Lao Liu and Lao Liu have been thinking about how to save Daming?
Some people may think that things that will happen more than two hundred years later are beyond their reach, and they can't control that far if they want to.
But in fact, it can be managed, because of four words - the ancestors established the law.
The scholar-bureaucrats of the Ming Dynasty used these four words to drive the emperors of later generations to piss. The heirs could only dance in shackles within the rules set by Emperor Hongwu, and it was difficult to cross the thunder pool even half a step.
The simplest example is still four words - an iron ticket to avoid death.
This thing is not easy to use at Boss Zhu's place, and it has no life-saving effect at all.
But when it comes to later generations of emperors, it will be awesome. It can really avoid death. With this thing, for more than two hundred years, the unscrupulous descendants of nobles have never been beheaded for their misbehavior.
Because this thing was invented by the emperor's ancestors. Later emperors cannot openly violate the will of their ancestors. That is the source of his power and the legitimacy of his rule. Who dares to make such a joke?
Incidentally, Boss Zhu is also a setting maniac. He has set countless rules and regulations for his descendants, subjects, court, and army. It is no exaggeration to say that the Ming Dynasty basically operated within the framework he set for more than two hundred years.
.
This set of ancestral laws cannot be said to be unsuccessful, because it allowed the Ming Dynasty to operate smoothly for more than two hundred years. But it was bad, and it was really bad. Various shortcomings of the Ming Dynasty in the future, and even the reasons for the country's collapse, basically came from this.
If you prosper by this, you will perish by it. It is really suitable to apply it to the Ming Dynasty and this set of ancestral laws.
But now, Boss Zhu has not written his "Huang Ming Ancestor Instructions", and the ancestral law has not yet been formed. At this time, try to push Boss Zhu to formulate a more reasonable legal system, abolish those bad policies that have caused endless harm, and make the ancestral law
Becoming more reasonable is what the master and apprentice should do most right now.
~~
"Of course, let the Ministry of Household Affairs truly be in charge of the country's money and grain revenue and expenditure." So, Lao Liu said without hesitation: "The tax revenue of various states and counties must be handed over to the court in full, and uniformly distributed by the central government. The two lines of revenue and expenditure must be strictly enforced. No sitting is allowed.
It’s time to make ends meet.”
"This requires a lot of action..." The prince pondered for a while and said with a wry smile: "This is beyond my ability, and my father has always been very proud of the system he formulated to provide supplies nearby without disturbing the people.
Even nine oxen can't bring him back from what he believes in."
"Actually, there is a way. I have raised cattle and I know that if you follow it, it will obey you." Zhu Zhen gave Zhu Biao an idea.
"You brat, what do you mean by your father? Is he just like a cow?" The prince hit him on the head and laughed. "It seems to be pretty much the same. Okay, continue talking."
"My father abolished the provinces and divided the power into three divisions. To be honest, it was to strengthen the centralization of power, right?" Lao Liu asked.
"Yes." The prince nodded.
"Then my father will not be disgusted with any method of centralizing financial power, right?" Lao Liu asked again.
"Yes." The prince continued to nod. "No."
"Then why not take advantage of this local power reorganization to send Household Department officials to the local areas and directly take over the local government warehouses and treasury?" Lao Liu continued:
"Of course, it is too unrealistic to directly take over the warehousing at the county level. We can make a compromise first and transfer the tax and grain from the county to the province. In this way, the Ministry of Household Affairs only needs to send twelve working groups to achieve direct management by the central government.
Warehousing in all provinces.”
"Yeah." The prince's eyes lit up and he asked: "You just said that there are two lines of income and expenditure. Now that I know the income, how should I spend it?"
"The memorial system." Lao Liu said solemnly: "Didn't my father set up the Chief Envoy Department to manage the finances of each province? They will be responsible for reporting to the Ministry of Household Affairs."
"Report?" The prince felt like a primary school student who had been opened to a new world.
"That is to report the expenses to the imperial court. After the imperial court reviews them, the corresponding amount will be written off from the accounts of each province." Zhu Zhen explained:
"Daily expenses can be reported on an annual basis, with a budget at the beginning of the year and final accounts at the end of the year. If there is war or major construction, expenditures can also be reported as the situation arises. This is not troublesome, and you can understand the actual financial situation of each province, and then make decisions between provinces.
When there is surplus and there is shortage, we should move slowly and urgently to maintain the balance of the country's overall finance."
"If it works, then the financial power of each province will also be controlled by the imperial court," the prince said excitedly: "The financial resources that the imperial court can mobilize will be ten times what they are now!"
"That's right." Zhu Zhen asked with a smile: "Brother, do you think this will be a big temptation for your father?"
"Big, it's too big." The prince nodded heavily and said, "And just improve on the existing system. There is no need to tear it down and start over! It will be much easier for my father to accept it."
"Of course." Zhu Zhen smiled and nodded.
The fiscal revenue of the Ming Dynasty was originally quite large, especially after the Longqing Switch, two-thirds of the world's silver poured into the Ming Dynasty. Unfortunately, it could not be used by the central government. After the three major levies emptied the national treasury, there was no money to build slaves.
.
Because there was no unified financial system, the imperial court could not allocate surplus funds among provinces to relieve deficiencies. It could only squeeze the northern farmers blindly, and was overthrown by the peasant uprising.
In fact, Zhu Zhen's system of memorial sales was forced out in the last years of Chongzhen. If this system is implemented, a unified financial system can be established. The court can use as much money as it wants, and it can kill a wild boar skin.
It's a pity that the state machine was already rotten at that time. Before this system could take effect, the Ming Dynasty collapsed. As a result, the Manchus and Qing Dynasties were advantaged, allowing them to rule the huge China with a very small population...
In any case, establishing a unified financial system is the only way for a country to become strong. The memorial method is at least two hundred years more advanced than his father's nearly non-existent financial system, and it will not adapt to the local environment.
So Zhu Zhen strongly recommended Liu Bowen to his elder brother.
~~
The two brothers chatted about this for a long time, until the harem was about to close, and the prince reluctantly sent him back.
"Come and chat more when you have time in the future. When the conversation is thorough, we brothers will report to our father together." Zhu Biao said, holding his hand affectionately.
"Well, it's better for the eldest brother to tell the father himself." Zhu Zhen said very self-awarely: "I cheated with the father, and I had to be beaten for talking about it. It's better for the eldest brother to tell it himself."
"Oh, my father doesn't say it, but he actually appreciates you." Zhu Biao sighed and wanted to touch his head, but found that his brother had already reached his shoulders, and it was no longer appropriate to touch his head. So he patted him instead.
Shoulder Road:
"Lao Liu, you have really grown up and made so much progress. Big brother can't wait for you to become a disciple."
As he spoke, he lowered his voice and said: "My father is going to let me handle the affairs of the country. Brother, I feel really unsure. If you help me, I will feel much more at ease."
"Brother, don't have too high hopes. I'm just talking. If I really work, I'm afraid it will only cause trouble for you." Zhu Zhen is very self-aware.
"It's okay, I want to learn, and you should learn too. With your intelligence, you can definitely learn it." The prince said with confidence.
