"How much grain does Hong Chengchou want?"

Chongzhen frowned and asked.

He really didn't understand that when his brother Emperor Tianqi was alive, he spent all day in the Forbidden City doing carpenter work, and all state affairs were handed over to the illiterate Wei Zhongxian, how could the court not worry about the silver? Even when he ascended the throne, he still had nearly 10 million taels of silver in his pocket. (Another theory is 20 million taels, because there is no history to examine, so it is stated in 10 million taels)

However, after he overthrew the Wei rebellion who was condemned by everyone and enabled the Donglin Party members, who were known for their integrity, to govern, the taxes of the imperial court became lower and lower.

Especially after Wang Ziyong and Gao Yingxiang raised troops, the annual income of the imperial court was only two million taels, and this little money and food was not enough to maintain the operation of the imperial court, let alone raise soldiers.

In the past ten years, there have been frequent wars in the Central Plains and Liaodong, and the little silver left by his brother has also been spent.

This time, after exhausting the efforts of several provinces, Zhang Xianzhong was finally eliminated, and Liaodong asked for silver, and everyone in the world said that the emperor was rich all over the world, but Chongzhen only felt that he was not as good as a beggar.

"Your Majesty, Inspector Hong believes that Jinzhou is the gateway to eastern Liaoning, once lost, the western corridor of Liaoxi is completely exposed to the feet of the eastern captives, so that the eastern captives can ignore Ningyuan and drive directly to Shanhaiguan, so the commander of the Hong division is ready to transfer the Xuanfu general Yang Guozhu, the general soldier of Datong Wang Pu, the general soldier of Miyun Tang Tong, the general soldier of Jizhou Bai Guangen, the general soldier of Yutian Cao Bianjiao, the general soldier of Shanhaiguan Ma Ke, the general soldier of the Qiantun guard Wang Tingchen, the general soldier of Ningyuan Wu Sangui and other soldiers and horses of the eight towns, a total of 130,000 horse infantry artillery, according to the household accounting, all military expenditures, and the requisition of the people at least two million taels. ”

Ye Tinggui was also single, and directly reported the total strength and budget of Hong Chengchou's expedition to Jinzhou, as for how much it actually cost, you are the emperor, and you have the final say.

"So much silver? Now that the thieves have just been exterminated, the treasury is empty, the summer grain has not been collected, and the treasury is empty. ”

Hong Chengchou's transfer of troops is not a secret, Chongzhen, as the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, naturally received the news at the first time, and now when he heard that the household department said that he would raise two million taels of military expenditures, he was suddenly a little bored.

"Your Majesty, Jinzhou has to be saved, the army has to be sent, but the rescue of Jinzhou does not need so many military horses, the household still has more than 700,000 taels of silver, Weichen thought that 500,000 taels could be allocated to Ningyuan, first with Governor Hong to gather troops, as for the food and salary owed, it is not too late to wait for the remaining funds to be raised!"

Chen Xinjia, the left attendant of the military department, came out of the column to speak, his meaning was very clear, that is, to transfer the army to Ningyuan first, after all, it also takes a certain amount of time for more than 100,000 troops to be transferred, and taking advantage of this time difference, the imperial court can find a way to raise the remaining money and food.

"Chen Buyuan's words are bad, the art of war is cloudy, the soldiers and horses have not moved, the grain and grass go first, if the money and grain are not fully raised, then what will the army mobilize to Ningyuan to eat? What to drink? Is it difficult to withdraw again? Isn't the silver of the court spent in vain? ”

Fan Fucui, a scholar, was very dissatisfied with Chen Xinjia's suggestion, this year's tax has been collected, where will the imperial court collect silver to fill this big hole of 1.3 million taels, and really transfer the army over, if there is no money and food, what if the soldiers mutiny?

