Ming Dynasty: My father Yongle, Forever Reigns Over Mountains and Rivers

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Numb!

Completely numb!

Lumu was in a state of confusion at the moment!

He believed that he had abided by his true intentions as an official, enforced the law to the public, tolerated no rape by officials, and had done a lot of practical things for the people.

However, what he heard from King Han today made him panic!

During the great Ming Dynasty, nine out of ten billions of people became tenants of the gentry!

The remaining 10% or 20% of farmers have to bear the heavy taxes that should belong to the gentry!

No one can imagine how difficult life must be for these ordinary people!

Why?

Isn't this a peaceful time?

Who gave those gentry the power?

And who knows it well, but still whitewashes it for the public to see?

These damn bitches!

Lu Mu was so angry that his face was livid, and he clenched his fists tightly!

He suddenly turned around, looked at Xia Yuanji, the Minister of Household Affairs, and asked in a deep voice: Master Xia, is all this true?

Xia Yuanji was startled when he heard this. He seemed to have lost his soul and looked extremely lonely.

Xiwen (characterized by Lu Mu), since ancient times, emperors have valued farming and mulberry cultivation. Farming and mulberry farming on land is also the foundation of China's continuation to this day.

Not only the emperor, but also our Chinese people have settled down and relocated. This is true for scholars, and even more so for ordinary people.

His Royal Highness the King of Han is right. Since the Jianwen period, there has been a trend of tyrants annexing land in the countryside. By the Yongle period, although it is not serious, it has indeed affected the imperial court's agricultural tax.

When Lu Mu heard this, he immediately shouted angrily: Master Xia obviously knows this, why don't you report to your majesty and ask the imperial court to stop this trend of annexation?

Oh, stop it?

At this point, the old minister, who had been in charge of the household department for more than ten years, couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

How to stop it? What if those people become tenants voluntarily?

What? Willing to be a tenant? How is that possible?

Lu Mu was dumbfounded. Although he was upright and outspoken, he was still young after all and had too little experience as an official. How could he compare with an experienced minister like Xia Yuanji.

Xiwen, after a scholar obtains a meritorious degree, he can be exempted from taxes. This means that all the land under his name does not have to pay taxes to the government!

This gives them the opportunity to make a profit. In order to avoid the increasingly heavy taxes imposed by the government, local people will voluntarily give land to these famous scholars, that is, local gentry.

They signed an agreement privately. The land was given to the local gentry in name only. By virtue of their reputation as scholars, they would not have to pay heavy taxes to the court.

But those local gentry can't help you for free. You have to give them enough benefits so that these gentry can help you withstand risks. As for the benefits they want, they are naturally not many, just a little less than what the government charges.

Xiwen, think about it carefully. In this way, the local gentry does not have to work, but there is a large harvest every year, and the local people who become tenants have a slightly better life than before because they do not have to pay taxes. Who will lose in the end? ?”

The local gentry got the harvest from their fields.

The people were exempted from paying heavy taxes.

In the end, who loses?

The court!

Only the imperial court!

If this phenomenon is not curbed and the powerful annexation by the gentry is allowed to continue, I am afraid that in the end the Ming Dynasty will have no tax to collect and no food to collect!

But as soon as this thought appeared, it disappeared from my mind in an instant.

Because Lu Mu suddenly remembered something, tax payment is an important indicator in the performance evaluation of local officials!

So what will these local officials do in order to complete the tax amount?

In an instant, Lu Mu's face turned pale.

A clever name.

Exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes.

Finally... the officials forced the people to rebel...

Moreover, the main financial revenue of the imperial court is agricultural tax and salt tax, and the rest, such as commercial tax, are almost negligible!

Once there is a big problem with the agricultural tax, then the Ming Dynasty may not be stable.

Zhu Gaoxu was listening quietly all the time, and Xia Yuanji's words made his eyes light up.

Never underestimate the wisdom of the ancients!

Maybe people know it well, but they just pretend to be confused. It's rare to be confused!

Lu Mu thought for a long time and suddenly asked: Master Xia, is there really no other way?

