Back to the Song Dynasty as a tyrant
Page 344
"The suffering of the people is real."
"Is what Zhou Jiande, the magistrate of Xiangyang Prefecture, said true?"
Gao Qiu only gave a vague answer: "The people's livelihood in Xiangyang is really difficult. In the third year of Jingkang, the Jin army has already reached Xiangyang."
Zhao Ning asked again: "What about East Huainan Road? How is the situation in Yangzhou?"
"People's livelihood is also very difficult."
"How difficult is it?"
Gao Qiu continued: "I sent people down to investigate, and the people can only make ends meet, and there are still many families who owe a lot of money."
He took out a report from his cuff and presented it to Zhao Guan's family.
Zhao Ning took it and quickly read it.
Wrong!
Huaidong is a rich place.
Jiangnan two roads are also rich places.
The results of this investigation have all been difficult.
Gao Qiu said: "Your Majesty, I think there is actually another reason for the current situation."
"what reason?"
"In the first year of Jingkang, the second year of Jingkang, and the third year of Jingkang, wars continued in Hebei, Hedong, and Jingdong. Many people fled south with their families. A considerable number of people flocked to Huaidong, and many even fled to Jiangnan and Jinghu. , brought a heavy burden to the local government, I have always ruled the country with benevolence and virtue, and there are still many local officials who distribute food from the granary to relieve the victims, but the food is limited after all.”
"I don't object to the reason you mentioned, but I'm afraid it's not the main reason. You go down first."
"My minister retire."
After Gao Qiu left, Zhao Ning looked at the map and fell into deep thought.
"Go! Call Mei Zhili!"
Mei Zhili soon arrived at Wende Hall.
"How much was the imperial court's cash income last year?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, it can be considered that the sales of goods in Taifu Temple have increased, and the westward expansion of Zhejiang and Haiyan. Last year, the imperial court's cash income was 3800 million guan."
"How many are expected this year?"
"This year, the revenue of the imperial salt industry may return to 700 million guan, and the income of Taifu Temple may increase to 400 million guan. Counting other prohibited income, the total cash income can reach 4200 million guan."
The income of the salt industry is 700 million guan, which is obviously far from reaching the previous standard.
Shenzong Xining's ten-year salt income was 1203 million guan.
Of course, salt was expensive in those days.
Zhao Ning has already lowered the price of salt in Song Dynasty by using banknotes and sea salt.
According to the previous price, the income of the salt industry can reach at least 2000 million.
But now that we want to reform and use the knives of interest groups, we must provide full discounts to the common people, so that we can have a basic foundation.
Zhao Ning said: "How is the budget allocation for this year?"
"Because of the popularization of banknotes in Shaanxi, military expenditures only need 600 million guan. Taiyuan in Hedong will invest heavily this year, rising to 600 million guan. Hebei will remain at 300 million guan. Li Gang and Li Xianggong will have 200 million guan. Dengzhou government has declared 300 million guan this year. Gyeonggi Road The garrison is 100 million guan, a total of 2100 million guan.”
Zhao Ning said: "Not only!"
"more than?"
"more than."
"I'm stupid."
"If Han Shizhong can establish a firm foundation in Liaodong, I am afraid that the annual consumption will not only exceed 300 million guan, but also an additional 100 million guan, because it will cost money to build a city and emigrate."
Mei Zhili's face turned green again: "Fortunately, the salaries of officials have dropped to 1200 million guan, and the situation in Hebei and Hedong has also eased. This year, it is estimated that a total of 300 million guan will be invested this year. Including other administrative expenses of the country, 4200 million guan Might just run out."
Mei Zhili's palms were sweating, and he felt that no matter how much money he made, it was not enough.
"If there is another war this year, and many soldiers will die in battle, what about the pension? Are you prepared?"
"This..." Mei Zhili was at a loss for words for a while, he suddenly thought of something, and said, "Your Majesty, I have sent someone to check Huaidong's taxes. I owed 200 million guan last year. There are also large private salt and tea industries. Check it out!"
"If next year, I mean if, next year, I want to send 20 troops out of Huizhou, go north to Xingqing Mansion, and wipe out Xixia in one fell swoop, will there be any military expenses?"
Mei Zhili's answer was very straightforward: "Your Majesty! This is absolutely impossible! No money!"
"Is there no money to kill a Xixia now?"
"It will take a huge amount of money for our army to take Yinzhou and build a city there. If His Majesty takes all of Hengshan, the military expenses will be even more."
"If you wipe out Xixia in one fell swoop, don't you need so much?"
Mei Zhili said: "But what if we don't take it down? We have to keep someone behind!"
"Then tell me, if I want to attack Xia on a large scale next year, how much money will I need?"
"It may be necessary to add 2000 million guan more than this year! But the premise of this war is that the Kingdom of Jin cannot interfere, otherwise a war between us and their two countries may break out."
"Station 10 troops in Liaodong, and mobilize another 20 soldiers and civilians. If I want to destroy Xixia, how dare the gold thieves look west?"
Chapter 489 Old Rules (Third)
"If this is the case, I am afraid that Liaodong's military expenditure will not exceed 400 million guan, and it will reach 500 million guan. After all, follow-up materials must be continuously replenished, and pensions, armaments, and city construction expenses will also flow out. The city may be destroyed by gold thieves, and then rebuilt... "
Mei Zhili began to read in pieces.
