Chen Xinjia said: "At present, the imperial court has raised money and food for three months for hundreds of thousands of soldiers in the cabinet old department, and now it has almost consumed about thirty percent, and the court must continue to deliver follow-up supplies for the cabinet old department, even if it is difficult, we must be in the same boat!" ”

After speaking, Chen Xinjia looked at Yue Ming, the secretary of the Ministry of Finance, and then looked at Song Gongming, the secretary of the Ministry of Commerce.

Yue Ming took the lead and said: "Chen Shangshu and everyone know that the various expenses of the imperial court are huge now, and the money and grain needed to prepare for the construction of the Hanhai Metropolitan Protectorate and the Andong Metropolitan Protectorate alone will require two million taels of silver per month, as well as a food supply of millions of stones. In addition, there are the aftermath of the disaster in the northwest, the reconstruction expenses in various parts of Liaodong, and other expenses. ”

"Now that the Ministry of Finance basically has no surplus, if we can avoid a deficit, the main hall will already burn high incense. As for the expenditure of raising hundreds of thousands of more troops, it is really not enough. ”

Yue Ming said for a while, then frowned and said: "The only place that can raise money and grain at the moment is to first transfer some money and grain retained by local governments from wealthy places such as Shandong, North Zhili, South Zhili, Fujian, etc., which can be regarded as a temporary loan from the local government by the imperial court." However, after the tax revenue comes up next summer, these temporarily borrowed money and grain must be repaid as soon as possible, so as to avoid a shortage of money and grain in the local government. ”

Chen Xinjia asked: "Then how much grain can the Ministry of Finance raise?" ”

Yue Ming frowned and roughly calculated, and said, "There are about 1.28 million silver coins and 540,000 stone grains. ”

Chen Xinjia calculated, and it is estimated that these money and grain can only support the consumption of Liu Yan's army for more than a month. So Chen Xinjia asked Song Gongming: "Then how much grain can the Ministry of Commerce raise?" ”

Song Gongming said: "According to the economic system of the imperial court, the income of the workshops and trading companies under the Ministry of Commerce must be settled with the Ministry of Finance every three months. At present, the settlement at the end of this year has not yet been carried out, and the Ministry of Commerce still has some money and grain. ”

"The hall has already estimated in advance, this batch of money and grain is about 3.15 million silver coins and 1.3 million stone grain, so let's use it as a supply for the old pavilion department first."

Song Gongming looked at Yue Ming as he spoke, only to see that Yue Ming also nodded in agreement.

In this way, the imperial court will be able to raise 4.43 million silver coins and 1.84 million stone grain, Chen Xinjia estimated: This silver coin can almost supply the consumption of hundreds of thousands of soldiers in Liu Yan's department for more than two months, plus the surplus in the army at this time, four months can still be supported.

So Chen Xinjia breathed a sigh of relief and said: "Okay, let's handle it like this, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Commerce will transport the money and grain to Tianjin Wei as soon as possible, and the Beiyang Fleet has already had a transport fleet waiting in the port in Tianjin Wei." ”

"Okay."

After the issue of money and food for the army was discussed, Chen Xinjia breathed a sigh of relief, and said to everyone with a smile: "The major matters have been discussed, and we are also relieved." ”

Everyone nodded with a smile, during this period of time, first Liaodong was recovered, the Manchu Qing Dynasty was destroyed, and then the army took the hometown of Nuer Gandusi and the Monan grassland, followed by the preparation for the construction of the Andong Metropolitan Protectorate, the Hanhai Metropolitan Protectorate, and the Governor's Mansion everywhere, and now Liu Yan led hundreds of thousands of soldiers to the Yalu River, ready to coerce the Korean State, continue to fight, this series of major events are concentrated in a very short period of time, so that the cabinet people feel huge pressure, almost breathless.

Now that so many major events have finally come to an eyebrow, the next step is just to continue to push forward step by step.

