The Ming Dynasty started with caution

Wenhua Hall,

Xiao Jing walked in quickly and bowed to the Supreme Emperor Hongzhi: "The Supreme Emperor, Mr. Yan has handed over the Liangxiang Chamber of Commerce to the imperial court."

The money of good merchants is almost as much as the summer tax of a country.

The Yan Qing family gave so much money to the court for nothing. The Emperor couldn't help but sigh with emotion: "Yan Chengjin is a minister who cares about life. I am not wrong about him."

His family had already embezzled a lot of money, and he heard that there were more land deeds than the imperial court's notices.

Xiao Jing muttered a few words, then raised his head blankly and said, "Sir, he is waiting for you to summon him outside."

At this time, outside the main hall.

Yan Chengjin fell into deep thought and handed over good businessmen to the court, so that the court could control the economy through good businessmen.

The decline of the Ming Dynasty was actually closely related to the court's inability to access the economy. Zhu Yuanzhang warned not to compete with the people for profit, which not only protected the people, but also harmed future generations.

There is no dispute in the court, and officials are full of disputes in private, which is nothing more than empty talk.

Xiao Jing came out and smiled: "Your Majesty, I heard that Master Yan has been promoted to Chief Assistant, congratulations!"

Yan Chengjin took out a piece of silver and stuffed it into Xiao Jing's hand, "Say a few more words."

This is just a courtesy congratulation, who the hell are you insulting here? We'll give you a tael of silver.

Xiao Jing smiled stiffly: "Master Yan, come in quickly, the Supreme Emperor is waiting for you."

Entering the Wenyuan Pavilion, Yan Chengjin saw the Supreme Emperor standing in front of a large piece of rice paper, painting with paint, no different from the retired literary and artistic man in his previous life.

"I see that Hou Zhao's paintings can be sold for money, and I also want to make some money for the national treasury."

I didn't ask you. It's embarrassing for me to explain so much... and to flatter you. Yan Chengjin bowed and said, "The Supreme Emperor cares about the people and is a blessing to all people."

Too elaborate a flattery would sound unnatural. After careful consideration, Yan Chengjin adopted the most common style.

A smile appeared on the face of the Supreme Emperor, "What are you doing here to find me?"

"Good merchants have returned to the court. I sincerely ask the Emperor to leave the gentry's silver."

Yan Chengjin handed over a booklet and said it would be given to the court, but naturally not all of it was given.

The Supreme Emperor Hongzhi frowned slightly, "Why do you have so much silver?"

"When Liangshang was first established, there was no money to do business. I used my father's manuscript money and invested all of it in the chamber of commerce. I almost lost all my property, my wife and children were separated, and I took the majority."

Yan Chengjin's voice is quite sad, like selling a house and starting a business.

The Supreme Emperor Hongzhi's nose moved slightly, mist appeared in his eyes, and he snorted, "I'm just asking."

Although this son is suspected of exaggerating, it was true that he invested the silver into the Chamber of Commerce.

Jin Yiwei all remembers it.

Yan Chengjin raised his eyes: "Your Majesty, permission?"

Zhu Houzhao is easy to talk to. As long as the emperor agrees, he can rely on good businessmen for decades.

He couldn't remember how much silver there was in the house.

But with money flowing in continuously, he felt more at ease.

The Supreme Emperor Hongzhi nodded.

"Anything else?"

"Will this painting of the Supreme Emperor be sold?"

In my last life, I heard that the emperor’s shit basin was sold for 100 million.

What he painted is the prosperous capital city, which looks like the Riverside Scene during the Qingming Festival. Let’s call it the Little Qingming Festival Scenery.

The Supreme Emperor Hongzhi was overjoyed when he heard this, "I can give it to you when it comes to money and income, but since the Yan Qing family has spoken, let's set a price, right?"

"..." Yan Chengjin.

He looked up for a few times and fell into brief contemplation, "Two thousand taels."

The Emperor's smile gradually became stiff, and his mood hit rock bottom. He squinted his eyes and asked, "The traitor's painting sells for ten thousand taels, and my painting can only sell for two thousand taels. Do you like my painting skills?"

"No, the paintings of the Supreme Emperor and the new emperor are not the same. It's just that the new emperor painted a picture of hundreds of officials chasing each other and a picture of crying and admonishing. There is only one picture in the world."

