Datang: I am so happy to marry a disfigured princess!

Chapter 12 Li Shimin: I am very poor, very poor!
Xiaolan opened her mouth and said nothing, but she couldn't help but sigh. She knew that Her Highness the Princess was secretly hurt again.

Over the years, Her Royal Highness the Princess has suffered a lot of grievances because of this matter.

In the evening, these words reached Changsun Wugu's ears.

The woman was also quite worried. She knew in her heart that Li Ningxi was really attracted to her, but it was precisely because of her appearance that she cared about her appearance.

After thinking for a moment, eldest grandson Wugou came to Yiqiu Palace and asked to see Li Shimin.

After listening to Changsun Wugou's words, Li Shimin was silent for a moment.

"Lin Heng said before that he doesn't pay attention to appearance, but only looks at the inner character. What do you think, Your Majesty?"

Changsun Wugou said.

Li Shimin said slowly: "Today I was in Linjiazhuang, pretending to be passers-by with Ma Zhou Xuanling, and wanted to test Lin Heng. Unexpectedly, this person surprised me."

"He didn't know who I was, but he still entertained me warmly. He brought out the best tea and meals at home. He was extremely enthusiastic. Such ancient hospitality is almost unheard of."

"And whenever I have needs, he will satisfy them. He doesn't mind our status. In my opinion, what these people said in the main hall that day was definitely not forgery."

Li Shimin continued: "If Ning Xi is accompanied by this person, she may not be happy in the future."

Although the royal family's reputation was a big deal, the happiness of his children was also something he had to consider.

Changsun Wugou asked with some joy: "Then your Majesty has agreed to their marriage?"

Li Shimin sighed and nodded, then slapped the table: "A mere farmer wants to marry the apple of my eye!"

Li Shimin was unwilling to accept it. No matter how talented the farmer was, he was still just a farmer!
Does his daughter really want to marry a farmer?
Just as he was thinking about it, the eunuch outside the door suddenly came to communicate.

"I report to Your Majesty that Sun Wuji, the Secretary of the Central Committee, Gao Shilian, the Minister of Civil Affairs, and Dou Jing, the Minister of Civil Affairs, want to see Your Majesty!"

Hearing this, the eldest grandson Wu Gufu resigned: "Since Your Majesty has important matters to deal with, I will leave first."

Li Shimin waved his hand, and after the eldest grandson Wugou left, he announced that the three of them would go to the palace.

"See Your Majesty!"

Li Shimin waved his hand: "Dear ladies, please stand up. Why are you here so late?"

He couldn't help but look solemn when he saw three officials with high positions in the court arriving at such a late hour.

Changsun Wuji and Gao Shilian looked at Dou Jing, Minister of Civil Affairs, who had no choice but to step forward.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs, responsible for a country's finance and taxation and other duties, was called the Ministry of Household Affairs in later generations.

So it was most appropriate for him to speak.

"I would like to report to Your Majesty that the Turks invaded our borders two years ago and harassed the people at our borders, causing the people to live in dire straits. Your Majesty is so majestic that in order to save the people from disaster, he ordered an attack on the Turks."

"How can the prosperity of our Tang Dynasty be compared to that of the small Turkic countries? Therefore, within two years, the Turks were pacified and the Turkic territories were included in the territory of our Tang Dynasty."

Li Shimin felt a little headache after hearing this, and said directly: "Dou Qing, there is no need to beat around the bush, just get to the point."

When Dou Jing heard this, he bowed his head and said: "Although the Tang Dynasty had won a complete victory, the army went out and the military expenditure was huge. Now the national treasury is empty and the court has no money and food! There are hundreds of thousands of immigrants who want to move to Turkic lands to build cities, and the Ministry of War still has There is a vacancy of more than [-] guan in military expenditures, and the government can no longer make ends meet!"

Li Shimin suddenly frowned: "In the first year of Zhenguan, our annual treasury income was 3000 million yuan, and in the following years it was more than this amount. How come there is no money and food in the treasury now?"

No matter how fierce the war is, it can't possibly cost so much, right?After all, we were just attacking a small Turkic country, and we didn't send too many troops.

Moreover, before the war, Li Shimin also calculated the military expenditures, which were far from emptying the national treasury.Dou Jing continued: "I would like to inform your majesty that the soldiers and horses have not used food and grass. After two years of fighting against the Turks, our treasury has been severely reduced. The army only consumes 30 guan in money and food every day. The rest of the horses, ordnance, and pensions for the soldiers and soldiers Gold accounts for half of military expenditures.”

"In addition, there are now investments in the construction of dams and ports in various places, the development of civilian farming, as well as several new palaces planned to be built in the palace, palaces built by princes and princes, awards, plus annual tribute rewards from other countries, etc., all of which are huge. expenditure."

Hearing this, Li Shimin couldn't help but frown, but he still didn't believe that so much money and food in his treasury was now empty.

"What do you two think?"

Changsun Wuji was the first to speak: "Now that the Tang Dynasty's national power is empty, we must find ways to increase revenue and reduce expenditures, or increase taxes to maintain national expenditures!"

"no!"

Li Shimin decisively refused, and increasing taxes was tantamount to putting a heavy burden on the people of the Tang Dynasty who had just had a few good years. Now the Tang Dynasty's national power is becoming increasingly prosperous, which is inseparable from today's policies.

It's about increasing revenue and reducing expenditure, but you can think about it.

Gao Shilian said: "Then we can only increase revenue and reduce expenditure."

Li Shimin nodded, as if that was all he could do.

"What do you think, Qing Gao?"

Gao Shilian paused for a moment and said loudly: "In today's Tang Dynasty, regardless of the central and local governments, all expenditures are huge. To build dams in the south of the Yangtze River, in order to protect the people's sentiments, we must not cut expenses in the north."

"Therefore, there is only the center, that is, the imperial city. According to Weichen's investigation, the palace that your majesty wants to expand currently costs at least 800 million yuan, and the royal expenses are also a large amount of money."

Hearing this, Li Shimin couldn't help but laugh or cry. His minister of household affairs actually had an idea on his head, but after hearing this, he couldn't help but think about it.

Royal meals are of extremely high standard, and the main expense is on the ingredients. They are all rare and precious ingredients, and each meal costs hundreds of dollars.

Just the food in the harem is like this, plus the concubines, princes, princesses, etc., as well as the clothes they change daily, when you think about it, it turns out to be a huge expense.

Thinking of this, Li Shimin couldn't help but smile bitterly. There are difficulties in being an emperor. Now that the treasury is empty, expenditure must be reduced.

Building the palace is not a top priority and can be temporarily suspended until later.

The food and clothing of the palace staff can also be adjusted. After all, these children have enjoyed a lot of blessings over the years, so there should be no problem in suffering for a while.

"No wonder the three of you came here together. This requires me to agree!"

"Wei Chen doesn't dare!" the three of them said in unison.

Li Shimin waved his hand: "I know the current situation of the Tang Dynasty. Naturally, I will not settle for enjoyment. If the summons continues, the construction of the palace will be temporarily stopped. I will also bear the brunt of setting an example for the royal family and reducing the royal family's daily expenses."

Dou Jing immediately knelt down and kowtowed.

"Your Majesty is wise!"

"Your Majesty is wise!"

Li Shimin immediately asked: "Since I have already cut back on expenditures, where will this increase come from? Does Aiqing have any good ideas?"

As soon as these words came out, several people fell silent.

Changsun Wuji and Gao Shilian looked at each other in confusion.

When Li Shimin saw this, he couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.

(End of this chapter)