The Ming Dynasty started with caution

Wang Shu had been staying in Nanzhili. Yan Chengjin asked, "Who is the prince guessing?"

"I don't know."

I know why I want you to investigate! Wang Shu looked serious.

"There is no conclusive evidence, how can I investigate? Prince, please go back."

The only person in Jiangnan who needs firearms is Prince Ning. Why are others buying firearms when they are full? Yan Chengjin guessed it was probably him.

Four years ago, I knew that Prince Ning would rebel one day, why didn't I catch him?

This is like knowing that someone is going to commit a crime, but he is reluctant to commit a crime. You can't put him in jail first.

Therefore, it was useless for Wang Shu to come to expose him.

Wang Shu stroked his beard: "Do you know why I recognized your sedan chair?

I came to Beijing on purpose. "

Yan Chengjin looked at Wang Shu and was sure that the old man should have gone to Beijing to find him.

Otherwise, how would you recognize his sedan when you first meet him on the street?

Wang Shu must have investigated him. As a veteran of the Four Dynasties, it is not surprising that he has disciples and former officials in the capital.

"My lord, why don't you just tell me?"

“There will be chaos in the southeast and interior.

It was rumored that silver was going to depreciate, and with the circulation of Hongzhi silver notes, salt merchants in the southeast began to hoard salt in large quantities.

Salt merchants stopped supplying salt to the provinces in the mainland, leaving the people with no salt to eat. The price of salt in the province will rise again. Large households with a little more money will also worry about eating salt after a while. "

Wang Shu said seriously: "These are all due to the rumored depreciation of silver."

A salt citation is a certificate issued by the court. Only with a salt citation can one sell salt.

This determines that there is a certain amount of salt in the market.

Merchants were afraid that the silver in their hands would depreciate, so they replaced it with salt to preserve its value and even make money.

This is just like him exchanging all the silver for mansions and fields, the same principle.

Yan Chengjin frowned: "The imperial court did not report."

"The report will arrive in Beijing soon!" Wang Shu's eyes flashed with an unquestionable look.

Yan Chengjin looked at Wang Shu warily. Wang Shu had impeached countless officials. If they are alive to this day, they must be in the government.

"Why does the prince want to find me?"

"I see that you are sincere."

…

Dongnuan Pavilion,

It was getting cold, so Xiao Jing carefully covered Emperor Hongzhi's knees with a thin quilt. When His Majesty was alone in Nuan Pavilion, he was reluctant to burn the earth dragon.

"Your Majesty, just now Wang Shu and the Crown Prince went to the Yan Mansion."

Emperor Hongzhi was slightly startled and turned to look at Xiao Jing.

Xiao Jing hesitated: "The two of them also tore down the door of Yan's house. Yan Chengjin said that he wanted the palace to pay for the money..."

Just break into the official residence, but also open the door to others? Emperor Hongzhi froze on his throne. Master Wang was of good character. How could he do such a thing? The prince instigated him?

"Master Wang just scolded Yan Chengjin yesterday. What were you doing in Yan's Mansion?"

"I don't know, my slave, but the prince seems to have something important to do. He wanted to see Yan Chengjin, so he opened the door." Xiao Jing said.

He knew Wang Shu when he was in the Yingzong Dynasty. At that time, he was still the eunuch of the Supervisor of Ceremonies.

However, he worked with Wang Shu through the Yingzong, Daizong and Xianzong dynasties.

Based on his understanding of Wang Shu, he only went to see Yan Chengjin because he had something to do.

At this moment, the cabinet was on duty.

Liu Jian opened the notes sent back from Songjiang Mansion, and his pupils suddenly shrank: "There is something big going on in the southeast."

It was rare for Mr. Liu to lose his composure like this. Li Dongyang came over and saw the following:

The profiteers from various coastal prefectures begged for 170,000 yuan from long reeds, and paid five cents of silver each time to buy the remaining salt from each farm. In the land of the Huaihe River, the old quotas reached 1.5 million, and the salt law was greatly damaged...

Xie Qian frowned: "Reports from Shaanxi and Yunnan-Guizhou indicate that salt has been raised to 500 tons every year, and the people have no salt to eat."

