My father is Yongzheng, and I am Qianlong?

Chapter 313 The Concubine's Merit: Yongzheng's Princes Are Really Fierce!
Hongli then told Yongzheng his specific ideas.

After hearing this, Yongzheng put down the memorial in his hand and remained silent for a while.

Then, Yongzheng stood up again, paced around the room, and muttered to himself, "Reform, reorganize, transform, strengthen management."

"No layoffs or cost-cutting measures?"

Yongzheng then inquired about Hongli.

Hongli nodded and smiled, saying, "This is only treating the symptoms, not the root cause. It's more appropriate to focus on increasing revenue."

"Okay, you can try doing it this way."

Yongzheng nodded.

"Whoo!"

Nian Xiyao and Chang Ming also breathed a sigh of relief.

It should be noted that all officials in the Imperial Household Department, from top to bottom, were stuffing their relatives and friends into the department and embezzling funds from various expenditures.

Therefore, what they are most worried about is the emergence of a reform model of "laying off redundant staff and cutting expenses".

After all, this would mean that many of their white-collar relatives and friends would lose an income, and they themselves would also lose a lot of their gray income.

Now that Hongli is not reforming in this direction, but focusing on increasing revenue, they are naturally more accepting of it.

"Fourth Master is indeed a wise man; he knows how to make the best changes."

Chang Ming was filled with emotion as he left with Nian Xiyao.

Nian Xiyao nodded in agreement, saying, "Indeed, Fourth Master is not only worldly-wise but also kind and benevolent. Otherwise, he would not have come up with such a good direction for reform, unlike those who are all talk and no action and who are harsh and heartless."

"This makes me envious that Gong Neng has a woman as Fourth Master's bedmate!"

"Perhaps your family will have another imperial concubine in the future!"

At this moment, Chang Ming looked at Nian Xiyao with envy.

Nian Xiyao waved his hand: "No matter what, it is all due to the Emperor's boundless grace. Precisely because of this, we servants cannot only think of ourselves, but should serve the Emperor diligently."

Seeing that Nian Xiyao wasn't smug or arrogant, Chang Ming just chuckled awkwardly, a hint of disappointment in his eyes.

After telling Yongzheng his idea, Hongli went to see Yunxiang.

Hongli did not go to see Yunxiang empty-handed, but brought with him Chongyang cakes made by his concubine Zhaojia and a homemade hand cannon.

His concubine, Lady Zhaojia, was a skilled craftswoman who could make all kinds of pastries and snacks and also loved to research and develop firearms.

When Hongli came to see Yunxiang, Yunxiang was rubbing his knees while looking at the tickets. When he saw Hongli's lacquer box, he smiled and asked, "What good things did you bring for your thirteenth uncle again?"

"Some Double Ninth Festival cakes made by the concubine, and a homemade hand cannon."

"Uncle Thirteen, would you like to try the pastries first, or try this beginner's gun?"

After saying this, Hongli smiled and asked.

Yunxiang rubbed his stomach: "Let's eat some pastries first. I'm a little hungry. Ziqing's cooking is always pretty good."

After washing his hands, Yunxiang took a piece and, after Hongli finished drinking his tea, asked, "Speak, what is it?"

"It's because Father asked his nephew to reorganize the Imperial Household Department and resolve the issue of its reduced surplus."

Hongli replied.

Yunxiang frowned upon hearing this.

"Some of the rectification methods that my nephew came up with require the cooperation of the Ministry of Revenue. Now that Uncle Thirteen is in charge of the Ministry of Revenue, I've come to hear Uncle Thirteen's opinion."

Hongli said.

Yunxiang nodded: "In that case, let's talk about it."

"For example, my nephew wants to expand the management rights of the three textile bureaus in Jiangnan, allowing them to open restaurants, grain shops, etc., in order to increase their profits. But this will cause two hidden worries:"

"Firstly, it involves excessive competition with the people for profits, which will inevitably displease local officials and gentry;"

"Secondly, without the supervision of officials from the Nonwoven Bureau, there is a risk that they might conceal the profits, just as they would with defective textiles."

