pappabearbooks Chapter 032 A Foolish Move: Closing Down the Post Station
Chapter 032 A Foolish Move: Closing Down the Post Station
Chapter 032
Chen Ying's thinking was actually very simple. The Ming Dynasty now was not the same as the Ming Dynasty a dozen years later. The Ming Dynasty still had its order and its system was very sound. He could only act within the framework of the Ming Dynasty's system.
He now has two titles. The first is for agricultural implement manufacturing, which was awarded to him by Sun Chuanting, the magistrate of Yongcheng County. The second title was awarded to him by Song Jingyun, the newly appointed magistrate of Yongcheng County, for carriage manufacturing.
He now has gunpowder bureaus, gun and cannon bureaus, machinery bureaus, construction bureaus, and clothing bureaus, all of which are operating without licenses. Of course, the construction bureau is not a big problem, as the Ming Dynasty has almost no oversight of this area.
The Ming Dynasty had only one rule regarding the supervision of architecture: as long as one did not overstep the bounds, there was no major problem. In fact, even if one did overstep the bounds, as long as no one complained, there was no issue. Ordinary merchants were not allowed to wear silk according to regulations, but the problem was that most merchants dressed more luxuriously than the next.
Chen Ying, as the commander of the garrison, did indeed have the authority to manufacture firearms and research gunpowder, but the problem was that this permission was only valid for the garrison's own use.
He wanted to mass-produce muskets and cannons, but that was not allowed and could easily be labeled as a conspiracy or rebellion, so he had to find a way to obtain a license from the gun and cannon bureau.
The key issue is that his Shahe Garrison Thousand-Household Office is theoretically under the jurisdiction of the Daning Military Command. However, the problem is that the Daning Military Command is located in Baoding City, Baoding Prefecture. The troops near Beijing are basically no longer under the jurisdiction of various garrisons, but are covered by Changping Town, Baoding Town, and Jizhou Town. Apart from those under the jurisdiction of the Nine Border Troops, they are also under the Beijing Garrison.
All the garrisons near the capital were rendered in name only. The Da Ning Military Command, this military region, was also rendered in name only. Only the five garrisons of Baoding (left, right, center, front, and rear) and the five garrisons of Yingzhou (left, right, center, front, and rear) were retained. This did not include the Shahe Garrison Thousand-Household Office located in Changping.
Chen Ying, the current commander of the garrison, doesn't know who his superior is, whether he belongs to the Rear Army Commandery or the Da Ning Commandery, and he's probably having trouble with his superiors over supplies.
Looking at Chen Ying's earnest expression, Lu Jiucheng said with a forced smile, "Lord Chen, do you want me to present this pistol to His Majesty?"
"Exactly!"
Chen Ying pointed to the box and said, "This is for your father-in-law's tea expenses!"
Only then did Lu Jiucheng realize that this unassuming box held a secret: beneath the musket's slot lay a piece of gold.
Lu Jiucheng laughed: "Lord Chen, you're quite amusing!"
In the Ming Dynasty, the salaries of eunuchs were actually very low. For example, Lu Jiucheng, a palace supervisor of the sixth rank, received a monthly salary of six taels of silver, six dou of rice, and nine hundred cash for public expenses.
All his income combined amounted to less than eight taels of silver. Even at Wei Zhongxian's level, he only received eight taels of salary, eight dou of rice, and 1,300 wen of public funds per month, which added up to less than ten taels of silver.
Lu Jiucheng was just an ordinary confidant of Wei Zhongxian, responsible for serving in front of the Tianqi Emperor. He came out once and received twenty taels of gold from Chen Ying, which was equivalent to two years' income for him.
The box contains a full fifty taels of gold, equivalent to four hundred taels of silver. All that's needed is to present the emperor with a hand cannon, and this job can be done.
"Lord Chen's carriage... is truly exquisitely crafted."
Lu Jiucheng stroked the smooth beechwood panels of the carriage interior, his fingertips lingering on the bronze candlesticks: "I've served in the palace for so many years, and I've never ridden in such a comfortable carriage before."
Chen Ying understood perfectly. This palace supervisor, though seemingly offering casual praise, was actually setting a price: if Wei Zhongxian's carriage needed to be made, Lu Jiucheng's carriage couldn't be neglected either.
"If you don't mind, Father-in-law..."
Chen Ying smiled and said, "Once this carriage arrives in the capital, it will be delivered to your residence, Father-in-law. However, the carriage is rather crude and may not meet your standards."
