This New Year's Eve, Li Qing felt warm with his master accompanying him.
The master and apprentice ate, drank, talked and laughed until the fourth watch.
"Master, go and get some sleep. I have to go pay New Year's greetings to the little emperor and receive red envelopes." Li Qing said with a smile, "Just enjoy it. I'm sure there will be something delicious when you wake up."
Zhang Sloppy was never polite to him, so he patted his butt and went to bed.
~
In the Fengtian Palace Square, all the ministers gathered here. Except for Yan Guan who couldn't get out of bed, everyone who could come came.
Play for fun, make fun for fun, don’t joke about the year-end bonus.
No one wants to miss the day when red envelopes are given out, and who doesn’t want the free money?
The ministers exchanged greetings with each other, and the atmosphere was harmonious, without the previous tense situation at all.
After all...it's the Chinese New Year.
Zhu Qizhen didn't keep the ministers waiting for long, and rushed over before midnight.
Then, the ministers saluted, and Zhu Qizhen delivered a year-end summary; the ministers sent congratulations, and Zhu Qizhen handed out red envelopes. The whole process was quite harmonious, showing that the emperor was wise and his ministers were wise.
This year's red envelopes were much richer than in previous years. Li Qing received six taels of silver for a seventh-level official, which was really a lot.
After the New Year greetings, it’s the end of the hour.
Li Qing returned home on his donkey and began to clean up last night's "mess" and prepare a sumptuous lunch.
Cooking and cooking, I was busy until noon.
"Master, it's time to eat!" Li Qing shouted loudly.
After a while, Zhang came to the living room with sleepy eyes. When he saw the table full of delicious food, he instantly became energetic and said, "Okay, Qingzi, why didn't I see that you have this skill before?"
"In the mountains before, conditions didn't allow it." Li Qing rolled his eyes and muttered: "Besides, you were crazy at that time, how could you... Ahem, it's such a cold day, Master. Quickly roll up your sleeves, be careful of catching a cold."
"Nothing big or little." Zhang Sloppy snorted: "You're old enough to celebrate the New Year, don't force me to beat you up."
Li Qing: "..."
"Master, let's just say, you won't do that again, right?"
"Of course you won't talk nonsense!" Zhang said sloppily, "Who is this old man? How could he repeat the same old path?"
"That's good, that's good." Li Qing was completely relieved and served rice to his master.
The two masters and apprentices chatted while eating. Although there were no lanterns and decorations, this year was very festive.
Zhang Slutty said: "Qingzi, after finishing the Lantern Festival, I'm going back to Jinling."
"No," Li Qing hurriedly put down the bowl and chopsticks and said miserably, "Master, my disciple needs you."
"Don't be so stupid." Zhang Slutty glared at him, and then sighed, "Master is very confident about you, but not about Jinling. After all... your junior brother can't compare to you."
Li Qing was silent for a moment and nodded slowly.
"Master, can you still resist?" Li Qing asked.
"I'm sure I won't survive you." Zhang Rugru smiled bitterly, "The next time the deadline comes, it will really come."
Li Qing said nervously: "Then... how long will it take?"
"This is a secret, please don't let it out." Zhang Sloppy changed the subject, "We are eating, the food is almost cold."
Li Qing was helpless.
~
The Ming Dynasty’s annual leave is very short, and work starts on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year.
However, the ancient people’s New Year did not refer to the two days of New Year’s Eve and the first day of the Lunar New Year. To be precise, the period before the fifteenth day of the first lunar month is considered the New Year period.
Although work has started, there is not much business.
Li Qing was already in bad shape, so he became even more arrogant.
He didn't go to the morning court once, but occasionally went to the afternoon court. He only checked in at the Yamen on weekdays. As long as Yu Qian was there, no one would find fault with him.
Li Qing spent most of his time with his master, taking the little old man to play around the capital at home.
The comfortable time passed quickly, and it felt like it was the day of separation before it had passed.
On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Li Qing made Yuanxiao with his own hands, and the master and apprentice sat under the fruit tree and ate glutinous rice balls.
Seeing that he was in a low mood, Zhang Sugao laughed and scolded: "It's still a long time, and it's not like we won't see him again in the future. As for the look of separation between life and death?
Furthermore, didn’t you say that now is the critical moment? Master is here, and it also distracts you, right?
When you are free, you can return to Jinling. Master will settle in Jinling from now on. If you want to see me, you can see me at any time. "
After hearing what he said, Li Qing felt much better and asked, "Master, when will you leave?"
Zhang Slutty pulled the last glutinous rice ball into his mouth, stood up and said, "Let's go now."
"Are you in such a hurry?" Li Qing's face was full of black lines.
"I don't like ink."
