Chapter 301: Yuan Shangshu's Difficulties
Emperor Mingcheng turned to look at Qin Chi and asked, "Qin Qi'an, you donated the gold I gave you. Tell me what happened?"
"this……"
Qin Chi stood up and stood beside the Minister of Revenue, taking a half step back, "Your Majesty, this is what my wife wanted."
Emperor Mingcheng was surprised: "It wasn't your idea?"
"Really not. I have done nothing of any kind, but I received a large sum of gold from your Majesty. My wife asked me if I felt guilty about it... To be honest, I really feel unworthy of it."
Qin Chi stood up and bowed to Emperor Mingcheng, and said with great fear, "My wife is just a woman, and she is not familiar with the affairs of the court. She made a donation in the name of Your Majesty and the masters of the palace without authorization. I beg Your Majesty to forgive her for her usurpation."
"This is a good deed, what's the crime?"
Emperor Ming Cheng looked through the list again with great interest. He could tell something from the list alone. "Your wife has a very clever mind. Lord Xia, don't you think so?"
"Madam Qin cares about the people affected by the disaster in Taihu Lake. She knows how to repay kindness without seeking fame or fortune. She is truly an extraordinary woman." Xia Wei responded sincerely.
She clearly donated all the rewards she received, yet she kept a portion of what everyone gave her, as if she was accepting other people's kindness, and others could find no fault with her.
Actually, Xia Wei didn’t say that.
This time Song Jin's move helped him a lot. Originally, he was worried about raising money and materials for disaster relief.
Now the matter seems to be resolved!
Your Majesty has donated money, do others dare not donate?
Qin Chi hurriedly said a few more humble words.
But he deliberately mentioned Song Jin today because he wanted her to make a good impression in front of Emperor Ming Cheng.
It will be easier to act in the future.
Soon, Qin Chi saw what it meant to be an old minister praising someone.
Xia Wei talked to Emperor Ming Cheng about the flood in Taihu Lake and mentioned the people affected by the disaster. Then he subtly praised Emperor Ming Cheng for his donation, saying that it was a blessing for the people of Taihu Lake and that he would definitely be loved by all people.
The flattery was spoken with sincerity and earnestness.
If Qin Chi didn't understand, he would have almost believed it.
He felt that he had learned something.
Emperor Mingcheng looked dignified.
But from his expression, one could tell that he was in a good mood, and he even called the eunuchs to ask them to pay attention to the Ministry of Revenue. Not long after, a eunuch came to report that Duke Ningguo and his family had donated 800 taels and 50 shi of grain to the Ministry of Revenue.
"This old guy is quite sensible."
Emperor Mingcheng liked Duke Ningguo's tactfulness. No matter what he wanted to do, Duke Ningguo was always the first to jump out and support him. Therefore, Emperor Mingcheng, who was in a good mood, invited Xia Wei and Qin Chi to have lunch together.
It's only half a day.
No matter what their intentions were, every household in the capital came to the Ministry of Revenue to donate money, food, clothing, etc. The Ministry of Revenue then publicized the matter in the city, saying that the donated food and clothing did not matter whether they were new or old, as long as they could be eaten or used.
Donations are now a trend.
The wealthier people in the city also donated their old clothes that they no longer wore.
Wait for the two to leave the palace.
Xia Wei returned to the Ministry of Revenue.
Qin Chi went to the Hanlin Academy, talked to Yan Xianqing privately, and then went back to the Ministry of Industry. The colleagues he met along the way were much warmer to Qin Chi.
"Master Qin, what a coincidence. Have you had lunch?"
"Master Qin, you look so radiant, I think there is something good coming."
"Lord Qin is valued by His Majesty and will surely have a bright future. Don't forget me when you become rich and powerful." The man patted Qin Chi's shoulder, his eyes filled with envy and sourness.
In the past, when these people learned that Qin Chi had offended Minister Yuan, they avoided Qin Chi. However, due to work matters, they had to contact him and handled things in a businesslike manner.
Qin Chi pondered the reasons for everyone's changes.
Firstly, it could be a donation from the Ministry of Revenue.
Secondly, it might be because he stayed with Emperor Mingcheng for half a day and had a royal meal.
In the eyes of these people, Qin Chi had caught the eye of Emperor Mingcheng and was a minister valued by Emperor Mingcheng. Or, in other words, these people saw value in him.
Qin Chi handled this with ease.
He has already dealt with the matter of Yu Hengsi.
The old items in the inventory had been sorted out, and Qin Ba and his colleagues had already taken them away and converted them into silver and put them into the accounts. Their efficiency made the people from the other three departments jealous.
The matter was compiled into a book and handed over to Minister Wang.
After Minister Wang checked it and found no problems, he sent it to Minister Yuan for review.
Yuan Shangshu said to Wang Shilang: "Let Yu Hengsi produce 200,000 military cotton clothes before winter. They will be sent to the northwest. Let Qin Langzhong hurry up."
Minister Wang wanted to say he was coming.
There is no wrong version in the 1619 book forum!
It was already autumn, and the army's cotton clothing could not be produced at all according to the speed at which the Yuheng Division worked in the past. Moreover, the cotton stock in stock was far from enough.
Qin Chi received the task, took the document, and asked, "Sir Wang, there is not enough money in the account of Yuhengsi."
"How much silver do you need? Just write a list and we'll go to the Ministry of Revenue to apply."
"That's pretty bad." Qin Chi said briefly.
Minister Wang also understood.
Now everyone is short of silver, especially when Emperor Chengdi of the Ming Dynasty ordered to clear bad debts. The Ministry of Revenue has no shortage of bad debts. In addition, the Taihu Lake floods every year, and this year is no exception. It is a well-known fact that the Ministry of Revenue is short of silver.
The silver in the national treasury was often misappropriated by Emperor Cheng of the Ming Dynasty and could not be relied upon at all.
Qin Chi said helplessly: "A good cook cannot cook without rice. Without money, I can't do anything here."
"Go contact the person first?"
Wang Shilang knew that Yuan Shangshu was deliberately making things difficult for him, so he became an accomplice. "I'm saying that we should first let the merchants buy on credit, and then fill in the gap as soon as the money comes in."
Qin Chi did not agree, but just said: "I will have people use the cotton and cloth currently in the warehouse first. As for the subsequent problems, it depends on when the money comes in."
"Okay, you do it first."
Minister Wang couldn't bear to look at Qin Chi.
This task is almost impossible to accomplish.
Not to mention the tight time schedule, it was not easy to just go to the Ministry of Revenue to apply for money.
It would be strange if the people of Xiawei would criticize.
Qin Chi made a list of the silver needed for the 200,000 cotton coats in previous years, and also noted that the disaster at Taihu Lake might affect the price. Minister Wang took the list perfunctorily and left.
Qin Chi suddenly called out to Minister Wang, "Sir Wang, this is not right. Winter is almost here. Are the cotton clothes really going to be sent to the northwest? If they were to be sent to the northwest, they should have been made in the first half of the year."
Make it according to this time.
By the time this batch of cotton clothes was completed and sent to the northwest, it was already after the New Year.
Minister Wang's mouth twitched. "The Minister ordered this, so I came to inform you. The supplies sent to the northwest have been sent out earlier, but the Minister said that there is still a shortage of 200,000, which needs to be replenished before the end of the year. He was previously under house arrest, which delayed this matter. Okay, you just do whatever the Minister orders."
As soon as Qin Chi heard it, he knew it was a difficult problem thrown by Minister Yuan.
Minister Wang left not long ago.
The people turned back again.