Happy Emperor

The ministers in the court looked at each other in dismay.

In fact, it is not surprising that these ministers had such expressions. Since ancient times, no emperor had ever asked his ministers for money.

This is like working for a boss and having to pay him a salary.

But no matter how dissatisfied they were, they dared not act rashly.

If the emperor really went to their house in person, not only would all their property be confiscated, but the lives of the whole family might even be in danger.

"Your Majesty, I am also willing to donate 100,000 taels of silver." The Left Vice Minister was the first to respond.

At this moment, he couldn't care less about how Ji Feng looked at him. If he offended Ji Feng, the worst that could happen was that he would quit his job as an official. But if he offended Emperor Li...

Just thinking about it makes him a little scared now.

He didn't know when it started, but Emperor Li always gave him a feeling of being treacherous and cruel.

"Oh, Minister Zuo, look how inappropriate this is." Lin Tian looked at the Minister of Revenue with a wicked smile.

It would be easy if there was a leader. He was really worried that these guys only cared about money and not their lives.

"Heh...hehe."

The Left Assistant Minister forced a smile on his old face, "Contributing a little to Daxia is what we, the ministers, should do."

Since the money has been donated, you naturally have to speak in a nicer way.

"Yeah, that's right." Lin Tian said with a wicked smile, "Since the Left Minister has such a heart, I will naturally oblige him. Then why donate 200,000 taels? It won't be too difficult, will it?"

Yesterday, Lin Tian confiscated 500,000 taels of silver from the home of a senior official in the Ministry of Revenue. He didn't believe that a vice minister of the Ministry of Revenue could not come up with that much silver.

When Zuo Shilang heard this, his face turned pale. He wanted to curse, but he didn't dare.

Looking at the solemn Emperor Li, he swallowed the words of refusal that were on his lips and said with a stiff upper lip, "No... no problem!"

Minister Zuo didn't say anything more this time. He nodded in agreement and immediately returned to the team and hid.

He was really scared. He was afraid that the emperor would ask him to pay back the donation amount.

Under the leadership of the Left Assistant Minister, the old guys who cried and shouted that they wanted to starve to death yesterday have become more obedient.

There were more than thirty people in the court, who donated a total of nearly four million taels of silver.

This move is equivalent to the tax silver collected by the imperial power in one or two years.

But looking at the amount of donations, Lin Tian was not very happy.

This is all the people's blood and sweat. Now that Daxia is divided like this, and they have amassed such huge wealth, you can guess how the people below are living.

"Master Ji, Master Batu, you two are both fathers-in-law of the emperor, aren't you prepared to donate a little?"

Seeing that all the ministers had donated, Lin Tian turned his gaze to Baturin and Ji Feng, the two old bastards.

In fact, among all the people in the dynasty, these two people had the richest family assets.

The two of them almost monopolized all business in Shengjing. Baturin even controlled two provinces, and the taxes and silver paid by the people and merchants from all over the country were considerable.

But precisely because of this, they were not afraid of the emperor confiscating their property.

Because they can attribute the money to business earnings.

"Old minister, money is useful!" Ji Feng spoke first.

"Oh my god, this old bastard is really tough!" Lin Tian cursed in his heart.

Compared with Ji Feng's direct rejection, Baturin was more tactful.

"I have invested all my money in business, Your Majesty, please do not blame me."

Upon hearing this, the ministers who had just mentioned donating money began to have doubts in their hearts.

The little money they have in their family is nothing compared to these two.

Now that I have the money, these two guys are becoming more and more cunning than the other.

People are like this. They can suffer losses themselves, but others must also suffer losses, otherwise they will feel extremely unbalanced.

Lin Tian was not annoyed when he heard this.

As an emperor, if he can't govern such ministers, then there is no point in him continuing to exist.

"Master Ji's money is useful. I believe it is for the expenses of the Infantry Commander's Office led by Ji Qiang. I can understand."

Lin Tian looked at Ji Feng with a smile, "In that case, starting from today, that part of the military expenses will be fully entrusted to Lord Ji."

