Fenghou

"We also need to use this as the basis for renting out the house. In addition, the resolution this morning can be fine-tuned. The rent of the ground floor cannot be increased, including the small shops in various tiles. Rent increases of more than [-]% are not allowed."

"Understood, the Land and Housing Administration will make a plan for His Royal Highness to approve."

Chen Qing took a sip of tea and asked again: "After selling so much land, how will the money be used?"

Zhou Kuan invited Chen Qing to drink tea just to elicit this question from Chen Qing!He immediately said what was in his heart, and he couldn't hold it back.

"Part of it was used to build houses for rent, and most of it was used for military pay. After His Royal Highness recruited the Yue Family Army, the total number of the Western Army exceeded 40. During the war, the salary doubled, and the military salary was 200 million per month. Three In the month of war, 600 million guan was spent on the military salary alone, as well as food, meat, equipment, and armor, as well as expenditures for requisitioning the labor of the people, and the salary expenses of tens of thousands of military craftsmen, etc., all of which cost 150 million guan.

His Highness gathered 15 militia soldiers to Jingzhao for training, and they were in charge of food and housing. Each person was subsidized with a monthly allowance of 20 yuan a month.

Liu Qiong's army used 2000 mules and donkeys to go to Dengzhou. It didn't really play a big role, but we paid 120 yuan for renting mules and donkeys. In the end, more than 1000 mules and donkeys died, and we paid nearly [-] yuan. For money, [-] soldiers died in battle, and the double pension would cost [-] million guan. For a three-month battle in the Central Plains, Secoo spent nearly [-] million guan.

Your Highness, this is war, and what is fought is money, so the imperial court sent 20 troops to the Northern Expedition, and we all took it as a joke. How could the financial resources of the imperial court be able to support it? His Royal Highness lit a fire in Yangzhou and gave them a step to withdraw their troops . "

Chen Qing frowned and said, "However, according to calculations with Counselor Zhao, the annual income and expenditure gap is about 200 million yuan! Is there such a big pressure on our finances? Do we still need to temporarily sell land to support the military salary?"

Chapter 51 Compromise

"Your Highness, our main financial revenue is salt tax. The common people use a lot of salt in autumn and winter, especially in winter. Salt tax is also high in autumn and winter. Now it is summer, when the income from salt tax and wine tax is the least. The copper coins were exhausted, and finally 20 taels of silver were released, and millions of copper coins were exchanged from various counters to solve the urgent need."

Chen Qing picked up the teacup and said with a smile: "You spent a lot of time and gave me a noon class. Just tell me what the purpose is!"

Zhou Kuan was silent for a moment and said: "Your Highness has brought back 500 million yuan of war proceeds from the Central Plains this time. All of them cannot go into the treasury. I hope His Highness will give half to the temple treasury."

"Sure enough, it's the weasel who gave the chicken New Year's greetings, it's uneasy and kind!"

Chen Qing couldn't help laughing, pointed at Zhou Kuan and said, "After talking for a long time, you are still asking me for money, old Zhou! You can't calculate the account like this. The government treasury only bears the war part of the expenses, and the normal army expenses are borne by the temple treasury." , Don’t you think you won’t pay your military salaries if you don’t fight? It’s so black-hearted and breaking the rules to take half of the war proceeds as soon as you open your mouth! You sell the land, but the treasury won’t get a penny.”

The essence of the temple treasury and the treasury is the division of interests between the monarchy and the power of the prime minister. Taxes and money from selling land belong to the temple treasury, and the temple treasury bears non-war military expenditures.

Proceeds from the war and government and business income belong to the treasury, and special war expenditures and large-scale project support are borne by the treasury.

Zhou Kuan sighed and said: "The military salary of 40 troops and various military expenditures are too heavy, it costs 400 guan every year, and now the huge financial burden of Henan Road has been added. Let's do the math, the annual financial gap At [-] million crowns, if His Highness is willing to distribute half of the war dividends to the temple treasury, then the five-year financial gap can be made up, and we don't have to desperately mint money to make up for the shortfall."

"How many silver coins can be minted in a year now?"

"We can cast millions of silver coins a year, and there are 30 new copper coins. The silver is mainly used to pay salaries."

A silver coin is worth about 100 guan, and 50 million silver coins are equivalent to 30 guan copper coins. Adding 80 guan newly minted copper coins, 400 guan coins are minted a year, which is indeed not enough to make up for the [-] million guan financial gap.

