Purple Mountain, is the most beautiful scenery around Nanjing a mountain, in addition to the Ming Emperor's Mausoleum, for the outside world, the most well-known here is afraid of the "Purple Mountain Royal Garden", said to be the Royal Garden, but in fact it is three years ago, His Majesty purchased a mountain forest when he dived into the abyss, in the past three years has built a European-style palace and more than a dozen villas, after the recovery, here has been further expanded, even now has not stopped expanding.

The manicured French garden, full of Baroque and Oriental pavilions, the Royal Annex, a fusion of Eastern and Western garden styles, is very elegant, the European garden, Chinese bridges, pavilions and gardens made of flowers and plants, set off the magnificent buildings, walking through the garden paths throughout the year, will always give people a sense of beauty, perhaps because of this, people feel that this place is even more royal than the royal palace in the city, especially the European-style three-storey palace.

As a royal annex, it is open to the public to a certain extent, such as the new noble school in the royal annex, which will be the place where the children of the future nobles will be educated, and it is also part of Chen Moran's preparations, the school is prepared for the future nobility of the country, and it is also for his own children.

Perhaps in more than ten years, the Royal Palace will not only be the most beautiful place in Nanjing, but also a place of practice for the children of the nobility, and now, this is just a garden, just a place to rest in the summer, at most, to receive a few guests.

"I don't know, I don't know what to do!"

Ressa stood up and walked to the window. It was late spring, and the scent of lilacs and mountain plum blossoms was overflowing, and the cries of birds in the trees were heard. She stared suspiciously at the neat French garden lawn of the annex. Then she turned and looked at the queen: she sat in her armchair, and although she seemed to be lazily teasing her son, the aristocratic air that flowed from her brow was difficult to hide.

"Do you want me to get out of here, ma'am?"

Ressa's words made Ji Li's heart shake slightly. Ressa's concise language once again made her feel helpless. She had long since gotten used to her being around her, used to her voice, and loved her charm in other ways! Even Aunt Ressa, who also likes her, as for the children in the orphanage, also like her.

Do you really want her to leave? Although he hoped that she would accept Mikhail's proposal, on the one hand, he hoped that she would have a good home, and on the other hand, he hoped that ....... She softened her tone.

"I want you to be happy!"

Ji Li looked at Ressa seriously, without a trace of artificiality in her eyes.

“…… He has never forgotten you, he loves you and will bring you happiness. I know you're already attracted to him, aren't you? Otherwise, you wouldn't ask my opinion either, would you? ”

"Madame!"

Although Ji Li was already the empress of the Chinese Empire, she was still used to calling her Madame, and Ji Li also liked this title, of course, only for those close to her.

"I ...... I ......"

Finally, Ressa still didn't say anything, she looked at the garden again, and said that it was false that she had never been tempted by that person, but what could she do if she was tempted? He is the Lord and himself a servant. In the past, she thought that maybe in this life, she would grow old here, but this sudden appearance of Mikhail disrupted her position.

"Your Majesty, I want you happiness too, Ressa, you know that in His Majesty's eyes, you are like his sister! Moreover, he also wants you to marry Mikhail! ”

After hearing this, Ressa stood there with her head bowed and said nothing. After a while, she looked up at Madame, and smiled slightly for the first time since she arrived.

"Alright! Perhaps, if he really can bring me happiness! ”

With that, she looked at the beautiful garden in front of her again, perhaps, she would soon leave this place, and perhaps, marrying Mikhail was also a good choice, at least, at least he loved herself.

"Marry someone who loves you! Someone who truly loves you! ”

Ressa remembered what her mother had said to her when she died, and if she didn't feel a little moved by Mikhail's pursuit, she was lying to herself, but ...... "Hey! ”

Chen silently closed his eyes, and Ressa accepted Prince Mikhail's marriage proposal!

