Chapter 729 The Empress Dowager

The first month of the eighth year of Chengtian was a lively one. Just after the Lantern Festival, important figures of the Huang family attacked and cried to the Empress Dowager. Chen Ming, under great pressure, appointed Liu Wenwei, the Supervisory Censor of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, as the Deputy Chief Censor of the Supervisory Yuan, and went to Yunnan to thoroughly investigate the case of grain depot deficit.

As a military stronghold in the southwest, the grain reserves in Yunnan have always been very abundant, but the grain depot deficit suddenly broke out before the New Year, which means that the grain depot system in Yunnan lost money in operation, and not a little bit.

The national grain system has always been responsible for stabilizing domestic grain prices. As early as thousands of years ago, the Chinese dynasty had set up Changping warehouses in the local area to regulate grain prices for the country, store grain for famine and supply food for officials and the people. In short, it is mainly to use the law of market value to adjust the supply of the grain market and give full play to the role of stabilizing the value of the grain market. When the market grain price is low, appropriately raising the grain price and purchasing a large amount of grain will not only make the large warehouses storing grain in the court full of grain, but also make the granaries in the border counties full of grain. When the market price of grain is high, the price is appropriately lowered for sale. This measure not only avoids "low grain prices hurting farmers" but also prevents "high grain prices hurting people", and plays a positive role in stabilizing the grain market and consolidating the feudal regime.

Chen Han's national granary system, that is, the grain bureaus throughout the country, also has such responsibilities.

It's just that the general trend of "low grain prices hurting farmers" in China before was too difficult to reverse, and it would require too much investment.

Randomly, in Chen Han's policy, the grain depot deficit is reasonable. But it is unreasonable to lose too much at one time.

After being stored for a period of time, the grain in the granary will have a link of selling, clearing, and conversion, that is, converting the old grain into new grain. There is no specific limit on how long this link is, so once the grain depot deficit is found, the best way to prevaricate is that the grain depot is in conversion (the old is sold and the new is not in), even if Bao Gong is reborn, he can't find out the truth. The reason is that although the grain depot conversion is directly controlled by the Central Grain Bureau, the Central Grain Bureau or the cabinet only controls the direction of the general indicators and only draws a red line, that is, the requirement is the existence of "quantity". The other three links (sale, emptying, conversion) are still controlled by the local governments themselves, or they are all controlled by the local grain system and the government. It is difficult for the central government to go all the way, and the cost is too high. Even if there is a surprise inspection from the top, the grain system has a response plan. It is not difficult to make a fake grain mountain. The phenomenon of "burning the camps" in later TV dramas has not happened yet.

Chen Han had just established the country, and the crackdown on corruption and bribery by officials was severe. The administration was still clean, and even if some termites were mixed in the grain pile, they did not dare to swallow it in big mouthfuls. If the scene of "burning the camps" really happened, it can only mean that the termites never thought that the central government would suddenly conduct a surprise inspection. It also means that the lack of normal supervision of the grain system has caused these termites to have no risk awareness at all, let alone a plan to get away with it.

They dare not eat such a "first crab", nor do they want to eat it.

It's just that Yunnan has suffered too much loss and its geographical location is special. It is a border defense area, and there is still a war going on in the south. The sudden loss of grain depots is too large, so large that the central government did not believe it when it heard about it. It is not simply because the governor of Yunnan is Huang's son-in-law.

Liang Du, the governor of Yunnan, is Huang's son-in-law. He is an important figure in Huang's line. He followed the central government in his early years. After the capital was moved to Nanjing, he served as the censor of the Supervisory Yuan, the confidential secretary in front of the emperor, the director of the Cabinet Secretariat, the secretary-general, the censor of the Central Plains Province, the deputy censor of the Supervisory Yuan, the acting right deputy censor, and the assistant minister of the Ministry of Finance. In April of the seventh year of Chengtian, when the local governor was officially promoted to the second rank, he was transferred to the governor of Yunnan.

In terms of kinship, Chen Ming still called him uncle. When he was in the central government, although he was not outstanding, he did not make any mistakes and was very attentive. Chen Ming did not expect that after he arrived in Yunnan, such a short time, it could almost be said that he had just taken office and then he would have such a big mess.

In the late January, Liu Wu was ordered to leave Beijing again. In early February, Liu Wenwei first presented the preliminary investigation conclusion that Liang Du, the governor of Yunnan, mishandled the exchange process of grain storage in Yunnan. Although it was not certain whether he had accepted bribes, the Liang family definitely took advantage of the opportunity to sell old grain to seek benefits, so Liu Wenwei suggested that the central government temporarily dismiss Liang Du from the post of governor of Yunnan. This really stirred up a hornet's nest for the Huang family. What shocked the Huang family the most was that Chen Ming actually approved this proposal, which meant that Chen Ming trusted Liu Wenwei very much.

Later, Liu Wu also sent the latest investigation report. Liang Du not only indulged his children to profit from the grain issue, but also had serious dereliction of duty. There were also Huang's children in it.

If the Huang family was just jumping up and down before, now they are really anxious. So they found the great god of the Huang family-the Empress Dowager.

