Chapter 146: The First Matter of Yu Maoxue

The first matter raised by Yu Maoxue was the abolition of the Evaluation Method. In terms of procedure, this was indeed somewhat incomplete; when it was first implemented, it was indeed Zhang Juzheng and Yang Bo who put their heads together and pushed it through in the end.

Now that it is being discussed again, everyone is actually already accustomed to it.

The second matter Yu Maoxue spoke of was "closeness to the outspoken." Thanks to the young Emperor having read quite a few books, he knew what these two characters meant; "outspoken" means being upright and daring to speak. Yu Maoxue said that upright officials are often demoted and dismissed, while those who dare to speak are often transferred away. If people are not allowed to speak, how can things be like this?

One should broaden the avenues for criticism and be close to officials who are upright and dare to speak.

Regarding this second matter, Zhu Yijun could not help but look toward Hai Rui.

Hai Rui dared to name names and scold the Jiajing Emperor, yet Yu Maoxue did not even dare to name names and scold Zhang Juzheng as a treacherous official; he only dared to be snide and sarcastic.

"Grand Censor Hai, Yu Maoxue says there is no backbone or upright spirit in the court, and says that I am not close to the outspoken. This is truly a bizarre occurrence." Zhu Yijun looked at Hai Rui and said with a smile.

How could there be no backbone or upright spirit? When Hai Rui returned to the capital, the Quanchu, Quanjin, and Quanzhe Guild Halls even abolished the kneeling ritual. If this is not backbone and upright spirit, then what is?

Hai Rui said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Your Majesty, this subject considers himself to have some backbone, and also feels there is still some upright spirit. Did Yu Maoxue directly remonstrate in his memorial? This subject asks more clearly: did the memorial name names to impeach any specific person or matter?"

"If not, then this is using public opinion to coerce court policy. Your Majesty, this is the act of a treacherous and evil person, and one must be on guard against it."

Hai Rui did not speak any platitudes; he directly provided a standard: either you bring out a specific person or matter to discuss, or you shut your mouth. To say that Your Majesty is not close to upright and outspoken officials—Hou Yuzhao would be the first to disagree!

How much face does Hou Yuzhao have? He said to ask Your Majesty to preside over the court sessions, and Your Majesty must attend court on the third of every month to preside over court discussions. If this is not being close to upright and outspoken officials, then what is?

The third matter in this memorial of Yu Maoxue is to be cautious with honors and titles. "Only honors and titles can be bestowed by the ruler; this is the ruler's responsibility." Your Majesty values some officials too much, bestowing first-rank official positions at every turn, yet for the true sage Wang Yangming, you have consistently refused to allow him to be worshipped in the Confucius Temple. This is wrong.

Going a step further, Yu Maoxue believes that Yang Bo should not have been given a posthumous title, and even more so, the Prince-level posthumous title should not have been given to Duke of Cheng, Zhu Xizhong.

Giving Zhu Xizhong a Prince-level posthumous title was a decision requested by the Embroidered Uniform Guard Commander Zhu Xixiao for his elder brother, drafted by the Ministry of Rites, and passed by court discussion. But in the eyes of the censors, this was Zhang Juzheng currying favor with hereditary nobles.

How should this be done?

Henceforth, when a high official dies of illness at home, the local Provincial Governor and Surveillance Commissioner must investigate their life for no faults and ensure public opinion calls them virtuous before submitting a request. The matter is then sent to the relevant ministry for verification, and then to the relevant censorate for further verification. Only then can public opinion be clear and imperial grace not be abused.

This means that when Yang Bo died of illness at home, the Shanxi Provincial Governor and Surveillance Commissioner should have checked his life's merits and faults. Most importantly, public opinion must call him virtuous; only if public opinion calls him virtuous is he virtuous, and only then can he be given a posthumous title. This is public opinion. If public opinion does not call him virtuous, how can he be given a posthumous title? Is this not an abuse of imperial grace?

Zhu Yijun looked at Wang Chonggu and said, "Grand Minister of Justice, look at the third matter of the memorial."

Zhang Juzheng handed Yu Maoxue's memorial to Wang Chonggu. When Wang Chonggu saw the third matter, the more he read, the deeper his brow furrowed, and then he passed the memorial down.

