Chapter 007: Targeting me? Is it targeting me?
A detailed estimate was made in the memorial submitted by the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
The most basic food for disaster relief is 0.5 dou of rice per person per day, which lasts for three months, and a total of 22.5 million dou of rice is needed, based on the 500,000 victims.
The price of coarse grains this year was 10 wen per dou, but that was before. Now, as the disaster becomes increasingly serious, the price has risen to 12 wen.
This is just the price near the capital. A two-cent price increase right under the nose of the imperial city is actually quite exaggerated.
The further you go out, the higher the price will be.
Even if we calculate based on the average price of 15 wen per dou, the grain alone would require 337,500 taels.
The memorial from the Ministry of Civil Affairs specifically stated that this was a relatively conservative price estimate and there was a possibility of an increase.
It doesn’t sound like much, but looking further down the line, the estimated shipping costs are actually on par with the price of grain!
Water transportation has been greatly affected by flood disasters, especially near the disaster area, where only land transportation by porters can be used.
The total amount of food needed is nearly 700,000 taels.
The second most important thing is medicinal materials. The first batch requires at least 100,000 taels, and the total is about 300,000 taels.
Tents, epidemic prevention, burial compensation, house reconstruction, infrastructure repair, etc.
The total amount of disaster relief was over three million taels, and the first batch of disaster relief would require at least six hundred thousand taels.
This year, the Shuofeng Dynasty in the northern border has been making unusual moves, with a series of attacks on the border and a large amount of military expenditure allocated, leaving the national treasury empty.
Now the autumn harvest has not yet arrived, and it is the time when there is a shortage of food.
Not to mention three million taels, they couldn't even come up with the first batch of 600,000 taels for disaster relief.
Qin Zhaoyue understood that the severity of the disaster was one thing, but the most important thing was where the money for disaster relief would come from.
The Queen Mother asked this question, firstly to test the princesses, and secondly because she was really worried about disaster relief.
The eldest princess pondered for a moment. She knew that the flood was serious and had actually been thinking about it for a long time.
But it is not so easy to come up with three million taels. It is just a cliché.
"I am stupid and only thought of raising taxes."
Qin Zhaoyue remained calm, but he disagreed in his heart.
[Not only does it break the tax balance, it also undermines the foundation of the Queen Mother's policy.
After taking office, she managed to reduce the tax burden with great difficulty.
Giving benefits to the people and winning the hearts of the people is the foundation for holding on to the throne.
Those aristocratic families might be waiting for the Queen Mother to issue a tax increase decree, so that they can manipulate public opinion at any time.
It might even shake the foundation of the dynasty or change the world.
Moreover, imposing additional taxes under various pretexts cannot be done overnight.
Which government office is responsible, who will be assigned to supervise, how to collect the money, and how to deliver it are all problems.
It would be fine if the system could really raise money, but I am afraid that the people will be exploited at every level and all the money will be passed on to them.
It not only fattens the parasites, makes the people suffer, but also ruins the reputation, and it cannot quench the immediate thirst with distant water.
If this precedent is set, it will become a precedent in the future. If there is no money, taxes will be increased, and the court will soon be finished.
No, this is the worst possible strategy, the worst possible strategy among all the bad ones.]
Qin Minghuang's breathing suddenly stagnated, and a gleam of light flashed in his eyes, but he returned to normal in the blink of an eye.
His nails dug deep into his palms, using the stinging pain to suppress his surging thoughts.
The eldest princess is good at military affairs and can march and fight wars, but she is definitely not cut out for domestic affairs.
But Xiaoliu’s inner voice…really shocked her.
He was able to get to the heart of the matter and think so thoroughly! I'm afraid there are only a few officials in the court who can do this.
But compared with this thoroughness, her face now looks three parts sad, three parts confused, and four parts ignorant, which has nothing to do with her inner heart!
If it weren't for the sudden voice in his heart, Qin Minghuang would never know how deep Xiaoliu's thoughts were!
"Anything else?" She didn't directly deny it, nor did she question Xiaoliu.
The third princess hesitated for a long time and came up with a solution that was not a solution: buying an official position and giving indulgences.
Buying an official position is simple. Just set up a ninth-rank or ninth-rank official position.
Although it is only the lowest rank, it is a class leap from a commoner to an official.
Once this decree is issued, I believe many wealthy businessmen and local gentry will spend a lot of money.
Indulgences are easy to understand. Some prisoners who did not commit serious crimes paid money to redeem themselves according to the severity of their crimes.
The third princess also knew that this was not a good idea, so she said it was not a solution.
[The worst option is to buy an official position. The decline in the court's credibility is secondary. What it will impact is the imperial examination system that the Queen Mother re-introduced.
The opening of the imperial examination for women had already caused complaints from the literati, but fortunately it was still the imperial examination, and this was the only way for the people to become officials.
Buying and selling official positions? It would definitely drive the scholars completely crazy and would be digging their own graves.
The same is true of indulgences. With the collapse of officialdom, who will care about the law in the future? Having money means doing whatever you want. It's like drinking poison to quench thirst.
After the initial shock, Qin Minghuang had calmed down considerably. "Anything else?"
The fourth princess spoke, but it was the same old thing: all civil and military officials raised funds.
This time, Qin Minghuang didn't hear Xiaoliu's inner voice, but he clearly saw her roll her eyes. Thinking of this, he deliberately said, "There is still some silver in the treasury..."
As soon as the words fell, I heard...
[Stupid, just stupid!]
You are not allowed to touch the private money under any circumstances, as it is the foundation of the harem and the guarantee of life.
If you have some private money, you won’t be worried.
To put it in a broader sense, it is a taboo to confuse private property with the national treasury.
If the country is short of money in the future, will the emperor subsidize it?
Why? Is it easy for the Queen Mother to save some private money?
To put it mildly… bullshit! Whoever wants to give it can give it, but I won’t give it to you anyway.
But the Fourth Princess still has some sense, and finally got to the point...]
The empress listened attentively, and felt a sense of relief and warmth in her heart.
But then, why is there nothing after that?
What's the point? Keep going.
After waiting for more than ten breaths without anyone saying anything, Qin Minghuang looked at Xiao Jiu and said, "You... forget it."
Ninth Princess: ???
How can the Queen Mother bully others just like Sixth Sister? Woohoo, I'm crying to death~~~
After asking around, Qin Minghuang finally looked at Xiaoliu with justification, "You tell me something too."
"I don't..."
"Dare to claim ignorance, dare to deceive others, stripped of the princess title, exiled to the frontier."
Qin Zhaoyue:!!!
[Targeting me? Is it targeting me?]
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