I

   Chapter 60 059 [Centrifugal Virtue]

  At the foot of Hanzhu Mountain, inside a thatched cottage.

  Zhao Han and Xu Ying, both passed the Tongsheng examination this year, but did not find another teacher, and still studied with Pang Chunlai.

  Master Pang's original scripture is the "Book of Songs", and they can only learn from the "Book of Songs".

Fei Chun read from the account book: "Dingsheng Building sold 48 copies, Hekou Wharf sold 11 copies, and Hanzhu Academy sold 65 copies. A total of 124 copies were sold, and the silver was 1 tael, 2 cents and 4 cents. Invite the shop assistant to eat , asking them to help sell it, has already spent 3 coins.”

   "It's too cheap," Fei Ruhe complained, "The more you sell, the more you lose!"

  Fei Yuanjian echoed: "Yes, if we do a few more ten-day magazines, we will lose all the money we invested."

   "Take your time, don't rush." ​​Zhao Han said with a smile.

  The first print of 500 copies of "Goose Lake Xunkan", if all of them can be sold, not counting the money for inviting the shop assistants to eat, there will be a net loss of 13 taels, 5 cents and 8 cents.

   Well, net loss!

   To make money, the selling price must be multiplied by five.

   At that time, the price of each magazine is as high as an old hen, and you can buy a copy of "Four Books Annotations".

  Because of the low cost of "Four Books Collected Notes", tens of thousands of copies are printed at a time, and they can be sold for several years. However, the printing volume of "Eastern Lake Weekly" is too small, and the number of novels is quite large. Even if cheap paper is used, it is still difficult to keep down the production cost.

   "How is the evaluation of the students in the academy?" Zhao Han asked.

Xu Ying replied: "The most people love to read novels, followed by Mr. Liaodong Lun, and there are also those who like to read ancient Chinese. Your article is quite controversial, mainly on the third article. Equality between men and women, equality in all professions, many Everyone agrees, but equality between good and bad is not accepted.”

   "You don't accept it either?" Zhao Han asked with a smile.

  Many times, the **** decides the head.

  Although Xu Ying's family is poor, they are also good citizens. In terms of legal status, they are naturally nobler than the humble ones.

  Xu Ying quickly denied: "Good and cheap should be equal, of course I accept it."

   Fei Chun is Fei Ruhe's book boy, Fei Yu is Fei Yuanjian's book boy, both of them belong to the low class.

  At this moment, the two of them dare not speak, fearing to provoke dissatisfaction from the master, but they support Zhao Han's point of view from the bottom of their hearts.

  Who would like to belittle themselves?

   Some may be brainwashed, but youngsters must still have fantasies.

  Zhao Han asked Fei Ruhe and Fei Yuanjian again: "What about you?"

  Fei Ruhe scratched his head and remained silent.

  Fei Yuanjian said: "The master is the master, and the slave is the slave. If they are all equal, who should be the master?"

   Fei Yu suddenly felt sad, and felt very sad. The young master usually treats him well, but unexpectedly he was still belittled.

  Fei Chun is similar, if Fei Ruhe doesn't speak, he doesn't recognize the equality of good and bad.

  Zhao Han proposed "three equality", the equality of good and bad is the most radical, but the other two are easier to accept.

  Equality between men and women, only for gender.

  All industries are equal, only for the division of labor.

  Equality between the good and the low, refers directly to class contradictions—the contradiction between slaves and slave owners!

   Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Fei Chun quickly changed the subject: "Brother, it's better to cancel poetry and opera, those contents are purely redundant."

   "Yes, no operas," Fei Ruhe continued, "Who in Jiangxi can't sing a few operas? Unless new operas can be published, they won't attract readers at all."

  Xu Ying said: "Although the poems are read by others, they are also dispensable."

   "Okay, let's cancel it." Zhao Han followed suit.

  The inaugural issue is just to test the waters, canceling two sections can just reduce the cost.

  In the future, the magazine will only have the following contents: Zhao Ziyue, Liaodong Theory, selected periodicals of ancient Chinese, and serialized novels.

  As for Taixi Mathematics, wait for sales to increase.

  Xu Ying suddenly said: "Nowadays, the most troublesome thing in the academy is not the articles in the ten-day magazine."

   "What is that?" Fei Ruhe asked.

  Xu Ying explained: "This year's Jiangxi autumn grain, the preferential exemption for students is officially cancelled."

  Everyone was shocked.

  Zhao Han asked, "When did it happen?"

