Ming Dynasty: My Father Zhang Juzheng

Chapter 45 Zhang Juzheng's Complaint
Seven days passed.

"Betting on treasures" has become a hot topic in the streets and alleys of Beijing. Whether it is a small prize of one penny or a big prize of ten taels of silver, you can find them all here.

Within seven days, such outposts were set up in all the busy streets of Beijing.

Excluding costs and labor, the total profit was more than 2750 taels.

Of course, Zhang Yunxiu also knew that someone wanted to curry favor with the Prime Minister, figure out the Prime Minister's thoughts, and find ways to give him money.

Zhang Yunxiu was happy about this. After all, it was other people's money, so he could do whatever he wanted.

The cold was so severe at that time that old Beijingers were reluctant to leave their beds even if they had to hold back a hot pee.

Now, he is itching to try his luck at the treasure hunt, as if the money in his pocket is about to jump out.

Just after noon on that day, a warm sedan chair with eight bearers slowly landed in the sedan chair hall of the residence of Grand Secretary Zhang. The head bearer stepped aside and walked forward to open the curtain of the sedan chair for the visitor.

A man bent down and walked out.

The man was about sixty-three or sixty-four years old, tall, with regular features and a pair of bright eyes.

He wore a green silk Taoist robe on the outside, a pea green cashmere jacket on the inside, a cashmere hat on his head, and black leather boots on his feet.

When walking, he keeps his eyes straight ahead and walks with the gait of a dragon or a tiger.

It was the Minister of Personnel, Wang Guoguang.

He was a Jinshi in the 23rd year of Jiajing, one year earlier than Zhang Juzheng, and was also a close friend of Zhang Juzheng's.

He is even closer than his in-law Wang Zhigao.

Walking around the Zhang family's screen wall and garden, Wang Guoguang came to Zhang Juzheng's study through the cold.

There, Zhang Juzheng had already dressed and was waiting for the guests.

Inside the house, the palace lanterns were bright, the floor heating was burning warmly, and the maid considerately brought a charcoal fire to heat the entire room.

The two met without any formalities. After they sat down as host and guest, Zhang Juzheng went straight to the point and said, "As you can see, the emperor's mind has become more and more active recently. We can't tell his pulse."

Wang Guoguang smiled and said teasingly, "Aren't you known as the 'iron-faced prime minister'? A few days ago, you advised the emperor to close down the mines in various places to save the treasury expenditure, and the emperor listened to you."

"It's useless." Zhang Juzheng waved his hand and then talked about his meeting with the emperor in Yuntai five days ago.

However, after the emperor closed some of the mines, Zhang Yunxiu's way of making money was not working. The emperor became anxious and issued another decree, asking the Ministry of Revenue to transfer 100,000 Taicang silver coins to the Treasury.

How could Zhang Juzheng agree to this again and again?
So the emperor angrily summoned him. As soon as they met, the emperor said with some displeasure: "Mr. Zhang, you asked me to close the mine and I did. Now my treasury is running out of money. If this gets out, how can I, the emperor, still have any dignity?"

Zhang Juzheng knew that the person who came was not friendly, so he could not confront him directly. He tried to maneuver him from the side, saying, "Your Majesty, your inner treasury has an income of more than 200,000 taels of silver every year. Just the food and clothing expenses alone are enough for ten years, not to mention one year."

He knew that the emperor was extravagant and would give away money of five or ten taels whenever something happy happened.

With this method of giving money, let alone 200,000, even if it was another 200,000, it would not be enough for the emperor to squander.

Emperor Wanli did not think it was a waste, but only a respectable thing. He looked a little unhappy and quoted from the classics, "I heard that there was a Princess Taiping in the Tang Dynasty who spent hundreds of millions of copper coins on a piece of clothing. She was a princess and could do that. What's wrong with me asking for more silver?"

"Also, Emperor Wuzong spent more than 300,000 taels of silver on a dragon robe. My dragon robes combined are not worth as much as his. Tell me, we are both emperors, why should I live frugally?"

