The Red Mansions

Chapter 773 Emperor Chongping: Four to fifty million taels, the treasury will not be taxed for three years...

Jinling, Ningguofu
At this moment Daiyu is sitting in the garden of the back house, sitting in the hall, playing Go with Li Qi, while Li Wen is watching the battle with her arms around Shui Xin who looks like a porcelain doll. Gradually familiar with each other, laughing and talking, talking about everything.

The air in Jinling City after the rain is fresh. The sweet-scented osmanthus trees in the southeast corner of the courtyard, small light yellow osmanthus flowers, are sparsely falling in the grass. A few cheerful birdsong.

Zhen Xi was wearing a light white plain dress, sitting on a bamboo and rattan chair, holding a book in his hand, reading it intently, and there were two large characters "Three Kingdoms" written on the cover.

The girl lived in Ningguo Mansion last night. She looked like a frightened rabbit before, but now she has gradually calmed down. Under the curved and slender eyebrows, there is a beautiful, white and greasy oval face, dizzy like clouds, with a rosy nose. The lower lip is like a cherry shape, compared to Zhen Xue, because she is younger, no matter in terms of body shape or face, she is undoubtedly more petite and exquisite, like Zhen Xue in size M.

"Girl, drink tea." At this time, Xiren took a cup of tea, handed it over, looked at the girl with a demure expression, and thought to himself, I heard from Qingwen yesterday that this was sent by the Zhen family to be a concubine for the uncle.

"Thank you, Sister Xiren." Zhen Xi raised her beautiful and unprovoked Shao Yan, smiled slightly, and her voice was crisp and waxy.

Zijuan brought the teacup from the side, and handed it to Daiyu, Li Wen, and Li Qi who were playing Go, and Shui Xin, who was in Li Wen's arms, watching her aunts playing chess with her small face .

At this moment, Jia Heng changed his clothes, entered the hall amid the salutes of the mother and maid, looked at Daiyu and several little girls, and said softly, "Sister Lin."

Daiyu put down the chess piece in her hand, looked at the young man with starry eyes, and asked joyfully, "Brother Heng just came back from the Yamen? Where is Daddy? Did Daddy come back with you?"

Jia Heng nodded, and said softly: "I went to the Yamen of the Ministry of Household Affairs. Uncle, he went back to Yangzhou first."

Daiyu frowned when she heard the words, and said in surprise, "Why did Daddy go back to Yangzhou?"

Jia Heng said: "The regulations for salt affairs have been preliminarily determined in the yamen of the household department, and my uncle is in a hurry to go back to Yangzhou to handle official duties."

Hearing this, Daiyu's expression was lost, and she sighed quietly.

Jia Heng looked at Daiyu who had become melancholy, and said softly, "Sister, don't worry too much."

At this time, Zhen Xi was holding the book, her ears were pricked up, and she was overhearing the conversation between the young man and Dai Yu, with a hint of curiosity on her face.

Brother Heng and Sister Lin seem to be talking about salt affairs?

Jia Heng looked at Zhen Xi and said, "Sister Xi'er is still used to living here?"

In fact, it was really embarrassing yesterday when people encountered embarrassing things, and Zhen Qing, who was the older sister, was really absurd. I don't know if it left some shadows in the little girl's heart.

Zhen Xi put down the Three Kingdoms script in her hand, and said softly, "Brother Heng, Sister Lin, Sister Wen and Sister Qi have treated me very well."

Jia Heng nodded and said: "It's good to get used to living here, if there is something missing, just tell me."

Zhen Xi said shyly, "Thank you Brother Heng."

Daiyu gave up Go to the two sisters Li Wen and Li Qi, and followed Jia Heng out of the hall, to the end of the corridor in the backyard, and said softly: "Brother Heng just mentioned the salt affairs, is everything going well?"

As he spoke, he picked up the teapot at the side and poured a cup for Jia Heng, with a peaceful look on his beautiful face.

