Ming Dynasty: pacifying the rebellion and defending the border, dominating the world

Chapter 358 Using Both Kindness and Strictness to Spend Money
The Imperial Palace, Wenhua Hall.

Zhu Jinzhen was on the steps of the Wenhua Hall, watching the secret guards present the Ministry of Revenue's account books, which had been reorganized within the secret guards. These account books were genuine copies that had been copied from Yang Tan's residence and his hiding place the previous night, recording the true amount of the Ministry of Revenue's tax revenue, which was a full 63 million taels less than what had been reported.

"Issue the decree," Zhu Jinzhen's voice was calm and even, "promote Wang Jing, the principal clerk of the Ministry of Revenue, to temporarily act as the Minister of Revenue, and order him to re-examine and register the salt permits of Jiangnan within three days."

“Reorganize the Ministry of Revenue’s accounts. If there are any errors, let him decide for himself.”

After the secret guards withdrew with the order, Zhu Jinzhen picked up an account book and casually flipped to the page recording military pay. The words "can be reduced by 30%" written in red ink looked ridiculous in the morning light.

"The military pay for the nine border garrisons has been reduced year after year, and the Ministry of Revenue will cut it by another 30%."

"Why not just cut them all off?"

Zhu Houzhao sneered, picked up his vermilion pen, crossed out "can be reduced by 30%", and changed the annotation to "increase by 50%".

The most important thing for a country is its national defense and military.

While expenditures in other areas can be reduced, cutting spending on military pay and armaments is tantamount to courting disaster.

"The news was sent to Shangguan Haitang."

"Here!"

The secret guards received the order and quickly left the Wenhua Hall.

Soon, Shangguan Haitang, the former number one Xuan-ranked official of the Dragon Guard Manor, was brought before Zhu Jinzhen.

Although Shangguan Haitang was a woman, she was intelligent and understood the principle that those who know how to adapt to circumstances are the wise ones. Upon meeting, she bowed and said, "This sinful subject, Shangguan Haitang, pays respects to Your Majesty."

Zhu Jinzhen didn't even lift his eyelids, still frowning as he flipped through the account books, his voice cold: "Zhu Wushi's treason is a fact. According to the laws of the Ming Dynasty, I should execute you and Duan Tianya together with Zhu Wushi."

Shangguan Haitang's delicate body trembled, and even her tightly pursed lips were shaking.

Ever since Zhu Wushi's conspiracy was exposed, Zhu Jinzhen ordered Yang Ning to take control of the entire capital. Shangguan Haitang knew that this day would come sooner or later, but she never expected to hear the news she least wanted to hear.

"Please, Your Majesty, have mercy!"

Shangguan Haitang wanted to plead for mercy, but she couldn't bring herself to say it.

Even if she was unwilling to accept it, after such a long period of time, she knew that her adoptive father, Zhu Wushi, who had always taught them to be loyal to the emperor and love the country, and who appeared to be doing everything for the country and the people, was a villain disguised as a loyal minister.

The crime of treason and regicide is a capital offense that would result in the extermination of nine generations of one's family in any dynasty or for any individual.

Shangguan Haitang herself is still a criminal, so how can she plead for leniency?

"Zhu Wushi has a very close personal relationship with Wan Sanqian, the owner of the number one manor in the world, and Wan Sanqian is also deeply involved in the plot to rebel. I intend to put Wan Sanqian and all his property into the national treasury."

"But... I've changed my mind about what happened today."

Zhu Jinzhen frowned and casually threw the messy account book that the Ministry of Revenue had altered onto the table. He looked up at Shangguan Haitang, who was kneeling on the ground: "I am preparing to restart the Dragon Guard Manor and merge the number one manor in the world into the Dragon Guard Manor. You will serve as the manor lord of the Dragon Guard Manor."

"Well done, I will pardon your crimes."

"And the location of the Dragon Guard Manor will be redefined, and promotions and titles will be a given."

"If it's not done well..."

Shangguan Haitang's heart trembled. She had heard about the bloodshed and chaos of today. The Eastern Depot and Western Depot were conducting large-scale raids and arrests, killing people at will. The Embroidered Uniform Guard was also involved. The court was in turmoil in a single day, and all officials were in danger.

She also learned that the ministers she once thought were loyal and incorruptible had actually amassed great wealth and titles.

When she entered the palace just now, she saw the mountains of gold and silver treasures in the Forbidden City.

I never expected things would get this serious.

This led Zhu Jinzhen, the new emperor of the Ming Dynasty, to even seem to have some distrust of the Ministry of Revenue.

But that's precisely why.

Does she seem to have a chance to redeem herself?

