Chapter 339 New Plans for the Sixth Year of Qingli

At the end of January in the sixth year of the Qingli period, Yelu Zongzhen also received the news.

Hearing that the Song Dynasty had a weapon that could make rapid progress, he was shocked and remained silent for a long time.

Whether it was for him or Li Yuanhao, the time left for them was obviously running out.

The only good news was that the Song Dynasty seemed to have no intention of being hostile to Xia Liao. At the end of the year, not only did they send envoys to the Song Dynasty, but the Song Dynasty also gave them feedback.

For this reason, Yelu Zongzhen remembered that he had asked the Song Dynasty envoy at the beginning of the month, saying that now that his Song Dynasty only had less than 100,000 troops stationed in Hebei, he was not afraid of the Liao Dynasty's iron cavalry?

At that time, the Song Dynasty envoy just smiled and did not give a direct answer, but said that the Song Dynasty would not send heavy troops to guard the Liao Dynasty because of its friendly relationship with the Liao Dynasty.

Now it seems.

This sentence is obviously just a polite remark.

Maybe it's because they don't need to send heavy troops in Hebei anymore.

In February, Li Yuanhao's envoy also arrived in Zhongjing.

After the two sides talked, Yelu Zongzhen decided to go to Yunneizhou, which is Baotou City in the future, in March under the name of hunting in the west.

It is called hunting in the west, but in fact it is going to the border of Liao and Xia to meet with Li Yuanhao.

The current situation is not something that can be solved by sending envoys to communicate. It is necessary to meet in person to discuss.

While Xixia and Liao were getting along well, the Song Dynasty was still carrying out their own plans and changes in an orderly manner.

In February of the sixth year of Qingli, all the data of last year had been released, and it was necessary to prepare to start this year's plan at the beginning of the year.

February 2, Zhonghe Festival.

This festival originated in the Tang Dynasty and was also the Dragon Head Raising Day later.

However, this festival is not an important festival now, and there will be no holiday, so everyone should go to work.

Today is clear and sunny, and the political system is full of a lazy atmosphere.

This year is indeed easy to make people lazy.

After all, there is no holiday on New Year's Eve in later generations, and the Song Dynasty not only has holidays, but also has many holidays.

From the winter solstice to the Lantern Festival next year, there are several festivals in the middle, plus the memorial day of Zhao Kuangyin's father, the birthday of Zhao Zhen's mother, and the celebration day of Zhao Hengtian, adding up to 33 days.

From the beginning of December to the end of January, half of the two months are spent on vacation, so there is very little time for work, and it is hard not to be lazy.

The seven-day holiday for the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month has just ended, and the Political System Institute has only been working for a few days.

At this moment, all the prime ministers in the room are there except Jiang Tang and Cai Qi.

Because two prime ministers are required to be on duty during the holidays, Zhao Zhen sympathizes with the old ministers, such as Zhang Shixun, Li Di, Lu Yijian, Wang Zeng and other elderly ministers do not need to be on duty.

The rest of the people take turns on duty. During the Lantern Festival, it is Jiang Tang and Cai Qi, so they have to make up for a few days of vacation after the Lantern Festival.

When the time is almost right, the official documents of each department are reported, and everyone goes to the meeting room for a meeting.

"This is the GDP report of last year submitted by the Ministry of Statistics this year, this is the tax report of last year submitted by the Ministry of Finance, this is the business report of last year submitted by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, and this is the agricultural report of last year submitted by the Ministry of Agriculture."

Yan Shu put the official documents submitted by various departments this morning on the table, looked around, and said with a smile: "I just took a quick look, and the growth is very gratifying."

Lv Yijian looked at Zhao Zhen, and said with a smile in his old age: "In this situation, Hanlong thinks of the performance of the Song Dynasty last year?"

"It still needs to work hard. Compared with our later generations, I only have one thing to say."

Zhao Jun said.

"What is it?"

Everyone was curious.

"It needs a joke from the Song Dynasty to spur it on."

"No need, no need."

Everyone waved their hands repeatedly, this thing can easily make people have high blood pressure.

Zhao Jun smiled.

In recent years, he hasn't told jokes about the Song Dynasty for a long time.

First, there is nothing to satirize, and second, there are not many jokes in the Song Dynasty.

Especially Zhao Guangyi's jokes, saying too much makes it seem too long-winded, there is really nothing to say.

After making a joke, Zhao Jun also flipped through these official documents.

Last year's total fiscal revenue was the highest in recent years, reaching 139.25 million guan.

