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Part One: Penghu Storm Chapter 504: Borrowing Money

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    If Chongzhen used a tone of firm approval in his imperial approval, although the southern ministers would use various methods to resist, they would have to be wary.

    "Moreover, if he is firm in his attitude, most of the southern ministers and northern ministers from humble backgrounds will support him.  However, he used a very active tone to submit it to the cabinet and ministers of household affairs for "detailed discussion". People who could support him did not dare to come forward to support him.  A few days later, the cabinet and household ministers reiterated that Li Jing's suggestion must not be adopted. If it is adopted, it will not only fail to work, but will also cause riots in urban and rural areas across the south of the Yangtze River.  They also threatened him that almost all of his wealth now depends on Jiangnan. If Jiangnan is in chaos, the overall situation will be out of control.  These ministers were afraid that their reply was not strong enough and that someone else would come out to support Li Jing, so they instigated several department and Taoist officials to jointly publish a book and lash out against Li Jing.

    "Li Jing studied at the Imperial Academy and was not an official. He made arrogant comments about the imperial government in order to attract favors and gain fame. Seeing that Jiangnan was still a peaceful land for the emperor, he was unwilling to accept it, so he advocated the idea of ??signing up for a wealthy right to lose his salary.  In order to implement the method of confiscation of property by hand, the method of confiscating property by hand was called "property". This method first appeared in the Tang Dynasty and also in the Song Dynasty.  It has been carried out This is a chaotic government in a declining world, and you dare to show it before the saints. This is how the villain has no scruples!"

    After reading these sentences, Chongzhen shook his head gently, snorted from his nostrils, and cursed in a low voice unconsciously: "Such a foul-mouthed crow!"

    ¡°Obviously, he looked down on these speakers.  I disagree with them and say that Li Jing's suggestions are useless.  After a pause, he then read the following passage:

    "What Li Jing did to the rich was to use them to annex the small people. I don't know that there are rich families in the counties and cities, and they are also the source of food and clothing for the poor. If it is due to the military shortage, blame the rich families, and they will be punished for losing more. If they disobey,  The Qin Shi Huang was not able to do this in Ba Qing - that is, Ba Qing was a wealthy widow, and she was named Qing. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was not able to do divination. During the Western Han Dynasty, she became rich through shepherding.  As soon as this idea was proposed, the desperate scoundrels started to get into trouble with the rich family, and the chaos began. I beg you to cut off Li Jing's head because he is a villain who is causing harm to the country!"

    After reading this fiercely worded memorial.  Chongzhen was disappointed with their firm opposition to Li Jing's suggestion, but he admired the sentence "I don't know that there are rich families in the counties and cities, but they are also the source of food and clothing for the poor."

    He nodded and said to himself: "Yes, how can the poor live without the rich? Who will give them the land to plant?"

    He stood up from the imperial desk and walked around the Nuan Pavilion, thinking about what to do.  After a while, he decided to leave the memorial and ignore it.  Suggestions for Li Jing.  He was in deep depression: on the one hand, he believed that this suggestion was indeed an emergency solution at the moment; on the other hand, he was afraid that it would cause commotion everywhere in Jiangnan, just as these officials said, "Desperate scoundrels follow each other."  And get into trouble with the rich.¡±  The rich and powerful families have always been the backbone of the country, so how can we allow the unemployed and small people to get into trouble with the big families?  He decided not to consider Li Jing's suggestion, but to reconsider asking for help from the royal relatives.  He believed that even if other methods were feasible, they would be far away and would not quench the immediate thirst. As long as the royal relatives lived "under the chariot hub" and paid money, it could be done immediately.  But this is a big deal.  He still hesitated, so he said to the eunuch waiting outside the curtain:

    "Call Xue Guoguan and Cheng Guoxiang!"

