Great Xia, the court meeting in the capital.

Emperor Xia sat on the dragon chair, his eyes drooped slightly, and he glanced at the ministers, just after the Spring Festival, the north was still in the wind and snow, but the white-haired wind and snow were obviously much less.

Although it is a good thing for the people of Great Xia, they have finally survived poverty and hunger for a year, and they can look forward to the days of spring flowers.

But for the Great Xia military, and even the imperial court, it is extremely difficult at this time of year.

The taxes of the previous year have been squandered, and I don't know where to find the money for the new year?

The granaries of the family are full, the people are starving all over the place, and last year, the counties and counties of Luochuan were both natural disasters and military disasters, and there were also major wars in Longyou and Longxi.

As a result, the taxes of the imperial court are less than two percent, which does not seem to be much, but in fact, the imperial court has long tightened its belt to live, and the two achievements of this lack are the load-bearing pillars of the dilapidated house in Great Xia.

Many contradictions that were hidden before have begun to appear, and the number of mountain bandits and homeless people in various places has gradually increased, and the poor demons who had disappeared have reappeared, and there are even signs of flowering across the country.

In the past few days, the folds have been flying from all over the country like snowflakes, and the dynasty has been crumbling.

All counties, counties, and state capitals have asked to send troops to tax exemption to reassure the people and get rid of thieves, but of course, from the perspective of the imperial court, it will definitely not work.

The tax cannot be less, or even more than in previous years, otherwise how can the imperial court make up for the deficit of the two percent of the tax silver?

You must know that fifty percent of Great Xia's financial revenue is now used on the frontier and military.

Twenty percent was used for the royal family, such as fiefdoms, and the fixed treatment of various princes and grandchildren, and the last thirty percent was seized by the huge bureaucracy of Great Xia.

Suffice it to say, there is hardly a penny of excess money collected.

Now that there are two percent less, although everyone doesn't say it, they also know that the emperor is going to fall into the knife.

Emperor Xia slowly spoke: "Zhong Aiqing, happy New Year, I see, all of them are full of oil. ”

The ministers hurriedly surrendered their hands: "It's all the favor of the saints, dragging Your Majesty's blessings, my Great Xia can be safe and sound, the people live in peace and happiness, and the rivers and mountains are stable and worry-free......"

Emperor Xia waved his hand and snorted softly: "Enough, I don't want to hear you say these empty words." ”

"Xu Jiang!"

"The minister is here!"

Xu Jiang stood up, and after Shen Wansan left, Xu Jiang was successfully promoted to the head of the household department, which looked at the entire Daxia officialdom, which was quite explosive.

You must know that Xu Jiang used to be an abandoned person, but now he has entered the temple in Tsing Yi and has become the second most powerful household secretary in the six ministries.

Such a speed of promotion is rare since the beginning of the dynasty, coupled with Xu Jiang's upright and resolute character.

He never played the empty set of officialdom, he was the secretary of the household department, and he held the financial power, and many officials complained bitterly, saying that there was no oil and water to fish.

How many twists and turns, the reference book flew to the imperial study like a snowflake, and some people even had the audacity to buy Liu Jin's road and ask His Majesty what he meant.

But Liu Jin only gave four words, so that the officials who heard the news were honest in an instant.

"Jane in the Emperor's Heart"

For the feudal dynasty, the gold content of these four words is really too high, so that as soon as Xu Jiang appeared, the courtiers became nervous one by one.

Their expressions naturally fell in Emperor Xia's eyes, Qin Yun had lost this knife, and he naturally needed another knife.

"Xu Aiqing, you have written several times, saying that you want to reform my Daxia tax system, and now it is the beginning of the year, why don't you tell the ministers what you think."

The ministers' expressions froze, what could he Xu Jiang think? Not yet the emperor's thoughts.

The ministers subconsciously swept past Yang An, the head of the hundred officials, and then looked at the crown prince Qin Zheng, these two are now the only people in this court who can change the emperor's mind.

