The Cangshi obviously recognizes Wang Yuan and knows that this man is deeply favored by the emperor. If he really drags him into the Jinyi Guards, he will have to shed his skin even if he doesn't die. What's more, how can the Cangshi not be greedy?
Wang Yuan grabbed the warehouse envoy by the collar, lifted the guy up with one hand, and sneered: "I don't care whether you are wronged or not, just give me food or money!"
The warehouse envoy explained with a grimace: "There is really no rice left in Jingcang, and there is not much rice left in Tongcang (zhou)."
Rice transported by water is mainly transported to Tongzhou and Beijing for storage. The Tonghui River was silted up at the time of Liu Jin and has not been dredged until now. As a result, after the grain is transported to Tongzhou, it must be transported by land to Beijing by truck operators, which increases consumption in the process.
So most of the grain was simply stored in Tongzhou.
This is really funny. There is only a short distance from Tongzhou to Beijing, and the Tonghui River is the last section of the Grand Canal. The river has become blocked and has not been dredged for several years.
But the Ministry of Industry has nothing to do, because the Ministry of Household Affairs does not allocate funds. How can we carry out projects without money?
The Ministry of Household Affairs also feels helpless. They can barely support themselves by selling iron and steel, so how can they allocate money to the Ministry of Industry to dredge the river?
Historically, the siltation of the Tonghui River was delayed until the seventh year of Jiajing. The project was funded after the death of Zhengde. Yang Tinghe laid off more than 40,000 soldiers and removed all the imperial villages and shops in Zhengde.
Clicked out.
"I'll say it again, if you don't have rice, give me money!" Wang Yuan scolded.
The warehouse envoy sighed and said: "The money is gone. Last year, there were rebellions all over the country. Not only the grain tax dropped sharply, but the military pay was still increasing sharply. The water transportation was cut off by the rebels. The storage in the warehouse has long been emptied."
Mr. Wang, even if you kill me, I still won’t be able to produce money or food!”
This year is just the beginning. Next year's finances will be even more difficult. The salary gap for officials and the army is as high as 900,000 dan.
Wang Yuan directly dragged the Cangshi to the Metropolitan Procuratorate. He said that arresting the Zhenfusi was just to scare him. He could not use the Jin Yiwei to do things, otherwise he would be isolated by all civil servants.
Cangshi shed tears and cried: "Scholar Wang, you have to be reasonable."
"That's nonsense," Wang Yuan asked, "Let me ask you, did Zhang Yong's six thousand soldiers receive enough food and pay?"
The Cangshi was suddenly speechless.
Wang Yuan became even more angry, threw the man to the ground, kicked him twice, and cursed: "We are also training troops for His Majesty, why can Zhang Yong receive food and salary, but I have to deduct two-thirds! Do you think I am easy to bully?"
"
The warehouse envoy explained: "It's not a deduction, it's just a postponement. After the grain arrives in Beijing, it will be distributed in full."
Wang Yuan stepped on the chest of the Cangshi and sneered: "Then tell me, why isn't Zhang Yong's salary suspended? You insist on suspending mine!"
"Xueshi Wang," the Cangshi could only explain patiently, "I can't decide who will go first and who will go last. I'm just the Cangshi of a Jingcang, not the Warehouse of Taicang. It's a matter decided by the superior officer.
Can I still object?"
In fact, it's very simple. Eunuchs are very narrow-minded. Taicang didn't dare to delay for fear of being remembered by Zhang Yong, the eunuch who was responsible for the ceremony.
However, Wang Yuan received Chen rice last month without any censure, so he left Taicang to make an illusion: that is, Wang Yuan did not care about the money and grain, and did not take the matter of training soldiers to heart. Most likely the second time.
Yue left the soldiers alone.
Now, not only Wang Yuan is owed food and salary, but many departments are also owed, and they are all departments that have no say.
"Very good, it turns out that I am regarded as a good gentleman," Wang Yuan said through gritted teeth as he dragged the Cangshi onto his horse's back, "I must get to the bottom of it today, otherwise who will take me seriously in the future?
"
When they arrived at the Metropolitan Procuratorate on horseback, Cangshi was already shaken to pieces and was spraying vomit along the street.
Wang Yuan brought this person into the Metropolitan Procuratorate. Immediately, an official on duty came over and said, "May I ask what brought Bachelor Wang here?"
"I didn't expect that I am quite famous. I was recognized as soon as I walked in." Wang Yuan said with a smile.
The official said: "On the day when Academician Wang returned to Beijing in triumph, I was lucky enough to have a glimpse of it."
Wang Yuan pointed at the Cangshi and said, "This official is corrupt, perverting the law, and depriving the army of military pay. Do you think the procuratorate will take care of it?"
The official was confused, glanced at the Cangshi, and said, "Scholar Wang, please follow me."
Today is the winter solstice holiday, and there is only one person on duty in the Si Affairs Office of the Metropolitan Procuratorate. The official took Wang Yuan to the Si Affairs Office and said to the officer on duty: "He Siwu, Bachelor Wang of the Hanlin Academy has a case to handle."
He Siwu was an official of the ninth rank, the lowest among the lowest. When he saw Wang Yuan, he immediately saluted and greeted him.
Wang Yuan threw the warehouse envoy to the ground, clasped his fists in return and said, "He Siwu, this official embezzled Mo's army rations. Please tell me how to investigate and deal with it."
