At the end of the year, Emperor Jiajing summoned the cabinet and the celebrant to the Yuxi Palace to inquire about this year's taxes and final expenditures.

In addition, a number of important ministers were summoned.

At this moment, the first assistant of the cabinet, Xu Jie, the second assistant, Li Chunfang, and cabinet members Chen Yiqin, Gao Gong, and Zhang Juzheng. The master of ceremonies and the eunuch of the palm seal Chen Hong, the chief writer eunuch and other acquaintances. Together, now in the main hall outside the Jiajing Emperor's house.

And Emperor Jiajing surprisingly did not sit on the gossip platform in the fine house today, but sat directly above the main hall, with no copper rod next to him, no copper rod in his hand, only a mobile phone.

"Let's start with the state treasury's spending this year."

Emperor Jiajing was videotaping them with his mobile phone.

But in the eyes of Xu Jie and the others, the emperor was using immortal weapons to detect whether they were speaking.

Nervous, worried.

"Gao Gong, you are in charge of the household, you come."

Xu Jie pushed the matter to Gao Gong, if the emperor Gao Gong said was unhappy, he could play a round.

Although Gao Gong was a little worried, this was also the time for him to behave, he picked up a booklet on the table in front of him, opened it, and read: "According to preliminary statistics, the state treasury has spent a total of 28 million taels this year, which is unprecedented.

Among them, more than 7 million taels were donated to the victims, including 2 million taels used by Hai Rui for disaster relief. ”

"The Ministry of Industry spent more than 5 million taels, of which 3 million was used at the beginning of the year to build Taoist temples, palaces, 10,000 years auspicious palaces, etc., and then the Shengshang no longer expanded Taoist temples and palaces, from which the remaining million was left, plus another 2 million, for the construction of water conservancy projects."

"The military department spent more than 8 million taels, 4 million taels for the anti-Japanese war, more than 2 million taels for the defense of Tatars in the north, and the rest for military rations and salaries in various places."

"The expenses of the officials are more than 1.5 million taels, which are mainly used to pay the officials."

"The household department spent more than 1,800,000 taels, of which 1 million was spent on the Maritime Division. The Criminal Department spent more than 500,000 taels. ”

The Ministry of Rites spent more than 4 million taels, of which more than 3 million taels were distributed to the royal family. ”

The Zongren Mansion is under the management of the Ministry of Rites, and the expenses of the royal family and relatives go to the accounts of the Ministry of Rites.

If it weren't for the copying of Yan Shifan, Chen Liuhou and other corrupt officials more than 20 million taels of silver. According to the expenditure of previous years, the children of the royal family and the relatives of the country accounted for one-third.

This year is very generous, not only did he not owe the official salary, but he also gave great relief to the victims of the disaster and defended against foreign enemies.

Gao Gong continued: "Not counting the various taxes this year, there are still more than four million taels of silver left in the treasury, about five million gold, silver and jewelry, and more than a thousand pieces of calligraphy, paintings, antiques, and ink that are inconvenient to value. ”

After copying two groups of people's wealth, they obtained 20 million taels of silver, 5 million taels of gold, silver, jewelry, calligraphy, paintings, antiques, and ink, adding up to about 30 million taels.

It can be seen how ironic it is that the treasury of the Ming Dynasty is empty, but the officials are greedy for ink, and some people are even richer than the country.

After Gao Gong finished speaking, he put down the booklet and looked at Emperor Jiajing, waiting for his response.

Emperor Jiajing was silent for a while, noncommittal, and said: "Tell me about the taxes collected in various places this year, and the revenue of the treasury. ”

This time, it's still Gao Gong, who made him in charge of the household.

Emperor Jiajing did not express his position on the expenditure accounts reported just now, which made Gao Gong's heart even more uneasy. He picked up another notebook, opened it and read: "This year, the taxes and taxes in various places have basically been reported, and the household department has made a summary. A total of more than 9,310,000 taels of money and silver were put into the treasury.

Because many localities have been affected by disasters and the reduction or exemption of land taxes, this year's treasury revenue is more than 1 million yuan less than last year's. ”

All kinds of taxes of the Ming Dynasty, including money, silver and grain, grain is not counted here.

