October of the fourth year of Zhengde.

Shaofu ordered Gu Zuo to personally supervise the road repair project from Huai'an Mansion to Yangzhou Mansion and returned to Beijing later.

Now the biggest thing in the court is Ningxia Qingtun, but it seems that many people ignore it, in fact, the imperial court began to invest a total of 8 million taels of silver in two phases this year to build the official road between the north and the south and the Zhili.

Originally, there were official roads between the two places, but most of them were dirt roads that had not been repaired and managed, and the road conditions were really worrying.

This time the court intended to build a smoother and harder road, which is why so much silver was needed.

"Yellow soil? What is that? ”

"Back to the emperor, it is a mixture of lime, loess and sand. The lime is divided into the river sand, the loess is divided into two, and then it is mixed with glutinous rice, sheep peach vine juice and evenly, and then the shape is fixed with the square side bamboo, and it is extremely strong after firing. ”

Zhu Houzhao asked: "Will it become mud when it rains?" ”

"No, it won't. Weichen consulted the "Zuo Chuan", and the tomb of Song Wengong was made of loess and lime. Since the Han Dynasty, because the yellow clay is strong, it will also be used to build houses, and a rain will not collapse. ”

When Zhu Houzhao was very young, he had seen the kind of mud houses.

In fact, I was too young at the time to think about what would happen to the house once the soil softened and the house collapsed.

He didn't bother to care, the ancients were also very wise, there were bricks in the Qin Dynasty, and they were very well made.

In addition, paving with bricks and stones is also an option, and the ancients also used this method.

"It's kind of interesting." Zhu Houzhao said to Gu Zuo: "The engineering team with good road construction materials should be given some rewards." ”

"Yes, Wechen obeys."

"When Shaofu repairs this road, I will take a walk first."

Gu Zuo didn't know how to answer, "Your Majesty, this ......"

"It's still necessary to go out of the palace once in a while. Of course, that's a matter for later, let's talk about it. ”

"Yes."

Previously, because of the incident in Huai'an Mansion, Gu Zuo asked the emperor to reprimand him, went home to reflect and then re-emerged from the mountain, and went to Huai'an Mansion at the first stop, which was to show the attitude of reforming first.

The Shaofu also carried out a rectification within the house, especially the Engineering Clearance Division, and the original Shaofu Langzhong Zhu Weichun and others were all arrested.

This institution, no matter how much effort is put into employing people, is also prone to corruption, and Zhu Houzhao has already asked Jinyiwei to install people in it.

Only Gu Zuo knew about this matter, after all, it was more convenient for him to appoint officials within the Shaofu.

Zhu Houzhao didn't get angry with Gu Zuo all the time, some things were not his fault, at least he was still a very attentive official.

"There's one thing, I'll throw out an introduction first, you can think about it."

"Yes, Your Majesty please command."

"It's this road construction thing, these projects cost a lot, if you can't form a 'return money', I have the heart to do it again in the future, in fact, it will be difficult to continue."

Gu Zuo comprehended, "Weichen has also thought about this kind of thing. Roughly two ways also came to mind. ”

"Oh? Let's hear it. ”

"One is to rely on these built official roads to collect some silver taels, not a lot. However, once this method is used improperly, it is easy to cause bad effects. ”

Zhu Houzhao frowned, "What do you mean is that the officials who do things will eat and take cards, and exploit them layer by layer." ”

"Your Majesty."

It is not difficult to imagine this kind of thing, even in the later generations of electronic payment, there are still some people who set up cards to collect money without authorization.

In ancient times, it wasn't a fierce collection of money.

"What about the other way?"

"I heard that His Majesty is cleaning up the military camp, and the number of grains will definitely increase greatly in the future, so ...... Is it possible to change the color to the original color? ”

The so-called true color is a physical object, such as grain. Folding is the folding of these physical objects into cash.

This is the general law of the natural development of society, because the use of money, the general equivalent, is more convenient than physical transactions. Not to mention, how can hundreds of tons of goods be transported back and forth?

Zhu Houzhao shook his head, "It's not good to change it back, you still have to use silver taels." ”

Generally speaking, when the ancient imperial court was governing the country, it always did what it had in its hands and changed it to whatever was convenient, because there was no limit to power, and it was always about thinking about itself.

This is especially true of the Ming Dynasty, and later Zhang Juzheng reformed, and the original grain tax was all converted into cash silver, but fortunately, after the Longqing switch, a large amount of silver flowed into overseas, otherwise where would the people go to find enough silver? In fact, even this has caused people in some areas to go bankrupt.

The small peasant society was not a commodity society, and commercial transactions were sufficient in a few large cities, but not enough in remote areas, and after the imperial court changed to silver, the common people had to pay taxes every year and exchange grain or some local goods for silver.

Where is this easy, now people can't stand walking for five kilometers, in ancient times, it took more than ten or twenty days to simply go out in the case of poor road conditions, and there is so much food, what to pull? Horse? Donkey? It's not something you have in every house.

So it's actually a lot of burden.

However, a whip law does have its advantages, after all the taxes are converted into silver, it is much more convenient for the imperial court, and the efficiency is greatly improved.

Zhu Houzhao himself intends to promote the monetization of the social economy.

After the opening of the Ming Dynasty, monetization is also a road that has to be taken, because the annual inflow of silver is more than 10 million taels, which greatly alleviates the silver shortage in society at this stage and promotes further economic activity, which cannot be abandoned. And then there are some monetary and financial reforms involved, so he won't be so short-sighted.

