usatvline Chapter 333 Making Money
Chapter 333 Making Money
Bei Heng shut his mouth silently.
It’s over, the child is under too much pressure and is driven crazy.
Bei Heng showed a rare paternal compassion and said, "The court's expenses are indeed huge. Someone once suggested to me that we should set up military governors and delegate power to them to find a balance in the prefectures."
"It will take time to solve the accumulated problems. If you are too tired, you can put it aside for now. Da Yue has not reached the end of its luck yet."
The three words "Jiedushi" set Bei Jingchu on edge.
She immediately recalled the reason why the most prosperous dynasty in the Central Plains declined.
She suppressed her trembling voice and asked, "Father, is the Jiedushi that person suggested a frontier official who combines military and political power, and even has the power to appoint and dismiss local officials?"
Behen nodded.
Bei Jingchu's heart finally settled down.
She messed up her hair even more, realizing that even the wisest king could make mistakes.
She took a deep breath and calmed herself down. It was okay, it was okay. The political methods at that time were not yet perfect. She could not use the eyes of later generations to crush her ancestors. She could not despise Aye because he had no historical perspective.
After brainwashing himself, Bei Jingchu managed to calm down again and said, "The power of the princes was already great, and I was thinking of finding an opportunity to forcibly reduce their power. What is the difference between a Jiedushi and a non-hereditary prince of a different surname?"
"No, I'd better get tired. The Jiedushi must not show up."
"The army's funds are not paid by the imperial court. Rebellion is inevitable sooner or later. Although it may be convenient for a while, it is like drinking poison to quench thirst."
But Bei Jingchu knew that if the household registration issue was not resolved, the establishment of a Jiedushi would be a matter of time.
Her generation could still suppress the situation and maintain a prosperous Yue Dynasty, but when her sons or grandsons succeeded to the throne, the Yue Dynasty would take a sharp turn for the worse.
After returning to the East Palace, Bei Jingchu, who received a new task, kept his subordinates behind to brainstorm.
It was impossible for a prince to make decisions on his own, so he had to leave all the thinking to his advisers. She only had to pick the most perfect plan from them.
Bei Hua found another way and said, "The household registration has been a problem for a long time. Now that the land is not available, the ministers in the court have been helpless for more than ten years."
"Your Highness is thinking about filling the treasury. Why not find another way to eventually fill it?"
Although Bei Jingchu thought that it was unreliable to avoid paying taxes and find other ways to make money, she did not stop people from expressing their opinions and said, "Tell me about it."
"Salt and Iron official business."
Bei Hua rubbed her fingers, which were sore from using the abacus, and said, "Nowadays, the people's iron smelting and tool making skills are quite advanced, so it's difficult to restrict them, but we can work on salt."
"Every household has a need for them, and they are in short supply. Selling them at a high price will not add too much burden to the people."
“People can choose not to pay taxes, but they cannot choose not to eat salt.”
"In order not to compete with the people for profits, Dai Viet has always allowed private enterprises to be operated by the private sector. Now that it has been changed to government-owned enterprises, it can relieve a lot of pressure on the national treasury."
Bei Jingchu nodded. "That's a good idea. If you have any other ideas, please feel free to speak up."
After Qin Yuping demonstrated his talent, Bei Jingchu pulled him in to replace Zuo Shuzi, who had resigned and returned to his hometown.
He asked, "Your Highness, don't you think that the salaries of the officials and dignitaries of Dai Viet are too extravagant?"
"The storage of money and grain is nothing more than increasing revenue and reducing expenditure."
"As a court, there is no need to compete with the people for profits. It is better to focus on saving and reducing some unnecessary expenses."
Bei Jingchu thought about the account books in the Ministry of Revenue and didn't think any expenses were unnecessary.
She took a sip of ginseng tea, cheered herself up, and asked, "Qin Qing, what expenses do you think can be saved?"
Qin Yuping talked about officials' salaries.
Bei Jingchu frowned and shook her head.
"No, if others work hard to pass the imperial examinations but cannot even obtain the wealth and honor they deserve, it will be much more difficult for Daiyue to recruit talents."
Qin Yuping paused and said, "If the salary of a capable person cannot be increased, then the salary of the noble son who only cares about eating, drinking and having fun can be reduced, right?"
"They receive salaries and honors from the court but do nothing to produce anything. There is no need to spend a lot of money to support them."
This statement seemed to make sense, but there was no need for anyone to object, as Bei Jingchu refuted it herself.
"No, that won't work. Although this generation of inactive nobles is useless to Dai Viet, their titles were earned by their ancestors with blood and sweat. They either won the title of Duke of Tainan by expanding the territory, or they worked hard for the court by serving the country."
"If the glory they have gained is taken back after their death because their offspring are useless, it will make the current ministers feel disheartened and be unfair."
"That royal family member...?"
"If there are only one or two generations of royal descendants who do not inherit the throne, and they are in a particularly messy state, I'm afraid there will be chaos."
Bei Jingchu didn't say what kind of trouble would happen, but she believed that her subjects in the Eastern Palace were not fools and could understand such obvious implication.
Qin Yuping stopped talking.
Bei Jingchu knew that what he believed in was a wise minister who would sacrifice his own interests and not compete with the people for profit. Such a person was honest and upright, but she could not use him at this time.
Luo Xiaoquan, who was recruited to Bei Jingchu's school in the same year as Qin Yuping, said, "Your Highness, I think we can increase the types of taxes, such as house taxes and business taxes."
This reminded Bei Jingchu of her memory of the end of a certain dynasty, when as long as one was alive, one had to pay taxes for drinking water, going out, or walking.
It really makes it impossible for people to live.
But she did not deny it immediately. After all, when the dynasty could no longer hold on, this was the only solution.
She only said: "We have not yet reached the point of having to do anything, so there is no need to consider increasing taxes for the time being."
The following ideas were varied, some good, some bad, and some so outrageous that they gave her a headache.
Xu Chengzhou stuffed a mouthful of powder bait into his mouth. Ever since he suddenly fainted in the East Palace last time, everyone would have some refreshments on hand when they discussed and reminisced.
Xu Chengzhou felt sweet on his lips and even sweeter in his heart as he ate the food.
Your Highness must have done this because you feel sorry for him!
Thinking of this, he looked over with affection.
Bei Jingchu rested her elbow on the table and gently rubbed her right wrist with her other hand.
The young prince did not notice someone's amorous feelings, he just felt sorry for himself for contracting an occupational disease at such a young age.
If the business was not her own, she could use the slacking off method, but she happened to be the young master.
Sitting on the throne of the crown prince, he worries about the emperor.
Xu Chengzhou didn't get the beautiful scene of eye contact he imagined, so he had to chew the bait in his mouth and swallow it, and then expressed his doubts: "Did you guys go the wrong way?"
"All the money-making methods they talk about are unorthodox. No matter how much tax is added, the people who pay the tax will still be those who have registered their household registration, which will only increase their survival pressure."
"As long as the household registration issue is clarified and the agricultural tax is paid, there is no need to worry about how to save money or how to make money."
Bei Hua couldn't stand his arrogance, so she snorted and retorted, "Everyone understands the truth, but now you can't figure it out, so you're thinking of other ways."
"You look like you don't take us seriously. Tell me, what are we going to do?"