Chapter 460: Ask yourself for money

Bi Ziyan left Donghunting Pavilion with some questions.

Wang Chengen reported again: "Your Majesty, Liu Yanyuan, Minister of War, is here, are you going to see me?"

"See!" Yang Jie took a sip of tea.

Liu Yanyuan entered the warm pavilion and also checked the emperor's face. The emperor was not as angry as he imagined. His face was not bad, so he should be said to be very good.

"I bow to your Majesty!" Liu Yanyuan said.

"Forgive me, sit down..." Yang Jingwei said.

"Thank you!" As a member of the imperial party and the backbone, Liu Yanyuan sat down very freely. Now he is scattered under the emperor's hands, and this is really easy to do. The emperor asked him to go with many good things about gaining fame. He likes to be the Minister of War more and more. Of course, the premise is that the emperor protects him.

"There will be a war in the beginning of next spring, and it will probably cost about three to four million taels of silver!" Yang Jing began to talk about this.

"Yes..., yes." Liu Yanyuan caught off guard and wondered. He really wanted so much money. He knew that he was also present for the arrangement of the war next year. He knew that the emperor's words were not lies. There was a war next year, and three to four million taels were still tight. If an accident occurred, I don't know how much money I would want. Hasn't the emperor always solved the problem himself? Why tell him?

"I just talked to the Ministry of Revenue. This year, the salt class has only solved less than one million taels. There is still a gap of four million taels for disaster relief from Master Xu. I won't mention what I posted before. I am afraid that I will continue to post these four million taels next year. Including the new army trained to deal with the Donglu, this is another few million taels of silver. In addition, recruiting barbarian fleets, building warships in the south, and sending wages to the border troops, all of them are zero. I am afraid that there will be no 123 million taels of silver, which is impossible to deal with!" Yang Jing calculated his bill slightly.

One thousand and three million taels of silver? Liu Yanyuan’s head is so big. How much money does this cost! The Ming Dynasty’s Ministry of Revenue earns only a few million taels per year, and it’s not enough to give it to the emperor!

"Your Majesty, this..." Liu Yanyuan didn't know what to say. In the war with the Donglu, the victory they achieved was all made of money. He had known this long ago, but he still calmed down after actually settled the accounts. He had piled up this year and would have to pile up next year, otherwise, he would lose. If he loses, someone in the court would have to come out to "responsible". If he loses the war, he, as the Minister of War, would have to come out to "responsible". Thank God for being lost.

"I heard that the cotton coats sent to the Bian Jun this year seem to be very good! Isn't it?" Yang Jie said again.

"When you go back to Your Majesty, the officials and soldiers are grateful for your Majesty's rewards, and they all remember your Majesty's great kindness. They all say that this cotton coat is warm and a good thing. The officers and soldiers of the border can have a warm year this year." Liu Yanyuan regards this as a major political achievement during his tenure as the Minister of War, and often talks about it. Now, when he hears the emperor, he is inspiration.

"Well, the Ministry of War has never thought about it. Now that it only gives cotton coats to the border troops, the other garrisons in the world have no idea. Once cotton coats are distributed, there is no need for autumn clothes or summer clothes?" Yang Jingwei was inspired again.

"This, Your Majesty..." Liu Yanyuan was stunned. What the emperor said meant was, did the emperor plan to send cotton clothes all over the world, but not to mention cotton clothes, but also to send autumn clothes and summer clothes? This..., good things are good things, but how much money does it cost?

"The Ministry of War has never thought about this before? How many official troops are there in the world, each person trains every year, how many clothes and pantyhose are needed to be consumed for combat? How much does it need to be supplemented? There is no statistics and budget for this aspect?" Yang Jingwei said.

"Report to Your Majesty, there are, but it's better not to mention it. Except for the better places such as Jingying, the rest, if you can give out a set of clothes in two or three years, it is considered a kindness of Shangguan... If Your Majesty plans to give out various clothes according to people every year, I think that the two million officials in the world will be afraid that the money will be expensive!" Liu Yanyuan told the truth. He didn't need to deceive the emperor in this matter. If the emperor didn't know the inside story, why should he give cotton clothes to the border army?

