Zhao Zhen nodded silently. He could not accuse Su Jin of using a few points to cover up the whole story. Considering the fact that state governments withheld tax money for purchases every year, Zhao Zhen could basically conclude that Su Jin's speculation was accurate.
Every year, each department of the imperial court must draft a purchase list. Inside and outside the palace, the two governments, three departments, and the three provinces, six ministries and twenty departments will summarize the budgets of each department, and the three departments and yamen will be centralized and submitted for review. After approval, they will be assigned to the corresponding departments.
Local governments and state capitals; and each year's procurement budget ultimately becomes the most worrying and labor-intensive matter.
Take last year as an example. The total fiscal and tax revenue the year before last was about 38 million yuan, and the amount of money intercepted by local governments reached 16 million yuan. However, this was not enough. One after another, various prefectures and counties
The government came to the capital and clamored for money, saying that the money allocated by the court was simply not enough, the market price had risen, and now it still owed money to the people and merchants.
Zhao Zhen is also soft-hearted. Whenever these people make trouble for the people, Zhao Zhen always approves the allocation of funds despite Yan Shu's objections. After going back and forth, in the end, the tax money actually transported to the treasury became a mere 10 million yuan.
Seventy percent of them were detained alive.
Immediately after the defeat in the northwest war, unexpected expenditures on pensions, repairs, and disaster relief came one after another. In the end, even the imperial examination was not completed. After the autumn, famine broke out again. The original annual increase in tax revenue suddenly shrunk by half, and the report after the year
This year's budget has been increased. It can be predicted that this year will be stretched.
Su Jin's words reminded Zhao Zhen that he couldn't have spent so much money last year anyway. The most likely possibility was that many state governments had embezzled the court's money.
The more Zhao Zhen thought about it, the more frightened he became. He felt that he was being taken advantage of. He couldn't bear to put a few more lotus seeds in a bowl of lotus seed soup, and even issued a "meal reduction order" to call for savings, but a group of people were gaping with blood.
Bite open your own veins to suck blood; I shudder just thinking about it.
"Su Aiqing! I believe what you said is true, so do you have any good strategies to deal with it?" Unknowingly, even the title changed, from a slightly contemptuous 'Su Sheren' to 'Su Jin' and then again
When it comes to Su Aiqing, it's a three-jump jump.
Su Jinxin said: I know I'm afraid, life is not as comfortable as you think.\
"Your Majesty, there are only two methods. One is to rectify the administration of officials, and the other is to reform the fiscal and taxation system. Which one do you think we should take?"
"Why can't we do both?" Zhao Zhen said.
Su Jindao: "The emperor knows better than the minister. The emperor says which way to choose, and the minister will analyze it based on this path."
Zhao Zhen thought for a moment and said, "Then choose the path of change."
Su Jin smiled and said: "Your Majesty is wise, but I would like to hear the reason why Your Majesty did not choose to reorganize the administration of officials. I would like to have a better understanding of Your Majesty."
Zhao Zhen sighed and said: "It's not clever, it's really a helpless move; now the Song Dynasty is worried both internally and externally, the Western bandits are at war with me, the Liao people are making moves, the country has just experienced a great famine, and banditry is also on the rise in various places;
It is not appropriate to start a major war at this time. Once internal chaos breaks out, officials will be panic-stricken and will not be able to fight against the outside world if they are unable to calm down the internal affairs."
Su Jin understood Zhao Zhen's mood. He hated these people but had to rely on them. It was really helpless.
"I have been taught that it is not advisable to take large supplements when recovering from a serious illness. Instead, it is more appropriate to lie down and recuperate." Su Jin said.
"This is exactly the truth. If the time is not right, you must not act recklessly."
"This can only change the system and make it more perfect so that there are no loopholes for them to exploit."
Zhao Zhen frowned and said: "But I am also very worried. I have tried reform several times. For example, after Song Qi submitted a letter, I issued an edict to eliminate redundant matters, but it was still too difficult to get anything done.
.Do you have a better way?"
Su Jindao: "I dare not say how good this method is, but my thinking is different from Song Gong's. The redundant things mentioned by Song Gong are the symptoms, but he also prescribed tiger and wolf medicine, which is powerful enough."
The more violent the situation, the more violent the backlash becomes; moreover, the three redundancies and three fees he mentioned are fundamentally an attempt to reorganize officials and streamline personnel, so it is expected that they will arouse opposition."
Zhao Zhen asked anxiously: "What is your approach?"
Su Jindao: "My approach is to start purely from the fiscal and taxation expenditure system and implement a policy of increasing revenue and reducing expenditure. It is very simple. In terms of expenditure, all expenditures need to be handled by the court to eliminate the possibility of local interference. In other words, it is to withhold local purchases.
The power was restored to the imperial court."
Zhao Zhen said: "Then how to purchase supplies?"
Su Jindao: "The third department is ordered to set up a purchasing department. Purchasing personnel are assigned by the court. They are not familiar with local officials and merchants. Coupled with strict audits, every penny can be spent."
It is clear and obvious; I am sure that at least 30% of the purchase cost can be saved; if the annual withheld tax is calculated at 15 million yuan, at least 5 million yuan can be saved every year, which is enough for the court to do
There are several big things.”
Zhao Zhen remained silent and pondered for a while: "It's a good idea, but I'm afraid it won't work."
Su Jin said: "Why doesn't it work? Are you afraid of people's opposition? I definitely won't; the procurement matter is the responsibility of the three departments, and the local and state government offices are entrusted to handle it. They have no reason to make trouble. If they make a trouble, their background will be exposed, so they can only pinch it.
