Crimson Dawn

"When the fierce officials came to my hometown, they clamored from east to west, and rushed from north to south; those who made an uproar, although chickens and dogs could not rest in peace." Liu Zongyuan's "Snake Catcher Talk" described the scene of tax collectors collecting taxes very vividly.

In the past, tax collectors were the ones who collected taxes in Zhuangzhai.Although it was quite harassed, there were more people than tax collectors anyway.The number of tax collectors sent by the governor of Henan this time is very large, far exceeding the people in a village. In an instant, 500 people went door-to-door to collect taxes.

Naturally, it was impossible for Hu Hansan to collect taxes from those small households, so he took a dozen people straight to the home of Liu Cunyong, the largest landlord in the village.Of course Liu Cunyong didn't dare to let Hu Hansan in, so he welcomed Hu Hansan in very politely. Hu Hansan didn't talk nonsense, took a guest seat, and said, "Master Liu, brother has heard that you are a straightforward person. Let's not talk about it." To put it bluntly, brother, I was ordered by the governor of Henan Province, Mr. Zhang, to be responsible for the taxation of Lankao. The tax system has been changed, and the village chief has already told you about it.”

Of course Liu Cunyong knew that the tax system had been changed. He not only got the news from the village head, but also got the news through channels in the county.In the future, taxation will not collect silver, but grain.This is neither good nor bad for Liu Cunyong.It must be said that it is not easy for small households in the countryside to sell grain. Every harvest, the price of grain will drop sharply, and the tax money will often be deducted a lot by the grain merchants.It is a lot easier for the common people who only receive grain to save the procedure of being exploited by grain merchants.

With a smile, Liu Cunyong said: "Battle Commander Hu, I see that the tax set by the government is based on 180 catties of wheat per mu of land. This harvest will take [-]%, isn't it too much?"

"Cut," Hu Hansan sneered, "the rules of the government are the rules. In the past, taxes were collected twice a year, plus various exorbitant and miscellaneous tax items, and only money was collected. When there was no money, they were paid with food. This round of rounds Fifty percent can’t be stopped at all. After changing the rules, it’s only accepted once a year. You are safe, and we are safe. Fifty percent is not much at all.”

The taxation of the Qing Dynasty followed the "thin tax", that is to say, the basic tax was set very low.As for other exorbitant donations, this requires the local gentry and people to "understand the difficulties of the country."The new taxation method proposed by Zhang Zhenfang, the governor of Henan Province, is to collect enough food in kind tax at one time, and ignore it at other times.The concept is quite advanced.

Liu Cunyong is not a three-year-old child. He can understand this concept better than before. What he has heard and seen has proved a truth. The government’s face changing is like turning over a book. If you say it today, you can change it tomorrow. a statement.Collecting [-]% of the grain tax is already heartbreaking. After the grain tax is collected, the government cannot keep the government from "suddenly remembering that some tax burdens were not well thought out", or "the government encountered some trouble".Small families and small households, even if they are squeezed out, nothing can be squeezed out.When encountering such a major event, it is always Liu Cunyong and other big households in the local area who suffer.

"Captain Hu, can the food tax be reduced? This [-]% is really too much." Regardless of whether it is useful or not, Liu Cunyong will try to say such things.

Hu Hansan had been trained in the tax police school, and one of the training contents was actual simulated dialogue, which is one of the basic courses in the tax police school.How to deal with it, the tax police school has practiced many times.He sneered, "Master Liu, brother, I am here to tell you that the government has set this rule. I am not here to tell you whether this rule is right or not? The governor of Henan, Mr. Zhang, set this tax according to the land in various places. Brother I'm eating Master Zhang's meal, so I have to work for Master Zhang. Let's talk about ten thousand and ten thousand here, and talk about it for a few days and nights, and you have to collect taxes as you want. You are also a decent person, because you don't After paying the tax, you were sent to the prison in the county. You can’t know how dark the people are there. When you pay the tax, you have to let the people there fix you again. Why are you doing this.”

Seeing that Hu Hansan's attitude is very firm, he doesn't have much contact with Hu Hansan on weekdays, and Liu Cunyong doesn't dare to make mistakes.He gritted his teeth and said, "I don't know how much tax my family has to pay?"

