So far, Lao Zhu has more than 20 children. The eldest among them, Zhu Biao, has married Chang Yuchun's daughter and is not far away from becoming a father.
As for the other brothers and sisters, the youngest is still crying in his infancy!
So it is no joke to say that Zhu Biao is their second father, the eldest brother is like father.
After Zhang Ximeng left Beijing, Zhu Biao actually assumed the responsibility of internal minister, and Li Shanchang was responsible for external political affairs. However, he had to review the things given to Zhu Yuanzhang in advance and sort them into categories.
Various suggestions from civil servants, investigation reports, and intelligence from the Military Intelligence Department were also gathered into Zhu Biao's hands. All family and state affairs fell on him alone.
Zhu Biao, who was not yet twenty, always frowned, and two deep grooves gradually formed between his eyebrows. It was not easy to be Lao Zhu's son.
What's more, government affairs are complicated and national affairs are complicated now.
Fortunately, under the influence of Zhang Ximeng, Lao Zhu corrected many of his problems, and Zhu Biao could finally take a breather.
The whole royal family gathered together and had a pleasant dinner. Taking advantage of this opportunity, they brought the little princes and princesses one by one to Lao Zhu, so that the father could have a look.
Looking at this large group of children, Lao Zhu was also very happy. Among other things, he had spread the branches and leaves of Lao Zhu's family, and he could be proud even when facing his ancestors.
It's just that although the family is prosperous, the country is not.
After dinner, Lao Zhu left Zhu Biao behind and asked Queen Ma to come over. The family of three got together and planned to settle the score.
"Although there has been no movement from the Zhongshu Province in the past few days, we have heard that the Ministry of Civil Affairs has been in arrears with salary for a month. Many people are making a fuss, saying that the national treasury is in short supply. It is all because of our great success. The treasury's account is...
What is going on, Zhu Biao, do you know?"
Zhu Biao hurriedly said: "Father, my child has indeed heard about it, and he even went to consult with Scholars Song and Scholar Liu."
Song Lian and Liu Ji were not only Zhang Ximeng's subordinates, but also Zhu Biao's masters. Their character and knowledge were recognized by the court.
Lao Zhu said: "What did they say?"
Zhu Biao said: "In the final analysis, the expenditure has increased too much all at once. Since the unification of the world, the growth of our land tax has slowed down. Only in places such as Henan, there has been a slight improvement, but the speed is not fast."
No one can do anything about this... Just like when Zhu Yuanzhang conquered Jinling from Huaixi, he suddenly gained a lot of precious land. After equalizing the land, his income immediately increased sharply, he annexed Jiangxi, and his strength doubled.
But as the whole world is included in the territory, this situation becomes much less common.
Although the economy in the north is recovering, the population is increasing, and more and more wasteland is being reclaimed, which can increase the land tax...but these places have a weak foundation and cannot increase too much at once, otherwise trouble will happen again.
Moreover, there is also the Yellow River to manage, which is an even heavier burden.
The level of land tax is just like this, there is no hope at all, this is dead money.
The rest is business tax, which is quite considerable.
Among them, the salt tax amounted to more than 8 million taels of treasure, and the tariff also exceeded 2 million taels!
Note that the tariff is based on gold and silver, which can be converted into two million taels of silver. These will become the reserves of the Ming Dynasty's treasury. Two million taels of silver can issue at least 10 million taels of treasure notes.
In addition, the Ganjiang waterway, Yangtze River shipping, the Grand Canal, etc., as well as major cities, tea, silk, porcelain trade, northern mules and horses, timber trafficking... these can also provide an annual income of more than 20 million yuan.
Frankly speaking, under Zhang Ximeng's arrangement, the financial structure of the Ming Dynasty was much healthier than in history. Due to the thorough equalization of land, the land tax was much more than in history. Although the salt tax did not increase, the price of salt was very high.
Low, the common people have benefited.
Furthermore, the consumption power has increased, and the direct result is that commercial taxes have increased rapidly, and the speed at which the private sector has recovered is quite astonishing.
Yingtian, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Yangzhou, these places are even more prosperous than they were in the Yuan Dynasty.
But everything has two sides. The system created by Zhang Ximeng requires a large number of officials to be responsible for government affairs and a sufficient team of talents... To put it bluntly, it means establishing schools and reforming the official system.
In recent years, first the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Taxation, and the Ministry of Commerce were added, and then the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Education were separated. Then in order to clean up the three aunts and six wives, Lao Zhu created the Police Department himself.
This does not include Yamen such as Du branch offices.
Calculating everything together, Ming Dynasty’s salary expenditure was an astronomical figure.
Now that compulsory education is being implemented, various expenditures are at least 50% more than expected.
"Zhu Biao, are there any disadvantages in this?" Lao Zhu frowned and couldn't hold back the knife in his hand.
"Father, I dare not say that there is no such thing as corruption. But there are indeed some expenses that have not been considered before. For example, in some villages and towns, the roads are impassable. If students want to go to school, they have to walk a long way, and it takes two hours to go back and forth.
There are still many. There is no other way, so we can only find ways to repair bridges and roads. There are also some more remote students who need to live in the school and build school buildings to solve the problem of food and drink. In some places, the financial gap is too big, and the court still needs to
We need to get money to subsidize teaching materials. In addition, school children also have clothes, hats, shoes, socks, pens, ink, paper and inkstones... In short, the price we need to pay to send children to school is much higher than we thought."
