Imperial Master of the Ming Dynasty

"You can continue to play, but I have three points of dissatisfaction to say."

Li Jinglong thought for a long time, and finally he probably thought it was safe before he spoke.

"Let's talk." Jiang Xinghuo gestured for him to speak freely.

"First of all, I think the design of this game is unreasonable."

Zhu Gaoxu was a little confused: "Oh? How is it unreasonable?"

"Finance." Li Jinglong said simply, "The last time [Currency Change] was forcibly triggered was because the financial value kept decreasing. Why did the financial value decrease?"

Zhu Gaoxu said: "Of course it was because he encountered a series of unlucky events. Hulu has never had a century-old national destiny, so it is not surprising that he has been unlucky."

"That's not what it is." Li Jinglong drew two lines on the ground with his finger. "I want to ask, why is there no fiscal surplus? Logically speaking, under normal circumstances, a country after reunification should have a fiscal surplus every year. Even if It’s not much, but it’s what it should be.”

The lines on the ground are short and long.

Li Jinglong continued to draw in equal proportions, and the result was that as the line extended, the long line slowly began to reach one and a half or twice the length of the short line.

"Just like these two threads, over time and over time, the warehouse endowment will always be sufficient. 'To store the remaining people, build warehouses to prepare for shortages', what Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty could do, Kublai Khan, who was even more ruthless, couldn't do it? What's more? , As far as I know, the Yuan Dynasty implemented a tax farming system in some areas."

"So I think the rules of the game set by Jiang Lang are wrong. We cannot default that the annual fiscal revenue and expenditure are completely equal. As a result, without a surplus, there will be no ability to resist natural disasters and man-made disasters."

To the two's surprise, Jiang Xinghuo nodded and agreed.

"You are very smart. You are worthy of being my student. You realized this very quickly."

"Actually, it's a patch I put on."

"Patch?" Zhu Gaoxu was confused.

"Yes, it has the same meaning as putting patches on clothes. It is to prevent loopholes in the game and to set the rules. To put it bluntly, the purpose is to increase the difficulty of the game and let you survive the harsh financial situation at that time. Let’s experience it. Don’t let some of you go to extremes and directly choose to protect the finances continuously. Even if the country is subjugated, you have to hold on to the money to subjugate the country.”

Jiang Xinghuo thought about it and said: "Since you have already raised it, and this is indeed an artificial obstacle set by me, then we can change the rules. A fixed increase of 5 points of fiscal surplus every year."

"Okay." Li Jinglong nodded and said, "There is a second point."

Before Li Jinglong could say anything, he was interrupted by Jiang Xinghuo.

"Are you trying to say that when conquering foreign countries, 10 financial points will be deducted regardless of success or failure?"

"That's it, I think it's unreasonable." Li Jinglong said with certainty, "I think what's unreasonable about him is not the deduction of 10 points of finance. Since it is an expedition, whether it is to fight Japan or occupy the city, it must be If you spend a lot of money, it is completely understandable that the financial value will be deducted. My question is, can't you plunder to increase the finances? If not, then in the past, the Mongols destroyed Jin, Xixia, Dali, and the Southern Song Dynasty, and continued to use war to support war. How to explain it?"

Jiang Xinghuo smiled and asked: "Since you know that the Jin, Xixia, Dali, and Southern Song Dynasty were destroyed, then you know that these countries are rich and plundered. But Japan, Champa, and Annan countries at that time Besides monkeys and elephants, what else can we plunder? Their wealth is not even as good as a mansion in the Central Plains, and it is all mountains and jungles, so what can they plunder?"

Li Jinglong was immediately speechless.

It's not his fault. On paper, a military sage must know some prerequisites before he can talk about military affairs.

But not only had Li Jinglong never been to Japan, Champa, and Annam, he also had little understanding of the local mountain geography, population, and economic conditions. In this way, it is taken for granted that no matter how poor these countries are, they should be at a level similar to that of Dali.

In fact, these countries are really not as good as Dali, which has been in the country for three hundred years and has accumulated countless wealth in more than ten generations. It can only be said that it is far inferior.

"One more thing." Li Jinglong said reluctantly.

"We have so few choices, so pitifully few. To put it bluntly, the only option is whether to suppress the rebellion."

"If this is the case, then when we face continuous natural and man-made disasters, the outcome will be the same whether we choose or not."

Li Jinglong realized the core of what he wanted to say: "On the surface, it seems that we have reached the end of [changing banknotes] step by step. If we look at it from the perspective of historical facts, it seems that the same is true for Kublai Khan. But after all, we are deducing , there should be sufficient variables. Otherwise, what is the difference between us and just reading the book directly along the historical facts?"

Jiang Xinghuo is very reasonable, and he simply follows what is good.

If, if you could ignore the growing smile in the corners of his eyes.

It seemed that he had already guessed the requests that Li Jinglong would make.

