After the New Year's meeting, it was 1659, the second year of Yongli.

All officials in the Nanjing court were on holiday, leaving only a few officials to take turns to maintain the basic operation of the court.

This year, it can be said that the officials of the Nanjing court have had the best New Year.

At the end of previous years, let alone the New Year holiday money, even the salary, was often unable to be paid.

After taking office this year, the Regent not only made up for the owed salary, but also paid an extra month's money, which made all the officials very happy.

Over the years, the Ming Dynasty has been in turmoil and the central government has lost its power, so naturally no one has come to collude with them, such as the Beijing officials.

The Ming Dynasty had a very small salary, and there was no one who had the right to seek rent. The life of the Beijing officials was quite difficult and many people couldn't afford to lose the blame.

This made not only those honest officials unable to live a life, but even those corrupt officials who were not clean and wanted to make some money also lived like honest officials.

Therefore, most people like to listen to the Regent and preside over the government.

After all, except for a few people who are stubborn, who is willing to be unable to get along with money?

Thinking about the hard days before, almost all the officials in Beijing who received their salary for several months were almost crying. The business on the Qinhuai River became popular because the officials paid their salary.

For a time, during the New Year, the atmosphere in Nanjing was peaceful, and all officials were reunited with their families, and those who slaughtered pigs and sheep had a good harvest.

While officials were enjoying the holiday, Zhao Ming was not free. Every day, there were all kinds of people coming to the palace to pay homage to the palace for various reasons.

Today's Nanjing court is different from the past. In the past, the imperial court did not order the Nanjing, but now it can control most of the south and gain real power.

Zhao Ming welcomed and saw some important people, so he even led Zheng Chenggong, Li Dingguo and others to tour Jiangnan.

During the New Year, although the workshop was shut down and the people returned home, the city was still lively, which opened everyone's eyes.

Zhao Ming then instilled in the crowd without missing a trace that only by allowing the people to live and work in peace and prosperity and the country can he be a good ruler and invisibly worship him.

Zhu Yuyou and others became sadder the more they watched. The prosperity of Jiangnan's economy made him feel the huge gap with Nanjing, and gradually lost the confidence to move to Zhao Ming.

Li Dingguo was also quite moved and secretly made up his mind to build his vassal state like Jiangnan.

Zhao Ming led everyone around Jiangnan and asked everyone to treat the people in the fiefdom well. He immediately gave tens of thousands of taels of property and specialties to each vassal, and then let each leave the capital and return to the vassal.

...

The New Year of the second year of Yongli can be regarded as a happy New Year for Regent Zhao Ming.

The towns within the Ming Dynasty came to worship, indicating that Zhao Ming had initially controlled the entire Ming Dynasty and became one step closer to unifying the world.

At this speed, next year, Zhao Ming will send an envoy to Guanzhong and make Wu Sangui complacent to Nanjing.

If Wu Sangui is willing to surrender, he can still be a vassal king. If he dares to fight, he will be a squad with Ajige.

This time cannot be delayed too long. If Wu Sangui's foundation in Guanzhong and Bashu gradually stabilizes, it will not be so easy for Zhao Ming to deal with him again.

Zhao Ming was in a very happy mood throughout the New Year, but after the New Year, Zhao Ming's happy mood ended on the first day of coming to the meeting hall.

"Where is no money?" Zhao Ming couldn't help but look surprised after hearing Chen Mingyu's report.

The Grand Secretary of the Cabinet stood aside and complained in his heart, Your Highness, you would be strange if you throw money everywhere, your hands are big and your treasury is not empty.

Chen Mingyu said: "Last year, the imperial court received a total of 20 million taels of silver. He paid back the old debts and paid the owed salary. In addition, the soldiers were rewarded and paid for the New Year, and then used 2 million. A large army of 500,000 will not fight, and the military salary in a month will be 1 million taels, which will cost 2 million taels if they fight. In addition, 250,000 shi of military rations are required per month. Now the rice price is 200,000 shi per stone, which is 500,000 shi. In addition, the horse army's forage is 30,000 shi per month. Where is the money left?"

