Chapter 154: Spending money like water, opening the sea to manage martial arts

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The first annual work summary meeting of the Great Ming Dynasty's ruling team, held in the Wenhuadian, aimed to summarize the gains of the year and deploy the work of each department for the next year.

But the Minister of Works, Zhu Heng, was very unconventional.

As soon as he opened his mouth, he came to the meeting to ask for money.

If asking wasn't enough, he even wanted 1.8 million taels!

Zhu Zhu Yijun also understood why this guy was eager to try after Wang Guoguang finished reporting the income of the Taicang treasury.

It's likely the number he wanted was determined by the situation!

If the national treasury income was 1.98 million, he wanted 1.8 million; if it were 3 million, he would probably want 2 million-plus!

No wonder Wang Guoguang poured cold water after finishing the report, saying this was bitter and that was difficult; he was truly experienced!

No one in the hall would agree to the number Zhu Heng reported.

Zhu Zhu Yijun didn't want to be the villain either; there would always be someone to "speak righteously" and make Zhu Heng retreat in the face of difficulties.

However, what was unexpected was.

The first person to speak was actually Zhang Zhang Juzheng.

He saw the Chief Minister without joy or sorrow, turning to look at Zhu Heng: "1.8 million? Does the Ministry of Works' frugal treasury have this much silver in storage?"

Zhu Zhu Yijun on the throne couldn't help but be happy; the old man is a bit mean.

The ratio of the four treasuries' annual income was not fixed, but every year it was about the same, "based on the Taicang annual income, the frugal treasury is one-fourth, the Taipu is one-tenth, and the Guanglu is only a millesimal."

The frugal treasury only had an income of 1.5 million taels this year.

But the expenditure was quite a lot, not to mention "the construction of the Zhaoling Mausoleum used 390,932 taels from the frugal treasury."

Just the appropriation for the construction and maintenance of the Yellow River, the Grand Canal, and water channels took 720,000 taels—a court that doesn't treat the people like pigs and dogs is never stingy about engaging in water conservancy construction, even if the Chongzhen Emperor was about to lose the country, he was still appropriating funds to the Ministry of Works to build water conservancy projects.

Plus the construction project of rebuilding the Ciqing Palace, and the maritime ship research project planned with the Canal Transport Office, it was barely a balance of income and expenditure for the year.

So, how much storage silver did the frugal treasury have?

In the thirty-year history of Emperor Wanli, Zhang Gelao Zhu Geng recalled the first year and said—"In the first year, the frugal treasury still had over 1.1 million gold, but now it is empty without a fraction of storage."

Now there was only 1.1 million taels in the pocket, and a 1.8 million-tael project was opened; clearly, he was looking for the Ministry of Revenue to ask for money.

And Zhang Zhang Juzheng's words clearly didn't want the Taicang treasury to take out one-third of its storage at once.

Zhu Heng couldn't help but be annoyed.

He knew the Chief Minister had an opinion of him; last month, after Wang Wang Zhiyuan left, when Zhang Zhang Juzheng recommended Zhang Han to the Emperor, he made a wave of sharp comments about the ministers.

It was written in black and white in the records, for example, "Ge Ge Shouli is a gentleman, but he is old and declining," or "there are derogatory words for Zhu Heng."

This matter annoyed Zhu Heng for a while, but it passed; he didn't expect Zhang Zhang Juzheng wouldn't even support the century-old plan today, simply not acting like a human son!

He didn't pay attention to Zhang Zhang Juzheng and arched his hands toward Wang Guoguang, meeting the Emperor's gaze with a sincere expression, trying his best to explain: "Your Majesty, I am not planning for the department's private interests."

"The Ministry of Works has already consulted, and this 1.8 million taels is already as small as it can be."

"The coastal route is very different from going out to sea. In provinces like Guangdong and Fujian, almost as long as a Shipping Department is established and a port is set up, it is a vast sea and sky."

"But ports in Bohai, the East Sea, etc., need to consider hydrology."

"For example, several ports bordering the Bohai Sea."

