Chapter 876

Qin Huaidao sat there, chatting with Li Shimin and the others, just talking about taxation. Li Shimin was very happy when he heard Qin Huaidao say this, because the Tang Dynasty now requires money and it is very expensive to fight.

After chatting for a while, Qin Huaidao and the others entered the conference room again and began to listen to reports from the ministers of the six ministries. First, Tang Jian reported, reporting on the income and expenditure issues of the Ministry of Revenue last year, and what the Ministry of Revenue did last year. Qin Huaidao and the others listened. After Tang Jian finished reporting, Liu Shi from the Ministry of Personnel came one by one, and it was not until very late that Qin Huaidao and the others recorded a lot, and there was still something to discuss tomorrow. Qin Huaidao and the others went back to rest in the evening.

Early the next morning, I still had to come to the Elders' House to discuss. This discussion almost started. Qin Huaidao and the others asked a question that was quite sharp, so I would say anything wrong.

"I just want to know how much supplies are missing from the Ministry of War this time in the war against Goryeo. In April, the troops will go to the front line. Why are the supplies not transported yet?" Changsun Shunde stood up and asked Li Jing.

"Now a lot of supplies have been transported to Qingzhou, and they will be sent to the front line with the troops. Please rest assured that this will be delivered before the war begins!" Li Ji sat there and said.

"Okay, let me ask again why the armor has not been fully replenished yet. Now I heard that there are still seven or eight armies, and the new armor has not yet been in place. Why?" Cheng Yaojin sat there and asked.

"I have to ask the Ministry of Works!" Li Ji said and looked at Li Daliang.

Li Daliang sat upright and said, "The Ministry of War armor is given priority to the combat troops this time. Now the combat troops are basically ready, but they have not been sent to it. In addition, before going to the expedition, our Ministry of Works can produce about 70,000 sets of armor and weapons to meet the needs of combat!"

"Well, the Ministry of Revenue, you are still short of so much money this time, why didn't you save money at the end of last year? I read your report. At the end of last year, officials from all over the country received a total of 100,000 guan of bonuses. Your Ministry of Revenue clearly has no money, so why do you still have to reward so much? His Majesty needs to pay the money from the treasury, and the Ministry of Works needs to mobilize the money from the repairs and water conservancy?" Zhang Liang sat there and asked Tang Jian.

"This, Your Majesty agrees!" Tang Jian replied.

"Your Majesty's permission is His Majesty's permission, but after you become the Minister of Civil Affairs, you manage the money in the court. You originally need to make plans. You know that you need to fight, but you still spend so much money. In addition, why do you need to spend more than 400,000 jin to purchase cattle, sheep and horses? The Tang Dynasty has enough troops, do you still need so many horses?

Can these horses be bought by the people instead of the court? I checked it. Now in the military horse farms in various places and reserve farms in various places, there are 170,000 horses, more than 40,000 cows, and more than 300,000 sheep. These are all money. If you sell these, the court can still get about 700,000 guan. Now, if you raise these, you still need 10,000 guan per month. How does the Ministry of Civil Affairs regulate it?" Lawyer Pei also stood up and asked Tang Jian.

"We are dealing with this cattle, sheep and horse, but we have no time. We are about to start releasing it one after another so that His Majesty can buy cattle, sheep. If the horses were prepared according to military needs, but now our horses have horses, and their injuries have been greatly reduced. Therefore, I will ask His Majesty for this batch of horses to be sent to the people and let the people buy it!" Tang Jian continued to explain to them.

"In addition, let me say something about cattle and sheep. These cattle and sheep are our merchants who bought them from outside. You also know that in the countries outside the territory, they have no money, and they can only trade through cattle and sheep. Therefore, every time our merchants go to buy things, they will bring a lot of cattle and sheep. They don't have much cash, they use cattle and sheep to offset taxes. At the same time, the cattle and sheep they bring back will be sold, but what we do is not enough. We don't have so many people, so we have kept them for a while." Tang Jian looked at Qin Huai and said something.

"I have a suggestion. If those cattle are not plowing ox, then kill them and sell them. If they are plowing ox, then sell them. I believe that the people in Chang'an City still hope to buy cows. I have been to the bull market in Chang'an City. There are a large number of people every day, but there are very few cow transactions, and many people want to buy them!" Qin Huaidao sat there and spoke, and the others nodded.

"Yes, we will arrange to do this soon!" Tang Jian nodded and said.

