Cannon Fodder Is King [Transmigration]

The more Meng Zezhi thought about it, the happier he became. He waved his hand and gave four wills in succession.

One is to canonize Qian Boyu as Jing Haibo and Liu Wenshan (the one who wiped out Japanese pirates) as Ping Haibo.

The second is to reward the army soldiers with a thousand taels of gold and 10,000 taels of silver, which will be distributed by Qian Boyu.

The third is to charge those gold and silver into the national treasury, and all the remaining things are included in the domestic money.

The fourth is to exempt this year’s land tax and encourage wasteland reclamation. It is stipulated that the reclaimed wasteland shall be exempted from land tax within ten years.

Upon hearing that Emperor Ning Wu wanted to exempt Tian Fu, all the officials were shocked. To know that the annual fiscal revenue of the Dayang Dynasty, Tian Fu accounted for 70%. The most important thing is to avoid Tian Fu, won't the envy that they can receive behind the scenes will be greatly reduced.

When even someone stood up and objected: "Long live, this is absolutely impossible. The royal government spends five million taels of silver every year on the three items of official salaries, military salaries, and river labor."

The Dayang dynasty raises one million soldiers, but the annual military expenditure is less than two million taels. The main reason is that the Dayang dynasty implements the military system, that is, the land is allocated to the army for planting. Basically, the soldiers stationed on the border are all To support themselves, only the navy and some of the city guards need to pay the military salary from the Ministry of Households

"If there are celebrations or natural disasters again, it will cost tens of millions of silver a year, and the annual tax revenue of the country is only 8 million taels. Now it is already gracious. If the land tax is exempted, the national treasury will probably not make ends meet. , Please long live to think twice!"

"Long live your ministers, please think twice."

"It's okay not to say Aiqing." Meng Zezhi twisted his expression: "What you said reminds me of something."

"Because of Meng Yuan's violence and inaction, civilian commerce suffered predatory destruction. Therefore, at the beginning of the establishment of the country, Emperor Taizu, in order to restore commerce, Zeng Xiaoyu, military and civilian weddings and funeral sacrifices, boats, cars, silk cloth, etc., are all tax-free. It is also decided that all commercial taxes shall be one at thirty."

You know, Emperor Guangde has repeatedly reduced and exempted agricultural taxes, but it was only as low as 25%. The peasants were poor and couldn't get enough to eat, but the merchants and local officials colluded with them, and the wealth was too rich.

Meng Ze knows this very well, otherwise, how did he get the extra money (matches, soap) of more than 200,000 taels of silver a month?

"Now, more than 30 years have passed, business has generally recovered, and it is time to collect taxes on merchants again. From now on, the business tax will be one out of ten."

One out of ten? How much do you have to pay this year?

All civil and military officials are passionate: "Never mind, not to mention that the ancestral motto is not to be violated, to rashly increase business taxes, compete with the people for profit, and spread it out. How do people in the world feel..."

"Competing for profit with the people?" Meng Zezhi said in a bad tone: "Still fighting for profit with the officials?"

The ministers choked.

"You know the facts well." Meng Zezhi said: "So, I am not discussing with you, but telling you my decision."

"Long live……"

"Not only that, from now on, the person tax will be paid according to the number of acres of land under the name. Those with more land will pay more, those with less land will pay less, and those without land will not pay. The government and the gentry pay the grain together, and the envy goes to the public."

There are two basic components of the Zhengfu collected by the imperial court from the people, one is the land tax and the other is the head tax. The former pays taxes based on the status of the property, and the latter collects taxes on the per capita basis. During the Guangde period, a per capita tax of 30 yuan was levied, and the grain was 10 catties.

At the same time, registered or retired officials and scholars who have achieved fame do not have to perform military service and corvee, and even the shops and fields under their names do not have to pay taxes.

The government and the gentry pay the grain together is to allow them to pay taxes and serve as errands. Of course, it is okay for them not to perform military service and corroboration, and it is enough to convert them into money.

Meng Zezhi's move undoubtedly greatly harmed the interests of officials and the landlord class.

"Long live……"

Meng Zezhi interrupted them directly: "I also know the sufferings of all the love Qing Qing, so I decided that from today onwards, all civil and military officials will be paid ten times more than the regular salary each year. In addition, the civil servants Eight times the official salary for errands, and the military attache five times the official salary for errands."

Take Zhengyipin as an example, the annual salary is no more than 180 taels of silver and 180 jewels of Lumi. The price of goods in the capital is not low, and the money is a problem to feed the whole family.

