Chapter 155: Come Down the Slope, Your Majesty

Too much?

All the ministers were stunned, blinked their eyes, and looked dumbfounded.

Jing Qing from the Censorate scratched his ear, wondering if he had too much entertainment last night, causing auditory hallucinations? Or did the emperor have too many extracurricular activities, resulting in a problem with his brain?

Building the Great Bao’en Temple, is 300,000 taels of silver too much?

What kind of joke is this?

Just collecting craftsmen and farmers would cost how much money and grain?

Not to mention various material expenses, how much would that require?

After it’s built, can it be just a bare yard?

Even if you don’t plant some Western treasure trees inside, you should at least plant some foxtail grass, right?

Since it’s a temple, a Buddhist thing, shouldn’t you get some relics?

It is said that the master of the Tianjie Temple is already eighty years old. Shouldn’t we arrange a few people to wait every day, and when the master passes away, set up some firewood, and see if there are any relics? If found, he is a high monk; if not found, his practice is insufficient.

Even if you find it, you have to give Tianjie Temple money for incense, right? Otherwise, who would be willing to give you such a treasure?

What, do you say you want to use this relic to save all beings? Is this your reason for not wanting to give money?

Heh.

The Buddha said: Without sincerity, self-deliverance.

In addition to these miscellaneous things, don’t you have to get a few incense burners, make a few merit boxes, and mold a few golden statues? Even if you don’t enshrine the Buddha, and move Zhu Yuanzhang in, you can’t use clay right?

It costs money everywhere, without a few years of work and million taels of silver, can you build it?

Three hundred thousand taels are too much, you have the ability to simply use one hundred thousand taels to build the Bao’en Temple.

Jing Qing looked at Zhu Yunwen, and there was a disdain in his eyes.

Zhu Yunwen was too far away from Jingqing, and he couldn’t see his small eyes, otherwise, he would throw him into the sea to catch Chen Zuyi directly.

“Uh, Your Majesty, did you say that 300,000 taels are not enough? I just calculated it. If some savings can be made, it is still possible to allocate 500.000 taels. It’s enough for the early project. The subsequent funds can be allocated after the two taxes arrive in Beijing, which should be no problem.”

Huang Zicheng thought that the emperor had misspoken and took the initiative to round up the field.

Zhu Yunwen waved his hand and said, “300.000 taels are too much. Give me 100.000 taels, and I will find a way to build this Great Bao’en Temple.”

“Your Majesty!”

Xie Jin quickly stood up, shouting loudly, “We know that Your Majesty cares for the soldiers and does not want to spend too much national money. However, the cost of building the Bao’en Temple may be somewhat high. It is better to follow Minister Huang’s suggestion and allocate 500.000 taels first. The follow-up money and grain will be allocated after the autumn.”

If he doesn’t come out to speak, it’s not good.

If he doesn’t make it clear now, if the Bao’en Temple is turned into a shabby temple one day, the emperor gets angry, saying that he didn’t come out to make it clear at the time, and say he don’t understand gratitude. Assigned to Bao’en Temple as a sweeping monk, that would be miserable.

Xie Jin was depressed. Your Majesty, if you don’t understand the cost of engineering, don’t quote prices at will.

Also, Huang Zicheng has already prepared a slope for you. Can’t you come down from this slope?

Even if you don’t want to come down from this slope, you don’t have to jump off the cliff.

100.000 taels?

What a joke, this money can only invite a few whitewash craftsmen to go to Jianchu Temple to whitewash the walls. How can it be used to build the Bao’en Temple?

He must stop the emperor’s crazy idea, otherwise, in the end, it will be the emperor who is ashamed, and the one who loses the hat is himself.

Zhu Yunwen looked at Xie Jin, Huang Zicheng, and others, and blinked, what the hell, i asked for less money and you guys still don’t want it?

“Your Majesty, to build the Bao’en Temple, the cost must be relatively high. I suggest that we conduct a survey first and provide a plan…”

Zheng Ci, seeing the situation, afraid that Zhu Yunwen would mention 100.000 taels again, quickly made another slope, and indicating Zhu Yunwen with his eyes: Your Majesty, this slope is not steep, as long as you nod, uh, ah, shout twice, it’s okay, the rest Leave it to us.

