Xu Guangqi came to Yin Feng's home for the first time. Now, Yin Feng's palace occupies the entire Shipowner Alley, including several independent houses nearby. It only occupies a total of more than ten acres of land. The main style is the high-rise buildings common in southern Fujian.
It is mainly a mansion with red brick eaves and large walls. It is not very grand and is only equivalent to the size of the residence of the six chief officials of the capital. Moreover, there is no public sign of the King of China.
The most distinctive thing is Yin Feng’s back garden, which is a completely Western-style Baroque palace building. Due to the addition of a lot of Chinese decorative styles, it has gorgeous carvings, delicate and complicated appearance and interior decoration styles, which is almost like another.
Time and Space The Rococo style was popular in Europe in the 18th century, but it still retained the masculinity of the Baroque style that is popular in Europe today.
This was built under the leadership of the architects brought from Italy by Zheng Zhilong's European fleet.
This was also built specifically for Li Lihua by Yin Feng. For Li Lihua, she had lived in a Western cultural environment since she was a child. Although she had returned to local culture for more than ten years, she was still more accustomed to the European style of life, so she regarded this Western-style palace as
Yin Feng himself is actually used to modern pseudo-classical home decoration. Now that he has the opportunity to enjoy real European classical home decoration, he naturally likes it very much.
However, Xu Guangqi, who was accustomed to sitting on the mahogany Taishi chair, now felt uncomfortable sitting on the Baroque leather sofa. He stood up and sat on a high-backed leather chair on the other side. This chair felt better.
Li Lihua was wearing a white western-style dress, making tea for Xu Guangqi gracefully, smiling and saying softly: "Master Xu, are you not used to this sofa?"
Xu Guangqi was not used to European-style furniture in the room, but out of the habit of traditional scholars, he just said: "No, it's just that I am old and have inconvenience in my waist and legs."
Yin Feng smiled and looked at the clock. Xu Guangqi had been at his home for two hours. He was just visiting and did not mention anything serious. This was not in line with Xu Guangqi's style of doing things. Mr. Xu was very efficient and liked to do practical things.
Yin Feng decided not to waste time talking in circles and said with a smile: "Mr. Xu, why are you visiting my humble residence today? Has the court made a decision on the terms of Liaodong in the peace negotiation?"
Xu Guangqi smiled a little awkwardly: "Now we are just waiting for the outcome of this matter. When it comes to the land tax of the Jiangnan aristocratic family, there is still room for maneuver."
Yin Feng said bluntly: "It doesn't matter if you don't want to pay taxes, then we have no responsibility for the safety of these aristocratic families."
At this time, Li Lihua had put down the tea set and walked out of the reception room at the right time. Xu Guangqi frowned and took a sip of tea: "Your Excellency has always been reasonable in doing things and is not a reckless and arrogant person. But now, why do you have to go against the world's gentry and tax them?
The grain tax is equivalent to grabbing food directly from their hands. What good does it do to you to offend the world's scholars in this way? Yes, you started as a businessman or fisherman, but you have been a 'scholar, farmer, industry and merchant' since ancient times. You want to make yourself
If this legacy is passed on, scholars and scholars must be given preferential treatment..."
Yin Feng sneered, picked up the teacup, took a sip, and said slowly: "Mr. Xu, preferential treatment and tax exemption are not the same thing. Princes, nobles, scholars, and families of officials and gentry are all exempt from tax exemption, but ordinary people are not.
No taxes. Please tell me, why do people have to pay taxes and grain to the court?"
"Why do we have to pay taxes? Since ancient times, national taxes on imperial grains cannot be exempted..." Xu Guangqi felt that his thinking was a bit short-circuited: as a Catholic with a traditional Confucian background, he had never thought about "Why do people have to pay taxes and grains to the government?"
Wait for such questions. The concept of taxpayers does not exist at all in traditional Chinese political economy. In the minds of the people, paying taxes is a matter of course. The emperor does this, the officials do this, and the subjects do the same. Therefore, not only the subjects will not question
The rationality of taxation, questioning what rights they should enjoy in it, etc. Even those well-educated and high-quality officials who criticize "tyranny is tougher than a tiger", complain for the people, and even petition for the people will not think so.
What's the problem here.
Therefore, traditional China has never raised the question "Why does the emperor collect taxes from the common people?", and naturally such concepts and theories will not be formed. The traditional academic vision is narrow, the method is single, and the academic philosophy has been consistent for thousands of years and has been inherited from generation to generation.
Because Chen and Chen turned a blind eye to historical observation, the issue of taxation will inevitably become their "blind spot."
When Yin Feng asked directly the key point of "why we need to pay taxes", his mind suddenly went blank...
"Master Xu has seen the operation of the council and the council. Here, these council members are elected by taxpayers and specialize in supervising the financial situation of the government. Our officials and generals are all supported by taxpayers. If
If they don't do things well, they just can't afford the money and food in their hands. Therefore, our government and the army serve the people who pay taxes to us. Mr. Xu, officials who only take money and do nothing do nothing, so they don't pay taxes.
But thinking about sitting back and reaping the benefits, what does that mean?”
