Chapter 437 436 Opportunity to Send Yan Shifan away

The Zhejiang war report was sent to the capital, but he did not receive the jubilation that Hu Zongxian had expected.

In recent years, such documents have been sent to you every year, but the next year, the Japanese pirates still appeared in coastal prefectures and counties on time to rob.

This is also the reason why the Beijing officials have become worse towards Hu Zongxian. They won the victory and killed countless enemies, but the Japanese pirates are coming again next year. What does this mean?

It was obvious at a glance that Hu Zongxian also had the problem of the generals and officials in the border town and falsely reported his military achievements.

The officials below all think so, let alone the people above, they have more channels to obtain information. Even if they know that the battle of Taizhou won nine battles and nine victories, they don’t have to wait until the end of the year. In September and October, the Japanese pirates will arrive as scheduled.

The criticism of the cabinet and Emperor Jiajing also reflects the attitude of the superiors, and the Ministry of War will examine the merits and be punished, and it will be done.

However, Yan Song still asked his son to write to Hu Zongxian, who was far away.

Not to mention whether the Japanese pirates will be suppressed or not, and quickly destroy the Fujian thieves. This is the focus of His Majesty's attention.

As Yunnan copper materials arrived, although some were separated by the inner court, they had some living money after all. The salary owed by officials was paid in some way, and the Ministry of Revenue responded to the previous documents sent to various places to raise money.

Yan Maoqing, the Censor of the Prime Minister of Salt and Fadu, reported that the quota of 440,000 Zhejiang salt is strange. Now the main course is blocked by private traffickers. The quota is not connected to the public. The quota is not connected to the public for a long time is a common practice for two Huai Changlu and Shandong. The old Zhejiang market has 300 kilograms of small salt and 400 kilograms of large salt. The price of large salt is increased. Now it is better to divide the two packs of 280 kilograms of each to collect the remaining salt. Each price of 300 kilograms of Hangzhou is 300 cents.

Yan Maoqing was named Jingqing, a native of Fengcheng, Jiangxi Province. He was a Jinshi in the 20th year of Jiajing. He was promoted from a transcendent to the censor and was promoted to the censor for the reign of the Censor.

Later generations rumored that Yan Maoqing was affiliated with Yan Song and was appointed as Prime Minister Liangzhe, Lianghuai, Changlu, and Hedong Siyan, and was a famous corrupt official in the Jiajing Dynasty.

This memorial was also the purpose of Yan Maoqing's intention to adjust the Liangzhe Salt Law system and limit the prices of salt buns and local salt to combat private salt.

In response, both the Cabinet and Emperor Jiajing agreed.

However, the court's attitude towards Yan Maoqing's memorials was different, but King Yu's attitude also made Wei Guangde a little helpless.

Perhaps influenced by official rumors, it seems that Yan Maoqing is a member of the strict party. The so-called salt law reform is just to gain greater benefits.

"Your Highness, the court's employment does not mean to see whether he is honest or corrupt, but to see the result."

One day, when King Yu talked about Yan Maoqing's salt law adjusted, he couldn't help but complain that this reform might aggravate Zhejiang. When local people in southern Zhili used salt expenditures, Wei Guangde couldn't help but say.

"What is the price of salt in the salt field? What is the price he set?"

Of course, King Yu was not unreasonable. The salt price set by Yan Maoqing did indeed increase compared to the previous salt price, which seemed to increase the burden on the people.

However, salt administration was the most profitable industry in the Ming Dynasty. Wei Guangde had the idea of ​​getting in at that time, but now, his dream has long disappeared. Now he has been thinking about becoming a cabinet minister.

Wake up and hold the power of the world, and lie drunk on the beautiful knees.

Wei Guangde just smiled, "What Your Highness saw was the salt price quoted by the officials at the beginning, but in fact, can the people really use that little silver to buy salt?"

"What does it mean? Do they dare to deceive the king?"

King Yu raised his eyebrows and asked sternly.

"The price that the court knew was the salt farm's appearance price and the price that the salt merchants transported the salt to the local area. Local merchants subcontracted the salt and sold it at a higher price, so the price of people buying salt far exceeds that of the court's price.

Yan Maoqing's method is just to openly expose what was hidden before and put it on the surface. The interest relationship here is complicated and it is difficult to explain at all.

But Your Highness, have you calculated that after this method is implemented, how much can the court's salt classes be increased?"