    There were seven assistant ministers in the cabinet at that time. Chongzhen summoned Xue Guoguan and Cheng Guoxiang because Xue was the first assistant and Cheng was the second assistant.  In addition, he has another consideration.  Xue Guoguan was from Hancheng, Shaanxi, and had little connection with the big families in Jiangnan. Although Cheng Guoxiang was from Shangyuan in Jiangnan, he was relatively poor.  When everyone in the court objected to borrowing military salary from Jiangnan's big families, he was the only two people who refused to speak and attracted his attention.  He hoped that in asking for help from the royal relatives, they would show their support and make up his mind for him.  The place where he summoned these two assistant ministers today was Hongde Hall, a side hall of Qianqing Palace, west of the main hall of Qianqing Palace, sitting north to south.  The reason why he did not summon them in the warm pavilion in the main hall of Qianqing Palace was because he was upset when he saw the many documents piled on the imperial desk where he worked every day. He ran out of the main hall of Qianqing Palace and came to Hongde Hall before they entered the palace.  Sitting silently on the dragon throne in the middle, he lowered his head and wondered.

    After a while, Xue Guoguan and Cheng Guoxiang came in a hurry.  They didn't know what important matter the emperor suddenly summoned them for, and they were in a state of confusion.  While kneeling to the emperor, Xue Guoguan mistakenly stepped on a corner of his python robe and almost fell. Cheng Guoxiang's calves were trembling slightly and he found it difficult to breathe.  After being seated, Chongzhen sighed, walked around and said:

    "I summoned the gentlemen for no other reason than because of the recurring disasters, which have made it difficult for me to sleep and eat well. The heavy storm and haze the day before yesterday was rare in many years. If God is such a warning, how can gentlemen teach me?"

    Xue Guoguan stood up and said: "The principles of the Five Elements are quite subtle. The emperor is vigilant in the morning and evening, respects the ancestors of heaven and ancestors, and learns from both humans and gods. The old saying goes: 'Exercise all human beings'Everything depends on destiny.  ¡¯ The emperor is diligent and diligent, and his ministers perform their duties well, that is, they do their best, and it is not difficult to restore the heart of heaven.  I hope Your Majesty will be generous and cherish the Holy Eucharist.  "

    Chongzhen said: "It has been thirteen years since I ascended to the throne. There has not been a day when I have not been cautious and fearful. I get up early and go to bed late. I always want to get things done. However, the situation is getting worse and worse, and there are more and more disasters. God has no intention of turning back."  Xiang, the national destiny is worried about the Lingyi. According to the theory of heavy wind and haze, it was not only seen in the capital area, but also in the area of ??Daming Prefecture and Junxian County half a month ago.  In other places, at first there was a line of black and yellow clouds in the northeast, which suddenly split into the west and south, and spread all over in an instant. The strong wind uprooted the trees, and the day seemed to be dark. Among the yellow dust, there were faint blue and white gas and red light, which opened and closed.  Hey. How can I not worry about such a change?"

    Xue Guoguan then comforted him and said: "Although disasters have happened repeatedly, thanks to the emperor's power, the bandits have been quite successful. Now after the battle at Manao Mountain, the thieves have fled to Xinggui Mountain, and there are not many left. It is the so-called 'fish swimming under the cauldron'"  , it will clear up one day. It shows that the heart of heaven is tired of chaos, and the fate of the country is about to be prosperous. I hope that your majesty will comfort your holy heart and wait for the news."

    Chongzhen smiled bitterly and said: "Yang Sichang has commanded well and won consecutive victories. I am not happy. But Li Zicheng is still trapped in Shangluo Mountain. The Ge and Zuo thieves jumped to the east of Huguang, southern Henan, and western Anhui, while Shandong,  The local bandits are everywhere in Henan and Hebei. The small ones are occupying the villages, and the big ones are spreading across the country. How can I not worry about this situation? In addition to the continuous natural disasters, the people are dying and displaced, and the current situation is very chaotic.  I worry day and night, and have trouble sleeping and eating, but all the officials in the court are still worried. They can't help me share their worries. They are all speechless when I ask for payment, which is a huge disappointment to me."

