Boss Zhu was resolute and resolute, and he was a data maniac. He had all the files from the previous dynasty and immediately ordered someone to take a look. It turned out that what Zhu Zhen said was true, and he even said it was missing -
In the first few decades of the Yuan Dynasty, the Yuan court's annual income, including tariffs and direct participation in maritime trade, increased year by year. By the Yuan Dynasty, it reached a maximum of three million yuan.
Then it began to decrease sharply year after year. By the early days of Emperor Yuan Shun's reign, it had shrunk to less than 300,000 guan. Then it went back to zero in the Zhizheng period...
"When the people from the Ministry of Education showed us the shipping revenue in the last few decades of the Yuan Dynasty, of course we wouldn't care." Boss Zhu finally realized that he had been fooled. He said angrily:
"So in this dynasty, we didn't pay much attention to the affairs of the Shipping Department. We couldn't collect 10,000 yuan in taxes every year, and we still attracted lawless people, colluded with Japanese pirates, spied on intelligence, and sold weapons. It was really not worth the loss, so we simply
Stop the shipping company."
"Then my father, have you ever thought about why the Shipping Company, which had always been very profitable before, stopped making money in the late Yuan Dynasty? Is it because maritime trade is no longer profitable, or is it simply that the Shipping Company cannot collect taxes?" Zhu Zhen
asked in a deep voice.
"No, there are so many things going on everywhere in the country, how can we cover everything?" Zhu Yuanzhang said sarcastically. Of course he would not admit it. It was because he was limited by his background and had no experience in this area, so he never thought about it at all.
"Then do you know what's going on?"
"Although I haven't had time to investigate, I'm sure that sea trade has always been very profitable - Shen Liu Niang said that her family became extremely rich by relying on overseas trade. And Wang Dayuan also confirmed that sea trade can be profitable.
The profit is ten times greater. And..." Zhu Zhen paused and said:
"When I was in Taicang, I saw a forest of ships laden with cargo. If maritime trade was not profitable, how could there be so many ships out to sea?"
"Well." Zhu Yuanzhang rubbed his chin and said with a thoughtful expression, "That's the truth."
"So there is only one possibility left - it is simply that the Shibo Department cannot collect taxes!" Zhu Zhen patted his chest and said: "Father, please hand over the Shibo Department to your ministers. I guarantee that the reason will be found out and the Shibo Department can be
Increase the income!"
"If you want anything here, I'll give it to you." Zhu Yuanzhang agreed immediately. Before Lao Liu could thank him, he changed the subject and said, "But as I said before, you have to earn your own money. I can't wait to wear my pants now."
I really don’t have the money to bother you.”
"Father, this is what you said. If you don't pay, any profit or loss will be mine..." When Zhu Zhen heard this, he was immediately elated. Is there such a good thing?
"No regrets!" Zhu Yuanzhang high-fived Lao Liu again.
~~
After the two men finished chatting, His Royal Highness also raised his head and said, "I've finished reading."
"Awesome..." Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the thick memorial in the prince's hand in shock and asked: "How is it? Do you feel the same way?"
"When I first read it, I really couldn't complain about it." The prince smiled bitterly and said, "But I thought that I couldn't take quotes out of context, so I decided to read the memorial before making an evaluation. When I read 16,500 words,
, finally read the key points.”
And that memorial only has a total of 17,000 words...
The prince then turned to the last five hundred words and showed them to his father. Zhu Yuanzhang saw that in the last five hundred words of the memorial, Ru Taisu had put forward five strategies, four of which were quite insightful.
"This old girl is quite knowledgeable," Boss Zhu sighed after reading it.
"Then let's skip the rest..." the prince advised.
"No need." Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand and said, "Bring him in."
After a while, the guards carried the bruised Ru Taisu into the palace.
"The guilty minister pays homage to the emperor, the prince, and His Royal Highness the King of Chu." Ru Taisu forced herself to kneel down and salute.
"That's all." Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand and personally checked his injuries. They were really serious.
"Oh, it's really hard to be a king, but it's not easy to be a minister." Zhu Yuanzhang sighed and said to Ru Taisu: "The reason why we ask for a straightforward statement is to let you say what you have to say. There are too many words, so I will listen to you. What you say
You, why do you have to make a long speech when you can clearly explain it in five hundred words?"
After a pause, he continued: "The beating of the imperial cane was in vain."
"Yes, I know I was wrong." Ru Taisu also said with a look of remorse: "It's a long speech that is harmful to others and yourself."
When Zhu Zhen saw this, he thought to himself that it seemed that civil servants in this era were not yet proud of the imperial staff. He remembered that in later generations, if anyone received the imperial staff, they would become famous all over the world in an instant.
Alas, I don’t know when that bad trend started.
"From now on," Zhu Yuanzhang became serious again and announced the edict: "All official documents and memorials must be concise and concise. The prince asked Zhongshu to write an edict to stipulate the format and word count of future suggestions. All civil and military affairs must be implemented effectively.
Violators will be severely punished!"
"Yes, father." The prince responded solemnly.
~~
After coming out of Wuying Hall, the prince accompanied Lao Liu to pay his respects to his mother.
As the prince walked away, he asked Lao Liu: "Just now I heard you told my father that if you want to reopen the shipping company, you also need to find out the reason for the meager income of the shipping company?"
"Yes." Zhu Zhen nodded and said, "Anyway, I just mentioned it first. You still have to listen to big brother when to do it."
"You have to be careful about this matter." The prince reached out his hand to brush off the dust on his shoulder and said, "I didn't pay much attention to the affairs of Shibo Division before. I only heard some rumors."
"What rumors?" Zhu Zhen asked hurriedly.
"Back then, Zhang Shicheng was separatist in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and the most powerful maritime merchant group was in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. They supported Zhang Shicheng for a long time, which made my father very disgusted." The prince said slowly.
"Didn't you say that those who support Zhang Shicheng are the landlords in Jiangsu and Zhejiang?" Zhu Zhen asked in confusion at first, and then suddenly said: "Is it the same thing?"
"I heard that it is like this." The prince nodded and said: "The Yuan Dynasty's control over Jiangnan was very weak. Basically, each region was autonomous, and the Yuan Dynasty people were only responsible for collecting taxes.
"This has created a self-interested gentry class in Jiangsu and Zhejiang that integrates officials and businessmen. They either seek official positions to protect themselves after making a fortune through maritime trade, or after obtaining official positions, they turn to overseas trade. Then after making a fortune through overseas trade, they
He will also purchase land and property in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. So, the two are the same thing."
As he spoke, the prince looked at Zhu Zhen worriedly and said: "Moreover, as soon as the ship went to sea, it was out of the jurisdiction of the imperial court. They have been sailing overseas for a long time and had conflicts with pirates, Japanese pirates, and foreign countries, making these wealthy merchants lawless and acting without scruples.
.If you want to compete with them for jobs, you have to prepare for the worst."
"I remember, brother." Lao Liu nodded heavily.
"Besides, I can't really let you start from scratch." The prince smiled and said: "I will give you 20,000 yuan as capital. If you make a profit, you will pay me back with interest. If you lose, just pay it..."
