Listening to politics behind a curtain?Kill the Queen Mother at the beginning!

Chapter 91

"Wait for the imperial court to increase the business tax, for the merchants in the world, it is tantamount to drawing salary from the bottom of the pot, directly breaking the rules of thousands of years in the past dynasties."

"The imperial court wants to take out a few percent of the money they have already put in their pockets for no reason, how can their profit-seeking merchants be willing?

"At that time, they will definitely not sit still. It is not difficult to see the temperament of those merchants from the matter of the four major merchant gangs. At that time, they will inevitably form cliques to fight against us, and they will inevitably unite to give the imperial court a slap in the face. Suppression, it is impossible to say that in the end there is a possibility of gathering people to create chaos."

Bai Xiaosheng frowned and analyzed.

"What I want is for them to gather all living beings to make chaos!"

Luo Congee sneered.

"It just so happens that Jin Yiwei has also expanded a few guards, it's time to see blood."

"When they get together to report to the group to keep warm, I will lead the army to kill them!"

Luo Porridge waved his sleeves and said decisively.

"Forget it, let's call Shen Congwen now without waiting for tomorrow. I will take him into the palace to report today's situation, and at the same time let His Majesty have a clear idea."

Luo Congee said without any hesitation, after putting on a clean python robe, he sent someone to find Shen Congwen, and the two rode straight to the palace.

inside the palace,

imperial study room,
As usual, the lights were still brightly lit, and Zhu Ming was lowering his head to process the memorials reported from various places. Zhu Ming, who had just finished drinking a large bowl of wild ginseng soup, was obviously ruddy, much more energetic, and in a good mood. Much lighter.

Because there are nearly 700 million taels of real gold and silver sent back together with the news of Prince Shuo's Mansion. Counting the money contributed by Xie Wenxue a few days ago, the internal treasury is now full, and he is also worth tens of millions of taels of silver. Man, he is the emperor himself, and his life has never been so luxurious.

"Your Majesty, Commander Luo is seeking an audience outside the palace."

Cao Zhengchun whispered outside the door.

"Quick, pass him in."

Hearing the sound, Zhu Ming put down his ink pen and looked up, saying,

The corner of the mouth also unconsciously brought a smile.

"I have seen Your Majesty!"

"Caomin, I have seen Your Majesty!"

step inside,

The two greeted each other one by one.

"Luo Aiqing, you're here."

"How are the affairs of the remaining four major business gangs handled?"

Zhu Ming folded his zhezi and got up to greet him in person, completely ignoring Shen Congwen who was wearing a commoner coat, who, as a merchant's son, had never been to such a place before, so he just followed Luo Porridge silently with his head down.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, all the grain and grass purchased at a high price by the four major business gangs have been taken back, and there is absolutely no one bucket of grain that was missed."

Luo Porridge looked at Zhu Ming who was approaching and still bowed and said, without any overstepping due to the credit for what he did before.

"Yeah!"

"Ai Qing did a great job!"

"In this way,"

"The crisis of high food prices in Shangjing can be solved!"

Zhu Ming was overjoyed to hear the good news that came back one after another, dispelling the haze caused by the failure of the Northern Expedition these days.

"Your Majesty, the minister entered the palace overnight,"

"There is one more thing to report."

"Aiqing, please speak!"

"Your Majesty, wait for a while. I have two boxes of things, and I need your Majesty to see them for yourself."

After Luo Porridge finished speaking, he clapped his hands, and after receiving Zhu Ming's nod, four eunuchs carried two large boxes into the imperial study.

"What is this?"

Zhu Ming was puzzled.

"Please take a look, Your Majesty."

Luo Porridge opened the wooden box and said.

"Ah."

Zhu Ming was also curious when he heard the sound,
He picked up a book and turned it over.

"call……"

Just after reading the first few pages, Zhu Ming's breathing became heavy, his previously relaxed brows were furrowed again, and all the joy in his heart was swept away.

"Boom..."

After roughly flipping through the account book in his hand, he fell heavily on the ground, and then he suppressed his anger and opened the next one. At this time, his complexion had turned ashen, and the hands holding the book were tightly squeezed together, and they squeezed hard. It was so big that the knuckles were a little white.

"Pass……"

The wooden box was snapped shut,
Zhu Ming was so angry that his eyes widened and he didn't want to continue watching.

"They are so brave!"

Zhu Ming shouted sharply.

"Selling salt and iron privately, collaborating with the enemy and treason!"

"Human trafficking is heinous!"

"Adding all these piles up one by one, it would not be too much to put them all to death!"