    Xue Guoguan understood that the emperor wanted to consult his opinion on the issue of payment.  He lowered his head and remained silent, waiting for the emperor to speak out, so as not to cause trouble to him if he repeated it in the future.  When Chongzhen saw that the chief minister lowered his head and said nothing, he winked at the eunuchs on the left and right, and whispered:

    "At present, the military is in urgent need, and we cannot afford to be short of pay for a day. The national treasury is in good condition, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Agriculture - the Ministry of Household Affairs. There is no plan. You are my minister, do you have any good ideas?"

    Xue Guoguan knelt down and said: "I have been discussing with Si Nong for days, but I have not yet come up with a practical solution. I am the first assistant. At this time when the people are exhausted and have all their money, wandering around in the middle of the night without a good plan for payment is really a crime worthy of death."  "

    "Sir, wake up."

    After Xue Guoguan kowtowed, Chongzhen did not want to talk in circles with Xue Guoguan anymore, and asked straight to the point: "I want to express my gratitude to all the people in the capital, Qi Wan, Xun Jiu Qi Wan, Xun Jiu - Qi Wan and Qi Li have the same meaning, that is, relatives of the emperor and the country.  Generation name. Xun used to refer to a family that was granted a hereditary title due to their ancestors' great achievements. What do you think of using the Jin gentry to help solve the current crisis? "

    Xue Guoguan guessed in advance that the emperor would make this move.  He also somewhat agreed in his heart, but he understood that this matter was of great importance and might lead to trouble later.  He replied timidly:

    "Qi Wan and Xun Jiu retired with the country. They are not comparable to ordinary official families. Let me think about it carefully. Some of the auxiliary ministers have been in the court for a long time. I am aware of Qi Wan and Xun Jiu's situation, and I also hope that the emperor will inquire about it."

    Chongzhen understood what he meant, turned to Cheng Guoxiang and asked: "Mr. Cheng is a veteran of the court and has been in Beijing for a long time. What do you think?"

    Cheng Guoxiang worked as a public speaker in the early years of Chongzhen. He was very eager to make achievements and was famous for his daring speech.  Later, I saw that Chongzhen was suspicious and willful. In addition, the courtiers were at odds with each other, and ministers and ministers were often convicted. He was often afraid of causing unexpected disasters, so he remained silent and non-committal when things happened, or after waiting for his colleagues to make a decision, he would just agree and nod.  Say: "Okay, okay." As time goes by, it gradually becomes a habit.  Because he did not make any decisions when encountering problems, had no authority, and was aloof from the sectarian struggles in the late Ming Dynasty, courtiers from all factions wanted him to stay in the cabinet to play a buffering role. Moreover, because he was older and had more seniority, he  His ranking among the auxiliary ministers was only behind Xue Guoguan.  Because the word "good, good" became his mantra, his colleagues nicknamed him "Hao Hao Ge Lao".  Before entering the palace just now, a cabinet secretary knelt in front of him and saluted. He cried and said that he had received urgent news from his family that his mother had died of illness, and urged him to go home at night.  Cheng Guoxiang didn't finish listening and kept saying "Okay, okay".  Later, I understood that the Secretary of the Cabinet was asking for leave from him to attend a funeral and return home. He said "Okay, okay" and approved the word "Approval" on his handbook.  At this moment, when the emperor asked, he instinctively warned himself: "I can't say it, but I can't say it!" Unconsciously, he broke out in sweat and lowered his head deeply.  Chongzhen waited for a moment, but when he couldn't wait for his answer, he asked again:

    "Should you seek help from Qi Wan or the wealthy gentry in the capital? If you seek help from Qi Wan first, which family should you ask to set an example?"

    Cheng Guoxiang knelt on the ground and said timidly: "Okay, okay."

    Chongzhen asked: "What? Is it okay with you?"

    "well."

    "Who should I ask for help first?"

    "Okay, okay." Cheng's voice was extremely low, as if he said it in his throat.

      "What? What is good, good?"

    "well."

