"Ms. Li, this can't work! It's really a mess." Li Xi coughed and said. He was in poor health and had been absent from government affairs for many times.
However, when I heard that the female workers in Suzhou assisted the Imperial Guards and captured many thugs from the salt merchants, I could not sit still and had to rush to Zhongshu Province. There were a lot of ministers who came with them, more than twenty people.
Yang Xian, the imperial censor, Hu Weiyong, the tax minister, Yang Siyi, the household minister, and Teng Yi, the official minister, are all listed. In recent years, the court of the Ming Dynasty has been changing.
The situation at the beginning of the Kingdom was like this. If a prefect did well, he might join the court as a minister. When encountering major events, the minister might send envoys abroad. Therefore, except for a few old faces, the other ministers would change from time to time.
, which is also reasonable.
Li Shanchang was surrounded by this group of people, and his head became big.
"The Salt Law was decided by the higher authorities and has been announced in Fengtian Temple. You didn't object at the time. Why bother me now?"
Yang Xian hurriedly bowed and said: "Prime Minister Li, your subordinates don't dare to oppose the Salt Law! The new Salt Law is good for the country and the people. How dare we have anything to say? It's just that now some people are overstepping their bounds and arresting merchants.
Bypassing the yamen and doing random things is really a way to go!"
Hu Weiyong also said: "Indeed, if those female workers can arrest people, why do we need a bureaucracy? The Salt Law is indeed important, but we can't corrupt the national code at all costs, right?"
The other ministers also have general meanings. We support the Salt Law, but these female workers must be severely punished, and the salt merchants they capture must be put back.
Li Shan has become a mature man, but he doesn't understand anything.
"Those female workers all support the Salt Law. Co-authors are only allowed to oppose the Salt Law, but are not allowed to support the Salt Law? This truth does not make sense to the superiors!" Li Shanchang sneered: "You say you are not opposed to the new salt law?
Law, but we all know what we are thinking, so there is no need to play tricks with me! If you want to use this matter to overthrow the Salt Law, you are overthinking it!"
These few people looked at each other and thought that Li Shanchang was really not easy to deal with.
If you don't convince him, you really can't face Zhu Yuanzhang.
Hu Weiyong pondered for a while, then suddenly smiled and said: "Xiang Li, we really have no intention of opposing the Salt Law. We are thinking about how to improve the Salt Law."
"Perfect? Do you have any better ideas?" Li Shanchang curled his lips, not believing it at all.
After the few of them pondered for a while, Yang Siyi, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, said: "Li Xiang, do you think this will work? The Ministry of Revenue will take the lead and set up exclusive shops in various places to sell salt. Select salt merchants with sufficient strength to be responsible for running them. In addition, the salt merchants will be
Allocate people from the transportation yamen and let them be responsible for planning the transportation of salt to various places. There is also a minister in the household department who is responsible for coordinating the salt administration. In this way, many troubles can be solved."
When he said this, Teng Yi also laughed and said: "Good advice, Yang Shangshu! The salt merchant has been dealing with salt for many years and has rich experience. He also has many clerks in the accounting office. Let them handle this matter, and it will be smooth. The salt transportation will be smooth.
The envoy was originally responsible for transporting salt, and now it is natural for him to be responsible for transporting salt to various places. In addition, there is a minister who is responsible for coordinating the salt administration, responsible for the salt tax, and ensuring the annual revenue of the state treasury. In this way, several of the things that Prime Minister Zhang advocated
All goals can be achieved, and there are explanations from the superiors. Isn’t it beautiful to have the best of both worlds?”
Hu Weiyong smiled but said, "It is true that we have the best of both worlds. If we can also have a minister in the tax department, it will be the best of all three."
These people looked at each other, and Yang Siyi said sarcastically: "It's inevitable that we will have people from the tax department."
Li Xi concluded: "Xiangong Li, no matter what, cannot corrupt the national code, let alone allow the subordinates to mess around. Otherwise, we can arrest the salt merchants today, the officials tomorrow, and the rebellion the day after tomorrow! This will not be tolerated!"
Li Shanchang closed his eyes slightly and pondered. After thinking for a moment, he sneered and said, "No matter how clever your tongue is, I won't agree to it!"
Good guy, Li Shanchang directly offended the officials, which made them all look dark and embarrassed.
Although Li Shanchang is a leftist prime minister and is in charge of government affairs, he still has to explain things and let everyone help him. Otherwise, what is the use of an empty leftist prime minister?
As a result, you, Li Shanchang, ignored the wishes of so many of our ministers and insulted us in public. What on earth are you going to do?
Do you still want to hang out?
At this time, Zhou Zhen, the Minister of Punishment, stepped forward to smooth things over and said: "This matter is too big. Let's all think about it carefully and let Xiang Li think about it carefully. We'd better say goodbye."
The group of important ministers left one after another. Li Shanchang looked at their backs and snorted coldly.
How could Lao Li not see what kind of tricks they were playing?
If we follow their approach, let alone lowering the price of salt, the price will rise if not possible!
If this method is just to trick Zhu Yuanzhang, it might be possible, but don't forget, there is also Zhang Ximeng! That kid was familiar with this technique back then.
I guess I learned it from my family, after all, that was how Mr. Yunzhuang was exhausted.
After so many years, Zhang Ximeng has already become a master in cultivation.
