The Ming Dynasty: Starting with the border troops, it was overthrown and the Qing Dynasty was destro

Chapter 328 New Money Listing
Jiang Han's announcement of the salary increase greatly excited all the civil and military officials present.

The magnitude of this increase is simply unimaginable. With their salaries increased by half, they will no longer have to live such a frugal life.

But when they learned that the salary increase would be distributed in the form of paper tickets, everyone felt a chill run down their spines.

Paper tickets?

Could it be like the Ming court, where the amount sounds substantial, but what they actually receive are just old, hard-to-sell items?

Despite their growing doubts, the officials present exchanged glances, and ultimately no one stepped forward to question or refute them.

The new coins have been made, and even the new government office in charge of this matter, as well as the officials in that office, have been established.

Everyone's smart enough to see that this matter is not open to discussion, but rather a formal notification.

"If there is something going on, go ahead and leave if there is nothing going on!"

With a resounding call from the eunuch, the grand court assembly, a mix of joy and sorrow, finally came to a close.

Jiang Han then stood up and left the main hall surrounded by a group of guards.

As soon as the king left, the tense atmosphere in Chengyun Hall immediately relaxed, and the civil and military officials also left one after another in twos and threes with mixed feelings.

Among the crowd, Xue Zhiheng's steps were the most hurried.

Tomorrow is not only the day for salary distribution, but also the first day that the Quanzhou General Affairs Office officially opens for business and faces its first test.

He had to rush back to do a final check to make sure everything was perfect.

Just as he quickened his pace, wanting to get back to the yamen as soon as possible, a familiar voice came from behind him:

"Master Xue, Master Xue, please wait."

Xue Zhiheng stopped and turned around. The person who called out to him was Zhuang Boyang, the director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

This man was from Wuling in Huguang, and his courtesy name was Zishu. He was also an official who surrendered to the Ming court.

Because their residence in the city was adjacent to the Xue family mansion, Zhuang Boyang and Xue Zhiheng had frequent interactions and were considered acquaintances.

Upon seeing that it was this neighbor, Xue Zhiheng slowed down and cupped his hands in greeting:
"So it's Zishu. May I ask what brings you here?"

Zhuang Boyang smiled broadly, quickly approached, and returned the greeting with a cupped hand:

"Master Xue has now been appointed to a new position, taking charge of the Quanzhou Communications Bureau, which carries great power and responsibility."

"As your neighbor, I naturally want to congratulate you."

Xue Zhiheng waved his hand modestly:
"Ah, Brother Zishu, you flatter me."

"It's just that the king trusts me and I'm doing my best to share his burdens. There's nothing to congratulate me on."

Zhuang Boyang moved closer in the corridor, lowered his voice, and made a gesture of twisting banknotes with his fingers:

"Master Xue, we live next door to each other and can be considered friends."

"Could you... give me a break?"

He paused, his voice even lower.

"Will this system of combining the original color with the discounted color be implemented in the long term?"

"Grain coupons and cloth coupons, in the future... will they also become like paper money...?"

He didn't say what he was going to say, but the meaning was obvious.

After listening, Xue Zhiheng calmly comforted him:

"Brother Zishu, you can rest assured."

"While I cannot go into the specific details, I can make one thing clear: His Majesty is diligent in governing and considerate of his subjects, and would never do anything that would destroy his own foundation."

"Besides, these grain coupons and cloth coupons are clearly marked as being redeemable for goods, so they are not just empty tokens. You don't need to worry too much."

After saying that, he looked at Zhuang Boyang and sighed.

If someone else had asked, Xue Zhiheng certainly wouldn't have said much; at most, he would have just given a few perfunctory answers.

But since Zhuang Boyang had spoken, he offered a few more words of explanation.

This was not only because they were acquainted, but also because Xue Zhiheng knew very well that his neighbor's family was extremely poor.

Zhuang Boyang was a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) during the Tianqi era. After passing the imperial examinations, he was first appointed by the Ministry of Personnel to serve as the magistrate of An County in Sichuan.

Because of his diligence, the administration under him was clean and efficient, and all matters concerning finances, taxes, and criminal law were handled in an orderly manner, earning him a good reputation. A few years later, he was promoted to the position of prefect of Chongqing Prefecture, which was adjacent to Chengdu.

