activa-t Chapter 47: Report to me tonight!
Chapter 47: Report to me tonight!
As Zhu Houzhao set off to return to the palace, all the civil and military officials, as well as the surrounding common people, knelt down to see him off.
"Your Majesty, this humble subject respectfully escorts you back to the palace!"
Zhu Houzhao is gone, leaving behind all the civil and military officials at the execution ground.
Later, they would remain at the execution ground to clean up the mess left behind after the execution.
Looking at the mangled remains and blood on the ground, the officials couldn't help but feel nauseous.
They knew that Zhu Houzhao was not trying to torture them, but rather to give them a warning.
The screams on the execution ground continued, while the surrounding crowd occasionally erupted in cheers.
Seeing one high-ranking official after another die under the executioner's blade, the people couldn't help but feel a surge of joy.
The Ming Dynasty has finally welcomed a true sage and wise ruler!
For officials and scholar-officials, an emperor who does not kill officials is a benevolent ruler and a good emperor.
But to ordinary people, an emperor who kills officials is both a tyrant and a truly good emperor!
The massacre at the execution ground lasted for six hours, until midnight, when all three thousand people were finally slaughtered.
The common people who had been watching had long since gone home to sleep, leaving only the civil and military officials of the court, who were cleaning the execution ground under the supervision of Cao Zhengchun and the agents of the Eastern Depot.
The agents of the Eastern Depot thoughtfully held torches to illuminate the path for the officials cleaning the execution ground.
Cao Zhengchun sat on the execution platform with his arms crossed, and said with a smile, "I'll trouble you gentlemen to carry out the execution."
"Gentlemen, you hold high positions and live a life of luxury; you've probably never done these kinds of chores that servants do, have you?"
"There's nothing I can do; it's His Majesty's order. Even if I wanted to help you gentlemen, I wouldn't dare. Don't you agree?"
The officials, who were cleaning the execution ground despite feeling disgusted and resistant, were so angry at Cao Zhengchun's sarcastic remarks that they felt like vomiting blood.
Cao Zhengchun was extremely excited, and the smile on his face never faded.
The cabinet was sweeping the floor, and the minister was mopping it. He had never seen such a scene before.
Now that I've seen it today, I definitely want to take a good look and feast my eyes!
……
Forbidden City.
Qianqing Palace.
Zhu Houzhao felt a wave of relief wash over him, as if the pent-up emotions of the past few days had been lifted from his heart. He felt incredibly relaxed all over.
After returning to the palace, he unusually did not go back to the Qianqing Palace to handle government affairs, but instead went to the Imperial Garden to appreciate the plum blossoms.
The red plum blossoms create a unique charm within the snow-covered Forbidden City.
Unfortunately, Zhu Houzhao had already walked out of the small imperial garden after only two laps.
The Imperial Garden is too small; there's really nothing to see there.
After returning to the Qianqing Palace and having dinner, Zhu Houzhao was preparing to turn over the plaque sent by Gu Dayong when Liu Jin came to report.
"Your Majesty, Imperial Secret Agent Shangguan Haitang requests an audience."
Shangguan Haitang's request for an audience at this time is likely due to matters concerning the Ming Dynasty Salt Estate.
But at this hour...
Zhu Houzhao looked out the window. In winter, it gets dark early. It was only around 5 pm, but the sky was already getting dark.
In another half hour at most, it will be completely dark.
As Zhu Houzhao pondered this, he suddenly chuckled self-deprecatingly and pushed aside the tray full of designer brands beside him: "Let her in."
Gu Dayong asked in confusion, "Your Majesty, which concubine did you choose?"
"I didn't overturn any of them, you may leave."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
After Gu Dayong and Liu Jin left, Shangguan Haitang entered the Qianqing Palace.
"Your humble servant, Shangguan Haitang, greets Your Majesty!"
"Rise."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Zhu Houzhao looked at Shangguan Haitang, who was dressed in white, and a smile appeared on his lips.
Although Shangguan Haitang is a woman, she loves to dress as a man, and her disguise skills were learned from the peerless young master. Very few people in the martial arts world know her true identity.
