Xia Yuanji was very depressed. Yes, Ping An was definitely not the only one who wanted to hang himself up and beat him. The Minister of the Ministry of Revenue offended too many people. If he didn't give him money or gave him little money, he would offend everyone.
Especially during the annual financial distribution, it is inevitable that some people will hit the table, smash chairs, roll up their sleeves and take off their coats, but even so, they are not as strong as other ministers, the Metropolitan Procuratorate, etc., who dare not directly threaten to hang themselves up and beat them, but Ping An actually has This courage is really gratifying.
Ping An is also aggrieved. What do the people in the Chief Envoy and Si Yamen do for a living? When the emperor comes, they don’t even notify him. He is embarrassed and offends the Minister of the Ministry of Finance. What is the difference between offending the God of Wealth...
Seeing Ping An's unlucky situation, Yang Shiqi lifted the stone and said, "Your Majesty, Ping An's master is very violent. You might as well send him to the Imperial Academy to study for lessons. He will be able to get rid of his violent temper within a month."
Ping An raised his head and looked at Yang Shiqi, crying and aggrieved: "Yang Jijiu, you can't drag me into trouble just because my son had a fight in the Imperial College..."
Zhu Yunwen burst into laughter.
There are still some reasons for talking about this incident. Ping Ping, the son of Ping An, is twenty-five years old this year. He entered the Imperial Academy through the back door last year. Ping Ping studied under his father Ping An, and learned all the skills of dancing with guns, sticks, and fighting, but he is not proficient in writing. .
Ping An wanted Ping Ping to take the Wu Jinshi exam in the fifth year of Jianwen's reign, so that he could learn a little bit of writing and write strategies, but ordinary teachers could not teach Ping Ping, a stubborn man. Ping Ping heard that there was a "quick success" method in the Imperial College, so he sent his son there.
As soon as Ping Ping arrived at the Imperial Academy, he became a "bully and gangster", fighting and causing trouble when nothing happened. When Yang Shiqi saw this, he had Tang Buping, who was observing the course at the Military Academy, call out. No one knows what Ping Ping went through, but After that, it was completely honest.
It's just to calm down such naughty people who entered the Imperial Academy through the back door, which made Yang Shiqi very dissatisfied, but there was no way. Ping An was not just the commander of Peking City, he was also the adopted son of Zhu Yuanzhang. According to this relationship, Zhu Yunwen had to call Ping An uncle. .
Although an adopted son is not a biological son and is not as good as a son-in-law, he still has face after all. To go to the Imperial College through the back door, you still need to open the door.
Although the back door was opened, Yang Shiqi was still dissatisfied and settled things down. Now that he had the opportunity to put things in order, he naturally "added insult to injury".
"Okay, I didn't really hear it outside. Please tell me carefully what made you quarrel so much."
Zhu Yunwen didn't care about Ping An's "violent spirit". As a military general, it was normal to greet the families of Zhang Bing and Xia Yuanji and call him "my god damn machine cannon". We couldn't expect the military general to be gentle and gentle like a scholar.
Ping An finally found an opportunity to complain and poured out his bitterness: "Your Majesty, after the Battle of Qiuba Mountain, the imperial court ordered the construction of the Great Wall from Xifengkou to Shanhaiguan. At the beginning, the Ministry of Revenue planned to mobilize 50,000 soldiers and civilians from the Dusi side, but the time limit required It was so tight that it was too late, so the capital secretary in Peiping sent a letter requesting the recruitment of more soldiers and civilians. By last year, a total of 120,000 soldiers and civilians had been recruited."
"The soldiers and civilians worked day and night, worked hard with blood and tears, and finally completed the repair and construction of this section of the Great Wall at the end of this year. However, the Ministry of Revenue only allocated 50,000 soldiers and civilians in wages and salaries. Seeing that the soldiers are returning to their guard posts, the people are returning to their hometowns. , but the Ministry of Revenue still did not send the remaining silver taels, so I had no choice but to take the time to save 600,000 taels of military resources in the guard station. There was still a shortfall of 300,000 taels, so I asked the Chief Envoy to ask for a loan..."
