Li Mu glanced around and whispered: "Your Majesty, can you give me a seat? I have been standing for too long and my feet are a little numb..."
"You are really..." Li Shimin had never heard such a request from a minister. He was so angry that he wanted to laugh, but he still said: "High-ranking officials, give him a golden pier!"
"No." Eunuch Gao agreed and brought a brocade pier to Li Mu. Li Mu thanked him and sat down. After getting along with Li Shimin for a long time, Li Mu gradually understood his temper. This boss is a pragmatist.
As long as the person can do something for him or is of value, he will be tolerant of being a little more arrogant in front of him.
Undoubtedly, Li Mu is a person who is both capable and useful. Wouldn't he be a fool if he didn't seek some convenience while Li Shimin was using him?
"Your Majesty, have you read the memorial?"
"I saw it." Li Shimin nodded and said: "I can trust you on the reform of the Ministry of Industry. I have already forwarded it to Li Daliang and asked him to follow your instructions. As for the new mining policy and the coal land replacement law, I am very concerned about it.
I appreciate it, and I think it's feasible, but I don't understand the rest of what you mean. How can running a country be regarded as a business? If it were spread, how would the world evaluate me?"
"Your Majesty, why not?" Li Mu said: "I will give you an example, let's talk about the racecourse. I came up with the idea of the racecourse, Uncle Cheng is doing the work, and the land belongs to your Majesty. Therefore,
, all three of us have a share. The net profit earned every month will be divided among the three of us."
"The same goes for the new mineral policy. There is no royal land within the four seas. In other words, all the mineral deposits in the world belong to Your Majesty. The ores buried in the earth are just like the land of the horse farm. They are His Majesty's share in this business.
As for the local aristocratic families, like Uncle Cheng, they are the actual implementers. They also have their share, and the profits are divided in proportion, just like the racecourse. Isn't it very simple to think like this? In fact, it is not practical.
Elevated to the level of an important matter for the family and the country, it is just a transaction, but this transaction is a bit big and the profit is a bit high."
Li Shimin understood what Li Mu said, but he still hesitated and said: "But if I really do this, like Wei Zheng, they will definitely say that I compete with the people for profit, and everyone in the world is talking about it. How can I explain to them?"
The clear?"
"Your Majesty is on to something. In this matter, the Imperial Court and His Majesty must not come forward directly. Instead, it is necessary to set up an organization spontaneously formed by the people to connect with the Imperial Court. Because this organization is formed by the private sector, it prevents His Majesty and the Imperial Court from being harmed by others.
Criticism. Moreover, the formation of this organization can also facilitate the unified management of those who have contracted the mineral deposits. It can be said to kill two birds with one stone."
"Oh?" Li Shimin understood. Li Mu was looking for a job for himself. He thought for a moment and said, "Then who will manage this organization?"
Li Mu said sternly: "It must be someone who is proficient in this and is not a court official to mediate, so that both parties can be convinced."
"This person must be you, Aiqing?"
Li Mu laughed naively and said, "How dare I not share your Majesty's worries? I will definitely help Your Majesty handle this matter properly."
"Hmph!" Li Shimin sneered and said, "Li Mu, I don't know what to believe in your words now. You said yesterday that it wasn't a plan, but now why do I think you still did it?"
Li Mu explained seriously: "Your Majesty, I am just good at adapting. Things have changed, so I can't give up. Of course, I should change when things change and try to make things develop in the best direction. Your Majesty, can I do this?
Is it wrong?"
"That's right..." Li Shimin thought for a moment and said, "I don't quite understand what you said. What I want to know is, if I agree to you, what will be the result?"
"Your Majesty, along with the minerals, next year I can bring you a surplus of three million dollars."
“What if we can’t achieve it?”
"I dare to issue a military order. If I fail to achieve it, I will make up for it for Your Majesty."
"Okay!" That's what Li Shimin was waiting for. He didn't care what Li Mu did, he just wanted the results. When Li Mu proposed mineral recycling to the imperial court, he had made a calculation and said that the New Deal was implemented well.
Coal and stone alone can generate an annual income of 2.5 million guan. Now that Shandong provinces are excluded, and this is the first year of implementation, if there is a surplus of 3 million guan, it will be a very good situation. Much more
Having these three million guns is equivalent to having 10,000 more fully armed cavalry. Now that the four sides are uncertain, having these 10,000 more cavalry will give us three points more certainty in the battle.
"How do you need me to cooperate with you?"
"Your Majesty only needs to issue a decree for the Ministry of Civil Affairs to set up a Mining Taxation Department and send more accountants. I will take care of other things on my own."
"Okay, I will issue the decree according to your wishes. I hope you will not disappoint my expectations."
Li Mu quickly thanked him. Li Shimin picked up his pen to write the imperial edict. Seeing that Li Mu hadn't left yet, he asked, "Aren't you finished?"
"Uh..." Li Mu cleared his throat and asked, "Your Majesty, I have a question. I don't know whether to ask it or not."
"You've already opened your mouth to ask whether it's right or not, how can I not let you ask? Ask!"
"How much money does His Majesty have now?"
Li Shimin threw the pen on the case, glared at Li Mu, and said, "You still want to ask me for money? I told you, I have no money!"
