The Ming Dynasty started with caution

At court today, Yan Chengjin stood in the censor's team.

Wang Shouren's advice and rectification of the border defense post and the Beijing camp revealed many bad policies of the Weiyuan guard post.

The system of the Ming Dynasty Guards and the Beijing Camp collapsed, and Yan Chengjin knew it well.

Before Wang Shouren could say a few words, an official from the Ministry of War objected and dismissed Wang Shouren's advice on the grounds that it would cost a lot of money.

Renovation does require a lot of money. First, it is necessary to ensure that the military rations supplied by Jiubian are sufficient, and secondly, the armor and weapons must be replaced.

I don’t know how much money these cost.

When Wang Shouren came back from Weiyuan Guard, he warned that the guard should be reorganized. He must have seen the collapse of the guard system.

The life of the soldiers in the guard was extremely poor. As far as clothing was concerned, although their clothes were provided by the government treasury, their family members had to prepare them themselves, and their wives and children had no clothes to cover themselves.

In addition, the food was only for one person, and the whole family could eat it. Sometimes, the court still owed military pay, so the soldiers fled the guard station.

The Ningxia Guard under my father's jurisdiction was better, because Tatars often invaded, and the court did not dare not to respond.

Wang Shouren's few words of advice were difficult to impress Emperor Hongzhi and all officials.

Yan Chengjin guessed that the most important thing was that His Majesty and the officials did not know how far the guardhouse had declined.

In the middle of June,

The capital was a bit stuffy, so Song Jing built fifteen astronomical telescopes.

As a craftsman, he did not use scraps as Yan Chengjin said. Instead, he minimized material loss and picked the meat from between his teeth.

Copper is the metal used in coinage and is very expensive. We can only use copper on the inner wall of Song's telescope and iron on the outside to reduce the cost of casting.

The Zhang brothers were overjoyed. With the blessing of their ancestors, the money was not wasted. As long as they were sold to the Franji people, the money would be like falling from the sky in vain. "Those fools in Franji spend their money more happily than the gentry."

The inflow of 200,000 silver from the pass was naturally not concealed from the imperial court.

Ten days later,

Fengtian Temple,

Mou Bin walked in quickly and reported: "Your Majesty, there are Franji merchants in Tianjin Wei who are trading with the ministers of the DPRK, and the amount is about 200,000 taels."

Emperor Hongzhi frowned: "Who in the court dares to violate the prohibition?"

"It is said... that they are Marquis Ningshou and Uncle Jianchang."

Emperor Hongzhi was sullen.

In the early years, he knew that Ningshou Hou and Jianchang Bo were reselling antiques and silk to the Franji people, and he warned them at that time.

What are these two worthless things sold for?

However, apart from fields and shops, what can be sold for two hundred thousand taels of silver?

Emperor Hongzhi really couldn't think of anything, so he asked: "What was sold and when was it sold?"

"I don't know, but a few days ago, Marquis Ningshou and Uncle Jianchang sent many boxes to the Yan Mansion. They seemed to be Song's astronomical telescopes, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince... was also there."

Yan Chengjin and the prince?

Emperor Hongzhi fell into deep thought and ordered his brother Ning Shouhou to be summoned into the palace. After thinking about it, he also called Yan Chengjin.

When Mou Bin came to the Metropolitan Procuratorate, Yan Chengjin was not surprised.

He followed Mou Bin to Fengtian Hall, where the Zhang brothers were already kneeling in the hall. The two brothers looked at him fiercely, as if they were bitter and hated each other.

There was also the prince Zhu Houzhao. Zhu Houzhao looked a little pale and muttered: "Old Gao, I have already recruited..."

Before he could salute, Emperor Hongzhi asked: "I heard that you sold the Song Telescope to Marquis Ningshou for 10,000 taels, but the cost was only 1,000 taels of silver?"

The poisonous oath made by Zhu Houzhao cannot be believed...

The Zhang brothers' eyes were red, and they looked at Yan Chengjin with a bitter and resentful look, "Brother, this bitch is worse than us!"

"Stop talking, it's too embarrassing."

Yan Chengjin blinked his eyes and said innocently: "Your Majesty, I saw this written document. I didn't offer a price. It was Marquis Ning Shou who insisted on handing over 90,000 taels of silver to me."

