When Qi Tai came out of the Rouyi Palace, he said goodbye to the envoys of the foreign feudal clans and others, and prepared to go to the cabinet of the Wuying Hall in the south.

At this time, he saw his colleague Qian Xun, who was watching from a distance. Qian Xun seemed to have something, but did he come straight to the door of the Rouyi Palace, or was he a little hesitant. So Qi Tai walked over by himself, and when he saw Qian Xun, the two of them arched.

Qian Xun is a civil official in his thirties, of medium build, ordinary appearance, and the kind of person who is easily unnoticed. He was able to achieve his current position entirely because of his background in the history of the Han Dynasty.

After a few words of greeting, Qian Xun, who had a sad face, sighed, like a not-so-pleasant topic opener. Qian Xun was not verbose, and said straight to the point: "There is still a lack of money." Xia Guan thought about asking to see the saint, but thinking that there was still a way to do this, he hesitated for a while. The solution is to ask Qi Butang to mediate, which is really disturbing. ”

"Looking for Natsubedo?" Qi Tai is also very straightforward and goes straight to the point.

Qi Tai, the secretary of the military department and the minister of the cabinet, is not only in charge of his own affairs, but he is also responsible for communicating the relationship between the various yamen.

Mainly because there were often disagreements between the former officials of the Han Dynasty and those of the new yamen and the old officials of the imperial court. And Qi Tai's identity is special, he is not only an old minister of the Jianwen Dynasty, but also a hero of the "crime", and he can speak on both sides, so everyone is often willing to look for him.

Sure enough, Qian Xun nodded and said, "It's mainly the household department, but if the Ministry of Industry can help, and Qi Butang can also think of a way in the Ministry of War, things will be easier to handle." ”

"I'm going to the cabinet, let's talk as we go." Qi Tai Dao.

Qian Xun said: "The Holy Lord once decreed that the treasury and household department of the palace should allocate money every year, worth 200,000 yuan of old money; At first, it was sufficient, and the Southern Administration was able to allocate money to reward officials and craftsmen. But since last year, the money has not been enough, because the iron factory has been ordered to produce a batch of fire guns and armor for the country of Annam. ”

Qi Tai was a little surprised: "That batch of things, Annan Guo wants to exchange silkworm cocoons and rice grain, and the goods exchanged for should be received by the household department." The household department did not allocate money and food to you? ”

Qian Xun turned his head and glared, "No." The people from the Ministry of Households, the Ministry of Industry, and the Ministry of War all believed that the Iron Works of the Southern Administration did not need capital. The household department also sent an official document to the South Administration, saying that it was reasonable, but there was no money or food. ”

He went on to elaborate: "The key to making fire armor is iron, charcoal (coking coal), and artisan manpower. Iron materials and charcoal smelting were supplied by the household department in various prefectures and counties, and were transported in batches by county officials and civil servants from official kilns in various places.

The craftsmen and military craftsmen were provided by the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of War respectively, and the two yamen allocated some resident craftsmen, shift craftsmen, and military craftsmen to serve in the Iron Works of the Southern Bureau. These artisans are inherited from their fathers, and they are not allowed to leave their nationality, do not need to be paid, and have to pay grain taxes to the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of War. The government only provided grain and salt when the artisans were working; And these grains and salts were also borne by the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of War. Therefore, my colleagues believed that the Iron Works of the Southern Department no longer needed wages. ”

Qi Tai nodded in response from time to time, listening to Qian Xun's narration.

Qian Xun changed his words and said, "However, things are by no means what they seem on paper!" Iron and charcoal are often not supplied as scheduled, and the quantity is always short, and delays are common; Even if the raw materials were transported to the South Department Iron Works, the good and bad things were mixed...... In fact, they are almost all bad. Can't the Shouyu Sinan Department reopen the factory and return those iron materials and charcoal smelting?

And those craftsmen and military craftsmen who were transferred, many of them did not know any craftsmanship at all, and some of them were not good at this industry at all, just because their grandfather and father were craftsmen, they became craftsmen. There are also those who did not come for various reasons, some of whom fled, and some of whom spent money and handed over to the branch of the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of War to be exempted from service; However, the people in the county branches collected the money, but did not hire people for the Southern Administration. ”

Qian Xun sighed and said, "The Holy Lord has told his ministers many times to make good and cheap weapons. The ministers are deeply favored by the emperor, how can they deceive their superiors and subordinates and get away with them?

Therefore, the lower officials thought of a way to sell all the raw materials supplied by the counties to private mines at low prices, and they couldn't use them anyway; Then pay for good iron and charcoal. Then spend money to hire merchants to help and transport them to Beijing.

And those craftsmen who are not useful, the lower officials let them pay to offset the forced labor; But the artisan households are not under the control of the imperial priest, we can't cure the artisan households, and after they return to their hometowns, most of them will deny not paying. In addition, there are also escaped and short artisan households, and there is simply not enough manpower. The lower officials could only allocate money to hire craftsmen from all over the country, and use the grain and salt supplied by the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of War as part of their wages.

In this way, the 200,000 yuan of old money allocated by the household department and the palace treasury every year can no longer be maintained; Last year, a large number of weapons were added, and the Yugoslav Administration continued to run short of money and food, and now it still owes money to private mines and craftsmen. If we don't pay it back, where will we buy materials and hire people in the future? The Southern Agency has limited powers, and it cannot control those merchants and craftsmen. ”

Qian Xun looked distressed, shook his head and said: "Originally, Xia Guan only did the history of the Han Dynasty's mansion, but I really didn't expect that the joints in the court were so complicated. ”

Qi Tai suddenly echoed: "Under the sixth department, those supply chains and craftsmen have always been a confused account, and no one can sort it out. The money is not to blame for this.

