Water Margin: The opening scene involves assassinating Emperor Huizong of Song and forcibly taking L

Each department is further divided into several cases.

For example, the tax cases under the jurisdiction of the Household Department.

It was in charge of summer and autumn taxes, real estate taxes, exemption fees for monks and Taoists, and various fixed taxes.

There used to be a very important Ministry of Salt and Iron.

After the Yuanfeng reforms

The powers and responsibilities were divided among various departments of the Ministry of Revenue, such as the Tea and Horse Bureau.

These tax authorities,

It's already set up quite reasonably.

Moreover, its long-term operation has matured.

Zhao Yuan did not make any major changes.

The temple that underwent the most significant renovation was Taifu Temple!

This thing used to be called the Grand Minister of Agriculture.

It has nothing to do with agriculture.

On the contrary, it is the country's chief financial officer.

During the Northern Song Dynasty,

The three departments were in the front, and the Ministry of Revenue was in the back.

All financial power was under the control of the central government.

But Taifu Temple was not abolished either.

Its powers largely overlapped with those of the Three Departments and the Ministry of Revenue.

It's somewhat like a place the emperor used to compete with the Three Offices and Six Ministries for financial power.

What did Emperor Huizong of Song do?

Taifu Temple originally only had two warehouses, one in the north and one in the south.

Emperor Huizong of Song also renovated the East and West Treasury.

Then they continued to launch a large number of warehouses, institutes, and centers.

Chapter 1664 The Emperor Must Know How to Make Money

Taxes collected by the Ministry of Revenue and the Tea and Horse Bureau

Tribute and tribute of flowers and stones from various regions

It is unknown how many were taken in by Taifu Temple.

Emperor Huizong of Song, through the Taifu Temple,

They monopolized countless riches from all over the country.

While it could be called the emperor's private treasury, it was indeed a state institution.

The Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices was one of the Nine Ministers.

If we call it a national institution,

It is also independent of the fiscal system.

It became the emperor's private tool for exploiting the people.

For example, the infamous Xicheng Police Station.

It was nominally under the jurisdiction of the Taifu Temple.

Zhao Yuan said, "Abolish the Taifu Temple and transfer its authority to the Ministry of Revenue."

Qian Chen's mouth dropped open.

It seems unbelievable.

The Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices is one of the Nine Ministers.

The entire department was rendered useless.

Moreover, he also had to be integrated into the Ministry of Revenue, which he was in charge of.

Zhao Yuan continued, "The inner treasury must also be clearly defined."

"From now on, it will serve as the royal treasury,"

"Completely sever ties with the imperial treasury."

The Imperial Treasury was originally Zhao Kuangyin's personal treasury.

Not for enjoyment,

Rather, they did not trust the civil and military officials.

Hoard money for a rainy day.

At least during rebellions in various places,

They can also set aside money to support their troops.

Then he led these troops to quell the rebellion.

Over a hundred years,

Gradually, the distinction between public and private matters became blurred.

When there is a fiscal surplus, money is put into the inner treasury.

When facing financial difficulties, request funds from the Imperial Treasury.

Sometimes it is allocated to local areas for emergency relief.

It appears to be selfless;

However, it keeps extending its tentacles.

They even participated in collecting tolls and shop taxes.

The Three Commissioners, as the Chief Finance Minister

In order to win the emperor's favor,

He gradually became the manager of the inner treasury.

They emptied the national tax revenue into the imperial treasury.

What's more outrageous is that

The Imperial Treasury directly participates in business!

The content of Wang Anshi's reforms regarding commerce

The core institution in the capital was the Market Regulation Bureau.

At that time, merchants from other places transported goods to the capital.

Beijing merchants colluded to hoard inventory and prevent customers from selling it.

The delay forced merchants to sell at rock-bottom prices.

This severely disrupted Tokyo's commercial order.

Wang Anshi then established the Market Exchange Bureau.

Allow official capital to participate in market regulation.

The emperor's private treasury used money as seed capital to invest in the project.

The market management department later made a complete mess of things.

It's practically equivalent to usury and forced buying and selling.

The emperor, in effect, became a loan shark.

The largest merchant in Kaifeng Prefecture,

It was none other than the Emperor!

Qian Chen asked, "The source of the inner treasury's wealth,"

How should it be defined?

Zhao Yuan began, "Taxes from all over the country,"

"After arriving in the capital, they were exchanged for gold and silver according to a set ratio,"

"Send it directly to the inner treasury for storage."

"As for what that ratio is,"

"It's not decided yet,"

"We'll see how things develop financially and tax-wise in the future."

"Yes!" Qian Chen accepted the order.

Qian Chen held the latest fiscal reform plan.

I left the palace with a heart full of emotion.

The abolition of Taifu Temple,

The cutting of the inner treasury,

Give the Ministry of Revenue more power.

He was the Minister of Revenue,

Not to mention being number one or two,

It should at least rank in the top three among the six.

The main reason is that there's no one to restrain them anymore.

Unlike the old Song Dynasty,

The Minister of Revenue has a bunch of grandfathers he needs to support.

After Qian Chen left,

Wen Huanzhang asked, "Should we take over these businesses like Fanlou?"

"Designated as royal property."

"But it is not directly run by the royal family,"

"Still buying gambling tickets from private merchants?"

Zhao Yuan shook his head and said, "These past few days, I've been looking at the old Song Dynasty's financial archives."

"It can only be described as 'the distinction between public and private interests is blurred, and it's a complete mess'."

"The Imperial Treasury served as the emperor's personal treasury,"

"Not only can they directly obtain national taxes,"

"They also collect physical goods for official sale."

“Every step of the process can be used as an opportunity to embezzle,”

"The eunuchs and civil officials are lining their own pockets with their ill-gotten gains."

"If Fanlou is designated as imperial property,"

"I'm afraid they can't escape this outcome."

"Hand it over to the government to operate as a state-owned enterprise,"

"It will still be a mess,"

"In the end, it will definitely be contracted out to members of the royal family."

"Just like the Cao family's long-term contract with Fanlou during the Song Dynasty."