In traditional China, there was no tradition of negotiation between the supreme ruler and taxpayers, so there were no examples of emperors negotiating with taxpayers. In Yin Feng's original time and space, China, which had a modern appearance, still did not have a system of negotiation between taxpayers and the government.
Xu Guangqi's expression changed: "But... this is the ancestral system of the country..." As soon as he said this, Xu Guangqi himself felt very boring: Yin Feng himself was a rebel and had been fighting against the maritime ban. He would
Do you care about the ancestral system of Lao Zhu’s family?
Yin Feng secretly sighed, knowing that Xu Guangqi would not accept his theory for a while, so he continued in a relaxed tone: "Actually, many people from the Jiangnan gentry family have participated in meetings in various places. What I promoted
The tax and grain collected from them every year is only a drop in their annual income; but at the same time, they can be protected by force from our Chinese army, can participate in overseas trade, and can participate in our government
...Without our protection... Mr. Xu, just five years ago, the land of Liaodong was swept by the Jurchen Eight Banners. Many aristocratic families were exterminated, and many gentry and landlords fled to western Liaoning. Hebei had no fixed place, and was suffering from hunger and cold. It was us.
, it was my Chinese army that defeated the Jurchen Eight Banners, killed Nurhachi and his son Huang Taiji and other great chiefs, and annihilated the puppet Houjin Kingdom, so that the displaced Liaodong natives who were slaves and maids could return to their hometowns and live and work in peace and contentment...
The imperial court levied nearly 400,000 kilograms of tax and grain every year in Liaodong. When the Jurchen Eight Banners came over, what was the imperial court doing? Party disputes, busy debating three cases: sea ban, busy causing trouble for us."
Xu Guangqi frowned, the more he listened, the more uncomfortable he became, but he had nothing to say: In essence, Xu Guangqi is not the kind of eloquent person who can make something out of nothing, nor is he the kind of pedantic and rigid person who watches with his eyes open.
He is not an old Confucian master in the real world, but a scientist who pays attention to seeking truth from facts. Therefore, he is not a politician, nor is he a politician. Therefore, even if Yin Feng is somewhat arrogant, as a scientist, he cannot deny the facts Yin Feng said, and thus
Can't refute.
Yin Feng smiled: "Actually, the peace talks between us and Daming are now waiting for the situation in Liaodong to settle. Strength determines everything."
Xu Guangqi frowned, thought for a while, and decided to put aside the disagreements in the peace treaty negotiations, and said sincerely: "In this case, these matters will wait for the court's arbitration decision. I actually came here to ask for something.
.This matter should have nothing to do with our peace talks, of course it can be said to be closely related. As long as the peace treaty between the imperial court and the Chinese Army can be successfully reached, what I request should not be a problem."
Yin Feng was a little curious and cupped his hands and said: "Sir, please tell me, I will definitely agree to what you ask for within my ability."
Xu Guangqi then stated his request: He wanted to ask Yin Feng to select some mathematics teachers in his ruling area to teach students on the mainland.
Yin Feng didn't express anything on his face. In fact, he was already muttering in his heart: Before the peace talks have been reached, you, Mr. Xu, are thinking of poaching me?
Xu Guangqi observed his words and immediately explained: "I want to open a geometric mathematics course in the Imperial College. The relevant memorials have been sent to the imperial cabinet... The Imperial College originally had two PhDs in mathematics, but the actual academics are very poor... Your mathematics teacher can specify the teaching
The number of years rotates every few years..."
Yin Feng was very surprised and said: "You want to open a course to teach geometry and mathematics in the Imperial College? But, aren't there many Western missionaries in Jinling and Beijing? Most of them are from your Jesuits, so you can't invite them to teach.
You know, my school here has offered mathematics courses for eighteen years, and most of the people who taught this course in the first eight years were also Western missionaries."
Xu Guangqi smiled bitterly and shook his head: "The emperor and the cabinet ministers will never allow Westerners to enter the Imperial Academy to teach."
Only then did Yin Feng remember the nature of the Imperial College and nodded meaningfully: "That's right. The Imperial College is an important place for famous religions. How could Westerners be allowed to enter casually... Speaking of which, back then, I donated prisons to the Imperial College in Nanjing, so they were considered Imperial College members.
Supervisor..."
Xu Guangqi's eyes were full of expectation. Yin Feng couldn't bear to spoil his interest and said with a smile: "Actually, we have opened schools teaching geometry, mathematics and world astronomy and geography in Songjiang Prefecture and Suzhou Prefecture. In Qiongzhou Prefecture, Hainan
, Lushun and other places in Liaodong Province already have schools taught by us teaching geometry..."
"The imperial court will not allow the Imperial College to send people to study with you."
"Master Xu, you want to teach geometry in the Imperial College. Do you want to reform the imperial examination system?"
Xu Guangqi was stunned: "The imperial examination system in our dynasty is a charter set by Emperor Taizu. How can it be changed so easily..." His mind turned and he suddenly understood Yin Feng's true intention of asking this question. He immediately shook his head with a wry smile and said, "Mr. Yin
He is a smart man who tells the truth with his words... What do you mean: Even if I offer a geometry and mathematics course, no one will be willing to learn it?"
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After receiving the mission, I was detained in the military camp for a few days. The Internet was not convenient and I was unable to update. I apologize.