For example, a county in Taiping Prefecture is responsible for supplying charcoal to Qian Yuanjun, but this county may also supply various degrees to ten places at the same time; So it's good that the county magistrate can transport the charcoal smelting to you, how can you ask for a deadline and good or bad? ”

Qian Xun finally showed some relief after hearing this, and he hurriedly nodded and said, "What Qi Butang said is extremely true, it is really too difficult. And take a lead in the whole body, these things are related to the household department, the military department, the Ministry of Industry, and the local officials, there is really no way.

After thinking about it, Xia Guan felt that there were only two results. The first is to let the household allocate money; Second, the Southern Iron Works could not guarantee the quality, construction period, and even quantity of the weapons.

As a result of the latter, there is a great trust from the saints; Therefore, after thinking about it, the lower officials still have to give money from the household department. And because of the problems of those craftsmen, the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of War also have a share, so how much money should be paid? ”

Qi Tai shook his head and said in a deep voice: "Don't rely on the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of War; The central yamen, which exploited the money of the craftsmen and the Beijing masters, did not receive much, and the local branches had already used it for various expenses. We, the yamen, are barely maintaining, and we really have no choice but to try to scrape them from the local people under our authority.

It can still be maintained for now, but if the courtiers want to do anything great on their own, it will definitely not work; Unless the Holy God comes forward to do it, the government will find a way to increase the excesses and miscellaneous taxes.

During the Yongle period, Emperor Taizong prepared to move the capital to Beiping. Now that he ascended the throne, he stopped this major event, because he was worried that the people in Shandong and other places near the left of Beiping might be forced to rebel; During the 'Battle of Jingjing', Shandong and other places were deeply affected by the war and had to recuperate, and the government could not exploit too much, let alone blame the corrupt officials and corrupt officials. (The original time and space Shandong people rebelled, the local officials and troops could not be peaceful, Zhu Di beheaded the following provincial officials, and the dead were countless, and the government and the opposition were shocked.) ）

Qian Xun said: "What should I do then? ”

Qi Tai pondered for a long time, turned his head to look at Qian Xun, and said, "This matter must first solve the urgent need, and then think of a long-term solution." The long-term method involves a wide range of issues; You have to come up with a detailed plan and get the support of the Holy One before you can try it. ”

Qian Xun immediately said: "The lower officials are in urgent need!" Is Xia Butang willing to pay this money? Or can the treasury in the palace come out, isn't the saint laying off the palace maids, and there should be money left in the palace. ”

Qi Tai shook his head and said, "I'll go find Xia Yuanji and Song Li and talk together." ”

"Song Tiju?" Qian Xun repeated.

Qi Tai said: "At present, there are not enough coins on the market, so the silver and copper coins minted by the central bank have been directly used for the imperial court expenses in recent years. How much to add casting, it is Song Li in charge; The 'line library' for the acceptance of finished coins is in the management of the household department.

The deficit of the money envoy is not easy to explain if the household department is to bear all of it, and Xia Butang is there. So I went to discuss with Song Li and apportioned part of the deficit of the Southern Department to the central bank's coinage, so that Xia Butang would be accommodating. This law is only an expedient measure, but it can temporarily relieve the immediate needs of the money envoy. ”

Qian Xun was so grateful when he heard this, he kept bowing and thanked him several times.

Qi Tai hurriedly grabbed his arm and said, "We are all for state affairs, and Qian Lingjun doesn't need to be like this." ”

Qian Xun sighed: "Qi Butang is really a good minister of the Holy Lord. ”

Qi Tai shook his head and said: "What I have done, I only have one solution, not the long-term." To this day, I am still ashamed of the grace of saving lives and rebuilding and knowing the saints. Qian Envoy is so wrong to praise, doesn't it make me ashamed! ”

Qian Xun said in a low voice: "'Those people' are so wary of the so-called New Party, but they sit idly by and ignore the bad government; if their colleagues are as virtuous as Qi Butang, how can everything be like this? How can Qi Butang be ashamed? ”

Qi Tai turned his head to look at it, and said in a deep voice: "Qian Envoy must not lose his words, the situation is not so simple; The reasons for this situation are complex. If the liao is really unbearable, how can the saint reuse it? ”

Qian Xun frowned and was silent.

Qi Tai persuaded: "I'm afraid that the old ministers are also scolding you, but they look at things differently from each other." If there is only misunderstanding and criticism between each other, the government may deteriorate, and it is not as good as before. ”

Qian Xun listened and bowed: "Qi Butang treats people leniently, and the officials bow to them." ”

Qi Tai said quietly: "Otherwise, how could Qian Yuanjun come to me?" Or is it because I can talk well in front of my colleagues? He paused, and then comforted, "Don't worry, don't worry, your deficit is not big, and there is more than one way to make up for it." ”

After the two finished speaking, Qi Tai said goodbye to Qian Xun and continued to the front hall of Wuying Palace.

The central bank promoted Song Li and Xia Yuanji, the head of the household department, are both cabinet ministers, and Song Li is the new person in the cabinet. Qi Tai went to Wuying Hall at this time, maybe the two of them were still in the same place, and Qi Tai just didn't have to run around.