Chongzhen went on to say: "By the way, also add the imperial seal documents and official seals of Xu Dingguo, Ding Qiguang and Wu Batan."
It was a major feature of the Ming Dynasty to give iron certificates to nobles and nobles.
But there is one thing to say, these iron coupons of alchemy books are useless.
"Yes." Wang Chengen responded respectfully and wrote it down honestly.
Chongzhen said to Huang Jiarui again: "Huang Jiarui, then you should prepare 5 million stones in advance, as well as the oil, salt, pickles and fodder needed by the soldiers."
"Yes." Huang Jiarui responded and said, "But Your Majesty, this money..."
Chongzhen frowned and said: "The south of the Yangtze River is a fertile land, and Yangzhou is the thoroughfare between the north and the south, where merchants gather. Don't tell me that the vassal treasury in Nanzhi can't even get out this little money."
Huang Jiarui's face darkened again, and he said angrily: "Your Majesty, you must speak with your conscience. In the past few years, you have repeatedly issued orders to recruit Nanzhi's interceptions. The little money in the Nanzhi vassal treasury has long been bottomed out. This
The second-highest thief wanted to conquer Yangzhou, so the money needed to recruit local warriors was donated by merchants in Yangzhou city."
Chongzhen said: "Just tell me how much money is left in the Nanzhi Domain Treasury?"
"There's not even a tael of silver left." Huang Jiarui continued with a dark face, "The monthly salary of the subordinate staff has not been paid."
Officials in the Ming Dynasty received an annual salary, but subordinate officials did not have official status and the court did not support them in salary, so the chief officials had to pay privately to recruit them and receive monthly salary.
In this regard, Zhu Yuanzhang's behavior was indeed very unreasonable.
This is a typical example of wanting the horse to run and not eating grass.
But in the end, the financial burden not only did not decrease, but became heavier.
It can be said that Lao Zhu has trapped himself in a cocoon. Although he has become a villain, he has not yet settled down.
However, the system of subordinate officials has been suffering for a long time and cannot be reversed in a short period of time. We don’t have the energy to take care of it now.
Chongzhen sighed when he heard this, because he knew that Huang Jiarui was not crying for poverty. This was all true. In the past few years, the Ming Dynasty's treasury was in short supply. Chongzhen ordered the recruitment of interceptions from various provinces many times, and Nanzhi always took the lead.
No matter how splendid Southern Zhili was, it could not withstand the imperial court's constant scrapping of the land.
At that moment, Chongzhen asked Wang Chengen again: "Wang Daban, have you finished counting the high thief's extravagant wealth?"
"The inventory has been completed." Wang Chengen reported, "In addition to the wealth in the army, the high thief also has the wealth hidden in Shugang Town. The two together total more than 900,000 taels of silver, more than 10,000 taels of gold, and other rare antiques.
"
This number is similar to Chongzhen's estimate. Although Gao Jie is good at robbing, he has not conquered any wealthy cities all the way south from Shanxi, so the limit of one million taels is already the limit.
I guess Gao Jie didn't pay much for his generals, guerrillas, and defense.
It's no wonder that Li Chengdong, Gao Jinku and others were so easily divided and won over.
Wang Chengen said again: "Long live my lord, Jin Yuan also captured Gao Jie's family members who were accompanying the army from Shugang Town. His wife Xing also has a son. How should we deal with it?"
"Let it go, Ming Dynasty will not engage in any implication."
Chongzhen said: "The crime was committed by a high-ranking thief and has nothing to do with his wife and children."
Huang Jiarui was stunned when he heard this. If an official commits a crime, shouldn't his wife and children be relegated to a lower status?
And when did the Ming Dynasty stop being implicated? It was the norm to punish three clans, and there were precedents for punishing nine and ten clans.
However, Huang Jiarui quickly realized that the emperor's move was most likely for Gao Jie's old subordinates to see.
Gao Qiqian, who had been carried back to the carriage house after being whipped twenty times, had a look of resentment on his face. At that time, Long Live Lord, you wanted to kill my ten tribesmen in Hara Hetao.
