What to do?

This is a long story. It starts with Li Mu giving Li Shimin a trick and letting the six ministries make a "budget".

Before Li Mu came up with this idea of ​​damage, the Tang Dynasty's priority for the financial planning of the six ministries was very obvious. Generally speaking, the Ministry of War, Civil Affairs, Rites, Personnel, Punishment, and Works. When it comes to the Ministry of Works, there is basically nothing left. It is already considered the greatest kindness without delaying the salary. This division is of particular importance, and it is generally still "military priority", and then the people's livelihood and the country are preferred. The Ministry of Rites is in charge of diplomacy and cannot lose the face of the Celestial Kingdom. If there is no money, it must be supported. The Ministry of Personnel is in charge of promotion and evaluation, and no one dares to follow it. As for the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Works, it is actually similar, but the foundation of the Ministry of Works is not strong enough, so it is inevitable that it is the last one.

After Li Mu came to Chang'an, the structure of the six ministries changed greatly. The Ministry of Works jumped from a department that paid money in the court to a golden doll. Now the factories under the Ministry of Works produce unique things like Zhenguan plows and bearings. The speed of making money is not much the same as the speed of bending over to pick up money, and their status will naturally increase. The Ministry of War is completely opposite. The war to destroy the Turks has been completed. Although there are stingy countries around coveting the Tang Dynasty, they are all suffering from scabies. If the Tang Dynasty does not take the initiative to act on them, they basically dare not attack the Tang Dynasty. Therefore, there will be no big battle in a short period of time.

Without big battles, the investment in the Ministry of War will naturally be less. This is a very simple truth. When making a budget, the other five departments of the six ministries cannot be mentioned. But in fact, things are not that simple. The main expense of the Ministry of War is the military pay of the soldiers. Although there is no war, the soldiers must be kept, right? Even if the military reward is less, the big end is still there. Therefore, it is actually not feasible to reduce the Ministry of War's budget.

If Li Jing was still the Minister of War, he would definitely argue with reason and speak in a straightforward manner. But the current Minister of War was replaced by Hou Junji. Who was Hou Junji? This was a reckless man who was ignorant in his early years and even talked loudly about himself. What can he explain clearly? It is obvious that his opponents are all civil officials and are just talking nonsense. How could he take advantage of him?

The final result is that the Ministry of War’s budget is 40% lower than in previous years. These 40% are added to the Ministry of Rites, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Civil Affairs, and Ministry of Personnel. However, the Ministry of Works, holding a golden doll, was impossible to add it, and barely kept the original bottom-level budget. It was because Li Mu did not dare to take action.

The budget dispute basically came to an end like this. The Ministry of War suffered a great loss, the Ministry of Works guaranteed capital, and the other four departments made great profits. Except for the Ministry of War, everyone was very happy, and everyone was happy, and only Hou Junji was a hard worker.

Hou Junji was so angry that he was furious, which was second. If the budget was enough, even if it was a little less, it would not be impossible to deal with it. But the problem is that a 40% budget was really not enough. The Ministry of War calculated that even if the budget was reduced, it would take at least 80% of the previous year to support the government soldiers. If it was reduced by 40%, it would mean that the scale of the government soldiers would be reduced.

In fact, it doesn't matter to Hou Junji to reduce the scale of the military troops. Anyway, the country is not his. If there are fewer soldiers, there will be no trouble. But the problem is that Li Shimin doesn't do it. He still wants to rest for a few years, clean up his neighbors, and achieve the unparalleled achievements that both the former Sui emperors could not achieve, and to pacify Goguryeo.

The current soldiers of the Tang Dynasty are all veterans who have experienced war. If they are disbanded and recruited temporarily, they will be recruited at that time. How can they fight?

Therefore, reduction is absolutely impossible, it is fundamental and cannot be negotiated.

The pressure returned to Hou Junji again, and he was stupid. This was too difficult. As a reckless man, he could only spend money and embezzle and could not make money at all. If he asked him to find a way to make money, he would only rob it. There was no other way.

