First Prince of Ming Dynasty

Except for the symbolic selection of a few items from the tributes and gifts of the envoys of various countries to be included in the internal funds, the rest of the proceeds from this ocean-going trade were included in the treasury of the Ministry of Households.

All kinds of animals and the like, plus the white elephants, lions and tigers in the original palace, were all placed in the pens in the west of the city, allowing the gentry and common people to watch and play. Naturally, a certain fee was also charged, but not much, just for use. Just maintain.

The external claim is to open the imperial garden and have fun with the people. The people in Beijing may not be rare to see any beasts, but they are very interested in having fun with the king. After all, this is the treatment only the people at the feet of the emperor have.

And these are just the beginning, trade and commerce is the real long-term way, the plague of Japanese pirates gradually subsided, maritime trade flourished, and the people along the coast have begun to use clans as units to prepare goods and build seagoing ships to go to sea spontaneously.

Jinghai Hou Wuzhen's naval division stationed troops in the important trading Haikou Strait after cleaning up the Japanese pirates, and also ensured that large-scale pirates would not form in the offshore.

In the past two years, the Ming and Qing dynasties suppressed bandits and water bandits, and those who escaped by chance are now entrenched in the sea. It is difficult for people who are used to doing business without money to integrate into the ordinary way of life.

Therefore, although Sino-Ocean has made huge profits, it mainly enriches the national treasury. The Ministry of Household Affairs has obtained a windfall, which has more room for maneuvering. Many places can also allocate money and grain allocations as appropriate, otherwise it can only be the same as in previous years. Continue to tear down the east wall to make up for the west wall.

The officials all said that they were wise. After all, they were opposed to the establishment of an ocean-going fleet to go to sea. The main reason for the success of this matter was that the prince resisted all opinions and used the royal family's internal funds to contribute, and the proceeds should of course belong to the royal family.

Zhu Biao has no interest in exotic treasures. For the rest of this month, he is mainly busy with business and taxation matters, as well as the cultivation and selection and improvement of various exotic crops.

Corn, sweet potato, and potato, these three are the most important, followed by pepper, the first three are for the country and the people, and the latter is for oneself, cornel is really not used to it, it is spicy and bitter.

………

Sitting in the palace, Zhao Wenjing, Minister of the Household Department, said after reporting the affairs of the Ministry Hall: "Business and taxation are huge profits, and the duties and powers of the Household Department are trivial. I think it would be better to establish a new head of government."

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned: "Why, someone obstructed the tax road?"

"It's hard for me to say whether there is or not. I only know that the threshold of the household department's yamen has been broken through in the past few days. I'm biased and I'm just talking about him, but I think that's what happened."

"Who is there, you tell us, let's ask them what they want to do!"

Zhao Wenjing was in a bit of a dilemma. There were many people in the household department, and they didn't say it clearly. It would be too offensive to just say that.

Zhu Biao said: "Since there is no clear statement, it is not easy to question the crime, and the father does not need to be angry. The benefit is very touching, and it is expected."

"Furthermore, what Zhao Qing said is true. My ministers have also been thinking about it recently. The matter of taxes and taxes involves a wide range of important matters. The establishment of a new government is beneficial to the country and has no disadvantages."

That is to separate the household department, but if it is still the people in the household department, what is the point of dividing it, not to mention the waste of time, the originally fairly orderly division of powers is easy to be shirked by them.

"Who do you think is suitable?"

Zhu Biao immediately replied: "Quan Xu."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, thinking that this prince's confidant who has been nesting in Fengyang since the founding of the country is the most suitable. Speaking of which, he is the heir of the old general, and Miaohong can be trusted.

After the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs retired, Zhu Biao submitted the draft regulations to Yulan, which divided the responsibilities and authorities of the tax bureau in detail. After reading it, Zhu Yuanzhang frowned.

"Are you willing to devote half of the Jinyiwei you have cultivated with great difficulty to this yamen?"

"It's always better to change the plan quickly. The pro-military captain's mansion can't be banned yet. If the Jinyiwei can't be buried deep, it's easy to blunt the sharpness. It's better to use it for business and tax first."

"Furthermore, the business tax is stable, and the money and food will be abundant. At that time, it will be enough to find another child to be trained as Jinyiwei. As for those who are transferred to the tax bureau, they are called embroidered clothes envoys. I will give imperial embroidered clothes to the local merchants to check the accounts to determine taxes. .”

