Chapter 1480
Initial Success
Chapter 1480 Initial Success
Zhao Hanzhang was startled by Lin Hao's arrival.
The newly appointed minister had just released the "Tax Reform Plan," so why did he suddenly show up at the door? He quickly straightened his clothes and went out to greet him.
Lin Hao stood in the living room, and when he saw Zhao Hanzhang enter, he smiled slightly and got straight to the point:
"Inspector Zhao, Zhili Province is still short 800,000 taels of salt tax from last month, and it's due again this month. I'd like to ask when it will arrive?"
Zhao Hanzhang's expression changed, then he forced a smile and said:
"Chief of Staff Lin, as you know, the province has huge expenses. Military pay, administration, water conservancy—everything costs money. We really have the will but not the means!"
"Besides, those rumors outside...!"
"The rumors are none of your concern, Inspector Zhao!" Lin Hao took a step forward and said forcefully.
"Inspector Zhao, I'm not trying to bargain with you, that's right!"
Hearing Lin Hao's impolite words, Zhao Hanzhang subconsciously raised his head and met Lin Hao's gaze.
For a moment, he felt his consciousness waver, and Lin Hao's words echoed in his mind.
"This tax must be paid. If it's not paid, the central government will have a hard time continuing to operate. What was my ideal back then? Wasn't it to save this country and let the people live a good life...!"
"If I don't support the tax reform plan now, the Beiyang government might not last three months."
"So whether it's salt tax, customs duty, or transit tax, it's all the country's money, not yours."
Previously, people intercepted goods because no one was in charge. Now that someone is in charge, not only should they not be stopped, but they should actively and willingly hand them over!
Zhao Hanzhang's gaze wavered for a moment before refocusing. His expression shifted from wariness to relief, as if he had suddenly figured out some difficult problem.
"General Lin is right!" He sighed deeply, his tone somewhat heavy.
“I was too narrow-minded before. This money should be paid. I will arrange for someone to transfer the debt to the Ministry of Finance tomorrow.”
"As for those rumors that are detrimental to unity, I will have them clarified so that Chief of Staff Lin will not be wronged."
Lin Hao smiled, grasped Zhao Hanzhang's hand gratefully, and said, "Inspector Zhao is a man of great integrity; I admire him greatly!"
After he finished speaking, as he turned to leave the provincial government, Zhao Hanzhang personally saw him off at the door, his attitude being many times warmer than when he arrived.
The secretary followed Lin Hao into the car, filled with doubt, and couldn't help but ask:
"Chief, what did you say to Inspector Zhao? Why did he suddenly change his mind?"
Lin Hao leaned back in his chair with his eyes closed and said calmly:
"Inspector Zhao is a man of great integrity and has a heart that loves his country and its people. He is full of love for his country and its people. I simply explained the pros and cons to him, and he understood!"
"Uh~!" After hearing Lin Hao's nonsense, the secretary didn't know how to describe his feelings for a moment.
You have to understand what kind of person Zhao Hanzhang was. Everyone in the Beiyang government knew him. Just look at his surname. How could someone who valued his surname more than his life have any sense of national responsibility?
However, he was too lazy to investigate. Regardless of how Minister Lin did it, the fact that the Ministry of Finance's tax revenue was in place was a good thing, and nothing else mattered.
Over the next week, Lin Hao traveled to six provinces. Due to the long distances, he had his driving school instructor fly the plane to those provinces.
He met with five different inspectors in succession, said the same thing five times, and used the same methods six times.
It's always very simple—sit down, chat for a bit, and then help the other person love their country and people, understand the greater good, and cultivate a sense of national pride.
On the fourth day, Liu Jingtang, the provincial governor of Nanhe, remitted the overdue tax payments to Beiping. He also sent a telegram to the President, expressing his support for the President and his commitment to obeying the central government and supporting Chief Minister Lin's financial reforms.
