Chapter 280: Grieved and wronged by Beijing officials

Author: Potato Sweet Potato Pie

Chapter 280: Grieved and wronged by Beijing officials

The words of Liu Jian, the chief minister of the cabinet, were resounding and echoed in the Palace of Qianqing. Many other ministers bowed their heads and knelt down, knowing that these words had eliminated the act of forcing the palace just now.

We are loyal to the country, but we are extremely anxious. Just now Fu Wei started to play, how could it be forced into the palace?

At most, I just want to cross a line.

Zhu Youtang sat silently on the dragon throne. There was such a huge deficit in the national treasury. How could he, the emperor and the emperor, turn a blind eye?

After all, this is his country, and this whole world belongs to his Zhu family.

He can provide money for this shortfall, but whether he can provide money is decided by him as the emperor.

Instead of being forced out by these ministers.

This is the bottom line. If these ministers are allowed to cross this line today, and there will be a deficit in the future, will it be forced on him, the king's father?

Emperor Hongzhi remained silent, and the courtiers below also knelt on the ground in silence, and the atmosphere remained deadlocked.

After a long time, Wang Shu, the heavenly official of the Ministry of Personnel, broke the silence, "Your Majesty, if the more than 12 million shi of Lumi were converted into silver taels, it would be about 4.5 million taels; plus the officials' salary arrears according to the statistics of the Ministry of Personnel, , two million three hundred thousand taels, a total of nearly seven million taels.

But now there are only more than two million taels left in the national treasury, and there is not much left in the warehouses to store grain. If all the salary, silver and rice are used to distribute it, it will be a drop in the bucket and far from enough."

"But as Liu Gong said before, everything always has its priorities."

Having said this, Wang Shu looked around at the ministers and said, "Everyone, the current situation in the country is difficult, and Your Majesty is worried about it. I am so thick-skinned, I beg you not to receive the salary owed for these few months, so as to share the worries of the court and Your Majesty, can you? "

After being silent for a few seconds, Liu Jian spoke up and said, "All the colleagues present, including me, are able to occupy this high position today because of His Majesty's grace. Now is the time to share the worries of your father. There is no right or wrong, only what can be done." Of."

Others also agreed, "It is appropriate for us to share your Majesty's worries when the court is in dire straits."

"Okay." A smile appeared on Wang Shu's face, "Since all the ministers have this intention and have set an example, then I, the Minister of Civil Affairs, will boldly speak out.

Officials at the level of ministers, ministers, patrol envoys, administrative envoys, and inspectors of various provinces in Beijing will not be paid salaries this time."

At this point, Wang Shu faced the direction of His Majesty Dan and kowtowed respectfully, "Your Majesty, important ministers in the court and high officials in the feudal territories are not required to receive back pay, but the fourth rank and the local officials below must all be paid, and It must be in cash, without any discount, otherwise they will let their hands go and exploit the people."

"But the officials below the fourth rank in Beijing have no choice but to resign themselves to their grievances and use pepper, spices and other items to convert into arrears and pay them out. In this way, all the money and food left in the treasury should be barely enough."

Now that the country is in dire straits, we have no choice but to aggrieve the officials in the capital.

And we can only aggrieve the officials in the capital, because they are in the capital, at the feet of the emperor, and under the emperor's nose.

Most of the officials below the fourth rank have official positions but little authority.

If they don't pay them money, they won't have the opportunity to exploit the people. But the local officials, as the sky is high and the emperor is far away, are the parents of the people. If they want to exploit the people, they can do it with just a few fingers.

No one can find fault with such an arrangement. The concern for the country and the people can be learned from heaven and earth, and can be expressed by the sun and the moon.

Nowadays, he has never mentioned the matter of internal funds and no longer presses the emperor. It seems that he has compromised, but this is just crossing the line and digging a hole.

The salaries of tens of thousands of officials in the world have been settled, but the national treasury no longer has any money and food. As for the salaries of the feudal princes, clans, and honorable ministers, it is up to you, the emperor, to take care of it.

