Chapter 463 The way of heaven favors good people, and the world is turning like a wheel
No matter how determined the Ministry of Revenue is to implement the Banknote Law, the Ming Dynasty currently does not have the necessary soil to implement the Banknote Law. In fact, the Ministry of Household Affairs showed an enthusiasm that was inconsistent with the conservatives.
"Your Majesty, in my opinion, the post stations scattered along the official roads should be used to promote banknotes instead of banknotes. Compared with banknotes, banknotes are easier to prevent counterfeiting and are less likely to be counterfeited." Zeng Shengwu, Minister of the Ministry of War, put forward his own view that acceptance bills or banknotes were more suitable for the Ming Dynasty.
To be honest, Zeng Shengwu is not optimistic about the credibility of the imperial court. The banknote method has been launched in a hurry. In the end, it will definitely make a fuss and make the imperial court lose face. I will issue it overseas and explore the way. Not too late.
The banknotes mentioned by Zeng Shengwu originated in the Northern Song Dynasty.
As early as the early Northern Song Dynasty, there were banknote shops in Chengdu, Sichuan, that specialized in cash storage business for merchants carrying large sums of money. Merchants who deposited silver or copper coins would receive a banknote. Made of paper, it will be stamped with a seam seal and a seam book to prevent counterfeiting. When the banknote is accepted at a bank check shop, a 3% storage fee is required.
This is not paper money like the Ming Dynasty Baochao, but more like a mutually recognized contract, or a type of accounting currency.
During the Jingde period of Emperor Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty, Zhang Yong, the magistrate of Yizhou, rectified the banknote shops, eliminated lawbreakers, and exclusively operated them by 16 wealthy merchants. At this point, the operation of the banknote shops was included in the supervision of the imperial court. Down.
Zeng Shengwu thinks this is the best way at the moment. The bank note is a contract check, and its contract is between both parties. It is not like a treasure note, where the amount and style of issuance are all decided by the court. , only from top to bottom, that is not a contract, but oppression.
"The Ministry of War is really good at planning. The Ministry of Industry casts Tongbao and imprints silver coins, so forget it. Does the Ministry of War intend to reach into the Ministry of Household Affairs?" Zhang Xueyan said with an extremely ugly face when he heard this.
The post stations on the Guandao Post Road are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of War, so the right to issue accounting currencies such as acceptance bills, which are checks, is in the hands of the Ministry of War. The Ministry of Households should be in charge of money and food, but now everyone is poaching the Ministry of Households. corner!
Zeng Shengwu said with a smile: "Who allowed the banknote law to be corrupted."
Your own household department cannot defend its own territory. Do you blame the war department for grabbing the territory? The emergence and business model of the Civil Trust Bureau made the Ministry of War's eyes brighten. There was a big problem that had always troubled the Ministry of War, and the wise men of the Ministry of War finally found a way out.
The problem of losses on Guandaoyi Road.
In the Ming Dynasty, there were various kinds of mountain people who could obtain "horse cards". Horse cards represented official status. Horse cards could be used to set up posts at the inns. This was how various mountain people poached the court.
In the third year of Wanli, the post station's annual consumption of money and food was as high as 3.13 million silver. Officials who were not on official business, scholar-bureaucrats with honors, and various mountain people who traveled around ignored the quota. , Posts, carriages, and horses were arbitrarily requisitioned, and officials at all levels were indiscriminately issuing reconnaissance orders.
After the expenditures were clearly accounted for, it aroused the admonitions of the officials of the Ministry of Science and Technology, and various public opinions on the abolition of the post stations emerged one after another. The post stations with serious losses should be abolished to reduce the burden on the court.
In the "Regulations on Provision of Posts" issued by Zhang Juzheng in the third year of Wanli, a strict distribution system for post stations was implemented, and the permanent system of official qualifications was abolished. No private person was allowed to steal the public gate, and the post offices could only be used by themselves. Only one follower was allowed. In the fourth year of Wanli, the money and food consumption of the inns was reduced to 2,187,832 taels, saving 940,000 silver. The number of inns increased from 337 to 403.