Zhao Ming hadn't lived a tight life for many years. After hearing Chen Ming's calculation, he couldn't help but frown and said, "Why is the old account not yet cleared, and the new account is coming again."

Chen Ming met him and presented a memorial book, saying in a deep voice: "Your Highness, this is the budget for the Ministry of Revenue this year."

Zhao Ming hurriedly glanced over, and Chen Mingyu introduced: "This year, if there is no war, the military salary is expected to be 12 million taels, military rations, military funds, and equipment replacement, and the official salary is expected to be 4 million taels. The official salary is expected to be 2 million taels. The construction of the Beijing University, the prefectures and the prefectures are built, and the county is built with primary schools. The navy has added warships, digging canals in various places, and repairing river embankments is expected to be 2 million taels. The six ministries maintain operation, and the daily expenses are 3 million taels. The total is 21 million taels. The court taxes this year are expected to be no more than 20 million taels. If there is a war or a famine, the Ministry of Revenue will need to borrow at least several million taels."

After hearing this, Zhao Ming frowned slightly. Overall, military expenditure accounted for the majority and consumed about 70% of the court's taxes.

During the Chongzhen period, the Guanning infantry army had one tael and four cents of silver per month, plus half a stone of rice, one tael and six cents of silver per month, plus half a stone of rice.

This is the old market.

Nowadays, with overseas trade, a large amount of silver pouring in, causing prices to rise, and the monthly military pay of Ming soldiers naturally increased.

Now, the soldiers of the Ming army can get two or five cents, while ordinary soldiers can get one or three cents. On average, it is about one or seven cents, and then the military pay of the officers is included. The military pay of the 500,000 army consumes nearly one million taels in a month.

Chen Ming met Zhao Ming's expression and immediately said: "This year, there will be some reductions in taxes in various places. The imperial court will definitely lose money. From next year, the towns of Longwu will pay 30% of the taxes. The land of Fujian and Guangdong will start to collect taxes normally. The treasury should turn losses into profits. However, this year, refugees in Jiangbei need to be resettled, and there is also mining. The imperial court may not be able to pay much money."

The taxes from the court are only enough to be enough for daily expenses. They must have surplus money, investment and development, economic development, and response to crises. Otherwise, the treasury will be just enough every year, and even rely on debts to maintain it, so they can only stand still and even rely on old capital, and problems will arise sooner or later.

Zhao Ming was silent for a while, "The coal mining matter is not in a hurry, but the resettlement of refugees cannot be delayed. The Lone King had previously taken the lead in the Ministry of Revenue, and is there any evidence to raise capital?"

Chen Mingyu said: "After 500,000 silver dollars have been raised."

Zhao Ming nodded and said, "There are a little less, and I will come to find a solution later! By the way, the Ministry of Revenue needs to establish a new department, called the State-owned Assets Department, to participate in the management of Jiangbei Cotton Industry. In addition, provinces need to establish salt, iron smelting and other companies to rectify the assets of the court and increase the treasury revenue."

"I accept the order!" Zhao Ming had long mentioned this to Chen Mingyu, setting up state-owned assets offices in the local area, rectifying assets of mines, salt industries, etc. belonging to the court, opening companies, and adopting the official supervision and business model to conduct business.

Zhao Ming waved his hand and said, "The Ministry of Revenue will come up with a plan as soon as possible! Go and do it!"

Chen Mingyu nodded and was about to turn around, but suddenly stopped and whispered: "Your Highness, I have something to report. There are gentry and merchants in Jiangbei who are taking the opportunity to merge farmland at a low price. Many people, because of their lack of labor and lack of money, sold their land at a low price."

Zhao Ming frowned, "Where is the matter of setting up a cotton field manor leaked?"

Chen Mingyu said: "It shouldn't be there. The people who have acquired Jiangnan are all big investors. I guess they want to go with Your Highness."

Zhao Ming completely forgot about his order to collect the land in the Ministry of Revenue, and couldn't help but say anger: "They want to make money from the national crisis!"
Chapter completed!