"Therefore, I thought of reforming the profit-based taxation of their sideline businesses. The profits from their sideline businesses would be divided into three parts: one part would be handed over to the Imperial Household Department, one part would be kept for the operation of the Weaving Bureau, and the other part would be given as tax to the imperial court and local governments to support the people's livelihood."

"In this way, at least the imperial court will not object to doing so. In addition, the officials of the imperial court can actively supervise the textile bureau."

"However, this new source of tax revenue comes from the Imperial Household Department, which is not something that ordinary government agencies dare to collect. It would be better for the Ministry of Revenue to set up a special agency to collect this type of tax. Perhaps it should be called the National Taxation Bureau or the National Tax Administration, which can represent the country to collect taxes from the industries under the Imperial Household Department."

Hongli knew that, like the Ming Dynasty, the Qing Dynasty at present did not have a unified tax collection agency.

However, he intended to unify the tax authorities, and by having the Ministry of Revenue establish a State Taxation Bureau or State Taxation Division, he was laying the foundation for a unified tax policy in the future.

Yunxiang stopped rubbing his knees and bent his fingers under his nose, looking like he was thinking seriously.

After a while.

Yunxiang laughed and said, "Hongli, are you trying to completely separate your fourth brother from the country?"

"If even the Emperor's Imperial Household Department has to pay taxes to the Ministry of Revenue, then shouldn't the properties of all the princes and nobles in the country also have to pay taxes?"

"Uncle Thirteen, shouldn't we keep public and private matters separate?"

"Moreover, princes and nobles are not supposed to engage in commerce according to the law. It's just that the court doesn't want to punish them severely. But if we really want to collect taxes from them and make them give back to the country and the people, we can open that door. This will also prevent the principle that princes and commoners are subject to the same laws from being rendered meaningless."

Hongli replied.

The Qing Dynasty legal code stipulated that any family member of an official in the inner court, or any family member of a minister or official below the rank of prince, who "abused their power to extort money from the market," would be sentenced to three months in cangue and one hundred lashes. In the sixth year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, he also issued an edict requiring the families of all civil and military officials below the rank of prince to refrain from competing with the people for profit, or they would be severely punished.

However, these laws did not stop the princes from engaging in business. As early as the Kangxi era, Yinreng illegally sold ginseng and opened a shop in Jingzhou, a place that was a necessary route from the capital to Xining.

During the reign of Emperor Yongzheng, the Third Prince (Yinzhi) and the Fifth Prince (Yinqi) took advantage of the famine in the capital region to buy rice and hoard it for speculation.

Therefore, Yunxiang solemnly nodded and said, "Of course! If things aren't clear, who would be willing to be honest and upright, and work diligently?"

As he spoke, Yunxiang said, "I will talk to Fourth Brother about the matter of setting up a National Taxation Bureau or National Taxation Division."

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Uncle Thirteen."

"Not at all. As the chief councilor, it is only right that your thirteenth uncle should make the distinction between public and private matters clearer."

The thirteenth prince then asked Hongli to accompany him to test fire his self-made pistol, citing the need to aid digestion.

boom!
After the thirteenth prince fired a shot at the firing range, he praised, "This gun is easy to carry and is suitable for equipping the high-ranking officials in the border towns with one so that they can defend themselves in case of attack!"

"What Uncle Thirteen is right. It can't be mass-produced yet, so it's perfect for making special supplies for the high-ranking officials in the border towns."

Hongli echoed this, saying that it was all thanks to Lady Zhaojia, which made the thirteenth prince even happier.

At this moment, a eunuch from the thirteenth prince's side came to report that Hongxi was requesting an audience.

The thirteenth prince also invited Hongxi to come here.