Liu Jian and Li Dongyang were stunned. Two things were actually the same thing.

Salt merchants in the southeast broke the salt law, causing salt prices in various parts of the province to rise sharply.

How could this happen suddenly?

Soon, the three of them came to Dongnuan Pavilion with the notes.

After Emperor Hongzhi read the two memorials, he was furious: "Profiteers are running rampant in the world, and officials in the southeastern provinces are ignoring them."

But after gradually calming down, I felt a little strange.

"Call the Hubu... no, call the Jiuqing."

Not long after, Yan Chengjin followed the young eunuch to the palace.

Hearing that the Salt Law was in bad shape, salt merchants along the southeast coast begged for salt imports, but they did not sell any salt.

People in inland provinces have no salt to eat, and the price of coarse salt has risen as fast as refined salt, even more exaggerated than stocks.

It’s the same as Wang Shu said.

The eight ministers frowned, but Yan Chengjin's expression remained normal. Emperor Hongzhi looked at Yan Chengjin: "Is there any way to supervise the Economic Department of the Metropolitan Procuratorate?"

Of course there is a way, that is, the court sells salt uniformly and does not allow private sales.

In this way, the price of salt is the same everywhere in the world, regardless of coastal and inland areas.

Salt prices will not fluctuate due to economic factors.

However, this is tantamount to severing the arteries of the gentry and officials.

The gentry and officials begged the court for salt and sold it to various places, making a lot of money.

When the salt is gone, the jobs of the gentry and officials are also ruined. This is ten times and a hundred times more cruel than the practice of allocating one person to one mu in the world.

Anyone who says so is a fool.

Yan Chengjin bowed slightly: "I still need to think carefully."

Li Dongyang sighed: "This is because there are too many people asking for salt. In the past, Taizu's treasure notes were circulated, so things were cheap and notes were expensive, making transactions very convenient."

Now that the new tickets are used, the timid gentry dare not use them, causing prices to skyrocket. "

Yan Chengjin raised his head slightly. He could only agree with half of what Li Dongyang said.

The Ming Dynasty treasure banknotes were used by Zhu Yuanzhang who forced officials and gentry to use them.

How else can it be circulated? Which gentry is willing to exchange silver for paper?

Outside the palace gate, the cabinet's Hanlin sent a few more memorials. Emperor Hongzhi opened them and frowned.

"The memorials sent back from Zhenjiang and Puzhou and other prefectures and states that the price of salt has increased five times."

The officials were in an uproar.

Emperor Hongzhi stood up anxiously. It was understandable that he could sell salt with a salt permit.

Han Wen from the Ministry of Revenue looked at Yan Chengjin and said with regret: "The new bills should not be circulated!"

Xiong Xi and others nodded in agreement.

Emperor Hongzhi looked at Yan Chengjin. If I blame him, this boy will be more cautious in the future, right?

To be honest, I am also at fault in this matter. If I hadn't agreed to circulate the Hongzhi silver bills...

Half an hour later, no result was discussed.

After finishing his duty, Yan Chengjin sat in a sedan chair at the Meridian Gate and told He Neng: "Go to Lord Li's mansion."

Abolishing the salt permit and changing it to a unified sale by the court will inevitably cause opposition from all officials and gentry in the world.

He can't be the one who gives advice, or he will die.

He Neng looked embarrassed: "Young master, you don't know yet? Lord Li has ordered that you are not allowed to step into the Li Mansion."

"When?"

"The day before yesterday, I dare not tell you."

Li Mansion,

Not long after Li Dongyang returned to the mansion, he changed into a blue and white Confucian robe and read in the main hall.

The doorman reported nervously: "Master, Lord Yan is here."

Although the master ordered not to see him, Yan Chengjin is a minister in the court.

"Let him get out of here, I don't want to see him in my life."

The doorman looked embarrassed: "Lord Yan also said that he has a way to solve the salt law, but he dare not give advice to His Majesty the Emperor."

Li Dongyang raised his head slightly, his eyes flickered, and after hesitating for a long time, he said: "Let him in."