"Your family has 380 mu of land, and you have to pay 34200 catties of grain." Hu Hansan replied casually.

Liu Cunyong was taken aback. The actual amount of land in his family happened to be similar to this.When reporting land in previous years, he was always able to underreport 50 mu.Unexpectedly, such a trick was exposed.

"Captain Hu, my family only has 330 mu of land. How can there be more than 50 mu of land?" Liu Cunyong explained quickly.

"Hi!" Hu Hansan sighed according to the skills given during the tax police training, "Master Liu, the tax collectors used to be collected by Zhu Binggui and others, and everyone knows the tricks in the middle. Originally, Zhu Binggui followed the law You have to beheaded, Dudu Zhang has the virtue of being good at life, so he spared his life. Do you dare not tell the truth when you say Zhu Binggui? You must say that your family does not have so much land, that's okay. You and Zhu Binggui go to the county government to fight This lawsuit. If you win the lawsuit, we won’t pay taxes on the fifty acres of land. What do you think?”

These words frightened Liu Cunyong.It has always been the official gate that opens to the south, so don't come in if you have a reason and no money.Not to mention that Zhu Binggui is now a tax collector and a subordinate of the government.Even if Zhu Binggui is an ordinary person, once Liu Cunyong enters the government, he will pay more than the 50 catties of wheat for the 4500 mu of land.At present, 100 catties of wheat are 5 silver dollars, and 4500 catties of wheat are only 225 silver dollars.Once a big family like him enters the government, the money he manages up and down will not be less than 225 quick silver dollars.Not to mention that it is impossible for him to win this lawsuit.

Although he had accepted his fate in his heart, Liu Cunyong was very blocked.He couldn't help but said: "Commander Hu, the town next to our village is managed by the People's Party, and they collect taxes in the same way, but they only collect [-]% of the tax. Can we lower it, [-]% or [-]%? "

"Haha." Hu Hansan laughed, "When others say this, I think it's just that he is full. Mr. Liu, what you said is too ridiculous. It is impossible for you, Mr. Liu, to ignore the fact that the People's Party wants to divide the land. I know, if you think our taxes are high, you can go to the People's Party. Can your land be kept?" At this point, Hu Hansan suddenly turned cold and said fiercely, "Master Liu, this is the first time Brother, I will pretend that I didn’t hear you. Tell me again, and I’ll send you directly to the government.”

Seeing that Hu Hansan is so recalcitrant, Liu Cunyong has no choice.Seeing that Liu Cunyong was ready to accept the reality, Hu Hansan changed his smile again, "Master Liu, don't think that we don't know anything. Your Zhuangzhai has planted a crop of wheat from the People's Party this year, and you can harvest more than 200 catties per acre of land. Your family’s good land can only produce 300 catties of grain. One mu of land costs you 90 catties of grain, which is less than [-]% of the tax. After all this, you still have to be dishonest, so I don’t even know what to say about you. what."

These words destroyed Liu Cunyong's last psychological defense.If it is true that the tax can only be collected once, ninety catties of wheat per mu, Liu Cunyong can fully accept it in the context of this year's bumper harvest.He was just afraid that what the government said would not count.Even the last news was known, Liu Cunyong sighed, willing to face the reality and accept the reality.But Liu Cunyong is not ready to give in completely.The current problem is the same thing, but now parliaments have been established in various places, and their members have been elected.It's not that Liu Cunyong doesn't know the MPs.He made up his mind that after being taxed, he couldn't collect it in vain.Since Zhang Zhenfang, governor of Henan Province, publicly stated that the tax will be collected only once, the members of the parliament must make this statement come true.

The people in Zhuangzhai have a good harvest this year. Even if [-]% of the tax is taken away, the food left behind can still be eaten.In addition, there are a large number of tax police troops, and those who are willing to pay food obediently, the tax police are not too harassing.Those who refused to hand over the food were tied up and ready to be taken away without saying a word.Under such circumstances, no common people would dare to fight against the tax police.The food was collected within a day.However, there was no more festive atmosphere in the village, and every family was sad.