Wei Guangde replied.

"What's there to say about competing for profit with the people?"

King Yu shook his head and said.

After hearing what King Yu said, Wei Guangde couldn't continue to say it, but after thinking about it, he said one sentence.

"Before Yan Maoqing was in charge of the salt administration, Liangzhe, Lianghuai, Changlu, and Hedong Siyu were charged 600,000 taels of silver annually, and Maoqing increased to 1 million taels."

Wei Guangde shut up after saying this, and King Yu did not refute it.

The matter of money was undoubtedly the top priority of the Jiajing Dynasty.

The standard for employed people in the court that Wei Guangde said was not about morality, but about the results. King Yu knew that it was fulfilled here.

Wei Guangde's meaning in and out of words is nothing more than saying that the salt farm under Yan Maoqing makes money and pays more money to the court, so he is naturally considered an available official.

"Okay, he, Yan Maoqing, is your fellow countryman, I can understand it when I help you speak."

Finally, King Yu said perfunctorily.

When Wei Guangde heard the words, he felt speechless. He helped Yan Maoqing speak purely to tell King Yu that it is necessary to look at the interests of the court, at least within the scope of Yan Maoqing's salt field, local officials did not impeach the salt price too high, which led to the people's misfortune, so they should not blame too much.

The common people must want to use high-quality and low-priced goods, but is it possible that there are government officials and merchants?

In fact, it only takes one degree, and it is appropriate.

The situation in the Ming Dynasty was similar, and the system must have flaws, but if we really had drastic reforms as some people thought, I am afraid that the people will not only not support them, but will also rebel.

The system of the Ming Dynasty is actually suitable for this era, at least for the early Ming Dynasty. It is just that it did not adjust in time after the development of people's livelihood and failed to keep pace with the times. This is the root cause of the current problems of the Ming Dynasty.

In the early Ming Dynasty, all industries were in decline, and commercial taxes really didn’t receive much money. Finance relied on agriculture, so it was correct for Zhu Yuanzhang to value agriculture.

But to the present, the court has become bloated, but the finances are still relying on agricultural support. The industry and commerce that were not profitable before have flourished has now flourished and have become the most profitable industry, but have not shared the burdens that farmers bear at all. This time, the crux of the problem.

It is easy to implement and streamline government, so it can only expand wealth and work hard on industry and commerce.

In later generations, finance was supported entirely by industry and commerce, and agriculture not only did not bear taxes but also required subsidies.

Wei Guangde knew this but could not explain it. Because times have limited it, industry and commerce are far from meeting such conditions, even if it is within two hundred years, it will not work. It is useless to say more.

However, Wei Guangde still had to respond to what King Yu said just now, otherwise he would have mistakenly thought that the village party would be bad.

"Your Highness, I comment that Yan Maoqing is just speaking from his leadership of the salt field, not because he is from Jiangxi."

Wei Guangde defended.

"Well, I understand, but when he took the salt field, the prime minister should have considered his identity as a Fengcheng native."

King Yu sighed and said, "Actually, I understand that the minister below is not like this. My fellow villagers naturally have to take care of one or two. At least Yan Maoqing has made contributions in national affairs. As for character, I won't say anything."

After entering the Salt Administration, no one will not get rich. Wei Guangde understands and does not want to continue to worry about it.

If King Yu really wanted to find a clean official to fill the court, he would be afraid that the new recruits would be left in the officialdom because they had not had time to be greedy.

Well, even the Qingshui Yamen can pick out some water from the office expenses. Wei Guangde knew about it when he was in the Hanlin Academy, but he just didn't want to do that little money.

The capital was always the capital, and every day the memorials were sent in, and the situation in various places in the Ming Dynasty was also known to the upper class of the court through this form.

Just two days after this incident, the memorial of the Jiangxi Governor Zhang Yuanchong was sent again, causing the slightly more stable officialdom to start to stir again and undercurrents surged.

The Jiangxi Governor Zhang Yuan Chong reported that from December last year to May this year, the bandits in Guangxi broke into Jiangxi from Guangze, Ninghua and other places, and peeked into Xincheng and Guangchang, and plundered Wan'an and Taihe, and asked the Nangan Army Gate to cooperate in the fight.

The Fujian Inspector Li Tinglong also reported that the bandits Lu Shangsi, Li Zhanchun and others had joined Fuxing, and the remaining Japanese in Zhangzhou and Quanzhou were plundered everywhere. They were not located in Funing to the north of Jianning, and there were no robbers in Funing to the south.

