The Jin army besieged the city, and the Song emperor’s daughter died

The Xiaochao meeting regarding the construction of the Zhuxian Town Military Industrial Zone was finally recognized by all the participating ministers.

It was not due to top-down pressure from Zhao Fujin as an official of the Song Dynasty, but everyone felt that this matter was feasible.

The investment is not big now, but the return will be huge in the future.

Not to mention other rewards, if the military industry controlled by the imperial court could take shape and complete the firearms transformation of the Song Dynasty's army, it would directly solve the core conflict at the military level of the Song Dynasty for hundreds of years: the growing imperial power against the central government. The contradiction between the need for military centralization and the Song Dynasty's generals' lack of command authority on the battlefield led to the lack of combat power and the mutual encirclement of the armies.

Of course, this is just what these ministers think.

Only Zhao Fujin knew that this solution was only superficial.

Unless communication technology and land and water transportation can also develop explosively, it will still not be cured.

But on this issue, Zhao Fujin felt that she might not be able to do it in her lifetime.

Humming "Borrow from Heaven for Another 500 Years", Zhao Fujin returned to the imperial study.

Li Gang and Cai Wei accompanied him.

These two people were left behind after the Umrah meeting.

Zhao Fujin wants to talk to them about money!

Talking about money hurts feelings, but not talking about it hurts more than just feelings.

From the time he came to the throne to the present, Zhao Fujin has been busy dealing with the military pressure of the Jin Kingdom. She has spent almost all her energy on winning the Kaifeng Defense War and how to build a new order in East Asia after the victory. Regarding the finances of the Song Dynasty, she really Never asked.

Because in Zhao Fujin's opinion, the Song Dynasty was not short of money.

But at the Umrah meeting just now, these two people seemed extremely sensitive to the issue of money.

This is obviously not what a wealthy family should look like, so Zhao Fujin felt that it was time to understand his true family background.

"Back to the official family, during the Jingkang period, the expenses were huge. The national treasury could not make ends meet, but there was not much left. The little wealth that the Supreme Emperor had saved was almost spent." This is Li Gang's rhetoric.

Does Emperor Daojun still have a family?

This surprised Zhao Fujin.

But if you think about it carefully, if there was no Jingkang crisis, during the reign of Emperor Daojun, the national power of the Song Dynasty had indeed reached the peak of the Song Dynasty. Even if later generations think it is only a peak on paper, it is true that there is water, but it will not go far. .

In particular, Cai Jing's coinage method caused private wealth to shrink by 60%.

Where did the money go?
Of course it fell into the court's pocket.

So in a sense, there were two people in the Song Dynasty who were engaged in business to make money for the country.

One is Wang Anshi and the other is Cai Jing.

It's just that the former only wants to make money for the court, while the latter, while making money for the court, also doesn't forget to make some money for himself.

The final result is: Wei Guangzheng, who eats meat, has been scolded for thousands of years, who drinks soup, and Wang Anshi... it's hard to describe in one sentence!

The people at the bottom have never understood this truth, nor do they want to understand it, but as the emperor of the Song Dynasty, how could Zhao Fujin not understand these truths.

Compared with Li Gang, Cai Wei seemed to be under greater pressure: "The official family and the Banking Department did not have much money left. First, the eighty-mile city wall reinforcement project in Kaifeng only lost money but did not make any profit. The Song Academy of Sciences purchased the money It’s even more huge, and King Kang’s ship in Hangzhou also cost a lot of money. The only profit made by the Silver Money Department now is Chen Dong’s "Da Song Daily", and the profit is limited. "

Seeing Cai Wei complaining, Zhao Fujin could understand.

The city wall reinforcement project is indeed a lose-lose business, and the ship research in Hangzhou has just begun.

"Guanjia, you must have remembered that part of the money in the Bank and Money Department is Song Dynasty national debt, with a three-year interest rate of [-]%. It has been a year and a half now. In another year and a half, red interest will have to be paid."

"Let's not talk about this first, Prime Minister Li, can you tell me where all the money from the imperial court was spent?" Zhao Fujin felt that she had to check the accounts!
Of course, this is not a distrust of Li Gang, the leader, but Zhao Fujin feels that now that the biggest external problem of the Jin Kingdom has been solved, it is time to care about the internal problems.

As the head of the Song Dynasty, I must know the general expenses.

And Li Gang was worthy of being a conscientious and conscientious general manager of the Song Dynasty. He also carried things like the imperial financial reports that others might ask about at any time.

Seeing Zhao Fujin asking, he immediately took out a summary ledger and wanted to read it to Zhao Fujin.

After reading a few words, Zhao Fujin interrupted: "Send it over and let me see for myself."

The summary general ledger is not a detailed account. It just records the general categories and the total amount spent in each category. The purpose is to make it clear at a glance and to know the approximate amount spent in each category. If you think there is a problem with any category, you need to find out. Only then will there be more detailed ledgers for review.