Thinking of this, Shangguan Haitang pressed his forehead to the ground and replied in a trembling voice, "This sinful subject, Shangguan Haitang, is willing to die for Your Majesty! If I fail Your Majesty's high expectations, Haitang is willing to accept death."

"Ok!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Jinzhen nodded in satisfaction: "I will assign you a secret guard."

"You have three days to reorganize the Dragon Guard Manor." "From now on, the Dragon Guard Manor's mission is to recruit talents from all over the world, not limited to the Ming Dynasty. As long as they have real talent and learning, regardless of whether they are talented but unappreciated, and as long as they are of good character, their background will not matter."

"But we no longer need wasteful people like the worst person in the world who waste rice."

"Yes, Haitang, I obey!" Shangguan Haitang never dreamed that one day she would sit in her godfather's position and become the master of the Dragon Guard Manor.

As for Zhu Jinzhen's request, Shangguan Haitang didn't think much of it.

As long as the intelligence network of the Dragon Guard Manor is restarted and the direction of intelligence gathering is changed to focus on gathering intelligence on talented people from all over the world, Shangguan Haitang is fully capable of handling this job.

Shangguan Haitang bowed and slowly withdrew from the Wenhua Hall.

"Go."

Zhu Jinzhen waved his hand, dismissing Shangguan Haitang.

Behind the screen, Changsun Wangqing walked out with a smile: "Your Majesty, are you trying to use someone else's resources to your advantage?"

"Why don't you take a break?"

Zhu Jinzhen smiled, walked over, took Changsun Wangqing's hand, and sat down on the dragon throne. "Shangguan Haitang is capable of becoming the number one secret agent of the Xuan class despite being a woman. Her ability to manage the number one manor in the world so well further proves her talent."

"Since the secret guard Guihai Yidao has vouched for it with his merits and life, and the secret guard has verified that Shangguan Haitang was also used in Zhu Wushi's treason case, I have agreed to give her a break."

"Let's just make use of it."

At the same time, Zhu Jinzhen did not deny his idea of ​​using a hen to lay eggs.

Otherwise, there would be no need to assign a pair of secret guards to 'help' Shangguan Haitang.

Once Shangguan Haitang has lost her usefulness, Zhu Jinzhen will decide how to deal with her. Currently, Zhu Jinzhen does need her to manage the Dragon Guard Manor and the Number One Manor in the World, to gather intelligence and talent for him.

"Your Majesty seems to have another deeper meaning?"

"I knew I couldn't hide it from you." Zhu Jinzhen nodded with a smile and revealed his thoughts.

The accounts prepared by the Ministry of Revenue, and the accounts restored by the personnel in the Secret Guard.

Zhu Jinzhen was shocked to see that the Ming Dynasty's annual revenue was nearly 100 million taels of silver, which could be embezzled by layers of lower levels and then further embezzled by the Ministry of Revenue through falsified accounts, with more than 60% disappearing out of thin air.

This isn't just for one year, it happens every year.

Zhu Jinzhen did harbor some resentment towards the Ministry of Revenue, but he did not completely distrust it. He simply wanted to recruit another group of relevant talents as reserves for the Ming Dynasty's official positions.

“I remember that the annual revenue announced by the Ministry of Revenue and the court last year was 14 million taels of silver.”

"I thought it was a new high in several years."

“But I never expected…” Changsun Wangqing shook his head with emotion. If the Ministry of Revenue’s account books hadn’t been unearthed and partially restored by the secret guards, it would have been hard to imagine that so much tax revenue from Jiangnan and other regions had been embezzled.

It's no wonder that His Majesty would have the idea of ​​raising another group of talented people.

The task of clearing up the Ministry of Revenue's accounts alone is beyond the capacity of the Secret Guard to handle at present.

Changsun Wangqing frowned slightly and said:

"Human greed is the hardest thing to satisfy."

"Is Your Majesty worried that some people within the Secret Guard will eventually become corrupted by greed, just like the officials in the Ministry of Revenue, and collude with the Ministry of Revenue or local authorities to deceive their superiors?"

As for his thoughts, Changsun Wangqing had none; in fact, he strongly supported Zhu Jinzhen's actions.

Although she was nominally the supreme commander of the Xuanjia Secret Guard, she actually commanded her disciple Yan Yimei and people like Xiao Luoyang. Changsun Wangqing rarely interfered in the affairs of the Secret Guard.

"Ah."

Zhu Jinzhen had no intention of hiding anything and nodded, saying, "Someone once said that a triangle is the most stable shape, and there are ultimately only a few people in the Secret Guard who are good at this."

"I will not only seize control of the Ministry of Revenue's financial power, but I will also completely control it."

"From now on, anyone who dares to touch my secret stash of money, I will grind them to dust."

(End of this chapter)