"If you have something to do, report it early; if nothing happens, leave the court!" r
The next day, during the morning court, as the eunuch Zhang De's voice fell, Zhao Junchen stepped out of the queue and addressed Emperor Deqing: "Your Majesty, I have something to report!" r
Seeing Zhao Junchen coming out of the queue first, Emperor Deqing was stunned for a moment, and then said with a warm expression: "Oh? What does Zhao Aiqing have to report? Tell me." r
On the surface, Emperor Deqing's favor towards Zhao Junchen remains the same, and there is no sign of any suspicion at all.r
Zhao Junchen's expression was solemn, showing his loyalty to the country, and he said slowly: "Your Majesty, droughts have occurred in Shaanxi, Gansu, Shanxi, Henan and other places this year. As the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, I started to prepare money and food in advance after learning the news. Matters, in case the drought breaks out in these places, the court will be caught off guard and in a hurry when providing relief." r
Hearing what Zhao Junchen said, Emperor Deqing looked even more appreciative, nodded and praised: "I am very relieved that Zhao Aiqing was able to prevent problems in the bud, and I feel very relieved when I leave the household department to Zhao Aiqing to manage. "r
However, after hearing Emperor Deqing's praise, Zhao Junchen's expression became more serious, and he said slowly: "I have the trust of His Majesty. I have always worked hard when managing the household department and did not dare to slack off in the slightest. But now The Ministry of Revenue is still in trouble! After checking the grain storage accounts of the Ministry of Revenue, I found that the amount of grain stored in the imperial court has reached an extremely dangerous level. The grain stored in the granaries north of the Yangtze River is no longer enough to provide relief to the people in Shaanxi, Gansu, Shanxi, Henan and other places. The disaster has occurred, and the remaining grains in the Jingtong Second Warehouse near the capital are also insufficient. If we want to relieve the disasters in Shaanxi, Gansu, Shanxi, Henan and other places, we may have to dispatch grains from Jiangnan, Huguang and other places." r
After hearing what Zhao Junchen said, Emperor Deqing didn't really care.r
In Emperor Deqing's view, as long as there was surplus grain in Jingtong Ercang, the matter was still under control. As long as too many people did not starve to death in the center of the capital, disasters in other places would not shake the foundation of the Ming Dynasty.r
Therefore, Emperor Deqing just nodded and said: "In that case, Zhao Aiqing can just dispatch food from Jiangnan and Huguang. You are the Minister of the Ministry of Households and are in charge of the world's money and food. There is no need to deliberately report this kind of thing to me." r
Zhao Junchen's serious expression did not change at all. He shook his head and said: "Your Majesty, I am not worried about this year's drought, but next year! The court's food supply has reached its limit. If natural disasters continue to occur as frequently as this year next year, the court's food reserves will be exhausted. It is no longer enough to help the people. By that time, there will inevitably be a large number of refugees fleeing famine, but we have to prevent it!" r
After hearing this, Emperor Deqing's expression finally became a little more serious, and he frowned and asked: "Oh? The situation is already so serious? So Zhao Aiqing, do you have any solution to this matter?" r
After hearing Emperor Deqing's inquiry, Zhao Junchen was well prepared. He took out a memorial from his sleeve and said loudly: "Your Majesty, I believe that food is the most important thing related to the stability of the country, but the imperial court Every year there is a shortage of grain collection, and the national grain inventory has gradually fallen into deficit, which has caused today's predicament. If you want to reverse the predicament of grain shortage, you must be based on the long term so that you can rest assured. Therefore, I have passed After thinking hard, I came up with five countermeasures, and I hope your Majesty will learn from them." r
"Oh? Do you have five countermeasures? Tell me." r
"First, the local government offices are urged to follow the guidance of the agricultural books newly compiled by the Ministry of Household Affairs to cultivate the people, so as to increase the grain production of the fields and reduce losses once disasters occur in various places; secondly, after investigation, the Ministry of Household Affairs found that potatoes
The yields of these two crops, corn and corn, are extremely high and are less affected by disasters. It is recommended that the imperial court vigorously promote them, especially in places where disasters occur all year round, such as Shaanxi-Gansu, Shanxi, Henan, and Northern Zhili, and they should be cultivated on a large scale; thirdly,
The imperial court promulgated decrees to limit the quantity and scale of private wine brewing in order to save food and fill local grain depots; fourth, the imperial court allocated money to build irrigation facilities such as canals, waterwheels, and dams in various places to ensure the food supply in various places.
production to prevent losses caused by future disasters; fifth, urge farmers in Jiangnan and Huguang to reduce planting of fruits, tea, cotton, etc., and increase grain cultivation, so as to increase the grain reserves of the court and the people; r
I think that once these measures are implemented, the court's food shortage will be greatly alleviated, and food collection in various places will not repeatedly be insufficient. Even if large-scale natural disasters occur frequently in the future, the court will also
We are fully capable of dealing with it and will not breed chaos among the refugees. I hope Your Majesty will learn from it!" r
Originally, in order for the agricultural reform he conceived to be passed smoothly, Zhao Junchen had divided these five suggestions and prepared to submit them to the court separately, so as to reduce the opposition of officials and increase the possibility of success.r
Especially the fifth suggestion that Zhao Junchen has presented now has harmed the interests of most officials, so Zhao Junchen is already planning to give up for the time being.r
But now, in order to deal with Emperor Deqing's suspicion and suppression, Zhao Junchen put these suggestions together again and threw them all out in one breath.r
Then, just as Zhao Junchen expected, after hearing his submission, all the officials were in an uproar.r
That's all Zhao Junchen's first suggestion. It was actually passed at the meeting yesterday morning! But the following four suggestions made all the officials stunned. They only thought that Zhao Junchen's idea was ridiculous and a fantasy! r
Even if there is a problem with the court's food reserves, so what? At most, it will starve to death a few unlucky victims. As long as the victims do not flock to the capital to cause trouble, peace can still be whitewashed, and the officials will not suffer too much.
Why do you, Zhao Junchen, need to go to war?r
Promote the cultivation of potatoes and corn on a large scale? Restrict private brewing of alcohol? Why? Everything is stable in this country now, why do we need to deliberately change it?
If it is just these two suggestions, then that's it. The interests of the officials will not be greatly damaged, and only ordinary people will be affected. Although the officials will not express support, they will not strongly oppose it! r
But the last two suggestions are too big a problem! r
Most of the officials in the court have purchased fields in Jiangnan, Huguang and other places. Most of these fields are planted with fruits, tea, cotton and other crops. After all, these crops are more profitable. Now they are asked to use them.
If the crops in the fields are replaced by ordinary rice and wheat, then most officials will suffer losses!r
In the eyes of the officials, it is just to prevent disasters before they happen, to provide relief to the victims, and to store grain for the imperial court. These are all matters that have nothing to do with them, but why should they harm the profits of the officials?
There is also the matter of the imperial court allocating money to build irrigation facilities such as canals, water trucks, and dams in various places. This matter requires a lot of money. In the eyes of the officials, this is obviously Zhao Junchen's eye on Huang Yourong's work in the south.
The money gained from the house raids in Zhili! After all, the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Household Affairs are all in the hands of Zhao Junchen. Once a large sum of money is invested in it, who knows how much Zhao Junchen will be secretly greedy?
It's okay for you, Zhao Junchen, to be greedy for money, but your appetite is too big, right? If the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Household Affairs take so much money, won't other yamen have less money? You, Zhao Junchen, eat a lot of meat, but you are
You didn’t even leave us any soup?r
So, as soon as Zhao Junchen finished speaking, he was met with opposition from all the officials! r