Thinking of Ruisha's charming eyes, Chen Moran just sighed secretly that it was a pity, if ...... Then he shook his head again, what was he thinking? If you can't give her anything, don't go to harm others, not to mention, she doesn't like herself herself, and it's not bad to marry Mikhail, who is a prince, at least it can bring her happiness.

"Your Majesty, I can't help but say that this is a very wise choice!"

Guan Mingtang looked at His Majesty and said softly.

"Oh?"

Raising his eyes slightly, Chen Moran looked a little curious.

The lady of the palace accepted Mikhail? Grand Duke Alexandrovich's marriage proposal has now come to Nanjing, and Mikhail's pursuit of Ressa has been published in the newspaper from time to time, but now it is just confirming the initial scandal.

"Although, in the Grand Duke Mikhail to marry Miss Reisa under the law of intermarriage, you need to give up the right to inherit the throne, but he is only the younger brother of the current tsar, not his son, it doesn't matter whether he gives up or not, but it is conceivable that in the future this relationship will directly affect the relationship between China and Russia, Russia may be a declining empire, but the emaciated camel is bigger than a horse, through the wife of Grand Duke Mikhail, we may be able to directly affect some Russian policies in the future, of course, this must be cleverly arranged!"

Compared with others, Guan Mingtang saw an opportunity from Mikhail's marriage proposal to Ruisha, an opportunity for China to infiltrate the high-level leaders of other countries.

"Russia is different from other countries, this country aristocracy is in charge of everything, taking advantage of the interests and friendship formed between China and Russia in this war, and then through proper management, at least in the next ten years, you can get a relatively friendly Russia. Bribes, as well as proper operation, Your Majesty, at least the door to the results of high-level decision-making in Russia is open to us! ”

Smiling slightly, Chen Moran didn't say anything, all along, he didn't take Russia to heart, the country's gas has entered the countdown, it is now 1905, twelve years later, the Russian Empire and the Romanov Dynasty will become history, and at that time, for China, the only thing needed is to rob while the fire is burning.

However, it is necessary to maintain friendly relations between the two countries now, after all, China now needs only one enemy, and as for Russia, there is no harm in a short period of friendship, twelve years later...... Let's talk about it then!

"Zheqin!"

Looking at Guan Mingtang with a smile on his face, Chen Moran looked at him seriously.

"Perhaps, you shouldn't be Chancellor of the Exchequer!"

"Your Majesty, the Minister of Finance, should be quite dutiful!"

Guan Mingtang didn't have any modesty at all, his words were exchanged for Chen Moran's nod, indeed, he is the Minister of Finance who is very competent, and it can be said that after nearly a year of recovery, the biggest change in China's political system is the establishment of a complete set of fiscal, taxation and financial systems.

On the one hand, the "National Currency Regulations" were promulgated, the Currency Bureau was established, the right to mint coins was vested in the central government, and restrictions were placed on gold and Yingyang and miscellaneous oceans.

At the same time as the issuance of silver dollars, the central bank issued "imperial reserve silver dollar bills" at the beginning of the establishment of the empire, forcibly withdrawing the right to issue paper money from foreign banks and domestic banks, and it was the issuance of more than 450 million yuan of paper money that supported the political axe to carry out this war, buy machinery, build factories, and railroads to realize the industrialization of the country.

Two years ago, the fiscal revenue of the Qing government and the local government was only more than 170 million taels, but the result was that the people could not bear the burden, but last month, the central and local fiscal revenues exceeded 60 million yuan for the first time, or more than 40 million taels, and this value was reached on the premise of not significantly raising taxes or even reducing taxes, and what created all this was an effective taxation system established by him, the finance minister.

It can be said that as long as it is willing, now China can even rely on domestic tax revenues to carry on this war, but he advocates borrowing money, borrowing if he can, borrowing money boldly, only by borrowing boldly, can the country's industrialization be realized in the shortest possible time, with a monthly income of more than 6,000 yuan and an expenditure of 100 million.

