Chapter 55 Beating the officials and replacing the minister of households
As the sun rose, in the cool morning breeze, the people in Zhongqing City heard the thick and crisp sound of bells coming from the four gate towers of the Imperial City. They immediately startled a group of people who were perched beside the Imperial City.
flying birds.
In the Xuanzheng Hall, all the officials in the court bent over and knelt on the ground, shouting "Long Live the Mountain".
Today is another meeting of the imperial court. As the battles on the front lines are going more and more smoothly, the main energy of the officials in the imperial court has gradually been put on the government affairs of the country.
The current Minister of Household Affairs stepped forward quickly, holding a memorial in his hand, and said loudly:
"Your Majesty, as of today, 80% of the taxes in various parts of the country have been collected. The local government briefings were previously submitted to the Ministry of Revenue for sorting. Preliminary estimates indicate that this year's taxes will be converted into silver coins, totaling more than 7 million taels of silver."
You must know that when Xiao Cheng first came to the throne, the entire Yun Kingdom's annual tax was only more than five million taels of silver. Just looking at the numbers, this tax increase is terrifying!
On the dragon chair, Xiao Cheng's face was covered with no expression, making it difficult for the courtiers to see his face clearly, adding to the sense of majesty and mystery.
However, although he was silent on the surface at this time, he was quite emotional in his heart.
This person is farming honestly, and his house is really not ransacked. The compensation comes quickly...
Buddhism's six hundred years of accumulation, the indemnities from Xia and Li, and the confiscation of the miscellaneous family disciple Jin Tangfeng's property have allowed Xiao Cheng to squander it lavishly for so long, and as a result, there are still thirteen to four million taels in the treasury.
silver.
At this time, the Minister of the Ministry of Finance immediately shouted with excitement on his face:
"The country is rich and the money and food are piled up like mountains. It is all thanks to your majesty's proper governance that our country, Dayun, is becoming more and more prosperous! My congratulations to your majesty, my congratulations to Dayun!"
Hearing such blunt flattery, Xiao Cheng frowned slightly. After pondering for a long time, he suddenly asked:
"How much is the tax, how much is the tax?"
Taxes and taxes are paid in different forms. Taxes are money, while taxes are gold, silver, rice, cloth, and other items. Even fodder can be included. Moreover, the uses of the two are different. Although they are called together, they are often counted.
There is a difference.
Just now, his face was red and he was congratulating Xiao Cheng, the Minister of the Ministry of Finance. Suddenly, he felt like he was being strangled by the neck. He thought hard for a long time with his mouth open, and then he said with some stammering:
"The tax is about 2...ah, no, it should be about 3 million taels of silver. The rest of the tax revenue in kind accounts for the bulk...I, there are detailed records in the memorial, your majesty, please read it!"
Xiao Cheng's eyes full of majestic scrutiny fell on Shangshu Hubu, who had begun to sweat on his forehead, and he asked coldly:
"So you don't know how much the commercial tax is and how much the agricultural tax is?"
Obviously, the new Minister of Household Affairs, who has been in office for half a year, cannot answer Xiao Cheng's question.
"If you don't even know these, then you must not know the detailed data on taxes in various parts of the country!" At this time, Xiao Cheng was already furious and continued to ask coldly.
Obviously, this Lord Shangshu still has no way to reply to Xiao Cheng's question.
Xiao Cheng snorted coldly and said:
"You don't know, then I'll tell you!"
In the line of sight that only Xiao Cheng could see, the golden finger panel opened, and a detailed list of Yun State's taxes appeared in front of him.
"This year, Guozhong received a tax of 3.17 million taels of silver. The tax in kind is equivalent to 4.05 million taels of gold and silver, totaling 7.22 million taels of silver. Commercial taxes account for 37%, and agricultural taxes account for 63%.
.There is no need for me to read you local taxes one by one!"
The commercial tax included was slightly higher than in previous years because Shen Wansan used the tea-horse trade route to control commodity prices to harvest the wealth of the Western Regions and to acquire fine war horses for Xiao Cheng.
Xiao Cheng's voice became colder and deeper, his words seemed like thunder, and his majesty was so majestic that it made people feel terrified.
Shangshu Hubu's heart immediately jumped, his legs softened, he knelt down again, leaned on the ground, and tremblingly apologized:
"My lord, I have been negligent and failed to fulfill my responsibilities as a court. Please forgive me..."
Seeing this, Xiao Cheng, who was sitting on the dragon chair, trembled with his hands hanging in front of him, and scolded sternly:
"Do you know why I suddenly asked you like this?"
"The four prefectures of Yongzhou have resumed local administration this year. Although there has been fighting on the border recently, it has not spread to the four prefectures. It is also a sacred place with a large population. The tax paid has 1.32 million taels of silver. . This year, the tax revenue of the imperial court increased by 50%, and most of it came from this place. As the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, you are so obsessed with flattery, saying that this is my proper administration?"
