Zhang Rong's triumphant return greatly boosted the Song court.
There is no way. The sense of security brought by natural barriers is unmatched by anything else, especially for the lower-class people and bureaucrats who know nothing about military affairs.
And to be honest, sometimes we can't really blame them for being ignorant or blindly following others. The main reason is that the army of the Song Dynasty was never reliable. Compared with the army, they would rather trust a river or a pass. As for why the army is unreliable, it's hard to say... Some things are hard to tell who is the cause and who is the result. God knows whether it was because of the three changes of returning to the river that led to the weakness of the army's combat effectiveness, or the excessive weakness of the army's combat effectiveness that led to the three changes of returning to the river.
However, no matter what, the top leaders should always have a final plan in mind, which is that the strength of mountains and rivers lies in virtue rather than in danger.
Of course, there may still be differences of opinion as to what this "德" refers to... In other words, if the country was truly united from top to bottom and from left to right, the Song Dynasty would have colonized the Lion Kingdom long ago. Why was it that after more than a hundred years of founding the country, it failed to recover Yanyun and instead fell to the point of being temporarily excited over the control of the middle section of the river in front of the capital?
Back to the present, no matter what this virtue refers to, and no matter what consequences this attack will bring, whether it is Zhao Jiu, an official, or several reliable prime ministers in the court, generally did not stop the excitement within the court and among the people, because the people really need this sense of security to comfort themselves.
Moreover, this sense of security can bring real money.
The Chinese New Year is just ten days away, and after the Chinese New Year it will be the fourth year of Jianyan, which means that the Jingkang Incident will soon usher in its glorious third anniversary... This is not to say that such a small event is worth celebrating once a year, but that after experiencing so much time, people's complicated hearts are tired of war, and their minds are settled; on the other hand, they are accustomed to war and turmoil.
Therefore, although the situation along the Yellow River is still tense, and although a large number of openly rebellious rebels are still entrenched in the backward areas of southern Jingxiang and northern Guangnan (this is the most direct internal trauma caused by the Jingkang Incident, which cannot be controlled in a short period of time), the economy of various places is gradually recovering, and the symptoms of comprehensive blood loss caused by the Jingkang Incident are also clearly healing.
The most obvious sign is that the refugees who moved south gradually integrated into the local community, business and travel became active again in various places, and tax revenues in various places south of the Huai River began to recover on a large scale.
At this time, the recapturing of the strategic dividing line of the Yellow River (at least it can be publicized that way) is undoubtedly a shot in the arm for the recovery of industrial, commercial and agricultural production.
The ministers certainly didn't know what a shot of adrenaline meant, but they understood the general meaning.
However, faced with such a decisive victory and the so-called promising recovery of agriculture, industry and commerce, the imperial court fell into a financial crisis at the end of the year.
The reason is definitely not because of spending too much money in a rush.
In fact, everyone can guess it to some extent... that is, distant water cannot quench immediate thirst. The strategic significance of this battle is unquestionable, but what about the rewards?
Moreover, due to Liangshanpo's previous special position, when the imperial court was organizing the imperial camp and increasing taxes in the southeast and Jingxiang, there was no mention of the imperial camp navy from beginning to end.
But now that we have achieved such a great victory, we can give normal rewards or quickly gather and stabilize this army on the Yellow River. Not to mention food for now, where will the money come from?
If this force is not quickly reorganized and incorporated into the court's finances, even the people of Tokyo City will probably be unhappy.
"Can you print some Jiaozi?"
After all, he was an experienced official. When discussing politics in Wende Hall that day, this hole was mentioned. As soon as it was opened, Xu Jingheng, the Prime Minister, came prepared and directly proposed a feasible plan. "Imitate the past Jiaozi Office in Yizhou and set up a Jiaozi Office in Tokyo..."
Jiaozi is paper money, and the Jiaozi of the Song Dynasty was the earliest widely used paper money in the world. It was also very successful and was a model that was included in history books. Zhao Jiu, who was sitting on the throne, certainly knew this.