However, compared with the borrowing minister, the country's industrial and commercial development, but can not be concealed, in order to develop industry, to provide the industrial industry with a lot of low-interest loans up to 40% of the total investment, in order to develop shipping, through shipbuilding incentives, he has a way to open source, the same way to open the stream, others may not understand, but Chen Moran understands that between the two openings, ten years later, China may change greatly.

And this war is the same, he is pushing it, and he is trying to end it.

Staring at Guan Mingtang, who was one of the few people in his cabinet who had received a systematic Western-style education, while recalling his achievements, Chen Moran was silent for a while before he spoke.

"Five years, five years later, I will appoint you as the Prime Minister of the Empire!"

With the sudden words, Guan Mingtang was stunned at first, his heartbeat was speeding up, but he was a little nervous.

"Your Majesty, in ten years, maybe the minister is not suitable to be the prime minister!"

Although becoming the prime minister is his dream and a position that he must achieve to write that answer sheet, Guan Mingtang knows that he will never be able to hold that position in five or five years.

"Why?"

And Chen Moran was curious about his refusal, the current Zhang Zhidong is "Zhang Transition", but five years later, if Guan Mingtang becomes the prime minister, it will be two completely different situations.

"Your Majesty, how many years has China been since the Qin Dynasty?"

"Two Thousand ......"

"In 2126, Your Majesty!"

"Since Qin set up counties in China, 2126 years, China has long been accustomed to the old empire of the form of government, now the empire was founded, headed by the old officials, presided over by the big faction officials, Zhang Xiang barely maintained the overlap of the old and new forms of government, only to maintain the current situation of no confusion and no chaos, five years of work, can the government be successful?"

Guan Mingtang shook his head, he has been abroad for more than ten years, how could he not know that China has lagged behind the world for more than 100 years, and he doesn't want to catch up already now, but he can only think about it.

"Your Majesty, today, the capital of the national banking industry is 956 million yuan, China's is 2.875 billion yuan, the capital of the shipbuilding industry is only 13.65 million yuan, and China's is 36.45 million yuan, the capital of the machinery manufacturing industry is 135 million yuan, China's is 396 million yuan, the metallurgical industry, the capital is 38.67 million yuan, China's is 217.5 million yuan, last year's total foreign trade was 620 million yuan, and China's was 2.1 billion yuan,......."

When Guan Mingtang listed a series of figures, Chen Moran was a little puzzled, why did he list these figures, these numbers are nothing more than an illustration of a problem, China's strength is far from being comparable to what it is, whether it is light and heavy industry or agriculture, China and this are not opponents of the same magnitude at all.

The steel output of this book is not even one-third of that of Hanyang, not to mention compared with Ma'anshan, which has an annual output of more than one million tons, and now Hanyang and Ma'anshan are expanding, and the machinery manufacturing industry, just Shanghai Pudong, is not inferior to this one-third, of course he knows these figures, otherwise he would not be determined to fight this battle.

"But Your Majesty, six years ago, the fiscal revenue of the capital was 188738934 yuan, the value of the currency was equal, China's business, agriculture and industry was several times less, more than ten times the capital, it is expected that this year's fiscal revenue will be 220 million yuan, and China, even according to the estimate, by the end of the year, the monthly income may exceed 100 million yuan, but only about 940 million yuan. That is, 4 times as much as the book! But the total amount of our country is ten times that of the capital! ”

Listening to his words, Chen Moran interrupted him without hesitation, couldn't it be that he wanted to raise taxes?

"On the surface, we are an agricultural country, we have 1.5 billion acres of arable land, how much is it? But it's only more than 70 million acres! ”

"1.5 billion mu of cultivated land was levied 126 million yuan, and 70 million mu of this was levied 75.36 million yuan!"