Hou Junji, who had been holding back for half a month, was about to come to the New Year, and it was time to officially implement the budget. He could no longer hold on and found Li Shimin. Relying on his qualifications as Li Shimin's guard captain, he became a scoundrel, knelt in front of Li Shimin, lay down like a lie, and was not tactful, and directly said that he could not play with this little money, and he was not good at being the Minister of War.

If someone else had the same face in front of Li Shimin, he would have to be sentenced to jail for a few days. But after all, Hou Junji was different. Although he was a reckless man, he also followed Li Shimin to fight on the battlefield and guarded the last barrier beside Li Shimin. He was the kind of younger brother who "blocked the knife for his elder brother" and was a confidant. Naturally, he was a bit of affection for the people around him. Moreover, he was also from the army and knew the affairs in the army. Hou Junji said it was not bad at all. It would be impossible to reduce the budget by 40%.

But now the budget has been completed, and if it changes, it will be too much. The other four will definitely not agree, and it will inevitably be noisy again, and the New Year will not be good.

Li Shimin thought for a while, then suddenly slapped his head and remembered the Ministry of Works.

The Ministry of Works is making money now. Although the accounts of Li Mu are so detailed that people can’t find fault with each other, Li Shimin always feels that there must be some problems, but he just can’t see them. His intuition tells him that Li Mu must be rich, the factory must make money, and it will make much more money than he knows.

Is it better to let the Ministry of Works bear the gap in the Ministry of War?

Once the thought arises, it can't be stopped. Li Shimin then gave Hou Junji a face-to-face message. The king and his minister made an appointment. Hou Junji took the lead first, and then Li Shimin arrived. They sang and reconciled, digging a hole to let Li Mu jump, and he made him accept this matter in a daze.

If Li Shimin is present, if Li Mu agrees, it will be a foregone conclusion. If he agrees but cannot do it, it will be a crime of deceiving the king, but he will be beheaded.

It was a good idea, but it didn't go so smoothly. Neither of them expected that on New Year's Eve, there would be so many people in Li Mu's family. Hou Junji met Wang Gui, and the two came to Feng Qiuhuang and met a bunch of shopkeepers. When they arrived at the study, they met Changsun Wuji again. Li Shimin brought Li Tai over and met Li Chengqian halfway.

As long as there are many people, it will become difficult to do. Hou Junji is a reckless man, and there is no ink in his stomach. He only remembers what he discussed with Li Shimin and does not know how to adapt. Seeing that the situation is different from his imagination, he doesn't know how to speak, and he keeps silent. When he heard Li Shimin handing over, he has no choice but to speak.

In desperation, he spoke, and became nervous. His brain suddenly became blank. He forgot all the words he had prepared. He opened his mouth a few times and then became: "I'm asking for money from Zhulu Hou!"

As soon as these words came out, everyone was shocked.

Li Shimin was shocked by Hou Junji's stupidity. What kind of thing is this? If you know everything, don't you even say the words?

Wang Gui was shocked with admiration. Everyone was "robbed" by Li Mu, and finally someone robbed Li Mu. But he felt that Hou Junji was a little arrogant. Li Mu was not the young boy when he first came to Chang'an. He was in charge of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Works, and he was already a force that could not be ignored. Although Hou Junji is an old qualification, he may not be able to bully him.

Only Changsun Wuji smiled mysteriously. As the person who knows Li Shimin the most, he had already realized a lot from the two of them just now.

Li Mu was a little amused and crying. He felt that if he didn't agree, it would seem like he would be a bully.

Li Mu smiled speechlessly, looked at Li Shimin directly, made the matter clear, and said, "Your Majesty, you don't have to go around and make the general so embarrassed. What's going on? Just tell me."

Li Shimin glared at Hou Junji, and he was somewhat uneasy. But now that things have come to this point, he can't stop talking, and hesitated for a while, and hesitated and said, "That's the matter..."

Now I said the matter, gritted the bullet and insisted on saying, "Anyway, I think that the budget matter was your suggestion, and you also have some responsibility. Now the problem is here, and you won't be allowed to bear too much. What about 10%? If you ask the Ministry of Works to bear 10% and the other 10%... Is this fair? "

Li Mu did not rush to answer and said carefully: "Your Majesty, I dare to ask, how much does this amount cost?"

