The day after Yan Song received the secret letter, Xu Hai and his party also returned to the capital to report. Emperor Jiajing found time to summon Xu Hai, Peng Cheng and his party to the East Warm Pavilion of Wuyi Palace, with the cabinet's chief minister Yan Song and the second minister Xu Jie and others accompanying him.
"Your Majesty, long live the emperor..."
After the eunuch informed them, Xu Hai, Peng Cheng and others walked into the winter warm room and respectfully bowed to Emperor Jiajing.
Emperor Jiajing was still wearing a blue cloth Bagua Taoist robe, sitting on the dragon throne, which was covered with a Bagua mat. He was thin, but full of majesty. After Xu Hai and others had paid their respects, Emperor Jiajing flicked his sleeves, put his hands on the dragon throne, and asked calmly: "Forget it, how is your inspection this time?"
As the head of the verification team, Xu Hai respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, the impeachment is false. Zhu Ping'an did not collude with grain merchants or accept bribes in Jingnan. Not only did he do nothing wrong, but he actually did something good. Most of Jiangnan is in mourning, but Jiangnan under Zhu Ping'an's rule is full of food and rice, like a paradise on earth."
When Xu Hai reported back, Peng Cheng, Zhang Wenbo and others stood aside respectfully, lowering their heads and looking at their toes. This was the rule. When multiple people attended the audience, only the leader could answer the emperor's questions. The others were not allowed to interrupt or whisper to each other. They could only speak when the emperor specifically asked them a question.
"Oh?" Upon hearing this, Emperor Jiajing was slightly surprised and asked with interest, "How did Zhu do it?"
"Your Majesty, Lord Zhu had already taken precautions before the flood struck..." Xu Hai briefly reported on Zhu Ping'an's early prevention measures in Jingnan, including defining grain prices, publicizing donations, and using work as a substitute for relief.
"The world is bustling with people all because of profit. The world is bustling with people all because of profit. Zhu used profit as bait to lure grain merchants into his trap. He has mastered the meaning of 'profit' and is a genius." Emperor Jiajing commented on Zhu Ping'an's behavior of setting grain prices.
"You just said that the grain merchants donated 110,000 taels? Is that number true? Is Zhu Ping'an really not corrupt?"
Emperor Jiajing asked again.
"Your Majesty, the figures are true, and Zhu Ping'an did not embezzle. There are donation books and donation notices as proof, and I have copied them." Xu Hai replied respectfully, taking out several donation books and copied donation notices that he brought back from Jingnan from his arms.
Huang Jin went down and took the relevant documents from Xu Hai, and respectfully handed them to Emperor Jiajing for review.
After reading it once, Emperor Jiajing couldn't help but shook his head and laughed, "Zhu brat even publicly disclosed Zhang San's donation of 5 eggs and Wang Wu's donation of 2 kilograms of green vegetables... Every donation and expenditure is recorded in the book, it seems to be innocent. This reminds me of the time when Zhu brat inspected Taicang naked."
"Weizhong, you guys take a look too."
Emperor Jiajing spoke to Yan Song and Xu Jie, and signaled Huang Jin to pass the relevant documents to them for their review.
"Open and transparent, ingeniously crafted... A donation disclosure form, a donation usage form, the origin and destination of each donation are recorded clearly, and Zhu Ping'an's innocence is also evident." After reading it, Yan Song did not hesitate to praise Zhu Ping'an, with the attitude of an elder who appreciates and supports the younger generation.
"Zhu Ping'an is indeed innocent." Xu Jie simply agreed with a smile on his lips.
"Merchants can afford to do this? A grain merchant from Jingnan donated 110,000 taels. If grain merchants are so wealthy, how could salt merchants be even richer?" Emperor Jiajing tapped the armrest of the dragon throne with his fingers. His face was uncertain as he glanced at Yan Song and Xu Jie. "Wei Zhong, Huating, you two should go back and discuss the "Memorial on the Reform of the Salt Law" submitted by the Imperial Censor Zhu Bochen with the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of War, and the Salt Inspectorate. Come up with a new charter and report it to me the day after tomorrow."
