The autumn wind rose, and a trace of chill blew through the majestic Great Zhou Palace, so that the eunuchs and palace maids on duty everywhere couldn't help but shrink their bodies and tighten their clothes.

In the Heart Cultivation Palace, Ma Jin didn't feel the slightest coldness, but a wave of fire surged in his heart. A few days ago, the Minister of Cabinet Counsellor Chun Yuhiko said that the treasury was empty, and there were only two million taels of silver left. You must know that the vast territory of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the people of Li are more than trillions. Once there is another famine and flood there, the imperial court will not even be able to take out the money for disaster relief, so it will not have to make a big mess. There can make Ma Jin feel at ease, but he really can't swallow it, and he can't sleep.

At yesterday's court meeting, many court officials cried that they were poor, saying that they couldn't do anything without money, which seriously affected the operation of the court.

So Ma Jin asked the ministers, now that the treasury is empty, how can the treasury be abundant?

For a time, the court became a vegetable market, and the adults had their own ideas. There are those who say that tax exemptions will be abolished, those who say that they will cut expenses again, and those who say that they will attack the wealthy businessmen, and there are more than a dozen suggestions, but they were all rejected on the spot because of the large number of opponents.

At this time, the Minister of Cabinet Counsellor Kou Zhun said,

Now the domestic situation in our Great Zhou is stable, and all parts of the country are also considered to be rich in things and people, which is very conducive to business exchanges and exchanges. It should follow the example of the Song State to vigorously develop domestic and foreign trade, and when the time comes, commercial taxes can be collected to replenish the national treasury.

However, the mere idea of vigorously developing trade and collecting commercial taxes was opposed by most of the courtiers.

Many courtiers believed that agriculture was the foundation of the world. If commercial trade is developed, once the number of people engaged in business and the number of part-time workers increases, the number of people who cultivate the land will inevitably decrease. In this way, the grain production may be reduced, the treasury will be empty, and when will the people of the world eat? In the event of a disaster or famine, how can we help them? In the event of an invasion, where do they go to raise food? At that time, the world will inevitably be in chaos, who can bear this responsibility?

As soon as this remark came out, no one in the palace dared to refute it, after all, "agriculture-oriented, heavy agriculture and suppressed business" was the basic national policy of the Great Zhou, and no one dared to risk the world's disapproval to touch the taboo.

And are these ministers really strongly opposing the development of industry and commerce for the sake of the court and the people? Ma Jin doesn't think so, in the end, these ministers are still afraid of his attention to the business tax, and now the transnational and interstate trade in the Great Zhou is monopolized by the clans, Ma Jin wants to collect the business tax, isn't it to cut their flesh, these ministers can agree.

However, for Ma Jin, the problem of the emptiness of the treasury cannot be solved, and the fat of commercial taxes cannot be eaten. The reaction of the ministers of the DPRK and China Ma Jin was naturally very dissatisfied, okay! You eat my food, take my food, and talk about how to be loyal to the court and loyal to me, and as soon as your own interests are involved, you immediately change into a person like a mad dog, barking at your master. It made Ma Jin extremely disgusting.

You must know that although the commercial tax of the Great Zhou is very low, it is only one out of thirty, and books, pen and ink, farm tools, fruits and vegetables, livestock, and wedding and funeral items are all tax-free. But this refers to those big families, and not to those small and medium-sized merchants.

If they want to do business, they have to pay a transit tax to other places, which varies from 1 out of 1 out of 1 out of 1 out of 1 out of 1 out of 1 out of 1 out of 1 in 1 out of 1 in 1 out of 1 in 1 out of 1 in 1 out of 1 in 1 out of 1 For example, timber, firewood, thatch, sideburns, yellow vines, etc. are directly drawn out of ten, if you encounter unreasonable corrupt officials, merchants will be levied a transit tax when they set off, and they will be levied once every time they cross a region, and if they are by water, they will also pay a river crossing tax.