On the fourth day, Yan Bochuan, the imperial inspector from Xishan, personally went to the capital with the tax money to express his loyalty to the president. He also paid a visit to Lin Hao and brought two cases of Fenjiu liquor as an apology.
Lin Hao accepted the wine, and in return, accepted Yan Bochuan's sincerity.
The most enthusiastic was Zhou Ziqi, the imperial inspector from Dongshan. When Lin Hao arrived in Jinan, he had a long talk with him for an hour.
As Lin Hao was about to leave, he took out his Citibank deposit slip and paid off his taxes from previous years on the spot.
"Chief Lin, this is the detailed financial statement of Dongshan over the past three years. Please review and approve it personally."
Lin Hao flipped through a few pages of the ledger, but didn't look at it carefully, because he had already checked the other party's memory and confirmed that the accounts were not fake, so he naturally wouldn't make things difficult for him.
However, the necessary procedures still need to be followed, and each transaction still needs to be reviewed; otherwise, what is the purpose of the Ministry of Finance?
However, Zhou Ziqi was indeed too straightforward. Every single number matched up, and the shady dealings were clearly explained. He had exposed his true colors.
"Your Excellency Zhou is very kind. The President is very satisfied. It is a great blessing for the Republic of China to have an Inspector like you who is dedicated to the country and its people!" Lin Hao closed the ledger and patted him on the shoulder.
Zhou Ziqi straightened his back a bit after being patted on the back, and then said, "Everything is for the Republic of China!"
Lin Hao's actions resulted in the collection of all taxes from the six northern provinces, causing an uproar in the entire Beiyang government.
"How did Lin Hao do that?"
"What benefits did he promise those people?"
"Or does he have dirt on those people?"
No one knew the answer; all the inspectors who had spoken with Lin Hao avoided discussing the content of their conversations.
It felt like they just met Lin Hao once, and after being persuaded by his patriotism and love for the country and its people, they all expressed their support.
The strangest thing is that these people, who originally disliked each other, are now surprisingly united in their support for the central government, the president, and Chief Minister Lin's fiscal reforms.
Upon hearing this news, Bai Xiongqi felt his scalp tingle. Where did this succubus come from? Is her verbal sparring more powerful than her cannons?
He put down the documents in his hand, walked to the window, and lit a cigarette.
His position as Vice Minister of the Interior wasn't particularly high-ranking, but it wasn't low-ranking either. It wasn't good enough compared to those above him, but it wasn't bad enough compared to those below him either, but Bai Xiongqi was unwilling to accept it.
He recalled what his sister, Bai Xiuzhu, had said at the dinner table yesterday.
"Brother, I went to Peking University to listen to Lin Hao's lecture."
"You went again?"
“Meili insisted on dragging me along!” Bai Xiuzhu tried her best to sound calm.
But Bai Xiongqi was his sister, and he could tell that her deliberate indifference was precisely what showed she cared.
What did he say?
“The international financial system, economic colonialism, Wall Street.” Bai Xiuzhu’s eyes shone as she spoke these terms.
"Brother, he's really different. Compared to him, Brother Yanxi is like a child compared to an adult!"
Bai Xiongqi didn't say anything at the time, but started to make plans in his mind.
Jin Quan is over fifty years old this year. How many more years can he work? Even if he can continue, which of Jin's sons can take over?
Jin Fengju is a playboy, Jin Hesun is a bookworm, and Jin Yanxi is even more of a playboy who is good at eating, drinking and having fun but not good at anything serious.
The Jin family may seem to be at the height of its power, but in reality, they have no successor.
And Lin Hao? In his early thirties, he is the Minister of Finance, controls two hundred tons of gold, is a favorite of the President, and now holds the financial power of each province in his hands.
If nothing unexpected happens, this man will dominate the Beiyang government for the next ten years.
If the Bai family wants to gain a foothold in this grand game, it is necessary to befriend such a person, and it would be best to tie themselves to him.
