Chapter 335: Engraving on Stone to Commemorate Merit
"Your Majesty, the wealthy merchants I invited donated a total of 180,000 taels of silver."
In Longtu Pavilion, Sheng Changsong reported the results to Zhao Xing.
"Well, well done. Spread the news as soon as possible. Use the money to purchase grain from various places." Zhao Xing nodded.
Eighteen thousand taels may not sound like a lot, but Sheng Changsong only invited a portion of the wealthy merchants in Bianliang.
Moreover, there are many merchants in the world. As long as they are involved in mutual trade and maritime trade, they will also donate after hearing the news.
It's just five thousand taels, which is nothing to those wealthy businessmen. If Zhao Xing really holds a grudge against them because of this little money and prevents them from participating in mutual trade and maritime trade, they will lose even more.
Zhao Xing could actually set the standard higher, but then those businessmen might not be willing to do so.
"Yes!" Sheng Changsong replied.
"Go ahead." Zhao Xing waved his hand.
After sending Sheng Changsong away, Zhao Xing looked at Sanshui and asked, "How are the preparations for the stele going?"
"It's almost ready and can be erected today," said Sanshui.
"Then it's time for me to take action as well." Zhao Xing said with a smile.
…………
Inmyeong Palace
There were a lot of jewelry piled on a table in the main hall.
A group of palace maids are tapping.
Zhang Guifen put down the teacup and said, "Mother Qian, isn't there two hundred thousand taels of silver in my dowry? Take all of this out."
The Song Dynasty did not give much power to the nobles, but was very generous in rewards.
The Duke of Yingguo's Mansion has been prosperous for generations and has been passed down for a hundred years. Not to mention the family property accumulated over the years, the rewards given by emperors of successive dynasties during festivals and holidays alone are a huge sum of money.
As an only daughter, although Zhang Guifen's dowry was not as extravagant as that of the Bai family, her dowry alone was 200,000 taels of silver.
This does not include all kinds of messy dowries.
"Madam, those are the treasures that the Duke and his wife gave you. You don't have to take them all out, right?" Mother Qian said.
"As the queen, I can't be outdone by those concubines, right? And with my current status, what's the use of asking for money? The people are suffering from the disaster, hungry and homeless. I can save their lives with these dead things. I can't contain my happiness." Zhang Guifen said.
"Yes!" After hearing what Zhang Guifen said, Mother Qian didn't want to persuade her anymore.
At this moment, a palace maid hurried in and saluted, saying, "Madam, His Majesty has arrived and will be outside the palace soon."
"Hurry up and put everything away." Zhang Guifen said anxiously.
Upon hearing this, the palace maids in the hall immediately began to work in a hurry.
Zhang Guifen saw this and knew that it would take a while to clean up the mess, so she said, "Don't worry, I'll go hold His Majesty back first!"
After saying this, he walked out of the hall and met Zhao Xing outside the hall.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you!" Zhang Guifen said with a salute.
"No need for formalities." Zhao Xing waved his hand.
"How come Your Majesty has time to come here at this time?" Zhang Guifen asked with a smile.
"I have something to tell the Queen."
"I was too sleepy today and haven't gone out for a walk this morning. Your Majesty, please accompany me to the garden and we can talk while we walk."
"hehe."
Zhao Xing smiled and said, "I am a little thirsty. I will go in and have some tea first and then walk with the Queen."
"Doesn't Your Majesty have palace maids who are specifically responsible for serving tea?" Zhang Guifen stopped Zhao Xing and said.
As the emperor, Zhao Xing was always followed by a group of palace maids and eunuchs whenever he went out.
These people were not there just for show. Some of them brought snacks and served tea, so Zhao Xing could have a drink whenever he needed it.
Zhao Xing looked at Zhang Guifen and said, "The Queen is still planning to hide this from me? What is going on in the palace that I don't know?"
After saying that, he walked around Zhang Guifen and entered the main hall.
Seeing this, Zhang Guifen hurriedly followed.
"Greetings to Your Majesty!"
In the hall, the busy palace maids stopped and saluted when they saw Zhao Xing coming in.
"You all retreat!" Zhao Xing waved his hand.
"Yes!" The palace maids bowed and left.
Zhao Xing walked forward to a box, bent down and picked up a bracelet.
"Your Majesty, I..."
"You don't have to explain. I know you did it for me. But I'll take the silver. Forget about the jewelry. Although you all have your own jewelry, these were made for you by your families when you got married. They're a memory too. So keep them." Zhao Xing said.
When the news of the flood in Jiangzhou spread, Zhang Guifen summoned the concubines in the harem and asked them to donate some money to the court for disaster relief.
Zhao Xing's concubines, even Minglan, who was of the lowest birth, had a lot of dowry, and each of them was a small wealthy woman. Zhang Guifen originally wanted everyone to donate some silver to the court, but the concubines started to compete with each other in donations and sent all their dowry jewelry over.
