bullyxtreme Chapter 034 What's wrong with being infamous for eternity?
Chapter 034 What's wrong with being infamous for eternity?
Chapter 034
"Boying, do you know that the Jiliao defense line consumes four million taels of silver a year? The nine important border towns together consume no less than eight million taels. Your 100,000 taels won't even make a splash."
"Though water droplets are small, they can accumulate to form a river."
Chen Ying bowed and said, "Your Majesty, if every garrison could be like the Shahe Garrison, how could the Ming Dynasty lack funds? Moreover... what I want is not the power of ordinary garrisons. I request Your Majesty to grant me permission to mine and smelt iron, supervise the manufacture of firearms, build workshops, and pilot new taxes within the jurisdiction of the Shahe Garrison Command. The products produced, besides being used by myself, can be sold to the people. Of the silver obtained, 30% will be turned over to the imperial treasury, 30% will be kept for the use of the garrison, and 40%... will be distributed to the artisans and military households according to their labor."
In order to obtain the Tianqi Emperor's consent, he had no choice but to change his strategy and instead of mentioning the 100,000 taels of silver in taxes, he handed it over directly to the Imperial Treasury.
Wei Zhongxian suddenly spoke up: "Commander Chen, you have grand ambitions. What are you planning to do?"
"Your Excellency Wei, you flatter me. I was merely thinking that since the garrison system has fallen into disrepair, why not try a new approach?"
Chen Ying continued, "Military households are also His Majesty's subjects. Rather than letting them be trapped in impoverished areas and gradually flee, it's better to let them earn a living through their skills and labor. When they become wealthy, the court can collect taxes, and with taxes, the court can support its army and defend against enemies. This is... a virtuous cycle."
The Tianqi Emperor looked at Chen Ying and said, "Boying, how could someone from a military family like you understand these things?"
The Tianqi Emperor developed a strong interest in Chen Boying, who was skilled in iron smelting, invented the iron-shafted plow, improved the seed drill, manufactured a four-wheeled carriage, and produced a sophisticated six-shot hand cannon.
If a clever craftsman could make tools, that would be understandable, but Chen Boying knew far too much. None of the court officials could see the value of the post stations, but Chen Boying could.
More importantly, Chen Boying was just an ordinary military household member. During his tenure as the superintendent of the Yongcheng Agricultural Implements Manufacturing Bureau, he managed more than 1,300 craftsmen with ease, demonstrating his exceptional management skills.
Lu Jiucheng had already reported to him that Chen Boying, with four or five thousand military households and their families, had already initially restored order and begun restorative production within three days of arriving in Gonghua City.
Now he's even directly proposing to be a pilot officer at the Shayu Garrison Command. Who is he? And why is he so capable?
"This humble servant does not understand profound principles."
Chen Ying bowed and said, "After doing crafts for a long time, I've come to understand one principle: for an object to be durable, each part must be in the right place, bearing the load where it should and securing itself where it should. If there are too few load-bearing parts and those that shouldn't bear load are being haphazardly stressed, the object... will fall apart sooner or later."
Upon hearing this explanation, the Tianqi Emperor instantly understood Chen Ying's intention.
The principles are interconnected; they are all connected.
The Tianqi Emperor stared at Chen Ying, then suddenly laughed: "What a fine excuse! Our Great Ming Dynasty has too few people like Boying who can bear the weight. Boying, your request is granted!"
"Your Majesty?"
Wei Zhongxian looked shocked: "This..."
"You don't need to say anything!"
The Tianqi Emperor was also a man of strong emotions, and he was often criticized for being uneducated and incompetent. Chen Boying was like him; in fact, he had not received much formal education, yet he was self-taught.
This experience naturally brought Chen Ying and the Tianqi Emperor closer together.
He felt that he was just like Chen Boying. So what if he didn't study? Although studying wasn't his forte, who could match him in making tools?
Of course, Chen Boying was an exception. After all, he could understand the iron plow, but he just couldn't remember it. As for the seeder, he was a little unconvinced.
As for the four-wheeled carriage, he was completely convinced that Chen Boying was indeed smarter and more skilled than him.
The Tianqi Emperor asked, "What do you plan to do?"
"I intend to establish eight bureaus within the Shahe Fortress!"
