Four hundred and five chapters are not beneficial to the people and the country is beneficial
In the Sansi Yamen, Zhang Yue was working on the case, but he heard Zhang Kongmu come to report: "The Kaifeng Prefecture took a dozen salt merchants and said they were hoarding salt products and buying low and selling high. Three of them were killed!"
"
After Zhang Yue listened, Sun He took action to punish the salt merchants.
Zhang Kongmu said: "Nowadays, everyone in the market is panicked."
Zhang Yue asked: "Has the price of salt dropped?"
Zhang Kongmu said: "It's only a 20% reduction, but the salt merchants have also made adjustments. Many salt merchants used to sell salt in three cabinets, but now they only have one cabinet. In front of this cabinet are people buying salt. There are rows of people buying salt.
It’s a whole street. If it keeps going like this, I’m afraid it’s going to get even higher!”
Zhang Yue nodded, and then Zhang Kongmu said: "Today, all the businessmen in the Jiaoyin shop in the world have submitted their notices and want to see the bachelor."
Zhang Yue said: "It seems that they are like rabbits and foxes. They are afraid that it will be their turn next."
"Do you see me or not, maester?"
Zhang Yue asked: "What does the hole eye mean?"
Zhang Kongmu said: "Unless it is absolutely necessary, it is better not to fight with swords. Killing people is indeed pleasurable, but if you kill someone, your head will not grow back."
Zhang Kongmu said: "Does a bachelor really want to be like Sun He?"
Zhang Kong saw that Zhang Yue was speechless and said hurriedly: "In a humble position, one should not pry rashly. Bachelor's degree, please forgive me!"
Zhang Yue threw a thick stack of invitations aside.
Zhang Kongmu felt that he couldn't understand Zhang Yue, and he didn't even discuss it with these exchanges. What did he mean by not killing him? But he was free to spare time to protect the medical officers.
At this time, the palace summoned Fan Shidao and Zhang Yue to enter the palace to see them.
After hearing the decree, Zhang Yue went to the judge's hall, but seeing Fan Shidao also had a solemn face, Zhang Yue asked: "Do you know why the deputy envoy was summoned?"
Master Fan said: "I heard that the provincial governor offended the officials yesterday for some reason..."
It turned out that Zhao Shu had been seriously ill for several days, but now he has recovered, but he still listens to the government together with Empress Dowager Cao.
At this time, Wang Gui suddenly wrote a memorial asking Empress Dowager Cao to withdraw the curtain and return the government to the officials.
Zhang Yue heard about Wang Gui's actions and lamented that Wang Gui really knew his mistakes and could correct them. He had made several stupid moves in the past when he was the prince, but now he understood the principle of an emperor and a minister, and Shangshu asked Empress Dowager Cao to withdraw.
On the contrary, Cai Xiang, who has always maintained an ambiguous attitude on the matter of the crown prince... has some shoes to wear.
Now that the official family has called Fan Shidao and Zhang Yue into the palace, it may not be a good thing.
Fan Shidao, after Zhang Yue entered the palace, went to the Rouyi Hall, but saw Han Qi, Zeng Gongliang and other ministers in the palace reporting to the officials and the Queen Mother. The Queen Mother was in the west curtain, and the curtain was down. As for the officials in the east curtain,
, the curtain rolled up.
After Zhang Yue entered, he took a look at the official, but saw that his complexion was slightly better. Looking at other officials in the palace, he saw that Cai Xiang had a livid face.
Fan Shidao said that after Zhang Yue paid homage, he immediately stood behind several prime ministers.
The discussion in the palace continued, and the Queen Mother said: "The Third Division should use the money for the mountain mausoleum, and the grain is 500,000 guan. The Third Division cannot afford the salary. The Third Division proposed to transfer Shaanxi Yuanbian to Zhongyan in Yong'an County, and Shaanxi Transport Secretary Xue Xiang
But I can't say it. Mr. Han, are you the envoy of Shanling? "
Zhang Yue knew that Cai Xiang had taken action against Xue Xiang.
Han Qi said: "Xue Xiang said that Shaanxi's income depends entirely on the salt sold along the border. If the salt business is not smooth because of the use of money for mountains and mausoleums, it will shake the foundation of the northwest. I have discussed it with Xue Xiang, and he was previously willing to help with 200,000 yuan.
Now I am willing to add another 300,000 yuan to help the mountain and mausoleum, and give it to the 500,000 yuan planned by the three divisions."
After Han Qi finished speaking, Cai Xiang's face turned even livid.