Hearing this, the officials were taken aback.

The stick was hit, and the sweet jujube was also given. Then it's time to salute first and then fight.

"However, my ugly words are at the forefront. From today on, don't accept anything that is cold and enviable. If I find out, those who accept bribes or embezzle more than 1,000 will be dismissed from their posts and lost thousands of miles. Those who are more than a thousand taels will be cut off. Those who are more than 10,000 taels will be punishable by the three tribes. There are also tax evasion and tax evasion people who are demoted from officials and seized from officials."

"This, such a severe punishment..." All the civil and military officials were green and white.

Meng Zezhi glanced at them meaningfully: "If you have a clear conscience, naturally you won't think this is harsh punishment."

The officials were speechless.

"Also, from now on, 70% of the money obtained by the sea trade will go to the national treasury, and 30% will go to the domestic money."

Note that the money mentioned here does not include those rare and exotic treasures.

"Private overseas trade is strictly forbidden. Offenders have no property and are exiled. The tributary of the vassal state is still mainly based on the trade of investigation and cooperation."

After the establishment of the country, Emperor Taizu followed the conventions of the previous dynasty. Only the vassal states and the imperial court are allowed to conduct tributary trade with time, place, and quantity. That is, after the merchant ships of the vassal countries carry tributes and their respective goods to China, the imperial court receives the offerings and spends money to buy the goods, and repays the goods needed by the vassal countries in the form of "national gifts". The period of tribute varies from three to five years in various countries. When making a tribute, you must have a certificate (certificate) issued by the court in advance.

The reason for this is that the tree he planted with great pains and effort has now barely recovered the capital, and naturally he does not want to be picked by others.

Secondly, it is to prevent merchants from rushing into the sea. Because the output of domestic bulk goods is limited, once they taste the sweetness, they will inevitably recruit people to expand production. But where did the workers come from? They are not looking for them in the countryside. Once the farmers who planted the land swarmed into the factory and the fields were not cultivated, the consequences would be disastrous.

Therefore, there must be a step-by-step process, and Meng Zezhi does not intend to let go of maritime trade within at least fifteen years.

"As for things such as entering the acres, the cabinet will first draw up a folder to submit it based on the actual situation of the people in our country."

Meng Zezhi had no idea but to do errands by the people below.

"Yes." Lu Zengxiang responded immediately after leaving the class.

When the officials dispersed, Meng Zezhi kept Qian Boyu for lunch.

"By the way, this trip to sea is still going well?" Meng Zezhi asked.

Qian Boyu immediately put down his tea bowl and stood up and replied: "Long live the report. It's not bad. We are so crowded, and the pirates hardly dared to come forward. It was only when passing by the Maan Baxie country on the island of Java that the occupying forces mistakenly thought it was Those who came to aid the enemy forces started fighting right away, and we broke 13 people and went in."

"The leader of the local occupying army was worried about our army's revenge, and sent envoys to send ten thousand taels of gold to apologize. The minister thought that this time to go to sea was for business, and it is really inappropriate to engage in hostility with Western countries, and the other party also suffered heavy casualties. He made his own claim and declined their compensation."

"In addition, there are more than 30 sergeants and boatmen who unfortunately passed away on the way, and because of the storm, they lost two warships and a treasure ship."

"It's good if you don't suffer." Meng Zezhi nodded: "As for the dead soldiers and boatmen, they are also people of merit. Be sure to treat their families kindly."

"Long live, rest assured, the minister has a sense of measure." Qian Boyu replied.

"That's good. Uncle has been away from the capital for so long. You might as well stay at home for a few more days and accompany your grandpa and aunt more. If you go to sea, you shouldn't be in a hurry."

"Xie Wansui Longen." Qian Boyu couldn't help himself. Ning Wu's implication was clearly that he intended to entrust the maritime trade issue to him.

Sure enough, these seven months have not been in vain, and he has been successfully promoted to Emperor Ning Wu’s confidant. He has also won the title of Earl Jinghai. In addition, he is now holding the title of the son of Zheng Guo. It is expected that as long as he does not make a big mistake, he will not be in the future. Downgrading to the title of Lord Zheng is not a problem.

——Six years have passed.

For six years, the civil and military officials did not dare to mention the draft, Meng Zezhi also tacitly refused to use Lu Li to stimulate them.

With the promotion of high-yield crops such as corn and sweet potatoes, coupled with exhaustive efforts to open up wasteland, the national average grain yield has finally broken through the four hundred jin mark, and the arable land area has reached 9 million hectares.

