Chapter 342

News of the victory arrived, and the entire capital city erupted in excitement.

The imperial army had recovered all of Huguang, annihilating hundreds of thousands of rebels and capturing the Rebel King Wang Weijiarui.

The White Lotus Sect rebellion, which had plagued the Great Yu Dynasty for three and a half years, once again showed signs of being quelled.

Having learned from the previous lesson, Emperor Yongning, upon receiving the news, felt not only joy but also deep worry.

He feared that the Northern Barbarians would invade again, disrupting the progress of suppressing the rebellion.

"Your Majesty, please rest assured!"

"After their last southern invasion, internal conflicts arose among the Northern Barbarians due to an unequal division of spoils."

The Tatars took the opportunity to instigate a civil war within the Guifang tribe; the grasslands ran red with blood, and the fighting would not cease anytime soon.

Having just emerged from the harsh winter, this is when the horses are at their leanest, making it unsuitable to launch a distant expedition.

Even if they invade south again, it will not be until after autumn.

"For at least the next half-year, no major upheaval will occur in the north."

Grand Secretary Wan Junhui said in high spirits.

The victory in the south had not only saved the Great Yu from its declining trend but also salvaged his own political career.

Since Emperor Yongning ascended the throne, high officials in the court had been replaced as frequently as figures on a revolving lantern.

A tenure lasting more than a year was considered long.

The main reason he, as Grand Secretary, had remained in office until now was that the mess left behind was simply too vast.

Whoever took power would first have to face the task of cleaning up this disastrous situation.

From south to north, starving refugees were everywhere, beacon fires of war rose on all sides, and the court was so poor it rattled like an empty coin purse, presenting the complete picture of a dynasty in its final days.

Besides fighting for power and profit, the hundred officials also had to consider their fate in life and after death.

Seeing the dynasty on the verge of collapse, no one wanted to take the stage and become the final scapegoat.

As the situation gradually stabilized, everyone reignited their desire to struggle for power and profit, making Wan Junhui's position as Grand Secretary increasingly precarious.

Fortunately, the Battle of Wuchang was a great victory; the Grand Council shared in the credit, thereby redeeming their faults through merit.

"Mm!"

"The northern frontier must still not be taken lightly, especially the Xuan-Da front line, where defenses must be strictly heightened."

"Prefectures and departments everywhere must remain prepared at all times; we absolutely cannot allow the Northern Barbarians to drive straight in again."

"What follows is the critical moment for quelling the White Lotus Sect rebellion; all ministries of the court must cooperate fully to strive to suppress the rebellion within the year!"

As soon as Emperor Yongning finished speaking, the smiles on the faces of the cluster of officials vanished instantly.

With the defeat and downfall of the rebel Wei, there was indeed some hope of recovering Jiangxi and Zhejiang within the year.

However, wanting to completely eradicate the rebellion was far from simple.

The rebel Fu entrenched in Nanzhili and the rebel Wei carving out a domain in the Shu region were not easy opponents to deal with.

To pacify them all, victories on the scale of the Battle of Wuchang would be needed two more times.

Undoubtedly, this was impossible.

War is fought with money and grain; the funding for the Battle of Wuchang had been contributed by the Shandong aristocratic families.

Without the major upheaval in Shandong, there would have been no Battle of Wuchang this time.

Those few families that were raided and confiscated brought it upon themselves; they did not even hide their trade with the Northern Barbarians properly, thus earning the charge of colluding with the enemy.

The realm of the Great Yu was a realm ruled by feudal scholar-officials.

The officials present were all representatives of the scholar-officials of the realm.

The same maneuver would absolutely not be allowed to happen a second time.

In fact, even if one wanted to raid and confiscate families, there were essentially none left to raid.

Several southern provinces had been devastated by war; the great aristocratic clans had been plundered once by the rebel armies, and vast wealth had been dispersed into the hands of rebel soldiers.

In the process of the imperial army exterminating the rebels, wealth was likewise being transferred.

Although the captured spoils were not numerous, the officers and soldiers who participated in the battle had indeed made a fortune.

This was what they had obtained by risking their lives on the battlefield; the court could not possibly confiscate it.

"Your Majesty, aside from reporting victories, the memorials from the front lines are all requesting funds from the court."

"Huguang has been devastated by war and cannot generate tax revenue in the short term."

"Yet, meritorious officials who participated in the battle need rewards, fallen soldiers need compensation, and the post-war reconstruction of newly recovered prefectures and departments all require spending."

"Cumulatively, a shortfall of approximately five million taels has emerged."

"Adding the military expenses owed from earlier periods, along with the materials and grain rations owed by the court, the total converted to fine silver exceeds ten million taels."

"Several Viceroys are striving to raise funds, yet it remains like trying to fill a cart of firewood with a cup of water."

"If the problem of money and grain cannot be resolved, the progress of suppressing the rebellion in the southeast will likely have to slow down."

"The situation in the Shu region is even worse; a large number of prefectures have fallen into rebel hands, and even Chengdu Prefecture has come under siege."

"Grand Secretary Xu submitted a memorial requesting aid from the court; originally, the plan was to dispatch the Qin Army into Shu, but unfortunately, Guanzhong has also been unsettled recently, so the great army dares not move lightly."

