Brocade clothing as the country

963 - Years are always ruthless

The 14th year of Wanli's taxation was 13% lower than that of the [-]th year of Wanli's, and the treasury revenue of Da Mingxia was [-]% lower. Wang Tong heard about it but didn't pay attention.

Indeed, there was nothing to pay attention to. Zhang Juzheng threatened to dismiss him from office and kill his head, and cleared all the land in the world. This made the local officials dare not hide and slack off, and the local rich and powerful families did not dare to occupy the land.

Once Zhang Juzheng left, if Zhang Siwei continued this policy, he could do it with Zhang Siwei's prestige and decision. However, in order to show the difference between himself and Zhang Juzheng, and to win over local officials and powerful people, Zhang Siwei was lax about this management. When Shen Shixing comes into power, Shen Shixing is a good man and will not arrest him at all.

Regardless of whether the central government does not catch it, the local rich and powerful will naturally revert to their old ways, and the local people and wealthy households will also take advantage of this loophole. A large number of fields are concealed and a large number of fields are donated. Naturally, taxes cannot be collected and are getting less and less.

Moreover, the 14th year of Wanli was a particularly big resurgence. Everyone was still cautious in the 12th and 13th years of Wanli, but in 14 they completely let go of their hands and feet.

Wang Tong knew in his heart that this year's collection was less than that of Wanli's 14th year, and this situation will continue until he comes up with some way to rectify it.

However, Emperor Wanli summoned Wang Tong today, on the one hand to talk about border towns, and on the other hand to talk about the tax reduction. I am afraid that the purpose of talking about the latter is more.

"Your Majesty, it is unavoidable to return to the situation before Qingzhang's land is returned to the situation where the powerful invaded and the officials were greedy for ink."

Now that he was talking about it, Wang Tong was telling the truth. After hearing this, Emperor Wanli subconsciously flipped through the book a few times, closed it again, leaned on the back of the chair, sighed, and said:
"With someone like Zhang Juzheng staring at him, the people below can be honest, but how can I find another person like that here? Wang Tong, what can you do?"

"How about not exempting those who have meritorious service from taxes?"

After hearing Wang Tong's crisp answer, Emperor Wanli was taken aback for a moment, then laughed, waved his hand and said:

"All the ancestral rules in the world can be changed, but this one cannot be changed. In our Ming Dynasty, from the royal family to the officials and family members below, and the promotion of talents, all rely on this to make a living? Tell me, is there any other way? "

Wang Tong pondered for a while, then asked with a smile:

"Your Majesty, I would like to ask you, how much was the salt tax paid in the 14th year of Wanli?"

Salt tax has always been one of the biggest tax revenues of the Ming Dynasty, and the main source is on the Lianghuai side. How much is collected every year, this figure must be kept in mind by the emperor.

"It should be about 240 million taels."

"Your Majesty, the salt tax was 460 million taels in the ninth year of Wanli. Why is it so much less this year?"

"It is said in Haizhou that the tidal flooding caused many salt farms to be destroyed. It has been rainy this year, and the grass on the pastures is not good, and there is not enough firewood to cook the salt."

Although Emperor Wanli was tired of governing, he still remembered such details clearly, but Wang Tong shook his head and smiled, bowed and said:
"Your Majesty, these things are nothing more than excuses. It's just that they want to use their hands to make money. Your Majesty will send imperial envoys to investigate. They will definitely pay more."

"These bastards, the imperial court gave them grace to make a fortune, but they lied like this. Do you mean to send a patrolling censor?"

What Wang Tong said was not a denunciation, it was nothing more than a point. Emperor Wanli immediately understood, and commented helplessly. He didn't even have the strength to scold him. This inspector is also an imperial envoy. Government officials, according to the practice of the Ming Dynasty, sent such a patrolling salt censor, and the local government knew that the court needed money, and everyone gathered together to spit out some money, and then the next year would continue as usual.

"Your Majesty, let me take the liberty to say that it is better to send a salt inspector than to send a patrolling censor. The civil servants also make money, and the father-in-law also makes money, but the father-in-law should work harder for His Majesty's errands. The civil servants need to share There are too many people, and when we get to His Majesty, there will be nothing left."

Yanjian, with a word of supervision, must be the eunuchs in the palace who went out on business, but Wang Tong did not make it clear that what the civil servants received was for the national treasury, and what the eunuchs collected was probably for the internal treasury. In charge of the national treasury, the expenditures of the world are allocated by the Ministry of Households, and this inner treasury is for private use by the emperor and the royal family. Emperor Wanli must have understood, but he didn't say anything.

Emperor Wanli nodded, patted the table again and said:

"This method is only for a year or two. We still need to come up with a long-term strategy, Wang Tong, this will fall on you."

A wry smile suddenly appeared on Wang Tong's face, and he said:
"Your Majesty, if the minister can do it so easily, wouldn't he become the God of Wealth who turns stone into gold? Besides, these things should be planned by the cabinet and the Ministry of Household Affairs, and the minister is the internal guard."

"Those who are capable work harder, and those who are capable work harder. Tianjin Wei and Guihua City, how much money you have earned for my side, think of a way to get something similar."

