculated even by an immature child. Therefore, even if it is ten million taels, it is not too high..." Bi Ziyan said seriously and seriously.

The ministers heard this, and although they had been prepared for a long time, they were still taken aback by the emperor's style of handling affairs. They lamented that the emperor's means of handling affairs had risen directly from less than one million taels to tens of millions taels, and they were still so swearing, alas, this news As soon as the news got out, those salt merchants in the south who still wanted to rely on their connections and were still trying to find their way, completely cut off their thoughts!

"Oh, hehe, this is interesting, can the Qing family explain it..." Yang Reform asked with a smile.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, it's actually very simple. Each person needs to eat ten catties of salt per year. The registered population in the world is 6000 million. We should have used 6000 million as the base number. However, there are a large number of private households in our court. According to the estimates of the Ministry of Household Affairs, our court The actual population should be more than tens of millions. Each person eats ten catties of salt every year, and it needs one hundred million catties of salt. Your Majesty pays ten liters of salt for every catty. Therefore, there should be 100 million liters of salt, which is 1000 million. Two silver coins..." Bi Ziyan was extremely serious, yet simple and clear why he received so much salt.

Sure enough, it was a simple math problem. The ministers who were exclaiming just now calculated it a little bit, and they all became dejected. This is really a simple math problem. Many ministers instinctively wanted to argue, but they suddenly became better Thinking of something, he quickly dissipated his energy, the salt class was no longer something they could discuss, and no matter how much they discussed it, it would be futile.

However, some people didn't hold back, and said timidly: "Your Majesty, isn't there too many people?" Just after finishing speaking, the minister seemed to suddenly remember something, and immediately shut up.

The other ministers also looked at the minister who asked the question with strange eyes.The minister was horrified by the ministers of the court and the emperor watching him. He was really terrified and frightened to death. This question should not be asked. Nowadays, the residence newspaper is criticizing the salt merchants every day, and there are also articles breaking the news of the old Donglin Party. One of the most important ones is that there are thousands of servants in some Donglin Party families, and countless people under the shadow of these officials, resulting in a significant reduction in the court's taxes.Therefore, in this extraordinary period, after the special event of the "Donglin Party" fighting against the Donglin Party, the issue of concealing the household registration has actually surfaced. If the emperor talks about things, he is deceiving the emperor.

"Bi Aiqing, what do you think?" Yang Reform ignored the minister and asked Bi Ziyan instead.

"Your Majesty, the deduction of the minister is credible..." Bi Ziyan said solemnly, gently letting go of the population issue, not grabbing the whip of the minister, today is for something else, Instead of checking accounts.

"That is to say, there is no problem with deduction?" Yang Reform asked.

"Return to Your Majesty, no problem." Bi Ziyan immediately replied seriously and affirmatively.

The minister who spoke just now also wiped his sweat secretly. Fortunately, the emperor has no intention of pursuing this matter. He will comprehensively check the hidden household registrations in the world, but he can track down his family. Now that official or famous person in the world, there are not many families under his name?
"Hehehe, if it is really possible to collect tens of millions of silver, Bi Ziqing's family will really contribute a lot! But it has done a lot to me! I will reward you..." Yang Reform said with a smile, although the problem of hiding the household registration is very serious, But Yang Reform is not in the mood to manage it now, nor is he in the mood to investigate it. Now he is concentrating on the salt method.

"I don't dare to be a minister, I just summed up His Majesty's request and the opinions of my colleagues." Bi Ziyan said modestly.

Han Yu also sighed, this is the first morning court this year, what kind of morning court is there, it is obviously the emperor's silent and ruthless trial of the world's salt merchants!Compared with less than one million taels and tens of millions of taels, does the salt merchant still need to re-examine?If you directly beat him to death, everyone in the world will applaud, alas, if you knew today, why did you do it in the first place?The 500 million salt tax has been paid in full early, and the emperor will not take them under the knife, they can still be at ease, greedy!He blinded his eyes, and now everyone in the world is shouting and beating, and he has become a national thief who has harmed the country and the people. He has to be engraved on the pillar of shame in history. It seems that it is right, otherwise, I am afraid that I will have my own share in the shame.

After listening to the words of the emperor and Bi Ziyan for a while, Han Yu was ready to speak out. As an opposition party, he should be a good one and be more active. The emperor would not like it if he shrank his head.

"Your Majesty, I think that the salt tax of ten liters per catty is too high?" Han Yu asked under the watchful eyes of all the ministers.

Yang Reform took a look at Han Yu, seeing that the old man looked humble and not as aggressive as before, so he smiled and said, "I have to ask Bi Aiqing about this matter, in fact, I quite hope that there will be so many Yes, but I also think it’s a bit too much. I used to pay less than one million yuan for salt tax. Speaking of it, the salt tax was only charged for one penny per catty, but now it has suddenly risen to ten pennies... Bi Aiqing, what do you say?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, ten renminbi is actually not that high. Based on the previous salt method, each salt introduced to the kitchen households is only about one stone of grain, and the actual cost of salt per catty is only three to five renminbi. No more than [-] renminbi. In fact, nowadays, slightly better salt costs [-] to [-] renminbi, and lesser ones cost [-] to [-] renminbi, so even if you add ten renminbi to the salt class, the price of this salt will still be greatly reduced. Space, this is what I want to say, the new salt law must take into account the interests of the people of the world, the new salt law must ensure that the people eat cheaper salt, and it is good salt, only in this way, this new salt law is a good salt law, Otherwise, the new salt law will be a failure, and the new salt law will have to be revised..." Bi Ziyan said again, in fact, these are all explained by the emperor in the ticket salt law, and he is just paraphrasing.

