"What, what! One hundred and forty million shi?"
In the court, all the officials were shocked again, and everyone doubted if their ears had misheard.
Chu Chen smiled faintly and said, "You heard correctly. In June this year, after the corn ripened and was harvested, the agricultural estates in various counties paid a total of one hundred and forty million shi in rent."
280,098,000 shi, let's see if you're stunned. Haven't you seen such high grain taxes? Unfortunately, all of this belongs to the Royal Chamber of Commerce! Hahahaha~ Let's see if you all stopped me from promoting the new three crops and from surveying the land back then!
Chu Chen thought triumphantly and felt extremely pleased.
The officials and the Empress were stunned into silence.
They knew the terrifying high yield of the new three crops, but with them truly promoted nationwide, such terrifying rental income was unheard of.
This was probably the first time in the three-thousand-year recorded history of the entire Qingzhou continent, wasn't it? This yield was too terrifying!
"Your, Your Majesty, I think..."
Qian Jieren, the Minister of Revenue, swallowed a mouthful of saliva and quickly stepped forward to speak.
But before he could finish, he was interrupted by both Chu Chen and the Empress: "No, you don't think so!"
"Ah, this..."
Qian Jieren was completely dumbfounded. What was going on? Did they have to be like this? Did they have money in their pockets and didn't know how poor his Ministry of Revenue was?
Well, the Ministry of Revenue wasn't poor now, with an income of a million taels of silver per month, but all the infrastructure expenses were dumped on his Ministry of Revenue. His income had increased, but the expenses were also huge!
My Ministry of Revenue is poor! It's really poor!
Qian Jieren remained silent, only looking at the two with teary eyes. This made Chu Chen and the Empress flustered.
Chu Chen and the Empress exchanged glances and sighed in their hearts.
The Empress said, "The agricultural estates were invested and built by the Royal Chamber of Commerce. All the land and recruitment of personnel were expenses of the Royal Chamber of Commerce. The imperial court's Ministry of Revenue did not provide any assistance."
Wasn't the grain tax official who counted the rent also from my Ministry of Revenue?
Qian Jieren complained in his heart, but he couldn't say it openly, otherwise, that shameless Chu Chen would definitely find a reason and counterattack.
Seeing the Minister of Revenue's teary-eyed silence, the Empress said helplessly, "Minister Qian, the Royal Chamber of Commerce also belongs to the chamber of commerce and needs to pay taxes."
"Yes! Your subject understands! Thank you, Your Majesty!"
This made Qian Jieren happy.
With the income of such a behemoth as the Royal Chamber of Commerce, it would definitely be taxed at a rate of fifty percent, which meant that his Ministry of Revenue could receive seventy million shi of corn crop income!
Joyful, oh so joyful! I never expected that our Ministry of Revenue could still have such a huge income. This would be worth about ten million taels of silver after conversion!
Rich, flowing with wealth! So happy!
Since the beginning of this year, the smile on Qian Jieren's face had never stopped. Although the allocations were still a bit tight, they were much more generous than before. This was all due to having money.
The officials in the court were confused by their conversation, and they looked at each other, not knowing what to say.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, your subject has a memorial to present!"
At this moment, the Great General of Guarding the State, Wei Zi, quickly stepped forward and shouted.
"Granted!"
"Your Majesty, the Ministry of Revenue is not short of silver, nor is it short of grain. Your subject believes that it is time to expand the imperial army. Since the imperial court's income is so abundant, your subject believes that the surrounding countries may not be happy to see this, so we should recruit more soldiers to guard against unforeseen events!"
Wei Zi's opening statement shocked the civil officials and delighted the military officials.
Expanding the army, expanding the army is good! With the expansion of the army, we generals will have more positions for promotion, and even be able to command more soldiers!
The military officials were ecstatic.
The civil officials, however, were all unhappy. You want to expand the army, right? Don't even think about it.
The Minister of Rites quickly winked at his subordinates, and a Yuanwailang (a junior official) reluctantly stepped forward to refute: "Your Majesty, your subject believes this is not appropriate!"
"Oh? What is not appropriate?"
The Empress, who was contemplating whether to expand the army, asked faintly.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, our Yunyue Kingdom was once a great and powerful nation, its prestige radiating in all directions. Your subject believes that with the current twenty thousand border troops and ten thousand imperial troops, it is sufficient to defend our country, and there is no need to expand the army at the cost of labor and money."
"In the past, the Ministry of Revenue was poor. Although it is slightly richer now, it only earns a million taels of silver per month, with an annual income of about twelve million. Although there is a lot of money, there are also many expenses. Various infrastructures, in just one or two months of the agricultural off-season, cost millions of taels of silver. The annual income is barely enough for the infrastructure construction during one agricultural off-season. With little surplus, how can we blindly expand the army?"
"The surrounding countries are all friendly neighbors. What is taken from the people is used for the people. Continuously expanding wealth and increasing the income of the Ministry of Revenue is the grand plan. I implore Your Majesty to reconsider!"
Jiao Yuanwailang's speech was eloquent and immediately received the support of several Yuanwailangs and Langzhong from the Ministry of Rites.
The logic was indeed correct. Although the Ministry of Revenue's income was high this year, the expenses were also considerable. After all, it was spending money to mobilize farmers for infrastructure construction during the agricultural off-season. Excluding materials, it cost several million taels of silver. It was questionable whether twelve million taels could cover three to four months of work.
These civil officials did not want to see the wealth they had painstakingly managed and developed, before it had even warmed up, be taken away and used up by those crude military men.
"..."
The military officials fell silent collectively, feeling extremely angry. Damn it, when others invaded, why didn't you babble about friendly relations?
When the Chen Kingdom invaded, they were beaten like dogs. If it weren't for Prime Minister Chu's ability to repel the Chen Kingdom, and then the spiritual energy revival occurred, and problems arose within the Chen Kingdom, it was questionable whether you could even stand here and speak.
And you dare to stop them from expanding the army? Expanding the army is also for better protection of the Yunyue Kingdom, for the protection of their country and people, and even for the protection of you damned civil officials!
Without an army, how can they defend? It's not wrong to invest some money in building up the army, is it? These damned scholars!
Oh no, except for Prime Minister Chu.
A group of military officials cursed inwardly, but they felt they couldn't argue, so they turned their gaze to Wei Zi, and some looked at Chu Chen.
"Cough cough~"
Chu Chen coughed twice, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, your subject agrees with General Wei's proposal to expand the army."
"Why?"
"Your Majesty, one must know that only with military strength can wealth be protected, and only with military strength can peace be established."
Chu Chen did not elaborate on grand principles, but stated it very directly.
Upon hearing this, the ministers were all stunned.
Although these words were direct, they were eternal truths. Only by having strength could one protect wealth, only by having strength could one prevent others from coveting one's wealth, and only by having strength could those with ill intentions be forced to be friendly and establish peace.
"Prime Minister Chu's words are greatly praised!"
Wei Zi exclaimed happily.