Clear and Muddy Loss of Love

Chapter 230

A clever woman can't cook without rice

In July of the first year of Chengqi, that is, the third month of Nangong Jingnv's ascension to the throne, the court, which had finally stabilized, fell into an unexpected crisis.

Since there were dynasties in ancient times, people in this world have been divided into three, six, and nine classes. According to the court law, they are called "scholars, farmers, businessmen", and the status of "nong" is second only to "scholar", which shows its importance.

The imperial court and local governments need to operate, and they have to collect taxes from farmers. Once there is a problem in this link, the world will not be far from chaos...

For three months, Nangong Jingnv worked day and night, not daring to slack off for a moment. She conquered the harsh civil official group with her own practical actions, and also temporarily stabilized the military official group in various ways. She thought she could finally I breathed a sigh of relief, but it was a pity that the sky failed to fulfill my wish.

On a certain day in July, it was a good season when the grain in the north began to bear ears and the harvest in the south began, but a natural disaster occurred in Wei State, which swept across the north and south and caused widespread damage.

There was a severe drought in the north, and the drought swept across [-] state capitals in the Gyeonggi area, causing a large area of ​​grains that were earing to grow into empty shells.

Floods broke out in the south, and the floods spread to seven state capitals, five of which were grain producing areas, the granaries in the south of Wei State, and the money bags of the court.

Although Nangong Jingnv received the favor of tax reduction and exemption after she ascended the throne, because the north has not been very peaceful in the past few years, the affected people in the north this time do not have much surplus in their families, and the rations accumulated by most peasant households are only enough for the whole family. Eat it for a few months, and then face the long winter.Although the south is relatively prosperous, countless farmlands and granaries have been destroyed by the flood, and tens of thousands of people have been displaced. Where can they get food if their homes are gone?

The post officials from the north and the south carried the sealed memorial and flew to Beijing. Nangong Jingnv was shocked after reading it. The initial statistics of the losses of each prefecture were written on it, and the figures were shocking.

In the middle of the night, Nangong Jingnv summoned officials from the Ministry of Household Affairs, the Ministry of Punishment, the Ministry of Industry, and Dasinong to enter the palace to discuss matters.

Nangong Jingnu: "At least 30 people were affected by the natural disaster in the north and the south. I decided that the minister of the Ministry of Industry would lead a group of people to the seven disaster-stricken state capitals in the south to mobilize the local governments and garrisons to strengthen the dams and repair them. Seven places were damaged, and a part of the money was specially allocated for the reconstruction of the homes of the affected people. Officials from the Ministry of Punishment accompanied the officials to supervise the censor. Zhongshu Sheng led the officials from the Ministry of Households and Da Si Nong to escort the grain and grass It was transported to the disaster-stricken state capital in the north. Da Si Nong was in charge of on-the-spot investigation to see if the crops could be remedied, and the Ministry of Zhongshu was in charge of supervision to ensure that every household affected by the disaster could get enough rations to survive the winter! Minister of the Ministry, you immediately gather people to count these two disaster relief funds for me, and I will see the specific figures before dawn." Then he handed over the report sent to the capital from the north and the south to the Minister of the Ministry of household affairs.

The Minister of the Household Department took it with both hands: "The old minister obeys the order."

Nangong Jingnv gave a small government hall in Ganquan Palace to the Minister of the Household Department, and ordered people to quickly summon the head book of the Household Department and the accounting department into the palace.

On the other hand, Xing Jingfu took Nangong Jingnv's letter and went to the Hongwen Museum to fetch the peerless treasure of the inner court: the picture of "Kyushu Huanyu", which was presented by a wanderer named Yu Ziqi when Nangongrang was 39 years old. It was through this picture that Nangong Rang learned that there was still half a wall of mountains and rivers to the north of Tianchao, so he started the war.

Since the reunification of the north and the south, Nan Gongrang has stored this map in the Hongwen Museum. At present, "Jiuzhou Huanyu" is the most accurate and complete map of Wei State.

After fetching the map, Xing Jingfu brought other officials to another palace. They needed to determine the location of the disaster area, calculate the distance, and plan the route in the shortest possible time.