Minister of War Wan Yuxuan immediately threw out this difficult problem.

Regarding the issue of suppressing the rebellion, he could proudly say that he absolutely held no selfish motives.

The deteriorating situation had made every day in the Ministry of War feel like a year.

The various gifts of ice and charcoal bribes of the past had now disappeared by seventy percent.

Local generals were busy fighting battles and had no time to travel to the capital to report on their duties, so naturally, there were no bribes.

With the court's finances deteriorating, the military funds allocated to various regions were also decreasing.

Although they had increased their cut, the total amount was declining even faster, so the profits from handling and sharing the funds could only passively decrease.

It seemed that during wartime, the power in the hands of the Ministry of War had increased, but in reality, everyone's income had decreased rather than increased.

Merely losing money would be one thing, but the key was that they also had to bear responsibility for military failures.

Their supervisory responsibility was not great, but they could not withstand the fact that battles were constantly being lost.

The Minister of War was frequently reprimanded, so the days of the underlings below him could not be expected to be good either.

They had gained no political merit, but they had received plenty of rebukes from the Emperor and admonishments from the Grand Council.

These were all political blemishes that would be considered during promotions and appointments, seriously affecting everyone's official careers.

"How could it be so much?"

Emperor Yongning exclaimed in great shock.

He knew that war consumed money, but spending this much all at once still exceeded his expectations.

At the peak of the Great Yu Dynasty, fiscal revenue converted to fine silver was only twenty to thirty million taels.

Affected by the war, the money, grain, and cloth cloth the court collected into the treasury last year, when all converted, amounted to just over ten million taels.

This figure even included nominal revenue increases brought about by rising grain prices.

"Your Majesty, the accounts should not have major problems; even if there are issues with the details, the error will not exceed one hundred thousand taels."

"The money and grain owed by the court are all verifiable with data."

"The reward silver for meritorious officials and compensation for the fallen reported from below are all executed according to the standards stipulated in the Great Yu Code."

"To reduce expenditures, many officers and soldiers who originally wanted reward silver were persuaded to accept promotions in rank instead."

"There were not enough positions in the military, so they were all given honorary empty titles."

"Even if the Ministry of Revenue haggles further, at least eight million taels of silver must still be paid to the military in Liangguang."

"Combined, Huguang and the Min-Zhe region require payment of over one million taels."

"This huge burden has all been pressed onto those below; several Viceroys are indeed powerless to launch major campaigns."

Minister of Revenue Pang Chengjie said with a face full of apprehension.

As the office holding the debt, these were words he did not wish to speak.

But there was no way around it; since the Emperor had asked about the accounts, he could not answer that he did not know.

Either the reports from below were problematic, or the debt was truly that large.

As a smart man, he understood very well that one should not nitpick the bill.

Sending out an investigation team would serve no purpose other than offending people.

The fact that the Ministry of War did not verify severed heads before confirming military merit was enough to explain many things.

It seemed like saving face for the noble group, but in reality, it was a political statement of trust.

Regardless of what one thought in their heart, since they needed these people to suppress the rebellion now, they had to show an attitude of trust.

After all, compared to the previous few terms, the members of the noble group were indeed much more capable.

On all battlefronts, advances were triumphant and vigorous.

Humoring them for now to quickly exterminate the rebel armies cleanly was what the court needed most.

Everything else was merely side branches and leaves, which could completely be left to be solved later.

Let alone ten million taels; even if it were discounted to twenty million, he would dare to acknowledge it.

In any case, no matter how much was owed, the Ministry of Revenue was powerless to pay it.

Being able to disburse ten to twenty percent would be exerting utmost effort; the rest could only remain owed.

Dragging it out for a few years would turn new debt into old accounts.

By that time, he would have moved to another position, and the problem would be something for the next Minister of Revenue to consider.

Fiscal deficits were a long-term issue; apart from a rebound during the late reign of the previous Emperor, the Great Yu's fiscal problems had plagued the court for over a hundred years.

Everyone was just muddling through, so he had no need to stick his neck out and tear through the paper window.

"Ministry of Revenue, how much money and grain can you provide?"

Emperor Yongning asked with concern.

He trusted the Minister of Revenue; after Pang Chengjie took office, he truly stretched every copper coin until it broke in half.

Regarding all manner of expenses, he saved wherever possible.

Even when the Emperor himself requested funds, they were often discounted.

The Ministry of Revenue had even uncovered issues in the sky-high procurement accounts of the imperial palace, causing a drastic drop in court expenditures.

"Your Majesty, the court has many places requiring funds, and the northern frontier defenses must take priority."

"The liquid silver the Ministry of Revenue can currently allocate is less than five hundred thousand taels; if we squeeze hard, we might manage eight hundred thousand at most."

"Grain and cloth cannot be touched; they are key to stabilizing the situation in the north."

"Without the tribute grain from Huguang, the grain prices in the capital have doubled compared to five years ago."

"Let the local regions raise their own military provisions!"

Pang Chengjie quickly gave his answer.

If there were any other way, he would not have wanted to release even these eight hundred thousand taels.

