Chapter 406: Guest Yan has made great contributions to the country!
Strictly speaking.

Using a butcher knife to kill a chicken is the truth that Yan Shaoting has always pursued and followed.

If you want to do something, hit it hard so that there is no possibility of change or variation.

Now that he had decided to move south to complete his plans in the southern part of the empire, it became imperative to increase his points and the importance of the official position he would obtain.

So in the following period of time.

Yan Shaoting basically focused all his energy on this matter.

The accounts and data from various places were constantly summarized and analyzed and sorted by Xu Wei and his team including Shuai Jiamo, the young mathematical genius who had been arranged to work in the academy.

In addition to being busy with various handover preparations before going south, he also took time out of his busy schedule to spend more time accompanying Lu Wenyan.

And... my son, who had finally completed the important step of choosing a nickname in the naming project.

Fusun.

Because of a bizarre incident, the son's nickname was given as Fusun by the four old men.

As for the term "lucky grandson", it does not mean that he is a blessed great-grandson or something like that.

All because Fusun is an elegant name for dogs...

As for why the four old men gave their son such a gentle version of the nickname Goudan, Yan Shaoting was no longer able to think about getting a better nickname for his son.

No matter how Yan Fusun calls him, it sounds better than Yan Goudan.

As for the Daimyo, I heard that the four old men have already scheduled a mahjong game for after the New Year.

No one in the Yan family dared to interfere, and no one could interfere, in this matter.

then.

When not busy with his own affairs, Yan Shaoting would take his elder sister Lu Wenyan and his son Yan Fusun to travel around Changping every day.

This kind of leisure time is rare for Yan Shaoting in recent years.

However, as autumn turned to winter, several heavy snowfalls turned the Yanshan Mountains and the northern plains into a world of ice and snow covered in silver.

Yan Shaoting finally wrapped himself in a warm cloak, took a deep breath, and gathered all his energy.

After stuffing Yan Fusun, who was wrapped tightly by his mother, into the arms of the little brat Zhu Yijun, Yan Shaoting patted the little brat's head.

"It's freezing outside, Prince, please take Fu Sun and Yun Niang to the warm room in the backyard first."

Zhu Yijun was wearing a tiger-head hat. He glanced at the howling wind and snow outside, shrank his head, and nodded obediently.

Yunniang stood aside, took the child from Zhu Yijun's arms with a smile, and then held Zhu Yijun's little hand and walked towards the back house.

Xu Wei was sent off by Shuai Jiamo and his mathematics team to Yan Shaoting, holding a school bag in his hand.

Seeing Xu Wei rushing over, Yan Shaoting asked, "Is everything clear?"

Xu Wei nodded: "According to your request, all the accounts and future forecasts have been calculated."

Yan Shaoting smiled and said, "Then we should go into the city."

Xu Wei also looked relaxed.

Going south is basically a done deal. Even if some people in the court have doubts, they probably won't stop it.

After all, it would be better to keep Yan Shaoting far away than to have him face to face with her in the court all day long.

Although Yan Shaoting might go out and do some strange things, or even cause some trouble, the court would also become out of his reach.

Xu Wei carried his school bag and held up an umbrella. He looked outside and said with a smile, "I just hope the snow won't keep falling. Then I can get on with my journey."

But on the way back to Beijing, Xu Wei was disappointed.

The snow kept falling.

Although it has been snowing in the capital recently, the court is no longer as panicked as before. After all, there are still plenty of sweet potatoes in the warehouses of the counties in the capital, and the court's granary also has sufficient money and grain supplies.

Although the climate is becoming increasingly unpredictable.

But something called confidence gradually took shape in the court.

Yan Shaoting and Xu Wei rushed back to Beijing in the snow and wind, and they had no time to rest.

It was already the twelfth lunar month, and in a few days the various ministries and offices of the imperial court would be sealed. Before that, he still needed to communicate with the Changping faction and related personnel in the imperial court regarding his going south to serve as an official.

Ever since.

Finally, after the snow stopped one day, Yan Shaoting, under the pretext of his son's third birthday, returned gifts to families in Beijing and began to establish social connections.

then.

In the capital, it was no longer a secret that Yan Shaoting was seeking to serve as an official in the south.

"Gulu gulu gulu..."

In the tea room.

Xu Kun looked at his father who was having a day off today and was pouring two cups of tea with a calm expression.

He asked with some concern: "It is said outside that Yan Shaoting is going to seek to go south to serve as an official after the beginning of the year. Doesn't father have any idea at all?"

Xu Jie handed a cup of oolong tea to his second son, and then asked, "What do you think as a father?"