This transit tax, known as centijin, was not included in the imperial household department, but was collected by the local government for its own use. Naturally, local officials did not dare to levy taxes on wealthy merchants, because these wealthy merchants and magnates were inextricably linked to the family. It can only be more severely apportioned to small and medium-sized businessmen.

Moreover, these wealthy businessmen often collude with the local government to bully and monopolize the trade routes. It is difficult for small and medium-sized businessmen to move an inch, and they often go bankrupt without realizing it, and they are inexplicably finished. No one wants to do business anymore, and industrial and commercial trade will naturally not develop, but it will only fatten the pockets of the big families.

Ma Jin naturally didn't care about the opposition of these ministers, and asked Kou Zhun again about how to develop industrial and commercial trade. When the emperor asked for advice, Kou Zhun naturally knew everything. He told Ma Jin that if he wanted to develop industrial and commercial trade and prosper the market.

First of all, it is necessary to implement the policy of tax reduction and exemption within the territory of the Great Zhou Dynasty, especially for small and medium-sized business travelers, and not to collect taxes repeatedly, so as to attract businessmen to come and do business.

The second is to provide merchants with convenient customs clearance, safe travel, and allow merchants to have their own activities in the territory of Dazhou.

Third, the establishment of foreign trade places such as the city and the city, to guide merchants to carry out foreign trade, and at the same time to give certain preferential treatment and convenience, of course, the imperial court can also set up an official trade team, and the income from trade can be directly attributed to the treasury.

Kou Zhun talked eloquently, and Ma Jin also nodded again and again. Vigorously developing domestic and foreign trade is imperative in Ma Jin's view, but the Manchu civil and military forces will not put it forward at all for their own interests, otherwise why does Ma Jin have to ask Kou Zhun? It's not because Kou Zhun is his own person.

Today's Great Zhou court treasury is empty and difficult, if the problem is not solved, once there is a border disaster or something, the consequences are unimaginable. Besides, Ma Jin wants to transform the Great Zhou Empire, and he can't do it without money.

When Ma Jin asked how to do it and who would be more suitable, Kou Zhun Mao recommended himself and said that the most suitable person was him. Of course, Ma Jin believes that he doesn't know how rich the Great Song Dynasty was in his previous life. And Kou Zhun is the prime minister of the Great Song Dynasty, so he naturally knows how to do it.

Subsequently, Ma Jin ignored the opposition of the courtiers and ordered Kou Zhun to set up a preparatory office for the minister, who was fully responsible for all matters of industrial and commercial trade in the Great Zhou Dynasty.

……

However, far water cannot quench the thirst of the near, and it must be solved when the current treasury is empty. In the past few days, Ma Jin's hair has almost turned white, thinking about the predecessors who traveled through the Internet in his previous life, one by one, they can make salt, perfume, glass, muskets, and invent cement. Almost omnipotent, how come you get to him, you can't do anything? Could it be that the brain circuits are different? Or is the construction different?

Just when Ma Jin was confused, a small eunuch outside the palace walked in quickly to report that Chun Yuyan, the Minister of Cabinet Counsel, asked to see His Majesty.

"Chun Yuyan? What did he come to see me for? When Ma Jin heard that it was Chun Yuyan who asked to see him, he couldn't help but be confused in his mind, and he waved his hand to signal the little eunuch to bring Chun Yuyan in.

……

A few days ago......

After the eldest grandson Wuji and the two met Ma Jin, the next morning, Ma Jin ordered the cabinet to participate in the politics of Chun Yuyan and take charge of the household department.

After arriving in the next dynasty, Chun Yuyan was still a little confused, and never thought that His Majesty would let him take charge of the household department. You must know that although he is also the secretary of the household department, but it is only a title and cannot directly manage the household department, and now His Majesty personally ordered him to be in charge of the household department, which means that he has now become the top boss of the household department and directly manages the household department.

