Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 430: The crooked monk thinks seriously
"Fang Yushi, what is the method you came up with?"

Yan Zhenqing asked curiously.

In fact, it's not that they are stupid, but this kind of work that requires a lot of cash in a short period of time has always been difficult to do.

Because central finance is often a carrot and a pit, each ministry basically knows how much money it needs before appropriating funds.

Are you saying that the inn will not be maintained? Aren't officials' salaries going to be paid? Roads and bridges are no longer repaired, and rivers are no longer dredged?
That's obviously not possible.

However, the one hundred thousand forbidden troops are needed to make up for the shortfall, which is at least tens of thousands short. Where do these people's military pay, equipment, and rations come from?

Refining the Forbidden Army means using central finance to support the main battle army. Raising troops locally was the national policy of the Tang Dynasty after Emperor Gaozong. The relationship between them can be said to be constantly being cut and messed up, and it is impossible to tell right from wrong in just a few words.

But it is obvious that the national system of the Tang Dynasty is now rigid, and it is an indisputable fact that the frontier, town and tail cannot be lost. Only by making the Forbidden Army stronger can we cope with the subsequent situation. This is also the current consensus of both the government and the opposition.

Reaching a consensus means deciding whether to do this or not. Now that you have decided to do it, the first step is to raise money.

This is the same as ordinary people who need to prepare money before buying anything.

Seeing that the two of them were a little moved, Fang Chongyong continued to explain:
"The court doesn't have to be so rough when doing things.

After all, not borrowing money means starving the Imperial Army. In this case, the imperial guards had no choice but to go to his house for dinner. Who made their family rich?
This can be regarded as the greater the ability, the greater the responsibility. "

It seems, it seems, it sounds interesting.

Zheng Shuqing and Yan Zhenqing looked at each other, wondering how anyone could come up with such a crazy idea!

His words left Zheng Shuqing and Yan Zhenqing speechless. Where can there be such a stupid person in the world? It's not enough to be tricked by the court once, but he has to be tricked again?
"Fang Yushi, if you don't return it, how can you borrow it?"

Fang Chongyong said calmly, as if he didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with what he said.

"If anyone borrows it again, ten years later, the court will give his family's land tax exemption for five years and then pay back the principal.

If you really want to do this, the world will be in chaos.

Fang Chongyong shook his head and sighed.

Well, it sounds like there is a little bit of nonsense.

Misfortunes are where blessings depend, and blessings are where misfortunes lie. In my opinion, it may not be a bad thing for the court to borrow money from those people. "

Fang Chongyong felt proud instead of ashamed, and even felt proud after saying this.

It would be better to let them donate one-tenth of their assets to the court as military expenses, and also to cover other expenses, within five years, and then give them the same amount of silk, grain and fodder after five years, wouldn't it? "

We agreed to pay it back together in ten years! "

If you don't borrow, you will have to pay back the money you owed to others before you pay him back.

This is what the people want.

If Tang Dynasty were around, they would have a chance to collect debts. If the Tang Dynasty died, they would lose all their money.

Yan Zhenqing and Zheng Shuqing looked at him with puzzled faces, as if waiting for Fang Chongyong's explanation.

The court has no money today, and it will probably be the same in five years. "

"Both of you are high-ranking officials of the imperial court, and they are not tainted by the smell of copper. Naturally, they don't know what the wealthy merchants think.

Allow them to collect tolls.

Fang Zhongyong said confidently.

Yan Zhenqing and Zheng Shuqing were both silent, seeming to weigh the pros and cons in their hearts.

If someone doesn't want to borrow money, the Ministry of Accounts can also issue licenses to those wealthy households who are unwilling.

However, the core of the problem lies precisely in lack of money!
"Actually, I have a feeling that there are still many rich people in the Tang Dynasty, and there are also many people who are unkind for their wealth.

In order to stabilize the Tang Dynasty, the imperial court must borrow money from those wealthy households.

“Not only do you not have to pay it back, but the court will also need to borrow a large amount by then!

Those who are willing to lend money can be regarded as sharing the country's worries, and the court will award his family a plaque of a good family and hang it on the lintel of their house.

It was agreed that any wealthy household who obtained the license could contract a certain area of ​​mountains, rivers and lakes near their hometown during the loan period and set up road crossings nearby.

If someone rebels in the future, these people will be the first to refuse.

Borrowed or not?

Since ancient times, it has always been Ye Ye who borrows money, and Sun Zi who collects debts.

Yan Zhenqing asked patiently.

Yan Zhenqing asked doubtfully.

Or in front of these two high-ranking officials of the imperial court!
"Okay, Yushi Fang, let's not talk about anything else. Let's just say that after five years, how can the court pay it back?

Is this still possible?

It's not that he has destroyed his prestige, but that Datang's stall is now too big! The deterioration of the national finances is visible to the naked eye!