Chen Ying had already established six bureaus: the Agricultural Implements Manufacturing Bureau, the Carriage Manufacturing Bureau, the Gunpowder Bureau, the Firearms Bureau, the Textile Bureau, and the Construction Bureau. However, considering that the products needed to be transported after they were made, he proposed to add a Transportation Bureau and a Mining Exploration Bureau to the six bureaus.
"To be self-sufficient within one year and not to ask the court for a single coin or grain. In the second year, to pay 100,000 taels of silver in taxes. In the third year, 500,000 taels. If I fail to do so, I am willing to offer my head as atonement."
"Are you willing to sign a pledge?"
Zhu Youxiao raised an eyebrow slightly and said, "Do you know that a ruler's word is law?"
"I am the commander of the Shahe Garrison Command, and first and foremost a soldier, so I dare to pledge my military commitment."
Tianqi suddenly laughed: "Very well. I grant your permission. However... Wei Banban, send someone to keep an eye on him. It's not that I don't trust Boying, but I'm afraid someone... might prevent him from doing his job properly."
Seeing the way Emperor Tianqi looked at Chen Boying, Wei Zhongxian had already made up his mind. This man was very much to the emperor's liking and had to be won over. If he couldn't win him over, then he would destroy him and let him die suddenly.
"This old servant understands."
Wei Zhongxian bowed.
Tianqi waved his hand: "No need. If you can truly make Shahe self-sufficient, that will already be a remarkable achievement. If you can hand over 100,000 taels in two years, I will reward you handsomely!"
"Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness!"
Emperor Tianqi glanced up and saw Wang Tiqian open his mouth several times as if to speak, clearly something important was about to happen. He waved his hand and said, "Boying, don't go back. I'll talk to you another day!"
"yes!"
Emperor Tianqi still wanted to rely on his own abilities to shock Chen Boying. His fountain system was nearing completion, so he didn't want Chen Boying to go back.
Although Changping is not far from the capital, it would take at least a day to travel there and back by horse-drawn carriage.
"Your Majesty, I take my leave!"
As they were leaving the Qianqing Palace, Lu Jiucheng chased after them, shouting, "Lord Chen! Lord Chen, you...you've gone too far! One hundred thousand taels! Do you even know how much one hundred thousand taels is? You're risking your life!"
Lu Jiucheng thought Chen Ying was too stupid. Why did this person complain about silver?
Lu Jiucheng hadn't considered that if Chen Ying didn't make a promise, his license wouldn't be issued. The Tianqi Emperor would allow Chen Ying to continue manufacturing agricultural tools and carriages, but the problem was, that wasn't what Chen Ying wanted.
He needs to rely on the power of the imperial court to build a heavy industry group for the Ming Dynasty and, while there are still more than twenty years left, bring the Ming Dynasty into the industrial age.
As long as the Ming Dynasty can complete the industrial age—no, just complete the production of granulated black powder, fixed bullets, and rifled rifles—it can utterly crush the Jurchens.
The Ming Dynasty was not lacking in advanced technology, but the problem was that due to systemic issues, the Ministry of Revenue could not provide enough funding, so the craftsmen could only produce heavily simplified guns and cannons, making it easy for muskets to explode when fired, and the same was true for cannons.
If the Ming army were equipped with rifled rifles, breech-loading cannons, and exploding shells, the Jurchen Eight Banners would kneel on the ground and sing praises of conquest. As for the Donglin Party members of the Ming Dynasty, they could use the young Prince Xin to make him see the true face of the Donglin Party and not give them the opportunity to take power.
"Eunuch Lu, tell me... if I really succeed, is 100,000 taels of silver worth it?"
"this……"
Lu Jiucheng was taken aback. Then he thought to himself, if Chen Boying dared to promise to pay 100,000 taels of silver in taxes, then he must have the confidence to earn even more silver.
"Shahe Institute is currently lacking many things."
Chen Ying lowered his voice and said, "We lack artisan registration documents, mining and metallurgical permits, and trade permits... We'll have to trouble you to take care of these, sir. Of course... we won't let you work for nothing."
Lu Jiucheng had already witnessed Chen Boying's generosity. He gave away gold worth four hundred taels of silver and a carriage worth one thousand taels of silver without hesitation. He knew that Chen Ying would not treat him unfairly, so his expression softened slightly: "Lord Chen, it's not that I'm criticizing you, but you... took too big a risk in this matter."
