Chapter 223: What is sent out must be taken back by one's own hands

The scholars of Great Ming are a very complex group. When you want to praise them, you can use "scholar" to praise them; when you want to scold them, you can also use "scholar" to praise them.

Sun Jigao, as the Zhuangyuan, was the best among the scholars. He publicly interfered with Great Ming's selection of scholars for the country. Before he interfered with the fairness and justice of the imperial examination, even the Grand Secretary knew that someone was making trouble. And Wu Guifang, as a scholar, was worried about the country and the people, worrying before the world worried, and enjoying after the world enjoyed.

This "Land Reclamation Memorial" is a magnificent article.

The last two general outlines are filled with a kind of idealistic stupidity.

Lincoln of America announced the abolition of slavery because of the passivity on the battlefield and had to announce it for military needs. After the Civil War, Lincoln was assassinated and died in Ford's Theatre.

Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation was actually very gentle, but after the war ended, he still died at the hands of an assassin.

That land of America didn't completely abolish the slave system until 2013, which was also a long process of struggle.

The memorial of Wu Guifang, Viceroy of Grain Transport, is more like a memorial pursuing a world of Great Harmony, because Great Ming did not break out into fierce civil strife that required the imperial court to make decisions.

The government decrees of the Great Ming imperial court are usually passive, which also conforms to the basic characteristics of "the meat-eaters are despicable." Most of the imperial court's decrees are that one gourd hasn't been pressed down before another ladle rises, and there is a strong lag in the government decrees for alleviating social contradictions. Usually, when the government decree reaches the local area, the local area has already fought out a result.

And Wu Guifang's memorial is active, actively alleviating social contradictions. Usually, it will be regarded by the gentry as "idle and nothing to do, looking for trouble." Political wisdom should be: as long as it can be used, don't move it; if you don't have to do it, don't do it. If you add one thing, you will have one thing's disturbance; if you relax one point, you will receive one point's gift.

Zhu Yijun highly agrees with Wu Guifang's memorial, but it is very difficult to execute. But similarly, the first three articles of Wu Guifang's memorial are still of great significance.

Wu Guifang's proposal is very good, but there is still a long way to go from a proposal to a government decree.

"Has Xing Jie, the Censor of the Zhejiang Circuit, arrived?" Zhu Yijun took out another memorial and asked.

"Proclaim Xing Jie, the Censor of the Zhejiang Circuit." Feng Bao flicked his whisk. After Jia Sanjin was dismissed for missing the morning assembly, there were few court officials who missed the morning assembly. So if the Emperor wanted to find someone, he didn't need to find the Commander to take people.

Xing Jie walked in from outside the hall, paid his respects respectfully, and said, "Pay respects to His Majesty. Long live His Majesty, long live, long live."

"Spare the formalities, rise and answer." Zhu Yijun looked at the memorial in his hand playfully and said, "Altan Khan submitted a memorial requesting the Commander's gold seal, so that he could go to the Qinghai Temple in Xining to meet with the foreign monks and set up an altar. You submitted a memorial to oppose it."

"The first says: The looting of border people in the Sheshi Fortress is not over. At this time, showing grace will make the Northern Barbarians look down on our China."

Altan Khan didn't just stay in the Bansheng City all the time. He was also a living thing and would move. Recently, he planned to go to the Qinghai Temple in Xining to meet the monks. Therefore, his status when going to Xining to meet the foreign monks was the Shunyi King of Great Ming, so he requested the Commander's gold seal and requested to open a large horse-tea market.

Some in the court agreed, and some opposed. Xing Jie held a firm attitude of opposition.

The first article was the matter of Zhu Yijun and Tan Lun holding back. Great Ming and Altan Khan were still arguing about this, and it was doomed to have no results. The guy who looted the border people in Sheshi Fortress was Altan Khan's younger brother, and it was impossible for Altan Khan to hand him over.

Zhu Yijun continued: "The second says: The tea market cannot be opened, and the gold seal cannot be given. In Xuan-Da, it is appropriate to use tactful explanations to stop them from coming; in Gansu, it is appropriate to encourage soldiers and feed horses to prevent them from coming; stop their endless demands and strictly limit the inside and outside."