After a few years, the court would find any excuse. For example, these people were harming the local area for the sake of wealth and were unkind, and not killing them was not enough to make the people angry.

"You don't have to pay it back. It will be a different story in five years."

After Fang Chongyong finished speaking, Yan Zhenqing, who had already stood up halfway, sat back down.

Yan Zhenqing and Zheng Shuqing exchanged glances, then shook their heads and sighed together. They were so outrageous and unreasonable.

Then they were executed on the spot, their property was confiscated, part of it was given to the local poor, and the rest was taken back to the national treasury and confiscated.

In this way, wouldn’t it mean that the people’s hearts are restored and the money doesn’t have to be paid back?

In short, this is the general idea. How to operate it is up to the ministers and ministers of the court to decide. A certain person is just a rough guy, and he just has this crooked thing in his head. Don't think too highly of me, you two. "

Fang Chongyong waved his hand and said indifferently.

Yan Zhenqing and Zheng Shuqing couldn't help but nod silently, as if they were seriously thinking about the feasibility of Fang Chongyong's crooked idea.

They are not stupid at all, nor are they white lotus-like characters. In Yan Zhenqing's vision, he originally planned to establish "toll stations" in various places to collect money and use it as military expenses. I just have some doubts about the specific operation and haven’t made up my mind yet.

When internal conflicts within an empire do not break out, of course the society as a whole can continue to prosper.

But when its internal conflicts begin to intensify, some people need to be "sacrificed" to maintain the operation of the country.

The poor have little money, and you can't get much money out of them by killing them.

Therefore, those wealthy households and businessmen who have wealth but no power and no soldiers are ready-made fat sheep.

The court said it was being polite to ask them to borrow money. If you're not polite, then find a reason, plant a charge, and kill him directly.

"It's a pity that Censor Fang didn't go to the Council Hall."

Yan Zhenqing couldn't help but sigh.

Compared with selling one's official position, which is absolutely unacceptable, one can sell one's official qualifications by "being born in the same Ming Dynasty". What Fang Chongyong said now is still within the acceptable range.

After all, there are only a few ways to make money quickly.

How can you look decent if you want to make money?
Everyone’s eyes are sharp!

"You two just tell me if this is okay.

In fact, there is a more tactful way, but I still feel that it is a quick way to cut through the mess.

Don't go to Hebei. The imperial court can directly send consolation envoys to Lianghuai and Jiangnan to handle this matter. "

"This method can save you for a while, but it will cause endless troubles in the future."

Yan Zhenqing couldn't help but sigh. "Yan Shangshu, if you can repay usury loans, don't borrow them. If you borrow them, your family will be ruined.

If you absolutely can't afford it, it's better to borrow more when you first borrowed it.

Which one is bigger, the imperial court or the rich?

Is it picking scraps from the mouths of the poor, or moving goods from the treasury of the rich?
Isn’t it obvious that one should choose the lesser of two evils?
The rich family is suffering, and Yan Shangshu is burdened with infamy. If I don't go to hell, who will go to hell? Isn't it obvious whether it is good or evil? "

Fang Chongyong "persuaded".

"Indeed, a certain right minister decided to do this.

I will go to Xingqing Palace to meet the Holy Spirit now. "

Zheng Shuqing nodded slightly and said, he didn't want to ink any more.

Every time Lao Zheng reaches a critical moment, Fang Chongyong has a kind of blind trust.

"Indeed, that's all we can do."

Yan Zhenqing nodded slightly. Fang Chongyong's method was at least not to directly raise taxes. As for the future, that can only be discussed in the future.

He comforted himself that the court would just pay back the money in the future, and it would be no big deal.

Although this money is probably not enough.

As for the five years of exempted land rent... In fact, even now, the wealthy households are doing everything possible to evade taxes, and the court cannot get much profit from them.

At that time, it will just turn the unspoken rules into explicit rules, and there will not be much loss to the court.

When conflicts of interest intensify, things that are good for you, me, and everyone are basically impossible to happen. This is one of the reasons why revolution is not a dinner party.

There will always be some bloody, embarrassing and ugly scenes.

When the court needs money, it always has to recruit some people and plunder it from them in order to deal with it.

"Just do what you said."

Yan Zhenqing stood up, bowed politely to the other party Zhongyong, crossed his hands, and walked out of the private room with Zheng Shuqing.

In his heart, he no longer dared to look down upon this young man who boasted himself as Qiu Ba and was very thoughtful.

……

In the imperial study room of the main building of Xingqing Palace, Brother Ji listened to the right prime minister Zheng Shuqing reporting to him the fundraising plan.

He nodded slightly while listening, obviously satisfied with it.

Yan Zhenqing observed silently from the side, and couldn't help but admire Fang Chongyong's thoughtfulness in his heart.

This man has almost seen through the Emperor of Chang'an in front of him!

