The Red Mansion.

Chapter 86 Jiang Nian goes to Emperor Taishun

Jiang Nian waited for a few days, and one evening in mid-May, he came to Prince Zhongyi's Mansion with the first memorial of his life.

It was called a memorial, but it was actually written on several pieces of letter paper and wrapped in an envelope. It could also be said to be a letter written by Jiang Nian to Emperor Taishun.

In the evening, the outline of the capital city was mottled in the sunset.

The streets are crowded with cars and horses, and pedestrians. Their shadows are elongated by the setting sun, like ink stains on rice paper.

In Shuaifu Hutong outside Dong'anmen, Prince Zhongyi's Mansion sits quietly, with the afterglow flowing through the green bricks and black tiles, as if covered with an orange veil.

Inside the palace, Prince Zhongyi, who was burdened with numerous affairs and heavy responsibilities, was busy at his desk, which was piled with documents.

At this time, Jiang Nian came to Prince Zhongyi and knelt down respectfully to pay his respects.

Prince Zhongyi raised his eyes and asked with a smile, "Brother Nian, what is the matter with seeing me today?"

This was the second time Jiang Nian came to Prince Zhongyi's mansion to ask for an audience with Prince Zhongyi.

The last time he came to ask for a meeting, he begged to take the imperial examination, which surprised Prince Zhongyi greatly.

Prince Zhongyi was quite curious about what surprising thing Jiang Nian had done today.

Jiang Nian said respectfully, "I understand that His Majesty and the Prince are working tirelessly to investigate the financial deficit. As a humble servant, I shouldn't be making comments on government affairs. However, I have received the grace of His Majesty and the kindness of the Prince, and I wish to serve His Majesty with all my heart and repay the Prince. I have a rough plan for investigating the financial deficit, which may be of some help to His Majesty and the Prince. I have written it down and hope that the Prince will review it. I also ask that you submit it to His Majesty on my behalf."

After hearing this, Prince Zhongyi opened his eyes wide and was shocked again.

Well, this Yi Ge'er has indeed done something surprising today! He's only been appointed a third-class guard for a few days, and he's already submitting a memorial? And it's actually a memorial suggesting an investigation into the deficit?
Although Prince Zhongyi believed that Jiang Nian was extremely talented, both civil and military, and incomparable to ordinary people, Jiang Nian was only fifteen years old after all, and grew up in humble circumstances. How could he have any real insights into investigating government deficits?

At this moment, Prince Zhongyi couldn't help but think that Jiang Nian was restless and that he was too eager to attract the attention of Emperor Taishun.

Prince Zhongyi remained expressionless, saying calmly, "Show it to me."

Jiang Nian stepped forward and presented the envelope with both hands.

Prince Zhongyi took the envelope and opened it to examine it carefully. The handwriting on the letter was neat and clear. It listed four strategies, including methods for investigation, prevention, and punishment.

As he watched, Prince Zhongyi's face showed a look of both surprise and joy...

The text of Jiang Nian's memorial is as follows:

"Your servant Jiang Nian respectfully reports:

I would like to respectfully present four strategies for clearing up the financial and grain deficits and implore Your Majesty’s consideration.

Your Majesty has diligently governed the country, working tirelessly day and night to investigate and rectify the deficits. As a humble servant of the Imperial Guard, I should not have spoken rashly about government affairs. However, I have received Your Majesty's grace and am willing to serve you with all my heart and soul. I dare to offer my humble suggestions, and I hope you will review them.

1. Establish new laws to eliminate the fraud and concealment of corrupt officials.

Strictly follow the four pillars and add three books:
In addition to the "Four Pillars of Clearance" of old management, new collection, dismissal, and actual inventory, prefectures and counties were ordered to create a "Granary Inventory" and a "Special Expenditure Book for Post Stations, River Works, etc." These three books were to be cross-checked. If there was no grain in the warehouse but the accounts showed it, or if the work had not started but the money had been spent, the responsible official would be arrested and a thorough investigation would be carried out.

Limited time period, set deadline:
Since the first year of the Taishun era, the government has been strictly investigating deficits in finances and grain to reduce obstacles. Major deficits before the first year of the Taishun era, specifically for river works, military supplies, and storage, continue to be investigated. Officials implicated by irrefutable evidence are being ordered to make up for the deficits under the guise of "special compensation." A grace period is given, and those who fail to make up for the deficits within that period will be punished.

Determine the fire consumption and allocate the funds in a coordinated manner:
A fixed ratio was set for collecting fire consumption taxes, and all the silver collected was paid into the national treasury and allocated to meet local government expenses.

