A great man of the Northern Song Dynasty

A century-old plan, education comes first.

If a country wants to develop sustainably, developing education is a top priority.

The education of the Song Dynasty... is difficult to describe in one word.

Every year, more and more people take the imperial examination, and countless young people want to cross the single-plank bridge with their longing for money and beauty.

"Shen An said that you should bow down and walk, instead of holding a book or meditating like a Taoist monk. What he said... There is no need to go into seclusion to govern a country. You only need to go down and see more and ask more questions. The key to a country , the first thing is to figure out the biggest problems at present, and the second thing is to explore the answers based on these problems.”

Zhao Xu looked strange. He didn't expect his son to go out for a trip, and when he came back, he would sigh and say that the way he studied before was wrong.

"He said that when reading, you need to establish a stance, which is who you are and why you are reading."

Zhao Shu asked: "What about you?"

Zhao Xu pondered for a while and said: "I first read because I felt that life was boring and I looked for entertainment in books. Later when I read, I thought about all kinds of things in the Song Dynasty, but I felt that I was not on the side of the people, but on the side of the people. We are in a vague place, where there are dignitaries, officials, and gentry, and there are many people there, but there are a few common people."

Zhao Shu shook his head, feeling that his son was still too young.

From this moment on, Zhao Xu frequently took leave and went out.

The readers in Qingning Palace were very troubled by this. Only Bai Xun knew why, but he didn't say.

Before doing anything or making a decision, you should investigate clearly.

This is the first priority of governance.

The kind of ideas that you come up with while squatting in the yamen and banging your heads with a bunch of pot-bellied officials are mostly bad ideas and poisonous.

So you have to learn to behave with humility.

The days after the autumn were very pleasant. Taxes came into the treasury. Life in the Third Division was much better. Han Jiang smiled at everyone he saw.

"How much can you save this year?"

The prime ministers and assistants are most concerned about this. The more balance there is, the more protection there will be.

Han Jiang said reservedly: "I'm afraid it will be over a million dollars this year."

"good!"

Han Qi said happily: "Remember that the year before last, we only had a balance of more than 200,000 guan. In just two years, it has increased to one million guan. It can be seen that the Song Dynasty is prospering everywhere."

Zhao Shu was also very happy, thinking about the places in the palace that needed to be renovated, and couldn't help but feel excited.

"Some places in the palace are dilapidated and dilapidated. I'm thinking about repairing them next year."

It's impossible to build, but how about fixing it up?

Zhao Shu had his own small treasury, but large-scale expenditures required the approval of his ministers.

This sounds ridiculous, but it's true.

"The balance increases every year. If the court encounters problems, there is no need to raise funds from elsewhere. If the palace is short of money, the Third Division is willing to contribute some."

Han Jiang's attitude was the best among the three previous envoys, which made Zhao Shulong very happy.

There was no way. In the past, when the three companies were poor, they would always take advantage of the official's small treasury when they were short of money. As time went by, the official's family was impoverished.

So everyone feels guilty about this matter. Now the officials just want to repair the palace, and no one will object, otherwise their conscience will hurt.

It was such a happy decision.

Han Jiang mentioned another matter, "Your Majesty, business taxes are increasing year by year. Some people have suggested that businessmen are now spending money lavishly. The wind of extravagance has spread from Bianliang to the south. Businessmen are competing with each other and spending huge sums of money. It can be seen that business taxes There’s tremendous scope for growth.”

He looked up, looking a little confused.

"I don't know the pros and cons of this matter, but... the balance makes my heart move."

Zhao Shu was also moved.

"Is a businessman so rich?" Extravagance is something that cannot be tolerated, this is Zhao Shu's understanding.

In the last years of a dynasty, both dignitaries and wealthy businessmen will compete with each other!

Competing with each other is almost a standard before the country's subjugation.

