Chen Kan was confused.
He obviously didn't do anything, so why did these people look at him like that?
While Zhu Di was opening the box, Chen Kan moved his steps unconsciously.
"Teacher, what happened? Why did you confront His Majesty just now?"
Fang Xiaoru's expression remained unchanged, and he explained in the voice of only two people: "Arutai has taken action against Mahamu. His Majesty wants to send a partial army north, but...the imperial court has no money."
Chen Kan was stunned for a moment, and then looked at Zhu Di as if he were looking at an idiot.
It's none of your business if a dog bites a dog.
You also sent partial troops north, do you want to fight just because you have money?
After complaining a few words in his mind, Chen Kan stood obediently and said nothing.
On the dragon chair, Zhu Di had already opened the wooden box handed over by Chen Kan.
With just one glance, his attention was drawn to the contents of the box.
"Is this a treasure note?"
Zhu Di took out a wad of treasure notes and turned them over in his hand.
"Is this a work of art?"
Zhu Di murmured to himself, and his heart suddenly became hot.
Compared with the treasure banknotes created by Chen Kan, the previous treasure banknotes of the Ming Dynasty should really be used to wipe the butt.
More importantly, the new treasure banknotes are made, does it mean that he has money to fight?
Seeing Zhu Di suddenly showing a fascinated expression and holding a stack of colorful papers, the ministers were shocked.
They instinctively felt that His Majesty might be up to something else.
"Is this the new treasure banknote? It's really exquisite!"
Zhu Di muttered something loudly to himself, for fear that the officials would not hear him.
"Come, let's take a look. How about the treasure note from the hand of Marquis Jinghai?"
As soon as Zhu Di finished speaking, the little eunuch took the treasure banknotes from Zhusi's hand and distributed them to the officials.
Jian Yi, the Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, received a large red banknote, and his expression suddenly changed.
After giving Chen Kan a fierce look, he smiled at Zhu Di and said: "Jinghaihou is indeed very thoughtful. He never thought that the treasures used by the ministers and others could be made so exquisitely by Jinghaihou. In a word, it is so ingenious. It’s not an exaggeration to turn decay into magic.”
Following Zhu Di's words, he praised Chen Kan. Jian Yi turned to look at Chen Kan and asked with an unexplainable smile on his face: "Master Hou, is this treasure note not cheap?"
Jian Yi's smile may have a meaning that is unclear to others, but to Chen Kan, it is a naked threat.
Chen Kan expressed his understanding.
If Zhu Di wants to fight a war, he has to pay for it from the treasury, and the Ministry of Revenue is in charge of the treasury.
As the great steward of the empire, Jian Yi was able to maintain the normal financial operation of the country during these turbulent years, which was considered to be extremely capable.
Now if he is asked to pay for Zhu Di's war, what is the difference between that and asking for his life?
Jian Yi just threatened Chen Kan with his eyes, which was already very implicit.
If Chen Kan were in his position, he would have to perform a beating for Zhu Di and make his head bloom.
However, Chen Kan has always had a habit of never accepting threats.
So Chen Kan cupped his hands towards Jian Yi and said with a smile: "Fortunately, it's not expensive. The cost of these precious notes in your Majesty's hands is about ten copper coins."
Ten copper coins is a relatively conservative figure calculated by Chen Kan. Of course, Chen Kan included all manpower, material resources, raw materials and even the food expenses of the craftsmen. If the silent costs are ignored, this is just a few pieces of paper. , the cost is estimated to be less than five cents.
But as soon as Chen Kan said this, the minister of cultural relics in the hall and Zhu Di on the dragon chair screamed out in shock.
"What, ten cents?"
Zhu Di's eyes shone with disbelief on his face.
He had just calculated that the face value of the stack of treasure notes handed over by Chen Kan was around fifteen guan.
And the cost is less than ten copper coins?
Zhu Di's breathing suddenly became heavy, and he seemed to see money flying in the sky coming in like a tide.
In contrast, Jian Yi's face suddenly darkened.
He looked at Chen Kan with a gloomy face, as if he wanted to tear Chen Kan into pieces.
Almost everyone in the hall knew the disadvantages of the treasure banknotes, but because it was a national policy set by the great ancestor, he had to cancel it easily for a while.
But in their hearts, they have long regarded treasure banknotes as something harmful to the country and the people.
But now, the cost of the treasure notes made by Chen Kan is so low, even lower than the cost of the treasure notes made by the original imperial court. How can Jian Yi, who is the steward of the Ming Dynasty, sit still?
If His Majesty hadn't been present, Jian Yi would have shown Chen Kan what it means to be both civil and military.
Chen Kan smiled at the corner of his mouth and looked at the expressions of the civil and military officials in the court with cold eyes.
The disadvantages of treasure banknotes are something that almost everyone understands tacitly, but these ministers dare not discuss the abolition because an ancestral system cannot be changed.
After all, they were standing too high, so high that they could no longer see the common people.
If they really meant it, they wouldn't be fighting with themselves here.
After all, isn't it just that he is afraid that he will use his treasure money to support Zhu Di's northern expedition.
"Bah, a bunch of bad guys!"
Jian Yi took a deep breath and asked: "Jinghaihou, do you plan to use such pieces of paper to exchange for supplies from the common people?"