The reason why those rewards from the palace were not given was because those jewelry were specially made by palace craftsmen, and the patterns on them were not something that ordinary people could wear.
No one outside the palace would accept it.
However, these jewelry were specially made for them by their families when they entered the palace. Although they were not as good as those in the palace, they were just a thought after all, and Zhao Xing did not intend to accept them.
With such a big commotion in the harem, it was impossible to hide it from Zhao Xing.
"Yes, I will arrange someone to send them back soon." Zhang Guifen said.
Zhao Xing pulled Zhang Guifen to sit in front of the couch and said, "Although the treasury is short of money, I am not. There are solutions, but I don't want to use them now. You can call them over later and let them take these jewelry back by themselves, and then you can do this... Do you understand?"
Zhang Guifen thought about it carefully, nodded and said, "I understand."
"Tell them this is what I mean," Zhao Xing said.
"Yeah." Zhang Guifen nodded.
…………
In the evening, when the officials came out of the imperial city, they saw a huge stone tablet erected on each side of the road outside the palace.
Although this place is far from the main gate of the imperial city, it is already on the street.
However, these two stone tablets are facing the two sides of the imperial city gate, which is very abrupt.
The ministers arranged for their entourage to inquire about it, and they only learned that it was erected by people arranged by the imperial guards, but no one knew what it was used for.
They thought about it for a long time but couldn't come up with any specific use.
It was not until the next morning court session that I understood the purpose of the two stone tablets.
…………
Daqing Hall, Morning Court
After all the officials paid their respects, the eunuch in charge of the palace shouted, "If you have anything to say, please report it early!", and the morning court officially began.
"Your Majesty!"
Sheng Hong, the Minister of Works, stepped out and said, "Floods have hit Jiangzhou and other places, and the people are displaced and homeless. I couldn't sleep all night after hearing about it. I am willing to donate 10,000 taels of silver for disaster relief!"
Zhao Xing was pleased to hear this and said, "Sheng Aiqing is truly a loyal minister of the Song Dynasty. On behalf of the people of Jiangzhou and other places, I would like to thank Sheng Aiqing for his generous donation."
"Your Majesty is right. I am only trying my best to contribute a little." Sheng Hong bowed.
In fact, Sheng Hong's heart was already bleeding. She had four daughters, and the cost of marriage and dowry alone was a huge sum.
With the two sons getting married, most of the savings over the years have been spent.
Although he doesn't need to take care of things with his current position, ceremonies are still necessary for weddings and funerals at the homes of officials in the court.
Not long ago, Sheng Changfeng just got married, and he was planning to save some money to buy a house for Sheng Changfeng, and to divide the property between his two sons when he got old.
Donating 10,000 taels at once was very painful for an official like him who dared not to be corrupt.
However, this was what Rulan sent someone back to tell him, and it was Zhao Xing's idea, so how could he dare not refuse to donate.
"Your Majesty, minister..."
Sheng Hong got there first, and when the other concubines in the harem saw that Sheng Hong had finished, they all stood up.
This family donated 10,000 yuan, and that family donated 20,000 yuan.
For a time, the court became a donation scene.
The other officials were somewhat displeased. Those of you who have daughters serving as concubines in the palace and want to please His Majesty, can't you make donations privately?
If this has to happen in the court, what should we do?
"I am deeply gratified by your generosity."
Zhao Xing said excitedly, "Yesterday, many merchants in Bianjing heard about the situation in Jiangzhou and other places and generously donated a total of 180,000 taels of silver. I originally wanted to reward them, but I felt that this would undermine their sincerity. Later, someone advised that we should engrave stones to record their achievements and praise their contributions. I heard that it made sense, so I ordered people to erect two stone tablets outside the palace gate and prepare to have the names of the donors engraved on them for the world to see."
"My dear ministers, if you have such a wish, I will certainly order someone to carve your names on it."
After hearing this, the ministers in the court understood what Zhao Xing meant.
Zhao Xing is forcing them to donate money.
If the names of merchants were carved on the stone tablet outside the palace gate, wouldn't officials like them be inferior to merchants?
Wouldn't we be despised by the whole world?
The most infuriating thing is that Zhao Xing also asked those officials and nobles whose families had daughters in the palace to take the lead in donating, setting an example for them.
Sheng Hong, a third-rank official, donated 10,000 taels, and the rest of the third-rank officials had to donate at least this amount. Those of the third and second ranks could only donate higher amounts.
Otherwise, when their names are carved, people will still despise them when they see them.
Those lords were also troubled because the Jiang family was a marquis and donated 30,000 taels.
The Chen family was a count and donated 20,000 taels.
They also have to follow this standard.
You have to know that some lords are rich, some are poor.
For a family like the Earl of Yongchang, twenty thousand taels is nothing.
But for a family like the Earl of Zhongqin's Mansion, it was simply cutting their flesh.
(End of this chapter)