Only then did Zhu Yijun ask, "Yu Maoxue says to let me be cautious with honors and titles. His words imply that the grace I bestow is too excessive. You see him say that when a high official dies of illness at home, public opinion should call him virtuous. Why do I feel he is talking about Grand Minister Yang? What does the Grand Minister of Justice think?"

Recently, the only high official in the court to die of illness at home was Yang Bo; that old dog Xu Jie is still living perfectly well.

"He is farting!" Wang Chonggu said directly, angered by his own shame. "Your Majesty, the slander of a petty person cannot be believed! The merits and faults of the Grand Minister have already been concluded by the court. Is it his turn to talk nonsense?"

If even Yang Bo could not obtain a posthumous title and posthumous fame, then he, Wang Chonggu, could forget about it. This third matter of Yu Maoxue was specifically talking about Yang Bo.

Among the high officials in the court, those of the second rank, there are only those few: the Ministers of the Six Ministries, the Left and Right Grand Censors of the Censorate, and the Senior and Junior Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet. Recently, those who have retired include Yang Bo, Lu Shusheng, Wang Zhigao, and Zhu Heng. Only Yang Bo has passed away. If this isn't talking about Yang Bo, then who is it talking about?!

"Grand Minister of Justice, you are insulting the decorum." Feng Bao reminded Wang Chonggu to pay attention to his demeanor. The Wenhua Hall is a serious and solemn place; how could he use such foul language and say the word "fart"?

The fourth matter of Yu Maoxue is to guard against frequent changes, meaning do not establish a law based on one person's words, and then abolish it the next day based on another's words. One must follow the established laws of the ancestors and emulate the Three Dynasties. In fact, he is talking about the method of pasting over names on registers. This method of pasting over names on registers ignores human sentiment; it is simply a "cut-off-the-lineage" scheme that only a rebellious person without a ruler or father could think of.

He said that listing matters is difficult to judge from afar, so one must consult the local authorities, discuss and seek solutions there, and only after a decision is made, report back. One must not be accommodating or vague, so as to give rise to frequent changes.

It is very clear that Minister of Personnel Zhang Han has been firmly opposing the method of pasting over names on draft lists and filling in names on registers. This promotion and dismissal is now entirely based on the Evaluation Method; there is no room left at all, and human sentiment is not considered at all. Yet, the Ministry of Personnel firmly opposed it, and Zhang Juzheng still forcefully passed it through court discussion, not giving the Ministry of Personnel any face at all.

Zhu Yijun glanced at Zhang Han but did not ask. Which of the officials in the Wenhua Hall court discussion is not a thousand-year-old fox? Everyone saw at a glance what this was really talking about.

The last matter is to guard against treacherous flatterers, saying that recently, when the Ministry of War reported on border merits, they often listed the Cabinet ministers first, praising the governors and coordinators excessively, yet they still say that "planning and contributing strength should be rewarded according to precedent."

Zhu Yijun looked at Minister of War Tan Lun and asked with a smile, "Grand Minister of War, during the Jiajing and Longqing years, could border merits be reported?"

"Sigh." Tan Lun let out a heavy sigh. In the late Jiajing years and early Longqing years, what border merits were there to report? It wasn't until the Wanli years that there were constant victories, and only then was there the matter of reporting border merits. The Ministry of War finally had some joy; before, all the official documents were about how this place was defeated or that Regional Commander was killed in battle.

At most, suppressing the Japanese pirates had some improvement, and one could celebrate a bit; the rest were all punishments.

This fifth matter of Yu Maoxue is simply setting up a target in the void. The Emperor has repeatedly promoted Zhang Juzheng's official position based on border merits. After tossing and turning for so long, it is still just a first-rank treatment, without the official rank of Grand Tutor.

The Emperor actually wanted to bestow it, but Zhang Juzheng didn't want it, right? Because of this matter, the young Emperor nagged for a long time every time.

Zhu Yijun counted on his fingers one by one, "Marquis of Qian'an, Marquis of Ningyuan, Marquis of Sishui, and Marquis of Yingyang. Since I ascended the throne, in a mere three years, I have enfeoffed four marquises. Yu Maoxue says my rewards and punishments are unclear?"

"Minister of Personnel Zhang Han, you tell me, how are my rewards and punishments unclear? Is it that not giving military generals noble titles is considered clear rewards and punishments?"