Chen Ming's imperial carriage arrived at Yanshou Palace-Changqiu Palace, which also belongs to Yanshou Palace. Yanshou Palace has never been a single palace, but the name of the entire palace complex, just like the Daming Palace in the heyday of the Tang Dynasty. This Changqiu Palace is located in the southernmost part of Yanshou Palace, and the area is much larger than the palace where the old lady used to live in the palace.

Chen Ming first met with Chen Hui and Gao, and then walked to Changqiu Palace.

After greeting as usual, the old lady took the initiative to mention the matter of Yunnan Province. Both sides know it well.

"Emperor, I heard that something happened in the Yunnan grain depot. You sent an envoy to Yunnan to inspect?" The old lady obviously saved face for Chen Ming and asked the question very tactfully. She did not go straight to the topic, but the meaning... ...You are not a fool, you know what it means.

The old lady is the most senior person in the entire royal family, and she is also Chen Ming's grandmother. It is natural for the old lady to pay too much attention to the Huang family where she comes from. Even if she makes some excessive demands, Chen Ming must seriously consider them.

In this era of China, the emperor has great power, but 'filial piety' has always been a traditional virtue in China. Chen Ming can not dump the old lady, but it is difficult to guarantee that it will not leave unnecessary stains on his image in history.

The affairs of Yongzheng and his wife were used to make fun of him again and again by countless people in later generations. Regardless of the "Yongzheng Dynasty" and the Fourth Ye Party that later generations cleaned up Yongzheng over and over again, it is still an indelible mark.

"Grandma, the things in Yunnan are too big. It is a military center, and there is still a war in Nantou and Myanmar. There are eleven local grain depots in Yunnan, and there are hundreds of local grain depots in prefectures and counties, with a total reserve of more than 500 However, according to the statistics of the State Grain Bureau’s grain reserves in Yunnan, there are less than 4 million shi left there. If this matter is not severely punished, the national law will..."

After organizing the language, Chen Ming explained: "Because the imperial court has introduced a new policy and abolished preferential treatment for imported grain, domestic grain prices have been gradually rising since last winter. The Yunnan Supervisory Censor reported this year ago that Yunnan suddenly on the market A large amount of grain appeared, and the investigation was that the Provincial Grain Department was selling grain in large quantities to make profits. This is normal, but the problem is that there is an amazing amount of grain on the market in Yunnan, and there is also a lot of grain sold to Guizhou and Sichuan. Sales.

He reported this to the cabinet, which in turn notified the State Grain Administration. The latter sent people to conduct a systematic statistics on Yunnan's grain reserves and found that the gap was too large and had exceeded the relevant red line. This is not a big deal. This kind of thing happens often in local areas. Not everyone in charge of the local food department can keep their own desires, but there must be connivance from the local government. Moreover, after the New Year, food in the first month of this year is more expensive. Although new grains have arrived from Nanyang, domestic food prices have not dropped. In other words, the Yunnan grain system seems to be making a profit after selling old grains at high prices. When I got the money, I actually lost more money. They want to buy new grain from the market at a higher price. As a result, the deficit on the books of the Yunnan Provincial Food Department reached 300,000 dan. "

This is quite a number. This number is enough to illustrate how crazy the Yunnan grain system reached in selling grain to the outside world last year. And the most important thing is that people from the Liang family and Huang family frequently appear when the grain depot is saving money for external sales and purchases. This turned what was originally a serious dereliction of duty between Liangdu and the Yunnan food system into a highly possible money transaction.

If it is the former, Liang Du's official career will suffer a setback, but it may not be possible to make a comeback in the future. The Huang family's capital is still very strong, and they cannot easily give up a local official. But if it was the latter, he was doomed. There are also the children of the Liang family and the Huang family involved.

"Liu Wenwei reported to the court that since his arrival in Yunnan, he has arrested 73 people, and there are still more than 30 people wanted at large. In addition, more than 200 suspects have been identified. These people include wealthy businessmen, hawkers, and local parents. There is also a bottom I am worried that Liu Qing will enforce the law too strictly and push too hard, which may result in an unjust case. Therefore, I sent Liu Wu to Yunnan. If there is any doubt, I will order him to review the case and then return to Beijing to hand it over to the Supervisory Yuan. Supreme Court."

After hearing what Chen Ming said, the old lady's face softened a lot and she no longer had a straight face.

Because Chen Ming's statement was completely different from the statements of the Huang family members who came to the palace every day to cry and complain to her these days. What they said was that someone was deliberately causing trouble for the Huang family. This is something the old lady cannot tolerate.

But if it were true as what Chen Ming said, the old lady had nothing to say. The state has national laws and the family has family rules. The old lady is a sensible person.

Liu Wenwei's law enforcement is indeed too strict, but if there is such a big mess in Yunnan, shouldn't Liang Du be punished? Should.

When the Chen family was still nestling in the small Lushan, if the shop they set up outside had suffered heavy losses due to the shopkeeper's negligence, even if the shopkeeper was a direct relative of the Chen family, he would still have to pay for the hole to be repaired. He was completely transferred back to his hometown to farm.