Chen Qing thought for a while and said: "Follow the rules first, the treasury will bear 1000% of the [-] million yuan war expenditure this time, and secondly, the salt price will be increased to [-] yuan per catty. Except for Henan Road, Changping stores in other places will be cancelled." Coarse salt supply, third, I will order the inner guards to step up efforts to crack down on illegal salt and bootlegging, so that the salt tax revenue will be greatly increased, if the temple library still has difficulties, then discuss it with us."

Zhou Kuan also knew that Chen Qing didn't want to easily break the rules, and this was the greatest compromise. He nodded and smiled, "It's been too long, let's go back!"

……

When Zhou Kuan returned to the official room, Jiang Yanxian and Zhao Kai hurried over and asked, "How are you, have you convinced His Highness?"

Zhou Kuan sighed and said: "He gave in when the land was sold, and he doesn't bother anymore. He only wants to ensure that the rents of the people at the bottom will not rise, and the rents of small shops will not rise. The increase cannot exceed [-]%.

Zhao Kai nodded, "This is more reasonable, one size fits all is really wrong, so what about the 500 million war proceeds this time? Can't all go into the treasury!"

Zhou Kuan shook his head with a wry smile, "Don't think too well, how can he give in easily for such a principled person? He only agreed to pay 700 million yuan in war expenses, and then he would help us figure out how to increase financial revenue, and finally said something vague If you are really in financial difficulty, you can find him."

"Only 700 million guan!"

Zhao Kai was disappointed, "At least 900 million guan is required to balance the income and expenditure this year, and there is still a gap of 200 million guan."

Jiang Yanxian asked: "What move does Your Highness think of?"

"He said that the price of salt could rise to [-] yuan per catty, and then he would cancel the supply of coarse salt in Changping stores outside of Henan Road, and then crack down on illegal salt and alcohol."

Zhao Kai was quite satisfied with this plan, he said with a smile: "I mean, the salt tax is the fairest, everyone has to pay it, without exception, so it is also the mildest, and it is evenly distributed, so most people don't feel it. The pressure of the salt tax, even if it is a hundred coins per catty, is twice as low as the salt price of the imperial court."

Jiang Yan pondered for a while and said: "If the price rises to [-] Wen and the restrictions on private salt are added, it is estimated that this year's fiscal and tax expenditures will be balanced."

Zhao Kai nodded, "Almost, starting from next year, the army's food and meat can be settled by the army itself, and it can save millions of military expenses. I estimate that the final gap will be around one million guan, and we will be much more relaxed. gone."

……

Chen Qing also returned to his official room. He closed the door, lay on the wide chair and closed his eyes to meditate. He also felt that he had been too impatient these two days and lacked concentration. One size fits all, like those high-end restaurants, earn a lot of money, but the rent is very low, which is unfair to the government.

There is also the land price. I didn’t investigate it in detail, and I took it too seriously. In fact, the price per mu is only a very small number. There are suburbs and poor areas, and the price per mu cannot rise to the sky.

"Your Highness, Wang Hao, the commander of the internal guards, is asking to see you!"

I was about to see him!Chen Qing hurriedly said: "Let him in!"

Wang Hao walked in hurriedly, knelt down on one knee and gave a military salute, "Please refer to Your Highness for humble positions!"

"General please get up!"

Wang Hao got up and presented a report to Chen Qing, "This is the situation of Jin Guo's spies in the past two months. We have been monitoring each other."

"Surveillance for so long, the other party has never found out?"

"We are not tracking and monitoring in the past, but fixed monitoring, and we have not been found."

"Is Lu Wei still in contact with them?"

"I don't have much contact with them, but it seems that Lu Sima has met with them a few times in the past few days, and they have had very unpleasant quarrels."

"why?"

"The other party seems to want another Iron Fire Thunder."

Chen Qing laughed, the other party's research on Tie Huolei had obviously gone astray.

"You came at a good time today. I have an important task for you internal guards. It is to crack down on illegal salt and private brewing. Last year you also cracked down on illegal salt, and the harvest was not satisfactory. This year, you will increase your efforts."

Wang Hao bowed and said: "The private salt dealers are very cunning, they bribed the local government, as soon as we show up, the private salt disappears, especially on Jinghu South Road, the private salt dealers are very well disguised, they are probably a benevolent elder Or, the current private salt dealers in Bashu have been eliminated by us because of the rebellion, and a large number of them have been killed. The trouble is that Jinghu and Jinghu are basically the world of private salt."

