Rule over Ming Dynasty

Chapter 38

"The minister is here!" Chen Shou, a short, middle-aged man in Hukedu, immediately walked from the team to the front of Yudao and said.

Zhu Youtang looked at the dog legs of this faction, and immediately asked in a deep voice: "Why did you refute my "Enthronement Grace", and explain the reason to me?"

As soon as these words came out, everyone immediately looked at each other in blank dismay.

After all, Zhu Youtang was not the benevolent prince as rumored, but a sharp young emperor.Li Shou's rebuttal angered the young emperor, and now Zhu Youtang is going to investigate the reason for the refutation in this court meeting, and it is destined to cause a storm.

In fact, there are great differences in the current salt administration. The Qing School has always believed that the collapse of the salt administration was caused by the widespread distribution of salt, but His Majesty's point of view is the collusion between the government and businessmen.

To a certain extent, Chen Shou prevented His Majesty from rewarding the enthronement with Yan Yin in lieu of the bank in Hu Kedu.

Fengtianmen Square was already cold, but suddenly I felt a chill rushing over my face.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, I have learned from the Ministry of Household Affairs that each year the Ming Dynasty routinely uses less than 200 million citations, and the late emperor has issued more than a million citations indiscriminately this year, resulting in the failure of the current salt law. There are more local citations and less salt, which may destroy the Ming Dynasty. The foundation of the salt administration. Now that His Majesty ascended the throne, another 30 citations will be made, which will inevitably make the Ming Dynasty's salt law no longer smooth. The minister thinks that the Ministry of Households is justified, and the minister has the right to deny it!" Chen Shou does not seem to be afraid of Zhu Youtang Xingshi questioned the crime, but responded with reason and evidence.

Of course, this matter can be said to be all pushed to the Ministry of household affairs.

Zhu Youtang's eyes fell on the officials of the household department again, and Dang even asked indifferently: "The household department? I don't know which household department official thinks so, so let's stand up and talk about it now!"

The officials of the Thirteenth Division naturally didn't have the guts, so they looked at the Big Three in front of them with complicated eyes.

Since the three giants were friends in the same year, they knew that the three were on the same mountain, so they were always full of awe.

It's just that after His Majesty's instigation and questioning, coupled with His Majesty's attitude towards the officials of the household department, they couldn't help but consider the issue of standing in line again.

"Your Majesty thinks so, so please take it back!" Minister of the Household Department Li Min glanced at Li Si and Ye Qi, and immediately stood up to express his opinion.

Things have come to this point, they have no way out.

We can only force His Majesty to back down on the matter of extensive rewards and quotations, and publicly admit that the disease of the salt administration is indiscriminate, so as to ensure that the salt administration does not deviate from the original direction.

Not to mention that excessive distribution of salt will infringe their interests, once His Majesty really takes action against the "collusion between government and businessmen", the damage will indeed be too great.

Not to mention that their income has dropped sharply, I am afraid they will face a huge headcount. After all, many of their officials have made money through the salt government system.

Zhu Youtang looked at the iron triangle of the household department, and immediately asked with a cold face: "How much was the annual income of the salt tax during the Shenzong period of the Northern Song Dynasty? How much is all the salt tax in this dynasty converted into silver? How much is a catty of salt in the capital today? What are you doing today? Then tell me and Manchao civil and military to make it clear!"

Seeing that His Majesty did not intend to back down, all the civil and military officials present cheered up and turned their heads to look at the household iron triangle standing in the center.

Due to the lack of access to the core interests of the Salt Administration, many officials are not aware of the mystery, and they are more likely to stand here and watch the fun.

Li Si and Ye Qi realized that the young emperor was not a foolish king, and Li Min, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, said tactfully, "Your Majesty, now we are talking about the issue of indiscriminate use of salt. Why do you talk about the Song Dynasty? There is too much salt in this dynasty." Little, this is something everyone in the world knows, please stop spamming salts!"

"Don't play tricks in front of me. If you don't move around, the world will belong to me! The Ming Dynasty's salt abuse is not because the imperial court took too much. If the salt government is stopped, neither I nor the late emperor will hold back. Don't let the salt matter go!" Zhu Youtang is determined to promote the reform of the salt administration, so he no longer ambiguously said.

Li Si and Ye Qi sensed Zhu Youtang's determination, and couldn't help but looked at each other.

Li Min realized that Zhu Youtang was not an indecisive person at all, but he still bite the bullet and said: "Your Majesty, if the imperial court can stop the excessive distribution of salt, I will guarantee that the salt business will go smoothly, and the people will not be trapped because of lack of salt!"

The officials of the Thirteenth Division silently exchanged glances. If they hadn't gone through yesterday's exam, they might believe this nonsense, but now they have doubts about this statement.