Chen Xinjia laughed and said: "Jinzhou is in danger, if you don't send additional reinforcements, the gateway to western Liaoning will be opened, and Shanhaiguan will be under the front of the Dongyu, and the Jingshi is only more than 800 miles away from Shanhaiguan. ”

"Hehe, Chen Ministry, this year's money and grain have been collected, there is no money and food, what are the troops doing when they are transferred to Ningyuan? Do you want to sit and watch the city break down? Or intimidation? ”

Fan Fucui sneered again and again, Chen Xinjia is really sick and rushed to the doctor, if there is a gap of two or three hundred thousand taels, it is easy to say, but how can the court fill the hole of one and a half million taels of money and grain?

"Your Majesty, the thief is broken, the court is temporarily relieved, and now the world is troubled, only the East Prisoner, Inspector Hong has experienced a hundred battles, since he is determined to gather 130,000 troops to rescue Jinzhou, according to the minister's estimates, it must be in one fell swoop to pacify the East Capture, Wei Chen thinks, the court must support the strategy of the Hong Governor, in order to sweep away the East in one fell swoop, if the East is defeated, Ming Zhongxing is just around the corner, now the treasury is empty, Wei Chen thought that Chongzhen 14 years of money and food for the army to mobilize."

Chen Xinjia didn't care about Fan Fucui's sarcastic words at all, his grace pacified Zhang Xianzhong in one fell swoop this time, and won the emperor's favor, if Hong Chengchou can defeat Dongyu this time, if he has this strategic skill, he will be able to enter the cabinet and assist the government.

"Collect Chongzhen's money and grain for fourteen years?"

Chongzhen's face looked at Chen Xinjia and the courtiers under the imperial ladder with some hesitation, to be honest, he was already a little moved at this time, although Chen Xinjia's idea was to eat the grain, but if he really wanted to solve the Dongyu, then the Liao salary would be enough, then wouldn't this Liao salary be enough, and would the day of the Ming Dynasty be far away?

"Your Majesty? The people are already in misery, and if they collect next year's taxes, won't that force the people to rebel? ”

Xue Guoguan was shocked by Chen Xinjia's words, the imperial court spent a lot of effort to eliminate Zhang Xianzhong, and now collect next year's money and grain, isn't this forcing the people to Li Zicheng and Luo Rucai?

"Jinzhou is in danger, now the treasury is empty, there is a way to raise money and grain, I only need two million taels, as long as the Dongyu is eliminated, the people can naturally enjoy peace."

Chongzhen looked at Xue Guoguan expectantly, he also knew that it was not appropriate to levy next year's money and grain, and it would be worth the loss if it caused a civil uprising.

"Your Majesty, there are many wealthy gentry in Beijing, and the noble ministers have a lot of money and food, if they are asked to donate, it will not be difficult to come and collect two million taels."

Xue Guoguan is also helpless, he served as the first assistant for less than a year, the silver collected before, or follow the example of Emperor Jian and Wei Zhongxian, let the ministers supervise the locality, and collect a batch of mining taxes, so that the Huguang cave can be filled, and now the emperor lets himself raise silver again, where do he go to turn the silver out, for today's plan, only let Xungui and the ministers of the court pay for it.

"Your Majesty, the nobles have enjoyed the country for three hundred years, the assets in the family are piled up, the ministers are only heirlooms of poems and books, and there is really no silver in the family, or the ministers donate one...... How about two years? ”

Chen Yan, the head of the Hanlin Academy, took the lead in the ranks, kneeling down with a sincere face and saying, the Hanlin Academy is a Qingshui Yamen, and there is no benefit to be gained.

"Chen Aiqing has a heart, please get up!"

Chongzhen glanced at Chen Yan approvingly, and then looked at the other courtiers, the meaning is obvious, you see that people who repair and compile books have taken the lead in donating, don't you hurry up.

"Your Majesty, the minister is willing to donate three years' salary!"

"Your Majesty, the minister is willing to donate two years' salary!"

A group of courtiers, look at me, I look at you, Chen Yan can donate money, we can donate too! The four-grade official monthly salary is only twenty-four stone grain, which is only about fifty taels when converted into silver, well, it is only six hundred taels a year, let's donate two or three years of money, which is a lot! Isn't there still a noble who hasn't donated, Chen Yanke said, it's a big family, Your Majesty, you should go to them.