"I have a problem with the Ministry of Works, which is the issue of equity in the Ministry of Works. Is there too many equity in the Ministry of Works? Now, are the officials of the Ministry of Works officials or merchants? Also, will the Ministry of Works use its power for personal gain?" Changsun Wuji stood up at this moment and asked Li Daliang, actually questioning Qin Huaidao, because this matter was proposed by Qin Huaidao.

"This does not exist. I believe those officials are not stupid. They can get so much money every year and use their power for personal gain? Moreover, because there is a proportion of shares, only when the products from our Ministry of Industry sell well can we get more money!" Li Daliang replied immediately.

"Then I want to ask, now that there are so many workshops in the Ministry of Works, is there any suspicion of competing for profit with the people?" Changsun Wuji asked.

"Then which one do you think is competing for profit with the people?" Qin Huaidao immediately answered Changsun Wuji's words.

Changsun Wuji heard this, was stunned for a moment, and then said, "There may not be now, what about the future? Who can guarantee that there will be no such problem?"

"There is no guarantee that we cannot do it because of such suspicion. We cannot erase the credit of the Ministry of Works because of such a small thing. Most of the money from the Ministry of Works is for the people to use for the people. Even said that in this war, our Ministry of Works will pay 500,000 guan. If it is not enough, our Ministry of Works will add it." Qin Huaidao immediately took the topic and spoke.

"Since you said there is no way to guarantee it, is that it a huge loophole in the Ministry of Works? If it appears in the future, will it cause public grievances? How can we plug this loophole?" Changsun Wuji stared at Qin Huaidao and continued to ask.

"In the future, it depends on the emperor's intention. The Ministry of Works is for the court. If the emperor really thinks that the Ministry of Works has such a suspicion, then he can report it to the emperor or discuss it in the Elders' House. If so, then cancel it. What the Ministry of Works does is not to compete for profit with the people!" Qin Huaidao immediately answered Changsun Wuji's words.

When Changsun Wuji heard this, he sat down and continued to discuss the reports written by the officials.

Li Shimin sat on it and rarely spoke, and was excited. He seemed to have seen a way to maintain the permanent existence of the Tang Dynasty. If the Elders' Court could always do this and dare to question the affairs of the court like this, then no one below could be in chaos. Even the emperor would not be able to make trouble. According to the national law, any appointment of the Elders' Court was decided by the Elders' Court, which could limit the ministers, and even regulate the emperor's behavior when necessary.

Li Shimin sat there and listened. In the afternoon, he was about to start voting. He came one by one. At the beginning, he voted on the plans of the six ministries. If they thought their plans were OK, he would vote for them, otherwise he would object. Basically, there were still many people who expressed doubts about those plans.

Qin Huaidao voted against the plan of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Ministry of Rites and Ministry of Personnel, but he still barely passed it. For the Goryeo War, there was no vote against it. However, the people from the Elders' House knew that the Tang Dynasty must fight. If they did not fight, the Northeast would not stabilize.

"Okay, the basic things are almost done, and we will also leave the meeting. Your Majesty just said that Your Majesty will hold a banquet later, so everyone will go there together!" Li Xiaogong saw that the matter was already done, so he started talking.

"Is this over? The Ministry of Justice has not reported the punishment for the head of the aristocratic family. Isn't it necessary to discuss it separately?" Changsun Wuji stood up and said to Li Xiaogong.

"Yes, I think this matter needs to be discussed!" Xiao Yu also stood up and said, and then Changsun Shunde and Du Gou also stood up and expressed his desire to vote.

According to the regulations of the Elders' House, if there is a voting for one thing, five people need to be nominated, now there are four people, and Li Shimin sat there without moving. At this time, Li Ke stood up, and Li Yuanying and Li Yuangui also stood up, they were all princes.

"Since there are seven people nominated, let's discuss it and express your opinions!" Li Xiaogong said, but he didn't look at Li Shimin. This matter does not need to be looked at Li Shimin.

"My opinion is to release them and let those families choose the head of the family again, and report them. Now their crimes have been announced, and the punishment is no longer important. And now their families have been arrested. Their families do not know about this matter and should not be punished!" Changsun Wuji spoke.

"Everyone said, what do you mean by the rest of you?" Li Xiaogong continued to ask.

"I mean, those heads of the family can be punished, but their families should not be punished, especially those women and children who do not know at this time, cannot be punished!" Li Ke stood there and spoke, and the other two princes nodded.

"Du Gou, Xiao Yu, what do you mean?" Li Xiaogong continued to ask.

"My meaning is the same as Duke Zhao's meaning. Are you exempt from punishment for them?" Xiao Yu stood there and bowed.

"My meaning is the same as the King of Wu!" Du Gou also bowed and said.
Chapter completed!