Dragon Sea Empire

Xu Guangqi visited Yin Feng's house for the first time.Now, Yin Feng's palace occupies the entire Shipowner's Lane, including opening up several independent houses in the surrounding area. It only covers an area of ​​more than ten mu of land. The main style is still the mansions with high eaves and red brick walls that are common in southern Fujian. Big, only equivalent to the size of the residence of the head of the Sixth Department of the Beijing Normal University.Moreover, the brand of King Zhonghua was not publicly displayed.

The most distinctive feature is Yin Feng's back garden, which has a completely Western-style Baroque palace building. Due to the addition of many Chinese-style decoration styles, it has a gorgeously carved, delicate and cumbersome appearance and interior decoration style, which is close to another Time and Space The Rococo style was popular in Europe in the 18th century, but it still retains the masculinity of the Baroque style that is popular in Europe today.

It was built by architects brought from Italy by Zheng Zhilong's European fleet.

This is also specially built by Yin Feng for Li Lihua.For Li Lihua, she has lived in a western cultural environment since she was a child. Although she has returned to local culture for more than ten years, she is still more accustomed to the European style of life, so she regards this western-style palace as her own house.In fact, Yin Feng himself is used to modern pseudo-classical home decoration, and now he has the opportunity to enjoy real European-style classical home decoration, so he naturally likes it very much.

However, Xu Guangqi, who was used to sitting on mahogany chairs, now felt uncomfortable sitting on the baroque leather sofa. He stood up and sat on a high-backed leather chair on the other side, and he still felt that this chair was better.

Wearing a white western-style dress, Li Lihua made tea for Xu Guangqi gracefully, and said softly with a smile, "Master Xu is not used to this sofa?"

Xu Guangqi is not used to the European-style furniture in the room, but out of the habit of traditional scribes, he just said: "It's just that the old man is old and his waist and legs are inconvenient."

Yin Feng smiled and looked at the clock. It has been two hours since Xu Guangqi came to his house. He was just visiting and didn't mention any serious business. people.Yin Feng decided not to waste time going around in circles, and said with a smile: "My lord Xu, what's your business in visiting my humble residence today? Has the imperial court made a decision on the terms of the negotiation regarding Liaodong?"

Xu Guangqi smiled a little embarrassedly: "This matter is now just waiting for the result. When it comes to taxing the land of the aristocratic family in the south of the Yangtze River, there is still room for maneuver."

Yin Feng said bluntly: "It's okay if you don't want to pay taxes, then we have no responsibility for the safety of these aristocratic families."

At this time Li Lihua had put down the tea set and walked out of the reception room just right.Xu Guangqi frowned, took a sip of tea and said, "Your Excellency has always been reasonable in doing things, not a reckless and arrogant person. But now, why do you have to confront the gentry of the world and collect their grain tax, which is tantamount to grabbing food from them directly. Such an offense to the world Scholars, what are the benefits to you? Yes, you started as a businessman and a fisherman, but you have been a "scholar, farmer, businessman" since ancient times. If you want to pass on your foundation, you must give preferential treatment to scholars and scholars..."

Yin Feng sneered, took a sip from his teacup, and said slowly: "Master Xu, preferential treatment and tax exemption are not the same thing. Princes, dignitaries, scholars, and families of officials and gentry are all exempt from tax, only ordinary people are not." No tax. Excuse me, why do the people have to pay taxes to the court?"

"Why do you have to pay taxes? Well, since ancient times, the national tax on imperial food has never been exempted..." Xu Guangqi felt a little short-circuited in his thinking: as a Catholic with a traditional Confucian background, he never thought about "Why do people have to pay taxes and food to the government?" Wait for such a question.In traditional Chinese political economy, the concept of taxpayers does not exist at all. In the common people's mind, paying taxes is a matter of course. This is the case for the emperor, officials, and subjects.Therefore, not only the subjects will not question the rationality of taxation, what rights they should enjoy in it, etc., even those well-educated senior officials who criticize "tyranny is fiercer than tigers", complain for the subjects, and even plead for the people Quality officials will not think that there is any problem here.

Therefore, traditional China has never raised the question of "Why did the emperor levy taxes on the common people?" Naturally, such concepts and theories will not be formed.The traditional academic field of vision is narrow, the method is single, and the way of doing scholarship has been consistent for thousands of years.Xu Guangqi has a deep understanding of the world's scientific and technological trends, but he is still deeply influenced by traditional Confucianism when it comes to taxation. Therefore, when Yin Feng directly asked the key point of "why pay taxes", his mind suddenly went blank...

"Master Xu has seen the operation of the council and council. In our place, these councilors are elected by taxpayers to supervise the government's financial situation. Our officials and generals are all supported by taxpayers. If they don't do their job well, they are sorry for the money they have. Therefore, our government and the army serve those who pay us taxes. Mr. Xu, officials only take money and do nothing, so they are vegetarians. So, they didn't pay taxes. But you want to sit back and enjoy the benefits, what is this?"

In traditional China, there is no tradition of negotiation between the supreme ruler and taxpayers, and there are no examples of emperors negotiating with taxpayers.In Yin Feng's original time and space, China, which had a modern appearance, still had no taxpayer-government consultation system.