Under normal circumstances, the prime minister comes from the Ministry of Officials, and he is the pinnacle of real people, his words and deeds represent the hundred officials, and also represent the interests of the world's scholars, and all changes to the law do not touch the interests of the past, but at this moment Yang An is unmoved, looking like an old god.

Xu Jiang didn't have so many twists and turns, and he said bluntly: "Your Majesty, the minister thinks that the bureaucracy of Great Xia is too bloated and should be abolished. ”

"It's so big that it can make up for some of the financial shortfall."

As soon as these words came out, the ministers were in an uproar, this is to drop the knife directly on their heads?

Of course, the people present are all important members of the DPRK and the Central Committee, and it is not realistic to lay them off, but who does not have a descendant, and who does not have a relative?

These people are all pointing to the little official salary of the imperial court and being happy, if this is implemented, I don't know how much wind will be blown when I go back tonight, and even kneeling on the rubble!

As soon as these words came out, Li Zhiyuan, as the official secretary of the Ministry of Officials, naturally wanted to stand up and express his attitude.

"Your Majesty, by no means! The minister thought that this was a matter of the ministry, and Lord Xu had a household secretary who came to point fingers at the ministry, which was a big joke. ”

"Lord Xu, your household finance is insufficient, I don't think about how to open up sources and reduce expenditure, but I blame others, my household officials, although there are corrupt people who bend the law, but the laws of Daxia are strict, His Majesty has a clear inspection, and there is a secret visit from Jinyiwei, who is the person you are talking about, Lord Xu, you just need to name it, don't worry about Lord Xu, I will personally tie people to the Yamen of the household department, so that you Lord Xu can eliminate harm for the people!"

Li Zhiyuan didn't open his mouth, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he was punished, what are you doing in charge of the Ministry of Household Affairs? Do you want to see the government at a glance?

Of course, this sentence is also said to Emperor Xia, the court has its own rules of the court, even if it is the emperor, it is only a referee, and if it is a referee, he must act according to the rules.

Otherwise, the rules will be messed up, and without the rules, the court will not be the court.

Xu Jiang was born and entered the WTO, and it is not a fool to be an official again, he naturally will not name which official it is, otherwise when the time comes, people may really be able to do the thing of sending people to the household department, and for the entire bureaucratic system, what about sacrificing one or two?

At that time, some people will make a mark for Xu Jiang, saying that he forced to death a good official who is dedicated to the people, and if there is any more hype in the officialdom and public opinion, Xu Jiang's reputation will naturally stink.

Xu Jiang said in a deep voice: "I'm not targeting some people, I'm targeting everyone present, not only the officials are being abolished, but also the monthly income of the clan and the royal family must also be reduced. ”

"Li Zhiyuan, let me ask you, if you don't cut it, tell me, where does this money come from?"

Li Zhiyuan arched his hand: "Your Majesty, the minister also happens to have a plan to play." ”

Emperor Xia waved his hand and said, "Say it!" ”

Li Zhiyuan: "The minister thinks that the people can suffer again, and when they survive this year, it is not too late to cut taxes!" ”

Xu Jiang was furious: "Fart, Li Zhiyuan, are you talking about human words?" Have you seen the sufferings of the people? Yi Zi eats, starvation is everywhere, even in the land of fish and rice in the south of the Yangtze River, there are people who can't even afford to eat one meal a day. ”

"In Luochuan, I saw with my own eyes the misery of the people, and the source of all this is caused by the increase in taxes, the imperial court raised taxes, and the clan tried their best to distribute the pressure to the tenants.

