prosperous age

Chapter 178 Chapter 177
Emperor Jiajing couldn't help laughing when he saw Huang Jin's old face twitching after reading the information in his hand.

His laughter directly caused Lu Bing and Huang Jin below to feel a twitch in their hearts, knowing that their master was probably already in a hurry.

Huang Jin is better at the moment, after all, he has read the information, and telling Emperor Jiajing what it said may calm his anger.

However, this is also not good.

Huang Jin knew very well that the emperor he served was very suspicious, and the information from Dongchang might not be able to dispel his doubts.

"Your Majesty, the Dongchang Fanzi have already found out the cause of the incident. It was Wei Guangde and his fellow scholars who ate at a nearby restaurant after praising officials in Yujie, because they heard Shanxi Jinshi Guo Dong and others say that more than [-] people died in the Shanxi earthquake. , They didn't believe it, and disputed with them whether the number was lost or affected.

Only He Bangli, a Jinshi from Fujian Province, heard that his fellow countryman from the Department of General Affairs had indeed mentioned this matter, causing the imperial court to have insufficient funds for disaster relief. "

Huang Jin handed the letter paper with the information in his hand to Jiajing with both hands. He couldn't control the emperor's attitude, but he couldn't do anything wrong.

"Is that right?"

After listening to Huang Jin's report on the information found by Fanzi, his brows relaxed.

"Fanzi asked the shopkeeper and the waiter of the restaurant, and he can confirm that this happened. At that time, the Jiangxi Jinshi upstairs had a dispute with the Shanxi Jinshi."

Huang Jin hurriedly added, "It's written in the documents."

Only then did Emperor Jiajing reach out to take the document and take a look at it. It was the same as what Huang Jin said, and handed the document back again.

"Do you think the court should approve their request?"

Now Jiajing seemed less angry than when he first heard the news, and began to ask the opinions of the two close people in front of him.

After a while, Emperor Jiajing frowned again, seeing that neither of them spoke, he simply called the names.

"Huang Jin, you go first."

Seeing that his name was being called, Huang Jin hurriedly lowered his head and said, "Yes, Your Majesty."

Only at this time did he seriously think about it, but he still couldn't guess what the master's attitude was.

"The servant thought that the Xinke Scholars had a good heart and knew that the imperial court was not enough for the country.

In recent years, the imperial court has used troops from the north and the south, and there have been frequent natural disasters. The imperial court must exempt taxes and provide relief, otherwise the common people would have lost their lives. "

Speaking of this, Huang Jin secretly raised his head and glanced at Emperor Jiajing, unable to see his joy or anger, he could only continue to say: "It's just that the rituals for the new division Jinshi have been customized for a long time, and the slave didn't know what to do for a while. choose."

Well, after talking for a long time, I actually didn't say anything.

Seeing the emperor looking at him, Lu Bing scolded Huang Jin in his heart, but now he dare not make a choice.

To be honest, Emperor Jiajing was actually quite cautious.

Although it seems that the Jinshi now request to lower the level of the Rong En Banquet and subsequent ceremonies, and reduce expenditures to help the victims of the disasters in Shanxi and Shaanxi, but Emperor Jiajing may not think so. Take a few 100,000 taels of silver for fasting and offering sacrifices and building palaces and temples.

Now Lu Bing is also thinking about what kind of wording he should use to perfuse the person above him, but copying Huang Jin is definitely not acceptable, and Emperor Jiajing didn't like it.

"Your Majesty, I think that the idea of ​​Xinke Scholars is right to increase relief for the victims of the disasters in Shanshan and Shaanxi. This is what the Emperor has always wanted to do. It's just that the cabinet and the Ministry of Household Affairs have been prevaricating by saying that they have no money. I don't believe that the imperial court even I can't even take out a thousand taels of silver."

Speaking of this, Lu Bing also took a peek at Emperor Jiajing, and saw that he was narrowing his eyes again, as if he was thinking about his own words, so he continued: "The Rong En Banquet cannot be lowered, it should be handled according to the rules, the emperor should issue an order Let the cabinet and the household department raise the second batch of relief money and grain as soon as possible, and remind them to make early plans for the next third batch of money and grain.

The minister heard that due to the earthquake, the Yellow River was congested, and now there is no way to resume farming in the short term, and the disaster may not be relieved until next year.

The emperor agrees with the heart of heaven and the common people, and can increase the tax exemption for the disaster area for one year to show my emperor's benevolent heart. "

Lu Bing didn't have a good choice, so he simply kicked the problem to the cabinet and asked them to raise money and food for disaster relief.

The Rong En Banquet is still held according to the rules, and the relief for the victims must be strengthened. It is nothing more than saying that the 150,000 taels of silver are the first batch of relief money and food. Let the people under his rule go hungry.

Such wording can also reassure the hearts of all officials.

