"The father-in-law has done a great job in the Imperial Household Department, which has saved the palace a lot of money. Once this is done, the palace won't have to spend any money on purchases. All of it will be contributed by the merchants. Then we can use this huge sum of money to do other things."
"You have to know that the Imperial Palace is so huge, and with so many people to support every year, it's also a huge expense."
Empress Zhang thought for a moment and smiled sweetly, "Those merchants are willing to do this because they think they can earn more outside than they spend in the palace. But what if it's the other way around? The palace spends more and they earn less. What will they do then?"
"Then they will go bankrupt." Zhu Youxiao said with a smile.
Of course he had considered this matter. He had thought about it a long time ago. The tributes could only meet the daily needs of the palace, and the rest still needed to be purchased; or the items offered each year could be divided into a certain quantity, and if there was a gap, then purchases could be made.
This ensures that a frugal emperor might be able to save a little, and if the wasted bonus is not enough, he will need to buy it himself.
This will ensure the normal operation of the system and prevent it from collapsing in the end.
But this amount of money seems to be a lot now, and in the future, we may not need to be so cautious.
"Your Majesty, what is bankruptcy?" Empress Zhang looked at Zhu Youxiao and asked with her head tilted.
"Bankruptcy means being insolvent." Zhu Youxiao thought for a moment and explained to Empress Zhang what it meant. He smiled and said, "Don't worry, I won't let that happen. I'm not the kind of emperor who only knows how to spend money. If you don't have enough money, then spend less."
"Your Majesty, if you are like this, you will surely become a wise and powerful emperor." Empress Zhang quietly flattered Zhu Youxiao.
Zhu Youxiao enjoyed this very much, and the most obvious manifestation was that he took Empress Zhang to sleep.
Naturally, the news from the Imperial Household Department could not be concealed. What the Audit Department did shocked the entire city of Beijing in an instant.
Countless people did not expect that the Imperial Household Department would actually do such a thing, especially the officials in the government.
You know, many officials have businesses at home. If they really do this, what will happen to their own businesses?
This is based on self-interest. There is another crucial point, which is ideology.
This is competing with the people for profit. How can the emperor make money from the people?
This is extremely against the rules. In the minds of these officials, this is something that absolutely cannot be done. How can the royal family do business?
This is really disrespectful! How shameful!
So this news spread throughout the officialdom in an instant, and many people began to submit memorials with obvious intentions. They thought that this was not a good thing, and they did not want His Majesty to do this. They said His Majesty could not do this, and they hoped that His Majesty could revoke his order.
Zhu Youxiao remained silent about this. He stayed at Empress Zhang's side all day, wanting to see how these people outside were making a fuss.
He waited for someone to jump out and see if they would threaten the businessmen.
But the reality is not like this. Those people are shouting loudly, but they don’t take any real action.
As for threatening those merchants, no one dared to do so because after the investigation by the Jinyiwei, they were able to roughly understand the details of these merchants.
A large portion of them came from the families of the nobility and relatives of the nobility, while the rest came from various places. Although their capital in various places was not yet clear, according to people from the capital, these people were from powerful families in various places and had complex connections in the officialdom.
Whether in this era or in the future, anyone who can expand a business beyond a province is considered a capable person.
In later generations, there was local protectionism, but in this era, this idea was more stringent and more extreme.
Therefore, those who can expand their business beyond the province are all capable and well-connected people. If they can expand their business to the capital, it is even more remarkable.
These people weren't something that ordinary officials could touch. At least only the top officials in the court could do that. But those people didn't react at all.
In fact, it’s not that they have no reaction, but that they don’t know how to react.
In the cabinet, four cabinet ministers were discussing this matter.
Because of the issue of compiling the imperial examination curriculum, the atmosphere in the cabinet was a little uneasy, or rather, a little delicate. However, no one dared to delay the important matter, so this time the four of them sat together to discuss it.
"I don't think this matter is a big deal. Since they are willing to send money to the palace, let them do it." Xu Guangqi said indifferently.
"As long as we follow the rules, there will be no problem," Huang Kezun added.
No one found it strange when Xu Guangqi said this, but Huang Kezun's words did seem a bit strange, because he was not like this before.
In recent days, Huang Kezun has begun to emphasize rules.
Everyone knew he was laying the groundwork for his own Xunzi doctrine. His direct actions, regardless of the occasion or position, were highly inappropriate. This also heightened the wariness of several people towards him.
But no matter what, Huang Kezun also expressed his position and stood on Xu Guangqi's side.
With these two people holding such an attitude, only Sun Chengzong and Han Yu are left, and it depends on what they want to do.
At this time, Sun Chengzong spoke up, his expressionless face saying, "It seems a little inappropriate to allow merchants to use the royal emblem, doesn't it?"
As soon as these words came out, everyone became serious, including Xu Guangqi and Huang Kezun.
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