Lu Jiucheng forced a smile: "Oh, Lord Chen, you're too kind. I'm just a servant; how could I possibly deserve to ride in such a fine car..."
That's what they said, but their eyes were full of satisfaction.
"Your Excellency serves His Majesty with great merit and hard work; what is a mere carriage compared to that?"
"How could I possibly accept that..."
Lu Jiucheng flicked his sleeve, and the box containing fifty taels of gold slid into his sleeve pocket: "Lord Chen is too kind. Don't worry, I'll handle things with the Emperor."
For the rest of the journey, the two got along as well as old friends.
Lu Jiucheng recounted interesting stories from the palace, while Chen Ying shared his insights on craftsmanship; they found themselves having a very pleasant conversation.
Chen Ying knew perfectly well that this harmonious relationship was entirely due to the promise of seventy taels of gold and a carriage.
Lu Jiucheng was becoming more and more satisfied with Chen Ying. After all, in the eyes of civil and military officials, these eunuchs were castrated men. They either wanted to curry favor with Eunuch Wei Zhongxian and fawned over them, or they were considered upright officials who looked down on them.
Chen Ying was different. Although he changed his attitude towards Lu Jiufen and chatted with him like a friend, there was no disgust in his eyes. In fact, Chen Ying lived in the future and had seen many eunuchs, transvestites, and even transgender people.
What's more, it's a eunuch?
What pleased Lu Jiucheng most was the flush toilet in the carriage. It was odorless and incredibly convenient, especially considering his extreme obesity, which made using the toilet a very difficult task. Add to that his constipation, and it made it even more painful.
This toilet is not only convenient, but also very comfortable to sit on.
Along the way, Lu Jiucheng felt that Chen Ying had become a good friend he hadn't seen for many years. He secretly thought that if he ever climbed up the ranks and became the Grand Secretary of the Directorate of Ceremonial, he would transfer Chen Ying to be the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard so that they could meet often.
The West Warm Pavilion of the Qianqing Palace in the Forbidden City.
Emperor Tianqi, Zhu Youxiao, leaned back on his couch, with Xie Xuelong's memorial spread out in front of him, his brows furrowed.
The emperor, renowned for his carpentry skills, now showed no trace of the focused joy he usually displayed when working with mortise and tenon joints; instead, he appeared deeply weary.
"Your Majesty, Eunuch Lu has arrived with Chen Boying."
"Announce."
Chen Ying bowed as he entered the hall and knelt in obeisance: "Your subject Chen Ying, commander of the Shahe Garrison, greets Your Majesty. May Your Majesty be well!"
Get up.
The Tianqi Emperor waved his hand: "Lu Jiucheng said you brought me a rare item?"
Lu Jiucheng opened the wooden box, took out the revolver, and presented it with both hands. The Tianqi Emperor took the revolver, his eyes lighting up. He carefully stroked the barrel, then turned the cylinder, listening to the clicking of the spring, and finally a smile appeared on his face: "Exquisite! Much better than those made by the Ordnance Bureau. This cylinder… is it made of steel?"
"Your Majesty, the breechblock is made of molten steel through cold casting and has been quenched three times, making it both tough and hard. The barrel is made of high-quality steel, and its inner bore has been bored and ground, resulting in even greater precision."
"I never imagined you could make this in addition to farming tools!"
"Your Majesty, besides being able to make farm tools, I can also make cannons, but..."
The Tianqi Emperor instantly understood Chen Ying's meaning: "Wang Banban!"
"Yes, sir!"
Wang Tiqian hurriedly stepped forward: "By imperial decree, Chen Ying, the commander of the Shahe Garrison, is a loyal and diligent craftsman. He is hereby granted permission to establish a firearms manufacturing bureau within the Shahe Garrison, specializing in the research and production of firearms. All funds, provisions, and materials shall be provided by the imperial treasury."
"This servant obeys the decree!"
"Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness!"
Chen Ying was overjoyed. Now that he had the plaque issued by the Tianqi Emperor, he could openly do arms business and go much further in the future.
"No need to thank me, you deserve it!"
The Tianqi Emperor pulled Chen Ying to a seed drill and pointed at it, saying, "You're a military household member, so I'm not surprised you know how to make firearms. But why did you decide to make farm tools?"
