The Ming Dynasty started with caution

In the blink of an eye, it was night.

Li Qing'e was lying on the soft couch, and saw Yan Chengjin push the door and walk in. After thinking for a while, he said, "There are too many guests. Your husband should take a bath first."

Half an hour later, the lights in the bedroom went out.

At this time, Yan Kesong, who was outside the door, was relieved. The old man could go back to the border with peace of mind.

Before dawn, Li Qing'e got up lightly, and after a while, she quietly walked out of the door.

She saw two outstanding maids standing in front of the door, which made her unable to help but look at them a few more times.

However, she was soon relieved. As a second-rank official of the court, it was not surprising that her husband had a maid.

"Young Master and Master, when do you usually get up?"

"Serve the young master and the master to get up, and the two of us sisters will do it. Madam, go back to your room and rest." Chunxiao whispered.

Qianjin carefully handed over a deerskin fur coat, fearing that she would catch a cold.

Li Qing'e shook her head, woke up the fat maid and went to the kitchen. Yesterday, she had not visited the Yan Mansion yet, and suddenly found that this was not the old courtyard she visited on weekdays.

"What is this?"

Chunxiao said: "Reporting to the young lady, this is a seismometer."

"What is this?"

"Reporting to the young lady, this is a boiler."

"What about this?"

"Reporting to the young lady, this is the Zhengde clock."

Li Qing'e lives in the Li Mansion and feels that she is knowledgeable.

But after visiting the mansion, she saw a three-story study room that needed a ladder to take down the books, as well as many unnamed ornaments. Suddenly, she was deeply surprised.

Half an hour later, when Yan Kesong got up, he found that breakfast had been prepared.

"Eunuch, have tea."

Yan Kesong laughed and said: "The mansion is well organized. Even if I die in battle on the border, I will have no regrets."

Yan Chengjin came to the main hall and felt that his body was hollowed out.

Since crossing, he has been jogging every morning, regardless of wind and rain, and has never stopped for a day.

But today, he finally has a day off.

Yan Chengjin said to He Neng: "Go and tell this young master to order Wang Shouren to take a day off for me."

Li Qing'e brought mutton and wolfberry soup to him. In just one morning, she remembered Yan Chengjin's preference. After getting up early and drinking warm water, he wanted to drink mutton soup.

She whispered: "My husband didn't sleep last night. Drink the soup and rest for a while."

Not long after, the Jinyiwei ran in and said: "Sir Yan, His Majesty summoned you to the palace."

Yan Chengjin's eyebrows moved slightly. His Majesty knew that he was getting married. Could it be that something happened in the court?

Put on the official robe, sit in the sedan chair and come to the East Warm Pavilion. I saw that the three cabinet members and the nine ministers were all here.

Li Dongyang looked at Yan Chengjin deeply, silent, but his eyes were different than before.

Emperor Hongzhi said: "Three hundred thousand laborers from Korea and Ryukyu have arrived in Daming. How do you want to settle them?"

Three hundred thousand people need to be provided with food every day.

So many foreigners walking on the street are likely to cause riots and disputes with the people.

It is February, so they can be led to the Grand Canal and start digging the canal.

Liu Jian and others said nothing, but looked at Yan Chengjin at the same time. It was you who advised them at the beginning. What do you think should be done?

Yan Chengjin thought for a while: "Ryukyu and Korea do not speak the same language. If they are forced together, it is very easy to have disputes. It is better to let Korea repair the Tongzhou section and Ryukyu repair the Yangzhou section."

Separating the two factions of foreigners can better control them and avoid conflicts.

Emperor Hongzhi nodded.

Han Wen continued: "The customs duties have not been taken back by the court. I... I really have no idea."

There is no silver, but I can't say it.

The laborers need to eat every day. The treasury will start to allocate grain. It is necessary to advance the foreigners half a month's wages to appease the hearts of the foreign people.

Emperor Hongzhi became very easy to talk to, smiling: "From my treasury."

Han Wen was overjoyed and bowed: "Thank you, Your Majesty! Your Majesty is wise!"

"I will give you an IOU from the treasury later."

"..."Han Wen.

