Inside Yangxin Hall.
The candle was brightly lit.
At this moment, Ji Hao was drawing.
The blueprint of the steam engine was already half completed.
However…
This steam engine blueprint was extremely difficult to draw.
He rolled the blueprints into a ball and threw them to the side.
Shangguan Wan 'er collected them.
" Your Majesty," Shangguan Wan 'er advised gently," if it's too difficult to draw, you can take your time. Your Majesty's dragon body is more important."”
"Zhen knows what to do. I will rest in Yangxin Palace Hall tonight. You can go take a bath and change your clothes.”
Shangguan Wan 'er's face lit up with joy as she bowed and said,""Yes, Your Majesty."
Ji Hao thought.
Now, in terms of land tax and corvee, they merged into one and implemented Zhang Juzheng's whip law.
It allowed people without land to have a chance to catch their breath.
The number of refugees had greatly decreased.
The four seas were at peace.
The people also worked harder to cultivate the land.
There was a bumper harvest of food, and everyone could fill their stomachs.
Even the beggars on the streets could fill their stomachs.
Of course, taxes were no longer that important to Ji Hao.
After all.
The taxes on the land added up.
At most, it was only ten million silver.
And implement the personal tax and business tax reform.
This made the Great Zhou's businesses prosper.
Just the monthly personal and business taxes alone would be around five million taels.
Punishment of corrupt officials, property confiscated into the national treasury.
It allowed the national treasury to receive 70 million taels of silver.
Therefore…
Ji Hao wanted to make the people of Great Zhou more stable.
The whole world was pardoned and half of the land taxes were reduced.
In barren lands, land taxes were directly exempted.
To the Great Zhou, the national treasury lost an average of 500,000 taels of silver every month.
However, for Ji Hao, this was a good thing for the country and the people.
The people lived and worked in peace and contentment, and they had enough money in their hands.
Only then could business flourish.
Whether it was the agricultural reform or the commercial reform.
In Ji Hao's eyes, there were still many shortcomings.
Small farming.
They still relied mainly on manpower and cattle.
The laws of the Great Zhou clearly stated that commoners were not allowed to eat beef. If they did, they would be thrown into prison.
In each prefecture, there were many people who reared herds of cattle. Every time the farming season was busy, they would rent them out to make a profit.
Great Zhou's business flourished.
However, there were still many businessmen who evaded taxes.
Moreover, this phenomenon was very difficult to deal with.
For businessmen who evaded taxes.
Ji Hao had a way to deal with it.
However, this required a large amount of manpower, material resources, and financial resources.
The Great Zhou expanded its territory, popularized three years of compulsory education, and built the world's strongest navy.
the expenses of civil and military officials.
The expenses of officials in the world.
The expenses of the palace.
Although the Great Zhou Lion could cultivate wasteland and be self-sufficient.
However, there were still many things that needed to be spent.
There was a good saying.
The cannon fired, and ten thousand taels of gold were released!
Fighting meant throwing money!
Fortunately, there were many famous officials and generals in the Great Zhou Dynasty, so they rarely lost.
He had also obtained a lot of gold, silver, and jewelry from annexing the Tubo, Turkic, Xixia, and Wei Kingdoms.
However, even so.
Ji Hao still felt that it was better to spend money sparingly.
To promote the development of the Great Zhou, silver was needed in all aspects.
He had only ascended the throne for less than a year, but he had already spent more than ten years of tax revenue.
However…
Once the steam engine blueprint was completed and produced, it would be put into use.
It would definitely greatly increase the productivity of the Great Zhou.
One had to know.
The widespread use of the steam engine made the industrial revolution successful.
In the current Great Zhou.
What they lacked was sufficient productivity.
Steam engines could be used in mining, spinning, weaving, warships, transportation…
However, Ji Hao had been drawing this blueprint for a long time, but still couldn't finish it.
He couldn't even draw a blueprint.
Thinking about this was just empty talk.
