Chapter 244 – Inviting the King into the Jar

Yang Rong is curious as to why Zhang Anshi suddenly on this one zhang rustic, and also hope that the court discussion.

Based on his understanding of Zhang Anshi, this was certainly not a whim of Zhang Anshi.

This guy’s smart.

Just as he was about to ask further questions, at that moment, the eunuch said, “His Majesty declares an audience with all the princes.”

So the crowd fishtailed.

To the Chongwen Hall.

Zhu Di had already risen to his seat, and he looked around at that moment without saying a word.

After the crowd stood still, Xie Jin first out of the class said: “Your Majesty, today’s court discussion, is Zhang Anshi abolition of banknotes and coinage dredge.”

The abolition of banknotes is an extremely sensitive topic.

Zhu Di is a bit speechless, this is against the decision of the ancestors, Zhang Anshi actually did not discuss with him in advance.

And Zhang Anshi’s speech, actually immediately by the Wen Yuan Pavilion side of the request for court deliberation.

So much for being passive.

The more important the matter, the less extensive the discussion should be, and Zhu suspected that this was what someone in Wen Yuan Ge wished for.

Then Zhu Di looked deeply at Dajin.

Xie Jin is a harmless look, waiting for Zhu Di sentenced.

Zhu had to say, “Granted.”

Once the words, Xie Jin will look at Zhang Anshi, said: “Annan Hou know the economic way, this abolition of the ancestral system, but why?”

He appeared to be acting fairly as presiding over the court, but first characterized a big hat for abolishing the ancestral system.

All of a sudden, the hundred officials were clear that Xie Gong was very disgusted with this abolition of banknotes.

Zhang Anshi smiled, out of the class, said, “Daming treasury notes, increasingly depreciated, the people are no longer willing to accept, your majesty, in my opinion, treasury notes have become virtually useless.”

Zhu Di mused, not speaking.

Xie Jinyin smiled and said, “What do you all think?”

Then someone stood out, said: “Your Majesty, Xie Gong, the Ming dynasty treasures, Hongwu eight years, Emperor Taizu set treasures to lift the Division, the establishment of banknote law, printing treasures, this ancestral law, can not be easily abolished? Treasure money and now indeed serious ills, but not the emperor’s fault, it is the cause of the indiscriminate printing in recent years. I thought, instead of abolishing the treasure banknote, it is better to reduce the indiscriminate printing …… this is the right way. ”

Zhu Di remained silent, the emperor at this time, usually will not publish any suggestions, even if he has his own ideas, are first let the ministers quarrel before.

Xie Jin still looks at Zhang Anshi with a smile on his face, “What does Marquis Annan think?”

Zhang Anshi said, “Breaking and breaking, the problem with the treasury notes now is not how many have been issued and whether they are indiscriminately produced in the future, but the loss of credit.”

At these words, the previous man suddenly changed color and said sternly, ”Marquis Annan, how can you say such words! How can you say such a thing? You are going to break the law of our ancestors? What are you going to do to my Ming Dynasty’s Emperor Taizu? Could it be that you still want to say that Emperor Taizu has lost his faith in the world?”

The Confucian officials will always be like this.

At the drop of a hat, he puts a cap on you.

The vast majority of the time the court deliberations, obviously discussing specific matters, but in the end, the discussion has become the so-called major right and wrong.

Zhang Anshi was speechless for a moment, and in his heart, he only wanted to enter his mother.

The crowd began to whisper.

Xie Jin gazed at Zhang Anshi, seeming to have some regrets about Zhang Anshi’s general eloquence of battle scum.

“Might as well just ask Marquis Annan, to finish his sentence.” At this moment, someone stepped out of the class and calmly said.

The one who spoke was actually Yang Rong.

The crowd was silent when they saw that it was Janet speaking.

Yang Rong said: “Today’s discussion, is the national livelihood, during the Hongwu period, the system has also been abolished, is it the Taizu Gao Emperor denied himself? Emperor Taizu legislation, nothing more than both for the countryside, for my long-lasting peace and stability of the Ming, for the people.”

