Ming Dynasty, starting from the empty seal case

Chapter 162: Everyone values ​​profit!
According to Su Xian's thoughts long ago.

What should be given to the Ming Dynasty now is not a whipping method, but a method of spreading people into acres.

However, as you live in Daming for longer and longer, and blend into the local customs, you will truly discover it.

The imaginary law will not fit in the current context.

Just like a whip method, what is needed is currency with the common credibility of the government and the people.

The reason why this was possible in later generations was that after the Ming Dynasty's voyage, most of the silver flowed into the Ming Dynasty during the transaction with foreign countries, and the government lost control of the currency.

At this time, the system of people's income and people's liberation, or more accurately, the tax system in which physical taxes and miscellaneous taxes coexisted, had been completely corrupted by the government and local governments. As a last resort, Zhang Juzheng used a whip method mainly made of silver.

Of course, Zhang Juzheng's reform of the Ming Dynasty was a comprehensive reform.

From the "testing method" for officials, to the reform of all aspects such as military, official administration, land, and even labor and economy.

At the moment, Su Xian can only use "Treasure Notes" as the starting point and slowly and subtly influence the situation.

On this basis, a tax whip will be implemented.

While Su Xian was deep in thought, what he didn't know was...

"This method is too risky! The new banknotes have only been around for a short time, and there are already counterfeiters. If the imperial court replaces all physical taxes and various miscellaneous taxes with treasure banknotes, then similar people will only need to master the skills of making treasure banknotes. With the new technology, wouldn’t it mean that the country’s tax revenue would directly collapse?”

Land is the foundation and cannot be touched lightly.

At this point, Li Xiyan was already a little angry.

"If these miscellaneous taxes and physical taxes can be collected in treasure banknotes, then in the future, my Ming Dynasty's grain can also be collected in treasure banknotes?"

He shook his head and completely disagreed with this matter, "It's simply shocking and unbelievable!"

"I have seen a lot of things with my eyes. What Su Xian said is feasible. But the problem is exactly what Mr. Li said. The risk of turning tax bills into treasure is too high!"

Wait until the tax is actually done.

Zhu Yuanzhang murmured, and others also fell into deep thought.

"Your Majesty, please do not listen to this man's words."

"If this continues, our Ming government will not be able to guarantee even the most basic money and food."

His eyes were filled with vicissitudes of life. He had lived for nearly sixty years, and had gone through the heyday and decline of the Yuan Dynasty.

"It's not like Su Xian said. In order to reduce losses, we have to abandon the important things and move through the Ming Dynasty and the center with boxes of banknotes."

At this time, even Liu Sanwu spoke slowly.

The official ending and the official solution are more like the court completely taking back the decentralized powers.

The implication is that the treasure money leaked out is Su Xian's father, Su Guiyuan, isn't it?
"Your Majesty, I think so too."

After the princes, nobles, gentry, and officials gained privileges, they would use various means to occupy the land and hide the land and wealth. Without the knowledge of the government, you can take advantage of the rules to pay less or even no taxes.

Then all future servitude must also be abolished!

Before that, we must rectify the administration of officials and support a group of people who will benefit from the new law. This is even more important!

That was the root cause of the end of all dynasties, including the end of the Ming Dynasty. In fact, it was just four words - land annexation!
The ultimate direction of the People's Liberation Army and the Democratic People's Liberation Army is also land annexation.

He had a strong temperament, and he dared to say anything when he was angry, "I can already imagine that in the future, my Ming Dynasty will not even collect food. The devil was stunned and all fell into the treasure. Then the people covered their houses one after another. Food, if you want treasure money, I will give you treasure money, the people are counterfeiting it, and there is even... there is an exodus of officials!"

The imperial power does not extend to the county, and the officials are unclear about governance. Talking about land rashly will only lead to good things and bad things!
After all, at this time, even the center of the capital had to employ a large number of old officials of Yuanting.

The treasure banknote is the key to open this door.

After all, it was only eleven years after the founding of the Ming Dynasty. At this time, although the political power was newly established, the local diseases were still stubborn and unshakable.

"No! None!"

He was right about one thing.

"What's more, taxation in kind is the foundation. When the Ming Dynasty was in trouble, the treasure money was nothing more than paper, cotton clothes can survive the winter, and food can satisfy the hunger!"

"Further: This treasure money was originally spent by the government. What's the use of taking back a bunch of tattered paper? Where's the food? Where's the cloth? Where's the cotton? Without these things, we will starve to death and freeze to death! I, the Ming Dynasty, can be reduced to To that point?"

"Can everyone who works in the fields wear it?"

"It's simply deception!"

"The treasure banknote is so single, so I can just say it here today. If this word spreads, how many people will laugh at me and say I am ignorant? What a big statement!"

