Then came the complaints from the State Affairs Hall and the Great Song Bank, followed by the Privy Council and the Academy of Sciences. Occasionally, the Hanlin Academy would complain that the State Affairs Hall's school construction was progressing too slowly.

The prime ministers seemed to have gotten used to this way of doing things, and some of them realized that doing things in a rough and direct manner was often more efficient, at least in that they could resolve their own tasks faster.

With the New Year approaching, Zhou Chao, the Minister of the Three Departments, reported the year's financial situation to the emperor.

With the revitalization of the banking system, the implementation of Jiaozi (paper money), the liberation of labor, and the increase in ordinary people's income, commercial taxes have reached 160 million guan (a unit of currency), while agricultural taxes have shrunk to one million guan, and agriculture is almost tax-exempt.

Before the Jingkang Incident, the annual commercial tax of the Song Dynasty was approximately 50 million strings of cash.

This figure was achieved only after the court levied exorbitant taxes. In the fourth year of the Jingkang era, the court abolished these exorbitant taxes, even the poll tax, and agricultural taxes were almost eliminated.

Commercial taxes have reached 160 million strings of cash, including international trade and commercial taxes generated from domestic demand in the Song Dynasty.

Even Xu Churen had to admit that the power of the people is the strongest!

If the people have money to spend, the imperial court will no longer have to worry about collecting taxes.

Last year, when Zhao Huan was fighting the Tanguts, the national treasury was almost emptied. Three years' worth of reserves were gone. The army's spending speed caused anxiety and panic in the court. Some people in the Politics Hall even called for a halt.

The military expenditures of the Song Dynasty were more terrifying than in any previous era. The enormous figures initially made Zhou Chao, the Commissioner of the Three Departments, unaccustomed to them, and he could hardly sleep at night.

Until this year, the fourth year of the Jingkang era, the Song Dynasty's economy experienced a small-scale leap, and the officials in the court clearly breathed a sigh of relief.

In fact, Zhao Huan was even more relieved.

He stares at the national treasury's books every day. Now, money is being spent like water, which is alarming. Those numbers are like mountains, and it's impossible not to feel pressured.

But this report brought Zhao Huan a great sense of relief.

Moreover, the 160 million guan in revenue was only tax revenue and did not include revenue from the court's own industries.

With money, Zhao Huan could once again act recklessly!

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