For example, this permanent system of official bodies can be used. Some people hold the cans, even the things left by their grandfather’s grandfather. Logically speaking, the cans should be used and disposed of at any time to do certain errands. It's over, it should be withdrawn, but this kind of bad thing benefits everyone within the bureaucracy, so no one cares about it.
Zhang Juzheng took charge of it, and he did it to the letter.
The answer given by the court was to tighten the issuance of horse tags, and include the implementation of compliance regulations into the examination results. What is wrong must be paid back, which is equivalent to sealing the ribbon, and not stealing the public for private purposes. This has indeed made the wounds of the post smaller.
But the station is still losing money, and the 3% storage fee for the acceptance bill is the best way for the station to be responsible for its own profits and losses.
“I heard all the plans made by the Ministry of War in the Ministry of Household Affairs! Aren’t you just greedy when you see the Civil Information Bureau making countless profits every year? With the way the inn is leaking from all sides, who would be willing to use the imperial inn? Acceptance? Once the money is handed over to the station, it will be extremely difficult to take it out!" Zhang Xueyan immediately attacked the management of the station.
Zeng Shengwu looked a little helpless. In the past, when Tan Lun was here, how could the Hubu dare to slap the Ministry of War like this? Now that the Great Sima is seriously ill, Zeng Shengwu, the newly appointed Young Sima, can only bite the bullet and say: "The management of the post station of the Ministry of War is leaking everywhere. The Ming Dynasty Baochao Bureau has been in bad condition since the 26th year of Hongwu's reign! My child! Everyone knows that treasure money is worse than toilet paper!”
Zeng Shengwu’s attack power is fully maxed out. How can Hubu, who is a hundred steps of corruption, have the nerve to mock Bingbu’s fifty steps of corruption!
Anyway, the organizational structure of the post station is still there. Dozens of new post stations have been added in the past two years. With the implementation of the "Regulations on Giving Posts", the operation of the post stations has gradually turned into a benign one. The Baochao Bureau of the Ministry of Household Affairs , even the yamen are gone. Promotions in the Baochao Bureau are mostly held by doctors concurrently. How dare you say that the Ministry of War is not managed well?
"Hmph! I see who would use the inn's acceptance. He is crazy if he dares to use it! It's good to deposit it in, but you can't take it out. When the time comes, you will have no way to ask for it, and besieging the inn will be illegal. I wonder which merchant dares to take such a risk!" Zhang Xueyan immediately changed the direction of his attack. The acceptance bill of the post station was not recognized by the public at all.
There is a fundamental problem here. The imperial court is a powerful force and can breach the contract without any loss. Merchants have no way to sue for demands, so it is better to use the civil trust bureau.
Zeng Shengwu immediately said loudly: "Pilot, do you understand the pilot? There is no government decree that can be rolled out all at once! From the tax inspection office to the tax inspection institute, the tax inspection matters are from Nanya to Nanzhi Li, Zhejiang, Huguang, and Fujian were not achieved overnight, they were achieved step by step! After Yi Mu Lixin, Shang Yang's reform was implemented, and credibility was established and mutual trust was accumulated bit by bit! ”
The Ministry of War and the Ministry of Household had a quarrel in the Wenhua Hall. The three assistant ministers of the cabinet, Zhang Juzheng, Wang Chonggu, and Wang Guoguang, turned into a master pretending to be confused. Wan Shihe looked at His Majesty without saying anything or standing up. To reconcile, let the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Household make noise in the Wenhua Hall.
The ceremonial officials at the Wenhua Palace are all just watching the fun. As long as they don't do anything and just make a few noises, don't you see that His Majesty on the platform is watching the fun with great interest?
The greatest pleasure of listening to the government is watching the imperial princes quarreling. Zhu Yijun did not stop the fight. He even wanted to shout loudly, fight, fight!
