You are already Emperor Meiji. If you are not poor, who is poor?
Zhu Cihong said to himself: The Meiji Emperor played in some TV series in later generations lost weight one meal a day in order to save money to buy a British warship. But your life is worse than him. Even if you skip the last meal and starve yourself to death, you still can't build a naval fleet that can compete with the Ming Navy's Sanyo Fleet!
Because the right to issue money in the Eastern world is in the hands of your brother and me! Moreover, the Ming Dynasty's shipbuilding capabilities are now on par with the United Kingdom, only slightly worse than the Netherlands, and far from comparable to Japan. So if you have some money, you might as well spend it on some clothes!
Thinking of this, Zhu Cixiang looked at Zhu Cijiong, who was about to choose a good year, and asked with a smile: "Third brother, you are already the emperor, how can you have no money? Although Japan is small, it has many rich places and mineral resources. How come your annual income is several million?"
Zhu Cijiong nodded first, and then sighed: "No! But that bitch Xingzi is stubborn... She is anxious to pay back the money now!
She always felt that she owed the Salt Bank more than 40 million yuan and it was so embarrassing that she had not paid it back for so long. Therefore, before abdicating the throne, he drafted a repayment plan to increase revenue and reduce expenditure, and had it approved by the Imperial Council. "
Look, what wonderful brothers and sisters they are! Zhu Cihong said in his heart: Why don't you know how to cherish it? He is actually getting together with that Hu Ji from Menggenqiqige. It’s so inappropriate!
"How is she going to pay it back?" Zhu Cixiang asked with interest.
Zhu Cijiong replied: "First of all, let's talk about the source of income, that is, the three measures of increasing annual tribute, opening mines, and increasing business taxes... The annual tribute has soared from one to three and a half dou to five dou. In this way, 4.6 million Shi Tian will receive You have to pay 2.3 million shi as tribute rice a year. After deducting the commission paid to the local officials, you get 1.8 million shi. The Japanese stone is 60 kilograms more than our Daming stone, and the price of Japanese rice is also more expensive. 1.8 million white rice can be about In exchange for 2.5 million taels of silver.
Mining efforts at Koshu Kinzan, Sado Gold and Silver, Iwami Ginzan, Besshi Copper Mountain, and Ashio Copper Mountain must be intensified, and craftsmen from the Ming Dynasty and the West must be introduced to increase the output of the mines. Strive to increase the total income from mining to 2.5 million taels of silver!
In addition, the commercial taxes in the four major commercial cities of Edo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Nagasaki are also increasing every year... Xingzi wants to increase it to 2.5 million taels.
In this way, three 2.5 million yuan plus one is 7.5 million taels..."
"Seven and a half million taels is not much!" Zhu Cixiang said, "Your family owes more than 40 million taels, and you have to pay more than 3 million taels a year in interest. How can you repay it with an income of 7.5 million taels until the year of the monkey and the month of the horse?"
"Isn't that right!" Zhu Cijiong said plausibly, "Besides, brother, you won't force us to pay back the money...it will be over soon. But Xingzi doesn't agree, and he must try his best to save money and prepare for it. We must repay 2 million copies every year, and we must pay back all the money we owe during our lifetime.”
"Repay 2 million a year," Zhu Cixiang frowned, "The first few years were very difficult. You have to repay more than 5 million with principal and interest... Third brother, you, the emperor, still have money to spend. ?"
7.5 million minus more than 5 million, and there are still more than 2 million... It looks like a lot, but in fact it is very stretched. The current Japanese samurai court is no mere charade. It was a real imperial court with territory, an army, and a large number of subordinate yamen! Moreover, the army was also divided into the army and navy. Among the yamen there was also the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and missions were sent to the Ming Dynasty, Korea, Batavia, and New Spain.
In addition, no matter how poor we are, we cannot afford education, and no matter how miserable we are, we must not suffer the children of the Wu family (the peasant family does not care). Therefore, Emperor Koiko's court had to squeeze out some money to open schools and provide education.
These more than 2 million taels are like sprinkling pepper noodles, they have to be sprinkled everywhere, there is not enough everywhere!
"That's right!" Zhu Cijiong gritted his teeth and stretched out three fingers, "There are only thirty thousand taels... It's not just me who spends it alone, but the entire imperial family only has thirty thousand taels! In the end, it will be in my hands. Yes, almost only three thousand taels."
