The Tang Dynasty started from saving Empress Changsun

Chapter 324 Borrowing Seeds and Asking for Money

On the winter solstice day, all the officials in Beijing will participate.

The emperor first led his ministers to offer sacrifices to God Haotian in the southern suburb of Circular Hill, and then returned to the palace to feast the ministers, including envoys from various countries.

At the banquet, Li Shimin announced the enfeoffment in public.

Although it was not a serious formal occasion, and it was only a verbal announcement, everyone knew that this matter was a certainty and there was no possibility of any changes.

As for who should be confiscated first and who should be confiscated later, and where and how much land should be confiscated, it has not been said for the time being.

But it doesn't matter anymore, just the matter of enfeoffment is enough to shock everyone.

The rich and powerful no longer concealed it, singing and dancing happily.

The bureaucrats have mixed feelings, but overall it is not unacceptable.First of all, the Shifeng governor was blocked, and secondly, after the nobles left, they had more chances of promotion.

I just don't know why, but I always feel as uncomfortable as eating flies.

The envoys of various countries were worried. The nobles of the Tang Dynasty were all killed on the battlefield. If they were divided into several in front of their own homes, they would really have trouble sleeping and eating.

But they also know that they have no room to speak about this kind of thing, and they can only pray that such violent people will not go to their doorstep.

Chen Jingke was also at the banquet. In the past, he didn't have a serious official position, so he didn't care if he came or not.Now I am a fourth-rank official, if I don't come again, I will disrespect the emperor.

He didn't want to show off on this kind of national festival, so he hid in a corner with Cheng Huailiang and Qin Huaidao and ate and drank.

When envoys from all nations paid homage to Khan, he put down the trotters in his hands and looked carefully.

There were a lot of people, and there were a hundred or ten of them by visual inspection, but he didn't see the person he wanted to see after looking for a long time.

Cheng Huailiang asked, "What are you looking at? Are there people you know?"

Chen Jingke shook his head and said: "How is it possible, I just want to see Xiaori... the envoy of Fusang Kingdom."

"A few months ago, several of our naval warships defeated the main force of their navy head-on, and also helped to restore the Chikushi country. I don't know how their envoys feel."

Cheng Huailiang smiled and said: "Then you will be disappointed, Fusang Kingdom has not sent envoys to Datang for many years."

"Oh?" Chen Jingke said in surprise: "Didn't they say that they often send people to the Central Plains to learn art, and they also send women to borrow seeds?"

Qin Huaidao showed an understanding smile, and said, "Why, are you interested in Fusang girls? I heard people say that they are petite and obedient, and they can bear no matter how they play."

Chen Jingke suddenly turned his head to look behind him, and said, "Uncle Yuchi, why are you here?"

Qin Huaidao jumped up from his chair in fright, and said in a panic, "Ah Weng, I'm just joking..."

Halfway through the talk, I realized that there was no one behind, so I didn't know that I had been fooled, and said angrily: "Chen, Jing, Ke, how do you want to die?"

"Haha..." Chen Jingke and Cheng Huailiang laughed loudly.

Everyone is singing and dancing, and their playfulness is not abrupt, and the people next to them can only envy them for their youth and vigor.

After playing around for a while, the three sat down again.

Cheng Huailiang continued the topic just now and said: "That happened in the former Sui Dynasty, and it hasn't happened in this dynasty, but I believe they will return to their old habits in a short time."

Qin Huaidao nodded in agreement and said: "As long as the Central Plains is strong and prosperous, they will definitely come. It is said that the women who have been sent to borrow seeds are noble daughters from various powerful families, and they have cultivated both sex and art skills since childhood."

"But not everyone can kiss Fangze. They mainly borrow from dignitaries or educated people."

Speaking of this, he winked and said: "With your reputation, Jing Ke, as long as you want, they can send a hundred women to your side."

Chen Jingke gave him an angry look.

Qin Huaidao chuckled and continued, "I don't know what Fusang people think about it."

"These women use the seeds to go back. If they give birth to a daughter, the girl will marry an important member of the family as a wife when she grows up. The child they give birth to will be the next generation head of the family."

"If you give birth to a son, it's even more amazing, and it will be treated as a core training. Some are even adopted by the head of the family as their own sons, and they can inherit their family when they grow up."

Cheng Huailiang said: "What else can it be? I'm inferior. I think my seed is not good, so I went to the heaven to borrow it."