Among them, agricultural tax did not decrease but increased after the land tax was distributed, from 24 million guan in the fourth year of Qingli to 39.73 million guan, commercial tax increased by 7 million guan, to 65.06 million guan, and foreign trade increased by 3 million guan, to 34.46 million guan.

In the fourth year of Qingli, agricultural tax was 24 million guan, commercial tax was 58 million guan, and foreign trade tax was 31 million guan, totaling 113 million guan.

But in fact, about 30% of commercial and agricultural taxes will be intercepted in local areas for large-scale infrastructure construction, and about 20% of foreign trade taxes will be retained in major ports for local expenditures.

Therefore, including foreign trade, the actual income from commercial taxes last year was 65 million guan, agricultural taxes were 16.8 million guan, and the total was 81.8 million guan.

If the local withholding is removed this year, the revenue of the imperial treasury will officially exceed 100 million, reaching 100.921 million guan.

This is why Lu Yijian said last year that the fiscal revenue last year might exceed 100 million guan.

"This is a good result. If we calculate the gross domestic product, the total agricultural value is about 400 million guan, the total commercial tax value is about 1.62 billion guan, and the total foreign trade value is 490 million guan. Last year's total value was 2.51 billion guan, an increase of 12% from 2.23 billion guan the year before."

Zhao Jun took out a brush and calculated it on paper with a formula. The gross domestic product grew at an annual rate of 12%, which was already very exaggerated.

But after he put down his pen, he continued: "However, this tax rate fluctuation is only a rough estimate. After all, the increase in agricultural taxes last year was due to the increase in farmers' income. I started to kill pigs and bleed them for the landlords, which made the landlords pay at least 8% more." Tax, so the total value should not be that high, probably around 2.4 billion yuan.”

"That's good too."

"Yeah, I remember Han Long said that it would be great if many countries in the future can grow by single digits every year."

"I am still very satisfied with this growth rate."

Everyone said.

Nowadays, data is king, and Zhao Jun also takes data into consideration.

Although GDP does not completely represent the development of the country, it does represent most of the development speed. Looking at last year's data alone, the three growth rates are particularly obvious, especially agricultural taxes.

However, Zhao Jun knew what was going on with the increase in agricultural taxes. This result was entirely due to the distribution of taxes to landowners by apportioning the land to the landowners.

If at a normal age, an increase from 24 million guan to 28 million guan would be considered good.

However, after the landowners who own a large amount of land across the country pay taxes twice as much as before, the increase will naturally be significant.

"Last year's level of development would have been very good in ancient times, but our goal is not to improve society in ancient times, but to look forward and progress toward the industrial age."

Zhao Jun pondered for a moment, then thought about it and said: "The Statistics Department did not count the domestic steel production last year. This was my oversight. This item must be added in the future, so that the steel level of a country can be measured."

“Although policies were liberalized last year and steel plants and cement plants were set up across the country, from finding resources to selecting locations, as well as building roads and rivers, steel plants and cement plants in most places across the country may still be in the construction stage. It has not been officially put into production.

Yan Shu said: "So our current steel plant output still mainly relies on Wu'an Iron and Steel and other existing smelters. It should not be difficult to calculate this data. I will talk to Wu Yu later and ask him to send someone to check. ”

"Um."

Zhao Jun said: "These steel plants should get on the right track this year. The focus of the Constitutional Yuan should be adjusted this year to start the era of large-scale steelmaking. I want Da Song's steel production to reach 90% of the world's steel production within five years." % or more, allowing the Song Dynasty to officially enter the first stage of the industrial revolution.”

"ah?"

Everyone was dumbfounded.

Song Shou said hoarsely: "Is this possible? Doesn't it mean that the Song Dynasty's annual steel output will be more than a hundred times what it was before?"

"How is it impossible?"

Zhao Jun said with a smile: "After the first industrial revolution in Britain, in 1850, steel production was 2.5 million tons per year, accounting for half of the world's steel production. At that time, the world's productivity had improved a lot, but the world's annual output was only five Million tons. At this time, the world’s annual output is probably less than 100,000 tons.”

This is not an exaggeration, it is a fact.

Some people on the Internet later said that steel production reached 150,000 tons during the Yuanfeng period of the Song Dynasty. But this is actually false news fabricated by fans of the Song Dynasty. According to the actual records in the "History of the Song Dynasty", the annual output should be about more than 10,000 tons.

You must know that according to the research of later archaeologist Mr. Li Jinghua, the total steel production during the entire Western Han Dynasty was only more than 40,000 tons.

It wasn't until the emergence of the steel frying method in the Eastern Han Dynasty, and then the steel pouring method in the Tang Dynasty, that the annual output only reached more than 3,000 tons. Even if the Song Dynasty had black technology, it would not be exaggerated to the level of annual output of 150,000 tons.

