Chapter 436

Businessmen are profit-seeking and are one of the most difficult groups to control. While they contributed to the development of the territory, they also made a lot of money themselves.

Inevitably, because of interests, businessmen will get involved in local interest disputes.

Of course, Ouyang Shuo will take precautions against this.

In addition to the management of the Commercial Department of the Finance Department, it is to cultivate more chambers of commerce and avoid the emergence of oligarchs.

The collision between the local chamber of commerce and the big chamber of commerce is one of the methods.

Of course, these are only temporary solutions.

Ouyang Shuo is planning to form a business association to strengthen the supervision of major chambers of commerce.

This matter has to be discussed in the long term.

After all, the current territory is still in the initial stage of development, and it needs to rely on the strength of the major chambers of commerce, so as not to dampen their enthusiasm.

Among the three counties, Lianzhou County is naturally the fastest growing.

Although Shanhai City was separated from Lianzhou County, Lianzhou County, which has four prefectures and one city, still stands out from the crowd.

The Shenjuan Mansion, which has just been established, has passed the most difficult period, and the construction of the city is nearing completion. Its dominant industries—animal husbandry and leather processing—are thriving.

The aquaculture and pearl cultivation in Tianfeng Mansion and Duan Ren Mansion are also making daily progress. In addition, the mulberry gardens and tea gardens all over the two prefectures should not be underestimated.

Especially the mulberry garden, combined with the breeding of colorful silkworms, is enough to make people jealous.

The colored silk produced in Shanhai City has already opened up sales in the nine royal cities, and is deeply loved by dignitaries and wealthy businessmen in the royal cities, leading a trend.

Among the four mansions, Mulan Mansion was merged from the territory and belonged to an established force. Unfortunately, due to the special geographical location, Mulan Mansion's income is somewhat embarrassing.

The most important reason is that Mulan Mansion does not have any advantageous industries.

It is estimated that Mulan Mansion will be reborn from the ashes only after the entire territory of Guangxi Province is occupied.

Of course, no matter how dazzling the three counties are, they cannot cover the light of Shanhai City.

The construction of the outer city of Shanhai City is still in full swing. There are no less than a thousand people who settle in Shanhai City every day. These people are not refugees from the brush, but the people who migrated from the major royal cities.

The population of Shanhai City has exceeded the 400,000 mark. Ouyang Shuo predicted that by October at the latest, Shanhai City would be promoted to a second-level county city, breaking through the population limit of 500,000.

The current Shanhai City is dotted with streets and streets, if Ouyang Shuo has no one to take him with him, he will get lost in the city. The scope of his activities is basically limited to the royal city.

Bing'er, on the other hand, started to run wild all over the city again after the summer vacation, like a runaway wild horse. Occasionally, the little girl would teleport to Yashan City to inspect her "territory" and take a look at the four little girls.

In Yashan City, Binger is a veritable princess.

Tian Wenjing, governor of Qiongzhou, not only arranged for people to build the lord's mansion magnificently, but also built a wild animal park outside the city for Binger to play.

The zoo was built only because of Binger's words: "There are so many small animals here."

When Ouyang Shuo heard about this, he also shook his head.

Unexpectedly, Tian Wenjing, the cold-faced sheriff, would love Binger so much.

As the base camp of the territory, Shanhai City's business is the most developed. According to the statistics of the Department of Commerce of the Finance Department, as of now, there are thirty-seven chambers of commerce, large or small, that have settled in Shanhai City.

There are chambers of commerce in the nine royal cities.

Apart from commerce, what supported the development of Shanhai City was naturally the military industry.

After more than a year of incubation, the military industry finally began to explode. With the completion of the Eastern District, the production capacity of the entire military industry has directly tripled.

Nowadays, the weapons and equipment produced by Shanhai City can not only meet the refitting needs of the territorial army, but also accept orders from members of the Shanhai League.

The military industry that is running at full capacity can really be called making money every day.

***********

Political meeting begins.

Cui Yingyou, Director of Finance, reported the territory's fiscal revenue and expenditure in July.

"Shanhai City handed in 85,700 gold coins in revenue, Lianzhou County handed in 52,700 gold coins, Leizhou County has no financial revenue to hand in, and Qiongzhou County handed in 41,500 gold coins. In addition to the direct income of 55,000 gold coins from the Industry Department, the territory's July fiscal total The income is 234,900 gold coins."

Ouyang Shuo was overjoyed when he heard that the territory's monthly financial income exceeded 200,000 gold coins.

It's not easy.

Unexpectedly, Yingyou's next report made Ouyang Shuo's face darken.

"In July, the financial transfer payment totaled more than 80,000 gold coins, mainly including the transfer payment of 20,000 gold coins for Shanhai City, which was used for city construction; the transfer payment of 60,000 gold coins for Leizhou County, which was used for reconstruction. In addition, there are two major expenditures. The administrative expenses of the government are 8,000 gold coins and military expenditures are 135,000 gold coins."

For a legion, the normal monthly military expenditure is around 35,000 gold coins.

In the army, the Longxiang Army and the Huben Army are fully staffed, plus the newly formed First Division of the Leopard Army, the Imperial Guard Division, and the Habayashi Guard, the normal military expenditure is around 95,000 gold coins.

The Nanyang Navy, including the first formation of the Yashan Fleet and the first formation of the Beihai Gulf Fleet, has a monthly military expenditure of around 20,000 gold coins.

Calculated, the normal monthly military expenditure alone reached 115,000 gold coins.

The military expenditure in July also includes the pensions for the Battle of Leizhou and the Battle of Julu.

Therefore, the entire military expenditure exceeds more than half of the fiscal revenue.

