Qin Hong, Wang Shouren and Tang Yin immediately left the capital and headed for Piantou Pass.
Each has different tasks.
Zhang Zhou couldn't help but think of the worries of the ministers before. Looking at the shadow of the carriage retreating, he was thinking, is there a "gathering of heroes" coming to the Piantou Pass soon? Why worry about the stability of the Piantou Pass?
"Sir, Your Majesty wishes to cast a few more heavy cannons. The Ming Dynasty needs them on its frontier."
Xiao Jing went out of the city to bid farewell to Qin Hong and others, and also gave instructions about the emperor's expectations.
Zhang Zhou sighed: "It's a pity that I only have coal mines now and no iron mines. If the two mines are dug together and smelted in one place..."
"this……"
Xiao Jing understood it as soon as he heard it.
Zhang Zhou's saying here is "don't let go of the eagle if you don't see the rabbit". When asked about casting more cannons to Zhang Zhou, Zhang Zhou immediately expressed his difficulty and said that the ore and pig iron were not enough. Does that mean that the emperor would just give him a few more mines?
However, the mineral resources of the Ming Dynasty have always been strictly controlled by the imperial court.
"Eunuch Xiao, don't embarrass yourself, and don't embarrass me. Ming Dynasty has always emphasized on mining with caution and less mining. Whoever mines mines is competing for profits with the people... Of course, you have privileges, and I am not a minister.
How could I knowingly commit a crime?"
Zhang Zhou expressed emotion on his face.
Xiao Jing was startled. This was clearly an allusion to the emperor not giving you a title? It was obviously you who refused to accept it, but now you blame others?
Zhang Zhou asked: "Is there any result from the previous inventory of redundancy in the inner government treasury? How much can the salary notes be reduced?"
"Probably... 20 to 30%. This is just for the capital officials. The local generals cannot take care of it. You also know that the Ming Dynasty's treasury is tight now. The Ming Dynasty's expenses in the past two years have been too great..." Xiao Jing looked embarrassed.
When it comes to discounting salaries for Beijing officials, these internal officials were considered polite as long as they did not line their own pockets. This was also because Zhang Zhou was in charge of this matter.
If it were anyone else, let’s try whether we are greedy or not.
Zhang Zhou said: "I have some extra money here recently, why not borrow it first?"
"ah?"
Xiao Jing was really surprised.
That look clearly said, don't be joking. With your stinginess, it's not bad if you don't get any benefits from it, but you actually said that you want to use your own pocket to pay salaries to the ministers of the DPRK?
Who believes it?
Zhang Zhoudao: "Speaking of which, I have been doing business in partnership with the prince. For a period of time now, we have been engaged in mining and other activities, and the profits have been quite good. They say that this business must last for a long time. If the court needs it, I will keep the money privately."
If you hide it, how can you make money with money?"
Xiao Jing smiled bitterly and said: "Our family understands the principle of putting the end of the world before the end, but it's not like this, right?"
If you give money to those ministers, can those ministers make you money?
Are you kidding me?
Zhang Zhou said with a smile: "Eunuch Xiao, if I take some more silver to give to those ministers, will they agree to let me open more iron mines and let me cast more cannons?
?”
"..."
When Xiao Jing heard this, his face was horrified.
Zhang Zhoudao: "I heard that the Ming Dynasty has always had official land and imperial estates, and they have never been well managed. If they can be managed well in the future, it may be able to solve the urgent needs of the court. What do you think?"
Xiao Jing remained silent.
From the Ming Dynasty to the Hongzhi period, Huangzhuang mainly managed land and properties for the royal family, and the revenue was always owned by the inner government, which was also the main source of income for the inner government.
Of course, this is also the private land of the imperial palace system. They rely on this to line their own pockets. How can they be willing to hand over the authority to manage the imperial palace to Zhang Zhou?
Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "Eunuch Xiao, please don't take it personally. I can't save money for the imperial court. The only way I can think of is to increase revenue. Please also ask Eunuch Xiao to tell your majesty that I have thirteen thousand taels of spare money here. They are all earned after arriving in Beijing, and among them, four thousand liang are the dividends I should give to the prince. If your majesty needs it, feel free to use it."
…
…
Zhang Zhou was very generous.
When Xiao Jing returned to the palace and brought Zhang Zhou's words to Zhu Youtang, Zhu Youtang was reading and drinking tea in Kunning Palace.
With Zhang Zhou here, it seems that many troubles in the court can be solved. He is in a good mood recently, and his relationship with Queen Zhang is also quite good. The main reason is that Queen Zhang has stopped making troubles recently, and is as quiet as a cute little wife. The couple likes to make little people whenever they have nothing to do. Although there is no result, they still enjoy it.
