After these years, Zhu Yunxi has matured day by day, and he knows very well that the country is actually ruled, and in front of the interests of the country, the interests of the people are very small.
No one can do it, truly putting the people first!
However, we cannot avoid talking about heavy taxes just because of this. If politicians face these shortcomings calmly and turn a blind eye, how dare they dare to be the first in the world.
Zhang Shan! Zhu Yunxi said to Zhang Shan who was sitting upright, tell me!
There are some words that Magistrate Ma said that I quite agree with! Zhang Shan spoke slowly, "If the tax is light, the people who will benefit in the end may not be the people!"
But the grain tax is indeed collected from the people! Zhu Yunxi frowned slightly and said, I have called you here just to find a way together. It can not only lighten the burden of the people in Jiangnan, but also eliminate various hidden dangers from the root!
Difficult! Zhang Shandao, I have been the Chief Secretary of Zhejiang for three years. As he said this, he pointed at his temples and smiled. When His Highness selected me as an official, I still had black hair, but now my temples are gray!
Zhu Yunxi nodded and said with a smile, I know it is not easy for you to be an official in Jiangnan!
These words made the atmosphere in the palace much more relaxed.
It's not that it's not easy to be an official, it's that it's too difficult to do things! Zhang Shan continued, Magistrate Ma said that what he said would be scolded by others, and what the minister said would offend people even more!
Having said this, he paused for a moment and continued, Your Highness wants to reduce agricultural taxes. I naturally know that Your Highness cares about the people. But I am stupid and cannot think of a way to get the best of both worlds. What Your Highness means is that after tax reduction,
Although national taxes have been reduced, people’s homes are rich!
But after the tax reduction, there are also several disadvantages. Magistrate Ma said that hoarding land is one of them, but what about the second... After saying that, he paused again. The world is inherently uneven between rich and poor, and it has been the case in all dynasties.
Poor places should charge less, and rich places should charge more. If it is reduced here, should other poor places also be reduced?
They have been exempted from taxes for years, but if they are reduced, wouldn't the national treasury be empty?
Going further, except for official land, most of the land is in the hands of the gentry. The final tax reduction is the gentry’s happiest. Although the tax on official land is heavy, the common people have no other burden except paying taxes.
It's not bad. But the common people who farm the land for the gentry don't get any benefits at all!
Moreover, Your Highness also knows the situation in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Rich businessmen are just paying it forward. They are still the people. However, the rich and famous families have many scholars. They may not be able to collect taxes, but they can benefit the most from tax cuts!
This is the crux of the matter. This is exactly why the old man suppressed the wealthy landlords in Jiangnan.
Even when the Manchus and Qing Dynasties entered the country in later generations, and successive emperors wielded butcher knives against the scholars in Jiangnan, this was also the reason.
Let’s talk about it later............
Strengthening the country and enriching the people are sometimes not equal, but contradictory and even difficult.
Zhu Yunxi nodded, "Do you all know about the idea of divvying up one child into an entire mu in Fengyang Zhongdu and Henan?" Then he said to Wei Renguan, the Minister of Household Affairs, "Tell me, what are the results?"
Wei Renguan said, since Fengyang Huangzhuang's land was distributed to the people, the population of Fengyang has increased by 30%. After the disaster in Henan, this summer's harvest was 25% more than in previous years. Although His Highness's grace exempted him from this year's harvest.
Money and food. If collected, the treasury would be at least 40% more than in previous years!
He is originally from Henan, and there was a bit of a smile on his face when he said this. In the past, there were several poor places in Henan that had to be subsidized by the court, but now they can be self-sufficient. If the officials and gentry pay the grain together, there will be no agricultural tax.
.In a few years, those poor places will be able to support the imperial court!
With that said, I bowed to Zhu Yunxi, Your Highness is a virtuous government, and I bow to you on behalf of the people!
The ministers were a little puzzled. They had just been talking about the heavy grain tax burden in Suzhou and other places, but they suddenly jumped to the new policy of sharing the land with every farmer.
I wanted to wait a little longer, but I couldn't wait any longer. I really agreed with the emperor's words: good things in the world are most afraid of waiting! Zhu Yunxi smiled and said, the grain tax in Suzhou and other places will be reduced, no matter what
The people had three to five buckets left over, so at least they didn't have to worry about hunger or cold!
However, in view of the fact that the land of Jiangsu and Zhejiang has been severely annexed since ancient times, and there are many wealthy and famous families. Therefore, I plan to implement the idea of consolidating the land into an acre, and the officials and gentry will receive the food together!