When Jiang Xinghuo went to school before time travel, he always felt that going to school meant studying and taking exams, which was really boring. If there were many choices, he would definitely be able to live a better life. But after he accepted the severe beating from society, he also understood the truth. It turns out that more choices mean more wrong paths.

"It makes sense, then in the following text simulation, I will provide you with more optional events. Do you want to continue now?"

Li Jinglong and Zhu Gaoxu didn't know how many times they looked at each other today. This pair of idiot commanders and invincible generals who wanted to kill each other on the battlefield, now joined forces to reach a tacit understanding, and they said in unison.

"continue!"

At this time, Li Jinglong was full of confidence.

Li Jinglong felt that he had found all the holes Jiang Xinghuo had dug for him in this game.

As long as there is a fiscal surplus and the fiscal value is maintained stably without subjugating the country, then he believes that this deduction will have a successful result.

if not? Will it be like last time, after six years of simulation, it will be forced to "change banknotes"?

Li Jinglong felt that as long as he had more autonomy, he would definitely not be like this.

The secret room next door.

Xia Yuanji, who had not spoken for a long time, suddenly said: "Your Majesty, actually it doesn't matter whether the rules are changed or not."

"Why?" Zhu Di asked curiously.

"The rules Jiang Xinghuo designed for the first time have a hidden meaning."

Xia Yuanji did not show off, and said directly: "That is the financial value. In fact, it also represents the degree of depreciation of Zhongtong banknotes."

Zhu Di was a little confused. He frowned slightly and tapped the armrest of the sandalwood chair with his knuckles, making a soft sound.

"In other words, the lower the financial value, the less valuable the Zhongtong banknotes are. So I dare to ask Your Majesty, Kublai Khan, who personally participated in the design of the Zhongtong banknote system, why he needs to [change the banknotes]? Doesn't he not know how to change the banknotes? Are banknotes harmful to the court’s credibility?”

Zhu Di put himself in his shoes and thought for a moment before replying: "It should be clear. A hero of this generation will not be so confused even when he is old."

Xia Yuanji's logic became clearer and smoother: "So, Kublai Khan [replaced banknotes] was not entirely due to insufficient fiscal revenue, but because the Zhongtong banknotes themselves had devalued and lost credibility!"

"Then why the Zhongtong banknotes depreciated is naturally because Kublai Khan overissued them; why Kublai Khan overissued them is naturally because the finances are short of money!"

"In other words, Jiang Xinghuo's financial balance design actually has no loopholes!"

At this point, Zhu Di also understood.

In fact, to put it bluntly, Jiang Xinghuo balanced the explicit "fiscal surplus" in the early years of the Yuan Dynasty with the implicit devaluation of "Zhongtong banknotes."

The "depreciation of Zhongtong banknotes", a value that is not directly reflected, was added in the form of "forced fiscal balance" to reflect the true financial situation in the early years of the Yuan Dynasty.

——That is, we can only barely maintain a fiscal balance. When encountering war or natural disasters or civil strife, we will continue to spend money like water and incur debts.

Otherwise, why did Kublai Khan fail to print the Zhongtong banknotes until the 24th year of the Yuan Dynasty, so that [banknote replacement] was initiated?

inside the wall.

"After the reset, the finance will be 80 and the national fortune will be 50. Continue?"

"Continue! I don't accept it!" Zhu Gaoxu waved his fist fiercely.

"In the 25th year of the Yuan Dynasty, many uprisings of varying sizes broke out in Hezhou, Dunzhou, Quanzhou, Chuzhou, Liuzhou, Chaozhou and other places. It would cost a total of 10 financial points to mobilize troops to suppress them. If not suppressed, 10 points of national destiny would be lost. Is it suppressed?”

Li Jinglong and Zhu Gaoxu discussed quietly and finally unanimously decided not to suppress it.

He would rather lose the fate of the country than suppress it. Mr. Jiang is very bad and always tricks them into spending money to keep them safe.

This time, as long as we save money honestly and have a financial surplus of 5 points every year, we will be able to continue.

"A special event occurred in the same year - the establishment of the Xuanzhengyuan."

"The rulers of the Yuan Dynasty and the Tibetan sects gradually reached close cooperation in the past few decades. The area was willing to be managed by the Yuan Dynasty, so the Xuanzheng Yuan was established to manage the affairs of the area. National luck +5."

"A special event occurred in the same year - the Yellow River burst its banks again."

"Due to the lack of adequate protection and flood discharge projects, the Yellow River burst its banks again that year, Xiangyi, Taikang, Tongxu, Qi and other counties, as well as Chen and Ying prefectures, were affected. As the ruler of the Yuan Dynasty, you are 'fortunate' that Last year, when the Yellow River burst its banks, we had already lost what we should have lost once. This time the disaster did not cause 'too much' economic losses, and people's hearts have become numb. Financial -5."

Seeing that Jiang Xinghuo didn't continue talking, according to the previous process, this year was spent smoothly.

But Li Jinglong had a thought in mind: "Is it over?"

"No." Jiang Xinghuo proposed a new option.

