Doctor of the Great Song Dynasty: In the beginning, Li Qingzhao and Li Qingzhao made a private decis

Chapter 373
“Turn losses into profits!”

With the reform of state-owned workshops, more and more wealth myths emerged, and these four words gradually became a word of mouth among the people of the Song Dynasty.

"A state-owned workshop that had been losing money for many years turned around and became profitable within one month after being privatized by businessmen!"

"A poorly run state-owned workshop immediately became revitalized after being contracted by the management, and increased taxes for the court."

“Many state-owned workshops have gone through reforms and joined forces with the strong, with the strong advancing and the weak eliminated, thus changing the previous decline.

………………

After the reform of the state-owned workshops, the entire economy of the Song Dynasty surged like running water, and the entire market prospered visibly to the naked eye.

"Fan Xianggong is a great talent!"

The entire government and the public were full of praise for the reform of the state-owned workshops. In this way, not only would the difficulties of the state-owned workshops be eliminated, but the taxation of the entire Song Dynasty would also explode.

In May of the fourth year of Shaosheng's reign, the imperial court's tax bill exceeded tens of millions of dollars per month. According to this trend, by the end of the year, the Song Dynasty's tax revenue will officially exceed tens of millions.

"Wonderful!"

The ruling and opposition parties of the Song Dynasty could not help but be shocked. Such high taxes could be said to be the highest in the history of the dynasties. This made the ruling and opposition parties quite proud. More importantly, the deficit crisis of the Song Dynasty was easily solved.

"Fan Aiqing should be the first to contribute to the reform of French business workshops and to solve the imperial court's deficit crisis." Zhao Xu said excitedly in the Chui Gong Hall.

The tax revenue of the Song Dynasty is about to exceed tens of millions, which will immediately inject fresh blood into the government and the public, revitalizing the taxation of the Song Dynasty. More importantly, there will be sufficient tax revenue to support its grand plans.

"Weak ministers dare not take credit. This is all thanks to the official family!" Fan Chunli said modestly.

"Officials have a keen eye for talents, Mr. Fan has great talents and strategies, and both monarch and ministers are in harmony. Only then will the prosperous age of the Song Dynasty come to us!" Hundreds of officials congratulated one after another.

Amidst the harmonious sounds in the Great Song Dynasty Hall, a sudden voice suddenly sounded: "Although the French Camp Workshop is good, I'm afraid it is not without its flaws."

Suddenly, all the officials couldn't help but looked around, and they were shocked to find that it was Fan Zheng who raised the question.

"Uh!"

All the officials couldn't help but be stunned. It seemed that the drama of the father-son fight between Fan Zheng and Fan Chunli hadn't finished yet, and they were still fighting each other.

Cai Jing was moved when he heard this and said, "In Fan Taicheng's opinion, what are the disadvantages of this transformation to a French-run workshop?"

As a new party, we are naturally happy to see Fan Zheng and his son fighting.

Fan Zheng seemed not to notice Cai Jing's gloating expression, and said loudly: "The so-called wealth myth of turning losses into profits in January is nothing more than collusion between merchants and state-owned workshops, deliberately short-changing state-owned workshops and lowering the prices of workshops. As for poorly managed companies, The workshop was contracted by the original owner and immediately regained its vitality. Isn't it suspected of lining his own pockets?"

As soon as Fan Zheng said this, the entire court was in an uproar. Although Fan Zheng's words were extreme, it was not impossible!

Fan Chunli frowned and said: "According to what Fan Taicheng said, merchants must lose money when buying or contracting a state-owned workshop. If this is the case, who in the world would be willing to buy a state-owned workshop!"

The ministers nodded, and Fan Chunli's move was not unreasonable.

Fan Zheng explained: "It's not that Fan didn't question the correctness of the reformed French-run workshops, but he suspected that there must be some moths lining their pockets. If it was collusion between officials and businessmen that caused a large loss of court property, this must be investigated!"