However, the official nodded instinctively upon hearing this, but after a moment of thought, he slowly shook his head:
"When Zhao Kai of Bashu was reforming the finances of the southwest, I had specifically inquired about the issue of Yizhou Jiaozi, so I know that to issue Jiaozi, first of all, there must be a reserve fund, and secondly, there must be credibility. At that time, Yizhou Jiaozi used 360,000 strings of money as a reserve fund and issued 1 million strings of Jiaozi. Moreover, it was a peaceful time, the court was stable, people were at peace, and more than a dozen wealthy merchants in Shu jointly provided credibility, which made it successful. Now here in Tokyo, since there is a lack of money and we are on the front line, where can we get the reserve fund? Where can we get people to be at peace? How much can we issue? If we destroy the credibility of the court's Jiaozi in vain for a few hundred thousand or one or two million strings of money, it will be more trouble than gain."
"A little is enough." Xu Jingheng had obviously considered this issue. "The salaries of the imperial army around Tokyo and the salaries of the court officials are now in the Ministry of Revenue treasury in the east of Tokyo City. Why not use this money as a reserve fund and issue a few hundred thousand strings of Jiaozi first?"
There was silence in the hall for a moment.
A moment later, Wang Yuan, the commander-in-chief of the Imperial Camp, had no choice but to ask, "Mr. Xu, I'm sorry to bother you. Even so, we are short of time and there is no time to print the Jiaozi, right?"
"What I mean is, divide the military pay of the Imperial Camp and the salaries of all officials into three parts, take out two parts first, use them as rewards and military pay for the Imperial Camp navy, and use them as normal supplies for the Imperial Camp and all officials, so that we can get through this year first." In the hall, in the highest-level meeting, Xu Jingheng was too lazy to cover up. "Then use the remaining part as a preparation to issue Jiaozi, and try to get a few hundred thousand strings of cash out, in order to connect with the subsequent financial transfer."
The hall became increasingly quiet.
By the way, when Xu Jingheng said that he would use the money to distribute Jiaozi, the atmosphere among the people present was already a little strange.
Because everyone knows that the problem is not how to use these little tricks to achieve financial smoothness, but that since there is a financial loophole, and since the money of the imperial army and officials has to be used to pay out Jiaozi, someone is bound to receive the Jiaozi!
At the moment, the Imperial Camp Navy has just made great contributions and is the target of the court's efforts to win over, so it is not easy to give this Jiaozi to them. Therefore, this matter has an inevitable result... Be it three in the morning or four in the evening, be it four in the morning or three in the evening, be it a good New Year first or a good Lantern Festival later, anyway, the Imperial Camp Central Army and the central officials have to receive this Jiaozi.
However, Jiaozi is Jiaozi after all, not real money. Even if it has so-called credibility and precedent, it is destined to have exchange discounts in this era.
Moreover, we are now in a special wartime situation. If something goes wrong on the front line, the foundation will be broken, and then the credit will be bankrupt and the Jiaozi will become a blank piece of paper. It is not impossible that this will be an embarrassing situation.
In a word, this is cutting the flesh of the imperial army and the central bureaucracy to fill this hole.
And this is the fundamental reason why Wang Yuan, as a high-ranking half-empty official, still had the nerve to speak up and discuss with the prime minister. In name, he is the commander-in-chief of the Imperial Camp, but in reality, his core power lies in the logistics of the Imperial Camp's central army directly controlled by Emperor Zhao stationed near Tokyo, that is, the logistics of the two large troops of Wang De and Wang Yan.
How could he not be anxious when it comes to his last core power and his political life?
But the question is, what’s the point of being anxious?
"During the previous reorganization, the various divisions of the Imperial Camp were greatly reduced in size, and there have been voices of dissatisfaction." In the silence, Wang Yuan first said something inexplicable, and then tried to ask again. "How many transactions have the Imperial Camp and the Central Government officials each received?"
"It will be shared fairly according to the occupancy rate." Xu Jingheng answered straightforwardly, impeccably. "Not only the central government, but also the officials in Henan will receive some Jiaozi... If they are dissatisfied, then they are dissatisfied."
Wang Yuan was completely silent. Even Qu Duan, who wanted to speak several times, remained silent in the end.
In fact, it is more than just a curve.
You have to know that although only a few prime ministers were present in the court to discuss military and political affairs, there were also some relevant important officials from the provincial governments, the Privy Council, the Hanlin Academy, and the Censorate... For example, in the Censorate, only the Chief Censor and two Palace Censors were qualified to be present... but there were a total of twenty or thirty people.
But these people were speechless.
Of course I have something to say, but no matter how much I say, can I produce real gold and silver in this vicinity of Tokyo City in such a short period of time?
