Late Tang Dynasty Floating Life

Chapter 390 Spring Seeds and Autumn Harvest
The Anshi Rebellion was an important watershed for the country.

In the case of increasingly difficult finances, the imperial court implemented the two-tax law, shifting from the ancient "shedi taxpayer" to "sheren tax land".People are no longer the measure of taxation, but assets are, so they greatly offend the powerful.

However, the imperial court had financial difficulties, and the idea of ​​getting money from the rich and powerful was very urgent, and it was finally carried out.

The promotion of the two tax laws has brought about the increasing prosperity of business, and the tax types in business have gradually increased, which is no longer the dispensable state before the Anshi Rebellion.

The prosperity of business has brought about the improvement of the political status of merchants.

For example, the wealthy businessmen who came to Xingdaofang Mansion today all came in well-decorated carriages, and they were all covered in silk and servants like a cloud.

Businessmen can also be officials, and many officials in the country were originally businessmen.

At that time, people's admiration for business was beyond words, and there were countless business poems.Literati also received money from merchants, and adding commercial elements to wall poems was actually advertising.

Tuoba Sijing has been in Chang'an for several days.

He is now a standard businessman, selling livestock from Suizhou to Guanzhong.

A sheep in Lingxia is more than 200 yuan, in some places in Guanzhong it is more than [-] yuan, in some places it is [-] to [-] yuan, and in Chang'an it is even higher, so there is a huge room for profit.Although it is not like some products that can be several times or more than ten times profitable, sheep are in high demand, and even if the profit is less than double, it is worth doing.

Guanzhong has been peaceful for more than a hundred years.Occasionally, there were several wars, which were also partial, and were quickly settled down.The most serious nest disorder did not spread to the north and west of Jingzhao Mansion. After seven or eight years of recuperation, the people have recovered and their lives are on the right track.

What Tuoba Sijing is doing is not this kind of small business, that is too fragmentary, what he is doing is the big business in Chang'an City.

The imperial court has a system: under the prince, second-rank officials, in the monthly salary, not counting other rice noodles, oil, vinegar, wine and fruits, there are "twenty mouthfuls of sheep, sixty catties of pork, and twenty heads of fish" for meat alone; The third-rank officials have twelve sheep, and the fourth-rank and fifth-rank officials provide nine sheep every month.

There are more than [-] officials in the Southern Yamen and Northern Divisions, although the fifth rank and above is not a lot, but you have to count all kinds of casual jobs, and the sum is not a small number.

There is also the daily consumption of wine and meat in institutions such as palaces, yamen, halls, post stations, and military camps, which is also a large part.

Of course, the imperial court is like this now, with financial difficulties, and their salaries are either in arrears or discounted.But how to put it, money and silk can be defaulted, and wine can not be distributed, but if rice flour, flour, oil, salt, vinegar, honey, fruit, pastry, charcoal, and condiments such as green onions and chives are not distributed, they may be sold. Too much.

Everyone doesn't receive a salary, so they all work for you, right?

To a certain extent, the livestock offered by Marshal Shao is an important source of the imperial court's salary and military pay.

This is the case in Guochao. Money and silk are only part of the salary, and fermented soybeans, green onions, ginger, garlic, etc. are all included in the salary.Insufficient money supply is just like this. It is estimated that this problem will not be partially resolved until the late Ming and Qing Dynasties, but most likely it will not be completely resolved.

The above are salaries and public consumption, and there is a larger amount of private consumption.

It has been almost eight years since Chao Chao, and the population of Chang'an has gradually recovered. There are still hundreds of thousands of palace population, family members of officials, family members of sergeants, monasteries, monks and nuns, overseas Chinese living in other towns, itinerant businessmen, and ordinary citizens.Their living standards vary, but the number of people living with high standards is huge, and this consumption should not be underestimated.

This is the capital.

Any businessman who climbs into the business here can make a fortune.

