Just when Li Shimin and Wei Zheng were performing the drama of a wise king and a wise minister.
All the ministers in the Taiji Palace exploded.
The reason is very simple, because in Fang Xuanling's memorial just now, he clearly explained a major event that is closely related to everyone's interests.
That was Fang Xuanling's advice to contract out the cement roads in various parts of the Tang Dynasty.
The general meaning is that the nobles and merchants are allowed to contract with the imperial court to build cement roads, and the nobles and merchants will have the management rights of this cement road for thirty years.
During these thirty years, nobles or merchants could collect tolls from passing caravans in return.
Thirty years later, the cement road was nationalized and no tolls were collected from anyone.
Many ministers are now making their own calculations.
I am thinking about whether my family should contract a cement road.
After all, in this business, the investment is relatively large only when building roads, but there will basically be no large investment in the next thirty years, and the family can continue to collect money.
This kind of long-term business is the most sought after by nobles and merchants.
There are just two problems at the moment,
First, what is the specific cost of building a cement road and contracting fees? If the two are too high, can the family come up with the money?
The second is, which official road in Datang currently has the most caravans and is the most worthy of contracting.
After Li Shimin sat back on the dragon throne, he said to the courtiers:
"Gentlemen, what do you think of the house servant's proposal?"
The courtiers looked at me and I looked at you. Soon they stood up one by one and bowed:
"My lord, I second the proposal."
For a moment, the sound of second opinions resounded throughout the Tai Chi Hall.
After all, the ministers are not stupid. This proposal is obviously a good thing for them.
As long as it's done right, they all have the chance to make a profit, so of course they have to agree.
Li Shimin was in a good mood when he saw this, so he smiled and said:
"Okay, then the contracting system mentioned in the house servant's memorial has been decided. At the next court meeting, the ministers can propose candidates for a director and two deputy directors of the Road and Bridge Department."
"Your Majesty is wise."
Li Shimin didn't expect that the contract system would pass the court meeting so smoothly, and he was in a good mood for a while.
He stroked his short beard and asked with a smile:
"My lords, I think you still remember the proposal made by Shangshu Duan just now. Is there anyone willing to choose a county around Chang'an to build a cement road first?"
When everyone in the hall heard this, they couldn't help but show hesitation.
After all, this is a matter that can easily cost tens of thousands of dollars, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars, and no one wants to make a hasty decision.
Moreover, few families can come up with such a large sum of money without the consent of the family.
Moreover, no one who can sneak into the court is stupid. Everyone knows that there will be many roads that the Tang Dynasty can build in the future, so there is no need to rush.
Today, no family has ever built such a long cement road, and no one knows how much it will cost to build a cement road that is tens or even hundreds of miles long.
Therefore, everyone present stood on the spot, constantly looking at the colleagues around them.
After Li Shimin raised this question, Changsun Wuji thought over and over in his mind the pros and cons of this matter.
Just when he was about to go out and grit his teeth and accept the matter, a voice sounded in the center of the hall.
"Your Majesty, I am willing to pay 10,000 yuan to contract the official cement road from Chang'an to Lantian County. I also ask for your permission."
All the courtiers were in an uproar instantly!
They all looked at the figure wearing green official robes.
Although Fang Pushe did mention in the memorial that to contract the construction of cement roads, a sum of money needs to be paid to the court as contract fees.
But anyone with a discerning eye can see that the money is just a step forward for the court. It doesn't actually matter how much you give, but you can just call it ten thousand yuan.
Then if we contract this cement road in the future, wouldn’t we also have to pay so much money?
That’s ten thousand guan! Not ten thousand copper coins! What a stupid young man, he can’t figure out this thing!
How did you become an official? What a waste of that good skin and some beautiful poems!
The ministers who had also planned to leave work and express their feelings to Li Shimin all took back the steps they had taken after hearing this.
Among them was Sun Wuji, the Minister of Civil Affairs.
In fact, is Qin Ming really a fool in officialdom?
Of course not.
In fact, the contract price had long been agreed upon by Qin Ming, Li Shimin and others. Otherwise, how would the court make money?
If the court doesn't make money, how could Li Er care about himself? If you don’t care about your own good, how can you gain real power?
Without real power, how can I protect my family, and how can I take revenge on those courtiers with evil intentions in a fair and just manner?
These are all interrelated.
Of course, the reason why Qin Ming was willing to do this was not only to want the court to have another source of revenue, but more importantly, to lay the groundwork for revenge on several major families in the future.
Because he knows better than anyone else that any smart person can see the benefits that the cement road can bring to the family in the future.
Therefore, he believed that after discussion, those aristocratic families would definitely get involved, and at that time, he would have a way to wipe out all these people's wealth.
Li Shimin, who was sitting on the dragon throne, stood up immediately after hearing this and said excitedly:
"Qin Aiqing, are you really willing to pay 10,000 yuan to contract the cement road from Chang'an to Lantian County? This is the imperial court and cannot be ignored."
Upon hearing this, Qin Ming bowed again and said:
"What I just said was from the bottom of my heart. Since Your Majesty and the imperial court have set such a good national policy, Qin Ming, as a minister, will naturally be the first to respond to the imperial court's policy."
"What's more, Lantian County is the place where ministers are born and raised, and it is my hometown. I am naturally willing to contribute to my hometown and the court."
Li Shimin laughed and said:
"Okay, okay, okay. I am very happy that Qin Aiqing has such a heart. In this case, the cement road from Chang'an to Lantian will be contracted to Qin Aiqing."
Qin Ming was also very happy when he heard this. His mission was finally completed today.
He saluted Li Er and said:
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I will send someone to deliver the contract fees to the Ministry of Household Affairs this afternoon."
Dai Zhou, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, was overjoyed when he heard this. The Ministry of Revenue had just raised the food and salary for the left-leading military guards to go on an expedition. At this time, they were short of money.
What's more, he is also a money addict! Always regard it as a golden rule to keep everything safe!
Now that Qin Ming has said that he will spend 10,000 yuan to buy the contracting rights, how can he just wait for Qin Ming to send him money.
Of course, you have to take someone to pick it up yourself, so you feel at ease.
Thinking of this, he immediately left work and said to Qin Ming:
"Don't bother me. I'll go to court later. Just tell me the address of your mansion, and I will take someone to pick it up."
When Qin Ming heard this, he looked up at Li Er and saw Li Er nodding.
Qin Ming then bowed to the visitor and said:
"Then I'll thank you, Sir."
Dai Zhou smiled and waved his hands when he heard this:
"This is a matter within my official duties, and there is no such thing as a job."
…
…