"As the ruler of the Yuan Dynasty, do you sit back and watch the Yellow River continue to erode due to lack of adequate water conservancy projects? If you choose no, you will face financial losses caused by the irregular bursting of the Yellow River's banks due to insufficient water conservancy projects and nowhere to discharge floods, even if the cause is just because Several heavy rains; if you choose Yes, you will pay a one-time financial expenditure of 40 points, and a subsequent maintenance fee of 5 points per year for ten years. The situation of the Yellow River bursting its banks will be greatly controlled, the people's hearts will also be attached to it, and the national destiny will be improved. rise."

silence!

Faced with this dilemma that tested morality and reason, both Li Jinglong and Zhu Gaoxu fell into deathly silence.

how to choose?

If they did not assume the perspective of the rulers of the Yuan Dynasty, they would definitely choose to support the water conservancy project to repair the Yellow River without hesitation, even if it required massive financial support.

If they had assumed the perspective of the rulers of the Yuan Dynasty and had not heard Jiang Xinghuo’s previous tragic description of the Yellow River bursting its banks, they would have continued to maintain financial figures without hesitation, and would not have risked another financial collapse to spend money. Half of the wealth of the national treasury is used to control the Yellow River.

But unfortunately, now that they have heard it, they can no longer pretend to be deaf and dumb.

The fate of millions of people in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River seems to be in their hands.

To save or not to save?

If you save it, you will face the risk of triggering [Currency Exchange] again; if you don’t save it, how can you live with your conscience and be eaten by a dog?

"My conscience has long been eaten by dogs!"

Li Jinglong cursed in a low voice, raised his head and said, "I don't build the Yellow River river defense. If the river defense collapses every year, 5 financial points will be deducted. Building the Yellow River river defense will cost 90 financial points. I can't afford this risk."

Zhu Gaoxu said proudly: "I want to spend this money, which is the life of millions of people! Now that the national treasury has money, this is the money that should be spent. Spending it will not only bring relief once and for all, but also win the hearts of the people and increase the national destiny!"

"idiot!"

Li Jinglong shook his sleeves angrily: "The last person who thought like you was the Prime Minister Tuotuo at the end of the Yuan Dynasty! What was the result? Money was spent, hundreds of thousands of people were recruited to build the Yellow River, and a 'Modao Stone Man' came out With just one eye, the whole world in the Yellow River is stirred up to rebel! It’s better not to practice cultivation than to pay back the motherfucker, and you can survive for ten more years by doing nothing.”

When Zhu Gaoxu heard this, he hesitated for a moment, but in the end he shook his head, straightened his neck and said.

"That needs to be repaired! Even if the country is destroyed, I will repair it too!"

"You... are simply stupid. Do you really think you can get back your money? Don't forget that the current financial budget is only 85! If you deduct another 40 points, it will only be 45! And the money to build the Yellow River in the next ten years will increase the annual If all the fiscal surplus is deducted, you will definitely lose."

Li Jinglong gritted his teeth and cursed: "I don't know what to say! Governing a country is about weighing the pros and cons, not following one's conscience!"

Zhu Gaoxu said: "I know that my choice may not be right, but I just want to cultivate. If I don't cultivate, I will feel unhappy!"

"You're not the type to be the Emperor of Peace."

Zhu Di leaned on the chair and never got up, and the words he spoke made the three people in the secret room remain silent.

"It's really my seed, good! Very good!"

Zhu Di clapped his hands, stood up, and said in an unobtrusive voice: "Good point, it is better to destroy the country than to repair it!"

"Everything in the world is like this. How can there be so many choices that have to be made just by weighing the pros and cons?"

"If we weigh the pros and cons, and I wait obediently to be imprisoned by that little beast Jianwen, can I still safely save my life?"

"If we weigh the pros and cons, Feihe was defeated and Wang Zhen died in battle. At that time, all the generals advised me to retreat. Why did Zhu Neng dare to stand up with his sword and say for me, 'The emperor of the Han Dynasty lost nine out of ten battles, but he was able to conquer the world in the end? , now how can it be reasonable to retreat after a setback and then surrender to others?'"

"He who knows himself is a hero!"

"He who wins is the hero!"

"He is a hero!"

Zhu Di put his hands on his hips and looked around: "To do great things, you have to take great risks. I still have a lot to do. Will Xia Qing go with me?"

Xia Yuanjizang smiled bitterly, saluted solemnly and said: "I and the Ministry of Revenue support Your Majesty, just like what Marquis Wu said in the past: Men should fight, women should luck. There is no difference!"

"I can rest assured that Xia Qing is doing things." Zhu Di nodded.

After showing his ambition and inoculating the household department with a large amount of money in the future, and gaining the verbal allegiance of his subordinates, Zhu Di was able to use the topic to his best advantage.

However, his words had a different taste when heard by the two prison officials.

Emperor Yongle seems to prefer the second prince who resembles him more. So, the first to get the moon is closer to the water. Should he try his best to follow the dragon?