"The Yellow River has changed many times over the millennia, and now it enters the sea from the Si and Two Huai rivers, but initially it entered the sea from the Seeing Li Jin and Binzhou areas, and later from Tianjin Wei. It hasn't been governed for many years, and this section of the coast is almost all silted sand. Within a radius of ten or more li of several nearby ports, if you don't dig three feet deep and dredge the silt, you will inevitably run aground when entering the port."

"Also, for example, the Great Ming Sea (East Sea), which is intertwined with many water systems such as the Yangtze River and the Grand Canal, the collision of foreign objects entering the sea and water waves causes the shell embankments to overlap, and debris, sunken ships, and reefs accumulate. The currently surveyed route is the old route of the former Song Dynasty. Although it has legacy, the new growth of these hundreds of years still needs to be surveyed and cleared one by one."

"And this section of maritime transport entering the capital uses the old route of the fifth year of Yongle, which has been abandoned for more than a hundred years. This section from Zhigu Kou to Baihe must be dredged again."

"In addition, ports in places like Dengzhou, Jiaozhou, Two Huai'an, and Chongming all need to be repaired and restored, and the geography and hydrology need to be adjusted."

"The labor for dredging river channels and clearing the seabed, and the materials for digging sea ports and restoring old mouths, are all white silver. I can't spend nothing and open maritime transport out of thin air."

"I ask Your Majesty to observe clearly!"

Zhu Heng spoke generously in the Wenhuadian, and his words were reasonable, but the Emperor and the officials looked at each other.

This is what it means to talk the sky to death.

Speaking so professionally, how can laymen judge? And how can people answer?

Even if Zhu Zhu Yijun had decided to politely decline Zhu Heng, he felt a bit difficult to speak at this time.

He didn't understand hydrology very well, nor had he engaged in water conservancy, and only felt that what Zhu Heng said seemed to make some sense.

Especially since it was impossible not to give money for major projects, and one couldn't play the game of "don't look at the process, just want the result."

However... this 1.8 million taels was indeed a bit too much.

The Ministry of Revenue could indeed take it out, but when had they ever seen the national treasury emptied year after year without leaving any storage?

Just as Zhu Zhu Yijun was thinking, Wang Wang Chonggu, sitting under Gao Yi, suddenly opened his mouth: "Labor doesn't necessarily have to be conscripted, right?"

He saw Wang Wang Chonggu's expression steady and confident: "For example, the hundred li from Jiaozhou in the north to Yangjiaquan in the south... it just so happens that there is a Shandong class army stationed in the Jiaozhou area, and combining the troops of several thousand from the nearby camp, it is just right to dredge this section."

"The water sections of Dengzhou, Two Huai'an, Tianjin Wei, etc., can all be done in this way, which should be able to save a lot of labor costs."

Using security forces to engage in engineering is a very common thing.

The Great Stone Nest project of the Zhaoling Mausoleum was done by the Divine Machine Camp, one of the three major camps in the capital.

Although they also had to issue reward silver, that was considered overtime pay outside of military pay, and it must be cheaper than conscripting corvee laborers—to ensure that corvee laborers don't starve to death under layers of exploitation, the expenditure is really not low.

Of course, the only drawback is that it is a bit sensitive. After all, once the project is large, it is easy to mobilize tens of thousands of troops in the heartland.

Therefore, major projects in other places generally wouldn't be easily done this way, just like the Great Stone Nest project using the Divine Machine Camp, which was led by nobles, with the father-in-law of the Emperor as deputy, and Grand Secretaries supervising, and several parties were all ready.

Fortunately, the Emperor on the imperial steps was very reasonable, and almost without hesitation, he nodded to show his agreement: "Minister Zhu, if this is the case, how much can be saved?"

Everyone was relieved and looked at Zhu Heng in unison.

Zhu Heng didn't answer immediately but thought earnestly.

After a long while.

He opened his mouth slowly: "Even so, it still needs 1.4 million taels."

Wang Wang Chonggu frowned upon hearing this.

So expensive? If not, why not stop maritime transport?