"In the former Tang Dynasty, since the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty, the powerful and powerful gentry were so extravagant that it was amazing." Han Qi obviously had no good impression of this kind of people. "After the Anlu Mountain Rebellion, the country declined. It stands to reason that the top and bottom should work together and work hard to govern. But. It is still extravagant and extravagant, and Tang has never been lucky enough to do so. I think it should be added!"

When it comes to businessmen, everyone looks like they share the same hatred and shouts of beating and killing.

"I second the proposal!"

Those businessmen are too arrogant. They should raise taxes and use taxes to regulate their wealth.

Zhao Shu nodded, "We will discuss this matter again. If there is nothing wrong, it will be settled years ago."

Fu Bi saw that Zhao Xu had been silent, so he went out and said, "I remember that the king has some opinions on merchants."

This was a show of goodwill, allowing Zhao Xu to come out and show off his knowledge.

Zhao Shu said with a smile: "He is still young, how can he know so much."

The prince came out of the cabinet to listen to the government. The so-called listening meant that he came with ears, but he didn't let you speak.

After being named, Zhao Xu went out and said: "Your Majesty, I think we should be cautious about this matter and want to find out first."

Without investigation, you have no right to speak. You have to keep things in mind and conduct investigations based on the audience.

This is the way of doing things that Shen An has always admired.

Zhao Xu then took leave and went to Shen's house.

"Increase business taxes?"

Shen An felt something was wrong when he heard it, "Commercial taxes are related to the overall situation. Increases and decreases must be carefully considered and verified many times... Is the attitude of the DPRK and China frivolous? What is the reason?"

"It is said that the merchants are too extravagant." Even Zhao Xu was a little gloating. It can be seen that although the Song Dynasty had developed business, the scholar-bureaucrats still looked down on the merchants, no, they wanted to suppress the merchants.

Emphasizing agriculture and suppressing business has been a national policy for thousands of years, and it cannot be changed overnight.

"This is seeking death!" Shen An said calmly: "It's a good thing to have money. No one will care about your money, but don't be arrogant. This person, the more arrogant you are, the more likely you are to be unlucky. Isn't this coming? . But only a few are extravagant. If the government wants to use this to determine business taxes, it is a bit excessive."

Zhao Xu nodded, "I'm going to look around and see what the merchants look like now."

"Okay." This is a good thing. Shen An raised his hands to support it. "You have to be humble when doing things. If you don't check it, you are not qualified to speak. This is a point of view that I have always insisted on. It will be of great help if you go down and have a good look."

"Yes." Zhao Xu was deeply influenced by Shen An. Shen An recently told him that without investigation, there is no right to speak. Now is a good time to put it into practice.

Zhao Xu and his entourage integrated into Bianliang City.

Before he entered the palace, he often traveled around and was more familiar with Bianliang than Chen Quan and others.

His first stop was the dock.

With the arrival of cranes, there are fewer coolies at the dock. According to Shen An, cranes increase productivity but reduce employment.

"I've met the king."

Su Yi knew Zhao Xu, and when he saw him coming, he looked around cautiously, fearing that there were assassins.

Zhao Xu smiled and said, "I'm just here to talk to some businessmen, you don't need to worry about it."

Su Yi nodded, and Zhao Xu asked, "Which side did the ship come from today?"

There are several boats leaning against the pier, all owned by the same boat.

"That Xie Jincheng is from Luzhou."

A businessman with a messy beard was directing the crew to carry goods on the ship. He seemed to have a bad temper and often shouted and cursed.

Zhao Xu walked over, cupped his hands and said, "I've seen Yuan Xie."

Xie Jincheng looked up and saw that it was a young man, and said impatiently: "I am busy. If you have nothing to do, please give way."

Zhao Xu smiled and stood on the side, watching him scolding the man.

Later, when all the goods came ashore, Xie Jincheng cursed and said: "Damn it, it's good to get this crane, but you have to pay more. Is the person who got it out poor and crazy? Can't we ask for less?"