"And the family didn't borrow it casually. Didn't you see that the girls born were all married to important members of the family, and the boys born had to marry women of the same clan when they grew up. In the end, it was the blood of the clan who held the power of the clan."

Chen Jingke nodded. He also had a guess that the matter might have something to do with heredity.

Marriage among close relatives is popular in Fusang country. For example, the emperor's family has always intermarried with only one or two fixed families, saying that it is to maintain the purity of blood.

Then I don't know if the blood is pure or not, and there are many kinds of diseases, which once caused difficulties for offspring.

Other nobles also have the same custom, only marrying close relatives.

In this case, it would be easier to give birth to healthy babies by going to Datang to borrow seeds.

Fusang people discovered this situation, but they couldn't understand the scientific reason. They only thought it had something to do with race, so they sent their daughters to the Central Plains to borrow seeds.

This reason was only guessed by Chen Jingke in private. I don't know if it is accurate, so I didn't say it.

Don't forget that it was also popular in Tang Dynasty to increase relatives. Princess Li Lizhi of Changle married her cousin Changsun Chong.

During the Song Dynasty, Su Shi’s two wives were both cousins. In the storybook, Su Xiaomei’s prototype is Su Shi’s sister Su Ba Niang, who died of torture and depression after marrying her cousin.

It can be said that the marriage of cousins ​​was a commendable happy event in ancient times.

But the marriage of close relatives in one or two generations will not affect the offspring, what is afraid of is the long-term marriage of close relatives.What is even more frightening is the situation in Fusang, where generations of people only intermarry with fixed families.

Datang has not yet reached this point, so Chen Jingke has no intention of attacking this custom in a short time.

With his current influence, this situation cannot be changed, and it will only cause unnecessary trouble.

Rather than being thankless, it is better to develop the technology line with peace of mind.When the level of technology improves, many customs will naturally change.

The Great Dynasty will end smoothly, and there are no moths.In today's world, no one dares to make Li Shimin unhappy on such an important day.

The winter solstice is over, and in a few days it will be New Year's Day, the beginning of a new year.

In the past few days, the people are busy buying new year's goods to prepare for the new year, but the court is getting more and more busy, and the year-end calculation cannot be delayed.

First, the Ministry of Household Affairs produced the year-end report, which mainly contained three items of data:
The first item of data is the treasury's annual revenue of 300 million yuan in money and food, of which 410 million yuan is tax revenue, and the rest is divided into glass.

A total of 640 million yuan was spent, the bulk of which was the census, the construction of the Daming Palace, and military expenditures.The total balance is 660 million yuan.

When this data came out, everyone exclaimed.

We all know that the imperial court is relatively rich this year, but they did not expect to be so rich that the yearly balance is more than the expenditure.

In layman's terms, the imperial court will not have a penny of income next year, and they can live comfortably by relying on family wealth.

Then the Ministry of Household Affairs announced the second item of data. The census was completed, and a total of 300 million people were found to be hiding.

At this time, the number of registered persons in Datang was 230 million, and the hidden population was larger than the registered population.The population of Datang doubled in just one census, soaring to 500 million.

Everyone knows that there are still many people hiding, and Li Shimin himself knows it too.But everyone knows better that this level of investigation is already the limit.

If the investigation continues, it will be difficult to make much progress, and it may cause turmoil.

It's not entirely the fault of the rich and powerful, but some of them are hidden by the common people in order to avoid the poll tax.

For example, a family has several sons who share one household registration.In this case, if the imperial court investigates severely, it may turn into a tragedy of mass infanticide.

Therefore, poverty provides the soil for hiding people. If everyone can have enough to eat, no one will become a hermit.

In view of this, Li Shimin announced on the spot that people in the world would be exempted from head tax for ten years, and only land tax would be collected.

As for why it is not abolished directly but only exempted for ten years, it is still for the sake of stability.

Poll tax and land tax have been the most important sources of tax revenue since ancient times, and it would be too risky to abolish them directly.No one knows what will happen in the future, what if the court's finances are tight.

Leave a little room for future operations.

If the imperial court is still rich in finances after ten years, it will continue to be exempted.Until it is determined that there will be no problems, it will be abolished in one step.

If it was before, everyone would definitely oppose this matter. If the poll tax is not collected, the national treasury will lose a lot of revenue, which will make the already stretched finances of the empire even more difficult.

But now, everyone accepted it calmly.

There is no way, the balance is 660 million yuan, and the work is generous.

