Chapter 41

“Long live Your Majesty, long live, long live forever!”

“Dispense with the formalities!”

Lin Beifan said with a smile, “Minister, what has happened that you look so troubled?”

“Reporting to Your Majesty…”

Heshen clasped his hands together and said with a wry smile, “The money in our national treasury is almost spent. If we don’t start increasing revenue and cutting expenses, we won’t be able to pay the wages next month! Therefore, your humble servant has come to inform Your Majesty of this matter!”

Lin Beifan was taken aback: “So soon?”

“Of course it’s soon!”

Heshen poured out his grievances, “Your Majesty, you have no idea. Ever since you announced the recruitment of workers, we have already gathered millions of laborers. The wages paid out each month have already exceeded 300,000 taels!”

“Furthermore, to maintain the operation of the court and the army, we have to pay out more than 300,000 taels of silver each month! Altogether, this amounts to nearly 700,000 taels of silver that must be paid out every month!”

“Two months have passed, and the national treasury has already allocated 1.4 million taels, leaving less than 300,000 taels! If there is no income, we won’t be able to disburse funds next month. Your Majesty, please look into this matter!”

Lin Beifan asked, “What about the food supply?”

“As for the food supply, there is currently no issue!”

Heshen bowed to Yaoyao and said, “Miss Yaoyao has always been transporting food, so we have plenty of it. It’s just that we’re out of money!”

Lin Beifan inquired, “What about the tax revenue?”

Heshen immediately reported, “Your Majesty, the tax revenue is approximately 200,000 taels of silver per month!”

Lin Beifan frowned, “Why is there no change? I have disbursed so much money; hasn’t it stimulated any business?”

Heshen lamented, “Your Majesty, you have distributed money, but they are all reluctant to spend it; they’ve saved it all up! If money isn’t spent, how can there be business? Without business, where will tax revenue come from?”

Lin Beifan slapped his forehead, “That’s true! They are all hardworking common folk, accustomed to living frugally. The first thing they do when they earn money is to save it, not spend it!”

“Little foolish emperor, I told you so. Your method won’t work, and now you’re at a loss, right?” Yaoyao burst into hearty laughter.

“Your Majesty, the national treasury is truly out of money. The best solution now is to disperse all the refugees and wait until we have more funds to continue with the land reclamation and river projects! We can also choose not to disperse them but not to pay wages, just provide food. I believe there will still be a group of refugees who choose to stay!” Heshen took the opportunity to offer his advice.

Lin Beifan shook his head, “We can’t disperse the people, and we can’t reduce the wages either; otherwise, it will affect the progress of various projects! Time is money, and I can’t afford to delay!”

“But Your Majesty, we really have no money left!” Heshen urged anxiously.

At this moment, Yaoyao waved at Lin Beifan, “Little foolish emperor, if you’re short on cash, you can borrow from me! I won’t ask for much, just a 30 percent interest rate!”

Lin Beifan was at a loss for words, still claiming she didn’t ask for much?

So shameless?

A 30 percent interest rate is already considered usurious!

Does she really take him for a big fool?

Lin Beifan shook his head, “There’s no need to borrow money, I can handle this minor issue myself!”

Yaoyao was confused, “How can you solve this? Your national treasury is empty. Even the most resourceful woman can’t cook without rice. You can’t just conjure money out of thin air, can you?”

“Indeed, I have no money,”

Lin Beifan said with a smile, “but don’t the common people have money in their hands? I’ve already distributed 1.4 million taels of silver, they are quite wealthy now!”

Yaoyao’s mind quickly turned: “Could it be you want to rob them?”

Lin Beifan shook his head: “How could I commit such a heinous act! I have a way to make them willingly, and even eagerly, hand over the money!”

Both Yaoyao and Heshen were dumbfounded.

How could there possibly be such a method?

Lin Beifan asked: “Minister, I ask you, have those iron slag remnants from the blacksmithing been kept?”

Heshen bowed: “Your humble servant has followed Your Majesty’s orders; the iron slag remnants from the blacksmithing have not been disposed of carelessly but have been kept all this time, and now they have piled up into a mountain!”

“Good!” Lin Beifan nodded in satisfaction: “And what about the limestone?”

“Report to Your Majesty, the limestone has also been continuously mined, and now it has piled up into a mountain!”

“Excellent!”

Lin Beifan nodded in satisfaction once again. “Together with clay and silt, everything is ready!”

Lin Beifan stood up and shouted loudly, “Bring forth the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone!”

Moments later, the eunuchs came with the writing materials.

Lin Beifan picked up the brush and began to write vigorously and flamboyantly on the paper.

Yaoyao and Heshen watched with an irresistible itch in their hearts.

A moment later, Heshen couldn’t help but ask, “Your Majesty, what are you doing?”

Lin Beifan put down his writing brush and said with a smile, “I am preparing to make cement to build houses!”

“Cement? Building houses?” Both were dumbfounded.

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