"Only risky moves offer a chance of survival."
Chen Ying smiled faintly and said, "If we follow the established procedures, those several thousand people at Shahe Police Station will starve to death sooner or later. We might as well take a gamble."
Chen Ying now sees plenty of time, but upon closer examination, time is indeed limited. Tianqi was a good emperor, but unfortunately, he only lived for seven years.
Although Emperor Chongzhen was not bad, the problem was that he was too indecisive. In order to maintain a good reputation, he starved himself to the point of becoming skin and bones, and even the empress wore patched clothes.
The problem is, how much money could an emperor possibly spend on food and money if he ate and spent it as he pleased?
There are many ways to truly solve the financial crisis. Send an army to rob the Ishimi Silver Mountain, and the Ming Dynasty will not lack silver for many years. When he wanted to use eunuchs to check civil officials, he did not have anyone like Wei Zhongxian under his command.
If he couldn't prevent Zhu Youxiao's tragedy, he only had a little over four years left, so he had to speed up his plans.
Seeing Chen Ying's attitude, Lu Jiucheng sighed and ultimately said nothing more.
……
Upon exiting the Forbidden City, Chen Daniu hurriedly approached: "Commander, shall we go back?"
Before Chen Ying could speak, a young eunuch rushed out from behind him: "Lord Chen, Lord Chen, please wait!"
"What are your instructions, sir?"
"My family are merely servants running errands for the palace; we dare not accept such a position, sir!"
The young eunuch lowered his voice and said, "Eunuch Wei instructed that since Lord Chen is new to the capital, he must have nowhere to stay. Fortunately, Eunuch Wei has a house in Jinggongfang, which he will give to Lord Chen!"
"How could I possibly accept this?"
"This is Eunuch Wei's intention, please..."
Chen Ying, feigning embarrassment, snatched the deed from the eunuch's hand: "You know the place, right? Lead the way!"
It wasn't until the young eunuch led Chen Ying to Jinggongfang that Chen Ying vaguely realized that Jinggongfang was the Nanluoguxiang of later generations.
"Lord Chen, please come in!"
Chen Ying had seen the house deed and knew that it was a two-courtyard house, sixty paces long from north to south and about twenty paces wide from east to west. According to the Ming Dynasty, one pace was 1.55 meters, so sixty paces would be 93 meters. The east-west width was 31 meters, and the area was 2,883 square meters, or about 4.3 mu.
In later generations, this would definitely be worth more than a dozen small goals. Chen Ying looked at the weeds all over the yard and the mottled wall plaster. Dozens of servants were tidying up the yard.
Chen Yingdao said, "Da Niu, let the brothers in to help clean up!"
"yes!"
Looking at the house, Chen Ying understood that Wei Zhongxian wanted to win him over. He couldn't refuse Wei Zhongxian's good intentions, but he also knew Wei Zhongxian's character well; if he couldn't win him over, Wei Zhongxian would become an enemy and would definitely kill him.
That night, at Wei Zhongxian's private residence.
The banquet was held in the warm pavilion in the back garden. It was not large, but it was extremely exquisite.
A scarlet Persian carpet covered the floor, and a bronze incense burner in the corner emitted wisps of ambergris. There were only four dishes on the table, but each one was unusual: winter bamboo shoots stewed with bear paw, crab roe braised with shark fin, deer tendon stewed with camel hump, and a plate of bright red frozen persimmons.
Only Cui Chengxiu and Xu Xianchun were there to keep them company, plus Chen Ying, making a perfect table.
"Many thanks to Eunuch Wei for bestowing this residence upon me!"
Chen Ying smiled faintly and said, "It would be impolite not to reciprocate, so I will also present Eunuch Wei with a gift!"
Chen Ying handed over a pistol, a revolver, but more luxurious than the one given to the Tianqi Emperor. The entire gun was covered in silver, and the silversmith had engraved the character "Wei" with cloud patterns on it.
Wei Zhongxian glanced at the pistol, his expression slightly changing. Chen Ying took out a bullet and loaded it: "Please use this for self-defense, Eunuch Wei!"
Wei Zhongxian took the pistol and examined it closely, saying, "Boying, you're really thoughtful!"