Just two months after the completion of Zhuangzhai's taxation, that is, at the end of October 1912, Yuan Shikai's commendation order to Henan Governor Zhang Zhenfang arrived in Henan.Although the tax police forces are still working hard to collect taxes outside, under the auspices of Duan Zhigui, the commander of the second town of the Beiyang Army, the officials of the Henan Provincial Governor's Mansion and the Civil Affairs Bureau are not willing to lag behind.Although Zhang Zhenfang was not interested in this "celebration banquet", he really couldn't refute the face of these subordinates. Kaifeng, the capital of Henan Province, held a rather grand banquet.

Zhang Zhenfang repeatedly asked for a simplified banquet, but with so many senior civil and military officials joining, no one dared to really simplify it.Everyone was afraid that Zhang Zhenfang would be angry, so they reached an agreement in private.The banquet was held in the barracks of the Beiyang Army, no restaurant was included, and it was kept as quiet as possible.When all the people attended the banquet, they all walked a certain distance from the barracks, and the carriages, horses and sedan chairs were all parked where they were not noticed.In addition, the best cooks were specially invited from Huaiyin, and the various dishes were absolutely luxurious and exquisite.

Other officials entered the barracks early. When the carriage of Henan Governor Zhang Zhenfang approached the gate of the Beiyang Army Camp, the Beiyang Army Guard of Honor had already lined up. The military music of "The Beiyang Army is Marching" was played, and the second town governor Duan Zhigui was outside the gate. Cultural relics officials lined up to greet them.After Zhang Zhenfang got off the car, everyone applauded warmly.

close <ad>

The mood of applause is quite consistent.This time Yuan Shikai publicly praised Zhang Zhenfang's achievements in taxation. "Taxes are well-taxed, and cruel officials are not exploited." In short, Zhang Zhenfang is praised like a flower.Yuan Shikai not only praised Zhang Zhenfang full of praise, but also distributed the official documents of the awards to the governors of the Beiyang provinces.This is clearly to set an example for the provincial governors.Originally Zhang Zhenfang was Yuan Shikai's confidant, and after such an incident, it would be strange if the officials didn't take the opportunity to flatter him.

Zhang Zhenfang, governor of Henan Province, has both joys and worries about the current situation.Facing a crowd of officials who greeted him, he also spoke softly.After all, even if these subordinates didn't make great efforts in taxation, at least they didn't make trouble for Zhang Zhenfang.That alone is remarkable.

The stars sent Zhang Zhenfang into the banquet hall like the moon, and there were twenty or thirty tables of banquets.More than 100 people participated, and eight people sat down at a table.As the host of the banquet, Duan Zhigui naturally stood up and gave a toast.It is nothing more than Zhang Zhenfang's ability to govern Henan and his effective taxation.In the future, it will inevitably enter the scene of cabinet promotion and the like.

Listening to these words, Zhang Zhenfang's face was so calm that he couldn't see any joy.Because the result of this taxation was really beyond Zhang Zhenfang's expectations.The southeast of Henan is located in the Huanghuai Plain, and the tax is easy to collect in the plain area.Since it was the first time for the local governments to face an organization like the tax police force, they were not quite sure how to deal with it.So the bad situation originally imagined did not happen.

Especially in areas bordering the People's Party, many villages and even large landlords who do not border the People's Party have adopted the "one crop of wheat" of the People's Party, and the harvest is generally good.One of the most eye-catching ones is Shangjia, the landlord of Shangqiu.The Shang family also has a thousand hectares of fertile land, and people have been officials almost from generation to generation.At present, the most famous "official" of the Shang family is Shang Yuan, secretary of the Huaihai Provincial Party Committee of the People's Party.After various propagandas, most people in Henan know about the people's party's land reform and division of land.Therefore, the big landlords clearly opposed the People's Party. The Shang family was originally a wealthy family and never actively paid taxes.This time, for the first time, he cooperated with the tax police.The Shang family's 540 mu of land paid 5 million catties of grain in one go.Calculated at 27 yuan for a stone of wheat, this is 10 silver dollars.In the eighth month of the lunar calendar, the first batch of grain collected from various places exceeded 5000 billion catties.The market price is already [-] million silver dollars.

The tax police school is not only for cultivating tax police, but under the arrangement of Zhou Zhentao, there is also a special calculation department.This department is in charge of field statistics.Henan has a vast area of ​​arable land, and the confirmed summer grain arable land alone is about 3000 million mu.Although it is difficult to collect taxes temporarily in many places.After this round of taxes, Zhang Zhenfang's confidence has greatly increased.According to the current tax law, taxation can be popularized.Converted into wheat, it can harvest 27 billion catties a year, with a market value of hundreds of millions of silver dollars.The previous tax problem was solved immediately.

