The proceeds from this ocean trade, except for a few symbolic tribute gifts from envoys from various countries, were included in internal funds, and the rest was put into the treasury of the Ministry of Household Affairs.
All kinds of animals, including the white elephants, ligers, and tigers that were originally in the palace, were placed in the enclosure in the west of the city, where the gentry and common people could watch and play. Naturally, a certain fee was charged, but it was not much. It was only used for
Just maintain.
The external claim is to open the imperial garden to enjoy with the people. The people in the capital may not care about seeing any beasts, but they are very interested in having fun with the emperor. After all, this is the treatment that only the people under the emperor's feet can have.
And these are just the beginning. Commerce and trade are the real long-term way. The Japanese pirates gradually subsided, maritime trade prospered, and coastal people have begun to prepare goods and build ships to go to sea on their own as clan units.
After cleaning up the Japanese pirates, the naval division of Jinghai Marquis Wu Zhen stationed troops in the important trading seaport strait, which also ensured that large-scale pirates would not form in the offshore waters.
In the past two years, the Ming and Qing Dynasties suppressed mountain bandits and water bandits, and those who managed to escape are now entrenched in the sea. It is difficult for people who are accustomed to doing business without capital to integrate into ordinary life.
Therefore, although Sino-Ocean made a huge profit, it mainly enriched the national treasury. The Ministry of Household Affairs got a windfall, which gave it more room for maneuver. Money and food allocations in many places can also be allocated as appropriate. Otherwise, it can only be the same as in previous years.
Continue to tear down the east wall to make up for the west wall.
The officials are all called sages. After all, they are opposed to the establishment of an ocean-going fleet to go to sea. The main reason why this matter can be achieved is because the prince defies all opinions and uses the royal family's internal funds to fund it. The proceeds should naturally belong to the royal family.
Zhu Biao had no interest in exotic treasures. During the rest of the month, he was mainly busy with business and tax affairs, as well as the cultivation and selection and improvement of various exotic crops.
Corn, sweet potatoes, and potatoes are the top priority, followed by peppers. The first three are for the country and the people, while the latter are for themselves. I really can’t get used to eating dogwood, which is spicy and bitter.
………
In Jin's palace, Zhao Wenjing, the Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, reported the affairs of the Ministry of Finance and said: "The business and tax affairs are hugely profitable, and the powers of the Ministry of Revenue are trivial. I think it would be better to establish a new Yamen Chief."
Zhu Yuanzhang frowned: "Why, someone is blocking the tax road?"
"Wei Chen can't say whether he has it or not. I just know that the threshold of the Hubu Yamen has been almost crossed by people in the past few days. However, I am biased and look at him. But I think that's what happened."
"Who are they? Tell us and we'll ask them what they want to do!"
Zhao Wenjing was in a bit of a dilemma. There were a lot of people coming and going in the household department, and they didn't say it clearly. Just saying it like this would offend people too much.
Zhu Biao opened his mouth and said: "Since there is no clear statement, it will be difficult to accuse, and there is no need for my father to be angry. It is expected that the benefits will move people's hearts."
"Moreover, what Zhao Qing said is true. My ministers have also been thinking about it recently. The issue of taxation involves a wide range of matters and is of great importance. It would be beneficial to the country to establish a new government office."
That is to separate the household department, but if it is still the people in the household department, what is the point of dividing it? It is a waste of time, and the originally orderly division of powers can easily be pushed around by them.
"Who do you think is suitable?"
Zhu Biao immediately replied: "Quan Xu."
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, thinking that Lai, the prince's confidant who had been living in Fengyang since the founding of the country, was the most suitable person. It was said that he was the heir left by the old general, and he could be trusted by Miaohong.
After the Minister of Household Affairs resigned, Zhu Biao submitted the drafted charter to the emperor for reading, which detailed the responsibilities and authorities of the tax bureau. Zhu Yuanzhang's brows jumped after reading it.
"You are actually willing to put half of the Jin Yiwei you have trained with great difficulty into this yamen?"
"Plans are always not as fast as they change. The pro-military governor's palace cannot be banned yet, and the Jin Yiwei cannot be buried deep enough and their sharpness will be blunted easily. It is better to use it on business and taxation first."
"And if the business tax is stable, there will be plenty of money and food. When the time comes, we can find other children to train as Jin Yiwei. As for those who are transferred to the tax bureau, they are called embroidery envoys. They are given the imperial embroidery clothes to work in businesses to check accounts and determine taxes.
.”
"So be it."