During his tenure as the prefect of Chongqing Prefecture, Zhuang Boyang was diligent in his duties and cared for the people, accomplishing many practical tasks.

He personally supervised the construction of water conservancy projects and dredged many irrigation canals that had been blocked for years, ensuring a harvest for thousands of acres of rain-fed fields within the territory.
In years of famine, Zhuang Boyang would always try his best to open the granaries and sell grain at a reasonable price. He even donated his meager salary to distribute porridge for relief, earning him an excellent reputation among the people.

Later, when Jiang Han captured Chengdu, Chongqing Prefecture, where Zhuang Boyang was located, also surrendered.

Logically speaking, officials like these, who are capable and have outstanding achievements in times of peace, should be the standard role models who would never surrender and ultimately sacrifice their lives for their country during times of war.

But Zhuang Boyang is not like that.

When Li Zicheng's army arrived at the gates of Chongqing Prefecture, he offered almost no resistance and led his officials to surrender the city cleanly and decisively.

Looking at the towering city walls of Chongqing Prefecture, Li Zicheng thought it would be a tough battle, but he never expected the city gates to open without being attacked.

Seeing this, he feared there might be a trap, so he sent troops to search the city repeatedly for most of the day until he confirmed there were no ambushes before he dared to take over the city.

As was customary, after occupying a place, Li Zicheng immediately convened a public trial to thoroughly investigate corrupt officials, local gentry, and unscrupulous merchants within the city.

The results of this investigation were truly shocking.

Throughout the Chongqing Prefecture government, from the prefect to the clerks, almost everyone engaged in levying additional taxes, such as paper and pen fees, carriage and horse fees, and fire losses, and the amounts were not small.

Li Zicheng did not investigate further at the time, but simply followed the usual practice and labeled Zhuang Boyang and his associates as "corrupt officials" and prepared to punish them severely.

Zhuang Boyang, the ringleader, will be sentenced to beheading and public display of his head, and his family property will be confiscated.

However, before he could carry out the execution, the people who had heard the news surrounded the prefectural government office, pleading for justice for Zhuang Boyang.

Li Zicheng was stunned when he heard the news. In all his years of fighting, this was the first time he had ever seen ordinary people pleading for a corrupt official.

Realizing something was amiss, he immediately gathered several elderly villagers and inquired carefully about the details.

Only after asking this question did Li Zicheng understand the hidden truth.

It turns out that Zhuang Boyang had a good reputation and was not a villain.

But Li Zicheng was even more puzzled: if it had a reputation for integrity, why were all the government officials increasing taxes?
All the doubts were resolved when he personally led his guards into Zhuang Boyang's home.

This Zhuang family is truly poor!

Zhuang Boyang lived in the west of the city in a courtyard house with only three tiled rooms.

Apart from an old tree, there was nothing else in the courtyard.

Upon entering the house, one finds it sparsely furnished, with old and worn-out tables, chairs, and benches.

Zhuang Boyang's widowed mother was bedridden for many years, and his wife and two young children wore only ordinary silk clothes.

Judging from their clothing alone, outsiders would never guess that they were relatives of the prefect.

Logically speaking, Zhuang Boyang, as the prefect of a prefecture, should have lived in the inner courtyard of the prefectural government office.

However, the Chongqing Prefecture government office had long been in disrepair, and it leaked air and water everywhere whenever it rained or snowed.

Zhuang Boyang had no money to repair the government office and was unwilling to trouble the people and waste money, so he simply rented a cheap courtyard and moved out with his family.

The reason he chose to surrender was quite simple.

He had had enough of this impoverished life, where he had to maintain the operation of the government while also adhering to his bottom line, and he couldn't take it anymore.

Taking Zhuang Boyang as an example when he served as the magistrate of An County, his nominal annual salary was ninety shi (a unit of dry measure), which was equivalent to about seventy taels of silver.

However, in actual distribution, due to the financial difficulties of the imperial court, it was considered good if half of the amount was actually received.

The Anxian County government office under his jurisdiction, not counting temporary staff, had more than 150 permanent clerks, runners, and laborers.

Only about thirty people, including county magistrates, registrars, clerks, and clerks of the six departments, were regular officials of the imperial court and barely received meager salaries.

The remaining 120 people, such as the three shifts of yamen runners, gatekeepers, coroners, scribes, etc., had to be supported entirely by local self-raised funds.

