I clearly wanted to be a tyrant, but how did I become the greatest emperor of all time?

Li Tian called Tang Xiaoren's name.

"Sir Tang, the cabinet has also discussed this matter. What do you think?"

Tang Xiaoren said respectfully, "Your Majesty, our cabinet has also read the general's memorial and drafted several suggestions."

"I had intended to present it to His Majesty tomorrow, but now that His Majesty has asked, I will speak directly."

Li Tian looked at his father-in-law with satisfaction.

He indeed has the style of a powerful official!

Good!

The cabinet's prime minister was chosen correctly!

Father-in-law, you have to keep working hard and try to ruin the country's destiny!

Tang Xiaoren said: "The traditional method is very simple. The Ministry of Revenue will allocate a pension, not much, only one or two million taels, so that these remaining soldiers can survive this difficult winter."

"Next year, the Ministry of Revenue will allocate money again to buy rice seedlings for them. Although life in Dongliao is difficult, it is still a vast land with abundant resources, and they can still survive."

Li Tian nodded, this was indeed the old method.

The Minister of Revenue jumped out immediately.

"Your Majesty, the Ministry of Revenue really can't afford this amount of money!"

Then, the Minister of Revenue began his specialty, counting accounts!

"Your Majesty, the court has to pay for military expenses, the maintenance of the Yellow River levee, the cost of grain transport, and the floods in several southern provinces, and we have to allocate funds for disaster relief. These are all huge expenses! The Ministry of Revenue really has no money left!"

Li Tian nodded, what the Minister of Revenue said was true.

By the fifth dynasty of the Great Zhou, expenses were increasing.

However, the court's revenue and expenditure had never increased, so the Ministry of Revenue became increasingly short of money.

Li Tian looked at Tang Xiaoren and asked, "Master Prime Minister, the Ministry of Revenue can't come up with the money, what can the cabinet do?"

Tang Xiaoren lowered his head and said, "The cabinet does have an idea..."

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at Tang Xiaoren.

Tang Xiaoren said, "Your Majesty, Dong Liao is the northern frontier of the Great Zhou and has made great contributions to the Great Zhou."

“But some local merchants are smuggling goods to Beimang.”

"The Great Zhou is at war with the Northern Mang, and pearls and ginseng from the northern border cannot pass through."

"The price of Liao ginseng in Beijing is very high, but the supply is always sufficient."

"I have investigated and found that these were all smuggled in by merchants from the northern border."

"I have an idea to levy commercial taxes in several counties near Dong Liao."

"Then use the silver collected to resettle the remaining soldiers."

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the imperial study suddenly became silent.

Tang Xiaoren's idea was truly groundbreaking.

If it had been at a grand court meeting, the censors would have already surrounded him.

For example, the accusations of "extortionate taxes and extortion" and "competing with the people for profit" had long been pinned on him.

Fortunately, this was a meeting in front of the palace, and no one labeled Tang Xiaoren a traitor.

The Minister of Revenue began to calculate how much tax could be collected.

The Minister of Rites had a nonchalant expression on his face. This matter had little to do with him, so he just watched the show.

At this time, Li Tian heard three options.

[The national affairs system is starting! 】

[Option 1000: Allocate 10 million taels to provide relief to the remaining soldiers and save the Ministry of Revenue. National Fortune - , Prestige +! ]

[Option 1500: Allocate 10 million taels to provide relief to the remaining soldiers and impose commercial taxes. National Fortune - , Prestige - ! ]

[Option 2000: Resettling the remaining soldiers. National Fortune - 20, Prestige - ! ]

Is there any need to think about it?

Of course I chose the third one!

But the third one seems different from the first two.

Isn’t that Tang Xiaoren’s plan?

What does it mean to resettle the remnant soldiers?

Li Tian began to ponder, and suddenly remembered the modern resettlement plan for disabled soldiers.

Generally, they are discharged from the army and sent to government agencies to support those who have made contributions to the country.

Let them continue to contribute in government positions.

This plan is good, why would the country’s fortune decline?

Li Tian quickly figured it out, because of money!

The finances of the Zhou Dynasty were tight.

If these remnant soldiers were given official positions, it would disrupt the Ministry of Revenue's difficult balance.

But, does this have anything to do with me?

National destiny—2000 points, let’s do it!

Li Tian coughed lightly and said, "I have a solution."

Everyone pricked up their ears when they heard this.

Li Tian said: "These Dong Liao soldiers were all injured and shed blood for the country."

"Giving them one million taels of silver can only solve the problem temporarily."

"Well, let the Eastern Liao general submit a list, and the general and the Ministry of Rites will discuss and select those with clean family backgrounds."

"Let them work as minor officials in the prefectures and counties near Dong Liao."

"The court will pay their salaries so they won't freeze or starve to death."

"What do you think, dear friends?"

The Minister of Revenue almost vomited blood!

The one million taels of pension is enough to make him feel painful!

If we have to bear the salaries of so many disabled soldiers, it would be more than one million taels a year.

The Minister of Revenue was about to object.

He met Qin Tianyang's sharp eyes.

No! Wu Anhou is here!

If I object, I'll be walking into trouble!

This person is a master!

The Minister of Revenue fell silent immediately.

Tang Xiaoren shouted: "Your Majesty is wise! This method is much better than my humble one!"

"Then the cabinet should implement it as soon as possible, and you should step down!"

Walking out of the imperial study, the Minister of Revenue took Tang Xiaoren by the hand.

"Master Prime Minister, what should we do with the annual salary and resettlement fee?"

The Minister of Revenue was so anxious that he kept stamping his feet. Now the Ministry of Revenue is almost unable to make ends meet.

The Great Zhou Dynasty was glorious, but financial shortages had always been a major problem.

In fact, everyone knows the crux of this problem.

In the early days of the establishment of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the land was vast and the population was sparse, and the newly reclaimed land was equivalent to an increase in tax revenue.

But today, most of the land is in the hands of officials and gentry.

But these officials and gentry actually paid little taxes.

This is normal, as it is easier to collect taxes from ordinary people.

But collecting taxes from officials and gentry was not so easy.

In particular, the local tyrants are widespread and have many connections with local officials.

Tang Xiaoren was certainly aware of this situation, so he proposed to increase commercial taxes on Dongliao merchants.

Tang Xiaoren said helplessly: "Minister Kang, if you have any opinions, why didn't you say them at the meeting in front of the palace just now?"

The Minister of Revenue's expression changed. Marquis Wu'an was present just now, so who would dare to object?

This old rascal!

The Minister of Revenue shook his long sleeves, angrily left Tang Xiaoren and left the palace.

After returning to the cabinet, Tang Xiaoren called his confidant Tang Ze.

"Tang Ze, what do you think His Majesty means?"

Tang Xiaoren held a cup of hot tea and thought about Li Tian's proposal today.

It was not Li Tian's first idea to send remnant soldiers to vacant official positions in various places.

In the early days of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the Emperor Tai also did this.

However, later emperors never took this measure again.

Tang Ze also looked confused.

Tang Xiaoren tried to figure out Li Tian's intention.

Tang Ze thought for a moment and said, "Sir, could His Majesty have some other intention in doing this?"

Tang Xiaoren nodded and said, "I think so too. Your Majesty's move may not be that simple."

Tang Ze said: "It will cost a lot to place those remnants of the army in office. And the expenses of paying their salaries will be even higher."

"Your Majesty is not unaware of the Ministry of Revenue's situation."

"You're going through all this trouble just to please Marquis Wu'an?"