Imperial City, Ganqing Palace.

Zhu Cilang, who had just turned 18, sat in the main seat, with the first in his right hand Liu Hongjian, the chief assistant of the cabinet, Li Banghua, the second assistant Han Yu, and the Grand Secretary of the Zhongji Palace Meng Zhaoxiang.

On the left are Zhang Tianlu, the Grand Secretary of Dongge, Fang Yuegong, the Grand Secretary of Wenyuan Pavilion, and Ni Yuanlu, the Grand Secretary of Jianji Palace.

This is the first time Liu Hongjian has participated in the Pavilion discussion since Uncle Chongzhen's death. Things are different but people are wrong, and they also see things and think about people. Liu Hongjian tries not to think about the past that seems to have happened yesterday.

During those years, the meetings he held with Uncle Chongzhen, and those years, the fights he had with cabinet members, Uncle Chongzhen always sat there with a serious expression and remained silent.

After the opinions of a circle of people were published and the argument was over, Uncle Chongzhen would get up to make a final decision. Most of the time, Chongzhen always accepted his Liu Hongjian's opinions.

"Your Majesty, the salt administration must not be abolished, otherwise the world will be in chaos!" Li Banghua, the chief assistant of the cabinet, stood up and bowed.

Although in most cases, Li Banghua, the chief minister of the cabinet, stood with Liu Hongjian, this does not mean that Li Banghua is Liu Hongjian's person. On the contrary, Li Banghua has always been in the right way to deal with things and wrong things.

As long as he thinks it is not conducive to the court's policies, no matter who it is, even the emperor, he dares to argue. On the contrary, even colleagues who don't like him will discuss it.

Most of the proposals put forward by Liu Hongjian have been basically helpful to the court, so the illusion given to other officials is that Li Banghua only followed Liu Hongjian.

But salt administration is different. Salt administration is an ancient system that has been passed down for two thousand years and has transcended the existence of the Ming Dynasty system. The reason why it can be implemented for so long is certainly reasonable.

The rash cancellation of the salt induction system will inevitably lead to chaos in the market and affect the daily needs of the people.

Moreover, the salt administration was abolished and the court lost a large amount of income. If the government ignored it, wouldn’t private salt dealers be even more rampant?

More importantly, the people have not caused public resentment because they can't afford to eat salt. Isn't this good? Why change it?

The Prime Minister all sent a message to express his opposition, which naturally saved the trouble of several other cabinet ministers. After hearing the general opinions, Zhu Cixuan looked at Liu Hongjian again.

"Your Majesty, I did not say that I wanted to abolish the salt administration, but the salt administration of the Ming Dynasty had changed a lot from the old dynasty. Although salt is still an official business on the surface, it is actually no different from the private business.

Lord Li can see that since Emperor Taizu founded the dynasty, the ancients and the Tungus people have been nuisance to the north, causing the court to have to station heavy troops in the north to prevent the precautions.

However, there are many soldiers on the nine borders and the demand for food and grass is also great, but the official transportation of food and grass is consumed greatly. In order to save this consumption, the court asked merchants from the south to sell food and grass on their behalf, in return, to distribute the amount of food and grass actually transported to the border to these merchants. Isn't it?"

Liu Hongjian was not angry, but told the origin of the Ming Dynasty's salt administration, saying that it was for Li Banghua, but in fact it was for Zhu Cixuan.

"That's right." Li Banghua, as the Minister of War, naturally knew these old things and answered them very simply.

"However, in order to make up for the losses, these salt merchants took salt to salt shops in various places for salt, and then increased the price of salt by more than triple or even triple, and then sold it to the people. Is this true?" Liu Hongjian asked again, but his tone became a little harsh.

"But it's true, but if the salt merchants sell too much, the government will intervene..." Zhang Tianlu, a senior secretary of the Dongge, took over the question thrown by Liu Hongjian.

"Oh? Is that true?" Liu Hongjian narrowed his eyes and stared at Zhang Tianlu in a questioning tone.

After intervening in the wool, I ran back and forth several times. People from all over the country regarded salt as treasures. They obviously couldn't afford it, but they still had to tighten their belts to buy them. What about the government?

Haha, they are all vested interests. How many people will care about the lives and deaths of the people?

Even if officials want to come out to uphold justice, the court and the cabinet have the same attitude. Who can change what?

I guess the memorial was just submitted, and the next thing I received was a notice of demotion, plus a bunch of small shoes and rolling eyes sent by court officials all over the world.

Except for him, who is not afraid of tickling, who dares to mention it, who can fight against the ancestral system?

"Although the court certainly allowed merchants to transport food and grass to save manpower and material consumption, what are the crimes of the people? Why should all this consumption be passed on to the people?

Shouldn’t the court consider the first thing that is to consider in the world?” Liu Hongjian said in a loud voice.

None of the other officials in the cabinet dared to answer Liu Hongjian's question. Yes, the question is that simple. Where is the peaceful time in this world? It's just that someone is carrying the burden on you.

Your court has saved the consumption of food and grass transportation, but this part of the consumption is twice as low as possible, and twice the amount is passed on to the people all over the country. The merchants not only do not lose money, but also earn more money.

"Mr. Zhang, I heard that your nephew sells salt in Jiangxi. The business is good, is there any such thing?" Liu Hongjian said casually as if nothing had happened.

The reason why everyone opposes is that except for the stubborn things like Li Banghua who are considering the court, other people's families or privately will have shameful py transactions.

This kind of thing has been common throughout history and has been repeatedly banned.

"This... Xiaguan has not returned to his old house in Jiangxi for several years, and his family has become increasingly unfamiliar. He really doesn't know that his family is involved in this matter. When Xiaguan returns, he will find out carefully that if there is really such a matter, Xiaguan will definitely do it according to law."

Zhang Tianlu sorted out his words, but the answer was not airtight. However, Liu Hongjian thought to himself that I believe you, if there was no such thing, I would probably not say so. He would definitely retort with righteousness.

Zhu Cixuan didn't care too much when he heard this. After all, these things were not new. They were more or less common in the family of court officials, and it was difficult to check.

After all, it is true that people do their business, you are your official, and they are relatives, but what about your evidence.

"It's just that if the salt administration is really restructured, as the following official said before, there will be many unpredictable problems!

For example, if the policy of the imperial court is relaxed, the people will inevitably follow the example. The salt production levels in various places are uneven, and the people may have spent the same amount of money but bought inferior salt filled with impurities such as sand."

Li Banghua still disagreed with Liu Hongjian's proposal. Even if he himself could not answer Liu Hongjian's question, this is Li Banghua, the stubborn and stubborn Li Banghua.

"This is easy to deal with. The salt government still needs to continue to produce according to the needs of the people. The salt yards and salt mines in various places still return to the original salt administration and ideological operation, but the imperial courts such as sea salt and new salt yards can be relaxed.

The court only needs to use one move to deal with all problems." Liu Hongjian said meaningfully.

"Oh? What method did the prince say?" Li Banghua asked hurriedly.
Chapter completed!