Zhu Yijun was actually reading a memorial written by Zhang Juzheng, "General Commentary on Currency", which talks about the changes in currency.
Zhang Juzheng divided currency into three stages. The first stage is commodity currency, which uses a specific commodity as a medium of exchange. The oldest in the Central Plains is shell coins.
Bribery, poverty, credit, expensive, gambling, gifts, fees and a series of money-related words are all next to the word shell. In very ancient times, the Central Plains used shell coins as the general equivalent. For example, "Salt and Iron Theory: Wrong Coin" says: After Xia, Xuanbei was used. "Shangshu Pan Gengzhong" says: Shellfish are water insects. The ancients used their shells as goods, but now they use them for money.
This kind of commodity currency is still used overseas. In Virginia and Maryland in eastern North America, tobacco is used as currency; while the Viceroyalty of Peru uses a kind of shell. Beads are used as currency. A shell with 6 white beads or 3 black beads is worth one real silver coin in total. What is more interesting is that the Mexican Viceroyalty uses corn as currency.
These are typical commodity currencies.
After commodity currency, there is the money method, that is, metal coinage.
The Central Plains began to mint various copper coins from the pre-Qin Dynasty, to the later five-baht coin, and now to the current Wanli Tongbao. Gold, silver, and brass are natural currencies and are widely accepted and recognized. Metals The lack of coinage is not only reflected in the Ming Dynasty, but also in the entire world. The coinage of European and Western countries should start with Rome. There is no silver in Roman silver coins, which is also a widely circulated joke in Europe and the West.
After metal coinage, there is the banknote method, that is, credit banknotes, or bond banknotes.
Paper money is the loan from the court to the people. This statement originated from Xu Heng's "Chu Coin Notes", which said: With the capital of counting money, paper and ink, I can exchange the goods of the people all over the world; printing is easy, and the life is endless. Inexhaustible. The world's so-called gods turn rubble into gold, so how can they go beyond this?
Is there any difference between the imperial court using a little paper and ink and unredeemable banknotes to exchange goods and commodities for the people, and the immortal's Midas touch? The more paper money is issued, the more debt will be owed, and the court can arbitrarily never pay off this debt, or even abolish it directly.
In the Jiading period, exchanging one new banknote for two old banknotes was equivalent to owing half of the goods to the people. During the Jiaxi period, exchanging five new banknotes for five old banknotes owed the people four times the goods. This is Zupei!
Zhang Juzheng's history is so deep that he asked someone to check the number of coins issued in the Southern Song Dynasty. Compared with Kublai Khan's 36.18 million coins, the Southern Song Dynasty issued a total of 10 million coins during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty, and a total of 34 million coins issued during the reign of Emperor Xiaozong of the Song Dynasty. During the reign of Ningzong of the Song Dynasty, 370 million guan were issued, and during the Lizong period of the Song Dynasty, 1.929 billion guan were issued.
During the period from Song Gaozong to Song Lizong, a total of more than 2.343 billion jiaozi were issued!
(Source of historical data, quoted from: "Research on the Evolution of Monetary Thought in the Two Song Dynasties")
After the official officials were established in the early Northern Song Dynasty, the Central Plains became a complete This is also the reason why the Central Plains did not recognize Bao Chao. From the Northern Song Dynasty to the Hongwu Period of the Ming Dynasty, the knife of Bao Chao was cut into the people again and again.
What’s more interesting is that the Spanish and Mexican Governor-General also issued banknotes. In order to raise war funds, the Mexican Governor-General issued banknotes indiscriminately and paid military salaries, which led to several major changes in the Mexican Governor-General’s Palace. Now Mexico The Governor-General would rather use corn as currency than paper money.
Banknotes are closely related to the reputation of the court. Once the credibility is lost, banknotes become a pile of waste paper.
Banknotes are debts and credibility. Fluctuations in the value of banknotes endanger the country's trust. In the hinterland of the Central Plains, it is not appropriate to promote banknotes prematurely.