At this time, Queen Ma spoke up, "Biao'er, the imperial court has its own accounts, and we should also have our own accounts... Your father came from a poor background and sat on the throne. Counting back, our Zhu family are all poor people.
It was because we had no choice but to suffer more, that we had no choice but to pick up the sword and conquer such a big country. Now it is our turn to make the decision. Let the children go to school and live a good life in the future. This is what we should do. In general
If the old Zhu family cannot spread its branches and flourish, others will live in ignorance and suffer poverty from generation to generation! If you do this, not only will you feel guilty about it, but it will also destroy the foundation of the Ming Dynasty. In short, we cannot learn from the Yuan Dynasty."
Queen Ma's words made sense, especially after the whole family had a happy dinner.
You can't just eat and drink so much, ordinary people don't even have cornbread!
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded vigorously, "Sister, you are right. Since we are the king and father of the world, we should find a way for the people of the world. This is our responsibility." He turned around again, "Zhu Biao, how many gaps are there now?
Can you think of a way to make it up?"
Zhu Biao said: "Father, the current gap is about 13 million guan... The problem here is that heavy rains and flash floods broke out in Fujian and other places, tea cannot be transported out, and the tea tax is 500 guan. Originally, Li
My husband wanted to issue debts, but suddenly there was such a big gap that I was afraid that even issuing debts would not work, which would result in the inability to pay out the salaries of some officials in the capital."
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded and sighed: "The officials can't get their salaries. It's okay for a while, but as time goes by, they will find a way. After all, they are not ordinary people and will not let themselves starve. This matter must not be careless.
We have to come up with countermeasures as soon as possible.”
Zhu Biao hurriedly said: "Father, Mr. Li is now ready to take the lead in cutting some salaries, giving priority to the officials below. The second step is to auction a batch of old goods in the warehouse and realize them. However, this is only a drop in the bucket and can really solve the problem.
One is the copper shipped from Yunnan, the other is the income from Ryukyu, and the third is the fourth brother from Peking."
Hearing Zhu Biao's words, Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma were quite surprised, because this matter was not in line with common sense.
Is Zhu Di rich?
He has been crying about poverty all the time. Every time he writes a letter, it is like he is too poor to eat... As time goes by, although he does not believe all Zhu Di's lies, even if he folds it, Zhu Laosi's life will not be easy.
It was time to fight, build the Great Wall, and run schools.
Spending money is like running water, and Zhu Di has no cornucopia.
No matter how you look at it, you don’t look like you are rich!
If Zhu Di wants money, he might start crying and ask the court to subsidize him instead!
"Father, life is difficult for my fourth brother, but he is definitely not without money. On the contrary, he should have a lot of money... This is something I have only recently figured out."
Lao Zhu pondered and said: "How do you say this?"
"Father, please think about it. Over the past few years, troops have been deployed in the north. The Liaodong tribes, Duoyan tribes and other tribes have successively surrendered to the Ming Dynasty, as well as Korea. I just heard that the fourth brother set up a bank some time ago. It seems that
Among them are the deposits of Goryeo nobles."
"Wait a minute!" Lao Zhu interrupted Zhu Biao, "What do you mean? Goryeo actually went to Peking to deposit money. What do they mean? Give money to Lao Si and let Lao Si send troops to fight them? This
People are too mean, aren’t they?”
Zhu Biao scratched his head, "I don't quite understand, but according to Guan Duo, it seems that Lan Yu encouraged his fourth brother to do it, saying that as long as he saved money, he wouldn't have to worry about Xin Min ransacking his house."
Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned for a long time, and he suddenly said: "Zhu Biao, did you say that the person who gave the fourth child advice was Lan Yu?" The idea Zhu Yuanzhang mentioned was naturally the idea of running a school.
But then Lao Zhu shook his head, "That idea is too subtle, interlocking, and sophisticated. Lan Yu can't come up with it. By the way... Lan Yu is obviously your wife's uncle, how come he is so close to the fourth child?"
close?"
Zhu Biao was helpless, "He is also the master of the fourth brother! Moreover, they have similar temperaments, so it is natural for them to have a good relationship."
Lao Zhu snorted and became furious, "What do you think we have the same temperament? We clearly have the same odor! Go and write to Zhu Di now and tell him to give us at least three million yuan, the more the better! If you can't fill the national treasury,
Let’s throw him into the hole! This bastard actually deceived Mr. Zhang’s manuscript into something. He is quite scheming. Originally, we wanted to take it to the palace, but now it’s better and he has become a member of the school. It’s really
hateful!"
Good guy, Lao Zhu also holds a grudge!
Zhu Biao quickly agreed and wrote a letter. However, after Zhu Biao thought for a while, he did not directly tell Zhu Di to give out three million guan... Instead, he told him that there were more than 10 million guan holes in the court, and his father asked him to find a way.
, to solve problems for the court.
Then Zhu Biao wrote a letter to Zhang Ximeng. In the letter, Zhu Biao truthfully stated Lao Zhu's limit, which was three million guan. If it was less, two million guan would be enough... As for how much money Peking can provide, please
Sir weigh in.
Zhu Biao finished writing the letter with a smile on his face. Now he can vent his anger!