Pan Yun was thoroughly sick of the endless tug-of-war over land and existing taxes. The pie was only so big, and one portion of it was still hidden away.
Yu Qian and his group wanted to drag that hidden portion into the light for all under heaven to see. Beyond that, they could only increase the treasury's revenue by rectifying official governance and cutting expenditures.
That was no different from snatching food from people's mouths. Whenever there was the slightest sign of it, all manner of incidents would erupt in both the former court and the inner palace, and Pan Yun herself would be dragged out and cursed along with them.
Her view had never changed. Yu Qian and the others could continue what they were doing, but she could make the pie bigger. That way, the conflicts would be dispersed, and the opposition would not be quite so fierce.
There was no better way to enlarge the pie than advancing technology and developing productive capacity.
Since the Ministry of Works could produce hand-cranked generators, things like steam engines should not be difficult either.
Given the Ming Dynasty's technological level, making them was merely a matter of time.
Pan Yun had long since handed over the blueprints.
Unfortunately, only those engaged in research were excited. Few court ministers grasped the importance of these things, so the Ministry of Works' requested funds were cut again and again. In the end, it received the smallest share. Forget research funding—even the craftsmen's wages had to be squeezed out of the officials' salaries.
Otherwise, how could someone as stingy as Pan Yun wave her hand without even stammering and directly produce ten thousand taels of silver as a reward fund?
If the Ministry of Works was to receive proper attention, these ministers had to