Zhao Tai listened to Wang Wentong's words and thought that over the years, he had been unable to make ends meet financially.
Every time there was a shortage of money or food, it was solved by luck through war.
The normal operation of Qidi's military and political affairs was mainly due to two windfalls.
First, after the death of Jin, Zhao Tai captured Xuzhou and executed the Jin nobles in the city on the grounds that they did not save Kaifeng, thus confiscating a large amount of property.
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Second, during this expedition, Kublai Khan was defeated and the wealth that Kublai Khan had plundered from Huainan was taken into his own hands.
These windfalls allowed Zhao Tai to complete the integration of Shandong's military and political affairs and maintain a powerful army of 130,000 people.
Of course, the operation of a country that always relies on war adventures and windfalls to maintain its operations is obviously on the wrong path.
This will make the country continue to take risks and launch wars, and if it fails once, the entire country will go bankrupt because it cannot make ends meet.
Therefore, Zhao Tai wants to restore Shandong's production and economy in order to achieve a fiscal balance of payments.
Zhao Tai decided to support Goryeo. How much he could support would depend on the adequacy of Shandong's fiscal budget in the next few years.
After all, now that Meng and Song are negotiating peace, Zhao Tai will no longer be able to gain anything through war in a short period of time.
In order to clarify the budget, estimate how long it would take for Shandong to achieve balance of payments, and whether there was enough money to support Goryeo, Wang Wentong went to Jinan first.
Pizhou was severely damaged during the war, and its location to the south was not conducive to controlling Shandong.
After discussing with the ministers, Zhao Tai decided to move the palace and system to Jinan.
This was originally Li Fen's territory, and locating the manufacturing department in Jinan would make it easier for Zhao Tai to control the entire territory of Shandong. At the same time, it would also be a gesture of personal defense against the Mongols, so that people everywhere could produce with peace of mind.
After Wang Wentong returned to Jinan, Zhao Tai met the Goryeo envoy in Binzhou and had a written conversation with him to learn more about the current situation of Goryeo.
A few days later, Zhao Tai returned to the Jinan Palace and immediately summoned all ministers to the palace for discussion.
In March and April, Zhao Tai adopted the minister's suggestions and revised the "Shandong Criminal Regulations", "Tongli", and "Zhengyue", releasing the message of rectifying punishments and promoting rituals and music to Shandong and the northern Han Dynasty.
At this time, the north under the control of Mongolia did not respect etiquette and law, and there was no imperial examination. A large number of literati and old officials of the Jin Dynasty could only hide in the countryside.
After learning that Zhao Tai called for virtuous people and respected Han etiquette, he attracted a large number of literati to join him and fill the official positions vacant after the political reform in Shandong.
Four officials came to participate in the discussion this time, namely Wang Wentong, Wang Bin, Zhang Tiangang, and Yuan Haowen.
Among them, Zhang Tiangang was an old official of the Jin Kingdom, and Yuan Haowen was a northern scholar.
At this time, the four people were talking quietly in the meeting hall, and the guards outside the hall shouted: "The king has arrived!"
The four of them fell silent, stood up together, bowed and saluted, "Welcome your Majesty."
Among the four, the two earliest kings who followed Zhao Tai clearly knew that Zhao Tai had the ambition to seize the world. Not long after Zhang Tiangang and Yuan Haowen came over, Zhao Tai did not talk to them in depth, but after they returned to Shandong from Zhao Tai, Judging from his actions, we can also see something about Zhao Tai's ambition.
"Gentlemen, please excuse me!" Zhao Tai sat down and motioned for several people to sit down.
Most of the discussions between Zhao Tai and ministers were not serious. They were just sitting and talking, with maids serving tea.
The process of drinking tea in the Song Dynasty was more complicated. Zhao Tai was busy and not elegant enough, so he brewed it directly with boiling water.
Under his influence, many people and soldiers in Qi who had no access to tea gradually became accustomed to drinking tea.
This led to a surge in tea imports from Qidi and added a considerable amount of tax to the vassal government.
Zhao Tai waited for the maid to serve the tea, then exited the meeting hall, then asked with a smile: "Mr. Yidao, what's your estimate?"
