Follow Zhu Yuanzhang to conquer the country

Chapter 73 Advises Zhu Yuanzhang to pay attention to commercial taxes and treat the people as human beings
  Zhang Cheng also hopes that the Chuzhou officials, gentry and wealthy businessmen will recognize the reality as soon as possible and be willing to recognize the regime established by the rebel army in Chuzhou and accept a series of decrees issued by this regime.

Because he really didn't want the Chuzhou rebels to stay in the endless process of resolving dissatisfaction and declaring martial law, instead of being able to develop production as quickly as possible and make the cake bigger.

Notice.

The current rebel army is still in the early stages of development and is not very strong yet.

Yuan Ting's encirclement and suppression is approaching step by step.

Therefore, for the rebel army, it is necessary to develop and grow as soon as possible, and cannot stay in the stage of liquidation and suppression of dissatisfaction.

Ren Qiande, who was beheaded, took advantage of the rebel army's objective need to develop and grow as quickly as possible, and initially tried to persuade Zhu Yuanzhang to abandon the military pay system and use food as much as possible to expand the army and horses.

just now.

Businessmen from Chuzhou City, represented by Cheng Renmo and Zhai Guangsen, took the initiative to seek an audience with Zhang Cheng, the magistrate, and inquired about the rules of doing business, which suited Zhang Cheng's wishes.

Therefore, when these people came to see Zhang Cheng, Zhang Cheng rushed back from the military academy to meet these people.

"As long as you are not seeking money in violation of the king's laws, I will encourage it and even provide some appropriate policy support."

"If you agree with our rebel army in terms of opinions and are willing to make some contributions to the world's people without hunger and cold and the order of the Chinese barbarians besides seeking money, I will give you more support, such as providing you with low-interest silver We will provide you with financial support or give you exclusive rights.”

"For example, the iron and gunpowder transactions you just mentioned will not exclude merchants like you from participating in the business, but there will be higher requirements."

After Zhang Cheng said this, Cheng Renmo and other merchants were quite excited after hearing this.

Cheng Renmo said hurriedly: "Master Zhou Mu clearly knows that the common people are also Han people. How can they not be willing to restore China, help the rebels to save the people of the world, and establish a peaceful and prosperous age as soon as possible? Even if Master Zhou Mu does not give us any favors, we as It is also the duty of Han merchants to contribute to the restoration of China! Otherwise, wouldn’t it mean that they would not do anything just to make money?”

"Yes!"

"Shang also has a right. If we betray China and the Han people for profit, even if we are executed by the state pastor, we will not be unjust. It is precisely because we are willing to do our part to restore China and save the people of the world. I have no power, so I took the initiative to ask about the commercial and tax administration, and I didn’t dare to just expect the rebels not to collect taxes.”

Zhai Guangsen also started talking.

Zhang Cheng nodded: "Well, since you are so aware, I will invite you to participate in the discussion on drafting business tax and trade rules, and allow you to put forward relevant opinions on behalf of Chuzhou merchants, so that Chuzhou trade will be better For the sake of prosperity, it will not only benefit you, but also benefit the government, and even more benefit the people."

Cheng Renmo, Zhai Guangsen and other merchants all looked at each other with surprise on their faces.

"Master Zhou Mu is as kind as heaven. He not only cares about the common people, but also cares about us businessmen. He really makes us don't know what to say. Now we only regret that we should not speculate in food and should not follow in the trouble that day. "

"We really deserve to die. We are greedy for profit and have no shame. We almost followed Qingtian who killed the great master of the state animal husbandry."

Cheng Renmo even burst into tears because of this.

Zhai Guangsen also choked up and said: "Today we learned about the kindness and generosity of Mr. Zhou Mu. It really makes us feel ashamed for our previous foolish and selfish actions. From now on, we can only pray for Mr. Zhou Mu piously and be loyal to all his instructions." , Only then can we repay his kindness in case anything happens!"

"Okay!"

"I am very pleased that you can feel repentant."

"From now on, as long as you are loyal and abide by the law, I will only be kind to you, not authoritative."

"But I want to say ugly things in front of others. If anyone can't control himself in the face of big issues, I will never be lenient once I catch him and prove it."

"As the saying goes, a steel knife belongs to a steel knife, and kindness belongs to kindness."

"I hope you understand."

Zhang Cheng spoke at this time.

"Yes!"

"We dare not forget the teachings of Master Zhou Mu."

Cheng Renmo and others started talking seriously.

Next, Zhang Cheng found Zhu Yuanzhang and talked to Zhu Yuanzhang about encouraging business and business taxes.

