Chapter 242 The Imperial Gift
"A secret?" Lin Zhiqing frowned slightly. "A secret that only you, Grandfather, know?"
"No." Lin Qingshan shook his head: "Your father and your fourth uncle both know."
No, is there something about Fourth Uncle again?
Lin Zhiqing bowed his head and said, "Grandfather, this matter is related to the Ministry of Revenue, right?"
Just now, when Lin Qingshan heard that the Ministry of Revenue had arrived, his behavior was very strange.
After having been in contact with Lu Huai for a long time, Lin Zhiqing had some understanding of the Ministry of Revenue.
To sum up, the Ministry of Revenue has four core functions.
First, financial management, including tax collection, warehouse management and financial expenditure scheduling.
Second, household registration management, including population statistics, household registration, and the collection of taxes and labor service.
Third, resource allocation, including the management of land, water conservancy, military farms and other resources.
Fourth, manage officials’ salaries and military expenditures.
The current Lin family has little to do with these four. The only thing that may be related is the salary.
But she knew very well that the salaries of the Lin family members were very low and could not cause any big problems.
Including Lu Huai and the Ministry of Revenue's actions this time, she only knew that it was to find something.
But what they are looking for and why they are looking for it seem to be the business of the Ministry of Revenue and the Hua family, and have nothing to do with the Lin family.
"Yes, it is indeed related to the Ministry of Revenue." Lin Qingshan slowly sat down on the chair:
"If the people from the Ministry of Revenue hadn't visited Bianliang, I might have almost forgotten all these things."
"Originally, I didn't intend to tell you these things that would only cause you trouble, but now you are doing things steadily and have become the head of the family."
"The Lin family's affairs are closely related to you. If I continue to hide it from you, there's no guarantee that someone will take advantage of it and cause you to lose the initiative."
You can tell there’s a story behind this!
Lin Zhiqing stared at Lin Qingshan closely, knowing that he could not miss any information.
What Lin Qingshan said was so serious.
The Lin family is now like walking on a knife edge. If they take a wrong step, they will fall into an irretrievable situation.
"Your father and I have both been in the military camp, and we understand firsthand how many soldiers' lives are lost in winning a battle." Lin Qingshan lowered his head, his tone rather sad.
"Warfare doesn't depend on the sharpest weapons or the most sophisticated military tactics, but on the generals and soldiers; neither is dispensable."
"Qing girl, have you ever heard that Dasheng values martial arts over literature?" Lin Qingshan looked at Lin Zhiqing.
Lin Zhiqing nodded slightly.
This sentence has been widely circulated. Just look at the current situation in the court. The Duke of Pei, Marquis of Zhenyuan, Earl of Dingbei and others are in full swing.
"Oh." Lin Qingshan shook his head: "This statement is indeed correct."
"But the court values generals, not low-ranking soldiers."
"Leaving aside the salary, every time a battle is won, rewards will flow to the general's house like water."
"But those soldiers who lost their lives or were injured in the war could only get a small amount of compensation."
"I've traveled a lot and have fallen ill, I've had no food to eat, I've traveled a thousand miles but haven't even reached home. My disheveled hair groans mournfully beneath the Great Wall, unable to bear the autumn air penetrating my wounds."
"The idea of prioritizing military power over civil service is just a lie. What the imperial court truly values are noble families, not ordinary soldiers."
"Those wounded, sick, and disabled soldiers who retreated from the battlefield could only receive a pitiful amount of pensions, and their livelihoods were practically cut off."
These words were quite sharp. If they were to be spread out, it would be a disaster for the Lin family. Lin Zhiqing even subconsciously looked around to see if anyone was eavesdropping.
This is not a world where the truth can be told with impunity.
"Grandfather, I still don't understand what you mean. What does the injured, sick and disabled general have to do with the Lin family?" Lin Zhiqing couldn't figure it out and could only ask.
After she asked this, Lin Qingshan's emotions gradually calmed down:
"The Lin Family Army your father and I led was invincible, but the wounded, sick, and disabled soldiers who retreated, along with their families, had a very difficult time."
"Soldiers who died in battle could only receive one ounce of silver in compensation and one bushel of grain per month, but even this little amount might not be available to them."
"The rest of the soldiers are the same."
"I submitted a memorial to report the situation, but it fell on deaf ears and nothing was done."
Lin Qingshan was heartbroken and his words were full of helplessness.
Lin Zhiqing frowned: "Grandfather, what did you and my father do? Help them?"
"That's right." Lin Qingshan took a deep breath. "Your father and I have taken out some of our savings, but this is only temporary."
"The number of wounded and disabled generals is too great. The strength of the two of us is really limited. However, it is because of the Lin Family Army that there is the Lin Family, and it is because of the Marquis of Changning that there is a Lin Family."
"Without any other options, the two of us secretly began selling off the imperial gifts to find a way for the Lin family army to survive."
"A gift from the Emperor!?" Lin Zhiqing was shocked.
After she took over the Lin family, she carefully checked the property and concluded that the Lin family had almost nothing good.
Only a few large items are left of the imperial gifts, which take up space and require time to maintain, which is very troublesome.
There were only a few things left, which was obviously unreasonable in the Changning Marquis Mansion.
Because Lin Qingshan and Lin Congrong had won countless battles, in addition to gold and silver, they had also obtained many royal gifts such as jewelry, weapons, utensils, calligraphy and paintings.
These things do not reward tangible benefits, but glory.
In any case, there couldn't possibly be only a few left.
Moreover, apart from gold, silver and treasures, all other items were recorded in a book. If they were sold or destroyed, the person would be charged with the crime of blasphemy against imperial power.
Because Lin Zhiqing's father, Lin Congrong, had colluded with the enemy and committed treason, many of the Lin family's properties were confiscated.
Lin Zhiqing did see some traces of imperial gifts in the list of seized properties, but he didn't think too much about it.
Now she understood that those imperial gifts had not been confiscated but sold.
If this matter were to be exposed, it would be much more serious than Lin Congyan's crime of disrespect.
Thinking of Lin Congyan, Lin Zhiqing spoke again: "What does this have to do with Fourth Uncle? Why didn't Second Grandfather and Big Uncle know about this, but Fourth Uncle knew about it?"
"This was done by your father in the past, and now it is done by your fourth uncle." After Lin Qingshan said those words, it became much easier for him to answer.
But Lin Zhiqing caught the key words in his words: "Now it's Fourth Uncle who's doing it, which means that your behavior is still continuing?"
"That's right." Lin Qingshan nodded. "After your father died, the Lin family army disbanded. We couldn't just watch those soldiers starve to death."
Lin Zhiqing's expression was serious: "Grandfather, why are you telling me now?"
"Every time someone knows about this, there will be an additional risk." Lin Qingshan's back bent slightly.
"I know it's not easy for you. I'm afraid someone will seize on this little bit. Plus, the Ministry of Revenue has come to Bianliang, and I feel uneasy."
The Ministry of Revenue was in charge of the distribution and recovery of imperial gifts.
"Too many people in the capital are eyeing the Lin family covetously. I'm worried that someone will seize this opportunity to cause trouble, which will be difficult for you to deal with. So I decided to tell you the truth in advance."
Lin Qingshan had no intention of saying it, because no one in the Lin family could withstand such an act of defiance.
But the situation is now serious. Lin Zhiqing wants to lead the Lin family out of the mud, but this is an unknown obstacle.
At least, you have to be prepared.
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