Zhu Yijun was even more dissatisfied with Zhang Han. This memorial pointed very clearly to the fact that Zhang Juzheng's Evaluation Method had cleared up the administration, causing the Ministry of Personnel—the "Selection Ministry"—to lose all its prestige. And Yang Bo was a supporter of the Evaluation Method, single-handedly facilitating the pilot of the Evaluation Method in the capital.

As for Zhang Han, if not for Zhang Juzheng stopping him, Zhu Yijun would have let him get lost long ago.

Zhang Han hurriedly bowed his head and said, "This subject absolutely has no such intention; this memorial has nothing to do with this subject."

"That's good! Central Secretariat Drafter, draft an edict!" Zhu Yijun looked at Zhang Han and said, "I ascended the throne at a young age, and day and night I have been cautious and careful to uphold the laws of the ancestors, fearing only that they might be lost. What has been done in recent years is nothing more than clarifying old regulations and repairing what was broken. I have never recklessly killed one person or carried out one reckless act. Of the laws and regulations of the ancestors, I have not even implemented one or two out of ten. How can it be called 'hasty and excessive'?"

"Yu Maoxue, holding the position of a censor, does not think to embody the court's intention of striving for governance, but instead borrows the theories of 'sincerity,' 'outspokenness,' 'honors,' 'frequent changes,' and 'treacherous flatterers' to buy people's hearts and secretly undermine court politics. Such a chaotic and evil person should originally be punished according to the law. Considering he is a censor, I will be lenient: strip him of his position, make him a commoner, and never employ him again."

"Order Embroidered Uniform Guard Battalion Commander Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang to investigate whether he accepted bribes from corrupt officials or wealthy merchants to lobby for them. If there is solid evidence, arrest him and bring him to the capital for slow interrogation."

Zhu Yijun was forcing Zhang Han to protect Yu Maoxue. If Zhang Han did not protect Yu Maoxue, in the future, when Zhang Han asked censors to remonstrate, the censors would likely be afraid to do so. If Zhang Han protected Yu Maoxue, then this matter would have something to do with Zhang Han, and that would be simple: arrest him in the palace!

The technique of "peeling the skin to see the bones"—only you court officials know how to play it? Can't the Emperor do it too?

"Your Majesty, is this punishment too harsh?" Zhang Juzheng said with his hands held. "Censors are the eyes and ears of the court. If they are punished so harshly, it will hurt the backbone and upright spirit."

Censors are an important error-correction mechanism for the Great Ming. Because they remonstrated, stripping them of their position and making them commoners, never to be employed again—this punishment is already very heavy. And now you want to investigate his corruption and arrest him to the capital for slow interrogation.

When Zhang Juzheng dealt with censors, he was always extra cautious. For memorials impeaching him, he always let Lu Diaoyang paste blank floating slips. For censors who said he had faults, he also did not retaliate out of private interest. Everything was normal promotion and dismissal according to the Evaluation Method. This is not the first time Zhang Juzheng has pleaded for censors.

Zhu Yijun said very patiently, "Teacher, if Yu Maoxue had only remonstrated, would I be so harsh? Many censors have remonstrated, and I have explained the reasons to them carefully, fearing they wouldn't understand, and even asked Eunuch Feng to help explain."

"But he is resisting the clear edicts of the court. The court wants to evaluate, and he says it lacks human sentiment; the court wants censors to discuss matters based on facts, and he says it blocks the avenues of criticism; the court gives Grand Minister Yang and the Duke of Cheng posthumous titles and noble ranks, and they say it ignores public opinion; the court wants to give military generals authority and record their merits to enfeoff them, and he says my rewards and punishments are unclear. He even says there are treacherous flatterers in the court."

"In my opinion, he is the treacherous flatterer!"

"With rewards and punishments like this, if such false accusations are not dealt with, where will the Great Ming find upright spirit? In the future, these censors, relying on the 'laws of the ancestors' and 'laws of the former kings,' will be able to manipulate court politics out of thin air?"

"The eyes and ears of the court are indeed an important error-correction mechanism for our Great Ming, but this part of the body is already rotten and should be excised. Otherwise, how can new flesh grow?"

Zhang Juzheng bowed his head and said, "Your Majesty, this subject still thinks it should be lenient."

"Teacher, my mind is made up." Zhu Yijun refused to budge at all. Other matters could be forgotten, and he would follow the teacher's words—he usually said that—but this matter could not be let go.