Xu Guangqi's complexion changed: "But... this is the ancestral system of the country..." Xu Guangqi himself felt very boring when he said this: Yin Feng himself started as a rebel, and he has been under the banner of opposing the sea ban. Do you care about the ancestral system of the old Zhu family?

Yin Feng sighed secretly, knowing that Xu Guangqi would not be able to accept his theory for a while, so he continued in a relaxed tone: "Actually, many people from the Gentlemen's House in Jiangnan have already participated in the meetings of various places. The one I promoted The tax and food collected from them every year is only a fraction of their annual income; at the same time, they can get the armed protection of our Chinese army, participate in overseas trade, and participate in our government. ...If it weren't for our protection,...Master Xu, just five years ago, the land of Liaodong was swept away by the Jurchen Eight Banners. , It was my Chinese army that defeated the Jurchen Eight Banners, killed Nurhachi and his son Huang Taiji and other great chieftains, and wiped out the puppet Empress Jin Kingdom, so that the displaced Liaodong natives who were slaves and handmaids could return to their hometowns and live and work in peace... The imperial court collects nearly 40 shi of tax and grain every year in Liaodong. When the Jurchen Eight Banners came, what was the imperial court doing? Party disputes, busy arguing about three cases: sea ban, busy making trouble for us.”

Xu Guangqi frowned, the more he listened, the more uncomfortable he became, but he had nothing to say: In essence, Xu Guangqi is not the kind of eloquent person who can make something out of nothing, nor is he the kind of pedantic, rigid, open-eyed watcher. I don't see the Confucian old master in the real world, but a scientist who pays attention to seeking truth from facts.Therefore, he is not a politician, nor is he a politician. Therefore, even if Yin Feng is somewhat forceful, as a scientist, he cannot deny the facts Yin Feng said, so he cannot refute them.

Yin Feng smiled: "Actually, the peace talks between us and Daming are now waiting for the situation in Liaodong to settle. Strength determines everything."

Xu Guangqi frowned, thought for a while, and decided to put aside the differences in the peace treaty negotiations, and said sincerely: "In this case, these matters will wait for the court to arbitrate and decide. I am taking the liberty to visit this time, in fact, I have something to ask for. This matter should have nothing to do with our peace talks, and of course it can be said to be closely related. As long as the peace treaty between the imperial court and the Chinese army can be successfully concluded, what I asked for should not be a problem."

Yin Feng was a little curious, cupped his hands and said: "My lord, please tell me, I will definitely agree to what you ask within the scope of my ability."

Xu Guangqi then stated his request: He wanted to ask Yin Feng to select some mathematics teachers in his ruled area to teach students on the mainland.

Yin Feng didn't express anything on his face, but he was already muttering in his heart: Before the peace talks reached an agreement, you Mr. Xu are thinking of poaching my corner?

Xu Guangqi looked at his words and immediately explained: "I want to set up a geometry and mathematics class in the Imperial College, and the relevant memorials have been delivered to the imperial cabinet... The Imperial College originally had two doctors of mathematics, and the actual academics are very poor... Your mathematics teacher can stipulate teaching The number of years, the rotation every few years..."

Yin Feng was very surprised and said: "You want to teach geometry and mathematics courses in the Imperial College? However, there are not many Western missionaries in Jinling and Beijing Normal University? Most of them are from your Jesuits, so you can't invite them to teach. You know, the school here has taught mathematics for 18 years, and most of the people who taught this course in the first eight years were also Western missionaries."

Xu Guangqi smiled wryly and shook his head: "The emperor and the cabinet ministers will never allow Westerners to enter the Imperial College to teach."

Only then did Yin Feng recall the nature of the Guozijian, and nodded meaningfully: "That's right, the Guozijian is a place of great fame and education, how can Westerners be allowed to enter it casually... Speaking of which, I was still a donated prison at the Nanjing Guozijian, and I was also considered a member of the Guozijian Supervisor..."

Xu Guangqi's eyes were full of anticipation, Yin Feng couldn't bear to spoil his interest, and said with a smile: "Actually, we have opened schools in Songjiang Prefecture and Suzhou Prefecture to teach geometry, mathematics, and world astronomy and geography, and in Qiongzhou Prefecture, Hainan. , Liaodong Lushun and other places, there are already schools run by us teaching geometry..."

"The imperial court will not allow Guozijian to send people to study with you."

"Master Xu, you want to teach geometry in the Imperial College, do you want to reform the imperial examination system?"

Xu Guangqi was taken aback for a moment: "The imperial examination system in my dynasty is a regulation set by the Emperor Taizu. How can it be easily changed..." He turned his head and suddenly understood Yin Feng's real intention for asking this question, and immediately shook his head with a wry smile and said: "Mr. You're a smart guy, and you're telling the truth...you mean: Even if I offer a course in geometry and mathematics, no one will want to learn it?"

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After receiving the task, I was locked up in the barracks for a few days. It was inconvenient to surf the Internet and I couldn't update it. I apologize here.