Shangguan Wan 'er had already finished bathing and changing her clothes. She returned to Yangxin Palace Hall and bowed."Emperor, this minister will serve you to rest."
"Go to sleep first. Zhen will draw for a while more.”
Shangguan Wan 'er walked to Ji Hao's side and said,""Emperor, this official also can't sleep, why not stay behind to grind ink for the emperor.”
He sniffed Shangguan Wan 'er's body fragrance.
Ji Hao drew for another two hours, then stopped.
A steam engine sketch appeared on the table.
Ji Hao was very satisfied with this.
However, it was already late at night. Tomorrow, he would send another draft of the steam engine to build it.
The next morning.
Ji Hao didn't go to court.
Instead, he ordered people to send Zero Zero to Yangxin Hall.
Zero Hair knelt on the ground and said respectfully,""This subject pays his respects to the emperor."
"My dear minister, please forgive me."
"Thank you, Emperor."
"Take this blueprint and see if you can forge it.”
Liu Jin passed the steam engine blueprint to Zero Zero.
Zilingfa only took a cursory glance and was deeply attracted by this exquisite steam engine blueprint.
"Reporting to the emperor, this item is so precise that it might not be easy to forge it. I will do my best to forge it.”
"How's the Sea Conqueror going?"
Zero Zero Hair said with pride,""Your Majesty, the Sea Conqueror is basically complete. The remaining works, such as installing iron cannons, torpedoes, fire systems, gunpowder, shells, and other minor works, can be completed in about ten days.”
"Very good, Zhen did not misjudge you.”
"Many thanks for the emperor's praise. Doing things for the emperor is what this official should do. If not for the emperor's appreciation, this official would still be an idle person at home.”
"That's just what outsiders think. In my eyes, you're a rare talent who keeps a low profile and doesn't take credit for yourself. I've decided to confer your wife the title of Third Rank Imperial Consort.”
Zero Hair knelt on the ground and said respectfully,""I thank the emperor on behalf of my wife!"
At this moment, Liu Jin walked in from outside the palace and walked to the Emperor's side. He whispered,""Cao Zhengchun and Wei Zhongxian are outside.”
"I'll take my leave first," Zero Hair said respectfully.”
"You can go."
Ji Hao knew that he should treat his subjects with both kindness and power.
Ling Ling left the main hall and greeted Cao Zhengchun and Wei Zhongxian. She then left the palace and returned home to inform Madam of the good news.
"I am Cao Zhengchun."
"I am Wei Zhongxian."
"Greetings, Emperor."
"No need to be polite. The two of you have come to see me so travel-worn. What do you have to report?”
" Your Majesty," Cao Zhengchun replied respectfully," Lord Wei and I have received reliable information that the people of the martial arts world will be choosing a martial arts world leader on Mount Hua on October 10th this year." I believe that the people of the martial arts world fight and kill each other. Although there are peerless experts, they are actually a plate of loose sand. If they really choose a martial arts world alliance leader, it might not be a good thing for the imperial court.”
"Wei Zhongxian, what do you think of this matter?”
Wei Zhongxian's face was full of fear and trepidation as he said,""Your Majesty, I agree with Lord Cao. Once the position of the leader of the martial arts world falls into the hands of someone with evil intentions, I'm afraid it will be ten times more dangerous than the White Lotus Society.”
"It's still early. I'll find a peerless expert from the martial arts world and make him my subordinate. I'll help him become the martial arts world's alliance leader. You still have to tell me about such a small matter. What use do I have for you?”
"We deserve to die."
"There's no need to die ten thousand times. Did you catch Murong Fu?”
"Your Majesty, Murong Fu's martial arts are strong and he's cunning. As far as I know, he has a maid who's good at disguising herself…" Cao Zhengchun replied respectfully.
"In other words, you haven't caught this person yet.”
Cao Zhengchun and Wei Zhongxian trembled, not daring to breathe too loudly.
"Although we didn't manage to capture Murong Fu, we've already captured his two maidservants."”
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