In the Wenhua Hall, Zhu Yijun was sitting on the throne.

There were two long tables in the hall, and all thirteen important officials were given seats, sitting on the left and right sides of the long table.

While showing off her good looks, she also looked like she was going to have a long meeting today.

At the beginning of the annual meeting, Zhu Yijun ordered the Ministry of Household Affairs to make a financial report.

Financial reporting is definitely a must.

Compared with splendid articles praising virtues, people cannot be deceived by how much money they have in their pockets.

Fortunately, he made some money this year, so Wang Guoguang didn't feel embarrassed when he was called on first.

When something was said first, Wang Guoguang did not need to get up to answer. He sat on the third seat on the left bench, opened a memorial and began to answer.

"Your Majesty, according to Guo Chaobin, the Minister of Household Affairs in the Governor's Cangchang, take stock of the total number of Taicang's one-year-olds."

"A total of 5,819,153 liang of silver and 2,677,945 copper coins were collected."

"A total of 3,837,142 taels of silver and 2,780,666 copper coins were received."

"The net income was 1,982,039 taels, eight cents and four cents of silver, and the net output was 102,721 copper coins..."

"As of the end of last month, there were 465 taels of gold in the warehouse, 5,385,877 taels of silver and 1,646,490 copper coins.

Ten articles. Other gold and silver jewelry, pearls, gemstones, Jialong gold backs, ancient miscellaneous items, low money from Yunnan, etc., not included."

Zhu Yijun was listening and drawing circles on a memorial.

Following Wang Guoguang's report, the twelve remaining ministers in the palace either had relaxed expressions or looked happy, and they all seemed quite satisfied - the poor and lowly central government had nothing to do but had money, and the atmosphere was naturally harmonious.

What is the concept of a balance of nearly two million taels?

In the six years of Long Qingli's reign, which year did he not lose more than 1.8 million?

In the first year of Longqing's reign, the story of how the warehouse received 2.3 million taels and paid out 4.4 million taels, which directly scared away Ma Sen, the Minister of Household Affairs, is still vivid in my mind.

Wang Chonggu, who was sitting second on the right column, tapped his knuckles on his knees with joy.

It would be great if Taicang had money. The Ministry of War's Taipusi treasury may not be enough for the war next year, so it would be a good time to ask Taicang to contribute.

Zhang Juzheng, who was first on the left column, also nodded with satisfaction.

If they were so well off at the beginning, why would the cabinet instruct the imperial minister to humiliate... and dissuade the late emperor because he embezzled one hundred thousand taels from the treasury?

However, after Wang Guoguang saw the joy on everyone's faces, he cautiously reminded: "There is a lot of income in this, which is not a collection of silver, and there may not be any in the future."

"Other than these, it's just a balance of payments."

Zhu Yijun, who was comparing the report below and reading the memorial of Guo Chaobin, the Minister of Household Affairs of the Governor's Cangchang, stopped writing when he heard this.

He raised his head and looked at Wang Guoguang.

Non-tax collection, that is, non-fiscal revenue, fines, house confiscation, etc.

Just as Wang Guoguang said, in this year's balance, there are still many one-pole transactions and stolen goods.

For example, among the five million taels in Southern Zhili, the emperor's first assistant divided a lot of silver taels for emergency use and did not transfer it to the accounts of the Ministry of Accounts. However, of the remaining 2.04 million, one million was put into the Taicang.

There are also the clan properties that were confiscated in Huguang this time. Although most of them remain unchanged and continue to be restructured and used by the clans, some three or four hundred thousand have been transferred to Taicang.

These incomes may not be available next year.

The ministers in the court were also aware of this problem and couldn't help but wake up a lot.

Zhu Yijun, who was on the imperial steps, pondered for a long time, and then slowly said: "In the future, the salt tax collection will be more than in previous years, and the vassal's expenditure can also be saved a lot."

The salt tax was a consensus reached after a battle between the North and the South, and Li Chunfang paid it on behalf of that group of people.

Until the salt policy was corrupted again, the income was millions every year.

This is a long-term business.

Wang Guoguang bowed his hand, he naturally knew it, but he still had to make the emperor and his colleagues sober up.

Especially the look in Wang Chonggu's eyes, you can tell what he is thinking at a glance.

When I was the governor of Cangchang, the days when I couldn't make ends meet and had to be borrowed money from various parties were so tortured that I really didn't want to go through it again.

Wang Guoguang shook his head: "Your Majesty, the national finances cannot be so optimistic."

"When King Sejong reformed taxes, he was very generous. In addition to annual expenses, he could have more than a million silver left over, so floods and droughts would not be a problem, and thieves would not be trapped."

"It's a pity that since then, due to lack of finances, more and more searches have been carried out year by year. It can be said that there are still some survivors."

"This situation cannot last long. It is just because the national treasury was short of money before and drank poison to quench thirst."