This is the conclusion Zhang Juzheng came to after reviewing all the banknote techniques from the Northern Song Dynasty to the Hongwu Period.
However, Zhang Juzheng strongly supported the banknotes going overseas, especially since he chose the first place where the banknotes would go, which was the Japanese country.
The Japanese country lacked smelting technology. Although there was enough silver, the silver dug out would flow to the Ming Dynasty in transactions. Because of the backward mining, smelting, and minting technology, the Ming Dynasty treasure banknotes could be recognized in the Japanese country.
As for the biggest problem with banknotes, the credibility problem caused by the arrogance of never paying off or even directly abolishing it, Ming Dynasty didn't care, because it was a Japanese country.
For more than 20 years, the Ming Dynasty has been gnashing its teeth in hatred of the Japanese invaders from top to bottom. Especially the hatred of the Jiangnan scholar-bureaucrats towards the Japanese invaders is no longer known to everyone. Successive governors of Fujian and Zhejiang The governor often made remarks similar to the Yongqing Japanese pirates.
The exchange of commodities requires general equivalents to participate in measuring value.
Zhang Juzheng carefully studied the mining and smelting of Japan. He briefly summarized the reason for the backwardness of coinage technology, which was the lack of firewood, whether it was firewood or coal.
After Zhu Yijun read the memorial, the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Households finally calmed down. The Ministry of Households lost, and they lost badly. Mainly because of the fact that the Ministry of Households’ Ming Dynasty treasure banknotes, even the Ministry of Households themselves. Don't quite agree.
"The Ministry of War drafted the regulations and let's take a look." Zhu Yijun saw the results and announced the results as a referee. He decided to try it out using the accounting currency of the acceptance bill to explore the path of Ming Dynasty's treasure money.
For the first time, Zhu Yijun felt a little unconfident about himself. In his lifetime, could the Ming Dynasty really move from metal coinage to reputable currency?
"I have already prepared a memorial." Zeng Shengwu is good at planning and then taking action. Since he launched it, it was naturally not to fight with the Ministry of Revenue, but to prepare for it. Your Ministry of Revenue secretly implemented the banknote method, and even carried out the plan with His Majesty. Slander, how could the Ministry of War not have any preparations?
Zhang Juzheng handed the memorial to Feng Bao. He opened the copy, thought for a moment, and wrote the floating notes.
The preparations of the Ministry of War are extremely thorough. The pilot project starts with coal-silver convection. In fact, it is coal, mainly coke. The technology of earth kiln burning is very mature. Similarly, earth kiln burning is also the main source of pollution. , the Ministry of Industry has recently been chased and scolded by officials from the Ministry of Science and Technology. After depositing silver at Huitongguanyi in Songjiang Prefecture, you can obtain a bill. You can directly accept the coke at Xishan Coal Bureau, and then go south from Chidao to Tongzhou via the Grand Canal, or go out to sea from Tianjin Wei and ship to Nanya, which is frozen in winter. At that time, you can take the Guandaoyi Road to the Mizhou City Bosi Shipping Station to go south.
Zeng Shengwu believes that in the next five to ten years, the salt-silver convection will be completely replaced by the coal-silver convection. This does not mean that the southern salt will no longer move northward, but its scale will It will be far smaller than the coal-silver convection. Even after the Womagang mining operation has achieved results, the economic cycle will be completely established.
Nan Ya has a lot of resentment. Many people in Nan Ya believe that Bei Ya is also a negative asset and needs to be actuated. Specifically, there have been discussions in the past dynasties about moving the capital back to Nan Ya, while Northern Ya Rich mineral deposits will effectively reduce this resentment.
"Your Ministry of War has been planning for a long time! It has been planned for a long time!" Wang Guoguang, as a cabinet minister, after reading the memorial, finally stopped letting Zhang Xueyan charge into the battle and spoke directly.
It seems that the defense is somewhat broken.