Zhu Yunwen looked at Xia Yuanji. The matter of building the Great Wall was discussed by the imperial court. Although there are no strong enemies outside Xifengkou and Shanhaiguan, it is inevitable that the Ming Dynasty needs a barrier. Zhu Yunwen cannot guarantee that all future generations will be wise and martial. , there is a barrier, which can at least buy time to protect the capital.
Building the Great Wall was very hard and tiring. The bricks were carried up from the mountain by donkeys and men. Although it is rare for people to die from exhaustion when building the Great Wall during the Ming Dynasty, it is normal for donkeys to die from exhaustion.
Fortunately, the line of Great Wall from Xifengkou to Shanhaiguan is not a new construction. Most of it was repaired based on the Great Wall of the Northern Qi Dynasty. However, additional piers, beacons, forts, and trenches were added, and some areas needed to change the earthen walls into stone. The wall stretches for more than three hundred miles, and the 50,000 soldiers and civilians are obviously not enough for the two-year construction period. It is reasonable for Peiping to recruit 120,000 soldiers and civilians.
"Tell me, what's going on?"
Zhu Yunwen asked.
Xia Yuanji was calm and explained calmly: "Your Majesty, your Majesty has decided to recruit 50,000 soldiers and civilians along the Great Wall from Xifengkou to Shanhaiguan. The Ministry of Household Affairs has allocated 650,000 silver taels this year, and all of them have been received. As for the remaining 70,000 soldiers and civilians, , it’s not that the Ministry of Revenue refuses to give it, it’s because there’s something fishy about it.”
"Tell me carefully."
Zhu Yunwen's expression became serious.
Xia Yuanji nodded slightly and said bluntly: "Beiping Dusi repaired the Great Wall and deployed an additional 70,000 troops and civilians on top of the original 50,000 troops and civilians, for a total of 120,000 troops and civilians. However, according to the evidence of many documents from Jizhou, Funing, and Yongping, the actual increase in troops and civilians There were only 47,000 people. The Ministry of Revenue sent officials to investigate the matter and found that the number of people who were building the Great Wall was falsely reported. At least 20,000 people were overreported. The Ministry of Revenue issued a document instructing the Peking Dusi Yamen and the Chief Envoy to verify the matter. , in order to protect the national treasury, the other 70,000 soldiers and civilians were not transported."
"If so?"
Zhu Yunwen's eyes became cold and stern, questioning Ping An and Zhang Bing.
Ping An hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, I have personally gone to Shanhaiguan to verify this matter. All soldiers and civilians recruited are registered. There are no mistakes in the addition of 70,000 soldiers and civilians."
Zhang Bing solemnly assured: "Among the 70,000 new soldiers and civilians, there are 22,400 sergeants at the guard station, and the remaining 47,600 are recruited by the chief envoys, and they are all registered. Just check it and you’ll know.”
Zhu Yunwen knocked on the table and said slowly: "Look at it this way, the Chief Envoy of Peking and the Dusi Yamen believe that the number of people is not falsely reported, but the Ministry of Revenue insists that the number of people is falsely reported, right?"
"yes!"
Zhang Bing, Ping An and Xia Yuanji spoke in unison.
Zhu Yunwen raised his eyebrows: "Wouldn't it be clear to you just by clicking on the roster?"
Xia Yuanji took a step forward: "Your Majesty, just counting the roster is not enough."
"Oh, why?"
Zhu Yunwen was a little strange. Although there were 120,000 people building the Great Wall, they didn't gather in a group and directly call the names with a roster. Wouldn't it be clear to everyone?
Seeing this, Yang Shiqi interjected: "Your Majesty, it is really not feasible to take roll calls based on the roster. The Imperial College also used the roster for attendance, but it was found that some supervisors were substituted."
Zhu Yunwen suddenly realized that in the Ming Dynasty, people began to play the game of answering "arrive" on behalf of others. If you hold a roster and call out names, this person shouts "arrive" and that person shouts "arrive", it is indeed easy to falsely name many people.