It's militaristic!

This means that in the game, if this is done in reality, the people will rebel sooner or later.

When Yingyou was reporting military expenditures, she glanced at Du Ruhui intentionally or unintentionally.

Du Ruhui knew he was wrong, so he kept a dark face and didn't speak.

Previously, when the army had not yet formed, the army could obtain additional income by suppressing bandits to subsidize military expenditures.

At that time, military expenditures were not a big burden on the territory's finances.

Forming a division, especially after forming a legion, the army of Shanhai City became more and more regularized and professionalized. The work of suppressing bandits has long been delegated to the local garrison.

Therefore, on the surface, the military's financial impact on the territory has always been negative.

The army itself can no longer generate any additional wealth.

Siege of cities and territories, because the implementation is occupation, cannot be carried out by burning, killing and looting.

Of course, things can't just look at the surface.

Taking the Battle of Leizhou as an example, in the short term, the gains outweigh the losses. But in the long run, Leizhou County's future fiscal revenue is expected to be much higher than the current investment.

Expansion of territory is always the only way to become strong.

Du Ruhui understood these things, and so did Cui Yingyou.

Yingyou's veiled hint was just an inoculation to the Military Affairs Administration, not to expand the army wantonly in the later stage. Otherwise, the territory's finances will not be able to afford it.

In fact, Du Ruhui also had difficulties to speak of.

The establishment of the army, in the final analysis, is still arbitrarily determined by the emperor alone.

To put it bluntly, the Military Affairs Administration is taking the blame for the prince.

Sitting at the top, Ouyang Shuo naturally noticed the confrontation between the two important ministers. He knew that Yingyou was secretly protesting against him.

This younger sister is not Yi Yi's generation.

With the promotion of Ouyang Shuo's status, Yingyou will no longer yell at him bluntly, but instead use this method to remind his elder brother not to resort to violence.

In fact, Ouyang Shuo was already consciously controlling the size of the army.

Not to mention anything else, just take the Battle of Qiongzhou as an example.

Sun Bin led the Huben army and captured more than 70,000 soldiers. Ouyang Shuo just instructed the Military Affairs Department to organize a garrison division from the prisoners.

In addition to the garrison troops in various prefectures and counties, less than one-third of the soldiers received reorganization.

However, no matter how streamlined it is, the overall size of the army will inevitably grow larger. Just imagine, without these elite troops, where would Ouyang Shuo have the confidence to compete in the world?

As the saying goes, you can't have your cake and eat it too.

At this stage, Ouyang Shuo had to make an inclination in the military and political sectors.

A strong army is the core goal.

After the establishment of the Southern Border Governor's Mansion, Ouyang Shuo himself no longer withheld any territorial funds, and only kept 10,000 to 20,000 gold coins in his storage bag as pocket money.

The fiscal revenue of the territory is basically invested in the construction of the territory.

The strength of the territory is his strength.

According to Yingyou's report, the territory's real net financial income in July was only 11,900 gold coins.

Next month, financial revenue and expenditure should improve.

The most fundamental thing is that Leizhou County not only no longer needs fiscal transfer payments, but can also turn over fiscal revenue. One in and one out is not a small amount.

Regarding this, Yingyou was not as optimistic as Ouyang Shuo.

Not for anything else, just because the Battle of Zhaoqing is in full swing.

It can be foreseen that Zhaoqing County in the future will be a mess waiting to be cleaned up.

After Yingyou finished her report, she retreated.

The next step is to discuss the establishment of the Shepherd's Office.

After the establishment of the Southern Border Protectorate, the establishment of institutions became more and more standardized.

According to Ouyang Shuo's regulations, the establishment of an organization can be proposed by the minister, and after being reviewed by the Administrative Office, it can be put on the political table for formal discussion, and finally it will be decided by Ouyang Shuo.

This arrangement is also to prevent Ouyang Shuo from becoming arrogant in the future.

A person, who has been in a high position for a long time, is used to arbitrariness, and his vision will inevitably be obscured. If it continues to develop, it will be easy not to listen to the suggestions of the courtiers.

Ouyang Shuo didn't want to be that kind of person.

However, if there is no reasonable system design, with the current trend, he will inevitably become that kind of person. Therefore, Ouyang Shuo will guard against the passing of time, and exercise self-restraint when his mind is still clear.

In this regard, Fan Zhongyan and other ministers are extremely pleased.

With such an enlightened master, why worry about not succeeding in the hegemony?

Under Xiao He's proposal, after review by the Director of Administration, it was unanimously agreed to establish the Department of Animal Husbandry under the framework of the Military Affairs Administration.

The Department of Pastoral Affairs established has two responsibilities.

First, he is in charge of the frame of the Southern Border Protectorate.

When Ouyang Shuo travels, he usually rides a horse, and usually does not take a carriage. With the gradual improvement of Shanhai City, under the suggestion of Fan Zhongyan and others, Ouyang Shuo also had to take a horse-drawn carriage when traveling in normal times.

According to them, this is a matter of law and cannot be done casually. Only in this way can the majesty of the Southern Border Protector be reflected. In this regard, Ouyang Shuo could only compromise.

Fortunately, he usually has fewer opportunities to travel.

With Ouyang Shuo's temperament, he really can't get used to riding in a carriage.

Second, horse administration in charge of the territory.

The major army horse farms, including the Blast Wind Valley Army Horse Farm and the Shenjuan Mansion Army Horse Farm, are all managed by the Code and Animal Husbandry Department.

The director of the Animal Husbandry Department is naturally Xia Houying.

So far, the four talents in the Battle of Julu have all been settled.