In the capital of the Ming Dynasty, as the New Year approaches, the north wind blows and snowflakes fall.
A heavy snowfall covered the entire capital city tightly, making the originally bustling streets much deserted.
The Qianqing Palace is as warm as spring, and you don't feel the coldness of winter at all, and it even makes you feel a little hot.
A heating circulation system is adopted. Once the coal is burned in winter, a steady stream of water vapor begins to circulate in various areas of the Qianqing Palace, bringing heat to the entire huge palace.
In the study room of Emperor Hongzhi, Emperor Hongzhi, the three elders of the cabinet, Zhang Mao, Ji Zhong, and Liu Daxia gathered together to discuss national affairs.
"Your Majesty, it costs a lot to build houses for 300,000 people in Liaodong. Although the national treasury currently has a small surplus, there is still a big gap..."
The Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Ji Zhong, bit the bullet and talked about the empty treasury.
Compared with his predecessor Zhou Jinglai, the Minister of Revenue, his life was much easier. After all, the Ming Dynasty was booming, various industries were developing rapidly, and the national treasury was gradually filling up.
Originally, the tax revenue of the national treasury was less than three million taels of silver per year. Now, after several years of development, the tax revenue of the national treasury has exceeded seven million taels, which can be said to have doubled.
However, although there was more money, and military expenditures came from Emperor Hongzhi's internal funds, logically there should be a surplus in the treasury.
But as the treasury's income increased, its expenses naturally increased. In the end, the treasury didn't have much money left.
This time, the development of Liaodong was to be carried out on a pilot basis to build houses for 300,000 people in Liaodong, but the state treasury came to cry out for poverty again.
"Is there a big gap?"
Emperor Hongzhi was stunned for a moment, then looked at Zhong Zhong in disbelief and said, "I remember that the tax revenue of the treasury has reached 7 million taels. How can there be a big gap?"
"Your Majesty, the revenue of the treasury has increased a lot, but the expenditures in various aspects have also increased a lot. Although there is a small amount of savings, it is not much."
Zhong Zhong thought for a while and said helplessly.
"You mean you want to withdraw money from my internal funds?"
Emperor Hongzhi looked at the clock and immediately said dissatisfied.
Each of these ministers has nothing to do but keeps an eye on his own little treasury.
In the past, Zhou Jing was known as Zhou Bapi, but now this Zhong is about the same. Whenever the national treasury runs out of money, he keeps an eye on his own internal funds. Now he has shouldered the military expenses. The national treasury even took the expenses of immigrating 300,000 people. Not coming out.
This made Emperor Hongzhi very angry.
"I don't dare~"
Ji Zhong quickly lowered his head.
He has no choice but to do so. There is only as much revenue as the national treasury has, and there are many places where money needs to be spent.
The treasury has a lot of money, and various places require a lot of money. It is also very difficult for him, the housekeeper, to pay for it.
Of course, like Zhou Jing, he was actually the same. As a civil servant, he never thought about taxing more, and was even unwilling to tax.
Firstly, taxing people will offend businessmen, gentry, landlords, etc. all over the world. Secondly, taxing people does not have a good reputation and will be scolded to death. After all, nothing good has been done with taxation since ancient times.
The Ming Dynasty's thirty-one tax was originally a very light tax, but unfortunately, these civil servants were unwilling to collect this thirty-one tax.
This is also one of the important reasons why the Ming Dynasty’s treasury was empty.
From the officials of the Ming Dynasty to local officials, all officials did not like to collect taxes, because taxing would offend others, would not have a good reputation, and would not be of any benefit to themselves.
By the middle and late Ming Dynasty, tax revenue was almost zero, and the salt administration completely collapsed. The Ming court could not even afford hundreds of thousands of taels of silver.
This was also one of the reasons that led to the demise of the Ming Dynasty. The court had no money and could not accomplish anything it wanted to do.
Zhong Zhong, like Zhou Jing, was both stable and stingy. He was also qualified to find ways to obtain Emperor Hongzhi's internal funds, but he would neither think about taxing nor dare to tax.
"Hmph~"
"What are you afraid of?"
"Everyone only knows how to keep an eye on my internal funds, but no one has ever dared to tax me. They are more afraid of those businessmen and gentry than of me."
Emperor Hongzhi snorted coldly, very dissatisfied.
After hearing Emperor Hongzhi's words, the officials immediately fell silent.
To be honest, these civil servants were really not afraid of the emperor, but were afraid of the businessmen and gentry of the Ming Dynasty, because Emperor Hongzhi could not do anything to them.
However, if anyone wants to collect business taxes, inventory land, etc., he will definitely be attacked by the officials. Soon he will no longer be an official, and he will even die without a place to bury him.
In the fifth year of Hongzhi's reign, the national treasury was empty and border armaments were depleted. Ma Wensheng, Minister of the Ministry of War, proposed to levy commercial taxes to increase the revenue of the treasury. As soon as this proposal came out, it was immediately attacked by the ministers.
At the top, the cabinet minister Xie Qian firmly opposed it, and the six ministers, ministers, etc. also opposed it. At the bottom, there were also the censors and the Imperial Academy impeached Ma Wensheng.
If Emperor Hongzhi hadn't trusted Ma Wensheng, and Ma Wensheng was also deeply rooted in the tree, that one time would have been enough to make him step down.
