The First Young Master of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 1401 Merchant

The ideal is beautiful and the goal is correct, but what about the process?Don't be afraid of all kinds of difficulties and dangers, just be afraid that everything is just a loft in the air.

It took more than 20 years for the Tang Dynasty to grow from poverty to wealth. Now it is only a new palace built on the Longshouyuan, and the treasury is exhausted. The whole Datang is not comparable to a Zhuangzi in Dongshan County.

"So, the Tang Dynasty is short of money now." Xuan Shijing said: "Because of the lack of money, I dare not use weapons rashly. I'm already relieved, at least the Tang Dynasty will not go on foreign expeditions for the past two years."

His Majesty Li Er sighed and said: "Yes, the original national government was full, but I slapped my head and built this new palace, and the national treasury has bottomed out again."

Building a palace is a waste of money and people, not to mention that the new palace in Longshouyuan is so large, the corvee is 15 yuan, and the work has not stopped for two years.

"So, in the final analysis, if Datang wants to go further, money is a good thing and cannot be lacked. No matter what you do, you need money, and you need strong financial resources to support it." Xuan Shijing said: "Only when you have money can you do things easily. This is not only the case among the people, but also the imperial court."

"What does this have to do with the navy mentioned in your memorial?" His Majesty Li Er asked.

His Majesty Li Er knew that the navy was important, but he couldn't imagine how the navy would bring wealth to Datang.

"The government wants to be rich. The minister said before that the Wa country has silver mines, but judging from the current situation of the Tang Dynasty, it will not go to war with the Wa country. After all, the Wa country pays tribute every year. To be honest, the Tang Dynasty has no reason to treat others. Let's go to war, and the government can't afford the money now," Xuan Shijing said.

No matter what era you are in, if you want to fight a war, you must have the temperament of justice, and you must hold it high for others to see. Wars are not easy to fight.

In the past, Tang Dynasty and Goguryeo had a feud. They used Gao Huanquan's name of "recovering the country" to attack Quangai Suwen. Lord Gao Huanquan rebelled halfway, betrayed the Tang army, and died on the battlefield. Datang was "helpless", so he took back the lost land and managed their land for Goguryeo by the way.

"That's right, no matter how greedy you are now, you can't move." His Majesty Li Er said helplessly.

"Although it cannot be moved now, the development of the navy cannot be left behind. It is also to lay the foundation for the future. Therefore, the development of the navy must be grasped from the present. In addition, His Majesty feels that the silk How is the way?" Xuan Shijing asked.

"The important passage linking my Great Tang and the countries of the Western Regions." His Majesty Li Er said.

"That's right, goods from the Western Regions are transported to Datang through the Silk Road. Whether they enter Chang'an or go to other places, they can earn a lot of money. Silk, porcelain, tea and other things from Datang , transported to the Western Regions, or even more distant places, the price has increased by more than a hundred times, because there are such exciting profits, so merchants are so keen to form caravans, cross the vast desert, and risk their lives to exchange things. , Datang inherits the previous dynasty, and it also emphasizes agriculture and suppresses commerce, but it is merchants who can circulate goods from east to west, from north to south. "Xuan Shijing said: "It is undeniable that the importance of merchants is undeniable, and this Silk Road runs through a lot of wealth from east to west."

"I hear you mean that you want to improve the status of the businessman? Are you planning to do something to the businessman?" His Majesty Li Er asked.

Xuan Shijing originally wanted to mention the construction of the Maritime Silk Road, but His Majesty Li Er paid more attention to the issue of merchants in Xuan Shijing's words. Regarding merchants, it is not impossible to change, but speaking of The businessman came, before the new palace was built, Xuan Shijing thought of the businessman's problem, but at that time, it was not the time to mention it. There is nothing wrong with businessmen.

Speaking of merchants, it is necessary to mention the taxation of merchants, and then compare it with the taxation of ordinary people in the Tang Dynasty.

"For those who are merchants, the tax in the prefecture and county is one-thirtieth, which is equal to that of the residents, and there is no profit." Xuan Shijing said: "We all know that merchants make more profits than ordinary people farming, but the government , but has been staring at the taxes of the common people. The merchants have money, but the officials are "turning a blind eye" and suppressing the merchants desperately. Now that the commercial tax is mentioned, let's talk about the agricultural tax of the Tang Dynasty. It is the system of rent and mediocrity.

In February of the second year of Wude, rent two stones per dina, two zhangs of silk, and three taels of cotton, and there are no other adjustments.In April of the seventh year of Wude, a new tax and service order was issued, stipulating: Every dime should be rented with two stones of millet; Nabu is two feet and five feet long, and three catties of hemp; Ding is in service for twenty days, and if he does not serve, he will be taken away, and three feet of silk will be folded every day.If the government adds additional service, 30 days of free transfer, [-] days of rent and transfer are exempted, and the total number of active service and additional service cannot exceed [-] days.The tax and service order also stipulates that in case of floods, droughts, pests and frosts, rent-free damages of four or more, and no adjustment for damages of six or more.If you lose more than seven points in ten, you will be exempted from class service. "

To put it simply, when the country needs you to work, if you work for the court, then pay less, and if you don't work for the court, you can do whatever you want in normal times.

Millet and two stones are used for rent; two feet of silk, three liang of cotton, or two feet and four feet of cloth, and three catties of hemp are used for adjustment; twenty days of service are called regular service, and those who do not serve will receive three feet of silk or 3.6 pieces of cloth every day. Ruler, for mediocrity, this is rent mediocrity.

"Comparing them together like this, it is true that there is a big problem, but the businessman's business has a long history and has always been like that." His Majesty Li Er said.

"So it needs to be changed. After Your Majesty succeeded to the throne, all the shortcomings of the Tang Dynasty have been corrected one by one. Why do you hesitate to mention flexibility now?" Xuan Shijing asked.

"The businessman's matter involves a lot. The whole court knows that officials are not allowed to do business, but who doesn't have a caravan under their name, and who doesn't have some property under their name? If you touch the merchants, you've moved theirs. Benefits, consequences can be imagined." His Majesty Li Er said.

This is not a matter of confrontation between old and new aristocratic families for the sake of interests. If that is the case, it will be easy to solve. If you want to engage in business, it will affect the interests of all of them. Will the courtiers agree to move their flesh for the sake of the royal family?

will not!

There is no perfect good thing in the world. If you want to gain benefits but also want to have no risks, how can it be possible?

(End of this chapter)