What should we use to bind them? Bai Xiongqi flicked his cigarette ash, thinking of his innocent younger sister, whose lips would slightly curl upwards every time she mentioned Lin Hao.
The following evening, Bai Xiongqi's car pulled up in front of the Lin residence. "Chief Lin, you're not busy today, are you? Shall we find a place to sit?" Bai Xiongqi said with a smile, offering a cigarette.
Lin Hao accepted the cigarette, but didn't light it. Actually, he didn't smoke; accepting the cigarette was just a sign of respect.
Seeing Bai Xiongqi's expression, Lin Hao smiled and said, "Since Vice Minister Bai is treating, I, Lin, will certainly keep you company!"
The private room at Jifenglou Restaurant, this time-honored establishment, has pretty good food.
But Bai Xiongqi's demeanor today is different from last time. Last time he was testing the waters, but this time he's here to make friends.
After several rounds of drinks and a lively conversation about everything under the sun, Bai Xiongqi put down his chopsticks and, emboldened by the alcohol, began to speak:
"Commander Lin, my little sister has been thinking about you a lot lately!"
Lin Hao paused slightly in his hand holding the wine glass, and looked up at Bai Xiongqi. At this moment, the other party had a smile on his face, but his eyes were very serious, and he did not seem to be joking.
"Brother Bai, you jest!" Lin Hao downed his drink in one gulp and said in a calm and unhurried tone:
"Your sister is both beautiful and talented, and I have feelings for her. However, I've heard that she and the seventh young master of the Jin family are childhood sweethearts. If your words were to get out, it would be somewhat inappropriate!"
"Besides, the White and Kim families are on good terms, so it won't be easy to explain to Chief of Staff Kim!"
However, Bai Xiongqi said nonchalantly:
"Hey~, it's a new era now, everyone advocates free love and doesn't support those feudal ideas anymore. I can see that my little sister is quite fond of you too~!"
Lin Hao paused in his chopsticks, then looked up at Bai Xiongqi.
Bai Xiongqi's gaze was frank and direct, not like a probing question, but more like discussing a business deal that had already been planned.
"Miss Bai is beautiful and talented, a lady from a distinguished family, naturally she is quite good," Lin Hao said unhurriedly.
"But your younger sister is still young, so there's no rush. Let's talk about it later!"
At this point, Lin Hao paused, then raised his glass and gently clinked it against Bai Xiongqi's.
"There's still a long time ahead, and matters of the heart depend on fate!"
Bai Xiongqi stared at him for two seconds, then burst into laughter: "Chief Lin is right, I was just too impatient."
The two clinked glasses, drank it all in one gulp, and didn't continue the conversation.
Bai Xiongqi's intention was very clear: he wanted to form a marriage alliance with Lin Hao, but Lin Hao neither agreed nor directly refused.
Lin Hao felt that the time was not right, and pursuing Bai Xiuzhu now would be a thankless task.
Bai Xiongqi then put down his wine glass and changed the subject, starting to talk about the situation in the army and the movements of the military governors in various provinces.
Lin Hao listened, occasionally interjecting a few words, but in his mind he was plotting something else.
Speaking of which, Bai Xiongqi is quite a figure. Although he doesn't hold a high official position now, he has many connections in the military and political arena.
Moreover, he rose from Vice Minister of the Interior to Minister of the Beiyang Army, despite being a shrewd and calculating political opportunist.
However, by reviewing his memories, Lin Hao also realized that Bai Xiongqi genuinely wanted to cooperate with him at this moment, which was the advantage of knowing his trump card.
Driven by the Bai family's interests, he was willing to bet on Lin Hao, which was naturally a good thing for the future situation.
However, as I said before, since the world is a flat, unchanging place, there's no need to care too much about personal opinions. As long as it's beneficial to you, you can take that person.
Although a vice minister of the interior has no military or financial power, he is nothing special, but what if he were to advance further?
Bai Xiongqi needs Lin Hao's financial resources and upward momentum, while Lin Hao needs Bai Xiongqi's connections and influence in the military. Their interests do not conflict but rather complement each other.