Moreover, this kind of small court meeting in front of the emperor was nothing more than the government, the provincial government, and the Privy Council, with the Censorate just beating a gong on the side.
Now, since Prime Minister Xu had spoken and Prime Minister Lu remained silent, that was considered the decision of the province. As for Prime Minister Wang and Prime Minister Chen from the Privy Council, seeing that Wang Yuan had asked a round of questions and was finally blocked by Prime Minister Xu and had nothing to say, they seemed to have given up the will to discuss and were ready to accept their fate.
At this time, from a standpoint, even if someone wants to stir up trouble, they have to wait for the government to make a statement.
"How big is the difference?" Zhao Jiu on the throne pondered for a long time and finally spoke, but he seemed unwilling to give in.
"If we have 300,000 strings of cash, we can get through this with ease." Xu Jingheng continued to answer calmly.
"Three hundred thousand strings of cash..." Zhao Jiu hesitated for a long time. "Can't we find a way to raise some? Even physical objects will do, but Jiaozi will really shake the morale of the army."
As soon as Xu Jingheng said this, before he could reply and many officials below him hadn't come to their senses, Li Guang, the Chief Censor, suddenly stepped forward and refuted him in person: "Your Majesty's words are absurd! The country is in turmoil, and we have already done our best to support 200,000 soldiers in the imperial camp. People's livelihood is also in a difficult situation. How can we continue to exhaust the resources?"
Zhao Jiu's expression remained unchanged, and he was just prepared to endure it.
However, Li Guang ignored it and saw that Emperor Zhao did not want to answer, so he became more aggressive:
"Does the government think that all it takes to support these soldiers is to transport the money and food? Little do they know that military affairs are complicated, involve a lot of resources, and consume a lot of people's energy. I have checked the memorials from various places, the Privy Council and the provincial government orders, and the records are clear... For example, when Han Shizhong, Zhang Jun, Yue Fei and others wanted to make military equipment, the court asked for craftsmen from all over the country and asked them to speed up the mining of iron mines. As a result, the more iron mines were mined, the less iron people there were. After recruiting craftsmen, they couldn't even find someone to mend pots among the people!"
Zhao Jiu remained silent.
"Then, these three places asked various places to send cowhide and tendons as military supplies in the name of autumn preparation. For this matter, a total of 6,000 to 7,000 cowhides were distributed in various places. Because the government and the capital had strict orders, some prefectures and counties forced the people to kill cows in private to ensure the correct delivery of military supplies..." The more Zhao Jiu kept silent, the more Li Guang kept talking. "There are also large armies marching and stationing. Not to mention the lax military discipline in various places and the abuse of the people, even if the military discipline of Yue Fei's front army was slightly better, how could it not disturb the people? When the army marches forward, don't they need livestock? When the Liangshanpo navy went to the Yellow River, tens of thousands of people had to dig ditches and break bridges. Don't the large army occupy the people's land when they are stationed? For example, fodder and other things are not worth much money in the books, but they can be concentrated in one place. How can they be supplied? Isn't it the people who have to raise it themselves!"
Zhao Jiu remained silent and expressionless.
At this moment, Li Guang, who had just finished spraying in one breath, calmed down a little... and then felt secretly frustrated.
It is said that after Li Gang was dismissed, Li Guang, as the natural leader of this faction, became the Chief Censor, but he could not control his temper. If Li Gang used to look down on Emperor Zhao, then now Li Guang could not help but "stand firm" in front of Emperor Zhao.
Not only that, Li Gang's third brother Li Jing, also learned a bad temper from these two people at a young age, and was often passionate.
I can only say, no wonder these people are close friends and brothers.
However, unlike Li Gang, who no one dared to persuade him, Li Guang was stubborn at the time. In front of the emperor, the civil and military officials in the room might not dare to interfere, but in private, many people would still persuade him. Li Guang Li Taifa himself was also a little different from Li Gang and Li Boji. He was willing to listen to others' advice and was aware of the existence of this problem. He knew that the emperor's authority was established and it would be no good to force it... But with such a personality, once he entered the palace, with countless civil and military officials around him and the emperor in front of him, he couldn't help himself.
"Officials."
