The Ming Dynasty: The most ruthless imperial grandson, Old Zhu begged me not to kill him.

Chapter 213 The Grain Deposit Case

When the tribes on the grasslands heard about Kökö Temür's actions, some of them sold all the wool they had to him.

Some people felt that this wool was definitely not simple, so they kept it for themselves.

It is undeniable that Kökö Temür did indeed transport a large amount of wool southward.

Zhu Xiong Ying also began to take action regarding the grain.

On this day in the imperial court, Zhu Xiong Ying looked at the reports from the ministers and was somewhat uninterested.

Nothing much happened in the Ming Dynasty during this period. Even those corrupt officials under their command have become much more obedient, fearing that they might be caught red-handed by Zhu Xiong Ying.

Minister of Revenue Yang Siyi said, holding the memorial in his hand.

"Your Highness, the grain reserves in all the granaries across the land have been recorded. Please take a look!"

The ministers in the court suddenly perked up.

They were very puzzled as to why Yang Siyi had handed over the records of the grain in the granary to Zhu Xiong Ying.

What are they trying to do? Zhu Xiong Ying looked at the grain on the plate, a disdainful smile appearing on his lips.

The people from the Western Depot had already found out exactly how much grain was in these granaries.

At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang suffered a lot from insufficient food supplies. Therefore, after the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, he began to hoard grain and set up many granaries in various places.

It is no exaggeration to say that this amount of food is sufficient for the needs of the local people and the army.

To ensure the safety of these grains, Zhu Yuanzhang even appointed many officials to inspect their condition, so as to guarantee that nothing would go wrong.

However, after inspecting the Western Depot under his command, Zhu Xiong Ying discovered that the grain deficit was extremely serious.

Much of the grain was only one-third of what was recorded in the accounts, and some was even less than one-third.

As for where the grain went, Zhu Xiong Ying knew very well.

After Zhu Xiong Ying read these records, he smiled and said...

"Excellent, excellent! The ministers in various regions have done a truly commendable job, managing to produce such a large quantity of grain!"

"The deal between our Great Ming and Kökö Temür for the wool exchange has been finalized. A large quantity of wool will soon arrive in Yingtian Prefecture. As for the grain they need, it will come from the granaries in various parts of the north!"

The officials in the imperial court changed their expressions drastically upon hearing this.

They knew perfectly well how much grain was in the local granaries. It has to be said that at least half of the officials in the imperial court had been involved in matters concerning the local granaries.

If they really want to take over these granaries, they'll probably all end up getting caught in the crossfire.

At this moment, Guo Huan, the Vice Minister of Revenue, stepped forward.

"Your Highness, the grain stored in the border granaries is extremely important. If war breaks out on the border, this grain will be a lifeline for the local people. It is really not something to be taken lightly!"

"Currently, grain prices in the Jiangnan region of our Great Ming Dynasty are extremely stable. It would be most reasonable for the Ministry of Revenue to allocate funds to purchase grain directly from the people!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Siyi, the Minister of Revenue, was taken aback and glanced at Guo Huan, the Vice Minister of Revenue, with a face full of dissatisfaction.

Guo Huan, the Vice Minister of Revenue, has been acting too erratically lately.

He even won over many officials, and those who didn't know better might have thought he was the one who would succeed the Minister of Revenue in the future.

Many officials in the thatched cottage were immediately intrigued; this was indeed a good opportunity. If they were to purchase grain from the common people of the Ming Dynasty, given the vast differences in grain prices across regions, they could buy more grain at a much lower price.

Of course, in some places, people don't need to buy food with money at all; they can just steal it, and I believe these people wouldn't dare to say anything.

Not only will you be able to make a fortune from this opportunity, but you might also be able to settle some of those messy accounts from the past.

Yang Siyi said hurriedly.

"Your Highness, this is impossible. The people of Jiangnan have paid a lot of taxes over the years, and Jiangnan has only just begun to develop. It simply cannot produce much grain!"

Yang Siyi gritted his teeth.

Another, more important reason is that the Ministry of Revenue's money can no longer be spent.

The Ministry of Revenue has too many places to spend its money, especially the astronomical amount needed to build up the navy.

If you invest in this place, who knows how much it could be.

In the imperial court, the two sides argued endlessly.

However, most people sided with Guo Huan.

Seeing this, Guo Huan was extremely pleased with himself and glanced at Yang Siyi with a contemptuous look.

Yang Siyi was indeed ruthless when he was young, but unfortunately he is now old and how could he possibly go against me?

Moreover, there are considerable interests involved in this matter, and these people will definitely not let this opportunity pass them by.

At this moment, Zhu Xiong Ying looked at the ministers in the court and said.

“The grain is meant to be used anyway, and besides, all the grain in these granaries is from several years ago. It’s not a bad idea to give it to the ape-men in the north. As for the grain from the south, it would probably cost a lot to transfer it to the north. In that case, let’s use the large granaries of the Shanxi Provincial Administration Commission and the Henan Provincial Administration Commission!”

"Immediately order the provincial administration commissioners of Shanxi and Henan to prepare, and have officials from Yingtian Prefecture to calculate the grain supply!"

"I've taken a look, and the grain reserves in Shanxi and Henan alone are more than enough, even with a surplus!"

Guo Huan was extremely shocked. He hadn't expected that Zhu Xiong Ying would not accept his suggestion, which made him very resentful.

Although Yang Siyi wielded immense authority within the Ministry of Revenue, most officials were willing to obey his orders.

Moreover, that old fellow Yang Siyi won't live much longer. Once he's gone, I can naturally take over the position of Minister of Revenue.

Zhu Xiong Ying's words have indeed made him lose face.

"Your Highness, this is absolutely forbidden! This grain is all for the army. If the grain here is taken, the army might rebel in the event of an emergency, and our Great Ming will surely suffer. Please, Your Highness, rescind your order!"

Zhu Xiong Ying looked at Guo Huan, the Vice Minister of Revenue, with amusement.

"Why are you so afraid of me inspecting these granaries, my dear minister? Is there something wrong with them, or is it related to Lord Guo?"

Guo Huan's expression changed drastically upon hearing this, and he hurriedly said...

"Your Highness, I am utterly loyal and would never do such a thing. Everyone knows my family's situation. They can't even afford to eat and are living on my meager salary and the help of my colleagues. How could I possibly do such a thing!"

Zhu Xiong Ying curled his lip in disdain. If he didn't know a bit about history, he probably wouldn't have known about this corrupt official in front of him.

Taking advantage of his position as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, he embezzled an unknown amount of money and grain. This is a good opportunity to take him down.

(End of this chapter)