Another eight servants worked together to bring two boxes of dossiers, which contained the local annals and water classics of the prefectures of the Wei State. The Ministry of Industry needed to use these dossiers to plan the most suitable disaster relief tools and repair equipment based on the geographical location.

Nangong Jingnv walked between the two palaces from time to time, asking about the progress.

In the silent night, the lights in Ganquan Palace were brightly lit. From time to time, there were quick and clear voices of planning in the council hall next to it, and the adults in the side hall on the north side were discussing in full swing.

The dripping hourglass is "tick-tock-tick", time goes by bit by bit, and the east is white.

Almost at the same time, the Minister of the Household Department and the Minister of the Ministry of Industry each held a stack of papers in their hands and ran back to the main hall.

Minister of the Ministry of Industry: "Your Majesty, the equipment needed to fight the flood has been obtained. This is the list of materials and costs required, as well as the estimated number of craftsmen needed. This... is the specific route given by the Lord Zhongshuling. It is fastest."

Minister of the Household Department: "Your Majesty, this is the Ministry of Household's calculation of the amount of grain and grass needed in the north and the amount of silver needed in the disaster-stricken areas in the south."

Nangong Jingnv took out the expense list given by the Ministry of Industry and handed it to the Minister of the Household Department: "Including this, how much will it cost in total?"

Hubu Shangshu held the list with his left hand, raised his right hand and began to calculate: "A total of 230 million taels of silver and 930 dans of grain are needed!"

Nangong Jingnu asked Xing Jingfu again: "When will we arrive at the disaster area?"

Xing Jingfu: "It is faster to go by land in the north. If it is fast, you can arrive at the disaster-stricken state capital one after another in [-] days. The ministers in the south suggest to take the waterway. A flood will damage the post road. The money, stones and wood needed are all It’s heavy luggage, I’m afraid it will be muddy and difficult to move. Although the waterway will take a while to make a detour, it is safer than the land route, and it will take two months at the fastest..."

Minister of the Ministry of Criminal Affairs: "However... Your Majesty can send the post house to go back day and night, and the state capital of the disaster-stricken area will deal with it first, waiting for the imperial court's rescue."

Nangong Jingnv let out a long breath and nodded, "Let's do it."

Everyone: "Follow the order."

Only the Minister of the Household Department showed embarrassment in writing, kneeling on the ground: "Your Majesty, I'm afraid..."

Nangong Jingnu: "What's wrong?"

Hubu Shangshu: "Your Majesty Qizuo, Hubu...doesn't have so much money."

Nangong Jingnu's eyes flickered with sullenness, and she asked, "Where's the treasury's money?"

The Minister of the Household Department took the account book in the hands of the master bookkeeper and put it on the ground in front of him, and opened it: "Your Majesty, look, since the 13th year of Jingjia, the amount of money handed over to the Household Department from various places has been insufficient, and it has been even worse in the following years. One year...but the expenditure of the imperial court has not decreased but increased, and the money in the national treasury is getting less and less every year, and it is tight every year!"

Da Sinong: "Qizou Your Majesty, since the 13th year of Jingjia, there have been natural disasters everywhere, and the imperial court has reduced or exempted part of the tax..."

It was only then that Nangong Jingnv recalled that this was indeed the case, and that she had made her own decision, but she remembered that there was obviously a lot of money in the treasury, even if the taxes were poor, it would not be impossible to get out more than 200 million taels...

Nangong Jingnu: "Where's the money from the national treasury? Where did the money collected in the past go?"

Hubu Shangshu raised his sleeves to wipe his sweat, but he hesitated for a long while without saying a word.

Nangong Jingnu: "Just say what you want, Bengong... I forgive you for your innocence."

Hubu Shangshu: "Zunzhi, the eldest prince, King Jing, King Yu and other princes, according to the rules, the budget for the funeral of each king is 100 million taels, and the fire repair of the ancestral mausoleum spent 400 million yuan. Two, the construction of the emperor's mausoleum started from the second year after the first emperor ascended the throne, and it cost about 10 taels per year. In the past, the expenses of the women in the palaces and the inner court...about 120 to [-] million taels per year , several times for disaster relief..."

