Right now, the Great Ming's national treasury was full of fifteen million taels of silver.
Liu Jian rushed back to the cabinet.
Starting from the 11th year of Chenghua, the military expenditure owed by Ming to Jiubian was as high as seven million taels.
Liu Jian immediately drafted a memorial and sent it to the director of ceremonies for approval. He also sent people from the five armies to send seven million taels of silver to the nine sides.
Apart from that, Liu Jian had also ordered people to repay the one million taels of silver he had borrowed from the people over the years.
The two major expenses were settled. The cabinet called the Minister of Revenue, Li Min, to allocate three million silver to the southeast coastal defense expenses and the maintenance of the military equipment that had been in disrepair for a long time.
He also allocated two million taels to the Ministry of War for the construction of the Ming Treasure Ship, warships, and the development of new firearms.
These things were what Zhu Youtang was most concerned about.
A strong country should first strengthen its army, and a weak country should have no diplomatic relations.
Zhu Youtang understood these principles very well.
……
The national treasury was only full of 15 million taels, and it was gone in just a day.
Zhu Youtang was knowledgeable about the extent of Ming's lack of money.
Yangxin Palace Hall.
Zhu Youtang leaned against the couch, holding the military book in his hand and reading it lazily.
Mou Bin arrived at Yangxin Palace Hall with Azure Dragon and knelt down.
Zhu Youtang didn't let the two of them get up and said lightly,""Speak."
"Reporting to the Emperor, I've found out that five vassal kings bullied and annexed the land of their villages. More than 300 members of the imperial clan have tens of thousands of acres of land…"
"Oh." Zhu Youtang nodded.
Azure Dragon's heart skipped a beat.
Before he came, he had more or less heard about the Emperor's pressure from Commander Mou.
He was very curious as to why Sir System was so reluctant to come to Yangxin Palace Hall.
Zhu Youtang was a man of few words, but every word seemed to be filled with boundless pressure. This was the first time Azure Dragon had seen the imposing manner of the True Dragon Son of Heaven of Ming Dynasty.
Obviously, the Emperor was not satisfied.
"Your Majesty, there are still a group of vassal kings and imperial clan members…I'm investigating them."”
Zhu Youtang nodded and said to Azure Dragon,"Get up."
"Commander Mou, you can get up too."”
The two of them quickly stood up as if they had been pardoned.
"The five vassal kings should be executed.”
Zhu Youtang's voice was not loud.
However, the Azure Dragon, who had just stood up, suddenly trembled. He could not help but feel his mouth go dry.
The outside world had always feared the Brocade Guard and the East Chamber.
His two machetemen, Azure Dragon, were even more terrifying in the martial world.
However, who would have thought that such a person would start to break out in cold sweat.
The five vassal kings were all the Emperor's uncles.
The Emperor didn't ask how deep their mistakes were, how much they were greedy, and just opened his mouth to confiscate their property and kill them!
The 300 members of the Imperial Clan were all related to the Emperor. Even so, the Emperor did not say a word of nonsense and exterminated the entire clan.
"Yes."
Azure Dragon didn't dare to raise his head, but he could clearly feel the Emperor's burning gaze pressing down on his head.
At this moment, he was suffering.
After an unknown amount of time.
Zhu Youtang said,"The commander of the South Town Fu Division, the second master of the Royal Guards, the hero who killed the commander of the Tartar army for me."”
"Zhen asks you, how do you think Zhen should reward you?”
Zhu Youtang picked up the teacup and blew gently. The celadon tea lid knocked against the edge of the cup.
Thump, thump, thump.
The rhythm of each strike was like the Azure Dragon's heartbeat that was about to burst out of its throat.
He was terrified.
Because of the Emperor's words, he was promoted to the commander of the South Town's Administrative Office.
However, the White Tiger, Vermillion Bird, and Black Tortoise who had followed him to the north of the desert were not rewarded at all.
Before they came, the three of them even teased Azure Dragon and asked him to put in a good word for him in front of the Emperor.
But now, did he dare?
Mou Bin, who was standing beside the green dragon, clenched his fists tightly. The veins on his forehead were faintly visible.
He wanted to remind the Azure Dragon, but he didn't dare to say a word now.
A thought of life and death.
If he didn't answer this question properly, Azure Dragon would die without a burial place today.
Azure Dragon was so nervous that his back began to sweat.
"Reporting to the Emperor! It is my greatest honor to do business for the Ming Dynasty and the Emperor. I dare not covet credit.”
Zhu Youtang blew a breath and drank the yellow hot tea cup in one gulp.
Just as Mou Bin thought, if Qinglong dared to have his own thoughts today, Zhu Youtang would not mind changing another person to be the commander of Nanzhen Fu Division.
Although his martial arts were high, the Ming Dynasty did not lack experts.
The Jinyiwei were Zhu Youtang's eyes. He couldn't see what was happening outside the palace, so he needed some eyes and ears for him to see and hear.
But if these eyes and ears had their own thoughts, what was the use of keeping them?
It made her feel a little annoyed.
Zhu Youtang was quite satisfied with Azure Dragon's answer.
"There's no need to be humble. You should be rewarded for your contributions.”
He stood up and walked to the Emperor's Sword hanging on the couch.
He had not unsheathed the sword since it was gifted by the system.
Zhu Youtang threw it towards the main hall.
"This sword is so fragile that it can break a feather.”
"Do what you should do. Wipe the blood clean and return the Emperor's Sword to me.”
……
They left Yangxin Hall.
Mou Bin looked at Azure Dragon's wet clothes and broke out in a cold sweat for him.
At this moment, Azure Dragon finally understood why Mou Bin did not dare to come to Yangxin Palace Hall.
"Thank you for your guidance, Master."
Azure Dragon sincerely thanked Mou Bin.
Mou Bin nodded." Your answer today is very good. You should have passed this round."”
"In the future, if you don't make a huge mistake, the emperor won't make things difficult for you.”
"Now do you understand why I asked you what the full name of Jinyiwei is?”
"The emperor's army! We are the eyes and ears of the Emperor. If anyone dares to have their own thoughts, they are not far from death.”
"Now, do you understand?"
"Yes, sir." Azure Dragon nodded hurriedly.”
"Alright, go and do your job. If you need to kill, kill.”
"Your humble servant accepts the order!"
……
Zhu Youtang rubbed his eyebrows.
Five vassal kings and more than three hundred members of the imperial clan, he killed them without hesitation.
Right now, Da Ming still had hundreds of thousands of imperial clan members.
If they were smart enough, they should know what to do next.
If he wasn't smart enough, Zhu Youtang didn't plan to keep him.
If the problem of the imperial clan was not solved, such a huge social class would still drag down Ming.
From now on, I think that in the eyes of this group of people, I am no different from a tyrant.
However, if some problems were not solved, how could the Ming Dynasty and the Han Dynasty be immortal?
"Imperial Lord, the silver that was sent to the Nine Border Treasury has not…has not left Bei Zhi Li yet when it…has been robbed.”
Zhu Youtang was stunned.
"Who did this?"
"A group of wanderers in the pugilistic world who rob the rich to help the poor.”
Zhu Youtang laughed coldly." Good, good. It's a good thing that my Great Ming can see so many heroes who are passionate about the people.”
"I, as the emperor, should do it for them.”
Zhu Youtang changed the topic and said sternly,"Go and call your ancestor over!”
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