AWB Chapter 305 Gu Qing, please teach me!
Chapter 305 Gu Qing, please teach me!
"Your Majesty, this time when I went to Ningzhou, in addition to bringing back hybrid rice seeds for Your Majesty, I also brought you a gift!"
As he spoke, Gu Jingzhi took out an account book from his sleeve and handed it to Emperor Xia.
Emperor Xia took it curiously and took a look. His face immediately showed ecstasy: "This... is this the legendary batch of military pay allocated by Yun State to the Gu family?"
"exactly!"
Gu Jingzhi nodded and said, "This is the last of Yun Nation's wealth. We were planning to gamble everything on it, but my Great Xia died, so this batch of military pay is useless!"
"Later, a rebellion broke out within the Yun Kingdom, and the Gu family was subsequently overthrown. As a result, this batch of military pay remained in Ningzhou! It was this batch of military pay that Jin Lehuang and others had been planning!"
"Among this batch of money, there is also a share for the Gu family. I have sorted it out according to the account books. I have brought back all the military pay that Yun State allocated to the Gu family in the past. It is currently being guarded by the guards. I have come to the palace to ask Your Majesty for your decision!"
This is this...
Emperor Xia was shocked. After a while, he took a deep breath and said, "Gu Qing, if you insist on not telling anyone about this batch of military pay, I'm afraid I won't know either. Are you really not tempted at all?"
Uh……
Gu Jingzhi's mind was in a tizzy.
"Your Majesty, I am a marquis of Daxia. I have a salary and respect, and I also have the legacy of the Gu family for a hundred years. I am not short of money! If this money stays in my hands, at most I can make more money."
"However, my Gu family only has a few members now, so leaving behind a lot of wealth is useless! Moreover, the Gu family is guilty. Your Majesty has shown leniency and allowed my cousins to live upright lives. This is already a blessing from heaven!"
"The country is in need of money right now. Only by handing this money over to Your Majesty can it play its greatest role!"
"Good, good, good! Gu Qing is worthy of me, worthy of Da Xia, and worthy of the honor of being a peerless national hero!"
Emperor Xia's face was flushed and he was full of praise!
However, Gu Jingzhi was a little worried, because what Emperor Xia said just now had two meanings.
One was to ask him whether he was tempted by such a large sum of money, and the second was... he seemed to be testing Gu Jingzhi, saying that if he insisted on not telling anyone, even Emperor Xia himself would not know.
Is this implying that Gu Jingzhi has escaped from Emperor Xia's control?
Gu Jingzhi cast aside the thoughts in his mind, and said with a moved face: "You treat me as a national hero, and I will repay you as a national hero. I am a minister of Daxia, and naturally I will not let this life down!"
"it is good!"
Emperor Xia said happily, "Gu Qing, this money has arrived just in time. The country has just stopped fighting with foreign tribes, and there is a lot of grain in the treasury due to the reforms, but money is very scarce!"
"Gu Qing has truly solved my urgent problem this time!"
"..."
Gu Jingzhi's eyes turned: "If Your Majesty is short of money, I have a way to make sure Your Majesty never has to worry about money again!"
"Oh?"
Emperor Xia was quite curious: "Gu Qing, are you talking about the way of business? But, this won't work..."
"Even if this merchant's way can solve the urgent problem temporarily, this is still one country after all. The country relies on taxation as the main source of fiscal revenue. This is the right way. Anything else will not last long!"
Gu Jingzhi laughed upon hearing this and said, "Your Majesty, I understand this principle, but my solution is not to engage in business, but to reform the currency!"
"reform?"
Reform again...
Emperor Xia suddenly thought of Gu Jingzhi's policy paper in the palace examination, which was to reform the monetary policy and cut off the foundation of the world's aristocratic families.
Frankly speaking, he was a little hesitant. He was not afraid of the impact from the aristocratic families, but could a mere monetary policy really cut off the foundation of the aristocratic families as Gu Jingzhi said?
"Gu Qing, I remember what you wrote in your policy paper: reforming the currency, implementing a new currency policy, and severing the foundations of the aristocratic families. Let's not even talk about the chances of success. Just this matter... I'm afraid that if you bring it up in the court, it will be rejected, right?"
"Let's not even mention the officials from aristocratic families. This monetary policy concerns the entire world. I'm afraid others will also be wavering!"
"hey-hey!"
Gu Jingzhi simply chuckled at this and said, "Since I dare to raise this issue at this time, I must have a way to get them to agree! Your Majesty, do you know what this is?"
Gu Jingzhi took out another document from his arms.
Emperor Xia looked at it and said in surprise, "Isn't this just a tax certificate? Is there any secret hidden inside?"
"Your Majesty, you might as well open it and take a look!"
Gu Jingzhi pointed at the tax certificate, but there was no smile on his face, instead he looked a little solemn!
Upon hearing this, Emperor Xia opened the document and saw that it was empty except for the seal of the Ningzhou prefect. He frowned and was about to ask something, but the next moment, his face changed.
"Gu Qing, are you trying to tell me that the tax certificates for all places are like this?"
"exactly!"
Gu Jingzhi said, "Your Majesty, this law has been in effect in Great Xia for several years. Your Majesty happened to summon me back to the capital during the autumn tax season, and the new prefect of Ningzhou wanted me to bring the Ningzhou tax books to the Ministry of Revenue for entry."
"I became suspicious and inquired about this matter. I learned that this practice has been carried out in Daxia for many years, and there is no official document issued by the court!"
"Your Majesty, the aristocratic families are greedy for profit, and most of them serve as officials in Daxia. They must have embezzled a lot of money over the past few years by using empty seals and documents. If Your Majesty sends the inner guards to investigate secretly, I'm sure they will find a lot!"
"By then, as long as those officials are found, the noble families will naturally come to the emperor to plead for mercy. Your Majesty only needs to arrest the serious offenders and let the minor ones go. The noble families will definitely agree with your majesty's policy of currency reform!"
"Snapped!"
Emperor Xia slammed the document on the imperial desk in anger.
"This aristocratic family is shameful. Not only do they exploit the people's wealth, they even plot against me. How hateful! Truly hateful!"
He was not happy about Gu Jingzhi's suggestion, but was furious about the empty seal document.
Taxation is related to a country's income, the stability of Daxia, and the foundation of their Zhou family's empire for generations. Now, they allow their ministers to poach people right under their noses. This is intolerable!
Gu Jingzhi stood silently aside, turning a deaf ear to Emperor Xia's anger. It was like a landlord letting his servants secretly swallow up his property, while he worked hard every day to make money, but in the end it was all working for the servants.
Emperor Xia was furious for a long time, but when he saw Gu Jingzhi standing silently by the side, he realized that Gu Jingzhi was trying to give him advice on how to completely break up the situation.
He picked up the teacup and drank a cup of tea before asking, "Gu Qing, tell me, even if the currency system is reformed, how can we destroy the foundation of the aristocratic families?"
"Almost all the money in the world is in the hands of the aristocratic families. Even if the imperial court introduces a new currency, if the aristocratic families don't recognize it, I'm afraid it will all be in vain!"
"After all, gold and silver are the currencies that everyone is familiar with and recognizes. If the imperial court cannot provide an effective solution, then not only will our joy be in vain, but we may also cause unrest!"
"Gu Qing...please teach me!"