As Yuan Shikai's confidant, Zhang Zhenfang's application to the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Civil Affairs for grain export was approved. Japan has been short of food in recent years. According to Zhou Zhentao, most of the land in Japan has been planted with mulberry trees in order to be able to export a large amount of raw silk.As a result, we encountered a problem that has been encountered many times in Chinese history, "destroying Tian Zhongsang".As a result, food production plummeted, and the Japanese government had to import food to make up for the domestic food gap.After the price of grain fell, the Japanese government and the Beiyang government reached an agreement to directly import 50 tons of grain from China, which is 10 billion catties of grain.Other provinces simply did not have enough grain to sell, and Zhang Zhenfang seized this opportunity.Henan has the Beijing-Han Railway, which is convenient for transportation, and there is also a railway from Bei Jing to Tianjin Port.This batch of grain can be shipped directly to the port for loading.Yuan Shikai naturally wanted to greatly appreciate Zhang Zhenfang.

Duan Zhigui's toast finally came to an end, and the banquet officially began.Zhang Zhenfang sat in the main seat, and Duan Zhigui sat beside him.After saying a few polite words to Zhang Zhenfang, Duan Zhigui said with a smile: "Dudu Zhang, I depend on Dudu Zhang for the food and salaries of my Second Beiyang Town. It's already autumn, and the end of the year is coming soon, but I don't know when the food and salary will be available." In place?"

Zhang Zhenfang just smiled without saying a word.As soon as the matter of food and payment was mentioned, Zhang Zhenfang felt depressed for a while.But on this matter, Wang Jie, the chairman of the Henan Provincial Assembly who was sitting with the representatives of the parliament, brought a wine glass to toast.Wang Jie once joined the Tongmenghui, and when the Tongmenghui was close to disbanding, he simply set up his own company in Henan.To win over the local gentry, during the election of the Henan Assembly, the speaker was originally not elected.As a result, Yang Yuanmao, the speaker of the Henan Parliament "handpicked" by Yuan Shikai, died of illness in June.At this time, it happened to be the key point when the Henan tax police was about to go down to collect grain.Wang Jie vigorously lobbied the local gentry, using the gimmick of protecting the interests of the gentry, and finally elected the speaker.

Because of the effective tax collection, Zhang Zhenfang was appreciated by Yuan Shikai, so Zhang Zhenfang was naturally happy.It's just that everything has advantages and disadvantages, and the reform of the tax system has also brought about many "side effects".The first is internal conflicts. The members of the Huanghuai Plain region seem to have discussed it. Whether they were originally from the Tongmenghui or supported Yuan Shikai's "United Party", they all demanded that Zhang Zhenfang's Governor's Mansion should not break its promise and only collect taxes this time.

These fly-like members of parliament have been connected in series in the parliament, and most of the county councilors, provincial councilors, and even members of Congress have joined them.Some people even dared to ask Zhang Zhenfang to publicly promise in the Henan Provincial Assembly that he would not break his promise.This made Zhang Zhenfang very angry.

In all fairness, Zhang Zhenfang has no intention of breaking the promise of "only one tax payment".But what officials are most afraid of is promises. For example, although the grain export problem has been solved this time, in the telegram he sent to Yuan Shikai, he asked Yuan Shikai to deduct the money from the grain sales and return it to Henan in time after deducting the taxes that should be turned over to the country that year. .Just as Zhang Zhenfang was worried, Yuan Shikai praised Zhang Zhenfang for his contribution to taxation, but was vague about Zhang Zhenfang's request, and just kept urging Zhang Zhenfang to transport the grain to Beijing as soon as possible.

This is the case in the officialdom, you have to keep a few eyes open at all times, this is true for subordinates, and even more so for superiors.The official rank crushed people to death, let alone facing Yuan Shikai.If Yuan Shikai had money in his hand, he would not force the governors of the Beiyang provinces to pay enough fixed taxes to Zhong Yang.If all the food was shipped to Yuan Shikai, it would be impossible for Yuan Shikai to send the money to Henan immediately.Even if Yuan Shikai really wants to do this, when will Japan give Yuan Shikai money is a big problem.Not to mention that it was impossible for Yuan Shikai to do so.