Zhang Heling's blood welled up: "Your Majesty, I am wronged."

This bitch took their money and even said that they insisted on giving it as a gift...

"Brother... I want to beat this guy to death." Zhang Yanling cried out in grievance.

Emperor Hongzhi read the receipt and signed the names of Ningshou Hou and Jianchang Bo. His face turned ugly: "The receipt is written clearly. I will settle the account with you for violating the ban in a while."

When it came to the maritime ban, the Zhang brothers didn't dare to say anything.

Emperor Hongzhi looked at Yan Chengjin and frowned: "Do you know that according to the law, traders who raise prices should be severely punished?"

"As a censor, I naturally understand."

The clear law stipulates that if a businessman drives up prices and engages in bribery, the severity of the punishment will be determined based on the amount of the increase.

"I did not raise the price. May I ask how much money I received from your Majesty when I sold you the first telescope?"

"Ten thousand taels." Emperor Hongzhi said.

Everyone was petrified.

It was sold to Emperor Hongzhi for 10,000 taels, and to the Zhang brothers it was also 10,000 taels. It seems... there was no price gouging?

The Zhang brothers were dumbfounded.

Emperor Hongzhi didn't care about this, and his eyes fell on Yan Chengjin: "I ask you, why are Franji people willing to spend the high price of 20,000 taels of silver?"

Yan Chengjin thought for a while.

Market value is really difficult to explain to Hongzhi.

Some things are resources when used in the right place, and garbage when used in the wrong place.

Just like silk from the Ming Dynasty, the price doubled when it went to the West, but it was not so popular in the Ming Dynasty.

Yan Chengjin considered it carefully: "During the Weiyuan War, the Song telescope and artillery showed great power. Like the Ming Dynasty, Franji Kingdom also experienced frequent wars. If a city is captured with the Song telescope and artillery, it will be worth more than two yuan." Ten thousand taels of silver.

To say the least, even if they did not transport them back to Franji Country and sell these artillery pieces and telescopes to the Japanese country, I dare say that they would still be worth a lot of money. "

As long as there is war, these things will have value.

If it falls into the hands of the common people, look at the moon and see if it can do anything.

These French telescopes are very thieves. Maybe in a few years, they will transform the Song telescope into a more high-end telescope and resell it to Ming Dynasty.

Isn’t that what the Fran cannon is like?

Liu Jian was shocked: "Your Majesty, how dare you sell it to the Japanese country."

Emperor Hongzhi knew full well that his murderous eyes fell on the Zhang brothers. These two guys actually sold eleven units.

If the Japanese country used it to fight the Ming Dynasty navy, wouldn't they be shooting themselves in the foot?

Xie Qian looked worried: "Your Majesty, I think the ship from Franji has not gone far yet, so why not let the Tianjin Navy sink the merchant ship from Franji!"

"Sink it, okay. If it sinks, we will sell it to them." Zhang Yanling was happy.

Yan Chengjin raised his head slightly: "I have something to say, I don't know whether I should say it or not."

Emperor Hongzhi lowered his face and said, "Speak."

"If the merchant ships of the Franji people are sunk, I am afraid that no great cannibal and Franji people will dare to trade silk and tea with the Ming Dynasty."

The Ming Dynasty exported silk and tea to Franji all year round, which violated the maritime ban.

Emperor Hongzhi and his ministers all knew that it was just the exchanges between Franji and Ming Dynasty that made the coastal ports prosperous, so they turned a blind eye.

Yan Chengjin wanted Emperor Hongzhi to simply impose a sea ban.

But now I don't have much confidence in admonishment. I am just a small censor. If admonishment spreads, it will offend the interests of many people. I am afraid that someone will impeach him in less than the next day.

Emperor Hongzhi's deep intention was not to punish those who violated the sea ban, but what he was greedy for was the money he collected...

Thinking of Wang Shouren's advice, Yan Chengjin said: "Song's telescopes and artillery have been shipped out. I am worried that Franji and the Japanese will be unfavorable to our country. It is better to reorganize the capital camp and expand the three armies. I am willing to donate 80,000 taels of silver to serve as Wasteful."