Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 752 Miyun Rain Flood
"Hmm..." Upon hearing the shopkeeper's question, He Xiaokui's hand holding the wine bowl paused in mid-air, and he blinked for a moment in surprise. "You mean this matter... There is such a thing being talked about."

"Then please, sir," the innkeeper said, his face immediately lighting up with anticipation. He quickly picked up the wine pot and poured wine into the bowl in front of He Xiaokui, "explain it to me in detail?"

He Xiaokui put down his wine bowl, forced an apologetic smile, and shook his head repeatedly: "I'm sorry, shopkeeper, this... I can't explain it to you in detail."

"Huh?" The shopkeeper's hand, which was pouring wine, froze in mid-air, his smile frozen on his face: "There's nothing wrong with talking about the stall tax, is there...?"

“There’s nothing I can’t say. But didn’t I tell you before?” He Xiaokui spread his hands and said helplessly, “I’m just a servant. I can only know if my superiors are willing to tell me. If they are unwilling to tell me, or too lazy to tell me, then I won’t know.”

The shopkeeper's face showed obvious disappointment. He sat there blankly for a while, slowly put down the wine pot, and leaned slightly to the side, as if preparing to get up and leave. But as soon as he moved, he seemed to suddenly remember something important, and turned back abruptly, lowering his voice and asking urgently, "Sir, please allow me to ask one more question. If I remember correctly, the Shuntian Prefecture temporarily shelved the matter of changing taxes to invoices a while ago, citing the lack of a senior official in the Ministry of Revenue. Now that Minister Wang of the Ministry of Revenue has arrived in the capital and signed the official seal, shouldn't there be some new developments in this matter? Putting aside everything else, just talking about this matter of changing invoices, is it going to be implemented or not?"

He Xiaokui was gnawing on a piece of pork hock when he heard this, and he paused in his chewing. His eyes flashed, as if he had suddenly made a connection to something, and he looked up at the innkeeper, a meaningful smile playing on his lips: "Heh! Innkeeper, your inn's information network is really impressive. Minister Wang just arrived at our bank yesterday, and you've already found out about him today?"

"Huh?" The shopkeeper was stunned, his eyes widening instantly. "Minister Wang... has already been to your esteemed establishment!"

"Yes!" He Xiaokui proudly raised his head, his nose almost touching the roof beam, and his voice unconsciously rose a few decibels: "When he came to visit yesterday, I personally received him!"

Meanwhile, in the lobby of the Yunlai Inn, the discussion about the Joseon King's alleged deception and collusion with the enemy, and the Emperor's subsequent military intervention, was gradually heating up, subtly guided by various sources. The debate was lively, with diners mostly echoing the sentiment of condemning the Joseon King's treachery, but occasionally a more balanced voice emerged, suggesting that the matter might be open to discussion.

Meanwhile, the diners at the tables around He Xiaokui subconsciously turned their attention to him as the innkeeper sat down. Now, hearing him boast about having received the Minister of Revenue, the already curious diners pricked up their ears and even cast glances over, wanting to hear what "insider information" this bank clerk could reveal.

The shopkeeper was even more shocked. In addition to the previous flattery and obsequiousness, his eyes now held a hint of awe as he looked at He Xiaokui: "Minister Wang, you... you personally received him?!"

He Xiaokui, the shopkeeper, felt a chill run down his spine under that look. After all, his so-called "reception" was really just welcoming Wang Yingjiao in at the door and then reporting to Eunuch Gao. He Xiaokui quickly lowered his head, stuffing a large mouthful of cucumber and pork into his mouth to cover his unease, and mumbled, "Yes... he was wearing a bright red official robe, with white hair and a white beard, and he was very energetic! Although he was riding in a small sedan chair, his demeanor, hey! It was truly magnificent and awe-inspiring!"

The shopkeeper carefully recalled Wang Yingjiao's appearance, and his doubts lessened somewhat. He leaned forward and lowered his voice even further: "So, what does he have to say about changing the tax system from stall tax to collection?"

He Xiaokui clicked his tongue, feigning impatience: "Manager, how many times do I have to repeat myself? I'm just a errand boy." He Xiaokui paused, then lowered his voice mysteriously, "Major matters of the court like tax reform are naturally discussed behind closed doors by the old man and our Eunuch Gao. How would I, a servant outside the door, know what they were talking about?"

The shopkeeper, unaware that He Xiaokui wasn't serving outside but downstairs, was immediately taken aback, thinking He Xiaokui knew the inside story but was unwilling to reveal it. He lowered his voice and leaned closer to ask, "Could you just give me a little hint? Should we proceed with this plan or not?"

Not to mention whether to promote it or not, He Xiaokui didn't even know what Wang Yingjiao and Gao Shiming had said. But since he had already pretended to be so serious, he simply nodded slightly, half guessing, and said in a low voice, "The palace went to so much trouble to print so many silver notes, it can't just be used to pay the salaries of the officials."