2. Establish regulations to prevent malpractices.

Cast brass Qintian ruler:

A standard copper ruler was made for the Ministry of Revenue, with the inscriptions "liang, qian, fen, and li" on it, and weights were issued by the emperor. Silver was checked quickly during the treasury inspection to eliminate the malpractices of adding lead or copper.

Set the red and black two-color account:

The annual income is recorded in red ink, and the annual output is recorded in black ink. Tampering is easy to reveal the flaws.

When delivering money and grain, the seals of the silver boxes were filled with lead and inscribed with the words "Supervised by the Ministry of Revenue." A special lead-melting key made by the Ministry of Revenue was required to open the seals. Every hundred miles, the escorting officers were changed. At the handover, the seals were checked, the weights were weighed, and a chain of bonds was signed, with the rear team acting as a guarantor for the front team.

3. Use special forces to break the talisman of officialdom.

Reward the first report and raise the humble:
If a lower official or clerk first reports corruption to a superior, once the case is verified, he will be rewarded handsomely, and may even be allowed to take over his superior's position.

Mr. Xie, let me tell you the truth:
Qian Gu's advisors were not officials appointed by the imperial court. Those who reported secret accounts would be rewarded with silver and sent home, while those who disobeyed orders would be treated as accomplices.

Transferring people from the south and checking accounts from the north:
Staff members who were proficient in accounting were selected from Fujian and Guangdong to form an "Imperial Audit Team" to conduct cross-provincial audits to prevent collusion.

4. Use the power of heaven to intimidate the officials.

Show corrupt officials and frighten all officials:
The crimes of corrupt officials were published in the "Di Bao" (Palace Gazette), announced to the nation and circulated among officials. A "Record of Financial and Grain Malpractices" was compiled and distributed to prefectures and counties, becoming a required reading for officials' performance appraisals. Officials were required to write anti-corruption strategies based on these cases.

Draw the deficit, make people shudder:
A "Money and Grain Deficit Chart" was made, with different colors marking the deficit of each province. Red indicated serious deficit, blue indicated medium deficit, and black indicated no deficit, which made the border officials tremble.

Establish honest officials and break up cliques:
Set up models of honest officials, encourage them to follow suit, and promote the good and eliminate the evil.

I humbly seek the approval of His Majesty.

Your humble servant Jiang Nian is deeply terrified and respectfully submits this report."

Jiang Nian's proposal of "Four Strategies for Investigating Financial and Grain Deficits" actually contained twelve strategies, but these twelve strategies were classified into four.

Jiang Nian had some understanding of Emperor Taishun's policy of clearing up deficits, and combined with some economic management thinking he had mastered in his previous life, he integrated it and listed these twelve strategies.

He knew that some of these twelve strategies might not be practical, and some might have already been implemented, but that didn't matter. Among the twelve strategies, there would definitely be good ones that Emperor Taishun and Prince Zhongyi would find useful. Even if only two or three of them were used and they worked, he would have achieved merit!

If you work hard, you will have good luck!

His suggestions and advice are also a sign of his efforts to make progress.

……

……

the next morning.

Changchun Garden. Danning Residence.

Prince Zhongyi presented Jiang Nian's "memorial" to Emperor Taishun.

Emperor Taishun was both surprised and delighted after reading it. After discussing it in detail with Prince Zhongyi, he said, "These are called four strategies, but in fact there are twelve strategies. Although some of them may not be applicable or have already been implemented, more than half of them are brilliant and feasible plans."

Prince Zhongyi couldn't help but sigh: "Brother Yi has made great contributions this time."

Emperor Taishun said, "This report contains methods for investigation, rules for prevention, and even more so, a powerful deterrent. It is truly extraordinary. However, although Yi'er is extremely talented, he is only fifteen years old and was raised in humble circumstances. How could he offer such brilliant plans? I suspect he may be misrepresenting someone else's plan as his own, or perhaps it was conceived by Qu Tai and Qu Jishan. I don't know for sure."

Prince Zhongyi also had this suspicion, but said: "Perhaps it was all thought up by Brother Yi himself. This boy truly has abilities beyond ordinary people."

Emperor Taishun pondered for a moment and said, "I will ask him personally."

After saying this, he summoned the imperial guard Ren Pijiang and ordered him to quickly summon Jiang Nianlai to Changchun Garden for an audience.

Ren Pijiang quickly left Changchun Garden and rode towards the eastern suburbs of Shenjing City...

(End of this chapter)