"These 680,000 taels are just the first batch of relief money!"
“After settling the victims and clearing the fields, we still have the victims’ houses, livestock, and grain.”
"The river embankments will also be re-reinforced and rebuilt."
Xia Xiang, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, looked at Zhu Yuanzhang's face and said carefully, "I can still collect it now, but this money will be used in the spring of next year at the latest. Where can I allocate this money? I would like to ask your majesty
Show me!"
You don’t know how expensive firewood and rice are when you’re not a householder. Although the Ming Dynasty was a big country, every income from the treasury had a clear destination.
Zhu Yunxi was thinking in his mind about the memorials and detailed lists about the taxation and finance of the Ming Dynasty that he had read. Since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, wars have continued. Only the supply of material resources from the whole country can ensure the military advantage over the Northern Yuan Dynasty. At the same time, Tubo, Yunnan and other places also have wars every year.
More than one million in military expenditures.
Zhu Yuanzhang was an emperor who cared about the people and was unwilling to add burdens to the people. Therefore, the only thing currently supporting the Ming Dynasty's finances is the annual two-Huai salt tax, with a total price of about eight million taels. Other taxes are collected from the people and used for
For the people, let them recuperate and live a healthy life.
After all this calculation, the family really has no money left.
"A few days ago, there was a sale of stamps in Beijing, and we collected more than 200,000 yuan!" Zhu Yunxi thought about it and said, "The change of postage in the post station has become famous all over the world. From my grandson's perspective, it is not as good as Yangzhou, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Quanzhou and other prosperous trade places.
, started selling them one after another. All the silver collected will go to Jiangxi Relief."
"Money that does not fall into one's pocket is never money!" Zhu Yuanzhang mused, "If the money obtained from sales is not satisfactory, we still have to move the east wall and mend the west wall. When we do things, we cannot hang ourselves on a rope.
At least you have to be prepared."
Zhu Yuanzhang was very bold in military affairs, but very cautious in people's livelihood.
The stamp money only saw the capital's profits. He had not yet seen the success or failure of other places, so naturally he felt uneasy.
The majestic Ming Empire was actually stumped by the sum of one million taels of disaster relief money. In the final analysis, it was Zhu Yuanzhang who governed the country too uprightly and refused to change his mind elsewhere.
If it is the so-called prosperous age a few hundred years later, if there is a shortage of money, there are ways to do it. The court staff will sell their condoms, and the officials will pay for the crime, and the customs will become the emperor's private house. Why go to the south of the Yangtze River, build the Old Summer Palace, and level up the big and small and Zhuo Jinchuan?
, isn’t this how the money in Pingwai Mongolia comes from?
Zhu Yuanzhang stood up from the dragon chair and walked to the window of the main hall with his hands behind his back.
Outside the window, the originally clear sky gradually became covered with dark clouds, covering up the sunlight and making the world dark.
"Dasun!" Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly sighed, "It is easy to conquer the world, but it is difficult to dominate the world!"
For the resolute Zhu Yuanzhang to sigh like this, it shows that it is not easy to be the leader of the Ming Empire.
"Pass the message!" Zhu Yuanzhang continued, "To Jiujiang, Wuchang Dacang, we will allocate 700,000 shi of grain for disaster relief to nine counties in Jianchang and Fuzhou prefectures of Jiangxi Province. The Ministry of Household Affairs will allocate 700,000 taels of disaster relief silver."
After saying that, Zhu Yuanzhang turned around and looked at the ministers, "First solve the urgent needs of the disaster area, and in the rest of the days we will think of ways to prevent living people from choking to death." At this point, the conversation changed, and his eyes changed.
As cold as a knife, "Let's put the ugly words first. This is money and food for the people in the disaster area. Who wants to stretch out his hand and weigh how heavy his own head is!"
"I obey the order!" the ministers replied.
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew by, causing the curtains to sway slightly. A faint drizzle drifted into the window with the wind and fell on the bright floor tiles, disappearing in an instant.
Zhu Yunxi looked at Zhu Yuanzhang's frown and the sneer at the corner of his mouth, and knew that he was extremely irritable. The Ming Empire that he was proud of and guarded with all his heart was actually still very fragile.
He is a person who values perfection. He wants to do his best, whether in terms of people's livelihood or the military. However, after more than 20 years of unifying the world, he still cannot achieve a balance.
