GBP Chapter 987 What I said just now was merely a joke.
Chapter 987 What I said just now was merely a joke.
Li Shanchang originally thought that no matter how bad Chen Mo was, he would at least say something like "the court and military affairs are of utmost importance".
Li Shanchang never expected that Chen Mo would simply roll his eyes and then start making sarcastic remarks.
"The imperial court and local government offices at all levels, including provincial administration commissioners, prefectures, states, and counties, as well as the Grand Military Commission, local military commands, guards, and garrisons, shall collect whatever amount is due, except when His Majesty issues an edict to requisition them during times of war."
"This part of the expenses should be included in the annual budget of each ministry and the Grand General's Office."
"Otherwise, where would the Ministry of Railways get the money to build railways?"
To put it bluntly, how much money can you make by taking on private freight transport?
The county magistrate analyzed that the current Ming Dynasty is mainly based on small-scale handicrafts, with industry as a supplement, and the demand for the circulation of wealth among the people is not particularly large.
In the end, the imperial court had to take the lead in making money through railways.
As for the part about the transportation of private goods?
That's just killing two birds with one stone, a side effect.
As Chen Mo finished speaking, the faces of Emperor Zhu and Li Shanchang immediately darkened.
So, Chen Mo, you're planning to make money off the imperial court and then use that money to build railways?
No wonder he was born as the executive deputy magistrate of Ningyang County.
They're all utterly wicked!
But then Emperor Zhu thought again that there was no problem.
After all, the railway will eventually need to be repaired.
It's no different for the Ministry of Railways to earn money from the imperial court and then use it for repairs than for the national treasury to allocate funds directly for repairs.
After all, railways are too important to be expected to be raised by Chen Mo from various sources, let alone involve the money of the gentry.
Just as Emperor Zhu was pondering this, Chen Mo continued, "To be honest, Prime Minister Li, my original plan was to borrow some money and grain from the higher authorities, and then borrow some more from various noble families, so that we could start building the railway first."
What the hell?
This bastard actually has his eye on our private funds?
No.
We originally thought you were just trying to fleece the government, but we never expected you were planning to fleece us instead.
Good heavens, our "good" son-in-law is always looking to squeeze us dry. He finally managed to get a position as executive deputy county magistrate from Ningyang County, but this bastard is also looking to squeeze us dry.
What's wrong with you all in Ningyang County? Are you all bandits or what? Why are you all eyeing our private treasury?
Li Shanchang, Liu Bowen, and others unconsciously rolled their eyes.
Borrow money and grain from this old man?
Do you want to see what nonsense you're spouting?
Even noble families have no surplus grain!
Chen Mo glanced at Emperor Zhu and Li Shanchang, and continued, "My idea is to convert all the borrowed money and grain into shares, and then distribute the profits according to the shares when the railway starts to make a profit."
Emperor Zhu's eyes lit up immediately.
How much money is left in the imperial treasury?
The workshops in Ningyang County have been sharing profits for so many years, they should be able to come up with ten million strings of cash.
If we also include the income from royal estates and other royal properties, there should be an additional few million strings of cash.
Although it's still far from 600 million guan, and after taking out this amount of money, the palace will have to tighten its belt and live frugally.
But isn't the benefit of owning more shares that means you can get more shares in the future?
Li Shanchang also fell into deep thought.
The Korean government has few industries and basically no income.
However, the money and grain bestowed upon him over the years could amount to several million strings of cash.
If we sell a few more properties, shops, etc., we should be able to raise around five million strings of cash.
Yang Siyi glanced at Emperor Zhu, then at Li Shanchang, Liu Bowen, Chang Yuchun, and others, before jumping out and looking at Chen Mo, saying, "The construction of the railway is related to the fate of the Ming Dynasty for thousands of years. How can we let Vice Minister Chen raise money and grain on his own?"
"What I said just now was just a joke."
“Here’s what we’ll do,” Yang Siyi said with a broad smile, holding up one finger. “One million strings of cash. The national treasury will first allocate one million strings of cash to the Ministry of Railways.”
"Anyway, there are only a few months left until the end of the year. Minister Chen, use this one million strings of cash to survey the terrain, recruit manpower, and prepare provisions."
"When it comes time to prepare next year's budget at the end of the year, Minister Chen, please feel free to proceed. I guarantee that the national treasury will be able to squeeze out another 50 million strings of cash."
Emperor Zhu's face darkened again, and his gaze toward Yang Siyi was filled with hostility: "Didn't Minister Yang just say that the national treasury was empty?"
Yang Siyi was slightly taken aback, then said stiffly, "Your Majesty, the national treasury is indeed empty right now, and we really can't come up with any money."
"The one million strings of cash that I just promised was an emergency fund that was already set aside when the budget was made in the sixth year of Hongwu."
"After this money is taken out, the national treasury will really have no money left."
At this point, Yang Siyi bowed to Emperor Zhu with a fawning smile and said, "Your Majesty, I plan to issue 100 million strings of cash in national bonds in the name of the national treasury. Your Majesty, the Duke of Han, and the Duke of E can use the money to purchase these bonds at an annual interest rate of 3%."
"In this way, the imperial treasury can make money, the nobles can make money, and the national treasury will also have money to build railways."
Chen Mo was completely dumbfounded.
No.
Where did you, Minister Yang, learn this trick from?
I just asked the magistrate for a solution, and you came up with it yourself right away. This makes me look so useless!
That's not right either!
The county magistrate and I planned to use the Ministry of Railways to get this thing done, and from the beginning we were prepared to borrow it and never pay it back.
Now that you, Minister Yang, have suddenly jumped out and are doing this in the name of the national treasury, how can there be any unpaid debts?
The thought of having to honestly repay the money in the future made Chen Mo's heart ache as if it were being cut by a knife.
Emperor Zhu glanced at Yang Siyi, then at Chen Mo, and suddenly grinned, saying, "How about this, we'll take ten million strings of cash from the imperial treasury to invest in railway construction, and then give a share of the profits to the imperial treasury every year."
"In addition, let's find a way to raise another ten million strings of cash to buy national bonds issued by the treasury."
After all, there are many people in the Zhu family, and having another source of income will help improve our lives in the future.
By the way, the income we're talking about is the national debt issued by the Ministry of Revenue.
As for the ten million strings of cash invested in the railway?
Screw it.
Chen Mo, that scoundrel, would never have come up with such a method. Maybe it was our "good" son-in-law who gave him the idea.
Judging from that scoundrel's consistent style, the ten million taels invested in the railway will most likely yield little return.
Even if we could see it, it would be a very long time coming.
Li Shanchang glanced at Yang Siyi, then at Chen Mo, and said, "I will take out one million strings of cash to invest in the railway construction, and use the remaining four million strings of cash to purchase national bonds from the treasury."
Judging from Chen Mo's pathetic state, you can tell that he must have some powerful prince consort giving him advice.
Since Yang the Madman is involved, then don't expect any return on the one million guan invested in the railway; consider it a waste.
However, the remaining four million guan of national debt is guaranteed by the national treasury, so there is absolutely no chance of loss.
However, government bonds are indeed a good thing.
Yang Siyi wasn't entirely stupid after all.
If used properly, 600 million strings of cash is really not a difficult thing to achieve.
I wonder if those local gentry and gentry know what's good for them?