A county government office also has many subordinate agencies, such as the delivery station, the river god's inspection station, the ironworks station, the water horse post station, the express delivery station, the Taoist temple, the Buddhist council, the Yin-Yang school, the medical school, and so on.

With so many mouths to feed, Zhuang Boyang, as the leader, is truly like a skilled cook without rice to cook.

Left with no other choice, he could only acquiesce to the additional levies of miscellaneous items such as "fire loss, paper and pen expenses, and carriage and horse expenses" in order to maintain the most basic operation of the yamen and to pay the wages and food of the clerks.

He himself did not enrich himself.

Upon learning all this, Li Zicheng was also in a dilemma.

You say Zhuang Boyang embezzled funds, he did indeed violate the additional tax ban;
But if you call him a corrupt official, all the money Zhuang Boyang collected went to fill the public's hole, while he himself lived a very frugal life.

Unable to make a decision, Li Zicheng could only write down the details of the matter in a report and send it back to Chengdu along with the case file, asking Jiang Han to make a personal decision.

After carefully reviewing the case file, Jiang Han also made the following comments on the matter:

Officials like Zhuang Boyang are not inherently bad and are capable. Although they are not considered honest officials, they can be called capable ministers.

Their act of "embezzling additional taxes" is essentially aimed at alleviating the fiscal deficit and ensuring the operation of local governments, which is understandable.

Since he has not levied exorbitant taxes or lined his own pockets, and has a good reputation among the people, he can be given a special consideration and appointed.

Therefore, Jiang Han let Zhuang Boyang off the hook and promoted him to the rank of Director of the Bureau of Personnel, a fifth-rank official.

In addition, he arranged a house for Zhuang Boyang, right next to the Xue family mansion.

Jiang Han's original intention was to make a show of offering a large sum of money to buy a horse's bones, in order to encourage more officials like him to surrender.

Unfortunately, in such a large province as Sichuan, there were only about ten people.

Because the two were neighbors and Xue Zhiheng knew that Zhuang Boyang's family was poor and that it was not easy for him to be an official, Xue Zhiheng made an exception today and spoke to him a few more words to put his mind at ease.

In the short time it took for the two of them to talk, some officials who had not yet dispersed unconsciously slowed down and quietly moved closer.

A group of people pricked up their ears, hoping to glean more information about the paper tickets and future plans from the newly appointed Director of Quantong.

Seeing this, Xue Zhiheng knew he couldn't say anything more, so he cupped his hands in greeting to those around him and said loudly:

"My colleagues, please don't worry."

"His Majesty's word is law. Since he has made a promise, he will never follow the old practices of the Ming court and do such perfunctory and evasive things."

"Tomorrow will be the first day of our Quanzhou Tongsi Office's opening day. Everyone is welcome to come and exchange your tickets!"

Upon hearing this, the surrounding officials returned the greeting with clasped hands, echoing the sentiment:

"What are you saying, Steward Xue? How could we possibly question His Majesty?"

"We are most at ease with you in charge of the Quanzhou General Affairs Bureau." "Tomorrow is the opening day of the government office, and we will be busy with official business. We will not go to join the crowd, so as not to interfere with the important matters."

Xue Zhiheng didn't point it out, but simply nodded and smiled:

"Easy to say, easy to say."

He then apologized and hurriedly left the Prince's residence.

The officials behind him watched Xue Zhiheng's departing figure in silence, their expressions varied, and it was unclear what they were thinking.

The following day, at the exact hour of Wei (1-3 PM), the newly established Quanzhou Tongsi Yamen (Office of the Circulation and Transportation) officially opened.

To emphasize the importance of the matter and to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances, Xue Zhiheng personally oversaw the vote counting within the yamen (government office).

He straightened his official robes, sat upright, nodded slightly to the deputy director standing beside him, and said in a deep voice:

"The auspicious hour has arrived, let the court convene!"

At his command, the officials in the courtyard immediately lit firecrackers, which exploded with a deafening crackling sound.

The gatekeeper, drawing in his inner energy, shouted loudly:

"Open the—government office!"

Then, together with the constable beside him, they struggled to push open the heavy door.

However, as soon as the door opened, Xue Zhiheng, who was sitting in the hall, was immediately dumbfounded.

The door was packed with people. Yesterday, my colleagues had said they wouldn't go to join the fun and wouldn't interfere with official business, but now almost all of them were there.