"He...really said he wanted to get thirteen thousand taels?" Zhu Youtang was surprised.
The money a minister gives to the court may not sound like much, but it is full of sincerity.
Xiao Jing glanced at Zhu Houzhao, who was looking this way not far away, and said, "Mr. Zhang also said that four thousand taels of them should be distributed to the prince."
"no!"
Zhu Houzhao seemed to be an innocent person at first, wondering how much silver thirteen thousand taels was and how many fun things he could buy.
But when he heard that there was some money of his own in it, he rushed over and protested loudly.
Zhu Youtang glared at his son and said, "Prince, do you understand the rules?"
"Father, those are all the hard work of my son, you can't take it as your own." Zhu Houzhao was afraid that his old father would confiscate the money that should belong to him, and even thought that his old father would almost certainly confiscate it.
In his mind, he was blaming Zhang Zhou and Xiao Jing for telling him about his dividends, and at the same time he wanted to recover the losses for himself.
Zhu Youtang frowned and said, "You earned it through hard work? What did you work hard for?"
"This... when Erchen opened his business, he went over to give him a good reputation and shouted at him. Mr. Zhang said that it was precisely because of the wide publicity effect that Erchen had at that time that subsequent sales were very good... Father, you have so much money, you can give tens of thousands of taels to your eldest uncle and second uncle, and leave four thousand taels for your sons and ministers... Isn't it excessive?"
Zhu Houzhao's words made Zhu Youtang blush.
Fortunately, the wife went in with her daughter to take a nap. If Queen Zhang heard this and asked a few more questions... she would probably know that the old Zhang brothers used the money from the inner palace to fool the Zhang family's ancestors.
Then Zhu Youtang thought again, that was a good thing done by the two brothers-in-law, what does it have to do with me?
Does this brat still want to use this to threaten me? It seems like you don’t know how powerful my methods are, right?
"Bingkuan is very considerate. If I don't accept it, it will be bad." Zhu Youtang really didn't look down on the more than 10,000 taels of silver.
But the inner government counted the groceries in the warehouse, and found that there were only four to five thousand taels in total. To use this to pay the salary to the officials in the capital, each official in the capital could exchange it for 20 to 30 percent, but if Zhang Zhou's thirteen thousand taels were added, Two, the salary banknotes in the past few years can be reduced to about 80%, and the life of Beijing officials will be much better.
It also shows that he is a very wise emperor.
"In this way, I will only make up for a few thousand taels, and I will also come from the inner government and give it to those officials, including those whose salary bills have not been exchanged this year, and they will be discounted!" Zhu Youtang ordered Xiao Jing.
Xiao Jing heard this.
Is the emperor showing mercy?
The Ming Dynasty never said that the full amount of salary banknotes could be redeemed. The last time it could be redeemed for 40 to 50% was during the Chenghua period, and it could only be redeemed for half a year to a year at a time. This time it will be redeemed for four to five years at a time. Salary banknotes, full discount...
Even Xiao Jing felt sorry for the emperor.
Xiao Jing said: "Your Majesty, actually you don't need all of them..."
Zhu Youtang put down the book in his hand and sighed: "I also told the minister that this is not only my intention, but also Bingkuan's intention, and the prince's intention is also in it..."
"Father, you can't use your son's money to sell favors." Zhu Houzhao didn't want the minister to accept the favor.
Use my pocket money to pay salaries to ministers?
If this pocket money was given by your father, forget it. Now it is the income from the business partnership between my son and Zhang Zhou. It must be confiscated. Isn’t that reasonable?
Zhu Youtang said coldly: "I have given you face by agreeing to let you do business with Bingkuan. Prince, you must not know how to advance or retreat."
"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu" Zhu Houzhao looked aggrieved, and he really cried.
The naughty child has never suffered such a big loss. The father didn't say anything and just took what his son got as his own. Is there any justice?
That Zhang Bingkuan is also a bastard. Even if he gave money to his father, why did he include mine?
They are all evil people!
"But I also have to comply with Bingkuan's request. Are there any iron ore mines around the capital?" Zhu Youtang was very generous.
He took Zhang Zhou's money to pay the ministers salaries, but of course he would not let Zhang Zhou suffer. Giving the mine to Zhang Zhou not only met Zhang Zhou's needs, but also conformed to the reality of the court's cannon casting. For the emperor , it seems that there is no better proposal than this.
Xiao Jing said: "There are iron mines around Yongping Mansion, but...most of them were opened by Xunchen."
