Daming: Apocalypse of Longevity

Chapter 67 Loopholes in the New Tax Code
Zhang Yan looked at Zhu Tianqi with some surprise, "Your Majesty, I am a female prostitute, how dare you talk about state affairs?"

Zhu Tianqi smiled and said: "The ancestors stipulated that the harem should not interfere with politics, but they did not say that the husband and wife were not allowed to discuss matters. Let's just chat casually!"

Although Zhang Yan felt that Zhu Tianqi's remarks were a bit self-deceiving, but seeing Zhu Tianqi's insistence, she had no choice but to nod, "Well, the concubine will obey!"

Zhu Tianqi then opened the notebook on the table, looked at the first item first, then pulled out a memorial from the side and handed it to Zhang Yan, and said: "Queen, I think I want to reform the taxation matter. You should have heard about it, this is the new tax law I asked Xu Shangshu to draw up, do you think this law is reasonable?"

Zhang Yan opened the memorial and began to read it, with a look of surprise on her face. After a while, she slowly closed the memorial and said: "Your Majesty, I don't understand the matter of taxes and servitude, and I don't know how to do it." I dare to say nonsense, but the new tax law that Your Majesty has drafted now may be difficult to implement!"

Hearing this, Zhu Tianqi couldn't help laughing, "Queen, you are speaking euphemistically. To implement this new tax law, I'm afraid it will be more than a little difficult, right? It's not an exaggeration to say it's all difficult." !"

Zhang Yan couldn't help but blush slightly after hearing this. Although what she said was too conservative and she was a little embarrassed when Zhu Tianqi exposed it, she couldn't say it too bluntly.

Zhu Tianqi immediately said: "As for the implementation of the new tax law, I have already thought of countermeasures and made arrangements in advance. However, I have never been confident in my heart, and I do not know those ministers who will oppose the tax reform. , what tricks will he use!"

Zhu Tianqi then told Zhang Yan his plan to set up tax departments in all provinces, prefectures and counties across the country. After Zhang Yan heard this, he just thought about it for a moment and then said: "I have some ideas, but I don't want to." Know whether it is right or not, if it is wrong, His Majesty will pretend that he did not hear it."

Zhu Tianqi nodded, "If the Queen has anything to say, it doesn't matter!"

Zhang Yan then expressed her opinion, "First of all, your Majesty, the first article of your new tax law is to consolidate all exorbitant taxes and corvees and levy them directly according to the number of acres of land. In this way, although it can reduce the burden of the people, The burden was to prevent the common people from dedicating their fields to the gentry in order to avoid corvee labor.

However, it is inevitable that some people will hide their land and falsely report the number of acres in order to avoid taxes. If this happens, I am afraid that the tax revenue of our country will be greatly affected!
The second is the 'threshold point' set in Your Majesty's new tax law. Although Your Majesty, you want to use this to protect those poor people and it is an act of loving the people, but it is inevitable that there will be treacherous people cheating and evading taxes.

Nowadays, the common people can surrender their fields to the gentry in order to avoid corvee labor. After the reform, the gentry landlords can also distribute their fields to the names of their subordinates, as long as they divide each field below the threshold. Come on, doesn’t that mean you don’t have to pay a penny in tax? "

After Zhu Tianqi heard this, he broke into a small sweat. He secretly thought that he was lucky. Fortunately, he had a whim today and asked Zhang Yan to serve as his adviser. Otherwise, once the new tax law is implemented and the people below take advantage of it, then I have really become "in a cocoon"!Zhu Tianqi felt that he still underestimated the ability of the gentry and landlords in this era to evade taxes. According to the new tax law he has set up now, it is very likely that he will not be able to collect even half of the current tax money. Thinking of this, Zhu Tianqi couldn't help but feel a little frightened, and hurried I took a pen and circled the "threshold" item in the new tax law.

From this point of view, I still can't be too soft-hearted. It is better not to set the threshold for land tax. Although it may be a burden for farmers with less land, as long as there is land and the tax is cancelled, Without the corvee and those exorbitant taxes, their lives in the future will definitely be much better than they are now!

As for the threshold of the industrial and commercial tax, it can still be retained. After all, for businessmen, it is not very realistic for them to divide their business like fields, and the possibility of tax avoidance is still much lower. of.

Zhu Tianqi slowly put down his pen and looked at Zhang Yan with a little gratitude in his eyes, "Thanks to the Queen for being able to discover the problem, otherwise I would really be in trouble!"

However, Zhang Yan did not "take credit for it" and showed a trace of pride. Instead, she continued with a serious face: "Your Majesty, in fact, no law in the world is perfect. If you want to keep the new tax law, To implement it and avoid being taken advantage of, the court still needs to do more supervision and inspections!"

Zhu Tianqi nodded in agreement. He was well prepared for this, including the Jin Yiwei who were placed in the taxation departments of various places and the inspection teams that would be set up in the future. However, he knew that there was something in what Zhang Yan said. Someone suggested that he clear his father's land.

But it's not that Zhu Tianqi doesn't want to do it, but that he doesn't have the energy or ability to do it now. The last time the Ming Dynasty carried out a nationwide clearing of land and acres was when Zhang Juzheng implemented a whip method in the Wanli Dynasty. What he encountered at that time The resistance is really not small.

Nowadays, the situation of land annexation in the Ming Dynasty is even worse than before. It has become very common for gentry and powerful people from all over the country to embezzle land and evade taxes. Now I have to implement the new tax law and complete the important matter of clearing the land. I am afraid it will be impossible. Very possible!
Therefore, it is better to bear with this breath for now, and let these "worms" be proud for a few more years, and then catch them all in one fell swoop when you have your hands free!
Thinking of this, Zhu Tianqi slowly closed the notebook on the table, turned to look at Zhang Yan in his arms, and asked: "Queen, it's the New Year's Day soon, are your new clothes ready?"

Zhang Yan was stunned by Zhu Tianqi's sudden question. She didn't know why she was discussing the serious matter of tax and labor reform just now, and now she suddenly asked about it, but she had to answer truthfully: "I have not done anything this year." New clothes, now that the government’s finances are tight, how can I dare to waste money anymore?”

Hearing this, Zhu Tianqi immediately felt both sad and moved, what more could a husband ask for after having such a virtuous wife!
But although the current court is poor, it is not as difficult as the Chongzhen Dynasty recorded in history. The emperor and the queen have to wear old clothes with holes. For the Chinese New Year, they still have to give their wives new clothes.

But now that the New Year will be here in a few days, it will definitely be too late to do it now. Zhu Tianqi thought for a while, why not go to the Krypton Life Store to have a look. Now that his lifespan has reached the upper limit, he will not spend it until it is in vain!

(End of this chapter)