Jia Heng nodded, took the teacup, and said softly: "Smooth is smooth, rules and regulations have been established, and the rest is to see the implementation. The military affairs in Jiangnan and Jiangbei are similar. I will have a lot of free time in the future. Take good care of me." Accompany my sister for a walk in Jinling City."

During the previous seven days, I spent a day and a half with Daiyu to visit Jiming Temple, Phoenix Terrace and other scenic spots, and promised to do what Daiyu had done.

Dai Yu stared at the young man with sparkling eyes, and said softly, "Brother Heng is busy with business."

Jia Heng took a sip of tea and said: "My sister will clean up well tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, my sister will go to Gusu with me."

"To Gusu? The day after tomorrow?" Daiyu was surprised and asked.

Although Jia Heng said it yesterday, Daiyu didn't expect it to be so fast?

Jia Heng got up from his seat, leaned over, and took Daiyu's slender hand, the girl's slender and tender fingers seemed to be pale.

Daiyu's brows were filled with shame, and she said in a low voice, "Brother Heng."

Jia Heng hugged Daiyu in his arms, sat on his lap, like holding a porcelain doll, approached the girl's ear, and said in a warm voice: "It happens that I haven't been too busy recently, besides, I promised my sister before. "

You must do what you promised, you can't draw cakes, it depends on your attitude... Well, this can be regarded as a classic quotation from the little fairy.

Hearing this, Daiyu leaned her head against Jia Heng's arms, her heart was filled with sweetness, and she said in a low voice: "Brother Heng is so busy with business recently, it won't be too late to wait for a while."

Jia Heng said: "I'm not busy during this time, I just went to Gusu with my sister to see, and some time ago, Jiangnan Governor Zhang Yongchuan wrote to Jiangnan Daying, mentioning that the coastal defense warning system needs to be reorganized, in order to guard against Previously, the captives sailed across the sea to harass the coast, and I happened to go to inspect it, and it was both public and private."

In addition, there are still business trips to Suzhou, such as looking for the concubine of Princess Kuaiji, finding out the deficit during the Longzhi period, and then thoroughly investigating the remaining four major salt merchants.

Once the ticket salt law becomes popular, and the dignitaries in Jinling City hear the news, they all want to get a share of the salt profit, so there will be no sense of sadness for the Yangzhou salt merchants.

Wang, Huang, Jiang, and Xiao had owed and embezzled a huge amount of treasury silver from the Salt Transport Department, and they had to pay back one by one. This is not a complete extermination, but a redistribution of social wealth and resources.

Listening to the young man's business itinerary, Dai Yu's starry eyes twinkled, and she smiled narrowly, and said softly: "Brother Heng is fine, but if the business is delayed, it will be my fault."

Jia Heng: "..."

What an unexpected angle, hard to guard against.

But Daiyu shouldn't be so petty.

Sure enough, Daiyu saw a smile in her trembling eyelashes, gently grabbed the lamb, and said softly: "My sister is a little naughty now."

Daiyu smiled lightly, and said softly, "Brother Heng thinks that I'm the one who doesn't know the big picture?"

"How could it be?" Jia Heng smiled, approached Daiyu's cheek, and kissed the girl's cheek, but it undoubtedly made Daiyu snort softly, her starry eyes were dim and absent-minded.

Even though the silver man has kept secret many times in normal times, but this kind of intimacy that can be called doting in Daiyu's eyes is the first time for Daiyu.

Daiyu lightly grabbed Jia Heng's hand that was shepherding the sheep, and said in a trembling voice, "Brother Heng, eh~~"

The familiar gentle and unrestrained breath came over, and Daiyu was drowned like a tide in an instant.

After a while, Jia Heng put his arms around Daiyu whose cheeks were already pink and flushed like clouds, smiled and said: "Okay sister, I'll go back to the study to write the memorial first, if my sister needs anything, just go to me. "

So far, the rectification of military affairs and salt affairs in the south has come to an end one after another, and the rest is to wait for the results of follow-up military and salt affairs rectification.