Now there is a situation where Zhang Zhenfang has food but not much money.Because of the railway, Zheng County has become a new trade center in Henan, but this trade center has a short period of time after all, and no matter how harsh the taxation is, it is impossible to scrape too much oil.The People's Party, which is close to Henan, is not short of food. Relying on Henan's local grain trade, it will not be able to digest so much food in a short while.On the contrary, because the grain merchants knew that the government had so much grain in their hands, the price of grain fell instead of rising.

Yuan Shikai sent telegrams, urging Zhang Zhenfang to quickly transport grain and trade with Japan.Zhang Zhenfang used the difficulty of grain transportation as an excuse to delay as much as possible.But more and more people are asking for money.One by one, they said that they were unable to uncover the pot.Coupled with Wang Jie and other congressmen making troubles, although Zhang Zhenfang's face was calm, he already wished to put poison in the flagon and send all these bastards to the west.

Seeing Wang Jie coming to toast, Zhang Zhenfang didn't even touch the wine glass, but smiled lightly: "I can't drink too much, so I can't accompany Chairman Wang."

Even if he was rejected, Wang Jie smiled like a normal person: "Dudu Zhang, you have been favored by the President, I have to congratulate you. However, the people in Henan have paid so much taxes, and life is really difficult..." <Just stood up He smiled and said: "Speaker Wang, today is a banquet. If you don't talk about business, don't talk about business."With this witness, Zhang Zhenfang felt much safer.After all, with Zhou Zhentao, it's too easy to give people a chance. <But he said to Zhang Zhenfang: "Director Zhang, I think it's better to hurry up on this matter of transporting grain." Zhang Zhenfang hurriedly transported the grain to Tianjin.From the point of view of work, Zhang Zhenfang is already the governor of Henan Province, with a high position and authority, and he is accompanied by Beiyang. Zhang Zhenfang feels that he has completely lost his appetite.Even if it was his hometown food in front of him, he just picked up a few chopsticks and stopped eating. <Ask about the grain shipment again, Zhang Zhenfang didn’t speak, but Duan Zhigui interrupted. "Lord Lei, some of Dudu Zhang's grain is going to be sold to our Beiyang Army to pay. Now the army's salary is about to run out, why not sell the grain in Henan first. Our Beiyang Army has always been paid on time, and now the money If not, I don’t know what to do in my heart.” <Impossible to stand on Duan Zhigui’s side.He bluffed, "Duan Tongzhi, the country, the country, and the state affairs should come first. If the fu has no money, how can the state affairs be supported? And Zhang Dudu has a good tax, so you can rest assured about the military salary."

Zhang Zhenfang was suddenly happy when he heard this, he was outraged.Without making a sound, Zhang Zhenfang picked up the chopsticks and started eating again.He had already figured it out, anyway, he was a mouse entering the bellows to get air at both ends.At this time, if the mood of eating is delayed because of these business affairs, wouldn't it be a disadvantage.

This mood didn't last long, Zhang Zhenfang had just eaten two chopsticks, when she saw a messenger rushing in and heading straight for Duan Zhigui, seeing that Zhang Zhenfang didn't dare to say anything before the messenger.Everyone was in the officialdom, Zhang Zhenfang and Duan Zhigui got up and went to the next room, and the orderly dared to report, "A telegram from the Ministry of the Army, Beiyang Eighth Town, where the residence is Beijing, mutinied."

Hearing the news, Zhang Zhenfang just widened his eyes.Duan Zhigui had already exclaimed: "What?"

Just as he was about to ask, Zhang Zhenfang's relatives hurried over. Zhang Zhenfang thought he had received news of the mutiny in Beijing, and said casually, "What's the matter, tell me."

Seeing Zhang Zhenfang's order, regardless of the "outsider" Duan Zhigui, he reported: "The tax police camp in Wuyang reported that the local bandit Bai Lang rebelled and attacked the tax police camp. The tax police camp suffered heavy casualties."

"What?" Zhang Zhenfang couldn't help but said.On the contrary, Duan Zhigui's eyes widened, and he looked at Zhang Zhenfang's followers with an incredulous look.