The major categories of imperial court expenditures are nothing more than official salaries, military expenditures, internal affairs expenditures, and people's livelihood expenditures.

Zhao Fujin glanced at it, and one of the items caught her attention: "Is the cost of people's livelihood so high? In the first year of Jingkang, there were no major disasters, right?"

In Zhao Fujin's opinion, most of the expenditure on people's livelihood was used for disaster relief. Since she came to the throne, there have been no natural disasters such as floods and droughts in the Song Dynasty. However, although the expenditure on people's livelihood is not as good as military expenditure and official salary expenditure, It is not much different from the internal affairs expenditure.

This is a bit exaggerated, and it is completely different from her perception of high-paying officials in the Song Dynasty.

Li Gang cleared his throat: "In the official family, people's livelihood is a priority. This has always been the case since Emperor Renzong."

"This has always been the case?" Zhao Fujin wondered. In other words, since Renzong ascended the throne, the court's expenditure on people's livelihood has been so huge in these years?
"Well, after the official ascended the throne, I have always wanted to find a time to explain the government's expenditures to the official, so that the official can be aware of it. However, due to the constant invasion of the Jin people, I have never been able to find a suitable time. Now that the foreign troubles are over, and the officials happen to ask about it again, I will talk to the officials."

Zhao Fujin lowered his head and looked at the account book again. He saw that military expenditures and official salary expenditures were not much different from those verified by later generations. He raised his head and returned the book: "Well, I have nothing to do today, so I will listen to what Li Xiangguo has to say. Come, serve some tea."

Serve tea!

This is very interesting.

Li Gang discussed matters in the imperial study room not once or twice, but this was the first time he was offered tea by an official. This was obviously not because the official was happy, but because the official was ready to get to the bottom of things and have a good chat.

"Military expenditures..." Li Gang took the tea handed to him by the chamberlain and prepared to discuss each item in detail with the officials, but Zhao Fujin interrupted: "Needless to say the rest, I have heard some of them. Just talk about people’s livelihood.”

Li Gang nodded: "When poor women are pregnant, the imperial court will distribute some relief money according to the situation to prevent them from being unable to give birth. During the ten-month pregnancy period, three to four times a month will be given. In the first year of Jingkang, there were [-] pregnant women in Kaifeng City alone." More than a thousand, of which more than [-] are in need of relief..."

"Wait a minute." Zhao Fujin tried his best to recall that this measure of the imperial court seemed to have been initiated by King Kang Zhao Gou.

It seems to be called the "Prenatal Care and Midwifery Order". Why is there such an expense now?
"Back at the official house, I have never heard of any order on fetal support and midwifery, but this matter has been around since Renzong. It is based on the crime of abandoning an infant in the "Song Xingtong". Renzong felt that the punishment could not be punished. It was necessary to solve the problem from the root cause, and then the matter started, and then it stopped for a while, but during the Zhenghe period, the Supreme Emperor resumed the matter and never stopped it."

Zhao Fujin thought about it and probably figured it out: Although this expenditure had not been made into a court decree before, it had been implemented. After Zhao Gou ascended the throne, it became a law.

"Continue!" Zhao Fujin took a sip of tea and raised his hand.

"Another major expense is the expense of nursing homes. For widowers and elderly people over 60 years old, each person needs ten coins per day, one liter of rice, and two sets of summer and winter clothes each year. Since the war in the first year of Jingkang, the number of such elderly people has increased sharply. , there are more than [-] people enthroned in Kaifeng City. If the officials check the detailed number, they will report back the details."

Zhao Fujin shook his head: "That's not necessary. I know about the nursing home. It's just that these old people who lost their children due to the war don't receive pensions?"

"Lead, pensions and pensions are included in military expenses."

"Well, then the expenses for these 4 people are not too big? But why..."

"When I return to the official family, in addition to the daily rice and money for each person, there is also the labor cost for the care in the nursing home. The maintenance expenses of the nursing home. There are more than [-] nursing homes in Kaifeng."

Zhao Fujin pinched his eyebrows and motioned for Li Gang to continue.

Li Gang turned a page and continued: "The expenses of Anjifang are not small. In addition to the wages of more than 4000 men, there are also price differential subsidies for purchasing medicinal materials. A huge amount of medicinal materials are consumed every year, and the cost of medical consultations also requires court subsidies. .”

Seeing Zhao Fujin's frown, Li Gang paused: "Many ministers have expressed their opinions on this expenditure of the imperial court, but the officials also think it is inappropriate?"

Zhao Fujin sighed softly and said: "There is indeed something wrong, but... let's keep it under control for the time being."

Li Gang was about to continue explaining when Zhao Fujin suddenly said: "In this case, let's go back and ask where the medicinal materials needed by Anji Fang are purchased. If the required medicinal materials are purchased from the Kingdom of Jin, we will purchase them there in the future. On the one hand, we support merchants and soldiers, on the other hand, the price over there should be lower.”

