plumnovel Chapter 84: Vowing to annihilate the Japanese!
Chapter 84: Vowing to annihilate the Japanese!
The low-price subsidy policy of the Ming Dynasty's money shops was quite effective, enabling the vast majority of people in the Ming Dynasty to buy affordable grain.
Grain merchants across the country were complaining bitterly. High commercial taxes eroded their profits, while the continuous supply of affordable grain from the Ming Dynasty's money shops stifled their selling prices.
If they sell their grain at a price higher than that of the Ming Dynasty's money shops, they won't be able to sell even a single liter of rice.
If they sell their grain at a lower price than the Ming Dynasty's money shops, their profits will be very meager.
Between two evils, choose the lesser; grain merchants across the country had no choice but to lower grain prices with heavy hearts.
The merchants who had to lower prices with tears in their eyes were not only grain merchants, but also cloth merchants, coal merchants, oil merchants, and other merchants who sold daily necessities. Under the pressure from the Ming Dynasty's money shops, they were also forced to reduce their prices.
Their plan to shift the tax burden onto ordinary people failed completely due to Zhu Houzhao's continuous subsidies!
They have no choice but to bear this portion of the tax themselves.
As for the merchants selling luxury goods such as flowers, birds, calligraphy and paintings, and antique porcelain, Zhu Houzhao didn't bother with them. If they wanted to raise prices, let them go up to the sky.
Anyway, those who can afford to buy these goods are either rich or noble. They are willing to spend more money to buy these dispensable things, so let them buy them. Zhu Houzhao just needs to collect taxes.
When the people of all parts of the Ming Dynasty learned that the affordable grain they bought was subsidized by the current emperor himself, they all sincerely praised Zhu Houzhao.
They were deeply grateful to Zhu Houzhao, calling him a wise and benevolent ruler who saved them from suffering, a rare and virtuous ruler throughout history.
The landlords, gentry, and wealthy merchants hated Zhu Houzhao to the bone, cursing him as the greatest tyrant and incompetent ruler in history!
After summarizing the situation of the Ming Dynasty's money shops in various places, Shangguan Haitang immediately set off to the palace to meet the emperor.
……
Forbidden City.
Cining Palace.
Zhu Houzhao sat on the soft couch, listening to Shangguan Haitang recount the recent situation of the Daming Bank.
"Your Majesty, the prices of grain and other goods throughout the Ming Dynasty have fallen back to the levels before the tax increase."
"The average price of grain in various regions is around 480 wen per shi of rice and around 330 wen per shi of wheat, both of which are lower than the prices of the same type of grain at the Daming Qianzhuang."
Zhu Houzhao nodded, very satisfied with the result.
In fact, unless there were years of famine and a sharp rise in grain prices, the average grain price in various regions was around three to four hundred wen per shi (a unit of dry measure) of rice.
The price set by Zhu Houzhao at 500 cash per shi (a unit of dry measure) could not actually be considered a low price.
However, given the previous skyrocketing prices, this price seems increasingly affordable.
Therefore, even if grain merchants in various regions sold rice at a price of 480 coins per shi (a unit of dry measure), they could still make a profit.
It's just that I earn less money.
The price of grain purchased by ordinary people has indeed increased significantly compared to previous years, but the increase is still within an acceptable range for them.
We will not allow them to sell their children or become slaves just for a bite to eat.
Moreover, the Ming Dynasty Bank could also provide low-interest loans to those who were desperate for money.
"Your Majesty, in Hanzhong Prefecture, Runing Prefecture, Bozhou Division, Andong Guard and other places, there have been cases of officials and merchants colluding to obtain low-interest loans."
"Wealthy merchants illegally obtained low-interest loans of more than one million taels of silver by forging documents and bribing officials in charge of the Ming Dynasty's money shops."
"Your Majesty, I humbly request your guidance on how this matter should be handled."
Zhu Houzhao remained expressionless, unfazed by such occurrences.
The practice of illegal lending has been practiced by aristocratic and wealthy merchants for hundreds of years, and they still enjoy it in later generations.