“There is this purpose, is the intention of Emperor Taizu, honor its intention, is to comply with the ancestral law, if it is stuck in the minutiae. But in vain the intention of Emperor Taizu’s high emperor, on the contrary, it is the opposite of the north.”

The crowd then couldn’t help but look at Xie Jin and then at Yang Rong.

Xie Jin’s face changed slightly, the corner of his mouth still contained a smile, but said, “What Mr. Yang said is quite reasonable. Marquis of Annan, please tell us in detail.”

Zhang Anshi said: “today’s market, the court’s treasure money military and civilian people are reluctant to accept, so the market circulation of copper, silver, but most of the color is not the same, and even according to my observation, the Yuan Dynasty when the copper, but also used so far. Silver transactions, is more cumbersome, some people trading silver, but also at any time with scissors, from the silver cake cut the corresponding silver on the scale, which completes the transaction, not only greatly time-consuming, but also very cumbersome.”

“Further, this silver is of different colors, some containing a lot of impurities, while others are pure silver. This, in turn, brought great trouble to the transaction. If it was in the past, most of the gold and silver transactions in Daming were limited to the sale of land. Nowadays, the increasing number of commodities, such transactions, for the development of industry and commerce, is bound to be unfavorable. It is for this reason that changes must be made in response to the current disorganization of the value of the currency, the currency is the foundation of everything, if even the currency cannot be unified, it will not be beneficial to the court or the people.”

After Zhang Anshi said that, most of the hundred officials remained unmoved.

To be honest, they felt like this at the moment, there was nothing wrong with it, people got used to it.

It’s a real pain in the ass now with the repeal and the minting of coins.

Zhu Di heard the word industry and commerce, slightly moved, and that’s when he opened his mouth slowly: “How to mint coins?”

Obviously, Zhang Anshi was fully prepared for today’s court meeting, so he said, “I have asked someone to cast some samples, and I would like to ask Your Majesty to take a look at them.”

Zhang Anshi took a dozen samples out, sent eunuchs, eunuchs forwarded to Zhu Di in front of the imperial case.

So on Zhu Di’s imperial case, there were a dozen kinds of currency.

The system was uniform, and there was an engraved gold coin of one tael, with the words, printed by order of the Ministry of the Household, and a small line at the bottom, Undertaken by the United Bank, with no holes in the center, while in the middle of this round coin a golden dragon was carved in a concave and convex manner.

At the same time, there were silver coins of almost the same pattern of one or two coins, as well as five, two, and one coins, and copper coins of one penny, etc., of the same system.

All coins, the system is uniform, the same size, even different value of silver coins, is the same portion, the only difference, may be only the silver content of the difference.

The most important thing is that the carving is very beautiful, and the pattern carved on the top is different, such as this gold coin is a golden dragon, to the silver coin one or two, it becomes a unicorn, and thereafter for the bullfighting, tigers and leopards, and so on.

Zhu Di picked up this thing and played with it in his hand, and said with some interest, “This Qixia’s craftsmen, the round coins they make, are quite interesting.”

Zhang Anshi said, “I thought that using such a currency to travel the world freely, so that for the court, it can greatly reduce the loss, and for the people, it also provides great convenience.”

The word depletion immediately made Zhu Di understand something.

Taxes are attritional.

What does depletion mean? In addition to the depletion of food and taxes, the depletion of gold and silver is also serious.

Because the taxes paid by the people were often in inconsistent currencies and of different colors, the government, in order to make sure that they received the full amount of taxes, would often count the silver and copper money paid by the people, to the more.

You say you this is five taels of silver, but my scale …… is clearly four taels and eight coins ah, you said you weigh the number at home is indeed correct, is the official scale, not as good as your home scale?

Moreover, your silver is not the right color, so many impurities, when the government melted into a treasure, escorted to the capital, I’m afraid that your five taels of silver, and finally only four taels of silver left, then how can I explain to the court?

It’s just more levies against the people.

In addition to this, there are the local states and counties, as well as the various government offices, the treasury gold and silver, in fact, the same, they will never say to the court, I levied more from the people, but rather, they say, how much they have levied in accordance with the court’s regulations.

