The most reckless man in the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 68 Salt Policy! Go and invite the Marquis of Zhongshan!

Wenhua Hall.

The little emperor was looking angry.

Because of today's court discussion, the civil servants and gentry showed their strong dominance over the court.

Even if the British Duke Zhang Mao and the Protector Zhu Hui came to the scene in person to argue with the civil servants and gentry in order to gain more military glory for the military officials, it would be of no use.

Liu Jian, the veteran chief minister of the cabinet, refused to let go. He directly pointed out that the military achievements in this battle were false and refused Zhu Hui's request for a reward.

The promotion, appointment and dismissal of military officials were in the hands of the Ministry of War. Liu Daxia, the Minister of War, also held objections, so naturally it would be difficult to pass the matter.

No matter how unwilling the little emperor was, he did not dare to tell lies with his eyes open, so he had to put the matter aside for the time being and prepare for a protracted war.

In the end, not to mention taking credit for Sergeant Wu Chen, he might even lose the military merits of General Chen Xiong.

"Salt merchants have been greatly facilitated. They can collect silver from nearby salt transportation departments such as Yangzhou and Hangzhou, and then go to the Lianghuai Salt Farm to sell salt for profit!"

In the fifth year of Hongzhi's reign in the Ming Dynasty, Ye Qi, the Secretary of the Ministry of Household Affairs, proposed to change the grain warehouse into the Silver Transportation Department. That is, the salt merchants would no longer transport rice and wheat to the border guards in exchange for Huai salt quotas, but would directly transfer silver to the salt transportation departments in the Huaihe River and Huaihe River. Si, in exchange for salt, went to the field to guard the branch, and the silver he received was handed over to Taicang. The silver was used to decompose the frontier guards, and the frontier guards used the silver to buy grain.

From what the savage said, it sounds like there are still a lot of tricks involved in "Ye Qi's reform"?

"It was convenient for officials and gentry to collect money, and they even used salt as currency."

"Even if Your Majesty personally orders and supervises it, there is little chance that they will give it."

Want money, food and soldiers?

sure!

But not now!

The little emperor looked at Tang Hao aggrievedly and told him about his current predicament.

Many of their previous plans could be said to be useless.

In the third year of Hongwu's reign in the Ming Dynasty, the imperial court implemented the "Open China Law" in order to solve the problem of military food supply for the border guards. Later, due to long-term disadvantages, the price ratio of salt and grain was out of balance, which reduced the willingness of merchants to transport grain. The law of opening up was gradually destroyed. Merchants were trapped and stuck in their branches, often going bankrupt, and the financial crisis of the imperial court intensified.

He never thought that Ye Qi's reform would have such harm!

In this way, he gave others a handle. The old chief assistant Liu Jian refused to let go. He just seized this point and refused the reward proposal. No one could find anything wrong with him.

"Little emperor, you have to remember that Yanzheng is a knife in your hand now!"

The little emperor spoke angrily, but the old Duke Zhang Mao stopped him and said: "Your Majesty, summoning Han Wen is meaningless."

"I just want to see why he doesn't allocate funds!"

"Then why do they all support Ye Qi's reform?"

"Damn savage, you are not allowed to say that again!" The little emperor was furious. He stood up and wanted to hit someone, but Tang Hao stretched out his big hand and held him down. He could only rage helplessly.

"That's right, it's Ye Qi!"

Zhang Mao and Zhu Hui looked at each other, but neither spoke.

After the two left, the little emperor immediately gave the order.

Hearing these sarcastic words, the little emperor couldn't help but frown.

His "reform" was actually to replace grain with silver and change the salt policy from "paying grain to open the middle" to "paying silver to open the middle."

Zhu Houzhao glanced at the two of them, and then waved his hand impatiently, telling them to get out!

From then on, merchants no longer had to go to frontier warehouses to collect grain bills. Instead, they could pay silver tael to the Salt Transportation Department in the mainland in exchange for salt. This was known as the "Ye Qi Reform" in history.

The little emperor couldn't help but sigh. Just as he was worried, Wei Bin hurried over to ask for a meeting and explained the current predicament of the new army in the East Government Hall.

Tang Hao sneered: "Then do you know how he changed the law? And why did he change the law?"

Jiubianjun Town is related to the Ming Dynasty, and everything deserves attention.

"Ye Qi?" Zhu Houzhao was stunned when he heard this, and then quickly blurted out: "That Ye Qi, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, who revolutionized the salt law?"