"Is it that serious?"

"Reporting to Your Highness, I have been paying attention to the private salt situation, I have already grasped some clues, and the water is very deep here."

"The water is deep?"

Chen Qing smiled lightly: "Tell me about it, how about a deep method?"

"Let's say Jingnan South Road is a humble job! There is no salt production here, and private salt comes from two roads, one is Jingbei North Road, and the other is Jiangnan West Road. Jiangnan West Road is controlled by several big salt lords. The most famous It was Zhang Tai, a water thief from Poyang Lake. He was a fish merchant at first, and later he began to sell illegal salt. However, the imperial court was very strict, so he pickled fish with heavy salt and used fish to transport illegal salt. He sold heavy salt for more than ten years. Yu was finally discovered by the court, and he fled into Poyang Lake to become a water thief.

But he does not rob merchant ships, he still sells private salt, escorted by thieves, and the checkpoints along the way dare not stop him. Now his private salt accounts for [-]% of the private salt on Jingnan South Road, and several other salt lords account for [-]%. "

"go on!"

"There is another way to transport it from Jinghu North Road, but Jinghu North Road does not produce salt. In fact, it is privately transported salt from Jianghuai. This way is deep."

"How deep is the water?" Chen Qing asked lightly.

Chapter 52 Real Estate Speculation

Wang Hao sighed, "There are rumors that the private salt in Jianghuai is controlled by Zhang Jun, and Zhang Jun's army is selling private salt to raise military expenses. It is said that the emperor acquiesced."

"So Zhang Jun's private salt not only occupied Jianghuai, but also occupied Jinghu North Road, and then extended its tentacles to Jinghu South Road?"

Wang Hao nodded, "Exactly, the several states along the river sell their salt. Although the land is small, they are densely populated, so they accounted for [-]% of the salt share at once. In the end, only one percent of the official salt was sold." It is also because Sichuan Road is strictly controlled, they cannot enter, otherwise Sichuan Road will also fall.”

Only now does Chen Qing know why the financial gap is so large?The Jingnan South Road salt tax plan that was originally planned to make up for the gap could not be implemented at all. Zhang Jun, that bastard, stretched his hand beyond the limit.

"How much is their salt price?" Chen Qing asked again.

"Reporting to Your Highness, about fifty Wen per catty."

It's only fifty yuan per catty. Of course, my seventy yuan salt is not easy to sell, and I plan to raise the price to a hundred yuan!

Chen Qing immediately said: "Start with Jingnan South Road first, attack the salt lord Zhang Tai first, and then Jianghuai Salt!"

"Your Highness, I want Zhong Huan to be responsible, can I?"

"Do you think he's okay?" Chen Qing asked with a smile.

Wang Hao nodded, and Chen Qing immediately smiled and said: "You decide, I will send you [-] elite scouts and [-] thousand stone warships, and you will assign the rest of the manpower yourself. Before the end of the year, you must regain the share of salt on the South Jing Road." !"

"Follow your orders!"

Wang Hao saluted and left in a hurry.

There are so many things!Chen Qing squeezed his temples, stretched out his hand and pulled the bell rope.

After a while, an attendant on duty appeared at the door, "Please give orders, Your Highness!"

"Go to the military headquarters and find Lu Wei for me!"

Soon, Lu Wei came in a hurry. He had come here once in the morning, but King Yong went out and was not in the official room. He had to wait for tomorrow, but King Yong took the initiative to find him.

"See Your Highness for a humble position!"

Chen Qing nodded, "Just now Wang Hao talked about your matter, and the other party wants Tie Huolei again?"

"Exactly! This time they offered [-] guan, and want to buy another Iron Fire Thunder."

"How did you answer him?"

"Naturally, the humble job refused. I said that the number of iron fire mines is very scarce now. Because of the lack of gunpowder, the production of small iron fire mines has been discontinued for a year, and now all armies are not allowed to equip iron fire mines. If you want to use iron fire mines, you must King Yong approved it, and it was carried out by a special firearms battalion."

"How do they respond?" Chen Qing asked again.

"They were very frustrated at first, so they stopped talking about it, but they approached me the day before yesterday and asked me to discuss how to help them get one, and the price is negotiable."

"I said I'll inquire again, and I'll notify them if there's any news."

"Did they ask Wan Yanchang for instructions?"

"It should be, after seven or eight days, Wan Yanchang will probably reprimand them."