You know, Lu Bing knew that many people complained about the severe disaster in Shanshan, especially the officials who were originally from Shanshan.

After Lu Bing finished speaking, Emperor Jiajing opened his eyes and looked at him again, then nodded, "But, you go and take the words to Mr. Yan Ge, and let the cabinet and the Sixth Ministry come up with the regulations as soon as possible."

After watching Lu Bing bow and exit the Yongshou Palace, Emperor Jiajing turned to Huang Jin and said, "Huang Jin, do you think Wei Guangde has any selfish intentions?"

"This"

Huang Jin didn't expect that Emperor Jiajing still had such a thorn in his heart, and he didn't seem to be fooled by the fanzi's information and their rhetoric just now, so he had to honestly say: "I think there should be no such thing. After all, judging from the situation at the time of the incident, it is Coincidentally, I think Jinshi should also be because the two numbers of 800,000 and 150,000 are too big."

Speaking of this, Huang Jin suddenly knelt down and kowtowed: "Your Majesty, forgive me for being bold. The relief money allocated by the cabinet and the Ministry of Household Affairs was really too little. It was a drop in the bucket. I heard that local officials filled their pockets a lot. The implementation was not good, and the disaster situation in the disaster area continued to worsen. Originally, the earthquake only killed more than 300,000 people, but the subsequent floods and plagues killed another [-] people.”

Speaking of this, Huang Jin couldn't help sobbing in his tone.

"Has Zou Shouyu come back?"

Emperor Jiajing's expression didn't change, he just asked casually.

"It is said that he has not yet. After he was ordered to worship the gods of Heyue and Huoshan in Shanxi, he is now inspecting the disaster area in Shanxi and Shaanxi. It is said that he plans to visit Henan after visiting the disaster area in Shanxi. After all, there was also a disaster there. "

Huang Jin wiped the corners of his eyes with his sleeve, and replied respectfully.

"You go to the cabinet and ask them to draw up an order to appoint Zou Shouyu, the imperial envoy's left servant, as the censor of the right capital of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, to monitor the disaster situation in Shanshan and Shanxi provinces. Those officials who are not good for disaster relief and rich in private pockets can be directly taken down if they are below the fifth rank. The ones above the fifth grade can be played on stage."

Emperor Jiajing said.

"The slave obeys the order."

After hearing this, Huang Jin hurriedly bowed again, then got up and left Yongshou Palace to go to Xiyuan to check the room.

After watching him leave, Emperor Jiajing just nodded slightly, and then shouted outside the door: "Who is outside."

After saying that, two young eunuchs trot in from the door and knelt down in front of him, "Your Majesty, the servant is here."

"Send someone to the Hanlin Academy to transfer the papers for Wei Guangde's rural and general examinations."

Emperor Jiajing didn't even look at them, and just ordered lightly.

Three hundred Jinshi from the new department gathered in the Ministry of Rites, but they were all waiting in the lobby. At this moment, the officials of the Ministry of Rites had been called away by a note from the cabinet, saying that they could not delay in discussing the disaster relief in Shanshan and Shaanxi.

But they didn't get the approval letter, and all the Jinshi were unwilling to leave, so they just waited in the lobby of the Ministry of Rites.

In the cabinet, the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Households began to fight over the relief money in Shanshan and Shaanxi.

Originally, when the disaster relief was done by the Ministry of Households, they just transferred the money, and had little to do with the Ministry of Rites, but now it’s no longer possible, and Jinshi made a fuss, which involved the Ministry of Rites.

Before Wang Yongbin discussed the disaster relief issue in the cabinet, he naturally fought for it as a Shaanxi official, but he also knew the fact that the national use was insufficient, and he only won 150,000 taels of silver.

Today in the main hall of the Ministry of Rites, I was arguing with the Jinshi for a long time, and my heart was extremely sad and angry, and I vented all the anger I had accumulated here to the Ministry of Household Affairs.

The Household Department is the yamen in charge of household registration and finance. Naturally, it was the best place to live in the prosperous age, but in the Jiajing Dynasty, the Household Department was a little bit irritated.

Natural disasters continue in various places, and the household department has to allocate money for relief. The military expenditures in the south and the north have also increased greatly. The little money collected by the household department every year is taken by officials from other ministries when they arrive in the capital and cannot even enter the warehouse. Snatched away with a note.

"Okay, okay, Uncle Da Zong sat down to calm down, what did Da Situ say, now the household department must squeeze out a sum of money."

Yan Song sat at the top and looked at them. At this moment, he kicked the ball to Fang Chun, who is currently the Minister of the Household Department.

"The warehouse is really out of money."

Fang Chun spread his hands together very simply.

"50,000 taels, I don't believe that the Ministry of Households can't even get this little money out. You can go back and find someone to check to see if there is still a sum of money that hasn't been settled and transported away. Just deduct 50,000 taels and use it for the victims in Shanshan."

