On the other side of the brocade, Liu Mingli's voice came: "Lord Niu, you said that the salary gap of our forbidden army is as much as three million taels?" ”

An old voice came: "Yes, Your Majesty! Weichen didn't dare to deceive, so he had to play it in His Majesty. ”

Liu Mingli's voice was a little cold, he took a deep breath, and said slowly: "Three million taels is not a small amount." Lord Niu, why didn't you report it for a long time? When did this start? Did you know that the soldiers of the forbidden army are related to the safety of the entire imperial city? The lives and deaths of so many princes and ministers, as well as the lives and deaths of 200,000 people in the capital, all need these soldiers to guard? Now you are saying that they can't pay their salaries, you are playing with fire, do you know? ”

Lord Niu knelt on the ground with a "poof", touched the ground with his head, and said sadly: "Wechen is guilty, Wechen deserves to die!" But Your Majesty, this matter is not deliberately concealed by the minister! Your Majesty, since last year, Weichen has begun to play and fold, and he has also mentioned it twice when he was in the last dynasty, but it has never been resolved! ”

Liu Mingli's face was gloomy, and Lord Niu said that since last year, he has reported this matter, but it has not been resolved. He didn't have much to say about it, because it involved his dead father. Why did his father stay in the middle of this matter, Liu Mingli couldn't understand. But now, he clearly knows that the time has come for this matter to be resolved!

The soldiers of the forbidden army, who served as the guards of the imperial city, as a symbol of the emperor's direct army, could not pay their salaries in time, what kind of concept would it be? There is no need for them to rebel, just passive sabotage. You just can't take it anymore.

Liu Mingli said loudly: "Household, where is the household?" ”

Lord Shangshu Qiao of the household department immediately came out of the class and said: "The minister is here!" ”

Liu Mingli said: "This matter. Has the Forbidden Army reported to you? Can you scrape together three million taels of silver now? ”

Master Qiao denied it repeatedly: "No, no, don't say it's three million taels." Even if you don't even take out a million taels! ”

Liu Mingli frowned and said, "Oh? I am endowed with 90 million taels of silver in China, why can't I even make up 3 million? ”

Master Qiao said: "Your Majesty, this is not a family that doesn't know that firewood and rice are expensive!" Every year, the 400,000 forbidden troops alone eat 20 million taels of silver. Coupled with the border army and local soldiers, the annual military expenditure of our dynasty is about 30 million taels of silver! One-third of the year's endowment. It's gone! Last year and the year before last, the average annual food payment for disaster relief was as high as 7 million taels; When the local government repairs water conservancy and digs canals, it is also necessary to ask the imperial court for money. The officials' salaries, the food and clothing of the palace and the royal family were all paid from the household; At the end of last year, the equipment of the forbidden army was uniformly replaced, and it cost 8 million taels. Count it this way. More than half of the years are gone! Three years ago, there was a great drought, five years ago there was a big flood, and a lot of money was spent at that time, in the past few years. I've always been eating food in Yin, and I can't make ends meet! Originally, at the beginning of this year. There are still more than one million taels of silver left in the treasury, but not long ago, the first emperor died. It's all spent! The ministers really can't come up with more silver! ”

After saying these words, Master Qiao fell to his knees. Don't get up.

Officials, look at me, I look at you, except for shaking your head and sighing, there is no good way.

Liu Mingli pondered for a long time and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, what is the best plan?" 400,000 soldiers of the forbidden army can't be without money! ”

The civil and military officials stood there, and no one spoke for a long time. It seems that they have no good solution. These people, when it comes to statecraft, they are all talking, and they can talk for three days and three nights; But once you talk about how to make money, it's all a squib. This kind of thing, they never mention it on weekdays, these are the things that only those who are covered in copper stench say, they are officials, they are people.

Liu Mingli looked at these "people" who lowered their heads and did not speak, and said: "There are only two ways to get silver: open source and throttle. Open source, not easy to reach in a short period of time; Throttling is not an overnight achievement. This matter will be discussed tomorrow! After you Aiqing went back, you should also think carefully about how to raise money in a short time. ”

When everyone heard this, they were obviously relieved, and when they talked about money, they hurt their feelings!

