Seek order in chaos, and seek chaos in order!
This is the view that Chongzhen has always held since he traveled through time.
Especially in rebuilding the Ming Dynasty's monetary system.
Taking out one million taels of silver to buy the copper coins in the capital would inevitably leak the news even if one was cautious.
Instead of hiding it, it is better to take the opportunity to let it out.
Who will get the news first?
It could be a dignitary, an official, or a businessman.
Anyway, they are not ordinary people.
After getting the news, they will definitely wonder: Why is Your Majesty purchasing copper coins?
While confused, these people will have three reactions.
Follow the trend and buy copper coins!
Take the opportunity to sell copper coins!
Or...watch!
At that time, the exchange rate between silver and copper coins in the capital will change.
Then he asked Wang Zhixin to sell high and buy low to make a profit from the difference.
After repeatedly cutting the leeks of the powerful and wealthy in this way, the entire exchange system in the capital will be in chaos.
Without destruction, there is no construction!
He would then take the opportunity to launch silver coins and announce that only silver coins and copper coins would be collected when collecting taxes.
As long as the exchange rate between silver coins and copper coins is stabilized, silver coins can successfully become the new currency of the Ming Dynasty!
With the right to mint coins in their hands, the lifeblood of the Ming Dynasty is also in their hands.
The capital is not big, but it is about to create a myth!
As it was getting dark, Chongzhen was about to leave when Li Banghua arrived.
"His Majesty."
"Is there something wrong, Lord Li?"
"After three months, the eight prefectures, two directly-controlled states, 17 scattered states, and 70 prefecture-affiliated counties under the jurisdiction of Northern Zhili have completed the first round of disaster relief."
"The use of soldiers for relief and workers for relief has had a significant effect. A total of nearly 100,000 disaster victims were provided relief and more than 15,000 soldiers were recruited."
"What about the officials? How is the collection of overdue taxes and the clearance of overpaid taxes going?" Chongzhen asked.
While providing disaster relief, local officials would be evaluated and those with good reputations would be retained to continue serving the court.
Those with a bad reputation will be directly dismissed.
"Your Majesty, after preliminary investigation, we found 108 problematic officials in these prefectures and counties." Li Banghua handed over a piece of paper, "The amount of corrupt silver is about 3 million taels."
Chongzhen took the paper and looked at it carefully.
One hundred and eight officials!
Not too much, not too little.
This piece of paper only records officials above the seventh rank.
In the Ming Dynasty, there were less than 4,000 civil servants above the seventh rank.
In the small northern Zhili, an important place near the capital, there are so many corrupt officials under the feet of the emperor!
This shows how serious the problems of the Ming Dynasty were!
"Your Majesty, this is just a preliminary finding. Some more are still under investigation. We expect the investigation to be completed in two months."
"Thank you for your hard work, Lord Li." Chongzhen was too lazy to even draw the cake, he just said something to comfort him.
"I would like to know how Your Majesty plans to deal with these people?" Li Banghua said as he raised his head.
Looking at Li Banghua's red and swollen eyes, Chongzhen asked back: "What do you want to do with Li Gelao?"
"I think we should follow the example of Emperor Taizu Gao, who dared to kill and conquer in his administration and was known for his prestige." Li Banghua had a serious expression.
"What the Lord means is... to kill them all?"
"I do have this intention. I ask for your approval, Your Majesty."
Chongzhen hesitated for a moment and changed the subject: "How is the collection and repayment of taxes going?"
"The collection of overdue taxes is in progress. I have classified these people. For those who have money but deliberately refuse to pay, I have given them ten days. If they still default after the deadline, I will send troops to confiscate their homes."
"They really have no money. I will ask the land bureau to buy their land at the market price and use the money from the sale of the land to pay the taxes. Then we will rent the land to them and give them a way to make a living."
"As for the clearance of over-levied taxes...it is not going smoothly." When he said this, Li Banghua's eyes turned red.
"What's going on?" Chongzhen stood up.
Li Banghua sighed, "Alas, except for a few people who are still living in their original places, most of the people who were taxed too much have died or fled, and their whereabouts are unknown."
"In Yongping Prefecture alone, there are thousands of households in this situation. In the entire Northern Zhili, the number of people involved is as high as hundreds of thousands!"
Chongzhen is silent...
The Jiannu had to use a knife to kill people!
It only takes one sentence for Ming Dynasty officials to kill Ming Dynasty people!
What words?
Pay taxes! Pay taxes! Pay taxes!
Pay next year’s taxes, the year after, and even twenty years from now this year!
Just one sentence can destroy a family!
Compared with them, the Jiannu are nothing!
"Your Majesty, shouldn't these corrupt officials be killed?" Li Banghua asked again when he saw Chongzhen was silent.
"Kill! Kill them all!" Chongzhen's eyes began to spit fire.
He paced back and forth around the dragon desk for a few steps, raised his head and looked at Li Banghua: "Who should be killed and who should not be killed, you draw up a list for me, and I will approve it immediately after you submit it."
"Also, please collect the names of those wealthy gentry who deliberately refuse to pay taxes. I will make them pay the price they deserve."
Li Banghua was delighted at first, then asked cautiously, "Your Majesty, how do you want to deal with those gentry?"
"For those who fail to pay on time, their homes will be confiscated in front of them, and then they will be killed!"
Li Banghua was stunned.
He thought he was cruel enough, but he didn't expect that the Ming Emperor was even more cruel.
First confiscate the house, then kill people!
Killing people is heartbreaking!
"Your Majesty," Li Banghua wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, "Isn't this an excessive act of killing?"
"Killing?" Chongzhen smiled coldly: "If they paid taxes in full and on time, those corrupt officials would not force the people to pay more."
"Although they didn't kill anyone with their own hands, they indirectly killed countless people! I am already merciful by allowing them to live until the New Year."
"But..." Li Banghua wanted to persuade Chongzhen: "If the news spreads to the south, it will probably cause dissatisfaction among the gentry."
Chongzhen smiled coldly: "First of all, I have given them time to make up the payment. Secondly, even if they are dissatisfied, what can they do?"
"To join the bandits or the thieves?"
"I just want to get back my own money. Zhang Xianzhong and Li Zicheng are different. They want both money and life!"
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