"All generals have rendered great service in the campaign and shall be generously rewarded!"
"General Zhenbei, Marquis Lu Changhe, is promoted to General Hou, with his stipend increased to three thousand households and a reward of twenty thousand taels of gold! General Anbei, Marquis Zhuo Ying, is promoted to General Zhengnan, with his stipend increased to two thousand five hundred households and a reward of fifteen thousand taels of gold! General Anxi, Marquis Nan Jiyun, is promoted to General Zhengxi, with his stipend increased to two thousand three hundred households and a reward of twelve thousand taels of gold!"
"General Xiaoqi, Marquis Guan Nei, Nie Yuan, is promoted to General Zhengdong, enfeoffed as Marquis, with a stipend of one thousand eight hundred households and a reward of eight thousand taels of gold! General Lifeng, Marquis Guan Nei, Yue Qingtian, is rewarded with thirteen thousand taels of gold! Commander of Shuofang, Wang Chunqiu, is promoted to General Anbei, enfeoffed as Marquis Guan Nei, and rewarded with one thousand taels of gold! Minister of War, General Zhenxi, Marquis Mu Hong, is rewarded with one thousand taels of gold!"
"All other officers shall be granted promotions and titles according to their military achievements. This will be arranged and distributed by the Ministry of War starting today, and no delays will be tolerated!"
"For the twenty-one myriad soldiers who participated in this expedition, each shall be rewarded with two taels of gold, with additional rewards for officers based on merit! The relatives of fallen soldiers shall receive a pension of five taels of gold! The state shall provide rations for half a year!"
"One hundred thousand soldiers who accompanied Minister Liang on the expedition to the desert shall each receive an additional two taels of gold, with additional rewards for officers based on merit! The relatives of soldiers who perished in this campaign shall receive a pension of ten taels of gold! The state shall additionally provide rations for half a year, totaling one year!"
"The eighteen myriad soldiers defending the northern border shall each be rewarded with five taels of silver!"
"Starting today, military recruitment in the southwest, west, and northeast shall be intensified. This will be arranged by the Ministry of War and supervised by the Imperial Guard! This decree is hereby issued."
As the imperial decree was read, Du Guchun, suppressing his inner grief, congratulated Liang Xiao and others along with the assembled officials.
In the past, the Ministry of War had been monopolized by their Du Gu family!
Now, Zhuo Wulu was the Minister of War, and Mu Hong was the Vice Minister. Even with more members of the Du Gu family below them, they dared not make any rash moves.
The Ministry of War now truly returned to the Emperor's control!
As for the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Personnel, they would eventually be targeted as well!
However, what truly surprised Du Guchun was Xiao Qing's rewards.
They were double what Xiao Qing had promised in the imperial decree before the expedition!
The expenditure on gold alone in this round of rewards was equivalent to over seven million taels of silver!
Including the confiscated wealth of the He family, totaling over a million taels, it would still cost another six million taels!
After Liang Xiao's soldiers left the hall, Ouyang Ji, the Minister of Revenue, could not help but remind them, "Your Majesty! If the national treasury disburses so much silver, it is feared that it will become depleted. We will then have to sell the captured barbarian livestock and military provisions..."
Xiao Qing smiled and said, "Why is Minister Ouyang in such a hurry? I have another imperial decree."
Everyone was surprised. Liang Xiao returned to Xiao Qing's side and sat down, while the Grand Eunuch brought out a second imperial decree.
"By the Mandate of Heaven, I, the Emperor, decree: The Ministry of Revenue has too many redundant officials and urgently needs to be reorganized and replaced! Effective immediately, Ouyang Ji, the Minister of Revenue, is to be transferred to the Ministry of Rites. Gu Hong, the Minister of Rites, is to be transferred to the Ministry of Revenue. Ouyang Ping, Vice Minister of Revenue, is promoted to太子少保 (Prince's Junior Guardian). Gu Shaoyan, Grand Master of Ceremonies for Music, for his meritorious service in managing rites and music, is promoted to Vice Minister of Revenue. Any other redundant officials shall be replaced as arranged by Prime Minister Wang Canghai! Effective immediately, all registered farmlands under the nationwide land repurchase order shall be repurchased! This decree is hereby issued."
As soon as the words fell, Ouyang Ji's expression changed drastically. "How can Your Majesty inexplicably dismiss and replace officials in the Ministry of Revenue!"
Transferring him to the Ministry of Rites, and demoting Ouyang Ping while promoting him, was a clear attempt to seize control of the Ministry of Revenue from the Ouyang family, mirroring Du Guyuncheng's promotion from Vice Minister of War to Prince's Grand Tutor!
He Wanli and others also pleaded, detailing the potential harm.
