Amidst the heavy snow, the Wu Dynasty held its last grand court meeting of the first year of Tiande.
December 28th, at 1 a.m., Xuande Hall.
"This is how the first year of the first five-year plan ends."
Fu Xiaoguan stood on the Dragon Platform, looked at the ministers below, and said, "In terms of economy, this year's tax revenue is equivalent to more than 56 million taels of silver. It seems to have more than doubled, but in fact, the Chi Lechuan Autonomous Region contributed a full 10 million taels."
"The Chi Le Chuan Autonomous Region has enormous potential. Over the past year, under the leadership of Governor Tuoba Kang, there have been no riots in the autonomous region. The six prefectures have generally developed healthily, and the regional economies of each prefecture are gradually taking shape. Next year, the Chi Le Chuan Autonomous Region will enter the fast lane of development. You will see a brand new scene full of vibrant vitality and diversified industries."
"Of course, the entire Wu Dynasty took a year to establish a preliminary market economy system. According to statistics from the Ministry of Commerce, it has attracted good foreign investment. A very high proportion of enterprises have settled in the Wu Dynasty, and the capital has been well-placed. The construction of these enterprises' factories has also been basically completed."
"So next year will also be a crucial year for these companies to officially start production and sell their products on the market, thus testing the market economy. As officials of the Wu Dynasty, you must remember that all levels of government and relevant persons in charge must not be careless or lax and must provide protection for these companies!"
"In terms of military affairs, the Divine Sword Army now has three armies totaling 300,000 men, the navy has 100,000 men, and the Marine Corps has 50,000 men. Next year, the Divine Sword Army will expand by another army, and the navy will train another 100,000 men. Therefore, I believe that these troops are sufficient to maintain the stability of the Wu Dynasty. Therefore... I have decided to disband all of the former Wu Dynasty's garrison troops. This disarmament... is 1.8 million men!"
As soon as these words came out, the ministers were in an uproar.
Disarmament of 1.8 million!
Each of the six defense zones originally had a garrison of 300,000 soldiers, but with this strike of His Majesty's sword, they were all wiped out... The Excalibur Army is powerful, but can a mere 400,000 ground forces defend such a vast territory?
What's more, there are still 100,000 land forces stationed in the Chi Le Chuan Autonomous Region, leaving only 300,000 to maintain the Wu Dynasty's homeland - 100,000 of them will be included in the training next year. In case of foreign enemies invading the border, a mere 200,000 people will be insignificant in such a vast territory.
But these ministers only whispered, and no one jumped out to raise any objections, because they found that the three ministers did not move at all after hearing these words, and their expressions did not change at all.
Looking at the Minister of War, Lord Zhu Wei, he also had no reaction.
This shows that Your Majesty had already discussed this strategy with them.
As expected, Fu Xiaoguan continued, "Quality is more important than quantity in an army. Looking around, the threat from the Wu Dynasty isn't that great. In the first five-year plan, we won't easily start a war again, and our focus will be on economic development."
"Economic development requires a large number of people. Therefore, retired soldiers who wish to continue serving after the return of Division Commanders Guan Xiaoxi and Wei Wubing next spring can be selected by them to join the Third Army or the Second Navy."
"The rest will return to their hometowns, receive retirement benefits from the Ministry of Household Affairs, and be resettled in their hometowns."
"Next year, the Ministry of Revenue's focus will be on promoting childbirth. Fu Wudai's rice seeds will cover most of the Wu Dynasty, and there will be enough sweet potatoes to grow throughout the Wu Dynasty. Food will no longer be a problem. I have signed a bilateral trade agreement with the Fan Kingdom and purchased a large amount of cotton. Clothing will no longer be a problem."
"So now that we have enough food and clothing, we need to encourage the people to strive and have more children. We need to raise the population of the Wu Dynasty to at least 300 million to support the healthy development of the country."
"To relieve everyone of the worries of having children, starting next year, the Ministry of Revenue will establish a universal medical and elderly care institution. Medical care will be free for the people of Wu Dynasty, and those over fifty will receive pension insurance from the state, allowing all elderly people to enjoy their later years."
There was another round of exclamations. This time, Lian Zhuo and his group, Nangong Yiyu and Meng Changping were also shocked. His Majesty had not discussed this matter with them!
How huge an expense will this be?
Although the average age of people in the Wu Dynasty was only 55 years old, they were supported by the state for five full years... I don't know how much support Your Majesty has planned, and whether the state finances can afford it?
But after Zhuo and his three companions looked at each other, they still did not raise any objections. They had now caught up with Fu Xiaoguan's thinking and understood the truth that Fu Xiaoguan had been instilling in them - the country should be based on the people.
This decision will obviously benefit the general public and enable all citizens to truly have access to medical care and support in their old age.
This also reduces the burden on their children to support their elderly parents, allowing their children to work without worries.
Your Majesty has a wild imagination!
How could someone come up with such an idea!
Once this policy is implemented, the Wu Dynasty will surely win over the people and will usher in a good era of rapid population growth.
"Our dynasty's medical care is extremely backward. Next spring, I will build another medical university in Liluoyuan. The imperial physicians and famous doctors from the public will all be required to give lectures there. This is the first reason. Secondly, the medical university will also establish a research institute to study pathology and the human body, to understand why people get sick and how to treat them."
"I believe it would be wise to invite Shui Yunjian to serve as the first dean of the medical school, responsible for its preparation and future teaching coordination. Please discuss this matter with Mr. Zhuo and Shui Yunjian in detail."
"As you command!" Zhuo and his entourage bowed in response. This was also something that was beneficial to the country. It seemed that His Majesty's policy was to cooperate with the upcoming universal medical care.
"This year's imperial examinations have resulted in a total of 428 Jinshi (Jinshi) candidates. All of them are now assigned to various locations under the Ministry of Personnel's orders. I reiterate once again that education is the foundation of a nation. It takes ten years to grow a tree, and a hundred years to cultivate a person. This is the foundation of the Wu Dynasty's eternal prosperity. This is not just the responsibility of the Hanlin Academy, but also the responsibility of government at all levels!"
"In the First Five-Year Plan, within five years, a new legal code will be promulgated. This code will be called the Constitution. It will be the supreme code of all laws. All laws implemented by the Wu Dynasty must be based on the Constitution as the basic standard. Any legal rules that violate the Constitution must be amended. The Constitution is currently under the leadership of Mr. Xi Xunmei and Mr. Wen Xingzhou, assisted by the Ministry of Personnel."
At this point, Fu Xiaoguan paused, glanced at the ministers, and said in a very serious tone, "Compulsory education will be included in the Constitution. It is a basic right and obligation of citizens of the Wu Dynasty. In the upcoming official assessment, this item will account for a large proportion of the score. I hope everyone will be aware of this!"
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