But then, the levy to the gold and silver, I carried out the melting, the result …… found that the people s conscience is greatly bad, the levy to the gold and silver, impurities are too much, obviously I levy a thousand taels of silver, but the result is that, a melting, it became eight hundred taels.

Of course, eight hundred taels is considered to be conscientious, because according to some local records, the fire consumption generated by melting gold and silver, the general state and county fire consumption, each two up to two or three money, or even four or five money. The remote counties have less tax, and the fire consumption is several times more than the positive tax.

Nowadays, of course, Daming is mainly taxed on grain, but there are a lot of taxes on gold and silver as well.

And Zhang Anshi believes that in the future, the commercial tax is bound to start a unified levy, if according to these people play like this, on the surface, when Emperor Tai Zu Gao was, the tax will be set extremely low, but in fact, the world’s military and civilian people’s taxes are very heavy.

By means of this monetary inconsistency, it directly led to the original levy of ten taels of silver, but the people had to bear a tax of fifteen to twenty taels of silver, while the court should logically receive ten taels of silver, right, not right, and in the end into the treasury, there may be only six or seven taels, or even three or four taels left.

When you ask him, he says that he loves the people and can’t bear to be harsh with them because their gold and silver are impure.

This is tantamount to eating from both ends, eating the top and then the bottom, how it makes sense.

Zhu Di narrowed his eyes, his heart was clear at this point.

If the currency is standardized, and all currencies, in this way, are adopted, so that it is as much as it should be.

Obviously on this point, it is enough to Zhu Di heart, then said, “Well …… this policy, I see very good, can be tried.”

But when the hundred officials heard the word attrition, their hearts thumped violently.

Many people didn’t react at first.

But nowadays, it’s kind of coming back to me.

Fire consumption.

This fire consumption, and the depletion of the grain tax, is almost the greatest source of wealth for the magistrates, and it is reasonable and lawful.

There is a saying in later times, called three years of Qing Zhifu, 100,000 snowflake silver, definitely not an exaggeration.

Because if you are really a clean official, relying on this alone, in one of the more affluent states and counties, take 100,000 taels of silver, it is really possible.

And this is already considered very clean, two-sleeved, and even exemplary.

If not, relying on the little salaries of the states and counties around the world, when it comes to the New Year’s festivals, the mansions of the families in the capital, from the world’s states and counties to send a steady stream of ice and charcoal tribute, and where to come from?

People this is to flatter the Beijing officials, take a few two dozens of taels, must be sent out of the hand, and to send, but also not one or two.

This kind of situation has long been the rule since the Yuan Dynasty.

It’s one of those things that, if you give it away, people won’t think highly of you, but if you don’t give it away, people will inevitably mutter, this person is so strange, why is he so impolite?

Even in the time of Emperor Taizu Gao, such reasonable attrition and ice and charcoal respect also remains unending, because this has gone beyond the scope of greed and ink, people belong to the reasonable and lawful.

As if the empty seal case, every one of them, every one of them feel justified, you can not pick any faults against him, and every one of them, all have bitter feelings, but you Tai Zu Gao Emperor suddenly set off the table, you say you Zhu Yuanzhang bad bad it.

Xie Jin could not help but look at Zhang Anshi in surprise, he looked odd, even a little doubt, Zhang Anshi this guy, is not crazy.

Is he trying to get killed?

Yang Rong’s gaze was stoic, observing each person’s reaction.

Many have already shown their anger.

After all, …… the state and county officials are the court and the people eat both, but they eat the state and county officials, but now, you Zhang Anshi smash our pot?

The crowd didn’t say anything for a while, but the atmosphere in the hall suddenly went cold.

Xie Jin’s eyes with a smile, he is eager to do this!

This Zhang Anshi has swelled to such an extent that he really thinks that he can go against the whole world?

Will this not become the second Dong Zhuo, who has to find 18 vassals to crush, right?

I’m afraid that the guts of Emperor Taizu, the High Emperor, are no better than that.

