Zhu Yuanzhang's ability to start from scratch and achieve such great achievements through the ages certainly depends on God's blessing, but it is also inseparable from his self-struggle.
Even after becoming the emperor, Boss Zhu remained unshakable. He got up on time every day at Yinpai time, that is, at four in the morning. After washing, he would do a few sets of exercises... uh, and approve a few memorials to wake himself up.
The next half hour is morning class time. Boss Zhu comes from an illiterate background, but he attaches great importance to learning and works hard every day.
However, he mainly studied listening to books, and Song Lian and other well-educated scholars translated the contents of the books into vernacular and spoke them to him.
In this way, he could listen while having breakfast without any delay. Sometimes he could also find time to read a few memorials and think about whose mother he should scold in the morning.
Then he drove to Fengtian Gate and went to the morning court.
After the court, Boss Zhu immediately moved to the Wuying Hall and summoned the relevant ministers to review the issues discussed in the morning. He sought their opinions, adjusted his decision-making, and issued the final decree.
The dynasty has just been decided, but the world is not at peace; the system has been created, and everything is waiting to be done. The state affairs to be discussed are so vast that many times they don't even have time to eat lunch. Boss Zhu and the ministers can only have some snacks while discussing
Satisfy hunger.
He has been working non-stop until the sun turns west in the afternoon. Boss Zhu is sitting on the dragon chair, but his back is still straight, his voice is like a bell, and he does not show any signs of fatigue.
His right-hand prime minister, Hu Weiyong, was also a man of superhuman energy, and was a bit younger than Zhu Yuanzhang, but at the moment he was exhausted and in a daze.
After feeling dizzy for a while, Lao Hu couldn't help but sigh to himself, this guy who let cows off when he was a kid is just different...
He secretly glanced at the throne high above, and saw the setting sun shining through the window lattice of the main hall, casting golden light on Emperor Hongwu, making Boss Zhu become sacred and mysterious, like a god who cannot be looked up to.
"Xiao Hu, what do you think of General Xu's memorial?" At this time, the god spoke, speaking in Fengyang dialect.
Hu Weiyong's heart tightened, and he quickly put away his disrespect and said respectfully: "Reporting to the superior, what the general said, 'the Northern Expedition was postponed due to the lack of military rations', is the truth."
As he spoke, he knelt down and knelt down, kowtowed and said, "Zhongshu failed to fulfill his duties and let down the superiors, generals and soldiers. I am ashamed of myself. Please punish me."
"Don't try to imitate cries. What we need to know is why the opening method doesn't work well? Wasn't it very strong at the beginning? It's only been a few years, but it has turned into a silver pewter spear head.
?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked.
"This..." Hu Weiyong wiped his sweat with his sleeves and took the opportunity to organize his thoughts.
~~
The so-called "Kai Zhong Fa" dates back to the third year of Hongwu. The Northern Expedition to the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty was in urgent need of military rations, and it was not enough to rely solely on the government's transportation capacity. At that time, Yang Xian, who was participating in the politics of Shanxi Province, petitioned the government to allow the government to recruit merchants to transport grain to the border areas in exchange for
The reward of salt is called 'Kaizhong'.
This method was very effective once it was tried. It quickly solved the food problem of the Northern Expedition and reduced the burden on the people. Therefore, in the fourth year of Hongwu, the imperial court formulated the regulations on salt and implemented it on the borders of the country. The effect was also immediate.
However, only three years later, the amount of grain transported by merchants to the border areas had dropped by half. Even if the court increased the amount of salt withdrawals, it would not help.
Zhu Yuanzhang was very worried about this. This was the third time he had asked about it in half a year.
"Reporting to the superior, as early as April, the minister secretly ordered the Ministry of Punishment to send out effective and quick personnel to secretly investigate the matter."
"Oh, do you have any clues?" Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes lit up, knowing that Xiao Hu would not fire the cannon.
"yes."
"Then why don't you say anything?"
"Because the involvement is too deep, I dare not be careless." Hu Weiyong replied in a deep voice.
"Who are you trying to protect, you bastard?" Boss Zhu's tone became gloomy.
"Wei Chen doesn't dare. Wei Chen is just afraid of betraying the trust of his superiors and wants to make a final report before making a final report." Hu Weiyong twitched the corner of his mouth. "Haotiaba" means missing a tooth in Fengyang dialect.
Because when he first entered Zhongshu, one of his front teeth was knocked out by Yang Xian with a punch, and his speech was a bit leaky...
"Let's talk now!" Zhu Yuanzhang didn't have that patience.
"Like, superior." Hu Weiyong straightened up, as if he had made up his mind to report:
"There is a saying that 'everyone in the world is bustling for profit, and everyone is bustling for profit.' The method of opening the middle is effective because the money earned by merchants through salt production exceeds the cost of transporting grain to the border areas.
If you make a lot of profits, you will naturally flock to it."