"That's it."

………

That month, the imperial court newly established a taxation bureau, and appointed Zhao Yan, the Tongzhi of the pro-military Duwei’s Mansion, as the director.

The embroidered clothes envoy went all the way south, like a hungry tiger coming out of the mountain, and if there was any suspicion, he would be tortured. The shopkeepers in the district, how could they carry it? To the local yamen.

Some court officials impeached, but they were all suppressed, and there was a secret letter and Zhao Yan, the director of the tax bureau, sent to the imperial court together with the letter and the impeachment. prison.

In this way, the embroidered clothes were like a broken bamboo, the director Zhao Yan and Quan Xu stopped to drive to Hangzhou, Zhao Yan looked pale in the courtyard, looked at Quan Xu who was as cold as before, and said: "My lord, it's nothing more than a mere merchant or a pariah, no matter how many they are killed Don't dare to disobey, but the Jiangnan family is not easy to move lightly."

"What's more, when I look at the accounts, the income and exit are about the same. You don't look at their faces, but you have to care about His Highness's dignity. After all, there is a noble person in the East Palace, let alone have children."

Quan Xu glanced at him and said: "It has nothing to do with this. I have personally checked the accounts of the Chen family, and they are not in the slightest. The other families also have nobles in the East Palace?"

The East Palace is gone, but there are still a few in the Harem. Zhang Yan dare not say this. He knows exactly what he is used for. The imperial court has its own laws. If the embroiderers are so unscrupulous, someone must be responsible in the end of.

No matter how I think about it, that person will not be the young master in front of me. Although he has not been widely known in recent years, anyone who knows a little bit knows that this person is an old senior from the pro-military captain's mansion.

When the crown prince was still the eldest son, he escorted him to the emperor's hometown to worship his ancestors and sweep the tombs. When the crown prince went to the Northern Expedition, he commanded the army's Duwei's mansion as his personal escort.

That's why within the scope of his rights, he will cleanly divide the proceeds from the ransacking of the house, pay the tax that should be paid, and dare not occupy the rest of the tax, and leave it to the local government, so that they can turn it over to the state treasury or keep it for themselves.

Just thinking that there will still be people pleading for mercy at that time, at least save their lives.

"Have you checked out those families? If there is still something unclear, I will order the embroiderer to torture someone."

Zhao Yan sighed and took out the list circled in red and said: "The Chen family has already confessed, so it is not difficult to find out, not to mention that each family has children who are not good enough, so there is no need to use punishment, just stop and ask a few words, and you will know everything. Confessed."

Quan Xu took it and glanced at it, then handed the list to the young man in embroidered clothes beside him. The young man with red lips and white teeth was tall and good-looking, but his eyes were extremely gloomy, like poisonous snakes and beasts, which made people dumbfounded.

After he left, Zhao Yan sighed: "The embroidered clothes envoys are all good knives. My lord resigned from the title when the glory is unlimited, and faded out of the court to hide his name. He really sharpened a magic weapon for His Highness. But it would be a waste to use it here. .”

Quan Xu shook his head and said: "They are all just embryos. Whether they can become a sharp weapon in His Highness's hands depends on their own good fortune, not to mention the embryos of divine weapons. Only heaven and man can carve them, not us and ordinary people. .”

"What is a magic weapon, what is a heavenly man?"

"The princes Kaiping and Ping of Zhongshan are not just magical weapons made by the Holy One, but they were just ordinary when they were young."

Zhao Yan, who followed Xu Dachang Yuchun on the battlefield, heard the words: "The Holy Majesty is the true dragon and the Son of Heaven who came down to earth, but the princes and generals are also born extraordinary like the stars in the sky. Otherwise, how can they help the Holy Majesty to establish a country and establish a system."

Quan Xu shook his head and said: "Success does not depend on the generals, it depends on the Holy Majesty being able to build a large army from scratch, integrate and train a group of mobs, lead the troops to fight, establish military discipline, make arbitrary decisions, subdue the rebellious generation, and guarantee logistics. Supplies, that’s why we were able to take over the world.”

"Otherwise it's nothing more than wandering soldiers and scattered bravery. They may be able to rule the roost for a while, but it is difficult to become a great weapon in the end. It can be seen that it is difficult to forge soldiers. Generals are just people with swords. As long as the Holy One is there, there will be some magic soldiers. And crusade against the world, sooner or later you will win."

…………