Chapter 226 The smoke rises and the country is shaken
"Zhongxian, let me ask you, how much money do you have in your internal funds now?"
Wei Zhongxian leaned forward with a very low posture: "Back to the emperor, since the sixth year of the Apocalypse, Chen Cao has paid 9 million taels of internal funds and 2 million taels of military funds. At that time, Emperor Daxing allocated 4 million taels for a total of 600 Give 10,000 liang to the governor Yuan Chonghuan and recruit 100,000 troops to fight against the slave establishment;
In August of that year, the severe drought in Shaanxi continued, and the refugees rebelled seriously. Emperor Daxing allocated another three million taels to encircle and suppress the refugees, and to appease the suppressing army under Ma Shilong;
In February of the seventh year of the Apocalypse, there was a severe drought in Shandong. Emperor Daxing once again allocated 3 million taels of internal funds to relieve the victims of Shandong. Up to now, the internal funds are only 800,000 taels of silver. "
The accounts were clear, and besides, his royal brother did not use the money for pleasure, but instead spent it on the right path.
"Your Majesty, I would like to send you more money."
Zhou Yingqiu only had this idea, otherwise who would let him do it?
Plus pay?
Who to add now? Isn't Shaanxi forced to rebel by Liao's salary?
But this is a rule passed down from the Wanli period. Who dares to mess with it?
"Do you have any good ideas among the noble ministers of the country? Let's brainstorm and speak out, and at least we have a charter..."
As soon as Zhu Youjian finished speaking, all the ministers in the hall looked at their toes. This is a matter of knowledge. Some of them just pretend to sleep when they are old.
Zhu Youjian watched the performance of the people in the palace. He wanted to see what these people were going to do: "Zhongxian, do you have any idea?"
Wei Zhongxian immediately kowtowed: "Your Majesty, there is a way. Before Emperor Daxing fell into the water, he had allocated one million taels of internal funds to repair the Xiyuan. Because the construction was stopped after Emperor Dahang fell into the water, and so far there are nearly 1 million taels left. Seven hundred thousand taels, these money can be returned to internal funds, and the total amount should be 1.5 million taels."
Zhu Youjian calculated in his heart that even if the total was added up, it would not be two million. Besides, his enthronement ceremony could be easily arranged, but the emperor's brother's mausoleum could not be simplified. After calculation, he could not support Yuan Chonghuan.
"Zhongxian, is there any way?"
Wei Zhongxian did not speak, but Cui Chengxiu immediately said: "Your Majesty, when Emperor Shenzong was still alive, he asked ministers for donations to finance the military expenses during the Second Imjin Japanese Rebellion. I think that now that the Liao Dynasty is urgent, Your Majesty can also start the practice of donating money." , collecting donations from internal and external ministers.”
Dog said...
At this moment, every actor in the palace was scolding Cui Chengxiu to pieces in their hearts, and even his wife, who was three generations later, was sending greetings to him.
Some people even secretly express their desire to have some intimate relations with their watchdog.
Furthermore, blocking someone's way of making money is like killing one's parents. Although you don't block people's way of making money, why are you giving bad advice to the emperor and raising donations?
The dynasty treats officials with extremely low salaries, and everyone eats money overtly and covertly. How dare you give the emperor advice and ask us to pay for it? Are you pushing us into the fire pit without knowing it?
Wei Zhongxian laughed in his heart. He wanted to see how these high-ranking officials who usually regarded themselves as gentlemen would face this problem.
Zhu Youjian also thought this was a good idea, and felt a little relieved, so he said: "I think what the Ministry of War said makes sense, so I will start the donation today, but I don't think it is realistic for all the ministers to donate."
call...
Hundreds of people breathed a sigh of relief, and some even farted accidentally because they were too relaxed.
"Why don't you just take it as a loan from your ministers, and I will pay it back slowly after the taxes come next year..."
ah...
After all, the money in your pocket still needs to be given away.
As soon as the emperor finished speaking, the palace was so quiet that one could hear the sound of a pin falling to the ground, but no one spoke.
Huang Liji was the chief minister of the cabinet, and Zhu Youjian looked at him first: "Cabinet, let's start..."
Huang Liji had been involved with Cui Chengxiu for a long time, and now he was regarded as the first target. He kowtowed to Zhu Youjian and saluted: "Your Majesty, I know that the old minister's family is in a poor family. He went to Beijing to take the exam this year and was financed by the local gentry. As an official I really haven’t saved much money over the years. It’s a pity that I hold the position of chief assistant in the cabinet. I wish I could share your Majesty’s worries. Even though I’m in a high position in the temple, I can’t solve the problems for the country. I feel ashamed. I feel ashamed of the great emperor. Cultivation...
The old minister is willing to donate all his family wealth of more than three thousand taels to His Majesty, and the old minister begs for the bones..."
"you..."
Zhu Youjian's face turned red from being forced. For the sake of the Ming Dynasty, he had bowed to the emperor and borrowed money from the courtiers. However, these people were willing to give up their high position as the chief minister of the cabinet for money.
If he took Huang Liji's money and agreed to his retirement, the clique of civil servants in the palace would definitely stop working and the court would be unable to function. This is the key point.
"The emperor's brother has been in power in the harem for seven years. The previous dynasty was completely governed by Wei Zhongxian. Although this old eunuch is hateful, he is his own slave. How he handles it is all in his own hands. A few days ago, ordinary people in the Donglin Party talked about the factory guard They asked themselves to abolish Dongchang and Jinyiwei. Now when they ask for money, no one asks for money. What should we do? '
Zhu Youjian was thinking a lot, and he suddenly remembered that the emperor's sister-in-law said that the source of the internal funds was all under Chen Cao's control, so he tried to overcome his mood. When he was about to speak, he heard someone talking outside work.
