in2ebook Chapter 323: Response to Abnormal Weather 2
Chapter 323: Response to Abnormal Weather 2
"What is the Ministry's response?"
The Minister of Revenue had just been gloating over the fate of the princes, and now it was his turn.
What could he do? He had already handed over all the taxes he collected. He had no money to do anything.
"Your Majesty, I am wondering if we should reduce the taxes by 20% this year. If we follow last year's standards, there may be riots."
Chen Dou looked at the Minister of Revenue with dissatisfaction, "Do you need to tell me that? What else?"
The Minister of Revenue wiped his sweat and tried to think desperately, but his head was empty and he was finally labeled as a fool and continued to kneel.
"Ministry of Personnel?"
"Your Majesty, I think we should call together the grain merchants in the city and control their stocks in advance. First, we can control the price of grain, and second, we can prevent people from maliciously hoarding goods and taking advantage of the national crisis to make a fortune."
"anything else?"
"Also, although the production in the south has also decreased, a lean camel is still bigger than a horse. We will not be short of food in the next one or two years. The border defense can directly transport food from the south. Your Majesty, we should preserve the strength of the capital."
The Minister of Personnel meant that all rations for border defense should be supplied by the south, and the grain in the capital should be kept and not released.
Chen Dou was of course the beneficiary of this approach. Half of the capital's grain was exported to the border every year, but now it only imports and does not export. The stocks of major grain merchants have also been requisitioned, so the capital is very safe.
These high-ranking officials also benefited from it. As for whether the South could pay grain on time, the imperial edict would require them to pay even if they did not want to.
Shameless! Wu Xian glared at the Minister of Personnel on his right and said to Chen Dou.
"Your Majesty, don't listen to him. This guy is so shameless. The South has a higher yield, but they have already accepted more than 10,000 disaster victims. I heard that until now, the food rations for these more than 10,000 people have been allocated from the government's inventory. If they are asked to bear the rations of the entire border soldiers, the people in the South will probably starve to death."
The Minister of Personnel was not convinced, he was thinking about the overall situation.
"How am I shameless? As everyone knows, the food reserves in the south are at least two years' worth. Why can't we afford one year's worth of rations for the border defense? The south is also the emperor's ancestral home, and we should set an example."
Wu Xian was so angry that he laughed.
"Oh, since you care so much about Dayong, why don't you set an example by selling your newly married eighth concubine and donating the money? I heard that the eighth concubine spent three thousand taels of silver."
The Minister of Personnel was sabotaged in front of him by Wu Xian. Seeing the emperor's face becoming increasingly worse, he finally knelt down along with the Minister of Revenue as he wished.
"Your Majesty, you can't put all the pressure on the South. Although the South has a large grain reserve, it also consumes a lot."
Although Wu Xian was also worried about the food supply for the soldiers at the border, he did not want to be as selfish as the Minister of Personnel.
Chen Dou did not express his opinion immediately and continued to ask the rest of the people.
"What does the Ministry of Rites think?"
What could the Minister of Rites say? Their current job was only to compile history books or hold ceremonies. In this situation, they couldn't be asked to hold a rain-praying ceremony.
"I support Minister Wu's opinion."
There is no other way, I can only talk some nonsense to fill the occasion.
"waste!"
As the Minister of Rites wished, he followed the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Personnel and retreated together.
"Where's the Ministry of Justice?"
The Minister of Justice immediately replied, "Your Majesty, we have too many prisoners in prison. If there were no reduction in grain production, we would have kept them. Now, I am thinking about whether we can use silver to reduce the sentences of some of the lighter crimes. Or, we can use rice and oil instead."
This is possible, Chen Dou finally smiled.
"Those who are destined for death penalty don't have to wait any longer. They will all be beheaded within three days. Also, there have been too few crimes in the past two months. Are you too idle in the Ministry of Justice? Report to me every seven days. Those who should be fined will be fined, and those whose property should be confiscated will be confiscated."
The Minister of Justice felt the emperor's creepy smile and lowered his head even more.
"Yes, I obey your order."
"What about the Ministry of Industry?"
The Minister of Works had a bitter face. He racked his brains but couldn't figure out how, as a builder, he could help.
"Well, Your Majesty, I heard that the other side of the sea is Fei Dynasty, which is hot all year round. I think they have crops suitable for growing in dry weather. I think we can strengthen maritime trade. We can build a few more ships to transport our Dayong porcelain and silk and exchange them for some seeds. In time, the people of Dayong will no longer be hungry."
The Minister of Works suddenly had an idea and somehow came up with the idea of shipbuilding.
He noticed that the emperor seemed very interested, and he suddenly became interested again.
"Our Ministry of Industry will definitely have no problem building ships. Your Majesty, give me five days. I will gather my subordinates and come up with a reasonable budget."
Chen Dou finally laughed. This was a good idea.
"But, there are three days, and today is the first day. You can go."
The Minister of Works withdrew with a bitter look on his face.
"Wu Xian, what about you?"
Finally, the only one left was the Minister of War, and Wu Xian was obviously well prepared.
"Your Majesty, there is good news from the southern border recently. When they were chasing the enemy, they seized dozens of cattle and sheep. 40 cattle have been transported to the south for ploughing, and the sheep have been kept in pens. Every year, the old ones are killed and eaten, and the ewes are kept to give birth to lambs. This way, the soldiers can have more mutton soup in winter."
"I am currently researching ways to further expand the sheep pen."
Chen Dou was very satisfied that the soldiers could find food by themselves. His soldiers in Dayong were very smart.
"That's good. Encourage them to keep working hard."
Chen Dou turned his attention to the remaining people.
"As for you, since you can't come up with any ideas, then gather your money and donate 100,000 taels each. You can ask merchants to donate, or ask your disciples to donate. It's all fine."
"The second rank is 100,000 taels, the third rank is 90,000 taels, and so on. Don't tell me you don't have it. If you don't have it, resign. I won't have to pay you salaries."
Chen Dou was not only cruel to himself, but also merciless to his subordinates.
Then the Grand Tutor and several others knelt down and paid their respects in tears.
The emperor did not mention the specific date for the donation, but they did not dare to delay it for too long. In case others had paid in full and they had not yet raised the money, they would really have no choice but to take off their official uniforms.
"Your Majesty, the embroidered robe official, Master Chen, has arrived."
As soon as Chen Dou sat back at his desk, he heard the eunuch report that his eldest nephew had arrived.
"come in."
Chen Shi was still dressed in black, and after getting permission, he strode towards Chen Dou.
"Your Majesty, all eight princes have been notified. But my men reported that the fourth prince's lunch will still consist of sixteen dishes, plus three watermelons, a basket of lychees, and a basket of oranges."
"Before I entered the palace, the first, second and third princes had not changed. Your Majesty, do you think the confiscation of property still counts?"
Being stared at by his nephew, Chen Dou was silent for two seconds and spoke with gritted teeth.
"Copy the fattest one first. From now on, they will eat in the Queen Mother's Palace. Move forward on foot."
Chen Shi smiled with satisfaction.
"Then I will begin."
After saying that, he wanted to leave, but Chen Dou refused. "Ashi, my uncle sent me another letter by carrier pigeon. You..."
"If any one of these eight is better than me, I can just quit my job and go home to get married."
Chen Dou covered his heart with his hands. He couldn’t take it anymore. His heart ached so much.
Little Lizi had just finished his work and came in. He saw that the emperor looked like he was about to die. He was so scared that he wanted to call the imperial physician, but he saw Chen Shi standing next to him.
He immediately shrank into the corner and stopped talking.
Chen Shi glanced at Little Li who was huddled in the corner, clasped his fists coldly and left.