The atmosphere became more relaxed, Wang Tong bowed and smiled and agreed, but this was also a will, although he was not in a hurry, but he had to go back and make some plans. At this level, he had nothing to say, that is, he bowed and said goodbye.

**************
"Go and invite Eunuch Zou to come to the mansion, and say that the official wants to see him, and he must come in person!"

After Wang Tong left the Daming Gate, he immediately followed the instructions of his followers, and the followers hurried over to do it. Whether it was talking about border towns or taxes, this was just a discussion of exchanging information, but Wang Tong saw something else , this is very important.

"Come in person" has already been greeted, Zou Yi has to go out of the palace no matter how busy he is, now he is the eunuch of the imperial horse supervisor and must live in the palace every night, when Wang Tong invites him It was already afternoon, and the time was tight.

But there is an advantage for Wang Tong, South Street is very close to the Imperial Palace, so there is no need to delay on the road for too long. After Zou Yi came to Zhenxing Building, he was immediately invited into the private courtyard behind.

"No business in the Zhenxing Building in the afternoon, you are all guarding around the Zhenxing Building!"

Wang Tong ordered, and a group of guards quickly agreed. This statement is actually a huge Zhenxing Building, only Wang Tong and Zou Yi are there, and they don't know what big things they want to talk about.

The personal guards were extremely cautious, searching and guarding like in wartime, but Zou Yi, who was also involved, was a little puzzled and didn't know what to talk about.

"Brother Zou, Mr. Zhang, please announce your old age!"

Wang Tong said straight to the point that there are many Eunuch Zhangs, but in this context, the only Eunuch Zhang is Zhang Cheng, who is the chief inspector of ceremonies and the admiral of the East Factory. Hearing this, Zou Yi trembled with his hand holding the teacup, and the tea spilled on his face. After a lot of accidents, he almost stood up from his seat, but after all he had been in a high position for a long time, he calmed down quickly, and asked hastily:
"Brother Wang, why do you say that, if Eunuch Zhang is no longer in this position, do you know how much trouble we will have?"

Zhang Cheng is the inner minister of the Ming Dynasty, and he is one of the most powerful figures in the Ming Dynasty. In Wang Tong's group, Zhang Cheng is their backer. If there is no such a person, it is equivalent to losing a lot Asylum, the consequences can be imagined.

"If we are still in this position, we will be in even more trouble in the future. Not to mention us, even Eunuch Zhang may not be able to die well."

"Brother Wang, don't scare me. What happened to Miansheng today? You actually said it so seriously."

Zou Yi has already changed his face, Wang Tong shook his head, and said in a deep voice:
"Eunuch Zhang is old, and His Majesty also thinks he is old"

Zhang Cheng is showing his old age in the imperial study today, he can't be the calm and alert counselor he used to be, Emperor Wanli also has feelings, but beside the emperor, there are hundreds of government affairs every day, and he has to serve the personal affairs of Emperor Wanli In daily life, how can a person with inflexible responses and occasional past events be satisfied.

Emperor Wanli now said with emotion that he was old, it was because he still cared about the old love, if after a long time, the emotion turned into disgust, then there would be big trouble.

".Why don't you take advantage of the fact that Eunuch Zhang is taking the initiative to sue the old man, so that he can have some face before he leaves, and let you, Brother Zou, be appointed as the director of ceremonies to be an admiral or hold a pen? If you stay like this, it will be hard to say in the future.”

What Wang Tong said was clear, Zou Yi also looked cautious, but he still shook his head when he heard what Wang Tong said behind him, subconsciously lowered his voice and said:
"As soon as Eunuch Zhang leaves, the position of the palm print must be on Tian Yi's side. What's the point of our family going? It's a world to hold military power and financial power on the Yumajian side."

Wang Tong also shook his head, stared at Zou Yi and said:

"Brother Zou, what military power do you want? Look at the generals of the five battalions of the Imperial Army. This is clearly a situation directly seized by His Majesty. As for the financial power, you can go to the Supervisor of Rituals to interfere. The Supervisor of Rituals in the inner court is The core is where you can lead the overall situation. If Eunuch Zhang goes, you don’t want to intervene in it. Why don’t you go after Tian Yi manages the situation? By then, won’t you?”

Zou Yi pondered, and after a long silence, he stood up from his seat and said:
"Our family will go back to the palace to see Eunuch Zhang and tell him these words, I'm afraid he won't be able to let him go!"

Wang Tong sighed and said:
"He is kind and gentle, so he should be able to figure it out. Big brother Zou directly said what Wang Tong said. The two of us will discuss it together. Eunuch Zhang will not ignore it."

Zou Yi nodded, clasped his fists as a gesture, and left directly.

When Wang Tong returned to his own mansion, Tan Erhu hurried over as soon as he entered, and said in a low voice:
"Master Hou, the news that just came from Shandong, Marshal Qi went first, the news should enter the palace now."

Wang Tong was stunned. Qi Jiguang passed away, and Yu Long and Qi Hu are both dead now. These two people, Wang Tong, have dealt with them, and they have given Wang Tong a lot of support and help. Hearing this news, Wang Tong Feeling boundless for a while, all the romantic figures born at the end of Jiajing because of the crisis in the world are gradually getting old and disappearing.
That night, news from the palace reached Wang Tong that Zhang Cheng was about to retire.
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(End of this chapter)