Zhu Yunwen rubbed his brows and said, “Since you are so kind, it’s not too good if I don’t step back.”

Zheng Ci, Xie Jin, and others breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhu Yunwen said, “Let the Ministry of Revenue allocate 200.000 taels, that’s all, not a single penny more is needed. As for the construction drawings and specifications, I will personally draw them, and the Ministry of Works will assess their feasibility. If feasible, preliminary preparations will be made.”

“Your Majesty, please reconsider.”

Xie Jin, Zheng Ci, Huang Zicheng, and others hurriedly exclaimed.

Zhu Yunwen waved his hand, saying, “200.000 taels are enough. Do you, my ministers, have any other matters to report?”

Officials looked at each other, hesitant to speak further.

Having dug his own pit, the Emperor couldn’t blame others if he fell into it.

Chen Di, the Minister of Rites, stepped forward, holding his ceremonial tablet, and said, “Your Majesty, the gaokao is approaching on the sixth day of the sixth month. The chief examiner has not been appointed yet. Please choose the chief examiner so that arrangements for the gaokao can be made.”

Zhu Yunwen nodded slightly, “Does the Ministry of Rites have any recommendations?”

Chen Di solemnly said, “Ministry of Rites’s reader in waiting, Dong Lun, is well-versed in classical texts, with outstanding talents. He can serve as the chief examiner.”

Zhu Yunwen nodded slightly, “Very well, let Dong Lun be the chief examiner, and Gao Xunzhi, the Vice-minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and Yang Shiqi, the Chancellor of Imperial Academy, be the deputy examiners. As for the grading, assign it to the Hanlin Academicians Fang Xiaoru, Yao Guangxiao, and Yang Shiqi to coordinate. Specific grading officials will be selected from the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Personnel.”

“Your Majesty is wise.”

Chen Di saluted and stepped aside.

“If there are no other matters, then let’s adjourn.”

Zhu Yunwen stood up, and the officials saluted, shouting in unison.

Kunning Palace.

Ma Enhui looked at Zhu Yunwen in disbelief, then reached out, feeling Zhu Yunwen’s forehead with the back of her hand, frowned, and said, “Not hot, why are you talking nonsense again?”

Zhu Yunwen raised his hand, holding Ma Enhui’s hand, and said seriously, “I am very clear-headed.”

Ma Enhui looked at Zhu Yunwen, shook her head slightly, and said, “Your Majesty, what are you thinking? 200.000 taels are impossible to build the Bao’en Temple. Is it possible that this Bao’en Temple is very small?”

Zhu Yunwen said solemnly, “The Bao’en Temple will house countless loyal souls. If it is too small, wouldn’t it be a joke for the world? The Bao’en Temple in my heart, both in terms of specifications and scale, should be the best in the world.”

Ma Enhui’s face became even more unsightly.

The larger the scale, the higher the specifications, which means the greater the amount of money and grain consumed.

“But, Your Majesty, why did you only ask for 200.000 taels? According to your idea, even two million taels would not be enough, right?”

Ma Enhui said bitterly.

Zhu Yunwen nodded and said, “To complete the construction, it would take at least ten years. As for the consumption of money and grain, it would cost at least three million taels, if other arrangements are added, the total cost will be around four million taels.”

The historical Bao’en Temple, built by Zhu Di to commemorate Ming Taizu and Empress Ma, involved over a hundred thousand craftsmen and cost two million five hundred thousand taels of silver and one million in gold. It took nineteen years to complete.

At that time, craftsmen were forcibly conscripted, and as long as they were fed and housed, it was enough. But now Zhu Yunwen is raising the treatment of craftsmen and planning to abolish the shift system. If he wants to conscript craftsmen, he can only recruit them with money, and the cost of silver and gold will increase significantly.

Ma Enhui sighed and walked away.

Zhu Yunwen asked in confusion, “Where are you going?”

Ma Enhui didn’t look back, leaving only a helpless voice, “If there is no money at home, I will go to the weaving workshop to make money…”

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