novelAbuy Chapter 61: Sharing the fate of the nation, this is the treatment the Marquis of Champion deserves!
Chapter 61: Sharing the fate of the nation, this is the treatment the Marquis of Champion deserves!
"Your Highness."
Chief Clerk Xiao Shoucheng stepped forward with a bitter expression and said, "The treasury is already stretched thin."
"How could that be?"
Crown Prince Liu Ju said in surprise, "My elder sister and the others sent a lot of money, as well as the proceeds from selling those confiscated rats."
Princess Wei Chang, Princess Zhuyi, Princess Yangshi, and Gongsun He alone sent 3.3 million coins, 100,000 catties of gold, and 30,000 bolts of silk. It's unbelievable that they were all used up so quickly.
"Your Highness."
"Previously, the Crown Prince's palace treasury contained 650,000 coins, 30,000 bolts of silk, and 5,000 shi of grain."
"The proceeds from the confiscation and sale of the property of those Confucian scholars and wandering knights amounted to approximately eight million coins."
"Including the original items and those sent by Princess Wei Chang and the others, the total is approximately: 1195 million coins, 100,000 catties of gold, 60,000 bolts of silk, and 90,000 shi of grain."
"The Crown Prince's palace consumes no less than 40,000 coins a day, and chicken, duck, fish, meat, eggs, and grain all have to be purchased from outside."
"This is still a small amount."
Xiao Shoucheng counted on his fingers one by one: "Five thousand heavy plows, and they must be durable, so they must be made of iron."
"Each one requires 40 catties of pig iron, so five thousand would require two hundred thousand catties, which is equivalent to six thousand six hundred and sixty-six jun."
"The pig iron provided by the government was sold for 100 coins per jun, which would amount to more than 600,000 coins."
"Furthermore, there's the need for crops and rations to settle the refugees from Northeast China, as well as livestock to drive the heavy plows..."
"alright."
Liu Ju was getting a headache from listening to this, and quickly interrupted, "Just tell me how the preparations are going, and how much silk is left in the treasury."
"promise."
Xiao Shoucheng pondered for a moment and replied, "Millet and beans are mostly grown in the Guanzhong Plain, and the two are rotated."
"Newly reclaimed land should be planted with beans first, then millet, to ensure a good harvest."
"Furthermore, soybeans in the Guanzhong region are generally planted in late February and harvested in early June, after which a second crop of millet is planted."
"Therefore, we have prepared 125,000 shi of bean seeds, enough to plant 15,000 hectares of land."
"It would take at least eight months for 550,000 refugees to survive until the bean harvest, which would consume no less than 1.65 million shi of grain."
"We have purchased two million shi (a unit of dry measure) in advance, just in case."
"With all five thousand heavy plows in use, at least thirty thousand pack horses or forty thousand oxen are needed, and the fodder required for these livestock is also readily available."
"In order to make agricultural tools, we purchased 80,000 jun of pig iron from the government (one jun equals 30 jin)."
"Currently, the treasury has 85,000 catties of gold remaining."
"I understand."
Liu Ju briefly reviewed the details in his mind. The cost of pig iron alone would be eight million coins, livestock at least fifty million coins, grain at least ten million coins, cereals at least eighty million coins, and then there's fodder. A rough calculation showed that the total expenditure would be no less than 1.6 million coins.
The most valuable item in the Crown Prince's palace treasury was the 100,000 catties of gold sent by Princess Wei Chang. Each catty could be exchanged for 10,000 coins, which was equivalent to 1 billion coins.
Chief Clerk Xiao Shoucheng wished he could split every penny in half; how could he possibly manage such a constant flow of expenses?
"Your Highness."
"The Agricultural Attendant is out requesting an audience."
The Crown Prince's attendant, Shi Zeng, hurriedly entered the palace to report.
"Minister Xiao."
"The God of Wealth has arrived."
"Guards, please invite the Agricultural Attendant General inside."
Crown Prince Liu Ju's face immediately broke into a smile.
"what?"
Chief Clerk Xiao Shoucheng was somewhat bewildered.
A moment later, a figure strode into the main hall of the Crown Prince's Palace.
"Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince."
Huo Guang bowed without hesitation.
No need for formalities.
Liu Ju joked, "You're quite quick; the people of Nanyang are now calling you 'Strong Magistrate'."
"How many officials of the Marquisate of Champion have you killed? I heard you even killed members of the Huo family."