Chen Qing paced back and forth in the official room with his hands behind his back, bowed his head in thought and remained silent. The key was that he didn't know how far Jin Guo's iron fire thunder experiments had gone. Extraordinary means to prevent the opponent's firearms test.

Thinking of this, Chen Qing said to Lu Wei: "You ask them to give you a month, and you slowly figure out a way. This time, the asking price is [-] guan."

……

Chen Qing returned to the mansion. He came to his long-lost study and sat comfortably on a chair. His wife Lu Xiu came in with a cup of tea.

"My husband is very busy today!"

Chen Qing picked up the teacup and said with a smile: "I've been busy all day today, and I had a quarrel with several counselors about the land price and rent. Now that I think about it, I regret it. I shouldn't have said those harsh words, it seems very immature."

"They won't blame you. Husband just came back and found many problems. He must be impatient. In fact, I also know that the rent has risen sharply."

"How does the lady know?" Chen Qing asked with a curious smile.

"Read the newspaper!"

Lu Xiu picked up the newspaper on the table and handed it to her husband, "There is an advertisement inside, husband will know after reading it."

Chen Qing found the advertisement paper from the newspaper. He taught the "Beijing News" the method himself. He saw that it was densely packed with tofu block advertisements, which were divided into three categories: catering, farmhouse and others. Most of them were catering advertisements, occupying the Half, followed by field house advertisements, houses and shops for sale and lease, and land sales. There are also various advertisements in other categories, as well as notices, statements, etc., and even a divorce statement.

A piece of advertising paper is a big world.

Chen Qing's eyes fell on the advertisement of the farm house, "Wangpu is for rent, next to the old locust tree on Xiuren Road in Xiurenfang, just ask."

Chen Qing suddenly thought that each house should be assigned a house number, otherwise it would be hard to find.

"The two-acre courtyard is for sale, [-] guan, Liu's house in Zhao Zhuangyuan Lane, Renshoufang."

Chen Qing was very interested in this advertisement. The location of Renshoufang is not bad, it is close to Dawazi in Xicheng, it is considered an upper-middle location, only [-] guan, bargain price [-] can get it, mu The price is just over a thousand, so it seems that the land price is not expensive!

Lu Xiu smiled and said, "Does my husband think that the two-acre courtyard in Zhao Zhuangyuan Lane is not expensive?"

"Yes! Renshoufang is a very good location. It's only a little over a thousand yuan per mu, which is not expensive! Is there any reason?"

Lu Xiu shook her head and said: "This courtyard has been published several times. At first it was [-] guan, then it was reduced to [-] guan, and now it's [-]% off. My master also thought it was very cheap, so I ran to read it, but she came back and said, It was a haunted house. Three consecutive owners died in the room. The first owner was killed by burglars in the dormitory, the second fell into a well and drowned, the third owner was tricked into hanging himself, and the yard was the third owner. son is selling."

"No wonder it's so cheap. What's the normal price of Renshoufang?"

Lu Xiuqing cleared his throat with a smile and said, "The price of a house in Renshoufang depends on the area and the age of the house. For example, [-]% of them are considered new! The price per mu is about [-] yuan per mu. Two and a half rooms with a small courtyard occupy an area. The cheapest one is the three-point land, which can be bought for three or four hundred guan.

Once you reach the five-point land, you can build six houses and it will cost [-] guan. If more than one mu includes three acres, the price per mu will be [-] guan, and if the price is more than three mu, the price will be [-] guan. That is a house, which is the most expensive. Houses with more than five acres in Jingzhao are rarely available. "

"what!"

Chen Qing exclaimed: "Unexpectedly, the lady is also an expert in housing!"

"That is!"

Lu Xiu said triumphantly: "We are studying every day. It is difficult not to be an expert. Not only me, but also your women. The real expert is my master. She has already bought five sets of yards. There are still many yards in Xinnan City. There is a three-acre piece of Wangpu land. She said that the house in the slums cannot be bought, and there is no profit. If she buys a three-acre small house next to the official road outside the city, it will double next year. She holds three small houses outside the east city, one of which is Five-acre house."

Chen Qing was a little speechless, and Li Qingzhao became a real estate speculator.

After a while, Chen Qing said, "Where did your master get so much money?"

"Sell the house and make money! After we came to Jingzhao, we opened two Yi'an teahouses. Master and I shared half of the shares. Later, I gave her all the teahouses on East Street. I sold her teahouse last year. Three mu of land After selling [-] guan, she used the [-] guan as the capital and invested it all in real estate."