Three thousand taels is enough for one person... But Zhu Cijiong has been holding back for so many years. He finally became the emperor, so why not enjoy it? At least ten beauties must be hired as imperial concubines, plus the emperor himself. Eleven people spend 3,000 taels, and the average talent is more than 200 taels, which seems to be a little less.
Zhu Cixiang smiled and said: "It won't last for many years... If you pay back 2 million copies a year, you will have to pay back 10 million copies in 5 years. By then, the interest will be reduced to more than 2 million yuan. One year It is enough to repay more than four million. If you can tighten your belt for ten years, you will have repaid 20 million, and the interest will be reduced to more than one million. By then, half of the income of the Japanese court will be enough to repay the debt. If you do, you will be blessed for a few years!"
"What?" Zhu Cijiong looked at his brother with disappointment, "The eldest brother wants me to use ten years to repay the debt...Eldest brother, the younger brother still wants to do something that will leave a name in history as the emperor. We can't waste time. It’s all spent on paying off debts!”
A name that will leave a lasting legacy? What do you want to do? Do you want to develop the navy, train the army, and invade North Korea... No, the southern coast of North Korea is your territory!
From there, it's not difficult to go north to Seoul and Pyongyang and capture the whole of North Korea, right? And you are also very good at fighting, even better than that real Meiji!
Besides...you are the eldest son of Emperor Chongzhen! Zhu Cixiang thought to himself: Chongzhen adopted me to Tianqi. From a patriarchal perspective, Emperor Tianqi is my father!
Thinking of this, Zhu Cixiang immediately became vigilant and looked at his brother with burning eyes.
Seeing him, Zhu Cijiong muttered in his heart - Don't I just not want to repay the debt? You, a moneylender, should know that no one who owes a debt wants to pay it back, except Xingzi... And we are the children of the same mother, so you can't forgive a little debt and let me live for decades. Comfortable days? Besides, the money you lent to me and Xingzi has long been earned back by copying gold and controlling Osaka!
"Third brother," Zhu Cixiang's eyes quickly became gentler. He is a good brother, and he is good at fooling his younger brother. "Brother has a way to make quick money... I can't say more, but the third brother Forty million shouldn’t be a problem.”
"Really!" Zhu Cijiong's expression immediately changed, and he looked submissive, "Brother, Brother Emperor, my good Brother Emperor, if you have any good ideas, teach me quickly!"
"To make quick money, there are two things," Zhu Cixi thought thoughtfully. "The first is to issue banknotes and make money; the second is to create real estate and land! To make money and make money, you must have great credit, a big market and a big industry... You don’t have these in Japan, so don’t think about it. Then all that’s left is to free up real estate land!”
"Why?" Zhu Cijiong asked immediately.
Why? Zhu Cihong thought to himself, of course he started speculating on real estate early, and then everyone got rich, leaving behind the thankless handicraft industry...
In this case, of course we can't talk to Zhu Cijiong.
Zhu Cixiang thought about it for a while, and already had a set of words. He smiled and said: "Japan is not big, and it is not small... To fully bloom, Japan's funds are not enough. So. We can only reduce the size of the plate and only copy Osaka and Edo." He thought for a while and then said, "Think about Osaka first! If we stir up Osaka, we should have 30 to 40 million!"
"Really? How to fry?"
Zhu Cihong added: "There is no private real estate in Japan now. To develop the real estate industry, this must be broken through! But don't make a breakthrough nationwide, just make a breakthrough in Osaka Town. Osaka Town's territory is limited, and it is all over Japan. A place where wealth and businessmen gather. If it were not for the public ownership of land in Japan, Osaka Town would already be a place where every inch of land is precious.
However, in order to quickly stimulate real estate development in Osaka Town, it will not be possible to rely solely on private ownership. We also have to link Osaka Town’s real estate to our privileged status..."
"Privileged status?" Zhu Cijiong asked, "Is it a warrior status?"
"Yes!" Zhu Cixiang said, "If we want to attract wealthy businessmen from all over Japan to come to Osaka to buy real estate, the real estate in Osaka must have functions other than residence! For example, the status of a samurai, the qualifications to become an official, the family status of a samurai, the qualifications to enter an excellent school, Of course, there is also the qualification to be protected by the emperor... Only in this way will the real estate in Osaka be unique, valuable, and become a must-have asset for Japan's wealthy businessmen."
