The Ming Dynasty: A bookstore sells the history of the Ming Dynasty, leaving Emperor Chongzhen bewil

In just the first year, the national treasury has already shrunk by more than two million taels?!

These words left the cabinet ministers and department heads present speechless, but they did not rush to speak.

Emperor Chongzhen was facing a huge headache on the throne.

At this moment, Wen Tiren, the Minister of Rites, stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that the Liaodong military levy should be appropriately increased next year. Otherwise, the deficit will continue next year, and living beyond our means will not be a long-term solution."

Many people nodded.

The Liaoxiang Campaign began in the 46th year of the Wanli reign (1597) and was mainly used for military needs in Liaodong, and it continues to this day.

The people are already burdened with heavy taxes, why add more?

However, if additional levies are not made, the imperial treasury will be in deficit year after year, and next year's military pay will not be able to be paid, which will probably lead to another disaster.

Emperor Chongzhen frowned, hesitant.

Are we going to go back to the old ways again?

Emperor Chongzhen looked at Bi Ziyan: "Minister Bi, what is your opinion?"

Bi Ziyan replied, "In my opinion, to fill the deficit in the national treasury, we must increase revenue and reduce expenditure. Increasing revenue includes increasing salt permits, allowing merchants to transport grain to the border regions, establishing military farms, investigating hidden land throughout the country, and restoring taxes such as ship permits, mining taxes, salt taxes, and tea taxes."

"Reduce spending, cut redundant soldiers and servants, investigate fraudulent military pay, stop repairs to granaries, halt renovations of government offices, and require clerks and runners to pay their dues."

Bi Ziyan spoke eloquently and logically, clearly having come prepared.

Emperor Chongzhen nodded repeatedly as he listened.

As expected of the Minister of Revenue whom he relied on, after reading the history of the Chongzhen era, one can understand just how important Bi Ziyan was.

Bi Ziyan was an upright and capable official throughout his life, with exceptional economic talent. During the Chongzhen era, when the treasury was depleted, he made overall arrangements to support the Ming Dynasty's finances for nearly ten years, which can be described as a great contribution to the country.

However, before Chongzhen could say anything, an official stepped forward.

At this moment, Grand Secretary Qian Longxi stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that Minister Bi's words are generally reasonable, but there is one point that I cannot agree with."

"Your Majesty, restore the ship tax, mining tax, salt tax, tea tax, and other taxes. Leaving aside the distant past, the ills of the mining tax during Emperor Shenzong's reign are still fresh in our minds. How can we repeat the same mistakes?"

An official stood up to support the decision: "That's right. If the tax is increased by two coins for every salt produced, the salt producers will have to boil three more pots of salt to survive. But they don't even have the money to burn an extra bundle of firewood, so they have no choice but to flee their registered residence."

Another official stepped forward: "Furthermore, if the imperial court increases the ship tax, merchants will have no choice but to reduce their fleets. But with fewer ships, customs duties will be even more insufficient, creating a vicious cycle!"

On the other side, Bi Ziyan urgently said, "Your Majesty, the people who farm have reached the point where every household is struggling to make ends meet. Please consider reducing taxes across the land so that the common people can have a little savings!"

Qian Longxi said, "Minister Bi keeps saying he'll reduce taxes across the country, so why is he increasing exorbitant taxes like overseas trade taxes, mining taxes, and salt taxes?"

Bi Ziyan countered, "Increasing these taxes is to avoid the court's revenue source becoming too singular. The court's tax revenue cannot rely entirely on farmers. Simply increasing taxes on farmers will only drive many farmers to desperation. Therefore, the taxes must be appropriately distributed among the farmers!"

Suddenly, the court erupted in argument again.

Some people stood with Qian Longxi, while others stood with Bi Ziyan.

At this moment, an official with a square face stepped forward and said, "I believe that we could emulate the stamp tax system of Langji."

Upon hearing this, the two sides, who had been at odds, immediately turned their attention to that official.

"Xu Guangqi, have you gone mad from following that Matteo Ricci in Catholicism?"

"What is there about a small, barbaric country isolated in a remote corner that a great celestial empire like ours could learn from? Let alone a fundamental national policy like taxation!"

"The laws of our ancestors must not be changed, and the techniques of barbarians must not be imitated!"

The official named Xu Guangqi fell silent, while the two factions of officials started arguing again.

"That's enough!"

Emperor Chongzhen finally couldn't help but stop both sides. Now he finally understood what Zhu Ziming meant when he said that the whole court was just arguing. He might not have thought much of it before, but now he only felt that it was noisy.

At the same time, he was also somewhat relieved, because if the eunuch faction had been completely eliminated, the entire court would probably now be controlled by the Donglin Party.

Don't think he didn't know why Qian Longxi and his group opposed the collection of ship permits, mining taxes, and other taxes. It was because most of the Donglin Party members came from the official and gentry backgrounds of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and behind them were Jiangsu and Zhejiang merchants and landlords.

Emperor Chongzhen realized that his fickle and capricious behavior in the historical timeline was caused by the noise from these bastards.

If, after reading through history and listening to Zhu Ziming's numerous analyses, one still doesn't know how to choose, then Emperor Chongzhen would feel that it was only right for his country to fall again.

"Do as Minister Bi Ziyan says," Emperor Chongzhen directly endorsed.

"Your Majesty..." Qian Longxi wanted to say something more.

Emperor Chongzhen interrupted him directly: "My mind is made up, no further words are needed!"

After speaking, Chongzhen looked at Bi Ziyan and said earnestly, "Minister Bi, your words resonate deeply with me. You may act as you see fit. Go ahead and do it boldly; I will back you up!"

Bi Ziyan, who had just been arguing heatedly, froze on the spot upon hearing Chongzhen's words.

The emperor had just saved his brother, and now he was standing up for him in front of all the officials. This favor made him feel extremely flattered.

"Your Majesty, I will certainly do my utmost and live up to your trust!"

Bi Ziyan bowed and kowtowed...

……

After the small court meeting, Emperor Chongzhen was finally able to relax a little and prepare for the New Year. However, there was one person who did not have this leisure time, and that was Hong Chengchou.

Hong Chengchou was born in the 21st year of the Wanli reign. He passed the imperial examination in the 44th year of the Wanli reign and served as the principal of the Jiangxi Provincial Department of Justice, as well as an assistant secretary and secretary. He served in the Ministry of Justice for six years. In the second year of the Tianqi reign, he was promoted to the Zhejiang Provincial Education Commissioner. He was highly regarded by the court for his talent and ability to select outstanding talents. Two years later, he was promoted to the Left Councilor of the Liangzhe Provincial Administration Commission. In the seventh year of the Tianqi reign, he was promoted to the Shaanxi Provincial Grain Commissioner.

Hong Chengchou served as the Grain Supervisor until the Chongzhen Emperor's reign. He was thirty-six years old this year. He had a square and upright face, long and bright eyes, slightly prominent cheekbones, and three long wisps of beard, which made him appear both refined and resolute.

At this time, he was in his prime, ambitious, and had the will to govern the country and bring peace to the world.

Today, he received an imperial edict and a Shangfang sword delivered urgently from the capital.

The emperor appointed him as the imperial envoy to provide disaster relief.

He thought he had a certain reputation in the court and was very confident in his abilities. He just didn't expect that the newly enthroned Emperor Chongzhen would recognize his talent so quickly.

What truly shocked him were the two secret reports that arrived along with the imperial edict…