Jiajing Chengming

Chapter 300: Commercial taxes have increased significantly after the reform, congratulations to Your Majesty!

After hearing what Zhu Houcong said, the ministers Fei Hong and Wang Qiong in the Imperial Study were both stunned for a while.

Naturally, they could understand from Zhu Houcong's intention that the emperor in front of them had great ambitions!
It goes without saying that having the names of founding heroes such as the King of Zhongshan on warships has the significance of continuing to spread the achievements of the King of Zhongshan.

The key point is that this also means that the emperor hopes that people today can also achieve the same feats as the King of Zhongshan and others.

But what kind of achievements are worthy of those of the King of Zhongshan and others?

Or it could be a northern expedition like Huo Qubing's conquest of the Wolf's Lair.

Or he could march south to conquer Annan like Zhang Fu did.

Wang Qiong's heart couldn't help but pound.

He is a man who likes fame and success.

The more enterprising the emperor was, the happier he was.

Because he knows that he will also go further in achieving success.

Fei Hong was a little afraid, fearing that His Majesty would turn into the second Emperor Zhengde.

But when I think about it, His Majesty actually loves the people more than the Temple of Filial Piety, and he has even been very restrained in building a summer palace.

Therefore, Fei Hong did not pour cold water on the emperor. Instead, he advised the emperor not to pay too much attention to martial ethics and to have the awareness of a king who maintains the status quo.

However, what Fei Hong didn't understand was that since His Majesty cared so much about the people, why did he want his ministers to make great contributions to expanding the territory?

In Fei Hong's opinion, there can only be one reason for this, and that is that the territory outside is worth exploring.

But is it really worth exploring?

You know, after the Ming Dynasty annexed Annan during the reign of Emperor Taizong, it was eventually forced to abandon it during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong.

Therefore, Fei Hong felt confused about this.

But despite his doubts, he remained silent after Wang Qiong said yes, and started talking about the financial matters he was in charge of.

"Your Majesty, since the increase in currency tariffs last year, the Ministry of Revenue has calculated and reported that the currency tariffs last year reached 2,167,354 silver dollars! If converted into 100 silver dollars, it is an increase of more than 2 million taels of silver per year!"

"This is almost equal to the salt tax revenue after the reform of the silver tax system during the reign of Emperor Xiaomiao! I congratulate Your Majesty and also commend Xi Shu, Zhang Fujing, Xiong Jia and others for their contributions."

Fei Hong then played the results after the increase in tariffs on banknotes, and held the question book in his hands to his forehead with both hands.

Zhu Houcong couldn't help but smile: "Very good!"

It is indeed hard to suppress.

Because, as far as he knew, the banknote customs duty during the Qing Dynasty was only more than 1.4 million taels of silver a year.

Now, after the reform of the banknote tariff, he can collect more than two million taels of silver. This not only shows that the business in the Jiajing Dynasty is more prosperous, but also shows that the people are indeed very wealthy. Otherwise, there would not be such strong domestic demand to support such a high banknote tariff.

Notice.

The eight major customs offices were all set up on important waterways such as the Grand Canal and the Yangtze River.

Therefore, how much tax revenue can be collected after the currency tariff is carefully levied is linked to domestic demand, and whether domestic demand is strong is related to the wealth of the people.

Of course, the strong domestic demand in the Ming Dynasty is also related to the low tax rates it has been pursuing since the Hongwu Dynasty, which has made many bureaucrats and gentry in the society rich.

And because of the low tax rate, the imperial court's tax revenue was not very high.

Therefore, a ruler like Fei Hong would be very happy because the court had an additional cash income of more than 2 million taels, and would even take the initiative to commend a group of ministers.

However, Zhu Houcong, Fei Hong and other emperors and ministers all knew that although the increase in income was welcome, expenses were also increasing significantly.

Therefore, even though the customs duty increased by more than two million taels, the court was still in a deficit due to the continued increase in expenses such as expanding grassroots bureaucratic organizations, building warships, recruiting more navy troops, and building more schools, and it still could not repay the loan from Xingming Bank.