They have no control over whether you give it or not.

They are bureaucrats.

Not only were the vassal princes, clans, and the country's military heroes not on the same side as them, they were even the targets of their suppression.

If the emperor does not give it, those people will inevitably feel resentful and have a gap with the emperor.

If it is given, then Your Majesty, you will take it out from your internal funds.

Even if you pay this time, there will definitely be a second or third time

As the saying goes, there is no beginning and no end, as long as a hole is opened in everything, it will never be able to stop the car again.

Various emotions such as sadness, anger, helplessness, and desolation were pressing in Zhu Youtang's heart. How could he not know that such an arrangement was the good intention of these wise ministers.

But he couldn't get angry, or even refute, because such good intentions were given the high-sounding title of sharing the country's worries and sharing the king's worries.

No matter how you look at it, they are all sharing the country's worries, and they have suffered huge grievances.

Zhu Youtang's hands in his sleeves were clenched tightly into fists. After a long while, he loosened them weakly.

He knew that if these people were allowed to use the national treasury money to deal with the vassal clan and the royal family's military honors first, they would only say that the treasury treasury was not enough, and the ministers really did not dare to wrong his majesty's clan members, and the dynasty's honors were noble.

So much.

In short, everything these people say makes sense.

Emperor Hongzhi's face was calm, but his heart was full of mixed emotions, which finally turned into a long sigh, "Go ahead."

The lumi of the vassal princes, royal family members, and military honors of these people can be converted into silver taels at least 3.5 million taels.

And among his internal funds, there are now nearly five million taels of silver lying there.

Nearly half of this is from sugar profits in the past six months.

The rest is the income of the Imperial Manor, as well as a share from the mining tax, salt tax, and iron tax after the tax collection in summer and autumn.

It has almost become a fixed quota, sometimes it is less than 1.5 million, sometimes it is more than 1.8 million, but it is impossible to exceed 2 million.

If it is not enough, it is absolutely impossible to ask the national treasury to raise more. These ministers will defend the treasury just like they defend their underwear.

But once there was a deficit in the treasury, he, the emperor, was asked to fill it.

But it doesn’t work if you don’t fill it up.

After all, this is his empire.

Emperor Hongzhi felt extremely aggrieved, but he did not say anything.

My daughter's princess palace is still under construction. There are tens of thousands of mouths in the palace, as well as royal guards, and people like Dongchang all rely on the money to support them.

If you take out the more than three million taels, you will only have more than one million taels left.

Now the income from sugar has stabilized two months ago, and we can get over 100,000 taels per month. It will still be half a year until the tax money is collected next summer.

half a year

I heard that Huang Er still gets a monthly salary of 10,000 taels as the chairman of the board. He will definitely not be able to spend all this money. He should have saved a lot now.

Emperor Hongzhi uncontrollably thought of Zhu Houzhao again, and then he pulled his thoughts back and said:

"In the one hundred and thirty years since the founding of the country, there has never been such a shocking deficit. Since I came to the throne, the country's affairs have never been so difficult. Fortunately, you all have relieved your worries, and I am deeply gratified."

After pinching his nose and saying the last sentence, Zhu Youtang continued: "Now all the ministers have set an example. They either do not receive their salary in court or in the field, or they give it in exchange for spices and other things.

At this time of difficult national affairs, the vassal princes, relatives, and military honors of the country and dynasty should also follow this example.

Princes, princes, generals and other clans from all over the country, together with the Duke of the country, will receive half of their salary in advance;

The generals who assist the country, the lieutenants who control the country, and even the marquis of the country will receive 70% this time. The rest will be paid in full."

After saying that, Emperor Hongzhi paused for a few times, and then added secretly: "I'm sending an edict to all places: Nowadays, the national situation is difficult, and I and my internal funds are supporting you and others, so don't complain. If there is a Fengqing next year, at the end of the year

The national treasury will surely release the full amount."
Chapter completed!