Zhu Youtang sighed: "When he opened the coal kiln before, Bingkuan went there by himself, right? If he can open up a new mine by himself, I'm talking about the iron mine, then give him the mine he discovered. ...I just don’t know if he has this ability.”
Xiao Jing smiled and said: "Your Majesty, with Mr. Zhang's ability to understand Feng Shui, he should know very well where there are mineral deposits underground, right? Otherwise, how could he make this request to Your Majesty?"
"This... haha, that's true."
Zhu Youtang's eyes were also full of expectation, "Speaking of which, Bingkuan is really capable. No wonder he said that even if Di Yi learned how to cast cannons, they would not be able to cast such a good cannon. The grassland is not satisfied with the mineral resources alone. Now that I think about it, he is reminding me to listen to him more and let him open more mines."
"Father...my son also wants to open a mine..."
Zhu Houzhao was wiping tears while thinking about how to make up for his losses.
Zhu Youtang said angrily: "I just want to give you four thousand taels, and I will give it to you later. I haven't touched the silver you secretly hid in the East Palace yet, don't you know?"
Zhu Houzhao wiped his tears and walked angrily to the inner hall.
Zhu Youtang said to Xiao Jing again: "Go and tell Bingkuan that I have agreed to this matter. Whether there are iron ore veins or other things around, as long as he can extract them, I will give him everything. He has obtained it before For such a great contribution, I think the ministers in the DPRK would not have any objections if he was given a few mines to be discovered by himself."
…
…
Xiao Jing truly experienced what "if you pay, you will get something in return".
When he exited Kunning Palace, he saw Dai Yi and told Dai Yi what had happened.
Dai Yi was surprised and said: "Doesn't that mean that whoever discovers the mineral vein in the future, as long as he tells Mr. Zhang, he can say that he discovered the mine himself, and His Majesty will give the mine to... how much benefit is behind this?"
"It seems...that's what happened."
Xiao Jing swallowed.
So greedy.
Although there have always been nobles and nobles involved in the opening of mines in the Ming Dynasty, they are not supported in terms of policy.
But Zhang Zhou's move was tantamount to taking the power to mine. Even if the ministers had objections, after all, the whole world was the emperor's territory, and the emperor's decision-making was more important than anything else when it came to mining.
As for mining taxes, there seems to be no such thing. Zhang Zhou can open as many mines as he wants, and the emperor has no strict restrictions.
Dai Yi sighed: "I'm just afraid that Mr. Zhang will do something that deviates from the established teachings. I'm afraid that by then, my life will not be easy."
Dai Yi was still wary of Zhang Zhou.
In this regard, Xiao Jing is much better than him, because Xiao Jing has not yet obtained the status of a superior and does not need to think about how to compete with Zhang Zhou for fame and fortune.
Xiao Jing was also wondering in his heart, did this Eunuch Dai take himself too seriously?
"There is no one who is willing to give money to ministers to pay their salaries. What does it mean to him? He takes it from the court and uses it for ministers? Is His Majesty using his name to win people's hearts, or is he trying to use His Majesty's hand?
To seek personal gain?" Dai Yi was still complaining.
Xiao Jing smiled bitterly and said: "Eunuch Dai, no matter what, our family must inform Mr. Zhang of this news. Today, I may not be able to take care of the errands of the Supervisor of Ceremonies."
"go Go."
Dai Yi had just sent Xiao Jing away, but before Xiao Jing could take two steps, he muttered in words that clearly fell into Xiao Jing's ears, "If our family can find a few mines, let Mr. Zhang open them."
, can I also make some money to support myself in the future?”
Xiao Jing was speechless upon hearing this.
But think again.
This seems to be implemented.
Even if there are not so many undeveloped mines around the capital, are there still few mines in the world? As long as they have a good relationship with Zhang Zhou, eunuchs like them seem to have a chance to make a lot of money.
Let's all make a fortune together.
…
…
In the city, outside the small courtyard where Ning Tong lived, a carriage stopped.
Zhu Daqi, the leader next to Zhu Feng, drove his carriage over and knocked on the gate of Ningtong courtyard.
When the maid came in and notified Ning Tong, when Ning Tong came to the door, she saw the people brought by Zhu Daqi were moving boxes down.
"What is this?" Ning Tong asked.
Zhu Daqi said: "Second Young Madam... this is Miss Ning, this is your dowry."
"My dowry?" Ning Tong was shocked.
Didn’t all my dowry go to the head of the Chen family, converted into silver, and used to purchase goods? Why are they here?
