The Ming Dynasty started with caution

Early in the morning, there seemed to be a hazy layer of white fog covering the capital.

Yan Mansion, in front of the gate,

Song Jing paced anxiously, and after a while, Yan Chengjin walked out of the house.

"This is the paper your Excellency asked for."

The pulp could not solidify, so he divided the pulp into two buckets and added a little tapioca flour and glutinous rice flour respectively.

Both are condensed into yellow paper.

Yan Chengjin put it into his sleeves and said, "It's still too rough. The craftsmanship needs to be improved."

He had seen smoother and thinner paper and was not much pleased.

Half an hour later, I dropped off my sedan chair at the dismounting monument at the Meridian Gate.

Yan Chengjin was about to reach out, but someone took the initiative to lift the sedan curtain.

Wang Qiong held the fluorene brand in his left hand and held up the sedan curtain with his right hand. He smiled and said, "Good morning, Mr. Yan."

Yan Chengjin was wary. Wang Qiong was the Minister of Household Affairs and ranked second among the six departments. Anyone who wanted money had to look at his face.

He is just a junior assistant, Wang Qiong does not need to curry favor with him.

Does this guy want to ask him something?

"Master Wang, why are you flattering me? If you want me to ask for something, I won't have to ask. I won't bring trouble to myself."

"Oh, I just want to go to court with you. Don't be so vigilant. Come out quickly." Wang Qiong's smile became even wider.

Don’t reach out to hit the smiling person.

Although this kid is usually shrewd, you are too young in front of him.

Yan Chengjin took the Fu brand and walked out of the sedan. Wang Qiong enthusiastically helped him straighten his collar.

Yan Chengjin finally couldn't help it anymore: "Master Wang, what do you want from me?"

Done!

Wang Qiong's face was filled with joy. This kid could resist for so long. He was already very powerful.

"Yesterday, Your Majesty looked at the taxes on corn and other items and asked why it could not be implemented in the world. I would like to ask you to let the Metropolitan Procuratorate investigate."

Although, he can also let the Metropolitan Procuratorate investigate.

But the investigation he asked for was not as thorough as the investigation ordered by Yan Chengjin, who was once the censor of the capital.

Only by knowing the reasons can we take appropriate measures. Otherwise, agricultural taxes will never be collected.

Yan Chengjin asked: "How could the Ministry of Finance not know?"

Each prefecture, prefecture, and county has civil servants from the Ministry of Household Affairs, who should be able to calculate local taxes and report the reasons.

"The imperial court has ordered the promotion for more than half a year, but the people and government offices in various places not only failed to implement it, but also resisted the imperial decree."

You know, it has been more than half a year since the imperial court ordered the promotion of sweet potatoes and peanuts.

Most of the few stones collected came from the capital.

It shows that outside of Gyeonggi Province, no one cares about it at all. Sweet potatoes can fill the stomach, and peanuts are sacred objects that can extract oil.

He didn't understand why the people were unwilling to plant?

Yan Chengjin thought for a moment and had a guess in his mind: "I don't know either."

When he came to Fengtian Hall, Emperor Hongzhi held the account book of the Ministry of Revenue in his hand, in which the taxes on sweet potatoes, peanuts, corn and other items were all included.

"In August of the seventeenth year of Emperor Hongzhi's reign, the imperial court promoted sweet potatoes. Even if it took two months for the decree to reach the chief envoys, it has still been eight months. Why do you only have dozens of dan in your hands!"

At the end of the sentence, Emperor Hongzhi's voice rose a few degrees.

On weekdays, the state's grain stocks are enough to support the court's expenses.

However, after the nine-border war, a large amount of military pay was needed every day. It was not known how long the war would last. Once the food ran out, the soldiers abandoned their troops and fled.

In the main hall, all the officials were silent.

Emperor Hongzhi continued: "The five counties of Huizhou Prefecture, Xiuning, Qimen, and Jixi, resisted the imperial decree and refused to implement it."

Jiangnan was a tax-rich area for the imperial court.

However, these five counties actually requested to stop farming on the grounds of insufficient land, clearly resisting the imperial decree.

Chai Sheng turned to look at Wang Qiong: "Didn't the Ministry of Revenue write these things into the "Nongsang Summary"?"