Zhu Di’s eyes in the crowd’s face swept through, seems to have realized what, his hand stroked the case, said: “Today’s discussion, temporarily dismissed, Wen Yuan Pavilion of Ministers to stay, the ministries of Shangshu to stay, Zhang Anshi to stay.”

Such a court discussion, actually decisively by Zhu Di put on the brakes.

The faces of the hundred officials were all extremely unpleasant.

The revenue was supposed to be fixed, and the amount of ice and charcoal tribute that could be credited each year could be calculated according to the level of one’s official position.

But the problem is that, once the pot is smashed, their own mansions have been purchased, the concubines of each house have also been taken, the slave girl has also bought so many, the carriages and horses and all kinds of expenses in the clan, all according to their own income to match.

If this source of wealth is cut off, you will really have to eat dirt.

This is really tougher than the Airmark case, which is about teaching people to go hungry.

The ministers were speechless, just silent with dark clouds on their faces, and then they saluted and took their leave.

Those who stayed were nothing more than a few of Zhu Di’s most trusted ministers.

Zhu Di stood up, back hands, pacing back and forth, and then it is raised his head to look at Xia Yuanji, said: “Xia Qingjia is the Ministry of households, give me a word of honor.”

Natsuhara Yoshi laughed bitterly, “Your Majesty, it must not be so.”

He was succinct and forceful.

Zhu Di face cold: “Xia Qing think …… this policy does not work?”

Xia Yuanji said: “Any national policy, want to implement, all the world officials can be consistent. According to what Marquis Annan said, it is true that there are great benefits to the country and to the people. However, I believe that if it is to be implemented, it is bound to be difficult.”

Xia Yuanji paused, and then said: “What I said, is the words from the bottom of my heart, absolutely no personal thoughts. In fact, Annan Hou said the law, the Ministry of household is not no one has had such thoughts, but in fact …… simply does not work.”

None of his words were perfunctory, they were all the truth.

Zhu Di, however, said with a sullen face: “As long as there are benefits for you, only then can you carry out the implementation, is that right? But where there is no benefit, then it is difficult to move an inch, so that in the long run, then the court’s taxes are less and less, the people pay more and more heavy taxes. Ten years, a hundred years later …… even a bigger camel is going to be crushed.”

The so-called moral slippery slope, in fact, the rise and fall of dynasties, is also a kind of slippery slope, because those who hold the weapons of state will consciously defend their own interests.

As Zhu Di said, time and again, they refused to carry out state policies that were unfavorable to them, but each time, the wills that were favorable to them were fully carried out, and in this way, the situation became more and more favorable to them until their wealth and status became more and more inflated. At the same time, however, the court’s finances would inevitably be in great deficit, and the people would become increasingly hard pressed to survive because of this reasonable and legitimate appropriation.

The end result is to move on to the next round.

Shahara Yoshi is not a stolen official, he is even a good person and has been considered loyal.

And at the same time he kept his wits about him, refusing to let up because he thought that if he implemented it in this way, it would only result in unrest and would certainly not be followed through.

Instead of tossing and turning like Wang Anshi and ending up back to the same old thing, it would be better not to toss and turn, wouldn’t it be better to keep on singing and dancing? At least there are still at least a hundred years of peace!

Xie Jin said at the side: “Your Majesty, this is the hearts of the people, if the hearts of the people are against each other, how can the gods of the earth and grain be stable?”

Zhu Di’s face instantly sank a few points deeper, and he said sternly, “Whose hearts?”

Xie Jin was mute.

Zhu Di said, “Such a big event, should not have been the first court discussion, is not the Wen Yuan Ge perceived the hidden danger? Why do you want to open the court discussion in the vote drafting?”

At this time, Xie Jin is not hesitant, quickly bowed down, kowtowed and said: “It is a momentary lapse of attention.”

Zhu Di snorted coldly and said, “Do the ministers have no other opinions?”

After he said that, his gaze turned and landed on a person, “Jin Zhong, you tell us.”

Jin Zhong, who had only wanted to remain silent until he retired, stood out with great reluctance and said, “I only know about soldiers.”

Zhu glared at him and said, “Don’t you still know how to read faces? Come on, take a look at your own, how many years of Yang life can you have?”

