Daming: The most ruthless tyrant in history

Chapter 274 The Salt Law Minister
It is difficult to be an official, and it is difficult to get involved in officialdom.

This is the most common idea and viewpoint among a group of officials who really want to do something practical, want to live up to their conscience, and actually do it.

Being an official does not mean that everything will be fine if you can take care of yourself and restrain yourself. Things need to be done by people. Without people, things cannot be done well. But the same principle is involved. When there are more people, things become more complicated.

Humanity, face, welcome and send... After being in such an environment for a long time, many people will understand that things are not difficult to handle, but it is always the people who are difficult to handle.

Because with people, simple things can become complicated, and complex things can become simple. Everything depends on who the person is and what the matter is.

So it's hard to get something done.

Perhaps inadvertently, someone's interests have been touched, secret tricks, stumbling blocks, and constraints appear one after another.

"What worries does Yuan Qing have?"

Zhu Youxiao could see the change in Yuan Shizhen's expression. Although it was the first time he met Yuan Shizhen, Zhu Youxiao understood that expression. It was a reaction only when he was disappointed with the officialdom.

Think about it.

Once in the position of Lianghuai Salt Administration, he helped the court relieve the bad salt tax policy and increased tax revenue for the national treasury. He obviously made corresponding achievements, but was found to be nothing. Not only did he lose his official title, but also suffered infamy. , it will be uncomfortable for anyone to put this matter on.

Salt and iron, these are huge profits!

As long as there is a monopoly, there will be huge profits.

"I don't have any worries, I just saw the holy face for the first time..." Under Zhu Youxiao's gaze, Yuan Shizhen raised his hands in salute and said in an evasive way.

"Okay, don't say this in front of me."

Zhu Youxiao waved his hand and interrupted: "I don't like to hear it, and you, Yuan Shizhen, don't like to talk about it. Let's talk about something practical. The Qing family should know what the purpose of this trip to Beijing is, right? Bi Qing mentioned it to the Qing family in private. Bar?"

Eyes don't lie.

When you first meet someone you are not familiar with, you don’t know much about them. If you want to know what kind of person the other person is, you have to observe the other person’s eyes, especially the micro-expressions. What is often revealed inadvertently can be used to make preliminary judgments. What kind of person is the other party?

Yuan Shizhen's first impression on Zhu Youxiao was that he was very stable. This is the key to being able to do great things. Without such ability, no matter how smart or talented he is, he will not be able to achieve anything.

"I know that your Majesty summoned me to Beijing for the sake of salt administration."

Yuan Shizhen frowned slightly, bowed and said: "The great Situ made this clear in the letter, but I have something to ask your Majesty."

"Say."

Zhu Youxiao lifted up the sleeves of his robe, looked at Yuan Shizhen with a smile, stretched out his hand and said: "Qing family, don't be formal, sit down and chat, the salt administration is not a trivial matter, come and prepare some meals."

Dongnuan Pavilion became busy.

When important government affairs are involved, even the eunuchs serving in front of the emperor have to withdraw from Dongnuan Pavilion. The more people know about it, the greater the risk of leaking the secret.

To deal with this phenomenon, Zhu Youxiao must eliminate it from the source.

Many good policies are obviously effective when implemented, but in actual operation, problems of one kind or another arise. The root cause is that secrets are leaked and known by people who should not know.

"I dare to ask Your Majesty, are you really determined to rectify the salt administration?"

Yuan Shizhen, who was sitting on the brocade stool, hesitated for a moment. Seeing that the emperor did not speak, he made up his mind and raised his head with firm eyes and asked.

"of course."

Zhu Youxiao smiled, stared at Yuan Shizhen and said, "If I hadn't made up my mind, then I wouldn't want to ask the Qing family to take over the position of Minister of Salt Law."

"It's just your Majesty~"

Yuan Shizhen said: "The salt policy has a wide range of implications, from the central government to the localities. Salt tax accounts for a large proportion of the court's tax collection. If... I mean if, your majesty really wants to rectify the salt policy, I'm afraid there will be a lot of trouble during this period." The situation may even affect local order.”

"Does the Qing family emphasize all kinds of things to me to make me retreat when I see difficulties?"

Zhu Youxiao smiled slightly.

"I have absolutely no such thoughts."

Yuan Shizhen quickly stood up, bowed to Zhu Youxiao and saluted.

"Okay, don't stand still."

Zhu Youxiao kept smiling, waved his hands and said: "I know that the Qing family has grievances in their hearts. Although they have done meritorious and political achievements in Lianghuai, they have suffered unreasonable disasters. Who can blame this matter, even if it is me? , I will also feel aggrieved and confused."

Yuan Shizhen's eyes were slightly red.

Even though he has been in the official career for a long time and is used to seeing the ups and downs of officialdom, he can only understand who is responsible for the matter. Others are just watching the fun.

Speaking of which, Yuan Shizhen was dismissed from his official post during the Taichang Dynasty. Even though it only took more than a month, a lot of things happened in the Taichang Dynasty.

It is even said that there are many things. Even the Emperor Taichang himself does not know the truth. This is the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty. Bullying the superiors and suppressing the subordinates has become a norm. "Now that the matter is out of the way, it doesn't seem to be of much use if I say anything else."

Zhu Youxiao lifted up the sleeves of his robe, looked at Yuan Shizhen and said, "What I can do now is to let Yuan Qing know what my attitude is. Regardless of the salt policy, how will Yuan Qing want to rectify it in the future? How much trouble will it cause?" There are turmoil and troubles, but as long as it can increase the salt tax revenue, crack down on illegal salt sales, make the lives of the lower-class households easier, and enable all people in the world to eat affordable salt, even if Yuan Qing really stabs the sky There is a hole, and as long as I am here, I will never cause Yuan Qing to suffer any injustice again."