After Xiao Cheng came to the throne, he did implement good governance such as the Water Conservancy and Farmland Law. This year's taxes were nearly two million taels more than usual. Excluding those paid by the four regions of Yongzhou, the remaining hundreds of thousands of taels were also due to this reason. .
In addition, there is Chiang Mai County in the south. The Ailao people lead a group of minority tribes in Tiannan to cultivate land. After the tax holiday, this will be another tax in the account!
But this year’s tax increase is by no means the main reason!
In fact, Xiao Cheng would not be so angry if his ministers wanted to please him and said flattering words.
The reason why Xiao Chengduo asked about the difference in taxes just now was because he wanted to take the opportunity to hit the minister and the officials in the palace so that they would not deliberately fool him.
Who would have thought that this Minister of Household Affairs, who had been in office for half a year, could not even answer these questions. I wonder if it was due to lack of ability or intentional neglect of government!
The Ministry of Revenue is in charge of statistics of national tax revenue, and the most important thing is the money bag. As a result, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue is such a parallel importer, how can he not make Xiao Cheng angry?
For a moment, all the officials in the Xuanzheng Hall were silent. They were shocked and surprised. They all lowered their heads and dared not speak.
I have known for a long time that our Majesty is not easy to fool, but I never imagined that the intelligence organization under His Majesty today is so exaggerated! Even the Ministry of Household Affairs, which is in charge of tax revenue, has not sorted out the statistics of tax revenue. They have all been placed on His Majesty’s desk, which is really shocking!
Then I heard Xiao Cheng's suppressed angry voice coming from the dragon chair.
"The Minister of Household Affairs is negligent, what should be done?"
Zhang Hong, the Minister of Civil Affairs, took a step forward, bowed and said:
"According to the 'official examination method', those who slack off in government affairs will be evaluated as inferior, and they will be demoted three levels, demoted and retained in Beijing to see the consequences!"
In fact, strictly speaking, he was just perfunctory, and the circumstances were not serious. If he was really investigated according to the examination law, he would be fined for several months for the first time he was found out, and he would not be held accountable until the second time.
But he couldn't stand the chancellor of the Ministry of Revenue. By chance, he happened to be angry with Xiao Cheng, so he was naturally punished according to the heaviest punishment.
Hearing this, Xiao Cheng nodded coldly and said:
"Just act accordingly!"
In the main hall, Shangshu Hubu's face turned gloomy, he knelt down tremblingly, and said regretfully:
"My lord, thank you for your kindness!"
This is thunder, rain, and dew, all of which are your grace.
Even if the ministers were demoted and investigated, or even had their homes searched and executed, they could only pinch their noses and kneel down to thank them with complicated hearts.
Xiao Cheng waved his hand impatiently and asked the imperial guards to pull him down the hall.
Zhang Hong, the Minister of Civil Affairs, looked at Xiao Cheng's expression carefully and then said cautiously:
"Your Majesty, now is the time to calculate national taxes. The position of Minister of Household Affairs is indispensable..."
When Xiao Cheng heard this, his eyebrows that had just been loosened wrinkled again.
Today, the Hubu officials among the six ministries are almost all reorganized from the former Shaofu officials. And most of these people are the disciples and former officials of the former Shangshu Ling Qu Cheng.
Qu Cheng was previously involved in the grain relief corruption case. Although it was indeed not instigated by him or his family, it exposed the terrifying influence of the veterans of Ma, Qu, and Tao families in the court.
After that incident, things were calm on the surface between the DPRK and China, but privately there was a turbulent undercurrent.
Qu Cheng, like Ma Minwen, asked to retire, and the Shangshu order to command hundreds of officials was no longer established. Tao Ai stepped down from his actual military position and took the fictitious title of Taiwei in the capital. The disciples and former officials of the three families were also deliberately removed.
The land was broken up and transferred to the central government, and troops were stationed in various local government offices.
After Xiao Cheng seized power, the three families made great contributions to stabilizing the government and appeasing the civil and military forces. Since then, they have been working conscientiously and have no other thoughts.
Although it is a bit sad to end up with no more power, but if you think about it carefully, this is already the best ending!
After all, a force that has great influence among civil and military officials and is even connected to the beloved concubine in the harem, if it hadn't been for meeting Xiao Cheng, even if it didn't kill him like a river of blood, there would be many plots and plots secretly involved.
It was a bit far-fetched, but it was precisely because of this matter that all the talented people in the household department had been transferred away. In desperation, Xiao Chengcai found someone who was not outstanding except for his moral attributes.
The official stepped forward.
At this time, Zhang Hong asked Xiao Cheng to re-appoint himself as the Minister of the Ministry of Finance, which gave him a headache.
It's not that there are no suitable candidates, it's that they are not suitable.
The all-rounder Zhuge Liang has just entered the officialdom, and he has not just taken power now. It is impossible to promote him to such a position all at once. Xiao Yu and Yang Yanhe are also used, but they were sent to Jianchang Mansion and Yongzhou by Xiao Cheng before
Position. Liu Bowen is still in Yunlou, specializing in studying the use of luck.