Xing Jie bowed again and said, "Your Majesty, the reason your subject opposes it is that I am afraid he will unite with many foreign monks in the Northwest to invade Gansu. Xuan-Da has been fought for more than twenty years and has been riddled with holes, a piece of rotten mud. If Gansu is fought to pieces, Great Ming may have the danger of overturning. Your subject sincerely asks His Majesty to see clearly and not be deceived by Altan Khan's temporary respect."

"The Northern Barbarians' heart to destroy us will not die."

In the twelfth month of the fourth year of Wanli, according to the practice, the external official Zhu Yijun met was the Viceroy of Shaanxi, Shi Mao Hua.

Shi Mao Hua said to the Emperor: If the Hetao is not recovered, once the three borders encounter consecutive years of severe drought, I am afraid Great Ming will have the disaster of overturning, because Shaanxi has little grain and many soldiers, and consecutive years of severe drought will inevitably lead to civil strife everywhere; and Xing Jie also said that Great Ming may be overturned because Altan Khan attacks from the direction of Gansu.

Consecutive years of drought and war, the harm of the two is the same. The destruction of war is huge. Because the Hetao was lost, the fragile agriculture of the Northwest would be completely destroyed.

Xing Jie stood up, held his hands, and continued: "Altan Khan has lost the courage to invade Xuan-Da and the capital because of General Qi in the court. But he unites with the Northwest foreign barbarians to attack from the direction of Gansu, straight into the hinterland of Great Ming. Your subject does not doubt the loyalty and bravery of the Northwest soldiers, but with the bravery of Tang Kekuan, he still died at the hands of the enemy. Your subject sincerely asks for caution."

It is a fact that the Great Ming border army cannot beat the Northern Barbarians.

Dong Huli, who was beaten left and right by Qi Jiguang and had his nephew captured, could still kill the Great Ming Miyun Regional Commander Tang Kekuan. The fragile border areas like Gansu would probably have huge loopholes in the impact, and Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Henan would all be under the iron hooves of the Hu barbarians.

And Great Ming's slightly invigorated financial resources would also fall into the state of huge national losses because of the war again. Silver is secondary; the important thing is grain and grass.

"Then what do you think the imperial court should do to deal with Altan Khan's request?" Zhu Yijun looked at Xing Jie and asked.

"Either build a Buddhist temple and move the foreign monks to Altan Khan's original nest to stop his future; or have many spies and show grace to the familiar barbarians to observe the situation and divide the party, and prevent it in advance." Xing Jie also gave his own solution.

Altan Khan should not go to Xining. Let the foreign monks go to Altan Khan's original nest, Bansheng City. In this way, the possibility of Altan Khan and the Western Barbarians uniting to attack Gansu is eliminated.

Altan Khan wants to unite with the Western Barbarians to invade. He must go to Xining to express his sincerity, so he must pass through Great Ming's Hexi Corridor. Therefore, he requested the gold seal to facilitate passing through the pass.

Precisely because the Hexi Corridor is in the hands of Great Ming, Altan Khan and the Northwest barbarians cannot form a joint force. If the imperial court gives the gold seal, I am afraid there will be trouble.

Xing Jie represents a part of the court officials, not his personal thoughts.

"What you said is reasonable. Altan Khan has been respectful recently, especially in the Sheshi Fortress affair, which easily creates an illusion of border peace. Your concerns are more comprehensive." Zhu Yijun looked at Zhang Juzheng and said, "What does the Master think?"

"Your Majesty is wise." Zhang Juzheng stood out and bowed.

The court officials were a little disappointed. The Emperor had not yet married, and Zhang Juzheng had not yet returned the government. How could the Emperor's decisions now be either agreed with or wise by Zhang Juzheng? Did he have any style of the Grand Secretary, the Emperor's teacher, and the Grand Tutor of the court?

Look at how those treacherous ministers of previous dynasties did it!