Zhang Yuanchong's memorial mentioned for the first time that Zhang Lian's rebel forces had begun to invade Jiangxi. He had only contacted local people to cause trouble before, but now he has sent people to Jiangxi to rob.

Fujian Censor Li Tinglong even reported directly that Jianning and Beifu had become places for thieves to gather, and they also joined the Japanese pirates to rob them everywhere.

Just now, Hu Zongxian reported to Fujian and Zhejiang to repel Japanese pirates, and the censor reported that the bandits and the remaining Japanese were hooked up, which undoubtedly slapped Hu Zongxian in the face. The nuclear program of the Ministry of War was also stopped directly by a note from Xiyuan.

In more than ten days, the Jinyiwei quickly checked Zhang Yuanchong and Li Tinglong's report, and naturally the Jinyiwei was still conducting investigations in various garrison stations, and the news was soon passed back.

At this time, Emperor Jiajing would not believe the memorials of the officials below, he only trusted the memorials of the Jinyiwei.

Subsequently, Wei Guangde and others received news from Prince Yu's Mansion. Xiyuan issued several imperial edicts, inciting the Minister of War, Governor Hu Zongxian, Fujian Censor Liu Tao, Nangan Yang Yizhi, Guangdong and Guangxi Zhang Nie, and the Ministry of War proposed to quell Zhang Lian's rebels. They also submitted a meeting to discuss the rebellion of the enemy. The three provinces blamed the ministers for being rampant and disaster-stricken. Since they were lazy, they could not set up strategies to wipe out the enemy. They ordered each to be punished for the crime of killing the bandits. If they were to make mistakes, the censors would be appointed to participate in the re-government.

When the news spread, the Beijing officials were talking, saying that fortunately there was no order to reward, otherwise the court would be completely lost if they were praised first and then scolded.

However, before the Beijing officials could watch the fun, the capital also made a joke.

Of course, this joke is not funny at all.

Cha Bingyi, whose courtesy name is Xingfu and his pseudonym Jinchuan, was from Haining County, Hangzhou Prefecture, Zhejiang Province. He was a Jinshi in the 17th year of Jiajing. He was appointed as the chief official of Yazhong and the prefect of Shuntian.

After more than 20 years of entering the court, achieving the third rank is actually a good career, but such an official suddenly died in office.

According to the Imperial Doctor, he died of an official due to illness due to heatstroke.

However, everyone insiders know that this Lord Cha Bingyi was not in good health before. He has not been in charge of the affairs of the Taipu Temple for two years, and he didn't know what he thought, so he actually took the opportunity to win the position of Shuntian Prefecture.

Then the Ministry of Personnel reported it to him, and the emperor also criticized it for the most. He died after five days of taking office.

After receiving this news, King Yu couldn't help but get angry, "What did the Ministry of Personnel do? Don't you know whether those people are in good health first?"

In King Yu's opinion, if you are not in good health, you should recuperate. Why should you occupy an official position? If you die, it seems that the court does not care about the officials.

"This is strange."

Yin Shidan shook his head and said to King Yu: "I know this, Lord Cha, in the 26th year of Jiajing, Wang Gao, the Minister of Revenue, was imprisoned, Cha Bingyi and his colleague Li Rujin, and others tried their best to rescue him. They impeached Zhang Lu, deputy envoy of Lianghuai, to bribe Taichang Shaoqing Yan Shifan and others and Yan Shifan to steal the power of their fathers, embezzled and accepted bribes.

He was beaten by the court for this, and he was not from the Yan family, but Ouyang Shangshu promoted him."

The Shuntian Prefecture Prime Minister is the third rank, but the Taipu Temple Minister is the third rank. Moreover, in terms of power, the Shuntian Prefecture Prime Minister is much larger. No matter how you look at this matter, you will find it strange.

"Wouldn't it be?"

Wei Guangde didn't think there was anything at first, but after Yin Shidan said this, he felt something was wrong. Suddenly he thought of something and couldn't help but speak.

"Isn't it something? Just say it when you think of it."

Yin Shidan glanced at Wei Guangde and asked directly.

"I'm just guessing whether it's the idea of ​​Taipu Temple there. After all, in Ma City and Chang Yingku, they are all profitable places."

Wei Guangde thought about it and said what he had just thought of.
To be continued...