He hesitated, and because of the Emperor's idea, he didn't say it out loud in the end.

Wang Guoguang of the Ministry of Revenue lowered his head and counted his fingers, as if he hadn't heard, and had no intention of answering, clearly not willing to pay this money.

The officials had different expressions.

At this time, the Emperor on the imperial steps finally opened his mouth.

Zhu Zhu Yijun cast a questioning gaze at Zhu Heng: "Minister Zhu, how about dividing the project into two phases and completing them one after another?"

Zhu Heng was startled upon hearing this.

Dividing into two phases...

He hesitated: "Your Majesty, it is possible. Then first open the ports of Tianjin, Jiaozhou, and Dengkou, and then dredge the Two Huai'an and Chongming areas after completion."

"However... I fear the ship passage will be delayed by another half a year."

With the easing of financial pressure, the project progress naturally has to be slower.

Zhu Zhu Yijun could only compromise on this—if there isn't enough money for the full payment, why rush the schedule.

"Two and a half years is two and a half years." Zhu Zhu Yijun waved his hand.

Zhu Heng secretly slandered that the Emperor was in a hurry before, but now that he saw the cost was high, he was immediately not in a hurry.

He is also not a human son.

Zhu Zhu Yijun didn't know that Zhu Heng was slandering him and just looked back at Wang Guoguang: "Great Minister of Revenue, how about the Taicang treasury appropriating 200,000 taels for this first phase of the project?"

Wang Guoguang finally had a reaction when he heard this number.

He stood up and bowed to the Emperor: "I obey the decree!"

Zhu Heng wanted to speak but stopped.

At this time, Zhu Zhu Yijun looked at Zhu Heng again: "Minister Zhu, for the remaining 500,000 taels, the Ministry of Works' frugal treasury will pay 300,000, and my inner treasury will pay 200,000, how about that?"

Once these words came out.

Zhu Heng showed joy, and the other twelve ministers in the hall were all stunned.

Huh?

Did I hear it wrong?

Just as everyone was stunned, the newly appointed Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, Chen Chen Wude, suddenly sobbed on the long table without warning.

I don't know what Chen Chen Wude was doing.

Everyone looked at the sound.

They saw Chen Chen Wude wipe away his tears, stand up, and bow to plead guilty: "I lost my composure before the palace, please punish me, Your Majesty."

Zhu Zhu Yijun asked curiously: "Why are you like this, Qing?"

This guy was impeaching Zhang Zhang Juzheng earlier, saying he was radical in governing and hindered the national foundation.

Today, he was called to a meeting, and there was an intention of ideological education.

As a result, he cried inexplicably; the brains of these old Confucian scholars are really hard to figure out.

Chen Chen Wude couldn't stop choking and replied: "Your Majesty, please forgive me, I was thinking of the late Emperor..."

"In the fifth month of the fourth year of Emperor Longqing, the late Emperor urged the purchase of annual gold and treasures. I and the Ministry of Revenue petitioned to stop it, but it was not granted."

"At that time, the treasury was empty, the common people were exhausted, the income of the treasury was not enough to serve the expenses of one year, the annual border allowances were issued without set times, and the provinces were suffering from famine and begging for relief incessantly. The officials in charge of accounting were worried day and night, and there was no plan to be found."

"I boldly, regardless of the etiquette of ministers and the superiority and inferiority, pointed out the imperial carriage, saying that the late Emperor was willing to play, had no world in his heart, filled his private pockets, misled the country and deceived the public. The late Emperor was generous and only demoted me."

"Now that I have been restored, seeing Your Majesty's actions, thinking back to the various things in the past, I couldn't help but feel sad and shed tears."

Once these words were spoken, the officials couldn't help but think of the days when the national treasury was empty and the late Emperor was still reaching out for money.

They also looked at this one on the throne without a trace.

For a time, thoughts were flying.

Zhu Zhu Yijun saw Chen Chen Wude's appearance and naturally wouldn't blame him.

He signaled this virtuous person to return to his seat and pressed his hand virtually: "Continue with the business."

"Zhu Qing, continue."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 155 =====

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