"If the search continues, it will definitely hinder the development of the country; and once we start to deal with this problem, the revenue of the national treasury will inevitably decline rapidly."

What is mature and prudent? This is called mature and prudent.

Wang Guoguang's words directly gave everyone a bucket of cold water.

Zhu Yijun also thought seriously.

Wang Chonggu, who wanted to borrow money for Taipusi's treasury, wanted to refute, but could not find any flaw in his words.

The ministers recognized that the word "it's a pity" in Wang Guangguang's sentence was an insinuation of King Sejong's massive construction project, but they all pretended not to realize it at all.

The new Hu Kedu, who was full of compassion for the situation, nodded frequently: "Wang Shangshu's words are reasonable."

Wang Guoguang looked around and continued: "Besides, local tax revenue has been declining year by year. This year, the trend has not improved, and has even intensified."

"Especially when the Yuan was changed, many prefectures and counties were exempted from tax arrears, so now the local government has intensified the tax arrears, and there are more and more arrears. There are even prefectures and counties that are deliberately dragging their feet, hoping to write them off next time the Yuan is changed."

"This year, the summer tax and autumn grain reserves in the local area totaled more than 11,917,456 dan. This is the amount designed according to the revenue and expenditure of each prefecture and county."

"But even so, the local area is still not enough. If it is not needed to stay in Beijing, we will ask for internal funds, always trying to withhold part of it. There are many names, including locust plagues, floods, earthquakes, soldiers and bandits, plus the large number of people involved in the area

, the Ministry of Finance has no way of distinguishing between true and false.”

"There is a lot of mud and sand. If you don't agree, you will be afraid of harming the people. If you agree, more and more counties will follow suit."

"The tax base is being eroded. If this continues, even if we copy millions of silver taels every year, it will not help. In the end, we will still be stretched."

The more direct the problem is pointed out, the stiffer the atmosphere becomes.

Especially when I wanted to hear some good news a few years ago, the few people who had just finished listening to Wang Guoguang's report and were about to ask for money looked at each other tacitly, not knowing what to think.

There was silence in the hall for a while.

Zhu Yijun naturally understood that Wang Shangshu wanted to hold a meeting to complain.

But these words really hit the point.

Realistic conditions restricted the Ming Dynasty, and there was no way to distribute taxes. Central taxes had to be collected through local governments.

But every time the pork passes through your hands, it will leave a layer of oil on your hands.

There are many reasons why officials help big households fight taxes, such as collusion of interests, simple laziness, trying to keep a good reputation, or simply not being able to offend big local households.

All in all, this results in the center receiving less and less tax anyway.

This is a structural contradiction, but since Wang Guoguang has raised this matter, he will always try to solve it, even if it is to treat the symptoms.

This is the purpose of the meeting.

Zhu Yijun thought for a moment and was about to speak.

At this time, Zhang Juzheng, who was first on the left column, broke his silence, faced the emperor, and actually said to everyone in the palace: "Your Majesty, in this case, this matter will be added to next year's examination."

"Each direct province will conduct detailed accounting according to the annual income and annual expenses reported each year, and submit it to the Ministry of Accounts within a time limit to clarify the old amount, expenses, surplus, existing physical objects and arrears, and check it with the old account books of the Ministry of Accounts."

"For states, prefectures, and counties with large gaps, the corresponding Thirteen Censors and the Thirteen Clearing Officials Division of the Ministry of Household Affairs will be dispatched to the local areas to conduct inspections."

"Those that are truly natural or man-made disasters will be avoided according to the circumstances."

"Those who willfully default will be arrested and punished, and local magistrates will be sent to collect taxes again."

Zhu Yijun was interrupted, but he was happy to listen to Mr. Shoufu's opinion first.

Although Zhang Juzheng's words are just a temporary solution, they are also the right policy at the moment.

It is beyond the reach of the local government, but it cannot always be ignored.

Always check the accounts and look through the underpants of the local and state capitals.

Although it cannot be eradicated, it is just like weeding, each round of weeding has its own effect.

This is what the exam is for.

The state capital has the state capital's "the law does not punish the public", and the central government has the central government's "if you are not an official, others will be".

It’s hard to find the third-ranking Jinshi. Are there still very few Imperial College graduates?

If it doesn't work, replace it!

This can also be regarded as a foreplay for the transfer of land - local interests are so rigid that they even dare to resist taxes. If they don't take advantage of them every now and then, how can they be gathered together to increase their intensity when waiting for the transfer of land?

After Wang Guoguang waited for Zhang Juzheng to finish speaking, he immediately reacted and said loudly: "Your Majesty, I second the proposal."

Seeing this guy so excited, Zhu Yijun somewhat understood his mood.

After taking office in the Ministry of Revenue, this person has worked very hard.
To be continued...