Jingtai: Making the Ming Dynasty Great Again

(The remaining two chapters will be posted tonight)

At 3:45 PM, Zhu Qiyu was sitting behind his desk reviewing several memorials.

Cheng Jing bowed and entered: "Your Majesty, Minister Jin has arrived."

Zhu Qiyu's eyes lit up with joy: "They're finally back! Summon them quickly!"

Soon, Jin Lian stepped into the hall, bowed, and said, "Your subject, Jin Lian, Minister of Justice, pays his respects to Your Majesty."

Zhu Qiyu raised his hand: "Minister Jin, you may dispense with the formalities. Please take a seat."

He noticed the new gray hairs at Jin Lian's temples.

When he set out to conquer Fujian in November of the thirteenth year of the Zhengtong reign.

Jin Lian's hair was still half gray and half white.

Now, just one year later, there are more white than black.

Cheng Jing brought over a brocade stool, but Jin Lian did not sit down; he simply stood with his hands at his sides in front of the imperial desk.

Zhu Qiyu did not press the matter further. He went straight to the point: "I presume you already know why I summoned Minister Jin back to the capital."

Jin Lian said, "Your Majesty summoned me to manage the finances of the Ming Dynasty."

Zhu Qiyu nodded slightly: "The imperial treasury is empty."

The Beijing garrison is short of pay, refugees are in need of relief, and border guards are owed wages; money is needed everywhere.

Reducing salaries would only save 320,000 taels, a drop in the ocean.

We are now entirely supported by the internal treasury.

But the silver in the imperial treasury won't last long either.

Minister Jin, have you thought this through? Where will this money come from?

Jin Lian took out a thick booklet from his sleeve and presented it with both hands.

"This was drafted by your subject on his way back to the capital from Shandong, and is respectfully presented to Your Majesty for your perusal."

Cheng Jing took it and presented it to Zhu Qiyu.

Zhu Qiyu turned to the first page, his gaze slightly narrowing.

The opening eight characters: "Sixteen policies for the Ministry of Revenue to economize on finances."

He continued flipping through the pages, his expression gradually becoming serious.

The first policy is to thoroughly investigate and classify the land under the jurisdiction of the garrisons and military settlements throughout the country, and to recover the grain owed over the years.

The second measure is to review all ordination certificates for monks and Taoist priests nationwide, suspend their issuance for three years, and reduce redundant staff.

The third measure is to strictly review the approval of salt and tea permits and recover the outstanding taxes from previous years.

The fourth policy is to investigate all the land owned by destitute households across the land, and then summon the tenants to the government to pay taxes.

The fifth measure was to reform the paper money system, temporarily lift the ban on copper, and increase the minting quota of the Paper Money Management Office.

The sixth strategy is to reopen the maritime trade offices in Zhejiang, Fujian, and Sichuan provinces and to take a cut of overseas goods.

……

The sixteen policies cover military settlements, salt administration, monks and Taoists, redundant officials, commercial taxes, canal transport, minting coins, land survey and taxation, and overseas trade.

Each strategy has detailed figures and feasible procedures.

There are long-standing problems, as well as anticipated increases in revenue.

This was by no means a spur-of-the-moment recital.

It is the culmination of years of hard work.

When Zhu Qiyu reached the last page, Jin Lian added a small note with ink:

"If all sixteen strategies above are implemented..."

Excluding temporary levies, annual revenue could increase by 1.2 million to 1.5 million taels.

If this is combined with the rectification of currency laws and the levying of taxes on overseas trade vessels.

Within three to five years, Taicang's annual revenue can increase to over four million taels.

Zhu Qiyu gently closed the booklet, but did not speak immediately.

A brief silence fell over the hall.

Jin Lian stood with his hands at his sides, his expression unchanged.

It was as if what he had just presented was not a radical financial strategy, but merely an ordinary dialogue.

Zhu Qiyu looked at the old minister and a complicated feeling suddenly arose in his heart.

This person is truly daring in their thinking and writing.

Each of these sixteen strategies threatens someone else's livelihood.

The pursuit of confiscated goods from military settlements threatened the livelihoods of officers in the garrison.

It is an open secret that the farmland under the jurisdiction of the garrison troops across the country has been seized, concealed, and privately sold.

When it comes to recovering the grain owed over the years, will those officers who have been exploiting soldiers and exploiting their own blood just let it go?

The ordination certificates for monks and Taoist priests threaten the livelihoods of temples and monasteries.

There are hundreds of thousands of monks, nuns, and Taoist priests in the country who do not pay taxes, do not perform corvée labor, and even occupy vast amounts of land.

Would those large temples and monasteries agree to stop issuing ordination certificates and reduce redundant staff?

Reducing redundant staff and officials affects the livelihoods of local government clerks and clerks.

In various princely palaces, prefectures, and counties, there are tens of thousands of unpaid servants and officials who are paid wages but do private work.

