"Your Majesty, why is Wang Tongzhi here? The Jinyiwei is in charge of the investigation? There is no way to deal with Wang Tongzhi in this kind of war."

The first person to speak was Wang Lin, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. He was not talking about this policy, but questioning why Wang Tong appeared in such an occasion.

Everyone knows who wrote the strategy theory, but no one cares about it. When he heard Wang Lin’s inquiry, Emperor Wanli frowned and replied calmly: “Wang Tong is still an official of the Imperial Guard and has experienced several victories in the village. This time he is involved in military affairs, so he will naturally call him for consultation.

After hearing what the emperor said, Wang Lin glanced at Wang Tong and stopped talking. Wang Lin was promoted by Zhang Siwei to the Minister of War in Nanjing, so he had the qualifications to enter Beijing to become Minister of Revenue. Needless to say, he was naturally a party of Yan Qing, the Minister of Personnel, and others, so naturally he would not have any good face with Wang Tong.

After Wang Lin said this, the atmosphere in the side hall began to be a little nervous. This was the minister of War Zhang Xueyan, who was originally in charge of his face. His face was even more ugly than others. After Wang Lin finished speaking, Zhang Xueyan stood up and said, "Your Majesty, can you tell me how much silver is in the treasury now?"

Wang Lin should have asked this just now, but Emperor Wanli cared about this matter the most. After pondering for a moment, he answered: "There is still 5.23,000 taels in the treasury in yesterday's report."

Shen Shixing, Zhang Xueyan and Wang Lin looked at each other with surprise and look surprised. Unexpectedly, Emperor Wanli could actually know the number in the treasury so clearly. Zhang Xueyan paused and continued to say: "From five years later to the beginning of last year, these five years were the five years of the highest taxes in the Ming Dynasty. Since the time of Taizu, there has never been a situation in these five years..." After hearing Zhang Xueyan say this, Emperor Wanli was often stunned, and then his expression darkened and did better than the dozen emperors of Taizu to this day. This is indeed a compliment. But during those five years, it was not Emperor Wanli himself who was in charge of the government affairs, but his teacher Zhang Juzheng.

At that time, there was no emperor in the world, only Zhang Ge Lao. Emperor Wanli was still worried. When Zhang Xueyan mentioned this matter, Emperor Wanli was naturally unhappy.

However, Zhang Xueyan continued to say to himself: "...In the past five years, the annual treasury has reached nearly 10 million taels of treasury. His Majesty has not done anything to waste the people and cause money. He is cautious and does not dare to abuse national treasury, but why is there only more than 5 million in savings now?"

After asking this question, Emperor Wanli frowned and said, "It is not necessary to store the national treasury there and not move. It costs money everywhere. The five-200,000 taels of silver will be spent a lot in one month."

The expressions of the people in the room were different, Shen Shixing looked a little surprised, Wang Lin's face was gloomy, and Zhang Xueyan was surprised and looked relieved.

Wang Tong understood that Emperor Wanli was so familiar with the details of the financial numbers, which only the palace and his confidants knew. Shen Shixing had always been indifferent and rarely took the initiative to inquire about it. Naturally, he was surprised. Wang Lin was the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, but he listened to Emperor Wanli and the Minister of War discussing the treasury and income and expenditure there. How could he feel comfortable if he couldn't interfere? As for Zhang Xueyan, it was different from other people in the court. He was promoted to the position of Minister of Revenue, and Zhang Siwei changed him to the position of Minister of War, but he did not belong to any place.

To be precise, Zhang Xueyan came up step by step because of his diligence and hard work. It all depends on his practice, not on his political skills and standing sidelines. This person is a rare practical bureaucrat in the Ming Dynasty. Although he has been in the Ministry of War, he has been in the Ministry of Revenue for nearly 30 years. Naturally, he is clear everywhere now that he has heard that Emperor Wanli is so clear about practice, so Zhang Xueyan naturally feels very comforted.

"There is nothing more than His Majesty's reason why the treasury revenue is the highest in previous years, but there is no surplus. It's not that the expenses everywhere are too heavy, and the military expenditure is one by one, which has already been spent nearly 80% of the others. There is no need to explain the others one by one."

Emperor Wanli frowned and leaned on the back of the chair. Zonglu was the salary of the vassal princes and relatives everywhere. Since the reign of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty, they have been enthroned from generation to generation. These royal relatives were encircled in the city, making mistakes and reproduction of offspring. The Zhu family has more and more children. The court's responsibility for releasing Lumi has become a huge burden.

Zhang Xueyan did not finish his words and continued to say loudly: "Zong Lu did not mention it, but take last year as an example. The military expenditure of Liao Town was 1.3 million taels, Ji Town was 980,000 taels, Xuanfu was 860,000 taels... There was a total of more than 7.7 million. There was still insufficient allocation from the treasury alone, and there was also the salt method, and the self-financing of the Tartars. Your Majesty, it is still the same in peacetime now. If it was during the war... I just arrived at the Ministry of War and my practice was not deep, but I also felt that the policy statement was exquisite, but I often ignored the facts and reality of the treasury. I will not care about the defeat of this battle. Just about this military expenditure, this is a national war. Altan's tribe was not inferior to the time of the Tartars when he was a little prince. It was stronger than that when he was a little prince of the Tartars. The Korqin tribe is located in the northeast, and foreign barbarians helped. How many soldiers do you need to use and how much silver do you need to spend in such a war?"

