Huo Zhongru looked confused as to why his son had escaped just by looking at him.
Huo Guang first asked Huo Zhongru: "Father, what is the population of Xiahe County?"
"There are a total of 3,200 households, with a total of more than 15,000 people (big households have many maids, and one household may have dozens of people)." Huo Zhongru had just read the information, so he remembered it clearly.
"Father, how much salt does a person need in a year?"
"Who knows?"
There are no specific statistics on these things.
But Huo Guang knew that a normal person's annual salt intake is 2.2 kilograms, which is 4.4 kilograms. One kilogram in the Han Dynasty was about 256 grams, which is about half a kilogram. This is converted into a year's salt intake.
According to the weight unit of the Han Dynasty, it is 8.8 kilograms.
Of course, this is the approximate amount needed, because the salt in the Han Dynasty was not pure, and it was impossible for people to just chew the salt. It was added to vegetables or soups, which would be consumed to some extent. There are also many people working in agriculture at present, facing the loess.
The need for salt is very high on the back.
Let’s assume that one person needs 9 kilograms of salt a year. Salt is a necessity. Taking into account losses and the squandering expenses of the wealthy family, the amount of 9 kilograms is only a little less, and Huo Zhongru’s head count is still people with household registration.
, not counting the refugees, that is, people like Ah Hao, there are still hundreds of refugees.
There are more than 15,000 people, and each person has nine kilograms of salt, which is 135,000 kilograms of salt, which is 1,125 shi. This is based on the guaranteed consumption, and the real consumption will definitely exceed this number.
However, according to previous statistics from the Shaofu, only 300 shi of tax was paid after sales by major salt shops. There are only two situations, one is the proliferation of illegal salt, and the other is the evasion of salt tax.
But because private sales of salt are now allowed, there is no such thing as private salt. It can only be an evasion of the salt tax, and the evasion is very serious. The amount stolen is far more than what is on the books. It can be said to be very arrogant.
Already.
Even so, the salt tax is still an important source of fiscal revenue for the county.
This is a question for children who have a lot of questions. The two types of head taxes, oral tax and calculated tax, are far more than the salt tax. Why is the salt tax said to be an important source of finance for the county?
Because the money earned from oral and calculated taxes is not at the disposal of the county, most of it has to be handed over to the emperor. If the money cannot be collected, you have to find a way to make up for the shortfall. In a disaster year or when crops are not harvested, it is very serious to not be able to collect it.
normal situation.
The Han Dynasty allowed salt to be sold privately, so the salt tax was basically kept in the counties or vassal states. Compared with other things, salt has a single category, which is already the best commercial tax to collect. Other commodities are probably more seriously evaded.
.
If you think about it carefully, under such an environment, it is impossible not to leak anything. How do those big business houses make money? How did the former Shaofu and the county officials under them get the money to buy houses and land.
This is why the county governor directly gave Huo Zhongru the position of Shaofu, because this is a fat job, it can be said to be the fattest job. Just two days after taking office, people are lining up to visit.
Huo Zhongru frowned and thought deeply: "It seems that the situation is very serious."
"Father, you also see that the situation is serious?"
"I can't tell, but after hearing what you said, I think the situation is very serious." Huo Zhongru patted the table in a serious manner.
Huo Guang was speechless: "Father, what are you going to do?"
"I don't have any plans, I don't know."
Huo Zhongru is a person with a sense of justice. For example, he was like this when he helped Ah Hao at Sangjia Restaurant. However, the salt tax issue was too big after all, and he had no experience. He didn't know how to handle it when he was new.
If you really want to check, start checking carefully and make sure every check is accurate. According to this leakage situation, any salt shop will definitely have problems, but it is not that easy to check. The accounts of this era are not like modern times, where you can make surprise inspections and pull up the data on the computer.
You can always see a clue.
As long as I don't keep accounts, or keep two accounts, it will be difficult for you to check.
If we don't check, leakage becomes common, and the county's salt tax is greatly evaded. The big salt merchants line their own pockets, keep them fat, and in turn have to be controlled by them.