"Well, I know that I have this idea. The official army must have worn out severely during training. Nowadays, it is obviously not possible to issue a set of clothes in a few years. Even the most basic training cannot be guaranteed. What is the use of an army without training? Although the amount of money is too much, it is daunting, the Ministry of War might as well make a plan for this matter and see how much money each person will need for two sets of clothes each year... Although it may not be possible, with plans and ideas, it is better than living a daze and having no preparations..." Yang Jingwei said again.

"I received the order, but Your Majesty, I'm sorry for your courage. If this is true, the expenses for this amount per year will be quite huge! Your Majesty is cautious!" Liu Yanyuan agreed, but he still reminded the emperor that it was risky to do so.

"Well, I know this, it's really difficult! But don't the Ministry of War think that soldiers are not wearing clothes and cannot carry out normal training. Can an army that cannot even guarantee basic training against the enemy? Then what's the use of this army? Wouldn't it be defeated at once?" Yang Jing said. This is really a heart-wrenching and basically unsolvable thing. In a country with an annual income of millions of taels, it is definitely impossible to spend hundreds of thousands of taels to buy clothes for the official army.

"I... I understand!" Liu Yanyuan said.

"...I know this may not be possible, but this year I sent cotton coats to 800,000 border troops and 800,000 government troops to 800,000 government troops. Maybe I can do this. The Ministry of War might as well make a plan on this matter and see which places should be sent cotton coats..." Yang Jingwei said again.

"I received the order..." Liu Yanyuan agreed immediately. This is another good job to make a name for himself!

"You should hurry up and try to talk about this matter in the next morning... " Yang Jingwei said.

"I received the order to thank you!" Liu Yanyuan hurriedly thanked you.

After seeing these people, Yang Jinghui asked these guys to ask for money from him without exception.

...

The next day.

Morning court.

Amid the shouts of civil and military ministers, this morning court began.

All the ministers couldn't help but secretly look at the emperor. They were quite happy to hear that the emperor was angry about the rebellion. They watched it today. Sure enough, the emperor had a good look and looked very good. Could it be that the emperor had confiscated his house and was happy for the money?

"Do you have something to report to all your families?" Yang Jie said with a gentle expression.

"Report to Your Majesty, I have something to report." Shi Fenglai stood up first.

"What's wrong with the chief assistant?" Yang Jingang asked.

"Report to Your Majesty, I beg Your Majesty to use sweet potatoes as the national policy of our dynasty to resolve the natural disasters." Shi Fenglai received the emperor's instructions and said straight as soon as he came up.

The ministers fell to their eyes. Is this prime minister not the emperor's mouthpiece? How did you say this today and say that you should regard sweet potatoes as a national policy? Is the sun coming out from the west? The ministers looked at the prime minister Shi Fenglai in surprise, and Shi Fenglai was very calm.

Yang Jingwei was also a little surprised. It really took some courage to talk about growing sweet potatoes as a national policy in the court! Unexpectedly, Shi Fenglai was so straightforward, which made Yang Jingwei look at him with admiration.

"Oh, treat growing sweet potatoes as a national policy? Can the chief assistant have a memorial?" Yang Jing asked. The benefits of this double act were revealed. If he didn't get well in advance and listened to this guy saying that growing sweet potatoes, Yang Jing would suspect that something was wrong with his ears.

"Your Majesty, I have this memorial. I have some thoughts after reading Xu Zixian's memorial to plant sweet potatoes..." The chief assistant Shi Fenglai spoke very briefly today, and he was quite confident, as if he was a capable chief assistant.

"Oh, come and have a look, my partner, and I will find Master Xu's memorial." Yang Jing gently ordered Wang Chengen.

Wang Chengen agreed softly, first handing the head assistant's memorial to the emperor, and then instructing someone to find Xu Zixian's memorial. After Yang Jie took over the memorial, he started to read it in a pretty good manner.

After a while, Yang Jing finished reading roughly, which was basically the same as Xu Guangqi's book. However, some things were added, such as raising the sweet potatoes to the level of national policy, and urging them from the cabinet to the specific implementation of the prefectures and counties, and being responsible at all levels. If they are not implemented, the annual exam will not be qualified, and the plan will not be one year, but five years.

Yang Jing sighed and said, "The Chief Auxiliary and Master Xu are both ordinary, and they are all dedicated to the country and the people! I look at Master Xu's memorials, which is very touching. When I look at Master Xu's memorials, I feel that it is magnificent and grand. If it can be implemented, it can show me and show our great determination to fight against natural disasters. This is really a blessing for all people in the world!" Yang Jing praised.

