"Okay, let's continue talking about this year's work." Zhu Youxiao interrupted. Except for some remote provinces, most of the people who inspected the political performance have returned, and the situation has been calculated.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Xu Guangqi nodded, and then pulled out a piece of paper from a pile of documents. This is the statistics of commercial tax collection.

Originally, the Ming Dynasty had two Zhili and thirteen chief envoys, namely: Jingshi (North Zhili), Nanjing (South Zhili), Shandong, Shanxi, Henan, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Jiangxi, Huguang, Zhejiang, and Fujian

, Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou.

Now North Zhili has been changed to Hebei Province, and the capital has become Zhili Prefecture, which is directly under the jurisdiction of the cabinet, as well as Tianjin. Later, South Zhili was divided into two provinces, plus the original thirteen chief envoys.

Provinces, a total of 18 administrative divisions.

"This year's commercial tax, eighteen provinces and Zhili Prefecture, a total of 7.75 million taels of silver!" Xu Guangqi was stunned for a moment. He had just seen it. However, he immediately showed a bitter look on his face.

"Among them, five million taels were paid by various companies under the imperial government."

In other words, the entire Great Tomorrow only paid taxes of 2.75 million taels of silver.

Many levies in the Ming Dynasty were collected in kind, most of which were kept for local use, and the rest was transported to the capital, which is what many books said, the central government's annual revenue was four to five million taels.

And now, although the collection of commercial taxes has just started this year, all revenue is only two to three million taels more than in the past, and the cabinet needs to spend several times more than in the past.

Don't worry about the remaining guard posts in various places. They will have severance pay when the time comes. Let's talk about the salaries of the personnel first. Although the emperor canceled Nanjing's status as the capital, the six ministries of Nanjing were also abolished and officials were dispersed to various places. However, under the imperial power

In rural areas, governance was divided and a large number of officials were added.

Now, in general terms, the entire Ming Dynasty, from the ninth grade to the first grade, plus the recent increase in the number of economic officials, now has about one hundred thousand. Nowadays, the least economic official has an income of ten taels of silver.

All in all, based on the lowest salary of twelve taels, all officials add up to at least 12 million taels of silver, not to mention that high-ranking officials have more overflow salary. After all these calculations, at least there is still more.

I need to add another two million taels.

There are also other office expenses, such as the investment in Yima Yuan, the construction of customs, and the consumption of paper, pen and ink. These are still one million taels, and this is when there is nothing else. With such income, the government

Can't do anything at all.

For example, Chang Pingcang's grain purchase, purchasing some commodities, stabilizing prices, etc. Fortunately, military expenditures do not need to be spent by the cabinet, otherwise the fiscal deficit would be serious.

When Xu Guangqi rambled on about these things one by one, Zhu Youxiao was shocked, "In other words, all these taxes collected are not enough to pay for the salaries of those below!!!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Xu Guangqi nodded numbly, and the financial statements from various places were sent up. The summary of expenditures in them is the current situation.

"Then how do they get their salaries? Are they starving?" Zhu Youxiao really couldn't understand how those officials below survived.

"Only half of it is issued, and the remaining thread is owed, so we can barely make ends meet." Xu Guangqi flipped through the report and replied.

"Half, what's the difference from before?"

Although half of the salary set by Zhu Youxiao is higher than before, the gray income has become very strict. This is the primary focus of the Metropolitan Procuratorate's inspection. What's more, now that there is no agricultural tax, there is no place for them to be corrupt.

If you go, the most you can do is eat and drink for free, and you have to prevent the merchants from going to the Metropolitan Procuratorate to file a lawsuit.

"There is no difference, so I have found many officials in the merit examination department. Otherwise, why would there be so many demoted and dismissed officials? If you don't believe it, you can ask Sun Juxiang, the censor of Zuodu, where he probably has many such records."

Xu Guangqi explained with a wry smile.

"Go and call Sun Juxiang over." Zhu You ordered Liu Ruoyu, who was serving as a proofreader.

Soon, under the summons of the eunuch, Sun Juxiang hurried into the palace, holding a large stack of files in his hands.

"I am here to see you, Your Majesty!" Sun Juxiang saluted hurriedly.

"My dear, Pingshen." Zhu Youxiao nodded, motioned for the other party to get up, and then asked, "My dear, tell me about the work of the Metropolitan Procuratorate this year, especially the investigation of officials by the Independent Commission Against Corruption."

"Oh, okay." After Sun Juxiang understood, he started flipping through the statistical reports. This method was taught by Zhu Youxiao. He summarized the situation, then made it into a table and expressed it with numbers. With the Arabic numerals, these were all

very convenient.

"Found it." He pulled out a piece of paper and began to read.

"In the second year of Tianqi's reign, a total of 1,043 officials were investigated and punished, of which 73 were found to have exceeded their authority, 13 to have taken office, and 48 to have committed adultery..." Sun Juxiang came over one item after another, and Zhu Youxiao became a little impatient when he heard this.

"Okay, okay, let's just tell you how much corruption and bribery there is."

"Um...Okay." Sun Juxiang was stunned, and immediately looked down, "Corruption, bribery, abuse of power... Eight hundred and thirty-seven!"

This number made Zhu Youxiao's heart sink. It accounted for almost 80%, which was far beyond Zhu Youxiao's expectation. He originally announced the high salary to reduce the factors for officials to fight corruption, but

Now it seems that it has no effect at all.

