Traveling through the Ming Dynasty, as soon as you open your eyes, you will die

Chapter 138 Dad comes to you and still wants money.

One of the frugal things is actually the Qianqing Palace of the poor Chongzhen. The earth dragon was not burning hot, and it still needed a brazier to keep warm. The father and son sat across from each other around the brazier, stretching out their hands to warm the fire, creating a warm and harmonious atmosphere. After a long time, Chongzhen said with some shame and embarrassment: "There is still one month left, and the seventeenth year of Chongzhen will be over. According to the custom, the routine rewards for the officials and subordinates of the previous year and the entire army will be distributed. Although I have already We have decided to stop the rewards from the royal family, but the rewards for officials, subordinates and soldiers are definitely quite large. However, our internal funds are not enough for this money."

New Year's reward, this is the emperor's grace. This money cannot be withdrawn from the state treasury; it needs to be paid from internal funds.

But in the past ten years or so, Junzi Donglin has cut the income due to internal funds countless times. The treasury was short of money and needed internal funds to support it. From the first year of Chongzhen to the 16th year of Chongzhen, according to incomplete statistics, the treasury took a total of more than 40 million taels from internal funds.

This one couldn't get out, which completely emptied the money that Chongzhen's grandfather and brother had saved so hard that they were in the dilemma of transferring King Ningqin to Guan and having no money to pay for it. If it weren't for Lu Mou's violent urging, this Ming Dynasty would have died long ago.

But the Ming Dynasty was saved. Lu Mou's financial reforms forced his father to give up all the internal funds and only accepted 30% of the internal funds from the Ministry of Revenue. This little income is barely enough to cover the expenses of the royal family in the inner palace.

It's the New Year, and the palace maids and eunuchs who have been busy for a year also need the same reward. Now the emperor, the largest landowner in the world, once again had no food left in his family.

But this is also related to the morale of the military, officials and subordinates, and the emperor's face, so it must be revealed. Therefore, Chongzhen could only extend his hand to San'er again.

In fact, when he reached out this time, Chongzhen felt that he had gone too far and that his father was too incompetent. But things forced it to happen, and there was really no other way.

"How much do you need?"

"Although we don't have that many subordinate officials and troops now, Jiangnan will be left behind to take charge, but according to calculations, it still needs 800,000."

"How far is it left?"

I just ripped off Zu Dashou and Wu Xiang, sold the junk piled up in the warehouse of the Ministry of Industry, and mobilized 600,000 yuan, which should be enough.

"There are still eight hundred thousand left."

As soon as this number came out, Lu Mou was so shocked that he almost threw his hand into the brazier. You can just say it's okay, why go through such a big detour.

"There are also various unavoidable sacrificial activities during the New Year. Although activities such as offering sacrifices to heaven and earth are paid for by the national treasury, worshiping ancestors in the ancestral temple requires internal funds. Even if it is simple, it will still cost one or two hundred thousand. besides--"

"Stop it, one million, is that enough?"

"If on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the lanterns for enjoying with the subjects are cancelled, that's almost enough." Chongzhen was a little nervous: "For this reason, my father wants to discuss with San'er whether the Ministry of Household Affairs will allocate this money?"

Lu Mou immediately and seriously refused.

"No, now we must make clear the distinction between family and country. Those who have internal money belong to internal funds, and what belongs to the treasury belongs to the treasury. I must tell the ministers that your work is not only for our old Zhu family, but also for everyone. We share the country and do things for the common people. Only in this way can we eliminate the officials. I am working for your old Zhu family. If I can do something perfunctory, I will be irresponsible. Let them have a sense of responsibility for the country and the people."

Then he gritted his teeth and deepened the pain: "If there is still no distinction between family and country, then the ministers and the people will think that since they are working for the emperor, it is not impossible to change the dynasty and change the emperor."

As soon as these words came out, it really stung Chongzhen. Think about how in March, the officials were lying flat and lying on the ground, and they were secretly communicating with Li Chuang, just waiting for the time to change the court, and they could only support themselves hard. The situation made me tremble all over.

Before Chongzhen could say anything, two people agreed in unison from outside the palace door: "Your Majesty said it well."