Kim Chung: “……”

At this point, Jin Zhong felt that he couldn’t hide, so he had to say, “Since it’s good for the country’s livelihood, as long as Your Majesty follows the example of Emperor Tai Zu Gao, then just do it. The resistance is heavy for sure, but precisely because of the resistance, is it easy to want to do something great and establish merit and virtue?”

Zhu Di raised his eyes slightly and said, “Meaning, Secretary Jin seconded Secretary Zhang’s proposal?”

Jin Zhong said, “I didn’t say that.”

“But that’s not what you said in your last sentence.”

Jin Zhong said, “What I am talking about is the great principle of rising to the challenge and establishing merit and virtue. It is not about a particular thing.”

Zhu snorted coldly and said, “Unexpectedly, even you have retreated.”

Jin Zhong smiled bitterly and said, “I want to keep my useful body to plan military affairs for His Majesty.”

Chu: “……”

Jin Zhong is already considered an honest man, he at least didn’t lie.

Zhu was thoughtful.

Immediately afterward, his eyes fell on Jian Yi, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.

His tone was gentle, and he still expressed a certain amount of respect when treating this old minister, “What does Minister Jian think?”

Jianyi deliberated, “The root of the problem lies in the success or failure of the matter, if it is implemented with great fanfare, and in the end, it cannot be carried out, and what will be hurt is Your Majesty’s prestige and the prestige of the court. So I ask your majesty to reconsider.”

Zhu Di heard, sighed, quietly said: “Jian Qingjia really think, can not be done?”

“I have experienced the Taizu dynasty, mont blanc high emperor love, but also participated in a lot of military affairs, Taizu God Wu, and still many things, still force is not enough, although it is laborious and clear, may be for the world to do things, and there is geometric it? Hey ……”

He means that Emperor Taizu could not do it. Does Your Majesty think that you are better than Emperor Taizu?

Zhu Di was silent at this point.

He took his seat, narrowed his eyes, and said nothing.

Always, Zhu Di did not ask Zhang Anshi’s opinion.

Because this guy, Zhang Anshi, has a very clear attitude.

Zhu Di began to play with Zhang Anshi sent a few coins, hand in this fine silver dollar on the rubbing, murmured: “After all, or not willing, Zhang Anshi not mention it, if mentioned, I start to think, think of all kinds of the moment, the intention is really difficult to level. Into his mother!”

“Your Majesty.”

Just at this time, Xie Jin glanced at Zhu Di, suddenly said, “Zhang Anshi …… has misplaced the Ming ah.”

The words were met with sideways glances.

Zhu Di coldly glanced at Dajin.

Xie Jinyin laughed bitterly: “Your Majesty …… such a proposal, other people mentioned, but also just, only the Annan Hou can not mention, Annan Hou is the wife of His Royal Highness brother, the Crown Prince is the Crown Prince, he did not mention okay, mention, the world’s people and the people, what will think?”

“His Majesty set up the Crown Prince as the Crown Prince, not only because of the love of father and son, but also for the sake of the countryside and the countryside of my Ming Dynasty. If His Royal Highness is centrifuged from the people and the army, I am afraid that in the future, the disaster of Jianwen will occur again.”

He spoke with affection; after all, it was a small meeting behind closed doors where he could say whatever he wanted.

This time, it was sort of pointing the finger directly at Zhang Anshi.

Every time the emperor died, the dynasty would face a crisis that the crown prince’s prestige was not enough to hold down the situation, which was something that any normal emperor would need to consider.

What Xie Jin said is that Zhang Anshi is directly pitting the crown prince, and if something goes wrong with His Majesty in the future, what should the crown prince do?

Now the position of the crown prince, very solid, Xie Jin said these words, but all of a sudden said Zhu Di’s heart.

Of course, Xie Jin is ostensibly worried about the crown prince, but in reality he is saying that in the future, if the crown prince can not control the situation, it may be possible to consider other people …… such as ……

Zhu Di gazed at Dajin.

It must be said that Xie Jin is talented, he can cite a case, directly to the essence of the problem.

But the expressions of the other ministers in the hall were different.