Before that, he had to write a memorial to the emperor, narrating his experience and gains during this period.

About Yangzhou salt merchants' confiscated losses over the years, the new salt law, and the follow-up arrangements for the rectification of Jiangbei and Jiangnan camps, as well as Guo Shaonian, the son-in-law of Princess Kuaiji of Suzhou.

Daiyu nodded her head, stared at the young man affectionately, and said softly, "Brother Heng, go."

In the study
Jia Heng's face was as calm as an abyss, and he sat behind the desk, found a blank memorandum, and prepared to report to Emperor Chongping. After a while, he wrote the regulations on salt affairs and the latest amount of deficit recovery.

Four hundred and fifty million worth of goods, almost two years of taxation for the national treasury!

Suddenly, accompanied by a series of light, silent and almost imperceptible steps.

"Xiaoxiao, didn't you go to take a nap?" Jia Heng said softly without raising her head.

I have long been used to Chen Xiao's footsteps that belonged exclusively to warriors, as light as a feather, stepping on the snow without a sound.

Chen Xiao approached, holding a tray with pears in her hand, under Liu Yexiu's eyebrows, she looked at the young man who was writing at the desk with clear eyes, and asked curiously, "What are you writing?"

"Salt Matters." Jia Heng picked up the brush and dipped the inkstone in the inkstone, and then continued writing on the spread rice paper.

Chen Xiaoxiu frowned imperceptibly, picked up a pear, picked up a dagger to peel the skin for Jia Heng, and said: "Just now, some members of the Wang family went to Hao Jiru's residence, maybe they went to ask for help."

Jia Heng put down the brush in his hand, his eyes were a bit cold, and asked: "Hao Jiru, a former minister of the Ministry of Rites who has become an official, what is he doing all day long?"

"Hao Jiru is a great Confucian in the south of the Yangtze River, and he was also an important cabinet minister during the Longzhi period. He lived in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces with old acquaintances everywhere. Didn't it mean that you had hundreds of thousands of troops and harbored different ambitions? You also attracted a lot of people to join us." Chen Xiao handed over a pear that had been peeled.

Jia Heng reached out to take the pear, took a bite, and said: "I was busy with military affairs and salt affairs before, and I didn't bother to talk to him. Since he is a great Confucian in the south of the Yangtze River and has been retiring endlessly, let him know what is dangerous in the officialdom. Not sure."

Have these people forgotten that he is still the governor of Jinyi, and there are countless black materials about them in the Jinyi Mansion in Jinling, even if there is none, as long as they are willing to look for it, they can always be found.

Chen Xiaoning stared, and said softly: "You will go to Suzhou the day after tomorrow, Yangzhou Salt Institute, you will leave it to Lin Ruhai and Qi Kun to deal with it, will there be any mistakes?"

Jia Heng ate a large snow-white pear, and said softly: "The detailed rules are very clear, if a cabinet minister and a Du Yushi can't handle this matter well, then it is really a big man's misfortune."

It was confirmed that he was going to leave the day after tomorrow, that is, he had just talked to Daiyu, so Chen Xiao was peeking at him just now.

Anyway, he was used to it, but what was puzzling was that Xiaoxiao was fine.

But obviously I watched too much, just peeking at him and Daiyu getting tired of it, isn't it out of some psychology?
Chen Xiaoqing said: "Actually, when the emperor was in office, he had a clear eye and a clear heart, and he knew the accumulated abuses of the two Huaihe capitals. The Kuaiji son-in-law Guo Shaonian himself was greedy for some ink, but the big ones were sent to the palace for the southern tour of the year. For the purpose, there are some old accounts, and it is not easy to check."

Jia Heng said: "I just want to find out the bad debts of the Wang family and the Jiang family. I can't let them pass the test easily. As for the account books of the southern tour, it's still not time to check."

The six voyages to the south of the Yangtze River involved the historical evaluation of the Supreme Emperor, which may also be the bottom line of the old emperor, so the emperor still did not say anything to the Zhen family.

