Daqin: White porridge and pickled mustard tuber, I became the national teacher

Chapter 262: Ministers make “voluntary” donations.

The ministers looked at each other.

One of them stepped forward and replied, "We are ashamed that we were unable to help."

“I feel really uneasy.”

Ok?

Ying Zheng raised his eyebrows.

Qi Pan suddenly said, "Since you feel guilty, I have a good idea that you can help me with."

Minister: “I wonder what method is that?”

Qi Pan said: "Building the Great Wall requires enormous manpower, material resources, and financial resources."

"Cement solves most of the usage problems and also saves manpower, material resources and financial resources."

"But even so, the financial resources required are huge."

"Since you gentlemen want to help, why not donate some silver?"

"The treasury is empty now. It is time to use money. The treasury cannot sustain the construction of the Great Wall."

"Why don't you all show your gratitude by donating some silver?"

"This way I can help your majesty and the people of my Great Qin."

Ah? ?

Donate silver???

When the ministers heard Qi Pan’s words, they were all stunned.

So they came to the palace just to give money to His Majesty?

Seeing that they were silent, Qi Pan asked, "Why? Don't you gentlemen want to?"

Ministers: "It's not that we are unwilling, but......"

"It's just that I'm short of money, and I don't have any extra money..."

"Years of war have emptied the treasury, and I don't have any surplus food in my household."

Ying Zheng had never thought of taking money from these ministers.

Just seeing Qi Pan suddenly proposed it, he became somewhat interested and watched from the side.

Now I see the ministers trying their best to refuse.

Ying Zheng felt a little annoyed.

He said in a deep voice: "You all just said that you wanted to share my worries, but unfortunately you were unable to help."

"Now you are unwilling to help me?"

After hearing what Ying Zheng said, the ministers knelt on the ground.

"I don't dare."

"Your Majesty, I have no such intention."

Some ministers immediately expressed their opinions.

"Your Majesty, I am willing to donate one hundred taels to fill the national treasury and use it to build the Great Wall!"

"So do I! I am willing to donate one hundred and twenty taels!"

"I will donate one hundred taels..."

"I will donate one hundred and fifty taels..."

"minister........"

All the ministers donated money enthusiastically.

He was afraid that if he donated too slowly, it would leave a bad impression on Ying Zheng.

When Ying Zheng saw this, his expression relaxed a little.

Qi Pan stood aside and watched the ministers donate money.

I don't know when I got a pen and paper in my hand.

He quickly wrote down the name of the minister who was speaking, as well as the amount of silver he mentioned for donation.

I'll send someone to follow them out of the palace later. I'm looking forward to finding out about the national treasury today.

Qi Pan only found out today that the national treasury is empty.

It is not accurate enough to say that the treasury is empty. To be more precise, there is no money in the treasury.

Not empty, but totally empty.

In the past two years, we have been forging weapons and upgrading weaponry and equipment.

He also sent troops to attack the states of Chu, Yan, Qi and others.

They were also researching gunpowder, making gunpowder bags and grenades.

There is also papermaking, movable type printing...

Spend money like water.

The silver in the national treasury flowed out in a rush.

Now it's just an empty shell.

Qi Pan didn’t know it before, but now he knows it.

Qi Pan is more anxious than Ying Zheng.

Whenever he catches someone, he wants to extort some money from him.

How to build the Great Wall without money?

You have to raise the money first.

Register the names of all ministers and the amount of silver they donated.

Ying Zheng waved his hand and let them go back.

After the ministers left, Ying Zheng looked at Qi Pan and asked with amusement.

"Why did the Imperial Master suddenly think of asking them to donate some silver?"

Qi Pan said: "Well, I know now, there is no money in your treasury."

"I just wanted to help you get some money. Otherwise, how can we build the Great Wall without money?"

"Also, without money, no matter what you do, you will be restricted."

"You don't think I'm petty and narrow-minded, do you?"

Ying Zheng quickly shook his head and said, "How could that be?"

"I know the Imperial Master did this for me, to build the Great Wall and defend against the Huns."

"Of course I would never think of the national teacher as that kind of person."

Qi Pan handed the list in his hand to Ying Zheng.

"I knew I had the right person."

"Here, this is the list of the ministers just now, and the amount they donated."

With a smile in his eyes, Ying Zheng took the list that Qi Pan handed to him.

"Okay, thank you, Master. Master is really considerate."

Ying Zheng turned around and handed the list to Xia Lin, "Go, arrange for people to go to these ministers' houses and collect the silver."

"promise."

Xia Lin took the list handed over by Ying Zheng with both hands, walked out quickly, and led his men out of the palace.

At the house of one of the ministers on the list.

He had just returned home from the palace and had not had time to prepare any money.

Before I could even sit down, the doorman told me that someone had come from the palace.

The minister hurried out to greet him.

"Hey, Eunuch Xia? Why are you here in person?"

Xia Lin said, "Just now in the palace, the Lord personally promised to donate 150 taels to fill the national treasury and use it to build the Great Wall."

"We are here on His Majesty's orders to collect donations from you."

The minister hurriedly said, "Eunuch Xia, please wait for a moment. I will ask someone to get it as soon as I return to the palace. I dare not delay for a moment."

"I'll send someone to urge them again."

The minister quickly said to the steward in the palace: "Go to the account office and take a look. Why hasn't the 150 taels been prepared yet?"

"Tell them to hurry up and deliver it immediately. Eunuch Xia is still waiting here."

Although the adults never gave any instructions, the manager is a very smart person.

As soon as I heard this, I understood what the adults meant.

Asking him to urge for the money is fake, the real purpose is to collect the money.

The steward immediately said, "Yes, sir, I will go and urge them right away."

After saying that, he trotted towards the accounting office.

In a short while, he brought back the one hundred and fifty taels.

The minister handed the money to Xia Lin: "Eunuch Xia, look, the 150 taels are all here."

"Okay, it's getting late, so we'll go to the next master's house first."

After counting and confirming that everything was correct, Xia Lin took his men and the money to the next house.

After Xia Lin left, the minister wiped the sweat from his forehead.

The steward next to him came over curiously and said, "Sir, what's the matter with these one hundred and fifty taels?"

"Why did the palace send someone to our house to get it?"

The stewards all suspected that their masters owed money to His Majesty.

Or did you damage your majesty's things?

So someone from the palace came to collect the compensation?

"Don't ask what you shouldn't ask."

The minister sent the manager away.

When I think of the 150 taels of silver donated, I still feel extremely distressed!

This is all money!

It’s just gone!

Heartache!