The Tianfu poll tax is the big head, and then the Jiangnan Weaving Bureau, the salt and iron tax...... City taxes and more. However, the city tax collected by the thriving handmade textile industry is very low, only 3 percent, and there is no value-added tax, business tax, and corporate tax.

Therefore, the burden is on the vast number of people who farm.

Emperor Jiajing's face became dark, and he said angrily: "It seems that Hai Rui is not wrong. The Ming treasury was in deficit and could not collect taxes. It's all because there are moths in the Ming Dynasty, just like Yan Shifan, who is rich enough to rival the country. It is also because many people have changed the law to enclose land and evade taxes, and the people have less and less land, so where can they get money and grain to pay taxes. ”

Then, looking up at the sky: "Da Ming is really sick!" ”

Xu Jie and the others were so frightened that they knelt on the ground: "The ministers are incompetent!" ”

Gao Gong scolded in his heart: Hai Rui doesn't know the severity, he will tell the saint everything, let us be scolded.

Emperor Jiajing looked down at them, and deliberately made a look of grief and self-blame: "The Ming Dynasty is full of holes, the people are suffering, and the people of the world will scold me in their hearts, saying that I am stupid and incompetent!" ”

Chen Hong was attentive and loyal: "Whoever dares to offend the saint, the slave and maid will be arrested and cut off his tongue!" ”

Emperor Jiajing glared and scolded: "Idiot! ”

Chen Hong was so frightened that he kowtowed and confessed: "The slave is stupid, the slave is guilty, please calm the anger of the saint, don't be angry with the dragon body." ”

"Punish you for a year, and if you dare to talk nonsense, I will be severely punished."

Chen Hong was a little floating, and Emperor Jiajing knocked it.

Chen Hong kowtowed again: "The slave and maid accept the crime, and dare not commit it again." ”

"Get up."

After Emperor Jiajing waited for them to get up, he said, "Let Hu Zongxian, Wang Chonggu, Ma Fang, Wang Zheng, Qi Jiguang, Yu Dayou and others come in." ”

These six people are all the people who command the army, they were recalled by Emperor Jiajing and are waiting outside the palace.

Hu Zongxian was the governor of Zhejiang, in charge of the military affairs of Nanzhili, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi and other places, and was responsible for fighting against the Japanese invaders.

Qi Jiguang and Yu Dayou are now the general soldiers of Zhejiang and Fujian.

Ma Fang is the chief soldier of Xuanfu.

Wang Chonggu was the governor of Xuanda, and Wang Ji was the governor of Jiliao.

Governor of Jiliao, full name of Governor Jiliao, Baoding and other military affairs, and also manage food and salary. Temperate Shuntian, Baoding, Liaodong Sanfu, Jizhou, Changping, Liaodong, Baoding four towns. In the twenty-ninth year of Jiajing, the governor of Jizhou was established, and the following year it was changed to the governor of Jiliao. Abandoned in the early Qing Dynasty. Jiliao is a geographical concept that refers to the area of present-day Beijing, through the Shanhaiguan line to Jinzhou to the Liao River.

Governor Xuanda, the full title is "Governor Xuanda, Shanxi and other military affairs and food and salary", referred to as Xuanda Governor. Ming Jingtai placed the prime minister Xuanda military affairs, the governor of Jiajing and the jurisdiction of the partial protection, Jiajing 29 years to set up: to the partial protection, change Shanxi. In the 38th year of Jiajing, he was stationed in Xuanfu in the autumn and later moved to Huailai.

The Governor of Jiliao, the Governor of Xuanda, was in charge of almost all the forces in the north of the Ming Dynasty and was responsible for defending against the Tatars and barbarians.

"Minister Hu Zongxian/Wang Zheng/Wang Chonggu/Qi Jiguang/Yu Dayou/Ma Fang, meet the saint, long live my emperor, long live."

Six people entered the temple and saluted.

Emperor Jiajing: "Calm down, give a seat." ”

The return of these six people to Beijing is equivalent to reporting on their work, and the cabinet also knows about it. It's just that I didn't expect to be summoned by the emperor today.

Then he said to the outside of the hall, "Lu Fang, come in." ”

Lu Fang entered the hall with two brocade guards with knives.

At this time, Emperor Jiajing gave an order: "Take down Wang Zheng." ”

The crowd was alarmed and confused.