"Business should be encouraged?" "Mr. Zhang, although we don't read much, we also know that this world should be based on agriculture, because although people who do business make more money, they don't produce food."

"So once business is encouraged, will more people only want to do business and not farm?"

"If this is the case, will the grain production be less? If there is a big disaster in the world, wouldn't it mean that more people will starve to death than if there was no business?"

Zhu Yuanzhang raised his doubts after Zhang Cheng said this.

At this time, Zhang Mian said from the side: "What the superiors said is that business is the last skill. Not only cannot it be encouraged, but it should also be suppressed. This is the way to achieve long-term peace and stability."

Zhang Cheng glanced at Zhang Mian: "That's wrong. If you only limit your vision to Jiuzhou, you should naturally suppress business. But if you focus your vision within the universe, emphasizing business will not only prevent the disaster. If you die from hunger more often, you can also die from hunger less."

After Zhang Cheng said this, Zhang Mian couldn't help but feel nervous.

Zhu Yuanzhang also lowered his face and asked, "How do you say this?"

"Your superiors should remember the map I drew before."

"Beyond China, there are still many arable fields in the world."

At this time, Zhang Cheng talked about the map he had drawn for Zhu Wenzheng.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded.

Zhang Cheng continued: "After the world is at peace in the future, it is inevitable that the population will increase. It is also inevitable that China's land will not be enough to supply the farming needs of the increased population, and these additional people will need to join the army. Businessmen, go out and hire people to farm and transport the grain back to sell."

"So it can be said that if we want long-term peace and stability, we should not only not suppress business, but also emphasize business."

"If you just want to suppress business, if the world is at peace for too long in the future, it will lead to a result, that is, the increase in population will lead to an increase in business profits, which will control the business profits in the hands of a few people, that is, in the hands of powerful bureaucrats. inside."

“Once the powerful and powerful officials are only arrogant and extravagant, but do not know how to care for the people, and they continue to amass wealth from the people even though they already possess a large amount of wealth, the country will fall faster and the world will fall into chaos faster.”

"The emphasis on commerce can divert the country's excess population to engage in business, and allow most people to pursue business profits instead of focusing on farmers' acres of land."

"Of course, valuing business does not mean neglecting agriculture, nor does it mean blindly advocating business. Rather, it should encourage business on the basis of being agriculture-oriented. Based on the actual situation, people should be encouraged to do business rationally and make profits, so that business cannot affect agriculture. , but to promote agriculture. For example, in lean years, when food is high, people will develop agriculture outside in order to make money; in good years, when food is low, they will send food to food-deficit areas outside in order to make money, and exchange for cultivated land or gold, silver, and iron to return home. , so that the country will have more supplies that can deal with major disasters."

When Zhang Cheng said this, Zhu Yuanzhang came to some realization: "It seems to make sense."

Zhang Cheng went on to say: "The purpose of business is to make profits, and it will also pursue skills and increase food production because of profits. Therefore, if business is mercantile, it will increase skills and food production. Even if the powerful are greedy, they will naturally pursue skills and increase food production because of profit." Improvement, so that the people will not live too miserably due to the greed of the powerful."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded after hearing this, and then asked Zhang Mian: "What are your views on the benefits of mercantile business mentioned by Mr. Zhang?"

"Ascend!"

"Although what Mr. Zhang said is irrefutable, what he said can easily lead to disorder at the top and bottom."

Zhang Mian replied at this time.

Zhu Yuanzhang asked: "How to say it?"

Zhang Mian looked at Zhang Cheng and said, "If everyone can pursue business profits and become rich because of business profits, then who will advocate benevolence and righteousness? Who will honestly be filial and respectful to relatives at home and respect officials and kings outside?"

"His Majesty was right."

"Merchant will make it less easy to enslave people."

"First of all, to promote business, people must be allowed to go out. If they go out, they will naturally not be filial and respectful to their relatives, and they cannot be controlled by their parents. Furthermore, they cannot be controlled at will by the government and local gentry."

"Secondly, mercantile business must recognize that it is just for the people to make profits, so they cannot deprive the people of their property at will, officials cannot invade the people at will, and they cannot use the people at will."

"Finally, mercantile means encouraging people to pursue a better life. People can not choose to starve to death and live in poverty because of their observance of morality."

"In short, it will change the result of not treating people as human beings."

After Zhang Cheng said this, Zhang Mian's face darkened, and he had to turn around and said to Zhu Yuanzhang: "Sir, Mr. Zhang is misinterpreting my words. I don't want to treat the people as human beings, nor do I think that it suppresses business." Just to make it easier to enslave the people!"

(End of this chapter)