"In this case, wouldn't the importance of treasure banknotes increase linearly again?" At this moment, Li Xiyan quickly reacted.

"Not to mention, I can even see that if this so-called financial tax can be collected instead of food and grass, I am afraid that the Ming Dynasty will be in disaster!"

The Southeastern official clan is still deeply rooted! Landlords and gentry still exist in various places, and the Ming Dynasty did not even eliminate banditry.

"The basis of tax in kind is to ensure the daily needs of our Ming Dynasty. It is to maintain the money, food and armor of grassroots officers and soldiers."

"Your Majesty needs to know one thing. The food of our Ming Dynasty is not enough."

"Winter has become colder and colder over the years." Liu Sanwu pointed to the cotton-padded clothes he was wearing, "The old minister is loved by the Holy One, so his aging body still has thick cotton-padded clothes to protect him from the cold. But, are all the soldiers of the Northern Defense Guards... All?”

Swish!
As soon as these words came out, Zhao Jing next to him was startled.

From Su Xian's words, he not only thought of public motives, but also selfish motives.

“Isn’t this the unification of finance and taxation?”

Both gentlemen said this, and Zhu Biao couldn't help but shake his head secretly.

These words are correct.

They know better than anyone what the national conditions are like.

"Your Majesty!" Li Xiyan simply stopped covering up, "Then I will simply point it out... Su Xian is young and may not have thought enough. There is no need to guess why he said this. It is to increase the value of the treasure banknotes, and then I want your Majesty to reopen his father’s case!”

If it was a metaphor just now, now it is made explicit.

Sure enough, other people also looked at it and suddenly realized.

Zhu Yuanzhang also frowned and looked at Su Xian.

He doesn't know anything else.

But reopening his father's case seems normal in the eyes of others.

But in their eyes, which are familiar with the inside story, it is nonsense.

but.

What these two gentlemen said is also right. The reason why it is a tax in kind is because money is too thin.

Not to mention that they didn't believe it, even Zhu Yuanzhang himself, although he had unlimited expectations for the treasure banknotes, had never thought of placing risks on the treasure banknotes.

Su Xian also felt helpless.

He still underestimated how impactful it would be when a new strategy spanning nearly two hundred years was suddenly presented in front of him.

He did not answer Li Xiyan's questioning.

Instead, he continued: "Mr. Li is right, the lifeblood of the country lies in food!"

"It's good to know!" Li Xiyan said.

"But I never said that making acres of land productive falls within this whipping law."

"The imperial court collected food from the original summer harvest. The imperial court collected food twice a year, in July and August and in February and March of the next year. The former was mainly tax grains, and the latter was mainly various types of salt, tea, cloth, etc. Miscellaneous taxes.”

"Taxes and grains are as usual." This was Su Xian's idea. "They are still transported to the treasury of the Ministry of Household Affairs in various places every year, and are finally calculated by the Ministry of Household Affairs and reported to the central government."

"But physical taxes and miscellaneous taxes can be analyzed one or two."

Su Xian's voice paused, and then he said slowly:
"As for your husband saying that I don't understand before, I would like to say that you don't understand."

Li Xiyan was furious, "You!" "Sir, are you from an official family?" Su Xian asked directly.

Li Xiyan was silent at first, then nodded, "Yes!"

"So if you have read poetry and books and become a great scholar at an age where you are not confused, I am afraid that there will never be a day when you don't have enough food to eat or not enough clothes to cover your body, right?"

Hearing Su Xian's question, Li Xiyan laughed, "Do you have one?"

Su Xian spread his hands and said: "I'm not exaggerating, but there are still poor days. Even before my father was appointed as the ninth grade inspector, it was common for him to go hungry and have a full meal. I also heard that I once My great-grandfather took his grandfather and father from Shaanzhou to Huguang, and then came to Yingtian from Huguang, but he survived the hunger. "

"I know better than you sir about what the common people need."

Having said this.

Su Xian no longer looked at Li Xiyan, but at Zhu Yuanzhang.

When it comes to this understanding, Zhu Yuanzhang knows much better than himself.

really.

When he looked at it, the latter immediately stared, "What are you looking at us doing?"

"I just want to ask the Holy Father a word."

"When Your Majesty was young, copper coins of the same value and silk of the same value were placed in front of Your Majesty. What did Your Majesty want?"

"Nonsense!" Zhu Yuanzhang said speechlessly: "Of course it's copper coins."

"Why?" Su Xian asked.

Zhu Yuanzhang stared, "Why else? Let's take the money and feed our stomachs first. You have never tasted the feeling of hunger. It's when the meat in your stomach is pulled together, and you want to chew on the bark of the tree."