However, the customs tax is a lot of silver. When the tax silver is collected, your Majesty's mere two million taels will be no problem.

"I obey your order!"

The economic base determines the superstructure. When Emperor Wu of Han attacked the Xiongnu, the money he spent accounted for two-thirds of his fiscal revenue during his reign.

The iron tools in the people's homes were melted into weapons.

Without silver, we can't even fight a war, and we can only endure being bullied by foreign countries.

Yan Chengjin secretly rejoiced that the Great Wall in the northwest was repaired, and there was no need to fight with the Tatars for the time being, so he could rest assured to reform.

Zeng Jian looked at Emperor Hongzhi and was a little worried: "Your Majesty, the project of widening the Grand Canal is huge, who will be responsible for it?"

Wei Shen moved slightly. The newly built canal can allow more ships to pass between the north and the south, increasing commercial tax revenue.

Whoever supervises the completion of the construction will have a great achievement. Besides, Jiangnan is a rich place. I wonder how much money the officials from Beijing can earn when they go there on business trips!

"Your Majesty, I recommend Liu Hongxiang from the Ministry of Revenue to supervise the construction."

A gleam of hesitation flashed in Chai Sheng's eyes. After hesitating for a moment, he bowed and said, "To manage 10,000 people is like managing an army. I recommend Yang Tong from the Ministry of War to supervise the repair of the Yangzhou River section."

These two people clearly want to cultivate their own confidants.

After the Grand Canal is completed, if the court's tax revenue increases, Your Majesty will definitely reward the minister who supervises the construction.

Yan Chengjin thought carefully for a moment and said calmly, "I also have someone to recommend."

The cabinet will soon have a position. Ma Wensheng will retire with Zeng Jian. It is most likely that they will be selected from the three of them. It is necessary to deploy forces in the court as soon as possible.

None of the old ministers support him.

The official positions of Song Jing and Wang Shouren are too small.

Liu Jiandao: "It is not child's play to be in charge of a hundred thousand people. Your Majesty, how about we discuss it first and then make a decision?"

Emperor Hongzhi nodded. No matter where they are placed, one hundred thousand people are a force that cannot be underestimated.

If you rebel against the imperial court, there will be chaos.

…

Ministry of punishment, room value.

Wei Shen took a sip of tea, but his mind was on his appointment to supervise the construction of the Grand Canal.

If you want to be promoted, you need to make meritorious service. Civil servants do not go to the front line to fight, so they can only make meritorious service by controlling floods.

Building the Grand Canal has two benefits: one is to control floods, and the other is to increase tax revenue.

"Flood control is a serious problem for the imperial court. Liu Daxia was promoted to Minister of War just by controlling floods, and his official reputation also benefited from this."

"Yes, I wonder who Yan Chengjin would recommend?" Chai Sheng responded.

"My foolish brother guessed that it was Song Jing."

…

Ministry of Industry, room value,

When Yan Chengjin came to the duty room, Song Jing was drawing a repair sketch for the Shuntian Prefecture Gongyuan, and Xie Pi was drawing another corner.

"Do you know how to build bridges?"

"I've learned a thing or two from Master Xu, and I'm quite proficient in it," Song Jing said.

Xu Jianzhou is the newly appointed chief clerk of the Ministry of Industry's Camp, Repair and Cleaning Department. He has built bridges of all sizes in the capital.

"What if it's a fifty-foot-wide bridge?"

It is extremely difficult to build a bridge and the technology is not up to it. The ancients usually crossed the river by boat.

Zhaozhou Bridge is only less than twenty feet.

Song Jing was speechless. There is no fifty-foot-wide bridge in the world.

Zeng Jian raised his eyelids and almost cursed, this kid is bragging when he opens his mouth!

"My dear nephew, we had a wedding last night, so we drank a lot, right?"

Xie Pi gritted his teeth and said, "Well... I want to give it a try, Master Yan. I wonder if Mr. Yan still remembers that I'm still two taels away. I've also been promoted to chief engineer?"

Good evening everyone, New Year's Eve will be here in less than two hours. I wish you all a prosperous Year of the Ox, good luck, and all the best. This is the last time I ask for a monthly ticket this year. If you have one, please give it to me~~