"It should be so!" Fan Chunli nodded solemnly.

Zhang Dun couldn't help but frown when he saw this. He could see that Fan Zheng's move was not to attack his father, but to prepare for a rainy day. If the case of the state-owned workshop was exposed in the future, with today's court meeting, the officials would Fan Chunli no longer had any reason to attack.

After all, no one can guarantee whether there is any collusion between government and businessmen in this French-run workshop.

After Fan Zheng checked for his father's deficiencies, he nodded with satisfaction and said, "I'd like to report to the official family. I believe that the system of three provinces and six ministries has been established for hundreds of years. It's time for the court to add another one."

"One more!"

All the officials in the court suddenly looked at Fan Zheng in disbelief.

Although the Song Dynasty implemented a system of three provinces and six ministries, it had undergone major changes compared to the Tang Dynasty. Except for the Ministry of Punishment, which still retained the power to hear major cases in the world, the main powers of the three provinces and six ministries had been transferred to other institutions, and their chiefs only served as By sending salary and official titles, the system of three provinces and six ministries existed in name only.

All the officials in the court knew that Fan Zheng's ultimate goal was to upgrade Doctor Tai to the Medical Department, ranking it as the seventh department of the imperial court. However, although the medical family was in the ascendant and its scale expanded rapidly, it was still far from becoming the seventh department of the imperial court.

Zhang Dun sneered: "Fan Taicheng is too impatient! Although today's medical family is prosperous, it is still not enough to become the seventh department of the imperial court."

Other officials also agreed. This was not because they deliberately suppressed Fan Zheng, but because today's medical family did not have the same scale as Liubu.

Fan Zheng shook his head and said: "What Fan is talking about is not the medical department. The current scale of the medical department only covers major cities. When the medical department helps the world, even remote rural areas can still be touched by the medical department. At that time, even if the entire court opposes , still can’t stop the doctor from becoming a member of the imperial court!”

Hearing Fan Zheng's domineering and arrogant words, all the officials in the court fell silent, but they knew that what Fan Zheng said was true. The six ministries were the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Husbandry, the Ministry of Punishment, and the Ministry of Works. The important department that popularizes the world, if the medical family unified it in the future and covered everyone in the world, it would be enough to become a new part of the court.

"But if it's not the Medical Department, then which department is it?" Many officials couldn't help but cast their sights on Zhang Yong, the new minister of the Imperial College. In addition to the ambitious doctors, the Imperial College was not to be outdone, and began to organize compulsory education in the city, aiming to become a new of the Ministry of Education.

"No! The Imperial College's city-wide compulsory education has only just spread to the other three capitals of the Song Dynasty, and its scale is even lower than that of doctors."

Many officials shook their heads in denial.

Zhang Yong also sighed in his heart. Doctors still have a chance to become a member of the new imperial court, but the Imperial College may require a long period of hard work.

Zhao Xu was also curious: "I wonder if Fan Taicheng has added another film, which one is it?"

All the officials in the court also looked sideways, wanting to hear what evil plan Fan Zheng had come up with.

Fan Zheng looked around at the ministers and said word by word: "What the minister is talking about is the Ministry of Commerce!"

"Business Department!"

"Businessmen's Department!" The court suddenly fell silent, and then an uproar suddenly broke out.

"Ministry of Commerce? Does Fan Taicheng mean that merchants should be placed in the court like me?" Yang Wei said angrily.

"That's sheer nonsense. Businessmen are people who don't engage in production. Our government is already tolerant of them, so how can we set up another one for them." Cai Jing also frowned.

"How can we, the scholar-bureaucrats, associate with businessmen? I will impeach Fan Taicheng for disrupting our Song Dynasty!"

Officials angrily denounced him, and some radicals impeached Fan Zheng directly in court.

Fan Chunli also frowned. He originally thought that Fan Zheng proposed the medical department, but he did not expect that Fan Zheng was actually speaking out for the businessman. What's more serious is that Fan Zheng did not discuss this move with him at all.