Chongzhen then ordered Wang Chengen: "All this money will be given to Huang Futai, including those rare antiques, and sold in Yangzhou City. If you add one yuan, you can make up almost 1 million taels."
Huang Jiarui said: "Your Majesty, one million taels is far from enough."
One million taels is indeed not enough. The price of grain in Beizhi has risen to the sky this year.
Due to the bumper harvests in Southern Zhili, the price of rice is relatively low, but it still costs 1 stone per tael.
However, once the imperial court purchases large quantities of grain from the market, the price of rice will definitely rise, and it is very likely that it will rise to 1.5 taels or even 2 taels per shi.
A conservative estimate of 5 million shi of grain would cost 7.5 million taels!
Adding in hay, beans, pickles, oil and salt, etc., 10 million taels are not enough.
Chongzhen asked Wang Chengen again: "Wang Daban, have Gao Hongtu, the Minister of Household Affairs in Nanjing, and Lu Zhenfei, the Governor of Water Transport, arrived?"
"They are all here." Wang Chengen said with a smile, "I heard that Long Live Lord you have come to Yangzhou. The entire Nanjing officialdom of the third rank and above and the officials of the Ministry of Science and Technology are here. The Lubu Tang also happened to be in Nanjing. They are outside right now.
Waiting."
Chongzhen hummed and said, "Go and call Gao Hongtu and Lu Zhenfei in."
Wang Chengen took the order and left, and soon led Gao Hongtu and Lu Zhenfei into the cabin.
Gao Hongtu and Lu Zhenfei were both veteran ministers, and their past existed in Chongzhen's memory.
Gao Hongtu and Lu Zhenfei had already brewed up their emotions on the way to the funeral, thinking that after the emperor and his ministers met, they would beat their chests and stamp their feet to show that the emperor and his ministers appreciated each other.
However, Shengjia did not have this awareness at all.
Chongzhen didn't even bother to deal with the etiquette of the emperor and his ministers. As soon as they met, he asked Gao Hongtu: "Gao Hongtu, I asked you to raise 5 million taels of silver and bring it to Yangzhou immediately. Have you completed it?"
Gao Hongtu held back his tears and said, "Reporting to the Holy Sage, I can only deliver 3.6 million taels for the time being. If there is any shortage, I will go back and think of a solution."
These 3.6 million taels are actually this year's grain harvest.
Because Beijing has fallen, there is no need to send grain to Beizhi.
Lu Zhenfei came to Nanjing from Huai'an this time mainly to discuss this matter.
However, Lu Zhenfei's original intention was to use the 3.6 million taels from the grain to appease the four towns in Jiangbei, but Chongzhen suddenly appeared.
Chongzhen nodded and said to Huang Jiarui: "Huang Jiarui, you take half of the 3.6 million taels, plus the 1 million taels from the high thief. Use them first. I will replenish you later if there is any shortage."
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! "Your Majesty, accept the order." Huang Jiarui responded with his hands raised.
After sending Huang Jiarui away, Chongzhen turned his attention to Lu Zhenfei.
Lu Zhenfei quickly stepped forward, bowed and said, "I'm here."
Chongzhen said: "How many people and ships are left to transport the army?"
For the Huanghuai Defense Line conceived by Chongzhen, water transportation can be said to be of vital importance.
The reason why Chongzhen wanted to set the Ming Dynasty's defense line on the Huanghuai line was because, since ancient times, defending the river must defend the Huaihe River. Once the Huaihe River defense line was lost, the Yangtze River defense line would also be unprotected.
The second reason is because of the water transportation through canals.
The existence of canals can greatly reduce the loss of materials.
Since ancient times, what have been the reasons that have restricted the Central Plains dynasty from using troops abroad?
It's just that the logistics support can't keep up. If 1 stone of grain is transported to the front line, there is usually only 1 bucket left!
No matter how powerful or wealthy the dynasty was, it could not withstand such a huge loss, nor could the powerful Tang Dynasty.