Shi Chengwen, a disciple of the Yin Yang family, is good at military strategy, and Hai Rui is too upright and unsuitable...
Thinking of this, Xiao Cheng's eyes suddenly moved.
There is a candidate, although...but it should be able to be used temporarily!
"Where is Yan Song, a doctor in the Ministry of Justice's Qing Dynasty?"
Yan Song still had some abilities, and because he was like-minded, he was highly regarded by Wen Tiren, the Minister of Punishment, so he was dissatisfied with the speed of promotion. In just over a year, he had already been promoted to the rank of fifth-grade doctor.
In the queue of officials, Yan Song suddenly heard His Majesty calling his name, his heart skipped a beat, and he quickly walked out, bowed and saluted:
"I'm here!"
Xiao Cheng's words came to his lips, but he couldn't help but pause, his heart was extremely complicated.
Letting Yan Song, a person with low moral attributes, be in charge of the household department. To a certain extent, this is no different from asking a rat to manage a rice vat or a monkey to manage a peach orchard. They are both condoning corruption...
But Xiao Cheng really doesn't have any suitable candidates at hand right now.
Anyway, I just hope Yan Song can be smarter!
"Yan Song, the doctor in the Criminal Department, has fulfilled his duties and will be immediately transferred to the Hu Bu. As the Minister of Quan Hu Bu, he will temporarily take charge of all matters in the Hu Bu!" Xiao Cheng said in a deep voice.
The so-called "power" of a certain official position is specially added when a person with relatively junior qualifications takes office, which is similar to a probation period.
Among the ministers of the six ministries, the official position is only the fifth rank. However, the minister of the six ministries has the official rank of the third rank.
Although the new dynasty system was only implemented for a short period of time, there were no unspoken rules similar to those in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. However, just looking at the official rank, we also know that if you want to be promoted to the rank of Minister of the Six Ministries, you must first transfer to a local post, and then be promoted.
If it weren't for the fact that the household department cannot do without the chief official, and Xiao Cheng has no one on hand, this would be the only way!
When he really heard what Xiao Cheng said, Yan Song felt ecstatic in his heart.
Among the six ministries, there are as many as eight or nine, as few as three or four, heads of departments in each ministry. They are incomparable to the responsibilities of the ministers on the left and right of each ministry. Not to mention, the position of minister is still in charge of all affairs in the household department.
Although he is only the "Minister of the Ministry of Power and Households" for the time being, His Majesty now wants to clearly reward and punish him. As long as he does well, not to mention being promoted, even the position of Minister is not impossible for him to achieve!
Thinking of this, Yan Song could no longer calm down. He quickly knelt down, kowtowed and said in a loud voice:
"Your Majesty, Yan Song, thank you!"
Xiao Cheng looked at Yan Song for a few times, then suddenly laughed and warned meaningfully:
"Work hard and don't let me find Hai Rui to come back!"
In Yan Song's ears, he only thought that Xiao Cheng meant that if he didn't do well, he would ask Hai Rui, a fellow scholar in the same field, to come back and replace him. This sounded like he was trying to beat himself up.
Yan Song immediately stood up and said seriously:
"Please rest assured, Your Majesty, I will not disappoint Your Majesty!"
Xiao Cheng nodded, motioned for him to join the queue, and then said:
"My lords, do you have anything else to report?"
At this time, Zhang Zhao, the Minister of Rites, immediately stepped out of the queue, cupped his hands and said:
"Your Majesty, the northern Turkic tribe, Ashinashe'er, has brought hundreds of tribesmen to surrender to our court. How to deal with it, your Majesty, please decide!"
When Xiao Cheng heard this, his eyes suddenly moved.
Blue training card, [Returning to the Tang Dynasty]!
During this time, war broke out again among the three kingdoms of Yun, Xia, and Li. Although Xiao Cheng had been prepared for it, he was still in a hurry and forgot about the four people summoned by Xun Ka.
At this time, Zhang Zhao continued to speak:
"Another prince Yuchi Sheng from the Khotan Kingdom in the Western Regions came to the court with gifts to congratulate His Majesty. He is now settling in the State Guesthouse."
In fact, in addition to these two people, above Ceka, there were also Qibi Heli from the Tiele Qibi tribe and Lun Gongren, who was born in the Tubo noble family.
Among these four people, Qibi Heli and Ashina Sheer can be the commanders of the partial army, while the other two are more of fill-ins.
However, the four of them were either from the Western Regions, Tubo or Turkic origins. Xiao Chengzhi was in the world. Although his main focus was still on the Xia Kingdom and the Li Dynasty, he obviously could not be limited to the Central Plains.
Thinking of this, Xiao Cheng immediately said in a deep voice:
"Since they are surrendering and paying tribute, they must show the magnanimity of our great country. They will be well entertained and must not be neglected. Choose a day and let them enter the palace together so that I can see them."
Being included in the imperial court will definitely play a role in Xiao Cheng's future plans for the Western Regions, Turks, and Tubo!
Zhang Zhao heard this and immediately bowed in response.