"You mean, businessmen can't make money now?" Boss Zhu was as sharp as ever.
"There is no wiser person than a superior, that's the problem." Hu Weiyong said solemnly: "Nowadays, businessmen not only cannot make money, but also lose money if they fail, and their enthusiasm for transporting food is naturally greatly reduced. This is why the general is short of food.
It’s because of that.”
“Then why was it that I could make money before, but now I can’t?”
"Because illegal salt is rampant, relying on salt to introduce legal salt and sell salt has naturally become a loss-making business."
"Trading smuggled salt?" Zhu Yuanzhang's tone became more and more unhappy. Zhang Shicheng, his close friend at the time, started his business by selling smuggled salt.
Therefore, Boss Zhu is very wary of these private salt dealers who are ruthless, daring, and have deep pockets.
"We have repeatedly issued orders over the years to apply for the "Salt Law and Tea Law" to crack down on private salt dealers and kill them if caught! It has only been quiet for a few years, why is it happening again?"
"Yes, there are people who not only dare to do it, but are also very courageous!" Hu Weiyong said with a sad look on his face:
"According to the investigation by the Ministry of Punishment, since the fifth year of Hongwu, illegal salt trafficking has been gradually discovered in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Huguang, Shandong, Henan, and Shanxi provinces. Now, in just over two years, it has spread like a spark starting a prairie fire, and the scale is very large.
"
"Let me tell you something! For such a long time and in such a wide range, what do the provincial inspectors and salt commissioners do? Why don't you investigate and deal with it? Why don't you report it?!" Zhu Yuanzhang was furious.
"Yes, Wei Chen was also very surprised before. He didn't receive any news before." Hu Weiyong hurriedly bowed his head and said: "Now after investigation, I found out that the gang that traffics in smuggled salt has a huge background, and the backers behind them are even more troubled by local officials.
Not worth it."
"Who is so awesome? Say it and see if we will be shocked!" Zhu Yuanzhang said secretly.
"It's... Marquis Deqing and his navy!" Hu Weiyong raised his head and said loudly:
"They refused to change their ways and returned to their old ways! Taking advantage of their control of the waters of the Ming Dynasty, they trafficked Huai salt from north to south, and then sold it openly in various places by their family servants! If the officials dare to inquire, they will be intimidated and threatened. Anyone who dares to resist
, was directly killed and silenced!”
"Doesn't Xiao Liao not want to live?!" After Zhu Yuanzhang heard this, he calmed down, looked at Hu Weiyong with a serious look, and asked quietly:
"I have already rewarded him with glory and wealth, but he still wants to make money by selling smuggled salt. What exactly does he want to do?"
"The humble minister heard that Marquis Deqing relied on his great achievements, and was often dissatisfied and spoke rudely..." Hu Weiyong knew that it was too late to give out powerful information, so he gritted his teeth and said: "He even used dragon and phoenix patterns well, and often went beyond the rules."
The words were not stated clearly, but the meaning was clear. Liao Yongzhong wanted to enjoy being an emperor!
"Hehehe..." Zhu Yuanzhang laughed when he heard this, and his laughter was very scary. He looked at the prince standing aside and said: "Biao'er, Liao Yongzhong wants to rebel, do you believe it?"
"I don't believe it." Zhu Biao shook his head and said softly: "These uncles may not know the rules, but there is no need to doubt their loyalty to the father, and they don't have the guts to rebel against the father."
Even though the prince was only twenty years old, his skills were extremely high. His words not only dispelled Zhu Yuanzhang's suspicions, exonerated Liao Yongzhong, but also beat up Hu Weiyong, who had made a complaint against him. Killing three birds with one stone, he was right.
"Haha, that's right. Thanks to Xiao Liao's courage, he doesn't dare to rebel against us. But if he really dares to sell private salt, we can't spare him!" Zhu Yuanzhang nodded with satisfaction, squinted at Hu Weiyong and said:
"What did he fart?!"
"Marquis Deqing often said that with his great contribution to destroying the Three Kingdoms, it was not enough to be given a duke, but it was too humiliating to only give him a marquis." Hu Weiyong was unyielding and continued to fire cannons.
"Why do we give him a marquis? It's clearly written on the iron certificate!" Zhu Yuanzhang was upset for a while and stroked the jade belt around his waist. "Even if Liao Yongzhong is illiterate, won't he find someone to read it to him?"
"Of course Marquis Deqing knows why, but he refuses to accept it." Hu Weiyong finally used his trump card and said: "We heard that he talked nonsense after drinking more than once, saying that his superiors had hinted him to attack King Xiao Ming, but he turned against him when he came back.
Admit the blame and let him take the blame..."
"What a fucking dog!" Boss Zhu, who had always been unpredictable in moods and anger, finally kicked Yu An over.
The Four Treasures of the Study and the memorial title book on the table fell to the floor with a clatter.
Hu Weiyong quickly buried his head deeply, but a smile flashed at the corner of his mouth.