When Hongxi arrived, he naturally greeted Hongli. He also praised the thirteenth prince for testing the self-propelled musket, but then said, "However, our Great Qing is based on horseback archery. It may not be a good thing that these firearms are becoming more and more sophisticated!"

“But if we don’t improve our firearms, the foreign barbarians will improve them on their own. This is not a good thing in the long run.”

Hongli retorted.

Hongxi said, "That's true, but the more powerful the firearms are, the easier it is to train a civilian into an elite soldier. In that case, the advantage of our Great Qing Eight Banners Army will be lost."

“The Eight Banners can also practice firearms. Besides, it’s not only Manchus who can be Bannermen.”

"As the ruler of China, Fourth Brother will naturally select the best warriors to join the Eight Banners, thus maintaining the advantage of the Eight Banners."

Yunxiang began to speak with a smile.

Hongxi chuckled and said, "Thirteenth Uncle is right."

"I'm going to the Old Summer Palace again, what about you?"

Yunxiang asked.

Hongli said, "I'm going to the Imperial Household Department's workshops to see how they're making changes."

Yunxiang nodded.

Hongxi then said to Hongli, "Why don't I go with you? The Emperor has granted me permission to return to Zhengjiazhuang tomorrow, so that I can do more for Uncle Thirteen and you."

Hongli nodded and said with a smile, "In that case, I'll have to trouble you, cousin."

Therefore, Hongli sent Hongxi to the Imperial Household Department's workshop.

Upon arriving here, Hongli first visited the workshop of the Imperial Workshops where self-propelled firearms were manufactured.

Hongxi also came along, and since Hongzhou was in charge of the Imperial Household Department's workshops, he said to Hongli when they arrived:
"Hongli, you must be wary of the Fifth Prince. He didn't come when we went to the Yuanmingyuan to plead for Yin Tai and the others. This shows that he is not simple-minded!"

Hongli stopped in his tracks after hearing this.

Hongxi then suggested, "He's currently in charge of the Imperial Workshops. In my opinion, we should find some mistakes here and give him a warning!"

"Especially this self-propelled musket workshop, I heard it took him a lot of effort, so he stopped it first because the workshop was very expensive."

"Although you are right, even if we don't develop firearms, foreign barbarians will, but that doesn't mean we should immediately promote more advanced firearms. We should always consider the situation and try to maintain the Manchu cavalry and archery advantage for as long as possible!"

Hongli simply smiled faintly at this, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

At this moment, Hongzhou also came out of the workshop and greeted the two of them.

At this moment, Hongli said to Hongzhou, "Fifth brother, just now Prince Li tried to sow discord between the two of us princes. Before, when we went to Yuanmingyuan to plead for Yin Tai and others, you did not come with us to plead for them. You must have had other intentions!"

"I think he's forgotten his place. We call him cousin, so why do we still consider ourselves masters?"

Hongli looked at Hongxi with a cold laugh.

According to the Manchu Qing dynasty's "monarch and servant" system, Hongxi, strictly speaking, was no longer a master but a servant.

Even Emperor Yunzhi, the emperor's own brother, began to refer to himself as a servant.

Strictly speaking, only the empress, princes, and imperial concubines, who are directly related to the emperor, belong to the same level of master as the emperor.

Hongli had not intended to bring this up.

Unfortunately, Hongxi, while acting as his elder brother and instructing him on how to do things, was also stirring up trouble between him and Hongzhou. This forced him to warn Hongxi and also to warn Hongzhou not to follow Hongxi's example. That's why he brought it up in front of Hongzhou.

Hongxi's face turned green instantly.

Hongzhou's face turned green.

Bang!
With a loud thud, Hongxi collapsed to the ground, his vision went black, and soon after, he saw stars again.

"Don't think that just because you're a prince, I, your fifth uncle, wouldn't dare to hit you!"

Hongli was also dumbfounded upon seeing this, thinking to himself, "Is Yongzheng's fifth prince really this formidable?"

(End of this chapter)