"Every time I have to do something, your Ministry of Revenue always says there is no money."
Emperor Hongzhi was very angry. This happened not once but twice. Every time he wanted to do something, the Ministry of Revenue said that he had no money. Emperor Hongzhi was speechless and had nothing to say.
If Liu Jin hadn't acquired so many properties for Emperor Hongzhi and could earn tens of millions of taels of silver every year, Emperor Hongzhi would be really poor.
But the national treasury is a national treasury, and internal funds are internal funds. You can’t always use your own internal funds to subsidize the national treasury.
Thinking of this, Emperor Hongzhi felt very unhappy when he looked at Zhong Zhong, and really wanted to find someone to replace him.
"Yes, it's time to find someone to replace the clock."
"Liu Jin~"
Soon, a figure flashed in Emperor Hongzhi's mind.
There is no doubt that Liu Jin can make money.
If the Ministry of Revenue has no money, then the Ming Dynasty will have no money. This is not possible. We must find someone to run the Ministry of Revenue and fill the national treasury.
"Where's Liu Jin? Find him~"
Emperor Hongzhi ordered Xiao Jing.
"Yes~"
Xiao Jing nodded quickly and ordered to the Xiaohuangmen. Soon, the Xiaohuangmen hurriedly left the palace to announce Liu Jin's entry into the palace.
"What do you think about letting Liu Jin go to the Ministry of Finance?"
Emperor Hongzhi thought for a while and asked everyone.
"I think it's inappropriate. The Ming Dynasty's military restructuring is being implemented. Liu Jin has gone to the Ministry of Household Affairs. It will be difficult for me to implement the military restructuring."
British Duke Zhang Mao was the first to stand up and shook his head.
Liu Jin was his right-hand assistant. With Liu Jin here, the military restructuring went smoothly. Emperor Hongzhi was very satisfied, and the Ming Dynasty's military strength was also rapidly improving.
The original military households were also very satisfied, because after being freed from the humble status of military households, military households became farmers and no longer had to endure the oppression of hundreds or thousands of households, and their descendants could also take the imperial examination.
"I also think it's inappropriate~"
"Although Mr. Ji doesn't have much merit, he still has hard work in charge of the household department. He has not made any mistakes. If he is replaced like this, I am afraid that the ministers will not accept it."
Liu Jian, the chief minister of the cabinet, also stood up and expressed his opposition.
"Besides, the position of Minister of the Ministry of Revenue ranks among the six ministers and nine ministers. It is a high-power position. Although Liu Jin is talented, he is still relatively young. He was promoted from the third rank not long ago, and now he has been promoted to the third rank. Isn't it too fast?"
Li Dongyang also followed suit.
They all thought that Emperor Hongzhi was going to change Zhong Zhong and let Liu Jin be the Minister of Household Affairs.
"Your Majesty, I think it's inappropriate."
"Liu Jin is responsible for the military restructuring at the Fifth Army Governor's Mansion. It is a critical time. Once he is transferred, it may affect the military restructuring."
"Secondly, Liu Jin is still too young. Now that he is in a high position, I am afraid that all the ministers in the world will not be able to accept him."
Xie Qian even expressed his opposition anxiously.
Are you kidding me? Let Liu Jin be in charge of the household department. That's a big deal.
There is nothing Liu Jin can't do in the world. If he is put in charge of the household department, businessmen, gentry, big landowners, etc. will never have a good life.
No matter who is the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, Liu Jin cannot be replaced as the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs.
"You think it's inappropriate, but I feel that the Ministry of Household Affairs, like the Ming Dynasty's army, has reached a time when it must be restructured."
Emperor Hongzhi looked at everyone, smiled and said.
The more you object, the more I will move Liu Jin to the Ministry of Household Affairs. It may be a bit urgent to replace Zhong Zhong now, but you can first become a minister. After working for a few years, you will achieve results.
Just replace the clock.
The emperor Hongzhi became more and more dissatisfied with the clock in front of him, and wished he could get out of here right now.
The guy in the corpse position is just like Zhou Jing in the past. He keeps an eye on his own money every day and calls himself diligent and frugal, frivolous and underpaid.
I believed their words before, but the burden of the common people became heavier and heavier, and the merchants, landlords, and gentry of the Ming Dynasty became fatter and fatter.
In the end, he, the emperor, was so poor that the people below him couldn't even eat enough to eat, but in the end, these big landowners, big businessmen, and big gentry were fully fed.
Well, the household department must be changed.
While the current situation in Ming Dynasty is good, this situation must be changed.
This tax cannot only be levied on ordinary people, but must also be levied on merchants, landlords, and gentry.
The national treasury must also be replenished. If the court has no money, it will not be able to accomplish anything. In the end, the prestige of the old Zhu family will be lost.
After hearing Emperor Hongzhi's words, everyone fell silent immediately.
Emperor Hongzhi was obviously really dissatisfied.
Think about it, if you want to do something, just say you have no money.
Forget about the former Emperor Hongzhi, they could always find a way to fight back and let Emperor Hongzhi live a life of thrift and hard work.
But now, it is obviously no longer possible. Emperor Hongzhi is ambitious and has activated factory guards. He knows everything, and he also knows that money is easy to do. He is extremely dissatisfied with the empty treasury.