Early Ming Dynasty: Turning Clouds and Rains into New Learning Saints

Chapter 104: Taxation (Second update)
If you want to convince him, you still have to start from a young age and let him realize the benefits and advantages of business. Only then will he understand how wrong his approach to suppressing business is and how shallow his understanding of business is!

Thinking like this, Zhang Yifan changed his mind, looked at Zhu Yuanzhang and said, "Father, can I ask a question first?"

As soon as Zhu Yuanzhang heard this, he knew what he had to say, so he said with interest: "Just ask!"

After receiving permission, Zhang Yifan asked: "I wonder if father thinks that doing business is good for the court?"

Hearing this, Hu Weiyong smiled: "Apart from the imperial court receiving business taxes, what other benefits can there be?"

Zhu Yuanzhang actually thought so too!
In the ninth year of Hongwu's reign, Ma Liang, the magistrate of Rizhao County in Juzhou, was good at supervising transportation, and Cheng Le, the chief bookkeeper of Pingyao in Fenzhou, Shanxi, was good at organizing business. They were all focused on taking the entrance examination, which meant that they were evaluated as outstanding by the Ministry of Officials. .

As a result, when the results of the assessment reached classmate Zhu Yuanzhang, he actually said: "The duty of the commander is to pacify the people. How can it be said that the restoration of the governor's duties can be evil! The examination of the lawsuit is not right."

Subsequently, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered the transfer of civil servants and severely reprimanded him.

But at this time, based on his understanding of Zhang Yifan, Zhu Yuanzhang estimated that Zhang Yifan had other reasons to say.This was his son-in-law. He had a high tolerance, so he didn't speak. He just looked at Zhang Yifan to see what he would say?
Zhang Yifan looked at Hu Weiyong and said seriously: "Just like my Liujia Village and the Huangjia Village next door. Liujia Village makes a living by farming, and Huangjia Village mainly produces textiles..."

At this point, when he saw that Hu Weiyong seemed to want to speak, he immediately emphasized: "Please note, I am just giving an example here."

After hearing this, Hu Weiyong had no intention of speaking.

Therefore, Zhang Yifan continued: "If we say that the food grown in Liujia Village can only be eaten by ourselves. As long as there is enough food for ourselves, the villagers in Liujia Village will not be more motivated to grow food, because if we grow too much, we will not be able to grow food. Use it!"

"For the same reason, here in Huangjia Village, if everyone wears the clothes they spin, then they will not be very active in spinning more clothes. In the same way, too much clothes are useless!"

At this point, Zhang Yifan raised his voice and emphasized: "If a businessman purchases the excess grain in Liujia Village, then in Liujia Village, because they can sell more grain, they will grow more grain. To sell for money. In this way, Liujia Village may only grow one hundred shi of grain a year, but because the extra grain can be sold for money, it may grow [-] shi of grain a year. In this way , Liujia Village’s grain production has been greatly improved!”

"In the same way, the textiles in Huangjiacun will also be purchased by merchants, allowing them to improve their textile capabilities and make more clothes."

Having said this, Zhang Yifan turned to look at Zhu Yuanzhang and said sincerely: "In this process, businessmen must be buying low and selling high. They seem to be profiteers who make other people's money without working. However, they actually play a role. The function of goods circulation can greatly increase the production of food and clothing, and transport it to places where food and clothing are needed! This is the role of merchants in addition to collecting merchant taxes! "

Although this example is a bit laborious, it is easy to understand.Even the most stupid person can understand the role that businessmen play in this.Not to mention, both Hu Weiyong and Zhu Yuanzhang are outstanding figures of this era, so how could they not understand it.

However, due to the limitations of the times, they did not do research on commodity circulation.They even stood from the perspective of the common people, thinking that the things in the hands of the common people were purchased by merchants at low prices and then sold at high prices, making money from the common people.

At this time, although Hu Weiyong had objections to Zhang Yifan, after listening to his explanation, he couldn't help but fell silent and did not try every means to refute Zhang Yifan.

Zhu Yuanzhang, on the other hand, also fell into deep thought.

Seeing this, Zhang Yifan continued: "So, it is necessary for businessmen to exist no matter where they are. Hoarding, maliciously lowering prices or maliciously raising prices, etc., the court will crack down on; however, for normal transactions, , instead of cracking down, the court had better encourage it. In this way, the circulation of goods will not only go to the place where the goods should go, but also stimulate the people to make more goods, and the court can also receive more from them. Commercial tax!"

"No, there's something wrong here!" Zhu Yuanzhang frowned and shook his head when he heard this, "If the court collects more taxes, those profiteers will not be able to bear the money for the taxes themselves, and they will raise the price and sell them to the common people." , it is still the common people who suffer in the end!”

"..." Zhang Yifan was speechless upon hearing this.

Zhu Yuanzhang's point of view seems to make sense at first glance.However, at least in Zhang Yifan's view, it must be wrong.

"What your Majesty said is absolutely true!" Hu Weiyong flattered Zhu Yuanzhang at this time and said, "Your Majesty loves the people like a son, how can you have the heart to increase the burden on the people?"