However, the difference is that even if illegal lending is discovered in later generations, the only thing that happens is that the person involved is imprisoned for a few years, and it is very difficult to recover the money.
But this is the Ming Dynasty, and Zhu Houzhao is the emperor of the Ming Dynasty. How to deal with these people is just a matter of his word.
Zhu Houzhao coldly declared, "The officials involved should be skinned alive!"
"The wealthy businessman involved will have his entire family executed!"
"After skinning and stuffing them with straw, these officials were made into scarecrows and placed at the entrance of the Ming Dynasty's money exchange as a warning to others."
Shangguan Haitang's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly bowed and accepted the order: "Yes, Your Majesty!"
In feudal dynasties, Zhu Houzhao was free to disregard human rights and humanity when dealing with officials, wealthy merchants, and aristocratic families.
If you dare to infringe upon the emperor's interests, Zhu Houzhao will kill your entire family, no questions asked!
Finally, Shangguan Haitang reported to Zhu Houzhao on the money and grain consumed by the Daming Bank during this period.
"Your Majesty, as of now, the Ming Dynasty Bank has consumed eight million shi of grain, of which two million shi were obtained through salt certificates and six million shi were tax grain collected by the Ming Dynasty Bank."
"The income was about 3.2 million taels of silver. Of this, 2.7 million taels were lent out at low interest rates, and another 2.3 million taels were spent to purchase grain from grain merchants to stabilize the granaries."
"In total, the Ming Dynasty consumed a total of eight million shi of grain and one million eight hundred thousand taels of silver during this period."
These figures represent the price Zhu Houzhao paid to stabilize grain prices.
Not only did they lose all of their annual salt sales revenue, but they also lost millions of bushels of grain and millions of taels of silver.
But this cost is negligible compared to the commercial taxes Zhu Houzhao collected this year.
Zhu Houzhao nodded and said calmly, "I understand. Continue the subsidies. Stabilizing people's livelihood is of paramount importance and we must not slacken our efforts."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
"Go."
Zhu Houzhao waved his hand, picked up the memorial on the table again, and began to read it.
Shangguan Haitang hesitated, then looked at Zhu Houzhao's focused expression as he presented his memorial. With a helpless sigh, she left Cining Palace.
The contents of the memorial in Zhu Houzhao's hand caused his face to darken and anger to rise within him.
Qi Jingtong, the hereditary commander of Dengzhou Guard, reported that a group of Japanese pirates numbering over a thousand had appeared near Dengzhou Guard.
They attacked hundreds of Ming Dynasty households along the coast. For each household they attacked, they killed, set fires, and looted.
They adhered to the "Three Alls" policy: burn all, kill all, and loot all!
It brought a painful disaster to the people of Dengzhou during the Ming Dynasty.
Meanwhile, Qi Jingtong, along with the soldiers of Dengzhou Garrison, had temporarily driven away the group of Japanese pirates.
However, this is only a temporary solution; these Japanese pirates could return at any time and wreak havoc on the region.
Qi Jingtong requested Zhu Houzhao to order a complete eradication of the Japanese pirates along the coast and to restore justice to the people of the Ming Dynasty.
It brought peace and stability to the people along the coast of the Ming Dynasty.
Zhu Houzhao picked up the memorial and looked at the sentence over and over again, his heart burning with both old and new grudges.
Beginning in the Hongzhi era, Japanese pirates repeatedly plundered the coast of the Ming Dynasty, causing unrest among the coastal people.
This situation was most severe during the Jiajing era and continued into the Wanli era.
For the sake of the peace and tranquility of the people along the coast of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Houzhao was determined to completely wipe out the Japanese pirates!
Simply eliminating the Japanese pirates is not enough; we must address the root cause and eradicate the Japanese nation completely!
Thinking of this, Zhu Houzhao immediately gave the order: "Liu Jin!"
"By imperial decree, summon Qi Jingtong, the Vice Commander of the Dengzhou Garrison, to the capital to see me!"
Liu Jin respectfully accepted the decree: "Yes, Your Majesty!"