When Li Shimin heard that his accent seemed to have a scoop, he hurriedly said, "Twenty-hundred thousand coins."

Li Mu cleared his throat and said, "Your Majesty, I think this is a bit bullying."

When Li Shimin heard that Li Mu was a little unwilling to agree, he became angry and said, "How do I bully people? Didn't I say that I can also pay 10% from the treasury?"

When everyone saw the two of them facing each other, they looked at each other and did not dare to speak.

Facing Li Shimin in this state, Li Mu was a little embarrassed and said, "Your Majesty, don't be anxious and talk about it from the beginning. Look, when talking about budget, you have agreed and you will never tell a word to the outside world, saying that this matter was my intention. I said it clearly and clearly, I can't afford to offend anyone. Look at you, in front of so many people, you said it, how can I do anything in the court in the future? It seems that after the New Year, I will have to resign."

After all, Li Shimin was blushed. The ancients attached great importance to Xinyi. They could not easily repent what they promised. When Li Mu reminded him, Li Shimin remembered that he had indeed promised Li Mu not to leak the news. His actions just now were obviously contrary to his promise. He could not argue about Li Mu's words.

But in front of so many people, if you let go so gently, will you still be faced as an emperor? Now you can only do your own thing. Li Shimin took the initiative and said, "Don't mention these useless things. I'm saying it, I'm wrong. But even if I don't say it, you think that all the civil and military officials in the court can't think of this idea? No one can think of such an immoral idea except you. You can't hide it from it! You should not dream of resigning from office. Several big stalls are all because of you. If you give up, where can I find someone to take over? As long as you have a tone, you have to work for me. If you don't do it, you can't do it!"

This is a bit nonsense. Li Mu could see Cheng Yaojin's behavior in Li Shimin. He almost laughed out loud. After finally holding it back, Li Mu said: "Your Majesty, justice is in the hearts of the people. I won't say much. Let's talk about this. I went to visit Li Shangshu yesterday and learned about the budget. The Ministry of Works is the same as in previous years, but it is still at the end. The Ministry of Works' budget is less than half of the other departments, and compared with the Ministry of War, it is less than one-fifth. In this case, you are also planning to let the Ministry of Works bear 10% of the Ministry of War... The Ministry of Works has recruited many new people now. We have not proposed to increase the budget with the mentality of not adding burden to the court. It is with the original intention of suffering ourselves and benefiting others...

"I started crying poor again, right?" Li Shimin had completely ignored his face. He had already stepped on his face. He might as well do it thoroughly and said: "I don't know what the factory is doing, but I don't think of your behavior at all, as if I were short of money. If you cry less, you will be poor. This matter is decided. The Ministry of Works has paid 10% of it, so I don't care about it!"

"Your Majesty!" Li Muyi said righteously, saying: "I must reiterate that the generousness of the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Internal Affairs is because I am using the wealth to support me. I have been complained by my wife yesterday. I have been in Chang'an for half a year, and I have earned more than 700,000 yuan in total. On average, I only earned 100,000 yuan a month. This little money is not 30% spent on my own business. My wife said I am a prodigal son, and I also think I am a prodigal son. I have made little money and spent more. I can't live my life..."

After crying, I received no sympathy.

An unknown man who came to Chang'an for half a year earned 700,000 yuan! In half a year, 700,000 yuan! Even if he robs money, it is not so fast! He is still crying and will he let people live?

Li Shimin was even more upset. He thought of his own treasury. Since he ascended the throne, the treasury has not exceeded 300,000 treasury. Li Mu, a young man, earned 700,000 treasury in half a year. This is not the money he earned for the treasury... Where did his money come from!

Isn’t this very strange? Before he came to Chang'an, everyone lived like this. Where did his money come from? Could it be that it was transformed out of thin air?

Li Shimin couldn't help but raise this question. Everyone also focused on Li Mu. This was a question worth a thousand gold. If anyone learns it, wouldn't he be able to earn 700,000 yuan in half a year? By then, everyone would still compete for nothing, everything was enough!

"That's it..."

Li Mu smiled, picked up the teacup and took a sip, and said, "You must not reveal the secrets of heaven, so let's not talk about them."
Chapter completed!