"Not long after, from the day I came to Beijing from Sichuan to be a minister, I came to Beijing from Yanshui Mayi in Sichuan, and I was thinking about how this good inn has been losing money. Since ancient times, this golden bridge and silver road, inn "Nenghui, the wonders of the world, the post station leads to the world, and the communication department store." Not long after Zeng Shengwu said this, it was six years ago. In the third year of Wanli, Zeng Shengwu was promoted to the right minister of the Ministry of War. He had been preparing for this since he returned to Beijing from Sichuan.
Zeng Shengwu said with great certainty: "Since ancient times, only strong men can do business. Bandits who block roads and rob are everywhere. These post soldiers are the best source of soldiers."
Zhu Yijun approved Zeng Shengwu's memorial. The Ministry of War had really planned it for a long time and was well prepared. It needs to supplement the "Giyi Regulations". The regulations on the management of silver coins and the acceptance of physical goods (coke) have been studied very clearly. During the trial implementation, modifications will be made if problems are encountered.
Contradictions explain everything one after another. No system is perfect from the design point of view. It is all cyclical and progressive, spiraling upward. This is called reform and innovation in etiquette.
The Ministry of Finance's intention to promote banknotes failed again, and it only received permission to issue banknotes at the Nagasaki Governor's Palace.
Wang Daokun, Minister of the Ministry of Industry, reported on the construction progress of Youlong and Feiyun. If according to the current situation, the construction is expected to be completed in three years, it can be completed half a year in advance. Youlong and Feiyun will definitely be able to When the water is launched as scheduled, the biggest headache for the Ministry of Industry is the problem of Xishan Coal Bureau.
"Your Majesty, this production capacity cannot be reduced, and there must be no pollution. It will be better to wait until the Suiyuan Chi Road is repaired and the coal from Datong, Guihua, and Shengzhou can be successfully delivered to Beijing." The attitude of the Ministry of Industry Extraordinarily tough, the plan to reduce production is just three words, impossible!
The price of coal rose from six cents per catty to two hundred cents per catty. It was not the Kedao officials who were held accountable, but their Ministry of Works. Even if the emperor forcibly ordered it, the Ministry of Works would say, Xishan Coal and steel have been developed for a long time, and the kilns and craftsmen are relatively rich. The Ministry of Industry has implemented the strategy of adjusting the layout of fine steel and coal, improving equipment levels, doing a good job in energy conservation and emission reduction, and doing a good job in pollution prevention and control to provide power for the Ming Dynasty's economic cycle.
If the emperor asked again, the Minister of Industry could only say: Stop talking, stop talking.
"The Ministry of Industry has difficulties. I have to cope with the situation because of poverty. I can only do it reluctantly. Jieyuan got a cotton mask. After the court meeting is over, everyone should take some back. This It would be better if the Suiyuan Chi Road was repaired as soon as possible. "Zhu Yijun did not force the Ministry of Industry to reduce production. Daming needs coal.
The Ministry of Household Affairs reported on the issuance of Yanxinglou tickets, and the Metropolitan Procuratorate found a group of corrupt officials, mainly in Nanya, Zhejiang and other places. This place is rich in money and money, and is the most prone to corruption. There are six in total Fourteen people, the specific person in charge is Li Le, the prefect of Yingtian. Yingtian Prefecture is Nanya, one of the two capitals. Li Le is almost certain to be the next governor of Yingtian.
Because Pan Jixun, the current governor of Yingtian, strongly requested to go to Suiyuan to serve as governor. This was a flat transfer, more like an exile. Pan Jixun wanted to control the Yellow River.
Pan Jixun, who invented the sand flushing method with water beams, knew very well that sand flushing with water beams would treat the symptoms but not the root cause. To make the Yellow River clear, soil erosion must be controlled in Suiyuan.
Based on Pan Jixun’s qualifications, he came to Beijing from Yingtian and was at least a young Sikong. However, Pan Jixun gave up on his own progress and wanted to transfer Suiyuan from Nanyaping, the richest city in the south of the Yangtze River. The border land is for the purpose of regulating the Yellow River.