Therefore, according to the "History of the Song Dynasty", it is normal for the Song Dynasty to produce more than 10,000 tons per year.

At that time, the Song Dynasty was already the country with the highest economy, technology, culture and productivity in the world. Even the Song Dynasty only produced more than 10,000 tons of steel annually. It is unknown whether the combined steel production of other countries in the world could reach 50,000 tons.

Therefore, once steel plants are established across the country, the goal will only be achieved if the steel production reaches one million tons per year.

Even if one million tons per year is only a fraction compared to our annual output of one billion tons in later generations, during the Song Dynasty, it was really not nonsense to be the world's number one within five years and account for more than 90% of the steel production.

"Well"

Everyone looked at each other and then understood what industrial society is.

Once industrialization begins, the gap between any previous data and the industrial era will be countless times.

"After the industrialization era, steel production first increased, and then steel was used in various industries, driving the development of other industries."

Zhao Jun said: "Railways, factories, and shipyards are the major players in the steam engine and steel industries. In the final analysis, industrial development is inseparable from food, clothing, housing, and transportation. So the top priority next year is to increase steel production and promote national investment promotion. , matters related to opening various factories.”

"Um."

Everyone took pen and paper to record it.

After several rounds of Qingli New Deal reforms, the country's shortcomings are slowly being eliminated.

Although there are still some affected areas, they are much better.

The main development focus now should indeed be on the production of the industrial revolution.

"The steel plant on South Beijing Road has been under construction since the year before last and was officially put into operation at the end of last year. They want the court to allocate more funds and they want to build their own railway."

Li Di said.

"It's a good thing that local governments have subjective initiative. I will send someone to inspect this matter. If there are no problems, I will approve it."

"OK."

"Speaking of which, since we have entered industrialization, it is time for us to establish a new department."

Zhao Jun pondered for a moment, then said: "Let's start setting up the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Railways this year. In the future, such things will be coordinated by the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Railways. Otherwise, if local governments have to wait for the approval of the Political System Council for everything, the efficiency will be too slow."

There will definitely be more and more things like this in the future.

The Political System Council has so few people, and the main direction must be the national development strategy. Local governments cannot apply for reports and require their approval. There should still be direct departments in charge.

"Then let me prepare for the construction of these two departments. Although I am a little older, I also want to play a little role in the country."

Lv Yijian didn't want to miss the opportunity to seize power.

Zhao Jun glanced and said: "Prime Minister Wang is also a pillar of the country. This matter will be handed over to Prime Minister Lu and Prime Minister Wang to co-organize."

He didn't want Lu Yijian to interfere.

Since Lu Yijian used to be in charge of personnel, he had many students and old officials in the more than 50 departments of the Song Dynasty. Although basically when Lu Lao died, he would lose most of his power.

But Lü Yijian's second son, Lü Gongbi, is already the Hebei Road Transport Commissioner, and his third son, Lü Gongzhu, is already the Imperial Edict Writer, and they are promoted very quickly.

Old Lü is not making use of his remaining energy, but is obviously trying to pave the way for his son.

"Yeah."

Old Lü just responded, and did not object.

In the current situation, it is good to have some power. After all, his health is getting worse and worse, and no one knows how long he can live.

"Then let's leave it at that for today's meeting. Next, let each department plan their own development plan for this year and submit it to the Political System Council for approval. The income is getting higher and higher, but there are still many fixed expenses, and the money should be spent on the right things."

Zhao Jun stood up and adjourned the meeting.

Although the fiscal revenue last year was 100 million, the Ministry of Education built schools and promoted the teaching system. The Ministry of Works repaired canals and roads, and local governments built water conservancy and road construction, which required the court to spend a lot of money.

Adding the salaries of officials and military expenses, the annual fixed expenditure is still 50 to 60 million guan, and the remaining half can be used for other investment and construction.

But even so, it is still pretty good. At least it is better than the previous situation where five-sixths of the Song Dynasty’s financial resources were invested in military expenditures, and the remaining one-sixth was occupied by official salaries and other redundant expenses. The country had no construction funds at all, and it was completely dead.

At present, the Political System Council issued instructions in the new year, requiring each department to submit its own department’s plan for this year, such as how many teachers the Ministry of Education should recruit and how many schools to build this year, how many canals the Ministry of Works should repair, how many roads to open, etc.

After the plan is submitted without any problems, the Political System Council will ask the Ministry of Finance to approve funds as funds.

And so on.

In the sixth year of the Qingli period, the Song Dynasty was once again in full swing of construction.