The Cangshi had already fainted, but now he was knocked awake again. He cried and said, "What an injustice. I really didn't intend to default on the food payment. I was just following the superior's instructions."
He Siwu asked the matter clearly in a few words and said to Wang Yuan: "Scholar Wang, this is not something I can handle. I can only record it first and hand it over to the superior officer after the rest."
"Well, you can file the case first!" Wang Yuan didn't make it difficult for the other party.
After the case was filed at the Metropolitan Procuratorate's Affairs Department, Wang Yuan grabbed the warehouse envoy and left.
Siwu He quickly asked: "Where will Academician Wang take this person?"
Wang Yuan replied: "Take him to the school field outside Xuanwu Gate and keep this guy in custody in the military camp."
He Siwu said: "This move violates the system."
Wang Yuan sneered: "Otherwise? Keep him in the Metropolitan Procuratorate, or return him to Jingcang? If you don't take him back to the military camp, will you really investigate and deal with him seriously?"
He Siwu was speechless.
Wang Yuan led his men on horseback, and He Siwu was so frightened that he immediately sent someone to inform the Ministry of Household Affairs. The Cangshi was an official under the Ministry of Household Affairs, and his duties were very sensitive. If he didn't say hello in advance, something would happen!
…
The Taicang envoy got the news before the boss of the Ministry of Finance. Knowing that the matter was difficult to solve, he immediately went to the Ministry of Finance to cry.
Who to cry to?
The person who is the governor of Cangchang is none other than Huang E's father, Huang Ke, the right minister of the Ministry of Revenue!
Huang Ke served abroad in the past few years, and also participated in pacifying the rebellion of King Anhua, and twice defeated Yibula (the leader of the Yongxiebu tribe in Eastern Mongolia) who invaded the Ming Dynasty border.
He was finally transferred back to Beijing this year and was reuniting with his family during the Winter Solstice. When he heard that the envoy from Beijing had been arrested, he was furious: "How unreasonable. He, a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy, would detain an official from Taicang at will!"
Huang E was eating in the house. When he heard what was going on outside, he couldn't help but say: "Father, my daughter heard that Wang Xueshi was an upright official and that all the gifts he received when he won the first prize were used to help the people who were affected by the war. He led his troops out.
When suppressing the rebellion, he dared to charge and kill more than ten thousand bandits with only two hundred horsemen. Such a person who is not greedy for money and not afraid of death would seize the warehouse envoy privately out of fear of being pushed into a hurry."
Of course Huang Ke was not a fool, and he could not offend the emperor's famous people. He was just showing off his anger to the Taicang envoy. He immediately asked: "Why do you default on his military pay?"
The Taicang envoy replied: "The Beijing warehouse is already empty, and there is not much left in the general warehouse. It is difficult for a clever woman to make a living without rice, so she can only temporarily default on one or two arrears until the grain is shipped next year."
Huang Ke scolded: "You are confused. You can't default on anyone you owe him. Who doesn't know that he is training troops for His Majesty?"
The Taicang envoy said with a grimace, "I didn't expect Academician Wang to be so staunch."
Huang Ke laughed in anger: "If he hadn't had a strong temper, how could he have killed Liu Liu and Liu Qi with two hundred elite cavalry?"
The Taicang envoy muttered: "I thought he was just training for a show. He would definitely not sit in the camp and practice in person, let alone keep an eye on the food and pay. In this case, why not delay the arrears for a while and wait for the food to arrive in Beijing before replenishing him.
"
This operation is possible, because the soldiers under Wang Yuan's command all belong to the lowest level of military households, and have never even entered the military camp before. It is impossible for this kind of Beijing soldiers to cause trouble, and it doesn't matter whether they are given food or not. If Wang Yuan is supplied in the future,
It is also more convenient for Wang Yuan to collect food and salary. If there is a problem, he can directly push it to Taicang.
You see, how thoughtful the Taicang envoy was, but how could he wink at a blind man when he met a man who was not corrupt and was serious!
Huang Ke asked: "Is the warehouse really empty?"
The Taicang envoy said: "The grain is empty, but there is still some silver."
Huang Ke instantly understood what the Taicang envoy was planning. Due to the military disaster in the Gyeonggi region, the price of food in the capital continued to rise. The rice in Taicang had been exhausted, and the salary had to be paid with money to buy rice, or simply give money directly.
However, if the money is given directly, it must be calculated according to the official price, because using the market price will arouse public anger. As a result, Taicang officials will not only be punished by the Ministry of Revenue, but also lose many opportunities for corruption.
If you use money to buy rice, it will be even more unbearable. Rice is too expensive!
Then just put it off, hold the money in your hands, and wait until the price of rice stabilizes before buying again. How much money will you save over time?
Therefore, Taicang has money, but it is not willing to spend it.
Huang Ke reprimanded the Taicang envoy, wrote an invitation, and handed it to his servants, saying: "Go to Xuanwu Gate and invite Scholar Wang to his house for a talk."
Huang E was hiding in the back room and eavesdropping. When he heard his father inviting Wang Yuan to his home, his cheeks immediately burned. After that, he lay in front of the window and looked out the whole day.
(There are a lot of trivial matters these days, so I apologize for the lack of updates.)