Cranes are very convenient. Although there is a fee, they are much cheaper than before when all goods were transported by manpower.

So this person's complaints are a bit excessive.

"Thank you, members, and have a drink."

Xie Jincheng sniffed, turned around and walked over.

Zhao Xu was sitting on the edge. There were two plates of meat in front of him, one plate of pork head meat and one plate of plain meat. He also got two dips in water and a pot of wine.

"Thank you." Xie Jincheng sat down and drank two glasses of wine in one breath before starting to eat meat.

He devoured the food and was even panting.

Could this man be the reincarnation of a starving ghost?

Chen Quan was pacing beside him, staring at him.

"Xie Yuanwai's business is very big!" Zhao Xu raised his glass, "There are several ships. Can we make a lot of money from this trip?"

"Bullshit!" Xie Jincheng put down his chopsticks, "I'm not talking about you. These shipments are all Jiangzhou dates. Each stone can only be sold for 400 wen, but when someone comes in, it costs more than 100, how difficult it is!"

Zhao Xu smiled and said: "That one stone can earn more than two hundred Wen in interest, why is it so difficult?"

"How much can one ship transport?" Xie Jincheng said angrily: "On this trip, I can only make a few bucks. I can't do this business anymore. I really can't do it."

"I think I can earn a lot." Zhao Xu counted on his fingers, "I can earn more than a hundred dollars at least."

"Haha!" Xie Jincheng sneered: "You only saw this, what about the taxes?"

"The overtax is 20 yuan for a thousand yuan, and the residence tax is 30 yuan. The total is 50 yuan, which is not high."

The two taxes combined are only 5%, which is really not high.

Xie Jincheng ate a piece of pig head meat without cleaning it, and then swallowed it. Feeling that it stung his throat, he took a sip of wine, and then looked at Zhao Xu, "You are a child of a wealthy family, right? You have never experienced hardship. I haven’t been far away, so I don’t blame you.”

He lowered his head, his shoulders slumped, and all the strength in his body seemed to have disappeared.

Zhao Xu asked: "Why do you look at your sad face?"

"Do you know how much someone has to pay for coming here?" Xie Jincheng raised his head and said, "UU Reading www.uukanshu." net sneered: "On the thousand-mile waterway from Luzhou to Bianliang, I encountered more than twenty checkpoints along the way, and I had to pay money at each place... What are the taxes and residence taxes? What are the miscellaneous taxes along the way? It’s the big head.”

"So many?" Zhao Xu poured him a glass of wine, "Didn't it say that the place encourages merchants?"

"That's a tax. Taxes are political achievements. Those officials want to strip us all naked so that they can exchange for their own official hats." Xie Jincheng was obviously dissatisfied and resentful when he mentioned officials.

This is public resentment!

Zhao Xu raised his glass calmly, took a sip, and then said: "But many businessmen in Bianliang say that the government is very good... Why is this?"

"Hahahaha!" Xie Jincheng laughed, then lowered his head and gasped, "Those are wealthy businessmen, and there are people behind the wealthy businessmen. Who dares to collect their miscellaneous taxes? Not only do they not dare to collect them, but the regular taxes are only They know people and can interact with them less.”

Zhao Xu nodded, stood up and said, "Thank you so much for informing me."

In the next few days, he wandered around Bianliang City.

"Do you have to pay for this too?"

An old farmer brought some chickens he raised into the city to sell, but was stopped at the city gate and asked for money.

"Of course you have to pay it!" The tax clerk held out his hand with a cold face.

The old farmer handed over the money angrily, and after the clerk left, he said to his grandson who was following him: "I should have bowed my head and left quickly, hey!"

Zhao Xu stood outside the city gate, watching this scene silently.

Chen Quan whispered: "Your Majesty, are you still leaving the city?"

"Come out!" Zhao Xu's eyes were firm, "You can't see these in the imperial city. You have to go down below and be with the people to know what they want."

…

One more update.