"Only half of the salary has been paid, the agricultural tax has been cancelled, and office expenses are only a little. What exactly did they embezzle? Where did they embezzle it from?" Zhu Youxiao couldn't help but ask.

"Mainly in terms of salaries paid, there are also bribes from merchants. Some merchants give money to local officials to avoid taxes. Others embezzle office expenses and collect taxes fraudulently." The more Sun Juxiang talked, the more embarrassed he became.

There are so many different names. If he hadn't collected statistics on the situation across the country, he wouldn't have known that the officials below would be able to pull off so many tricks.

As for Zhu Youxiao, he was very angry at first, but later he became calmer and calmer. The salary was not enough to support his family, and the gray income in the past was gone. The officials below had to start looking for new ways. Once upon a time

Having been around the system, he is very familiar with these things.

"As for corrupt personnel, there are people of all ranks from petty officials to officials, but there is no corruption among those above fifth rank."

This makes Zhu Youxiao a little relieved. After all, the salary of fifth-grade and above is already several thousand taels per year. Half of it is much more than before. It is enough for these officials to support their wives and children. After all, they can get a lot of good things without corruption.

No one will go.

Soon, officials above the fifth rank had sharp eyes and could see the huge opportunities. For the sake of their future political future, they would naturally restrain themselves.

"It has actually reached such a serious level." Zhu Youxiao's face turned frighteningly dark.

"Old minister, I'm afraid there's more to it than that!" Xu Guangqi said with a worried look. He had already realized the seriousness of the problem. If the tax revenue really couldn't be collected, then officials would have no income and would not focus on doing things. Instead, they would focus on doing things.

The disciples went to study how to circumvent the Metropolitan Procuratorate and make money.

More importantly, after the Party Metropolitan Procuratorate also joins this business, the entire Ming Dynasty's officialdom will collapse, corruption will be everywhere, and commercial taxation will become a complete joke.

In addition, there is a more serious problem, which is whether there is someone behind all this. They contact merchants to avoid commercial taxes in the form of bribes, which reduces fiscal revenue. Until finally, the government cannot help due to financial collapse.

The attack breaks itself.

"Look, where are the most cases of merchant bribery?" Obviously, Zhu Youxiao also thought about this problem. He immediately asked Sun Juxiang, his expression could even be considered a little urgent.

"...Yes, Your Majesty." Sun Juxiang was startled by the emperor's expression, but he still checked quickly.

"Found it! It's..." He slowly read out the place name, "Jiangsu and Zhejiang!"

"Sure enough!" When Zhu Youxiao and Xu Guangqi's eyes met, this thought came to mind.

"Your Majesty, a thousand-mile embankment was destroyed by an ant nest! Business taxes must be collected!"

"call!"

Zhu Youxiao took a deep breath and tried to calm down, "Yes, the problem must be solved." He had thought simply before, thinking that he could succeed by using his salary to force these officials to collect commercial taxes, but he didn't expect it.

, there is such a dangerous situation behind this.

"Xu Guangqi, the Second Assistant to the Cabinet!" Zhu Youxiao's face was solemn.

"I'm here!" Xu Guangqi responded loudly.

"The cabinet has called for the assessment standard next year to be the collection of commercial taxes. If the amount is less than 10,000 taels of silver per county, the county magistrate will be dismissed and investigated. If the magistrate fails the assessment, if he fails three times, he will be dismissed and will never be used again!"

Xu Guangqi was stunned for a moment by his murderous words. He almost didn't have the brains to answer the emperor's words. All he could think about was dismissal and investigation, and he would never use these two words.

Ten thousand taels per county is Zhu Youxiao's rough description of the counties under the flower. There are almost more than a thousand counties in the Ming Dynasty. One county has ten thousand taels, which is more than ten million taels, plus the taxes paid by the companies under the imperial government.

, which is almost enough. As for other expenses, let the local governments raise them themselves, or consider them later when tariffs increase and personal income tax is levied.

The most important thing at the moment is to stabilize the collection of commercial taxes. Otherwise, once the finances collapse, Zhu Youxiao may not be overthrown with his military power, but he will definitely lose control of the lower counties.

"Xu Guangqi?!" Zhu Youxiao shouted.

"My lord is here." Xu Guangqi finally came to his senses and immediately knelt down and said, "My lord Xu Guangqi accepts the order!"

"Sun Juxiang, the censor of Zuodu!" Zhu Youxiao turned his head again and looked at the Supreme Prosecutor.

"I'm here." With Xu Guangqi's buffer, Sun Juxiang felt much better and finally recovered from the shock just now.

"The Metropolitan Procuratorate will make every effort to supervise the collection of commercial taxes by governments at all levels next year. It is strictly prohibited to collect taxes indiscriminately, to apportion, and to disrupt market order." The series of strict prohibitions reflects Zhu Youxiao's determination.

"I obey the decree!" Sun Juxiang also knelt down to receive the decree.

"Okay, let's all go down and get this thing done immediately. Next year, we will focus on supervising this. Xu Aiqing, this is your biggest task next year. As for the way to collect taxes, the examination department must also keep a close eye on it and not destroy it.

Collection." Zhu Youxiao sighed and waved for the two of them to go down.

"I will live up to the divine grace." Xu Guangqi kowtowed.

"Get down!"
Chapter completed!