There is one exception, that is Tang Jian, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, who came up with a work plan for next year:

Repairing the Yellow River, clearing and widening the Grand Canal, military expenditures, construction of the Daming Palace, resettlement of the cleared population, construction of the academic and political system, and the imperial examination system...

These fixed budgets alone cost more than 500 million yuan, which is not an accident.

In the end Tang Jian said: "It's not that the poll tax cannot be exempted, but the gap needs to be filled from it, otherwise it will always be a hidden danger."

Li Shimin said vigilantly: "There is no money in the internal money."

Tang Jian didn't save the emperor's face, so he exposed it on the spot: "The profit of the sugar factory in the hands of the empress is no less than that of glass. I heard that she has built thousands of mu of salt farms in the sea area of ​​Qingzhou..."

Li Shimin's face was a little uneasy, and he said forcefully: "That is the queen's property, not mine. How can I use the queen's personal money to fill the treasury? The imperial court will lose face."

Tang Jian said awe-inspiringly: "As long as the treasury of the Tang Dynasty can be enriched, the face of the minister is nothing. As long as the sage agrees, I will personally ask the empress tomorrow."

Everyone couldn't help but secretly gave him a thumbs up. Everyone knew that there was money in the family, and several industries in the queen's hands made money at a rate comparable to casting money.

For example, in the sugar industry, it is a bit exaggerated to say that the profit is higher than that of glass, but the annual income of 400 million yuan is still no problem.

The ministers have been staring at this area, thinking every day how to get money from the inside.Whoever can get money from internal funds will be treated like a hero.

As for why the state treasury has money but still ask for internal money, the reason is very simple. The money in the treasury belongs to the state, and it is not easy for everyone to save it.

The money in the treasury belongs to the emperor, so I don't feel bad about spending it casually.

But before, everyone was just thinking about asking for money from internal funds. Today, Tang Jian took it all in one step. He even wanted a share of the sugar industry, even the newly built salt farm.

Everyone naturally admired his courage and praised him one after another.

However, everyone did not let him fight alone, and stood up to support him.

Li Shimin knew that it would be impossible not to bleed, but he didn't immediately agree. He only said that he would discuss it with the queen after the court.

Everyone knew that the matter had been completed, and they were no longer aggressive.

Then Tang Jian announced the third important data, which is related to land.

When the population was checked, the land in some places was cleared by the way, and 27 acres of hidden land were found, which is 700 million mu.

You must know that the registered cultivated land in Datang is only a little over [-] million mu, and the hidden amount has reached more than one-tenth of the total, and it is certain that there are more hidden lands that have not been found out.

All civil and military officials were silent. It can be said that everyone knows this kind of thing well.A big family, especially a big family with a long history, who doesn't have a part of their land in their hands?

Li Shimin was not angry, but said coldly: "Check."

So the original census officials turned into land clearing officers.

After that, the Ministry of Industry made a report, and their report had very little summary, because many of them involved confidentiality and it was inconvenient to say.

such as steel production.

Because of the use of the new mining and steelmaking methods provided by Chen Jingke, the steel production has increased by leaps and bounds, and now the annual production has reached more than [-] tons.

Steel is a strategic material, so naturally it cannot be announced, so as not to arouse the vigilance of neighboring countries.

Among other things, with so much steel, there is the capital of explosive soldiers, and it is no problem to double the army.

Therefore, the report of the Ministry of Industry is more like a work plan for next year and a money plan.

How much money does it cost to repair the Yellow River? How much money does it cost to repair the Grand Canal? How much money does the Daming Palace need...

The core idea of ​​the work report of the Ministry of Rites is also that money is needed. The establishment of the imperial examination system needs a lot of money, and the budget of various major festivals also needs money.

Not to mention the report of the Ministry of War, the whole text is just two words, give money.

As for why so much money was spent and where it was spent, no one said a word, and no one dared to ask.

The Guozijian made a report alone, which is also two words, giving money.

In short, all departments are giving money, giving money.

It can be said that this year's income has not been affected, and it has already been spent.

Moreover, there will be more big plans for next year and more money will be spent. The total budget alone will exceed 700 million yuan.

If you count the unexpected situations that may be encountered next year, such as river disasters and locust plagues, the total will add up to nearly tens of millions.

This is something that I didn't even dare to think about before. At that time, everyone wanted to spend the money in half, and many plans had to be delayed again and again.

Unlike now, as long as it is a reasonable and formal plan, just two words, approval.

But no one is worried about whether there will be a fiscal deficit. Waiting for the profit share of salt and sugar from the Queen's hand, next year will be another rich year.

(End of this chapter)