Chapter 1673： Blatant extortion

Chapter 1673 Openly extorting bribes

"What? Due to the large scale of sea sacrifices, and the need to build two Taoist temples in Jiangyin and Changshu, the incense will continue to burn, and the sacrifices to the sea gods will continue. Chengcheng, in order to make the Sacrifice to the Sea a success, Mr. Zhao wants us to be punished by the procurator’s Yamen to support the Sacrifice Sea, voluntarily pledge a thousand taels of silver, and hand it over to the Imperial Envoy’s Yamen by the deadline today, there must be no mistakes?”

The next day, just after breakfast in the Yamen, Zhu Pingan received a shocking news.

Zhu Ping'an had no doubts about this news, because it came from an official letter sent by the imperial envoy's yamen. Zhang Nietai gathered everyone in the yamen and read the contents in public.

After hearing this, Zhu Ping'an's first reaction was unbelievable, and he felt that it was outrageous to open the door for outrageous mother—outrageous home! Zhao Wenhua actually sent a letter to the Yamen to ask for money openly and openly.

The second reaction is that this f*ck is asking for bribes in disguise, right? ! Although it was a disguise in the name of supporting Jihai, but a discerning person would know what was going on at a glance! In broad daylight, Zhao Wenhua has already become so arrogant to ask for money with official letters?

Others were also obviously stunned, with their mouths wide open in astonishment, their faces full of disbelief.

However, after careful consideration, I found that although the routine is simple, it is impeccable based on the overall situation of Jihai. I am not asking for bribes, but to prepare materials for the completion of the sacrifice to the sea, and to complete the mission of the imperial envoy. Anyone who accuses me of asking for bribes has ulterior motives. They are not supporting the sacrifice to the sea, and they are criticizing the Holy Majesty. Jiangnan is of one heart, united as one, you are not even willing to pledge support for a little money, so how dare you say that you are loyal to the emperor and patriotic.

As expected of a boss from the capital, this operation is really too... Please accept our knees.

"I asked, not only did we punish the procurator's yamen, but other yamen also allocated different amounts of silver taels according to the size of the yamen, from a hundred taels to a thousand taels, without exception, even Governor Zhang's governor's yamen was no exception. .” Zhang Nietai further said to the crowd.

"Governor Zhang has also been assigned?" After hearing this, everyone was stunned, even more unbelievable than before.

Governor Zhang's status and power are still higher than Zhao Wenhua, Zhao Wenhua dared to send a letter to Governor Zhang to ask for money.

Well, maybe Zhao Wenhua apportioned a few taels of silver to the governor’s office as a symbolic gesture, meaning that all the yamen treat them equally, so that each yamen can obediently hand in the acknowledgment of the taels on time. This can be regarded as a prevalent unspoken rule in officialdom, and it is easy for everyone to explain.

Everyone thought of this, so they figured it out.

"Well, the governor's mansion is big and in charge of all the military affairs, so he was allocated five thousand taels of silver..." Zhang Nietai nodded slightly and said softly as if sweeping through everyone.

Zhang Nietai's voice was very soft, but this very soft sound was like a thunderbolt, which exploded in the room.

"What? Five thousand taels?!"

Everyone couldn't help being surprised, shouldn't they put on a show to make fun of it, why did they distribute the most silver taels.

"Yes, five thousand taels." Zhang Nietai nodded, and then added, "But I heard that Governor Zhang was furious when he heard the news, and reprimanded the scribe sent by Zhao Qin to deliver the letter, five thousand taels of silver, what do you do? Don't grab it, all the silver in my yamen is used to raise soldiers, I wish I could break a copper coin in half, and go back and tell Zhao Wenhua that now my yamen can't even get a single copper coin out, but I still hope that he will support the suppression of the Japanese and voluntarily accept the money Ten thousand taels of silver! After reprimanding the scribe, he was driven out."

Well, this is a very good scripture. Zhu Pingan was not surprised when he heard this. In addition, isn't Zhao Wenhua's behavior of asking for money an obvious robbery? !

"Governor Zhang is qualified to refuse, but we are not allowed to refuse. The money has to be handed over on time." Zhang Nietai sighed helplessly, and then said to everyone, "Let me tell you in advance, everyone also has a problem in their hearts." Prepare, because our yamen suddenly paid out this thousand taels of silver, our food standard will be lowered in the future, everyone including me, I am afraid that all kinds of rituals and subsidies will be deducted this year."

"Huh? The food standard is going to be lowered? The etiquette is gone?" Zhang Chufeng and others couldn't help crying.

It's no wonder that everyone is crying, Zhang Nietai has always been frugal, and the food standard of the procurator's yamen is already very low compared to other brother yamen, and it is even worse than the general county yamen food standard. It's all cabbage, radish and tofu. It's not bad to see meat once in ten and a half months. In addition, not only the food standard has been lowered, but also the boxing allowance has been deducted, which is a lot of benefits.

Although they were not short of money, it was heartbreaking that such a sum of welfare money that belonged to them flew away.

Seeing Zhang Chufeng and others howling, Zhu Ping'an couldn't help but twitched his mouth. He was in the military camp, and the reduction in food standards had little effect on him. As for boxing etiquette, it was an invisible gray income, so the withholding was also withheld.

"Ahem, Zihou, there is one more thing I need to tell you." Zhang Nietai said to Zhu Ping'an.

"Taiwan please speak." Zhu Pingan responded, with a bad intuition in his heart.

"In addition to the yamen, the military battalions have also been assigned. Since your Zhejiang Army is newly established and it is a regiment training, the amount of silver taels allocated is the least, but there are still two hundred taels of silver. This is the pledge to be assigned to the Zhejiang Army As for the silver, our yamen has only paid one thousand taels of silver, but we are unable to share any more, and Zi Houti has to figure out a way to lead the Zhe army."

Zhang Nietai said slowly to Zhu Ping'an, looking at Zhu Ping'an with some sympathy. Zhu Pingan's military expenditures for the Zhejiang army were not rich in the first place, and the Ministry of War and other departments often withheld and delayed, and now they were allocated two hundred taels of silver.

What, the Zhejiang Army will distribute another two hundred taels of silver? ! Don't even miss team training...

The corners of Zhu Ping'an's raised lips fell instantly, and his expression became speechless.

It's really a good reincarnation.

Now the corners of their lips were raised, it was Zhang Chufeng and the others, all of whom looked at Zhu Ping'an sympathetically.

Especially Zhang Chufeng, he almost burst out laughing gloatingly. It's really pitiful, Zhu Ping'an needs to bear the two hundred taels of silver alone, haha... I can't bear it anymore.

"Okay, the next official will collect the money on time." Zhu Ping'an sighed...

Nowadays, the business of Zhejiang Army's secret knife and sore medicine is getting more and more prosperous, and the money is not a problem.

Just other barracks...

The other military camps were in dire need of food and money. Many military camps and guards had deserted soldiers because they could not pay them. Their weapons and armor were in disrepair for a long time. Now the barracks have to deduct soldiers' food and pay again...

(end of this chapter)