"Five years is too long. As time goes by, the rich and wealthy will think too much and complain about the court.

If not, let’s set a three-year period. But the methods must be tougher. If you are unwilling to pay, you are unwilling to share the suffering with Datang.

Such a person, if the world is in chaos in the future, will definitely be a person with both ends.

If anyone refuses to lend, let the Ministry of Justice send someone to investigate the local area. If anyone is found to have committed a crime, their house will be confiscated directly.”

Brother Ji said calmly, as if he was not talking about killing people, but about killing a few pigs.

I asked you to borrow money, how could you not lend me money?
I am the emperor, and this is the Tang Dynasty!
I am the master of the Tang Dynasty, and you are the people of the Tang Dynasty. If you don't lend me the money, are you going to lend it to the rebels?

So, it’s natural for me to kill you, right?

After all, the way you got your money is not right. It is the so-called unkindness to get rich.

If you don't help me, you are preparing to go against me in the future, and you won't be allowed to leave!

Brother Ji's logic has always been very clear.

Building a prosperous Tang Dynasty and a prosperous Chang'an were just for him, the emperor, to enjoy. If others can be taken into consideration, then let them enjoy the glory brought by the Tang Dynasty together.

If we can't take care of it, then these people must become the fuel and firewood that make Datang shine and contribute to the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty!
In short, no matter who they are, they cannot owe themselves, the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty.

Whether it was the Kaiyuan era or the current Tianbao era, Ji Ge's thoughts and principles of doing things have never changed.

It can be regarded as a "beginning and an end" to a certain extent.

Seeing the emperor talking like this, Yan Zhenqing finally knew why Li Shizhi "committed suicide".

His butt is not sitting in the right place!
Yan Zhenqing felt extremely ashamed. Fang Chongyong was only in his twenties, but he had already seen through what this "sage" was. It's ridiculous that my knowledge is not as good as that of a young man!

"Yan Shangshu, what do you think?"

Seeing that Yan Zhenqing was a little dazed, Brother Ji smiled and asked.

He is obviously in a good mood now. Zheng Shuqing, a mangy dog, is better than a disobedient like Li Shizhi!

"Back to the saint, I agree with the right minister's policy. It is urgent to organize and train the imperial army."

Yan Zhenqing said to Brother Ji with folded hands and a salute.

"Well, that's good. Then you can handle this matter in person. I appoint you as the envoy of the four provinces of Shannan and Jiangnan, specifically responsible for raising funds. The Minister of the Ministry of Industry will be changed to the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, and you will take up the post in good faith."

Brother Ji made a prompt decision and appointed Yan Zhenqing an official and asked him to go to Lianghuai and Jiangnan to search for land.

"The minister obeys the order."

Yan Zhenqing did not dare to complain, and said with a calm expression, folding his hands and saluting.

He sighed in his heart, he was really afraid of whatever he wanted. Originally, I came with Zheng Shuqing because I was worried that Lao Zheng would leave the job of collecting money to me and talk nonsense in front of the emperor.

Unexpectedly, Brother Ji was not polite at all. Zheng Shuqing didn't say a word about it. Instead, he, the emperor, just threw the pot over.

"The emperor has no shortage of hungry soldiers. If Yan Aiqing needs anything, just ask me."

Brother Ji asked with a smile.

"Back to the saint, Wei Chen needs an envoy from Fang's army to bring a silver spear to the Xiaojie Army and go with Wei Chen to the Huaihe River and Jiangnan to prepare for any eventuality.

After all, wealth is alluring. It’s hard to say whether there will be people who are driven by greed and take risks. "

Yan Zhenqing hoped to have a strong army to accompany him to Jiangnan and Lianghuai and other places to search for wealthy households, and escort the wealth and silk back to Chang'an.

Yan Zhenqing would really not dare to walk at night if he didn't have a few thousand Imperial Guardsmen by his side!

"Well, that's fine. Fang Guozhong is a restless person. He is wasting his talents by staying in Chang'an.

Then let him take the backbone of the filial piety army with three thousand silver spears and accompany Aiqing on a journey. "

Brother Ji nodded slightly and said.

Send Fang Chongyong away, just in time to gather the imperial army in a big way.

Brother Ji was thinking secretly in his heart, thinking that it would not be a bad thing if Fang Chongyong was not in the way of Chang'an.

"Sage, the Silver Spear Filial Piety Army is the most powerful army in Guanzhong. We should not leave it lightly."

Zheng Shuqing suggested calmly.

Unexpectedly, Brother Ji waved his hand and said with a sneer: "It is true that it is the strongest army in Guanzhong, but now that the Tang Dynasty is at its peak, who dares to rebel? Aiqing is too worried."

"The humble minister is stupid."

Zheng Shuqing retreated, feeling bitter and not knowing who to talk to.

(End of this chapter)