"Then let's form a team."
Zhu Yunwen thought, it would be okay to form a queue with a fixed number of people and check them one by one. Xia Yuanji still objected: "It is now the end of the year, and the repair of this section of the Great Wall has basically been completed. Naturally, the number of people who have falsely reported will be filled up one after another in order to receive wages. I believe that to truly verify whether there is a false report of the number of people, we only need to check their hands one by one. If there are no calluses on your hands, you must be a person who falsely claims your wealth."
No one has an easy time building the Great Wall. Whether they are migrant workers, craftsmen or soldiers, if they work for two years, they will never have tender skin and tender flesh, and no calluses on their hands.
Ping An immediately agreed: "If that's the case, then ask the Ministry of Accounts to withdraw the silver. When the wages and salaries are distributed, let them collect it in person. Check their hands. If there are no calluses, how about grabbing them?"
Zhu Yunwen didn't speak, he just looked at Xia Yuanji who was defeated.
Xia Yuanji accepted it calmly and threatened in turn: "No problem, but if the number of false claims exceeds a thousand, the Dusi Yamen and the Chief Envoy Yamen of Peiping will be responsible for dereliction of duty and oversight. I won't say how the emperor will deal with it, but the Ten Excellent Prefectures of Peking However, the title of the government must be revoked, and the preferential treatment corresponding to the increase in salary should also be cancelled!"
Zhang Bing took a deep breath. The title of Shiyou Prefecture is not just a simple title. It also has honors and benefits. Once revoked, not to mention the shame, all the increased salaries of officials will be cut off.
Ping An looked at Zhang Bing, feeling a little embarrassed. The results of the investigation by the Ministry of Household Affairs officials were different from his own. If, as Xia Yuanji said, someone falsely reported the number of people and falsely claimed wages, then he would have really neglected his duty.
I have failed in my duties, and I have implicated the Chief Envoy and all the bureaucrats in Beizhili. It will be difficult for me to gain a foothold here in the future...
Zhang Bing thought for a long time and nodded solemnly: "Okay, I agree!"
Zhu Yunwen appreciated Zhang Bing's courageous attitude in taking responsibility, but he did not want things to be too rigid, so he ordered: "Then let the Ministry of Revenue first withdraw 300,000 taels from the central bank to fill the vacancy, and the part withdrawn by the Wei Institute will be made up next year. If it is confirmed that there is Large-scale false claims will be investigated thoroughly and severely punished. Relevant supervisors and delinquent personnel will be severely punished according to the severity of the case. It is better not to take off the sign of the top ten prefectures for the time being."
Xia Yuanji saluted and said, "According to the emperor's words."
Zhu Yunwen saw that Zhang Bing had no objection, so he ordered: "Let the chief envoy and the inspector be responsible. The Security Bureau and the censor should jointly handle it. The sooner the better."
"I will receive the order."
Zhang Bing, Ping An and others saluted.
Zhu Yunwen temporarily stayed in Siyamen, the chief envoy of Peiping, and asked about Peking's farmers, merchants and military affairs. Zhang Bing and Ping'an answered fluently, and the corresponding documents and account books were moved out. After reviewing the account books one by one, Zhu Yunwen affirmed the abilities of Zhang Bing and Ping'an. Under their management, the city and its surroundings were indeed kept in order and all industries prospered.
“Are the lives of immigrant people fully protected?”
Zhu Yunwen asked.
Zhang Bing shook his head slightly: "Although there are more than 300,000 immigrants entering Beizhili, thanks to the full support of the imperial court and the provision of sufficient farming equipment and cattle farming skills, the people have basically established themselves, and 90% of the people have food. There is no problem anymore, only 10% of the people are in dire straits due to various reasons and cannot afford to live, and the Chief Envoy has also made arrangements."
Zhu Yunwen nodded with satisfaction: "For the people to settle down, it is not enough to just solve the problem of food. They must have a surplus. If every household can prepare a surplus of food for a year and have enough money for daily expenses, then it will be considered a success. Live. Only when the people are prosperous can the country last long."