"Your Majesty~"

Yuan Shizhen looked moved and knelt down to Zhu Youxiao. The scholar died for his confidant. Although the emperor only said this and did not actually do anything, for Yuan Shizhen, as a minister of the Ming Dynasty, he could hear the emperor say such words. , this is enough.

"Get up."

Zhu Youxiao stood up, walked towards Yuan Shizhen, stretched out his hand to support him and said: "I have thought about the official positions of the Qing family. I will grant him the title of Imperial Censor of the Capital Procuratorate, the title of Minister of Salt Law, and the title of Prince's Young Master. In this way, from now on, When the government is coordinating the rectification of the salt policy, no one dares to look down upon it. Only when you speak out can you be dignified!"

Yuan Shizhen didn't know what to say. He actually didn't care about being an official. He just wanted to do more practical things, but this was his only idea, but it was very difficult to actually implement it.

Yuan Shizhen is not the only one who is an official. There are many people with higher official positions than him, and many people with lower official positions than him. It is normal for them to be calculated, restricted and excluded when they come into contact with some core interests.

"Where you fell, you have to get up."

Zhu Youxiao reached out and patted the back of Yuan Shizhen's hand, and said with a smile: "But Yuan Qing, you must keep in mind the past experience and lessons. Even if you did not make some mistakes, but you fell down on it, you should think about it carefully. Since the salt policy If the problem is difficult to solve, just think more about the root cause.”

Ok?
Hearing what the Emperor said, Yuan Shizhen felt doubtful. Although he had no contact with the Emperor before, based on what he just said, Yuan Shizhen could feel that the Emperor had his own views on the salt policy.

"I have actually read all the memorials written by Yuan Qing before, especially the Salt Law, which is a good medicine to alleviate the dilemma of salt politics."

Zhu Youxiao turned around and walked towards the imperial court, "After reading it, I have some ideas that Yuan Qing can take back and take a closer look at. Of course, these are just my ideas. Is it practical and necessary? In order to implement it, Yuan Qing still needs to measure it based on the current situation.

The Minister of Salt Law centralizes the salt policy and makes a clear attitude to the outside world, that is, the national salt policy is a chess game. Anything related to the salt policy itself or involved in it must be taken into account by the Minister of Salt Law.

So, being the Minister of Salt Law is not a good job. Not only does it offend people, but it is also very tiring. But if the Salt Law can be rectified, I think it will be worth it. "

When talking about this, Colonel Zhu You handed the stack of files in front of Yuan Shizhen. Yuan Shizhen hurriedly reached out and took it, and saw the notes one after another.

"On the Concept of Tax Police Directly Under the Central Government of Salt Administration"

"On the Concept of District Development of Salt Administration"

"On the Concept of Salt Administration Center and Local Authority Adjustment"

"On the Concept of Deepening Official Supervision of Commercial Sales"

"On the Concept of Salt Operation System"

"On the Concept of Rectification of Government-run Salt Works"

"On the Concept of More Gains for More Work"

"On the reform concept of sea salt drying"

"On the Idea of ​​Converting Kitchen Households to Residents"

"Argument……"

When Yuan Shizhen saw these notes, the expression on his face changed, and Yuan Shizhen even had an impulse in his heart to read the specific files.

"Yuan Qing, these are what I thought and wrote in my spare time. Some of them are similar to Yuan Qing's outline of the salt method."

Zhu Youxiao pointed at these files and said with a serious expression: "The new salt policy pattern in my mind must be to increase the revenue of the state treasury, crack down on illegal salt sales, allow all people to eat affordable salt, and enable the Ming Dynasty salt industry to develop steadily. , that’s exactly what it is, being the Minister of Salt Law is not a good job because it will offend many people.”

"What Yuan Qing needs to do now is to become familiar with what I think and write as soon as possible, and at the same time sort out the current status of the salt administration. How to promote the rectification of the salt administration, we must clearly prioritize and advance step by step. Only by coordinating the rectification can we Then some problems and troubles can be directly avoided.”

"I understand."

Yuan Shizhen immediately expressed his position: "Your Majesty, please rest assured. I will read these files as soon as possible and sort out the current situation of the salt policy as soon as possible, so as to clarify the rectification of the salt policy as soon as possible."

"With Yuan Qing's words, I feel relieved."

Zhu Youxiao showed an expression of approval.

Rectification must be made as quickly as possible and cannot be delayed. The longer it is delayed, the harder it will be. Zhu Youxiao knows better than anyone how chaotic the salt administration of the Ming Dynasty is today. He has read so many documents and memorials, and only one salt administration at all levels has the authority to do so. I almost got involved. The relationship is so complicated, and there are still many old systems and practices. For such a highly professional matter, a talented person like Yuan Shizhen is needed to take charge.

In Zhu Youxiao's eyes, Yuan Shizhen is the treasure of Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Youxiao even wanted to use Yuan Shizhen to promote the implementation of the tax police system in the rectification of the salt policy first. If it can work on salt tax, it can also work on other tax items. When the tax police system is perfected and implemented, in the future, Anyone who dares to evade taxes or even evade taxes will be arrested if necessary and punished if necessary. You can rebel, but before rebelling, you must first make up the tax owed, otherwise this matter will never end!

Taxation is really important to the running of the country. If there is any problem with taxation, hidden dangers will appear. Everything else is easy to negotiate, but taxation cannot be discussed.

What Zhu Youxiao has to do now is to let big talents like Bi Ziyan and Yuan Shizhen sort out the old tax system first. After some foundations are firmly laid and some developments are clearly implemented, he can then adjust measures to local conditions. , deepen tax reform based on facts.

(End of this chapter)