Before they could breathe a sigh of relief, Liu Mingli said again: "I have decided that from today onwards, the food and clothing of the palace and the royal family will be reduced by half!" All of you Aiqing's fortunes have been reduced by one-third! Master Joe, do you understand? ”

Master Qiao was still kneeling on the ground at this time, and when he heard this, he quickly replied: "Weichen understands! ”

Liu Mingli said: "Okay, retreat from the dynasty!" ”

In the voice of Baiguan Mountain's long live, Liu Mingli got off the dragon chair, turned to the back of the brocade mantle, and said to Zhou Xiaocao, who was sitting there with a headache: "Zhou Xiaocao, have you heard what I said to the ministers?" ”

Zhou Xiaocao said: "I heard it clearly, but there is nothing I can do about it!" ”

Liu Mingli shook his head and said, "You are too disappointed in me!" I thought that your family was born in a businessman, so there should be some way to make money quickly, but it turned out that "

Zhou Xiaocao said: "Your Majesty, even if you are in business, you can't make a profit overnight!" However, the salaries of the forbidden army are all three million taels in arrears, can this make the 400,000 soldiers of the forbidden army wait for another half a year? ”

Liu Mingli shook his head and sighed: "Can't! ”

Zhou Xiaocao said: "That's it! Three million taels, not three hundred thousand taels, all the officials can barely make it up. But if it's three million taels, where are we going to get this money? ”

Liu Mingli suddenly asked, "How much money do you have at home?" ”

Zhou Xiaocao was taken aback: "You don't want to beat me, do you?" I don't have any money! My family is so poor that I can't open the pot, and I can't even take out three hundred taels! ”

Liu Mingli said: "Look, even a rich man like you says that he has no money, how can I let those officials make money? ”

Zhou Xiaocao said: "Your Majesty, you called me here early in the morning, wouldn't it be just to complain to me?" ”

Liu Mingli said: "Of course not! The silver gap of the forbidden army is three million taels, and the first emperor has been pressing it not to solve it, so I can't say anything; The first emperor died, and it cost a million taels of silver, and I can't say anything! Because, that's my father! But the father and the son repay the debt, and I have to find a way to pay this money! Do you know that Liu Minghui has been waiting for my ruling loophole, and has been waiting for the opportunity to attack me! The forbidden army is the emperor's private army, but who knows if he Liu Minghui secretly infiltrated it? Where iron smelting is so important, they can all penetrate it, and I'm really not at ease! ”

Zhou Xiaocao was in a cold sweat when he heard this, and said: "What the emperor said is extremely true! If this forbidden army is separated from his majesty because of the problem of salary, then if Liu Minghui's bastard takes advantage of the situation, it will be a big trouble! ”

Liu Mingli said: "Yes! That's why I summoned you back! ”

Zhou Xiaocao was surprised: "Call me?" What can I do? ”

Liu Mingli said: "Do you still remember the edict that my father gave you? It not only has the Emperor's seal, but also my personal seal, which means that it is still valid! Now, it's time to use that oracle! ”

Zhou Xiaocao asked, "What is it used for?" ”

Liu Mingli said: "According to my report from the Holy Gate, in the area of Xingyang, near the Yellow River and the Bishan Mountains, there is a group of extremely vicious bandits, who have been in danger of the place for many years and have accumulated no less than 10 million taels of belongings. ”

Zhou Xiaocao's head was clever: "Your Majesty, you don't want to make money by suppressing bandits, right?" ”

Liu Mingli waved his arm and said firmly: "Exactly!" That money was originally mine! I'm going to send a man now, with an army of men, to exterminate these evil bandits, and collect their money from the treasury, and then you know? ”

Zhou Xiaocao nodded and said, "Isn't that a family of 10 million taels?" The gap of three million taels of silver for the forbidden army can be satisfactorily solved! Wait, the meaning of majesty xià is not to let me lead the troops, right? (To be continued......)