Isn't this the case in Liangdu?

A high official in a feudal territory or a governor of a province is no longer the 'shopkeeper' in the past.

The shopkeeper in the past did something wrong and had to be punished; the current 'shopkeeper' made a major mistake and he also had to be punished!

In a sense, the central government directly sends imperial envoys to local areas instead of the "central inspection working group" that has become a mechanism every year. This in itself is a dissatisfaction with the local areas.

The old lady came to her senses. "How many people are involved in this matter?" She was still more concerned about the people involved in the Huang family and the Liang family.

The old lady is not a person who is well-dressed and well-fed. She doesn't know the sufferings of the world, so she doesn't eat minced meat.

Although she has never suffered much in her life, she has experienced a lot of strong winds and waves. When a person reaches old age, if his son or grandson suddenly rebels, people with a slightly poor psychological quality will probably be frightened to death.

After experiencing the ups and downs of the war, the old lady is no longer the old lady she was before.

There is no need to tell her about many things. As long as you point out the key points, she will know the reason. In the Yunnan case, the person who took the grain from the granary was Liang Huang, and the person who sold the grain to the granary at a higher price was still Liang Huang. Liang Huang was playing both sides.

The suspicion is too great.

"Then let Liu Wenwei and Liu Wu investigate. The old lady still said that the country has its own laws and the family has its own rules. This principle cannot be messed up."

A trace of worry and sadness flashed across the old lady's face.

Walking out of the Changqiu Palace of the Empress Dowager, Chen Ming breathed a sigh of relief. Thanks to the old lady, he was a little scared of himself. The old lady is very reasonable and she restrained her emotions. So today, Chen Ming easily achieved his goal.

And without the support of the old lady, the Huang family dared not even squeak. In front of Chen Ming, they were all a group of cowards born in the Year of the Rat.

"Three hundred thousand dan of grain, that's really audacious."

The red line of the national grain system is drawn there. Unless the grain price is abnormal, the grain in the grain depot should not flow into the market in a large scale in a short period of time. And even if you really throw the stored grain into the market in a large scale, you can't throw so much at once. There is no reason to rush to sell grain in a large amount when the summer grain is not on the market yet.

This can only be said that they bought too high. Then they noticed that Liu Wenwei came, which made them panic.

Of course, the deficit of 300,000 dan of grain was not entirely caused by Liang Huang. The upper level opened a hole, and the lower level followed suit. This is the biggest reason why the abundant grain on the market in Yunnan made the supervisory censors realize that something was wrong.

Chen Ming was afraid of the pigeon letter sent by Liu Wenwei from Yunnan in his hand. However, the total amount of confiscation, seizure and fines for the hundred or so criminals who were arrested exceeded 40 million, and there were still a large number of land and real estate waiting to be processed. In the end, this business was still a big profit for the court. And if half of the other suspects also end up in trouble, the court will make more money this time.

It is very likely that the benefits will reach hundreds of millions. And the deficit of 300,000 shi of grain, even if calculated at the current price, plus the transportation cost, is only 4 million.

Chen Ming was overjoyed to have such a large amount of money suddenly added to the fiscal expenditure. He would not let this money disappear in the cabinet's mouth today and tomorrow.

It is just right to use this money to adjust the Military Intelligence Bureau. After splitting up the National Security Bureau, Chen Ming is also going to split up the Military Intelligence Bureau.

Chen Liang looked at the emperor in shock. The work of the Military Intelligence Bureau has been very powerful in recent years, and the emperor has never expressed dissatisfaction. Why is it suddenly a bolt from the blue?

But this is the emperor's opinion.

He held in his hand an oral order of His Majesty handed to him by Zhang Dayong. Chen Ming is going to select some capable people from the Military Intelligence Bureau to form an Intelligence Research Department.

This is a small department that will not cause any damage to the Military Intelligence Bureau. The main tasks of the Research Department are cipher research, foreign affairs and intelligence analysis. It can participate in regular high-level government meetings chaired by the Prime Minister of the Cabinet and participate in foreign intelligence work on behalf of the Cabinet as a cabinet intelligence adviser.

It does not have the ability to collect intelligence itself. Its main tasks are: to process various intelligence, rely on intelligence provided by diplomatic and intelligence agencies, study and distribute intelligence about Chen Han’s foreign policy; distribute relevant reports sent back by major embassies and consulates abroad, and convey the intelligence support it needs to the Cabinet.

It can be said that this is a real "research" department.

In addition, there is a Defense General Administration. From the name, it can be seen that this is a special military intelligence agency. In fact, Chen Ming is going to set up a special military intelligence agency.

Although the Military Intelligence Bureau has the word "military" in its name, it actually does everything. The Defense General Administration in front of us is responsible for organizing, guiding, managing and controlling foreign military intelligence resources, taking on the image intelligence tasks at the national level in the past, intervening in the planning of all military operations involved during the validity period, handling the allocation of tasks and the determination of priorities, as well as formulating and carrying out guiding policies, and being responsible for secret "special military operations" plans.

This will cause the Military Intelligence Bureau to bleed seriously.