When Zhang Yifan heard this, he immediately retorted: "So, if the court has no money to build up officialdom, it should be solved by expropriating corvee? Isn't this still a pain for the people!"

"..." When Zhu Yuanzhang heard this, he was speechless and felt a little confused.

So, he turned to look at Hu Weiyong.Hu Weiyong's ability to serve as prime minister for many years is definitely due to his ability and was recognized by Zhu Yuanzhang.Otherwise, he would definitely not be able to keep his position as prime minister!
What Zhu Yuanzhang meant when he looked at Hu Weiyong was that you should answer this question.

However, Hu Weiyong couldn't think of any good reasons for a moment, so he could only argue: "Cultivating officialdom is also for the benefit of the people. How can it be said that it has suffered for the people?"

Zhang Yifan was not polite to him and asked directly: "Then the Yellow River was built in the former Yuan Dynasty for the sake of the people, right?"

"One eye of the stone man could incite rebellion across the Yellow River." This was a famous slogan in the late Yuan Dynasty, which was the introduction to the riots during the construction of the Yellow River.

Hu Weiyong was choked by him and was immediately speechless.

Zhang Yifan was not happy, turned his head, looked at Zhu Yuanzhang, and said seriously: "Father, the court cannot be without money. After all, the court must use money to do things. And this money comes from taxes. As long as the tax money , if it is used more on the people, it will still benefit the people, and it does not necessarily mean that the people will suffer due to heavy taxes!"

"Taxation is actually a method of the court! For example, for luxury goods, the court can increase taxes, at most for rich people, and those who enjoy these luxury goods just pay more. For example, for people's livelihood necessities, such as You can pay less tax on grain, salt, etc., so that the people can be fed without spending too much..."

After hearing these words, Zhu Yuanzhang kept frowning and thinking, as if he had encountered a problem.

Zhang Yifan seized today's opportunity and naturally wanted to make it more clear, so he continued: "Whatever the imperial court wants to encourage the people to do, it can reduce the corresponding taxes, such as growing grain; if it doesn't want the people to do something, it feels uncomfortable to directly If it is prohibited, you can increase taxes. For example, casinos, romantic places, etc..."

In the Hall of Martial Arts, only Zhang Yifan's voice was talking there.This kind of scene has never happened before.

After Zhang Yifan said a lot, he thought for a moment and returned to the original topic: "Let's talk about collecting taxes from merchants. The merchants receive grain from Liujiacun and sell it to Huangjiacun. It must be because the merchants receive grain from Liujiacun. The cost plus his profit and the court's taxes can only be sold in Huangjia Village. And if the villagers of Huangjia Village feel that this food is too expensive, they will not buy it."

"As long as the imperial court guarantees that it is not a businessman doing this kind of business and that he does not have the final say on the price of the grain, but there are other merchants selling it, then the price of the grain will not be outrageous. From this point of view, the imperial court must also ensure that it is not If a certain merchant sells exclusively, this is the protection of the people!"

"Otherwise, even if your tax increase is small, the money will be earned by businessmen, and in the end it will not be like the imperial court, which will do some practical things such as cultivating officialdom and use it back to the people..."

Listening to Zhang Yifan's words, Zhu Yuanzhang's understanding of businessmen's trading was really shocked.

It turns out that there are so many secrets behind this transaction?

While he was thinking about it, he heard Zhang Yifan still saying to him: "If the emperor thinks that businessmen will become very rich if they make money like this, they can also increase taxes, such as income tax. If an ordinary person can earn [-] yuan a year Yes, the court can order those who earn a hundred guan a year to pay an extra [-] guan in taxes, and those who earn a thousand guan a year to pay an extra [-] guan a year, so that they will not become too ridiculously rich. While reducing the gap between the rich and the poor, the court can also receive more taxes to do practical things!"

Having said this, he paused and asked Zhu Yuanzhang: "Father, do you think it is okay to increase taxes like this?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's butt is on the side of ordinary people. He definitely has no good impression of businessmen and wealthy people.When he heard him asking this question, he nodded and said, "Such a tax is worth it!"

"So, collecting more taxes is not necessarily a bad thing, it depends on how to collect and use the taxes?" Zhang Yifan immediately took over the topic.

After hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang smiled wryly. This son-in-law is really able to see the small things, and he can tell a lot of truth from the example of Liujia Village.When I look back, I have to use my brain again to figure out how to use it in state affairs!

But when he was thinking this, he saw Hu Weiyong standing there, so he asked, "Does Hu Qing understand?"

"Weichen... seems to understand!" Hu Weiyong actually wanted to say that he was still confused, but when he saw Zhang Yifan looking at him, he immediately changed his mind.

As soon as Zhu Yuanzhang heard this, he ordered him: "Regarding this cement matter, you will think about it again and give me a memorial later!"

Hu Weiyong felt a little bitter, but he had no choice but to agree.

Seeing this, Zhang Yifan said to Zhu Yuanzhang: "There is something else I want to tell my father to know!"

(End of this chapter)