"Governor Pan serves the country and the people, and it is appropriate for Governor Suiyuan to be promoted to Minister of the Ministry of Industry and go there." Zhang Juzheng, as the official of the Ministry of Personnel, invited Pan Jixun to a higher official in the capital. When we meet in the future, he will all Call Pan Butang.
Pan Jixun returned to Beijing with at least Shao Sikong, and it was possible to wait for the chancellor's absence, but Pan Jixun chose Suiyuan. Pan Jixun was also the staunchest supporter of the complex in the Ming Dynasty. He once discussed the complex with Tan Lun in depth. There is a possibility of being trapped. The Yellow River is full of dangers. Only in the Hetao can we catch this turbid dragon!
The first chief envoy of Suiyuan was Sanniangzi. It was the imperial court's fulfillment of its promise, but it was also a helpless move. No one was available. Before there were mines in Womagang and Shengzhou, the Daming Company was willing to go to Suiyuan. Even though few officials could be found from far away, Pan Jixun took the initiative to go there just to regulate the Yellow River and played an exemplary and leading role.
The scholars of the Ming Dynasty were not all scheming, bad people who would do anything to get promoted.
"What do Wang Cifu think?" Zhu Yijun looked at Wang Chonggu.
Wang Chonggu immediately bowed his head and said: "Pan Butang has great righteousness in the world."
Wang Chonggu agreed to the major personnel appointments proposed by Zhang Juzheng. Pan Jixun led the Minister of Industry to inspect Suiyuan, and he was also very impressed with Pan Jixun's character. Appreciation, a great righteousness in the world, means that the right path in the world is subject to vicissitudes of life.
The existence of people like Hai Rui and Pan Jixun raised the average moral level of Ming Dynasty bureaucrats.
Wang Chonggu saw that everyone had finished discussing important matters and said, "A strange thing happened recently."
"In Shicheng County, Ganzhou Prefecture, Jiangxi Province, there was an oil seller named Jin Xiao. As his name suggests, he was quite filial. He sells oil for a living. One day the oil seller went out of his house and felt anxious. He went into the toilet and found thirty taels of silver wrapped in a white cloth. He was overjoyed. Jin Xiao took the silver and returned home happily. He told his mother that he had received good fortune. , I found a lot of silver."
"When I heard about it, I was immediately surprised and said, why did you do such a bad thing? Could it be stealing? Jin Xiaoxi told the story of the origin of the thirty taels of silver. Xiao found the owner and returned it, saying: "Both rich and poor are determined by fate. If you are destined to enjoy it, if you are not born into a family that carries oil poles, you will be rewarded for nothing and suffer disaster instead."< br>
Hearing this, Zhu Yijun said with a smile: "I am a sensible person. This person who lost his money must be running around like an ant on a hot pot. Thirty taels of silver is not a small amount. "
Thirty taels of silver is enough to buy several yellow-flowered girls.
Wang Chonggu continued: "No, Jin Xiao is a filial man. He listened to his mother and went to find the lost owner, which is bad."
"How is this bad? It is not ignorant to pick up gold, Jin Filial piety brings peace of mind, and the lost owner is found again, why is it bad?" Zhu Yijun asked doubtfully, how do you think it is a good thing?
Wang Chonggu shook his head helplessly and said: "This owner is not a kind person. The owner took back the silver package belly. He was afraid that Jin Xiao would ask for the reward, so he came up with a plan and said that he had fifty taels of silver in his pocket. , Jin Xiaoping hid twenty taels in vain, and the owner was so angry that the neighbors rushed to watch. "
"Your Majesty, there are all the neighbors in this county. If Jin Xiao sat down and hid the twenty taels, then Jin Xiao would no longer have to be a human being. He would be scolded when he went out. Moreover, Jin Xiao was an oil seller, so his reputation was ruined. Jin Xiao could only He took his old mother away from home and went to make a living elsewhere. "
"But Jin Xiao argued loudly, but the owner refused to let go, and the noise attracted the fireman in the Qiao Tower, who invited the Yamen. The yamen servant brought the person to the Shicheng County yamen, where the county magistrate Chen Zhen was ranked in the top 45 in the eighth year of Wanli. He had just taken up his post, and this was his first promotion."
