Chapter 387 Internal strife in Volume C
Exchanging glances knowingly, both Xu Xie and Feng Ziying relaxed.
In fact, the problem only needs to be explained. For the two of them, who are obviously still at the minions level, it is actually simpler.
The rest is for the big bosses from all parties to join forces, test and discuss with each other. Of course, there must be some specific details, but the big strategy can only be arrived at after the big bosses from all parties have discussed it. This cannot be finalized in a short time.
But for Feng Ziying, this is enough. As long as this strategy can be finalized, it means that the Western Expedition and counterinsurgency campaign can basically come to an end.
The expenses required for countering the rebellion and all the logistical supply expenses for Liu Dongyang's march to the west to capture Shazhou can basically be met, as long as the other points are more in-depth negotiations.
"Ziying, I guess it doesn't make much sense for us to talk about this issue here. Well, why don't we talk about borrowing, how do you think about it, and which method is more suitable for borrowing?" Xu Xie was obviously more interested in this. interested.
“Why, brother Zi Xun intends to stay in the Ministry of Household Affairs in the future?” Feng Ziying asked with a smile.
Xu Xie was stunned for a moment, then thought for a moment, "It's not impossible. The older Brother Yu gets, the more he feels that the imperial court's financial constraints are the key to the current difficulties in all aspects of the imperial court. If the imperial court can be improved financially, The income will increase greatly, just like the strategy you mentioned to open up the sea, then the problems of the court in all aspects can be alleviated a lot."
"Haha, in the final analysis it is all about money. Is that what Brother Zi Xun wants to say?" Feng Ziying shook her head and laughed. Xu Xie seemed to be very touched.
“Well, without money, nothing can be done, and many things can only be hopeless.” Xu Xie nodded, “It seems that Ziying doesn’t quite agree with Brother Yu’s views?”
"No, Brother Zixun, then how do you think the imperial court's finances can be sufficient?" Feng Ziying spread her hands, "In other words, what situation does Brother Zixun think is enough? After so many years of the imperial court, has there ever been a time when it was sufficient? ?”
Xu Xie was slightly shocked, as if he had captured something, but it was fleeting. He thought hard, but could no longer find the inspiration.
Feng Ziying did not say any more.
The modern financial system is not something that people of this era can understand. They live within their means and even antagonize the wealth of the country and the prosperity of the people. They think that the wealth of the world is fixed. If the court has more income, the people will have less money in their pockets. The static and solid primitive financial concepts are still deeply ingrained in the minds of many people.
As for budget and final accounts and fiscal deficits, as well as national debt and fiscal expansion policies, it goes without saying that without sufficient foundation for primary industrialization and trade systems, these concepts and policies would be difficult to gain recognition from the ministers of the Great Zhou Dynasty in this era.
But Xu Xie noticed something from Feng Ziying's mysterious smile, and he persisted in biting it: "Ziying, I know you have always had many ideas and eclectic ideas. Let's talk about it."
Feng Ziying thought for a while and felt that she could instill some concepts in this area into the other party in advance. As for whether the other party accepted it or not, that was not important. If he accepted it all at once, he would be surprised. It would be normal if he did not accept it. , but when you encounter some situations in the future, you will naturally think of these things.
"Brother Zixun, let me talk about it. Well, it is based on some of my own thinking. For example, is there a fixed number for the imperial court's wealth and income? I don't think so. The imperial court's wealth seems to be very fixed now, starting from the earliest It is the monopoly on land tax, salt, iron, tea and horses, as well as some specific retail taxes, such as bamboo, wood and some specialties. However, as tea, ironware and horses became more and more popular in people's lives, there is no monopoly on these items, except for specific sales. Regions, such as outside the Great Wall and overseas sales, even so, tea does not belong to this business,..."
Feng Ziying spoke eloquently, "One of the views among us scholars is that the collection of commercial taxes is to compete with the people for profit. The reason is that the court adds taxes on these goods, and then the merchants will add taxes to the people who use them, but we Thinking about it from another perspective, if we don’t charge business taxes, will people spend less? Will businessmen be so kind and loyal? Our families all make a living more or less, and we all know that this is impossible. The essence of a businessman is to pursue profit..."
…
From the nature of the imperial finances and the composition of taxes, from monopoly rights to the significance of commercial taxes, from the lives of ordinary people to how to achieve prosperity in the imperial finances, the discussion between Feng Ziying and Xu Xie opened many windows for Xu Xie.
As for whether Xu Xie could stick his head out of the window and see something, Feng Ziying didn't know.
Because after all, he was not a professional. He simply combined some miscellaneous views on finance, taxation, industrial development, and even investment promotion and foreign trade from his previous life, and taught Xu Xie a lesson.
Xu Xie was still a little confused when he saw him stepping out of his house. Feng Ziying estimated that these hodgepodges that even he didn't really understand had confused him.
Some of the principles that seem to make sense at first glance can be applied in this era, God knows, but Feng Ziying feels that we have to try, after all, society is moving forward.
Wang Ziteng, who returned to his residence, was a little tired when he received the messages from Niu Jizong and Chen Daoxian. He held his forehead and thought for a long time before asking someone to notify them.
Niu Jizong and Chen Daoxian arrived very quickly, faster than Wang Ziteng imagined. From this, you can imagine how anxious these two people were.