If they are dismissed, wouldn't those local officials have objections?

The pursuit of taxes on salt and tea directly impacted the livelihoods of salt and tea merchants.

The salt and tea monopoly was highly profitable, but the accumulated tax arrears over the years piled up like mountains.

If this money is recovered, will those salt merchants and tycoons simply surrender?

Other tasks included investigating the land properties of families without heirs, reopening the Maritime Trade Office, and reforming the currency system...

Which strategy wouldn't stir up a hornet's nest?

Which strategy wouldn't offend people?

But Jin Lian wrote it down and submitted it.

Zhu Qiyu only knew that Jin Lian was a master at making money.

But I never expected him to go to such lengths to make money.

Zhu Qiyu asked, "Minister Jin, of these sixteen strategies, how many do you think are feasible?"

Jin Lian's gaze was calm: "Your Majesty, if Your Majesty is determined to implement these measures, all sixteen policies are feasible."

"What if we can only do half?"

"If half of the revenue is carried out, the annual income will be halved, and the border troops, the capital garrison, the refugees, and the river works will all be halved."

Zhu Qiyu remained silent.

Jin Lian's words were straightforward, yet they were also true.

Money doesn't fall from the sky.

How much money you need depends on how much you have to squeeze out of it.

If you squeeze out half, you'll have half your money left.

If you have half the money, you have half the things to do.

Zhu Qiyu then asked, "Which strategy do you plan to begin with?"

Jin Lian was clearly prepared: "I believe we should start with military settlements."

Why?

"Military settlements affect the morale of the troops. The soldiers on the border have been owed wages for a long time. If the owed wages can be paid after the settlement is cleared, the morale of the troops can be stabilized."

Moreover, the problems of military settlements were the most severe, with the largest amount of debt, and the effects of clearing and rectifying them were the fastest.

"Your Majesty has only recently ascended the throne. If a batch of back pay could be issued before the end of the year, the soldiers would surely be grateful for Your Majesty's kindness."

Zhu Qiyu nodded slightly; this line of thinking was correct.

The military settlement tax collection was both a source of revenue to make up for the back pay and a means to win over the soldiers, achieving two goals at once.

Zhu Qiyu then asked, "What about the ordination certificates for monks and Taoist priests?"

"The issuance of ordination certificates for monks and Taoist priests involves a wide range of issues and requires joint processing with the Ministry of Rites."

Furthermore, ceasing the issuance of ordination certificates and reducing redundant food rations will inevitably provoke a backlash from both Buddhism and Taoism.

Your subject believes it is advisable to proceed cautiously, and to plan further gradually after the military settlements have yielded results.

Zhu Qiyu nodded and continued, "What about the collection of taxes on salt and tea?"

"The salt and tea taxation involved salt merchants, tea merchants, and salt transport offices and tea-horse transport offices in various regions."

These government offices are deeply entrenched with local forces, making the recovery of outstanding debts bound to encounter resistance.

Your Majesty, I believe we should first investigate the capital region, Shandong, and Henan; the rest can be postponed for now.

Zhu Qiyu looked at Jin Lian and suddenly asked, "Minister Jin, do you know how many people you will offend by continuing to do these things?"

Jin Lian's expression remained unchanged: "Your subject understands."

"Aren't you afraid?"

After a moment of silence, Jin Lian slowly said, "In the thirteenth year of the Zhengtong reign, I was ordered to quell the rebellion in Fujian."

Before I left, someone asked me: "The bandits in Fujian are powerful. Aren't you afraid?"

The minister replied: "I am afraid, but I must go, for I am paid by my sovereign and have a duty to serve him; I dare not shirk my responsibilities out of fear."

He paused, then looked up at Zhu Qiyu: "The same applies today."

I fear offending people, but I must do it anyway.

Since Your Majesty treats me as a national hero, I should repay you with the same respect.

Silence fell upon the hall once more.

After a few dozen breaths, Zhu Qiyu spoke again: "Minister Jin, you just said that in three to five years, the annual revenue of Taicang could increase to more than four million taels."

Jin Lian: "Yes."

Zhu Qiyu: "If I were to rebuild the three major military camps, repair the defenses of the nine border cities, dredge the Yellow River, and open up maritime trade within three years... would this amount of money be sufficient?"

Jin Lian remained silent for a long time before replying, "Your Majesty, it's not enough."

Zhu Qiyu was not disappointed; instead, he smiled and said, "Alright, you say it's not enough, I believe you. Then tell me, how much more is needed?"

Jin Lian did not answer directly, but looked up at Zhu Qiyu: "If Your Majesty trusts me, grant me three years."

Your Majesty will not only have an abundant granary.

Your Majesty will also receive a "breathing" money system.

Zhu Qiyu was also looking at him.

Jin Lian said, enunciating each word clearly, "Money is created, not saved."