Do you dare to corrupt my Lin family's property like this?"
Lin Fan scolded.
After hearing this, Lin Fu froze there and said with an aggrieved look: "Master, how dare I sell our Lin family's property? Besides, our Lin family doesn't have much property either!"
Forehead……
Lin Fan was speechless. The Lin family really didn't have much property except for the things confiscated from the house.
"Then what's going on with those people outside?"
Lin Fan asked.
"Master, you don't know that during your absence, people came to our door every day to give gifts. We didn't dare to accept them at first, but the more we stopped accepting them, the more people came and the heavier the gifts were!"
"You came back yesterday and recaptured Liaodong, so I dared to leave the gift. Yesterday plus today, more than 100,000 taels of silver have been credited to my account."
Lin Fu said proudly.
I wipe it!
This guy looked stupid, but he wasn't stupid at all. He knew that he was going to Liaodong and didn't know what would happen, so he didn't dare to accept the gift. When he came back, he showed off his face. He accepted it openly.
"You bastard, I showed my face outside, and I don't know how many officials in the court are staring at me. If you accept the gift so blatantly, don't you want me to tell the truth in the future?"
Lin Fan pretended to be angry and scolded.
"Hey! Master, you have a lot of troops now. Who is our opponent in the court? Besides, those ministers have received many gifts!"
Lin Fu said with a smile.
"You're the only one who's smart?
Do you know that man's hands are short? Go now and drive everyone out, and no one will be allowed to enter the Lin Mansion again!"
Lin Fan said in a deep voice.
"Master, I'm afraid this may be a bit difficult. Nowadays, almost all the dignitaries in the city are here, and Li Jiantai, Minister of the Ministry of War, is also here, waiting for you in the backyard."
Lin Fu said in a low voice.
Not even the servants of the Lin Mansion knew about Li Jiantai's stay in the Lin Mansion. When Lin Fan heard that Li Jiantai was there, he was stunned for a moment: "Why does this old boy come to my mansion for nothing?"
"I don't know. I've been sitting all morning today and haven't eaten yet. Master, do you want to see me?"
Lin Fu asked.
"Well, this Li Jiantai is also the Minister of War after all. If I don't even see him, it won't make sense. Now go and prepare some meals and send them to the backyard."
Lin Fan said in a deep voice.
Then he quietly walked towards the backyard. He had no choice but to do so. There were too many people walking back and forth in the Lin Mansion, and Lin Fan was afraid that he would be recognized.
When they arrived at the backyard, they saw more than a dozen guards guarding them. When they saw Lin Fan, the guards hurriedly bowed and saluted. Lin Fan ignored them and walked in directly.
When Li Jiantai saw Lin Fan, he stood up in a hurry and came to greet him: "Marquis Diwu, I have been waiting for you all morning, and I finally see you!"
"Li Shangshu, didn't we just meet during the morning court?
If you come to me in private, aren't you afraid that outsiders will find out and cause criticism?"
Lin Fan asked.
"Haha! Given our position, let alone meeting here, even saying a few words in the court can attract criticism."
"If I hadn't had something to discuss with Marquis Diwu, I wouldn't have come here."
Li Jiantai said with a smile, but his smile was very forced.
"Something you have to discuss with me?
Li Shangshu might as well give it a listen. If I have a way to solve it, I will definitely try my best to do it. Of course, if I can't do it, I won't force myself."
Lin Fan said in a deep voice.
For an old fox like Li Jiantai, Lin Fan would not talk too much. What if this old guy came to him for money?
"This matter is definitely not an embarrassment for you. You also know that in addition to the soldiers and horses in the hands of your Emperor Wuhou, the Ming Dynasty has nearly three hundred thousand soldiers and horses!"
"These soldiers and horses are scattered in Shandong, Nanjing, Jiangsu, Henan, Sichuan... and other places. At present, all the money of the imperial court is spent on Wuhou's soldiers and horses. These soldiers and horses are almost out of food!"
"Moreover, most of the weapons in the hands of these people are rusty. Your Majesty intends to replace them with a new batch of armaments. Naturally, he will also provide enough food and grass."
"This will require the money in Marquis Wu's hands."
Li Jiantai said in a deep voice.
Lin Fan immediately understood that this old guy came to him to ask for money on behalf of Emperor Chongzhen.
However, the nearly 300,000 soldiers and horses that Li Jiantai mentioned were of no help at all when war broke out in the Ming Dynasty.
Now that everything is stable in the Ming Dynasty, you know how to stand up and ask for money.
"This... Li Shangshu, you are making me very difficult. You also know that although I have a lot of money, I have more places to spend it. If you rely on me to support your three hundred thousand soldiers and horses, I am afraid it will be difficult to support them."
It won’t be long.”
"Moreover, these nearly 300,000 people barely exerted any effort when war broke out in the Ming Dynasty. Why are they left behind?"
Lin Fan said in a deep voice.
Li Jiantai's expression immediately changed. He did not like these 300,000 people, but this was His Majesty's last resort to restrain Lin Fan. Their food, grass and armament problems must be solved.
"Marquis Diwu, how much money do you have in your hands? It's not difficult to support a million people, let alone 300,000 people."
"Besides, this money is not given to you for free. It is a temporary loan from you. After the autumn harvest and the tax money is collected, it will be returned to you."
Li Jiantai said with a smile.
Lin Fan smiled slightly and said: "This... I'm afraid it's inappropriate, but since Li Shangshu is here and it's His Majesty's wish, I can give His Majesty some face."
"Let's do this. I will give ten million taels of silver to the Ministry of War, but all the taxes collected by the Ming Dynasty for a whole year will belong to me. What do you think?"
Li Jiantai looked at Lin Fan with some disbelief and said, "Master Wuhou, you don't want to joke with me!"
"Do you think I'm joking with you again?"
Lin Fan asked.
"Okay! I agree to this on behalf of Your Majesty!"
Li Jiantai said decisively.
He knew that the previous tax revenue of the Ming Dynasty was only one to two million taels of silver a year. Even though everything in the Ming Dynasty was stable and the economy was recovering rapidly, it would never exceed five million taels.
This business is definitely very profitable. It seems that these two people are father and son after all. The eldest prince still cares about His Majesty's feelings. These ten million taels of silver are equivalent to showing love!
"Okay! You can go back and report to His Majesty now. As long as you write the promise on paper and stamp it with a jade seal, you can come back and get the money."
Lin Fan said.
"Okay! I will go into the palace to find His Majesty now. Marquis Diwu, you have to wait here. I will be back soon!"
Li Jiantai said hurriedly, and then slipped out of the back door with the people.