The Ming Dynasty started with caution

Outside the gate of Li's house,

Yan Chengjin stood in front of the gate. If the salt was changed to official sale, there would be no more salt policy reform in the Qing Dynasty.

Although it was a good policy, he could not take credit for it.

Han Wen, Liu Jian, Qin Hong and other ministers, as well as officials from the six ministries and the eunuchs of the twelve inner palaces, held countless salt permits.

Their salt permits might have been begged by themselves or given by His Majesty.

After the change to official sale, all these salt permits will become waste paper.

Those merchants in the southeast who bought salt permits might go bankrupt overnight.

After not seeing anyone for a long time, He Neng knocked on the door and turned around to flatter: "Master, why don't you invite Miss Li to your house? I can send a message to Miss's personal maid Feng Jiao."

"Stupid as a pig! This young master did such a thing that ruined people's reputation. Isn't it obscene? You send the message, and you are not allowed to say that it was directed by this young master." Yan Chengjin said.

"..."He Neng.

In an instant, the gate of the mansion opened, and the doorman welcomed Yan Chengjin into the mansion.

When he arrived at the main hall, Yan Chengjin saw Li Dongyang sitting in the hall, as if he was waiting for him.

Li Dongyang snorted coldly and said reluctantly: "You just said that there is a way to stabilize the price of salt?"

Yan Chengjin took out a piece of paper from his arms: "If the subordinate said it, Lord Li cannot reveal it. It was the subordinate who said it. Please sign on the paper and make a promise."

Li Dongyang's old face twitched fiercely. I just asked you a question, why are you like this?

I'm afraid you are plotting a rebellion? !

"If you don't say it, then forget it. I won't sign it! Don't try this trick!"

Yan Chengjin thought for a moment: "Lord Li, you know that Wang Shu came to Beijing to find me just for this matter. If Lord Li doesn't sign, I won't reveal a word."

I'm afraid that if I say it, the court will be in chaos, and the gentry will chase your sedan chair with machetes.

Li Dongyang thought for a moment. Although this guy is timid, he is not a liar.

"Give it to me!"

He glanced at the paper and confirmed that there was no content such as selling women in the contract before signing.

Yan Chengjin took out another copy: "Two copies, please sign another one, Lord Li."

Li Dongyang was so angry that he almost jumped up and couldn't help but beat this guy up.

He took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and signed again.

Yan Chengjin put the contract away: "The way to stabilize the price of salt is to abolish the salt permit."

Li Dongyang was stunned for a long time as if he was hit on the head by a blunt object.

Salt permits are the certificates for the court to sell salt. Without salt permits, there will be chaos in the world. Why do they want to abolish salt permits?

"Without salt permits, how can merchants sell salt?"

"Merchants will no longer sell salt, but the government will sell it. All crude and refined salt in the world will be supplied by the court. In this way, the court can stabilize the price of salt at any time, and the people can eat salt.

There will be no more customs of begging for salt permits in the court, and officials will become honest, killing two birds with one stone."

There are two major corruptions in the Ming Dynasty, one is begging for land, and the other is begging for salt permits.

Especially the eunuchs in the inner court, usually when they are in favor, they will beg for a large number of salt permits from your majesty, and then sell them to the gentry.

Li Dongyang took a deep breath: "How many officials and gentry will be affected by this? Do you know what you are talking about?"

It can be determined that if you advise your majesty to implement it throughout the country, how many officials will be hurt.

Yan Chengjin stood up: "If Mr. Li advises, the Censorate will definitely second it."

Li Dongyang rolled his eyes at him. Am I the one who sent the seconder? I dare not mention it!

No wonder this kid signed and sealed it.

Even if he is, he dare not easily advise your majesty.

"Why don't you advise His Majesty?"

"I am just a small second-rank censor, and my influence in the court is far less than that of Lord Li."

Li Dongyang's mouth twitched slightly. It was right for me not to marry my daughter to you.

Coming out of Li's house.

Yan Chengjin knew that Li Dongyang dared to second the proposal, but he might not dare to advise Emperor Hongzhi. This move involved too much and needed a long time to consider.

