sovbooks Chapter 14 The national treasury is currently empty; even gods are worried about money!
Chapter 14 The national treasury is currently empty; even gods are worried about money!
Three hundred thousand taels!
When this number was uttered tremblingly from the mouth of the Minister of Revenue...
On the Meridian Gate tower,
The atmosphere, which had just been somewhat relaxed due to the execution of the treacherous official, instantly froze.
The corrupt official who confiscated more than 20 million taels of silver had such a small amount of money left in the national treasury after filling the hole.
This vast Ming Dynasty was poorer than a beggar!
"Three hundred thousand taels?"
Minister of War Yang Bo was the first to jump up. He was a rough man who spoke without thinking, and he was so anxious that his face turned red.
"What can 300,000 taels do? The military pay for the hundreds of thousands of troops in the nine northern garrisons has been delayed for almost half a year. If it is not paid soon, the people below will mutini!"
General Yu Dayou in the south has just won a battle, and General Qi Jiguang wants to build a new navy. Warships and cannons—everything costs money! Three hundred thousand taels of silver isn't even enough to buy the soldiers new uniforms!
As soon as Yang Bo made his fuss, the ministers from the other departments also gathered around and began to plead poverty.
The Ministry of Works said that the Yellow River was about to breach its banks again, and the funds for repairs had not yet been secured.
The Ministry of Personnel said that the salaries of officials in various regions were also in arrears, and if they were not paid soon, they would all run away.
The Ministry of Rites said that the Empress Dowager's birthday celebration is coming soon, and the expenses for the celebrations...
Before he could finish speaking, he was silenced by a murderous glare from Zhu Di.
"A celebration? Celebrate your mother's celebration!"
Zhu Di kicked over the chair next to him and pointed at the group of ministers who were complaining bitterly, cursing them.
"All they know how to do is ask for money! Where's the money? Where did it all go? It was all embezzled by parasites like Yan Song! Now they realize they're broke? What were they doing all this time?!"
The officials were thoroughly berated and dared not utter a sound.
Indeed, even a skilled cook cannot make a meal without rice.
Now that Yan Song's largest granary has been confiscated, the rice inside has already been pre-ordered.
The Ming Dynasty remained an empty shell.
How are we going to clean up this mess?
All eyes were on Zhu Zaiyi, the eldest grandson of the regent, who had remained seated in his chair the entire time without any change in expression.
In their view, since this prince has divine abilities, it shouldn't be too difficult for him to conjure up some gold and silver treasures, right?
Zhu Zaiyi felt the gazes of everyone. He put down his teacup and spoke calmly.
"Yan Song's fortune was just an appetizer."
His words immediately invigorated everyone.
Could it be... that His Highness truly possesses the ability to conjure soldiers from beans and turn stones into gold?
Zhu Zaiyi looked at their expectant eyes and found it somewhat amusing.
Cultivators don't conjure money out of thin air. The "Human Emperor's World-Suppressing Scripture" he cultivates emphasizes the destiny of humanity and the prosperity of the entire nation.
When a nation is wealthy, its people are strong; when its people are strong, the nation prospers; when the nation prospers, others make progress.
Killing Yan Song was merely removing a poisonous weed.
To get crops back on this land, we still need to sow seeds, fertilize, and water them.
"The money is right here in this Ming Dynasty, it's just that you don't know how to take it."
Zhu Zaiyi stood up, walked to the edge of the city wall, and looked down at the crowd that had not yet dispersed below, as well as the vast land in the distance.
"I have three ways to make the national treasury's silver reserves exceed Yan Song's personal wealth within a year."
These words shocked everyone present.
The national treasury revenue exceeded 20 million taels in a single year? How is that possible! You must know that the highest fiscal revenue of the Ming Dynasty was only a little over 10 million taels a year.
Xu Jie was the first to step forward, bowing and asking, "Please enlighten me, Your Highness!"
Zhu Zai Rui extended his first finger.