These court officials mostly wanted to see the Emperor and the Grand Secretary have contradictions and conflicts, and be in a mess before they would be happy.

Discord between sovereign and subject is very unfavorable to Great Ming. But for the officials, it gave them more opportunities to fish in troubled waters. The court needed a clear banner to oppose the Emperor. Whether this banner was Empress Dowager Li, Empress Dowager Chen, or the Prince of Lu, or Zhang Juzheng, it didn't matter. As long as someone carried it, they could fight each other.

The disaster of the party prohibition is a sign of the destruction of the country.

Zhu Yijun looked at Zhang Juzheng and said slightly puzzled, "The Master has only been singing praises in the court discussions recently. The peace talks of Longqing and the tribute of the Northwest were presided over by the Master and the Grand Minister of Justice. Today, you really won't give the gold seal or let Altan Khan pass through the pass? The Master is the Grand Tutor and Emperor's teacher, and has the duty to criticize and admonish."

Zhang Juzheng closed his eyes and pondered for a long time before saying, "At the beginning, we couldn't beat them, so we sent them out. What is sent out must be taken back by one's own hands to be satisfied."

Zhang Juzheng is a person who reports every grievance. In the 26th year of Jiajing, Zhang Juzheng became a Jinshi. After being selected as a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy, he became a Jinshi of Great Ming. Only three years later, Altan invaded. Zhang Juzheng was an eyewitness to the invasion. In extreme shame and anger, Zhang Juzheng chose to submit a memorial on six things, scolding the Jiajing Emperor for the difficulty of ending well.

What was sent out at the beginning must be taken back by one's own hands to be satisfied.

Zhang Juzheng bowed again and said, "I don't agree with Altan Khan borrowing the way. It is better not to give him the gold seal or let him go. If he really wants to go, let him take a detour outside the pass."

"In this way, let it be as the Master says." Zhu Yijun made a decision.

Zhu Yijun took out a few more memorials and started scolding people. The memorials on the table kept decreasing. In the end, one memorial remained.

"Has Cui Yingqi, the Censor of the Shanxi Circuit, arrived?" Zhu Yijun proclaimed the last Censor to be scolded, Cui Yingqi, the Censor of the Shanxi Circuit.

Cui Yingqi pleaded for Sun Jigao in the memorial, mainly saying that the punishment was too harsh. Among the top-level punishments, descendants for five generations were not allowed to take the imperial examination. This punishment was too harsh.

Cui Yingqi's memorial was still the old set of content, which was to urge benevolence and forgiveness.

"Your subject pays respects to His Majesty. Your Majesty is holy and peaceful." After Cui Yingqi entered the hall, he paid his respects with a heavy face.

"Spare the formalities. Since you submitted a memorial and came to participate in the morning assembly, then talk about your thoughts." Zhu Yijun looked at Cui Yingqi and said.

"Your subject obeys the decree." Cui Yingqi stood up, flicked his hem, straightened his body, held one hand, and said, "Your subject pleads for Sun Jigao, not because Sun Jigao shouldn't die—his crimes are heinous—but your subject pleads for the students."

"Cui Yingqi, do you know that among all the civil and military officials in the court, you are the only one who submitted a memorial to plead for mercy?" Zhu Yijun asked playfully. This matter is interesting here. In the Sun Jigao case, only Cui Yingqi submitted a memorial to say this.

Others were avoiding it.

So Zhu Yijun wanted to see if Cui Yingqi was seeking a reputation for not being afraid of power, or if he really felt his thoughts were right.

"Your subject knows." Cui Yingqi answered this question. He knew that he was the only one who submitted a memorial, and others were silent and didn't dare to speak about this matter. If Sun Jigao were not examination fraud, there would be an endless stream of people pleading for Sun Jigao. For simple corruption, Zhu Yijun would not handle it like this.

Cui Yingqi pondered again and again, bowed and said, "Your Majesty has 'Di Zhe.' 'Di' means to tread, 'Zhe' means wisdom. Being able to practice what one knows is a wise and benevolent master. The Grand Tutor has the merit of assisting and supporting."