It's no wonder that the civil servants and gentry sent people to investigate. There are really too many fishy things involved and they can't stand up to scrutiny at all.

There was no money, food, or armor.

"Let Dongchang, Xichang and Jinyiwei investigate. Follow the line of your two good uncles. Anyone who is reselling salt, including those high-ranking officials, will be imprisoned. There will always be some big ones caught. Fish, it’s time for us to turn from passive to active!”

"Little emperor, have you ever thought about the consequences of this?"

Then who knows!

The civil servants and gentry really don’t want to give it. It’s useless whatever you say, even if you, the little emperor, give the order in person!

"This is really unreasonable!"

As soon as the banquet was over, the young emperor summoned Zhang Mao and Zhu Hui to discuss matters. Chen Kuan, the chief eunuch in charge of rituals, was also present.

The little emperor didn't understand why Tang Hao suddenly mentioned "Ye Qi". However, based on his absolute trust in Tang Hao, the little emperor didn't say much. Instead, he looked at Tang Hao quietly and waited. His following.

Hearing this, the little emperor became even more furious.

What else can be done?

Pay your own money to train a new army!

After beheading more than 80 barbarians, he dared to ask for credit for 20,000 warriors and sergeants. This was a huge departure!

However, the four people discussed it for a long time, but they couldn't come up with any result.

"But some are happy and some are sad!"

The old chief assistant Liu Jian refused to let go, so naturally the reward could not be extended.

"Why don't you support it?" Tang Hao asked with a cold face: "Your father wants money to go to the feast, the civil servants and gentry want money to enjoy themselves, and the salt merchants are so convenient that they want to offer Ye Qi as their ancestor... This In this exchange of interests, only the soldiers and civilians of Jiubian are suffering, but is it none of their business? "

"The civil servants and gentry do not want to allocate funds to train the new army. There are many reasons and excuses. They shout that the state treasury is empty and the people's livelihood is in decline. They just keep delaying the payment."

"Why? Because in the past, in order to save transportation costs, the salt merchants would specially arrange manpower to farm in Jiubianjun Town, and then use the grain to go to the nearby military town to report the success!"

"Ye Qi's reform, this must be a "beautiful thing"!"

Zhu Houzhao gave a low drink and said angrily: "What should we do now?"

"Tang Hao!" Zhu Houzhao was angry, "You are not allowed to mock my father!"

But this pocket is definitely not theirs, but the little emperor's own.

Half an hour later, Tang Hao's burly figure appeared in front of the little emperor.

"Hurry and invite the Marquis of Zhongshan!"

"Savage, you are finally here!"

Tang Hao couldn't laugh or cry after hearing this. He thought it was something big!

"Little emperor, do you still remember Ye Qi?"

"Since he dares to do it, is he still afraid of what others say? The Ming Dynasty's salt administration was corrupted in the hands of Ye Qi, and in the hands of your father!"

After all, people are right, and General Xungui is the one who is wrong this time.

"Consuming the national destiny of the Ming Dynasty in exchange for current benefits, this is the so-called Hongzhi ZTE!"

This Beijing army is not his four-guard forbidden soldiers. A supply of money, food and soldiers should naturally come from the Ministry of Household Affairs.

As a result, the Ministry of Finance is really having no money now, and it is really unreasonable for him, a little emperor, to spend his own money to train the new army!

"Someone, go find Han Wen, the Minister of Household Affairs!"

If you really want to say it, the fault lies entirely with Zhu Hui. It is a fact that he was greedy for credit and took credit for himself, and the risk was a bit outrageous.

Tang Hao asked the young emperor to cash in the salt as soon as possible, and then send money, food and soldiers there.

When will it be available?

Zhang Mao had been fighting with the civil servants and gentry all his life, but he still didn't understand the shameless methods of these guys.

After hearing this, Zhu Houzhao's expression changed instantly.

"It's easier for the court to collect money, which increases the income from the salt class."

Without him, the civil servants and gentry would have gone too far.

"It is the soldiers and civilians of Jiubian who are suffering!"

"However, after Ye Qi's reform, you can directly exchange silver for salt. The salt merchants will only farm when they are full. Therefore, the farmland in Jiubianjun Town will quickly deteriorate, and with it, the Jiubianjun The price of food in the town soared, and the border guards and civilians had no food to eat, and then they began to flee in large numbers..."

Little Emperor: "!!!"

The second update today, congratulations on the New Year and good luck!

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