Chapter 94 I agree with what Mr. Gao said

In Yuxi Palace.

There was silence for a moment.

Everyone knew that the emperor almost said that.

The old man was thinking that the money was all his.

This is not good!

Xu Jie and Gao Gong looked at each other.

He was helpless because he didn't know that Yuan Wei would actually interfere in today's affairs, and he was distressed that the emperor always attached too much importance to these money and taxes.

However, few people present could truly explain the court's current salt policy and refute Yuan Wei's words.

At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, in order to solve the problem of food and military pay in the nine borders, the Kaizhong system was officially implemented and salt permits were issued.

Later, during the Zhengtong period, the salt administration divided the salt permits into two types: regular shares and accumulated salt permits.

We also improved from setting a quota for opening to predicting the opening.

This has led to the fact that few people can truly understand the court's salt policy nowadays.

Kaizhong was mainly used by border troops, and was mainly used by border merchants. It was another matter that inland merchants used silver to purchase salt permits and transport them to various places.

But there is one thing that is clear to everyone.

During the Ming Dynasty, which lasted for more than a hundred years, the amount of money the imperial court could directly collect from the salt tax was getting less and less.

It seems that they have realized how complicated the salt administration is today.

Jiajing was stunned for a moment, then changed the subject and said, "The salt administration is complicated, and the salt inspection is open to discussion. Yuan Wei, you can also tell us about the matters that Lord Xu requested."

Not only Xu Jie and Gao Gong were confused as to why Yuan Wei, the new cabinet minister, was so active today.

Even Yan Shaoting was a little confused.

Logically speaking, there is no hidden relationship between Yuan Wei and the Yan family.

In a certain sense, Yuan Wei, who entered the cabinet with the help of Qingci, and the Yan family, who also rose to power with Qingci, are competitors to some extent.

There is no reason for him to speak on behalf of the Yan family.

In response to the emperor's question, Yuan Wei thought for a moment before speaking, "Your Majesty, what Lord Xu said is similar to what Attendant Yan said at the beginning of the year to allow the court to exclusively sell silk overseas. It is also a feasible approach.

As the second assistant minister of the cabinet, Lord Xu is concerned about the country and society. I think he has been thinking about this for a long time. He is learning from this method and hopes to increase the revenue for the court. This is sincere and perfect, and I admire you. "

A round of flattery, in Yuan Wei's
He rushed towards Xu Jie without holding back anything.

But the next second.

Yuan Wei changed the subject and said, "However, the court is facing financial difficulties right now. Although Yan Shishu has made several efforts to raise funds, he still failed to resolve the Ministry of Revenue's predicament.

Now, the matters to be discussed are also for the financial expenditure of the court this year. They need cash and they need to be paid in time, and they cannot be paid in advance.

What Xu Ge Lao said is no different from the Southeast Silk's exclusive overseas business. This year, merchants need to raise funds for cotton cloth, tea, porcelain, etc. Although the profit is quite large, it will take time, and I am afraid that it will not be earlier than next year.

The silver and money for the salt inspection reported by Yan Ge Lao are currently stored in the two capitals and 13 provinces of the Ming Dynasty, including the Lianghuai and other six capitals and the Guangdong and other seven salt tax supervisors. In addition to the opening of the country to prepare for the use of the border army, the salt tax can collect an annual income of about 2.5 million taels.

Even now, the capital of the salt industry in the country is tens of millions, the salt tax makes a profit of 9 million each year, various expenses are 3 million, the court makes a profit of more than 1 million, and the profit kept by the salt administration and merchants is nearly 5 million.

I think that the government should not deprive the people of their profits, but the profits are only half a thousand, and the government only gets a hundred, which is far from the beginning of the country. We should recover it to make up for the current financial difficulties of the government. "

According to Yuan Wei, the court can make a profit of eight to nine million taels from the salt tax every year, excluding the salt permits issued by the salt administration, after deducting the expenses of more than three million taels.

The total net profit is no less than six million taels.

Of this, the imperial court could only gain a profit of over one million taels, less than 20%, and far from the 2.5 million taels of profit the imperial court gained from salt tax at the beginning of the country, less than half.

The imperial court should now look for those people in the salt administration, salt affairs and salt tax. Even if they cannot make all the profits, they should at least settle accounts with them according to the profits from salt tax that the imperial court could have made at the beginning of the country.

Did the Ming Dynasty have no money?
No.

The Ming Dynasty was very rich.

But the imperial court had no money because it could not collect the money.

Jiajing's expression changed, and it was obvious that he also understood the matter.

"The salt tax increases every year, but the profits of the court decrease year by year. Where is the profit? It has come to this!"

It seems like a question, but also like an affirmation.

Jiajing had begun to lean towards Yuan Wei's answers and suggestions.

He couldn't help but look at Xu Jie.

Old Xu’s suggestion is good, but the court cannot get the money now, and the court needs the money now.

So……

Jiajing turned to look at Yan Song and asked, "Do you have any more details about what Lord Yan said about the salt inspection to make up for the financial difficulties of the court?"

The Taoist priest asked Yan Song.

Yan Song turned around and looked at his eldest grandson with a smile.

The meaning is obvious.

In fact, the matter of salt inspection was brought up by Yan Shaoting, who simply spoke it out through Yan Song's mouth.

Yan Shaoting coughed lightly and turned to look at Gao Gong.

This is probably the experience of the past six months.

Gao Gong, who had just been targeted by Yan Shaoting, couldn't help but feel nervous.

This kid, I wonder if he’s going to cause trouble again.

Why did I start to feel anxious for no reason?
Yan Shaoting smiled like Old Yan and said, "I agree with what Mr. Gao said before."

???

A strange atmosphere spread in Yuxi Palace.

Yan Runwu surrendered to the enemy? !
Gao Gong, who was originally ready to fight back at any time due to panic, suddenly lost his engine halfway.

Is there something wrong with my ears today?

Gao Gong blinked and looked at Yan Shaoting who was smiling. No matter how he looked at him, he felt that this guy didn't seem like someone who would agree with him.

Xu Jie also glanced sideways at Yan Shaoting, who had expressed his agreement with Gao Gong.

Yan Shaoting remained calm: "Although Mr. Gao is a generous person in the cabinet, he is doing it for the country."

Another flattery.

Gao Gong was completely confused.

Jiajing, who was standing above, looked at the blinded Gao Gong with an ambiguous gaze.

He suddenly felt that since the beginning of this year, his Xiyuan seemed to have become much more interesting than before.

This room.

Yan Shaoting continued, "Gao said that we should follow the advice of Xu and call on merchants from the southeast to collect business taxes to increase the financial resources of the court.

I deeply agree with this, and it is a wise opinion of the minister in charge!

As Lord Yuan said, the court is in urgent need of cash. I think that according to Lord Gao's opinion, as Lord Yuan analyzed, we can conduct an inventory of salt business taxes and the commercial taxes in the rich areas of the southeast at the same time as the salt inspection.

In this way, the court can obtain cash for current use, and the investigation of salt affairs and southeastern commercial taxes can increase the court's stable fiscal revenue in the future, which can be said to kill two birds with one stone."

After saying this, Yan Shaoting looked respectful and nodded towards Gao Gong and Yuan Wei.

This operation completely confused Gao Gong.

Yuan Wei smiled and nodded back at Yan Shaoting.

(End of this chapter)