The road of the farmer's fortune and the imperial examination

Chapter 610 Diverging Opinions
After Gu Chengyu finished speaking, he took out the booklet in his arms.He wrote until the third watch yesterday, and only then did he outline the regulations on the tea tax.

"Oh! Is there anything else you can't make up your mind about?" Liang Zhirui smiled.

Although I was a little puzzled in my heart, I still took the booklet and read it carefully.

However, when he first started watching, the smile on his face was restrained, and the more he looked at it, the more dignified his expression became.After half a stick of incense, he finished the booklet and put it on the desk in front of him.

Liang Zhirui stared at Gu Chengyu with his eyes full of disappointment.

"Is this what you proposed?"

He knew at a glance that it was Gu Chengyu's idea, and every item and every example was listed very clearly.

This disciple was very intelligent, and never bothered him, and respected him and the senior disciples very much.He doesn't talk about being honest, but he has always been very measured in doing things, and his heart is also kind.

He placed high hopes on this disciple, as long as Gu Chengyu puts his heart into it, it will not be difficult to become a first-rank member in the future.

But what did he see now?Tea tax?If the imperial court wanted to introduce new taxes, it had to extract money from the people. Could it be that his disciple urged the emperor to raise new taxes in order to get promoted?
Seeing the teacher's serious face, Gu Chengyu knew what the teacher was thinking.He understood the teacher's character, and the teacher must have misinterpreted his meaning, thinking that he made this strategy for his own selfish desires and wanted to make meritorious deeds.

Gu Chengyu quickly stood up, and replied seriously: "Teacher, don't be angry, and listen to the students speak slowly."

Liang Zhirui waved his hand, wanting to say that he has read the brochure.But Gu Chengyu was grown up under his watch, so he naturally understands his conduct.If he had misbehaved, he would not have accepted Gu Chengyu as his disciple back then.

Because he suffered a disadvantage from He Jisheng before, when Liang Zhirui took Gu Chengyu as his disciple, he observed him for a long time and tested him many times before finally making up his mind.

After thinking about it, he decided to give Gu Chengyu a chance.

"The old man asks you, do you know that once the tea tax is implemented, it will be those tea farmers who will suffer?"

The merchants are cunning and will only put the tax on the tea growers, and they must be reluctant to pay the money themselves.

"This student naturally knows, so the student thinks that the annual land tax of tea farmers can be reduced. With less land tax, the income of tea farmers will increase, and this part can make up for the losses of tea farmers."

He didn't mention this in the brochure, because the officials in the court didn't care about it.So he had to draw a big cake for the officials before he raised this matter.In the end, it was not so unacceptable.

But if it was written here from the beginning, those officials would keep their eyes on it.

Liang Zhirui shook his head, feeling that this method has no practical effect, "Then isn't it still the same as the original land tax? It's just a different way of saying it."

"Naturally, it is only a part of the reduction, and it is impossible to avoid it completely. This requires careful calculation of the profits, which is a matter for the Ministry of Household Affairs. Of course, the tea merchants have to bear part of it. It is impossible to let the tea farmers pay for it. Tea farmers are not stupid."

In fact, Gu Chengyu's behavior is very benevolent, and it can be regarded as taking care of the interests of tea farmers, because the land taxes of tea farmers are no less than these before.

"The student mentioned in it that letting the government set up tax cards along the way has largely guaranteed the safety of tea merchants. There will definitely be more tea merchants, large and small, than before. There are more tea merchants, and tea farmers have more choices. Now, the price will naturally not be suppressed too low.”

Gu Chengyu's analysis made Liang Zhirui feel that there was some truth in it, but he still didn't agree with it.

"According to what you said, but the interests of those tea merchants are reduced, will they be willing? If not, who will be the tea merchant?"

Liang Zhirui didn't feel sorry for the merchants who plundered money from them. What he cared about before was the tea farmers' profits.

Gu Chengyu smiled when he heard the words, "Why don't you want to? The profits of tea merchants are huge. With the tea tax, they just lost a little profit. The tax I made here is not heavy. For them, such a small tax is nothing to worry about. It’s a drop in the bucket.”

"Are they willing to give up such a large profit? As for whether they are willing or not, it is up to them. The court's land tax, population tax and salt tax, which one is not enforced?"

He is not worried at all about how the court will implement it.This is an imperial society, but it doesn't have the democratic consciousness of the previous life.The biggest obstacle to this tax is the officials behind the tea merchants.

Liang Zhirui looked at Gu Chengyu's indifferent appearance, and was speechless for a long time.He couldn't see through this disciple. He said this so lightly, as if he was used to the superiors giving orders, and he became a little cold.

well!People's hearts are always changeable in the officialdom, I hope this disciple will not change his original intention.

"Teacher, have you ever thought about it? The imperial court has reached a difficult time, and the taxation of this dynasty is not heavy. The people have been recuperating for decades, and this is only a part of the merchants' tax money, which is not too much."

Gu Chengyu knew that the teacher was stubborn because he was afraid that the new tax law would bring burdens to the people.But after all, the tea tax is still a businessman who contributes a lot, and it can solve the urgent need of the court, so why not do it?

"Then how do you know that the tea tax will not increase in the future? As long as there is an additional tax, there will be an additional means to harm the people."

In fact, Liang Zhirui was still worried that the imperial court would go against its original intention in the future. If the tax was increased in the future, the merchants would certainly suffer losses, but the unlucky ones would still be those tea farmers.

Gu Chengyu was moved by the fact that the teacher really cared for the common people, but that was all for the future, so I can only say that one step at a time, no one can know foretelling, right?

"Who can tell what happened after that? Let's take the salt tax as an example! There is no increase in the salt tax in this dynasty. Whether to increase the tax depends on whether the high-ranking people are greedy. Even if there is no tea tax, wouldn't other taxes Will it get worse?"

Although Gu Chengyu is also a little worried about this, but that only determines whether the king is incompetent or fatuous.Besides, if the imperial court is in crisis, it is inevitable to increase taxes.

"Teacher, the emperor is worried about the national treasury every day. The soldiers guarding the frontier have not been able to pay their salaries for several months. If things go on like this, it will inevitably lead to war. At that time, the imperial court will be in jeopardy. Who will take care of the people?"

"The imperial court is already in such a difficult situation. If I don't propose a tea tax, it is imperative to increase the tax in the future. There are only a few types of taxation in this dynasty. Shouldn't it be counted on the heads of the poor people?"

Only part of the interests of tea merchants and tea farmers are lost here, while the other is the loss of the interests of poor people.Which is more important, I believe the teacher will naturally know how to choose.

Liang Zhirui couldn't help being surprised when he heard Gu Chengyu's words, and examined Gu Chengyu again from top to bottom.

"It's the old man who is confused, and he is not as thoughtful as you."

(End of this chapter)