Jian Yi's words successfully attracted everyone's attention, including Zhu Di's, to Chen Kan.
Zhu Di was very curious how this boy would respond.
He really wanted to take advantage of the chaos in the Northern Yuan Dynasty, but he had just been on the throne for a year, the chaos in the north had just subsided, and it was a fact that the treasury was empty.
The ministers objected to Zhu Di launching the Northern Expedition now, and the reasons were very good. It was like the foundation of the world was unstable, and the people were determined to have no intention of war.
In the final analysis, it just means two words, no money!
And now the treasure banknotes made by Chen Kan gave him another glimmer of hope.
However, as soon as the treasure money incident came out, Chen Kan was the one who was criticized by the ministers.
Seeing that everyone's attention was on him, Chen Kan did not panic at all. He asked: "Jian Shangshu, Bao Chao can buy supplies from the people. Why can't the new Bao Chao I made work? Has it never happened to Jian Shangshu?" Have you ever used Baoqian?”
Jian Yi frowned slightly, he couldn't refute this.
Most of the salaries issued to officials by the imperial court were settled with treasure banknotes. If there was anyone in the palace who had not used treasure banknotes, it was probably only the two young eunuchs beside Zhu Di.
Seeing that Jian Yi didn't answer, Chen Kan turned to look at the ministers and said with a smile: "You are all the pillars of our Ming Dynasty. I know very well what you think of Baochao."
"but......"
"I want to tell you that you have all read the wrong treasure banknotes."
"Treasure money has never been a policy that harms the people, but a policy that truly benefits the country and the people."
Many officials disagree with this.
But they dare not stand up and refute.
Standing up means that they agree that treasure money is a policy that harms the people, and it also means that they have overturned the national policy set by the great ancestor.
This is disrespectful.
Seeing that although the officials had unconvinced looks in their eyes, no one stood up to refute his words, the smile in Chen Kan's eyes became even greater.
As expected of a group of old officials, not one of them would jump into the pit.
He thought that with the integrity of officials like Ming Dynasty, they would stand up and scold him.
For this reason, Chen Kan also prepared many rebuttal words, but in the end, he was the one-man show.
Not interesting!
Seeing Chen Kan's words, Zhu Di asked Jian Yi speechlessly, and a smile flashed in his eyes.
He couldn't help but praise him: "Boss Chen, since you said that treasure banknotes are a way to benefit the country and the people, how come I heard that the people have complained about the imperial court's large-scale issuance of treasure banknotes?"
Chen Kan turned around to face Zhu Di, smiled and cupped his hands and said: "That's because we didn't make detailed plans for the issuance of Ming's treasure banknotes in the past. I kindly ask your majesty to give me half a year, and I promise to restore the treasure banknotes to their intended purpose." There is value.”
Things that have been discussed in advance, the performance at this time can be described as smooth and indulgent.
But officials who don't know the truth are different.
There was a look of shock in their eyes.
What is this guy Chen Kan talking about?
Within half a year, the treasure banknotes should be restored to their due value. Doesn't he know that Ming Dynasty's treasure banknotes have now become as worthless as paper?
"Your Majesty, I second the proposal."
At this time, only Fang Xiaoru stood up to support his student.
He also wanted to see if Chen Kan could create a miracle.
With Fang Xiaoru taking the lead, people from Fang Xiaoru's group gradually stood up and began to support Chen Kan.
Although the officials are still skeptical, it would be a good thing for them if the value of the treasure notes can really be restored.
As a result, there were more and more people supporting the proposal.
Only a series of officials from the Ministry of Household Affairs looked livid.
If the value of the treasure money is really restored, doesn't it mean that Zhu Di's dispatch of troops is inevitable?
Everyone is making money, so is it just their household department that is taken advantage of?
Jian Yi took a deep look at Chen Kan, and then returned to the queue without saying a word.
He made up his mind, no matter whether Chen Kan could restore the value of the treasure banknotes, as long as Zhu Di sent troops, he would be nothing more than moneyless!
Chen Kan didn't care either, he knew Jian Yi's thoughts very well.
It is true that the Ministry of Household Affairs is the Ming Dynasty's money bag, but it is precisely because of this that every money must be spent wisely. The money should be used to fight wars, develop people's livelihood, build roads and bridges, reclaim farmland, and build water conservancy projects. Okay?
At least from this point of view, the ideas of Chen Kan and Jian Yi are highly overlapped.
The only difference between the two is about the treasure money.
It can be said that once the treasure money regains its due value, everyone in the Ming Dynasty will be a beneficiary, including Jian Yi.
But...the Ministry of Household Affairs is the only department that cannot benefit from this.
Even if the value of the treasure money is restored, the Ministry of Accounts will still have to spend as much as it needs to.
Because the Ministry of Accounts does not have to worry about the actual value of the banknotes.
Of course, Zhu Di had no need to refuse something that more than half of the officials supported.
"allow!"
Chen Kan bowed and said, "I will live up to His Majesty's high expectations."
Zhu Di nodded with satisfaction.
Chen Kan's arrival today was a complete surprise for him.
Not only did it save him from the embarrassing situation of confronting hundreds of officials.
And successfully led the officials astray.