"For the affairs of the world, knowing is not difficult, doing is difficult. Farming is the reliance of the common people. Since the monarch knows it, he must manage and arrange it. Your Majesty lives deep in the nine-fold high position, observing the hidden feelings of the people. For the difficulties of farming, not only is your wisdom enough to know it, but you can also be diligent in body and mind, be vigilant in government affairs, and govern the people with fear. Then the country will be peaceful and the country will be prosperous, the people will not insult the widowers and widows, and the world will be harmonious. Your Majesty is truly able to tread on your wisdom. It is the luck of the world."

"Di Zhe," treading on holiness, comes from the "No Ease" chapter of the "Book of Documents." It is a very high evaluation of the monarch by the restoration school.

Cui Yingqi pleaded for Sun Jigao, first took out the flattery method, stunned the Emperor, and then continued to plead. But Zhu Yijun was as usual, and even showed some irritability.

Wicked, basically can't be stunned.

Under the flowers and brocade, there are poisonous snakes lurking. Zhu Yijun has never liked flattery.

Cui Yingqi continued helplessly, "Since the monarch has a benevolent heart, he should practice benevolent government. Therefore, if you ask people about the cold, clothe them; if you ask people about hunger, feed them. Then the people will be covered by his grace. Otherwise, it is knowing their hunger and cold, but not giving them clothes and food. What can the people rely on! These two words 'Di Zhe' are what the monarch should think about and do."

"Your subject only asks His Majesty to be broad and benevolent. Sun Jigao deserves to die, but his students were also confused for a moment. Punish their sins, why implicate the masses? The predecessors made mistakes, what sin do their descendants have? Such punishment is cruelty. Not teaching and killing is cruelty, and sinning before birth is also cruelty."

Cui Yingqi described his logic completely. Zhu Yijun looked at Cui Yingqi. This fellow was a Jinshi in the fifth year of Longqing, and had stayed in the Hanlin Academy for a long time before becoming a Censor in the fourth year of Wanli. Cui Yingqi's appearance didn't look like he had received a bribe. Doing this kind of thing after receiving a bribe was not an act of jumping on a minefield?

"Cui Yingqi, you should go out to be an official." Zhu Yijun didn't answer Cui Yingqi's question directly. He smiled and said, "Parents are thrown into prison, children immediately become distressed, and the people around them naturally avoid them. Examination fraud, according to the old case of fraud in the Hongzhi years, killing Sun Jigao and stripping him of his academic honors and exiling him to the frontier seems enough."

"Cui Yingqi, do you know why all the civil and military officials in the court are silent about this matter?"

Zhu Yijun returned to the original question. Among the court officials who submitted memorials on this matter, only Cui Yingqi was one. He asked if he knew why this was the case, highlighting that the Emperor and the ministers were talking about different things.

"Afraid of causing trouble." Cui Yingqi answered honestly.

"No, no, no, I'll tell you why." Zhu Yijun sat up straight and said calmly, "Once every three years, from the Hongwu opening of the examination to the fifth year of Wanli, in these two hundred years of Great Ming, on average, there are only 96 Jinshi per year, and three hundred people in three years."

"This piece of meat is only this much. If these fifteen families eat less, others can eat more. Do you understand?"

"The civil and military officials in the court are not afraid of causing trouble. You passed the Jinshi examination in the fifth year of Longqing. Have you seen few things about kneeling at the gate? Why weren't they afraid when I let the Commander take their heads then? Kneeling at the gate, I have seen it twice. For the sake of fame and fortune, what can't be done?"

"It's just that they can get benefits, so everyone is silently watching all this happen. Only you say this is wrong."

"You say I am cruel. Then the high-ranking officials who watch these things happen coldly, or even push the waves, are they equally cruel?"

Cui Yingqi's eyes widened suddenly. He looked at His Majesty in disbelief. The court officials were in an uproar, but didn't dare to discuss it, just terrified.

Zhang Juzheng's fists clenched immediately. At this age, how could the Emperor see through the human heart so clearly?