Taxes are collected based on land, and whoever owns the land pays as much tax as they want! No matter officials, gentry, or famous scholars...
Your Highness, no! Before Zhu Yunxi could finish his words, several scholars from prominent families in the south of the Yangtze River, headed by Li Shen, had already knelt down. The king and the scholar-bureaucrats...
Shut up! Zhu Yunxi shouted sharply, is Gu Gu being too tolerant to you? He said to the outside, pull him out, use the imperial staff of thirty, and beat him hard!
He was already angry because of the tax cuts. Tax cuts are a good thing, but not only do most people not get benefits, but there are many hidden dangers. He was suffocating in his heart. These people just bumped into his muzzle.
.
Your Highness... all the officials were stunned. They had no idea why the crown prince, who was usually so kind and tolerant to them, was suddenly furious.
A few of them, led by the bastards, came up, dragged these talkative, crooked officials and walked out.
Stay away and fight! Zhu Yunxi's anger did not subside. After the fight, he sent them all to the land of Shaanxi and Gansu to serve as county officials. He had a good look at what it means to be difficult for the people's livelihood, and then he thought carefully about how to be an official!
Ling Han, the official minister, smiled and obeyed the order!
He was also from the north, and he couldn't stand these scholars who came from prominent families in the south of the Yangtze River.
No matter who has land in their home, they must pay taxes! Zhu Yunxi continued, pay as much land as you have! The more land you have, the more you have to pay! In addition, officials at all levels must be vigilant and look at those wealthy families.
, they are not allowed to hoard fields. If they buy or sell more than 20 acres, they must pay a tax of 70% of the value. It depends on how much money they have!
If they dare to cheat, break up anything into parts, and sell acres and acres. After verification, they will be punished ten times the total amount, and the rest of the family property and fields will be confiscated!
Remember, you are local officials, I only give you the power!
Zhu Yunxi's tone was stern, completely different from before.
I know that such a new policy will definitely cause an uproar! Zhu Yunxi continued, but I don't care, I don't care about the scolding behind their backs, and I don't care about the infamy. No matter who dares to violate this government affairs, or is careless, or resists, they will be investigated and dealt with.
Especially those from wealthy and distinguished families who dare to do something small, you can handle it by speculating on family status and property! Zhu Yunxi also said to Zhang Shan, Ma Jing and others, don't be afraid of being called a mean king, and don't be afraid of being called a cruel official!
Why can't the taxes collected be paid to them? Why should the people have to bear the taxes? I'm used to it!
The Ming Dynasty is not used to their bad habits and wants to continue to be the emperor like the previous dynasty Meng Yuan, so they should go to the desert to find their Mongolian masters!
I obey the order! Everyone replied.
The common people need to reduce their burdens, and the rich need to keep an eye on them. You can decide what to do! Zhu Yunxi said sarcastically. He just talked about the agricultural tax. Fu Youwen, tell me about this year's commercial tax!
Since the implementation of commercial tax, only Ningbo, Quanzhou, and Fuzhou have recorded cash receipts this year...
~~~~
I heard that you were sick a few days ago?
In the imperial garden, the old man was walking with his hands behind his back. Li Jinglong was holding a docile pony beside him. He nervously held the reins on the horse's back. With the support of the guards, his little face was full of excitement.
After listening to the old man's question, Li Jinglong bowed a little. I felt cold, but I'm fine now!
I thought you couldn't afford to be sick and would become an idle prince in the future! The old man rolled his eyes at him, looked back at his grandson, and said with a smile, "Where did you get this pony?"
The year before last, the emperor's grandson sent several noble sons to serve in the Yunnan army. They were grateful for Tian's grace and thinking of His Highness. Hearing that King Wu was getting older, they found such a docile pony and sent it to the capital.
Send it to the palace! Li Jinglong smiled.
That boy from the Chang family? The old man asked.
Your Majesty knows everything! Li Jinglong smiled and said, this pony was indeed brought back by someone from the Chang family.
It's good if you know your future! The old man nodded, walked, and suddenly stopped.
There was the sound of banging boards and people screaming from the front.
What's going on? The old man asked.
Pu Bucheng hurriedly asked people to see it, and later someone reported that it was His Highness who was guarding some disobedient civil servants!
Ha! The old man suddenly became very happy. Our eldest grandson has also started to beat the officials now. Let’s go and have a look!