At this time, Yue Ming, a scholar of the Ministry of Finance, said: "By the way, regarding the matter of the envoy to Korea, my Ministry of Finance squire Gao Hongtu has already set off, and it is estimated that he has set sail for the sea now, I don't know if Gao Shilang's trip can live up to his mission??" ”

Chen Xinjia said: "Gao Hongtu was originally the Shangshu of the Nanjing Imperial Court, and he should be able to handle those princes and ministers of the Korean State. Moreover, Gao Hongtu has also had a good experience in the Ministry of Finance during this time, and he can also do a good job in the new policy. ”

Just when everyone was talking, Gao Hongtu had already gone to sea from Tianjin Wei and took the transport fleet under the Beiyang Fleet to Zhangzi Island off the coast of Liaodong.

This convoy was loaded with some ammunition and medicine, as well as a small amount of money and food, and was a regular and routine supply fleet for Liu Yan's army.

At this time, Gao Hongtu was wearing a thick leather coat, a fur winter hat, cotton official boots, and even leather gloves on his hands.

Even so, under the winter sea breeze, Gao Hongtu's cheeks were also frozen red, and the cold wind like a knife came to his face, almost making Gao Hongtu unable to open his eyes, snot and tears kept slipping down, at this time Gao Hongtu had long lost his former bearing and elegance, just insisted and stubbornly stood on the deck, looking at the vast sea ahead.

"My lord, it's too windy here, so let's go back to the cabin and rest."

An official of the Ministry of Finance who accompanied him walked over and said, "It is said that North Korea is even colder than here, so I should get used to it in advance." This time we are going to Korea, we must not be the slightest slack, and we must not fall into the majesty of the imperial court! ”

"What your lord says is very true."

This time to the Korean country, Gao Hongtu's heart is also a little worried, after all, he has never walked out of the Ming Dynasty, the original eyes are focused on the court, for the current game between countries, and beyond the Ming Dynasty's vision, Gao Hongtu has never thought about it, nor has he encountered it.

Therefore, Gao Hongtu also breathed a sigh of relief in his heart at this time, he must do a good job of this mission, and he must not let his colleagues in the DPRK and China look down on him, and he must not let Liu Yan, the elder of the pavilion who ordered his general, be disappointed!!

"What is the career in the future, whether it can contribute to the general trend of Zhongxing Daming and occupy a place, it depends on how this mission is!"

At this time, standing on the deck during the transport fleet, although the cold wind of winter kept blowing on Gao Hongtu's body, almost blowing people cold, but Gao Hongtu's heart was hot, and he couldn't wait to fly to Seoul, the capital of North Korea, immediately!

Two days later, the convoy arrived at Zhangzi Island.

Gao Hongtu and the delegation formed by the imperial court got off the boat, and without even resting on Zhangzi Island, they hurriedly transferred to a boat, went upstream from the mouth of the Yalu River, and arrived at Zhenjiang Fort in more than a day.

"Xiaguan meets the elder!"

In the official office in Zhenjiang Fort, Gao Hongtu, who was covered in dust, saw Liu Yan and immediately bowed to him.

Liu Yan stepped forward with a smile and pulled Gao Hongtu to his seat, and said, "Gao Shilang has been bitter and cold all the way, and he has worked hard!" ”

Gao Hongtu stood up again, clenched his fists and said: "What is it that the lower officials braved this little bit of wind and cold, compared with the bloody battles of the elders and the soldiers of the army to regain the lost territory, the hard work of the lower officials is far behind!" ”

Liu Yan bowed slightly, today's Gao Hongtu has long since lost the previous lofty attitude, after experiencing official changes, personally participated in the new policy and military reform, and realized that Liu Yan's actions can really make the Ming Dynasty rich and strong, Zhongxing, Gao Hongtu also completely put down his figure, and really began to be busy with government affairs in a down-to-earth manner, and has transformed from a courtier who competes for power and profit into a real minister.