Zhu Ming squeezed out these words from his teeth and said, he never expected that the humble merchants whom he usually sneered at would give him such a big "surprise".

Seeing this, Luo Porridge's expression remained unchanged and he knew that the matter was mostly over, but Shen Congwen behind him was not so calm, with cold sweat dripping from his forehead. Although he had already broken away from them, he was also a merchant after all.

"The four major business gangs, those people are locked up everywhere now?"

Zhu Ming asked in a cold voice, at first he only wanted to kill the culprit, but now he has the intention to kill all of them.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, all the ministers have been killed."

"Ok!"

Zhu Ming nodded after hearing the sound, not only did not get angry, but he let out a sigh of relief.

"Have you thought about how to deal with the rest of the hands?"

After Zhu Ming calmed down, he asked again.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, this is the reason why I entered the palace, according to my intention..."

"Why don't we wipe out all the lawless merchants in the world, and we will never suffer from future troubles..."

Luo Congee said coldly.

"Forever trouble?"

Zhu Ming frowned and said,
"Correct!"

"Do you have a way?"

"The reason why I haven't noticed those merchants in recent years is because they act low-key and have always kept a low profile. How can they catch them all easily?"

Zhu Mingning said divinely.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, what I mean is to raise the business tax and force them!"

"Increase business tax?"

Zhu Ming was pacing in the field while thinking about the feasibility, and soon he showed hesitation. After all, there has been no such precedent for thousands of years.

"I dare to ask His Majesty, "

"How much is the court tax now?"

Luo porridge struck the railway while it was hot.

"This year there are probably 800 million taels."

Without hesitation, Zhu Ming said, since the last time the money was raised, he himself went to the Ministry of Accounts to review the income and expenditure of the imperial court several times over the years, so he was very familiar with it.

"May I ask Your Majesty how much is the agricultural tax?"

"What is the proportion?"

Luo Congee continued.

"More than thirteen million taels."

"Seven to eight out of ten."

Zhu Ming has vaguely recalled what he said up to this point.

"Your Majesty, that is to say, the annual business tax of my Dali Dynasty is about 500 million taels of silver."

"Your Majesty, you need to know that the annual trade of the four major merchant gangs alone is more than tens of millions?"

Luo Porridge patted the wooden box and said.

"What is the total number of merchants in the world?"

"Is there more than billions of trades in the world?"

"Why does the imperial court only have this little money?"

Luo Congee asked.

"Business tax is too low..."

Zhu Ming suddenly enlightened when he heard the sound,

It's just that the original thinking has fallen into a deadlock, that's all.

"Currently, according to the laws of the imperial court, there are only two types of commercial taxes. One is trade tax, which is 500 yuan. That is to say, behind the 5000 million taels of silver, there are at least more than [-] million yuan. The circulation and trade of ten thousand taels of silver."

"The imperial court also exempted the sale of agricultural production tools, books, paper, pens, ink, paper and inkstones, and items for wedding and funeral sacrifices in the market, etc., and exempted them from taxes. Two silver."

"That's not counting the part where profiteers and wealthy businessmen colluded with officials to evade taxes."

"The other is customs duties, that is, the tariffs when goods pass through the Guanjin Ferry. Generally, the goods are drawn in proportion. When there is a shortage, silver is used to make up for it. The proportion is also extremely low..."

Luo porridge is neither sick nor slow.

"This……"

Zhu Ming also took a deep breath when he heard the sound. You must know that taxation is different from house raiding. It is not a one-off sale, but a long-term benefit of the court.
"There are so many."

Zhu Mingchang sighed and said that he was also influenced by long-standing concepts before, subconsciously ignoring the business tax.

"Has Your Majesty ever done some calculations? If the business tax is increased by [-]%, how much more money can I spend in Dali every year?"

Luo porridge lures him to benefit the way.

It has been a long time since I came to this world, and I know very well in my heart that the industry and commerce in Dali Dynasty are not decadent, on the contrary, they have greatly improved compared with the previous dynasty.

It's just that those merchants and local officials colluded with each other and formed a community of interests. The merchants monopolized the trade, evaded taxes and smuggled wildly with the help of officials.

In addition, the commercial tax is extremely low, so the treasury does not receive any commercial tax at all, and all the money goes into the pockets of those merchants and officials.

"Finally,"

"The world is not barren."

"It's just me and the people who are so poor..."

Zhu Ming smiled bitterly and said,
"Actually, after talking about it, I also know very well in my heart, but I don't know how many people's interests will be affected by increasing business taxes, and it is not good for the stability of the country."

Zhu Ming squeezed his eyebrows and said.

