After leaving the palace, the first thing Zhang Juzheng did was to send someone to investigate the matter of sweet potatoes and corn. In fact, it was not difficult at all to investigate.
Zhu Yijun did not hide these things from the people at the Imperial Plantation. They found out after asking around.
Zhang Juzheng immediately breathed a sigh of relief. This matter was settled just like that.
The news of the land sale and the new seeds quickly spread. The first auction was naturally from the Shun Tian Prefecture.
It was not limited to gentry, members of the royal family, and Honours. There were many people who were interested, so the capital became lively.
In this era, land was the most important means of production. The addition of the new seeds was enough to attract people.
Some people also discovered that potatoes and sweet potatoes were also planted in other places. It was just that they had not been popularized, but the output was indeed amazing. As a result, the land sale was once again pushed to the forefront. Countless Honours and members of the royal family wanted to buy their fields back.
As for this matter, Zhu Yijun handed it over to the Ministry of Revenue and Zhang Jing to handle. After the news that someone had planted new seeds, Zhu Yijun did not pay attention to this matter anymore.
While the land sale was in full swing, the court began to discuss another matter, which was the land inspection of the entire country.
Since the completion of the land inspection of the Honours and members of the royal family, everyone knew that the land inspection of the entire country could not be stopped.
This matter was brought up again. There were very few people who opposed it.
Zhang Juzheng thought that this matter should be struck while the iron was hot. While the temporary yamen was still there, he began to find a province to try it out.
Forbidden City, Wenhua Hall.
The cabinet ministers and the six ministers gathered. This time, it was to discuss the matter of the land inspection of the entire country.
Whether it was necessary or not was not part of today's topic. There was only one topic today, and that was to find a province to try it out in.
"In this inspection, the army's fields must also be included. The wastelands that the army reclaimed are not allowed to be mixed into the fields reclaimed by the Ministry of Revenue to avoid causing trouble. It will be recorded separately." Zhang Juzheng glanced at Duke Dingguo and Duke Yingguo.
The army's farming was also a big problem, and this matter had to be resolved sooner or later. Zhu Yijun nodded and said, "That's good!"
"As for the issue of which province should we start clearing the accounts, I think Jiangxi is the most suitable."
This time, Zhang Juzheng didn't give the others a chance to speak. He directly said what he was thinking, which was Jiangxi.
"I think that a single province is a little too weak!" Shen Shixing said after thinking for a moment.
"Jiangxi in the south is fine. This official thinks that we should choose a province in the north. This way, there will be one province in the north and one in the north, and it will be easier to compare."
Many people nodded at Shen Shixing's words. It was indeed a good idea for the two provinces to come together.
Zhu Yijun turned to look at Zhang Juzheng and asked with a smile, "What do you think?"
"Your Majesty, this official thinks it's feasible!"
Zhang Juzheng pondered for a moment before he nodded and said, "I think the northern province should be placed in Shanxi. Shanxi is a big province with a very important location. I think it's more appropriate to place it there."
This time, everyone looked at Zhang Siwei. Shanxi was his hometown!
Zhang Siwei's expression didn't change in the slightest as he said, "Then let's go with Shanxi!
This official also feels that Shanxi is suitable. "
Just like that, the first two provinces to be inspected were decided, Shanxi and Jiangxi. The imperial court once again became busy.
By the twelfth month of the ninth year of Wanli, the accounts of these two provinces were also completed. Jiangxi submitted a memorial: the original pond of the sixty-six prefectures and counties in the province was extra 61,459 hectares (54 mu).
Nanfeng County was found to have a total of 47,300 hectares of grain rented land. Wuning County was found to have 371 mu of unsold official land. They were sold for a total of 36,490 taels of silver.
After this report was submitted, the imperial court officially began to carry out the land accounting throughout the country.
The first province to complete the survey was Shandong. The Governor of Shandong, He Qiming and Chen Gong, were the first to report the results of the survey: the total amount of grain and civilian land in the whole province was seven hundred sixty-three thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight hectares, and the total area was three hundred sixty-three thousand four hundred and eighty-seven hectares.
The original amount of grain and civilian land was 36,915 hectares (2,268 hectares).
By the time Wanli reached 100,000, the reports from all the provinces had also been sent to the capital.
On the sixth day of the third month in the tenth year of Wanli, the inspector-general of Liaodong, Zhou Yongtai, set up a military garrison of 8,903 hectares, more than 50 mu, and stocked up grain reserves of more than 199,840 stone stones. His land and rice fields were 24,188 hectares, more than 70 mu, and stocked up grain reserves of more than 90,900 stone stones.
On the ninth day of the fifth month of the tenth year of Wanli, the Ministry of Revenue reported to Guo Yongtai, the Governor of Guangxi, that in addition to the original amount, there was an additional 768 hectares (87 mu) of grain, 3,898 hectares (1 mu) of grain.
Zhang Juzheng's mansion.
It was already late at night, but Zhang Juzheng was still sitting in his study, busy. His expression was sometimes relaxed, sometimes serious.
Zhang Jingxiu walked in from outside and lit up his father's lamp. When he saw his father looking up at him, he said, "Father, it's getting late. It's time to rest. There are always so many things to do."
Looking at his son lovingly, Zhang Juzheng said with a smile, "Soon, soon. The land accounts of the provinces have been cleared.
This year's tax revenue will definitely be much better. Coupled with the promotion of the new crops in the past two years, the imperial court's grain reserves will be enough for 15 years. "
"There are also more than four million taels of silver in the national treasury. I'm almost done with my work."
Looking at his father's gray hair, Zhang Jingxiu's nose was a little sore. With a trembling voice, he said, "I wish you can fulfill your wish as soon as possible, father!"
In the past few years, Zhang Jingxiu had seen how busy his father had been, and how hard he had worked.
"I'm writing a memorial about the reduction and exemption of grain arrears over the years."
Seeing his son's expression, Zhang Juzheng said with a smile, "In the process of clearing the accounts this time, most of those who deliberately defaulted on the payment of grain have been recovered."
"As for those who really can't be recovered, they really can't afford to pay."
"The imperial court is now rich. I want to ask Your Majesty to exempt these people from taxes. We can't force them to live like this!"
Speaking of this, Zhang Juzheng said with a smile, "Forget it. I'll write it tomorrow. I'm going to rest now. You should go to sleep too!"
Forbidden City, Palace of Heavenly Purity.
Although it was late at night, Zhu Yijun didn't sleep. Standing by the window and looking at the moon in the sky, Zhu Yijun was deep in thought with an expressionless face.
It had been ten years since Wanli, and he had also been in the Daming for ten years. He had grown from a ten-year-old emperor to a 20-year-old emperor, becoming the young emperor of the Daming.
Clenching his fist, Zhu Yijun revealed a smile, "Zhang Jing, bring me a pot of wine. I can't sleep. It's not bad to drink under the moon. Maybe I can fall asleep after drinking a little."