A tiger that has lost its teeth is also a tiger!

If you really want to try everything to launch a prestige, it is likely to tear up the finally stable political situation and damage the prestige of the royal family.

"You just need to be sensible." Chen Ling reminded in a cold voice, then lowered her head again, and peeled the pear skin with the dagger.

The girl's movements are skillful, and the green-edged dagger reflects the fair joints and skin, giving it a clean and neat beauty.

She peeled off the pear skin, picked up the snow-white pear, and took a bite. The juice flowed gently between the red lips and white teeth, and was rolled to the lips by the clove tongue, but her expression was as cold as frost.

Jia Heng couldn't help but glanced at the girl with cold and peaceful eyes. The girl was probably just taking a bath. The warrior outfit on her body was a little loose, and the whiteness between her lowered heads squeezed into his eyes, as if Sydney was full of branches.

Jia Heng stared intently, then quickly looked away.

Chen Xiao seemed to be aware of it, and when she raised her eyes, she glared at Jia Heng, with sullen anger hidden in her clear eyes.

"You have juice on your mouth, handkerchief, wipe it off." Jia Heng took out a handkerchief from his sleeve, handed it over, and said softly.

Of course, it's not that he lost a handkerchief skill, but to cover up his embarrassment when he was discovered.

Chen Ling snorted coldly, took the handkerchief, wiped her mouth, and looked at the young man who had already picked up the brush and wrote the memorial again, with a gloomy gaze.

……

……

The years do not live, the seasons flow.

Before I knew it, another four or five days passed,

Suzhou City, the outskirts of the city, the foothills are deep, the forests are lush and green, and a small river that is as green as a jade belt flows around. Lin Ruhai's deceased wife, Jia Min, was buried in the clan land.

At this time, Jia Heng, Xi Ren and Zi Juan accompanied Dai Yu to the place in a carriage, and looked at the tomb with a tombstone not far away.

There are no weeds around the tomb, it is clear that someone often comes to clean it up.

Daiyu knelt down on the futon in front of the tomb at this moment, kowtowed to her dead mother, under the smoldering brows of the girl like the leaves of green willows, the eyes that were shining like rainbows in the past are now full of tears, and her vision is blurred.

Zicuckoo and Xiren on the side handed over handkerchiefs.

Jia Heng looked at Daiyu who was in a sad mood, put the last stack of paper money into the copper basin, looked away from the burning flame, sighed softly, supported Daiyu's arm, and said in a warm voice: " Sister, it's getting late, it seems to be raining now, let's go back."

Zijuan and Xiren stepped forward to help Daiyu up, and comforted her in a low voice.

Daiyu gave a "hmm", and the tears accumulated in the eye sockets under her eyebrows slipped silently, she got up, looked at Jia Heng with hazy eyes, and called out softly, "Brother Heng."

Jia Heng took Daiyu's hand, embraced the girl's shoulders in his arms, and said softly: "Sister Lin, I'm here."

Then, together with Zicuckoo and Xiren, they surrounded Daiyu and boarded the carriage. At some time, an autumn rain came as scheduled. The rain hit the rolling green hills, green and dripping, and fell on the small river, misty.

Accompanied by the sound of the coachman's whip, the carriage rattled and turned, heading towards Gusu City along the bluestone road paved by the Lin family.

When Jia Heng led Daiyu to Gusu to pay homage to Jia Min, in the city of Shenjing thousands of miles away, Daming Palace, Hanyuan Hall——

Emperor Chongping is convening six cabinet ministries to discuss this year's autumn grain collection.

As the end of September entered, the task of collecting autumn grain in various places became more and more onerous. The bureaucracy from top to bottom of the Han Dynasty was in operation. From the provincial capital, prefecture and county to the village of Baojia, grain tax was collected according to the yellow book of fish scales. The incidents of conflicts between officials and civilians also increased accordingly.