To be honest, Wei Zhongxian was sincere. He built a carriage for Prince Xin, Zhu Youjian, but although that carriage was decent, compared to Wei Zhongxian's, it was practically a beggar's version.
More importantly, this carriage has anti-stabbing features, which shows that Chen Boyong went to great lengths to protect it. The handgun he gave to the Tianqi Emperor was made of ordinary steel, but the one he gave to Chen Boyong was made of silver.
"Sit down, sit down!"
Wei Zhongxian really liked this feeling: "There are no outsiders here, so I don't have to be reserved!"
"Thank you, Eunuch!"
"Commander Chen's words before the Emperor today were truly... a wake-up call."
Chen Ying raised his cup: "Lord Cui, you flatter me. I was merely stating the truth."
"The truth is the most hurtful."
Xu Xianchun chuckled: "His Majesty has been holding back Xie Xuelong's memorial for over a month, without approving it. Your argument today about the lack of officials has really slapped him in the face."
Wei Zhongxian slowly picked up a piece of bear paw with his chopsticks, chewed it carefully, and swallowed it before speaking: "Boying, do you know why our family invited you to dinner?"
"This humble servant is dull-witted."
"Because you're sensible. You know what to say and what not to say. Commercial taxes... Hey, how many officials in the entire court dare to mention commercial taxes? Those Donglin Party members keep shouting that they won't compete with the people for profit, but the people they're talking about are the gentry in Jiangnan who own tens of thousands of acres of fertile land and thousands of shops! Have they ever even glanced at the real common people?"
"Your Excellency is wise."
"I am not wise enough to understand, I only know that the imperial court cannot accomplish anything without money."
Wei Zhongxian poured himself a cup of wine: "Liaodong needs funds, the Nine Garrisons need funds, disaster relief needs money, river repair needs money... Where will the money come from? Increase agricultural taxes? The people can't survive anymore. If we don't increase taxes? The court can't function. I admire you. You dare to think and dare to act. Do a good job with that pilot project at Shahe!"
Chen Ying raised his glass: "This humble servant will certainly not fail to live up to your expectations, Father-in-law."
After a few rounds of drinks, Xu Xianchun slurred, "Sir, Boying is one of our own. I feel we should lend him a hand. Our Imperial Guard's broken swords should have been replaced long ago; they can't even cut bones..."
Wei Zhongxian smiled faintly and instantly understood that Xu Xianchun and Chen Boying had communicated privately and made deals involving the transfer of benefits or promises.
"Oh, Shahe can still make knives now?"
"able!"
Chen Yingdao said, "We can forge swords and spears made of refined steel, but the cost is not low!"
"Very well, the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot are the Emperor's eyes and ears, they can't be too shabby. Those people in the Bureau of Military Punishment are too outrageous."
Wei Zhongxian said calmly, "Boying, replace the people at the Eastern Depot as well!"
Wei Zhongxian was a pure man. He worked to raise money for the Tianqi Emperor and kept the Donglin Party in check. He did his job when he needed to and made money when he needed to.
In just a few words, a transaction involving twenty to thirty thousand knives was completed right there at the dinner table.
Chen Ying raised his wine cup: "This humble servant toasts you, Your Excellency, Lord Cui, and Lord Xu..."
That night, Chen Ying drank a lot of alcohol.
When I left the Wei residence, it was already midnight. The capital was under curfew, and the streets were deserted except for the night watchmen carrying lanterns, shivering in the cold wind.
As the carriage drove through Qipan Street, Chen Ying lifted the curtain. The cold wind blew across his face, completely dispelling his drunkenness. He knew that from tonight onwards, he was officially branded as a member of the eunuch faction, and tomorrow morning, memorials impeaching him would flood the Office of Transmission like snowflakes.
But he doesn't care.
All he wanted was an opportunity.
An opportunity for him to put his skills to use and make a difference.
As for reputation... history is written by the victors. If he can truly create a different Ming Dynasty, who would care who he once served?
Moreover, Chen Ying didn't ask for much. As long as he could destroy the Jurchens, what did it matter if he was infamous for eternity?
P.S.: You can't believe it, another update! My book's collection numbers haven't been increasing lately, and I'm really worried. I hope this book can achieve some success. I hope everyone can support it. If you have a book list, please add it to your list. If you have monthly tickets, please vote for it and give it a recommendation.