After a moment of self-blame in his heart, Li Guang reluctantly put away that tone and continued to speak earnestly. "I am not blaming you. In the current situation, it is indeed necessary to support the army first. I fully agree with the previous establishment of the imperial camp and the maintenance of the navy at this time. I just want to remind you that things in the world are not that simple, and we cannot just look at the surface. The Jingkang Incident, the wars last year and the year before, and now we have to support troops everywhere. The people of Henan have already been exhausted. Three hundred thousand strings of money at this time is not a lot. It is just a temporary shortfall. After the spring plowing, the money and grain sent from the south will be enough. But it is not a small amount either. Once you forcibly demand it in Henan, I am afraid that the people will suffer and will not be able to maintain it."
At this point, there was finally some commotion in the hall. It was obvious that some people wanted to express their agreement and some wanted to express their opposition. Prime Minister Lu Haowen, who had remained silent all this time, was also ready to speak out to ease the atmosphere.
"What Li Qing said is very true."
However, at this moment, Zhao Jiu, who was sitting on the throne, finally spoke, but it was somewhat unexpected by some people in the hall. "I am still a little naive about raising troops, but the overall situation is like this, I can only advise everyone to be patient for the sake of the country."
Naive, a word from Zhuangzi, is a good word, but when Emperor Zhao used it here, although it has the intention of covering up, it also has the tendency of admitting mistakes.
Therefore, not only was Li Guang slightly stunned, but even the hall, which had been in turmoil for a moment, suddenly became quiet.
"I have a few words to say about this matter." Zhao Jiu continued to speak slowly. "First, Zhang Rong and his troops have made great contributions. It is impossible to reward only one flag. The three hundred thousand strings of cash must be given as soon as possible, in full, and without any negligence or omission. Otherwise, not only will the reputation of the court be damaged, but even if a military mutiny occurs, no one can be blamed."
This was something that had been discussed long ago, so there was no discussion in the hall.
"Secondly, since the soldiers in the imperial camp did not have any military achievements this time, it is not appropriate to change their military pay without authorization, let alone borrow money from the other generals and officials. Otherwise, the reputation that the court has worked so hard to build up in the army will be in jeopardy."
At this moment, the palace suddenly became chaotic, because from what Emperor Zhao said, it seemed that he wanted to pay the soldiers with all his strength, but wanted all the officials in the court to use Jiaozi? !
Logically speaking, as civil officials and ministers of state, it seems that we should share the country's worries.
But the problem is that the officials in Tokyo City and Henan region are not just the high-ranking officials in the palace, there are also many low-ranking officials. These 300,000 strings of cash, even if it is Jiaozi, if all of them are borne by everyone, wouldn't some people really have to starve in the cold winter?
Besides, even the people in the palace are some who are really poor, okay?
How can this be tolerated?
"Third," Zhao Jiu spoke up before everyone else. "My fellow ministers, let's not talk about those who have been wandering around with us, even those who have been in office have experienced several wars and are undoubtedly loyal and honest ministers, but they are only allowed to receive half of their salary... The country is only in a temporary difficulty now, and it is not as desperate as before. If I let them fill this hole again, I would be really heartless."
The atmosphere in the hall was like the tide, rising and falling.
"Fourthly, as Li Zhongcheng has said, the people are tired and their strength is exhausted... I was already depressed when I raised taxes last time, how can I take food from the people this time?"
After these words were spoken, everyone in the hall had different reactions. Some were obviously confused, while others couldn't help but sneer in their hearts... The official said it so nicely, but in the end, wouldn't he still have to use the method of Xianggong Xu to first borrow money, then issue the Jiaozi, and then everyone would share the Jiaozi equally?
After going around in circles for so long, apart from saying a bunch of nice things, appearing to be working for the country and caring about the people, it is actually completely useless.
"Minister Wang, you will organize today's memorial submitted by Minister Li and send it out to all the generals tomorrow. Then, Minister Lu and Minister Xu, you two will sort out the matter of Jiaozi and make preparations, but don't send it out until the end... That's all for today, and I will try my best to think of a solution." Zhao Jiu continued, but he didn't stop as soon as he finished speaking, and turned around and left the hall.
It can only be said that, just as everyone thought, the difficulty of obtaining real money was there, and Emperor Zhao finally had no choice but to agree to the Jiaozi issue, but he gave some more advice to the generals.
And in the end, the official left in such a hurry that it seemed as if he was escaping.
There was no conversation at the scene. Everyone called out to each other and dispersed in groups.
