As summer passes and autumn comes, the weather becomes cooler day by day. After entering late August, the golden phoenix rustles, the city is filled with the fragrance of osmanthus flowers, the air is fragrant, and the temperature is pleasant.
The Ming court was very calm during this period, and all forces were digesting the results of the victory after Liu Jin's downfall. After the chaos, no one dared to provoke easily or cause any major troubles.
The Ming court, like the people, needed to recuperate.
Zhang Yanling was also very stable during this period. Apart from the affairs at the Wild Dog Ridge Arsenal in Xishan Manor, he stayed at home and shared the joy of family life with his wife and children.
Zhu Qingyi's belly is getting bigger day by day. Her due date is from the end of September to the beginning of October. She can no longer move freely because her body is so bloated. However, Zhu Qingyi is very strong. In the later stages of pregnancy, her hands and feet are swollen and extremely uncomfortable, but she
Never complained a word. Not even a word against Zhang Yanling.
Every time Zhang Yanling went to see her, he could only feel guilty and helpless. In fact, Zhu Qingyi should not have suffered such a crime and risked his reputation. In short, it was all his own fault that caused such a result.
Zhang Yanling also accompanied Axiu to the temple to burn incense twice and ask for fortune signs twice. Naturally, she did this to comfort Axiu and show that she valued her desire to have a child. When the monk in the temple interpreted the lotus, he said
It's very good. It's said that the opportunity is coming, and you are destined to have a child, but the time has not yet come.
The old monk also said that the Lord Protector should pay more homage to the Buddha and offer more incense. The Bodhisattva was pleased and would naturally speed up the delivery of his son to Axiu.
Zhang Yanling laughed after hearing this. This bald donkey just wanted money. Of course he didn't believe his nonsense about Bodhisattva giving away his son. If he had said that he had killed too much and needed to accumulate virtue and do good deeds, he might have believed it.
However, in order to make Axiu feel at ease, she pretended to be respectful and gave her a lot of money. Anyway, the money was handed over by Liu Jin before she died, and it can be regarded as ill-gotten wealth. Using it as some incense money also made her feel at ease.
some.
However, days like this are obviously not the norm.
Zhang Yanling did not give up on the plan he had planned in his heart. With a large sum of money in hand, it was time to do something big. However, this matter needed the support of Zhu Houzhao and the support of nobles.
On August 20th, Zhang Yanling took his wife, children and children to Xishan to see the red leaves. When he was drinking tea at home, Zhang Yong, the eunuch and eunuch who was responsible for the ceremony, came to visit him from the palace.
Zhang Yanling hurriedly came out of the front hall. Zhang Yong'e came with a crown and robe, his face was shiny, and his face was filled with a satisfied smile.
"Hey, it seems that Eunuch Zhang has been living a good life recently. He has a good heart and a fat body. I haven't seen him for a few days and he seems to have gained a lot of weight. It seems that the position of the Chief of Ceremonies is indeed very lucrative." Zhang Yanling saluted.
Laughing and joking.
"Hey, please don't make fun of our family. Our family is here today, isn't it because of the support of our father-in-law? Our family has a clear conscience and is thinking about your father-in-law." Zhang Yong returned the gift and said with a smile.
Zhang Yanling hurriedly waved her hands and said: "Father, please don't say that. If others hear it, they will think that I, Zhang Yanling, have formed a clique for personal gain and become a clique. Father, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't talk nonsense."
Zhang Yong chuckled and said: "Master, don't you know our family? This is your house, there are no outsiders. We only speak from our hearts. In our family's heart, only the emperor is the master. This is the truth.
In front of outsiders, our family doesn't say a word nonsense. When we go to bed at night, we all bite pieces of cloth in our mouths for fear of talking nonsense in our sleep."
Zhang Yanling laughed, led Zhang Yong to the hall, and ordered people to have tea and watch.
"How come my father-in-law has time to come to my house? But what's the matter?" Zhang Yanling asked.
Zhang Yong said with a smile: "My lord is busy, so why don't you dare to come and disturb me when you have nothing to do? It's like this. The emperor has been very troubled recently. Our family wants to come to the Lord Protector to ask for a solution."
Zhang Yanling asked: "Why is the emperor troubled?"
Zhang Yongdao: "Guo Guo Gong, you don't like to take care of things either. Don't you know? In the past few days, Yang Ting has been discussing with them how to reduce government expenditures and save finance and taxes. They have been discussing this matter for several days in a row.
.”
Zhang Yanling said in astonishment: "Why did Yang Ting make such a report?"
Zhang Yongdao: "Isn't it already autumn? The fiscal and tax revenue of the Ministry of Household Affairs is several million taels less than in previous years. Money has to be spent everywhere and there is no shortage of money. Yang Ting discussed with them that they must be frugal. So he asked for the reduction of various yamen.