After listening to this, Zhang Juzheng thought about it in his mind for a while, then looked at the emperor and said, "Princess Taiping was licentious and extravagant, which led to her death. As for Emperor Wuzong, it was also a waste of money and manpower."

In a word, there is no money. The emperor was so angry that he threw a tantrum, crossed his arms and snorted, "Anyway, my mines have been closed, and the remaining deficit will have to be made up by the Ministry of Revenue."

"I don't want more, I just want 100,000 taels this time."

After he finished speaking, he glanced at Zhang Juzheng's face again, and seeing that his cheeks were dark, he became frightened and changed his words, "At least fifty thousand taels, no less."

Zhang Juzheng responded and left the palace.

After listening to Zhang Juzheng's lawsuit, Wang Guoguang frowned and whispered: "Uncle, the warehouse is full of silver now, and a mere 50,000 taels of silver is nothing."

"I know, but we can't start this bad example." Zhang Juzheng sighed helplessly, and then said, "Also, although there are 9 million silver in Taicang, there is no guarantee that there will be no major disasters. We also need to build a canal and strengthen border defense."

"Last year, Qi Jiguang submitted a memorial saying that he wanted to build fortresses from Shanhaiguan to Changping, with one fort every mile, each accommodating 50 soldiers, so that they could support each other and fight against the invading enemy."

"From Shanhaiguan to Changping, it stretches for a thousand miles, that's a thousand fortresses, each worth a thousand taels of silver, that's a million taels."

At this point, Zhang Juzheng took a sip of tea and continued, "The Governor of the Grand Canal, Pan Jixun, also submitted a petition to build a dam at Gaojiayan. What do you think, should the Yellow River and the Huai River be dammed or not?"

Wang Guoguang had also served as the Minister of Revenue, so he knew the difficulties of being the head of a household.

He is very frugal in everything and would like to make every penny count.

After thinking for a while in silence, Wang Guoguang raised his head and said seriously, "Uncle, as the ancients said, one's ears become obedient at the age of sixty. You will soon reach the age of obedience. It's time to think about yourself."

"Let's not talk about this." Zhang Juzheng waved his hand to interrupt Wang Guoguang and changed the subject. "Have you heard of 'Bobao'?"

"Wasn't it the Emperor who sent someone to do it?"

"Yes, this method is simply defrauding the people." Zhang Juzheng nodded, and suddenly remembered that this was the idea of ​​his youngest son. His old face turned red and a look of anger flashed across his face.

"Uncle, you are meddling too much." Wang Guoguang smiled and shook his head, teasing, "One is willing to fight, and the other is willing to be beaten. If he wasn't greedy, how could the people be fooled?"

"If this is implemented nationwide, wouldn't the emperor's treasury be able to continue to receive income?"

"No, if this method is implemented, the people will all want to gain something without working, how can the world not be in chaos?" Zhang Juzheng was filled with indignation and gnashed his teeth, "We submitted a memorial yesterday to abolish this great law."

“This is not your home”

Wang Guoguang was full of suspicion. Zhang Juzheng waved his hand and said coldly, "He did it. We just want to teach him a lesson so that he doesn't think he can do whatever he wants just because he is by the emperor's side."

"What if the emperor is unhappy?"

"If we only seek to please the emperor in everything, then why do we still serve as officials? Wouldn't we become fawning ministers?" Zhang Juzheng said sarcastically.

Wang Guoguang didn't know how to refute. He pondered for a moment before taking out a form for official promotion.

Zhang Juzheng took it and saw the words written on it: "Wanping County Magistrate Lin Cheng, three years have passed, the assessment is excellent, and he has been promoted to the head of the Ministry of Justice."

"How much land was surveyed in Wanping last year?"

"More than 10,000 acres." Wang Guoguang replied.

"Then let him go to Nanyang to be the prefect and continue to survey the land."

It all depends on today, dear readers!
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(End of this chapter)