Xu Kun held the teacup in both hands, his face slightly stunned. "It stands to reason that he is in charge of the Changping Public Security Bureau, and he has plenty of local experience. As long as he doesn't make any big mistakes, he can be promoted step by step over the years. But at this time, he just had a son and he wants to leave Beijing to be an official. I always think it's unreasonable, or he has other intentions."

Xu Jie's face flashed with relief, and then he nodded and said, "Seeking to leave Beijing and go south to serve as an official at this time, he must have other plans. He has always been a man who does not do anything without benefits."

Xu Kun immediately raised his head: "Should we stop him?"

"Why stop him?" Xu Jie asked again, then looked at him with scrutiny.

Xu Kun's heart tightened involuntarily; he understood that his father was testing him.

After pondering for a moment.

Xu Kun then spoke again: "Father, what you mean is... if he goes to the south to plot something, he will definitely be exposed. Then my family's old friends in the south will be able to take him down completely together with the capital?"

After hearing my son's analysis.

Xu Jie finally drank the cup of tea.

He smiled and said, "As you said before, if Yan Shaoting stays in the capital for a long time and takes steady steps, he will enter the cabinet sooner or later. But if he leaves the capital, the south is different from the capital. If he wants to do something, he will have to touch the interests and benefits of those people, so there will be conflicts, and he will naturally be in a mess. Even if he has support, it is unknown whether he can accomplish what he is planning. In this case, it is better to let him leave the capital and go south to serve as an official."

After finishing speaking.

Xu Jie poured himself another cup of tea.

Although he still didn't understand why Yan Shaoting wanted to go south to serve as an official at this time, as long as he went to the south, perhaps the initiative would be back in his hands.

Xu Kun frowned, constantly pondering his father's analysis.

After a long time.

Xu Kun then spoke in a low voice, "There are no vacancies in the various government offices in the south. Hu Zongxian is in charge of the suppression of the Japanese in the five southeastern provinces. The Governor-General of Zhejiang and the Governor of Zhejiang are Zhao Zhenji, who was promoted by the Yan family. The Governor of Yingtian is Hai Rui, and the Governor-General and Minister of Maritime Affairs is Zhang Juzheng. My son has calculated that Yan Shaoting's most likely position for this trip south is that of a Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue in Nanjing. At best, the Emperor will show him special favor and give him the position of Minister of the Ministry of Revenue in Nanjing."

The left and right vice ministers of the six ministries are all of the third rank.

It just fits the official title of the third rank of the Crown Prince's guest.

Xu Jie, however, held the teacup and squinted his eyes: "How about going? I'm afraid we have to wait for the imperial court's decision in the near future." Although the south is now being tormented by Hai Rui, Zhang Juzheng and Xu Wenbi, Yan Shaoting must have other plans for going south. By then, who knows, the situation that has been balanced with great difficulty will be disrupted, and the long-accumulated anger in the south will erupt completely.

in this way.

I have finally broken through.

Xu Jie was thinking about something.

In the court, Yan Shaoting had basically done everything he should do.

"All that remains is to wait for this imperial meeting."

Looking at the snow falling outside the window, Yan Shaoting looked at Xu Wei who was making tea.

……

a few days later.

An oral decree was issued from the Wanshou Palace in the Western Garden, ordering that a meeting be held before the emperor at the end of this year. In addition to the cabinet ministers and the eunuchs who held the seal and wrote in the Imperial Household Department, the heads of the six ministries, the Censorate, the Ministry of Public Security, and the five temples would also be summoned to participate in the discussion.

The weather was nice that day.

The snowfall that had lasted for several days finally stopped the night before.

Early.

In front of the Wanshou Palace, the accumulated snow had already been cleared away by the palace eunuchs.

One sedan chair after another landed in front of the palace gate.

The chief officials of the six ministries, five temples, the Censorate, and the Ministry of Public Security stepped out of their sedan chairs one after another and gathered together with joyful looks on their faces.

In previous years, they had no chance to participate in the end-of-year imperial conference. Although they had to work overtime this year, it was a good thing to be able to show up in front of the emperor more often.

The key is that the imperial meals served at the palace banquets now taste very good.

Wait until the heads of the six ministries and other government offices arrived.

They are the five elders of the cabinet.

Almost tacitly according to the order of entering the cabinet, Li Chunfang arrived first, and Yan Shaoting, who accompanied Yan Song, arrived last.

That's the time.

Behind the gate of Wanshou Palace, eunuchs from the Imperial Household Department, led by Lu Fang, also came out one after another.

Lu Fang took the lead, clasped his hands together, and came in front of Yan Song.

His face was flushed, and he laughed unabashedly: "Nowadays, life is getting better and better. Although the court still has some troubles from time to time, there are always ways to solve the problems. This is all thanks to the merits of Lord Yan in charge of the cabinet and the civil and military officials of the previous dynasty!"