The hall was quiet, Zhang Xueyan looked solemn and continued to say in a solemn voice: "Northern border is peaceful. In order to seek temporary achievements, we will do our best to the world. If we lose, we won. So what if we win, we cannot cultivate it. It is said that we must guard the barren land in the north. The grassland cavalry will not be completely wiped out. After the defeat, it is very easy to regroup and make a comeback. At that time, not to mention the north, the officials in the world have no salary and soldiers have no military pay. If the tax is increased, the people will be in chaos. If the tax is not increased, the officials will change their wars..."

This situation was indeed shocking, and what Zhang Xueyan said was very conspicuous. Emperor Wanli almost forgot about his previous unhappiness and was pondering hard there.

Before Zhang Xueyan finished speaking, this man was indeed a man of Fangzheng and said again: "What I said just now is based on the taxes in recent years. Your Majesty knows that from now on, the taxes collected in various places are less than 70% of last year, and next year is probably even worse."

After saying this, Zhang Xueyan returned to his seat. Emperor Wanli looked gloomy and tapped the handrail and said in a deep voice: "What Zhang Aiqing said is the reality. I also know the tax situation. The one-whip method has been abolished in various places, but this is also helpless. Although the one-whip method has deducted the miscellaneous brigades, many places regard the demolition of the miscellaneous brigades as a tax increase. It is indeed a good law and a good strategy, but it has been left behind. There have been many civil unrest in several places in Henan and Shaanxi, so I have to abolish it. As for the tax assessment strategy, the officials in the world naturally do not want to do anything. I have no choice but to do anything to do with it."

In the end, it turned into a sneer. Although Zhang Juzheng was extremely mournful after his death, everyone saw Emperor Wanli's attitude towards the children of the Zhang family. With Zhang Siwei's liquidation, Zhang Juzheng's policy had already resisted officials and the noble gentry below. If the court had such an attitude, the people below naturally abolished Zhang Juzheng's policies. No matter whether it was good or bad, Emperor Wanli could do nothing.

Zhang Xueyan talked so much, and Wang Lin felt that his face was dull and he was sitting there. Is there any room for him to speak? Shen Shixing pondered for a while and also stood up and said, "Your Majesty summoned me to come today. There are Ministry of War and Ministry of Revenue, which are nothing more than asking whether to fight or not, how to arrange the battle. However, what Zhang Shangshu said just now has heard that what I want to say is that such a great battle that is full of power is certainly a success for generations. What if you lose, what the country is turbulent, and what else is there? The Tartars enter the Central Plains again and suffer from such a risk. Did Your Majesty ever think that the first thing you want to do when you govern is the word "stability". In any case, the survival of the country is the important thing. Your Majesty must be cautious!"

Wang Tong lowered his head, but his mind was turning quickly. Shen Shixing's meaning should be considered as benefits and risks. Zhang Xueyan's statement is cost.

"Your Majesty, you must not be deceived by the villain of warriors and put the great country under his ancestors and ancestors in a dangerous place. Whoever makes this strategy for Your Majesty and who bewitches Your Majesty to consider this matter? I think it should be punished and punished seriously to serve as a warning to others!!"

Wang Lin, the Minister of Revenue, stood up and said this. Wang Tong just sneered. Seeing that the conclusion was completed, he just wanted to bring disaster over to deal with him. However, Wang Lin was speculating randomly when he saw Wang Tong present, but he didn't know that Wang Tong was just listening to the testimony and presented what Qi Jiguang said.

What Zhang Xueyan and Shen Shixing said was that Emperor Wanli showed a contemplative look, but Emperor Wanli was obviously disgusted with Wang Lin's words, but he did not do anything. He just waved his hand and said, "I will consider what you all said carefully, let's leave first.

Everyone stood up as a courtesy and retreated in sequence. After walking out, Wang Tong had the lowest status and naturally had to fall behind everyone. Zhang Xueyan and Wang Lin ignored him at all.

However, when Shen Shixing passed by him, he looked ahead and said calmly: "You are in a high position now. Your glory and wealth are because of Your Majesty, and because of this Ming Dynasty, don't ruin your foundation and go to the dead end. Wang Tong, you should do it yourself!"

Wang Tong smiled bitterly and lowered his head. Shen Shixing had already walked away. Before he could go too far, Zhao Jinliang had already run out of the side hall and shouted: "Long live the king to ask questions, please come back!"

The three of them looked back and continued to go. Wang Tong shook his head, turned around and entered the hall again. Emperor Wanli frowned and looked quite disappointed. He looked at the document in his hand for a few glances, then threw it away and spoke to Wang Tong: "I am not worried about the fact that Qi Jiguang is in Jizhen, but this person dares to give me this policy, which will definitely not be harmful to the country, but what Zhang Xueyan said just now is also true."

"Your Majesty remembers that after the great victory in Gubeikou, Qi Jiguang and me had a secret talk in Tianjin Wei. I once wrote a secret note to explain that time..."
Chapter completed!