Transmigration: Space-Aided Rise to Power and Prosperity-Chapter 489 - 325 National Treasury Depleted
"Second Prince, the Emperor requests your presence."
The Second Prince entered the Imperial Study Room and immediately knelt on the ground, while De’an quickly stopped his work and stepped aside.
"Your son pays respects to Father Emperor!"
The Emperor glanced at the Second Prince, a hint of warmth in his eyes, "Hmm! Why have you come today? Is it regarding the Ministry of Revenue?"
The Emperor organized recent events in his mind. Could it be that the second prince, having recently taken over the affairs of the Ministry of Revenue, still can’t manage it? The second prince’s straightforward nature makes it hard for him to suppress those seasoned ministers.
"Father Emperor, your son has just taken on the duties of the Ministry of Revenue and discovered that our National Treasury is severely depleted. Although more taxes have been collected in recent years on the farmlands compared to previous years, it’s merely a drop in the ocean! Over the years, Xingguo has repeatedly violated the borders, often holding the frontier in check. The soldiers guarding the border are short on military supplies, their pay is often delayed, and their days are difficult!"
The Second Prince, upon arriving at the Ministry of Revenue, was eager to prove himself before the Father Emperor. However, despite his personal ambitions, he is genuinely worried about the depleted National Treasury. Without Silver, unrest could easily be stirred. If not, the Dayan wouldn’t tolerate Da Xing’s incursions from time to time — isn’t it due to a lack of supplies?
In fact, he had a lot he held back, not mentioning rumors of border guards going several months without pay, even wearing thinly padded jackets in the bitter winter, and having to skimp on meals.
Train soldiers for a thousand days, use them in a moment. Although there have been no battles recently, if soldiers are starving and poorly clothed, their foundation is weak. Their chances of survival on the battlefield are greatly reduced. Moreover, those barbarians are strong and robust, even their horses are sturdy, and in a fight, it’s the Dayan Dynasty that suffers!
The Emperor’s temple throbbed with a vein. He knew the second prince wanted to achieve some political merits, but wasn’t he already aware of these issues?
Every official in the Ministry of Revenue knows that to fill the National Treasury, one must open new sources of income and cut expenses. Yet, without any good plans from the Ministry, how can his treasury ever be full?
Everyone knows the National Treasury is depleted, but the Second Prince speaks it out loud, exposing it under sunlight, leaving the Emperor with no face as a ruler.
The Emperor sighed inwardly. The Second Prince was still too honest! The third prince had held the Ministry of Revenue post for over a year and had insight into the situation. Regardless of how the ministers hinted, he never mentioned a word. That’s the difference between being straightforward and being shrewd.
If it were the eldest prince, he’d never say it. At the very least, they’d spare some face for him.
This character is too blunt, which is why neither the eldest nor the third prince bothers to calculate against him. With such a nature, how can he possibly deal with those crafty old foxes?
The Emperor’s expression turned cold, "The National Treasury is depleted, I have long been aware of this. Do you have a good strategy?"
The Second Prince immediately tensed. In truth, he had no good strategy. This was a problem that dozens of officials couldn’t solve. Even with his household advisers, they couldn’t come up with a solution!
Stealing a glance at the Emperor’s increasingly grim face, the Second Prince panicked. Suddenly, a light bulb went off in his head as he recalled something an adviser in his residence once said.
"Father Emperor, although your son has no superb plan, there may be someone who does."
De’an glanced at the Second Prince, unable to help but feel tense for him. The Emperor’s mood had been foul these past few days, and his health was declining. Why is the Second Prince bringing this up now, inviting trouble?
The Emperor’s face turned uglier. He thought the Second Prince was trying to pass the buck.
"Oh? Who is this person you speak of?"
"The person is Gu Chengyu, a candidate in the current imperial exam."
The Second Prince felt anxious, fearing his father would blame him. He had been too eager for quick success and had been left to clean up the mess from the third prince. Although he knew he would be reprimanded by the Father Emperor by year’s end, he had hoped to delay it as much as possible.
"Gu Chengyu?" The Emperor was astonished. What did this have to do with Gu Chengyu? Could Gu Chengyu alone resolve the treasury’s emptiness? It sounded like nonsense.
Suppressing his throbbing temples, the Emperor asked, curbing his anger, "Why do you say he has a way? Explain."
"Father Emperor, I’ve heard that Gu Chengyu was originally just a farmer’s son, born into a very poor family. Yet, the present Gu Family is known for their wealth. Gu Chengyu has a knack for accumulating wealth, and the family’s rise is all due to him. It’s said that his taverns in the Capital earn mountains of gold every day!"
The Second Prince watched as the Emperor’s expression gradually eased, and he felt a sigh of relief in his heart.
The Emperor was already somewhat interested in Gu Chengyu. Hearing the Second Prince’s words, he thought it remarkable for someone from a poor family to reach such heights on his own. Hearing further about his talents in amassing wealth, he was increasingly convinced of Gu Chengyu’s potential.
However, even with the best tavern business, how much Silver can one earn in a year? The funds needed by the court are vast. Tossing Gu Chengyu’s earnings into the National Treasury wouldn’t even make a sound.
"Second Prince, do you know how much tax revenue we collect yearly? And how much the court spends annually?"
Of course, the Second Prince had done his homework. "Previously, the annual tax revenue of the court amounted to 13 million Silver Taels. Due to recent increases in grain taxes, last year saw a tax revenue of 15 million Taels."
The Dayan Dynasty, having experienced only two emperors since its founding, faced a populace devastated by the initial turmoil. This couldn’t be blamed on Emperor Huiming because his late father left him a depleted treasury.
The treasury funds previously went to war, and only after recuperation did taxes gradually rise.
The Emperor nodded, gesturing for the Second Prince to continue.
"As for annual court expenditures, it’s about 14 million Taels of silver." This figure startled the Second Prince when he first saw it. "The court supports so many people."
"Approximately one million Taels of Silver remain each year. But don’t think a million Taels is a lot. Any unforeseen event, and it’s not enough. For instance, repairing riverbanks every four to five years or any disaster requires court funds for relief."
"Additionally, the palace often needs repairs, along with the Emperor and Empress’s birthdays, the stipends for idle royals, and court officials — all of which I won’t elaborate on."
"If any year falls short, Father Emperor also draws from his private funds to bridge the gap."
Hence, the treasury’s emptiness has long been a serious issue. The Second Prince knew Father Emperor was often anxious, sleepless over this.
"Relying on a single person to fill the National Treasury is absolutely impossible. He may have some good methods, but they are far from covering the court’s annual expenses."
Recalling this, the Emperor sighed. In recent days, he had even cut back on alchemy sessions. Yet, Alchemy must continue, for the Taoist priests promised that an Immortal Pill would come to fruition someday. At his advanced age, none of his Princes could be relied upon.
He wished he could borrow another five hundred years from heaven, to guard his Zhao family’s empire, allowing the Dayan Dynasty to flourish to an unprecedented peak of prosperity.