Last month, the Imperial Secretary Zhu Bochen proposed to change the salt law, using the method of adding regular salt to the surplus salt to solve the problem of insufficient military pay caused by the pirates in the north and the Japanese in the south in recent years. Zhu Bochen suggested that merchants who reported one regular salt were allowed to bring two surplus salt, each in a package, with a total of 285 kilograms. Regular salt was issued by the Nanjing Ministry of Revenue, and the surplus salt was paid by the transportation department. The price of surplus salt was set at 5.5 cents in Huainan and 5 cents in Huaibei. Every year, the regular salt and surplus salt can earn about 1.1 million taels of salt silver to supplement the military pay.
When Emperor Jiajing read the memorial, he was very satisfied with the 1.1 million taels of salt and silver and intended to approve its implementation. However, judging from the amount donated by Jingnan grain merchants, this 1.1 million taels of salt and silver is still too little.
In terms of profits, selling salt is much more profitable than selling grain. With this comparison, how could Emperor Jiajing be satisfied
"I obey your order." Yan Song and Xu Jie bowed and accepted the order. They understood what Emperor Jiajing was thinking.
"By the way, tell me in detail about the work-for-relief program that Zhu boy is doing in Jingnan." Emperor Jiajing said to Xu Hai again.
"As ordered. Lord Zhu has organized the disaster victims in Jingnan to carry out construction projects, including developing water conservancy projects, building city walls, reclaiming wasteland, and constructing anti-Japanese outposts, etc., in the form of wages as an alternative to direct relief. Lord Zhu said that this will not only enable the people to be self-reliant and live with more dignity, but will also form a number of projects that will be beneficial to the long-term stability of Jingnan..." Xu Hai reported in detail what he had seen and heard in Jingnan.
Emperor Jiajing nodded upon hearing this, and asked about the flood situation in the south of the Yangtze River. Xu Hai answered truthfully one by one.
"Do you have anything else to report about this trip?" Emperor Jiajing asked after learning the relevant situation.
After careful consideration, Xu Hai reported the secret memorial submitted by Zhu Ping'an to Emperor Jiajing truthfully.
"Your Majesty, after this incident, Lord Zhu was inspired and came up with an idea." Xu Hai reported.
"What's your idea?" Emperor Jiajing asked with interest.
"Your Majesty, it's a secret memorial! Lord Zhu has conceived that the ministers who have been granted the power to submit secret memorials by Your Majesty should seal the secret memorials in a special box after writing them, and send someone to deliver them to the capital, without going through the post station, the Tongzhengsi, Huijimen and other departments, and directly to the emperor for his approval. The content of the secret memorial is only known to Your Majesty and the minister who submitted the memorial. There is no limit to the content of the secret memorial, including impeachment memorials, suggestions, government affairs reports, etc. Everything heard can be reported, so as to open up the channels for people to speak freely and expand the channels of information..."
Xu Hai replied respectfully and reported Zhu Ping'an's ideas about the secret memorial to Emperor Jiajing truthfully.
As smart as Emperor Jiajing was, he immediately understood the purpose of the secret memorial. His eyes suddenly lit up and he nodded calmly.
After Xu Hai finished his report, Emperor Jiajing did not comment. He looked at Peng Cheng, Zhang Guyi and others and asked, "Do you have anything to add?"
"Your Majesty, Lord Xu has given a very detailed account, and we have nothing to add," Peng Cheng and others replied.
"In that case, you all may withdraw, and only you will stay."
Emperor Jiajing waved to Xu Hai and others, signaling them to leave, and asked Yan Song, Xu Jie and others to stay.
"We will take our leave now." Xu Hai and others took their leave.
"Weizhong, Huating, what do you think about the secret memorial submitted by Zhu?"
When Xu Hai and others walked out of the Winter Warm Pavilion, they heard the voice of Emperor Jiajing asking Yan Song and Xu Jie behind them.