    Chongzhen was furious, slapped the imperial case, and sternly rebuked: "I am a minister of the imperial family. When something happens, you are so confused. You only say 'good, good' without any explanation. It is a great disservice to me to rely on you! The minister is like a corpse in this position."  , The political situation is not bad! I should ask you, I think you have not made any serious mistakes, I will only remove you from the job, and you will never be hired Go down!"

    Seeing that Chongzhen was furious, Xue Guo did not dare to plead for his colleagues. He also wanted to expel Cheng Guoxiang from the cabinet and replace him with someone who could help him in times of trouble, so he kept silent.  Cheng Guoxiang was so frightened that he trembled all over, kowtowed in thanks, and staggered out.  When I returned home, my old disciples came to inquire about me and offered some words of comfort.  Guoxiang did not dare to reveal a word of what the emperor said in the Hongde Hall. When he mentioned the punishment of demotion, he only said "good, good".  That night, when he received the emperor's decree of dismissal and punishment, he kowtowed to the mountain and shouted long live the emperor. He quickly wrote a letter of thanks and wrote it in person.  But after thanking him, he suddenly suspected that he had written a word in the wrong stroke. He was afraid day and night that Chongzhen would find out about this typo and would punish him heavily.

    But it was said that after Cheng Guoxiang withdrew from Hongde Hall, Chongzhen asked Xue Guo if he had recovered from his meditation.  The Imperial Guard saw that Chongzhen was very anxious and there was no one around him, so he quickly whispered:

    "It's a good way to borrow money. If Qi Wan and Xun Jiu advocate and set an example, the Jin gentry in Beijing will naturally follow suit."

    Chongzhen sighed and said: "This is a last resort, but I'm afraid there will be obstacles in its implementation."

    Xue Guoguan bowed and echoed: "On the outside, the gentry is advocated by the ministers and ministers; on the inside, it is your Majesty's decision to honor the old and the old."

    "Look, who among Qi Wanzhong can be an advocate?"

    "Qi Wan is not as good as a foreign minister, and I am not as clear-minded as the emperor."

    Chongzhen asked again: "How about Li Guorui, Marquis of Wuqing?"

    "Wu Qinghou is relatively rich among Qi Wan, so it is best for him to advocate."

    "Is there any other family that is similar to him?"

    Xue Guoguan knew that both Tian Fei and Zhou Hou's natal family were relatively wealthy, but he did not dare to tell them.  Because Marquis Wu Qing was a relative two generations apart from the current emperor, and he heard that Chongzhen had been dissatisfied with Marquis Wu Qing over something when he was in the Prince's Mansion, he had always had a grudge in his heart, so he made up his mind to eliminate Wu Qing.  No royal relatives other than the Qinghou family were named.

    "I don't know anyone else," Xue Guoguan said. "Just looking at the home pavilion of Marquis Wuqing, we know that he is very wealthy. His family originally had a garden, which was quite good at the scenery of forests and springs. Recently, a larger one was built outside the south city.  The water of Sanli River flows into the garden, which is really a beautiful place in the south of the Yangtze River. The new garden has been under construction for several years, and some people say that he has hundreds of thousands of dollars in property.  I'm afraid it refers to the property in his early years. If his family's businesses in Zhuangzi, Tianjin and Jiangnan, which are scattered throughout Jifu, are included, it must be far more than this. "

    Chongzhen said bitterly: "I didn't expect that I was scrimping on food and clothing and didn't dare to spend a single penny, but these relatives of the emperor were so squandering regardless of the country's difficulties!" After a moment, he added: "Li Guorui is my cousin. If not today,  The treasury is in ruins and I have no choice but to force him to take out the money."

    "Which of the Qi Wan families is not closely related to the emperor? There must be one family who advocates it."

    "What you are saying is that there must be a family to advocate for it. I have heard for a long time that when the ancestor of the gods was young, the Empress Dowager Xiaoding took out a lot of money. Today, I have no choice but to let his family lose some money. After the world is at peace, I will pay him back. However,  It¡¯s up to me to do this, don¡¯t make it public yet.¡±
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