"Your Majesty, now those merchants can do things like shorting the grain price in Gyeonggi, and even colluding with the enemy and treason in private. Is there anything in the world that they dare not do?"

"The officials and merchants involved,"

"The subject is sure to get rid of it!"

"Except?"

"Behind these two words,"

"I'm afraid it will take countless blood to smear it."

Zhu Ming shook his head imperceptibly.

"Your Majesty, how do you know if you can't break it, you can't stand it."

Luo Congee continued to persuade.

"Does it not break or stand?"

Zhu Ming thought about Luo Porridge's words and repeated to himself.

"It's just that I don't know how many people will die in the world..."

"His Majesty,"

"I also know very well in my heart that taxation is the top priority of a country. If you increase commercial taxes rashly, the backlash caused by it is absolutely unimaginable. However, in the long run of the country, the advantages will definitely outweigh the disadvantages!"

Luo Conge looked up at Zhu Ming who was still thinking and continued.

In fact, whether it is land tax or commercial tax these days, under the research of countless people, it is already full of loopholes. This is the so-called policy above and countermeasures below.

But for me who came here through time travel, whether it is commercial taxation or land taxation, according to the experience of historical records, standing on the shoulders of giants, I have many ways to do it.

It's just that the land tax is something I can't do for the time being, because there are more things involved, and the first ones are those aristocratic families. After all, the idea that land is better than everything in this world has been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.

If only the business tax is raised, I can still resist, the world will be chaotic, but it is still within the control range, and the dynasty will not be in danger of collapse. If the land tax is moved, I am afraid that someone will really rebel.

This kind of unfailing chaos is exactly what I want to see, and only in this way can I fish in troubled waters and continue to grow stronger.

"I also know that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages..."

Zhu Ming was still hesitating after hearing the sound.

"Your Majesty, if you break it, you break it,"

"Don't be indecisive."

"Aren't there enough examples before?"

Luo Congee asked back.

"His Majesty,"

"Every time there is a change, how can there be no reason for not dying?"

"This is a strategy where the crime lies in the present and the merit lies in the future!"

"I hope His Majesty will make a decisive decision!"

"Boom..."

After Luo Porridge finished speaking, his head touched the ground.

"The crime lies in the present, but the merit lies in the future?"

"Why don't I want to,"

"To do something famous in history?"

Zhu Ming looked at the two boxes of ledgers and pondered for a long time.

"That's it, that's it."

"As you said, this matter will be reported to you in person tomorrow morning. I will let the Propaganda Department and the Taxation Department take the lead, and the Household Department will cooperate..."

In the end Zhu Ming said cruelly.

"I will take care of the tax policy!"

"You can do the murder!"

After the thought is clear,

Zhu Ming stared at Luo Congee and said, "Since we are going to do something, then don't leave any trouble behind!"

"I will give you an imperial decree, whether it is the officials involved or the merchants and ordinary people, you can handle it yourself!"

"Your Majesty, I will live up to your Majesty's trust!"

Luo Porridge kowtowed again, and when he looked up, Zhu Ming's eyes were full of determination.

"Come on, draft an order!"

Zhu Ming said it and called the eunuch without hesitation.

"Businessmen from all over the world..."

Zhu Ming read in a deep voice,

The eunuch next to him will take notes.

Luo Conge knelt on the ground and listened quietly. Luo Congee looked up in the middle of the reading. Zhu Ming's face was calm, and his words were full of murderous intentions. There was no fear in the past.

Before you know it,
Is Your Majesty growing up too?
Luo Porridge secretly thought,
I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing.

"After the discussions are completed tomorrow, after the Ministry of Zhongshu has polished and stamped it, and the Ministry of Menxia has reviewed and stamped this imperial decree, I will personally send someone to your house to read it out!"

"Don't let me down!"

After Zhu Ming finished reading, he looked at Luo Porridge and said solemnly.

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty!"

"I will definitely give His Majesty a satisfactory answer to this matter!"

Luo porridge made a sound.

"By the way, there is one more thing I need Your Majesty to nod."

talking room,
Luo Porridge turned sideways to reveal Shen Congwen behind him.

"Who is this person?"

Zhu Ming squinted his eyes and asked.

It's not like this big man didn't miss it, but his sense of presence in this imperial study is too low, he doesn't have aura, and he is no different from those eunuchs who often wait around.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, Shen Congwen, a grassroots man, is Chao..."

Shen Congwen knelt down in the tunnel meticulously, with an extremely humble attitude, and he didn't even dare to look at Zhu Ming.