Then Liu Zongzhou signed up to see Huang Daozhou.

Chongzhen invited the two of them to come in. Before Liu Zongzhou could sit down, he said bluntly: "If the family and the country are not divided, then the world will only support one person. This is wrong." Huang Daozhou continued: "And this time The Emperor asks the Ministry of Revenue for money. If the Ministry of Revenue is short of money in the future, it will be natural for him to ask for money from internal funds. Your Majesty, will you give it to me?"

Chongzhen shivered again. A few years ago, the scene where the Ministry of Revenue asked for money from internal funds had frightened him.

During the reign of Hongwu and Zhu Yuanzhang, the distinction between internal funds and household income was established. In fact, this subconsciously separated the family and the country.

Especially after the cabinet system was completed, the disguised equality of imperial power and ministerial power further deepened this concept.

Coupled with the rise of ministerial power headed by the cabinet, several unreliable emperors were unwilling to govern, which further exacerbated the downplay of the royal family.

In the end, Zhang Juzheng's era basically established this rule.

Even though a few emperors were out of tune, did not go to court for decades, and most of the ministers did not know the emperor, the Ming Dynasty still ran smoothly.

The dual-entry system of internal funds and household funds confirms that the expenses of my court belong to my court. But the expenses of the royal family are no longer my responsibility. The responsibilities of both parties were thoroughly clarified.

For example, the Forbidden Army and the Royal Guards are your royal family's personal troops, so the royal family should pay for the expenses.

During festivals and festivals, if you show your royal favor, your royal family will also have to pay for it.

Disaster relief is a national responsibility, but it also needs to show the majesty of your emperor's kindness. Therefore, we will spend half of the money for disaster relief.

For this reason, your income from tea, silk, cloth, salt mines, etc. is the filial piety paid to you by the people of the world. Every year, 30% of the national fiscal revenue goes to internal funds, which is the salary the country gives you as the emperor.

Now, with the unified finance, we don’t touch your internal funds to ask for money. This is very giving you face, but you still want us to ask for it? There are no doors.

Therefore, the two great thinkers couldn't help but speak in unison, opposing Chongzhen's idea of ​​harming the country and the people, wasting national money just for his own selfish interests, and providing only one person in the world to defeat the emperor.

However, as those events in the Ming Dynasty summarized, Ming Dynasty is a group company in the form of a state. It makes no sense for the emperor, as the chairman, not to pay year-end benefits to employees at the end of the year.

When Chongzhen was in embarrassment, Lu Mou stood up resolutely and slapped the table: "All rewards cannot be given less, especially when the company is in difficulty and it is more necessary to motivate employees to forge ahead, they must be doubled. Therefore, my father, this two A reward of millions will come from my sons and ministers."

As soon as this statement came out, the whole audience was shocked. Double two million, how can you come up with it?

As soon as Lu Mou's bold words came out, the emperor and his ministers were shocked, and Lu Mou kept slapping himself in the mouth - he was bragging too much. Two million, one month, even if you kill me, you won’t be able to find it.

Lu Mou walked out of the palace and returned home, ready to find some reason to go back on his promise. Just as he was thinking of an excuse, he turned around and wanted to go back to the palace to talk to his father, but he met a ninth-grade official.

When the official saw Lu Mou, he came over to greet him with excitement on his face: "I have heard that the prince wants to raise double the reward for us. Then during the Chinese New Year, I will be able to buy more for my parents." I have a new set of clothes." After saying this, his eyes turned red: "My parents haven't bought any clothes in three years."

Lu Mou turned around and continued to walk to his palace, still lamenting in his heart: "The secrecy work in this palace is too unreliable. How can the squad leader of the Jinyi Guards keep secrecy like a colander? Results Not bad?"

But think about the embarrassment of a ninth-grade official with a modest income, just waiting for this routine reward money to buy a new set of clothes for his old parents. Because his parents have not bought any clothes for three years, and with the reddish circles under his eyes, Lu Mou Just tell yourself, how can you delay the filial piety of the Son of Man?

But all the debts that should be collected have been collected, and all the internal funds and income that should be collected have been collected. Three million, I can only rob it.

(End of this chapter)