Hearing this, Huo Guang's face immediately turned murderous, and he said coldly, "These people are embezzling without restraint and oppressing the local people. They have ruined my brother's reputation. And those distant branches of the Huo family in the Marquis of Champion's mansion are traitors. They must be killed to appease public anger."
"Your Highness, I have come here to ask you for a favor."
"Oh?"
Liu Ju stroked his chin and scrutinized him, saying, "You wouldn't be suggesting I send someone to take over the Marquis of Champion's residence, would you?"
"That's not the case."
Huo Guang's expression turned serious, and he solemnly said, "A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime."
"My elder brother passed away in the sixth year of the Yuanshou era (117 BC), and it has been six years since then."
"Shan'er is only nine years old this year, and she has not only inherited the huge Marquis of Champion's mansion, but also the Marquis of Champion's kingdom."
"Many people are secretly watching, and there are quite a few with ulterior motives."
"What do you want to do?"
Liu Ju sat up straight and faced Huo Guang.
"When I went to the Marquisate of Champion this time, I confiscated no less than 100 million coins and 4 million shi of grain."
"In addition, there are 600 oxen, 800 horses, and no less than 10,000 chickens, ducks, and pigs."
"The Marquis of Champion's mansion has 60,000 catties of gold and 140,000 bolts of silk."
"Um."
Liu Ju was not surprised at all by what Huo Guang said.
Marquises in the Han Empire had very high incomes. For example, a medium-sized marquisate with 2,000 households had an annual income of about 186 million coins. Huo Qubing's Marquisate of Champion had 17,600 households and an annual income of at least 16 million coins.
"Your Majesty, I would like to petition on behalf of Shan'er to abolish the Marquisate of Champion, establish Champion County, and return it to the Empire."
"Shan'er already holds the honorary titles of Attendant-in-Ordinary and Commandant of the Imperial Carriage, with an annual salary of four thousand shi (a unit of grain), which is sufficient."
Huo Guang said with a firm look in his eyes.
After walking around, he discovered that the collateral branches of the Huo family were like parasites taking root in the Marquis of Champion's mansion to seek profits. Countless people used the Marquis of Champion's name to pursue their own interests, and the consequences of this matter were enormous.
Given Huo Shan's current age, it is impossible for him to personally take charge of the Marquisate of Champion and the Marquisate of Champion. As his uncle, he has no reason to interfere in the Marquisate of Champion. It would be better to hand this hot potato back to His Majesty and gain a good reputation in return.
In the future, when Huo Shan comes of age, he will surely lead troops into battle. Once he achieves military merit, it will be a foregone conclusion that he will be granted a fief.
"not enough."
Liu Ju said quietly, "How could such a large Marquis of Champion's mansion be supported by only four thousand shi of grain?"
"If we're going to play it, then we need more of it."
"The title of Marquis of Champion is inherited through generations, holding a position equivalent to the Three Dukes, and sharing prosperity with the nation."
"Furthermore, he is permitted to enter the court without hastening his departure, to pay homage without using his name, and to wear a sword and shoes in the palace."
"I want another fief, without having to pay any taxes."
What?
Huo Guang and everyone else in the hall showed expressions of shock.
Since the founding of the Han Dynasty, only Xiao He was granted the privilege of wearing a sword and shoes in the palace and not having to bow when entering the court by Emperor Gaozu of Han. This was a courtesy given to the highest meritorious official of the empire. If the privilege of "not being named when being praised" were added, then this privilege would be tantamount to standing at the pinnacle of a subject.
PS: In the mid-Han Dynasty, one shi (a unit of dry measure) of grain was worth about 50 coins.
For spring-sown soybeans, 8 to 10 catties of seeds are needed per mu (unit of land area). For summer-sown soybeans, due to the shorter growing period, the density needs to be increased, requiring 10 to 12 catties of seeds.
During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han (141 BC – 87 BC), the climate of the Guanzhong Plain was generally warm and humid, belonging to the temperate monsoon climate. Summers were hot and rainy, while winters were cold and dry, with an annual precipitation of about 500–800 mm. At that time, subtropical plants such as plums could be grown in Guanzhong, and even the phenomenon of "peach and plum blossoms in winter" occurred.
During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, there were approximately 1223 million households nationwide, and the total amount of taxes and levies alone reached approximately 99 billion coins.