However, Shangguan Haitang in this way has her own unique charm.
Zhu Houzhao had grown somewhat tired of the beautiful women in the palace, but he was quite interested in a spirited woman like Shangguan Haitang.
Shangguan Haitang was unaware of what Zhu Houzhao was thinking at that moment, and simply bowed and reported according to etiquette.
"Your Majesty, the construction of the Ming Dynasty Salt Estates has already shown initial results."
"I have set up a salt shop near the Jingtong Warehouse so that these salt merchants can exchange their salt permits nearby."
"In just a few months, the Ming Dynasty Salt Administration issued 3.6 million salt permits, generating 3.6 million shi of grain in revenue!"
When talking about this, Shangguan Haitang couldn't hide her joy, her face seemingly saying, "Praise me, praise me!"
Shangguan Haitang's pride was not because she was complacent, but because she had indeed greatly changed the original salt certificate system of the Ming Dynasty.
During the Hongwu era, when Emperor Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang first implemented the Open Market System, merchants were required to transport their own grain to border towns in exchange for salt permits.
Then they would take the salt permits to the Lianghuai Saltworks to collect salt and transport it to sell.
In other words, the most basic purpose of the Open China Act was to shift the cost of transporting grain and fodder to merchants.
Furthermore, because everything was done through barter, corruption was very difficult, which greatly protected the interests of the imperial court.
However, during the Hongzhi era, under pressure from the cabinet and the harem, the late emperor changed the opening-point method to the color-based method.
The imperial court then directly established salt tax collection offices in wealthy areas such as Huizhou, Jinzhou, Shuzhou, and Yuezhou.
Local wealthy merchants could exchange grain or silver for salt permits at the Salt Tax Bureau, and then exchange them for salt at the nearest location.
In other words, the imperial court took the initiative to reimburse the cost of transporting grain, greatly saving merchants money and making it easier for them to make a profit.
Furthermore, because salt permits could be purchased directly with cash, corruption was rampant.
Taking the seventeenth year of the Hongzhi reign as an example, more than five million salt permits were issued in various places, but the actual income from grain was less than one million shi and silver was only three hundred thousand taels.
The difference was pocketed by countless officials and wealthy merchants.
Therefore, during the Hongzhi reign, any official who was praised to the skies in historical records was subjected to torture and execution, which was not enough to quell the hatred.
Li Dongyang wasn't exactly a saint either, but Zhu Houzhao still needed him, so he couldn't be bothered to delve into his messy affairs.
Once Li Dongyang has lost his usefulness, Zhu Houzhao will immediately confiscate his property and exterminate his entire clan!
Shangguan Haitang keenly perceived this problem and closed the salt tax collection offices in various places, opening only one salt estate in Jingtongcang.
In this way, Shangguan Haitang shifted the cost of transporting grain back to merchants in various regions.
Furthermore, the 3.6 million salt permits were genuinely exchanged for 3.6 million shi of grain, and there was absolutely no embezzlement involved!
It seems that Shangguan Haitang was indeed wholeheartedly serving Zhu Houzhao, without any selfish motives whatsoever.
"Very good, you handled this matter very well. I knew I hadn't misjudged you."
Zhu Houzhao nodded approvingly.
Upon receiving Zhu Houzhao's affirmation, Shangguan Haitang was extremely excited and felt incredibly satisfied.
"Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty. This is merely my duty."
Shangguan Haitang wanted to continue her report, but Zhu Houzhao deliberately yawned: "It's getting late, and I'm getting a little tired."
Shangguan Haitang was slightly startled: "Ah, this humble servant deserves to die, I have delayed Your Majesty's rest!"
"This humble servant takes his leave. He will return tomorrow to continue reporting on the saltworks to His Majesty..."
Why wait until tomorrow?
Zhu Houzhao sat on the dragon bed and beckoned to Shangguan Haitang: "Tonight, you will report to me from bed."
"His Majesty!"
Shangguan Haitang exclaimed in surprise, her cheeks instantly turning bright red!