Daming: The most ruthless tyrant in history

Chapter 359 Salt reform blocked
  In governing the vast Ming Dynasty, nothing is trivial. To say that governing a country is like cooking fresh food is just talk. In Zhu Youxiao's eyes, this is like carrying a heavy burden, as heavy as a thousand pieces. , the initiation and implementation of any decision will affect the fate of many people.

The power in the hands of decision makers is by no means as simple as power. It is a far-reaching and involving many horns. Once blown, it may cause incalculable ripples.

it is good.

Bad.

It's really just a thought.

It's just that these decisions that cannot be clearly distinguished between good and bad may have some impact on the groups that hold power or enjoy privileges, but they all have a background of trial and error, but for the broader lower-level groups, one mistake will mean nothing. It may take a lifetime to pay it back. The price is too great.

So deep in Zhu Youxiao's heart, what he wants to change is not what can be seen on the surface, but what is hidden under the surface is what Zhu Youxiao wants to touch!
  "be opposed to!!"

A daily cabinet meeting in the cabinet became unusual due to the appearance of a memorandum, which made the atmosphere in the cabinet even more depressing.

"Mr. Bi Ge, do you know what this memorial will mean if it passes the cabinet meeting and is submitted to the imperial court for approval?"

Cabinet Group Assistant He Zongyan frowned, looked at Bi Ziyan who was sitting across from him and said: "Salt reform, Yuan Shizhen really dares to think about it. How dare he write such a memorial? Transferring citizenship to civilians, deepening official supervision over civilian sales... If these things are really implemented, won’t the salt administration of our Ming Dynasty be completely messed up?”

"Mr. Bige is in charge of the Ministry of Household Affairs. He should know better than anyone else how important the salt tax is to our government's fiscal revenue, right? If this continues, how much more can the salt tax be collected?"

"Seconded."

Shi Jikai followed closely and said: "In my view, Yuan Shizhen's salt reform is simply nonsense. If this continues, won't our salt policy become a joke? I will also transfer the Zao household registration to the civil register. By deepening official supervision over private sales, does this mean we are condoning illegal activities running rampant in the world?"

"There is also the concept of restructuring the salt administration center and local authorities that he mentioned. Does Yuan Shizhen want to make the salt administration a self-contained entity? The local department will no longer be in charge of the salt administration? What will happen then..."

Salt reform is having a hard time.

Sitting Bi Ziyan, although there was no change on the surface, he secretly sighed in his heart. Regarding the reaction of He Zongyan and the others, Bi Ziyan had guessed it before the cabinet meeting. The reason was very simple. Yuan Shizhen proposed The salt reform concept touches the vested interests of many people.

He Zongyan was from Suizhou, Huguang, and was originally from Jinxi, Jiangxi. He lived in Suizhou with his father when he was a teenager, and then settled and changed his place of residence. Shi Jikai was from Quanzhou, Fujian. The above-mentioned provinces involve salt, and there are many things that can be discussed there. , after all, salt is a huge profit in the eyes of some people!
  "Mr. Bi Ge, I would like to ask where Yuan Shizhen is now?"

In this atmosphere, Sun Ruyou, who had been silent, looked at Bi Ziyan with a half-smile.

"In Beijing, of course."

Bi Ziyan was wary in his heart and faced Sun Ruyou's gaze.

"That's good."

Sun Ruyou chuckled and said: "It's good that you didn't run away. I will submit an impeachment memorial to the emperor to impeach Yuan Shizhen for hiding evil intentions and shaking the foundation of the country!!"

"What does Mr. Sun Ge mean by this?"

Bi Ziyan frowned and said: "I have also read Yuan Shizhen's "Salt of Changes". Although there are many novel ideas in it, they contain evil intentions and shake the foundation of the country. Where did Sun Ge always start with these remarks? ?”

"Lao Bi Ge will know when the time comes." Sun Ruyou snorted coldly.

As the leader of the Zhejiang Party, Sun Ruyou was extremely shocked when he saw the salt tax reform. If Yuan Shizhen really followed Yuan Shizhen's thinking, let alone how much the court could increase revenue in salt tax every year.

But Sun Ruyou knew very well that the salt merchants in Zhejiang would inevitably suffer huge losses.

Among these salt merchants, many have close ties with the Zhejiang Party. Previously, they could not take the initiative in the government without the support of these salt merchants.

If you dare to let those salt merchants know that the imperial court is going to carry out the so-called salt reform, which will cause losses to their interests, then everyone will definitely jump up and down.

It is worth mentioning that from the active Qi, Chu, Zhejiang Party and other factions in the Wanli Dynasty, to even the Donglin Party, the Zhejiang Party was the most powerful in resisting taxes! !

The Zhejiang Party represents the gentry, merchants, maritime merchants, salt merchants and other groups, and the fundamental proposition of the Zhejiang Party is to abolish mining taxes, reduce commercial taxes, and reduce land taxes.

Even during Shen Guan's period, they fought for reform of commercial tax collection. As one of the richest provinces, Zhejiang did some things that were not generally excessive.

The party struggle in the Ming Dynasty is like this. There is me among you, and you among me. Even if they belong to the same region, each group represents different interests, which will also lead to the emergence of many factions. In the face of absolute interests, there is no absolute unity of right and wrong. explain.

Let's fight.

Let's make a noise.

Qian Qianyi, who had been silent all this time, was no longer in a hurry to stand up and object after seeing what was happening in front of him, because He Zongyan and others said that it would be difficult for Yuan Shizhen's reform to pass.

Even if Bi Ziyan's support is obtained, Bi Ziyan's support alone is far from enough.

"Then according to your opinion, there is no problem at all with the salt tax collected by the imperial court every year?" Bi Ziyan frowned and glanced at the people in front of him.

"Whether Yuan Shizhen's salt reform is good or bad, I have put it aside for the time being. I would like to ask you. When he served as the inspector of the Lianghuai Salt Law Road, he implemented the Gang Salt Law in Huainan and Yangzhou, replacing the original salt law. Are the millions of tax dollars collected for the national treasury all fake?"

"Before Yuan Shizhen took office as the Lianghuai Salt Law Envoy, how much tax money did the Lianghuai Salt Administration pay to the court every year? Can't you all see this?"

As the financial minister of the Ming Dynasty, Bi Ziyan is very clear about the unspoken rules of certain things. He also knows what is going on with the opposition of some people now.

But knowing that doesn't mean sitting back and letting this matter go unanswered.

The longer Bi Ziyan was in charge of the Ministry of Household Affairs, the more he could discover how many accumulated shortcomings there were. If he just prevaricated and pushed the envelope when something happened, sooner or later the treasury would be unable to move away.

That is to say, thanks to the fact that a batch of confiscated stolen money was handed over to the state treasury before this, Bi Ziyan had enough confidence to dare to plan some things in advance.

The salt reform proposed by Yuan Shizhen received Bi Ziyan's tacit approval.

"Then Mr. Bi Ge should also know why Yuan Shizhen was dismissed in the first place, right?" Qian Qianyi said calmly. Although he looked at Bi Ziyan with a smile, in Bi Ziyan's view, There was a bit of chill in that smile, "Besides, the salt reform he is proposing now, I just took a look at it. It's not exactly the so-called salt law, is it?"

(End of this chapter)