He seemed to be in a trance. Being Zhao Ning's finance minister is really a very challenging thing.
"I will have an extra 2000 million coins next year, is there anything you can do?"
"We can only strictly check the taxes in the south! There is also the land reform in the south. As long as it goes well, there can be a lot of income!"
"But people from all walks of life in the south are talking to me about how difficult the people's livelihood is, and let the court exempt from taxes."
"This..." Mei Zhili was at a loss for words for a while, "Since it involves people's sentiments, then please slow down the military affairs and take care of the people's livelihood."
"You think so too?"
"The people are more important than the king, this is a sentence that His Majesty often talks about."
"What if, as you said, the new agricultural policy is implemented in various places in the south to generate income?"
"That will inevitably lead to civil strife, next year His Majesty will still not be able to destroy Xia!"
Zhao Ning walked back and forth in front of the huge map, his face was calm, but his heart fell into a deep anxiety.
What made him anxious was not Mie Xia, but the various roads in the south.
He couldn't be sure of the current situation in the south, even the news brought back by Gao Lian said that people's livelihood was difficult.
Restructuring in the south is more difficult than in the north, because the distance is too far and the control is too weak.
"You just said that Huaidong owed 200 million yuan in taxes. What is the reason?"
"It also means how difficult the people's livelihood is."
Zhao Ning sighed: "Go down first."
"My minister retire."
In the early morning of April 29th, just before dawn, Zhao Ning led the imperial guards all the way out of the palace, declaring to the outside world that he was going hunting in Nancheng.
But in fact, he went to the camp of the imperial guards in the north of the city.
He took [-] cavalrymen of the imperial guards to go hunting, and as he hunted, he went further and further south.
No one knew that Zhao Guan's family had gone south like lightning, and today the Zhengshitang was discussing with the emperor about reducing and exempting taxes from all walks of life in the south.
For the next few days, the Ministry of Internal Affairs publicized that Zhao Guan's family was a little tired after hunting and did not see anyone.
Xiangyang Prefecture is [-] miles away from Kaifeng.
It was not until the eighth day of May that Zhao Ning arrived at the boundary of Xiangyang Prefecture.
Since you suspect the water in Zuo Zhali, don't hesitate anymore, why not come and investigate it yourself?
If you find that you are lying to me, do you think the knife in my hand is sharp?
Traveling to the Song Dynasty, Zhao Ning came to the south for the first time.
He was considered a southerner in his previous life, and he is quite familiar with the water and soil in the south.
However, the natural environment of the ancient south is indeed very different from the south in the 21st century.
In the Song Dynasty, there was no industrial pollution, and the river was clear. Wherever it passed, there were large tracts of original ecological vegetation.
Before entering Xiangyang, in the Nanyang Basin, he saw endless wheat fields and villages with smoke from cooking houses.
I saw farmers working hard and children playing happily in the fields and rice paddies.
I also saw that on the road, merchants used mules to pull goods, which were filled with silk and rice.
There are no trains, cars, motorcycles, or even bicycles in the hundreds of miles that have been galloping all the way.
The morning breeze in early summer lifts the long clothes, and the morning light breaks through the clouds, sprinkles the sun on the earth, and moistens everything.
This land has given too many people living here, and the most precious thing among them is probably tranquility.
Zhao Ning suddenly remembered that his name also meant peace.
With such a beautiful landscape, it is no wonder that countless heroes have sacrificed their lives to protect her since ancient times.
He also remembered that at the end of the Southern Song Dynasty, the Mongols gathered the most powerful army in the world, and when they arrived here, they wanted to capture the city in front of them, right?
"Officer, Xiangyang City is twenty miles ahead. We must have alarmed many people when we come here with such a large number of people." Jing Chao handed Zhao Ning the water bottle, "I am afraid that before dark, the officials of Xiangyang City will send someone Come check it out."
"It's okay." Zhao Ning took a sip of water.
His gaze fell to the village ahead.
I saw a lot of people gathered at the entrance of the village in the distance.
"Go ahead and ask, what happened?"
"Yes!" Jing Chao replied, "I'll make arrangements now."
It was Pan Hanli and others who arranged to go there, and they returned soon.
"Officer, the front is borrowing money."
"Borrow money?"
"Now is the season of lean crops. The crops have not yet grown well, and the surplus grain has been eaten up. Many farmers have no money to eat, so they can only borrow money."
Zhao Ning immediately became interested.
He led dozens of people towards the village.
Sure enough, under the big tree at the entrance of the village, a group of people lined up to receive money.
A skinny man under the tree couldn't help being curious when he saw Zhao Ning and the others.
Where did so many horses come from in this Xiangyang territory?
Could it be someone from Dengzhou Economic and Strategy Department?
"This official, what's the matter?" The thin man walked over and said with a smile on his face.
"Oh, nothing, we are just passing by." Zhao Ning said.
"Dare to ask the officer where is this going?"
"Go to Xiangyang City."
"Are you looking for someone?"
"Go do some business."
"Listen to the accent, the officials are from the north, right?"
"He's from Luoyang."
"It turns out that Luo Jing came here. Disrespect and disrespect. I'm Guo Jun. I don't know your name?"
Zhao Ning cupped his fists and said, "My surname is Zhao."
"What business does Officer Zhao do?"
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