Cui Chengxiu stood up and bowed to Zhu Youxiao, then half-sided, took out the booklet he had prepared for a long time to report.

According to Cui Chengxiu, compared with the seventh year of the Tianqi period, after the Donglin Party was completely eradicated and the Dongchang's monitoring of civil servants became stricter again, the officialdom's infighting and struggle were relatively eased, so there was no major change in the organizational system of Beijing officials.

On the contrary, in local areas, especially in Shandong, Fengyang and other places, a large number of local officials were dismissed or criminalized for opposing the new policy openly and secretly, resulting in a large number of local officials being vacancies this year. A large number of scholars were urgently needed to replenish these local officials and restore local administrative order.

Fortunately, the wise and great emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Youzhai, prepared for the future. As early as the seventh year of Tianqi, he greatly increased the admission quotas for the imperial examination and provincial examinations on the grounds of showing kindness to the world.

Therefore, the number of second and third-level Jinshi and more officials who have been awarded several times more than in previous years can be quickly supplemented by local vacancies.

"If you study well, you will be an official. Although there are so-called scholarly children who are unwilling to join us, those of us who are in the eyes of money, there are still a large number of scholars from ordinary families, especially scholars from the north, Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Huguang and other places who are willing to serve the Ming Dynasty.

For these scholars, we should encourage them to become officials, and even some students who have given tribute can be vigorously promoted. Now that the country urgently needs talents, we should not be neglected due to fame and fortune. People from the Dongchang should also investigate these quasi-official officials and inform the Ministry of Personnel at any time.

Those who are flexible and open-minded will go to Jiangnan, Fujian, Zhejiang, Guangdong, Guangxi, Liaodong and other places, and will implement many new policies in the future and respond to foreign forces. For officials who abide by the rules and be honest and honest, they will be sent to Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Huguang and other places, especially those in the Han and Yi mixed together. It will be easier to implement sinicization and allow Confucian education to penetrate into the Miaozhaizhuang area in the future;

In addition, those who have passed the imperial examination and are unwilling to come out to be officials, I allow them to do business, write books or engage in other industries, but are not allowed to stay in their hometowns. They must be assigned by the court to teach and educate people or activate local trade by a remote area that urgently needs education! Otherwise, why bother going out to participate in the imperial examination, spending the country's financial resources instead of working for the country, and occupying a pit and not pooping, so that some scholars who have insufficient knowledge but are determined to serve the country have lost their reputation, which has fulfilled his noble reputation!”

Cui Chengxiu carefully recorded Zhu Youxiao's instructions, and asked the Dongchang to assist the Ministry of Personnel to report the ideas and opinions of scholars from all over the country to the Ministry of Personnel for reference when selecting them. This made him secretly admire the flexibility of His Majesty Zhu Youxiao, and also made him realize that the Dongchang also had the function of assisting the six ministries in carrying out government affairs in addition to collecting evidence of crime and arresting people.

After the report of the Minister of Personnel Cui Chengxiu, the situation was the situation of the left and right ministers of the Ministry of Personnel in charge of the department affairs, including the results of the Beijing inspection and evaluation levels of officials at all levels, and the number of people who need to be dismissed due to their age, illness and incompetence. Zhu Youxiao did not interrupt. As the emperor, it was impossible for him to intervene in everything in every detail, but it was still necessary to listen to it. At least you can know whether these high-ranking officials have any position or not. Sometimes you can see through their words and expression logic.

Although the Ministry of Personnel is the most important department of the six ministries, at the end of this year's year-end court discussion, Zhu Youxiao paid more attention to the report of the Ministry of Revenue. In his previous life, he read the history of the Ming Dynasty. Countless people often say that the criticism of the Ming Dynasty was finance. Therefore, since he became the Emperor of the Tianqi of the Ming Dynasty, what he most focused on was how much money he made and how much money the treasury had.

For this reason, he would not rather bear the infamy of a ruthless emperor, cut off the vassal kings who had no minions in various places, and even deprived them of their privileges in different ways. Not only the vassal kings in various places, but also the gentry who possessed privileges. Zhu Youxiao would rather clean up the entire Shandong officialdom and pull out the feathers from the gentry like an iron rooster.

Seeing that His Majesty was staring at him, Guo Yunhou, the Minister of Revenue, could not help but wipe the sweat beads on his forehead. He couldn't help but laugh: "The floor heating is too hot." Then he took out the prepared booklet to prepare a long summary of the Ming Dynasty's financial income and expenses this year. To be honest, the treasury income this year has improved greatly. Even Guo Yunhou can give out many achievements to exaggerate, and maybe even be promoted to the title.