The shopkeeper nodded thoughtfully and pressed on, "What about the tax rate? Are the miscellaneous taxes like labor service fees, corvée labor fees, and lamp oil and charcoal fees collected separately, or are they combined and calculated together?"

He Xiaokui's eye twitched suddenly. How could he know these tricks of the trade? Unable to answer, he simply lowered his head, focused on the food in his bowl, and remained silent.

Seeing this, the shopkeeper assumed that He Xiaokui knew the inside story but was unwilling to say more. "Alright, I apologize for my intrusion." The shopkeeper frowned and tactfully changed the subject: "Then, Officer He, how do you exchange these silver notes? Are there any surcharges?"

He Xiaokui slowly raised his head, giving the shopkeeper a perfunctory glance as if praising his tact. He cleared his throat and said, "Exchange of silver and notes is naturally done at the counter. There is also a fire loss fee. The exact amount depends on the purity of the silver. As long as it's not a pure silver ingot from the official treasury, you'll be charged at least 10% for fire loss when exchanging it for notes. The lower the purity and the more impurities, the higher the fire loss fee will be."

The shopkeeper nodded, making a mental note, and then asked, "What about copper coins? And how do you exchange copper coins for silver notes?"

“The copper coins don’t need to be burned,” He Xiaokui answered decisively. “As long as they are officially minted Tongbao coins, one string of coins is worth one tael, or one thousand coins are worth one tael.”

Copper coins were essentially small-denomination government-minted subsidiary coins that could be used directly without needing to be divided. Unless they were severely corroded, they usually did not need to be melted down and recast, so there was little to no fire loss.

The shopkeeper, a seasoned veteran of the business world, was extremely shrewd. Upon hearing this, a glint flashed in his eyes! He almost immediately realized that, given the current copper-silver exchange rate, directly exchanging loose silver for silver notes was extremely unwise. To avoid losses, he should first exchange loose silver for copper coins in the private market, and then use those copper coins to exchange for silver notes. The shopkeeper even vaguely sensed that there was room for arbitrage. His mind raced, and he instantly fell into deep thought, his breathing becoming slightly rapid.

Just then, He Xiaokui suddenly let out a loud burp and patted his belly contentedly. He glanced at the shopkeeper, who was deep in thought, and said, "Shopkeeper, is there anything else you want to say? If not, I have to go back and report now."

The innkeeper snapped out of his daze, suppressing his excitement, and forced a smile onto his face. He spoke in a very low voice, "Thank you for your kind guidance! Since you have important business to attend to, I won't keep you any longer." He paused, then leaned even closer, almost whispering, "This meal today is on me!"

He Xiaokui picked up the pot of ordinary liquor he had ordered and shook it. There was only a little left in it, and he poured out just a small sip. "Forget it. I've already paid for the meal. The waiter gave me the change when he served the food." With that, He Xiaokui was about to stand up.

"Hey! What's the big deal?" The shopkeeper grabbed He Xiaokui's hand, picked up the jug of fine wine he had brought, and refilled He Xiaokui's wine bowl. His voice was so low it was almost a whisper: "Come with me to the counter, and I'll refund your bill right away! Consider it making friends!"

He Xiaokui looked at the bowl full of fine wine, his Adam's apple bobbing. He said, "How could I possibly accept that..." but his movements were unusually swift. He picked up the bowl and gulped down the wine in one go, then wiped his mouth and followed the beaming shopkeeper toward the counter.

Inside the signing room of the Shuntian Prefecture Office, the air was so stuffy and humid that it seemed to stagnate. Shuntian Prefect Shen Guangzuo sat upright behind his desk, intently reviewing a petition before him, his brows furrowed into a deep frown.

The petition, submitted hastily by Hua Gun, the prefect of Changping Prefecture, entitled "Changping Prefecture's Urgent Report on the Disaster Caused by the Rainstorm in Miyun County, Requesting Relief and Compensation," struck him like a hammer blow.

Below the steps of the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture:

I hereby report that Miyun County, under the jurisdiction of this prefecture, has been experiencing torrential rains since May 29th of this year. The rains have been continuous and severe, causing flash floods and overflowing rivers, resulting in a major flood disaster. I dare not conceal this fact and have therefore acted swiftly to report this matter.

According to a report from Wang Jiayingfei, the magistrate of Miyun County, the water levels of the Chaohe and Baihe rivers within the county have surged dramatically, overflowing their banks and destroying more than ten sections of official roads and bridges. In the surrounding villages and towns, the water is several feet deep, and countless houses have collapsed. Preliminary investigations indicate that at least 300 hectares of farmland have been submerged, 72 people have drowned, 237 are missing, and countless livestock and valuables have been lost. Currently, the victims are sleeping in the open, crying out in hunger and cold, in a truly tragic situation.