"Your Majesty, my ancestors were hereditary military households of the Ming Dynasty. According to the system, they should have inherited military positions. In my generation, my uncle inherited the position. However, I believe that to strengthen the country, we must first enrich the people, and to enrich the people, we must emphasize agriculture. Therefore, I have improved agricultural tools and wanted to do something practical for the people."
"You have the heart of a child!"
Tianqi patted Chen Ying on the shoulder, about to speak, when he suddenly heard Chen Ying's stomach rumble.
"Has Boying not eaten yet?"
"Your Majesty, I only..."
Although he arrived in the capital, he immediately went to wait outside the palace. There was another argument during the morning court session, and it wasn't until after 2 p.m. that Chen Ying was allowed to enter the palace.
"I haven't eaten either!"
The Tianqi Emperor was angered by his ministers and ordered, "Serve the meal!"
"yes!"
Before long, a group of palace maids and eunuchs brought in plates of dishes. To Chen Ying's surprise, these were not cooked dishes, but fresh seafood, including clams, shrimp, shark fins, sea cucumbers, and abalone.
"Bo Ying, you've come at the perfect time! Try the seafood hot pot I invented!"
It was only then that Chen Ying remembered that Emperor Tianqi, Zhu Youxiao, was not only a famous carpenter emperor, but also a foodie. He invented the seafood hot pot, which was actually a stew of a large amount of seafood in one pot.
A thick broth was poured into a brass hot pot, and Zhu Youxiao personally poured plates of seafood into the pot. The smell was incredibly fishy, and neither Wang Tiqian nor Wei Zhongxian could stand it.
Upon seeing the seafood hot pot, Chen Ying didn't stand on ceremony and said to the eunuch beside him, "Get me a dipping sauce with sesame oil, minced ginger, sugar, minced garlic, and soy sauce!"
"I'll prepare one for myself too!"
Zhu Youxiao greatly admired Wei Zhongxian, but disliked the fact that Wei Zhongxian pretended to like seafood even though he clearly didn't. He would eat it and then vomit, which Zhu Youxiao considered a waste.
Chen Ying wasn't exactly a foodie. He wasn't particular about food; his principle was to eat his fill with as little money as possible. This was all because he was afraid of being poor. No matter how much he liked it, he had never eaten venison much because it was expensive.
"Boying, aren't you from Henan? Why do you only like to eat seafood?"
"I have been poor since childhood, often going hungry. I have no particular likes or dislikes. Our Guide Prefecture is near the Yellow River, in a flood-prone area, with ditches and canals everywhere!"
Chen Ying laughed and said, "When I'm hungry, I go down to the river to catch fish. If there are fish, I eat fish; if there are shrimp, I eat shrimp; if there are no fish or shrimp, I eat snails, clams, loaches—whatever I catch!"
Seeing that the seafood in the pot was cooked, Chen Ying picked up a piece of oyster, dipped it in the sauce bowl, and chewed it with a look of enjoyment on his face.
Emperor Tianqi followed Chen Ying's example, dipping the seafood in the sauce before eating. His eyes lit up: "This makes it even more delicious! Boying, you know how to eat better than I do!"
Lu Jiucheng watched Chen Ying eat and chat with the Tianqi Emperor, feeling a pang of jealousy. Chen Ying had only just met the Tianqi Emperor, while Lu Jiucheng had been with the emperor for three years—a full three years!
However, upon further reflection, Lu Jiucheng felt somewhat relieved, knowing that Chen Ying was not a eunuch and would not compete with him for favor.
"Brother..."
Prince Xin, Zhu Youjian, walked in from outside. He saw Zhu Youxiao eating seafood hot pot and turned to run away, but when he saw Chen Ying on the other side, he silently mourned for Chen Ying.
It seems Chen Boying has been caught by his elder brother again... To Zhu Youjian, his elder brother Zhu Youxiao was good in every way, except for one thing: his eating habits were too unusual.
Seafood is so fishy, but he just loves to eat it. If he takes a bite, he'll throw up his dinner from the night before.
"King Xin..."
The more Zhu Youxiao called, the faster Zhu Youjian ran, disappearing in the blink of an eye: "He really doesn't know how to enjoy life!"
Zhu Youxiao had a large appetite; after consuming two or three catties of seafood, he was still not satisfied. Chen Ying's appetite was even greater than Zhu Youxiao's; he ate without any regard for appearances, as if he were in battle, which made the Tianqi Emperor laugh heartily.
Chen Ying was very clear that the Tianqi Emperor and the Chongzhen Emperor had one thing in common: when they trusted someone, they did so without reservation.