As for Bai Xiuzhu's matter, it's not the right time yet; we can wait a little longer.
It wasn't that Lin Hao was being pretentious; he simply knew very well that Bai Xiuzhu did have feelings for him.
But Bai Xiuzhu still harbored feelings for Jin Yanxi; that childhood sweetheart bond wasn't so easy to let go of.
Jin Yanxi had not yet met Leng Qingqiu, and Bai Xiuzhu had not yet suffered a fatal emotional blow.
If you were to pursue Bai Xiuzhu now, not only would the success rate be low, but it would also seem too hasty.
There's no need to put too much effort into this. Let's wait until Jin Yanxi meets Leng Qingqiu, until Bai Xiuzhu's emotional balance completely tilts, and until the most opportune moment arrives.
Before that, he only needed to do one thing: subtly deepen Bai Xiuzhu's and Jin Meili's affection and dependence on him.
······
Lin Hao used that simple and brutal method to centralize all the financial power of the six Beiyang provinces.
All the taxes owed by the six provinces were paid in full, and the three major tax sources—salt tax, customs duty, and likin—were all returned to the central government.
Lin Hao thwarted the feigned compliance of the six northern provinces with a single move.
When the news reached the President's ears, he was in his office reviewing documents.
Chief of Staff Lu Xiaowen placed the payment records from each province on the table. The President glanced at them and remained silent for a long time.
"How did Lin Hao do that?" the president asked incredulously after a long silence.
Lu Xiaowen shook his head, somewhat puzzled, and said:
"I don't know either. I just heard that Chief of Staff Lin personally went to six provinces, spent half a day in each province, and talked with the other party for an hour or two. Then all those people came to their senses."
"You've figured it out?" The President repeated the three words, a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth, and said:
"His speed in figuring things out is more effective than if I sent ten imperial envoys!"
Lu Xiaowen tentatively asked, "President, should we send someone to find out what methods Chief of Staff Lin used?"
The president thought for a moment, then waved his hand and said, "No need. As long as he can collect the money, it's his business what means he uses."
Speaking of this, he couldn't help but think of the dream he had before, which Yang Du had interpreted for him, saying that he would have a benefactor to help him solve his financial problems.
Unexpectedly, it really was Lin Hao, and he actually solved the financial problem, instantly gaining the support of six provinces and stabilizing his crumbling territory.
The method Lin Hao used was just too strange. He talked to someone and the other person immediately expressed their support, which made him somewhat worried.
Fortunately, everything Lin Hao did was to solidify his position, so he didn't want to delve into the details.
After consolidating control of the treasury, Lin Hao's next move was to target the military.
The Beiyang Army's pay was originally distributed by the President himself, but as the territory expanded, each military commander distributed pay independently, leading to increasingly serious misappropriation.
Of the one million yuan allocated by the central government, seven hundred thousand yuan was left for the local governments, and five hundred thousand yuan was left for the military leaders. At most, three hundred thousand yuan was distributed, and less than one hundred thousand yuan reached the soldiers.
With layers of exploitation and deductions, by the time it reached the soldiers, they were lucky if they could even buy a bowl of porridge.
Soldiers who are not well-fed will naturally lack combat effectiveness. Without combat effectiveness, the central government will not have the authority to speak. If the central government is not assertive, local authorities will become even more unscrupulous.
This is a vicious cycle, and Lin Hao is determined to break it.
His plan was simple: the military pay would be directly allocated to the soldiers by the Ministry of Finance. Of course, the Ministry of Finance could not pay out in installments, but would entrust banks to make the payments on its behalf.
The money was no longer sent through the military governor or any intermediaries; it was directly deposited into the soldiers' personal accounts.
Completely eliminate the development of military leaders' power. When the time comes, those who obey will receive their pay on time and in full, while those who disobey or even think of rebellion will be dealt with accordingly.