Zhu Daqi said: "That's it. Marquis Anbian knew that all your dowry had been mortgaged. He spent money to redeem it and said it was sent to you. Please don't send it away again. If you encounter this kind of thing in the future, it will be a big mistake."
I can’t help you anymore…and the lease of this yard will expire in two months, so you have to find another place to live.”
"What do you mean?" Ning Tong frowned.
Zhu Daqi sighed and shook his head: "Marquis Anbian has now gone to Pianguan and will not be able to return to the capital for a while. He is still worried about you. But you have to walk the road in the future on your own."
Then Zhu Daqi ordered the people behind him: "Carry the things in!"
This means that we are ordered to do something, and we leave after completing the errand.
Ning Tong seemed to have understood everything at this point. She said: "So, Zhang Zhou had no intention of helping the Chen family's sister and me from the beginning. Everything was designed to set us up. In the end, the Chen family's sister would go bankrupt, right?"
Zhu Daqi shook his head: "I don't understand what Miss Ning means."
Zhu Daqi is very unfamiliar with business, and he is not even as business-minded as Ning Tong.
"You said no, so what's going on with these dowry items?" Ning Tong continued to question.
Zhu Daqi said: "I only know that this is the order of Marquis Anbian. If you have any questions, you should wait until Marquis Anbian returns to the capital before asking."
Ning Tong said with a sad look on her face: "I harmed the Chen family's sister and made her think that she could do this business."
Zhu Daqi said disapprovingly: "If the business can't be done, the goods in hand will be sold. Miss Ning doesn't have to worry about it. I'll say goodbye now!"
…
…
Zhang Zhou took Wang Mingshan back to the Wang family's residence in Beijing that day.
This place is not the property of the Wang family. Soon Wang Chun and Wang Shi will have to go back to their hometown to hold a funeral for their father. They will have to observe the rule for twenty-seven months before they can return to the court, and they have to get rid of their errands first.
"Mr. Zhang." Wang Mingshan's father, Wang Shi, was responsible for receiving Zhang Zhou.
The mourning hall was not located in the capital.
The young and old of the Wang family will soon embark on the road back to their hometown, and everyone is wearing sackcloth and mourning.
Wang Yue means too much to the Wang family.
Zhang Zhou said: "I will mention it to His Majesty later so that my brother will inherit the title as soon as possible. However, regarding the use of troops in the northwest, I am afraid that there will be no chance for the Wang family in a short time."
Wang Shi sighed and said, "Mr. Zhang, you are overthinking. There is no wrongdoing in my Wang family."
Except for Wang Yue, the remaining members of the Wang family, no matter how capable they are, are not capable of leading troops in the northwest.
"However, Your Majesty has granted three nephews of the Wang family to serve as imperial supervisors, and they can serve as guards for hundreds of households. Wang Qian can make arrangements so that they do not have to return to their hometown, or they can be transferred from their hometown."
Zhang Zhou exists.
The Wang family now has the emperor's trust. Even if Wang Yue dies, the emperor plans to reuse the two brothers Wang Chun and Wang Shi, as well as their descendants.
As for Wang Yue's other sons...because they have no right to inherit the title and no official positions, most of them just hold some false posts.
Wang Chun, as the future Marquis of Weining, and Wang Shi, Zhang Zhou's father-in-law, had an extraordinary relationship.
Zhang Zhou's visit to the palace this time was actually tantamount to selling some favors on behalf of the emperor.
Wang Shi said: "I will discuss this matter with my brother."
"Yeah." Zhang Zhou also knew that the Wang family probably didn't have much confidence in having another famous general.
If dad can get back the title of Marquis Weining before he dies, it will already be a profit for the Wang family.
But Zhang Zhou felt that for Wang Mingshan's sake, he could help the Wang family cultivate a few capable people, and even promote Wang Shi.
But Wang Shi only thought about his father's funeral now and didn't pay much attention to it.
…
…
Zhang Zhou came out of Wang's house.
Looking at Wang Mingshan, who had a somewhat cute look on her side, she asked with a smile: "Mingshan, do you want to be a female general?"
Wang Mingshan looked at Zhang Zhou with eyes full of confusion and confusion.
Zhang Zhou smiled and said: "The sons of the Wang family should not distinguish between men and women, and women should not be inferior to men. Even if your father, uncle, and other men of the same generation do not have the intention to make contributions, you should still have it, right?"
Wang Mingshan thought for a while and continued to shake her head.
Zhang Zhou sighed and looked forward to: "If I have the opportunity to go to the battlefield in the future, I will definitely let you ride your horse and bend your bow, so that all the people in the grassland can see your grace as a heroine. After my grandfather passes away, the reputation of Marquis Weining will be