"Let's consider the first option. It is not known how much the number of grains has grown. ”

Gu Zuo had some expectations, "I heard that Ningxia Qingtun has made a lot of progress. ”

Zhu Houzhao pointed to some notes at hand, "Xie Yuqiao (Xie Qian) from Huguang has come to Sandaoshu, in addition to asking me for food, he wants me to be exempted from paying taxes. I know that the court has more courtesy, you, the rich man, and they are embarrassed to open up to you, so they can only talk to me. ”

"In the area of Huguang and Jingxiang, there are many displaced people, and Yu Qiaogong can't bear to displace the people, which is also relied on by His Majesty."

Gu Zuo knew that the emperor was not really complaining, in fact, as long as the imperial court still had the strength to spare, these requirements would be satisfied. At the beginning, Liu, Li, and Xie were all famous ministers of the Qing Dynasty, and the emperor took a lot of effort to send them to the place, and now it seems that the results are good.

While the two were talking, Liu Jin came in from outside, he walked to the emperor's side with his head down, and approached to say a few words softly.

Gu Zuo looked elsewhere.

"Where's the thing? Take it to me. ”

Liu Jin took out a thin piece of paper from his cuff.

This is the news from the East Factory.

The matter in Qingtun in Ningxia has come to this point, not only Jinyiwei went, but Dongchang also went, in order to let him, the emperor, understand the most real situation.

After glancing at the piece of paper, Zhu Houzhao couldn't help frowning.

"Your Majesty......" Gu Zuo didn't dare to ask more, and tried to say, "But what happened?" ”

"It's fine. Liqing, I'll get here here today, I'm a little tired, you can hand over the slip into the palace another day, and we'll talk about it again. ”

"Yes." Gu Zuo didn't want to talk much, so he could only leave obediently.

After the people left, Zhu Houzhao sighed, he had repeatedly instructed the people in the harem not to get involved in the affairs of the foreign dynasty, but it seemed that it was inevitable.

About half an hour later, Jin Gui, the attendant, came to report that Wang Hua, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, asked to see him.

"Xuan."

Wang Hua entered Beijing in the middle of this year to serve as the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, Wang Hua, who is already sixty-four, is also an old man at this age, his beard has turned gray, and the folds on his face are extremely deep, especially the bags under his eyes, which are bulging badly.

"Old minister, see Your Majesty."

"Give a seat."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Wang Shangshu, what is the matter with you entering the palace to see me at this time?"

Wang Hua pressed his hands on his knees, and his buttocks lightly touched the stool, "Your Majesty, the old minister is here to report auspiciousness." ”

"Xiangrui? What auspicious? ”

Zhu Houzhao: "......"

He was upset, so he gave him this hand.

"Wang Shangshu, if you have anything to say, just say it, you don't have to go around in circles. Am I the kind of monarch who can't listen to the contrary? ”

"The old minister doesn't dare." Wang Hua immediately got up and bent over.

"Sit down and say whatever you want."

Wang Hua was particularly crisp, "The old minister obeys the order." ”

A special look flashed in Liu Jin's eyes on the side, this old guy did it on purpose.

"The old minister played Your Majesty, because of the Qingtun incident in Ningxia Town, Ningxia Qianwei and Shen Shufei's foreign family ......"

Zhu Hou took care of him, and there was no sense of blockage at all when he muttered, and he gradually understood. This Wang Hua ...... There was something to report, but I just played a little routine with him.

"Your Majesty, this matter involves the palace, and the old ministers and others don't know how to deal with it, so they specially play Your Majesty and ask for a holy ruling."

The emperor sighed, "Wang Shangshu, am I too strict?" So you don't even dare to tell me one thing as it is? ”

"The emperor misunderstood. The old minister lives in Beijing, and he can receive the emperor's holy training every day, so he naturally knows the emperor's sincerity, but the courtiers who are thousands of miles away do not have the blessing of the old minister, and this matter is extraordinary, and the officials in Ningxia are so cautious, it is also for the sake of His Majesty. ”

Zhu Houzhao waved his hand, "Forget it, you also have your difficulties, I know." But next time, it's better to be more direct, you and Wang Shouren also say, no matter what, he can tell me as it is, where will I embarrass him? ”

Wang Hua was inexplicably impressed, the emperor could be said to be extremely grateful to his son, "The old minister is the son of Xie Your Majesty Longen!" If there is nothing else, the old minister will retire first. ”

"Retirement? I haven't responded to you yet. ”

Wang Hua arched his hand, "Your Majesty said that it is difficult for the ministers, but Your Majesty also has Your Majesty's difficulties, and this matter should not be in a hurry to ask for a result immediately." Besides, the old minister believes in His Majesty. ”

"Believe in me?"

"Your Majesty is comparable to the sages of the ancients, and the old minister is convinced of this."

"Ugh." Zhu Houzhao eats soft rather than hard, he is not afraid of splashing and rolling, he is afraid of this kind of 'reasonable',

Looking at the back of the old minister who was getting farther and farther away, he still spoke, "Come back." ”

"Your Majesty." Wang Hua turned around and leaned over to listen to the order.

"Go and tell Bo'an to control that family first, but don't hurt them. The purchased land was carried out under the prohibition of the imperial court, so the survey and seal of the government was invalid, and the transaction was not recognized by the government.

This matter is not to be kept quiet for the time being. If the Shen family is willing to give in, this matter will be over, if they are unwilling, they will be locked up for half a year, and after half a year, I will be able to handle it. ”

Wang Hua understood what he was referring to, and after this period of time, Concubine Shen Shufei's production was over.

When he encounters such a heavenly son, what reason does he have not to devote his life wholeheartedly?

"My Emperor, Shengming!"

(End of chapter)