The Cao family's funeral was extremely dignified, and mourners still came every day after the burial.
Zhu Zhanzhen planned to stay for another two or three days before going back and continue visiting villages and towns.
Early that morning, he planned to go out, but he saw Cao Yangfeng, the second master of the Cao family, leading a group of people pulling several carts of grain through the back door. Out of curiosity, Zhu Zhanzhen asked Chen Xuan.
"Mr. Chen, what is he doing?"
"I don't know either, just ask."
Chen Xuan strode up to Cao Yangfeng, who was busy greeting him.
"Master Cao, what are you doing?"
Cao Yangfeng's expression did not change: "This is the tax grain sent by the village, and it is stored in the granary of our Cao family. They came to the main entrance. There is a white paper hanging on the main entrance. I was afraid of being unlucky, so I took them in through the small door."
The Cao family has a granary in their house.
"Tax grain." Zhu Zhanzhen was a little puzzled.
Chen Xuan answered: "The Cao family is the grain chief in this area and is responsible for escorting tax grains to the capital."
The grain chief system is a system invented by Zhu Yuanzhang. Each state and county is divided into a number of grain districts based on the amount of grain collected, and each district has a grain chief.
Each prefecture and county is divided into several grain districts according to the amount of grain collected, and each district has a grain chief. Initially, the grain chief is recommended by the large households in the grain area that pay the most grain. Later, he is appointed by the government. The purpose of the grain chief system is to prevent the intrusion of officials.
Fishing makes it easier for households to pay on site to ensure tax revenue.
The grain chief still has quite a lot of power in the countryside, which made Zhu Zhanzhen think of the collective economy again.
In a place like Huzhou Prefecture, which is close to the capital, these large households are more active in serving as grain chiefs. The waterway is developed and the cost of transporting grain is not high. Moreover, during the reign of Zhu Yuanzhang, there were a few precedents of grain chiefs being promoted to officials because they were appreciated.
However, transporting grain to places far away from the capital was inconvenient and costly, so fewer people volunteered to serve as grain chiefs.
As the grain chief of this area, the Cao family needs to bear the responsibility of transporting tax grains for the imperial court. Moreover, because the imperial court has strict control over tax grains and the penalties are even severe, they do not dare to deduct or neglect these tax grains, and even because the townships
The delivery time is different. If there is any loss during storage, you will have to post some by yourself.
However, the position of grain chief is equivalent to a minor official with some power, so the Cao family is willing to take it.
Cao Yangfeng went to store the tax grains first. The Cao family has been very noisy these days. As the second master of the Cao family, Cao Yangfeng took advantage of this morning to come out to get some air. The past two days have been so noisy that his head has exploded. It happened to happen
When he got on the food truck, he was responsible for this matter before, so he led the way and stayed away if he could avoid quarreling.
His biological son was adopted by his eldest brother and is now the orthodox heir of the Cao family, so he naturally sides with his sister-in-law.
The two of them walked towards the shopping mall and talked.
"Mr. Chen, do you remember what I told you about the collective economy?"
"Well, of course I remember it. I also thought about it when I returned home that day. This method may be effective, but the resistance will be huge."
Zhu Zhanzhen looked at the leaving grain truck: "The grain chief is responsible for the taxation and grain of a group. Is it feasible to use the group as a unit to centrally supply and sell tea, silk, cotton, grain, etc.?"
Chen Xuan thought for a while: "If we ask people in the surrounding villages to hand over all these goods to the grain chief, I am afraid it will increase the grain chief's power and corruption will be inevitable."
"No, the grain chief here does not have to be the patriarch of a big family. You can choose a capable person to do it, distribute the salary, make the accounts public regularly, and all participants will receive dividends according to the amount at the end of the year."
Chen Xuan felt that Zhu Zhanzhen's idea was too idealistic, but could not find anything wrong with it.
The transmission of information in the Ming Dynasty was slow, and many rural people had no way to do trade on their own. They could only sell to nearby merchants and had no bargaining rights. The establishment of a collective economy, collective supply and marketing, could allow them to obtain part of the bargaining power, and their sales ability would also be improved.
"Mr. Chen, what do you think about building a supply and marketing cooperative on the edge of the canal to serve the people around you?"
"Supply and Marketing Cooperative?" Chen Xuan heard another unheard word.
"The grain and tea harvested by the villagers include taxed grains. It is responsible for collecting and selling goods, stabilizing sales channels, and is also responsible for transporting taxed grains. At the same time, it is also a comprehensive business, and people can buy all the food and clothing they need from
It’s sold here, that’s what you think.”
"This...this..." Chen Xuan couldn't say anything for a moment.
Zhu Zhanzhen continued: "The accounts of the supply and marketing cooperative can be inquired by the participants, and they must also be supervised by the court. In this way, taxes will be difficult to escape. And if it is next to the canal, there will be a few kilometers away.
A supply and marketing cooperative, just the internal operation of these supply and marketing cooperatives and the purchase and sale of goods are enough to form a huge industrial chain."
Chen Xuan looked at Zhu Zhanzhen in surprise. His Fifth Highness, the starting point of everything was people's livelihood. These measures would inevitably affect the big commercial banks and officials along the coast. Even if Chen Xuan thought of this method, he would not be able to do it.
Dare to do it.
"It's okay. This can't be done overnight. I just want to ask Mr. Chen what he thinks."
Chen Xuan stopped where he was. Zhu Zhanzhen took a few steps and turned around. Chen Xuan said, "Your Highness, if this can really happen, it will be a great good deed."
Zhu Zhanzhen smiled slightly: "Let's wait until the loom is completed first. After the loom is completed and the output increases, sales channels will become more important."
"Mr. Chen, from now on, everything we talk about will be based on the ability of steam engines to sail. I believe that steam ships will be able to be produced next year. Even if they cannot be installed on large ships, small merchant ships will be fine."
Chen Xuan understood that Zhu Zhanzhen felt that he was too conservative. The development of the times was getting faster and faster. Chen Xuan was happy about it, but also felt a little worried.
Looking at Zhu Zhanzhen's back, although he was young, the confidence exuding from his body was incomparable to ordinary people. He thought deeply that if the grandson and the fifth prince could work together as brothers for decades, then the Yongle prosperous age would at least be
Decades more glory.
Ming Dynasty is blessed.
Today I visited two more markets, the tea market and the ceramics market. The ceramics market here is not big, but the tea market is quite large.
Both of these are not necessary, but they will play a very important role in future foreign trade.
Get the necessities first, food and clothing, and then think about tea art.
When I returned to Cao's Mansion, the door was closed, and I felt that the atmosphere was not right. The servant inside opened the door, and Chen Xuan asked: "What's wrong? Why is the house closed when it's still early?"
"Chen...Mr. Chen, there is a lot of noise over there at the ancestral hall. Madam ordered me to close the door."
"What's going on?"
"It seems that the fourth master brought outsiders here. It is said...it is said..."
"What is said?"
"It is said that I have found a match for the eldest lady."
Chen Xuan's anger rose and he took a step but stopped again. It would be inconvenient for him to interfere in the Cao family's affairs.