Li Shanchang took over the task, his face turned slightly pale, and he felt uneasy. The Salt Transport Envoy was a fat man. He had been there for so many years, and it was hard to say how many interests were involved.
Now that it is suddenly being abolished, if there is no proper arrangement, God knows how many things will happen.
It is indeed a bit difficult to put everything on your own head.
After Li Shanchang thought for a while, an idea suddenly came to him.
"Your Majesty, the salt transport officials are all under the supervision of Menxiasheng. Now that Prime Minister Zhang is serving as a stay-at-home officer in Peiping, can you ask Yao Guangxiao to help me handle this matter?"
Li Shanchang, this old guy, is still very powerful. Even at this juncture, he still wants to pull Zhang Ximeng. Even if he gets scolded, it's both of them together.
What's more, Menxiasheng is indeed doing this, and it's justified.
Zhu Yuanzhang was not easy to refute, he just said: "Since we have handed over the matter to Mr. Li, we believe in Mr. Li's ability. You think it is okay to ask Yao Guangxiao to be your helper. But things need to be done properly and neatly!"
Li Shanchang nodded quickly, ignoring the livid faces of some people.
Lao Zhu looked at the ministers again. Surprisingly, Zhu Yuanzhang didn't say anything more. He just waved his hand and asked everyone to retreat!
All the ministers' thoughts were focused on the abolition of the Salt Transport Envoy Division, and they did not dare to say anything more, so they could only retire in a hurry.
This imperial meeting was very inconsistent with Zhu Yuanzhang's style.
What is Lao Zhu’s style?
Some people impeached Li Shanchang to attack the new salt law.
Zhu Yuanzhang should distinguish right from wrong, Li Shanchang is innocent, and the person who impeached him should die.
There is nothing wrong with the new salt law. Those who attack the new salt law are traitors and need to be eradicated.
At worst, they should be sent to Peiping to let them taste the bitter cold wind and sand in the north. This is Lao Zhu's temper. But it is obvious that Zhu Yuanzhang means to hold it high and put it down gently. Even the Ministry of Revenue has not dealt with it. In fact,
It was unexpected.
Could it be that Lao Zhu changed his temper and became kind?
Obviously, this is impossible.
Even if Lao Zhu wants to change, he can't do it so quickly.
"Hey, it's been more than ten years. Originally, we were short of salt, so we had to buy it from outside. Officials and businessmen, we all had to accommodate... As time goes by, over the years, we can't tell how many people are involved in this."
Zhu Yuanzhang rubbed his temples and felt a headache for the first time.
Empress Ma was calmer than Zhu Yuanzhang, "No matter what, we still need to let the people benefit. Build a salt store and sell low-price salt to the people. This is the merit of your being an emperor. As for the messy things in the court, I
It's hard for a woman to say anything."
Queen Ma paused and said: "You have to remember one thing. If the female workers in Suzhou are implicated because of their good deeds and become the targets of those dirty things in the court, I will not agree to it!"
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded repeatedly, "Don't worry about this. We have already told Guo Ying and Zhu Liangzu. If they really dare to do this, we will arrest them here!"
Lao Zhu smiled contemptuously, "This time we are just temporarily instigating it and asking Li Shanchang to abolish the Salt Transportation Department. If he can do it well, it means that Zhongshu Province can still be saved. If he can't do it well, there will be no need for the Ming Dynasty.
Him!"
Queen Ma took a deep breath, she was startled by her husband's murderous intent.
After being a veteran for so many years, Li Shanchang has reached the moment of life and death, which is really disappointing!
In the palace, the couple chatted casually, but the topic was earth-shattering.
But at Li Shanchang's residence, he was worried and couldn't sleep at night. He simply got up and walked around the courtyard.
He needs to carefully consider the matter before him... Yang Xian, Hu Weiyong, Yang Siyi and several bastards, the plan they proposed is full of calculations.
First of all, Yang Xian danced the most happily. This guy is probably the safest. He is in charge of Yushitai and has no deep entanglement with Yanfa.
He jumped out on his own initiative, most likely because he wanted to replace himself and move into Zhongshu Province.
Live the prime minister's addiction.
As for Hu Weiyong, this guy is in charge of the tax department and holds the money bag. He also wants to climb up, but he wants to expand the authority of the tax department. If he can hold the salt tax in his hands, he will win.
.
As for the Ministry of Household Affairs, they are the most important. Zhu Yuanzhang has cleaned up the Ministry of Household Affairs several times in the past, but in charge of a country's financial power, this group of people will not be so simple. No one can tell how many shortcomings there are.
.
If it were really opened, the consequences would be disastrous.
Therefore, the Ministry of Revenue hopes to keep it intact, just change the name, and protect the salt merchants and salt transportation envoys so that they can continue to be in power. As for the new Salt Law, it is best if it exists in name only.
Again, this idea is simply unrealistic. Not to mention Zhu Yuanzhang, since Zhang Ximeng launched it, it would not be like this...
"Hey! If I had known this, I should have retired and returned home early!"
Li Shan has been walking until dawn. Faced with the current situation, there is no good way. It is almost impossible to take care of both ends.
It seems that the only way to save one's life is to give up one of them.
But when Li Shanchang dragged his tired body to Zhongshu Province, Yao Guangxiao was waiting here early with official documents in hand.
"Xianggong Li, humble and polite."
Li Shanchang took a deep breath and glanced at the young man subconsciously.
