bayedsolid Chapter 250 A Belated Settlement
Chapter 250 A Belated Settlement
A small number of Han Chinese gathered around to watch the spectacle, occasionally cheering loudly. These usually arrogant and domineering nobles have finally met their end; the Emperor is too merciful, they should all be executed.
Shen Lian issued an imperial edict regarding the handling of these Manchus. The Aisin Gioro family would certainly be severely punished, with all their property confiscated and them all imprisoned. Whether or not to execute them all was still undecided for Shen Lian.
Other Manchus had two options: first, to be sent back to their place of origin, where each person would be given ten mu of land to farm.
Those who do not wish to return to their original hometowns can be settled in the outer city. Each family will receive a settlement allowance of twenty taels of silver, and Shen Lian will not concern himself with how they will make a living in the future.
The officials at the Ministry of Finance were so anxious watching chests of treasure being carried away that they wanted to bang their heads against the wall. There were two or three hundred thousand Manchus in this inner city; if they kept looting like this, how much money would they get?
But all that money was taken by the royal family, leaving them only able to watch helplessly. Who wouldn't be envious? The national treasury was practically empty; such a large sum of money—who wouldn't be green with envy!
And these tens of thousands of houses represent an enormous fortune. They've all been sealed off by the imperial court—this is unacceptable! Many officials in the capital don't even own houses; they're all renting. They all want to take this opportunity to get one!
The officials quickly reported the matter to Wang Kaiyun.
As the newly appointed prime minister, Wang Kaiyun naturally had to side with the government, and immediately rushed into the palace to find Shen Lian.
"Mr. Wang is here! Please have a seat! Serve some tea." Shen Lian, who was reading a book, stood up to greet Wang Kaiyun upon his arrival.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Wang Kaiyun bowed respectfully. After sitting down, he said eagerly.
"Your Majesty, the amount of Manchu property confiscated in the inner city is enormous. Shouldn't some be allocated to the government? There are so many places where money is needed now, and the national treasury is already empty!"
"Mr. Wang, I'm so poor I'm practically selling my pants! Fighting the Japanese and the Taiwanese has already wiped out all my savings!"
“Now that the national treasury will no longer cover the royal family’s daily expenses, I need to keep some savings for myself! There are hundreds of people in the royal family!” Shen Lian shook his head.
The reason Shen Lian agreed to no longer rely on the national treasury was because he had his eye on the inner city. With this amount of silver and real estate, he could easily support the royal family if he managed things diligently. Why bother going to court with government officials for a few hundred thousand taels a year?
"Your Majesty is of noble character and wholeheartedly devoted to the country. On behalf of all the people, I thank Your Majesty for your great kindness! However, the national treasury is now too empty. Your Majesty has confiscated so much treasonous property, please allocate some of it to the government!"
"And what about those properties? What does His Majesty need so many houses for? Many officials in the capital can't afford to buy houses now. Could some be distributed to them?"
Wang Kaiyun didn't care about Shen Lian's complaints about being poor; he knew a little about his emperor's financial situation. He wouldn't believe it if Shen Lian claimed to be poor.
They've plundered an unknown amount from Japan, and treasures are still being shipped back steadily. Although His Majesty is currently covering the army's expenses, he believes the Emperor's personal treasury is not yet depleted.
"If the government doesn't have money, that's your cabinet's problem. Find a way to get the money! Don't try to take it from me."
"As for those properties, they will definitely be used to reward meritorious officials. They'll just pass through my hands briefly!"
Shen Liancai wouldn't fall for it. The government might be short of money now, but if they could figure out a way, getting some silver wouldn't be a problem at all.