In addition to Niu Jizong and Chen Daoxian, there are also the mighty general Chen Ruiwen of the Duke of Qi and the Weiyuan general Ma Shang of the Ma family of the Duke of Zhiguo.
Seeing that even Chen Ruiwen, who rarely appeared in public, was here, Wang Ziteng knew that something was serious.
However, he had roughly known something about the situation before. Now both the Shi family and the Ma family are in trouble, especially the Shi family. It might become the first family among the four princes and eight princes to be expelled.
The situation of the Ma family is also very bad. Ma Xia has been sent to prison, and the emperor has not had any attitude towards the Ma family's affairs so far.
Niu Jizong's face was slightly gloomy, while Chen Daoxian's expression was calm. Chen Ruiwen only frowned slightly, which was normal, but Ma Shang's appearance shocked Wang Ziteng. They had not seen each other for several months. The white hair on his temples was already vaguely visible, and the tiredness and helplessness on his face told how exhausted General Weiyuan was during this period.
“How did the country become like this?”
Although Wang Ziteng and Ma Shang have a very average relationship, far less close than Niu Jizong and Chen Ruiwen, they both belong to the Wuxun family after all, and the Jia family and the Ma family have always had a good relationship. Seeing Ma Shang's situation, Wang Ziteng was frightened. He jumped a lot, couldn't help but stand up, and walked a few steps, trying to support Ma Shang.
“Brother Zi Teng, it’s hard to say enough that this fellow Ma Xia has caused great harm to our Ma family.”
Ma Shang held Wang Ziteng's hand and couldn't help but burst into tears.
"I haven't had a sound sleep in this month. I couldn't sleep at night. Hundreds of people in my family were all anxious and frightened at the slightest disturbance. One of the fourth concubines was originally pregnant, but it turned out that in the first few days When it was windy at night, the brass ring on the door suddenly rang loudly, scaring the whole family into panic, thinking that something was wrong, but after so much trouble, it was gone..."
What Ma Shang did not dare to say was that people in Fusi, Longjinwei North Town, were harassed all the time. This would only make these families want to draw a clear line.
During this period of time, Long Jinwei asked this child in the family to report for registration today, and asked about that child tomorrow, and the one he chose was the legitimate son of the same family.
All of them were so frightened that their faces turned pale. Every time they came to the door, they had to pay hundreds of taels of silver to send those little devils away, or the whole family would have to take it. If this woman was brought into Beijing, Zhenfusi, what else can be better? Even if nothing happens, the only way to go out is to hang yourself.
Niu Jizong drooped his eyelids, but snorted coldly in his nose. Ma Xia caused such a big thing, and also involved the emperor's servant. Although the servant committed suicide by throwing himself into the lake, how could such a thing be allowed to happen? Is the Emperor satisfied? And the censors are still refusing to let go.
"Over there with the Shi family..." Wang Ziteng helped Ma Shang sit down on the chair, and then returned to his own seat. His eyes turned to Chen Daoxian, "Daoxian?"
"Your Majesty, Long Jinwei has sealed off the Shi family. Although it has not been raided, no one is allowed to enter or leave unless they have the joint consent of the four families of the Imperial Procuratorate, the Ministry of Punishment, Dali Temple and Long Jinwei. The Five Cities Soldiers and Horses Division The Patrol Battalion and the Fifth Military Battalion each assigned a hundred soldiers to take charge of their custody. Three imperial censors were stationed at the Shi Family, and even the Dragon Guards were not allowed to enter or exit at will..."
As soon as these words came out, it was like a gust of cold wind blowing through, making the atmosphere in the entire hall as cold as winter.
This is the founding military honor of the country. The Shi family, the Duke of Jiu Guo, is a well-known military honor family. Did the Conglong family really want to annihilate the nine clans and kill them all?
Hearing what Chen Daoxian said, Ma Shang was even more shaken, "Does the Emperor not miss the old relationship at all?"
"Humph, what's the old relationship between the Emperor and your Ma family? Before the emperor ascended the throne, when did your Shi family and Ma family pay attention to the emperor?" Niu Jizong said unceremoniously: "It's too late to think of a solution now!
"Niu Jizong, how is your Niu family better than our Ma family and Shi family? Don't make sarcastic remarks there, it might happen to your Niu family tomorrow!" Ma Shang was furious, pointing his finger at Niu Jizong and yelling.
"Humph, our Niu family is the same, but our Niu family knows how to restrain themselves. Unlike your family and the Shi family, Ma Xia and Shi Guangjue, who are fools who don't know whether to live or die. Ningxia and Gansu are both places that are too poor to expose the blame. The soldiers mutinied because of this. It's still less. You are really capable. You can get hundreds of thousands of taels of silver in two or three years. In order to raise the funds for the Nine Border Army, the emperor even sold several palaces, but he only managed to get 300,000 taels of silver. , you two are in trouble, you can easily get hundreds of thousands of taels of silver confiscated by the censors of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, you are deliberately trying to get the Metropolitan Procuratorate to target us, and want to poach our martial arts Family roots!”
Speaking of what happened next, Niu Jizong had already stood up and unbuttoned his clothes. With eyes wide open, he stepped forward and grabbed Ma Shang's chest, and roared viciously.
(End of this chapter)