Although this is just flattery.

But even Xu Jie didn't have any aversion.

It's the end of the year, it's that time of year again.

Even if Yan Song was replaced by himself, Xu Jie, Lu Fang would still have to say this.

Yan Song, as usual, waved his hand humbly, attributed the credit to the cabinet members and the civil and military officials of the previous dynasty, and finally proposed to hold the meeting in the main hall as soon as possible.

Entered the temple.

Yan Shaoting glanced around.

This year, the windows and doors of the Wanshou Palace were no longer opened in the cold winter, allowing the cold wind from outside to rush in. In addition, there were many stoves with built-in exhaust pipes produced by Changping factories in the corners.

Yan Shaoting immediately noticed this subtle change.

And at this time.

After everyone had paid their respects to the emperor.

above.

Jiajing's voice, which was also filled with joy, also came down.

"I heard that the various departments in the court have laughed more than cried these days, and things are going well in the court, and life is getting better and better. I also think this is very good, and this is also the credit of you all."

The emperor's public praise.

Everyone bowed and nodded.

As the prime minister, Yan Song naturally attributed the credit to the emperor's wisdom.

After the two interacted.

Lu Fang opened an account and cleared his throat: "According to the rules, the main topic of this year's meeting is the government's money and grain expenditures this year, which ones are meritorious and which ones are insufficient. Next year, we can also carry on the past and make our Ming Dynasty better and better."

After saying this.

The Minister of Revenue Gao Yao immediately stood up.

He also opened a memorial that he had carried with him and spread it out on the table in front of him.

Originally, if it were in previous years, this job would have been handled by Gao Gong, who was also in charge of the Ministry of Revenue. But this year, since the heads of the six ministries and five temples have all come, it is better to give these matters to the people below, which can be regarded as making the best use of people.

Gao Yao opened the memorial with a smile on his face: "Your Majesty, this year is the 43rd year of Jiajing. The land tax, summer and autumn taxes, and various taxes collected by our dynasty have totaled 59.32 million taels of silver and in-kind goods, with a surplus of 5.27 million taels."

When the total financial figures for the 43rd year of the Jiajing reign came out of the mouth of the Minister of Revenue Gao Yao, the whole hall was suddenly filled with joy.

Lu Fang immediately glanced at Yan Shaoting who was standing next to Yan Song, and then looked at Gao Yao, smiling and said, "I still remember that in the thirty-ninth year, the tax revenue collected by the court was less than 40 million taels, and there was a deficit of more than 10 million taels. Now, in just four years, the court's fiscal revenue has increased by nearly 20 million taels. Not only is there no deficit, but there is also a surplus of more than 5 million taels. Minister Gao is in charge of the purse of our Ming Dynasty, and this contribution is real."

Gao Yao immediately shook his head and waved his hands, then looked at Yan Shaoting with bright eyes.

He clenched his fists towards the emperor above him and said, "Your Majesty, if there is any merit, it should be the merit of Yan Shaoting, the doctor of the Zhejiang Qingli Division of the Ministry of Revenue. Most of the nearly 20 million taels of silver that the court has now gained are from the work done by Yan Shaoting. First, the court can earn 10 million taels of money and goods every year from the sale of silk to foreign countries. Second, at the beginning of this year, the court earned more than 6 million taels of money. Third, the tax investigation of southeastern commerce earned another 3 million taels of money. Although I am in charge of the Ministry of Revenue, I dare not be greedy for great achievements!"

Inside the palace.

Everyone knows what is going on now.

Even Xu Jie couldn't help but raise his eyebrows.

Although he knew that Gao Yao was definitely praising Yan Shaoting in order to help him go south to take on important tasks, he still thought of the extra 20 million taels of income each year.

Even Xu Jie couldn't help feeling a huge sense of powerlessness and helplessness in his heart.

Not just anyone can get so much silver for the court!
Yan Shaoting had already bowed and stood up at this time.

Although the purpose was to improve his own political achievements, the credit should be attributed to the old Taoist priest and the court officials.

But wait until he finishes.

Gao Yao then continued, "Your Majesty, the Ministry of Revenue estimates that because the country has just opened up the sea this year and everything has not been sorted out, it has only gained more than 6 million taels of silver. Next year, when the sea is fully opened, the country will gain more than 10 million taels of silver. As for the commercial tax, the Yingtian Governor Hai Rui, who is currently in the southeast, seems to be re-investigating the local areas. Although the Ministry of Revenue cannot confirm it, the profit from this tax will definitely increase next year."

After saying this.

Gao Yao then turned and looked at Yan Shaoting.

There was a genuine smile on his face.

"Therefore, I believe that Yan Binke has made great contributions to the country!"

…………

Monthly PassMonthly Pass
(End of this chapter)