Tuoba Sijing originally couldn't do this business, it was the territory of Chang'an merchants.But these years, the Shuofang army has become stronger and stronger. Marshal Shao's political influence has swept across the towns in the northwest of Beijing and the Gyeonggi area. Even the merchants of Shuofang have become more and more powerful. Just like warriors, they began to "invade" other places.

It was against such a background that Tuoba Sijing seized the opportunity to enter Chang'an.

He has a collaborator named Cui Shi, a local businessman in Chang'an with strong strength, who was invited to the banquet hosted by Marshal Shao in his mansion today.

Tuoba Sijing can also guess what the commander is thinking, and encourages business exchanges between Guanzhong and Lingxia to strengthen the treasury.

His ambition is too big.

Back then when my elder brother was still there, his biggest dream was to be the military governor of Xia Sui. Compared with Shao Shude, the gap was incomparable.

By the way, Tuoba Sigong is already dead, buried in the grassland.Of those who escaped from the Tuoba family, only Sijian and Renfu's uncle and nephew are left, struggling to survive in the sandy moraine of Hexi. It is heard that they have a close relationship with Li Renmei, the Uighur Khan of Ganzhou, and they watch and help each other.

Tuoba Sijing boldly spoke out this year, and sent people to Shaqi to contact Tuoba Sijian and Renfu, and recruit them to come and surrender, so that they will never be a border threat.

Shao Shude promised it.

In Lingxia's current situation, even if the Tuoba clan came back, there was no possibility of a comeback.

Shao Shude was not bloodthirsty, and Han Xun, the surrendered general of Lingzhou, was still serving as the deputy envoy under Qian Shousu of the Feng'an Army.He is very confident in his control of the troops. It is embarrassing for the officers to rebel and not be able to pull away the soldiers.

After settling this matter, Tuoba Sijing still has one thing on his mind, and that is his daughter Tuoba Pu.

She is not young, but she can't get married, and has been living at home, and there are a lot of gossips from outsiders.

Once when Tuoba Sijing went home, he was shocked to see the clouds of soldiers inside and outside the mansion.Seeing her daughter walking out of the house with wet hair and flushed face, she immediately understood everything, turned her head and went to the shop to drink.

Mrs. Zheju, you are too deceitful!

There was a noise outside, a servant came to report, and Cui Shi came to visit.

Tuoba Sijing put down the wine bottle, straightened his robes, and went out to greet him.

"Cui San, why did you come so late?"

"Don't ask, Shiro. The King of Lingwu County is going to hold an expo in Tongzhou and invite Chang'an merchants to participate."

The two walked while talking, and soon entered the main hall.

"Why Tongzhou?" Tuoba Sijing asked in surprise.

According to his idea, each state should have one, twice a year.Perhaps understaffed?
Also, there are too few talents in Lingxia.There are very few people who can write and calculate accounts. If every state does it, where will so many people be recruited?

"Probably he wanted to lure the merchants in the river." Cui Shi took out a silver dollar from his pocket, and said, "Tuoba Silang has seen this before?"

"I've heard of it." Tuoba Sijing didn't participate in the fair, but only drove livestock to Guanzhong to do business.

"The king of Lingwu County said that the silver coins minted by the Gaolan Qianjian were used as bookkeeping money, and they all went to the market outside the Shayuan prison in Tongzhou to do business. It is true that he wanted to send merchants from Hezhong Prefecture, Huazhou, and even Shanguo Lure me here, haha." Cui Shi laughed.

Where are the soldiers fighting, where are the trading stalls, is the king of Lingwu County a warrior or a merchant?
"Cui San, do you think anyone will go to Tongzhou?"

"A lot. Xia Bing is still in the city. For tonight's banquet, merchants in various shops bought a lot of silver dollar bills, ranging from tens to thousands of dollars." Cui Shi took one out of his sleeve pocket and said: "Two hundred yuan can only be used in Tongzhou Fangshi."

Tuoba Sijing was startled, and asked, "It can only be used in Tongzhou? Then why do people still buy it?"

"It's all taken as the apportionment of Lingwu County King." Cui Shi was a little embarrassed.

