Entry

The Eunuch Director Zheng Zhen of the Imperial-use store requested that, as the aromatics were in short supply, Guang-dong be instructed to purchase 280,000 jin of aromatics and present them. The Ministry of Works proposed that only 80,000 jin be obtained and sent, but this was not approved. Guang Mao, a supervising secretary in the Office of Scrutiny for Revenue, memorialized: "Although the aromatics are for Imperial use, there must be proper arrangements set down. If all sorts of requests for increases are submitted, where will it end? Guang-dong has been employing troops for repeated years and, although its resources have been depleted, calamity has so far been avoided. The ministry suggested, using the precedents during the the Hong-zhi (1488-1505) and Jia-jing (1522-1566) reigns, that 80,000 jin be purchased, as this is enough for several years use. It is requested that this be approved." The request was sent to the appropriate office. The Ministry of Revenue also memorialized, noting: "In the sixth year of the Jia-jing reign (1527/28), 60,000-plus jin of aromatics were sent to the Imperial-use store, and in the seventh year (1528/29) 50,000 jin were supplied. The amount now proposed is an increase on those figures. If the proposal of the keeper of the store is instituted and, perchance, the officials do not manifest the Court's virtuous intentions and persecute the people to obtain the aromatics, then the people will flee in order to avoid the crime of being late or failing to deliver. It may even lead to rebellion in the region. Then, how could be redeem ourselves for not having memorialized?" The Emperor ordered that the aromatics be supplied in accordance with the precedents of the sixth and seventh years of the Jia-jing reign.