Daming Yuanfu

Chapter 170 The Snake Hit Seven Inches (Part [-])
Gao Yushi just mentioned that the case of "Ren Ding Sijuan" in Huizhou is a typical case. In fact, he wanted to follow Shuai Jiamo's train of thought to link this matter with a whip method, although Shuai Jiamo's purpose of doing this was to use the court to reduce the burden on She County. However, Gao Yushi also wanted to use this as an opportunity to use this "little matter" as a breakthrough point to implement a slight improvement of a whip method.

But there is a problem here, that is, should we just talk about the whip method now, or talk about the chronic illness of the Ming tax system by the way?

Do you want to discuss this issue with Gao Gong now?Gao Yushi hesitated in his heart.

Unlike many time-travel novels, he is not seriously affected by some so-called historical dramas. Whenever Zhang Juzheng is mentioned, he is said to be a great reformer, and when he mentions a whip, he is said to have extended Ming's life for decades.He is a liberal arts student who has really been in politics. He has practical experience in governing a place. Even if this "one place" is ridiculously small, it does not prevent him from seeing the leopard and knowing the inevitability of Zhang Juzheng's reform failure.

However, this topic is too big, even if it is only at a high practical level, it can be said for three days and three nights without a break, depending on the depth of the discussion.

When people in later generations mentioned a whip method, they would only think of Zhang Juzheng. It seemed that this method was Zhang Juzheng's original idea, but it was not.The one-whip method was tried out as early as the early years of Jiajing, and it has actually been practiced for decades, but the promotion is not very strong. The previous two or three decades were equivalent to "experimental projects", and it has only recently begun to be really promoted. To promote a whip method, at the central level, it is Gao Gong who grasps the overall situation.

Gao Wushi knows that when people study the history of this period, they mainly focus on Zhang Juzheng. Even some scholars find that Gao Gong’s many achievements are not inferior to Zhang Juzheng’s, and even many of Zhang Juzheng’s reforms follow the path opened by Gao Gong. Walk.However, their research on Gao Gong mainly focused on the employment and military system. After all, a large number of officials promoted by Gao Gong later became famous ministers and even famous ministers in the history of the Ming Dynasty; The most outstanding historical achievement "I Da Feng Gong" is the first, so his contribution to economic reform seems not so dazzling.

In particular, the relationship between the high arch and the implementation of a whip method is hardly mentioned at all.

However, a whip method was a major reform of taxes and services throughout the Jialong and Wansan dynasties. How could Gao Gong, a master of practical learning and a pioneer of reform, do nothing in it?You know, Gao Gong was the number one person in this period advocating "financing money for the country" and "using righteousness for profit" and really vigorously improving the status of businessmen!

Gao Yushi had already deduced from some solid historical materials that Gao Gong played an important role in the process of implementing a whip method, such as vigorously supporting local officials Zhangtian Juntian.

"Chaoyi County Chronicles" records: In the fourth year of Longqing, Chen Mou, the county magistrate of Chaoyi County in Xi'an Prefecture, "fengwenjuntian".In Wanli's "Hezhou Zhi", there is "Feng Li Wen Zhang Tian Jun Liang".It can be seen that Fengwen Juntian has started at least since the fourth year of Longqing.

Who was in power in the fourth year of Longqing?Of course it's Gao Gong, otherwise, why should we count on Li Chunfang?In this way, the matter is very clear: Zhang Juzheng's Qingzhang Tianmu in the Wanli period was obviously continuing the policy of Gao Gong.

Clearing the land and acres is a prerequisite for implementing a series of reforms, so after clearing the Zhang, you will start to do things.So how did Gao Gong do it?He didn't roll it out in a hurry, but he grasped the key points and carefully started to implement it in areas with heavy taxes and heavy labor.