  Xu Ying replied: "In the past two days, it has spread all over the academy. You didn't come to class, so I'm afraid you don't know."

  Fei Yuanjian has improved his studies in the past two years, and he has a glimmer of hope to pass the exam. He suddenly uttered a rebellious remark: "Is the emperor crazy?"

   "It seems that the emperor was cornered." Zhao Han couldn't help laughing.

  After the twenty-fourth year of Jiajing, as long as you pass the examination as a scholar, you can be exempted from land tax two stones and two servants.

  What did Chongzhen do?

   Cancel the preferential exemption for students, and take two stones of grain from every scholar to supplement the finances.

  For the children of rich families, two shi of grain is nothing, and they have plenty of ways to escape taxation.

  The real affected people are all poor scholars!

  This measure can only increase the annual income by 300,000 yuan, but it will cause very serious consequences.

   Poor scholars have a hard time living, and they have attached themselves to the gentry and aristocrats, otherwise they will have no money to continue the examination. Many scholars in the north simply ran to join the peasant army because they resented the emperor and their lives were difficult.

  Chongzhen promulgated the decree in three years. Due to the raging public opinion, the provincial governments have been secretly resisting it.

   But still can't bear it, this year's Jiangxi autumn grain, finally will be fully taxed on scholars - Chongzhen sent the **** to manage the tax!

  In the first year of Chongzhen, the emperor tried his best to suppress the eunuchs, and the civil officials cheered.

   In the second year of Chongzhen, the emperor suddenly expanded the factory guard. In Dongchang and Jinyiwei, although the power of law enforcement has been withdrawn, the power of supervision has grown day by day. There are factory guard spies everywhere in the capital.

  In the third year of Chongzhen, the emperor no longer trusted generals, eunuchs began to get involved in the army, and the power of the army supervisor was improved. In the end, any front-line decision-making had to be discussed with the eunuchs.

  In the fourth year of Chongzhen, the emperor no longer trusted civil servants, and eunuchs managed the country's finances.

  Nowadays, the money bags of the Ministry of Household Affairs and the Ministry of Industry are all in the hands of the eunuchs, and there is a special "Household Worker Prime Minister" (the **** serves as the governor).

  Eunuchs also controlled the right to mint coins. The copper coins issued four years after Chongzhen had the words "Jian" and "Chi" printed on the back (if the Ministry of Households and the Ministry of Industry were to mint money, the words "Household" and "Work" would be printed on the back).

  Eunuchs were sent to the localities to supervise the collection of taxes in various provinces.

  In the fifth year of Chongzhen, the emperor monopolized the power, the eunuchs were powerful, and the civil servants and generals were weak.

  No commercial tax at the end of Ming Dynasty?

  After the Tartars broke through the customs, the central financial difficulties, the land tax increased again, commercial tax, customs duty, labor tax, deed tax... all increased!

  The national treasury is not much rich, but it has fed the eunuchs from all walks of life.

  Civilian officials, military generals, landlords, businessmen, farmers, and scholars all complained and became increasingly alienated from the emperor.

  Under such circumstances, who really cares what articles Zhao Han writes?

   "Zi said, Zi said, I came to see you!"

  Fei Ruyi came to the thatched cottage suddenly, bringing a handsome servant with him.

  The two masters and servants, although they no longer wore exotic clothes, they still looked fancy overall.

  Zhao Han cupped his hands and said with a smile: "Brother Changhuai, please come in!"

  Fei Ruyi didn't bow, but directly shook hands, took Zhao Han's hand and said, "My dear brother, I'm here to report to you."

   "I don't know what news my brother brought?" Zhao Han quickly pulled out his hand.

  Fei Ruyi hooked up with Zhao Han again, looking more like a hug, and said with a smile: "Grandfather went to the county yesterday, and invited the Deputy Envoy of Tixue to the academy, and I'm afraid he will attend your debate."

   "Thank you brother for reminding me." Zhao Han moved to the side, trying to get rid of physical contact.

  Fei Ruyi continued to lean over: "The Deputy Envoy of Tixue is not only as clean as water, but also a master of Taoism. Brother, you should be more careful."

   "Definitely, definitely." Zhao Han's hairs stood on end.

  Lao Tzu is not afraid of anything.

  I am most afraid of you now!

  Fei Ruyi didn't leave, but Xu Ying, Fei Ruhe, Fei Yuanjian and the others subconsciously stepped back, looking at this old man with horror on their faces.

  (end of this chapter)