"Nongsang Summary" was written by Lu Mingshan, an agriculturist of the Yuan Dynasty.

However, the Yuan Dynasty focused on animal husbandry and despised agriculture. Therefore, in the hands of Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty, it was able to vigorously promote the world.

In the agricultural community, it generally has the same status as sow postpartum care.

"Master Chai, don't talk nonsense, how dare I look down upon you!" Wang Qiong's voice was filled with displeasure.

Liu Jian lamented: "Sweet potatoes, peanuts, potatoes and other sweet crops can relieve the imperial government's tax poverty, but the people are unwilling to plant them. It is a pity."

Emperor Hongzhi looked at Yan Chengjin: "Yan Qing family, what do you want to say?"

Originally, these objects were discovered by Yan Chengjin.

After seeing Yan Chengjin's vision of the prosperous Ming Dynasty, Emperor Hongzhi knew that this son must have something in mind.

I just don't know when I will tell him.

“People have planted sweet potatoes and peanuts, but they don’t know the harvest yet, but they have to pay taxes. Unforeseen circumstances can happen, and if they fail to pay, it will increase the burden. This is one of them.

Sweet potatoes, land and peanuts are all crops. The Ming Dynasty had no price for them. I don’t know how much money they could be sold for. After paying the taxes, I might still lose money. This is the second reason.

The common people have never seen the plant grow and don't know how to plant it. Even if it were written in the "Summary of Farming Mulberry", I guess that the common people would not have this book in their homes and it would be kept in the government in name only. This is the third reason. "

In Ming Dynasty, the speed of information transmission was slow.

Land is the bargaining chip in the hands of the people. If someone asks the people to invest and does not know the profit or loss, they will hold on to the bargaining chip in their hands.

Li Dongyang also thought the same way: "It makes some sense."

"I believe that we should promote the easy marketization of agricultural products by the government, and promise to purchase agricultural products grown by the people with tax exemption for many years. Perhaps this can be promoted."

The agricultural product market yamen mentioned by Yan Chengjin are just like the supply and marketing cooperatives of the previous generation. People only care about how much money they can make.

He doesn't care about the prosperous times of the imperial court. He helps them solve sales without collecting taxes.

It is more effective than issuing decrees to promote.

He didn't suddenly bring it up, it was just a matter of course. The court had reached this point and this institution needed to be born.

Emperor Hongzhi was a little shaken.

In order to obtain horses, the imperial court promoted tea and horse trading in the border areas.

Why can't the Yi market be implemented within the government?

Chai Sheng was in no hurry: "As far as I know, Master Yan's paper has not been produced, so what confidence do you have to mention Yishi Yamen again?"

With that said, Baiguan's eyes fell on Yan Chengjin again.

"I second the proposal!"

Several officials in succession seconded the proposal.

Yan Chengjin knew what they were thinking, just like collecting grain from nine sides, the people sold rice and grain to the government.

The gentry would not be able to receive food and would be unable to do business.

The same is true for agricultural products. The gentry collected it from the people at a low price and sold it elsewhere at a high price to make money.

But once the imperial court takes over, it will inevitably affect the gentry's business.

Yan Chengjin put his hand into his sleeve, and Baiguan suddenly became nervous. He pulled out a piece of yellow and white paper, the size of an open book.

"This is paper made from bagasse."

It's only a few points worse than mulberry paper. It's very thin and ink can easily pass through it. Maybe it can be used with a little improvement.

The officials were shocked.

Can paper actually be made from bagasse?

Liu Jian's eyes widened. How could he know so many truths at such a young age?

Emperor Hongzhi said hurriedly: "Bring it up and show it to me."

Xiao Jing carried the brocade plate down and brought up the paper. This paper was different from the paper made from mulberry bark. It was very thin and had faintly visible bagasse silk on it.

But being able to do it means that the papermaking technology of the Ming Dynasty will no longer rely on mulberry bark and bamboo.

Emperor Hongzhi exclaimed: "How did the Yan Qing family do it?"

All the officials pricked up their ears and looked forward to it.

"This is a secret. I have written it into the patent, so I can only tell it to Your Majesty." Yan Chengjin said.

The officials were a little angry. This guy was so wary. Can we still learn from him?

Good morning everyone, please vote~