After Yinlu and Yinli and the other two bowed and left, Zhenwu looked at Zhang Penghong and said, "The study room should be very busy at this time. Yunqing asked for a meeting, so what's the matter?"

"Go back to the emperor." Zhang Penghong hurriedly bowed and said, "The Green Camp increased the salary, the Eight Banners implemented the 'interest income system', and 20% of the elite troops were transferred to the navy and the new guards and the severance expenses. I roughly estimate that it will also cost more than 20 million taels. If the officials increase their salary, the small amount will be useless, and the court will be overwhelmed. I beg me to postpone the salary increase of the officials, otherwise the treasury will be consumed."

It turned out that he was worried that the money would not be enough, Zhenwu couldn't help but smile and said, "It was urgent to draw 20% of the elite troops from the Eight Banners into the New Army of the Imperial Guards, and several major navy troops along the coast were merged into the Navy. It must be completed quickly. It must be completed before June. The green camp's salary increase is conducive to stabilizing the morale of the army. Starting from August, the new salary will be paid first, and the news will be released to stabilize the hearts of the people.

As for the money, you don’t have to worry. The Eight Banners’ interest-bearing silver cannot be used to use national treasury, otherwise it will easily cause criticism. This silver is paid from the dividends of the “Four Great Hengs” and the Ocean Trade Fleet. If it is insufficient, I will think of another way. In short, it will not be burdened by the court. Otherwise, the Green Camp and the Eight Banners’ food and salary will become a joke and make no sense."

After hearing this, Zhang Penghong couldn't help but be stunned. The so-called interest-bearing bank deposited into the "Four Great Hengs" was actually a smoke screen. Share dividends are the welfare of the Eight Banners. I really don't know how much dividends the "Four Great Hengs" and Ocean Trade can have. The minimum annual welfare of the Eight Banners is 5 or 6 million taels of silver, otherwise it would not be compared with the green camp's salary increase.

However, since Zhenwu took the initiative to accept it, there must be not much difference. He couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. He thought Zhenwu was playing a trick of stealing the bell, but he didn't expect that he was really here, and he lost that the master was rich. In this way, the Green Camp and the Eight Banners' food and salary will have a great significance, and Zhenwu's control over the Eight Banners will be more solid.

Thinking of this, he felt that Zhenwu dared to increase his salary and salary in this way, and he would have to rely on something. I wonder what he had to do. After pondering slightly, he bowed and said, "The emperor's holy thoughts are far-reaching, and the candle shines thousands of miles, and the plan is detailed. I am not as good as the ones." After a slight pause, he continued: "Although the Eight Banners' Equity Silver does not have to be borne by the court, the navy and the new imperial guards have been included in the court's economic system. 20% of the Eight Banners' elite troops and the three coastal navy troops were merged into the navy. The court was also overwhelmed by the military pay expenses and could still deal with it this year. Next year, I am afraid that the court will not be able to pay this huge military pay."

Zhenwu nodded slightly. Military expenditure has always been the main part of the court's fiscal expenditure. Before the increase of the salary, the Eight Banners had 200,000 yuan. The Green Camp had 560,000 yuan. The annual military expenditure was around 20 million taels. Now the new Navy and Imperial Guards have increased. The scale was small before, but the expenditure was not large. If it was expanded to 200,000 yuan, the military expenditure would have to be 30 million yuan in any case. However, the annual income of the court was less than 40 million yuan. It is not a big mistake for Zhang Penghong to worry about this.

After a moment of contemplation, he spoke: "In the next few years, the Qing Dynasty will use troops in the northwest, northeast and overseas. It is necessary to expand fast-trading in the Navy and the New Guards in recent years. However, the scale of the Eight Banners and Green Camp will be reduced accordingly, and the total force will be maintained at around one million for a long time. When Australia, South China and America develop and prosper, the force may reach one million or two million. However, by then, normal taxes can also support huge military expenditures.

The most difficult thing is that the military expansion needs in recent years. If it is only supported by the court, it will inevitably increase the burden on the people. I do not want to lose the reputation of being a militaristic military. Therefore, the military expansion needs to be made up for this huge gap through plunder, especially the plunder of America and Africa. However, even if it is plundering America, Africa will take time, and at least next year, before the results can be achieved.

The court cannot be without surplus, and it is not easy for the national treasury to save some silver. I have no intention of using the treasury silver. I am planning to sell the routes of maritime merchant ships to raise the additional expenses for this year's additional salary and salary."

Not using the treasury silver? Zhang Penghong was stunned when he heard this. How much money could he raise when selling the sea merchant ships? After a moment of silence, he bowed and said, "Your Majesty, even if you remove the Eight Banners' interest-bearing silver, you will probably have to pay more than 10 million yuan this time. Can the sales route raise such a huge amount of money?"

Zhang Penghong was suspicious, and Zhenwu smiled slightly. Last year, he immigrated to Australia, and a number of ship merchants were competing to destroy their families and serve their country and transport immigration for free in exchange for the route franchise. He didn't agree, just because he was afraid of selling the route franchise at a low price. He didn't expect it to be very useful so quickly. After pondering for a moment, he said: "Now that maritime trade is booming, the Qing navy is becoming increasingly powerful, and the maritime route franchise is worth a lot. A route can be as low as hundreds of thousands, and a maximum of millions, and it raises more than ten million. I think the problem is not very big."