For example, it is recorded in "Yeji Mengsou": "In the second year of Longqing, a whip method was practiced. At the beginning, Fuchen Pang Shangpeng and Liu Guangji traveled to Jiangxi with this." It also clearly mentioned: "Then the cabinet ministers Gao Xinzheng, Zhang The Ministry of Household Affairs of the Jiangling Council discussed and adopted it, and it has been followed in the country so far. Yingtian Governor Zhu Daqi and Hai Rui will also implement the law of the whip." It can be seen that Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng are the decision makers at this time, while Zhu Daqi and Hai Rui are the executives. A powerful man with a whip.

Of course, there is no need to introduce Hai Rui, but there is one more thing to say about Zhu Daqi: he was single-handedly promoted by Gao Gong.

Gao Yushi knew his identity, especially at his age, and he was not yet suitable to charge forward, so he always acted in accordance with "guiding Gao Gong's thinking".In this way, he was required to give Gao Gong a boost when Gao Gong himself had similar intentions, instead of making fools of Gao Gong who hadn't thought about it.

Now that it has been determined that Gao Gong strongly supports the implementation of the One Whip Method, especially since he has already started to do it in Jiangnan, a rich and heavily taxed place, then of course I have to help him.After all, one whip method did not meet the ideal standard in Gao Yushi's mind, but if even one whip method cannot be implemented, let alone the ideal standard in Gao Yushi's mind.

So he thought for a while, and then asked with a wry smile: "Sanbo, I want to ask first, how much has Taicang Yin lost every year in recent years?"

"Why do you ask this?" Gao Gong was a little surprised, but he still replied: "In the 30th year of Jiajing, Taicang silver entered the warehouse of 200 million taels, spent 600 million taels, and had a deficit of 400 million. In the following years, the deficit decreased slightly. It was also between two and three million taels; in the first year of Longqing, the income was 300 million taels, the expenditure was 1 million taels, and the deficit was 5906 million taels; in the second year of Longqing, the income was 3905 million taels, the expenditure was 200 million taels, and the deficit was 440 million taels; In three years, Longqing’s income was 240 million taels, expenditure was 220 million taels, and the deficit was 370 million taels.” [Wufeng Note: The above figures are historical facts. ]
When he said this, he proudly said: "Give me another three to five years, if I can't turn the deficit into a surplus, I would like to die to thank Your Majesty."

Gao Yushi sighed in his heart, what does it mean to "resign yourself to the world" and what does it mean to be a good person when saving?That's it.Although Gao Gong was once forced to resign, the economic policy of the Longqing Dynasty has always followed the tone set by Gao Gong before he left, so the deficit has been reduced year by year. Now that he has returned to Beijing, he is naturally more confident.

So Gao Wushi said: "What my nephew said just now means that if we want to carry out the whipping method, the Huizhou 'Ren Ding Si Juan' case is a very good opportunity."

"Oh?" Gao Gong's eyes lit up: "What's your opinion?"

Gao Wushi smiled and said: "The reason why the whip method is not advancing quickly is that the imperial court has to carefully consider which places are suitable for promotion and which places are not suitable for promotion. It cannot be unfounded and one size fits all. There must be corresponding policies. Numbers can only be determined through accurate calculations; on the other hand, because many local officials still hope to maintain the original chaotic tax system in order to fish out of troubled waters due to the collusion between local officials and local rich and gentry forces, they are unwilling to do their best to promote a whip method. Thinking that the imperial court is just a 'gust of wind', if it is dragged away, everything will be fine."

When he said this, he sneered: "In this case, why not take this opportunity to let those people see the court's determination?"

There was a flash of light in Gao Gong's eyes, and there was even a hint of murderous intent, and he asked in a deep voice: "What good plan do you have, why don't you tell me quickly?"

Gao Wushi laughed, and his childish face was full of sternness: "Didn't the county magistrates of the five counties all say that they would prepare for the Hajj, and would like to have a good evaluation? Yes, but you can let them I know that rectifying the tax law and equalizing the land tax are the most important things of the imperial court recently - I want to see if they dare to continue to procrastinate!"

(End of this chapter)