You must know that in this court, in addition to the officials, it belongs to the household department, and is the most important in charge of the world's money and grain, which is what kind of power. But then Chun Yuyan couldn't be happy, because the household department had no money!

"No wonder, when Your Majesty entrusted me with an important task, no one in the court objected, it turned out that he wanted to see my jokes!" Halfway through, Chun Yuyan finally figured out the cause and effect, and couldn't help but feel a little depressed.

When he returned home, his wife Mao saw Chun Yuyan looking sullen, so she asked, "Master, but what happened in the court?" ”

Chun Yuyan shook his head and said in a deep voice: "No, your lord and I have been promoted." ”

"Oh?" When Mao Shi heard this, his face couldn't help showing joy, and he hurriedly asked, "Could it be that Your Majesty let you be the first assistant?" ”

"How is it possible, how can there be such a good thing!"

Chun Yuyan said: "It's just that Your Majesty asked me to actually lead the errand of the household department!" ”

"This is a good thing, why does the master look sullen?" Mao asked puzzled.

"Alas!" Chun Yuyan sighed and said: "The key is that the Hubu Treasury is empty at the moment, and the silver is less than two million taels, how can I be happy?" ”

"No, it won't!" Mao's expression was very surprised, "Master, even if our family has more than that, this household only has such a little silver?" ”

Chun Yuyan replied with a frown: "So, master, I'm embarrassed!" ”

Mao persuaded: "Master, don't be too embarrassed, as the so-called mountains and rivers have no way out, there is always a way." ”

Chun Yuyan said impatiently: "How can it be so easy to say, if the silver is so easy to get?" How can the household still lack silver?

Mao said with a smile: "Master, what's so difficult about this? There is a way for the concubine here, it depends on whether the master dares to use it. ”

"What's the method?" Seeing that Mao said that there was a way to get the silver, Chun Yuyan hurriedly asked.

Mao Zhengse said: "Master, haven't you heard a sentence, "The salt merchant is rich, and the world is the best" The concubine body heard that the salt merchants are all very rich, and they don't take money as money, so the lord might as well pay attention to it from the salt merchant."

"But there are few families behind those salt merchants, few of whom you and I can afford to provoke, I don't think it's appropriate!" Mao's method is an effective method, and Chun Yuyan is also very excited, but then he thinks of the background of those salt merchants, and the heat in his eyes can't help but hide.

"Master, that's all you have the guts!" Seeing Chun Yuyan's appearance, Mao couldn't help but sneer, "As long as Your Majesty supports the master, what can others do to you, Your Majesty's heavenly power can't bear it." ”

"Madame has a point!" Chun Yuyan thought about it carefully, Mao's words really made some sense, "Then I will write an excerpt and report it to Your Majesty." ”

……

Chun Yuyan bowed and followed the little eunuch into the Heart Cultivation Palace, after the salute. Ma Jin couldn't help but ask curiously: "Chun Yu Aiqing, I don't know what happened to me?" Chun Yuyan took out a book from his sleeve, raised his hands and bowed down and said, "Your Majesty, the minister has something to play!" ”

"Oh? Aiqing said to listen to it! Ma Jin motioned to Wang Chengen to take the fold in Chun Yuyan's hand.

Chun Yuyan said in a solemn voice: "Your Majesty, Recently, Your Majesty asked the minister to lead the household errand, and the minister felt a great responsibility and did not dare to slack off. In the past few days, he has been checking the treasury of the household department, and the ministers have found that there are many tricks in the salt tax of the imperial court, so he immediately came to report to His Majesty. ”

Saying that, Chun Yuyan quietly raised his head and glanced at Ma Jin, and found that Ma Jin was looking down at the twists and turns, and he felt apprehensive for no reason. Then he boldly continued: "The minister found out from the yellow book of the household department that at the beginning of the founding of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the annual salt tax was 36 million taels of silver, but it was ...... This year's salt tax is less than 6 million taels.