"Hahaha..."
Cui Chengxiu raised his head and laughed twice. Just when the censors were about to impeach him for his misconduct in front of the palace, they heard Cui Chengxiu say earth-shattering words: "Your Majesty, the chief assistant has indeed held an official position. He has been an official for so many years." , actually don’t even have any wealth,”
Cui Chengxiu said, handing over to Zhu Youjian: "I also hold the position of Minister of the Ministry of War, but I have also participated in some small businesses in recent years, and my family has some surplus wealth. I am willing to take the lead in donating 800,000 taels of silver to support the country and the dynasty. The expenses were voluntarily donated by me, and there is no need for repayment by Your Majesty;
Since we, the ministers, are officials of the state and the dynasty, we naturally have to take important affairs of the state and dynasty as our own responsibility. It is our duty as ministers to share the worries of your majesty. "
Cui Chengxiu made up his mind that after going to court today, he would leave under the protection of a group of Jinyi guards led by Tian Ergen, because he did not know that his actions would likely arouse the anger of his colleagues and lead to his assassination.
After Cui Chengxiu finished speaking, veteran Zhou Yingqiu immediately said: "I live in the position of Minister of Household Affairs, and my family still has some money. I am willing to donate 100,000 taels of silver to finance the military..."
Shi Minlai also came forward: "I hold the position of secondary assistant in the cabinet. My family does not have much money, so I am willing to donate 50,000 taels of silver to finance the military expenses."
Zhang Ruitu also said: "I hold the position of assistant minister in the cabinet and have enough money left at home. I am also willing to donate 50,000 taels of silver to finance the military expenses."
Now the four backbones of the Eunuch Party expressed their attitude and immediately led the trend. The Donglin Party originally planned to use this to attack the Eunuch Party and take the opportunity to deal with Wei Zhongxian, but they united as one and fought against them. Everyone knows that once the emperor and his courtiers As the saying goes, if you don’t save your life now, when will you wait?
Zhu Youjian was very excited. He never expected that the important ministers of the imperial court could be so rich. The four of them donated one million taels of silver. At that moment, he also had the slightest doubt about the Donglin Party.
Wei Zhongxian lay on the ground: "Old slave has been rewarded by Emperor Daxing for so many years. There is still some money in the outer house. The country is in trouble. As a slave of the Tian family, old slave naturally has to share the worries of the master. Today I will go back and sell all the rewards from the outer house. , I estimate that I can get five hundred thousand taels of silver, and I am willing to donate all of it to the imperial court."
"Um..."
Zhu Youjian breathed out from his nostrils: "Zhongxian, please get up...I am tired of retreating from the court. We will discuss the donation later..."
.
In the inner palace, Queen Zhang sat aside. It was not until Zhu Youjian, who had finished his temper and regained his composure, walked into the Xinuang Pavilion that Queen Zhang said, "Why is the emperor's brother so angry?"
Zhu Youjian's bad temper is recognized, and he can't pretend. He has the same virtue as his brother, who is born with it and cannot be changed.
"The eunuchs are hateful, Wei Zhongxian is hateful, and all the officials in the previous dynasty are hateful...
The emperor's sister-in-law doesn't know that today we were talking about donations. The chief minister of the cabinet said that he had no money and wanted to resign, so he put me on the fire. But all the eunuchs were money-hungry, so the four of them donated one million taels. In the end, they were able to donate a huge amount of five million taels of silver, but the Donglin Party members didn't donate a penny;
The teacher said it well. I really followed what the teacher said. All the eunuchs are rich. They have oppressed the Donglin Party to this extent. Everyone in the eunuchs deserves to be killed...everyone deserves to die...
Especially Wei Zhongxian, a slave like him, could actually donate 500,000 taels, and he kept saying that it was a reward from Emperor Daxing. The country was extremely difficult when the emperor was in power, and the emperor had great trust in him at that time, but he did not I donated a penny, but now I am willing to donate all the money to save my life;
Hateful, annoying, and murderable..."
'Boom...'
As he spoke, Zhu Youjian punched Xiao Ji hard.
"Imperial brother, rest your anger. Your imperial brother needs money to fight the war, and it all depends on Wei Zhongxian. Although he is hateful, but if you think about it carefully, the expenditures of the country in recent years have all depended on Wei Zhongxian and Chen Cao."
"Sister-in-law, please don't say anything good about that dog's killing talent anymore. I have made up my mind. After the donation is lost, I will deal with the eunuchs.
As for the imperial brother's last edict, I will also abide by it. I will let the dog kill him and let him go to Fengyang to guard the mausoleum. Chen Cao..."
Zhu Youjian's murderous spirit was strong: "Slaves of the three surnames who intend to seal the border and separate the country, serve the tiger as their king, and plot rebellion must not be left behind..."
..
"Do you know what the emperor said to Wen Mengzhen and others after the disbandment of the dynasty?"
The young eunuch shook his head: "Your Majesty ordered that no one should approach the Qianqing Palace. Eunuch Fang and Eunuch Wang are guarding the door, both under the imperial steps."
Wei Zhongxian waved away the young eunuch, and then looked at a few people in the hall: "Our family feels there are some bad omens..."
After Gu Bingqian learned of Cui Chengxiu's plan, he stroked his beard and thought deeply: "The plan is good, but the emperor's teachers are all from the Donglin Party. I think it is impossible to change Eunuch Wei's image in the eyes of the emperor."
"It's bad..." Gu Bingqian clapped his hands: "If they use this to criticize us, saying that we are corrupt and perverting the law, then wouldn't it be worth the loss..."
Tian Ergeng suddenly heard one word: "Have we shot ourselves in the foot?"