After Zhenwu's statement, Zhang Penghong immediately realized that Zhenwu was trying to reshuffle the sphere of influence of maritime merchants. He was shocked. All the maritime merchants had a deep background and had close relationships with local officials, retired officials, and court officials. The public sale of routes was tantamount to a looting of maritime merchants. Will it affect the reputation of the court? Will it arouse dissatisfaction among maritime merchants and officials?

Thinking of this, he hesitated and said: "The emperor, the routes between Japan and Nanyang have been operated for a long time and are sold publicly. Weichen is worried that it will damage the emperor's reputation."

"I don't seek fame." Sadatsu said disrespectfully: "With Australia, the establishment of the province of Nanyang, the opening of Edo and Osaka in Japan, and the opening of American routes, the next African routes, European routes, Mughal Empire, Ottoman Empire, Arabia, Persia, Ceylon, Malabar and other routes will be opened soon, and the scale of maritime business in the Qing Dynasty has more than doubled in the past two years.

The court must coordinate the planning, otherwise wouldn’t it be a mess? Even if it is accused of being accused of being accused of the stigma, the route franchise must be implemented. Only in this way can we ensure orderly and healthy competition in maritime trade."

After hearing this, Zhang Penghong couldn't help but curse himself as he was confused. With so many new routes being opened, the court would not make this money without making any money. The so-called route franchise is actually the court's division of spheres of influence for large and small maritime merchants, which is not only conducive to the management of the court, but also to the court's control of maritime merchants. It is completely foreseeable that the scale of maritime merchants will continue to grow exponentially. If the court does not control and guide it, the longer it will be a source of disaster.

He couldn't help but secretly admire that this method was a killing two birds with one stone. It not only made a lot of money but also strengthened the management and control of maritime merchants. The master should have laid the groundwork when the regulations on the management of maritime trade ships were issued. Thinking of this, he bowed and said, "The emperor's holy thoughts are profound and he prevents problems before they happen. He repeatedly innovates, which actually makes the weak ministers and others ashamed. This is actually a move that benefits the country and the people."

Zhenwu smiled slightly. This money is enough to deal with this year's increase in salary. Next year, Africa's gold and black slave sales can completely fill the hole in the increase in military expenditure. If South Africa's gold mines can be developed, there will be no pressure to expand the army to one.5 million.

After a moment of pondering, Zhang Penghong said again: "Your Majesty, I am still worried that the amount of money added to the salary is as much as tens of millions. Will the sudden increase in the market cause the silver to be cheap and expensive?"

Zhenwu glanced at him with appreciation and said, "Yun Qing's words are actually a good idea of ​​planning the country. Silver is expensive to harm farmers, and silver is cheap to harm the people. The sudden increase of salary by tens of millions will inevitably lead to the cost of silver. However, the court only needs to control the price of grain, salt, and the price of salt is easy to control. The price of grain can only be stabilized from the low price of Nanyang. This is also the reason why I delayed the distribution of green camp food and salary by the green camp until August. New rice will not be affected."

Speaking of this, he paused slightly before continuing: "The importance of circulating silver and money is not necessary for me to say more. However, since the Ming Dynasty, the court has been out of control over silver, and has no ability to control the inflow and outflow of silver, especially inflows. Although I have carried out customs reform, it started late and has little effect. In order to prevent the large inflow and outflow of silver, the court must strictly control overseas trade. In addition, it must also control a certain number of silver or gold mines. Only in this way can the fluctuations in silver prices be effectively controlled.

Compared with silver, gold is more stable, and European countries love gold more. Therefore, the Qing Dynasty also had to store a large amount of gold to prevent the fluctuations in the price of silver from affecting the national economy and people's livelihood. Africa is rich in gold. I have decided to conquer Africa and promote African feudalism. You can make some noise first."

Conquering Africa! Zhang Penghong was shocked. The American feudal division had just begun. Why did he conquer Africa again? Was he too anxious? However, Zhenwu's tone was not discussed with him. Besides, he didn't understand the situation in Africa, so he naturally couldn't say anything. He hurriedly bowed and said, "I respect the orders of the minister."

Zhenwu nodded slightly, then asked: "The green camp will pay more, can I complain about it in the study room?"

The four Manchu ministers in the study room did not have any objection to the Green Camp and the Eight Banners' share of the salary. After pondering for a moment, Zhang Penghong bowed and said, "I have complained about it when I go back to the emperor, but I have many concerns and no one dares to say it. Not only in the study room, but also in the princes and nobles. The ministers secretly think that it might be more appropriate to discuss this matter openly and honestly."

Talk about it openly? What would that result? Zhenwu frowned slightly. There were few Manchus, and he always regarded himself as his master, and the Green Camp and the Eight Banners together. This is clearly an increase in the status of the Han people. Can we still expect them to accept it willingly? This is simply impossible.

Although the Eight Banners are becoming more and more powerful, they still have the power to fight. The princes and nobles still have fantasies about the Eight Banners, and even they are reluctant to give up the Eight Banners. In this case, the princes and nobles believe that they have enough capital, so how could they agree that the Green Camp and the Eight Banners are treated equally? This matter is only stressed. As for their dissatisfaction, they can only look for opportunities to enlighten them slowly.

After pondering for a while, he whispered: "There are many things going to the study room these days, so you can kneel down first."

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