Wang Wentong took out a document from his sleeve and stepped forward to present it to Zhao Tai, "Your Majesty, this is the result of several days of work by me and my colleagues."
"Thank you for your hard work, gentlemen!" Zhao Tai smiled and unfolded the document.
At this time, Wang Bin said: "Your Majesty, there are now 130,000 soldiers and horses in Qi. The military pay, military rations, training, horse materials, and equipment consumption. According to statistics, the annual consumption is 2.3 million guan. In addition, The ordnance supervises the manufacture and development of new equipment, with a yearly allocation of 200,000 guan. The Navy orders warships from shipyards, and the annual allocation is 300,000 guan. According to rough statistics, the military's annual budget is at least 2.8 million guan. .”
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Tiangang said: "I estimated overnight that the imperial court needs a budget of 300,000 guan per year for officials' salaries, festival rewards, and daily consumption. In addition, it will require an investment of 300,000 guan for water conservancy projects and road construction. I am in charge of the official Cao Cao. , The annual budget of the farmer is 600,000 yuan."
Zhao Tai nodded while looking at it, "The operation of the army and government is a big investment, this is 3.4 million yuan."
Yuan Hao asked: "I will preside over sacrifices, build academies, and preside over examinations. The annual budget of 150,000 yuan is enough."
Wang Wentong and others finished speaking and concluded: "I have calculated that, excluding what several colleagues have said, plus some scattered budgets, the annual expenditure of the vassal government is about 3.8 million yuan."
Zhao Tai asked: "What about the tax revenue of the vassal government?"
Wang Wentong said: "Last year, due to the impact of the war, our income was only 500,000 guan. This year, I preliminary estimate that the land tax can collect 1 million guan, and the commercial tax can collect 600,000 guan. In addition, the government specializes in salt and iron, and industrial The shop can earn 800,000 guan. The total income is about 2.4 million guan!"
Zhao Tai raised his head and said in a deep voice: "The gap is huge!"
Wang Wentong said: "Because the vassal government exempts newly reclaimed land from taxes for five years. Therefore, it is difficult for land taxes to increase within five years. However, according to my estimation, commercial taxes increase rapidly every year, almost 10% per year. In addition, the income of government-run workshops can maintain an increase of more than 20%. If this momentum is maintained, I believe that within five years, the revenue and expenditure can be barely balanced. After five years, the tax on reclaimed land will be collected, and the vassal government will be able to achieve a surplus."
Zhao Tai asked: "Based on achieving a balance of payments within five years, taking into account the annual increase in commercial taxes and government-run workshops' income, how much budget will be missing in total?"
Wang Wentong said: "I have calculated that the gap totals about 4.4 million guan."
"Four million and four hundred thousand?" Zhao Tai pondered: "How much money is left in the vassal treasury?"
Wang Wentong said: "This time the king has recovered a lot in Huainan. After rewarding the soldiers, there are still more than 230 pieces left. In addition, there are many jewelry, calligraphy and paintings, and jades seized in Xuzhou. If they are all sold, you can probably get 100 more." Wan Guan."
Zhao Tai stroked his beard and said, "In other words, there is still a gap of more than one million strings."
One million guan is a large sum for Zhao Tai, but within five years on average, he will need to earn an additional 200,000 guan each year.
This doesn't seem too difficult for Zhao Tai.
Lu Wende established a trading post on Pidao where he could communicate with the Jurchens. Khitan and Goryeo were doing business, buying furs and wild ginseng at low prices and selling them to the Southern Song Dynasty.
Now that the trade between Liaodong and Goryeo has been opened up, it is not difficult to go to Japan to exchange for silver.
Thinking of this, Zhao Tai muttered: "An additional ten to two hundred thousand guan will be added to the budget every year to support Goryeo."
Zhao Tai was short of money now and couldn't let the Koreans roll their wool over their heads, so he added: "As for how to provide assistance, it cannot be given to the Korean royal family all at once. The Koreans must exchange it for Mongolian heads. In addition, the assistance they exchanged, We must also follow the regulations, and the weapons and supplies used to purchase the feudal government cannot be used for other purposes!"