If it gets to the point where it cannot be cleaned up, at worst, he would issue an edict of self-reproach. Anyway, he is young and doesn't understand. The Emperor has already admitted his mistake; what else could they want!

"This subject obeys the edict." Zhang Juzheng thought it over repeatedly. He was just the Senior Grand Secretary; the Emperor had already made a decision. If he remonstrated repeatedly, it would only confirm that he was "intimidating the ruler." Since the Emperor insisted on punishment, then investigate. If nothing is found, Yu Maoxue won't need to be brought to the capital for slow interrogation.

The reason Zhang Juzheng remonstrated was actually because he knew that as long as they investigated, they would definitely find something. He had great confidence in this.

Zhu Yijun looked at Zhang Han, waiting for Zhang Han's performance. The Senior Grand Secretary has already spoken well for you; you, Zhang Han, aren't going to speak well for your lackey?

But Zhang Han remained silent throughout, just like that, abandoning his lackey.

When Zhang Juzheng let censors impeach—for example, when Zhang Chucheng targeted Wang Chonggu and Zhang Siwei, or when Wang Xiyuan targeted Zhang Han—he always spoke for his own subordinates. And as long as these two censors launched an attack, it meant Zhang Juzheng had obtained direct evidence to prove it was not a false accusation.

But when Zhang Han let Yu Maoxue remonstrate to create public opinion, he refused to protect him at all. The cliques of gentlemen and petty people are as distinct as the clear and the muddy. Gentlemen have a clear conscience because facts are facts; impeachments based on facts are not shooting without a target. But the cliques of petty people are mostly like this—shooting at targets in the void, with false accusations one after another.

If false accusations become a common practice, the world will inevitably see the collapse of rites and music, and the loss of people's hearts, because the boundary between right and wrong has become blurred. Doing is wrong, not doing is wrong, wanting to do is not allowed—what is there to talk about in governing the world?

Zhu Yijun looked at Wang Chonggu and asked, "What does the Grand Minister of Justice think?"

Even if the Embroidered Uniform Guard arrests people, two sets of procedures are needed: one is the Emperor's imperial edict, and the other is the Ministry of Justice's arrest warrant. Cases handled this way are neither "white paper cases" nor "yellow paper cases," but "iron cases." Arresting people naturally requires the attitude of the Ministry of Justice.

"This subject thinks we should just arrest him directly. For a censor who can say such things, if he doesn't have some rotten business, this subject doesn't believe it. Bring him to the capital, put him in the Heavenly Prison, give him a round of the 'Five Poisons' torture, and he will naturally confess." Wang Chonggu seriously stated his opinion. Arrest him directly, and then investigate him? Is there any need to investigate?

Seeing that Wang Chonggu agreed, Zhu Yijun said helplessly, "The Minister of Justice is too radical."

Zhang Juzheng advised the Emperor not to be radical, and the Emperor advised Wang Chonggu not to be radical. In the court, the most radical person was Wang Chonggu. Wang Chonggu and Yang Bo were in-laws. Whether Yu Maoxue's memorial hurt Zhang Juzheng, Wang Chonggu didn't know, but Yang Bo had already passed away and could no longer defend himself.

If Wang Chonggu didn't speak decisively for Yang Bo, people's hearts would be completely scattered.

"What do the two Grand Censors of the Censorate think?" Zhu Yijun again asked for the opinion of the Censorate. After all, censors are under the jurisdiction of the Censorate.

Hai Rui shook his head and said, "For such rebellious remarks, this subject has not seen a shred of backbone or upright spirit. He does not embody the court's intention of striving for governance, but only seeks for his own private interests. Why be an official in the court? Might as well be a private secretary for a powerful tycoon."

"This subject has no opinion." Ge Shouli said quite calmly. Yu Maoxue was a member of the Jin clique, but he was Zhang Siwei's man. As the leader of the Jin clique, he wished his own clique would die early, as they made the Jin clique look embarrassing all day long.

What kind of stinking fish and rotten shrimp; he was ashamed to be associated with them.

"Then issue the imperial edict." Zhu Yijun looked at Zhang Han and sneered. Issue the imperial edict to go to Jiangnan to investigate and handle the case. It would be best if Yu Maoxue's bottom was clean.

Everyone knew that Yu Maoxue's bottom was full of business.