The ministers had already stretched their necks below. If it were normal, they would have been talking about it. However, when the emperor read the memorial, they dared not discuss it, for fear of affecting the emperor's reading. Therefore, they all stretched their necks and looked at the emperor, wanting to know what the memorial was.

"Big partner, let's show all these two memorials to everyone's family." Yang Jing said pretending.

The ministers then read the two memorials. Some people read them, nodded constantly, and made praises, some people read them, without any expressions, and some people shake their heads and make ridiculous expressions.

After the ministers circulated it, Yang Jing began to speak.

"You all have seen it? What do you think? Elevate the sweet potatoes to the level of national policy. Do you have something to say?" Yang Jie asked.

"I report to Your Majesty, I think it's good to do this. Xu Zi's noble character of relieving the country's worries and asking for the people is indeed admired by me. He is a model for our generation to learn. However, I think it's a bit too much to elevate the cultivation of sweet potatoes to the level of national policy." A minister came out first and expressed his own point of view.

Yang Jing nodded. There were still some people thinking about problems in the court.

"Your Majesty, I do not agree with it. This matter is too ridiculous. I admit that sweet potatoes are indeed good things to fight against natural disasters, and Xu Zixian's memorial is indeed touching. But isn't growing sweet potatoes a national policy, so won't plant these sweet potatoes?" Another official expressed a different opinion.

Yang Jing nodded and made a listening statement.

"I report to Your Majesty, I think that Xu Zixian's memorial is touching, and it is true that he should be pleaded for the people. He should not raise sweet potatoes to the level of national policy, and he should not link sweet potatoes to the annual exam. In this way, wouldn't it make sweet potatoes the basis for determining the promotion and remission of an official? Where will this face be put? Don't lose your moral integrity!" A minister persuaded him painstakingly.

There was a debate in the court. Generally, there were no opinions on promoting sweet potatoes, but there were different opinions on how to promote them.

After listening for a while, Yang Jie felt that he had heard enough opinions and raised his hand.

The minister who was still arguing immediately calmed down and saw what the emperor said.

"Chief, what do you say about the ministers' questions?" Yang Jingwei asked Shi Fenglai.

"When you come back to Your Majesty, I think that 'food is the most important thing for the people'. This food is naturally very important. Without food, war will break out, the people will be displaced and the world will be in peace. Therefore, I think that there is nothing wrong with increasing food as the national policy of our Ming Dynasty. This is in line with the teachings of the saints and in line with the laws of nature." Shi Fenglai said seriously.

This statement has been praised by many ministers, many people nodded, and Yang Jing nodded, these are the ones he taught him.

"Yes, I have always believed that this is the high yield and drought resistance. I think, I don't need to talk about it anymore. You all know that if the disasters are endless today, I think that the court should make increasing the food of the people the top priority. Only when the people in the world are full can they live and work in peace. Otherwise, the world will not be peaceful, and it is my morality and the court's dereliction of duty. What do you think?" Yang Jing gave the chief assistant Shi Fenglai to affirm, and he laughed in his heart. It was indeed a pleasure to sing the double act.

When the emperor said this, many ministers nodded. This is not bad. A world without war is a prosperous era in many people's minds. If it is really enough to make the people of the world full, it is indeed an amazing thing.

However, there are different sounds.

"Report to Your Majesty, I think there is nothing wrong with growing sweet potatoes, but it should not be linked to the annual examination of officials. This is too unserious, and it should not be regarded as a national policy. Wouldn't this make me have a sweet potato on my head in the Ming Dynasty? This is so ridiculous..." An official hurriedly came out to object.

"Puchi..." In the hall, many officials laughed out loud, asking the Ming Dynasty to hold a sweet potato on its head? This is really funny.

"I believe that it is good for you to promote sweet potatoes without delay. Why not send an imperial envoy to be in charge of the promotion of sweet potatoes in the world? This is enough to increase it to the level of national policy, which is indeed a bit too much..." Another official also suggested.

Yang Jing raised his hand again, and the ministers stopped again and looked at the emperor.