Xiao Qing frowned. "The Ministry of Revenue is responsible for the nation's finances and provisions, a crucial role. Before I appointed Minister Liang, the nation did not prosper but suffered barbarian invasions. The allocation of military rations and armaments was chaotic, yet the Ministry of Revenue repeatedly shirked its responsibilities! I am not demoting you, but if you cannot do the job, then others should!"
"But Minister Gu has always been the Minister of Rites, and his son Gu Shaoyan manages rites and music as Grand Master of Ceremonies. How can they suddenly manage the Ministry of Revenue..." Ouyang Ji was anxious.
Xiao Qing's face suddenly darkened. "Minister Ouyang, do you doubt the capabilities of Ministers Gu? Du Gu Xiao, a commoner, could become Vice Minister of Personnel. Can Ministers Gu not manage the Ministry of Revenue?"
Gu Hong and Gu Shaoyan merely glanced at the Ouyang father and son, remaining silent.
The positions in the Ministry of Revenue were lucrative, but this was only relative to the past. Now that they supported imperial authority, they wouldn't dare to skim even if they had a hundred times the courage.
However, compared to the Ministry of Rites, there were still some conveniences in the Ministry of Revenue, as long as it was not excessive and did not involve corruption.
For example, in the Great Gan kingdom, if someone held a high position in the Ministry of Revenue, businesses belonging to their family would more easily gain the favor of merchants facing competition from peers.
Just as Wang Canghai became Prime Minister, even though the Wang family was known for their integrity, merchants would often prioritize supplying his family when procuring materials, unless other noble clans vied for them. When Wang Canghai's relatives handled procedures outside, the relevant departments would act with extreme efficiency, fearing to offend him.
In contrast, the Ministry of Rites offered fewer such benefits, at most prompting others to keep their distance.
But this change was truly a death blow to Ouyang Ji, especially since the Ouyang family had already been squeezed for tens of millions of taels of silver by Liang Xiao and urgently needed various illicit incomes to support themselves!
The He family, facing the challenge from the Liang brothers' catering business, was no longer able to support the Ouyang family's acquisition of Liang Xiao's books. The noble clans of the Great Liang kingdom, after supporting over eight million taels, had also withdrawn.
The He family, secretly supported by the Du Gu family, had been confiscated, and the head of the He family had fled to the Great Liang kingdom...
As for the Duanmu family, their sugar refineries and illegal salt trade had suffered heavy blows simultaneously, leaving them struggling to survive!
The Ouyang family had no choice but to sell land to sustain themselves.
And now, Xiao Qing was clearly determined to take over the Ministry of Revenue.
Du Gu Xiao, Vice Minister of Personnel, and He An Ding, Minister of Personnel and son of He Wanli, were also earnestly advising Xiao Qing.
They believed that if Xiao Qing were allowed to continue seizing power through such overt and covert demotions, the Ministry of Personnel, the head of the six ministries, would also inevitably fall under Xiao Qing's "claws."
Xiao Qing became impatient and asked, "Minister Liang, as the Minister of the Secretariat overseeing the six ministries, what are your views?"
Liang Xiao feigned surprise and then said loudly, "Your Majesty is wise!"
Ouyang Ji and others suppressed their anger and argued logically.
"Even generals cannot lead the same troops for extended periods. Should civil officials remain in the same ministry indefinitely?" Wang Canghai interjected unexpectedly, stepping forward. "Your Majesty, if necessary, this old minister, as Prime Minister, is also willing to step down!"
Everyone's hearts sank. Ouyang Ji almost choked with rage.
Why was this old scoundrel always appearing to deliver another blow, a blow that threatened mutual destruction!
Xiao Qing waved his hand and said solemnly, "The Prime Minister worries about the nation and its people, works diligently, and his entire family is known for their integrity throughout the court and the country. There is no need to replace him!"
Ouyang Ji glared hatefully at Wang Canghai and Gu Hong, unable to comprehend.
Why were they so loyal to imperial authority and so diligent?
Wasn't it better to weaken imperial power and profit more for their own families?
At this moment, Gu Hong also frowned, looking at Ouyang Ji, and could not understand either.
Facing Liang Xiao, why could they not see the situation clearly and still insist on fighting for power and profit? Why not simply serve the Emperor and the people diligently?
"Greed for power blinds the eyes..." Huang Xing, Minister of Works, and others sighed inwardly as they saw Ouyang Ji's red-eyed frustration.
Facing Xiao Qing's power and Liang Xiao's presence, Ouyang Ji knew that if he persisted in his folly, his fate would be even worse. He reluctantly accepted the imperial grace.
However, Ouyang Ji soon recalled the content of the imperial decree and smiled, "Is Your Majesty planning to exhaust the national treasury to repurchase all the land in the country??"
The Ouyang family was eager to divest their land. They also hoped that Xiao Qing would deplete the national treasury, weaken the country, and dig a large pit for himself!
Xiao Qing nodded. "Indeed. Does Minister Ouyang have any suggestions?"