Su Xian asked: "Why don't you use silk? Is it because it doesn't keep you warm?"

"Boy, can silk be eaten? Besides, you need to eat well to keep out the cold!"

Su Xian asked again: "What if it is food of the same value and the corresponding money?"

"Of course it's food!"

"There are two more questions. First, why doesn't Your Majesty exchange the silk for money? Second, why doesn't Your Majesty use the money to buy food?"

As soon as these words came out.

Zhu Yuanzhang even thought that this boy was joking with him, why so many.

But he soon reacted.

"Can you get the same money in exchange for silk? If you take it to the Silk Manor, can the price be the same when you sell it and buy it? In times of trouble and famine, half would be good!"

"In the same way, food is hard currency! For example, today's food price is one tael of silver for ten kilograms of grain. In a few days, it may become five kilograms. If you do the math, even a fool can do it!"

Su Xian said helplessly: "But Mr. Li doesn't know how to count."

"Su Xian...you!" Li Xiyan was furious.

I wanted to say more, but Su Xian had already spoken, "Sir, your question lies in this."

Ok?
Li Xiyan was stunned.

Zhu Biao couldn't help but raise his head and look at Su Xian.

"What is he talking about?" Princess Chongning was confused.

Princess Yan said slowly again:

"It's a very simple thing. Food always comes first in the eyes of the people. Next is money."

"After all, food is the same as money. You must eat the next meal after you eat one. If you spend money, you must earn another."

"Looking at cotton-padded clothes for winter, in fact, for many people, a piece of clothing can be worn for at least ten years, and it is common for twenty or thirty years."

"Money is more valuable than before!"

Xu Miaoyun said, and suddenly sighed softly, "I already know, you are really smart!"

……

"Mr. Li, have you thought clearly?"

Su Xian said again: "In kind taxes and miscellaneous taxes will be replaced by financial taxes."

“To a certain extent, it’s not about making Ming’s tax system more unified, but a real tax increase!”

"After all, in terms of silk alone, there are good ones, bad ones, cheap ones and valuable ones. And the market conditions are different every year, so when paying to the court, if the merchants bribed the collecting officials, the bad ones will be treated as Okay, let’s treat the inferior as the superior.”

"Ask me sir, is this a loss or a profit?"

"The same applies to other physical objects!"

"In addition, the reason for setting the treasure bill to unify various miscellaneous taxes and in-kind taxes is that besides replacing the people's income and the people's liberation with the government's official release, there is another most important reason."

Seeing everyone looking over, even Zhu Yuanzhang looked confused.

Su Xian said:
"Make the Ming Dynasty's tax system more reasonable and stimulate the people's subjective initiative!"

Everyone can still understand the first half of the sentence.

But everyone was confused about the second half of the sentence.

"The collection standards for physical taxes and miscellaneous taxes are not transparent. Some people pass off inferior goods as good ones, but the court cannot fully discover them. Invisibly, a lot of tax revenue is also lost."

"And if they are converted into money, they can then set tax collection standards based on their revenue and profits."

"In this way, both wealthy private households and businessmen from various places will have their own collection system."

When Su Xian said this, he paused slightly.

We’ll talk about the collection system later.

Next, is the focus of what he wants to say.

"Such as what Mr. Li just said, the banknotes were originally sent out by the imperial court, and then a pair of waste paper was taken back."

"It seems that Mr. Li doesn't care about the previous reform of Baochao. It seems that reading too many books is not good."

Such tit-for-tat words came out of Su Xian's mouth, which immediately made Li Xiyan furious.

But Su Xian didn't care about this. After all, the changes in Bao Chao had happened before. His sudden words also made Su Xian irritated.

"For the imperial court, collecting tax money is not just as simple as getting the money, but more importantly..."

"Mutual benefit, let people continue to create wealth!"

"What Ming Dynasty wants to do is to make treasure banknotes a link and circulation between the court and the people. This is the credibility we talked about at the beginning!"

"If you follow what Mr. Li said, then you can just print it yourself. And the most important point... Since the imperial power does not go to the countryside, treasure money can always go to the countryside, right?"

"Using the law as the left hand to regulate the people's bottom line, but the process is too slow!"

"But if you use treasure money as your right hand, you can control the hearts of the people! This is a sharp sword."

"If it is used properly, why is forced labor necessary? Why is it necessary to impose responsibilities on the currently designated wealthy households and grain chiefs?"

"Everyone values ​​profit!"

"Da Ming will do this for himself!"

"I really want to succeed..."

Su Xian looked at Zhu Yuanzhang, "Treasure money can defeat thousands of armies and horses! It can defeat thousands of subordinate officials!"

(End of this chapter)