After sitting here for a long time, Yan Song was also tired, and he didn't want to continue to watch them argue, so he could only immediately persuade the Ministry of Accounts to take out the money.

Before, he could still be high on the top, watching the six departments push each other for disaster relief, but just now the emperor sent Lu Bing and Huang Jin to pass on two orders in a row, and he knew that he couldn't continue to delay, if he really took out the money explain.

"Master Ge, the household department really has no money."

When Fang Chun wanted to say more, he was interrupted by Yan Song waving his hand, "No matter which family's money it is, you will withhold it. You don't have time to chat with them at this time. If you don't accept it, you can come to the cabinet to find me."

Seeing that Fang Chun was still talking, Xu Jie, the second assistant next to him, said, "Big Situ, disaster relief is like firefighting. We can afford it. Millions of disaster victims in Shanshan and Shanxi can't afford to wait. Squeeze, we can find a way." of."

After a moment of silence, Fang Chuncai said helplessly: "There is a new banknote from Tongzhou to Beijing. You can draw 50,000 taels from it for disaster relief. It's just that this money is for the salaries of officials in Beijing this year. This"

"Dial first and then talk."

Xu Jie interrupted first, turned his head to Yan Song on the left side while speaking, saw him nodding slightly, and then continued: "Let go of the official's salary first, and the matter of this money must be settled first." , As much as there is left at that time, we will send out first, and find a way to make up for the rest in the second half of the year.”

When it was getting late, Wei Guangde, who was still waiting for the news at the yamen of the Ministry of Rites, finally waited for the latest decision from the court. The 150,000 taels of silver was only the first batch of disaster relief money, not all of them. Now the Ministry of Households will allocate the second batch of disaster relief money soon. 50,000 taels, there will be more disaster relief money in the future to pay for the disaster-stricken areas in Shanshan and Shaanxi, and the imperial court will not care about the life and death of the victims.

Hearing this news, all Jinshi breathed a sigh of relief.

When they first entered the officialdom, they couldn't be regarded as having entered the officialdom. They made such a big commotion in the same year, and everyone thought it was very meaningful.

Letting the imperial court allocate the second batch of disaster relief money in advance is a good thing anyway, at least it can save countless Limin people.

Zhu Dashou and other three first-class Jinshi were one step behind at the beginning, and now they will not give up the opportunity to win over the same year, so three hundred Jinshi finally gathered here, looking for a big restaurant to drink and celebrate, and to enhance mutual understanding. Relationship.

It's just that they have 300 people this time, and such a big restaurant is not easy to find.

Zhu Dashou ordered his followers to inquire about the restaurant, and at the same time called Tao Dalin, Jin Da and Wei Guangde to discuss.

In any case, the four of them are well-known candidates in the palace examination. The number one scholar, the second place, Tanhua and Chuanlu are enough to represent Jinshi in this department.

Although he was very curious about how Wei Guangde rose from the bottom of the top three to the top of the second class, there was no need to inquire about it.

He already knew all about the cause of this incident. When he heard the news that more than 150,000 people died in the Shanshan earthquake, and the imperial court only allocated [-] taels of silver for disaster relief, he was also very surprised and felt simply absurd.

Well, anyway, this opportunity for Wei Guangde to reveal his face did not cause Zhu Dashou, Tao Dalin and others to resent and guard against them. Everyone still felt that Wei Guangde did the right thing.

In fact, what they don't know is that Wei Guangde has regretted it now.

When the cabinet sent a letter to recruit Wang Yongbin and others, Wei Guangde thought of something bad.

This is in the capital, the cabinet knows it, and the immortal cultivator in Xiyuan probably also knows it.

The matter of money was not a trivial matter in the Jiajing Dynasty.

Who doesn't know that the immortal cultivator's money is all taken from the national treasury, although even if he does not cultivate immortality, the remaining silver is not enough for the imperial court, but it is unclear what that cultivator thinks in his heart.

I managed to pass the palace examination and got a good ranking by accident, but it seemed that I might offend that person.

But at this time, Wei Guangde was still talking with Zhu Dashou and the others with a smile on his face, planning to get together with everyone in the same year when he found the restaurant.

The news has spread, and everyone readily agrees.

From now on, the same year of their subject will be a small group. If they want to keep warm in the officialdom in the future, it is a good thing to have the opportunity to drink together to enhance their relationship.

For the Xinke Jinshi, most of them will go to the local area in the end, and the top two may stay in the capital as officials, and those at the top of the list have the opportunity to hit the cabinet position and leave a good impression. Now Although its role is limited, what about the future?
Who knows if some of them will rush into the cabinet in the future to become a cabinet minister in the same year, and become the person in power who dominates this country.

With the establishment of the restaurant, Zhu Dashou, the number one scholar, left the yamen of the Ministry of Rites with the same year
(End of this chapter)