"..." Li Qing nodded helplessly, "I will send it to Master."
…
After sending his master away, Li Qing stopped eating salted fish.
In five more days, the twenty-seven-day coffin period will expire. After the Empress Dowager is buried, the battle will begin again.
Qianqing Palace.
Li Qing took a sip of tea and asked, "Your Majesty, how is the army doing?"
"Don't worry, the British father and I have been prepared for a long time." Zhu Qizhen said confidently, "We are just waiting for them."
"Where's the treasure ship?" Li Qing asked.
"We are supervising the construction." Zhu Qizhen said, "Dongchang and Jinyiwei are supervising, and I have also issued a death order. If the reform is not completed within a time limit, Wang Xing will be deposed from the post of minister. He dare not not work hard."
After a pause, he asked again: "Sir, do you think they really dare to cause turmoil in the three provinces?"
Until now, he still couldn't believe that those people would be so bold.
"We'll see!" Li Qing said, "However, Jiangsu and Zhejiang are generally wealthy. According to my judgment, even if there is turmoil in these two places, it will not be too serious, mainly in Fujian."
Li Qing asked: "I remember that the Ming Dynasty seemed to have a silver mine in Fujian, right?"
Zhu Qizhen nodded: "Not only in Fujian and Jiangsu, but also in Jiangsu and Zhejiang."
At this point, he became angry. Since he came to the throne, the amount of silver mined has dropped sharply.
"Sir, since these places are bound to be in chaos, why not take this opportunity to rectify the silver mines?" Zhu Qizhen said, "We are going to be in trouble anyway, so there is no need to be merciful."
Li Qing thought for a while and asked: "How much silver can be mined every year now?"
"Sir, we stopped on the eve of entering the imperial court." Zhu Qizhen said, "In the first half of the fifth year of Zhengtong, the silver mines handed over 5,550 taels of silver to the imperial court. That's it. The mines will still be suspended in the second half of the year. Some people don't Sorry, I paid more in advance."
"So few?" Li Qing was surprised.
Zhu Qizhen sneered: "There are less than four years of orthodoxy, not even a thousand taels."
"How many before?" Li Qing asked.
Zhu Qizhen recalled it and said: "Several silver mines in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Fujian were discovered and mined during the Yongle period;
Mining reached its peak in the twelfth year of Yongle, with nearly 400,000 taels of silver a year. From then on, it would be at least 150,000 taels a year and at most 300,000 taels of silver.
Yongle mined a total of nearly five million taels of silver;
During the Xuande period, a maximum of 320,000 taels were mined a year, and a minimum of 60,000 taels were mined. During the Xuande period, the total was more than 2.3 million taels. "
Li Qing frowned, "Where is Renzong Dynasty?"
"This..." Zhu Qizhen thought for a while and then replied, "Probably more than 200,000 taels."
"So many?" Li Qing was a little surprised.
In the past, he had either focused on maritime trade or the situation outside the customs. He had never paid attention to the silver mine, and he had never imagined that the oil and water in it could be so huge.
"What about the years since the Emperor ascended the throne?"
Zhu Qizhen exhaled a breath of depression, "More than 21,000 taels."
"It's definitely a little less."
"Total!" Zhu Qizhen added.
Li Qing: "..."
This is too much.
Zhu Qizhen said: "It's going to be a showdown anyway, so I thought it would be better to do it in one go. What do you think, sir?"
"This..." Li Qing weighed it and felt that it was not wrong for the little emperor to think so. He had already made plans to send troops, so there was no need to give in anymore.
But this time, the dissatisfaction of the ministers will also reach its peak... Li Qing frowned and said: "If you do this, I am afraid that the relationship between the emperor and the ministers will no longer be reconciled."
Zhu Qizhen asked back: "Compared to ocean trade, silver mining is just a small business. The big business has already done it. Does it matter whether we do it or not?"
Could it be that Mr. Xiang thinks that the conflict can be reconciled without reopening the silver mine? "
Zhu Qizhen took a deep breath and said decisively: "Either don't do it. Or do it!"
Li Qing pondered for a long time, nodded and said: "Sure, let's fix it."
Seeing that Li Qingdu agreed, Zhu Qizhen's mood instantly improved. He finally had like-minded people.
"The Empress Dowager will be buried in a few days, and they will inevitably bring up old matters again, so I decided to attack first." Zhu Qizhen said.
Li Qing shook his head: "Let them take action first. Fighting in court is no different than others. The first move is often controlled by others. We just prescribe the right medicine."
"Hmm... Okay then." Zhu Qizhen nodded in agreement and suddenly asked: "Sir, do you know anything about the war?"
Li Qing was startled, shook his head and said: "I have never been in command and fought in a battle, so how can I speak from experience?"
…