………
In that month, the imperial court established a new tax bureau, appointed Zhao Yan, a fellow magistrate of the pro-military Duwei Mansion, as director, and Quan Xu, from the third rank, as deputy. More than 300 officials from the Ministry of Revenue were assigned to fill the yamen, which shocked both the government and the public.
The Embroidered Clothes Envoy went all the way south, like a hungry tiger out of the mountain. If there was any suspicion, he would torture him. How could he hold on to the store clerks and shopkeepers? They all confessed. The Embroidered Clothes Envoy ransacked the houses according to the order. After completing the tax items, the remaining balance was paid.
Give it to the local government.
Some officials in the court were impeached, but they were suppressed. However, a secret letter was sent to the imperial court with the tax chief Zhao Yan, along with the letter and the impeachment. The emperor was furious, and Zhang Chengwen, the minister of household affairs, and the two marquises were dismissed from their salaries and sent to the imperial court.
prison.
In this way, the embroidered clothes were so powerful that Director Zhao Yan and Quan Xu stopped driving in Hangzhou. Zhao Yan's face was green and white in the courtyard. She looked at Quan Xu, who had the same cold face and said: "Sir, they are just businessmen and untouchables. No matter how many times we kill them, we can't kill them."
They don’t dare to disobey, but the Jiangnan family doesn’t dare to do anything lightly.”
"What's more, when I look at the accounts, they are almost the same. You don't care about their faces, but you have to care about His Highness's face. After all, there is a noble person in the East Palace, let alone an heir."
Quan Xu glanced at him and said: "It has nothing to do with this. I have personally checked the Chen family's accounts and they are correct. The other aristocratic families also have nobles in the East Palace?"
The East Palace is gone, but there are still a few harems. Zhang Yan does not dare to say this. He knows very well what he is used for. The court has its own laws. If the embroiderer is so unscrupulous, someone must be responsible in the end.
of.
No matter how he thought about it, that person would not be the young man in front of him. Although he was not well known in recent years, anyone who knew him well knew that this man was an old man from the Imperial Guard's Mansion.
When the Crown Prince was still the crown prince, he escorted him to the imperial hometown to pay homage to his ancestors and sweep the tombs of his ancestors. When the Crown Prince personally went on the Northern Expedition, he commanded his own army, the Duwei Mansion, as a personal escort.
Therefore, within the scope of his rights, he would divide the proceeds from house raids and pay taxes that should be paid, and he would not dare to appropriate the rest. He would leave all the money to the local government and let them turn it over to the national treasury or keep it for themselves according to the regulations.
I just thought that someone would beg for mercy and at least save my life.
"Have you investigated those families clearly? If there is still something unclear, I will order the embroiderer to torture the person."
Zhao Yan sighed and took out the list with a red circle and said: "The Chen family has already given an explanation, so it is not difficult to find out. Besides, every family has incompetent children, so there is no need to torture them. If you stop them and ask a few stern words, you will know everything."
Accounted for."
Quan Xu took it, glanced at it, and handed the list to the young man in embroidered clothes beside him. The young man had red lips, white teeth, tall figure, and good looks, but his eyes were extremely gloomy, like a poisonous snake and beast, which made people dumbfounded.
After he left, Zhao Yan sighed: "Each of the embroiderers is a good sword. Your Majesty resigned from the title at a time of great glory and faded out of the court to remain anonymous. Sure enough, he sharpened a magic weapon for His Highness, but it would be a waste to use it here." .”
Quan Xu shook his head and said: "They are still just embryos. Whether they can become a weapon in the hands of His Highness depends on their own creation, let alone the embryo of a divine weapon. Only heaven and man can carve it, not ordinary people like us can do it. .”
"What is a divine weapon, and what is a heavenly being?"
"The Princes of Kaiping in Zhongshan are not magical weapons forged by the Holy One. They were just ordinary people when they were young."
Zhao Yan, who followed Xu Da and Chang Yuchun on the battlefield, heard this and said: "The Holy One is the real dragon in the sky and the Son of Heaven descends to earth, but the princes and generals are also born extraordinary like the stars in the sky. Otherwise, how can they help the Holy One to found the country."
Quan Xu shook his head and said: "Achievement does not depend on generals, but on the Holy One who can build an army from scratch, integrate and train a group of rabble-rousers, lead troops to fight and establish military discipline, make decisions arbitrarily in all directions, subdue the unruly people, and ensure logistics Supplies, this is the reason why we can conquer the world."
"Otherwise, they are nothing more than wandering soldiers. They may be able to dominate for a while, but they will never become great weapons. It can be seen that it is difficult to make soldiers. Generals are just men with swords. As long as the Holy One is there, there will be magic soldiers with magic weapons in their hands. And if you conquer the world, you will win sooner or later."