Chapter 85: 85. Chapter 85: You get what you pay for

85. Chapter 85: You get what you pay for

As a legitimate daughter of the Xie family, Xie Zijian never worried about money since childhood.

Even after marrying the Crown Prince and serving as Crown Princess, she never worried about money.

Who could have imagined that, after becoming Crown Princess and then Empress, she would instead start worrying about money.

Of course, it's not that she truly has no money; it's just that expenses are everywhere, and the inner treasury's funds can't possibly be exhausted all at once.

Now, with Shen Yunyao opening a source of wealth for her, Xie Zijian has completely achieved financial freedom.

Moreover, Xie Zijian feels that in the future, the inner treasury's silver might even surpass the state treasury guarded by the Ministry of Revenue.

In fact, the Ministry of Revenue of Dayong isn't short of money either. But whether it's the Minister of Revenue or the Vice Ministers below, none dare to spend recklessly.

Don't look at the state treasury storing several million taels of silver; if a natural disaster strikes or a major war breaks out on the border, that money will have to be spent like pouring water.

Saving money is hard, but spending it is all too easy!

Of course, if Dayong raised various taxes, the state treasury's revenue would increase considerably, but since its founding, Dayong's emperors have generally been wise and enlightened, with no tyrants, so they naturally wouldn't engage in crazy extortion for wealth.

Since the founding, after Emperor Taizu established the policy of storing wealth among the people, Dayong has enjoyed favorable weather and timely rains; occasional natural disasters have been minor.

Even some local natural disasters can be quelled just by the local authorities.

But as a country grows larger, the places where money is spent increase.

Officials' salaries can't be too low!

If they're too low, officials will resort to arbitrary levies and extortion.

Therefore, Dayong's salaries have been the highest throughout dynasties, aptly named 'high pay to foster integrity'.

Next, the soldiers' rations and pay must be issued in full.

Draw empty pay?

Whoever does that dies!

Although Dayong has existed for many years, it has always valued both civil and military affairs equally, never allowing the civil to suppress the military. As Emperor Taizu put it, Dayong's emperors can be changed, but the backbone of the Dayong people cannot be broken.

He would rather see Dayong's realm seized one day by a military commander than see its people become, in the eyes of foreign tribes, mere two-legged sheep.

Thus, Dayong established an iron law at its founding: for the standing army, anyone who draws empty pay may be slain outright by any soldier, without guilt and with merit.

This iron law was engraved on a stele, and wherever Dayong stations troops, that stele must first be erected on the spot.

To put it bluntly, soldiers even hope that someone above them draws empty pay, so that they can earn merit!

However, with Taizu's iron law in place here, unless someone has grown tired of living, only a fool would think of drawing empty pay.

Because of this, Dayong's imperial clan's rule is as solid as a golden fortress.

Formerly, the imperial clan didn't take soldiers seriously.

Thus, in the dynasties before Dayong, there was a saying that good men don't become soldiers; but in Dayong, becoming a soldier is one of the much-sought-after prospects for many.

Want to become a soldier?

First, defeat the many competitors from your own village, and even from the same county, then talk.

Why is Dayong so strong?

Why do the surrounding tribes and neighboring small states dare not act rashly?

Simply because Dayong's troops are all the outstanding among their peers.

To maintain such excellent troops, can it be done without sufficient rations and logistical support?

As for this portion of the funds, the Ministry of War only needs to send a document to the Ministry of Revenue, which must then disburse it immediately.

The officials of the Ministry of Revenue, although they are not short of money, truly dare not spend recklessly.

And as Empress, Xie Zijian naturally understands this as well.

Therefore, unless a palace in the inner court is about to collapse, she would not ask the Ministry of Revenue for money. After all, those officials of the Ministry of Revenue are usually jovial and easygoing, but the moment one asks them for silver, they instantly turn into red-eyed rabbits.

"Are you really short of money, Elder Sister?"

Shen Yunyao, hearing Xie Zijian's lament, couldn't help but ask curiously.

Xie Zijian nodded and said, "It's not that I'm really lacking, I just never dare to spend freely!"

"Put simply, for the same silk, ordinary people might need only two taels of silver, but when the imperial household purchases it, it starts at five taels!"

"Why is that?"

"It's the emperor's boundless grace!"

Xie Zijian chuckled lightly, "Actually, it's mainly because, for the same design, once the imperial household uses it, ordinary people cannot use it!"

Shen Yunyao instantly understood.

"Elder Sister, that makes perfect sense!"

Shen Yunyao didn't think there was anything wrong with that.

As long as it's not the subordinates deceiving and pocketing this money, then there's no problem at all.

Put bluntly, it's just the imperial family using luxury goods at above-market prices.

After all, the imperial family's exclusive designs may use the same materials and labor as other designs, but if that design weren't reserved solely for the imperial family, others would surely be able to make more profit from it.

"I know it's reasonable, I just feel the imperial household is being wronged!"

"After all, I'm the one managing so many people and affairs in the palace!"

"They have to come to me for money whenever they need to spend."

"Emperor Taizu also set a rule that the imperial clan must not compete with the people for profit; many lucrative industries are off-limits to the imperial household."

"Just relying on the modest income from my manor and fields, you have no idea—my life since becoming Empress is not as good as when I was a maiden!"

"Elder Sister, this is what they call 'not knowing the value of firewood, rice, oil, and salt until you manage the household.'"

Seeing Xie Zijian so down-to-earth, Shen Yunyao really couldn't help but laugh.

Indeed!

Many girls who are pampered at their natal home have no worries while they are unmarried; only after marrying do they suddenly realize they can never go back.

Imperial sister-in-law, if you need money, just tell me!

Princess Joy, hearing the conversation between Xie Zixian and Shen Yunyao, immediately decided to be a considerate sister-in-law.

Then, after Xie Zixian said that Jingren Palace needed repairs, requiring about fifty thousand taels of silver, Princess Joy immediately said she was too poor to help.

Repairing a palace actually requires this much silver?

Yes, the timber for Jingren Palace must be selected from the Southwest Great Mountains, transported by water to the port, then shipped by sea to Jingcheng; just the cost of this timber is a huge sum.

Then, carving the wood grain also requires skilled craftsmen; relying solely on the Works Bureau's artisans isn't enough time, so we must hire experienced craftsmen from Jingcheng to work together, which also needs a lot of silver.

For ordinary families, anyone can do this work, but when the Imperial Family hires people, can just anyone do it?

Furthermore, for ordinary families hiring workers, paying the market rate is enough, but when the Imperial Family hires workers, can you just pay the market rate?

Doesn't that mean the Imperial Family's things are of the same grade as street goods?

Often, high prices are unavoidable, due to one's status and position.

Imperial sister-in-law, putting it that way, aren't we the Imperial Family becoming a big sucker?

Princess Joy, after hearing Xie Zixian explain all the twists and turns, felt that their Imperial Family was purely a big sucker.

Silly girl, how can you say that?

Xie Zixian chuckled, "You can go look at the carvings in ordinary homes, then look at the carvings in the Imperial Palace; they are absolutely different!"