"What? Due to the large scale of sea worship, and the construction of two sea worship Taoist temples in Jiangyin and Changshu, the incense is constantly burning, and the sea god sacrifices are endless. The cost is huge, and the court's funding is seriously insufficient. However, Jiangnan is united and united. Chengcheng, in order to make the sea sacrifice a success, Mr. Zhao wants us to support the sea sacrifice and voluntarily pledge a thousand taels of silver and hand it over to the imperial envoy's Yamen within a deadline of today. There must be no mistake?"
The next day, just after breakfast at the Yamen, Zhu Pingan received a shocking news.
Zhu Ping'an had no doubt about this news, because it came from an official letter sent by someone from the Imperial Envoy's Yamen. Zhang Zhitai summoned everyone in the Yamen and read its contents in public.
After hearing this, Zhu Ping'an's first reaction was disbelief. He felt that it was outrageous to open the door for him - it was outrageous! Zhao Wenhua actually openly sent a letter to the Yamen asking for money.
The second reaction is that this is a disguised request for bribes, right? ! Although it is disguised in the name of supporting the sea sacrifice, anyone with a discerning eye will know what is going on! In broad daylight, has Zhao Wenhua become so arrogant when he demands money through official letters?
The others were also obviously stunned, with their mouths wide open in surprise and disbelief on their faces.
However, after careful consideration, I found that although the routine is simple, it is impeccable due to the overall situation of Jihai. I am not asking for a bribe, but I am preparing supplies to complete the Sea Sacrifice, and to complete the imperial mission. Anyone who accuses me of asking for bribes has ulterior motives, does not support the Sea Sacrifice, and is criticizing the Holy One. Jiangnan is united and united, but you are not even willing to donate a little money to support, so how can you have the nerve to say that you are loyal to the emperor and patriotic?
As expected of a big shot from Beijing, this operation is really awesome... Please bear with us.
"I asked, not only our Yamen of the Prosecution Office, but also other Yamen allocate varying amounts of silver taels according to the size of the Yamen, from a hundred taels to a thousand taels, without exception, even the Governor's Yamen of Governor Zhang is no exception. ." Zhang Zhengtai further said to everyone.
"Has Governor Zhang been assigned as well?" After hearing this, everyone was stunned and even more unbelievable than before.
Governor Zhang was still superior to Zhao Wenhua in terms of status and power, but Zhao Wenhua dared to send a letter to Governor Zhang asking for money.
Well, maybe Zhao Wenhua allotted a few taels of silver to the governor's yamen as a token of representation, to show that all yamen would treat them equally, so that each yamen would obediently hand over the taels of silver on time. This can be regarded as an unspoken rule prevalent in official circles, and it is easy for everyone to explain.
Everyone thought about it and figured it out.
"Well, the chief of the governor's office is also in charge of the military affairs, so he was allocated five thousand taels of silver..." Zhang Zhitai nodded slightly and said softly as he swept everyone away.
Zhang Nietai's words were very soft, but this very soft sound was no more than a thunder that exploded in the room.
"What? Five thousand taels?!"
Everyone couldn't help but uttered surprises. Shouldn't they be just showing off? Why were they allotted the most silver coins?
"Yes, five thousand taels." Zhang Zhengtai nodded, and then added, "But I heard that Governor Zhang was furious after hearing the news, and reprimanded the scribe sent by Zhao Qin to deliver the letter. Five thousand taels of silver, what do you think? If you don't go and grab it, all the silver in my yamen will be used to support the army. I wish I could break a copper plate into two halves and go back and tell Zhao Wenhua that now my yamen can't even get out a single copper plate. I hope he will support the suppression of Japanese pirates and voluntarily pledge money. Ten thousand taels of silver! After scolding the scribe, he was driven out."
Well, this is very commonplace. Zhu Pingan was not surprised when he heard this. In addition, isn’t Zhao Wenhua’s behavior of asking for money an open robbery? !
"Governor Zhang is qualified to refuse, but we cannot refuse. The money must be paid and handed over on time." Zhang Zhitai sighed helplessly, and then said to everyone, "Let me tell you in advance, you all have a certain idea in your heart. Be prepared, because our Yamen suddenly received this thousand taels of silver, our food standards will be lowered from now on. Everyone, including me, may have to deduct various gifts and subsidies this year."
"Ah? Are the food standards going to be lowered? Are there no more etiquette?" Zhang Chufeng and others couldn't help but wailed.
It’s no wonder that everyone is crying, Zhang Zhitai has always been frugal, and the food standards of the Sentencing and Inspector Si Yamen are already very low compared to other brother yamen, and are not even as good as the food standards of ordinary county yamen. If this goes down any further, I am afraid that he will be in trouble in the future. It’s all cabbage, radish and tofu. It’s good to see the meat smell once every ten and a half days. In addition, not only the food standard has been lowered, but the boxing gift subsidy has also been deducted, which is a huge benefit.
Although they were not short of money, they were heartbroken when such a sum of welfare money that belonged to them flew away.
Seeing Zhang Chufeng and others wailing, Zhu Ping'an couldn't help but twitch his lips. He was in the military camp, and the lowering of food standards had little impact on him. As for the boxing ceremony, it was invisible gray income, so his hair was withheld.
"Ahem, Zihou, there is one more thing I need to tell you." Zhang Zhitai said to Zhu Pingan.
"Please come to the stage and speak." Zhu Pingan responded, with a bad intuition in his heart.
"In addition to the various government offices, military camps have also been assigned. Since your Zhejiang Army is newly established and is undergoing regiment training, the amount of silver allocated is the smallest, but there are still two hundred taels of silver. This is the pledge assigned to the Zhejiang Army. Silver, our yamen has only borne one thousand taels of silver, but we are unable to share it any more. Zihou needs to find a way to lead the Zhejiang army by himself."
Zhang Zhengtai said slowly to Zhu Pingan, looking at Zhu Pingan with some sympathy. Zhu Ping'an's Zhejiang Army's military expenditure was not rich to begin with, and the Ministry of War and other departments often withheld and delayed it. Now that another two hundred taels of silver had been allocated, the already not rich military expenditure was bound to be even worse.
What, the Zhejiang Army still needs to allocate another two hundred taels of silver? ! Not even skipping group training...
The corners of Zhu Ping'an's raised lips fell instantly, and his expression became speechless.
What a wonderful reincarnation.
Now it was Zhang Chufeng and others who raised the corners of their lips, and each of them looked at Zhu Ping'an with sympathy.
Especially Zhang Chufeng, he almost laughed out loud with schadenfreude. It's really pitiful. Zhu Pingan needs to bear the two hundred taels of silver alone, haha... I can't bear it anymore.
"Okay, I will collect the money on time." Zhu Pingan sighed...
Nowadays, the business of the Zhejiang Army's Secret Sword and Sore Medicine is getting more and more prosperous, so the money is not a problem.
Just other military camps…
Other military camps were already in dire need of food, wages and money. Many military camps and guard stations could not pay food and wages, resulting in constant desertions and weapons and armors falling into disrepair. Zhao Wenhua actually asked the military camps to pay for their money! Now the military camps have to deduct soldiers' food and pay...
(End of chapter)
