Emperor Zhengde of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 75 Self-evident
Night falls.

The Forbidden City, inside the Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Houzhao summoned Liang Chu, but when he heard that the money in the household department had bottomed out recently, and there was still less than 500 taels, his expression changed.

Zhu Houzhao roared and questioned Liang Chudao: "Why did you spend so much money? Didn't you have more than 2000 million taels at the beginning of the year? It's only been less than half a year, and so much money has disappeared. It's you, you messed with my money." where it goes?"

Hearing this, Liang Chu fell to his knees tremblingly: "Your Majesty, I have never been greedy for a tael of silver from the Mo court. Do you remember? It took 500 taels to build the border city, 1000 million taels to build the Ming Navy, and every state government office to build a bank. Allotment of 400 million taels of silver, and recent military expenditures."

"Your Majesty, every amount of money you have allocated has detailed records behind the household department. Up to now, the surplus of 200 million taels is already very good!"

"So I blamed you?"

"I don't dare. I just reported the facts. In the past six months, my Ming Dynasty has been engaged in construction everywhere. Naturally, the money has been spent too much."

Zhu Houzhao frowned. There was not enough money in the treasury. He also planned to repair the water transport. The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal was too silted, and many sections of the river needed to be repaired.

Also, the construction of guns and artillery requires a lot of money.

From the beginning of the year to the present, in just half a year, 2000 million taels of silver have been spent. Not only has the increase in fiscal taxes been spent, but even the money left by his father, Emperor Hongzhi, has he been a typical example? Prodigal?
Zhu Hou looked at Liang Chu and asked, "What if the tax is raised to 400 million taels?"

"No, absolutely not, Your Majesty!"

Zhu Houzhao listened to Liang Chu's advice and gradually gave up the idea in his heart.

Before the start of the early court, the cabinet first received the memorials reviewed by Zhu Houzhao, most of which were accurate.

It wasn't until Liu Jian got the three memorials and put them in front of Li Dongyang and Liang Chu that he said, "Look, His Majesty is warning those civil servants at Yushitai again, and ask them to be more stable."

These three memorials were personally approved by Zhu Houzhao. After Liang Chu took them and read them, he sighed deeply and said, "I'm afraid this matter is not that simple."

"Oh, Liang Dashangshu, please tell me your opinion." Liu Jian would like to hear the thoughts of this Minister Tuogu.

At this moment, Liang Chu put the three memorials aside, first pointed to the one on the left and said: "This order to ban the sea and Ou's review of the restoration of the ancestral system are indeed warning the censor to be quiet and not to make noise all day long. Yes, standing and talking doesn’t hurt your back.”

"However, there are many meanings in this memorial, so you might as well confirm it carefully."

According to Liang Chu's intention, Liu Jian carefully savored Zhu Houzhao's comments. There is something to be done about impeaching them for accepting bribes and embezzlement, especially for their proposal to protect the interests of businessmen.

"Okay, before the cabinet Liu Jian and Li Dongyang are punished, none of you will bring 1000 million taels of tax!" This is His Majesty's reply to the memorial, which is very straightforward.

The potential meaning of this sentence is: "Cabinet and the Ministry of Household Affairs, I will be your backer for your bold reforms, but now that the money is spent, hurry up and give me 1000 million taels of silver."

Liu Jian walked back and forth in the corridor of the cabinet several times, and then said softly to Liang Chu: "You mean that this memorial is not only a warning to those censors, but also to urge us to quickly take out the money?"

"If we can't get the silver and they can, then Your Majesty will use my two lives to pay for the 1000 million taels of silver?"

Liang Chu nodded slightly after hearing what Liu Jian said.

"I hope Mr. Ge's point is right. It is indeed the case. If we are not in the cabinet, His Majesty may not have such intentions, but we happen to be in the cabinet, and you are the chief assistant, and I am the minister. Your Majesty's reply is natural for the two of us." I can see it, so the meaning of His Majesty is self-evident."

This time, Liu Jian and Liang Chu had the same point of view again, and a command brought them to the same busy line again.

Their main task now is to raise money for Zhu Houzhao to enrich the treasury of Ming Dynasty, so they can only reform the business of Ming Dynasty.

Of course, the wool still comes from sheep, so they are not going to start with the commercial tax rate, but to start vigorously reviving the business.

In this way, the faster the wool grows, the more opportunities to harvest the wool naturally.

The two continued to discuss in the cabinet.

After all, Liu Jian was not as clear as Liang Chu about commercial reform. For a long time, Liang Chu was in charge of Daming's commercial taxation, so he wanted to listen to Liang Chu's opinion, and then proceed to the next reform.

Last night, Liang Chu knew that His Majesty was going to increase the Ming Dynasty's tax by 400 million taels all of a sudden.

A sudden increase in commodity prices is most likely to cause inflation. Your Majesty may not be aware of this.

"If you raise 400 million taels all of a sudden, it won't let the Ming Dynasty go bankrupt. It's better to sell my old bones for money."

In the house, Liang Chu complained a few words, but all of this was recorded by Jin Yiwei. Zhu Houzhao knew about it early this morning.

After Zhu Houzhao finished reading, he threw the memorial aside and said to Cao Zhengchun: "Haha, the chief minister of the cabinet and Liang Shangshu of the Ministry of Revenue are all the same. They all say that I love spending money and ask them to collect money for me, but they complain. .”

"Hmph, from my point of view, it's worth a lot if you just sell their two old bones!"

Cao Zhengchun clasped his hands and remained silent for a long time. He knew that Zhu Houzhao was joking.

"Your Majesty, Mr. Liu Ge and Liang Shangshu only complained a little bit, but if His Majesty really wants to make an order, they will definitely do it actively. The old ministers are always watching them, and they will never have the slightest Lazy."

"Well, these two people really don't dare to mess around, but I will keep this complaint in my heart."

Zhu Houzhao thought of ways to deal with Liang Chu and Liu Jian, so he said to Cao Zhengchun, "Cao Aiqing, come over here, I have something to tell you."

Zhu Houzhao whispered something in Cao Zhengchun's ear.

Cao Zhengchun frowned and asked, "Your Majesty, do you really want to do it?"

"Well, this matter must be done quickly, without delay!" Zhu Houzhao said with certainty.

Cao Zhengchun bowed his head and said yes, but he still felt a burst of emotion in his heart, Mr. Ge and Liang Shangshu, the only thing I can do is pray for you
After explaining Cao Zhengchun, Zhu Houzhao thought of something, so under the service of the maid, he put on the dragon robe, turned to Zhu Houzhao and said: "Cao Aiqing, tomorrow the people at Yushitai will probably follow the ancestral system , go to court on time, and you will keep an eye on me when the time comes!"

"Since they want to arrest Chao Gang's discipline, let's start with their Yushitai. If there are people who are out of courtesy, they will be arrested immediately! Let them be more peaceful."

"I obey the order!" Cao Zhengchun bowed and said to Zhu Houzhao.

In fact, he also wanted to punish those Yushitai people in his heart. Since Li Liangcheng was beheaded last time, these Yushitai people have been stable for less than half a year, and then they started to bounce again.

The most abominable thing is that the officials at Yushitai looked down on Cao Zhengchun. They called him eunuchs and eunuchs, which made them have no status in the court. For this reason, Cao Zhengchun also decided to take the opportunity to take revenge. them.

(End of this chapter)