Ministers in charge of finance, such as Fei Hong, even felt that the outer court seemed to have always owed the emperor a debt.

It is clear that since Your Majesty became the empress, the outer court has also increased its income significantly.

The rectification of salt profits, the establishment of silver dollar currency, the surveying of fields in some places, and the sale of physical goods from warehouses by the Supply and Marketing Corporation last year have all increased the outer court's income from land taxes, salt levies and transactions.

And the current reform of currency and tariffs has increased the court’s income by more than two million!

But the outer court still had not repaid the emperor's debt.

The key point is that temporary expenses increase due to the increase in expenses and the disasters that always occur in some places in the Ming Dynasty every year.

This meant that the emperor had to borrow new debts just as he was about to pay off the old debts he had lent to foreign dynasties.

Fei Hong felt that the debt to His Majesty the Emperor would never be repaid.

This made him very frustrated.

Because people of this era, from the common people to the ruling ministers, generally do not like to be in debt, but prefer to maintain a financial state with a surplus.

Whether it is being in charge of a family or a country.

They all prefer this state.

This is a civilized custom formed by thousands of years of historical experience.

After all, disasters and turmoil often occur in this land.

Therefore, the idea of ​​practicing frugality, storing food and money to prepare for famine and war when the weather is good has long been engraved in everyone's bones.

But when Fei Hong thought that since Liang Chu, every prime minister had failed to pay off his debts, he felt much better.

However, Fei Hong still wanted to pay off his debts.

As long as the debt is not paid off, he will not feel at ease as the Prime Minister and will not be able to sleep well.

Therefore, Fei Hong took the initiative to bow and said: "Your Majesty, now that the disobedient vassal kings have been dealt with, I would like to resign the power of concurrently managing the Ministry of Personnel, and devote myself to increasing revenue and reducing expenditure, so as to repay the debts of the foreign court as soon as possible!"

Wang Qiong looked at Fei Hong at this time, and had to grit his teeth and said: "Your Majesty, I also ask to resign the power of concurrently managing the Ministry of War, and devote myself to the reform of national taxes, so as to repay the foreign debts as soon as possible!"

"allow!"

"Then issue an imperial decree to recommend new ministers of the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War."

Zhu Houcong agreed to their request.

"As for the debt, it's not urgent. What needs to be dealt with urgently right now is the relief for the five disaster-stricken areas of Baoding in the capital, Fengyang and Huai'an in Nanzhi, Yanzhou in Shandong, Kaifeng in Henan, and Datong in Shanxi."

then.

Zhu Houcong brought up something else.

And this is about the several disasters that happened this year.

The Ming Dynasty was too large, with complex geography and climate.

Therefore, every year there are always several places where major disasters occur that need to be reported.

Especially in this era when the level of public construction for various types of disaster prevention is not high.

Zhu Houcong has gotten used to it now.

But habits are habits, and the disaster-stricken areas cannot be ignored, because if they are ignored, even greater damage will be caused.

After Zhu Houcong said this, he asked the two people: "Has the Ministry of Revenue produced the relief regulations?"

"Your Majesty, the Ministry of Revenue has discussed the matter and believes that we can first order the local governments to use the money and grain they have in reserve for relief, and then allocate money and grain for relief depending on the severity of the disaster."

Fei Hong replied at this time.

Zhu Houcong frowned and said, "Why do we only allow local governments to use the funds from their treasury reserves for relief? What if local officials are too greedy and suffer serious deficits, and they don't keep any funds or keep too little?"

Fei Hong did not answer.

Zhu Houcong continued, "It is better to allocate disaster relief funds in advance. As for whether they can be used, we will calculate it later. It is better to spend more national funds than to have one more person die!"

"Your Majesty is as kind as the heaven, and we, the ministers, naturally dare not disobey."

"But the foreign treasury is still in debt!"