Fan Zheng said loudly: "The imperial court established the Ministry of Industry, but there was not a single craftsman in the court, and there was naturally no prisoner in the Ministry of Punishment. For the same reason, Fan proposed the establishment of the Ministry of Commerce, naturally not to allow merchants to be in the court, but to Let the court manage the merchants!"

"Let the imperial court manage the merchants? The imperial court turned into a French-run workshop to reduce the number of merchants. Why do you propose such a proposal above the imperial court." Fan Chunli denounced Fan Zheng on the surface, but in fact he was giving Fan Zheng a chance to explain.

"Because of taxes!"

"Taxation?" All the officials in the court couldn't help but be stunned and looked at Fan Zheng in confusion. This year's taxation in the Song Dynasty was enough to exceed ten thousand yuan. It can be said to be an unprecedented breakthrough. Why was the Ministry of Commerce established because of taxation.

Fan Zheng took out the tax statistics of past dynasties, handed them to Zhao Xu, and said loudly: "Officials, please take a look. This is the tax structure of the imperial court from the Zhenzong Dynasty to the present. During the Zhenzong Dynasty, commercial taxes only accounted for [-]% of the tax revenue. , the main body of taxation in the Song Dynasty was still land tax."

"From the Renzong Dynasty to the present, the proportion of commercial taxes in the Song Dynasty's taxation has continued to expand, from less than [-]% to [-]% now. It can be said that it accounts for the main body of the Song Dynasty's taxation. Commercial taxes are so important , isn’t it enough for the court to pay attention to it?”

Zhao Xu's eyes suddenly condensed. Fan Zheng's report was not expressed in cold numbers, but in circular proportions that were common in later generations, which can be said to be clear at a glance.

Since the Renzong Dynasty, the proportion of commercial taxes has expanded at a speed visible to the naked eye, and it has become the main body of taxation in the Song Dynasty.

The officials took Fan Zheng's statistical table and immediately frowned. Although they didn't like merchants, they had to admit that the taxes contributed by merchants were indeed the top priority for the Song Dynasty to be able to support it until now.

Fan Zheng continued: "In terms of proportion, the proportion of commercial taxes is getting larger and larger, but in terms of amount, there has been almost no increase in land tax from the Zhenzong Dynasty to the present, and sometimes there is even a negative growth."

The officials of the Manchu Dynasty couldn't help feeling embarrassed. It was the repeated reduction of court land tax that caused the crisis in the Song Dynasty. This led to Fan Zhongyan's Qingli New Deal and Wang Anshi's Reform. However, when the two reforms were implemented, the court land tax began to increase. After the failure and abolition, The land tax of the Song Dynasty decreased again.

"If it weren't for the imperial reform that implemented the tax-sharing system and increased the land tax by more than [-]%, commercial taxes would account for more than [-]% of the tax revenue this time. Now the population of the Song Dynasty is close to [-] million, and the wasteland that can be cultivated in the world has also been greatly reduced. Nowadays, we have implemented the system of farm work, and a large number of hidden fields and people have been identified. It is difficult to increase the land tax in the future. If the court wants to obtain more taxes, there is only one way!" Fan Zheng said loudly.

"Business tax!"

Without Fan Zheng having to say it, an answer automatically emerged in Baiguan's mind.

"That's right! It's commercial tax!" Fan Zheng said solemnly.

Cai Jing frowned and said: "Business tax is indeed very important, but if it is its own business, it might be too much!"

Fan Zheng shook his head and said: "It's not an exaggeration at all. There are four people in the world, farmers, industry and merchants, not to mention merchants who are one of the four people in the world. More importantly, businessmen are born for profit, and they have bad nature. If they are indulged , will definitely cause catastrophe, hoarding, price gouging, collusion between government and businessmen..."