You haven't worked with him much, so you don't know how powerful that guy is.
I won’t follow you to seek death!
Li Shanchang had a glimpse of the problem and was unwilling to get involved.
But he never expected that three days later, an official would write a letter of impeachment!
That’s right!
Li Shanchang was impeached.
The charges were also very strange. He was lying on the ground and doing nothing, which led to chaos in the place and boiling public resentment. He was ineffective in supporting the country and incompetent in governance.
Good guy, Li Shan has been growing up for so many years, and no one has ever questioned his ability. Now it's better, there is actually a censor impeaching him.
Lao Li was instantly embarrassed.
These bastards are so courageous!
Li Shanchang was furious, but when he calmed down a little, he had to admit that the other party was very clever at this.
When the prime minister is impeached, the emperor must intervene. In this case, Zhu Yuanzhang cannot help but be involved in the Salt Law.
Even if Li Shanchang didn't come forward and didn't want to get involved, he was still dragged into it and had no choice.
After falling in, Li Shanchang has no final say!
"Good! That's great!"
Li Shanchang was so angry that he gritted his teeth. When Zhu Yuanzhang first started his army, there were not many civil servants. Everyone respected Li Shanchang very much, even Zhang Ximeng was no exception.
People like Xu Da and Chang Yuchun all respected Li Shanchang.
Not to mention the civil servants below, no matter what happens, everyone must communicate with Lao Li and dare not hide it from Prime Minister Li.
It turns out that it's good now. The bastards below don't listen to me and are stumbling upon me!
It’s really better than the previous one!
You guys are really good at it!
Li Shanchang was furious, and in his anger, there was also a trace of panic.
Because the occurrence of this incident meant that I could no longer protect myself, and the people below began to rebel.
This matter is not a good thing for Lao Li.
If you want to maintain your own power, in addition to dealing with those who plot against you, you must also find ways to save some people and let everyone know that Prime Minister Li is still effective.
But Li Shanchang had no idea how to measure this.
But no matter how worried he was, things would not change because of Lao Li's thoughts... Zhu Yuanzhang issued an edict and called all the officials to Fengtian Palace.
Li Shanchang also came. Zhu Yuanzhang was very considerate and gave Li Shanchang a seat.
"From now on, whenever Prime Minister Li comes to the court to discuss matters, he will have a seat."
Good guy, this is a treatment that even Zhang Ximeng doesn’t have!
Lao Li came out on top and deserves to be celebrated.
But Li Shanchang was not happy at all. This bit of tenderness was just a way to pave the way for the storm that would follow!
As expected, the impeachment of Li Shanchang was mentioned next, and the charges were there.
The reason is naturally the Salt Law. Regarding the implementation of the new Salt Law, Li Shanchang sat back and ignored many problems and did nothing, which was a disservice to the emperor.
Zhu Yuanzhang said with a smile: "What's the problem? The salt merchant in Suzhou was arrested? What do you think? You might as well tell us and let us listen so that we can see your clever tricks."
Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at the ministers. At this moment, Hu Weiyong held back and said nothing. Yang Xian just lowered his eyelids and looked at his toes.
"What, do you think Li Xiang is right? Then send those two daring dogs to Peking to guard the border!" Zhu Yuanzhang said angrily.
At this time, Yang Siyi, the Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, finally spoke. He roughly explained what he had told Li Shanchang, which was that salt merchants sell salt, salt transport officials transport salt, and the Ministry of Household... and the Taxation Department,
In charge of salt law.
That's right, he was extra thoughtful and brought Hu Weiyong in.
After listening to this set of strategies, Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly laughed and said, "You are so clever! You are so clever that you can't understand it!"
Zhu Yuanzhang reached out and suddenly grabbed a secret report from the table and threw it to Li Shanchang.
"Mr. Li, take a look!"
Li Shanchang took it in his hand and opened it, sweating instantly on his forehead.
This set of methods has long been written clearly here.
If we want to implement the new salt law, we must set up new salt shops. If there are no new salt shops in various places, and we still rely on the old salt merchants and use their people, how can we lower the price of salt?
This is one of them.
The Salt Transport Envoy is called the Salt Transport Envoy. In fact, they are only responsible for guarding the salt field and guarding the old dogs. How many more livestock and horses will be needed to let them transport salt?
How many more people need to be hired?
Is this expense paid by the court, or is it included in the price of salt?
Furthermore, as for how to collect the salt tax, you only need to arrange a Yuanwailang in the corresponding ministry.
The more officials and personnel are arranged, the greater the salary expenditure will be.
If an official is not laid off and no expenditure is left, but a lot more expenditure is incurred out of thin air, what is the purpose of implementing the new salt law?
Seeing these contents, even Li Shanchang was dumbfounded.
Sure enough, when I met an expert, everything that the officials thought of and didn't expect was written down by them. How can this be fun?
"Mr. Li, do you understand what to do?"
Li Shanchang was shocked and said immediately: "I understand, sir, I recommend that the Salt Transport Envoy Department be abolished immediately!"
Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and said, "Don't be too busy. It will be enough to abolish it in a year and a half. The key is where to implement the new salt law and where it can be abolished. The people cannot live without salt. Mr. Li can handle this matter."
It’s safe!”
Li Shanchang suddenly understood why he was given a seat.