Zhang Yue's understanding of Xue Xiang's shamelessness also rose to a higher level.
The Empress Dowager said: "Previously, Wang Tao and other ministers spent a lot of money to explain the mountains and mausoleums. The people in the imperial court are now poor and should not be lavish. It will also damage the reputation of the late emperor's simplicity. However, the officials are full of benevolence and filial piety, which makes the princes take it for granted.
Infamy, now Xue Xiang has solved the urgent problem."
Han Qi was criticized by the opposition Wang Tao for managing the mountain mausoleum. Su Xun, the editor of the Li Yuan, also wrote a letter to remonstrate with Han Qi, saying, "In the past, Hua Yuan buried his emperor generously, and the gentleman thought he was a disobedient; Han Wen was buried in Ba Ling."
, The trees do not change their order, there is no gold or jade hidden in them, the world considers them to be sages, and future generations will be content with Mount Tai'.
As a result, Han Qi was unable to advance or retreat.
Han Qi was the chief minister under the orders of the late emperor, and he was also the envoy of the mountain mausoleum. If he advocated a sparse burial, he would definitely be criticized. The criticism was not caused by Han Qi himself, but by the current emperor who inherited the throne from a small clan to a large clan. He was unfilial.
Just put your name on it.
But at this time, Xue Xiang stood up and said grandly that I had paid for all the Shanling money!
This move effectively saved Han Qi's face.
At this time, the Queen Mother asked: "Guan, what do you think of this Xue Xiang?"
The Queen Mother listens to the government behind the curtain, and the officials are like puppets, usually just nodding.
Now the Empress Dowager asked, the official said: "Xue Xiang does not increase private taxes, but uses his own efforts to provide 500,000 mountain tomb coins. He is really a capable minister and official."
Cai Xiang, the envoy of the Third Secretary, said bluntly: "Your Majesty, the price of salt in the capital is soaring now, and the salt banknotes issued by Xue Xiang have increased from six guan per seat to twenty guan per seat now. Where does this Shanling coin come from? It all depends on the people of Bianjing."
Here you go! Why didn't the officials thank the people, but instead thanked Xue Xiang?"
As soon as Cai Xiang said these words, the officials were stunned.
Zhang Yue saw that the official family was in a very embarrassed state. He, who had just ascended the throne, was still a little unable to deal with Cai Xiang, a minister of the previous dynasty.
Seeing that the officials could not step down, Zhang Yue went out and said: "The price of salt in Bianjing has not dropped yet. It is my fault that I have failed to live up to the entrustment of the Queen Mother, and I still ask the Queen Mother to punish me!"
When Zhang Yue interrupted, everyone heaved a sigh of relief.
Empress Dowager Cao, who was behind the curtain, smiled and said: "I gave Zhang Qing a period of one month, but now that one month has not come, what's the crime? Zhang Qing doesn't have to worry too much."
Zhang Yue said he stepped aside.
Zeng Gongliang, Ouyang Xiu and others all looked at Zhang Yue and smiled. This guy was very sensible.
At this time Han Qi spoke: "This time the Queen Mother summoned Deputy Envoy Fan and Judge Zhang came here just for the salt matter. Does the Salt and Iron Department now have regulations?"
Fan Shidao said: "To report to the Queen Mother, I believe that most of the salt sold in the capital is dissolved salt, and salt merchants use banknotes to dissolve salt. If the salt banknotes do not fall, the price of salt will not fall. Please ask the Shaanxi Transport Department to remove the salt banknotes."
It’s the Capital Salt Garden.”
"As long as there is a supply of salt banknotes in the Capital Salt Institute, the price of salt will drop!"
Zeng Gongliang said: "What if 50,000 seats are shipped and still can't be dropped?"
"The Shaanxi Transportation Department will allocate more. In the past, a salt banknote was as low as five guan, and even among the people, it was exchanged for three or four guan. Now it is rare for it to rise to 20 guan."
Zeng Gong said clearly: "But how long is this time? One month, two months, three months? Yesterday, Xue Xiang advocated reducing the number of people to relieve the pond in order to increase the people's resources and reduce the price of salt banknotes."
Zhang Yue thought to himself, it's really shameless.
The price of salt in Jieyan has skyrocketed. Xue Xiang does not want to increase Qifu and increase the salt production of Jiechi. Instead, he wants to reduce Qifu and reduce this year's salt production.
Xue Xiangfu explained that this move was equivalent to reducing the reserve requirement for salt banknotes, in other words, "reducing the reserve requirement." As long as there are more than one empty banknote in the market, the salt banknotes will naturally depreciate in value.