The cost, including the cost of the internal transportation warehouse
The imperial regulations must also be reduced. He also said that if it is not possible, the troops must be reduced. Otherwise, the dilemma of financial and tax deficit will not be alleviated at all. The emperor originally planned to ask for money from the outside world in the past few days. As a result, he cannot talk about it, but has to reduce it.
The palace spent money, and I was so angry that I cursed people in the palace."
Zhang Yanling frowned and said, "What does the emperor want money for?"
"Isn't he that Jiang Bin? I don't know where he got some good horses, and the emperor became obsessed with horse riding. So he planned to flatten the land next to the North Transport Depot and build a horse farm to raise them. He could ride horses on weekdays. But the land was flat.
It costs money to build a fence. Without this money, the inner warehouse would cost hundreds of thousands taels. In this case, it will not be built." Zhang Yongdao.
Zhang Yanling smiled bitterly and said: "Hey, the emperor has so many tricks, so why build a horse farm? If you want to ride a horse, can't you just go to the four major schools in the capital? Why build it in the palace?"
Zhang Yong whispered: "Hey, you don't know that the emperor not only rides by himself, but also takes the women with him. How can the women in the palace show their faces? Besides, it's better to hide in the palace for fun.
Oh, openly taking these women to ride horses outside at the military camp? That is really outrageous. The emperor also knows not to do this."
Zhang Yanling was stunned and speechless. Sure enough, less than a month after it stopped, Zhu Houzhao couldn't bear it anymore.
"The emperor lost his temper and said that he, a majestic emperor of the Ming Dynasty, actually had to spend a lot of money, and it was less than 100,000 taels of silver. Not only that, Yang Ting and Yang Yiqing also said that they would reduce the expenses in the palace.
.So, he curses people and throws things." Zhang Yong sighed.
Zhang Yanling nodded and said: "So, you come to me, what do you want me to do? Yang Tinghe's request is not excessive. This year has been a mess, and the finance and tax have dropped sharply. It is right to be more frugal. The emperor should understand Yang Tinghe and their hard work.
, that’s not to say I’m having trouble with the emperor.”
Zhang Yongdao: "What my father-in-law is saying is that the expenses in the palace are too great. The Huangzhuang's annual income is more than 100,000 taels of silver, and the Ministry of Household Affairs allocates one million taels of silver each year. It's only September, and it's already gone."
Our family also has a responsibility. We should persuade the emperor to be more frugal. But... what we do
As a slave, don't you just want the emperor to be happy? The emperor just spends some money, which is better than doing other things. Lord Protector, you said that our Ming Dynasty is such a big country, how come we don't have enough money? You
You are smart and capable, can you think of a way?"
Zhang Yanling laughed. After thinking for a while, he said: "I understand. It seems that something needs to be done. Please come back, father-in-law. I will go to the palace to see the emperor tonight and discuss it with the emperor. You go back and report to the emperor and invite him tonight."
Meet me in the Imperial Study Room, I don’t want to go to a place like the Leopard Room.”
Zhang Yong stood up, bowed and said, "That's great. If Lord Protector is willing to think of a way, there will definitely be a way. I will go back and report to the emperor."
After seeing off Zhang Yong, Zhang Yanling made some preparations. Timing is very important. If you want to accomplish something, you must have a good time. For example, when Zhu Houzhao felt that he had no money to spend, he proposed
It's time for that big plan.
Of course, this plan requires some bold risks and some conditions that Zhu Houzhao cannot refuse and that everyone from all walks of life can accept.
After dinner, Zhang Yanling entered the palace. As expected, Zhu Houzhao was waiting for him in the imperial study. Zhu Houzhao rarely came in. When Zhang Yanling came, Zhu Houzhao and Zhang Yong were lamenting the rich collection of books in the imperial study. Unfortunately, he didn't have any to read.
their desires.
"Your Majesty, Zhang Yanling, comes to see you." Zhang Yanling stepped forward and saluted.
"Uncle is here. He hasn't come to the palace to see me recently. He also took leave from the court meeting. What are you busy with?" Zhu Houzhao asked with a smile.
"What can I be busy with? It's not just the things in the regiment camp. As for not attending the court meeting, it is because my status is not suitable for participating in the government affairs too much. If I go, I will just stand there." Zhang Yanling said with a smile.
Lords and nobles are generally not involved in court affairs, so they do not need to attend court meetings every day like other officials. Unless there is a memorial or are required to participate, this is not a privilege.
Zhu Houzhao just asked and didn't say much. He ordered Zhang Yong to sit down and make tea, and then the two of them sat down.