But the people in the southeast couldn't wait any longer.

There was only one person in the court who was brave enough to not be beheaded.

Zhu Houzhao!

……

The East Palace was covered in silver and was empty and lonely.

Supervising the eunuch to copy the imperial precepts of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Houzhao scolded: "You dog-like thing, can my handwriting be so good! Copy it again!"

The eunuch was so anxious that his head was covered with sweat, and he took a new piece of paper with grievance.

Zhu Houzhao felt a little bored: "I want to raise crickets in the palace."

The eunuch Zhang Xi smiled flatteringly: "Your Highness, crickets are summer insects, how can they survive in the cold winter?"

"Nonsense! Melons are summer things, but Lao Gao can eat melons in winter, so I can also raise crickets in winter."

Zhu Houzhao thought happily that he could make a lot of money by selling them to gamblers in Liangxiang.

"Your Highness, Lord Yan wants to see you."

"No, if he hadn't asked my father for money, I wouldn't have been punished to copy it a thousand times."

Without crickets, Zhu Houzhao felt a little bored: "How about I build a greenhouse to raise crickets?"

Zhang Jinxi was scared, but the more the prince advised, the more he liked to mess around.

At this time, Yan Chengjin walked into the palace: "Your Highness, if you raise crickets in the palace, you will definitely be beaten by His Majesty. I have a way to let Your Highness raise crickets without being beaten."

How could you be so kind? Zhu Houzhao was a little proud: "What can't be solved that requires me?"

"Your Highness, do you know that merchants in the southeast are hoarding salt, and many people in the province have no salt to eat?" Yan Chengjin asked.

"What does this have to do with me? I didn't ask them to hoard it."

Yan Chengjin ordered all the eunuchs to go out, close the windows and doors, and whispered a few words in Zhu Houzhao's ear.

"You can't say it was the minister who said it."

"I know all the rules."

………

West Nuan Pavilion.

Emperor Hongzhi suddenly raised his brows, reports came back from Shaanxi and Yansui, and the price of salt spread to the northwest.

"The northwest has always relied on the salt merchants in the southeast. Now that the salt merchants in the southeast have cut off salt, bad governance has emerged."

Liu Jian and others were helpless.

The law of the Ming Dynasty stipulates that anyone who sells salt privately shall be punished with a hundred rods and three years in prison.

Anyone who breaks the salt law, buyer or seller, will be fined eighty sticks, and the salt money will be transferred to the government.

Although there are salt lakes and rock salt in the northwest, salt production is in the hands of a few gentry. Without salt production, it is a serious crime.

Li Dongyang lowered his head and pondered. Abolition of salt would make the people eat salt, but it would hurt the interests of officials and gentry, and the consequences would be disastrous.

At this moment, the young eunuch reported: "Your Majesty, Your Highness has finished copying the storybook."

Emperor Hongzhi was upset: "Let him copy it a thousand times again."

Zhu Houzhao was lying on the door of the palace. When he heard this, he rushed straight into the palace and was unhappy: "My father is worried about the salt administration, why should he punish his sons and ministers?"

Hearing Zhu Houzhao's voice, it was like a fly clamoring in his ears, but they couldn't kill him, so Liu Jian and others looked irritated.

"Since you know I'm troubled, you still bother me!"

Zhu Houzhao showed his snow-white teeth and said with a smile: "It's just a matter of salt administration. I have a plan, which is worth ten thousand taels."

There was silence in the hall.

This self-righteous guy wants to give advice again.

Emperor Hongzhi raised his hand and ordered: "Drive them out."

Yan Chengjin often hung out with His Highness, and Li Dongyang's eyes moved slightly: "Your Majesty, why don't you listen?"

Seeing that the main hall was quiet, Zhu Houzhao cleared his throat and said happily: "Yan Yin is a bad government. Why not abolish Yan Yin and let the court unify salt sales?"

Emperor Hongzhi, Liu Jian and others were stunned.

The big stone in Li Dongyang's heart relaxed. His Royal Highness was sometimes wise.