Great Ming's national affairs were rotten, and the little Emperor had seen too much ugliness in the process of growing up, so he would use such malice to guess the court officials.

And, the Emperor guessed right.

Zhu Yijun looked at Cui Yingqi's horrified eyes and continued, "Cui Yingqi, you should go to the local area to take up your post. Then you won't feel it's cruel."

"The imperial examination is for the country to select scholars. It has been more than two hundred years. How many pairs of eyes are staring at it? Sun Jigao and Gu Xiancheng, why didn't they move anything else, but had to move this piece of fat meat of the imperial examination? Everyone is eating in one pot. He insisted on smashing the pot to eat alone. Then there is no room for discussion."

"The imperial examination is already very unfair. The unfairness of teachers, pen, ink, paper, and inkstone, books, etc., but there is nothing absolutely fair in the world. The appearance of the North, South, and Middle lists is not to allow students from remote areas like Qiongzhou, Guizhou, and Yunnan to have a little possibility? The examination papers have to be covered with names, copied, and then cross-examined by eighteen rooms, and decided by the chief examiner. Isn't it just to be slightly fairer?"

"The imperial examination is already very unfair. He, Sun Jigao, and these students who bribed, what ability do they have to make the imperial examination even more unfair?"

"Take you as an example. You could have passed, but because of the rampant fraud in the court, you failed. What is your reaction?"

"That Gu Xiancheng, in front of the yellow list at the Donghua Gate, publicly roared at the Grand Secretary and Grand Tutor. It's not that he wasn't afraid, but he couldn't accept it at all, almost going crazy."

"You have gone ashore, you cannot kick the students soaking in the water down."

"Your subject... your subject... your subject is guilty." Cui Yingqi was not a very stubborn person. He had already tried his best. His Majesty had already explained so much. If he entangled again, it would be disrespectful. Originally, lobbying for the families involved in the Sun Jigao case was already very disrespectful.

"Many systems that you find strange but always follow are mostly like this. It is not perfect, it is full of mistakes, but it is already the best way to take out." Zhu Yijun shook his head helplessly.

Cui Yingqi is going to be an official outside. If he goes to the local area to be a County Magistrate, he will understand the evil of this world.

Wan Shihe looked at the expressions of the ministers. Today's Great Morning Assembly was another day of suffering for the Great Ming court officials, a day of humiliation. The little dirty thoughts in their hearts were seen through by His Majesty, and His Majesty even said it out.

Wan Shihe pondered again and again and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, although Great Ming's official governance is not considered clear, and examination fraud is rampant, it is not considered too bad."

"In the fourth year of Zhengton, Pei Lun, the third place in the 19th year of Yongle, was the chief examiner. The imperial examination was no longer fraud, but more hateful than selling official positions. Pei Lun's son-in-law, Zhu Quanlu, hoped that his father-in-law, who was the chief examiner, could help, but Pei Lun firmly refused to accept private favors."

"Because Pei Lun refused to accept private favors, he didn't take it, and others couldn't take it either. He was soon forced to retire and return to his hometown in Jianli County to compile the county annals. And Pei Lun's son-in-law, Zhu Quanlu, also divorced Pei Lun's daughter, ending up with nothing in money, talent, or position."

"It wasn't until the first year of Jingtai that he was promoted to the left administration commissioner of Shandong."

Wan Shihe had to find some face for the Great Ming court officials, and he really found it.

Both were young emperors, both were assisted by ministers, and both were examination fraud cases. The result of the Zhengton years was Pei Lun, who didn't want to see Great Ming in a mess, being forced to retire. In the Wanli years, Sun Jigao was beheaded, the fraudsters were stripped of their academic honors, and the clans of all the fraudsters were not allowed to enter officialdom for five generations.

Five generations not allowed to enter officialdom, the family can still continue, which is weaker than Qin Shi Huang.

Wan Shihe's finding of face was very timely. The ministers immediately straightened their chests. Indeed, examination fraud was a troublesome matter, but compared with previous generations, there was a way to say it. The Zhengton years inherited the rule of Ren and Xuan, and it was in such a mess. In the Wanli years, it inherited the Southeast Japanese disaster and the two invasions of the Northern Barbarians, a Great Ming dynasty that was in danger.

