The Great Han Dynasty: From Feng Lang Juxu to the Eternal Emperor

Chapter 369 Officials and gentry become one

As the number of dignitaries in the Han Dynasty increased, various privileges came with them, the first of which must be the policy of exempting land from taxation.

The bureaucracy, the powerful and the gentry enjoyed the privilege of being exempted from land taxes.

This will inevitably lead to active or passive land annexation.

Han said that just by giving Huo Zhongru a direction, Huo Zhongru could use his own privileges to annex hundreds of acres of fields, and the income from these fields would not need to be paid to the state.

If ordinary people do not want to pay taxes to the state, they can cooperate with local powerful people and give part of the income from the fields to the powerful people. As long as this part of the income is less than the national tax revenue, the people will make money.

But the powerful squires are naturally not good people. After the contract is signed, they can go back on their word at any time and take the people's fields into their own hands.

So tenant farmers appeared. The so-called tenant farmers sold their land to local powerful people at one time, and they were responsible for farming the land for the powerful people to obtain income.

No matter what the situation is, the country’s role in this must be at a disadvantage.

As land annexation rises, the state will collect less and less tax revenue.

Weining saw these problems, so when Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty returned, he planned to talk to him about land reform.

Weining suggested that all officials, gentry and powerful people should pay taxes together.

In this way, there will be no tax exemption policy for land, and the common people will not sell hidden land to the gentry, so that the country's land taxation can operate normally, and the gentry and dignitaries will not take the initiative to annex the common people's land.

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty listened carefully to Wei Ning's suggestion and asked with a smile: "Do you mean not to exempt the powerful nobles from the land tax?"

"But didn't you suggest before that the Science Entrance Examination and Merit Society would grant certain land tax-free privileges?"

Wei Ning said: "Then it's time-sensitive, it may be one year or two years, we can't let them enjoy this kind of discount for the rest of their lives."

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty nodded and said with a smile: "It makes some sense, but in practice it is worthless."

Wei Ning: "Huh?"

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty took a sip of wine and said to Wei Ning: "Little guy, don't do anything in a hurry. Think more about the possible effects."

"Okay, as you said, everyone should be treated equally and pay taxes together. What about the big man's military incentives?"

"The reason why the soldiers of the Han Dynasty fought so bravely against the enemy was because they wanted to gain privileges?"

Weining said: "Isn't it also a kind of honor and income to reward them with a large amount of land?"

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty pressed his hands and said: "Even if this does not eliminate the soldiers' enthusiasm for war."

"Then will the powerful people agree to this kind of reform?"

"Did you know that now the Han Dynasty, from the prime minister to the sesame officials, are all enjoying the convenience that the land brings to them."

“Now you want them all to pay taxes to the country, who of them is willing to do so?”

"When everyone starts to oppose you, when the state's administrative functions cannot function, then how can we decentralize power to the lower levels?"

"In other words, let's understand it simply. Once everyone opposes us, you and I will be overthrown immediately."

Wei Ning listened carefully and asked Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty: "Then let this phenomenon happen? If this situation becomes more and more serious, when the people's land is annexed, they will still rise up!"

"The people are water, and the king is the boat. Water can carry the boat, but it can also capsize it."

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty smacked his lips and clapped his hands: "That's right!"

He paused and said, "If you want to solve this problem, why don't you think about it in a different direction." Weining asked doubtfully, "Think in a different direction?"

It seems that throughout history, the only things that can change land annexation are the sharing of land between farmers and the government and gentry sharing the grain.

He looked at Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty curiously and asked, "What direction?"

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty slowly said to Weining: "The reason why the common people, the powerful, and the country gentry all compete fiercely for land, where is the root cause?"

Wei Ning's eyes lit up, as if he had thought of something, and he said to Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty: "Land! Because land is the main income!"

Before Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty could speak, Wei Ning said: "When the country's main income is not from land, the importance of land will be greatly weakened. At that time, we will not need to take the initiative to reform. This phenomenon of land annexation will automatically be eliminated. !”

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty smiled and said: "Yes, when the country's main income no longer depends on land, such as the business you are vigorously promoting now."

"When business develops to a certain level, the phenomenon of land annexation will automatically disappear."

Wei Ning was still confused and said: "But now we don't have enough food to eat. Food will still be the top priority for a long time."

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty rolled his eyes at Weining and said, "We've got into trouble again."

"Aren't the chieftains of Southern Border farming?"

"The Western Region is not talking about commercial trade with us."

"You can trade tea and horses with people from the Western Regions, why can't you trade food with them?"

"Food from southern Xinjiang will also be transported to the Han Dynasty."

"When we need a lot of food, small countries like them will find ways to make money from us and start farming on a large scale."

"By that time, land annexation will appear in their country, and our country's food will be continuously transported in, so that we will have opportunities to vigorously develop business."

"Isn't this a way to make money from them and then transfer the risk to them?"

The more Wei Ning listened, the more it made sense. He looked at Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty in shock and said, "Father! High!"

The wisdom of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty really impressed Weining. Wei Ning did not consider these strategic directions, but Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty saw them clearly!
Yes, when the country's main source of income is no longer just food, when merchants, farmers, handicrafts and other industries flourish, and when big men can earn trade surplus income from other countries, then the importance of land will be greatly reduced.

The powerful people will no longer focus on the land, and land annexation will no longer occur on a large scale at that time.

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty smiled and said: "When we wait until then to reform, according to your reform of officials and gentry paying grain as one body, the resistance will be much smaller."

Wei Ning clapped his hands and said, "Yes! That's right!"

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty said to Wei Ning happily: "You are not wrong, the idea is also amazing, but it is just too hasty."

"I also saw the copy you sent to the Hongnong Yamen Office. It was very well written. The handling of Han's statement was also very good."

"Boy, you have really grown up a lot."

"Starting tomorrow, you will come to Qilin Hall to handle the memorials on my behalf, and I can relax."

Wei Ning hurriedly said: "I don't dare!"

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty shook his head and said: "There is nothing to be afraid of. I am not dead. You are my child. What's wrong with handling government affairs for me? The country is mine and yours. It's time for you to take on this responsibility."

(End of this chapter)