"What does Aiqing mean by looking for him?"

"I want to use him as a link, give him an official status, let him represent the imperial court and connect with the four major business gangs, and then slowly manipulate, and then use the four major merchants to take the lead to completely settle this matter..."

Luo Porridge reported.

"Well, it's a small thing in comparison."

"I will greet the Ministry of Officials and the Ministry of Households."

Zhu Ming looked at Luo Congee and nodded, saying,
Indeed, he never took a direct look at Shen Congwen.

"You go and prepare your own affairs."

"Sir, retire!"

"Grassman, leave!"

The two saluted.

During the whole process, Shen Congwen didn't raise his head, but just listened quietly to the two of them changing the situation of the world's merchants and even life and death in a few hours, and they decided on that in a few words. Dare to think about the high position in the court.

"Congratulations, Shen Shilang."

On the lengthy white marble steps,
Looking at Shen Congwen who was still bowing his head, Luo Porridge raised his hand and joked.

"Master Luo, you are joking."

"The grass people are also relying on your light, Mr. Luo."

Shen Congwen still bowed his head and replied, but when he reached the end of the steps, he turned his head and took a deep look at the court hall, unknowingly, the desire for power had penetrated deep into his bones.

imperial study room,
"Come here, let the ministers of the Department of Household Affairs and the Minister of Officials enter the palace, and the officials in charge of the Department of Propaganda and Taxation should also be called here."

After the two left,

Zhu Ming still did not rest but drank half a bowl of ginseng soup to forcibly lift his spirits. He sent someone to find officials related to business and tax matters to discuss. The candlelight in the imperial study was lit all night. The sound never stopped.

The next day,

morning,

Zhu Ming's complexion was slightly swollen when he went to court, and the black eye circles were even more eye-catching. Fortunately, the happy look on the brows proved that the general regulations had been set last night, and all he needed to do was to make a decision in the court.

……

"Your Majesty, take a strong medicine for a serious illness!"

"What the old minister means is that the trade tax should be increased to one out of ten first, and the customs duty should also be collected quantitatively, and the disadvantage of using goods to offset taxes before is abandoned..."

"In addition, the veteran has been in the tax department for a long time, and has discovered many shortcomings in commercial taxation, and should make up for it after thinking about it..."

After Zhu Ming instructed the officials of the Taxation Division to take the lead, the matter of commercial taxation was formally raised, but the tone was very high. After all, business is a matter of extortionate prices and paying back the money on the spot, and there is no court discussion. very different.

Just when many officials heard the sound and wanted to refute.

"I have the original play!"

The officials of the Propaganda Department who coordinated the taxation took out the two large boxes of ledgers and blocked the mouths of those officials.

The officials who were still unwilling to give up had no choice but to take a break when confronting the determined Zhu Ming and the hostile young man. This happened in just over a month.

There are already too many people who died in the court, and no one wants to be the next person to be beheaded outside the Meridian Gate.

After the proposal was passed, there were endless discussions among officials from various ministries above the court. After all, this matter was related to all aspects. Although the general trend cannot be stopped, he still wanted to protect as much as possible the interests of the forces he represented.

This business tax matter, it took seven full days of discussion to finally finalize the specific regulations. After the Zhongshu Province polished it, the door under the province's review, the emperor made a decision, and after collecting three seals, it will be announced to the world, and it will be in the capital first. try it out.

During this period,

The merchants all over the world also received the news, and even took Luo Porridge back to the court and walked on the street. The eyes of the shop owners were full of resentment.

Luo Mansion, which is in the center of the vortex, has many tea stalls around it, and many unknown traffickers and pawns, inquiring about the news.

on the eighth day,
On the day of the new commercial tax trial,
A carriage stopped at Luo Mansion,

The eunuch, holding a bright yellow imperial decree, stepped into the palace.

"Fengtian Chengyun Emperor, the imperial edict said;"

"And today, unscrupulous merchants are rampant... This is it!"

"The minister leads the decree to thank you!"

Luo Porridge knelt down to accept the order.

"It's also time to let all the newly recruited Jinyi guards from the prefectures and counties enter the capital, otherwise there will be too many people, and we can kill more than just relying on our guard..."

Luo Porridge stood on the attic of the mansion, looking at the crowds of people on the originally cold long street.

When the turmoil completely swept the world, I didn't know how many people would show up.

Ten thousand?
Twenty thousand?

Thirty thousand?

Or fifty thousand?

"I don't know if this knife will be able to cut sharply?" Luo Porridge looked back at the Xiuchun knife on his waist and whispered to himself.

(End of this chapter)