Zhu Youjian believed that it was precisely because of the huge burden of Liaodong Town that the Ming Dynasty, which was a huge monster, was dragged down.

If the Liaodong Army had pacified the Jurchens early, there would be no need to frequently increase Liao pay, so that the people could not survive. If the people could survive, they would not have formed a huge refugee army. Without the refugee army, the capital would not have been compromised, and the Ming Dynasty would not have ended abruptly in the 17th year of Chongzhen.

Liaodong Town seemed to be a huge blood-sucking worm lying on the Ming Dynasty, absorbing all the food and wages collected by the Ming Dynasty from all over the country. When the Ming Dynasty's treasury was so empty that it could run away, it was naturally not far from the destruction of the country.

Now the Liaodong Army has long been frightened by the Later Jin Dynasty. In order to cover up its incompetence, the Liaodong Army promoted the bullshit "Juzhen is not satisfied with ten thousand times, and is invincible." When the lie was told a thousand times, ten thousand times, everyone believed this lie, so that this lie really made the name of Invincible in the Later Jin Dynasty.

For the Later Jin Dynasty, there was no more cute pig rival than the Liaodong Army. They not only served as the leader of the Later Jin Transportation Brigade, transported salt, iron and grain to the Later Jin Dynasty, but also created great momentum for the Later Jin Dynasty, making the Later Jin Dynasty, which was obviously just a local separatist force, become the Qing Dynasty, which had the weight to compete for the world and was on par with the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Youjian knew the incompetence of the Liaodong Army, so he would obey Guo Yunhou's request and take out 500,000 taels from his own treasury and ruin it for the Liaodong Army?

Don't even think about it!

He would rather take out the money and allocate it to Dongjiang Town. At least Dongjiang Town has captured more Jurchen heads than the Liaodong Army.

Moreover, Dongjiang Town is used to being poor. If you take out 500,000 taels to the Dongjiang Army, it would be a solid timely help. You will immediately gain the sincere support from the soldiers and soldiers of Dongjiang Town, from Mao Wenlong to the soldiers, and the cost-effectiveness is undoubtedly higher.

Thinking of this, Zhu Youjian made a quick decision: "Liaodong Town consumes 5 million taels of silver every year, but cannot protect the country and the people. I am very disappointed. I decided to reduce the food and salary of Liaodong Town to 4 million taels from the first year of Chongzhen. As for the 500,000 taels owed this year, there is no need to pay them. They don't even dare to go out of the city to fight, and they still have the face to make a fuss with me?"

Seeing that Zhu Youjian was so hasty, he made the decision to reduce food and wages for the Liaodong army, Guo Yunhou had to bite the bullet and persuade: "Your Majesty, although Liaodong Town consumes a lot of money and food, it is precisely because of the iron Ningjin defense line that the safety of the Liaoxi Corridor and the Jingji area can be maintained. The important areas of the Jingji capital are related to the safety of the country and the dynasty. I think this money will still be spent."

Ningjin defense line? It is just the Ming Dynasty version of the Maginot Line. In October of the second year of Chongzhen in the Later Jin Dynasty, he spared Ningjin defense line, traveled to Mongolia, and headed straight to the capital, shaking the world.

Zhu Youjian knew that no matter how much food and salary, it would not satisfy the insatiable appetite of Liaodong generals. The so-called iron-like Ningjin defense line could not stop the Later Jin from moving south, so how could he continue to act as a sucker!

"If we only ensure the safety of the Jingji area, we will not need to spend 5 million taels of food and wages every year. Anyway, they dare not fight against the Jurchens at all, and they will only defend the city. I just defend the city and I have not asked them to recover the old land in Liaodong, so why do we need 5 million taels of food and wages every year?"

Guo Yunhou said with concern: "But if the Liaodong generals start to make trouble and deliberately release the Later Jin to pass, wouldn't it be a disaster?"

Zhu Youjian chuckled and said, "Guo Aiqing is the Minister of Revenue. He must be quite knowledgeable about mathematics. You may as well calculate it carefully. Is the Ming Dynasty given more benefits to Liaodong generals or the Later Jin Dynasty?"