"Your Majesty has misunderstood." Li Mu quickly apologized and said: "What I mean is that even one sheep is being driven, and two sheep are being herded. If Your Majesty doesn't mind it, I will also help His Majesty's internal funds to be comfortable..."
Li Shimin was a little moved when he heard this. Since he came to the throne, his internal funds have been empty, and he has to support Li Yuan, an old man who harms money, so that the concubines in the palace are very poor, otherwise he would not have the idea of taking a horse farm.
Li Shimin didn't say anything, but felt a little ashamed in his heart. He saw Li Mu's ability to make money. If he could really help, it would be a great thing. After all, no matter how full the treasury is, it will still be under the control of the Ministry of Household Affairs.
As an emperor, he was always embarrassed to ask his ministers for money frequently.
However, Li Shimin still did not agree rashly. Instead, he was very vigilant and asked: "Are you trying to harm the public and enrich your own private life by dragging me into the gang? If so, I will not agree!"
"Your Majesty, how could I be such a person? Is it necessary for me to make money by harming the public and enriching my private life?" Li Mu's words were a bit arrogant, but Li Shimin was relieved. Since Li Mu dared to boast about Haikou, he must have had a plan in mind.
.
Sure enough, Li Mu then said: "Your Majesty, the method I think of has nothing to do with the new mining policy. What I mean is similar to the horse farm. Don't you have land and various private properties? If I can use it properly
, it is not difficult to double your income. I just don’t know where the income from internal funds came from in the past, and how much your majesty’s private property is. To put it simply, it is the capital for doing business.”
"This..." Hearing Li Mu ask about this, Li Shimin blushed a little. He was embarrassed to say it himself, and winked at Eunuch Gao. Eunuch Gao had always assisted Empress Changsun in managing the money in the palace, and Eunuch Gao was responsible for keeping records.
The account was settled, and Empress Changsun decided to spend it. Therefore, Eunuch Gao knew the most detailed about this issue.
Eunuch Gao saw Li Shimin's eyes and said: "Master Hou, the main income of internal funds comes from tribute from various places, the production of Shanze Garden, customs duties, wine tax, oral money and the annual surplus of the Ministry of Civil Affairs. It's just that
Since His Majesty came to the throne, the Ministry of Civil Affairs has not had a surplus. On the contrary, it has been supplemented by Your Majesty's internal funds, so it is stretched."
Li Mu didn't understand a bit and asked: "Eunuch Gao, I wonder what this 'mouth money' is?"
"Ah, that's what happened." Eunuch Gao explained: "Children under the age of fourteen have to pay twenty-three cash every year, twenty cash goes to the internal fund, and three cash goes to the treasury."
Li Mu was a little confused and said, "Why is this?"
"This..." Eunuch Gao seemed to have never thought about this question and found it difficult to answer. He hesitated for a long time and couldn't explain it clearly. He just said that it had been done this way in all dynasties and that the Tang Dynasty was just an old system of Chengxi.
Li Mu didn't say anything else and planned to go back and find an opportunity to inquire more.
"The annual income from internal funds, all added up, is about 2,230,000 guan. If the Ministry of Civil Affairs does not come to lend it, it is actually enough, but these years..." Eunuch Gao sighed as he spoke.
I feel a little bit at a disadvantage.
Li Mu really didn't expect that the dignified emperor could be so poor, with 2.23 million guan a year, which averages out to less than 20,000 guan per month. No wonder Li Shimin's eyes looked strange when he made a bet with Wei Zheng. It turned out to be envy and jealousy.
hatred.
Li Mu said seriously: "Your Majesty, if you give me the power to manage the internal funds, I can guarantee that by this time next year, the internal funds will be doubled."
"Seriously?" Li Shimin said seriously: "You can't harm the public and enrich yourself, can you double the internal money?"
After taking the initiative to help you, Li Mu turned his gaze aside and said, "If Your Majesty doesn't trust me, then forget it. I didn't say anything."
"Believe it!" Li Shimin said quickly. A penny stumped a heroic man, and the same was true for the emperor. Facing the temptation of money, Li Shimin could not hold back, and said: "Tomorrow, I will let Gao Gan take over the royal property."
The list will be sent to your house, and everything will be arranged by you. As long as it does not harm the public and private interests, and does not disturb the people, it is up to you to do whatever you want. I just want to see the results."
After a pause, Li Shimin said again: "I have appointed you as the internal fund orderer, with full authority over internal fund matters."
"Isn't this good?" Li Mu hesitated: "After all, I just resigned from the official position, and I also have to deal with the affairs of the mining organization. It seems inappropriate to have an official position at this time."
Li Shimin straightened his face and said: "You are a member of the clan and my nephew. Why not help me manage the internal money? No one can find fault with it, so it's settled."
OK, OK, you are the emperor and you are right, no matter what, you are always right. Li Mu remained silent and stood up to accept the order and thank him.
Suddenly he rolled his eyes and said: "Your Majesty, if according to what Your Majesty just said, it should be unfair for me to help Your Majesty manage the internal funds. Since it is not an official matter, can I ask for some favors from Your Majesty?"