All in all, the entire north of Dahan was hit by a sudden rain disaster this year. Although the chronic drought has been slightly alleviated, the problem of reduced grain production has not been effectively resolved.

At this time, Yang Guochang said: "My lord, since the abolition of the frontier army, all kinds of military expenditures have increased sharply. Hebei, Shanxi and other places have turned into drought. This year's autumn grain collection will be exempted by [-]% as appropriate."

Emperor Chongping murmured: "Didn't the frontier army be cut down once a year ago, why did the military expenditure not decrease but increase instead?"

Yang Guochang said: "Returning to the Holy Lord, the frontier army has a fixed quota of one million. Although it has been eliminated, it will be replenished in real time to prepare for the invasion. The actual number of troops has not been reduced much. Kuang Datong and Taiyuan have more than [-] troops. , Military spending remains high.”

At this time, Wang Shuirong of Beijing Jing, who was standing in the queue of several ministers from the Military Aircraft Department, felt a little uncomfortable with his young and handsome face.

The trip to Datong and Taiyuan came back in vain, his military aircraft...

At this time, the king of Nan'an County said: "My lord, although the three towns in the northwest have been eliminated this year, and the situation of redundant troops has improved, since the spring of this year, the old disease of the king of Xining County has relapsed. There is another sign of instability in the Fan Department, and the veteran thinks that the court should make plans as soon as possible."

The Jin family of Xining County King has guarded Qinghai for generations, and this generation of Xining County King is now a veteran in his 60s. Can't stand it.

Emperor Chongping heard the words, sighed, and said: "The ministers of the Zhu Kingdom are old and withered. I sent an imperial doctor to treat them last time. How come they have reached this point again?"

In fact, his heart is also a bit complicated. The military power in the northwest corner also made him quite worried in the past. Now that the Beijing camp and Jiangnan have been completely ruled, they can make great achievements.

But he is also over forty years old, so there are still 20 years left for him?Or 15 years?
Shi Jie, the servant of the Ministry of War, held a wat board and went out of the class to play: "My lord, Jin Xiaoyu, the son of the Prince of Xining County, is the commander of the military plane. He was walking in the military plane. The report was submitted by the military plane the day before yesterday. He wants to go back to his hometown to serve the king of Xining County."

In fact, at the beginning, Jin Xiaoyu, the prince of Xining County, beat Jia Heng because of hanging out with Liu Fang and others. Since then, it has been regarded as a great shame and shame. Jing has gradually become disheartened.

Emperor Chongping pondered for a moment, and said: "This is the filial piety of the children, the family relationship is normal, and you are allowed to play."

Originally, he wanted to stay in Shenjing and send another important minister to the northwest to sit in the town after the Xining County King left, but now that the Xining County King's old illness has relapsed, there is no need to be too eager.

The main reason is the great victory of the Beijing camp and the reunification of Jiangnan and Jiangbei camps, which gave the middle-aged emperor more confidence and calmness.

Having preliminarily determined the affairs of the Prince of Xining, Emperor Chongping looked at Yang Guochang and said softly, "How much money is there in the northern border?"

Yang Guochang pondered and said: "Returning to the Holy Lord, we have been in arrears for food and payment for almost a year. Previously, the household department held it on the grounds that the number of soldiers was not full, but now except for military towns such as Datong and Taiyuan, other border towns, especially the three northwest three Everyone in the town is saying that the amount of soldiers is real, so many people will finally rise up, I am afraid that there will be 300 million taels, the Huaihe River is flooded this summer, and the household department is busy distributing disaster relief silver taels, and now only 40 taels can be allocated. The government allocated a sum of internal money and sent it urgently to northern Xinjiang to help the Hebei Economic Strategy Commander and the Northwest?"

Emperor Chongping frowned, looking down at the gray-haired, elderly Yang Guochang, feeling a chill in his heart.