It was also examination fraud, but the results were completely different.

This face, didn't it come back? The ministers immediately straightened their chests.

Zhu Yijun looked at Wan Shihe and shook his head. There must be such a person as Wan Shihe in the court. While finding face for the Emperor, he also found face for the ministers.

"If there is anything, come out of the class early to play; if there is nothing, roll the curtain and retreat from the court." Feng Bao flicked his whisk, which ended today's Great Morning Assembly.

Wang Chonggu went down to the court and asked the Ministry of Justice to go to the rice and flour shop for goods. This was what he ordered yesterday. He wanted to send it to the woolen mill to give the craftsmen a start-of-work gift.

Great Ming's official mills now don't rest all year round, but because the wool supply was not smooth before, there would be winter and spring shutdowns. When starting work in April, the start-of-work gift was set like this. It was to sacrifice to Leizu, begging Leizu to bless everything to go smoothly.

It is actually very difficult to achieve no rest all year round, but last year, in order to hoard enough wool, he even collected a batch from the hands of the Tuman Khan. Of course, the Emperor was sowing discord, specifically sowing discord between the Tuman Khan and Altan Khan. Although the price sold to Great Ming by the Tuman Khan was low, Great Ming's reputation was good, at least they really gave money.

And spring arrived, and a new batch of wool arrived at the official mill warehouse yesterday. This was new wool, which was also considered the start of work.

And this year, Wang Chonggu prepared a bag of flour and a bag of rice for each craftsman, a bag of 120 catties, and prepared two pots of oil. These two pots of oil, one pot of five liters, were available to every craftsman in the woolen mill, and even the families of the craftsmen who had accidents in the factory before also had them. This was also part of the pension.

Wang Chonggu was just trying to make the craftsmen work hard.

Wang Chonggu actually originally planned to give money and be done with it, but then thought of Wang Guoguang changing the border army silver to physical objects, thought about it, and still bought the silver into rice and flour, and finished distributing it on the same day, which saved trouble.

If you want to embezzle these physical objects, you have to turn your hands once. The rice and flour bags and oil pots were all stamped. If you want to sell the physical objects for money, you still have to change them.

If you dare to sell them without changing the bags and oil pots, all the people who handled them—as long as one person said this thing out and it reached the ears of the censors who heard the wind, it would be a big deal.

But if you turn your hands once, more people will know, there will be more risk of exposure, and more people will have to share the money.

Liu Qiniang's Yongsheng Woolen Mill and Yongding Woolen Mill were both under Wang Chonggu's management, and they also received these rice, flour, and oil. And she adopted a daughter from the nursing home, so she could receive an extra bag of millet.

Families with children had already been registered, and they could receive an extra bag of millet. A bag of millet was 20 catties, authentic Shanxi millet, only for craftsmen with children under 15 years old.

This Shanxi millet didn't go through the public account, but Wang Chonggu's own account. Like Sun Keyi, the owner of the painting boat in Songjiang, he shared so much money every year, and Wang Chonggu felt a little uneasy holding it.

Liu Qiniang wanted to adopt a son, but there were few boys with sound limbs and no deformities, and it wasn't her turn.

Wang Chonggu first went to the wool warehouse. He occasionally pulled out a bag, checked the half-cut stamp on the seal on the bag, and then checked the wool inside. He spot-checked until noon. As the supervisor of the Yongding Woolen Mill, Wang Chonggu was very satisfied with this batch of goods.

"What is this?" Wang Chonggu saw a very, very thin line hanging in mid-air. The thin wool-spun line was connected to copper bells one by one.

"Liu Sanda, the carpenter who received the third-class merit award from His Majesty, fiddled with it. It's for fire prevention. This wool spinning is not fire-resistant, but as long as there is a fire anywhere, the bells in the entire warehouse will ring." The Ministry of Justice official said hurriedly.

Wang Chonggu's eyes lit up and he nodded, saying, "Good idea!"