Liu Zhong hesitated for a moment, and suddenly said with firm eyes: "Li Shangshu, stopping the issuance of salt quotations is not a good way to solve the problem of salt abuse! Salt quotations are issued according to the time, and the salt tax in the Song Dynasty was [-] guan, while the discount in this dynasty is only [-] yuan." There are more than a million taels, which is not as good as the eleventh in the Song Dynasty, and the loss to the country is huge!"

"Shallow! The Yan government of this dynasty advocates light taxation for the people, how can it stand shoulder to shoulder with the evil Song Dynasty!" Li Min did not expect Liu Zhong to dare to challenge his authority, and immediately retorted with a cold face.

Chen Kun's small eyeballs rolled, and he jumped out and said sarcastically: "Taizu really wanted to give light gifts to the people, but the government and businessmen colluded, and the people suffered from it! The price of salt in Song Dynasty was [-] cents per catty, and the capital of this dynasty It’s already three hundred wen per catty, and today’s salt administration is not beneficial to the country and the people are trapped by salt!”

When the officials of the Thirteenth Division saw Liu Zhong and Chen Kun jumping out one after another, they couldn't help but feel anxious. This seemed like a good opportunity for political speculation.

"Shut up, both of you! Don't say that the Ming Dynasty's salt administration is involved in a wide range of affairs, and the data quoted by you are so credible. Don't talk nonsense here!" oppressive.

Chen Kun knew that there was no turning back, so he said tit for tat: "The lower official has been in the household department for more than ten years, and the data used can be found in the literature, but Ye Shilang is new here, so it is not appropriate to express opinions on the salt issue!"

Ye Qi blushed with anger at such a sarcasm.

"I already said that day that the late emperor believed that the crime of the salt government was not abusive, but a collusion between local officials and businessmen! It's just that I didn't expect that the majestic Minister of the Ministry of Households would have such a shallow understanding. You owe the kindness of the late emperor, and you are not mine. Good minister! Li Shangshu wears the crown and stays idle, and all affairs of the household department are temporarily represented by Li Si, the left servant of the household department!" Zhu Youtang saw that the interior was loose, and immediately took Li Min down.

As soon as these words came out, the people around were shocked.

The so-called "idle life with a crown" is actually a suspension of work for self-reflection.

Li Si had indeed always been on the same front as Li Min, even in the last second.It's just that now that His Majesty belittled Li Min so much, but wanted him to act as an agent for the household affairs, his heart beat violently immediately.

From servant to minister, it seems to be only a small step, but after this step, it is already the ceiling of non-Hanlin officials, becoming the minister of the household department respected by everyone.

This……

Senior officials such as Wan An and Liu Ji were shocked. This seemingly harmless young emperor "has become a blockbuster if he doesn't make a sound."

Xu Pu opened his lips wide in surprise, and then frantically gave Li Si and Ye Qi winks.

Li Si and Ye Qi knew that they were going to put all their eggs in one basket to save Li Min, so they knelt down and prepared to advance and retreat with Li Min: "Your Majesty, the old and new dynasties are changing, and all affairs in the household cannot be separated from Li Shangshu..."

"Don't force me to remove you all! Even if the three of you quit, I still have thirteen capable Hubu Langzhong in my hands, and if the thirteen Langs don't do it, I still have thirteen Hubu members. 26 household heads!" Zhu Youtang knew that he couldn't back down at this moment, so he interrupted them immediately.

When the officials of the Thirteenth Division heard what they said, they looked expectantly at the Iron Triangle in front of them. At this moment, they really wanted to encourage the three of them to advance and retreat together, so that the three coveted positions would be vacated.

Facing the firm Zhu Youtang, Li Si, the left servant of the household department, swallowed back the words that came to his lips.

Ye Qi, the right servant of the household department, managed to reach this step with great difficulty, so he also chose to remain silent.If Li Min, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, is finally dismissed from office, according to Zhu Youtang's current employment regulations, he may take the opportunity to go further.

"Your Majesty, Li Shangshu is a master of money management who is a rare man in Ming Dynasty. Please take it back!" Seeing that the two colleagues in front of him flinched, Xu Pu immediately stood up and pleaded.

Seeing Xu Pu standing up, Zhu Youtang announced on the spot: "Now that I have just ascended the Great Treasure, I intended to use salt to attract the officials and people of Pu'en, but the Shangshu of the Central Household Department disappointed me. He begged for mercy, and I was very disappointed! There is no need to discuss the matter of enthronement favor, and the official does not worry about the king, so the favor is not granted, and I will retire!"

As soon as these words came out, the officials present were completely dumbfounded.

(End of this chapter)