If internal funds are frequently mobilized, what does the Ministry of Finance need to do?
At this time, in the Kedao below, Yan Zhaozhong, the censor of Jiangxi Dao, held a wat board, and went out to play: "My minister, Yan Zhaozhong, the censor of Jiangxi Dao, died in ignorance. My lord, in recent years, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has embezzled mines. An unprecedented large-scale gold mine was discovered in Bodu Henan in Yongning, and a lot of silver was obtained. If these are sent to the Ministry of Households, the current embarrassment of the silver box will be greatly relieved."

As soon as this remark came out, more and more censors who came out of the Kandao officials came out to echo.

At this moment, among the cabinet ministers, Han Huang's complexion moved slightly, and there was a hint of coldness in his eyes.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs unscrupulously collected the world's mining profits, and the courtiers were dissatisfied with this for a long time.

Emperor Chongping looked indifferently at the group of ministers and workers below, his expression indifferent, and he didn't say a word.

At this time, Cheng Xin, the envoy of the administration, turned his eyes and went out to play: "Your Majesty, the Ministry of Internal Affairs is responsible for all the rivers and lakes and mines in the world. Gossip."

At this time, Pang Shilang, the minister of the Ministry of Rites, said: "Mr. Cheng's words are wrong. It is precisely because the benefits of the mines and rivers are not under the control of the Ministry of Households. The grain tax alone has not been paid in all provinces due to natural disasters in recent years. The Ministry also needs to coordinate taxation and finance to supplement the provinces, and it is just stretched."

All of a sudden, other imperial censors came out to join him.

After the ministers below had finished speaking, Emperor Chongping pondered for a moment, and said: "The Ministry of Households needs to allocate the amount of food and salaries, and we need to draw up a detailed list. The Ministry of Internal Affairs will allocate 120 million taels in advance, and supply the rest in Jizhou and the Northwest. We will make further calculations after considering the situation of autumn grain collection.”

Emperor Chongping didn't realize it at first, but this time it cost more than 200 million taels, and he felt extremely heartbroken.

The point is, Emperor Chongping knew nothing about the rectification effect of the frontier army. Where did the money go?
Yang Guochang cupped his hands and said: "The old minister accepts the decree."

He didn't feel frustrated when the 300 million taels he asked for turned into 120 million taels, or he was used to it, and even part of the money allocated to the border town was allocated first.

Emperor Chongping said: "This year, the Huaihe River has just been hit by a flood, and all provinces are in a bit of trouble. When collecting autumn grain, we must inspect the provinces and counties, and don't take away the rations of the people."

Yang Guochang hurriedly bowed his hands in response.

At this moment, an inner eunuch called out from outside the hall: "Your Majesty, the memorial sent by Yongningbo from the Secretary of General Administration."

When the officials in the palace heard the words, they looked sideways, and they were all slightly surprised.

This Yongning Bo sent another memorial?Did you win another battle?
A few days ago, Emperor Chongping added an official to Jia Heng, the crown prince, the Taibao, which made all the officials complicated, and many officials were even jealous.

What can he do with a yellow mouth and a vulgar martial artist?
Dai Quan took the box from the eunuch, took out a memorial, and turned around to deliver it to Emperor Chongping.

"My lord." Dai Quan bowed and delivered it.

Emperor Chongping picked up the report on salt affairs and read it intently. After a while, his complexion was happy at first, and then gloomy like water.

"The eight major general merchants in Yangzhou, the four of them have accumulated over ten million years of accumulated wealth, and they owe more than one million taels of government money on credit every year. These are the national treasury and tax money of my big man!" After reading the memorial, Emperor Chongping seemed to have a hint of Thunder said in a deep voice.

Back then when he was hiding in his residence, he went to Yangzhou in the south of the Yangtze River to investigate the case and identify the wrongdoing. He had already seen the extravagance and extravagance of those salt merchants. It's just taking the state money to worship the heavenly family.

Forty-five million taels, the treasury will not be taxed for three years!

But... Where is the tax arrears during the Longzhi period?

Moreover, there are four other general merchants!

(End of this chapter)