Tuoba Sijing contemplated.He always felt that the king of Lingwu County must have wanted to pass the silver dollar bills in various states.Now it seems that it can't be done?

Is it because the accounts are too large to be counted?It shouldn't be, holding two expositions a year, there is not much to settle.

Silver dollar bills in Lingzhou, Xiazhou, and Suizhou can be used universally!

Or is it too far from the same state?Can't manage?Or is it understaffed?
Tuoba Sijing couldn't figure it out, so he decided not to think about it.Anyway, for Shuofang Town, the big soldiers entered Guanzhong, and the merchants also followed south to Guanzhong. Everyone made some money, and that was enough.

"Businessmen go to Tongzhoufang City to do business, and the court earns less money..."

"The imperial court is extremely restrictive, asking for wine money, music money, customs tax, offerings, palaces and even imperial tombs. If the prime ministers take it again, I am afraid that all the merchants will run away." Cui Shi said sarcastically, It seems that he was badly scratched on weekdays.

Of course he could see that this was an act of the king of Lingwu County embezzling the court's money, but it was good for their merchants and they didn't pay much tax, so why not do it?

Is it difficult for the court?There are too many people to support!Why didn't the Shuofang shogunate support so many idlers?
If you don't have enough money, don't support the Shence Army!Or raise 3 or 20 people and control the capital. There are more than [-] counties, why do we need so many soldiers?

There are too many officials in the Southern Yamen and Northern Divisions!The Heyun Institute and the Weiqiao warehouse are empty, and it is ridiculous to support so many officials.

If possible, let the king of Lingwu County also serve as the envoy of the Gyeonggi System, and manage the four prefectures of Jingzhao Mansion, Tong, Hua, Jin, and Shang, so that everyone's burden can be lightened.

Anyway, in this Guanzhong place, people come and go whenever they want, what else can the court do with him?It's better to have fun.

Merchants like Lingwu County King, but not the court!
The king of Lingwu County, who is loved by merchants, is discussing matters with his staff in the mansion.

"How much can we charge for the same state fair held twice a year?" Shao Shude was very concerned about this issue.

"Marshal, Lingzhou Fang City held two expositions and collected a total of more than [-] yuan in commercial taxes. Tongzhou should have more." Internal affairs are managed by Wei Zhuang.

One yuan is probably worth less than 1.5 mins.Lingzhoufang City held two expositions, and the tax collected was converted into copper coins, which was nearly [-].

This is just one place in Lingzhou.

Xiazhou has also done it twice, collecting more than 1 yuan in taxes, and Suizhou's income is just over [-] yuan.

"Tax collection is only a benefit." Shao Shude stood up and said, "More and more merchants must be aware of the silver bill. Even if it is only circulated in the hands of merchants, there are great benefits. The people's daily necessities are daily necessities. Soy sauce and vinegar tea can be used for less than silver bills, so the merchants should return the copper coins to the common people.”

Everyone laughed when they heard the words.

Silver dollar bills are limited to fixed locations and are circulated among merchants who open accounts. It is difficult for ordinary people to come into contact with this thing.They don't need to touch it, because such a large amount of money is simply not used in daily life.

"Businessmen have seen a lot and used it a lot, so they feel relieved. When they need it urgently in the future, they may have to ask the clearing bank to borrow silver bills. Not only merchants, but some court officials may have to ask for it." Shao Shude said again.

"Isn't this the story of a handsome debtor?" Wei Zhuang asked in surprise.

Everyone laughed again.

In those years when the court weather was good, such as the Xianzong Yuan and Zhongxing meetings, a large number of Shence Army generals were sent to various places as Jiedu envoys.They had no choice but to borrow usury everywhere and bribe middle officials to get what they needed.After taking office, search for money to make up for the shortfall.

People at that time had a vivid name for these Jiedushi who were born in the Shence Army: Debt Commander.

"I have planted in spring, and I will harvest in autumn." Shao Shude sat back in his chair and said with a smile.

(End of this chapter)