After all, the court's difficulties were indeed a headache, but they were only minor problems, a kind of happy trouble after a great victory. Not to mention the overall situation, even for finances, it was only a temporary difficulty. And now, the end of the year is approaching, and Tokyo City has opened up again after the great victory. On the one hand, bridges are being repaired and ditches are being filled, and on the other hand, it is gradually becoming lively again.
Nothing can stop the New Year.
What happened today may just be a few topics of conversation at the New Year table.
Without mentioning the rest of the people, let's just say that after the court session, the Palace Attendant Censor Wanqi Xie returned home first, sat behind closed doors for half a day, and only in the evening did he say hello to his old wife who had just arrived in Beijing. He also sent his attendant to the residence of "his very dear elder" Uncle Wang Zhan, to deliver a letter, saying that he wanted to meet Uncle Wang Zhan's relative, Uncle Zhao, today. Then he rode his donkey out alone.
However, when this fellow came out, he actually went to look for Qu Duan, the deputy commander of the imperial camp who was alone in Tokyo City. He saw Qu Duan agree to it in person and ride out on the iron elephant which is now famous in East Asia. Then the two of them went to "their very dear elder" Wang Shuzhan, one in front and one behind.
Uncle Wang’s family is a wealthy family in Shezhou.
After the situation in Tokyo stabilized, on the one hand, the officials who had fled to the north and those who came from poor backgrounds were left penniless, while on the other hand, the wealthy officials in the south, especially those who came from wealthy families south of the Huai River, had not lost a penny... and Wanqi Xie, who was a favorite of the emperor and had recently been promoted to such an honorable position as the Palace Censor, was absolutely unwilling to embezzle money at will, so he came here often just to eat and drink for free and enjoy life.
It's Qu Duan... After he passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi, he rarely made trouble in the palace. Many people mistakenly thought that he had changed his temper and was favored by the emperor, so he was often deliberately won over. However, when this guy was away from the emperor, he still had a foul mouth and did not change his bad habits, which made people feel embarrassed.
For example, Wang Shuzhan, he had already criticized Wang Shuzhan several times, saying that Wang Shuzhan was only interested in personal gain and only cared about being an official. He also said that his son Wang Ruohai only regarded the "Book of Requesting the Establishment of Zhao's Descendants" written during the Jingkang Period as the basis for his advancement, and had no other achievements. As for the book, it was probably just a fake book written by Qin Hui, Ma Shen, and Zhang Shuye that he copied afterwards...
After several incidents, even people like Uncle Wang and Zhan didn't dare to provoke him.
And during the New Year, Wanqi Yuanzhong actually called over the man of both literary and martial talents, Qu Da, who was specially appointed as the governor. I wonder what he was thinking?
Sure enough, after entering the house, both the father and son of the Wang family, as well as the father and son of the Grand Master Zhao Shiqi, who were specially invited as Wang's relatives and rivals, were very happy to see Wanqi Xie. But when they saw Qu Da, their faces changed. But these two families were proud and it was not easy to send people away during the New Year, so they had to bite the bullet and hold the banquet.
Everyone in the Wang residence, including Hu Hongxiu who was basically living in his father-in-law's house, remained calm... This was because Qu Duan at most said that he was just talking big but was not that serious.
Everyone sat down, with the Great Chief and Old Man Wang sitting at the top, Wanqi Xie and Qu Duan on their left, and Zhao Bufan, Wang Ruohai and Hu Hongxiu, three brothers by marriage, on their right. There was no one below them... It was a standard family dinner, but the atmosphere was particularly weird.
However, thanks to Wanqi Xie, the Palace Censor who spoke freely and was able to make friends with everyone, he first raised his glass to congratulate the court on its victory, then wished the two elders present a happy birthday, and then discussed the future situation and the future prospects of several younger generations, which gradually livened up the atmosphere of the banquet.
After three rounds of drinks and saving the situation three or five times, Wanqi Yuanzhong suddenly recounted the minor issues that occurred at today's small court meeting, causing Zhao, Wang and other old politicians who were of noble status but not qualified to participate to listen attentively.
“It’s difficult for officials!”
After Wanqi Xie finished speaking, he set the tone himself. "If today's discussion were to spread, people who don't know would probably say that the emperor only said good things, but it was useless, and still had to let others make up for the deficit. But how could you and I not know that the emperor is so poor, not a single bit of the extra money and grain from the Yeonbok Palace was transferred in, and tributes from all places were abolished. Even the two imperial concubines are decent, but they all rely on their families for support... If it comes to making up for the deficit, the emperor has already made up for it himself."