"The neighbors all want to see how the Xinzhi County judges the punishment."
Zhu Yijun sat forward and asked, "How does the Chen Zhixian judge the punishment?"
Wang Chonggu Shen Zhixian said: "Chen Zhixian asked the owner, how many taels of silver did you have in the silver cloth? The owner said fifty taels. Chen Zhixian immediately understood and said: The lost silver was fifty taels. He picked it up. It's thirty taels, this is not yours."
"The owner was shocked and said quickly: I would rather just take these thirty taels."
" Chen Zhixian said sternly. : If Jin Xiao wanted to rely on your money, why not take it all? But he only hid less than half of it, and he found it out to cause such trouble? , Go and find it yourself!”
“Good judgment.” Zhu Yijun highly approved of Chen Zhixian’s judgment.
Jin Xiao was not ignorant when he picked up the gold, and raked up the lost owner, and the magistrate made a clear decision. Since the number does not match, naturally he cannot claim it falsely. Since you lost fifty taels, go find it yourself.
Wang Chonggu's face became serious and he said: "Your Majesty, Chen Zhen's treatment is not just that. After Jin Xiao took Yin Liang to support his mother and left, Chen Zhixian tied up the owner."
"The law of the Ming Dynasty, false accusations are false, and the owner of the lost person falsely accuses Jin Xiao. According to the laws of the Ming Dynasty and the Huidian of the Ming Dynasty, anyone who robs people's property during the day will be punished with a hundred rods and three years of imprisonment, and the stolen goods will be counted. Those who commit serious crimes will be punished with a second degree of theft, and those who injure others will be punished with one penalty. "
"Therefore, the owner should be punished with a hundred rods and three years in prison."
"The purpose of daylight is not to distinguish between yin and yang and dusk, but to emphasize broad daylight and blatantness, so the punishment is so heavy."
Zhu Yijun frowned slightly, then relaxed and said: "The punishment is not excessive."
Wan Shihe further explained: "To grab something by surprise is called robbery, and to get it with force is called snatching. The owner of the property is talking about everyone, it is snatching. It seems to be a small matter. Chen Zhen looks a bit threatening. It is too much, and it violates the heart of mercy, but it is right to sit down after false accusations."
"Dear gentlemen, if the fireman of Qiaolou didn't notice and invited the Yamen, Jin Xiao was timid and admitted the matter. What is the fate? Is the oil stall in his house worth twenty silver? Even if he can't afford it, will anyone buy his oil in the future? Can Jin Xiao still stay here? In the old days, people moved to other places, that is, they went into exile. "
It seems that the punishment is a bit too severe, but in fact, if you think about it carefully, if Jin Xiao confesses, he may be ruined.
"If our Ming Dynasty were all officials like Chen Zhen, it would be better. Most of them are doing it to save trouble and the place is convenient, but this and Xini are just indulgence. Who will do it in the future? Dare you pick up the money? If you encounter something like this in other places, you will just follow the old rules, which will only cause more trouble." Zhang Juzheng said with deep feeling.
Chen Zhen's threats and punishments have reached the ears of the Minister of Punishment, and even brought it to the Wenhua Palace for discussion. It is a troublesome matter for officials like the county magistrate.
The local government will definitely encourage this kind of arrogance in order to save trouble and thin the mud. In addition, a large amount of silver flows into the Ming Dynasty. People's hearts are not as old as before, rituals and music are broken, and it is just like this, little by little.
The way of heaven favors good people, the natural public order and good customs are completely destroyed, and the world is turning like a wheel.
(End of this chapter)