The Northern Barbarians can't destroy Great Ming? In the early years of Wanli, there was indeed this possibility. After all, the capital was looted twice by Altan Khan and Tuman Khan. With the internal ghosts of the Jin Party, if it weren't for Qi Jiguang in the North, Great Ming's destruction in the early years of Wanli was not impossible. Begging for monthly tickets, Aoooooo!!!

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 224 =====

Achieving year-round operation is actually very difficult. Last year, in order to stockpile enough wool, we even collected a harvest from the hands of the Tuman Khan. Of course, the Emperor was sowing discord, specifically inciting enmity between the Tuman Khan and the Altan Khan. Although the price the Tuman Khan sold to the Great Ming at was low, the Great Ming had good credit; at least we actually paid the money.

And now that spring has arrived, a new batch of wool arrived at the government factory warehouse yesterday. This is new wool, which also counts as the start of operations.

The third day of the fourth lunar month is the opening day for the woolen government factory.

And this year, Wang Chonggu prepared a bag of flour and a bag of rice for every craftsman—each bag weighing 120 jin—and prepared two jugs of oil, each jug containing five liters. Every craftsman in the woolen factory received a share, and even the families of the craftsmen who had accidents at the factory previously received some; this is also part of the compensation.

Wang Chonggu did this simply to make the craftsmen work their lives away.

Wang Chonggu actually originally intended to just distribute money and be done with it, but then he thought of Wang Guoguang changing the border army's silver payments into physical goods, so he thought about it and bought rice, flour, and oil with the silver instead. Distributing it all on the same day also saved the trouble of finding more work.

If one wants to embezzle these physical goods, one has to go through a middleman. These rice and flour bags and oil jugs are all stamped; if one takes the goods to exchange for money, one still has to find a buyer.

If one dares to take them out to sell without changing the bags or jugs, then for everyone who handles it, as long as one person speaks of this matter and it reaches the ears of the censors who report on rumors, it will be a major incident.

But going through a middleman means more people know, which increases the risk of exposure and requires more people to share the money.

The Yongsheng Woolen Factory and Yongding Woolen Factory, where Liu Qiniang works, are both under Wang Chonggu's management, and they also received this rice, flour, and oil. She adopted a daughter from the relief institution, so she was able to receive an extra bag of millet.

Families with children have already been registered, and they can receive an extra bag of millet. One bag of millet is 20 jin—authentic Shanxi millet—given only to craftsmen with children under fifteen years old.

This Shanxi millet does not go through the public accounts; it comes from Wang Chonggu's own personal accounts. Like Sun Kehong, the owner of the painted pleasure boats in Songjiang, Wang Chonggu feels a bit uneasy holding onto so much money distributed every year.

Liu Qiniang actually wanted to adopt a son, but there are very few boys with sound limbs and no deformities, and it wasn't her turn anyway.

Wang Chonggu first went to the wool warehouse. He would occasionally pull out a bag to check the half-stamped seal on the bag's closure, then inspect the wool inside. After spot-checking until noon, as the supervisor of the Yongding Woolen Factory, Wang Chonggu was very satisfied with this batch of goods.

"What is this?" Wang Chonggu saw a very, very thin thread hanging in mid-air, a thin woolen thread connecting one copper bell after another.

"Liu Sandao, the carpenter who received the Third-Class Merit Award from His Majesty, tinkered with it. It's for fire prevention. This wool is not fire-resistant; if a fire starts anywhere, the bells throughout the entire warehouse will ring," the Ministry of Justice clerk hurriedly said.

Wang Chonggu's eyes lit up, and he nodded, saying, "Good idea!"

Can the Northern Barbarians destroy the Great Ming? In the early years of the Wanli reign, there was indeed that possibility. After all, the capital region was raided twice by the Altan Khan and the Tuman Khan, and there were many refugees in the capital region. Combined with the traitors from the Jin Party, if it weren't for Qi Jiguang in the north, it would not have been impossible for the Great Ming to perish in the early Wanli years. Begging for monthly votes, awoooooo!!!

(End of chapter)