Therefore, setting the defense line in Huanghuai can greatly shorten the Ming army's logistics supply line. If Yangzhou is used as a transit station, the waterway from Yangzhou to Xuzhou is only 600 miles.
Based on an average of 20 miles of waterway walking per day, it can be reached in a month.
Moreover, the consumption of waterways is very small. Based on the calculation of 400 shi for a canal ship, if ten transport troops travel back and forth in two months, the theoretical consumption will only be 8 shi.
Of course, there is still some drift during the actual transportation process. The final loss will definitely be more than this, but it will never exceed 10%. This greatly improves the logistics support efficiency of the Ming army.
Logistics support efficiency is reflected on the battlefield as the army's lasting combat effectiveness.
Therefore, water transportation is crucial to the Huanghuai defense line envisioned by Chongzhen.
Lu Zhenfei: "The river and canal transport army ordered 120,000 people. However, in the past ten years, the transport army has been in poverty and has fled more and more. Now there are less than half of it. The bandits have been trapped in Beizhi. After Henan and Shandong, the northward transport army has also been affected.
, and thousands of people were lost, and now there are only about 50,000 left, and there are more than 4,000 canories left."
50,000 troops and 4,000 canal ships are almost enough.
However, the top priority is to deal with Jiannu's first wave of attacks.
Chongzhen said: "How many troops and canals can be mobilized in ten days?"
Lu Zhenfei: "Within ten days, we can only mobilize troops from Yangzhou Prefecture and nearby areas. Including the troops originally in Yangzhou, there will be about 10,000 people and more than 1,000 watercrafts."
Chongzhen asked again: "How many stones of rice can a canal ship carry? How long does it take to go back and forth from Yangzhou to Xuzhou?"
Lu Zhenfei said: "A tanker can carry 400 shi of rice and needs to transport 10 troops. It usually takes half a year or more to go back and forth from Hangzhou to the capital, but two months is enough from Yangzhou to Xuzhou."
Chongzhen calculated in silence that he could transport 400,000 shi of grain to Xuzhou at one time, which was barely enough.
At that time, Chongzhen said: "First gather the transportation troops from Yangzhou and nearby areas to transport grain to Xuzhou. Within a month, gather the remaining transportation troops and canal ships to Yangzhou for instructions."
"I accept the order." Lu Zhenfei responded respectfully.
Chongzhen said again: "Okay, then you go and do your work first."
"I excuse myself." Lu Zhenfei cupped his hands, turned around and hurried out of the cabin.
Chongzhen breathed a sigh of relief and told Wang Chengen: "Wang Daban, let all the civil servants come in."
Gao Hongtu, who was still in the tent, suddenly became energetic. Hearing the Holy Emperor's tone, he wanted to recommend the Prime Minister to the cabinet.
After a while, officials from the six departments headed by Shi Kefa and officials from the Department of Science and Technology filed in, almost filling the hall.
Among these officials are the six bureaus and nine ministers, the left and right censors of the capital, the Imperial College of Nanjing, the six bureaus and the other officials of third rank or above, such as Zhan Shifu of Zhan Shifu, the left and right ministers of the six bureaus.
After saying long live for three times, Chongzhen said: "I don't need to say more about the fall of the capital. Except for Wu Linzheng and more than ten people who broke out with me, all the other officials of the capital died or surrendered."
"Of course, a country cannot be without a king for a day, and the Prime Minister cannot be absent forever."
"During this extraordinary period, I could have specially reduced the number of officials to be appointed as cabinet counselors, but considering that the Ming Dynasty's imperial recommendation system has been implemented for a long time, I do not want to infringe on the power of ministers, so I will continue to recommend cabinet ministers as usual.
Officials, I will form a new cabinet as soon as I approve it in the hall, and I will assist the Prime Minister in governing the country today."
"The Holy One is wise and wise, and there is hope for the Ming Dynasty and ZTE."
Shi Kefa and other Nanjing officials decisively handed over the high hat.
Chongzhen waved his hand and said: "Then please ask Otsuka Zai to come out and preside over the court."
Hearing this, Shi Kefa and other Nanjing officials felt a sudden pause in their hearts.