After the court delegated authority, local Viceroys gained the power to levy taxes, making it much easier for them to raise funds and grain than for him, the Minister of Revenue.

The difficulties faced by local yamens were real, but not unsolvable.

"How can it be so little? I recall that revenue from selling official titles alone contributed five million taels."

"Could the money have been spent so quickly?"

Emperor Yongning asked, frowning.

He could understand the Ministry of Revenue haggling over prices, but such a severe cut was still somewhat unexpected.

The troops on the front lines had achieved great merit; the court must show some appreciation, as a few trivial items would not suffice.

If they acted this way, the campaign to suppress the rebellion would truly be delayed.

"Your Majesty, the court's deficit is too severe; the Ministry of Revenue simply cannot retain any money."

"After the revenue from selling offices entered the treasury, we first paid off part of the arrears owed to officials and the imperial clan, and then rebuilding the military defenses in Xuan and Da consumed a huge sum."

"If I had not been frugal in spending, not even these few hundred thousand taels would have remained."

Pang Chengjie replied without changing his expression.

The deficits accumulated over the years by the Great Yu Dynasty could instantly swallow not just five million taels, but even fifty million.

"It is not enough!"

"The great battle to suppress the rebellion cannot stop; the issue of funds and grain must be resolved. Do you have a strategy, beloved Pang?"

Emperor Yongning asked expectantly.

The White Lotus Sect rebellion had caused too much damage to the Great Yu; it must be suppressed as quickly as possible.

Having finally seen a glimmer of hope, he did not wish for the suppression to fail due to a lack of funds and grain.

Although he had not received a complete education in imperial rule, he had still read the historical records.

In history, whenever any dynasty encountered a large-scale rebellion and failed to suppress it in time, its national strength inevitably declined.

The longer it dragged on, the harder it became to reverse the situation.

"Your Majesty, if we cannot provide liquid silver, then let us grant official titles directly!"

"The court's previous sale of offices did not cover the south; we should take this opportunity to extend it there."

"We will offer a batch of honorary posts; the court will set a baseline price, and how much they can sell depends on their own abilities."

"Jiangnan is a land of wealth and abundance; perhaps the final figures from selling offices will even cover the military pay for the subsequent great battle."

"If someone offers a high price, we could even consider granting actual appointments for positions in some remote prefectures and counties."

Pang Chengjie replied calmly.

Once the selling of offices begins, there is no turning back.

Merely releasing a bunch of honorary titles in exchange for bright white silver—who could resist such temptation!

However, these positions, which carry only an honorary title and no real power, still hold somewhat limited appeal.

If changed to actual vacancies, the price could be even higher.

Officials in remote prefectures and counties have suffered from severe long-term vacancies; simply no one wants to go there.

Many times, as soon as an appointment was issued, the appointee would hang up their seal and leave, leaving the Ministry of Personnel looking utterly embarrassed.

Selling them for money does not harm anyone's interests.

After all, while outsiders may despise these posts, locals will not.

Even in the poorest regions, there will always be a few wealthy families capable of paying such sums.

"Good, let it be done!"

"The Grand Secretariat shall draft the plan today, and official documents will be issued first thing tomorrow morning."

"Notify the local governments along the route to fully cooperate in escorting the Rebel King Wang Weijiarui to the capital."

"Whoever's jurisdiction suffers any mishap, I shall dismiss them from their post."

Emperor Yongning made his decision swiftly, giving the officials no chance to object.

Experience told him that once a solution was found, one must cut through the complexity with a swift blade.

If left for the officials to discuss, they might argue for a year or half a year without necessarily reaching a result.

As for the lingering effects of locals holding office, those could be dealt with after the rebellion was pacified; it would not be too late then.

The court had not promised that an official's position could not be transferred after they purchased it.

Once a term ended, a massive reshuffle would solve most of the problems.

Gazing at the magnificent and imposing city walls, the Annan envoy delegation once again let out a chorus of exclamations.

Since receiving their mission to travel north, they had exclaimed countless times, yet nothing compared to the shock brought by the imperial capital.

"The imperial capital is a critical zone, different from other places; envoys, please observe the regulations."

"As for the specific rules, officials will instruct you once you arrive at your destination."

After verifying their identities, the guarding officer immediately gave these instructions.

It was evident that they were quite experienced in handling envoys sent by vassal states to pay homage.

"Thank you, General, for your guidance."

As he spoke, the elder handed over a prepared purse.

"No trouble, no trouble!"

"Squad Leader Zhang, take a squad of soldiers to escort the envoys to report at the Court of State Ceremonies."

Seeing the money, the middle-aged officer quickly changed his demeanor.

"Zhao Er, go notify the Hou Fu of the Marquis of Hanshui that the Annan envoy delegation has arrived in the capital."

After watching the delegation depart, the middle-aged general immediately instructed his Personal Guard.

As a Battalion Commander, he did not need to personally guard the city gate.

It was only because superiors had assigned this task that he came to lie in wait personally, to ensure no mistakes occurred.

His efforts were not in vain; the Annan delegation arrived as scheduled.

What the people above intended to do was not his concern.

(End of Chapter)