Hearing this, Zhao, Wang, Hu and others had no time to sigh, and Qu Duan frowned again: "Brother Yuanzhong, I understand that you are upset for the government, but how can you bring the discussion in the palace here? How many of these people are qualified to participate in important military and national affairs? If this matter gets out, and there is a disturbance because of Jiaozi, won't it be your fault and mine?"
Not to mention the few young people, the respected relatives, Uncle Zhao and Uncle Wang, blushed for a moment, but it was difficult for them to refute.
" Qu Da, you are judging others by your own standards." Others were afraid of Qu Duan, so how could Wan Qi Xie be afraid? He immediately put on a stern face and refuted again. "Uncle Zhao must be here. He is a national hero and a senior official of the royal family. He should know the whole story. Uncle Wang is a moral role model. Even if he knew, he would still think about the country. How could he spread it privately?"
"You can't judge a person by his face. Who knows that someone is going to issue Jiaozi and takes the opportunity to lend money and hoard money, becoming a heartless rich man?" Qu Duan blurted out.
But after saying only these, he lowered his head to drink and eat without saying anything more. This made many people at the table want to get angry, but they didn't know whether they should do so or not.
After coming to his senses, it was Zhao Shiren, the emperor's uncle, who was highly respected and more tolerant. He smiled bitterly and said on the spot: "The emperor is poor and even a little harsh on me. I know that. But for me, this matter of 300,000 strings of cash is just a small matter after all, and has nothing to do with the overall situation... The emperor is heroic and has always made his own decisions. I think there is no need for an old minister like me to get involved... During the New Year, just enjoy yourself."
Uncle Wang Zhan nodded slightly and was about to raise the cup to join in the toast.
But at this moment, Qu Duan looked up again and said coldly: "As a member of the royal family, every penny of your body is supported by the people. Even if the government does not want you, don't you want to serve the country? The king is still working hard for the country, and the soldiers fighting in the front still have to use Jiaozi to pay for their military pay, but you, a member of the royal family, are here using the people's blood and sweat for a banquet! As Du Gongbu said, the rich are feasting and drinking, while the poor are freezing on the streets. It was about you, but you said it as if you have been wronged. You have been wronged? What does the government matter? What do we who have fought for the country matter?"
Not to mention the people at the table, even the servants were stunned, holding a hot towel in their hands. And Uncle Zhao felt his chest pounding and his throat tight from the time he heard the words "the fat and blood of the people". He wanted to curse but didn't know what words to use, and wanted to refute but didn't know where to start, so he was so stifled that his face turned red.
As the saying goes, when a father is humiliated, his son dies. On the other side, Zhao Bufan, the eldest son of Emperor Zhao's uncle, was the first to react when he saw his father being humiliated. He stood up angrily, pointed his finger, and wanted to scold him.
Qu Duan was still fearless. Without waiting for the other party to speak, he just stared at the young royal family member who stood up opposite him: "What are you pretending to be again?! I tell you, it's a good thing you didn't have a weapon in your hand, otherwise you would be dead now... I only had to flip the table to knock you down, and then walk over to find the candlestick beside you and stab it into your throat, and your father would have died... Who gave you, a royal family waste who only knows how to drink and eat meat, the courage to be fierce in front of a veteran general like me?"
Before Zhao Bufan could make another statement, Uncle Wang Zhan had already called his son Wang Ruohai and son-in-law Hu Hongxiu to step forward and hold him down. Together with a few servants, they managed to drag the eldest son-in-law out.
Seeing Zhao Bufan being dragged out, Uncle Wang turned back to comfort Uncle Zhao and drove away the remaining two maids. He then turned his head to look at Wanqi Xie, who had been silent for a long time and just lowered his head to gnaw on chicken feet, and said with a hint of complaint: "Yuanzhong, what on earth are you thinking tonight... We are uncle and nephew, so why not speak frankly?"