The impact of checking the salt tax will definitely be considerable, and will also affect the income of other people in the Shaofuyuan.
You must be cautious about matters related to the original chain of interests.
Huo Guang then asked: "Father, when you were an errand in the county captain's house, did you often receive some benefits?"
"Go, go, go, what are you talking about? What do you mean by receiving benefits? Protecting a land and water for my father. That is the character that the people respect me. I gave it to myself, and I did not force it. And if I don't accept it, the small traders
They don’t even dare to come. At least if they give me money, I have to protect them. Those business gangs and refugees don’t dare to touch them.”
"Besides, what I charge is only half of what my colleagues do."
Huo Zhongru seemed deeply proud of this.
Huo Guang was thinking of ideas for Huo Zhongru. If a new official takes office with three fires, he will not be dignified if he does not burn it. People like Huo Zhongru are too lazy and not diligent enough. If he thinks of relying on his own diligent management to maintain his official authority in the future, I am afraid that it will be a disaster.
Unlikely.
In the future, I will follow Huo Qubing to Beijing and become an official. When the time comes, Huo Zhongru will be here alone. What if he is deceived and bullied? This is our father.
Just when Huo Guang was distressed, a clerk came in and said, "Master Huo, someone from Dou's Trading Company is here."
"Who is this?" Huo Zhongru also looked confused.
The clerk reluctantly found a bamboo slip left by Huo Zhongru from a pile of bamboo slips: "Huo Shaofu, the information I gave you before included information on five large taxpayers in the county, and the remaining four include the Sang family.
You have visited all of them or sent messages to make appointments, but you are the only one left behind at the Dou family."
Huo Zhongru felt a little embarrassed, but he didn't expect to be thrown to the side by himself.
"Go and invite me in."
While Huo Zhongru asked the clerk to invite people in, he temporarily took a look at the information, and Huo Guang also came over.
Dou Lai, the shopkeeper of the Dou Family Trading Company in Xiahe County, was not originally named Dou. He became a godfather to a member of the Dou family in Qinghe early years ago and changed his surname to Dou. He was able to fight when he was young. With the blessing of the Dou family, he was able to fight in Xiahe County.
Take root and develop.
Huo Guang touched his chin and muttered: "The Dou family in Qinghe was the Dou family of Empress Dowager Dou back then."
The wife of Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty, the mother of Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty, and the grandmother of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. When Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty first ascended the throne, all the power was actually in her hands.
Although there was a conflict with Emperor Wu later, the final result was still very good. After being buried together with Emperor Wen, the Dou family continued to enjoy glory and wealth. Although it was not as prosperous as the Empress Dowager Dou, this kind of powerful relative fell after the main figure fell.
After not receiving liquidation it was already pretty good.
Although Dou Lai from Xiahe County is not considered a member of the Dou family, he is still related after all. Being able to bear the name of the Dou family for so many years still has a good relationship. Now that Huo Zhongru has been leaked to others, he will inevitably feel dissatisfied.
.
Dou Lai, who was less than 1.55 meters tall in front of the hall, walked in. He was short and thin.
The average height of the ancient Han people obtained from later archeology was close to 1.7 meters, which was considered the tallest in the world in this era. The Doulai in front of him was indeed a little shorter.
Dou Lai stepped forward with a smile on his face: "Young Master Huo has just taken office. Dou Lai is late in visiting me. I hope Mr. Huo will bear with me."
Huo Zhongru smiled awkwardly: "Forgive me, forgive me."
"It's just Mr. Huo. Why did he send messages to several of my other old friends, but Que left me alone? Why is that?" Although Dou Lai still had a smile on his face, his tone immediately changed.
Huo Zhongru knew he was wrong and wanted to explain immediately. Huo Guang immediately held down his arm and shook his head slightly.
As a businessman, you dare to go to the government to question me. This is all right.
If this goes your way, Huo Zhongru will not be a soft persimmon for you to manipulate in the future.
I was worried that there would be no place to burn the fire after the new official took office, so you came to the door. If not, who would you burn?