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

Chapter 505: Increase in Agricultural Taxes
Liu Huan returned to the Qilin Hall in anger. When he saw Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, he clasped his fists and gritted his teeth and said, "Father."

"Sang Hongyang and Gongsun He are unwilling to return to the court."

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty narrowed his eyes and said sternly: "Who gave them the courage!"

"Go and tell them that if they don't come back and take office, I will kill their entire family."

Now Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty's ability to solve problems has become more and more extreme, and he will kill the whole family at every turn, which shows that he has no other means to control his group of people.

Liu Huan was still relatively sober. Even if Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty used force to call them back, what would happen if they didn't do something?
If he kills their whole family again, it will only make more people oppose the imperial court, which will outweigh the gains and losses.

Liu Huan advised Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty: "Father, don't be angry. Even if you recall them, they may not be loyal to the court."

"If we really kill their whole family, it may make the officials in the court even more panic-stricken."

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty calmed down, and he could feel it himself. Recently, his methods of handling things were getting weaker and weaker, and he became more and more prone to anger.

There is currently another way to solve the dilemma and give way to the crown prince.

However, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty would not choose this step anyway.

Just when he and Liu Huan were at a loss what to do, Qi Bin walked into the hall with fists clasped and said: "I see your majesty for my humble position, and his highness the King of Jiaodong."

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty hummed heavily and said, "Say!"

Qi Bin cupped his fists and said, "Your Majesty, Li Ju of Sichuan and Sichuan is still asking for military pay. The three cities of Sichuan and Shu have been occupied by barbarians. If there is no more military pay, the whole of Sichuan and Shu may not be able to survive."

Sichuan and Shu are the gateway to the west of the Han Dynasty. Once it is opened, the people from the Western Regions can invade the Han Dynasty from one more direction, so Sichuan and Shu cannot be allowed to fall under any circumstances!

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty gritted his teeth and said: "Li Ju is a loser!"

"waste!"

"He is a great and famous general, but he can't stop a group of savage barbarians!"

Qi Bin paused, his face hesitant, and Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty said: "Tell me! Is there anything worse?"

Qi Bin clasped his fists and said, "Your Majesty, the 50,000 troops in southern Xinjiang also need military pay. If we don't allocate the funds, there may be a mutiny in the army."

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was so angry that his lungs exploded.

Previously, the 50,000 military expenditures in southern Xinjiang were placed in South Vietnam. The military pay has always been paid by South Vietnam. Now South Vietnam has driven them out of the territory. The military pay for such a large group of troops is undoubtedly bigger for the Han Dynasty. burden.

The northwest is now the main battlefield, and a lot of military pay is consumed every day. More than half of the military pay from the Ministry of Household Affairs is sent to the northwest.

At present, the Ministry of Household Affairs has no extra money to support the military salaries of the two local troops in Sichuan, Sichuan and South Vietnam.

Liu Huan pondered for a while and then asked Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty: "Father, can you borrow money and food from Nanyue?"

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty snorted: "Since that bastard from Zhengxi dares to drive our army out of South Vietnam, will he still lend us money?"

"I have already lost my face by not sending troops to teach them a lesson. If I ask them to borrow money again, will I still have this old face?"

Liu Huan sighed and said to Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty: "My son, I talk too much."

But now the Ministry of Revenue really can’t get the money.

After the Japanese island was occupied by Gongsun Ao, the Han Dynasty lost its last hope.

Liu Huan thought for a while and said to Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty: "Father, now we have to increase agricultural taxes." This has been the case since ancient times. Once the root cause of the problem cannot be found, the only option is to aggrieve the people and increase taxes on the people. of exploitation.

Since the Han Dynasty entered the commercial era, there have been fewer and fewer small farmers cultivating the land, and the Ministry of Household Affairs has been unable to collect taxes from merchants.

This group of housekeeping officials are not proficient in the logic of taxation at all.

In other words, after Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty dismissed Sang Hongyang, all the people he promoted were a bunch of losers.

We expect this group of losers to manage the Household Department and coordinate national commercial taxation. Are they going to be tricked by businessmen?
Businessmen have no way to exploit them, so they can only extend their hands to the people again.

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty hummed and said, "Go and tell the Ministry of Household Affairs to increase the agricultural tax by 20%. Implement it immediately. The summer grain will be collected soon. Let the Ministry of Household Affairs implement it no matter what!"

If this batch of tax revenue is collected, the current problem will be solved immediately.

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty said to Liu Huan again: "You are sending a letter to Li Ju and Tian Qianqiu, asking them to stay stable for another month no matter what. When the summer grain collection comes up, I will send their military pay."

"Here!"

……

When the Hubu Department received Liu Huan's order, the Hubu Department was shocked.

Since the commercial reform, agricultural tax revenue has been very low, and the prestige that the court has finally accumulated will be completely lost.

This is not the most terrifying thing. Originally, these people did not have much agricultural income, not as much as those big businessmen.

Now you have to increase the burden on farmers again. Can these farmers endure it?
They will definitely be thinking, why doesn’t your court levy more commercial taxes on merchants and instead levy our agricultural taxes?
There is no way, these people in the Ministry of Revenue don't know how to collect commercial taxes, but your farmers' fields are there, they can easily collect them.

However, if this happens, peasant rebellions may break out again across the country.

How is the current situation of the Han Dynasty different from that of Qin II?
If there is another Chen Sheng and Wu Guang uprising, I don’t know how it will end.

These armies of the Han Dynasty have lost their morale. If they are allowed to suppress the peasants again, they may respond to the peasants' rebellion.

This series of chain reactions can be seen by the Ministry of Finance, but Liu Huan and Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty actually thought it was okay and asked them to increase taxes on farmers. Isn't this a joke?
"Your Highness."

The Minister of Household Affairs said: "This tax can no longer be levied. If the farmers rebel, it will be difficult."

There is enough chaos in the country. If the farmers come in to interfere again, who knows what will happen to the precarious Han Dynasty.

Liu Huan hummed: "It's just a group of farmers. No peasant rebellion has been successful since ancient times."

"The imperial court has given them beneficial low taxes for more than five years. Now that the country is in difficulty, what's wrong with asking them to collect more taxes?"

"Go and talk to them. I believe they will understand the court's difficulties."

The Minister of Household Affairs sighed.

You will understand nothing!

Do you think these farmers are so kind? When you give them benefits, they praise you, but when you take away benefits from them, they will not remember all the kindness you did to them before.

There is no way, human nature is like this, why don't you, His Highness the King of Jiaodong, understand this?
However, the Hubu Hall official did not dare to refute Liu Huan. He knew that Liu Huan was now the confidant of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, so he could only clasp his fists and say: "I obey the order!"

Liu Huan nodded and said: "This month's summer grain tax, no matter what, no matter what method you use, it will be collected!"

(End of this chapter)