Zhu Youjian's question was like a wake-up call, and he woke Guo Yunhou up instantly.

Yes, the Later Jin Dynasty was just a vanguard outside the pass. It only rose for ten years. The country's wealth was not as large as the Liaodong generals. How much benefit can it give to Liaodong generals?

Even if the Ming Dynasty reduced one million taels of silver from Liaodong generals every year, there were still four million taels in their hands. Today, who can offer more generous treatment than the Ming Dynasty?

After reducing the food and salary by one million taels, the Liaodong Army was just making a fuss at most. Can they still break their iron rice bowls that can ensure profits from drought and flood, and let the Later Jin pass and kowtow to the capital?

It is impossible. The money-making business is rushing to do it, and no one is doing the money-losing business. The fall of the Ming Dynasty will harm them without any benefit. Only idiots will surrender to the Later Jin!

"Your Majesty is wise!"

At this moment, Guo Yunhou shouted this flattering remark and felt a little convinced. Zhu Youjian's remarks undoubtedly convinced him.

...

After Guo Yunhou left the Ganqing Palace, Zhu Youjian summoned Wei Zhongxian and asked: "Wei Changchen, I ask you, how much money is left in my treasury?"

Wei Zhongxian replied: "Your Majesty, there are still 2 million taels of silver and 50,000 taels of gold in the treasury."

"There are so many?" Zhu Youjian was shocked. He didn't expect that the treasury would give him such a big surprise. Two million silver and five thousand gold were all converted into silver, which would be almost two million and five million taels.

Wei Zhongxian said: "Your Majesty, this is actually not a lot. If the late emperor had not wanted to build the three halls, the treasury would have left at least seven million taels of silver."

Build three halls?

Zhu Youjian remembered that the most severely criticized Emperor Tianqi in later generations was not only with the Keshi's chaos and incompetence in their work, but also the three major halls were also a major crime of Tianqi's extravagance and extreme desire. Some people even compared the three major halls of Tianqi and the old witch Cixi embezzled Beiyang military spending to build the Summer Palace.

But in fact, the purpose of the three halls of the Heavenly Revelation is definitely not for one's enjoyment. The so-called three halls are Fengtian Hall, Zhongji Hall, and Building Ji Hall, which are palaces used by the emperor when exercising power or holding grand ceremony.

In other words, the three halls are symbols of imperial power and the country. No matter how well they are cultivated, the emperor will not eat and sleep inside, and they will not be able to enjoy it. This has nothing to do with the emperor's personal luxury.

Putting the three halls in the New China will be like the Great Hall of the People. Do you think that when New China is in chaos, the construction of the Great Hall of the People is a luxury and desire for personal enjoyment?

Back to the point, Zhu Youjian asked again: "Wei Changchen, where does the main income of this treasury come from?"

Wei Zhongxian replied: "When you go to your Majesty, the income from the treasury mainly comes from the income of the imperial village and the industrial and commercial taxes, mining supervision taxes, and maritime trade taxes. The annual fiscal revenue is about 5 million taels."

"The treasury actually has so much income every year?" Zhu Youjian felt a little unbelievable and said in shock: "If it comes to fiscal revenue, it can be more than the Ministry of Revenue!"

The Ministry of Revenue's fiscal revenue was only four million taels of silver, which was not even comparable to the treasury. No wonder civil officials resisted commercial taxes, mining taxes, and sea trade taxes, clamoring that the emperor was competing for profit with the people.

Wei Zhongxian smiled and said, "Your Majesty doesn't know that the reason why the treasury is so full is because the old emperor Wanli is good at making money. The old emperor Bintian left the treasury for the late emperor after that was 10 million taels."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Youjian couldn't help but feel respectful. Historical books described Wanli and Tianqi as unforgivable monarchs, but in terms of acquiring wealth for the country, they were indeed far behind Chongzhen's ten streets!
Chapter completed!