"Huh,"

Liu Yan motioned for Gao Hongtu to sit down, and then said: "This time, Gao Shilang will be sent to the Korean State, in fact, the original intention of this duke is not to collect troops, but to send troops in the future. ”

Gao Hongtu listened carefully and said, "Please give instructions to the elder of the pavilion!" ”

"Gao Shilang is from the Ministry of Finance, so he naturally knows that the financial situation of the imperial court is now, and he no longer allows his father to lead hundreds of thousands of soldiers into Korea. However, the Korean state defected to the Manchu Qing Dynasty, and even sent troops to support the Manchu Qing Dynasty to resist our great soldiers, and his crime should be punished! If you don't fight, the people of the world will not be angry, and if you don't fight, hundreds of thousands of soldiers will be indignant. ”

Therefore, the purpose of Gao Shilang's envoy to Korea this time is twofold: first, to temporarily stabilize the Korean state, so that the Korean people think that the imperial army is pressing the border, just to ask for the guilt, and not really want to kill Korea. The second is to make the Korean state pay reparations and apologize for its defection to the Manchus and the sending of troops to resist the Celestial Empire. ”

"As for the specific amount of money and grain from the Korean State, my father also wants to hear what Gao Shilang means."

Gao Hongtu had already discussed with Yue Ming, the secretary of the Ministry of Finance, before he set off from Beijing, after all, Liu Yan had already revealed the purpose of this trip when he asked Gao Hongtu to envoy to Korea.

Therefore, although Gao Hongtu and Yue Ming didn't know the specific details, they at least knew that Liu Yan wanted to ask for money and food compensation from the Korean state, so the two of them had also roughly calculated.

So Gao Hongtu said: "Qi Yu Pavilion Elder, according to the estimation of the Ministry of Finance, at present, there are more than 400,000 soldiers and a large number of war horses in the Cabinet Elder's Department, and the monthly military salary is about 300,000 taels of silver, and the consumption of grain is about 500,000 stones. For half a year, this time North Korea will have to compensate at least 2 million silver coins and 3 million stone grain! ”

Liu Yan thought about it for a while, this money and grain can be regarded as an astronomical amount for the Korean state, it is estimated that even if the Korean king Li Liang can take it out, he will almost go bankrupt, and if he doesn't get it, he will force the Korean country to be anxious, and when the Korean war starts in advance, it is not a good thing for the Ming Dynasty, and even the preparation of the Governor's Mansion and the two Metropolitan Protectorates, and the reconstruction of Liaodong will be affected.

So Liu Yan said: "For a period of three months, let the Korean state compensate 1.2 million silver coins and 1.5 million stone grain." ”

Gao Hongtu was slightly stunned, and then understood what Liu Yan meant, after all, how much grain the North Korean country can have, and Gao Hongtu, who is a chamberlain of the Ministry of Finance, also has some understanding in his heart.

"The elder of the cabinet is far-sighted, and he thinks more deeply than the lower officials and the Ministry of Finance, the amount of 1.2 million silver coins and 1.5 million stone grain is still very appropriate, and the lower officials will talk to the Korean state according to this amount."

"Hmm."

Liu Yan said: "In addition, after Gao Shilang arrived in Korea, he must be tough, never rash, and not be compassionate, and always remember the crime of sending troops to support the Manchu Qing Dynasty, and not be shaken by the poverty of the people in Korea. Gao Shilang should remember: This trip should be to learn from the Han Fu Jiezi, and promote my Ming national prestige! ”

"Gao Shilang and Bengong are both officials of the Ming Dynasty, only responsible for the people of the Ming Dynasty, only responsible for the future of China, as for the people of other countries, it is not within the scope of your and my responsibilities, Gao Shilang must remember!"

Gao Hongtu immediately clenched his fists and said: "The lower official received the order, the elder of the pavilion instructed, and the lower official naturally kept it in mind!" ”

(End of chapter)