All the officials nodded. It was because of the bad nature of the merchants that the scholar-bureaucrats looked down upon the merchants. At the same time, they also reacted so strongly to Fan Zheng's proposal to establish a separate Ministry of Commerce.

"Nowadays, if officials want to develop their ambitions, they can't do it without money. And now if they want to increase taxes for the Song Dynasty, the only way is to increase business taxes, and the current situation of merchants is also different. Well, he has a low status, is despised by the world, is extorted by officials, and even officials say they despise merchants, but they allow their family members and servants to do business and evade taxes. This is also an obstacle to the increase in business taxes!" Fan Zheng changed his words.

The expressions of many officials suddenly changed. Except for a few officials who were open-minded, many officials had ulterior motives in their hearts because Fan Zhengzheng had touched the secrets in their hearts.

"Humph!"

Zhao Xu did not say anything, but snorted coldly, which was like a thunder in the hearts of all the officials.

Many officials trembled in their hearts, and sweat suddenly broke out from their backs. After all, their affairs could not withstand scrutiny at all. Once the court seriously scrutinized them, it would be difficult for them to hide.

Fan Zheng continued: "Wei Chen proposed the establishment of the Ministry of Commerce. Firstly, the imperial court also has state-owned workshops that need to be managed, and foreign trade needs to prepare for the establishment of a municipal shipping department! All of them fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Commerce. Secondly, it is to regulate the relationship between government and businessmen. Officials and their relatives are not allowed to do business or compete with the people for profit. This is the iron law of the imperial court. Thirdly, the imperial court can achieve the success of the Maritime Silk Road. The imperial court will guide merchants and support merchants. After all, the taxation of the Song Dynasty has gone a step further, let alone It is a tax of tens of millions of dollars, and even a tax of twenty million dollars or even higher in the future is not impossible to achieve."

"Twenty million guan!"

As soon as Fan Zheng finished speaking, all the officials in the dynasty suddenly fell into reverie. The tax of tens of millions of guan was already the highest in the history of the dynasty, and all the officials were cheering for it. What a concept of [-] guan, let alone more. many.

"Is that possible?"

Some officials also questioned.

Fan Zheng said proudly: "Of course it is possible. From the Zhenzong Dynasty to the present Song Dynasty, taxes have doubled several times. From ten million to twenty million, it is just a doubling. As long as our government establishes the Ministry of Commerce to guide and support merchants, According to an annual increase of about 20%, in less than [-] years, the tax revenue of the Song Dynasty will exceed [-] yuan."

"20 years!"

"Twenty million guan!"

Baiguan's breath suddenly stagnated. According to Fan Zheng's calculations, it is not impossible to break through [-].

"All previous dynasties have emphasized agriculture and suppressed commerce, and our Song Dynasty established the Ministry of Commerce. Doesn't it violate the ancestral system of all dynasties?" Yang Wei still hesitated.

The old and new parties nodded in agreement. The establishment of the Ministry of Commerce meant that the Song Dynasty would change from neutrality to mercantile. After all, they still expected merchants to pay taxes.

Fan Zheng retorted: "It is true that the past dynasties emphasized agriculture and suppressed business. However, the past dynasties did not have the important task of regaining the Sixteenth Prefecture of Yanyun. There were no powerful foreign enemies like the Song Dynasty. The Song Dynasty wanted to regain the Sixteenth Prefecture of Yanyun." , or even to unify the world, then we must use enough money and food to provide more tax merchants for the Song Dynasty. Whether to stick to the incomplete or establish the Ministry of Commerce to lay a solid foundation for the Song Dynasty to unify the world depends on the officials. how to choose."

In an instant, all the officials' eyes were focused on Zhao Xu.

Zhao Xu pondered for a moment and said: "This matter is of great importance, I need to consider it in the long term!"

"The officials are wise!"

All the officials cupped their hands and said, but everyone knew that the officials must have been moved. After all, compared to businessmen, the Sixteenth State of Yanyun was the biggest worry in the history of the Song Dynasty.

(End of this chapter)