"You Li Zhiyuan, what do you know? The food you eat and the clothes you pass on are all earned by the sweat and hard work of the people, and if you raise taxes, are you worthy of the people of Li in Great Xia? ”

Li Zhiyuan said: "Then according to what Lord Xu said, you can solve the problem?" Taking Luochuan as an example, a few years ago, the officials of Luochuan Prefecture suggested that the horse post be abolished, and the tragic situation that caused the people of Luochuan to change their children and eat was this little horse post official Liu Jiangong. ”

He swept through the chaotic people, and in the name of going to Beijing to ask for an explanation, he made Luochuan suffer for an unknown number of people. You Xujiang has been far away from the temple for many years, living far away from the rivers and lakes, thinking that the suffering of the people is the burden of the temple? You would be naïve. ”

"The people in your mouth, such as Liu Jiangong and the like, they also have to rely on the imperial court to support their families, you stroke a big pen, you become a saint, and you have won the people's praise of merit, but those low-level officials who have been laid off, who is responsible for their livelihood?"

"What, are you going to drive them to farming and reclamation?"

"Xu Jiang, engage in finance and protect the people's livelihood, that's your household department's business, don't throw the black pot to my ministry because the household department is not capable of making money. It is the duty of my household department to maintain the operation of Great Xia, to maintain the authority of the imperial court, and to have someone available in times of crisis. ”

"A person like you, who is upright, is a clean official, and is a person who has left history books, but is this really good for the court and the people? Lord Xu, I hope you think twice, if you have to cut, then the official will be as you wish, and the official will go home and farm! ”

Saying that, he took off his official hat, and Xu Jiang was also aroused by his temper.

"Okay, who else?"

However, before the words fell, all the ministers knelt down and took off their official hats one after another.

"Please allow your majesty to return to your hometown to work as a farmer in order to save the finances of this Great Xia."

Qin Zheng sneered in his heart, Xu Jiang was a clown, he knew in his heart that Xu Jiang was Qin Yun's person, and he was naturally happy to see him embarrassed.

Xu Jiang's face sank, he said the wrong thing, but the matter has come to this, as long as the people can be more relaxed, what about breaking their bones?

Fortunately, at this time, Emperor Xia slowly got up and said with a calm attitude: "Okay, Zhong Aiqing, Lord Xu is just joking, you don't have to take it seriously." ”

The ministers knelt down, and none of them got up.

Until Emperor Xia reprimanded with a straight face: "Xu Jiang, this is yours, your lordships are running day and night for the court and the people of Limin, you refuted all their past exploits with one sentence, and after that, I will punish you for thinking about it behind closed doors for three days." ”

"Li Zhiyuan, as the secretary of the ministry, do you want to take the lead in forcing the palace?"

Li Zhiyuan was startled: "The minister doesn't dare!" ”

"That's not up yet!"

The ministers got up at this time, Xu Jiang on the side was expressionless, and there was no like-minded person around him, but when he met Emperor Xia's gaze, he realized that he was too anxious.

Xu Jiang arched his hand and said: "It was the minister who lost his words, and the minister was willing to be punished." ”

Emperor Xia said with a smile: "Although there are gaffes, it is understandable that Lord Xu, as the head of the household, thinks about the country and the people, so let's inform the clan to reduce all the princes and viscounts in the future by thirty percent, and I will take the lead for them, and suffer first." ”

Li Zhiyuan stood up: "The ministers voluntarily cut ninety percent of their salaries, but they begged the low-level officials to eat!" ”

The ministers followed: "The same is true of the ministers!" ”

Emperor Xia said with a smile: "You love Qing's patriotic heart, I feel it, pass on the inner library, I will eat three meals a day in the future, and the harem concubines will cultivate in the back garden and farm with me." ”

"My Emperor Shengming!"

Qin Zheng also hurriedly said: "Erchen is willing to follow his father, and he is willing to donate all his family resources to reduce food and clothing." ”

"Okay, the prince deserves encouragement!"

The ministers bowed their hands to Qin Zheng again: "The prince is knowledgeable and reasonable, loves the people like a son, and it is a blessing for Daxia to have this prince!" ”

But just when the ministers were in harmony, a court lieutenant hurriedly stepped forward.

"Report! Letter from Chaozhou, 100,000 urgent! ”

As soon as these words came out, the ministers were stunned, could it be that Qin Yun called?

Emperor Xia's face sank, what kind of trouble is this Qin Yun going to make.