Fei Hong replied.

Zhu Houcong smiled and said, "You can continue to borrow even if you are in debt. Disaster relief is more important!"

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

"Governing a country should be based on the people. We cannot save money and grain by causing disaster victims to lose their families and lives due to untimely relief."

At this time, Wang Qiong began to agree with Zhu Houcong.

Fei Hong also had to bow and agree, and glanced at Wang Qiong, but in his heart he hated Wang Qiong for taking advantage of his misfortune.

"You just love the people!"

"I am the only one who doesn't care about the people and is stingy with the national treasury?"

Fei Hong started to complain in his heart.

But for Fei Hong, continuing to borrow money would cause the foreign court's debt to grow larger and larger.

This would naturally make him, as the Prime Minister, appear even more incompetent.

He knew that if he did so, the censors and even the people of the world would think he was incompetent.

After all, he was not the only one who was concerned about the financial situation of the court, and he was not the only one who wanted the court to have a surplus rather than a debt, but the majority of people in the world.

Therefore, Fei Hong was very worried that the huge debt of the foreign court would make people in the world uneasy, and thus further criticize him as the prime minister.

The thought of this.

Fei Hong had no choice but to grit his teeth and ask, "Your Majesty, can you not borrow money this time and directly allocate funds from the treasury?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Dayong, the seal holder of the Imperial Household Department, couldn't help but look at Fei Hong.

"Your Majesty clearly shows you!"

"It's not that I don't want the court to borrow money, but if we borrow money again, we will be attacked by everyone! People will blame the government for spending money before it's due and not being frugal."

Fei Hong then gave an explanation.

Zhu Houcong smiled and said, "That's not impossible!"

Later, Zhu Houcong saw Gu Dayong stretching his neck here, and asked: "I don't feel sorry for him, why do you feel sorry for him? This time it's disaster relief!"

"Your Majesty, it's not that I feel bad, it's that I'm afraid if this precedent is set, it won't be stopped in the future!"

"For example, if the uncle of the emperor also finds all kinds of excuses to prevent the emperor from giving loans and just giving silver directly, then what if the princes and nobles do the same thing?"

"No matter how much money there is in the inner treasury, it can't keep up with all the people asking for it."

"And Your Majesty cannot refuse to give it when the time comes. After all, if you don't, you will be known as being mean and stingy to the royal family and meritorious officials."

"Also, the people below will complain that we, the eunuchs of the Imperial Household Department, are not keeping an eye on the money for the emperor because they only pay out money but do not see any interest. Then the inner court will be unstable."

"If the inner court is unstable, the outer court will inevitably be unstable as well."

Gu Dayong looked at Fei Hong and said, "Prince, everyone says that you are loyal to the country. If you don't uphold this bottom line for the emperor, who else can?"

After hearing this, Fei Hong prostrated himself on the ground: "I am guilty of not considering this matter as well as Eunuch Gu."

"It doesn't matter!"

"I know you're having a hard time."

"And you are right. If the foreign debt increases, the whole country will be in turmoil."

When Zhu Houcong got to this point, he said, "I do have a solution."

"Your Majesty, please give your instructions."

Fei Hong quickly replied.

Zhu Houcong said at this time: "The cabinet can first borrow the internal treasury for disaster relief, and then call on the rich and powerful people in the world to donate money for this disaster relief, instead of donating it!"

"Taking bribes will ruin the government and is equivalent to giving up local power, which is bad for the foundation. But donating is different. Donating is a righteous act and proves the loyalty of the rich and powerful in the world!"

"Aren't most of the canal transport vessels now controlled by a few of you officials and businessmen?"

"You can make it clear to the world that you will not transport goods to those who are not loyal to the court!"

Zhu Houcong smiled and looked at Fei Hong after he said this: "What do you think, Yuanfu?"

In Zhu Houcong's view, the Ming Dynasty should have charity.

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

Wang Qiong spoke first at this time.

(End of this chapter)