The Minister of the Household Department licked his fingers and flipped through the account book: "Forty to eighty million taels were spent, and there were distributions to the common people, consumption on the way to the disaster-stricken areas, materials for repairs, craftsmen's money... and... every year The military maintenance expenses reported by generals from all over the country are about 400 million taels per year, and 500 million won’t be able to hold back when it’s too much. The Ministry of War is not under the control of veterans. Write the approval document to transfer the money. Also, the Weiming Palace, the Weiming Palace...reconstructed, and the first emperor ordered the ministers to "restore the original state". This Weiming Palace was the East Palace of the previous dynasty. It took more than 800 million taels of silver to restore the Weiming Palace! This time the Youzhou garrison entered Beijing to escort, and all the consumption along the way was reported to the imperial court by the general king, and 200 million taels was just withdrawn from the Ministry of Households a while ago. Over the past few years, tax revenues have been falling year by year, many vacant houses have appeared in various places, farmers have become black households, and the Ministry of Households really cannot collect money! The expenses of the imperial court are increasing year by year, Your Majesty...how can the Ministry of Households still have Silver! The old minister will die, and the Ministry of Households may not even have 200 million taels of silver that can be taken out immediately! His Majesty has reduced taxes in various places after he became the throne. I don’t know how long the 200 million taels will last, clever woman It’s hard to cook without rice, it’s hard for an old minister, the Ministry of Households really can’t afford money!”

Nangong Jingnv clenched her fists tightly, and beads of sweat oozed out of her palms as she listened to the Minister of the Household Department enumerating all the expenditures.

All the courtiers in the hall fell silent, kneeling silently on the ground.

Nangong Jingnv looked at them and felt the weight of Jiangshan for the first time.

She knew that there were many problems in the imperial court, but she never expected that what she saw in those days when she was listening to the government behind the curtain was just the tip of the iceberg!Frozen three feet did not happen in a day. Now these problems have accumulated for many years before they broke out. This is not a situation that can be reversed by Nangong Jingnv's hard work and hard work.

Even the emperor above tens of thousands of people is powerless to return to heaven.

Nangong Jingnu: "What are you all kneeling for? I didn't say who to blame, you all stood up and discussed countermeasures with me." Her voice was tired and hoarse.

Everyone stood up one after another, but they still didn't dare to make a sound.Think of ways to?How could the shortfall of real gold and silver be imagined?

After discussing for a whole night, they failed to come up with an effective solution, so Nangong Jingnv had no choice but to open her bloodshot eyes and lead a group of courtiers to court.

During the entire court meeting, the ministers were discussing this question, but they never got an answer that would satisfy Nangong Jingnu.

Since Nangong Jingnv came to the throne, it is almost normal to not close her eyes all day and night, and sometimes she is so busy that she doesn't even care to drink her saliva.

This time, she hadn't closed her eyes for nearly two days. She felt her head was dizzy and her temples were tingling.

After going to court, Nangong Jingnv ordered someone to drive to Chengchao Palace without even changing her regular clothes. Qi Yan locked herself in the study room last night and did not sleep until midnight. When Nangong Jingnv came, she had just woken up and hadn't washed and changed her clothes .

Nangong Jingnu: "Go down first."

Qi Yan: "Your Majesty."

Nangong Jingnu: "Don't get up." As she said that, she walked to Qi Yan's bed and fell headfirst.

Qi Yan was terrified, and checked Nangong Jingnv's situation in a panic: "Your Majesty?! What's wrong with you?"

Nangong Jingnv opened her eyes forcefully, and said weakly: "The north and the south are in trouble, and the household department has no money... Qi Yan, I... am so tired."

Nangong Jingnv's complexion was very bad, she blinked twice and then closed her eyes, lying there motionless.

Looking at such Nangong Jingnv, Qi Yan felt distressed and complicated.

She raised her hand and touched Nangong Jingnv's cheek, removed her shoes and socks for Nangong Jingnv and took off her crown, and said softly: "Go to sleep, there will be a solution. When His Majesty wakes up, we will find a solution together."

Nangong Jingnv let out a "huh", turned her head and rubbed Qi Yan's leg with the tip of her nose, and fell into a deep sleep.