Following the disaster, I immediately ordered the county to:

First, open the official granaries and the Ever-Normal Granaries, set up soup kitchens, and provide emergency relief to disaster victims to prevent starvation.

First, gather able-bodied men and try to rescue the drowning victims and provide shelter for the elderly and weak.

First, reinforce the remaining dikes and drain the accumulated water to prevent a recurrence of the disaster.

However, the granaries in this prefecture are limited and the people are exhausted. This disaster is so severe that it cannot be borne by a single prefecture or county alone.

I humbly request:

Your Excellency, mindful of the suffering and devastation, immediately submitted a memorial to the Emperor, requesting an imperial decree to exempt Miyun County from this year's summer taxes to alleviate the people's hardship; earnestly requesting the allocation of 3,000 shi of grain and 2,000 taels of silver from the capital granary to relieve famine and repair roads and river embankments; and requesting the Prefectural Governor to appoint officials to conduct a thorough investigation of the disaster to verify the facts.

Due to the urgent need to report on the torrential rain and flood disaster, your humble servant Hua Gun and County Magistrate Wang Jiaying dared not act on their own initiative and hereby submit this report.

Please verify and implement accordingly.

June 3rd, the first year of Taichang

Changping Prefecture Seal
Prefect Hua Gunya

“Drowning, missing, submerged, tax exemption, relief.” Shen Guangzu stared intently, muttering to himself, feeling the veins on his forehead throbbing. Lately, he had been incredibly busy, barely having time to breathe. Collecting summer taxes, preparing for the autumn imperial examinations, handling backlogged cases, maintaining order… each task weighed heavily on his shoulders. He had just received initial reports of torrential rain in Changping and Miyun yesterday, initially thinking it was just ordinary flooding, never expecting it to escalate into such a disaster overnight. No wonder the capital hadn't seen rain for over half a month, remaining as sweltering as a sauna; it turned out all the rain had gone to Changping and Miyun.
"Oh, heavens!" Shen Guangzuo irritably picked up the cup of cold tea and gulped down a large mouthful, trying to suppress his anxiety and the summer heat. The icy tea did little to alleviate his frustration. Shen Guangzuo put down the teacup, tapping his knuckles heavily twice on the hard rosewood table, his voice weary and tired: "Han, the clerk."

"Here!" In the corner, Han Binggui, a middle-aged staff member dressed in a blue cloth with a lean face, immediately put down his pen, stood up and walked quickly to Shen Guangzuo's desk, bowed and said, "What are your orders, Grand Secretary?"

Han Binggui followed Shen Guangzuo for three years, from Guangdong to Shandong, and from Shandong to the capital. He was deeply trusted and was considered an indispensable right-hand man to Shen Guangzuo.

Shen Guangzu handed Hua Gun's petition to him: "Take a look at it first."

Han Binggui took the petition with both hands and read it carefully. His brows furrowed, and his eyes showed seriousness, but his overall expression remained as calm, or rather, indifferent as ever. After reading it, Han Binggui looked up at Shen Guangzuo: "Does the Grand Prefect intend to draft a reply immediately and issue an order to Changping Prefecture?"

Shen Guangzu nodded and said in a deep voice, "Tell them that this government is aware of the disaster and instructs them to do everything in their power to provide disaster relief, appease the people, and stabilize the local area! At the same time, state that this government has already submitted a report to His Majesty and consulted with the Ministry of Revenue."

"Memorials and inquiries." Han Binggui understood immediately and volunteered, "Then may I draft the memorials, inquiries, and replies for the Grand Secretariat?"

"Okay! Thank you for your trouble." Shen Guangzu nodded with a mixture of relief and exhaustion.

"I dare not." Han Binggui took the petition, cupped his hands, and turned to leave. He had only taken two steps when he suddenly stopped, as if he had remembered something crucial. He immediately turned back to the main desk and whispered a reminder: "Dazan Prefecture, Changping Prefecture is a place of great importance for imperial tombs. In the face of this unusual disaster, shouldn't we also report it to the Emperor and inform the relevant government departments?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Guangzuo was first taken aback, then suddenly understood. "Oh dear. You've thought of everything. Immediately add a clause at the top of your reply, ordering Hua Gun to quickly dispatch capable personnel to the Tianshou Mountain mausoleum complex to inquire about the condition of each mausoleum, carefully investigate whether they have been affected by the torrential rains and floods, and report to this prefecture as soon as possible after the investigation is complete! As for the memorial," he pondered for a moment, "for now, only describe the disaster situation in Miyun and request relief. The matter of the mausoleums will be reported separately after Hua Gun has investigated the facts. This will avoid causing Your Majesty unnecessary worry."

"Yes. I understand." Han Binggui then acknowledged the order and withdrew, quickly returning to his desk, spreading out paper, dipping his brush in ink, and beginning to draft a memorial to the emperor.

(End of this chapter)