There are some things that Lin Ruhai himself doesn't know, and it is also a kind of protection, because the person who is hidden behind the scenes, only if Lin Ruhai himself is investigating the salt administration, he will not be killed.

But after Lin Ruhai knew the inside story, if it was known to others, Lin Ruhai might face the stumbling blocks of many ministers in the court.

The emperor did not tell Lin Ruhai the whole truth, not only to ensure Lin Ruhai's safety, but also to pave the way for Lin Ruhai to return to the court in the future.

Those who join the Zaifu will definitely be lonely ministers, and even if they form a party, it will be after they join the Zaifu.

Lin Ruhai only realized at this moment that he was already the emperor's candidate for Zaifu.

Isn't the artificiality of reading books just going out and going into the picture?

Even Lin Ruhai, who has a very high level of spiritual cultivation, couldn't help but tremble with excitement.

"Your Majesty, your handsome minister, really."

He seemed to complain and returned to his normal posture.

Zuo Lingtian found out about Lin Ruhai's strange appearance, and he still thought about Lin Ruhai's problem?

Just as he was thinking about whether to shut up and stop talking, Lin Ruhai seemed to suddenly become interested.

"Ling Tian, could it be that Yangzhou's salt administration is related to the great victory at the border pass?"

Lin Ruhai took the initiative to ask, but Zuo Lingtian didn't care about it, and told all the things he had investigated in recent years.

"In the twelfth year of Jianren, the cold winter of the border pass was extended for nearly a month, and the border guards were rushed to play for 800 miles, and the imperial court waved two million taels of silver for urgent use."

"Well, I know. Two million taels of silver should be enough, after all, the spring cold was only a month at that time. ”

Lin Ruhai was still in the capital at the time, and he naturally knew that two million taels of silver was enough for the border guards to tide over the difficulties.

Zuo Lingtian sneered: "But the problem lies in these two million taels of silver, although the national tax revenue has been good in recent years, but after all, two million taels of silver is not a small amount, and it can't be made up at all for a while." ”

Before Zuo Lingtian finished speaking, Lin Ruhai cut off: "Then it can only be drawn from the treasury of various places." ”

"Yes, Yangzhou, as the treasury of the world, naturally bears the lion's share, and the share of it is unknown, but as far as I know, it must be no less than 1.2 million taels."

After Zuo Lingtian finished speaking, he glanced at Lin Ruhai, Lin Ruhai calculated carefully, and felt about the same: "That's right, the Yangzhou treasury has not been touched for many years, and it is only used for local expenses, but it is said that the two banks in the treasury should not be less than 10 million at that time, even if they bear all of them, it is not a big deal." ”

Zuo Lingtian picked up the golden marbles and put them in front of Lin Ruhai and said, "Yes, when we arrived at the border pass, only 200,000 taels of materials were transported from Yangzhou, and nearly 100,000 soldiers distributed 200,000 taels of materials. It's not a fraction of a bit, is this to deal with fools? ”

"This ......"

Lin Ruhai didn't expect the minister behind the Yangzhou officialdom in the DPRK to be so arrogant.

One million two hundred thousand taels of silver was left with only a fraction of it, which was the silver used to defend the border.

The army issued supplies to protect against the cold, and the casualties of the soldiers were seriously damaging to morale, not to mention, if there was a mutiny in the army, there would be a direct rebellion, and the entire border would be defended.

Zuo Lingtian's next words perfectly confirmed Lin Ruhai's conjecture.

"The materials of less than one million taels of silver, even if they are saved, they can only last for half a month. In the remaining half a month, the Dongying defenders took the lead in mutiny. ”

"On the 18th, Juyong Pass was lost, and 3,000 soldiers were killed and wounded."

"On the 19th, heavy snow closed the mountain, and the road to the capital was blocked."

"On the 21st, the two sides stopped, but nearly 1,000 people were still injured due to the severe cold."

"Twenty-Three-Four......

Zuo Lingtian made it clear one by one what had happened since the mutiny in the barracks.

Lin Ruhai was mentally prepared at the beginning, but he still didn't expect such a big change to happen at the border in the twelfth year of Jianren.

At that time, I could only be glad that the Turks did not attack the city due to the cold and heavy snow in spring, otherwise the entire court would have disappeared under the iron hooves of the Turks.

Needless to say, no matter how big the mutiny in the border camp is, unless the rebel court turns to the Turks for supplies.

Otherwise, there are only so many supplies, which are simply not enough to survive the spring cold.

Fortunately, the two sides at the border made peace, attacked the Turks stationed in Shandong with their backhands, and plundered their supplies for the winter.

Lin Ruhai looked at the well-made gold marbles on the table, the surface was extremely smooth, without the slightest dent, and they were all of the best quality when they were played with in their hands.

Suddenly, a breath in his heart was blocked in his chest, and he slapped the table and roared: "How dare they, the life-saving money at the border gate dare to do anything." ”

Angry and at the same time, deeply afraid, Lin Ruhai was also born in Houmen, so he naturally knew that when he started a war, that person's life was like shredded paper.

If, at that time, the guards of the border pass chose to turn to the Turks, let alone a great victory, it would be one thing whether the heads of the officials of the imperial court could be saved.

When someone told him that he almost went to meet Hades in extreme joy, the psychological gap was completely conceivable.

Lin Ruhai startled Zuo Lingtian with a roar, and asked tentatively, "Uncle Lin, are you okay?" ”

Lin Ruhai said in a deep voice: "Ling Tian, to tell you the truth, I also came to Yangzhou to investigate the matter of the treasury, and now the book of the Yangzhou treasury is 17 million taels, but the actual treasury is less than 6 million taels of silver. ”

"That's how much worse it is?" Zuo Lingtian didn't expect that there would be so much difference in the treasury of the entire Yangzhou City.

Lin Ruhai continued: "This is still my estimate based on the strange items in the accounts, and the actual difference may be more. ”

"And at that time, you only had a seal and no reward for your victory at the border pass, and now Your Majesty has asked me to raise 1.5 million taels from the treasury, and sending it to the border pass is a belated reward. However, the prefect of Yangzhou and a group of salt merchants said that the silver in the treasury should not be moved, otherwise it would affect the salt administration. ”

After listening to Lin Ruhai's words, Zuo Lingtian was not surprised, at that time, the nine-sided victory was a great victory, and the whole dynasty had just experienced a disaster year, and there was basically not much left in the treasury of various places.

The treasury was even more tight, so at that time, it was basically a knight and a promotion, and there was basically no silver or two rewards left.

Zuo Lingtian was also prepared in his heart, and continued to discuss with Lin Ruhai: "Uncle Lin, since this is the case, we might as well take more silver directly from this salt merchant." ”

"Well, what can you do?"

"Tomorrow, please tell all the salt merchants to discuss important matters at the prefect's yamen."

"What is the name?"

"Naturally, it is a silver tael rewarded with the border pass, this is a major event in the imperial court, and it is just right to press them with righteousness."

"Yes."

Lin Ruhai did not object after hearing this, Zuo Lingtian could have a way to deal with Yangzhou salt merchants, and he happened to have his own strength left.

Zuo Lingtian thought for a while, and then said to Lin Ruhai: "By the way, Uncle Lin, you may have to work hard tomorrow to encircle and suppress the Salt Gang with me." ”

"What do you want to do to encircle and suppress the Salt Gang?"

Lin Ruhai couldn't help but be curious when he saw Zuo Lingtian's sinister look.

"Of course, to get something that will stop the salt merchants."