Zhu Youjian probably also knew that he was a good emperor who was not loved by the bureaucratic landlord class in Beizhili, so he took the lead on the battlefield and was fearless, but he was always cautious in front of the bureaucratic landlord class. For example, when he returned to Xuanfu's home this time, he did not use any emperor's ceremonial guard, nor did he parade through the city with a few Mongolian nobles. Instead, he mixed with hundreds of cavalry in front of the tent and went ahead until he arrived outside Guanglingmen Yuecheng of Xuanfu. Let people fly the emperor's banner. However, Zhu Youjian still didn't dare to stay outside Guanglingmen Yuecheng for a while - he was the little emperor with "the best black gun in the world", so of course he had to guard against others' black guns.
So when Zhu Youjian saw the ministers and eunuchs standing outside the Yuecheng gate, he did not stop his horse, but slowed down the horse, and then yelled at those ministers and eunuchs before entering the Yuecheng gate. He said in a voice: "Everyone, please follow me to Guangling Tower."
Several of the edicts following him immediately reined in their horses and shouted loudly: "Long live the Lord's decree: all ministers will go to Guangling Tower."
Just when they were delivering the order, Zhu Youjian had already entered the Moon City on horseback, and there were even more gentry and people watching the excitement in the Moon City. Xuanfu City at this period was a big city, with 20,000 to 30,000 households living in the city, most of whom had military status. In the early days, when the Xuanfu Army had not yet "settled the accounts," many military households with good means would occupy a position in the Xuanfu Army, get a few small coins, and then show up during the peak inspection. But now that Zhu Youjian is messing with them, their little benefit is gone.
The current Xuanfu Army is a new one. Although the soldiers recruited are still mainly locals in Xuanfu Town, it is difficult for the residents of Xuanfu City to be selected. Most of the selected soldiers are from various forts and villages. A poor young man from a military household in Xuanfu.
In addition, most of the military-registered residents in the big city of Xuanfu were military officers. Many of their families also occupied the land of military camps in Xuanfu, and they lived on the rent paid by ordinary military households for generations. This benefit is much greater than the number of soldiers, and now it has been stripped clean by Zhu Youjian.
Although Zhu Youjian also used a large area of land outside the border wall of Xuanfu to recruit military households for cultivation, how could these "urban military households" who had lived in the city for a long time farm? A small number of them still maintained their ancestral bravery and could serve as officers or servants, while the rest became either military officials or small businessmen and craftsmen.
Therefore, most residents in Xuanfu City do not support Zhu Youjian very much, so Zhu Youjian has to guard against them!
On the other hand, most of the military households who farmed the land thought that Zhu Youjian was a good emperor - they no longer had to pay rent to the military households, nor did they need to perform military service (military service was required to go out to colonize the fortress, but they did not need to pay rent, and There is also extra salary available), which is one bushel of two liters of wheat for one acre of land. Although the land tax is higher than that of private households, there is no service (common households have corvées), no rent, and they can just farm the land with peace of mind. There is also land outside the Great Wall to alleviate the conflict between man and land, so life is better than before. But it hasn’t improved much. After all, farming depends on the weather...
Because he knew that he was not very popular, Zhu Youjian did not have much contact with the Xuanfu people who were watching the excitement. He rode his horse directly into the Wengcheng, climbed the city wall from the horse path inside the Wengcheng, and then went straight to the Guanglingmen tower.
The four gate towers of Xuanfu are all very tall, with three-story pavilions, cornices and brackets, carved beams and painted columns, which are very grand.
After Zhu Youjian dismounted, he did not go straight into the city gate. Instead, he waited for a group of guards to enter and search before he boldly entered the city tower. The soldiers who had just entered had already set up their mazaar inside the tower. Zhu Youjian strode over and sat upright on the horse, with dozens of soldiers guarding him. The remaining guards in front of the tent controlled the Guangling Gate Tower and Wengcheng inside and out.
As soon as their deployment was completed, a group of ministers and eunuchs, led by two local gangsters in Xuan Mansion, Commander-in-Chief Hei Yunlong and Governor Yang Sichang, panted up to Guangling Gate and entered the city tower.
When the ministers and eunuchs saw Zhu Youjian sitting there, they quickly stood up according to their shifts, and then kowtowed to Emperor Chongzhen, whom they had not seen for a long time.