Zhang Juzheng took a memorial from the table and said, "Junior Vice Minister of War Liang Menglong has submitted a memorial on maritime transport, requesting maritime transport of grain to relieve the capital's reserves, save the labor of towing on the Grand Canal, and avoid the suffering of guarding the transport gangs. Moreover, the coastal guard posts are scattered like teeth, which can also strictly enforce the maritime ban and strengthen the Divine Capital."

Wang Chonggu was the first to raise a question, saying, "Senior Grand Secretary, you cannot pit your own student like this. Junior Vice Minister Liang has already stumbled once on maritime transport, and now he is doing it again. If something goes wrong this time, even you, Senior Grand Secretary, won't be able to protect Junior Vice Minister Liang. He is already a Junior Vice Minister; one step further and he could enter the Wenhua Hall."

In the ninth month of the fifth year of Longqing, the Yellow River flooded, and the Grand Canal was blocked. Zhang Juzheng let Liang Menglong preside over a grain transport. This matter went smoothly. The first maritime transport went very smoothly, transporting a total of 120,000 piculs of grain to Tianjin Guard, saving about 15,000 taels in transport costs.

Because of this, Liang Menglong was rewarded with white gold and fine silk, and his salary was increased by one grade.

At the beginning of the first year of Wanli, the maritime transport fleet reached Fushan Island in Jimo, encountered a great storm, damaged seven grain transport ships, lost several thousand piculs of rice, and drowned fifteen soldiers. Censors and censors impeached him one after another for his failure, so the maritime transport was stopped and never resumed.

River transport of grain is considered orthodox, while maritime transport of grain is considered a "heretical path." With Zhang Juzheng's support, Liang Menglong briefly restored maritime transport of grain, but after encountering a great storm and sinking ships, Liang Menglong immediately fell into bad luck.

Maritime transport stopped from then on.

"One cannot stop eating just because one choked once. Maritime transport is imperative," Zhang Juzheng said with unusual firmness.

"The reason? If the Senior Grand Secretary wants to preside over maritime transport of grain, and Your Majesty firmly believes in the Senior Grand Secretary's loyalty to the country, then there must be a reason to convince everyone," Ge Shouli said to Zhang Juzheng very solemnly. "Senior Grand Secretary, you must think clearly. Once this precedent is opened, I fear you will have one more charge of 'colluding with the Japanese pirates'."

Ge Shouli was not talking nonsense. After Liang Menglong's maritime transport fleet lost seven ships, the censors in the court said, "Those who talk about maritime transport are pirates. How can this be tolerated in a peaceful and prosperous dynasty?"

Liang Menglong's ships encountered a storm, seven sank, and several thousand piculs were lost, so they became pirates.

Zhang Juzheng looked at Ge Shouli and said, "In our dynasty, river transport of grain has a precedent of 400 piculs. When the grain reaches the capital, it is always short by a quarter. Moreover, an extra five mace per picul is donated as loss. Everyone views the grain transport as a gold mine. They will lose their food, so they curse wildly. It is not surprising."

"Cutting off someone's wealth is like killing their parents. It would be strange if they didn't curse."

"Grand Minister of Revenue, you tell us why we need maritime transport."

Wang Guoguang picked up a small booklet and said, "In the eleventh year of Chenghua, under the pretext of subsidizing transport costs, an extra 7 sheng of rice was added, and it was abolished the next year. In the thirteenth year of Chenghua, an extra 7 sheng was added for 'rat loss,' and it was abolished the next year. In the seventh year of Hongzhi, the Ministry of Revenue added five dou per picul to relieve the suffering of the transport soldiers, and it was abolished in the tenth year of Hongzhi. In the thirteenth year of Hongzhi, because of heavy rain in summer and autumn, 4 sheng of 'sun-drying rice' and 3 sheng of 'soldier-distress rice' were added per picul. In the eighteenth year of Hongzhi, 2 sheng of 'exchange rice' and 5 dou of 'mat rice' were added. In the first year of Zhengde, all were abolished."

"In the seventh year of Zhengde, 5 sheng of 'steaming rice' were added, and it was abolished the next year. In the sixteenth year of Zhengde, 1 dou of 'foot-fee rice' was added, and it was abolished the next year."

Zhu Yijun could understand that these were all temporary surcharges from the Chenghua to Zhengde years, and most were abolished the following year.