No, land and farming are the fundamental lifeblood of the dynasty, and one move affects the whole body!

Xia Yuanji looked a little sad, It's not that I don't want to solve this hidden danger, but most of the people who annex the land are scholars like you and me.

Everyone knows that a scholar cultivates and inherits his family to bring peace to the world. Once a scholar gains fame, he will try every means to seize the land. This is the consensus of all scholars!

How many scholars are there in the world? How many gentry are there in the world?

Hearing this, Zhu Gaoxu finally understood.

It turns out that Xia Yuanji, an old guy, has long been aware of the land annexation and even realized the bad consequences of the land annexation, but he pretended not to know because of these reasons.

Firstly, it was simply because he was also a scholar, and Lao Xia Tou did not want to rush into reform and end up with everyone betraying their relatives.

After all, most reformers throughout the ages did not end well.

Reform means creating something new and taking away benefits from vested interests. This is doomed to be a path full of bloody death.

Secondly, Xia Yuanji was afraid because there were too many gentry annexing fields, and it was not just gentry who were annexing fields!

This means that if he really dares to take action on this matter, Xia Yuanji may become the enemy of the entire Ming Dynasty!

Even if Zhu Laosi chooses to support him after learning the truth, what will happen?

I'm afraid if the little abacus really does this, the abacus beads will be thrown away in the end!

Lu Mu was furious when he heard this, while Zhou Chen remained silent.

Seeing that the fire was almost done, Zhu Gaoxu coughed twice and said with a smile: Don't be so pessimistic, I am still alive!

The matter of land annexation is not impossible to solve, but it must be done slowly and not in a hurry.

Seeing the meaningful smile on Prince Han's face, Xia Yuanji felt strong uneasiness in his heart.

When Lu Mu heard this, he immediately raised his hands and said, I am willing to do my best for this. Please tell me how to do it!

Simple, the first step is that after you take over the General Affairs Department, you will organize the Di Bao into two types. One is the internal publication, which is the former Di Bao. The content can only be known to officials, not the common people. For example, a certain Some government and national policies that should be kept secret.”

The other is the foreign journal, which is the new newspaper that I mentioned before, which is sold to the people all over the world. The content is the recent major policies of the imperial court, such as the content of the new salt law and the price of the new salt at 60 cents per pound!

The internal journal is just like the previous Dibao, UU Reading www.uukanshu.net As for the external journal, it is for ordinary people to read after all. It can be sold for a few pennies. In the future, your General Affairs Department will need to set up branches in local areas. Xuanzheng officials traveled around the countryside and markets, reading the contents of foreign magazines to the people, and reading them to the people!

Don't always think about being mysterious and disconnected from the masses. You should take the initiative to go among the people and let the common people know what you officials are doing every day and what kind of benevolent policies you have done for the common people. Only in this way can we enhance national cohesion and make people happy. The people trust the imperial court!

Lumu hurriedly took out a small notebook and started taking notes seriously.

Xia Yuanji frowned when he heard this. These are all ways to win people's hearts!

Of course, this is the main section of Xinbao's external publication. You can also open up some sections to publish some things about people's livelihood, as well as the heroic deeds of our officials and soldiers in the Ming Dynasty. You can publish them there, and even the gossip about talented people and beautiful women. News can also be...

Hearing this, Lumu suddenly frowned and realized that things were not simple.

Your Highness the King of Han, wouldn't the cost of the new newspaper be too high?

It is necessary to set up local branches, increase the number of propaganda officials in the countryside, and print new foreign magazines, and the price is only a few cents...

In the past, the General Administration Department was just a Qingshui Yamen that compiled memorials. Where did it come from so much public funds?

Money is not a problem. I will increase the funds of the General Administration Department. In addition, you can also attract investment. Leave some corners and nooks and crannies in the new newspaper for those merchants to buy for promotion and advertising...

Lumu: ???

Xia Yuanji: ???

Your mother!

Are you really shameless?

Prince Han’s ability to make money is truly unprecedented!

The six thieves of the former Song Dynasty would shed tears after hearing this!

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