"I heard that the emperor has lost his temper over the racecourse in the past two days. Is he in a bad mood?" Zhang Yanling asked with a smile.
Zhu Houzhao glanced at Zhang Yong, and Zhang Yanling hurriedly said: "It was not Eunuch Zhang who took the initiative to tell me. It was Eunuch Zhang who told me about this after I saw Eunuch Zhang and asked how the emperor was doing."
Zhu Houzhao nodded and said: "I am indeed a little unhappy. You said that I, the Ming Dynasty Emperor, could not fulfill my wish to spend more than 100,000 taels of silver to build a horse farm. Yang Ting and others have been discussing the matter of frugal spending these days. In my heart
Very depressed.”
Zhang Yanling said with a smile: "Your Majesty, it's no wonder Master Yang and the others are responsible for this."
Zhu Houzhao said: "I also understand, I just feel aggrieved. If this continues, I will follow my mother's example and go to the back garden to plant an acre of land, plant a few rows of vegetable beds, and support myself. What's going on?"
Zhang Yanling said: "Your Majesty, I have also heard about Yang Ting and their suggestions. I am afraid that the memorial they put forward is also out of necessity. The imperial government's finances have dropped sharply and the deficit is severe. It is quite difficult to maintain the up and down operations."
Zhu Houzhao sighed: "You don't need to tell me this, I understand everything."
Zhang Yanling smiled and said: "Isn't it just a racecourse? I brought a gift to the emperor."
Zhang Yanling took out a stack of banknotes from his arms and placed them on the desk.
"One hundred thousand taels, save some, it will be enough to build a horse farm." Zhang Yanling said.
Zhu Houzhao was surprised and said: "What are you doing? I don't want your money. Besides, why do you have so much money?"
Zhang Yanling said: "Your Majesty, don't worry, this is not corrupt money. This is clean money. Don't you have a village in Tianjin? There are 40,000 acres of fertile land. I sold the village there. This is
The money from selling farmland."
Zhu Houzhao was even more surprised and said: "You sold your farmland to me to build a horse farm? What has become of me? What will happen to your house's expenses?"
Zhang Yanling said with a smile: "Your Majesty, everything I have is given by the imperial court, so it is nothing. I have long said that I will hand over that farmland to the imperial court. I bought it from others in order to allow the people to have land for farming.
I won’t become a refugee. Selling it won’t affect my expenses. If the emperor needs it urgently, it will be used by the emperor, and the expenses in the palace will not be big."
Zhu Houzhao waved his hand and said: "No, I can't take your money. What's going on? Have I reached this point? Do I want to take money from my relatives? Have I, the Ming Emperor, fallen to this point?"
Zhang Yanling looked at Zhu Houzhao with a smile and said: "Your Majesty, your spirit is high, but the reality is this. If I say something that the Emperor doesn't like to hear, if this continues, the future will be even more difficult. The Emperor has no money to say, let alone
The Ming Dynasty's home for the common people? Trouble lies behind."
Zhu Houzhao frowned and said nothing.
"Yang Tinghe and the others are indeed clever women who cannot make a meal without rice. No wonder they put forward a petition asking for frugality. However, in fact, relying on frugality is not an option. To increase revenue and reduce expenditure, the key is to increase revenue. Just reducing expenses,
Many things cannot be done? Let alone disarmament. If this is really done, the earth will be shaken. What will happen to the dismantled soldiers and horses? Will there be land to farm? Wouldn't that mean chaos? Besides, I have a Ming Dynasty.
There is a reason for raising millions of soldiers
, for such a large land, it is not an exaggeration to raise millions of soldiers. Disarmament? Where? Border towns? Nine-border towns are important everywhere. Can they be dismantled? The capital? Can the capital's troops and horses be dismantled? The safety of the capital is the most important, that is
No. Local guard troops?
There are not many in the first place. Once chaos breaks out, local troops and horses will be needed to suppress it. They cannot be moved. Therefore, Yang Ting and others have a good intention, but they cannot seek medical treatment in a hurry. If I were in power, I would
I have to refute them."
Zhu Houzhao nodded and said: "I also think it's inappropriate, so I don't agree. But, they make mistakes every day, what can I do?"
Zhang Yanling said: "What they should give is not this kind of discount, but the discount on how to improve the situation. Your Majesty, the imperial court's fiscal revenue must increase, otherwise it will be unsustainable. The situation will be even worse. Your Majesty, if you want to dam the Ming River and Qinghai
Yan, the first thing to solve is these problems. Finance, taxation and people's livelihood are the top priority."
Zhu Houzhao frowned and thought for a moment, then looked up at Zhang Yanling and said, "Uncle, what you said before about opening a trade route is feasible?"