"Firstly, we should conduct a nationwide land survey and implement the 'Single Whip Law.' All land taxes, corvée labor, and miscellaneous taxes should be consolidated into one, converted into silver, and levied according to the size of the land. In this way, we can prevent local officials from adding layers of taxation and powerful landlords from concealing their land holdings. The national treasury's revenue could at least double!"
"hiss--"
Xu Jie gasped.
He had considered this method before, but the resistance was too great!
Investigating the land ownership is tantamount to going against all the gentry and landlords in the land, which is like stirring up a hornet's nest!
Zhu Zaiyi ignored his shock and extended his second finger.
"Secondly, abolish the maritime ban and reopen the Maritime Trade Offices in Guangzhou, Quanzhou, and Ningbo. All merchant ships going to sea must register and pay taxes. All foreign goods entering the port will be subject to a levy based on their value. Our Great Ming's silk, porcelain, and tea are all hard currencies overseas, more valuable than gold. Once this market is opened, the customs duties alone will increase the national treasury by several million taels annually!"
The officials were terrified upon hearing this.
Lifting the sea ban?
This was a national policy established by the founding emperor!
Although smuggling is rampant now and the maritime ban is practically nonexistent, to openly abolish it... this is contrary to ancestral rules!
Zhu Zai-rui extended his third finger.
"Thirdly, based on the ten million taels of gold and silver seized this time, the Ministry of Revenue should issue new 'Great Ming Treasure Notes.' The new notes are pegged to silver and can be exchanged at government banks at any time. On this basis, the monetary system of the whole country should be reformed and weights and measures standardized. When trade routes are open, all industries will prosper."
When these three methods were mentioned, everyone on the city tower, except for Zhu Di, was so shocked that they were speechless.
Land survey, lifting of maritime ban, and currency reform.
Each of these three points is a groundbreaking policy that could change the very foundation of the nation!
How could a young man who had just assumed the regency think he could accomplish all three major tasks within a year?
Has he gone mad?
Several rigid-minded old ministers immediately knelt down, earnestly admonishing, "Your Highness, you mustn't! The 'Single Whip Law' is an act of enmity against the gentry of the realm! The 'Opening of the Sea Ban' is even more contrary to the ancestral rules of the Taizu Emperor! As for the paper money... the paper money of our Great Ming Dynasty has already lost its credibility, and the people regard it as worthless paper. If it is reissued, I fear no one will use it!"
Zhu Di, who was listening from the side, grew impatient and kicked him directly.
"Bullshit!"
He pointed at the old official's nose and cursed, "Who are the people? Are those bloated gentry and landlords the people, or are the millions of poor people in the world who can't even get enough to eat the people?"
"Ancestral rules? If the founding emperor were alive and saw the state of the Ming Dynasty in this state, the first thing he would do is skin you useless cowards who only know how to cling to ancestral rules for food, and stuff you all with straw!"
After finishing his tirade, he turned to Zhu Zaiyi and said in a gruff voice, "Zaiyi, don't worry about them. Do whatever you want! Anyone who dares to disobey, I'll personally go to their house and have a chat with them about what 'ancestral rules' really mean!"
With Zhu Di, this great deity, backing them up, who would dare to oppose them?
Zhu Zaiyi completely ignored the dissenting voices; he simply looked at Xu Jie and Gao Gong.
"The Cabinet shall produce a plan for the implementation of these three policies within three days."
"The Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Works, and the Ministry of War will fully cooperate."
"Anyone who disobeys will be punished in the same way as the Yan Party and traitors."
He issued an order, not a discussion.
Xu Jie and Gao Gong exchanged a glance, both seeing excitement and determination in each other's eyes!
The two men immediately knelt down to receive the decree: "Your subjects obey!"
Zhu Zaiyi nodded, shifting his gaze from the city tower to the distant southeast.
A subtle, unnoticed smile curved the corners of his lips.
Money needs to come in, and new policies need to be implemented, but first a stable environment is required.
"If we want the money, we need to let the outside world know that the things of the Ming Dynasty are not so easy to take."