Wang Guoguang continued, "Since the twenty-sixth year of Jiajing, river transport of grain has added 'dam-crossing and dry-foot silver,' adding one mace of silver per picul, which is used to maintain the Grand Canal. Later, for every 100 piculs of grain, 4 piculs of 'sun-dried rice,' 4 piculs of 'sun-winnowed rice,' and 1.8 dou of 'pointed-tip rice' were added, totaling 9.8 dou, as a private surcharge, which continues to this day."

"That is to say, for every four million piculs, there is an extra surcharge."

Hearing this, Zhu Yijun asked with some confusion, "Sun-dried and sun-winnowed rice is because the rice has moisture and needs to be dried and winnowed. What is this 'pointed-tip rice'?"

Wang Guoguang bowed his head and said, "It is just the 'pointed tip.' The container for collecting taxes must have a pile of rice on top, which is counted as one picul."

"Demonstrate it." Zhu Yijun understood, but he had never seen it, so he asked Wang Guoguang to demonstrate what the Great Ming's "pointed-tip rice" tax was.

Feng Bao found a container for one dou of rice, Zhang Hong found a rice bag, and Wang Guoguang held the rice and added it on top. He didn't stop even when it was full, continuing to add until, after adding one more handful, the rice began to roll down smoothly from the pointed tip. Only then did Wang Guoguang stop his hand and say, "This is the pointed-tip rice. What falls to the ground belongs to the tax official. How much is added depends on the tax official's mood."

After Wang Guoguang finished speaking, he held another handful and poured it on the pointed tip. The white, glistening rice rolled onto the table.

"Teacher, I have a question." Zhu Yijun looked at the pointed-tip container and the table full of rice, and said blankly.

Zhang Juzheng instantly broke into a cold sweat on his back. He bowed his head and said, "This subject will resolve Your Majesty's confusion."

Zhu Yijun said with great emotion, "Why haven't the common people reached the capital yet and cut off my head to use as a football?"

"This subject is guilty." Hearing this, Zhang Juzheng trembled with fear and knelt on the ground to plead guilty.

"We are guilty." Seeing the Senior Grand Secretary kneeling, the officials immediately knelt and kowtowed to plead guilty.

"Rise." Zhu Yijun waved his hand. He clearly understood what the pointed-tip rice was. Besides the pointed tip, the rice on the table was also part of the tax. He said calmly, "Continue the court discussion."

The pointed tip can explain the few questions Inspector Luo Bingliang Bingliang had: why would the common people rather seek refuge with powerful tycoons than listen to the court's orders? Why are powerful tycoons prevalent in the Great Ming? Powerful tycoons might be the common people's last shred of fantasy.

Wang Guoguang looked at the pointed-tip container and continued, "This is still just a small part. The real bulk is on the road. For one picul of rice, from the time it is shipped from the Southern Yamen, there is at least three piculs of transport loss along the way. That is to say, one picul of tax, three piculs of loss."

"This includes the rations for the transport soldiers—2 piculs 8 dou per soldier, and 12 piculs for monthly rations, totaling 14 piculs 8 dou. Calculated at the northern grain price, it is 15 taels. There are over 80,000 transport soldiers, totaling 1.2 million taels. It also includes the transport ships. The cost of building one transport ship at the Qingjiangpu shipyard is about 105 taels of silver. Calculated at the Qingjiang rice price, it is 210 piculs of rice. 2,000 transport ships total 200,000 taels."

"Dam-crossing and dry-foot silver is one mace per picul. Sun-dried, sun-winnowed, and pointed-tip rice total 9.8 dou per 100 piculs, totaling 200,000 silver. Protecting the transport route, repairing the Grand Canal, etc., not counting civilian labor, costs at least 450,000 taels a year. And this is without any disasters."

"This account, even this subject cannot calculate clearly. This subject can only calculate how much extra money the court has to spend."

Just the parts Wang Guoguang calculated clearly show that the Great Ming court has to spend over 2 million taels of silver extra for these 4 million piculs of grain to reach the capital. What about the parts Wang Guoguang cannot calculate?

According to one picul of rice, three piculs of loss, four million piculs would require 12 million piculs of transport costs. These losses all need to be borne by the common people of the Great Ming.

"This is too much, isn't it?" Wan Shihe listened to this long list of losses and asked blankly.

Wang Guoguang handed an unfinished account book to Zhang Juzheng. It is normal that Wang Guoguang could not calculate the Grand Canal account clearly; this account could not be calculated at all. He was just standing from the court's perspective and simply calculated this account.