"Haha, the Qing family said it was really funny. However, if sweet potatoes can make the people of the world full, even if I have a sweet potato on my head, I will recognize it. The sages said, 'The people are the most important, the country is the next, the king is the least.' I am the sages, and I am the least concerned about the words of the sages. For the most important people, it is nothing. If sweet potatoes can really solve the problem of people in the world eating, even if it is a offering to sacrifice to ancestors, I can also replace it with sweet potatoes to save millions of people in the world in water and fire. I think, this sweet potato is worth on the table..." Yang Jing didn't care about the face project. Is life or face important? These people don't have the pain of seventeen years later, so they naturally care about face so much, but they don't care at all.

The emperor's words made the ministers smile. The emperor was really sincere and able to say such words, which showed the emperor's seriousness and support for the matter. Many officials who originally wanted to oppose the emperor became heavy after hearing the emperor's "joking" words. They held back their opposition for a while and couldn't say it.

Yang Jie looked at the reactions of his ministers and breathed a sigh of relief. He wanted to do this with such a low attitude, and the ministers should not object to him.

"Your Majesty, I object..." An official shouted loudly, causing the people who had originally stabilized in the hall to boil again.

"Oh, what do you think of the Qing family?" Yang Jie's original relaxed heart started to twist again. Judging from the official's posture, he seemed to be very confident in opposing this matter.

"Report to Your Majesty, I think it is true that promoting sweet potatoes is true. Your Majesty is willing to use sweet potatoes on the top of your head to pray for a good harvest of sweet potatoes to nourish the people of the world. Your Majesty is even more impressed. However, I think there is a promotion that is all over the world? If it is promoted in the disaster-stricken places, I have nothing to say, but not all places in the Ming Dynasty are affected. Some places may not need to grow sweet potatoes. For example, in the south, there is sufficient grain and rice, and there is no need to grow sweet potatoes anymore, and there is no need to grow sweet potatoes at all. Since there is no need to grow sweet potatoes to relieve hunger, and there is no idle place to grow sweet potatoes, then isn't it a joke to grow sweet potatoes by planting sweet potatoes? Isn't it unfair to the officials in Jiangnan?" The official said with a concise and aggressive manner.

This statement immediately received support from many people in the hall and started to talk about it.

Yang Jing looked at the official and took him to heart. His words were very impulsive and ruthless. He criticized the national policy of sweet potatoes. Yang Jing looked at Shi Fenglai and handed this issue to Shi Fenglai.

"Does Chief Superintendent Shi have something to say?" Yang Jie said, "Don't just get involved in this matter, but let the ministers fight with the ministers."

"Report to Your Majesty..., I think..." The ministers thought that the chief minister would not be able to say anything. When they were about to see a joke, Shi Fenglai continued: "Report to Your Majesty, I think that if it was an ordinary period, it was indeed not necessary to use sweet potatoes as the national policy, let alone plant sweet potatoes as the basis for assessment. However, I think that this time is an extraordinary period, with more than ten years of natural disasters, so it is necessary. This adult said that there is no need to grow sweet potatoes in the south, and there is no idle place to grow sweet potatoes. I think this is inappropriate. If you don't say it far away, this year, your Majesty will exempt three palaces from the white grain? Didn't this cause a disaster? Who said that the south will not be affected? Last year, Fujian was barren land thousands of miles away, and pirates hit the shore and moved tens of thousands of people. How could this be the disaster in the south be there?"

The chief minister Shi Fenglai confronted the aggressive official in a straightforward manner. He immediately received the approval of many ministers. This is true. The emperor did not exempt three palaces from white grain this year, let alone the incident in Fujian last year. This is enough to show that the south was also affected by natural disasters.

The aggressive official just now was speechless by this. However, they cheated the emperor and joked about the emperor for a long time. Now the chief assistant brought out this thing as evidence again, and really shot himself in the foot.

"...Your Majesty, I think that as for saying there is no idle place, it is simply an excuse. I heard that in many places in the south, fertile fields are converted into mulberry fields for profit, so that the price of grain rises year by year. If you have idle place to plant mulberry trees, but you have nowhere to plant sweet potatoes... I think this is just an excuse." Shi Fenglai said lightly, and after saying that, he looked at the official who had just disobeyed him. Although in the eyes of everyone, the prime minister was just a "bag", the prime minister was also very striking when he exerted his power.

This time, Yang Jing nodded and looked at Shi Fenglai with admiration. This time, Shi Fenglai continued to talk about the aggressive official in just a few words.
Chapter completed!