The Maritime Affairs Department belongs to a complete inner court structure. As long as the ships and goods go to sea through formal channels, they must be registered with the Maritime Affairs Department. The Maritime Affairs Department also has its own power to collect tax money. Most of their tax money is handed over to the Ministry of Accounts. A small part was transported directly to the palace, but this transferred silver was not included in the accounts.
In other words, the imperial court's money was clear, and Xu Youzhen had no idea how much money the emperor had.
In the 28th year of Chenghua, after the Maritime Affairs Department was restructured, it became an agency affiliated with the inner court. Under the supervision of the Director of Ceremonies, there was one eunuch in charge and three eunuchs to supervise.
The eunuchs in charge were also appointed as eunuchs in charge of rituals. Because the matter was so important, the eunuch in charge of the Maritime Affairs Department had to go back and forth to the capital three times within a year to report to the emperor on the affairs of the Maritime Affairs Department.
In the Maritime Affairs Department, a large amount of silver came from overseas, and the high-level managers were all eunuchs. No matter whether it was the central cabinet or local officials, they did not dare to underestimate them.
All the officials in the dynasty knew one thing, that is, the Maritime Affairs Department had a Yin and Yang account book, two different account books. One was public and allowed the Ministry of Accounts and even the cabinet to inspect the accounts, while the other was confidential and could only be used by people in the palace. Only then have the right to view.
After the gold and silver coins were minted, Xu Youzhen specifically mentioned the Maritime Department. To put it bluntly, she wanted to take a look at the hidden account books of the Maritime Department.
How much wealth the royal family has accumulated over the years can also be seen from the account books.
Although Xu Youzhen always maintained respect for His Majesty the Emperor during his cabinet career and did almost everything he said, there were still some small differences between the two on the issue of the Maritime Affairs Department.
Xu Youzhen believes that the Maritime Affairs Department has now broken away from the framework of the imperial court. If it develops in the long term, it will become a cancer for the court. However, His Majesty the Emperor believes that under the management of the bureaucratic system, the Maritime Affairs Department wants to complete the barbaric accumulation in the farthest reaches. , is very difficult, so at this time, Zhu Jianshen has been leading the independence of the Maritime Affairs Department.
The Maritime Affairs Department has hundreds of large-scale maritime merchants under its command. Not only is it a hub for merchants who go to sea to cooperate with workshops in Jiangnan, it also collects taxes and money from merchants every time they go to sea, and it also sells weapons and ships.
Sixty percent of the Ming Dynasty's finances came from Jiangnan, and three-thirds of Jiangnan's finances came from the Maritime Affairs Department. With such huge wealth, Xu Youzhen had to be cautious.
However, what Xu Youzhen didn't know was that nearly 60% of this hidden wealth was used in the Ming Dynasty's navigation channels in the New World and the construction of the New World.
Wang Zhi did a great job in Jixiang Port and Hancheng. Tens of thousands of Han people were able to be self-sufficient in the new land, but it was difficult to expand to the central part. He needed the support of the population. On the 31st of Chenghua In 2001, the large fleet returned once and used various methods to recruit more than 30,000 people in Korea, Annan, and the Japanese island of Kyushu. Nearly 10,000 young people boarded the ship in coastal areas such as Fujian. Travel to the New World.
These all require a lot of money. If you want the Ministry of Revenue to withdraw the money, it will cause an uproar every time. However, if the royal family withdraws the money directly, it will save a lot of unnecessary trouble.
"Xu Aiqing, I know what you want to know, and I also know the concerns in your heart. However, your worries are unnecessary. I have my own sense of discretion. We are talking about the reform of gold and silver coins at this time. Don't get involved. Maritime affairs, there is no connection between the two parties."
Although he faced Xu Youzhen's careful probings again and again, Zhu Jianshen was not angry and replied with a smile.
After hearing this, Xu Youzhen nodded: "Your Majesty, if you say this, I will feel relieved."
Zhu Jian, who was sitting in front of the imperial cabinet, took a deep look at Xu Youzhen, and his thoughts suddenly returned to the Wuying Palace more than 20 years ago. Xu Youzhen knelt on the ground and cried to the Queen Mother Sun, preventing the Supreme Emperor from returning to the capital... In the blink of an eye, he was in He sat on the throne for thirty-six years, and he became the chief minister of the cabinet, enjoying a lifetime of glory...
"Xu Aiqing, take good care of your body. Many people are staring at your position." Zhu Jianshen said with a smile.
Listening to Zhu Jianshen's words, Xu Youzhen felt warm in her heart: "Your Majesty, I am still alive... Your Majesty needs me, so I don't dare to die..."
Zhu Jianshen nodded, and then said: "Don't leave the palace today. The prince will come over later, and the three of us will have a simple meal together..."
"Thank you, Your Majesty..."
Zhu Jianshen's ten years were lonely.
On the road to imperial power, even his own son cannot share it.
In these ten years, Zhu Jianshen had five more sons and three grandsons. There were more sons and grandsons. Even though he lived under the red flag in his previous life and often spoke his true feelings, in this context, Zhu Jianshen's affection for his sons has become less and less.
He is more and more like Emperor Taizu Gao. The crown prince and the queen are his family members, while the other sons are like ministers. Except for the third son who was sick when he was young and was left by his side, the other princes They were sent out early as soon as they reached the age. At the beginning, they would still feel a little uncomfortable in their hearts. At this time, when the prince went out to join the feudal clan, there would be no disturbance in his heart... If Zhu Youhua made a mistake, he was With the current mentality, for the sake of stability, he may choose to kill his son without hesitation.
He himself was also aware of the changes in his heart, becoming more cold-blooded and emotionless, but he did not think he was wrong.
If you want to bring this nation into a different development channel, you have to abandon many things.
Family love should be thrown away as well.
However, Zhu Jianshen also knew that he was very unhappy at this time, and he even had no respect for life...
On the throne, he affects history and changes its course. Likewise, the throne, the supreme power, also affects him all the time.
Xu Youzhen accompanied the emperor in the Qianqing Palace. After talking for a long time, the crown prince Zhu Youkai came belatedly. After the three of them had a simple lunch in the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Youkai personally escorted Xu Youzhen out of the palace. .
At this time, Zhu Youkai was taller than Zhu Jianshen, but he was very thin and had dark skin... Although he became the crown prince early, he did not develop an arrogant character.
Zhu Jianshen attached great importance to Zhu Youkai's education.
Although Zhu Youkai was very young at this time, he had been to many places. Every year, Zhu Jianshen would arrange for Zhu Youkai to go on a study tour...
The furthest trip was to Kunming...
Whenever there was a famine, Zhu Jianshen would arrange for Zhu Youkai to go and secretly supervise the government's disaster relief matters. He once organized more than a dozen disaster relief officials in Kaifeng Prefecture...
Zhu Jianshen is also very satisfied with Zhu Youkai's performance over the years. He is humble but not weak, courageous but not presumptuous, confident but not arrogant...
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