Some thought that Xie Jin was right, and that almost everyone in this hall, Jian Yi, Jin Zhong, and Yang Rong, was a firm supporter of the Crown Prince.

When Xie Jin said this, it made them aggravate this worry.

As for Zhu Di, he might have to consider that he could not allow a Jianwen to come out of his own son, which might create a hidden danger for the country.

Zhu Di looked at the crowd with a furtive gaze and murmured, “Do policies that benefit the country and the people also require such deliberation?”

Xie Jin immediately said: “Throughout the ages, many people have advocated, many people, the initiative is not beneficial to the country and the people. But in the end, all failed, and even jeopardized the country. So I thought …… Annan Marquis is in a high position, can not act in the spirit, all things should think twice before acting.”

Zhu pursed his lips and turned the silver dollar in his hand, which, on the silver dollar, had surfaced a layer of Zhu’s hand sweat.

He slowly closed his eyes, and then they snapped open.

At this time, however, I heard Zhang Anshi say, “Duke Xie has a point, I have been taught.”

Xie Jin smiled faintly and said, “I spoke a bit straighter, please don’t be offended by Marquis Annan.”

“Do not dare, do not dare.” Zhang Anshi wants to chop Xie Jin into pieces heart all have, but is not slow to say, “I heard …… that a few days ago, Xie Gong also gave His Highness the King of Zhao, sent some books.”

Xie Jin did not have the slightest change on his face, but said, “His Highness the King of Zhao is thirsty for knowledge, and is recovering from a serious illness, I send him some books, please His Highness the King of Zhao to be able to cultivate his body and mind, what’s wrong with that?”

“It’s nothing unavoidable.” Zhang Anshi looked at him with a smirk, “It’s just that I’ve heard that Duke Xie and the King of Zhao have been traveling a lot.”

Xie Jin has long known that these things, can not be hidden from others, especially can not be hidden from the brocade guards, he looked calm, and even appeared to be frank and open: “Zhao Wang is smart and learned, many things, want to ask me for advice, Zhao Wang is His Majesty’s bloodline, I appreciate his heart of this good learning, there are indeed some walking. But I don’t know, An Nan Hou these words, what is the meaning? Could it be that …… I sympathize with His Highness the King of Zhao, but it is also wrong?”

It’s a clear license. Aren’t you checking up on me? Then check it out.

Zhang Anshi looked at him fixedly and said, “Sympathize?”

Xie Jin said frankly: “People have good and bad, the King of Zhao is a nobleman, I’m a minister, there are some interactions with each other, there should be no violation of discipline and law, right?”

Xie Jin is not worried at all, because he knows very well that the King of Zhao is also His Majesty’s direct son and will never be angry with him for this.

So he continued, “What’s more, I am a gentleman’s friend with the King of Zhao, and Marquis Annan’s entanglement with these has taught me to be somewhat confused.”

What this means is that it is you, Zhang Anshi, who is too much of a nuisance.

Zhang Anshi, however, revealed a smile, with a hint of something else in his gaze, and said with a smiling face, “Nothing, nothing, I just didn’t expect that Duke Xie and His Highness, the King of Zhao, would have such a strong friendship. I also have many friends with whom I am as close as brothers, it’s nothing.”

Xie Jin thought that Zhang Anshi could not find his mistakes, this time recognized the weakness, so he smiled at, quite a bit of smugness.

Arguing with me, you Zhang Anshi are still too young, learn for another hundred years.

At this time, however, a eunuch came in and reported, “Your Majesty, His Highness the King of Zhao seeks an audience.”

At these words, Zhu Di let out a long breath and faintly said, “Summon them.”

This Zhao Wang …… also has recuperated close to a month’s work, Xie Jin is quite concerned about him, and not good to personally go to the residence to visit, today in this meeting, he was quite looking forward to. If there is an opportunity, each other can talk about the best.

After all, now he had completely torn his face from the Eastern Palace because of Zhang Anshi.

After a while, King Zhao Zhu Gao Suo was assisted by eunuchs and entered the hall slowly, just about to salute.

Zhu Di said, “There’s no need to salute, give me a seat.”

…………