Just as Emperor Chongzhen kept Yuan Chonghuan in office, providing him with money and manpower as needed, but because of his discord with Man Gui, he said he would transfer Man Gui away. However, unlike other emperors, Emperor Chongzhen did not deliberately leave Man Gui, who was at odds with Yuan Chonghuan, in Liaodong. Instead, he transferred him to Datong to serve as the commander-in-chief.
Yuan Chonghuan and Zhao Lüjiao were at odds, so Yuan Chonghuan transferred Zhao Lüjiao to be the commander-in-chief of Shanhaiguan. Yuan Chonghuan forged an imperial edict and killed Mao Wenlong. Emperor Chongzhen reluctantly endorsed Yuan Chonghuan's actions until Huang Taiji's army was at the gates of the city, at which point Yuan Chonghuan finally realized his mistake.
Chen Ying and the Tianqi Emperor ate until their bellies were round. The Tianqi Emperor lay on the soft couch without any regard for his image, looking utterly dejected, and said, "I'm so angry!"
"What troubles Your Majesty?"
"you……"
The Tianqi Emperor was clearly not a normal emperor. He waved his hand at Wang Tiqian, who quickly brought him a bowl of rice soup.
"Jie Xuelong said that there were too many officials in the Ming Dynasty. During the Hongwu era, there were 5,400 civil officials and 28,000 military officials; during the Wanli era, there were 16,000 civil officials and 81,000 military officials. Now there are even more. He said that redundant officials should be dismissed and the post stations should be abolished, which would save hundreds of thousands of taels of silver in military pay every year."
The Tianqi Emperor threw the memorial in front of Chen Ying: "Boying, what do you think?"
Lu Jiucheng winked at Chen Ying, signaling him to be careful with his answer.
Chen Ying was slightly taken aback: "Abolish the post stations?"
Wasn't this something that happened during the Chongzhen era? Because of the abolition of the post stations, Li Zicheng, a post station worker who was originally on the government payroll, lost his job. He then led a rebellion, first surrendering without getting involved, then joining Gao Yingxiang. Finally, after twelve years of hard work, he overthrew the Ming Dynasty.
In fact, even if the post stations had not been abolished, Li Zicheng would still have rebelled. The problem was that while Chongzhen's abolition of the post station system saved the country tens of thousands of taels of silver in the short term, it caused incalculable losses in the long run.
"this……"
Chen Ying was taking an open-book exam; he already knew the answer. After all, the post stations were abolished in the fourth year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign. He carefully considered his words and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that what the censor said... only scratches the surface, not the essence."
"Oh?"
Tianqi raised an eyebrow: "Boying, continue."
"Our Great Ming Dynasty has a total of 1,936 post stations, each with anywhere from dozens to hundreds of people. The entire post station system involves the livelihoods of 200,000 to 300,000 people!"
Chen Ying continued, "That's one reason. Secondly, the post stations connect the imperial court with the local areas. Officials travel to their posts and conduct inspections via these stations, so their existence itself symbolizes the imperial court's supervision of the localities. If the post stations were abolished, wouldn't that mean losing control over the localities?"
"Um!"
The Tianqi Emperor nodded and asked, "Anything else?"
"have!"
Chen Ying continued, "My hometown, Ma Mu, is a market town formed because of the post stations. A post station not only transmits military information, but also affects the livelihoods of hundreds or thousands of households around it. Towns formed along the post roads, and the consumption of post soldiers boosted people's livelihoods. The purchase of post horses maintained the horse breeding industry. The sudden large-scale elimination directly led to the collapse of related industrial chains and regional economic depression."
Chen Ying could tell that the Tianqi Emperor did not understand, so he explained: "If we compare the Ming Dynasty to a person, the post stations are the blood vessels in the body. If we rashly abolish them, it means that the limbs will die from lack of blood... Abolishing the post stations is not treating the head when the head hurts, but rather cutting off the foot when the foot hurts and cutting off the head when the head hurts."
"Well said!"
Wei Zhongxian entered from outside and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, Chen Boying is right; the post stations absolutely cannot be abolished!"
Of course, Wei Zhongxian didn't actually see the significant impact the abolition of the postal stations would have on the imperial court. The problem was that he could rely on the postal system to transport goods and wealth. Abolishing the postal stations would cut off Wei Zhongxian's source of income and increase his transportation costs.
The Tianqi Emperor said, "Boying, I understand your meaning. Issue my decree to reject Xue Long's proposal!"