Keep your nose shut and make no noise; at most, you are just obstructing in secret."
Zhao Zhen shook his head and said: "I'm not worried about this. I'm saying that all the money and taxes will be deported to the capital, and then transported from the capital to the purchasing departments set up by the states to purchase. Come and go, isn't it what you said?
...Did you fart after taking off your pants? We have to send a large team of people to escort us back and forth. I have dozens of states in the Song Dynasty, several times a year, and nearly a hundred escorts. How much manpower and material resources are consumed during the journey? Have you ever thought about this?"
Su Jin smiled slightly and said: "Your Majesty is very considerate, but I have really thought about this matter. I have a way to make the money come and go freely without laboring military and financial resources."
Zhao Zhen scolded: "You dare to talk nonsense in front of me, can money grow legs?"
Su Jindao: "I am not a big talker. I have a clever plan to make Qian Yin walk on his own. But before that, I still want to implore the emperor to fulfill his promise and come forward to terminate the engagement between Miss Yan and the Pang family so that I can keep my words."
To people.”
Zhao Zhen looked at Su Jin and said, "Is this considered a threat?"
Su Jin scratched his head and said: "Why would the emperor think so? I am just begging you; or you may think of this as a transaction. I contribute 5 million yuan in fiscal and tax income for the court every year, and I will use this 5 million yuan to buy you a one-time payment."
Now, how about solving this problem for Wei Chen?"
Zhao Zhen said: "My face is only worth five million yuan?"
Su Jinqi smiled and said: "You can't calculate the accounts like this. Five million this year, five million next year, what about ten years? What about a hundred years? How many billions in taxes should we save and how many things should we do to build the immortal foundation of the Song Dynasty?
It’s such a big deal, I find it unbelievable when I think about it.”
Zhao Zhen unconsciously smiled and said, "Are you just drawing a cake for me to hear? Do you want to fool me with an illusory vision?"
Su Jin thought for a while and said: "In this way, since the emperor is not at ease, I will tell you this matter clearly. If you think it can be done, then help me once; if you think it is not possible, then give up, and I will turn away and leave you no more."
;how?"
Zhao Zhen sneered and said: "Turn around and leave? Can you leave? If the method works, I will help you once. If the method doesn't work, you can walk away but stay with your head shaken. Doesn't what I just said count?"
Su Jin was very depressed. After going around for a long time, the emperor still didn't forget to ask for his head. However, Su Jin was very confident in his plan. He didn't expect that he could survive from the desperate situation and not only escaped.
One disaster, if not done well, can kill three birds with one stone, and solve the two major issues on my mind at the same time.
I'm so damn talented! Su Jin is narcissistic.
…
Yan Shu was pacing back and forth at the entrance of Wende Hall. After the court, he had gone directly back to Sansi Yamen. Su Jin was summoned by the emperor alone. This was expected. In Yan Shu's opinion, Su Jin was just gambling with the emperor.
If he gets angry and protests against the unfair treatment given to him, the emperor will definitely comfort him with gentle words, and then he will do whatever he needs to do.
Since Su Jin has agreed to Zhao Zhen's conditions, even though he is a lazy person, he will still work hard to win. Yan Shu has even considered asking someone to take his name tag to inform Zhang Fangping, the editor of the History Museum, and ask him to take care of him before going to the History Museum.
Su Jin, who was in the position, tried to give Su Jin as much time as possible to study. After all, there was only one month before the big exam and time was extremely tight.
But in the blink of an eye, Yan Shu felt that his vision was too far-sighted, because not long ago, Fu Bi secretly slipped out of the Wende Palace and rushed to the Sansi Yamen to report that Su Jin and the Emperor were
They did it in the Wende Hall; although no one was allowed to go in and disturb him, he heard the emperor shouting and killing him several times. Fu Bi was so frightened that his soul almost flew away, and he hurriedly came to Yan Shu for advice.
Yan Shu was so distraught that he beat his chest and feet and was heartbroken along the way. This Su Jin was simply a prick and was not honest in front of the emperor. He provoked the emperor to shout for beating and killing. This was the first time Yan Shu heard of this.
The emperor, who has always been tepid and has a warm temper, was actually angered like this, which shows how presumptuous Su Jin is.
When they arrived at the entrance of Wende Hall, the servants blocked the entrance, and Yan Shu had no choice. The emperor had issued strict orders not to allow innocent people to enter or leave. It seemed that Su Jin's life could not be saved. Yan Shu walked around, thinking about how to deal with the aftermath.
.
If Su Jin were to be killed, he would not necessarily be unlucky, but the impact would definitely be bad. If the person he recommended was killed, it would be a big blow both emotionally and to morale. What else could he rely on to fight for the position?
But what will happen to Yan Biyun? This girl is soft on the outside and strong on the inside. Once she can't think about it, then...
The thoughts in Yan Shu's mind were chaotic, as if someone had stuffed them into a mess, and he couldn't figure it out. Just when he was at a loss, laughter came from the corridor in the palace.
Yan Shu and Fu Bi turned around and were stunned. They saw the emperor and Su Jin walking side by side, talking and laughing. Su Jin was holding an inkstone in his hand. It seemed that it was a reward from the emperor. They looked at the two men smiling.
The look on his face, far from the scene where he had just been shouting and killing, was clearly like a pair of old friends saying goodbye reluctantly after a long talk.
The four eyeballs of Yan Shu and Fu Bi were jumping around on the ground and they couldn't be picked up.dd