After getting along day and night, Zhu Yunxi regarded Zhu Yuanzhang as his biological grandfather from the bottom of his heart. Seeing him so uncomfortable made him feel uncomfortable.
Then, after thinking for a while, Zhu Yunxi walked to Zhu Yuanzhang and said, "Grandpa Huang, my grandson has some immature suggestions."
Zhu Yuanzhang and all the ministers looked over. The former smiled reluctantly and said, "Dasun, you can say whatever you want. There are no outsiders here!"
"As for the money for disaster relief, my grandson has thought of several ways." Zhu Yunxi said slowly, "First, a few days ago, the stamps based on the emperor's imperial pen were sold for one hundred taels each. I heard that the capital has now
It fetched a sky-high price of five hundred taels of silver."
"My grandson thought that the people all over the world love the emperor. If this is the case, why not take the lead in the imperial court and organize the gentry near the capital to make donations. Don't let them donate in vain. If they donate more than one thousand taels, the emperor can write a handwritten letter of loyalty to others."
"After spending one thousand taels to buy a pair of family heirlooms, my grandson thought that those rich men would surely break their heads and break through the threshold of the Ministry of Household Affairs!"
"I don't agree!" Liu Sanwu, a member of Zhongshushe, said first, "How can the emperor's handwriting be easily sold to the people? In this way, where is the face of the court and the emperor's dignity? Furthermore, there are many lawless gentry and rich people.
If there is His Majesty's handwriting at home, wouldn't it be an extra life-saving talisman if they break the law in the future?"
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded and said, "Liu Aiqing is right! We don't agree with this either."
Zhu Yunxi sighed helplessly in his heart. The imprint of class in this era is too deep. The emperor's handwriting or the things given by the emperor are a rare honor. The courtiers must enshrine these things at home and cannot be resold for generations, and the palace has them.
Record.
If the emperor's handwriting is exchanged for money, the imperial censors from the Supervisory Academy and the bachelors from the Hanlin Academy will probably have to write on their feet. And what Liu Sanwu said is partly right. Having the emperor's calligraphy at home is still a sign of loyalty.
, local government is not easy to manage.
Let me ask, if a big family had this thing and took it out directly to the officials, who would dare to take care of the Emperor Hongwu's imperial pen?
In fact, everything has advantages and disadvantages. The ancients thought about the disadvantages before doing anything, but Zhu Yunxi's modern soul is to think about the advantages first. It's hard to say who is right or wrong. The ancients were used to following the steps and maintaining stability. But Zhu Yunxi wanted to be flexible and achieve quick results.
Seeing that Zhu Yunxi was a little disappointed, Zhu Yuanzhang said consolingly, "Although it's inappropriate, it's rare for you, Dasun, to have such a bright mind that you could come up with this idea in such a short time." After saying that, he forced a smile and said, "You still have a bright mind."
Xiao, I don’t blame you for not thinking carefully about some things!”
Zhu Yunxi bowed slightly and continued, "My grandson has a second option. Grandpa Huang, does he still remember what we saw and heard in the city today?"
Zhu Yuanzhang was a little confused, "Go on!"
"Today my grandfather and I came out of the palace and saw a prosperous gambling shop in the city!" Zhu Yunxi said to the ministers, "This second method is what I thought of."
As he said that, Zhu Yunxi looked at the curious eyes of everyone and said, "Lottery ticket!"
The ministers were stunned. They had been reading for ten years, but they had never heard of this thing.
Zhu Yuanzhang frowned and thought deeply.
"Chinese people like to gamble, and this bad habit exists both among the people and the military. Since we can't prevent it, why not block it instead of letting it go?" Zhu Yunxi continued, "Stamps can be sold for two yuan each, and lottery tickets can also be sold for two yuan each.
, and can be sold every day!”
Having said this, Zhu Yunxi walked up to the ministers and continued loudly, "Lottery tickets are also gambling tickets. There are four types of grand prizes: A, B, C and D. Each prize is different. For example, the first-class prize is fifty taels...
..”
Fu Youwen, the Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, seemed to understand a little and said, "Then how to determine the winner?"
"Let me put it more plainly!" Zhu Yunxi remembered the two-color lottery method in his previous life and said, "In the lottery, there are twenty-four solar terms and twelve zodiac signs. Four numbers are chosen from the twenty-four solar terms, and two numbers are chosen from the twelve zodiac signs.
If you add them all up, it’s the first prize!”
Seeing that everyone still didn't understand, Zhu Yunxi simply picked up a piece of paper and a pen.