There is also a big bulk along the way, and that is the "big rats." These big rats are the transport gangs, the corrupt officials at the customs stations along the way, and the "road-buying money." These are the big rats.

Zhang Han frowned and said, "The soldiers and workers used for transport, totaling **0,000 people, rely on this for their livelihood. Once they lose their jobs, it is hard to guarantee they won't drift and become bandits. How can local officials maintain the livelihood of so many transport workers? This is no small matter."

Wan Shihe looked at Zhang Han. Zhang Han deserves to be the last one; he is scolded every day, and he is completely pretending to be confused while knowing the truth.

Wan Shihe looked at Zhang Han and said, "That is why we need to measure the land, clear up encroachments, return farmland, and let the common people be stable. Farming is a livelihood, and workshops are also a livelihood. Do you really think that the 15 taels of grain transport soldier rations issued every year are all given to the transport workers?"

"No way, no way. Minister Zhang cannot be unaware of the problem of the difficulty in issuing rations in our Great Ming, right? Where does this money actually go? Minister Zhang, let's speak plainly."

The Minister of Rites spoke up and punctured Zhang Han's disguise, exposing his essence of still being an official for the powerful tycoons.

Wang Chonggu looked at Zhang Han with some sympathy. He would not help him at all. He was earning a lot of silver; why would he open his mouth to talk nonsense?

Zhang Han's face turned red, but he still argued, "Maritime transport involves crossing heavy oceans, and the wind and waves are unpredictable. If there is any unexpected event, the consequences are not trivial! River transport, although circuitous and stagnant, is stable along the way, and the expenses are uniform. From the provinces to the capital's granaries, the number of people who rely on this for their livelihood is countless. To enrich the country and benefit the people, there is no better policy than this! River transport is circuitous but safe, maritime transport is convenient but dangerous. To plan for absolute safety, river transport is indispensable!"

Maritime transport has to go by sea, where the wind is strong and the risk is high. River transport, although inconvenient, supports how many common people along the way? There is no better policy in the world than river transport. It enriches the country and benefits the people; the court benefits, and the common people also benefit. It is a beautiful thing. Why abolish river transport?

Let me translate: "Millions of transport workers depend on this for their food and clothing."

Wan Shihe flicked his sleeves and said, "Minister Zhang, this is the Wenhua Hall. Do you want to listen to what you are saying? At first glance, it sounds reasonable, but if you distinguish carefully, it is all hypocrisy and confusing the public."

"The court is only changing grain transport to maritime transport. You mean to say that our Great Ming is going to backfill the Grand Canal! You pay for the earth, stone, timber, and civilian labor for the backfilling!"

"Without grain transport, this canal is like having no freight, so north-south goods won't go through this canal, right?"

"Isn't it just because transport ships don't pay customs duties that you are making such a noise? Of the ships coming from the Southern Yamen, it would be good if five out of ten were grain transport ships."

Zhu Yijun looked at Wan Shihe's fierce and terrifying combat power and was slightly uncertain, thinking he had recognized the wrong person.

Is this still that Minister of Rites Wan Shihe who talked about the Three Dynasties all day long? In just two years, the Grand Minister of Rites' combat power has become so terrifying that he left Zhang Han speechless.

Zhang Han was silent for a long time. He really tried his best.

Front-page prompt: There is another chapter ahead. It was written yesterday but was locked. It has just been released. This is the first chapter of today. The original text of the Wanli Emperor's reprimand of Yu Maoxue: "I ascended the throne at a young age, and day and night I have been cautious and careful to uphold the laws of the ancestors, fearing only that they might be lost. What has been done in recent years is nothing more than clarifying old regulations and repairing what was broken. I have never recklessly killed one person or carried out one reckless act. Of the laws and regulations of the ancestors, I have not even implemented one or two out of ten. How can it be called 'hasty'? Yu Maoxue, holding the position of a censor, does not think to embody the court's intention of striving for governance, but instead borrows the theories of 'sincerity' to buy people's hearts and secretly undermine court politics. This must be because he accepted bribes from corrupt officials and wealthy merchants to lobby for them. Such a chaotic and evil person should originally be punished according to the law. Considering he is a censor, I will be lenient: strip him of his position, make him a commoner, and never employ him again." Please vote for the monthly ticket, Awoo!!!!!!!

(End of chapter)