"I understand!" Li Gang then went on to talk about the cost of a cemetery like Zeyuan. In addition to providing the cemetery for free, the court also provided eminent monks and abbots for burial. This was an extraordinary practice, and even the tombstone had to be erected by the court...

Zhao Fujin thought of the "Elizabeth Treatment Method" that later generations of Western scholars boasted about, saying that it was the bud of social civilization. Zhao Fujin couldn't help but find it ridiculous.

My Song Dynasty is 600 years earlier than yours!

In addition, in order to solve the problem of children not being able to follow their parents and the lower-class labor force having no fixed place to live, the court also has to subsidize a lot of money every year for Kaifeng's low-rent housing, as well as the entrance fee for each school age group. When all these money is calculated, Not much.

Zhao Fujin finally understood why during the Jingkang Incident, the people of Kaifeng blocked the road and cried bitterly. Even if their fingers were cut off by Fan Qiong, the traitor, they threw themselves on the cars and refused to leave.

When the second emperor was detained in Qingcheng, why did the people of Kaifeng not even celebrate the Lantern Festival? They gathered outside Nanxun Gate, eagerly looking forward to the safe return of the second emperor.

You can call them weak, manipulative, artists, brain-twitching...

But you have to admit that the people of Kaifeng loved them at that time.

Life, old age, illness, death, education and housing are all arranged clearly and clearly for you. It's hard not to love it for ordinary people who live in it.

While listening, Zhao Fujin frowned and thought: "We have to find a way to get some money. In order to support such social welfare, we also need to complete the transformation of firearms and unite the East Asian forces to go south and go to sea. Without money, it is impossible!"

Although the crackdown on the Caogang Gang had long ago led Li Bangyan to start tax reform, transforming from land taxation to commercial taxation, this is a long-term project. Business cannot develop rapidly, and it is difficult to significantly increase taxation in a short period of time. increase.

You can't just create a name by chance and rob it openly, right?
In addition to taxation, the Song Dynasty court also had another way to increase revenue, and that was the monopoly system.

In the past, there was only wine, but later under Cai Jing's restructuring, tea salt was added.

Zhao Fujin took this into consideration when she conceived the Zhuxian Town Military Industrial Zone. However, in her conception, if the domestic market of the Song Dynasty wanted to prosper in a short period of time, the best way was to cancel the franchise and maximize the Let private businessmen participate.

Social perception is very important, and businessmen will only be willing to invest money in businesses that they think can make money.

Tea, salt, and even wine are undoubtedly the most profitable businesses for merchants in the Song Dynasty.

Therefore, no amount of money can be deducted from the tea, salt, and wine for the imperial government. Not only cannot it be deducted, but this income may also be lost in a short period of time.

"So, can the first installment of Zhuxian Town be allocated?" Zhao Fujin asked.

Li Gang and Cai Ji looked at each other and said, "If it's just the first tranche of land discount, we can chip in and it should be no problem."

"That's OK." Zhao Fujin breathed a sigh of relief: "Mr. Li, after you go down, discuss with Mr. Sima to educate the people of Zhuxian Town. Don't let me make trouble about the land acquisition. What kind of civil uprising?"

Li Gang nodded: "I will go to Sima Xianggong to discuss it soon, but... the officials must have a clear understanding of the empty treasury."

Zhao Fujin hummed: "Li Xiangguo doesn't need to worry too much. Let me think about it and I should be able to find a solution."

After Zhao Fujiang finished speaking, Cai Chi said: "The officials and ministers have a method. I wonder if it is feasible?"

Zhao Fujin raised his eyes and glanced at him: "Do you want to let go of the national debt?"

Cai Ji was stunned: "What do the officials think?"

Zhao Fujin sighed softly: "You must know the reason why the national debt was not allowed to be released before and only officials were allowed to buy it. Now if it is suddenly released without any reason, do you think the people will think that the court is out of money again? If they hesitate, no matter whether they buy it in the end or not, it will be harmful rather than helpful to the Song Dynasty’s national debt.”

Cai Chi didn't quite understand what the official meant.

Zhao Fujin was too lazy to give him an in-depth explanation: "If you want to sell national debt, it must be robbed as soon as you release it. Otherwise, you would rather not sell it! Now is not the time to let go. The best time is to pay five bills on time in the future." The time of great interest."

Before the two of them could speak again, Zhao Fujin waved his hand: "You guys should step aside first, I'm a little tired. You don't have to worry about the court's financial affairs for now. Concentrate on making Zhuxian Town smooth. Money matters, I'm not here for a few days." God will think it over carefully."

After the two people left, Zhao Fujin leaned back and sighed: "If you can travel through time in the next life, you will definitely not be the emperor! This job is simply not something humans can do!"

As he spoke, he took out the small mirror he carried with him, smoothed his forehead, and rubbed his pretty face several times: "My skin has gotten worse. I have to take good care of it these days. "(End of chapter)