Upon hearing this, Wanqi Xie put down his chicken feet, calmly took the hot towel that the servant had just put down from the table, wiped his hands and mouth, and then laughed: "The one who knows me well is Uncle Wang! Uncle Wang, since the alchemist incident ruined your future, you have been an idle official. Have you ever thought about regaining the emperor's favor, and making a good career again, and serving the country? Even Uncle Zhao, after listening to Qu Da's words today, have you ever thought about doing your best to contribute to the country in times of chaos, instead of being a drunkard who makes people laugh?"
"What's your plan?" Uncle Wang Zhan was tempted.
However, Qu Duan did not even let Wan Qi Xie go: "I know that you invited me today with bad intentions... Others say that you are a loyal person, but I know that you are a mean person."
So what if I have bad intentions or am a villain?
Wanqi Xie sneered in his heart, but his face was stern: "Qu Da, I have to share the worries of the country!"
Qu Duan sneered, but was too lazy to argue with him. However, the old uncle of the emperor became a little serious after hearing this.
Wanqi Xie did not care, but slowly said: "In fact, today when the emperor heard the figure of 300,000 strings of cash in the palace, he asked if it could be raised... At that time, Li Zhongcheng thought that the emperor wanted to impose more taxes, so he tried to persuade him. But I have been with the emperor for a long time, so I know that the emperor's intention is definitely not to tax the people."
Although Qu Duan had an excessive temper, he was after all "capable of both civil and military affairs", so he was slightly moved: "You mean, the emperor wants to seek financing from the rich and powerful... But if so, why didn't His Majesty mention it?"
Why? Of course, the government knows that these people are not willing to be "raised" easily, and they are unwilling to let it go! If there is no visible benefit, who would be willing to be raised for no reason?
Unless Emperor Zhao leaves a signed signature and comes specifically to borrow the money.
Wanqi Xie sneered more and more in his heart, and his face became more and more stern: "That's because during the Jingkang period, the court plundered the city to raise compensation, and the government didn't want the people to panic because of this..."
Uncle Wang Zhan was also moved, but he hesitated to speak.
"Then, the government is too cautious!" Wanqi Xie continued to speak sternly. "That was how much it was back then, five million taels of gold, fifty million taels of silver, but today it's only three hundred thousand strings of cash; and at that time the country was poor and defeated, and it was the money to buy the country's life, but now it's just a temporary shortage. According to me, among the wealthy families returning to the north in the city, there are already forty or fifty well-known wealthy families, and there are also some officials whose hometowns are south of the Huai River and whose families are well-off. If these people gather together, they will have three hundred thousand strings of cash! Not to mention, now that the wealthy families dare to spend the New Year in Beijing, who is not loyal and brave, and wholeheartedly serving the country? Who is not willing to pay a few thousand strings of money? Uncle Wang..."
"Of course I am willing!" Wang Shuzhan, who had not sat down, blurted out. "During the Mid-Autumn Festival, I asked my family to bring 10,000 strings of cash from Huainan for expenses, but later the city was closed due to military control, so nothing was moved... It was just right to give it to the emperor!"
How stupid!
Wanqi Xie looked down on this uncle he recognized more and more in his heart, but he still clapped his hands and praised him: "Uncle, this grand move can be said to be a relief for the country. But in my opinion, there are still some shortcomings..."
Uncle Wang was slightly startled, then he listened attentively.
"First, whether it is donation or loan, it cannot be public donation or public loan, but private donation or private loan, or at least pretend to be private loan or private donation, otherwise it will embarrass poor colleagues and the emperor." Wanqi Xie said seriously, and at this time, even Qu Duan and the uncle Zhao listened attentively. "Second, the court is just short of money for the time being, not really needing contributions. What I mean is that you can borrow it if you can, and donate it only when it is absolutely necessary."
Wang Shuzhan was puzzled for a moment: "Why should I borrow instead of donate?"
"Because people who are as sincere in loving the country and the king as your uncle are really rare, and people are selfish. Who would be willing to easily waste their money?" Wanqi Xie smiled in return.
Wang Shuzhan was completely moved, and he leaned forward across the table and said, "My dear nephew, instead of offering 10,000 or 20,000 strings of cash, why not act as a middleman and guarantee seven or eight large households for the government, and get a loan of 100,000 or 80,000 yuan, which would be more helpful in alleviating the government's worries?"
This time, Uncle Zhao seemed to understand something, and even Qu Duan glanced at the former Minister of Rites and Uncle Zhao beside him.
"But it's still wrong." Uncle Wang was excited, but he realized something was wrong. "The key is how to bring this up with the emperor? No matter what, a minister shouldn't even ask the emperor for a loan, right?"