But Guo Yunhou felt a little scared. He was afraid that the entire civil servant group would be shocked and hated after reporting the results he summarized. Because the series of data here proved the great benefits of commercial tax collection and the integration of officials and gentry in the same way. However, once this result was published, it would completely deny the argument that commercial tax collection was to compete with the people for profit and harm national interests, and even support His Majesty's subsequent promotion.

Although the officials nowadays dare not challenge His Majesty, it is unknown whether the stubborn and conservatives who hold grudges will vent their anger on him, the Minister of Revenue, and regard him Guo Yunhou as Shang Yang.

However, in front of so many people, and when he saw His Majesty's eagle-like gaze, Guo Yunhou finally gritted his teeth and said, "Report to Your Majesty, in the eighth year of the Apocalypse, the national treasury tax revenue totaled 103.42 million silver dollars, the total expenditure tax revenue totaled 58.54 million silver dollars, and the remaining 44.88 million silver dollars.

Guo Yunhou just read a string of data, and the entire court congress made a noise on the spot, and they all looked at Guo Yunhou. Although the court implemented currency reform, silver dollars were relatively lower than silver, but the difference was not big. Now, the annual income of the treasury suddenly reached hundreds of millions of silver dollars, which was simply incredible!

"Guo Butang, you are not mistaken, when did I become so rich in Ming Dynasty?" Li Mingrui was not very convinced. Relying on his being the emperor's most trusted Cabinet Grand Secretary, he stood up for other officials to express his doubts.

"I dare not deceive Your Majesty and everyone here. This number is the conclusion drawn by all colleagues of the Ministry of Revenue after verifying it for more than thirty times. Among them, the twelfth lunar month has not been included. There is still a tax of 1,200 million silver dollars in Fengyang that has not been deported to Beijing." After Guo Yunhou said this, Li Mingrui suddenly realized that he was not good at interrupting. No one was willing to mention the commercial tax, nor did he dare to express his opinions casually.

Zhu Youxiao naturally saw the cunning of these officials. After a smile, he did not expose it. He just nodded and said, "Continue talking."

"Yes!" Guo Yunhou continued: "In terms of income, the summer and autumn tax increased by more than 30 million silver dollars compared with last year. It was mainly because Shaanxi implemented the implementation of tax deposits in acres, and changed the situation of no taxes in Shaanxi. The expanded tax collection area was found. In addition, after Shandong officials and gentry paid the food together, Shandong's summer and autumn taxes also doubled, but the main reason for the increase was the collection of Fengyang commercial tax;

Since Fengyang Governor Ma Shiying encouraged business and increased the amount of commercial tax, the entire Fengyang area has deducted commercial taxes from 10 million to 40 million to the court every three months, especially in the second half of the year. Ma Shiying reported it to His Majesty. What I want to say here is that Fengyang contributed nearly 70% of the tax revenue to the court, but last year, Fengyang's summer and autumn annual tax accounted for less than 30% of the entire national treasury tax revenue."

After hearing this, Zhu Youxiao couldn't help but slam the table: "Look, Fengyang, Zhongdu, can increase so much tax after collecting commercial tax. I want to see who said that commercial tax cannot be levied? If commercial tax is not levied, can he create this treasury income of hundreds of millions of dollars for me?"

The officials had to agree that they were not fools, so they naturally knew that the levy of the commercial tax would enrich the national treasury, but this also meant that the wealth of the people, especially the gentry, would flow into the pockets of the court. In this way, what would they use to buy land, build gardens, and accumulate voices?

"I know you are not happy, and I feel that I have taken away the money you masters, but think about it, are you so hungry that you can't afford to eat now, or you still have no money to buy clothes? Zhang Junning, the left assistant minister of the Ministry of Justice, you lost one million silver dollars in a big bet in Suzhou after executing Fan Wencheng in prison. Is this a matter?

There is also Zhou Changli, the chief minister of Taipu Temple. When you visited the village and returned home, you auctioned off a set of diamond-inlaid dressing mirrors from the Royal Industrial Company for 150,000 silver dollars in advance. On the way back, you were unfortunately broken by a migrant worker who was transported. But with a big stroke, you exempted the migrant workers from compensation. Is this a matter?" Zhu Youxiao saw that many ministers here were not very moved, so he couldn't help but smile coldly and told the trivial matters of several officials who had mastered from the East Factory.

