The topic of Qingzhang Jingshi Xun Guitian Mu came to an end in the tacit smile of Gao Pragmatic and Zhang Xueyan, and then Wei Xuezeng was about to start talking about his business.

Wei Xue used to be the secretary of the Ministry of Industry, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he said something that was still related to the Ministry of Households: "Yesterday, the Ministry of Household received a holy decree, saying that since Jiajing, a whip law has been implemented, and the people say that it is quite simple. However, the service is redundant, the name is real, and there is a division to pursue the levy, and the people suffer. It was the emperor's decision to alleviate the people's hardship, and according to the request of various localities, a total of more than 1.3 million taels of silver were reduced. ”

Gao pragmatic and stunned "how much to reduce"

Wei Xuezeng said expressionlessly: "More than 1.3 million taels." ”

Gao pragmatic opened his eyes widely, "Then the increase in household income in the past few years has not been filled in by more than half?"

Wei Xuezeng glanced at Zhang Xueyan, and Zhang Xueyan smiled bitterly, "Xuan Lao spent several years of hard work to increase the annual revenue of the treasury from three million taels to more than five million taels, an increase of about two million taels per year. As a result, this year, because of this holy decree, the actual increase is only about 800,000 taels, and it is estimated that the income from border salaries and river workers will be sharply reduced by more than half. ”

"Why" Gao was puzzled, "It's not that the emperor doesn't know the importance of wealth, why would he make such a decision"

Wei Xuezeng said, "This was caused by the local officials who were going up one after another, talking about the local hardships, but in fact, they just wanted to say that the examination method was too strict, and they could not collect so many commercial taxes." ”

Gao Pragmatic frowned slightly, but before he could speak, Zhang Xueyan helped to add, "Then the elder Shen Ge went up, saying that now that the treasury revenue has increased greatly, there is more than enough strength to alleviate the people's hardship, and it is better to reduce or exempt the various taxes and levies owed in various places over the years, so that in the future, the local government can start to calculate again, and there is no reason to be in arrears." ”

But Gao Pragmatic still frowned, thought about it, and shook his head again, "This truth is not right." It is not that the arrears in previous years cannot be reduced, but the reduction must be justified. For example, if a certain place is seriously affected by a disaster this year, the emperor is merciful and exempts the local land tax, and as appropriate, the local land tax that has been owed over the years, which is not a problem. But for such a nationwide reduction and exemption, where is the fairness, I mean, for those places where there is no arrears, where is the fairness, it is not equivalent to saying that they used to pay normally were stupid and dragged anyway, and they could be dragged out."

Wei Xuezeng said, "Seek the truth, you dare to say this, do you know that as soon as Shen Ge Lao's song was handed over, officials from all over the country applauded him, and he was almost praised as a flower."

"The magistrate naturally wants to praise him," Gao pragmatically sneered, "Those magistrates who have been relieved of their arrears over the years should boast, because they have lost a lot of tasks, and the magistrates who have no arrears to reduce or reduce their arrears should also boast, because in case they will also be in arrears in the future."

Therefore, it is a pity that these people may not know about this matter at all, and even if they do, they will still boast, because when they hear that the emperor has reduced taxes elsewhere, they will only feel that the emperor is merciful, which is really a blessing for all the people, and they will not consider this matter from the standpoint of the whole country at all."

Zhang Xueyan and Wei Xuezeng glanced at each other in surprise, they only felt that Gao was pragmatic and shrewd, and he didn't match his age at all, but now after hearing these words, he felt for the first time that this was really the heir to the mantle of Gao Gaoxuan

This is "taking the world as its own responsibility".

In these years, if you can consider the annual income for the imperial court, you will already be a great loyal and capable minister

You say that the people of Shengdou are small

Don't be kidding, Shengdou Xiaomin Guan them, these officials and masters, what do officials and masters do, and the officials and masters don't pay taxes

Especially the magistrates, since ancient times, have been called "shepherds and guards", what is the shepherd, what is the shepherd, the sheep are alive, the meat is dead, in this case, they are alive or dead, it doesn't matter

Of course, the current examination method must be a "bad law", how can I be required to wool mutton, and the sheep are not allowed to rebel?

Zhang Xueyan was stunned by Gao Shishi's words, and Wei Xuezeng was the "old Gao Party" who had been by Gao Gong's side for many years, and when he heard the words, he said, "The people can make it, but they can't know it"

Gao pragmatic interrupted, "The people can make it, but they can't make it, and they know it"

Wei Xuezeng was stunned, "This sentence reads"

Gao pragmatic said, "Wei Butang can know the respect for virtue and righteousness"

Wei Xuezeng nodded.

Gao pragmatic said, "Then Wei Butang should know one of these two sentences, respect morality and righteousness, understand the people's morality, can be the second of the king, benevolence can be new, righteousness can be respected, loyalty is credible, learning is beneficial, teaching is like, but no"

Wei Xuezeng nodded again.

In fact, Confucius also meant that if the people know benevolence, righteousness and etiquette, they can govern according to the reason, and if the people don't know, let them understand the reason. In short, we cannot govern the people by force. ”

Wei Xuezeng opened his mouth, but he didn't know how to talk about it for a while, but Zhang Xueyan said, "Educate the people, all dynasties have said so, but in fact, how to educate me, I am the head of the household, so I started from spending money, and now the money that can be used in social science, county school, etc., how many people can be educated, if you want to say that the people, where will the court collect that lot of money and grain to educate the people, if you want to collect so much money, I am afraid that before you have time to educate, the people will have to change unspeakably." ”

The reason seems to be this truth, of course compulsory education is good, but where can the current Ming Dynasty afford compulsory education, even if the children in the country only receive one year of compulsory education, I am afraid that the amount of money and food needed is astronomical, but before compulsory education has started, it has already been "the world is reversed".

However, Gao Pragmatic did not change color at all, but said solemnly, "Therefore, we must unswervingly implement the examination method, why can't people who can afford to pay taxes pay more taxes, don't talk about others first, just say that I am highly pragmatic, as we all know, I am making money every day, but I actually want to pay taxes, there is no name to pay, except for Jinghua Musket Factory and Jinghua Artillery Factory, I need to pay taxes, but that idea is still proposed by myself to Sanbo, which is regarded as the amount of tax I set for myself, in addition, so many of my industries, I don't have to pay taxes, Don't you think that's ridiculous?"

Gao Pragmatic faced the two dumbfounded ministers, waved his arm, and said: "Where is the problem of Daming, in fact, it is not in Xiaomin, it is in people like us, especially in people like me, I was born with an official status, and I was born without paying taxes, but I am still very good at trading, but why don't I have to pay taxes, just because I am reincarnated well, because my family has been an official for generations, and everyone in my family has been an official from generation to generation."

At this moment, not to mention Zhang Xueyan, even Wei Xuezeng didn't dare to answer, swallowed and spit, coughed dryly, and changed the topic, "Let's get back to business, let's talk about the lack of income this year, that due to the lack of income, Brother Xinzhai has already calculated, this year's river work allocation may be reduced by six to seventy percent, but in this way, the Yellow River diversion project may not be completed as planned." ”

He coughed dryly and said, "This matter involves Henan, so the headquarters is here to discuss with you to see if there is any way, such as the payment for cement purchased by Mr. He, whether it can be temporarily postponed."