"Uncle, you can lend it to me!" Wanqi Xie remained calm and just raised his hand and pointed to the other party's side.
Uncle Wang Zhan finally came to his senses and immediately fell into his seat, but he couldn't help but clap his hands excitedly: "No wonder my nephew asked me to invite my in-laws! This business is going well!"
"No wonder the Imperial Censor Wanqi summoned me." Qu Duan finally sneered. "Are you afraid that Uncle Zhao is a fool, so you use me to scare him?"
Wanqi Xie smiled but said nothing.
And Zhao Shiyi, the uncle of the emperor, also sighed and twirled his beard: "Even if you all regard me as a waste like a parasite of the country, I am willing to do my best for the country."
Wanqi Xie finally revealed his plan: "If so, according to my plan, uncle will set off tomorrow and personally visit the wealthy families around him who are familiar with him and have connections. Just say that you are short of money and want to borrow as much as you can. Just a few hundred thousand will be enough to make the emperor look at you with new eyes. And if anyone has doubts or is discerning, why not invite him over and let him drink a glass of wine with me, Uncle Zhao, and General Qu in person like we did tonight?"
Uncle Wang Zhan did not say anything, but just picked up the wine glass and drank it all. However, he kept shouting, asking the servants to bring good wine and food, and even asked his son-in-law to come in, to apologize to Qu Da.
It was a joyful night of feasting and drinking, and everyone left with a great time.
The next day, there was no court meeting, and there was no "routine" rule as in previous years. There was no summons from the palace. Wanqi Xie, the censor, got up calmly and went to find the idle man Qu Da. One rode an iron elephant and the other rode a donkey, and they came to Wang's house, ready to take charge of the command, determined to gain some credit and show his ability in front of the emperor.
When they arrived at the Wang Mansion, Uncle Wang Zhan was indeed impatient and went out to borrow money early, and Uncle Zhao also came as agreed to take charge, which made Wanqi Xie even more proud.
However, after only waiting for an hour, before noon, the former Minister of Rites returned in a hurry, his face was pale and he looked panic-stricken, which caused the three people sitting in the hall to be surprised and suspicious.
Without waiting for the three to speak, Uncle Wang Zhan took out two pieces of paper from his arms.
Wanqi Xie snatched it away, took a look at it in the hall, but just sighed and slammed the paper on the table.
Uncle Zhao and Qu Duan hurried to see, but they were both speechless.
It turned out that these were actually two IOUs for 5,000 strings of cash. The words on the front were exactly the same, as were the signatures and calligraphy... They were "Cangzhou Zhao Jiu" and were stamped with a familiar seal.
Even Qu Duan was very sharp-eyed and could tell at a glance that the handwriting on the front was from Mr. Kobayashi.
"Last night, the Wu family and the Pan family gathered wealthy merchants and families to hold a banquet to sell this item. Each ticket is 5,000 guan, and the upper limit is 50 tickets. They are sold at the original price without cheating. Each family is limited to two tickets, and the deadline is six months. There is also an interest of 3%... It is said that the government has issued an oral order that this is not a loan from him, but a national debt guaranteed by him personally. But if you don't understand, you can treat it as the emperor's debt." Uncle Wang wanted to cry but there were no tears. "I saw two tickets at Meihua Han's place, and I didn't bother to come back to tell you, so I went to Pan's house again, but he didn't want to sell it to me. I persuaded him to buy one, and then went to Wu's house to ask for another one... My dear nephew, you are really a god, trying to figure out the interests of the government, but you shouldn't have come half a day late!"
Wanqi Xie was embarrassed for a moment, and blurted out: "I really don't know, the situation is so good now, it's just a small problem, but the government is still so cruel?! It's really frightening."
Qu Duan calmed down at this time, but he couldn't help but hold a promissory note and laughed at him on the spot: "The emperor would rather risk his own reputation and directly sign his name to ask for a loan than use your two families. The two families' relatives held a banquet together, but no one invited you to come. This shows what you are in the eyes of the emperor and the wealthy families in Tokyo... Wang Taichang, if you want to be Taichang again, wait a few more years!"
Uncle Wang gnashed his teeth for a moment. If he didn't know that he couldn't withstand two or three punches from the opponent, he would have wanted to kill this "talented man" on the spot!