Xue Xiang seems to have solved the problem of skyrocketing salt prices in the imperial court, but in fact his purpose is to increase virtual money in disguise!
If the Third Bureau does not allow me to print money, then I will print the same amount of money every year and reduce salt production to increase the amount of fictitious money!
Seeing the official queen mother on the scene, she still didn't understand the mystery.
Zhang Yue stood up and said: "This is absolutely unacceptable!"
"Qing Zhang, why not?"
Zhang Yue said: "Reporting to the Queen Mother, I have calculated an account for Xue Zhuanshi for the imperial court. One million seven hundred and seventy thousand salt banknotes, one bank of six guan, is 1,062 guan. Without the cost, the annual salt banknotes are
The surplus is about two million dollars."
"Nowadays, with fewer farm workers, the salt production is lower, but the annual income from salt banknotes is still 1,060 guan. On the contrary, the actual banknotes are less, the cost is reduced, and the profit is more than 2 million."
"If there is an increase in salt production and the transportation department receives one thousand and sixty guan, the actual money will increase, and the cost will increase significantly. Finally, the transportation department's profit will decrease. Therefore, the transshipment officer will reduce the amount of money to increase the amount of fictitious money!"
After Zhang Yue said this, Empress Dowager Cao suddenly realized and glanced at Han Qi from behind the curtain. Zeng Gongliang was very dissatisfied.
"Qing Zhang, what can you do?" Empress Dowager Cao suddenly had confidence in Zhang Yue because of his talent. The officials also nodded, but he was only listening to the government, so he continued to act like a woodcarver.
Empress Dowager Cao said warmly: "On that day, Zhang Qing told me in this palace that he would benefit the people as long as he served as an official. I still remember these words."
Zhang Yue listened to the Queen Mother's words and felt his blood surge. Although the time was not yet ripe, he could only express his own opinions at this moment.
"Reporting to the Queen Mother, it seems that if Yi Chen wants to lower the price of salt in Beijing, he still needs the Shaanxi Transportation Department to issue banknotes to the Capital Salt Institute!"
Everyone thought that Zhang Yue had some clever tricks up his sleeve. If Xue Xiang was willing to issue money, he would not use methods such as donating mountain mausoleum money or reducing the number of people in Qi.
He clearly refused to give it.
Zhang Yue said: "The Shaanxi Transportation Bureau refused to give the money to the Capital Salt Institute because it had nothing to do with it. Furthermore, last year, the various offices in the capital hoarded a large amount of salt money when the salt money was not worth five guan. Now,
The price of banknotes is soaring, and they make false estimates and quotes, chasing the rise and killing the fall, in an attempt to make huge profits!"
"I believe that these two factors mean that even though the imperial court has a capital salt court, the power over the salt banknotes is not in the hands of the imperial court."
Ouyang Xiu frowned and said: "Yunsi can force them, but those Jiaoyinpu... maybe we have to arrest a group of businessmen to kill them!"
Ouyang Xiu knew Zhang Yue's background and was worried that Zhang Yue would cause unnecessary trouble.
Zhang Yue said: "Killing the businessmen is just a waste of money. As for the transportation department, there is no need to force them. I do not use force to do things, but induce them with benefits!"
"How to lure him?"
Zhang Yueyan said: "Businessmen are interested in profit, and the court is interested in justice. These are two ends of the spectrum! If a merchant is not profitable, he is not a merchant. Just like the Jiaoyin Shop in Jieshen Lane, the price of salt banknotes is usually kept low.
It endangers the credibility of the court and makes huge profits without producing, but if the court takes appropriate measures, it can be detrimental to the people but beneficial to the country."
"What does it mean that it is not beneficial to the people but beneficial to the country?" the Queen Mother couldn't help but ask.
Zhang Yue said: "I believe that all businesses that are not beneficial to the people and beneficial to the country should be owned by the country. Like Jiaoyinpu, what is the difficulty in running it? The difficulty is that we have good credit."
“But which merchant in the world is as big as the country, and which merchant’s credit is as good as the country?”
After saying this, Zhang Yue paused for a moment, but saw that the people present were already listening.
"Therefore, I advocated that the Shaanxi Transportation Bureau should provide salt banknotes, the Third Division should provide money, and then recruit a businessman who is familiar with the method to form a joint venture, and set up a Jiaoyinpu under the Capital Salt Institute! This should be done with the method of official supervision of business affairs. In this way, we can operate salt
Whether the price of banknotes goes up or down, the benefits can also be attributed to the imperial court!"