Although Ji Qiang has surrendered long ago, Ji Feng doesn't know it!

Moreover, the imperial power is responsible for the financial support of all the troops in Shengjing. As long as Lin Tian said so, Ji Feng would definitely not agree.

"This old minister refuses to accept!"

Ji Feng's nose was crooked with anger. He didn't expect Emperor Li to be so shameless.

To support the nearly 20,000 soldiers under Ji Qiang, the annual military salary alone is nearly 200,000 taels, not to mention the cost of food and daily losses.

"Not convinced?" Lin Tian sneered.

"Then let someone else replace Ji Qiang as the commander. I'll pay for the money!"

"I, I will also donate 200,000 taels of silver. That should be fine, right?"

"No! Add another hundred thousand and I'll reconsider."

"Okay!" Ji Feng gritted his teeth and finally agreed reluctantly.

These three hundred thousand taels of silver were not a small sum of money for him, but it was still better than having to support the army all the time.

Of course, the next time he completely controls Shengjing, he will take all the taxes that the imperial power can control into his own hands, and will never give other new puppets who are supported any chance to turn things around.

"Where's Lord Batu?" After Ji Feng agreed, Lin Tian turned to look at Batu Lin, who had been watching coldly, and asked with a smile, "Did you invest all your money in illegal salt?"

When Baturin heard this, he felt a chill in his heart.

In ancient times, salt trafficking was a business monopolized by the royal family. If any official dared to secretly sell private salt, he would be guilty of a serious crime punishable by death.

Now that Daxia is divided into pieces, the local princes will certainly not let go of this industry with huge profits.

Some things are like this, you can do them, and all officials know it, but you can't say it, especially not in public.

But Lin Tian chose to make this matter clear in front of all the ministers today, so Baturin naturally felt a little embarrassed.

"Your Majesty, I would never dare to sell illegal salt. Please understand."

Baturin stretched his neck, his face flushed, and shouted loudly to protest his injustice.

"He's anxious!"

Lin Tian smiled secretly in his heart.

"Lord Batu, I was just joking with you, why are you so excited?"

Lin Tian narrowed his eyes and looked at Baturin, and asked with a faint smile.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."

Baturin stuttered, knowing that he had been too obvious.

"Alright." Lin Tian interrupted Batu Lin's hesitation and said, "I will send someone to investigate and find out who is trafficking in illegal salt. I will definitely give Lord Batu justice."

"I am willing to donate 500,000 taels of silver."

Baturin spoke without hesitation.

Five hundred thousand taels is nothing.

His Batu family could earn more than one million taels of silver a year by selling illegal salt in Shengjing, which was also one of Shengjing's main businesses.

"Isn't that too much of a stretch?" Lin Tian asked with a sneer.

"No compulsion," Baturin gritted his teeth and said coldly, "I suddenly remembered that I have some spare silver. I will send someone to the Ministry of Revenue on a certain day."

"Send it to the Ministry of Revenue? And choose a day!"

Lin Tian sneered.

"Who said this money should be sent to the Ministry of Revenue?"

"Your Majesty, the Ministry of Revenue is in charge of the national tax revenue. This has been the rule since ancient times."

The Left Assistant Minister was just thinking about how to make back his donation, but when he heard that the emperor was not going to leave the money in his hands for safekeeping, he immediately became anxious.

"Is this tax silver?" Lin Tian asked in response, "Besides, you've managed my treasury to the point of not having a cent left. I haven't held you accountable for your mismanagement yet. Do you still want to donate more?"

"Uh... Your Majesty is right. This money really cannot be kept in the Ministry of Revenue." The Left Vice Minister hurriedly agreed.

"Moreover, the construction of Shengjing's defense is urgent. It's not a matter of choosing a day, but today."

Lin Tian shook the paper that recorded the details of donations from various ministers.

He said in a cold voice, "I will wait here. You can go home now and prepare the silver and send it to me. If it is not delivered by noon, I will go door to door to collect it myself. Do you understand?"