"Pingshen!" Zhu Youjian smiled and waved to them. Then when he saw a group of ministers standing up, he pointed at Wen Tiren, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and said: "Wen Tiren, are you, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, happy now? Over the years in the Ming Dynasty, There is no better Minister of Household Affairs than you! Tell me quickly, how much was the surplus of this dynasty last year? Let me be happy! Don't tell me that you have no money... I have already found someone to settle the accounts. Got it!"
What a foolish king! Talk about money as soon as we meet! Can't you talk about benevolence, justice and morality?
Wen Tiren was also a treacherous minister, and of course he did not dare to go against the emperor's wishes. He hurriedly went out and said: "Your Majesty, thanks to your blessing, the Ministry of Revenue's life was indeed much better last year. There was a large surplus, which made up for the losses in previous years." After the deficit... there was more than 3 million taels of silver in the warehouse!"
Even though Zhu Youjian went on a militancy after he came to power, the Ming Dynasty's finances were getting better and better as a result of his attacks. Could it be better? Jingying, Changzhen, Xuanzhen, and Jizhen had been "defeated" for more than 20 years. Thousands of book soldiers! This alone saves millions a year!
Moreover, after Zhu Youjian seized Prince Fu's property, weakened the nobles in the capital, and alienated the servants in the palace, the income of the Governor's Salt Yamen increased greatly, and it could already cover the salaries of the two towns of Jiliao - Guan Of course, Yan's Donglin Party members still want to be corrupt, but they have to feed Yuan Chonghuan's soldiers. Without Marshal Yuan, they can't strengthen their waist! Therefore, Jiliao Town No. 2 can now obtain more than 5 million shi (taels) in revenue through the Kaizhong method of the Supervisory Salt Yamen Supervisor, which is fully double the amount of money that Ming Dynasty received from salt tax before!
In addition, the tunliang of Datong and Xuanfu towns and the land tax of eight prefectures of Beizhili also increased a lot last year. Although the goal of 3 million stones was not reached, more than 2 million stones were still obtained. The Ministry of Revenue only needs to spend an additional few hundred thousand shi (two) to cover the expenditure of 80,000 troops (these 80,000 troops have not yet been recruited).
Although Zhu Youjian also spent a lot of money on war (military food and rewards), he also had to invest money to open up the three towns of Daning, Yanshan and Liaoxi.
But after all, more is saved and overcharged, and less is spent... With every inflow and outflow, there will be at least a surplus of 6.5-7 million yuan.
After making up for the deficit in previous years, there is always about 4.5 million left, and now there is only 3 million... It can't be corruption by people from the Ministry of Accounts. How could the corruption come from the accounts of the Ministry of Accounts? There must be some room for underpayment.
"Hahaha," Zhu Youjian laughed a few times, and suddenly his tone became serious, "It's less than my accountant... 1.5 million taels less! Go back and send a copy of the account books to Xuan Mansion. I want to see which province is missing my money!"
"Your Majesty..." Chief Assistant Huang Liji hurriedly announced, "Many provinces were hit by disasters last year, including drought, locust plagues, floods, epidemics... The She'an Rebellion in Sichuan is still going on. , Shaanxi again..."
Zhu Youjian waved his hand and interrupted: "I know it all! But I have never exempted anyone from regular taxes, have I? I only exempted Shaanxi from Liaoning rates. Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, you will pay the account, and I will do it myself If you go to them and ask for money, you and the cabinet will not be blamed.”
Do you know them all?
The ministers present said that all the memorials sent to the Xuan Mansion to report the disaster were in vain... It is said that you, the emperor, never read or asked, so where do you know where to go?
"Your Majesty," Sun Chengzong, the censor of Zuodu, quickly stood up and said, "Last year and this year, there were famines in many places across the country, and the imperial court turned a blind eye... It really lacks your benevolence!"
"I have a lot of kindness, it doesn't matter if I lose a little!" Zhu Youjian immediately said to Sun Chengzong, "But the taxes in various places cannot be paid less... Ordinary people know that they need to save food to prepare for shortages. There is often enough food stored for several years. And how much food is stored in the warehouse of the Ming Dynasty? Can it cope with real disasters and famines?
In addition, I, the long-lived master, now raise tens of thousands of front-line soldiers, bear the expenses of Mao Wenlong, subsidize the five noble concubines Orduo, and also have the busy work of fighting in the north and south... 120 a year Ten thousand dollars of gold and silver is not enough, you have to add more money! "
Add money?
The ministers below said to themselves: Where is the money you paid for confiscating your house? You've copied so many houses, why do you still need to pay more?
