Looking at the accounts, Zhu Yunying immediately felt dizzy and lightheaded, but he had no choice but to pay close attention to certain things. This was his job, and it was something he had to do well.
As an emperor, it's natural for him to take care of these things; it's his job.
Governing a country well is no easy task; many things need to be considered from all aspects.
It seems we need to consider taking shortcuts, or perhaps we should institutionalize many things.
Zhu Yunying didn't really believe in long-term, enduring policies. He only believed in special times and specific circumstances that required special policies.
He is indeed doing just that now, which is probably why Zhu Yunying keeps urging Old Zhu to abandon the ancestral precepts and some rules and regulations.
Old Zhu thought too far ahead; he considered almost everything.
All of them have some restrictions.
Things were fine when Lao Zhu was around, but once he's gone, it's hard to change some things.
Ancestral rules and such things still carry considerable weight in this day and age. Even seemingly supreme emperors sometimes find them troublesome.
After discussing state affairs with key ministers such as Ru Chang, Zhu Yunying felt somewhat more at ease. The beginning of the second year of Ying Shi's reign was, for the time being, quite good.
A good start is not enough; Zhu Yunying hopes that the entire second year of Ying Shi will be good. This is his expectation.
"Now that spring has arrived, we must do a good job in spring plowing," Zhu Yunying said solemnly. "From the imperial court to the local governments, no one should slack off."
There's really no need for Zhu Yunying to say much more; everyone understands the principle that the year's plan starts in spring.
Looking at Yu Xin, Zhu Yunying instructed, "The Ministry of Revenue should also pay attention. In the Jiangnan region of Jinchun, rice cultivation is necessary, and large cotton producers should not be exempt from tax reductions."
Yu Xin naturally accepted the order, but still said, "Your Majesty, the granaries are currently full, and there is no worry about cotton and cotton cloth."
Zhu Yunying understood and immediately said, "Keep enough grain for reserves, and the old grain can be released. Cotton, cotton cloth, and other materials should be handed over to the relevant authorities to make more cotton clothes and quilts."
Yu Xin immediately wanted a piece of the pie; this was a good opportunity. "Your Majesty, why not transfer cotton and other supplies to the Ministry of Revenue?"
Handing it over to the Ministry of Revenue seems like a logical thing to do, and it could also increase the court's revenue.
Moreover, as the Minister of Revenue, what he likes most is that the national treasury is full of money and grain, the more the better.
Otherwise, he would be constantly bothered by various departments, which would be quite a headache.
Zhu Yunying was not so generous, and said, "The Ministry of Revenue should naturally take some, but the Governor's Office should also take some of its own treasury."
Yu Xin's expression changed, and he cautiously reminded him, "Your Majesty, now that it has been brought under the control of the court, it would be inappropriate to allocate funds from the imperial treasury!"
The main reason for saying this is the distinction between public and private.
The granary belonged to the national treasury and the imperial court. The imperial treasury, on the other hand, was somewhat like a private royal treasury.
Yu Xin and his ilk naturally liked the idea of the royal family using funds from the imperial treasury to subsidize the court, and they also hoped to limit the development of the imperial treasury and make everything prioritize the Ministry of Revenue.
Furthermore, there's the concern about setting a bad precedent.
For example, if the emperor were to habitually take items from the imperial court back to the inner treasury, it would put the Ministry of Revenue in an awkward position and cause many things to go awry.
Zhu Yunying didn't stand on ceremony and looked at Yu Xin, asking, "Oh? What you say makes some sense. It's indeed not appropriate for the Imperial Treasury to touch money from the National Treasury. But it seems we've been overthinking things. It's better to keep the Imperial Treasury and the National Treasury separate."
Yu Xin's expression brightened with joy. It seemed that he, as the Minister of Revenue, had played a significant role and had upheld his duties as Minister of Revenue.
However, Ru Chang's expression was not very good. As Zhu Yunying's former study companion, he probably knew Zhu Yunying's personality quite well.
It must be said that the current emperor, from a young age, has never shown his emotions and is a very shrewd person. Usually, he does appear to be quite kind and not particularly dignified.
However, if this person wants to express some dissatisfaction or attitude, then they are certainly not to be underestimated.
While Ru Chang was still frowning, Zhu Yunying continued, "I think this is a good idea. From now on, the imperial treasury and the national treasury should be separated. As usual, the imperial treasury should take a certain amount of money from the national treasury each year for the use of the royal family. The national treasury should also be responsible for the expenses of the imperial clan."
Yu Xin's expression froze, and the Minister of Revenue looked distressed, quickly pleading poverty, "Your Majesty, the court was not like this before."
What is the imperial treasury? It refers to the private wealth and property of the emperor and the royal family. These funds are supposedly unrelated to the national treasury, which is quite different, and naturally, they are not something that court officials would covet.
If the imperial court is short of money and the emperor is willing to use funds from his private treasury to subsidize it, then one should haile the emperor's wisdom. If the emperor is unwilling to contribute, that's also not a problem, since it's the emperor's 'private funds'.
Zhu Yunying continued, "What you say makes sense. Previously, our court was somewhat lacking in rules regarding this matter. The Emperor Emeritus loved his people, and the dynasty was in decline at its inception. Now it is time to establish rules for all matters."
At this moment, Ru Chang stepped forward, and the official from the Ministry of Personnel said, "Your Majesty is wise, and His Highness the Retired Emperor is also wise, showing great compassion for the court officials and the people. The royal family has not been able to build a new palace for many years, and Your Majesty has not yet moved into the new palace."
Many people immediately understood the different meaning behind this; it was indeed true that the emperors of the Ming Dynasty broke their contracts.
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