Not far behind them, a number of servants and laborers were waiting for orders.

The moment the doors opened, the crowd surged in like a tidal wave, instantly filling the once spacious front hall to overflowing.

The officials who squeezed in were also stunned when they looked up and saw Xue Zhiheng sitting in the center of the hall.

They never expected that the newly appointed head of the Quantong Division would personally sit in the front hall and do work similar to that of a money exchange teller.

Which department head doesn't strategize and command from behind the scenes?
Why not just delegate these frontline tasks to your subordinates, such as your adjutants and clerks?
For a moment, the two groups stared at each other, frozen in place, the air thick with awkwardness.

Xue Zhiheng was the first to react. He coughed twice and spoke first, breaking the deadlock:

"I am truly honored by the enthusiasm of my colleagues who have come to support me."

The officials below the hall immediately seized the opportunity to flatter and exchange pleasantries, attempting to cover up the earlier embarrassment:
"Master Xue is truly a role model for us all. He personally takes charge and oversees everything in the main hall, which is truly admirable!"

"Yes, yes, Steward Xue is diligent and dedicated to his duties, we admire him greatly!"

"Look at this government office! It's well-organized and the officials are efficient and capable!"

"With Chief Clerk Xue in charge of the Quanzhou Transportation Bureau, how can we worry about the new policies not flourishing?"

Xue Zhiheng didn't point it out, but simply smiled and bowed to each person, making the arrangements:

"You flatter me greatly; I am truly unworthy of such praise."

"If you wish to redeem your tickets, please come forward one by one. I, Xue, will personally process your applications and will not keep you waiting!"

Upon hearing this, everyone readily agreed.

Despite his inner anxiety, he maintained a composed demeanor on the surface, carefully handing over the newly acquired grain coupons and cloth coupons to Xue Zhiheng on the official table.

For most officials, holding a few flimsy pieces of paper in their hands is ultimately not as reassuring as seeing tangible grains and cloth in person.

It's safest to secure your gains as soon as possible.

However, among the crowds rushing to exchange their tokens, there was one person who remained calm and collected.

That was Zhao Sheng, the chief clerk of the Ministry of Revenue. He didn't even try to get close to the Quanzhou General Affairs Office.

Most of the core government offices in Chengdu were concentrated in the area surrounding the Prince of Han's Mansion, and they were not far from each other.

The Quanzhou General Affairs Office is unique in that it has two branch offices:
One was located in the west of the city, mainly responsible for collecting old money and exchanging it for newly minted copper and silver coins, serving the general public;
The other was the city branch office where Xue Zhiheng was stationed, which was mainly responsible for exchanging grain coupons and cloth coupons, and was open to officials and the government system.

Therefore, Zhao Sheng, sitting in the main hall of the Ministry of Revenue, was fully aware of the bustling scene at the Quanzhou Tongsi Yamen (a government office) not far away.

But he seemed to be in deep meditation, slowly and deliberately sipping the hot tea in his cup.

The faint whispers coming from outside the window did not disturb him in the slightest.

Just then, Zhao Sheng's adjutant, Sun Kai, strode over, his face showing a hint of urgency:

"Sir Zhao, just as you predicted, long queues have formed at the Quanzhou Intermediate Bureau, with most of the colleagues from various government offices having gone there."

"What do you think... should our Ministry of Revenue send a few people over there as well?"

"After all, the new salary is all in coupons, and many colleagues in the ministry are quite uneasy about it..."

Zhao Sheng didn't even lift his eyelids, but simply blew on the tea foam and said indifferently:

"What's the rush? Stay calm."

"It's so hot and humid this afternoon, why bother squeezing in?"

"But……"

Sun Kai was somewhat puzzled, so he moved closer.
"I've heard that many people are feeling uneasy, fearing that this money..."

"Afraid it will turn into a pile of waste paper?"

Zhao Sheng put down his teacup with a soft sound, interrupting Sun Kai's words.

He raised his head, his gaze calmly meeting that of his deputy.
"My Ministry of Revenue is in charge of all money, grain, household registration, and expenditure in Sichuan."

"How much silver and copper is in the treasury? How many bushels of new grain are piled up in the official granary? How many bolts of new cloth have been delivered by the weaving bureau...?"

"Don't you, as my deputy, have a clear understanding of the situation?"