As soon as Bi Ziyan finished speaking, the court was even more shocked!Ten million taels of salt is amazing enough, and now the emperor actually asks for a reduction in the price of salt and asks to eat good salt, this...

All the officials are full of mixed tastes, and Han Yu is even more embarrassed, what kind of early court is there!This is a veritable trial of the salt merchants!As soon as the emperor's new salt law came out, people all over the world supported it, but salt merchants..., salt merchants, alas, don't mention it, don't mention it, you've committed evil, you can't live!Han Yu kept sighing, and he firmly believed that he was right to split up in time, otherwise, the emperor would throw out this new salt law, and I don't know how many people would die.

Looking at the strange expressions of the ministers all over the place, Yang Reform still just smiled.

"Sure enough, Bi Aiqing has put her mind to it. She knows so much about the salt class. I didn't expect that there is so much knowledge in the salt class. I have benefited a lot! Let me tell you, after the implementation of the new salt law , How much will the price of salt be? Compared to now?" Yang Reform asked with a smile, with a little joy on his face.

"Returning to Your Majesty, I believe that the capital plus the salt tax can reach up to fifteen renminbi, and the salt merchant's transportation and sales can add up to 25 renminbi per catty at most. Compared with today's [-] to [-] renminbi, or even higher salt prices , can still reduce the price of salt, and allow the people of the world to benefit from His Majesty's new salt law. If the new salt law can do this, it means that the new salt law is successful, and the people of the world are all grateful to Your Majesty... "Bi Zi said solemnly and confidently.

"Is ten Wen's shipping money enough?" Yang Reform asked.

"Returning to Your Majesty, it's almost the same. There are distances for transportation and sales, and distances from salt-producing places. You can fine-tune them appropriately, or slightly lower, or slightly higher. It is also possible, and it is not generalized." Bi Ziyan replied.

"Well, this is understandable. In this way, it is really not much to collect tens of millions of taels of salt, and it can also allow the common people to eat cheaper and better salt. It is not contradictory. Hehehe, Bi Qing's family, I am very curious about the new salt law of the Qing family? Does the Qing family have a reasonable agreement?" Yang Reform asked.

The monarchs and ministers were talking about the salt class, asking and answering, as if they were discussing how to change the new salt law, but all the ministers also knew that the emperor must have prepared this salt law, and the so-called Bi Ziyan drafted the new salt law , in fact, it was just the emperor who said it through Bi Ziyan's mouth. What is this discussion about the new salt law!Obviously it's you who say, I'm judging the salt merchant!As soon as this news came out in the court today, the salt merchant..., alas,...

Listening to these things, Han Yu's eyes have already drifted away. He has already understood all the emperor's actions today. He remembered that when he was handling the Wei case, the emperor only wanted money and did not want his life. , Everything is easy to discuss, even Jin Yiwei has changed the way of doing things, looking for someone to drink tea instead of being sent to prison with a whip, and remembering that he suddenly turned around during that duel, even he himself felt a little surprised, and I am afraid that he will not agree with him. The appearance of the emperor has something to do with it.

Thinking about last year when the emperor released Qiao Yun, Minister of the Execution Department, and how the emperor released Qiao Yunsheng, Han Yu was not sure why the emperor did this before. If he followed his thinking, these people must be put to death, at least It was also necessary to make these people unable to turn over, but the emperor did not do so, and easily let Qiao Yunsheng go. When he left, he summoned him once, and he didn't know what he said. At that time, he thought the emperor was weak-tempered. His ears are soft, he can't be cruel, and he has a good temper...But today, Han Yu knows that he is wrong, the emperor's calculation is quite sophisticated, the reason why he let Qiao Yunsheng go, I'm afraid he is calculating the wealth of the salt merchants...

Han Yu suddenly felt like he had figured something out, looked up at the emperor, and saw the emperor sitting on the throne with a smile on his face, with a calm expression and a calm and easy-to-talk appearance, he could only sigh again, the emperor must not be underestimated!I'm afraid that now, the salt merchants in the south have already gone to Xu Zixian to donate their wealth on their own initiative, in order to ask the emperor for forgiveness. With the emperor's good reputation and always "kind and easy-going" appearance, I'm afraid there are really some salt merchants who will take this kind of gift from the emperor. This way, let Qiao Yunsheng go, I'm afraid that's the idea. With Qiao Yunsheng's guidance, or matchmaking, the emperor's plan, I'm afraid it will really start. Once someone takes the lead, the salt merchants have nowhere to go to the sky and go to the ground. In the situation where there is no way, I am afraid that he will go crazy to grab this way. Xu Zixian is in the south of the Yangtze River, and he is a person who can control the situation and make decisions. Possibly, Han Yu's whole body is clear... and thinking of the emperor talking to Qiao Yunsheng before he left, he was afraid that some secret agreement might really be discussed, no, it's not possible, it will definitely happen, alas, this time, The salt merchant's family wealth was completely received into the hands of the emperor. Compared with the family wealth that was exhausted, transferred, and lost after the death fight, it was a world of difference!

Think about the wealth accumulated by the salt merchants in the Ming Dynasty for 200 years. Even though Han Yu is well-informed and used to seeing money, his face is flushed and his heart beats faster. The emperor does not know how much money he can get. , good old man, easy to talk, it's all just a layer of skin...

Having figured it out, Han Yu suddenly laughed, perhaps, his decision to turn around at that time was really a good decision.

(End of this chapter)