What can prove that the reform was successful?

Throughout the ages, the criterion for proving the success of reform has been very simple: an increase in income and an increase in national strength are more intuitive and straightforward than the latter.

The Ming Dynasty was nervous, which was a well-known thing, and even in the year when Wanli ascended the throne, because there was no silver money to send the Beijing officials, they had to use pepper and other physical discounts, so that the hundred officials in Beijing were full of grievances.

In a word, it is because the court is poor, so it is necessary to increase income, and to increase income, it is necessary to reform!

In the final analysis, the impetus for reform is not because of anything else, but because of ...... No money! Since you have no money, you have to enjoy a new way.

But there is resistance to any reform, and if you want to prove the success of the reform, you must speak with the facts, and you must speak with the increase in the income of the imperial court.

Seeing that it was the end of the year again, in order to block the mouths of the world, so, again, some people set their eyes on "gold and silver".

Again, when an official asked that the "gold and silver" be handed over to the household department and sent to the case again, Zhu Yijun immediately summoned Zhang Juzheng urgently. When Zhang Juzheng had just sat down after his majesty's ceremony, Zhu Yijun couldn't wait to ask:

"Mr. Zhang, the recital of this household department mentioned "gold and silver" again, does it mean that the military generals will not be paid? The emperor and queen in the palace don't eat? ”

"The minister is terrified."

His Majesty's questioning made Zhang Juzheng's heart tremble slightly. This hat is a bit big, someone has moved his mind to gold and silver, of course he knows, but he does not object, in the first year of orthodoxy, Yingzong allowed a part of the grain to be converted into gold and silver, and one million taels of silver per year is the amount, which is the so-called "gold and silver". All the money was put into the inner carrier warehouse and was not sent to Nanjing. Except for more than 100,000 taels of silver as a military general, all the others belong to the emperor. At this point, part of the inner transport depot provided the salaries of the military generals in Beijing, and part of it became the private property of the pure emperor. It is worth noting that from now on, the Ministry of Household Affairs has no authority over the funds of the internal transport treasury. Of course, it was from this time that the household department had its own warehouse. Most of the money and grain in the world are in the Tai warehouse.

However, for a long time, the imperial court has been salivating over the millions of taels of gold. After all, this is a real hit of a million taels of silver! Therefore, he has never objected to someone who asks for gold and silver to be included in the Tai Warehouse, and of course he does not mean that he wants to come to the whole place, after all, the palace also has to eat.

"However, they are also for the imperial court, after all, the imperial court has a lot of expenses, and although the old ministers have worked hard to maintain it in recent years, the availability is still extremely tight."

"Then in Mr. Zhang's opinion, this gold and silver should be handed over to the Tai Warehouse?"

"The minister thinks that there is no gold and silver in the ancestral system, and this gold and silver is set in the Yingzong period......"

"In the ancestral system, all the banknotes have been handed over to the inner treasury."

Zhu Yijun said directly.

"But the expenses of banknote customs are all borne by the household......"

Facing Zhang Juzheng, he answered frankly. Zhu Yijun was silent for a long time, and then frowned and asked.

"What does Mr. Zhang mean, does it mean that if all the expenses of this banknote are borne by the palace, it can all go to the inner treasury?"

Zhu Yijun asked this question trickily.

Zhang Juzheng said in his heart.

"Now let the emperor grasp the handle, if you agree, what if the emperor wants to go through the bank? It's an income of more than 100,000 taels a year! But if you categorically veto, wouldn't it be a slap in the face? ”

After thinking about it, in order to take care of his own face and let this matter be revealed, Zhang Juzheng coughed and replied:

"Your Majesty, the minister thinks that this internal official is not suitable to serve as an official of the banknote customs, so it is not in harmony with the system. Moreover, if this is an example, should the gold and silver not be levied by the local government? ”

Seeing Zhang Juzheng coming back like this, Zhu Yijun's heart was filled with joy, and sure enough, just as Shi Yiwen expected, he pretended to sigh.

"Mr. Zhang, I don't mean to send internal officials to the local government to collect taxes, but, since Mr. said so, then I naturally can't fake the public and private anymore, don't you say!"

The seemingly selfless answer made Zhang Juzheng hurriedly replied:

"The minister thought that the royal family directly sent internal officials to collect taxes, and it was not in harmony with the system."

"Yes, it is indeed not in harmony with the system, and it should be handed over to the inner treasury according to the system of money!"

Zhu Yijun sighed.

"Besides, speaking of which, isn't Mr. Zhang's reform also to reform the evil disease of my Daming? Discord with the system? The old system is out of date, and of course it should be revised, isn't that what Mr. Zhang often teaches? ”

Zhang Juzheng, who was blocked by Zhu Yijun with his own words, immediately felt a headache.

"The fault of this matter lies with the subordinates, please forgive your majesty."

Compared with others, Zhang Juzheng admits his mistakes and is also neat.

"Huh?"

"The household department arbitrarily discussed the recovery of gold and silver, and the subordinates did not stop it, but blindly protected it, which is really the fault of the subordinates."

Zhang Juzheng's apology, Zhu Yijun was quite proud when he heard it, after all, for many years, it has always been Mr. who has disciplined him, so there is an opportunity for him to teach Mr., it is really not easy to have such an opportunity, but this matter can't just end like this, after all, he still has other thoughts in his heart, but he has no bottom in his heart about whether this matter can be done, so he asked:

"Mr. Zhang, what the household department said is indeed true, this gold and silver is levied by the local government, and the local government does have some fees, it seems that I really take advantage of the country, Mr. Zhang, you say, what should I do?"

Zhu Yijun put on a panicked look, as if he was really unwilling to "take advantage of the country." ”

"Under the whole world, it is not the king's land, it is not the shore of the land, it is not the king's minister, according to the minister's opinion, it is natural for the minister to do things for the emperor, and the emperor does not have to blame himself so much."

"Are you just letting others accuse me of taking advantage of the country, and only caring about my own private affairs and ignoring the country?"

Zhu Yijun's words made Zhang Juzheng only feel a chill on his back, even if he was as shrewd as him, he didn't know how to answer the emperor.

"Subordinates, subordinates ......"

Just when he was hesitating whether to suggest that the officials who had folded up be re-applied, Zhang Juzheng heard Zhu Yijun say.

"Sir has always taught me to live frugally, the palace expenses should be reduced as much as possible, can not be used in the palace, regardless of the country, this gold and silver and other funds are indeed levied by the local government, all the internal treasury, it is indeed inevitable that there will be officials dissatisfied, even if one person is reprimanded today, he will still be mentioned again in the future, in the long run, it is bound to make the subjects of the world think that I am taking advantage of the country, damaging the treasury and enriching the inner treasury, this is definitely not the Ming monarch's ......"