"The grain and cloth needed for the increased salaries were put into storage several days ago and are earmarked for this purpose."

"As for currency, most of the silver and copper coins in the treasury have already been exchanged for new currency, so what's the rush?"

He glanced at Sun Kai and continued:

"If you don't believe me, go and ask around now. Who are most of the people crowding in front of Quantongsi today?"

"Apart from those like Zhuang Boyang who are truly in dire need of food, most of them are officials of low rank."

"How many department heads have you seen personally go there?"

"If even the officials of my Ministry of Revenue panic and rush to demand payment, what kind of image will that create if word gets out?"

"Wouldn't that make it seem like we lack confidence in the new policies?"

Sun Kai opened his mouth, as if to say something more, but Zhao Sheng had already stood up:

"Alright, no need for further words."

"Pass down the order that all officials in my Ministry of Revenue should focus on their work and not get involved in this commotion."

"There will be plenty of opportunities to exchange them, not right now."

Meanwhile, the Quantongsi branch office in the west of the city, which was responsible for the exchange of currency among the people, presented a completely different scene.

The streets and alleys of Chengdu were abuzz with discussion because of the "exchange for new currency" notice posted by the government.

In teahouses and restaurants, people sat around chatting, and the topic always revolved around this matter.

"Have you heard? The government is issuing new coins, copper and silver, and they look really nice!"

"What's the use of being handsome? Can you eat him?"

"Haven't you learned your lesson from the Ming Dynasty? My family has some ancestral banknotes, and they're quite nice-looking. How about I sell them to you at a discount?"

"Get out of here! That precious paper is too hard to even wipe your butt with!"

"No, no, this time they're not issuing paper money, but real silver and copper coins."

"As long as you have the old currency, you can exchange it for new currency at the Quantongsi office within three months."

"Hmph, officials have no power. He says he can exchange it, but what will you do when the treasury is closed?"

For ordinary people, the government changing currency is nothing new; it has happened in every dynasty.

Their reactions were mostly cautious and wait-and-see.

Although in the short term, the imperial court distributed land and exempted a lot of taxes.

But the experience passed down from their ancestors told them that any "new tricks" from the government would ultimately harm ordinary people.

In the first few days after the notice was posted, the exchange volume in the informal market was not very large.

Most people didn't dare to step forward easily, but instead gathered outside the government office, pointing and gossiping.

The new coins looked quite unusual, with serrated edges, but who knew if they were heavy enough, or if the government was fair in recycling the old coins?

However, this wait-and-see attitude did not last long.

Several large businesses in Chengdu that had close ties with the government had received a notice from the Quanzhou General Office, requiring them to set an example for the people.

The managers of these large businesses personally led their employees, carrying boxes of old copper and silver ingots, and arrived in front of the Quantongsi government office in a grand procession to conduct the exchange business in public.

As arranged beforehand, the exchange business of these businesses was deliberately dragged out, a charade intended to attract public attention.

A group of people were talking loudly in the Quanzhou Tongsi government office, saying things like, "Issuing new coins and standardizing the format is a good thing for merchants and people," and "The new coins are exquisitely made and have unique anti-counterfeiting features, so we can do business with more peace of mind in the future."

These businesses' actions naturally gave hesitant consumers a boost of confidence.

It is said that no one is more shrewd than a businessman, and seeing how proactive these shop owners are, the public's concerns are gradually dispelled.

"Several major trading companies have changed hands, so there shouldn't be any problems, right?"

"Looks like this new money is hard currency?"

"The discount offered by the government for buying back old coins sounds quite fair..."

Amidst whispers, some bolder small merchants, tenant farmers, and farmers began to take out their accumulated old coins to exchange for money.

After seeing the new money, they gradually felt relieved and began to enthusiastically promote the idea to their relatives and friends.

At the same time, businesses with government backing, such as Dechang Cloth Shop, Fengtai Grain Shop, and Xiexing Salt Shop, had already put up signs announcing that from now on they would only accept new money.

The news spread like wildfire.

These are all necessities for daily life, and even some stubborn old farmers have no choice but to comply in order to make a living.

More and more people began to join the exchange queue, and a long line gradually formed in front of the Quantongsi branch office in the west of the city, with orderly queues.

New money also began to gradually spread out of Chengdu and radiate to the surrounding towns and counties.

(End of this chapter)