Yao Guangxiao is tall and has a broad frame, but he doesn't have much flesh. His cheekbones are prominent and his cheeks are sunken. Due to the lack of flesh, he is young and his eyelids droop, giving him triangular eyes, which makes him look very gloomy.
This is a master who wants to kill people!
Li Shanchang was suddenly startled. He only thought about dragging Zhang Ximeng into the water and getting ridiculed together, but he didn't expect that Yao Guangxiao was not so easy to manipulate. It was a blessing or a curse for him to intervene!
Sure enough, after sitting down, Yao Guangxiao said directly: "Prime Minister Li, before His Majesty ascended the throne, he established the Lianghuai Capital Transportation Envoy Department, and later established the Liangzhe Salt Transportation Envoy Department in Hangzhou. The Dingdu Transportation Envoy's rank was up to the third rank.
There are Tongzhi, deputy envoy, transportation judge, experience, governor, Zhaomo, Gangguan, salt field commander, Sicheng, centurion and other subordinate officials... In addition, there are salt clerks and kitchen households, which are huge and expensive.
A lot, as much as 30% of the annual salt tax is used to support these people. Now that they are all abolished, it is really a blessing for the country and the people!"
Li Shanchang listened silently, his old face had changed color.
"So many people have been laid off at once? Many of them are meritorious ministers, dedicated, and have put in so much effort for the Ming Dynasty. If they are all laid off, wouldn't it be unkind? Will it chill people's hearts?"
Yao Guangxiao lowered his eyelids and said in a deep voice: "Prime Minister Li, the Salt Transport Department has many shortcomings. If it is abolished now, it may save us less trouble. Otherwise, there will be endless troubles!"
Li Shanchang was startled and his eyes widened, "What do you mean?"
Yao Guangxiao said: "It's not interesting. Take Fan Guang, the transshipment envoy from the two Zhejiang provinces, for example. He is nepotistic and has close ties with salt merchants. Many people have submitted secret reports to his subordinates and told many things. The implication is not small.
.”
Li Shanchang's heart was beating wildly... It was broken, it was really broken.
He opened the door to save water, thinking he was smart, but in the end he was probably screwed up.
Zhang Ximeng will never launch a hasty move. Although he is not in Yingtian now, his soul is still there!
Zhu Yuanzhang used various methods to lure the enemy deeper, so he set up suspicion formations and cast a sky net, just waiting to catch them all in one fell swoop. This is Zhang Ximeng's style.
As a provincial official under his command, Yao Guangxiao held the evidence of crime in his hand but did not reveal it until now. This is also Zhang Ximeng's style.
What does this mean?
Is it possible that you are trying to trick yourself into it?
Li Shanchang thought for a while and said decisively: "Since Fan Guang has a problem, why not arrest him immediately?"
Yao Guang Xiao said: "He is responsible for the salt affairs of the two Zhejiang provinces. Even the salt from Yingtian needs him to supply it. In a hurry, he can't move!"
Li Shanchang said in a deep voice: "In the past, it was right to be cautious. But now that the new salt law has been rolled out, Changlu will be used to supply salt in the sky. There is no need to be afraid. Every area is transferred to the envoy, so don't worry. I immediately ordered that he should be sent first
Take it down and investigate closely!"
Yao Guangxiao's expression was as usual, he just nodded and said: "The people from the Gongwei Division are ready, just waiting for Prime Minister Li's order."
Li Shanchang was even more frightened. As expected, Menxiasheng had a premeditated plan.
"Start immediately, no need to hesitate. I also want to know how much money these silverfish have made from the salt method!"
Yao Guangxiao pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement and stood up to leave.
The new salt law encountered so much resistance that there were voices of opposition in the court.
If the salt service is a hard job that everyone avoids because of fear, why are there so many objections? It has long been obedient and has been abolished.
The greater the resistance, the greater the benefit!
This is almost inevitable.
From top to bottom, everything is prepared.
But when the Imperial Guards dispatched troops to capture Fan Guang, the transfer envoy of the two Zhejiang capitals, people suddenly discovered how much wealth this man had.
Fan Guang has a long beard and regular facial features, which is in line with the current aesthetics. He is the kind of person who has a very official appearance. He is also a person who pays great attention to his own image. Since he became the transfer envoy of the capital, in addition to his official uniform, he also wears private clothes.
Fan Guang saw that the people below, or salt merchants, had a habit of rarely wearing the same clothes.
Those jade pendants and ornaments are all different. Moreover, each one is very precious and can be called a work of art.
How a man can live his life so exquisitely is astonishing.
The Arch Guard who was responsible for the inspection was a little confused...it was impossible not to be confused!
In Fan Guang's study, there is a picture posted, which reads: A gentleman is like jade.
During the inventory of his property, let's not even mention how many pieces there were of various kinds of jade pendants.
It adds up to more than 200 kilograms!
The inventory was delivered to Zhu Yuanzhang. Old Zhu was dumbfounded. He rubbed his eyes to confirm that he had read correctly. There were so many?
Crazy!
It happened that Mrs. Ma brought him lunch, and Lao Zhu asked with a blushing face: "That girl, how much jewelry do you have now?"
Empress Ma smiled and said, "I must have a hundred or so of them. Except for important events every year, I don't need them... Why do you think of asking this?"
Lao Zhu said awkwardly: "No, it's nothing... I just thought that I would prepare more for you in a while. No, it can't be too shabby."