"Long live the enlightenment," the chief assistant of the cabinet, Lu Zengxiang, said: "By December of the seventh year of Ningwu, verification, the world has 8.68 million households and 51.52 million people. Annual income, 3.36 million cloth brocade, 900,000 catties of silk, tea 3.42 million catties, salt 2.197 million yuan...person tax, silver 960 thousand taels, grain 1.91 million shi; commercial taxes, 6.42 million taels; sea trade, 14.68 million taels... a total of 23.92 million taels of silver."

"By December of the 7th year of Ningwu, a total of 8.31 million taels were spent on official salaries, military salaries, and hegong, and a total of 3.61 million taels were spent on 23 items including the renovation of the tribute courtyard and the palace expenses...verification, the national inventory of silver was 77.92 million taels. 1.42 million taels of gold, 6.41 million stones of grain, 430,000 pieces of cloth brocade..."

After reading these, Lu Zengxiang finally said: "Congratulations, long live, Yuji has only been eight years old, and there will be today's domestic peace again, from top to bottom."

Qunchen immediately followed with congratulations and said: "Congratulations, long live the world, the prosperity of the world can be expected."

"This is too early to say." Meng Ze knows that he is not only satisfied with this, he said: "Since the mansion is Tibetan and Yanyi, next year's Ding tax and Tianfu will be exempted together."

"Yes." The ministers were indifferent, not at all as excited as they were six years ago. I want to come, too, but it's only a hundred thousand taels of silver. At this moment, the most indispensable thing in the treasury is money.

"As for the cloth and cotton, 30,000 horses are left, and the rest will be handled by the Ministry of Maritime Trade."

The Ministry of Maritime Trade is a new government established five years ago. As the name suggests, it is in charge of maritime trade.

"By the way, the previous firearms bureau smashed out a novel thing called'cement'. It was made and produced in large quantities. It can be used to repair bridges and pave roads and build houses. It is as strong as a rock. Now that the treasury is full, I I want to use this cement to re-pave the country's official roads."

To be rich, build roads first. This is a talk of experience.

As he said, he clapped his hands, and at the moment four guards came in carrying a thick cement board.

The ministers surrounded the cement board and touched and stepped on it, making sure that no matter how much you toss, the cement board will be safe and sound, and a surprise suddenly rises on the surface.

After being exclaimed, everyone's expressions gradually became serious again.

Re-lay the official roads across the country? This amount of engineering is not generally large.

He Qingyun deliberately asked, "Long live, does it mean to levy conscripts to build roads or do you?"

"It's not necessary. The people are already suffering enough. Anyway, the treasury is not short of money, the cost of cement is not high, and this road cannot be built overnight. My original intention is that in addition to improving the traffic situation, it is also I have saved my mind to let farmers have a good place to make money during the slack. Therefore, this road construction is better done with the recruitment system. As for the specific salary, it depends on the situation." Meng Zezhi said.

He also thought about abolishing the corvette in a few years.

"So, it can be regarded as hiding wealth for the people." Lu Zengxiang agrees with this kind of thing that kills two birds with one stone.

"Then it's settled." Meng Zezhi said: "This matter will be handled jointly by the Ministry of Households, the Ministry of Industry and the Firearms Bureau."

"The ministers take orders."

Meng Zezhi finally said: "However, I have to remind you Aiqing that a gentleman loves money and takes it in a proper way. It is better not to take what should not be taken."

Hearing these words, recalling the tragic situation at Caishikou in the previous years, all the ministers all had an unanimous expression: "Keep your ministers in mind."

It took another eight years.

Hurrying to stop, the official road was repaired, the coastal fort was repaired, and even the Gongyuan was renovated, and even the mausoleum of Meng Zezhi was completed.

Meng Zezhi thought for a while and then thought: "If this is the case, then the Forbidden City will also be repaired. After Emperor Taizu ascended the throne, the place hasn't been repaired much, and many places are broken."

Hearing this, all the officials blushed and felt ashamed to the emperor. If it hadn't been for Emperor Ning Wu to say it, they would have forgotten that there was such a time. On the other side, he couldn't help feeling that, apart from a little inconsistency, Emperor Ning Wu was generally good, at least it was easy to feed him.

It's not right. To be precise, they are the ones to be fed.

After all, the bulk of the state treasury's revenue at this time is the sea trade, and the sea trade was created by Emperor Ning Wu...

Thinking of this, hundreds of civil and military officials suddenly had mixed feelings.

They said repeatedly: "Yes, it should be."

Then, in the twenty-sixth year of Ningwu, all nations came to Korea.