"Before the construction of the Afang Palace and the Lishan Mausoleum, the taxes collected by the treasury were completely insufficient to cover the expenses of His Majesty's hired workers. Therefore, 700,000 prisoners in Lishan, plus other forced labor, barely reached the top. ”

"But His Majesty's other expenses are also extremely huge. When the treasury is insufficient, the minister must find a way. ”

"And if taxes are collected in the counties in the name of the imperial court, the ministers feel that something is slightly inappropriate, and they are afraid of arousing the anger of the people."

Therefore the ministers let the county guards collect their own taxes, and ninety percent of them were handed over to the ministers, and the ministers took them to your majesty. The other was transferred to the national treasury to be used to finance the country's expenditures. ”

"Your Majesty is aware of it."

Zhao Hai was immediately dumbfounded.

It turned out that such a heavy tax was actually arranged for the ministers to do it in order to build fortifications and enjoy themselves.

Later, the money was used by himself.

Zhao Hai said suspiciously: "Show me all the expenses you recorded." ”

Liu Yuan said: "The minister will go back to get it, and he will go back when he goes." ”

Zhao Hai nodded.

After drinking a cup of tea, Liu Yuan asked people to pull a cart of bamboo slips and came to the Chengming Palace.

Liu Yuan said: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty's expenses in the past few years, as well as the taxes collected by the counties, are all on it. The minister didn't dare to be greedy for a penny. ”

Zhao Hai read them one by one, and the more he looked at them, the more shocking he became.

"What, it took 50,000 yuan to eat a birthday party the year before last?"

"And last year, I went hunting in the royal hunting grounds, and it cost 10,000 yuan just to travel?"

Zhao Hai looked at the expenses on the account books sent by Liu Yuan, and was dumbfounded.

In this year, Daqin's one coin was about equal to about thirty yuan in his previous life. That is to say, in the previous life, you will eat tens of millions of yuan at every turn, you must know that Daqin is still in a state of not having enough to eat now.

How is it possible to use so much?

Zhao Hai asked questioningly: "What kind of meal can I eat to invite the ministers to eat so much?" ”

Liu Yuan said: "Wronged, Your Majesty, all the previous expenses were paid after you counted them. ”

"Like that 50,000 yuan banquet, there were hundreds of tables in Xianyang, just a roasted pigeon, each plate had to be killed by the chef thousands of pigeons, and an ace pigeon was selected before a plate could be made and served on the table."

"And the antler venison, it's not any ordinary meat. A deer only takes one or two of its best parts, and does not need the rest of the parts, and serves them on the table after cooking. ”

"Your Majesty, there is still ......"

Liu Yuan had to say more, Zhao Hai already had a headache when he heard it, and hurriedly stopped Liu Yuan's next speech.

Zhao Hai said: "Even if I am so big-hearted, don't you know how to advise me? Now the national strength may not be so prosperous, and it can afford such a large amount of expenses. ”

"Don't you see that the victims of Chenjun are already in such a situation, to the point of cannibalism?"

"If one day, all localities can no longer collect taxes, how should you, as the right prime minister of Great Qin, deal with it?"

Unexpectedly, the old fox Liu Yuan knelt on the ground and said without raising his head: "The whole world belongs to Your Majesty, the Lord of Great Qin, the Son of Great Qin, in this land, Your Majesty can do whatever he wants." ”

"No matter at any time, Your Majesty will have it first, and the people will have it. If Your Majesty is gone, where can the people afford it? ”

"Don't say tens of thousands of dollars for a meal, as long as Your Majesty is willing, even if it is a few million, tens of millions of dollars, the minister will dare to collect it for Your Majesty!"

The sound rushed straight to the top of the Chengming Palace, and the sound was like a bell, and the hundreds of palace people standing outside heard it, and they were all silent.

Zhao Hai was also taken aback by Liu Yuan's sudden excitement.

This old fox is still playing with himself as a die-hard player. It seems that he has done his best to die, and everything is for his own sake.

What a sharp, slippery old fox.

After all, the old fox threw the pot on himself.

Why can't the people afford to eat? Because the taxes are too heavy. Why are taxes too heavy? Because the Son of Heaven has no money to use, we collect taxes for the Son of Heaven and use it.

In the final analysis, it is all the pot of the Son of Heaven. Zhao Hai really couldn't get his hands on this Liu Yuan.

Liu Yuan raised his head at this time, his face was excited, and old tears slipped faintly from the corners of his eyes: "Your Majesty, Minister Liu Yuan, since he became an official, he has been walking on thin ice every day, trembling. For Daqin, for Your Majesty, before and after the saddle, I tried my best. ”

"For Your Majesty to live well, for the rule of Great Qin to be stable. Since entering the court as an official, the ministers have not dared to relax day and night. ”

"I didn't expect that someone would beat the old minister behind his back and frame him, his heart is hateful, and his heart can be punished."

Zhao Hai looked at Liu Yuan speechlessly, saying that this old man was not corrupt, and Zhao Hai would never believe it.

It's just that Liu Bang is too deeply hidden, and the collection channel is too well hidden. Even if the Black Ice Platform couldn't catch Liu Yuan's handle for a while, Han Ying could only guess that there was a large amount of money flowing to Liu Yuan, but he couldn't be sure.

"Your Majesty!"

"Look forward to Your Majesty, be discerning, and give the old minister justice!"

Liu Yuan sobbed, played a bitter trick with Zhao Hai, and knelt on the ground and knocked his head Bang Bang Xiang, as if he was more wronged than Dou E.

Suddenly, Liu Yuan's face sank, and he said, "Your Majesty, these bamboo slips that record the taxes of Chen County are the top secret of my Great Qin, why were they presented in front of Your Majesty for no reason." ”

"Your Majesty, the laws of Great Qin stipulate that anyone else who is not a county guard who collects taxes locally cannot check the local taxes, and those who violate them will be executed."

After saying that, Liu Yuan's eyes suddenly glanced at Wei Qian like a steel knife, and Wei Qian's scalp was numb.

Zhao Hai suddenly remembered that Wei Qian had checked Chen County's tax accounts by himself, and he had not informed himself.

Zhao Hai waved his hand and said, "What's wrong?" Liu Yuan, this tax account was sent by my mediator, can't I read it myself? ”

Liu Yuan clenched his fists and said, "Your Majesty wants to see it, of course there is nothing to blame." ”

"It's just that Daqin's taxation is the lifeblood of my Daqin. There must be no room for error. ”

"If Your Majesty doesn't believe in the minister, you can step down from the minister's position and choose another virtuous person to replace the minister."

Zhao Hai said angrily in his heart, this old man still kicked his nose in the face, and played with himself to threaten to resign. I wish he was stepping down.

"Right Prime Minister, what do you mean by that?"

"In a world where the treasury is empty and the royal family spends excessively, you cannot dissuade it, but indulge and support it. Now that something goes wrong and you're going to resign? ”

Liu Yuan stood up and said without fear of Zhao Hai: "The old minister has nothing to do with this, and I hope Your Majesty will see it." ”

"It's just that the old minister has been an official for many years, and he is wholeheartedly heartbroken for His Majesty and Daqin. I didn't expect to be slandered, and the minister's heart was really sad. ”

After Liu Yuan finished speaking, he glanced at Wei Qian who was standing on the side again.

has been in the officialdom for many years, and there are several official residences, how can he not know that the things in front of him are definitely made by Wei Qian.