After hearing what Zhu Youxiao said, Zhang Junning, the left minister of the Ministry of Justice, and Zhou Changli, the minister of the Taipu Temple, could not help but tremble for a moment, and was also very frightened. He sighed in his heart that his affairs had been known by His Majesty. It was a pity that he pretended to be smart and thought that His Majesty did not know the elegant affairs below them.

"Zhou Changli!"

Zhu Youxiao suddenly shouted loudly, which scared Zhou Changli, the minister of Taipu Temple, immediately knelt down: "I know the crime, I know the crime, I know the crime, I deserve it."

"You shouldn't be anything, I don't mean to blame you. Zhou Changli's ancestors were born as horse raising. Later, they specialized in business inside and outside and became a local tycoon. Now they are the richest family in Dingyuan, Zhongdu. If you spend 150,000 silver dollars to buy a mirror, I will not suspect that you are corrupt. I will be the minister of Taipu Temple because your family is good at selling horses and let you manage the livestock affairs well for the court. What's more, you are a tolerant and generous person. I appreciate it very much."

Zhu Youxiao said again, "I only ask you one thing. After Fengyang Governor Ma Shiying reformed the commercial tax policy in Fengyang, is your Zhou family poor or rich? I honestly answered that if you dare to deceive me, I will never let you go!"

"When you go back to Your Majesty, you lost some money at the beginning, but for some reason, there were more people buying horses in Fengyang a few months later, and in the end they made a lot more money," Zhou Changli couldn't help but answered truthfully.

Zhu Youxiao nodded and signaled him to sit down, and said, "I have told you that this business depends on the change of demand and supply. I call it a market. If you want to have a good market and a large market, it means that more people can afford it and those who do business can sell more. The court is a pair of hands that controls this market. After collecting business taxes, it can maintain this order, let more people buy it, and make it more convenient for business to sell. In this way, the people who do business will have more benefits, and the court will also have benefits. Do you think this is the case? Have I taken away your wealth?"

Zhu Youxiao's words made it difficult for these officials who mainly read the Four Books and Five Classics to understand, but fortunately, these people have both low IQs and can understand the general meaning, so they nodded.

Seeing this, Zhu Youxiao didn't say anything anymore. The officials who could stay here were royalists or appeasers who could compromise for the interests of the country. Therefore, after being tempted, Zhu Youxiao was not worried that they would resist themselves because they still couldn't give up their immediate interests.

Next, Guo Yunhou continued to explain the expenditure.

According to the data provided by Guo Yunhou, the military expenditure of the Ming Dynasty in the eighth year of the Tianqi revelation had increased several times, including the significant increase in military pay and equipment expenditures caused by the regaining of the Liaodong Peninsula. In addition, in order to avoid mutiny, Zhu Youxiao ordered the Censorate and the Ministry of War to jointly rectify and replenish the military pay arrears in each border town over the years, so the military pay was also greatly increased.

Not only military expenditure, but also funding for many large-scale projects such as the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Royal Academy of Sciences and the Ordnance Department. In particular, several large-scale projects that have been newly established this year, such as the construction of the Ming Shipbuilding Bureau and the Liangjing Avenue. In addition, a large number of literati, criminal officials and their families went to the countryside to transform in the west, and we cannot really ignore it. At least education funds and basic living allowances are still given.

Therefore, although the eighth year of the Tianqi period saved a large amount of expenses from the support of the vassal kings in various places, coupled with the temporary reconciliation with the Qing Dynasty and the battle with the Wu Xiang tribe, the Ming Dynasty reduced the Ming Dynasty's war expenses and gained a lot of trade benefits, it did not reduce the total expenditure of the Ming Dynasty, but increased a lot compared with last year. Fortunately, the income increased even more, which made the treasury surplus.

However, the remaining money is not much. If all sources of income are stopped now, even the expenses for a year will not be satisfied. Moreover, if Zhu Youxiao really promised to give the eldest son Zhu Cijiong the fief and salary, I am afraid that the surplus money will be spent in one month. For this reason, Zhu Youxiao, the emperor, had to be Grandet again, and immediately reduced the scale of a series of celebrations such as the eldest son Zhu Cijiong the full moon.

However, this does not mean that Zhu Youxiao really has no money. The profits of the three royal capital giants, Royal Industries and Royal Bank, are no less than the annual income of the treasury, but this fund is to be used on the Royal Guards. In addition, there are temporary funding for various large-scale engineering construction and temporary relief for sudden disasters.
Chapter completed!