Hearing this contrast, Chen Moran was taken aback, the 20-fold gap brought less than twice the tax revenue, but now the agricultural tax of more than 100 million yuan was finally obtained. It was by virtue of the "registration and recognition of the legal rights of acres of land" that the number of acres of cultivated land in China and the upper, middle and lower third-class nine-level fields were finally clarified, and the Manchu Qing Dynasty only knew how to increase taxes when collecting agricultural taxes, while Guan Mingtang's tax collection was when the tax was reduced, and the concealment was made clear, and the legal rights of private acres of land were not recognized, and the leeway was official land, which was used for school property, from less than 900 million mu to 1.5 billion mu.

Upper, middle and lower third-class and nine-grade fields are also part of the legal power registration, once registered, the land is forbidden to be bought and sold privately, and the land officials are listed to supervise the transaction, and the price of the third-class and ninth-class fields is several times different, with the help of supervising the transaction, the way of rating is unchanged, and the field category is determined, so as to formulate the tax rules according to the field category, the good land tax is heavy, and the bad land tax is light, which quadruples the agricultural tax.

Although the gap between China and the two countries is really scary, Chen Moran still waved his hand and said.

"Zheqin, now our money is barely enough, don't say anything about raising taxes! In particular, the agricultural tax must not be increased, and the difference in industrial scissors is enough! ”

Joke, increase the agricultural tax, the current agricultural tax is already heavy enough, and if you add it, you will wait for the people to rebel against it. What's more, the agricultural tax will also make a big fuss about itself in the future, and this tax can only be reduced and cannot be increased!

"Your Majesty, I don't mean to increase the agricultural tax, colonial taxes like agricultural taxes have never been seen, and they still have to be abolished, of course it is not appropriate now, I just use this example to point out the gap between us and Yuben!"

Guan Mingtang shook his head, the agricultural tax cannot be increased, how could he not know, and even the separate existence of the agricultural tax itself is unreasonable, except for colonies and Asian countries in the world, there are few countries that levy separate agricultural taxes, and agricultural taxes are completely scattered among the relevant taxes, and when the agricultural tax is collected, the peasants also bear the taxes of all links, which is simply a double taxation in disguise.

"Colonial Tax...... It's kind of interesting! ”

Chen Moran didn't say anything, but muttered in his heart what was going on with this colonial tax.

"Actually, the biggest gap between us and this is not the economy, not the industry, one is education, the second is the political axe system, the third is the law, and now we are talking about taxation. More than half of our 940 million this year comes from tariffs, and 150 million is the result of sorting out the salt tax for a year, and then deducting more than 100 million agricultural taxes, Your Majesty, after these deductions, the tax revenue from industry and commerce is only more than 200 million yuan, although we encourage industrial and commercial development with tax reductions and exemptions, but the problem is that the taxes collected are too small, and at least 300 million to 400 million taxes are lost......

Sensing the change in His Majesty's expression, Guan Mingtang only remembered that His Majesty in front of him did not have a lot of spare money, and he lost three or four billion taxes a year, how could he not be heartbroken, he didn't think that someone was corrupt, the tax police were in charge of the Ministry of Finance.

"Your Majesty, it's not that people have embezzled that money, but the inevitability of the backward taxation system, Your Majesty, the establishment of a modern state system is not an attack in one day, and taxes can be started with tariffs and salt taxes that can produce quick results, but such work as education, taxation, political axes, other institutions, and even local councils, etc., can be achieved in five years! During the framework period, the central government really needs a prestige person to preside over it in order to suppress the place! ”

Chen Moran knew that Guan Mingtang was reminding himself that everything had to be done step by step, although he didn't say anything, but the meaning of his words couldn't be clearer.

"I can't do this kind of work!"

But hearing him say this, he still couldn't help but feel his heart ache about a tax of three or four hundred million, Chen Moran could feel that his heart was dripping blood, four hundred million a year, that was twenty dreadnoughts!

"Zheqin, don't worry about those first, in the past few years, you will handle this tax for me first! That's ......."

Before Chen Moran could say the silver, the piercing phone rang, picked up the red phone on the table, and smiled at Guan Mingtang when Chen Moran hung up the phone.

"Zheqin, the big thing has been decided!"

(To be continued)