If it weren't for the blessing of the emperor's light, this painting wouldn't be worth money.

Zhu Houzhao painted all year round and was very talented.

The Supreme Emperor reads memorials all year round. Although his appreciation level is high, his practical ability is weak.

If the painting skills were calculated based on the tenth level, he would give Zhu Houzhao an eighth level and the Supreme Emperor Hongzhi a level two.

The Supreme Emperor Hongzhi pondered for a moment, thinking that rare things are valuable, "I have finished the painting, and I will send it to your house."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, please fill in the blank space here. I'm afraid of losing money." Yan Chengjin pointed to the blank space next to him.

"..." The Supreme Emperor.

Seeing the solemn expression on this man's face, it didn't seem like he was joking. When the scolding words came to his lips, he changed them to: "I have my own sense of propriety."

"I also want to ask for a picture of beauties in the harem. I wonder if the Supreme Emperor is interested..."

"roll!"

"yes."

…………

The next day, Fengtian Palace.

Yan Chengjin pulled out a booklet from his chest, "This is the silver reserve of a good merchant. I also asked the new emperor to see it. There are more than 6.97 million taels in total."

Zhang Sheng couldn't help but frown a few times when he heard this number.

At the beginning of spring, there are more than six million taels, which is simply as rich as a country!

The surrounding countries probably didn't have so much tax money in a year, but I didn't expect Yan Chengjin to be willing to hand it over.

Zhu Houzhao glanced at it for a few times and handed it to Gu Dayong nonchalantly. He had nothing to do with these coins.

You can’t spend it yourself.

Li Dongyang took the book and saw more than six million taels of silver. He felt dizzy and asked, "Why should we give it to the Economic Department with so much money every year?"

Baiguan's whole body became energetic.

This money is put into the national treasury, which is better than the economic department remaining in the Metropolitan Procuratorate. If you want the money, you need to submit a memorial, and Yan Chengjin's approval slip may be very cumbersome.

"If it's just a few hundred thousand taels, it can be handled in this way, but if it's millions of taels, how can we be assured without the Ministry of Revenue?"

Wang Qiong's face was ruddy, and he looked at Yan Chengjin with a smile as if he was negotiating.

Yan Chengjin said: "These are the silvers reserved for regulating the national treasury, unless you let the silver notes depreciate?"

Everyone in the hall was stunned.

This matter is very serious. Silver notes have been popularized overseas. Once depreciated, I don't know how much loss they will suffer.

Wang Qiong smiled and said: "I am just talking."

"According to what Lao Gao said, the good merchants will be included in the Economic Department of the Censorate, and a copy of the accounts will be sent to the Ministry of Revenue." Zhu Houzhao said seriously.

This method solves the problem that all officials are worried about.

The Censorate and the Ministry of Revenue can supervise each other.

There is no difference between putting silver in the warehouse of the Censorate and the warehouse of the Ministry of Revenue.

…………

On the sea, the waves are constantly surging.

The bow, on the deck

I don't know what month it is. Liu Jin remembered that Li Zhaoxian taught him to look at the sky. This bastard sky has not seen stars for several days.

"Brother Liu, there is no water." Qian Ning had a bitter face.

The food on the Golden Island is scarce. Unlike when we set out from the capital, we could not fill the cabin. Now there is no water.

"Order people to move the wooden barrels out. It's going to rain."

"How did Brother Liu know?"

The sky was as dark as an inkstone. Liu Jin could tell that it was going to rain soon.

At night, there was indeed a heavy rain, but water alone could not last for a few days.

Liu Jin could survive for more than ten days without food or water. Now these people who are not hungry may not survive for seven days.

The generals below cursed secretly, saying that the course must have deviated. This eunuch was really bold and dared to go to sea without a yin and yang official.

The next morning, Qian Ning was so hungry that his eyes turned white. "Brother Liu, if I die, please don't waste it."

"No need to ask, I'm a cook, you'll be delicious no matter how I cook."

"..." Qian Ning.

Suddenly, I felt creepy.

Liu Jin turned the monocular telescope, and a green area appeared in the monocular telescope, followed by white sand and brown reefs.

Are you blinded by hunger?

Looking at the monocular telescope again, it was still the same scene.

"There is an island!"