Chapter 333 Chilling
Zhao Xing and Han Zhang chatted for a while, and then the ministers arrived.
After everyone paid their respects, Zhao Xing asked Han Zhang to explain the situation.
"Minister Chang, how much grain is left in the Ministry of Revenue now?" Zhao Xing looked at the Minister of Revenue Chang Shilun and asked.
Chang Shilun bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the grain stored in the imperial granaries has basically been transferred to the north. Apart from the grain stored in Bianjing, there is not much grain left in other places. The autumn harvest is coming soon. We have to wait for more than a month for the autumn tax to come in, and then we will have enough food."
"Bastard!"
Zhao Xing slammed the table and stood up, staring at Chang Shilun and shouting, "As an official appointed by the court, what nonsense are you talking about? When the autumn tax is collected, how many people in the four states will die?"
"His Majesty!"
Chang Shilun said with a sad face: "Even a skilled cook cannot cook without rice. Now the national treasury is out of food, what else can I do?"
"As the Minister of Revenue, you always say that there is no solution. Then who can't be the Minister?" Zhao Xing said unhappily.
"Your Majesty, please calm down." Han Zhang bowed and said, "Right now, the most important thing is to raise food for disaster relief."
Zhao Xing took a deep breath, calmed down, and said, "Can Bian Jing still squeeze out some food now?"
"Your Majesty, all the grain in Bianjing is supplied to the western suburbs camp and the troops in the city. If it is withdrawn, the remaining grain will not be enough to last until the autumn harvest. I'm afraid there will be a major chaos." Chang Shilun said.
"Can't you use money to buy grain from the public?" Zhao Xing said unhappily.
"But there is not much money left in the national treasury. Apart from the subsequent payment of officials' salaries, there will not be much left," said Chang Shilun.
“The money…”
Zhao Xing wanted to ask where the money went, but when he thought of the cost of building the Great Wall in the north, he suddenly stopped.
"Ha ha…"
Zhao Xing suddenly burst into laughter, and tears came out of his eyes.
The officials in the hall were a little frightened by Zhao Xing's laughter.
Is the official crazy?
After a while, Zhao Xing stopped smiling, pointed at the officials in the hall, and said, "In the past, you all talked to me about the country and the people, but you kept silent about the people. Now the people around us are suffering from floods, and countless people are drowning or starving to death every day. But at this time, the Minister of Finance told me that the money in the treasury should be kept to pay the officials' salaries, and no one in the hall thought there was a problem. It's ridiculous, ridiculous!"
Chang Shilun once said that after paying salaries to officials, there was not much money left in the national treasury.
No one in the court, whether civil or military, said that officials’ salaries could be withheld, which made Zhao Xing feel very disappointed.
These people often talk about the common people, and some of them really care about the people.
But in essence, they are doing practical things for the people or petitioning on their behalf.
It's not that they care about the people so much, or that they want to realize their own ideals and ambitions, or for their own reputation, or some people want to leave their names in history.
Who has ever really considered the people?
These people belong to the upper class, so why would they care about the lives of the people at the bottom of society?
This does not mean that they are wrong. Among the wise rulers in history, how many of them truly cared about the people?
The so-called wise rulers are those who know how to maintain their own rule.
Zhao Xing did not ask them to sacrifice themselves for the people. What frustrates him is that with the salary of the Song Dynasty, even for honest officials, delaying salary for two months would not have any impact on their lives. However, no one stood up and said that their salary could be temporarily withheld.
"My Lord, let me ask you, if your salary is delayed for two months, will anyone in your family starve to death?"
Zhao Xing asked, his eyes fixed on Han Zhang.
"No!" Han Zhang shook his head and said, "I am willing to donate two months' salary to help the victims!"
"what about you?"
Zhao Xing looked at the others and sneered, "If the salary is not paid for two months, will they starve to death?"
"We are willing to donate our salaries to help the victims!" everyone said in unison.
Han Zhang has said so. If they don't do as he says, even if Zhao Xing doesn't pursue the matter, their reputation will be ruined once the news gets out.
"very good!"
Zhao Xing smiled and said, "You are all loyal ministers of the Song Dynasty. Minister Chang!" Since everyone is willing to donate their salaries, he naturally would not be so foolish as to say that he would return it to them after overcoming the difficulties.
"I'm here!" Chang Shilun bowed.
"First, allocate 50,000 dan of grain from Bian Jing, and then mobilize money from the national treasury to purchase grain from the public. Remember, purchase at normal prices. If anyone raises the price of grain, we will not buy it." Zhao Xing said.
One dan in the Song Dynasty was equivalent to about 120 jin in later generations, and 50,000 dan was about 6 million jin of grain.
It sounds like a lot, but actually it is not. Jiangzhou is a densely populated area, and the number of people affected by the disaster in the four states exceeds one million.
It is also necessary to dispatch troops to assist in disaster relief, and also to prevent anyone from taking the opportunity to cause chaos.
All these people consume food.
"Yes!" Chang Shilun replied.
Zhao Xing's eyes scanned everyone and finally stopped on Prime Minister Shen.
"Mr. Shen!"
"Chen is here!"
"You will be the leader, and the Chief Censor Luo Hui will be your assistant. Go to Jiangzhou and be fully responsible for disaster relief. I grant you the power to execute first and report later! If any local officials are negligent or slack, they will be severely punished." Zhao Xing said.
"The minister obeys the order!"
Shen Xianggong and Luo Hui stepped out and responded.
"You all may leave!" Zhao Xing waved his hand.
After all the officials left, Zhao Xing asked someone to call Cao Qin over.
"I pay my respects to Your Majesty!"
Cao Qin now serves as the commander of the Palace Front Department, in charge of a battalion of 500 soldiers.
All in all, after Zhao Xing ascended the throne, he not only failed to get promoted, but was also demoted.
But there was nothing that could be done about it. Cao An was the inspector general of the Palace Front Division, and if Cao Qin's position was too high, the troops of the Palace Front Division would be almost completely controlled by the Cao father and son.
"No gift!"
Zhao Xing waved his hand and briefly described the flood situation in Jiangzhou. He said, "I am worried that someone will take the opportunity to incite rebellion. I want you to lead 20,000 troops to go with Prime Minister Shen. If there is no rebellion, you will lead the troops to help with disaster relief. If there is a rebellion, you will lead the troops to suppress it."
"I obey your order!" Cao Qin replied.
"Remember, only the main culprit should be executed. Those common people could not survive and were instigated by others. After the rebellion is suppressed, they will be returned to their hometowns and no one will be held accountable," Zhao Xing warned.
Although there has been no news of rebellion in Jiangzhou and other places, such a thing is almost inevitable.
Every time a natural disaster occurred in the Song Dynasty, there were almost always people who incited the people to rebel.
In most cases, it was because the local government was not good at providing disaster relief, and the people rushed to the county town in order to survive. Knowing that they would die, they simply rebelled.
After the imperial court put down a rebellion, it would select young and strong men to serve in the army.
There are too many soldiers and horses in the imperial court now, and Zhao Xing is also interested in reducing the military, so he naturally won't do this.
"I understand!" Cao Qin replied.
"Go ahead, go back and prepare. The transfer order will come soon." Zhao Xing said.
"I'm leaving now!" Cao Qin bowed and left.
Zhao Xing rubbed his brows, thought carefully, and found that there was nothing missing, so he felt relieved.
(End of this chapter)